Random Running Questions

healy1835

chris85 wrote: »

Lads dont post often here but lurk around Struggling with motivation at the moment. With 1 toddler at home and another little one on the way I am struggling to get training done more specifically with the long runs. I am very fortunate I can get some easy runs done during the week at lunch time in work which is great and I can get out for few evenings during the week and get a few runs in so I can easily get 20-25 miles done during the week and then I like to get 10-12 miles during the weekend for a longer run but struggling to find time to get these done. There just seems to be always something getting in my way stopping the run or hampering my lead in to it so I end up wrecked, under hydrated or under fueled. All well in good to try plan it as much as I can but it just rarely has worked out.

One option probably suggested is a running buggy. I have one but weather has not been good enough to get out with it. Maybe this will improve perhaps.

Have others gone through similar and how do they deal with it? I am signed up for DCM and at this point considering not running it. I don't want to end up struggling to get long runs done and this stressing me out for DCM.

Most of my training currently is solo. Unsure if a club would help as will still just struggle to make weekend long runs and training times mid week would clash with bed time for kid.

Well the good news is that DCM is a while away yet! You've touched on a few issues that loads of us on here deal with/have dealt with. I've 3 kids under 8 and getting a running buggy was a godsend for the first 18months of our youngest lady. But as you pointed out the weather conditions lately haven't exactly been ideal for the buggy.

Have you considered changing your running week from the usual Mon-Sun routine to another option? Is there a day in work where you're under less pressure, could maybe finish a little earlier and get a LR in then, leaving you a little freer at the weekend.

Is a run commute into/out of work possible once or twice a week? It's great that you can get out at lunchtimes, so try not to stress this far out from DCM. You'll figure out what works for your own family situation

Swashbuckler

Similar to what healy said I've switched around my week to allow me to help out more at the weekends at home with two under the age of three. My long run is now Mondays - either early before work or I'll take a longer lunch and make up the time during the week (I'm an early starter at work anyway so it's a guilt free long run if it is on my lunch break)

Darren 83

Any one have a link for Meath Spring Half route didn’t know it was changed

6run28

I had 3 kids under 3 at one stage and somehow managed to get the long runs in. Early starts were the key for me - out at 5am on Sat morning. A friend does his on Friday morning and starts work late at 10am.

Bassfish

Would anyone have any tips for doing your first 10k? I'm doing it this Sunday. I've built up from virtually nothing in January and I'm up to 9k (in 59 mins). My thinking is I will do one long run and one short one this week in preparation. Hoping to finish the 10k in under 70 minutes.

ariana`

Bassfish wrote: »

Would anyone have any tips for doing your first 10k? I'm doing it this Sunday. I've built up from virtually nothing in January and I'm up to 9k (in 59 mins). My thinking is I will do one long run and one short one this week in preparation. Hoping to finish the 10k in under 70 minutes.

If you're building from virtually nothing since January then I'm guessing your mileage/base is still pretty low, i'd say do very little this week really - maybe a 30 mins easy run on Tuesday and same on Thursday or a bit shorter. Assuming the race is Saturday you should be nice and fresh. You could aim for 60-62 mins, you will get an extra boost of adrenaline from being in a race environment that you wouldn't have had on your training runs. Just don't let that extra adrenaline cause you to get carried away in the first couple of ks, best of luck

Bassfish

ariana` wrote: »

If you're building from virtually nothing since January then I'm guessing your mileage/base is still pretty low, i'd say do very little this week really - maybe a 30 mins easy run on Tuesday and same on Thursday or a bit shorter. Assuming the race is Saturday you should be nice and fresh. You could aim for 60-62 mins, you will get an extra boost of adrenaline from being in a race environment that you wouldn't have had on your training runs. Just don't let that extra adrenaline cause you to get carried away in the first couple of ks, best of luck

Cheers for that, Strava tell me I've done nearly 100k since January so only getting started compared to most! I've got a GPS watch so my plan is to try to stick to an even 6mins per km pace throughout. As you say, it would be easy to get carried away and burn myself out in the first 3k!

