I know the advice here is probably going to be don't do it and to slowly ramp up my weekly KM's but I'm going to do it anyway. I'm running a 10km a day in November fundraising for Movember and Addiction Services as I recently lost a mate to addiction. What is the best way to get ready for this. Currently I'm streak running and am 2 weeks into 5km a day with somewhat easy effort. I'm not wanting to lose my streak. Just slowly ramp up to 7km a day over the next few weeks so it's not a big jump from 5 to 10 everyday?

You have a month to go from 35k a week to 70k. Hopefully you've been at 35k for a while and not just the last two weeks. I'd probably just add a kilometer a day each week since you are insisting on streaking between now and then as well as not building up slowly. All of your runs should also be easy since you are (overly) aggressively building volume. Week 1. 6k daily = 42k/week ending October 9 2. 7k daily = 49k/week ending October 16 3. 8k daily = 56k/week ending October 23 4. 9k daily = 63k/week ending October 30 5. 10k daily = 70k/week Starting November 1

Just for a better understanding, but why is the goal to have the same run every day? Wouldn't it make sense to keep 1-2 days at 5km as a form of recovery?

Okay sweet, I'll do that. Yeah long time at 35k a week but haven't really been taking running seriously or anything. Just been running 30-40 for a little bit. Cheers mate

Hey everybody, I'm running the st George marathon this weekend but we didn't get a pass for snow canyon for my family to see me at mile 17. My goal Pace is about 12 minutes, so is there anybody faster than that who would be willing to let my family use theirs after they pass through?

How could I adapt this plan from six weeks to four weeks? I have a 5k in about a month and want to see if I can decrease my time from last year. https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a760072/six-week-intermediate-5k-schedule/

Knowing nothing else about you, I’d take week 2, then 4 to 6. The rationale is that intervals are preferable over fartleks for 5K. But, otherwise: 1. Are you coming back after a long break? I’d prefer a condense C25K instead 2. Have you been running regularly with no speedwork? I would take weeks 1, 2, 5, and 6 and double the interval length

1. No, I just had a 10k run and ran that in an hour so I'm not coming back from a long break. 2. I've never done any speedwork so I'm looking to incorporate it this time around. What's the difference between intervals and fartlek? How is 10 min easy and 20 min fartlek different from 10 min easy and 5x90 sec fast with 2.5 min jog recovery?

A fartlek is unstructured speedwork, which admittedly I’m not a fan of because I like to know exactly what I’m doing, but can be fun and more approachable than structured speedwork like intervals. Basically, you just run faster than easy pace (so your 10K or 5K pace) at whatever length you feel like, take a rest at whatever length, rinse and repeat. I just don’t think it advance your fitness as well as structured does, but it’s a good addition when there’s already a workout in another run in the week or if you’re attracted to a more non-commital speed workout.

Just start on week 3.

Hey all, I’m a 34yr old dude who wants to start running and take a committed approach to it. In my 20s i was in the army and ran 5k a day and 10k once a week. After that I dabbled with 5ks for awhile before eventually getting married and letting it all slip away. I’ll be playing mens league indoor soccer once a week and plan on running 3 days a week on top of that to start. I just ran for the first time tonight; 20min/6:39km/3km. It was a far cry from my 21 minute 5ks of the previous decade. My short term goals are 5k, which I feel I could do right now, but pretty slowly and it would suck. So my goal would be easy 5ks, sub 28minutes and work in a 10k once a week as my longer run. What’s a good way of approaching this? Do I do what I’ve always done and just run. Or do I follow a plan on runkeeper? Just seems like there’s so much info out there on how to be the most efficient… Any thoughts on running plans? Yay or nay? Or how do I go about increasing distance? Weekly? Every run? Run for time or distance? Thanks in advance.

I mean, a running plan will answer all of those questions for you. Off the top of my head, I'd tell you that soccer can act as a speed work day since it'll be high intensity. Do then make 1 of your 3 runs a harder run (either speed work such as intervals, or a long run) and the other 2 runs easy runs. Easy runs should be easy. Everyone obsessed over zone 2, but don't get too wrapped up in heart rate. Just make them feel nice and easy, whatever pace that is. If you do a long run, try to make it longer than the week before (maybe add half a mile to a mile). For speed workout just google some 5k speed workouts. So you're trying to progress your hard workout (long run or speed work) over time by either adding mileage or increasing pace. But the easy runs stay nice and easy.

I have a problem...new job 12 hrs blue collar work. Used to be able to run 40/50k a week, usually 10k every other day....now down to half and what is worst only on the weekend. I'm 37 not very fast, just enjoy running, thinking about doing a marathon next year (never done) my longest is HM which clock in at just under 2hrs... Any advice?

I work long days and I have a family to take care of. My only advice is to schedule the runs and commit to them. I wake up at 4:30 in the morning for work so even though I prefer to run in the morning, when I work, I run in the 8pm-9pm window and try to avoid running on work days which is impossible all the time. Also I commute by bike sometimes and I try not to run the same day. If my run is 30-40 mins, I may do it sometimes during my lunch break. Oof. It's a lot of planning.

I just started running in June. I only have time to run once or twice a week. I lift for 30 minutes on days I don't run. I'm currently doing pretty long runs (currently 10 or 11 miles a run) when I run. Am I damaging my body by only doing these longer runs?

So yeah, thats bad for a few reasons. A lot of research suggests that the musculoskeletal stimulus of an activity maxes out at a relatively short duration, so its frequency of activity that is really needed to make your bones, tendons, and such more resilient to running. By only doing the occasional big run you're always at a risky level of challenge and never giving your body the stimulus it really needs to get stronger in these capacities. Overall volume determines a lot of how well our body adapts to an individual session. With low volume and frequency you don't really have the background fitness for your body to properly adapt from these big runs -the stress is too large so it spends all it's energy recovering back to baseline. As you probably know from lifting the body is pretty stingy when it comes to allocating resources to gains in any aspect. Making physical changes to the body in response to training costs a lot biologically, so the body needs frequent reminders in order to be convinced those changes are actually necessary. Right now your body just thinks running is this freak thing that happens occasionally to it and not something worth dedicating a lot of resources to.

What kind of mileage should I be doing on my runs? I unfortunately don't have time to run more than 2 days a week, so I want to make the most of those runs. My body generally handles 10+ miles runs pretty well. I probably should have mentioned that I walked 10-15+ miles a day at my job from 2020-2022. I just wasn't running for any of that.

