How can I as a new runner start slow when I feel like I have a running start?
December 15, 2010 6:29 AM   Subscribe

I'm new to running, but am already very fit and active (cardio workouts 5-7 times a week.) New runners are warned to take it slowly and not push themselves, but how does this apply to someone who's not coming off a couch towards a goal of 5k?

I skate roller derby very competitively. I have on-skates practices most days of the week for 2+ hours. My cardiac fitness was found to be outstanding in a very recent test; my resting heart rate is 47.

I have started running to cross train. I started in the end of October with about two 1 hour runs per week in addition to my skating. Those runs are typically 6 miles (5 if I'm running hills.) Now I'm mixing short (3-4 mile) runs with a weekly long run (last night was my first 10 mile run.) I'm doing that because it seems like that's how it's done.

I have also been reading information for new runners online and pretty much every article warns that new runners tend to overdo it and become injured. This advice seems geared to sedentary people who are just beginning to work out.

I do understand that this is a very very different type of impact on my body. Roller skating is essentially no-impact. My main motivation for running is to see performance gains on skates, so a running injury would be worse than counterproductive. (I also walk several miles a day at work, I'm a nanny. Does this mitigate the potential trauma on my body?)

My left ankle started feeling funny one day so I stopped running immediately and didn't attempt to run again for a week. (I was still skating every day and it felt fine.) Then I started up again with a 10 mile run...to "catch up." That is just how I am. I had arbitrarily set a 10 miles/week minimum for myself, and I didn't want to miss it.

Am I starting too fast? I am VERY results-motivated and competitive. I am finding increasing the length of my long runs and my weekly mileage overall to be very rewarding and motivating, but I do want to be cautious to avoid injury. (I'm trying to use Chi Running form.)
posted by palegirl to Health & Fitness (28 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
its the soft tissue impact that's the issue, not the cardio aspect. I'm sure you could probably put the hammer down, but your knees and plantar fascia might not keep up. I'd mix your other cardio and slowly increase running into the mix.
posted by Ironmouth at 6:32 AM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]


Then I started up again with a 10 mile run...to "catch up."

=O.

Plenty of people to do Couch to 5k are fit people who cross train all the time. If you started in October, you shouldn't be running anywhere near 10 miles, or 6 miles, for that matter.

Slow down. You're going to get injured.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:34 AM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]


Please be careful. I was already a 5x/week runner when I started training for a half marathon and I ended up with a stress fracture in my femur. Injuries can happen to fit people and I can tell you that it really, really sucks to have to sit out for a few months while you wait to heal up. There's no reason to push yourself.
posted by something something at 6:42 AM on December 15, 2010


I have tried to get into a running routine several times in my life and every time I have tried to run too far too fast, incurred injuries and had to stop running for months at a time. Like you, I also have very good cardio fitness and it's possible for me to up and run 6-10 miles without any running training at all. I once ran a marathon with basically no pre-training. I also like the thrill of distances and tend to set crazy goals for my running program. And here's what I end up with after a couple of weeks: shin splints, plantar fascia, knee pain and swelling. All of these have ended my attempts at running for long periods of time and I think I have now learned the lesson. Running is really hard on your body, especially when just starting out, and it's very easy to cause damage when your body isn't ready. The next time I start running, I will be doing 2-3 miles max, at a pace that will likely make me feel embarrassed, but I don't want to knock myself out with injuries again.
posted by otolith at 6:43 AM on December 15, 2010


Listen to your body. If something hurts, stop. Setting arbitrary goals for yourself is a fast track to injury and disappointment.

As someone who is new to running, I recommend that you focus instead on running for time instead of distance. My coach had always said it was important to work on endurance before speed. If your body tells you that you need to take a walk break, that's okay too.
posted by kat518 at 6:46 AM on December 15, 2010


It doesn't sound to me like you're overtraining. You felt some pain and you rested until it went away-that's good. I think that for a lot of new runners, running just hurts, and then they can't tell the difference between acceptable pain and bad pain.

Don't increase your mileage by more than 10% a week, and decrease intensity/length every four weeks or so to give yourself a chance to recover. It sounds like you're doing just fine.
posted by Kwine at 6:49 AM on December 15, 2010


I wouldn't start with couch to 5K. That is meant for sedentary people.

I would consider starting with Hal Higdon's Intermediate 5k program. This program would force you to focus on building up milage more slowly. You can cover your competitive side by running this program fast.
posted by rdurbin at 6:49 AM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]


Yeah, please don't overdo this. It's tempting to do so because I'm sure you think "well, of course I can already run, so...". Think of running as a completely different skill, one your body/brain are going to have to learn to work up to.

