The Running Thread - 2016

[JohnRPG]

Alright all, I went through my personal data and came up with some conclusions on cadence, stride length, and pace. Let me know what you think. Posted in my journal

This was a very informative read. I'd worked hard to get my tempo up to ~180 over the summer. I'm not sure what it's at now, since I switched running apps and Strava doesn't track it like Runkeeper. (Apple Watch / iPhone) However, the conclusion here that stride length and foot placement is more important seems reassuring. I suspect the big thing I should try focusing on instead is trying to reduce the sound of my footfalls. I know they're too loud, but it'll mean running without headphones.

I'd caution looking at the watch too much because those micro adjustments to pace can be mentally fatiguing which could then lead to an increase in perception in effort without a decrease in physical capabilities.

I've been following a custom plan from @DopeyBadger for about three weeks (thanks again!) and that's been one of the biggest challenges for me. I feel like I'm spending a lot of time ping-ponging around the target pace constantly adjusting. I do feel like I'm learning, but it's definitely been a challenge. Some days it's much easier than others and I've yet to decipher the rhyme or reason for that. Strava gives me half mile notifications and I try not to check it too much more often than that, but it does mean that I'm missing my marks more often than I should.

This weekend I ran A Christmas Story Run 10K. The race is in Cleveland where some of the film was shot. It's an out and back from the downtown department store to Ralphie's house. There were many, many costumes that were fantastic. Lots of pink nightmares, running leg lamps, fra-gee-lay boxes, and Christmas elves. Temp was ~37 with an overcast sky and only a little wind. This had a combined 5K/10K start and there were many walkers. Walkers weren't sorted out and it seems that most folks didn't know how to line up. So the first mile was a struggle of weaving through heavy traffic trying to find a lane to run. My plan was to take this slowly and not treat this as a race or go for PR.

The weaving and early passing, however, threw that plan out the window and inadvertently put me into a competitive mindset. My running gloves somehow messed up my Strava start so that I was recording the race in bike mode instead of run mode -- which shows MPH instead of pace -- leaving me with little idea how fast I was actually going. I ended up PR-ing the run by 5 minutes with a sub 10-minute pace. Since my training plans called for me to make this an easy run (~12 minute miles), I have pretty mixed feelings about that. Regardless, I did have a fun time doing the run and really enjoyed the race. Hot Ovaltine at the finish line was also just a perfect touch.

 

[LSUlakes]

Wonder what your and @LSUlakes's thoughts are on the rumor of Kiffin going to LSU as OC. Do you think he's gunning for the HC spot after a year of coach O?

I am disappointed with the hires at LSU recently and at this point, coach O needs a solid OC if he wants to make it more than 2 years. He has plenty of money to make a home run hire, but will he... I will support my team regardless of who is coaching, but I think we could have done better. Our AD is a joke!

My husband ran his 20th race of the year today! He went downstairs to the mancave to pick a celebratory beer and I found this. He's sorting our beer treasures methodically. He's got a lot more to go. I think he's gonna be down here awhile.
View attachment 208877

Guess we're gonna have to keep running more so we can celebrate more?

I like his style! I also want to come drink craft brews at your house!

Alabama is13-0 and SEC Champions for the third year in a row! 25 wins in a row, 15 of which came against ranked teams.

Alabama has the Tide Rolling. Need t keep this up for 2 more games.

Roll Tide!

Are you really surprised to have beat UF? I mean it was the largest SEC champ. spread in history. Congrats on the win and I would imagine with a favorable matchup in round one in the playoffs its extremely likely bama will be playing for another title. Looks like yalls OC is staying at least till the end of the season perhaps... I think its likely he ends up at LSU for a year or two and if he is successful someone will probably give him a head coaching shot again. He is so whinny, I get a good laugh watching Saban chew him out during games.

Good race this morning! Finished my 5K in 23:33 - 17 seconds faster than my goal and a 47 second PR! It was 39 degrees for the race but it was dry and the winds were fairly calm, so not terrible for December. I arrived earlier than I needed to, and they ended up starting the race 10 minutes late because people were still picking up their bibs, so my fingers and toes were numb by the time the race started. And didn't defrost until after it was over. Other than that, though, the race was well organized, and the course was mostly flat around the Tidal Basin in DC. I'd definitely run this one again.