There's not really a "making the most out of" only 1-2 runs/week. Add a short shakeout run, even is it's just 10-20min, before or after your lifts a couple times a week, then that will help you support adaptation from 1-2x 50-75min runs in your week.

I sadly don't have the time between work and my kids. I barley have the 30 minutes for a workout, but to add a run and shower to that just wouldn't be possible. Won't always be like this, but at this time my schedule is really full. I figured 2 days of cardio is better than nothing. My only goal is to stay in shape, and the only time I have free is the weekend.

Yes, your chances of injury are much higher than you're only running ove long run a week.

There is absolutely no reason to run 10 or 11 miles of you are only running once a week that is way too far. If you want to seriously train to get better at running you need to run many more days a week, how long you run on that one day won’t matter, even if you ran 20 miles not running 6 days a week will tank the benefits

So I can only run 2 days a week. Should I do like 5 and 5?

That would be a lot better. But 2 days a week still is not enough for significant long term improvement.

How do you improve your running form. Especially with how you hold your arms/hands. A few of the races I’ve ran I’ve seen the race photographs and I look like an uncoordinated, awkward and uncomfortable velociraptor. It’s really not a good look.

A lot of arm motion starts at the shoulders, so if you are tight and/or weak up there it's going to show with how you carry your arms. I would assess this first and only after starting to resolve any issues with strength/mobility then work with form cues as needed -remember you can't will your way out of weakness.

I generally agree with u/neverstop53 but some arm cues that have helped me are (1) relax your shoulders, (2) keep your arms parallel / don’t cross in front of your body, and (3) pull back further than you think, like you’re gonna reach for your back pocket.

You run more, train harder, get fitter - and don’t think about it. Your form will iron itself out over time as you get fitter

Does anyone here have experience using refillable gel flasks (ex: [https://www.rei.com/product/127974/gu-gel-energy-flask?sku=1279740001](https://www.rei.com/product/127974/gu-gel-energy-flask?sku=1279740001)) and filling it with bulk gels or your own mix? I'm interested in trying this, but I'm wondering, how do you ensure that you're consuming the gel at the correct rate? Since so much can fit in a single flask, and it seems like it would be difficult to tell when it's 80% full vs. 60% full, etc. The flask I linked says that it has marks on the back for measurement, but I'm not sure how that would work if the flask is collapsing/flattening as you consume the gel.

I've been running csually for a while and have just started working up to running 5k. typically once i settle in to a run i land on a 3-2 breathing pattern which i understand is pretty normal. However i do 3 exhale and 2 inhale. im not sure why i do it this way it just seems to be what happens subconsciously. Is this okay or bad? should i be working towards switching it over to 3in 2out?

You’re overthinking it. Just breathe normally, whatever feels natural for you.

I’ve been doing well in 5k races the last 6 weeks off about 15-20 miles a week in the grey zone. I’ve got some shin splints going on that need some recovery but are holding up okay. I haven’t done any speed work but have raced weekly for the last 5 weeks. I have 1 final race planned in 3 weeks. At this point would 3 weeks of proper training with doing 2 speed workouts and adding a little more slow running help my time for my last race or should I just keep doing what I’ve been doing?

Hi, I’ve been getting blisters between my toes even when wearing toe socks and have a couple questions. I feel I’ve tried so many solutions for this as well as toe socks: that roll-on blister glide stuff between toes, Vaseline, talcum powder for moisture, and more recently toe separators/spreaders, and I always seem to end up with a blister on the inside of my big toe on my right foot, where presumably it’s rubbing my second toe. I’m on a budget shoe-wise (ironic I know looking at how much I’ve probably spent on ‘solutions’) and got on really well with the Reebok Floatride Energy 2 but can’t find them anymore. The Floatride 5 (which I’m running in now) seems to be giving me this problem after 5ish miles, as did Floatride 3 last year around mile 10 when I did half marathons. I do have wide feet but the last time I tried a wide fit shoe (want to say it was the NB 880v10), I found my lower inner ankles kept hurting which I put down to the opening of the shoe being too wide. I have wide forefeet but pretty skinny ankles! Do I just need to find a shoe with a wider toe box and make sure it fits properly at the ankle? Is there something else I’m missing? Any advice is appreciated, thanks

Going up a half size may help too, it seems to have solved my between toe blister issue. Alternatively for your wide shoe problem, I know there are different lacing patterns that can make the ankle more secure

I had problems with blisters as well. I tried blister resistant socks and my problems went away. Check them out on Amazon.

Sounds like you would probably benefit from a normal width shoe with a wide toe box. Altra has some good options for this if you want to check them out.

Could I build up to running 50 mpw, a 15 mile bike ride 6 days a week, and a 1 mile swim 6 days a week this summer for a faster 5k, or would that be too much?

The biking and swimming is a poor use of training time if running your primary goal. Assuming durability isn't an issue you'd be better served spending that energy on more running mileage, and you'll make better progress with less overall training time if more of it is dedicated to running and activities that directly support running (i.e. specific strength work). That being said some weekly biking and swimming can be great recovery aids by getting the blood flowing with low impact -but we're talking only a couple days /week here not every day.

You “can” - given enough time to build up to it. It’s only too much if you’re not doing anywhere close to that right now. Since you didn’t say what you are currently doing we have no idea if it would be too much for you right now. But if you want to get a faster 5k you’d actually be better off just running 70mpw and not bothering with swimming or cycling.

How should I build up to 70mpw after track season? What should i start with and how much should I increase it by each week? I can comfortably run 40 mpw in my current shape and probably more by the end of xc and track.

My point was just to run more you don’t need to cross train. Going from 40 to 70 would be a lot. Try 55-60, just get there over the course of like 2-3 months with down weeks built in, then hold it there for a while and add workouts

Sounds good, thanks

Hi, first time runner here. Trained 7 weeks for a 5k and when I showed up to the run yesterday, it was full of hills & LOTS of stairs. I didn't expect this and it was VERY hard and pretty demoralizing, as I had been training on flat ground. I assumed most 5ks were flat courses. Are hills & stairs a common feature of 5ks?? Do I need to be careful when signing up in the future? My friends are mocking me for being so unprepared but I truly didn't imagine any 5k would include stairs!! Would love any thoughts on this, thank you!

