ratbastid

This weekend I became a runner.

I've known for some time now that my physical fitness isn't where I want it to be and doesn't serve what I'm in the world to accomplish. Knowing that hasn't really made much difference about it.

On Sunday, a friend who just ran his first half-marathon invited me to run the Charlotte half-marathon with him in December. Quite deliberately, I said "Okay" before giving myself any time to think about it. I knew even the slightest amount of thought would talk me out of it.

Immediately, my view of myself shifted 180 degrees. I've never been an athlete, certainly not a runner. My joke I say is, "I only run when something's chasing me." That's totally how it's been. But now I'm in training to run a half-marathon! And another friend, upon hearing this, invited me to run the Peachtree marathon with her in Atlanta next summer. I'm a runner now! I run!

This week so far (it's Wednesday now) I've been on my first two non-PE-teacher-forced runs of my life, and it's been AMAZING.

My first day, I didn't have my training plan from my friend yet, and it really only calls for .5 miles. I didn't know that. I ran 1.29 miles.

Right at my turn-around point, I stepped wrong on my left foot, staggered, and came down hard on my right elbow and both knees. I stood up, bleeding freely, and asked myself, "Okay. What does a runner do?" A runner, I concluded, keeps running. So I did. I got home an exhausted, bloody mess, completely alive and excited.

Yesterday I ran my .5--and I surprised myself by actually RUNNING most of it. I never would have thought I could run a steady 11 minute pace over a half mile, but I did. And it's all up from there.

And I'm here to tell you, my friends: my body is sore in a whole constellation of new and exciting ways. My quads, shins, and calves are totally fried--probably from pushing too hard my first day in the wrong shoes. And I've got some very nice road-rash from my collision with terra firma on Monday. And I'm WAY EXCITED!!

Okay, so discussionworthyness.... Who else runs? What advice you got for a total noob who's got five months to prep for a half-marathon? I've got the right shoes. Turns out there's a running store in town here--the guy watched my gait and measured my feet and put me in a highly structured pair of kicks that corrects my tendency to pronate. What else do I need?

genuinegirly

Awesome!
I like to run, too. Though I don't have any great goals like running a half-marathon. I just like running a mile or two each morning to wake myself up - just around the block really. I'm sure there are plenty of great runners around to give you good advice!

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Jinn

Interestingly enough birthday was on Monday and as a result I've started working out every day, which includes running. It's kinda my "you're a big boy now, you should be exercising like one." I'm trying to keep a 15 min pace per mile for two miles, and it's kicking my ass. I'm obviously in worse shape than you.

Something in the water?

And also, thanks to your use of the word "pronate" I've just spent 25 minutes learning a word I'd never even heard in my life, and watching an awesome video about pronation applies to tennis.


At any rate, back on topic.. :-D

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Willravel

*eagerly awaits the arrival of The_Jazz, and the creepy "father" comment from Crompsin*

Good shoes is a good start, but you might want to run with an experienced runner once or twice to get feedback about technique. Before running a marathon, I'd imagine that running with the proper technique should be as natural as breathing, which means practicing correctly.

snowy

I find your post very inspiring. To be honest, I'm not much of a runner. However, my SO ran XC in high school and ran a lot before he met me; he wants to get back into it. Your post made me think about some of the things holding me back from joining him in trying to run. Thanks. Who knows? I may be joining you amidst the ranks of runners soon.

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Redlemon

I read something recently correlating a new push towards fitness to the fit state of the President. I certainly kicked off my new fitness program (which had taken 6.5 years off) in early February, but I'm not running.
The antonym of "pronate" is "supinate", if you need to spend another 25 minutes.

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Martian

I used to run as part of my overall fitness regimen, but I never considered myself a runner. I'm the guy in a baggy t-shirt with beat-up old Keds; I don't really care for fancy running shoes or anything like that.

Now that I'm eating properly again I'm considering taking it up. The biggest impediment is my bad knee -- I have arthritis and it flares up sometimes. It's not too horrible, and mostly just stiffens up when the weather's bad, but the stress of running seems likely to aggravate it.

