I should have addressed this in my previous post but I got sidetracked. Always start out into the wind, you do not want a headwind when you’re wet from sweat and it’s cold out.
I did not enjoy tonight’s run.
It went by faster - I finally brought my portable radio player.
I think I mainly didn’t enjoy it because I ran immediately after binging on half a package of Chewy Chips Ahoy and I knew that if I hadn’t done that, the running would be a little more useful. Oh, well. I increased my time and stayed at my same speed, so I’m happy with that.
Week 4 Day 1 of the pushups…
…and I didn’t quite finish it (damn!).
I’ll try again in a couple of days but I think I’m going to be on week 4 for a while.
Captain Klutz, just so you know, I’m with you on the pushups, but a week behind at the moment. First day of the week always kills me because of the shorter rest. Of course, before I even started this program I could do about 35-40 push ups in a single set without too much trouble. It’s the close together reps that just kill me.
Just a comment on cold weather gear…
My wife recently got me a Canterbury baselayer - it’s a lycra-ish tee-shirt that is really snug. It wicks out the moisture and keeps in the warmth (and according to the literature, prevents muscle oscillation, but it seems to work on the significant fat oscillations as well). It feels a bit like I imagine control pants do, and is based on the material they used when they provided rugby shirts to the All Blacks (and turned rugby players into eye-candy for the ladies, almost doubling viewing figures overnight ;))
I have been really impressed. It has really helped when I’m out on the bike, because I try to keep the pace up, and used to get quite cold due to sweat-wet cotton shirts and wind chill. I am hoping she will pick up a couple more while she is in NZ. I wear it under a cheap cotton tee which stays significantly dryer, and no more chafing under the arms.
Si (who ran a 10km training run today in 50mins, 4 min quicker than my previous best in Sept)
It went well. Three minutes is a lot longer than I thought it would be, but I’m still happy with how it went. I really liked how much sooner I was over with the running bits throughout the course of the workout. Fifteen minutes after my stretches, I was done running. That was quite nice.
Looking at the link, it seems that UnderArmor would be the Stateside equivalent.
Cool beans! The three minutes does seem to drag, at first at least, but it’s offset by only four runs versus six or eight or whatever it was with the 90 second runs. So that’s something, right?
For me, in case you missed in the other thread, I kept getting calf injuries and some pain near my knees. After reading a thread in GQ (with some science saying stretching doesn’t help and could hurt - YMMV) I decided to just skip the stretching I’d been doing. So far, it’s actually worked. Now this could just be dumb luck, but I feel much better after my runs so far. Also I really slowed my runs down as much as I could, so that could be it. We were probably at an 8-9 minute/mile pace before, and my guess is that we’re closer to 10 minutes now, maybe even 11. I’ll worry about pace later on, after I get the distance and mild, annoying injury stuff behind me. I’d like to get to a 7-8 minute pace eventually, but for now the stamina, etc, is much more important. Easy does it is my new motto.
Just a thought.
Your calf injuries could also be from stretching too hard and/or too fast a pace.
Running produces strength imbalances in the leg, hip and back muscles. Strength training and stretching restores the proper balance and helps prevent injuries. Injuries will still happen, even after years of running I would still have something go out of whack every once in a while. Of course, age is a factor.
That’s interesting. Yesterday I skipped the v-sit reach part of my stretching and I could really feel it in a bad way in my calves. I’m also struggling with my shins. I’ve been doing the furniture lift suggested on the Cool Runnings site, but I’m not sure if I’m doing them properly/long enough. I definitely have shin issues while running though. They’re improving as I’m working out the best way to do that stretch though. Anywho, moral of the story is that I can’t imagine how I’d feel without any stretching. I suppose every body is a little different though and my body likes gentle stretching before it runs.
As far as pace, I’m using a treadmill, so it’s easy to track my pace. My running is 5 mph (12 min/m) and my brisk walking is 3.6 mph (16:40 min:sec/m). Finding a pace that fits me has definitely helped tremendously. I figure at the end of the program, I’ll worry about increasing my pace. Right now, I’m more concerned about not dying after running for three consecutive minutes.