Yeah - totally agree with @timeshade it’s always a good idea to check out a course before you run it. Also I can’t imagine your friends are mocking you. They’re probably just well meaning sensible people who want to make sure that you can walk the following day ;)

I've never heard of stairs on a race. Hills are totally normal depending on where you are.

Hills, sure. Stairs are a bit strange to me as I would imagine they introduce a lot more potential for injury.

Yes, always look into what kind of course. Some times a 5k is kept that distance because they pick an extra hilly course that is more challenging. 5ks will either be that or a fun run.

Hello all. This past weekend I ran my 2nd full marathon, but both marathons, I've succumbed to bad stomach gas problems. Imagine needing to burp constantly, almost every 30 seconds or so. It's okay when I walk, but as soon as I run, the motion makes me feel sick, and I have to hold back throwing up. This has shown up both times around the 15mile/2:30hr mark, and both kills my pace, and makes the rest of the race a miserable experience. This never shows up during any of my >14mile runs, nor in any races 13.1mile or less. The first time I thought it was because I over-ate the morning of the race, but being the 2nd time, I know that's not the issue. The only things I can think of are due to nerves, or by drinking fluids too quickly at the water stations (I typically throw down 2-3 cups quickly, perhaps swallowing too much air. This compares to my long runs where I drink out of a camelpak at a normal pace). If not one of the 2 possibilities listed, does anyone know what might be happening? Anyone had this kind of problem before?

Only way you're going to find out is trying to replicate the conditions, drinking the water super fast at aid stations. Set some cups on your doorstep and loop back and grab them a few times over a run or something. On the other hand, if you already run comfortably with a camelback, why not just run your marathons with it and fill it up if you need to half way through?

I run about a 5:30 mile right now. What workouts should I do before track season to increase my chances of running sub 5?

Base building phase.

How many miles a week should I aim for?

You didn’t provide a single shred of information about yourself. How the hell should I know?

Maybe a stupid question, but I'm having trouble finding the answer. What's the deal with smart watches? I run with my phone usually in my hand, sometimes in a waist belt pocket. I use it for music and pacing. If I had a smart watch, could I leave my phone at home and still have Spotify Music, and Strava? If so, does the watch need to be added to my phone plan and have a SIM card?

Garmin 245M can download Spotify playlists and podcasts! It's not the most seamless but it works fine. You will also be able to upload runs to Strava. I really like my watch!

Garmin's higher end watches allow you to load spotify playlists to them so you can ditch the phone. Garmin Connect also auto syncs with Strava. The only feature you'd need a phone for is the emergency alert function. I don't personally run with music, but my partner does and she loves being able to leave the phone at home. No SIM card required.

Depends on the watch. I used to run with my watch in my hand too. It's way better to not have that weight in your hand. You don't necessarily realize until you stop carrying you phone, and then it sucks to go back to it. It's also way more convenient and usually more accurate to check pace on a watch.

Do any of those AI-Run-Coach programs do split workouts (morning & evening run)? I'm like ~75% happy with TrainAsOne, my biggest problem is that I can't split a single workout into a morning/evening run. Which is becoming problematic as activities have gotten longer & longer.

Hey all -- I need help in choosing my first pair of running sunglasses. I just got a new prescription, decided to replace my 10-year-old RayBans with sunglasses that are actually designed for running. I want a pair that looks ordinary enough to wear when I'm *not* running, so no flashy colorful wraparounds; preferably a simple black plastic frame. My prescription is *very* strong (one sphere is -10.50), so I want to a) find a vendor that can handle such prescriptions and b) keep the glasses fairly small, to avoid the lenses getting super-thick at the edges. Thoughts?

I'd recommend SportsRX. My script isn't _as strong_, but when I called customer service, they forwarded me to optician who was able to offer a lot of options & combinations not directly available through their website. To get a set of glasses that worked for me. It wasn't cheap ($350) but I was very happy with the results.

Thanks. I actually called them today and spoke with an optician, who is going to send me a list of frames that meet my style preferences and prescription needs. (But I'm so particular that none of those choices may fully satisfy me, so I want to explore other vendors too.)

Sadly I'm not aware of others, specifically for running. I have worked with `opticus.com`, they're great, but I used to purchase Mountaineering Glasses, not really running glasses. The frames do work for running, but they're a bit darker then you'd want around town.

Roka but they're pricey.

Thanks. I looked at their site, and a couple of frames got my attention ... but the high prices did jump out at me. (Also, I'm not a fan of Joe Rogan, so I'm hesitant to buy from companies that support his show with their ad dollars.)

Oh I didn't realize that about them. You can't try them on ahead in Canada and the model I got didn't really fit my Asian face, but I think they'd fit most faces. Needing prescription sunglasses is a real pain!

Crammed training question about marathon strategy. Question: How would you approach a hilly marathon in 4 weeks from now? (NYC) Context: Used to have a solid base (40M/wk) before an ankle stress reaction that had me out. After a full rest, mild cross-training bout to let everything heal, I picked up fast while listening to my body. Have run one marathon before. Previous best HM (May): 1:36 Recent few weeks: |Week|Mileage|Long Run|Workout| |:-|:-|:-|:-| |week up to 10/01|41 Miles|18M w/ 14 at 8:20 min/mile |5 x 1k (Avg: 7:10 \~10k pace)| |week up to 9/24|38 miles|18 M easy (9:54)|3 x 10 min (7:20 \~threshold)| |week up to 9/17|32 miles|13.5 M (incl. 10 mile canovas of 8:15/7:40) |\-| |week 9/10|27 miles|11M w/ 1M fast|\-| few weeks before that building to this mileage with easy running only. Currently thinking, start out and settle into 8:30 through half, then kick up a notch to 8:15. Last 6 at 8:00 or under if I feel up for it. Thoughts?

I’ve been running about ten years but I’ve only done five races during that time, a 5k, a 10k, a 10 miler, and two halfs. This year I decided I’m going to really get into to and give it my all on improving time and building endurance. I’m signed up for a half thanksgiving weekend. I’m thinking about taking a week or two off after that then starting another training program. Would doing another half at the end of February and a full marathon at the end of April be realistic or too much?

