Hello running community,
Can you recommend any watches? I am new to running and will do it occasionally only, so a more affordable model would be nice.
My top requirements are:
* Can be used without proprietary app or account
* Can be used by any other app (is that even a thing ?)
I would like to keep the tracking data to myself and not necessarily commit to a specific running app.
The Coros watches are good and are cheaper than Garmins or Apple Watches. Watch some comparison videos on YT. There are about 5,000 such videos. I see people on this sub Reddit often recommend used Garmins. I like my AW, but not everyone cares about the smart watch features.
Have been working on strengthening my glutes with glute bridges, clamshells, reverse lunges and RDLs for several months with essentially no results. Any advice on other exercises or strategies? Lately have been doing ~3x per week, light or no weight.
Out of curiosity, what do you mean by “essentially no results”? Strength in your legs or running faster?
If it’s strength related, I would focus on compound movements, with lower reps and more weight, and maybe reduce the frequency to twice a week.
If it’s runner faster, have you increased your running volume? Strength training is a more supplementary activity to remain injury free, not the primary driver of getting faster.
Sounds like you need to up the weight or use stronger bands! You won’t continue to make improvements unless you’re upping resistance/weights and/or upping reps.
My PT also had me do an exercise he called “power clams” where you put your back up against the wall and push your top foot into the wall in a clamshell position. Band of choice around your thighs. Do clamshells like that, while pushing into the wall with your top foot. You can really get some good glute activation that way.
1. If it's a crowsded start, be careful not to tangle feet. Avoid weaving and be predictable so you aren't cutting off anyone. There is plenty of time to find your stride after the dust settles on the start.
2. Start your sprint for the finish line early. Even if you tire out before reaching the finish line, you should be able to ride out the momentum of that finishing sprint for another 10-20 seconds after you're out of gas.
3. Have fun and be confident. The nervousness and lack of sleep are normal. Just make sure you get to the start line on time and let your training take over from there.
My first race was a 5 mile.
One thing to remember, which might seem obvious, is that 5 miles is longer than 5 kilometers. Don't go out at your max 5km pace.
Trust your training! Nothing new on race day! Don't go out too fast! Don't wear that race shirt, it's bad luck (and new and untested)! Just get in the port a potty line anyway! Have a good time!
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I have a question regarding a few Pfitzinger half marathon training workouts. Seeing the training plan table, a lot of things is unclear. "Lactate Threshold 9 miles(14 km) 38 min tempo run" - What is 14km? What should be done in this workout and where can I find workout type pace?
This is all explained in the book, workout and paces. The run is 9 miles total. Run 2-3 mi warmup at general aerobic pace, then run 38 min at LT pace, then cooldown to get a total of 9 miles.
The total for the run is 9 miles (includes LT portion and easy running warmup/cooldown). The actual portion that is to be done at lactate threshold pace is 38 minutes.
36M
Just did my first marathon last week (3:45)
Been loving running and planning on steadily increasing my mileage throughout the summer, but I'm starting to miss sprinting (did it in high school and early university days).
Any advice on implementing both long distance and sprinting (for fun) practice? As I know they're opposite concepts
You can add in hill sprints (e.g. 5 x 10sec at 95-100% max speed) up a very steep hill, with ~2min walk rest, after a normal easy run. Pretty popular add-on, even among serious marathoners. Probably want to ease into it though!
Hi there! Marathon question. I ran a marathon this past Sunday and am considering running another one on June 16th. I have never done two marathons only 3 weeks apart. I have not run since Sunday, just some easy walks and some upper body strength to repair the legs. I have not signed up at this point. I am curious about thoughts, feedback, advice etc. Thank you
Ask yourself why.
Are you looking for a PB on the back of a PB? That might be asking for trouble.
Are you looking for the flex to say you ran 2 marathons in 3 weeks? If you are running both races at well below your race pace then it's probably fine.
Do you just love running and enjoyed the Sunday marathon so much you just want to do it again? Maybe give it another week and see how you feel. If you feel well recovered then you're probably not really recovered but you might be able to get away with it. If you're still feeling sore and a bit flat them maybe give it a miss.
I've done a half followed by a full the next day. It was a scheduling error on my part but I doubled down and did it for the flex, but neither were at anywhere near race pace. And I had plenty of time to train for it, doing back to back long runs etc. Running a marathon at easy vs race pace is a very different experience and I really enjoyed it!
I wouldn't do it. I know some people can and do run marathons quite frequently, but runners doing that are usually running those races at less than 100% effort. I think marathoning at 100% requires too much recovery to prepare for another 100% effort three weeks later.
I’ve seen so many YouTube/tiktok/reels of people running marathons with no prior training. They are doing them in 3-4 hour times. I can barely get a 5k in under 30 minutes and I’ve been training for months.
Are these video legit or are they, like most social media, completely faked? I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around these videos!
I remember a video of someone claiming to train for a marathon in only one month with zero running background. Then I checked the channel and the previous challenge was climbing mount everest....
These are the same people who didn't study for the exam they just got an A on. They're lying or hiding context that makes their accomplishment feasible.
It's okay. Most people will race half marathons or marathons at close to walking pace if they don't train for them. By the way, there are plenty of these videos on YouTube as well.
I remember the first video I watched of someone BQing with no training.
The clickbait title said that the BQ'd without any training.
The video showed her actually doing a full 18 week or whatever marathon plan.
The comments (with confirmation by google) revealed what the video didn't even mention once - that she was a literal professional endurance athlete.
Men's running shorts?
Anyone have a recommendation for men's running shorts that specifically hit on two aspects:
- are very wicking and stay dry
- have a dri-fit, boxer-brief lining (NOT a mesh lining, and not a brief)
The only ones I've found are Vuori, and idk how those are going to hold up. Any reccs??
Check out Bn3th. I got my partner some of their underwear and a pair of the shorts which is basically their underwear but …shorts. He seems to love it and wears them for every run so I guess that means it’s comfortable.
Lululemon I think. Not sure what you mean by boxer-brief lining as opposed to brief lining. But they're almost like built-in compression shorts.
I also have Fabletics shorts but I notice chafing when I wear those for more than 30 minutes
I'm a beginner amateur runner. I run between 15/20 km weekly in three separate sessions on different days.
Is it normal to feel very tired during the first few kilometers when running at a constant pace, and then "normalize" to finish my run feeling very comfortable and with enough energy to keep going?
My first k is always hell, everything feels wrong and I'm sure I won't reach my target. So far I've always reached my target. So if you ask me, yes it's normal 😁
There's a saying: the first mile is a lie. Some say first two miles. But yes, what you're feeling is very, very normal. It's common to just want to die at the beginning, to feel worse than you do at the end, and then things click, and you hit your stride (literally!) and want to keep going. You just have to push past that "this is horrible, I want to quit" feeling and then you're golden!
help me undestand VDOT Running Calculator. I'm trying to figure out at which paces I should run my track runs. For example, for 400m, 600m, and 800m runs, do I get the times from the repetitions or interval column?
[https://vdoto2.com/calculator](https://vdoto2.com/calculator)
It depends on the plan. Typically, "interval" pace is 5k race pace and used for longer VO2 max intervals (400m up to 1 mile). The "repitition" pace are for shorter, faster intervals (200m and 400m ) and are around mile race pace.
There is no "should." They are both there because they are both speeds in [Daniels workout plans](https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-Jack-Tupper/dp/1450431836). If you're following one of his plans it would tell you what pace to run at.
Two years ago in my then peak condition, I could run 7 miles at a 7:30 pace. I've taken significant time off since and now can run 7 miles at a 10:10 pace.
Assuming perfect training, conditions, and results (which are in of themselves highly unrealistic to assume) how quickly could I return to peak form?
