The Official Thread for Runners

[Bo Diddley]

Getting old stinks. I run about 18 miles per week, and I'm finding that my achilles tendons are stiffening up each time I run now. Do you suppose I should be stretching? I've never really done much stretching.

What do you think of Glucosamine and Chondroitin? Do they really help lubricate the joints and what not? I wonder if my ankles need a little more of that.

[lambdacoug]

Getting old stinks. I run about 18 miles per week, and I'm finding that my achilles tendons are stiffening up each time I run now. Do you suppose I should be stretching? I've never really done much stretching.

What do you think of Glucosamine and Chondroitin? Do they really help lubricate the joints and what not? I wonder if my ankles need a little more of that.

It seems to help me out. My right knee gives me fits, but it seems that with glucosamine and chondroitin that the issues are considerably less. It could also be smarter training and not increasing mileage too fast. Anyway, there's my anecdote.

[OhioBlue]

Updating on my training, mostly because despite my infrequent posting here on CS I enjoy the board and in particular this thread. It has provided me with motivation, a place to share in others' achievements, and a sense of community with other runners. Since I am almost entirely a solitary runner and don't get to talk much with others about this thing I'm obsessed with, I come here on occasion instead.

Speaking of, if any of you are ever around the U.Co. and feel up for a run along the Murdock Canal Trail with someone, let me know. I did a long run last week with a friend, something I've never done before, and wow did the time fly.

Anyway, progress update and accountability attempt: I am freaking breaking 20 in the 5k this year, dammit. If I don't get it, I'm gonna rage-quit and switch my energy into pursuing a higher table tennis rating. Or what I'll actually do is just keep doggedly pursuing this thing that some people I know can just roll out of bed on any given morning and do with only moderate effort.

I maintained 50 mpw during my base-building phase during fall and into winter. I've dropped that a bit in the last couple months down to 40-45 while I add in quality runs. Mondays are typically tempo days, or some effort designed to increase lactate threshold. Sometimes tempo intervals or in a cutback week maybe a steady-state run. Last few tempos have been 3ish miles at 6:53-7:00 pace. Tuesdays are recovery runs. Wednesdays I do some form of speed work, thus far consisting of hill repeats or 1 min fast/1 min jog reps. Pretty soon here, as I get to about 5-6 weeks from target race, I'll hit the track for 1000s, 800s, and 400s. Maybe a day of mile repeats. Hills have been varied, quarter miles hard uphill then jog/walk down, or 8% grade on treadmill for 2:00 at 7:30 pace x6-8. Thursdays and Fridays again recovery/easy days. Also during the week I have been consistent about strength training with focus on glutes, hips, core. Saturdays are long runs, mostly easy, sometimes with a fast finish or fast middle section. Today I ran a 1:45 over 13.15 miles, which technically is a PR though I've never actually raced a half. Sundays off. Also during the week I do lots of ice/ice bath, rolling, stretching, elevating, etc. Cutback weeks every 4th week. Eating to recover and keeping good fuel in my body. All with this goal in mind, always always always. I can taste it.

But I said that last year too, and came 20 secs away by the last 5k of my 'season.' I've got a few coming up, none of them necessarily ideal courses, but a couple of them good enough, and if I don't get it in one of those, I'll look for more in later Aug, Sept, and Oct. I really don't know what else I can do short of attach myself by rope to ER Cougar in a race and just hold on for dear life. Whether I make it or not though, I gotta say my life is very different in lots of good ways than it was before I started consistently exercising and running at 35. I'm 39 now, but feel in great shape and enjoy having something to focus on and drive for. I'mma get this m'fer done.

[Moliere]

Congrats OB! Seems like a crazy training schedule and hope you reach your goal.

[ERCougar]

Updating on my training, mostly because despite my infrequent posting here on CS I enjoy the board and in particular this thread. It has provided me with motivation, a place to share in others' achievements, and a sense of community with other runners. Since I am almost entirely a solitary runner and don't get to talk much with others about this thing I'm obsessed with, I come here on occasion instead.

Speaking of, if any of you are ever around the U.Co. and feel up for a run along the Murdock Canal Trail with someone, let me know. I did a long run last week with a friend, something I've never done before, and wow did the time fly.

Anyway, progress update and accountability attempt: I am freaking breaking 20 in the 5k this year, dammit. If I don't get it, I'm gonna rage-quit and switch my energy into pursuing a higher table tennis rating. Or what I'll actually do is just keep doggedly pursuing this thing that some people I know can just roll out of bed on any given morning and do with only moderate effort.

