I just switched from the brooks ghost 15s with 12mm midsole drop, to a the altra experience flows with 26mm/30mm and a heel toe drop 4mm, and I have the most insane calf cramps. I have zero pain with the brooks. Is this normal when switching shoes? I've been running in various styles of brooks for years and never had cramps like this. That being said I'm still recovering from an Ic issue, so my mileage has been very low for the past few months. Should I keep running in them, or just go back to the brooks?
I started getting plantar fasciitis about three weeks into minimalist shoes. It’s usually recommended to ease into it, starting with just running in them once a week. It takes months for your tendons and whatnot to adapt/reshape.
That would not be unexpected going from a high drop show to a low drop shoe. It's best to ease into lower drop shoes due to the extra strain on our calves. It should improve as you use the lower drop shoes more.
I'm looking at hydration vests for longer training runs with the goal of doing a trail ultra next year. Will getting a larger vest which I will need for the Ultra (say 12L) be too bulky for use in training runs? Or is it best to get used to running with the larger vest even if it's overkill for a training run?
I would get what you plan to use for the race. Even if it is overkill for the training runs, you want to be comfortable with what you use on race day. Don't want to find out that it rubs in a certain spot or some other problem part way through the race.
I ran my first 21k Saturday June 22nd. It took 2:28:47.
My PB for 10k is 59:51.
My first marathon will be this September and my goal is sub5. ideally around 4:45:00.
I asked AI to build my training plan. Here were some specific requirements that I made.
I want my longest long run to be 37km.
I want my long run day on weekends.
I want 2 consecutive no-run day after a long run day.
I want to start my long run with 21km.
**Training plan**
[https://imgur.com/a/2JtupwK](https://imgur.com/a/2JtupwK)
Does this training look legit?
I’m a relatively new runner who runs quite often. I’ve always loved running but recently I’ve amped up my training for a sport. So, I got a watch to track my pace and things. But my average hr is 200 bpm while running. Is this something I should be worried about, or is this common for a beginner?
SLOW DOWN! 200 bpm is too high. Not that you should obsess over heart rate, but look up max heart rates for people your age and sex. You’ll find that yours is too high. If you stay below your 80% of max HR your body will catch up and you’ll eventually run just as fast without the possibility of your heart exploding!😀
No one's heart is "exploding" because they're a new runner with a high heart rate.
And there's no such thing as an accurate maximum heart rate based on age or sex.
Mr Bottlecoffee, please forgive me. I got a little carried away thinking I knew more than I did about running and fitness than I do. I’m relatively new to the sport so you are right, I have no business giving advice to others when it might be incorrect. Sometimes I think I can help someone who is not as far along in the journey as me, but again, you are right.. i should not be giving advice. I should read more and comment less. Thanks for the reminder
Me and the SO got covid. Back in 2020 I remember people warning not to run for a long time after getting it because we had to isolate and because there was risk of lung damage etc. What's the recommendation now? It just felt like a rough cold, but now it's been a week and we both just have some sinusitis. Can we run yet?
I took ten days off from the first day of symptoms, and eased back into it. In the end I didn't have any lingering ill effects and launched into my half training right after taking it easy for a week or two.
The current official advice where I am (from both national institute of health type of institution as well as sports medicine folks) is to treat it the same as the flu or any other serious cardiorespiratory infection. Up to early 2023 they recommended a longer break for covid but research didn't show it necessary in the end / later in the pandemic.
That said, the recommended rest for any serious cardiorespiratory infection is pretty long and the ramp back up to your usual program needs to be gradual. The advice is to wait until acute symptoms are over and then start with a walk and add intensity every few days, listening to your body closely.
I'm obviously not your doctor and can't tell you if you can run or if remaining sinusitis counts as a acute symptom, but anyway the advice that covid needs special amounts of rest has been dropped in Europe (it's still not a common cold, you can sometimes run right through one of those).
Yeah taking it too easy has very little risk beyond boredom, you won't lose a ton of fitness by waiting a couple of extra weeks. But still good to know that studies did not find covid specific risks or different long covid risks.
My doctor is not your doctor, my health is not your health, you should call your own doc for advice, but: this year my medical team (incl. sports doc and PCP) advised waiting until no symptoms and tested negative, then wait two weeks before running, then come back slowly. The two weeks in between negative and running included gentle cross training. For what it’s worth, my coach said that I bounced back faster once I resumed training than most other athletes she’s had. Which is not necessarily predictive of anyone else’s experience.
Thought I was going to go bonkers with two weeks of “I feel good but I’m still on the bench” but in retrospect I’m glad I did it- easing back in with cross training gave me a chance to watch my heart rate and really assess my recovery and how my body felt.
We're just casual runners and our base HR hasn't gone up much, but still feel a little under the weather. Initially we had planned to jump right back into our regular runs, but after asking I think it's better we take it a bit easy. Thank you for the advice
I just started running. I’ve ran 3 different times recently and ran a mile each time at around a 12 minute mile pace. I am looking to run a 5k in the fall (I don’t have one picked out yet) and I’m looking for some kind of couch to 5k plan but there’s so much different information out there I’m overwhelmed! Does anyone have any general advice or especially recommendations for plans to check out?
If it helps I’m a 22 year old female. 5’1” 125-130 pounds.
Thanks!!
I like the Nike app, they have guided runs and training plans! You can connect it to Spotify so you can listen to music and get motivation throughout your runs
There's no "best" plan (especially at the beginner level), anything that isn't complete garbage will work, including the one the other user linked. That one is good, other ones are also good.
Hi!! Here with another shoe question! I’m looking for a speed shoe and got some great advice here the other day, tried Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 but they’re just a little too narrow 😢 does anyone have a recommendation for an alternative? Thank you!
Every pair of sauconys I’ve tried have made my toenails fall off lol, I love the brooks Hyperion max. I haven’t tried the Hyperion Max 2s, but they look really nice as well
Haha yeah I 100% was like if I keep these, it will be a terrible idea as bad as I want them but ok awesome, thank you. I was looking at the Hyperion Max and my Glycerin 21s were life changing so I think I’m gonna try them! Would you say they’re true to size?
Hi - thinking of running first ultra. Anyone have advice on finding a good coach? What to look for or where to find one? (Or other advice for first ultra). Thanks!
I've seen a lot of posts on here asking about running while on vacation/traveling. The general consensus is to try to keep it up while on vacation, but the thing I'm not clear about is how that applies to an "active" vacation. Generally I'm not lounging on the beach all day when I'm on vacation, I usually end up walking 10-20 miles a day exploring a city or hiking in nature. The question is if adding running on top of all that walking/hiking is overdoing it/increasing risk of injury. I know walking is generally pretty low-grade activity, but curious what other people's thoughts are on this.
I go into it giving myself the grace to adjust absolutely as much as needed. If I'm beat up I skip a day. I'm feeling good I stretch it out. I'll also usually skip any big workouts and if I do them make them fairly easy. I find it's an amazing way to see additional sights
This is kind of obvious but...just do what you want. If you're training really hard for something, then yeah, try to keep a few runs at least. But if you're just running to stay in shape, there's really no need to run on vacation unless you *really want to*. I've been running a long time, and at this point, I'm very uninterested in packing extra running gear and just take vacation as a rest week to sleep in and give my body a break. You're not going to lose your running fitness unless you're gone for like several weeks and do zero activity.
You really need to just play it by ear and see how your own body reacts and feels.
My last two camping trips I ran 20 km on trails and did a lot of hiking afterwards. Was pretty tired when I got home, but I wanted to get the trail running in (training for an ultra).
I'm going on a longer vacation soon. I'm obviously not going to running at all while I'm backpacking, but after a day's rest, I'm going to spend the trip running as many days as I can. If this means running in the morning and then hiking later in the day, so be it, as long as I feel okay.
Am I supposed to be hydrating while running/training? I did a run yesterday in higher than usual humidity did not have any issues during the run, would consider it a moderate exertion. Next day my body feels ran down. 40yo M for reference. I don't normally drink water/electrolytes during the actual run when doing less than 6 miles.
Depends how far you're going. I'll go up to about 14 miles without a drink (and did in yesterdays heat) during training. Just have a big drink and plenty for hours after. Anything more and I'll have a bottle of water halfway.
I recognize this may not be the healthiest but I like my training hard and my races easier. But I think my point on distance still stands.
