Question for runners

[ckay87]

Real quick background - I'm 40, in pretty good shape, not bone-thin, but not overweight. I eat well on a regular basis, but am not above having a piece of cake or an unhealthy restaraunt meal ever so occasionally. I exercise very regularly - 5 days/week, lots of fairly intense cardio as well as strength.

Ok, so I decide to take up running (or, to be fair, we'll call it jogging) for the first time since "Spring Track 1987" . I'm not heck-bent on being a marathon runner or anything, but a friend wants to try a 5K this summer and I thought it would be fun to add to my resume of things I can do.

I don't run everyday. Maybe 2x per week now in addition to the other stuff I do in the gym. I have a regular 4 mile stretch of trail I've been doing. Here is my issue....there are days when I can blow through those 4 miles like it's nothing. Maybe even add a 5th. And then there are days when I can barely get through the first half without taking a break. I'm trying to make the connection between what causes good days and what causes bad days.

What are some factors that improve your performance? I'm thinking that it could be tied to nutrition. What do you eat for endurance and, most importantly, when? The day before or the hour before? I've never been clear on that. Are there other factors? I think I made the connection that if I have a lazy gym week, I can just forget being able to do a good jog on the weekend. Any other factors that you have noticed for yourselves?

Or is this just a strange and unusual problem? I have no idea. Thanks!

 

[FireDancer]

There are a lot of things that could make your run easier or harder then normal. Nutrition is one part of it but there are other things. The weather (heat, humidity), the amount of rest you have had, how well you stretched out or warmed up, and even just mental fatigue. Something that a lot of people don't think of is how even-paced you run.

The more you change pace, either by changing speed or changing intensity by hitting a hill or going from road to trail, the more you bump yourself out of aerobic exercise and into anaerobic. This is one reason why always training on a treadmill is not good for road racing. You get too used to a perfectly even pace and then can't adjust to the changes that happen on a road. There is also the issue of the way you use your legs on a treadmill vs. road but that is a different thread all together.

What you eat and when depends a lot on you and it is different for people. It also changes for the distance and intensity of the run. For me, I don't like to eat too close to running. I usually stop eating at least an hour before a run and I try to have my last drink (usually water but sometimes iced tea) 20 minutes before heading out. This may change if the day is really hot or humid.

For a training run of anything under 10 miles I don't really change what I eat but that comes with experience. For a half marathon or marathon I have a carb loaded meal the night before. You may want to have some whole grain pasta the night before a long morning run (long for you, whatever that is at the moment) or at lunch if you run in the evening. A baked potato at lunch is also a good thing to have at lunch if you are running in the evening. If you do want to eat about an hour before running fruit is a good choice because it gets into your system pretty quickly. A banana or kiwi is a good choice and you can go with some gel if you want some carbs into your system quickly.

Come join us on the WISH boards where you will find a lot of runners/joggers/walkers of all abilities.

 

[wvjules]

nevermind.....

I missed the important parts of your post. lol

 

[ckay87]

Well thanks FD, I figured I could count on you. Appreciate the suggestions.

 

[of the seas]

I find eating yogurt with berries & a sprinkle of almonds in the morning 1/2 hour before I run helps me feel stronger. Also, my hormones play a factor in how strong I feel. Around "that time of the month" I feel more sluggish, then right after it I feel like I could run forever. I think it may also depend how you switch up your routine.

 

[Buckalew11]

Just wanted to add that my DH has run for years and he says some days are just harder than others. All those things like Firedancer relate but some days are just better than others for what may seem like no reason at all. He may have a personal best when expecting to not make it and visa versa. He runs often as he does marathons, tri-s, and complete a whole Ironman (140.6 miles, I think).

Good luck. We did a family 5K at WDW a few years ago and even my mom who was about 70 at the time did great!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Proper shoes--seriously!

CORE strength training--so that your 'core' muscles will hold you up properly and you aren't struggling to do that AND run. When I had pilates, I noticed a marked improvement in running.

For speed--once you have some miles under your belt, you can do things that increase your lactic threshhold for endurance as well as some drills that will help improve pacing. If you were to ask on the WISH boards, you can get lots of tips.

One of the things I did--they are called Fartleks (or something like that--I think it is named after some one) and you would do some intervals where you run will fast ... like from one mailbox to the next type deal. It's like playing a game.

And despite your efforts--as what may have been posted...some days just stink and you really feel like "why did I even bother".

