ILX running running thread

After years of mocking, I've suddenly got into running (mostly because I can do at 2am after work when everything else is shut). I haven't bought any fancy tech yet, because I know that way lies importing specialist kecks from Japan that reduce drag coef by 0.002 somethings, but could definitely do with some proper shoes.

I wish to talk about running.

I can run 5.5 miles now (52 min.), which is truly astounding to me b/c there was a time not too long ago when I could not run a single mile.

So - what is your time? How far? Where? Etc.

i am trying to go farther b/c i'm doing a half marathon in may but i have a weird thing where i'm afraid to go far away from my house because what if i break my ankle and have to limp 5 miles back or something? so i go in loops a lot. also i hate running when it's light out. wtf is wrong with me?

I've thought about running farther out than I can run back. Do you live somewhere w/ public transit? If not, I'd advise that maybe you bring cab fare or your phone so you can call a friend. I've been running on a treadmill, so this hasn't been a problem. When spring comes I'll take it outside.

I don't know about running when it's light out! What is it that bothers you about it?

i dunno, people looking at me and stuff. and you can see how far away stuff is so it makes it feel like more effort. running is such a mental thing, i can't even make myself do it sometimes because i'm remembering that last time was hard, even though it was also fun.

we have public transit, i could do that

Did my first run across the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday -- lots of fun. Total run was something like 3.2 miles.

Started running again for the second time in my life ever. Gave it up after my first 10k, found it too boring. Gearing up for a more manageable 5k in june sometime, hoping to break 20mins.

am ratcheting up my irregular runs into regular ones - dunno how far it is but i usually run along the dalston canal from queensbridge rd to victoria park (approach rd) and back again - cracked some sort of barrier this week when i managed to do it all in one go, rather than stopping to die halfway through.

running tips would be appreciated, actually - basic stuff like pacing, breathing correctly, anything which makes it all more effective which a novice might not be aware of. i am so unbelievably shit at pacing myself.

Am an amateur myself but "go slower" sounds like it might be good advice. When I first started I was almost sprinting, could barely do 100m let alone 10k. Then I figured out that maybe I should take it down a notch. Think jogging not running.

Some friends I run with barely go above walking pace...

Key is not stopping: I'm not sure how far you go, but better to go from 30 mins at whatever slowish pace feels comfortable, then 40, then 50 etc...Eventually speed will follow, but until you learn to breathe evenly (ie maintaining a steady pace), it's hard to relax and enjoy it.

I run every other day, normally 3 laps of Prospect Park, which takes 80-90 mins, and is about...11 miles? I used to run the Brooklyn bridge and round seaport, battery, and up the west side highway - there are some good routes around there.

i guess it's better to run further/for a longer time and slower than to push yourself wrt speed but only manage to run for half an hour, then?

agreed.

stopping is ok if you plan to start up again though--if you break up an hour run into 15-20 min segments walking a couple minutes in between it can be good for your endurance

i want to start going a little faster soon, my "short" run now is 3.5-4 miles but i think i want to add a day per week of intervals or pyramids? suggestions? i run no faster on short runs than on long runs, which is wrong.

A couple things I find helpful when I run

1. Try to be in your head and chest instead of in your legs, if that makes sense. Like focus on your upper body moving forward and not your stride (though you should check your stride from time to time)

2. Keep your torso/shoulders somewhat moving and loose -- this might just be personal because I have a shoulder/back problem that tends to cramp up when I run

no 2 makes sense - last week it suddenly hit me that my shoulders were SO TENSE when i was running - consciously trying to relax them seemed to make everything a bit easier

Anyone have advice for avoiding shin splints? During the winter I run on treadmills and don't have a problem. But I like to run on the street when it gets warmer, and it's not long before my shins start to hurt. Shoes are obviously the main factor. Last year I bought a new pair of shoes that weren't quite wide enough and they murdered my feet and shins. Now I have a pair that fits right, but I still find that I get some mild pain in my shins after running outside. I stretch for quite a while before I run, although I often run first thing in the morning and I feel like my whole body is a lot stiffer than it would be later in the day. I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

i guess it's better to run further/for a longer time and slower than to push yourself wrt speed but only manage to run for half an hour, then?

haha, i consider half an hour to be pretty good. i usually get bored around then.

what i post about when i post about running

Today: 5k in an exhausting 27 mins.

yeah i'm starting this tomorrow, i've made a couple false starts the last few months but time to be less slothful

Hmm, the splints. I've never stretched, and never had too many problems (sometimes heels though). I also feel less limber in the morning. Main thing, I think, is shoes. It's worth paying more ($150/year for exercise is cheap!) to go to a proper place that will analyze your running style on a treadmill, make the right suggestion (ie avoid going to a shitty chain store). Also, if you're used to treadmill / soft surfaces, the road takes a little while to adjust to - your shins are working slightly differently and complaining cos they're not used to it. So make that move slowly, if possible (a park with a dirt track?). Also, when they hurt, stop. It's no good trying to run through it, which can work with other kinds of running pain.

Also, harbls right about stopping if you feel like it - between each 30 min lap of the park, I often stop for a minute or two to drink water, or tighten laces, or just calm down a bit...I meant more that it's better to maintain a steady pace than to run fast for 6 minutes then stop, winded, for a few more, then gallop off again.

I get shin splints sometimes, but I can't really find a correlation between what I'm doing and the pain. A friend (Jeff, who started this thread) recommended that I get a gait test done at a one of these places http://www.fleetfeetsports.com/.

I've read that if your calves get overly strong compared to your shins, that your shins suffer.

W/r/t words of wisdom, I'll just tell you things I have done (I'm at around 6 miles max and usually 10 mpm). 1. Measure distance and time. Being on a treadmill really helped me with this. Or you can use http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ to measure your distance.

In any case, knowing the distance you run and the time you spent was invaluable for me b/c it helped me to quantify my accomplishments, not to cheat, and to set new goals.

2. I vary my speeds and distances. I read stuff about why doing this is good, and it seems to make sense and it feels good, so I do it. I guess you get to work on both speed and endurance this way.

3. Double espresso. Especially if I'm feeling tired or unmotivated, a shot of caffeine can turn a slogging, annoying jog into a decent run. Also at times when I've been trying to push myself to new goals, this helps. (I read this in a newspaper's health section and I also read something in a Men's Health or somewhere about how a flat Coke is perfect for when you hit a wall on a long run.)

it's good because it is a shot of sugar, so

^ yeah i've never understood this because sugary stuff when you're exercising is so gross, and causes cramps! whatever works.

anyway i've just gotten up to 6 miles (takes me an hour but oh well!) but i have trouble running during the week so i'm doing ok with long runs but not shorter, faster ones! fail.

http://www.doitsports.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0009w6

I read a magazine article posted in a coffee shop about how caffeine before running can be a good thing.

By the way, the reason I do double espresso instead of a coffee or soda is that it's more concentrated, not b/c I think it contains more caffeine. A minor peeve of mine is when people get all het up about espresso keeping you awake for days, etc.

It's strangely ILX-ish over in that board.

I forgot I started this thread.

Jesse, let's run today. We'll race.

I won't run unless I can track it somehow. Currently I use the Garmin Forerunner 305, but I'm jealous of the smaller 405 these days.

Having said that, I haven't run since 1/4/09 when I ran 2 miles in 19:21. I was so dissapointed in myself I haven't done anything since then. Plus it's been too damn cold.

I have only really done any serious running on the treadmill and I will not be racing you. I will run w/ you, though not today.

OK, I ran. 2.35 miles in 22:21. It was pretty miserable. I think I need to go to an ENT before I do that again.

I want to start running. I'm afraid I'll be one of those guys that gets a heart attack immediately. Oh well. Where to start? There's a gym down the block from me that's only $5 a day. Should I be intimidated by the 'gym people?' Just bought an iPod shuffle. There are lots of nice places to run outdoors here too. Is the 'runner's high' real? Help me get started!

i think the best thing is to just make a start. and don't feel bad if you go slow! i agree with that person up there that said just keep going as far as you can, even if it's just a shuffle.

I've heard this site/program is good for starting out: http://www.c25k.com/

No need to be intimidated by the gym people - they are just there doing their thing and you don't need to worry about being judged. If you're going to run on a treadmill (which I think is good to do sometimes to get realistic assessments of progress, as discussed above) getting an employee to show you how it works could set your mind at ease. They're pretty straightforward, but still.

Also what gem said - just do what you can to begin and if you keep it up, you will be fine. Following a program would be a great idea.

I don't know about runner's high - can anyone speak to that? I've heard that it's the rush of endorphins you get at some point during a hard run, but I don't know if I've ever experienced it.

i did the couch to 5k--didnt get up to 5k but i was doing 2 miles in around 20-25 minutes when i stopped (which is a HUGE accomplishment for someone like me). i think its helpful for the kind of person (like me) who needs concrete goals, times, distances, etc. in order to feel and measure progress. without it i would end up spending a week just sort of running for half an hour at a time and abandoning it because there was no structure. once you complete the c25k you can just go out there and start doing 3 mile runs or whatever. i should take it up again really.

i haven't gotten it recently but i did sometimes get runners high when i was in better shape, like when i was 19. i think you would know if you got it though. it feels like you don't have to try and you could keep going forever, not like the struggle it normally feels like. cruisin'

I have gotten that sort of feeling. I just thought it was supposed to be some sort of euphoria. Maybe my standards for euphoria are too ambitious.

lol people who tell u runners high is like ecstasy are people who have never done ecstasy--its more like "being in a good mood"

yeah

i try to do btwn 3-5 miles every other day & basically track totals by month which helps a lot w/ the structure and measuring aspect

No runner's high for me. It is miserable every single step.

Every winter gets me totally out of the routine and out of shape, but I'm getting started again since the time change, and since the sidewalks haven't been iced over for a couple of weeks. (I know some people get out of bed an hour earlier to go running in the cold just before sunrise, but...no, I run because I *like* it). Right now I'm only running about 3 miles a couple times a week, and I'd like to work up to more regularly running 5 miles again, hopefully approaching 10 in the summer.

I don't think I've experienced runner's high, which I've always thought is because I like to fall into a comfortable groove that I can keep up for a long time, instead of pushing myself so hard I break through some kind of crazy physical barrier...but if it's more "cruising" and less "euphoria", maybe I have!

If what I've experienced is a runner's high, and if that experience is what others consider euphoria, then I pity those people.

I ran 2 miles today in 18 minutes, which is Very Good.

i dunno it's kind of like you feel a switch go off, i really think you would know

also do you guys run in the morning? i can't do it, i always feel so stiff and tired, and if i plan to wake up earlier to run i just end up going back to bed. i'd like to do it in the morning just to get it done but i'm wimpy.

I don't even go back to bed, I can't get out of it in the first place. I ran in the morning when I first started, but I didn't need to be at work very early then, so it was easier.

I don't think I've experienced runner's high, which I've always thought is because I like to fall into a comfortable groove that I can keep up for a long time, instead of pushing myself so hard I break through some kind of crazy physical barrier...but if it's more "cruising" and less "euphoria", maybe I have!

this goes for me the exact same.

i only run in the morning... by the end of the day my energy levels are good enough to cycle home, but not really high enough for a run

yeah i don't mean i run and then get back into bed, i think i meant i go back to sleep and never get out of bed. i guess i'm a morning person but if i don't need to be somewhere i'm just going to sleep. i just need to do it and get used to it but it's easier said than done. thinking about summer though, if it's 95º during the day i should make myself run at 6 am when it's high 70s instead, or else i'll have to wait until it's dark out which is not always the best idea.

Jesse, when are you going to start running outside? I can't do the treadmill, I like running outside too much. I like the heat (whenever it gets here) and the lakefront views. And taking a break at the zoo.

I can't get up early to run, because I already get up at 5:30 to try and get into work by 7:00 am. To get up early would just give me so little sleep I wouldn't be able to run or work. Then I sometimes I don't leave work till 6:30 or 7:00 pm, so it's hard to get the energy to run at night either. I can't run at lunch because I don't have time and normally eat at my desk. So it's mostly weekends for me at this point. Not good for building up stamina.

I should get these today. I'm pretty excited, I'm tired of the wires of my current headphones bouncing everywhere.

I'm going to start when it gets a little warmer and isn't raining. This summer I plan not to wuss out and run indoors when it gets hot like I did last summer.

Those headphones seem pretty cool, but I do a lot of fiddling w/ volume, tracks, etc., so that might be limiting. Wires are the bane of my existence though.

I usually run in the evening right after work. For the past many days I have set my alarm so that I would get up and run in the morning, but I've been hitting snooze. When it gets lovely out I'm going to ride my bike to work which will be a nice change.

Oh, Jeff - why do you have to go to ENT? I'm assuming that means ear-nose-throat.

I prefer to run in the evenings, after work (or after sundown on weekends). I got used to this schedule because I found that during summertime, it was simply too hot to run during the day.

Yeah, figuring out timing is tricky. During the winter, it's too cold to run until the evening, whereas during the summer, early mornings is best (this is NYC). Combined with a job...weekends are the only easy time.

On the runner's high thing: I never feel that euphoric. The two types for me are the cruising feeling when it feels like running is no effort, that you're almost floating, and could go on forever (happens maybe every 5th run?), and the sense of immense well-bring after a run that lasts an hour or two. But no, not ecstasy-like at all.

I'm lucky enough to work a runable distance from home, so I can do it as my commute if I want. Saves lots of time.

Easiest runners high is got from a flat run with a nice tailwind behind you, sometimes you can stop trying and just float along. Is that cheating?

It's a great feeling. Cheating, yeah a little. Do you shower at work?

I have a feeling of great well-being after running too. It turns my mental state around, which is great if I'm depressed or just blah. The hard part is starting running when I'm feeling blah.

Having a shower at work is great. I'm lucky to have a full home-style bathroom at work, which is great for biking in. But I live about 8 miles from my work, so I probably will never run it.

yeah ive gotten to the point where i feel like crap if i DONT run for 3 or 4 days. right, then also i totally sleep and feel better after i've run or exercised in some way. i go late afternoons/early evenings usually

Running fixes drinking.

The two types for me are the cruising feeling when it feels like running is no effort, that you're almost floating, and could go on forever

yeah i get this too. they seem like they last for ages, then you come out of that state and realise it only lasted for 10 mins. agree about the state of well-being post-run though - it seems obvious but my head just feels so amazingly clear after even a 25-min run. i imagine it'll get better as i start running longer, which is great motivation.

i work from home, so i run during the day when no one's around - running at the weekend and having to constantly dodge other runners, cyclists, walkers who love to gawp at struggling runners, is hellish. the ideal is to do it first thing in the morning but i have to beware the procrastination trap and getting to 1pm without doing anything cuz i'm going for a run "in a minute".

used to run with headphones but they were too much of a distraction...running without music is really good actually, you can completely clear your head.

my sinuses can be an issue esp if it's a bit cold, a snotty nose really impedes your breathing but i don't want to be stopping to blow my nose all the time.

Yeah, the "floating" feeling is great, and it happens only every 4th or 5th run for me too. Another thing about the post-run "high" ... do you guys ever hit the pub after running? Not immediately afterward, of course, but after re-hydration, shower, food, etc. There's nothing like the taste of that first beer after a run. It's like the most refreshing drink ever.

