January 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

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Replies

  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Avidkeo wrote: »
    @eleanorhawkins thanks for mentioning that DOMS causes water retention. I did not know that, and given today is the first day I could wolk properly so it's probably that which caused the scales to go up. I feel so much better knowing that.

    Stupid annoying scales lol

    Another thing to watch out for is very long <for you - which may or may not be long for someone else> runs will often cause short term weight gain. Your body is like "Oh is that how its gonna be? Well, then I will just stockpile some water for the next time then!"

    Our bodies are pretty darn good at adjusting our composition and the like on the fly to match our lifestyles. Constant scale watching just makes us panic which is why many "gurus," say not to weigh yourself every day despite the fact most of us will do just that when we are actively seeking to loose :)

    The only thing about that (not weighing every day) that doesn't make sense to me is that you don't see the minor daily fluctuations and therefore might think that your weekly weigh-in is where you're actually at, rather than just a result of water weight from one hard workout. To me, more data points = a more accurate overall picture.

    @polskagirl01 you're exactly right. There's nothing wrong with weighing yourself everyday but it does help one's sanity to know what might trigger a spike in weight, such as a long run or an increase in amount of carbs consumed (carbs hold water so if you increase carb intake you increase water weight. Conversely, if you decrease your daily carbs you'll see a weight drop because you're losing some water weight)
  • msarobix
    msarobix Posts: 211 Member
    @PastorVincent - Please tell me more about your Garmin foot Pod. I think I need to get one of these. I agree, my treadmill doesn’t seem to be accurate. Even though I just got a new treadmill the same speed on both the old and the new treadmills seem vastly different. I would love to have another method to measure my distance, that way at least I could average it out, if nothing else.
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    msarobix wrote: »
    @PastorVincent - Please tell me more about your Garmin foot Pod. I think I need to get one of these. I agree, my treadmill doesn’t seem to be accurate. Even though I just got a new treadmill the same speed on both the old and the new treadmills seem vastly different. I would love to have another method to measure my distance, that way at least I could average it out, if nothing else.

    Not much to say, I have this:


    0t0vd6g7ktq6.jpg
    Which was like $50 on Amazon

    Once I manually calibrated it, it works great. They have a "running dynamics pod" too that goes on your waist and measures more, but I like how I clip this on my shoes and forget it exists. It just does its thing. WIth the Running Dynamics Pod, you need to remember to put it on and take it off before/after a run. I do not need more stuff to worry about.

    Since buying and calibrating it the only time I have touched it was to move to new shoes and replace the battery once.

    DC Rainmaker has a post about how to calibrate the Gramin footpod yourself (the automagic calibration does not work well, IME):

    https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/06/garmin-ant-footpod-calibration-tool.html

    Ask any questions, but there really is not much to say. It just does its thing :) For non-treadmill runs, it adds stuff like stride rate, and etc. I usually do not look at that data though. I have worn it in all weather, and it has been submerged when my foot has landed in puddles. Still fine.
  • msarobix
    msarobix Posts: 211 Member
    @PastorVincent Thanks for the info on the pod, I will check it out.
  • LadySaton
    LadySaton Posts: 500 Member
    @debrakgoogins I hear ya on most of those things! I recommend the Zombies, Run! app.... combines story AND music. In fact it was probably the main thing responsible for me starting to run regularly, wanting to know what would happen next had me getting out there more and more often.
    I found the best way to combat that feeling cold after a run thing in the winter is hot coffee and a hot shower as quickly as possible when I get home.
    In other news, I'm toying with the idea of signing up to volunteer at the HM I had to pull out of. At least I would get to sort of join in, and get a T-shirt and baseball cap for my troubles. Not sure whether I'd be cheering people on and handing them water though or muttering under my breath in jealousy... Will think about it.
    I wish I could use the Zombies, Run! app without bringing my phone along with me. It sounds so fun, but I prefer to run with just my watch. I have yet to find a truly comfortable way to have my phone on me during a run. I do listen to a zombie podcast instead of music on some of my outings though. 🤣
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,555 Member
    @RunsOnEspresso great job on your 5K! Good luck tomorrow with the HM!

