Loungers on the run: Couch to 5k to marathon and beyond

rainbow kirby

Pembily wrote: »

Not sure, going out tomorrow so will see. I wear orthotics and wondering if it's that!

It could be that the orthotics are reducing the amount of space you have in the toe box and that's causing the numbness - there are a few sites online which suggest different lacing methods, and some of those will give you a bit more room there - have a look?

Cerulean Chicken

It wasn't just the cold was it? I was at a wedding recently and with bare legs in the church it was so cold my toes went numb and stayed that way for hours!

I haven't gotten out for a run since last week, been sick and my boyfriend has put a ban on me going out in the cold. In fairness it was running that got me this lovely sickness, I get so warm that I was out running in the freezing cold in short leggings and a vest top, and as soon as I got home I sneezed about 20 times, woke up the next day with a sore throat and spiraled downhill from there. I've had a really busy month and the cold just destroyed the last of my immune system, I think *all* the sickness bugs rushed towards me

Hoping to get out today (wrapped up vaguely well) as I've discovered that there's a perfect circular 5.1km route from my house back to my house, want to see how long it takes me to do it.

Pembily

rainbow kirby wrote: »

It could be that the orthotics are reducing the amount of space you have in the toe box and that's causing the numbness - there are a few sites online which suggest different lacing methods, and some of those will give you a bit more room there - have a look?

Excellent, thanks. My orthotics aren't full so I need to leave the insole in or my toes have no padding and go numb :pac: (well I found they went numb with my last runners as I had nothing under my toes).

rainbow kirby

The nuclear option there really if you have very wide feet (and are size 7+ in running shoes) is to consider getting a men's shoe - they will give you a good bit of extra width.

Cerulean Chicken

Tried to actually achieve 5k today...failed miserably. It's like everything conspired against me. For the first time ever I abandoned a run, had to walk after 25 minutes, ran for another minute then. I planned to do a 5k route, but with this headcold, wind blowing at me, a stitch in my side and sore knees I had to take shortcut. I did 4.5k in 31 minutes, not too bad, but really wanted to do the 5k for real.

Question for you all, my knees are really sore now. For the last 2 weeks I find my knees are quite sore when I either leave a long gap between runs (4-6 days) or when I really work hard either with inclines or against the wind, what could be causing this? I don't want to damage them like. I've never had any trouble with my knees except for when I was a teenager during one growth spurt when they started to kind of "lock" and hurt, which is what they seem to be doing now too.

Edit: My right knee is actually quite sore now.

Paddy Cow

Pembily wrote: »

Not sure, going out tomorrow so will see. I wear orthotics and wondering if it's that!

I wear orthotics and have never had a problem with them when running.

rainbow kirby

Cerulean Chicken wrote: »

Question for you all, my knees are really sore now. For the last 2 weeks I find my knees are quite sore when I either leave a long gap between runs (4-6 days) or when I really work hard either with inclines or against the wind, what could be causing this?

Quite a lot of running-related knee issues actually stem from further up - strengthening exercises for hips and glutes can often stop knee niggles from happening, and women are more prone to these because of our wider hips. Worth a shot anyway - for immediate relief if it's really bad ice it.

Just registered for the Women's Mini-Marathon as a bit of motivation for the next while, back finally behaving consistently well enough to build up running mileage again and the nasty bronchitis I had over Easter has finally fecked off. Having a bloody nightmare proving my sub-60 time though, the 10k result from last June that I wanted to use is apparently showing that my chip didn't work (and I may or may not have deleted the Garmin trace in the fit of anger over the 5 seconds over 50 minutes that I finished in), and the twat who designed the Great Limerick Run webpage is requiring that you have registered for the 2013 race to display last year's results :rolleyes:

Cerulean Chicken

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Quite a lot of running-related knee issues actually stem from further up - strengthening exercises for hips and glutes can often stop knee niggles from happening, and women are more prone to these because of our wider hips. Worth a shot anyway - for immediate relief if it's really bad ice it.

Ok great thanks Luckily I have teeny tiny hips (non existant outside of barely female shaped pelvis!) so hopefully I can fix that and won't have too much trouble. My boyfriend reckons it's because a big part of the route I run is down a long slight hill, he thinks it's the added impact of that that's hurting them, any truth in this do you think?