Although maybe it's not healthy to drink too soon after running? I don't do it too often though ...

i love beer after a run because the alcohol hits you so fast and you can feel it in your extremities all tingly. maybe just me though.

after rehydrating and shower = don't really count this as after a run

Yeah, it's not exactly "after the run", but it's still during the period of "immense well-being" that paulhw talked about, the one that lasts for an hour or two.

In any case, the beer really does taste different in that situation, and that's what matters to me.

i used to run at least a few miles every day but now that i'm playing pickup basketball just about every day that's more than taken its place.

i love the post-run beer

Agreed. Cigarettes are great after a run, too, but I don't do that anymore.

hey does anyone else have problems with foot pain, plantar fasciitis?

love running but goddamn this constant pain is getting annoying. : (

I had a lot of trouble with my feet when I started running. First thing I did was get fitted properly for running shoes. However, I would get these stabbing sharp pains on the outside of my feet after runs that would last for 2 weeks. Turns out that it was peroneal tendinitis. I went to a podiatrist and got fitted for foot orthotics. It was the best thing I've every done for my active life, I haven't gotten that pain again and I'm generally pain free while running. However I do get some hip snapping on occasion, where the iliotibial tendon passes over the outside of the hip. It doesn't hurt, but it can be alarming. I get the occasional knee pain, but nothing too major.

Immediately after running I have this ravenous craving for a burger and beer.

Jesse, sign up for the Ravenswood Run 5K.

well, i guess i'll see how it goes.

i went to a good store, supposedly one of the "50 best running stores in america" according to some plaque they had. shoes were $112 after a big discount so they better be good.

if it keeps up i guess i will look into orthotics.

i get those pains occasionally...not every time, and not unbearable, but just pain on the inside of my left foot whenever i put weight on it for a few days after some runs. really should get fitted properly.

been running for a while but over the last few months got really into it going like 5-6 times a week but damn my legs got super tight n painful - stretched tons switched up my routine did intervals etc but i think thats just too much running for me so i took a week off and now imna dial it back to 2-3 runs a week 2 yogas - did yoga today was v nice - run tomorrow!

also will be warm enough for basketball soon so ill work that in somehow i dunno

I've never had beer after a run. I always crave cold skim milk, sometimes right after I get back, sometimes a couple hours later. It feels so nutritious, I don't know that I could substitute beer.

My body JUST noticed that I've been running more since we switched the clocks two weeks ago (I only run outdoors)...hello soreness! Tomorrow I'll stretch and take it easy. Looking forward to feeling much stronger and going farther in another couple weeks.

ive been thinking i should be stretching more. this is an off-day thing to do?

i've had some nagging knee pain beyond just your basic soreness/stiffness for a little while now. although it seemed to be worse in like october - feb and is now starting to feel a little better...do my knees have seasonal affect disorder?

think it could be some tendonitis just from describing symptoms to some friends so prob shd see a doctorb, eventually.

did 5 miles today in abt 42 mins on a treadmill + felt pretty good abt it. for me iced coffee hits the perfect spot afterwards

guys u know u can have yr post-run beer IN THE SHOWER

i had nagging knee pain and it cleared up immediately when i got new shoes but i bet you've considered that

yea its lasted thru my newest pair altho i wasnt fully fitted for them so perhaps should look into that

When I think shower-beer, I think of you, gbx! I haven't had one in a long time - probably a year. It's high time. (It never occurred to me to combine post-run beer w/ shower-beer!)

Jeff, I will do the Ravenswood 5K for sure. Are you signed up?

Also, as I asked before - why an ENT?

Yes, I signed up.

ENT for reasons too disgusting to go into on the internet.

I ran this morning and it was terrible. 2 miles in 20-some minutes and I was stiff, achy, and sluggish. Coffee would have improved it a little.

my feet are totally fucked up today

i should start running.

Has anyone got any tips for strengthening calf muscles/ankles?

go skiing

If you belong to a gym, you can use the seated leg press and move the weights by just flexing your ankles.

Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a step with your heels hanging off and lift until it burns burns burns. I move my heels in an out to give relief to parts of my calf and work others.

Also, jumping rope.

I don't know what these do for ankles,but they work your calves like crazy.

ran yesterday and im thinking my new yoga/running schedule will have to be reconfigured - was so sluggish - think imna go yoga/rest/yoga/rest/run/run/rest instead

only thing is i was planning on doing weights on the running days and two days in a row is no good - maybe i dont need too much weights if im doing yoga tho - was going to try to do yoga/run/rest/yoga/run/rest/rest - maybe once i get more used to yoga thatll maybe work out - or maybe flip flop the yoga and running - i dunno

whatevs not like im actually capable of keeping to a schedule anyway

anyway imna go to yoga today even tho this is the running thread

Also, jumping rope.

^^^ ya, this. i play tennis (s/s) and racquetball (f/w) about once a week which also tends to help with ankles

lol yuppie

Maybe once you get used to doing yoga and running you won't need the rest days.

you contemptibel nerd you yuppie fukkin homo

xp

I ran today. Not fast, but good enough for the second time for the year. Three miles, going 8:46, 10:12 (wha happened?), and 9:55.

That's the time for each mile?

I did the Couch-to-5k program from December 1st to mid-February (spent November going for walks every day to get into the habit of going to the trails), then ran my first 5k at the beginning of March. Now I'm training for a 10k in October. I'm not very fast, but I have so far managed to not seriously injure myself, which I consider a real victory.

Plus my running shoes are on clearance at the Fila website for $40! 66% off! I can use the savings to buy sexy running shorts with a stripe down the side.

Yes, time for each mile.

I wear Fila's. They were around $100. I also recommend to anyone, get new socks. These are my favorite ones right now.

Actually, it's these

i have wrightsock double layer antiblister socks. i guess they prevent blisters, i'm not really sure. i still get blood blisters on my middle toes.

the phrase 'performance socks' makes me laff

i scored some adidas microfiber socks on the cheap from marshalls that i like

In the NYT this week
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/health/nutrition/26best.html?_r=3
re caffeine as a performance booster

ha i was just gonna come in here to say, yes, it absolutely does work - drank some strong black coffee before i ran today and basically ran double the distance i normally do without stopping. amazing.

it is banned above a certain amount though i think? i remember the tennis player larisa neiland getting banned for caffeine about 10 years ago.

i basically cant run w/o coffee - dont drink it otherwise

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/03/25/fashion/26best.2-190.jpg

See, now that would just never work for me. I'm way too sensitive to coffee--it's hell on my stomach.

i was going to do a half marathon in a month but i think i'm not going to be ready :(

i mean i don't want to be a quitter but i also forgot what the point of signing up even was

That's a long run. I've always wanted to do the Solider Field 10 mile run, but I don't think I've ever been in the shape to do it.

just discovered running in the cold dark streets after work at the start of this year. awesome.

started running for the first time ever a couple of years ago bc a teenager friend wanted to run a charity 5k and needed someone 18+ to do it with her, i hated the idea and did it as a favour but found out i really like it. since then i've tended to stop over summer (too hot) and winter (park closes at sundown) but i've been pleasantly surprised by the running-in-the-streets thing - i was reluctant bc don't like people looking at me at the best of times let alone when i'm red-faced and icky, but basically no one takes any notice of me, it's brilliant. i figure this is because lol self-obsessed central london (my running area is bordered by tottenham court road in the east, edgware rd in the west, oxford st in the south and euston/marylebone rd in the north). when it gets lighter i will go back to regents park though.

the most i've ever done with no stopping at all is just over 5 miles, in about 40-45 minutes at the beginning of last summer. at the moment i seem to be doing around 3 miles in 30 minutes with no stops 3 times a week, which feels slow but good. home to work is 6.5 miles and i'd love to be able to run my commute at some point - sadly there are no showers at work and i have to go out most nights, so this is unlikely... i can get away with cycling in and out because it's only half an hour and i bring clean clothes, but running gets me more thoroughly icky than riding. i guess i could join a gym but even before i think about the expense, it gives me the fear. i don't like treadmills, i don't like gym music, and i want stuff to look at. trees and buildings and stuff. not orange-faced people.

i started by doing the run three minutes-walk for a minute- run three minutes - walk a minute thing but now it seems to work better if i try not to stop at all... re the runners high euphoria thing, if it really is just that feeling like you could go for ages thing i'm kind of disappointed! bizarro definition of "euphoria"... i run without ipod or anything though and it's really good for working out some problem in my mind without forcing myself to concentrate on it, or clearing my head if it's been a full-on day at work.

running first thing in the morning does not compute. tried it, hated it.

the keeping shoulders loose thing really helps me, also keeping hands and fingers relaxed not clenched, and actively thinking about pushing my elbows backwards as well as my legs up and forward.

i would like something to track my progress, some pedometer thing. any suggestions? i will not buy nike and would like to keep the spend under £20.

re stretching and stuff, i think i am bad at this... i stretch my legs a little bit before in a really half-arsed way and a bit more after in a slightly less half-arsed way, but what should i be doing? i have had shitty ankles forever and manage to go over on both of them at least a few times a year (just through general walking around, not running).

beer immediately after running is terrific. is it a really bad thing to do? such a buzz...

I remember reading somewhere that mid afternoon is the best time to go for a run. The morning is the worst because your body hasn't woken up yet, the result is a lot of ache and pain afterwards. The only time i enjoy running in the morning is in the summer because it's still relatively cool.

As mentioned above I really like my garmin forerunner 405. It's a little bulky, but I don't really mind. My main beef about it is that it takes several minutes to find satellites. I hate standing outside waiting for it to connect. Kills all motivation to run. I've found it's best if I just turn on and sit it by the window before I go out. Usually it's connected before I'm ready to go outside. I'm so hooked on using it, I refuse to run without tracking myself. If I run without tracking it it, it feels like it didn't even happen. I have the heart rate monitor as well, but I find it uncomfortable to wear.

is there a drug you can take to simulate the fabled "runner's euphoria"? caffeine, maybe?

lately I've been slacking off like crazy, and in the past year I've probably averaged less than 2 days of running per week. when I was more ambitious, I ran on a treadmill at a moderate (~7 mph) pace a few nights a week, and I set aside two more nights for a high intensity interval workout. the latter went something like

warm up for 10 minutes, doing a few light intervals toward the end -> run seven or eight 30-45 second intervals at something like 10.5 mph @ an 8% incline, fast-walking for a couple minutes after each one -> cool down for 5 minutes

in theory, this type of workout pushes your body so hard that your metabolism stays at an elevated level for several hours afterward, making it a good bet for improving cardio health, building muscle, burning fat, et cetera. whereas when you run at a steady, moderate pace, your metabolism tends to return to normal soon after you're done, so in the long run you end up burning fewer calories even if you manage to burn more during the actual workout.

so it's a wonderful thing in theory, but maybe I pushed myself too hard, because sometimes during the last couple intervals I found myself huffing and puffing like crazy, getting a little lightheaded and unable to catch my breath even after a few minutes of rest. my heart seemed to be running at 1000 bpm, and once or twice I felt a touch of chest pain. plus I started to lose weight that I really can't afford to lose (lol skinny indie kid). basically I gave it up because I'm paranoid about collapsing and dying on the gym floor, and I'm also quite lazy. eh, if I'm anything like my dad, I'll develop bad hips and won't be able to run much at all by the time I'm 30, so maybe I can use premature aging as an excuse for sitting on my butt all day.

xpost

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/assets/images/products/010-00658-10/en/cf-lg.jpg

so this is the one you have? if the 2.11 oz figure is right, then it must be about the same weight as your average steel wristwatch. I think I could deal with that, but if I was running on a sidewalk, I'd be terrified of banging it against a fence or a tree or something. I know it costs a fortune to repair a Garmin GPS, and I'm guessing it's the same for that thing. but I'm really just hiding my jealousy. I'd love to have one of those (the closest I have is a barely functional pedometer), and I'd love to be able to keep track of my times on the computer, cuz I'm a statistics geek like that.

Actually, I have the bulkier 305. I covet the 405. It wirelessly syncs too, so you don't have to hook it up for it to transfer the data.

I did speed/elevation intervals last night and it was grueling. Probably made worse by my sedentary, boozy weekend in which I smoked a couple cigarettes.

about 4.3 miles in roughly 40-45mins (walked for 5mins midway through) - longest i've ever done (usually do about 3 miles non-stop). and i think i can push myself a bit more next time - it's amazing how much of a second wind you can get. visible improvement really is the best motivation!

i haven't started running this year yet but it's starting to warm up outside. should i kick things off with a 5k this weekend even though i haven't run in months (and haven't even used the elliptical in weeks)?

Is this an organized 5K, or just your own thing? That seems like a lot for an initial foray.

Ran today for the first time in 17 days. It was pretty miserable. I hate running in this weather, I'd rather run in 95 degree heat.

Regardless, 2.89 miles. First mile at 7:56, then slowing down to 10 min because I was miserable.

I think I'm finally over the two week period of low stamina and shin splints I get when I start running more every spring! I hadn't run since Sunday due to weather and working late, but today I ran about 4 miles in 40 minutes comfortably, so that puts me back at my normal base level. Now the only thing between me and faster, longer runs is making time for them, which is always a little tricky.

Definitely should do intervals and shorter, faster runs more, they do help a lot with speed (and if it's true that they speed up your metabolism more, that'd be nice too). The problem is that I really, really hate them! It's so much more pleasant to go slowly and enjoy the scenery.

i am just starting to commit to running several days a week seriously, but because i have never run regularly before, 2 miles in 22 minutes on a treadmill w/ 1.5 incline leaves me completely winded. some good advice tho on this thread, i hope to improve (first step: buy sneakers that hurt less, agh)

music seems as much an impediment as a motivator - if i play things with heavy beats i end up matching my running to the BPM of the music but i feel this might have some kind of deleterious effect in the long run (it def. results in my run subconsciously resulting in more of a stomp, which can't be good for my feet)

but at the same time i really do not want to work out to "poker face", now or ever

also i've always purposely avoided caffeine before a run because i assumed it would dehydrate me -> make muscles more tired. i didn't have any before i biked the bridge today and i was grunting and puffing before i'd even gotten to the bridge entrance, so i'm definitely going to try this now

is there a walking thread?

i was doing a good job, then stopped completely for the past 3 weeks, and now i'm doing that thing where i can't start again

i went today, around the lake. sorta dragged ass, but i hadn't had much to eat. my roommate is training for a half-marathon and it's making me feel bad about myself

also btw caffeine isn't really ~that~ much of a diuretic

It's still too cold. I look at the 15 day forecast every morning. Watching. Hoping.

i gave up on half-marathon. not gonna be ready. i suck :(

what the hell dude it's in the mid-60s up here

it's just damp here, like 46º. probably tomorrow i'll be like it's too nice out i'll go tomorrow

Is this an organized 5K, or just your own thing? That seems like a lot for an initial foray.

it was an organized thing that i didn't do. i did run a couple miles over the weekend and my legs were pretty sore on monday (did a fair amount of biking too, i guess i got a little too excited about the sun being out). looking forward to getting my summer legs in working order.

