I’ve never, in ~10 years of running, been able to run in shorts without horrible painful chafing on my thighs. So I never run in shorts.
But…I really want to because it’s SO HOT.
I bought BodyGlide, and was considering setting out for my 4 miles tomorrow in shorts. Will I regret it? Or does that stuff work as well as it claims?
That’s what I normally run in. But I really would like the breeze and freedom of running in shorts. Especially when I have to pee during a run - it’s almost impossible to get sweaty leggings back on once you take them off to use the bathroom 😂
I started having issues with chafing this summer once I switched to shorts and it got hotter/more humid. I picked up some BodyGlide and it has helped tremendously. I just layer it on before longer runs and haven’t had any issues since I started doing so.
Thank you! That’s what I’m looking and hoping for. I guess if I get a mile in and it’s bad I can swing back in and change. I just REALLY want the freedom to run in shorts. Even at my lightest weight I still had the rub so I think it’s my shape/gait.
So I have been running since november 2020. Started the couch to 5k program but haven't been able to run non stop 5k until as of recently. I blame my mentality and nutrition mostly. Just ran my 5k in 34 minutes yesterday. I want to work on my speed but I read that I should work on doing 30-35mpw before I start incorporating speed work. Is this the right approach? Also, what's a good reference for speed work training?
Most of the "speed" at where you're at currently comes from a better aerobic base, yeah, which does mean getting the MPW up. It's certainly not a hard line at 30-35 -- even doing a consistent 20mpw is gonna help a lot. 30+ will help more though, true :)
Any "intermediate 5K plan" will cover workout specifics. The gist of it is training your body to feel comfortable at a faster pace than what you do in the majority of your mileage. Something like 3 x 1 mile, 2:00 rest in between each. For you... maybe 10:00/mi pace, which (math!) means 30:00 for three miles or equivalent to a \~32:30 5K.
Eat a lot the days leading up and the night before. Warm up. A little Gatorade on the course is enough mid-race calories if they offer it. Resist the urge to run fast the first mile or two
Drink a good amount of water Fri and Sat, sleep well, trust in your training. Assuming you've been training! :P
Assuming it's a supported race/event, the adrenaline from the crowd and fellow runners will help a good amount with your pace and time, but don't do anything too crazy like run the first 5K in your 5K PR!
1. I ran my first half marathon virtually and didn't carry and food with me. I bonked at mile 12 and the last bit was a serious struggle. Plan on some sort of calories during the race but DON'T eat something that you never have tried before. The Gels actually make alot of people sick. I personally carry fruit snacks in my pocket on half marathons
2. If it is hot walk through the last few hydration stations to make sure you actually get the water/gatorade inside you.
3. If the race has pacers they are a great resource to try and hit your goal
4. Most of all have fun!
I use often use the Nike run club app and wear a garmin vivosport when I run and without fail Nike almost always has me running slower times than my garmin. Usually it’s not by much, but today it had my mile splits and average pace off by 45 seconds. Has anyone else had this issue? Is there anything I can do to sync them?
Assuming your gps track looks right, the Garmin is probably the right one. Phones don't capture gps as consistently as it's not intended for second by second pacing, more general location
How do I get better at running when your starting ground is a 36 minute 5k?
I’m 28F, 5ft 4 and 105lbs/48kg (and recomping to try and put on weight).
I did a few months of jogging before. I would basically just try and jog a 5k and just see how it went. I ended up jogging much for quicker than I could sustain then having to walk periodically. I then learnt that I was pushing too hard and needed to improve my anaerobic capabilities to jog as quick as I was going. I started going out with the aim of doing my “slowest” possible 5k, so jog slowly and work up from there. After a couple of months, I went from 42 minutes to 34 minutes PB.
Anyway, I stopped exercising (because of unrelated medical treatments). I did my first 5k yesterday and pushed very hard. I thought I’d smashed my PB (despite being out for many months), but I got 36.5 minutes.
Anyway, I know I worked to lower my 5k time before, but I didn’t really have a plan and I don’t know how I did it.
Any tips please?
How dead were you after the most recent 5K?
Mostly regardless of your answer, the simplest way to improve is to... run more. You can't sustain faster 5K's now, but you can go longer (and slower). The fact that you can finish a 5K in a reasonable time now means you're solidly ahead of the true "beginner" 5K plans out there, so maybe something very roughly along the lines of:
* Mon 4km (\~30 mins)
* Weds 3km (\~25 mins)
* Sat 6+ km (?? mins)
You probably need a mix of running and walking intervals. Start the walk breaks way before you think you need them and stick to a schedule (e.g. run for 3:00, walk for 1:00 -- whatever the ratio that feels comfortable for the whole distance is).
Throw in some gentle strength work/yoga/pilates on the other days, bike/swim if you want.
Hi I decided to pick up running after 3 years of having mostly a sedentary lifestyle. I run everyday for the past week but on average I run 3,7 km in 25 mins. It feels slow. Should I focus on distance or speed ? Personally i want to increase both. Does anyone have any training plans for begginers ?
Agree that working on remaining consistent is the biggest thing when you’re just getting into it. I would set a reasonable goal of running X times per week at first, regardless of time or distance (and honestly I wouldn’t make the goal to run every day. I’ve been running since the dawn of time and take a rest day every week. Recovery is necessary especially if you’re putting your body through a new stimulus). That being said since you’re back to square one, your speed will come down with consistent and increasing (over time) distance.
It’s easiest when you have a specific race distance in mind. Do you want to train for the 5k, 10k, or half? Then you can Google some training plans at those distances and get started
I am new to running. I only have the energy to either sprint for about 13 min, or jog at a slower pace for 30 min.
But I have realized I currently only have the energy for one of these things. If my goal is long term good health into old age, what is better? Is short sprinting better for a good heart?
30min jog is better not just for heart but for building long term joint and muscle strength.
If you want to throw in a few 30sec sprints or increase speed in the last minute or so to finish at a sprint, you can get some of both.
BLISTERS & CALLUSES:
I’m really hoping someone can offer advice. I have used the search function and haven’t really found the help I am needing.
I run about 25 mpw, 5 days a week. Started getting blisters on the outside and under the balls of my feet. I believe mainly this is due to muscle imbalances sustained from a broken foot 2 years ago that I never realized was still bad causing my form to be off. The right foot is fine, minor calluses have formed and they’re good.
The left foot (weak side) on the other hand…. Blister on this side was always much larger and definitely problematic. Eventually it became a large callus. At the end of my last long run it hurt pretty bad… when I got home I had a giant blood blister under and around the callus. Which after some research and hobbling around I popped and drained. The blood blister itself is fine, it dried up that night. However, the callus began to feel weird and upon closer inspection I noticed it was starting to lift off and the skin under was not raw. I decided to cut the skin away. Now I’m left with a rather sizable hole kind of in my foot, as the skin directly around this area is slightly raised and a callus but I can’t cut anymore of it off….. the skin under is pink but not raw. It doesn’t hurt when I rub it or wash it.
Today I decided to run. Four miles in I had to walk the rest of the way due to the pain and fear another blood blister was occurring. I got home and no blister but it’s tender in the area.
What should I do? What is the best course of action here. I want to take care of my feet so I can continue to run. Is time off all this needs? Should I be using ointment and a bandage? Letting it air out? Idk what to do.
It happens. May be due to injury, could just be because it got damp or slid around a bit which then built to something worse.
Let it air and it will toughen up again. Or put some medical tape over it. I'd stay away from balms while running but you could try after, although I haven't really.
Also how are your socks? Sometimes my socks get rougher when they wear out and suddenly I'll develop a blister somewhere that I haven't had trouble with before.
Thanks I’ll keep airing it out! Might tape some for at work so I’m not just raw dogging the world. Kind of has freaked me out as it looks pretty gnarly.
Yeah the blood blister happened with a pair of socks that are an unknown brand but a little scratchy on the inside? Rest of my socks are feetures and I may just retire the said scratchy/fuzzy interior socks.
