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>Which books, magazines or blogs have you found useful in your training? What about them did you find useful?

Currently reading 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald and it's been a game changer for my approach to running and workouts. I used to always push myself, e.g. no pain no gain mantra, but Fitzgerald's approach has really helped me bump up my mileage, reduce a lot of heavy running I've had, and generally reduce the amount of pain/injuries I was getting. Not really sure what the running community as a whole thinks of this approach and/or Matt Fitzgerald, but I'm seeing problems go away that I had in the past as well as improvements in my form. Definitely worth a look.

Also been enjoying watching Adam Stevens on youtube. He's got some fun stuff, his own ideas about running, and lots of inspirational videos to get out there!

>Do you tend to follow training programs from books or do you find them online or write your own programs?

Currently just working on building up my weekly mileage to at least 50 mi/wk, but will probably start looking into more specific training programs after that. I guess you could say I'm going by feel at this point.

>Do you read books about running that aren't focused on training? If so, what was your favorite one?

Nope.

>Bonus media: Which running podcasts do you listen to, if any? Do you listen to them while running?

It's not a running podcast but I love listening to This American Life. It's so interesting, though I probably look lazy since sometimes it makes me laugh/smile haha.

Gear Purchases

Just got the new fall MEC Nitro Jacket for some cold fall runs. Seems like a pretty sweet softshell and looks nice to boot. I would have liked to wait for it to go on discount but wasn't sure my size would still be around, not to mention it probably wouldn't go down until the spring...

They still have last year's model on discount here: MEC Nitro Thermal Run Jacket if you're interested in it but note that it runs quite long in the torso. I'm 5'6'' and it was like a dress on me lol. The newer model has rectified the length issue.

Also got the Arc'teryx Actinium Sleeveless a couple of weeks ago and was running in it for warmer weather. Pretty happy with the air flow and large mesh holes for hot and humid summer runs.

Planning on buying some gloves/hats for this fall/winter soon too.

Stuff I've Tested

With the recent drop in temperatures, I've been running in my Rab Aeon T's and they do perfectly with slightly cooler than summer temperatures. Most of my runs (longer, slower paced) I feel as though I never sweat because of how quickly the fabric is wicking away the moisture. Very pleased.

Also been running in the Darn Tough Tab No Show Light Socks with the cooler temperatures. They're pretty comfy for sure, but definitely on the heavier/warmer side of things and seem to provide decent support/cushioning. I'm glad I didn't try these during the summer as I can tell they would have been too hot for my liking. I generally run with very very lightweight breathable synthetics that have minimal cushioning during warmer months.

My first suggestion was the stick mentioned below, but he may already have one.

If you live in a cold weather area, a good pair of running tights might be good. A lot of runners frown at under armour but their tights are perfect for cold running.

A lot of others have suggested socks, those would be good.

They say $80, but you can find these headphones for $60 at best buy or someplace like that. They're great for if you are really sweaty like me, or if you run in the rain very often.

Compression Running Socks are a great functional gift, too.

You might just go check out the local running shop in town. Most of them have shirts that they sell with a local flavor. There is a place here in charlotte called run for your life that has some funny shirts, and when I was in Chi, Fleet Feet always had good ones, too. You might get an idea for another gift, too. If you live in a big city, Fleet Feet is a great place to start.

Born to Run is a great read, too.

I left off a GPS watch because if he is into tri's, the waterproof ones can get quite expensive, and most likely he already has one. If he happens to not have one, and you wanted to think about it, this is the best investment I ever made as a runner, but it isn't waterproof.

I hope this helps!

Welcome to the sub. Wow lots of questions here.

First off the part you're going to most want to change is the lack of runs during the week. The more time on your feet, the easier a marathon will be. That said xtraining is very helpful (especially if you're injury prone) but just not as useful as actual running.

Hanson's is a solid plan, especially if you know the time you'd like to run the marathon in, and it's a reasonable goal. Other common plans that people have a lot of success with are:

• Hal Higdon (variety) -- these are mostly used for just finishing, rather than really racing or excelling at the marathon distance. If you're past that point I prefer the other available plans to his advanced stuff
  
• Fitzgerald 80-20 -- This is based on the latest science and training that elites are using but has 3 levels of plans based on how much time you want to run per week. It also encourages the use of a heart rate monitor for some runs.
  
• Pfitzinger Advanced Marathoning People get results on these, but they are hard and the lowest mileage plan runs 5 days a week and peaks with a 55 mile week (88km). This is probably not for you but does a good job explaining the physiological reasons for various training.
  
• Jack Daniel's Running Formula -- a great book for all distances and all plans can be scaled based on how much you run per week.
  
• FIRST aka runn less, run faster. This is a controversial plan but the crux of it is you run 3 quality runs per week (1 speed day, 1 long day, 1 LT day) and you crosstrain hard the other days. I haven't heard of people really improving from a good result to a great result with this, but among beginning runners it certainly seems to yield good results and it seems tailor made for triathletes.
  
  
  
  The most generic Best practices are:
  
• Consistent training over time trumps everything else (i.e. deal with those injuries early).
  
• More miles > less miles up until an absurd point or when it gets you injured
  
• Long runs are important
  
• do some speed work but not too much (80% easy miles, 20% hard)
  
  Also try reading the Order of Operations in the sidebar.

Jack Daniels in Daniels' Running Formula on why easy running is benifitial:

> Easy running does a good job of developing the heart muscle, since the maximum force of each stroke of the heart is reached when the heart rate is 60 percent of maximum. As you run faster, the heart rate and the amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat (referred to as stroke volume) increases minimally. So fairly easy running is a good developer of the heart muscle, and although it doesn't feel as if you are working very hard, your heart is.

> Another benefit of Easy running is an increase in vascularization (opening of more tiny blood vessels that feed the exercising muscles) and the development of characteristics of the muscles themselves that are involved in running. Even during easy running, your heart id developing a good amount of blood and oxygen to the exercising muscles, and these muscles respond by making changes in the muscle fibers that allow the muscles to accept more oxygen and convert more fuel into energy in a given period. In fact, many of the benefits gained as a result of this process are a function of time spent stressing the muscle fibers. You will no doubt spend more time accomplishing this goal by running easily because it is easier to last longer at a comfortable pace than it is at a hard pace.

I ran a 4:36 as a high school athlete. I'm training to run a sub 5:00 minute mile again as a 40 year old. I'm not an expert by any means, but I am attempting to do what you're doing (and have done it in the past.) Here's my take:

> would love opinions on the estimation of time from 6 to 5 based on my situation

A 6:00 minute mile is roughly a VDOT of 48. A sub 5:00 mile is roughly a VDOT 60. A rough rule of thumb is a VDOT point every 6 weeks. So you're looking at committing to this goal for a little less than a year and a half, if you're average. More if your train suboptimally, you are older, or not particularly gifted at running. Less if the opposite of those things are true. Understand that this is a rule of thumb, and it will vary wildly from person to person.

Understand also: a 5:00 mile is SIGNIFICANTLY faster than a 6:00 mile. The difference between a 9:00 and a 6:00 is pretty big too - however, progress from 9:00->6:00 is not uncommon -- 6:00 is just a hair beyond a truly novice time for a healthy male. Perhaps you had prior conditioning that came back quickly, like if you were a soccer/football player, but had spent a few months being sedentary. If that's the case, you may find 6:00->5:00 substantially harder. Or, perhaps not, and running is just your thing - if it's the later you may get to sub 5:00 quicker with really hard work.

If you look at male high school runners, most athletes probably won't break 5:00 until the end of their second year of both cross country and track. However, it's not uncommon for a really gifted freshmen to break 5:00 after only a few months of quality training.

> But if I keep it up improving with runs 3 times a week, how long would you estimate that I hit 5 min?

Here's a blunt answer: possibly never. Not while running 3x and a few km a week, and not with a home grown training method.

I'd suggest if you want to achieve your goal you need to be following a real mile training program. That will involve at least 30 MPW (~50km), with a frequency of at least 6 days. There are a number of problems with what you have planned, but the biggest I see is the lack of lots of easy mileage. That lack of the base mileage has two issues: 1) you won't be doing enough for your aerobic conditioning (and racing the mile still relies predominantly on your aerobic capacity), and 2) the lack of a base in conjunction with a lot of higher intensity running is a recipe for injury. No matter how talented or hard working you are, you won't hit your goal if you are constantly fighting off stress fractures and tendinitis.

I won't say it's impossible to hit your goal the way you're approaching it, again, maybe you're a gifted runner with terrific balance who can train like that, avoid injury, and make progress. Of this I'm certain though: no matter how gifted you are, you will make much quicker progress following a mile training program than you will with your home grown plan.

My recommendation would be that you get yourself a copy of Jack Daniel's running formula. It's pretty much the bible for middle distance training as far as most HS and college coaches are concerned, and there is several great mile training programs in there. If you want to get an idea for what the program looks like I'd be happy to rip you a few pages of the 30 MPW program, though either way the entire book is worth reading.

I hope that helps, good luck!

Sorry not a coach just some average dude that likes running. More people with more experience would see your questions if you posted them in the daily Q&A thread but from what I gather:

• Aerobic runs should be at least 45 min
  
• You'll get a lot of benefit from having a run up to 2 hours, with longer runs you get a higher risk of injury and only makes sense if your training for a longer race (example marathons) but I'd guess that 2 hours would be excessive if your focused on the mile?
  
• I'd do intervals that are 2-5min long with recovery periods being 75% the interval time. You could also do cruise intervals which are slower but have shorter recoveries.
  
• I'd keep 80% mileage at an easy comfortable pace with the rest being tempos, intervals, etc. The mile is mostly aerobic so having a lot of easy aerobic miles would be hugely beneficial.
  
