Ran a 10k in June (2 Viewers)

[meeka]

I have been mentally gearing up for my first 4 mile run tonight when I get home from work. Then the Mrs. calls and tells me that her Dad wants to know if I can go over to his house and help him with some insulation after dinner. So I am a little frustrated because I was gearing up for my run tonight. I am still going to go run after I help him, just sort of bummed that it is getting pushed back a couple of hours.

Running TO his house down?

Not a bad idea!My office is 3.5 miles from my house - I'm trying to figure out the logistics, but fully intend to bike and/or run the distance as the weather allows. No shower here, though, so running TO work isn't really an option (hence the logistical issue).

I have thought about biking into work this summer, but it is closer to 15 miles for me to get to work. 2 major problems with that. 1 - No shower at work, and I would be a puddle all day

2- With 2 young kids at home I would not like to add an hour to each side of my commute to often.

If I was 3.5 miles away I would definitly consider biking on a regular basis.

 

[meeka]

I've been training for 6 months for a race that comes in 2 weeks. It didn't scare me as I ran 6 miles several times in the last few months...i was trying to beat 50 minutes for the first time in my life. And this would have been the first race in over 15 years for me.But I had to quit running this week. I hurt my knee and it is getting worse. It hurts so bad I have been waking up at night in misery. I am going to switch to biking in two weeks when it heals some more. Running on top of my job is too much for it without surgery methinks. I'm very bummed that I cannot run anymore and very disappointed in myself for not completing the goal I set out for when I was so close.

Sorry to hear about the injury. Take care of yourself. Don't be disappointed in yourself. Injuries happen. I can understand if you are disapponted that you are hurt so close before your race and can not run in it, but you should not be disappointed with yourself.

 

[wraith5]

I've been training for 6 months for a race that comes in 2 weeks. It didn't scare me as I ran 6 miles several times in the last few months...i was trying to beat 50 minutes for the first time in my life. And this would have been the first race in over 15 years for me.But I had to quit running this week. I hurt my knee and it is getting worse. It hurts so bad I have been waking up at night in misery. I am going to switch to biking in two weeks when it heals some more. Running on top of my job is too much for it without surgery methinks. I'm very bummed that I cannot run anymore and very disappointed in myself for not completing the goal I set out for when I was so close.

Sorry to hear about the injury. Take care of yourself. Don't be disappointed in yourself. Injuries happen. I can understand if you are disapponted that you are hurt so close before your race and can not run in it, but you should not be disappointed with yourself.

There's not much you can do with an injury - no reason to be disappointed in yourself here! Have you been checked out medically to assess the injury? I know it's probably common knowledge what you do for a living, but I don't know and so don't know how it impacts your running. Regardless, biking is a good alternative that I know a lot of people enjoy. (I really need to buy a bike soon!)

 

[wraith5]

I have been mentally gearing up for my first 4 mile run tonight when I get home from work. Then the Mrs. calls and tells me that her Dad wants to know if I can go over to his house and help him with some insulation after dinner. So I am a little frustrated because I was gearing up for my run tonight. I am still going to go run after I help him, just sort of bummed that it is getting pushed back a couple of hours.

Running TO his house down?

Not a bad idea!My office is 3.5 miles from my house - I'm trying to figure out the logistics, but fully intend to bike and/or run the distance as the weather allows. No shower here, though, so running TO work isn't really an option (hence the logistical issue).

I have thought about biking into work this summer, but it is closer to 15 miles for me to get to work. 2 major problems with that. 1 - No shower at work, and I would be a puddle all day

2- With 2 young kids at home I would not like to add an hour to each side of my commute to often.

If I was 3.5 miles away I would definitly consider biking on a regular basis.

I have two young kids, too (4 months and 22 months). 15 miles would be a much greater challenge. Biking in wouldn't be too bad, but biking home would probably be a drag. I need to buy a bike - which means I need to take the time to research what bike to get. Once I do that, I think a couple days/week I'll ride to work and either bike or run home from work.

 

[El Floppo]

El Floppo lurks ...did you get in a run?

:X I think I said I was afraid I wouldn't make it a block. Well- the first block was a breeze- but the wheels came off on block #2. It was an ugly mix of wheezing, pain (I completely forgot my knee was screwy), flop-sweating (el floppo-sweating) all set against the background of feeling like I was running in slow-mo under water- glug, glugging along as fat, one-legged woman walking backwards while chatting all zipped by me like some kind of Einsteinian experiment in relativity.Alright- it wasn't a bad as all that. Did my old warm-up run, from my place out to the East River and down to the Brooklyn Bridge and back- somewhere between 4.5 and 5 miles total. I had no goal other than to run a little and try to maintain some form. The latter was harder to do than I thought- it was as if I hadn't run in ages. Oh yeah... The watch said 44:00- so somewhere around 9:00/miles. Quite content with that. The knee felt ok once I warmed up a little. I was breathing heavy throughout, but overall nothing hurt or failed on me enough to warrant any concern.And you know what- I really don't think I'd be out there again if it wasn't for this thread- so thanks to all of you for your diligence in here- it has truly been an inspiration. -- and the wife has been wanting me to get back into this- she was really happy to see me come home in the old workout gear. Phew!

