Training Check-in/Encouragement Thread

[PirateLover]

Mods, please feel free to move or change, but I didn't see a thread dedicated solely to training. Some of us were starting to write about it in the main Meet thread, but I thought it might be better to start a new one so that doesn't get too muddled with other things.

Well, what do I mean? I think it would be fun for people who are planning to do the 5K, or any of the runs for that matter to check in here from time to time and give encouragement to each other. If someone has hit a plateau maybe someone on here would have advice, etc.
You can check in weekly, daily, however often you want! I know I would really appreciate if people would get involved with this, as I really don't have anyone at home. DH says he's going to do it, but I'm already into my 7th week of C25k and so far he isn't showing the initiative.

My problem is my feet. I no longer can complete the program as scheduled because of the pain in my feet which then radiates to my ankles and shins. Luckily I was selected to particapte in a market survey that paid me $100. I won't get the check for another month but now I feel good about spending some money at Fleet Feet. I plan to head there tomorrow.

How are the rest of you doing? Have you trained in the past or are you a newbie like me? What has been easy? What has been hard?

[Dopey's Girl]

Great idea! I need all the encouragement I can get! This meet is totally my motivation to hit the gym!

I'm training for the 5k. So far it's going pretty well. I'm using the couch to 5k app, and I really like it so far. I'm a total newbie. I have wanted to lose some weight for a while, so this is awesome.

I am struggling with a blister right now. Two nights ago I wore the wrong socks to the gym and my new running shoes, which I love, rubbed the back of my ankle. The blister burst and running tonight was very painful. I'm soaking it now, and will have to find a better method for protecting it tomorrow.

[BrerGnat]

Good idea starting this thread!

Maryanne, first of all, good job on completing the first 7 weeks of C25K! That's awesome! Don't get discouraged. Injuries and/or pain can sideline you, but I encourage you to fix it now before it gets worse!

Get thee to Fleet Feet, stat!

Shin, ankle, and foot pain are very common while running, especially if you are new at it. It's often to blame on the wrong shoes, so hopefully, you will be able to find some that work better for you.

Often, if this type of pain is minor, you just need to "power through" it. I get pains from time to time, and the only thing I can blame it on is the weather, because I get the pains some days running and not others! Seriously, the other day, I ran the same 3.5 miles I have been running for years, except everything in both legs ached and ached the whole time! I ran yesterday and had none of that. Us women can often blame hormones as well.

Take a couple days off, do some good stretching (including stretching your feet!), and try again with some new shoes.

[BriarRose0708]

Great thread Maryanne!

My goal is to run Goofy, so my training program has been just running nonstop. In fact, I'm on my treadmilldesk as I type this.





J/K! I am planning on running just the half marathon but haven't started any half training programs just yet. I need to work up my running baseline first before I can even think about a long run. Right now I've been averaging 5k distance on the treadmill with an average time of 40 minutes, trying to keep my pace to 12:30/mile with a couple of walk breaks. If my legs feel good I'll try for 4.5 miles but no more as I want to avoid injury as much as possible. Somewhere around mile 2 I start to get tired and have to dig deep for the extra energy or take a longer walk break than I normally would.

I went to Fleet Feet a couple weeks ago and am in love with the shoes I got there. I am still fighting blisters each time I run but they are getting better. I have found that using a couple strips of athletic tape in the areas where my feet rub against some stitching have helped reduce the blisters from swelling up and bursting. I learned from 20 years of ballet that blisters are a pain (literally!) but once they heal and callus over you'll find it's not a problem. Proper socks are definitely key- I got some on sale at Target called Duo Dry something.

[clausjo]

This is a great thread!

I did the Wine & Dine in November and that was my first running experience. I would really recommend the trainings that are on the runDisney website. They really helped me with keeping on schedule and not injuring myself. Unfortunately, I haven't done much since then, but I'm planning on getting started again this weekend.

I was slow, 15 minute mile, but I finished and wasn't last so I met both of my goals! I was so much fun and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Good luck everyone!

[cer]

The right socks changed my run-life forever.

I wear "Feetures" - Love them, but they are not inexpensive - I can usually expect to pay $12/pair. I like the light cushion ones, but they have all kinds. My husband wears Balega's and those work well for him.

For blisters/hot-spots the best thing for me is to keep them from forming. On a runners website someone recommended Flexitol Heel Balm. I put that on my toes, all over my feet where I might get blisters, really. It is good for not only keeping away blisters, but keeping your feet nice and soft. I don't use it all the time (but would if I needed it), and when I use it on long runs, I just use a little. It works really well for me.

If I don't do the heel balm, I use Body Glide on my feet - the solid kind like a deodorant stick- not the tube. It works well, too!

