The Official Thread for Runners

[ERCougar]

Cmon...it was a LITTLE funny.

[falafel]

[YOUTUBE]nGojEyYBmwc[/YOUTUBE]

LA Ute sighting in there, complete with 80s mustache.

[Pheidippides]

They missed the guy wearing VFFs.

Yeah, it's kind of a funny shuffle they do, which is weird because I run in VFFs pretty normally.

In fact, in most races I smoke VFF runners. I've never seen them run fast. Soup is fast, though, so I'm sure it can be done.

[Moliere]

Cmon...it was a LITTLE funny.

It was, especially in light of current events.

[Moliere]

Yeah, it's kind of a funny shuffle they do, which is weird because I run in VFFs pretty normally.

In fact, in most races I smoke VFF runners. I've never seen them run fast. Soup is fast, though, so I'm sure it can be done.

Had my first run and all seemed normal. I only went .72 miles but did it in under 8 min/mile. If I slow down then I kind of stride funny but otherwise it felt pretty normal.

[Pheidippides]

Had my first run and all seemed normal. I only went .72 miles but did it in under 8 min/mile. If I slow down then I kind of stride funny but otherwise it felt pretty normal.

Actually, this is true for me in any shoe. The slower I go the harder it is to keep form. It's hard when I run faster too, but that's a fatigue issue.

[happyone]

They missed the guy wearing VFFs.

Yeah, it's kind of a funny shuffle they do, which is weird because I run in VFFs pretty normally.

In fact, in most races I smoke VFF runners. I've never seen them run fast. Soup is fast, though, so I'm sure it can be done.

I thought it was amusing. The other night during my walk in the snow, someone ahead of me was wearing them. I must have followed his/her tracks for 3 miles. I didn't seem him but the tracks were pretty fresh and couldn't have been more than 5/10 minutes before I came along

[Pheidippides]

This weekend I attempt to break my oldest PR. There's a local 5k that we do every year. I usually run it with my daughter at a leisurely pace, but this year I'm trying to beat my time. This PR is actually from in 2009 - my first ever race after I lost all that weight. Had a great day that day and ran a 21:40.

I think I'm a good deal faster now. In training runs I've done a 5k in under 21:00 (last summer) but that's not official. My speed workouts have been going well and I don't see any reason why I can't beat my time, probably go sub 21:00. I did mile repeats at 6:21, 6:30 and 6:38 the other day. And I think I could run a sub 6:00 mile on a good day if I really tried. But I'm a bit nervous - running for 20 minutes or so above my lactate threshold is no easy trick.

[PaloAltoCougar]

This weekend I attempt to break my oldest PR. There's a local 5k that we do every year. I usually run it with my daughter at a leisurely pace, but this year I'm trying to beat my time. This PR is actually from in 2009 - my first ever race after I lost all that weight. Had a great day that day and ran a 21:40.

I think I'm a good deal faster now. In training runs I've done a 5k in under 21:00 (last summer) but that's not official. My speed workouts have been going well and I don't see any reason why I can't beat my time, probably go sub 21:00. I did mile repeats at 6:21, 6:30 and 6:38 the other day. And I think I could run a sub 6:00 mile on a good day if I really tried. But I'm a bit nervous - running for 20 minutes or so above my lactate threshold is no easy trick.

This post might have depressed me a bit, given that I'm quite a bit slower, but the Runner's World age-graded calculator has given me hope, even if it's a bit like using the red tees. I ran a 5K last week at about 90% total effort, and clocked a leisurely (by the standards of most here) 26:31. But that's an age-adjusted 21:30, so I feel much better about myself, thank you. You'll get a more modest boost, of course, but a sub-20 is probably within your reach.

And I'm a very slow learner, but I've finally grasped the importance of long slow runs. Lately, I've been doing 6- or 7-mile runs at a 10:30 pace. I used to think such efforts were training me to be slow (stupid, I know, but so it seemed). But they've had a positive effect on my faster, shorter runs, and I feel great after they're over.

Cycling is still more fun, however.

[Pheidippides]

This post might have depressed me a bit, given that I'm quite a bit slower, but the Runner's World age-graded calculator has given me hope, even if it's a bit like using the red tees. I ran a 5K last week at about 90% total effort, and clocked a leisurely (by the standards of most here) 26:31. But that's an age-adjusted 21:30, so I feel much better about myself, thank you. You'll get a more modest boost, of course, but a sub-20 is probably within your reach.

And I'm a very slow learner, but I've finally grasped the importance of long slow runs. Lately, I've been doing 6- or 7-mile runs at a 10:30 pace. I used to think such efforts were training me to be slow (stupid, I know, but so it seemed). But they've had a positive effect on my faster, shorter runs, and I feel great after they're over.

Cycling is still more fun, however.

Heh. I was going to say the same thing about running. Cycling is a great friend, but running is my mistress.

[OhioBlue]

Nik, if you did mile repeats at that pace, then you will kill your PR. Good luck. And PAC that's awesome...no justification needed.

[Moliere]

Had my first run and all seemed normal. I only went .72 miles but did it in under 8 min/mile. If I slow down then I kind of stride funny but otherwise it felt pretty normal.

Did 0.75 miles today. I was still sore from Saturday's run (I did run on Monday in my Frees). My calf muscles and around the achilles are where it hurts the most. Not a bad hurt, but more of just a general soreness that goes away after I walk around for a bit.

I do love running in the VFFs but I can see why it will take a bit to work up to any sort of meaningful distance. In addition to the soreness, I also noticed that the balls of my feet can get a bit beat up. I assume they will get tougher as I go along.

[Joe Public]

I am a fan of the Nathan stuff too, although I have a FuelBelt I like quite a bit too.

I have a FuelBelt (four bottles; maybe four or five years old). Are the Nathan belts much different?

[OhioBlue]

Okay, running form and injury experts, here's one for you:
Does a mild-moderate overpronator like myself who switches to a midfoot strike and less shoe still risk injury from the over-pronation? Or does the different plant, shock absorption by lower leg muscles, and lack of a heel strike effectively reduce subtalar joint pronation to the point where it is no longer as much of a concern?

I seem to have a case of MTSS that just won't go away, regardless of rest, shoe type, surface type, footstrike, stretching, icing, PT exercises, etc. Right now it's not bad, but I know as I ramp up mileage/intensity that unless I figure it out it will just get worse.

[Pheidippides]

Okay, running form and injury experts, here's one for you:
Does a mild-moderate overpronator like myself who switches to a midfoot strike and less shoe still risk injury from the over-pronation? Or does the different plant, shock absorption by lower leg muscles, and lack of a heel strike effectively reduce subtalar joint pronation to the point where it is no longer as much of a concern?

I seem to have a case of MTSS that just won't go away, regardless of rest, shoe type, surface type, footstrike, stretching, icing, PT exercises, etc. Right now it's not bad, but I know as I ramp up mileage/intensity that unless I figure it out it will just get worse.

I am also a mild pronator, and I also had some MTSS last year when I was switching. I don't know why. However, when I visited with my kinesiologist, she told me that pronation is only a very small part of the story. In my case, I have bowed calf bones so my probation is the trade off I have for no ITBS.

I have had no problems with either now that I am adjusted. The less shoe I have, the better I do now that I am adjusted. I don't know what any of this means for you.