Hey running comrades!
The comrade who started these threads seems to be taking a break, and I've been slack, so apologies for the interruptions to these threads. I've still been running though, and I hope you have too! But if you haven't, please don't beat yourself up about it, none of us here are going to win an olympic marathon so it's pretty low stakes stuff, and breaks can be good for letting the body recover anyway
Anyway I thought I'd talk briefly about fartleks (it's named after the Swedish for "speed play" rather than the intermittent speed boost from jet propulsion). Assuming you're doing the vast majority of your running at an easy pace like you absolutely should (you ARE doing that, aren't you?), this is a safer and more fun way of adding some intensity/speed without doing brutal sets of intervals. The basic idea is to go on a fairly normal easy run, and then just add in bursts of higher intensity as you go. Some people do it structured, but the "intended" way of doing it is just to spontaneously decide to "run hard as far as that tree over there" or whatever and then return to normal pace, and do that a bunch during the run. However you do it, the key is just to mix up your pace a number of times during the run, potentially at a few different paces (not just "slow" and "sprint"). Not rocket science, but it's fun to just let loose and go fast once in a while, and it's good to get some speed in - especially when this way of doing it ensures you warm up and cool down properly and don't go too hard, helping reduce injury.
Anyway it's been waaaaaaay more than a week so please feel free to share all your running ups and downs from the last month or so!
I was out in the countryside on the weekend, had an amazing run on the higher ground above these beautiful mist-filled valleys, but the hills were incessant and brutal and my legs are very upset with me now. Very encouraging that I'm in half decent shape for the hilly event I'm training for though so I'm definitely calling it a win
Running low intensity is hard. I just want to do hill sprints. But noooo, coach says I have to do "long slow runs" or else I'll "gas out on the mat"
As someone who was once out of action for over a year cos of plantar fasciitis caused in large part by too many hill sprints, I'm with your coach on this one
Sorry comrade
This weekend I finally ran the 10k I've been training for :vuvuzela:
Next step is increasing my pace. Uhhh, any recommendations on how to train to increase my speed?
Hell yeah comrade, awesome job! Running a 10k is a huge milestone :party-parrot:
Honestly, increasing pace is mostly more of the same - the evidence seems pretty overwhelming that lots of easy-pace volume is the main element to increasing pace as well (assuming you mean ~10k pace rather than sprint pace). I'd suggest you also start adding in one speed session per week - a "tempo" run per week is not a bad idea, which is a run at a "comfortably hard" pace (with warmup and warmdown at either end). Hard enough that you're puffed and couldn't hold a conversation, but not as fast as race pace. Fartleks (see my post up the top) are not a bad one either. You can also do intervals, but use with caution, and maybe only once you've done some other speed work first - you're much more likely to do yourself an injury. Also, I don't know what the covid situation is like where you are, but Parkruns are a good way to get some speed in each week, and they're a lot of fun
Things are warming up by me and the ice has melted so I was finally able to go for a run yesterday. It was only 1.5 miles but it felt nice to be out again. Turns out I've accidentally been doing fartlek's while on runs because I find sprinting pleasurable. To be able to fully stretch out my legs and really push myself is a great feeling. I'll be sure to incorporate more varied speeds into my runs than just all out sprints though. Running and lifting have a habit of pulling me out of my depressive spirals so I'm glad that the weather has let up to allow me outside again. I can't wait until spring/summer time when I can run outside without a shirt again.
I'm with you on sprinting, it's so much fun to go all out for a few seconds during a run.
That's awesome, glad you've been able to run again! Totally agreed on the mental health benefits, it's not a panacea but taking up running was the best thing I ever did for my mental health
A friend of mine sent a pic to a group text of him breaking a 8 min mile for the first time. So yesterday I ran a mile in order to beat his time even though I haven't been training for it, but I'm petty like that.
I beat it, but had a combo heart & asthma attack after sprinting the last bit. Literally just laid down on the sidewalk for a few minutes after.
Hell yeah! Pettiness is a great motivator
You okay now? Not a doctor, but combo heart and asthma attack sounds not good?
Lol yeah i'm good thanks I just had to lay down for like 5 min after.
It's supposedly going to be consistently in the 50s here starting next week, so hopefully all the ice and snow will be gone and I can run outside. Pretty sick of treadmills and ellipticals. I've been introducing some tabata intervals into my elliptical sessions, I'm excited to apply that to running.
Fingers crossed for your thaw! Running outdoors is so much better than at the gym
Your intervals sound cool, but please be suuuper careful (and try to do them on grass or something too), high intensity intervals are super risky for injury, especially if your legs have become a bit unused to the impact over the winter
I know I sound like a nanna but I have had every injury in my running stupidity and I don't want to see other comrades follow in my idiot footsteps
Don't let the snow stop you! I had a lot of fun running through knee-high snow earlier, plus it makes funny sound and is easy on the knees/ankles too. Just make sure to wear an extra layer and a scarf.
Damn I'm getting addicted to this running stuff. Probably my longest streak yet, 2-3 times per week for somewhere around a month or two. I already ran once today, but I want to run again! Maybe it's time to put in an extra day a week...
What are good ways to prevent or avoid injury? I feel better running on grass for example.
That's awesome, it's so much better and easier once you can get yourself into a routine like that!
Okay, best way to avoid injury is to do the exact opposite of what I've ever done. There's no guarantees, and you can pick up weird removedles even when you're super careful, but here's a few things that everyone on nerdy running forums seems to agree on:
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Big long loping strides where you land hard on your heel (with your foot in front of you when you land) are bad. Try and aim for shorter, quicker strides. If you have a fancy watch that measures these things, I'm told a cadence of 175 or over is good for casual runs (may be higher for racing)
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Decent running shoes make a big difference for injury, especially shin splints etc. If you're getting serious about it, could be worth trying to find a specialty running shop nearby (the good ones will do gait analysis etc) and get a decent pair. And also the consensus is to replace them every 800km or so. From my own experience, I think this is legit and not just shoe industry propaganda to make you buy more shoes.
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Concrete is brutal on your legs. Bitumen is much better, dirt or grass are great. Grass will slow you down a bit and make you work a bit harder, and it's also good for the balance muscles
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The general rule of thumb is not to increase your distance or intensity by more than 10% per week and take some weeks to consolidate rather than constantly increasing
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I'm really bad at this, but core strength is good for preventing injury (and good for pace too). There's a Runners Standard Core Routine or something (sorry I cant check or find the video right now), it's 7 exercises you do in a row for a minute each, that is quite good
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Be really careful when running hard. General advice is at least 80% of your running should be slow and easy anyway, but just be extra conservative when starting on things like hill sprints or intervals etc. And try to be a bit careful running down steep hills too
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Don't run through an injury. It's so tempting but believe me, it always just makes things worse. If your body is telling you that you probably shouldn't be running, you should probably listen to it.
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Stretching is actually something people are divided about the benefits of for running, so I'd say it's not the #1 thing, but it won't hurt and if you find it feels useful then why not
Thanks for the advice! I've had the same shoes for like 10 years haha, probably haven't reached 800km though. I'll stay on the grass then.
Would wide-grip pull-ups be a good core strength exercise?
you can pick up weird removedles even when you’re super careful
What got removed? I'm guessing a technical term?
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How do you guys run with a mask on? Is there some kind of harder, less flexible mask that won't feel like I'm waterboarding myself when I start getting very sweaty about 20-30 minutes into a run?
That might work. I'm thinking of getting myself a less flexible mask, but I don't know what my options are, though.
Oh and if you're not wearing a sweatband, that's worth a shot. They look goofy but they were also invented for a reason.