Now this works for me, but if I get blisters, it is usually on my toes, never had problems on the bottoms of my feet or heels - so I know it helps with toe blisters not sure about blisters other places as I never get hot spots there (maybe that's why!).

If I already have a blister, I use moleskin to protect it, it does the trick for me.

Good luck to all of you!

A little about my running history....
I ran my very first mile without stopping on February 25, 2012 at age 41.
Last Race: WDW Marathon Jan 2013 - My first Marathon - I did it!
Next Race: Austin Capital 10K April 7, 2013 - Y'all come on out, it's a great time!
Training for: Goofy 2014

[PirateLover]

Went to Fleet Feet today! They didn't have the treadmill at my local one, but the gentleman helping me out had me walk around the store in my socks to evaluate my gait. I tried on 3 different pairs of shoes- Brooks, Saucony, and Asics. None of these really passed my "ugly" test that I mentioned in the other thread, but the Saucony pair was the cutest with some hot pink and yellow; unfortunately they didn't feel supportive enough. The Brooks pair just didn't fit right. One size was too snug and the next size too roomy. I went with the Asics. I could definitely feel the difference. He tried to sell me on some inserts and said they recommend everyone use some kind of insert. I wasn't ready to spend another $40 so I figured I'd just use Dr. Scholl's I had bought for my old sneaks. Big mistake! More on that later...

I am struggling with a blister right now. Two nights ago I wore the wrong socks to the gym and my new running shoes, which I love, rubbed the back of my ankle. The blister burst and running tonight was very painful. I'm soaking it now, and will have to find a better method for protecting it tomorrow.

Cer gave some great blister advice. Take it seriously! My friend thought she was taking care of a blister but it was on a high impact area of her foot, and continuing to run on it became so painful she had to go to the dr. She had rubbed away almost 2 layers of skin!

Shin, ankle, and foot pain are very common while running, especially if you are new at it. It's often to blame on the wrong shoes, so hopefully, you will be able to find some that work better for you.

Often, if this type of pain is minor, you just need to "power through" it.

Thanks! As I alluded to earlier, I had a LOT of pain today. 5 minutes into running my left instep area was throbbing. Something told me to pull out those darn inserts, and once I did it was discomfort that I was able to "power through" as you said. Good to know that it's OK to have good days and bad. As the saying goes: "No pain, no gain!"

Great thread Maryanne!

My goal is to run Goofy, so my training program has been just running nonstop. In fact, I'm on my treadmilldesk as I type this.

You had me for a sec!

Proper socks are definitely key- I got some on sale at Target called Duo Dry something.

The right socks changed my run-life forever.

I wear "Feetures" - Love them, but they are not inexpensive - I can usually expect to pay $12/pair. I like the light cushion ones, but they have all kinds. My husband wears Balega's and those work well for him.

I feel very lucky that I haven't had any issues with blisters yet! I bought a pair of Balega's at Fleet Feet to try them out. $11-$12 for ONE pair of socks is hard to stomach for my tight budget. I wore them on my run today and while I really did like them, they didn't feel THAT much better than my Target socks.

I was slow, 15 minute mile, but I finished and wasn't last so I met both of my goals! I was so much fun and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Those are pretty much my goals! Finish, don't be dead last, and have fun. But even if you finish last... a finish is a finish in my eyes!

[Disoriented]

Great idea! I need all the encouragement I can get! This meet is totally my motivation to hit the gym!

I'm training for the 5k. So far it's going pretty well. I'm using the couch to 5k app, and I really like it so far. I'm a total newbie. I have wanted to lose some weight for a while, so this is awesome.

Hi Dopey’s Girl,

I don’t know where in St. Paul you reside, but I just wanted to mention that the Running Room at Grand Ave. and Lexington has a run club that is open to the public. They meet on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 8:30 AM. Running with a group makes a world of difference when training for an event. It makes it so much more enjoyable.

This time of year, at least on Wednesdays it’s just your hard core runners, but in the next month or so that should start to change.

They also have clinics during the week that are designed to help new runners with their training. Stop and talk to them and they will be happy to talk to you about what they have.

Every one there including the hard core’s are very supportive and will be more than happy to help you along your journey.

Also I have heard a little bit about a training group associated with Jeff Galloway (the official Run Disney trainer) that is starting on March 6th at 6:00 PM and is meeting at Minneapolis Washburn High School. There is a fee for this but it could be very informative.

Good luck and Happy running.