I just ran this. I cooled down the last bit, so the run was just over 2 miles. It felt more, but at the same time it felt good and I could have gone longer. It was a lovely sunset and I saw lots of things.

I'm very happy that I did not succumb to the couch, which is happened last time and what I felt coming on this time.

went out today and yesterday - only ran a couple times the ten days or so as ive been moderately to vaguely sick but my strength is returning - did a mile jog then 2 of intervals and some weights and core strengthening when i got home - next week i think ill be back on the yoga/running cycle - and u know what i think would be sweet to add once i get in a little better shape - plyometrics! why i dunno novelty

yoga running schedule sound good, ima try tht

hey guys. i'm thinking about giving this a try, though aside from trailing the packing during laps in high school sports practice, i've never been much of a runner at all. i've been working on cardio -- elliptical & arctrainer machines @ the gym so i'm not hopeless. however, i now live a block away from a beautiful park about a half mile or so in circumference, and spring is upon us, and i want to get in fighting shape for lol kickball season. so.

any advice for a former chub scout whose knees are maybe not the best? or maybe encouragement, in addition to advice?

Go for it! Just take it a little at a time! Move into action, you'll get so much more! Go for it! Go for it!! Go for it now!!!

Yeah, just hit the park and have fun with it. Wear decent running shoes so you don't kill your knees. It'll take a couple of runs for you to settle into your pace, run at a pace that feels comfortable for you -- pay no attention at first to the other runners in the park who may be slower/faster than you.

yeah just ease into it - itll be tough and somewhat horrible at first but youll get a flow in no time and start enjoying it - one thing ive always found v helpful is to complete the distance i set out to even if it means walking part of it - often ill feel totally gassed and decide to walk out the rest then once i catch my breath find that ive got more juice left and start running again

thanks guys! :D

often ill feel totally gassed and decide to walk out the rest then once i catch my breath find that ive got more juice left and start running again

yeah i've found recently that i can basically double the distance i run b/c of this. also, when you find yourself really struggling, esp towards the end, set a point at which it's acceptable to stop - like, you won't feel like you gave up or anything - often the psychological relief of reaching that bridge/gate/whatever is so great that i can keep on going even further. you have to play these mind games w/yourself, i've found.

yeh thats part of the reason i pretty much prefer intervals because u get to take breaks - also they are imo fyi way more invigorating than a steady running

2.34 miles today, averging 9:01

5K
27:14

Then I walked .5 and jogged another .5

All of this after eating Arby's.

(.5 miles, I meant)

OK, today was my practice for the 5K on Sunday. So 3.10 miles in 28:29. 1st mile = 8:35, 2nd mile = 9:29, 3rd mile = 9:43, .10 mile = 42 seconds. Despite slowing down, I felt like I was keeping more of a consistent pace, which felt good. I would be extremely happy if I can hit that time on Sunday.

I decided today that I hate running and I'm never going to like it. I just like the resulting data set.

Funnily enough I decided this week that I hate running and am giving it up after the 5k in July.

i hate it too but i quit all the time and that just makes it worse. i just do it because i have to do something. i'm not really good at "sports."

Actually I don't hate it. I just wish my schedule was such that I could do it more often. Then it might become tolerable.

Even though I hated every step, today's 5K was pretty good. I didn't expect to break 28 minutes, but official time was 27:45. My Garmin clocked it at 27:35. I stopped for 16 seconds at the halfway point to drink some Gatorade. Sprinted the last .3 mile.

skipped a 5k today cuz i was too tired/hungover. one of my goals for the summer is a sub-24 minute 5k, though ive done nothing new to reach this and basically ALWAYS run 5k's in like 24:20 ~~ i guess :20 seconds isnt that tough an obtacle tho

had a great running week last week. inauspicious start on tuesday, when i tried to run my normal distance but got awful stitches TWICE - it was unexpectedly hot and i think i failed to hydrate properly. thursday, i ran 6 miles! my furthest distance ever! and it felt GOOD all the way. so much so that i decided to run off my hangover on friday - this would've been a totally insane concept six months ago - and did pretty good.

(all in 45mins-1hr, i don't keep strict track of anything)

i like running - been playing basketball mostly tho

JESSE K*** Time: 32:23 Pace: 10:26
Not fast, but better than I expected. I put myself in the 11:00/mile group b/c I was tired and I had a touch of GI distress. I ran the whole time, which is great.

Ha, I lined up with the 7 min a mile people. I did run the first mile in 7:44, but the was consistently passed the rest of the race.

I almost didn't run today out of laziness...and then...I ran!

I've been running across Golden Gate Park and back, 3 miles + 3 miles. I started out just running one way and walking back, then worked my way up to the full 6 miles. Never been able to do these kinda distances before in my life, so I'm pretty content.

http://pitchfork.com/news/35191-de-la-soul-prep-nike-running-mix/

started today. ran a total distance of about 1.75 mi in half- and quarter-mile intervals, mixed with about the same distance of walking. gonna take a while to get the endurance up but hey, it's a start.

So I've taken up running. It's only been a couple weeks. Right now is usually where I'd start to fear getting tired and slacking off on exercise, but I actually wake up early every morning excited to go out and run. In fact, I know I should take a day off and let my legs rest a little -- I also walk about four miles a day, to and from work -- but I keep putting it off, because I always want to go run.

I'm frustrated with my leg muscles, though. The first week was mostly about getting my cardiovascular system up to the challenge, just getting to the point where I could run over a mile without panting. Now my heart and lungs can keep up just fine, but by the time I start getting up toward two miles, my legs start giving out. Which is too bad, because I have to go home still feeling energetic, like I haven't really gotten a full workout. Hopefully the muscles will catch up soon.

Re: doing intervals of running and walking, it seems like this is demonstrably better for you, and more efficient in just about every way. Runner's World suggests starting out by doing 30-minute stretches -- first you alternate between 1 minute running and 1 minute walking, then gradually increase the running intervals until they're the full 30 minutes. I know I should do it this way, but a lot of the enjoyment and motivation I'm getting out of this has to do with seeing how much farther I can get each day, and I also don't trust myself not to cheat on intervals; I think I'd start doing all kinds of rationalizing and bargaining about why I can stop early or extend a walking bit.

even though i never approached it this way consciously, i think i was in the best shape was i did a lot of trail running that involved long stretches of walking. like, if it got so steep or rocky that running wasn't an option, or if i just got super tired.

you should probs take rest day, nabisco, if you're really out there seven days a week.

i'm doing about 4 miles every other day, w/probably about 3 miles running and 1 mile walking. it's basically stretching, then walking, then running, then a little walking, then a lot of running, then twenty second walk, then another mile of running. works out well for me.

xpost - I know, I'm just bummed about having to skip a run. Maybe I just need to focus on how much better it'll be the day after a rest.

BTW, I've been reading Haruki Murakami's little running book, since I've had running on the brain anyway. Dude has run a 62-mile ultramarathon. Pretty much twelve hours of straight running.

I am also going to leave a quick list here of reasons I like exercising/running every morning, so I can be shamed/reminded months from now if I ever drop off:

- awesome feeling of accomplishment, even after a short, crappy run
- higher energy level all day
- slight tiredness/soreness makes it easier to sit calmly and concentrate on things like writing
- mindset during running seems to help with concentration in general
- experiencing real physical tiredness at bedtime, the good kind
- body has better appetite, for healthier food, in healthier amounts; water intake has also shot up
- markedly positive effect on digestive system even apart from changed diet
- sudden ability during everyday activities to do something like sprint across an intersection without even feeling it

I haven't run since that last 5K I did. I don't know what happened. Actually, I do; I had to finish up a school project and then Chicago weather became infuriating. It's June, just stay warm.

When I'm in a groove, I don't like stopping or skipping days either. Back when I would run the most, I would go 8 miles and then realize for the last half hour I couldn't feel my left foot.

nabisco OTM! I went for a forty minute jog today, felt so lovely. It's a big muggy this week, though. I prefer running in our very big state park because it's fun getting lost.

yea all those observations are so on the $. many of those i can still get by running in the late afternoon (like i feel more alert, smart, personable if i go out for drinks later) but i do wish i could make myself run in the a.m. altho 4 it to work, id have to get up at like 5

h8 running in the morning

me too. i'm so stiff and slow in the morning.

a couple weeks ago i hit my long-term goal of being able to run 10 miles! it is exciting, i feel accomplished!

i've also been trying to run 25+ miles a week, but instead I've been doing a very unbalanced-feeling 5-5-10 or 2-3-5-10 schedule thanks to lots of travel and a little soreness keeping me from running as much as I'd like. i'm a little horrified that in july and august i'll be losing a lot of this progress because i'll be doing fieldwork and, if last summer is anything to go by, i'll quite literally not have time to fit in more than about 10 miles a week.

- slight tiredness/soreness makes it easier to sit calmly and concentrate on things like writing

^^^ very underrated side benefit from running (at any hour, not just in the morning)

there was a thing in the nytimes abt doing that running and walking thing quite recently

i hear a lot about it, and i do think it's useful to walk while running, but the plans for it are so regimented! it definitely makes sense if you can't hold yourself back from running too fast to keep up for long, but i think running slowly and walking when you think you need a break is so much less frustrating.

56 degrees, feels like 52, rain today.

I wish I could be like those hardcore runners that run all year.

it's not even the temperature that holds me back in the winter, it's icy sidewalks and roads and darkness before and after work. i sort of wish we didn't switch clocks in the fall, it would be a little better.

8.5k! 45mins! i feel so so buzzed right now.

There's nothing like the taste of that first beer after a run. It's like the most refreshing drink ever.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:31 PM (2 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^feeling this too

jeff's post remnded me that i've wound up doing my long runs in the rain for the past 2 weeks. i whine, but i might actually like it better than sun! so cool! makes me feel so alone and rebellious somehow!

My only complaint with rain is that when I run without glasses, I feel like I might look up at some point and not understand how I wound up in New Jersey. (On the plus side, running in a world where you can't see too far into the distance really helps you empty your head and just focus on keeping moving.)

I think the walk/run thing is probably really helpful for beginning runners (like me) who otherwise wouldn't be able to keep up that long -- I really wish I liked it better, because it'd probably enable me to spend twice as along exercising, instead of having my legs give out early on.

My legs are still pissing me off, btw, even after a few days of rest. I walk several miles, every day, fast -- I really thought they'd be able to adjust better to running!

jeff's post remnded me that i've wound up doing my long runs in the rain for the past 2 weeks. i whine, but i might actually like it better than sun! so cool! makes me feel so alone and rebellious somehow!

ugh i got stuck in a sleety downpour two days ago which really sucked. still finished tho. if its warm enough its okay and running when its overcast and ~about~ 2 rain is awesome u feel like its u against the incipient storm but the big problem is that constant rain makes it a lot easier to be like eff this and not go out

glasses in the rain really are a problem. not being able to see far is fine if you're on a quiet trail or road, but on a busier one it's a little scary. i have the option of wearing contacts, though, so if it seems that it might rain i wear them just in case.

i run along a canal so a busy road isn't a problem - i tend to wear prescription shades when i run, whether it's sunny or cloudy, they help block stuff out - but if it's raining heavily i do worry about randomly slipping over all the time.

I run on a plaza by the Hudson in Manhattan -- there's a little over a mile where it doesn't approach the street or cross with the bike path, and I normally go back and forth -- so there's no scariness related to anything fast-moving ... but it does get busy and crowded some days, so I feel like I should be able to see everything, just in case.

My groin muscle is still acting up. Haven't ran in a month. Winter will probably be here in 2 weeks.

man i wish i liked running more. really struggling to "train" ie stay in basic fitness for this 5k in a month. but when a friend suggests a 5k-10k-5k run-bike-run in the autumn, i don't think "oh god no", but "mmm sounds tempting!"

that actually does sound fun! bet your legs would be jelly by the second run though.

i reckon i would find it fun, it's just the training that suxxxxxxxxx.

OK so I've decided to start running and well . . . am excited but scared. I'm following a beginners plan and have the perfect spot to run at right along Boston Harbor. Will be checking in here now for tips etc. Eek!

haven't run at all since i moved 5 weeks ago :(

Running is so easy and so accessible, and I would like to fitten up a little (esp while on break from dance classes) but my feet have been so bad that I just can't. Every time I sit on an air-conditioned subway train, my tendons have seized up by the time I get to my stop and I'm limping like a moron. I don't know how people can walk and run for fun and not be in constant pain.

I might srsly need to go to a podiatrist, it's kind of out of control to turn down invitations to hang out w friends because they're going to be walking all day and I just can't.

Also my roommate makes fun of me for avoiding walking, even tho she's way lazier than me about everything else.

:-( GO see the Doc - that sounds horrible.

heels? i have to wear inserts in my normal walking shoes or else they cramp up whenever i stop moving at all. there are like no shoes i can wear in the world. high arches + large, narrow feet.

and any time i've ever worn heels my tendons do the seizing thing but i thought that was normal

i don't know what happened yesterday, i was doing my warm-up walk before running and i had pretty intense pain in my calf/shin, esp. the left leg. for like 15 minutes! when i started to run it went away

Nah, I wear sensible old-lady shoes with conservative 1" heels -- almost flats but with a tiny bit of arch. And no pointy toes, either. It's not a shoe thing, except in the sense that I guess I could wear sneakers instead.

But I have two sets of insoles in my sneakers as well, and it doesn't make my bones ache any less.

laurel, get some orthotics, asap!

xp huh

another 8.5k today, in heat this time. feeling v good about this at the moment.

wooo 8.5 miles, new record.

tho - there is a worrying gap between what my lungs/heart/brain can do and what my feet/toes/legs can do. I had various leg problems in college, so I'm constantly paranoid about something bad happening on a run.

I did 30 miles over 3 days (12-9-9) this Sat-Mon, and it was some of the hardest running I've done in ages. Even though NYC was rainy, it was humid and too sweaty. Still, iatee, if it helps, the more you run, the stronger you get (legs and heart/lungs). There's also nearly always a warning: if you feel a twinge (sometimes runs from your calf up to your butt), or like it hurts to walk after you've stopped, either lay off a little, or try to find dirt / grass. Makes a huge difference.

It's odd to me that people avoid running in winter and start in summer. Soooo much harder to run in July-August than December-January. Sure, leaving the house is a bitch in winter, but you're warm in 3 minutes...whereas it takes 2 hours to cool down after a run in summer.

Does anyone else need to vaseline nipples?

No, I do have to treat my thighs, however. Have you ever used Body Glide? It's fantastic.

http://www.bodyglide.com/

I considered running today but it's still 91 degrees at 7:30 pm, so forget it. I need to renew my gym membership b/c it seems like in Chicago there are like only 20 days of outdoor running weather.

i've been doing 5k every other night for awhile now, probably going to up it to about 6 before the summer is out.

i just use vaseline, need it for my thighs and upper arms on longer runs because my clothing seams tend to bug me.

i'm 9.5 miles away from my monthly mileage goal, and all of a sudden it's in the eighties and i'm traveling for three days and aaaaaah i'm afraid i won't finish. it would be rotten to miss the goal by a few miles.

