Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
Just turned up, it's a weird experience and i can't imagine if i'm imagining it but i feel like i have a bit of a headache (wearing them at my desk).

As mentioned the sound isn't brilliant, but for me it's good enough for whilst out running. The main test will be after work to see how much the sound of cars etc overpowers the music and if it ends up being pointless wearing them. Not sure why they couldn't use USB-C to charge though like some others in the range! Even micro-USB would be better than their own cable!
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Mar 2004
Posts
13,474
Location
UK
Here's me the dinosaur with a headphone jack on his phone, enjoying my however many years old JVC £15 earphones that survived all weathers while running and hiking :p
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
Fairly impressed with them and will definitely keep them. Music isn't horrendous and whilst i wouldn't want to use them at my desk, is more than good enough for when i'm out running for me.

Only real issue was the noise as i went over a motorway bridge drowned out everything, but that's not a huge deal. I guess it'd be worse with Podcasts because it may cause you to miss sections of conversation when in a busy/noisy environment. How do you cope with that @AndyCr15?
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
14,762
Location
Barnet, London
I guess it'd be worse with Podcasts because it may cause you to miss sections of conversation when in a busy/noisy environment. How do you cope with that @AndyCr15?

The only times I find I can't really hear is when I head over 30mph and the wind noise is too much. I'm not overly bothered most of the time, but if it's a particularly interesting segment of the podcast, I will just pause it until I slow back down again.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
I guess i didn't have volume at full so that would've probably helped in that situation.

I think the only real negative i can think of is that cheap crappy sports belt it gets packaged with. The quality is rubbish and i'm not sure what the point of it is other than some free advertising for them due to the branding, but it certainly feels like it cheapens the product.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Mar 2004
Posts
13,474
Location
UK
I think I have a problem, just ordered another pair of shoes as saw Brooks Launch GTS 8 as saw my size for £45! Once these Mizuno things are over, I'll have 3 different brands to choose from :D
 
Associate
Joined
27 Sep 2004
Posts
723
Location
London
Yeah, it can get drowned out by external noises but only in really noisy environments, like going over a busy road like you say. You want that really anyway otherwise you might as well be using normal earphones. I could imagine it would be worse on a bike with the wind noise though. I tend to have them close to max volume, maybe 80%. If it's too high they can vibrate quite a bit which isn't that comfortable. If I can't hear whatever I'm listening to I usually just pause it quickly using the button on the side. You can always triple press this button to go back 15 seconds if you've missed something.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Aug 2006
Posts
9,598
What's people's favourite efforts session ? Maybe favourite wrong word but most beneficial

I tend to do same efforts lengths in a session but I've heard some Olympians on marathon talk mix it up quite a bit longer efforts then shorter efforts like 5x600 then 5x20 type thing

I've recently added 3 or ,4 X 1 mile efforts with 1 min rest in between hard work but beneficial and mix in with 5/6x600m sessions

Miss Fartleks now I'm too far away to drive to club (35+ min drive each way

Want to go back to park runs but still can't figure out in my mind whether risky covid wise. Currently upping my training to hope XC season is on this year - much lower runner numbers than my local park runs the

Managed to up my weekly mileage from about 5 miles a week to 20 in about 2 months - aiming for 25-30
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
I don’t really tend to do many specific “sessions”.

Sometimes I’ll throw in some sprints at the end of an easy run.

If I do set out to do anything specific it’s usually hill based which wipes me out but gives a great feeling of achievement afterwards and always makes the easy jog home feel easy!
 
Associate
Joined
27 Jan 2009
Posts
1,784
Location
Oxfordshire
I do differing tempo or threshold sessions of say 5 x 2km with a 2-3 min rest. I use the mcmillian training plans you get via Strava so I don’t have to think too hard about it. This week was 2 x 3mile intervals with 4 min cool down.

I only do one of these a week max though, maybe also a fartlek session to start the week as I find they lossen my legs up after a long Sunday run.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Aug 2006
Posts
9,598
Thanks for replies and I didn't even know Strava (presumably premium) has lesson plans I'll take a look

2x3 mile intervals sounds a good session will give it a go

Annoyongly the HR monitor on my watch is playing up although it's getting on a bit - it's a Fenix 3 HR and the optical HR always worked great for me but now sometimes it hits a max threshold and I don't know why - sometimes it's 150 sometimes 160 it steps up in odd little swaure steps up to that max

Find less likely to do it if I've rebooted before a run and I've tried factory reset to no avail

Did look at replacing (it's a Sapphire glass model as didn't want to worry about it scratching etc) but it works otherwise maybe I'll get a HR strap but find them quite annoying to wear.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Jun 2012
Posts
11,259
Apparently if you run in "zone 2" which equates to around 70-80% running speed or a lightish run, it's best for producing and hence processing lactic acid and is a very good workout, in other words you don't need to be running fat out to get fit or fast, I guess this is what 80:20 is.
 
