The Running Thread—2023

[sandam1]

Has anyone done muscle scraping on their quads and hamstrings before a long race? If so, did you feel it helped out?

My PT did my feet when I was dealing with plantar fasciitis and I think my fingernail marks are still in his table. Did it help? Probably. Would I do endure it if I didn't need to, that's a hard NO.

 

[jrsharp21]

My son gets his elbow, shoulder, and scaps scraped regularly for baseball. When we were talking about my runner's knee issue and the causes of it, he told me to go see the doctor that does his scraping and have him do it to my quad and hamstring and possibly the tendon in my knee. So thinking about going to have that done soon and see if it helps out.

 

[flav]

What does everyone do about running when it’s icy outside?

If it is icy, I put my Yaktrax Run on my running shoes. There is usually a day or two every winter or spring when I choose to reschedule. I don’t do threadmill.

 

[avondale]

I was going to say I wish I pick this option, and then I remembered that I'd probably overheat 95% of the year where you live.

Thanks everyone for making me feel less like a wuss for giving up. Next time I'll just start off on the treadmill instead of giving outside a try. I'd also appreciate it if the weather here got its ish together and just stayed cold, so the sidewalks are packed snow instead of skating rinks.

I also use microspikes for hardened snow and ice. My first run of the year always takes a bit to get used to them again, but they are pretty darn good. I wouldn't use them for workouts, probably, just easy runs.

I second @SheHulk 's idea of finding a few places that are reliably snow-cleared and not dangerous.

 

[accm]

@flav and @avondale do you find theres a max distance you can go with the spikes? Or do they not limit your running? I think I'll order a pair to try out after marathon weekend.

 

[accm]

NOT to make you feel like a wuss, but I second the idea of identifying a few reliably-maintained areas for when you need them. My mil lived in an "over 55" community, which was like a development so it gave you about 0.75 mile around the whole thing, and it was very reliably maintained. So I would often drive over there and just circle that development as many times as necessary. We haven't had ice in years though come to think of it.

That's a good idea. I think I'll do an exploratory drive around this week to see if I can find somewhere with clear roads that I can use.

 

[cburnett11]

What does everyone do about running when it’s icy outside?

A couple years back I took a retired pair of running shoes and then added some hex screws to the bottom. This gives me enough traction in some ice and snow. Please choose screw length carefully

As others have said, it’s best to go somewhere that has lower traffic… office park, park, parking lot, etc. But having some added traction will help. I also will not do anything but easier runs in this fashion.

If it’s terrible, I will do the treadmill. But that’s like twice per year. I’ll usually pull up a high quality first person Disney race to watch so I can pretend I’m somewhere better than a treadmill.

 

[flav]

@flav and @avondale do you find theres a max distance you can go with the spikes? Or do they not limit your running? I think I'll order a pair to try out after marathon weekend.

I agree with @avondale , they do take a bit of getting used to. So, as for new running shoes, my first run with them is usually around 5k, max 10k. I remember once wanting to finish my yearly total after a snow storm and I had put them on so ran 17k. One of the winter race around here would even tell runners to bring them and would give their recommendation before the start of a HM whether they should be worn or not, based on the conditions.

 

[GreatLakes]

Has anyone done muscle scraping on their quads and hamstrings before a long race? If so, did you feel it helped out?

Do you mean Graston or something else. I've had Graston done a few times by a chiropractor and the sport massage guy I see and I also bought a blade and do my own. I really like how it feels and it seems to help out with IT band and also occasionally my heal.

 

[Zutroy]

My son gets his elbow, shoulder, and scaps scraped regularly for baseball. When we were talking about my runner's knee issue and the causes of it, he told me to go see the doctor that does his scraping and have him do it to my quad and hamstring and possibly the tendon in my knee. So thinking about going to have that done soon and see if it helps out.