Got some shoe/blister problems I’m hoping to get some help with. I’ve been getting a hot spot by the ball of my foot, but after a long run this past Saturday on almost entirely cambered city streets it’s become a blister. I went back to the shoe store I bought my NB 1080s from for advice and the guy basically told me, different socks, athletic lubricant, and tieing my shoes using a runners loop.
I’ve already been using injinji socks as I’ve been getting, non painful, blisters between my toes (they haven’t really helped but they don’t hurt so I haven’t been worried) so I picked up a wool pair and thicker pair of injinjis along with a body glide blister prevention stick.
This AMs 3mi run I tried the wool socks with body glide and tied my shoes as tight as was comfortable with the runners loop. All I got was a matching blister on my left ball of foot and my toenails have been hurting all day.
I’m gonna try the thicker socks and looser shoes for my mid-week 6mi run tomorrow and hope that helps. But if not I’m out of ideas outside of new, wider, shoes (which the shoe store guy was adamant I don’t need). I have used other normal running socks but get the same hot spot, but no blister.
TIA for any advice.
I recognize this is kind of a nebulous question but how do you know when you're ready for a marathon?
I'm at the point where I knock out 2 hour HM's without really thinking about it anymore and have a 3 month program to train for my marathon.
But I've read loads of posts on here like 'I was SUPER fit for my first marathon but totally wasnt prepared for the wall! I barely made 6 hours!'.
I'm really kind of terrified my family will all fly out to watch and I'll be swept.
Thanks for asking this question. I too am considering trying a full for the first time. You got some really good info in your responses. If you decide to go forward, good luck!
Depend how much volume you are willing and able to maintain. The more you can sustain the better it'll go. As well when you start getting into longer marathons it starts become more like an ultra where fueling and mental endurance are paramount. Some people say they were super fit then dogged a build peaking at 30 miles with 20 average which is just insufficient for the distance. They could be fit and fast for shorter ones but the marathon demands the miles.
I would say average is going to matter way more than peak. Doing 18 weeks averaging out at 40 and a peak of 45 is way better than an average of 30 over 12 and a peak of 60 or something. For racing plans the basic lower peak is like 50. Just finish the damn thing are in the 30's.
One thing to keep in mind is that "the wall" isn't really a linear fitness issue; it's a fueling and mental challenge. You almost certainly *will* hit it. Most people do. It doesn't mean you're not in good or great shape, it simply means that you have little to no practical experience with the moment that your liver runs clean out of glycogen.
- it isn't going to turn a 4 hour marathon into 6. It might make your mile 21 to 24 splits pretty brutal to look at later, but you won't be the only person walking a 16 minute mile or two near the end.
- a lot of marathon training plans have you run a 20+mi long a couple weeks before the race. Assuming you've been building mileage throughout and following your plan, this long is a tune up that gives you some foreshadowing of how your mind and body might be feeling when you get close to the common "wall" zone.
- make sure that you actually 'practice' fueling. The more accustomed to getting your gels down at sensible and planned intervals the more you'll be able to keep yourself strong in the toughest parts of the race. You might want to try a few different brands or flavors if you don't already know what you like, bc nothing is worse than trying to gag down a gel you know you need but discover mid race disgusts you or gives you a rumbly gut.
Hero, thanks.
I am doing all those things and its good to hear its the right track. Theres just a lot of scare stories on here (on some admittedly old threads) about being swept.
Fair! That weekly mileage base is pretty low for 4mo out but if you're comfortable with halfs and the first week of your training block didn't feel like a kick in the face I think you'll be solid. 🙂
Sorry, that wasn't my goal at all. My point was just that 15mpw is quite low for a base pre-marathon, but if you can comfortably run a 2hr half then you are most certainly capable of your full training plan.
There's a lot of scare stories because a marathon is long enough that SO much can go wrong and it can be incredibly unpredictable. I've trained well and bonked hard in the race, and I've undertrained and have felt better through the later miles than I did when I trained harder. Sometimes it's just a crapshoot depending on the circumstances of the day, and all you can do is train appropriately, fuel/hydrate well, and hope the weather is good. Every marathon is its own experience. Go for it!
(Edit: I'm biased because I'm still coming off a post-marathon high lol)
Hi! I'm looking to get the Saloman Adv Skin 12 for my trail runs, but I am in between the large and the extra large vest. The large is a little snug around the arms and upper/mid-back when I'm just wearing a t-shirt, even when I widen it to the widest settings. The extra large fits more comfortably with a t-shirt, but it is definitely a little loose, and I have to tighten the strap halfway, such that it's hanging a little bit. I have to tuck the adjustment strap in the pocket because it hangs a lot when I tighten it that much. I had both flasks in when I tried it on. The large surprisingly seems to bounce with weight in it whereas the extra large does not. Would you recommend that I size up and go with XL, or would the L be sufficient? Any input regarding this would be much appreciated; thanks so much!
I'd go with the XL. I have a small, but same sizing issue - it fit the best in the arms etc. but I have the adjustment strings tightened so much they hang a bit. It's worked out wonderfully overall, BTW! It's my first time using a running vest and I've been pleased. Let us know how you like it!
Oh is it supposed to feel tight around the arms? That's what the large does for me. The extra large wraps around it, but it doesn't squeeze me as much. It's my first time using a running vest too, so I'm super new to this world! I'll definitely let y'all know how I like it!
women, do you wash your hair after every run? I do at the moment, and it seems to limit when I can train because of the amount of time it takes to wash and dry after every run
I used to and stopped because I couldn’t run as often as I wanted. I braid it during running and that has helped it look presentable enough, but I’m only skipping washes on more casual days where I don’t have to look nice.
Long-haired dude here.
I definitely do. Unless the rest of my day is going to consist of some sort of particularly dirty work or include a gym trip. Then I'll wait until after that to deal with my hair situation!
I don’t. I wash once a week after my Saturday long run, occasionally 2x a week in the summer depending on what I have going on. My hair is super thick and takes hours to air dry, plus I can’t wear it down at work, so if I wash during the week I end up with a still-damp ponytail 8-9 hours later. I also *hate* my hair on days 1-2 after a wash (too floofy) so no chance I’m washing it 5 or 6x a week.
I do, but I also have friends who do not, and just use dry shampoo in between hair washings. It really depends on your hair and preference. Mine would just be a complete sweat knot in the summer.
I do, it gets way too gross if I don't. But my hair is pretty fine textured and thin so washing and either drying or air drying don't take up a ton of my time. Putting it up in a clip at least feels put together enough for me too after a shower if I really am pressed for time!
Coming back to running after being out with a stress fracture for almost 3 months. I've been putting in 7-10 hours a week between elliptical and cycling along with occasional swimming and some strength work. I feel like I've done a good job with my endurance, but I have no idea where my pace is going to be. Those who have been in a similar situation, how much did you lose and how long did it take to get it back?
[https://youtu.be/5TWzC0KA6uo](https://youtu.be/5TWzC0KA6uo)
According to Jack Daniels, if you done the regular cross training, you go down by multiplying your current VDOT with 0.9
So, if you are at VDOT 50 (easy running pace \~4:56-5:30 km), meaning your best time for a 5K is \~20 minutes, now you are back to VDOT 45 (easy running pace \~5:23-6:00), meaning your best time for a 5K is \~22 minutes.
You can get back to you regular training in 3-4 months (your actual fitness will come back sooner).
First, start with this kind of training
[https://i.imgur.com/nrO6h6J.png](https://i.imgur.com/nrO6h6J.png)
(I know it can seem very easy and laid back but just trust the process and be careful).
Based on that formula, I should still be able to manage a sub 18 5k, but just barely. Which would be absolutely incredible if that's the case. I was expecting much worse, honestly. Afraid to be too optimistic, but that does give me a glimmer of hope.
9:30-9:50 is already a pretty big spread in terms of goal. Thats a 10 minute band. So i'd actually decide on a target pace and not bounce around that much. We realistically have no idea how those felt or what your are capable of with just those numbers. We don't know age, gender, any other prs etc. We need way way more information in order to even try to guess.
Should I reduce my long run distances when beginning a new training plan?
I'm looking to start a 16 week program next week for an October race with a goal time of 1:40. My current PR from May is 1:45:26.
I've been hitting at least 40km/week with comfortable 18-25km long runs most weekends for the past 4-ish months.
My training plan (using Runna) has my first long run at 12km and doesn't build up to 20km until week 8.
Is there a benefit to dialling back my long runs by that much, or should I look into a different plan?
Thanks for the input! I wasn’t sure if there might be some benefit to scaling back and effectively tapering for a few weeks before diving back into longer runs.
