The Official Running thread!

[liltimmy]

Last week at the gym I ran about a mile, I don't remember how long it took me.
I do remember that my knees were giving some serious hatred afterwards.

[el_loco_avs]

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

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

Argh! Deadly! I hate steep roads.

Worst I had was in NY near the brooklyn bridge.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.702928,-73.994379&spn=0,359.961376&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=40.702862,-73.994198&panoid=Gl6TEpuUO8zqUUGQrqPhbA&cbp=12,206.44451547513347,,0,19.000000000000014
Doesn't look impressive from here at all lol

[Allenr]

I live in Florida and there are no hills. All the running I do is on flat roads. When I go up to Mass next year, I'm gonna be in trouble from the altitude change, going from practiacly sea level, and the cold air.

Does anyone know a good way to help avoid shin splints?

[Rakysh]

Heya.

I've got a 8.5 mile fun run in a couple weeks. I'm running for about 20 mins every few days- I think I'm covering 2-3 miles. My main problem is knee pain after a mile or so- anything I can do to alleviate that?

[Rakysh]

I have worried about the shoes a little- they aren't proper running shoes. I'll try some different ones, and see if I can land anywhere other than the heel. Thanks

[Izawwlgood]

Does anyone know a good way to help avoid shin splints?

To avoid them, stretch, and sort of reconcile with the fact that if you are ramping up really hard, you will get them.

To treat them, which isn't too bad, freeze dixie cups of water and directly apply ice to your shins, rolling it around. Also, take advil. And stretch.

[Hobgoblin]

I ran a mile for my high school's fitness test. Since I'm in both an athletics club and a fine arts class, I had to take it twice. (That's what they're comparing)

The first time I did it a few months ago I was really out of shape from being disqualified during District championships and not swimming for like a month, so my results were.. bad.

My mile was: 11:20
My mile is now: 8:23

:] I've improved tremendously since we started running during practice.

[el_loco_avs]

3 minutes is a huge improvement in a couple of months! Well done man!


So today I ran a 10k. Wanted to do a half marathon, but injury messed with my training. Now... flu also messed with me. I had a fever on friday and I was dead tired on saturday. So no recordbreaking pace or anything, but I still managed to beat last years time by 2 minutes, despite heat, "tight"-feeling lungs and for some reason I got that classic pain in my sides (spleen. I NEVER get that usually). So it was a really difficult run, but I'm content with the way I toughed it out. 53:49. Now, onto training for bigger and better things.

[duckshirt]

In the last week or two, I've been feeling worse and worse running and slowing down more. There was a big 5k race on campus last Saturday, and some other runners of similar fitness and I have been planning a big throwdown, hoping one of us would win the race. Unfortunately, about 2 minutes into the race, I stopped and started puking, and couldn't run hard the rest of the way, and had to just take it easy. I was really dizzy after, and eventually learned that I was really, extremely dehydrated, and I have been dehydrated for the past couple of weeks, which would explain why I haven't been running well. I drank water constantly for the rest of the day and never really went to the bathroom, which is probably a bad sign. I've drunk a lot of water and electrolytes in the past 36 hours, and I feel much, much better, but I don't feel completely hydrated just yet...

In conclusion, that was a little scary, but I'm glad I figured out what's been wrong with me. As it's getting warmer, I've been sweating a lot more and haven't been adjusting, so I need to get back into the habit of carrying my water bottle everywhere and be healthy when I run the 25k in two weeks. I am sad I wasn't competitive for the race, though.

*sips more water*

[kgirlfae]

^^ I'm glad you're ok! Keep drinking that water! It's always fun when summer hits and suddenly you need more, huh?

