Random Running Questions

Ososlo

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Nah, I believe it's subtlety different (non-scientific answer - I'm sure there'll be a more scientific answer along shortly!). If you ever tried to run a PB in a 400m, it's that icy cold feeling that grips all of the muscles in your body as you exit the final bend and hit the finishing straight. It feels like your muscles have been injected with a fast setting agent that wants to grind all movement to an instantaneous halt; meanwhile, your brain is screaming at you to exit stage right and drop out of the race. With tired legs, you'll gradually decelerate. With legs 'full of lactate', your central governor has left the building and wants to call an immediate halt to all proceedings. That's my interpretation anyway!

Interesting explanation thanks.

rom

Running fast you accumulate a high level of lactate, the hydrogen ions associated with lactate production turn off the enzymes used to produce energy and may interfere with the uptake of calcium, thereby reducing the muscles ability to contract. You can't produce energy as quickly, so you are forced to slow down or some sh1t like that.

YFlyer

I see that Zak Irvine is racing the 400m tomorrow. Is he moving up in distance?

vanderlyle

Say you've applied for the London marathon and you have run a "good for age" time in an accepted marathon. Would your application be automatically accepted, or is there a lottery?

menoscemo

vanderlyle wrote: »

Say you've applied for the London marathon and you have run a "good for age" time in an accepted marathon. Would your application be automatically accepted, or is there a lottery?

It's Automatic once verified and you can prove you have a UK address

Krusty_Clown

vanderlyle wrote: »

Say you've applied for the London marathon and you have run a "good for age" time in an accepted marathon. Would your application be automatically accepted, or is there a lottery?

Did you apply got London through the 'good-for-age' mechanism? If so, then yes. If not, then no.

vanderlyle

menoscemo wrote: »

It's Automatic once verified and you can prove you have a UK address

Thanks for that. I didn't know a UK address was needed. Since I won't have a UK address, what sort of spanner in the works is that? Would I be entered into a lottery?

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Did you apply got London through the 'good-for-age' mechanism? If so, then yes. If not, then no.

Thanks. I meant hypothetically: if I had first achieved the time and then afterwards used that time to apply through the mechanism. I'm thinking a year or two ahead of where I am now, to a point when I might have the time.

menoscemo

vanderlyle wrote: »

Thanks for that. I didn't know a UK address was needed. Since I won't have a UK address, what sort of spanner in the works is that? Would I be entered into a lottery?



Thanks. I meant hypothetically: if I had first achieved the time and then afterwards used that time to apply through the mechanism. I'm thinking a year or two ahead of where I am now, to a point when I might have the time.

If you don't have a UK address then your time means nothing as GFA is only open to UK residents so you can only enter the overseas lottery or go through a charity/travel agency.

Clearlier

vanderlyle wrote: »

Say you've applied for the London marathon and you have run a "good for age" time in an accepted marathon. Would your application be automatically accepted, or is there a lottery?

There are various modes through which you can apply. You can apply for a Good for age time place, a club place, an elite place, a celebrity place, a lottery place, a championship place, a wheelchair place, an overseas place and probably one or two others.

The point to note is that it's not one generic entry. If you apply for a ballot place then you're not applying for a good for age time place and so on. Historically there has been some flexibility and transfers from one section to another have often been allowed. That has typically been for something like a club or ballot place turning into a championship entry. They have become stricter in recent years. Most (though not all) of the entries require a UK address.

TL:DR - Apply for the type of entry that you want and are eligible for.

JohnDozer

Whats a good session to do as prep for a 5 mile race that's not exactly a target, but would still like to do some specific preparation for? Its in a months time so I'm thinking 2 specific interval sessions. Would something like 4 or 5 1 mile repeats off 3 mins recovery make any sense?

I also have the option of using parkrun if that would work?

Clearlier

JohnDozer wrote: »

Whats a good session to do as prep for a 5 mile race that's not exactly a target, but would still like to do some specific preparation for? Its in a months time so I'm thinking 2 specific interval sessions. Would something like 4 or 5 1 mile repeats off 3 mins recovery make any sense?

I also have the option of using parkrun if that would work?

That wouldn't be bad. If you can follow it up with 2*2 miles @ race pace then you could be reasonably confident about hitting your target. Ideally you'd also get in some slightly faster running at some point so that 5 mile pace isn't a struggle mechanically. 15 to 20 *200m @5k pace followed by 200m easy jog would probably do a pretty good jog.

overpronator

I have a question for people who use racing flats for marathons.

I train normally in Mizuno Wave Inspires, a great shoe but there is just a bit too much heel for me when I try to run a bit faster so I find them a wee bit clunky.
I have raced in DS racer 10s up as far as the half with zero issues and yesterday I did a 20 mile session with 10 at PMP in them and thankfully the legs feel absolutely grand today.