 

[RustyFA]

Great job with the run! Keep it up.

 

[KTM]

2.75 on Sunday. I ran outside which was nice. mapmyruns.com was very helpful in mapping out the distance as I am not very good at judging that yet.

I was surprisingly a little sore last week from the first 2.75 but not as much today. The big 3 miler is Wednesday but the way work is going I may be out of town and have to push it to Thursday. Then 2 then 3 again on the weekend.

Did not work on the eating over the weekend but plan on getting back on track this week unless work is a real ##### and I don't have the time.

on the mapmyrun.com link. I never knew this existed! At least I know my internal pedometer still works...

Also, after your runs, make sure you eat and drink what's needed within 15-30 minutes. That's when your body needs the refueling. Keep at it!

This is huge, HUGE advice. This is so important. It's amazing how much better your recover if you get a decent snack/water in you after your run.

And here I go.

Going.

Yep.

Going to go.

Make us proud! Your new baby would probably prefer the fit El Floppo vs. the current one. Oh, and also don't discuss "how great" the run was, or "how good it felt to get outside" to the Mrs. as this is one of those things that could set her off a bit. Go get 'em!

This is pretty much what got me to get my fat lard back out there. I want to be able to keep up with the kid when he's bigger.I got a good 4 miles in today, with a pretty decent hill in the middle. This was the first real hill I've tackled since I've been back running, and it hurt. Add in the head wind and I was struggling. I've really learned over the years to maintain my pace while being uncomfortable but I really over did it on this hill. When I got to the top, it took a lot to keep the legs pumping.

Tomorrow I'm making an attempt at my first intervals set since I've been back. Should be fun!

 

[tri-man 47]

Ya know, guys, I did my first couple of tri's and then some serious 5K racing when my two kids were very young. A primary goal was to be competing well and staying fit when they were old enough to appreciate it. The kids are now 18 and 21. And I'm still doing OK. I have a lot of pride being able to share these current experiences with them. My daughter (18; no pics) told me last summer how she "gets a lot of mileage" with her friends telling them about her dad doin' 1/2-Ironman races and such. That's pretty cool.

For those of you with youngin's, look ahead a few years and recognize how your kids, too, will be proud of your efforts and be proud of having a fit and healthy pa (or ma). So yeah, a fit floppo and slim schmegma and such will be a good thing!

 

[meeka]

Well I can't sleep quite yet so I may as well check in. Went to the FIL's house to help put in some insulation. What a treat. It took 2 hours so I went straight from his house to the gym. I was motivated, so I packed ahead. Got to the gym at 9:30 and just knew I could get 4 miles in.

Done.

It was no different than the 3.5 I had been doing. I have been working with adjusting the speed every .5 mile and that keeps me pretty distracted. I did the 4 miles of running in 38 minutes, so I was pretty happy about that pace for now. I was a little intimidated at the 2 mile mark knowing I was only half way done. I have found that the first 2 miles are tough for me, but everything after that feels pretty much the same. With the occational annoying pain to keep me distracted for a little while.

Thanks for all the support.

 

[MelvinTScupper]

another 5 last night....coming home into a 15 mph headwind...woof

 

[Poppa]

Well I can't sleep quite yet so I may as well check in. Went to the FIL's house to help put in some insulation. What a treat. It took 2 hours so I went straight from his house to the gym. I was motivated, so I packed ahead. Got to the gym at 9:30 and just knew I could get 4 miles in. Done. It was no different than the 3.5 I had been doing. I have been working with adjusting the speed every .5 mile and that keeps me pretty distracted. I did the 4 miles of running in 38 minutes, so I was pretty happy about that pace for now. I was a little intimidated at the 2 mile mark knowing I was only half way done. I have found that the first 2 miles are tough for me, but everything after that feels pretty much the same. With the occational annoying pain to keep me distracted for a little while.Thanks for all the support.

Excellent... !

 

[Schmegma]

another 5 last night....coming home into a 15 mph headwind...woof

Nice work once again. Time to work on your aerodynamics.

 

[MelvinTScupper]

another 5 last night....coming home into a 15 mph headwind...woof

Nice work once again. Time to work on your aerodynamics.

my massive skull won't shrink, but the rest is self-fulfilling.

 

[El Floppo]

Well I can't sleep quite yet so I may as well check in. Went to the FIL's house to help put in some insulation. What a treat. It took 2 hours so I went straight from his house to the gym. I was motivated, so I packed ahead. Got to the gym at 9:30 and just knew I could get 4 miles in.

Done.

It was no different than the 3.5 I had been doing. I have been working with adjusting the speed every .5 mile and that keeps me pretty distracted. I did the 4 miles of running in 38 minutes, so I was pretty happy about that pace for now. I was a little intimidated at the 2 mile mark knowing I was only half way done. I have found that the first 2 miles are tough for me, but everything after that feels pretty much the same. With the occational annoying pain to keep me distracted for a little while.

Thanks for all the support.

Excellent... !

Great work! It's always easy to find ways not to run- nice job finding a way to make it work.

