The Running Thread - 2019

[DopeyBadger]

@Waiting2goback Sorry to hear the bad news about the ankle. Congrats on everything else though!

 

[cburnett11]

Then I’m getting married in July

Congratulations!

 

[huskies90]

Question - maybe for @DopeyBadger - and I am truly asking for a friend lol. My friend is signing up for the 2020 Disney marathon. It is his first marathon ever. He is strictly a walker. However, he is a bit unique because he walks at just under a 12 minute per mile pace. It is really insane as I went out walking with him once and had to jog to keep up with him. He also said he can't run at all due to his bad back. And that he has to walk at least 3-4 miles every day. If he doesn't, his back stiffens up later in the day. So, I want to give him advice about training but I am not sure if the same principles of run training apply to walking. His longest walk to date has been about 7 miles. So he knows he has to train to be ready for 26. Any advice how to approach training? Is it the same as running?

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: Strength training, do you do it? If so how often and what kind?

ATTQOTD: Today I plan to just get a run in and hopefully move into a full routine in the coming weeks that will include strength training. I have a long ways to go now lol.

 

[dis_or_dat]

ATTQOTD: I did strength type runs about once a week. In terms of crosstraining/weight training, I did highly abbreviated work outs (core work / legs) whenever I could squeeze it in, tried for at least 3 times a week.

March totals:
Miles: 214.23
Avg pace: 8:57

@girliea - haha! I nursed at the finish line of my 10k. As in, I crossed the line, stopped my watch, and my DH handed over baby dis_or_dat. I was sweating all over the poor guy. I know elites will pump in their tent before a race and I brought my pump in case, but was happy I didn't have to run "full"

@Waiting2goback sorry about the ankle, but congrats on the upcoming nuptials!

 

[dis_or_dat]

Thank you everyone!!! I learn so much from this board: gear, fuel, mental tricks, stretches, gait tips ... and more! I love reading your successes and amazed at your ability to persevere through tough runs and hard races. This is such a wonderful and supportive group and was incredibly helpful in my race!

 

[run.minnie.miles]

I'm going to pass on the strength training question... it's like eating kale... things that are good for me, but don't do.

@Waiting2goback Sorry to hear about your ankle, bummer! Congrats on the upcoming wedding! And can you pack me in your suitcase for your Disney trips?

@LSUlakes How was the daddy/daughter trip? Hope you had a blast!

 

[ZellyB]

ATTQOTD: I have to get back to strength training. I've been a huge fail at that for the last year. My best running year was when I was faithfully doing some easy free weight/body weight training (very basic and easy - but it helped) and then yoga. Those two things did wonders for my core strength and ultimately my running. Must.get.back.to.it.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: Strength training, do you do it? If so how often and what kind?

I used to do it a lot and now I don't do as much. I really need to step that up again. I do still do core exercises though.

 

[MissLiss279]

ATTQOTD:
I go to OrangeTheory twice a week. The hour long classes are about half strength and half cardio. The strength portion (aka weight floor blocks) include free weights (or medicine balls), TRX straps, bands, or body weight exercises. There is a lot of variety. I love it!

 

[Princess KP]

QOTD: Strength training, do you do it? If so how often and what kind?

ATTQOTD: Yes! I strength train 5 - 6 times a week. I use free weights, machines and incorporate body weight exercises to my routine. I usually do my strength training after a run or spin class so most of the exercises I do are for my upper body. If I have a race coming up, I will back off on the heavy weights for my legs and use bands and disks instead to do squats, side steps, standing side leg raises and side lunges.
The one thing I don't do enough of is core work. I hate them.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: I used to work with a trainer and we tons of strength training. I used to do at leastb4 days of strength with some cardio thrown in. I dropped some weight but I really dropped a ton of inches. It was crazy. I really need to start that again.

 

[txdisneygrl]

AATQOTD: This is the first time I've ever been consistent and successful with my goal to strength train. I have been doing Pilates. I follow a calendar and each day of the week focuses on a different area of the body, plus a rest day. That said, I've been a little lax lately as I've prioritized sleep over working out on work days. I have been doing it since January and I am faster and leaner so the fact that it's working helps me stay on track.

 

[Guidman]

ATTQOTD:
I try to do 3-4 days a week with strength training and some cardio (stationary bike, climber) at the gym. I'll do core workouts on those days too.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Question - maybe for @DopeyBadger - and I am truly asking for a friend lol. My friend is signing up for the 2020 Disney marathon. It is his first marathon ever. He is strictly a walker. However, he is a bit unique because he walks at just under a 12 minute per mile pace. It is really insane as I went out walking with him once and had to jog to keep up with him. He also said he can't run at all due to his bad back. And that he has to walk at least 3-4 miles every day. If he doesn't, his back stiffens up later in the day. So, I want to give him advice about training but I am not sure if the same principles of run training apply to walking. His longest walk to date has been about 7 miles. So he knows he has to train to be ready for 26. Any advice how to approach training? Is it the same as running?

In my view, I'd say many of the principles would still hold true.

