2012 Running Thread

CLC

Adey... 

groovygirls

Add one more race for me- a color run 7/28!

kks_rd

Just catching up for the evening, nice to see a lively exchange today.   I echo the advice shared with our newbie friends.

I did a fast 30-min run and was able to maintain a satisfying pace throughout.  I felt strong and capable.  Would be very pleased if I could repeat it on Sunday - my first 5K since finishing treatment.

GG, what is a color run? Is that the thing where you get splattered with paint on the way?

LisaMomOfFour

Thanks for the encouragement!  Will be doing 40 minutes on the treadmill this morning, once I finish with Lisa's taxi service....   one trip each to high school, middle school, grade school, then train (for DH).  

pat01

paradiju - thanks for the advice.  Got the new shoes, and they also suggested jogging less and on a softer surface to begin.  So on Monday I will try again, I pass a University on my way home from work that has tons of big green fields, so I will try to do my workouts there.  And I'm going to cut way back on the jogging part and see if my knees can adapt.  Then I'll finish my drive home and ice the knees.  My knees are feeling almost back to normal, still a bit sore.  Haven't walked since I hurt my knees Monday, it has been pouring here, but might get out for a walk today.

goldlining

pat01 also find out what the "knee" pain is. I had pain near my knees but it was the IT band not the joint. The physiotherapist can help a LOT. My physio has been sooo helpful educating me about anatomy. I never knew there was an IT band. I do some stretches for it, which is hard for me because I am very flexible and it takes a lot to stretch me, and a very painful exercise on a firm roller, which hurts like hell but feels so good when you're NOT doing it. Also, not increasing distance too quickly, and also making sure I am running on a level surface so that one foot is not landing lower than the other on a prolonged basis. If I start to feel the knee (or hip, the other end of the IT band) feeling "rusty", I check the level of the ground, maybe move to the other sidewalk, pause and stretch it out, etc.

Running on a soft surface seems good for reducing impact but beware it can slow you down because it absorbs the energy of your impact and rebounds less. I tried and rejected the wooden boardwalk near my home because I would regularly faceplant after tripping on boards, and running through the parks because I would regularly faceplant on roots and sticks hiding in the grass. I used to belong to a club with a lot of wheelchair athletes and they had a very springy track and it was a big track too, meaning fewer laps for the same distance. However the track sucked all of the energy out of my feet. Once I figured this out, I gave up on the ideal of a soft running surface and got cushioning shoes (adidas "ride" work for me) and went back to the road and regular treadmill. Keeping the same pace on a springy track could be a harder cardio workout. No free lunch, as they say, so pick your poison. 

I am also a lifelong non-runner, started post 50. I like to say that until that point, the purpose of my body was to keep my head off the ground. But the side benefit of starting late is that compared to people my age, I have knees in mint condition. 

pat01

Thanks goldlining - I envy you your mint knees! I walked two miles yesterday, first time since I hurt my knees, and while not painful, the knees were still achey. And they still ache this morning.  I haven't been to a professional yet, but Dr. Google seems to indicate that I have symptoms of patellar tendonitis. I may or may not walk today, and definitely rest over the weekend.  I walked in my new shoes yesterday and they felt great (Nike pegasus 28).

My Diva Dash Group wants to start taking zumba and/or kickboxing classes - I think I'm going to pass for now - once my knees feel normal again I want to get back to my 10-15 miles per week walking, and then try adding in jogging slowly.

Pat

groovygirls

Pat01- are you on Tamoxifen? I noticed that since I have been on it my joints ache more. I find naprosyn helpful- 1 to 2 caps twice a day. Different activities may not aggravate your knees. I would try the classes and see. If I can remember correctly, Zumba is low impact (and a lot of fun!)

eulabt

Pat- I had major joint issues with tamoxifen as well. Not sure if you are on it, but as soon as I went off the issues diappeared:)

kks_rd

Zumba can be low-impact, meaning it can be modified to be lower-impact.  But it can get pretty bouncy!  That said, it's a TON of fun an the way it impacts your joints is totally different from running.

