The Running Thread - 2018

[gjramsey]

ATTQOTD: I do sync my garmin up with Strava. I agree with @cburnett11, I use Strava to follow others from here and my running club....and to keep myself accountable. I look at Strava much more than I do Garmin Connect.

I prefer the websites for both instead of the apps on the phone....

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: No Strava, no Garmin. See you all tomorrow!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

My husband uses strava

 

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD: No strava for me!

July: 65 miles
It was overall a good training month for me. I changed my eating/diet, so that's been really challenging at times with running, but I think I'm starting to figure it out.

 

[GreatLakes]

Honestly, my first run a month? I could barely run a minute straight, so I AM seeing progress, it just seems so slow. I'm so impressed by runners!

I'm **hoping** I can finish a half marathon in April 2019.

You have plenty of time. It was under a year between my first 5K and first half and that is plenty of time to get up to the distance provided you have no health problems that keep you from training.

QOTD: Who here uses Strava? Do you use it as your GPS for your runs or just a place to share runs with others? If you are a garmin user and have strava, did you pay for the premium package? What does it offer different than Garmin Express? Strava Premium folks do you recommend it and what cool features does it offer?

I have the free Strava account. I use the SportTracks desktop application and Garmin Connect as my primary tracking software but I link my Garmin with TrainingPeaks, SmashRun, and Strava just to get the different analytics that each offers. I have every service set to private so no one besides me can see anything. I actually just added Strava to my list this week so I haven't done much with it yet. I like the idea of using it to find good places to run when I travel an also use MapMyRun for that.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

QOTD: At what distance do you call a run a long run?

I used to think anything over 6 miles, but right now 6 miles is the shortest run I'm doing! When the W&D training plan starts in a week and a half, the shortest will be 8 miles! (I hope I'm up for this.) At that point, the long runs will be 12 to 16.

QOTD: Who here uses Strava?

I'm linked in to Strava, but I don't check on it nearly as much as I should to stay connected with people. I use the Garmin Connect site for data, and my plans are on Final Surge. It's almost too much.

July Report
Miles: 154
YTD: 953

Not quite what I wanted this month, but had to take about a week off to knock out some PF. Lost half a run plus a long run due to what I think was food poisoning. That wasn't fun.

August Preview
The plan for W&D begins. Lots of miles (for me). Weight training. Clean diet. Big goals. Fingers crossed.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: I just started using Strava and I use it mostly for gps and ease of sharing with another person. I also use Samsung health which gives me much more detailed info on each run.

 

[Miranda]

ATTQOTD: I use Strava for my primary workout tracking app. I track everything in there... all my runs, yoga, indoor cycling (when I still had my old gym membership and was spinning), hikes, and cross training at Orangetheory. I like being able to see all my workouts in one place. I also like how it makes it easy to track my shoes. I originally used to use Runkeeper, but at the time, you could not have Garmin automatically sync to Runkeeper, and I got really tired of manually doing it every run, so I switched over to Strava and imported all my Runkeeper history.

I sync my Garmin to Strava. The only time I use the actual Strava app is when my Garmin battery is dead or it starts dying mid-run, I will start up Strava just in case I can't finish the run with the watch so that I have the whole thing. I just got a new Garmin last week so HOPEFULLY the battery thing is not an issue for a while, and I'm going to break it in this week at my race! My old 220 is over 3 years old and barely holds a charge for 3 hours and is extremely difficult to recharge because that model came with a clip style charger and 2 of the pins got stuck pushed in, so I have to set something really heavy on top of the watch to get the clip to make contact. I really like the plug in style charger cable my new VA3 has.

I always found the Garmin website to be really clunky and hard to use. I do have the Strava Premium membership, because you can link up Strava with your New Balance rewards account and earn points for each workout you track in Strava, and one of the things you used to be able to redeem your points for was 1 month or 3 month blocks of Strava Premium. So I used to build up points and then redeem them for 3 month blocks of Premium and pay for it that way. At some point like a year or so ago, you stopped being able to redeem the points for that, and I'm just lazy and never turned it off. (Side note topical to the forum: you used to also be able to redeem your points for entries to Disney races... I don't know if that's still a thing, I haven't really gone to the NB site in a while since you stopped being able to redeem for Strava... I wonder if maybe that's gone away too now that they don't have the Disney sneakers and stuff).

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: My Garmin syncs to Strava. I like how Strava shows your data a little bit better than Garmin plus I like to see others runs. Im too cheap to upgrade to the premium version.

Yesterday’s question: I consider anything 6-7 miles or longer as a long run. But really it’s just however long my plan for the week says I have to run is my long run.

July miles: 70

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: I sync Garmin Connect to Strava to use the Stratavistix tool. I generally do not have trouble holding myself accountable, so don't use the social media aspect of Strava.

Other than Stratavistix, the only thing I've done is look at the fly-bys. It's completely useless, but fun to waste some time with.

I could see my social media usage changing now that I'm going to have more time.

Question: does everyone use tapiriik to sync between GC and Strava? Is there another way to do it? Anyone paid for the automatic sync that tapiriik has? Does it work as advertised?

 

[flav]

Akward but happy revised July results
I was the first one to post my July totals this month and there was a reason for it: I was so jet lagged that I thought the month was over

I realised my mistake at the Visitor Center of Mount Haleakala (Why don’t they put the right date on the stamp? Oh, they are right). Then I sadly concluded that I would’t be able to top the month off, we were going for a hike at nearly 10000ft of altitude.

