Joggers in the Playground

[Kneenibble]

I wish to fertilize discourse here on that most noble austerity which is somewhere between walking and flying: the run. I started running as a hobby when I was 17 at the end of a night tits-deep in tequila that was begging for an exclamation mark. Neither the deep snow of arctic prairie winter nor the high sun of desert prairie summer stops these mercurial feet. It is a meditation very important to my well-being.

The farthest I've run until recently was 21 km, and that after a night of some pretty heavy smoking and drinking (maybe it's a contritive thing), oh to be 19 again. I think I broke that record last night though and without the self-abuse this time. 10 km is my standard run, at least 3 times a week. Right now I have a toenail turning purple and blue and soft, and I really want it to fall off because that would be cool and it's never happened to me before. :smalltongue:

Who else purifies/tortures/pleasures themselves in this fashion? How long have you practiced, how far do you go? What do you like about it? What's your goal? What's a good story you have? It will be very interesting to hear, I'll wager. Running is an inherently solitary activity for me, so I rarely get the chance to talk about it. And if anyone has advice about training for a marathon beyond the general common-sense scope, I'd love to hear that too, because I aim to run it in the summer.

[SDF]

Run 3-6 miles a day. I need new shoes every six months.

[adanedhel9]

I ran a fair bit in middle school and early high school, but stopped after I hurt my back. I didn't start running any significant amount again until last spring - one day I just felt like I had to run, so I bought shoes and ran. I was so out of shape I couldn't even go a mile straight.

Now I run (for some definition of run) ~14 miles a week. Three days a week at 2.75 miles, one day at 5.5 miles. (2.75 miles is basically one lap around my neighborhood, then doubled on Saturday.) I run first thing in the morning, as otherwise I'll find an excuse to not go - and an excuse for a day turns into an excuse for a week into an excuse for a month...

I've run in two 5ks this year, and have two more planned (one tomorrow). I'm thinking next year doing a 10k or maybe even a half - though I'd have to push my normal runs quite a bit further before I try the half.

[xPANCAKEx]

i haven't done any jogging in a while... suppose i should get back into shape really

[bosssmiley]

Fools! You're playing straight into James Fixx's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fixx) cold, dead hands with this crazy 'joggling'. S'not natural! :smalltongue:

[St.Sinner]

I'm an avid jogger as well. I normally do between 7 to 10 kms, 5 or 6 days a week. Initially its appeal was that it was the easiest sport to do - no aim, skill, finesse, technique, or strategy needed - lace up your shoes and fly. It also had the benefit of not requiring any equipment other than the pavement, or any partners other than a good pair of shoes.

Personally I prefer to go for a solitary run in the evenings and use it as an effective way to clear the day's thoughts. However time constraints usually necessitate early morning jogs, which I don't enjoy quite as much. I'm building up to maybe running a half marathon, which I think should be okay, except that this particular course has a cruel 2 km hill. (How I hate hills.)

Running's become quite a compulsory ritual for me. Not getting in enough mileage in a week can make me feel oddly akin to a sloth. Last weekend I injured a knee, and I haven't done any running since - feeling extremely sloth-like now.

[Gullara]

I don't jog, or exercise, or peel my but off the couch for any reason besides meals. I probably should start though. Maybe next week, if there isn't something good on TV. :smallbiggrin:

[LightWraith]

I'm a runner! Also a cyclist and a swimmer. I do those crazy triathlon things you hear about occasionally.

I've been taking it easy the last week or so because I did something to my leg playing frisbee... can't wait to get back into it though. Considering running a Half-Marathon at the end of the year, and maybe a few shorter races before then. Then it is back to building up for triathlon season next year.

[Cleverdan22]

The typical exercise I get is from playing on my Ultimate frisbee team. Which when I do it, is quite a lot of exercise. However, when I am not playing, I'm on my bed, on my couch, or in my gaming chair.

[snoopy13a]

I started running about 2 1/2 months ago. I did a 5k recently and my usual runs are just over 2 miles (long run today was around 5 miles). I'm hoping to build up milage so I can run in a 15K next summer.

[WarBrute]

OOO a running thread! I can actually take part in this.

Really it is my favorite form of self torture. I've been doing since I've been a freshmen in highschool.

Generally I like to run as early as possible, I find it to be the best way to wake up in the morning. A sunrise is always something nice to see when your out running.

[Kneenibble]

Fools! You're playing straight into James Fixx's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fixx) cold, dead hands with this crazy 'joggling'. S'not natural! :smalltongue:
I have his book! Bless the man's iconic ropy calves.

