Can I get some running/marathon advice?

I have never been athletic.  Ever!  Right after surgery (5/5/08) I started walking on the treadmill.  I could barely do a mile just walking.  Then I was doing 3 miles with jogging for a minute or so every once in a while.  Then I started doing the elliptical in Feb.  A friend of mine and I decided to do the 5K this coming Sept, so I started making myself jog.  At first I could barely do a mile.  I've been very diligent going (for the most part) every other day or sometimes everyday.  I'm now up to 5.5 miles and I run the majority of it, I only walk about .5 miles.  Pretty good for me :) 

Anyway, I want to know how much different it is to train on a treadmill vs. outside.  I really enjoy the treadmill because it keeps track of everything for me.  I'm just afraid that I'm not doing myself any good and will choke when it comes to running outside.  Also, I'm pretty slow.  I have super short legs :) I average a 11 minute mile.  I will never win a race.  It's enough for me to finish one without walking any of it.  I'm trying to get in good enough shape to do a 1/2 marathon in Seattle in Nov.  Do you pros think I have time to get in good enough shape?  I'm working out 2 hours every other day.  One hour cardio and one hour weights. 

Any advice to increase my speed and endurance is much appreciated.  Also, I've never really sweat much before, but I'm soaking through a sports bra, tank top and tshirt.  I wont just wear a tank top because my arms embarrass me.  Any advice on that?  It's humiliating!!  Advice on toning arms would be great too.  I alternate legs and arms every time I go.  I have some massive guns, but that pesky under my arm area is gross.

Oh, one more question.  My doctor says I will probably always be "chubby" no matter how much I run.  I'm 19 pounds from my goal (5'4"- I'm 154 now, goal is 135).  I wear a size 6 or 8.  How much more do I have to run??!!  I'm completely addicted to it though, so I wont stop even if I'm not losing.  When I'm not at the gym, I'm thinking about being at the gym.  I'm actually thinking about going back to school for personal training.  Ok, I think thats all my questions!!  Sorry to make it so long.  Didn't realize I had that much to say.

Lots of different viewpoints on training because what works for one person won't work for someone else.  I think I'm the only one, but I do all my training on a tread.  I have bathroom issues, so I like to know where the potty is.  One suggestion is to use an incline of 1% to be more like road running.  I've also been running long enough I can pretty much tell what speed I'm running at, so it works fine for me.

I'm only an inch taller than you are (very short legs also), but I run quite a bit faster.  It's a mental game we play.  One thing I do to increase speed is add 1-2 minute faster intervals.  So you run at 5.5 now, right?  Every 5 minutes or so do 1 minute at 6.0.  That minute will be hard, but it will get your body used to running faster and really improves your fitness.  Unfortunately the only way to get faster is to run faster.  Do that for a couple weeks and then try to use 5.6 as your base speed.  Increase the pace slowly and your body will respond.

You can find training plans on the internet pretty easily, but most of them use 4-5 days/week running.  One shorter, slower day; one speed day; one 'regular' day; and one long run.  That way you take one day where you're working on speed and one day you work on endurance.  The other 2-3 are just for 'feet' time - increasing mileage.  

I did my first 10k in October 2004 and first half marathon the following January.  You'll be fine.

I sweat.  A lot.  No one cares but you, I promise.  I also have arm issues, but I get so hot that I don't care what the arms/back look like.  It's all about reaching the goals, not what you look like doing it.

Don't worry so much about the scale.  My BMI is 26-27, but I'm very fit.  I don't worry about those numbers.  If you look at some of the photos from my races, you'll see what I mean.  I'm fine with how I look and my main goals these days are fitness-related.

Hope this gives you some perspective.

Linn

Linn, thanks so much for your response!  I've never really thought about not caring what I look like while I'm working out.  I'm going to apply that logic at the gym today :)  I might even wear a tank top and see if tt's more comfortable.  I noticed in your pictures that you wear shorts to run in.  Do you not have extra skin that results in them riding up your inner thighs?  Or is there something to do to stop that?  Have you had any plastics, because you look FANTASTIC!!  You are so muscular!

