Thanks guys!
I know what you mean about the weather, Canthearya. It’s been in the mid-nineties here, with heat indexes in the 100’s for the past couple nights. :eek:
Suffice it to say I’ve not gone out, and I’m actually missing it. Will wonders never cease?
bella–glad it’s going to be cooler tonight
I also have a question for experienced runners, in like with belladonna’s.
I’m a 5’7", 145 lbs male in relatively good condition. I fence six to eight hours a week, so I already work fairly hard. Recently I decided to run on the days that I don’t fence, to improve my agility, endurance, and overall physical efficiency. I run at the gym during lunch, as it is both a fine escape from the office and running on a treadmill is easier on my joints than running on asphalt.
I typically run for about 20 minutes, 2.5 miles. I warm up briefly with a swift walk, and slowly accelerate into a full-tilt run.
At around twelve minutes, I am hit by vicious abdominal cramps. My breathing is fine, my legs aren’t tired, but my gut is screaming at me to slow down. Sometimes I can work through it, sometimes I have moderate my pace a little. If not for the cramps, I am pretty sure I would be able to do 3 miles in 20 minutes, or better yet, run for a longer duration of time.
Should I be moderating my pace to ease the cramping or is this something I just have to work through? And more importantly, will they go away?
Dumb question, but are you drinking enough water?
And here’s an interesting article from Runner’s World’s website.
I’ve been running a bit the past year.
Ran through high school - cross country and hurdles. At one point I put in 2 years without missing a single day. Then, I ran less than 20 times over the next 2 decades.
Did a bunch of martial arts in my 30s. At the end, bulked up about 25# through aggressive weight lifting. Then, a couple of injuries (left wrist and right foot) made me realize the toll it was having on my body (still need surgery to remove some bone chips in the wrist.) Was depressed at giving up fighting, so I stopped working out altogether. My weight did not change, but all of my recently acquired muscle mass turned to flab. I was having trouble fitting into even my “fat” clothes.
My new workout regimen is “get the carcass moving.” Basically, I figure anything I do to get exercise - run, bike, swim, lift, walk - is better than inactivity. And, since I am not training for competition anymore (or worrying about some young buck trying to take off my head!) I don’t have to be as demanding/critical of my efforts.
A couple of guys at work run over lunch. I work in downtown Chicago, and it is really lovely to run along Lake Michigan. I’ve probably averaged 3 runs/week over the past year - including through the entire winter. A standard run is about 4 miles. Once a week I try to do a longer one of about 8, and once or twice a month I try to get myself to do windsprints in Grant Park.
I’m down 16 pounds, and feeling great. One of my favorite things is going for a run when it is REALLY hot, running to one of the beaches and jumping in, and then running back to the locker room. Nothing like floating in the lake and looking back at all of the buildings with people working. That is, if the fecal bacteria count isn’t too high!
One thing that is kinda frustrating is that my ability seems to fall right in between my running mates’. I am much faster and stronger than a couple of guys, but then the next faster guys run me into the ground.
Someone asked about running in pain. I have a mess of arthritis in one of my feet, which basically hurts every time I take a step. But I don’t think about it while running or doing something else active. But afterwards I limp pretty badly. The doc says it isn’t degenerative, and I can basically do whatever I want. Recommends some pretty powerful pain relievers, but I’d just as soon go as long as I can before I develop that habit.
On the 4th of July I ran a 4 mile race. I think I averaged 8:20 miles. Pretty tough, but it was really fun. First race I’ve run since 1978! If nothing else, I’ll do it again next year.
Tomorrow morning I am joining my brother-in-law to run at 5:30 a.m. He is going 8, but I have a 6:48 tee time so I will probably only get in 3. At least I will “get that carcass moving!”
Hey Dinsdale… congratulations on your first race in a while!
I’m jealous that you get to run in Chicago. In 1999, did the 5K that used to be associated with the Chicago marathon (now it’s a 10K, I think). The Windy City sure is beautiful.