 

[El Floppo]

2.75 on Sunday. I ran outside which was nice. mapmyruns.com was very helpful in mapping out the distance as I am not very good at judging that yet.

I was surprisingly a little sore last week from the first 2.75 but not as much today. The big 3 miler is Wednesday but the way work is going I may be out of town and have to push it to Thursday. Then 2 then 3 again on the weekend.

Did not work on the eating over the weekend but plan on getting back on track this week unless work is a real ##### and I don't have the time.

on the mapmyrun.com link. I never knew this existed! At least I know my internal pedometer still works...

Also, after your runs, make sure you eat and drink what's needed within 15-30 minutes. That's when your body needs the refueling. Keep at it!

This is huge, HUGE advice. This is so important. It's amazing how much better your recover if you get a decent snack/water in you after your run.

And here I go.

Going.

Yep.

Going to go.

Make us proud! Your new baby would probably prefer the fit El Floppo vs. the current one. Oh, and also don't discuss "how great" the run was, or "how good it felt to get outside" to the Mrs. as this is one of those things that could set her off a bit. Go get 'em!

This is pretty much what got me to get my fat lard back out there. I want to be able to keep up with the kid when he's bigger.I got a good 4 miles in today, with a pretty decent hill in the middle. This was the first real hill I've tackled since I've been back running, and it hurt. Add in the head wind and I was struggling. I've really learned over the years to maintain my pace while being uncomfortable but I really over did it on this hill. When I got to the top, it took a lot to keep the legs pumping.

Tomorrow I'm making an attempt at my first intervals set since I've been back. Should be fun!

I've found that my state of mind is always better when I'm working out regularly- and that's the main reason I want to get back into this. I agree that the fitness alone will be a boon come baby-time, and especially toddler-time- but it's the happier me I'm thinking will be of most use to my kid and my wife (let alone me).And I haven't thought it through as far into the future as Tri-Man's post, or for that matter even being concerned with what the kid thinks of it (other than getting a happier me). Very, very cool.

 

[culdeus]

I have been mentally gearing up for my first 4 mile run tonight when I get home from work. Then the Mrs. calls and tells me that her Dad wants to know if I can go over to his house and help him with some insulation after dinner. So I am a little frustrated because I was gearing up for my run tonight. I am still going to go run after I help him, just sort of bummed that it is getting pushed back a couple of hours.

Running TO his house down?

Not a bad idea!My office is 3.5 miles from my house - I'm trying to figure out the logistics, but fully intend to bike and/or run the distance as the weather allows. No shower here, though, so running TO work isn't really an option (hence the logistical issue).

I have thought about biking into work this summer, but it is closer to 15 miles for me to get to work. 2 major problems with that. 1 - No shower at work, and I would be a puddle all day

2- With 2 young kids at home I would not like to add an hour to each side of my commute to often.

If I was 3.5 miles away I would definitly consider biking on a regular basis.

I have two young kids, too (4 months and 22 months). 15 miles would be a much greater challenge. Biking in wouldn't be too bad, but biking home would probably be a drag. I need to buy a bike - which means I need to take the time to research what bike to get. Once I do that, I think a couple days/week I'll ride to work and either bike or run home from work.

No shower here either, but I'll ride in on occasion. I just bring a hand towel and get it wet and towel off that way after cooling down a bit. Some deoderant and some detergent scented body spray and I'm good to go. It's about 14 miles or so which if I take the fastest way will only really add 40 minutes to my round trip commute. I think it would take me longer to take the bus+train to get to work.

I'll frequently take a long lunch and go on a ride from work and towel off in the same manner (bike sits outside righ tnow)

Maybe I should contact al gore to see if he wants to pay me for carbon offsets? :(

 

[RoarinSonoran]

No shower here either, but I'll ride in on occasion. I just bring a hand towel and get it wet and towel off that way after cooling down a bit. Some deoderant and some detergent scented body spray and I'm good to go.

Tide?

 

[meeka]

Well I can't sleep quite yet so I may as well check in. Went to the FIL's house to help put in some insulation. What a treat. It took 2 hours so I went straight from his house to the gym. I was motivated, so I packed ahead. Got to the gym at 9:30 and just knew I could get 4 miles in.

Done.

It was no different than the 3.5 I had been doing. I have been working with adjusting the speed every .5 mile and that keeps me pretty distracted. I did the 4 miles of running in 38 minutes, so I was pretty happy about that pace for now. I was a little intimidated at the 2 mile mark knowing I was only half way done. I have found that the first 2 miles are tough for me, but everything after that feels pretty much the same. With the occational annoying pain to keep me distracted for a little while.

Thanks for all the support.

Excellent... !

Great work! It's always easy to find ways not to run- nice job finding a way to make it work.

It felt pretty good to get it done.

 

[pigskinliquors]

I've been training for 6 months for a race that comes in 2 weeks. It didn't scare me as I ran 6 miles several times in the last few months...i was trying to beat 50 minutes for the first time in my life. And this would have been the first race in over 15 years for me.But I had to quit running this week. I hurt my knee and it is getting worse. It hurts so bad I have been waking up at night in misery. I am going to switch to biking in two weeks when it heals some more. Running on top of my job is too much for it without surgery methinks. I'm very bummed that I cannot run anymore and very disappointed in myself for not completing the goal I set out for when I was so close.

