ILX running running thread

29:58.3, so a .8 second PR for me then. i think i can chop a couple minutes off that by end of june if i'm not lazy.

aw nice work!

Congrats harbl!

thanks. one thing i'm sure would help is dropping a couple pounds. i also weighed about 12 lbs less this time last year. but i gained some of it from lifting, which is probably why i didn't lose speed despite not running much.

I've been holding steady at 45 to 50 mile weeks for the last 6 weeks. In fact, I've missed only one workout in the last 6 weeks, because of 9" of stupid snow. I've seen great improvements, not only in the mileage I'm able to run, but also in speed. My easy pace is now consistently around 8:20 m/miles and my speed workouts I'm going down as long as 6:00 m/miles. My long run is topping out at around 15 or 16 miles every Saturday. Only pain these days is some lingering foot pain, but nothing serious at all, just nagging. For the first time in my life I feel like I actually may be in decent shape.

my brother ran a half marathon today and averaged 6:59 miles so now i can't say my slowness is due to genetics, just lack of hard work

did 9.5 miles yesterday, another step on the way for my half-marathon, which is three weeks today.

you're well on track then, one more long one and you can start easing back a little i reckon. horrible 21-miler for me this morning - cold and wet, wind in my face seemingly the whole way, dodgy guts, legs were totally spent and my head was just gone by the end of it. couldn't wait for it to end and have just felt horrid since i stopped. there's still a part of me that enjoys the grimness though, a little bit of pride in feeling so bloody awful and knowing that you've really pushed yourself there.

jeff, it sounds like you're in great shape, i love that feeling of really getting on a roll (not that i've had it very often). gets to a point where you're waking up every day and just feeling like you really want to run. and yes, your speed starts really improving too, slow runs start feeling so much easier, it's kind of hard to hold yourself back. anyhow, keep on it!

May hit 40 degrees here this weekend, but then may get another snow storm. Winter sucks but I'm optimistic that this will be the last of it. Then I'm taking my running to the next level. Wherever that is.

i can't even remember when i gave up running, but i need to start again.

Good luck with the half, you should be fine. I survived mine despite running about 7 miles max up to that point. Not that I wasn't dragging my ass for the last three miles.

I'm a mid-distance runner. I was training for my first half marathon, and after never having gotten injured, I get injured three times after I moved to a different country. I blame this for my injuries!

I'm slowly getting back on track. I love to run and can't picture my life without it, really.

I generally prefer to run outside, instead of a gym. What about you guys?

Always outside, all seasons. I can't do treadmills.

Been sick last week which hit my training for this half mara on April 7th. I figure I'm prob in good shape to finish but maybe two/three more runs to prep me would help. I'd like to have done 11 miles or thereabouts rather than the 9.5 I did last time.

Guess I'm there or thereabouts tho. Freezing UK weather ain't helping.

Always outside, all seasons. I can't do treadmills.

same here. It took me several years but I have now gotten totally comfortable running in cold weather

first run of the year today! yes, the first. combo of it being too dark to run after work (my neighborhood isn't downtown detroit or anything but i got my lip split by a group of guys last year and now i'm overly cautious), poor weather on the weekend, and of course, total laziness. but at least i got a run in before april.

it went pretty well! feels good to be back in the game.

I've had the flu for the last three days. Pretty much ended my chance for a 200 mile month. I was on pace to run 220!

Got a 10 mile race a week from now. Coach wants me to run a 7:05 pace. Distressing.

A year ago, that was my 5K pace. Hard to process that I can hold it for 10 mile now.

And in a wonderful turn of events, I have a last minute work trip next week.... to Boston! So I get to go to the Boston Marathon and hang out with all my friends who are running it.

Sounds like you're doing really well and making good progress Jeff, good for you! I've got the Brighton marathon tomorrow, training didn't really go well at all so I'm just going to plod round in 8 minute miles I think. Weather is really horrid at the moment - strong wind and it's pissing down with rain. Forecast is for better conditions tomorrow, god I hope they're not wrong.

