SOSH Running Dogs

[Pork Fried Jim Rice]

Is anyone running the Corporate Challenge in Boston on June 26th? I've done it a couple times. It usually ends up being 85 and humid at the race start. Mix in 12,000 people and it feels like 140 degrees. It is a fun night as the bars are hopping afterwards.

My girlfriend is. This will be the first time she's ever really gotten into running, but she signed up with some of her coworkers.

I'm doing the one down here in NYC, and from what I've heard it's a mess. Because of all the entrants, it's spread over two days rather than one. I think there's like 20-25,000 runners each day. I know that my company alone has 1,000 people doing it.

 

[BleacherFan]

Metronome anyone? That's amazing consistency.

Thanks - I just hope to get a little quicker :lol: If I can start knocking off 10x72's with 200 recovery I think I'll be ready to go sub 16

It was different picking up the pace again. My biggest problem is running tempo and interval workouts too fast. McMillian's calculator says I should have run them from 6:51-7:05 so I'm pretty happy.

Nice job - those are some interesting interval distances - was it planned that way?

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I've signed up for the Corporate Challenge in order to run it with some of my work friends then hit the bar after. Also, my goal is to crush some annoying people in my company who think they're the shit. However, i have some serious work to do.

I've also signed up to run the Harpoon 5 miler a few weeks before it in Southie.

I ran a 7:30 pace last year for the Harpoon race which was my first real race. However, 3 weeks after I really screwed up my ankle pretty badly and couldn't run again until January without pain. Currently I'm running 3-4 times a week between 3-6 miles.

I really just pushed myself for the first time on Monday and ran 3.2 miles in 23 minutes. My goal right now is to run 35 minutes for the Harpoon race and run sub 7's for the Corporate Challenge. Part of this is going to be losing about 10-12 pounds which is pretty much beer weight.

Anyone have any advice to get my time down? My plan right now is to run Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays every week with offdays on Tues/Thurs/Sat. I can run 5-6 miles right now at about an 8:30 pace without really killing myself. Should I be doing one long run on the weekend and then doing shorter runs during the week? My plan is to have my long run be about 8-9 miles the week before the 5 miler.

 

[BleacherFan]

I've signed up for the Corporate Challenge in order to run it with some of my work friends then hit the bar after. Also, my goal is to crush some annoying people in my company who think they're the shit. However, i have some serious work to do.

Anyone have any advice to get my time down? My plan right now is to run Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays every week with offdays on Tues/Thurs/Sat. I can run 5-6 miles right now at about an 8:30 pace without really killing myself. Should I be doing one long run on the weekend and then doing shorter runs during the week? My plan is to have my long run be about 8-9 miles the week before the 5 miler.

I am far from a coach and if you see some of my training I am far from typical but I would suggest something like:
(For the long run)

Sat June 7th - race
Sun June 1st - 9 miles - maybe a few of those miles done at race pace
Sun May 25th - 10
Sun May 18th - 8
Sun May 11th - 9
Sun May 4th - 8
Sun Apr 27th - 7
Sun Apr20th - 6

Slowly push the mileage up no more than 10% a week - personally I feel that mileage is the key to getting faster. If you could even get longer on your long run, forget the pace it will pay off dividends. If you read some of Nate Jenkins' logs, his 10 mile daily runs are sometimes almost 8:00 pace and he's a 2:14 marathoner running 140+ miles a week.

Monday should be a light recovery day - probably at the same pace. Maybe Wednesday, make it a tempo run with 4-5 miles and going up every week and Friday a lighter normal run. As you get closer to race day(s), start running more and more miles at goal pace. I personally would try to get some activity on one (or two) of the other two days - even if it's a quick 2-3 mile run before the Sox game or something.

The 5M race is a tricky one - you get the high school and younger kids going out like it's a 5k ("well, it's only another 2 miles") and they crash and burn around 2.5...

I defer to UHTF since he's more knowledgeable about the more traditional training plans but that's something I would personally do

Please correct me :lol:

 

[AusTexSoxFan]

So when are we ever going to see a BleacherFan vs. Underhandtofirst mano a mano race?

I think this needs to happen!

I'd love to see to a couple speedsters stretch it out on the roads of New England somewhere.

Good luck in the Marathon pk!

 

[underhandtofirst]

Nice job - those are some interesting interval distances - was it planned that way?

