ILX running running thread

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.

Ugh that sucks. I'm about to see a specialist about my leg as well, but I'm not looking forward to hearing the verdict as I suspect that what's wrong with it can't be fixed without surgery.

'kin 'ell ☹️

Chinese media confirm that 21 ultrarunners died during a storm at the Yellow River Stone Forest 100k in northwest China. Included in the deceased is elite runner Jing Liang.

We offer our deepest condolences to all involved.

More:https://t.co/7gOD1Ef9A8

— iRunFar (@iRunFar) May 23, 2021

Yeah awful story indeed. Have heard of people dying in ultras before, but the number of casualties there is shocking. be interesting to hear how it went so badly wrong

I saw a doctor today to ask why for the last decade I haven't been able to run without my right calf turning into a block of wood and my right foot going numb. Turns out it's probably something called compartment syndrome, where the sheath around the muscles is too tight. So when they expand with exercise your whole calf tightens up and it pinches off the main artery that takes blood to your foot. I'll have to have a bunch of tests to see if that's really it, and if it is, it sounds like surgery's the way to fix it.

I'd obviously prefer to hear that it's something I can get rid of on my own, but it's sort of amazing to learn that this thing I've just been living with for the past ten years has a name and is fixable. I might be able to run some day!

good luck with that! i had a very mild version of the same thing when i first started running. lots of pain in my calves and lower legs that would disappear again soon after the end of each run. luckily it went away of its own accord - i think in some cases the sheath eventually adapts and expands to accommodate the enlarged muscle. i wasn't struggling with it for ten years though, that must really suck :(

Oh interesting! They didn't tell me it could go away on its own. (Though in my case, if it were going to I think it would have by now.) I basically just adapted to it by swimming instead of running, but it will be exciting to have more cardio options open to me.

has anyone been running any races during the COVID era? I'm new to road racing but ended up completing four 5Ks between May and July. I feel like my strategy is still fairly weak/undeveloped at this point, though: I have a tendency to take off at an overly aggressive pace for the first couple of minutes to keep up with the pack, slow down to an overly conservative pace for the better part of the race, and let loose for the last 800m or so, pretty much always ending with the sense that I've left too much gas in the tank. I also tend to agonize far too long over when to pass people. my goal is always to run more or less even splits (with allowances for hills) with maybe a slight kick at the end, but I never quite manage to execute that properly. even so, my times have been improving with each successive race, and I managed to finish first overall in two races, so I guess I'm not underperforming too badly in spite of my self-criticism

in terms of training, I've been running 30 mpw pretty consistently since the beginning of the year, typically doing one 8-to-10-mile long run and one 3-mile tempo run per week. I tried to throw in a weekly interval session (400/600/800m) and up my mileage to 35 mpw during racing season, but I wasn't very consistent with either of those aims — it's kinda hard to taper for a race on such a strict schedule. since my last race I've kept the tempo run but stopping doing intervals, maintaining 35 mpw and doing a few strides during one of my easy runs so I don't lose too much of my raw speed. when the weather cools down a bit, I'm planning to resume the speedwork (and maybe increase my mileage further?) in preparation for the fall racing season. part of the challenge is motivating myself to do workouts I hate/dread (mile repeats, hills, longer tempo runs) when I'm running solo without a coach or a club to keep me on track. my goal is to run an official sub-18-minute 5K before the end of the year, something I've achieved during a solo time trial but never during an actual race

First place is hard to argue with. Congrats!

I have never trained that systematically for a race, but I was pleased to run my first in ~3 years, a local July 4 four-miler. I'd been on one of my frequent running hiatuses (due to hip issues) up until about a week before. It was hot. After the first mile, I said "okay, I'm not gonna worry about trying to pass anyone, I'm just going to finish," and after the second mile I wished I'd chosen the two-mile option instead. My GPS watch told me my average HR had been five beats above the max, and while I doubt the watch is strictly accurate, it kinda felt that way.

I've only just made the leap back into some jogging over the past two months after a considerable hiatus and am back up to around 16 pretty damned slow miles per week. Soaking my feet in ice post-run has made a huge difference in recovery.

First place is hard to argue with. Congrats!