Congrats on the PR!!!

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

ATTQOTD: I am scheduled for 16 miles on Friday due to DW work schedule. The low that morning is ~30 with a high of 48 plus a north wind of 10-15 mph. So maybe the low isn't that cold, but not getting above 50 is very unusual for our area. For a run like this I will have a pair of those cheap cotton gloves you get a expos, a beanie, and a long sleeve shirt for the run. I don't own a pair of running pants, and I think after a few miles my legs will get warm. I may bring some hand warmers as well to put inside my gloves if it looks like I may be really cold...


Ran the Baton Rouge Beach Half Marathon this Saturday with a unofficial time of 1:55:07. It's not anywhere near a PR for me, but having missed ~3 weeks of training, I am pleased with the effort. Ran the entire time and kept a steady pace, plus sub two hours. The weather made it interesting, it was around 50 ish, with a gusty winds and a light rain for most of the race. Help kept me cool for the race, but after the race I got cold fast and had a mile walk back to my car. It was a long, cold, rainy mile... Glad I brought extra clothes to change into in post race.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

At my wife's suggestion I tried something different yesterday on my 22 mile run. She said that since I planned on stopping a lot for characters and pictures all over the course (mile markers, WDW icons, etc.) during the full, that I change my walk breaks on my last 2 really long training runs. So I took a 30-45 second walk break every half mile yesterday. My thoughts:

* It was tough the first 4-5 miles. My legs were strong and I just wanted to run, but I made myself walk as scheduled.
* It got easier after that as I got used to it.
* I drank more water since I drink during every walk break, which is good and helped speed my recovery yesterday.
* I had a whole lot more energy throughout the run.
* I was able to enjoy the scenery more (trail run).
* I finished 22 minutes faster than on my 22 miler 4 weeks ago, with a lower average heart rate. Probably not all attributed to this change, but it helped.

So I am glad that I tried it and will continue to use it in my long run training.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Are you really surprised to have beat UF? I mean it was the largest SEC champ. spread in history. Congrats on the win and I would imagine with a favorable matchup in round one in the playoffs its extremely likely bama will be playing for another title. Looks like yalls OC is staying at least till the end of the season perhaps... I think its likely he ends up at LSU for a year or two and if he is successful someone will probably give him a head coaching shot again. He is so whinny, I get a good laugh watching Saban chew him out during games.

I was not concerned about Florida in that game, but you still celebrate SEC Championships. They matter.

As for Kiffin - he was out but is now back in. I have heard that he and Saban had a meeting in the days before the SECCG and came to an understanding. Kiffin will not be at Alabama after the playoffs, though. Not sure where he will land, but he and Saban are done. He has one of the best offensive minds in the game. Not sure that I would want him as my head coach, but there is no greater OC in the country.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

Ran a 22 miler on a 38 degree morning yesterday. Mostly cloudy skies, trail run with lots of trees/shade, winds at about 5-8 MPH. So, with the wind chill it was about 35 degrees for the entire run. I ran in shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt similar to that which we get at WDW races. I also wore very light gloves and a light beanie (I have a buzz cut) for about half of the run before they had to come off. The beanie was on/off throughout the run depending on the wind, but the gloves stayed off.

If it had been 10 degrees colder I would have gone to a thin pair of long running pants and added a short sleeved running top as a second layer on top. Beanie and gloves stay on.

Colder than that and I go to my thicker stuff. Really cold and windy days I add shells to break the wind. I also go to thicker gloves/beanie.

 

[camaker]

I've been following a custom plan from @DopeyBadger for about three weeks (thanks again!) and that's been one of the biggest challenges for me. I feel like I'm spending a lot of time ping-ponging around the target pace constantly adjusting. I do feel like I'm learning, but it's definitely been a challenge. Some days it's much easier than others and I've yet to decipher the rhyme or reason for that. Strava gives me half mile notifications and I try not to check it too much more often than that, but it does mean that I'm missing my marks more often than I should.

