ILX running running thread

Just talked to the orthopedist this morning! She basically said it's no big deal and everyone my age has some degeneration and arthritis. The other doc had made my situation sound a lot more worrisome than it is. I get to check in with an actual physical therapist (instead of just youtubing it, like I have been), but I should be okay in the long run. I'm still just sticking to walking for the time being, but I'm fitting it in twice a day.

― peace, man, Wednesday, August 31, 2022 1:15 PM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink

It took over a month to get an appointment with the physical therapist, but when I did, she basically confirmed that I was on the right track with the limited core exercises that I had been doing and added a couple of others. Since then, I've been walk/running three times a week (MWF) while keeping up with my twice-daily walking schedule every other day. It's been going GREAT with no recurrence of injury for the past two months. I've been adding the running back in more slowly and cautiously. I basically do a warm-up walk for 15 minutes, then switch off between running and walking - 1-minute run, 1-minute walk, 1-minute run, etc. In the past few weeks, I've been adding 2-minute running segments onto the end of that cycle each week. So I've been increasing my activity, but very slowly, making sure not to overdo it.

One thing that I've been facing this year is running in cold weather. In the past, I would just pack it in during the winter months, or switch to a treadmill. Looking back to the treadmill days, in the basement gym at my office, those were such dire times! I really hated treadmill running, particularly in that dungeon-like condition. So I bought myself some long-sleeved base layer shirts and a warm reflective hat and have been sticking to my routine as the weather dips into the 30s. If it gets too cold, I'll throw on a pair of gloves and I'm perfectly comfortable! Lip balm is key on these days though.

One thing that I've wanted to do for years is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Run. It's a 10k that, like it says, goes over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland. It just took place again this past weekend. I've never been in shape enough to do a 10k. A lot of people do walk it, but I'd prefer to join as a runner. Anyway, hoping that can be a goal for next year.

That sounds fun. Do you get to stop at the gift shop in the middle?

I ran my first ever 5k last weekend and did it in 28:53, which was my best 5k time to date. Not an easy run - the first almost mile of it was upward sloped.

I think I prefer my lone meditative trail runs to races, don't like the feeling of a bunch of people running around me, thinking about whether they are or will pass me, etc. I also got really embarrassed by the people cheering. That said, it was kind of nice at the end, talking to the other runners, feeling of "we all did a (moderately) hard thing together." And it gave me something to train for. So maybe I'll do another in the spring.

Yeah, I don't think of myself as someone who would normally want to enter a race and participate in something with thousands of other people. In this case, the lure is the beautiful view. I drive over the bridge a few times a year, but don't get a chance to look out my window.

I miss the absolute suffering of racing. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Races are not for me. Running really is something I do to be with myself and to compete with myself. Also I never know beforehand what distance I can do. Sometimes it's 10, sometimes 15 and 3 or 4 times a year I'll do a half marathon if I'm feeling good. But to able to say, 'on that specific day 3 weeks from now I'll run that many kms', nope.

also not a racer, also hate treadmills. they tend to help me reinjure myself for whatever reason.

i like the manual treadmill at the gym as a backup. i've been doing that for the last two weeks after it got cold and stormy. it was sunny yesterday and i finally made it outside for a run. it's my jam, i'll always come back to that as part of my routine. 3-4 slow miles, ideally with some uphill. nothing else makes me feel good like that.

I’m running the JFK 50 in western Maryland (what’s up with all the MD talk??) on Saturday. Biggest concern rn is the cold. And the monotony. Will report back.

Trial runs through the wooded area by the river feel kinda spiritual for me, very different vibe from a race, although some days I do try to beat/improve my time.

*Trail

trail runs are very good for the soul

looks like i'm going to be running on rock in moab for the first time in many months, very much looking forward to that though it's also hard there are some wild inclines there

Trial runs through the wooded area by the river feel kinda spiritual for me, very different vibe from a race, although some days I do try to beat/improve my time.

Map - Running on that rock in Moab sounds so cool. Enjoy

omg tobo73 let me tell you, it is so fucking cool lmao. the only weird part is jockeying with mountain bikers or the occasional ohv. going back this weekend! if anyone ever wants to run on the sandstone of the colorado plateau i can give you a few tips, moab area or escalante. there are spots i'm scoping out on google maps further south by bears ears / bluff and the navajo reservation.

anyway i have a weird sore forefoot thing going on. no idea how it happened. woke up one morning a few weeks ago with it. flexing my toes back brings an ache / soreness. walking with a bit of a limp. i can run on it without too much pain. it seems to be getting a little better, fingers crossed.

