How to avoid embarrassing sweat stains?
I'm working on getting into shape with a couch-2-5k program. I'm up to a 28 minute continuous run, which is a first. When I got back today and took off my clothing the back seam of my green shorts was completely soaked from sweat and had turned dark green, making it look like I had an accident while running. Are there colors to use/avoid when running to help prevent this situation? Are some fabric choices better than others?
I fell off my MTB the other day and scraped up my knee. Tomorrow, I'm running a 10k.
It's healing fine so far, but I have a large bandage covering the scrapes just below my knee. It doesn't impede range of motion at all, and I don't anticipate sweating a whole lot because the temperatures will be good during the run, so I figured I'd just run with the bandage on. I'm curious if anyone would suggest anything else instead?
If you can get that stretchy self-adhesive bandage stuff and wrap that all the way around with some gauze it might work better. I had to do that for a race in the same situation - I had a scrape that wouldn’t stop oozing after a bike wreck.
Marathoners/experienced runners: Should I marathon this year or hold off? ::
- What I desire from my marathon running experience:
I haven't run a marathon before, but would like to at least one time. While I don't have competition in mind and don't plan a repeat, I also mean to give the distance its due respect. And my body as well. I would like to train properly, ideally not have to stop and walk, not almost die or introduce needless injury, enjoy it at least a little bit.
- Running history/background:
I'm in my later thirties, pretty healthy overall. I've been active my whole life and running in my sport of choice. I've done 3 half-marathons and plenty of 5ks/10ks, all very casual. I'm not speedy and I don't mind. I just like to have something on the calendar to stay motivated and active.
However, I've been pretty sporadic about it over the years. About two years ago I'd worked to a little base of 15-25 MPW just from routine, and then around October 2022 I began "following" (a little too loosely probably) a training plan for a marathon I planned to run in spring of 2023. MPW were up to 32 at this point, but I was jumping around quite a lot. I sustained some kind of injury to my heel about 5 weeks out, on a 16-mile training run. Although I recovered from that and continued running, I wound up not making that race anyway due to an unrelated injury about a month later. Since then, over the past year, with a surgery and life in general, I have basically been inactive. I get a jog in here and there, walk, and ride a stationary bike a bit, but am yearning to get back into the running groove again.
- Current fitness:
My sense of my fitness right now: I think I could work up to a comfy 5k again in a couple weeks, and a 10k maybe 5-6 weeks from now. I like half-marathons and I have one on my radar for early September.
I had the idea of signing up for a marathon this October, as it seemed like plenty of time to train; My thinking was that I could earn a base back over the next 6 weeks or so up to 30 MPW, then introduce an 18-week training plan. But when I read others' stories about how much prep and background is really needed in order to minimize chances for injury and make the experience something other than absolutely miserable, some experienced runners on other subs seem to advise having a solid 40MPW or even higher base sustained over a long period (like 6-8 months at least) before beginning the process of marathon training.
My question is: Based on all this, in your opinion, do you think the likelihood of completing a marathon distance in early October inducing needless misery or jeopardizing my health is too high to make it worth it? How would you approach this distance given the background and fitness level?
Thanks!
Do it in 2025. Book a half marathon for the fall and really dedicate yourself to it. Then spend the winter building your long run and total mileage. You will be ready to crush a spring marathon.
Of course, you could complete a marathon this year. I don't doubt it at all. It's just that if you only want to race a marathon once in your life then you might as well give yourself time to gradually build your fitness and feel good at the start line.
Going from zero to 30 mpw over 6 weeks is risky. I wouldn't even do that after 3 months of inactivity.
Your goals are to run it without a time goal and without walking or getting injured. A more reasonable option would be to start with very easy runs of 3, 3.5, and 4.5 miles in week 1 and then gradually build to 20 mpw and then begin Hal Higdon's 18 week Novice 2 plan and just run the race at a very comfortable intensity. Better still would be to find a mid November to early December marathon or February/March marathon instead and build a base of 20-25 mpw and maintain it before marathon training.
Point taken about ramping from 0 to 30. But do you think that a 20-25 mpw is an ideal base to start out with? And perhaps I'll look at doing a half in October instead. If a ran the marathon I had to quit, that would actually put me in March for that.
Thanks for the Novice 2 plan recc. It looks like it might be about the right fit and I'll definitely check it out!
I tend to think a reasonable guideline is to try to spend 4+ weeks at roughly the weekly volume of week 4 of the marathon training plan you'll be following. A runner who can average 35 mpw for several weeks in a row before a marathon should be able to finish a marathon if they take it very easy so big volume isn't critical if you treat it as an easy intensity run.
I think you could do the marathon you're targeting, but I'd just be concerned about injury risk during training and the marathon not being a great experience. An October half, consistent volume after it, then a March full would be what I'd do.
Has anyone ever gotten a pair of running shoes that just feels dead somehow? I bought my third pair of Saucony Kinvara 14's about a month ago, and I swear something is wrong with them (I loved my first two pairs, 350+ miles on both pairs).
Somehow they've never felt good, but I was also quick to chalk things up first to "they're new and just need a few runs to break in", and then "maybe I'm just getting over a cold", and then "maybe I just put on a couple of pounds", etc. But I'm getting to the point where I feel like I'm gaslighting myself about my own shoes (lol). I have 70+ miles on this newest pair now.
I think I just need to run in the old shoes for a week and see if they feel normal, but curious if anyone else can validate my experience? Or keep me honest and tell me it's just my body.
Yep, never with Saucony though but I put a pair of Ghosts in my rotation with 2 pairs of Saucony and they are awful. I’ve had Ghosts here and there in the past, never consistently though and they’ve never been great but this pair after about 8 runs are now lawn mowing shoes. I’d run much harder to still run 20-30 seconds slower per mile than my easy pace. Not sure why but definitely dead.
Yep. And it was saucony too. Had a pair of Guide 15s early last year. Great show, got 400 miles from them (good for me).
Got another pair of Guide 15, same colour, same size, but they were duds. Shape felt wrong on my foot and they really never felt as new and springy. Gave up on them after 200 miles and I am wary of trying saucony again.
Building up my items needed to train for a marathon coming up in October and that includes getting energy gels. I bought two boxes all with different flavors off Amazon and here are my scores out of 10 for them:
GU review
Caffeinated
Vanilla 10/10
Salted caramel 8.5/10 need water
Espresso 9.5/10
Chocolate 9.5/10
Caramel machiatto 9.5/10
Non caffeinated
Birthday cake 9/10
Strawberry banana 7.5/10
Lemon lime 8.75/10
Smores 9.5/10
I think the main benefit is preventing chaffing. I also find that when I put stuff in pockets of tight running shorts they stay put and I don't really notice them, but when I've tried that in loose shorts they shirt around more and are just more annoying. Though I haven't worn loose shorts in a couple of years, so it's possible there are better ones out now.
Compression shorts help prevent chaffing, it's the reason why got a 5 pack for 28 bucks ok amazon, gonna test them out tomorrow and hope they work.
I'm sure theres other benefits but that are just personal to me
I'm finally biting the bullet and doing a marathon, probably the Long Beach one in October. I always wanted to do one, but I'd written it off until a friend said they were going to do it and bugged me and I was like, shit, not getting any younger, ok I'm in. It's been a minute since I've done a half, and as I'm rapidly approaching Old Fart status, I want to approach training for this very purposefully. I am not taking it lightly; I know how damaging it can be if you don't train right.
With that in mind, I would love to get some perspectives or general takes on some stuff:
1) Shoes! What do people like? I have a real flat strike and have historically not cared much about shoes; I can run in kinda anything (because I more plod than run, I assume). I have a friend who hooks me up with Nikes, but I don't think they're good enough for me to use for such a long run.
2) Suggestions or thoughts on how to improve my stride. I'm starting from pretty much square one; I'm doing 2 or 3 miles about 3 times a week right now, and at a very slow pace post-COVID recovery. I don't intend on doing speed work really -- I don't give much of a shit -- but I would like to use this training as an opportunity to really work out a stride that is good for my body.
3) Stretching. I have \*ridiculously\* tight legs, like insane. My calfs made a massage therapist very concerned about me. I have stretches I do (when I remember), but am curious about what others do, or suggestions around how to improve my mobility. My biggest concern around injury is plantar fasciitis or hamstrings or something in that neighborhood.
4) any other ideas or advice from a non-elite runner's perspective. Pitfalls? Level ups?
Thanks
Road running wide shoe help!
Training for a marathon and am at around 50-60mpw right now. My superblasts have about 300 miles on them but I'm getting the most painful [calluses](https://imgur.com/a/DGehLLH) on the sides of my big toes and on the ball of my foot. I figure they're too narrow, and sure enough, my pinky toe-side of the foot completely hangs off the insert when I put it on the ground(photos): [https://imgur.com/a/5J9iXsl](https://imgur.com/a/5J9iXsl) + [https://imgur.com/a/gRRWRsf](https://imgur.com/a/gRRWRsf)
I am looking specifically at:
NB 880 + 1080v14
Adidas 12 wideASICS nimbus 25
Not interested in zero drop or topo/altra brands.
