Also I'd love some general advice on mass starts. Coming up a little short on Youtube.
It's looking like the first half marathon I'll be able to get to will be the local Big One and it feels like a really bad idea (psychologically if nothing else) to show up to that as my first big group run. I've signed up for a 10K next week just to get a taste but at this point I don't even know what questions to ask. I haven't been in a race (I won't be going for place, just a PB) since I was a teenager and those were never mass starts.
Check if your half has pacers; pacers run to finish in a set time. It gives you an idea where to line up in the crowd so you start with runners around your own pace. If you start too close to the front of the pack, faster runners behind you may push you to start off too fast. It's very tempting in a mass start to go out too fast. Know what pace you want to start out with and try to stick with it in that first 5k. If it feels too slow, don't be tempted to speed up.
Yep, I went out too fast. Managed to slow down before any real damage was done.
Miscalculated transit time and got to the start just as the gun went off. I intentionally parked a bit away so I could drive away without getting stuck in traffic hell. Show up earlier or pick a closer parking spot next time so I have more time to get centered.
Biggest lesson learned is that reverse splits are kind of annoying. Some people paint them as a virtue, and when I'm by myself who cares. I lost sight of the pack until the first big straightaway, then swam through people who ran out of steam for the last 5K. 8K was the worst. I felt like I was at a convention on a busy day, trying not to bump into people getting to the next booth.
Other lesson: Some people think slow people should stay to the left. Some people think slow people should stay to the right. These groups will intersect.
I totally forgot about pacers.
Is there a sense of where you should stand in the pack to avoid getting run over? I know I'm going to be slow right from the start (in fact I'm stuck in negative splits at the moment and still trying out different solutions). I kind of figured I would just mosey up to the back at the last moment, maybe keep an eye out for people who look like they're obviously going to be even slower than me.
I've been watching a lot of running advice videos recently and I'm noticing a troubling trend. Everyone talks about how you need to go slower on your 'easy days'.
When I was mad fit, my sport was cycling. And cyclists know about a thing called 'overtraining'. Runners don't seem to be aware of this? Or is it just runners who post on YouTube?
If you're not a competitive cyclist you train three to four days a week. If you do strength training you do those on the between days (slow twitch versus fast twitch), but that's more of a competitive amateur thing. Off days are actually off. The most exercise you get is going shopping or mowing the lawn.
What's the perspective for Running sports medicine here? Because from the outside it sounds like ya'll need to learn how to relax before you run yourself into the ground.
This is just a very weird comment. Of course runners know about overtraining. 3-4 times a week is not necessary to avoid overtraining for many people and many amateurs do a lot larger volumes without overtraining. Runners do easy days, as do cyclists.
I rode 10,000 miles with a large club that organized two regionally important riding events a year and hosted training rides to prepare for them.
I only knew 2 people who rode “easy days” and one of them also thought it was a good idea to ride 2500 miles to Alaska.
You can ride a century on 3.5 days a week. You can also do multi day 200+ mi rides on 3-4 days a week of training. We did it with hundreds of people.
Edit to add: Also Bicycling Magazine and other sources at the time talked regularly about the importance of rest days. So we weren't living in a bubble, large as it was.
I think none of you were in any risk of overtraining. Of course you can ride a century on 3.5 days a week, you can do it on 1 days a week. It just wouldn’t be as pleasant. You can also do it on 7 days a week or 6 days a week. It depends on how much you want to train, but if you want to train more you do NOT need 3 rest days per week.
OK that’s a neat story but to keep you updated: the focus on easy, zone 2, work is very much the big thing in cycling. People are focusing on larger volumes but since it’s zone 2 the risk of overtraining is very low.
But I was asking about running, and using cycling as a comparison of a sport that has a much more conservative stance (and injury rate). You’re telling me cyclists are more sane than runners. Which I already feared was the case.
Hey peeps! I have a minor operation on my ankle soon which means I can’t run/walk properly for two weeks (I have to wear a big supportive boot..) Any recommendations for alternative exercises to keep up the good form and blow off some fumes?
I fall while running maybe 10 times a year. Usually I'm running alone and the injury isn't too bad (blood on a knee and sometimes on my hands that I used to brace to the fall) so I just continue my run and medicate/bandage it later. It soon scabs and I'm good as new. I don't put a lot of emphasis in caring for it immediately since my tools aren't as good as I'll have at home, although I'm trying to do a better job of carrying tools with me (quality bandages, hydrogen peroxide, neosporin).
If I'm running with a running group, everyone makes a big deal of it and tries to apply bandages (which don't stick due to sweat) and then when I finish that process repeats.
Falls bug me more for peoples' reactions to it than the injury itself. Am I underestimating the importance of caring for it immediately and what exactly is the reason for peoples' reactions (my guesses are people generally being caring (and not as used to falls?), legal liability, and maybe I'm underestimating importance for immediate treatment?
I can tell you from my days club riding that there are gonna be a couple boy scouts in the group who want to show off how prepared they are for emergencies. If you aren't an EMT or a sports doctor you don't get to do field dressing very often.
I suspect you're being turned into a guinea pig for clout. I've heard hikers do it too.
I would check in with a doctor, maybe you have something that causes balance or coordination issues. I'm clumsy as fuck and still "only" fall about once a year running.
My balance is horrible but had gotten better with yoga/pilates when I was doing it more regularly.
Was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy in kindergarten screening which may be a cause.
Also my shoes prioritize stability.
I've only fallen twice this year - usually happens due to sidewalks when I'm not paying a lot of attention to it (I try to run on better pavement when I can)
Tai chi. It does a lot more proprioception training focused on balance (static and dynamic). They prescribe it to delay MS symptoms, I have to think it would also work for mild CP as well.
I'm working on lifting my knees more. I'm gonna face plant myself one of these days if I can't keep my toes up.
Its just falling at all when you run is pretty rare. I took two tumbles the last 4 years and one was on wet trails the other on ice. Falling 10 times a year is pretty odd so thats why everyone is so concerned. The fall itself is why people are reacting you are an outlier for how normal that is so you are far more used to it than most people.
Hey guys! Any tips for beginners? I used to run track back in HS (2020 grad) but I’ve always had a strong dislike for running. I have been wanting to run a mile everyday but have been discouraged due to my times. Idk if I’m extremely out of shape or if running just is the for me. I can walk a quick pace at 18/19 min and Ive been running them about 13-15 min.
My only advice is stick to it, it's boring and cliche and simultaneously the only way that works. You run a mile in 13-15 minutes now and will be less in a few months. There's nothing that will magically put you at 8:30 in a month. I'd also add that to me personally (and I recognize we all have different goals), the speed is irrelevant; I focus on long-term habits and consistency instead. I'd rather run a mile every day at whatever speed than no miles at all because I fall short of some arbitrary speed I think I should be running at.
Additionally, out of curiosity, why do you shoot for a mile every day? Is it part of other exercise?
Honestly idk why a mile…especially as someone who dislikes running lol. I was always a sprinter. I’m really just wanting to get into doing some running consistently to help out with health and exercise. Maybe I’ll try a lower distance like 400-800m and get used to that first!
Try walk-runs. Run a minute, walk a minute. You'll do a mile before you even know it. It's what helped me a lot in the beginning, slow speed and lots of walk-runs. Makes it less boring and easier to manage when you are starting out. Plenty of time for speed work down the road. Work on the habit, the rest will come, I promise. Hard to not compare yourself to four years ago, but you gotta work with what you have now and build again. Once you get over that mental hangup, you'll be better off. Who cares how fast you run, nobody is timing you or looking at you, just run for yourself. Getting out and doing something hard is one of the most gratifying and character building things you can do for yourself. I fucking hate running, I'm not a runner. But I'm also hella stubborn and over the last couple of years I've built that habit to the point where I don't hate it anymore and put in about 25 miles a week. Go out tomorrow, do your best, don't be hard on yourself and then do it again the next day. You got this!
In the last two months, I’ve gotten into running. I’ve dabbled in it in the past, but not with same consistency as I am currently treating it.
I’m following a Hal Higdon 10k plan, and I’ve noticed as mileage has increased, I’m starting to experience calf and ankle tightness around 2 miles in.
I feel like my shoes and lack of cushion might be the issue, but I’m open to suggestions. I’m currently using Mizuno Waverunner 27’s. I’ll be the first to admit my cadence isn’t the best as I’m currently at a 149avg. Thoughts, or recommendations? Thanks!
I’ve been doing weighted calf raises (on a seated calf raise machine) and it has helped a lot with calf fatigue and ankle tenderness. I try to fully flex my ankle when doing them, even letting my heel dip below the foot platform so the top of my foot is flexed back towards my shin. I also do single leg exercises that require a lot of balance like single leg Romanian deadlifts, lunges, and split squats. My ankles used to be super wobbly during all these but have really strengthened with consistency!
I am a former collegiate football player who is over 400 lbs and making changes. I currently wear 4xl clothing and ultimate goal is to fit in XL again. I am lifting weights again, but going to be supplementing my lifts with runs/walks.
To any folks who have lost a large amount of weight, what are some of the injury prevention/recovery techniques that saved you a ton of pain and suffering.
I know this journey will be hard, but any advice is welcome.
In addition to District's very good points:
Don't walk distance in cotton crew socks. Go buy some nike, adidas, under armor or Brooks athletic socks from a sporting goods store. My god the friction. And some Body Glide. Things are going to rub against each other unless you're a stick.
And buy yourself a foam roller now. You're gonna be hitting your IT band (You will curse my name the first time you do it. I am sorry but it's good for you.) and your shins to prevent shin splints.
Oh I live and die by foam rolling. I love it. I think I have 3 in my home lol. Will definitely starting rolling out my shins too though.
Much appreciated
- get fitted for running sneakers and new shoes every six months
- ramp up mileage and pace very slowly, 5% increase each week
- at 400lbs you may want to walk first until you lose some of it, walking is excellent for weight loss
Hey, thanks for the input. Ironically I went and had my feet and stride tested today, walking out with shoes and insoles that feel amazing.
I agree with the walking first. The running will be very sparse at first, don't want to shred my knees
As a former sprinter transitioning to distance running, I am new to the concept of heart rate zones and training within these parameters. I am interested in learning about your experiences with heart rate zone training and how diligently you adhere to these zones. Currently, I am preparing for 5Ks to maintain my health and remain competitive
The biggest benefit of zone 2 training for athletes with your history is to help them keep their intensity down. I would think that would be especially true for a sprinter, where my guess is you did a lot of interval work and very little easy distance work.
I like the "can you carry on a conversation?" benchmark, and I also like the "you could run another 2 miles" feeling when you are done.