This is my first time using Runna app and the wording/factors they use to qualify running ability throw me off a bit.
I had to set my skill level to “advanced” to generate the plan mentioned above, when I consider myself to be intermediate at best! Updating that setting to “elite” (which seems laughable) creates a weekly plan and progression that is much more on par with my current schedule and mileage.
How was running changed your life?
For me, I used to be a non-runner but would go to the gym. I hated running! You would never see me run. But then I joined a club and I liked the feeling of being out in nature and everything changed.
I now can’t imagine my life without it. I actually get depressed when I’m injured because I can’t run. My life is about running (and the gym) now. I’ve quit my job and decided I want a job that will be flexible enough for me to train 50k+ per week, and fund my new lifestyle (races, nutrition etc.)
I’m not athlete. I’m actually ridiculously slow. But it has given me such joy and made me a better lifter (as now I eat to fuel performance rather than trying to diet and lose weight).
I love running. It gives me purpose in my life and I LOVE how I’m progressing. The small wins are so encouraging.
I genuinely cannot wait to move into the fitness industry. Health and fitness are now everything to me.
How do you know when to start speedwork after you recover from an injury? I am currently injured and probably need a total of 3/4 weeks to recover (I am on week 2). I am eyeing a half marathon on Oct 26 and possibly a 10 km on Sep 22, but I need to build up my base again first. I am just not sure how much time I need before I can jump back into regular training.
What is a normal BPM during an easy run? I can do a sub 6 mile and sub 20 5k, so my easy pace for 5-8 miles is 8 mins/ mile, but noticed about halfway through my bpm was 180. Is this normal? Note: I’m 13, if being younger has an impact
I’ve run a couple half marathons, and now I’m looking at doing a full next summer. Would it be a bad idea to race the half during my training?
If not, there would be an extra 2 weeks between races compared to what the training schedule suggests… how should I fill those extra 2 weeks?
I guess my wording was confusing… the half is 14 weeks before the full but the training program I’m looking at has 12 weeks between them- an extra two weeks relative to the training schedule.
I started running about 3 months ago. I try to run 3 times per week - 2 distance and one shorter faster run. Prior I had no real running experience, well I guess bad experiences from having to walk the mile in high school at 25+ minutes. My whole life I was very obese. In 2018 I weighed 385 lbs and now weigh 205 lbs. I'm still not where I want to be, but its progress.
I've gotten my distance runs to 10K. My 5K and 10K paces are very similar - around 12:00/mile. How do I start improving this pace? It's a comfortable pace I can keep for the whole run. I know I can go faster, if I just do a single mile I can get it done in 8 minutes, but getting the endurance to keep that pace for much longer seems so impossible.
I have my first race next month! It's only a 1 mile race, but I am very excited. My current mile time puts me right in the middle of the historical race results (its a local race). If I can get under 8 minutes on race day then I will be ecstatic.
Just wanna say losing 185 POUNDS is insane, you should feel great about that :). My biggest advice to get better at running: run, a lot! Kipchoge, has the 2nd fastest official marathon and a sub 2 hour one unofficially, runs 200km+ weekly, around 130 miles! Even 100 miles less will do numbers for your running at all distances
One approach is to practice shorter intervals at your target pace, and then stitch them together to get to the race distance. Let's set a goal somewhere between your mile pace and your "comfortable" pace -- say 9:00 (which should add up to a 28:00 5k).
Start with a workout like 5 x 1km @ 9:00 pace, with 90s rest in between reps. (If you can't do 5 of these, work your way up to it). From there, you can decrease the rest interval, or just make the intervals longer while keeping the total distance roughly the same (e.g. 3 x mile or 2 x 2.5km). Doing this gradually, with one speed workout a week, you'll hopefully be ready for the 5km @ 9:00 within a few months.
Edit: good luck with your mile next month! Sounds like a great opportunity to measure your progress.
Can anyone recommend the best watch (Garmin or Apple) for tracking my runs? I also want it to be able to report that data into apps like Strava. Only really interested in my mileage, my pace/splits, heart rate, tracking route if it can, and working without wifi. I don’t need anything fancy like music or texting or anything, etc.
Someone recently described Apple Watch as a lifestyle watch with some fitness apps and Garmin as a fitness watch with some lifestyle apps.
I’ve been using Apple Watch exclusively for the last 6ish years but I’m planning to make the switch to Garmin because it has more fitness things I’m looking for like tracking my suggested recovery periods and training i intensities and I’ve heard it’s better at tracking paced and miles better than apple.
But I think it’s ultimately a preference. Like what’s the overall usage you’re trying to go for. Are you looking for something fitness heavy vs like incorporating your life into it. It’s like how some people prefer lose it to my fitness pal or Strava to Nike Run Club.
You don't need "the best", the Garmin Forerunner 55 is very good, battery lasts weeks. Charges in about the time it takes to shower, get dressed and eat breakfast in my experience. Very comfortable strap too.
Wondering if anyone has a good recommendation for a running backpack that can fit a laptop, small lunch, and change of clothes without being too bouncy or uncomfortable.
I'm trying to work in more running during the week, but on some days simply don't have the time unless I ran some of my commute. The biggest issue is I would need to bring my work laptop with me. Any way to comfortably run with a laptop, or should I be looking into biking the commute for some added exercise instead?
Unfortunately leaving the laptop in the office isn't an option, but perhaps it's worth an ask to our IT department if I could have a separate in-office setup.
Yup, my work often has pretty long hours so I frequently need to hop online to do another hour or two of work after dinner - which is why I'm trying to find more time to finagle exercise. A home setup without the laptop isn't possible either with our current IT policy.
There is no way to run with a laptop that is going to be comfortable. Best way i've found to do this is bring your clothes for the week to the office the first day then just leave your laptop.
I can definitely leave clothes there to change into, but unfortunately I need to bring the laptop back and forth. Maybe biking the commute is the (comfortable) way to go instead.
I have a question on even splits on my last two races. I had very consistent splits throughout. Is there something missing in my training or is this normal. I am only 6 months into my running journey and want to improve as much as I can before the next race.
**Half Marathon(May 5th):**
14km: 5:33/km 1:18:49
Finish: 5:33/km 1:57:00
**10K Race (June 15th):**
5k: 5:03.6/km 25:16
10K: 5:03/km 50:32
I presently don't have a good running watch so I don't have a good log of all splits for these races. I am using a 2019 Amazfit which is not at all good with numbers.
Is it normal to have even splits or am i not conserving enough for the final push? I am Male 37, 76kgs and 171cm height.
You ran a good well paced race. Even splits are usually a sign of that. Large negative splits means you left too much out there, large positive splits started too hot.
Is anybody else feeling a bit tired of Strava communites?
Been using Strava since 2015 but lately it has become a nuisance. A lot of people around me new to running but cant stop commenting about my heart bpm, schedual etc.
I just want to run. Practice is not a race. Comments and attention is exhausting. Anybody else feel the same?
I’m 63F. Is it too late to start running?
I’d really like to start a running program. (I haven’t run since before puberty.) I’m starting super slow now. My 1st goal is a local fun run then a 5k. I think I can do it, maybe next year. But am I too late? I’m in fair shape. Not overweight. I only walk a mile to 1.5 miles for my workouts 3 or 4 days a week. #oldRunner #Thoughts?
Absolutely not too late, I started at 50(now 55 and still going strong) it's actually addicting in a sense once you start doing it regularly.
I'm going to sign up for at least one 5K this year and maybe a 10K both would be my first of each.
Happy Running!
It's not too late. Start small, begin with run/walk intervals (perhaps 5 minute walk, 30 seconds easy intensity run, repeat) during your current 1-1.5 mile activities. After a month perhaps shift to 4:30 / 0:30 or 5:00 / 0:45 and 1.1 to 1.6 miles.
Read about the Couch to 5k program, though it's fine to follow your own gradual conservative approach.
For inspiration, read about Ruby Ghadially. At age 57 she ran half a mile at 15:00/mile pace and by 63 she had run a mile in 6:09 - close to the world record for her age.
There are many more people who took up running in their 50s, 60s, and 70s and became competitive at regional, national, and international events. And plenty who go from no running or no running for decades to completing a local 5k.