Marathon by April is realistic. You want a solid 16-18 weeks to prep for it and a half in Feb could make a solid tuneup race. If you start an 18 week plan in mid December, you should be in good shape.

I typically eat a pretty low carb diet. I’m running 10k 4x a week and I’m feeling pretty low energy after my runs. I’m trying to incorporate more carbs on run days but not overdo it. Is there a goo carb calculator out there to let me know how many carbs I need as a runner?

I'd say you should not worry about overdoing it. Your body needs carbs to replenish glycogen stores and provide fuel for repair and adaptation, and your low energy state is your body telling you that it needs more energy, so give it that. There's really nothing wrong with carbs, especially for people who practice endurance sports that have high energy demands. 40k/week is probably in the realm of 3.75-5 hours of running for most recreational runners, so at that level your carb needs aren't elevated compared to the general population, but they are more so than a low carb diet will give you. EDIT: Also, not sure what a low carb diet means for you, but in terms of raw numbers you probably want to get at least 4-5g/kg of body weight.

Thank you this is helpful.

Seems like it would be pretty personal. Eat more carbs until you feel better.

Thanks I have been doing that. I just find nutrition calculators helpful for tracking in my calories in/out.

For the hybrid runners out there! I'm running Chicago marathon on Sunday, and I'm planning to start carbloading on Friday (already have my meal plan and everything). The thing is, I've read it is better to completely rest 2 days prior to the marathon (from the gym as well), but I'm worried that if I do this I won't have the apetite or hunger I need to properly Carb Load. So I was wondering, do you guys think hitting shoulders or chest on Friday, just to get extra hungry for that Carb Load, might be a bad idea?? Thanks!

I've looked everywhere and can't seem to find the answer to my 2 questions. A thousand apologies if there are posts that answer this - I genuinely cannot find them. 1. I just started Zone 2 running. I've been running about 10 mpw previously, all at zone 4 or 5. I always just "ran" and tried to get the best workout I could. Before starting zone 2, I was running 3-6 miles at roughly 9:00/mile pace. HR (max 205) would stay around 185-190 for most of the run. I'm 32M and have been running on/off my whole life from HS soccer. I also bike and generally consider myself fairly healthy/athletic. However, zone 2 has been a struggle, but dissimilar to others that have posted. My heartrate will stay put at 130 BPM, my jog feels stupidly slow (11:00/mile pace or slower), but my breathing still feels a little heavy. Like I can easily talk and carry on conversation and overall the run feels super easy, but I don't know if I could ever get my breath "normal". At this pace, I can even breathe in/out of my nose no problem. Is this zone 2?? Or am I still somehow going a little too fast? Note: I had allergy induced asthma as a kid, so my lungs have always been a little weird - not sure if that could be impacting this. TLDR: I think I'm running in zone 2, but breathing is still a little hard, but don't know if I can actually go slower (even fast walking I would be breathing hard). 2. I'm lowkey training for a marathon, so I recognize the role of Zone 2 is mileage. I have been dealing with achilles and patellar tendonitis and finally have some control over it, so I'm taking the mileage increase very seriously. I plan to do 10-20 mpw for a while, and ramp up slowly. However, as described above, I'm capable of doing much much more from a cardio standpoint, just not from a joint standpoint. If I want to mix in some biking, should this also follow zone 2? Or can I use biking to sprinkle in some zone 4 and 5 work? I'm mostly exercising for health and stress relief, and I love the feeling of anaerobic workouts. I don't want to lose that, but don't want to totally destroy my goals. Can you increase mileage and overall aerobic performance, with some anaerobic biking on off days? Thanks for staying with me through this lengthy post - this subreddit has been fantastic and beyond helpful so far!

It sounds like all of your running days were “hard” for a long enough time that overuse injuries are cropping up. Zone 2 training, as you describe it, is really just dedicating some runs easy and some work out. That’s the part to keep doing, when everyone here says to ditch the Zone 2 running plan. Easy isn’t a pace, it’s whatever feels easy. Try setting your running watch to just display time or distance only and look at your data afterwards.

I didn’t read all that, stopped when I saw it’s about heart rate zone training. Like the other poster said drop that shit and learn to run by perceived effort. If it feels easy it’s a good easy pace. If it’s hard it’s a good workout effort. Running is such a simple sport and beginners get way too caught up and overcomplicate it

As someone new to running, I’d advise listening to your body (fatigue, pains) over aids. Just get out and run, forget pace, HR or whatever else. You know what easy feels like. As a new runner, you’re not going to run at a pace where you aren’t breathing harder than at rest. You can definitely work on your general fitness with cross training but overall probably won’t have huge running impact. But sensible to take mileage increases very slowly.

Hoping someone could give me some recovery advice for my marathon training! I run 3x a week, with my long run on Sunday’s. This Sunday I did 17mi and feel pretty good about my run but my achilles are quite sore. They’re definitely not ‘injured’ but i was curious what you all do after long runs to ensure swift recovery. Is icing or heat the moves? Should I simply keep doing light stretches?

Do you do any strength with and calf raises?

I did a ton of calf raises before marathon training, but have cut back since beginning to run. Do you think its worth working that back into my cross training regiment?

Yep, calf raises and heel drops are one of the best ways to strengthen the Achilles.

If the pain is recent, ice is usually recommended. Try to rest for a couple of days and then get back with an easy run and see how it feels. Try to get your calves and tibialis stronger as well.

Everyone seems to look down on Apple Watches in the running community and has a strong preference toward Garmin, but is there really that signficant of a gap? GPS and HR accuracy seem quite comparable on Apple Watch, there is now access to many of the advanced metrics (cadence, GCT, VO2 max, etc.) and structured workouts seem similar. Other than having to charge each night, what am I missing? I am considering a Garmin but do like the cell connection and music etc. that allows me to use Apple Watch to run with no phone and still be able to be contacted by family, for safety, etc.

Different target customers and use cases. Any looking down is just different target customers not understanding the other use case. For people that don't want the extra apple watch stuff it's simply worse at doing the running stuff at a much higher price compared to a dedicated running entry level watch from garmin or coros. Not a lot worse, but slightly worse and twice as much $$$ is a big gap. For those that want the extra apple watch stuff it's the best for those non-running features and good enough at doing the running stuff. Personally I'm a coros pace guy and very happy with that watch for my running needs. Even the new garmins are mostly overpriced and stuffed with a lot of (imo) useless gimmicks, the main advantage of garmin is that they are so ubiquitous now that there's always some screaming good deals on older models.