Associate
Joined
27 Jan 2009
Posts
1,784
Location
Oxfordshire
Yeah should have said the lesson plans are part of strava premium. You set what distance you are training for and number of training sessions you do a week and you can either start straight away or set your race date and it'll then align the dates for you.

Regarding your HR monitor, I recall I think D.P. once saying the older sensors tend to fall in to reading your cadence instead of heart rate for some reason, maybe as they move over your skin perhaps. Maybe newer sensors are better at keeping a good reading, certainly not had an issue with the Garmin 645 so far but not had it that long really. I too don't get on with the chest straps, something about the material in the strap gives me skin irritation.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Aug 2006
Posts
9,598
Yeah should have said the lesson plans are part of strava premium. You set what distance you are training for and number of training sessions you do a week and you can either start straight away or set your race date and it'll then align the dates for you.

Regarding your HR monitor, I recall I think D.P. once saying the older sensors tend to fall in to reading your cadence instead of heart rate for some reason, maybe as they move over your skin perhaps. Maybe newer sensors are better at keeping a good reading, certainly not had an issue with the Garmin 645 so far but not had it that long really. I too don't get on with the chest straps, something about the material in the strap gives me skin irritation.

I had one race where my HR strap fell down to my waist lol had to hold it rest of race

Same race (was a XC relay I think) I tried keeping up with lady in front of me - after feeling shattered after about 600m I looked at my watch and I was at something like 5'40 pace - I slowed down and stopped racing her lol

HR sensor always worked before not sure whats happened to it - I know some older Fenix can suffer from microfractures of sensor glass but mine seems fine

Seems more consistent when battery levels higher - maybe volts of battery has dropped and sensor uses most power dunno

I've such a long way to go - my 1 mile effort pace when doing 3x1 is 30 seconds slower than my PB half marathon pace - meh. Don't think I'll get to pace I was (know I won't) - I'm four years older and don't have time to get to club but I'm aiming to get as near I can
 
Associate
Joined
27 Jan 2009
Posts
1,784
Location
Oxfordshire
Got in a 24 mile run Sunday which went mostly well and feel like I’ve got my gel usage pretty dialled in now. However an earlier “hmm” knee thing from the Monday during a walk with the family turned into a “that’s not right” in the first 4 miles during an up hill section.

Think its a sprained medial collateral ligament based on location. Had cold and compression on it since and feeling ok today. It’s a recovery week so will test it later on a short steady flat run and see how it goes and just abort at the first sign of a problem, maybe keep the knee brace in for the run would be sensible too.

When it didn’t feel right on Sunday I backed off the pace and it cleared so thought nothing more of it till I’d fully cooled down after the run and it started to hurt when bent. Walking was fine but stairs was not.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,202
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
@Itchytrigg hopefully can get some resolved soon. I had a rare day off yesterday as it was my daughters birthday and we all went for a big family picnic at the beach. Apparently going for a run up and down the beach was not an option!

I need to get 15 miles in tonight to finish off the August Virtual challenge. Technically i could get away with 11 as i've done a few miles of walking i could use, but that feels like cheating. The plan is to spend today planning a decent route and maybe driving out somewhere for it.

I had one race where my HR strap fell down to my waist lol had to hold it rest of race

Same race (was a XC relay I think) I tried keeping up with lady in front of me - after feeling shattered after about 600m I looked at my watch and I was at something like 5'40 pace - I slowed down and stopped racing her lol

I remember in the Manchester Marathon a few years back i was at around mile 18, and had a very large woman overtake me. I was struggling at this point having not ran over 10 miles for many months and setting off a little fast. I tried to dig deep to get past her only to realise she was part of a relay team and had literally only just started the last leg. I couldn't work out how she didn't look as shattered as me!
 
Associate
Joined
27 Jan 2009
Posts
1,784
Location
Oxfordshire
Yeah appears the cold and compression did it's job. It's tender but gave no issues during todays 35 min run and not been an issue since cooling down either. Have it still under compression just to be sure but think it'll be fine as long as I'm careful.
 
Back
Top Bottom