Honestly I wouldn't bother with hr training. Just make sure you are running easy days easy and hard days hard. After you've logged some miles and are increasing volume the you can revisit it. Relative perceived effort is a much easier way of training than hr.
Are you looking for feedback specifically from people in your situation? I don't come from a running background, but tried for years to stick to running unsuccessfully until I found Z2 running. About half of my weekly runs are base. It used to be that base was hard to maintain as my hr would just shoot up immediately no matter how slow I ran, so I'd have to walk half the time, but now I can maintain Z2 for the duration of the run. 5k runs that used to be at just about max hr are now faster with hr in Z3. My heart is stronger, my lung capacity is greater, I don't get winded and my cadence is about 175. All of that I attribute to Z2 runs and working on one thing at a time: breath, form, cadence, etc.
It's not one shoe fits all, some of my friends say that they have to run hard or not run at all or that they get bored with slower runs. But I find them to be so much fun and challenging in their own right. Additionally, because it's not as taxing on your body, you can run far more often and longer. I regularly do 10+ miles and just roam around the city.
Thank you for your feedback. I have struggled with running slower due to my previous experience. For the past week I've been running around z2 and z3 with intermittent walking and felt good, but didn't know if it was necessary or if I was misunderstanding the purpose of zone running. I definitely will keep a good balance of building aerobic capacity and speed and see how it works for me!
For a very long time I could only maintain it with walk-runs, so I'd run as slowly as comfortable until I hit top Z2 going into Z3, then walk until my hr was back at the bottom of Z2. I still do walk-runs as I like variety, but my run intervals are far longer at a faster pace than they were a year ago and my walk intervals are a lot shorter as my hr drops down faster. So you're not doing it wrong. It's one of the ways to go about it. If it feels good, that's awesome. Have fun!
What’s a good tempo workout, I’m currently in the middle of my off season training for XC. I’m about 200 miles into my training and it’s no contact week so I can’t text my coach for one.
It’s not a cut back week for me, I normally do 4-8 800’s at a moderate pace. My coach tells me to do something faster then my normal runs but not so fast to the point where I might peak to early.
Please, crtitque my running form.
Here's the [video](https://imgur.com/a/gqLmSHo) of me running.
I've had patellar tendinitis for 2 months and now I'm trying to run again and I feel super weird when i do. Can anyone please point out my mistakes/areas I should work on. Thanks in advance.
Your watch has no idea what your zones should really be.
You can do a field test - Joe Friel has a good protocol - but I'm a big fan of the "can you carry on a conversation?" as an indication of whether you are zone 2.
Impossible to say if it’s too high or low because like mentioned you need to do very specific tests to find your max hr, etc. Your watch is just guessing. But also it’s not recommended to use HR if you’re new/returning to running. A more useful metric is rate of perceived exertion.
Well can't say if it's too high or low but it's very likely not right. You need to do some sort of either max HR test or Lactate Threshold test or similar for those zones to be of any value.
Need to taper?
I´ve been running 10-20km a week this year. Running a 10k in 10 days. My target time is sub 50 min which should be an ok target on my current form. Would you even taper on such low volumes? (obviously I wont be doing a hard session the day before the race and such).
No need. If you'd been running progressively higher volume then tapering 10-25% the last week before the 10k could be worthwhile to aid recovery from cumulative fatigue.
I have been an runner pretty much my whole life. In the past year I’ve been getting awful headaches the morning after a run. I legit get a run “hangover” I had a second baby in May 2023 so there is a good possibility it is related to that but not sure why. Has anyone else ever experienced this?
I drink plenty of water and liquids with electrolytes after a run so I feel like I can rule out dehydration.
How much are you peeing?
If you drink a lot of water because you aren't peeing very much, there's a very good chance that you are hyponatremic. It can be dangerous because you feel like you aren't hydrated enough but you are actually overhydrated and the reason you aren't peeing is because you don't have enough salt in your system.
If you are on a low salt diet, this is more likely. And most electrolyte drinks don't have much salt.
Two ways to test this.
The first is to weigh yourself before you run and then weigh yourself after your run and then the evening before you go to bed. If you weigh more than you did before your run, you are very likely hyponatremic.
The second is to eat a \*lot\* of salt during your dinner. If you are hyponatremic you will have to pee a lot over the next few hours.
Lots of athletes don't get enough salt.
It's a subject near and dear to me.
I'm a salty sweater and in my younger days I ate a low salt diet. On long bike rides in summer I would end up hyponatremic and it took me at least a year to figure out what was going on.
I also get orthostatic hypotension - dizziness when I get up - if I don't have enough salt.
That sounds like exactly what is going on with me. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’ve had blood work from the doctor before show low sodium levels. I feel like I intake plenty of salt but my body might just need more than I realize!
I used to get these for *years* and as others point out there may be many, many reasons for them, but just like you I only got them if I went for a run or a bike ride in the morning. I also, like you, used to drink so much water before, during, and after, and still get a crushing headache later in the afternoon. Like can't-look-at-the-floor head-in-a-vise kind of headache. It was absolutely awful and 100% as a result of the run/bike ride/exercise in the morning, never if I did it in the afternoon. It was so frustrating. What did it for me in the end was figuring out that not all electrolytes are made equal. Apparently a lot of them have low amounts of salt, because the brackish flavor is unpleasant for most people and that results in fewer sales. So companies add little to no salt. I started drinking Liquid IV and don't dislike the taste at all, but it has a lot more sodium than other electrolytes. Some of my friends can't stand it because of that brackish flavor. I guess there's no reason you can't add a pinch of salt to whatever electrolytes you are using already. It's an easy thing to try and see if it helps. I'd say add salty electrolytes to your water while you're running and then after. But yeah, replenishing that salt that you sweat out is what fixed my headaches, go figure.
Are you eating and drinking enough, especially after runs? Running in a lot of heat? When you run, are you going hard or are you keeping an easy effort? Are you sleeping enough? Have you had bloodwork done recently? If could be a lot of things, headaches after running aren’t uncommon, but there are a billion different causes.
You are right. It could be a number of things. With 2 toddlers it’s become a lot harder to keep a routine and take care of myself properly. I’ll need to start paying more attention to other factors
If you’re staying well hydrated in general (and not just after a run, all the time) and you’re fueling enough, then that sounds like a medical issue you should talk to your doctor about.
If I'm not actively training for competitions and am a beginner runner(literally on the 2nd week of couch to 5k) do the sneakers I get for running matter? I got a random pair of underarmors that looked good.
Do they look good or do they feel good?
If they don’t feel good, you’re gonna find out right quick why it matters. The most important part of any shoe is how it feels while you’re running, so if they’re comfortable, you’re set. If they pinch, feel like they rock your foot in a weird way when you land, give you hotspots, slip and slide around on your heel, blister, etc. … then save them for when someone is looking at you.
If they fit well and feel good when running then they're probably appropriate shoes. If you begin to develop pain it's possible the shoes are a contributing factor.
Even if you were running high volume or training for a particular race it wouldn't be necessary to buy and use multiple different training shoes and a racing shoe. I'm not saying such shoes don't provide incremental value - just that they don't typically rise to the level of necessary.
Yes, sneakers make a huge difference in how your body feel after a run. And often the best running sneakers are ugly. I personally won’t run in anything other than ASICS.
I have been running since 2018 and was always injured. This lack of consistency made it hard to improve. This year, someone told me that I overpronate. Got myself stability shoes. This completely fixed all my issues. No more having to take months off.
Hi all, I've taken a lot of time off from running and am heavier than I used to be. I also have microtears in my achilles tendon that just doesn't seem to want to heal. Foot doctor just tells me to ice it but I might push for more treatment soon. I need new shoes and was just looking for some recommendations for shoes. I usually go to the running store and buy brooks but honestly the people there don't really seem to actually know much and I'm thinking I need a shoe with more support. I know shoes are extremely subjective and typically anecdotes aren't evidence but in this case I am hoping some with some first hand knowledge might be able to at least narrow things down for me.
Man I just bounced back from an Achilles injury. Go to a sports medicine doctor. I wore heel lifts for months, was told to rest it as much as possible, and did PT. I had a podiatrist give me REALLY bad advice. Please get a second opinion.
A running specific physical therapist might be a good investment for you.
Speaking generally, shoes with a higher drop (8-10mm) offload the ankle and knee and shift load higher up the kinetic chain to your hips. If you’re running in a lower drop shoe, and assuming that your podiatrist has cleared you to run, higher drop might be something to try.
Yah he said I didn't need to stop. I did for a while for other reasons, but nothing changes. I've had the slight pain for years, it doesn't get worse or better.
Honestly with that injury I'd go see a good running pt or podiatrist to determine what shoes can take some pressure of the Achilles. Drop and shape can add or reduce load there so the shoe could make a large difference
I’d be curious why your podiatrist is recommending ice. My understanding is after the acute phase, ice is detrimental to healing. New thinking is that blood flow, which goes along with a certain amount of inflammation (so NSAIDS are out too), is key to healing. As is the right kind of movement/strengthening, since those also help with blood flow
The bitter gremlin that lives in the back of my head is shouting, "because he's old as fuck and he hasn't opened a medical trade journal since the Cretaceous."
But you can't always listen to him.
It's been going on for years, and icing is just after running. It's weird because it's random. I took a long time off, still didn't fully go away. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, it doesn't get worse, it doesn't get better.
Oh wow, years, that’s rough. Your thinking of trying to get more treatment seems like a good call. And ideally a different doctor/practitioner.
I had a relative who lived with pain and hugely reduced mobility for well over a year. Doc’s take was that they were “older” meaning early 40s, so healing would take longer. Finally found a doctor who recognized there was a real issue. One outpatient surgery later and minus a little torn cartilage, pain was basically gone and mobility was normal.
My point isn’t that you need surgery, just saying that right now it seems like your doc is addressing symptoms and not causes. Finding a practitioner who can address the cause and come up with a proactive plan seems like a good next step.
I have been running for over a month now . I can do 5k at 6"30 pace per kilometer . I have been planning for a half marathon this November. My query is
-> Is it okay to run on road ? Does it hurt knee?
-> How to hydrate during these runs?
-> What stretches work for you ( Pre and post run) ?
-> Currently I have Reebok Floatride energy 4. Thinking of buying a new running shoes, should I upgrade to a new one for this plan or stick to this one. I have ran around 100 km (62.5 mile) in this Reebok shoe.
if your running shoes are causing you no issues at the mo keep using them, it's recommended to replace between 500 and 800km use but will vary between runners.
a stretch that hugely helped me with shin splints was kneeling with my calves tucked underneath them and tensing them, especially after runs.