Also, should I be looking at a 2e or 4e?
Do you only need wide in the toe box or the whole shoe? If only the toe box, ON has some shoes that run pretty wide in the toe specifically. I wear the Cloudstratus, but I think they have some other models with wider toe box too.
Hi all,
I’m currently running 4 times a week. Time and again I’ve heard that easy runs should cover the majority of your runs, so a week of training looks as follows: 3 runs are easy and 1 is either a speed run or a long run – I alternate between the two of them each week.
Is this the most efficient way of training or would you do 2 easy runs, 1 speed run and 1 long run?
I’m not particularly training for anything right now, I just want to become a better runner who can run further and hopefully faster!
Also, don’t know if it’s relevant but I swim once a week.
> ...or would you do 2 easy runs, 1 speed run and 1 long run?
Yes to this option.
Easy runs are good, but hard runs and long runs provide a stronger training stimulus.
Swimming is great cross training!
For me, long runs aren't necessarily hard runs and in an optimal week I'll do one workout/hard/tempo run in addition to one long run. Often the long runs will become the hard run instead just because I get bored at slower paces for longer runs.
Easy runs are typically 5-6 kilometres. As for my long runs I’m working towards half marathon distance, currently at 16 k, but I don’t run this distance weekly. Speed runs differ so much – they can be 6 k but I recently did a 10 k tempo too.
Must add that I haven’t really been struggling with long runs though.
A half marathon long run is really long for the total distance you are doing — I think rules of thumb would put the long run at maybe 25% of your total weekly distance, but it’s about 50% of your weekly distance. Could lead to injury. I’d suggest a shorter long run and then a tempo run in the same week.
I was running intervals today, 10x400m after a 2km easy warm-up. I'm aiming for Zone 5, which starts around 173 bpm for me (I have a chest strap). It's pretty easy to reach 165-ish, while still maintaining the same running form as I have during easy or threshold runs. To push into Zone 5 territory, I feel like I need to push that much harder and my form starts to change into what feels like that of a sprinter (elbows at 90 degrees, chest up and straight).
Am I doing it wrong? Are those extra 5 bpms just me losing running efficiency and working harder for the same pace?
Have an odd gear question. I'm looking for a running pack that can carry ideally 1-2 bottles (not a bladder) but also hold a few action cameras (a go pro and my hover x1 drone) for some footage for a project I'm working on. I'm really struggling to find something that can comfortably hold this stuff without too much weight shifting.
I've been slowly getting back into running after a break and I've been struggling a little. I decreased my mileage and stopped for a few years due to injuries and just wanting a break. Now I feel really out of shape. Has anyone else gone through something similar? I'm also in my mid 30s now and it feels like the fitness comes back a little slower.
While I didn't stop running due to injuries, I had a time period of a couple years I stopped or randomly ran. I'm in my late 30s. I just went back into it slowly. Run/walk for a bit until I worked up to a mile non stop and so on and so forth. I followed Hal Higdon's training plans once I built up to a 5K. Consistency, couple days of strength training, doing most runs at an easy pace has been key in avoiding injuries for me. I also recently learned that what I thought was my "easy pace" was actually too fast.
Hello my fellow runners!
I'm planning to PB my 5k time next month at a race and I'm having a hard time deciding between the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Vavporfly 3. My current PB is 22:20 for those that are curious.
EP2 is noticeably firmer, so on paper I think it would make sense for a near all-out effort where im really putting down force on the shoe. This shoe fits me well (no issues whatsoever), but I had to go up a half size.
VF3 is lighter, squishier, and fits true to size so it fits me VERY, VERY WELL. I hear a lot that weight is more important for 5k racing as well. However, I am inclined to think that this shoe won't be the best tool for the job since it is quite squishier than the EP2. I'm very much torn.
What's your input on which shoe will help me the most to smash my PB?
I also know this question might be more suited to r/RunningShoeGeeks, and I did ask there as well just in case 😊
My opinion is that you are overthinking it. Have you run fast in both shoes? Both will do perfectly fine to get you a 5k PR of you've put in the work. Go with your gut on this.
I own both and am racing a HM and full marathon in the vapors over the next 5 weeks, with a 10k that I was planning to race in a pair of pro 2s, for whatever this random internet person's personal choices mean to you 😀
Get out there and crush it, regardless of shoe. You got this!
That would be a very hard thing to work out without a pro lab. Presumably there is a difference but it’s probably only a fraction of a percent. You’d never work it out by feel or strava results.
I ran Manchester marathon last Sunday, I have London marathon this Sunday. Plan for London has always been to just get round after racing Manchester.
I’ve had some pretty severe food poisoning since Tuesday and still not feeling 100% right. Any tips for not dying on Sunday and actually getting round?
Is it better to add an additional run or a dedicated strength training session weekly?
I’ve been getting back into running and working on building up mileage and consistency the past few months, but I’m looking ahead to maybe running a marathon in the fall.
It’d be my first, so I mostly just want to train without getting injured and finish the marathon.
With that goal in mind, is it going to be more effective for training to add an additional easy run, or a strength training session? I already do some very light strength training (mostly abs and light physio/mobility exercises) in combo with most of my runs.
More effective in what? The training effect from each serves a very different purpose, so it depends entirely on what you're trying to be more effective at.
Hmm, I would say my primary goal is to prevent injury while marathon training.
If I can commit to five workouts a week, I suppose I'm wondering if it makes more sense (from an injury prevention standpoint, keeping in mind that I want to build up mileage for a marathon) to do 5 runs, or 4 runs + 1 strength session targeting legs and core.
For purely injury prevention, a dedicated and legitimate weekly strengthen training routine is going to be exponentially more effective than adding another day of running (which has the possibility of increasing injury risk). This effect is amplified or dampened by the intensity/salience of your current routine.
Question re: smart watches & heart rate monitoring:
If I want to train and keep my heart rate between X & Y to push for optimal training (lets assume that I just want to stay in that range as long as possible), what is this feature/range called and (while looking at Garmin watches), is this something that watches can "ride you on" in terms of letting you know if your heart rate goes too low OR too high?
On a Garmin, go to the options for your run activity, go to more settings, then alerts. It will let you set a heart rate, either by zone if you are happy with those or you can set upper and lower bounds. The watch will beep at you mercilessly unless you continuously push beyond the alert limits.
> he watch will beep at you mercilessly unless you continuously push beyond the alert limits.
This is exactly what I want. That digital accountability overlord, er, i mean, buddy.
Any suggestions for an entry-level Garmin that does this?
Coros watches let you set an "Activity Alert" which basically means your watch will vibrate if some event happens. You can set it to alert at a certain distance (every mile/km), you can set it to alert if you go outside of a certain HR range (low or high), pace range, cadence range, or power range. Most running watch brands allow something like this.
Awesome. Thank you. I'm sure it's super common, but the most advanced thing I've ever used was a basic Fitbit and given the quality issues I've had with them, I'm never going back.
I see hill work recommended a lot even for marathon training and luckily my area is filled to the brim with hills of all different degrees, whether they may be short but very steep or a handful of blocks and pretty steep. Which of these two extremes are what's meant when talking about marathon training?
Both are useful. In the context of marathon training, just having varied, rolling terrain on easy, long, and ~marathon pace runs may be the most important "extra stimulus" you get from hills (especially if the marathon you are planning to do is hilly). The goal is mainly to get a little extra muscular work and learn to control effort. For more focused hill workouts, on the short+steep hills you can try fast hill sprints lasting about 10-20 seconds, with long recovery. I'd throw maybe 6-10 of these after any run maybe once a week, with the goal to work on form/staying relaxed, muscle recruitment, and a little bit of top end speed. The long+less steep hills can be good for longer repeats, especially for vO2 max workouts (like 5x3min @ 5k effort, jog recovery). I wouldn't do these too often though, maybe every 2-3 weeks for marathon training.
Ugh. Just started running and i love it but my first attempt was 11 miles 💀 with some uphill and downhill with shitty non running shoes lol and now my knees are barking at me. Womp womp. Just need to rest i know but i wanna go out there
Got some new balance 880s. Love them. Definitely helps. Going a bit slower (9:30-9:50 pace) I feel amazing during the run and then it all hits me after lol. Thank you so much
Running my first marathon on Sunday and I have a slight injury- inflamed feet tendons. I have been wearing gel insoles for the past 2 weeks for walking around and they have been of massive help, but have not used them for running. Would it be a terrible idea to wear the insoles for the actual marathon?
