The Running Thread

[chuck taylor]

Finished the 10K in 45:25, so my pace was about 7:20/mile. Was suffering the entire second half, but my split was almost perfectly even, so I was happy about that. I want to do another 10K in a couple months and get under 7:00/mile.

Nice work!

Thanks. Looks like you do a lot more running than I do. Is that mostly off-road/trails? I think that much running where I live (concrete jungle) would destroy my knees and ankles.

[nyquillyn]

Finished the 10K in 45:25, so my pace was about 7:20/mile. Was suffering the entire second half, but my split was almost perfectly even, so I was happy about that. I want to do another 10K in a couple months and get under 7:00/mile.

Nice work!

Thanks. Looks like you do a lot more running than I do. Is that mostly off-road/trails? I think that much running where I live (concrete jungle) would destroy my knees and ankles.

Right now it's mostly on PHX's canal system. I generally run on the packed dirt next to the paved surface. Currently only running about once a week on trails. When I was a little more "hard core" I was probably running about 50% trails. I wish I could do it more, but driving to and from the trailhead adds 45 minutes to an hour. With kids and stuff, it's so much easier just to go out the front door.

[Peeps]

in order to force myself to run more (not just cardio at the gym) i started leaving the office and running down our main road and back (3 miles round trip)

the good part is im outdoors and running but the bad part is we have a lot of trucks coming by and its pretty dusty. so when a truck goes by im inhaling a shit ton of earth and it probably looks like i have black lung right now.

i have to find somewhere better. was thinking the local track but i think they are starting practices for track and field

[WaitingForBluey]

Doh! I always forget that my pool closes for spring break (I work at a university, pool is staff by undergrads). There goes my exercise streak. Thankfully, I could use a couple rest days. Or so my knees have suggested.

Tue - 2 mile run
Wed - X2 Yoga (P90x2)
Thur - 6 mile run + 30 min lap swim
Fri - 20 min lap swin
Sat - P.A.P. Upper (P90x2)
Sun - 6 mile run
Mon - (rest day)
Tue - 4 mile run

Current streak ends at 42
(+73 consecutive days for the year)

[chuck taylor]

Impressive streak nonetheless!

Did my first run since the 10k the other day. I just wanted to run fast today, so as expected I overdid it and it ended pretty quickly.

[WaitingForBluey]

I've had a few of those moments where everything just clicked into place and I felt like I could run through a brick wall. Only in those moments have I even considered being able to do a full marathon someday. But those moments are fleeting and yes I usually get too excited, run too fast or run too far, and quickly wear myself out. I keep hoping that my body will eventually figure out how to maintain that "euphoric" state that I have only glimpsed at a few times.

[nyquillyn]

Runner's high is generally about finding the sweet spot in effort. You want to get those endorphins going, but not to the point of exhaustion. You'll almost never reach it on an "easy" day. The consensus seems to be that you need to push yourself past 80%, but not totally max out.

I've also found that I'll actually reach it quicker if I'm underfueled. That tells me that it may be triggered by my body running low on carbs. That's totally unscientific however, just an observation about my own running.

Also, runners high can often be followed by a soul-crushing crash, particularly if, like above, you are underfueled.

I have a tough 7.5-mile trail run that I will sometimes hit around 3 p.m. after NOT having lunch because I know that if I push pretty hard, the runners high will kick in during the second half and last until the finish.

[WaitingForBluey]

Wed - X2 Recovery & Mobility (P90x2)
Thur - 6 mile run
Fri - (rest day/pool closed)
Sat - X2 Shoulder & Arms/Ab Ripper (P90x2)
Sun - 10 mile run
Mon - 25 min lap swim
Tue - 2 mile run + 30 min lap swim
Wed - Yoga Flow (group exercise class)
Thur - 7 mile run

[WaitingForBluey]

Fri - (rest day/pool closed)
Sat - Phillies Charities 5K + X2 Shoulder & Arms/Ab Ripper (P90x2)
Sun - EASTER (rest day)
Mon - 25 min lap swim
Tue - 2 mile run
Wed - X2 Recovery & Mobility (P90x2)
Thur - 7 mile run
Fri - short lap swim
Sat - X2 Shoulder & Arms/Ab Ripper (P90x2)
Sun - 12 mile run
Mon - 25 min lap swim
Tue - 2 mile run

New streak: 9

[washing machine]

Well I'm back at it after several years absence. Since I last spoke about running on this board, I believe I was either just finished with or training up to a half marathon. I don't have any plans currently to do that again, but I'd like to be in good enough shape to consider it without groaning. Since I stopped running, things have gotten bad. I have no stamina whatsoever and my body aches often. Bad posture, etc etc. I''m not super heavy, but my body is very much out of shape.

Ran a little over a mile today at a 9:13 pace, so there's a lot of room for improvement here. The run felt horrible throughout six of those nine minutes, but I immediately felt fantastic afterwards. Enough to remember what I love about running and build on it.

I drink multiple beers a day and smoke regularly. I'm tempted to forego beer temporarily and very much would like to stop smoking altogether. Anyone have any good advice on this front? How about coffee? I don't want to give up coffee, but I'm wondering when the best time to fit that into my morning running routine would be.

Also, what's up '2black? Looking forward to posting with you again re: running.

[washing machine]

Ditched my effort to "just start running again" and planned out a more structured program I lifted from one of those couch to 5k apps. Really enjoying this. I actually look forward to my runs and I've taken to walking on my off-days. To the surprise of absolutely no one, I'm feeling energetic all day long.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Ditched my effort to "just start running again" and planned out a more structured program I lifted from one of those couch to 5k apps. Really enjoying this. I actually look forward to my runs and I've taken to walking on my off-days. To the surprise of absolutely no one, I'm feeling energetic all day long.