• From what I've read drills and strength training do help improve running economy so you're right to pay attention to it but sorry off the top of my head don't know that much. Matt Fitzgerald goes over both in Brain Training for Runners I could maybe get back to you on this but in all seriousness I'm tried and getting ready to pass out.
  
• I'm not really qualified to answer but I think you could hit a 4:30 but I bet it would be hard and would take a lot of training miles
  .
  If you haven't seen it:
  https://runsmartproject.com/calculator/
  is a great tool for determining training paces.
  
  Good luck and enjoy your training!

For shoes, you need to go to a real running shoe store. They will analyze your gait, and show you the type of shoes you need. They should give you a handful of the "right" (for you) shoes to try on, and let you spend some time on a treadmill in each pair, allowing you to ask plenty of questions. The shoes should be pretty big, since over a long run your feet will swell. You should at least be able to press your thumb (width) between your toes and the end of the shoes.

Regarding stretching, there ARE a lot of schools of thought out there. I am sort of lazy about stretching beforehand, but I recommend doing dynamic stretches (not the static kind) ... marching in place, jumping jacks, body twists, things like that.

I also recommend (strongly) stretching afterwards ~ these can be static.

For your first marathon, I can't recommend strongly enough this book. I used it, and know at least 5 others who did, as well. Every single person finished their first marathon injury-free.

If you DON'T get the book, the rules I consider to be unbreakable are:

• good shoes
  
  
• excellent hydration
  
  
• good nutrition
  
  
• good recovery (rest or do light cross-training the day after a long run. Refuel. Rehydrate. Start getting a good night's sleep if you don't already.)
  
  
• FLEXIBILITY (in terms of your schedule. If you are "supposed" to run, but sick or more sore than just achy, then wait a day. No point in setting yourself up for injury. Also, if you are supposed to run, say, 12 miles, and you start, and then halfway through you are out of water and it's 90 degrees out, then STOP. Don't be an idiot in your training.)
  
  Breakable rules, but still good to follow:
  
  
• train your brain. Mantras, positive thinking, etc., are great
  
  
• learn what works for your GI system. Don't change anything on race day, and only make small tweaks throughout your training.
  
  
• practice hydrating with whatever they will provide on the course.
  
  
• try to find a friend or group to run with, at least sometimes.
  
  
  Good luck and have fun :)

In reference to your edit, I think a great beginner/intermediate running training book is Jack Daniel's Running Formula. Some stuff in it may already be familiar to you, but if you want to know enough about running training to plan/understand your own workouts (which I assume you do as a former good cyclist) it's a really good start.

I'm not going to go too indepth on training (that's what the book is for, plus I wouldn't even make a dent in really talking about training) but I will make a few points just from what you've said here.

> I've been doing around 3 miles a day for the past two weeks and can usually hold an 8 min pace for a 5k effort. My heart rate is through the rough and it doesn't seem like it is going to get any easier.

Slow down. I know, it's going to be a blow to the ego, but running is a fairly specific activity and it's going to take some time for your body to adjust. You'll still see improvements without grinding every single run. The good news is with your background, you should see quick improvement as your running economy begins to improve, as a lot of the cardiovascular base is already there. This will be a nice change after being elite at cycling (where so much work is required for even a minuscule improvement). If you want to go fast, set specific workout days, and even those should have an easy warmup and cooldown.

>rack up some serious mileage in the future months/years to come.

Just a warning to not do too much, too fast. A huge difference between running and cycling is the amount of wear that the impact of running can put on your body. Slowly ramp up your mileage over time, giving the joints and tendons time to adapt, or else you'll end up hurt (like me....). It's tempting to pour yourself into this new sport with as much intensity as you put into cycling, but you can't be running 100+ km weeks right off the bat.

>been doing around 3 miles a day for the past two weeks

I'd take a rest day once a week. Maybe go for a swim or bike on Sunday's instead. Even when I was running 8 times/week I still took Fridays completely off.

Feel free to ask if you've got any other questions I can try to help with!

The New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition by Matt Fitzgerald is a good book that talks mainly about nutrition. Some people say it was written as a marketing ploy by Matt Fitzgerald, however there's still some great info in there about nutrition for training and race day.

Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger is also a great resource for all things training. Ignore the training plans in the back as they're likely too advanced for your first marathon, but the rest of the book has amazing information about physiology, cross-training, recovery, nutrition, types of workouts... Highly recommend. Then, if you get to a point where you want to take your marathoning to the next level, you'll have some great plans to work off.

Another great online resource is fellrnr.com (i've linked you straight to the marathon section) -- this guys has compiled A LOT of data if you're a data nerd, and there's also a lot of good info in there.

Just a note on using different resources -- you'll see that sometimes they can contradict each other. For example, Matt's book and fellrnr both speak to the benefits of fat loading during your pre-race carb load phase, but Pfitz's book writes this off as not necessary. This is normal, and don't get too caught up in what's right and what's not. The point is that everyones different, and you need to find what works for you.

This sub-reddit is also a great trove of information, with many people willing to answer specific questions about anything running related, so never hesitate to ask!

Good luck with your training and race!

I'm a bit rusty on the science and don't have my trusty copy of Advanced Marathoning with me but I'll give it a shot!

>But what's the point of that mileage? I prob don't reach the fat >burning (over glycogen) point that I would from a long run
>(17+miler).

Becoming more efficient at burning fat can be important but it's not the purpose of most your long runs because if all goes well, you shouldn't have to burn fat in the marathon.

Really, marathon training is getting your body storing as much glycogen as possible while burning it at efficiently as possible. That's because when you run out you start burning fat (requiring a lot more O2) and you hit the wall.

>It's also not helping with speed.

Real speed work is barely featured in marathon training. In the last couple of weeks leading up to the marathon you'll see some 400s etc as a sharpening workout but otherwise it's pretty useless because you'll never see it i the race. Longer intervals like mile repeats, 2 mi, 5k are useful to improve aerobic efficiency. I'll usually do one workout a week like this.

>And intuitively, I would think that taking a day off would be better for >recovery than doing a short and easy run.

>Wouldn't I run better/smarter if I prioritized each of my workouts (my >long runs, intervals, tempo) and gave it 100% rather than struggle to >complete them b/c of fatigue for instance?

Ah but marathon training is about running when you're not fully recovered. How else do you teach your body to recover more quickly? How else do you encourage it to store more glycogen and use it more efficiently? How else do you learn to run on tired legs? Don't take me wrong, you shouldn't be struggling to complete them but you shouldn't feel fresh either.

edit: Check out the weekly marathon training thread over at LetsRun to see what type of training people are doing. You'll see guys who are OT qualifiers and others who are like you shooting for Boston. Pay attention to the easy mileage they're running compared to the workouts.

I'm not an expert on 5K plans, but generally speaking, I like running 5-6 days a week, with 1 workout day, and 1 long run day. The rest are easy runs. For my schedule, I do workouts on Tuesday and long runs on Friday, but you should find what works for your schedule. So you don't want to suddenly increase to 5-6 days, but see about adding one easy day to what you're doing already. Make sure the effort is easy and I'd probably start it shorter than your normal runs. Sustain that for a few weeks and make sure you're doing ok, and if so, then either add another day (if needed), or start adding a little mileage on your easy days.

I saw someone say the other day that there are three key areas to think about when increasing your training...total volume, speed, and number of running days. At most, only increase one of those things each week as you build up. And feel free to hold for an extra week if you don't feel you're ready for another increase.

If you really want to get better answers and structured plans, I'd look into getting this book

There are a few ways to determine it.

Personally I go by heart rate, using a chest strap (the wrist based are too inaccurate to rely on IMO). Once you do a max heart rate test, you can use that to set zones 1 (easy) through 5 (hard). Zone 1 is too easy to really be used much except for recovery runs. Zone 2 is where I do the bulk of my training. It's a somewhat easy, conversational pace. For me this works well because I like to run on trails most of the time, and pace will vary depending on hills, sand, grass, rocks, etc. This way I can run off effort rather than a specified pace. My Z2 trail pace ends up averaging around 10-11 min/mile, even through my road 5k pace is 7 min/mile. On the road, my Z2 pace is around 9:30 min/mile. Z3 doesn't get used too much. Z4 is a threshold/tempo or other "comfortably hard" effort. Z5 I really only hit during intervals or a 5k where I'm going all out.

The other way would be off pace, if most of your running is done on relatively flat roads. Jack Daniels VDOT calculator gives some estimates of training paces. Based on your most recent 24 min 5k, assuming that was pretty much all out:

Easy: 9:48-10:46 (bulk of miles)

Workout paces:

Marathon: 8:44 (can be used for long run efforts)

Threshold (5-15min efforts): 8:10

Intervals (3-5min efforts): 7:31

Reps (1-2 in efforts): 7:07

Notice the big gap between easy runs (9:48) and the start of the workout paces (8:44). Between that are sort of "junk miles" and because they aren't targeting any system in particular, they don't increase fitness as well as other paces.

Keep in mind, these numbers are going to change pretty fast as you increase your race performances.

Lots of great books out there on running, and most tend to follow the same general approach, with the small details being the difference.

Matt Fitzgerald 80/20 - a good primer on why slower running mixed with hard efforts can work really well https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451470885

Jack Daniels - A much more specific book on figuring out a good training plan. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1450431836

The purpose of long runs is to build mitochondria and capillary beds. This takes time. You won't see immediate results. How long have you been running and how long are your slow runs?

