danny_boy

Hey,

I run 4x per week. For 3 runs I do 30 mins, and the 4th I do 50 mins outdoors.

I have been told I am a fast runner, but have no way of measuring my distance. Sure, I could spend $150 on GPS, but I am poor.

Any way I can get accurate distances ?

As well, I am in good shape, have been running for 2 years, but it does not get any easier. Sometimes my run is so difficult, and other times it's exceptionally easy.

I do not lift weights, so perhaps my body has plateaud and I need more strength ?

I have run in many 5k races, and have completed them in 21 mins, fastest was 20 mins. I strength before and after, and eat well..any ideas?

fro2020

My 2 cents:

Clock the distance in a car. Not horribly accurate but gives you a rough idea which is better than none.

Running NEVER gets easy. You are making your body perform difficult tasks. You will hurt some days, but others will be incredible with the 'runner's high' and all.

You also might want to try keeping a log. Include distance, time, and how you felt, both physically and emotionally. Looking back it gives you great ideas on what worked and what didn't.

Set goals. Are you training for the next race or just to keep in shape? Set your targets based upon where you would like to go. Write them in your log. Goals that are not written down are just ideas.

Strength training is great for both getting in/keeping in shape, but what you do should depend upon your goals.

Races should be run with the goals in mind. I usually don't run the day before or after, or keep it really short.

More than 2 cents, but good luck. Running is as fun as you make it.

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danny_boy

Hey,

I have tried the car thing, but I do not think that it is very accurate, because I have also used mapquest, and they are very different.

My goal is to run a half marathon, but because I do not actually know how far I run, Im not sure how much work I actually need to do.

I am planning on doing the sporting life 10km here in toronto on May 1st, so I am assuming that will give me some srt of indication, since double that is a half marathon.

I plan to run until im old, and to attend a few races here and there....does that warrant buying GPS ?

thingstodo

A car is very accurate and Mapquest won't be. Also, run on a track and time yourself and understand the feeling. Then you'll have a better judge of distance. Also, if you aren't running cross country, you run on the roads and a car will be very accurate. Otherwise, they couldn't sell cars!

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fatbob

man i know how you feel!
i run about the same as that. well at least the 3 1/2hour runs, not the longer one.
i have been doing it at lunchtimes on the days that i work for about 6 months now and it got a little bit easier but not as much as i thought it would!
i still have to battle with myself to keep going...i think that you sort of get used to the pain and the breathing, so that you eventually just settle into it and keep going. for example, when i started if i got a stitch i'd stop and walk a bit 'til it went away but now i'll just run through it, sometimes i slow down a wee bit but i don't stop like i used to.
as for distance i'd like a way to know that too...was thinking that when i run at the gym i can look at the speed i am running at and then when i am outside try and run at the same speed...then do the sum txs=d...but then i'm not sure if the treadmill is set a mph or kmph...i run at 8.5 so i reckon it must be miles...but i could be wrong...

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danny_boy

Hey,

Treadmill and outdoor running are 2 worlds apart. I can run for a good 1.5 hrs on the treadmill very quickly. It is easier on the body, and the surface never changes. Running outdoors is much much harder.

8.5 on a treadmill is pretty darn fast. I used to do that and 7.5 alternating at 10 mins each. Now, I'm 5"10, and that speed is quite fast.

I think when the Garmin Forerunner 101 gets cheaper, Now $149 Canadian, I will buy it to really see how Im doing.

I think running is 50% mental. I get tired, stitches, and weak, but if I ignore it for a few mins it goes away. Also, I usually set moving landmarks, like people in the distance and other runners, and try to play catch up. I like periodically sprinting in my runs, especially turning the jets on when going up a hill..the burn in the legs is craaaazy!

Ilow

if you're doing a 5K in 20-21 minutes, then you are doing a good 7 minute mile pace or a little better. If you aren't dead at the end of that, then you have a good rough estimate of your pace and can extrapolate a little about your rough distances without a GPS, for instance 35 minutes is five miles and so on. If you want to be ready for the 10K, run for an hour which should put you well over the 6.2 miles of a 10K at your pace. Also measuring by car is very accurate. I have measurements from my house of: one mile two miles, two and a half miles and so on so I know what my round trips will be.

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Carno

Well, I wouldn't try and base distances using time, because as you get tired ,you will slow down and then you'll think you went further than you actually did.

madcow

Your week sounds pretty similar to mine. I do 4 5-mile runs a week and then 1 8-mile run. Where I run is on bike path and it has mile markers so that's how I know how far I am going. If you go to a track once in a while you can see how long it takes you to run a certain distance and then guage how far you are going based on the time you run.

You also mentioned that you have plateaued somewhat. If you want to get faster you are going to have to mix in some speedwork into your routine. Get to a track and do some 400 meter sprints (or near sprints) followed by a jogging a lap.

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vector_1979

I started running in September 2004. I have been training for the London marathon in 15 days time. If you are training for a half marathon, just train by time and not worry too much about distance.

I terms of measuring distances, time yourself running at normal pace, a pre-measured distance i.e. at a running track, say 1600m. So if you are clocking 6min/mile. And then run by time. I know it is rough science, but if you do run at a constant speed, it is an easy measure.

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danny_boy

I just purchased the Garmin Forerunner GPS for runners. I have used them from a friend, and they are exceptional. I never bought one because in Canada they are 170 bucks. I found it on amazon for 89.99.

Can't wait!! If anyone is considering it, this is an unbeatable price, even better than ebay, and its brand new with warranty.

c172g

If you have a bike, you can add an odometer/speedometer for around $20 bucks. I measure my runs this way.

I also agree some days are easier than others; when I get the high I can run forever, when I don't it feels like I have concrete shoes.