I've been using an @DopeyBadger plan since July. I think the oscillating around the desired pace at the start of the plan is normal and to be expected. If you were like me and coming from a "run everything fast" training mindset into the "slower is better" philosophy it's a tough transition to make. It will get easier, though. Your body will get used to the rhythm of the plan and settle naturally into the paces over time. At this point, it takes me about half a mile to get warmed up, loose and determine what the desired pace feels like for the conditions of the run. From that point, it's usually just a matter of minor adjustments as I go on autopilot at the desired pace.

 

[baxter24]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

I usually wear long sleeves, my running vest, running tights, and gloves when it is cold. My running vest really works in keeping me warm despite it weighing next to nothing. The cold doesn't seem to bother me once I am a mile or so into a run. My half this weekend is supposed to have a high temp of 43 degrees for the day so lets hope the outfit I just mentioned above does its job!

@camaker, are you going to run the 25 laps around Womble Park in April?? That place gets slammed on the weekends with soccer games, etc. I can't imagine how crowded it will be with people also running a bunch of laps around it.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I didn't get to watch this the other day. I just got to now. Nice video. Did you do that race?

Didn't have the run I wanted to. I was right on schedule and everything was going great till bout mile 12 of the run. My blood sugar dropped and it took me about 10 miles to work back to feeling okay. I ended up doing 11:37 so it wasn't a bad time/day but up until about the 9 hour mark I was having a flawless day.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Barca33Runner]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

A treadmill

ETA: Sorry if that's a bit glib. I couldn't resist

 

[camaker]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

I tend to get cold very easily, so I have a wide range of gear to keep me warm as the temps go down. NC has a pretty wide spread of temps through the year, so I end up running in everything from the teens with single digit wind chill to 100+ heat indices. Here's my breakdown as the weather gets colder:

Head
Headsweats cap (never run bareheaded) -> fleece/wool hat -> fleece balaclava

Top
Tech T -> add tech sleeves -> long sleeve tech T -> thermal compression T + tech T -> add down vest

Legs
Shorts -> tech tights. (Looking to add fleece lined tech tights to the wardrobe, too)

I also wear gloves any time the temp gets below 55 or so.

 

[cburnett11]

Anyone doing Rocket City Marathon this weekend?

I have 3 friends going down to do this marathon for the first time this weekend, so I'm glad to hear that you like it. Friend A is doing his first marathon, Friend B is more experienced and is only running the marathon to get Friend A through it (pacing him which I think is very selfless and awesome), and then Friend C is a strong Masters runner. I run with the first 2 guys weekly, but my speed work is only comparable to the last guy's cool-down. They are all looking forward to it and had heard it was a great marathon.

 

[camaker]

@camaker, are you going to run the 25 laps around Womble Park in April?? That place gets slammed on the weekends with soccer games, etc. I can't imagine how crowded it will be with people also running a bunch of laps around it.

No way on earth would I run 25 laps anywhere, much less there! I run through Womble on just about every training run I do, anyway. Regardless, I'll be helping to chaperone a gaggle of HS kids through Europe that weekend, anyway.

Are you running the Race 13.1 Durham race? I've been really tempted to use that as a supported training run, but the latest forecast has temps in the 20s at race start, which has been a big deterrent!

 

[DopeyBadger]

I've been following a custom plan from @DopeyBadger for about three weeks (thanks again!) and that's been one of the biggest challenges for me. I feel like I'm spending a lot of time ping-ponging around the target pace constantly adjusting. I do feel like I'm learning, but it's definitely been a challenge. Some days it's much easier than others and I've yet to decipher the rhyme or reason for that. Strava gives me half mile notifications and I try not to check it too much more often than that, but it does mean that I'm missing my marks more often than I should.