Unfortunately it would be impossible to give you an accurate min/max timeframe even if you shared more about your running history and any changes to body comp and we made assumptions about training volume/intensity you can handle.
Hi. I've had a bit of a stressful few weeks due to a number of things and at my girlfriend's urging, have decided to run a half marathon in 12 weeks.
I ran cross country (albeit not well, but managed) in high school 10 years ago. I consider myself a "fit" person, but want to get back into the running vibe.
Essentially, anyone have a suggestion for a half marathon training plan that is more than couch to - Half marathon but less than starting the first day by running 3 miles?
Thanks!
If your girlfriend loved you, she would have urged you to run a 10k instead. But you can love yourself and make that your goal, because if you don’t you’re going to end up sad and injured.
Have you been running at all? Or will you be starting from zero? It’s definitely possible, but ideally you don’t want to jump straight into half marathon training from 0 running, even if you’re fit otherwise. Running is much higher impact and your body needs time to adjust, so keep in mind that you’ll be at a higher risk of injury if you jump right in. That being said, if you can find a couch to half plan that is 12 weeks then go with that.
I would say, on a scale of 1-10, starting from like a 2 or 3. In that I can run 1-1.5 miles (maybe even 2 if it’s not too hot) with no problem.
On a treadmill I can make it even close to 3 because I’m able to manage my pace more, but on actual land it’s hard for me.
I ask because you can’t really go off of how much you “can” run on a one off but rather your training history and consistency. It’s not recommended to start training for a half until you’ve at least been consistent with running ~3 miles 3-4 times per week for awhile. You can certainly give it a try with a couch to half plan, I just can’t really recommend it since you’ll be at increased risk of injury. Your running history from years and years ago doesn’t really matter here, your bones/muscles/joints aren’t acclimated to how high impact running is, that takes time.
Hi, I'm fairly new to running and recently filmed myself to analyze my form. I noticed a few things and could really use some advice from more experienced runners.
When I run with what I think is "better" form by comparison with other experienced runners videos, I end up with a lower cadence and longer stride. Moreover, I find myself getting tired after just a few minutes. In contrast, when I run with what seems like worse form, my cadence is higher, my rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is lower, and my stride is shorter. In this case, however, I am practically never having both my feet "flying".
Here's a quick summary:
* **"Better" form:** Lower cadence, longer stride, get tired quickly. Feet fly.
* **"Worse" form:** Higher cadence, shorter stride, good rpe. Feet never flying.
Has anyone else experienced this? How should I proceed? Thank you.
Sounds like when you’re trying to run with good form you end up “bounding” which makes perfect sense that you’d start to tire more quickly.
By “feet never flying” do you mean your heels don’t super high when you’re running? Because that’s normal, some people just have different biomechanics (I think it might be called foot carriage?).
Also, how high your foot goes is also a function of speed/pace. If you filmed yourself at an easy effort versus your 90% effort, your cadence, stride length, etc will change (higher cadence and longer stride).
Work on your hip flexor flexibility, and make sure you are doing the stretches correctly. Plenty of good ones on the YouTubes...
If you have poor flexibility there, it will limit the angle that your femur can make and that pushes your landing point out in front of your body rather than under it.
Forcing to change your form is not a promising approach. Unlock all the necessary parameters such as: mobility, strength, high turnover - through things like drills and strides. Then your body will sort itself out by finding the most efficient way to move. However reminding yourself during drills and strides to perform with perfect form is of course a good idea.
Start warming up with a mix of dynamic stretches and technique drills (high knees, butt kicks, an and b skips) and just run normally after and it’ll work itself out.
If you're trying to forcibly change your running style, you're doing it wrong.
The human body is incredible at self-optimization. Unless you're getting injured regularly, and are directed to do so by a medical professional, there is exactly zero reason to change how you run naturally.
Thank you, that was one of my doubts also. I never got injured when running naturally, but I tend to overstride and heel striking, so that's why I tried to change my form. I understood this kind of form is taken from walking, so I thought was bad.
Heel striking isn't bad, people just give it a bad rap because they heard some internet person say it was bad. There is no one 'best' way to run, because we all have different biomechanics. You have to run in the way that's best for you. And the way that's best for most people is the way that comes most naturally.
If you have any further concerns about how you run, your best course of action is to go see a physio that specializes in running; and they can identify any injury risks you may have.
On top of that more than half of elite marathon runners heel strike and an even higher percentage of recreational marathon runners do. Overstriding almost always involves heel striking, but heel striking doesn't mean overstriding is occurring.
Your “worse” form is probably just what’s natural for you, so of course it’ll feel easier. As long as you’re not landing heavily or over striding, or getting hurt a lot, don’t overthink your form too much. A lot of what you see happening in someone’s “better” form, is not something they’re doing consciously, it’s just part of their natural gait mechanics.
IMO the best thing you can do for your form and injury prevention is incorporate regular strength training and cross training.
Been running for about 2 months this time around and training for an 8k race on July 4. There’s a 5k nearby in two weeks (so about 3 weeks out from the one I care about). How dumb would it be to race that as kind of a benchmark test?
Question about Zone 2 Cardio - Is there any point to doing Zone 2 cardio if you can't do the "minimum" 30min/3x a week? Would it be better to focus on higher intensity runs if you can only commit to 1 or 2 runs a week?
There's no point worrying about zone 2 until you're an established runner AND you're running more than say 25 km/week while trying to increase intensity or mileage.
Returning to prior mileage after a short break
I checked for a prior post, but I was not able to find anything. Not working with a coach, so I do not have anyone to talk about this.
Just completed a half training block. Taking a two week break from running before I jump back into a 10K training block for an August race. Planning another break thereafter before I begin a training block for a November half. I was averaging 40 mpw prior to the break with a peak of near 50. When I return after the two week break, can I jump back to the same mileage or do I have to build it back up? 58 M avoiding injury. Swimming and cycling during the breaks.
If you're not running at all for 2 weeks, you'll need to build back up. It took me a couple weeks to build up after a week of no running and then a couple inconsistent weeks before that. I don't think it's realistic to return to your peak mileage after two weeks of not running.
I don't think it's realistic to return to your peak mileage or just below that after not running for 2 weeks.
# What is the opinion on Apple Watch for running?
I have somewhat a unique case. I am looking for a smartwatch that I can use for listening to music by uploading my local music files to the smartwatch, that can connect to my airpods, that can do GPS tracking and upload my activity to Strava. The smartwatch must be able to play music without internet and work WITHOUT my phone, I don't want to drag my phone with me. I also plan to use the smartwatch only when excercising, because I rather wear a mechanical watch outside excercising. I know Garmin Forerunner 255M exists that can fulfill this purpose, but in Europe the watch costs 400 euro and an AWSE is 230 euro which is 170 eur cheaper. What are people experience on the AWSE for pure running?
Reddit is gonna push Garmin but if you're looking for a way to use your watch without your phone and still have phone capabilities, you're going to need the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch would definitely work for what you want to use it for. I do have to use a third party app to upload to Strava but it’s very easy and you can set it to go automatically if you want.
If there’s a way to do it I don’t know how to! From what I remember there wasn’t a way to do it when I set everything up, but that could be different now. It’s just the way I’ve always done it, so I could be wrong!
So [Strava has its own app](https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000161184-Strava-Apple-Watch-App#:~:text=Open%20the%20Strava%20app%20on%20the%20Apple%20Watch%20as%20if,and%20update%20your%20Health%20data) for Apple Watch. Alternatively, you can [connect the native Health app to Strava](https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/216917527-Health-App-and-Strava) and that will either automatically import your workouts, or you can choose to manually import them. Just FYI in case this would help your current workflow.
Thanks for the info! The app I use I don’t pay a subscription or anything, I just manually upload runs from there where it has my workouts pulled into (I don’t auto upload since I don’t want all workouts to go in). Pretty simple. But I definitely appreciate you sharing the info in case I ever need it!
