P&b Running Club

[JMDP]

Been running about 25 miles a week in preperation for the Glasgow half marathon, probably should be doing a little more. Nine miles yesterday in the wind and rain, didn't feel too bad after it.

I'll probably try and do a 15 mile run by the end of the week before easing down the the week after in the lead up to the race.

The Stirling 10K is only a couple of weeks after, enjoyable race that and a good course for a PB.

Has anyone ever ran a marathon, half marathon or 10k on the continent? Myself and a couple of friends are looking to go away next year to run and any recommedations would be welcome. I'd be looking to run my first marathon whilst the others would probably be doing a half or 10k so any that organise these on the same day would be ideal.

[The Dog]

Have lost a stone and a half since the start of June by cycling and going to football training. I have decided to start going running the nights I don't go to football now as I would generally like to be able to run longer. The cycling has been great from though.

Anyway went a three mile run tonight which I had tried at the start of my regime. I barely got a mile jogging it back then and walked a fair chunk in over 30minutes (not sure on the time really), managed it in 24 minutes tonight which I think is quite good as the only running I have done has been at football training.

What time should I be looking to do 3miles in? How long should I go at this distance before I increase?

Anything between 21 and 24 mins for 3 miles is decent for an occasional runner. As is anything under 55 mins for a 10k.

[Karpaty]

First time I've been out in a few weeks, so decided to do a custom 10k. And it showed; 57 minutes Mind you, there's 4 right b*****ds hills I've included and I didn't stop once. Up the pace a bit next time I think.

[BishyTON]

Just completed the Paisley 10k in a time of around 50 minutes. Not got my official or tag times yet, but I am told that the clock was at 50 mins when I crossed. Pretty pleased with that as I only started running in January and I could barely run the length of myself then! Also raised around £450-£500 for Prostate Scotland!

Edited to add - Race Time - 49 minutes and 59 seconds, chip time 49 minutes and 28 seconds

Edited August 30, 2009 by BishyTON

[Captain_Sensible]

Does anyone do timed sprints?

I've been doing a bit of this as a training thing and I find it miles better than just running for miles and miles.

Best training I did was interval training.

As an example, run for 6 mins, rest (or jog) for 60s secs and then run for 6 mins again and then rest (or jog) for 6 mins. You would do this five times.

The aim is to run them relaxed and not hammer yourself. You should cover the same distance with each interval, ie you need to run them evenly paced.

For a session like this I'd aim to cover at least 1 mile during each interval.

I'd do these intervals once a week and its much easier doing it with a group of like minded runners as that keeps you going and keeps you even paced.

We would do different interval sessions each week, eg one week as above, another week would be 8 x 3 mins with shorter rests or 9 x 600 metres, etc. Loads of variations.

This training gets you really fit. It took me from a 43 min 10k runner to a 35 min 10k runner in the space of 2 years.

As I said though, it pays to train with good runners. The guy in our office who led our lunchtime running group was a 32 min 10k runner and we had a group of about 15 runners, all with 10k PBs of under 40 mins, which would guarantee a decent turn out every week and give you a great work out.

A good way to find such a group to train with is to join a running club. In Glasgow, Bellahouston Road Runners are great. I trained with them one night and they literally had about 50 folk out doing an interval session. It was split into two groups, the sub 38 min 10k group and the slower group. Folk of all abilities were there.

[Captain_Sensible]

Just completed the Paisley 10k in a time of around 50 minutes. Not got my official or tag times yet, but I am told that the clock was at 50 mins when I crossed. Pretty pleased with that as I only started running in January and I could barely run the length of myself then! Also raised around £450-£500 for Prostate Scotland!

Edited to add - Race Time - 49 minutes and 59 seconds, chip time 49 minutes and 28 seconds

Well done.

I ran my first Paisley 10k 5 years ago at the age of 34 having also just taken up running in the January. My first attempt of running a mile included 2 stops to walk and by the time I got home I was wheezing badly and my wife thought I was having an asthama attack.