[Disoriented]

I think it would be fun for people who are planning to do the 5K, or any of the runs for that matter to check in here from time to time and give encouragement to each other. If someone has hit a plateau maybe someone on here would have advice, etc.
You can check in weekly, daily, however often you want! I know I would really appreciate if people would get involved with this, as I really don't have anyone at home. DH says he's going to do it, but I'm already into my 7th week of C25k and so far he isn't showing the initiative.

This is my story. It’s not exactly C25K but hopefully it is some what inspiring.

I used to do a little running back in the late 90’s when I was a thirty something, approximately 2 to 2.5 miles three times a week, I developed a sore knee after a few years and quite.

I started up again in the mid 2000’s to participate in an employer sponsored weight loss program. Again running about 2 miles three times a week. In October of 2007 I was in line for an event for the Epcot Food and Wine festival and the gentleman in front of me had a brass colored replica of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror hanging around his neck. I asked where he got it and he told me about the Tower of Terror 13K.

I thought that medal was the coolest thing I had ever seen and I just had to get me one. Now going from running 2 miles a day to being able to run 8 miles seemed like a daunting task but I figured I had two years to get there so the training began.

Well 2009 arrived, I completed the race, received my medal and had an absolute blast and a feeling of accomplishment that I had never felt before in my 52 years of living. The only down side was that this was the final Tower of Terror 13K that Disney was going to run. Bummer.

Shortly after the race Disney announced that they were replacing the 13K with the new Food and Wine festival half marathon. Running 8 miles wasn’t too bad but another 5 miles more to complete a half marathon sure seemed like another daunting task but I thought it would be fun to be part of an inaugural event so back to training it was. Once again I surprised my self and completed the race and received a medal.

Now during the training process for the half I hooked up with some people that ran marathons and I learned about the Jeff Galloway training method among many other helpful tips and since running that first half marathon I have run the St. Paul Winter Carnival half marathon, the inaugural Tower of Terror 10 miler and the 2013 Walt Disney World full marathon and I am registered to run the Twin Cities marathon this October and considering running the 2014 WDW marathon and others in the future.

Just remember that in endurance racing the key is patients and persistence and that speed is your enemy. Find your pace that is comfortable for you and enjoy the scenery.

Good luck and Happy running.

[PirateLover]

Thank you all for checking in and sharing your stories and tips. This is exactly what I was hoping for! Nat, I really appreciate the nutrition tips. I lost a lot of weight last year when I was seriously dieting, but not really exercising. Sadly I gained it back. I am not on a diet right now, but I have been eating "better," yet with all the running I'm doing, I thought I'd lose some weight. Your explanation makes sense for why I'm not.

Disoriented, I feel a lot like you! I have never been a runner, and just running a full 5k still seems daunting to me. As of last week I was still not able to run 20 mins without walk breaks. I had to take a few days off and when I did the training today, I ran the full 28 minutes the app asked me to (with 5 minute warmup and cool down walks) and did not need to stop once. I even forgot to take my inhaler before hand! I needed it when I got home but still being able to control my breath enough and push through the tiredness and discomfort gave me the hope I needed that I am building towards something. Now, I am way behind the C25k app pacing. They suggest that you run 2.75 miles in 28 minutes whereas I was only at 2.08; but as many of you mentioned I know I need to keep at my own appropriate pace.

[AgentC]

I am enjoying reading everyone's posts. I haven't started training yet. I really need to starts before it starts getting too hot down here.

[BriarRose0708]

I've been working on my mental endurance along with the physical endurance. It's difficult for me to tell the difference between when I really need a walk/water break and when I think I need a break. I feel good, my legs are good, I'm not overtired but there's this mental thing I get that goes "this has been fun but I just want to stop now" and I don't know how to turn it off. I'm good at listening to my body when it needs a break, but ignoring the voice in my head is much more difficult. How do you get the focus to keep going? Right now I tend to max out at 4 miles and I need to get past this.

[NewDVCowner]

I've been working on my mental endurance along with the physical endurance. It's difficult for me to tell the difference between when I really need a walk/water break and when I think I need a break. I feel good, my legs are good, I'm not overtired but there's this mental thing I get that goes "this has been fun but I just want to stop now" and I don't know how to turn it off. I'm good at listening to my body when it needs a break, but ignoring the voice in my head is much more difficult. How do you get the focus to keep going? Right now I tend to max out at 4 miles and I need to get past this.

I'm having the same problem, but it's only really happening when I run NOT on a treadmill. Because of scheduling I tend to run twice a week on a treadmill at an elevation and then on the weekend go out and run outside. I know it's just a matter of me getting bored rather than anything else. For some reason in my head I have it that it's 'too hard' to slow the treadmill down so I just push through it. When I'm outside it's just too easy to stop. I know it's all in my head, and I'm sure that's the hardest obstacle to get around.