I was looking at knee braces today, and wondering if that would help. This thread is therefore serendipitous and I have no problem hijacking it slightly. Does anyone know if a knee brace will help a fellow in my situation? Alternatively, does anyone have other suggestions? A bicycle is another option I'm considering, but a gym membership and the attendant access to fancy low-impact machinery is out due to budget constraints.

Advice? Opinions?

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Willravel

I read an article recently about how scientists are using carbon nanotubes to regrow cartilage. It's still in the experimental stages (in September they're doing their first real tests on some sheep), but it might be something to inquire about with your doctor a few months down the line.

You could probably find a really cheap bicycle on craigslist or something.

Shell

...i run (casually) with my girlfriend sometimes...excuse the wardrobe malfunction in the pic below (it's a Picasso)...but i prefer a fast walk because it's less stress on my body.

...btw martian...my girlfriend had surgery on her knee...Arthroscopy...NOT knee-replacement. The surgeon goes in and cleans out the arthritis...and she's as good as new now. It took 3 months of therapy before she was running again...and not really back to normal for a year...but now all is perfect...but i highly recommend that surgery for you...choice of doctor is critical.


...Picasso

Attached Images

Picasso_Two_Women_Running_on_a_Beach.jpg (26.7 KB, 191 views)

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The_Jazz

I'm going to leave the first part of that quote alone since no good can possible come of it.

Yes, shoes are an EXCELLENT start. And good for you for patronizing a local business that actually knows what the fuck they're talking about instead of Foot Locker, etc.

Technique: in all my years of running I never had someone critique my "style" without the use of cameras. The technique you use the the best one for you - at least when you're in shape. Your body is going to naturally gravitate to what's most efficient FOR YOU. That means that you may "stir the pot" with one hand (I do that) or have a clipped stride or all sort of other stuff. Some of it is dangerous longterm - pronation for instance, which you've already taken care of. Your body will let you know the rest of it once it's figured out that you're serious about this running thing. Until then, you really shouldn't spend much energy thinking about it since there's little chance you'd be able to make any change stick.

I'm assuming that your training plan includes stretching. Make sure you stick to that portion religiously, especially the post-run stretching. Not only will it help get past the soreness quicker, it will also prevent injury, especially overuse injury.

Another way to prevent injury is to make sure that the surface you're running on is suitable. The WORST place you can run is a crowned concrete road. One foot will always be higher than the other and the surface is unforgiving. Run on as many trails or on grass, if at all possible. If you have to run on streets, try to stick to asphalt. If you have to run on the sidewalk, try to run in the parkway (the grassy area between the sidewalk and street) as much as possible. If that's not possible, change routes as much as possible.

You're in the honeymoon period with running, and that's awesome. But sooner or later, especially as you get farther into the macrocyles (daily runs are the microcycles, and macrocycles are usually 2 week periods after which you make an adjustment up or down in your milage), you're going to eventually get to breakdown. It happens to everyone eventually, and you're going to get lethargic, unexcited and just generally unhappy about having to go out for another damn run. The best way to overcome that is to have a training partner or partners and to mix up what you're doing a bit. The Hash House Harriers do beer runs most places on Saturdays. Go find them - they play some very fun games. Or do a race here and there when you can run 3 miles. Or find your local running club and join their workouts. Having someone to talk to when you're on the ass-end of a shitty workout makes it go by a whole lot faster.

And congratulations on doing the hardest part - getting your ass out the door. That, in and of itself, deserves

---------- Post added at 04:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:04 PM ----------

Without knowing exactly what the problem is, it's impossible to say. Braces usually only stabilize lateral movements, and I doubt that arthritis is causing or agrevated by lateral movements. It's probably going to be attacking the cushioning material between the leg bones, in which case a brace won't do shit. But you might be helped by some of the support bands that have come out in the past few years. Personally, I think you should call your doctor and see if they have any recommendations.

Of course you could always just take some ibuprofin a half hour before your run and see what happens then. Short-term you could be fine but long-term you're rolling the dice.

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Martian

The arthritis is a secondary symptom of my Crohn's Disease. It's often associated with autoimmune disorders, which you may have known already.

I do want to run, but not at the cost of causing even more damage. Ibuprofen sounds like a bad idea, since it doesn't do anything to actually reduce the impact stress.

