How to Start Running
nytimes.com
nytimes.com
How did I do it?
I started with the couch-to-5K program[1]. That led me to diet and eat better. Did my first 5k four months later. Then a 10k three after that.
Running is not for everybody. But you should try it out. Run at your own rhythm and style. Some people are naturally better at long distances, some of us are sprinters. The truth is its about patience and pacing yourself. It is also great for thinking (or not thinking). My life is definitely better because of it. Feel free to ask me questions!
But I was very excited the first time I was able to complete the 5k run without walking breaks, and then I started to work on my time. I am not a fast runner but eventually got to a pace of 30 minutes. Certainly not anything like pinnacle athlete form but it brought a lot of personal satisfaction.
I paired my running with swimming. I would do a 5k run and then a 1k swim. It did wonders for my energy level and endurance and I felt much better.
My friend, who never worked out in any way, woke up with a hang-over and decided to join some friends for a competitive, cross-country 10K... he came in first. He was 22 years old, IIRC. His father is a dedicated marathon runner (qualifies for Boston Marathon), so that partly explains it.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/31/great-britain-c...
I am not a conquerer of worlds. :) Strange that being "average" is virtually a sin... Life is funny (or fucking awful, depending).
Best advice I can give is to see your diet as a learning experience with the end goal of living a better life. Little daily goals amount to amazing yearly achievements!
(1) Actually it does matter how and where (relative to your body) you land your foot. Contrary to the article, many people do need to fix their "natural" form and/or get shoes that help them avoid pronation, both to avoid injury and to increase the enjoyment that will help them stick with it.
(2) Similarly, the article's advice about stretching is way out of date. It's now consensus that static stretching can not only reduce performance but increase chance of injury. The author weakly hints at some of this, but never actually recommends against static stretching like most would.
(3) Lastly, there's a pervasive assumption bordering on encouragement of people wearing headphones while they run. I realize there's a lot of controversy about this, but a responsible author would at least have mentioned that it's a safety issue as well as an aesthetic one. If you run all alone where there's no traffic - including pedestrian traffic - do whatever you want, but if you're running in crowded times or places it's irresponsible to deafen yourself. I've know runners who have both been injured and have caused injury to others because of this, so I'm not inclined to let that pass.
I'm sure many people could follow this author's advice and be fine, especially if they're young enough and slim enough that they've never had to overcome the barriers that face older/heavier runners. Good for her and good for them, but that doesn't mean her experience can or should be generalized to everyone. There are better sources. Just search for "beginner running advice" and pick anything, especially one of the articles from Runner's World. With all that was already out there - it's practically an industry - this one just doesn't cut it.
Not only will I second this, I'll add that it's also an athletic issue. I used to run with headphones. But I don't anymore, because I realized I wanted all my senses, not just to be aware of my surroundings, but to be aware of myself. I literally listen to my body when I run, because it's a cue for me that I'm running correctly. I know it's not for everyone.
if you run a lot, because it's a narrow range of motion, if you don't stretch, then over years you will definitely run into flexibility problems that stretching would have helped alleviate.
For instance runner's knee occurs when you strengthen and shorten muscles, and they tend to pull up your kneecap so it is out of position and no longer glides smoothly in its slot. (naive and possible not 100% complete or correct explanation).
If you're going to run regularly for years, a flexibility regimen is key to staying healthy. Also listen to your body, increase distance (and speed) gradually.
I think increased risk of injury applies more to e.g. sprinters or football players increasing risk of straining a hamstring by doing a static stretch prior to an activity with explosive acceleration.
The important part is that static stretching before workouts has been linked to increased risk of injury, and lower performance. Stretching post workout and on non-workout days is fine.
FWIW, I don't do any pre-exercise stretching. On the other hand, I practically always do at least one kind of stretching after every run - simple ankle rotations in both directions with one leg across the other knee while seated. I really notice the difference later in the day and/or next time I run. If particular muscles feel sore, I'll throw in one or two other kinds of stretches. That minimal approach has kept me out of trouble despite running more even than most other runners - consistently five or six days a week in every kind of weather. Just an anecdote, not data, but seemed worth sharing anyway.
