Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

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Maybe I inhabit a different reality then :)

I wake up and think blerghh... and roll over and go back to sleep.

I could have done it this morning but today's excuse is... "The smoke alarm went off and I am the only one in the house tall enough to silence it!"
 
Soldato
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I was going to go today, but the hangover has won! I will start again Monday :)
Sounds like you've been on the beer run ;)

I'd mentioned previously that gone to see a cardio consultant to investigate the extremely high heart rate during running and he felt there was nothing specifically wrong but had suggested a few tests to get a good base line on my heart. In the end he suggested that I spend time conditioning my heart as I've led a relatively sedate lifestyle for the past 15 years. So long brisks walks to being with it would seem, and don't necessarily concentrate on going hell for leather with the running. On Saturday I ended up doing 21km/13miles brisk walk along the Lagan Towpath and I definitely didn't feel like drained myself but after 3 hours or so I did feel it in the legs. Interestingly my resting heart rate has dropped to about 58BPM from 62BPM over the last few days, maybe just a coincidence eh?
 
Caporegime
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Don't worry Ian. I'm in the same reality as you. Even when i wake up feeling capable of running (read as waking up not feeling like crap), i manage to find an excuse.

Todays was valid though as i'll be running between work and football.


It is not like I wake up and jump out of bed into my running shoes. There is always an internal battle of sleep vs running... but I have never regretted getting out on a run, yet every time I skip a run and sleep in I feel really bad or at least very disappointed. Also inevitably if I take a day off because I am lazy then in the next days I will miss a day because of work/family/illness.

There is also a big difference between dedication and motivation.Motivation to train hard comes and goes all the time, bt if you are dedicated then you get out when the weather is terrible, when you have a cold, when you really wanted to sleep in. To become dedicated I find I really need a goal.

lastly, I also found that consistency was much easier when i started running 7 days a week (or at least 6). If you have frequent non-running days then it is very easy just to sleep in and say you will do today's run tomorrow etc, or will catch up later in the week. But you never do. If you plan to run 7 days a week, then you simply don;t make these excuses. I also set rough distance/time/vertical goals for the week, not rigid but having a weekly goal means I wont switch off the alarm but get out and do the run. And since I almost always feel better mentally after a run, and never regretting going for a run, having something that forces these benefits is helpful. You just have to be careful to drop such goals the moment you think you might be close to injury - that is when you can sleep in (or better yet go to the pool).
 
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Sounds like you've been on the beer run ;)

I'd mentioned previously that gone to see a cardio consultant to investigate the extremely high heart rate during running and he felt there was nothing specifically wrong but had suggested a few tests to get a good base line on my heart. In the end he suggested that I spend time conditioning my heart as I've led a relatively sedate lifestyle for the past 15 years. So long brisks walks to being with it would seem, and don't necessarily concentrate on going hell for leather with the running. On Saturday I ended up doing 21km/13miles brisk walk along the Lagan Towpath and I definitely didn't feel like drained myself but after 3 hours or so I did feel it in the legs. Interestingly my resting heart rate has dropped to about 58BPM from 62BPM over the last few days, maybe just a coincidence eh?

It was a good beer run!

Back at work today so went for a gentle 7 mile run around the lakes in Milton Keynes, went at a pace so we could chat etc, felt good.
 
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Thanks :D Our times are quite close over most distances, are you still planning to run the rescheduled Eastleigh 10k?
I will definitely give Gosport a look, still hopeful I can hit sub 90 this year and then start looking at short Ultras.
Annoyingly I got a chesty cold the day after the 10K and haven't run for a week, missed one trail race... gagging to run now though.

I had to give my place to a club mate, with strict instructions not go under 40:28 or he'll go ahead of me in our club championships. It's my brothers wedding on Saturday before so I won't be in any state to race at 9am Sunday morning.
 
Caporegime
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I quite like running abroad.

When I go to my parents place I love getting up, going for a run and then diving into the pool to cool down. Sets you up brilliantly for the rest of the day.


I love running on vacation or when travveling with work. Great to run new routes in new places, explore everything.
 
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I've been getting back into my running again. I'm having problems with blisters on my arches though. As soon as I start to run past 5km that's when the damage seems to start.
I'm thinking it's because my feet are getting too hot? What socks are people using here?
I've been running in a pair of Brooks that were recommended after getting a gait analysis and a pair of asics that are a lot more neutral, but I have problems with blisters in each.
Driving me up the wall!
 
Soldato
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I did the junior Park run with my 7 year old he really enjoyed it. About 50 from his school did it along with teachers. Might register for the normal park run just gives me a decent target. Some insane times at rhe top suriised some of the county's top runners occasionally do it. Someone I know is at top of the chart with 15 minutes for the 5km
 
Don
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I've been getting back into my running again. I'm having problems with blisters on my arches though. As soon as I start to run past 5km that's when the damage seems to start.
I'm thinking it's because my feet are getting too hot? What socks are people using here?
I've been running in a pair of Brooks that were recommended after getting a gait analysis and a pair of asics that are a lot more neutral, but I have problems with blisters in each.
Driving me up the wall!

When you say arches, do you actually mean arches, i.e. the bottom middle of your feet?

Thats an unusual place to get blisters, I've never struggled there in all my years of running / hiking / walking.

I just use cheap cotton socks for all my runs and dont suffer blisters at all.

When you tie your shoes, maybe try re-doing them after you've done your warm up / your feet have warmed up a bit. You could be over tightening or running with your laces too loose too.
 
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Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
32,618
I've been getting back into my running again. I'm having problems with blisters on my arches though. As soon as I start to run past 5km that's when the damage seems to start.
I'm thinking it's because my feet are getting too hot? What socks are people using here?
I've been running in a pair of Brooks that were recommended after getting a gait analysis and a pair of asics that are a lot more neutral, but I have problems with blisters in each.
Driving me up the wall!

Arches would eb a weird place. Do you have any kind of ortho footbed? Are the shoes neutral or stability? Is your foot slipping on the footbed?


I never get blisters running and I never pay that much attention. I have dozens of different socks from nike, asics, balega, smartwool, inji, compress sort etc. None of them really feel that different.
 
Soldato
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Does anyone get restlessness legs and calves? I did 5km hard effort around my local park on Sunday with a friend. Afterwards we did about 2-3km walking to cool down. Then on Monday more I did about 3km with 2km walking cool down, and since then my calves and feet don't feel settled. Its hard to describe the feeling, they feel a little tight, and I can't seem to sit still and have to keep moving them.
 
Caporegime
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Does anyone get restlessness legs and calves? I did 5km hard effort around my local park on Sunday with a friend. Afterwards we did about 2-3km walking to cool down. Then on Monday more I did about 3km with 2km walking cool down, and since then my calves and feet don't feel settled. Its hard to describe the feeling, they feel a little tight, and I can't seem to sit still and have to keep moving them.


Not sure what you mean exactly. When you do a good run then obviously your calves get tired and will become stiff. I like to get up and walk around regularly to try and reduce the stiffness. If it gets really bad then out comes the foam roller.
 
Soldato
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Not sure what you mean exactly. When you do a good run then obviously your calves get tired and will become stiff. I like to get up and walk around regularly to try and reduce the stiffness. If it gets really bad then out comes the foam roller.

It is so hard to describe how my legs feel. Painful is maybe the wrong word, its more discomfort, maybe its tightness/stiffness then. I'll get on the roller of torture :D and see how it is tomorrow.
 
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