ILX running running thread

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 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!

this goes for me the exact same.

i only run in the morning... by the end of the day my energy levels are good enough to cycle home, but not really high enough for a run

yeah i don't mean i run and then get back into bed, i think i meant i go back to sleep and never get out of bed. i guess i'm a morning person but if i don't need to be somewhere i'm just going to sleep. i just need to do it and get used to it but it's easier said than done. thinking about summer though, if it's 95º during the day i should make myself run at 6 am when it's high 70s instead, or else i'll have to wait until it's dark out which is not always the best idea.

Jesse, when are you going to start running outside? I can't do the treadmill, I like running outside too much. I like the heat (whenever it gets here) and the lakefront views. And taking a break at the zoo.

I can't get up early to run, because I already get up at 5:30 to try and get into work by 7:00 am. To get up early would just give me so little sleep I wouldn't be able to run or work. Then I sometimes I don't leave work till 6:30 or 7:00 pm, so it's hard to get the energy to run at night either. I can't run at lunch because I don't have time and normally eat at my desk. So it's mostly weekends for me at this point. Not good for building up stamina.

I should get these today. I'm pretty excited, I'm tired of the wires of my current headphones bouncing everywhere.

I'm going to start when it gets a little warmer and isn't raining. This summer I plan not to wuss out and run indoors when it gets hot like I did last summer.

Those headphones seem pretty cool, but I do a lot of fiddling w/ volume, tracks, etc., so that might be limiting. Wires are the bane of my existence though.

I usually run in the evening right after work. For the past many days I have set my alarm so that I would get up and run in the morning, but I've been hitting snooze. When it gets lovely out I'm going to ride my bike to work which will be a nice change.

Oh, Jeff - why do you have to go to ENT? I'm assuming that means ear-nose-throat.

I prefer to run in the evenings, after work (or after sundown on weekends). I got used to this schedule because I found that during summertime, it was simply too hot to run during the day.

Yeah, figuring out timing is tricky. During the winter, it's too cold to run until the evening, whereas during the summer, early mornings is best (this is NYC). Combined with a job...weekends are the only easy time.

On the runner's high thing: I never feel that euphoric. The two types for me are the cruising feeling when it feels like running is no effort, that you're almost floating, and could go on forever (happens maybe every 5th run?), and the sense of immense well-bring after a run that lasts an hour or two. But no, not ecstasy-like at all.

I'm lucky enough to work a runable distance from home, so I can do it as my commute if I want. Saves lots of time.

Easiest runners high is got from a flat run with a nice tailwind behind you, sometimes you can stop trying and just float along. Is that cheating?

It's a great feeling. Cheating, yeah a little. Do you shower at work?

I have a feeling of great well-being after running too. It turns my mental state around, which is great if I'm depressed or just blah. The hard part is starting running when I'm feeling blah.

Having a shower at work is great. I'm lucky to have a full home-style bathroom at work, which is great for biking in. But I live about 8 miles from my work, so I probably will never run it.

yeah ive gotten to the point where i feel like crap if i DONT run for 3 or 4 days. right, then also i totally sleep and feel better after i've run or exercised in some way. i go late afternoons/early evenings usually

Running fixes drinking.

The two types for me are the cruising feeling when it feels like running is no effort, that you're almost floating, and could go on forever

yeah i get this too. they seem like they last for ages, then you come out of that state and realise it only lasted for 10 mins. agree about the state of well-being post-run though - it seems obvious but my head just feels so amazingly clear after even a 25-min run. i imagine it'll get better as i start running longer, which is great motivation.

i work from home, so i run during the day when no one's around - running at the weekend and having to constantly dodge other runners, cyclists, walkers who love to gawp at struggling runners, is hellish. the ideal is to do it first thing in the morning but i have to beware the procrastination trap and getting to 1pm without doing anything cuz i'm going for a run "in a minute".

used to run with headphones but they were too much of a distraction...running without music is really good actually, you can completely clear your head.

my sinuses can be an issue esp if it's a bit cold, a snotty nose really impedes your breathing but i don't want to be stopping to blow my nose all the time.

Yeah, the "floating" feeling is great, and it happens only every 4th or 5th run for me too. Another thing about the post-run "high" ... do you guys ever hit the pub after running? Not immediately afterward, of course, but after re-hydration, shower, food, etc. There's nothing like the taste of that first beer after a run. It's like the most refreshing drink ever.

Although maybe it's not healthy to drink too soon after running? I don't do it too often though ...

i love beer after a run because the alcohol hits you so fast and you can feel it in your extremities all tingly. maybe just me though.

after rehydrating and shower = don't really count this as after a run

Yeah, it's not exactly "after the run", but it's still during the period of "immense well-being" that paulhw talked about, the one that lasts for an hour or two.

In any case, the beer really does taste different in that situation, and that's what matters to me.

i used to run at least a few miles every day but now that i'm playing pickup basketball just about every day that's more than taken its place.

i love the post-run beer

Agreed. Cigarettes are great after a run, too, but I don't do that anymore.

hey does anyone else have problems with foot pain, plantar fasciitis?

love running but goddamn this constant pain is getting annoying. : (

I had a lot of trouble with my feet when I started running. First thing I did was get fitted properly for running shoes. However, I would get these stabbing sharp pains on the outside of my feet after runs that would last for 2 weeks. Turns out that it was peroneal tendinitis. I went to a podiatrist and got fitted for foot orthotics. It was the best thing I've every done for my active life, I haven't gotten that pain again and I'm generally pain free while running. However I do get some hip snapping on occasion, where the iliotibial tendon passes over the outside of the hip. It doesn't hurt, but it can be alarming. I get the occasional knee pain, but nothing too major.

