May 2009 Runners
 

Hey ladies. Started a new thread for the new month. I start trainging for the 10K on monday. Today I am just going to run a couple miles and cross train I think.

MBN - I noticed that you said you only run 4 days a week. Maybe I should try that and get a little more rest. IDK. I seem to feel like if I have free time I should be running...haha

SWS - Good luck tomorrow

Shananigans - I hope you are feeling better darling

bump

Ahh I missed it, thanks Midwife :)

At least somebody's on the ball around here. It isn't me, I'm afraid...

Anne

Cakebatter: I only run 4 days a week, but I do a lot of cross-training on the other days. I do cardio, strength training, swimming, yoga, and other sports like hiking and kayaking. Running is great, but too much of the same anything isn't always great.

SWS -- how did you do??

Hihi, can I jump in?

I've gotten myself into a nervous fix. I've signed up for a 10k in July, but as a person who use to fail the running portion in my physical tests previously, I still have a long way to go! So from now till July, I'll be running whenever I can squeeze in a time for it.

Trying to up my distance from a 5k (that's when I'm beat/bored) to a 6.5k.. and slowly increase from there. Hope I make it out of the race alive!

Goal for race: To run 10k in + - 1hr.

Hi all! Mind if I join?

I started running in March - I have never run before and like lixximajig, used to fail the running tests in P.E. class! :lol: I am training for my first 5k in September, and am up to running about 15 minutes without needing a break right now. I live in Colorado so the hardest part for me is the darn hills!! :p I run about 3x a week right now, with weight training/cross training in between.

My husband and I run the 5k route at least once a week... am up to twice a week now. Today is a run day.. and the weather should be fantastic!

Have a great start to the week, everyone!

Wow, I finally got out and ran again this morning. I can't believe I've been delinquent!

hey everyone!
the 5K went perfectly fine. it was supposed to be cold and rainy that day but luckily the weather held out and actually turned into a beautiful day. so the answer is that running outside and weaving between all the walkers actually added about 5+ mins to my time, but i can definitely live with that.
i'm presently considering a change in my exercise strategy. the last couple months i've been doing slow and steady state jogs for about 50-60 mins (so 5 to 6 miles). this is really time consuming and i'm not even sure if it's doing anything for me. really haven't lost any weight in a couple months. so i'm considering going back to 2 miles of sprint intervals and 1 mile jog which is what i was doing before the shin splint situation sidelined me for all of march. i just want to expedite my weight loss situation while not spending hours upon hours upon hours at the gym. i figure this way i'm only the treadmill for about 30-40 mins and then can do some weight training stuff. when i do 70 or so mins on the treadmill i tend to start skimping on the other stuff cause i'm hungry and want to go home. is it possible that running about half the distance but using HIIT and then a little more with the strength training might actually help move things along?

sws - Glad to hear it went well. I wish I could answer you quetstion w/ expertise....but MBN or Anne will catch that one....lol

MBN - Thanks as usual. I am starting the 10K / HM training today sooooo wish me luck.

To all the new girls welcome!

Is it to late to join? :) I'm a newbie around here who lovessss to run and hopes to do a half-marathon by the end of the summer! You are all such inspirations to get out there on those tough days and just go for it! One thing I've learned is that no one EVER regreted going for a run... hihi so true!

Lately I've been doing long 10k runs once a week to get my endurance back up from the break I took this winter (running in -30C weather sucks...) and biking 4x a day. I want to get some speed now!

Good luck to everybody, we can do it! :)

:wave: to all the new runners

I am feeling better, I had a really good 8 mile run on Saturday. I did a lot of hills on my 4 mile today, but ended up being pretty quick anyway. The weather is cooperating lately, I appreciate that!

