Is using a gym beneficial

Hi guys. I'm fairly new to running and took place in my first race on sunday. I came last, but I'm just glad I managed to finish. I find my legs feel tired before I run out of breath.

Is this something I can work on at the gym with some strength training? I don't currently have a gym membership and don't want to waste the money if it isn't going to be beneficial to getting my endurance levels up.

Anyone have any ideas?

run long, run slow ......... cougie will back me up on that won't you cougie??

cougie wrote (see)

 I hate it when people are chatting away in races though - the gits.

I don't mind at all, unless they overtake and beat me. Only run one race but there was what I assume was a couple chatting away, I streak past (okay, pass them after a fashion), a couple of miles later while I'm struggling they saunter on by, still deep in conversation, and beat me handily.

Ok, thanks everyone. I will continue what I'm doing. I normally run 4/5 miles every tues & thurs and the same on sundays. I really need to push myself on the sundays and try going further but slower don't I. I just find it so hard to motivate myself when I'm running by my self.

I almost prefer running alone, especially on long runs, I find it gives me time and space to think.

It's like taking a long bath, you can just let your mind wander. It's "Me time". Once you're into a rhythm, and if you're running slow and long, running doesn't really take much additional mental effort. Your legs might complain a bit, just ignore them (unless they really hurt, then listen).

Check out park run (google it,every saturday morning) as a park near you will have timed races over 5k,plenty take part and you may meet someone to go running with

Well done for entering your first race and completing the distance forget postions

I found adding strength training/ gym workouts to my training week made my running easier - but you don't have to fork out for a gym membership - a few small free weights and maybe an exercise DVD to mix it up a bit

Rebecca - strength training may help and certainly doing core exericises are useful.  There was a thing recently in the mag about exercises that you could do at home I think so have a hunt on this website and you'll find it.  You certainly don't need a gym membership unless you really think you'll use it lots for other things. 

Pace will come with time so don't worry too much about that just now. Definitely look into parkrun they are fantastic.

Warkie wrote (see)

Check out park run (google it,every saturday morning) as a park near you will have timed races over 5k,plenty take part and you may meet someone to go running with

Well done for entering your first race and completing the distance forget postions

Park runs are every saturday morning... You don't actually have to Google it every Saturday morning Unless Warkie has a secret tip to share?

I am not defining near. In fact, I never suggested a likelyhood of distance at all. My sympathies that parkrun is so far away.

Taxi Driver wrote (see)

WiB -- How are you defining "near"? I think the closest parkrun to me is about 30 miles away!

The funny thing is if you look on a map of parkruns I have about 5 all about 20 to 30 miles away. So lots to choose from, but all of them a way away, very annoying.

DF3 - You have been lecturing people on quotes in other threads and now you don't pay attention when I use one! Come on, you are better than this.

I've had a look and no parkruns near me. Unless I went and made a day of it, which I guess I could do every once in a while.

I guess I will just keep pushing on with what I am doing and hope to see an improvement. I think I'm just getting impatient. I managed to get up to 4 miles pretty quickly but now I don't seem to be making any progress

No worries TD.

Taxi Driver wrote (see)

WiB -- How are you defining "near"? I think the closest parkrun to me is about 30 miles away!

Taxi Driver wrote (see)

WiB -- Ah yes, apologies, my question should have been aimed at Warkie.

Whoops.. not everyone have a park run near them  then ....