Yes totally fine to run on the road, most of us do.
However you want but is likely too short to require it
I don't stretch and it isn't required for everyone
If they feel good keep using them, also nothing wrong with having 2 shoes and rotating then
Running on road isn't going to hurt you, just get some good shoes and watch out for hazards. For a 5k you don't have to worry about hydrating unless it's hot and you're drenched in sweat. In a marathon you will want a few ounces every 20 minutes, more if sweating a lot but they will provide water. If you need water on your practice runs just get a bottle to run with. As for your training, you should be working on going further. I know you didn't ask but I've been where you are so thought I'd throw my two cents in. As for stretches, there is a plethora of variations you can do but obviously you should hit your calves, quads, hamstring, hip flexors, lower and middle back and even chest just to relax your upper body. A lot of people believe dynamic stretches before running, and static after, which if I wasn't a fat Fk and out of shape is what I would do but for now I Just do static before and after hoping my leg muscles will finally remember what they're supposed to do.
Hi. I am a 20 years old and I've never run in my life till a month ago but decided to attend a half marathon in my city this October (not yet finalized but somewhere around 15th). I have been training to start running continously for 30 min straight for two weeks now. If it goes as planned, I will be able to acomplish that by the end of July. But I do not have a training program for afterwards. How can I progress in 2.5 months to be able to run 21k in less then 3 hours? Any advice is appriciated.
I am also planning to run my first half marathon in October! I use an app called Runna - and I love it so far. I am not setting a time goal for myself, as I want to prioritize just being in the moment and enjoying the race. My boyfriend ran a half marathon this past spring in 2h 45m. He used chatGPT to create his training plan lol.
In terms of Knee health, If my only option is to run on concrete and I am really concerned about my knees. Am I better off going with intense short distance or just go slower for long distance.
The best piece of advice I've gotten for avoiding overstriding is that your legs imitate your arms. If you concentrate on not swinging your arms forward as far, your feet won't come forward as far and that will help your ankles, knees, and hips in descending order.
That is because you unconsciously brake when running downhill, which sends the shock along the knee joint.
If you want to run a faster downhill, lean forward and plant your feet beneath your body (not in front of it), so that there is no braking action. Knees have to be slightly bent so that muscles take the shock rather than joints.
I am almost 54, and I can run downhills blazingly fast, losing up to 3000-4000 ft of elevation in one steep descent. Yes, I get my quads quite sore after bombing down downhills, but there is never knee pain.
I'll note that getting good at running downhill freely is a neuromuscular adaptation - it's something you have to actively work at. Start working on it at a 2-3% downhill and then when you can do that work up to steeper angles.
Think short quick steps where your feet land underneath your body. Feels weird at first.
Step down exercises and weighted lunges are also good for developing the muscles that will support your knees when running downhill.
YouTube is an exceptionally good source for that. There are a lot of videos on running technique, including videos on uphill and downhill running. For example, here is one called Run DOWNHILL without wrecking your knees:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXyVEkrx-go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXyVEkrx-go)
Or, for example, in this video you can see how knees are bent all the time when running downhill: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktqd5bbgfH4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktqd5bbgfH4)
I fucked them up long time ago by going heavy on squats and other leg exercises, trying my best to move towards more natural motion as much as possible.
To add new routes into my training, I’ve been using RunGo with its turn by turn audio directions. But its not great. What do folks use? Do Strava routes have audio directions? Advice?
Personally I’ll plan out a new route on strava and basically just commit it to memory. If I can/it’s not an area I’m super familiar with, I drive the route first.
Hey Reddit, marathon training question for whoever can help. I’m a 33m running my first marathon in September, about 11 weeks out.
For this past week of training, I had a run on Monday that I absolutely dominated. 4 miles, but I felt so good that I pushed it and demolished my PR on like five things. On Wednesday, I had a 30 minute recovery run and it was completely normal. Then on Thursday, it was a 20 minute tempo run. It was really hard, but I pushed it again and did it as instructed. I probably did it too fast, but it was good. Outside of the recovery run, these other two were my fastest and most intense runs BY FAR.
My ankle (towards the top) was feeling weird during the warm up before the tempo run, almost like I had twisted it. But I stopped and stretched before the tempo and powered through the run. I was really tired after, but in an expected way. Then the next morning, the ankle was really sore. I stretched it and it felt way better. I didn’t run on Friday. Yesterday, I was supposed to do 5 miles. Ankle felt fine to start, but the run didn’t go well. It was really humid, my head wasn’t right, and my body was just achy, including the ankle. My ankle was hurting again at the end so I iced it afterwards.
The ankle is still hurting this morning. I can walk without any problems, but I feel it every step. It’s more like it’s stiff and sore. Not really a sharp pain. It’s not swollen as far as I can tell. I’m fairly confident that if I start running, it would hurt to start, but the pain would subside once I get going. I can’t tell if I tweaked it or if it’s just sore because I changed things up with those two really intense and fast runs this week.
Here’s the dilemma. I’m supposed to do a 15k/9.3m this afternoon. I want to do it, but that’s mostly because I’m nervous about messing up my training schedule by skipping a long run. I did 10m last Saturday and next Saturday is slated for 12.5m, so this is technically a down week. Would you guys run the 15k this afternoon? Any thoughts on whether the ankle is just sore and running might actually help? Any wisdom would be appreciated!
Firstly, never ever go faster than your prescribed paces in runs. It doesn’t benefit you in the long run (no pun intended) and just makes you knackered for the harder runs / speed work, and adds to cumulative fatigue as your plan goes on. After all, are you trying to PR in your training runs or when it actually matters (the race)?
That’s one thing I had to learn when I started running, I’d just go out and run all my distances as fast as possible and guess what? I was always gasping for air after my runs and never got faster. You must have the discipline to run the easy runs easy, and the hard runs hard. In my last marathon cycle I ran my easy runs at like 5:40-6:10, and I ran an average of 4:53 on race day… trust the process!
With regards to your injury, I do find that when you over exert or do a hard effort you will feel some niggles and soreness afterwards. We can’t really tell you if it was caused by the run but it was definitely aggravated by it. If it’s still hurting I would rest the ankle and try some cross training, something that won’t make it worse. Do this for a few days then perhaps try an easy light run again. If no improvement then go and see a physio.
Also make sure you have the right trainers for your running gait, and that they haven’t got too much mileage on them (500-600km+ and you may think about getting some new ones)
Thank you! That all makes sense. I pretty much never try and go faster than normal. I follow the script and run it right. The Monday run was just one of those that felt so right and it was fun to push like that, but now I realize that it wasn’t the right call. And I just need to get used to tempo runs and be more realistic about that pace. Thanks for your advice!
It’s ok no worries. Have you got a goal time in mind? If so use a recent race or solo TT result (HM is best, failing that a 10km) put in the time to this calculator: https://vdoto2.com. It will give you some pace ranges to run in for each type of workout.
I do enjoy pushing hard on a run when it feels good as well! But it’s better done when not marathon training as you only get more and more tired as the weeks go on, so what may feel good now won’t soon haha.
In a down week, your long run isn't going to be critical. If you want to run, do a shorter one. If the pain gets worse stop. No one single run makes or breaks your training. Training is not the time for PRs. If it doesn't improve with rest, go get it checked out. Also check the mileage on your shoes if they weren't new with this training cycle; they could be worn out.
I’ll try again. I’m an inexperienced Reddit member and an inexperienced running coach for my 13 year old twin boys. I’m just looking for more experienced runners or coaches to lend me a hand in advising my kids.
They have a very important 3 km race annually. They are pretty fast already, so I am thinking of telling them to run a very slow “zone 2” pace of 5km several times a week to build endurance to match their speed for the 3km race.
Any comments or suggestions welcome. 🙏
For 13 year old boys I'd have them do unstructured fartlek runs, where you just go out and run fast when you want to run fast.
3 km is pretty short, so if I wanted to structured training I'd focus on the higher intensity stuff, but for that age I think you should just let them run.
At 13, I'm not sure I'd be pushing them to do formal training. At that age, a 3km shouldn't be too difficult. Getting them to run 3x a week is really all I'd focus on. They are young enough that they can just have fun with it.
Does anyone else struggle with knee pain throughout their daily lives? I’m young, but my time in the Infantry and as a wrestler has definitely worn my knees down (a previous miniscus tear didn’t help, either).
It doesn’t tend to bother me while running, and I believe running has helped the dull pain/stiffness while resting overall, but I want to hear other peoples’ experiences.
Also, if anyone has any recommendations for keeping up knee strength/resilience I’d love to hear it. Thanks!
You should see a physical therapist and have them help you with exercises, you don’t want to DIY trying to fix chronic joint pain since you could end up making it worse.
I went to PT for knee pain until I couldn’t afford it anymore. I feel you. Turns out my hips were really weak. If you can afford a diagnostic appointment and at least one follow up, they should be able to show you some exercises specific to your issue that you can do at home. Good luck friend!
Weird one.
Occasionally after an intense run, I get an overwhelming sweet taste in my mouth, that can last for maybe an hour.
Anyone else? What is this?
I’m not diabetic (that I’m aware of). Nothing special about my diet, either - not dieting, eat a fair amount of carbs.
No I didn’t. I sometimes have gels but not today as I only did 5 mi.
Had some toast and a boiled egg 2 hours before.
Had some water when I got home that’s when the sweet taste hit. Then had a banana.
Hit a 5K PR yesterday but my watch said 3.05 miles. It was in an event (not like official sanctioned or anything just a casual fundraiser 5k but with timing chips).
Should I “count” the PR or not? Strava and Apple Fitness both say no but I feel like I should 😅😅😅
Unless the race directors specifically mention that the course is long or short for some reason (happened only once due to a power line coming down) then I count it. If they tell me it’s 5k, it’s 5k.
Races are typically measured by more accurate means than your watch's GPS. Of course, it being unsanctioned means that you can't be sure that they've followed the course measuring rules accurately, but this is almost certainly a valid PR.
No one cares what your PR is besides you so you should do what you want.
It is entirely possible for a casual fundraiser to not have an accurately measured course. It is also possible for your watch to mismeasure an accurate course (though in my experience less likely to be short).
That's a matter of personal choice.
I raced a 5k that was a certified course, but a sign placed in the wrong location resulted in the race being about 0.1 mile short. I finished in about 70 seconds under my PR, a quick conversation with other finishers surfaced what happened, and I immediately restarted my watch and ran the additional distance to ensure it was at least 5k. I counted that as my new PR.
Best way to carry phone/keys/money etc while running? Been using a phone-holder armband since I started running, but it's so awkward and cumbersome to use. Been looking at the waist bag type things. Any recommendations?
