Random Running Questions

conavitzky

Hi folks. Looking for advice on amount of rest / easy days after DCM before commencing XC training with a view to masters in January. I took two days off and have been alternating 10k 8k on alternate days since (easy pace). Legs feel okay but don't want to go at it hard again too early and nearly afraid to test them!
How do you suggest transitioning to XC? Some fartlek on hilly grass route?

davedanon

I wouldn't be qualified to comment, but it sounds like it's right up Mr. Splitz's alley.

Myles Splitz

conavitzky wrote: »

Hi folks. Looking for advice on amount of rest / easy days after DCM before commencing XC training with a view to masters in January. I took two days off and have been alternating 10k 8k on alternate days since (easy pace). Legs feel okay but don't want to go at it hard again too early and nearly afraid to test them!
How do you suggest transitioning to XC? Some fartlek on hilly grass route?

After 2-3 weeks start lightly introducing quality work.

Strides and Diagonals are a good start.

Main thing you want to focus on is keeping the recoveries long and the effort short.

If you want to add tempo style stuff do it as fragmented with sufficient recovery for example

1 mile easy, 1 mile MP, 800m easy, 1 mile HMP, 2 mile easy etc

or 1 mile easy, 1 mile hard, 1 mile easy, 1 mile steady, 1 mile easy etc

After a month you should be able to start into a solid 6-8 week cycle of training

davedanon

Told you.

Ososlo

Why does Strava keep recommending that I 'follow' cyclists? One guy in particular who's a pro?
I never mentioned a word about cycling when I signed up! Haven't been on a bike in yonks!

Just wondering!

Gavlor

Ososlo wrote: »

Why does Strava keep recommending that I 'follow' cyclists? One guy in particular who's a pro?
I never mentioned a word about cycling when I signed up! Haven't been on a bike in yonks!

Just wondering!

Coz it's a cycling app first and foremost

Ososlo

Gavlor wrote: »

Coz it's a cycling app first and foremost

oh didn't know that!

Dubgal72

Neera wrote: »

at the minute I go our twice during the week and run about 3.5km - 4km - takes about 20ish minutes. At the weekend I run a 5km and try to keep my pace at 6:30 per km....lately though I have been getting a little quicker so tend to complete that on about 31:30 mins. I'm looking at increasing my speed and distance now so considering joining a running club to do this.

Running club is a great idea. Where are you based?

If you're doing 4km in 20 minutes, that sounds a little fast, more like a tempo run session when you probably should be just building. I might be wrong tho
How long have you been running and have you any short/medium/long term goals in mind? You sound like you have

Have a look at the Training Logs section here and have a think about starting your own. You'll get plenty of advice from experienced posters.

Neera

Only running since Feruary but I'd love to do the Dublin Race Series next yesr and finish up with the Dublin Half marathon - thats my focus at the minute.

i'm based in Lucan so going to check out the Lucan Harriers club see what they're about - not sure of any others in the area....

JMSE

Heres a question, how long after some static stretching should I wait before I can go out for a little runeen????

JMSE

JMSE wrote: »

Heres a question, how long after some static stretching should I wait before I can go out for a little runeen????

Did you do your static stretching cold?

JMSE

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Did you do your static stretching cold?

Yes whoops

JMSE

JMSE wrote: »

Yes whoops

Uh oh. You're gunna be in trouble :P

JMSE

No I static stretched the quad bout 5.30, wondering wud I be able to jog on it 3 hrs minimum later?

Dubgal72

JMSE wrote: »

No I static stretched the quad bout 5.30, wondering wud I be able to jog on it 3 hrs minimum later?

I think whoopsa is trying to say that you probably shouldn't static stretch on cold muscles. There's a risk of injury stretching cold muscles. Static stretching is better post run to relax them or some will use a version of static stretching as part of a warm up prior to a session, i.e., after the jog part of the warm up.

Ososlo is an advocate of AIS stretching and a lunge matrix prior to a run. Gerard Hartmann also has a set of stretches to do prior to a run. Will dig out links in a bit or you can just google them.

JMSE

Hmmm , earlier in the year a Physio gave me static stretches to do on a hip niggle I had at that time, gave me cold stretches to do 8 times a day, just not 1st thing in the morning

Dubgal72

JMSE wrote: »

Hmmm , earlier in the year a Physio gave me static stretches to do on a hip niggle I had at that time, gave me cold stretches to do 8 times a day, just not 1st thing in the morning

Have a chat with Myles Splitz. Yours sound specific to your niggle. General static stretching immediately prior to running is usually not recommended.

