The CAG Runners Thread (all experience levels welcome)

Well, you have to consider fitness level. It will vary depending if someone is 30lbs overweight, 10 lbs overweight, average weight but no conditioning, etc. A good mile time can vary greatly depending on this factor. IMO, if someone is just starting to get into running, time shouldn't be the primary concern. Making sure they know their initial limits is highly important in order to avoid injury, especially early in the process. An early injury can be discouraging to the point that people will just quit instead of sticking with it. Some of the more experienced runners here may have a differing opinion but that's just my .02.
 
[quote name='hopesfall']Great thread guys. I'm a fairly serious runner (but not quite as serious as usickenme) - 3 marathons, 3 half marathons, and typically get out 4-5 times a week for a run when I'm not training. I've run into a nasty combo of plantar and some kind of hip flexor strain, so I'm resting for 2 weeks to see if that helps.

Question - do any of you use the Nike+ app to track your runs? I used to use a Garmin ForeRunner 405 to track my runs, but I think this app has gotten much, much better in the last couple of years and now I use it to track everything.[/QUOTE]

Old question but I found that the Nike+ was not particularly accurate. I normally ran with forerunner 305 or biked the same path with cyclometer and the garmin and the bike seemed pretty close but the Nike+ was off quite a bit, something like 3/4 mile over a ten mile stretch. In all fairness it has been awhile since I used it and they may have updated some of the software. One of these days I hope to get a garmin 910xt and try that. It is supposed to be the first true multi-sport watch. I was always paranoid about my 305 falling out from my swim cap
 
So ive been getting back into running myself lately. I'm up to 8 miles an hour ( AS in running at a pace of 8mph for an hour)but have really been struggling breaking past this point for weeks now. I really want to get up to 9mph minimum by June,though ten would be ideal I'd be comfortable with nine.

Any tips?
 
I found the Nike+ app pretty inaccurate too. I used the Jillian Michaels app for a little while, which was decent for a free app, before I switched to using Runmeter.
 
[quote name='Temporaryscars']Uhhh, well, lets say for the average, healthy person around 30 years of age. Lets not consider fitness level at the moment or anything like that.[/QUOTE]


Like mentioned above, I think you have to consider fitness level.



[quote name='Rumors']So ive been getting back into running myself lately. I'm up to 8 miles an hour ( AS in running at a pace of 8mph for an hour)but have really been struggling breaking past this point for weeks now. I really want to get up to 9mph minimum by June,though ten would be ideal I'd be comfortable with nine.[/QUOTE]


When I was trying to increase my speed I did something like this:

Mon - Regular pace, 3-5 miles
Tue - Sprint 1/4 mile, jog for 2.5x the time it took for the sprint, repeat for 10 sprints
Wed - Long run, slower pace, 5+ miles
Thu - Run near full speed (probably 90% max effort) for as far as possible, usually 1-2 miles
Fri - Regular pace, 3-5 miles
 
In general I found that phone apps aren't as accurate as a GPS watch. I have the Garmin 405 as noted before and have friends who say the Nike + watch works great as well.

Agreed that good mile time is a function of fitness level more than age as one has to do speed work (like that outlined by blindinglights above) to get their pace up.

I don't bother much with speed since I've just been running since late February and a lot of stuff I read said not to worry with speed the first year or so to build up a base and avoid injury. And I've been sticking with that as I have had some issues with my knees and feet at times.

No idea what my mile time is. Haven't done a run under 3 miles in months. Fastest avg. pace I"ve hit on a 3 miler is around 8:30, 4-7 milers I'm usually somewhere between 9-9:30. I'd guess I could bang out a single mile in 7 something. I'm 34, 5'9" and 153lbs currently.

Slept through my group run this morning, some of the meds I have to take after getting a lump on my lip removed (scar tissue around a saliva gland from biting in hard a couple months back) make me drowsy. Will get out for a run later this afternoon after doing some work though.
 