-Do mostly easy and less hard training. So the question I'd pose to your friend is whether a 12 min/mile feels "truly" easy. Do they notice their breathing at all? If so, then I'd suggest slowing down on the majority of the walks. Saving the faster walks for the minority of training.
-Rule of one more. Just like in run training, your friend should always finish a training walk feeling as if they could have done one more mile or one more faster interval of walking. Never push to the absolute limit and save that experience for race day.
-Avoid the fade. In the absence of environmental changes or hills, the goal is to have even splits on most training runs (to the desired physiological pace area). If your friend finds themselves fading towards the end of their walks and the splits get progressively slower, then on the next attempt be sure to slow down even more to find a pace that can be consistent.

I'd also suggest balancing the training out over the week as I do for runners as well. Normally with a continuous runner, I'd suggest a limit of 150 min. With run/walker, I take that limit to 180 min. I don't have experience with walkers, but if I were advising my first person, I'd probably start with the 180 min limit and then see how they respond to the training. Looking for those signs and symptoms revolving around the principles above (rule of one more and avoiding the fade). With a non-doubles day runner, I usually go max to something like:

M- 60 min
T- 90 min
W- OFF
R- 120 min
F- 60 min
Sa- 90 min
Su- 180 min

That's a 10 hour training load week. That's a fairly high level of run training in a single week. I'd venture to guess it wouldn't be necessary to go over this max for a first time marathon runner/walker. And I'd probably advise to go lower than this to something in the 7-8 hour max in peak week.

But as we know, there are a variety of successful methods on approaching training.

QOTD: Strength training, do you do it? If so how often and what kind?

I've done a few varieties of strength training over the years.

UNC Basketball Medicine Ball Workout - Did it about 2-3x per week. Usually takes 15-20 minutes. Routine is the same everyday. Did it for a few years.
McMillan Core Routine - Did it about 2-3x per week. Usually takes about 20-30 minutes. I found it more difficult than the UNC routine. Has a little bit of progression to it, but rather repetitive. Did it for maybe a few months.
80 Day Obsession - This is what I'm doing right now. It's a 6 day a week program that lasts 13 weeks and is about 30-60 minutes a day (average week is 5 hours). There are 78 unique workouts. During each week, there are 6 different workouts (Total Body Core, Booty, AAA, Cardio Core, Cardio Flow, and Legs). The program uses weights, sliders, and resistance bands. It follows three phases with each phase lasting 4 weeks. There are roughly 9 moves during each workout (unique to each day within a phase). Each phase follows the same rep pattern like the following:

Phase 1
Week 1 - 2 x 15 of moves in order of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Week 2 - 3 x 10 of moves in order of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Week 3 - 3 x 10 of moves in order of 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.
Week 4 - 2 x 15 of moves in order of 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 7, 8, 9

So unlike the UNC and McMillan routines, it's actually not all that repetitive since essentially every workout is different. So I like how it changes it up quite often. Just when you start to feel comfortable, you move into the next phase. The 15 rep days are medium weight and the 10 rep days are heavier weights. It also comes with a meal plan, but because I'm running and cycling I didn't follow the plan (but roughly followed the principles/ideas of it except probably the most important part of timed nutrition).

I just finished up my first run through of 80DO. After 13 weeks, I dropped one pound, but I'd guess my muscle/body fat ratio changed quite a bit. Although given it occurred over Christmas and a Disney trip and I didn't follow the meal plan, I'm happy with it. I lost about 3 inches from my hips/mid-section. Functionally speaking, I'm significantly stronger than when I started 80DO though. I was using 8-10 pound dumbbells for most moves to start. Now I'm using 20-25 pound dumbbells for most everything my second time through. Haven't really started real run training to see what the benefits to that have been just quite yet. But I can tell running fast does feel different like there's more going on.

 

[lauraleh]

QOTD: Strength training, do you do it? If so how often and what kind?

I'm going to pass on the strength training question... it's like eating kale... things that are good for me, but don't do.

Same. I will get on a kick occasionally and do some casual weightlifting but I'm a cardio girl.

@dis_or_dat I'm super impressed with your marathon time anyway but in addition to nursing I'm really amazed. I am nursing my 6 month old and I'm a little hesitant to run longer distances (>6 miles-ish) because of supply reasons. I've nursed all my babies for a year and that's my goal for her too. How did you keep your supply up?

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: I do strength train, usually 2x per week on a rotating 4-week schedule. Week 1 is yoga one day and Pilates another day, week 2 is yoga one day and circuit training (lots of combo moves, like biceps curls with lunges, squats with triceps curls, etc.) another day, week 3 is yoga one day and ballet another day, and week 4 is yoga one day and circuit training another day.

 

[huskies90]

QOTD: Strength training, do you do it? If so how often and what kind?

ATTQOTD: Back in the day, I took strength training pretty seriously doing circuit training 3 days a week - mostly focusing on upper body and core. Over the last 6 years or so, I have been more in maintenance mode just trying to keep my current tone. So now, I just do a full body workout once a week. When I did it more often, I had a gym membership and used a combination of weight machines and free weights. Now I am doing free weights and a single rack in my basement. I really would like to get to twice a week and re-join a gym but I have been procrastinating on getting that going.

 

[cburnett11]

ATTQOTD:
I don't, but keep promising myself I'm going to start doing something besides "just running".

 

[Neon Cactus]

I've been going to 9Round about twice a week, just started that to work more on my core, but that's really all the targeted strength training I do. Otherwise, I help neighbors move their heavy furniture and call that training.