Meh. I ran thirteen times a week for years, quit for years, started again overweight more than once to slim down again and have done many 5 hour + mountain runs on the wrong side of 30. I've generally done static stretching both before and after running when I have time. After tens of thousands of miles, I'm still at zero injuries of note.
IMO the biggest thing is to not do the same thing every day. Take easy days and easy weeks between the more intense ones. Also, try not to go too fast except on speed days or tempo runs. You'll actually be healthier and faster if you let your body recover (whatever it takes at your fitness level to do that).
> I ran thirteen times a week for years
> Take easy days and easy weeks
>"Also, as impressed as you might be with yourself for running some unspecified distance more often than someone else while you were in your twenties, it doesn't change the fact that most runners go out every other day at most."
It's pretty common to run twice a day on university cross country teams. As far as I know, most competitive 10k runners do. I wasn't an outlier by any means. In fact, at that time I wasn't quite good enough to make the cut. I am not "impressed" with myself for having done >200km on hard weeks.
I do think that having done that and also having done a lot of running at different sizes and shapes in my 30s without injury is at least a decent data point that static stretching isn't absolutely horrible. It might be sub-optimal but it can be done regularly for years without leading to an injury.
> It's pretty common to run twice a day on university cross country teams
> it can be done regularly for years without leading to an injury.
[1] http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/does-stretching-preve...
Honestly, I find your personal attacks and comments about how you believe I perceive myself to be the only nasty behavior on this thread.
> If you don't care for my anecdote, fine. Your own's even less relevant to most people.
I disagree. Maybe this analogy can make where I'm coming from clearer:
There are certain postures that are easier on the back than others when digging with a shovel. Imagine you have a single data point from someone who grew some vegetables in their backyard and did a bit of shoveling every weekend and a single data point from someone who worked as a tree planter in Ontario for three consecutive summers and spent long hours every day digging and planting.
I believe that neither would be scientific or conclusive, but that if all else were equal, then knowing how the posture/technique that worked for the tree planter would be more useful. I would go with that until encountering problems or taking on something more demanding than what the tree planter did.
You're an outlier. You should be proud of that, and clearly are, but you want to have your cake too. You want to believe, contrary to the evidence I've cited, that your outlier's experience is relevant for people who have never had the benefit of working with professional coaches and trainers, for whom any likelihood of that is decades behind them, who might have struggled with all sorts of mid-life health issues before they took up running. That's the typical beginning runner who needs to know this stuff. They're ill served by your willingness to hold forth without benefit of relevant experience or familiarity with the actual science of the matter. Was there ever any rational expectation that your anecdote - which is the only thing you offered, in contrast to what you were supposedly answering - would help anyone else avoid injury? If not, then why did you feel the need to speak up?
>"They're ill served by your willingness to hold forth without benefit of relevant experience or familiarity with the actual science of the matter."
This is really rude and makes more uncharitable assumptions.
The fact is I have helped a lot of friends and family members of various ages and sizes get into running without injury, and to go through marathon programs in some cases. While I've read more books and journals on running than most people ever will, I don't think trading links to them with angry people on the internet is productive. Have a good day.
tldr; Take easy days. Take easy weeks. Listen to your body.
I started running a few years ago, and noticed that there is a massive amount of cargo culting and folklore surrounding technique and training regimens. I ended up just discarding it all and doing what felt right because I found it impossible to filter through the noise. If these things have been properly studied and documented, I'd like to see it.
He also wrote a fantastic book on the state of sports science "Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise" [2] which I highly recommend if you're interested in hearing about the source studies (and their limitations).
[1] http://www.runnersworld.com/sweat-science/should-you-stretch... [2] http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11115311-which-comes-firs...
Turns out my technique was bad and I had a week muscle in my knee, now I've badly messed it up. The worst thing is that it never hurt seriously -- you can build up some serious damage without ever being in serious pain.
Maybe it's technique, but I thought it was my tendons/bone needing to strengthen after endured stress.
It can also be technique, or shoes. But calves are a good place to start.
Personally I think some form stretching is useful - just my personal experience. I'm having a break for it at around 2km.
