ask man about running.

[Colonel Kataffy]

I would like to train for a marathon...I know, its been done, but still, its one of the things I'd like to do before I die.

Anyway, I need advice, tips, and a training program. I currently can run 2 miles. I'm about 15 pounds overweight. I lift regularly. I squat and work my legs pretty hard.

How long will this take if I start tomarrow?

[man]

[ QUOTE ]
My knees and shins hurt most of the time when resting. This is obviously exaggerated when running distances > 1 mile and the following hours. But I really enjoy running. Should I continue doing it or heed my body's advice and do lower impact, yet less satisfying cardio exercises? Anything I can do to lessen the stress?

[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend going to a specialized running shoe store where they'll fit you up with the right kind of shoe based on your running form. it can be expensive but it will be worth it.

other things you can do are to run on grass, not pavement. it goes: grass > hiking trails > rubber track > asphalt > cement.

on your off time, you can do ice massaging on the areas that hurt. take an ice cube or two and rub it against the area that hurts for 10-15 minutes. many serious runners do this every day.

stretching is another way you can prevent injuries (but the jury is out on how much it really helps). when you do stretch, make sure you stretch each muscle for at least 30 seconds. it actually hurts you to stretch for less because the muscles just contract.

[sredinator]

I trained for about 6 months last summer/fall to a point where I was consistently getting in 40 miles per week. After a couple of months at this level I began to experience pain on the side of my left knee (only when running). It felt like a tendon on the outside of my kneecap was extremelly tight/painful, sometimes if I keep running through this it would have a burning sensation.

For the past 6 months I have cut my miles back significantly (less than 10/week, no more than 4/run at a slow pace) but I still get pain (I stop immediately) when running.

Thoughts? Also I just turned 26, not overweight, never had any significant previous injuries.

[man]

[ QUOTE ]
I would like to train for a marathon...I know, its been done, but still, its one of the things I'd like to do before I die.

Anyway, I need advice, tips, and a training program. I currently can run 2 miles. I'm about 15 pounds overweight. I lift regularly. I squat and work my legs pretty hard.

How long will this take if I start tomarrow?

[/ QUOTE ]
there are lots of ways to do this, but for a guy who can run 2 miles it will take 20ish weeks for you to be able to drag your body across 26 miles. the way you train is on a four-week structure. each week is structured like this:

Sunday: long
Monday: easy
Tuesday: moderate
wednesday: easy run
thursday: moderate, or tempo run
friday: easy
saturday: nothing

what determines "easy" depends on where you're at--at the beginning, it might be a half hour alternating between running and walking. near the end it should be about 30 minutes easy jog.

the milage will begin at about 20 miles a week, and increase each week by about 10%. on the fourth week of each 4-week cycle, you will drop down to the mileage of the first week of the cycle because it is your rest week. on the first week of the next cycle you resume the milage of the third week of the previous cycle. got it?

I dont think I have enough time to write out an entire training program, but here is a site that has one. it might not be the same formula I've laid out, but it's probably pretty close.

[Colonel Kataffy]

Thanks, that link is exactly what I was looking for.

[man]

[ QUOTE ]
I trained for about 6 months last summer/fall to a point where I was consistently getting in 40 miles per week. After a couple of months at this level I began to experience pain on the side of my left knee (only when running). It felt like a tendon on the outside of my kneecap was extremelly tight/painful, sometimes if I keep running through this it would have a burning sensation.

For the past 6 months I have cut my miles back significantly (less than 10/week, no more than 4/run at a slow pace) but I still get pain (I stop immediately) when running.

Thoughts? Also I just turned 26, not overweight, never had any significant previous injuries.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm guessing it's your IT band, which sucks. however it's not inconquerable. you can buy a knee band that will take the stress off (honestly I don't know how it works, but it worked for me when I had IT band problems in high school). you can also ice the affected area.

as I said before, most leg problems come from : bad shoes, running on hard surfaces (grass > hiking trails > rubber track > asphalt > cement), or not stretching properly.

[kipin]

man,

Which movie about running do you prefer and why?



or

[Soul Daddy]

Okay, thanks. I will look into getting some good shoes. and try running on different surfaces. Where can one expect to run long distances consistently on grass?

[man]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay, thanks. I will look into getting some good shoes. and try running on different surfaces. Where can one expect to run long distances consistently on grass?

[/ QUOTE ]
golf courses are your friend! also, next to sidewalks or in parks. but watch for holes because you'll roll your ankle and die.

[sredinator]

[ QUOTE ]

as I said before, most leg problems come from : bad shoes, running on hard surfaces (grass > hiking trails > rubber track > asphalt > cement), or not stretching properly.

[/ QUOTE ]
I was running a lot on concrete and not stretching at all.. I suck.

Thanks man! I will look into IT bands