I've started sprinting a couple days a week and it feels so good

I’m running a marathon on Sunday. I did a 25k a few weekends ago and have been training very sporadically (maybe a week average since February), so you know, I probably shouldn’t be doing it but you have to stick to your word! Hoping to get a 4:30 time and then try take running more seriously next year and get a time with a 3 in front of it. I am really enjoying this though, it’s a fun game chasing pb’s

Has anyone tried the Brooks Ghost 15? Is it longer than the 14, or does it feel bigger because it is wider? Did you want to size down? (I assume the same would be true for M or W, but if you could please indicate, that would be great. Thanks.)

as a recap: 42km is a lot longer than 25km. But we did it

as a recap: 42km is a lot longer than 25km. But we did it

Awesome, well done HP.

Do you enjoy it?

I've had the 10, 11, 12 & 14 (M) and never really noticed a size difference between models.

Is the 15 supposed to be bigger then? xps

I've tried a Brooks Adrenaline XX and found it tighter at the toe end than others numbers I've worn in the series, before and after. Never tried the Ghost.

Their web site used to have a chart showing perceptions of fit. Reviewers seemed to think that the 15 felt larger than the 14. They don't seem to have the charts anymore.

That was it for me tobo73. I was hitting my 4:30 time splits until 30km when plantar fasciitis started sparking up. From that point, there was a bit of walking involved, ended up doing 4:53. Even though the time was slack, I'm happy I did it and keen to give it a better, more serious go next year. We'll try break a few more barriers before then though

I read marathon times and am overwhelmed and wonder about the experience of the end.
The situation that seems most accident-prone in conditions of low visibility is a car making a right turn when cross-traffic is unexpected or blocked from view preceding the turn.

I'm doing my fourth 10k, after five years of no running and no exercise. It took me about 15 training runs before I stopped feeling like every step was a punishment, but unlike any pervious time I'm finally, sort of, getting into it - I feel good after each run and look forward beforehand, until it comes time to actually set out. I'm using various incentivising techniques - finding new routes, improving my times - though they won't work forever. When not actually running I fantasise about longer distances - I've done 12k already so couldn't a half marathon be in reach? But this morning's 5k was not what I would call enjoyable.

Same, also did a fourth 10K over the weekend after years of being very careful with running. My colleagues motivated me to sign up for the local popular race that takes place 3rd December, so I'm now officially training. I'm excited and a little apprehensive. Not because of distance, it's a short city race. If I don't slip during the race and my weak spots (right-hand hip / adductors area) continue to feel better during training, I will be happy. It's also a nice start to the end-of-the year and holiday season.

In my experience, going from 10k to 20K is a significant leap, especially if the race isn't flat. If you can run 10k, you'll manage, but it will be a slow ordeal, with a risk of abandoning in the second half (blisters, stomach etc). You can continue training over 10-12k until you have packed up endurance, you're regular and it feels comfortable. You can run 15k a couple times to get a feel of a longer race, but you will know internally when you're ready to attempt 21K.

Wow I started this thread over 16 years ago. Still running but I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. I should recap some of them. Running at 44 is certainly different than running at 28.

thanks nabozo - I think internally at the moment my brain is writing cheques my body can't cash.

go for it jeff. at 50 my peak performance is way behind me but given I never tried very hard back then I'm happy enough with how things are going so far.

10k race in 49 mins, pretty happy with that, it's my best time over > 6k since starting again two months ago. I maybe could have gone marginally faster but there were hardly any distance markers so I didn't know what pace I was running, and strava fucked up so I still don't know.

Running at 44 is certainly different than running at 28.

No kidding. I'm in one of my periodic recovery phases... I've had major issues with IT band pull/knee caving, such that when I tried to run it felt like I was hardly hitting the ground with the ball of my foot. A few weeks ago I started doing a forgotten exercise — lunges with a hand weight — and it's definitely improved my stability, so that running feels like running again. My average pace gets a little slower every year, though.