In my running news, I'm getting to a much better pace on the treadmill (I had to move to the machine because my schedule made it so I could only run at night, and as a female with no dog that freaks me out). Today we had a marathon that shut down access to the mall I work at, and watching everyone run made me decide "I want to do that". So my new fitness goal is to be in shape enough to join the marathon next year. *crosses fingers*

[Tidia]

I have been researching online the benefits of running barefoot and have been quite taken with the idea. However most people I have spoken with seem to think its far better to run with shoes on. Personally having tried running with and without shoes for the last couple of days (nothing long mostly just warm-ups before the gym etc.) I found running barefoot to be far superior in all aspects.

Anyone else got any thoughts on this topic, it was mentioned earlier in the thread but thought it was so interesting as the far majority of people do not even want to consider barefoot as an alternative (a nurse I spoke with said that running barefoot made your toes spread out and gives you calluses as though that is a bad thing!).

[TheSkyMovesSideways]

Anyone else got any thoughts on [running barefoot?]

Yes.

It's awesome. Ease into it very slowly (by starting with maybe 1km max distance and increasing as you stop getting DOMS in the calves). Don't do it on ground hot enough to burn you or cold enough to cause damage.

[Izawwlgood]

I'm under the impression that running barefoot on pavement is pretty bad for you. Induce flat feet, harder on your knees, you're likely to turn an ankle, etc.

I'm curious about those natural sole shoes tho. And I spend a lot of my summer barefoot, so take that with a grain of salt

[TheSkyMovesSideways]

I'm under the impression that running barefoot on pavement is pretty bad for you. Induce flat feet, harder on your knees, you're likely to turn an ankle, etc.

Nah. It's definitely a lot softer on the knees, as the ankles reduce impact then barefoot much more than any shoe could, and it's damn-near impossible to roll your ankle when your foot is flat against the ground. Having a thick sole, especially at the heel is what introduces instability and makes it possible to roll your ankle. (Consider the stability of your feet when standing on flat ground with bare feet, compared to with a tennis ball attached to the bottom of your foot.)

[Allenr]

I'm under the impression that running barefoot on pavement is pretty bad for you. Induce flat feet, harder on your knees, you're likely to turn an ankle, etc.

I'm curious about those natural sole shoes tho. And I spend a lot of my summer barefoot, so take that with a grain of salt

Another thing, you can get very bad blisters. I was playing basketball barefoot and after about 40 minutes, my toes were bleeding

[Izawwlgood]

That is hardcore. Someone linked one of those natural sole shoes that I plan on testing out this summer. But the only place I really ever run barefoot is on the beach, and even then, I have to transition between packed wet sand and looser, dry sand periodically.

I think I have pretty good stride, even cadence, and don't plop my feet down too hard. But still, running barefoot is badass. In XC, a friend and I used to joke about finishing 5k's barefoot, and then crossing the finish line and saying "In my village, shoes are for the women and the weak" in a super thick russian accent and then roundhouse kicking someone in the face. Barefoot.

[Allenr]

That is hardcore. Someone linked one of those natural sole shoes that I plan on testing out this summer. But the only place I really ever run barefoot is on the beach, and even then, I have to transition between packed wet sand and looser, dry sand periodically.

I think I have pretty good stride, even cadence, and don't plop my feet down too hard. But still, running barefoot is badass. In XC, a friend and I used to joke about finishing 5k's barefoot, and then crossing the finish line and saying "In my village, shoes are for the women and the weak" in a super thick russian accent and then roundhouse kicking someone in the face. Barefoot.

PLEASE DEAR GOD SEND ME PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WholeLottaSean]

I finished my first 10k run today, in Watford, UK.
45:58, which I'm pretty proud of.
And there were two killer hills. By the end, my side and shoulder had shooting pains but it was all good.
I think I'm gonna give running a break for a moment.

[Justice]

I'm personally a distance runner, currently running for my middle school track team.
My time is hideous and I will not be sharing it until it gets better.
I'm getting better every day, and I have noticed a drastic change from my ** minute mile a couple years ago.
Distance as in the mile, and the half mile, but I also run cross country in Autumn. (2 miles)
I think I would be a really good marathon runner because I find myself ahead of most people when we're doing 25-30 minute runs.