Lucyfur

Could you switch the route around so you're running up the slight hill? Running on the flat or on a treadmill is bad for the knees

rainbow kirby

It's something that can't really be ignored, there are extra forces on your knees and quads when running downhill. If you can, try run on a flat/grassy surface and see if you have the same sort of issues.

Also, if it's just one knee, is the road cambered?

Cerulean Chicken

Lucyfur wrote: »

Could you switch the route around so you're running up the slight hill? Running on the flat or on a treadmill is bad for the knees

Yeah I'm just figuring that out now, I will reverse the route.

rainbow kirby wrote: »

It's something that can't really be ignored, there are extra forces on your knees and quads when running downhill. If you can, try run on a flat/grassy surface and see if you have the same sort of issues.

Also, if it's just one knee, is the road cambered?

It's both knees but the right one moreso, that was the knee that caused most trouble when I was a teenager so that's fair enough, it's obviously just more sensitive/prone to it. Running uphill absolutely kills me so reversing the route will be tough but sure I don't have much choice. All those times I thought going down the hill was the easy bit!! Still new to all this running stuff and while it might seem obvious to others I just hadn't considered the extra force, I loved the long downhill because I found it so much easier. Thanks for your advice

southsiderosie

Just restarted this week after having a few months of knee problems and laziness.

Re knee pain: according to my doctor, my problem was that my quads were weak and my hips so tight that there was undue pressure on my knees. Gentle quad work in the weight room and lots of stretching/yoga has helped greatly.

JimmyCrackCorn

Been a while

So I have been training honest and am all ready for Tough Mudder Sydney all over again.



So this Saturday Ill be running in my second tough Mudder event in a year.

Last May I started couch to 5k and remember thinking I could start on week three only to fail on W3D2 and have to drop back to the W1D2. On that day I promised id never let myself get that unfit again.

Thanks to all on this thread for the encouragement along the way and remember even if you have a bad run, bad day, setback, backslide, binge sessions for a month.
Just keep training some running or training is better than nothing.

Cerulean Chicken

My knees are still bloody sore since Wednesday, just a little bit, but still sore. Not that it matters anyway, with a lingering cold, a sore tooth, and the bad weather it's not just the knees stopping me. Not impressed!

Pembily

How are your knees now CC?

I haven't been out for a run all week and won't get out until Wednesday. Went for a 50km cycle today instead.

Cerulean Chicken

Pembily wrote: »

How are your knees now CC?

I haven't been out for a run all week and won't get out until Wednesday. Went for a 50km cycle today instead.

Right one still a bit sore. Was going to go for a 4.5k walk today but the weather was so bad I decided against it, want to be shot of this sickness an sore knee before I do anything. Going to go to the gym for a run and a swim tomorrow, where it's warm and easy! Can't believe really that my knee got so sore on Wednesday.

SarahBeep!

Does anyone find it hard to stick to C25K?? Between college and work and stuff, I can't get out consistently. Just went out there and did a half run half walk (C25K style) but I didn't wanna do the next day of the programme a) because it's been so long since I did the last one and b) incase I couldn't keep up.



(I managed not to get chips for dinner tho! :pac:)

vitani

SarahBeep! wrote: »

Does anyone find it hard to stick to C25K?? Between college and work and stuff, I can't get out consistently. Just went out there and did a half run half walk (C25K style) but I didn't wanna do the next day of the programme a) because it's been so long since I did the last one and b) incase I couldn't keep up.



(I managed not to get chips for dinner tho! :pac:)

I used to write the sessions down in my diary at the start of the week and then mark each one off as I did them. Maybe try something like that? I find it's too easy to put things off when you don't have a specific day or time set in which to do them.

rainbow kirby

SarahBeep! wrote: »

Does anyone find it hard to stick to C25K?? Between college and work and stuff, I can't get out consistently. Just went out there and did a half run half walk (C25K style) but I didn't wanna do the next day of the programme a) because it's been so long since I did the last one and b) incase I couldn't keep up.

I did Couch to 5k in the summer before I started my final year in college, then kept up a slightly increased volume through final year. I treated getting out for a short run as a bit of a treat - get the study done, then head out for a run to clear the head, nice shower after and then back to work feeling a bit more refreshed.

JimmyCrackCorn

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

Been a while

So I have been training honest and am all ready for Tough Mudder Sydney all over again.



So this Saturday Ill be running in my second tough Mudder event in a year.

Last May I started couch to 5k and remember thinking I could start on week three only to fail on W3D2 and have to drop back to the W1D2. On that day I promised id never let myself get that unfit again.