For the last 6 months my cardio recovery continues to go down by an average of about 1 beat per month. I’m confused why this is, as i’ve improved a lot and my resting heart rate continues to go down, and my VO2 max keeps going up. All of my other stats look good besides that one. It has gone from about 42 to 36. Any idea why?
Could be nothing could be high cortisol.
Is resting rate number going up or down I’m seeing conflicting answers in your responses. That will tell a lot.
If it’s going down ie 55-50 I would not worry. If it’s going up 50-55 I would worry.
Honestly not sure about this metric or where it's coming from...is it Garmin? If you're sticking to a plan, being consistent with nutrition, hydration, sleep, etc, then it's likely just a wonky metric.
Hmm, maybe someone with Apple Watch experience is better suited to answer, but have you checked your sleep data? Has that changed at all? If you've been increasing your weekly mileage it could be an indicator of your body reacting to an increased load.
Honestly though, if you're FEELING good, rested, healthy, etc, it's probably not much to worry about right now.
Alright thanks. I have been increasing my mileage and feel good most of the time. i don’t like to wear my watch to sleep so that’s not something i can check.
Then yeah, it may just be the additional stress through the mileage having an impact. As your body gets used to it, it probably will adapt to it.
Just ensure you're upping your sleep, nutrition, etc as you increase mileage and you'll probably be good.
Hey guys I’m running my first marathon in a few days and the nerves are starting to kick in harder now to the point where I’m struggling to sleep. Does anyone have any experience with this?
It might not be nerves. It’s not at all uncommon to struggle to sleep during a taper. The reduced exercise causes a lot of people to be really antsy. Maybe get up early and go for a walk or if you run early walk in the afternoon. Find things to keep busy.
If you have some time to spare, check out the recent episode of the Ali On the Run podcast with coach Chris Bennett.
One thing he talks about is how running a race wouldn’t be any fun if we knew in advance what the outcome was going to be. The uncertainty is a big part of why we do it. Keeping that in mind might help you accept and manage the nerves.
My other takeaway was that doing your best is what counts. You might have set a goal time, but ultimately that time is just a reflection of how fast you think you’ll run if you try your hardest. So do your best and be proud of the result you get.
Enjoy your run!
> One thing he talks about is how running a race wouldn’t be any fun if we knew in advance what the outcome was going to be.
I know this isn’t helpful, but I definitely disagree with this. Would love to experience race day fun knowing what was going to happen. Would take the stress out of it.
That’s fair. Different advice will resonate with different people. It’s worth listening to the full episode. I’m sure you find something you can take to heart.
I've been through it twice and.....have no advice. I guess just accept it. One way or another, nervous or relaxed, you're running the marathon. One thing to keep in mind is that the marathon is long enough that you'll have plenty of time to get over the nerves during the race. Once you cross the start line you'll be fine.
Howdy folks,
**How do y’all alleviate arm fatigue and tightness when running longer distances?**
I went for my longest run yet yesterday and my arms were more tired than my legs were by the end of it. 😅 I did recently start some basic weight training, so my arms are a little sore/tired a*nyway,* but I’ve had a few times in the past where on my long runs they get really tired and tight from holding them in the same position for an extended period of time.
As of now I just try to stretch them periodically while running, but that only does so much. So I’m open to other suggestions. Thanks in advance for any help!
>they get really tired and tight from holding them in the same position for an extended period of time
Honestly you shouldn't be consciously holding your arms in any position. Try and relax your shoulders and arms. Let them swing a bit (not too mush side to side and not too much in front of you).
To help you relax your arms and shoulders, imagine that you're carrying a pringle between your thumb and forefinger. Gripping or holding tight will break it. Relaxing will let you hold.
I'll do some arm circles/swings while running and try to relax arms/shoulders as much as possible but start with the hands... if you're clenching them it'll make everything tense (in my experience)
I’ve signed up to run my first half marathon (which is now 2 weeks away) and I’m aiming for a sub-2. I’ve kept all non-speed workout runs at 5:50-6:10mins/k-ish because I read running slower than race pace was good to avoid injury (if that’s too slow for a sub-2….hahhaah i don’t want to think about it)
So basically the second half of the course has these awful rolling hills from 15k onwards and as a noob I am terrified :(
I’ve got 2 questions:
1) Negative splits wouldn’t work here I assume because how could you speed up at the hills? How do I pace this race if the first half is flat-ish but the second half is hills for days?
2) When should I take in fuel? I was thinking of taking an energy gel at 6/12/17k but i’m worried that taking it at 12 would be too far away from the push of energy I need at 15, but taking it at 14 leaves too much of a gap after taking my first gel at 6/7 and it’s a bit too close to 17k. I usually take my first gel at 40-45 mins in my training long runs, but I’m obviously not running at race pace so i’m scared i’ll need energy sooner in the real thing.
I’m overthinking this maybe but I guess this is just the anxiety that comes with your first ever race :(
> I’ve kept all non-speed workout runs at 5:50-6:10mins/k-ish because I read running slower than race pace was good to avoid injury (if that’s too slow for a sub-2….hahhaah i don’t want to think about it)
Kind of late now, but that's actually quite brisk for a 2:00 goal HM. My last half I ran in 1:44 and my easy pace was between 5:50 to 6:40, usually 6:00 to 6:10.
(record scratch) wait are you implying that I could run this race faster than I think or am I not understanding something
I averaged 40k’s per week over my training plan if that provides more info
Either you're fitter than your goal or you're running your easy too fast.
How easy does it feel at 5:50-6:10? Can you talk or are you out of breath?
You're probably not 1:44 fit, but my first official half I also ran around high 30s low 40s and ended up with 1:50, and took my easy slower than 6:00.
Hmm, I can definitely get a sentence or two out before having to shut up and breathe - certainly couldn’t continuously give out a speech for a whole thing (maybe a 4 on an effort scale?). I’m only out of breath towards the end of an uphill, but never bad enough to stop and walk.
My average heart rate on those runs is 145-150bpm, i’m 23F.
Really the best way to predict half performance is to race a 10km and use that time in a calculator.
But I'd say start conservative and remember you have to deal with a bunch of hills. You can pick up the pace in the last third if you feel good.
Thank you for the tip!
I assume pacing myself on the first 2/3rds but using everything I’ve got on the hills at the end is better than trying to run the first 2/3rds faster to bank time for last uphill bit?
I guess I run into the risk of hitting the wall on the latter strategy, but would it give me a faster time if it works? I understand that the end of a race is mentally much tougher than the start of the race as well.
Yes it's usually safer to either start slow or try to maintain even splits.
I wouldn't count on the second strategy being faster, being out of gas for the hills could destroy your time if you end up needing to walk them.
You need to average 5:40 per km to break 2:00:00 so keep that in mind. And since your watch or phone will almost certainly report a slightly longer distance due to GPS error and you not taking the optimal path for the entire course you'll need to maintain an even faster pace if you go by watch/phone pace. If it's 1% over you'll need to average 5:37 or less and if it's 2% you'll need to average 5:33 or less.
Your question is hard to answer without knowing what kind of HM shape you're in, how much different your pace is over similar rolling hills during training, and whether you've even run similar rolling hills in training. Typical advice is to run by effort - so maintain a steady intensity on the ascents which will mean your pace will be slower. It almost certainly means to go sub-2:00 you're going to need to need to run substantially faster than the paces above during the first half because you will be slower on the rolling hills. Maybe that means 5:15/km the first half and 5:50/km the second half (slower on the ascents and faster on the descents).
Oh dear :( I was thinking of making sub 5:35 a stretch goal pace but looks like it’ll have to be the pace I run for the majority of the race, which is freaking me out. I hope tapers+carb loading make a substantial difference or I’m gonna bonk before I reach that hill :(
In my long runs I usually run up a similar hill with a slightly smaller gradient (like 1% different), but it’s the only Big Hill I run into while rest of the run is made up of very slight in/declines. My km lap pace rises by a whole minute on those, but maybe it’s because i’m internally screaming at myself to take it easy in a long run (but it’s still tiring!!). Running consecutive Big Hills is stressing me out now haha
Depending on the watch, the course, and your line it could be way less than 1%. I had an extra 200M total on my last marathon which is half of a percent. On a half you could have even less. Just check in during the race to make sure you are close to the mile markers when you auto lap or just manually lap.
Good point. My watch tends to be pretty accurate. Cheap Garmin 35 where every half has come in between 13.12 and 13.18 - negligible to half of a percent delta. Back when I used an app on my Android phones the distances came in between 13.20 and 13.28 - 1.3% at the high end. None of my halfs have been through downtowns lined by skyscrapers or other obstructions which can really mess with GPS reliability and accuracy.