If you listen to music, just wear good earbuds that don't block ambient noise, and don't crank it too loud.
Stretching: By now most runners know not to static stretch from cold start, but not stretching at all is a bad idea. In my experience static stretching after the run works great, and so does dynamic stretching after a substantial (1mi) warmup. Also, most runners don't know how to stretch their upper body. In my experience it's really important to stretch your back.
A lot of people prefer to run with music. That's fine, and not a problem in a park or similar area. But you need to be extra careful on public roads when you're willfully dampening one of your senses.
I don't do cadence matching, I just fast forward through the playlist :)
One other thing that has made a big difference for me recently is a latest generation Garmin GPS running watch hooked up to Strava. The end effect is that you have your running log pushed effortlessly to Strava over bluetooth once you're done with the run, and there your friends can see it and vice versa. The motivation of seeing your friends' training logs is more awesome than I ever expected.
Is there such a thing as "good earbuds"?
Earbuds, as anything else, quickly accumulate dirt.
I do not like the idea of sticking dirty things inside of my ears.
By the way, I'm talking about earbuds, not in-ear-canal earphones. I don't like those and I agree they get gross. They also block out far too much ambient noise to be safe when running.
ETA: good point about stretching before vs. stretching after, though. I should have mentioned that, and so should the OP.
Odd that every car sold today is marketed on the basis of being quiet inside and having a deafening sound system. Why is it so important for runners to have their senses of hearing? So that they don't inadvertently get murdered by the functionally deaf in cars?
As a pedestrian getting hit by or running into a car will likely kill you.
> If you’re a runner who likes the quiet and solitude of
> running, then pick a bucolic path and go run. But many
> people like
I'll second that. I'm not a natural athlete. I have very poor kinesthesia (our 6th sense). I accidentally walk into doorframes as I try to pass through. It wasn't until my wife told me that I realized my originally learned running pattern was bad for my joints.
Perhaps I should clarify: I used to step too long while running, landing on the heel. With shorter strides, I feel much better afterwards.
When people first start to pick up speed, they naturally tend to increase stride before they increase tempo. I think it comes from their experience with walking. Whatever the reason, it turns out to be a dangerous tendency that even runners far more experienced than me have to fight sometimes (and some lose). As more people hear that, fewer will become injured or discouraged. Hearing it from people who they can identify with, who haven't been elite athletes since junior high, is most helpful.
I ended up making a pact with a friend to meet up at the gym every morning, and I took my kindle and reread a long epic fantasy series page by page. I started off stupid-slow, with a slight incline. First 25 lbs shed without a problem, and steadily increased my pace.
I've now graduated to actually running outside (yay!) and distracting myself with podcasts, have completed 2 half-marathons, and at one point was down to ~210lbs.
People's motivations and activation hurdles are different - for me it was boredom and accountability - which I fixed with a book and some peer pressure.
I've wasted a lot of money thinking this way. Unless you're cash-strapped and it meant a lot buying that ticket/software/tool/book/etc, you just shrug it off and move to the next target. Money doesn't buy discipline. YMMV.
I like to track my miles, and there's lots of good sites for it. I personally use Garmin Connect, then use https://tapiriik.com to sync to Strava. I also use Smashrun, which imports directly from Garmin Connect (or you can let Tapiriik sync to it). Strava lets you set a weekly mileage goal, and Smashrun lets you set a monthly and a yearly goal. I like having those staring me in the face.
Tapiriik is open source btw, but believe me, just pay the guy $2/year and let him run it for you. https://github.com/cpfair/tapiriik
Running is a great way to get to know a diverse crowd. I met girls, cardiologists, musicians, students, postal workers, young and old. On the pavement we were all just friends talking about our PRs and next races.
We were very supportive of anyone of any level and really encouraged newcomers. If you have access to a running club or class, I recommend it. The class was paid, which might sound ridiculous at first, but once you get into it you quickly see the value of experienced coaches and supportive classmates.
1) Do not be in a hurry. Most runners do way too much way too soon. You will likely get injured. You gain aerobic capacity in a matter of weeks to months. But soft tissues, tendons, ligaments, bone density... those takes years to adapt.
