Thanks, great info from your experience! The people who I know well that do this type of stuff are 10-15 years younger than I am and have been doing it for years. Never having run a 5k before last year (running several, a 10k and a Half) and not actually running since college as part of sports (and not as a runner, just playing sports in general), it was a lot to do 13.1. The competitive gene kicked in, though, and then I met a man who did 50 for 50 and was planning 60 for 60. This flipped the switch and I started planning silly stuff. That man was inspired by my being inspired from him and upped things to be a 100 Mile Ultra before he is 60.
My plan was to reassess after doing the half last year and the full this year to see how my body reacts. I suspect that whatever I end up doing that I will agree about liking the shorter races more.
Clearly the pandemic was unplanned and allows me to focus on this most days. I need an outlet for all of the feelings going on - as do so many others, clearly.
We will see what the next year brings. First step is to meet the goal for November. I can worry a out what is next the day after I do that. (Actually I know myself well enough to know that I will start with what is next about five minutes after I finish. Trying to work on that....lol)
I like that there are a variety of different people here sharing and encouraging each other. This world pretty much sucks right now - we need more of this!
A lot of people turn to running for mental health reasons. I just finished reading "Running Is My Therapy," which goes into some of the science behind this. I think you will find that a lot of long-distance runners are running to manage depression, addiction, traumatic life events. So the community tends to be a supportive one. I have a car magnet that says "Running is a mental sport -- and we are all insane!" and that's uncomfortably close to the truth.
I generally work out for three hours/ day (that's not a typo). That means I usually feel pretty thrashed, but taking rest days is terrible for my state of mind. One of my goals right now is to find just the right level of intensity that allows me to maintain mental health without injuring myself.
As for "I will start with what is next about five minutes after I finish," you sound like a runner. ;-) "That was awful; I can't wait to do it again!" is a common reaction to marathons, trail races, etc.
Good luck!
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Impressed! After the three hours do you feel good or just normal? (Mentally, I mean. obviously you are in some level of pain every day from that sort of physical workout.)
A lot of people turn to running for mental health reasons. I just finished reading "Running Is My Therapy," which goes into some of the science behind this. I think you will find that a lot of long-distance runners are running to manage depression, addiction, traumatic life events. So the community tends to be a supportive one. I have a car magnet that says "Running is a mental sport -- and we are all insane!" and that's uncomfortably close to the truth.
I generally work out for three hours/ day (that's not a typo). That means I usually feel pretty thrashed, but taking rest days is terrible for my state of mind. One of my goals right now is to find just the right level of intensity that allows me to maintain mental health without injuring myself.
As for "I will start with what is next about five minutes after I finish," you sound like a runner. ;-) "That was awful; I can't wait to do it again!" is a common reaction to marathons, trail races, etc.
Good luck!
I am also impressed by your workout schedule. I definitely agree that exercise of any type of great for mental health. About 10 years ago after I got out of a fairly awful relationship I was wallowing for several months. Yoga snapped me back to life. I still do yoga at least once a week to this day. I started running only a few years ago mainly for cardiac health so I am not a long distance runner or really training for any big races. I have run a few charity 5K runs. That's it. But I do notice that on my running days I feel great. I have increased my distance in the past few months from 3.5 mile runs to 5-6 mile runs. Not super far - but good for me. What I have been lagging on is my weight training. Before my gym closed I was weight training 3x a week, running 3x a week, and yoga and barre class 1x a week. Since the gym closed, I have kept up with running and yoga but have crapped out on my weight training. I bought a set of dumbbells and really hate using them at home. Half the time I forget. I think on a good week, I will pull them out 2x a week. But I still am not getting the same workout as at the gym with the machines. I am starting my gym back up in October (it opened a few weeks ago, but I froze my membership until October) - so I hope I can get back into it. You are very inspiring. F Me is right that this board has been great for motivation with everyone being so encouraging. Thanks all.
Impressed! After the three hours do you feel good or just normal? (Mentally, I mean. obviously you are in some level of pain every day from that sort of physical workout.)
I don't know, to be honest. I've had a pretty rough time with depression and anxiety for the past few years (menopause is a b---h!). So it's hard for me to say what "normal" is. I always feel better than I did before I started. A good, strong, run leaves me feeling good, happy. I've had times when I could feel the darkness leaving my body while I am deadlifting. I'm definitely a different person after lifting than I am BEFORE my workout -- no longer cranky or irritable. Pre-pandemic, I had a weekly jujitsu/self-defense lesson that was the highlight of my week and always left me feeling awesome (kicking butt for an hour will do that!).