Endurance.

[duckshirt]

I ran great in the 25k today... I finished in 1:42:09, which is about 6:34/mile. Due to flooding around the river bank, they had to change the course to a much more hilly one, so I was definitely happy with that time. The most surprising part, though, was my two friends and I took first, second, third (me) in our age division. This is a really big race, and the age group is normally stacked with lots of good runners.

[Taiyo]

I'm another one of those "trying to get into running/running beginners" and it seems like this thread is a great resource so I wanted to ask some questions that have come up since I've started. I've been doing the interval type of training that kgirlfae has been doing and I'm down to alternating 1 min. walking/5 min. running for 30 minutes on an indoor rubberized track, 3 times a week (started working on it in late February at 5 min. walking/1 min. running).

Some questions that I've had:

1) I've noticed that the last 3-4 weeks my right knee has become really sensitive to me landing on it crooked. It doesn't really hurt when I'm running but if I'm walking and my foot lands slightly twisted I get a sharp pain. Not only that, I've also noticed that now when I squat down it produces a shooting pain. My left knee seems fine, is this something that's been triggered by running? Is there a way to fix this? Is this something I should go to a doctor for or is it pretty typical when you start trying to run?

2) When trying to learn to run like this as a beginner, is it better to maintain the same pace for the entire 5 minutes or better to try to push for more speed in the last minute or two of each interval? Being a beginner I run pretty slow and it can be really frustrating to have everyone in the world passing me, but if I speed up I know I can't maintain the pace. Will speeding up for part of the interval gain me speed in general (and faster) or at this point is it better to just maintain an even pace?

3) The past two weeks instead of it getting easier to do the 2 min walk/5 min run and the 1 min walk/5 min run intervals, it's been feeling like it's been getting harder and harder. I usually go 3 times a week but sometimes the days are uneven, ie: 1 week could be Tue, Wed, Fri, the next week could be Sun, Mon, Wed, etc. Is this the cause of things getting harder? Is it detrimental to run consecutive days? Is there a certain number of days where taking too long of a break will have a negative effect (ex. If the break between going is 5 days vs going 2 days in a row, etc)?

4) Is it better to wait to have a water break until after the 30 minutes is up, or is it better to pause the run to get a drink in the middle?

5) Will learning to run like this increase my normal walking pace?

Sorry for all the newbie questions! I actually really dislike running (elementary school gym class flashbacks) but always wished I could do it, so when I found a "learn to run" program on Google in February I decided that I was going to go for it! Maybe if I can actually run without feeling like a puking fish gasping for water then I'll like it a lot more , it's just brought on a lot of questions.

[el_loco_avs]

1) I've noticed that the last 3-4 weeks my right knee has become really sensitive to me landing on it crooked. It doesn't really hurt when I'm running but if I'm walking and my foot lands slightly twisted I get a sharp pain. Not only that, I've also noticed that now when I squat down it produces a shooting pain. My left knee seems fine, is this something that's been triggered by running? Is there a way to fix this? Is this something I should go to a doctor for or is it pretty typical when you start trying to run?

I'd say you should probably get it looked at. I don't recognize those symptoms at all. Sharp pain sounds bad. Could be anything though. Might just need some rest?

2) When trying to learn to run like this as a beginner, is it better to maintain the same pace for the entire 5 minutes or better to try to push for more speed in the last minute or two of each interval? Being a beginner I run pretty slow and it can be really frustrating to have everyone in the world passing me, but if I speed up I know I can't maintain the pace. Will speeding up for part of the interval gain me speed in general (and faster) or at this point is it better to just maintain an even pace?

I think when starting out learning a steady pace is most important. Cant' really provide sources for that one though. While progressing you will automatically gain some speed though.
If you want to focus on gaining speed you can do short intervals maybe. Like a minute (or a half minute) of race-pace running and then a minute of jogging slowly. This should build some strength and speed for your normal pace.