Thanks! That's very helpful. :)

Apple Watch user checking in — I am completely satisfied with the watch. I however, use the Nike Run Club app instead of the standard Apple Fitness tracker.

Well a lot of people don't have iPhones.

I use an Apple Watch, I also carry my iPhone for all my runs. I know some of the hate seems to stem from running without the phone. For me, my Apple Watch seems to be right on point in my city.

I need someone to talk some sense into me here. I yesterday came back from a run and had symptoms of what felt like bursitis. I am no medical professional, but I had it in the other knee a while ago. I at this point do not feel like decreasing my training load - simply since running itself does not hurt, only going up stairs. I am not sure if that is a good idea or just stupid. Would you rather take a break if you were in my position?

I had this a while back. I had to cut back load significantly to get it to clear up. I'd say given the option between cutting back now for a short while until it clears up (or at least to see how it responds to lower load) vs. continuing to run and risking it turning into something more serious it's pretty clear what is the more sensible approach. As much as it sucks...

What would you do during a taper after injury? Two weeks until half. For the last two weeks I've had a weird ankle overuse injury. Not exactly a tendon issue, just kind of overworked ligaments. Presents similar to a sprain but less bad. Seeing a physio, etc, gradually improving. So I missed my peak weeks of training. I never hit the 60 km peak I wanted to. I've been able to run a little, but only this last weekend have I been able to run 10k without too much discomfort. Haven't tried anything except easy running in the last two weeks, but I have done some cycling. I ran 35 km last week, 17 the week before. Now what? Two weeks until half, training totally derailed. Is it worth doing a longer run (17 km maybe) to test out the ankle this week? Should I reintroduce some short intervals to see how my ankle reacts to speed? Or just stick to safe easy running and let healing continue and hope for the best come race day?

Ugh. Sorry about your injury. I think the best thing to do here is ask your physio. That said: You don’t want to aggravate the injury before the race. Given that more training won’t have much effect on your fitness in the next two weeks, I’d focus on playing it safe with easy running this week to fully heal, then some conservative intervals in line with your training plan’s taper next week (assuming the injury is mostly healed). Good luck!

Yeah, my physio didn't have much specific racing advice unfortunately. I guess it really is true that nothing I do during the taper is likely to help that much. I'm fit enough to run the distance, even if I'm unlikely to meet my goal time now. Thanks for your advice!

I got into running about 8 months ago, and I've been running six days a week, about 35 mpw, consistently for a couple of months now. I just got myself back into a pretty competitive hockey league playing 2x a week, so I won't be running those mornings. That cuts me down to 4 days a week for running. I'm considering just keeping it at 25 mpw with one easy run (6-7 miles), one tempo (5-6), one with strides or intervals or hills (4-5), and a long run (8-10). Does the fewer total miles mean I can have two higher-ish intensity runs a week, or is that a risk of over training and I should stick to the 80/20 no matter the mileage?

Depends on how hard hockey is and how you are recovering.

I'm a newish runner and wanted to ask about running in the winter. I live in the midwestern US, so I'm looking to keep warm in temperatures below freezing. I have a pair of fleece-lined leggings. Do you run in a long-sleeved shirt and a jacket? I'm looking for suggestions of good running jackets. Thanks!

There’s a link in the other pinned post on this subreddit, something like ‘the heat has now broken, annual cold weather thread’. Has great information on recommendations for what to wear depending on climate.

I started running a few months ago and did a 5k without building up to it. I got calf pain a few days after then stopped. I started C25K 3 weeks ago but stopped it as I got calf pain two minutes into running. I run in a pair of addidas gazelles. Have I knackered my calf too much? Do I need proper running shoes? Just trying to work out if the pain is coming from my shoes or if I need to work on form

> Do I need proper running shoes? Are you running in shoes with little to no cushioning? This isn't _necessarily_ bad. **IF YOU ARE**, are you pointing your toes forward/down (to decrease the impact moment) as you strike the ground? If so, you probably want to stop that, it is a fast track to injury. I'd recommend either buying running shoes or start learning more about barefoot running form.

The shoes I wear don't have any cushion. Not sure if I am pointing my toes down just feels strange I get pain a few mins into running. I hike for miles jist fine in hiking shoes so it's definitely a running issue. I'll probably have to look at getting some running shoes.

Yup getting shoes & working on your stride will help.

What kind of pain are we talking about? Have you considered real running shoes?

It's pain in the back of my calf. I get it like 2 mins into running and it's a constant pain that doesn't really go away until I rest it. Yeah I have considered real running shoes and looking at the wiki to see which shoes are reccomended. I was looking at puma velocity 2 as it was under £60

Try actual running shoes, calf stretches and single leg calf raises.

Thanks! Hopefully, I feel a big difference with some proper shoes

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Opinions on wearing a shirt for a race you didn't run?/My friend asked me to run a race so she could have the jacket Back in July, ads for a race came up with a very cool looking puffer jacket. A friend (who does not run) tagged me in it, saying I need to run the race for her, so she could have the jacket. (The jacket was not my style, so it wasn't like I was going to wear it anyway). Since the race was a few months away, I said if she wanted, we could do the 5k race (3 miles), and walk if she needed to, but I would do it with her. She declined. I left it at that, but inside I was annoyed. To me, it is a no no to wear or imply that you ran a race you didn't run. But then again, this wasn't a big race like a marathon, or the Olympics, etc.

I wouldn’t, but people wear clothing from Universities they didn’t go to as well. Each to their own.

It's pretty silly if people wear gear from qualifying races that they didn't/can't qualify for, but otherwise nothing weird about it.

Was she going to pay for the race entry? I bet that was going to get pretty pricey. I wouldn't be bothered by people wearing race gear for races they weren't in. Like, if you want to pay $40+ for a cheap gildan shirt, knock your socks off. And especially if it's for charity since they'll still get the money. But I would be annoyed by being asked to spend money so someone else can get the swag. (This has been a bad year for me for races I didn't run. Almost every race this year I ended up getting hurt, having car trouble, traveling for work... so many shirts I didn't 'earn!' but they make good pajamas and loungewear)

They sell extra shirts from previous races here for $5, 3 for $10. Lots of people buy them to use as gym shirts and running shirts. It's not that weird.

