[Houdini]

Lets start one for the limpers and joggers out there.


Must be around 4 months since I started with an hour every other day (decreased to every 3rd day - sometimes back up depending on how keen for a run I am & how much the ankles/shins ache).


Does anyone else on here run this much and if so do they have any advice vis-a-vis footwear; has anyone had videoanalysis of themselves running prior to trainer fitting/purchase?  Useful?


Curiously, I'm heavier than ever(!), but can't imagine not running (or ever tabbing again).

[webbo]

when i was younger i ran 3 times aweek as well as climbing,my recollection was i managed this quite successfully for an extended period.however on reading my diary of the time recently i was always having some problem or other.usually achilles/calf problems.every time i try to get back in to it now i usuall do ok for a week or 2 but so as i extend the distance/time i get achilles problems.apparently the older you get the more likely these are if you have a lay off running.

[BenF]

I've run regularly since my mid-teens and this has included years of running 7-10 times a week (with 3 days per week of running twice a day) and more recently running 3-5 times a week.  I used to run shorter distances but much more frequently, hence my years of getting out twice a day during the week.  When I moved to NZ I changed my work/climb/running pattern and started going out for longer and longer runs in the hills, which led to me running maybe 3 -4 times a week but for 1-3 hours at a time.  Now back in the UK I run for generally 1 hour each time I go out and in the summer try to get in a couple of longer (up to 2 hour) runs each week (I'm lucky in that I can get into the hills easily from work).

To be honest I've never really had any kind of injuries related to running, apart from a fortnight of shin pain about ten years ago, which I remedied by not running for a week, and a month or so of ankle stiffness when I was running a lot in the mountains in NZ.  Since I started taking glucosamine supplements in cycles of 2 months on, 1 month off, I haven't had any stiffness at all. 

As for shoes, apart from occasional (and regrettable) forays into Adidas or New Balance, I've worn Ascics road shoes for fifteen years.  When out in the hills I've always worn Montrail trail shoes.

I've never seen a video of myself running, but am reliably informed by my regular running partners that I run like a "gimp".  This seems to entail running on my toes and balls of my feet, with the heel hardly touching the ground at all.  I strike the ground with the outside of my feet (which can be seen on my road shoes as they wear down on the outside edges months before anywhere else on the sole).  The "Ben Gimp Run" seems to work as I don't suffer from injuries and without meaning to sound like a tosser  , I'm quite a pretty good runner and can run for hours on end.  However, everyone I know that has tried recently to run like a gimp has ended up with very sore calves.  Don't really know what that proves other than I've always run like that and it works for me.  Maybe it allows my legs to absorb the force through more joints, I don't know.

[lagerstarfish]

I'm not running at the moment (gout/arthritis combo), but did a half marathon last year and ran on roads for an hour around 3 times a week for 5 months. I've had quite a few periods of running regularly in the last 20 years, but don't seem to keep it up for more than 12 months at a time.
I have had a couple of pairs of shoes fitted by proper running shops (Complete Runner in Ilkley 1989 and somewhere just off the Moor in Wad-Town which isn't there any more 1993), but generally just buy what fits best now that I know how they should feel - I wouldn't be as confident if I hadn't had the advice from those shops.
No video of anal cysts though.
I did concentrate on comfortable technique while recovering from back problems http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,8225.msg123902.html#msg123902
I do a fair bit of walking on pavements as part of my job and avoid foot/ankle problems by swapping between different pairs of good shoes. I do the same thing with running shoes - buy a new pair well before the old ones are worn out and mix their use, using the new pair only once out of every 3 or 4 runs to start and changing the ratio until the old pair are replaced by a new new pair and the process starts again. If I get a hint of calf or shin pain, I wear the other pair for a few runs - at least I feel like I'm doing something about it. I used to buy High-Tech Silver Shadows all the time, which were very cheap and did the job when used in this way - I can now afford decent footware; Ascics (spelling?) have been good to me of late.
I am shit at running, but don't get many injuries from it. I save all my injuries for bouldering, which I am also shit at.

