[Liz3yy]

A couple of weeks ago I did 2 miles in 23 minutes, this evening I managed the same distance in 24 minutes but.......I slowed to walk for 5 minutes half way through! how the hell did I manage only 1 minute slower at the end?!

 

[Grant]

You must having been running faster without realising before and after your walk break. It could be a sign that your training is improving your fitness.

I think the next step would be to try to run the whole distance at you new quicker pace.

 

[Liz3yy]

I think you're right Grant, I've worked out that I did 1.2 miles in 11 min, 30 secs before I stopped to walk which is a damn sight quicker than my usual pace. I'm surprised as I didnt think I was running much quicker than usual. Next time I'll do as you suggest and see if I can keep going the whole way.

 

[Grant]

If it didn't feel any more difficult than usual, thats a good sign.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Hrun]

Guess you have just found the joys of starting out too fast. That is why you have to walk part way yet still do a reasonable time. I have to work really hard not to do this.

Finding the right pace is one of the hardest things to do in my opinion.

 

[Liz3yy]

Hmmmm thanks Hrun, not sure how to take that comment really. I like to think I'm getting fitter, after all 2 months ago I was knackered for 2 days after jogging 0.8 of a mile in one go for the first time. I certainly didnt start off too quick, I never do but my pace tends to naturally increase once I get into my stride. It'll be interesting to see how I get on next week.

 

[Hrun]

It was a compliment Liz. It is because you are getting fitter that you are able to start out faster and not realize.

I went to run 6 miles on Wednesday. I average 8.5 min/ml usually but went a different route and ran the first 2 miles at 7.5 min/ml. By 4 miles I was really struggling and had to stop at 5 miles. If I had kept to 8.5 at the start I would have been fine for the whole 6.

When I was not as fit I would never have managed to start out at that speed.

 

[Liz3yy]

I definitely am getting fitter, I did 2 miles this evening in 21 minutes and 28 seconds. I started off slow then found my pace picking up towards the middle which I managed to keep up. I feel great at my improvements though I'm noticing a few things which seem odd...I'm getting a runny nose towards the end of my runs, a gurgly tummy and my hands swell up so much I barely bend my fingers!

 

[Hrun]

ah ha, now you are pacing

Runny nose I don't know. Do you have hayfever as you could be breathing in pollen.

Grumbly belly I get if I haven't eaten enough to cover the miles. As I run on an empty stomach this is quite often.


Swollen fingers, do you run with rigid shoulders? I get a numb right hand if I don't think to keep my shoulder lose.

 

[Steve]

Sounds like improvement to me....time to add a bit to your runs?

 

[Liz3yy]

Sounds like improvement to me....time to add a bit to your runs?

I'm not sure yet, I was pretty knackered afterwards today. I'd rather stay at 2 miles till it gets a little easier before increasing my distance.

 

[Liz3yy]

ah ha, now you are pacing

Runny nose I don't know. Do you have hayfever as you could be breathing in pollen.

Grumbly belly I get if I haven't eaten enough to cover the miles. As I run on an empty stomach this is quite often.


Swollen fingers, do you run with rigid shoulders? I get a numb right hand if I don't think to keep my shoulder lose.

I have suffered with hay fever in the past so that could be it, the trailway I run down is lined with trees and god knows how many bushes, plants etc.....

I didnt have an empty stomach for my run, I had a cereal bar about 2 hours prior.

As for my fingers I dont think I run with rigid shoulders. I have noticed though when I run with my water bottle which I hold in my right hand, that hand doesnt get swollen but my left does. Tonight I left my bottle at home as I've realised now I dont need water for short distances and both my hands were swollen at the end...very odd

 

[Hrun]

Cereal bar = 300 cal. 2 mile run could burn 400 cal. I make that an empty stomach by the end of the run.

Obviously this is not a scientific conclusion and very dependant on other eating/usage.

Havent a clue about the swelling, maybe someone else will be able to chip in

 

[Liz3yy]

I hadnt thought of it like that, food that is. I certainly havent starved myself today, I had weetabix for breakfast and a BLT sandwich and chocolate caramel shortbread thingy in Costa coffee at lunch, then my cereal bar before I ran. I've just had a veggie stirfry. I've no idea how many calories in that lot but it surely cant be too little now that I'm running? I'm trying to lose weight as well as get fitter so I dont really want to eat more than I do now.

 

[Hrun]

Thats the beauty of running. A lot of people run so they can eat what they want. I don't calorie count but as I want to lose weight I try and eat less than 2600 (bloke) plus what I ran off. The 13.1 miles today equates to around 2300 calories.

Obviously I can still eat the wrong food and alcohol which explains my slow progress lately

 

[runningshoe]

Was it cold Lizzy? Maybe Reynaud's phenomenon - you might not get that if your hand was curled around a water bottle because your hand would probably be warmer. I think it's when the small vessels in your hand spasm in response to cold, can lead to very swollen fingers that sometimes change colour and can take a good while to go back to normal once you get inside. My mum, my sister and I get it when we go swimming in the sea. If it happens when you're warm then I'm not so sure. Definately sounds like you're getting fitter to me. When's your first race................!?

 

[Liz3yy]

No it wasnt cold, I dont think its anything to do with Reynauds as my fingers only swell up when I get hot. I had it so bad in Greece one year that I had to put my hands in a bucket of cold water for 10 minutes.

 

[richardsimkiss]

I reckon that as your speeds picking up, you change your running gait slightly, to a more efficient style which would explain why you feel like you're not running *that* much faster.

The running will probably draw on calories from the muscles' energy store rather than what's in your stomach, though it'd make sense to pay attention to what's going in Vs what's being burnt off