To be clear, though, pain is not a regular part of my life. Fatigue is usually there, pain is not. Of course, I've been doing this for a while (running daily for twelve+ years, lifting seriously for nearly four, casually for much longer). But if you're experiencing regular pain, you might want to look into it -- more bodywork? more off-road running? This isn't supposed to hurt as a general rule.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
If you want to enjoy life into your late 90s to see they 72 grandkids and great grandkids you guys will have then your weight lifting is only part of the equation. You need to mix in 1-2 days of cardio per week!
That could be your Why....once you have a Why, you have everything you need.
17 m this morning. Rained lightly for the first 6 miles. The last three miles it rained pretty hard.
Joy.
Awesome effort! If you can find all-weather versions of your favorite shoes, I highly recommend them -- the soles drain faster, some are even waterproof. Quick-draining = less feeling like you have cinderblocks attached to your ankles.
I ran 14 this morning, longest I've run in a while. I'm training for a half that isn't going to happen. Oh well.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
I haven’t missed a lift since January but I just can’t get into cardio. Someone give me a pep talk.
I think it's all about finding the cardio you enjoy -- doesn't have to be running, could be biking, swimming, skating; I got a slideboard that I'm trying for cross-training. It could be CrossFit. As my kids' doctor said, the best exercise is the kind you will do consistently.
I'll say that I am NOT a big proponent of HIIT for cardio. Research is showing that most people just don't go at it hard enough to get the benefits it's supposed to offer. And while my heartrate skyrockets when I'm deadlifting for 20 reps, that's not really enough cardio to build stamina and heart health.
Like F Me said, you need to find your Why. Being able to play with your grandkids is good motivation. If, like some of us, you struggle with anxiety, depression or addiction, cardio can help with that (although TBH I get a big emotional boost from lifting, too). Getting outdoors in the winter helps combat SAD. Having the time to clear your head, turn off parts of your brain, and go with the flow is important for many of us.
There's a lot of back-and-forth between the running world and the lifting world, i.e. will cardio kill my gains? I believe current consensus is, a LOT of cardio will eat into your gains. Personal example: I used to run 65 miles/ week (now I do 50), and hitting the gym for leg day after running 10.5 miles that morning was brutal. Cutting back on my mileage led to strength gains in the gym. But what I've read recently suggests that as long as you are running for less than an hour, you should be okay gains-wise.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
I haven’t missed a lift since January but I just can’t get into cardio. Someone give me a pep talk.
I think it's all about finding the cardio you enjoy -- doesn't have to be running, could be biking, swimming, skating; I got a slideboard that I'm trying for cross-training. It could be CrossFit. As my kids' doctor said, the best exercise is the kind you will do consistently.
I'll say that I am NOT a big proponent of HIIT for cardio. Research is showing that most people just don't go at it hard enough to get the benefits it's supposed to offer. And while my heartrate skyrockets when I'm deadlifting for 20 reps, that's not really enough cardio to build stamina and heart health.
Like F Me said, you need to find your Why. Being able to play with your grandkids is good motivation. If, like some of us, you struggle with anxiety, depression or addiction, cardio can help with that (although TBH I get a big emotional boost from lifting, too). Getting outdoors in the winter helps combat SAD. Having the time to clear your head, turn off parts of your brain, and go with the flow is important for many of us.
There's a lot of back-and-forth between the running world and the lifting world, i.e. will cardio kill my gains? I believe current consensus is, a LOT of cardio will eat into your gains. Personal example: I used to run 65 miles/ week (now I do 50), and hitting the gym for leg day after running 10.5 miles that morning was brutal. Cutting back on my mileage led to strength gains in the gym. But what I've read recently suggests that as long as you are running for less than an hour, you should be okay gains-wise.
The rain was not too big a deal until I hit a puddle that was deeper than I thought and my feet were quite a bit heavier for the rest of the time.
Great job on expanding the normal boundaries of your distance. Seems like you are comfortable at 5-6+ now!
Thanks. All of you super long distance runners on here certainly have my admiration. I will likely never reach those kinds of mileage. But I learned in yoga a long time ago not to compare myself to others, but to measure my progress against myself. So, in that respect I have gone from 3.5-4 miles runs to 5-6.5 mile runs. That is progress for me. I am going to likely stop here for a while and savor this before trying to kick it up again in several months.
