The Official Running thread!

[el_loco_avs]

Hmm, looking around i'm seeing 300-400 as a rule of thumb in most advice places. Less if you're heavier or more if you're pretty light (running style also being a factor). But I am over 400 now so I'll see. I'll poke my dad about it actually, see what he thinks. He's been running for 40 years or something.

100 miles would have me need 6 pairs a year.

Well. My dad runs at least double of what I do each week. And he's got shoes around 5 years old. He only replaces them when the rubber bottom is starting to disappear. So he'll to over a thousand miles on them I think. One thing he does do is rotate multiple pairs of shoes. I shall try this when I'm fully recovered.

Speaking of which. Managed a 15 minute run without knee pain this week. Next week will feature two such runs and the following a half hour run. *fingers crossed*

[Izawwlgood]

I was definitely under reporting the amount of milage you can put on a shoe. 400-500 or so miles seems to be an accepted range. But you're dad is absolutely over using shoes. If it doesn't bother him, the c'est la vie, but I've got flat feet, so when my running support goes, so do my knees.

[duckshirt]

Landing more in the middle of your feet (on the 'ball' of your foot) is a good idea anyways - it's faster.

Anyways, I also like to put really high mileage on my shoes, because I like the worn in feeling better, but I've been dealing with what seems like a stress reaction or bone bruise or something lately. I've done a couple really long runs (one of them 15 miles, the longest ever for me) all on hard pavement, so lately I've been doing a lot of running on the grass, and I seem to be fine.

I'm racing a 5k on Saturday, and I'm starting sort of a mini-taper today and running easy. I'm still more focused on future races, but I've run some good workouts in the last month or so and I'm hoping for a big PR.

[el_loco_avs]

Good luck on the PR!

[el_loco_avs]

I was definitely under reporting the amount of milage you can put on a shoe. 400-500 or so miles seems to be an accepted range. But you're dad is absolutely over using shoes. If it doesn't bother him, the c'est la vie, but I've got flat feet, so when my running support goes, so do my knees.

Yeah, he definately is running the shoes into the ground. But I was thinking that we have similar builds and i'm almost 10kg light than he is... I should be able to last with shoes as well. Maybe in time when I've been running longer.

[Izawwlgood]

I'm hoping for a big PR.

This is the running thread you brigand, post some fucking numbers!

Landing more in the middle of your feet

I'm not sure if I'm misinterpreting what you're saying, but landing in the middle of your foot seems higher impact? I try and land on my heel, with my leg already pulling back. Smooth running seems more important to me and my IT band well being.

[duckshirt]

I'm hoping for a big PR.

This is the running thread you brigand, post some fucking numbers!

I've posted them in other threads; I thought it might be overkill to post them anywhere... I did my last 5k race, at Thanksgiving, in 17:59 (my current PR), and I'm hoping for low 17's this race, which would be about 30th place (It's a pretty big race). I want to start the first mile in under 5:30, then cross the 2 mile in the low 11's. I've had the number 16:59 written on a sticky note on my desk, but that's an overall spring goal, and I'm not in peak condition so I don't think I'm there yet. I have run some good workouts, though, and I'm anxious to get out and race again, so this race should still be good for me.

Landing more in the middle of your feet

I'm not sure if I'm misinterpreting what you're saying, but landing in the middle of your foot seems higher impact? I try and land on my heel, with my leg already pulling back. Smooth running seems more important to me and my IT band well being.[/quote]
Yeah, I think the best way to run (with good speed and little impact) is landing slightly on your heel (but still somewhat flat) and rolling forward, but if you land too much on your heel (with your foot making a larger angle with the ground, ie 'heel striking'), it starts to slow you down. Most people have a problem running too much like that, due to over-striding and having their feet land too far in front of them when they run, so they're taught to run 'on their toes,' which isn't literally on their toes, but just flatter.

[Hobgoblin]

What do you guys think of barefoot running, or running with minimal shoes, just a sole essentially? It seems interesting, but I don't have the money to buy special shoes and try it out.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/ you should get these on ebay. not too bad on the price if you're serious about this, but if it's a one time thing, don't bother.

[el_loco_avs]

I have a couple of worries about the vibram shoes. First, I have a "greek foot" where my index toe is somewhat longer than my big toe, which the vibram shoes don't seem to be shaped to My feet are also huge, and I have relatively long toes. Furthermore, I have a fairly flat foot, so I might take some time to adjust, although I'm interested in barefoot running partly because I think that it might help my foot, so that's not really a problem. Finally, I don't know what I think about buying used from ebay - used shoes are kind of gross, IMO.

I'll probably email vibram about the sizing and the toe length issue.

The Ecco Biom shoe is also an option. Hella expensive but it seems to be very thought out. Comes with a training program to help you adapt too.
http://www.thebiomproject.com/ for more info on that one.

