Runners - do as I say, not as I do!

BerryH

From today's blog:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do-211578

I've a nasty habit of doling out a lot of running advice. I wish I'd listen to it once in a while!

Two days after my 13 miler, my longest run to date in my Marathon training, and I'm in agony. My calf muscles are throbbing like the first time I ever ran a step, my quads are a-quiver as I walk down stairs and my hips are clicking like castanets. It's all my own fault, I know exactly what I did wrong!

1. Increasing mileage too fast.

Whatever running I manage to squeeze in during the week, I make it a point to ensure I at least do the long run as prescribed by Hal Higdon's "Novice Supreme" training programme. Except the last two weeks. I didn't even get outside last weekend and settled for an hour's plod on the dreadmill when my running club was called off because of heavy snow. Well, it's too boring to go for longer, right? At Berryspeed and mincing over the icy patches it took me two hours 50 to go 13 miles. My previous longest had been 90 minutes. A bit more than a 10% increase, right?

2. No proper warm-up.

Well, it was cold. I knew I'd feel hot quickly, so I only had a base layer and a light running jacket on. Problem was I was too cold to do my walk/jog warm up and dynamic stretching over the first 10 minutes so I just went straight into it. I figured it wouldn't matter as I was going so slow...

3. Unexpected hills.

We do hill sprints at my running club, but I tend to avoid them on my long runs. This one went so far I had to seek out a new route. It was waaaay hilly.

4. No cool down.

I was desperate for the loo when I stumbled in the door and ran straight to the bathroom without a good five-minute walk to show that lactic acid the door.

5. No stretch.

After that I was starving like Hank Marvin so headed straight for the kitchen to make peanut butter on toast and a cuppa. Then I ran a bath and poured a glass of wine to drink while relaxing in it. Well, a hot bath must be as good as a stretch, right? I should know better as I've had problems with my Ahilles and plantar fasciitis, both of which can be caused by tight calves.

6. No supplements.

I've got very limited amounts of cartilage. I used to take cod liver oil and joint supplements (glucosamine and chondriotin) but stopped to save money as I'd stopped getting joint pain, clickiness and stiffness. Duh, maybe it was because of the supplements, or from not normally working out for more than an hour.

I did do one thing right though, I think I've hit nutrition Nirvana. Double Oat So Simple porridge for breakfast with honey, a cup of tea and a glass of water. Zero carb electrolyte water additive in the running bottle, sip every 15 minutes. Energy gel every hour.

Learn from my mistakes. Do as I say, not as I do!

hbrittingham

Great advice!

meerkat70

Poor Berry. I have the same tendency to imagine my body somehow doesn't follow the rules of everyone else's... :-) Never mind, this too will pass. Hopefully soon!

therealangd

Hope you feel better soon.

vanessaclarkgbr

Bugger! Hate it when it catches up at once. At least you know what to do, and a little rest you'll be back on form in no time. I am guilty of the above every Tuesday (no time to warm up, no cool down as picking OH up from railway station, no stretching as dying for loo/forget) - only getting away with it due to my shorter distances I *should* take this as a warning! ;-)

fteale

Ha ha ha! I never do any of those things! I really should. Thanks for the warning. I hate warm ups and stretches and all that stuff. It's just so boring! I really must if I want to start doing further distances.


Hope you feel better soon.

mikeyrp

Great advice and love the honesty. You're not the only one to break your own rules!

BerryH

Thing is, I thought I could get away with it because none of it had bothered me so far in this bout of training, but then I'd been going MUCH shorter distances (despite kidding myself it wasn't that much further) and hadn't made all the mistakes in one go!

fteale

Thing is, I thought I could get away with it because none of it had bothered me so far in this bout of training, but then I'd been going MUCH shorter distances (despite kidding myself it wasn't that much further) and hadn't made all the mistakes in one go!

No doubt that is it. I am only up to 12 kms so far (and one 9 mile race I didn't train for), and I think at that you can just about get away with it.

angw7

Thanks for the advice. It's good to read other runner's experiences. I jst reached 15Kms this weekend and have now signed up for a 1/2 Marathon which I am very excited about. I'm guilty of the not warming up beofre I go off on a run as I am too eager to go but have learned from my mistake for not stretching after a long run to the point where like you, I couldn't move at all...
I really hope your pains go fast and you can get on with your next run! Take care

SueInAz

Thanks for the reminder. I'm coming off a few weeks of not running much and just about to start doing some longer distances to get ready for my half marathon late next month. I ran 4 yesterday and realized sometime a few hours later that I never stretched afterwards. It's a bad, bad habit to fall into....

jenniebean1680

You are adorable. Love it. Very good advice! Rest up!!!!

p.s. you're a Brit, aren't you?

aunienue

Such good advise.....I ran 15km with a friend on Sunday. We were supposed to do 18km but cut it short because of snow making running challenging and there was a cold wind. Didn't stretch or walk much afterwards. Headed for the bathroom and bath like you. Still feeling a bit achy....took yesterday off of running but still did TRX. I run a half March 4. I think I'm getting too old for this....:o)

katkat1717

Thing is, I thought I could get away with it because none of it had bothered me so far in this bout of training, but then I'd been going MUCH shorter distances (despite kidding myself it wasn't that much further) and hadn't made all the mistakes in one go!

As a beginning runner i would love to have access to your running blog. If it's ok, I will send a friend request.

MissFit0101

Thanks for sharing. I am all too guilty of not warming up properly myself. I have learned that cool down and stretching is just as mandatory as the run itself, but sometimes I run my first mile a little slower than the rest and call it my warm up. It's somewhat okay for short runs but absolutely not for long runs. I must learn to warm up.. properly... every run! Thanks for sharing!

