ILX running running thread

Holy shit, I just ran another 16 miles. Really wanted to die those last two miles. It would have been an honorable death.

amazing, that's great.

just did 5 mi on mtn singletrack in new vasque mindbenders. really nice, almost perfect.

i tried on at least 12 different shoes sometimes in more than one size. what a pain in the ass.

got my half marathon tomorrow

think I peaked two weeks too early

oh well; here goes nothing

skaterboarding > running

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/08/27/article-1306591-0AEC3003000005DC-395_468x294.jpg

I run with a helmet.

Also, holy shit I ran 17 miles today.

If you want to hear me babble some about running, I'm going to be on The Marathon Show podcast tomorrow. Talking on a panel with some other first time marathoners. The details: The Runners Chat Show show by The Marathon Show - http://tobtr.com/s/1242668

ouch! cozen - skating accident?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1306591/Skateboarder-makes-miraculous-recovery-doctors-saw-half-skull.html

first half marathon done! 1:57:27

a lot harder than I expected it to be. hit the wall around 10 miles and ran the last three feeling like my right leg was going to pop out the socket. still - first half marathon done, here's to the next

wow! under two hours! congratulations!

yeah congrats, that's great.

thanks! I was pleased in the end, had only ran up to 9 miles in training previously... those final few miles were particularly hellish. don't know if I have an imbalanced running style but my right leg (hip joint and knee socket especially) was definitely sorer than the left

good fun tho and I'm glad I've done it.

next up, marathon!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/47688301

nice 9 miles at mtn park, my last longish run before ipr. no sprained ankles or tendinitis or mystery problems. yet. not looking forward to running irp, but psyched to get it over with for sure.

Your mountains frighten me.

I like my flat lake front with plentiful water fountains, bathrooms, and close cabs if I need them.

yeah, I am spoiled by my relatively flat park with plentiful bathrooms and water stations. and it's so pretty, too!

plenty of space to go number one in a mtn park, you could def make #2 happen if you had to do. and there's a bathroom at the bottom. you gotta carry hydration if you want it tho. i did 1 hour 40 mins w/out water yesterday, and while it definitely adversely affects performance, no problemo. it was quite cool tho. now, if you break your femur up there: problems.

^^^^from experience :(

I'd probably be OK running with a buddy up there.

ha, nah really its not bad at all, there are 60 y/o ladies walking dogs up there for real. (i broke my leg mtn biking at a different park.)

60 yr old ladies have better it bands than I do.

Ran 5 miles today, still got spagehetti legs after my 17 on Saturday. I've got another orthopedist appointment on Thursday since I'm still having some ITB pain. It's still a whole lot better than it was before, I'm still not able to run more than one long run and then one other run a week.

I'm so close to being over this, I can feel it. Next year I'm just going to run all ultras with my awesome legs.

Woke up to run a few miles this morning, it was pouring outside. Apparently a hurricane hit the coast in the Gulf of Mexico and it's making its way to Austin. Fucking hell. I want to run, damnit!

first half marathon done! 1:57:27

a lot harder than I expected it to be. hit the wall around 10 miles and ran the last three feeling like my right leg was going to pop out the socket. still - first half marathon done, here's to the next

wow kudos kudos kudos

starting running again this week after prolonged break since july

Yeah I've taken a huuuuge break since my 37 miler a few weeks ago, my body needed that shit.

heh mine didn't, but my big arse sure appreciated it

Ilxor, have you ever run the Austin marathon? If so, how would the hills be for someone who hates hills.

Jeff, yes, I've run it the past two years (2009 and 2010). It's not as flat as Houston, and about the same as San Francisco, I would say. Some decent rolling hills from mile 8-9 upto about mile 16, then it flattens out significantly from 16-21 and then goes more so downhill for the final march from 20 forward. It's got some hills but it's nothing compared to, say, a hilly trail race.

If you're looking for a flatter Texas marathon, though, I suggest Houston.

Date is more important for me than fearing hills at this point, so Houston wouldn't work out. Looking for late February early march. Possibly. Thinking a winter marathon would help keep me motivated through the winter. But hell, I may not want to ever run another marathon again after Chicago.

Now THIS is more like it! I've decided that in general, cold/cool weather tends to distract me from the parts of running that I don't like (foot discomfort, sweating profusely, etc) and emphasizes everything I have grown to like about it (flying, daydreaming). Fall! Spring! I love thee.

official results are out for the half; came 3797 out of 8938 and my official time squares up exactly w/my self-recorded time (don't know why it wouldn't)

had to post a 1:39:04 to get inside the top 1000... next time

yeah, I am spoiled by my relatively flat park with plentiful bathrooms and water stations. and it's so pretty, too!