Plodding, ha. Best of luck and enjoy it.

Just been out to walk the dogs. So cold out there! And yet we're promised temperatures as high as a sweltering 12C, we are truly spoilt. Route goes mostly along the seafront which runs east-west. Wind is from the south so we're going to have it right across us the whole way. I hate wind! Fuck you wind!

eeek, nervous

Wind is the worst. Three things I hate: snow, hills, wind.

Ended up going a bit faster than planned and did solid 7:40 miling. That is until mile 23 when all of a sudden it felt like someone had powered-off my brain and then from that point onwards I was all over the road. Legs were fine, I just couldn't make myself go forwards properly. End result was 3:27-something, average speed of 8 minute miles. Doh! Don't feel too bad today, legs are a bit tight but otherwise okay. Some guy died on the course though, which was really upsetting to hear about. 23 years old, suspected cardiac arrest due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Fuck, horrible news.

Oh man, the brain powering off happened to me in my last one. Way to pull through.

I had to miss the half marathon I was meant to do last week, never recovered enough from that chest infection. Really annoying, been taking it easy the last week or so but might chance a run this week. Have already signed up for another half-mara in 4/5 weeks.

jeff you alright?

jeff's OK; he just posted over on the dedicated thread

ok, saw you in other thread

Explosions at the Boston Marathon

Yes, I was a couple of miles away. But :(

can anyone here recommend a good stretching routine for runners? with a lot of visuals would be good, online resource or book. i get so sore all the time, despite stretching before and after. i think i need something more intensive.

raaaaa this is perfect weather for running right here, after what felt like aeons of running in freezing temperatures and battling uncontrollable tears and snot this was so amazing

some runners must take the winters off, surely

*raises hand*

Roxy, I bought this book a while back during a running book splurge to try and motivate myself and it looks very good and helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Runners-Guide-Yoga-Practical-Flexibility/dp/1934030848/

I have to confess though that I haven't actually followed any of it at all, shame on me.

sup

i'm ready to get back into this in my own lackadaisical way
speaking of yoga, usually i just do a few sun salutations before running -- it's enough to get my blood going and stretch the legs
but as i mentioned, i am not hardcore and do not aim for distance or speed

still got a chest infection, but it's eased a lot. kind of tempted to run as it's so nice outside but not sure if running before being 100% is to blame for getting sick.

Since I started tracking temp during my runs:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8114/8657455977_0c1f0e2c84_m.jpg

I never stretch so can offer no advice.

Dunno how bad your chest infection is LG, but if it was me I would probably give running a miss. Frustrating, but I would concentrate on getting well first and then getting fit.

Yeah I think overall running just prevents recovery. It's not too bad now but they do take ages to go away, it's been nearly three weeks since I last ran - so frustrating.

Okay, I stretch before and after running. I do 6 stretches. I was trying to find names for them, so I wouldn't have to explain all of it, but I couldn't find any. So I will just show pictures. I do them in this order every single time. There are some that are recommended after running, but I do all of them before and after.

Calves: http://www.spinalhealth.net/images/gastroc1.jpg

Then I do this one, but the foot that is pointed upwards is placed against the wall in that same position: http://10k101.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Picture2.png (sorry, don't know what this one is called)

Quads: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_B59D3usQWD8/TBjiEAT6fvI/AAAAAAAADIo/obUphEkUwds/s320/0198631472.quad-stretch.1.jpg

#3 on this chart (again, don't know the name of it): http://www.tamartrotters.co.uk/running_advice/stretching_after.gif

Inner thigh (both legs): http://media.onsugar.com/files/users/1/12981/49_2007/innerthigh.jpg

Hip Flexor, mine looks like this (for both legs): http://0.tqn.com/d/running/1/0/N/1/-/-/hipflexor-stretch.jpg

Also, if you're just first starting to run, I recommend this stretching exercise (scroll down to "How to Treat Runner’s Knee"): http://minneapolisrunning.com/what-you-should-know-about-runners-knee/

And just a note on stretching, you don't have to sweat or feel pain or tension while doing them. I think some tend to over do it. I do each for 15 seconds. Before my run, they are very soft stretches. After my run, the stretch can be a little harder, depending on how that muscle feels. The point is to prevent soreness and cramping. Having said that, you should walk a minute and a half or so after running, because if you stop immediately your muscles will not like that. Hydrate, as well, of course.

