Running tips?

[BM1090]

Already a lot of improvement on day 2. I still don't have the music going because I dont have Spotify or anything but I don't know if it would help much anyways.

Music really helps me, just takes your mind off of everything and you don't have to listen to yourself breathing. Pandora and Spotify are both easy to download and use, as long as you're fine with carrying your phone or running with it in your pocket.

My tips would depend on your end-goal. I agree with everyone who has recommended signing up for a race, whether it be a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, etc. For me, signing up for my first half marathon is what got me into good shape. I signed up for a race about 20 weeks out. I ran 2 miles about 4-5 times a week for 4 weeks, then there are plenty of 16 week training programs to follow to get you running consistently and ready for the race.

[WarriorFan]

The Hash was started by expats living in KL as an excuse to drink beer. It morphed into a hook up thing over the years. I did the Hash in Hong Kong until my wife, who could kick my ass in a 10K, came along one time and saw what the majority of Hashers were about. She just gave me that look which communicated my Hashing days had come to an end.

Totally agree on the hash if there's one around.  "A drinking club with a running problem".  They typically pick fun routes, don't discourage walking, offer roles for those who are injured to remain with the group (hash piss), and never take themselves too seriously.

On another note, from a slightly (ok, seriously) overweight individual who enjoys running, get a pair of "fat boy" running shoes.  My current faves are New Balance 1260 v5 but Asics  also has a "fat boy" design.  A good running shop will let you go around the block in them to see how they really feel.  Good, supportive shoes make a huge difference.

[warriorchick]

Music really helps me, just takes your mind off of everything and you don't have to listen to yourself breathing. Pandora and Spotify are both easy to download and use, as long as you're fine with carrying your phone or running with it in your pocket.

I use an SPI belt to carry my phone.  It's great. It doesn't bounce when you run.  You hardly know it's there.  It's also great for races, because while I don't listen to music, it's so much easier to meet up with your friends or family post-race if you have your phone.

http://www.amazon.com/SPIbelt-Sports-Running-Belt-Original/dp/B005OVQQBM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463317368&sr=8-2&keywords=spi-belt

[keefe]

It doesn't bounce when you run.  You hardly know it's there.  ]

Sports bra?

[Benny B]

The Hash was started by expats living in KL as an excuse to drink beer. It morphed into a hook up thing over the years. I did the Hash in Hong Kong until my wife, who could kick my ass in a 10K, came along one time and saw what the majority of Hashers were about. She just gave me that look which communicated my Hashing days had come to an end.

Dang... I musta ran with the wrong Hash groups then.  Either that or I drank too much beer to realize what was going on.

[keefe]

Dang... I musta ran with the wrong Hash groups then.  Either that or I drank too much beer to realize what was going on.

The Hash in HK was mostly Brits and Aussies and they were much better drinkers than runners. What always surprised me was how people would go for a run and then start firing up smokes immediately afterwards. But I guess drinking and smoking is like peanut butter and jelly to some.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Need to get back into a shape that's not round. Went for a run today but realized how hopeless I was. For all you runners on scoop, what's the best way to get started and maintain/improve on distance and time?

I've been running regularly for 33 years.  I run 5:30 every morning except winter.  I generally do 2.75 to 3.5 mile runs.  I do 6 to 8 races a year.  Normally 5Ks, but I've thrown a few other distances in recently for fun.  5th Avenue Mile for the opportunity to run down 5th Ave New York City and the Sleepy Hollow 10K where the race is lead by a Headless Horseman and autumn views of the Hudson River.

Training to run is like a race itself.  It takes persistence and don't judge where you are in 1-2 weeks, but take a peek at 3 months or 6 months and a year later.

1.  Just keep at.  Schedule in 30 minutes every day that fits your schedule to run.  Run 5 to 6 days a week.
2.  Build up distance.  If you can only do 1.5 to 2 miles at a time then do that for several weeks until you're comfortable then up your distance, repeat.  Ideally you want to be very comfortable doing 3 miles as that is the distance of most races.
3.  Improve distance. - If you want to run longer, take 2 or 3 days a week and do a 4 to 8 mile run.
4.  Improve Time. - This one is the hardest.  You need to do speed workouts as part of your training.  You need to visit a track.  Sprint 200meters, jog slow for 100m, Sprint 200m, jog slow 100m until you reached 3 miles.  There are training exercises also.
5.  Improve time and endurance - Do hills.  Run quickly up hills.  I live in New England so everything is hills constantly.  After awhile any hill on your run will become as routine as any flat surface.
6.  Vary your running routes, so you're not doing the same distance and same roads every day.  It's OK to have a Monday route and a Tuesday route, etc.
7.  Get a running App on your phone.  I use Caledos Runner that ties in with Runkeeper.  You can see all your tracked data online and see paces, times, distances and maps.  I don't use it, but you can set training plans with an App.
8.  Wear comfortable shoes.  Dress appropriately for the weather.  If it's cold wear a hat.  I have blinking light, so cars can see me when it's still relatively dark.