A general rule of thumb is that 80% of your running should be at a slow pace. But this rule applies to runners who have built up their base mileage. You need to go base to square 1 and continue building base mileage by strictly running easy runs. Probably your 10 min per mile pace, but as long as it is in heart rate zone 2 (aerobic) or lower, you're good. These easy runs are critically important for building aerobic capacity and strengthening your skeletal system (including tendons/ligaments/joints). If you skip this base building phase, your risk of injury can be dramatically higher. All new runners should be running all of their runs at an easy pace. I can't stress to you how important this is. If you want to get faster or be a lifelong runner, the month or two this will take is a drop in the bucket in terms of time.

Speed work during this base building phase can be done as strides. Add them into your easy runs once or twice per week. Strides are 15-20 second bouts that are run at mile pace. They are NOT sprints. You won't be running on the balls of your feet. After each stride, you'll recover over the course of 90-120 seconds. Long enough that your heart rate settles. Then you can start the next one. Do the strides at the end of your easy run. Start with 5 strides once per week. You can begin increasing the number and frequency that you do them each week. These will help improve your running economy and get your body accustomed to running at faster paces.

You can safely add 10% more miles each week. Get your mileage up to 25 miles per week for a couple weeks, then you can begin doing other speed work like intervals and repetitions.

I'm speaking to you as someone who followed these rules to a T since May of this year. When I started in May I was slow. Frustratingly slow. But I stuck with the plan and got my miles up. Then I added speed work. Here's my progression since May.




Month | Mileage | Avg Pace (min/mi)
-----|--------|--------
May | 24| 11:18
June | 51| 11:02
Jul | 91| 10:22
Aug | 119| 9:44
Sept | 162| 9:43
Oct | 103| 9:01

Note that the average pace listed is the average for all miles run during that month. I just ran a 5k over the weekend in 19:46 (6:22 min/mile). I'm not young either, 36.

Be patient. Slowly add miles. Train smartly and you won't get injured.

If you want a book to follow, get Daniels' Running Formula. He lays everything out that you need to do. Once you get your base mileage down, he has speed workouts in there that will kick your ass and make you faster.

That's great! Some possibly helpful recommendations/observations for you:

1. Get shoes that are right for you from a running store where they watch your form and listen to any issues you report. Keep up on the fascia rolling work and not just your foot trouble area. It's good to regularly foam roll your legs and glutes to help keep things aligned and knots worked out.
   
2. Motivation can be a tough battle. What motivates me is having a goal (eg. an "A" race) and setting not only a ramp-up training plan to it, but also some base training to get you there. Mix up your routes and hit some trails to make it fun. I have been triathlon training pretty solid since December 2015 with some lower volume off-season stuff, and I prefer the Matt Fitzgerald training plans. He has a running plan book called 80/20 Running. The idea behind 80/20 is 80% of the week low-to-moderate intensity training and 20% higher intensity. It helps prevent over-training and injury. Plus, it'll make things a little more interesting (less boredom with intervals).
   
3. I can't say I recall having an issue like this. Definitely go see a doctor, at least for a well-visit and physical exam. Tell them what you are doing, your goals/plans, and what you are experiencing with your chest. Request a detailed/longer analysis be done, like EKG, to help rule out any underlying or genetic things they can't find from on-the-spot exam.
   
4. With the exception of city life, you sound like me! I tend to workout later (usually bike trainer) after kids go to bed, and I sometimes run after dark with a headlamp. I'm not a morning person! I can't comment in particular to NYC and your location, but I would say to see about taking transit to a running spot if you can. Also, look for any local running clubs or groups. Start with a Google local search and Facebook groups search. Getting involved with a club is another way to stay motivated as well.
   
5. For running, I usually just start with 5-10min easy (HR in Zone 1, which is under 131bpm for me). My cooldown is about the same as the warmup, but note that it can take several minutes (if at all) to get your HR back to Zone 1, depending on the workout you are doing. If I am feeling particularly tight or off, I will do some dynamic movements to open hips, core, and arms/shoulders. These include single leg swings forward/backward or left/right in front of you, walking lunges, arm windmills, and left/right upper body rotation with legs fixed. I may sometimes do static stretches a little after a workout and never before. It's important to not over-stretch before a workout.

I wasn't going to say anything until I saw this:

> Most of your skills are due to your size don't forget that

And now I feel compelled.

> Most runners are already lean and mean, so it seems taboo to talk about weight in these circles.

When you don't wear your insecurities on your sleeve it's easy to talk about your weight, and we do it all the time. There's a series of books about it.

> Flash back to me running at a lean 190, or 80lbs ago. Running was still hard, it's something I've never been good at.

Because you were overweight then too, with a BMI of around 26. As you later point out, it does not matter if it is muscle or fat. It's extra weight that you must move, requiring greater energy expenditure.

> but I am still much stronger than I was running, especially in the legs from squats and deadlifts

I bet your power-to-weight ratio is worse, not better. But you'll never know, so you can believe what you want.

> Some of you hear 270 lbs and picture me as this huge obese guy, but honestly i'm not THAT big, I have more a of a powerlifter body nowadays so it isnt 270lbs of straight fat.

Every fat man who goes to the gym once in a while is a power lifter.

> I was basically just granny power walking with the very little bit of glycogen I had left in my legs.

You were not out of glycogen. Nothing in a couch-to-5k program is going to put you in that position.

> I wasn't even remotely tired from a cardio perspective, its just my legs can NOT handle this weight.

Were you wearing a heart rate monitor? I am willing to bet you were in at least zone 3 if not zone 4. Lower body discomfort tends to drown out cardio vascular discomfort.

> Put a 75-100lb vest on, and we're in the ballpark.

Actually, no. This is not remotely accurate. As you also pointed out previously and know to be true, because you weigh 270 pounds your legs have adapted to moving that weight just to function day-to-day. I can barely walk while carrying 100 pounds, and I'm willing to bet you would have almost as difficult of a time. I guarantee that you would not be running with a 100 pound weight vest on if you can't handle couch to 5k.

> Imagine how embarrassing it was to see me come in limping across the finish line with a 21:45

For someone who weighs 270 pounds and is only in week 4 of C25k, a sub 11 minute mile is not terrible.

> disgusted with my performance, breathing like I had just run a marathon

But you just said that running doesn't make you tired "from a cardio perspective" so why were you breathing heavy? Also, by the way, marathon pace doesn't induce particularly hard breathing (except maybe in the sub 2:30 elite class?) or particularly high heart rate because it would be unsustainable for the time it takes to run a marathon. You mean breathing like you had just run a 2 mile speed trial. It never gets easier, you just get faster.

> Is it my cardio? Not really, I wasn't even really tired up until the last half mile and I gutted it out

If you weren't breathing hard until the last half mile it means you were not running at the right pace. For a two mile time trial, you should start breathing very hard almost immediately because you should be running above your VO2 max threshold for that short of a distance. It also means that yes, yes, it is very much your cardio. You are not nearly as fit as you think you are. You're fat. The two are mutually exclusive.

> because personally I believe cardio is largely mental.

You would be wrong. Cardio fitness is an incredibly well studied aspect of human physiology. It is not mental.

> y theory is once you reach a certain weight(and this weight is largely based on your height, amount of muscle mass, and training experience) you are absolutely fucked(and I mean bent over the kitchen counter fucked) as runner. I mean it really didn't make sense.

Why wouldn't it?

Did you take high school physics?

This is not rocket science. Try running up a hill. Is it harder than running on a flat surface? Yes it is! Why? Because you have to fight against the force of gravity. Lifting a weight is a lot harder than rolling a barbell around on the ground for the same reason. You must overcome gravity to perform work. When you move a heavier mass it is harder.

> And yet I was still like 20x faster than I am right now

No you weren't. You did not run a 2 mile time trial in less than 1 minutes.

> despite me being much stronger and a more experienced runner.

You cannot become less experienced in running over time. You can lose conditioning but not experience.

> I used to run like a runaway hospital patient. No grace, no form, no technique, no breathing, nothing.

So you were not an experienced runner then? You were a rank amateur? Got it.

> I have breathing down to a T

Which explains why you didn't start breathing hard (e.g., 1 breath per step) for your two mile time trial until the bottom 800 meters, right?

> my legs are stronger,

(but your power-to-weight ratio is lower)

> I have pretty much mastered the POSE technique

The what now?

> and I personally think I run pretty sexy for a massive powerlifter.

Again, you are wrong. I promise you that the way you imagine your fat sloshing around while you run is not the way it actually sloshes around.

> Mostly because I was in the target weight zone

You were about 60 pounds heavier than your ideal racing weight of around 155, or BMI of 21. Show me an Olympic runner in any distance (not sprinters) with a BMI of 26 and I'll eat my words.

> As your weight decreases your running performance goes up. This is what I have seen.

To a point. Most people will tell you that their race PRs are usually at higher-than-usual weight (though typically only 2-3% higher than their normal BMI which is probably 21-23). This is usually because PRs come from tapering down mileage in preparation for an event which causes temporary weight gain due to lower mileage for the same eating habits. And there is certainly a point at which your BF% is so low that weight loss equals muscle loss. It's all about power-to-weight ratio.

> Don't ever get fat.

Preach bruh.

> I am not even closed to being one of the most experienced runners on this forum

But that doesn't stop you from spouting advice now does it?

> Most of your skills are due to your size don't forget that.

... And this is why I'm bringing you back down to earth, because this is literally the least informed thing anyone has ever said on this subreddit and if you've been here for more than the 10 seconds it took you to find the "Text Post" button you'd know that's saying a lot.

Running skill takes discipline, putting in the hard workouts that most people won't do. It means constantly putting yourself in physical discomfort over extended periods of time to work toward a goal.

