I want to run a marathon. (The running thread)

[roxy]

I'm a maybe for that Angel Island run....I will keep you guys posted

 

[scratchpad]

Anyone know the accuracy of the distance given on these machines?

I'm also curious about this except i'm interested in the treadmill accuracy. I would imagine the incline would be accurate but the speed and mileage is what i'm questioning. Anybody in the know?

 

[roxy]

It really depends on the treadmill. I find that treadmills differ in their calibrations. So, I just run by effort and time. Some treadmills I run faster on than others.

Your perceived effort is much more important than what a digital readout is telling you. Even if the pace is accurate, some people find running on the treadmill either easier or harder than running outside, for a variety of reasons. Even mental boredom can make treadmill running seem harder. If you feel like you’re running hard enough, or if you feel like you’re running too slow, you probably are.

In general though, to reproduce the effort level required outside, it’s a good idea to have the incline set to 1%

Give some thought to getting a pedometer. They are inexpensive & great for measuring distance through new areas. I checked its accuracy by running a specific distance & compared it to the cars odometer.

Next wear the pedometer on the treadmill for a workout & compare the distance reading on the treadmill with that on the pedometer.

 

[davis8]

Wow...I just found this thread. Just reading this thread made me feel healthier. You guys are an inspiration. I WILL start running again (but definitely no marathons).

Thanks,
Davis

 

[stan23]

It really depends on the treadmill. I find that treadmills differ in their calibrations. So, I just run by effort and time. Some treadmills I run faster on than others.

Your perceived effort is much more important than what a digital readout is telling you. Even if the pace is accurate, some people find running on the treadmill either easier or harder than running outside, for a variety of reasons. Even mental boredom can make treadmill running seem harder. If you feel like you’re running hard enough, or if you feel like you’re running too slow, you probably are.

In general though, to reproduce the effort level required outside, it’s a good idea to have the incline set to 1%

Give some thought to getting a pedometer. They are inexpensive & great for measuring distance through new areas. I checked its accuracy by running a specific distance & compared it to the cars odometer.

Next wear the pedometer on the treadmill for a workout & compare the distance reading on the treadmill with that on the pedometer.

Treadmill running is definitely easier (no wind resistance) but very boring. I can top out on a treadmill at 50-minutes before I get bored to death.

Outdoor running is much harder on the joints (you will definitely feel more tired after running outdoor) but I think it's a much better workout. I used a pedometer before, but I found out my cheapo one I got for free wasn't all that accurate.

What I did was drive around my running trail and I that is how I assessed the distance... Pretty ghetto, but I only run on one trail, so that is how I know. I now have a handheld GPS unit, so it is much easier to keep track of distances on trails I have not run before. Not only that, I can see how my pace is at the begining of the run vs. the end of the run. I can take all this data and adjust accordingly.

On a side note, anybody like running on a track? There's this public track in Campbell that's pretty cool. Lots of folks run there on any given night.

 

[roxy]

Try using www.mapmyrun.com

I've been using it to map out my longer runs

As for track running, I do it 2-3 times a week to work on my speed/intervals.

I do 6-mile intervals.

1 mile warmup and 1 mile cooldown.

Basically its 6 1-mile intervals......with 2 to 3-minutes of recovery in between. I typically feel like by the 4th or 5th mile

Or I do a mixture of 400m and 800m intervals.....with 1-2 minute recovery

Tracks are nice when you don't wish to run very far but still obtain the mileage....unless you get bored running in circles ......

 

[stan23]

Thanks for the link Roxy. Looks like I handicapped myself earlier for not realizing a site like this exists.

The one thing I wanted to ask about track running..

Say, i'm at your typical track; 4 revolutions/mile.. I often ponder how destructive it is on my ankles when doing long distance running. Say I do 8 miles in one sitting, That means I am doing 32 laps going the same direction. It must put more stress on my ankles making the same left turn, no?

The track I run at, says you can only go counter-clockwise, and you would look like a tool if you went clockwise.

Any opinions?

 

[roxy]

It's an unwritten law of the universe that runners must run on a track counter-clockwise, rather than clockwise. This means that for the person who trains excessively on the track, ITBS (Iliotibial Band Syndrome) will almost always strike in the left (inside) leg, because the left tensor fascia lata and its bands must control a greater deceleration of adduction than the right (outside) hip.

I run in the clockwise direction every other session spent on the track---I certainly hope I don't look like a tool

I began having issues with my left knee and IT band the more I ran on the track. I was told that running in the clockwise direction would alleviate these symptoms, and it did.

 

[stan23]

It's an unwritten law of the universe that runners must run on a track counter-clockwise, rather than clockwise. This means that for the person who trains excessively on the track, ITBS will almost always strike in the left (inside) leg, because the left tensor fascia lata and its bands must control a greater deceleration of adduction than the right (outside) hip.

I run in the clockwise direction every other session spent on the track---I certainly hope I don't look like a tool

I began having issues with my left knee and IT band the more I ran on the track. I was told that running in the clockwise would alleviate the ankle and IT band symptoms.

Thanks again for the info.

 

[roxy]

ITBS is a common cause of knee pain in runners, bicyclists, martial artists and dancers. It is characterized by sharp or burning pain on the outside (lateral) side of the knee, thigh or buttocks.

What is the ITB and what does it do?
The ITB is a wide, flat ligament like structure that runs down the side of the thigh from the side of the hip (iliac crest) to the lateral part of the bone just below the knee (tibia). It provides stability to the outside of the knee and helps control inward motion of the thigh. The ITB is not attached to bone as it passes between the femur and the tibia. This allows the ITB to move forward and backward with knee flexion and extension.