I thank you in advance for your careful consideration of this matter and hope that you and your solicitor can find satisfactory alternative accomodation for my cat before the arranged deadline.

Do I win £5?

[chappers]

i run a fair bit. compete for a club etc...
tuesday nights i go interval training on a running track, doing for example mile intervals as fast as possible with a 2 min rest.
then i run on the road too, with a session on thursday nights.
race at the weekends, at the moment in the mid lancs cross country league and road races across the north west.
it is my goal to run 10miles in under 60 mins. (last race i did id ran 61:35).

my main aim with running this year is to be fit enough to not nearly kill myself trying mountain marathons like last year, i have signed up for the saunders already...

my main issue with running seems to be that i get run-down, start to suffer from colds alot. i try to help myself out by taking loads of vitamins.
i also lose the psyche and find it easy to take the night off, but it is important to remember how much better you feel after a run!

i always buy the same shoes. sauconay (sp?) for the road. and inov8 for the fells.

if you want to get psyched for the fells read the book "feet in the clouds". a true inspiration, and details so well that feeling when you go quiet in a fell race, your legs feel like jelly, your mind shuts down and you know it is too late to get calories inside you.

[GCW]

I only really run to lose weight- it ain't working.

Until it got dark early I was doing 5km alternate days.  Always off road though, and I'm crap anyway.  Was just about managing 5km in 28 minutes.  I alway srun in Walshes or similar, and I don't do road running as my knees don't like it.
Strangely the only problem I get is elbow pains.  I must hold them funny.

[Houdini]

Must feel great running on a pukka track - all that bounce. 


And what stretching are people doing?

[BenF]

A range of stretching before and after, mostly focused on the larger leg muscle groups but I spend time working my ankles before running and this seems to help me get straight into my stride and reduces the stiffness I used to get.  However I always also stretch my torso and arms.

I find a short gentle jog followed by my stretching routine works best and when I'm entering an event I'll usually go out for a fifteen minute gentle run about an hour (or closer) before the start time.  This really helps me get quickly into my pace at the start of the event as I often only really hit my comfortable floating pace after 20 minutes.

[Bubba]

This is what my recent attempts at running have done for my knees 

[BenF]

Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements made a massive difference to my soreness, particularly my elbows which had been taking a hammering due to constant manteling at Castle Hill and had been giving me huge amounts of grief before I started taking supplements.  Ten days after starting on the supplements, all pain had disappeared from my elbows and hasn't returned since.  I'm always willing to sing the praises of the stuff.  It (or a placebo effect of course) well worked for me.

[fatdoc]

I only really run to lose weight- it ain't working.

Until it got dark early I was doing 5km alternate days.  Always off road though, and I'm crap anyway.  Was just about managing 5km in 28 minutes.  I alway srun in Walshes or similar, and I don't do road running as my knees don't like it.
Strangely the only problem I get is elbow pains.  I must hold them funny.

timely thread this for me. 1st run planned tomorrow, about the same ability... cant get enough time (cos climbing) or motivation (too cold, wet or busy training on board to get on road bike) and i need to get fitter... i'll be taking it very steady i can tell you!!

[webbo]

Must feel great running on a pukka track - all that bounce. 


And what stretching are people doing?

i once saw a physio who was a runner,she reckoned the evidence for stretching as injury prevention/recovery was pretty flawed.
also last year i injured my calf climbing,trying some dyno.yes i know i should know better at my age.anyhow it responded to treatment and cleared up alot sooner than the physio expected.
this made him speculate that it may not have been torn/ruptured tissue but a little known condition which happens when you stretch before exercise the muscle than gets the message here comes hard work/pain and goes into spasm which feels like a tear.
the advise was to do long gradual stretching post exercise.