My two cents.

Adey

C25K week 1, workout 3, done.  Added 1% incline.  Baby steps!

CLC

Yeah, Adey!  Baby steps gets you there...and usually with fewer injuries!!

Now that I had what I think is a respectable time on a 5K, I am trying to decide what to aim for next...Faster 5K, or run in a 10K?  So, I decided to try a long run today.  I slowed down to 5.5 mph and ran until I didn't want to go anymore.  I started having trouble with my bunyon, so I stopped just shy of 7 miles...maybe it is my limit.  I have never gone further without some pain or another.  I don't want to injure myself.  So...I am not sure what to do...  Any advice???  I would love some.

Hope this finds you all well...

Claire

firstcall

 Claire, Your limit will depend on your base, or your mileage per workout/ or per week.  Stay steady and consistent in maintaining your base, and then you can gradually increase your base.  

 Today was cross training for me.  I decided it was time for some pool work.  I don't know how else I'll ever get the use of my arm back.  So I swam down and back 3 times.  Then did the rest of my work out on the recumbent bike.  I think I'll try to swim 3-4 times a week. Next swim will be 4 times down and back, and gradually increase it to at least a half hour.  But for today I limited it.  Its amazing but just that little bit has helped my arm/armpit/shoulder/chest wall feel a little better.  Its the first I've exercised the area much since my MX in Dec.  

CLC

Firstcall...I am not sure if I want to concentrate on building my base or on speed work.  It might be grand to be able to say I ran a half marathon or a marathon...but I don't know if the bunyon and the adductor and all that might really be a reason to aim instead for increased power rather than endurance.  I can run close to 7 miles.  Maybe I should not push that (so I don't aggravate all my little issues)...and instead I should focus on power and speed...  Or maybe that is a cop out...and I should just keep going longer...

I feel a little bit in a quandary.

I am  so glad the swimming was good for you.  I am looking forward to hitting that pool, as soon as we open it.  I am a little nervous about straining the area, but I will build slowly.  I do SO love swimming.

Anonymous

I wrote this on Thursday, so I am not sure why it is just now posting!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes for my daughter. Her liver enzymes climbed to 1500 and 900 Monday, but today were at 400 and 1050. Still not in the 30-50 range, but at last now it's headed in the right direction. Firstcall, I will ask about a mono test. She seemed to bein excellent health before the race....she has not been to the doctor for almost 10 years--when she had her 5 year old immunizations.



Since my BMX I have done a variation of the couch to 5K. I have now built up to running 5 and sometimes 6 minutes and walking 1 minute. One day I did run 5 and walk 30 seconds with two friends, but that was tough. Before my diagnosis, I ran up to 6 miles with no walk breaks and on longer runs of 7-26 miles, I ran 1 mile, walked 30 seconds. I hope to build back up to that.



On the treadmill,I set my incline at .5--that's what my physical therapist recommended years ago when I had knee problems.



I hope to get up early enough tomorrow morning to run 4 miles before beginning my day. Many days, if I don't run first thing, I never make the time for it. So I am off to set my alarm for 5:00AM!

Anonymous

I ran a 10K this morning, and my time was 1 hour, 7 minutes. Nowhere near my PR, but that's the longest I've run since my BMX on March 7. It was fun to run a race without a time goal. I ran with my best friend, and we had a great time!

My daughters liver enzymes are continuing to fall. They were down by 1/3 on Friday. She is feeling so much better now.

My mileage goal for next week is 14. I plan to run 4 days.... 4,3,4,3. I have a visit with my PS Thursday, and I don't know if I I'll be getting another fill,or if I am all done.

eulabt

Happy Mother's Day to all of my running friends!

I have had to take the last 5 days off from running because I hurt my Achilles Tendon running in new shoes. I haven't worked out at all and it is killing me.  I haven't taken more than 2 days off in 11 months! I keep reminding myself it is better to let it heal and be able to complete my marathon in the fall:)

kks_rd

Happy Mother's Day!