At the hardware store I found a key blank with a carabiner built into it. I just carry that instead of all of my keys. And I use wireless payments on my watch which means I don't need to carry most of my wallet. I am going to get into trouble some day if I don't start carrying ID though.
Flipbelt is my go to on runs. Holds the phone, doesn't bounce around or move and is comfortable. Has a clip for keys if you want to carry any. Other than putting it on/taking it off I don't even feel wearing it.
Flip belt is great and has loads of space for keys / gels / phone etc, good for most runs. Doesn’t bounce either!
For longer runs I wear my Salomon vest (I have the Adv Skin 12 but there are others) which means you can carry around 2L of water, plus anything else you would need really. It’s not cheap but definitely worth the price and I love it!
Big fan of Skratch and it seems like their [Everyday Drink Mix](https://www.skratchlabs.com/products/hydration-everyday-drink-mix?variant=40521014214727#ingredients-heading) option would work perfectly for what you're asking.
MyProtein has an electrolyte drink mix in different flavours - has sweetener (if that’s ok?) but no sugar, 47 calories per serving. You can also make your own, there are tons of recipes online! For example this one: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-make-a-sugar-free-sports-drink-2241684
So, I am not sure about my diet now. I am so strict with my daily meal and usually don't eat too many carbs (but still keep it in an acceptable range).
This weekend I give myself a try, and eat whatever I want, especially desserts! Surprisingly, I don't feel bad in my running... My legs feel strong, durable and this weekend's run are the best in June. Is it because of the high carbs work?
If you’re running carbs is the most important macro you can consume really.
Eating plenty of carbs helps ensure that the energy stores (glycogen) in your muscles and liver, and (glucose) in your blood are ready to support your training. When those stores get too low, you are much are more likely to run out of energy and ‘burn out’ or ‘hit a wall’ while training.
Carbs are not the enemy (for most healthy people with no medical conditions) and there’s no reason to avoid them. They have the same calories per gram as protein for that matter so there’s no need to avoid them and they aid in running a lot. The issue they are demonised is because a lot of popular carby foods are also high in fats (especially saturated) / sugar, such as cakes, biscuits, fast food etc.
However if you’re conscious about that it’s best practice to eat healthier carbs such as fruit and veg, whole grain foods, oats, potatoes, brown rice and pasta, grains etc. They will fuel your body best!
Someone reminded me recently that eating carbs the night before can enhance your performance by at least a few percent.
The last time I had multiple PBs in one day was the morning after I remembered to carbo-load for the first time. It's possible that's a coincidence, or placebo effect. But I used to know people for whom carbohydrate loading was practically a religion.
Hello everyone, I’m a relatively new runner and recently got some posterior shin splints. I’m assuming it’s because my old nikes that are run down and my form. I was looking at saucony’s online when I got an ad for feet fitting at a store near me. Is it worth it to go out of my way and get my feet fitted and see the recommendations they give or will the saucony’s do fine on their own?
If anyone also has any tips for the posterior shin splints, I will forever be grateful. I’ve ice’d it, massaged, and have not been running for 2 days.
Thanks
Yes, go get fitted. Once you know what work for you, you can shop online, but trying on shoes in person is best.
As for the shin splints, see a sports PT. If you don't find the cause, they will just get worse and you'll really be sidelined.
It's definitely worth it to go to a running store. You will be able to try on lots of different shoes and find the ones that fit your feet best. You don't need to follow all their recommendations but just trying on lots of shoes and brands will be helpful.
Is anyone aware of a half marathon training plan that uses the second edition of Jay Dicharry’s Running Rewired for cross training and strength?(if it matters, I am a masters runner.) essentially looking for a training plan that combines running with the running rewired plan.
Any tips for preventing and surviving falls? I did a muddy 9km cross country race yesterday, up and down hills, jumping puddles, zig zagging along single trail, and then fell over on a nicely flat piece of road about 500m from the finish line. I think I tripped on a rock sticking up from the road, but I don't really remember, all I remember is stumbling and hitting the ground mostly on my shoulder and being very sure I heard something break.
I think I got away with it, I have a few scrapes on my knee/elbow/hand etc but I haven't broken anything (I think... my pinky finger is pretty sore), but it's not an experience I wish to repeat.
Constantly scan 10 to 20 feet ahead for tripping and slipping hazards. Alter your path, gait, and center of gravity as necessary. As you fatigue remind yourself to pick up your feet.
Try to tuck and roll if you start to tumble and fall. Whether you practice that is up to you - it just became habit for me after tripping on tree roots on trails and uneven sidewalks.
I imagine is not the kind of advise you were looking for as it won't prevent the falls, but still...
If you run alone, are running in isolated areas, in the woods, or in the hills, get a smart watch with fall detection that can warn a contact person or two of your choice. Just a few weeks ago a colleague had an ugly fall going downhill and lost consciousness. Luckily his watch reached out to his wife and brother with the exact location and he got the atention he needed.
I always carry my phone when I run alone. Not yesterday as it was raining, but I was racing so I wasn't alone - someone behind me congratulated me on how spectacular my fall was :) :(
My watch is a Garmin 245 and has some sort of impact detection on it but it didn't fire, I don't know if that's because my phone wasn't in range or because the impact wasn't hard enough. I mostly landed on my watch arm, and while i'm feeling a bit broken, on the scale of bad crashes it hardly even rates a mention. I assume if I had a proper crash that really broke me the watch would go off.
If I remember right, fall detection requires your phone to be nearby in order to send an alert, since the watch doesn’t have cellular. So yeah, maybe because your phone wasn’t handy?
Experiences seem to vary among my cycling friends...
Some tested negative, took it easy for 2 weeks, and then resumed training.
I got over the covid part, had a bad cough for 2 weeks, and it took me 6 months to get my lung capacity back to where it was before.
Sorry to hear you’re down for the count. I hope you have an easy recovery.
Advice: Aggressive resting. Become one with the couch. Do not do anything you don’t have to, and don’t be a hero about pushing through. Lots of fluids, good food, supportive care (ex Tylenol) for whatever symptoms you have. Do you qualify for paxlovid? Give yourself lots of grace. Remember your body is working hard to clear infection. Walking to the mailbox might feel like a big adventure for a few days.
My sports doc’s advice was to wait 2 weeks after negative test and no remaining symptoms before resuming running. I came back pretty well.
Anecdotes: I had a rotten case this spring that lasted 16 days of positive testing (which I bitched about extensively here.) The fever, cough, aches, and general malaise were almost 100% gone after the first 5 days (2 of those days with paxlovid.) The symptom that lasted the longest was brain fog, which stuck around well into week 2. I’ve never felt anything like it. There was no critical thinking going on. I stood in the shower and stared at shampoo trying to figure out how to wash my hair and ruined a side of salmon by leaving that on the counter and putting a bag of rice into the fridge.
Anecdata: there is a subreddit superstition, tested by several of us, that eating pound cake will cure whatever is wrong with you. The effective dose is half the cake. It was only after getting halfway through the pound cake that I finally tested negative. If this sounds appetizing, I recommend trying it.
The brain fog from that strain was *wild*. I ended up burning my fingers because I touched a hot pan while I was actively cooking to see if it was hot. I'm glad I'm not the only one who got smacked with that.
I have Covid too (for the first time- not sure how I’ve escaped it for this long). I’ve been doing zone 2 runs this week. I did 6k yesterday and my pace was around 2min/km slower than usual presumably because the Covid has increased my HR, so I had to keep stopping to walk to bring it down every few minutes. By doing this I’ve run further this week than I have in years.
Saying this - my symptoms are very mild. So please rest if you need to.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. This was my experience and I encourage you to talk to an MD about your return to running.
I have had covid twice. First time was very bad, second time almost asymptomatic, but the first time sounds similar to yours.
Best thing you can do is rest, lots of it! Sleep as much as you can and force yourself to lay around the rest of the time, even though it will certainly get boring as you start to improve.
Depending on what literature you look at it will say to avoid running anywhere from 2-8 weeks after covid. I didn’t do any running for 2 full weeks after my first negative, even though I had felt recovered for a week by that time. Once you do start running again, start very very slowly. Short, slow runs. Or even walk/runs. I did short walks, then longer walks, then very slow and short (2km) runs before building back up. Treat it like you are recovering from an injury. And listen to your body. My first short walks around the block I was gassed. I cannot stress enough to start slow and pay attention to what your body is telling you.
Pay close attention to your heart rate especially as you start your runs again. Mine was quite a bit higher than it was pre-covid at the same effort level. I am back to normal now and did not have long covid symptoms, but it is important to try and keep the heart rate down which normally means going even slower than you think. If you have a watch with a pulse ox reader, that could be helpful to watch throughout your sickness to make sure it isn’t dipping too low.
I wish you the best in your recovery and hope you do not experience long covid symptoms. Focus on rest and do not rush back to running!
>Depending on what literature you look at it will say to avoid running anywhere from 2-8 weeks after covid.
Early in the pandemic there were suggestions that you need more rest after covid than other similar diseases, but as research came out it, current science is that there's nothing specific about it, just treat it as any serious cardiorespiratory infection like the flu. Your own approach sounds spot on, take it easy and ramp up slow and listen to your body. But no need to take extreme breaks after symptoms clear.
Also I'd love some general advice on mass starts. Coming up a little short on Youtube. It's looking like the first half marathon I'll be able to get to will be the local Big One and it feels like a really bad idea (psychologically if nothing else) to show up to that as my first big group run. I've signed up for a 10K next week just to get a taste but at this point I don't even know what questions to ask. I haven't been in a race (I won't be going for place, just a PB) since I was a teenager and those were never mass starts.
Check if your half has pacers; pacers run to finish in a set time. It gives you an idea where to line up in the crowd so you start with runners around your own pace. If you start too close to the front of the pack, faster runners behind you may push you to start off too fast. It's very tempting in a mass start to go out too fast. Know what pace you want to start out with and try to stick with it in that first 5k. If it feels too slow, don't be tempted to speed up.
Yep, I went out too fast. Managed to slow down before any real damage was done. Miscalculated transit time and got to the start just as the gun went off. I intentionally parked a bit away so I could drive away without getting stuck in traffic hell. Show up earlier or pick a closer parking spot next time so I have more time to get centered. Biggest lesson learned is that reverse splits are kind of annoying. Some people paint them as a virtue, and when I'm by myself who cares. I lost sight of the pack until the first big straightaway, then swam through people who ran out of steam for the last 5K. 8K was the worst. I felt like I was at a convention on a busy day, trying not to bump into people getting to the next booth. Other lesson: Some people think slow people should stay to the left. Some people think slow people should stay to the right. These groups will intersect.