[Melanie]

I am enjoying reading everyone's posts. I haven't started training yet. I really need to starts before it starts getting too hot down here.

And I'm waiting until it gets a little warmer.

Nikki, do you listen to music or a podcast or something? Something you can really get into and not notice your time or distance?

[PirateLover]

And I'm waiting until it gets a little warmer.

Nikki, do you listen to music or a podcast or something? Something you can really get into and not notice your time or distance?

I think having the right playlist can make a big difference! I've been relying on Pandora because we had a major hard drive malfunction and haven't re-uploaded all of our music yet, but I'm going to need to rectify that soon. When I'm listening to good music the time goes by much more quickly.

[badkitty]

Congratulations everyone on your training. Keep up the good work!

Christine, sending you well wishes for a speedy recovery.

My story:
I'm relatively new to running (only started summer 2011 to do the 2012 WDW half before turning 50). I have never been athletic and not at my ideal weight. I never really considered being a runner but I read about runDisney and yearned to run through the castle. I was lucky to find Jeff Galloway's program that allows me to run injury-free. (So far so good!) His run-walk-run method was perfect for me while I was "learning" how to run. I started his program without any running experience and settled into a 30/30 ratio (alternating 30 secs run and 30 secs walk) while working up to a 14 mile long run. This ratio gave me about a 14 minute pace. I am now able to alter my ratio (by increasing the time running) depending on the pace I want to achieve. The greatest ratio I've attempted to date is an alternating 3 minute running followed by 1 min walking but I'm not able to keep this pace up on the long runs yet. I'm still a novice runner and the walk breaks are really important for my endurance and recovery. I was really nervous about the heat and humidity during the recent Princess half (I was advised to slow down in temps over 60 degrees) having done my training for it in the colder winter temps. I decided to set my timer to 30/30 (figuring I could maintain a 14 min pace) and it got me through the race ahead of the sweepers and no injuries! I even had enough energy left for a full day in the parks! Thank you Mr. Galloway!

[PirateLover]

Boy am I happy I started this thread! So much great info. As I mentioned earlier, I had been doing great with the C25K program, but I just couldn't maintain a quick pace for long durations and was getting pretty spent before I even reached 2.5 miles.

I wanted to try interval training after reading badkitty's post (thanks!) and now I'm a convert. I downloaded the Runkeeper app mentioned by Nikki (again, thanks!) and headed outside because I find it much easier to do the intervals outside as opposed to the treadmill, and, I wanted to challenge myself since it was such a disaster last time I ran outside. Well, through some snow and sleet, I covered 3.12 miles in 44 minutes, averaging a 14:24 mile. It was a sluggish morning and I had to fight through the first mile, but by the end I had so much more energy! Can't wait to get back out there and keep improving.

[lettripp]

Just checking in with an update. Thanks to all the good advice I was able to run my first race today! Did the 5k in 33:40... my best time yet :-) :-) :-)

I also decided not to wait a year - I am registered to run the Wine and Dine in November! Next step is a 10k in Plymouth in May. Probably going to take a few days off before jumping into the next round of training though. My calf has been hurting since my run Friday and I want to give it ample rest for healing. If it still hurts at the end of this week I am going to see a doctor. Last thing needed is for this to ruin my Disney goal!!!!

Thank you all again! I so love this thread!!

[badkitty]

ted Well, through some snow and sleet, I covered 3.12 miles in 44 minutes, averaging a 14:24 mile. It was a sluggish morning and I had to fight through the first mile, but by the end I had so much more energy!

YAY! Good for you. I always struggle through the first mile. My mind tries to convince my body that this is just a fad and I'll quit soon. Everything seems to hurt during that first mile but once my brain decides I'm not giving up, the miles that follow are so much easier!

Hang in there!!

[jonahbear2006]

I stress this with no joke...if you are training for a marathon do NOT focus on your weight or the numbers. Focus on the food you are putting into your body and the work you are doing on training...the rest will follow suit. Losing weight can put a strain on your heart and if you are not replacing nutrients properly you can leave yourself wide open to a stroke. Carbs before and protein afterwards. This doesn't mean you cant lose weight doing it. I am just saying it will happen automatically, so try not to focus on that. Be healthy, be safe. This training is amazing and can leave you mentally in the best shape of your life. There isnt a one of us who isn't capable of it and its a small percentage on the planet that ever does a marathon or half marathon so consider yourself one of the few who do this bucket list item. Push yourself harder than you ever have before, run like you stole something, and when you want to quit remember that the pain is temporary and insignifcant turn up your music and forget about where it hurts. I lost 50lbs doing this and crossed the Goofy finish line in Jan and returned for princess in Feb. and I am no athlete...just another mother.