rainbow kirby

chris85 wrote: »

Lads dont post often here but lurk around Struggling with motivation at the moment. With 1 toddler at home and another little one on the way I am struggling to get training done more specifically with the long runs. I am very fortunate I can get some easy runs done during the week at lunch time in work which is great and I can get out for few evenings during the week and get a few runs in so I can easily get 20-25 miles done during the week and then I like to get 10-12 miles during the weekend for a longer run but struggling to find time to get these done. There just seems to be always something getting in my way stopping the run or hampering my lead in to it so I end up wrecked, under hydrated or under fueled. All well in good to try plan it as much as I can but it just rarely has worked out.

One option probably suggested is a running buggy. I have one but weather has not been good enough to get out with it. Maybe this will improve perhaps.

Have others gone through similar and how do they deal with it? I am signed up for DCM and at this point considering not running it. I don't want to end up struggling to get long runs done and this stressing me out for DCM.

Most of my training currently is solo. Unsure if a club would help as will still just struggle to make weekend long runs and training times mid week would clash with bed time for kid.

I did 3 marathons last year and I have 2 kids under 4. Club run was my long run, I did parkrun with my kids in the double buggy and I ran home from work 3 days a week. It's doable but not easy and it's probably not a time for PBs - I was outside 5 hours fot 2 of the 3.

chris85

Casey78 wrote: »

Get up at 5am on a Sunday morning and go for your long run, that's what I do. I have 3 kids under 8. If you want to fit it in you will find a way, if you don't really want to run you will always find an excuse.

Yep look I would do this but our little one is up by 6.30am generally. So getting up at 5am isnt really early enough to get a run done. And I am not getting up earlier than 5am

healy1835 wrote: »

Well the good news is that DCM is a while away yet! You've touched on a few issues that loads of us on here deal with/have dealt with. I've 3 kids under 8 and getting a running buggy was a godsend for the first 18months of our youngest lady. But as you pointed out the weather conditions lately haven't exactly been ideal for the buggy.

Have you considered changing your running week from the usual Mon-Sun routine to another option? Is there a day in work where you're under less pressure, could maybe finish a little earlier and get a LR in then, leaving you a little freer at the weekend.

Is a run commute into/out of work possible once or twice a week? It's great that you can get out at lunchtimes, so try not to stress this far out from DCM. You'll figure out what works for your own family situation

Yep agreed I shouldnt be stressing this far out. ultimately I want to PB this year (other times have showed some improvement in recent months) so I want to be able to train hard so perhaps more disappointment lies with the level of training I can do. I know myself if I have limited training I can still get around more or less with the pain probably hitting harder and earlier in the race.

Good point about getting long run done mid week. At the moment I just want to build consistent long run of 10/12 miles once per week. I have time to go out in the evening and do this if planned right. I will probably move a speed session to the weekend where it is more manageable. Will see how this goes.

When the weather is better I can perhaps run commute, I had done a little bit last year. In this weather the route to work is too dangerous (along an unpaved canal path, very dark and very poor underground).

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Similar to what healy said I've switched around my week to allow me to help out more at the weekends at home with two under the age of three. My long run is now Mondays - either early before work or I'll take a longer lunch and make up the time during the week (I'm an early starter at work anyway so it's a guilt free long run if it is on my lunch break)

Yep think will be Tuesdays now for long run in the evening perhaps.

MisterJinx

So running on tired legs seems to be a thing. Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

I always thought to myself that is my legs were sore or achy that it was better not to run to avoid injury...am I right or wrong in my thinking?

TFBubendorfer

MisterJinx wrote: »

So running on tired legs seems to be a thing. Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

I always thought to myself that is my legs were sore or achy that it was better not to run to avoid injury...am I right or wrong in my thinking?

If you're doing serious training then running on tired legs will be inevitable. That's why training plans have things like "recovery runs" all over them.

When training for a long race like a marathon then running on tired legs will be vital, because that's what you need to train for to get through the race.