The beautiful thing about this is that it is almost impossible to put in the level of effort to become a skilled runner and stay fat. All I need to do is look at you and I know instantly that you are not a skilled runner and have not put in the work. You might have been a skilled runner in the past but you sure as shit aren't one now.

> Dont ever talk down to big runners and say they are not trying hard enough.

You have not tried hard enough for long enough or you wouldn't still be big.

> and running fat and being overweight is by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life.

It never gets any easier. You just get faster.

I definitely know how that goes as far as hating to waste money on shoes. I've always been really cheap about shoes, and if i'm going to spend 100$ on shoes, they better be the best ones in the world, and they better last a long time.

As far as minimalist running suggestions, i'd first suggest that before you even consider it to do your research, get educated, get interested, and then get started.

There is a plethora of research that's very convincing. when you have an hour or two to spare, spend some time and go on an internet journey... cruise through the sidebar over at /r/barefootrunning and read the links check out the harvard study on the subject. Google points against it also if you wish.

Born to run is a pretty interesting book. Its not strictly about minimalist running, but it has some good ideas about shoes in general, and running philosophy and science. Its writing isn't the best, and some of the facts are a bit questionable, but i really enjoyed reading it anyway, and it has a way of getting you really stoked about running.

I've always been skeptical of things, and im not much of a bandwagon hopper, but i stumbled across the idea one day while shopping for new running shoes, spent probably a week absorbing information, Became fascinated and convinced, then just took my shoes off and went for a run! Ive since picked up a pair of Merrell trail gloves, and have increased my speed and mileage considerably(after the transition period of course) and decreased my knee pain, and increased my enjoyment and interest in running tenfold.

Generally you don't want to use the running calculators to estimate your times... but that said I think your goal is not unreasonable. It sounds like training has been going well for you, and despite what others may tell you ("the goal of your first marathon should just be to finish"), having a goal time in mind will really help you push yourself. If you're as competitive as I am simply "just finishing" isn't enough.

Honestly, see how you feel after your first 20 miler. It will be a good gauge as to how your training has been going. Also, if you want to really step up your game pick up this book ($11.00 on amazon). It has some really good tips for overall nutrition as well as leading up to/race day nutrition. Might I suggest looking into the 10-day fat load... There are a lot of keto-haters out there, but I did it before my first marathon and all I can say is no wall was hit and miles 20-26.2 were actually my fastest.

And drink beet juice on the reg... that shits awesome (by "on the reg" I mean 3 times a week before your workouts...).

Good luck!

Congrats on taking the plunge to Marathoning! I am new too, but I wanted to suggest this book, The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer (used, loved, and suggested to me by a 5x marathoner) it's pretty much a 5K to marathon 16 week starters guide with excellent tips on nutrition and hydration, stretching and cross training, mental strength for the long runs, and of course the mileage plan, goal to finish without injury. It suggests 4-day per week running (Mon, Wed ,Thurs, Sat for me) starting at 15 miles (3,4,3,5) and increasing 1-2 miles a week until week 13 where you start to taper. Week 12 and 13 are 5,8,5,18.

It is not a 4 hour plan but is pretty much guaranteed to get you to the finish

Your legs will adapt to the stresses of running if you give them time and don't demand effort levels that they're not ready to provide yet. I agree with the "slow down" advice that others have posted. If you are a total beginner, you cannot expect to run with Meb Keflezghi levels of endurance. If you are feeling tired, slow down a bit to a sustainable pace. Mix in walking breaks if you feel like you need it.

However - and this has been really useful advice for me - slow running has its place, and fast running has its place. I'm going to take a page out of Coach Jack Daniels' book here: whenever you go for a run, you should know the purpose of the workout. Is the point of your run to develop a base for further training? to develop the heart muscle? to develop resistance to injury? to adapt to the stresses of running? Then run slow and easy. Is the point of your run to develop the ability of your aerobic system to utilize air? or to develop speed? Then run fast and hard (in a controlled way, of course).

The point is that running at an easy effort is very good for you and not something to be looked down upon. It is also a good idea to mix easy effort runs in with quality workouts (i.e., high-intensity interval workouts).

Given what you've said, it sounds to me like you're at the point where most of your running, if not all of it, should be at an easy effort level. Consider doing some sessions where you walk for a few minutes to warm up, then alternate running for a few minutes and walking for a few minutes to recover. After a while, that will get easy. Then you can gradually increase distance, pace, etc. Just build up slowly.

A lot of people around here recommend Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning. I just started one of his plans so I can't speak too much on how much improvement I've made personally.

He lists specific heart rate zones for every type of workout that you will do on his plan. It takes out the guesswork of always trying to run a specific pace. Basically, your heart rate dictates the pace you run each workout.

I've noticed that I have to run slower than usual to keep my heart rate in the correct zone (just like OP says in his blog.) After just 4 weeks I've noticed that I'm running faster at a lower heart rate and my resting heart rate is almost 5% lower.

I have nothing to compare it to, but I basically abdicated all nutritional decision making to Matt Fitzgerald and his advice in his book.. link below. I firmly believe I needed the gels yesterday.. the immediate effect on my HR at the end seems like strong evidence.

I also avoided training with them as much as possible, but it’s a good idea to try a few and see what you like and then do a few longer runs with them. If you don’t like the taste of one, you may find others are better. I really like the Gatorade Mango and the new Maurteen gel (flavorless).

Strongly suggest you buy the book and follow his advice. It was recommended to me by a 2:25ish marathoner on r/artc as the definitive word on how to handle nutrition.


https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Marathon-Half-Marathon-Nutrition/dp/0738216453

Many people will have different opinions on which watch/brand is "best". It all comes down to what you value most: battery life? satellite acquisition time? super accurate pace? All GPS watches will tell you distance, time, pace, and splits. Most of them, however, will usually round your pace to the nearest 5 seconds.

Two biggies for me were satellite acquisition time and battery life. I started out with a Garmin FR10, which was a great starter watch, but I found myself standing around for 5, 10, even 15 minutes just waiting for it to find a signal! I now have a Garmin FR230, which is way speedier due to its ability to use GPS and GLONASS. I am even able to pick up a signal while still inside. I can turn my watch on while I tie my shoes, and by the time I'm done, it has acquired a signal and I can start my run right away.

Optical HR tech is fairly new, so you won't find too many watches implementing it. Additionally, you have to remember that you will have to wear the sensor directly against your skin in order for it to pick up your HR, so if you live in a place where it may be cold enough for you to wear multiple layers a majority of the time, a watch with an integrated optical sensor may not be the best investment. Instead, you may look into purchasing a separate optical HR monitor such as the Scosche Rhythm+, which connects to Bluetooth/ANT+ compatible devices and can be worn on your forearm.

My recommendation would be the Garmin 230 (or 235 if you are dead-set on getting a watch with an integrated optical HR sensor) since it fits your requirements. I have had good experience with Garmin devices, their customer service is great, and their products work well. I hope that helps!

It is important to note how they explain the paces for each of the runs. There are mixes of easy/hard runs for a purpose and you should make sure your easy runs are actually easy. Use a recent race to determine your training paces using a calculator like VDOT or McMillian Running.

• Higdon (I would advise on selecting one of these for a beginner, probably novice 2)
  
• Hanson
  
• Pfitz (probably too advanced for you right now since it is designed for people that have finished a marathon)
  
  Another option is to join a running group. Many running stores such as Fleet Feet or Jack Rabbit offer marathon training programs. They will provide you with their own plan, running routes for the plan, and coaches and more experienced runners to gain advice from which is valuable for things like knowing your paces and learning about fueling. Plus it is much easier to run 20-milers when you are talking to others.

Just going to start my book recommendations here

I've added a small takeaway I got for each book.

1. Endure
   Takeaway: how mental labor affects physical labor
   https://books.google.com/books/about/Endure.html?id=aRrcDgAAQBAJ&source=kp_cover
   
   
2. Good To Go: The Strange Science of Recovery. Takeaway: naps https://www.amazon.com/Good-Go-Athlete-Strange-Recovery/dp/039325433X
   
   
3. Sitting Kills, Moving Heals
   Takeaway: Former NASA scientist who studied astronauts during training and in their return. Says that just fully moving every 15-20 minutes is metabolically as powerful as intense exercise.
   https://www.amazon.com/Sitting-Kills-Moving-Heals-Everyday/dp/1610350189
   
   
4. Talent is Overrated
   "Expanding on a landmark cover story in Fortune, a top journalist debunks the myths of exceptional performance." of all fields including running. Takeaway: start with tiny wins instead of grueling challenges
   
   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4485966-talent-is-overrated
   
   
5. If Our Bodies Could Talk written by The Atlantic's health editor (and MD). Takeaway: the estimation of how much of our health outcomes can be improved by self care and improved environment.
   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30211959-if-our-bodies-could-talk
   
   
6. Matt Fitzgerald The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition Takeaway: Why Matt drinks fresh beet juice (not dried reconstituted) before a race https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0738216453/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0738216453
   
   
7. If somebody is interested in "woo" about health & athletic performance Edgar Cayce's Handbook for Health takeaway: worked for me https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Health-Through-Drugless-Therapy/dp/0876042159
   
   
8. Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods (Hawai'i author.) Takeaway: The Atlantic just recently pointed out salads as a differentiating factor in a healthy diet, she makes it fun.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Living-Cuisine-Spirit-Health-Guides/dp/1583331719
   
   
9. Kundalini Yoga for Youth and Joy. (Or anything Yogi Bhajan on diet or postures.) I lived and studied in a yoga community for five years that was Kundalini-based, but practiced yogas from all traditions. Takeaway: good prep for higher intensity sports https://www.yogatech.com/Yogi_Bhajan/Kundalini_Yoga_for_Youth_and_Joyhttps://www.yogatech.com/Yogi_Bhajan/Kundalini_Yoga_for_Youth_and_Joy
   
   Edit: tips on a separate post :)

1. Books - Bought Faster Road Racing a few days ago. Hoping to gain some wisdom from the pros.
   
2. Training programs - In the past, whatever I found online that fit my schedule.
   
3. Reading - A while ago I read Eat and Run by Scott Jurek. I was amazed at how he made the best of whatever little he had growing up. Lots of good info about food and running.
   