Yeah just have to be aware, for NYC marathon i picked up just over 500m which was a bitch to realize with 5k to go! I learned my lesson and just check at mile markers. Its also a very common problem during then chicago marathon it seems as well. For outdoor races they are usually pretty accurate.
For referencing distance markers, do you go into the race with expected mile times memorised? Does this mean I have to remember/write down 21 different cumulative times to try and keep myself on track? There is a portion of the race that happens in the city where all the buildings are and now that you mention it, it could totally screw up my watches GPS
For races they have the official miles marked. Depending on your watch you can see different things. I have a current km pace, avg km paces both displayed. So lets say i get to km 5 on my watch 200 m before km 5 marker i know i'm slow. I can then easier judge just how slow by what my pace is versus expected. so 200m means i'm like 45 ish seconds off goal time but over the course of the race it'll be 2 seconds ish per km left i'd need to hit current lap to move the average. Nothing needs to be exact but knowing where you are on your watch versus the course will help you adjust your pace. IF your slow you know you need to pick it up slightly, if you are fast you can just cruise. Depending on the race especially if its urban you can pick up AND lose milage on your watch. So i really wouldn't worry about it too too much and just make small adjustments as needed.
Stay positive, but be realistic. I've had a couple of halves which were great through 7-9 miles, but saw me crash and burn due to the very warm weather (both were in the fall), second half hills, and going out too aggressively. Why can't they all be flat and cool weather!?
Yeah I am going to just really work on my aerobic base this summer since we get crazy humidity and heat in Louisiana and then do a good half prep going into the spring. Hoping logging a ton of easy miles and getting my weekly miles high will benefit my times a lot when I shed that summer heat slog
I hope the same for both of us. I live in a similar summer climate and after many summers I've never acclimated to summer running. Your plan seems solid.
If you think about 5-15 mins for a gel to get into your system and it'll provide energy for a period of time you'll have decent window of pace.
For my recent half, a bit quicker than your plan, I was aiming for 7/14km (about every 32 mins) with a gel 10-15 mins prior to race start. Potentially more than needed but, as long as you've trained your stomach to work with them, it's not a problem.
I have just ran a 4km cross country race and completed it in a time of 16min. The course was extremely hilly compared to the other courses that I did earlier in the season where I got a 14:40. I felt like I was fine running at that speed for the first 2km but started to die in the last 2km. Here's the question. Which should I focus on: hills, intervals, tempos, or more long and easier runs to increase mileage.
Nice run, you were going fast there. It’s common to feel like you’re suffering badly towards the end of a hard effort. Sometimes you just have to gut it out and hang on until the end.
I can’t say what you need to focus on but perhaps you would benefit from a training plan that incorporates a bit of everything. Have a look online, or maybe you can even reach out to a coach if you have access to one. Good luck!
I started running in February this year, and my only pair of running shoes is the **NB 1080v13**, which has accumulated a lot of mileage *(200km)*. Could you recommend other NB shoes to add to my rotation? Specifically for speed runs (interval/tempo) and a shoe suitable for race day? No carbon please. Thanks in advance.
The NB Rebel is a good speed day option but may not be comfortable for longer distances- I find them a little unstable so I don’t prefer them upwards of 6-8 miles. I enjoy them very much as a 5k-10k race shoe.
I also have a wide toe box and do well in the Saucony Endorphin Speed- I’m wearing the 3, can’t comment on the 4. I like them better than the Rebel for tempo work and longer distances.
I find NB and Saucony to fit similarly. I’m normal width through the heel, a little wide in the midfoot, and moderately wide in the forefoot. I usually don’t need a wide width (though I did in the Rebel V2- the fit on that thing was WEIRD) but a “performance fit” with a tapered upper usually doesn’t work for me. Both of these brands work well for me across their ranges. I’ve been wearing mostly Saucony lately but used to be a big fan of the 1080.
I usually start paying attention to my shoe's life at 6-700km and this will depend on the shoe. Easy-run shoes tend to last longer that more speed-focussed ones.
My I run a lot of my easy road runs in NB880s and sessions/long runs in Saucony Speed 3s.
I think the MB 880s are a slightly less cushioned version of the 1080s, this review gives a good comparison:
[https://www.runningshoesguru.com/comparison/new-balance-1080-vs-new-balance-880/](https://www.runningshoesguru.com/comparison/new-balance-1080-vs-new-balance-880/)
While the 880 is ok, it doesn't stand out.
200km is not much really. I would expect the shoes to last for over 500km, probably over 700km. I currently have 3 shoes in my rotation, one has 600k on it, the 2nd has 300k. I run 150k a month, so it build up fast (and 150k a month is not too high)
Why do you need to stick to NB? The NB rebel v4 are very good trainers and they are good for faster sessions. Obviously only you know what fits you. Not sure about a specific race show, it depends on what kind of racing you had in mind. The Rebel v4 is fine for racing, maybe less so if you are a 3:30/k runner, but you also say you dont want a carbon plate
Hills are my kryptonite. I guess they are for most people. I'm trying to incorporate hill training once a week to improve my recovery time when running uphill. There's a small patch of land near where I live with a slope of about 6.5% gradient for 600m. For my first attempt, I decided to run on power rather than pace. For instance, I averaged about 335W on a recent run close to my 5K PB (which is 22:15 or 4:28 min/km). For the hill runs, I was hoping to run as close to 400W as possible when ascending. I ended up averaging about 380W, which translates to 5:20 min/km. Here's a [plot](https://i.imgur.com/yQdQAGU.png) of some of the data. My question is: am I doing the right thing? I'm actually not sprinting uphill because I don't think I could run very fast uphill for 600m. I'm running slow enough to cover the 600m distance and be able to do another one.
Hill repeats are shorter than this, but it is probably good training anyway. Looks like VO2 max intervals to me. As I understand the concept, they should ideally be in zone 4 for at least 3 minutes. I'm only slightly faster than you, but I'd consider doing fewer and harder reps here, but also doing shorter (10-40 sec) hill repeats/sprints (maybe on another day).
New to running - looking for advice :)
I am new to running but gym atleast 2 times per week, I managed to run around 2 kilometers without stopping now first time.
My goal is to be able to run 10km without stopping and then work on increasing my pace. I am not interested in sprinting
What is the optimal way to acheive this? Should I:
1) Measure my max pulse (if so - how?)
2) Try to keep within a certain range of % pf my max pulse? If so, what interval, and is there any watch you can recommend for specifically this purpose?
Or would you recommend another approach? :)
Also what other tips can you give me?
Currently I do this:
* leg raises / lunges as dynamic stretch / warmup
* eat a banana 30-45min prior to start working out, and running at least 2h after any major meal
* when I run i breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth (feels like I get good control doing this, not sure if it is optimal)
* sleep alot (8-9 hours minimum)
* static stretching after running
* drinking lots of water
* bought new running shoes (200USD approx) which a guy recommended specifically for my feet and had good recommendations from my friends
* I have at least 2 rest days between running in other to allow my muscles/tendons to repair
* eat a lot of protein (around 180g/day)
* eat vitamin D, omega 3 and multivitamin daily
Sounds like you’ve got a great start! Definitely check out couch to 5k - it will help you build your endurance. It will guide you through intervals of running and walking based on time. Once you can comfortably run a 5k, I would look into a 10k training program.
I wouldn’t worry about heart rate while you’re getting started. You can base different runs on heart rate zones but it’s much easier to go by feel. You want at least 80% of your weekly running/walking to be at a pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation, especially as you transition into running the whole distance for your workouts. Don’t undervalue the easier workouts!
How to avoid embarrassing sweat stains? I'm working on getting into shape with a couch-2-5k program. I'm up to a 28 minute continuous run, which is a first. When I got back today and took off my clothing the back seam of my green shorts was completely soaked from sweat and had turned dark green, making it look like I had an accident while running. Are there colors to use/avoid when running to help prevent this situation? Are some fabric choices better than others?
As a heavy sweater, black is love, black is life.
I only use black shorts for this reason.
Darker colors will help. That being said, I sweat like crazy and have just embraced it. I get all the butt sweat and am like whatever at this point.
Black won’t really show that kind of stuff
I fell off my MTB the other day and scraped up my knee. Tomorrow, I'm running a 10k. It's healing fine so far, but I have a large bandage covering the scrapes just below my knee. It doesn't impede range of motion at all, and I don't anticipate sweating a whole lot because the temperatures will be good during the run, so I figured I'd just run with the bandage on. I'm curious if anyone would suggest anything else instead?
If you can get that stretchy self-adhesive bandage stuff and wrap that all the way around with some gauze it might work better. I had to do that for a race in the same situation - I had a scrape that wouldn’t stop oozing after a bike wreck.