I don’t think any doctor would perform scraping, since there is no evidence based medicine that manually pressing a metal edge into your fascia does what its proponents claim. It seems to be primarily a chiro service based on the Chinese practice gua sha, and it is biomechanically impossible for a person to produce enough force in the fascia to “break up adhesions” or “remove scar tissue.” I’d put this with cupping, where some people swear by the benefits. There will definitely be an increase in blood flow, but nothing foam rolling or a theragun can’t do.

 

[flav]

nothing foam rolling or a theragun can’t do.

If I hate foam rolling but my PT recommends me to do it, would a Theragun be a good alternative?

 

[camaker]

If I hate foam rolling but my PT recommends me to do it, would a Theragun be a good alternative?

As a general rule, I find Theraguns to be more effective than foam rolling. It’s a lot easier to deliver focused attention to specific areas, especially those hard to reach or awkward to apply pressure to with a roller.

 

[Zutroy]

If I hate foam rolling but my PT recommends me to do it, would a Theragun be a good alternative?

I have a Theragun mini and love it. I run in the morning right after I wake up, and I use the Theragun on my calves and quads to warm up my muscles. I definitely feel it helps prevent injuries, and also helps recovery using it after a run. It‘s one tool I use along with a lacrosse ball, foam roller, and compression boots to get me through Dopey.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

Has anyone done muscle scraping on their quads and hamstrings before a long race? If so, did you feel it helped out?

It's been awhile, but when I had IT Band issues, I had this done. My leg looked like it was repeatedly hit with a baseball bat when he was done with a couple sessions. Did it help? I went from not being able to run more than 5 miles because it would flare so badly to finishing Goofy two weeks later. I've had it done for other injuries as well. It's not a magic bullet, but I do feel like it helped recover quicker. I would just suggest getting it done enough in advance of your race to give muscles time to recover from the trauma.

 

[jrsharp21]

It's been awhile, but when I had IT Band issues, I had this done. My leg looked like it was repeatedly hit with a baseball bat when he was done with a couple sessions. Did it help? I went from not being able to run more than 5 miles because it would flare so badly to finishing Goofy two weeks later. I've had it done for other injuries as well. It's not a magic bullet, but I do feel like it helped recover quicker. I would just suggest getting it done enough in advance of your race to give muscles time to recover from the trauma.

Thanks. i think I am going to reach out to the sports doctor my son uses for baseball. He is a bio mechanical doctor and swears by it with his throwing athletes. Especially in the scapula and elbow/forearm areas. Sometimes my son comes walking out like he has been in a 10 round fight with a heavyweight boxer, but he says he feels so much better the next day.

 

[avondale]

@flav and @avondale do you find theres a max distance you can go with the spikes? Or do they not limit your running? I think I'll order a pair to try out after marathon weekend.

I agree with @flav that your first run should be shorter just to get the feel. I have definitely done 60 minutes in them, and maybe up to 90 minutes. That would be easy or long run effort, not faster. They are a bit heavy, so between that and the extra effort, it's more tiring overall. You'll need to slow down a bit.

 

[Naomeri]

Based on these pics, I would love to run through World Celebration in the dark. Beginning of a race, end of a race, I don’t really care.

World Celebration at night.
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Scott Gustin

 

[GreatLakes]

If I hate foam rolling but my PT recommends me to do it, would a Theragun be a good alternative?

I have a Theragun and love it but I do it in conjunction with foam rolling, not in place of it. If you really hate foam rolling it is probably the closest replacement I can think of.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Anyone get into Chicago? Today is the lottery results. Sadly, I was not selected again. I have heard that Chicago has one of the easier to be selected lotteries. But not for me evidently, this makes my 4th try without getting selected. Kinda bummed, thought this was going to be the year. I will try again next year!

 

[dobball23]

I have had a Garmin Forerunner 235 for a number of years. My wife bought me a Forerunner 245 because my 235's HR feature seems to have become wildly inconsistent and because the watch resets if I plug it in to charge it before syncing the data to my phone twice (an odd quirk!).

I initially turned the gift down, saying I don't need it. But she is now insistent I keep it.

For those who have a Forerunner 245, what are its improvements over the 235?