Running requires much different movements than those you've been doing, even while walking, and there are so many ways to get injured via overuse, wrong shoes, and wrong gait, from plain ol' stress fracture to piriformis syndrome. All of these really suck, and will have negative effects on your other activities if you end up with them. You have to let your muscles get used to the movements, and you have to work on your gait to ensure you won't get injured. Shorter/slower runs help you do this.

You wouldn't do a 5 mile open water swim soon after graduating from swimming class, would you? Of course not. Just because you can run 10 miles right off the bat, doesn't mean that you should.
posted by Knicke at 6:52 AM on December 15, 2010


Best answer: I'm just repeating what others have said, but, it's not your muscles or cardio that are the problem.

Your tendons, ligaments, and even your bones all need to catch up to your overall fitness level.

Because you are strong, you are at greater risk than a "sedentary person" to seriously damage yourself. Your system is overpowered for the strength of the connecting tissue.

Both my husband and I have injured ourselves running from being too "results and goal oriented" and failing to take things slowly.

Those warnings you're doing your best to argue away? Yes, they are meant for you.
posted by endless_forms at 6:54 AM on December 15, 2010 [7 favorites]


Having had both knees scoped for cartilage damage and numerous bouts with plantar, I can repeat what people are telling you that the danger from getting into high mileage too soon isn't in your general fitness but in the stress on your joints. 'Listening to your body' is too random and sometimes too late to prevent injury. Listen to everyone in this post: take it slow.
posted by birdwatcher at 7:11 AM on December 15, 2010


Agreed with the above. Just bear in mind that the sort of injuries you can get from running can very easily last you the rest of your life. Younger runners often don't get that, I think. Even at just 32, I've got running injuries from 10 years ago that will never stop hurting first thing in the morning, all because I was wearing the wrong shoes and ignoring what I thought was minor pain.

Take it slow. It's not an activity that rewards punishing yourself like swimming or biking or cross country skiing or whatever.
posted by pjaust at 7:13 AM on December 15, 2010


I was going to say you were doing fine until you said you ran a 10er after an injury. Don't do that again. I don't necessarily side with all the advice above, but when you are coming back from an injury, please take a while to ramp back up. A couple of easy three milers with rest days in between followed by a 6er or so. A lot of times, you'll feel fine until after you run, so you'd want to quit while you are ahead just in case.
posted by advicepig at 7:13 AM on December 15, 2010


Best answer: Take it slowly, even if it feels like you can do more. Getting into running is more than just the cardiovascular aspect - you need to train your body to undergo and understand the unique impact that running provides. At this point it's probably more about sport-specific and surface-specific training than the cardiovascular aspect (as in a sedentary person). A very common mistake with people in your shoes is that they do too much, too soon and all sorts of nasty injuries can result.


(my background: I'm a running coach, have done 7 marathons and have been running for 15 years): Please feel free to meMail me with any specific questions, am always glad to help out!
posted by floweredfish at 7:14 AM on December 15, 2010


I was relatively fit at the start of '10 (Got a 3rd place age group "first timer" award in late '09 at my first sprint triathlon) but had never done a lot of consistent running.

Started focusing on running more competitively this year, doing 5K races about every other week, running every other day and a once a week "speed clinic" doing timed intervals and sprints on a track with a group. Also did an olympic triathlon.

I quickly reduced my average 5k mile pace by about 30 seconds and was setting new PR's (personal records) at each successive race and was tremendously pleased. However, a little niggling pain in my shins started getting worse and worse and one day I almost couldn't walk up the stairs at work because the pain was so bad. Shin Splints.

I'm now taking a time out on running to give my shin splints time to heal and it sucks. I'd wouldn't have pushed the running so hard this year if I had the chance to do it over.
posted by de void at 8:15 AM on December 15, 2010


Kwine mentioned this earlier, but the rule of thumb is to not increase mileage by more than 10% per week.

That rule is for marathon training and intended for people who are already used to running 3-4 miles per day. In other words, it is for people who are in good shape already, i.e. you

You can balance out the distance by working on time. You can also augment that with your current non-impact workouts, swimming and cycling and whatnot.

Good luck with your running.
posted by I am the Walrus at 8:31 AM on December 15, 2010


Response by poster: Thanks, everyone, for the advice. What I'm hearing is "dial it back." I respect that and it's not terribly surprising. Like I said, I definitely want my running to be a productive addition to my training schedule. When I started running I was honestly surprised that running for an hour, oh, that equals six miles? Wow! I didn't know I could run six miles, I just went out and did it. Same thing last night. I got the idea in my head "I think I can run ten miles, I'm going to try!" and I did, and it was awesome!