However, you still have to be able to recover from it all. If you end up running on tired legs every day then that's definitely a bad thing and some proper rest would be in order. It all depends on the dosage

Hannibal_Smith

How have you comeback from flu? Was it a few weeks to get back to where you were? Or did you bounce right back?

TFBubendorfer

Hannibal_Smith wrote: »

How have you comeback from flu? Was it a few weeks to get back to where you were? Or did you bounce right back?

Only start running once you feel fully recovered. And be prepared for the fact that the legs will feel like concrete pillars after 2 miles. Take it easy, very easy for a while and start back gradually.

Darren 83

28064212 wrote: »

Depends. If you believe in the plan, it's the "optimal" training strategy, and messing around with it can only reduce its effectiveness. Daniels actually has specific instructions for including racing in the 2Q plan:Personally, I wouldn't be inclined to swap weeks around. One of the principles underpinning the plans is that of "phases", where each phase has a specific purpose e.g. base-building. Swapping weeks around mean you're at risk of putting the wrong type of training into the wrong phase

Thanks for the advice I followed the plan didn’t get the full 12m due to time but managed a 4 min pb on the half

Hannibal_Smith

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Only start running once you feel fully recovered. And be prepared for the fact that the legs will feel like concrete pillars after 2 miles. Take it easy, very easy for a while and start back gradually.

I miss read your post and prepared for my legs feeling heavy from the off. So when the engine felt rough the legs didnt so I thought it was just a matter of being out for a while and it would settle when I warmed into it. I kept thinking Burfendor (how i read your name :pac: ), said your legs would feel heavy for the first two miles and they dont, its still good, its still good. It wasnt good. The sluggishness got worse. Then it got windy. Then the rain came. Im lucky to be alive truth be told

Bluesquare

I can see myself becoming very fit ( fingers crossed no virus here) over the next few months as I suspect running will become key to keeping me sane . I am in a lucky position to be able to work remotely so will have time without the commute but I won’t lie it’s going to be tough with everyone in the house during working hours .

Anyways it’s probably the perfect time to do a bit of base building or a long 5-10k program and the structure of a plan will help the motivation ( although I suspect I’ll be ok for this ) I was looking at the boards graduate plan for both and they look good - a bit of variety in the 5/10k one especially .

I do have a question on the plan though the recovery on the sessions what type of recovery is it ?

KSU

Bluesquare wrote: »

I do have a question on the plan though the recovery on the sessions what type of recovery is it ?

99% of this plan would be jog recoveries however I threw up a post on this subject previously;

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=99005110&postcount=3

Bluesquare

KSU wrote: »

99% of this plan would be jog recoveries however I threw up a post on this subject previously;

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=99005110&postcount=3

Cheers for that !

cmac2009

Dealing with an achilles strain at the moment, very frustrating. Thought it had healed as I took a 3-4 week break and had been doing eccentric heel drops etc but still didn't feel right after a few runs.

Not looking for any medical advice but for anyone that has dealt with similar injuries, does the morning stiffness in the ankle area go away completely at some stage?

adrian522

You need to find the cause of the problem, the tightness in the Achilles is likely just the symptom.

You could possibly look into loosening out the calves, hips, quads etc. Glute activation exercises, the usual in other words.

Given its been 3-4 weeks already you could probably do with a trip to a physio or physical therapist.

MY BAD

cmac2009 wrote: »

Dealing with an achilles strain at the moment, very frustrating. Thought it had healed as I took a 3-4 week break and had been doing eccentric heel drops etc but still didn't feel right after a few runs.

Not looking for any medical advice but for anyone that has dealt with similar injuries, does the morning stiffness in the ankle area go away completely at some stage?

It should but be prepared to do alot of rehab and all that goes with that. Its a very frustrating injury. I'd recommend getting a professional. Be patient with it.

keane2097

Bluesquare wrote: »

I can see myself becoming very fit ( fingers crossed no virus here) over the next few months as I suspect running will become key to keeping me sane . I am in a lucky position to be able to work remotely so will have time without the commute but I won’t lie it’s going to be tough with everyone in the house during working hours .