I haven’t missed a lift since January but I just can’t get into cardio. Someone give me a pep talk.
I think it's all about finding the cardio you enjoy -- doesn't have to be running, could be biking, swimming, skating; I got a slideboard that I'm trying for cross-training. It could be CrossFit. As my kids' doctor said, the best exercise is the kind you will do consistently.
I'll say that I am NOT a big proponent of HIIT for cardio. Research is showing that most people just don't go at it hard enough to get the benefits it's supposed to offer. And while my heartrate skyrockets when I'm deadlifting for 20 reps, that's not really enough cardio to build stamina and heart health.
Like F Me said, you need to find your Why. Being able to play with your grandkids is good motivation. If, like some of us, you struggle with anxiety, depression or addiction, cardio can help with that (although TBH I get a big emotional boost from lifting, too). Getting outdoors in the winter helps combat SAD. Having the time to clear your head, turn off parts of your brain, and go with the flow is important for many of us.
There's a lot of back-and-forth between the running world and the lifting world, i.e. will cardio kill my gains? I believe current consensus is, a LOT of cardio will eat into your gains. Personal example: I used to run 65 miles/ week (now I do 50), and hitting the gym for leg day after running 10.5 miles that morning was brutal. Cutting back on my mileage led to strength gains in the gym. But what I've read recently suggests that as long as you are running for less than an hour, you should be okay gains-wise.
As always, your advice is spot on and very informative. I have been learning quite a bit from this thread in general. It also has a great motivation factor. It is nice to have to have people to share with. Some of my friends are sick of my talking about running
The rain was not too big a deal until I hit a puddle that was deeper than I thought and my feet were quite a bit heavier for the rest of the time.
Great job on expanding the normal boundaries of your distance. Seems like you are comfortable at 5-6+ now!
Thanks. All of you super long distance runners on here certainly have my admiration. I will likely never reach those kinds of mileage. But I learned in yoga a long time ago not to compare myself to others, but to measure my progress against myself. So, in that respect I have gone from 3.5-4 miles runs to 5-6.5 mile runs. That is progress for me. I am going to likely stop here for a while and savor this before trying to kick it up again in several months.
I think that's a great attitude to have! Do what works for you, keep it enjoyable. :-)
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
For what it's worth, I see that Brooks has introduced its latest waterproof running shoe, the Ghost GTX. It's $160 (the Goretex shoes cost more than regular ones).
I've never bought a GTX shoe from Brooks (I've tried their ASR shoes -- all-season runners). But I'm really liking the regular Ghost (switched from Adrenalines about 18 months ago) and am a long-time (25 years+) Brooks customer. (No, I'm not paid to say that.)
I think the Goretex shoe could be overkill for most people, but if you live somewhere such as the PNW where it's generally wet, and especially if you like to do trail running, I think it could be money well spent.
Thanks for the share. ghosts are what I wear as well. I tried a lighter Brooks shoes but sent it back. My feet like the Ghosts better. Will bookmark the GTX ones and see - well, the men's version.
18 on Saturday and I felt much better than I did the previous weekend on 17. Ankle is still what it is but everything else recovered better. This morning's 5 seemed a breeze. Was in 40s when I left but had a sweat going in no time and it was comfortable.
Thanks for the share. ghosts are what I wear as well. I tried a lighter Brooks shoes but sent it back. My feet like the Ghosts better. Will bookmark the GTX ones and see - well, the men's version.
18 on Saturday and I felt much better than I did the previous weekend on 17. Ankle is still what it is but everything else recovered better. This morning's 5 seemed a breeze. Was in 40s when I left but had a sweat going in no time and it was comfortable.
Yay for 18 miles!!! Glad you are feeling better. I heard that Brooks are great. I am happy with my ASICs for now, but will check out Brooks at some point. Glad you are recovering. I know ankles can take a while. My last two runs were hard for some reason. I was simply not motivated. It just felt like effort. I did 6.5 on Saturday, and 5 yesterday. Don't know why my motivation is so low. I will be out there again tomorrow morning. Maybe, it will be more enjoyable. Posting on this thread sometimes motivates me, so maybe this will work.
Make a commitment to find a stretch in there tomorrow that is enjoyable. Hate the first two miles ...or the last two....but open yourself up to trying to enjoy some stretch. Put yourself for a mile with no music and then go with something that gives you a great feeling. (Who knows, just an idea/challenge!)