Hey Tipsy,I've had injuries prior to three races in the last 2 years, while having NONE prior. It sucks, but I've changed my focus to fitness, instead of time. The fact that were trying to beat 50 minutes suggests that you probably over trained. As for your knee, my guess is that you have chondromalacia. It is the cause of one of my injuries over the past two years. According to Google.answers: ------------------------- WHAT IS CHONDROMALACIA?-------------------------Chondromalacia, also known as "chondromalacia patellae,""patellofemoral syndrome," or "runner's knee," is a condition in whichthe cartilage beneath the kneecap becomes softened. The word"chondromalacia" comes from Greek words for cartilage (chondros) andsoft (malakos). The word is pronounced "KON-dro-mah-LAY-she-ah."Although the cartilage of joints other than the knee (such as theelbow or the shoulder) can be affected, the great majority of casesinvolve the knee."Under the knee cap and covering the ends of the femur (thigh bone)and tibia (shin bone) is a sort of natural shock absorber made ofcartilage. This shock absorber does not come with a lifetimeguarantee; wear and tear over the years can result in a loss of massof the shock absorbing cartilage. Once some of this cartilage hasdegenerated, the knee obviously cannot absorb or handle shock fromrunning, for example, as well as it could before. This condition isreferred to as 'chondromalacia patella.' Technically, chondromalaciais an overuse injury that causes a dull, aching pain under and aroundthe knee cap."---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The key to getting better is to NOT do weight bearing activities on it (biking is not weight bearing!!!). I recommend that you get heal inserts as well, and start working on the flexibility of your hamstrings. According to my physical therapist (I'm old = I need one!), runners too often have over-developed calf muscles, which can put too much stress on the knees. Additionally, I take Glucosomine Chondroitin, which is supposed to assist in protecting your existing cartilage, while helping your body build new cartilage = helps prevent knee injuries. Hang in there!!

 

[pigskinliquors]

El Floppo lurks ...did you get in a run?

I think I said I was afraid I wouldn't make it a block. Well- the first block was a breeze- but the wheels came off on block #2. It was an ugly mix of wheezing, pain (I completely forgot my knee was screwy), flop-sweating (el floppo-sweating) all set against the background of feeling like I was running in slow-mo under water- glug, glugging along as fat, one-legged woman walking backwards while chatting all zipped by me like some kind of Einsteinian experiment in relativity.Alright- it wasn't a bad as all that. Did my old warm-up run, from my place out to the East River and down to the Brooklyn Bridge and back- somewhere between 4.5 and 5 miles total. I had no goal other than to run a little and try to maintain some form. The latter was harder to do than I thought- it was as if I hadn't run in ages. Oh yeah... The watch said 44:00- so somewhere around 9:00/miles. Quite content with that. The knee felt ok once I warmed up a little. I was breathing heavy throughout, but overall nothing hurt or failed on me enough to warrant any concern.And you know what- I really don't think I'd be out there again if it wasn't for this thread- so thanks to all of you for your diligence in here- it has truly been an inspiration. -- and the wife has been wanting me to get back into this- she was really happy to see me come home in the old workout gear. Phew!

Great Job!! While it blows having to start from "scratch" it's always rewarding to get started. I've had my first three runs in over 8 weeks, in the past week; and feel like I'm working way too hard to go at a snail's pace. I hate the time that my watch says I'm running at; but love to be able to call myself a "runner" again. Congrat's El Floppo. Keep it up!!

 

[wraith5]

Congrats to El Floppo and Pigskin on their return to the road, as well as Meeka on hitting the 4 mile mark (and everyone else who keeps posting in this thread, frankly) - well done!

Tuesday marked the end to my first 6-week cycle back into running:

23 runs

105 miles

3 pounds lost (204 to 201)

2% body fat lost (24% to 22%)

Overall not a bad start - May 1 will end my next cycle, and my goal is to hit 130 miles and drop below 20% BF (for the first time since about 1992 ).

 

[MelvinTScupper]

I'm doing 5 more when I get home. 7 or 8 on Sunday for my first real "long" run of the year. It's going to be 65 degrees!!

eta: I didn't do a full 5. Somewhere closer to 4.5. Tweaked something on my thigh during the run. Feels fine today, so I'm still going long this weekend.

 

[wraith5]

I'm doing 5 more when I get home. 7 or 8 on Sunday for my first real "long" run of the year. It's going to be 65 degrees!!

I actually meant to give you props for your 5 miles on Tues - There's rain in the Chicago forcast for the next five straight days. I'm really hoping I can get a 6 (Sat) and 10 (Sun) in - I'll go in the rain, but not in a T-storm. 6 is about my max limit on the treadmill.

 

[tri-man 47]

Way to go, guys! I'll be on the roads/trails this weekend too (hopefully without Chicago rain). The next three weekends after this one are travel-Easter-travel, so I'll really have to scramble and be creative to get my distance in ...but that's kind of the fun of this, too.