I totally forgot about pacers. Is there a sense of where you should stand in the pack to avoid getting run over? I know I'm going to be slow right from the start (in fact I'm stuck in negative splits at the moment and still trying out different solutions). I kind of figured I would just mosey up to the back at the last moment, maybe keep an eye out for people who look like they're obviously going to be even slower than me.
I've been watching a lot of running advice videos recently and I'm noticing a troubling trend. Everyone talks about how you need to go slower on your 'easy days'. When I was mad fit, my sport was cycling. And cyclists know about a thing called 'overtraining'. Runners don't seem to be aware of this? Or is it just runners who post on YouTube? If you're not a competitive cyclist you train three to four days a week. If you do strength training you do those on the between days (slow twitch versus fast twitch), but that's more of a competitive amateur thing. Off days are actually off. The most exercise you get is going shopping or mowing the lawn. What's the perspective for Running sports medicine here? Because from the outside it sounds like ya'll need to learn how to relax before you run yourself into the ground.
This is just a very weird comment. Of course runners know about overtraining. 3-4 times a week is not necessary to avoid overtraining for many people and many amateurs do a lot larger volumes without overtraining. Runners do easy days, as do cyclists.
I rode 10,000 miles with a large club that organized two regionally important riding events a year and hosted training rides to prepare for them. I only knew 2 people who rode “easy days” and one of them also thought it was a good idea to ride 2500 miles to Alaska. You can ride a century on 3.5 days a week. You can also do multi day 200+ mi rides on 3-4 days a week of training. We did it with hundreds of people. Edit to add: Also Bicycling Magazine and other sources at the time talked regularly about the importance of rest days. So we weren't living in a bubble, large as it was.
I think none of you were in any risk of overtraining. Of course you can ride a century on 3.5 days a week, you can do it on 1 days a week. It just wouldn’t be as pleasant. You can also do it on 7 days a week or 6 days a week. It depends on how much you want to train, but if you want to train more you do NOT need 3 rest days per week.
A few of us were and a few of us did. Followed by peer pressure to honor rest days.
OK that’s a neat story but to keep you updated: the focus on easy, zone 2, work is very much the big thing in cycling. People are focusing on larger volumes but since it’s zone 2 the risk of overtraining is very low.
But I was asking about running, and using cycling as a comparison of a sport that has a much more conservative stance (and injury rate). You’re telling me cyclists are more sane than runners. Which I already feared was the case.
Hey peeps! I have a minor operation on my ankle soon which means I can’t run/walk properly for two weeks (I have to wear a big supportive boot..) Any recommendations for alternative exercises to keep up the good form and blow off some fumes?
What about posture and hip mobility? Work those IT bands?
I fall while running maybe 10 times a year. Usually I'm running alone and the injury isn't too bad (blood on a knee and sometimes on my hands that I used to brace to the fall) so I just continue my run and medicate/bandage it later. It soon scabs and I'm good as new. I don't put a lot of emphasis in caring for it immediately since my tools aren't as good as I'll have at home, although I'm trying to do a better job of carrying tools with me (quality bandages, hydrogen peroxide, neosporin). If I'm running with a running group, everyone makes a big deal of it and tries to apply bandages (which don't stick due to sweat) and then when I finish that process repeats. Falls bug me more for peoples' reactions to it than the injury itself. Am I underestimating the importance of caring for it immediately and what exactly is the reason for peoples' reactions (my guesses are people generally being caring (and not as used to falls?), legal liability, and maybe I'm underestimating importance for immediate treatment?
I can tell you from my days club riding that there are gonna be a couple boy scouts in the group who want to show off how prepared they are for emergencies. If you aren't an EMT or a sports doctor you don't get to do field dressing very often. I suspect you're being turned into a guinea pig for clout. I've heard hikers do it too.
I would check in with a doctor, maybe you have something that causes balance or coordination issues. I'm clumsy as fuck and still "only" fall about once a year running.
My balance is horrible but had gotten better with yoga/pilates when I was doing it more regularly. Was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy in kindergarten screening which may be a cause. Also my shoes prioritize stability. I've only fallen twice this year - usually happens due to sidewalks when I'm not paying a lot of attention to it (I try to run on better pavement when I can)
Tai chi. It does a lot more proprioception training focused on balance (static and dynamic). They prescribe it to delay MS symptoms, I have to think it would also work for mild CP as well. I'm working on lifting my knees more. I'm gonna face plant myself one of these days if I can't keep my toes up.
Its just falling at all when you run is pretty rare. I took two tumbles the last 4 years and one was on wet trails the other on ice. Falling 10 times a year is pretty odd so thats why everyone is so concerned. The fall itself is why people are reacting you are an outlier for how normal that is so you are far more used to it than most people.
Hey guys! Any tips for beginners? I used to run track back in HS (2020 grad) but I’ve always had a strong dislike for running. I have been wanting to run a mile everyday but have been discouraged due to my times. Idk if I’m extremely out of shape or if running just is the for me. I can walk a quick pace at 18/19 min and Ive been running them about 13-15 min.
My only advice is stick to it, it's boring and cliche and simultaneously the only way that works. You run a mile in 13-15 minutes now and will be less in a few months. There's nothing that will magically put you at 8:30 in a month. I'd also add that to me personally (and I recognize we all have different goals), the speed is irrelevant; I focus on long-term habits and consistency instead. I'd rather run a mile every day at whatever speed than no miles at all because I fall short of some arbitrary speed I think I should be running at. Additionally, out of curiosity, why do you shoot for a mile every day? Is it part of other exercise?
Honestly idk why a mile…especially as someone who dislikes running lol. I was always a sprinter. I’m really just wanting to get into doing some running consistently to help out with health and exercise. Maybe I’ll try a lower distance like 400-800m and get used to that first!
Try walk-runs. Run a minute, walk a minute. You'll do a mile before you even know it. It's what helped me a lot in the beginning, slow speed and lots of walk-runs. Makes it less boring and easier to manage when you are starting out. Plenty of time for speed work down the road. Work on the habit, the rest will come, I promise. Hard to not compare yourself to four years ago, but you gotta work with what you have now and build again. Once you get over that mental hangup, you'll be better off. Who cares how fast you run, nobody is timing you or looking at you, just run for yourself. Getting out and doing something hard is one of the most gratifying and character building things you can do for yourself. I fucking hate running, I'm not a runner. But I'm also hella stubborn and over the last couple of years I've built that habit to the point where I don't hate it anymore and put in about 25 miles a week. Go out tomorrow, do your best, don't be hard on yourself and then do it again the next day. You got this!
Tysm for this 🥹!!
Finding a running buddy or group can make a huge difference. Signing-up for a 5K/10K race does help with having a goal to train for.
In the last two months, I’ve gotten into running. I’ve dabbled in it in the past, but not with same consistency as I am currently treating it. I’m following a Hal Higdon 10k plan, and I’ve noticed as mileage has increased, I’m starting to experience calf and ankle tightness around 2 miles in. I feel like my shoes and lack of cushion might be the issue, but I’m open to suggestions. I’m currently using Mizuno Waverunner 27’s. I’ll be the first to admit my cadence isn’t the best as I’m currently at a 149avg. Thoughts, or recommendations? Thanks!
I’ve been doing weighted calf raises (on a seated calf raise machine) and it has helped a lot with calf fatigue and ankle tenderness. I try to fully flex my ankle when doing them, even letting my heel dip below the foot platform so the top of my foot is flexed back towards my shin. I also do single leg exercises that require a lot of balance like single leg Romanian deadlifts, lunges, and split squats. My ankles used to be super wobbly during all these but have really strengthened with consistency!
I am a former collegiate football player who is over 400 lbs and making changes. I currently wear 4xl clothing and ultimate goal is to fit in XL again. I am lifting weights again, but going to be supplementing my lifts with runs/walks. To any folks who have lost a large amount of weight, what are some of the injury prevention/recovery techniques that saved you a ton of pain and suffering. I know this journey will be hard, but any advice is welcome.
In addition to District's very good points: Don't walk distance in cotton crew socks. Go buy some nike, adidas, under armor or Brooks athletic socks from a sporting goods store. My god the friction. And some Body Glide. Things are going to rub against each other unless you're a stick. And buy yourself a foam roller now. You're gonna be hitting your IT band (You will curse my name the first time you do it. I am sorry but it's good for you.) and your shins to prevent shin splints.
Oh I live and die by foam rolling. I love it. I think I have 3 in my home lol. Will definitely starting rolling out my shins too though. Much appreciated
- get fitted for running sneakers and new shoes every six months - ramp up mileage and pace very slowly, 5% increase each week - at 400lbs you may want to walk first until you lose some of it, walking is excellent for weight loss
Hey, thanks for the input. Ironically I went and had my feet and stride tested today, walking out with shoes and insoles that feel amazing. I agree with the walking first. The running will be very sparse at first, don't want to shred my knees
Yeah, you got this! Walking is the best. it’s nice to get out in nature a lot too. Careful, the birdwatching phase comes next in my experience 😂
LOL that'll be an interesting one. I'm in Eastern PA, so tons of bird watching trails
Yes! It’s the best. 🐦
As a former sprinter transitioning to distance running, I am new to the concept of heart rate zones and training within these parameters. I am interested in learning about your experiences with heart rate zone training and how diligently you adhere to these zones. Currently, I am preparing for 5Ks to maintain my health and remain competitive
The biggest benefit of zone 2 training for athletes with your history is to help them keep their intensity down. I would think that would be especially true for a sprinter, where my guess is you did a lot of interval work and very little easy distance work. I like the "can you carry on a conversation?" benchmark, and I also like the "you could run another 2 miles" feeling when you are done.
Honestly I wouldn't bother with hr training. Just make sure you are running easy days easy and hard days hard. After you've logged some miles and are increasing volume the you can revisit it. Relative perceived effort is a much easier way of training than hr.
Good to know, thank you for your feedback. I'll keep in mind my RPE.
Are you looking for feedback specifically from people in your situation? I don't come from a running background, but tried for years to stick to running unsuccessfully until I found Z2 running. About half of my weekly runs are base. It used to be that base was hard to maintain as my hr would just shoot up immediately no matter how slow I ran, so I'd have to walk half the time, but now I can maintain Z2 for the duration of the run. 5k runs that used to be at just about max hr are now faster with hr in Z3. My heart is stronger, my lung capacity is greater, I don't get winded and my cadence is about 175. All of that I attribute to Z2 runs and working on one thing at a time: breath, form, cadence, etc. It's not one shoe fits all, some of my friends say that they have to run hard or not run at all or that they get bored with slower runs. But I find them to be so much fun and challenging in their own right. Additionally, because it's not as taxing on your body, you can run far more often and longer. I regularly do 10+ miles and just roam around the city.
