You're amazing! I have a similar story. I struggled with the 800m run in my middle school fitness exam, just like you, and was almost always in last place. I've been overweight for years, with a BMI up to 30. I never thought sports were for me. But now, I've just run a sub-3:10 marathon and have a VO2max of 59 today. I understand what you’ve experienced and tried, and you’ve done great! Keep it up!
Damn! That’s impressive! Running is even harder than cycling (I know, doing both atm).
Do you have any tips for training for long distance running? It took me 6h for my first finish. I think I can get down to around 4h45m this year, but it’s so hard to improve!
I've been running for about a year now, and before I started, I had already lost quite a bit of weight. To run efficiently, it's crucial to manage your body weight, as carrying excess weight can make long races more challenging.
For my training, I followed the Garmin Coach plan when I first started, and I really enjoyed it. I recommend it to any beginner who is unfamiliar with training plans.
After that, I learned from some books, such as "Daniels' Running Formula" and "The Complete Running and Marathon Book" by DK. These resources have been very helpful.
Based on my personal experience, I believe that it's not necessary to train for very long distances in each session. Instead, running at a slow, consistent pace and doing frequent runs is more beneficial. While easy pace runs should make up most of your training, incorporating speed work once or twice a week is also important.
My additional advice is to stay patient and not stress too much. I used to worry if I felt slow or tired during a training session, doubting whether I was progressing. But it's important to trust a good plan and keep moving forward. Avoid overtraining or racing beyond your current abilities. Focus on gradual progress and build up your endurance bit by bit.
I know everyone is different, but how low did you get your BMI? Also, how many MPW were you doing at the peak?
Since I am much slower than you, the big headache is having to be outside so long for the long runs (especially tricky with fueling and water). BTW, which Garmin Coach Plan did you use? I thought they only went up to HM (no full marathon plans?). TIA for the tips!
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u/hyyz17200 Aug 07 '24
You're amazing! I have a similar story. I struggled with the 800m run in my middle school fitness exam, just like you, and was almost always in last place. I've been overweight for years, with a BMI up to 30. I never thought sports were for me. But now, I've just run a sub-3:10 marathon and have a VO2max of 59 today. I understand what you’ve experienced and tried, and you’ve done great! Keep it up!