Yes they were planned to be 1.5 mile tempo pace intervals. They are obviously easier than running a 3 mile tempo run. I'm really just trying to add a little difficultly at this point.

I really just pushed myself for the first time on Monday and ran 3.2 miles in 23 minutes. My goal right now is to run 35 minutes for the Harpoon race and run sub 7's for the Corporate Challenge. Part of this is going to be losing about 10-12 pounds which is pretty much beer weight.

If you lose 10-12 lbs your pace will be a lot quicker. I've read you gain close to 2 seconds per mile for every lb you lose.

I defer to UHTF since he's more knowledgeable about the more traditional training plans but that's something I would personally do

Please correct me

You might try checking out halhigdon.com and go through some of his plans and see if you can modify them for your goals. Last year I used some of the runner's world plans for 5k and 10k, but I thought Hal's plans were better. This year I got some books by Pete Pfizinger and used them to destroy my PR in the half marathon (now at 1:35). While training for the half I also cut my 5k PR from 20:36 to 19:44. I used the race as a training run for the Half.

Hal Higdon Intermediate plan for 8k (5 miles)

It is an 8 week plan that top out at 7 miles for the long run. Use's BF's plan for the long runs and use the alternating interval and tempo runs from Hal's program then fill in 2 more easy runs each week. Something like this:

Plan

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
14-Apr	3	30 min tempo	3	6	16
21-Apr	3	6x400 5k pace	3	7	17
28-Apr	3	35 min tempo	3	8	18
5-May	4	7x400 5k pace	4	9	20
12-May	4	40 min tempo	4	8	21
19-May	5	8x400 5k pace	5	10	24
26-May	5	45 min tempo	5	9	25
2-Jun	4	4x400 5k pace	2	5 M race	15

 

[underhandtofirst]

So when are we ever going to see a BleacherFan vs. Underhandtofirst mano a mano race?

I think this needs to happen!

I'd love to see to a couple speedsters stretch it out on the roads of New England somewhere.

Good luck in the Marathon pk!

Maybe Baystate this year. Of course, check out his times and you'll see it wouldnt be much of a race. His easy long runs are done at my 5k race pace

 

[BleacherFan]

Maybe Baystate this year. Of course, check out his times and you'll see it wouldnt be much of a race. His easy long runs are done at my 5k race pace

If not then, I'm sure we'll meet up in the spring/summer/fall at some road race in the merrimack valley - are you planning on hitting any good times races this spring? It would be a nice tempo run on occasion...

Dave

 

[Leather]

Hello,

I'm looking for some guidance:

I run sporadically, usually just 1-3 miles at a time, 2-3 times per week, for a few months or so. Problem is, my ankles and inner knees sometimes get sore and I have to slow down and/or stop my running. Then, of course, I get lazy and 5 months goes by...you know how it goes.

I am going to start going to the gym to do some mild weight-training, part of my overall commitment to getting in better shape for my wedding in late June. My question to you is: what's the best weight-training for aiding my running endurance? Squats?

Any help would be appreciated for someone (me) who'll go run 2-3 times per week and then go to the gym 2-3 times per week. Ideally, I'd like to run 5-mile races this summer. That's my goal. I know I can do it, but I'd like to get there as efficiently as possible.

Thanks!

 

[underhandtofirst]

Hello,

I'm looking for some guidance:

I run sporadically, usually just 1-3 miles at a time, 2-3 times per week, for a few months or so. Problem is, my ankles and inner knees sometimes get sore and I have to slow down and/or stop my running. Then, of course, I get lazy and 5 months goes by...you know how it goes.

I am going to start going to the gym to do some mild weight-training, part of my overall commitment to getting in better shape for my wedding in late June. My question to you is: what's the best weight-training for aiding my running endurance? Squats?

Any help would be appreciated for someone (me) who'll go run 2-3 times per week and then go to the gym 2-3 times per week. Ideally, I'd like to run 5-mile races this summer. That's my goal. I know I can do it, but I'd like to get there as efficiently as possible.

Thanks!

I'm not sure I'd recommend weight training for running endurance. Weight training is more useful if you're a sprinter or even middle distance. If you want to do some upper body weights that might help with the overall fitness picture.