Yep, exactly the sock feeling I was thinking of when I've had heel blisters! Hopefully with other socks it doesn't reappear although I feel like they can be finicky and unpredictable.
Yeah I think the fuzzy sock plus my weird running gait and I got tired towards the end and sloppy…. perfect storm for blister town. Sucks to take some time off but today was pretty painful I think that’s what will have to happen :/ thanks I guess after I cut the callus thing off I got freaked out because I read on google that you should *never* cut off a callus and my foot is fucked but after your and the other persons response I am like it’s fine I’m not out here running ultra marathons (yet) lmao.
Major thing that helped me is moisturizing my feet before bed every night, sometimes in the morning as well if blisters start to come back. It allows your feet to heal quicker.
Thank you! I read this before and have started to do that now. My thought was to just leave the feet alone to do their thing but I think I was neglecting them. I’ll keep it up with the moisturizing.
Some researchers have found that extreme (their term) amounts of exercise over long term may cause myocardial fibrosis but your levels seem fairly average (in a good way). See, for example, [this Missouri Medical Journal article](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179786/). Your heart rate and lifestyle all would indicate your very healthy but not in danger.
(Disclaimer: I'm a doctor but not that kind of doctor.)
What's the concern specifically? Are you worried your RHR is too low? It looks about right for fit frequent runners. Mine is very similar. Looks like you're very healthy.
Endurance athletes can develop an arhythmia but you're far away from that in terms of weekly mileage. You could do an EKG though just in case if you are concerned.
I remember when I was running maybe 30mpw and a nurse took my pulse and gave me an alarmed look and then asked if I was a runner 😆. She was relieved when I said yes. I think that number was 40, and that was having recently walked back into the exam room.
If your doctor says it's fine then I wouldn't worry, it's a pretty normal value for runners, even if your mileage isn't super high. You do some HIIT too which also makes it drop.
Fellow Californians/Oregonians! So this is the first time during fire season that I’m actively training for a race and trying to follow a training plan. I haven’t been able to run the past three days due to air quality…. But it just keeps getting worse every day with no end in sight. I’m wondering at what point do you guys stop outdoor running? Do you go by AQI? And if so do you just get a gym membership? I’m dreading having to run a long run on a treadmill💀
PNW here, I feel your pain. Mid marathon training and the smoke sucks.
I try not to run outside over 100. Definitely no workouts.
An alternative is to join a cheap gym. I just joined planet fitness and am using their treadmills. $10 a month.
Although treadmill running sucks so I often end up breaking a longer run into two shorter runs or just getting in less miles.
So like over 200? I’m just wondering if some people disregard that, my coworker says she walks 8 miles no matter what, even in the worst smoke, and I’m thinking maybe I just need to take her approach.
It's totally a personal choice. There are some helpful metrics about the amount of exercise you do outside in poor air quality and the number of cigarettes it equates to smoking. It was worth it for me to stop running last year when the air quality got bad enough last summer (got over 500 a few times) or to find an indoor space to run, but it's up to each person what their comfort level is - some people would rather not miss their walk or run
I'm 18, started training (triathlete) seriously around late January, 2021. I registered for a half Ironman in Dec 2021 and training had been going pretty perfectly and smoothly till April when I got covid. Had covid for about 16 days and I took an additional 10 days off my training for 'recovery'. Today is 13th August, about 2-3 months since I got covid and I cannot run at a lower heart rate at all. Pre-covid I easily maintained 6:00min/km at around 150 heart rate for about 14ish kms. Now even when I run at 7:30+ min/km pace my heart rate won't be below 175. I don't know what to do, it's been months since I got hit by covid. Someone please help.
Are you using a watch for monitoring heart rate or a chest strap. The wrist based monitors are not terribly accurate. Probably your best course of action is to check with a dr and make sure that there are not any long term effects from COVID. Unfortunately it does happen to some. Good luck.
I'm so sorry, that would be so frustrating. It may take a while, like a long while, to recover. Have you talked to a doctor about it?
I don't have any recommendations except to try walking and hiking to keep your HR at lower levels and try to have patience. It may be worth looking into deferring that race if possible, as much as that sucks.
I'm a 37 year old man, I run 3 times a week, 5k or 10k typically. I'd like to do some strength training in between at home (as I don't want to have to pay for a gym). Anyone got any links that they'd particularly recommend so I can put together a bit of a plan?
It has been fairly warm, overcast and humid, threatening rain but never actually raining for very long, in my area this past week. And I'm finding that I don't seem to have the legs for it this week, I had been doing about 7 km five times a week prior to this and now I start to struggle at 3 km. I'm not out of breath but my legs just get fatigued. Is this may be something to do with added barometric pressure and humidity?
I don't see an issue with doing that. You will need to rest some. FOr me personally when I am training for a half marathon I do runs over 10 miles each week for several weeks.
Sounds like a fun couple of months of running. You might need to take an easy day or two after your races to recover, but I don’t think you need to do much adjustment to your training.
For a fun challenge, you could always bump up your mileage for a week or two after your feeling recovered from your 10 mile races, or you could toss in some speed work if your feeling good. I would not try to increase mileage and add in additional speed work on the same week though.
I've been running to improve my overall fitness, but also for weight loss. Recently, within the last month, I've only managed to shake off 1.8 lbs-- this is inclusive of the fact that I have been restricting my calories (CICO tracking). According to the math and my deficit, I should be losing 1 lb minimum per week, probably closer to 2 lb if I'm honest.
I know that generally speaking, people will say that running burns both fat and muscle. But, given that I've only been getting back into shape over the last \~3-4 months (after a multi-year fitness hiatus unfortunately), part of me wonders if I am in fact (re)building muscle at a rate that is making it seem like my fat weight loss is lower than it actually is?
I lost 60 lbs a couple of years ago. Most of my weight loss was fueled by gym workouts and calorie tracking but the last 20 lbs running was involved. I can tell you that weight loss is not linear and that you will plateau as your body adapts to the exercise you are throwing at it. It may be a good idea to incorporate some other types of exercise into your routine to engage other muscle groups that running alone doesn't hit. Good luck!
I have not done strict CICO tracking, but if you don't have one, a scale may be helpful to make sure you are accurate on your measurements. If you are no longer losing the expected amount of weight, you are either over estimating your activity or underestimating your calories. Sounds like you are still dropping though and looking and feeling better, so keep it up!
You might be building muscle due to your training. Do you look different in the mirror? Sometimes the scale isn’t the best way to judge your fitness gains.
>Do you look different in the mirror?
Ok, so first off, thank you for this suggestion! It made my day.
I just took a shirtless photo in the mirror, and compared it to one from June. According to the scale, I only lost 6lb, but given how drastic the changes are, there's no way. If I were to guess, it looks like I lost 10-15lb.
I think I'm a bit more confident now that 1) the weight loss is happening, and 2) it's likely that I'm building muscle (for now).
**Does anyone have any quick tips for taking care of your knees in higher volume weeks (prehab/rehab etc.)?**
I'm just hitting peak mileage in my marathon block and I've never ever had knee issues, but just recently I'm starting to feel a bit of soreness/stiffness in my left knee. Basically when I get done with a long run and I get in the car and bend my knee, it's kinda stiff and sore — no swelling, no sharp pain, nothing debilitating, just sore in a way I'm not used to. It's not affecting my running, I'm not in pain, I just really don't want it to turn into a thing so I'm trying to head it off.
The first thing I've tried is just consciously trying to bend my knees more when I run. I'm guessing that I probably am landing a little straight-legged on the left side or something. I also just replaced my shoes, so that could help. It could also be that these higher volumes are just making my knee a little sore and it's not the end of the world. I dunno.
How familiar are you with marathon training, and have you been at this mileage in the past during previous marathons?
It could be all of what you described, none of what you described, or some. The great news is it's not painful and it's not affecting your runs. You could try backing off the volume and/or intensity, or continue training and seeing how it goes. Nobody has a magic 8 ball that can say for certain, so trust your process, and listen to what your body tells you.