Okay, so, dial it back, dial it back... but specifically what does that mean? Running 3 miles doesn't even feel like a work out. Doing anything for only 25 or 30 minutes doesn't really feel worth anything.

Also, next Monday I'm going away for two weeks and running or walking will likely be my only workout options during that time. Would it be okay for me to run say, 5 miles almost every day? It's a little bit frightening for me to face going from working out 2-3 hours a day to less than one, if that, but safety is my primary concern. My season is starting in a few weeks.
posted by palegirl at 9:25 AM on December 15, 2010


Don't think of the first weeks/months of running as workouts; think of them as laying the preparation for the workouts that will come after.
posted by teragram at 9:36 AM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]


Your biggest issue is going to be the new impact against joints and muscles that aren't really used to it yet. A few things to mitigate. Get good shoes. Go to a local shoe store that caters to runners and get shoes which are sufficiently padded and fit well (talk to one of the salespeople who know what they are doing). This should require, if not a computerized test of your foot impact, at least someone watching you run/walk to see how your foot hits the ground.

Second for the time being, try to stay off concrete or asphalt for your longer runs, if a local high school or college has an accessible track these are usually padded to reduce the affect of impacts (those red colored rubbery ones tend to be best). Track isn't as fun for long runs but failing that many trails are both fun to run and easier on your joints. You can also hit the treadmill at the gym for a lower impact run.
posted by bitdamaged at 9:47 AM on December 15, 2010


If running three miles doesn't feel like a workout, crosstrain. Run for three miles, then do some strength training, or spinning, or yoga, or something else that's lower-impact but still challenging. I've always found running + swimming laps is a nice combination, but do what works for you.

An injury from overtraining is going to leave you on the sofa for months, potentially, which, believe me, is much more frustrating than having to take your workouts down a notch for a few weeks.
posted by Spinneret at 9:51 AM on December 15, 2010


I was in your same situation a few months ago. It didn't take very long to start running 15-20mi/week. Then my ankles started to hurt (both of them), nothing severe and I kept going. I got a pretty nasty case of tendonitis and had to stop running for 6 or so weeks. I'm fine now, but I guess the point is to listen to your body. And get good shoes that fit right.
posted by bpdavis at 10:00 AM on December 15, 2010


Response by poster: I just sort of realized that I have a little bit more of a running base than I thought; I have been doing a 1 hour weekly workout since June that consists of a 1 mile run followed by an active stretching & strength warmup and then a series of sprints with various starts for about 30 minutes. Although that is sprint based and what I'm working on now is more of endurance runs, hopefully those workouts have been conditioning my body for running. Then, like I said, I started at the end of October running 5-6 miles 2x/week.

The course I am considering now would consist of running 4-5x a week, with one of those runs being a long run (6-10 miles for now) and the others being shorter runs of 3-5 miles, for a total weekly mileage of 15-25 miles. I think I'd be willing to stick within those restrictions for a little while and then bump it up 10% max weekly.

I respond really well to goal setting, and I love the idea of running 1000 miles in 2011. It's about to be the new year, and that's a commitment to running about 20 miles/week averaged over the entire year. So obviously starting out below 20 miles/week would be prudent.
posted by palegirl at 10:55 AM on December 15, 2010


Running 3 miles doesn't even feel like a work out.

Then you're not going out hard enough.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:43 AM on December 15, 2010


One answer above advised a track, which has a perfectly uniform surface. I have a theory which I have not yet seen anywhere else. (I have done a lot of running in the past, but have given it up because of injury risk.) I think it is not the accumulation of the thousands of strides that does the most damage, but it is that one stride in one or two hundred where you make a small misstep and suffer a slightly twisted plant and a very minor joint sprain which causes the bulk of the damage. If I were to take up running again I would definitely go the track route. I can do 4-5000 jump ropes to complete energy spent state and feel no pain at all, but if I run a couple miles my feet and knees and hips are all sore.

Every single person that I know who does a substantial amount of running is constantly battling nicks.
posted by bukvich at 11:52 AM on December 15, 2010


I'm going to address your question from a different angle. You said you are running to increase your skating speed. That's not the best thing you could be doing and the long distance stuff is sort of a waste of time.
If you want to do it because you want to run long distances that's cool but you aren't going to see a big carryover to skating because your VO2max and cardio is already so high.