2) If you're getting injured, something is wrong. You're doing too much too soon, or you have a bio mechanical or strength issue. Running requires strong hips and a strong core. If these are weak, you will get injured. The injury will show up in your legs, so you'll look there. You'll buy new shoes. You'll foam role. You'll wear orthotics. The problem will not go away, because the problem is probably not in your legs.
3) Run as little as you need to to achieve your goals. The more you run, the more you increase risk of injury.
4) You probably need to run more than you think you need to. Beginner marathon training plans are a huge disservice. They'll get you to the finish, but you'll hate it. Wait till you've been running at least a couple years, that banging out a 13 mile run mid-week is no big deal, that you can easily handle a 50 mile week.
5) The shoe industry is a racket. Wear the lightest weight, most comfortable running shoes that you can tolerate. You probably don't need a motion control or stability shoe.
6) The key to not getting injured, besides having sufficient strength per above, is landing softly. Landing softly requires a quick step and not over-striding. Your feet should land under you, not out ahead of you. A good goal to aim for is 180 steps/minute. This is not easy for most people. Quick light step. Repeat that to yourself all the time during the run. (Aside: you run faster primarily by pushing off harder so that you cover more distance per step, not by over-striding, and not by increasing turnover.)
7) There's a lot of exercises you can do for core and hip strength. But none better than picking up a barbell and putting it down. Specifically the back squat and the dead lift. These two exercises will protect you from injury for life. Start doing them now. They will make you a better runner.
Edit: Beginner running advice - http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Running_for_Beginners (This is a better link than the Reddit Runnit FAQ I had previously linked to here.)
Edit 2: I've added my running background as a reply to this comment.
Edit 3: Running helps with weight loss. Weight loss helps with running. It's a virtuous cycle.
Edit 4: A few more links with good advice:
- Really, all of fellrnr - http://fellrnr.com/wiki/About_Fellrnr
- On having a light step - http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/why-we-get-running-...
- On choosing shoes based on comfort - http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/choosing-the-right-...
The suggested marathon training plan has you doing a 9-mile run on week 4... And then 23 miles and 26 miles just a few months after starting to run (presumably). For a beginner, that's just begging for an injury from pushing too hard. Even for seasoned runners, it's not necessary to reach 26 miles when training for a marathon. Getting to 23 is usually enough.
In general, training is good, the more you can get in, the better, especially for beginners. Unless you're starting out with extremely good overall fitness, it will take a while to get to the point where you can finish a marathon without too much pain ir risk of injury.
For me at least, I probably did the highest mileage and was the strongest runner when I had no goal at all but was just running up the mountain because I loved it. Though I didn't race any marathons, I did so many runs of greater than that distance on my own on weekends that I've lost count. It was 1-2 per month for at least a year or two.
I can't argue with your second paragraph at all. All the mountain runners I know are beasts. :-)
If you want to get into barbell exercises, get a coach or at least look for good guides online (or in book form). Don't do half squats.
I'm iffy on the barefoot running advice. If you're going to run barefoot, it's probably best to do it on a soft surface like a grass field. But, that will allow you to continue to heel strike, and worse, because your heel will sink further into the ground, may increase the stress on your achilles. I prefer to advise people to try to land quietly[1], since that usually equates with landing softly. Also, re: heel strike, see this:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/why-we-get-running-...
[1] Part of the reason I no longer run with music. I want to listen, literally, to my body.
Where do you run? How did you build up your soles? I run on NYC sidewalks and in parks and my feet wouldn't last more than a few hundred yards before I stepped on glass, gravel, or chestnut or sweetgum pods.
I pretty much only wear shoes either for social events, or when I am leaving the house over noon: the pavement and streets are too hot, and I would burn my feet.
You can train up against gravel, if you are hardcore enough and care enough. (I didn't bother.) Even rough concrete used to be a bit painful, but I got used to that.
Personally, I found that I have less pain in my shins and knees wearing minimalist footwear than I did wearing various other kinds. I only run 400-500 miles per year and rarely longer than 10 miles, most are 4-6 mile jogs, and I only do one long run per week. I do several other activities for exercise. Maybe it's a matter of intensity.