I need to renew my gym membership b/c it seems like in Chicago there are like only 20 days of outdoor running weather.

because the other 345 days are too cold.

Figured might as well ask here - anyone dedicated to running but absolutely hate it? I go because I have a couple of friends who I can run with at a local track, but man, I haven't liked it anymore over the last year I've been doing this (though I stopped for about 6 months due to the cold weather). I guess I'm doing it for health or to cure boredom, but I thought by now I would be more mentally into it. Of course that I'm completely out of shape and can barely jog a quarter of a mile straight adds to it (mostly I have to walk, admittedly), but I feel more motivated out of masochism than anything else. It just totally feels wrong.

then stop

do something else

Oh I hate. Every single step. I have some delusions of getting fit though. Ain't working though.

I used to absolutely hate it, but I wanted to lose weight and feel better and have more stamina. And then it became tolerable. But then at some point I started liking it.

I will probably be back to the second stage when I start up again.

i don't exactly enjoy the actual process but i figure that if it doesn't hurt it's not having any effect - like there's no point if i don't push myself and end up gasping for air and feeling like i'm about to die. and i REALLY enjoy the clear-headed and physically strong feeling i get afterwards, both immediately and in the next few days, and i'm not going to get to that if i don't go through the pain. plus it's a really virtuous kind of pain anyway.

I'd say I like it around half the time, and the other half is what I have to pay to build up the stamina that allows me to like it. But I never know how I'm going to feel about it until I'm a couple miles in. (Also, I started running to lose weight, and it didn't really work! I lost like 5 pounds 3 years ago but my metabolism has totally adjusted to it.)

this thread is making me feel guilty for how ridiculously long i've been using shin splints as an excuse

has anybody ever heard of/tried Chi Running

i have now done a five mile run. thank you ilx

It's weird, but running actually seems like a middling activity in terms of weight loss -- good insofar as it's easy to get out and do, but maybe not all that big of a calorie-burner for a beginner? I dunno.

I've totally slid backward on this, which is worrying me -- even taking every third day off or so, there are mornings where I can only get a few hundred yards before my knees or ankles go wrong or wobbly and I start worrying about injuring myself. Maybe I just don't have the joints for it. It is so frustrating, though, to go out in the morning, ready to go, and have your knees cut you off before you can even break a sweat, instead of the couple miles you were hoping for.

Should I be doing leg exercises to strengthen and stretch everything in the meantime?

Or get your gait looked at, at the running shoe store?

You should always always stretch, always. Someone who's more of an expert can say when that shd be -- I think stretching is more beneficial in the beginning-middle of a run once there's actually blood flowing to your extremities, but only a quick stretch to get the kinks out in case your hip or knee has locked up or whatever.

Do a full-out stretch for flexibility only AFTER your workout is done; loosening up all your tendons and joints could make you MORE injury-prone if you were going to keep working hard after.

Yeah, gait analysis is on the agenda (and new shoes), though I'd be surprised if it were that far off, since up until recently I could manage a mile or two at a time -- I actually feel like I'm going through and eliminating one weak spot at a time, like first it was shins, then they strengthened up and it was thighs, then they strengthened up and it was foot pain, then that passed and now knees.

(I think I'm okay stretching-wise -- I'm just wondering if I should be doing leg lifts in my spare time or something, to strengthen up around the knees)

new shoes helped me a lot when i was having knee pain--they were just old

also yes, do lunges etc. because weak quads are a source of knee pain also

i think i will pick up running again next week. i am frustrated at myself!

i really really should do gait analysis. every time i start running after eg a 2-week gap, i'm basically limping for at least a day afterwards with that stabbing pain in my right foot that i mentioned upthread - but if i run a few days later and keep it up, it just stops happening. i stretch too but probably not "properly" but nothing too terrible seems to have happened yet :/

q.

are all the ppl who have recurring pain problems with running in this thread all people who have taken it up in their 20s/30s?

I had no pain when I was a regular runner in my early 20s, but now I can't get up and walk to the subway without having foot pain of several different types. Currently battling another recurrence of plantar fasciitis in one foot, but even when that's gone, everything else will still ache.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/health/nutrition/25best.html?ref=style

yup only took it up in my 20s. apart from that occasional stabbing pain i don't have any other serious issues though, esp not the knee ones, and i'm not even that professional or careful when i run. that said i don't run much more than 8k twice a week.

took it up/down in my 20's, the last jag in november or so i got persistent but manageable soreness in one foot. i randomly experiment with too many different strides i think

I generally like the solitude of running, but recently I've been thinking about joining a running group. There are a ton of them in Chicago. I'm not interested in any social aspect, but maybe it would give me some extra motivation to run more regularly.

3.65 miles today

Ok, I lost my little running mind today. Got in one of those trances where I couldn't stop. I haven't looked at my gps map yet, but I'm sure I went at least 5 miles. Two things I've been doing differently recently, 1) slowing down. I've found I get more satisfication out of miles rather than pace. It just feels better when I pull up a map and see all the area I covered rather than seeing I can't get any faster than 8-9 min a mile. and 2) have no planned routes. Basically I've started running around just turning down random streets and parks. It keeps things interesting and it is nearly impossible to get lost on the north side of Chicago.

Ended up running 6.24 miles.

that's awesome jeff. i love running to explore, and not worrying about pacing makes it much more fun. i'm trying to do it here in northern iceland this summer, but i am SO not used to running up and down hills and gravel, it's hard on the knees.

argh my shins have started hurting when i run again since this thread was last live :(

3.4 miles today. Felt good and I don't seem to have any nagging injuries.

ran the last 3k today in a fucking torrential thunderstorm

on balance it was a negative experience but definitely ~bracing~~~

ran 4 miles the other day but hadn't run in a few weeks, so i've got a couple days of soreness before i run again. i'll hit the same route again this weekend for sure.

it's kind of amazing to me how being really sore from running doesn't affect biking at all, different muscles etc.

^^^yeah, that's why triathlon bikes are designed the way they are

I'll run through virtually any stiffness/kinks/tightness/exhaustion/discomfort, but if was experiencing the kind of pain that marathon dude in the Times article was feeling, I'd stop immediately and get my ass to a doctor and not fuck around trying to run nine miles gimping away.

After my latest mileage increase, I believe I've developed a case of runner's knee. It's just one knee and I feel ok, just walking along, but as soon as I step up or down stairs, I get this searing pain just below my kneecap. I haven't tried any physical activity beyond walking since it happened. Very discouraging.

ugh yeah running on rocks/gravel is terrible...i found a great secluded & quiet trail area along a river near me but long stretches are rocks and gravel and it destroys my feet + knees and plus u cant go at a very quick pace at all..

ran on the treadmill 2day and feel good

yeah i had a tiny blister for a couple of days this week that was really awkwardly placed - could barely walk - and its was annoying to have to curtail my routine esp since the weathers been so nice

xp

ok i started running again for the first time since moving 2 months ago. i'm trying to do it in the morning, which has always been hard for me but it's so hot and humid here it's impossible to run during the day. it's amazing how fast you can get out of shape but i keep telling myself that means you also get in shape fast. i like running.

Although I haven't ran since I hurt my knee, I am now able to walk up and down stairs without pain. I've also played tennis several times without pain. I think I'm ready to jump back into it tomorrow. The problem is that I need to stop myself from running 6+ miles again, because I'll surely just re-injure myself.

I went to see my podiatrist today to get fitted for new custom insoles. She said I need new running shoes, since I've had my current ones over two years. Doctors orders, I must spend money.

5.07 miles yesterday, with my knees killing me halfway through. They seem to be OK this morning though. We'll see how this turns out.

I want to take up running but how do I start? I am RUBBISH at endurance sports, even breathing properly (one side of nose is fuxored which often means breathing through my mouth),... BUt I rrreally want to take up running. :-(

I did my usual run (11 km or so), then didn't run for about a week, then was out of town for 2.5 weeks, ran once while I was away (but at a slower pace for a shorter distance), and now all of my nagging injuries (left hip in particular) are mysteriously gone! Hopefully I haven't summoned some bad karma by typing this, and won't fall and break my leg tomorrow. In the past, three weeks without serious running wasn't nearly enough to heal anything.

Nath, it's easy, this is how I would start: decide on a route in a location you're familiar with (e.g. the 2.5 km running path in a nearby city park), get a comfortable pair of running/exercise shoes, START RUNNING, begin at a comfortable pace (don't try to be a hero), concentrate on finishing the route and do not worry at all about your speed, STRETCH, go home and drink nice tall glass of water or juice.

training for my first 10k!

My knee was getting pretty fucked for a while so I gave running a rest and it took ages for it to fix itself. Stupidly I started running again while it was still a little iffy trying to use this ChiRunning technique which promises injury free running and, well, it has actually speeded up my recovery I think. I've also found it really good because it gives me a proper posture to focus on when running (I've always had a deranged, loping walk that doesn't translate well into running form) and it means that when I get a little out of breath or tired on long runs I just focus on getting the posture correct instead of worrying about keeping going or focussing on the stitch/cramp/shortness of breath. I've been finding it a really good motivator for the day though, just being able to get up and get out.

Still does anyone have any good tips for improving speed over such a distance, I haven't really been pushing myself but I'm averaging 7 minute miles which would be pretty rubbish for a race, is it unreasonable to be at 6 minute miles in three weeks time. I know I should be running shorter distances than I am to get my speed up but when I'm only going on one run per day It feels like a waste to just be running 3 miles. Is two runs a day pushing it for a novice do you think?

I want to mention how great Ascent is for run tracking. I sync it with Ascent mobile on my iPhone as well.

I haven't really been pushing myself but I'm averaging 7 minute miles which would be pretty rubbish for a race, is it unreasonable to be at 6 minute miles in three weeks time

That's a huge improvement to make in such a short space of time! What I would suggest is for the next two weeks, concentrate on doing one run per week where you're running at your target pace for a decent part of the run. Build in a 2 or 3 miles of hard running into your usual circuit and go at a good 7 minute pace for the rest of it. Take it steady for rest of the week, concentrate on putting your real effort into the one session of fast running so you can give it your best. Take it easy in the days leading up to the race. You'll be surprised how much just the simple fact of being in a race improves your speed too, just as long as you don't go blasting off too hard at the start.

yeah, that's one thing I'm worried about, getting too nervous, tearing out straight away and being out of breath by the time I reach the half-way mark. It would be horrible to be slipping back really badly towards the end.

hav just received a foam roller via ups - so excited - will report back

in the "making friends with your enemy" dept, i am trying to be able to run 2 miles. today was my first day and i feel ok. i am starting with the run 2 min- walk 2 min repeat 10x formula for a week, and then increasing as i can. i am not out of shape nor am i overweight, but running has always been tough for me.

wish me luck.

what is a "foam roller" ice cr?m?

I still have to wait a couple of more weeks for my new insoles to come in. Then I'm getting new shoes. And my podiatrist gave me better anti-inflammatory meds. That coupled with traveling the rest of this week, I'm just going to take time off to rest my knee. Once all of that is done though, I will run. RUN.

And I'll probably over train and hurt myself in a whole different way.

went running this afternoon on a back road in rural uganda. the children were completely and utterly baffled. like why the fuck would you do something like that ~on purpose~

cuz there was no treadmill available right

Do despite not running for the last two weeks, having excruciating knee pain, and needing new shoes and orthotics, I signed up for another 5K. This one is on Thursday. I did run today, to the running store to pick up my race packet. 2.95 miles at a very leisurely pace.

Also, I'm trying Kinesio Tape on my knees. It felt good, but came off after 2 miles. I think I just didn't apply it right.

i can run for 3 minutes without stopping or walking now. this is an achievement for me. go ahead, laugh at my milestone. i won't hear you. 5 minutes is my next milestone, then 10. after 10 i imagine it all seems like no big whoop?

I'm thinking of dropping £60+ on shoes at the place with gait analysis - my dodgy knees are beginning to ruin my running, and they have developed this terrifying crrrrunch-click noise.

After three months of running I feel like I've made good progress, but I'm finding it hard to know how much pain to tolerate, when to rest, and when pushing it will actually strengthen rather than damage my legs.

anyone recommend a place in ny to get my feet/gait fitted for the perfect running shoes

I've failed to do knee strengthening exercises every day. I dunno why I find these such bitter medicine compared to running of all things

Six minutes feeling pretty easy the first time and really hard the fourth time. Getting better, though!!

ice cream, are you in brooklyn? if so, i really recommend jack rabbit in park slope - they really know their stuff.

Did 8 miles each in Prospect Park on Sat / Sun, and felt pleased that I've adapted to the heat. As it is prepared to end... still, Fall running is the best.

See:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/jackrabbit-sports-brooklyn

cool man will check it out thx

btw had badd knee tendinitis for the last week n a half suuuuxxxxxx

icein and pill poppin like crazy

read about this thing ChiRunning a couple months ago in a sunday supplement, and as a way of avoiding injuries it seems pretty awesome. I've been practicing it for a couple months (it's tough to learn but it has definitely improved the distances I can run remarkably quickly) its basically a lot of stuff about improving your posture while you run, and while there's a lot of stuff at the beginning relating it to Tai Chi which you could skip if you like I suppose, I think the practical stuff about giving you directions on good posture are really good and anybody starting running it would probably be good for getting you into a good routine straight away. I especially think that because it gives you a big boost of "oh, I didn't think I'd be able to run that far" achievement at the beginning, is a good incentive to get going because it doesn't feel like you're starting at the bottom so much. I know I'm stanning for it but I'd be interested if anyone else has used it.

link?

http://www.chirunning.com/shop/home.php

I just dled this pdf of the book tho http://rapidshare.com/files/132503543/chirunning.pdf

bought it to have afterwards

also the thing I read it in was Catherina McKiernan who is a fairly well known runner in Ireland talking about how she thought it was just practical good advice

how does one learn to run?

i started this a while ago but then i got super into my gym routine and forgot about the running.

well, 1st must learn to walk

i have heard this

i am really good at elliptical but i don't know how to transfer that onto the streets.

also maybe i should let fucked up toe heal first but i don't want to?

thx 4 pdf homes xp

basic premise is, you should lean into your run because then you just have to pick up your feet as you fall forward and you're not really using any energy at all, also, keep straight but relaxed, also, let your chi flow, man.

i have been following this beginner's program: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-261--9397-0,00.html
and after three weeks, i can run for 8 min straight without stopping or walking. AGAIN i realize this is a meager accomplishment for many of you, but for me it's progress.

no well done, kinda stalling and not been so motivated, but I got up early and ran today and I have had way more energy.

yeah, i'm impressed!
when i started a while back i would make myself run 1 block, walk 1 block, repeat. but then i upped my gym stuff so on the way home i'd be a lot more tired and get distracted and feel scared and clumsy and ended up just walking home.

I find increasing my speed much more difficult than length but I'm trying to incorporate bursts of sprinting into my run

also, have tried harrassing a number of ppl into being my running buddy, none were interested.

today was the first day i had to run in the gym, but when i am outside i try to set a goal in the distance and then tell myself that i CANNOT STOP until that stop sign way up there. it helps that i live right by the lake and have lots of different routes if i so please. i also keep track of the minutes i have been running using my ipod and whatever song is playing.

