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 do love running though. It's an interesting relationship we have.

Running is sheer happiness. My body is letting me run so I'm getting my feelings back and a bit of ambition with spring around the corner and the first flowers in bloom on my running path today. Since I last posted here I did my 7.3K city run (fun, temperature was 2 degrees, decent time) and I've been running 2-3 times a week. The 9k that was my long train run is now the short one, and I'm starting to think of extending the new long one (I haven't measured it yet, something like 12k). I should start to time myself too. But right now, I'm just enjoying it.

Running IS fun! And if it isn’t, just chill and walk for a while. That has increasingly been my approach as I deal with aging and the increasing injuries that involves. It’s great to train and get faster but it’s also just nice to be outside, on one’s feet and moving.

Yeah half-marathon is pretty much perfect, up to 25 maybe 30 is fine, but after that I'd get bored I think. I don't have the patience for running about 3.5 hours for a full marathon. Maybe I'll still do one someday just for the sake of it.

Agreed. I'm thinking of signing up for the next half marathon in May, it will be the 10th anniversary of me running my first (and then I ran another directly after). It's a comfortable distance because it's long enough that time does not matter too much. I wouldn't be able not to set myself the objective to run faster than in 2014, although that might be a challenge, as the first half of my marathon was way faster than the second. It was a whole different race, going from blissful to "uh oh" at km 25 to horrible at km 32.

Trying to come up with pun type names for a team we're entering in a relay competition. Anyone got any suggestions?

Google suggests things like Scrambled Legs, Chafing the Dream etc

Code Brown

Shin Sprints
Plantar FASTiitis

GU Hard or GU Home

Last (and second) (and third ever) practice half marathon before the race in two weeks. My quickest and easiest so far, hope I haven't peaked too soon. It was ideal weather, will almost certainly be warmer (or bucketing it down) on the day.

I also signed up for a 20 km race which is next Sunday. It's another urban one, a loop with a 150 meters ascent between km 4 and 12 and the rest mostly downhill. I couldn't run for a week due to an ankle problem, then I was on holidays in Greece for ten days, and just now we had an April shower of snow and the wind is freezing, so it's remarkable that I feel ready. I did a 15km train-run in Greece on Wednesday at a comfortable pace and 12-ish yesterday at a good pace that left me confident. I will go out once more, but I guess that's it for preparation.

Good luck! Love a halfa.

Same. I think it might be the best all-around distance. Go Ledge go!

My ankle fracture is healing well and I am out of the dreaded CAM boot, but have developed posterior tibia tendonitis. It has been 11 weeks sine the injury and I despair that it will be forever until I can do running running again

Had my first aqua PT session this week; I guess that will have to suffice for now.

The tendonitis is a result of the ankle fracture somehow?

Probably from doing too much too soon after 8 weeks being non-weight-bearing. So basically my fault for thinking I knew better than my PT

Aha. Makes sense.

I’ve got tendonitis in both feet and possibly arthritis now. Confirmed bursitis in one hip. So I’m being super careful about training and recovery but getting old is a drag. Really want to do one more ultra in the next year or so if possible. But it might not be possible.

What's everybody's favorite running shoe in 2024?

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4

On Cloud something, they were on sale and seemed good enough

bought a pair of brooks ghost last month, I tried them and a pair of mizuna and the brooks felt almost like there was nothing on my feet.

Hoka Speedgoat or Arahi

I had another Brooks model - can't recall which - and maybe coincidentally developed a case of PF, so I stopped wearing them immediately. Swapped out for a pair of Hoka walking shoes I'd purchased, and it has more or less gone away. I liked the Brooks, but I think maybe I just needed something with more support.

Asics Gel-Cumulus have been all I've worn for the last few years.

Apparently I am going to need a stability shoe to prevent over pronation. Must also accommodate orthotics. Any suggestions?

I wear Hoka Arahi for support and use custom orthotics religiously. I think p much all decent shoes can handle orthotics tho.

> Asics Gel-Cumulus
> Arahi
> FuelCell Rebel v4
> Hoka Speedgoat
> brooks ghost

thought i'd clicked the DRUKQS+ or autechre thread for a moment.

So I think I have PF - I don't feel anything at all when running, but heel pain (more like discomfort) first thing in the morning and low key noticeable throughout the day. Not worrying too much as it's been pretty stable since I noticed it a couple of months ago and I'll be running less once the HM is done. Any tips welcome, gonna try some exercises found on instagram!

This happened to me years ago. I got a pair of off-the-shelf green superfeet and they solved the problem.

so you replaced your actual feet with green hulk super feet?

(ok I googled it, thx!)