How fast do you run?  I am able to go to a 7 and stay there for a few minutes, but I usually stay between 5.5 and 6.  I've been staying closer to 5.5 because I can keep going longer and I'm trying to work on endurance right now instead of speed.  I really want to get to the point where I can do all 5 miles and not have to walk any of it.  I think I will bump my regular time up to 5.7 though.  It's really not that much different.  Then I can see if I can sustain it for the full 3-5 minutes. 

Does anyone eventually walk in the marathons, or are they all super fast and sprint though it without ever slowing?  I've never even watched one.  Like I said, I've never been athletic.  This is all new to me, but I'm LOVING it and it's giving me somewhere to focus my attention. 

I haven't been too concerned about losing weight because I know that I'm healthy.  I would still like to get the last 19 lbs off, but if I don't and continue to run and do weights then I'm okay with that.  If I quit running then I wont be ok with it.  I'm just afraid that I will eventually give up on it like I've done with everything else.  I can't imagine that now because I love it and constantly think about it and look forward to it, but you never know.

Thanks again!!

I have started wearing skirtsports running skirts with the built-in panty over the past year and love them.  I think they call it the Marathon Girl Ultra.  Don't like the ones that have shorts under because they do ride up.  I have a tri top and shorts that I wear for nearly all triathlons I do and since they're bike shorts, they don't ride up either.  My biggest skin issues, though, are the tummy and boobs.  I've always had muscular legs.

When I first started running, I used some 'fitness' shorts that had some lycra and didn't ride up too badly, but my thighs are shaped such that nearly all shorts ride up some.  I have to be pretty choosy about what I wear or I chafe enough that I've bled.

My base speed right now is right at a 6.8 most days.  I increase to 7.5 or 8.0 when certain songs come up on the iPod, but I also use a time ratio.  Generally it's been 8 min at 6.8 2 min at 7.5.  I always end my runs at 7.5-8.0.  When I do a brick (bike then run) I'm all warmed up and start the tread at 6.9 or 7.0 and only do a 5k, but I increase the speed every 5 minutes.  That's a speed workout for me also.  By the way, when you work on speed, it also helps the fitness and endurance.  Don't sacrifice one for the other.  Both are important.

My fastest recent 5k race I did in 26:42 (8:40 miles), so it is more than possible to keep the speeds on the ground.

The 2 marathons I've done I walked through the aid stations I drank at and probably another half mile of it.  Lots of people walk.  Lots of people do jog/walk intervals.  It's the hard core folks and elites that can just sprint right through them.  I'm not one of them.

I will say that the running is the one thing that has helped me keep the weight off (I'm 5 years post-op).  Being fit also means that other recreational activities can be more relaxing because they aren't so taxing.

Congratulations on your new lifestyle.  Long-term success will be yours if you stay active.

Linn

Thanks so much!  I didn't know it was even possible to run that fast with short legs but that will be my new goal, to increase speed.  Now I'm excited to get to the gym.  I kind of want to see how fast I can go.  I've never checked before.  My heart rate gets really high sometimes so I have to drop the speed a bit.  When my heart rate gets above 180 I get sick to my stomach.  I have noticed that the more I run, the lower my heart rate is though, so I must be doing something right.

Good to know that there are others who walk.  I was worried :)

I don't see why your doctor thinks you will always be chubby. I'm not chubby at all. Running has really leaned me out.

For arms, having guns can help a lot with how they look, but they can't do everything. I have a lot of loose skin on my arms, but also around where a tank top has it's armpits. So I always wear a technical top with short sleeves. I'm not sure why you are wearing a t-shirt and a tank top. I'd just do one of them. And not cotton, either, but something that will breathe.

You can see my arms here:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/myoh/photos/516815/Batwings-Exercise/My-arms-loose-skin-everywhere/

I think they look good flexed, but only time and/or PS is going make them look good unflexed.

I checked out your pics and our arms look close to the same.  My biggest problem with them is that I have a little roll on one arm.  It grosses me out.  I also have tons of skin in the tank top armpit area.  Everyone that sees my arms says they are fine, but they really aren't.

I have to wear a tshirt because I don't want people to see my arms.  I have to wear a tank top underneath because if I don't my extra belly skin kind of jumps around.  It actually gets sore.  Not sores or chaffing, but like someone has been pulling on it.  If I wear a super tight cami or tank underneath my tshirt, it sucks it in very well and keeps it in place.  I did buy a breathable tshirt that has little holes all over.  I was a bit cooler, but I still ended up drenched in sweat.  It's not a little ring around my collar or anything.  By the time I'm done I am soaked.  The entire tshirt.  Ugh, it's so gross.  Maybe because I've never really sweat so I'm not used to it.  I don't know, but it really is yucky.