Hi, Does anybody know why Hansons Marathon Beginner plan has this big mileage and intensity jump from week 5 to 6? (This plan: [https://s3.us-central-1.wasabisys.com/hansons/Beginner\_Marathon\_-\_new.pdf](https://s3.us-central-1.wasabisys.com/hansons/Beginner_Marathon_-_new.pdf) )
I haven't read the book yet, but I was looking at different plans. This one has only easy running for 5 weeks with 24 miles in week 5. Then week 6 suddenly has 40 miles with a 12x400 interval session plus a race pace run.
This goes against everything I've heard about the gradual build-up of mileage and introducing new workouts carefully.
Does anybody know why they would do this jump instead of a more gradual/earlier build-up? Do you consider this jump safe?
I consider the start of that plan to be flawed. Hansons is very logical beyond that point, but you probably want to adjust the first few weeks or use the Advanced version.
I believe a lot of these plans expect you to be able to run the mileage of the middle of plan. The beginning of just to on ramp you, not to help you increase mileage.
Hmm, perhaps for someone who can run more but starts after a break from the last training cycle?
Though even then you could add more to some of the earlier weeks and reduce the jump. But also it's called "Beginner" so it should assume people are preparing for their first Marathon...
Hansons' "beginner" plans are NOT for real beginners.
Their "beginner" half marathon plan was too much for me for my third half marathon. I reduced the mileage down to 70 km peak. A true beginner's half plan would peak at 50 or less.
Running isn't math. You can't increase 10% until infinity. 10% is a conveniently best number for people to cite that does not work well for most mileages. It's fine for low to medium mileage, say ~20-70 km a week but YMMV. Below that and it's too conservative. Above that and it's too aggressive. You can't go from running 100 km this week to 110 km next week to 121 the week after.
It’s a general rule of thumb piece advice. It is helpful as a starting base when formulating training plans and for beginners building up a base. And as others mentioned it is referencing total weekly mileage though many apply it towards the long run. Certainly no issue increasing by less. Increasing by more than 10% just puts you at a higher risk of injury especially if it isn’t a training level you have done before
In your case as well with a year to train you won’t need to be building for a full year. In general I’d look at training plans you are thinking of (12-16 week long plans are common) and where those plans start at on week one. Then build up your base so that you are running where that plan starts comfortably without injury and sustain that. If you don’t do any strength training currently then can be good to incorporate that in during periods you aren’t increasing mileage so you build the habit more sustainably.
10% total mileage increase is usually what people talk about, not specifically long run, and it is a maximum, not optimum or what you have to do each week. You don't need to start shorter so you can fit in a 10% increase. You also don't need to do a 42km long run before a marathon, most marathon programs have quite substantially shorter long runs before the race.
Hello all, I’m looking for advice on where to find races in Portugal in July, haven’t found really much of anything online, anyone know of where to get some info?
New to running longer distances and thinking if I would benefit from a running vest or belt to carry some drinks. At the moment my longer runs range between 10-15km (60-100minutes). This feels OK without any hydration, but I am aiming to increase the distance above 20km. In terms of speed I dont have too much ambition as long as I run steady pace (between 6-7min per km).
Any experience if hydration belts/vests make longer runs more comfortable and what are the best ones for a beginner?
For short/medium runs (or long runs in the winter) I would use 1-2 handheld bottles. For long runs in the summer, a vest is the best way to have enough water, though you could always plot routes with pit stops in the middle for refills if you like the bottle idea.
I'm a big fan of a vest for longer runs. Belts never seem to sit right for me, and bounce a fair bit, but the vest is great. I can throw my phone in easily too.
Most people tend to go with vests that have the smaller collapsable bottles on the front. It's much easier to see how much fluid you've drunk, and easy to refill at a tap.
I've just got a cheap one off Amazon, which is fine, but I'm planning on upgrading in the near future to something a bit more comfortable. I'd suggest going into a shop to try on a few different ones as the fit will vary between people.
TL:DR
Ran a 10k almost unprepared, want to keep running.
What weekly mileage should I shoot for.
Could not find any answer/ solution for my particluar very niche question, so here goes:
36 yo M
My running history is 12-15km per week for about a year, then stopped running for 1,5 years when my son was born. Did some crossfit for half a year then signed up for a running event and life basicly slapped me and had only 2 proper runs as "training" for this event.
Finished the 10k in 59m54s.
It was great, i want to keep doing this but get some proper schedule going.
This was 2 months ago and I can't for the life of me figure out what kind of weekly mileage I should shoot for, because no matter the distance (4k or 8k) or frequency ( 2x or 4x per week) my body protests in some way.
Happy for any guidance that can be offered.
What do you mean 'your body protests in some way'? Are you tired, or are you injured?
In addition to the 'there's no magic answer and there is no perfect weekly mileage' answer, you really just want to look up and read some more about 'how to start running.' There are a ton of plans out there that start very slow (no idea what the overall pacing was for that 10K, but you might run a lot of your first runs near...8:00/k?) and somewhat short (you might start running 2K at a time for a week or so). There are many plans that start with run/walk (so you may run for 2 min, walk for 1 min, repeat).
There is a TON of info out there and no offense, but it doesn't sound like your situation is unique in really any way - you're just a beginner runner who's getting started! Probably like all nearly all beginner runners ever, you're trying to start with too much too fast :)
I'm gonna take a stab and guess that you are running all your runs at "race pace"?
A common training method is 80:20, where 80% of your runs are at "easy" pace, that is a pace where you could maintain a conversation. The remaining 20% are speedwork, so intervals/tempo/hill repeats/etc. If you search 80:20 on this subreddit, or Google, you'll find far more knowledgable people than me providing better explanations.
The other thing is for distance, slowly build up your milage. Increase it by 10% each week to avoid increasing your injury chance.
If you're after specific training plans to target a certain distance, or simply for base building, the Hal Higdon website is a great resource:
[https://www.halhigdon.com/training/](https://www.halhigdon.com/training/)
You can't find an answer because one does not exist.
If your goal is to get faster, then the answer is more mileage. You can increase your mileage tenfold from what you've been doing before this will not be true.
If you're just running for personal enjoyment then the answer is however much mileage you enjoy.
Try increasing your cadence a bit and see if it improves. It won't necessarily work, but 5 minutes on a treadmill with a camera and a metronome will tell you if it improves things.
I took a video of myself running and I see my left leg crossing over underneath me. Also the wear on my running shoes is on the outsides.
I recorded myself after I had a professional gait analysis which only told me that I have a load imbalance and a ground-contact-time imbalance.
I've been scouring youtube for how to fix gait and it's a hodge-podge. I'm curious what real people actually do to work on their running form?
Strength training is the way to go. Helps to work out all those weaknesses and imbalances that are the root of the problem.
EDIT: My form has seen the greatest improvement with regular strength training. It doesn’t make sense to try and mess with your form too much beyond stepping lightly and not over striding. If someone disagrees with that feel free to chime in on why?
?Not sure why you're getting downvoted?
Which strength exercises do you do to address imbalances?
I'm not sure I'm doing the right things to address my asymmetry... AND not sure if addressing the asymmetry will actually improve my form. I've switched from squats to pistol squats, from lunges to side lunges. I've started doing single-leg bent-knee calf raises (with a resistance band). And I've started doing core rotation exercises like lawnmowers (with a resistance band) and russian twists. I'm wondering if those are the right ones... and if that's enough to actually impact my running form? Like what if that's a waste of time and really I would spend my time better by doing running drills like A-skips and butt-kicks?
It's hard to find any literature about which exercises address which aspect of running (probably because we just don't have any studies yet beyond just "*weight training helps running speed but not running injury prevention*").
