Sounds like yesterday was the day of the many buffets. We ate at noon, and I wasn't hungry again until 8 this morning. Burp!Stuffed myself at a Chinese buffet for lunch. First heavy lunch I've had in a long, long time.
Sounds like yesterday was the day of the many buffets. We ate at noon, and I wasn't hungry again until 8 this morning. Burp!Stuffed myself at a Chinese buffet for lunch. First heavy lunch I've had in a long, long time.
My approach can probably be summed up in one word: moderation. Very gradual, moderate changes in routine, whatever the reason. If I am fighting a funny twinge or have had down time due to a flesh wound, I come back slowly, taking time to see how I feel. I think this is partly the idea about taking days to rest between each run. I am never fully aware of how my body has handled a run until two days later. The healing from the stress of increased effort makes sense to me, too, based on what I know of physiology. I know it's not always exact science deciding if a twinge means the body should rest, but I tend to err on the side of rest.Good to hear. I was curious when you mentioned doing tempo runs a while back, because I haven't heard of too many other people around her doing those. But you run at a good pace and manage to stay injury-free, which I take as a very good recommendation for this approach.
I was just having a look at the book now. Funny, he prescribes exactly the program I've been trying to implement for the last month or two: three runs a week, one day track intervals, one day tempo run, and one day long and steady. Man, it's great to get this confirmation, because this mix just feels so right for me. The moment I try four days a week, last week, what happens?: ITBS!!! I just need to merge my proposed skips and backwards running into my track day.
Still for the next week or two, I think I may just try intervals, 440 to one mile, to make sure I can stretch and massage a lot throughout the workout, until I've shaken the ITBS once and for all. Does that make sense?
Yikes -5.65 miles through the jungles of Winnipeg, MB. Saw a car hood close up tonight as it slid through a nice big stop sign and came to a nice easy stop right in front of me. I was so impressed I decided the hood needed a nice imprint of my hand, so I gave it one.
Hope you didn't have to clean out your drawers too...Yup, it made my night and had the heart really racing, kind of shot the rest of the run all to poop though.
Completely agree with the first paragraph. I got in trouble when I tried to jump mileage once in August, and again two weeks ago, when, post-MCL rehab, I tried to get back to the mileage I had built up gradually, March to September. I think for me it's mostly been a process of accepting that I'm older now and can't just will my body to do stuff anymore. But I think also I had failed to appreciate that running is a different animal from, say, cycling, and you just can't jump mileage without consequences. It's too high-impact. Even young, skinny, serious runners often report problems when they jump mileage.My approach can probably be summed up in one word: moderation. Very gradual, moderate changes in routine, whatever the reason. If I am fighting a funny twinge or have had down time due to a flesh wound, I come back slowly, taking time to see how I feel. I think this is partly the idea about taking days to rest between each run. I am never fully aware of how my body has handled a run until two days later. The healing from the stress of increased effort makes sense to me, too, based on what I know of physiology. I know it's not always exact science deciding if a twinge means the body should rest, but I tend to err on the side of rest.
That's another reason for having the multiple ways of exercising. Although I do take complete days of rest about once a week (or else I just fall into a crumpled heap), cycling through the way the body is exerting itself lets something always be resting. My husband, who has run successfully and impressively for many years, has cautioned me against stretching very much during a work out. He says it can lead to injury. Something about when the body is all warmed up, it can be easy stretch away your signals, then accidentally try harder than you should. I really don't stretch much worth mentioning now, but I do warm up my legs and give them a good massage several times a week. I noticed better recuperation from my runs when I started doing this. And now I've signed for a half-marathon next August. Doh!
I had trouble with ITBS before I began barefoot running. It was keeping me from running. I think part of what helps me avoid it now is thinking about letting my legs and hips relax and be loose. Maybe that's easier for my gender, but anytime the body is kept stiff when trying to move, things tend to go "twang!"
There are also runners like Scedastic and DNEChris who tolerate high mileage and daily running no problem.
It's great that your weekly mileage is moderate for you, but I wonder if some of us would ever be capable of that kind of moderation no matter how extreme our effort!Happysongbird's moderate approach works for me!