WarBrute, I'm with you... except that as an extremely nonmatinal person, I usually wind up jogging very late at night. Running under the ghost light of a full moon is even better than a sunrise, I think.

To those lovely people who have mentioned they run every or almost every day, may I ask if you ever have problems with knees? I find I need at least a day to recover between runs, otherwise my knees just feel abused. Any advice? I'd freaking love to go every day if I could.

[Perenelle]

I enjoy running. Not so much sprinting, but just long distance running kind of thing.
I guess I enjoy it because it feels like I can just run away from my problems literally. It feels good. Like I can run anywhere and nothing is stopping me.
Its like flying without the wings. I wish I had wings though... that'd be awesome.

Running barefoot in grass is fun. :smallbiggrin:

[WarBrute]

WarBrute, I'm with you... except that as an extremely nonmatinal person, I usually wind up jogging very late at night. Running under the ghost light of a full moon is even better than a sunrise, I think.

To those lovely people who have mentioned they run every or almost every day, may I ask if you ever have problems with knees? I find I need at least a day to recover between runs, otherwise my knees just feel abused. Any advice? I'd freaking love to go every day if I could.

Sometimes I run early enough to see the full moon. :smallamused:
Most of my friends are up from the night before when I get up to run. I'm the weird one in the group.

Where are you experiencing your knee pain? As in which side of the knees, front , back, outerside, innerside.

[Aystra]

In middle school I had an awesome PE teacher. He ran with every period (6 a day) and biked during lunch. He broke some ribs mountain biking one summer and persuaded his doctor to let him run with mending ribs. Apparently if he doesn't exercise for a while he gets really agitated and grumpy.

[St.Sinner]

To those lovely people who have mentioned they run every or almost every day, may I ask if you ever have problems with knees? I find I need at least a day to recover between runs, otherwise my knees just feel abused. Any advice? I'd freaking love to go every day if I could.

Knee problems have been a recurring source of grief for me - hence my currently being in sloth-mode. In addition to running I regularly do yoga. It helps a lot in balancing the body and conditioning the muscles, so that you're less prone to jarring the knees while running. Also, swapping the pavement for a grassy surface or a treadmill a couple of times a week puts less punishment on the knees and ankles. Whenever my knees start complaining in the slightest, I make sure to do all my running on the treadmill.

[skywalker]

Knee problems have been a recurring source of grief for me - hence my currently being in sloth-mode. In addition to running I regularly do yoga. It helps a lot in balancing the body and conditioning the muscles, so that you're less prone to jarring the knees while running. Also, swapping the pavement for a grassy surface or a treadmill a couple of times a week puts less punishment on the knees and ankles. Whenever my knees start complaining in the slightest, I make sure to do all my running on the treadmill.

See, I was going to suggest avoiding pavement. Which you did. Then you proceeded to suggest a treadmill, which I heartily dis-recommend. I know they're supposedly healthy, but I just see something wrong with staying in one place while you "run."

I would say definitely look into running on grass/track of some kind, pavement is the suck for running.

Also, I hate to run. I'm an active person, and generally that means I sometimes have to run. But my God it's terrible. I really do think we're split in the world between runners and non-runners. I've always been a non-runner. I have a lot of respect for runners, but it has always been nothing more than a chore for me to keep in shape for a sport or what not. I much prefer biking or swimming (running would be the least favorite part of a triathlon for me).

[Solaris]

In middle school I had an awesome PE teacher. He ran with every period (6 a day) and biked during lunch. He broke some ribs mountain biking one summer and persuaded his doctor to let him run with mending ribs. Apparently if he doesn't exercise for a while he gets really agitated and grumpy.

I'm the same way, on a lesser scale. I will become a very hostile, very angry hairy little man if I don't get sufficient exercise in.
... This explains about all of my deployment. We lived on a postage stamp, and I couldn't run at all.
They make us run a lot, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (to be fair, push-ups and sit-ups for an hour and a half on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Just yesterday we ran about five miles, the longest run since we got back. Before the deployment, the average run length was ten miles at a seven-minute-mile pace.

What's everyone's run pace? I ran two six-forties for a PT test, back before we deployed. Now it's about.... Heheh... I think I can do an eight-minute mile. I can sprint at the four-minute-mile pace for up to half a mile, but then I have to go crawl into the bushes and die.
You guys ever puked after a run? I never have, even after doing the "Sprint way faster and way farther than God ever meant for me to do" bit of training.

[Corlindale]

I'm just getting started again at the moment. My condition peaked about January, making a 10 kilometre run with a friend after we'd both been to a party the night before (at about 2 AM, one of us got the brilliant idea that we should go running together the next day - I wasn't that excited about the prospect upon waking up, admittedly... but it turned out great:smallsmile:).

