Runners-let's talk races, experiences and whatever

Hello fellow runners. I started running about three years ago. I like long distance running because I enjoy the scenery and fresh air. I feel happy at the end of most runs. I'm not a fast runner. The last half marathon I did I finished in 2 hours 12 minutes and 10 seconds. It was in Victoria Falls. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Came across all sorts of wild life and elephant dung (phew! no actual elephants crossing the road). I'm trying to decide whether to do another half this Sunday or just do a 10k relay. Hoping for good water points and lots of positive energy.
Talk to me!!
p.s. my hair loves running...lol

Hi, I'm no runner but I enjoy walking. The scenery and fresh air is amazing isn't it. I am curious about doing a marathon though. Somewhere in the near future. When is your next marathon. Congrats on your time I don't know much about that but what place did you finish.

I'm a beginner runner! I ran my first 5k a few weeks ago. I look forward to the next one.

I am a very slow runner. It takes me about 40 mins to run 3 miles. I never thought I would enjoy running as much as I do.

Yayyy for this thread! I myself am a runner and I absolutely enjoy it! Last year, I trained & completed my first full marathon...all 26.2 miles! YAYYY! It was definitely a good feeling to challenge myself and actually complete the whole thing! My finish time was 5:12:33. The goal was to finish under 5 hours, preferably around 4:45, or 4:50 but around mile 22 I started cramping in my legs really bad, so I had to take some time to stop and stretch, and clearly that took up some of my goal time! All in all, it was a great experience and guess what? Im back again training for my second full marathon! (I know, Im psycho! lol) But yes, Im back at it again. I've been training with my running group since August and will be running the Chevron Houston Marathon for the second time here in Houston on January 30, 2011. This year I don't think I'll be as nervous since I've done it before, but my goal is to beat my time from last year, so we'll see how that goes!

Right now, we are training and are up to running 15 miles in distance. At the beginning of October, I did a 10 mile race (me and my group) and finished at 1:35:13, at about a 9:36 per mile pace. So that was pretty cool! But yes running is such a great way to stay in shape! I've become addicted! lol! Its a great way to just clear your mind & stay focused! I absolutely enjoy it, although I do hate getting up at 5am on Saturdays for my long runs! hahaha! But once Im up and going, Im good to go!

So glad that you all are running as well! The more you do it, the better you get! Consistency is key, along with a good pace! Happy Running!

cluelesscurl wrote:Hi, I'm no runner but I enjoy walking. The scenery and fresh air is amazing isn't it. I am curious about doing a marathon though. Somewhere in the near future. When is your next marathon. Congrats on your time I don't know much about that but what place did you finish.

I started off as a walker until I could walk no faster then started jogging and slowly got into running. Isn't the fresh air just priceless? They say running/walking is the best anti-depressant. I haven't braved a marathon yet. Only done a half marathon. I finished number 179 out of 300. My next half marathon is this Sunday. I'm also hoping to do a 20 miler on the 5th of December. I hope you start running soon. That stuff is totally addictive!

Lynnieluve wrote:I'm a beginner runner! I ran my first 5k a few weeks ago. I look forward to the next one.

I am a very slow runner. It takes me about 40 mins to run 3 miles. I never thought I would enjoy running as much as I do.

Hey...well done! Your time will improve as you go but that is not a bad time at all!! I'm not fast either and I'm sure it's down to genetics??? I also have a funny running style. Everyone who runs behind me has a good laugh. I've been told that I run like I'm walking and don't lift my legs very high. Who cares? I have legs to run on and run I shall!

natural83 wrote:Yayyy for this thread! I myself am a runner and I absolutely enjoy it! Last year, I trained & completed my first full marathon...all 26.2 miles! YAYYY! It was definitely a good feeling to challenge myself and actually complete the whole thing! My finish time was 5:12:33. The goal was to finish under 5 hours, preferably around 4:45, or 4:50 but around mile 22 I started cramping in my legs really bad, so I had to take some time to stop and stretch, and clearly that took up some of my goal time! All in all, it was a great experience and guess what? Im back again training for my second full marathon! (I know, Im psycho! lol) But yes, Im back at it again. I've been training with my running group since August and will be running the Chevron Houston Marathon for the second time here in Houston on January 30, 2011. This year I don't think I'll be as nervous since I've done it before, but my goal is to beat my time from last year, so we'll see how that goes!