I'm a bit clueless on the paraphernalia. What should I look for in a support band? Is that like a tensor bandage, or something different?

I will be sure to ask my physician when I see him next as well.

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I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

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highthief

It depends on the type of arthritis, whether it is degenerative or not, etc. You should see your local quack for such medical advice rather than the TFP.

I have a bit of runner's knee that I'm getting over and do wear a light compression brace with an open patella and that works for me.

Cycling of course uses the knee but without the impact of running.

In my opinion, the best thing a beginning runner can do is do a routine of leg strengthening exercises with focus on knee stability. About 75% of semi-serious runners do get injured to one degree or another and half of those could be prevented with a proper strength routine.

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The_Jazz

Yes, I suspected that. It's also why I hit the back button instead of replying directly to Shell's post telling you that surgery would cure all your ills. I figured you're smart enough to know that's not the case.

Well it doesn't reduce the impact at all. But it does reduce your body's reaction to that impact. Reducing the inflamation (and associated pain) to zero is pretty much the same as curing the problem, assuming that there are no tears. Given your particular state of affairs, I also assumed that you'd consult your doctor before starting a new exercise regime.

Talk to your doc first and see if this would actually do anything for you, especially before you buy anything. There are a number of things you could do - stabalize, lift, depress - that could accomplish different things. Without knowing more about what's going on beyond arthritis in a non-specific spot in the knee, I have no idea if any of it would do any good at all, let alone what specifically would help. Really, that's a conversation for your doctor.

---------- Post added at 04:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:41 PM ----------

Does that come directly from the Society for Statistics Pulled Directly From Our Collective Ass? The SSPDFOCA is doing wonderful work these days...

No, there's a lot to be said for that idea, statistics be damned. When I first got to college, I'd never lifted with my legs before. I just assumed that my legs would "take care of themselves" based on all the milage I was putting on them (around 70-80 a week at the time). One of the things I learned was that lifting weights, cross training, etc. strengthened other muscles and muscle groups to help keep things alligned for that one step out of 100,000 that was a little funny off the curb. Or to help prevent overuse injuries (which isn't something you really need to be concerned with at this stage, RB, but probably will need to be thinking about before your first half marathon). All the systems work symulateously when you're running (arms, legs, back, C/V) so when you think about it, it's logical that all of them will need to be "tuned up" for peak performance.

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LordEden

I'm guessing this has become a "I'm running now, help me The_Jazz" thread? 'Cause if not, I'm going to feel really silly turning it into one.

***

I want to run and been reading up on tips for beginning. I was running awhile 2 months ago and I really overworked my ankle. It's still sore(ish) but I'm getting fatter and need to do something. My biggest question is; what kind of stretches should I do after my run?

I've been just doing whatever my friend was doing when I ran my first 5k. I don't think I'm stretching it enough and that's what led to me hurting myself. Got any online links or picture sets so I know what I'm doing is right?

Also, treadmill vs outside?

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dlish

well done for doing it. im planning on doing at least doing 2 marathons in the next 12 months, maybe 3, so im in the same boat as you bastid.

i would reccomend a book called "Marathon - You can do it" by Jeff Galloway. it has a wealth of knowledge and is aimed at the new runner instead of the serious athletes. it gives you tips on training and finishing the marathon. time is not really a factor in any part of the book. its a well written and easy read, so you should enjoy it.


to get into shape you may want to do other sports in the meantime to get your fitness level up to where you want itt o be. tennis, rugby, cycling..anything that'd get your cardiovascular system up and going, and your mind away from the tedious chore of constant running. i play tough rugby 1-2 days a week and i play anywhere between 2-4 games a night for the fitness. it keeps my mind occupied on something else rather than on the "only 3 miles to go" thought.

well done...ill look forwad to exchanging notes with you!

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FelixP

As far as surfaces go, I know treadmills kill my knees and hips, while concrete kills my hips and shins; my shin pain has been solved through stretching.

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Psycho Dad

Suddenly? Weren't you doing some kind of beer run a while back? That's as good of a start as any.

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pig

Things I would suggest. I'm a semi-retired runner who is looking to get back into the fold. I didn't run competitively, but as a training aspect for competitive soccer.