[Bright Shadows]

RUNNING THREAD! YEA!

>.>
I run and stuff. Kinda mid-low distance. (HS Track and XC)
PRs:
400--00:59 (not recently updated)
1600--6:00 (not recently updated)
3200--14:00 (not recently updated)
5000--22:00

Trying to cut a minute off my mile at the moment. I'll get an update on my current time soon.

[el_loco_avs]

I had another 15 minute run this morning. Knee held up... but felt... odd. Some discomfort in a different part of the knee than before. I also got tired from a run that was only FIFTEEN freaking minutes. It's pissing me off. Going from having a nice relaxing hour-and-a-half run to getting tired from a 15 minute one is really messing with my motivation.

I know... i should still take the recovery slowly and just rebuild the endurance. But... man. I feel like it's all gone already.

[Hobgoblin]

For off-season on my swim team, we lost our pool due to some reconstruction work, and so we've been running around the track at school and doing exercise and stuff..

We run 1 mile each day, which is good for me..

I need some new running shoes. My old ones were RAPED by moths and my nasty feet, and I'd love a new pair. Any suggestions?

[setris]

Senior high school track runner. I do cross-country as well, but I usually stick to 400-800-1600 in track. I just came off of my best weekend ever for track, posting 3 personal best times at one meet in the span of about 2 hours (4:41 mile, 2:08 800, 0:56 400, ran in that order), and my legs are still reeling from it. If I can get my times just a bit lower I'll be able to do fairly well if I go to a Division III college, and right now I've got about a month and a half to pull it off.

[el_loco_avs]

They're like car websites. They want to confuse you with all kinds of bling and irrelevant information.

I can't imagine not trying the shoes themselves and buying them online.

[el_loco_avs]

Once you do try them on, though, there's no issue with buying new ones online once the old ones are worn out.

Also, vibram's customer service hasn't gotten back to me, which is discouraging.

I'm always curious to try the newer models from the same line by then usually. >_< Consumer whore? me?



Hm. Customerservice could just be slow. Sucks though.

[Commoner]

What do you guys think of barefoot running, or running with minimal shoes, just a sole essentially? It seems interesting, but I don't have the money to buy special shoes and try it out.

I used to run barefoot a lot when i was a youngin' (pshh, like 10 years old). Grassy fields, the beach and what not, places i knew were least likely to garner sharp rocks and the like.

I don't know if it made me any better at running then if i hadn't.

Find a nice soft grassy field and give it a go. Soft grass feels better then any shoe.

[Kangaroo]

What do you guys think of barefoot running, or running with minimal shoes, just a sole essentially? It seems interesting, but I don't have the money to buy special shoes and try it out.

A guy in Sweden ran his 100th marathon barefoot, as it was on concrete his feet were a bloody mess afterwards. He recovered in about a weeks' time, though. It'd be nice to run barefoot in the forest during the warm summers.

[Bright Shadows]

Um...
Well, it wouldn't be TOO bad, but pine needles and rocks tend to be nearby at all times.

[Hobgoblin]

What do you guys think of barefoot running, or running with minimal shoes, just a sole essentially? It seems interesting, but I don't have the money to buy special shoes and try it out.

A guy in Sweden ran his 100th marathon barefoot, as it was on concrete his feet were a bloody mess afterwards. He recovered in about a weeks' time, though. It'd be nice to run barefoot in the forest during the warm summers.

I bet his feet have callouses as thick as the soles of most shoes.

[celandine]

I signed up for a charity 5k, kind of on a whim, and it's this Saturday. I haven't been training very much lately (alternating days between weight training and six-mile runs) so I don't expect any kind of fabulous time, but what should I be doing this week?
I'm a fairly experienced distance runner, but I've never been all that fast, and I haven't raced since high school XC.

[novocaine]

usually in the last week, if you've been training hard for the last few weeks, you cut back on your mileage. say half of what you usually do.

[duckshirt]

Yeah that, and don't lift the day before, if you were planning on it. It still might be good to run a couple miles the day before, just to stay loose, unless you really aren't used to running back-to-back days. Good luck!

Anyways, my last race didn't go that well; I started out extremely fast and suffered the rest of the way... finished in 18:20, about a minute off where I wanted to be. But it's still a solid race, so I'm still confidant I can do better. I think I'm gonna try to race another 5k two weeks from Saturday, which might be small enough for me to win, and then one the next week hosted by my college, where I'll probably be battling with a couple of my friends for the win.

[justaman]

I guess this is the place to discuss ITB injuries as well....

Any good stretches out there, a physio once told me to stand and cross my legs, roll the rear foot so that the outside of the foot rather than the sole is touching the ground and then try to sit down - obviously stopping when you feel the stretch but before the pain. I had real problems with this one, made my injuries a lot worse. Another stretch - resting your foot, with the outside of the foot on a low table top, and holding for 15 sec seems to be the best for me.