Right now, we are training and are up to running 15 miles in distance. At the beginning of October, I did a 10 mile race (me and my group) and finished at 1:35:13, at about a 9:36 per mile pace. So that was pretty cool! But yes running is such a great way to stay in shape! I've become addicted! lol! Its a great way to just clear your mind & stay focused! I absolutely enjoy it, although I do hate getting up at 5am on Saturdays for my long runs! hahaha! But once Im up and going, Im good to go!

So glad that you all are running as well! The more you do it, the better you get! Consistency is key, along with a good pace! Happy Running!

You have just inspired me to do more!! Thank you! No more excuses for me...

Is there a website for someone like me who wants to know more. Man, I wish you guys lived closer to me.

Clueless - google Couch to 5k That's the running program I started out with. It's a 9 week program

@Rudo'sKinks You can do it! Go ahead and shoot for that half marathon girl! Once you get 13.1 under the belt, you'll definitely be ready to conquer 26.2! But when I started training for my first full marathon, which was last year (actually it was January of this year, but my training for it was last year) I hadn't done any marathons period! I mean, I worked out a lot and ran also, but I wasn't running no more than 3 to 4 miles a day. So it is possible to train for a full marathon as a very first timer! Keep us posted on what you decide!

@cluelesscurl If you're serious about getting started with your running, a good way to get going is to start running with a running group/club. The group Im running with this year is a member of USA Fit, and they have running groups all over. They train you to walk, or run marathons, half marathons, or whatever race you desire! Go to this site http://www.usafit.com/ and see if your area has a group! Good Luck!

Im a beginner runner as well; i hope to one day soon call myself a seasoned runner; i started that Couch to 5k program this summer and since then ive participated in a 5k and a 10 miler, i did not run both of them totally. I have another 5k on thanksgiving and have actually registered for a half marathon next August in Chicago. Im nervous about if i will be ready. Sometimes when i am just trying to run for 30 straight mins, it is so mentally draining that i think i will never be able to do more. You all have inspired me that it is possible.

Now this thread is right up my ally.

@natural83 I did the half marathon on Sunday. My time was 2 hours 10 minutes and 28 seconds. It was a lovely run. Got lost a little and had to turn back but it didn't affect me much mentally. I'm definitely a little more confident about doing the 20 miler now.

@summerbreeze76 Training is key. Look up training programmes on Runnersworld...you know the magazine? They have a website too. That's how I trained for my first half marathon. Yeah...the mind is usually the problem when running. Your body will always pleasantly surprise you.

@Rudo'sKinks Congrats girl on completing that half marathon! Its such a great feeling to finish any race! If you do your 20 miler, then honey you are basically ready for a full marathon. In my group, they only train us up to 21 miles, and you don't actually run the whole 26.2 until the day of the race. Supossedly its some kind of mind thing as to why you don't train for the whole 26.2. I think we are doing our 21 miler run like so many weeks before the marathon which is 1/30/11, then after that we will start tapering down to lower mileage for recovery. (That's how we trained last year too!) So yeah, if you're doing a 20 miler, then you should definitely get you a full marathon in there somewhere soon!

I started Bridge to 10k yesterday. It's a 6 week running program. I needed something to help keep me focused. I wish I could join the local running group but I would have to take my son with me. Running is my "me time" and plus he is 38 lbs. LOL!! I dont want to add 50lbs to my run (him plus the joggers stroller).