I ran that Paisley 10k in over 46 mins, so not a million miles away from yourself. I continued running by myself for the next year and a bit before discovering the training group in my work, as mentioned above.

To give you a measure of what you may be capable of, by the time I injured myself at the end of last year, I'd ran 2 marathons, 6 half marathons and a number of 10ks. I had a 10k PB of 35.15 and a halaf marathon PB of 1.22. My marathon time let me down for various reasons and was only 3.13 but I was on target in my training for a 2.50 marathon until I fucked my knee.

Sop beware the danger of doing too much too soon.

[Ross]

I just started running recently in prep for the "Men's Run 4 Health" in Dumfries at the end of the August. It's a charity race like the Race for Life that women do, distance of 5kms. Having done no running at all, not even at the gym, I started of lightly on the treadmill and then went out onto the road. Used www.mapmyrun.com to set up routes (got the info from people on here!) and upped my distances closer to the event. Anyway, the 5km was 3 weeks ago and I did it 28mins 29secs which I was quite proud of. My girlfriend did the Glasgow 10k on Sunday just passed there, and we went out for a 4 mile run last night, first time I'd tackled that distance, christ I was stiff this morning!

[Reynard]

I done the beep test about 6 months ago and got to level 12 or 13

I've been doing it once a week for training. I do three tests. Itry and score at least 14 the first time and then try to descend to no lower than 11 for the third. I take three minutes rest between tests. I'm as fit as I have ever been in my life.

Best training I did was interval training.

As an example, run for 6 mins, rest (or jog) for 60s secs and then run for 6 mins again and then rest (or jog) for 6 mins. You would do this five times.

The aim is to run them relaxed and not hammer yourself. You should cover the same distance with each interval, ie you need to run them evenly paced.

For a session like this I'd aim to cover at least 1 mile during each interval.

I'd do these intervals once a week and its much easier doing it with a group of like minded runners as that keeps you going and keeps you even paced.

We would do different interval sessions each week, eg one week as above, another week would be 8 x 3 mins with shorter rests or 9 x 600 metres, etc. Loads of variations.

This training gets you really fit. It took me from a 43 min 10k runner to a 35 min 10k runner in the space of 2 years.

As I said though, it pays to train with good runners. The guy in our office who led our lunchtime running group was a 32 min 10k runner and we had a group of about 15 runners, all with 10k PBs of under 40 mins, which would guarantee a decent turn out every week and give you a great work out.

A good way to find such a group to train with is to join a running club. In Glasgow, Bellahouston Road Runners are great. I trained with them one night and they literally had about 50 folk out doing an interval session. It was split into two groups, the sub 38 min 10k group and the slower group. Folk of all abilities were there.

Yeah, I mainly went in for that sort of training simply because I really don't enjoy running for any length of time. You can virtually get your running session over and done with in fifteen minutes with sprint training instead of pounding the streets for an hour or so at a time. Its not as sore on the joints either.

I'm doing this training specifically for a particular sport of course where I need to max out my heart and recover extremely quickly so sprint training is ideal and I am very durable on court now. I really don't find myself blowing out my arse at all now unless I am playing a guy who is a level above me and is making me run a lot.

How's your knee BTW?

Interesting you do this in a group. I tend to do my training alone. Apart from the bleep testing where a couple of us set it up. It probably would make things more competitive too. I tend to get a bit lazy arsed when I'm left to my own devices.

Edited September 11, 2009 by Reynard

[ShakehandsTom - DFC]

As of Monday, I'm trying to improve my fitness (and lose weight), and I'm going to start running.

For improving fitness for football etc (90mins), what sort of running is best? Am I best jogging for a sustained period of time, or is a tough, fast actual run better for improving the fitness in the way I want?

[Reynard]

As of Monday, I'm trying to improve my fitness (and lose weight), and I'm going to start running.

For improving fitness for football etc (90mins), what sort of running is best? Am I best jogging for a sustained period of time, or is a tough, fast actual run better for improving the fitness in the way I want?