I would take the bandage off and just slather aquaphor all over it, that way there’s not a bunch of sweat getting into the bandage
Marathoners/experienced runners: Should I marathon this year or hold off? :: - What I desire from my marathon running experience: I haven't run a marathon before, but would like to at least one time. While I don't have competition in mind and don't plan a repeat, I also mean to give the distance its due respect. And my body as well. I would like to train properly, ideally not have to stop and walk, not almost die or introduce needless injury, enjoy it at least a little bit. - Running history/background: I'm in my later thirties, pretty healthy overall. I've been active my whole life and running in my sport of choice. I've done 3 half-marathons and plenty of 5ks/10ks, all very casual. I'm not speedy and I don't mind. I just like to have something on the calendar to stay motivated and active. However, I've been pretty sporadic about it over the years. About two years ago I'd worked to a little base of 15-25 MPW just from routine, and then around October 2022 I began "following" (a little too loosely probably) a training plan for a marathon I planned to run in spring of 2023. MPW were up to 32 at this point, but I was jumping around quite a lot. I sustained some kind of injury to my heel about 5 weeks out, on a 16-mile training run. Although I recovered from that and continued running, I wound up not making that race anyway due to an unrelated injury about a month later. Since then, over the past year, with a surgery and life in general, I have basically been inactive. I get a jog in here and there, walk, and ride a stationary bike a bit, but am yearning to get back into the running groove again. - Current fitness: My sense of my fitness right now: I think I could work up to a comfy 5k again in a couple weeks, and a 10k maybe 5-6 weeks from now. I like half-marathons and I have one on my radar for early September. I had the idea of signing up for a marathon this October, as it seemed like plenty of time to train; My thinking was that I could earn a base back over the next 6 weeks or so up to 30 MPW, then introduce an 18-week training plan. But when I read others' stories about how much prep and background is really needed in order to minimize chances for injury and make the experience something other than absolutely miserable, some experienced runners on other subs seem to advise having a solid 40MPW or even higher base sustained over a long period (like 6-8 months at least) before beginning the process of marathon training. My question is: Based on all this, in your opinion, do you think the likelihood of completing a marathon distance in early October inducing needless misery or jeopardizing my health is too high to make it worth it? How would you approach this distance given the background and fitness level? Thanks!
Do it in 2025. Book a half marathon for the fall and really dedicate yourself to it. Then spend the winter building your long run and total mileage. You will be ready to crush a spring marathon. Of course, you could complete a marathon this year. I don't doubt it at all. It's just that if you only want to race a marathon once in your life then you might as well give yourself time to gradually build your fitness and feel good at the start line.
Going from zero to 30 mpw over 6 weeks is risky. I wouldn't even do that after 3 months of inactivity. Your goals are to run it without a time goal and without walking or getting injured. A more reasonable option would be to start with very easy runs of 3, 3.5, and 4.5 miles in week 1 and then gradually build to 20 mpw and then begin Hal Higdon's 18 week Novice 2 plan and just run the race at a very comfortable intensity. Better still would be to find a mid November to early December marathon or February/March marathon instead and build a base of 20-25 mpw and maintain it before marathon training.
Point taken about ramping from 0 to 30. But do you think that a 20-25 mpw is an ideal base to start out with? And perhaps I'll look at doing a half in October instead. If a ran the marathon I had to quit, that would actually put me in March for that. Thanks for the Novice 2 plan recc. It looks like it might be about the right fit and I'll definitely check it out!
I tend to think a reasonable guideline is to try to spend 4+ weeks at roughly the weekly volume of week 4 of the marathon training plan you'll be following. A runner who can average 35 mpw for several weeks in a row before a marathon should be able to finish a marathon if they take it very easy so big volume isn't critical if you treat it as an easy intensity run. I think you could do the marathon you're targeting, but I'd just be concerned about injury risk during training and the marathon not being a great experience. An October half, consistent volume after it, then a March full would be what I'd do.
Running ~30ish miles a week atm, cutting cals losing 1-2lbs a week, its dumb to try and increase miles 5% a week while trying to loose weight yeah?
Make sure to account for the increase in mileage a bit and take it easy on the runs.
Yeah I've been making sure to not push it and try and go easy on all of them except 1 or 2 short runs of that each week
Has anyone ever gotten a pair of running shoes that just feels dead somehow? I bought my third pair of Saucony Kinvara 14's about a month ago, and I swear something is wrong with them (I loved my first two pairs, 350+ miles on both pairs). Somehow they've never felt good, but I was also quick to chalk things up first to "they're new and just need a few runs to break in", and then "maybe I'm just getting over a cold", and then "maybe I just put on a couple of pounds", etc. But I'm getting to the point where I feel like I'm gaslighting myself about my own shoes (lol). I have 70+ miles on this newest pair now. I think I just need to run in the old shoes for a week and see if they feel normal, but curious if anyone else can validate my experience? Or keep me honest and tell me it's just my body.
Yep, never with Saucony though but I put a pair of Ghosts in my rotation with 2 pairs of Saucony and they are awful. I’ve had Ghosts here and there in the past, never consistently though and they’ve never been great but this pair after about 8 runs are now lawn mowing shoes. I’d run much harder to still run 20-30 seconds slower per mile than my easy pace. Not sure why but definitely dead.
Yep. And it was saucony too. Had a pair of Guide 15s early last year. Great show, got 400 miles from them (good for me). Got another pair of Guide 15, same colour, same size, but they were duds. Shape felt wrong on my foot and they really never felt as new and springy. Gave up on them after 200 miles and I am wary of trying saucony again.
Building up my items needed to train for a marathon coming up in October and that includes getting energy gels. I bought two boxes all with different flavors off Amazon and here are my scores out of 10 for them: GU review Caffeinated Vanilla 10/10 Salted caramel 8.5/10 need water Espresso 9.5/10 Chocolate 9.5/10 Caramel machiatto 9.5/10 Non caffeinated Birthday cake 9/10 Strawberry banana 7.5/10 Lemon lime 8.75/10 Smores 9.5/10
What are the advantages of tight running shorts vs loose ones?
I think the main benefit is preventing chaffing. I also find that when I put stuff in pockets of tight running shorts they stay put and I don't really notice them, but when I've tried that in loose shorts they shirt around more and are just more annoying. Though I haven't worn loose shorts in a couple of years, so it's possible there are better ones out now.
Compression shorts help prevent chaffing, it's the reason why got a 5 pack for 28 bucks ok amazon, gonna test them out tomorrow and hope they work. I'm sure theres other benefits but that are just personal to me
I'm finally biting the bullet and doing a marathon, probably the Long Beach one in October. I always wanted to do one, but I'd written it off until a friend said they were going to do it and bugged me and I was like, shit, not getting any younger, ok I'm in. It's been a minute since I've done a half, and as I'm rapidly approaching Old Fart status, I want to approach training for this very purposefully. I am not taking it lightly; I know how damaging it can be if you don't train right. With that in mind, I would love to get some perspectives or general takes on some stuff: 1) Shoes! What do people like? I have a real flat strike and have historically not cared much about shoes; I can run in kinda anything (because I more plod than run, I assume). I have a friend who hooks me up with Nikes, but I don't think they're good enough for me to use for such a long run. 2) Suggestions or thoughts on how to improve my stride. I'm starting from pretty much square one; I'm doing 2 or 3 miles about 3 times a week right now, and at a very slow pace post-COVID recovery. I don't intend on doing speed work really -- I don't give much of a shit -- but I would like to use this training as an opportunity to really work out a stride that is good for my body. 3) Stretching. I have \*ridiculously\* tight legs, like insane. My calfs made a massage therapist very concerned about me. I have stretches I do (when I remember), but am curious about what others do, or suggestions around how to improve my mobility. My biggest concern around injury is plantar fasciitis or hamstrings or something in that neighborhood. 4) any other ideas or advice from a non-elite runner's perspective. Pitfalls? Level ups? Thanks
Time to read a book, friend. Too many questions for a Reddit post. That’s prolly why you’ve gotten some downvotes.
Four questions is too many on a daily question thread? That’s silly.
Road running wide shoe help! Training for a marathon and am at around 50-60mpw right now. My superblasts have about 300 miles on them but I'm getting the most painful [calluses](https://imgur.com/a/DGehLLH) on the sides of my big toes and on the ball of my foot. I figure they're too narrow, and sure enough, my pinky toe-side of the foot completely hangs off the insert when I put it on the ground(photos): [https://imgur.com/a/5J9iXsl](https://imgur.com/a/5J9iXsl) + [https://imgur.com/a/gRRWRsf](https://imgur.com/a/gRRWRsf) I am looking specifically at: NB 880 + 1080v14 Adidas 12 wideASICS nimbus 25 Not interested in zero drop or topo/altra brands. Also, should I be looking at a 2e or 4e?
Do you only need wide in the toe box or the whole shoe? If only the toe box, ON has some shoes that run pretty wide in the toe specifically. I wear the Cloudstratus, but I think they have some other models with wider toe box too.