Could you please PM me the app name?

That was a serious post, btw.

[washing machine]

PM sent, E.H. Runner.

[washing machine]

Since I last ran with any sort of regularity, the city has put a lot of money into revamping the banks along our many bayous. There's plenty of running trails and biking trails, bridges, water fountains, dog parks and little rest areas. It's wonderful. Running along Buffalo Bayou used to be kind of dangerous, uncomfortable and undeveloped. Now it's like running through some sort of primordial urban hybrid zone. Look left and there's lush greenery and waterways, look up and right and there's the hubbub of the big city; steel, cement and cars that go zoom zoom. I completely forgot how great it feels to run on a track, unhindered by traffic, with plenty of scenery.

[Meddle]

Well I'm back at it after several years absence. Since I last spoke about running on this board, I believe I was either just finished with or training up to a half marathon. I don't have any plans currently to do that again, but I'd like to be in good enough shape to consider it without groaning. Since I stopped running, things have gotten bad. I have no stamina whatsoever and my body aches often. Bad posture, etc etc. I''m not super heavy, but my body is very much out of shape.

Ran a little over a mile today at a 9:13 pace, so there's a lot of room for improvement here. The run felt horrible throughout six of those nine minutes, but I immediately felt fantastic afterwards. Enough to remember what I love about running and build on it.

I drink multiple beers a day and smoke regularly. I'm tempted to forego beer temporarily and very much would like to stop smoking altogether. Anyone have any good advice on this front? How about coffee? I don't want to give up coffee, but I'm wondering when the best time to fit that into my morning running routine would be.

Also, what's up '2black? Looking forward to posting with you again re: running.

I wouldn't try to change too many behaviors all at once. You may find it unsustainable. I would make quitting smoking the number one priority for obvious health reasons and to make running easier and more enjoyable. Once you tackle that, maybe ease up on the beer.

As far as the coffee, can you take it to work with you after you run?

[washing machine]

It's been easy giving up smoking, thankfully. As far as beer goes, I have not cut it completely out. Limiting myself to two a day seems like a comfortable change, so that's what I've been doing.

[WaitingForBluey]

Wed - X2 Yoga (P90x2)
Thur - 7 mile run
Fri - 30 min lap swim
Sat - X2 Shoulder & Arms/Ab Ripper (P90x2)
Sun - 8 mile run
Mon - 25 min lap swim
Tue - 2 mile run
Wed - X2 Recovery & Mobility (P90x2)
Thur - 7 mile run
Fri - 30 min lap swim
Sat - X2 Shoulder & Arms/Ab Ripper (P90x2)
Sun - 7 mile run
Mon - 30 min lap swim
Tue - 2 mile run
Wed - Yoga Flow (group exercise class)
Thur - 5 mile run

Streak: 25

Half marathon coming up this Sunday. Running pretty strong but dealing with a case of hip bursitis over the last few weeks so it could be a painful afternoon.

[WaitingForBluey]

It's been easy giving up smoking, thankfully. As far as beer goes, I have not cut it completely out. Limiting myself to two a day seems like a comfortable change, so that's what I've been doing.

I was in a very similar boat about 3 years ago. I didn't do any exercise at all, except for maybe walking the dog a few times a week or playing in the yard with my kids but that was about it. I drank beer regularly and although I didn't smoke daily, any time I would have 3 or more beers, I was grabbing for the smokes. Once I started running (first run was about a mile long) my appetites slowly started to change. I felt so good from running that I started to prioritize that part of my day. I knew that if I had a few beers too many (and the inevitable smokes that would follow) my run the next day would not go well so I started to cut down on the beer and with that the smoking almost disappeared completely. 3 years later, I'm doing my 3rd half marathon this Sunday and I've started to dip my toe into the triathlon pool with my 2nd sprint triathlon coming up in June. The key for me though, as I tell everyone ad nauseam, was swimming! Total life transformation. I never would have been able to run without first getting into swimming. Swimming almost immediately chiseled the garbage off my gut and provided the necessary strength to my hips and legs that was always lacking whenever I made poor attempts at running in the past. If you have access to a pool, I would seriously recommend cross-training your runs with swimming. Also, don't discredit the impact of a solid diet. A runner's diet is equally as important as a runner's training program, if not moreso. Spinach, avocado, almonds, sunflower seeds, quinoa, eggs, almond butter, bananas, trail mix, etc. I could go on and on. Healthy fats and lean protein. Good luck!

[washing machine]

Too bad I don't have easy access to a lap pool. I used to teach swimming lessons, though. I know what you mean.

I haven't run all week. The weather has just been too bad. Dieting and running go hand in hand, indeed. It's funny how even after two or three days of missing a run, I revert back to old eating habits. I really need to get back out there.

[daft twat]

Friday morning. Ran 9 miles at an average pace of 6:51.

Spent the rest of that day and 12 hours Saturday roofing so I'm pretty wiped out. Pouring out today. Forced to run 19 on the treadmill. Average pace was 8:35.

Marathon is a mere 8 weeks away and I have no idea where the hell I am in terms of pace expectations.

Will be in NYC over the weekend as part of the Pearl Jam trip. I am scheduled to do 20 on Sunday. Is there a clear route around Central Park? How long is a lap? Trying to plan it in advance.