4. Podcasts - I don't listen to any running related podcasts. I did listen to episode RA068 of Runner Academy podcast only because it featured Peter Sagal from NPR. I'm a big fan of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me.
   Edit: Words

> I am not sure if just running 5km each day and slowly getting faster is the best way to go?

This is a common mistake, since it seems like it should work. It won't. Training like this will lead you to plateau very quickly. If you do break 18 using this method, you probably could have gone much faster with smarter training.

Check out Pete Pfitzinger's Faster Road Racing: http://amzn.com/1450470459. Follow the section on building up a base and then choose a 5K training plan based on your goal mileage. Get a heart rate monitor and follow Pete's advice on run pacing. It's a lot of information to digest, but sub-18 is a pretty big ask and requires smart training. Even if you don't break 18, you'll know more about running and racing than most people.

Good luck!

It's strength/resistance training. Basically exercises that build up the smaller stabilising muscles. I have a few books (will grab the titles later).

The idea is that as long as these stabilising muscles are strong enough you shouldn't have any problems.

I cycle a lot and was still getting some minor issues with my knees with running. I started doing some resistance work and strength training (for running specifically), and find this has caused things to settle down.

There are a lot of common running issues that people treat after they have problems. The strength training is to head off potential problems ahead of time.

A sports physio or similar should be able to help you out with what to issue might be better than me trying to explain it over the Internet though.

Edit:
If interested, the books:
This one although old is really good at breaking down all the components of how you should be training to remain uninjured.

This is more focused on strength training, but is good at helping you put together something that works for you.

For just a straight up running training plan kinda thing, I like this.

So it really depends on your goals. Did you calculate your VDOT from your 5K time? Are you trying to run a marathon? Perhaps that indicates that you have speed, but aren't trained as well in endurance (in which case, you'd emphasize long runs, making sure you can complete them and less emphasis on pace for long runs).

I'd say work out a schedule (perhaps by reading a sample schedule), and try it out for a week or two. If you can easily complete the different types of workouts, then adjust it up. If you want a scientific way of making sure you're in the right zone, then you'd have to calculate % of maximum heart rate.

But yeah, maybe every few months or so, retest your VDOT number and readjust.

I highly suggest picking up a good book such as "Advanced Marathoning".

I have a Garmin FR230 and am interested in heart rate training. I also have Apple Watch S2, which seems to give me inconsistent readings. For that reason I sort of scoffed at wrist HRMs and didn't get the Garmin FR 235 that has an HRM.

Now what are my best options? I see the Scosche RHYTHM+ mentioned around here as well as various chest straps. I could also sell off and get the 235 if folks think the HRM is pretty good.

If it matters I'm doing Pfitz 18/55 training so there will be some long runs where the effort must be very dialed in. Thanks!

Awesome you'll do great! The two books I used to get an idea of my custom training plan were https://www.amazon.com/80-20-Running-Stronger-Training-ebook/dp/B00IIVFAEY , Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary 3-Run-a-Week Training Program https://www.amazon.com/dp/1609618025/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_tgoNybD4BWG66 and you could use the running chapters from Be Iron Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets For Ultimate Fitness https://www.amazon.com/dp/1599218577/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_AhoNybMDF2E54. I'd recommend reading and then blending to make a plan that works for you. I didn't agree with all the run fast tips so blended with others. Also try and get these in paperback as there are charts and such that are hard to read via ebook version.

Good luck!

It all depends on the kind of shape they're in. This included my own mother when she was sedentary and wanted to get into shape like the people I coached. She was overweight and about 60 at the time. In one year she went from couch potato to finishing a half marathon in 2:45ish with no injuries and maintained that on her own after for several years.

For someone who is healthy, active, and only 23: read up on the best way to race a 5k, then go run the 5k. You should feel like you are about to vomit and fall over right after you cross the finish line. From there you can put together a good baseline.

Check out Daniels Running Formula for a chart/graph that you could then use for all sorts of paces. It's one of the best books for medium distance I found. If you want to specifically go for marathons, after you've done your first transition to Advanced Marathoning for some amazing training schedules.

First of all, congratulations! I'm not sure it's necessary to take an entire week off, but it might be helpful to reduce your mileage and throw in some slow recovery runs for the next week or two.

Depending on what your goals are, it might be helpful to further build up your base level of aerobic fitness by increasing your weekly mileage before you begin training for your next half. I just bought a copy of Faster Road Racing by Pete Pfitzinger, which has a number of great training programs for building up base mileage (as well as for specific race distances).

Socks is incredibly nice to get. I also enjoy any running material....if he's newer to running then perhaps the following books (which are super cheap) would interest him:

1. Feet in the Clouds
   
   
2. Eat and Run
   
   
3. Born to Run
   
   There's plenty of others....but a good read is nice after a nice run.

IMO, nutrition is just as important to "train" as your actual fitness. Eating four hours before the race is fine, but you may have to adjust and eat much more if you're going to leave that much time before the race before consuming more CHO.

I wouldn't worry as much about the electrolyte capsules, the bonk was from inadequate CHO during the race. You have to aim for a minimum of 30g/hour, but ideally 60-90g/hour if your stomach can handle it.

For gels I would try the new Maurten "gels" or carb drink. The gels are like nothing I've ever had before. The consistency is like Jell-O and they have a very neutral flavor. They are so much easier to consume than any other gel on the market since they all have the consistency of glue. The drink is also good if you normally carry fluids with you.

Anyway, I'm rambling, if you are serious about getting your nutrition straight, you should look into Matt Fitzgerald's book. It really helped me set a base of knowledge and then I tested out what worked best for me.

Here are some books, but nothing specific to injuries.

If she likes the Oatmeal, this is a must-have.

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

The classic. It's a good read. Take the science with a grain of salt.

Born to Run

Bill Rodgers auto-biography. An entertaining read, but not greatly-written.

Marathon Man

If she's science-oriented, this is a great book. I love this thing:

What Comes First, Cardio or Weights?

This article has 8 weeks of intervals designed to peak you for a 10k race. They are a mix of longer, 1 mile, and shorter, 400m, intervals.

4 sessions of intervals a week is probably going to burn you out rather than build you up. Consider your Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday schedule, you'll have 2 interval workouts bracketing a long run. Depending on your fitness, all 3 of these sessions are going to be taxing and probably require an easy day to recover from.

If you're interested in the physiology of running and training from that perspective there are two books that I would recommend. Daniel's Running Formula explains how mixing intervals, tempo runs, long runs will improve your racing. The second book, Matt Fitzgerald's Brain Training for Runners, has a slightly different point of view. Instead of focusing on the physiologically limiting factors, V02max, lactic threshold, etc., he starts with the premise that it is actually your brain interpreting signals from different systems that limits your running performance and sets of his training accordingly. The main difference in practice is that in the brain training approach all of your intervals are done a realistic race paces instead of paces based off of physiological paces (ie, VO2max).

Are you more focused on the 10k or the marathon? I think a good approach during the 10 training would be to have 3 key workout days a week, 1) long run of 1:45-2hours, 2) VO2max intervals (at 5k or 10k race pace with appropriate rest), 3) Speed workout, alternating short 100m hills, 200m intervals and 400m intervals. On the other days run as many easy miles as you can to recovery from the workouts.

Good advice here. Plan looks basically good. If you want to add more overall distance, lengthen the easy runs. Make sure you take it easy on your long runs and recovery runs. Distance builds endurance, and the pace doesn't matter much. Most beginners try to run too fast.

Definitely work on your diet. Eat plenty of carbs (60-70% of your total calories). Whole grains are better than refined carbs. Cut way back on fried foods, sweets, and fatty meats. Check out the New Rules of Marathon Nutrition for sensible, non-dogmatic advice.

Two great books with excellent marathon training plans are:

• Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas
  
• Hansons Marathon Method
  
  Both have good intermediate plans in the ~50-55 mpw range that take 12-18 weeks. They also both contains tons of good info for a new marathoner.
  
  Good luck!

Seriously? Born to Run. Apparently once you get done reading it you are 100%, without-a-doubt convinced that humans specifically evolved to run long distances. So convinced that you run out and buy the first pair of VFFs you encounter.

I've read the Lieberman and Bramble's paper. It's a fantastic account of all the adaptations humans have amassed to become bipedal runners. These things shouldn't be surprising though. One would expect any arboreal animal to adopt similar enhancements as they move into a ground-based lifestyle. Their hypothesis is intriguing, but it falls quite short. Essentially it's a just so story, just like the aquatic ape hypothesis.

I'm not an anthropologist, so I don't personally have a concrete response to L&B. However, Pickering and Bunn do and they make a pretty good case against PR while shooting down L&B's idea.

Anyway, the fact remains that there is no evidence for early hominids engaging in this behavior. And there probably never will be. Personally, I think the idea of running a marathon, where there is a 50/50 chance that you may not eat after you're done and then have to try again sounds incredibly stupid in a primeval environment and discounts the eons of other eating and foraging habits early hominids would have known about. Also, even if there was a 100% success rate with PR, I'm still not convinced it is an optimal foraging habit, given that there are other options available.