"also, have tried harrassing a number of ppl into being my running buddy, none were interested."

Get a dog!

Note: don't get a pug.

my dog is so fucking lazy, I couldn't even walk her half the distance I run without having to drag her the second half.

Get a less lazy dog!

my dog is going to be a great running partner as soon as i can run as long as he can. until then, i have to focus on my improvement. soon he will come along.

I wd recommend the pdf I posted earlier La Lechera

ok i will dl and read it

Ok, since I last posted:

Ran the Elvis is Alive 5k a week and a half ago. Finished in something like 28 minutes, which wasn't bad for a few thousand people trying to run on the lake front path. I spent most of my time dodging other people. So many people dressed up as Elvis were faster than me though.

Got new custom orthotics. Just comparing them to my old ones shows how much they had broken down, I'm glad I finally got new ones. Since my insurance covers them completely, I just be getting a new pair every year.

Got new shoes tonight. I tried on six different pairs, but settled on the Adidas Adistar Ride. I liked them because there were more form fitting, but still had a lot of cushioning. I hate for my foot to move around in a shoe. And hopefully the extra cushioning will keep my knee probably away.

Regarding running form, it is something I had to work on a lot. When I first started running, my feet were hitting the ground hard. It was almost like I was stomping down the street. I have to focus striking first with the heel then rolling down to the ball of my foot. It's slower to run that way but it is easier on my feet, knees, and hips.

Since I seem to be running about the same speed all the time, I'm going to try a practice 5K, but after every mile, walk one full minute. I'm curious to see how that affects my time.

My knee injury seems to be under control now I switched to running on the flat (doing laps around a lake). I did 10 miles (my longest ever) at a slow pace yesterday without any pain at all, and a fast 5k today. I think I will try to build up distance and pace this way before I have another go at hills. Maybe the Chi running book will inform me about form for hill-running, thanks for posting.

and after three weeks, i can run for 8 min straight without stopping or walking. AGAIN i realize this is a meager accomplishment for many of you, but for me it's progress.

when i first started running regularly i remember being fucking thrilled at something like this - well done, keep going, it gets better &c

when i am outside i try to set a goal in the distance and then tell myself that i CANNOT STOP until that stop sign way up there

yup this was v effective for me too - once i reached the sign i always had a random burst of relaxed energy and found i could keep going for a bit more, which felt great.

just had a good run, later in the day than i'd planned so had to deal with far too many ill-mannered walkers/cyclists on the towpath. worst was a cyclist behind me on a narrow bit of the towpath - there was another runner coming towards us so i went to one side, he went to the other; instead of slowing for the two seconds it would take to pass each other, the woman on the bike barrelled STRAIGHT INTO HIM without even trying to slow down, like literally knocked him down. wanted to shout "cunt" after her but too out of breath :(

a few minutes later some dude who was just walking along started randomly running alongside me, keeping pace even when i tried to speed up to get away from him - it was so weird. told him to fuck off.

god, people.

wow that sounds like a horrible run

haha in terms of actual running it was ok, kept a good pace up and did the full distance i usually do - maybe all the ill-mannered dalstonites took my mind off the effort!

honestly i just don't get why people act that way though...towpath etiquette is neither complicated nor arduous.

Quick 2 miles today, first time in new shoes and new orthotics. 7:48 the first mile, rested for about a minute and a half, then slowed down to 8:58 the second mile. It's hotter out there than I expected.

just started running, fed up with being pudgy and generally unwell. four miles, every other morning before work - taking an even 45 minutes right now, but it's only been a fortnight.

turns out it's quite rewarding, mentally speaking, although my body is more uh sore than lithe. your quick results, give them to me!

i have to say that once you get to the point where you're not in horrific pain for a day after you go running, it does start to make you feel amazing.

yeah, i'm looking forward to that. Fuckin' knee.

also, highly addictive, I can't go tonight and I feel all wrong about it, can't wait to go tomorrow morning.

You're damn right about the addictiveness. Have got to the point (once again, after a long lay off) where I'm running almost every day and totally looking forward to it beforehand. Have been here before though and this is normally the stage where I overdo it and either get injured or ill, so I'm trying to go steady.

yeah, when I started this I ran every day for two weeks and my knee couldn't take it first off.

Ran 2 miles again yesterday. And I ran it in EXACTLY the same time, 16:41. How frustrating, you think I could have pushed for at least a second improvement. We'll see what I can do today.

It was a different route too, so it's not like I ran the same time on the same path.

2 miles yesterday and 3.8 today. That's 4 days in a row that I've ran, which is probably my best streak in quite a while. Also, I noticed that I've run more miles in 2009 than I did in 2008.

Also, I ran my first mile in 7:27 today, which is the fastest mile I've ran since June 08.

Went out for a long one today. Kept it slow, just wanted to cover some miles. I live half the way up a horrible hill, and if you want to get out into the countryside, you basically have to keep going up the hill for about a mile right at the start of your run. It's always an off-putting prospect, but it's good in a way, cos it makes you start off really conservatively. You just try and relax and pay out your energy slowly otherwise you're going to gasping for breath after just a couple of minutes. Was out for 1 hr 45 mins, brain totally tuned out, listened to a couple of albums on my iPod, no-one else around but me and the rabbits.

i have tentatively decided to try out la lechera's week by week thing starting this monday because i think if i don't make myself stick to some sort of plan i will think about running a lot more than actually running. i need different shoes, for sure, but i can get away with the ones i have while doing the 1 min run 2 min walk thing right?

Yeah, if they're comfortable enough to walk a decent distance in, they'll probably be fine for short runs.

sept 1 is doctor visit; I'm real uncomfortable about all this.

I was planning on getting up early to run this morning, but I just couldn't move. I'll try tonight. It will be my 5th day in a row. I'm actually surprised I haven't injured myself again.

hey guys guess what -- today i ran for 15 min straight! i never would have thought this was possible.

tehresa -- it did get easier when i got better shoes, but the first week was fine with my old shoes. i seriously cannot believe that i actually enjoy running. as it turns out, the better i get at it, the better i like it. btw i looked at that pdf book but tl;dr unfortunately.

brain totally tuned out, listened to a couple of albums on my iPod, no-one else around but me and the rabbits.
this sounds dreamy, except running for almost two hours would probably put me into the hospital.

wow, that's awesome! how long did you say you have been at it?

i survived the 1 min run 2 min walk x 10 (or maybe 11 bc i lost count at the end so i threw in an extra set just in case i was only at 9 instead of 10). it really wasn't that bad! we'll see if i feel the same way on wednesday, but by the end i felt like the min of running was going by quickly and the walking was taking forever. seems like this technique of not running until you are totally spent and instead stopping, regrouping, and going again is more encouraging than the former approach.

i think i also just generally do a lot better with a plan/structure than trying to guess at it.

Figgester, how far did you get in 15 min?

tehresa -- i've been at it for 4 weeks. no signs of giving up yet.

jeff -- not sure, because i'm not measuring distance, but i do know this: what used to take me 30 min has had to be expanded. i think i went from my apt to the bottom of loyola beach (pratt/sheridan) in the 15 min, maybe a couple of blocks further. i'm guessing it was about a mile? slow and steady, that's me.

yeah that's right, a 15 minute mile. but i ran a mile! i have never done that before in my life without walking for at least a little and/or feeling like i was gonna die. in gradeschool i was an active (even hyperactive) skinny kid, but when it came time for the mile run (presidential fitness) i always got a cramp, gave up, and walked. redeemed!

ha, pratt/sheridan = my home, 2000 AD

2.5 more miles today. That's 5 days in a row. Tomorrow is my day off.

Four miles today, after my day off. Not bad. I felt like I had gas in the tank when I quit too, which bodes well for running tomorrow.

hooray i conquered day two of this thing, which was somewhat of an achievement after training session/abs/cardio earlier today (i screwed up my scheduling!). i feel good. might die tomorrow. we shall see!

I'm surprised how much my stamina has increased. I ran another 4 miles today in just over 35 minutes. Two weeks ago there is no way I could have done that.

Also surprising, my favorite song for running is Tokyo by The Books.

Starting up again after the field season, when i seriously reduced distance for the first month and then just didn't run at all for the second...i'm nowhere NEAR where i was in June, and just moved to a new city without any routes i actually enjoy yet (it's very flat and gridded, which i hate, so i'm pessimistic). it'll get better eventually, it always does....

Also surprising, my favorite song for running is Tokyo by The Books.

Never really listened to the Books, though things I've read have always sounded interesting. Have just recently been listening to lots of ambient stuff while running, nice to let my brain just drift off rather than be driven along on by beats. Am totally into going really slowly at the moment though, wanna keep building distance.

Four more miles today. That seems like my distance.

have just devloped a few new routes that incorporate about a half mile of running on railroad ties. keep it lively

i feel like i am getting better at this. today i threw in some small hills and stairs.

and then i lolled when the last song the genius gave me was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKCuMy6JffY

because i took 'ankle injuries' out of the gym list since i thought it would be bad luck.

haha! uh oh.

but i am going to use it as a sign to go get new shoes :)

I ran 10 miles today, which is certainly the longest distance I have ever ran in my life. I really should have stopped at 8, but I was feeling good and wanted to see if I could hit 10. Just after that I slowed waaaay down:

1: 8:43
2: 9:38
3: 9:58
4: 9:42
5: 9:46
6: 9:53
7: 9:31
8: 9:50
9: 10:12
10: 11:16

Basically just shuffling my feet for the last mile, my knees were starting to ache.

Hey, nice work Jeff! Have a rest tomorrow eh?

for real dude. take a break! i am basically just shuffling my feet all the time and i'm proud about it!
i only ran 2x this week because i had a terrible cold and went hiking in wisconsin this weekend, which i figure is good enough for exercise.

the good news: i kind of missed running! looking forward to starting up again tomorrow. i hope i haven't lost any ground, but it's no big deal either way. the weather is lovely and perfect for outdoors exercise. (60s and sunny)

I am gonna get upppp. And go run. Right now.

ps wtg jeff

times piece on thin soled running shoes http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/business/30shoe.html mentions chirunning in passing

Thanks for the link. Have just finished reading Born To Run, which also gets mentioned in the article. Got a bit annoyed with the style it was written in, but if you just want to geek out on running, it's fine. Gets right into that whole discussion on the advantages of minimal shoes/barefoot. Made me want to try those FiveFingers things, if only to freak my wife out with.

i've been hearing a lot about those lately, it makes me think maybe i should switch it up for my next pair of shoes. i've been buying the same model of large, heavily cushioned shoe for at least three years, maybe something just a little more minimal would be good to try (there's a long way from where i am to fivefingers though).

a day or two one of my roommates decided we should run a half marathon this winter. i'm excited because it'll give me some motivation and companionship for running, and it's a manageable distance for me, but i'm nervous because my roommate is a former cross-country runner who's done a couple of marathons (he says he's out of shape, but i really suspect his out of shape is not the same as mine). we don't have to run the actual race together, but running together at all while training may present problems.

sorry guys, i just can't fathom wearing those shameful toe shoes
http://birthdayshoes.com/media/blogs/bdayshoes/jjcauals.jpg

Did a 5K in about 20:30 yesterday.

those shoes are weird!!

i started week 2 of that thing this morning. i'm scared of the 3 min sets on wed!

don't worry! you'll do it and it will feel good. seriously.

and if it takes a couple tries, that's fine! i'm all in favor of running being fun and not too grueling.

i'm hoping to head out for a 4-5 mile run with the roommate today, if we can fit it in between running errands on campus mid-afternoon and making dinner. i should probably push for a shorter distance, actually, because i have no clue whether i can keep up with him yet.

this morning this guy just whooshed past me and then where i turned around and came back, he kept going. later when i was still on the way back, he whooshed past me again. i felt so lame! but w/e he was tall and i am new? ehh.

I wouldn't feel lame. There are always going to be people faster than you (unless you are Usain Bolt or the like.)

honestly. been working on knee strength, flexibility etc for about 5 months now...

i don't know if i'll ever be able to run 5K again w/o runner's knee :\

I like having people run past me, I use it as motivation - "that guy thinks he's better than me, eh?"

it's just that it was the same guy twice! but also i had done a little loop while he went further and came back. but still. sigh. yeah ok motivation. but also i felt soooo slowwwww and like i was not actually running at all!

doctor tomorrow at 2pm

the "that guy thinks he's better than me, eh?" statement works esp. well for me, cause whenever I do run past someone, I think I'm better than them...and I just assume everyone operates the same

A lot of people pass me. Eventually I pass them back though.

I had to cut my 4 miles down to 2 on Sunday because my knees have taken to stabbing me with PAIN at every footfall and now I can't even walk down stairs without limping.

Having gone from 0 miles a day for my entire life to 4 miles every other day immediately, for the last 3.5 weeks, I suspect I've just overdone it. I'm also probably not warming up properly, and everyone's telling me my bought-in-2005 (but barely used) trainers are almost certainly too old and won't be giving me the necessary support.

London trainer shop tips? Warm-up/warm-down tips? How-not-to-be-a-running-noob tips? Right now I feel like I'll never run again, and that's GUTTING because I've been loving it and it's doing me real good.

London trainer shop tips?

Where is it you live?

Or work?

Live West Norwood, work Paddington, can travel anywhere really. Went to http://www.runningshoeslondon.co.uk/ but it was lame.

charlie, are you stretching?

Hmm, can't think what's in those immediate areas but you could try Run and Become near Victoria station or one of the Runner's Needs, maybe the Holborn one?

Whatever you do, talk to the staff and describe your problems and you should get a feel for whether they're listening or not.

prescribed a month's anti-inflammatories, told not to do weight bearing exercise or running until i feel better and they're trying to get me to do PRP therapy?

http://www.platelettherapy.com/index.html

i think i missed this but what originally happened to injure you?

First run after my 10 mile Sunday. Whoa was I stiff. I only went two miles, but went pretty fast (for me).

charlie, i know i am a noob, but noob-to-noob? why push so hard? real painful injuries are way worse than having people pass you/running slowly/running shorter distances. for real. also they are expensive.

tza: just runner's knee/tendinitis. I finally got past my plantar fascitiis and lost my shit. Started running 40 mile weeks and blew out. Need rest and aleve now i guess.

wow, 40 mile weeks are pretty intense. the most i've ever done was 28 and it's a good thing i had nothing else going on that whole week! i hope you recover quickly.

it was like two weeks, one at 35 and one at 40. I was basically doing five mile runs every morning. It felt great, I gotta say. Want to go back to that, but I'm gonna have to work my way into it.

ok so i sort of failed tonight but i kept going! i attempted to do the 3min sets on the way home from the gym, and ended up having my ass handed to me by the hills on sets 3 and 4 where i could only run about 1:45 or 2min and walked the rest, then walked the min of walking time. but by the time i got back on flat terrain, i was able to handle the 3min runs again and they felt ok. i think i will re-attempt this one on friday and try to master it before i move on to the 4min sets. or should i not be a pussy?

i'd try it again before moving on, just because i'm a little ocd that way. hills are tough, too, so it's good practice running them.

Last two runs, 2.95 miles yesterday and 4 miles today. Feeling pretty good.