For what it's worth, I see that Brooks has introduced its latest waterproof running shoe, the Ghost GTX. It's $160 (the Goretex shoes cost more than regular ones).
I've never bought a GTX shoe from Brooks (I've tried their ASR shoes -- all-season runners). But I'm really liking the regular Ghost (switched from Adrenalines about 18 months ago) and am a long-time (25 years+) Brooks customer. (No, I'm not paid to say that.)
I think the Goretex shoe could be overkill for most people, but if you live somewhere such as the PNW where it's generally wet, and especially if you like to do trail running, I think it could be money well spent.
Make a commitment to find a stretch in there tomorrow that is enjoyable. Hate the first two miles ...or the last two....but open yourself up to trying to enjoy some stretch. Put yourself for a mile with no music and then go with something that gives you a great feeling. (Who knows, just an idea/challenge!)
Thanks. I think I am just tired. Work is picking up since it is getting to be midterm time for my semester. A lot of papers to grade, etc. So, I am feeling the stress, and it is spilling over onto my run. Hopefully, tomorrow will go better. I am going to try to get out there a bit earlier so I don't feel like I am wasting work time. I think that is part of the problem. My days are getting a bit packed for the next month or two. Onward and Upward!
For what it's worth, I see that Brooks has introduced its latest waterproof running shoe, the Ghost GTX. It's $160 (the Goretex shoes cost more than regular ones).
I've never bought a GTX shoe from Brooks (I've tried their ASR shoes -- all-season runners). But I'm really liking the regular Ghost (switched from Adrenalines about 18 months ago) and am a long-time (25 years+) Brooks customer. (No, I'm not paid to say that.)
I think the Goretex shoe could be overkill for most people, but if you live somewhere such as the PNW where it's generally wet, and especially if you like to do trail running, I think it could be money well spent.
Checked and the don't have wide. No go with regular size....will have to keep my eyes open.
Dude, perfect time for this thread to go back to shoes... just want to thank you for recommending Brooks. For the first time ever I went to an actual running store. Finally got the time to go this week. They watched me walk and run etc and the girl helping me gave me a dozen options until we got it down to two. She made sure I was sure with how my feet felt which I thought was real cool and meticulous of her. Must've been there an hour. I was starting to breathe hard from all the running to try the shoes she made me try, but was trying to act cool. Lol Sure enough, Brooks was the last one standing. Ended up with the Glycerine. Turns out I'm not full Neanderthal and was only a 2e. They were pretty expensive @ $140, but I said fuck it. Took em for a quick 4 miles today and I've never ran in shoes this fucking comfortable. I have some plantar fasciitis too and these shoes really help embrace the suck.
Side note. I asked about shoes here a few weeks ago, but didn't get the chance to take the time and go to a real running store until this week. While waiting for the chance to go, I picked up a pair of Nike Reacts that were on sale for $40 and they were also very comfortable if anyone is looking for a cheap alternative.
Comments
The people who I know well that do this type of stuff are 10-15 years younger than I am and have been doing it for years. Never having run a 5k before last year (running several, a 10k and a Half) and not actually running since college as part of sports (and not as a runner, just playing sports in general), it was a lot to do 13.1.
The competitive gene kicked in, though, and then I met a man who did 50 for 50 and was planning 60 for 60. This flipped the switch and I started planning silly stuff.
That man was inspired by my being inspired from him and upped things to be a 100 Mile Ultra before he is 60.
My plan was to reassess after doing the half last year and the full this year to see how my body reacts. I suspect that whatever I end up doing that I will agree about liking the shorter races more.
Clearly the pandemic was unplanned and allows me to focus on this most days. I need an outlet for all of the feelings going on - as do so many others, clearly.
We will see what the next year brings. First step is to meet the goal for November. I can worry a out what is next the day after I do that.
(Actually I know myself well enough to know that I will start with what is next about five minutes after I finish. Trying to work on that....lol)
I like that there are a variety of different people here sharing and encouraging each other.
This world pretty much sucks right now - we need more of this!
Joy.
Great job on expanding the normal boundaries of your distance. Seems like you are comfortable at 5-6+ now!
That could be your Why....once you have a Why, you have everything you need.
Good call on the shoes I will take a look.
Will bookmark the GTX ones and see - well, the men's version.
18 on Saturday and I felt much better than I did the previous weekend on 17. Ankle is still what it is but everything else recovered better.
This morning's 5 seemed a breeze. Was in 40s when I left but had a sweat going in no time and it was comfortable.