You run in jeans?! Damn, I don't get that, but to your question, both the FlipBelt and Spibelt are very popular. I've had the SPIbelt for... 3 months now, and it's held up pretty well. The elastic band has stretched just a bit, but it controls bouncing very well and will fit more than just your phone if you want to bring gels or cards/cash with you.

Not sure if this will help with your iphone issue but try getting your phone to be close to your body for warmth. Something like spibelt underneath your layers would work great. Or a form fitting layer with pocket will keep your phone close to your body and keep it from bouncing.

For your latter question, how about compression shorts and wear your regular shorts on top? Keeps your legs from roasting and two layers to keep warm.

Try reading this. He does a great job of explaining when and how to use gels.

I think using them on 10 mile runs isn't necessary, and you can train your body to better use fat stores for energy by foregoing a gel on a run of that distance. When you do your longest runs leading up to the marathon, that's when you should practice with gels. I disagree on one point with the previous poster- I think taking a gel 15-20 minutes before a marathon is a good idea. They are made specifically to give you quick energy, and while other foods can do the same thing I think gels do a good job of getting you that energy quickly and efficiently.

It sounds like you're taking enough recovery then. If I were you I'd also look into buying the Dr. Jack Daniels running book; https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-3rd-Jack/dp/1450431836/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502830279&sr=8-1&keywords=Jack+Daniels+running+book . This will give you a good idea of what splits should look like for certain paces across most workouts and races. Just seeing the runners world plan means you're just seeing basically one out of 70 plus columns from the book with no reference of what your splits are actually suggesting you are capable of. This book is truly a running bible and will help you better understand your training now and into the future.

First change is you need more variability both in your pace (easy runs should be A LOT easier), and you should vary your weekly mileage as well. Every 3rd week or so do a week of lower mileage to let your body recover.

​

Plug your most recent 5k into this calculator https://runsmartproject.com/calculator/ , and you'll see your correct training paces.

​

I'd keep ht monday 5miles with 3 at tempo (your tempo pace is close to where it should be based on your 5k time), but for sure add in some much slower easier runs (perhaps on non-recovery weeks you can do 1 longer (10+ mi) easy run and a few shorter runs instead of a bunch of moderately hard runs in the 5-8 mile range).

​

Check out a book like Faster Road Racing (https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Road-Racing-Half-Marathon/dp/1450470459) for programs, or even an online program like Hal Hidgon if you want to do a half marathon with a training plan

​

I have this Scosche monitor. It works great. It does not have its own display, but sends a signal to RunKeeper in real-time, and you can monitor your heart rate on your phone continuously if you want.

What I prefer to do is get the "audio cues" from RunKeeper, every 1/4 mile, with my pace info and heart rate. This is just the right amount of feedback for me, and I can just leave my phone in my pocket.

Every time this question comes up Plantronics Backbeat Fit ends up the top voted answer ... I have these and they're really good - fit is excellent, sound quality is ok, have been happily using them for 2 years .

Have you read Born to Run? He talks a bit about flat feet and the benefits barefoot running can have. One of the people in the book actually increased their arches after changing their running style and footwear.

The arch is one of the strongest architectural forms. No builder would ever push supports up into the arch. It would completely negate the strength of the arch. The same may apply to your feet. Why add support to something that is stronger without it? If your feet are truely flat, this may not be an issue.

I personally feel that visualization and a positive attitude go a long way. If you dread it to begin with...it's going to suck. Sounds silly and simple but it works for me. Other than that, I totally agree with increasing your mileage. Not only will you hit your stride later on, but you will enjoy once you do and that will make you look forward to your next run. I recommend a fabulous training book (even if you're not training for a marathon). It got me past the initial "this sucks" period.

http://www.amazon.com/Non-Runners-Marathon-Trainer-David-Whitsett/dp/1570281823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314227232&sr=8-1

+1 to the library (that's how I first got a hold of the plans), but FWIW, I've had great success with Pfitz's training plans and think the $18+ for the book is well worth it, given the price you'd pay for other quality training plans out there.

Whether or not you hit the wall not only is a matter of training but also having and carrying out a solid in-race nutrition plan. The wall hits people because their lower bodies run out of glycogen, and they haven't sufficiently re-fueled those stores with carbohydrate during the race.

Matt Fitzgerald and the Hanson brothers are among the few experienced running writers who seriously get into fueling during races, and they may be worth a read for finer points.

But in general you need to work on fueling during long runs. Thankfully, Chicago's drink stations use Gatorade (which contains carbs; low-cal drinks like Ultima do not), and if you prefer to fuel that way you can practice hitting the Gatorade every 1.3 miles during training runs. You could also practice with gels or gummy-style fuel like Shot Bloks, but that gets a lot more pricey than Gatorade, and Gatorade has the added benefit of also rehydrating you.

Again, others get into the finer points of marathon fueling much better than I just did, but that's a place to start if you want to avoid the wall.

>Will I Ever Qualify For Boston?

It's 100% up to you! This may sound a little controversial, but I think almost all healthy persons can BQ if they really want to. It's all about priorities! How bad do you want it? What is important for you?

>Is there anyone hear who has gone from a 4:30+ hour marathon to a 3:30ish marathon?

Not exactly, but I went from 4.35 to 3.55 in 1 year. This year my goal is sub 3.30, and I am pretty sure I will make it if I avoid serious injuries.

Overall I think you are running too few miles. What if you gradually build up your weekly milage to your previous peak at 50 miles? What if you run 6 times a week instead of 4-5? What if you don't drop your weekly milage when you don't have a race coming up soon?

If you decide to increase your weekly milage you will have to slow down, and drop some tempo runs. To be honest, I don't think you need many tempo runs to hit 3.30. You can add them after you have increased your milage and got used to it.

Also, you will need to sort out your injury. You might need some rest and possibly some other running shoes?

Another question is weight? Are you at your optimal racing weight? If no, then I recommend Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance by Matt Fitzgerald.

I highly recommend you to try out Plantronics Backfit which is currently 79.99 on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-BackBeat-Fit-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B00KJLMBQQ

I've used numerous bluetooth headphones including Powerbeats 2 and 3 and both died on me. What I like about BackBeat is it's very comfortable and weight is distributed evenly, unlike others that have controls on one side swing as you run. It sits in your ear light and comfortable. It's the best wireless earphone I've used based on price, lightness, and comfort.

i started on hal higdons and ended up not liking it. too much just running, not nearly enough quality to make me feel like i was improving.

i picked up Jack Daniels Running Formula and really, really like it. it has plans from general fitness to 800m to full marathons. i recently PRed my half after doing his blue fitness into an HM plan, all the while i was getting faster on my easy days. the book teaches a lot about programming weeks, which i consider to be the most important thing one can take away from this book. its worth checking out imo.

Since you have the running background and are interested in improvement, I'd recommend picking up a book from one of the better known coaches. Two very well-regarded resources are Pete Pfitzinger's Faster Road Racing or Jack Daniels Running Formula. For more information on different training plans, check out the Summer Series from /r/AdvancedRunning.

Not only will you find training plans for various distances, but you can read about the philosophy behind the training: What is the purpose of each run you do? How do you structure a training plan for optimal performance?

Edit: And now that I see what the bot linked, I HIGHLY recommend reading /u/itsjustzach's Bicentennial Race Report.

Read a book about marathon training. My favorites are:

Advanced Marathoning

Daniels Running Formula

Hansons Marathon Method

Even if you don't ultimately decide to use the plans from these books, you will gain a much better understanding of the principles behind proper marathon training, which will help you to make good choices when picking a plan.

It's like a fanny pack, but is elastic and stays in place. I have a phablet phone so an arm band is out of the question.

http://www.amazon.com/SPIbelt-Small-Personal-Item-belt/dp/B004QQTDA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417053335&sr=8-1&keywords=spibelt

The microsoft band is a fitness tracker that has a heart monitor, gps, and simple smart watch features.

http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us

Sure, probably should've included that. I have been running competitively since 1992, and have raced every distance from 400m to marathon. From 2004-2008, I was coached by Jack Daniels in Flagstaff, AZ. I draw heavily upon that experience and Daniels' Running Formula in my training. When I'm physically sound, I train 80-100 miles per week.

My training has been sporadic the last three years as a result of a sports hernia. Surgery last summer left me slightly improved, and a follow-up surgery last Wednesday will hopefully put me in a position to be more competitive. Leading up to last week's surgery, I was training ~60 miles per week.

Last month, I ran my first race in 3 years - 5k, 17:02. Not where I want to be, but I was satisfied given the circumstances. PRs at other distances: 2:51 marathon; 1:17 half; 34:22 10k. I'm not setting any records out there, but I worked hard for those times and I'm proud of them.

I have no formal experience as a coach, but I have provided training plans and guidance to many friends, family members, and coworkers over the years. Also, I recently went through a program offered by NFHS and USATF, and am now a certified track and field coach.

Makes sense. I'm doing NYC too, but probably won't practice much until I do runs over 10 miles (I just started training for my first half).

I see you said you don't want a fanny pack and someone suggested a spibelt below. I wear a flipbelt and love it (and I would never wear a fanny pack). A flipbelt is just a stretchy flat tube of fabric that I can't even feel while I'm running and it doesn't bounce. Holds my phone (in ziploc bag to not get wet), stroopwafels (also in ziploc bag), keys, and whatever else and works great to tie my jacket around if I get hot.