Maybe replace the LDR with plyometrics and different weighted squats\jump squats? They are a huge benefit. Even if it might not feel like very much at first it will have a large carryover.

Making a circuit out of the below with 5-10 reps per exercise would work well.
Standing Broad Jump
Stair Jumps
Depth Jumps (12-18 inches)
Reactive Jumps (12-18 inches)
Reactive Jumps Over Bench/Box
Split Lunge Jumps
Cross Over Strides
Low Walks

Link for a hockey power\speed program endorsed by a great trainer, John Berardi.

Also, just listen to your body, everyone is different. If you're running and suddenly there is pain, just stop.
I skated my whole life and don't run but every few months I have no problems going out and running a 22ish minute 5k or running a sub 45ish minute 5mile without getting injured.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:16 PM on December 15, 2010


Best answer: If you want to take up running to improve your performance while skating, you probably should be working on interval runs rather than long and slow. Do the following:

Sprint 20 seconds
Jog at a slow pace ("recovery") 10 seconds
Repeat for a total of eight times
Rest (easy jog or walk) 1 minute.

That's a five minute interval according to the Tabata protocol. It's a not a huge amount of training volume (even if you go all out during the sprints, you're not going to exceed 3/4 mile doing this) so it won't hurt your soft tissue, but the gains you'll see cardiovascularly will be, to put it mildly, off the hook.
posted by telegraph at 12:55 PM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: In the book Running for Mortals by John "The Penguin" Bingham, he writes
…while your aerobic system can achieve one cycle of measurable improvement in 3 to 6 weeks, your muscular system achieves one cycle of measurable improvement in 6 to 12 weeks.… your aerobic system is changing every 3 to 4 weeks, and your muscles are changing every 6 to 12 weeks, but your joints and tendons won't — and can't — change except every 6 to 12 months.…

That is why people so often begin to experience joint pain after just a few months of running.… Their hearts and lungs are feeling better than ever and their muscles are starting to feel great, so they push themselves to go farther and faster before their joints and tendons are ready. [Running for Mortals, pp. 58-59; emphasis mine]
As endless_forms says, you're actually at more risk of injuring yourself because you're already fairly fit and strong, not less risk.

Both my husband and I have injured ourselves running from being too "results and goal oriented" and failing to take things slowly.

I could have written that, if endless_forms hadn't done it first. It is so, SO frustrating to have to sit out the race you were planning to run because of a training injury, and it's even more frustrating to have to do so knowing that it's your own damn fault.

10% increase a week, max. Write it on your bathroom mirror. Scrawl it inside your running visor. Put it on the top of every page in your training log.

Learn from my mistake, endless_forms's mistake, and all the other people who've injured themselves by overtraining: Save yourself pain, frustration, and annoyance. Stick to 10% a week.
posted by Lexica at 1:41 PM on December 15, 2010


Best answer: On the subject of the Tabata method, Coach Dan John has this to say:
• I almost want to call Izumi Tabata, the Japanese researcher, and apologize for all the Internet nonsense I've caused by my Tabata Method article.

• The issue with Tabata is that people think it's part of a workout. The truth is, if done right, you'd need a gun to make an athlete do another set. Izumi had to practically force his athletes to get back on those bikes.

• If you do push-ups for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds and continue that for 4 minutes, it is not the Tabata protocol. Tabata is 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off for 4 minutes, but the mere fact that you can do sit-ups and "Tabata" jumping jacks afterwards tells me that you're not doing the original plan.

posted by Lexica at 1:47 PM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Zephyr_words, I totally appreciate your input and I agree with you that off-skates plyos are awesome for athletes in my sport. We're already all over that, I have off-skates plyos training 3x/week for fast-twitch development. One is 60 minutes sprinting workout (described in my post above) and the other two are 30 mins of jumps & strength.

I didn't say I want to run to "increase my skating speed" -- I said I want to run to cross train. What I mean by that is, I want to add several weekly off-skates workouts, good sweaty workouts, to the 12+ hours I'm doing on-skates weekly. For free. I want to workout frequently and not pay for it, hence: running. And I found I like running, so am asking specifically about that.

Lexica & Telegraph -
Thanks for the info about The Tabata Method, I'm definitely interested in how I can work high intensity intervals into my training, and I do think that help with my on-skates performance. I'm interested in both endurance running for its own sake and pleasure and doing intense off-skates workouts that will develop fast-twitch muscles for derby.
posted by palegirl at 1:58 PM on December 15, 2010


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