I'm currently on my second running career.
I started running in my 30's, July 2002. I was 45 lbs heavier then, 185 lbs on a 5'8" frame. My first race was a half-marathon in early 2003. Dec 2003, I ran my first marathon. Between 2003 and 2007 I ran 4 marathons (4:22, 4:15, 3:54, 3:36) and a number of other races of shorter distances, but I was regularly having issues with both of my achilles tendons and was often having to take 1-3 week breaks. For a runner, taking breaks is frustrating to say the least. I'd done the whole shoe-fitting thing and different shoes didn't make a difference. At some point, I saw a podiatrist, who prescribed custom orthotics. I ran with those for a couple years, but orthotics didn't help either. (I'd like to point out: I probably had close to 1 lb on each foot in gear. I wear size 12 shoes, and those running orthotics were not light. By comparison, the shoes I wear now weigh ~ 6 oz.)
In 2009, I was in my best running shape to that point and pacing a marathon group, when at mile 17 my achilles took me out of the race. It hadn't recently been sore, and wasn't bothering me at all up to that point in the race. Just boom, it felt like something took a chunk out of my lower calf. After it didn't improve with a few days rest, I ended up at a PT. The PT had me run on a treadmill, evaluated my muscle strength, and diagnosed me with particularly weak hip muscles and prescribed various exercises for that.
Now I had never cross trained at this point. I had literally never been inside a gym. It was about 2 months of going to the PT every week before my achilles was no longer sore. But I'd also started a new demanding job at this time, and so I ended up not running very much from 2009-2012.
So that was my first career. I no longer have detailed logs from then, but I was probably running 1000-1200 miles/year. I ran okay, made steady improvements, but was often injured. Wanted to run Boston someday, but never imagined I could run that fast. (For those not aware, to run the Boston Marathon -- marathoners' Mecca -- you first have to qualify for it by running a certified marathon course sufficiently fast according to your age and gender.)
My second running career begins in late 2012. I needed to start running again, but knew I had to do something different. I had read Born to Run by this point, and decided to toss my orthotics and stability shoes, and just work toward the most minimal shoe I could comfortably run in. I also knew I needed to cross train, but wasn't disciplined enough to do that on my own. So I ended up at Crossfit, which I'd been hearing good things about.
(Let me apologize here as the Crossfit part of the story begins. Let me also remind you I had never been in a gym before 2013, much less Crossfit.)
Throughout 2013, I went to my Crossfit gym 3-5 days a week, and ran whenever I felt like it, mostly by feel. My goal, besides get back in shape and not suck at everything in Crossfit, was: enjoy running. But then another runner I met at the gym encouraged me to run a fall marathon, confident that I was running really strongly on a few runs we'd shared together. So that fall, off an improvised training plan and my fitness improvements from Crossfit, I ran a 3:22 marathon.
This was a gigantic improvement off my previous 3:36, really surprised me, and gave me hope of a BQ the following year. I finished out 2013 at ~ 1500 miles for the year, and importantly, no injuries.
For 2014, I continued with Crossfit and building my mileage, and trained for a fall marathon BQ, which I achieved with a 3:12. I finished 2014 at ~ 2000 miles. And still, no injuries.
For 2015, I set myself a goal of running a 3:05 marathon. I failed to achieve it at Boston (3:26) nor a fall marathon (3:16), due to it either being an overly aggressive goal, poor race strategy, or just having two bad race days (it happens). Nonetheless, I was really enjoying running at this point, and I allowed Crossfit to fall by the wayside as I no longer had time for it and running. This is probably a mistake that will at some point come back to bite me. But so far, knock on wood. The strength I gained from 2013 - mid-2015 has given me a body which can sustain vastly more miles than my pre-2013 self. I ended 2015 at 2500 miles and no injuries.
Now, this year is the year I've gone running crazy. I have a goal of 3000 miles, which I'm ahead of at 900 mi YTD. I have a second goal of running a marathon each month, and I'm ahead of that too. Each marathon I'm taking what the course, weather, and my body give me that day. January gave me a 3:16. February gave me a 3:08 (new PR). March gave me a 3:22 trail marathon, and a week later, a 3:42 on a warm humid day, where I just enjoyed the race and helped another runner I met on the course get in under her 3:45 goal.