I'm starting to think this 5 running days a week business might not be the optimal training strategy for me, I just picked a training schedule off the internet not really knowing what I was going for. Oh well, there's always the next race. I am looking forward to changing things up once the half is over.

sws19 congrats on the 5k! I don't know how you do all those miles on the treadmill, that machine drives me batty with boredom. Although sometimes in the winter it's preferable to what's outside around here. I think changing up your routine regularly is a good thing, and a lot of people seem to find it helps with weight loss. And if you don't like the new routine, you can always change it again. You definitely don't want to get bored, I'd say give it a shot.

hey all! I'd like to join too! I started running again in March - - I used to run in high school, for sports, when people made me. But now I've actually started enjoying it!! It's the weirdest thing, self-identifying as a runner. My old soccer coach might die of shock.

Anyways, I'm training for a 10k later this summer. I run 4 or 5 days a week, and right now I'm having the same problem as you sws. I was running 5 or 6 miles, in about an hour, but I've started doing 2-4 mile interval runs. They wipe me out...but in a good way : )

Haven't seen any weight loss since I switched from longer runs, but it's TOM, so that's to be expected.

I have a question for all you runners about socks -- I've been having sock issues (blisters, socks wearing out too quickly). Does anyone have any suggestions about what I should look for in a sock?

:welcome2: Hi to all the new runners! Jump on in!

lixximajig: Good luck on your 10K training! You have time before July to prepare. Runnersworld.com and halhigdon.com have great beginner training resources and plans and may give you ideas on how to ramp up your mileage for your race. The rule of thumb is to not increase your mileage by more than 10% per week, to give your legs a chance to adapt. And it works well to designate one running day per week as your "long run" day, and extend that one gradually up to your race distance, rather than to try to run longer every day.

sws19: Great job on the 5K! I knew you could do it! :D Another word for "high intensity interval training" in running is speed work! Running faster intervals is the way to get faster at running. You'll definitely burn more calories in a shorter period of time. But, you can't maintain the intensity for long, so those sessions do need to be shorter. Also, speed work stresses the legs more, so don't want to do it every run, or you risk injury again. Cross training like swimming or biking can give you cardio benefit (and great calorie burn) without the impact. If you really want to get your butt kicked, then get on the step mill! And I'm a big fan of strength training anyway, I believe that is very important for injury prevention .. that and stretching, and rest days.

icandoallthings6613: I like your screen name. :) I prefer Thorlo socks, which are wicking socks that are designed for running with padding in the right places. There are thick/thin varieties, low cut, high cut, etc. There are other brands that are good too, I've just found they work well for me. They aren't cheap, but they do last a good while. You want to be sure your socks are the wicking type (NOT cotton!!), and that you try them on with your running shoes to make sure the fit is right. Blisters can also be caused by improperly fitting shoes, so if the socks don't fix the problem, that may be it.

Good morning all! Wow, I feel so intimated by these long distance runners..haha. I just want to make it through my first 5k without walking!

Anyway, I had a good run yesterday, despite major wind resistance and a lingering migraine. I had a PB of 35:25 for my 5k time. :woohoo: I just cannot seem to get through this mental block of running past 15 minutes without taking a break. I start to concentrate on how tired I am and think I can't do it. Any suggestions?

ok i *think* what my new routine will be is as follows:
mon - 3 miles sprint intervals, 1 mile steady jog, walk warm up and cool down, weights and/or situps as time/desire allows.
wed - 5-6 mile steady jog
fri - wild card day. 1 mile fast? 3.1 mile steady? 5-6 mile steady if i don't have plans til muuuch later in the night. weights and/or situps.

yeah i know i reaaallly need to be going to the gym more than 3 days per week (hello weekend workout, i'm talking to you!), but i'm doing the best i can given the real constraints of time, life, and motivation. i try and get in some sit ups or pushups on the other days if i get the chance.

MBN - i would loooove to swim or get me on a step machine, but unfortunately i do not have access to either at this time. my cardio options are bike, treadmill, elliptical. and even though it sounds crazy, i've actually grown to like the treadmill. i mean "like."

Decent 3 mile run today. It is about time! I was worried I lost the recipe, but it's all good now.

sws19: nice job on your 5K. Sounds like you are getting your plan figured out.