Thanks to all on this thread for the encouragement along the way and remember even if you have a bad run, bad day, setback, backslide, binge sessions for a month.
Just keep training some running or training is better than nothing.

I'm alive.. Just about anyway.

Was in bits the day after but finished in 3 hours dead which was exactly my target.

15k of the course was uphill and I suffered for it. Showed weakness in my training. Need to start running up more steps/hills to build up endurance on hills.

I'm chuffed though.


The PLAN:

So the plan is to be able to run the full course with little/no walking next time round. Which means I need to kick the crap out of myself over the next couple of months.

I'm also playing with the idea of power lifting and plan to start training for that this weekend.

Scruffles

sorry if this sounds like a stupid question but am not the most clued up on this stuff....
can marathons [the ones people do to raise money for charities of their choices] be done using a wheelchair as well as those fully able bodied?
have finaly recieved a wheelchair; a mid range manual wheelie,and its giving much motivation and freedom;woud love to put that to good use by doing a small marathon of some sort in the near?future for charity to give back for the support have recieved off them over the years.

woud a regular manual wheelchair be even able to cope with that level of activity?

JimmyCrackCorn

Scruffles wrote: »

sorry if this sounds like a stupid question but am not the most clued up on this stuff....
can marathons [the ones people do to raise money for charities of their choices] be done using a wheelchair as well as those fully able bodied?
have finaly recieved a wheelchair; a mid range manual wheelie,and its giving much motivation and freedom;woud love to put that to good use by doing a small marathon of some sort in the near?future for charity to give back for the support have recieved off them over the years.

woud a regular manual wheelchair be even able to cope with that level of activity?

http://www.demotix.com/news/1559191/luke-jones-wins-wheelchair-race-dublin-city-marathon#media-1559183


Yes. Plenty of events are wheelchair accessible.

They are specialised wheelchairs for this. A regular chair is just too unstable for sports.

I'm sure someone here will be able to point you in the right direction.

kat.mac

So I'm feeling like I need to build up my quad strength in a big way to help with the running. I feel like they're the muscles that get tired quickest, even before my lungs start protesting. Would love suggestions on the best way to go about it!

Lucyfur

kat.mac wrote: »

So I'm feeling like I need to build up my quad strength in a big way to help with the running. I feel like they're the muscles that get tired quickest, even before my lungs start protesting. Would love suggestions on the best way to go about it!

Squats and lunges!!

kat.mac

Lucyfur wrote: »

Squats and lunges!!

I thought so, thanks!

Although secretly, I was hoping some sports science whizz would have come up with an alternative to squats and lunges by now

Lucyfur

kat.mac wrote: »

I thought so, thanks!

Although secretly, I was hoping some sports science whizz would have come up with an alternative to squats and lunges by now

I know!! They're awful but they work!

vitani

I think I'll be seriously concentrating on the squats and lunges from now on as well. I thought I could get away with not doing much strength work, but I had quad pain after racing three weeks ago. And while they're fine today, I'm suffering from a muscle spasm in my glute instead after racing yesterday. I really need to start building up my strength.

Is it just a case of starting with low reps and building up day by day? What's the best way to start strength training?

Cerulean Chicken

My knees are still sore, was walking down a few steps today and that really hurt them, then they ached for a while in the car afterwards. Pretty p!ssed off, I have no idea what I did last Wednesday that differed so much to do this.

southsiderosie

vitani wrote: »

I think I'll be seriously concentrating on the squats and lunges from now on as well. I thought I could get away with not doing much strength work, but I had quad pain after racing three weeks ago. And while they're fine today, I'm suffering from a muscle spasm in my glute instead after racing yesterday. I really need to start building up my strength.

Is it just a case of starting with low reps and building up day by day? What's the best way to start strength training?

I've found the New Rules of Lifting for Women to be a great guide to strength training and easing into a routine. (Not sure if you are a woman!) That said, do you think your issues are due to lack of strength, or lack of flexibility?

vitani

southsiderosie wrote: »

I've found the New Rules of Lifting for Women to be a great guide to strength training and easing into a routine. (Not sure if you are a woman!) That said, do you think your issues are due to lack of strength, or lack of flexibility?

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm looking at the preview now on Amazon and I like what I can see so far.

And good question. The quad pain was definitely strength related (or lack thereof) but the muscle spasm, I'm not sure about. Would strength training help increase flexibility or would something like crosstraining be more useful?