Any other suggestions appreciated.

Any trail runners out there? Favourite places to run, types of trails, hills? My favourites are narrow (1 person wide) hill trails for the awesome views and changes in surface and terrain. The lack of people and not being near traffic is a real plus too.

I need to find more time for running - stupid job, starts early and finishes late.

[celandine]

There's a great state park along a canal near where I go to school; beautiful woods, foxes, bald eagles, herons, beavers. Nice soft dirt, and not too much traffic if you go out far enough.
But the best trail running I've ever been on is in Ithaca, NY; there are hills at 45-degree hills and waterfalls.

[duckshirt]

There aren't many trails within running distance of here, but there's a really nice cross country course with some trails out in a nature preserve, which feel great on my feet if I've been pounding too much. The neighborhoods are pretty nice, too, but I wish there were more wooded trails.

[celandine]

Winter must suck. I was there in the summer and it was great. Also, huge campus! Walking around was definitely strenuous.

[el_loco_avs]

I bet his feet have callouses as thick as the soles of most shoes.

It might be in my head but my feet seem to have gotten so much softer after hardly running for a month. >_<


I managed an ok 5k run yesterday night. Things are looking better. I'm aiming for a 10k race next month. Just to get some motivation again.

[Mr Jack]

I took up refereeing football (soccer for all you Americans) a few years ago, and that gave me great motivation to go for runs. I actually mainly started running as a way of procrastinating when I had school exams to prepare for... I started with 10 minute runs, and now I go for about an hour. I moved to a new city recently for uni, though, and it's really hilly, which I'm totally not used to, so it's been a lot harder to run here.

The best place to run has got to be at the beach at sunset on a still summer's day. Magical.

[duckshirt]

Frick yeah, I just ran my 10 mile run at 6:14/mile... I've never even run 5 miles at that pace before... This 25k race is going down (my goal for that is 6:26 pace).

[Hobgoblin]

Frick yeah, I just ran my 10 mile run at 6:14/mile... I've never even run 5 miles at that pace before... This 25k race is going down (my goal for that is 6:26 pace).

WHOA. That's fast!

[arbymcarby]

Frick yeah, I just ran my 10 mile run at 6:14/mile... I've never even run 5 miles at that pace before... This 25k race is going down (my goal for that is 6:26 pace).

You are running 10 consecutive 6 minute miles?

Jesus fuck. Have you considered the olympics?

[el_loco_avs]

Hah. I just did the math on that one. Jesus ass balls that's fast. I barely get below 6 minute kilometres while I'm training haha.


I did an 8k at an easy 6m/km pace last night. Feels good finally being able to get some distance runs in. Still noticing I'm not nearly as strong as before injury... but I'm slowly getting there.




On another note, what do you peeps do for cross-training workouts? Right now I'm just doing some crunches, push-ups and such after running.

[Bright Shadows]

Cross... training? Like, training that isn't running?

1. Abs (lots of abs)
2. Some upper body work (arms contribute to running, right?)
3. Swimming (like running and #2 put together)
4. Biking (low impact is a plus)

Those are all supposed to be pretty good, I think.

[duckshirt]

I do abs, sometimes situps and stuff, but more recently these, as they seem to feel good for running... I also used to lift a lot, but I haven't been lifting that much lately, since it doesn't help as much for very long distances. I still do push-ups, though, but I'm kind of a wimp with those. I'm thinking about biking a little, now that it's warm, and maybe getting into rock climbing, since they just built a wall here.

[el_loco_avs]

I do some of those actually. I should add superman and bridge to my routine as well actually.

[Izawwlgood]

Registered for the Chicago Marathon today!

[el_loco_avs]

Ooh! Good luck!

[el_loco_avs]

Heh. Turns out I've completely lost my feel for speed. I have my first post-injury race coming up next sunday (10k during marathon in Enschede). I did a 5k tempo run just to get the feel back (have only trained long run style so far, post-injury). I was completely dead by the half way point Had to take two breaks and I was very worried that I couldn't sustain a satisfactory pace for the 10k race.
Entering my time in my log I calculated that I did my 5k, including 2 breaks, in a pace one second slower than my record 10k pace (49:05). Oops. Apparantly I was running waaay faster than I thought.

With a little more sensible speed I should be able to do a satisfactory 10k. I'm aiming for 50-52 minutes.

[Izawwlgood]

Turns out I've completely lost my feel for speed.

After being out of practice I too have a really hard time gauging my pace. I don't run with a watch, and I often switch around the songs I'm listening to, so even if I'm on familiar territory, the only metric I have is pain, and we all know how that can vary.

[Mr Jack]

I "ran" up the steepest street in the world yesterday.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_Street