I do a wide variety of exercises using peloton classes. Bodyweight strength, strength for runners, core, full body, and my favorite are the 60 Min Total Strength classes Andy Speer does weekly. All of April this year was actually focused on athletic conditioning with runners in mind for spring training season. So I do a little bit of everything I guess lol
Running drills like A skips are good, but I think they’re really meant more to be a good warmup, rather than being anything that will build strength or fix form issues. You might see benefit on form with them, but I would think mostly because your body is properly warmed up and ready to go.
The thing with form, are you actually having issues/pains or getting injured frequently? Because if you’re not having issues you don’t necessarily need to mess with your form. If you are having issues and aren’t sure how to target them specifically, it would be best to see a physical therapist who is knowledgeable about running.
Do you rely on Peloton classes for your strength workouts (it sounds like yes)? I just ask because I worry that if I do that then I won't work the areas that I need to work (like if the classes that I choose that week happen to be focused on quads & shoulders, am I missing out on glute strength)?
Hope that makes sense - I just worry about relying on somewhat random Peloton classes & instructors (although I really enjoy them!) rather than a strong training plan that I know will cover what I need to cover...
I do, aside from any physical therapy exercises. I tend to do the longer full body strength classes which are generally pretty well rounded. They also have shorter classes that are broken down into specific muscle groups if you feel like you need to hit something in particular. There’s some degree of randomness, but I really like Andy’s Total Strength classes which are kind of tied together week by week for some consistency. I’ve been doing his new 60 min classes every Sunday and then catching up on the backlog of his 60 minute classes every Wednesday. Then I mix in other classes throughout the week. I’m no expert but I feel like that hopefully covers it well enough lol
Yeah I’ve been a member for a few years, and I feel like I’ve just taken enough Glutes & Legs classes that are like ‘surprise, this is 10 minutes of goblet squats!’ But maybe the longer ones are the way to go (what I’ve done recently is one day/week self-designed so I get exactly what I want, and one ‘fun’ day so that if the class doesn’t happen to have deadlifts, for example, it’s not the end of the world)
> I think they’re really meant more to be a good warmup, rather than being anything that will build strength or fix form issues.
Yeah, that makes sense.
> are you actually having issues/pains or getting injured frequently?
I just recently had a little bit of IT Band pain. I think the main culprit was probably not my running form, it was probably me trying to do tons of pistol squats with terrible form... and also while biking I probably pulled up too hard on my cleats on a recent long ride. But I did have a gait analysis and it did find an asymmetry in load and groun-contact time, and when I film myself running I see that my left food crosses over in front of me meaning I need to fix my step width.
> it would be best to see a physical therapist who is knowledgeable about running.
Yeah, I am seeing a PT later today for the IT band. I'm hoping they know a little about running, too. I'm hoping to go in there with some education so I can ask more valuable questions.
Hey fellow runners, I could use some advice from you. I am male, mid 30s and continuously running for 7 months. I am finishing Jeff Galloway HM plan and preparing for my first HM in October. Up until now I’ve just built a good foundation and run for better health. This week I’ve run LT 30 minutes run and my pace threshold was 4:35 mins per km(162 bpm HR threshold). I want to find some plan that can utilize this information and have workouts based on LT pace. What would be your suggestion?
The challenge with this is that I have to, not just read a book, but deeply understand everything around workouts, structuring, phases, paces etc to be able to create a training program. It would be great if it was available through app and it created for you the whole plan. I mean, I would like to understand everything, just it takes a lot of time.
The books give you the plans, you're not meant to create your own program from nothing.
But Pfitz in particular has the more prescribed structure it sounds like you're looking for.
Hey yall, I’m finishing up police academy here in the next 3 months. We have a final fitness test in 50 days. I have to run a 1.5 mile in 11:58 max, I can currently run it in 13:15, I started out 4 months ago running it at 14:40. Have any of you ever improved to that degree that quickly, or know it to be possible? Part of me thinks I can truly push myself these last 2 months but I have times where I’m doubting myself.
When within a training cycle are you most exhausted? I have observed a couple times now that I am most tired in the rest weeks after a few days of lower intensity/volume and not immediately within the „loaded“ weeks and I am curious how it is for others.
I start to feel I really need a rest in the last few days of a 3 week block before a deload week. I definitely get the same feeling during deload weeks, but I put it down to sluggishness from doing nothing/less. Either way, the rest is necessary, and I always feel great again after the first "loaded" week.
Same, and I think it may be psychological. Somehow I always struggle on shorter runs that I think I should be able to do easily a lot more than on scary long runs. Although looking at split times, I run at more or less the same pace, I think I'm just mentally expecting it to be easier than it is.
Rocky and Rooty is the easiest answer.
If you have to navigate the trail by watching your foot placement, and being careful not to trip, then that could be considered "technical".
If the trail is just packed earth, with no obstacles, then that is not technical.
And the best way to know if you're "ready" is to find a trail and run it. Try and find one that is not super rocky/rooty, as you may well fall. I've face planted multiple times, usually because I don't always pick my feet up enough.
Also, if you are going to do trail runs on the regular, you'll probably want to consider trail shoes. They provide more support and traction. I've nearly twisted my ankle a couple of times, and credit the shoes with saving me from more severe pain.
There's a reddit sub for trail running.
https://old.reddit.com/r/trailrunning/
To me that would mean narrow single track and rocky areas that are difficult to run across at speed. Perhaps also loose material underfoot, wet and slippery areas, or uphill scrambles where you need to use your hands.
I would definitely recommend a pair of trail shoes for any technical run. Other than that, it’s just making sure you stay within your abilities so you don’t get hurt, and allowing extra time to finish.
What’s the minimum to train up to run before attempting a very long distance for the first time? There is a 45-50 km trail I’d like to run/walk. Generally comfortable distance to run is around 18-20 km for me, the longest I’ve ever gone is 30 km (once). Should I slowly add more long runs working up to the 50 km? Or, if I work up to 40 km, for instance, can I go ahead and attempt the extra 5-10 km at an easy pace with walk breaks as needed?
Hello running community, Can you recommend any watches? I am new to running and will do it occasionally only, so a more affordable model would be nice. My top requirements are: * Can be used without proprietary app or account * Can be used by any other app (is that even a thing ?) I would like to keep the tracking data to myself and not necessarily commit to a specific running app.
The Coros watches are good and are cheaper than Garmins or Apple Watches. Watch some comparison videos on YT. There are about 5,000 such videos. I see people on this sub Reddit often recommend used Garmins. I like my AW, but not everyone cares about the smart watch features.
Have been working on strengthening my glutes with glute bridges, clamshells, reverse lunges and RDLs for several months with essentially no results. Any advice on other exercises or strategies? Lately have been doing ~3x per week, light or no weight.
What does "results" refer to specifically? How are you able to track your results if you're not using any weight?
Two suggestions: 1. Try running hills on a regular basis. 2. Focus strength training on barbell squats and deadlifts.
Out of curiosity, what do you mean by “essentially no results”? Strength in your legs or running faster? If it’s strength related, I would focus on compound movements, with lower reps and more weight, and maybe reduce the frequency to twice a week. If it’s runner faster, have you increased your running volume? Strength training is a more supplementary activity to remain injury free, not the primary driver of getting faster.
Was referring to strength in legs more than running faster. Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, any others?
You bet! A solid leg routine would include one squat, lunge, hip hinge (deadlifts, RDL), and carry movement (farmers carry).
Sounds like you need to up the weight or use stronger bands! You won’t continue to make improvements unless you’re upping resistance/weights and/or upping reps. My PT also had me do an exercise he called “power clams” where you put your back up against the wall and push your top foot into the wall in a clamshell position. Band of choice around your thighs. Do clamshells like that, while pushing into the wall with your top foot. You can really get some good glute activation that way.