I'm coming back to running after 5 years and 40 lbs. As I'm rebuilding basic stamina, am I on the right track by forcing myself to slow down or walk to keep my heart rate around zone 2? I don't have any health concerns, but in this muggy midwest summer air it can be challenging to keep HR down, and my recollection of early running programs like Couch to 5k is time-based not HR based
I would go off perceived exertion and not a specific HR. Unless you've been to a lab and measured your LTHR your zones are probably off anyway. Just shoot for being able to hold a conversation but the person you're talking to would know you're exercising. Another sign is minimal recovery period because you shouldn't be having much lactate building up.
The heat is brutal on HR, I was hitting 150 over the weekend just walking to the garage to get some fuel for the chainsaw.
That’s basically what I mean by z2 as well. I just also have a rough idea of where that will be in bpm from experience. I don’t mean to imply precision
The focus on z2 training is to be able to add volume without injury. Early on, unless you were otherwise active (cycling, swimming, basketball, etc), it's going to be hard to stay in z2, and really isn't necessary at low volume. As you build fitness and increase mileage, running at lower intensity most of the time becomes more important. You are going to get conflicting feedback regarding running by heart rate; I personally mainly run by effort and use heart rate as a sanity check, but others differ. If you are going to run by heart rate, make sure the data is reliable; wrist based monitoring can be unreliable, especially if you have a larger watch and/or smaller wrists.
This week is going to be hot as balls. Won't be able to reschedule my remaning workouts to the evening so I'll squeeze them in during the lunch breaks. What should my mind set be here? Just accept that it'll be brutally tough and suck it up? Had a few great sessions last week with a 5K PB, but the temps was hovering around 18-20C.
This week we'll be looking at 28-32. I ran my 400 meter intervals today, so I have a 4x1000 and a distance session planned. I'll be moving away from the tarmac and 400 meter track and do them in the woods instead to get some of that sweet shade.
It's hot+humid where I live and I do much of my running on black asphalt. It was 91F (33C) and 65% humidity yesterday late in the morning. In conditions like this I take breaks on longer runs, hydrate more (usually don't at all in cool weather unless 2+ hours), and switch from jogging recovery to standing recovery. For easy runs I go by perceived effort so my pace may be >5% slower. I usually switch to shorter tempos and run slower, but <5% slower for tempos and shorter intervals like 400s.
Don't push things. If it is hot, I accept that workouts won't be as high of quality or as fast, and if the temperature qualifies as "hot as balls" I would ditch workouts altogether and do easy to sub- threshold runs. Or ride my bike, since that is cooler (basically creating a breeze).
2 questions:
1. When should I invest in a race day shoe and start wearing them to break them in?
2. Are there any recommended training plans or apps that you recommend?
Background: I currently have a pair of ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 and On Cloud Gos that I use interchangeably. I wore the On Clouds in my most recent 5k (my 5th one). I have a 5k in Nov, a 10k in Jan, and then a 5k and my first half marathon in June of next year.
I currently use NRCs training plans and they helped a great deal from Feb-Now. Cut my mile time down from 17 mins to about 15 on average with my current mile or being 14.30 (at one point mile time was like 22 mins back in January). I’m starting to really enjoy running so also any tips in general will be helpful. TYIA!
I'd wear a new racing shoe 3 times before your November race, wearing them in at least one run of 5k distance and twice for workouts at close to target 5k intensity. This has less to do with breaking them in and more to do with ensuring they fit right, feel good, and don't cause any issues like blisters. Buy a pair perhaps 6 weeks beforehand so that if there are issues you have an opportunity to return them and purchase a different shoe.
All that said, a racing shoe isn't necessary. I raced in trainers for my first decade of racing (mostly 5k to half marathon) and didn't rotate shoes. I would advise against buying expensive carbon-plated (or nylon-plated) shoes. They're not as stable and at your pace it's possible you'll actually be slower during a maximal effort like a 5k race. I typically race in an ultra-lightweight (3.5 ounces) racing flat I bought heavily discounted in 2021 or a more modest 6.5 ounce racing flat I bought several years before that. They're waaaaaaay less cushioned than my trainers, but I can run slightly faster - maybe 2% faster in the 3.5 ounce shoes. So don't expect your pace to improve substantially.
Race shoe depends more on personal preference than speed. There’s some research saying you need X:XX pace to really get the mechanical benefits of something like a Vaporfly, but if it’s a purchase that makes you enjoy running and do it more often (and you can afford it) then there’s no need to wait. As far as break-in, just try them in a shorter / faster daily run or two before an official race.
Plan wise, Nike app has some options; Garmin does too. Couch to 5K if your main goal is sustaining your running for 20+ minutes.
Good luck!
Gotcha that makes sense!
Garmin is on my list. It’s going to be a promo gift to myself in a few months. So I’m glad that’s on the right track!
Thank you for the tip about the pacing for shoes bc I don’t think I need the whole carbon plate thing yet.
I’ll add couch to 5k on my list to check out. For the most part I can run for 20+ mins. The farthest without stopping so far is 4 miles!
Thank you!
I didn't go to Strava until the beginning of this year where I was determined to be more consistent(kidney stone surgery last Oct derailed my running)
Now I can't see not using as a helpful tool/motivator, at least for me with setting goals in it.
I've recently started running to lose weight. However, despite running slowly (around 8 km per hour), my average heart rate is around 180. I've read that running in Zone 5 is not recommended for extended periods and that it's better to slow down. If I slow down, I'll have to walk. Should I continue running at my current pace, or should I slow down?
These zones mean nothing until you’re a little bit trained. Your heart is untrained so it has to beat faster than a trained heart. Ignore heart rate and stay at a pace where you could speak a whole sentence.
You're not saying how much running you are doing, but if you mix running and walking, you will be able to do more running. Running at a high HR is usually fine if you don't do it more than 2-3 times a week. Running won't make you lose much weight, though, that happens in the kitchen.
I also stay in calorie deficit, running is like a "bonus" lol. I run for like 400m and than I walk for 100m. I do this for about 30minutes a few times a week
Can I still call myself a runner if I only use the treadmill in the summer? I live in hell and I’m not interested in waking up before dawn to run outside
Although I generally prefer to run outside there have been a few periods of my life when I ran almost exclusively on the treadmill for some period of time (sometimes weather related but usually due to childcare issues) and I still always considered myself a runner! Is it the exact same as running outside? Of course not, but it's still running as far as I'm concerned.
I just switched from the brooks ghost 15s with 12mm midsole drop, to a the altra experience flows with 26mm/30mm and a heel toe drop 4mm, and I have the most insane calf cramps. I have zero pain with the brooks. Is this normal when switching shoes? I've been running in various styles of brooks for years and never had cramps like this. That being said I'm still recovering from an Ic issue, so my mileage has been very low for the past few months. Should I keep running in them, or just go back to the brooks?
I started getting plantar fasciitis about three weeks into minimalist shoes. It’s usually recommended to ease into it, starting with just running in them once a week. It takes months for your tendons and whatnot to adapt/reshape.
That would not be unexpected going from a high drop show to a low drop shoe. It's best to ease into lower drop shoes due to the extra strain on our calves. It should improve as you use the lower drop shoes more.
I'm looking at hydration vests for longer training runs with the goal of doing a trail ultra next year. Will getting a larger vest which I will need for the Ultra (say 12L) be too bulky for use in training runs? Or is it best to get used to running with the larger vest even if it's overkill for a training run?
I would get what you plan to use for the race. Even if it is overkill for the training runs, you want to be comfortable with what you use on race day. Don't want to find out that it rubs in a certain spot or some other problem part way through the race.
I ran my first 21k Saturday June 22nd. It took 2:28:47. My PB for 10k is 59:51. My first marathon will be this September and my goal is sub5. ideally around 4:45:00. I asked AI to build my training plan. Here were some specific requirements that I made. I want my longest long run to be 37km. I want my long run day on weekends. I want 2 consecutive no-run day after a long run day. I want to start my long run with 21km. **Training plan** [https://imgur.com/a/2JtupwK](https://imgur.com/a/2JtupwK) Does this training look legit?
I’m a relatively new runner who runs quite often. I’ve always loved running but recently I’ve amped up my training for a sport. So, I got a watch to track my pace and things. But my average hr is 200 bpm while running. Is this something I should be worried about, or is this common for a beginner?
SLOW DOWN! 200 bpm is too high. Not that you should obsess over heart rate, but look up max heart rates for people your age and sex. You’ll find that yours is too high. If you stay below your 80% of max HR your body will catch up and you’ll eventually run just as fast without the possibility of your heart exploding!😀
No one's heart is "exploding" because they're a new runner with a high heart rate. And there's no such thing as an accurate maximum heart rate based on age or sex.