1. I found that listening to music helped a lot with the boredom of running. I know it's sort of a no-brainer, but at some point when I was in pretty decent shape the running bit was something I did while I listened to music. Some people seem to need to pick music that is similar to the pace they're trying to keep, i.e. if they had a slow blues tune they would slow down, faster music would speed them up. I didn't really have that problem. I listened to a lot of phish, bluegrass, and blues - anything I really enjoyed and could zone out to.
2. Consider a GPS watch when you get serious. I've had a couple of Garmins...it really was a lot simpler to be able to determine how far you're running, what your instaneous and average pace are...and not have to make a bunch of routes driving around in the car. When I was training for informal half-marathons, it saved me a lot of headaches.
3. Stretching. Absolutely. I generally adopt the stretches I was taught when playing highschool and club team athletics with yoga. Not only stretching before/after runs, but generally throughout the day. It can also relax tension.
4. Have multiple pairs of running shoes, and trade off. If you are training for 6 months, you can figure out roughly how many miles you'll burn through while training and adjust your shoe number and when you purchase them to make sure you're not going to be breaking in a new pair of shoes a week before your race.
5. Hydration and eating correctly. If you're going to be putting your body into "machine" mode, you need to feed it appropriately.
6. Give yourself a break on occasion. Pay attention to injury. Sometimes you can run through something...sometimes you're setting yourself up for a massive injury. I've ignored things like hamstring and groin pulls or tweaks, only to find that I've got a knot the size of my fist somewhere up near my ass that won't let me walk correctly. The other thing to remember is that distance running is entirely different from sprinting. If you're training for distance, you can seriously fuck yourself up going into a sprint workout or oriented game (like, I don't know...soccer) without training for that as well.
7. Build up slowly. In the short term I can probably struggle though a 6 or 8 mile run. A week later I'll feel it, and I couldn't keep it up without building. I've heard suggestions that your long run of the week shouldn't be more than 10% of your previous week's long run. I've fluctuated that a bit, but it's not a bad start.

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Charlatan

I started running a few months ago. I found I just wasn't getting enough exercise from my yoga classes and was getting bored with swimming laps. My wife, who has been a runner since I met her many years ago, invited me to run with her on afternoon. She was training for a 10K run and wanted some company on her second circuit of her regular run. The run went well.

Now you should know that, like the Ratbastid, I've never been a runner. Ever. I hated running. Too many bad memories from childhood in a tortured gym class.

This time though, I was surprised at how relatively easy it was to complete the 4.5km circuit. Yes, I was tired but damn it, I finished it. I now run that circuit around three times a week and do yoga two to three times a week. I also swim a few laps after every run, though the pool is really more about cooling down from the run.

I'd have to agree that music is essential. That, or a running partner. In fact, the few times I run with my wife it's great. We actually get to have a conversation. That said, I am a night runner and she is a morning runner. I just get too hot and sweaty after a run and don't have the time to cool down before heading to work (even with the pool).

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highthief

No, I think it's a pretty valid stat. I don't know anyone who runs more than a few kilometres at a time who hasn't had some form of injury - and so many of those injuries could be prevented, IMO, with a little gym work.

Everyone is always so keen to do rehab work after they get hurt - if they did that same or similar work in advance they might never get hurt to begin with.

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JStrider

run barefoot! its great!
Running Barefoot Home

running barefoot can actually reduce impact to your knees/hips/spine... Thick heeled running shoes force your heel to land first and transfers the impact directly up your legs. When you run barefoot or with thin flat soled shoes your foot lands slightly ball first and the arch absorbs most of the impact.

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noodle

Running barefoot is okay, just watch your arches. I have super-high arches and they feel like they're going to collapse when I tried it. As a result of the high arches, I also supinate rather dramatically and at the most inopportune times.
Since I suck at running and haven't found a shoe that I can wear for more than 15 minutes without parts of my feet going numb or getting sore, I tend to use the treadmill or trails and do inclines and declines at around 3.5 - 4 mph.
I broke my pelvis in '93 and my fibro flares terribly if I run too much, so I ended up doing :30/1:00 intervals of running at 0 incline, 6.2 mph and 8% incline at 3.7 mph on a treadmill and found the best cardio workout for me.
Doing this for stamina, I can make it for almost 45 minutes without killing myself. That's a big step for me. As my ex put it... "there's a lot of movement going on back there" when I run. I'll get there, I hope.
I gotta get my "movement" back into the gym since the MRSA toe is almost healed!