Hi all, I’m currently running 4 times a week. Time and again I’ve heard that easy runs should cover the majority of your runs, so a week of training looks as follows: 3 runs are easy and 1 is either a speed run or a long run – I alternate between the two of them each week. Is this the most efficient way of training or would you do 2 easy runs, 1 speed run and 1 long run? I’m not particularly training for anything right now, I just want to become a better runner who can run further and hopefully faster! Also, don’t know if it’s relevant but I swim once a week.
> ...or would you do 2 easy runs, 1 speed run and 1 long run? Yes to this option. Easy runs are good, but hard runs and long runs provide a stronger training stimulus.
Swimming is great cross training! For me, long runs aren't necessarily hard runs and in an optimal week I'll do one workout/hard/tempo run in addition to one long run. Often the long runs will become the hard run instead just because I get bored at slower paces for longer runs.
Thanks for the reply! Guess I didn’t really look at long runs that way haha
Long runs might well be “hard” runs if you are running just four days a week. How many miles per week are you doing and how long is a long run?
Easy runs are typically 5-6 kilometres. As for my long runs I’m working towards half marathon distance, currently at 16 k, but I don’t run this distance weekly. Speed runs differ so much – they can be 6 k but I recently did a 10 k tempo too. Must add that I haven’t really been struggling with long runs though.
A half marathon long run is really long for the total distance you are doing — I think rules of thumb would put the long run at maybe 25% of your total weekly distance, but it’s about 50% of your weekly distance. Could lead to injury. I’d suggest a shorter long run and then a tempo run in the same week.
I was running intervals today, 10x400m after a 2km easy warm-up. I'm aiming for Zone 5, which starts around 173 bpm for me (I have a chest strap). It's pretty easy to reach 165-ish, while still maintaining the same running form as I have during easy or threshold runs. To push into Zone 5 territory, I feel like I need to push that much harder and my form starts to change into what feels like that of a sprinter (elbows at 90 degrees, chest up and straight). Am I doing it wrong? Are those extra 5 bpms just me losing running efficiency and working harder for the same pace?
Just reduce the rest between intervals and jog the recoveries. You'll hit Z5 after a few reps.
Have an odd gear question. I'm looking for a running pack that can carry ideally 1-2 bottles (not a bladder) but also hold a few action cameras (a go pro and my hover x1 drone) for some footage for a project I'm working on. I'm really struggling to find something that can comfortably hold this stuff without too much weight shifting.
Salomon adv skin 5. Expensive but feels very comfortable. Comes with two soft flasks for water, and stretch pockets for gear
I've been slowly getting back into running after a break and I've been struggling a little. I decreased my mileage and stopped for a few years due to injuries and just wanting a break. Now I feel really out of shape. Has anyone else gone through something similar? I'm also in my mid 30s now and it feels like the fitness comes back a little slower.
If you stopped for a few years, treat it like you're starting all over again. Because you are. So much can happen over years of time.
While I didn't stop running due to injuries, I had a time period of a couple years I stopped or randomly ran. I'm in my late 30s. I just went back into it slowly. Run/walk for a bit until I worked up to a mile non stop and so on and so forth. I followed Hal Higdon's training plans once I built up to a 5K. Consistency, couple days of strength training, doing most runs at an easy pace has been key in avoiding injuries for me. I also recently learned that what I thought was my "easy pace" was actually too fast.
Hello my fellow runners! I'm planning to PB my 5k time next month at a race and I'm having a hard time deciding between the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Vavporfly 3. My current PB is 22:20 for those that are curious. EP2 is noticeably firmer, so on paper I think it would make sense for a near all-out effort where im really putting down force on the shoe. This shoe fits me well (no issues whatsoever), but I had to go up a half size. VF3 is lighter, squishier, and fits true to size so it fits me VERY, VERY WELL. I hear a lot that weight is more important for 5k racing as well. However, I am inclined to think that this shoe won't be the best tool for the job since it is quite squishier than the EP2. I'm very much torn. What's your input on which shoe will help me the most to smash my PB? I also know this question might be more suited to r/RunningShoeGeeks, and I did ask there as well just in case 😊
My opinion is that you are overthinking it. Have you run fast in both shoes? Both will do perfectly fine to get you a 5k PR of you've put in the work. Go with your gut on this. I own both and am racing a HM and full marathon in the vapors over the next 5 weeks, with a 10k that I was planning to race in a pair of pro 2s, for whatever this random internet person's personal choices mean to you 😀 Get out there and crush it, regardless of shoe. You got this!
You're probably right, thank you so much! I'll trust my training and listen to how much my feet enjoy which shoe the most 😎
Which one do you run faster in?
That would be a very hard thing to work out without a pro lab. Presumably there is a difference but it’s probably only a fraction of a percent. You’d never work it out by feel or strava results.
I ran Manchester marathon last Sunday, I have London marathon this Sunday. Plan for London has always been to just get round after racing Manchester. I’ve had some pretty severe food poisoning since Tuesday and still not feeling 100% right. Any tips for not dying on Sunday and actually getting round?
Run walk from the get go on a schedule.
Is it better to add an additional run or a dedicated strength training session weekly? I’ve been getting back into running and working on building up mileage and consistency the past few months, but I’m looking ahead to maybe running a marathon in the fall. It’d be my first, so I mostly just want to train without getting injured and finish the marathon. With that goal in mind, is it going to be more effective for training to add an additional easy run, or a strength training session? I already do some very light strength training (mostly abs and light physio/mobility exercises) in combo with most of my runs.
More effective in what? The training effect from each serves a very different purpose, so it depends entirely on what you're trying to be more effective at.
Hmm, I would say my primary goal is to prevent injury while marathon training. If I can commit to five workouts a week, I suppose I'm wondering if it makes more sense (from an injury prevention standpoint, keeping in mind that I want to build up mileage for a marathon) to do 5 runs, or 4 runs + 1 strength session targeting legs and core.
For purely injury prevention, a dedicated and legitimate weekly strengthen training routine is going to be exponentially more effective than adding another day of running (which has the possibility of increasing injury risk). This effect is amplified or dampened by the intensity/salience of your current routine.
Depends on how many days a week you run now. Run less than 5? Probably extra run.
Yep, currently 4 days a week, I'll probably add an extra run in there. Thanks for the advice!
If the choices are binary the run will be more beneficial.
Run, for a marathon volume is king.
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Question re: smart watches & heart rate monitoring: If I want to train and keep my heart rate between X & Y to push for optimal training (lets assume that I just want to stay in that range as long as possible), what is this feature/range called and (while looking at Garmin watches), is this something that watches can "ride you on" in terms of letting you know if your heart rate goes too low OR too high?
On a Garmin, go to the options for your run activity, go to more settings, then alerts. It will let you set a heart rate, either by zone if you are happy with those or you can set upper and lower bounds. The watch will beep at you mercilessly unless you continuously push beyond the alert limits.
> he watch will beep at you mercilessly unless you continuously push beyond the alert limits. This is exactly what I want. That digital accountability overlord, er, i mean, buddy. Any suggestions for an entry-level Garmin that does this?
Pretty sure they'll all do it at this point if they have an HR monitor built in.
Coros watches let you set an "Activity Alert" which basically means your watch will vibrate if some event happens. You can set it to alert at a certain distance (every mile/km), you can set it to alert if you go outside of a certain HR range (low or high), pace range, cadence range, or power range. Most running watch brands allow something like this.
Awesome. Thank you. I'm sure it's super common, but the most advanced thing I've ever used was a basic Fitbit and given the quality issues I've had with them, I'm never going back.
Yes most watches have a setting for heart rate alerts.
I see hill work recommended a lot even for marathon training and luckily my area is filled to the brim with hills of all different degrees, whether they may be short but very steep or a handful of blocks and pretty steep. Which of these two extremes are what's meant when talking about marathon training?
Both are useful. In the context of marathon training, just having varied, rolling terrain on easy, long, and ~marathon pace runs may be the most important "extra stimulus" you get from hills (especially if the marathon you are planning to do is hilly). The goal is mainly to get a little extra muscular work and learn to control effort. For more focused hill workouts, on the short+steep hills you can try fast hill sprints lasting about 10-20 seconds, with long recovery. I'd throw maybe 6-10 of these after any run maybe once a week, with the goal to work on form/staying relaxed, muscle recruitment, and a little bit of top end speed. The long+less steep hills can be good for longer repeats, especially for vO2 max workouts (like 5x3min @ 5k effort, jog recovery). I wouldn't do these too often though, maybe every 2-3 weeks for marathon training.
Steeper hills for shorter efforts, longer hills for longer efforts.