Anne

Looks like this thread needs a *bump*

Did a couple runs in the morning instead of the evening this week, didn't really seem to make much difference. But there are lots more birds out at the pond at that hour, so it makes for better wildlife watching. :)

I have a 12 mile training run this Saturday, last really long one before the HM. I'm planning to run it on the course to get a feel for it. Should be good practice for the "real thing".

Ladies. hi girls I missed ya'll. I was soooo tied up with work. Okay so since Tuesday I notice a dull pain/ache like under and little to the side of my knee. It isn;t enough to make me stop running but it is annoying and slows me down a bit. I ran 3.5M on Tuesday and I noticed it around mile 2. Yesterday I did an uptempo 2 miler and it noticed like a 1/4 of the way in. Is this something to worry about. SHould I hvve it looked at or is there something I can do. I stretch before every run and walk a FULL lap (I am on TM) before I start running and wlak a full alp when I am done. I am so scared I am going to sit down a bit and lose all my mileage. Oh it has taken me 5 months to run 3.5 - 4 miles so I dont thinkI do ramp up to quick ....do I?

Shinanigans - Good Idea on running the course. You are going to do soooo great. I envy you. Can't wait for September.

FatPants - The thing is Running IS ALL mental ....well at least the majority. You have got talk yourself past the 15 minutes sort of. Just keep at it...it gets better.

SWS - I think I am going to incorporate a speed work day as well. Sounds liek it can help me with WL and time. Your plan sounds good and seems like you have it all together

Anne - GJ on your 3 Miler

Cakebatter -- how old are your shoes? Could the cushioning be starting to go? I feel it first in my knees or feet.

Rough 3 miles this morning. Or 3 x 1 mile runs. "Run" is a relative term, since I was so slow. I went mountain biking yesterday, and I am SORE, plus I was operating on 6 hrs of sleep. It was a victory just being out there. I'm counting it as such.

Thanks for the bump shananigans!

Cakebatter, I always stretch after running, and I think that it helps to be warmed up.

Anne

I got them for Christmas and have been running in them every since. I have run 111 miles in them.

Hmm, the shoes should be fine then. The general guideline is to replace every 300-500 miles, and I usually get more miles than that out of mine. The only other suggestion I have is to lay off running a day or two and/or limit your running to every other day, with a rest day in between. You can always substitute other cardio training like biking, swimming, elliptical, etc. And stretch several times a day. I wouldn't hit the panic button yet, but it's definitely something to monitor.

I also believe that leg muscle strengthening moves work to stabilize the knee joints and help prevent injury. If that isn't part of your weekly routine, it's something to consider as well. It's just important to do them properly.

Check out runnersworld.com injury prevention tab:
http://www.runnersworld.com/channel/...-0-0-0,00.html
There are articles on diagnosing, treating, and preventing various common injuries.

3.3 miles today. I was shooting for 3.5 and in good shape to make it, but I had an encounter with a dog and decided to call it a day. Nothing bad, just letting me know that driveway belonged to him, but you can never tell about these things, and running past an unknown barking dog is not real smart.

Next run is on Tuesday. Swim tomorrow.

Anne

I agree about loose dogs, I live in a city with leash laws but you'd never know it. I'm "surprised" by loose dogs almost every time I take the dogs for a walk. They're usually friendly, but you never know. People need to be more careful with their pets.

Did 12 miles on the half marathon course yesterday, started really feeling it in my legs about an 1:40 into it, but I finished. The race course is pretty nice actually. Lots of lake shore and parks and such, and no real hills to speak of. :D

What a great weekend! 5 mile easy run on Saturday morning, followed by an AWESOME 10 mile kayak run with DH. What a great day -- light winds, calm waters, we even saw a manatee! 12 mile long hot Mother's Day run by the beach on Sunday morning, ending with a plunge into the ocean. Ahhhh.

