Running • Page 69

get in here losers, we're posting our strava end of year stats! (ignore my elevation, my watch is trash)

 

How can you post now bro?????? There’s 13 days left in 2020!

(I don’t have / use Strava. I wonder if Map My Run has an end of year thing I’ll get or have access to with the free version)

 

Close enough lol

 

Anyone have any goals for 2021?

I’d like to consistently run 6 days a week, or just start a running streak and do at least a mile a day. And also be consistent with strength training as I always forget about that. And proper stretching on a consistent basis.

also would like to complete 2-3 out of state marathons

 

diet. my quarantine diet has been absolute dog shit. speedwork. my pace has really taken a dive during the past few months. cracking a few ribs hasn't helped. i just wanna be able to consistently run at sub 6:30 like i used to.

 

Went to the sports medicine doctor after 3-4 months of knee pain. Said I had jumper's knee, probably from running too many hills. Gave me an injection and says should be good to go in another month or so. Really hope I can get back to it. Gained 10ish lbs I'd like to disappear.

 

i run 6 days a week about 4-5 ish each run and i'm still gaining weight. diet is absolute shit.

 

Oof. I've had 2 bouts of that, but luckily it only lasted about a month each instance. Along with some specific strength exersises and rolling, I try to make at least 50% or more of my weekly runs NOT pavement, and take some proper rest days each week.

I find some joy in eating simply. I would say my diet is 60-70% whole foods and only plants. I tend to keep the same weight within a few pounds.

I'm back up to 20-25 miles a week and will be increasing every so slightly with volume and intensity. Fortunately my ankle sprain has healed.

Oh and I signed up for a 100 ultramarathon in November.

 

Looking at my first ultra (just a 50K but gotta start somewhere) in Tennessee in May.

 

What part of Tennessee?

 

I believe it’s in Spencer, TN. Almost dead center between Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga based on Google Maps.

 

Fall Creek Falls? That's the one I'm looking at doing!

 

haha that’s the one! I’m digging the $55 entry fee. Haven’t looked at hotels / air BNB’s yet but even if those are pricy that’s not bad. I just hope to find something close to the starting line. The logistics always worry me for these things lol

 

Fall Creek Falls is beautiful. Really nice camping facilities on site (well, in 2008 when I went). Cell service sucked though.

I live in Knoxville and I’m running a marathon in Nashville in April.

 

That’s always a slight concern is that my phone / app won’t be able to properly calculate the time/distance correct and/or get disconnected and weird out on me. Oh well lol it’s bound to happen at some point unless I only run in major cities.

this is your first marathon right @Garrett? You were gonna do a half (or maybe a full) last year but covid cancelled it if I’m remembering correctly?

 

Correct! It was my half that I turned into a full when it got pushed to November and my October full got canceled. Then it also got canceled the Tuesday before the race.

And now I’m having some wicked lower calf/Achilles pain really throwing off my training. So who knows if I can do it.

 

This may be strange, but I LOVE the way my body feels and what my head space is after a long run. Usually anything at or above ten miles and I’m so tired and broken down and exhausted and drained, but it’s so... relaxing? Like, I have no energy to get riled up over anything. I like that a lot.

There’s also the sense of accomplishment too. Did a ten mile run today and it was cloudy, cold and super windy but enjoyable and now I’m just zoning out on Netflix with my old man heating pad and enjoying the pleasant afternoon.

 

damn might have to fuck around and do a 10 tomorrow. been hovering around 4.5 - 5 every day.

 

Do it! (If you have time and the health of course)


for awhile the first 2-3 miles of each run were “ok” and then I’d really feel like I was comfortable and in a groove once mile 5-6 was reached. I think that was back in November or so. Not sure why that feeling left lol but today was kind of similar to that, once mile 4-5 hit then it was like a different headspace / loss of feeling for awhile. But man, the after-running feelings of long runs are sooooo good (for me).

 

Conversely, I just had the worse ten mile run of my life today (but only because of miles 8-10).

I was coasting, having a great time, and the run felt great. Then it started snowing. Then it changed to sleet. The final mile back to my house is entirely uphill and my muscles all seized up and I had a panic attack. An hour and a half later I’m still so nauseous I can’t move.

 

Oof, that sounds awful. Whenever I’m in a moment or an extremely long period of suckage in a run - whether it’s physical injury, head space, weather, etc. - I always remember that eventually it will end. I won’t be cold / miserable / in pain forever. That usually helps. Also for me, knowing how many millions of people AREN’T in the misery I’m in somehow helps. Hard to explain, but I usually try to tell myself “all I’m doing is running. That’s it. This is nothing” and even if I’m running a 35 minute mile or something, I’m still moving, still getting to the “end” and it’s just running.

I’m sure none of this is new or insightful, but I think every run is a learning moment, even if all a bad run gets you is appreciation for the better ones down the road or in the past.

 

probably a good a time as any to shout out the chorus strava group. join if you haven't already!

https://www.strava.com/clubs/chorusfm

 

After last week’s nightmare run, I tried out the run-walk method today. Anyone have any experience/tips on this? I think this is realistically the only way I cross the finish line of a full marathon.

 

I consistently read about people who walk the first minute of each mile, or walk 60 seconds for every 10 minutes of running. Some always walk up hills or walk the downhills.

I always think about trying it on longer runs but never have actually done so, I just slow down to a super slow pace of run for a bit and that helps. I’ve also had a few times when I stop and do some squats or stretches and that helps too, but I’ve only done that during a few 20 mile runs and only at miles 8 and 16, it’s not an every mile thing like most people say to do with walking.

 

As primarily a trail runner, I regularly walk the hills. It depends one what I want out of that run that day. If its a harder run yeah I'm going to put in some effort on the hills to an extent. If its a easy run day i'll walk whatever, road hills or trail hills. Especially to keep my HR down to where I want it like lets say 125-145(easy run day - and 145 is really too high for that). I did a 15 mile trail run yesterday and kept my HR relatively low the entire time due to walking most hills and then easy to moderate on the flats and descents. Fatigued after the run yeah for sure a little, but I still felt like I could do another 5 mile loop(it was a 5 mile loop type fun run event).

Tips: Slow down during training runs. If you're hard struggling on completing the distance, it's either too long, too fast based on your previous, or you didn't fuel properly; primarily if its a longer run past 1h:30m.

You're long runs, go slow. You're building that aerobic base. Later in a training block, you could do a long run with the first 4 miles are easy, middle 4 are up-tempo, then last 4 are easy. Or something like that. Or do some fartlek surges in the middle of your long run. But otherwise go slow. If you are doing a tempo run, it's not going to be your long run. If your long run is 12 miles. Your tempo run might be 5-6-7miles. You should be kinda gassed for your tempo(moderately hard effort), you shouldn't be gassed for your long run.

If you're shooting for a 4 hour marathon. You'll want to intake a gel or some food every 30 or so minutes. Around 100kcal per gel should get your through once every 30 mins. You have to test this in training to know what your gut can handle. If it's especially hot or your sweat a lot too, you would want to add in some source of electrolyte from a sports drink or something through out(of course along with your water intake). Not enough and you will start cramping among other things.

Maybe every aid station take the time to walk with the water cup for 10-20 seconds. Let that HR go down a bit then get back at it. Walk some hills. On my fastest half marathon so far(1:37 in 2018), I absolutely walked a couple of the hills and still ended up with 3rd in my age group and a PR (which I hope to break this year).