ILX running running thread

back up to an unbroken 5k jog. ow.

Never underestimate the power of new shoes and cross training. After a couple weeks of doing dumbbell routines every other day, and finally feeling up to spending enough time in a shoe store to get a new pair, I went from 3 miles to over 6 in a single unbroken jog - and honestly I could have done more, but I didn't want to get cocky. Honestly it was revelatory. (It also probably helps that I have almost certainly been losing weight, though I don't weigh myself so I can't prove it.)

Good stuff Simon! I should get back into using my weights too but even looking at them makes me feel weak and weary

It's tough to get started for sure. I've done my best to embrace the idea that I am never going to work out anywhere but at home. I am however extremely glad I used a health stipend at my last job to buy a set of adjustable dumbbells...honestly one of my best-ever purchases.

Yeah they're great when you get into them, but I haven't touched mine in about 8 months so I'll be starting from scratch again. That feeling of being the weakest person on the planet! The aching shoulders! Oh the joys! :)

Nice one Simon

New shoes do make a huge difference - most of my race PBs have come with shoes with only a few miles on them before hand

I will say it was deeply nerve-wracking to spend more than 5 minutes in a store talking to a person despite everyone being masked up. That was a first from since COVID kicked off.

set a new 5K PR this morning: I ran it in 19:02, compared to 19:26 for my previous time trial back in August. my goal was to break the 19-minute barrier, but I'm not exactly surprised that I performed more poorly than I'd hoped: I just ran 9 miles and hiked 2 miles yesterday afternoon, and it would have been wise to recover for at least another day before going for a new PR. also I think my starting pace was too quick: my plan was to to pick up the pace for the last 3 or 4 minutes, but by that point I just didn't have the energy, and the last quarter of my run ended up being about 16 seconds slower than the first. my legs didn't feel sore or weak at any point during the run, so I guess the main limiting factors were my cardiovascular fitness and my level of rest. It shouldn't be too difficult to shave a few seconds off my time if I try again in another week or two under optimal conditions.

I've settled into a more structured workout routine now that the weather's gotten cooler. typically I'll run 27 miles per week with one longish run (8-9 miles) and one interval workout (I've worked my way up to 6 X 3:00 intervals at roughly an 18:30 per 5K pace). my goal is to bring my 5K time down to 18:30 or less (or at least 18:45) by the end of the season, but I'm not sure how realistic that is. I'd probably progress more quickly if I upped my mileage and added another day of speedwork, but I'm concerned that I'll injure myself if I take it too fast, or else I'll lose interest in running as it becomes too much of a chore. for now I intend to keep up my current routine (maybe adding a couple more reps to my interval workout) and see how long I continue to progress.

has anyone here entered any virtual races lately? for most people I guess that's the only opportunity to compete in the foreseeable future, but to me it seems like a poor substitute for an actual in-person race, and I personally can't see myself running significantly faster during a virtual race than I would during a solo training session. but ymmv (literally!)

You'll smash sub 19 soon by the sounds of it.

Was supposed to be doing my first race in almost a year last Sunday (a staggered start chip timed one) but didn't feel comfortable driving 30 odd miles in a pandemic just to run a 5 mile race

Joined a running club a few weeks ago and a few from the club did the VLM, so lots of us ran various bits of it with them in support which was great fun despite the awful weather

Ive been running about a mile a day during lunch for the last two months. Can’t say it’s gotten much easier but it’s kind of all I can stand. Don’t enjoy it much, just doing it for the cardio and to get some fresh air.

You'll smash sub 19 soon by the sounds of it.