Thanks for the article, Canty, I suppose this is something I will just have to work through. Any suggestions for strengthening those abdominal muscles?
MR
Thanks for the tips on the starting time. I got to the race about 45 minutes early, and that was plenty of time. Especially since they started late, which screwed up my carefully timed stretching and warmup.
I thought the 5k was really fun. It was just like my normal runs, except that it was: a) flatter, since it was a shoreline out-and-back course; b) had people handing me water and yelling out my splits; c) left me with free food and a t-shirt. How could you not enjoy that? I ran a 28:32 (9:11/mile) and came in 30th out of 33 in my age group. Since I was only trying to beat 30 minutes and not be last, that made my day. The first-place overall ran a 15:21 – now that’s amazing.
I really encourage any casual runner to give a race a try. You won’t regret it.
Cool, SmackFu, it’s nice to have a time goal, and then BEAT IT BY A MINUTE AND A HALF!!!
And I agree. Racing is great. It makes the running during the week seem like worthwhile. When I first started running, I probably did at least a race a month.
Unfortunately when you start doing distance, you don’t have as much availability for 5Ks and 10Ks, so I haven’t done as much racing lately.
Actually I have a problem with running. I wonder if you guys can help.
I’m 18. I ran cross country in high school, until I was 15. When I started training for the next season when I was 16, I just couldn’t do it. I’d start running, and within about 600m I would start feeling like I had bad period pain, if I kept going it would stay, and if i kept going for a while then stopped (running), I would be in really bad pain for 5-10 mins (as in moaning from the pain, clutching stomach).
So, I couldn’t run any more. And I used to love it too… even the pain in my legs… but this kind of pain made it no fun at all…
It still happens today when I run (I try every now and then just in case!)
It’s not because I’m unfit (I’m not, I exercise and I’m 5 foot and 50kg)… I was thinking it might have something to do with puberty.
Sorry for the hijack… I get jealous when people talk about going for runs. 
Maeglin and Blue Curls:
If what you have is abdominal cramps, otherwise known as a stitch, it just means you have to strengthen up the gut. While I recomend stretching after the run, you can stretch out the abs before hand.
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and join your hands over your head, stretching. high. Bend at the waist to the right and hold it. THen to the left, then back. Stretch, but don’t strain.
Also try leg lifts. Lay flat on your back on the floor. Then you will do a slow 4 count exercise.
Repeat 30 times.
I was always a “sola” runner, not wanting to compromise my pace, route or quiet thinking with a partner. But I couldn’t make myself get up early enough to run in the summertime before it got hot. Got lucky enough to find the perfect running partner - same pace as mine and completely reliable about showing up and making me get up early.
Now I’m moving to Trinidad and Tobago in the tropics! Where it is hot and humid all year long, and I can’t convince my running pal to come with me! As luck would have it, there is a branch of the Hash House Harriers in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Their slogan is “the drinking club with a running habit.” Hopefully I’ll meet some kindred spirits there…
Let me dust off this ol’ thread to brag about my recent half-marathon. I had been yearning to break the 2 hour mark, but my last attempt at this distance (last November) was a disapointing 2:06. Back then, I was running about 27 miles/week, with long runs barely longer than 13 miles.
Sunday I entered the Mercedes half-marathon in Birmingham, AL. I have been ramping up mileage for an April marathon, so lately I’ve been doing more like 38 miles/ week, with a recent long run of 18 miles. The extra road work did the trick, I finished in 1:57:00, astounding even myself.
The astonishing thing is that, if you took my best time in a 10 mile race (1:32) and added my best time in a 5km race (about 0:26), you’d have only 2 minutes to spare under the two hour mark for the same distance. Somehow, I managed to take those two distances back to back, and wipe a whole minute of my best time for the sum.
