The Official Thread for Runners

[Parrot Head]

I went for my first Yasso 800s tonight and, man, am I tired. I went for an easy pace yesterday but had to sneak out during lunch so I wasn't able to go as easy as I had planned and I'm almost always a morning runner, so this schedule is throwing me off some. I also need a better stretching strategy post-run and I know I'm looking forward to a rest day tomorrow.

I called the nearby high school to ask about lights on the track and was told by the assistant principal that the public couldn't run on the track due to liability issues. I went anyway and I don't see how they can lock it up very well, so I plan to return.

I only ran 5x 800s instead of 10x, but it felt good to turn on the speed for a bit, even if my fast is probably slower than the moderate pace of many of you. I also got a PR in my 5k in the process

I must have overdone it because now my ankles are feeling a little tweaked. I need to get over this, but I'm also feeling addicted to running now and don't want to skip out. I still need to get some new shoes, too, because I've got way too many miles on my main trainers.

[lambdacoug]

Well, check is in the mail for the Ragnar in April of next year, so I'm committed to at least run that. Maybe I should sign up for a half marathon already. There is one in the area on June 1.

[bluegoose]

I had a miserable run this morning. The forecast called for rain, so i had plans to drive over to the gym for a session on the treadmill. When I awoke at 5:30 I saw that it was clear skies, so I set about changing my wardrobe to run outdoors.

Well, after taking far too long to do that, I found myself running short on time. Not wanting to short-change my planned workout (2 x 1.5 miles of tempo work), I took less of a warm-up than I should and i upped my tempo pace about 20 seconds faster than I should have.

I got the mileage in (about 5.5 miles) but I sure felt lousy in doing so. I would have been better off running a mile less at my planned pace.

Oh well, lesson learned.

[lambdacoug]

Hah! I placed #256 overall in the 5k I ran two weeks ago. Yup, the programmer placed in the 2^8th place. Maybe I can hit 2^7th sometime next year.

[lambdacoug]

I bought a foam roller today after watching a video that runner's world sent in an email about runner's knee. I cannot believe how much it hurt while working on my glutes on the leg with the knee problem. I spent extra time on that leg. Maybe there is something with my form...or shoes maybe. One of the runners at work keeps stressing that I need to stretch my hamstring to prevent runner's knee. So I have been, any truth to that or just an old wife's tale?

[Moliere]

I bought a foam roller today after watching a video that runner's world sent in an email about runner's knee. I cannot believe how much it hurt while working on my glutes on the leg with the knee problem. I spent extra time on that leg. Maybe there is something with my form...or shoes maybe. One of the runners at work keeps stressing that I need to stretch my hamstring to prevent runner's knee. So I have been, any truth to that or just an old wife's tale?

Honestly, I never stretch before a run and I usually lightly stretch after a run. I'll take the first 1/2 mile a bit easy to warm up and I've been fine so far. I also usually walk 1/4 mile after my run to cool down a bit and then stretch my calves/hammies/quads but nothing big.

[happyone]

Honestly, I never stretch before a run and I usually lightly stretch after a run. I'll take the first 1/2 mile a bit easy to warm up and I've been fine so far. I also usually walk 1/4 mile after my run to cool down a bit and then stretch my calves/hammies/quads but nothing big.

This is basically what I do also

[lambdacoug]

I really want to run tonight... I'm not, though. It just sucks to start earlier this year and already be sitting out with an injury.

[Slim]

Today is my day off so I set out for a 630am 9 miler. It was cold and dark and foggy but I loved every minute of it.

[happyone]

Went walking in the snow - I really enjoy that. I also like to look at the mountains after a snow storm.

[lambdacoug]

Well, I have only run 1.5 miles in the last two weeks. I have a 10k tomorrow. I doubt it will go well, though the goal is to just finish with walking less than 1 mile of the total.

[Moliere]

Well, I have only run 1.5 miles in the last two weeks. I have a 10k tomorrow. I doubt it will go well, though the goal is to just finish with walking less than 1 mile of the total.

Glad you are running it anyway. Keep it up but don't push too hard.

[lambdacoug]

Glad you are running it anyway. Keep it up but don't push too hard.

Thanks! I finished the 10k in 1:25. I only walked two downhill sections that were brutal on my knees. No more 10ks for a few months. I had no knee troubles at all until about mile 4. So I'll keep my long runs under that. I'm also taking next week super easy and then I think I'll start training for a half. There is one in June that looks promising.

[Joe Public]

I got out this morning and was planning to run for an hour. I hoped to stay around an 8:30/mile pace, which is on the fast side of what I did this summer. However, I've had a little extra something in my tank since the marathon, so I'm just going with it until I have reason not to.

I started a little too fast, but I was lost in thought and didn't realize it until about 2.5 miles in. I went to slow down, but then I decided to just go for 6.2 miles at whatever pace felt on the edge of comfortable and see what the result was. I've never participated in a 10K race or timed myself over the distance. I figured this would be a good data point if nothing else. I got tired at the end of the run.

I ended up with a time of 47.5 minutes and averaged 7:39/mile for the 10K. This heavy, middle-aged man was thrilled. My heart rate was at 180bpm when I finished, so I didn't have much left at that pace. Like Coach said earlier in the thread, sometimes we have moments when we realize our limits aren't where we thought they were. Today was one of those days for me.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I'm big on "kedges", a nautical term for a technique sailors would use to move their boats ahead when becalmed. A small boat would carry a kedge anchor out to a distant point, then those in the ship would pull on the hawser rope and the ship would move in the desired direction. Sometimes we get becalmed in our fitness goals, so it's nice to set a goal, typically tied in with a big group event (10K, Half or Full Marathon, Century ride, whatever). Having that event, or kedge, looming in the distance is very motivating as one tries to increase one's fitness. I've used several kedges over the past 3 years with excellent results.

My current kedge is the Disney World Half in January (niku and Coach are doing fulls, but I lack the will to join them). To get there, I'm following the Higdon schedule and have included two intermediate kedges, the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot and this interesting Double Road Race here in my home town the Sunday morning before Christmas (I'll still finish in time to attend the ward program). Our NYC daughter, who will also run the Diz with me and the Familia ParrotHead, will join me. The race consists of a 10K, a brief break, then a 5K. Bill Rodgers and Bob "Runners World" Anderson will be participating as well.

My joints were trashed a month ago, but I took time off and am now slowly building back up (a five miler this morning) without any pain thus far.