Running a 5K when you can't

"Wayne S. Hill" wrote
Dally wrote:

One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered
there's a race going past my house and into my park next
Saturday. I'm trying to figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk
(to bring down my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k
once a week (for the past 6 weeks or so) where I run/walk
and finish in about 45 minutes. I haven't run outside with
hills and ice and snow in many months: all my running has
been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have
lousy endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll
be 100% in six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the
client and d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20
degree weather and whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I
hadn't actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should
I push it or wait?

I would not contemplate running outside right now in MA with my
asthma.

Premedicate, wear a balaclava over your mouth, and carry your
albuterol MDI.

Wuss. The other log-lifting plaid-skirt-wearing manly men are laughing
at you!

David

"Ignoramus18248" wrote
David Cohen wrote:
"Ignoramus18248" wrote
Dally, try to use some common sense.

You are entering a RACE when you are in a very poor CV shape.

Just what good can possibly come out of it?

Pride of accomplishment.

what accomplishment.

If she could run 5k, that would be an accomplishment.

With so little to gain and so much to lose, I think the answer is
obvious.

You're a wuss.

Maybe I am a wuss, but doing silly stuff is still a bad idea. By the
way, I skydived once (static line method). But I skydived because I
knew that it was a safe thing to do, even though it sounds
scary. Running a 5k on snow and ice, being out of shape, is
dangerous.

Also, with ice and snow, you risk substantial injury, especially
if
you are not very experienced.

Stay indoors, wear a full body condom. We'll email you with the
results of life.

better than going to hell prematurely

Also, do you think that rather than misc.fitness.weights, your
question belongs to rec.running?

She's not a freakin' tree-hugging quiche-eating wussy girl! She's
a
weightlifter that runs!

Dally is beautiful, but I want her to be around us for a long
time!!!

Oh, well, if THAT is the goal...

David

In article , Dally wrote:

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles.

I'm curious about this. Are you saying that you have to stop because you feel
you're about to die, or you have to stop to bring down your heart rate ? If
so, how high does your heart rate get before you "need" to bring it down ?

I'm asking this because I ran a 5k race with a heart rate monitor once.
Throughout the entire last mile, my heart rate was not discernably different
from 100% max.

If you're not very fit, you *will* have a high heart rate when you run. This
is not catastrophic at all, it just means that the exercise is not entirely
aerobic.

Like Roger said, slowing down may help, though there's diminishing returns once
you're below about 5mph (12 min/mile) I can't remember how fast you run, I
think maybe you're already using such a pace.

[snip]

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100% in
six more days

Unless it's really severe, wouldn't worry about it.

c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

All that it means is that you'll need to wear some warm clothes. Make sure
your ears and hands are well protected, and put some vaseline on your cheeks
and nose.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or wait?

You could enter it, but don't go in with high expectations. Just go for the
experience. You may want to set yourself an easier goal like taking a 2 minute
walk break each mile if you're not sure you can run the whole way.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

"Donovan Rebbechi" wrote
Dally wrote:
Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to
bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles.

I'm curious about this. Are you saying that you have to stop because
you feel
you're about to die, or you have to stop to bring down your heart
rate ? If
so, how high does your heart rate get before you "need" to bring it
down ?

I'm asking this because I ran a 5k race with a heart rate monitor
once.
Throughout the entire last mile, my heart rate was not discernably
different
from 100% max.

If you're not very fit, you *will* have a high heart rate when you
run. This
is not catastrophic at all, it just means that the exercise is not
entirely
aerobic.

Like Roger said, slowing down may help, though there's diminishing
returns once
you're below about 5mph (12 min/mile) I can't remember how fast you
run, I
think maybe you're already using such a pace.

[snip]

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be
100% in
six more days

Unless it's really severe, wouldn't worry about it.

c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

All that it means is that you'll need to wear some warm clothes.
Make sure
your ears and hands are well protected, and put some vaseline on
your cheeks
and nose.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or
wait?

You could enter it, but don't go in with high expectations. Just go
for the
experience. You may want to set yourself an easier goal like taking
a 2 minute
walk break each mile if you're not sure you can run the whole way.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Exactly! We Rutgers men are no wusses!! I rowed the Raritan...naked!
(It was the '70's...I did a lot of things naked)

David

In article , Dally
wrote:

One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered there's a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm trying to
figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the past 6
weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes. I haven't
run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all my running
has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have lousy
endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100% in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or wait?

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)


I'd run it just to get a feel for the race and have some fun.

--
Keith Hobman

--- email address above is a non-monitored spam sink.

In article , "That T Woman"
wrote:

"Dally" wrote in message
...
One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered there's a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm trying to
figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the past 6
weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes. I haven't
run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all my running
has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have lousy
endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100% in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or wait?