Was supposed to be doing my first race in almost a year last Sunday (a staggered start chip timed one) but didn't feel comfortable driving 30 odd miles in a pandemic just to run a 5 mile race

Joined a running club a few weeks ago and a few from the club did the VLM, so lots of us ran various bits of it with them in support which was great fun despite the awful weather

― groovypanda, Tuesday, October 6, 2020 1:09 PM (two months ago)

thanks - I managed to run a 5K in 18:53.9 during a time trial a couple weeks after my last post. I've also taken some time off my mile and 10K PRs, and I ran an easy half marathon just to check that off my list. I've been slacking a bit with my workouts though — my weekly mileage has been fairly consistent (I bumped it up to just under 30 mpw), but my plan to fit in one speed workout per week fell apart after about a month, and I'm lucky if I manage one tempo run or interval session every two weeks. I try to make up for it by doing a few strides toward the end of one of my easy runs so I don't lose too much of my fitness, but I know that's a poor substitute for a proper training plan. hopefully I'll be able to get back on track next spring. I haven't had much trouble adjusting to the winter weather so far ― 20-30°F is much more comfortable for me than 80°+, provided that the roads aren't icy and it isn't too windy out.

there was a similar 5K in my county this past fall (staggered start with 15-minute gaps between each wave, masks required and social distancing maintained before and after the race; it would have been a 30-mile round trip drive for me too) but I didn't feel comfortable entering it despite the precautions. ultimately there's no way to avoid close contact between runners in the same heat. there was also a 5K turkey trot in my hometown on Thanksgiving without a single mention of social distancing in the race description; apparently 138 people felt comfortable competing (down from 218 in 2019), but I noped out of that one as well. I doubt I'll be entering until the fall of 2021 when (hopefully) most people will have gotten their covid vaccines.

do you do all of your workouts with your club, or do you do a mix of solo and group runs? I'm also thinking of joining one at some point, but that's another thing I probably won't get around to until later next year due to pandemic paranoia.

That's awesome, well done. I wouldn't worry too much about lack of speedwork - lots of people seem to swear by the 80/20 thing at the moment where 80% of your runs are very slow, easy ones. If you're only managing one speed session every other week that's better than none and you can always step it up when the weather improves. If you're regularly running around 30 miles per week you'll have a good base to build on.

We're in strict lockdown again here so there's no club sessions at the moment. When they are on they're every Tuesday and Thursday night and then there'll be a few different groups of people doing a variety of long runs on the weekend - sometimes I'll attend those but also happy to do solo ones. I'd definitely recommend joining one as as well as the obvious structured training and advice, I've made lots of new running friends and we're in a virtual league competition at the moment which has also been good fun.

I've slowly but surely become a runner in the last year.
I went from not being able to run much more than a couple of minutes before getting puffed out, to drudgingly running for about ten minutes on a treadmill at the gym. But in the last year I've discovered outdoor running, and only this year I've found I really enjoy it.
I ran my first 10km a few weeks ago and yesterday ran 12.5km without really too much trouble.

Now I'm sitting here really wanting to get out there. What the hell? I don't like exercise! I got fitted with a bull's heart that beats only once every 2 seconds so I wouldn't have to exercise. Now I'm getting fidgety, can't wait to go outside and run, but I'm conscious of over-doing it and potentially injuring myself.

No real pains or problems though, other than stiff shoulders after running and the odd painful shin when I start.

Congrats dog latin! :D

Ha, yeah, well done dl!

Although should warn you it's a slippery slope as I ran my first ever 20 mile race last weekend

tell me about that gp, what sort of thing was it?

Just a virtual one for our local league. There's about 10 or so local running clubs in it and usually we'd be meeting up and having actual races but it's obviously all virtual at the moment

You could pick any route you liked just had to finish within 5m elevation of your starting point. Been doing quite a few recently (all varying distances) and it's been fun to go out and actually race those distances rather than just plodding along

gp that's amazing!

i'm kind of amazed at how quickly one can go from being not a runner to someone who will happily run for relatively long distances. the human body is an amazing thing

take it to the Springsteen thread

just signed up for my first ultra, the JFK 50 in November

i'm kind of amazed at how quickly one can go from being not a runner to someone who will happily run for relatively long distances. the human body is an amazing thing

Of course you should keep running as long as it feels good! I guess I'd just repeat the conventional wisdom that there can be problems when you add a lot of distance in one fell swoop (my physical therapist advises not adding more than 10% to your longest run per week).

(And when returning to running after recovering from an injury, I have of course often broken that rule, which probably contributed to my decreased running in the long run.)