The more I run, the more I believe that the most important thing in training is mileage, mileage, mileage. As long as you’re healty (I’ve been fortunate in that regard) almost nothing else matters.
Get out and run.
Great thread! Thanks Race Bannon for the 6 month bump. I began running only 4 months ago and would have missed it entirely.
I never thought I’d enjoy running as much as I do now. I made several serious attempts during high school, but my knees always hurt for days after even the most brief intervals of running. I’m talking 800 meters brief. I’d always blamed the poor alignment of my bones that accompany my slightly bowed legs.
Last October, things in my personal life got very bad. A trusted friend going through the very same unpleasantness as I am suggested I try running, as it helps her deal with emotional turmoil, among other things. So after having abandoned the sport for 15 years, I spent some money on decent shoes. What a world of difference!
My schedule allows me to get out and run 8 days at a time and then a 6 day break. Not ideal, but I’ve managed to work up to a consistent 2.8 miles in 23 minutes. I’ve no idea how that measures up to other 33 year old men, but I’m mighty proud of myself.
Scylla, you’re a wuss. All I carry is a receipt that says “Thank you for shopping at Safeway, Mr. Honkytonkwillie.” in case I get stomped by a moose or flattened by a car. I think it’s enough for the police to identify my corpse within a couple of days.
I have a complusive personality. That makes me an ideal runner.
Thanks to my obsession (not particularly of LONG distances but just plain consistency), I find that the 30s isn’t the slow down of metabolism everyone had told me it would be. Also…2 pregnancies and same weight I was in undergrad. 
Funny, however, I can’t run WITH people. I have to do it alone, on my time and my rules.
Welcome to the boards, Chata.
I, too can’t run with other people. It’s a solo gig. When I’ve tried running with others, either I’m trying too hard to keep up with them, or I’m holding back to be polite or something. And I always want to chat at the same time which really screws up my breathing.
I’m glad you resuscitated this thread, because I just resuscitated my plans to run the Munich Marathon in October. I’ve never done any kind of long-distance race so I don’t really know what to expect.
What I’m doing now is training modelled on a training plan I read in this book. It suggests the following:
Day 1: easy running
Day 2: cardio training (e.g. swimming)
Day 3: sprint training
Day 4: cardio training
Day 5: easy running
Day 6: long distance run
Day 7: rest
Now in the book it suggests the training can be done in 4 months, but I wanted to enhance my running skills beforehand. So now I am doing kind of a “light” version of that program (meaning skipping the occasional training day and not doing the long distance runs).
Do any of you know this book? Would you recommend a training routine like this in general? I am grateful for any kind of advice…
By the way,Scylla, I really like the fartleks. I absolutely hate doing sprints of any kind and that might just be the thing to get me to do some kind of fast running.
Hey Chata! My best friend is a competitive runner and she doesn’t like running WITH people either. It’s her alone time; her “me” time. I feel the same way usually; however, I recently ran a ten mile long run with a training class friend and was amazed at how quickly it went. I’m looking forward to this weekend’s long run (between 15 and 18 miles) with the whole training class.
I still have no clue as to what my race schedule will be for this spring and summer. I keep putting off races as I try to get my mileage/speed back (it’s a long story starring my achilles). I do know it’s beautiful out today and I’m heading out for a trail run at lunchtime!
Einmon: I am not familiar with that book, but four months is plenty of time to train for a four hour marathon. The schedule that’s laid out is perfectly fine. If you continue to concentrate on building your base, which is what you’re describing, you’ll do fine and will be ready to take on that training schedule appropriately.
Tanks for the welcomes. I already hang out on some BBs and have no need to feed my internet addiction more, but a friend sent me **Scylla ** blimp story and I started snooping around and got stuck.
I think honkytonkwillie hit the nail on the head, I am just too polite to run with others. It sometimes helps to run with someone a “little” better than you, but most of the time I feel I am accommodating others too much and not getting my optimal and enjoyable time in.
Or maybe I’m just a loner freak.