The Running Thread - 2016

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

Todays question is a suggestion from a fellow poster on this forum. Thanks for the suggestion!

I have been given a hot project to work on this morning at work, so I will come back later to answer the QOTD.

 

[camaker]

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

Without a doubt, the most important thing that I learned in 2016 was "slow down". I transitioned from running all my training runs at near race pace to a multi-pace approach with an emphasis on running significantly slower than race pace in order to build cardiovascular fitness and the improvements were dramatic.

 

[DopeyBadger]

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

Don't rush endurance improvements. Endurance sports take time to get better and there isn't a good way to accelerate that progress when you're already training at your limit. During the summer, I used a self-made training plan that extended all of my easy runs out to 90 minutes because during the previous Hansons cycle I never felt overly tired. So I felt like I was leaving something on the table. So I pushed myself in the summer and the training worked (to an extent). But come race day it had pushed me too far, and thus while I got a marathon PR I fell short of what my fitness predicted I was capable of. I've learned to not try and rush the steady progress and my goals will be broken in time. And easy days should stay closer to 60 min and not 90 min because even though I can do it, I shouldn't do it in the grand scheme of the training plan.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

To be patient with my body as I recovered from my broken foot. I have experienced injuries before, but this one was the most trying. And my age made recovery a slower process. But here I am, ready to run the Dopey Challenge. And many thanks to so many on this board who helped me get through it.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

I learned serious cycling workouts and training make one a strong runner. My running mileage for IMFL was way down compared to what I normally would see when training for a marathon, but the thousands of miles and hundreds of hours of on the bike more than made up for it.

 

[Barca33Runner]

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

That if I don't do the work, I don't get better. It's a simple lesson and one I already intuitively knew, but apparently I had to learn it again.

 

[ZellyB]

That shoe inserts and no flip flops keep plantar fasciitis at bay.

 

[CP3uhoh]

Looking for tips/tricks/best practices for pretty bad IT band. Screwed it up on my left side couple weeks back on a 20-mile run. After some reading determined that it was most likely from running on same side of the road (into traffic) with "humped" roads for drainage. We live in an acreage community so this is our roads to a tee. I'm very good about figuring this stuff out too later or after I've tweaked something.

Anyway, last two weeks, longest run on the weekend has been 10....Basically, pain the whole way, leg likes to lock up at knee for an hour or two after. The obvious solution to me is to take 4-6 weeks off. The problem with that is I have a marathon scheduled for Jan. 15. All thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Anisum]

1. In addition to the race list on the first page I was thinking of making a QOTD list with links on it to each QOTD as they are asked. I see this as a way to keep me honest with coming up with new ideas and also a way for anyone who is looking for information a easier way to find it within the thread.

2. Along with the QOTD / ATTQOTD would anyone be interested in including their planned workout or already completed run. For example 5 miles easy today or 7 mile tempo run, ect. OR do yall feel that info is best left for the journals? I see it as a way to see what everyone is doing training wise maybe, but again there is the strava group as well...

Also if I could figure out how to make the race list not look like a dumpster fire on a smart phone, would be a big win. Suggestions on format perhaps?

1. I definitely like that. I sometimes miss them when I'm away or what not but if it's relevant to what I know or something I want to know more about I will definitely find it easier to go back to when I return.

2. I probably wouldn't most days because I post before I run but I don't see any issue with it if people want to add it to their posts.

Dumpster Fire Bonus: Have you considered formatting races that a lot of people are doing (such as Disney races) differently. For example:

05 - WDW 5k
Chasing Dope (NG / N/A) Dopey | virtuoso1989 (TBD / N/A) Dopey | Diskidatheart (TBD / N/A) Dopey | FFigawi (TBD / N/A) Dopey | Keels (TBD / N/A) Dopey | Surfde22 (TBD / N/A) Dopey | BuckeyBama (TBD / N/A) Dopey | DisneyatHeart (TBD / N/A) Dopey | MommaoffherRocker (TBD / N/A) Dopey | Iamtrike (TBD / N/A) Dopey | CheaprunnerMike (TBD / N/A) Dopey | Baloo in Mi (TBD / N/A) Dopey | rteetz (TBD / N/A) Dopey | Baraca33Runner (TBD / N/A) Dopey | camaker (NG / N/A) Dopey | croach (TBA / N/A) Dopey | jhorstma (NG / N/A) | DopeyBadger (21:00 / N/A) Dopey

Not sure if that's better actually it may look worse but it's an option?

QOTD: What is the most useful running related thing you learned in 2016 and how did it change your running?

Keep up the work and you'll see improvements eventually. Also, don't eat ice cream before a half marathon.

