Random Running Questions

Bobtheman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119308587#Comment_119308587

How did you shift 12 kg if you don't mind me asking?

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119309584#Comment_119309584

A combination of a few things

1. Eating window from noon till 8pm, 3 big meals. This helps to cut out the snacking.

2. Loved my sweets, jellies, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, fizzy drinks. Accepted I'm a sugar addict and went cold turkey. Probably the number 1 factor for my weight loss.

3. Timing and positioning of carbs, on rest days or short easy days I'd have a lower than average carb intake. On long runs and sessions, a higher than average carb intake.

4. Running volume 65 to 85k per week. I do feel this only plays a small part as I've always run and mostly with a belly.

Above is what's worked for me, I'm far from an expert.

Want to get into doing some longer runs near 2 hours once my calf muscle heels, What's the best way to hold drinks and some food to fuel these longer runs? Currently I just use a running belt to hold my phone. So I'm thinking maybe I need a backpack or some other solution.

Wottle

https://amzn.eu/d/dlNYWS5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119309737#Comment_119309737

I use this but without the actual hydration pack, instead I use 2x250ml soft flasks that sit in the chest pockets.

Loads of room for a phone, rain jacket, gels, keys

diego_b

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119309737#Comment_119309737

Hi, are you planning to train for a longer distance event like a marathon or an ultra trail race as other than that you should not need to carry fuel at all, the body will store enough glycogen to get your through two hours without additional fueling. Something as simple as a banana before starting off is an easy way to top up without having to worry about carrying stuff. Depending on the time of year you might not always need to carry water for a two hour run...in cooler temperatures and running easy pace you probably won't need much in the line of drinks at all. In very warm weather I'd probably have a bottle of water stashed on the route before hand somewhere.....behind a wall at an old house or somewhere likely to be undisturbed. Other than that I'd usually use small 150ml/250ml collapsible water bottles in the pocket of my shorts.

These kinds of things

https://www.decathlon.ie/flasks-water-pouches-cups/325953-77972-running-flexible-bottle-150ml-blue.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwq5-WBhB7EiwAl-HEkpr383epJo36ILhxNYSQn6cU39jrs3BtGFB6p8JMdnT_ajgyhZzY9BoCPbsQAvD_BwE#/demodelsize-132150ml/demodelcolor-8588860?search=&display=&KW=&position=&device_model=

marathon2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119309737#Comment_119309737

On long runs I would take flexible bottle Diego mentioned above. I found the decathlon belt (below) to be just the job for holding these bottles and anything else you might want to carry. This belt comformtable holds 2 x 250ml water bottles without any chafifng, after a while you dont even notice. One of my best running accessories

https://www.decathlon.ie/walking-flasks-and-flask-carrying/333176-94127-hydration-flask-carrying-running-belt-black.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwlK-WBhDjARIsAO2sErTq--pVTMM9rQfTpplcMEyY9fJk2iz2K50CBASEOi-XcsvHW6Bg_ZgaAguMEALw_wcB#/demodelsize-1202/demodelcolor-8645720?search=%5Bvalue%5D&display=&KW=&position=&device_model=

****You should take water, electrolytes and fuel with you if you want. A lot of runners especially the good ones forget what its like at the beginning of the running journey when the 5k changes to the 10k, 10 mile and half. Running for up two hours without water would have been horrifying for me three of four years ago. I wouldnt have left the house cause for some reason I was thristy during runs :-).

Ive heard the arguments and spoken to distance runners who preach the no fueling and limited hydartion mantra, one thing you should be aware of is that these are a minority, most recreational runners even the ones who reach a good starndard would take water on long runs. For the most part runners who dont take hydration or limited over long distance have conditioned themselves through hard work and time to allow their body and mind to do this. They forget what its like starting or returning to runnning after a period of time away.

The same goes for electrolytes, if you mention them around here 100% someone will come along and tell you dont need them, "better diet, take a beef stock cube" all sorts of jibber jabber. Take them if your running long in summer.<

Apart from that I really cant recommend taking your time after injury highly enough, make a plan and dont try the long stuff untill you have a good base, condition yourself with regular easy running first. Ive recently had some small niggles with enforced time off and its sapping. Good luck

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I really do appreciate it. Unfortunately, I definitely did overdo it the other day, so I'm now taking a week out at least to recover and doing some strengthening exercises. I've also decided to use the time to reread my copy of Eric Ortans book the Cool impossible which in my opinion has some good exercises to help strengthen the feet and legs.

I saw the other day that he is releasing a new book in November which hopefully should be good.

https://amzn.eu/d/fKvIYkA

What other exercises apart from running do you incorporate into your week?

Slideways

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119321709#Comment_119321709

What this guy/gal says.

The comment above about having enough glycogen is all fine and well if you are at your peak fitness and a 2 hour run is just a percentage of what you are able for but realistically 2 hours is going to have you depleted and you’ll start to use energy sources other than glycogen.

I use a running belt, slip a gel or two in there and then run a route I know there is taps on (even taps in peoples gardens haha) Summer here (Perth) is a different kettle of fish. Then I wear a hydration pack. Turn them upside down and suck the pipe to get the air out to stop the sloshing affect if you do wear one

Runster

Do you believe that the massage gun works?

Would you use it as a replacement to the foam roller/stick?

Ceepo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119326242#Comment_119326242

It would all depend on what you call "work". If you turn them on and the make noise, and oscillate then they work.

If you mean that they can make a difference to muscle tissue, remove lactate, promote circulation, reduce injury, help you recover faster, then NO is the answer.