Immediately after running I have this ravenous craving for a burger and beer.

Jesse, sign up for the Ravenswood Run 5K.

well, i guess i'll see how it goes.

i went to a good store, supposedly one of the "50 best running stores in america" according to some plaque they had. shoes were $112 after a big discount so they better be good.

if it keeps up i guess i will look into orthotics.

i get those pains occasionally...not every time, and not unbearable, but just pain on the inside of my left foot whenever i put weight on it for a few days after some runs. really should get fitted properly.

been running for a while but over the last few months got really into it going like 5-6 times a week but damn my legs got super tight n painful - stretched tons switched up my routine did intervals etc but i think thats just too much running for me so i took a week off and now imna dial it back to 2-3 runs a week 2 yogas - did yoga today was v nice - run tomorrow!

also will be warm enough for basketball soon so ill work that in somehow i dunno

I've never had beer after a run. I always crave cold skim milk, sometimes right after I get back, sometimes a couple hours later. It feels so nutritious, I don't know that I could substitute beer.

My body JUST noticed that I've been running more since we switched the clocks two weeks ago (I only run outdoors)...hello soreness! Tomorrow I'll stretch and take it easy. Looking forward to feeling much stronger and going farther in another couple weeks.

But yeah, walking a great option over running in winter sometimes. Easier to catch a fall when you're not moving as fast.

thanks, all. i think walks will probably be the way to go, and scoping out if they keep the track clear at the local HS, or if there's a park like map says

As map said, any local trails will be good if the sidewalks are gonna be icy.

You should be able to pick up an almost new pair of trail shoes off Vinted fairly cheaply (look for grippy ones like Inov8 Talons)

I've been running regularly for a decade plus now. Usually at least 4 times a week, 2 miles each time, either on a treadmill or outside depending on the weather. The last year or so I've been developing this knee pain. I know there's conflicting ideas about whether running is really bad for your knees but in my case I definitely feel it after I'm done. For an hour or so afterwards I feel it whenever going up or down stairs, this pain behind my right kneecap particularly. Now it's starting to show up at other times too, there's not really any rhyme or reason to it but it's to the point where I'm aware of it and it's leading me to mistrust my body....is there something I should be doing? Certain strength training exercises perhaps? Or is this just part of being (nearly) 40?

I see a lot of runners in my area wearing knee support/brace thingies - have you tried something like that?

I can run short distances while I'm on my walk but between my right hip and my left knee, I'm a little nervous to get back into it regularly

knee pain can be a challenge to treat but it sounds to me like you aren't shit out of luck or anything. a pt appointment is a good start. if there is another form of cardio you enjoy that you can mix up the runs with that's always a good idea. longer walks are totally legit. stairs/bike/rowing indoors. if you aren't doing any strength training, squats and lunges are a good idea and overall good for knee strength.

do u track how many miles you have on your shoes? you should do that for sure

really? My saucony shoes are ancient, I just realized they're beyond their lifespan

I'm weary of going more than a week without running because that's when I start to lose my endurance...but stripping back to 2-3x a week and mixing other things in is probably a good idea.

I don't do squats or lunges. been meaning to for a while...maybe I should start now.

shoes I think are fine. I got a new pair a few months ago because I thought maybe my knee pain was stemming from bad shoes...but it's not that

I've had knee pain that was actually the result of tight hamstrings, so maybe also work on some stretching/mobility exercises.

I would guess that a treadmill is maybe a bit easier on your knees as it has a little 'give' to it.. compared to concrete/asphalt

I am not a doctor but had similar pain a few years ago and PT called it patellar tendinitis iirc. I think it comes from inflammation around the kneecap. He had me massage that area several times a day, wear a brace that supports it with slight upward pressure while working out, and exercises to strengthen my hips (he p much has me do those for any kind of lower body pain).

Bottom line, it was very fixable. Doesn’t sound like you are overdoing it with running volume. So I wouldn’t freak out about it but I would take action.

yeah so i track miles in shoes, don't go over 400 miles in a pair. i also never run more than 4x a week.

and i would start stretching if i were you. i don't stretch as much as i should nor do i lift or really strength train at all, again, which i should do

Strength training, as mentioned above, is excellent and yoga can really provide both strength and flexibility in one package. I’ve been doing Bikram the past 6 weeks or so and love it.

any strength or mobility exercises y'all would recommend? preferably something I could do at home. was thinking about trying to do 20-30 air squats a day, idk if that'll help my knees but it's probably good for other reasons

a pair of 10 lb dumbells is a good starter investment... then you go on youtube and look for dumbell exercises of which there are thousands

I have a single 25 lb dumbell which is good for squats but it mostly sits on the floor, watching me

Squats and lunges and the single-leg versions of both in particular. And lateral lunges or anything that opens your hips. And things where you get up on your tiptoes. And rotate your ankles.

But be careful as you begin to mix these into your routine. They don’t feel as impactful as running so it’s easy to forget how much they might fatigue you. Adjust your running volume accordingly, then work back up to your original volume.

i like these

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/11/well/move/workout-warm-up-exercise.html

Did a half marathon the other week, 1:42:57, a PB. Felt pretty good the whole way round, especially the second half - except for the 300m uphill all the way to the finish line. I don't have a gps watch so i can't really set my pace but I roughly did negative splits, on average. I don't have a heart rate monitor either so I don't know how much harder I could have pushed myself - tbh I'd rather enjoy it (sort of!) than really kill myself with max effort all the way round.

Sounds like a great approach and not wearing a watch/monitor a good decision.

that's a great marathon time! nice.