Please help me pick a goal...

C

cherbst

0
I'm 45 years old, 248 pounds, and dieting (lost a little over 30 lbs so far). For exercise, I'm doing bodyweight calisthenics, jogging, walking, and jumping rope (plus some swim laps and whatever else is handy). I've noticed a significant gain in strength, endurance, and flexibility so far.

I'd like to set a time goal for one-mile running for May 1 of next year. At this point, I'm just barely able to jog a mile, and my best time is just under 12 minutes. I don't really have any idea of what a reasonable goal would be, given 7 months to work on it.

If I jog/run 2-3 times per week, and if my goal is general fitness, and if I expect to lose another 20 pounds or so, (and if I have no particular natural talent for running,) what is a reasonable time to shoot for by next May? Is 9 minutes unreasonable? How about 8:30? Any suggestions are welcome...

Thanks!!
Carl
 
cherbst said:
I'm 45 years old, 248 pounds, and dieting (lost a little over 30 lbs so far). For exercise, I'm doing bodyweight calisthenics, jogging, walking, and jumping rope (plus some swim laps and whatever else is handy). I've noticed a significant gain in strength, endurance, and flexibility so far.

I'd like to set a time goal for one-mile running for May 1 of next year. At this point, I'm just barely able to jog a mile, and my best time is just under 12 minutes. I don't really have any idea of what a reasonable goal would be, given 7 months to work on it.

If I jog/run 2-3 times per week, and if my goal is general fitness, and if I expect to lose another 20 pounds or so, (and if I have no particular natural talent for running,) what is a reasonable time to shoot for by next May? Is 9 minutes unreasonable? How about 8:30? Any suggestions are welcome...

Thanks!!
Carl
Click to expand...

I think 9 minute mile is reasonable... as is 8:30... But IMHO you would want to be jog/running 3-4 times a week... twice a week isn't enough to get improvement...

When I started running (early june) I couldn't run a mile in under 10... I was at like 10:30 and completely spent... I am sure today I can get under 8 minutes per mile... probably close to 7:30... that is in 4 months... running 3-6 times a week.. .mostly 4... I think 9 is attainable ... if you ran 4 days a week. You probably would be able to do it in 3-4 months... or even quicker...
 
Personally I think 9 minute miles may perhaps be a little of a stretch.

I would be looking for 10 if I was you, but I've got way better advice.

Firstly, if you've just started, work to time spent running goals.

So you can jog for 12 minutes now coninuous? Great, why not set the first goal at 15 minutes constant jogging? Then when you've reached that, jot down the date pat yourself on the back and move the 'time bar' up to 20 minutes? Keep doing this until you get to say, 40 minutes constant jogging. As each pound falls off it gets easier and easier.

Secondly, get some proper running shoes fitted to you. Any good running stoe should have this facility, and should be able to advise on your form and do something to correct it if its out.

Thirdly, build up to all of this slowly. Bear in mind that each time you put your foot forward, you are asking it to take your whole weight through your knee, shin and ankle. Diving in to too much too soon is a really good way of developing shin splints. I've known young guys of 18 to be out of running for 18 months through shin splints.

Fourthly, patience. Just take it slow, I know it feels like you never make progress but before you know it you'll have wondered where 20lbs went. Once you start to see the results, it just gets plain old easier to force yourself out that door.

And finally (;) ), pick your running surface well. Sidewalks are the worst, running tracks nigh on the best.

All the best.
 
Thanks for your suggestions.

I'll take your suggestions for time spent running goals, new fitted shoes, building up slowly, and being patient. I also want to spend some time running shorter distances at a target pace, with rest periods in between (then incrementally increasing the distance at pace and incrementally reducing the rest period between). I don't have a compelling need to run a 9 minute mile (though it would be helpful to hit 9:19 by May), but I think that a 9 minute mile might be a good challenge for setting the target pace for some intervals.

Thanks,
Carl
 
May I ask why your keen to hit 9.19 by May? I'm curious as its pretty specific.

OK well hows this for suggestion built on the above, its quite a popular and common approach.

Three runs per week.

E.g.

Monday - Interval training. Do your most intense running work after the longest rest period, just makes it plain easier IMO. Say something like, run at 90% for 30 seconds, jog for one minute recovery, repeat say 5 times to start with. Proper interval training is the most effective way to up your Vo2 max. You can play with the numbers, mix it up to keep yourself interested. An example would be to run flat out to the top of a small hill (no crazy gradients at this point) then jog slowly back. You may only porbably manage two or three consecutive runs, but that doesn't matter, the training is still working.

Wednesday - Timed mile. Go out and run one mile, absolute best effort as if your life depended on it. Up it as your fitness increases, a suitable distance would be three to five miles (personally mine is 3 miles).

Friday - Long distance endurance, or Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio. Set a figure, to start with lets say three miles. Aim to run it at somewhere around your 60% say maximum heartbeat. You should be able to hold a conversation of sorts, thats the best way of guaging if your going to fast or slow. The aim is to build muscular endurance through this part.

You should tweak these as you go, you will be surprised by how fast the weight will come off and how quickly your fitness increases. Please just be careful too not throw yourself in with too much gusto. Whilst it is admirable, it throws you wide open to injuries that have a habit of 'niggling' when it comes to running. Once it gets under your skin it can be most frustrating to not do it.

Also, it goes without saying (but I will ;) ) that it is imperative that you warm up, cool down and stretch thoroughly. Your body will thank you.

Good luck with you goals and enjoy.
 
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Fly,

Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like a good plan, I'll go with it. The 9:19 goal is because my running partners are my kids, and they are interested in qualifying for the presidential fitness award at school. For their age, they need to run a mile in 9:19 in May. I've been training along with them to provide mutual emotional support, and just for fun.

Thanks again,
Carl
 
Thats great, working in exercise regimes with family time can be tricky, I think you've hit the optimum answer :D

All the best to the lot of you then in that case.
 
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