I was thinking about doing this "Northside Colleges Historic Run" tomorrow. I'm hesitant to run in such a social way though.

looks kinda fun!

i mastered the 3min sets last night. i am supposed to go for 4min tonight but it is supposed to storm terribly. nervous.gif!

sigh. just biking for the next month i think.

Six miles today. Slow pace, but nice run.

i did the 4 minute sets last night and felt really good, but definitely feeling some shin tenderness today. now i am paranoid. i know it's a normal noob thing but now i'm all freaked out.

Six more miles today, a little faster than I did yesterday.

So you know, I gps track all my runs. I walk in today, sync my run and Jenny comments that it was a "pretty" run. It was mainly along the shore and had lots of curves. See below:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3897967263_455a01d296_o.png

I think next run I'm going to try and write my name with gps. It will take some planning but it shouldn't be too hard.

After 12-15 years of not doing this regularly, I've now decided that I need to start running again, just to keep up with my beer intake. I should probably get new shoes.

that IS pretty! will you write your name in script or print it legibly?
xpost

i am going shoe shopping on wednesday :)

Wow Jeff, I'm a bit jealous! That looks like a beautiful run along the shore and grassy areas. Have fun writing your name :)

I'm so so glad it's cooling down, my runs are suddenly a lot more pleasant! I'm going to try to work back up to 25 miles a week in the next four weeks after my midsummer month off, so far I am not having any trouble with it (although last week was only 12).

Ran an informal 5K last night just under 26 min. That's my fastest time ever, but I don't really count it because I had to pause at crosswalks. Also, that put me over 100 miles for the year. Most if that has been in August and September, but still an accomplishment.

Ran a very miserable 6 miles yesterday. Which is a shame because I felt pretty good going into it. I feel like I need a goal at this point, specifically one that isn't speed or time based. I think a half marathon would be a good distance. I've already ran 10 miles casually, so I should be able to finish.

Still waiting on that runners high. I've yet to experience it. At least I've been injury free fir a couple of months now.

Jeff: Nike Plus is a statwhore online game that you play by running
I'm doing 25 minutes on the stationary bike and 25 on the elliptical while I take 25 more days worth of Celebrex. Hopefully it won't be too cold to run then.
In the meantime: NFL Season + TIVO = I bought a reasonably cheap stationary bike in the hopes of pedaling while watching games -
http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Active-Upright-Exercise-Bike/dp/B001AS0ZHO/ref=pe_32160_12535910_as_txt_4/
yay for free shipping

i got new shoes! the guy was super helpful. also they had me run on treadmill w/ a camera behind and then did frame by frame analysis of how my foot moved to figure out good shoe choices. wow. they even said i can come back after a few weeks if these don't work out.

i feel good running but i have not moved into the 5 min sets yet bc i'm trying to take it easy/not do too much too soon to avoid pains. so i am behind schedule. but i'd rather be behind than injured, right?

definitely, getting injured sucks and is hella frustrating.

maybe i'll do the 5 min sets but not 5 of them in a row.

gonna try to start running again tomorrow, had to abort plans a couple months ago because of severe leg pain, but l.a. heatwave would've interfered anyways. now it has cooled off so i'm hoping my ancient legs are up for it.

I like the idea of the Nike+ community, but I'm pretty committed to my Garmin Forerunner tracking. If there was a way to input all that information, I would totally be down.

The other running community tracking websites are really mediocre. Mapmyrun, The daily mile, garmin connect, etc all really suck.

but i'd rather be behind than injured, right?
yes! geez, yes. i've been sort of stuck at the point where i can run for 10-15min, usually about a mile, then i need to walk for like 90 seconds, but then i can do it again. what i can't do is run for 15+ minutes without walking at some point.

but that's ok. whatever. as long as i am still enjoying it, i will continue to do it. i try to end each run on a positive note.

Jeff: http://www.e-runners.com/
works with Garmin

Ran another practice 5K tonight in 25:21. Certainly my fastest time ever. 8:06, 8:20, 8:10 for each mile. I'm happy with the consistency. I think I can get under 25 min.

I used a new setting on my Garmin which doesn't show me the time, just a countdown of the distance and the pace. I liked it because I didn't check it as much. Now I can use this one as a baseline and then run against a little virtual Jeff. The watch will let me know how far in front of or behind I am. I like gadgets.

is treadmill running cheating?

i had to tonight bc it was too dark out. i decided to test myself to see how long i could run and i did 8:15, then walked 4 min, then ran 10 min! i felt accomplished! somehow i feel like i wouldn't be able to do this on the street, though.

If you're doing a treadmill, give yourself at least a 1.5 grade to simulate real world ground.

protip! thankig u.

Didn't even realise he was doing this but, wow, amazing achievement:

After 1,100 miles and 52 days, Eddie Izzard has finishing line in sight

dude sounds completely insane!
also, minor protip: don't gorge yourself on cake and icecream when running multiple marathons, it is not a good energy replacement system.

how is that possible!? burgers mid-marathon?! a;sldkgj. he should be dead by now, right?

man I've been following this thread for a while and been reluctant to chip in cos my efforts at running are always abject failures: I tried to start that interval program linked upthread about a week ago, got 5 minutes into the first run and was so dispirited I turned round and headed home... butttt I didn't know why I was so bad or why I hated it so much, cos my fitness levels (lung capacity whatever) are ok to good (I play football once a week) and I've always been an ok runner growing up and my dads always ran... today I signed up for a gym (first time ever woot) and on the treadmill ran 3miles in 20 minutes barely losing breath, I know that's hardly amazing but I was feeling pretty good afterwards considering how my road running always crashes after the first few minutes

so I guess I'm saying hi! and go me!

charlie, are you stretching?

― iatee, Tuesday, 1 September 2009 17:22 (2 weeks ago)

apparently not enough because, after three weeks of four miles every other day - feeling better and better, noticing my body slowly changing shape, losing chubby cheeks, gaining in stamina while noticing some clearly impact-based pain in my legs - i had to stop dead halfway through a run and hobble home, so painful were both my knees.

how tf does one stretch a knee in preparation for running?

meh.

charlie, i know i am a noob, but noob-to-noob? why push so hard? real painful injuries are way worse than having people pass you/running slowly/running shorter distances. for real. also they are expensive.

― figgy pudding (La Lechera), Wednesday, 2 September 2009 00:50 (1 week ago)

This is a good question. I think it's because last time I tried running regularly I was doing about 2.5 miles a time and it didn't feel like enough (ie I couldn't feel the benefit). So I used mapmyrun.com to plot a local route I liked the look of, and it came out just over 4 miles, and I tried it and made it and carried it one and then this (two weeks, no exercise).

Told my doctor what happened (I was seeing her for another reason) and she told me to stop for now, till the knee pain subsided, and try non-impact (ie swimming, which I don't love) and furthermore banned breast stroke, the only stroke I do at all well!

I definitely need new trainers, as about 17 friends have now told me.

Charlie, static lunges and toe touches are reasonable ways to stretch out.
If you're having knee pain severe enough to stop a jog or that affects you when you're not running, see a doc asap. It can get much worse.
Maybe time to hit the pool or bike for awhile.

coz, that's impressive! i would just say be careful. but maybe i just jealous bc i couldn't do that! also, the first week of that interval program was the hardest - it seems to get easier to go longer times as you go, so don't give up! granted, i'm only 3 weeks in, but...

also i heard you should stretch post run, not before. right?

light stretches before; longer after... though the common wisdom on that fluctuates about once every five years.

If you're having knee pain severe enough to stop a jog or that affects you when you're not running, see a doc asap. It can get much worse.

my knee pain has now entirely subsided but for nearly a fortnight after the event described above I hobbled everywhere and couldn't walk down stairs without holding the bannister (climbing stairs = ok though).

my doctor told me a physio was unnecessary as it's v likely to be a general unfitness-to-fitness issue rather than a specific "injury" as such. i think i understand that.

i have read in the past the results of a test that shows, it the great scheme of things, people who warm up/warm down get just as many running-based aches and pains as people who don't. of course, i can't find the thing now, for google has failed me.

man I've been following this thread for a while and been reluctant to chip in cos my efforts at running are always abject failures: I tried to start that interval program linked upthread about a week ago, got 5 minutes into the first run and was so dispirited I turned round and headed home...

This sounds similar to me when I started running again. First run was so awful I had to sit down halfway through for a smoke. I think the thing is that you can just go off way too fast, cos I just took off down the street like my arse was on fire and was totally wrecked by the time I reached the end of the road. Before you start running as an adult, you just have these memories of tearing around as an indestructible and energetic kid, and it takes a while until you can judge your pace properly. This goes for running intervals too - you still have to run hard at a sensible pace.

yeah, the going down stairs thing is emblematic of runner's knee, basically tendinitis. rest and anti-inflammatory helps.

so the bonus is that with my 0 incline cheating last night, i have 0 shin tenderness today.

I had the best run ever today! It was just lovely out and I went out for about five miles (and autumn is my favourite month, when the light gets all watery) and I had some Basic Channel on my iPod and I just took it easy but I think I made really good time (amazing how just relaxing on the uphills saved me so much energy for the flats)

I am doing this organized 3.5 mile run tonight which I am kinda intimidated by. There were dudes who finished last year in like 16 minutes which is basically bonkers fast as far as I am concerned. I'll be very happy if I can do this in 24 minutes.

24 minutes is a really good time!

I know! That's why the idea of someone doing it in 16 is so intimidating!

16 is nearly a four minute mile though, it's not really "jogging enthusiast" territory

I think you are getting to the heart of why I am finding the idea of this race intimidating. I run with my dog (who is a bit of a slow poke frankly)!

what site lets you log runs using google maps? sanoodi doesn't, does it?

has anyone used the nike sensor thing? i don't have the $$$$ for a fancy garmin deal. and probably i'm not good enough to justify that expense anyway.

yeah i would like a gps eventually and i think it would help but for now i have to click on the map by myself. the runnersworld log is *awful*. you always have to try twice before your route saves! but i like how it keeps track of total mileage and stuff for you.

i ran about 4.5 miles today! not as big of a deal as i had thought it would be. am guessing that i averaged around 10-11 min per mile? gettin' better.

this is after taking about 4 days off, btw, so i feel confident that i am actually getting stronger because this didn't feel like a huge burden, just a moderate to difficult run (for me).

i have been tracing routes on gmaps pedometer but obv you can't save that. it's fun but hard. i was looking at mapmyrun.com yesterday and it is a disastrously designed site.

figures. :(

bikely.com is nice and simple

i think this http://www.runningahead.com/ might do what i want

Wait why can't you save gmap ped routes? It appears to have a save option.

you can save them to revisit them but you can't use it to automatically log if you do it twice or something.

I cannot recommend a GPS watch enough. I love love love my Garmin Forerunner 305. You can probably find one for around $150 these days. I'd go with it over the newer 405. The 305 is bulkier, but you really don't notice it after a few runs. I refuse to run without it.

After my last practice 5K, it felt like I was running a few notches below sprinting the whole way. That's good and bad. Good in that it's 3 to 4 minutes faster than I could run the same distance 2 months ago. Bad in that I can't imagine myself getting much faster.

I'm going to try and do some fartlek training to improve my speed. I need to work out the ratios I want to do and program them into my Garmin.

Someone above mention stretching. I am vehemently opposed to stretching. Refuse to do it. It's not going to prevent most running injuries, it takes too much time, and is booooooring. I'd talk myself out of running before I got done stretching. For runner's knee, I read that you need to strengthen your quadriceps. I did that for awhile with leg lifts, but found it equally as boring.

haha. i always say "i'm going to stretch later" when i get back from a run but i never, ever do. i pretty much agree they won't prevent injuries but i still feel like i should just to have better posture and to feel less stiff all the time. maybe later.

"you can save them to revisit them but you can't use it to automatically log if you do it twice or something."

Isn't that what excel is for? ;)

i have been stretching my calves right when i get back because my front steps and slope are kind of perfect for it.

for me, probably bc i am new, it does help with stiffness.

yes...but i like to have it add the route and have it add to your total or weekly mileage by itself without opening another program. also portable so if i wanted to i could log into it from another computer. runningahead appears to do that. it also keeps track of shoe mileage, though i don't know how many miles are on my current shoes. xxp

oh i should start now then since my shoes have about 6 miles on them so far!

did another few of miles on the treadmill today and have signed up a running partner to go jogging w/. :)

have signed up for runningahead; harbl do u know if it is nike+ friendly?

hmm i do not. it says you can do gps import but i don't know if nike+ makes the same type of output.

i did treadmill again today bc i was already at the gym and taking it easy after over an hour of circuit training. i did 3 6min sets with 1 min walking in between and about 4 min walking after (and then the walk home up the hill).
tomorrow morning i will go outside again. it's so much prettier!
this page has some images that are part of my normal route :)

! today on my run i saw this thing http://c.imagehost.org/0378/Tower_in_Druid_Hill_Park.jpg

that reminds me of peru!

reminds me of a rook

it's called the moorish tower. i just had to look that up because i had no idea other than "giant chess piece." also in that park: safety city.

pls to devise obstacle course running route through safety city!

Ended up finishing the 3.5 miles in a little under 24 (so yay me!)

good job!

coz it looks like that site is only garmin friendly. do you use nike+?

do you need to also have nike shoe and an iPod to use nike+ i don't really understand how it works

does it just tell you your time and mileage? if so that would be easy enough to type in, right? i just need to use the map because i can't estimate the distance myself.

one thing that's shitty about living in the countryside is that, while running is lovely, no traffic fresh air etc, it is impossible to incrementally increase your distance without having to repeat parts of your run because there are no blocks that you can just add on, merely large ring roads.

you don't have to have the shoes. i think there are lots of hacks ppl have come up with to not wear nike shoes.

i think it tracks speed, distance, calories, and goals (if you set them/use a set workout) and then turns it all into pretty charts when you sync.

sunscreen.

the one i wore today made me feel really gross and irritated my skin (neutrogena sport, which i hadn't had issues with in activities like hiking). not wearing sunscreen is not an option for me but i am going to have to do more daytime running as it's getting darker earlier and earlier.

what do you use?

first outdoor run today w/my new jogging partner. 2.1 miles in 16minutes. was really feeling it 1.75 miles in, what with the hills and driving glasgow wind but didn't need to stop any. I'm happy with that for a first attempt :D

That's a pretty good pace for a first run, especially on hills. Not surprised you were feeling it!

so in the uk you run in miles but do everything else in km? i'm confused.

miles = the "english" system isn't it? i don't understand "stone" though

trying to make myself go running now. can't.

never done anything in km in my life thankyouverymuch yankee

def didn't get out of bed this morning. hoping i can do it after work tonight. hoping i don't blame the light misty rain for not going...

I tried some intervals yesterday. A whole new kind of suck. I was going to do 3 and 3, but I was so out of breath after the first hard run that I decided to throw in a 1 min walk. Ended up going 5.44 miles.

10 min slow jog
3 min hard run
1 min walk
2 min jog
3 min hard run
1 min walk
2 min jog
3 min hard run
1 min walk
2 min jog
3 min hard run
1 min walk
2 min jog
3 min hard run
1 min walk
2 min jog
3 min hard run
1 min walk
10 min slow jog

got bad cramp w/ 5 min left. i hate that! i always cramp coming down the long hill because i don't stand up straight.