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From a quick google search, a 10 minute mile seems to be the common time listed for "average" fitness, and a 7:30-8 mile is considered pretty good for an average joe running regularly for a while. Anything faster than that is getting into people who are training for shorter races etc. and are well above average fitness. Or a serious marathoner as a 7:30 pace would be like 3 hours, 16 minute time on a marathon which is pretty solid.

But really, not many runners bang out fast miles. Unless they're in track and running 1500 meter races etc. Running a mile isn't much excercise, so most people are doing longer runs, speed work etc. and not worrying about how fast they can run a single mile, as the goal even for competitive runners is getting mile pace up over longer distances rather than maxing out a single mile run.
 
New long run of 8 miles today.

Distance: 8.00 mi
Time: 1:16:32
Avg Pace: 9:34 min/mi
Elevation Gain: 293 ft
Calories: 983 C
 
[quote name='Rumors']So ive been getting back into running myself lately. I'm up to 8 miles an hour ( AS in running at a pace of 8mph for an hour)but have really been struggling breaking past this point for weeks now. I really want to get up to 9mph minimum by June,though ten would be ideal I'd be comfortable with nine.

Any tips?[/QUOTE]

intervals my friend 1 min @ 9 mph/ 1 minute off. Try for 6 times, work your way up to 10X then start adding minutes.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']

But really, not many runners bang out fast miles. Unless they're in track and running 1500 meter races etc. Running a mile isn't much excercise, so most people are doing longer runs, speed work etc. and not worrying about how fast they can run a single mile, as the goal even for competitive runners is getting mile pace up over longer distances rather than maxing out a single mile run.[/QUOTE]

depends... I know quite a few serious runners who do mile repeats pretty regularly (including me). They help for anything from 5ks to the marathon. I did a workout last week of 3 X 1 mile all at 5:48

I would say your estimate 10 min average mle w/o training for adults 20-50 is probably good.
 
Oh yeah. I wasn't thinking of mile repeats and things like that. Just meant going out and trying to max out a single mile as fast as possible.

I doubt I'll ever get into speed work, repeats very seriously etc. since I'm not competitve with my running and just do it to de-stress and stay in shape. I may train for a half marathon sometime, but doubt I'll ever do a full. Don't really have time for that much training and not sure how my knees and feet would hold up with that amount of running.
 
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4.8 miles at 42:25 this morning. I'd add another 1:45 for the remaining .2, so 44:10 if I kept that pace, which is a lot faster than the Turkey Trot I did. Really happy with it.

Hoping to pull out a longer run next time I have the opportunity.
 
Problem is that I go to the gym on my lunch break, so I only have an hour to bang everything out. So my miles have to be quick.

A little over a month ago I was at 11 minutes. Friday, I ran it in 7:20. My goal is to get it just under seven and then working to maintain that speed.
 
[quote name='Temporaryscars']Problem is that I go to the gym on my lunch break, so I only have an hour to bang everything out. So my miles have to be quick.

A little over a month ago I was at 11 minutes. Friday, I ran it in 7:20. My goal is to get it just under seven and then working to maintain that speed.[/QUOTE]

Quick miles can be an effective workout BUT their range is pretty minimal. By that you will only improve on your ability to run a mile pretty fast and not your overall fitness (aerobically)

The best approach is running at a variety of paces. Even slow miles help the system.

I encourage anyone to read Hadd's approach to distance running. http://www.angio.net/personal/run/hadd.pdf
 
Signed up for the Indy Mini Marathon, of course I'm nowhere near ready for it. I used to run 10 miles daily, but that has been some time ago. Now I'm a desk jocky and it's difficult to get motivated. Maybe the motivation should be not killing myself trying to complete the race without training!
 
[quote name='usickenme']Quick miles can be an effective workout BUT their range is pretty minimal. By that you will only improve on your ability to run a mile pretty fast and not your overall fitness (aerobically)

The best approach is running at a variety of paces. Even slow miles help the system.

I encourage anyone to read Hadd's approach to distance running. http://www.angio.net/personal/run/hadd.pdf[/QUOTE]

I usually take Wednesdays and weekends off. Maybe on Wednesdays I'll go and instead of doing my fast mile and then hitting the weights, I'll just focus on a nice, long slow run.
 