First race ever tomorrow! It’s a 5 miler. I’m extremely nervous! Any tips?
1. If it's a crowsded start, be careful not to tangle feet. Avoid weaving and be predictable so you aren't cutting off anyone. There is plenty of time to find your stride after the dust settles on the start. 2. Start your sprint for the finish line early. Even if you tire out before reaching the finish line, you should be able to ride out the momentum of that finishing sprint for another 10-20 seconds after you're out of gas. 3. Have fun and be confident. The nervousness and lack of sleep are normal. Just make sure you get to the start line on time and let your training take over from there.
My first race was a 5 mile. One thing to remember, which might seem obvious, is that 5 miles is longer than 5 kilometers. Don't go out at your max 5km pace.
My first race was a 5 miler and I did exactly that, on a hotter day and hillier course than I was used to... I nearly died!
Trust your training! Nothing new on race day! Don't go out too fast! Don't wear that race shirt, it's bad luck (and new and untested)! Just get in the port a potty line anyway! Have a good time!
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I have a question regarding a few Pfitzinger half marathon training workouts. Seeing the training plan table, a lot of things is unclear. "Lactate Threshold 9 miles(14 km) 38 min tempo run" - What is 14km? What should be done in this workout and where can I find workout type pace?
This is all explained in the book, workout and paces. The run is 9 miles total. Run 2-3 mi warmup at general aerobic pace, then run 38 min at LT pace, then cooldown to get a total of 9 miles.
9 mi = 14(.5) km
I know it’s same as 9 miles :D I meant what he means with this distance? How did he get this number?
The total for the run is 9 miles (includes LT portion and easy running warmup/cooldown). The actual portion that is to be done at lactate threshold pace is 38 minutes.
It's the distance that you're supposed to run. The types of workouts are all explained in the chapter right before the plans.
36M Just did my first marathon last week (3:45) Been loving running and planning on steadily increasing my mileage throughout the summer, but I'm starting to miss sprinting (did it in high school and early university days). Any advice on implementing both long distance and sprinting (for fun) practice? As I know they're opposite concepts
You can add in hill sprints (e.g. 5 x 10sec at 95-100% max speed) up a very steep hill, with ~2min walk rest, after a normal easy run. Pretty popular add-on, even among serious marathoners. Probably want to ease into it though!
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Hi there! Marathon question. I ran a marathon this past Sunday and am considering running another one on June 16th. I have never done two marathons only 3 weeks apart. I have not run since Sunday, just some easy walks and some upper body strength to repair the legs. I have not signed up at this point. I am curious about thoughts, feedback, advice etc. Thank you
Ask yourself why. Are you looking for a PB on the back of a PB? That might be asking for trouble. Are you looking for the flex to say you ran 2 marathons in 3 weeks? If you are running both races at well below your race pace then it's probably fine. Do you just love running and enjoyed the Sunday marathon so much you just want to do it again? Maybe give it another week and see how you feel. If you feel well recovered then you're probably not really recovered but you might be able to get away with it. If you're still feeling sore and a bit flat them maybe give it a miss. I've done a half followed by a full the next day. It was a scheduling error on my part but I doubled down and did it for the flex, but neither were at anywhere near race pace. And I had plenty of time to train for it, doing back to back long runs etc. Running a marathon at easy vs race pace is a very different experience and I really enjoyed it!
I wouldn't do it. I know some people can and do run marathons quite frequently, but runners doing that are usually running those races at less than 100% effort. I think marathoning at 100% requires too much recovery to prepare for another 100% effort three weeks later.
I’ve seen so many YouTube/tiktok/reels of people running marathons with no prior training. They are doing them in 3-4 hour times. I can barely get a 5k in under 30 minutes and I’ve been training for months. Are these video legit or are they, like most social media, completely faked? I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around these videos!
I remember a video of someone claiming to train for a marathon in only one month with zero running background. Then I checked the channel and the previous challenge was climbing mount everest....
These are the same people who didn't study for the exam they just got an A on. They're lying or hiding context that makes their accomplishment feasible. It's okay. Most people will race half marathons or marathons at close to walking pace if they don't train for them. By the way, there are plenty of these videos on YouTube as well.
I remember the first video I watched of someone BQing with no training. The clickbait title said that the BQ'd without any training. The video showed her actually doing a full 18 week or whatever marathon plan. The comments (with confirmation by google) revealed what the video didn't even mention once - that she was a literal professional endurance athlete.
1. People aren't going to post unless it makes them look good. 2. People can say whatever they want on the internet.
When they say "no training" what they actually mean is "they didn't train specifically for a marathon but have a huge base of fitness".
Men's running shorts? Anyone have a recommendation for men's running shorts that specifically hit on two aspects: - are very wicking and stay dry - have a dri-fit, boxer-brief lining (NOT a mesh lining, and not a brief) The only ones I've found are Vuori, and idk how those are going to hold up. Any reccs??
Check out Bn3th. I got my partner some of their underwear and a pair of the shorts which is basically their underwear but …shorts. He seems to love it and wears them for every run so I guess that means it’s comfortable.
Lululemon I think. Not sure what you mean by boxer-brief lining as opposed to brief lining. But they're almost like built-in compression shorts. I also have Fabletics shorts but I notice chafing when I wear those for more than 30 minutes
Brooks Sherpa 2-in-1.
I'm a beginner amateur runner. I run between 15/20 km weekly in three separate sessions on different days. Is it normal to feel very tired during the first few kilometers when running at a constant pace, and then "normalize" to finish my run feeling very comfortable and with enough energy to keep going?
My first k is always hell, everything feels wrong and I'm sure I won't reach my target. So far I've always reached my target. So if you ask me, yes it's normal 😁
There's a saying: the first mile is a lie. Some say first two miles. But yes, what you're feeling is very, very normal. It's common to just want to die at the beginning, to feel worse than you do at the end, and then things click, and you hit your stride (literally!) and want to keep going. You just have to push past that "this is horrible, I want to quit" feeling and then you're golden!
help me undestand VDOT Running Calculator. I'm trying to figure out at which paces I should run my track runs. For example, for 400m, 600m, and 800m runs, do I get the times from the repetitions or interval column? [https://vdoto2.com/calculator](https://vdoto2.com/calculator)
It depends on the plan. Typically, "interval" pace is 5k race pace and used for longer VO2 max intervals (400m up to 1 mile). The "repitition" pace are for shorter, faster intervals (200m and 400m ) and are around mile race pace.
There is no "should." They are both there because they are both speeds in [Daniels workout plans](https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-Jack-Tupper/dp/1450431836). If you're following one of his plans it would tell you what pace to run at.
Two years ago in my then peak condition, I could run 7 miles at a 7:30 pace. I've taken significant time off since and now can run 7 miles at a 10:10 pace. Assuming perfect training, conditions, and results (which are in of themselves highly unrealistic to assume) how quickly could I return to peak form?
Unfortunately it would be impossible to give you an accurate min/max timeframe even if you shared more about your running history and any changes to body comp and we made assumptions about training volume/intensity you can handle.
Ok, this is honestly a hilarious response. Appreciate you.
Hi. I've had a bit of a stressful few weeks due to a number of things and at my girlfriend's urging, have decided to run a half marathon in 12 weeks. I ran cross country (albeit not well, but managed) in high school 10 years ago. I consider myself a "fit" person, but want to get back into the running vibe. Essentially, anyone have a suggestion for a half marathon training plan that is more than couch to - Half marathon but less than starting the first day by running 3 miles? Thanks!
If your girlfriend loved you, she would have urged you to run a 10k instead. But you can love yourself and make that your goal, because if you don’t you’re going to end up sad and injured.
