FAO Jogger Jayne and any other runners...

[milly143]

Hi Jayne, I mentioned to you a while ago that am signed up for my first ever half marathon in March. I've been tryign to train at least every other night but I don't really seem to be improving, in that the distance I can actually jog doesn't seem to be getting much better so I have some questions, if you have the time to help I would be really grateful.

1) How long should it take before I start to notice any real improvement with my running.
2) When I do the half marathon, if I feel I can't run the whole way am I allowed to stop running and walk the rest of it?
3) Would you reccomend doing any other forms of excercise for training other then just going out jogging?
4) Have you got any tips I can use to get myself motivated? I find it really hard to get off my butt and get out sometimes.
5) would you reccommend actually trying to complete 13.1 miles before the actual half marathon?

Sorry, I know that's a lot to ask but this is all very new to me and I need all the help I can get. :o)

If anyone else has anything to add please feel free!

[joggerjayne]

Milly, I’m SOOOO sorry I didn’t see this sooner.

I’ve been away for a couple of days with a few gal pals. We needed to cheer ourselves up with an oestrogen fix.

So, let's see ...

1) How long before you notice any real improvement ?

This depends on your base level of fitness, and your past running experience. As you may know, muscles have a sort of "memory". If they have done something in the past, it's easier to make them do something again, even if they haven't done it for a long time. Like ... riding a bike, or roller skating.

If you've been running in the past, your muscles will get accustomed to your running regime more quickly. It will "all come back to them". Likewise, if you have had a good level of fitness for a lot of your life, then it will come back more easily.

It might take a few weeks, or even a bit longer, but ... it WILL come. It might even creep up on you unexpectedly. You'll suddenly find you are running a bit further, a bit more easily, and you hadn't noticed.

Have you tried sticking with a fixed distance, and only increasing it when you find it easy, and when you are doing that distance a bit more quickly?

2) When you do the half marathon, can you stop running and walk the rest of it?

Yes, absolutely.

(continued)

[joggerjayne]

(continued)

3) Would we recommend any other exercise, other than just jogging?

Yes. Anything that raises you pulse rate and gets you sweaty (yes ... even THAT!!) will help to increase your base level of fitness. When you run, the thing that tires first is quite often not your legs, but your breathing. Increasing your general fitness will make that easier. You should try to increase your fitness until, when you run, your legs and your bum hurt more than your lungs.

4) Are there any tips to get motivated?

Well, the running must not be a chore. Can you make it a social thing? Is there anyone who will run with you? Or who might cycle beside you when you run?

And ... reward yourself! If you’ve had a good run, and got really sweaty, open a bottle of wine, and tell yourself you’ve earned it.

Plus ... get your kit on !!! ... If you are sitting there in your clothes, it’s a real bind to get changed and get out for a run. I know the feeling. So, as soon as you can, get into your running kit. It will make you feel more like getting up and doing the run.

And don’t feel that you have to do the whole run. If you don’t feel up to it, then just allow yourself to take a short cut. Anything is better than nothing.

5) Would we recommend trying to complete 13.1 miles before the half marathon?

There’s really no need to do that. You get to a point where you are running on adrenalin, and you just keep going. Being with all the other runners will carry you the last bit of the course. Aim to work up to about 8 miles.

One last tip, in case I didn’t say this last time ...

Mentally break your run into sections. Don’t think “I’m running (for me) to Saltdean and back” (about 8 miles). Tell yourself “I’m going to run down to the Pier, then I’m running to the mini railway, t

[joggerjayne]

(continued)

... then I’m running to Black Rock, then I’m running to the Marina, then I’m running to Roedean, etc, etc” That way you keep achieving little targets all the way along your route.

That way, you always achieve something, and you can give yourself a little reward.

[joggerjayne]

And, each time you have a good run, and you get really sweaty and wet and muddy ...

... post on here, and tell us about it.

Then we can give you a cyber pat on the back.

[joggerjayne]

Just had a further thought on the "can I walk?" bit.

One way of getting yourself round is to do a "run/walk" combination. Run for a bit, then walk for a bit, then run a bit more, etc.

People who like to make their gym workouts sound technical will talk about "interval training". Well, that's all it is. Break up your hard exercise with intervals of low intensity work.

But, on every run you do ... always run the last bit.

It feels good to run to the end and collapse in a heap.