Are you calling me old?!?! :mad:
Yeah, I noticed I started getting these muscles injuries in my mid-late 30s. I used to could just go out and play soccer and no worries at all. I was in very good weekend warrior kind of shape. Probably ran several miles during a game and would be tired after but just fine by the next day. Then, after a year or so layoff where I didn’t play, I found that I’d pull something just about every time out. Time is a cruel mistress.
W5D1 was yesterday. We did pretty well, after the 20 minute run last friday the breaks were welcome. I’m not as scared of the 25 minutes this friday as I was of the 20 last week.
Just got back from my daughters soccer practice. It’s pretty cold here, by our standards (we’re wimps), so four of the dads got involved in the bizarre game of four teams/four a side they were playing. Which means I just ran for about 30-40 minutes. Soccer is more like a LOT of wind sprints, punctuated by jogs and some walking, but it was pretty intense. My quads feel it a lot more than they do from our normal runs. It was really fun, so I don’t mind, but it might throw me off for tomorrow. We’ll have to see how I feel then.
I’m trying out different things this week to see if I can figure out something that doesn’t hurt my feet quite as much. I switched insoles and that seemed to help the feet and make the shins worse, so I took it easy. This is a lifestyle change, right? I don’t have to be perfect every day, just find ways to make the changes permanent. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. 
Ok, I’m finally checking in, and only because I am ticked. I’ve been following the thread for a while.
I’m on week three of running at least 4 times a week, and I’m watching what I eat more. I’m only about 10# more than I want to be, but after three weeks, absolutely nothing has changed in weight.
Yes, I can run farther and faster, and I feel better, and doing better than I thought I would at this point, but can anyone explain to me why if my calorie is down and my exertion is up, I’m not losing any weight?
I’ve always been naturally skinny and halfway athletic, but this is the first time I have consciously tried to lower my weight (Who knew world domination was fattening?) and I am really starting to get frustrated. I’m sure being 39 doesn’t help, either, but this makes no sense.
Oh, and Zsofia, you’re a much better woman than I. Very persistent.
Dear Fisha,
I think that this is because your body already knows that you are hot at exactly this weight. (Gee, I’m kind of hoping you’re female now)
We did decide, some time ago, that you might not lose weight during this. It can be for a variety of reasons, but we suspect that it’s because you’re becoming more toned, which does not necessarily equal weight loss. You can check this a couple of ways. Either measure your vital areas for decreases, or you can see if it’s now possible to split open a walnut 'twixt your butt cheeks. If either is true, then you’re just becoming more fit and muscular and the opposite sex, or the same if that works for you, will be howling at you soon as you saunter down the street.
Shibb, blaming the wine.
35-40? That’s pretty impressive. The most I’ve ever done in a row is 31, and with the final set being 32 I had a strong suspicion that I wouldn’t make it (and I was right).
There is only a fairly short rest between sets, but it also says “longer if required”. I ended up taking several minutes between sets.
I think I’ll keep doing day 1 until I finally get there. Then move on to day 2 etc. It’s going to take me looooong time to get through them.
I haven’t really lost weight either. However, my legs have toned up a bit (I can see and feel some new muscles) and my waist has slightly reduced.
In the earlier thread there were some comments about weight loss (or the lack of it). One comment was “run for fitness, diet for weight loss”.
(whine) But I don’t want to do either one…
I will say I am doing better than I thought I would with the running; the c25k is a good plan. For the first time I don’t actively **dread **running. My theory was the only time people should run is if they are being chased by bears, but now I almost enjoy it.
And Shibb, I *am *hot, walnuts or no walnuts.
Fisha, have your body fat level checked. You might be leaner than you think. Also if you only need to lose 10 lbs, you will probably find that your body lets go of that with great reluctance. Work on getting your running habit established and let the weight loss came when it will. Good luck.