Train for 5k in 8 weeks

If you can build slowly to be able to run a 5k (3.1 miles) without issues then the jump to 5 miles wont be a big problem. The above link starts with 1.5 mile runs and ends with 3 mile runs. Early on you may consider walking 1/4 to 1/2 mile in the middle of each run just the allow your legs to adjust to the pounding. Building slowly helps your leg muscles and tendons strengthen to allow you to handle longer distances.

The rule of thumb is only add 10% to your mileage each week. So if you're starting out at 5 miles in a week you should only add 1/2 mile total the next week. It doesnt sound like much, but you'll be better off in the long run increasing slowly rather than getting injured and going back to square one (we've all done it)

 

[BleacherFan]

I'm not sure I'd recommend weight training for running endurance. Weight training is more useful if you're a sprinter or even middle distance. If you want to do some upper body weights that might help with the overall fitness picture.

I would agree overall but if you're gonna be at the gym anyways I recommend one legged squats (4x to completion) with the Smith and the same thing (one legged) with the leg extension machine. One caveat here: only extend halfway and go very slow on the return.

This helped me cure some of the knee problems I had early on - my lower quads weren't strong enough. Maybe this could help you with your knee.

Good luck

 

[Catch Me Bruno]

Anyone have any advice to get my time down?

Run faster.

ka-POW! With the comedy.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help and suggestions on a training plan.

It is an 8 week plan that top out at 7 miles for the long run. Use's BF's plan for the long runs and use the alternating interval and tempo runs from Hal's program then fill in 2 more easy runs each week. Something like this:

I like the one you laid out probably the best. I'm thinking about bumping up the Friday run to 4 miles to start, else I think I may have trouble adding the mileage on Sundays. We'll see how I feel though. The weather looks great for running this week so that will definitely help me get a kick start. Figures since I posted on here the other day I've only run once. Hectic week.

 

[BleacherFan]

Not sure how many of you subscribe to Runners World but somehow I got 3 free issues and was reading up on Lance's marathon preparation for Boston. Amazingly I think he was only running 3 days, biking 3 days with one day off - AND he's shooting for sub 2:40. One of his running days included a "8 to 10 mile tempo run at 5:20 pace" - I don't know what to think of that workout...to me, if he hits 2:40 or come close - this would be an amazing accomplishment and I would love to see what he could do with higher mileage.

That tempo run is insane and I really don't see how it can help him going that fast. That is like 115% of marathon pace and I can't see anything more than 2-3 miles at that pace or intervals being valuable. I did a hard & controlled 7 mile run at 5:55 yesterday and that doesn't come close to what he did.

That "tempo run" would have placed him 12th at the 12k New England Championships this past summer.

Then again, it is Lance ....

 

[SoxChick13]

Loving this weather. Good luck to the marathon folks on Monday.

I am going to do this race (sorry if it's been posted already, I didn't see it, but I may have missed it).

http://www.newcharlesriverrun.com/

I'm going to do the 7.5M, and I have little excuse because I live about 5 Pedroias away from the race.

 

[amh03]

Anyone make the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials today? I got in to see it this morning and have to say it was really a terrific event. Huge turnout - I was really surprised how many people lined Boylston St. and walked back and forth to Comm Ave 2 or 3 times to catch the runners on different loops of the race. It was packed! And the race turned out to be pretty exciting - first with the relative unknown Magdalena Boulet leading for most of the race (sometimes holding a 2 minute lead) to the exciting take over of first place by the favorite, Deena Kastor.

Of course, the emotional tug was Joan Benoit Samuelson running the marathon (at the age of 50!) after announcing that this would be her last competitive marathon. Her goal? To run the marathon in 2 hours and 50 minutes (to celebrate her 50th birthday). She finished in 2 hours and 49 minutes to set an American record for her age group.

All in all a very exciting prelude to tomorrow's race. Good luck to all Soshers (or Sosher relatives/friends) who are running in tomorrow's Boston! Run strong!!

Edit - found this fun quote over on ESPN:

Joan Benoit Samuelson, who at 50 said this would be her last competitive race, finished in 2:49:08 to set an American record for the 50-54 age group. The two-time Boston winner won the inaugural Olympic women's marathon -- the only U.S. medal in the event until Kastor took the bronze in Athens.

"It's been a great run," Samuelson said before turning to Kastor. "I'm handing the torch off to her now, and she can run with it. And I'm sure she will."

Samuelson crossed the finish line in a Red Sox cap, as she did when she won the Boston Marathon as a Bowdoin College senior in 1979.