Believe it or not, what you eat after can prevent soreness. Chocolate milk, banana, oranges, oatmeal, quinoa, nuts, etc. Generally, good carbs and some protein. Also, if you are feeling very sore and jump in the shower, use colder rather than warmer water, as that will help, too.

I think that's pretty much it off the top of my head. If you run a lot, some soreness will always exist. That's just the nature of running -- it's a high impact exercise. When I run more than a few times a week, I always have a bit of sore legs, but obviously not as much as when you first start running. If you have bad knees, you may want to look into cycling or something with equally low impact, such as swimming.

Best of luck!

I drink chocolate milk after ever run. Mainly because it tastes good.

It basically took me 2 or 3 years to get my body used to the abuses of running.

Forgot to mention that I've heard yoga does wonders for muscle soreness, but I've not actually done it. I keep wanting to get into it, but I lack time! One of these days!

With regard to chest infections, sorry to hear, LocalGarda.

I used to never get chest infections but ever since I moved to the US, specifically to Los Angeles, I've gotten many of them, and now I get sick a lot easier, whereas before I used to hardly ever get sick.

The thing is I run outside, and LA air is basically poison for a runner, unless you are running in areas with little particulate contamination (there are some here, but few, especially if you don't feel like driving 1 hour to it).

I say wait until you heal 100%. Sometimes running at a gym (which I hate and never do) might work, but be aware there is a lot of bacteria there and you don't want to go if you're contagious out of respect to the rest. You could wait till late or when you know it is pretty empty. I've seen some of the more fancier gyms keep a cleaner environment. Or you could get a treadmill for a couple hundred dollars and run at home if you're really keen on it. Personally, I don't like treadmills but they have their pros (keeping track of calories lost, speed, keeping consistent running time, etc.).

I drink chocolate milk after ever run. Mainly because it tastes good.

my gf was mentioning this to me the other day. is this a thing? drinking chocolate milk after running seems like a recipe for a barfing disaster. i suppose if you waited 20-30 minutes after the end of the run, maybe.

Ran a very hard 10-mile trail race 10 days ago and am still sore, mostly in my lower back and butt. Very annoying, esp since I've been taking it super easy since then. Would love to chalk it up to the first heat of the year, but I really just don't get it. Am in really good shape these days! Maybe stretching is the answer, I hardly do any.

I'm not a nutritionist, but a nutrition/health enthusiast. Having said that, here are my thoughts.

Z S, every single suggestion should always end with "but it depends". Because each person's body is different.

I always like this example, though it is a little gross: flax seed is very healthy for you. However, it gives some people the runs.

If your body reacts negatively to something, don't eat it or tailor your diet it accordingly (find replacements). Food science is still in its infancy so a lot of it is trial and error. Find what works for you. The same thing with what types of food you should be eating before a run. If you have a weak stomach and will have an intense run, don't eat foods that causes your body to react negatively.

Personally, I don't drink chocolate milk because of the high fat content and calories, since I already get my good fats in other ways. After a an intense run, I usually eat good carbs, such as greens and whole wheat pasta.

If my run was easy to mid-range difficulty, I'll have something lighter, like a glass of milk, a couple of fruits (banana and apple), with either a bit of cereal or a slice of whole wheat bread.

What you should do is hydrate with water. Also, you definitely should be eating *something*, whether it is light or not, because this prevents muscle loss--at least this is my experience.