The Official Thread for Runners

[Slim]

I got pulled over this morning for running in the bike lane. Apparently that is illegal . I've been a runner for close to 20 years and I've ALWAYS preferred running on asphalt to running on concrete. It just feels like less impact which is especially important to me when I'm putting in a lot of miles.

The cop was pretty mean about it too. He parked in the middle of the road and pointed at me sternly until I got to him and then proceeded to berate me. I thought that was a little over the top. I don't understand why he just didn't inform me of the law (which I had never heard of) instead of getting all pissed like I had committed some heinous crime.

[Pheidippides]

Say, lads, provide some service to your elders by reaching a consensus on GPS tracking software so I'll know what to do. I've been using the Garmin Training Center for a couple of years now, but it's really only a way for me to review what I did on a run or ride, and then I forget about it. I'd like something more useful, and user friendly, but I lack the will and smarts to review carefully the various options. Mrs. PAC has started using ridewithgps.com which can be used for both riding and running. So do I use that, SportTracks, Garmin Connect, or something else? Just tell me what to do, and I shall follow submissively.

Sporttracks costs money. Garmin connect is free. That may help you out.

[BigPiney]

I got pulled over this morning for running in the bike lane. Apparently that is illegal . I've been a runner for close to 20 years and I've ALWAYS preferred running on asphalt to running on concrete. It just feels like less impact which is especially important to me when I'm putting in a lot of miles.

The cop was pretty mean about it too. He parked in the middle of the road and pointed at me sternly until I got to him and then proceeded to berate me. I thought that was a little over the top. I don't understand why he just didn't inform me of the law (which I had never heard of) instead of getting all pissed like I had committed some heinous crime.

I would love to read the part of the vehicle code that says that it is illegal to run in the bike lane. What an asshat to act like that.

[BigPiney]

Sporttracks costs money. Garmin connect is free. That may help you out.

RunningAhead seems good too. and is free.

[Sea Chicken]

I got pulled over this morning for running in the bike lane. Apparently that is illegal . I've been a runner for close to 20 years and I've ALWAYS preferred running on asphalt to running on concrete. It just feels like less impact which is especially important to me when I'm putting in a lot of miles.

The cop was pretty mean about it too. He parked in the middle of the road and pointed at me sternly until I got to him and then proceeded to berate me. I thought that was a little over the top. I don't understand why he just didn't inform me of the law (which I had never heard of) instead of getting all pissed like I had committed some heinous crime.

If I got stopped by a cop while I was running, I would say "what's the problem officer? Speeding I hope."

[Sea Chicken]

If you are in the neighborhood, this is a great place to run.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79076854

[Eddie]

So I ran a 5k in 20:52. Negative split the sucker (6:53, 6:40 and 6:39 mile splits, in that order).

I've known I've been getting faster from both my total mileage and my intervals, but this was a great run. Beating that 5k time, even if not in an actual race, was the holy grail of my personal running.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/78775960

Sounds AWESOME! Congrats!

I had my PR in the 5K last week on Tuesday. I've always wondered about altitude and running, now I'm a believer.

After all my training in Utah, we were in Hawaii last week. My Tuesday run is normally a short one with a little speed work. I was going to just run a minute per mile faster than race pace, but about a half-mile in I felt so good still I decided to speed it up.

My fasted 5K up until now was about 22:30. Last Tuesday I ran it in 21:08. I know I would've broken 21 minutes if I had started fast from the beginning.

Seeing improvement is always so motivating to me. Hearing about what others are doing often helps me keep going myself and consider what changes I might make and how I might improve.

[ERCougar]

I just use garminconnect (although really, I'm pretty bad about keeping that up--I basically upload whenever my garmin fills up, I don't really wear my garmin on all my runs, I'm pretty bad about remembering to stop it when I finish, etc)

I used sports tracks for a little bit, but found myself spending as much time analyzing my running as I did actually running--a bit hard to justify given that I'm never going to make a penny running and I do it as a healthy diversion. It seems like it's either for runners who are super serious, or have too much time on their hands. I'm neither.

The ideal would be for garmin to get their act together and incorporate some of the community stuff of Nike (i.e. Challenges) into their website. It can't be that hard and I know I'm not the only one who wants this. It would sell more forerunners.

[ERCougar]

Nice job, Eddie! Seems like youve gotten fast really quickly! Take off another 30 seconds for being in a race...I swear I run faster in races.