Very good advice. And yes the number of times I hear people say "I ran until I injured myself" are too many to count.

tryna get them endocannibanoids
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/10/well/move/running-exercise-mental-effects.html

injuries are a huge drag but i guess they're always a good chance to learn a bit more about your body - where your limits and weaknesses are, maybe your technique is bad or your shoes are wrong, maybe you've got a muscle imbalance that needs addressing? personally i'm struggling with a bad back at the moment and that's mainly due to things outside of running (a combination of doing a lot of gardening recently and just slumping in a bad chair when i'm resting or online), but it's giving me secondary issues in my hips and hams when i run, so i've got some back strengthening and core work to do. was getting some solid weeks in before that though

fwiw I still think runners' high is fake (or at least I experience it so rarely it might as well be for my brane)

definitely a thing for me. there's also a crashing low a ittle later

When I was getting back into running in my mid-30s (15 years ago wtf), I found a good way to limit wear and tear was just to never, ever run on consecutive days. I stuck to this for a few years with good results. Now I do it all the time. And don't get hung up on pace. Make the most of your time outside getting exercise. If you're feeling slow one day, stay slow and you'll have a fast day some other time.

I decided to start running again in January, and since I'm older now I've been ramping up very very slowly... three runs a week, started at half a mile per outing (plus a couple miles walking) and then added a quarter mile to the distance every week. Next week I'll finally hit three miles and feel fine, woo. Once I lose another 5-7 pounds I'll start trying to push my pace a little, right now I'm keeping it slow.

Going slow is underrated, but definitely the best way to get into a consistent pattern imo

seemingly for the first time I was smart enough to start up again in January instead of June, this time I'll be ready for those Texas summertime runs when it's 95 degrees and humid as hell outside.

I think running while overweight has given me really strong legs lol

update: I lost the weight and stepped up the pace! also cutting out morning caffeine dropped my heart rate by like 20bpm during evening runs lol

i'm not overweight but until the pandemic, i used to run to work with a big bag of work stuff on my back every day and that definitely built length strength. so much tougher all round with just a few extra kilos, so full respect to you

xp way to go fhazel!

I have a variety of foot/leg/tendon problems that normally keep me from running, but my housemate also has leg problems, and she and I have started going for runs where we jog in ultra-slow-motion, not going any faster than normal walking pace. It seems to work! I get exercise and my foot doesn't go numb as I'm running. This is an exciting development and I hope I can keep it up.

that's wholesome and rules!

hahaha, I was quietly outraged last night when I ran past a family on the trail and the toddler shouted "jogging!" and the mom was like "yes, he's jogging!" and in my mind I was like "hey now... I'm running!"

One nice thing about running with someone else is I don't get self-conscious about my slow pace and reflexively speed up every time I'm passing someone.

I like a crowded trail because I'm that much more invisible and less prone to doing stuff like that. Running with a friend is hard though, because I want to talk the whole time!

hi runners. i'm also slowly jogging while i recover from some tendonitis, though i've never been fast enough to not be jogging tbh.

good job map + lily dale! :D

reflexively speed up every time I'm passing someone

I really must stop doing this

My physical therapist advised me that it's better to run faster in general. The idea is that if you go slower, your feet are more likely to pivot when they land on the ground, which can exacerbate issues like IT band syndrome. That said, this sort of advice may be specific to certain running complaints, so YMMV (ha).

I really must stop doing this

I can't not do this, it's beyond my control.

Lol

Whenever I'm on a long slow run and another runner overtakes me I have to fight the urge to try and catch up with them

After slowly building up my distance over the past year, I set out on my usual run about a month back and after just ten minutes felt a pop in the back of my right calf and had to limp home.

The initial pain subsided quickly but the lingering pain when I put pressure on the front of my foot doesn't seem to be going away. I'm really unhappy about not being able to run - feel like a total lump. At roughly the same time a varicose vein seems to have decided to go all swelly and horrible, so now I've got pins'n'needles feelings all through my leg and it's extremely uncomfortable and not a little disturbing.

Doctor gave me the usual "rest it for 12 weeks and if it hurts take ibuprofen" spiel, which is only semi-helpful. I miss running so much

Fuucck, sorry to hear that dl

Probably worth getting a physio to look at it as they'd be able to give better advice than a GP. When I did my Achilles I went to a free NHS drop in centre and the physio gave me some daily exercise routines which helped quite a bit.