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ratbastid

I wasn't a runner yet. I was part of the (fairly substantial) bike-riding contingent of the beer run. The runners made sure their pace was slow enough they still had wind to hurl verbal abuse at the bikers....

Vigilante

I was going to start running today myself, but instead my wife and I helped some friends (a couple we are good friends with) deal with a serious family emergency.

Maybe tomorrow

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ratbastid

Both of these things are addressed by my iPhone and the RunKeeper application.

Yep.

I hear you about this, but I'm a tad impecunious at the moment. One pair will have to do me. They felt GREAT the one run I've done in them. I'm not used to having my knock-knees held so square!

Yep, Yep, and Yep. My training plan calls for a half mile tomorrow and a mile saturday. Considering so far I've run one half mine and one mile-and-a-quarter, I'm not too daunted.

Plan9

Running barefoot on asphalt / concrete is a great way to injure yourself. Turns out there's a reason shoes are so popular for outdoor activities. Products like Vibram's Five Fingers (I like the KSOs, myself) are a nice step to a happy medium but the first pebble you step on will remind you how great your old New Balance trailrunners are at speed.

...

Since The_Jazz is essentially "Running_Jesus: The Bipedal Messiah" here at TFP, I'll chime in with my bit: I use talcum powder on my feet and crotch before longer runs. It really keeps everything smooth. Often I coat my paws and my smoothspot thoroughly before heading out on a 10 miler.

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The_Jazz

OK - let me dispell any mythos that anyone may have. I am not a running expert. I'm just a guy that ran a LOT of miles over 12-14 years (depending on how you count some lay-offs). I know what works for me very well. Doing exactly what I do/did almost certainly won't work for you. My best advice is to try something and then see if you can improve on it. That's what I did.

For instance, talcum powder drives me insane. I can feel it move on my skin and it creeps me out. But it works great for Crompsin. Try it yourself, but don't feel that you HAVE to keep doing it. There are other ways to prevent chaffing - one of which is to develop calusses, which is painful but eventually works.

---------- Post added at 08:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:52 AM ----------

OK, easy question first. Outside. The treadmill is a torture device. You don't develop a sense of pace that translates outside, you run differently on a treadmill than outside (basically the explosive movement of the calf that propels you through the air as you lose contact with the ground is tempered to compensate for the moving surface), its easier to get injured on either by accident or overuse (you're running on metal), and you don't interact with your environment. Torture device.

Ankle: well, that's much tougher. What sort of injury do you have? Is it the result of a sprain? Something else? It sounds like it's impact-related (when you foot strikes the ground) and the irritation might be coming from the extra weight, but that's a guess based on one sentence. There are a few stretches you can do, but I don't know if any of them would help. If you think that it is muscular, then you can do the "push the wall", "hang your foot off the curb" (also excellent for hamstrings) or just sit on the ground and physically stretch your ankle until you feel the area you want stretched begin to respond. Assuming that you can do that. I'll see if I can find pictures/links later on.

Great book and very good for the beginning marathoner - at least I've heard. I know a lot of people that ran their first marathons based on that book and think it's great.

Cross-training can be good, especially if you're injury-prone. I know a guy that was a cross country All-American and only ran 50 miles in a 12-week season (for perspective, I did about 1000). He was in the pool and on the exercise bike instead. By the way, that 50 miles includes the 2 8k races (about 5 miles each) that he ran to qualify for Nationals and then Nationals itself.

Always run on the softest surface available, even if it's only 3 feet wide. That will change over a run, especially in urban areas, but if there's a sliver of grass available, run on that. If there's not, see if there's an alternate to concrete somewhere close by.

Let's assume that your shin pain was shin splints. Stretching can and will help those. Dlish asked me a few days ago in a PM about those, and I forgot to include one of the stretches that helps (at least for me). Sorry, Dlish. Take a towel or strap and put it across the balls of your feet while you're sitting with legs outstretched. Pull towards you - hard. You should feel the stretch in your calves but also slightly in your shins. Whenever trying to stretch out pain, realize that it will take days, if not weeks, to get the physiological change you're attempting.