Mr Bottlecoffee, please forgive me. I got a little carried away thinking I knew more than I did about running and fitness than I do. I’m relatively new to the sport so you are right, I have no business giving advice to others when it might be incorrect. Sometimes I think I can help someone who is not as far along in the journey as me, but again, you are right.. i should not be giving advice. I should read more and comment less. Thanks for the reminder
Me and the SO got covid. Back in 2020 I remember people warning not to run for a long time after getting it because we had to isolate and because there was risk of lung damage etc. What's the recommendation now? It just felt like a rough cold, but now it's been a week and we both just have some sinusitis. Can we run yet?
I took ten days off from the first day of symptoms, and eased back into it. In the end I didn't have any lingering ill effects and launched into my half training right after taking it easy for a week or two.
The current official advice where I am (from both national institute of health type of institution as well as sports medicine folks) is to treat it the same as the flu or any other serious cardiorespiratory infection. Up to early 2023 they recommended a longer break for covid but research didn't show it necessary in the end / later in the pandemic. That said, the recommended rest for any serious cardiorespiratory infection is pretty long and the ramp back up to your usual program needs to be gradual. The advice is to wait until acute symptoms are over and then start with a walk and add intensity every few days, listening to your body closely. I'm obviously not your doctor and can't tell you if you can run or if remaining sinusitis counts as a acute symptom, but anyway the advice that covid needs special amounts of rest has been dropped in Europe (it's still not a common cold, you can sometimes run right through one of those).
Thank you, that's the info I was looking for, it's a relief but we're still going to take it easier than initially intended.
Yeah taking it too easy has very little risk beyond boredom, you won't lose a ton of fitness by waiting a couple of extra weeks. But still good to know that studies did not find covid specific risks or different long covid risks.
I ran a couple days after no symptoms. It made my running shit for months but I could do it
My doctor is not your doctor, my health is not your health, you should call your own doc for advice, but: this year my medical team (incl. sports doc and PCP) advised waiting until no symptoms and tested negative, then wait two weeks before running, then come back slowly. The two weeks in between negative and running included gentle cross training. For what it’s worth, my coach said that I bounced back faster once I resumed training than most other athletes she’s had. Which is not necessarily predictive of anyone else’s experience. Thought I was going to go bonkers with two weeks of “I feel good but I’m still on the bench” but in retrospect I’m glad I did it- easing back in with cross training gave me a chance to watch my heart rate and really assess my recovery and how my body felt.
We're just casual runners and our base HR hasn't gone up much, but still feel a little under the weather. Initially we had planned to jump right back into our regular runs, but after asking I think it's better we take it a bit easy. Thank you for the advice
COVID is a nasty piece of work. I hope you have a smooth rest of your recovery and an uncomplicated return to having fun!
Thank you!!
I just started running. I’ve ran 3 different times recently and ran a mile each time at around a 12 minute mile pace. I am looking to run a 5k in the fall (I don’t have one picked out yet) and I’m looking for some kind of couch to 5k plan but there’s so much different information out there I’m overwhelmed! Does anyone have any general advice or especially recommendations for plans to check out? If it helps I’m a 22 year old female. 5’1” 125-130 pounds. Thanks!!
I like the Nike app, they have guided runs and training plans! You can connect it to Spotify so you can listen to music and get motivation throughout your runs
https://c25k.com/c25k_plan/
Thank you! What about that one makes you recommend it?
It has an easy-to-remember URL, and there's nothing uniquely bad about it.
There's no "best" plan (especially at the beginner level), anything that isn't complete garbage will work, including the one the other user linked. That one is good, other ones are also good.
Hi!! Here with another shoe question! I’m looking for a speed shoe and got some great advice here the other day, tried Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 but they’re just a little too narrow 😢 does anyone have a recommendation for an alternative? Thank you!
Every pair of sauconys I’ve tried have made my toenails fall off lol, I love the brooks Hyperion max. I haven’t tried the Hyperion Max 2s, but they look really nice as well
Haha yeah I 100% was like if I keep these, it will be a terrible idea as bad as I want them but ok awesome, thank you. I was looking at the Hyperion Max and my Glycerin 21s were life changing so I think I’m gonna try them! Would you say they’re true to size?
I would get whatever size you normally wear in brooks
There is a subreddit dedicated to shoes. It’s called runningshoegeeks or something like that. It’s great
Thank you!
Hi - thinking of running first ultra. Anyone have advice on finding a good coach? What to look for or where to find one? (Or other advice for first ultra). Thanks!
I've seen a lot of posts on here asking about running while on vacation/traveling. The general consensus is to try to keep it up while on vacation, but the thing I'm not clear about is how that applies to an "active" vacation. Generally I'm not lounging on the beach all day when I'm on vacation, I usually end up walking 10-20 miles a day exploring a city or hiking in nature. The question is if adding running on top of all that walking/hiking is overdoing it/increasing risk of injury. I know walking is generally pretty low-grade activity, but curious what other people's thoughts are on this.
I go into it giving myself the grace to adjust absolutely as much as needed. If I'm beat up I skip a day. I'm feeling good I stretch it out. I'll also usually skip any big workouts and if I do them make them fairly easy. I find it's an amazing way to see additional sights
This is kind of obvious but...just do what you want. If you're training really hard for something, then yeah, try to keep a few runs at least. But if you're just running to stay in shape, there's really no need to run on vacation unless you *really want to*. I've been running a long time, and at this point, I'm very uninterested in packing extra running gear and just take vacation as a rest week to sleep in and give my body a break. You're not going to lose your running fitness unless you're gone for like several weeks and do zero activity.
You really need to just play it by ear and see how your own body reacts and feels. My last two camping trips I ran 20 km on trails and did a lot of hiking afterwards. Was pretty tired when I got home, but I wanted to get the trail running in (training for an ultra). I'm going on a longer vacation soon. I'm obviously not going to running at all while I'm backpacking, but after a day's rest, I'm going to spend the trip running as many days as I can. If this means running in the morning and then hiking later in the day, so be it, as long as I feel okay.
Am I supposed to be hydrating while running/training? I did a run yesterday in higher than usual humidity did not have any issues during the run, would consider it a moderate exertion. Next day my body feels ran down. 40yo M for reference. I don't normally drink water/electrolytes during the actual run when doing less than 6 miles.
How much you drink during the rest of your day is more important. Are you getting 4L of water a day?
Yes totally. I drink .5L right after the run and more throughout the day.
Depends 100% on your individual circumstances. Your body, your fitness levels, your weather, your length of run.
Depends how far you're going. I'll go up to about 14 miles without a drink (and did in yesterdays heat) during training. Just have a big drink and plenty for hours after. Anything more and I'll have a bottle of water halfway. I recognize this may not be the healthiest but I like my training hard and my races easier. But I think my point on distance still stands.
Got some shoe/blister problems I’m hoping to get some help with. I’ve been getting a hot spot by the ball of my foot, but after a long run this past Saturday on almost entirely cambered city streets it’s become a blister. I went back to the shoe store I bought my NB 1080s from for advice and the guy basically told me, different socks, athletic lubricant, and tieing my shoes using a runners loop. I’ve already been using injinji socks as I’ve been getting, non painful, blisters between my toes (they haven’t really helped but they don’t hurt so I haven’t been worried) so I picked up a wool pair and thicker pair of injinjis along with a body glide blister prevention stick. This AMs 3mi run I tried the wool socks with body glide and tied my shoes as tight as was comfortable with the runners loop. All I got was a matching blister on my left ball of foot and my toenails have been hurting all day. I’m gonna try the thicker socks and looser shoes for my mid-week 6mi run tomorrow and hope that helps. But if not I’m out of ideas outside of new, wider, shoes (which the shoe store guy was adamant I don’t need). I have used other normal running socks but get the same hot spot, but no blister. TIA for any advice.
I recognize this is kind of a nebulous question but how do you know when you're ready for a marathon? I'm at the point where I knock out 2 hour HM's without really thinking about it anymore and have a 3 month program to train for my marathon. But I've read loads of posts on here like 'I was SUPER fit for my first marathon but totally wasnt prepared for the wall! I barely made 6 hours!'. I'm really kind of terrified my family will all fly out to watch and I'll be swept.
Thanks for asking this question. I too am considering trying a full for the first time. You got some really good info in your responses. If you decide to go forward, good luck!
Glad it helped. Good luck!