That's a good plan. Really need at least one longer, slower run to really boost fitness and burn calories. You'll generally burn 100-150 calories per mile unless you're really pushing pace or running steep hills so you just can't get a lot out of quick miles beyond doing repeats to help up your pace on longer runs.

I have a flexible work schecule in terms of what time I have to be at the office, so I usually run in mornings before going in a day or two a week (and try to lift before another day or two a week) and try to get in a long run and another lifting session on the weekends.
 
10 miles today while watching the Broncos beat up the Ravens. I tell you, the time just melts away while watching football on the treadmill.
 
which bone? The shins, the knee, the hip? Some of those are more common, some are indicative of an injury.

sometimes, when I ramp up my mileage, I do get knee pain but it usually goes away. In fact, anytime the pain gets worse during a run, I stop. If it changes my form, I stop. Otherwise, I keep going
 
Shins mostly I think. Probably shin splints? I find they're happening less often than before.


I need to get a treadmill in the house so I can attempt some ten mile runs (though, the task of completing one before I hit 50 is questionable. I can do that first mile pretty fast, but after that, I'd probably just collapse).
 
[quote name='Temporaryscars']Better than nothing mickey.[/QUOTE]
True I entered a walk/run race last month it was fun. I do P90X and Insanity and I have lost 40 lbs since February!
 
Made the trek up to Fleet Feet to use that Groupon and get some new shoes and other stuff.

They did a bit more thorough fitting process than the place I went to for my first pair of running shoes in the spring. I overpronate some (foot rolls inward) which I was pretty sure of since the inner sole of my current shoes (Brooks Ghost 4--a neutral shoe) is a bit more worn than the outer side/middle.

I ended up with the Brooks Ravenna 3 this time, which is their guidance shoe for mild overpronaters. They also put me in a 10.5 rather than a 10, hopefully that well help with the occasional blisters I've gotten on the end of some toes on my left foot on longer runs (along with these being a bit roomier in the toe box than the Ghost). Also $10 less than the Ghost series, so worked well price wise too.

Also grabbed a Mizuno thermal head band to cover my ears on cold windy days, and some Craft running gloves for the same. Lastly, grabbed three things of energy Gu gel to try on longer runs as I've really started dragging around the hour mark on longer runs lately.


Shitty and rainy out today, so just did 3 miles on the treadmill in 26:48 to try out the new shoes, which felt great. Might have done a mile or two more if it wasn't hot as balls in my condo's work out room.
 
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[quote name='Temporaryscars']Shins mostly I think. Probably shin splints? I find they're happening less often than before.


I need to get a treadmill in the house so I can attempt some ten mile runs (though, the task of completing one before I hit 50 is questionable. I can do that first mile pretty fast, but after that, I'd probably just collapse).[/QUOTE]

I got really bad shin splints my first year of High School Track (when I started running). I would ice them and work the calves and muscles around the shin. Never had them again.

I would hope you build up to 10. It's way easier if you run slower at the start, ya know :)
 
I was in a situation where I used to run a lot, got injured, didn't run for a while, and got back into it thinking it would be just like riding a bike again...not so much. :(
 
I will note that despite running second-longest-distance-ever since I took running back up, I had barely any soreness after Saturday. I consider that a pretty massive accomplishment and GREAT motivation. I'm almost positive I can nail the sub-25 min 5K goal I had before the end of this year.

The first break in period was definitely 2-3 months or so; I remember specifically there was one day where I did my 5K trail and never felt the need to stop or walk. Then the run after that felt ever better - I didn't feel like I was just "stepping" through the run rather than actually running. I.e., I can tell when I sort of pull back from some kind of pain/fatigue - I stand more upright instead of leaning forward, and I sort of just mechanically step rather than earnestly push forward.

It takes time, and you'll be frustrated, and it'll hurt and be annoying and suck, but you can definitely overcome all those barriers if you just be patient with yourself.
 
Does anyone know just off hand how many laps on a track are the equivalent to a 5K? I'm guessing about 13-14 laps before I try to look it up.