If you're logging lots of miles (and in my head that means more than 40/week), then this is great because it make your shoes last longer (saving some money) as well as what pig pointed out. In general, shoes should be good for 400-600 miles depending on the shoe, the runner and the predominant surface.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, RUN A RACE IN BRAND NEW SHOES!!!! You will end up as a screaming banshee perched atop two festering blisters. Seriously.
I think I'm just going to randomly cut and paste this in other running threads. Great advice.

Well, yeah, sort of. We're all designed to run barefoot, and we do it better over long distances than just about any other animal. Our ancestors used to wound other animals, then chase them barefoot until they gave up and died. Keep that in mind.

But once you start wearing shoes, your foot changes subtly and adapts to the shoes. When I run barefoot, I make sure to do it only in grass. It's just too painful on just about any other surface. If you can tolerate it better than me, then JStrider's got a great point. It's just not something I can really do. :shrug:

By the way, the only advice that I can give anyone that is absolutely guaranteed to work for them to make them a better runner - get your ass out of that godamn chair, turn the computer off, strap on your shoes (or not) and go for a fucking run!

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Jinn

I hate running outside (it's hot) and there are lots of people not working out with me (it's awkward). So I'm confined to the 'torture device' of a treadmill. Seems good to me, though..

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telekinetic

This thread has inspired me to take up running again...I've been off it due to an Achilles injury, but that seems to be back to 95% or so...maybe it's time to get back out there!

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LordEden

Can we make this or another thread like the "Pushup Challenge", but for running?

"Ran .5 miles today." kind of thing. Seems like a fun idea.

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The_Jazz

You mean like this one?

I think you should go read Post #1 in that thread and decide what you think is best for TFP - bumping that one or starting a new one. Either one is cool with me.

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"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
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highthief

It depends on your individual situation. I agree that in general running outside is better, however there are a few situations where it is entirely warranted and the treadmill should not be dismissed out of hand:

1) Ridiculous weather - when it's -30c plus a windchill as it can get around here, or when the road is a sheet of ice, it's pretty fucking stupid to run outside. Trust me frostbite sucks as does twisting an ankle on the ice. It's a real issue in northern climes, and I imagine some seriously hot days in the south can present similar obstacles. July in Atlanta anyone?

2) Kids - when my wife, especially, can't get away from the little ones for a run, she can still fire up the treadmill or eliptical and still get a workout in.

3) Availability of terrain - I live in a town full of hills, but other friends live in entirely flat areas. Setting an incline on the treadmill lets you get some hill work in.

4) Injury recovery - coming back from injury, for my first few runs, I wanted to gradually run harder but not get too far from home base only to find myself limping back. I did 5 or 6 runs on the treadmill before feeling confident enough in my knee to hit the trails again.

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Si vis pacem parabellum.

The_Jazz

Maybe I'm a hardass this way, but I've yet to find the weather that I couldn't run in. I went to high school in East Tennessee and ran in the summer. I lived in Central Iowa and ran in the summer AND the winter. I lived in Atlanta in the summer and ran. I lived outside of LA and ran year-round.

I've run in ice storms, through hail, in lightening (although I don't recommend that one and it wasn't on purpose), within a mile of a tornado (again, not recommended or on purpose) and in a heat index above 130 F. Were those particularly smart things to do? For most folks, probably not. For someone who was acclimated to the conditions and prepared for them with the right equipment and hydration, etc.? It wasn't a bad thing.

If you're going to run in extreme weather (and you get to decide exactly what that is), just make sure that you're overprepared. If it's heat, make sure you're peeing every 5 minutes from overhydration before you set out. If it's cold, make sure you're going to have to be peeling back layers to keep from overheating. If it does fit with your definition of "extreme" you should definitely run with someone else so that you have help if you get into serious trouble.

Unless it is physically dangerous - as in you're going to get hit by something - get your ass out for a run.

But again, maybe I'm just a hardass. I'll admit that I did get off on the idea that I was out for a run on days when my competition would be worried about the weather.