...aaaaand Tropical Storm Hermine came through with 24 hours of rain, and now my pretty trails are an impassable morass strewn with garbage.

so ilx...i've started running lately, have been about 8 days out of the last 12 or so. i'm wondering about how to start testing myself or how to try and increase the distances i'm going. i started off doing about a mile (pathetic, i know) and now i'm up to about 2.4 miles. i'm basically adding on little bits to broaden the circle of my route. is that what everyone does or is there any science or other basis behind it?

also i often go early morning, should i be eating beforehand? i tend not to as the less buffers between waking and running the less chance of losing my motivation. i guess a banana or something would be good?

also as regards fatigue...are there phases or ways to know when you're due a second wind or when to stop? i mean...i used to swim a lot and i always found with most exercise any feelings of tiredness at the very beginning should be ignored, but it can be hard to tell when to force myself or when to give in...

finally what pace do you guys tend to do? i feel like sometimes i'm going too fast, 2.4m took me about 20 mins this morning, i know that's not v fast by a good standard but isn't it better if i ran more slowly for longer, fitness wise?

2.4m in 20 mins is pretty fast I'd say.

there are ppl much more qualified than me on the thread to answer your questions but from my own experience it's just a case of winding up gradually. what you're doing sounds good. I got up my distance by starting at 3 miles with running and walking intermittently (4 mins run, 2 min walk eg). eventually I could run the full 3 miles without stopping and at decent pace (my aerobic fitness was lacking, I've always had alright legs). after I could do that I just kept on plugging away at 3 miles, timing myself each time to make sure I wasn't slacking or getting slower. eventually when I felt comfortable I upped my circuit to 5 miles (just adding another 2 miles onto my usual route) and then did the same for 7 and 9.

I think after about a month of churning out 3 mile runs 4 days a week (with cycling and football mixed in) I could run the 5 miles easily and then a month after that I could do 9 miles alright

I'd say a banana is probably the best idea, maybe some muesli too. got to be wary about anything too liqueous (aqueous?) tho because it can upset your stomach while you're out and it's a horrible feeling ime

as for fatigue I'm not sure there's anything you can do other than 'listen to your body' and make sure you're having proper rest days each week

muesli or a banana I meant, not both

oh and yeah, as they say:

it doesn't get any easier, you just get faster : )

i am feeling really psyched at having gotten from 1m to 2.4m...and nabisco's list of the good things about running should be enlarged and put into a poster. the sense of well being i have right now having just come in is so intense, it provides unbelievable mental focus.

gotta keep it up now!

i'm basically adding on little bits to broaden the circle of my route. is that what everyone does or is there any science or other basis behind it?

totally

2.4m took me about 20 mins this morning, i know that's not v fast by a good standard but isn't it better if i ran more slowly for longer, fitness wise?

and that's fast, ya bollix. i think the advice i got was to do a bit of both, one or two long runs at your own pace, one or two short runs like the priest was after you.

At this point I'd say just experiment with pacing and eating and so on; find out what works best for you. For example, I can only run in the evenings and can't have eaten anything substantial in the previous four hours or so; other people work completely differently.

For the distance I'd suggest having one run a week that's longer (and a bit slower) than the others; this will boost your endurance and prepare your body for increasing the distances you run on the other days.

i started off doing about a mile (pathetic, i know) and now i'm up to about 2.4 miles. i'm basically adding on little bits to broaden the circle of my route. is that what everyone does or is there any science or other basis behind it?

that's what i did, and it's a year later and i'm still at it. it felt pretty lame at first, but you're right -- the satisfaction of finishing what i started out to do makes up for it, regardless of how far or how fast i am. then again, i am not a competitive person, so that's why speed/time doesn't really matter to me. imo stop worrying about science and stay focused on building habits at first. just keep going!

also i often go early morning, should i be eating beforehand? i tend not to as the less buffers between waking and running the less chance of losing my motivation. i guess a banana or something would be good?

i also go early morning (love love the air, the quiet, the dark) sometimes i have a graham cracker or a banana, but usually i eat oatmeal and drink coffee when i get back. i realize this could be the thing standing between me and running further/faster, but the fact is: if i don't go out before work, i won't go at all, esp. in the summer when it's hot. running in the quiet stillness of morning is more enjoyable to me than going further faster. in the winter you will feel like a viking.

good job so far, you're improving at a much faster rate than i did!

I eat before I do morning runs, if only for the fast that I only do long runs in the morning. Good to eat something and drink coffee to encourage evacuation before I'm out there for three hours.

fact, not fast. Not much I do is fast.

do any of you do situps or similar at home? i feel like it'd be good to do a few of those in the evenings...i'm running for two main reasons, general health and to lose a big old beer gut i've been developing...but thought situps and stuff might help with reason 2.

thanks for all the advice and encouragement, i'll be checking back here, i just read loads of this thread this morning and it's great encouragement.

I basically do no other workouts other than running.

And I've still go quite the gut.