Unfortunately I didn't keep my regular training schedule after that - partly due to snow, partly due to a forced break after some light surgery, but mostly because of general laziness. My condition has detoriated quite a bit, so now I'm back to running only 5 km, 3 times a week. I've resolved to keep at it this time around, it's so annoying having to train yourself from the ground up once more.

I hope to arrange it so that I can run together with my aforementioned friend once a week. He's in much better shape than me, so that should help motivate me to get better. I also seem to be able to outperform myself to a greater extent when running with someone. It's far easier to get lazy and slow down to walking pace on occasion when running alone.

[St.Sinner]

See, I was going to suggest avoiding pavement. Which you did. Then you proceeded to suggest a treadmill, which I heartily dis-recommend. I know they're supposedly healthy, but I just see something wrong with staying in one place while you "run."


I've never seen anything to suggest that a treadmill is less beneficial than running outdoors. To each his own, I suppose. I know a couple of people who really dislike the monotony of running on a treadmill, although I don't mind it at all. In my personal experience it seems to help avoid knee complications. Since I also need the treadmill for hill training, it has become a vital part of my running routine these days.

[skywalker]

I've never seen anything to suggest that a treadmill is less beneficial than running outdoors. To each his own, I suppose. I know a couple of people who really dislike the monotony of running on a treadmill, although I don't mind it at all. In my personal experience it seems to help avoid knee complications. Since I also need the treadmill for hill training, it has become a vital part of my running routine these days.

Yes, my point was more that running on a treadmill cannot be psychologically healthy :smalltongue:

[Kneenibble]

Keep at it, Corlindale. Remember that muscles have memory -- when you lay foundations in your body for running, it's always easier after a lapse to get them back to peak.

Solaris, I have never puked after running, but that sounds really satisfying. Pace? -- I actually don't know, I like to push myself to faster paces but I never measure. I'll see next time I go.

WarBrute, my knee pain comes primarily in the front, like a feeling of the kneecaps themselves. Much less frequently I have it on the outside side. That is more crippling, the pain in front seems to go away a third or halfway into the run. Does that all mean anything to you?

I couldn't run on a treadmill, I just couldn't, nor on an indoor track. It has to be outside. Pavement is also really hard to avoid because I live downtown and don't have a car -- I can get to trails, but I have to go on pavement to get there. Oh well, it snowed fiercely yesterday, now we're into snow running -- are there any good winter jogging shoes out there?

[WarBrute]

WarBrute, my knee pain comes primarily in the front, like a feeling of the kneecaps themselves. Much less frequently I have it on the outside side. That is more crippling, the pain in front seems to go away a third or halfway into the run. Does that all mean anything to you?


Before I give advice I want to point out that what I say is not fact.

Ok, so outside knee pain that is crippling. This can be caused from wearing of the IT band (iliotibal band) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliotibial_tract). This can be caused from problems weak hip muscles, weak core muscles, or bad running form. There are lots of excercise that can help with this problem

Front knee pain I don't have much experience in so I'm timid in giving in advice


Now for some self praise. Tomorrow I'm running the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon (http://www.coastaltrailruns.com/bizz_johnson.html). This will be my 3rd marathon

[St.Sinner]

I couldn't run on a treadmill, I just couldn't, nor on an indoor track. It has to be outside. Pavement is also really hard to avoid because I live downtown and don't have a car -- I can get to trails, but I have to go on pavement to get there.

That's too bad. Aren't there any parks or football fields nearby?

Do you guys carb-load after every run? What do you eat? I find that when I carb-load I can run the very next day, while if I don't then I feel sluggish and slightly weak the next day. I really dislike Gatorade and other such drinks though, and can't bring myself to consume them.

[snoopy13a]

That's too bad. Aren't there any parks or football fields nearby?

Do you guys carb-load after every run? What do you eat? I find that when I carb-load I can run the very next day, while if I don't then I feel sluggish and slightly weak the next day. I really dislike Gatorade and other such drinks though, and can't bring myself to consume them.

I stay away from Gatorade mainly because it is full of sugar. Gatorade was okay after my two hour football practices as a kid but not after my 2-3 mile runs. I will usually drink water and have a peanut butter sandwich (I feel that will replenshish my salt :smalltongue: ).

[Kneenibble]

Thanks for the tips, WarBrute -- I've been researching in the direction you've pointed me fruitfully. Hey, do you have any pointers for marathon training? The trail you've linked to seems totally beautiful, running a marathon in environs like that would be transcendental.