I do adjust my eating based on the lenght of time I plan to run or walk---anything over an hour will require nutrition during the run. And since I run slow--my distance won't be as high as FD. That is something you should take into account. It isn't your distance--but the TIME you are spending on the cardio activity that determines if you need to refuel during that activity. For me, 1 hour equates to about 6 miles of run/walking (on a good day!)

 

[SAHDad]

One of the things I did--they are called Fartleks (or something like that--I think it is named after some one) and you would do some intervals where you run will fast ... like from one mailbox to the next type deal. It's like playing a game.

Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play". It is basically a run where some of it you run fast, when you feel like it, some of it you run slowly, when you feel like it, and you might even do a fast walk for part of it. You really aren't trying to do a set distance or time for any of these intervals - you decide to run hard to the next mailbox or streetlight, or go slow while you sing "Happy Birthday" three times.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play". It is basically a run where some of it you run fast, when you feel like it, some of it you run slowly, when you feel like it, and you might even do a fast walk for part of it. You really aren't trying to do a set distance or time for any of these intervals - you decide to run hard to the next mailbox or streetlight, or go slow while you sing "Happy Birthday" three times.

Aaahh thank you!!! I couldn't remember. In any case--it is a nice "novice" way to do speed drills without going crazy like they do in Runner's world magazine for the more experienced set.

 

[momrek06]

Proper rest ... are you getting the proper rest at night?
I jog on the treadmill daily. Some days I can get through that w/o like I was a train plowing down the tracks and other days I feel sluggish and think "YIKES, only 5 minutes into this w/o and I am tired" AND for me it usually comes down to not enough rest. And those are the days (which are few and far between) that I am still at the gym and maybe I won't give it my heart and soul but I will still see it through and get it done!

GOOD LUCK, OP, with the 5K!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

 

[FireDancer]

Ah that Fartlek. No one enjoys those but they are great for forcing you back into the anaerobic exercise which helps with endurance and speed.

And despite everything you try there are days that are just bad runs and you won't know why. The best cure for a bad run is a good run, so don't let a bad day or week get you down.

Once you cross a finish line all the bad runs melt away and you will be glad you stuck with it. There are very few things that feel like such a singular accomplishment.

 

[SAHDad]

Ah that Fartlek. No one enjoys those but they are great for forcing you back into the anaerobic exercise which helps with endurance and speed.

And despite everything you try there are days that are just bad runs and you won't know why. The best cure for a bad run is a good run, so don't let a bad day or week get you down.

Once you cross a finish line all the bad runs melt away and you will be glad you stuck with it. There are very few things that feel like such a singular accomplishment.

Hey, Fartlek can be fun. I'd rather do a Fartlek run with a couple of friends than intervals or whistle drills.

 

[FireDancer]

Hey, Fartlek can be fun. I'd rather do a Fartlek run with a couple of friends than intervals or whistle drills.

I'm the exact opposite, I actually like doing repeats at the track. Its the walk back to the car I usually dread.

I was a sprinter growing up so it kind of feels like home.

I am also not a group run person so that may factor into it. I like being around everyone on race day but training is a solitude thing for me. I like to space out and just run.

 

[SAHDad]

I'm the exact opposite, I actually like doing repeats at the track. Its the walk back to the car I usually dread.

I was a sprinter growing up so it kind of feels like home.

I am also not a group run person so that may factor into it. I like being around everyone on race day but training is a solitude thing for me. I like to space out and just run.

I don't mind intervals per se, but waaay back in my HS days, a Fartlek run was like a lot of short races crammed into a single run - someone would "lead" and promptly take off, and everyone tried to keep up. Then someone else would take the point, and just rotate through. Very informal, with no official rota, and the faster runners tended to set the pace, so you dropped back, or got better fast.

I don't mind company on some long runs, but I do like doing most of them off on my own, in (relative) solitude. (I can't clear the roads or trails of everyone, so I will sometimes interact with other people out there.)

OP - sorry, we diverged somewhat. FD gave great advice, as did some others. I would recommend adding another day or running, especially if you are running once midweek and again on the weekends. It might help level things out a bit - just take it easy, and back off your pace (for all your runs) the first week or two that you add the extra run. (The general rule is that you can increase speed or mileage, but trying to increase both at the same time is a bad idea, and if you are trying to add speed or miles, it is wise to back off on the other for a while.)

 

[FireDancer]

I don't mind intervals per se, but waaay back in my HS days, a Fartlek run was like a lot of short races crammed into a single run - someone would "lead" and promptly take off, and everyone tried to keep up. Then someone else would take the point, and just rotate through. Very informal, with no official rota, and the faster runners tended to set the pace, so you dropped back, or got better fast.