"There have been some great years in between, and some not-so-great years," said Samuelson, who has battled a series of injuries. "For the Red Sox and myself."

 

[TallerThanPedroia]

Heh, I am almost exactly half as fast as Robert Cheruiyot.

 

[underhandtofirst]

Heh, I am almost exactly half as fast as Robert Cheruiyot.

Pretty amazing stuff. Sick finish to the women's race too. In my two marathon's I've tried to put in a good finishing kick, but I can't imagine getting in a footrace down Boylston St for the last 1/3 mile.

It appears to be great conditions out there today. It's too bad local guys Nate Jenkins and Casey Moulton have battled injuries this year. They would have had a chance to be the top American.

 

[ragecage]

some photos from the halfway point.

 

[TallerThanPedroia]

Yeah, the start weather was pretty perfect. 50 degrees, overcast but not going to rain.

 

[drtooth]

Congrats to our own BTG!!!

4:25:43

 

[BleacherFan]

Yeah, the start weather was pretty perfect. 50 degrees, overcast but not going to rain.

Yes, but it looks like it got hot quick. From a quick lookup on the results there were some slow times - I would love to know how the headwind and the temps played later in the race. Everyone i know missed their goals today..

And nice job BTG! And to all other finishers today...

 

[Beantowngirl]

Got hot quick!
Was wearing long sleeves and 3/4 pants -- and even though I was hot, the extra coverage saved my from getting totally fried.
The right side of my neck, my right hand and my right calf are miserably red.

My goal was to run 4:30. I ran 4:54 in 2006, "ran" NYC in 5:15 in 2007 and ran 4:34 for my first marathon in 2004. Battled the same nasty cold everyone had in February, trained solo, so I was super excited when I passed masses on the hills and knew I was going to PR when I hit Cleveland Circle. I know most people would think of a 4h+ as much of a PR, but I was really happy.

Think there is going to be a baby making break in my marathoning, but looking forward to breaking 4h down the road...

 

[amh03]

Congrats BTG!!! From someone who doesn't like to run to the car, I am in awe of folks who marathon. Way to go!!!

 

[underhandtofirst]

Got hot quick!
Was wearing long sleeves and 3/4 pants -- and even though I was hot, the extra coverage saved my from getting totally fried.
The right side of my neck, my right hand and my right calf are miserably red.

My goal was to run 4:30. I ran 4:54 in 2006, "ran" NYC in 5:15 in 2007 and ran 4:34 for my first marathon in 2004. Battled the same nasty cold everyone had in February, trained solo, so I was super excited when I passed masses on the hills and knew I was going to PR when I hit Cleveland Circle. I know most people would think of a 4h+ as much of a PR, but I was really happy.

Think there is going to be a baby making break in my marathoning, but looking forward to breaking 4h down the road...

Don't be so sure about that. The people who have never run a marathon are in awe that you finished. Those who have completed one realize the committment and determination necessary to train for the marathon. Congrats on getting a new PR! Good luck in your next phase when you go for sub 4 hours.

 

[sass a thon]

Congrats BTG! I am contemplating running a marathon in 2009 but still can't get my head around the idea of running that many miles. It's a major accomplishment, so congratulations.

I have my third half marathon this Sunday in Oklahoma City. My training was really going well but has completely suffered the last two weeks due to the NHL playoffs. My priorities are a bit screwy, I admit. I really wish I had the discipline that most of you guys seem to have when it comes to training.

 

[BleacherFan]

That sucked - my original plan was to do intervals around a nice track at 6:30am when the temps were in the 40s/50s......







.........Instead I ended up doing intervals around a decent track at 5:30pm when the temps were in the 80s.... I planned on doing 800s - wimped out and did 10x400s with the heat:

71,71,72,74,72,71,70,72,72,70 - little more inconsistent and a little slower (71.5 vs 71 the week before) but given the heat and the water breaks I think it's a wash

Oh well, it's in the books

 

[Big Guapo Style]

Sweet times, I am heading out for some intervals tomorrow, likely 800s. Temps are supposed to be 10 degrees cooler so that's good.

Anyone ever deal with heel pain? I am suffering from it on both feet. Hadn't had it in 4 years of running, now its hard to even walk or stand. I of course power through it for my runs.