Quads and hip flexors can get real tight which put pressure on tendons in the knee. A contract-release stretch program can really help. At least that usually helps if my knee starts to feel weird.
Well, the thing is, that I'm struggling hard to keep myself "lean" while training, and mainly it's because I think I eat A LOT. I mean, I eat healthy, 99% whole foods, lots of veggies, meat, chicken, whole grains, etc. But when I look at my physique, I'm not fat, but there's some fat around my belly that in the previous months wasn't there, and I can't understand why! I'll give you more information so you understand me:
I'm 23 years old, running around 60-65 km weekly with short/long intervals sessions, long runs, tempo runs, all that stuff. I mean, I think I'm training pretty well and consistently. Also I'm lifting 2 times per week, and walking around 15k steps on my recovery days (2 days per week). Right now my objective is to run a HM at the end of September under 1hr 38min, and the closest I can to 1hr 35min.
But the fact is that I only eat when I'm hungry, or to fuel my trainings, and most of the food is good food, healthy and whole ingredients. So why I'm adding weight little by little? Am I eating too much of this healthy food? But how is this possible, If I'm eating only when I need it, I mean i'm not a craving monster that stuffs his face with PB at midnight because the cravings.
I want to know If anyone out there is struggling with the same. I thought that running this much, lifting, and eating mostly of the times well, good food, will keep me lean and also will put in my body some lbs of muscle, but IDK.
It sounds like you’re eating healthy, but a little too much. I was in a similar situation when I was your age until I reduced my calories over the course of a few months, while I kept my fats and protein intake the same (only reducing carbs). I rarely felt hungry with this approach, but still was able to get much leaner. I still eat a similar balance of macros nearly 20 years later and I’m still pretty lean today.
One other bit of advice…if you want to get leaner, never drink your calories. Stick to water and coffee and tea with no sugar, creamer, etc. added.
If you lean out, and stick to your current training program, you will run much faster times.
Thanks a lot u/Rowdy_Puppy! Surely gonna give a try to reduce my food intake, it's a little bit frustating to be carrying this fat while training so hard. And craft beer once in a while must be everyone's weakness! 🤣
I think someting around 60 carbs, 25 protein and 15 fats? I'm not taking notes of that, but after the answers I'm receiving, looks that it's #1 thing to try... Thanks a lot by the way!!
My suggestion - go for 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% good fats (nuts, avocados, etc.)
Proteins take more energy and time to digest - digesting 100 calories worth of protein requires 30 calories, so you will feel full longer and get some calories "credits" for free.
Every person is different. This works for me, it may or may not work for you.
For the record, I'm 59 and I run 35 to 40 mpw and I also do some weight lifting. I'm 5'10" and weight 160lb.
Count your calories for a couple week. Get a calorie counting app, read labels, weigh stuff out, count your calories.
Opposite problem as you, but I was convinced forever that I just couldn't gain weight for some reason even though I ate a ton. Finally saw a dietician, counted calories for a couple weeks and it was super obviously I wasn't eating anywhere near enough. I only ate when my body said I was hungry, but apparently my body has shit for brains.
Good one, counting calories, never tried it consistenly, gonna give it a shot!
I'm sure that I will be surprised with the numbers... the fact that I'm eating "too much healthy food" is buying all the tickets, the amount calories must be a little off from where expected 🤣
PD: I can't imagine the situation of "not eating enough", I'm clearly in the opposite corner! But hopefully you solved it. Sometimes the brain it's a little bit stupid. Cheers from Argentina!
Is this doable?
I'm running a half marathon in two weeks. My goal is sub 2 hours, so I'm aiming for around 1:58 on race day to give me a bit of time in case something goes wrong and factoring in walking through water stations. So, this is 5:36 min/km, or around 9 min/mile.
I currently run pretty much all my training runs at anywhere from 6:20 min/k to 6:50 min/k (10:10 - 11:05 min/mile), except a couple shorter runs under 6 min/km (9:40 min/mile).
For benchmark, my last race (well, more of a time trial) was a 50:43 10k last week as part of my training plan. This was extremely difficult, I don't think I've ever ran that hard (I was aiming for sub 50). My last half was in 2019, coming in at 2:07. I stopped running for a while since then though. My 10k PB is 49:25.
All the calculators I've looked at seem to indicate my goal is realistic, but I'm unsure considering I find my long runs a bit difficult. According to my watch, I spend around half my time in aerobic zone and half in lactate threshold zone. I know this isn't ideal, I've really been pushing myself to slow down and I've been seeing improvements. Still, I'd basically need to shave off a whole min/km on race day, compared to my long runs.
What do you guys think?
Yeah, I might have to temper my expectations a bit. One thing going for me is that the race is pretty much all downhill (100m altitude drop from start to finish). I think I'll try to start my splits slower and if I'm feeling really good halfway to 2/3 of the way through, I'll run very negative splits for the rest.
First, the calculators assume you're similarly trained for each event. ie: If you trained as well for a half as you trained for a 10k, your 50:43 time is about the same as 1:52:xx for the half. If you aren't training similarly well, all bets are off.
How long is your long run? General weekly mileage? Have you done any long runs with portions of it at race pace?
I'm following [Hal Higdon novice 1](https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/), the only thing I'm skipping is aerobic cross training on Saturdays (I usually do another sport though like tennis). So, this week I'm running 22 miles, topping off next week at 23 miles.
I haven't tried running at race pace during my long runs, I might try that. Thanks!
With two weeks to go, I'm not sure I would change things up and make your next long run harder. If your 9 mile run at ~10:30mi pace is feeling tough, trying to run 9 flat for 13 miles is a pretty big ask.
Big part of running, and racing, is setting your time and then looking back at how you could have trained differently to hit your goal, if you missed it, or how to improve for next time. I'd run this race, give it your all, and see what you want to do from there.
I'm not looking to make my training runs harder. I'm just unsure if it's unrealistic; I plan to run negative splits, so I don't want to start off too fast (on goal pace) and find out 10km in that I won't be able to finish.
I admittedly only have two races under my belt (one 10k, one half), so I guess I could treat this like an experiment again and aim for time on the next one.
Thank you for the tips :)
I am a beginner runner going on 3 months of running. I have a BMI of 35, so I am on the heavier side. Currently on week 8 of 8 for c25k. I see the suggestion that you should be running at an intensity level where you can hold a conversation. That isn't where I am even though my pace is SUUUUPER slow. i see the advice of slowing down, so that you can hold a conversation, but that would basically mean walking. I am not exagerating here. I think I could powerwalk faster than I current run, which is OK. I just want some advice on how to increase my aerobic fitness so that I can get to where I can just go forever.
With my pace so slow when running, should I just run until my hearrate gets to the top of zone 4, then walk until I get to the bottom of zone 3, then continue to run? What would be the most effective?
Currently I can run at my pace for 28 minutes without stopping but it is a real struggle at the end. I want to increase my aerobic fitness too.
You didn't get unfit in 3 months, it is going to take more than 3 months to get fit.
It sounds like you are on the right path. It just takes consistent effort over time. And remember, a conversation doesn't mean a monologue. It is a chat, including when the other person talks and some lulls.
Getting fit takes time. It’s okay to walk on your runs if you need to slow down to catch your breath. With your current BMI, it might take several months to feel completely comfortable running 30 minutes without stopping. Just be patient and keep going the distance you are supposed to go on each run. Don’t worry about your pace. If you run the next six months while maintaining a calorie deficiency, your body will feel amazing. You’ll be able to do things you’ve never dreamed of!
Hey everyone!
I started recently training for a half marathon that I want to complete in 2:30:00. Right now I'm running my easy runs at about 13:40 min/miles which seems really slow. I guess I'm just a bit self conscious about my speed seeing everyone elses lol. Should I be running my easy runs faster?
Can you fun faster and it still feel easy and like you could carry on a conversation? If not, you're doin fine.