I have never trained that systematically for a race, but I was pleased to run my first in ~3 years, a local July 4 four-miler. I'd been on one of my frequent running hiatuses (due to hip issues) up until about a week before. It was hot. After the first mile, I said "okay, I'm not gonna worry about trying to pass anyone, I'm just going to finish," and after the second mile I wished I'd chosen the two-mile option instead. My GPS watch told me my average HR had been five beats above the max, and while I doubt the watch is strictly accurate, it kinda felt that way.

thanks! tbf in one race I only came in first because the two lead runners took a wrong turn and wasted a few minutes finding their way back to the race course. after the race, the would-be second place finisher stood around complaining about how the would-be first place finisher (who had conveniently vanished) had led him astray. going off course is one of my biggest fears, and I probably would have followed them to their doom if they hadn't been so far ahead of me. lesson learned: "run smarter, not harder" or something to that effect

sorry to hear about your hip issues, but it's great that you're willing to put yourself out there under less than ideal conditions, provided you aren't pushing yourself to the point of (re)injury. running in the heat is a slog even when you feel like you're acclimated to it, and in the summer I have to constantly remind myself to slow down a minute or more per mile off my usual pace, or else my heart rate shoots up and my watch decides I need 28 hours to recover from an easy run

Lol. I've done a few fell races recently where large groups have gone the wrong way - usually someone takes a wrong turn and everyone else follows headlessly.

Would-be second finisher sounds a like a bit of a dick tbh. If you go wrong in a race you've only yourself to blame. If the course is one without clear markings then you should probably recce it beforehand.

As for 5K technique, when I've run my best sub-19 times, I tend to just go off hard and try to hold it for the duration. (I rarely finish with much gas left in the tank). If you're aiming for sub-18 then possibly try and aim for even splits (around 3:36 per km) and then the last 800m kick should hopefully see you come comfortably under the target.

Also first place is first place so well done. I've finished first in my local parkrun twice and proudly have the two slowest first place finishes as on both occasions the usual faster club runners had races in the afternoon.

I am giving running running a go because I need to improve my cardio

Not particularly excited about it, sadly

still working through some tendonitis that has mostly cleared up. love my daily run. 15 minute drive to get there then miles of a wood-chipped horse trail, uphill the right amount.

> Not particularly excited about it, sadly

no. i was thinking of getting a shirt printed that said 'i'm hating this'

i started again after 16 months of sofa biscuits. missed sunday's (which would've been jog #15) due to leg / knee pain. will get around the mile-and-a-half of ravenscourt park in one go any week now.

Well, I survived my first run in the University of Montana return to running program (recommended by my excellent PT, whom I miss already).

I only did 6x instead of 7x of the walk/run intervals why because tired. But my knee seems find today, which is somewhat disappointing because it means I have to carry on with this running project.

> no. i was thinking of getting a shirt printed that said 'i'm hating this'

I read "I Hate Running and You Can Too" as a way to procrastinate the actual running thing. I prefer reading about running to actually running.

Admittedly I feel. . . looser? in my joints today? Buts lets be real, I would rather nap than run, always.

Lol. I've done a few fell races recently where large groups have gone the wrong way - usually someone takes a wrong turn and everyone else follows headlessly.

Would-be second finisher sounds a like a bit of a dick tbh. If you go wrong in a race you've only yourself to blame. If the course is one without clear markings then you should probably recce it beforehand.

As for 5K technique, when I've run my best sub-19 times, I tend to just go off hard and try to hold it for the duration. (I rarely finish with much gas left in the tank). If you're aiming for sub-18 then possibly try and aim for even splits (around 3:36 per km) and then the last 800m kick should hopefully see you come comfortably under the target.

― groovypanda, Monday, August 2, 2021 3:59 AM (two days ago)

Also first place is first place so well done. I've finished first in my local parkrun twice and proudly have the two slowest first place finishes as on both occasions the usual faster club runners had races in the afternoon.

― groovypanda, Monday, August 2, 2021 4:05 AM (two days ago)

yeah, it was definitely a dick move on his part. it's reasonable enough to bring your concerns to the race director (preferably without badmouthing your competitors) if the route markings are missing/misleading, but in this case there were signs at every intersection and literally hundreds of little arrows stuck to the pavement along the race course, so I'm not sure how two people managed to fuck up so badly. I try to run/walk a course ahead of time to get a feel for it, or at the very least scout it out on google maps streetview so it isn't a total surprise

even (or slightly negative) splits does seem like the most sensible approach. I guess my best bet is to make more of an effort to run my time trials and tempo runs at a steady pace so that it will come naturally to me by the time I start racing again. wish I wasn't such a slave to my watch because I find myself glancing down at it constantly during my workouts if I don't want to veer wildly off of my target pace. I guess running by feel is a skill that develops over time

congrats on your two wins! racing while all the 16-minute guys are asleep is a solid strategy in its own right. I just wish parkrun was a thing in the US, because it seems like the perfect opportunity to enjoy yourself and maybe try out some new approaches without the pressure and pricetag of a more formal race. most of the 5Ks in my area cost $25 to $35 to enter, so it isn't really worth it to race more than a handful of times per season, and I feel like I'm less likely to take risks because if I crash and burn I've just wasted a decent chunk of money with nothing to show for my efforts but a cheap "complimentary" tech shirt and a free beer

