Hi running chicks! Quick update- I had posted a few weeks ago about wanting to start running again but fearful of doing so because of a hip malformation I have that has gotten progressively worse over the last 10 years (note: I'm only 24 years old, it's a deformity, not an injury).

Anyway, I have started running against the advice of a doctor to see how far I could go before pain set in. I'm up to a 20 minute treadmill run with zero pain and so thrilled. I love running and would be ecstatic to be able to do 5Ks again. I have terrible joints (impingement in my hip and associated snapping ITB/snapping hip syndrome, Osgood-Schlatter in my knee, ankles and elbows that pop) so I don't want to push much beyond that. I used to be able to run 5 miles easily throughout high school and college so being able to do any run of substance would be wonderful.

Anyway hope to frequent this board a little bit more now that I am able to run a bit these days :)

River - I'm contemplating buying some Vibram Bikilas this weekend from REI as we just got our annual dividend (a good chunk this year as I bought a bike from REI). I've heard the Bikilas are good as they were specifically designed for running. I love my Brooks running shoes and doubt I'll become a complete convert, but the idea of "barefoot" running on softer surfaces or for one run a week seems very intriguing. I think the key with the barefoot thing is to ease into it, as I will surely be doing!

Indiblue - welcome back, so to speak! I hope you continue to run without pain - there's nothing as frustrating as wanting to run and being sidelined by your body (speaking from experience).

As for me - did 2.6 miles today in very gusty winds and warm temps (around 30-40mph gusts and 70 degrees at 6am). My legs felt heavy - I think I need to move my leg workout to a running day, so on my cross-training days, I'm only doing upper body weights and maybe some body-weight squats, instead of a full-blown weights workout for my legs. I'll give that switch a try and see how it goes - my Monday run, which was after a rest day (just horse riding) was by far my best run in a long time. Something to be said for resting!

4.5 miles for me today and 2 yesterday...why can't I rest...ugh. Jules, I hear ya. I just can't tell you how much stress release running provides me and it's been a stressful week. SO many things going on at work and my grandparents are in town, which is throwing my eating off which is terrifing for me as a newer maintainer. So I'm just being careful as best I can. It doesn't hurt, but is still swollen...

Jules, my hubby got bikilas. Loves them. He jumped right into high milage with them, his first run with them was 11km, and he wore them with me on my long run a few days ago.

Today my mind wanted to run, my knees did not. I allowed the knees the day of rest, hopefully they feel great tomorrow.

Had left knee injury (tendon/ligament overstretch issue). Kept running on it for two weeks....got worse...taking a week off to do spring cleaning and heal now.:)

Glad to hear everyone is truckin along!:carrot:

Because it feels soooo darn good!:D

RE: barefoot running
excellent for people bio-mechanically designed for it. i.e; high arches.
Could cause bad problems if you are flat footed
HOWEVER, i will say that incorporating even 1 short run a week barefooted willl completetly change your running form even when you put shoes back on (for the better) it will unteach that nasty heel-strike that 99% of runners have........ force you to run on the balls/midpoint of your feet, create a much much quicker turnover, etc.
Be prepared for the SOREST CALVES YOU CAN IMAGINE. mine are almost unbearably sore for at least 3 days following a barefoot run

Ncueno-- G*DDA**T REST YOUR ANKLE
you are not, i repeat NOT going to gain weight back
buckle down on nutrition and track closely while you take a week off.
YOU WILL NOT GAIN WEIGHT BACK OR LOSE FITNESS

do i need to say it again?

Still continuing on the treadmill, though only about 2 miles at a time. I'm quite slow, so much so that perhaps I need to start a separate "April Walking Really Fast!" thread, but I'm still plugging away. I figure since the goal is weight loss, not winning races, the minutes are more important than the miles!

mkroyer Is that true about high arches and barefoot running? I thought it was just the opposite, since arch support is so important (especially for those with extra pounds). I'm sure it seems fine at first, but long-term, wouldn't it have some damaging effects to arch? I ask because I have really high arches, and ended up in a lot of pain after maybe a year of regularly wearing shoes without arch support (daily wear, not necessarily exercise shoes). I live in a hot/humid climate and used to wear sandals year-round until I developed major foot problems. The doctor said it was plantar fasciitis, and that someone with high arches should avoid shoes with no arch support, and she even told me I ought to find slippers with arch support for when I'm inside (we don't wear shoes inside the house here). It took another year for the pain to completely go away after I changed my footwear and had some physical therapy. These days, I still definitely feel it later when I walk around my house barefoot and without slippers, and even more so after I do some kind of barefoot activity like Wii Fit, so I couldn't imagine barefoot running being healthy for the foot, even with special footwear designed for it.

the high areches are actually great because your arch in your foot is designed to act as a spring when you step or run, and also as a shock absorber. WHen you wear shoes, with or with support, it takes away the fundamental purpose of the arch.... they cant spring in shoes........ i imagine now for you it has just developed to the point where they arches are always aggravated. ALso barefoot running actually increases the STRENGTH in your arch. Flat footed peeople end up hitting with the wrong part of the foot, and without high arches, acting as springs AND shock absorbers... big problems develop

MK, I knew you were gonna yell at me :) I know, I know, I know. I promise I'll take it "easy" for the next week;) And if I come back here again whining, "oh...I reagravated it again" I promise who's ever willing to come to SoCal can come tie me to a chair for a week.

Gym today, just yoga and ST and doing everything in my power NOT to warm up with a short run on the treadmill.

ONLY UPPER BODY Ncuneo! Promise

Promise :)

Hi everyone! I usually don't self-identify as a runner but now my mileage is getting respectable enough that I can, I think. :)

After 5.5 miles yesterday -- not all at once, I'm not that good yet, but I ran to a community run, run with them, and run home -- I took today as a rest more because my legs were just grumpy with me than out of choice. Just did some "easy" (but SO brutal) Pilates instead. I have a 4.5-miles-each-way run with friends planned for tomorrow, plus 1.1 to get there, so we'll see how it goes... I might need to take public transportation back if I don't want to be too exhausted for my hike on Saturday.

So far been running twice in April. First two times in over a month and a half. I'm not in the best shape I've ever been in, to say the least, but it feels so good to be getting back into it. I still have residual soreness in my left Achilles area and right foot, but it doesn't seem to be aggravated by running. But I walk a minimum of 4 miles every day (to work and back) so it's hard to tell.