3) The past two weeks instead of it getting easier to do the 2 min walk/5 min run and the 1 min walk/5 min run intervals, it's been feeling like it's been getting harder and harder. I usually go 3 times a week but sometimes the days are uneven, ie: 1 week could be Tue, Wed, Fri, the next week could be Sun, Mon, Wed, etc. Is this the cause of things getting harder? Is it detrimental to run consecutive days? Is there a certain number of days where taking too long of a break will have a negative effect (ex. If the break between going is 5 days vs going 2 days in a row, etc)?

Training effect is maximized if you can recover fully before running again, especially if you're really pushing yourself hard. If you work really hard you need your muscles to be able to repair themselves before getting 'damaged' again.
My mum had the same thing when she started running (after quitting smoking ). She just pushed herself too hard. Now she backed off a bit and is progressing again.

4) Is it better to wait to have a water break until after the 30 minutes is up, or is it better to pause the run to get a drink in the middle?

Not very important I think, just do what you feel best with. Personally I don't do water breaks at all except when it's hot and i'm running 1 1/2 hours or more.

5) Will learning to run like this increase my normal walking pace?

Not necessarily. But you'll be able to keep up a brisk walking pace much easier probably, but it won't be automatic if you're usually just strolling

Sorry for all the newbie questions! I actually really dislike running (elementary school gym class flashbacks) but always wished I could do it, so when I found a "learn to run" program on Google in February I decided that I was going to go for it! Maybe if I can actually run without feeling like a puking fish gasping for water then I'll like it a lot more , it's just brought on a lot of questions.

Heh. I'd say... slow down a little bit until you can do your intervals without feeling like you're dying. Then when you get further on in your program (say when you're close to running a half hour continuously) try doing speedwork once a week.
When starting out you're trying to be able to run *longer*, not faster.

Good job on your running so far though, good luck and keep up the good work!
What's your goal by the way?

[thicknavyrain]

I've been long distance running for about a year and a half now. My usual route is 4km, which I did about 3 times a week whenever possible for aforementioned time until recently a friend and I did a 10 mile (16.13km to be exact: same distance as the New Jersey Route 88!) run. After that we felt pretty good and seeing as it was only 3 miles from being a half marathon we figured it wouldn't be much harder to do that next. Haha, how naive we were. We did it but towards the last 3km we (and by that I mean I) had to stop for half minute breaks at the end of long roads just to be able to go on. We did it all though, in 2 hours 15 roughly. That's how long it takes a marathon runner to run a FULL marathon. Hehe. Still, it was awesome and as I live in London the scenery changes often and it's really awesome. I'd love to be able to run a marathon someday but hey, I'm starting out at 16, by the time I'm 22 or something, who knows?

(Oh, and on short runs, music is pretty much standard...)

[Taiyo]

Thank you for the answers to my questions! I've stopped trying to speed up and the last run felt a lot easier and less torturous. Also, I'm calling a doctor today and not worrying about the water breaks anymore. Any other pointers to a newbie are appreciated!

Good job on your running so far though, good luck and keep up the good work!
What's your goal by the way?

My eventual goal is to be able to run 30 minutes without stopping or feeling terrible, and being able to run 8 minute miles. They're humble goals compared to all of you running mad-people but I'm going for achievable, haha

One day in the far far future I'd like to do a marathon, but that's a long way off.

[el_loco_avs]

Excellent. I want updates on the doctor and your progress!

Good luck!

I've been long distance running for about a year and a half now. My usual route is 4km, which I did about 3 times a week whenever possible for aforementioned time until recently a friend and I did a 10 mile (16.13km to be exact: same distance as the New Jersey Route 88!) run. After that we felt pretty good and seeing as it was only 3 miles from being a half marathon we figured it wouldn't be much harder to do that next. Haha, how naive we were. We did it but towards the last 3km we (and by that I mean I) had to stop for half minute breaks at the end of long roads just to be able to go on. We did it all though, in 2 hours 15 roughly. That's how long it takes a marathon runner to run a FULL marathon. Hehe. Still, it was awesome and as I live in London the scenery changes often and it's really awesome. I'd love to be able to run a marathon someday but hey, I'm starting out at 16, by the time I'm 22 or something, who knows?