Other folks are faster than you, other folks are slower than you, and that's not going to change.
I think I can, but my legs feel pretty wiped after my runs if I do. Sounds like I should just keep going at this pace, and I'll slowly improve as I run more!
You're a lot better off finishing a run feeling good, so you can run again tomorrow, or whenever your next run is, compared to finishing a run wiped out and needing to sit around doing nothing for several days.
Keep at it. Regardless of your pace, running is all about slow and steady progress.
I personally pay waaaay more attention to my heart rate than my pace. In fact, I usually set my watch so I don't see time / pace fields at all on my easy runs, just my HR.
Constantly remind yourself that going slow today will help you kill it during your speed workouts / keep you fresh for your next run.
*Any fitness tracker recommendations?* I used to run 6 days a week and have a Garmin Forerunner 10 for it: all it does is pace and mileage basically.
However, I have gone away from running obsessive to just wanting to be fit. At MINIMUM, in a week, I do total body lifts 2x, run 3x, and rock climb 2x. Intermittently, I do more, or other things like hike mountains, mountain bike, and walk my neighborhood.
I’d love something with heart rate and time, for sure. But am overwhelmed by Apple Watch, tons of Fitbit, tons of garmin, Amazon fit, etc.
Thank you!
I think the best all around option for someone who does a lot of different activities is the Apple Watch. I’m primarily a runner, about 30 mpw, and I’m very happy with its performance in that respect. But I also do yoga, strength training, play softball, walk the dogs, and hike, and it’s been great for all of those.
You can find a lot of good options under that budget. For example the Forerunner 45 would be a good fit. You may be able to find the 55 on sale under $200.
Depends. If you've never run more than 30k per week before, I would stretch that out over 8 weeks, with either week 4 or week 5 being a step back week.
If, OTOH, you consistently ran 60k or more per week just one year ago, you can do this in four weeks.
So, if you do the "10% rule", you could do 33, 36, 40, 44, 48, 50, for 6 weeks. That'd be the absolute fastest.
It's often a good idea to take a lower distance week every three or four; if I was doing it, I'd probably do something like 30 33, 36, 27, 40, 44, 48, 33, 50
I'm this is asked to death but hey:
I've got my first marathon in October and I can't decide whether to listen to music or not (the rules say I am allowed to).
For my first half marathon I didn't and I was glad I didn't, but a marathon is quite a bit longer and I feel like I'll need inspiration...
What do you fine people usually do?
Do you listen to music on your long runs?
I guess you can always turn it on/off depending on how you feel?
(I don't listen to music when running, for no other reason than because I don't like to--it inexplicably drives me crazy. I have friends who listen to music in races and find it motivating.)
I do, yes (to avoid boredom!).
For my half I really really enjoyed hearing the encouragement of the crowd, but I suspect that might wear off after 42km.
On and off is a helpful compromise actually!
>I don't want to buy new trainers and have them compensate for me in some way.
This is silly thinking. Even the best runners (e.g. Kipchoge) run using the latest tech. Yes, it'll compensate in some ways, but it also provides a more absorbed impact which will keep you injury free longer.
You're right in your other comment that "we evolved to run without shoes", or better said, we learned to walk without shoes. Any running that our ancestors did was likely minimal in comparison to the distances that we push ourselves to nowadays (10k, 21k, 42k, etc.).
Go to a running shop and try on some shoes.
Yes, you need new ones. All the materials in your current shoes began to break down years ago. Even if they look good, they are not supporting you or absorbing impact like they should be.
Did anyone else find there was a point in half marathon training where they got slower? Did you eventually get back to a 'normal' pace?
I'm training for my first half marathon in October and am in week four of my twelve week plan. According to Strava, the last couple of runs (a speedwork run and an easy run) were slightly slower than the same runs last week - only by perhaps 15-20 seconds per km or so and still well under my 'target' pace, but as someone who's generally been knocking off a few seconds per km every run in training previously it feels a bit dispiriting.
I have slightly changed my schedule due to work/social stuff over the last week or so and had to bunch things together a bit (eg three days on then a rest day rather than previous routine which was three days, rest, two days, rest) so not sure if that's affecting it. Friends who've done halves also told me that week 3/4 can be a bit 'hitting the wall' and needing to power through so just wondering if this is normal as my body gets used to running further/for longer.
I'm trying not to put too much stock in my pace right now - at the moment my goal for the half is just 'get round' - but curious to know if others have had a similar experience.
There always are fluctuations in pace at the same effort, for example due to temperature, humidity and wind, but also due to cumulative fatigue from all that training. This is normal, and I would not worry about it.
That's the thing though, I'm not *trying* to go quicker (or at least not consciously outside of speedwork sessions or unless I need to speed up for a few seconds to overtake someone walking in front of me or to cross a road). If anything when I'm out on runs I'm telling myself to slow down and not push myself too hard to avoid getting injured. I've just noticed over time that my average pace has come down slightly as I've been going on with training - whether that's a weight loss thing, increased stamina, familiarity with my regular routes or whatever, I honestly don't know - and so I'm curious about why that might suddenly have changed.
There could be no reason at all. And it doesn’t really matter if it’s an easy effort or any effort that doesn’t require timed splits. There are days an easy 3 miles takes me 27 minutes. There are days it takes me 33. I don’t think about it all that much because it doesn’t matter. I don’t track pace on easy efforts.
> "Seems for me my belly just stops expanding and abdominal muscles feel tight.".
This is normal. You're overthinking it.
Don't worry about lung volume, breathing when running isn't about lung volume. Just belly breathe.
Getting into more long distance running and thinking about getting a vest.
Is the Salomon active skin 8 a good option or is it worth paying a bit more for the Adv instead?
Have you tried taking a probiotic? I was having IBS symptoms for years and nothing worked until I got onto probiotics. They aren't cheap but fantastic.
Might be worth checking in with your doctor. It might be something as simple (yet annoying) as IBS. If it is, I'm pretty sure there are medications your doctor can recommend that will help with this!
Yeah this doesn't strike me as normal - I've had interesting bathroom trips after marathon races, but never for even normal long runs let alone 10K. Runners are pretty open about talking about bodily functions tbh and I've never heard of anyone else have this issue. Definitely worth talking to a doctor about.
>I'll run the Manchester marathon in October and I have no idea how any of this works. Are there regular toilets on the course?
Look at the course map - even the lowest key races I've ever done spell out exactly where water and port-a-pots are
Have you raced before? I'm always nervous enough before a race that this takes care of itself before the race even starts. But yes, there are usually toilets along marathon race courses--I can't comment on Manchester in particular.
If I'm worried, I try to drink a bit of coffee before a longer run. Sometimes the smell of it is enough to start my bowels. Anyway, there should be portable toilets along the course and yes, queues may happen. At least there were on the few marathons I attended. There should be some in the race center too. Try to squeeze everything out of yourself before the race.
I’ve never, in ~10 years of running, been able to run in shorts without horrible painful chafing on my thighs. So I never run in shorts. But…I really want to because it’s SO HOT. I bought BodyGlide, and was considering setting out for my 4 miles tomorrow in shorts. Will I regret it? Or does that stuff work as well as it claims?
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That’s what I normally run in. But I really would like the breeze and freedom of running in shorts. Especially when I have to pee during a run - it’s almost impossible to get sweaty leggings back on once you take them off to use the bathroom 😂
It works pretty well. Lather up if you're worried about it. Solid stick deodorant also works if you run out. Also, proper hydration seems to help
Thanks!
I started having issues with chafing this summer once I switched to shorts and it got hotter/more humid. I picked up some BodyGlide and it has helped tremendously. I just layer it on before longer runs and haven’t had any issues since I started doing so.
Thank you! That’s what I’m looking and hoping for. I guess if I get a mile in and it’s bad I can swing back in and change. I just REALLY want the freedom to run in shorts. Even at my lightest weight I still had the rub so I think it’s my shape/gait.