This book is good to help you learn about more about the science and ways to measure progress. It also includes some workouts and training plans. I believe that once you understand the "why" behind your training plans and runs, it will help you be a more focused runner. Advanced Marathoning

I run with my bulky phone. But I use/wear a Flipbelt, which I highly recommended. The phone slides into the belt (along with my keys) and when I’m running, I don’t even know it’s there.
Paired with Bluetooth headphones and it’s a perfect solution in my opinion. I use Runkeeper as an audio coach, played from my phone.
$20 from Amazon, much less than buying a new smart watch,

FlipBelt Level Terrain Waist Pouch, Medium, Black
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF9DWWU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GVGBCbEYP0273

I use the Plantronics Backbeat Fit. I find the sound quality to be great and I sweat all over them almost daily over this last summer. I get about 6+ hours of usage before I charge them, so I charge them once a week. The biggest bonus for me is you DON'T cram these into your ear canal. The music is plenty loud with bass and I can still hear cars. If you plan on running on a highway these might not be the headphones for you.

Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth Headphones - Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KJLMBQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_ErszwbDZB9VVP

https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Marathoning-2nd-Pete-Pfitzinger/dp/0736074600

Aside from the plans themselves this book covers everything. It's a great resource. Diet, pacing, stretching, and the science behind all of it. It goes into heart rate training and everything. Highly recommend.

I was going to look for the other post that the other person that replied to you mentioned, but I am lazy. I use these. They are a bit expensive, but I honestly love them. They are lightweight, sound great, aren't noise cancelling (good to hear cars), 7-8 hour battery (with spoken battery notification of the time remaining), and rain and sweat proof. Got mine for Christmas. Other than that, I used to use like 10 dollar wired Phillips headphones that you could pick up at Target or wherever. Decent enough and I didn't care if they died in the rain. Had a pair last me through a half marathon in the rain and they weren't waterproof.

You might want to invest in a copy of Pfitz's Faster Road Racing, where the lowest volume half marathon plan starts at 30 mpw and a 10 mile long run.

I am no expert, but I have read several different plans now. I think it's fair to say that with ~20 mpw currently, you would likely be happier come race day if you prioritize building up gradually (~+10% mpw) but fairly steadily (recover/consolidate every 4th week) to 35-40 mpw instead of your target 25-30 and spread over 5 days instead of your target 3-4. You can do three quality runs a week at this volume -- a couple of threshold/tempo intervals/runs (might want to base one on hills) and a long run -- with the others be easy/recovery runs. The other runs can incorporate some strides.

A valuable part of a formal training plan is getting the taper right, but you can probably piece this together from internet sources.

So after surgery - the next day, and for a week - it hurt A LOT. But the number one thing to recovery is get off your ass and get moving. So I was out of bed two days after surgery (one day after I came home). I just walked around at first. I got up and walked several times a day and it hurt a lot, but the doc assured me that yes, it will hurt and yes, keep doing it. After a week I showed up at physical therapy and they were awesome. I learned some good exercises and stretches. I went there three times a week for a month. After that month I started swimming laps at George Mason's Manassas campus pool (Freedom Center). I swam and worked out in the gym for 4 months before running outside. During those 4 months I ran a little on the treadmill but not a lot (a mile or so). I was still heel striking (I don't learn real quick)...

I will skip the story of the other surgery (disc removal and spinal fusion) that I had in my neck two or three years later, but the recovery was even faster because I was experienced in the pain and the benefit of getting up and moving early.

After the second surgery, I read Born to Run and bought some Vibram 5 Fingers. After two months of more PT and recovery I started running on my "toes" (forefoot really) and haven't looked back.

Here's a pic of me in Nov, 2008 (on the left) and me May, 2012 (on the right). That's about 30 lbs of fat gone.

I do lots of short slow distance "off" days. It's worked pretty well despite running daily, even during a training program. I've even done sprint-walk and run-walk intervals to take some load off my legs (and stress off my mind if it's a miserable summer day for a run). The feeling is definitely mutual, though, on running everyday. If you decide to cross-train but keep running in mind without having to go to the gym, the dynamic stretches and proprioceptive training cues I found on Brain Training for Runners won me over.

1) There's no way carrying a phone is a significant concern from a chronic injury perspective; tell them you're giving up running and taking up skateboarding, I was diagnosed with advanced arthritis in both wrists at 25 from skating, running is infinitely safer. But there's no use fighting it, parents have the upper hand on such matters, so you might as well start working on solutions.

2) Why do you carry your phone? Music, GPS, safety? For the first two (this is probably bad advice from a parent perspective) I'd probably refuse the fanny pack and try to leverage in a decent running watch instead of holding your phone. If it's a safety issue, I get that.

3) I started keeping my phone on long trail runs, as much as I hate taking anything with me. I use SPIbelt, it's surprisingly comfortable, and it's only as big as your phone. Honestly, it's a helluva lot more comfortable than carrying in your hand. The weight distribution is on your lower back, you can't really tell it's there. It also sits under your shirt, so you can't see it either. I've also heard positive reviews of FlipBelt.

4) I have an arm band that I found somewhere and keep it in my pack for when my iPod or GPS watch is dead and I use my phone instead. It works. I know a lot of people like them, but I'd still take the SPI-belt. But I'm 40, married with children, so I really don't give a damn about the fanny pack stigma anymore; I can see how you might feel different.

https://www.amazon.com/Spibelt-Original-Expandable-Pocket-Zipper/dp/B004QQTDA2/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1527739899&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=spibelt&psc=1&smid=A2SQRM7P89NWO

True. I've certainly become a more efficient athlete and lifting is really just one aspect of what has gotten me here. It certainly isn't responsible for my speed gains. We all know that comes from lots of quality work and miles. The trick for me is that I spend no more than 30 to 45 minutes each session lifting as opposed to the hours that a bodybuilder spends. I also do core work and stretch in the same sessions. My goals in lifting are that I want to look proportional and to be strong throughout my whole body. Anyway, a year ago:

• my cruising pace was about 8:15/mile and is right at 7:30 now - I've had the goal of BQ'ing for a couple years now and have been trying to be smart about it. I ran a 20:41 5k a week ago, which is the first time I've ever run a 5k purely to see what time I could get. I have A LOT to learn about tactics and pacing for races, but I sure I'll be able to hit 18 minutes once I understand how to run that specific race.
  
  
• bench was ~100 and it's 160 now and I'd say my other % gains have been similar in other areas. I'm happy with those numbers and really don't want to go much higher in an effort to avoid bulk.
  
  
• I was running 4 to 5 days a week averaging probably 25 miles a week and I'm more after today I'll have 43 miles for this week leading into Ragnar next weekend.
  
  
• I'd never thought about flexibility before because I'm naturally loose; however, once I had my first ITBS problem, that changed dramatically and I stretch & foam roll just about every day.
  
  
• My diet, which is certainly a huge part, has essentially stayed the same and admittedly could use some work as it's the weakest aspect of my training. I've read Race Weight by Matt Fitzgerald and it just didn't sink in at all. I really wanted it to, but I'm going to try again once I finish Salazar's Guide to Road Racing.

I'd recommend getting this this book. It shows you how to set up an entire training plan based on your preferred distance, and the author has two PhDs in physiology.
His philosophy is the least amount of effort for the greatest amount of improvement.

Hansons Marathon Method: Run Your Fastest Marathon the Hansons Way https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937715485/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_MC1QzbJFVENZQ

This is easy to follow and myself and some friends have had success with it.

Runner's world. Ugh. Stay away from that garbage, and definitely don't pay for anything from them. You won't get to sub 3 that way.

I know plenty of people use Pfitzinger (you'll see references to Pfitz 18/55 or Pfitz 18/70- 18 weeks, 55 or 70 miles a week). His book is only 14 bucks.

Also, I don't know if there are rules here against linking to letsrun, but there is some good stuff there about training & marathon training (more so in the past...these days, there's more garbage than good training advice).

Marathon training

Key marathon workouts from a Canova training program

It depends on your goal. You have plenty of time to train properly for a December Marathon, if you desire the challenge of moving up in distance. On the other hand, some people prefer to work on their speed at shorter races before moving up in distance. That's less common these days, but it's a legitimate strategy.

Higdon, Pfitzinger, and Hanson have good books that offer training plans. You could do well with any of them.

Try these They wipe clean easily and don't fall out of my ears. I love them!

I have been told Higdon plan is not the best for a BQ time. I am currently trying for BQ as well and have been using Pfitzinger 70/18 plan. It's really rough because the first week you start is 53 miles. It tops out at 70mpw which is more than I have ran in a week before. I have been told maybe people have either lowered their time significantly or BQ'd using his plan.

If you are interested, here is an idea how the plan works. To get more in depth about his workouts (which ones are tempo and how fast to run on certain runs) I highly recommend his book. I've been running for about 4 years and learned so much after reading it.

I bought these Sennheisers. The cord is short and it works perfectly with my arm band (there's an extension for a waist-band). They also sound great.

To be honest, its not a great plan.

You would be better off buying a copy of 'Daniel's running forumula'
and working through his general fitness plans - they all have a colour - white, red, blue, gold. The red and blue plans look like this

Does it need to be an arm band?

I use this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004QQTDA2?pc_redir=1406967393&robot_redir=1

Its lightweight, compact, expands large enough to fit my phone, wallet and keys easily. With just my iphone on normal runs it doesn't even bounce around. Doesn't even feel like its there. Very happy with it.

Exactly. Eat the right foods and you'll both lose weight and make running gains. I recommend this book for diet plans. By Matt Fitzgerald.

In the book he describes a really simple way to choose your diet. Categorize foods in groups in this order: 1. Vegetables 2. Fruits 3. Nuts/seeds 4. Fish & Lean meats 5. Whole grains 6. Dairy 7. Refined grain 8. Fatty meats 9. Sweets 10. Fried Foods.

Basically all you need to do is eat more veggies than fruits, fruits than nuts/seeds, nuts/seeds than fish & lean meats and so on. Bias your diet toward the food groups on the top of the list and you'll be good to go.