This is a good website for running.  They handle sign-ups for many races, but they have good section on running reading material, advice, and tips.
http://www.active.com/running

Any other questions feel free to contact me.

[warriorchick]

Regarding dressing for the weather, I use the famous 20-degree rule: Dress like you would if it were 20 degrees warmer. 

The first time I ran in 45-degree weather wearing no jacket and a long-sleeve tech shirt, I thought it was crazy, but it worked.  You might want running gloves, but I found that they made my hands too sweaty.  You might want a headband instead of a hat for the same reason.

If you are running a race in colder weather, go to Goodwill and buy a 5-dollar hoodie that you can wear while you are waiting for the race to start and can toss to the side when the gun goes off.  Some races actually collect them along the route and donate them afterwards.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Regarding dressing for the weather, I use the famous 20-degree rule: Dress like you would if it were 20 degrees warmer. 

The first time I ran in 45-degree weather wearing no jacket and a long-sleeve tech shirt, I thought it was crazy, but it worked.  You might want running gloves, but I found that they made my hands too sweaty.  You might want a headband instead of a hat for the same reason.

If you are running a race in colder weather, go to Goodwill and buy a 5-dollar hoodie that you can wear while you are waiting for the race to start and can toss to the side when the gun goes off.  Some races actually collect them along the route and donate them afterwards.

The 5th Avenue Mile does this.  They give you a bag with a number.  Before your heat, you can stuff all your warm up sweats and stuff into the bag.  The stick it on a truck that leaves before the run starts and is waiting for you at pick up after the race.

[warriorchick]

The 5th Avenue Mile does this.  They give you a bag with a number.  Before your heat, you can stuff all your warm up sweats and stuff into the bag.  The stick it on a truck that leaves before the run starts and is waiting for you at pick up after the race.

Most races do this, but the cutoff is usually something like 30 minutes before race time, so you are standing around in the cold for quite awhile waiting for the race to start.

[mu03eng]

Bit late to the party on this one but as someone that despised running as a pursuit for the first 30 years of my life, I will attest to it's awesomeness and can give you some good tips(I think).

I've always played sports at an extremely competitive level, even into college so I never really had to do independent training. Then I stopped playing sports but had to keep trying to service requirements(you never see a fat pilot, well unless they're air force), but then when that fell through, my years of eating and drinking whatever I wanted caught up to me as I hadn't really developed a workout plan. Flash forward to 90 pounds and 10 years more, one day playing basketball, tore my ACL....probably because I was just too damn fat. Rehabbing the ACL means no cutting and not sports for 10 months and running is good rehab  for the knee so I decided to jump into running as a competitive sport just to see if I could get over my hatred of it. Running 6 days a week, with a couple of days of light lifting a week, plus tracking my calories in and out via app, I lost 80 pounds in 9 months and haven't felt better physically in a long long time. 6 years later it is now one of the core things I do almost every day and I hate it if I don't get a run in for some reason.

So it definitely works and I laid that sad story out as encouragement that if I guy like me can do it, you can too. I think a lot of the advice here is good stuff so some I'll echo, some might be new