So that's my running story so far.
TL;DRs:
- You need sufficient hip and core strength to run w/o getting injured.
- The back squat and deadlift are the most efficient exercises for gaining hip and core strength.
- You will gain aerobic capacity faster than you gain strength.
- Your aerobic capacity will allow you to run faster and more than your strength justifies.
- Especially tendons, ligaments and bones take a long time to get stronger.
- Patience grasshopper. Take time building your strength and allowing your body to adapt. Running is stressful!
- With sufficient strength, you can run as much as time allows.
- More running will make you a more efficient runner.
- Being a more efficient runner will make you a faster runner.
Last point: the body is amazingly adaptable. On Wednesday, I ran 48 miles in 24 hours across three runs (17, 18, 13). My 2007 body, that ran a 3:36 marathon, would have exploded trying to do that. I'm about to head out to a local ultra to pace folks for a few laps in the dark that are completing 100 miles in under 30 hours, some in under 15 hours. They've been running since 6 AM. They are all shapes and sizes, but I'll tell you what, they have resolve.
BTW, if you do decide to give Crossfit a try, a bit of warning. Key is finding a good one with coaches who know what they are doing. It's an affiliate model with no quality control at all. Anyone can open a Crossfit w/o really having a clue. Crossfit isn't perfect, but I enjoyed it (and need to get back...) for the supportive community, generally knowledgable coaches, and for how it benefited me as a runner.
If you want a specific recommendation, give the Saucony Kinvara a try. It's more shoe than I normally wear, but I needed a red shoe as part of a costume for a recent marathon, and found them not bad. :-)
I'll also refer you to Fellrnr for more info. He's reviewed a ton of shoes - http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Shoes
If you go to a running store, ask to try on a variety of cushioned shoes till you find one that's comfortable.
But soft tissues, tendons, ligaments, bone density...
that takes years to acclimate.
Aside: the Olympic snatch is an amazing feat of strength, agility, form, athleticism, mechanics, balance, all of it. It's really a thing of beauty to see done well.
Just watch this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL1T-jKdTqo
Starting at 4 minutes. Pyrros Dimas is competing in the 85kg (187 lbs) category. He lifts 178 kg (392 lbs) over his head there. 392 lbs. Most people couldn't pick that bar up off the ground, much less get it over their head.
For a good fraction of the population, running is fucking awful.
That's pretty normal. I run a lot, and runner's high is a very rare thing for me to experience. I think most people confuse it with the sense of accomplishment one often gets after a run.
I've only felt a real high after very hard workouts. Very hard workouts. Workouts where my heart beats hard enough to break capillaries in my lungs, and the aerosolized blood gives a metallic taste.[1] The high feels like a weird mix of THC and opiates, and takes a couple of hours to wear off. During that time, it's definitely not safe for me to drive.
I like to run, but honestly, I think enjoying running is a little masochistic.
1. Vulnerability of pulmonary capillaries during severe exercise: http://geoff.greer.fm/files/Vulnerability%20of%20pulmonary%2...
There's research to back this up as well. In response to exercise, the body produces cannabinoids, opiates, and stimulants.[1]
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurobiological_effects_of_phy...
The longest I've ever run is 14km, and I've done 12km City To Surf a few times. I still exercise & work out, but I keep myself motivated & upbeat using music, and try to make it the last thing before bed, so I can sleep off any bad feelings and/or exhaustion.
My friends say things like "I run to clear my head" or "I run to relax". My runs are dreaded, tedious nightmares and the only positive aspect is that eventually the run will end.
Fuck running. :)
I commented on this in my other post on here. In short, it doesn't come right away.
I ran 5 km three times a week for about four months. It was fucking awful every time, so I stopped.
I guess I've never chased it, but I run 5 miles pretty regularly with no expectation of it.
I ran 5 km three times a week for four months, and it was always fucking awful.
There was a period of about a decade in which I had to wear custom-molded graphite orthotics (~$300) during most of my waking hours because my feet were supposedly "flat". Two podiatrists said that I'd need to wear them the rest of my life or get surgery, which would leave me in crutches for 6 months per foot (they won't do both at the same time).
