Oldish new runner looking for support

Hi, I'm 42 and recently returned to running. In the past I only ran to support cardio for martial arts training. I spent a painful year learning to be a hee striker as that was the advice I was given some years ago now I have discovered the "barefoot" community and I'm very excited.

I think though I've started badly as I keep picking up calf tears so I've gone right back to foot and leg drills as suggested by Eric.

I'm looking for a training plan that would prepare me for the Welsh 3000's. It's a 30 mile route over 16 3000ft mountains here in the UK. I pulled out two thirds through back in October due to calf tear and want to do it in June so any advice greatly appreciated.

I'm running for cancer charities here in uk as my wife has untreatable cancer, that's why I no longer practise and teach Aikido, so running has become my new discipline.

All help gratefully received. Many thanks,
Mike

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Comment by Mike Mullins on January 11, 2013 at 6:04am: Many thanks Lori and well done for the race. I am following a good leg strength programme and the self observation/ feedback exercise you do is the same as martial training I think I have just done too much all at once so I've taken a step back and I'm just working on leg strength and form over short easy runs.

Thanks again for the advice and support.

Comment by Lori Enlow on January 4, 2013 at 6:47am: I'm in your young-ish age range and am rediscovering myself and what my body can actually do through running. I would say if you really focus core leg and strength exercises and continued work on running form you will see huge benefits over time-emphasis on time. It doesn't happen in a few weeks, but the process has been awesome for me. I've been "training" now for 2 years and am a stronger, faster, healthier runner. I have also discovered running is teaching me so much more than I ever thought possible. Even 2 years into training I still have to pay close attention to my running form and strength exercises. One thing that has helped significantly as well is running in place before I go out for a run, this helps me "feel" how my feet should strike-when you run in place you will automatically strike forefoot first then heel down. Also on my slow easy runs I make myself focus on form and cadence and really listen to what my feet/legs/knees/hips/back are telling me. If something is hurting I will try to adjust and make it ease or go away. Sometimes I will focus specifically on one part of my body while running and just "feel". I "listen to just my feet for 5 minutes or so, then move on to just my knees, then hips, abs, gluts, low back, chest, lungs, arms. It's a great practice in relaxation as well. I was neeever eeeeever a fast runner, but this weekend I ran a race with 300 other people and came in second female, bested only by a 16 year old girl. That felt pretty damn good!