Interval sessions are by far and away the best thing for fitness. See some of the stuff above your post.

Do circuit training, weights regularly. Swim if you like . Just running will get you fit alright. But for football you need explosive training. Sprints are great and will melt your fat off fast. Mix up what you do as well. If you just do the same thing over and over your body gets used to it.

Get an exercise bike as it helps your stamina.

And get some weights and squat like f**k with them to strengthen your legs. Deadlift too.

You'll thank me for this one day!!

Find a hill that take a minute to run up and run it as fast as you can and walk back down and repeat this 'till you vomit.

Edited September 11, 2009 by Reynard

[ShakehandsTom - DFC]

Interval sessions are by far and away the best thing for fitness. See some of the stuff above your post.

Do circuit training, weights regularly. Swim if you like . Just running will get you fit alright. But for football you need explosive training. Sprints are great and will melt your fat off fast. Mix up what you do as well. If you just do the same thing over and over your body gets used to it.

Get an exercise bike as it helps your stamina.

And get some weights and squat like f**k with them to strengthen your legs. Deadlift too.

You'll thank me for this one day!!

Find a hill that take a minute to run up and run it as fast as you can and walk back down and repeat this 'till you vomit.

Cheers.

What sort of timings are best for 'interval session' running? What time is best for a jog and how long should the running times be in between?

[Shengus Khan]

Cheers.

What sort of timings are best for 'interval session' running? What time is best for a jog and how long should the running times be in between?

Football is all about short 10 - 20 yard sprints. You'll very rarely have to sprint more than that but you'll have to do them often plus you'll have to continously change direction which really can take it out of your legs.

A bleep test would be a pretty good exercise for football but I really don't think there is anything better than playing matches.

I've been going out on the road the last few days and geting 5 miles or so under my belt. There's a great big stretch on the route where I sprint from one telegraph pole to the other, jog the next, sprint the next then so on. Really does wonders for me.

[Reynard]

Cheers.

What sort of timings are best for 'interval session' running? What time is best for a jog and how long should the running times be in between?

It depends how fit you are to begin with. Once you get up to a decent level then you'd work out your programme to suit what you want to be. Just mix things up a bit and get into it first. Get fit and then you can up your training or modify it to target what you want to be fit for.

Intervals are just really periods where you max out your heart rate then let it drop back and then max it out again. Get a cheapo heart monitor and use that. fifteen quid will get you a basic one that does the job. You'll probably not be able to do too much to start with so thats why it's good to maybe do it a couple of times a week and maybe just gentle jogging the rest of the time to build up your fitness. I've never been a fan of distance running so I'm the wrong person to ask. But if you are training for football then distance running is a waste of your time anyway

[gav-ffc]

Interval training is the best imo.

[Karpaty]

I've been going out on the road the last few days and geting 5 miles or so under my belt. There's a great big stretch on the route where I sprint from one telegraph pole to the other, jog the next, sprint the next then so on. Really does wonders for me.

Interesting angle. I'm gonna try that.

Cumbernauld 10k this Sunday. Would have entred if I knew the fecking thing was on

[Karpaty]

Is there any races you can enter if you're under 18?

[ShakehandsTom - DFC]

I went out for a 20-odd minute run today when I got in from work, and it was good.

I jogged for a bit, with sprints interspersed with the jogging.

My fitness is still very poor, but today was the first day of me trying to get fit and lose a bit of weight and I enjoyed the run.

[Hank Scorpio]

I'm back out beating the streets. I'm doing the Seven Hills Half Marathon next June, so i've got plenty time to get fit. 4 miles-ish tonight.

[Moriarty]

Out of interest....

Do any of the guys who are regular runners eat extra calories on days that they run? For example, add an extra 600 calories spread across the day if you know that you're going to be running an hour at night.

or is not something you really think about?

[Jamie_B]

Thinking about doing the Scone Palace 10k next month. Been out of the running a bit lately but playing a lot more football and squash to compensate.

Interested in the interval stuff - will need to work out a progamme of some kind.