This thread shall be THE RUNNING THREAD!!!

[Mark Wein]

Another factor w/r/t knee injuries, in many cases, is people running to lose weight. It's a lot easier on the joints when you're already fit.

I've made that mistake a few times. Always better to lose the weight first and start running later.

 

[2manband]

2 other things that can help:

Doing some strength training exercises like squats, lunges, or the "Jane Fonda" side leg raises

Running on a soft surface like a trail or track

 

[Denverdave]

Yeah - cadence is very important in races, especially in the second half of races. Keeping a fast leg turnover. I've noticed that when I get tired my footwork tends to get more sloppy - ie. I go from more of a light heel/midfoot strike to a heavier heel strike.

I think a lot of it has to do with the volume of miles you run. I've been injury prone in the past when trying to get up to marathon-distance. But lately I've been pushing for fast, short runs, and haven't had any trouble at all. So for the forseeable future, running good times in 5k - 10k races is going to be more of a goal for me than simply trying to finish a marathon.

I have a half marathon in 2 1/2 weeks. I really don't feel ready but it is there ready or not. I know sooner or later I will attempt a marathon, but I'm in no hurry. I have several that started pushing towards the more ultra running events (50K, 100k, etc). Almost all of them ended up with knee/foot injuries of some sort. some people can handle those distances more easily, but those also tend to be the people who train a lot (70 plus miles a week). My favorite race right now is probably the 10K. It was 5Ks but I kind of peaked out on those because the times are getting pretty fast (for me) and I would have to switch my training to much more speed work. And actually, if I drop my 10K times down to where I want them those mile times will start getting pretty quick as well (for an old guy....not so fast for younger runners).

 

[Flamencology]

I really like 10k, as well. I've been doing 5s, 10s, and sprints pretty much exclusively for the past 6 weeks or so, and I definitely feel stronger for the kinds of things that I'm doing more of these days.

 

[Denverdave]

My summer training has been a bit lacking in speed work and hill training (trail running) and I can feel it. Time crunches are part of the reason. I need to do my speed work today on the treadmill in the basement at work. Treadmills are actually pretty good for that - especially when I have no time after work, or on days when it is 95 degrees out after work. The only issue with our treadmill at work is that it is way (WAY) out of calibration as far as the time/distance/pace goes. I have been running long enough to know about what a 90 per mile pace feels like and that pace on our treadmill comes at about the 11:30 pace reading on our machine. When the treadmill here is at an 8:30 pace it is close to an all out sprint (probably a 60 pace). So todays workout is ten minutes at a relaxed pace - then 7 or 8 quarter mile intervals at about 10K race pace (slowly getting faster each quarter) with a 1/8 mile jog between. It is a brutal workout when I do it right, but works really well on the treadmill. Plus I don't have time for much more than that on my lunch break.

 

[2manband]

Crushed it on my 5K this morning.

My target time was 21:42 (7 minute miles). I finished in 20:24 chip time or 20:29 gun time, which is about a 6:36 per mile average. That was good enough for 3rd in my age group, and I got a medal.

Also worth noting; At 34 years old, I'm at the upper end of the 30-34 age group. If I run the same time next year I'll be in the 35-39 age group, and would have finished second.

The field was fast - overall winner clocked in at 15:20. I started toward the front and had a lot of other fast runners around keeping me motivated. I really did give it my all - pushed so hard at the end that I actually felt dizzy for 10 minutes or so after the race, which has never happened before, but bounced back after that.

I'm wearing the medal around the house for the rest of the day just for silliness sake.

 

[Denverdave]

Crushed it on my 5K this morning.

My target time was 21:42 (7 minute miles). I finished in 20:24 chip time or 20:29 gun time, which is about a 6:36 per mile average. That was good enough for 3rd in my age group, and I got a medal.

Also worth noting; At 34 years old, I'm at the upper end of the 30-34 age group. If I run the same time next year I'll be in the 35-39 age group, and would have finished second.

The field was fast - overall winner clocked in at 15:20. I started toward the front and had a lot of other fast runners around keeping me motivated. I really did give it my all - pushed so hard at the end that I actually felt dizzy for 10 minutes or so after the race, which has never happened before, but bounced back after that.

I'm wearing the medal around the house for the rest of the day just for silliness sake.

Excellent! And yeah - that is a really fast winning time. I think the fastest 5K winner of any race I have been in was 14:50. You had a killer time! I did a nice slow 11 miles this AM - two weeks to my half marathon.

 

[2manband]

Excellent! And yeah - that is a really fast winning time. I think the fastest 5K winner of any race I have been in was 14:50. You had a killer time! I did a nice slow 11 miles this AM - two weeks to my half marathon.

I checked the results online and it looks like the overall winner was actually 15:14, so a bit faster than I remembered.

If you're doing 11 miles at 2 weeks out then it sounds like you're right on target for your half marathon.

I spent the weekend doing all the things that I had denied myself leading up to the race - drinking beer, ate a giant steak, smoked a cigar, layed around on the couch, etc.

But I'm back at it tomorrow - gonna do a not-so-strenuous 4 miles in the morning, and then lift weights after work. Hoping to find another race in late August and shoot for 20 mins.

 

[2manband]

Took things a little easy on my run yesterday but I was back to a full speed training run today. Managed to finish about 10 seconds faster than my fastest training time before the race, so things are continuing to improve.