has anyone been running any races during the COVID era? I'm new to road racing but ended up completing four 5Ks between May and July. I feel like my strategy is still fairly weak/undeveloped at this point, though: I have a tendency to take off at an overly aggressive pace for the first couple of minutes to keep up with the pack, slow down to an overly conservative pace for the better part of the race, and let loose for the last 800m or so, pretty much always ending with the sense that I've left too much gas in the tank. I also tend to agonize far too long over when to pass people. my goal is always to run more or less even splits (with allowances for hills) with maybe a slight kick at the end, but I never quite manage to execute that properly. even so, my times have been improving with each successive race, and I managed to finish first overall in two races, so I guess I'm not underperforming too badly in spite of my self-criticism

in terms of training, I've been running 30 mpw pretty consistently since the beginning of the year, typically doing one 8-to-10-mile long run and one 3-mile tempo run per week. I tried to throw in a weekly interval session (400/600/800m) and up my mileage to 35 mpw during racing season, but I wasn't very consistent with either of those aims — it's kinda hard to taper for a race on such a strict schedule. since my last race I've kept the tempo run but stopping doing intervals, maintaining 35 mpw and doing a few strides during one of my easy runs so I don't lose too much of my raw speed. when the weather cools down a bit, I'm planning to resume the speedwork (and maybe increase my mileage further?) in preparation for the fall racing season. part of the challenge is motivating myself to do workouts I hate/dread (mile repeats, hills, longer tempo runs) when I'm running solo without a coach or a club to keep me on track. my goal is to run an official sub-18-minute 5K before the end of the year, something I've achieved during a solo time trial but never during an actual race

― in walked airbud (unregistered), Friday, July 30, 2021 8:17 AM (five days ago)

Your training strategy is very similar to mine. I'd love to do more speedwork and tempo stuff, but with work/kids I often only have the time or headspace to pop an easy 3 miles at lunch. But I do enjoy my 8-to-10 milers on Saturday or Sunday. I haven't done any races since Feb 2020, though the Parkrun near where I live (in Poland) recently started up again, so I might just do a 5k to see where I am.

I'm nearing 40 and *think* I can get down to the mid 18:00s for a 5k with the proper training base. My best in HS was just under 17:00, and I could pop out low 17:00s consistently. A few years ago I had a goal to try and better my hs PB, but I'm not sure I can find the time and motivation now, sadly.

My one piece of advice for anyone trying to get into running: do not venture into the Letsrun.com forums. Every few years I innocently bring up a thread on Google about a running topic and remember what a cesspool that place is.

I just wish parkrun was a thing in the US, because it seems like the perfect opportunity to enjoy yourself and maybe try out some new approaches without the pressure and pricetag of a more formal race.

Yeah, parkrun is fantastic for that. Hopefully starting back up here in Wales in the next few weeks but going to pop over the border to England this weekend to do my first one in a year and a half.

My pace is down at the moment but fairly sure it'll pick back up once I start doing parkruns again every Saturday. The social side of them is brilliant and as you say, there's no real pressure - it's good to take some easier and just enjoy the run or pace a friend to a PB but also good to race them as they're much better conditioning for race environments than running solo 5Ks in training.

xp Those Let'srun.com forums are the worst! Not sure why serious runners also happen to be the biggest trolls, but here we are.

impromptu trail race at a ski resort tonight, 4.3 miles. i don't like races at all, find them stressful, don't like running around a bunch of people, but these local races at ski resorts can be useful in that they have a nice route for them and i can run it on weekends. half the battle of trail running sometimes is getting familiar with a trail system. and then dealing with mountain bikers.

4.3 miles with 1200' elevation gain, that's right about my limit. i will be going slow on this one. goal is to find a nice gap between runners at an easy pace so i can enjoy the thing.

well shit, how did it go?

xp lol, i did it, it was really hard though and i finished middle of the bottom third iirc.

i have a running story to tell.

we get to the place where you can get on the slickrock from the sand. i am not sure what's going to happen because the whole slab of rock rises at a very steep angle for a mile or so and 1,000 feet i think. luckily i can take the tiniest steps imaginable and keep a pace. i do a few zig zags to avoid bowls and such. pretty soon i'm following the rim of the canyon we started in, a few hundred feet up. at the trailhead was a van with a bumper sticker that said "666 base" and dust-writing on the rear window that said "church of base," which finally makes sense when i crest a point right as someone hurls themselves off the canyon rim in front of me. the deep, dark canyon next to me and the base jumper floods me with adrenaline and any soreness leaves me for a while. i cross a couple of rocky divets in between the fins at strategic points - you have to stop and make the best guess you can, then running downward is trickier. i crest another point and see about 8-9 big horn sheep on the face in front of me, they scamper off to the side as i take a picture. eventually i reach the top, at least of the first jutted layer. the end.