1. Go to a running store, get your gait analyzed and get a decent pair of shoes that fit your gait. Doesn't have to be the best pair of shoes, but a solid pair goes a long way toward making the run more comfortable and save the knees and feet
2. Find someone or someones that are looking to start like you. Encouragement is good, and if you have a standing running "date" you are much more likely to do it then if it's just you. Plus you might find some every day competition to push each other
3. Sign up for races of different lengths, the sooner the better. Once you get times on those races you'll find yourself wanting to do another race just to get a better time then last time and your training takes on more importance.
4. Definitely make it a habit, plan runs for times when you know you will do it. If you are an early riser like me and like to make excuses like me...do it in the morning then you can't flake on it later in the day. And you get a surprising amount of energy for the rest of the day.
5. Be consistent in the first 6-9 months. I would only run in the mornings for the first 6 months until I got in the habit. Now I'll run 3 or 4 days in the morning but then 2 days during the week I run during lunch because it breaks up the work day nicely for me.
6. Listening to music is good, but also try podcasts...anything to disengage the higher function of the brain. I spent a lot of time in the "early" years of running not listening to anything and my brain would focus on how hard it was or how boring or how tired I was. If you can distract while being safe it helps a lot
7. Be really aware of your running form early. If you get in bad habits it can hurt long term so just make sure you are running correctly at the cost of fast or long. Both can be developed with time but only if you aren't hurt all the time
8. Invest in equipment slowly. You can blow a ton of money in running gear, so start investing slowly as you figure out what you like and what is comfortable. You don't have to have all the latest and greatest to enjoy running. Plus if you are doing a bunch of races you'll get plenty of tech shirts for "free" along the way.
9. Track your runs both from a time and calorie standpoint, especially if weight loss is a goal. MyFitnessPal is a great app for tracking food and run results.
10. Get a running watch that isn't super fancy but does the following things well: GPS, real time pace, average pace and distance run(sub-set of GPS). You don't need a heart rate monitor or fancy split timer etc. Again invest slowly so don't buy top of the line.
10. Listen to your body. There is a difference between gutting out a run when you want to quit and gutting out a run when your knee is killing you. If something physically doesn't feel right, take a break and crosstrain, lift weights for a couple of days and let it heal up. If you fight through an injury it never gets better.
11. Find as many interesting places to run as you can where it's convenient to run. Variety is the spice of life, so it is with running. Don't run the same route day in and day out, you will get bored no matter what you listen to. If you have to run in the neighborhood every week because of time that's fine, but make sure the weekend run is somewhere completely different. You can even vary the neighborhood runs, go left instead of right sometimes.
12. Have fun and enjoy it, don't make it your nemisis or you'll burn out on it. It really can be a great way to disengage your brain and leave your cares behind.

[Goose]

FWIW--Four years ago I decided I wanted to lose 50lbs for my 50th birthday which was ten months away from my start date. I was in HORRIBLE shape and had not exercised in years and was unsure how to get started. So, I started by going to gym everyday and walking on treadmill with a fairly good incline. Everyday I increased a tad and by the third month I was jogging. I even got myself ready for half marathon roughly 15 months after starting my working out.

To me the best things I did was: stayed within my comfort level at beginning, realistic expectations, did not miss many days at gym in first year (over 95% attendance) and I kept a journal to keep me focused. No outside trainer or help, just a fat middle aged guy on the treadmill at local Y. Proud to say nearly 4 years later 95% of the weight is still off and still hit the gym over 80% of the days every month.

Good luck!!

[Lennys Tap]

I too am arriving a little late to the party but hope that my experiences might be helpful.

My experience with running was similar to 03's. I played sports at a highly competitive level through college and even a couple of years after that. Even in my late 30's / early 40s I stayed in "decent" shape by playing softball three nights a week in the summer and basketball a couple of nights a week in the winter. My friends and I laughed at runners because it looked like such a grim and boring way to get or stay in shape. My mantra was "Until I see one of those SOBs running with a smile on his or her face I'm not even mildly interested". In my mid 40s I gave up my semi beneficial hobbies and the only real exercise I got for the next 7 or 8 years was walking the golf course (so not much). Disappointed in the way I looked and felt, I went for my first "run" at 52. I barely covered 1 mile and it took me about 11 minutes. I knew I was out of shape but I had no idea it was that bad! The shock was enough to get me back in the gym and running became part of my regimen. For me it was like Scotch whiskey - I didn't enjoy it initially but it became an acquired taste. Ran some 5ks, some 10ks and at age 55 my first marathon. I qualified for the Boston Marathon at age 60 and running it with my brother-in-law in 2010 was a "bucket list" thrill. I've given up long races but still run 20 miles a week and an occasional 5k or 10k race. I don't have much to add (the advice given by previous Scoop runners was all good) but here are some things I've found:

1.Go easy at first and don't get discouraged - everyone struggles some initially.
2.Once you've built up enough stamina to run 3 miles without stopping and are putting in 12-15 miles a week, start training for your first 5k. Training regimens are easy to find on the net. I used Hal Higdon's, but I'm sure there are more up to date ones available.
3.Run through discomfort but not through injury. Normal soreness (or even something like patella tendonitis) can actually be diminished by pushing through. A strained/torn hamstring can't.
4.Music and podcasts are great for running - they're a distraction that can help you pile up miles. But every once in awhile run without the headphones - moments of clarity and even that euphoric but elusive "runner's high" are more likely without them.
5.Once you find a groove, think about joining a running club. The social benefits speak for themselves and the commitment can get you going on days you're not feelin' it.

most of all good luck - if you give running a chance it can change your life.

[Goose]

Lenny


You are right on changing your life. When I started I was struggling with dealing of loss of several people I loved, tough times in business and general stress in life. I really do believe that getting on that treadmill everyday helped me cope much, much easier. Told my wife many times that exercise changed my life. Really glad that I made the first step nearly four years ago.