 

[RoarinSonoran]

Did 5k last night in just over 28mins. There was a pretty good wind going on, so that messed with my stride/form. I ended up running some parts harder than I wanted (8:30-9:00ish) in order to combat this, and so my I-T is a little achey today. Then again, it's raining today so maybe it's weather-related (gotta get me some of Granny's Rumatiz Medicine! ).

Also due to running harder than desired, it gave me the infamous stitch-in-the-side cramps. Again, either that, or it was pancreatitis and appendicitis.

If it stops raining, I may go out for another couple miles tonight.

 

[RustyFA]

Nice job guys.

My group ran 4 this morning at my fastest pace ever. 8 minute miles. I hope we don't do them often but it was a great feeling getting done and not being able to talk because we were all breathing so hard.

4 more tommorow morning at a slower pace-I hope. Then I am going trout fishing so no runs until Tuesday AM.

 

[meeka]

Another successful night. I ran another 4 miles. Again I got delayed with a 2 hour training after work today, but I packed my gym clothes and went straight to the gym. I ran the 4 miles in 37:30.

I am not too concerned about time, but I have a pattern that has worked for me pretty well so far. I start at 6 mph and move up .2 mph every half mile. After I run the half mile at 6.8 and am 2.5 miles in I drop down .02 mph every half mile so I finish at 6.2 mph. I never really get to a point where I am terribly out of breath, but occationally I will get a stitch in my side. Is there any rule of thumb for what speed or pace to run at. For those that have not read my other posts here, I am new to running (1 month) and have just moved up to 4 miles. I try to keep at or near a "conversation" speed. Is that ideal?

Nice to see our running group growing. Seems like most of you are seasoned pros just knocking the dust off you running shoes. I can't speak for Gstot, but for a beginner you have all been very helpful.

 

[RustyFA]

More or less a beginner here too. Have you tried running outside? I prefer it so much more than on the treadmill.

I like the group growing too. I just hope it doesn't peak too soon. I am running my marathon in October and am hoping to not be the only one left talking running.

 

[RoarinSonoran]

More or less a beginner here too. Have you tried running outside? I prefer it so much more than on the treadmill. I like the group growing too. I just hope it doesn't peak too soon. I am running my marathon in October and am hoping to not be the only one left talking running.

I'll still be around. 5th and final race of the "Rockstar" series is October 14th (San Jose Rock 'n Roll Half-marathon). I may take June/July off (or at least cut way back; hmm, perhaps train in a pool instead ) in order to rest my I-T, but I'll stop in here when I see it on the front page.

 

[RustyFA]

Great. Could you explain what IT is and how it happens? What can you do to treat it etc.?

 

[RoarinSonoran]

Great. Could you explain what IT is and how it happens? What can you do to treat it etc.?

Geez, no one reads threads from page 1 anymore. lolI-T is my shorthand for the I-T (Ilio-Tibial) Band, that big hunk of muscle/tendon that runs along the outside of the leg from the hip (Ilio) to just below the knee (Tibial). Due to various causes (running on uneven surfaces, not stretching enough, etc), the lower tendon can get enflamed by rubbing against a bit of bone that sticks out of the side of the knee.I trained a lot last fall on canal banks, which are sloped. This leaves one leg striking the ground higher than the other leg, which tips the pelvis, and throws everything out of whack. Also in my case, my doc thinks my weight loss took away what little padding I had and opened up the tendon to inflammation.Rest, ice, stretching, etc for treatment. Don't get it in the first place is best tho.

 

[meeka]

More or less a beginner here too. Have you tried running outside? I prefer it so much more than on the treadmill. I like the group growing too. I just hope it doesn't peak too soon. I am running my marathon in October and am hoping to not be the only one left talking running.

I am sticking with treadmill running until I get comfotable running 5 miles. Then I hope to start running outside. I am up north here in MN and the weather is so inconsistant. Today would have been a great day to run, but I feel like I need to load up on gear to run when the weather is not so nice. When the weather warms I will start running some nice lake trails they have here. For now I will just hope for nice views at the gym. I plan on running an event in April, June, and August. I hope to still be around in October. I would like to see this become a lifestyle thing.

 

[El Floppo]

More or less a beginner here too. Have you tried running outside? I prefer it so much more than on the treadmill. I like the group growing too. I just hope it doesn't peak too soon. I am running my marathon in October and am hoping to not be the only one left talking running.

I'll still be around. 5th and final race of the "Rockstar" series is October 14th (San Jose Rock 'n Roll Half-marathon). I may take June/July off (or at least cut way back; hmm, perhaps train in a pool instead ) in order to rest my I-T, but I'll stop in here when I see it on the front page.

I'll be doing NYC in Oct/Nov- so I'll be around too.Hey RS- do you use any of the massage ball/stick things for the IT? Seem to recall it helping my friends who had issues. That and Active-Release-Therapy (which was no-so fun when I had to do it).We will most definitely be throwing you a massive I-Party if you can do all 5 of those marathons.

