ILX running running thread

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.

I've been ok with my eating post-run (I usually roll with a protein shake and a bunch of pasta for dinner). my main issue has been what i eat beforehand, and how long before the run. i can't seem to find the right combo - i'm always finding myself feeling bloated, or i feel the water swishing around my stomach, or i'm absolutely starving - and it often leads me to stop running before i really want to.

tobo, this is going to sound counterintuitive, but try running again to lessen the pain. Unless you did damage, you should be able to go on an easy 5k run a week after, so long as you fed and treated your body well during your recovery. If out of nowhere you did 10 miles, it might take more time for your body to recover, but try a short run to test the waters, so to speak.

http://runnersconnect.net/running-nutrition-articles/is-chocolate-milk-really-a-good-recovery-drink-after-running/

really just getting those carbs/protein ASAP

Z, how much are you running and are you drinking water right before running? If you are, maybe decrease your water intake as you get closer to go for a run?

running about 4-5 miles. usually i run right after i get home, which is after a 20 minute bike ride, so i have about a full glass of water.

and yeah, i'm probably having the glass of water maybe 10 minutes before i run. d'oh!

I eat a graham cracker before I go out but I usually go in the morning.

If I run in the morning (rarely), I always eat two toaster waffles with jam/peanut butter, banana, and coffee. This is usually 1.5 hours before the start of my run.

wow, thx for all the great info, c21m50nh3x460n, whoever you are!

^

After my last bonkathon, I refer to these two books often for nutrition advice:

http://www.amazon.com/Endurance-Sports-Nutrition-Suzanne-Girard/dp/0736064710
http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Sports-Nutrition-Dan-Benardot/dp/0736059415

10 mile race yesterday, finished in 1:12:24. I was looking to be around 1:10 to 1:13, so I'm happy with the effort.

I have a love/hate relationship with racing. It was pretty much 1:12 of pain and unpleasantness. But then once I finished, it was awesome! But then the thought of racing again to try and run even faster and experiencing even more suffering seems unappealing. But then I want to feel awesome again. So I'll race again.

that's why i want to stick with 5k for now. even though i'm so slow, it hurts. i ran yesterday. it was fun.

great run today! accidentally tied my distance record from last year (although i noticed that last year i ran it about 30 seconds/mile faster). but the best part was that i felt really good the whole time, had steady, slow breathing the whole time, and probably could have pushed myself another mile if i had to. it feels so good to have a run like that!

I love the mood at races, but I want them to remain special so I only do one or two a year. Also they tend to be on all pavement, and I run on trails, so that exacts a physical toll.

Perfect running weather today. 66 degrees, sunny, light breeze. 15 miles in 2 hours, my best long run in awhile.

i signed up for a 5k to motivate myself to run again. i use runkeeper but i turned off all the notifications except for time because the rest of it was too distracting. but i estimated based on my recent runs that i'd probably run the 5k in around 35 minutes so yesterday i said i would run for 35 minutes and not worry about the distance. i ran for exactly 35 minutes, turned off runkeeper, and i had gone exactly 3.11 miles.

OTM.

The 5k during craft beer week?

yeah. sounded fun + more affordable than most of the other 5ks i saw. i should find one in june though too so i don't just stop again. i have shitty willpower so i need external motivation like not embarrassing myself in public.