Pick up Racing Weight.

Basically, just improve your diet by eating more good things. By increasing the amount of good foods (fruits, veggies, beans, lean meats/fish etc). you automatically limit the "bad" foods from your diet. Think more about what to add to your diet rather than take away.

Advanced Marathoning is dense with great information!

The first 2/3 of the book covers everything from mitochondria and glycogen to heart rate ranges for various types of training runs to how much water your stomach can digest over time and how to drink on the run. An endless number of gems really, I love to just open the book up and read a page and see what I learn.

The last 1/3 is the various training schedules based on your weekly miles...up to 55/week, up to 75/week, and beyond.

Ive bought other running books but this is the first one that was full of information you don't naturally encounter on the web.

$13 at Amazon

I use the flip belt and have to admit that I love it. I just love that it doesn't look like a belt and that I can even tuck it under my shirt if I want. It fits my 6" phone but it is a tight fit. I don't often run with my phone, anyway.

Hi,

I started running to compliment my hiking training. Now I do hiking to compliment my running training. I fell in love and was in much of the same boat as you are: where do I go from here?

I decided to do a half marathon to keep going. My first half is this Saturday and I followed (Hal Hidgon's novice training program)[http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm].

Also, I had the same problems with headphones. I ended up getting these:

(Sennheiser PMX 680 Sports Earbud)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034L3G8U/ref=ox_ya_os_product]

I can't vouch for them yet, because they're still being shipped, but there are a lot of good reviews.

Would that be the Tarahumara indians? Featured repeatedly in this book Born to Run - an AMAZING read, highly recommend it

1 - I just finished Running for Fitness (recommended on the wiki). What is a peak as in the program here? Is this the same as a tapering phase? If so then what's happing here between the peak and the taper?

2 - According to Running for Fitness you can run a 5k or 10k just about every weekend. Since you tend to reduce mileage towards the end of a program would I continue that reduced mileage if I want to continue racing every 2-3 weeks or so? How about 1-2 months?

3 - Is Running Formula a good book to learn about running 5k and 10k (I plan to really only run these)? Any other recommendations?

I definitely recommend reading their book . Even if you end up going with a different plan, the book has very valuable information on the different types of workout and the science behind each of them.

I'm not an expert by any means, but I have read a lot, so I will give you some of my thoughts based on my readings. However, I highly recommend you research this yourself, and thus draw your own meanings. My two favourite books are Road Racing for Serious Runners by Pete Pfitzinger and Daniels' Running Formula by Jack Daniels.

For your "high quality" long runs, Pftizinger recommends doing them twice out of every three long runs (so take it easier every 3rd week). His quality long run is the progression run, where you start ~1:30 slower than your marathon pace and end the run ~45s slower than your marathon pace.

Daniels in his half marathon training plan has a number of different quality long runs. One is 10% of your weekly mileage at marathon pace, while another is a variety of intervals of easy, marathon, and threshold pace.

As a word of advice, don't do your long runs at your half marathon pace. Generally, tempo runs are run at 15k-half marathon pace and you would never do a tempo run for that long. Doing your long runs too hard will force a longer recovery, and your other workouts will suffer (according to Pfitz).

Check out Daniel's Running Formula, it's what my coach used and it felt pretty effective to me at least.

I would suggest a lot of Interval paced training, assuming you already have a strong base to work with. Speed workouts when it counts of course, but from what I remember, Interval pace is the bread and butter of mid-distance events like the 800.

It never hurts to add a faster day a week if you feel up to it - and that can be the 4th short run OR the middle section of a longer day - but mostly I meant to simply add more easy mileage. You can look at Higdon as linked above, or even some of the more advanced, structured plans; those though you'd need to work up to consistently running probably 25-30 MPW over 5 days per week before jumping on to them.

My husband is currently reading the "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall and was telling me how the Tarahumara Indians constantly use the chia to help with their endurance running. Is the Chia something you can find at a grocery store? What is the consistency? Do you cook with it or eat it raw?

If you want to learn more about ultras and distance running in general I highly recommend this book. It's a really great read.

Read Born to Run by Chris McDougall. It is a great book and quite insightful. After you are done, get your friend to read it. When he is done ask him when he wants to go running with you.

I followed the training plan in this book for my first marathon:

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Marathoning-2nd-Peter-Pfitzinger/dp/0736074600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322771448&sr=8-1

My best recommendations are for you to respect the distance and not ramp up your mileage too quickly.

I have plantronics back beat water resistant (water proof?) headphones. I've had several of my friends upgrade to them. We all love them. https://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-BackBeat-Fit-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B00KJLMBQQ

I had the same question a while ago and searched this subreddit. I saw a recommendation for this book: The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond ""the Wall"". I highly recommend it. It really helps.

Having said that, here is what I do:

• If I run under 60 minutes in the morning, I don't eat anything before it
  
• If I run over 60 minutes, I eat a banana and a toast with any topping I feel like (honey, cream cheese, etc...) one hour before the run
  
  I also drink a double espresso first thing in the morning.

I used to use a Nathan running belt/pack. It was the smallest I could find. But it flopped around too much. Decided to try the FlipBelt and it's been great. Also blends in better than a typical running belt/pack.

I highly recommend a runners belt. I've used Spibelt and the Nathan 5k and have been happy with both.

I cannot recommend Jack Daniel's book enough! It has fantastic explaining training concepts and making it understandable. It also has specific training plans for every distance from the mile to the marathon.

The 2Q plan dictates two hard workouts per week. One is usually tempo or interval work, one is a long run. Other than those two workouts you just run easy whenever to meet a certain distance per week. I workout hard Tuesdays and Saturdays and then the rest of the week it doesn't matter which days or distances I run ... as long as I get my mileage for the week in.

Probably yes. Take into account that the way your body strengthens is mostly a cycle of breaking muscle at the microscopic level and then repairing it. If the needed materials (protein but also carbohydrates) are not available because you are dieting, that is not going to happen.

There is an interesting book on the matter: Racing Weight.

I used a modified version of Hal Higdon's for my first half marathon. Actually I pretty much just ran 5-6 days a week with one long run a week, adding a mile each week and topping off at 12.5 miles a few weeks before the race.

I would suggest reading Pfitzinger's Avdanced Marathoning and adjusting the training schedule to be for distances for the half. A 12 week program might be enough for the half.

Try and run on segements of the course for some of your long runs and if you can't make it to the course try and train for the same elevation profile as the race you'll be running. Best of luck, with 3 months to go you should have no problem racking that 7 mile long run up to 12+

Maybe check out Advanced Marathoning and pick a plan that best suites your desires and ability.

You should check out Jack Daniels Running Formula, it is a wealth of information for training and covers almost everything you're asking about including breathing, pace, cadence, as well as training plans for runners of all paces. You can find it [here] (http://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-3rd-Edition-Jack/dp/1450431836) on Amazon for about 20 bucks!

I used the Hanson Marathon Method (HMM) for my second marathon. I did a much longer breakdown of how it went and my previous training here: http://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/nb53z/44_minute_marathon_pr_after_following_the_hansons/c37q09f

TL;DR that long post: I didn't bonk at 16 and finished feeling as good as could be expected. After I found out there offered custom training schedule and such I started using their online coaching service. But, they've also published a book that I highly recommend.

http://www.amazon.com/Hansons-Marathon-Method-Renegade-Fastest/dp/1934030856

> Any advice in training for a 5k/10k?

Here are some 5K training plans to choose from.

Daniels' Running Formula will make you knowledgeable so you can be a smart runner and train in the most effective way.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PMX-680-Sports-Headphones/dp/B0034L3G8U

They are light, stay in place and sound great. They still allow for ambient noise.

I used Hanson's to train for my first marathon. I thought it was a good plan and would recommend it. You can find the basic plan outlines online but I'd recommend reading the entire book as they go into the individual workouts in more detail.

http://smile.amazon.com/Hansons-Marathon-Method-Renegade-Fastest/dp/1934030856/

My understanding is that the 220 uses HR-monitors based on ANT+ technology.

Your girfriends FR10 does not support external heartrate sensors at all - you can feel confident she does not have one. You can buy the HR-monitor bundled, or choose from one of the 66 othe rmodels http://www.thisisant.com/directory/forerunner-220

If you can spend $80 instead of $50 and want to impress I suggest you get her the coolest HR-device right now - an optical HR monitor Scosche RHYTHM
http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-RHYTHM-Heart-Monitor-Armband/dp/B00JQHTJS2

It is compatible with the FR220 and can be placed around your arm.

Sorry, endomondo, but I think I can contribute to the discussion ;)

It depends, I use a belt (Deuter Neo belt 2) if I wear my running shorts that have no pockets.

I don't like to wear these shorts on cold easy runs though, so I usually just have it in my shorts. No problems with my Galaxy Nexus.

If it's raining I take a sponge with me and place put it in there to avoid too much water on my phone..

As for the headphones: Sennheiser PMX 680. They have a good sound (for running at least) and a good grip. If I am in the city you can easily take them out on crosswalks without fighting the cords to much.

These are by far the best I've used for running.
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PMX-680-Sports-Headphones/dp/B0034L3G8U
They are waterproof, stay in place and do not block out all sound so I can still hear a car or dog coming up from behind, and volume control on the chord.

You could read up on it. More knowledge is better. Everyone here seems to like this book (mine arrives today):

https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-Jack-Tupper/dp/1450431836

Wouldn't a Flipbelt work? Hope someone corrects me if I'm mistaken since I haven't had the chance to use one, but was planning on buying one very soon.

They seemed comfortable enough and very non intrusive, but that's just my humble impression.