 

[tri-man 47]

More or less a beginner here too. Have you tried running outside? I prefer it so much more than on the treadmill. I like the group growing too. I just hope it doesn't peak too soon. I am running my marathon in October and am hoping to not be the only one left talking running.

If all goes well, I'll have finished my primary race season by October (May marathon; August half-IM triathlon), and then decided if I will commit to a full Ironman for fall, 2008. But either way, I'll still be here, since this has definitely been a key part of my life style for many years now. It's been cool to hear the different stories and read of the progress.

 

[El Floppo]

I am not too concerned about time, but I have a pattern that has worked for me pretty well so far. I start at 6 mph and move up .2 mph every half mile. After I run the half mile at 6.8 and am 2.5 miles in I drop down .02 mph every half mile so I finish at 6.2 mph. I never really get to a point where I am terribly out of breath, but occationally I will get a stitch in my side. Is there any rule of thumb for what speed or pace to run at. For those that have not read my other posts here, I am new to running (1 month) and have just moved up to 4 miles. I try to keep at or near a "conversation" speed. Is that ideal?

I'm not a coach or anything, but I trained with a coach for a few years- so this is kind of a "I stayed at a Holiday Inn" recommendation.If you're training without a "program", just concentrate on continuing to build fitness. You're only a month in and it sounds like you're doing a great job so far. As for pace- again, build your base fitness for another month or so before worry about that. By then, it'll hopefully be warm enough for you to get outside. I've never liked working on pace on a treadmill... mostly because it's not me working on it. I would think that if you're interested in gauging what pace you should be running at on the treadmill, you should find a pace that feels comfortable and stick with it for the entire run.If you get stitches try and breathe into them- really concentrating on putting oxygen into your lungs. Dunno ... curious to hear what other people do about cramps.

 

[El Floppo]

Ran again yesterday- same route of 4.5-5 miles. All I can say is: WOOF.

The first run went fairly well as my body was just more in shock to be running again. Run #2 sucked- the legs were sore, everything was just harder. Did it in 43:45, so about the same time, and I concentrated again on keeping my form and trying to do an even or negative split.

I don't have any races (triathlons or running) planned this season other than NYC marathon. I already foresee that being a problem, as it's a bit early to be training for the marathon and I know I'm going to need to get into a training regimen once I've built some base fitness back.

So for now- I'm just going to keep on going out there and putting miles in for a few weeks until I've built my base back. Any recommendations what do after that?

Thinking about finding a couple of races over the next few months to use as goals. Without the goals, I'm afraid I just run out of steam running here in NYC. What keeps me running is being somewhere beautiful- on trails, out in nature. NYC... not so much.

 

[tri-man 47]

I don't have any races (triathlons or running) planned this season other than NYC marathon. I already foresee that being a problem, as it's a bit early to be training for the marathon and I know I'm going to need to get into a training regimen once I've built some base fitness back.So for now- I'm just going to keep on going out there and putting miles in for a few weeks until I've built my base back. Any recommendations what do after that? Thinking about finding a couple of races over the next few months to use as goals.

It's never too early to be training (well, other than changing routines during the early winter months). While your running is still relatively light, this would be a good time to be building strength, too. I don't recall if you're doing any weights or not, but it's recommended that we lift twice a week. Nothing heavy - just good reps to help build the muscles as you know. I've mentioned at various places along the way that I have a weekly routine of push-ups and sit-ups/stretches/lunges/etc. It's so easy to drop down and do a set during commercials of a TV show, for example. The cumulative effect of those really helps.In particular, I'd highlight the lunge steps. Step forward and touch the back knee to the floor and step back up again ...or do a series of lunge steps across the room, then turn and go back (works well in an open field, too). Ya feel this up through the buns! It's a good motion for the hips and butt muscles, which I believe helps the overall leg rotation while running.

 

[El Floppo]

It's never too early to be training (well, other than changing routines during the early winter months). While your running is still relatively light, this would be a good time to be building strength, too. I don't recall if you're doing any weights or not, but it's recommended that we lift twice a week. Nothing heavy - just good reps to help build the muscles as you know. I've mentioned at various places along the way that I have a weekly routine of push-ups and sit-ups/stretches/lunges/etc. It's so easy to drop down and do a set during commercials of a TV show, for example. The cumulative effect of those really helps.In particular, I'd highlight the lunge steps. Step forward and touch the back knee to the floor and step back up again ...or do a series of lunge steps across the room, then turn and go back (works well in an open field, too). Ya feel this up through the buns! It's a good motion for the hips and butt muscles, which I believe helps the overall leg rotation while running.

Great advice, TM. I've never enjoyed the gym/weights- but I've always incorporated something like that into my training. It was SO easy to forget that part of things! Thanks for the reminder. Pushups, ab-work, squats/lunges... definitely can incorporate those into my week.Do you, or anybody else have a recommended marathon training schedule?Again- the only I've done was part of my IM- and I was training/running on a broken foot, so that the final training and race were pretty... ugly. I havent decided if I'm going to start swimming again- probably (it took me 5 years of tri training to realize that I don't really like swimming... actually- I actively dislike it). I am definitely going to be getting back out on the bike again though... I guess I can pull out some of my old 1/2 training schedules.