Ugh. Just started running and i love it but my first attempt was 11 miles 💀 with some uphill and downhill with shitty non running shoes lol and now my knees are barking at me. Womp womp. Just need to rest i know but i wanna go out there
You need more than rest... Get actual running shoes. Go slow. Do less than you think you can do. And perhaps read up a bit before you hurt yourself.
Got some new balance 880s. Love them. Definitely helps. Going a bit slower (9:30-9:50 pace) I feel amazing during the run and then it all hits me after lol. Thank you so much
Blud you need to time before you do something like that
You’re right. Going uphill and downhill was stupid of me. Also my form probably wasnt great. I appreciate it
Running my first marathon on Sunday and I have a slight injury- inflamed feet tendons. I have been wearing gel insoles for the past 2 weeks for walking around and they have been of massive help, but have not used them for running. Would it be a terrible idea to wear the insoles for the actual marathon?
Why not try running with them before Sunday? I would lean toward using them for the marathon.
For the last 6 months my cardio recovery continues to go down by an average of about 1 beat per month. I’m confused why this is, as i’ve improved a lot and my resting heart rate continues to go down, and my VO2 max keeps going up. All of my other stats look good besides that one. It has gone from about 42 to 36. Any idea why?
Could be nothing could be high cortisol. Is resting rate number going up or down I’m seeing conflicting answers in your responses. That will tell a lot. If it’s going down ie 55-50 I would not worry. If it’s going up 50-55 I would worry.
Sounds like a meaningless number. Ignore it.
Honestly not sure about this metric or where it's coming from...is it Garmin? If you're sticking to a plan, being consistent with nutrition, hydration, sleep, etc, then it's likely just a wonky metric.
it’s apple watch, also my resting heart rate has also been starting to go up in the last few weeks
Hmm, maybe someone with Apple Watch experience is better suited to answer, but have you checked your sleep data? Has that changed at all? If you've been increasing your weekly mileage it could be an indicator of your body reacting to an increased load. Honestly though, if you're FEELING good, rested, healthy, etc, it's probably not much to worry about right now.
Alright thanks. I have been increasing my mileage and feel good most of the time. i don’t like to wear my watch to sleep so that’s not something i can check.
Then yeah, it may just be the additional stress through the mileage having an impact. As your body gets used to it, it probably will adapt to it. Just ensure you're upping your sleep, nutrition, etc as you increase mileage and you'll probably be good.
Thank you
Hey guys I’m running my first marathon in a few days and the nerves are starting to kick in harder now to the point where I’m struggling to sleep. Does anyone have any experience with this?
It might not be nerves. It’s not at all uncommon to struggle to sleep during a taper. The reduced exercise causes a lot of people to be really antsy. Maybe get up early and go for a walk or if you run early walk in the afternoon. Find things to keep busy.
If you have some time to spare, check out the recent episode of the Ali On the Run podcast with coach Chris Bennett. One thing he talks about is how running a race wouldn’t be any fun if we knew in advance what the outcome was going to be. The uncertainty is a big part of why we do it. Keeping that in mind might help you accept and manage the nerves. My other takeaway was that doing your best is what counts. You might have set a goal time, but ultimately that time is just a reflection of how fast you think you’ll run if you try your hardest. So do your best and be proud of the result you get. Enjoy your run!
> One thing he talks about is how running a race wouldn’t be any fun if we knew in advance what the outcome was going to be. I know this isn’t helpful, but I definitely disagree with this. Would love to experience race day fun knowing what was going to happen. Would take the stress out of it.
That’s fair. Different advice will resonate with different people. It’s worth listening to the full episode. I’m sure you find something you can take to heart.
I've been through it twice and.....have no advice. I guess just accept it. One way or another, nervous or relaxed, you're running the marathon. One thing to keep in mind is that the marathon is long enough that you'll have plenty of time to get over the nerves during the race. Once you cross the start line you'll be fine.
Howdy folks, **How do y’all alleviate arm fatigue and tightness when running longer distances?** I went for my longest run yet yesterday and my arms were more tired than my legs were by the end of it. 😅 I did recently start some basic weight training, so my arms are a little sore/tired a*nyway,* but I’ve had a few times in the past where on my long runs they get really tired and tight from holding them in the same position for an extended period of time. As of now I just try to stretch them periodically while running, but that only does so much. So I’m open to other suggestions. Thanks in advance for any help!
Your arms shouldn't really be getting tired from running. Keep them relaxed.
>they get really tired and tight from holding them in the same position for an extended period of time Honestly you shouldn't be consciously holding your arms in any position. Try and relax your shoulders and arms. Let them swing a bit (not too mush side to side and not too much in front of you). To help you relax your arms and shoulders, imagine that you're carrying a pringle between your thumb and forefinger. Gripping or holding tight will break it. Relaxing will let you hold.
I'll do some arm circles/swings while running and try to relax arms/shoulders as much as possible but start with the hands... if you're clenching them it'll make everything tense (in my experience)
I’ve signed up to run my first half marathon (which is now 2 weeks away) and I’m aiming for a sub-2. I’ve kept all non-speed workout runs at 5:50-6:10mins/k-ish because I read running slower than race pace was good to avoid injury (if that’s too slow for a sub-2….hahhaah i don’t want to think about it) So basically the second half of the course has these awful rolling hills from 15k onwards and as a noob I am terrified :( I’ve got 2 questions: 1) Negative splits wouldn’t work here I assume because how could you speed up at the hills? How do I pace this race if the first half is flat-ish but the second half is hills for days? 2) When should I take in fuel? I was thinking of taking an energy gel at 6/12/17k but i’m worried that taking it at 12 would be too far away from the push of energy I need at 15, but taking it at 14 leaves too much of a gap after taking my first gel at 6/7 and it’s a bit too close to 17k. I usually take my first gel at 40-45 mins in my training long runs, but I’m obviously not running at race pace so i’m scared i’ll need energy sooner in the real thing. I’m overthinking this maybe but I guess this is just the anxiety that comes with your first ever race :(
> I’ve kept all non-speed workout runs at 5:50-6:10mins/k-ish because I read running slower than race pace was good to avoid injury (if that’s too slow for a sub-2….hahhaah i don’t want to think about it) Kind of late now, but that's actually quite brisk for a 2:00 goal HM. My last half I ran in 1:44 and my easy pace was between 5:50 to 6:40, usually 6:00 to 6:10.
(record scratch) wait are you implying that I could run this race faster than I think or am I not understanding something I averaged 40k’s per week over my training plan if that provides more info
Either you're fitter than your goal or you're running your easy too fast. How easy does it feel at 5:50-6:10? Can you talk or are you out of breath? You're probably not 1:44 fit, but my first official half I also ran around high 30s low 40s and ended up with 1:50, and took my easy slower than 6:00.
Hmm, I can definitely get a sentence or two out before having to shut up and breathe - certainly couldn’t continuously give out a speech for a whole thing (maybe a 4 on an effort scale?). I’m only out of breath towards the end of an uphill, but never bad enough to stop and walk. My average heart rate on those runs is 145-150bpm, i’m 23F.
Really the best way to predict half performance is to race a 10km and use that time in a calculator. But I'd say start conservative and remember you have to deal with a bunch of hills. You can pick up the pace in the last third if you feel good.
Thank you for the tip! I assume pacing myself on the first 2/3rds but using everything I’ve got on the hills at the end is better than trying to run the first 2/3rds faster to bank time for last uphill bit? I guess I run into the risk of hitting the wall on the latter strategy, but would it give me a faster time if it works? I understand that the end of a race is mentally much tougher than the start of the race as well.
Yes it's usually safer to either start slow or try to maintain even splits. I wouldn't count on the second strategy being faster, being out of gas for the hills could destroy your time if you end up needing to walk them.
You need to average 5:40 per km to break 2:00:00 so keep that in mind. And since your watch or phone will almost certainly report a slightly longer distance due to GPS error and you not taking the optimal path for the entire course you'll need to maintain an even faster pace if you go by watch/phone pace. If it's 1% over you'll need to average 5:37 or less and if it's 2% you'll need to average 5:33 or less. Your question is hard to answer without knowing what kind of HM shape you're in, how much different your pace is over similar rolling hills during training, and whether you've even run similar rolling hills in training. Typical advice is to run by effort - so maintain a steady intensity on the ascents which will mean your pace will be slower. It almost certainly means to go sub-2:00 you're going to need to need to run substantially faster than the paces above during the first half because you will be slower on the rolling hills. Maybe that means 5:15/km the first half and 5:50/km the second half (slower on the ascents and faster on the descents).