I lost my orthotics in a flood, and unwilling to fork over another $300, I focused on fixing my feet. I started stretching my soul, walking around the house barefoot, and going for short (~100m) barefoot jogs on a grassy field. After a few months, I started wearing shoes without arch supports to force my feet to adapt. Managed to get rid of my foot pain within 2 months :).
Still struggling with the knee issue though. I've been treating running as an isolation workout on the knee joint -- my body can handle it just fine, but like in weightlifting, I can't isolate the same muscles/joints day after day. Sprinting any amount hurts, and I have to avoid all hills (going up is fine, the descent is killer).
While I figure out a way around the knee pain, I've recently been doing more metabolic conditioning (think Insanity or P90-X, but with fewer knee-destroying jumps). I experience a lot more fat loss this way, plus the workouts seem more holistic than running in the sense that my upper body is not neglected.
This demonstrates a truism that we should all become familiar with: If you brace a body part, the body part being braced will become weaker. Orthotics are a brace that hold up the arch of your foot. Your arch will get weaker.
"Sprinting any amount hurts, and I have to avoid all hills (going up is fine, the descent is killer)."
I cringe to offer up personal anecdotes or helpful tips, but on the outside chance that it is helpful, you might try running downhill on toes only - no heel at all. It's a bit odd looking, but it's worth playing with.
Here are some bulleted observations (more details at the link below)
- When I got started I was almost always overdressed.
- Couch to 5K works — but perhaps it’s not for everyone.
- Transitioning from beach to pavement was helpful.
- Heart rate is super important.
http://daily.weisser.io/post/anecdotes-from-a-reformed-fanbo...
EDIT: if you're in the bay area and average 9.5-10 minute miles on 3-5 mile runs I'd love to run with you (I'm new here). Add me on Strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/7583883 or email me.
That is in opposite to common knowledge that heel-striking is worse, and leads to increased injuries.
I've been running for... a while. In high school, I was captain of the XC team. I finished 5th in the state and our team won the state meet.[1] The spring after that, I ran a 4:18 mile and a 9:07 two mile. In college, I competed in Division I NCAA XC. None of my coaches cared that I was a heel-striker. I've since switched to forefoot, but noticed no difference in times or injuries.
If you're just getting into running, forefoot will be murder on your calf muscles and Achilles tendon. As the article says, It's best to just go with what feels comfortable. As you run more, your form will become smoother and more efficient.
1. 2002 Washington state AAAA boys results: http://www.jcrawford.net/boys4a02.html
"Plenty of elite runners heel-strike."
"As the article says, It's best to just go with what feels comfortable"
"Whatever you do is OK" will just lead some people to be miserable even if they're not actually injured. Like every skill, there's knowledge involved in running. I personally would not have kept running past that first day if I hadn't learned enough to know that my misery might be because I was doing it wrong and that running differently might be worth a try. The way to get people into running is to coach them into it and make sure their early experiences are positive ones.
I've had long conversations on this topic with a podiatrist, but it's still not certain.....
My girlfriend is a very keen runner, with a lot of half-marathons and triathlons under her belt.
I suffer from bad knees (and a back) partially due to previous injuries and having a slight case of scoliosis. She's encouraged me to start running with her. Today is the second rest day I've had this week and I'm already feeling better for it.
Next up is getting some proper trainers fitted (I walk weirdly to begin with).
Seriously, make time for running. Even a mile a day.
5K: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/50932/5K-Training-The-Most...
I would boil down my advice to a couple of points. First, get good shoes. If you are a beginner, go to a store where the staff is gaunt. (I think of the Pacers stores in the Washington area.). You can count on them knowing something about running and shoes. Second, listen to your body. Don't try to run through an injury. If you are running in hot weather, be very aware of how you feel. Never hesitate to stop and walk back if something isn't right.
Beyond that, I would quote Joshua Slocum (http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6317/pg6317.txt): "To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go." (And of course, I include young women.)