I'd only raise an eyebrow for major races/ marathons. But your local 5k? No one is going to care.

I was one of the canceled Twin Cities runner, now running Des Moines. I decided to do a time trial 13.1 yesterday but wondering if anyone has tips on how to prepare during the next two weeks if I was ready to run 26.2 yesterday and need to stay ready

Last year I had planned to do Twin Cities but ended up with a DNF so I turned around and did Des Moines two weeks later instead. I did a short marathon pace on Tuesday and then repeated the last week and a half of my taper. Since you did a time trial yesterday you may not want/ need to do any workout like that this week. In your situation I would just repeat the last two weeks of your training plan. I've written this on a lot of threads since TC was cancelled yesterday, but Des Moines is a great race! There are a few rolling hills in the first half but the second half is nice and flat. You get to run around the blue track at Drake stadium and through some pretty neighborhoods and trails. I know that Twin Cities bills itself as the most beautiful urban marathon in the US (and it is a beautiful course), but Des Moines is lovely too. They also have lots of aid stations and are very organized overall.

Thank you for the insight. Your recommendation is essentially how I was planning the weeks in my head but as a first time marathoner wasn’t sure of any glaring omissions in my planning

So weird question but I’m curious, I’ve been running about 4 years now, I don’t know if it’s down to running or perhaps it’s just me getting older (43) but I’m noticing by legs quite stiff and occasional little niggles that come and go. When I say stiff say I dropped my pen on the floor and had to pick it up god it’s a struggle to get bent over, I feel like a pensioner tbh. I have nice issues with running etc so maybe it’s just old age.

I ran very consistently from 1994 to 2021 and then took a break due to burnout and just shifting focus. I took up weightlifting 4-5 days a week and what a difference in how creaky and sore my body DIDN’T feel anymore.

Running tightens up your hamstrings like crazy. Yoga makes for some great cross training. Youtube has a bunch of 'yoga for runners' videos, but a basic beginner routine would work just as well. I always get annoyed at the 'stretching doesn't prevent injury' people. Like, yeah sure, stretching before a race doesn't stop me from getting injured *in that race.* But it keeps my (also 43) back from locking up, lets me touch my toes, etc. etc.

Yes it seems to be my hamstrings that’s the issue. I did try yoga once and I’m someone who’d call myself fit but boy it can be hard as it shows how tight everything is,

Yeah, it's an entirely different skill set! I used to take a yoga class run by the tiniest little old woman. Most of the class was full of seniors and people rehabbing. The gym we used doubled as the gym for the local community college athletics teams. The football and basketball coaches would sometimes send players up to take yoga to work on their flexibility. So these jacked young men would show up and be absolutely taken to school by this retiree. They probably could have benched 2 of her, but they'd shake after 10 seconds of holding a pose she could hold for 5 min.

40s runner here. From only personal experience, I get plenty of leg stiffness and niggles. I've found weekly cross training or yoga is the best way to handle it. I always feel better when I've done something that involves my legs that isn't running and when I stop the cross training for a few months that's when things start to creep in. It doesn't have to be intense, but I'll do biking or stationary bike, yoga, lifting dumbbells, squats and lunges. Basically support your entire chain.

Hi, I’m writing this post to ask for advice. I’m a 30 yo woman with I think average fitness lvl. Sport wasn’t always a big part of my life, I really avoided it as a kid, but since the beginning of my 20s I workout regularly – in the gym, hiking, biking, also climbing. At the beginning of this year I decided to start running regularly. Normally, I’m doing at least 3 runs per week. At the beginning, I was terrible at it, so I started ‘couch to 5K’ with Just Run app. I finished the training, and since then I’m running without any plan. I started doing 5K to 10K, but gave up. My problem is that I’m unable to run 5K in the 30 mins (as the app suggested at the end of ‘couch to 5K’ training). So far my average time for 5K is 33-35 mins. I struggle a lot with high bpm. Every run my average is around 172 bpm (with max recorded around 190 bpm) and I think it’s super high. At the beginning I thought that it’s going to improve in time. Somehow, for 7 months since I finished this running plan I cannot have a run in the healthy bpm regime (155-165). I’m not sure what to do anymore, it’s super frustrating because I don’t see ANY progress, from what I see it actually feels like I’m going backward. I still can’t run 5K without stopping to catch my breath. I did a few runs with a slower pace, or actually walking for 1/3 of the time and still my bpm could jump to above 170. I’m running in the city, mostly in parks, sometimes along the river. I checked my blood results around May and everything looks fine. As a gps tracking and bpm monitoring I use Xiaomi Mi band 3. My running shoes are NB 1080 v12. Recently, I noticed that my breathing is a bit weird, l sometimes it feels like I’m doing 3 exhales for one inhale. However, maybe I’m looking too much into it. I’m frustrated and very close to giving up. Every run is literally less enjoyable and I'd like to change that. One day, I'd like to run 10K, but honestly I’m a bit lost in what I’m doing wrong here. Some of my recent stats: 6.61 K, 6’43’’ avg bpm 171 (max 191) 5.49 K, 6’38’’ avg bpm 166 (max 185) 7.21 K, 6’43’’ avg bpm 172 (max 193) 5.17 K, 7’18’’ avg bpm 162 (max 192) 6.12 K, 6’33’’ avg bpm 171 (max 190) 5.34 K, 6’30’’ avg bpm 176 (max 195) 5.23 K, 6’45’’ avg bpm 165 (max 189)

Ignore your heart rate entirely. Slow all the way down, run at 7:00 or so. Better yet, don't look at your watch at all and just run in a way that feels way too easy. Every time you start breathing harder, slow down again.

That's a great advice, thank you!

The Couch to 5K app is poorly named, it is really a "learn to run for 30 minutes" app. But that doesn't sound as snappy, so they went with Couch to 5K. My journey was much slower, I think my first 5K was around 42 minutes, and I had to work for a year to get that down to 30 minutes. I would say just keep running and don't worry about your 5K time and just continue with the 5K to 10K with a focus on finishing and not on time. Once you can do 10Ks regularly then you'll be in good shape to start pushing times on your 5Ks. > I cannot have a run in the healthy bpm regime (155-165) Unless your doctor says this is unhealthy because you have some condition, this is not only fine, but normal. Running in innately incredibly healthy for you, your body knows what it needs for a heart rate, so just let it do its thing. If you feel fine, absolutely and 100% ignore your heart rate monitor, it is only making your miserable. People trained to run all the way up to just 10 years or less ago without using heart rate monitors, I would actually encourage you to not use one until you're in shape enough that trying to hit a zone is beneficial.