@Lynnieluve Oh wow, I bet that Bridge to 10K program is great! Yeah, running groups are awesome! In my group, we only meet to run as a group once a week, and that is early on Saturday mornings to do our long runs, and that's usually around 5:45a.m.-6:00a.m., depending on how long we are running. They keep us on a running schedule during the week on our on, but for the most part, its a once a week thing! So if you did something like that, it might not be so bad! You could run and be back home in time to get the rest of your day going! Last year, I trained with a charity sports running group (Team In Training) and we met up twice during the week to run hills & speed running, but since Im with a different group this year, they don't meet up throughout the week! But regardless, those running programs that you are doing are a good way to put you ahead of the game and trained to do a race! You go girl!

Thanks Natural83! I wish the group did run early on Saturday mornings. That would be perfect but they run on Tuesday evenings. Hubby gets home at different times every night so that's a no go.

Lynnieluve wrote:I started Bridge to 10k yesterday. It's a 6 week running program. I needed something to help keep me focused. I wish I could join the local running group but I would have to take my son with me. Running is my "me time" and plus he is 38 lbs. LOL!! I dont want to add 50lbs to my run (him plus the joggers stroller).

Good for you Lynn. I too want to join a running group. I was looking some up yesterday. ALl of the ones i saw i would have to be at a certain point physically and i dont think i am there just yet. I have kinda started C25k over in the middle and running it just outside to get acclimated to it. Even though i still struggle outside, it is much better than in the beginning. Keep up the good work!!!

I didn't manage to do my 8km run this morning and I feel a little unhappy. We do 8 to 10km each Tuesday and Thursday morning at 5am. I've got a 15km race coming up this Sunday. Sorry ladies, I speak in kilometres. Question! How do your curls/kinks cope with runs? I'm in braids right now and I'm wondering if I'll have to have a looong hair styling session each time I do a morning run. I cut off most of my relaxed hair and want to do the BC on the 19th of this month. Yap! That's half kinky hair and half straight hair on my avatar. I did a rough chop myself so it's quite uneven. I'd like to hear how you ladies style your hair after a run.

I BC'd on Saturday and ran my 3rd half marathon this year! Time improved to 2hrs...yeah!

Rudo'sKinks wrote:I BC'd on Saturday and ran my 3rd half marathon this year! Time improved to 2hrs...yeah!

Good for you!!! I cant wait to be able to be where you are. Tell me about you running story, if it is not already posted. I will go back and look. Again Congratulations on your BC and your race.

Rudo'sKinks wrote:I BC'd on Saturday and ran my 3rd half marathon this year! Time improved to 2hrs...yeah!

That's awesome. I plan to get there one day!

@summerbreeze76 Thanks, hey. You will get there. Just stay on it. I started by walking for weight loss after my second child then progressed to running. It happened over a couple of years. At some point I'd run 5ks a day 5 days a week. I'd enter at least one race per year. I then joined a running club where we do sprints and 4km runs after work. Sometimes we do weights, stairs or play basketball. I also joined another that does 8km runs twice a week in the mornings. Now I run/walk no morethan 4 times a week including long runs on the weekends.

@Lynnieluve You will get there sooner than you think.

I am so PROUD of myself!!! Today I decided to see how long I could run without stopping. I ended up running one hour - 5 miles!!! I felt like I could keep going! Now I am seriously thinking about doing the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving (8k). It's suppose to be 80 degrees here but there is rain in the forecast too.

RudosKinks, your last statement was so TRUE!!

Well done Lynnieluve! Go ahead and do the Turkey Trot. You won't regret it. Something about running in numbers. It's really inspiring. Runners are usually very good at encouraging each other...at least in my town they are. Then there's always the social afterwards...

Hey Ladies. Im am so excited. I ran in the DC 5K Turkey Trot this morning. I ran the entire thing except for two minutes (My Ipod was playing the wrong music, so i stopped to find a good song and the break wasnt bad either LOL) I am so happy, i didnt think i could do the whole thing, but it was absolutely great!!!

Happy Turkey Day!!