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

Dally


Asking the weightlifters about running seems about like asking your dentist
about your vagina. Asking in one of the running groups would make too much
sense?


misc. -- we talk about everything, but guns seems to be a big one.

fitness -- well, duh, running. Fitness. i sense a connection.

weights -- every once in a while we talk about this too.

--
Keith Hobman

--- email address above is a non-monitored spam sink.

"Keith Hobman" wrote
Dally wrote:
One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered
there's a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm
trying to
figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to
bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the
past 6
weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes. I
haven't
run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all my
running
has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have
lousy
endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be
100% in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or
wait?

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

I'd run it just to get a feel for the race and have some fun.

Dally, the well-armed nurse boy and the crazy psych guy from Rutgers,
and Nanook of the North, all say RUN! What more do you need?

David

Dally wrote in message

One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered there's a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm trying
to figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring
down my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the
past 6 weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes.
I haven't run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all
my running has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and
have lousy endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100% in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or
wait?

Lessee. 5km is more than half as far again as your current limit (3.2km),
you're sick, the race is in less than a week and the weather is dreadful.
Astonishingly stupid would be a kind description. You know damned well you
should not do it so why do you want us to encourage you to do it anyway?

--

"Posting at the top because that's where the cursor happened to be is like
****ting in your pants because that's where your asshole happened to be."
Andreas Prilop

"Keith Hobman" wrote in message
...
In article , "That T Woman"
wrote:

"Dally" wrote in message
...
One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered there's a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm trying
to
figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring
down
my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the past 6
weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes. I
haven't
run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all my running
has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have lousy
endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100% in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or
wait?

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

Dally


Asking the weightlifters about running seems about like asking your
dentist
about your vagina. Asking in one of the running groups would make too
much
sense?


misc. -- we talk about everything, but guns seems to be a big one.

fitness -- well, duh, running. Fitness. i sense a connection.

weights -- every once in a while we talk about this too.

--
Keith Hobman


And there are a lot of dentist with vaginas, they don't specialize in them
just like the weightlifting group is not focused on running.

Donovan Rebbechi wrote:
In article , Dally wrote:

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles.

I'm curious about this. Are you saying that you have to stop because you feel
you're about to die, or you have to stop to bring down your heart rate ? If
so, how high does your heart rate get before you "need" to bring it down ?

I'm curious about this as well, as it's a new limiting factor for me.
This never happened back when I was a teen-ager!

But what happens is I start wanting to slow down really really badly
because I feel like my heart is going to burst or something - as if I'm
on the final sprint and giving it all I've got, but I'm not, I'm just
running along at 5.3 mph and my wind is good and my legs feel fine. I
take a heart rate and I'm in the 180-190 range. (In the old days my
legs would feel wooden or I'd get a stitch in my side as limiting
factors, not crappy fast heart.)

So I walk until I get my heart rate under 160 and attempt to keep it
under 170 because I start to feel crappy as it approaches 180. I'm
working hard but not killing myself when I'm in the 160-170 range. I'd
say that's a 16-17 on the Borg scale for me. Highest I ever measured
it at was 195. As I wasn't dead at the time I suspect my max heart rate
is around 200.

My favorite pace is around 5.3 mph, about an 11:30 mile which is running
slowly for me with my stumpy legs. But it spikes my heart rate too fast
- I can only go about a mile at this pace. I can keep my heart rate
from soaring if I jog at around 4.6 mph, but that's an awkward gait for
me - not as much fun - and I still only make about two miles before I
need to walk.

For my training I alternate between doing days where I run 5K with as
many walks as I need, and days when I jog as far as I can without
walking, and days when I do some other cardio like a 20 minute HIIT
session or Tae Bo or rollerblading. I've only got two or three cardio
days a week and I wasn't feeling pressure to get the 5K down yet.

I also run a mile to warm-up for weight-lifting three times a week, but
those aren't timed and I start out walking and then stop after half a
mile to do some stretching. Oh, yeah, and all my running days I start
out by jogging 1/2 a mile and then stretching first before I do my timed
miles.

It's ****ant training, but I figured I had time. I'm still working on
getting my weight down (down 6 pounds in three weeks, and 60 pounds
since I started paying attention 18 months ago.) I'm also busy working
on weight-lifting goals like getting my squat low (doing more
stretching) squatting heavy (I'm lifting about 2/3 of my body weight)
and other life-style goals like getting my kids moving. The running
thing is more of a long term goal and a way to fix my lousy
endurance/spiking heart rate.

I'm still undecided about this. I like the idea of just having it be my
5K training run for the week, just do it outdoors around more people for
a change. I'd really like to see where a measured 5K is that goes
through the park by my house, too, so maybe it'd be worth it just to go
WALK the track if I find it's more of a run than I can handle.

OTOH, I don't like the idea of slipping on ice or showing my fat ass in
public in spandex or having such an awful experience that I'm put off
from trying it again when I'm more ready.

Dally