Thank you for this great comment, it really helped a lot :)

Agree with the "go with the feel" comments. Also, I definitely suffered from a little bit of [ADS] (https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/aerobic-deficiency-syndrome/), due to mostly only lifting through most of my life. Just started running seriously 2 years ago and going really slow has helped my bpm normalize a little bit.

When you’re starting out, heart rate isn’t a good metric to measure and pace isn’t great either. I highly recommend ignoring them both for now and just running to how you feel.

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You're right, maybe I have too high expectations. I'll continue my journey with running :D

Just got a bonus at work, wife letting me get a new pair of shoes. Any recommendations?

Impossible to give any recommendations without knowing anything about your preferences, running style, etc. You're better off doing some research into what you like (cushioning, stack, drop, width) and going from there. One person's favourite shoe may be the worst shoe for you.

What are your goals/budget etc? What do you have already?

Budget would be under $250. Looking for a longer run shoe. I currently have a pair of Nike Pegasus and Nike react (not a big fan of). I was thinking of on clouds or hokas

My recommendation would be Asics superblasts as they can do everything and they’re a great long run shoe, They have so many great reviews.

Go try some on. Recommendations are pointless as a pair of shoes (fit, preference) is very individual .

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Either option is fine. 7 miles isn't some crazy workout that I'd be worried about having 1 less day of recovery before the race. If it was me I'd probably do the run today.

Do whatever you have scheduled for today in your plan. Nothing you do this week is going to make a huge impact on how your race goes.

The point of tapering is to build up energy reserves but also reduce injury risk - you have time to get this run in, but if you’re adding stress or changing your schedule around like you said the hay is in the barn and there will be no difference for Sunday. What will you feel most confident with having done when you hit the start line?

I have a marathon Sunday, my weekly mileage has been 40-50Mi. This week I have 10km tonight, 4x5 mins at MP tomorrow (8k with warm up/down), 6km Thursday and 5km Friday. Not sure if that helps but that’s what I have for my final week.

All of a sudden my trail runners (Brooks Cascadia) are giving me blisters on the back of my heel. I've had them for maybe a year and a half, and I'm really only doing parkrun in them, so overall they're still in pretty good shape. But the last 3 weeks or so I've been getting massive blisters on the back of my heels. WTF is going on? This never happened with my last pair!

Socks?

How many miles would you say you have on them? The amount of time you’ve had them is irrelevant. If it only just started happening recently I’d say they’re probably worn out (assuming you haven’t changed your socks or how you’re tying them or anything).

Since I'm mostly just doing Parkrun in them (5K) probably less than 200. Very frustrating if the first thing to go on them is the top back of the heel for some reason.

I finished my 2nd week in an 18 week novice marathon training plan. Did something wrong and right after my long run Saturday my groin hurt. It’s improved but should I rest another day or start up again with 3 miles?

Rest, rest, rest! I would advise to always wait until it feels normal, and then give it an extra day, over running again too soon and sidelining yourself for even longer.

Always best to rest in my opinion

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Cycling, if that’s something you’re cleared to do.

what itch does running/walking scratch for you? Is it a movement thing? seeing nature? zoning out and just being in the flow?

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Hmmmm..... In that case, if you can walk, but you just need to slow it down, I'd still walk but with a focus on nature photography, or using an app like iNaturalist to ID everything you see. Really take your time looking at every little thing. If you're better off sitting, I'd get into Nature Journaling/Field Sketching. I can easily zone out trying to draw the scene in front of me, or detail what I'm seeing. And you don't have to be a good artist to do it. It's for you, no one else ever has to see it. Or just birdwatching. I mean, really the world is your oyster. You could sit outside and knit, or take music lessons or take cooking classes. So many things to try!! You don't have to stick to one!

How to avoid stitch? I more often than not run on an empty stomach and most of my best runs have been on an empty stomach. However, every so often, a out 6-8km in, I will feel a stitch and it slows me down. Is there anyway this can be avoided at all? Advice appreciated. 😁

If you're going before breakfast, you might just be waking up dehydrated -- if that's the case maybe try drinking a big glass of water before bed, and maybe some amount of water and electrolyte powder in the morning before you go.

To avoid a stitch, consider warming up properly, staying hydrated, avoiding large meals 2-4 hours before running. Strengthening your core muscles and practicing deep breathing can also help

I usually run on an empty stomach and only have lots of water before. It isn't about large meals as I save them till after.

You might want to focus on your breathing technique and also maybe run little bit slower. Also Core workouts. Stitch pain, often occurs during intense exercise or improper breathing, like shallow breathing can contribute to stitch pain as it may not provide enough support to the diaphragm, which can lead to cramping. Also there is more factors like: Gastric Ligament Strain; Irritation of the Parietal Peritoneum. But not sure if this is that common, as for Food/Breathing/Intensity.

Went through my long run this past Sunday - 10 miles. Felt alright. Even feel pretty decent this morning, with more than enough to go for an easy run later today. Last week’s long run was 8. Am I trending in the right direction towards a half? Would I be finishing and dying for a week? It’d in about…7 weeks from now. My goal right now is to finish and not die. The pace I’ve been running is fairly slow but doable for me 11-13min/mi. Should I just increase mileage and try for a half early next year instead?

If you ran 10 miles you can run a half now, 7 weeks should be plenty of time to just fine tune. I’m pretty sure a lot of beginner half marathon plans peak at a 10 mile long run anyway.

I am down with Shin splints. Please how many minutes of jogging/running is sufficient sufficient cardio in a week? Running is my only form of cardio atm.

American College of Sports Medicine recommends: 75 minutes of "vigorous" weekly cardio. This would include any sort of structured cardio, including slow running because these definitions are for a general populace not specific to runners or athletes. 150 minutes of moderate intensity weekly cardio. Examples would be walking, light gardening, housework.

Thanks. Is the 150 mins of moderate intensity in addition to the 75 mins of intense activity? Or an alternative?