Wow.Running a 10 mile and a 1/2 marathon on 4k practice runs is pretty impressive. That time isn't slow at all considering that. Man, with some longer training runs you'll be under 2 hours for a 1/2 marathon in no time.

[eekmeep]

Thank you for the answers to my questions! I've stopped trying to speed up and the last run felt a lot easier and less torturous. Also, I'm calling a doctor today and not worrying about the water breaks anymore. Any other pointers to a newbie are appreciated!

Good job on your running so far though, good luck and keep up the good work!
What's your goal by the way?

My eventual goal is to be able to run 30 minutes without stopping or feeling terrible, and being able to run 8 minute miles. They're humble goals compared to all of you running mad-people but I'm going for achievable, haha

One day in the far far future I'd like to do a marathon, but that's a long way off.

Those are excellent goals.

Other suggestions:

- good running shoes (suited for your particular gait)
- post-run stretching is KEY
- good fuel/good rest/good hydration

Hope the doc can figure out what's going on with your knee. if you have to take a break from running for a little bit, don't sweat it. Swimming, biking, or elliptical are all great cross-training exercise. If you can't even do those, then a hand bike (if you can find one) will still provide a decent cardio workout. but DON'T take chances with your knees!

And ... congratulations!!

[Bright Shadows]

Hey people.
I've been sorta on-off running for a while now, with track and cross country, and now I want to start going a bit more continuously. I'm not new to running, really, given 4 years of both listed sports, but I am new to running on my own. Very much so.

*Is there anything that helps you stay motivated?
Running on my own, I seem to feel tired faster, and it tends to make me stop sooner. It might be that my pacing is weird since I've been running in packs as long as I've been running, but part of it, I am thoroughly convinced, is that I am lazy, and without some guy yelling at me I will tend to move slower. Trying to counteract that.

*Roads and a hill are what I've got to run on, and I'm trying to make the best of it without getting hurt. Note that "a hill" does mean one hill, but it's quite large. Base to top, maybe 400 feet long.
Anyway, should I just alternate? Should I stick with one more than the other? Should I go somewhere else to run when I can?

Probably a million more questions when I remember them.

[eekmeep]

I suggest developing some good mantras to keep you motivated.

also, if you are in a safe enough area, music or audiobooks are good too (I've never listened to an audiobook, but this is what I have been told).

Logging your mileage/pace might keep you motivated to keep improving.

[Angel on the Steps]

Hey people.
Running on my own, I seem to feel tired faster, and it tends to make me stop sooner. It might be that my pacing is weird since I've been running in packs as long as I've been running, but part of it, I am thoroughly convinced, is that I am lazy, and without some guy yelling at me I will tend to move slower. Trying to counteract that.

I certainly know that feeling! Until the last year all the running I did was in group (training or competition), and it can be a bit unsettling to suddenly run all by yourself. Did you run at a steady pace when you were with other people? If not, you might want to work on that and set yourself targets of sorts (or run in laps). I know I'm a lot less likely to get going again when I start to 'slack off' without the pressure of the pack, but I don't think it's laziness... it's just harder to do your best when you suddenly find yourself without any support.

Another thing that helped me make the transition to the life of the lonely heart is to run in places with a fair amount of other runners... I know, that's hopelessly competitive, but it certainly did help! It may be easier to do that if you're running in circles as you can always compare yourself to the people who are running the other way around, as opposed to having to find someone else to chase down. Of course, that's heavily dependent on your local running demographics...

Keep it up, though

[el_loco_avs]

Spicy foods and long runs don't mix.