I don't mind company on some long runs, but I do like doing most of them off on my own, in (relative) solitude. (I can't clear the roads or trails of everyone, so I will sometimes interact with other people out there.)

OP - sorry, we diverged somewhat. FD gave great advice, as did some others. I would recommend adding another day or running, especially if you are running once midweek and again on the weekends. It might help level things out a bit - just take it easy, and back off your pace (for all your runs) the first week or two that you add the extra run. (The general rule is that you can increase speed or mileage, but trying to increase both at the same time is a bad idea, and if you are trying to add speed or miles, it is wise to back off on the other for a while.)

Ah yes, I guess we did get a bit sidetracked. Very unorthodox for the community board.

I have to agree on getting another run in per week. I don't want you to start adding miles too quickly as that is a recipe for disaster. When you are starting out the 10% rule is a good one to go with. It basically says don't increase your weekly miles or your longest run by more then 10%. If you did 5 miles last week, do 5.5 this week. If your longest run is 5 miles at one time, don't go more then 5.5.

You will become more familiar with how your body feels and once you have a better idea of that you can just listen to it. Your legs or lungs will let you know when you might want to go easier then planned, harder then planned, or skip the workout and live to run another day.

If you start to get some aches and pains you can add some cross training. Resistance training is good and often overlooked but some biking or swimming is also a good bet. Both are lower impact, especially swimming, but are aerobically demanding so you get to build endurance and save some miles on the legs.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Another idea OP---

Say you run 15 miles a week....

varying the distances--so that you are not doing the same monotonous run can help!

So if you have a 3 mile, 5 mile, 2 mile, then a 5 mile day--that can help. The shorter distances can be utilized for your drilles and then your longer days can be simply watching the scenery. Then mix it up each week. Always good to have a rest day after an exceptionally challenging workout. (not to be confused with a bad run. )

In marathon training, I never went all out on my long days. I treated them like leasure runs. Some weeks were awesome, some were not--but overall--they were fine. The workouts during the week is where I focused my efforts and then the long runs were simply to get that distance in.

So even if you are not training for something like a marathon, the same idea can apply.

Some helpful books are Marathoning for Mortals--he does have some good info in there even if you aren't training for those distances and there is a From couch to 5K program.

 

[marcyinPA]

I could have written your post...last year! LOL

I started doing a program called First Strides...a beginning running program for women. It was a 12 week, interval training program, and having never run a step in my life, I think I did pretty well with it! At the end, I ran the 5K in 41 minutes at the age 40- well, two weeks shy of my 41st birthday.

The program itself was on Thursday evenings, and we were on the "honor system" to complete three days of homework...we had to run the interval we had done that week. I was pretty good about doing my homework, and did some other exersizing during the week, working out 4-5 days per week.

Like you, some days I did GREAT. Others, I could not keep up and ended up walking a lot. I noticed, for myself, that if I did not drink enough water before my run, I was in big trouble. But then again, I was worried I'd have to pee during my run! Small price to pay...I'd rather have to pee than not be able to move!

I ate something small, but energy building, before my run. The program started at 6:30 pm, so I waited until afterwards to eat dinner.

I did not continue with running since then. I just didn't love it. Instead, I do Zumba twice a week, I walk three miles twice a week, and I do the Walk Away the Pounds DVD's. Even with Zumba, I can't eat before I go or I get sick. I need to drink plenty of water. And some days I just feel stronger than others. Honestly, I really thing AGE has something to do with it too!

Best of luck to you with the running!!!

 

[kristilew]

OP, so glad you posted this! I've had the same question. Finished the couch to 5K program a few months ago, and I've kept up with the running. Some days I'm great, and some days I'm, well, awful. It seems I never know for sure who I'll be when I strap on the running shoes.

I agree with a pp that it seems to be a little hormone related (of course, as a 40 y.o. woman, what isn't hormone related these days???), a little rest related, and for me a little salt-intake related.

I've decided to start keeping track of my good days and bad days to see if there's a pattern over a couple of months. Maybe a food diary too.

If you have an iphone, there's a great app called RunKeeper Pro that will gps log your runs and transmit the data to your private account on their website. For every run, it shows a map of where you went, your elevation at any point on the run, and your pace all along your run. On my good days, my pace graph looks like a steadyish line, on my bad days it looks like a heart attack. It's been a helpful way to analyze more than just "that sucked."

If you find something that works wonders, let us know!