    @workaholic_nurse fantastic you got your distance PR today!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    1/01/2019 - 10.5 miles
    1/02/2019 - 10.5 miles
    1/03/2019 - 5 miles @ 7mph w/ 5% incline
    1/04/2019 - Planned Rest day
    1/05/2019 - 15 miles
    1/06/2019 - 0KM
    1/07/2019 - 0KM
    1/08/2019 - 8 miles
    1/09/2019 - 9.4 miles
    1/10/2019 - 6.5mph for 1 hour @ 5% grade
    1/11/2019 - 0KM
    1/12/2019 - 10 miles
    1/13/2019 - 15 miles
    1/14/2019 - 0KM
    1/15/2019 - 7MPH for 1 hour @5% grade
    1/16/2019 - 0KM
    1/17/2019 - 7MPH for 1 hour @5% grade
    1/18/2019 - 0KM
    1/19/2019 - 11 rainy miles


    Upcoming Races
    Steel Challange 5k - May 2019
    Pittsburgh Marathon - May 2019
    Glacier Ridge 50k Trail Race - May 2019

    2021 - Disney World Dopey! (if can raise funds)

    2019 GOAL: Knock a full hour off my 50k time at Glacier Ridge.
  • workaholic_nurse
    workaholic_nurse Posts: 727 Member
    This was shared by @MobyCarp in our FB group, and I think y'all need to see it too...
    oa9w12b7arvk.png

    This rocks! Thanks so much for sharing @PastorVincent !
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Hello MRCers! I know it's been awhile, but I wanted to pop in and ask a random question...does anybody have experience with popping/snapping hip syndrome? I'm not sure if that's what I have, but I've noticed for the last few years that sometimes my right hip will click or pop. It will always do this when I am lying flat on my back with my right leg extended straight upward and I slowly lower it to the floor. It's not painful, however I've had a lot of minor (and a few larger) injuries on my right side the past few years due to weak hips and I am wondering if the two are likely related.

    Mine does this sometimes and I've been told it's due to temporary muscle and tendon swelling making one tendon snap over the other, and isn't harmful. It comes and goes.
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    MobyCarp wrote: »

    Our bodies are pretty darn good at adjusting our composition and the like on the fly to match our lifestyles. Constant scale watching just makes us panic which is why many "gurus," say not to weigh yourself every day despite the fact most of us will do just that when we are actively seeking to loose :)

    I take issue with the gurus. I get that they are trying to keep novice weight loser from despairing, by keeping the weigh-ins far enough apart to show a loss every time in spite of fluctuations. But for me, weight measurement is data. Strip off the emotions, and more data becomes good. Because I weigh myself every day, and I've looked at some of the causes of fluctuation, I can tell you:

    - I will weigh more after a rest day. This doesn't mean I added fat because I didn't burn all the calories I ate; it primarily means I added water as it binds to glycogen, replenishing my stores so I can run well the next day.

    - My weight will fluctuate by 3% to 5% intra-day. I try to make my "standard" daily weight as consistent as possible; but it's less consistent in retirement than it was while I was working.

    - Common advice to distance runners is to weigh yourself before and after a long run to quantify water loss. I have a marathon-running friend who says he routinely loses 5 pounds on a long run. (I estimate he's around 160 base weight.) I can't tell you how much I routinely lose, because I'm lousy at remembering to weigh myself before the run. Doesn't really matter long term; it comes back when I re-hydrate.

    - I will lose 2 to 3 pounds over the course of a marathon training cycle, even though I'm trying to maintain. I'll put on 3 to 5 pounds in the 3 days before a marathon, by abandoning food discipline in favor of building glycogen. And if I don't get injured while running the marathon, that mini-spike will come right off the next week when I return to food discipline.

    - And I would be oblivious to most of this if I only weighed myself once a week.

    I lose 2 pounds most nights just by sleeping. :) I only record a couple-few times a week, first thing in the morning after emptying my bladder, before eating and drinking but I watch a lot more often. I think most people that are trying to lose weight do.

    To compare to your buddy, 5 pounds is approaching what I lose per hour during a summer run. A bit less in winter. :)