 

[underhandtofirst]

Next week I start my 24 week ramp up to the Baystate marathon in October. I'm a bit worried because it has been more of an effort to get up and on the roads in the morning. I've still managed to build up to 30 mpw which is where my plan starts. The peak will be 55 in July and August. Average for the 24 weeks is around 45.

Work issues have made it tough to get some training in. I've tried to make a conscious effort to get some more sleep and even postpned some runs as a result. For example, I've been averaging around 6-6.5 for the last couple of months. I might get 8 hours 2-3 times a month. Last year I was probably even lower, I can remember doing some long runs after 4 hours of sleep. This year my goal is 7, which historically has been a good number for me.

My buildup has consisted of 4 runs per week and I've found myself doing 4 days in a row on some weeks to ensure I get the miles in. The plan calls for 5 days a week starting in 3 weeks. One thing I've found is that missing 2 and especially 3 days in a row really slows me down. The first day back always seems harder than it should be. The next day I feel like I'm flying. An example of this was 2 weeks ago when I fought through 7.5 miles at around 8 min pace. The next day I ran almost 11 at the same pace and it felt much easier. I think this is a good sign in a way that when I increase the volume my legs have shown they can handle 4 days in a row and actually do better running as opposed to resting.

A note on Boston. I work in Copley Square about a block from the finish. Every year I walk around during the day and look forward to the day I get to experience it.

 

[BleacherFan]

A note on Boston. I work in Copley Square about a block from the finish. Every year I walk around during the day and look forward to the day I get to experience it.

You'll get there - you're improving, you have the raw skill and you're committed. I remember the same thing, watching the runners after the Patroits day game and thinking I wanted to run it eventually by qualifying.

 

[riboflav]

Sweet times, I am heading out for some intervals tomorrow, likely 800s. Temps are supposed to be 10 degrees cooler so that's good.

Anyone ever deal with heel pain? I am suffering from it on both feet. Hadn't had it in 4 years of running, now its hard to even walk or stand. I of course power through it for my runs.

You might find this helpful:

http://www.marathonsports.com/Running/Imag...arFasciitis.pdf

 

[Big Guapo Style]

You might find this helpful:

http://www.marathonsports.com/Running/Imag...arFasciitis.pdf

Thanks, that is really helpful and seems right on. It's frustrating because for a while when running ina stability show I was putting strain on my left knee, causing patella femoral syndrome (the classic runners knee). so I switched to a cushioning shoe and now I end up with this. Starting to think maybe I should alternate back and forth between 2 types. When I go to a running store, they tell me I don't pronate and say I should use a cushioning shoe. I wonder if perhaps I pronate more when fatigued? Thanks again though, that was a good flyer.

 

[pk1627]

Well I finished my first marathon, and that actually feels pretty good.

My legs again cramped up around mile 20 and I'd say that the last 6 miles took an hour longer than I might have hoped. Altogether it took me 6 hours. If anyone wants to know what it feels like to run/hobble for that long, I'm your guy. My electrolytes were fine. I think just too much lactic acid. When I do the next one, there has to be some weight training or better cross training happening.

But for now, happy to have finished.

 

[amh03]

Well I finished my first marathon, and that actually feels pretty good.

My legs again cramped up around mile 20 and I'd say that the last 6 miles took an hour longer than I might have hoped. Altogether it took me 6 hours. If anyone wants to know what it feels like to run/hobble for that long, I'm your guy. My electrolytes were fine. I think just too much lactic acid. When I do the next one, there has to be some weight training or better cross training happening.

But for now, happy to have finished.

Congratulations!!!! To be able to say you ran 26.2 miles (can never cut short that .2) is quite an achievement!! That's terrific!!

 

[sass a thon]

Well I finished my first marathon, and that actually feels pretty good.

My legs again cramped up around mile 20 and I'd say that the last 6 miles took an hour longer than I might have hoped. Altogether it took me 6 hours. If anyone wants to know what it feels like to run/hobble for that long, I'm your guy. My electrolytes were fine. I think just too much lactic acid. When I do the next one, there has to be some weight training or better cross training happening.

But for now, happy to have finished.

Congratulations! It's really quite an accomplishment to cross that finish line.

I ran my third half marathon this weekend and finished in under 2 hours (1:57), which was my goal. I've now been running for only 10 months and I've gone from running a max of 3 miles to bringing my half marathon time down by 15 minutes since November. I'm excited to see what the next 10 months bring.