The function of the ITB is to slow down or decelerate adduction (movement toward the midline of the body) of the thigh during walking or running. In other words, the ITB stabilizes the thigh and prevents unnecessary side-to-side motion. "This adduction occurs about 90 times per minute per leg as you run and almost 22,000 times during a four-hour marathon! No wonder the ITB sometimes complains!" (1)

What causes ITBS?
ITBS is believed to result from recurrent friction of the iliotibial band (ITB) over the bony prominence just above the lateral portion of the knee. With ITBS, the bursa often become inflamed, causing a clicking sensation as the knee flexes and extends. Over time, inflammation actually diminishes and scar tissue (adhesions) develops from the repetitive tearing of the fibers of the ITB. Because of the build-up of adhesions, the ITB becomes congested and tight with greatly decreased blood flow. This causes a further build-up of congestion and the process continues.

Running (2)
1. Running on slanted surfaces (runners who run with the traffic tend to have ITB troubles in their right thigh because that leg must travel a greater distance each time it hits the ground) or run track (the counterclockwise running causes ITBS in the left thigh because the ITB must control a greater deceleration of adduction in the left hip.
2. Too much downhill running.

 

[Baptistro]

wow, Rox, you're a wealth of information

Let's talk pedometers.

My dad got me a fancy pedometer thingie that does heartrate monitoring, etc.

Now, since I am just beginning running, I don't think I have my running stride down yet, and the distance calculations are based on the length of your stride. Is calibration of these things actually pretty simple, or am I right in spinning my wheels?

 

[stan23]

wow, Rox, you're a wealth of information

Let's talk pedometers.

My dad got me a fancy pedometer thingie that does heartrate monitoring, etc.

Now, since I am just beginning running, I don't think I have my running stride down yet, and the distance calculations are based on the length of your stride. Is calibration of these things actually pretty simple, or am I right in spinning my wheels?

I set one of those up for my ex-gf and it was not all too accurate for her since her stride varies as she runs.

Handheld GPS dude

 

[MrCrash]

Handheld GPS dude

It's fun uploading the data to MotionBased:

 

[Baptistro]

I set one of those up for my ex-gf and it was not all too accurate for her since her stride varies as she runs.

Handheld GPS dude

Never looked into it.... any insights? I'd want one that is pretty light as I don't like carrying anything when I run, not even an ipod.

 

[stan23]

Never looked into it.... any insights? I'd want one that is pretty light as I don't like carrying anything when I run, not even an ipod.

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=69673

Well, I use it for EVERYTHING.. My car, motorcycle, bicycle and now running. It's not the smallest thing. A little bigger than a deck of cards, but it is very robust.. You can set it to pedestrian mode and it will ignore 1-way streets and freeways, expressways, etc.. I just set a route, and follow it. I have my headphones hooked up to it, and I just listen to mp3s (yes, it plays mp3s) and when the appropriate turn comes up, It will tell me by muting the mp3 for a second.

You can also record your run, and with it you can purge data, such as speed, time, max mph, distance, etc.. I use this data to try to balance out my runs. I don't want to go too strong in the beginning and taper off in the end.

Best of all, @ $200, it was a much better deal than an ipod.

 

[Baptistro]

hmmm, very interesting.... any recomendations? Or should I just get off my ass and research it myself?

 

[stan23]

hmmm, very interesting.... any recomendations? Or should I just get off my ass and research it myself?

I like the unit I have since It serves many purposes outside of running. It was cheap, good build quality and has saved me time again and again.

You're more than welcome to check it out next time I see you...

but I will be honest, unless you don't mind lugging something around while you run, it may not work for you. Personally for me, I just hold it in my hand.

 

[MrCrash]

but I will be honest, unless you don't mind lugging something around while you run, it may not work for you. Personally for me, I just hold it in my hand.

I've been using a Garmin 305 for the past six months. It doesn't play mp3s, but I love the compact size of the unit and the data charts I can generate with the software.

The 205 has many of the same features as the 305, but without the heart rate monitor. I've seen them new on eBay for under $200.

 

[scratchpad]

It really depends on the treadmill. I find that treadmills differ in their calibrations. So, I just run by effort and time. Some treadmills I run faster on than others.

Your perceived effort is much more important than what a digital readout is telling you. Even if the pace is accurate, some people find running on the treadmill either easier or harder than running outside, for a variety of reasons. Even mental boredom can make treadmill running seem harder. If you feel like you’re running hard enough, or if you feel like you’re running too slow, you probably are.

In general though, to reproduce the effort level required outside, it’s a good idea to have the incline set to 1%

Give some thought to getting a pedometer. They are inexpensive & great for measuring distance through new areas. I checked its accuracy by running a specific distance & compared it to the cars odometer.

Next wear the pedometer on the treadmill for a workout & compare the distance reading on the treadmill with that on the pedometer.

good stuff!

Does it take anyone else a good 20-25 minutes to get warmed up and/or in a comfortable rythym? Normal? My first, up to 20 min, always feel cold and sometimes struggle and then things start to smooth out a bit. Maybe its time for a change in training.

 

[Atak Kat]

good stuff!

Does it take anyone else a good 20-25 minutes to get warmed up and/or in a comfortable rythym?

For me personally , yes. Depending on the outside temp and how my legs are feeling that morning, it sometimes takes me a good 2-3 miles to get fully stretched out into a comfortable pace.

Just take your time and don't rush into the run.

For the treadmill stuff (which I affectionally refer to as the 'dreadmill') here's a good pace conversion chart:

http://www.hillrunner.com/training/tmillchart.php

You may want to run with at least 1% incline to make up for the lack of wind resistance associated with outside running.