That time is still about a minute behind my race pace, but I credit that to the extra motivation that you get during an actual race.

 

[Denverdave]

I have speed work tonight with a group from the running store I run for. We are supposed to hit the low 90s today and the run is at 60PM. It's gonna be a hot one.

 

[2manband]

I have speed work tonight with a group from the running store I run for. We are supposed to hit the low 90s today and the run is at 60PM. It's gonna be a hot one.

Weather's been great here recently; especially in the mornings. The temp. at 6:30 this morning was 62 degrees.

I hate running in the heat - hard to build speed or cardio when you're just trying to survive.

 

[Denverdave]

Weather's been great here recently; especially in the mornings. The temp. at 6:30 this morning was 62 degrees.

I hate running in the heat - hard to build speed or cardio when you're just trying to survive.

I ran the past two mornings at 5:30. It's usually in the low to mid 50s here at that time of the morning, so great running temps. But yeah, I am not looking forward to speed work in the heat and sun.....

 

[2manband]

Been struggling with motivation this week. I've gotten two runs in so far, and will probably run again tomorrow. But I'm having a hard time pushing the pace as much as I was before. I think I need to book another race to give me something to work toward.

On the flip side, I forgot my watch this morning and just ran at whatever pace felt comfortable. I'm sure it was pretty slow, but I actually kind of enjoyed the run.

 

[Denverdave]

My Half is on Saturday. It's about an hour from our house and I need to be there by about 6:30 at the latest to get any parking - meaning I need to get up at about 4:30AM on Saturday. My long run last weekend went well and I have been really good about my training the past 5 weeks so I should be ready, I just don't feel quite there. Too late now. My race goal is 1:550. I should be able to go faster than that but for my first half in two years I'm setting the bar pretty low. Plus I think I am getting a head cold (talk about bad timing).

 

[2manband]

Good luck Dave - start rocking some Zicam now and cut that head cold off before it gets going.

 

[Denverdave]

Well - set a new PR in the Half marathon at 1:54:38. I was a bit more tired in the last couple of miles than I was planning on being, but the time was below my target time of 1:550. The run is a net loss of 1,000 feet (elevation) - but at the same time the race started at 8500 feet so the air was a bit thin so that kinda balanced it out a bit. The legs are still a bit sore....

 

[jbj]

Well done Denver Dave.

I don't do a lot of running (aka none as it stands) but I do like the idea of doing a marathon just to say I've done one. I ran a 20 mile assault course in May and had only done one 5k run as far as actual running preparation is concerned so I'm sure I could do a marathon with a little bit of practice under the belt. Maybe the Edinburgh marathon next Spring...

I've got a 10k on Saturday. I usually only do assault course races but this is in a cracking little harbour village which a friend happens to have a boat at and my girlfriend's Aunt has a flat so myself and the dude with the boat are doing the race and a bunch of our buddies are coming up to drink themselves into a stupor.

Got Tough Mudder a week on Saturday too. They're a bit vague about the distance - it'll be between 10 and 12 miles but I'm all about the obstacles in these things rather than the distance you need to cover. Really looking forward to it with the exception of the part they electrocute you.

 

[Denverdave]

Well done Denver Dave.

I don't do a lot of running (aka none as it stands) but I do like the idea of doing a marathon just to say I've done one. I ran a 20 mile assault course in May and had only done one 5k run as far as actual running preparation is concerned so I'm sure I could do a marathon with a little bit of practice under the belt. Maybe the Edinburgh marathon next Spring...

I've got a 10k on Saturday. I usually only do assault course races but this is in a cracking little harbour village which a friend happens to have a boat at and my girlfriend's Aunt has a flat so myself and the dude with the boat are doing the race and a bunch of our buddies are coming up to drink themselves into a stupor.

Got Tough Mudder a week on Saturday too. They're a bit vague about the distance - it'll be between 10 and 12 miles but I'm all about the obstacles in these things rather than the distance you need to cover. Really looking forward to it with the exception of the part they electrocute you.

If you did the 20 mile course then a marathon would not be too much of a stretch. It's more the continual moving as opposed to waiting in line at the various obstacles (if there are lines) that kills you. I hope to someday do a full marathon, but right now I just don't have time for the three to four hour training runs. Two hours is about my limit right now.

Your 10K plan sounds like a great one. Run then celebrate!

 

[jbj]

I'm not drinking just now so it'll be run then watch everyone else get drunk and annoying

The stopping and starting on the 20 miler was actually harder because you would cool down / your muscles would start to cramp every time you stopped. Going in and out of cold open water didn't help either. I wouldn't put a great time in but I reckon i could plug through it. £55 to enter the Edinburgh marathon next year. Hmmm maybe my next fitness flight of fancy that no one wants to join me in or understands.

 

[2manband]

Well - set a new PR in the Half marathon at 1:54:38. I was a bit more tired in the last couple of miles than I was planning on being, but the time was below my target time of 1:550. The run is a net loss of 1,000 feet (elevation) - but at the same time the race started at 8500 feet so the air was a bit thin so that kinda balanced it out a bit. The legs are still a bit sore....

Nice job Dave! I really need to sign up for the next race to keep myself motivated.

I only got three runs in last week, and none yet this week. I was all set to run this morning, but it was raining, so I rolled over and went back to sleep.