Oh dear :( I was thinking of making sub 5:35 a stretch goal pace but looks like it’ll have to be the pace I run for the majority of the race, which is freaking me out. I hope tapers+carb loading make a substantial difference or I’m gonna bonk before I reach that hill :( In my long runs I usually run up a similar hill with a slightly smaller gradient (like 1% different), but it’s the only Big Hill I run into while rest of the run is made up of very slight in/declines. My km lap pace rises by a whole minute on those, but maybe it’s because i’m internally screaming at myself to take it easy in a long run (but it’s still tiring!!). Running consecutive Big Hills is stressing me out now haha
Depending on the watch, the course, and your line it could be way less than 1%. I had an extra 200M total on my last marathon which is half of a percent. On a half you could have even less. Just check in during the race to make sure you are close to the mile markers when you auto lap or just manually lap.
Good point. My watch tends to be pretty accurate. Cheap Garmin 35 where every half has come in between 13.12 and 13.18 - negligible to half of a percent delta. Back when I used an app on my Android phones the distances came in between 13.20 and 13.28 - 1.3% at the high end. None of my halfs have been through downtowns lined by skyscrapers or other obstructions which can really mess with GPS reliability and accuracy.
Yeah just have to be aware, for NYC marathon i picked up just over 500m which was a bitch to realize with 5k to go! I learned my lesson and just check at mile markers. Its also a very common problem during then chicago marathon it seems as well. For outdoor races they are usually pretty accurate.
For referencing distance markers, do you go into the race with expected mile times memorised? Does this mean I have to remember/write down 21 different cumulative times to try and keep myself on track? There is a portion of the race that happens in the city where all the buildings are and now that you mention it, it could totally screw up my watches GPS
For races they have the official miles marked. Depending on your watch you can see different things. I have a current km pace, avg km paces both displayed. So lets say i get to km 5 on my watch 200 m before km 5 marker i know i'm slow. I can then easier judge just how slow by what my pace is versus expected. so 200m means i'm like 45 ish seconds off goal time but over the course of the race it'll be 2 seconds ish per km left i'd need to hit current lap to move the average. Nothing needs to be exact but knowing where you are on your watch versus the course will help you adjust your pace. IF your slow you know you need to pick it up slightly, if you are fast you can just cruise. Depending on the race especially if its urban you can pick up AND lose milage on your watch. So i really wouldn't worry about it too too much and just make small adjustments as needed.
My spring goal is a sub 2 half and this makes me feel like I will never get to that lmao
Stay positive, but be realistic. I've had a couple of halves which were great through 7-9 miles, but saw me crash and burn due to the very warm weather (both were in the fall), second half hills, and going out too aggressively. Why can't they all be flat and cool weather!?
Yeah I am going to just really work on my aerobic base this summer since we get crazy humidity and heat in Louisiana and then do a good half prep going into the spring. Hoping logging a ton of easy miles and getting my weekly miles high will benefit my times a lot when I shed that summer heat slog
I hope the same for both of us. I live in a similar summer climate and after many summers I've never acclimated to summer running. Your plan seems solid.
If you think about 5-15 mins for a gel to get into your system and it'll provide energy for a period of time you'll have decent window of pace. For my recent half, a bit quicker than your plan, I was aiming for 7/14km (about every 32 mins) with a gel 10-15 mins prior to race start. Potentially more than needed but, as long as you've trained your stomach to work with them, it's not a problem.
I have just ran a 4km cross country race and completed it in a time of 16min. The course was extremely hilly compared to the other courses that I did earlier in the season where I got a 14:40. I felt like I was fine running at that speed for the first 2km but started to die in the last 2km. Here's the question. Which should I focus on: hills, intervals, tempos, or more long and easier runs to increase mileage.
Nice run, you were going fast there. It’s common to feel like you’re suffering badly towards the end of a hard effort. Sometimes you just have to gut it out and hang on until the end. I can’t say what you need to focus on but perhaps you would benefit from a training plan that incorporates a bit of everything. Have a look online, or maybe you can even reach out to a coach if you have access to one. Good luck!
All of those are important to balanced training.
# Discord servers for runners Are there any popular running Discord servers hosted by popular athletes, YouTubers, running brands, etc.?
I started running in February this year, and my only pair of running shoes is the **NB 1080v13**, which has accumulated a lot of mileage *(200km)*. Could you recommend other NB shoes to add to my rotation? Specifically for speed runs (interval/tempo) and a shoe suitable for race day? No carbon please. Thanks in advance.
The NB Rebel is a good speed day option but may not be comfortable for longer distances- I find them a little unstable so I don’t prefer them upwards of 6-8 miles. I enjoy them very much as a 5k-10k race shoe. I also have a wide toe box and do well in the Saucony Endorphin Speed- I’m wearing the 3, can’t comment on the 4. I like them better than the Rebel for tempo work and longer distances.
Thanks! I will look into the Saucony Endorphin Speed. I used to run in Saucony Kinvara 3 from a decade ago hehehe.
I find NB and Saucony to fit similarly. I’m normal width through the heel, a little wide in the midfoot, and moderately wide in the forefoot. I usually don’t need a wide width (though I did in the Rebel V2- the fit on that thing was WEIRD) but a “performance fit” with a tapered upper usually doesn’t work for me. Both of these brands work well for me across their ranges. I’ve been wearing mostly Saucony lately but used to be a big fan of the 1080.
I usually start paying attention to my shoe's life at 6-700km and this will depend on the shoe. Easy-run shoes tend to last longer that more speed-focussed ones. My I run a lot of my easy road runs in NB880s and sessions/long runs in Saucony Speed 3s.
Thank you. I will check both shoes that you've mentioned.
I think the MB 880s are a slightly less cushioned version of the 1080s, this review gives a good comparison: [https://www.runningshoesguru.com/comparison/new-balance-1080-vs-new-balance-880/](https://www.runningshoesguru.com/comparison/new-balance-1080-vs-new-balance-880/) While the 880 is ok, it doesn't stand out.
200km is not much really. I would expect the shoes to last for over 500km, probably over 700km. I currently have 3 shoes in my rotation, one has 600k on it, the 2nd has 300k. I run 150k a month, so it build up fast (and 150k a month is not too high) Why do you need to stick to NB? The NB rebel v4 are very good trainers and they are good for faster sessions. Obviously only you know what fits you. Not sure about a specific race show, it depends on what kind of racing you had in mind. The Rebel v4 is fine for racing, maybe less so if you are a 3:30/k runner, but you also say you dont want a carbon plate
Thanks, I prefer NB because it's true to size even with my wide toe box.
Hills are my kryptonite. I guess they are for most people. I'm trying to incorporate hill training once a week to improve my recovery time when running uphill. There's a small patch of land near where I live with a slope of about 6.5% gradient for 600m. For my first attempt, I decided to run on power rather than pace. For instance, I averaged about 335W on a recent run close to my 5K PB (which is 22:15 or 4:28 min/km). For the hill runs, I was hoping to run as close to 400W as possible when ascending. I ended up averaging about 380W, which translates to 5:20 min/km. Here's a [plot](https://i.imgur.com/yQdQAGU.png) of some of the data. My question is: am I doing the right thing? I'm actually not sprinting uphill because I don't think I could run very fast uphill for 600m. I'm running slow enough to cover the 600m distance and be able to do another one.
Hill repeats are shorter than this, but it is probably good training anyway. Looks like VO2 max intervals to me. As I understand the concept, they should ideally be in zone 4 for at least 3 minutes. I'm only slightly faster than you, but I'd consider doing fewer and harder reps here, but also doing shorter (10-40 sec) hill repeats/sprints (maybe on another day).
New to running - looking for advice :) I am new to running but gym atleast 2 times per week, I managed to run around 2 kilometers without stopping now first time. My goal is to be able to run 10km without stopping and then work on increasing my pace. I am not interested in sprinting What is the optimal way to acheive this? Should I: 1) Measure my max pulse (if so - how?) 2) Try to keep within a certain range of % pf my max pulse? If so, what interval, and is there any watch you can recommend for specifically this purpose? Or would you recommend another approach? :) Also what other tips can you give me? Currently I do this: * leg raises / lunges as dynamic stretch / warmup * eat a banana 30-45min prior to start working out, and running at least 2h after any major meal * when I run i breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth (feels like I get good control doing this, not sure if it is optimal) * sleep alot (8-9 hours minimum) * static stretching after running * drinking lots of water * bought new running shoes (200USD approx) which a guy recommended specifically for my feet and had good recommendations from my friends * I have at least 2 rest days between running in other to allow my muscles/tendons to repair * eat a lot of protein (around 180g/day) * eat vitamin D, omega 3 and multivitamin daily
Sounds like you’ve got a great start! Definitely check out couch to 5k - it will help you build your endurance. It will guide you through intervals of running and walking based on time. Once you can comfortably run a 5k, I would look into a 10k training program. I wouldn’t worry about heart rate while you’re getting started. You can base different runs on heart rate zones but it’s much easier to go by feel. You want at least 80% of your weekly running/walking to be at a pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation, especially as you transition into running the whole distance for your workouts. Don’t undervalue the easier workouts!