Need a Running Plan

[John McBrien]

Scott (and John Szelog), have you developed running as a skill? "CrossFit Endurance was created with the belief that you have taken the time to learn the skill of your sport." If you have the opportunity, I would highly encourage you seek out a CF affiliate that has CF Endurance coaches to have your running form looked at. If that's not possible, then post a video of your running on Digital Coaching and I'll take a look at it.

[Shane Skowron]

Originally Posted by John Szelog

I'm 35, 5' 11'', 225lbs, and I've been lifting weights, walking with a rucksack and running intervals for exercise for the last 14 years. I've never been a good distance runner, so I avoided it if I didn't have a need to do it.

I can do intervals up to about 1/2 mile all day long with no problem, but longer distances are difficult.

I now need to do the 1.5 mile run for the Air Force, and it's killing me.

Since last spring, I finally got to where I could do a slow 3-miler, but that is only by cranking up the music, staring off into space, and I'll eventually fall into a good pace, but it's slow (15:17 1.5 miler on my first try).

I have two major issues:

1) If I can't get into a good pace, or I fall out of it, I run like a club-footed monkey, and it kills my endurance, as well as my speed.

2) Since I started doing speed drills, my lower back now gets continually tighter the longer I run, until it feels like my back is going to fold me in half. I'm wondering whether that is connected to my form, as I didn't have that problem early on. More crunches and stretches have helped, but not completely.

By the way, exercise-wise, I workout on my back porch with a 45lb bar and some weights, so everything I do is limited to what I can put up over my head.

When I get to do a full set:

125 or 135lbs
1x curl
1x standing clean and press (I believe that's the correct name - palms facing
in on the bar, jerk it up, and push it over my head - like the deadlift, but
without starting on the ground)
6x squats
1x rear overhead press

105lbs
6x curl
6x standing clean and press
12x squats
6x rear overhead press

85lbs
12x curl
12x standing clean and press
24x squats
12x rear overhead press

45lbs
24x curl
24x standing clean and press
50x squats
24x rear overhead press

If I'm pressed for time, I'll do the first set one day, and the second set the next

On light days, I stick to crunches (5sec hold x 25), push-ups, sit-ups and bridges (I usually try for 1.5 - 2.5 minutes face down and 1-1.5 minutes on each side)

Bodyweight-wise, I'm not going to go out of my way to lose weight just to lose it, the strength and mass that I have now is useful for what I do at work and at home.

Sorry for the long post, and Scott, sorry about commandeering your post.

John

Have you been introduced to CrossFit? If not, you should give it a try.

I think it'll be far better than the routine you're doing.