Anyways it’s probably the perfect time to do a bit of base building or a long 5-10k program and the structure of a plan will help the motivation ( although I suspect I’ll be ok for this ) I was looking at the boards graduate plan for both and they look good - a bit of variety in the 5/10k one especially .

I do have a question on the plan though the recovery on the sessions what type of recovery is it ?

Would you mind pointing me in the direction of these please?

Seannew1

cmac2009 wrote: »

Dealing with an achilles strain at the moment, very frustrating. Thought it had healed as I took a 3-4 week break and had been doing eccentric heel drops etc but still didn't feel right after a few runs.

Not looking for any medical advice but for anyone that has dealt with similar injuries, does the morning stiffness in the ankle area go away completely at some stage?

Very frustrating injury and I feel your pain. Mine was due a combination of factors: tightness in calves, increased volume and running on hard surfaces. I was given a structured strength training programme and told to cross train as opposed to run. Then, I introduced a few light jogs on grass and the strength gradually returned. Keep to grass as much as possible, it's a life saver. Also, I'd recommend shockwave therapy on achilles. I did 3 sessions of this and it really helped me.

Mr. Guappa

keane2097 wrote: »

Would you mind pointing me in the direction of these please?

You'll find these plans linked in the first post of this thread: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showthread.php?t=2057932425

I, and many others I'm sure, would highly recommend.

mutley18

I think I may have shin splints in my right leg. Last run was over a week ago and they have gradually got worse and I can barely put weight on the leg now, is this normal? I have barely left the house since...given the current circumstances we are living in.

Anyone who has had them before - any idea on how long they take to heal?

Baby75

mutley18 wrote: »

I think I may have shin splints in my right leg. Last run was over a week ago and they have gradually got worse and I can barely put weight on the leg now, is this normal? I have barely left the house since...given the current circumstances we are living in.

Anyone who has had them before - any idea on how long they take to heal?

I had them when I first started running, I had to take time off I think it was 2 weeks all in but mine improved with rest and I never got to the level of discomfort you are in now. by the end of the two weeks mine went and I have not suffered again since.
I know given the circumstances we are in now the likely hood of seeing a physio is not going to happen but I would ring or text one for advice.

if you are getting worse when you are not running I would be worried there is more going on esp if you can not put weight on that leg I think you need to get medical advice

mutley18

Baby75 wrote: »

I had them when I first started running, I had to take time off I think it was 2 weeks all in but mine improved with rest and I never got to the level of discomfort you are in now. by the end of the two weeks mine went and I have not suffered again since.
I know given the circumstances we are in now the likely hood of seeing a physio is not going to happen but I would ring or text one for advice.

if you are getting worse when you are not running I would be worried there is more going on esp if you can not put weight on that leg I think you need to get medical advice

Thanks for your response I appreciate it. I will see if its possible to see someone, this couldnt have happened at a worse time!

Baby75

mutley18 wrote: »

Thanks for your response I appreciate it. I will see if its possible to see someone, this couldnt have happened at a worse time!

I know, even if you can not see a physio in person they will still give advice.
in the mean time RICE if you have not being doing so all ready and this is a good read https://www.pogophysio.com.au/blog/so-you-have-shin-splints-what-to-do-next/

TFBubendorfer

mutley18 wrote: »

I think I may have shin splints in my right leg. Last run was over a week ago and they have gradually got worse and I can barely put weight on the leg now, is this normal? I have barely left the house since...given the current circumstances we are living in.

Anyone who has had them before - any idea on how long they take to heal?

We can't give medical advice and I sure am not a doctor. However, if you cannot put weight on it after a week I really don't think it's shin splints. It sounds more like a stress fracture, though that is purely a guess - don't take that as medical advice.

Ideally I'd advice to go to a physio - right now, the best advice I can give is to just rest it. If it's a stress fracture it might take as long as 6-8 weeks. I know that sucks. Sorry.

MY BAD

I was thinking of have a handicapped virtual race for my club on Strava. I'm not sure what way to run it. I was looking online at different versions of handicapped races. Just wondering how others organised handicapped races, you'd often see xc ones?