That's not to say that there's isn't a placebo effect. If someone is using one and feel they help, then they also "work"

Cartman78

Does anyone pay any attention to predicted race times on smart watches? Did they ever prove to be accurate??

I suspect the answer is likely to be negative but looking at my own ones I think they might not be that far out...I'll know in the next few weeks I guess when I do a couple of races

Swashbuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119363278#Comment_119363278

Personally I've seen some ridiculous predictions on my watch. Either the watch is way off the mark or I am seriously underperforming.

I also notice the predictions can change drastically if conditions are a little tough or I'm a little bit more run down than usual and HR is a little higher.

That being said , they have always been a little closer to what I feel is my potential at 5k or 10k but way off for the marathon. Right now Garmin predicts 17 flat for 5k and 35.20 for 10k......Maybe that's not a million miles off.

But 2.43 for the marathon even with a good block of training is way off for me. Maybe that's more due to the lack of marathon blocks in my legs I guess. My sub 3 in Limerick didnt necessarily line up with what I'm capable of in theory. I guess the watch assumes you are well conditioned across all distances which is often not the case.

ariana`

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119363375#Comment_119363375

The thing is I don't think they are supposed to be what you are capable of or what your potential is with a good training block, i could be wrong, but I think they are supposed to reflect what you could run today?

Mine are all a bit off I think but possibly some of them are not a million miles off. My HM matches a time I ran last March, I was definitely fitter then than I am now but it wasn't an all-out race effort either so allowing for that it's possibly close enough. Marathon is about 20mins slower than my marathon PB and possibly isn't too far off what I could run now (though having not gone past 10miles in ages it's really hard to predict). 5k/10k are way off, far too ambitious, in my dreams perhaps 😊 I wouldn't discount them completely, interesting food for thought anyhow.

FinnC

I bought the new Forerunner 955 recently and its predictions seem to be far more accurate than my previous watch. I dunno are they using different algorithms or what.

I know the watch is measuring a lot more metrics like HRV and new training load metrics ,whether that’s all taking into consideration I don’t know.

DeepBlue

Does anyone pay any attention to predicted race times on smart watches? Did they ever prove to be accurate??

I just assumed that feature of the watch was put there by Garmin's marketing department to make you feel good about buying the watch. 😃

My watch is currently telling me I'm close to a sub 3 marathon. Not a feckin' hope 😁

Lazare

How do you go about telling someone their training is bad without offending them, or should you just say nothing?

A guy I'm real friendly with from parkrun. I find it quite frustrating reading his strava.

Every single run is a session. 'Cool down' runs are a touch slower than his 5k pace, as are warm ups.

I bumped into him in the park this week, I was doing an aerobic run. He was doing 400 reps. He did 10x 400s.

That was Wednesday. He did the same 10x 400 session yesterday!!

Almost hit send on a WhatsApp message telling him to calm it and be careful but didn't. Some people don't like critique, constructive or not.

What would you do? Should I just keep scthum?

TFBubendorfer

Instead of offering him critique, try the positive route. Send him a link to a proper 5k training plan, with a note "hey, look, you are a really great runner and I think if you followed a plan like that you would be even better?"

Swashbuckler

I wouldn't be offering any advice to anyone not looking for it.

And if it was annoying me on strava I'd unfollow. And I have done it, more than once!

Lazare

Haha, unfollowing would be far more awkward than throwing my tuppence

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119375837#Comment_119375837

You could ask him if he ever does an easy run? Based on his answer you could mention you’ve been reading a lot about the 80/20 rule but he may not be interested anyway so no point then.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378121#Comment_119378121

Good idea K. It's weird, he's such an intelligent guy who's been running years.

Are we just lucky that we stumbled upon boards and got good advice early then?

He ran a hard effort parkrun this morning, after sessions Tue, Wed and Friday.

Swashbuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378167#Comment_119378167

I ran stupid from 2009 to 2017! Then I found this forum. So........yep...people are stupid. 😆

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378243#Comment_119378243

I must be one of the lucky ones finding this forum so early in my running career 😉🤣🤣

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378167#Comment_119378167

There’s no talking to some people though. I’ve a friend who’s first question every time she meets me is how fast I ran that morning. She does not get the slow down thing at all. If I do Parkrun as part of a long run and take 30 mins to do it she can’t understand it. She’ll still be asking me my time and how come I don’t get faster at it but doesn’t get that I could have done 8 miles beforehand.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378427#Comment_119378427

Haha, you feel like shaking people sometimes.

Swashbuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378470#Comment_119378470

Meant to say , you can mute someone's activity rather than completely unfollowing them. Incase you're worried they'll ask why did you block them..they can still see your activity but theirs won't show up on your feed.

Slideways

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119379125#Comment_119379125

I’ve done this to a few people. Whingers especially.

PD2019

Would anyone be able to recommend some physios based in north Dublin City area that runners would recommend? Please PM

Thanks

Tabby McTat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119386180#Comment_119386180

Not sure if I can put a recommendation on here so have sent you a PM.

Sunny Dayz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119375837#Comment_119375837

Would you two be of similar pace? Could you perhaps suggest warming up or cooling down before/after parkrun and gently show him a slower warm up/cool down pace. Explain you do those slower paces to benefit the muscles for the session and reduce the risk of injury. It just sounds like he's a bit inexperienced and doesn't have the same running knowledge that you or others have here. I know I was like that before too, trying to run fast every time and getting frustrated when I didn't run as fast as I'd like and have to walk, I just had one pace!