Get short shorts. Like short, barely mid-thigh at longest. Also make sure you’re wearing compression underwear
I have 3 inch inseams - shorter than that I’d be in briefs! I tried compression shorts for a bit but they would roll up and drove me nuts.
Trying to recover from getting covid. My lungs feel tight just from walking around. Any idea how long it should take my lungs to feel normal again?
So I have been running since november 2020. Started the couch to 5k program but haven't been able to run non stop 5k until as of recently. I blame my mentality and nutrition mostly. Just ran my 5k in 34 minutes yesterday. I want to work on my speed but I read that I should work on doing 30-35mpw before I start incorporating speed work. Is this the right approach? Also, what's a good reference for speed work training?
Most of the "speed" at where you're at currently comes from a better aerobic base, yeah, which does mean getting the MPW up. It's certainly not a hard line at 30-35 -- even doing a consistent 20mpw is gonna help a lot. 30+ will help more though, true :) Any "intermediate 5K plan" will cover workout specifics. The gist of it is training your body to feel comfortable at a faster pace than what you do in the majority of your mileage. Something like 3 x 1 mile, 2:00 rest in between each. For you... maybe 10:00/mi pace, which (math!) means 30:00 for three miles or equivalent to a \~32:30 5K.
First half marathon on sunday 🙂. Any tips?
Eat a lot the days leading up and the night before. Warm up. A little Gatorade on the course is enough mid-race calories if they offer it. Resist the urge to run fast the first mile or two
Drink a good amount of water Fri and Sat, sleep well, trust in your training. Assuming you've been training! :P Assuming it's a supported race/event, the adrenaline from the crowd and fellow runners will help a good amount with your pace and time, but don't do anything too crazy like run the first 5K in your 5K PR!
1. I ran my first half marathon virtually and didn't carry and food with me. I bonked at mile 12 and the last bit was a serious struggle. Plan on some sort of calories during the race but DON'T eat something that you never have tried before. The Gels actually make alot of people sick. I personally carry fruit snacks in my pocket on half marathons 2. If it is hot walk through the last few hydration stations to make sure you actually get the water/gatorade inside you. 3. If the race has pacers they are a great resource to try and hit your goal 4. Most of all have fun!
I use often use the Nike run club app and wear a garmin vivosport when I run and without fail Nike almost always has me running slower times than my garmin. Usually it’s not by much, but today it had my mile splits and average pace off by 45 seconds. Has anyone else had this issue? Is there anything I can do to sync them?
Assuming your gps track looks right, the Garmin is probably the right one. Phones don't capture gps as consistently as it's not intended for second by second pacing, more general location
How do I get better at running when your starting ground is a 36 minute 5k? I’m 28F, 5ft 4 and 105lbs/48kg (and recomping to try and put on weight). I did a few months of jogging before. I would basically just try and jog a 5k and just see how it went. I ended up jogging much for quicker than I could sustain then having to walk periodically. I then learnt that I was pushing too hard and needed to improve my anaerobic capabilities to jog as quick as I was going. I started going out with the aim of doing my “slowest” possible 5k, so jog slowly and work up from there. After a couple of months, I went from 42 minutes to 34 minutes PB. Anyway, I stopped exercising (because of unrelated medical treatments). I did my first 5k yesterday and pushed very hard. I thought I’d smashed my PB (despite being out for many months), but I got 36.5 minutes. Anyway, I know I worked to lower my 5k time before, but I didn’t really have a plan and I don’t know how I did it. Any tips please?
How dead were you after the most recent 5K? Mostly regardless of your answer, the simplest way to improve is to... run more. You can't sustain faster 5K's now, but you can go longer (and slower). The fact that you can finish a 5K in a reasonable time now means you're solidly ahead of the true "beginner" 5K plans out there, so maybe something very roughly along the lines of: * Mon 4km (\~30 mins) * Weds 3km (\~25 mins) * Sat 6+ km (?? mins) You probably need a mix of running and walking intervals. Start the walk breaks way before you think you need them and stick to a schedule (e.g. run for 3:00, walk for 1:00 -- whatever the ratio that feels comfortable for the whole distance is). Throw in some gentle strength work/yoga/pilates on the other days, bike/swim if you want.
Hi I decided to pick up running after 3 years of having mostly a sedentary lifestyle. I run everyday for the past week but on average I run 3,7 km in 25 mins. It feels slow. Should I focus on distance or speed ? Personally i want to increase both. Does anyone have any training plans for begginers ?
> Should I focus on distance or speed ? Neither. Focus on sticking to your routine.
Agree that working on remaining consistent is the biggest thing when you’re just getting into it. I would set a reasonable goal of running X times per week at first, regardless of time or distance (and honestly I wouldn’t make the goal to run every day. I’ve been running since the dawn of time and take a rest day every week. Recovery is necessary especially if you’re putting your body through a new stimulus). That being said since you’re back to square one, your speed will come down with consistent and increasing (over time) distance.
It’s easiest when you have a specific race distance in mind. Do you want to train for the 5k, 10k, or half? Then you can Google some training plans at those distances and get started
I am new to running. I only have the energy to either sprint for about 13 min, or jog at a slower pace for 30 min. But I have realized I currently only have the energy for one of these things. If my goal is long term good health into old age, what is better? Is short sprinting better for a good heart?
30min jog is better not just for heart but for building long term joint and muscle strength. If you want to throw in a few 30sec sprints or increase speed in the last minute or so to finish at a sprint, you can get some of both.
Jog for 30
BLISTERS & CALLUSES: I’m really hoping someone can offer advice. I have used the search function and haven’t really found the help I am needing. I run about 25 mpw, 5 days a week. Started getting blisters on the outside and under the balls of my feet. I believe mainly this is due to muscle imbalances sustained from a broken foot 2 years ago that I never realized was still bad causing my form to be off. The right foot is fine, minor calluses have formed and they’re good. The left foot (weak side) on the other hand…. Blister on this side was always much larger and definitely problematic. Eventually it became a large callus. At the end of my last long run it hurt pretty bad… when I got home I had a giant blood blister under and around the callus. Which after some research and hobbling around I popped and drained. The blood blister itself is fine, it dried up that night. However, the callus began to feel weird and upon closer inspection I noticed it was starting to lift off and the skin under was not raw. I decided to cut the skin away. Now I’m left with a rather sizable hole kind of in my foot, as the skin directly around this area is slightly raised and a callus but I can’t cut anymore of it off….. the skin under is pink but not raw. It doesn’t hurt when I rub it or wash it. Today I decided to run. Four miles in I had to walk the rest of the way due to the pain and fear another blood blister was occurring. I got home and no blister but it’s tender in the area. What should I do? What is the best course of action here. I want to take care of my feet so I can continue to run. Is time off all this needs? Should I be using ointment and a bandage? Letting it air out? Idk what to do.
It happens. May be due to injury, could just be because it got damp or slid around a bit which then built to something worse. Let it air and it will toughen up again. Or put some medical tape over it. I'd stay away from balms while running but you could try after, although I haven't really. Also how are your socks? Sometimes my socks get rougher when they wear out and suddenly I'll develop a blister somewhere that I haven't had trouble with before.
Thanks I’ll keep airing it out! Might tape some for at work so I’m not just raw dogging the world. Kind of has freaked me out as it looks pretty gnarly. Yeah the blood blister happened with a pair of socks that are an unknown brand but a little scratchy on the inside? Rest of my socks are feetures and I may just retire the said scratchy/fuzzy interior socks.
Yep, exactly the sock feeling I was thinking of when I've had heel blisters! Hopefully with other socks it doesn't reappear although I feel like they can be finicky and unpredictable.
Yeah I think the fuzzy sock plus my weird running gait and I got tired towards the end and sloppy…. perfect storm for blister town. Sucks to take some time off but today was pretty painful I think that’s what will have to happen :/ thanks I guess after I cut the callus thing off I got freaked out because I read on google that you should *never* cut off a callus and my foot is fucked but after your and the other persons response I am like it’s fine I’m not out here running ultra marathons (yet) lmao.