It is only once on the Sliding Sand Trail that I realised it was the best running trail ever! For stability, not for speed if you count the way up. So...

Revised July results
Total distance: 104.6km (65 miles)
Average speed: 6.37min/km (10.25min/miles)

Edit with an ontrail picture for reference, this is DD running ahead:

 

[GreatLakes]

ATTQOTD: I sync Garmin Connect to Strava to use the Stratavistix tool. I generally do not have trouble holding myself accountable, so don't use the social media aspect of Strava.

Other than Stratavistix, the only thing I've done is look at the fly-bys. It's completely useless, but fun to waste some time with.

I could see my social media usage changing now that I'm going to have more time.

Question: does everyone use tapiriik to sync between GC and Strava? Is there another way to do it? Anyone paid for the automatic sync that tapiriik has? Does it work as advertised?

I don't link my Garmin device directly to Strava, I upload to Garmin Connect and then everything auto uploads from there to Strava. It is just a setting inside Strava where you enter your Garmin Connect credentials.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: I don’t use Strava and even if there was a way to sync with Nike Run (is there?), I seem to have trouble with resetting my password these days and won’t risk loosing my access.

 

[SarahDisney]

ATTQOTD: I use Strava for the DISboards group (which I rarely pay attention to anyway...). Strava syncs automatically with my Garmin, which is what I use as my "single source of truth" for everything, so I really only look at Strava if I'm looking at GAP (grade-adjusted pace), which is something Garmin doesn't seem to do. So no need for Premium for me since I don't use it much.

Edited to add: I do sometimes get concerned about the privacy of Strava. I run very similar routes and with the crazy way the world is now that sometimes becomes a worry of mine. It's probably just paranoia, but I've seriously considered changing my settings at times.

Yeah, I get this. I have it set to not show a certain radius around my house, but I'm wondering if even that's too much information. Someone could easily find out when and where I generally run. It's a little scary.

 

[Miranda]

Yeah, I get this. I have it set to not show a certain radius around my house, but I'm wondering if even that's too much information. Someone could easily find out when and where I generally run. It's a little scary.

I used to do this but then I turned it off. I get how it's a good tool for some purposes, but for me I felt like it wasn't necessary. I never start or stop a run at my actual house. I live in a 60 unit townhouse development, and I always start/stop at the entrance to the main road. I guess they could figure out where I myself am or am going to be, but I always looked at it like someone might be trying to figure out when to rob my house.

 

[huskies90]

QOTD: Who here uses Strava? Do you use it as your GPS for your runs or just a place to share runs with others? If you are a garmin user and have strava, did you pay for the premium package? What does it offer different than Garmin Express? Strava Premium folks do you recommend it and what cool features does it offer?

ATTQOTD: I do not use Strava

 

[SarahDisney]

I used to do this but then I turned it off. I get how it's a good tool for some purposes, but for me I felt like it wasn't necessary. I never start or stop a run at my actual house. I live in a 60 unit townhouse development, and I always start/stop at the entrance to the main road. I guess they could figure out where I myself am or am going to be, but I always looked at it like someone might be trying to figure out when to rob my house.

Yeah, I used to start and stop a block or two away, so then it was off. Now that I start and stop at the house, I have it on.
And in case anyone has figured out where I live and wants to rob my house ... the joy of living with my parents is that there's still someone home when I leave the house so I don't have to set the alarm.
(I do, however, sometimes have to remember to turn it off before I leave the house ... yes, I forgot that this morning. Thankfully, I realized right away and was able to turn it off before it got loud, so I didn't wake anyone up.)

 

[jennamfeo]

ATTQOTD: I have an addiction to my phone and apps, so yes I use Strava. But I don't use it while I run. I track my run with my Garmin, which syncs to my Garmin Connect, which uploads my run to Strava. I use Runkeeper while I am actually running. I like being able to go on Strava and see what my friends (mostly you guys) are up to and how their training is going. Frankly, I don't have a lot of friends on Garmin Connect and Runkeeper so it's lonely over there.

 

[StacyStrong]

What apps/tech/apparel/accessories would you all recommend for a new runner?

I currently use an apple watch. I'm good on shoes (I was fitted for Brooks at a running store) but is there anything else you would recommend a new runner use/invest in?

 

[SarahDisney]

Frankly, I don't have a lot of friends on Garmin Connect and Runkeeper so it's lonely over there.

If I knew how to make friends on Garmin Connect, we could be friends there

What apps/tech/apparel/accessories would you all recommend for a new runner?

I currently use an apple watch. I'm good on shoes (I was fitted for Brooks at a running store) but is there anything else you would recommend a new runner use/invest in?

I think you're in good shape with the watch and shoes.
Personally, I carry my phone (and a few other things) with me on all runs, so I like having a belt for that - if you're going to carry your phone (not sure if you have the Apple Watch that can GPS without the phone), that (or an armband) may be something you want to invest in. (Another option is capris/skirts/tights with a big enough pocket for your phone). In terms of apparel, I usually buy whatever's cheap because I'm not picky, but if you find something you really love, you may want to buy more than one of it.
Don't feel a need to buy all the things just because it's marketed for runners. Some runners buy a lot of things, others make do with what they have. See what works for you. Running involves a lot of trial and error - just keep going and you'll figure it out.