This is the last of my 2km scheduled runs before I move up to 3 whole km. Things have not gone to plan though. Just over half way round my left calf went into very painful spasm and I had to stop.
I hobbled back, running about 20 meters before having to walk 100. This is not what I'd hoped! So am now in the midst of some research into pulled calf muscles and am planning a 4 day rest period before I try running again on Monday.
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Mr Stumble.
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Having taken a whole year to make it to 30 minutes running, I'm now increasing my mileage and thinking about races ...
2 comments:
Mr. Stumble,
Sorry to be so abrupt, but I fear that you are about to injure yourself. You need to reset your expectations and reset them quickly before you hurt yourself and never run again. Although I am certainly not a qualified running coach, I do have plenty of experience screwing up my legs over the past 50 years trying to start a running program using your strategy. It never worked for me. I always ended up with sore shins and aching hamstrings. 4 years ago years I decided to try again using a radically different approach. I started running by walking
The first day I walked 30 minutes … no problem, we can all walk for 30 minutes. The next day I ran for 1 minute walked for 9 and repeated for 30 minutes. After a couple of days I ran for 2 minutes and walked for 8. You get the picture. Within several weeks I was running for 30 minutes pain free.
When you are just getting started, it is all about the time and not the distance. The distance will come later. Until you get to the point where you can run 30 minutes without feeling that you just crossed the finish line at the London Marathon, I wouldn’t advise that you worry about distance at all.
You’re in this for the long haul. You’ve got nothing but time and plenty of it. So what if it takes you a month to get your body in sufficient condition to run for 30 minutes non stop. There isn’t anyone keeping score.
Once you get the point where you can run 30 minutes non stop you can then (and only then) start to consider setting up your training plan.
Steve Walker (aka Steve Runner) probably told you about the 10% rule. That is, never increase your total time or distance week to week by more than 10% and never increase your long run from one week to another by more than 10%. I’ve only screwed myself every time I’ve violated this basic axiom. I understand the motivation, but it only leads to pain.
Do the math. 10% per week doesn’t sound like much when I’ve just suggested you can’t even consider starting a running program until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping, but 10% per week builds up very fast.
To make the math a bit easier for this dumb American, let’s assume that you are running at a 10 min/mile path for 30 mintues … hence 3 miles per day. And assume you have worked your way up to running 3 miles a day, 6 days a week (everyone needs at least one day off). You are now up to 18 miles a week after a couple of months. Starting at 18 miles a week, increasing your weekly totals by only 10% will allow you to increase your weekly runs to:
18.0
19.8
21.8
24.0
26.4
29.0
31.9
So after 4 months (including 2 months getting to the point where you can run 30 minutes a day 6 days a week) you could be running 32 miles a week. If you are running 32 miles week there isn’t any distance race short of ½ marathon you couldn’t run comfortably and injury free.
Running becomes an obsession for many of us. We need to do it.It is who we are. We’ll have you racing in no time, but you need to slow down now and get those leg muscles accustomed to running.
Good luck and happy running
Phil
Phil,
Thanks for this. Your feedback is most welcome! I'm a bit behind with my posting and I've already determined my training strategy is not good. I've found it really useful to have a goal of the 10K as this keeps me motivated, but I'm not going to die-in-a-ditch if I don't make it.
My training plan is the best I could come up with given what I knew at the time but is probably a classic recipe for injury and failure. It will be revised! Very soon! I think you are absolutely right and your experience (and anyone else's if they care to comment) is going to be really valuable in keeping me going and reducing my chances of further injury.
I hope having a warts-and-all blog about this process will help someone else start up running and at least make one less mistake than I did!
All the Best
Andy Stumble
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