5K race this morning, my first since completing treatment.  I've got butterfliies!  The weather turned out beautiful, 60 and fairly sunny.

I would love to know more about this total mileage concept.  I know you're supposed to be build mileage every week (and I think I heard somewhere you shouldn't increase by more than 10% each week or risk injury, overtraining, etc.).  But how does it relate to your overall goals?  For example, I want to do this 10K in June but wouldn't dream of doing it if I had never run at least that distance before.  I see training plans that build up total mileage but the long run doesn't meet or exceed the race mileage - i.e. a 10K training plan that builds you up to a long run of 5 miles but not 6+, or a HM plan that builds you up to 10 miles but not 13+.  I'm not sure how this works but I always see that the total mileage builds so I figured that has something to do with it.  Can someone explain?  I do see the practicality as you get into longer distances, time-wise it might not be possible to do, for example, 20+mi long runs every week when training for a marathon....

firstcall

Claire - I see more injuries with speedwork than distance/base building.  I think some combination of the two would be good. 

Roan - it sounds like your daughter is doing better and better, thank goodness. 

Eulabt -let it heal, but you could probably do some cross training. 

kks_rd - I've always found that race day excitement is good for a few miles.  So if I've trained for 10 miles, I can do 13.  If I've trained for 20 miles I can do 26.  etc. 

goldlining

kks_rd I've seen some training plans that explicitly say that they wind up short of the full distance because of the excitement factor. If you can rein it in and not start out too fast, the adrenaline can fill in the last bit. For me personally, because my first time at a distance just has an "upright and smiling" goal, as long as I am injury free and can run half the distance, I am usually confident I can walk the rest and get my medal. I have never done proper speedwork, just distance, and will be interested to see if trying speedwork does anything for me, but I am not sure I have the diligence to really stick with it when I know they have enough medals for everybody ;-)

Before all the surgery my pace was improving just by sticking with it, in the same distance range of 5-10K. I was initially about 11.25 mins/mile running and 12.5 walking and gradually saw it decline to about 9.5 mins/mile running with no conscious training plan other than just sticking with it. Of course, surgery has just kept interrupting all that conditioning and my pace has dropped again although I do see glimmers of hope. 

What is really perplexing me is my maximum heart rate in the 5K was 192, and I am 55 years old. I did not have a heart rate monitor pre-op so I can't compare to what it was before. I have always had a high exercise heart rate, however. My resting heart rate would be in the 80s. I basically use the Borg Scale and determine whether to walk or run based on perceived exertion. When I sense that I need to walk for a while, I do. My heart rate goes back to a comfortable level with reasonable rest and I don't have chest pain doing it, just a sensation that my heart is going as fast as it can and needs a rest. When I feel maxed out, I take a walk break down to 165 for a bit before I run again.

My hr monitor ranges for "fat burning" and "cardio fitness" cannot be attained while running. I was 115 bpm standing at the starting line waiting for the 5K to begin! When I move faster than a walk, I am above the highest training zone.

My version of speedwork is to sometimes try a quicker speed just from here to the third lamppost kind of thing but whenever I do this, it always reduces my speed in the next leg, to allow the hr to go down a bit, and also reduces my total endurance for the session.

I know ventolin increases heart rate but I do not always use it. In bad air quality, I would use the ventolin before a run, but in good air I have no need and I see no difference in the heart rate I have. I have absolutely normal blood pressure 110/65 type of thing, sometimes even lower systolic.

My physio is at a sports medicine clinic so I asked her to find out who I should see for advice. I am quite sure a cardiologist would say "why are you bringing me your unproblematic heart?" I told the anaesthesiologist and he said "now if you have a high heart rate in surgery, it won't worry me as much". My family physician discourages running and weight training. She is big on walking. That's no fun. Walking is just transportation.