Kinda drunk and I'm going running with my neighbour in six hours or something. It's gonna be hhoooorrribbbblllleeee. Shoot me now.

Long, tiring 8.77 miles today. I tried something different though, I took the bus downtown and then ran to the end of Northerly Island and back.

i miss running

bashed my knee climbing today and now running hurts :(

i ran this morning but it was kinda weird. i didn't have enough time to go as far as i wanted, and i had some shin soreness right after that was weird since i haven't had any shin soreness in at least a week. but now they feel ok and i'm wondering if it might have been some combination of wearing heels all day yesterday and running approx 30 min after getting out of bed today. anyway, i just did some gmaps pedometer and estimate i was at 6.5mph which is faster than i have been before (which is not actually fast, i know), so at least there's that. i think i might check into that nike thing though so i can get more accurate timings/distances than my guesswork.

maybe your shins were just a little tight and running losened them up.

I always have knee/foot pain after wearing heels, running or no running. Betcha it's that. I also tried to run this morning but it was uuuuuuggggghhhh slow. I think I need to eat a little and drink a glass of water first or something.

yeah my best venture out last week was on my day off when i sat around, had some coffee, and woke up for 2 hours before i left the house to go run.

i'm telling myself to get up an hour early tomorrow and run in the morning instead of tonight...that didn't work the two times i planned it last week, but it has to start soon, when we change the clocks i'm not going to be able to get home in time to run before dark! do you guys have any tips on getting yourself out of bed in the first place?

yeah that is what i am seriously struggling with. i have never been a morning person but because it was cloudy yesterday, it was too dark to go out by the time i got home at 7:30. it will only get worse soon. then i run into issues like this morning where i have to cut it short because i hit snooze for an hour instead of getting up on time.

i *am* a morning person and i can't do it either. i know it's possible because when i used to do sports i got up really early and didn't even need to eat first. but it had more to do with being made to do it than being good at waking up, so maybe run with someone else? tbh i prefer running alone though :(

yeah i used to do morning swim practice but i guess it was just bc it was bc that was when practice was. i like running alone. it is good for my head. and i don't think i am good enough to run with someone else yet! must figure out some way to trick myself into getting up.

take out the extra it was bc

it was just bc it was bc that was when practice was

^^^ lol

u got flow

first jog after nearly two months of knee tendonitis yesterday - did a mile real easy just to see how it felt - no particular ill effects today yay

^^ pretty much the same for me. took it easy cuz it's HOT out in la today but no trouble with my legs

considering how much better I feel after a run, its kindof annoying how long it takes me to convince myself 2 go on 1 u no?

this morning i felt like i did not hit my stride til the end, which sucked, bc by that point i didn't have enough time to keep going bc i had to go to work. gah. i have to get all this timing worked out.

considering how much better I feel after a run, its kindof annoying how long it takes me to convince myself 2 go on 1 u no?

― plax (I know, right?), Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:52 PM (28 minutes ago) Bookmark

i have this problem every day

also this is how I feel about swimming

fuck it it's gonna rain i'm going tomorrow :(

4 runs in 3 days - one long one on Sunday, a short one yesterday, two hilly five milers today. So tempting to go and do another long one tomorrow cos my legs are starting to feel great, but really I should ease off a bit. Have entered a few races in the spring, really need to build up slowly and not go too nutty now.

has this ever happened to anyone: i stopped running and was walking home (about a half mile) and my ears got all clogged like i was on an airplane. i could hear myself breathing but everything else was fuzzy. maybe it wasn't related to running at all haha

So, my weight has finally come down to a threshold where I can enjoy running a couple of miles. Has anyone else read Christopher McDougall's Born to Run (on the ultramarathon running Tarahumara tribe of Mexico's Copper Canyon and the perils of athletic shoes)? The Daily Mail ran an extract in April and the story was picked up by New York Magazine, Time Magazine, and the New York Times.

I bought a pair of the Vibrams mentioned in some of the articles in July before they sold out due to the media attention, and like them a lot (though they distressed my sister to no end, she didn't want to be seen walking near me). As for running, heelless shoe do require a much different gait, but I only have sore skin on the balls of my feet (after a week), no bruises per se.

So has anyone found a good article detailing the counter argument in favor of Nike, Addidas, New Balance et al, responding to this?

nope

but i know at least five people that are running barefoot on a regular basis, and really enjoying it

oh weird, those shoes freak me out. esp since i was fitted for running shoes based on gait/pronation analysis and my shoes have added heel support! in fact, my right heel/achiles gets really sore if i am even just walking around wearing unsupportive shoes lately, so i'm terrified of the barefoot thing.

would not run barefoot in baltimore

Slept through my running window again this morning. Can't go in the afternoon, either, no free time before 8 or 9 PM today (yeah, I'm taking a 10 minute internet break right now, SO WHAT?) So depressing.

I think maybe the counterargument is just that regular running shoes do no, or at least very little, harm...?

dont think so. i think part of the argument for running barefoot is precisely the opposite: running shoes encourage an biomechanically "improper" gait that emphasizes heel-striking as opposed to landing on the balls or in a neutral position

heel-striking shocks the system, so to speak, instead of taking advantage of the natural shock-absorption built into the arch and joints of yr foot

iirc barefoot running reduces stress on the ankles and feet but shoes can help w/stress if u r overweight or have a poor gait naturally? i read a bunch about this 3/4 years ago since in ca it seemed vaguely feasible to do this and ive always had trouble with running shoes but at the time most of the studies where cautious in declaring it better

also iirc nike has (had?) a line of running shoes meant to mimic running barefoot

i believe it but at the same time i'm not in a hurry to run barefoot or buy barefoot-like shoes

i believe it too but im kind of a sucker for these stupid claims tbh i think the real counterargument is the first time u step on broken glass or w/e

Can't you try out the style in regular shoes? If I've understood my hurried reading of some random articles, part of the change is leaning forward so that you fall onto the ball of your outstretched foot, rather than holding the body upright and back?

i made a similar new scientific discovery that high heels encourage a biomechanically improper gait but no one listened and the nyt didn't write an article about it either ˘\(o_º)/˘

Laurel: I'm just returning to casual jogging after a hiatus of a decade, but from my experience this week, the real difference is taking shorter steps, and a faster gait. At no time does the knee ever reach its full extension. Its a bit of a light footed squat, by comparison to the running I tried over a decade ago (which killed my knees).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7mELaYQ-uI

^ this is quite a good little review of the FiveFingers thing

has this ever happened to anyone: i stopped running and was walking home (about a half mile) and my ears got all clogged like i was on an airplane. i could hear myself breathing but everything else was fuzzy. maybe it wasn't related to running at all haha

I used to get this after running all the damn time! Have no idea why, but it was very annoying. Always assumed it was some sort of weird snot thing. Haven't had it for ages though thank god.

hey derelict, i think i just realized i am taking pretty short steps, too! and i have no knee pain :)

sometimes i walk better in a heel bc i have really high arches and flats, if not supportive enough, tend to really screw up my feet.

I will OTM that all over the place.

maybe that's why i'm scared of the barefoot stuff. modern ladies flats are usually just slabs of nothing for the sole w/ a little fabric to cover your foot and they are really not conducive to foot health imo.

nike free are their "barefoot ones"

syringes

the barefoot gait is pretty funny

i ran barefoot on treadmill so they could videotape/look at gait and it was weird.

its not just toe striking its also ginger

do people ever sprint barefoot - doesnt look like itd be workable for intervals

stanford track team trains barefoot, so yes

feels faster sprinting barefoot

I'm skeptical of the whole barefoot running trend. It goes with the idea that anything that is considered "natural" is considered right, where as the unnatural is wrong.

Naturally, feet come in all shapes and sizes. Some are conducive to running, others not some much. You have club feet, high arches, low arches, other gait issues. It's just the genetic hand you're dealt. I like wearing well cushioned running shoes and custom orthotics. It's working out great!

given that we mostly walk around in shoes that give us biomechanically improper gaits, i just am unconvinced that running in shoes does any more harm than most of everyday life.

i know that i get monster knee pain from walking for even 15 min in thin-soled ballet flats, so i'm just going to figure that the extra cushioning of my shoes is helping.

given that we mostly walk around in shoes that give us biomechanically improper gaits, i just am unconvinced that running in shoes does any more harm than most of everyday life.

The forces involved are so much greater when you're running though. That's especially true if you're landing heavily, which excessively cushioned shoes do little to discourage. I think barefoot running is about running lightly and letting all that engineering in your feet act as a spring. I love the idea of barefoot and I did find the arguments in Born To Run fairly persuasive. Haven't done it though, mostly because of the obvious risk of stepping on something nasty. Also, although we might have evolved as a species to run long distances barefoot, we never had to contend with a surface as unforgiving as concrete paving slabs for mile after mile.

What I am doing to try and strike a balance is using a very neutral offroad shoe with a lower than average amount of cushioning and I'm doing 90% of my running on trails. I'm also thinking about posture as I move, running lightly, landing more towards the middle of my foot and not stomping about on my heels quite so much as I used to do. Haven't had the knee pains that I used to get and I'm definitely waking up less creakily than before, but maybe that's just me getting fitter.

has this ever happened to anyone: i stopped running and was walking home (about a half mile) and my ears got all clogged like i was on an airplane.

I think that is related to air flow around your ears, for example, on a very windy day, the passing air can depressurize your ears (this sometimes happens to me even if I'm just walking on the street). But if you *are* running, and breathing heavily, then your jaw position and/or style of breathing can vary the air pressure (both positively and negatively) in your sinuses. It's kind of like how a scuba diver needs to "equalize" their sinuses, but while you're running you're concentrating on other things and basically forget to do this.

Anyway, it doesn't take long for your ears to "pop" back, so there's nothing to really worry about.

yeah they were back shortly after i got home, it was just weird. i also just remembered i had covered my ears for a minute while walking home because the trail is by a train station and a freight train was braking overhead! that's probably what did it.

the surfaces we run on really do make a difference. that makes me wonder if there are any trails within several miles of my current apartment...asphalt all the time is not good for you.

doubtful as i am of the benefit of barefoot running, i do wear pretty heavily cushioned massive shoes and will probably try to switch to something lighter when they wear out, just to see how things change.

I haven't ran any in 6 days, and really am having a hard time encouraging myself to do so. It's partially because of the weather. Summer is gone. It's going to be a miserable winter. Plus too many 10 to 12 hour workdays.

do people ever sprint barefoot - doesnt look like itd be workable for intervals

― ice cr?m, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:20 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

stanford track team trains barefoot, so yes

― holosystolic murmur and the thrill (gbx), Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:21 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

on grass on grass they sprint on soft soft playing fields of grass

The only time I ever take my socks off is when I shower. I certainly not going to go barefoot outside.

Ran today after not going for a week. I set my virtual partner for a 28 min 5k and beat him by a min and a half. Not a personal best, but it did feel good.

did another run yesterday before the midday swelter came on. legs kinda sore today.

6 miles today. Only 9.10 for this week, but that's ok. I just have to remember that I don't lose everything if I take a week off. In fact I'm running a little faster. I was hoping to get 75 miles in September, but it looks like I'm going to come in between 60 and 65. It will give me something to shoot for in October.

I'm honestly impressed by how little you do lose when you take time off - maybe speed's affected by longer breaks, but endurance is hard to lose. A couple days ago I ran 9 miles due to being locked out of my house and having nothing better to do...it was the first time I'd done more than 5 since June and surprisingly it felt absolutely fine!

I'll share your October goal - think I'm at about 50 this month but having no problems working up, so 75 is where I'd like to be.

i have not been able to run since thursday and i am sad and tired :(

I've picked up running in the last days of May, when on holidays in France. I've managed to do it three times a week mostly, although there have been 'episodes' of two weeks with no running altogether (due to work, or feeling meh).

When I started out, I did so a bit too enthusiastic, straining my weak right knee. That is now gone though, luckily, even though it took some time.

Right now I'm on 4 to 5 miles per 40 minutes, on average. It's not a lot, I know, but it just feels so good to do... I never could have imagined running to be such a great feeling, such a 'cleansing' experience.

one more week on the celebrex to go. Knee feels just fine, but I haven't tested it in the slightest. Muscles in my legs are real tense though.

yeah i should make a mileage goal for october so i will feel some kind of obligation. it's hard to run.

Here are my goals for October:

*Run a sub 25 minute 5K. My fastest time currently is 25:22. I should be able to do this. I'm running two officially organized 5K's in October, so it would be nice to do it in one of those, but I'm not limiting myself to official races.
*Run 75 miles. 18.75 miles a week. Doable, but probably going to be unpleasant at times. I've only gone over 18.75 miles a week once. I'll just have to bust out some long runs in there. I know I'm going to have to fight the weather too.
*Run 13.1 miles. 10 miles is my current longest, might as well see if I can do a half marathon. Would help a lot towards my 75 mile goal too.

http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm

This is a great calculator. I put in my 5K time and it gives you all sorts of times and paces.

ok now i need cool weather attire advice. how do you stay warm but not overheat?

also do you guys run in light rain? i feel like if i'm going to keep this up i need to figure out tricks for running safely in a little bit of rain or i'll end up only running once a week for the next 9 months.

due to the fucked up status of my knee ive been working the elliptical trainer - its strange - i feel i may have forfeited my right to be called a man

tehresa, i always underdress because i tend to get very warm running - for me, it's t-shirts and shorts until it hits maybe 40 F, and then sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt, if it's REALLY cold i wear tights underneath and a warm vest on top. but i almost always do wear a headband in the winter, cold achy ears are the worst.

and i do run in light rain if it seems that it'll rain for a while, so i can't put off my run for a day...cell phone in a plastic baggie, avoid busy roads, and there you go. sometimes it's a drag though.

and you guys, this saturday i'm running in a race for the first time! a charity 5k like most of them are. i expect i'll be on the slow end of the pack, but it gives me an excuse to make a trip back to boston. maybe fun too!

one mile jog with girl and dog was fine. heartened!

yay :)

i did rain run tonight but only 1 mile bc i got paranoid about slipping and came back home like a wimp but actually it was kind of neat. i don't usually feel that hot temperature-wise when i run, but i do sweat a good deal so i worry about weird clamminess or sogginess or whatever. i guess that's moot if you're running in the rain anyway. but tonight i was cold and wet and it was not pleasant.

check out underarmor maybe?

running in bad weather is the best!

Yass! Love running in rain and wind!

Don't mind the rain at all, but the wind can just go and die tbh.

I'm always afraid my gps/music is going to stop working in the rain.

I've never had that problem (though I hardly run with music on). Hard wind can be an annoyance though when you're soaking wet, I'll give you that Nick. But hard wind when it's dry isn't a problem for me.

i hate running in the wind too, it's a popular excuse for me. rain is ok except i don't wear contacts ever.

ziplock bags are your friend.