I've been using an @DopeyBadger plan since July. I think the oscillating around the desired pace at the start of the plan is normal and to be expected. If you were like me and coming from a "run everything fast" training mindset into the "slower is better" philosophy it's a tough transition to make. It will get easier, though. Your body will get used to the rhythm of the plan and settle naturally into the paces over time. At this point, it takes me about half a mile to get warmed up, loose and determine what the desired pace feels like for the conditions of the run. From that point, it's usually just a matter of minor adjustments as I go on autopilot at the desired pace.

As @camaker says, it takes time. Since the plan is just starting out you have two things working against you. You aren't that relatively tired yet (cumulative fatigue) and you haven't build that mental database yet. As the plan progresses, you'll find your body will likely naturally start to fall into the desired efforts because of the cumulative fatigue buildup. You'll soon cherish the easy days and not have as much difficulty going the right slow easy consistent pace.

You're still building that mental database of what each scheduled "effort" (or pace) feels like. The "blind" days are just like mini-calibration days throughout the plan to see how well you are figuring out the internal GPS. They are neither inherently good or bad results, just an assessment on your progress. As you progress through the plan, the "blind" days transition from mini-calibration days to race predictor days. But the race prediction capability only works if you are honest with your effort on blind days. Wrong effort = wrong race prediction. But I wouldn't worry about the race prediction capability until much later in the plan.

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

For me, I look at two main things. What is the wind chill? What is my effort level? The colder it gets, the more gear I wear. But, the faster I run, the less I wear.

The general rules for me:

40 and above wind chill - Shorts, singlet, maybe gloves
30 to 40 wind chill - Shorts, singlet (if fast), long sleeve (if slow), gloves for sure, maybe beanie
20 to 30 wind chill - Shorts (if fast), thin thermal columbia pants (if slow), long sleeve (if fast), thermal columbia (if slow), thin gloves (if fast), thick gloves (if slow), beanie
10 to 20 wind chill - thin thermal columbia pants (if fast), thick thermal columbia pants (if slow), thermal columbia (if fast), thermal columbia and jacket (if slow), thick gloves, beanie, maybe baclava
0 to 10 wind chill - thick thermal columbia pants, thermal columbia and jacket, thick gloves, beanie, baclava
-10 to 0 wind chill - thick thermal columbia pants, thermal columbia, long sleeve and jacket, thick gloves, beanie, baclava
-20 to -10 wind chill - thick thermal columbia pants, second pair of thick thermal pants, thermal columbia, long sleeve and jacket, thick gloves, beanie, baclava, wife's sunglasses (face shield sized...) to cover eyes from exposure to cold

 

[RunDisneyDad]

A treadmill

Well done there!

ATTQOTD: It seldom drops into the 30's in Central Texas so I don't deal with it much, but the one thing I found that makes the biggest difference are those cheap cotton/wool gloves and when it get really cold a wool cap.

Quick race recap. Finished the San Antonio Rock N Roll Half in 1:26:36. The forecast was for 100% chance of rain at the start, but it actually held out until about mile 10 when the skies opened up and it poured. I treated the first 10 as a marathon prep/tempo run. My ego got in the way and I ended up pacing faster than I expected, but still stayed within myself and didn't completely race it. I wanted to race the last 5k, but with the rain and a 20 mph headwind it was hard to go much faster than I already had been going. The cool thing was I finished and was starting to zone out so I wasn't paying attention and looked up and there was Meb standing there. He congratulated me and said I did well in such tough conditions. He was completely genuine and I think its incredible the man stood there in a huge downpour to congratulate runners.

 

[Ariel484]

Here's proof that truth is stranger than fiction or even this board. I thought the would you rather this or that QOTD was all in good fun and fiction until I found out:

My little town here is hosting a"Too Slow For Boston" marathon in April. In what promises to be a little slice of Hell, the course consists of 25 x 1.048 mile laps around the park adjacent to my neighborhood! It's a nice park, but really!?

I thought the choice between a dull out and back course vs 26 laps of a scenic mile was a funny choice. Less so now that I've seen the reality...

Good lord no!!