I maintained 50 mpw during my base-building phase during fall and into winter. I've dropped that a bit in the last couple months down to 40-45 while I add in quality runs. Mondays are typically tempo days, or some effort designed to increase lactate threshold. Sometimes tempo intervals or in a cutback week maybe a steady-state run. Last few tempos have been 3ish miles at 6:53-7:00 pace. Tuesdays are recovery runs. Wednesdays I do some form of speed work, thus far consisting of hill repeats or 1 min fast/1 min jog reps. Pretty soon here, as I get to about 5-6 weeks from target race, I'll hit the track for 1000s, 800s, and 400s. Maybe a day of mile repeats. Hills have been varied, quarter miles hard uphill then jog/walk down, or 8% grade on treadmill for 2:00 at 7:30 pace x6-8. Thursdays and Fridays again recovery/easy days. Also during the week I have been consistent about strength training with focus on glutes, hips, core. Saturdays are long runs, mostly easy, sometimes with a fast finish or fast middle section. Today I ran a 1:45 over 13.15 miles, which technically is a PR though I've never actually raced a half. Sundays off. Also during the week I do lots of ice/ice bath, rolling, stretching, elevating, etc. Cutback weeks every 4th week. Eating to recover and keeping good fuel in my body. All with this goal in mind, always always always. I can taste it.

But I said that last year too, and came 20 secs away by the last 5k of my 'season.' I've got a few coming up, none of them necessarily ideal courses, but a couple of them good enough, and if I don't get it in one of those, I'll look for more in later Aug, Sept, and Oct. I really don't know what else I can do short of attach myself by rope to ER Cougar in a race and just hold on for dear life. Whether I make it or not though, I gotta say my life is very different in lots of good ways than it was before I started consistently exercising and running at 35. I'm 39 now, but feel in great shape and enjoy having something to focus on and drive for. I'mma get this m'fer done.

You're being generous, of course. We both know if you came down to Summer Games, you'd have your sub 20 5k easy.
That's quite the training schedule. Meanwhile, I'm happy to limp along at 9 minute miles. I can't remember the last speed workout I was able to do. Grr.

[cowboy]

Some of you know I participated in the West Yellowstone half marathon yesterday. This was the inaugural race and they did a pretty good job. There were 1400 runners, so it was small, but the expo and after-race stuff was adequate and well-organized. The weather was excellent, starting temp was in the mid 30's and the finish line temp was 45-48, so a bit cool but better than too hot. This was a pack-your-own water container race, which kind of sucked, but it wasn't too bad with the lightweight water pouch things they gave you with your bib. It definitely slows the pace when you have to stop and fill your water instead of just grabbing a cup and going.

This was a great course, but definitely no PR course. The starting and ending elevation is around 6,500 feet, and climbs to 7,000. A huge hill at mile 5-7 is a time killer, as are the fill-your-own water stops. The median male time was 2:21, and a friend of mine who has qualified for Boston a number of times ran a 2:09. I switched to trail shoes at the last minute, and was glad I did, as there is a little technical trail running for a few miles and the rock plate in trail shoes is pretty nice. Even though it sounds tough, I highly recommend the course just for the scenery. A lot of it is through dense trees, and a few miles is along a beautiful trout stream. I wasn't prepared at all to run it, and made the decision at the last minute, but I'm glad I did. My time was a slow 2:34, as my strategy was to walk up and run down. Aside from having stiff quads this morning, I'm none the worse for wear, and I had a great time.

[OhioBlue]

Sounds like fun, Cowboy. Tough but interesting course with great scenery makes for good memories. Nice work.

Some of you know I participated in the West Yellowstone half marathon yesterday. This was the inaugural race and they did a pretty good job. There were 1400 runners, so it was small, but the expo and after-race stuff was adequate and well-organized. The weather was excellent, starting temp was in the mid 30's and the finish line temp was 45-48, so a bit cool but better than too hot. This was a pack-your-own water container race, which kind of sucked, but it wasn't too bad with the lightweight water pouch things they gave you with your bib. It definitely slows the pace when you have to stop and fill your water instead of just grabbing a cup and going.

This was a great course, but definitely no PR course. The starting and ending elevation is around 6,500 feet, and climbs to 7,000. A huge hill at mile 5-7 is a time killer, as are the fill-your-own water stops. The median male time was 2:21, and a friend of mine who has qualified for Boston a number of times ran a 2:09. I switched to trail shoes at the last minute, and was glad I did, as there is a little technical trail running for a few miles and the rock plate in trail shoes is pretty nice. Even though it sounds tough, I highly recommend the course just for the scenery. A lot of it is through dense trees, and a few miles is along a beautiful trout stream. I wasn't prepared at all to run it, and made the decision at the last minute, but I'm glad I did. My time was a slow 2:34, as my strategy was to walk up and run down. Aside from having stiff quads this morning, I'm none the worse for wear, and I had a great time.