Ziplock bags don't save your earphones. The last rainy run I did was along the seafront, with the rain really piling in sideways from the sea. My seaward ear filled up with water on the way out; turned around when I reached the end, same thing happened to the other ear with the sound getting dimmer and dimmer. Was listening to Can's Future Days, which is a pretty aquatic sounding record anyhow, but by the end of the run I was only hearing squelches and gurgles, and the occassional drowned yelp from Damo Suzuki.

Ohh I must try running to Future Days soon! I am sorry it cost you your earphones, but I wish there'd be a way to experience hearing the disintegration of the record you just described!

Best thing is that my phones worked again after they dried out.

Any UK people done any of these Parkrun things yet? Have honestly never heard of them before, dunno how they passed me by. Sound like they could be good fun (and it's free too):

http://www.parkrun.com/

I'm just going to run with a plastic bag over my entire head.

Sounds like a plan.

Does anybody actually own any underarmor? Is it worth the ridiculous price compared to, say, long underwear and a pair of sweatpants from Wal-Mart?

have been failing to run lately

moving to york soon, have set myself goal of 'be able to run full circuit of city walls' by end of month. actually i just checked that and it's only 5k. i need a better target

I love my Under Armor. I have some of the holy crap it's cold weather gear. I won't wear it unless it's in the low 40s. It's warm and I love the compression. It feels like I'm in Tron.

hahaha. i have a hiking base layer - should i be looking for something similar to run in? or are they interchangeable?

i run in sweats a hat and gloves down to abt 20F and then fuck it im not going out there - dont generally run in the rain tho

I started out my Runtober with a 7.12 mile run. I ran home from work, in the rain. I had plastic baggies over all my electronics. I looked like an idiot. Only 68 more miles to go.

i got that nike+ thing about a week ago (went with the hack where you enclose the sensor in a plastic bag and then just duct taped it (actually gorilla taped it) to the tongue of my shoe with laces crossed over it - has held fine every time even if it looks a little silly). i like the tracking aspect, but it's definitely a $19 gadget and not a fancy gps. you can't really dissect your runs, which is weird because it graphs your speed for the whole run, but won't let you go into detailed analysis. obv the data is there, so why can't you access it? or maybe i just haven't figured the website out yet.

anyway, it's been kind of fun as a tracking/challenge device. yesterday i ran a mile without stopping (after 2 shorter warm ups between which i took a little walk break). today i set it for 1 mile to start out and decided to keep going once i hit that. i was going to shoot for 2 but i got to the end of the loop i was on and was v v tired so i stopped at 1.84. still, kinda happy with myself but my shins are not especially. i think tomorrow i will rest and sat i will do 7 or 8 min sets again.

I've just started running a fortnight ago, after doing NO EXERCISE WHATSOEVER for he last, I don't knoow, 10 years? I've been doing that couch-to-5k run thing, and I'm finding it about right eg. I'm broken at teh end of the run, but any less would be almost too easy. I can't say I'm enjoying it yet, but I'm hoping that once i get over the "absolutly unfit" bqarrier I'll be able to start liking it a little more.

Has anyone got any noobie tips?

I'm glad the pacing's working for you! I think the more you run, the greater proportion of your runs are kind of fun, as opposed to totally unpleasant, but the unpleasant ones are the price you pay for the good ones, right?

Haven't run for the past couple days because I want to be rested for my 5k tomorrow, and I'm still pretty sore from my 8 miles Wednesday. No clue why I'm so sore from that, but I'm hoping taking it easy is the solution.

i realized this morning it's not really my shins that are sore as much as my lower calves? i need to learn anatomy better. anyway, i don't know if that's a good sign (that shins are actually ok) or if my calves should have been accustomed to this stuff by now...

that happens to me sometimes. prob because you ran continuously for a longer time than usual you got tired and started to run badly. walking in intervals is good because it gives you time to recover so during the running time you run properly.

you are probably totally right on this bc i went from doing 7 or 8 min sets to 9.5 min on wed and then 17.5 min of continuous running on thurs. probably too much but it was fun!

9.20 miles today. Good run, I felt much better this time than the last time I ran 10 miles. Faster too. However, when I was walking home, I was freezing my ass off because I was soaked with sweet and it's 60 degrees with the wind blowing today.

Ran in a 5k this weekend! Unfortunately, I ran most of it with a friend who's a little faster than me, and miscalculated my pace when she ran ahead at the end...had to stop at 2.9 miles, vomit, and get going again, which was pretty embarrassing and ended up giving me a slower time than if I'd just taken it a little tiny bit easier. Anyway, overall it was fun, especially it being in warm rain :)

awwww. good job finishing after all that, though!!

i can't get this calf thing right... yesterday they were getting really tight, especially as soon as i stopped running and started walking. then super tight right when i got home but not so bad after 30 min or so. today they're a little sore. does this mean i need a break or that my form is horrendously bad?

haha how did you keep running (even if it was .2 miles) with puke in your mouth?? i ran just now and got a mouthful of gnats btw. gotta keep my mouth closed.

lol ew

xpost that seems normal to me and probably will go away soon? i get tight calves if i run a few min cold and then walk, then it goes away after i'm warmed up.

stretch though, i should do that too

9.20 miles today. Good run, I felt much better this time than the last time I ran 10 miles

how often are u running 10 miles?

i have chronically problematic calves and shins - they act up from running basketball yoga walking or whatever - one thing i find v helpful when running is to stretch then do a slow warm up jog for like a mile then stretch again and start the serious run - in fact all the stretching and running ive done over the last couple years has really helped my shins and calves a lot - theyre in way better shape than before

bought some new running shoes today - looks like theyre made out of silver lava btw

pix!

thanks for the tip - i will try this.

np t - just be patient w/yr aching legs

got the nb 1224s @ century 21 for $60 - photos dont really do the tripiness of their surfaces justice

http://www.runthema.com/imglib/newbalance/shoes/mr1224st.jpg

ABZORB! ABZORB! SBS! ABZORB!

WELCOME 2 THE SHOOOOOOES OF TOMORROW!

i have mizuno something something, they are pretty good

one day i saw this guy w/ these insane flourescent orange shoes and it was kinda distracting!!

how often are u running 10 miles?

I've only hit 10 miles once before. Since I'm trying to hit 75 miles in October, I've been trying to get as many long ones in while the weather is still passable.

haha how did you keep running (even if it was .2 miles) with puke in your mouth??

the embarrassment of doing ANYthing else would've been worse, that's how! and fortunately they were handing out water bottles at the end.

nice shiny ABZORB shoes!

Tehresa, I've had calf pains like yours in the past. gbx is probably gonna laugh his glutes off at my terrible grasp of anatomy here, but what I read about it was that the calf muscle is contained in some sort of sheath that's comparatively inelastic. As you start exercising, blood rushes into your leg muscles and they start expanding, but they're constrained by the surrounding sheath, and that's what the pain is. When you stop, the muscles relax and the pain goes.

Over time, your calves will adapt to running and the material surrounding your muscle will stretch. It takes a while though, so you really need to build up *slowly*. Stick to mostly running on the flat and avoid too much faster running. Ice packs should ease any pain if necessary. Of course you might have a totally different problem to this, but if the pain is going away quite quickly after running then you're probably not doing any major longterm damage.

There's some more detailed stuff on this thing here:

Compartment Syndrome in Depth AKA: Exertional Lower Limb Pain

As far as the discussion of surgery in the second half of that article goes, I know no-one who has ever needed that, so I think that's just the last resort for extreme cases.

http://www.physioroom.com/images/anatomy/compartment_syndrome_1.jpg

Gammon anyone?

As far as the discussion of surgery in the second half of that article goes, I know no-one who has ever needed that, so I think that's just the last resort for extreme cases.

― Peinlich Manoeuvre (NickB), Monday, October 5, 2009 3:57 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

my roommate last year had compartment syndrome (as a collegiate rower) and had surgery and both her calves AND her forearms

yow!

wait tehresa do you have like *pain* or just stiffness/soreness? i have experienced the latter a million times because i get out of shape all the time (usually in the winter but other times too) and then get sore for the first couple weeks but it goes away after a day or two off. actual pain i have never had.

my roommate last year had compartment syndrome (as a collegiate rower) and had surgery and both her calves AND her forearm

Did they do them all in one hit?

not sure, actually! I'd guess I'd assumed they'd do it in one go, but I hadn't thought it out. They might've done a couple surgeries

it feels like the muscle getting very tight/stiff, then when i stop running and walk it sometimes gets even stiffer? but then once i'm home it resolves in 30ish min or so. that happened saturday, i didn't run yesterday, and now i just have some minimal residual soreness about in the inner mid calf area. i don't want to overanalyze it too much and get all hypochondriac! and i'm not running huge long distances. i've been in pretty good shape (did not start running til after a good stint of cardio conditioning, strength training, and some weight loss) so it's not like my legs were all atrophied... and it's something that's crept up after about 6 weeks of running and wasn't there at first.

Be the best way to get back into your sport quicker, but you'd be a bit bolloxed in the interim.

x-post

Ran 25 miles this weekend (3 8-9 mile runs) and felt smooth and good. This weather (in NY) is perfect - low humidity, breezes, Prospect Park emptying out.

There's also the weather factor ... my muscles stiffen up during colder months, and lingering injuries (e.g. tightness, small strains, etc.) seem to linger longer. And I'm not talking about freezing temperatures here -- I stop running outdoors if the temp falls below 5-10 deg C. I like to run when it's really hot though, for a variety of reasons.

those are some decent miles Paul. Are you in training for something or were you just making the most of the nice weather?

t i didn't mean to imply you were out of shape! i just mean running is a different motion than other exercise and if you start doing more than you're used to you get sore. i'm noticing more stiffness in cooler weather too.

no, it's true! it is definitely a different motion than walking/elliptical stuff i was doing before. actually the weather thing brings up a good point! i did a pretty decent distance wed but it was mid-day and in the sun, and i wasn't as sore afterwards like i was thursday when i ran in the evening and it was chillier. but i think there is probably a combo of cooler weather + maybe pushing too far too soon. gah. i am impatient/always want to do moaaar so i will have to figure out how to balance those two.

Making most of nice weather. I haven't run competitively in a few years - used to race half marathons but I used to get nervous, sick, injured cos of stress. now i just run longish runs by myself for fun. it's also about the only time i get extended music time to myself...

hi tza
i am back to remind you to be moderate

i have been doing alright in my routine, running 4-5x a week but only in 30 min bursts. should i run for longer less frequently or just keep at it for a little while (almost) every day. i'm starting to enjoy going out in the early morning in the dark with my dog.

4-5/wk for 30 min seems like a good amount! but i am a newbie.
thank you for the reminder :)

6 more miles tonight. That's really more than I should be run after working a 12 hour day. And it's turning cold. While it was in the 50's, it was breezy and the sun is waning quickly in the evenings.

great running weather in la. legs still a bit creaky but best run in ages.

okay, i got to plan out my next three weeks to rehab.
i will post a schedule here and see what y'all think. I wanna not blow out my knee again and get the last of the outdoor running in while the weather is not pure shit.

Oh goody, "compartment syndrome". Another thing to add to add to the list of "Possible Reasons I Burst into Tears on 5th Avenue After A Parade" along with various definitions of shin splints! Suuuucky.

Terrible weather for running here over the past few days, it's been bloody great! Chucking it down with rain most of the time, thick fog on the hills, the woods are all wet and smell of damp and decay, and it's dark as a pint of Guinness by 7.30. Still quite warm though. Managing to run to work and back every other day and ride my bike on the others. You feel like you've been hoiked out of a bog when you get into the office, sets you up nicely for the rest of the day I think.

i've been enjoying morning running before the sun comes up. the sun is a giant red ball over the lake by the time i'm on my way home and it's totally rad.

xp On the bright side, you don't need a shower after.

Oh boy, I'm in that shower like gangbusters.

you have a shower at work? i wonder what percentage of people have a shower at work. i have never even seen such a thing.

we had a shower in the ladies' room at my old job but everyone thought it was weird and creepy and never used it

Really? I do work at a university and they're keen on getting people to bike to campus so there are showers all over the place. New clean ones with hot water and everything.

Gotta sit with a soggy towel by your desk afterwards though.

Anyhow, nonchalant owners of curious dogs that just want to sniff your round legs when your running C/D?

i guess the whole thought of being nude at work is really unsettling to me for some reason

dogs are c because they are cute

it's probably common at a college but this was an early 20th c. office building. it had been remodeled in the 70s or something, i think that's when the weird shower was put in. i don't think the hot water really worked in that building either.

People don't like showering outside their homes, in general I have a feeling. It IS a pretty vulnerable state, and schlocky horror movies not helping our mass consciousness about showers and/or being naked, here.

There's a shower in my dance studio, which is like having a shower IN A GYM, and no one but me uses it.

dogs are c because they are cute

Dogs are awesome, but aiiieee, that frontal approach thing they do where they come charging straight up then just stand waggling crossways in your path. No dodging the advances a friendly spaniel.

The work shower is better than our home one, I'm happy as bat in it.

as a bat.

Yeah I was gonna say, showering at he gym is w/e. Have showered there nearly every day this week iirc

gym showers are always great! good water pressure, temp, drain works right, etc.

i love showering at gym bc i have to pay for water at home!
also my gym showers are v v pretty.

meanwhile after a few days of quasi rest (i cheated and did a little bit of running on treadmill at gym yesterday bc i couldn't help myself) i think i have determined that it may be shin pain after all? i feel like such a hypochondriac but also i am kind of worried and frustrated bc i really just want to go runnnnnnnn outside and i can't.

I have a gym and showers at work. My employers want to make it comfortable for people to stay there as many hours as possible. I don't make use of any of the facilities though. I sometimes run home from work though, which requires just a quick change.

6.37 miles yesterday. Nice and cool. I felt like I could have gone several more miles. I'm at 28 for the month. Still on pace for surpassing 75.

Don't know how it compares with sites that other folks have been using, but http://www.goodrunguide.co.uk looks like an amazing site for mapping your runs and also logging them (also viewing climb profiles, keeping training schedules, checking out other peoples routes and all that stuff). Good for logging bike rides too. It's UK based - not really sure if you can join if you're abroad - but you can certainly map runs in the US and elsewhere, so might be worth playing with. You need to sign up to save routes, but you can take out a free trial membership to start with. It's definitely been designed by runners, the functionality is so good. Dunno why it's taken me so long to find really.

Lots of graphing functions and stuff too, totally geeking out here.

i finally had a 20 mile week! now have to work on going up from there, though - probably means running more often instead of much longer distances, though, i don't look forward to long runs like i used to thanks to living in a boring city. how i miss living near trails.

The Chicago Marathon is tomorrow. I thought I would run an (unofficial) half marathon in celebration. I'm previous long is 10 miles, I'm sure I can eek out another 3.1. We'll see.

You should be able to do that Jeff, just start slow and take some snacks and water with you.

I made it all 13.1. That's certainly not something I want to do every day. I finished in 2:04:54, which close the the time Sammy Wanjiru completed the real marathon today, 2:05:41.

congrats!

Good work Jeff! How are the legs now?

Uh, they feel like they weigh about 100 pounds each. I try to stay light on my feet and not hit the ground too hard while I'm running, but for the last two miles it felt like I was stomping with each step.

Still can't imagine running a marathon though. Even though all types of runners seem to finish.