Depend how much volume you are willing and able to maintain. The more you can sustain the better it'll go. As well when you start getting into longer marathons it starts become more like an ultra where fueling and mental endurance are paramount. Some people say they were super fit then dogged a build peaking at 30 miles with 20 average which is just insufficient for the distance. They could be fit and fast for shorter ones but the marathon demands the miles.
What would you say the minimum peak is? 50?
I would say average is going to matter way more than peak. Doing 18 weeks averaging out at 40 and a peak of 45 is way better than an average of 30 over 12 and a peak of 60 or something. For racing plans the basic lower peak is like 50. Just finish the damn thing are in the 30's.
One thing to keep in mind is that "the wall" isn't really a linear fitness issue; it's a fueling and mental challenge. You almost certainly *will* hit it. Most people do. It doesn't mean you're not in good or great shape, it simply means that you have little to no practical experience with the moment that your liver runs clean out of glycogen. - it isn't going to turn a 4 hour marathon into 6. It might make your mile 21 to 24 splits pretty brutal to look at later, but you won't be the only person walking a 16 minute mile or two near the end. - a lot of marathon training plans have you run a 20+mi long a couple weeks before the race. Assuming you've been building mileage throughout and following your plan, this long is a tune up that gives you some foreshadowing of how your mind and body might be feeling when you get close to the common "wall" zone. - make sure that you actually 'practice' fueling. The more accustomed to getting your gels down at sensible and planned intervals the more you'll be able to keep yourself strong in the toughest parts of the race. You might want to try a few different brands or flavors if you don't already know what you like, bc nothing is worse than trying to gag down a gel you know you need but discover mid race disgusts you or gives you a rumbly gut.
Hero, thanks. I am doing all those things and its good to hear its the right track. Theres just a lot of scare stories on here (on some admittedly old threads) about being swept.
What is your current base mileage, when you're not on a training plan?
Before I decided to start the marathon program? Maybe around 15 a week. Edit - I've just finished week 1 of my Marathon plan and it totaled 27.
Fair! That weekly mileage base is pretty low for 4mo out but if you're comfortable with halfs and the first week of your training block didn't feel like a kick in the face I think you'll be solid. 🙂
Ouch! Am scared again now!
Sorry, that wasn't my goal at all. My point was just that 15mpw is quite low for a base pre-marathon, but if you can comfortably run a 2hr half then you are most certainly capable of your full training plan.
There's a lot of scare stories because a marathon is long enough that SO much can go wrong and it can be incredibly unpredictable. I've trained well and bonked hard in the race, and I've undertrained and have felt better through the later miles than I did when I trained harder. Sometimes it's just a crapshoot depending on the circumstances of the day, and all you can do is train appropriately, fuel/hydrate well, and hope the weather is good. Every marathon is its own experience. Go for it! (Edit: I'm biased because I'm still coming off a post-marathon high lol)
Congrats
Hi! I'm looking to get the Saloman Adv Skin 12 for my trail runs, but I am in between the large and the extra large vest. The large is a little snug around the arms and upper/mid-back when I'm just wearing a t-shirt, even when I widen it to the widest settings. The extra large fits more comfortably with a t-shirt, but it is definitely a little loose, and I have to tighten the strap halfway, such that it's hanging a little bit. I have to tuck the adjustment strap in the pocket because it hangs a lot when I tighten it that much. I had both flasks in when I tried it on. The large surprisingly seems to bounce with weight in it whereas the extra large does not. Would you recommend that I size up and go with XL, or would the L be sufficient? Any input regarding this would be much appreciated; thanks so much!
I'd go with the XL. I have a small, but same sizing issue - it fit the best in the arms etc. but I have the adjustment strings tightened so much they hang a bit. It's worked out wonderfully overall, BTW! It's my first time using a running vest and I've been pleased. Let us know how you like it!
Oh is it supposed to feel tight around the arms? That's what the large does for me. The extra large wraps around it, but it doesn't squeeze me as much. It's my first time using a running vest too, so I'm super new to this world! I'll definitely let y'all know how I like it!
It’s actually my first time using a vest too, so I am also not completely sure! Hope it works great. :)
Go bigger. You can wear layers under it in the winter, and less worries about chafing.
women, do you wash your hair after every run? I do at the moment, and it seems to limit when I can train because of the amount of time it takes to wash and dry after every run
I used to and stopped because I couldn’t run as often as I wanted. I braid it during running and that has helped it look presentable enough, but I’m only skipping washes on more casual days where I don’t have to look nice.
Long-haired dude here. I definitely do. Unless the rest of my day is going to consist of some sort of particularly dirty work or include a gym trip. Then I'll wait until after that to deal with my hair situation!
I don’t. I wash once a week after my Saturday long run, occasionally 2x a week in the summer depending on what I have going on. My hair is super thick and takes hours to air dry, plus I can’t wear it down at work, so if I wash during the week I end up with a still-damp ponytail 8-9 hours later. I also *hate* my hair on days 1-2 after a wash (too floofy) so no chance I’m washing it 5 or 6x a week.
I absolutely do. The few times I've tried not washing, I majorly regretted it, lol. Honestly one of the reasons I keep shorter hair.
I do, but I also have friends who do not, and just use dry shampoo in between hair washings. It really depends on your hair and preference. Mine would just be a complete sweat knot in the summer.
I do, it gets way too gross if I don't. But my hair is pretty fine textured and thin so washing and either drying or air drying don't take up a ton of my time. Putting it up in a clip at least feels put together enough for me too after a shower if I really am pressed for time!
I wash or at least rinse after each run, otherwise it gets too gross. I’m lazy and I just air dry it though 90% of the time.
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Coming back to running after being out with a stress fracture for almost 3 months. I've been putting in 7-10 hours a week between elliptical and cycling along with occasional swimming and some strength work. I feel like I've done a good job with my endurance, but I have no idea where my pace is going to be. Those who have been in a similar situation, how much did you lose and how long did it take to get it back?
[https://youtu.be/5TWzC0KA6uo](https://youtu.be/5TWzC0KA6uo) According to Jack Daniels, if you done the regular cross training, you go down by multiplying your current VDOT with 0.9 So, if you are at VDOT 50 (easy running pace \~4:56-5:30 km), meaning your best time for a 5K is \~20 minutes, now you are back to VDOT 45 (easy running pace \~5:23-6:00), meaning your best time for a 5K is \~22 minutes. You can get back to you regular training in 3-4 months (your actual fitness will come back sooner). First, start with this kind of training [https://i.imgur.com/nrO6h6J.png](https://i.imgur.com/nrO6h6J.png) (I know it can seem very easy and laid back but just trust the process and be careful).
Based on that formula, I should still be able to manage a sub 18 5k, but just barely. Which would be absolutely incredible if that's the case. I was expecting much worse, honestly. Afraid to be too optimistic, but that does give me a glimmer of hope.
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9:30-9:50 is already a pretty big spread in terms of goal. Thats a 10 minute band. So i'd actually decide on a target pace and not bounce around that much. We realistically have no idea how those felt or what your are capable of with just those numbers. We don't know age, gender, any other prs etc. We need way way more information in order to even try to guess.
Should I reduce my long run distances when beginning a new training plan? I'm looking to start a 16 week program next week for an October race with a goal time of 1:40. My current PR from May is 1:45:26. I've been hitting at least 40km/week with comfortable 18-25km long runs most weekends for the past 4-ish months. My training plan (using Runna) has my first long run at 12km and doesn't build up to 20km until week 8. Is there a benefit to dialling back my long runs by that much, or should I look into a different plan?
Ideally you probably find a different plan that meets you where you’re at.
Thanks for the input! I wasn’t sure if there might be some benefit to scaling back and effectively tapering for a few weeks before diving back into longer runs. This is my first time using Runna app and the wording/factors they use to qualify running ability throw me off a bit. I had to set my skill level to “advanced” to generate the plan mentioned above, when I consider myself to be intermediate at best! Updating that setting to “elite” (which seems laughable) creates a weekly plan and progression that is much more on par with my current schedule and mileage.
How was running changed your life? For me, I used to be a non-runner but would go to the gym. I hated running! You would never see me run. But then I joined a club and I liked the feeling of being out in nature and everything changed. I now can’t imagine my life without it. I actually get depressed when I’m injured because I can’t run. My life is about running (and the gym) now. I’ve quit my job and decided I want a job that will be flexible enough for me to train 50k+ per week, and fund my new lifestyle (races, nutrition etc.) I’m not athlete. I’m actually ridiculously slow. But it has given me such joy and made me a better lifter (as now I eat to fuel performance rather than trying to diet and lose weight). I love running. It gives me purpose in my life and I LOVE how I’m progressing. The small wins are so encouraging. I genuinely cannot wait to move into the fitness industry. Health and fitness are now everything to me.