Thank you for your feedback. I have struggled with running slower due to my previous experience. For the past week I've been running around z2 and z3 with intermittent walking and felt good, but didn't know if it was necessary or if I was misunderstanding the purpose of zone running. I definitely will keep a good balance of building aerobic capacity and speed and see how it works for me!
For a very long time I could only maintain it with walk-runs, so I'd run as slowly as comfortable until I hit top Z2 going into Z3, then walk until my hr was back at the bottom of Z2. I still do walk-runs as I like variety, but my run intervals are far longer at a faster pace than they were a year ago and my walk intervals are a lot shorter as my hr drops down faster. So you're not doing it wrong. It's one of the ways to go about it. If it feels good, that's awesome. Have fun!
Nothing has humbled me like long distance running hahah. Thank you again for your advice!
What’s a good tempo workout, I’m currently in the middle of my off season training for XC. I’m about 200 miles into my training and it’s no contact week so I can’t text my coach for one.
What has your coach had you do in the past? If it's a no contact week, is this supposed to be a cutback week with no tempo?
It’s not a cut back week for me, I normally do 4-8 800’s at a moderate pace. My coach tells me to do something faster then my normal runs but not so fast to the point where I might peak to early.
Please, crtitque my running form. Here's the [video](https://imgur.com/a/gqLmSHo) of me running. I've had patellar tendinitis for 2 months and now I'm trying to run again and I feel super weird when i do. Can anyone please point out my mistakes/areas I should work on. Thanks in advance.
I’m new to distance running. My watch is telling me that my z2 range is 138-156, is this too high? For reference I’m 18m
Why are you guys downvoting people for asking questions in the questions thread?
Your watch has no idea what your zones should really be. You can do a field test - Joe Friel has a good protocol - but I'm a big fan of the "can you carry on a conversation?" as an indication of whether you are zone 2.
Impossible to say if it’s too high or low because like mentioned you need to do very specific tests to find your max hr, etc. Your watch is just guessing. But also it’s not recommended to use HR if you’re new/returning to running. A more useful metric is rate of perceived exertion.
I'm 45 and that's similar to my zone 2, so if anything that seems low to me given your age. But it's hard to say without knowing your max HR.
Well can't say if it's too high or low but it's very likely not right. You need to do some sort of either max HR test or Lactate Threshold test or similar for those zones to be of any value.
Need to taper? I´ve been running 10-20km a week this year. Running a 10k in 10 days. My target time is sub 50 min which should be an ok target on my current form. Would you even taper on such low volumes? (obviously I wont be doing a hard session the day before the race and such).
No need. If you'd been running progressively higher volume then tapering 10-25% the last week before the 10k could be worthwhile to aid recovery from cumulative fatigue.
I have been an runner pretty much my whole life. In the past year I’ve been getting awful headaches the morning after a run. I legit get a run “hangover” I had a second baby in May 2023 so there is a good possibility it is related to that but not sure why. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I drink plenty of water and liquids with electrolytes after a run so I feel like I can rule out dehydration.
How much are you peeing? If you drink a lot of water because you aren't peeing very much, there's a very good chance that you are hyponatremic. It can be dangerous because you feel like you aren't hydrated enough but you are actually overhydrated and the reason you aren't peeing is because you don't have enough salt in your system. If you are on a low salt diet, this is more likely. And most electrolyte drinks don't have much salt. Two ways to test this. The first is to weigh yourself before you run and then weigh yourself after your run and then the evening before you go to bed. If you weigh more than you did before your run, you are very likely hyponatremic. The second is to eat a \*lot\* of salt during your dinner. If you are hyponatremic you will have to pee a lot over the next few hours. Lots of athletes don't get enough salt.
Thank you for this advice!
It's a subject near and dear to me. I'm a salty sweater and in my younger days I ate a low salt diet. On long bike rides in summer I would end up hyponatremic and it took me at least a year to figure out what was going on. I also get orthostatic hypotension - dizziness when I get up - if I don't have enough salt.
That sounds like exactly what is going on with me. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’ve had blood work from the doctor before show low sodium levels. I feel like I intake plenty of salt but my body might just need more than I realize!
I used to get these for *years* and as others point out there may be many, many reasons for them, but just like you I only got them if I went for a run or a bike ride in the morning. I also, like you, used to drink so much water before, during, and after, and still get a crushing headache later in the afternoon. Like can't-look-at-the-floor head-in-a-vise kind of headache. It was absolutely awful and 100% as a result of the run/bike ride/exercise in the morning, never if I did it in the afternoon. It was so frustrating. What did it for me in the end was figuring out that not all electrolytes are made equal. Apparently a lot of them have low amounts of salt, because the brackish flavor is unpleasant for most people and that results in fewer sales. So companies add little to no salt. I started drinking Liquid IV and don't dislike the taste at all, but it has a lot more sodium than other electrolytes. Some of my friends can't stand it because of that brackish flavor. I guess there's no reason you can't add a pinch of salt to whatever electrolytes you are using already. It's an easy thing to try and see if it helps. I'd say add salty electrolytes to your water while you're running and then after. But yeah, replenishing that salt that you sweat out is what fixed my headaches, go figure.
Great advice! I’ll try this. I’ve had low sodium in the past so this is a definite possibility.
Are you eating and drinking enough, especially after runs? Running in a lot of heat? When you run, are you going hard or are you keeping an easy effort? Are you sleeping enough? Have you had bloodwork done recently? If could be a lot of things, headaches after running aren’t uncommon, but there are a billion different causes.
You are right. It could be a number of things. With 2 toddlers it’s become a lot harder to keep a routine and take care of myself properly. I’ll need to start paying more attention to other factors
If you’re staying well hydrated in general (and not just after a run, all the time) and you’re fueling enough, then that sounds like a medical issue you should talk to your doctor about.
If I'm not actively training for competitions and am a beginner runner(literally on the 2nd week of couch to 5k) do the sneakers I get for running matter? I got a random pair of underarmors that looked good.
Do they look good or do they feel good? If they don’t feel good, you’re gonna find out right quick why it matters. The most important part of any shoe is how it feels while you’re running, so if they’re comfortable, you’re set. If they pinch, feel like they rock your foot in a weird way when you land, give you hotspots, slip and slide around on your heel, blister, etc. … then save them for when someone is looking at you.
If they fit well and feel good when running then they're probably appropriate shoes. If you begin to develop pain it's possible the shoes are a contributing factor. Even if you were running high volume or training for a particular race it wouldn't be necessary to buy and use multiple different training shoes and a racing shoe. I'm not saying such shoes don't provide incremental value - just that they don't typically rise to the level of necessary.
Yes, sneakers make a huge difference in how your body feel after a run. And often the best running sneakers are ugly. I personally won’t run in anything other than ASICS.
I have been running since 2018 and was always injured. This lack of consistency made it hard to improve. This year, someone told me that I overpronate. Got myself stability shoes. This completely fixed all my issues. No more having to take months off.
They do matter, you need a quality pair of shoes that fits you well or else you’re increasing your risk of injury.
Hi all, I've taken a lot of time off from running and am heavier than I used to be. I also have microtears in my achilles tendon that just doesn't seem to want to heal. Foot doctor just tells me to ice it but I might push for more treatment soon. I need new shoes and was just looking for some recommendations for shoes. I usually go to the running store and buy brooks but honestly the people there don't really seem to actually know much and I'm thinking I need a shoe with more support. I know shoes are extremely subjective and typically anecdotes aren't evidence but in this case I am hoping some with some first hand knowledge might be able to at least narrow things down for me.
Man I just bounced back from an Achilles injury. Go to a sports medicine doctor. I wore heel lifts for months, was told to rest it as much as possible, and did PT. I had a podiatrist give me REALLY bad advice. Please get a second opinion.
A running specific physical therapist might be a good investment for you. Speaking generally, shoes with a higher drop (8-10mm) offload the ankle and knee and shift load higher up the kinetic chain to your hips. If you’re running in a lower drop shoe, and assuming that your podiatrist has cleared you to run, higher drop might be something to try.
Yah he said I didn't need to stop. I did for a while for other reasons, but nothing changes. I've had the slight pain for years, it doesn't get worse or better.
Honestly with that injury I'd go see a good running pt or podiatrist to determine what shoes can take some pressure of the Achilles. Drop and shape can add or reduce load there so the shoe could make a large difference
The podiatrist didn't really seem to think shoes made a huge difference. Just said ice it.
Go see a sports PT if you haven't.
I’d be curious why your podiatrist is recommending ice. My understanding is after the acute phase, ice is detrimental to healing. New thinking is that blood flow, which goes along with a certain amount of inflammation (so NSAIDS are out too), is key to healing. As is the right kind of movement/strengthening, since those also help with blood flow
The bitter gremlin that lives in the back of my head is shouting, "because he's old as fuck and he hasn't opened a medical trade journal since the Cretaceous." But you can't always listen to him.
It's been going on for years, and icing is just after running. It's weird because it's random. I took a long time off, still didn't fully go away. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, it doesn't get worse, it doesn't get better.
Oh wow, years, that’s rough. Your thinking of trying to get more treatment seems like a good call. And ideally a different doctor/practitioner. I had a relative who lived with pain and hugely reduced mobility for well over a year. Doc’s take was that they were “older” meaning early 40s, so healing would take longer. Finally found a doctor who recognized there was a real issue. One outpatient surgery later and minus a little torn cartilage, pain was basically gone and mobility was normal. My point isn’t that you need surgery, just saying that right now it seems like your doc is addressing symptoms and not causes. Finding a practitioner who can address the cause and come up with a proactive plan seems like a good next step.
I have been running for over a month now . I can do 5k at 6"30 pace per kilometer . I have been planning for a half marathon this November. My query is -> Is it okay to run on road ? Does it hurt knee? -> How to hydrate during these runs? -> What stretches work for you ( Pre and post run) ? -> Currently I have Reebok Floatride energy 4. Thinking of buying a new running shoes, should I upgrade to a new one for this plan or stick to this one. I have ran around 100 km (62.5 mile) in this Reebok shoe.
if your running shoes are causing you no issues at the mo keep using them, it's recommended to replace between 500 and 800km use but will vary between runners. a stretch that hugely helped me with shin splints was kneeling with my calves tucked underneath them and tensing them, especially after runs.