 

[RunDisneyDad]

ATTQOTD: Mine started in January with the WDW Marathon. When its hot, you have to slow down. I've always worried if I slow down too much in the heat it might cost me something in fitness level, so I tended to push too hard in the heat and then bonk pretty much every time. I slowed down and found my fitness was not affected at all.

 

[ZellyB]

That if I don't do the work, I don't get better. It's a simple lesson and one I already intuitively knew, but apparently I had to learn it again.

I've got a few of those kinds of lessons myself. Heard a speaker say once, "Humans need less to be taught than to be reminded."

 

[Miranda]

That if I don't do the work, I don't get better. It's a simple lesson and one I already intuitively knew, but apparently I had to learn it again.

+1

 

[ZellyB]

Looking for tips/tricks/best practices for pretty bad IT band. Screwed it up on my left side couple weeks back on a 20-mile run. After some reading determined that it was most likely from running on same side of the road (into traffic) with "humped" roads for drainage. We live in an acreage community so this is our roads to a tee. I'm very good about figuring this stuff out too later or after I've tweaked something.

Anyway, last two weeks, longest run on the weekend has been 10....Basically, pain the whole way, leg likes to lock up at knee for an hour or two after. The obvious solution to me is to take 4-6 weeks off. The problem with that is I have a marathon scheduled for Jan. 15. All thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

You are probably already doing this, but rolling and stretching that hip flexor is the biggest thing for me when I have that flare up. And, rest.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

ATTQOTD:
To be patient while trying to find your running motivation again. I went several months just putting in the miles without any excitement and a whole lot of dread. A friend suggested I take a break from running and do other forms of exercise. So I went down to running 3 miles/3 or 4 days a week, and added in group fitness classes. It helped me rediscover my love of getting my heart rate up and pushing myself. I look forward to each class and short run, and I'm really looking forward to next year's races and increasing my mileage again.

 

[ZellyB]

I learned serious cycling workouts and training make one a strong runner. My running mileage for IMFL was way down compared to what I normally would see when training for a marathon, but the thousands of miles and hundreds of hours of on the bike more than made up for it.

I'm going to try and commit to some serious riding this next year. I bought a really great road bike back a few years ago and pretty much almost never ride it. My husband is after me all the time to cycle and I never want to do it in favor of running. Given how I seem to always wind up injuring myself when I work on increasing pace or mileage, maybe cycling is the better alternative to improve my conditioning. Not to mention how happy it would make my husband and make me feel better about my investment in that bike. It sits in the garage taunting me on a daily basis.

 

[roxymama]

ATTQOTD: This is a hard question because I feel like I learned a ton this year.
1) Don't run every training run like it's a PR attempt.
2) Don't run every race like it's a PR attempt. There's such a thing as A races.
3) fixing my over-striding actually made me faster.
4) Most importantly: I can do more than I thought I ever could do. Believe in myself enough to sign up for what I currently can't do and then work hard to turn the can't into DID!

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: That I can do hard things! I am usually such a wimp that if I don't think I can do something I don't even try. Training for a marathon is something I NEVER thought I would do, I would have said you are crazy if you had suggested it to me, and I did say that to my DD several times when she tried to talk me into this. But every long run, just a little further each time, week by week, month by month and here I am, ready to run my first marathon! I get emotional/teary eyed just thinking about how far I have come. Yep, such a wimp.

 

[baxter24]

Not every race or run needs to be a PR attempt. Trying to beat the time that you ran the day before over and over isn't going to help you in your training like you think it will.

 

[JulieODC]

QOTD: I learned that I can run farther and faster using the run/walk/run method -- and since adopting the method, I've run longer distances than ever before, and actually enjoy running a whole lot more too!

 

[Chasing Dopey]

Looking for tips/tricks/best practices for pretty bad IT band. Screwed it up on my left side couple weeks back on a 20-mile run. After some reading determined that it was most likely from running on same side of the road (into traffic) with "humped" roads for drainage. We live in an acreage community so this is our roads to a tee. I'm very good about figuring this stuff out too later or after I've tweaked something.

Anyway, last two weeks, longest run on the weekend has been 10....Basically, pain the whole way, leg likes to lock up at knee for an hour or two after. The obvious solution to me is to take 4-6 weeks off. The problem with that is I have a marathon scheduled for Jan. 15. All thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

Strengthen those hips! There are lots of resources out there for exercises for glute activation, hip and core strength, and safe stretching. For a while, I actually had to periodically switch sides of the road to keep the IT pain from acting up. Since there isn't much traffic through my neighborhood, it wasn't a problem, but your neighborhood may be different. But it's all about hip strength.