ILX running running thread

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.

ive been thinking i should be stretching more. this is an off-day thing to do?

i've had some nagging knee pain beyond just your basic soreness/stiffness for a little while now. although it seemed to be worse in like october - feb and is now starting to feel a little better...do my knees have seasonal affect disorder?

think it could be some tendonitis just from describing symptoms to some friends so prob shd see a doctorb, eventually.

did 5 miles today in abt 42 mins on a treadmill + felt pretty good abt it. for me iced coffee hits the perfect spot afterwards

guys u know u can have yr post-run beer IN THE SHOWER

i had nagging knee pain and it cleared up immediately when i got new shoes but i bet you've considered that

yea its lasted thru my newest pair altho i wasnt fully fitted for them so perhaps should look into that

When I think shower-beer, I think of you, gbx! I haven't had one in a long time - probably a year. It's high time. (It never occurred to me to combine post-run beer w/ shower-beer!)

Jeff, I will do the Ravenswood 5K for sure. Are you signed up?

Also, as I asked before - why an ENT?

Yes, I signed up.

ENT for reasons too disgusting to go into on the internet.

I ran this morning and it was terrible. 2 miles in 20-some minutes and I was stiff, achy, and sluggish. Coffee would have improved it a little.

my feet are totally fucked up today

i should start running.

Has anyone got any tips for strengthening calf muscles/ankles?

go skiing

If you belong to a gym, you can use the seated leg press and move the weights by just flexing your ankles.

Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a step with your heels hanging off and lift until it burns burns burns. I move my heels in an out to give relief to parts of my calf and work others.

Also, jumping rope.

I don't know what these do for ankles,but they work your calves like crazy.

ran yesterday and im thinking my new yoga/running schedule will have to be reconfigured - was so sluggish - think imna go yoga/rest/yoga/rest/run/run/rest instead

only thing is i was planning on doing weights on the running days and two days in a row is no good - maybe i dont need too much weights if im doing yoga tho - was going to try to do yoga/run/rest/yoga/run/rest/rest - maybe once i get more used to yoga thatll maybe work out - or maybe flip flop the yoga and running - i dunno

whatevs not like im actually capable of keeping to a schedule anyway

anyway imna go to yoga today even tho this is the running thread

Also, jumping rope.

^^^ ya, this. i play tennis (s/s) and racquetball (f/w) about once a week which also tends to help with ankles

lol yuppie

Maybe once you get used to doing yoga and running you won't need the rest days.

you contemptibel nerd you yuppie fukkin homo

xp

I ran today. Not fast, but good enough for the second time for the year. Three miles, going 8:46, 10:12 (wha happened?), and 9:55.

That's the time for each mile?

I did the Couch-to-5k program from December 1st to mid-February (spent November going for walks every day to get into the habit of going to the trails), then ran my first 5k at the beginning of March. Now I'm training for a 10k in October. I'm not very fast, but I have so far managed to not seriously injure myself, which I consider a real victory.

Plus my running shoes are on clearance at the Fila website for $40! 66% off! I can use the savings to buy sexy running shorts with a stripe down the side.

Yes, time for each mile.

I wear Fila's. They were around $100. I also recommend to anyone, get new socks. These are my favorite ones right now.

Actually, it's these

i have wrightsock double layer antiblister socks. i guess they prevent blisters, i'm not really sure. i still get blood blisters on my middle toes.

the phrase 'performance socks' makes me laff

i scored some adidas microfiber socks on the cheap from marshalls that i like

In the NYT this week
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/health/nutrition/26best.html?_r=3
re caffeine as a performance booster

ha i was just gonna come in here to say, yes, it absolutely does work - drank some strong black coffee before i ran today and basically ran double the distance i normally do without stopping. amazing.

it is banned above a certain amount though i think? i remember the tennis player larisa neiland getting banned for caffeine about 10 years ago.