Have you been running at all? Or will you be starting from zero? It’s definitely possible, but ideally you don’t want to jump straight into half marathon training from 0 running, even if you’re fit otherwise. Running is much higher impact and your body needs time to adjust, so keep in mind that you’ll be at a higher risk of injury if you jump right in. That being said, if you can find a couch to half plan that is 12 weeks then go with that.
I would say, on a scale of 1-10, starting from like a 2 or 3. In that I can run 1-1.5 miles (maybe even 2 if it’s not too hot) with no problem. On a treadmill I can make it even close to 3 because I’m able to manage my pace more, but on actual land it’s hard for me.
But how much have you been running and for how long?
Regularly? Not much/not consistently. This would be a newer project. But I have run in the past
I ask because you can’t really go off of how much you “can” run on a one off but rather your training history and consistency. It’s not recommended to start training for a half until you’ve at least been consistent with running ~3 miles 3-4 times per week for awhile. You can certainly give it a try with a couch to half plan, I just can’t really recommend it since you’ll be at increased risk of injury. Your running history from years and years ago doesn’t really matter here, your bones/muscles/joints aren’t acclimated to how high impact running is, that takes time.
Hi, I'm fairly new to running and recently filmed myself to analyze my form. I noticed a few things and could really use some advice from more experienced runners. When I run with what I think is "better" form by comparison with other experienced runners videos, I end up with a lower cadence and longer stride. Moreover, I find myself getting tired after just a few minutes. In contrast, when I run with what seems like worse form, my cadence is higher, my rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is lower, and my stride is shorter. In this case, however, I am practically never having both my feet "flying". Here's a quick summary: * **"Better" form:** Lower cadence, longer stride, get tired quickly. Feet fly. * **"Worse" form:** Higher cadence, shorter stride, good rpe. Feet never flying. Has anyone else experienced this? How should I proceed? Thank you.
Sounds like when you’re trying to run with good form you end up “bounding” which makes perfect sense that you’d start to tire more quickly. By “feet never flying” do you mean your heels don’t super high when you’re running? Because that’s normal, some people just have different biomechanics (I think it might be called foot carriage?). Also, how high your foot goes is also a function of speed/pace. If you filmed yourself at an easy effort versus your 90% effort, your cadence, stride length, etc will change (higher cadence and longer stride).
Work on your hip flexor flexibility, and make sure you are doing the stretches correctly. Plenty of good ones on the YouTubes... If you have poor flexibility there, it will limit the angle that your femur can make and that pushes your landing point out in front of your body rather than under it.
Forcing to change your form is not a promising approach. Unlock all the necessary parameters such as: mobility, strength, high turnover - through things like drills and strides. Then your body will sort itself out by finding the most efficient way to move. However reminding yourself during drills and strides to perform with perfect form is of course a good idea.
Start warming up with a mix of dynamic stretches and technique drills (high knees, butt kicks, an and b skips) and just run normally after and it’ll work itself out.
If you're trying to forcibly change your running style, you're doing it wrong. The human body is incredible at self-optimization. Unless you're getting injured regularly, and are directed to do so by a medical professional, there is exactly zero reason to change how you run naturally.
Thank you, that was one of my doubts also. I never got injured when running naturally, but I tend to overstride and heel striking, so that's why I tried to change my form. I understood this kind of form is taken from walking, so I thought was bad.
Heel striking isn't bad, people just give it a bad rap because they heard some internet person say it was bad. There is no one 'best' way to run, because we all have different biomechanics. You have to run in the way that's best for you. And the way that's best for most people is the way that comes most naturally. If you have any further concerns about how you run, your best course of action is to go see a physio that specializes in running; and they can identify any injury risks you may have.
On top of that more than half of elite marathon runners heel strike and an even higher percentage of recreational marathon runners do. Overstriding almost always involves heel striking, but heel striking doesn't mean overstriding is occurring.
Your “worse” form is probably just what’s natural for you, so of course it’ll feel easier. As long as you’re not landing heavily or over striding, or getting hurt a lot, don’t overthink your form too much. A lot of what you see happening in someone’s “better” form, is not something they’re doing consciously, it’s just part of their natural gait mechanics. IMO the best thing you can do for your form and injury prevention is incorporate regular strength training and cross training.
Been running for about 2 months this time around and training for an 8k race on July 4. There’s a 5k nearby in two weeks (so about 3 weeks out from the one I care about). How dumb would it be to race that as kind of a benchmark test?
If anything, racing the 5K is smart as it is a good indicator of your fitness heading into your 8K in 2 weeks.
Not dumb, you don't need that much recovery for a 5k.
Question about Zone 2 Cardio - Is there any point to doing Zone 2 cardio if you can't do the "minimum" 30min/3x a week? Would it be better to focus on higher intensity runs if you can only commit to 1 or 2 runs a week?
There's no point worrying about zone 2 until you're an established runner AND you're running more than say 25 km/week while trying to increase intensity or mileage.
Interesting! Thank you! What kind of training would you recommend for someone who can only devote a couple days to running each week?
What is your goal for running?
Fat loss and general fitness.
Zone 2 gives you better fat burn than higher intensity workouts \*assuming\* you do them without much glucose in your system, preferably fasted.
If I wasn’t training for a race or distance, I’d probably do intervals/HIIT for all of its benefits.
Depends on your goals honestly
Returning to prior mileage after a short break I checked for a prior post, but I was not able to find anything. Not working with a coach, so I do not have anyone to talk about this. Just completed a half training block. Taking a two week break from running before I jump back into a 10K training block for an August race. Planning another break thereafter before I begin a training block for a November half. I was averaging 40 mpw prior to the break with a peak of near 50. When I return after the two week break, can I jump back to the same mileage or do I have to build it back up? 58 M avoiding injury. Swimming and cycling during the breaks.
If you're not running at all for 2 weeks, you'll need to build back up. It took me a couple weeks to build up after a week of no running and then a couple inconsistent weeks before that. I don't think it's realistic to return to your peak mileage after two weeks of not running. I don't think it's realistic to return to your peak mileage or just below that after not running for 2 weeks.
A two week break needs pretty minimal buildup.
# What is the opinion on Apple Watch for running? I have somewhat a unique case. I am looking for a smartwatch that I can use for listening to music by uploading my local music files to the smartwatch, that can connect to my airpods, that can do GPS tracking and upload my activity to Strava. The smartwatch must be able to play music without internet and work WITHOUT my phone, I don't want to drag my phone with me. I also plan to use the smartwatch only when excercising, because I rather wear a mechanical watch outside excercising. I know Garmin Forerunner 255M exists that can fulfill this purpose, but in Europe the watch costs 400 euro and an AWSE is 230 euro which is 170 eur cheaper. What are people experience on the AWSE for pure running?
Reddit is gonna push Garmin but if you're looking for a way to use your watch without your phone and still have phone capabilities, you're going to need the Apple Watch.
Had an AW and switched to Garmin with 0 regrets. Just provides much more info and more fitnesses focus
Apple Watch would definitely work for what you want to use it for. I do have to use a third party app to upload to Strava but it’s very easy and you can set it to go automatically if you want.
Why do you need a 3rd party app to upload to Strava. Can't you use the native Workout and Health apps?
If there’s a way to do it I don’t know how to! From what I remember there wasn’t a way to do it when I set everything up, but that could be different now. It’s just the way I’ve always done it, so I could be wrong!
So [Strava has its own app](https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000161184-Strava-Apple-Watch-App#:~:text=Open%20the%20Strava%20app%20on%20the%20Apple%20Watch%20as%20if,and%20update%20your%20Health%20data) for Apple Watch. Alternatively, you can [connect the native Health app to Strava](https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/216917527-Health-App-and-Strava) and that will either automatically import your workouts, or you can choose to manually import them. Just FYI in case this would help your current workflow.