 

[riboflav]

Thanks, that is really helpful and seems right on. It's frustrating because for a while when running ina stability show I was putting strain on my left knee, causing patella femoral syndrome (the classic runners knee). so I switched to a cushioning shoe and now I end up with this. Starting to think maybe I should alternate back and forth between 2 types. When I go to a running store, they tell me I don't pronate and say I should use a cushioning shoe. I wonder if perhaps I pronate more when fatigued? Thanks again though, that was a good flyer.

Your welcome!

I'm not sure about fatigue. I wouldn't be surprised if it has an effect on a runner's gait. I know that sloppy form tends to impact my neck and shoulders the most, so why not someone's legs, too?

Also, I tend to feel pain, and cracking, in my left knee when I've been going up-and-down stairs a lot. I notice it in particular when I'm moving - i.e. carrying lots of boxes. I also think that what you wear for shoes in your everyday life can impact how you feel. My everyday shoes are not very supportive and I need to buy some new ones. I fear that the effects from wearing these shoes may spill over into my running. Have you tried resting and not running for a while to measure how much impact running has on your legs?

As for running shoes, I seem to recall that adding cushioned insoles to stability shoes works well for those who suffer various leg maladies (this is just my personal observation, as I'm no doctor). I'm surprised, however, that you suffered a heel injury after switching to cushioned shoes, unless your gait was compensating for your knee pain.

 

[riboflav]

Hello everyone,

I'm glad I've found a community of fellow runners and I'd just like to introduce myself. I recently started running again - it had been ten years almost exactly since I last ran. I ran competitively - cross-country, track, road races - from age 16-22, but stopped altogether at 23. One thing I've noticed is how much the sport has changed. Everything has grown in abundance - the amount of available information online, the number of road races, the number of running clubs, etc. It has come a long way since the 1980s and early 90s.

Oh, and another thing I've noticed is how incredibly out-of-shape I am. I currently can only run (jog) a mile. But, that should make future accomplishments that much sweeter.

Continued good luck to everyone!

 

[TallerThanPedroia]

Nice work, pk and Sass! Damn, now I have to beat 1:57 next month

 

[underhandtofirst]

Time to bump this back up.

Question on doing strides:
I've added strides to my training this year and I want to check to make sure I'm doing them correctly. I have been running a 5-7 mile loop then adding 10x100m strides around a track. I jog the curves very slowly and pick it up on the straightaways. The way I have been doing them is gradually accelerate from the beginning of the straightaway up to just below top sprinting speed in about 30m. I hold that speed for about 40m and then slow down to jogging pace at the end of the straightaway. Rinse and repeat. I try not to change anything about my stride, just make sure I'm as relaxed as possible.

I think these have helped in the short time I've been doing them. One issue I have is my groin and butt are a bit sore. Not pain sore, but more stiffness. I chalk it up to the faster running and my body getting used to it. I'm trying to do more stretching after my run to help with this. I wish I could use some ice at work, but they'd probably frown at using an icebag in those areas. I dont get a lot of stretching in before my runs because my muscles arent warmed up yet. I do enough just to loosen up a bit (5-10 mins)

 

[BleacherFan]

Time to bump this back up.

Question on doing strides:
I've added strides to my training this year and I want to check to make sure I'm doing them correctly. I have been running a 5-7 mile loop then adding 10x100m strides around a track. I jog the curves very slowly and pick it up on the straightaways. The way I have been doing them is gradually accelerate from the beginning of the straightaway up to just below top sprinting speed in about 30m. I hold that speed for about 40m and then slow down to jogging pace at the end of the straightaway. Rinse and repeat. I try not to change anything about my stride, just make sure I'm as relaxed as possible.

Sounds fair and safe - let me know if it helps, maybe I'll incorporate them into my runs :buddy:. Alll I know about strides is the format - easy on the turns - quicker on the straightaways.