[Moliere]

After 6 weeks of continually rolling/stretching/resting my IT band finally seems to be loosening up. I use to wake up and feel pain when I'd extend my knee. I also feel a bit of pain everytime I used stairs. Stretching and rolling would help a bit, but I never felt like I could do anything very active other than swimming or some limited biking. Well I started to really stretch the thing out, even doing a stretch my chiropractor showed me that would hurt me around the patella when I'd do it. I should have been doing this stretch since day 1 but I didn't because it hurt. Well, this stretch coupled with the Power Yoga really made a difference. My IT band has been feeling really good...in fact I don't feel the constant tightness I was having before. It somewhat feels sore, but it's a soreness that is like a muscle that's been spasming and is now finally relaxing. I'm hoping I'm through the worst of it. I haven't ran on it for 4 weeks and probably won't for another 1-2 weeks. I'm aftraid that if I try it out and it hurts I'll just get depressed about the whole thing again.

The biggest lesson learned is that I need to stretch, especially after my long runs and even just once or twice a day when I'm not running. I also learned that I need to do core body work. The Pilates will hopefully take care of that along with some minor strength training. I've got an appointment with a physical therapist so they can give me a training regimen to strengthen what needs work. My sports medicine doctor though confirmed the knee is fine except for the tight IT Band, so that was good news.

I've got a triathlon coming up in early May, but it's only a sprint with a 5k run, which I could do even when it hurt. The best thing is that I've been focusing on swimming so hopefully I don't have a repeat of what happened in the open water swim at my first tri.

IT band is fixed!!!!!

However, I've had some pain in my butt/hips that I thought was IT band related but apparently isn't. I went back to my chiropractor to close out the IT band stuff and I told him about the other pain that more located on the side/back of the butt/hips. He said it's likely related to the overuse but was probably masked by the IT band pain. He did some work on it and then gave me some exercises/stretches to do at home and basically told me to see how that goes and if it still hurts to come back in and he'll do a more thorough analysis (the entire visit was free!).

So, now 3 weeks later I'm finally starting to get over this issue. The key has been to roll with a lacrosse ball as it centralizes more. I basically sit on the ball and either roll up and down or I keep the ball in one place and I extend my leg 4-5 times. It's painful to do and I'm pretty sore for a couple hours afterwards, but for the past 3 days I've not had the pain that I usually have....or at least I can do stuff (getting out of a car, squatting, etc.) without feeling the tightness.

There is a triathlon in September that I'd love to do, but I'll only do it if I feel like I can run 3 miles without pain.

[OceanBlue]

Getting old stinks. I run about 18 miles per week, and I'm finding that my achilles tendons are stiffening up each time I run now. Do you suppose I should be stretching? I've never really done much stretching.

What do you think of Glucosamine and Chondroitin? Do they really help lubricate the joints and what not? I wonder if my ankles need a little more of that.

Acupuncture has been amazing for my bad Achilles.

[Moliere]

Ran 2 miles this morning with no pain and no soreness. First time in almost 5 months that I've ran without issue. That was quite possibly the best run I've ever had....in terms of pure joy.

Edit: The human pysche is a weird thing. I've just spent the past 30 mins looking at upcoming races....even a possible half marathon....all this after a 2 mile run after having been injured for the past 5 months.

[PaloAltoCougar]

How much do you sweat off in a run? This morning I ran for about an hour, and weighed myself au naturel just before and just after the run (I don't eat or drink anything on runs of an hour or less, unless it's really hot). I dropped 3.5 pounds, and the scale is very accurate. Is that typical of your results? I won't inquire about other elimination habits at this time.

[Pheidippides]

How much do you sweat off in a run? This morning I ran for about an hour, and weighed myself au naturel just before and just after the run (I don't eat or drink anything on runs of an hour or less, unless it's really hot). I dropped 3.5 pounds, and the scale is very accurate. Is that typical of your results? I won't inquire about other elimination habits at this time.

I average a pound per mile during the summer.

[MarkGrace]

I average a pound per mile during the summer.

Seriously? So if you go out and run 15 miles you'll dump 15 pounds? Damn.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Seriously? So if you go out and run 15 miles you'll dump 15 pounds? Damn.

Gotta love that humidity in Houston.

[Pheidippides]

Seriously? So if you go out and run 15 miles you'll dump 15 pounds? Damn.

Diminishing returns after 10 miles, but, yeah, it can get close. Even if I drink along the way.