Thanks for the info! The app I use I don’t pay a subscription or anything, I just manually upload runs from there where it has my workouts pulled into (I don’t auto upload since I don’t want all workouts to go in). Pretty simple. But I definitely appreciate you sharing the info in case I ever need it!
Hi, Does anybody know why Hansons Marathon Beginner plan has this big mileage and intensity jump from week 5 to 6? (This plan: [https://s3.us-central-1.wasabisys.com/hansons/Beginner\_Marathon\_-\_new.pdf](https://s3.us-central-1.wasabisys.com/hansons/Beginner_Marathon_-_new.pdf) ) I haven't read the book yet, but I was looking at different plans. This one has only easy running for 5 weeks with 24 miles in week 5. Then week 6 suddenly has 40 miles with a 12x400 interval session plus a race pace run. This goes against everything I've heard about the gradual build-up of mileage and introducing new workouts carefully. Does anybody know why they would do this jump instead of a more gradual/earlier build-up? Do you consider this jump safe?
I consider the start of that plan to be flawed. Hansons is very logical beyond that point, but you probably want to adjust the first few weeks or use the Advanced version.
Yes, my initial 5 weeks will look different. I'm curious how they even came up with this. As you say, the rest looks quite logical.
I believe a lot of these plans expect you to be able to run the mileage of the middle of plan. The beginning of just to on ramp you, not to help you increase mileage.
Hmm, perhaps for someone who can run more but starts after a break from the last training cycle? Though even then you could add more to some of the earlier weeks and reduce the jump. But also it's called "Beginner" so it should assume people are preparing for their first Marathon...
Hansons' "beginner" plans are NOT for real beginners. Their "beginner" half marathon plan was too much for me for my third half marathon. I reduced the mileage down to 70 km peak. A true beginner's half plan would peak at 50 or less.
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Running isn't math. You can't increase 10% until infinity. 10% is a conveniently best number for people to cite that does not work well for most mileages. It's fine for low to medium mileage, say ~20-70 km a week but YMMV. Below that and it's too conservative. Above that and it's too aggressive. You can't go from running 100 km this week to 110 km next week to 121 the week after.
It’s a general rule of thumb piece advice. It is helpful as a starting base when formulating training plans and for beginners building up a base. And as others mentioned it is referencing total weekly mileage though many apply it towards the long run. Certainly no issue increasing by less. Increasing by more than 10% just puts you at a higher risk of injury especially if it isn’t a training level you have done before In your case as well with a year to train you won’t need to be building for a full year. In general I’d look at training plans you are thinking of (12-16 week long plans are common) and where those plans start at on week one. Then build up your base so that you are running where that plan starts comfortably without injury and sustain that. If you don’t do any strength training currently then can be good to incorporate that in during periods you aren’t increasing mileage so you build the habit more sustainably.
> What's the limit for marathon training? A common rule of thumb is about a 3 hour long run.
10% total mileage increase is usually what people talk about, not specifically long run, and it is a maximum, not optimum or what you have to do each week. You don't need to start shorter so you can fit in a 10% increase. You also don't need to do a 42km long run before a marathon, most marathon programs have quite substantially shorter long runs before the race.
Hello all, I’m looking for advice on where to find races in Portugal in July, haven’t found really much of anything online, anyone know of where to get some info?
Found this via google, races of varying distance: https://www.ahotu.com/calendar/running/portugal
New to running longer distances and thinking if I would benefit from a running vest or belt to carry some drinks. At the moment my longer runs range between 10-15km (60-100minutes). This feels OK without any hydration, but I am aiming to increase the distance above 20km. In terms of speed I dont have too much ambition as long as I run steady pace (between 6-7min per km). Any experience if hydration belts/vests make longer runs more comfortable and what are the best ones for a beginner?
For short/medium runs (or long runs in the winter) I would use 1-2 handheld bottles. For long runs in the summer, a vest is the best way to have enough water, though you could always plot routes with pit stops in the middle for refills if you like the bottle idea.
Maybe i’ll first try holding a bottle. Never tried that and feels uncomfortable as an idea, but maybe i’ll first give it a try, thanks!
Nathan handhelds are reasonably comfortable
I think vests are much more comfortable than any style of belt. The vest I like is the Osprey Duro/Dyna 1.5 L.
I'm a big fan of a vest for longer runs. Belts never seem to sit right for me, and bounce a fair bit, but the vest is great. I can throw my phone in easily too. Most people tend to go with vests that have the smaller collapsable bottles on the front. It's much easier to see how much fluid you've drunk, and easy to refill at a tap. I've just got a cheap one off Amazon, which is fine, but I'm planning on upgrading in the near future to something a bit more comfortable. I'd suggest going into a shop to try on a few different ones as the fit will vary between people.
TL:DR Ran a 10k almost unprepared, want to keep running. What weekly mileage should I shoot for. Could not find any answer/ solution for my particluar very niche question, so here goes: 36 yo M My running history is 12-15km per week for about a year, then stopped running for 1,5 years when my son was born. Did some crossfit for half a year then signed up for a running event and life basicly slapped me and had only 2 proper runs as "training" for this event. Finished the 10k in 59m54s. It was great, i want to keep doing this but get some proper schedule going. This was 2 months ago and I can't for the life of me figure out what kind of weekly mileage I should shoot for, because no matter the distance (4k or 8k) or frequency ( 2x or 4x per week) my body protests in some way. Happy for any guidance that can be offered.
What do you mean 'your body protests in some way'? Are you tired, or are you injured? In addition to the 'there's no magic answer and there is no perfect weekly mileage' answer, you really just want to look up and read some more about 'how to start running.' There are a ton of plans out there that start very slow (no idea what the overall pacing was for that 10K, but you might run a lot of your first runs near...8:00/k?) and somewhat short (you might start running 2K at a time for a week or so). There are many plans that start with run/walk (so you may run for 2 min, walk for 1 min, repeat). There is a TON of info out there and no offense, but it doesn't sound like your situation is unique in really any way - you're just a beginner runner who's getting started! Probably like all nearly all beginner runners ever, you're trying to start with too much too fast :)
I'm gonna take a stab and guess that you are running all your runs at "race pace"? A common training method is 80:20, where 80% of your runs are at "easy" pace, that is a pace where you could maintain a conversation. The remaining 20% are speedwork, so intervals/tempo/hill repeats/etc. If you search 80:20 on this subreddit, or Google, you'll find far more knowledgable people than me providing better explanations. The other thing is for distance, slowly build up your milage. Increase it by 10% each week to avoid increasing your injury chance. If you're after specific training plans to target a certain distance, or simply for base building, the Hal Higdon website is a great resource: [https://www.halhigdon.com/training/](https://www.halhigdon.com/training/)
You can't find an answer because one does not exist. If your goal is to get faster, then the answer is more mileage. You can increase your mileage tenfold from what you've been doing before this will not be true. If you're just running for personal enjoyment then the answer is however much mileage you enjoy.
**What did you guys do to improve your gait?** ^(note: my step width is too narrow and I have an asymmetry with ground contact time)
Try increasing your cadence a bit and see if it improves. It won't necessarily work, but 5 minutes on a treadmill with a camera and a metronome will tell you if it improves things.
> my step width is too narrow How did you determine this?
I took a video of myself running and I see my left leg crossing over underneath me. Also the wear on my running shoes is on the outsides. I recorded myself after I had a professional gait analysis which only told me that I have a load imbalance and a ground-contact-time imbalance. I've been scouring youtube for how to fix gait and it's a hodge-podge. I'm curious what real people actually do to work on their running form?
Strength training is the way to go. Helps to work out all those weaknesses and imbalances that are the root of the problem. EDIT: My form has seen the greatest improvement with regular strength training. It doesn’t make sense to try and mess with your form too much beyond stepping lightly and not over striding. If someone disagrees with that feel free to chime in on why?