St. Sinner, what does carb-loading mean? What's the theory behind it?

[Talking Donkey]

I used to run track, cross-crountry and road races in high school so I ran about 40-50 Miles per week.

Then I joined the Marine Crops and that turned into about 15 miles per week.

I then got out of the Marine Corps and it turned into about 3 Miles per month. The funning thing is that's when the weight came.

145lbs my senior year.:smallbiggrin:

175lbs after boot camp.:smallsmile:

185lbs when I got out of the Marine Corps.:smallconfused:

195lbs now.:smallfrown:

I think I need to start running 40-50 Miles per week again.:smallsigh:

[Kaelaroth]

Solaris, I have never puked after running, but that sounds really satisfying.

Forgive me if I'm merely being naive and the like; but this doesn't seem like the most healthy of attitudes...?

[snoopy13a]

Forgive me if I'm merely being naive and the like; but this doesn't seem like the most healthy of attitudes...?

It builds character :smallsmile:

Usually, vomiting during a run is due to the unwise decision of eating too soon before a run. In very rare occasions, it could be due to heat stroke or heat exhausation or something bad like that. However, most of the time, it isn't that unhealthy.

A good source for training information about doing 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and marathons is:

http://www.runnersworld.com/

Just take the stuff about sneakers and proper running clothes with a grain of salt. Remember that they make most of their money off of advertisements from sneaker and appeal companies. However, stuff on training is usually spot on.

[Kneenibble]

Thankee for the link, snoopsia. It does look helpful but I'd also like some anecdotal discourse here to supplement the documental.

Talking Donkey, hit the trail! Do it. Become whippy and fleet once again. Your muscles will remember!

& Kaela-root, I was being partly facetious but can't a good vomit be pleasurable? - hoping I don't sound like a bulemic.

[St.Sinner]

St. Sinner, what does carb-loading mean? What's the theory behind it?

After heavy exercising your muscles are depleted of glycogen. The theory is that there is a golden timeframe - within one hour after training - when the carbs you consume will be shuttled straight to the muscles to replenish glycogen stores. Thus the idea is to pile on the carbs during this period - simple, quick release carbs, with a bit of lean protein for muscle-building (roughly 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein). It keeps glucose and insulin levels in the body stable as well. Sports drinks were created for this purpose; however I find I can't stand the taste of any of them.

Go for it, Talking Donkey! As an ex-runner, you'll be back in shape in no time.

[_Zoot_]

I have been thinking of taking up running to lose some of this most unpleasant stomach of mine but i do really hate running... and all other kinds of exercise.

...

And I wonder why I have weight problems :smallannoyed:

[St.Sinner]

You can still lose weight with minimal exercise, provided you control your diet. Diet, rather than exercise, is really the key to getting rid of a beer-gut. Still, why not start with walking if you hate strenuous exercise? Canberra is a lovely place to go for walks.

[snoopy13a]

You can still lose weight with minimal exercise, provided you control your diet. Diet, rather than exercise, is really the key to getting rid of a beer-gut. Still, why not start with walking if you hate strenuous exercise? Canberra is a lovely place to go for walks.

Yep, diet and walking 3 miles or so a day is enough to lose weight and gain most of the benefits from daily exercise. In fact, walking may be better than running for weight loss because you can walk every day but a beginner cannot run every day without developing overuse injuries.

For pure health reasons, I'd suggest either walking or cycling/exercise bike as those are more low-impact. Running should be its own reward not a means to an end because there are better means to that end.

Oh, if you don't have one of those fancy personal GPS, a good way to estimate how far you ran on your particular route is http://www.mapmyrun.com

I just had a pretty good run where I ran around 5.75 miles (about 9.25 km) in around 55 minutes or so. I think I'm going to be pretty sore tomorrow though :smalltongue:

[St.Sinner]

It's 4.25 am, and I'm about to go for my first run since the injury. Wish my knees luck!

[truemane]

My run is the 5k, three to four times per week, I take my dog with me. She loves it. I put my jogging pants on and she goes out of her little canine mind.

Also, while we're on the topic of self-abuse, I'll be doing the CN Tower Stair Climb a week from Saturday. October 24th. For the uninitiated, this is involved climbing 1,776 steps up one of the world's tallest free-standing structures. For charity. And because we're crazy.

If any other playgrounders are within driving distance of Toronto-polis and want to come along, or planning to do it already, let me know either here or via PM and we'll meet up. Have a few laughs. Maybe fight off some terrorists. You know, whatever.

And although I have a history of knee problems, I've been fine lately. *KNOCK ON WOOD*