Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Barefoot running is physiologically better for your body. The modern running shoe is terrible. Etc.

I do around 5k a week barefoot because it helps my posture. A few years ago I broke my ankle and tore pretty much all of the ligaments in my ankle, and essentially had to learn to run again. It was pretty painful and very slow but it gave me time to think about what I was doing. I'll admit I jumped on the Born To Run bandwagon, but it really did work for me. I run in trainers with minimal padding, although my fell shoes have huge studs, and I'm able to adapt my footfall to the terrain I'm on without it being unnatural and therefore hurting my muscles.

Jonny69 said:
Only 3k! They said start small!
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To be honest, you need to do even less than that, but as Saundie said start wearing them for your normal daily activities. Get used to walking in them, though walking uses your feet better anyway. Start small, start on a soft surface, etc.
 
Goodie said:
What are peoples opinions a 1 or 2 leg sessions in the gym per week consisting of squats/deadlifts/lunges. Looking more towards 4 to 5 sets of 16 to 20 reps.
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Pretty essential to successful long distance running. By successful I mean for core stability, injury prevention and leg strength rather than successful in a competitive sense.

Not sure about 16 to 20 reps but just following something like Stronglifts 5x5 is pretty good for it.
 
Anyone familiar with Suunto's running watches? Especially the ambit sapphire? I'm after a device that will record altitude as well as the other gubbins, and this seems to have a very high battery life.

IndigoGorilla said:
Lost my Garmin 205 (3 years old) a couple of weeks ago. :(

Running a half-marathon on Sunday which will probably be the first race in two years I havn't had a Garmin to help me with pacing. Will be interesting actually to run completely on feel now knowing my time or distance (depending on well marked the course is).
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Bugger if you were closer you could borrow one!
 
Aye, was just wondering if anyone "local" had personal experience of it. Dunno why, as DCRs reviews are usually spot on.

In its current guise it doesn't look like its worth the money. Hohum, back to the drawing board.
 
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It took me 1:33:15 this morning. I dawdled :p.

In fact, I was sightseeing in the fields past Addenbrookes and stopped to take a photo of a lovely scene, and had to negative split the second half of the run to not be late for work :(.
 
Just entered the Saintélyon. 75km from Saint Etienne to Lyon. The distance doesn't scare me (much); I'll be slow and finish it in my own time. It's the fact that its overnight..:eek:.
 
I can't offer anything useful in regards to the excess skin, but perhaps suggest talc areas that rub regularly as I do with my thighs (they are huge from cycling and do rub occasionally), and for long runs a little skin care product works wonders, I use bio oil which is bloody miracle stuff.

That is an incredible weight loss and one you should be bloody proud of. To put it into some sort of perspective that is more weight than I have ever weighed!
 
Trying to decide whether or not to enter the Maraton de Lyon. I kinda feel like I should because it's my new home city marathon, but it's also €41. Hum.
 
I'm learning to climb really quite well, and it's not rep sets that are doing it for me, it's the getting out on long runs in the mountains - obviously not easy for everyone to get too but just spending a few hours running hilly terrain is better than setting. The problem I have for racing is that I can't descend. I don't have the guts for it, and it hurts my ankle, which despite recovering an awful lot of strength in still feels fragile as hell when pounding downwards.
 
Just received my place for the SaintéLyon on December the 6th (it'll be cold!). 75km, with 2000m, +/- from Saint Etienne to Lyon, kicking off at midnight. A nice and steady pace should see me in Lyon to catch dawn and a hearty breakfast.
 
I've run at night, but not on a night schedule. I'll be limited to what I can do because of working the week before but I plan to run overnight every weekend in November.
 
In fact preparation couldn't be worse, the week before the race I'm away on site for an ERP go live and will be working weird hours and flying back late.
 
Looks like I'm finally defecting from Garmin after 10+ years, my forerunner finally bit the dust. Mulling up an Ambit2/2 Sapphire. Helped in no small part by the utter garbage that Garmin connect has become, but I feel like a change, and the Ambit2 looks great, and most importantly has excellent battery life.
 
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