I moderate either the pace or the distance and it all seems to flow together. As I've said before, I have to get to work anyway and running is the most fun way to do it! It probably took me 18 - 20 months to reach my current daily mileage from the start of this running adventure 4 years ago.
Now I just try and hone my technique by letting nature take its course!
I don't really agree about the stretching part. I think not stretching enough, along with not realizing the importance of self-massage, has been my main problem since trying to get back in shape since 2010, when I returned Stateside. I've always been flexible, especially for a guy, and used to be able to do the splits. When I got ITBS last Tuesday, I stuck my leg up about chest high and then dug in my fingers up and down along the leg muscles and bang, the ITBS disappeared. 15 minutes earlier I could barely walk, I was limping so bad in pain. But I do believe this can be an individual thing. I think massaging is probably a universal good, but perhaps stretching isn't for everyone, I dunno. I just know it works for me.
There are also runners like Scedastic and DNEChris who tolerate high mileage and daily running no problem, so it's really a matter of finding what works for each one of us, at any given stage of our fitness development, right? I think both Nick and I have discovered we're more less-n-faster type runners, whereas others are more-n-steady type runners. The problem for me was that the latter seems to be the dominant paradigm in the recreational running world, and it was easy to become unduly influenced by it once I began participating in online interactions with other runners. Ever since last spring I've sensed that I needed to run faster first, but it's taken a long time to finally give myself complete license to adopt this approach.
I too would back off or take time off if it weren't getting better. Here's the sequence of runs thus far:Certainly every body is different. And it's your body you have to get to know. Can't argue with that. It seems like what you are calling stretching to deal with the ITBS is more like what I would call dealing with cramp/tightening response to over use by holding it in a position that doesn't hurt, then massaging it. If that was happening to me as strongly as you describe, I would probably back off of what I was doing or take some time off. But that's me.
I dunno, we'd have to ask scedastic and Chris, but it seems like they do pretty well. Seems like some people are OK with high(er) mileage and/or high(er) frequency. More power to them. A brother of a childhood friend has run at least one mile every day for over 40 years. He even ran after gall bladder surgery! So those folks do exist, they're just not that common . That book, as you know, is full of testimonials from people who had trouble with the high-mileage, high-frequency approach, and needed to back off. So I think in the main you're right--it's very hard for most of us to sustain that.Having watched close family members and friends run daily over the years, as well as observe the general running population, I don't think it is easily said that anyone tolerates high mileage and daily running with no problem. It may seem like it for a while, but the body always has a way of "taking a break." We don't hear much from "runners" when they are not running due to injury (well, except here, of course ).
I don't believe reports where people say they've done something every day for 40 years. Just sayin'.A brother of a childhood friend has run at least one mile every day for over 40 years. He even ran after gall bladder surgery! .
I don't believe reports where people say they've done something every day for 40 years. Just sayin'.
Kind of feel like you are baiting me here.... and my response would not be taken seriously. Sorry. I think I'll sign off of the discussion for now.But water can turn to wine? :
http://www.100klifetimemiles.com/2011/10/steve-deboer-has-run-135800-miles-june.html
http://runeveryday.com/lists/misc/USRSAhonorsSteveDeBoer.htm
http://www.runeveryday.com/
Note I had the gall bladder surgery wrong, it was a kidney stone.
Just teasing Laura. If I didn't feel like I knew you, I wouldn't feel free to take such liberties . . . hope I didn't offend.Kind of feel like you are baiting me here.... and my response would not be taken seriously. Sorry. I think I'll sign off of the discussion for now.
Not offended. Always perfectly happy to discuss what I confidently believe, if I think someone really wants to hear, but this didn't seem quite right. Will sign in later with an exercise report. Toodles.Just teasing Laura. If I didn't feel like I knew you, I wouldn't feel free to take such liberties . . . hope I didn't offend.
BUT WHY?A brother of a childhood friend has run at least one mile every day for over 40 years. He even ran after gall bladder surgery!
You were right, I wasn't trying to bait you into a serious discussion about your faith, just giving you trouble for doubting my friend's accomplishment / OCD (thanks Scedastic). Playful teasing was the only intent .Not offended. Always perfectly happy to discuss what I confidently believe, if I think someone really wants to hear, but this didn't seem quite right. Will sign in later with an exercise report. Toodles.