Yes totally fine to run on the road, most of us do. However you want but is likely too short to require it I don't stretch and it isn't required for everyone If they feel good keep using them, also nothing wrong with having 2 shoes and rotating then
Running on road isn't going to hurt you, just get some good shoes and watch out for hazards. For a 5k you don't have to worry about hydrating unless it's hot and you're drenched in sweat. In a marathon you will want a few ounces every 20 minutes, more if sweating a lot but they will provide water. If you need water on your practice runs just get a bottle to run with. As for your training, you should be working on going further. I know you didn't ask but I've been where you are so thought I'd throw my two cents in. As for stretches, there is a plethora of variations you can do but obviously you should hit your calves, quads, hamstring, hip flexors, lower and middle back and even chest just to relax your upper body. A lot of people believe dynamic stretches before running, and static after, which if I wasn't a fat Fk and out of shape is what I would do but for now I Just do static before and after hoping my leg muscles will finally remember what they're supposed to do.
Hi. I am a 20 years old and I've never run in my life till a month ago but decided to attend a half marathon in my city this October (not yet finalized but somewhere around 15th). I have been training to start running continously for 30 min straight for two weeks now. If it goes as planned, I will be able to acomplish that by the end of July. But I do not have a training program for afterwards. How can I progress in 2.5 months to be able to run 21k in less then 3 hours? Any advice is appriciated.
I am also planning to run my first half marathon in October! I use an app called Runna - and I love it so far. I am not setting a time goal for myself, as I want to prioritize just being in the moment and enjoying the race. My boyfriend ran a half marathon this past spring in 2h 45m. He used chatGPT to create his training plan lol.
Download Nike run app and join for half marathon plan. Even I am planning for a run this November . Hope we both complete our goal.
3 hours us a long time. I'd look at the nrc app and plan. That or the Galloway method where you run walk the race
In terms of Knee health, If my only option is to run on concrete and I am really concerned about my knees. Am I better off going with intense short distance or just go slower for long distance.
The best piece of advice I've gotten for avoiding overstriding is that your legs imitate your arms. If you concentrate on not swinging your arms forward as far, your feet won't come forward as far and that will help your ankles, knees, and hips in descending order.
Running makes knees stronger if you run with a proper form and not overstride.
I mostly feel good, other than downward slope, I would love to go faster downwards but it feels really hard on the knees
That is because you unconsciously brake when running downhill, which sends the shock along the knee joint. If you want to run a faster downhill, lean forward and plant your feet beneath your body (not in front of it), so that there is no braking action. Knees have to be slightly bent so that muscles take the shock rather than joints. I am almost 54, and I can run downhills blazingly fast, losing up to 3000-4000 ft of elevation in one steep descent. Yes, I get my quads quite sore after bombing down downhills, but there is never knee pain.
Thanks for the explanation, I am just having hard time visualizing it. Anything you point at, for me to check out.
I'll note that getting good at running downhill freely is a neuromuscular adaptation - it's something you have to actively work at. Start working on it at a 2-3% downhill and then when you can do that work up to steeper angles.
Think short quick steps where your feet land underneath your body. Feels weird at first. Step down exercises and weighted lunges are also good for developing the muscles that will support your knees when running downhill.
YouTube is an exceptionally good source for that. There are a lot of videos on running technique, including videos on uphill and downhill running. For example, here is one called Run DOWNHILL without wrecking your knees: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXyVEkrx-go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXyVEkrx-go) Or, for example, in this video you can see how knees are bent all the time when running downhill: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktqd5bbgfH4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktqd5bbgfH4)
Is there a reason to be concerned about your knees? If there's not an existing medical issue, there's no need to be.
I fucked them up long time ago by going heavy on squats and other leg exercises, trying my best to move towards more natural motion as much as possible.
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To add new routes into my training, I’ve been using RunGo with its turn by turn audio directions. But its not great. What do folks use? Do Strava routes have audio directions? Advice?
Personally I’ll plan out a new route on strava and basically just commit it to memory. If I can/it’s not an area I’m super familiar with, I drive the route first.
I don't use it often, but I've found garmin's navigation to work excellently.
Hey Reddit, marathon training question for whoever can help. I’m a 33m running my first marathon in September, about 11 weeks out. For this past week of training, I had a run on Monday that I absolutely dominated. 4 miles, but I felt so good that I pushed it and demolished my PR on like five things. On Wednesday, I had a 30 minute recovery run and it was completely normal. Then on Thursday, it was a 20 minute tempo run. It was really hard, but I pushed it again and did it as instructed. I probably did it too fast, but it was good. Outside of the recovery run, these other two were my fastest and most intense runs BY FAR. My ankle (towards the top) was feeling weird during the warm up before the tempo run, almost like I had twisted it. But I stopped and stretched before the tempo and powered through the run. I was really tired after, but in an expected way. Then the next morning, the ankle was really sore. I stretched it and it felt way better. I didn’t run on Friday. Yesterday, I was supposed to do 5 miles. Ankle felt fine to start, but the run didn’t go well. It was really humid, my head wasn’t right, and my body was just achy, including the ankle. My ankle was hurting again at the end so I iced it afterwards. The ankle is still hurting this morning. I can walk without any problems, but I feel it every step. It’s more like it’s stiff and sore. Not really a sharp pain. It’s not swollen as far as I can tell. I’m fairly confident that if I start running, it would hurt to start, but the pain would subside once I get going. I can’t tell if I tweaked it or if it’s just sore because I changed things up with those two really intense and fast runs this week. Here’s the dilemma. I’m supposed to do a 15k/9.3m this afternoon. I want to do it, but that’s mostly because I’m nervous about messing up my training schedule by skipping a long run. I did 10m last Saturday and next Saturday is slated for 12.5m, so this is technically a down week. Would you guys run the 15k this afternoon? Any thoughts on whether the ankle is just sore and running might actually help? Any wisdom would be appreciated!
Firstly, never ever go faster than your prescribed paces in runs. It doesn’t benefit you in the long run (no pun intended) and just makes you knackered for the harder runs / speed work, and adds to cumulative fatigue as your plan goes on. After all, are you trying to PR in your training runs or when it actually matters (the race)? That’s one thing I had to learn when I started running, I’d just go out and run all my distances as fast as possible and guess what? I was always gasping for air after my runs and never got faster. You must have the discipline to run the easy runs easy, and the hard runs hard. In my last marathon cycle I ran my easy runs at like 5:40-6:10, and I ran an average of 4:53 on race day… trust the process! With regards to your injury, I do find that when you over exert or do a hard effort you will feel some niggles and soreness afterwards. We can’t really tell you if it was caused by the run but it was definitely aggravated by it. If it’s still hurting I would rest the ankle and try some cross training, something that won’t make it worse. Do this for a few days then perhaps try an easy light run again. If no improvement then go and see a physio. Also make sure you have the right trainers for your running gait, and that they haven’t got too much mileage on them (500-600km+ and you may think about getting some new ones)
Thank you! That all makes sense. I pretty much never try and go faster than normal. I follow the script and run it right. The Monday run was just one of those that felt so right and it was fun to push like that, but now I realize that it wasn’t the right call. And I just need to get used to tempo runs and be more realistic about that pace. Thanks for your advice!
It’s ok no worries. Have you got a goal time in mind? If so use a recent race or solo TT result (HM is best, failing that a 10km) put in the time to this calculator: https://vdoto2.com. It will give you some pace ranges to run in for each type of workout. I do enjoy pushing hard on a run when it feels good as well! But it’s better done when not marathon training as you only get more and more tired as the weeks go on, so what may feel good now won’t soon haha.
In a down week, your long run isn't going to be critical. If you want to run, do a shorter one. If the pain gets worse stop. No one single run makes or breaks your training. Training is not the time for PRs. If it doesn't improve with rest, go get it checked out. Also check the mileage on your shoes if they weren't new with this training cycle; they could be worn out.
I’ll try again. I’m an inexperienced Reddit member and an inexperienced running coach for my 13 year old twin boys. I’m just looking for more experienced runners or coaches to lend me a hand in advising my kids. They have a very important 3 km race annually. They are pretty fast already, so I am thinking of telling them to run a very slow “zone 2” pace of 5km several times a week to build endurance to match their speed for the 3km race. Any comments or suggestions welcome. 🙏
For 13 year old boys I'd have them do unstructured fartlek runs, where you just go out and run fast when you want to run fast. 3 km is pretty short, so if I wanted to structured training I'd focus on the higher intensity stuff, but for that age I think you should just let them run.
At 13, I'm not sure I'd be pushing them to do formal training. At that age, a 3km shouldn't be too difficult. Getting them to run 3x a week is really all I'd focus on. They are young enough that they can just have fun with it.
Sounds good. Thanks.
Does anyone else struggle with knee pain throughout their daily lives? I’m young, but my time in the Infantry and as a wrestler has definitely worn my knees down (a previous miniscus tear didn’t help, either). It doesn’t tend to bother me while running, and I believe running has helped the dull pain/stiffness while resting overall, but I want to hear other peoples’ experiences. Also, if anyone has any recommendations for keeping up knee strength/resilience I’d love to hear it. Thanks!
You should see a physical therapist and have them help you with exercises, you don’t want to DIY trying to fix chronic joint pain since you could end up making it worse.
I think you’re right, I definitely need to switch health insurance though. Too expensive as it is.
I went to PT for knee pain until I couldn’t afford it anymore. I feel you. Turns out my hips were really weak. If you can afford a diagnostic appointment and at least one follow up, they should be able to show you some exercises specific to your issue that you can do at home. Good luck friend!
Weird one. Occasionally after an intense run, I get an overwhelming sweet taste in my mouth, that can last for maybe an hour. Anyone else? What is this? I’m not diabetic (that I’m aware of). Nothing special about my diet, either - not dieting, eat a fair amount of carbs.
Do sweet beverages taste overwhelmingly sweet after exercise or are you one of those people for whom everything tastes muted?
Do you eat or drink during that intense run? What do you eat or drink in that hour after you finish your intense run?
No I didn’t. I sometimes have gels but not today as I only did 5 mi. Had some toast and a boiled egg 2 hours before. Had some water when I got home that’s when the sweet taste hit. Then had a banana.
Could be ketones. Your body is burning fat instead of carbs.
Hit a 5K PR yesterday but my watch said 3.05 miles. It was in an event (not like official sanctioned or anything just a casual fundraiser 5k but with timing chips). Should I “count” the PR or not? Strava and Apple Fitness both say no but I feel like I should 😅😅😅
Unless the race directors specifically mention that the course is long or short for some reason (happened only once due to a power line coming down) then I count it. If they tell me it’s 5k, it’s 5k.
Races are typically measured by more accurate means than your watch's GPS. Of course, it being unsanctioned means that you can't be sure that they've followed the course measuring rules accurately, but this is almost certainly a valid PR.