Another 44 year-old runner here. I'm having such a weird/frustrating relationship with running right now. The last few years had me running like a robot, every other day no matter what, running 200 kms per month sometimes. Ended up getting an injury but got back in. The past couple monthes I've got really tired with running, got lazy on my routine, almost didn't run at all in August, now trying to get back into regularity but the motivation is hard to find. And yet, whenever I find the will to go, I enjoy it very much and I even improve. I have just set new Personal Records for 10 and 15 kms in my last two runs despite only going because I felt I somehow had to. Probably would have beaten my best semi today too if I had enough time. I should feel reinvigorated but instead I'm just hoping it will rain massively on Tuesday so I have an excuse not to go. I dunno, it's weird.

https://i.imgur.com/ZHFMh4Z.png

2013 through 2016 were going great! PR after PR until I ran myself into a stress fracture. Not deterred, I recovered and set a half PR in 2017 on the way to running myself into another stress fracture. Followed by couple of years of mediocrity, unable to establish any sort of consistent running.

Then in 2020/2021 I felt even worse, no energy, unable to do more than a run/walk. Well it turns out that if you are severely anemic, it is very difficult to run. Didn't get that worked out until late last year and it has taken until now to get back up to where I'm doing double digit mileage and hitting closer to my old easy pace on long runs. In hindsight, I shouldn't feel too bad for my pitiful 2021, I was determined, but my body was not functioning.

As for running at 44, everything just takes longer. First mile is always slow, takes longer to warm up, takes longer to build up mileage, have to be super conservative with aches and pains. However, I'm seeing improvement. It just takes time. IDK if I'll ever touch any of my PR's again, but just that I'm able to get out there and run for a couple of hours feels great.

And dont forget to take injury prevention seriously as you get old. There are things you can do that really help and ime they also add some variety to your workouts.

And dont forget to take injury prevention seriously as you get old. There are things you can do that really help and ime they also add some variety to your workouts.

I was out for a few months there due to a stress fracture in my foot along with plantar fasciitis. Then over the course of a week and a half my foot improved significantly, responding well to very gentle intervals of what can best be described as shuffling. I ended up taking a little trail run vacation over the weekend and it was glorious. Running on Navajo sandstone is like having a dance with god in fucking heaven.

I ran 15k for the first time, felt pretty good. I was only planning on 12 but I took a wrong turn which added 1k and I thought eh why not.

Despite slippery wet snow underfoot (and rain for the second half) I ignored the good advice upthread (get comfortable running 10-12-15k) and did a half marathon. Legs were definitely sore in whole new ways I've never experienced for the last 3k, and aching for the rest of the day, but I'm glad I did it. Might sign up for a race later next year but I'll dial my regular running back to 5-10k for now.

I know this probably isn't impressive but I did a 2.25 mile run outside today and my heart rate I think peaked at 165. usually by the end its like 180 and I feel I'm gonna pass out. fitness!

Long slow runs are great for building fitness (and improving heart rate): run a bit longer distance than you usually would but at a fairly comfortable sedate pace

I went for my second run since the marathon in July a couple days ago and felt great but had to cut it shorter than I wanted as the dog was not coping. She was fine, just did not want to keep going. Hoping she builds back up to the place of smoking me every run!

update:
Dog smoking me every run

Trying the Hansons marathon plan which is running 6 times a week for average cumulative 70km's. Meant to keep the heart rate low which leads to the inevitable smoking by the dog. Going late at night when everyone in my town is asleep so she can run off leash along the ocean channel. It's a lot of sprint/stop/sniff and she is now probably the happiest animal in this entire town. It's the highlight of my day now and a great way to get yourself falling straight asleep as you hit the pillow afterwards

I know quite a few people from my club who've used the Hanson plan. It's not worked for all of them but the majority have done really well off it

I was doing pretty well with my running running until last week when a horse broke my ankle in a manner that required surgery and extensive hardware and now my running running is fucked for the foreseeable future

Ortho is all no you’ll be able to do stationary bike on low resistance in like a month so there goes my cardio fitness, enter jello body

Does the ortho think your ankle will eventually recover for running running purposes?

That’s unclear at the moment. My biggest issue is that I need excellent dorsiflexion for my all-consuming pastime/physical activity which is equestrian sports. I jump big things while perched on a horse’s back, which requires quite a bit of ankle strength and flexibility so as not to topple off :(

Really sorry to hear that quince

Thank you. I never really loved running running but it was my go-to for cardio. The other options just aren’t as simple and accessible, right? Rowing machine, exercise bike require a gym. . . what else do people do when injured?