The Running Thread

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I just ran for the first time in over a year (previous time was Thanksgiving Day, 2015).  I did 3.5 miles in 37 minutes.  I have trouble pacing myself, so I got a Garmin running watch that keeps track of pace for you.  I started out running a 7 min/mile pace, but ended up averaging a little over 10:30.

 
Nice job, @wilheldp_PE!

I have trouble pacing myself sometimes, as well. I generally slow down inherently as time goes on in my runs, and still burn myself out sometimes. I find I need to run on a really consistent basis and be doing the same or similar routes repeatedly before I can really pace myself well. Granted, I do all of this without any means of really timing my run, other than the clock on my phone.

Which reminds me! To those of us who run, or bike, with our phones... Has everyone heard of Charity Miles? It's an AMAZING app where you are sponsored by a company (like Johnson & Johnson, or Wanderlust, etc.) to run indoors or outdoors, or bike outdoors, and donate money to the charity of your choice during your workout. It involves zero money on your part, as it is your sponsoring company that is making the donation. It can run in the background while you are running any other apps like the NRC app, MapMyRun or MapMyFitness, or Strava. It can even save your route and upload it later if you (like I do sometimes) forget to turn on your data but lose wifi during your run. 

Seriously, Charity Miles is my favorite app I have ever come across. 

 
My daughter runs for the high school XC team. To letter she has to run a sub 21 minute 5K.. her best time is 25:55... we're running through the winter (I can't keep up with her). But I am hoping she can close the gap in the next two seasons!

I have been pushing her to do some longer distances to build up endurance? She just wants to do hills... anyone have any thoughts?

 
I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but I have heard running friends say that the way to improve times on shorter distances is to run longer distances.

 
If you want to gain endurance you can do a few things.

Hills are good. They can help but you must run them several times in a row if you don't have many.

Run with a group. In a group you can do something called an "Indian run." All runners run in a line and the one in the back must run past everyone and get into the front. Just keep repeating that.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to simply run a long slow distance. Maybe just run slow but go for 1.5 or 2 hours. I did that quite a few times in my HS XC days.

 
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I'm also a fan of Mizuno Wave Riders, I've had a few more than four pairs though. ;)

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Impressive!    Oh how I miss my pair of yellow WR16's.   Loved everything about that shoe even though I stress fractured in them.  

My last set of WR's were the blue 17's that are in your picture.  I didn't like them at the start, they were such a drastic change from the 16's but I began to love them...so much better than these Brooks Launch's. 

I'm assuming those black ones are the new 19's?  How are they? 

 
I'm assuming those black ones are the new 19's?  How are they? 
Those are actually the 18's (all three pairs). I think the blue and gray pairs are also 18's.  To prevent from going broke buying shoes I wait until the new show comes out and then buy several pairs of the "old model" shoe.  I started wearing the Wave Rider when they were on the 12's and loved those shoes.  The 14's had a smaller toe box which I wasn't a fan of and had to go up half a size.  I think the 15's came out with a bigger toe box, so I dropped back down a half size.  Since then I haven't noticed a lot of variation in the feel of the shoes.  The uppers have changed materials over the years, they have gone with less material which has made the shoes lighter, but to me they still feel the same to run in.  

 
I wish I looked as chill as you do after running a half marathon! My face gets SO pink and ridiculous. Haha!
That was probably 10-15 minutes after I finished.  The boys met me at the end of the "health food" buffet they always set up at the end of races.  Always makes me laugh...tables full of Skittles, Kripsy Kreme donuts and protein/candy bars at the end of a running race.

For the most part, I was always a Brooks guy.  Started on some Ghosts and then switched over to the PureFlows.  I've still got a brand new pair of Hoka Cliftons in the closet that I'll use if I can ever get started again.  They may look clunky, but they're Super comfy and are actually almost as light as my PureFlows.
41TqTF9YhXL.jpg


 
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That was probably 10-15 minutes after I finished.  The boys met me at the end of the "health food" buffet they always set up at the end of races.  Always makes me laugh...tables full of Skittles, Kripsy Kreme donuts and protein/candy bars at the end of a running race.

For the most part, I was always a Brooks guy.  Started on some Ghosts and then switched over to the PureFlows.  I've still got a brand new pair of Hoka Cliftons in the closet that I'll use if I can ever get started again.  They may look clunky, but they're Super comfy and are actually almost as light as my PureFlows.
41TqTF9YhXL.jpg
I read an article a while back on the affects of the super thick soles on distance running.  There was very strong data correlating increased endurance/comfort/speed when compared to standard and slipper type running shoes.  

RW - that collection is nuts.  That said, I'd like to do the same with my Reebok Crossfit shoes to a lesser extent, but when the new model comes out, most places are already purged of my size, even online (10.5/11).

 
RW - that collection is nuts.  That said, I'd like to do the same with my Reebok Crossfit shoes to a lesser extent, but when the new model comes out, most places are already purged of my size, even online (10.5/11).
Most of those are retired running shoes.  They are only good for around 300 miles of running at which point I get a new pair.  I typically go through 3-4 pairs a year, so when I find a pair on sale I tend to buy multiple pairs at a time (hence the multiples in the same color).  This "collection" was amassed over several years of running, and I was really only wearing a few of these at the time of the picture.  The oldest ones (at the top left) are my yard shoes now.  The newest ones (bottom right) are my current running shoes.  In fact at the time of this picture the two newest pairs hadn't logged a single mile.  The photo was taken prior to donating most of the shoes in between, just to document how much money I've wasted on running shoes. ;)

Then again, I'm sure there are more expensive hobbies. 

 
The only thing that's ever worked to increase speed for me is running intervals - running as fast as you can for some set time or distance, then slower to recover, repeat several times.  About 6 years back I was able to run a 21: something 5k after doing intervals for a month ahead of that, as one of my 4 weekly training runs.  The Indian (or more PC - ladder) run is a fun way to do that, if you have a big group.  Running the Hash House Harriers runs can also make you faster, just from the competition/comradery at the front, as well as the frequent changes in pace due to terrain, false trails, etc.  But the beer consumption might negate that.

For me, running longer and slower just makes me run slower.  

 
So you'd say you're just really fast, rather than being able to go long and slow? 

 
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