i basically cant run w/o coffee - dont drink it otherwise

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/03/25/fashion/26best.2-190.jpg

See, now that would just never work for me. I'm way too sensitive to coffee--it's hell on my stomach.

i was going to do a half marathon in a month but i think i'm not going to be ready :(

i mean i don't want to be a quitter but i also forgot what the point of signing up even was

That's a long run. I've always wanted to do the Solider Field 10 mile run, but I don't think I've ever been in the shape to do it.

just discovered running in the cold dark streets after work at the start of this year. awesome.

started running for the first time ever a couple of years ago bc a teenager friend wanted to run a charity 5k and needed someone 18+ to do it with her, i hated the idea and did it as a favour but found out i really like it. since then i've tended to stop over summer (too hot) and winter (park closes at sundown) but i've been pleasantly surprised by the running-in-the-streets thing - i was reluctant bc don't like people looking at me at the best of times let alone when i'm red-faced and icky, but basically no one takes any notice of me, it's brilliant. i figure this is because lol self-obsessed central london (my running area is bordered by tottenham court road in the east, edgware rd in the west, oxford st in the south and euston/marylebone rd in the north). when it gets lighter i will go back to regents park though.

the most i've ever done with no stopping at all is just over 5 miles, in about 40-45 minutes at the beginning of last summer. at the moment i seem to be doing around 3 miles in 30 minutes with no stops 3 times a week, which feels slow but good. home to work is 6.5 miles and i'd love to be able to run my commute at some point - sadly there are no showers at work and i have to go out most nights, so this is unlikely... i can get away with cycling in and out because it's only half an hour and i bring clean clothes, but running gets me more thoroughly icky than riding. i guess i could join a gym but even before i think about the expense, it gives me the fear. i don't like treadmills, i don't like gym music, and i want stuff to look at. trees and buildings and stuff. not orange-faced people.

i started by doing the run three minutes-walk for a minute- run three minutes - walk a minute thing but now it seems to work better if i try not to stop at all... re the runners high euphoria thing, if it really is just that feeling like you could go for ages thing i'm kind of disappointed! bizarro definition of "euphoria"... i run without ipod or anything though and it's really good for working out some problem in my mind without forcing myself to concentrate on it, or clearing my head if it's been a full-on day at work.

running first thing in the morning does not compute. tried it, hated it.

the keeping shoulders loose thing really helps me, also keeping hands and fingers relaxed not clenched, and actively thinking about pushing my elbows backwards as well as my legs up and forward.

i would like something to track my progress, some pedometer thing. any suggestions? i will not buy nike and would like to keep the spend under £20.

re stretching and stuff, i think i am bad at this... i stretch my legs a little bit before in a really half-arsed way and a bit more after in a slightly less half-arsed way, but what should i be doing? i have had shitty ankles forever and manage to go over on both of them at least a few times a year (just through general walking around, not running).

beer immediately after running is terrific. is it a really bad thing to do? such a buzz...

I remember reading somewhere that mid afternoon is the best time to go for a run. The morning is the worst because your body hasn't woken up yet, the result is a lot of ache and pain afterwards. The only time i enjoy running in the morning is in the summer because it's still relatively cool.

As mentioned above I really like my garmin forerunner 405. It's a little bulky, but I don't really mind. My main beef about it is that it takes several minutes to find satellites. I hate standing outside waiting for it to connect. Kills all motivation to run. I've found it's best if I just turn on and sit it by the window before I go out. Usually it's connected before I'm ready to go outside. I'm so hooked on using it, I refuse to run without tracking myself. If I run without tracking it it, it feels like it didn't even happen. I have the heart rate monitor as well, but I find it uncomfortable to wear.

is there a drug you can take to simulate the fabled "runner's euphoria"? caffeine, maybe?

