Running.. ugghh

[skitta]

Thanks for the links, SunnY. Informative. But what I would still like to know is what is used to time the intervals, i.e. stop watch, 'Ironman watch', etc.?

[shanekingsley]

I tore my right hip flexor and it never healed properly. My chiropractor recently taught me a great stretch that has helped a lot. He calls it the couch stretch. Basically you bend your leg at the knee and rest your shin on the couch. stay in position for 2-3 minutes. it has helped me tremendously.

Hey that's a good stretch - Thanks. I do something similar on the ground, but this one is much easier and more practical. Good luck on your resolution run.

I'm also cycling about 2-3 hours a week and weight training 4x/week to keep everything in balance... but just trying to be aware of giving myself the needed rest time.

On a related note, last year I was running a 10k in around 52minutes and I just did one this week in 46minutes during one of my speed workouts for my 1/2 marathon training... I was very surprised and know I could run it even faster, because that 46 minutes included my 15 minute warm up..... it would be nice to run this 1/2 marathon in under 2hrs. My 1st one was 2:27 so I'm expecting much better than that.

[shanekingsley]

Thanks for the links, SunnY. Informative. But what I would still like to know is what is used to time the intervals, i.e. stop watch, 'Ironman watch', etc.?

The Garmin 410 watch I use can be pre set to what your workout is and will beep when you program it to. I think there's a bunch of watches on the market that do this too. I used to do my speed training with my $30 Ironman watch and it works great.

[SunnY S]

Thanks for the links, SunnY. Informative. But what I would still like to know is what is used to time the intervals, i.e. stop watch, 'Ironman watch', etc.?

The trainer just uses a regular stop watch and shouts out when to start and stop. If you do it yourself, some other type of beeping stopwatch would work, or just work out in front of a large round clock and keep track of the second hand.

[gtm]

I don't understand why you didn't just get a suit that comfortably fit you.

[caboose483]

Thanks for the links, SunnY. Informative. But what I would still like to know is what is used to time the intervals, i.e. stop watch, 'Ironman watch', etc.?

Interval training is funderful. An hour of interval training will get your metabolism higher than an hour of jogging. It actually sets your metabolism into "alert mode" so even after your workout you'll be burning more calories for as much as 24 hours. You can use a stopwatch, wall clock, timer on your bike computer, or you can even use distance and not time, whatever. In Hamilton there are several sets of stairs that climb the mountain. The Chedoke Stairs are 286 steps, the Dundurn Stairs are 314 I think. If you can go up and down 4 times that's a pretty good interval workout.

Pyramid training is an awesome one and one of my favourites (on the bike) but I need a fair bit of open road to do it. On = as fast as I can go, pure anaerobic sprint.

30 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery
45 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery
60 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery
90 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery
60 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery
45 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery
30 seconds on. 30 seconds recovery

You'll get out of it what you put into it.... but I'll be on the verge of throwing up after that.

[knowledge]

Thanks for sharing your 2 cents. I'm interested in trying 'HIIT'. How would you suggest/recommend timing the intervals? TIA

Just buy or download the insanity workout. That's centred around HIIT. Some of p90x (I only say some 'cause I haven't seen all of the workouts) revolves around HIIT. But insanity was built around it and I know a lot of people getting insane results. There was this fat dude that I didn't even recognize anymore...Dude lost like half of his face. lol

[RockerGuy]

Anybody back in rhythm??
I need some motivation. I'm probably really unfit now

[caboose483]

Anybody back in rhythm??
I need some motivation. I'm probably really unfit now

Good thread bump.

I strained a muscle in my ankle/foot a few weeks ago so I had been limited to spin classes for a bit. Just got back out running again late last week and felt pretty slow! 5km on Thurs, 5km on Sun and 8km last night and I'm already gettin back into it.

Forest City Road Race 10km is April 28th. (London)
Moon in June 10km is June 2nd (Burlington) - that's the night before the Trisport duathlon in Milton. Dammit.
San Jose Rock n Roll half marathon is October 7th.

[RockerGuy]

^^ Post pics dude. I get motivated when I see ppl do these things. It tells me how much of a slacker I am.

[caboose483]

Hopefully that upload works.

Me at the Lakeside sprint duathlon in September. 13th out of 123. 6th fastest overall on the bike.

[Fiery254]

I've a fitness test a week Saturday and have been running a bit to train. I really hate running but have found a local park that is populated with yummy mummys around 11am every day so I try to be there. It's about the only motivation that helps.

[killerkeith]

Anybody back in rhythm??
I need some motivation. I'm probably really unfit now

I'm back up to three, 5k runs a week.

[RockerGuy]

Hopefully that upload works.

Me at the Lakeside sprint duathlon in September. 13th out of 123. 6th fastest overall on the bike.

Thanks. Are you aiming for 1st or just do that casually?

I've a fitness test a week Saturday and have been running a bit to train. I really hate running but have found a local park that is populated with yummy mummys around 11am every day so I try to be there. It's about the only motivation that helps.

I've only got cars around me trying to run me over

I'm back up to three, 5k runs a week.