__________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin
"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

highthief

With respect, unless you are a competitive runner, that's foolhardy.

Yes, a real racer probably should take the risk and get out there. You're trying to make the college team or something? Sure.

For someone running for fitness? No, when it is extremely cold or icy you should not be running. The odds of hurting yourself are increased exponentially in such conditions. I've lived in Canada for most of my life and have run here for many years and know the very real dangers of winter weather.

The fitness runner should not give in to some macho "I'm a runner and I'm gonna gut it out" mentality when they have a viable option of a treadmill or indoor track option.

My personal limits are reached when it is below -15 celsius as I find this is the point when, if you are out for more than an hour or so in light running clothes, the risk of frostbite gets very real (especially if the wind is kicking up). Additionally, if everything is a sheet of ice, I'm not turning an ankle or worse and being out of action for weeks when I could've just jumped on the treadmill instead.

Typically, there are maybe 20 or days each winter that are affected by such conditions here, and maybe on 12 of those I was scheduled to run. Those 12 runs go on the treadmill or on the indoor track (although I find the track annoying personally).

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

The_Jazz

Then I guess you've proved I'm just a hard-ass. Then again, I never truly made the transition from competitive runner to fitness runner, and I guess that's more obvious than I thought.

__________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin
"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

Charlatan

One person's hard-ass is another person's dumb-ass... I only run after dark if I can help it. The temperature here is a pretty constant 30c plus humidity. The equatorial sun is punishing. The few runs I've done in daylight were just nasty.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

amire

Over the past 2 years, I've been an on-again off-again runner. I just started running very regularly about a month ago, and I have two questions for the runners on the board that I haven't seen addressed in much detail:

1) Hydration. I think The_Jazz mentioned overhydrating before a run. Do most people just do pre-run hydration, or is it preferred to carry water with you? If so, what's the most convenient way to carry water while running? I used to mountain bike a lot, and CamelBacks were godsends. But I think they'd be a nuisance for runners.

2) Listening to music or podcasts. A few people here seem to think it's essential, but actually it apperars to be one of the more divisive issues in the running community. Some people say that music is absolutely essential for them to avoid utter boredom. Others say that it's a bad idea for two reasons: a)throws off pace, and b) could prevent runners from hearing oncoming traffic. What are people's opinions about that?

PS: The_Jazz -- I'm running in Midtown Atlanta. Where did you run?

The_Jazz

As I remember it, you can only process 6 oz of water per hour while exercising at 85% capacity (which is what a run should be doing), so carrying water with me wasn't something I ever did. It seems like an annoyance to me, but if it cools you off instead of rehydrating you, then I'm all for it. I always did all my hydration in the hours before a run, particularly if it was hot and/or dry. The cold can be just as dehydrating as the heat.

As I've gotten older and music has become more compact, I've started to listen when I do have a swing back into a cycle. However, it is definitely dangerous in an urban setting. I just make sure that the volume is low if I'm going to be near traffic, especially when I'm crossing streets.

I lived in the Virginia Highlands. I had several routes through there, including one that went through the park all the way down to the edge of Tech's campus and back by the Carter Center. I'd have to go find an old map, but I think that was a 12 miler. There was another that went in the opposite direction over to Emory then near the Druid Hills exit off 85 and back that was a 10 miler that was just an absolute bitch on a hot day. It was all hills and severely lacking in shade.

__________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin
"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

ratbastid

Should I be sore like this? I'm sore in places I didn't know a human body could be sore...

So far I've run 1.29mi Monday, .56 Tuesday, rest Weds, and .56 today. My "long run" this weekend, which I'll do Saturday, will be 1 mi.

IdeoFunk

Sports have always been an important part in helping me feel physically healthy. However, for the last year or two I haven't really had much opportunity to join any organized leagues. Instead I've been spending some of my free time between going to the gym and running. Turns out I've been doing pretty good. I never really measured myself or timed myself but I think I got up to pushing a 5 mile in under an hour a few months ago.

Disappointingly, these last two months I've only been out maybe once every two weeks if lucky.... but from reading this thread though maybe I'll get back on the wagon real soon as well, like this weekend haha