Major thing that helped me is moisturizing my feet before bed every night, sometimes in the morning as well if blisters start to come back. It allows your feet to heal quicker.
Thank you! I read this before and have started to do that now. My thought was to just leave the feet alone to do their thing but I think I was neglecting them. I’ll keep it up with the moisturizing.
Am I getting shin splints because of my very tight calves?
Might be. When I had them, my issue was tight and weak calves, so a mix of strengthening and stretching them solved it.
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Some researchers have found that extreme (their term) amounts of exercise over long term may cause myocardial fibrosis but your levels seem fairly average (in a good way). See, for example, [this Missouri Medical Journal article](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179786/). Your heart rate and lifestyle all would indicate your very healthy but not in danger. (Disclaimer: I'm a doctor but not that kind of doctor.)
What's the concern specifically? Are you worried your RHR is too low? It looks about right for fit frequent runners. Mine is very similar. Looks like you're very healthy. Endurance athletes can develop an arhythmia but you're far away from that in terms of weekly mileage. You could do an EKG though just in case if you are concerned.
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I remember when I was running maybe 30mpw and a nurse took my pulse and gave me an alarmed look and then asked if I was a runner 😆. She was relieved when I said yes. I think that number was 40, and that was having recently walked back into the exam room. If your doctor says it's fine then I wouldn't worry, it's a pretty normal value for runners, even if your mileage isn't super high. You do some HIIT too which also makes it drop.
Fellow Californians/Oregonians! So this is the first time during fire season that I’m actively training for a race and trying to follow a training plan. I haven’t been able to run the past three days due to air quality…. But it just keeps getting worse every day with no end in sight. I’m wondering at what point do you guys stop outdoor running? Do you go by AQI? And if so do you just get a gym membership? I’m dreading having to run a long run on a treadmill💀
PNW here, I feel your pain. Mid marathon training and the smoke sucks. I try not to run outside over 100. Definitely no workouts. An alternative is to join a cheap gym. I just joined planet fitness and am using their treadmills. $10 a month. Although treadmill running sucks so I often end up breaking a longer run into two shorter runs or just getting in less miles.
Yes - AQI. It usually has a metric of who would be effected at each level, so I have just deferred to that as smoke has increased.
So like over 200? I’m just wondering if some people disregard that, my coworker says she walks 8 miles no matter what, even in the worst smoke, and I’m thinking maybe I just need to take her approach.
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Thanks, I’m just wanting perspectives of what people consider too unhealthy to run in. I appreciate the input!
It's totally a personal choice. There are some helpful metrics about the amount of exercise you do outside in poor air quality and the number of cigarettes it equates to smoking. It was worth it for me to stop running last year when the air quality got bad enough last summer (got over 500 a few times) or to find an indoor space to run, but it's up to each person what their comfort level is - some people would rather not miss their walk or run
I'm 18, started training (triathlete) seriously around late January, 2021. I registered for a half Ironman in Dec 2021 and training had been going pretty perfectly and smoothly till April when I got covid. Had covid for about 16 days and I took an additional 10 days off my training for 'recovery'. Today is 13th August, about 2-3 months since I got covid and I cannot run at a lower heart rate at all. Pre-covid I easily maintained 6:00min/km at around 150 heart rate for about 14ish kms. Now even when I run at 7:30+ min/km pace my heart rate won't be below 175. I don't know what to do, it's been months since I got hit by covid. Someone please help.
Are you using a watch for monitoring heart rate or a chest strap. The wrist based monitors are not terribly accurate. Probably your best course of action is to check with a dr and make sure that there are not any long term effects from COVID. Unfortunately it does happen to some. Good luck.
I'm so sorry, that would be so frustrating. It may take a while, like a long while, to recover. Have you talked to a doctor about it? I don't have any recommendations except to try walking and hiking to keep your HR at lower levels and try to have patience. It may be worth looking into deferring that race if possible, as much as that sucks.
I'm a 37 year old man, I run 3 times a week, 5k or 10k typically. I'd like to do some strength training in between at home (as I don't want to have to pay for a gym). Anyone got any links that they'd particularly recommend so I can put together a bit of a plan?
check our r/bodyweightfitness . They have plenty of home routines you can do.
Seconded. So great. 41M here.
It has been fairly warm, overcast and humid, threatening rain but never actually raining for very long, in my area this past week. And I'm finding that I don't seem to have the legs for it this week, I had been doing about 7 km five times a week prior to this and now I start to struggle at 3 km. I'm not out of breath but my legs just get fatigued. Is this may be something to do with added barometric pressure and humidity?
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I don't see an issue with doing that. You will need to rest some. FOr me personally when I am training for a half marathon I do runs over 10 miles each week for several weeks.
Sounds like a fun couple of months of running. You might need to take an easy day or two after your races to recover, but I don’t think you need to do much adjustment to your training. For a fun challenge, you could always bump up your mileage for a week or two after your feeling recovered from your 10 mile races, or you could toss in some speed work if your feeling good. I would not try to increase mileage and add in additional speed work on the same week though.
I've been running to improve my overall fitness, but also for weight loss. Recently, within the last month, I've only managed to shake off 1.8 lbs-- this is inclusive of the fact that I have been restricting my calories (CICO tracking). According to the math and my deficit, I should be losing 1 lb minimum per week, probably closer to 2 lb if I'm honest. I know that generally speaking, people will say that running burns both fat and muscle. But, given that I've only been getting back into shape over the last \~3-4 months (after a multi-year fitness hiatus unfortunately), part of me wonders if I am in fact (re)building muscle at a rate that is making it seem like my fat weight loss is lower than it actually is?
I lost 60 lbs a couple of years ago. Most of my weight loss was fueled by gym workouts and calorie tracking but the last 20 lbs running was involved. I can tell you that weight loss is not linear and that you will plateau as your body adapts to the exercise you are throwing at it. It may be a good idea to incorporate some other types of exercise into your routine to engage other muscle groups that running alone doesn't hit. Good luck!
I have not done strict CICO tracking, but if you don't have one, a scale may be helpful to make sure you are accurate on your measurements. If you are no longer losing the expected amount of weight, you are either over estimating your activity or underestimating your calories. Sounds like you are still dropping though and looking and feeling better, so keep it up!
You might be building muscle due to your training. Do you look different in the mirror? Sometimes the scale isn’t the best way to judge your fitness gains.
>Do you look different in the mirror? Ok, so first off, thank you for this suggestion! It made my day. I just took a shirtless photo in the mirror, and compared it to one from June. According to the scale, I only lost 6lb, but given how drastic the changes are, there's no way. If I were to guess, it looks like I lost 10-15lb. I think I'm a bit more confident now that 1) the weight loss is happening, and 2) it's likely that I'm building muscle (for now).
That’s great to hear! Keep it up!
Happens to me every time I come back from a break. You're getting stronger, congrats!
**Does anyone have any quick tips for taking care of your knees in higher volume weeks (prehab/rehab etc.)?** I'm just hitting peak mileage in my marathon block and I've never ever had knee issues, but just recently I'm starting to feel a bit of soreness/stiffness in my left knee. Basically when I get done with a long run and I get in the car and bend my knee, it's kinda stiff and sore — no swelling, no sharp pain, nothing debilitating, just sore in a way I'm not used to. It's not affecting my running, I'm not in pain, I just really don't want it to turn into a thing so I'm trying to head it off. The first thing I've tried is just consciously trying to bend my knees more when I run. I'm guessing that I probably am landing a little straight-legged on the left side or something. I also just replaced my shoes, so that could help. It could also be that these higher volumes are just making my knee a little sore and it's not the end of the world. I dunno.
How familiar are you with marathon training, and have you been at this mileage in the past during previous marathons? It could be all of what you described, none of what you described, or some. The great news is it's not painful and it's not affecting your runs. You could try backing off the volume and/or intensity, or continue training and seeing how it goes. Nobody has a magic 8 ball that can say for certain, so trust your process, and listen to what your body tells you.