Would that be a good enough indicator that I could handle flats for a full marathon or would I be better off doing a 20 mile LSR (or longer) in them just to be sure. After yesterday ill continue to do any longer marathon paced workouts in them.

davedanon

overpronator wrote: »

I have a question for people who use racing flats for marathons.

I train normally in Mizuno Wave Inspires, a great shoe but there is just a bit too much heel for me when I try to run a bit faster so I find them a wee bit clunky.
I have raced in DS racer 10s up as far as the half with zero issues and yesterday I did a 20 mile session with 10 at PMP in them and thankfully the legs feel absolutely grand today.

Would that be a good enough indicator that I could handle flats for a full marathon or would I be better off doing a 20 mile LSR (or longer) in them just to be sure. After yesterday ill continue to do any longer marathon paced workouts in them.

This is just my own experience, but last year I ended up running the Derry marathon in Saucony A6s. This was against the advice of Gary Crossan in AK, but for a variety of reasons they were the best/only choice for me. I had no problems whatsoever (and ended up with a pb), and at 5'10" and 11½ st, I'm not a stick insect.

overpronator

davedanon wrote: »

This is just my own experience, but last year I ended up running the Derry marathon in Saucony A6s. This was against the advice of Gary Crossan in AK, but for a variety of reasons they were the best/only choice for me. I had no problems whatsoever (and ended up with a pb), and at 5'10" and 11½ st, I'm not a stick insect.

Cheers Dave, the A6 would be a bit less shoe than the DS racer I reckon. Would you regularly do tempo sessions or the occasional long run in them or did you just rock up on the day:D?

davedanon

overpronator wrote: »

Cheers Dave, the A6 would be a bit less shoe than the DS racer I reckon. Would you regularly do tempo sessions or the occasional long run in them or did you just rock up on the day:D?

I did a few runs of varying kinds in them before the marathon alright. What had happened was, I had become disenchanted with wedge-heeled runners (ASICS 21 series) and wanted lighter, lower-drop shoes. I had decided to run the marathon in a pair of Asics gel-volts, but on a long run just a couple of weeks before the race they gave me a massive heel blister. It was only a couple of miles in too, but at least it meant I could go back to the clubhouse and change into my ancient pair of Kinvara 1s.

I'd had a birthday AK voucher on me for ages, so went along, and ended up with the A6s, and liked them so much I did Derry in them.

I'd say the moral is, don't dismiss the idea, but make sure it suits you. If you get through an 18 miler ok, then surely a marathon will be fine.

TFBubendorfer

overpronator wrote: »

I have a question for people who use racing flats for marathons.

I train normally in Mizuno Wave Inspires, a great shoe but there is just a bit too much heel for me when I try to run a bit faster so I find them a wee bit clunky.
I have raced in DS racer 10s up as far as the half with zero issues and yesterday I did a 20 mile session with 10 at PMP in them and thankfully the legs feel absolutely grand today.

Would that be a good enough indicator that I could handle flats for a full marathon or would I be better off doing a 20 mile LSR (or longer) in them just to be sure. After yesterday ill continue to do any longer marathon paced workouts in them.

The first time I used racing flats for a marathon, Cork 2008, I ran in Asics Ohana racers (don't think they exist any more). My feet started hurting pretty badly around mile 20 but it didn't slow me down - I set a PR and to this day I regard this one as one of my best executed marathons.

I've used Nike Lunaracers for quite a few years after that. I'm not sure how many marathons I ran in those but it was at least a dozen and I never had any troubles. In fact, I felt so comfortable in those shoes that I even wore them for a few ultras, though my legs and feet did take some punishment from that.

From what you're saying I'd say you're perfectly capable of using your DS racers for the marathon. Obviously, there's only one way to find out for sure.

aquinn

Sorry for the intrusion or duplication of questions already asked but I'm looking for calf sleeves recommendations and Garmin with GPS and HRM that isn't obscenely expensive. I've a forerunner 110 that I do like but it now has sellotape from a weekend fall and computer is getting more troublesome uploading data. Have also found that Polar brand is recommended too.
Re: calf sleeves hoping this will help and avoid tight calves and reduce foam rolling.
Any help welcome. Thanks.

Ed Mc

aquinn wrote:

Sorry for the intrusion or duplication of questions already asked but I'm looking for calf sleeves recommendations and Garmin with GPS and HRM that isn't obscenely expensive. I've a forerunner 110 that I do like but it now has sellotape from a weekend fall and computer is getting more troublesome uploading data. Have also found that Polar brand is recommended too. Re: calf sleeves hoping this will help and avoid tight calves and reduce foam rolling. Any help welcome. Thanks.