EDIT: I was fairly close. It seems like it's about 12.5 laps. I also found another way that could work.

If you are running on a 400 meter track, start in lane 8 and run each lane once, then run lane 1, 4 times more.
So, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,1,1,1,1.
Click to expand...
 
5K = 3.1 miles, and a standard track should be 4 laps a mile (0.25 miles per lap). So it's 12 to get to the 3. You might as well run the full thirteenth lap since it would only be 0.15 miles further and report that as your time, because then when you run a true 5K, you'll actually get a faster time. Or you could just run half the lap and call it a day.
 
One thing to keep in mind is 5k race courses don't tend to be perfectly flat like a track (unless you live somewhere like Ohio or Kansas that's super flat most everywhere).

So you may struggle a bit more during the race if it has some hills and you've only ran the distance on a track or other flat course.
 
I'm thinking of signing up for a race of some sort at the beginning of the year. I'm running about an 8 minute mile (a little bit better I guess) but I have no goals and my motivation is pretty much out the window. I only have 3 days until the holidays too which is going to kill me, unfortunately. I think some sort of goal in front of me would help keep me motivated instead of just going through the motions.
 
also you will almost always run more than "5k". Races are measured as the shortest distance. Most people don't run this. Running tangents really helps.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/runoregon/2010/04/running_the_tangents_101_joes.html

also. If you are somewhat serious about knowing you ran a course that is legit. Make sure it is certified. Most courses that are certified will say so on the website for the event. You can always email the race director or check here: http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/search/index.asp
 
Geez. All these things to think about while running. Makes me want to sit down. Which is the exact opposite of running!
 
Solid run today, loving the new shoes.

Distance: 4.00 mi
Time: 36:54
Avg Pace: 9:13 min/mi
Elevation Gain: 114 ft
Calories: 487 C

Will try to get a longer run in on Friday, and then that will probably be it for a week as I'll be going back to my folks for X-mas. I'll probably just use their elliptical rather than running outdoors as I don't feel like lugging running gear and dealing with the cold weather there.
 
15.31 miles on the ol' treadmill in 2 hours. There is snow on the ground and some slick spots. I'd rather numb my brain for a few hours inside than slip, fall and be out of commission.

Watched the new Total Recall- okay way to pass the time.
 
Weather is lousy here--pouring rain and windy. Hoping to get a longer run in tomorrow since I head out of town to WV (where it's going to be snowy and shitty all week) on Saturday. Rain is supposed to stop, but it will be around 40 with 20-25 mph wind so going to be rough probably.
 
Just as I suspected. I ran two miles today. The first mile was fine, and then I wanted to completely die for that second mile.

My fast mile isn't seeming all that impressive anymore.
 
Yeah, running a mile fast and running multiple miles is an entirely different ball game when it comes to fitness.

As Strell said earlier, just stay patient and keep at it. You said you ran before so you'll get your fitness back faster than you got it the first time. But it does take a while and can be frustrating. I didn't run a whole lot over the summer and struggled off and on for 3 weeks or so when I got back into it in September. But after that I was back where I was and quickly adding distances beyond what I had done before.
 
Got a great long slow run in this afternoon. 10 miles, besting my previous long of 8 miles. Was surprised it didn't feel harder, especially with it being a hillier path than my usual routes. I guess eating more today than before the 8 miler last week, and having a Gu energy gel around the halfway point helped. Was pretty cold with the windchill around 32, so glad I had the gloves and headband I bought the other day.

Distance: 10.00 mi
Time: 1:36:47
Avg Pace: 9:40 min/mi
Elevation Gain: 477 ft
Calories: 1,226 C

That will be my last run until probably the 30th as I'll be at my folks for the holidays from tomorrow through the 29th and will probably just use their elliptical rather than screw around finding a place to run and dealing with the cold and snow there. So happy holidays to everyone!
 
Planning on trying to go for the sub-25 min 5K tomorrow morning. If I break it tomorrow, then I'll have met my goal for the year. Really looking forward to it.

After that I think I'm going to rest a bit and then run the course a second time as a supplement.
 
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