 

[tri-man 47]

El Floppo - search for the (free) Hal Higdon marathon training programs ...you can pick your level (five options, I think). It works. I hear tons of good things, and it has been great for me so far (I reach my peak distance of 20 miles for the first time this weekend).

How do you manage to bike in NYC, by the way?

 

[El Floppo]

El Floppo - search for the (free) Hal Higdon marathon training programs ...you can pick your level (five options, I think). It works. I hear tons of good things, and it has been great for me so far (I reach my peak distance of 20 miles for the first time this weekend).

How do you manage to bike in NYC, by the way?

It's a big reason for my year-long absence from tris and training.It blows.

We've basically got 2 rides to do.

Ride 1- Central Park- not bad, but crowded most of the time (even my 5:30am rides) when there aren't any cars allowed- tough to get in the bars for any extended time. The rest of the time- there are cars allowed. 6 mile loop- so 1/2 and full IM training you end up going loopy- plus there are minimal hills- some good short ones, but nothing of length.

Major problem with ride #1- I live about 20 minutes from Central Park. That's 40 minutes of riding through harrowing NYC traffic. There's a bike bath that runs up the West Side- but it's pretty crowded (I ran over and killed a dog once on that path that jumped out in front of me) and adds another 10 minutes to my commute if I'm riding at dog-killing speeds, or a lot more if I'm riding safely.

Ride 2- Route 9W. On the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge, which has a bikepath taking you out of the city. This is essentially a frontage road to the Pallisades Parkway- you're riding on the shoulder of fairly heavily used road (cars speed limit 45, IIRC)- allows you to open it up, get in the bars and be away from the city which is a nice way to really see the seasons, especially fall. There are a number of off-shoots around 9W to add variety and you can just keep going (evenutally having to ride through towns/stop lights etc)- I rode up to Bear Mtn a couple of times- somewhere in the 90-100 mile range from the GW Bridge.

Major problem with ride #2- this about an hour from my home- so I'm adding 2 hours of life-threatening commute through the streets of NYC, just to get to my damn workout. And it's not even that scenic or safe a workout once I'm doing it.

I was doored 3 blocks from my home about a year ago on my way to Ride 2. I had just gotten to speed- about 20mph- when BAM. I almost got out of the way- caught the corner of the door on my right shoulder and threw me into the street where my bike was run over by a 1970 Ford Pickup (missed me by about 3 feet- the driver thought she had killed me). Concussion, intercostal chest and shoulder muscle damage, a nasty puncture to my chest/shoulder and worse yet- a flattened tri-bike.

I grew up right outside San Frnacisco in Marin County- where MTN biking was supposedly created. It's a really beautiful place to run or ride, right from your door. NYC- not so much. I almost bought a car (no- I've never owned one here) just so I could get out of the city to do workouts. It's that bad.

 

[RoarinSonoran]

Hey RS- do you use any of the massage ball/stick things for the IT? Seem to recall it helping my friends who had issues. That and Active-Release-Therapy (which was no-so fun when I had to do it).

I have one of those big foam rollers (about 4ft long, 6inch diameter) that I should be using for my I-T, but I keep spacing it off. Guess I should dust it off and use it more often. lol I had some tight hamstrings after PF Chang's, so I even broke down and tried using a baseball to try and work 'em out. A softball probably would have worked better. I'm a big fan of ART. My doc uses it, and got rid of my shin splints before I ran Dublin. They were so bad, I was to the point at times where I needed to use every piece of furniture to get to the bathroom from the bed. ART and some custom orthotics, and shin splints are now in my rearview mirror. My I-T hasn't responded to ART as well (but still well enough), but perhaps it's because I-T is a tendon whereas shin splints are muscle? I mainly just need to find me a glass-flat course to run on. I was doing much better the last couple weeks, until I got back on sloped courses, as well as running in the wind the other day (with form messed up). I found a stretching technique online last night that I'm going to give a shot. It more closely mimicks the actual motions during your stride, instead of the usual static stretches. We'll see how that goes.

We will most definitely be throwing you a massive I-Party if you can do all 5 of those marathons.

Tho, the last two races are only half-marathons. However, the nut job in me has another wacky idea in relation to #4 -- it's a half-marathon in Virginia Beach, VA on Labor Day Sunday...on Labor Day Monday is the Disneyland half-marathon...I think I can work a return flight to be able to do "Two Half-marathons, On Two Coasts, In Two Days"...DEUCES WILD, BAY-BEE, WHO WANTS TO RUN 'EM WITH ME???!!! lol

 

[RoarinSonoran]

8miles today (two 4mile loops, with a rest/drink/stretch in between).

Best part is, they felt great! 2nd loop was 40sec faster than the first, 37:30 for the first and 36:50 for the 2nd (~9:15-20 pace). I-T tweaked a little, but if I made the conscious effort to land a little more flat-footed (i.e. not so much on the outside edge of the foot), the ache was lessened. So, I guess I have some form problems, or perhaps weakness somewhere in the leg that's throwing it out of whack.