belated lol @ map's story. wild sheep are one of the perks you miss out on when you run almost all your races in bland suburban neighborhoods

I had a pretty good first 5K of the year this morning. my goal was to finish in under 18 minutes, but my first mile fell so far short of my target pace (thanks to a plodding half-mile-long uphill stretch) that I was ready to settle for 18:30 or so. but I sped up a lot after cresting the hill and managed to finish in 17:35. I was in front of the pack for most of the race, but a 14-year-old boy overtook me about half a mile before the end, and I had little confidence in my ability to out-kick him. but he ended up taking a wrong turn into the parking lot leading up to the finish line, and I finished about 10 seconds before him. according to my watch, my splits were 5:58.4 / 5:39.1 / 5:38.1 / 0:27.4

I had a bit of slump in my performance last fall after I took a shitty, stressful, physically demanding customer service job. between work and running, I was sleeping poorly and losing about a pound a week, and my race times kept falling short of my training PR. even the easy runs often sucked — a couple miles in I'd begin to feel drowsy and weak with occasional bouts of lightheadedness. I still have the same shitty job, but I've at least adjusted my diet and sleep schedule somewhat, and I haven't had too many bad runs lately

in terms of training, I started the year running about 35 mpw with one weekly 3.5 mile tempo run, increased my mileage to 40 mpw toward the end of January, and added a weekly interval workout a couple weeks ago. I'm kindasorta following Jack Daniels's 40-50 mpw 5K plan but I can't really see myself sticking to it. I'm not too thrilled with his focus on mile-pace 200-400m reps and his inclusion of a marathon-pace long run every two or three weeks. I'll probably end up doing what I did last year and cycling between 400m/600m/800m/1000m intervals at a slightly slower pace, maybe throwing in a few hill workouts later in the spring. still not really sure what my end goal is, but I'd like to get my 5K time well below 17:30 before the summertime, and I'd like to try a 10K at some point

Wow, that's fantastic. Well done. I can only dream of a sub 18 5K although am slowly getting closer - ran a 5 mile race in sub-30 (just) last week.

Have quite a few 5 and 10K races coming up in the next few months. 10Ks can be quite tough as you're running at not much slower than 5K pace but obviously for twice as long. Sounds like you'll be ok though from the mileage you're putting in each week.

so this barefootsprinter guy on instagram has convinced me i need to get into my toes and feet. i'm a muscular heavy guy so it makes sense that my feet and toes need to engage and articulate when i'm running. even when i run on my toes i notice i roll inward (especially on my right leg) and my toes and foot are like wincing away from doing the work they need to do. this is what has led to some tendonitis, i'm pretty sure. i'm also eyeing minimal shoes, it's time for new ones anyway.

anyway, it's finally summer which means i need to do runs in the morning instead of later in the day. so my whole routine is switching up. this morning was a run to the gym (1 mile), then 30 mins of yoga, then a run back. running back after waking up my legs and feet like that was wild. i noticed i had a lot more awareness of how i was striking and the direction i need to head in with my toes and feet. i should probably do some mobility work on my lower body but it's hard to know what i really need.

Has anyone experienced problems with control over their ankles and feet and gait in general? I think I may have a permanent injury that cannot be detected by x-rays but that makes my running gait weird and makes it difficult for me to maintain my balance and control the motion of one leg such that a bulldog that happens to come charging can make me fall. But I don't feel any pain so I have a hard time explaining it. I detect it especially when I am tired. If I am not, I can maintain what I think my gait and motion should be.

the best thing would have been if she liked to run around the reservoir named for her and wore sunglasses at daybreak

If you have an injury, you have an injury and should find someone with the expertise to diagnose it.

If no injury, my PT and others I've read online would prob say you need to build up you single-leg strength over a few weeks and see if you notice any change. In general, it should really boost your stability and decrease the likelihood of using the wrong part of your joints, which leads to injury. I've done so over the past 6 months and recurring knee problems have almost completely disappeared.

There are a million single-leg workouts available online.

I started jogging (walk/jogging, to be accurate) again back in April. I've always been very stop-start about running because I kept running into injuries that would sideline me for a season. In particular, I used to have huge problems with shin splints and then later, piriformis syndrome (which just FUCK THAT). Anyway, I've eliminated those problems by finding stretches that work for me, and thus far, I've been running for two months injury free! Typically, I just do 1 mile/day, but have incorporated a few 2 miles on a few weekends. Now I'm pushing my daily jog to more of the 1.25 1.5 mile range and I find that I'm able to run for longer with fewer and shorter walk breaks.