How do you know when to start speedwork after you recover from an injury? I am currently injured and probably need a total of 3/4 weeks to recover (I am on week 2). I am eyeing a half marathon on Oct 26 and possibly a 10 km on Sep 22, but I need to build up my base again first. I am just not sure how much time I need before I can jump back into regular training.
I do it by feel.
What is a normal BPM during an easy run? I can do a sub 6 mile and sub 20 5k, so my easy pace for 5-8 miles is 8 mins/ mile, but noticed about halfway through my bpm was 180. Is this normal? Note: I’m 13, if being younger has an impact
Children's hearts usually beat faster where adult hearts rely on moving more blood per beat.
There's no such thing as normal and yes your individual heart rate changes as you get older.
I’ve run a couple half marathons, and now I’m looking at doing a full next summer. Would it be a bad idea to race the half during my training? If not, there would be an extra 2 weeks between races compared to what the training schedule suggests… how should I fill those extra 2 weeks?
Racing a half as part of marathon training is totally normal but usually the half is like 5-6 weeks before the full, not 2 weeks.
I guess my wording was confusing… the half is 14 weeks before the full but the training program I’m looking at has 12 weeks between them- an extra two weeks relative to the training schedule.
Oh that's fine. Just spend those weeks recovering.
Racing a half 2 weeks before a full is an absolutely terrible idea. Just start the training schedule 2 weeks later? Pretty simple.
The half is 14 weeks before the full. The training only has 12 weeks between half and full- so two extra weeks, not two weeks total.
I started running about 3 months ago. I try to run 3 times per week - 2 distance and one shorter faster run. Prior I had no real running experience, well I guess bad experiences from having to walk the mile in high school at 25+ minutes. My whole life I was very obese. In 2018 I weighed 385 lbs and now weigh 205 lbs. I'm still not where I want to be, but its progress. I've gotten my distance runs to 10K. My 5K and 10K paces are very similar - around 12:00/mile. How do I start improving this pace? It's a comfortable pace I can keep for the whole run. I know I can go faster, if I just do a single mile I can get it done in 8 minutes, but getting the endurance to keep that pace for much longer seems so impossible. I have my first race next month! It's only a 1 mile race, but I am very excited. My current mile time puts me right in the middle of the historical race results (its a local race). If I can get under 8 minutes on race day then I will be ecstatic.
Just wanna say losing 185 POUNDS is insane, you should feel great about that :). My biggest advice to get better at running: run, a lot! Kipchoge, has the 2nd fastest official marathon and a sub 2 hour one unofficially, runs 200km+ weekly, around 130 miles! Even 100 miles less will do numbers for your running at all distances
One approach is to practice shorter intervals at your target pace, and then stitch them together to get to the race distance. Let's set a goal somewhere between your mile pace and your "comfortable" pace -- say 9:00 (which should add up to a 28:00 5k). Start with a workout like 5 x 1km @ 9:00 pace, with 90s rest in between reps. (If you can't do 5 of these, work your way up to it). From there, you can decrease the rest interval, or just make the intervals longer while keeping the total distance roughly the same (e.g. 3 x mile or 2 x 2.5km). Doing this gradually, with one speed workout a week, you'll hopefully be ready for the 5km @ 9:00 within a few months. Edit: good luck with your mile next month! Sounds like a great opportunity to measure your progress.
I'm new to running and am alwasy very belly bloated afterward. Will this go away as i start running more often? it's the point i cant suck it in
I always take the weirdest poops after running.
Can anyone recommend the best watch (Garmin or Apple) for tracking my runs? I also want it to be able to report that data into apps like Strava. Only really interested in my mileage, my pace/splits, heart rate, tracking route if it can, and working without wifi. I don’t need anything fancy like music or texting or anything, etc.
Someone recently described Apple Watch as a lifestyle watch with some fitness apps and Garmin as a fitness watch with some lifestyle apps. I’ve been using Apple Watch exclusively for the last 6ish years but I’m planning to make the switch to Garmin because it has more fitness things I’m looking for like tracking my suggested recovery periods and training i intensities and I’ve heard it’s better at tracking paced and miles better than apple. But I think it’s ultimately a preference. Like what’s the overall usage you’re trying to go for. Are you looking for something fitness heavy vs like incorporating your life into it. It’s like how some people prefer lose it to my fitness pal or Strava to Nike Run Club.
You don't need "the best", the Garmin Forerunner 55 is very good, battery lasts weeks. Charges in about the time it takes to shower, get dressed and eat breakfast in my experience. Very comfortable strap too.
Thank you— yeah I guess that is what I meant by the “best.” Just reliable, easy to use, no BS type of thing haha
Garmin or Coros are vastly better running watches than Apple.
Garmin is a fitness watch first. Apple is a smart watch first.
thank you! does garmin also track regular steps when im not running? forgot to mention that in my post
Yes it does. The insert in the watch box will give instructions on signing up with Garmin Connect and it will track your step count.
Wondering if anyone has a good recommendation for a running backpack that can fit a laptop, small lunch, and change of clothes without being too bouncy or uncomfortable. I'm trying to work in more running during the week, but on some days simply don't have the time unless I ran some of my commute. The biggest issue is I would need to bring my work laptop with me. Any way to comfortably run with a laptop, or should I be looking into biking the commute for some added exercise instead?
When I run commute I leave my laptop at the office and run home without it, then I go back into the office the next day. Much more comfortable.
Unfortunately leaving the laptop in the office isn't an option, but perhaps it's worth an ask to our IT department if I could have a separate in-office setup.
If I may ask why can’t you leave the laptop there? Do you need it at home also?
Yup, my work often has pretty long hours so I frequently need to hop online to do another hour or two of work after dinner - which is why I'm trying to find more time to finagle exercise. A home setup without the laptop isn't possible either with our current IT policy.
Oh, unfortunate. I think it is worth it to ask for the separate in-office setup, best of luck!
I'm not OP but ever since COVID we have to take our laptops home at my job.
If I may ask why can’t you leave the laptop there? Do you need it at home also?
There is no way to run with a laptop that is going to be comfortable. Best way i've found to do this is bring your clothes for the week to the office the first day then just leave your laptop.
I can definitely leave clothes there to change into, but unfortunately I need to bring the laptop back and forth. Maybe biking the commute is the (comfortable) way to go instead.
Salomon Trailblazer (10L or 20L). Biking would probably be much more comfortable with a laptop.
I have a question on even splits on my last two races. I had very consistent splits throughout. Is there something missing in my training or is this normal. I am only 6 months into my running journey and want to improve as much as I can before the next race. **Half Marathon(May 5th):** 14km: 5:33/km 1:18:49 Finish: 5:33/km 1:57:00 **10K Race (June 15th):** 5k: 5:03.6/km 25:16 10K: 5:03/km 50:32 I presently don't have a good running watch so I don't have a good log of all splits for these races. I am using a 2019 Amazfit which is not at all good with numbers. Is it normal to have even splits or am i not conserving enough for the final push? I am Male 37, 76kgs and 171cm height.
I find the consistency of your splits impressive! I tend to negative split by a decent amount, which I think shows a lack of confidence on my part.
You ran a good well paced race. Even splits are usually a sign of that. Large negative splits means you left too much out there, large positive splits started too hot.
Is anybody else feeling a bit tired of Strava communites? Been using Strava since 2015 but lately it has become a nuisance. A lot of people around me new to running but cant stop commenting about my heart bpm, schedual etc. I just want to run. Practice is not a race. Comments and attention is exhausting. Anybody else feel the same?
Weird... my feed is pretty much exclusively kudos buttons and the odd "fun looking route!" or "good one!" on long or tempo runs..
That's weird, and people around me don't do that. If it bothers you stop making runs public.
That is strange. In my area like no one ever comments. They might hit the like button on your run, but that is even rare.
I’m 63F. Is it too late to start running? I’d really like to start a running program. (I haven’t run since before puberty.) I’m starting super slow now. My 1st goal is a local fun run then a 5k. I think I can do it, maybe next year. But am I too late? I’m in fair shape. Not overweight. I only walk a mile to 1.5 miles for my workouts 3 or 4 days a week. #oldRunner #Thoughts?