[Vitamin K]

Made the mistake recently of entering and running in a fell race. It's been a while since I've done one (15 years probably) and I now I understand just how unfit I really am. A few weeks training as an alternative to climbing after a broken wrist was not nearly enough! I haven't felt such pain for a long time, during the race and in the days afterwards. Nightmare.

It has got me motivated to do more though - I've just got to plod for couple of months before stepping things up.

One thing I did learn was that my Montrails were definitely not up to the job - it'll be back to Walshes in the future.

[GCW]

I've tried a few Fell shoes, but always come back to Walsh.  Using the New Balance XT Terrains at present.  They are good but I tend to get heel lift so they rub on longer circuits (above about 8-9km).  I had to resort to 1000 mile socks.

[chappers]

Fuck Walsh, way too old school!

[galpinos]

Fuck Walsh, way too old school!

I've got a pair of them. They're fantastic, even if they don't last long (2 HPMs). I think they do a slightly heavier weight version now.

[Vitamin K]

Not convinced by Inov8 as yet - although the Mudclaw does look a decent alternative. I guess I'll try both and see which fits best.

I like Old Skool - in fact I am Old Skool and proud of the fact (notice however, the hip modern spelling)

[lagerstarfish]

1000 mile socks.

Word

[BenF]

Any other thoughts on the Inov8 range?  I've been tempted in the past but keep going back to Montrail becuase I haven't had any issues with them since I started running in them (my old Wasatch's were awesome on every surface and lasted two years of heavy usage).  My current Hurricane Ridge XCR's are nearing the end of their life and I'll again be considering the Inov8's soon, so any feedback will be appreciated.

[GCW]

I tried on the MudClaw but it didn't seem to fit as well as either the Walsh or New Balance shoes.  I can't remember why not, but on the treadmill in the shop I didn't like them.  Not much help, sorry.  I've got wide feet though, so it may be that.

[galpinos]

Ben, the Mudclaw above is a proper peat bog racing shoe. Very light, aggresive but not that robust. They lasted me 2 HPM's and a few trainign runs but not more. The last HPM put a few holes in them.

Innov8 obviously do quite a varying range but the last isn't consistant across it. I got the Mudclaw as my feet are pretty narrow, the others I tried seemed to have too much volume at the front, they felt like flippers.

(to give you an idea of my feet, I wear Mizuno on the road as Ascics (sp?) are too "big" around my toes and a little too wide overall.)

[Houdini]

Generally I wear anasazi pinks and blue slips.


What brand of running shoe should I look at?

[underground]

I took my ass down to Keep On Running at Attercliffe, got the youth to give me the once over, and tried on a Nike, an Asics and a Brooks - the Brooks won straight away.

Ordered a pair from Barnes at Lakesrunner.com who was very obliging....

First proper runners I ever bought and they feel great, much nicer than running in approach shoes or big boots...

[Moo]

I ran for a bus once









































missed it like but i still ran

[saltbeef]

check the nike bowerman range, i run in the max. or at least i used to. walked home from the hallamshire in them today and my legs don't hurt...
as per getting your gait analysed. take your old shoes when you go buy a new pair, if its a usefful shop they should be able to work out whether you pronate or supinate, or if you primarily run on your toes etc. I think there is some recent evidence in the sport science rags suggesting that flash trainers could almost aggravate injuries.
I generally run for about 5 mins having done some warm up drills at home then do some stretching then go for a run, then stretch, if i didn't i'd be even less flexible than i am now.
Here you go, if your gonna run 3-4times a week, to improve i'd suggest one long run slowish, one hill session, ie run for about 2miles, then run hard up easy down a hill depending on fitness etc about 4-8 times, fnd another diff distance repeat, run 2 miles home. do some intervals another day, no need for a track, the repetitive corners and the way it changes your style can lead to injury.  then 30-40 mins another day. enjoy.
anyway i'll get back on my turbo now.