[Sir Lawrence]

Lenny


You are right on changing your life. When I started I was struggling with dealing of loss of several people I loved, tough times in business and general stress in life. I really do believe that getting on that treadmill everyday helped me cope much, much easier. Told my wife many times that exercise changed my life. Really glad that I made the first step nearly four years ago.

I heard rumors about your new wellness from the Commissioner.  But have you scraped off the years of varnish from the Knotty Pine?
Glad to hear of your good health. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Lots of good advice here.

One other thing about running, is I take enjoyment of bringing my running shoes on vacation & business trips for the opportunity to run in new locations and explore some areas or public parks you might not see in normal sightseeing.  Off the beaten path.

[GooooMarquette]

You are right on changing your life. When I started I was struggling with dealing of loss of several people I loved, tough times in business and general stress in life. I really do believe that getting on that treadmill everyday helped me cope much, much easier. Told my wife many times that exercise changed my life. Really glad that I made the first step nearly four years ago.

I feel the same way.  I was a regular runner since high school and have since branched into cycling and some weight stuff.  Whenever bad stuff happens, a good workout helps me deal better with life's downs.

A few years ago, a lot of stresses that had been building up for years (job, family stuff, etc) boiled over and sent me into a deep depression and panic attacks.   Regular exercise was one of the primary tools I used to get back into life. 

[warriorchick]

Lots of good advice here.

One other thing about running, is I take enjoyment of bringing my running shoes on vacation & business trips for the opportunity to run in new locations and explore some areas or public parks you might not see in normal sightseeing.  Off the beaten path.

LOL once I went to a conference in Arlington, Virginia and wound up getting chased by some MPs.  Apparently, I was jogging a little to close to the Pentagon for their comfort.

[keefe]

Regarding dressing for the weather, I use the famous 20-degree rule: Dress like you would if it were 20 degrees warmer. 

So...what are you wearing when it's above 80'?

Pics?

[mu03eng]

Lots of good advice here.

One other thing about running, is I take enjoyment of bringing my running shoes on vacation & business trips for the opportunity to run in new locations and explore some areas or public parks you might not see in normal sightseeing.  Off the beaten path.

I do that all the time, every business trip or vacation I'm on I log miles and go someplace interesting, great way to see a city and find places to eat(what, I'm burning calories). Last time I was in NYC I stayed in Chinatown, I jogged over to Brooklyn and back using the namesake bridge and it was like being a kid.

Colleagues who haven't worked with me much will look at me funny when I ask what the best trail is in whatever city I happen to be in.

[keefe]

I do that all the time, every business trip or vacation I'm on I log miles and go someplace interesting, great way to see a city and find places to eat(what, I'm burning calories). Last time I was in NYC I stayed in Chinatown, I jogged over to Brooklyn and back using the namesake bridge and it was like being a kid.

Colleagues who haven't worked with me much will look at me funny when I ask what the best trail is in whatever city I happen to be in.

Best way to defeat jet lag is a good hard run. When the other guys go looking for a beer I laced them up and ran for an hour. Easiest, most effective way to reset the body clock.

[keefe]

(you never see a fat pilot, well unless they're air force)

FA-18 RAG class heading out to the ramp.

[GooooMarquette]

FA-18 RAG class heading out to the ramp.

I'm guessing they fly jumbo jets?

[mu03eng]

FA-18 RAG class heading out to the ramp.

[martyconlonontherun]

I'm a huge runner (7 marathons signed up so far this year), but I second adding weight-lifting being more beneficial. I got to the point where I felt skinny fat since I was wearing off most of my upper body muscle.

But it all comes down to motivation. To me it was easier to just jog 7-10 miles outside than to actually force myself to do more body work (even simple stuff like pull-ups and push-ups.

As for getting started, just make it as easy and simple as possible. Have a set path by your home or treadmill with everything set up. When I first started running I thought I would get motivated by finding a cool spot or meeting friends. That became a burden and was easy to create excuses (I don't have time to drive to the trail, my friend cancelled, etc) You have to get into the mindset that you have a spot for your running gear with your headphones and a charged iphone or mp3 player ready to go. It's hard to find an excuse why you can't do a 20 minute couple miler if everything is set-up. I did that with my weight-lifting. After some arguments with the wife, I have a pull-up bar in the in a main room where it is easy to squeeze in a couple sets of pull-ups everyday along with a rack of small weights and a DIY medicine ball (filled a new basketball with sand and plugged it with a bike tire patch- $20 bucks for a $25 weight and looks kind of cool). Don't give yourself any excuses.

As for during the runs, I need something in my year. Races I do music but having a nice 45 min podcast to zone out to really helps a light jog go by fast.