lately I've been slacking off like crazy, and in the past year I've probably averaged less than 2 days of running per week. when I was more ambitious, I ran on a treadmill at a moderate (~7 mph) pace a few nights a week, and I set aside two more nights for a high intensity interval workout. the latter went something like

warm up for 10 minutes, doing a few light intervals toward the end -> run seven or eight 30-45 second intervals at something like 10.5 mph @ an 8% incline, fast-walking for a couple minutes after each one -> cool down for 5 minutes

in theory, this type of workout pushes your body so hard that your metabolism stays at an elevated level for several hours afterward, making it a good bet for improving cardio health, building muscle, burning fat, et cetera. whereas when you run at a steady, moderate pace, your metabolism tends to return to normal soon after you're done, so in the long run you end up burning fewer calories even if you manage to burn more during the actual workout.

so it's a wonderful thing in theory, but maybe I pushed myself too hard, because sometimes during the last couple intervals I found myself huffing and puffing like crazy, getting a little lightheaded and unable to catch my breath even after a few minutes of rest. my heart seemed to be running at 1000 bpm, and once or twice I felt a touch of chest pain. plus I started to lose weight that I really can't afford to lose (lol skinny indie kid). basically I gave it up because I'm paranoid about collapsing and dying on the gym floor, and I'm also quite lazy. eh, if I'm anything like my dad, I'll develop bad hips and won't be able to run much at all by the time I'm 30, so maybe I can use premature aging as an excuse for sitting on my butt all day.

xpost

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/assets/images/products/010-00658-10/en/cf-lg.jpg

so this is the one you have? if the 2.11 oz figure is right, then it must be about the same weight as your average steel wristwatch. I think I could deal with that, but if I was running on a sidewalk, I'd be terrified of banging it against a fence or a tree or something. I know it costs a fortune to repair a Garmin GPS, and I'm guessing it's the same for that thing. but I'm really just hiding my jealousy. I'd love to have one of those (the closest I have is a barely functional pedometer), and I'd love to be able to keep track of my times on the computer, cuz I'm a statistics geek like that.

Actually, I have the bulkier 305. I covet the 405. It wirelessly syncs too, so you don't have to hook it up for it to transfer the data.

I did speed/elevation intervals last night and it was grueling. Probably made worse by my sedentary, boozy weekend in which I smoked a couple cigarettes.

about 4.3 miles in roughly 40-45mins (walked for 5mins midway through) - longest i've ever done (usually do about 3 miles non-stop). and i think i can push myself a bit more next time - it's amazing how much of a second wind you can get. visible improvement really is the best motivation!

i haven't started running this year yet but it's starting to warm up outside. should i kick things off with a 5k this weekend even though i haven't run in months (and haven't even used the elliptical in weeks)?

Is this an organized 5K, or just your own thing? That seems like a lot for an initial foray.

Ran today for the first time in 17 days. It was pretty miserable. I hate running in this weather, I'd rather run in 95 degree heat.

Regardless, 2.89 miles. First mile at 7:56, then slowing down to 10 min because I was miserable.

I think I'm finally over the two week period of low stamina and shin splints I get when I start running more every spring! I hadn't run since Sunday due to weather and working late, but today I ran about 4 miles in 40 minutes comfortably, so that puts me back at my normal base level. Now the only thing between me and faster, longer runs is making time for them, which is always a little tricky.

Definitely should do intervals and shorter, faster runs more, they do help a lot with speed (and if it's true that they speed up your metabolism more, that'd be nice too). The problem is that I really, really hate them! It's so much more pleasant to go slowly and enjoy the scenery.

i am just starting to commit to running several days a week seriously, but because i have never run regularly before, 2 miles in 22 minutes on a treadmill w/ 1.5 incline leaves me completely winded. some good advice tho on this thread, i hope to improve (first step: buy sneakers that hurt less, agh)

music seems as much an impediment as a motivator - if i play things with heavy beats i end up matching my running to the BPM of the music but i feel this might have some kind of deleterious effect in the long run (it def. results in my run subconsciously resulting in more of a stomp, which can't be good for my feet)