PS... take care of your aching legs... do some yoga or other stretching and don't add too much mileage until you're feeling better

BerryH

As a beginning runner i would love to have access to your running blog. If it's ok, I will send a friend request.

Of course it's OK, the more friends the better! :flowerforyou:

BerryH

p.s. you're a Brit, aren't you?

Gor blimey guv'nor, is it obvious?

Dragonfly1996

I am guilty of the (lack of) warm up - just jig about on the spot for a few seconds then get off!! Probably for same reason as you in thinking I dont run fast so should be ok. That could be another reason why my ITB was playing up last Sunday. I do stretch after but dont always walk at the end to cool down - again I just stop!! Will try it the right way this weekend & see how it goes, along with some different gels etc. Keep going!! :flowerforyou:

barefoot76

Love this! I did almost the same thing. Had a 10-mile run planned for this past Sunday. Didn't warm up or stretch at all, headed out the door, had never run in below-freezing weather before and 4.6 miles in my legs cramped up so bad I fell flat on my face. Had to head straight home, limping. Felt like a real dummy.

Hey, as long as you are handing out advice: I have a half marathon scheduled for this Sunday, and I fell off the training wagon for the last 2 weeks when I got sick. I am really nervous about getting out there this weekend and trying to run this sucker. I just did a half marathon on Jan 29, I considered that a practice run and was hoping for a PB this time, but I can't see trying to push myself when I am not on schedule. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm trying to make 2012 injury-free! :-D

jenniebean1680

p.s. you're a Brit, aren't you?

Gor blimey guv'nor, is it obvious?

Crikey, yes!

And I love it. My mom (mum) was a Brit who moved stateside when she was 8 or so. I was raised on a steady diet of Monty Python and other British humor. She loved her cuppa! PG Tips, every day at 4pm! Lost her last June, so I admit to latching onto the accent when I hear/see it!

jenniebean1680

Love this! I did almost the same thing. Had a 10-mile run planned for this past Sunday. Didn't warm up or stretch at all, headed out the door, had never run in below-freezing weather before and 4.6 miles in my legs cramped up so bad I fell flat on my face. Had to head straight home, limping. Felt like a real dummy.

Hey, as long as you are handing out advice: I have a half marathon scheduled for this Sunday, and I fell off the training wagon for the last 2 weeks when I got sick. I am really nervous about getting out there this weekend and trying to run this sucker. I just did a half marathon on Jan 29, I considered that a practice run and was hoping for a PB this time, but I can't see trying to push myself when I am not on schedule. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm trying to make 2012 injury-free! :-D

I'm not the OP of course, but my advice would be to run it but don't try for the PR. You can certainly finish, but maybe schedule one in a few months for your PR? OR PB, whatever you want to call it, heh. I tend to go for PR because PB makes me want peanut butter . Which I advocate. I just already have 1-2 Tbsp a day, haha!

BerryH

Love this! I did almost the same thing. Had a 10-mile run planned for this past Sunday. Didn't warm up or stretch at all, headed out the door, had never run in below-freezing weather before and 4.6 miles in my legs cramped up so bad I fell flat on my face. Had to head straight home, limping. Felt like a real dummy.

Hey, as long as you are handing out advice: I have a half marathon scheduled for this Sunday, and I fell off the training wagon for the last 2 weeks when I got sick. I am really nervous about getting out there this weekend and trying to run this sucker. I just did a half marathon on Jan 29, I considered that a practice run and was hoping for a PB this time, but I can't see trying to push myself when I am not on schedule. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm trying to make 2012 injury-free! :-D

I'm not the OP of course, but my advice would be to run it but don't try for the PR. You can certainly finish, but maybe schedule one in a few months for your PR? OR PB, whatever you want to call it, heh. I tend to go for PR because PB makes me want peanut butter . Which I advocate. I just already have 1-2 Tbsp a day, haha!

This!

I don't know about you but I get scared I'll forget I can run after a break of more than a few days. You know you can do the distance for sure so you've got that under your belt. In a regular training plan, that two weeks would be a taper anyhow, so you might find you actually come back stronger. How about starting off steady, see how you feel half-way and if the rest has treated your legs well, go a wee bit faster and try for a negative split.

Good luck!

SueInAz

Love this! I did almost the same thing. Had a 10-mile run planned for this past Sunday. Didn't warm up or stretch at all, headed out the door, had never run in below-freezing weather before and 4.6 miles in my legs cramped up so bad I fell flat on my face. Had to head straight home, limping. Felt like a real dummy.

Hey, as long as you are handing out advice: I have a half marathon scheduled for this Sunday, and I fell off the training wagon for the last 2 weeks when I got sick. I am really nervous about getting out there this weekend and trying to run this sucker. I just did a half marathon on Jan 29, I considered that a practice run and was hoping for a PB this time, but I can't see trying to push myself when I am not on schedule. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm trying to make 2012 injury-free! :-D

I'm not the OP of course, but my advice would be to run it but don't try for the PR. You can certainly finish, but maybe schedule one in a few months for your PR? OR PB, whatever you want to call it, heh. I tend to go for PR because PB makes me want peanut butter . Which I advocate. I just already have 1-2 Tbsp a day, haha!

This!

I don't know about you but I get scared I'll forget I can run after a break of more than a few days. You know you can do the distance for sure so you've got that under your belt. In a regular training plan, that two weeks would be a taper anyhow, so you might find you actually come back stronger. How about starting off steady, see how you feel half-way and if the rest has treated your legs well, go a wee bit faster and try for a negative split.

Good luck!

Another option would be to take more walk breaks which will not only rest your legs but allow you to run at a faster speed during your runs. If you normally run all or most of the distance, schedule yourself a one minute walk break every mile. At around mile 10, you can judge how things are going and either keep up the pace or just run the rest of the way if you're feeling good.