Life is Good. :D

Well, as I did a 10K yesterday I think I can officially join this group!!

It was my first race and it was amazing. I had only managed 4.6 miles running on my own during training which worried me. I had planned to try to get up to 5.5 the week before, but the weather was horrendous all that week - lashing rain and gale force winds so I ended up at the gym and I discovered that treadmill running is very very hard - much harder than running outside. THe furthest I managed on the treadmill was 4 miles.

But the 10K felt SO easy - I ran the whole thing and although my pace was slowing towards the end - I got overtaken by a penguin, a tomato and a Tigger - I still finished. According to the clock, my time was 1 hour and 1 minute, but it was a slow start and we spent the first three minutes walking before we managed to get running - so I'm taking it as under an hour, which is what I was aiming for.

Well I fixed my knee problem! I found out I run wierd. I out my shoes on a table and looked at the back of them. They lean more out. THen when I started running I watched my feet a bit and I noticed they are straight forward but more pointing out to an angle. SO for my entier 4 mile run I focused on my feets position and my my knees didn't hurt a bit. Problem SOLVED I guess

ANne _ i wouldn;t have taken any chances either!

Robias - Welocm and GJ on the Race GF> That is awesome! I am training for a 10K too!

MBN - SOunds liek a lovely weekend! A lpunge in the ocean after 12 miles is definitely a treat!

Shinanigans - I am glad you had a chance to run the course befor the actual race. Your HM is going to be wonderful!

Ashlan - when you bought your running shoes, did you get them properly fitted by someone who watched you run and told whether you pronate or supinate?

Because it sounds like you're wearing the wrong kind of shoes.

Actually NO. I know I pronate and I have running the most comfortable ones for me. I guess I will do that. I run in Nike Shox currently.

Edit: I ran my fastest mile to date yesterday....11:01 Woohoo. I ran three miles total yesterday and then an hour of yoga. The Yoga really seemed to stretch me out! It was great!

i did my mother's day 5k on the treadmill last night and finished my best time so far! 27:25. i was totally drenched at the end. not sure if i'll be able to pull that one out again. heh.
unfortunately i suspect that is the last time i'll work out for more than a week. i have a date tonight (with a guy i actually really really like, for a change!), tomorrow my friend is getting in from atlanta and we're going to see her boyf's band play in the lower east side, and then thursday i'm leaving for london for the weekend. back monday afternoon. which is not to say that i CAN'T go for a run or something while in london. it just seems hiiiighly unlikely.

Running SHoe Dilemma
 

I'm pretty sure I'd be able to find a thread about this, but with intermittent internet usage, I'm going to hope everyone's forgiving and post this question:

Last summer I went to the running specialty store and was fitted for running shoes. The sales person had me walk to and from her, from the side, do all sorts of stuff.

However, on one foot, the shoe rubs up on the back of my ankle, leaving bleeding blisters.

I went back and no one could figure out why this was happenning. It was suggested to me that I switch to non-cotton moisture wicking socks. Did that-- it helps but doesn't make it go away.

At first I figured I had to break the shoes in, but read that running shoes shouldn't need to be broken in.

Since so much time has passed I can't return them. I'm frustrated because I haven't attempted running as much as I'd like because of shoe issues, and I also paid a decent amount for the shoes.

Right now I'm considering getting some of those mole skin things to go over the back of my ankle and see if using the shoes more will decrease the problem.

Any advice anyone could give would be great. I thought I was doing all the 'right stuff' by going and getting fit for a shoe and all that, but I've never had other shoes cause this problem.

My other pair of sneakers are just sneakers, they don't have additional arch support or anything for running...

thanks,

OG.

Three miles for me this morning. One unplanned walk break I couldn't talk myself out of. It was in the high 70s already this morning and sleep hasn't been going so well, so I'm guessing those contributed. No dogs this morning!

Ashlan, nice work on that fast mile.

sws19, have a good trip to London. Running is one of the easier workouts to do on travel (usually) but a week off won't hurt either.