Happy Monday everyone

We did our first 5k as a family yesterday for a local charity run in town -- it was even my husband's first 5K! We had a double stroller -- and DD1.5 slept the whole time, and DD5 rode in the stroller and ate cookies (she ran a few times, but unfortunately, her little leggings kept falling down -- oops!! Haha!) We jogged and walked, -- actually jogged more than I thought we would. We finished in 37:26-- which I was actually pretty happy with, and it was really fun to get out and do it as a family!

Wow, that's really impressive! Pushing the stroller is no joke, I'm sure.

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

So I did 18 miles on Saturday with temperatures in the mid-30s and not a ton of wind (5-10 MPH). Here is what I wore:

Tech fabric hat
Sleeveless Tech Shirt
Pullover (which is heavier, sort of like a thin fleece lining inside)
Short-sleeve tech shirt over the pullover
Tights

So for me, LAYERS are key. I get colder on my top half than my bottom half, hence the 3 layers (at times I felt a little overheated, like I didn't need the sleeveless top, but most of the time it felt just right). I would have had gloves except that my pullover has thumbholes, so that mostly kept my hands warm.

The conditions were great, I thought, for a longer run - the first few miles sucked but once I got going it felt good. I live near Lake Erie so once I was running by the lake the wind picked up and that was occasionally terrible, but overall it wasn't bad at all.

I have posted this link before, but I use this tool to sort of help me pick out clothes. It would take a lot to make me move inside to the treadmill...I think it would have to be in the single digits and icy/with lightning, so layers it is!
http://www.runnersworld.com/what-to-wear

 

[BuckeyeBama]

For me, I look at two main things. What is the wind chill? What is my effort level? The colder it gets, the more gear I wear. But, the faster I run, the less I wear.

Effort level is huge for me, along with run distance. If I am running 3-5 miles at high effort, I can go out in 15 degree weather with wind in shorts and a tee. But that windy 15 degree day requires more clothing if I am going to be out there for a while or running at an easy pace.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: Some much colder weather is forecasted to make a run into the deep south in the coming days. What type of gear do you use to stay warm on those colder than normal days?

I use the basics - tights, long sleeves, hat, and gloves - depending on the conditions. I put layers on my upper body well before I wear anything other than shorts. In fact, one of my favorite tops is a New Balance vest with a wind-proof front and a mesh back, making it perfect for chilly weather. Some of my best races have come when wearing t-shirt, shorts, gloves, and a hat where I would cool off by raising the hat on my head or removing the gloves.

Ran the Baton Rouge Beach Half Marathon this Saturday with a unofficial time of 1:55:07. It's not anywhere near a PR for me, but having missed ~3 weeks of training, I am pleased with the effort. Ran the entire time and kept a steady pace, plus sub two hours. The weather made it interesting, it was around 50 ish, with a gusty winds and a light rain for most of the race. Help kept me cool for the race, but after the race I got cold fast and had a mile walk back to my car. It was a long, cold, rainy mile... Glad I brought extra clothes to change into in post race.

Well done!

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: It varies. On shorter runs I wear a Sparkle Skirt with a tank and maybe a running pullover/hoodie with thumbholes. For the longer runs where I will be outside for a long time I will add a winter headband for my ears, and tights under my skirt. But the last time I wore fleece lined tights I was too hot and it is too much of a pain in the a** to take them off in the middle of a run so I just suffered. Plus they were terrible at wicking sweat so I felt cold and clammy, which is the opposite of what I was going for! During the Black Friday deals I ordered a pair of running tights from Academy Sports to wear on my last long run before taper but they haven't even shipped them yet. DH got the running shoes I ordered for him at the same time so I am a bit frustrated with them. They said I have to wait until after tomorrow to contact Customer Service to check on them.

 

[JeffW]

Question, any tips on not starting too fast on long training runs? Got my 20 in today and I really tried to start slow but I didn't really? After mile 15 I had no problems slowing down to the pace I wanted the whole time, but I did fade a bit 18-20. Thanks.

A few people have mentioned strategies with GPS watches. The other thing I use to start slow is to keep my mouth closed and only breath through my nose. That makes me control my breathing which I've found greatly affects my pace. YMMV of course