I prefer eating spicy food over just about anything.




Right now I'm just doing it anyway and wrestly with upset stomach until i fall asleep.

[thicknavyrain]

- post-run stretching is KEY

What particular stretches are the best post run? I mean, after my run, I do some circuit training stuff and after that I don't know which stretches are best and I usually don't have a lot of time so I either do every stretch I know or none. Are there 2-4 simple stretches I can do that are good, post-run?

[Samsoneffect]

So I've just gotten back into the running thing and have a few targets that I'm working toward over the summer, which are as follows:

400m: 1:08
800m: 2:50
Mile: 6:00
5 km: 26:00

After doing a few of those, it looks like the 5 km target is going to be the most easily achievable for me, since the last run I did was a 4.1 km in 21:17 (About a 5:12.3 per km), and I worked out that the pace is going to leave me about a second and a half slow of that target. THe other ones may take me a while though. Wasn't ever much of a runner, and mostly getting more into now after being goaded by my brother (a friendly sibling rivalry makes for a pretty good motivator.)

Anybody have any advice on how to work on improving the shorter runs, like the 400 and 800? For stuff like the 5 km, I've mostly just been trying to run a little bit farther and a little bit faster each time, but I'm not sure how to work on the shorter faster ones. My bests for the first three are 1:15, 3:05, and 6:58 respectively, for the record.

[Izawwlgood]

Yesterday I got really drunk at my smithing class and came home feeling grimy and dirty and great. So rather then shower and cleanup, i put on running shorts and jogged my usual trail.

But a buncha beer sits heavy. Now the trail is blessed with the remnants of my breakfast burrito. It was a nice day though

[Angel on the Steps]

Dumb question of the day: is running in place equivalent to running, assuming I pay attention to proper form? I'm not too comfortable with running outside in the summer (now, wind and rain... gimme!) and I'd rather just not quit running if I possibly can...

So, would running in place work to stay in shape, or is it terribly daft? I can't afford a treadmill, which would otherwise solve the problem quite nicely...

[duckshirt]

It would burn some calories, obviously, and it might give you a little bit of impact, but I don't think it would work your muscles in the same way... the hamstrings and stuff wouldn't seem to get any work. Why don't you want to run outside in the summer, though?

[Samsoneffect]

So, just clocked a 1:14.28 for a 400m. Fastest I can remember ever running it, which is good for saying I haven't run one since grade 8 about ten years ago.

[monkandmovies13]

I run 4 miles anywhere from 3-5 times a week, but it takes me a while (a bit less than an hour). I don't do it to make myself pant and feel dead and get a really intense work out, but I just enjoy it. It's distracting, clears my mind, and makes me happy.

But I have really terrible knees and a bad back, and it kind of takes a toll on them and is probably not very good for me. Whenever I'm at the gym, I do the arc trainer instead of the treadmill because it's a better workout and gentler on my body, but I despise the gym and avoid it when I possible can and usually go only during the winter months.

[Fledermen64]

I run like 2-4 miles when I cant play soccer or some other sport due to weather or lack of people. I dislike it, but I do it to keep in shape.

[eekmeep]

- post-run stretching is KEY

What particular stretches are the best post run? I mean, after my run, I do some circuit training stuff and after that I don't know which stretches are best and I usually don't have a lot of time so I either do every stretch I know or none. Are there 2-4 simple stretches I can do that are good, post-run?

The ones I do after every run:

1. Quad stretch (usually standing)
2. Hamstring stretch (standing and sitting)
3. Don't know what it's called, but sitting down, spread-legged, stretch to each side + middle
4. One or two arm stretches, especially shoulders.

*I* don't stretch my calves or glutes after running b/c I normally don't get real sore in either of those spots.

[WholeLottaSean]

I went for a run yesterday for the first time in 3 weeks since I finished a 10k, and it was so hard! Serious, just not running for that long made me panting at the end of a half hour run.