Absolutely not too late, I started at 50(now 55 and still going strong) it's actually addicting in a sense once you start doing it regularly. I'm going to sign up for at least one 5K this year and maybe a 10K both would be my first of each. Happy Running!
Awesome! Thanks for the encouragement and good luck on your 5k & 10k!
It's never too late as long as you're above the dirt.
Yep. Good point.
It's not too late. Start small, begin with run/walk intervals (perhaps 5 minute walk, 30 seconds easy intensity run, repeat) during your current 1-1.5 mile activities. After a month perhaps shift to 4:30 / 0:30 or 5:00 / 0:45 and 1.1 to 1.6 miles. Read about the Couch to 5k program, though it's fine to follow your own gradual conservative approach. For inspiration, read about Ruby Ghadially. At age 57 she ran half a mile at 15:00/mile pace and by 63 she had run a mile in 6:09 - close to the world record for her age. There are many more people who took up running in their 50s, 60s, and 70s and became competitive at regional, national, and international events. And plenty who go from no running or no running for decades to completing a local 5k.
Thanks. This is so inspirational! I’ll keep this advice with me during my workouts.
I'm coming back to running after 5 years and 40 lbs. As I'm rebuilding basic stamina, am I on the right track by forcing myself to slow down or walk to keep my heart rate around zone 2? I don't have any health concerns, but in this muggy midwest summer air it can be challenging to keep HR down, and my recollection of early running programs like Couch to 5k is time-based not HR based
I would go off perceived exertion and not a specific HR. Unless you've been to a lab and measured your LTHR your zones are probably off anyway. Just shoot for being able to hold a conversation but the person you're talking to would know you're exercising. Another sign is minimal recovery period because you shouldn't be having much lactate building up. The heat is brutal on HR, I was hitting 150 over the weekend just walking to the garage to get some fuel for the chainsaw.
That’s basically what I mean by z2 as well. I just also have a rough idea of where that will be in bpm from experience. I don’t mean to imply precision
The focus on z2 training is to be able to add volume without injury. Early on, unless you were otherwise active (cycling, swimming, basketball, etc), it's going to be hard to stay in z2, and really isn't necessary at low volume. As you build fitness and increase mileage, running at lower intensity most of the time becomes more important. You are going to get conflicting feedback regarding running by heart rate; I personally mainly run by effort and use heart rate as a sanity check, but others differ. If you are going to run by heart rate, make sure the data is reliable; wrist based monitoring can be unreliable, especially if you have a larger watch and/or smaller wrists.
This week is going to be hot as balls. Won't be able to reschedule my remaning workouts to the evening so I'll squeeze them in during the lunch breaks. What should my mind set be here? Just accept that it'll be brutally tough and suck it up? Had a few great sessions last week with a 5K PB, but the temps was hovering around 18-20C. This week we'll be looking at 28-32. I ran my 400 meter intervals today, so I have a 4x1000 and a distance session planned. I'll be moving away from the tarmac and 400 meter track and do them in the woods instead to get some of that sweet shade.
28-32 is hot but not so hot you need to worry in my opinion. Just try to stay in the shade and drink more water.
Brother, I live in Scandinavia, lol
I mean, I live in Canada? I run in -20 to +33. If you're not used to the heat definitely take it easy, but we're not talking like 40 C here.
Oh yeah, I hear you. Tried to be funny - should try harder. :)
It's hot+humid where I live and I do much of my running on black asphalt. It was 91F (33C) and 65% humidity yesterday late in the morning. In conditions like this I take breaks on longer runs, hydrate more (usually don't at all in cool weather unless 2+ hours), and switch from jogging recovery to standing recovery. For easy runs I go by perceived effort so my pace may be >5% slower. I usually switch to shorter tempos and run slower, but <5% slower for tempos and shorter intervals like 400s.
Don't push things. If it is hot, I accept that workouts won't be as high of quality or as fast, and if the temperature qualifies as "hot as balls" I would ditch workouts altogether and do easy to sub- threshold runs. Or ride my bike, since that is cooler (basically creating a breeze).
2 questions: 1. When should I invest in a race day shoe and start wearing them to break them in? 2. Are there any recommended training plans or apps that you recommend? Background: I currently have a pair of ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 and On Cloud Gos that I use interchangeably. I wore the On Clouds in my most recent 5k (my 5th one). I have a 5k in Nov, a 10k in Jan, and then a 5k and my first half marathon in June of next year. I currently use NRCs training plans and they helped a great deal from Feb-Now. Cut my mile time down from 17 mins to about 15 on average with my current mile or being 14.30 (at one point mile time was like 22 mins back in January). I’m starting to really enjoy running so also any tips in general will be helpful. TYIA!
I'd wear them once doing speed work. Just keep at it and keep enjoying it!
I'd wear a new racing shoe 3 times before your November race, wearing them in at least one run of 5k distance and twice for workouts at close to target 5k intensity. This has less to do with breaking them in and more to do with ensuring they fit right, feel good, and don't cause any issues like blisters. Buy a pair perhaps 6 weeks beforehand so that if there are issues you have an opportunity to return them and purchase a different shoe. All that said, a racing shoe isn't necessary. I raced in trainers for my first decade of racing (mostly 5k to half marathon) and didn't rotate shoes. I would advise against buying expensive carbon-plated (or nylon-plated) shoes. They're not as stable and at your pace it's possible you'll actually be slower during a maximal effort like a 5k race. I typically race in an ultra-lightweight (3.5 ounces) racing flat I bought heavily discounted in 2021 or a more modest 6.5 ounce racing flat I bought several years before that. They're waaaaaaay less cushioned than my trainers, but I can run slightly faster - maybe 2% faster in the 3.5 ounce shoes. So don't expect your pace to improve substantially.
Race shoe depends more on personal preference than speed. There’s some research saying you need X:XX pace to really get the mechanical benefits of something like a Vaporfly, but if it’s a purchase that makes you enjoy running and do it more often (and you can afford it) then there’s no need to wait. As far as break-in, just try them in a shorter / faster daily run or two before an official race. Plan wise, Nike app has some options; Garmin does too. Couch to 5K if your main goal is sustaining your running for 20+ minutes. Good luck!
Gotcha that makes sense! Garmin is on my list. It’s going to be a promo gift to myself in a few months. So I’m glad that’s on the right track! Thank you for the tip about the pacing for shoes bc I don’t think I need the whole carbon plate thing yet. I’ll add couch to 5k on my list to check out. For the most part I can run for 20+ mins. The farthest without stopping so far is 4 miles! Thank you!
Not related to training plans per se, but I really enjoy using the Strava app to track my runs, and to connect with other runners in my area!
I didn't go to Strava until the beginning of this year where I was determined to be more consistent(kidney stone surgery last Oct derailed my running) Now I can't see not using as a helpful tool/motivator, at least for me with setting goals in it.
I heard good things about Strava but wasn’t sure if that was just TikTok hype. Thank you!
Sure! Even just the free version is great BTW, I've been using it for years now. :)
I've recently started running to lose weight. However, despite running slowly (around 8 km per hour), my average heart rate is around 180. I've read that running in Zone 5 is not recommended for extended periods and that it's better to slow down. If I slow down, I'll have to walk. Should I continue running at my current pace, or should I slow down?
Try " C25K " , that's what got me into running.
These zones mean nothing until you’re a little bit trained. Your heart is untrained so it has to beat faster than a trained heart. Ignore heart rate and stay at a pace where you could speak a whole sentence.
thank you!
You're not saying how much running you are doing, but if you mix running and walking, you will be able to do more running. Running at a high HR is usually fine if you don't do it more than 2-3 times a week. Running won't make you lose much weight, though, that happens in the kitchen.
I also stay in calorie deficit, running is like a "bonus" lol. I run for like 400m and than I walk for 100m. I do this for about 30minutes a few times a week
At that point, I'd just try to go by feel. Something that feels hard, but sustainable.
Can I still call myself a runner if I only use the treadmill in the summer? I live in hell and I’m not interested in waking up before dawn to run outside
Although I generally prefer to run outside there have been a few periods of my life when I ran almost exclusively on the treadmill for some period of time (sometimes weather related but usually due to childcare issues) and I still always considered myself a runner! Is it the exact same as running outside? Of course not, but it's still running as far as I'm concerned.
Thank you! I’ll take it
Ah but the 8pm post-sunset run is so underrated. Terrible for your sleep schedule... but summer evenings have such good vibes <3
It’s still too hot at 8pm to run where I live
Have been starting all my runs around 8:30pm the past few weeks. So nice not having to slather on the sunscreen!