[Pheidippides]

Sounds AWESOME! Congrats!

I had my PR in the 5K last week on Tuesday. I've always wondered about altitude and running, now I'm a believer.

After all my training in Utah, we were in Hawaii last week. My Tuesday run is normally a short one with a little speed work. I was going to just run a minute per mile faster than race pace, but about a half-mile in I felt so good still I decided to speed it up.

My fasted 5K up until now was about 22:30. Last Tuesday I ran it in 21:08. I know I would've broken 21 minutes if I had started fast from the beginning.

Seeing improvement is always so motivating to me. Hearing about what others are doing often helps me keep going myself and consider what changes I might make and how I might improve.

Nice job! I'm the same way - seeing even minor incremental improvement keeps me motivated.

I was joking with my wife the other day about how many hours I've spent training just to shave a minute off of my 5k time.

[Pheidippides]

Looking for some non-binding diagnosis from the wiser ones here.

I ran 50 miles this week, which is the most I've ever run. The last few weeks generally have been higher mileage than anything preceding them, although I've been careful to adhere to the 10% rule.

Been having some minor pain in my left leg just above the ankle on the inside. It is present from the start and is dull but then lessens after about 6 miles. It's not enough to cause a limp or (until now) to get me to stop running, but I'm starting to worry that I have some sort of something like a stress fracture. When I touch the area right on the bone it's slightly (and I mean very slightly) tender - I can press as hard as I want and it doesn't get any worse. I'm hoping it's just the sheath around the bone.

When running, it feels almost like a high ankle sprain that is healing or something.

Full disclosure: I dislocated that foot, tore up the ligaments, broke the fibula, and had to have reconstructive surgery on that ankle about 10 years ago (there is still a plate on my fibula).

Any thoughts on what this is? I'm taking the week off of running to swim instead until at least Saturday to see what happens.

[Sea Chicken]

I ran the Race to Robie Creek yesterday. It's a half marathon 8.5 miles uphill and then a steep downhill the rest of the way. I nailed it this time. I was hoping to finish under 1:50:00. I made it in 1:38:06.

http://court.fastrunningblog.com/blog-04-16-2011.html

[Moliere]

Looking for some non-binding diagnosis from the wiser ones here.

I ran 50 miles this week, which is the most I've ever run. The last few weeks generally have been higher mileage than anything preceding them, although I've been careful to adhere to the 10% rule.

Been having some minor pain in my left leg just above the ankle on the inside. It is present from the start and is dull but then lessens after about 6 miles. It's not enough to cause a limp or (until now) to get me to stop running, but I'm starting to worry that I have some sort of something like a stress fracture. When I touch the area right on the bone it's slightly (and I mean very slightly) tender - I can press as hard as I want and it doesn't get any worse. I'm hoping it's just the sheath around the bone.

When running, it feels almost like a high ankle sprain that is healing or something.

This sounds pretty close to what I have. My pain was on my lower tibia on the inside of the leg. I have my appointment this week to review the bone scan.

It does sound like a stress fracture. The localized pain on the bone is what might give it away. Mine started as a pressure in the bone and slowly got to the point where it started to be painful. Once I felt pain I stopped. It took about 4 weeks to go from pressure to pain, but I was only doing 10-15 miles per week as this was after my race.

The problem with stress fractures is recovery time. Even with my potentially small fracture I'm probably out 6-8 weeks and then have to slowly build back up. When I start running again I'll be sure to get enough calcium/vitamin D and will spend one or two runs per week on a treadmill. I'll also look to make my long runs on trails instead of pavement.

My doc told menswimming was the best thing to do. Hopefully the pain goes away after a week off. If not, get it checked out quickly.

[Pheidippides]

Yeah, this is what I'm afraid of. I would really like to not have a stress fracture. Still, I have almost 8 weeks until the marathon so I have time to heal. Nothing will keep me from running this one in particular.

[Moliere]

Yeah, this is what I'm afraid of. I would really like to not have a stress fracture. Still, I have almost 8 weeks until the marathon so I have time to heal. Nothing will keep me from running this one in particular.

The one difference in my injury is that the pain starts out small and gets worse as I run. I never ran farther than 6 miles on it but I'd be surprised if a stress fracture doesn't hurt worse the farther you go. It sounds like your gets better after mile 6.