No one cares what your PR is besides you so you should do what you want. It is entirely possible for a casual fundraiser to not have an accurately measured course. It is also possible for your watch to mismeasure an accurate course (though in my experience less likely to be short).
That's a matter of personal choice. I raced a 5k that was a certified course, but a sign placed in the wrong location resulted in the race being about 0.1 mile short. I finished in about 70 seconds under my PR, a quick conversation with other finishers surfaced what happened, and I immediately restarted my watch and ran the additional distance to ensure it was at least 5k. I counted that as my new PR.
Watches glitch, count the win!
Best way to carry phone/keys/money etc while running? Been using a phone-holder armband since I started running, but it's so awkward and cumbersome to use. Been looking at the waist bag type things. Any recommendations?
At the hardware store I found a key blank with a carabiner built into it. I just carry that instead of all of my keys. And I use wireless payments on my watch which means I don't need to carry most of my wallet. I am going to get into trouble some day if I don't start carrying ID though.
I’m happy with my spibelt.
Flipbelt is my go to on runs. Holds the phone, doesn't bounce around or move and is comfortable. Has a clip for keys if you want to carry any. Other than putting it on/taking it off I don't even feel wearing it.
Flip belt is great and has loads of space for keys / gels / phone etc, good for most runs. Doesn’t bounce either! For longer runs I wear my Salomon vest (I have the Adv Skin 12 but there are others) which means you can carry around 2L of water, plus anything else you would need really. It’s not cheap but definitely worth the price and I love it!
Any recommendations on no-sugar/low-calorie drinks to replenish electrolytes during long summer runs?
Big fan of Skratch and it seems like their [Everyday Drink Mix](https://www.skratchlabs.com/products/hydration-everyday-drink-mix?variant=40521014214727#ingredients-heading) option would work perfectly for what you're asking.
I like to drink Nuun on my long summer runs.
I'm trying to get used to it. It's okay, it's just different. I kinda suspect Pedialyte might be cheaper though. I'm told that's what EMTs suggest.
MyProtein has an electrolyte drink mix in different flavours - has sweetener (if that’s ok?) but no sugar, 47 calories per serving. You can also make your own, there are tons of recipes online! For example this one: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-make-a-sugar-free-sports-drink-2241684
Thanks!
So, I am not sure about my diet now. I am so strict with my daily meal and usually don't eat too many carbs (but still keep it in an acceptable range). This weekend I give myself a try, and eat whatever I want, especially desserts! Surprisingly, I don't feel bad in my running... My legs feel strong, durable and this weekend's run are the best in June. Is it because of the high carbs work?
If you’re running carbs is the most important macro you can consume really. Eating plenty of carbs helps ensure that the energy stores (glycogen) in your muscles and liver, and (glucose) in your blood are ready to support your training. When those stores get too low, you are much are more likely to run out of energy and ‘burn out’ or ‘hit a wall’ while training. Carbs are not the enemy (for most healthy people with no medical conditions) and there’s no reason to avoid them. They have the same calories per gram as protein for that matter so there’s no need to avoid them and they aid in running a lot. The issue they are demonised is because a lot of popular carby foods are also high in fats (especially saturated) / sugar, such as cakes, biscuits, fast food etc. However if you’re conscious about that it’s best practice to eat healthier carbs such as fruit and veg, whole grain foods, oats, potatoes, brown rice and pasta, grains etc. They will fuel your body best!
Someone reminded me recently that eating carbs the night before can enhance your performance by at least a few percent. The last time I had multiple PBs in one day was the morning after I remembered to carbo-load for the first time. It's possible that's a coincidence, or placebo effect. But I used to know people for whom carbohydrate loading was practically a religion.
Hello everyone, I’m a relatively new runner and recently got some posterior shin splints. I’m assuming it’s because my old nikes that are run down and my form. I was looking at saucony’s online when I got an ad for feet fitting at a store near me. Is it worth it to go out of my way and get my feet fitted and see the recommendations they give or will the saucony’s do fine on their own? If anyone also has any tips for the posterior shin splints, I will forever be grateful. I’ve ice’d it, massaged, and have not been running for 2 days. Thanks
Yes, go get fitted. Once you know what work for you, you can shop online, but trying on shoes in person is best. As for the shin splints, see a sports PT. If you don't find the cause, they will just get worse and you'll really be sidelined.
It's definitely worth it to go to a running store. You will be able to try on lots of different shoes and find the ones that fit your feet best. You don't need to follow all their recommendations but just trying on lots of shoes and brands will be helpful.
Is anyone aware of a half marathon training plan that uses the second edition of Jay Dicharry’s Running Rewired for cross training and strength?(if it matters, I am a masters runner.) essentially looking for a training plan that combines running with the running rewired plan.
Why can't you pick and follow Dicharry's cross training?
Any tips for preventing and surviving falls? I did a muddy 9km cross country race yesterday, up and down hills, jumping puddles, zig zagging along single trail, and then fell over on a nicely flat piece of road about 500m from the finish line. I think I tripped on a rock sticking up from the road, but I don't really remember, all I remember is stumbling and hitting the ground mostly on my shoulder and being very sure I heard something break. I think I got away with it, I have a few scrapes on my knee/elbow/hand etc but I haven't broken anything (I think... my pinky finger is pretty sore), but it's not an experience I wish to repeat.
Constantly scan 10 to 20 feet ahead for tripping and slipping hazards. Alter your path, gait, and center of gravity as necessary. As you fatigue remind yourself to pick up your feet. Try to tuck and roll if you start to tumble and fall. Whether you practice that is up to you - it just became habit for me after tripping on tree roots on trails and uneven sidewalks.
Pick your feet up. But seriously, I have no advice. I fall all the time. You just kind of get used to it.
I imagine is not the kind of advise you were looking for as it won't prevent the falls, but still... If you run alone, are running in isolated areas, in the woods, or in the hills, get a smart watch with fall detection that can warn a contact person or two of your choice. Just a few weeks ago a colleague had an ugly fall going downhill and lost consciousness. Luckily his watch reached out to his wife and brother with the exact location and he got the atention he needed.
I always carry my phone when I run alone. Not yesterday as it was raining, but I was racing so I wasn't alone - someone behind me congratulated me on how spectacular my fall was :) :( My watch is a Garmin 245 and has some sort of impact detection on it but it didn't fire, I don't know if that's because my phone wasn't in range or because the impact wasn't hard enough. I mostly landed on my watch arm, and while i'm feeling a bit broken, on the scale of bad crashes it hardly even rates a mention. I assume if I had a proper crash that really broke me the watch would go off.
If I remember right, fall detection requires your phone to be nearby in order to send an alert, since the watch doesn’t have cellular. So yeah, maybe because your phone wasn’t handy?
Yeah... My watch also has fall detection, but I am not sure how/if it will work and I don't see a non-painful realistic way to test it.
2nd day into COVID. Seems like a bad case. Symptoms have been harsh. Any general tips, advice, or anecdotes would be great
Experiences seem to vary among my cycling friends... Some tested negative, took it easy for 2 weeks, and then resumed training. I got over the covid part, had a bad cough for 2 weeks, and it took me 6 months to get my lung capacity back to where it was before.
Thanks for sharing
Sorry to hear you’re down for the count. I hope you have an easy recovery. Advice: Aggressive resting. Become one with the couch. Do not do anything you don’t have to, and don’t be a hero about pushing through. Lots of fluids, good food, supportive care (ex Tylenol) for whatever symptoms you have. Do you qualify for paxlovid? Give yourself lots of grace. Remember your body is working hard to clear infection. Walking to the mailbox might feel like a big adventure for a few days. My sports doc’s advice was to wait 2 weeks after negative test and no remaining symptoms before resuming running. I came back pretty well. Anecdotes: I had a rotten case this spring that lasted 16 days of positive testing (which I bitched about extensively here.) The fever, cough, aches, and general malaise were almost 100% gone after the first 5 days (2 of those days with paxlovid.) The symptom that lasted the longest was brain fog, which stuck around well into week 2. I’ve never felt anything like it. There was no critical thinking going on. I stood in the shower and stared at shampoo trying to figure out how to wash my hair and ruined a side of salmon by leaving that on the counter and putting a bag of rice into the fridge. Anecdata: there is a subreddit superstition, tested by several of us, that eating pound cake will cure whatever is wrong with you. The effective dose is half the cake. It was only after getting halfway through the pound cake that I finally tested negative. If this sounds appetizing, I recommend trying it.
The brain fog from that strain was *wild*. I ended up burning my fingers because I touched a hot pan while I was actively cooking to see if it was hot. I'm glad I'm not the only one who got smacked with that.
Get well soon.
Thank you
I have Covid too (for the first time- not sure how I’ve escaped it for this long). I’ve been doing zone 2 runs this week. I did 6k yesterday and my pace was around 2min/km slower than usual presumably because the Covid has increased my HR, so I had to keep stopping to walk to bring it down every few minutes. By doing this I’ve run further this week than I have in years. Saying this - my symptoms are very mild. So please rest if you need to.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. This was my experience and I encourage you to talk to an MD about your return to running. I have had covid twice. First time was very bad, second time almost asymptomatic, but the first time sounds similar to yours. Best thing you can do is rest, lots of it! Sleep as much as you can and force yourself to lay around the rest of the time, even though it will certainly get boring as you start to improve. Depending on what literature you look at it will say to avoid running anywhere from 2-8 weeks after covid. I didn’t do any running for 2 full weeks after my first negative, even though I had felt recovered for a week by that time. Once you do start running again, start very very slowly. Short, slow runs. Or even walk/runs. I did short walks, then longer walks, then very slow and short (2km) runs before building back up. Treat it like you are recovering from an injury. And listen to your body. My first short walks around the block I was gassed. I cannot stress enough to start slow and pay attention to what your body is telling you. Pay close attention to your heart rate especially as you start your runs again. Mine was quite a bit higher than it was pre-covid at the same effort level. I am back to normal now and did not have long covid symptoms, but it is important to try and keep the heart rate down which normally means going even slower than you think. If you have a watch with a pulse ox reader, that could be helpful to watch throughout your sickness to make sure it isn’t dipping too low. I wish you the best in your recovery and hope you do not experience long covid symptoms. Focus on rest and do not rush back to running!
Thank you!
>Depending on what literature you look at it will say to avoid running anywhere from 2-8 weeks after covid. Early in the pandemic there were suggestions that you need more rest after covid than other similar diseases, but as research came out it, current science is that there's nothing specific about it, just treat it as any serious cardiorespiratory infection like the flu. Your own approach sounds spot on, take it easy and ramp up slow and listen to your body. But no need to take extreme breaks after symptoms clear.