Hi, all. Long-time lurker, rare poster. Having decided to try to make 2015 the year in which I become a dedicated triathlete, I've got a question. Here's my brief backstory. High school swimmer (very average), high school cross-country runner (even more average), high school distance track runner (ditto). Let myself get beyond out of shape in the 25 years since I graduated. Just before I turned 40 I got a road bike and did four centuries in three years at a very slow pace, and generally rode more like 25-30 miles each weekend. Did my first, and only tri, in 2012 -- a 500m, 16 mi, 5K sprint. I was solidly MOP. Hoped to do more, but my next race was canceled due to heat and not long after I ended up having several discs in my neck fused. Last year was pretty much lost due to the disc and some other medical problems. Tried running again at the beginning of the year, but it caused a lot of pain in my neck. Got back on the bike, which went fine, and did another century this fall. The brightest side of all of this is that I lost a ton of weight. I'm not close to optimal -- a bit below 180 at about 5' 9", but that's way below where I started this journey five years ago.
So that brings us to today, and to my question. I finally tried running again a week ago, effectively for the first time in 18 months. Thanks to some Hokas, it didn't hurt my neck and my legs feel relatively okay. Per my PT, I started with only six minutes, have been running every other day, and building 10% by time each day. My run today was 8:02 at a 7:50 per mile pace (4th run overall). I was, however, completely hashed at the end. Knowing that the "standard" rule for building is no more than a 10% increase in mileage per week, I am wondering whether continuing down this path is overdoing it. Should I limit myself to a 10% increase from the 2.5 miles I ran this week? Should I continue to try for 10% per run by time? Should I slow down? (The 7:50 pace doesn't feel like all out, but it isn't too far from redlining). Long-term the Barry P plan looks promising, but I am nowhere near being able to consider it yet.
My goals are (1) to get more fit, (2) to do at least two tris next year (either two sprints or a sprint and an olympic), and to ride a lot more. I have a friend pushing for a half-marathon in March and maybe a 70.3 in late October, but we'll cross both those bridges if I survive to run a 5K in mid or late November.
Thanks for any and all thoughts.
So that brings us to today, and to my question. I finally tried running again a week ago, effectively for the first time in 18 months. Thanks to some Hokas, it didn't hurt my neck and my legs feel relatively okay. Per my PT, I started with only six minutes, have been running every other day, and building 10% by time each day. My run today was 8:02 at a 7:50 per mile pace (4th run overall). I was, however, completely hashed at the end. Knowing that the "standard" rule for building is no more than a 10% increase in mileage per week, I am wondering whether continuing down this path is overdoing it. Should I limit myself to a 10% increase from the 2.5 miles I ran this week? Should I continue to try for 10% per run by time? Should I slow down? (The 7:50 pace doesn't feel like all out, but it isn't too far from redlining). Long-term the Barry P plan looks promising, but I am nowhere near being able to consider it yet.
My goals are (1) to get more fit, (2) to do at least two tris next year (either two sprints or a sprint and an olympic), and to ride a lot more. I have a friend pushing for a half-marathon in March and maybe a 70.3 in late October, but we'll cross both those bridges if I survive to run a 5K in mid or late November.
Thanks for any and all thoughts.