Anne

OG, the running stores don't always get it right, so I go to one that will exchange a pair for something else within a couple weeks if they don't work out. But a year is a LONG time to have a pair of shoes. I replace mine every 250 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. The cushioning breaks down over time, and that can create biomechanical issues.

When you get a new pair, try switching manufacturers. They use different lasts, so one may fit your feet better than others. Nike give me monster blisters, but DH won't run in anything else because they work so well for him. I'm running in Brooks these days, but have done will with Reebok in the past.

Good luck,

Anne

I realise that a year is a long time to have a pair of running shoes, but because of the blister problem I haven't put hardly any miles on them, maybe 10 or 15 miles, so it's not like there's tons of wear on it.

It stinks to think that I can't do anything about it and have to end up buying a new pair of shoes. I've never been a runner, never got to that point, so I don't honestly know if I even like it...I think that's another thing that gets me about throwing down a lot of $ for shoes for a sport I may not even like, but I don't think it makes sense to run in crappy shoes, kwim?

I don't know what I'm going to do....

Why not give that running store another shot? You can go back, explain your problem, and see if they can steer you in the right direction. Properly fitting shoes should not give you blisters like that. Perhaps a different shoe model, or different shoe lacing pattern may do the trick. Running stores do fittings all the time, and knowing what DIDN'T work the first time is still good information.

Just a thought ....

thanks for the suggestion. Maybe the solution is easier than it seems? Even if nothing can be done, it'd be great to at least have that knowedge.

Hey everyone. I'd like to join the thread.

This week I have started back running after 8 years. Yeah, that's a long break, huh? I used to run cross country in high school, but once I graduated and started college it all went down hill from there. I have tried to start back several times, but have had trouble with sprained ankles and knees. Turns out that I am slightly knock kneed, have very low arches, one of my legs is a quarter of an inch shorter than the other, AND I have slight scoliosis in my lower spine. I found all this out earlier this year when I sprained both my knees from doing the 30 Day Shred. All that jumping around is not good for my lower body.

Sooo, after extensive physical therapy and special shoe inserts for my tennis shoes, I got the OK to try to run again. (But, my physical therapist did tell me that I should never try jump cardio ever again). And I can def. tell the difference. I'm actually supprised I didn't get hurt more often when I was younger. But that's the curse of getting old I guess...haha. Joints hurt worse than before.


Anyway...back to the running. Like I said, this is my first real attempt at long distance in about 8 years, so I'm basically back to square one. In fact, I'm a little worse off because I was about 15 lbs thinner when I started running in high school...so it's harder to get moving and keep moving. Basically I'm running for about 2-4 mins and then walking for one. It's labor intensive and hard right now, but I know that if I keep with it I will get better and better each day. I hope to run my first road race in about 9 years this coming June. I doubt I will do very well, but I at least want to get that step out of the way.

I also joined a local running club called the New Orleans Track Club (or NOTC). It's a club for long distance runners and walkers. They have all the local races on their website and you can sign up through there. They also offer discounts on race entry and running stuff. I'm really excited and I think joining this club will keep me motivated.


Well, that's it for now. I will come along every so often and post my progress. Wish me luck!!

Yesterday my husband and I went for another 4 mile jog. We go to the local park that has a two mile track...so we went around twice. I still did a lot of walking, but I can tell that I'm getting better at running for longer periods of time. It took me about 50 mins.

Here's hoping my time is better today!

Hi everyone! Just checking in. The weather has been absolutely fantastic and I am more than ecstatic to be running outside. Got my new pair of running shoes for my birthday, and I'm ready to go!

Monday did a 5k, slower than normal but ran for longer than usual before taking my first walking break. Right now I'm just trying to work up to 30 minutes of continuous running.

Tuesday did 2.5 miles around the neighborhood. Ugh, what a no-no. I know they say to rest in between runs, and I should have. It was pretty pathetic, so I rested yesterday. Today is 5k day again with the hubby!