Five weeks to Country Music Marathon! I'm thinking 12miles, 10, 16, and 10 over the next four Saturdays. Then, it's five weeks to San Diego! Perhaps 10, 14-16, 10, and 6 (or maybe 14, 10, 7, 4 would be better...we'll see) in the lead-up to SD.

 

[tri-man 47]

8miles today (two 4mile loops, with a rest/drink/stretch in between). Best part is, they felt great! 2nd loop was 40sec faster than the first, 37:30 for the first and 36:50 for the 2nd (~9:15-20 pace). I-T tweaked a little, but if I made the conscious effort to land a little more flat-footed (i.e. not so much on the outside edge of the foot), the ache was lessened. So, I guess I have some form problems, or perhaps weakness somewhere in the leg that's throwing it out of whack.Five weeks to Country Music Marathon! I'm thinking 12miles, 10, 16, and 10 over the next four Saturdays. Then, it's five weeks to San Diego! Perhaps 10, 14-16, 10, and 6 (or maybe 14, 10, 7, 4 would be better...we'll see) in the lead-up to SD.

Hey, just to ask - are your shoes OK? I'm pretty sure you'd be alert to the mileage on them or the wear and tear on the heels, but just in case. And while I'm asking - would it help to do the stretching exercise where you stand up straight on one foot, bend forward with the arms extended and the other leg straight back for a ten or twenty count (kind of a superman pose)? I've integrated that into my stretches, and I can really feel the leg muscles working to keep me balanced. I would think that would "work" the IT band. lol But what do I know!I had a good morning - 1,500 yards in the pool, then after a bit of a break, 10 easy miles ...then a big breakfast and a nap. Edit to clarify: an easy-paced run.

 

[RoarinSonoran]

Hey, just to ask - are your shoes OK? I'm pretty sure you'd be alert to the mileage on them or the wear and tear on the heels, but just in case.

Oh certainly. I got a new pair a week ago, on wraith's word of a sale at Sports Authority.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I had a good morning - 1,500 yards in the pool, then after a bit of a break, 10 easy miles

I hate you.

 

[Schmegma]

Hey, just to ask - are your shoes OK? I'm pretty sure you'd be alert to the mileage on them or the wear and tear on the heels, but just in case.

Oh certainly. I got a new pair a week ago, on wraith's word of a sale at Sports Authority.

Maybe you're not buying the right shoes for your feet, gait, etc???

 

[RoarinSonoran]

Maybe you're not buying the right shoes for your feet, gait, etc???

What, you think perhaps I should try a 3inch platform, instead of these 5inch stilettos?

 

[Schmegma]

Maybe you're not buying the right shoes for your feet, gait, etc???

What, you think perhaps I should try a 3inch platform, instead of these 5inch stilettos?

I was just sayin'.Your arch, your weight, and whether you over or under pronate are all factors in shoe selection.

Check this out.

 

[pigskinliquors]

More or less a beginner here too. Have you tried running outside? I prefer it so much more than on the treadmill. I like the group growing too. I just hope it doesn't peak too soon. I am running my marathon in October and am hoping to not be the only one left talking running.

If all goes well, I'll have finished my primary race season by October (May marathon; August half-IM triathlon), and then decided if I will commit to a full Ironman for fall, 2008. But either way, I'll still be here, since this has definitely been a key part of my life style for many years now. It's been cool to hear the different stories and read of the progress.

I'll be around as well, as I'll have a an Olympic Tri in October and will be running the Houston Marathon (2nd week of January).

 

[pigskinliquors]

I don't have any races (triathlons or running) planned this season other than NYC marathon. I already foresee that being a problem, as it's a bit early to be training for the marathon and I know I'm going to need to get into a training regimen once I've built some base fitness back.

So for now- I'm just going to keep on going out there and putting miles in for a few weeks until I've built my base back. Any recommendations what do after that?

Thinking about finding a couple of races over the next few months to use as goals.

It's never too early to be training (well, other than changing routines during the early winter months). While your running is still relatively light, this would be a good time to be building strength, too. I don't recall if you're doing any weights or not, but it's recommended that we lift twice a week. Nothing heavy - just good reps to help build the muscles as you know. I've mentioned at various places along the way that I have a weekly routine of push-ups and sit-ups/stretches/lunges/etc. It's so easy to drop down and do a set during commercials of a TV show, for example. The cumulative effect of those really helps.In particular, I'd highlight the lunge steps. Step forward and touch the back knee to the floor and step back up again ...or do a series of lunge steps across the room, then turn and go back (works well in an open field, too). Ya feel this up through the buns! It's a good motion for the hips and butt muscles, which I believe helps the overall leg rotation while running.

During my recovery from my last injury (gastrocnemius strain) I started to incorporate weight training (specific to legs/running) for the first time. Runner's magazine did a marathon issue (August 2006, pages 86-87) with 6 ez lifts w/ leg weights to help resist injury. I'm only a month into it, and haven't really pushed myself yet, but hopefully the lifting will help me to avoid future injuries. The lifts are from the Wharton's program. An online version of the lifts can be found here..

My wife does the lunges you mentioned, and I'll make sure to include those as well. How many days per week do you recommend?