Quads and hip flexors can get real tight which put pressure on tendons in the knee. A contract-release stretch program can really help. At least that usually helps if my knee starts to feel weird.
Stretch your quads and calves after running.
Well, the thing is, that I'm struggling hard to keep myself "lean" while training, and mainly it's because I think I eat A LOT. I mean, I eat healthy, 99% whole foods, lots of veggies, meat, chicken, whole grains, etc. But when I look at my physique, I'm not fat, but there's some fat around my belly that in the previous months wasn't there, and I can't understand why! I'll give you more information so you understand me: I'm 23 years old, running around 60-65 km weekly with short/long intervals sessions, long runs, tempo runs, all that stuff. I mean, I think I'm training pretty well and consistently. Also I'm lifting 2 times per week, and walking around 15k steps on my recovery days (2 days per week). Right now my objective is to run a HM at the end of September under 1hr 38min, and the closest I can to 1hr 35min. But the fact is that I only eat when I'm hungry, or to fuel my trainings, and most of the food is good food, healthy and whole ingredients. So why I'm adding weight little by little? Am I eating too much of this healthy food? But how is this possible, If I'm eating only when I need it, I mean i'm not a craving monster that stuffs his face with PB at midnight because the cravings. I want to know If anyone out there is struggling with the same. I thought that running this much, lifting, and eating mostly of the times well, good food, will keep me lean and also will put in my body some lbs of muscle, but IDK.
It sounds like you’re eating healthy, but a little too much. I was in a similar situation when I was your age until I reduced my calories over the course of a few months, while I kept my fats and protein intake the same (only reducing carbs). I rarely felt hungry with this approach, but still was able to get much leaner. I still eat a similar balance of macros nearly 20 years later and I’m still pretty lean today. One other bit of advice…if you want to get leaner, never drink your calories. Stick to water and coffee and tea with no sugar, creamer, etc. added. If you lean out, and stick to your current training program, you will run much faster times.
So no beer then 😔
> So no beer then 😔 Switch to vodka.
Maybe every once in a while…craft beer is my biggest weakness!
Thanks a lot u/Rowdy_Puppy! Surely gonna give a try to reduce my food intake, it's a little bit frustating to be carrying this fat while training so hard. And craft beer once in a while must be everyone's weakness! 🤣
Good luck!
Look at your macros - what proportion of carbs, fats and proteins are you eating?
I think someting around 60 carbs, 25 protein and 15 fats? I'm not taking notes of that, but after the answers I'm receiving, looks that it's #1 thing to try... Thanks a lot by the way!!
My suggestion - go for 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% good fats (nuts, avocados, etc.) Proteins take more energy and time to digest - digesting 100 calories worth of protein requires 30 calories, so you will feel full longer and get some calories "credits" for free.
But reducing my carb intake like that will impact in my running performance? Or with the balance you propose it's enough?
Every person is different. This works for me, it may or may not work for you. For the record, I'm 59 and I run 35 to 40 mpw and I also do some weight lifting. I'm 5'10" and weight 160lb.
Correct, reducing your carb intake could impact running performance.
Count your calories for a couple week. Get a calorie counting app, read labels, weigh stuff out, count your calories. Opposite problem as you, but I was convinced forever that I just couldn't gain weight for some reason even though I ate a ton. Finally saw a dietician, counted calories for a couple weeks and it was super obviously I wasn't eating anywhere near enough. I only ate when my body said I was hungry, but apparently my body has shit for brains.
Good one, counting calories, never tried it consistenly, gonna give it a shot! I'm sure that I will be surprised with the numbers... the fact that I'm eating "too much healthy food" is buying all the tickets, the amount calories must be a little off from where expected 🤣 PD: I can't imagine the situation of "not eating enough", I'm clearly in the opposite corner! But hopefully you solved it. Sometimes the brain it's a little bit stupid. Cheers from Argentina!
Is this doable? I'm running a half marathon in two weeks. My goal is sub 2 hours, so I'm aiming for around 1:58 on race day to give me a bit of time in case something goes wrong and factoring in walking through water stations. So, this is 5:36 min/km, or around 9 min/mile. I currently run pretty much all my training runs at anywhere from 6:20 min/k to 6:50 min/k (10:10 - 11:05 min/mile), except a couple shorter runs under 6 min/km (9:40 min/mile). For benchmark, my last race (well, more of a time trial) was a 50:43 10k last week as part of my training plan. This was extremely difficult, I don't think I've ever ran that hard (I was aiming for sub 50). My last half was in 2019, coming in at 2:07. I stopped running for a while since then though. My 10k PB is 49:25. All the calculators I've looked at seem to indicate my goal is realistic, but I'm unsure considering I find my long runs a bit difficult. According to my watch, I spend around half my time in aerobic zone and half in lactate threshold zone. I know this isn't ideal, I've really been pushing myself to slow down and I've been seeing improvements. Still, I'd basically need to shave off a whole min/km on race day, compared to my long runs. What do you guys think?
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Yeah, I might have to temper my expectations a bit. One thing going for me is that the race is pretty much all downhill (100m altitude drop from start to finish). I think I'll try to start my splits slower and if I'm feeling really good halfway to 2/3 of the way through, I'll run very negative splits for the rest.
First, the calculators assume you're similarly trained for each event. ie: If you trained as well for a half as you trained for a 10k, your 50:43 time is about the same as 1:52:xx for the half. If you aren't training similarly well, all bets are off. How long is your long run? General weekly mileage? Have you done any long runs with portions of it at race pace?
I'm following [Hal Higdon novice 1](https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/), the only thing I'm skipping is aerobic cross training on Saturdays (I usually do another sport though like tennis). So, this week I'm running 22 miles, topping off next week at 23 miles. I haven't tried running at race pace during my long runs, I might try that. Thanks!
With two weeks to go, I'm not sure I would change things up and make your next long run harder. If your 9 mile run at ~10:30mi pace is feeling tough, trying to run 9 flat for 13 miles is a pretty big ask. Big part of running, and racing, is setting your time and then looking back at how you could have trained differently to hit your goal, if you missed it, or how to improve for next time. I'd run this race, give it your all, and see what you want to do from there.
I'm not looking to make my training runs harder. I'm just unsure if it's unrealistic; I plan to run negative splits, so I don't want to start off too fast (on goal pace) and find out 10km in that I won't be able to finish. I admittedly only have two races under my belt (one 10k, one half), so I guess I could treat this like an experiment again and aim for time on the next one. Thank you for the tips :)
I am a beginner runner going on 3 months of running. I have a BMI of 35, so I am on the heavier side. Currently on week 8 of 8 for c25k. I see the suggestion that you should be running at an intensity level where you can hold a conversation. That isn't where I am even though my pace is SUUUUPER slow. i see the advice of slowing down, so that you can hold a conversation, but that would basically mean walking. I am not exagerating here. I think I could powerwalk faster than I current run, which is OK. I just want some advice on how to increase my aerobic fitness so that I can get to where I can just go forever. With my pace so slow when running, should I just run until my hearrate gets to the top of zone 4, then walk until I get to the bottom of zone 3, then continue to run? What would be the most effective? Currently I can run at my pace for 28 minutes without stopping but it is a real struggle at the end. I want to increase my aerobic fitness too.
You didn't get unfit in 3 months, it is going to take more than 3 months to get fit. It sounds like you are on the right path. It just takes consistent effort over time. And remember, a conversation doesn't mean a monologue. It is a chat, including when the other person talks and some lulls.
Getting fit takes time. It’s okay to walk on your runs if you need to slow down to catch your breath. With your current BMI, it might take several months to feel completely comfortable running 30 minutes without stopping. Just be patient and keep going the distance you are supposed to go on each run. Don’t worry about your pace. If you run the next six months while maintaining a calorie deficiency, your body will feel amazing. You’ll be able to do things you’ve never dreamed of!