I did my 2nd time with halves today 6x800s with 400 recovery

2:26,2:31,2:29,2:30,2:31,2:31 (2:29.6 avg)

Tougher (but faster) than last week. I was feeling it in my legs the 2nd lap - I just think the mileage isn't there yet for me. The heart rate fell fine during the recovery which is a bigger thing for me. Now I just need to find a race that fits my schedule

 

[underhandtofirst]

Hello everyone,

I'm glad I've found a community of fellow runners and I'd just like to introduce myself. I recently started running again - it had been ten years almost exactly since I last ran. I ran competitively - cross-country, track, road races - from age 16-22, but stopped altogether at 23. One thing I've noticed is how much the sport has changed. Everything has grown in abundance - the amount of available information online, the number of road races, the number of running clubs, etc. It has come a long way since the 1980s and early 90s.

Oh, and another thing I've noticed is how incredibly out-of-shape I am. I currently can only run (jog) a mile. But, that should make future accomplishments that much sweeter.

Continued good luck to everyone!

Good luck getting back into it. I ran track in HS and got back into running a few years. They dont have a lot of 400m and 800m races for guys in their mid-30s :buddy: so I've been gradually transitioning into the distance runner. I used a goal of running a marathon to keep me focused. I've done two and now the goal is to qualify for Boston. In your case, I think you can see a lot of rapid improvement early on based upon your background.

 

[Pork Fried Jim Rice]

I did a 5 miler at lunch yesterday (really not the best time, but was the only time I had a free hour), and after about 3 miles I could barely continue because of pain in the bottom of my feet. It's not the shoes, I got a new pair a month and a half ago and I had no problems until yesterday. My thought was that it was because of the heat on the asphalt. It was about 76 out when I left for my run, and I was running through a mostly unshaded park and could really feel the extra heat off the ground. Anyone had this problem or any easy solutions other than running at a different time? Changing up the socks maybe?

 

[underhandtofirst]

Sounds fair and safe - let me know if it helps, maybe I'll incorporate them into my runs :buddy:. Alll I know about strides is the format - easy on the turns - quicker on the straightaways.

My reading suggests the strides can help with running efficiency...something I need to improve. I'm planning to do them once a week near the end of a recovery or medium paced run. Results have been positive so far. The other night I did a 8 mile medium effort run at night at around 7:51 pace and felt great. Even last summer I think I would have had to push it to run at that pace.

 

[underhandtofirst]

I did a 5 miler at lunch yesterday (really not the best time, but was the only time I had a free hour), and after about 3 miles I could barely continue because of pain in the bottom of my feet. It's not the shoes, I got a new pair a month and a half ago and I had no problems until yesterday. My thought was that it was because of the heat on the asphalt. It was about 76 out when I left for my run, and I was running through a mostly unshaded park and could really feel the extra heat off the ground. Anyone had this problem or any easy solutions other than running at a different time? Changing up the socks maybe?

I just got some new NB 767 and just hated them on my first run. I had pain in my arches during the entire run, is that what you had? I had similar issues with NB 901 last year, although they dont always hurt my feet.

Could it have been cramping as a result of dehydration? I've read when running you'll feel the temp to be about 20 degrees warmer than the air temp. That coupled with no shade makes for tough conditions.

 

[BleacherFan]

My reading suggests the strides can help with running efficiency...something I need to improve. I'm planning to do them once a week near the end of a recovery or medium paced run. Results have been positive so far. The other night I did a 8 mile medium effort run at night at around 7:51 pace and felt great. Even last summer I think I would have had to push it to run at that pace.

BTW, you're gearing up nicely for the RTM. Are you going to taper at all? Nice improvements!

 

[riboflav]

Good luck getting back into it. I ran track in HS and got back into running a few years. They dont have a lot of 400m and 800m races for guys in their mid-30s so I've been gradually transitioning into the distance runner. I used a goal of running a marathon to keep me focused. I've done two and now the goal is to qualify for Boston. In your case, I think you can see a lot of rapid improvement early on based upon your background.

Thank you. The cardio has come along quicker than expected for me. Although I could barely complete a mile the first time out, I feel like I could do two comfortably now, only two weeks later. Unfortunately, it's been my leg muscles that are in need of the biggest adjustment. I've been fortunate to have never struggled with injuries before, but I can already tell that I need to be disciplined and takes things slowly until my body can handle the pounding again.

Marathon runners have always impressed me. I've never had the desire to run one, but I admire those courageous enough to try. I prefer faster events, and yes, it's unfortunate they don't have "track" races for us older folks. But, they do have some mile races that I may check out - though I think I'll stick primarily to 5k and 10k races. Someday, I would like to do a half-marathon just to say I've done one. I don't know...perhaps, it's the newness of it all but I'm looking forward to trying a bunch of different stuff - I may even give off-road racing a try.