This year I was surprised by the "year of running" [1], so I took the challenge. Coincidentally today I'm celebrating my 100 miles this year :)
I also built "run with mark" [2], again to help me with motivation... and counting. Coincidentally again, I was updating it right now, when I saw this post (going to build a geo map with balls where I run).
I've been using yrbuds, and I love them compared to all other headphones I've tried, but I'm still interested in what works for others and what else might work even better for me.
For music, I've been using RockMyRun, and I absolutely love being able to set an RPM for pacing that doesn't change. There's almost nothing else I like about this app, it's slow and buggy, but the RPM feature keeps me using it, even with music styles I don't care for. :P
The ones that hook around the earlobe are ok, but most of those are the ones with the smaller speakers that have to sit against your ear canal just right, or they go partly into your canal in a way that is never quite perfect. Both lead to sound that is massively different from step to step. Completely frustrating.
When you do, keep in mind that most studies have been done on elite athletes who self-selected themselves. They became elite because they had the right genes and trained properly. You might not have those genes.
There still is a lot of material saying that if you train you can increase your VO2 max, which has been shown to be true only for people with specific genes, a few years ago.
Well. Someone failed to properly apply animation cycles in whatever they used for the header image. When a runner's near hand passes across the body going forwards, there's an extra frame that is almost a duplicate, but slightly further back, which results in a little hitch in the motion.
This error is meticulously maintained on all of the running figures, despite them being all out of synch with each other.
Some commentary though -
When I started running, it would have been very useful to have it drilled in to me that all "running" is not equal, and doesn't have to be at a fast clip, until that makes sense. Of course running 26 miles seems crazy based on what it feels like to "run" a mile when you're untrained and trying to go fast. Yes, that guide starts out suggesting a run/walk routine - however I think it would do new runners much service to explain what kind of paces there are, what they feel like, and why most of your running should be done at an easy one.
> First pick a race.
Why?! It really bugs me that so much of current running culture seems to be about earning that 13.1/26.2 sticker for your car, or getting that "Finisher" t-shirt. Certainly, completing races and achieving goals in general benefits our psyche and sense of accomplishment.
But running can be so much more than a sequence of training runs leading up to the all important race. Runs should be enjoyed. To me, one of the secrets of running, or at least - something that takes time to learn - is that running becomes much more enjoyable with experience, and you may have to put in some grind time to get there. When running 3 miles leaves you feeling completely wiped, the "runners' high" seems alien and unimaginable. As you get more experienced, AND learn to pace yourself, 3 miles seems short, and you probably won't feel into the groove until you're at least 1-2 miles in. When you have the fitness to casually run 5 miles through the park or on your favorite trail and feel good afterward - THAT's where running really starts to add balance and enjoyment to your day, imho.
When you've leveled up a bit, running becomes personal time, meditative, and leaves you refreshed. While people may discover this on their own - encouraging the mindset of, "Pick a distance, plop down some money for a bib, and train" - seems to encourage people to treat running as a means to an end, where the end (the race) just means it is time to pick a new goal (longer race, better time.)
Why not suggest people find a beautiful trail within an hour of where they live, that would take them a few hours to hike, and then run until they can experience the joy of gliding through that trail in a fraction of the time?
There's a lot of great information in that article, but I suppose I feel like it falls in to the trap of spending much more time on the "how" of running - how to pick a training plan, what shoes and socks to buy, how to eat, how to avoid injury, etc... - and not enough time on why it's worth it to put in all that work. Other than for the likes you'll get when you make your half-marathon completed Facebook post.
The reason is motivation, and having a deadline and a financial commitment is motivating for most people. This was written for an audience that isn't running yet, and most people who aren't running yet do need to have tricks to motivate.
About your two friends: I'm at the point, fortunately, where I can complete a marathon at will. But racing it is a different thing altogether. I'm going to guess that, given you say they are very athletic, they had set a time goal for themselves. That's usually a mistake for the first marathon, and regardless of their fitness, it's a distance where if you push too hard, you will be punished.
Gosh I love marathons. Except when I hate them. :-)
I have competed in 4-6 hour races in other sports. Trust me I will never show up unprepared again ;) longest most painful days of my life
Best of luck with your future marathons - maybe I'll give it a go one year