I must say, I have learned more about anatomy and physiology from running than anything I studied in school. (And I did get a B in Work Physiology!)

blackjack

Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely runners. I have been training for the Chicago marathon, first one one ever. Developed chest pain and found out that I have a fracture left rib. ouch. Does anyone know how long I should wait to start running again? My onc told me I need meds for my osteoporosis since I have a fx rib. I am so upset about this. Any thoughts????.

I got up to 4 miles in 30 min which is good for me...now I have to start over:( Good luck to all you runners out there.

I hope to be back running soon.

BJ

CLC

Okay...build up to longer races it is.  Please put me on the list for the Tristate Classic 10K October 21...:)

I even registered...which is a big thing...because both of the last Octobers have been filled with breast surgery...I am just deciding right now that we aren't going for three in a row!!!

Have a happy mother's day...one and all!

firstcall

blackjack-When I cracked some ribs, I kept running.....just slowed down.  It wasnt easy, but it wasnt impossible either.  I found that it helped.  Listen to your body.  If it hurts a little its ok to run.  It will still heal.  If it hurts a lot, you are going to far.  Your MO has a valid question tho, you need to find out where you are with bone density.  Why did you break your rib?  Have you had a bone density scan?

kks_rd

Thanks everyone for the replies on the training plans cominig short on the full distance. That's encouraging for my 10K, since I can already run a good 4-5 miles comfortably.

Claire, congrats on signing up for the 10K - your first one, right??  Were your hands shaking as you hit the "submit" button like mine were?

The race was terrific.  There was terrible congestion at the start line and my "gun time" and "chip time" are very different - too bad, because the ranking was based on gun time (which makes no sense IMO).  Anyway, my chip time was 32:30, and although I didn't PR, it's a damn respectable 10:30 min/mile pace and I'm proud to have finished.  Saw my friend from work, the one who, when I was in the throes of chemo, suggested that by May I *would* be able to run again and that this race would be the perfect one to have as my comeback race.

CLC

Woohoo, Kat!  I am so glad you are back in the saddle again...or, rather sneakers!!

This will be my first 10K...but I did run a 5k last week...and I was nervous (well, a wreck, really) about that one, for sure!  But it was soooo much fun...I am hooked...:)

chrissilini

So, I am making progress,slowly but surely. I started week 4 of couch 2 5K and it was awesome. I'm increasing my speed a little bit at a time but right now I'm focusing on building my endurance. I've been doing it on my treadmill and know I need to take it outside but I'll get there.



Happy Mother's Day!

chrissilini

So, I am making progress,slowly but surely. I started week 4 of couch 2 5K and it was awesome. I'm increasing my speed a little bit at a time but right now I'm focusing on building my endurance. I've been doing it on my treadmill and know I need to take it outside but I'll get there.



Happy Mother's Day!

chrissilini

So, I am making progress,slowly but surely. I started week 4 of couch 2 5K and it was awesome. I'm increasing my speed a little bit at a time but right now I'm focusing on building my endurance. I've been doing it on my treadmill and know I need to take it outside but I'll get there.



Happy Mother's Day!

blackjack

Hi Firstcall, My onc thinks I broke it from coughing. I did have a dexa done in April, which I have osteoporosis. It has dropped a bit. I think it is all due to my hyperthyroid. I can't really blame it on arimidex as I didn't taken it. So she wants me to have Zometa but I am not sure about that either. I want to run and not worry about bone pain. I will take off 2 weeks and see how I feel then slowly I will start running again.

How are you doing with your running?Any tips to share.

BJ

pat01

Still experiencing discomfort - it actually hurts the most right below the knees on the inside of the leg, which is why I suspect tendonitis.  No walking for me since Friday.  Yes, I am on tamoxifen, I guess this could be a coincidence, but before I tried jogging I was experiencing very little joint aches, and this pain is actually below the knee joint.  I will try naprosyn, I've been using ibuprofen for some relief.

Pat