Out of curiosity, do you do any strength training with weights or resistance-type work? I have the sense that my leg muscles are pretty weak and could use some work, but I don't want to overdo things, especially this early. When I ran, strength training was considered essential, but lately I've read that many runners prefer to do little or none at all. Thoughts?

 

[BleacherFan]

Thank you. The cardio has come along quicker than expected for me. Although I could barely complete a mile the first time out, I feel like I could do two comfortably now, only two weeks later. Unfortunately, it's been my leg muscles that are in need of the biggest adjustment. I've been fortunate to have never struggled with injuries before, but I can already tell that I need to be disciplined and takes things slowly until my body can handle the pounding again.

Lungs/cardio - the first to go and the first you get back. I find it takes only a few weeks to a month (obviously depending on your downtime) to get these back. The legs are a lot less forgiving....

Out of curiosity, do you do any strength training with weights or resistance-type work? I have the sense that my leg muscles are pretty weak and could use some work, but I don't want to overdo things, especially this early. When I ran, strength training was considered essential, but lately I've read that many runners prefer to do little or none at all. Thoughts?

I did at first, when I was really starting to ramp up my training mileage but I found myself slacking due to lack of time. I am at the point where I believe that if you train right with slowly upping mileage that the building of the slow twitch muscle fibers help with the overall strength. All the squats/left-lifts could never match high mileage weeks IMO. If you're coming off some injuries I would do the squats/leg lifts/usual muscle stuff with free weights - but I wouldn't expect any huge breakthroughs. It may keep you healthy.

 

[riboflav]

Lungs/cardio - the first to go and the first you get back. I find it takes only a few weeks to a month (obviously depending on your downtime) to get these back. The legs are a lot less forgiving....
I did at first, when I was really starting to ramp up my training mileage but I found myself slacking due to lack of time. I am at the point where I believe that if you train right with slowly upping mileage that the building of the slow twitch muscle fibers help with the overall strength. All the squats/left-lifts could never match high mileage weeks IMO. If you're coming off some injuries I would do the squats/leg lifts/usual muscle stuff with free weights - but I wouldn't expect any huge breakthroughs. It may keep you healthy.

Yeah, I think you're right. I might do some mild strengthening through stretching and yoga-type stuff, but I'm going to lay off the weights. From everything I've been reading lately, I've come to the conclusion that my coaches had over trained us. I think part of this is natural. You're in school five days a week so you practice, you don't just go home and rest at the end of the day. But, they would run us hard with hill and speed workouts throughout the whole season - we ran hard six days a week. Our teams, though successful, tended to peak about three weeks before the championships. Some of us were completely spent by then. We also did a lot of upper body lifting, which, in hindsight, seems strange because we were distance runners, not sprinters. A little lifting for the upper body I can understand, but there was little or no instruction about not bulking up. So, you had a bunch of scrawny high school boys who wanted to get huge and were practically encouraged to do so. You can imagine the negative physical effects this had on some of us as runners.

 

[BleacherFan]

Yeah, I think you're right. I might do some mild strengthening through stretching and yoga-type stuff, but I'm going to lay off the weights. From everything I've been reading lately, I've come to the conclusion that my coaches had over trained us. I think part of this is natural. You're in school five days a week so you practice, you don't just go home and rest at the end of the day. But, they would run us hard with hill and speed workouts throughout the whole season - we ran hard six days a week. Our teams, though successful, tended to peak about three weeks before the championships. Some of us were completely spent by then. We also did a lot of upper body lifting, which, in hindsight, seems strange because we were distance runners, not sprinters. A little lifting for the upper body I can understand, but there was little or no instruction about not bulking up. So, you had a bunch of scrawny high school boys who wanted to get huge and were practically encouraged to do so. You can imagine the negative physical effects this had on some of us as runners.

What college did you go to? Your feelings echo other stuff I hear from others - most college runners are either burnt out or injured to continue running post collegiality. Once in a while I run with Craig Fram one of the most successful Masters runners (ranked #1 in the USA a few years ago) and he credits a lot of his success to not running in college. But then on the other side of the coin you have Paul Hammond who was a beast at Maine and continued his success after college. I think he's a one-off though.....

 

[TallerThanPedroia]

Anyone doing the Run to Remember this weekend?