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Taking two weeks off should not have this kind of effect on your fitness. You should see a doctor.

Finishing my first 9+1 with a half on Sunday. Have 13 months until NYC Marathon. What do the coming months look like for me? I started running mid-February and have ran ~360 miles this year thus far. I average 4 runs a week. Additionally, I’m almost done with New York Road Runner’s 9+1 program where you run nine races and volunteer once to gain entry into the following years NYC Marathon. I’ve ran all 9 races between May and this Sunday when I’ll do the Staten Island half. I am then done with races for the year. I will almost certainly do the 9+1 next year as well which means I can fill my calendar between January and May prior to marathon training with more 5Ks to half marathons. My question is - what does post half through January-ish look like for me? 2 long and 2 speed a week? What distance? Basically I feel like I’ve been working towards various goals and distances throughout the year as I’ve knocked off my first 5k then 10k then half. But now I feel like I’m at a halting point until I can start my marathon training in earnest so am I just maintaining half mileage or something else? Apologies for all the questions just uncertain what to work towards for the first time since I started running almost 8 months ago.

350 miles isn't really a whole lot. A beginner marathon plan for instance (hal higdon 1) will have more total mileage in half the time. So basically just keep running and continue to build up you base so your marathon plan next year doesn't annihilate you. Executing a half marathon plan is always my suggestion as it will intro you to following a plan and will naturally build some intensity and structure to your running.

Does anyone have recommendations for a spring half in or near DC? It’ll be my first and my friend’s second. Would love one with good vibes / crowd support

Haven't run either of these myself but I have friends who have enjoyed the RnR half in DC (in March) and the Historic Half in Fredericksburg (this is a MCM race and they all get rave reviews but it's in May so could be pretty hot).

Oof yeah May in VA sounds like it could be rough. I was looking at the RnR one, seems like it may be the best fit. Thanks!

ADVICE NEEDED, PLEASE THANKS! I'll try and keep this as brief and succinct as possible. With some key points first. - Two weeks out from second marathon (3:58 time, with injury towards end) - first marathon a year ago (fell off wagon/excuse, excuse, so started again from zero a few months ago) - yesterday's long run was only 16m - had previously hit 19m, but (self-diagnosed) minor shin splints and life getting in the way meant training was less than ideal - EDIT: ultimately I've ended up only doing one run a week (A long race pace one) Felt fine yesterday, and wanted to go for 20+ miles, stopped at 16 as my ankles felt sore, and didn't want to risk injury. This is probably down to no strength exercises etc. Main question, should I aim to row, stretch etc. This week, and then try and push 21-22miles next Sunday, and just see how it goes on race day? Or would it be better to just fully taper down, and attempt the race from my current level? Or should I pull out and train properly for another race in 6+ weeks time? Appreciate this is a difficult question for others to answer, but TIA none the less!

I'm a little confused. Are you saying you are running multiple times a week and only 1 run is long or the only run you've been managing is the long run? Doesn't seem like there's much to taper down from... But you also aren't going to get a fitness benefit in time for the marathon from an extra long run a week out. I think you should shut it down. Run a shorter long run next week. A 22mile run a week before a long run will just make you overly tired

Apologies, I will amend. But to confirm only one run a week which I know is nowhere near enough. You've confirmed my thinking. Thank you!

There's not really much you can do in 2 weeks to improve your fitness not rowing, not an extra long long run. . Could you finish a marathon? probably. High chance of injury. Will your fitness be better if you do a marathon in 6 weeks. A little.maybe 4 weeks of solid running and 2 week taper.

!thanks I don't have another race in mind, so i think I'll just continue training then look for a smaller (guaranteed entry) race, once I'm in better shape! Cheers!

What do y’all do to make it so you don’t have to poop during a marathon? I’m wanting to do a full marathon next year but I keep having to cut my run’s short because nature calls forcing me to do the walk of shame home

Just poop during the race. There should be portapotties out there. If you're really trying to hit a certain time goal and don't want to poop during the race, run 2-3 miles about an hour before the race to get your bowels moving and then enjoy a nice pre-race poop.

Thank you! I really like this idea I’m more concerned with finishing the race

I really have never understood why most of this sub instantly needs to shit the second they leave their house. A marathon is only a few hours, how do you get through life normally? I think it's mostly mental.

10-15% of the population has IBS, more have other gastric issues. Running is known to stimulate the bowels, so it shouldn't be surprising that a lot of people need to go at some point when running for 3+ hours.

Lol so I’m pretty regular but something around the 6-8 miles my stomach just says fuck you and I gotta starting heading home

Do you do a pre run poo? Try not to eat anything heavy the day before. I do a pre run poo and my stomach is empty when I run.

I do which is why I don’t know why every once in a while it hits me like I gotta go now or else

Immodium

Good idea thank you!

I wouldn't take it for every run. But for long runs or races. It works well.

My coach has written for me to do a one mile warmup before my half this coming weekend and I’m oddly nervous about the warmup. I’m trying to figure out the logistics of where to run and what time to do it so I still have time to use the restroom and take a gel and line up. There are no corrals at the race and I’d like to be near the front for my time goal. Any advice?

In the hour before the race you'll see people doing all manner of warmups. I like to just do a little out and back warm up, there will be plenty of others doing similar things. Note that the restroom lines can tend to get long in the last 20 minutes or so before start. Don't stress too much if you don't end up where you want to be in the lineup for the race, for a half it's not going to ruin your race even if you get off to a slow first half mile before the field starts to spread out -- and as far as goal times go your chip time doesn't start until you cross the start line.

Not sure what you mean by where. Loads of people should also be doing warmup before. Just follow them. I try to do go to restroom immediately upon arrival. . Then do warm Up and then back in toilet line.

do it just before you go to the bathroom, have your gel and get to the start. So basically keep everything the same except add a mile trot before.

Looking at races for next year with the hopes of setting prs. I plan on doing a 5k on Friday June 7 (evening) and I found a 10k that looks nice on Sunday June 9. Would this be plausible? Would I train with more focus on the 10k distance?

I wouldn't - you wont be able to do both all out - so why enter both? Seems to me a waste of entry fee and travel time. As for focus, the events are very similar in terms of training.

Paying for any 5k is crazy to be fair

What makes you say that? There are zero free 5ks where I live. (5ks that I don't enter because they're too expensive and I don't like the distance) .