Roll bare foot on tennis ball, concentrating on stretching the arch

I'll report on my race. I was feeling tired and yawning on the way to the race village. Rain was certain, temperature fresh. I was glad to be early with all the preparation steps: getting there, picking up your number, giving your phone and wallet, changing, queuing for the toilet, getting in line. I like the good-humored ambiance, this gathering of people of all ages. I only briefly warmed up and started in the lower middle, block 5 out of 8. I respected my race plan which was to keep some gas in the tank until the peak elevation at km 12. Sure enough, quite a few people were overtaking me until I found my cruise speed. Mildly surprised and amused to see a few people walking on the first uphill.

My favorite part of those large popular races is to spot runners going at a similar pace and mark them out. I was neck and neck with a ponytail young woman for the first 10 km. I slightly overestimated the difficulty of the race and I was almost surprised when I saw the cathedral and we reached the high point. It had been a succession of uphills with no real killer. I overheard someone say behind me it was a mistake to go too fast now and took no heed, mentally told myself my race begins here. The race brutally accelerated. I moved up with a few new "targets" in front. When we came in sight of the lake again (start / finish) I felt pumped up and accelerated again. They were showing the km again and it said 16. It was this wild part of the race with people at very different speeds. I passed under inflated gates very near the finish line but the km still said 18 and I understood I could not maintain my high pace. My feet were starting to hurt too.

I tried to adjust and then, for the first time in the race, I saw a person running with a flag: I hoped it was the 1h45 and sure enough it was the 1h50. I knew she was from block 4 though, they had started two minutes before us. I overtook her at km 19 and tried to give it my all. I passed a guy whose t-shirt said "do visit Rwanda" who had overtaken me in the first km (he overtook me again in the final sprint) and I managed to clench a time just under 1h45.

Feeling happy about my race and hungry for more. Probably I could have pressed more at the beginning, but then it would have played out differently: more painful teeth-grinding at constantly pushing your maximum, less silly heroic fun.
(Sorry about the detailed replay for people who couldn't care less :) )

Thanks for that! 1h45 is my target for this sunday but it's 3 minutes faster than my pb (nb i've only run the distance three times before!) and i've never practised pacing or aiming for a target so we'll see.

& congrats!

Thank you and all the best to you, esp. that extra km :)
My experience of races is also very limited, but essentially the other people are both a distraction and a motivation. I would say focus not too much on time but on your feelings and looking ahead.

Nice job!

Looking at my old races, the last time I ran a half and my PR was all the way back in 2017, 1:35 and change. A very depressing thing about running and aging is before you know it, you have years fly by since your last PR.

I guess I need to do more races and start counting "over 40" PR's.

I’m back to running 3-4 miles at a time recently, may try another 5k in a few months. Any tips for dealing with low/flat arches? The main problem I seem to have running is tightness in the outer calf and thigh (hip flexors) and it feels like it might be related to flat feet but maybe not.

Congrats Nabozo!

Oh yes, I had a question too. My problem is my nipples get inflamed in longer races. I threw away an old running shirt thinking the cotton (or whatever) had become rough, and I applied cream the morning of the race, but I can still feel them. Do people apply tape or what ? Or I have more shirts to throw away.

Or forget the cream and put vaseline maybe

I used waterproof bandages. Basically can’t run any distance without them.

My half marathon went well, apart from having to use the loo at the three mile mark. It was warm and sunny and I'd drunk a whole bottle of lucozade sport pre race, went for a piss twice but started to need to go again while waiting 20 minutes in the crowd for the race to start, and spent the first three miles looking for a loo.

Aside from that interruption I was hitting my target pace for the first few miles but started to drop and by half way I was two minutes down. I tried to up it a bit but didn't want to overdo it, I just didn't know how much I would have left in the tank. But with two miles to go I pushed a bit more and really tried to go for it in the last mile - my splits in the last 4k were 4:53, 4:52, 4:45 and 4:42. Overall average pace 4:59 / total time a fraction over 1h 45 (ignoring toilet break). So just like you said Nabozo, perhaps I could have pushed more at the beginning and had a faster but much more punishing race! I prefer my more comfortable(*) style.

(*) not literally comfortable

Anyone wear recovery slides or something else around the house for support? I am always barefoot at home but have advised to be in some sort of support footwear all the time. Looking at Hokas and Vionics. Both terribly ugly but then so is my surgical scar and puffy cankle

I wear my oofos slides all the time.

Always barefoot at home and wear Birkenstocks 90% of the time outside of the house. I have EHL tendon and nerve problems in both feet and the birks seem to do the trick. Dress shoes or any kind of stiff shoes are 100% painful.

What’s the benefit of those recovery sandals over bare feet?

They relieve 40% of your wallet weight

Lots of support/stability without having to move your orthotics around ten times a day, plus the easy on/off factor. Or so I’m told. It is going to be a major change for me not to be barefoot in the house and patio

I can’t stand being barefoot and they are comfortable.