I've only done 2-3k runs so far. Nothing special.
I'm thinking of running to the gym instead of driving, lol

[caboose483]

Thanks. Are you aiming for 1st or just do that casually?

I've only done 2-3k runs so far. Nothing special.

I have a hard time remaining casual in anything that is competitive by nature. In that race I was 4th in my age group so right now I'm aiming for podiums. I was 2 minutes out of 2nd place in my age group. Outright wins are unrealistic at this point, so I have to be honest with myself in that regard. Improvements and new personal bests are quite motivating.

For me the 3km barrier was the hardest to get through. Once I was able to do that regularly I was able to start adding distance quickly. Focus on slowing yourself down so you don't cramp up or tire yourself out. At the moment my best 5k run pace is about 4:40/km. If I can get that down to 4:35 for a race I'll be in good shape. I'm hoping I can lose 40 seconds in the run, 40 in transition and 40 on the bike.

[RockerGuy]

I have a hard time remaining casual in anything that is competitive by nature. In that race I was 4th in my age group so right now I'm aiming for podiums. I was 2 minutes out of 2nd place in my age group. Outright wins are unrealistic at this point, so I have to be honest with myself in that regard. Improvements and new personal bests are quite motivating.

For me the 3km barrier was the hardest to get through. Once I was able to do that regularly I was able to start adding distance quickly. Focus on slowing yourself down so you don't cramp up or tire yourself out. At the moment my best 5k run pace is about 4:40/km. If I can get that down to 4:35 for a race I'll be in good shape. I'm hoping I can lose 40 seconds in the run, 40 in transition and 40 on the bike.

You're right, I can't seem to get the correct pace for me. I keep running really fast and it feels as if I put more effort into slowing myself down than running naturally.

I have a bad feeling I pick that up from weight lifting where I do it with speed and strength

[moosh009]

Haven't run (or done any physical activity, unless you count home renovation) since mid Dec, no time. Fitness is in the crapper right now as a result. Hoping to be able to restart my mid summer maybe earlier.

[shanekingsley]

Just ran the Chilly Half Marathon a few weeks ago, and managed to chop 35 minutes off my previous time. I could have managed an even better time, but I made some mistakes. I got too hot halfway through and had to stop to change my top but then when my bib started blowing across the grass in the wind and I lost my pins that held it onto my shirt... took a while to get it all sorted out. The first 10k I ran in 45 minutes. The second 10k I ran in 68?

In my training up until the race I was running about 50k/week, cycling about 90 minutes a week, with lot's of strength training in between. Ran a 5k in 19 minutes during my training which makes me think I should start training for shorter distances as I kinda dislike the longer stuff. Lost about 12lbs during my training too which was good.

I took two weeks off for rest after the half marathon and now I'm going to slowly ramp it back up. Physical work as a day job and exercise in the evening makes for good nights sleep.

My girlfriend has signed up and is training for the Mont Tremblant Ironman this summer. For those that don't know, it's roughly a 3.8km swim, followed by a 180km bike, followed by a 42.2km run.

[knowledge]

Thinking of doing the boxercise at cabbagetown boxing club. Does anyone recommend any other boxing gyms with good cardio workouts before I go ahead with this one?

Just ran the Chilly Half Marathon a few weeks ago, and managed to chop 35 minutes off my previous time. I could have managed an even better time, but I made some mistakes. I got too hot halfway through and had to stop to change my top but then when my bib started blowing across the grass in the wind and I lost my pins that held it onto my shirt... took a while to get it all sorted out. The first 10k I ran in 45 minutes. The second 10k I ran in 68?

In my training up until the race I was running about 50k/week, cycling about 90 minutes a week, with lot's of strength training in between. Ran a 5k in 19 minutes during my training which makes me think I should start training for shorter distances as I kinda dislike the longer stuff. Lost about 12lbs during my training too which was good.

I took two weeks off for rest after the half marathon and now I'm going to slowly ramp it back up. Physical work as a day job and exercise in the evening makes for good nights sleep.

My girlfriend has signed up and is training for the Mont Tremblant Ironman this summer. For those that don't know, it's roughly a 3.8km swim, followed by a 180km bike, followed by a 42.2km run.

Your gf isn't Steph, is it? A co-worker of mine was describing the training her bf does and it matches up lol

[shanekingsley]

Your gf isn't Steph, is it? A co-worker of mine was describing the training her bf does and it matches up lol

Nope not the same person.

For running I was essentially doing a timed long run on Sundays doing anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 hours. Tuesdays and Thursdays I was doing various speed and interval based workouts. In between I would run casual or sprint 5k's when I was feeling strong. I did very little hill workouts this time and experienced way less IT band, calf and ankle problems.

The things I found most beneficial to my improvements included, being consistent, attacking my workouts, stretching after EVERY workout, and making sure I ate and slept well. I also reduced my leg strengthening exercises, lower abs and lower back exercises, because I found they were affecting my runs too much and giving my hip flexor too many issues.

The hip flexor injury really limited my training, so I think I could have achieved so much more if I was not injured - but then again, being injured is the new normal.