Instead of a tank top, try a compression shirt. Under Armour makes a nice one that's fairly cheap. It holds everything in just like wearing Spanx only it's designed for exercising so it breathes. (I tried wearing my Spanx top on a bike ride ones and I thought I was going to die from the heat.)

Also, the technical shirts cover as much as a t-shirt, but they are made out of a material that breathes. It's just a t-shirt made out of a material designed to wick sweat away from you.

You'll still sweat, but you'll at least be comfortable.

ETA a shirt with little holes isn't the same thing... these "technical" shirts are made to wick the sweat away from your skin. 

I am 6 days away from my 4th marathon, with number 5 in Oct and MAYBE #6 in December. Heres what I have learned over the years...

--Linn is very wise! nobody cares about sweat. You should care if you DON'T sweat (dehydration) but when I finish my runs, I am soggy and smelly and I don't care because everyone else is. My shorts will have this white ring around them where the salt from the sweat has dried...but I finished and thats all I care about

--Again Linn knows!! treadmill/road, just pick what works for you but use the incline!! the last thing you want is to use the treadmill for all of your training then come up to a race that has hills

--I like Hal Higdon's training plans for novices. I still use the novice ones. I try to follow the John Bingham "Penguin" approach to running any race. 1-start 2-enjoy 3-finish. #3 is the hardest sometime. Just enjoy the run and the race. Thereis a runner on here Scott Williams. He takes something enjoyable from every race. And 10 years from now, you probably won't remember the time or the pace you finished BUT you will remember running up and having a conversation with that older gentleman who had a shirt on that saaid "100 marathons and counting" or slowing down to talk with someone struggling and giving them alittle boost.

I know, I'm wierd. But I had surgery in Dec 2006. I ran a 5K in Sept 07 and ran a marathon in Oct 07. I jumped from a 5K to a marathon in 2 months. I can tell you the secret to running a marathon that I think alot of people know-but they don't want to follow. Here it is...

I GO SLOW and enjoy it. I could care less about time-although I do want to beat the time limit. But, I go at a nice easy pace so that the pace I start with, I end with. I've done a 5 1/2hr, a 4 1/2hr, and a 5:20. I'll never qualify for Boston but thats not my goal.

That being said-you should train towards your goal however you'd like. But I always thought if its not enjoyable-you'll probably stop after awhile

I don't know if it helps, but its my 2 cents. Oh and YES!! except for the elite, EVERYONE walks in a marathon. In fact, if the race has a 7 hr maximum time limit-its usually "walker friendly" and promotes itself as such.

I wish you much luck!!

Chris

Thanks, Chris!!  I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.  As far as enjoying running goes, there are very few things I enjoy more.  I always thought people that liked to run had a screw loose.  I couldn't stand it when people would tell me to just try it and go every other day and give it 2 months and I would be hooked too.  I thought they were crazy.  Well, I'm hooked.  I look forward to it all the time.  I'm super competetive, so I compete with myself since no one I know runs.  I'm always trying to one up myself.  There has only been one time since I started all this that I haven't done better than the time before.  It gives me an outlet for my ocd-ness too.  lol.  I tell myself I will sprint until the calories burned are at 400 even.  Once I get to the 400 even, I look at the miles.  That has to be an even number too.  I like them to both be even before I lower my speed or increase it.  I just play little head games like that with myself.  I love it.

I can't believe you ran a marthon that soon after having surgery!  That is amazing!  I'm with you on enjoying it and not worrying about your time.  I just want to finish one.  I really want to finish without being the last person.  However, if I am, so be it.  At least I finished!!

I will check out Hal Higdon.  Thanks for the advice!  As far as the sweating goes, I wouldn't mind it so bad if I wasn't drenched.  I'm the only girl at the gym that is ever dripping sweat.  It's nasty.  I think I still have the fat chick mind set and I'm worried that people are looking at me wondering how long until chubs has a heart attack.  I know, harsh, but I can't help it! 

Thanks again!