Aside from the debate weather calf sleeves are any good at all.
I find compress sport have a better compression than my skins although there in the same size range.
The skins are more comfortable to wear around the ankle and pull up when necessary (when fatigue sets in).
I dont believe it has reduced the time I spend foam rolling but helps in recovery after a long run also.
sportspursuit.com were doing good deals recently.

angelzoo

Hi

Just looking for people opinions on tapering the week before a big race. I've a very important race this weekend. I've been training pretty hard and feel pretty tired the last week or two, the legs feel beat up. I usually do one double day a week, usually on a Wednesday. So just wondering would I be best just doing a single today and perhaps do an easy few miles on Friday even though its down as a rest day? Or stick to what I know and do the double? Any advice welcome. Thanks.

28064212

angelzoo wrote: »

Just looking for people opinions on tapering the week before a big race. I've a very important race this weekend. I've been training pretty hard and feel pretty tired the last week or two, the legs feel beat up. I usually do one double day a week, usually on a Wednesday. So just wondering would I be best just doing a single today and perhaps do an easy few miles on Friday even though its down as a rest day? Or stick to what I know and do the double? Any advice welcome. Thanks.

Highlighted the important parts. Would you not just do a single today and a rest day on Friday? If it's an important race, you don't have much/anything to gain by doing extra running, and you've already said you're feeling tired

angelzoo

Thanks for the reply. Your right it would be different if I'd another goal race coming up over the next few weeks but I don't. It's just the fear of feeling a bit lethargic for weekend.

Dubgal72

angelzoo wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. Your right it would be different if I'd another goal race coming up over the next few weeks but I don't. It's just the fear of feeling a bit lethargic for weekend.

When is the race, Saturday or Sunday? If you want to avoid feeling lethargic, you could go for a very easy three mile run, throw in a few strides at 60-70% effort and cool down for half a mile. That won't take much out of you and could be done either the day before or two days before. Good luck with the race! (Drink/hydrate and sleep between now and then too!)

It wasnt me123

I have a blood blister since LSR last Sunday week (think it was a sock fold). Ran Dungarvan last Sunday with compeed plaster with no problem, no problem in normal shoes but it just won't go away. I've read that I shouldn't open it/drain it but its annoying me and sore when I ran tonight. Any suggestions? I have a 16 mile LSR due on Friday. Thanks

TFBubendorfer

It wasnt me123 wrote: »

I have a blood blister since LSR last Sunday week (think it was a sock fold). Ran Dungarvan last Sunday with compeed plaster with no problem, no problem in normal shoes but it just won't go away. I've read that I shouldn't open it/drain it but its annoying me and sore when I ran tonight. Any suggestions? I have a 16 mile LSR due on Friday. Thanks

Never touch a blood blister. Just let it heal.

Lads, those of ye who run early in the mornings, around the 6am mark, what do ye eat the night before and how late?

I'm going to start doing some of my runs in the mornings and just don't know how to handle the food aspect. Early morning runs will range from 10-20km.

Netwerk Errer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Lads, those of ye who run early in the mornings, around the 6am mark, what do ye eat the night before and how late?

I'm going to start doing some of my runs in the mornings and just don't know how to handle the food aspect. Early morning runs will range from 10-20km.

Usually I go with something high in carbs as a late evening meal about 9ish. On the morning of the run, I will have a light snack of a toasted bagel or wholegrain bread and a piece of light fruit like an orange to top up and keep the hunger prangs at bay.

RayCun

my morning runs are usually on the way into work, so I eat first
Otherwise, whatever suits you - have your normal breakfast before you run. Or, if you don't like to eat before running, have your breakfast when you get back.
I kind of assume anyone posting on this forum is generally well-fed, so we're perfectly capable of going for a run in the morning without having to load up the night before

M.J.M.C

Deleted User wrote: »

Lads, those of ye who run early in the mornings, around the 6am mark, what do ye eat the night before and how late?

I'm going to start doing some of my runs in the mornings and just don't know how to handle the food aspect. Early morning runs will range from 10-20km.

Run 20K at this time (commute) have carbs the night before, usually 7/7:30
Tried having a coffee or toast before leaving in the morning, but never works out. I find its easier just to jump out of the bed and go without anything.
It's a BRILLIANT time to run I find, usually only waking up at 10K and by the time the sun is up, you've your workout done for the day.

I'll have to just make sure I have carbs with dinner, I've no problem with that :pac:

I'm still figuring out the nutrition side of running, eating enough and eating right. I'll get there

TFBubendorfer

I eat whatever the better half puts on the table. I usually eat 2 portions anyway and lack of carbs isn't going to happen.

When I started running I always had a bowl of cereal before going running. I stopped that years ago and now run on empty. I do drink plenty of water before I start, but that's it.

I never had a problem with that approach, not once have I run out of energy, not even on 20+ mile runs. In fact, I find running on an empty stomach easier than running with some cereal in there that has yet to be properly digested.