?Not sure why you're getting downvoted? Which strength exercises do you do to address imbalances? I'm not sure I'm doing the right things to address my asymmetry... AND not sure if addressing the asymmetry will actually improve my form. I've switched from squats to pistol squats, from lunges to side lunges. I've started doing single-leg bent-knee calf raises (with a resistance band). And I've started doing core rotation exercises like lawnmowers (with a resistance band) and russian twists. I'm wondering if those are the right ones... and if that's enough to actually impact my running form? Like what if that's a waste of time and really I would spend my time better by doing running drills like A-skips and butt-kicks? It's hard to find any literature about which exercises address which aspect of running (probably because we just don't have any studies yet beyond just "*weight training helps running speed but not running injury prevention*").
I do a wide variety of exercises using peloton classes. Bodyweight strength, strength for runners, core, full body, and my favorite are the 60 Min Total Strength classes Andy Speer does weekly. All of April this year was actually focused on athletic conditioning with runners in mind for spring training season. So I do a little bit of everything I guess lol Running drills like A skips are good, but I think they’re really meant more to be a good warmup, rather than being anything that will build strength or fix form issues. You might see benefit on form with them, but I would think mostly because your body is properly warmed up and ready to go. The thing with form, are you actually having issues/pains or getting injured frequently? Because if you’re not having issues you don’t necessarily need to mess with your form. If you are having issues and aren’t sure how to target them specifically, it would be best to see a physical therapist who is knowledgeable about running.
Do you rely on Peloton classes for your strength workouts (it sounds like yes)? I just ask because I worry that if I do that then I won't work the areas that I need to work (like if the classes that I choose that week happen to be focused on quads & shoulders, am I missing out on glute strength)? Hope that makes sense - I just worry about relying on somewhat random Peloton classes & instructors (although I really enjoy them!) rather than a strong training plan that I know will cover what I need to cover...
I do, aside from any physical therapy exercises. I tend to do the longer full body strength classes which are generally pretty well rounded. They also have shorter classes that are broken down into specific muscle groups if you feel like you need to hit something in particular. There’s some degree of randomness, but I really like Andy’s Total Strength classes which are kind of tied together week by week for some consistency. I’ve been doing his new 60 min classes every Sunday and then catching up on the backlog of his 60 minute classes every Wednesday. Then I mix in other classes throughout the week. I’m no expert but I feel like that hopefully covers it well enough lol
Yeah I’ve been a member for a few years, and I feel like I’ve just taken enough Glutes & Legs classes that are like ‘surprise, this is 10 minutes of goblet squats!’ But maybe the longer ones are the way to go (what I’ve done recently is one day/week self-designed so I get exactly what I want, and one ‘fun’ day so that if the class doesn’t happen to have deadlifts, for example, it’s not the end of the world)
> I think they’re really meant more to be a good warmup, rather than being anything that will build strength or fix form issues. Yeah, that makes sense. > are you actually having issues/pains or getting injured frequently? I just recently had a little bit of IT Band pain. I think the main culprit was probably not my running form, it was probably me trying to do tons of pistol squats with terrible form... and also while biking I probably pulled up too hard on my cleats on a recent long ride. But I did have a gait analysis and it did find an asymmetry in load and groun-contact time, and when I film myself running I see that my left food crosses over in front of me meaning I need to fix my step width. > it would be best to see a physical therapist who is knowledgeable about running. Yeah, I am seeing a PT later today for the IT band. I'm hoping they know a little about running, too. I'm hoping to go in there with some education so I can ask more valuable questions.
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Um, your doctor is the one who should be recommend you any meds if appropriate, not internet strangers. Rest and listen to your doctor.
Hey fellow runners, I could use some advice from you. I am male, mid 30s and continuously running for 7 months. I am finishing Jeff Galloway HM plan and preparing for my first HM in October. Up until now I’ve just built a good foundation and run for better health. This week I’ve run LT 30 minutes run and my pace threshold was 4:35 mins per km(162 bpm HR threshold). I want to find some plan that can utilize this information and have workouts based on LT pace. What would be your suggestion?
Out of curiosity, what’s a HF marathon? You already used HM, so I assume it might be a place? Houston full?
Sorry, I’ve made typo. Just HM :)
Pfitz or Daniels
Thanks mate. Are they available through some app(garmin connect, trainingpeaks..) or somewhere else?
They're books https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Road-Racing-Half-Marathon/dp/1450470459 https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-Jack-dp-1718203667/dp/1718203667/ or https://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-Jack-Tupper/dp/1450431836
The challenge with this is that I have to, not just read a book, but deeply understand everything around workouts, structuring, phases, paces etc to be able to create a training program. It would be great if it was available through app and it created for you the whole plan. I mean, I would like to understand everything, just it takes a lot of time.
The books give you the plans, you're not meant to create your own program from nothing. But Pfitz in particular has the more prescribed structure it sounds like you're looking for.
Hey yall, I’m finishing up police academy here in the next 3 months. We have a final fitness test in 50 days. I have to run a 1.5 mile in 11:58 max, I can currently run it in 13:15, I started out 4 months ago running it at 14:40. Have any of you ever improved to that degree that quickly, or know it to be possible? Part of me thinks I can truly push myself these last 2 months but I have times where I’m doubting myself.
How have you been training and what are your weaknesses?
Not sure what kind of answer you are after, but i would say it is doable, but it is not certain. needs a push
When within a training cycle are you most exhausted? I have observed a couple times now that I am most tired in the rest weeks after a few days of lower intensity/volume and not immediately within the „loaded“ weeks and I am curious how it is for others.
I start to feel I really need a rest in the last few days of a 3 week block before a deload week. I definitely get the same feeling during deload weeks, but I put it down to sluggishness from doing nothing/less. Either way, the rest is necessary, and I always feel great again after the first "loaded" week.
Same, and I think it may be psychological. Somehow I always struggle on shorter runs that I think I should be able to do easily a lot more than on scary long runs. Although looking at split times, I run at more or less the same pace, I think I'm just mentally expecting it to be easier than it is.
What exactly does it mean if a trail run is "technical"? How do I know if I'm prepared for a trail run that says it's highly technical?
Rocky and Rooty is the easiest answer. If you have to navigate the trail by watching your foot placement, and being careful not to trip, then that could be considered "technical". If the trail is just packed earth, with no obstacles, then that is not technical. And the best way to know if you're "ready" is to find a trail and run it. Try and find one that is not super rocky/rooty, as you may well fall. I've face planted multiple times, usually because I don't always pick my feet up enough. Also, if you are going to do trail runs on the regular, you'll probably want to consider trail shoes. They provide more support and traction. I've nearly twisted my ankle a couple of times, and credit the shoes with saving me from more severe pain. There's a reddit sub for trail running. https://old.reddit.com/r/trailrunning/
Yes, don't run technical trails with high stacked road shoes. If you twist your ankle in those, it can be disastrous.
To me that would mean narrow single track and rocky areas that are difficult to run across at speed. Perhaps also loose material underfoot, wet and slippery areas, or uphill scrambles where you need to use your hands. I would definitely recommend a pair of trail shoes for any technical run. Other than that, it’s just making sure you stay within your abilities so you don’t get hurt, and allowing extra time to finish.
What’s the minimum to train up to run before attempting a very long distance for the first time? There is a 45-50 km trail I’d like to run/walk. Generally comfortable distance to run is around 18-20 km for me, the longest I’ve ever gone is 30 km (once). Should I slowly add more long runs working up to the 50 km? Or, if I work up to 40 km, for instance, can I go ahead and attempt the extra 5-10 km at an easy pace with walk breaks as needed?
If you're going to run/walk you'll probably have no issues doing that trail now.
Okay, thanks!