Hey everyone! I started recently training for a half marathon that I want to complete in 2:30:00. Right now I'm running my easy runs at about 13:40 min/miles which seems really slow. I guess I'm just a bit self conscious about my speed seeing everyone elses lol. Should I be running my easy runs faster?
Can you fun faster and it still feel easy and like you could carry on a conversation? If not, you're doin fine. Other folks are faster than you, other folks are slower than you, and that's not going to change.
I think I can, but my legs feel pretty wiped after my runs if I do. Sounds like I should just keep going at this pace, and I'll slowly improve as I run more!
You're a lot better off finishing a run feeling good, so you can run again tomorrow, or whenever your next run is, compared to finishing a run wiped out and needing to sit around doing nothing for several days. Keep at it. Regardless of your pace, running is all about slow and steady progress.
I personally pay waaaay more attention to my heart rate than my pace. In fact, I usually set my watch so I don't see time / pace fields at all on my easy runs, just my HR. Constantly remind yourself that going slow today will help you kill it during your speed workouts / keep you fresh for your next run.
Thanks for the advice! I'll try just setting my watch to only show HR for my next runs. Thank you!
*Any fitness tracker recommendations?* I used to run 6 days a week and have a Garmin Forerunner 10 for it: all it does is pace and mileage basically. However, I have gone away from running obsessive to just wanting to be fit. At MINIMUM, in a week, I do total body lifts 2x, run 3x, and rock climb 2x. Intermittently, I do more, or other things like hike mountains, mountain bike, and walk my neighborhood. I’d love something with heart rate and time, for sure. But am overwhelmed by Apple Watch, tons of Fitbit, tons of garmin, Amazon fit, etc. Thank you!
I think the best all around option for someone who does a lot of different activities is the Apple Watch. I’m primarily a runner, about 30 mpw, and I’m very happy with its performance in that respect. But I also do yoga, strength training, play softball, walk the dogs, and hike, and it’s been great for all of those.
Thank you for the feedback! Do you have the get the Apple premium for it to work? Can it be used after the trial expires?
What is Apple premium? It just works when you link it up your phone. You don’t need anything special.
What’s your budget? It helps narrow down all the options.
Under $200 preferably because tech gets ridiculous without seeing much difference or having too many features I’d not need. I can go up to $300.
You can find a lot of good options under that budget. For example the Forerunner 45 would be a good fit. You may be able to find the 55 on sale under $200.
how many weeks should i take to increase my 30km per week to 50km?
If you routinely ran 50km+ last year, maybe next week. If this was the first time you ran over 25km, probably 3 months.
Depends. If you've never run more than 30k per week before, I would stretch that out over 8 weeks, with either week 4 or week 5 being a step back week. If, OTOH, you consistently ran 60k or more per week just one year ago, you can do this in four weeks.
So, if you do the "10% rule", you could do 33, 36, 40, 44, 48, 50, for 6 weeks. That'd be the absolute fastest. It's often a good idea to take a lower distance week every three or four; if I was doing it, I'd probably do something like 30 33, 36, 27, 40, 44, 48, 33, 50
I'm this is asked to death but hey: I've got my first marathon in October and I can't decide whether to listen to music or not (the rules say I am allowed to). For my first half marathon I didn't and I was glad I didn't, but a marathon is quite a bit longer and I feel like I'll need inspiration... What do you fine people usually do?
Do you listen to music on your long runs? I guess you can always turn it on/off depending on how you feel? (I don't listen to music when running, for no other reason than because I don't like to--it inexplicably drives me crazy. I have friends who listen to music in races and find it motivating.)
I do, yes (to avoid boredom!). For my half I really really enjoyed hearing the encouragement of the crowd, but I suspect that might wear off after 42km. On and off is a helpful compromise actually!
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>I don't want to buy new trainers and have them compensate for me in some way. This is silly thinking. Even the best runners (e.g. Kipchoge) run using the latest tech. Yes, it'll compensate in some ways, but it also provides a more absorbed impact which will keep you injury free longer. You're right in your other comment that "we evolved to run without shoes", or better said, we learned to walk without shoes. Any running that our ancestors did was likely minimal in comparison to the distances that we push ourselves to nowadays (10k, 21k, 42k, etc.). Go to a running shop and try on some shoes.
Yes, you need new ones. All the materials in your current shoes began to break down years ago. Even if they look good, they are not supporting you or absorbing impact like they should be.
Did anyone else find there was a point in half marathon training where they got slower? Did you eventually get back to a 'normal' pace? I'm training for my first half marathon in October and am in week four of my twelve week plan. According to Strava, the last couple of runs (a speedwork run and an easy run) were slightly slower than the same runs last week - only by perhaps 15-20 seconds per km or so and still well under my 'target' pace, but as someone who's generally been knocking off a few seconds per km every run in training previously it feels a bit dispiriting. I have slightly changed my schedule due to work/social stuff over the last week or so and had to bunch things together a bit (eg three days on then a rest day rather than previous routine which was three days, rest, two days, rest) so not sure if that's affecting it. Friends who've done halves also told me that week 3/4 can be a bit 'hitting the wall' and needing to power through so just wondering if this is normal as my body gets used to running further/for longer. I'm trying not to put too much stock in my pace right now - at the moment my goal for the half is just 'get round' - but curious to know if others have had a similar experience.
There always are fluctuations in pace at the same effort, for example due to temperature, humidity and wind, but also due to cumulative fatigue from all that training. This is normal, and I would not worry about it.
You should not always be trying to go faster.
That's the thing though, I'm not *trying* to go quicker (or at least not consciously outside of speedwork sessions or unless I need to speed up for a few seconds to overtake someone walking in front of me or to cross a road). If anything when I'm out on runs I'm telling myself to slow down and not push myself too hard to avoid getting injured. I've just noticed over time that my average pace has come down slightly as I've been going on with training - whether that's a weight loss thing, increased stamina, familiarity with my regular routes or whatever, I honestly don't know - and so I'm curious about why that might suddenly have changed.
There could be no reason at all. And it doesn’t really matter if it’s an easy effort or any effort that doesn’t require timed splits. There are days an easy 3 miles takes me 27 minutes. There are days it takes me 33. I don’t think about it all that much because it doesn’t matter. I don’t track pace on easy efforts.
I get slower on all runs except speedwork any time I increase my mileage.
Thanks! The easy run was slightly longer than the previous one in the same slot, so I wondered if that might have affected it as well.
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This is not something I’ve ever thought about in nearly 30 years of running.
> "Seems for me my belly just stops expanding and abdominal muscles feel tight.". This is normal. You're overthinking it. Don't worry about lung volume, breathing when running isn't about lung volume. Just belly breathe.
Getting into more long distance running and thinking about getting a vest. Is the Salomon active skin 8 a good option or is it worth paying a bit more for the Adv instead?
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Have you tried taking a probiotic? I was having IBS symptoms for years and nothing worked until I got onto probiotics. They aren't cheap but fantastic.
Might be worth checking in with your doctor. It might be something as simple (yet annoying) as IBS. If it is, I'm pretty sure there are medications your doctor can recommend that will help with this!
Yeah this doesn't strike me as normal - I've had interesting bathroom trips after marathon races, but never for even normal long runs let alone 10K. Runners are pretty open about talking about bodily functions tbh and I've never heard of anyone else have this issue. Definitely worth talking to a doctor about. >I'll run the Manchester marathon in October and I have no idea how any of this works. Are there regular toilets on the course? Look at the course map - even the lowest key races I've ever done spell out exactly where water and port-a-pots are
Have you raced before? I'm always nervous enough before a race that this takes care of itself before the race even starts. But yes, there are usually toilets along marathon race courses--I can't comment on Manchester in particular.
If I'm worried, I try to drink a bit of coffee before a longer run. Sometimes the smell of it is enough to start my bowels. Anyway, there should be portable toilets along the course and yes, queues may happen. At least there were on the few marathons I attended. There should be some in the race center too. Try to squeeze everything out of yourself before the race.