JMSE

Thanks whoops n dubz

Sorry J, I should have been more helpful!

Dubgal72

Deleted User wrote: »

Sorry J, I should have been more helpful!

Ah no, you did a good job priming him

HelenAnne

Lazy person's question: do people completely clean their spikes between training sessions / races? I usually do, but since I've started wearing them once a week for training I'm tempted to just bang the muck off them / rinse them rather than screwing out all the spikes and washing them. It seems like such a faff! But will they go mouldy / rust?? What do others do?

Dubgal72

Omg you are thorough, not lazy at all! Not naming but there are some round these parts won't even bang the muck off from one season to the next
A bang when you're finished the session is usually fine and you can prise any lumps off later when they're dry. Mine never got mouldy back in the day and I wasn't particularly great at cleaning them straight away.

Keep a dedicated kitchen brush for giving them a rough scrub on particularly bad days, saves unscrewing.

HelenAnne

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Omg you are thorough, not lazy at all! Not naming but there are some round these parts won't even bang the muck off from one season to the next
A bang when you're finished the session is usually fine and you can prise any lumps off later when they're dry. Mine never got mouldy back in the day and I wasn't particularly great at cleaning them straight away.

Keep a dedicated kitchen brush for giving them a rough scrub on particularly bad days, saves unscrewing.

We have just such an unsavoury brush in the drawer beside the sink for runners / post park run directors' wellies etc. I have just finished using it on my spikes. the kitchen smells like silage -- i think i brought half the grass on the seafront home on my spikes / in my bag last night

Bungy Girl

HelenAnne wrote: »

Lazy person's question: do people completely clean their spikes between training sessions / races? I usually do, but since I've started wearing them once a week for training I'm tempted to just bang the muck off them / rinse them rather than screwing out all the spikes and washing them. It seems like such a faff! But will they go mouldy / rust?? What do others do?

I used to unscrew the spikes, clean them individually, dry them and coat them in Vaseline. Then scrub the shoes until they sparkled and stuff them with newspaper. This after every race when I was racing almost every week :rolleyes:

Then I got sense. Now, it's November, my spikes haven't been used since March and they are sitting in a bag somewhere covered in 6 month old muck, no doubt cultivating a whole new life form. Maybe I should just buy a new pair ?

Dubgal72

^^^ *cough cough*

Dubgal72

Solo warm up or group warm up pre-race?

I had been doing my pre-race warm up solo and had my routine down pat, including getting into 'the zone'. Lately it's been panning out that I warm up with clubmates. I love the whole team camaraderie and really benefit from training with my clubmates...Just not convinced on the race warm up thing, there has been a bit too much compromise of my routine. Any thoughts on pros and cons of this?

aquinn

Warm up, huh?

Notwork Error

I mostly go solo on my warmups. I always feel a little tense before races and feel a little cranky. The warm-up is where I get into my head and what I'm going to do in the race, I find that relaxes me and I don't get a chance to do that with group warmups and I feel more tense at the line as a result. I've great time for the lads but that's my time to get my head into gear.

Finglas Flier

Mostly warm up on my own. I think warm ups are very much an individual thing as some need more *head time* then actual physical time to get prepared...... My warm ups are very modest indeed and usually involve the first kilometer or two of a race to do that.
After race warm downs...different all together but you didn't ask that.. :-)

Dubgal72

Notwork Error wrote: »

I mostly go solo on my warmups. I always feel a little tense before races and feel a little cranky. The warm-up is where I get into my head and what I'm going to do in the race, I find that relaxes me and I don't get a chance to do that with group warmups and I feel more tense at the line as a result. I've great time for the lads but that's my time to get my head into gear.

Finglas Flier wrote: »

Mostly warm up on my own. I think warm ups are very much an individual thing as some need more *head time* then actual physical time to get prepared...... My warm ups are very modest indeed and usually involve the first kilometer or two of a race to do that.
After race warm downs...different all together but you didn't ask that.. :-)

That's it, isn't it, the mental over the physical. Thanks lads, probably just waiting to hear what I want to. Still, will be interested to hear any advocates of group warm ups....

Then again the aquinn model has a lot going for it...