Track runners

amymeenieminymo

I can run decent on a treadmill....and when I say decent I mean I can run for more than 5 seconds without keeling over dead, which is good for me. So last spring I anxiously started the couch 2 5K, but it didn't go so well. After the first couple of times I started to dread it, started week 1 over and then quit halfway through that week.

I'm still determined to become a runner, to be able to run the 5 or 10K next spring rather than walk it. But running outside is soooo much harder than a treadmill. There is a high school nearby that I am pretty sure has that cushy weird track.....does anyone know if this helps, is it kind of an in-between step? I could just go try it, but I'm wondering what to expect so I am not hoping for miracles.

Azdak

I can run decent on a treadmill....and when I say decent I mean I can run for more than 5 seconds without keeling over dead, which is good for me. So last spring I anxiously started the couch 2 5K, but it didn't go so well. After the first couple of times I started to dread it, started week 1 over and then quit halfway through that week.

I'm still determined to become a runner, to be able to run the 5 or 10K next spring rather than walk it. But running outside is soooo much harder than a treadmill. There is a high school nearby that I am pretty sure has that cushy weird track.....does anyone know if this helps, is it kind of an in-between step? I could just go try it, but I'm wondering what to expect so I am not hoping for miracles.

Tracks have some features that some beginners can find helpful:

Consistent, flat surface.

Keeps you centered in one place (if you run into difficulty, have to stop, etc, it's not a long walk back to the car ;-)

Easy to do walk/jog interval type workouts with a consistent and precise structure.

Easier to increase duration in small increments--you can get lots of "achievement" feedback.

If no is there when you start, you never have to worry about looking silly if you end up stopping after a short distance--you can just pretend you finished 5 miles!

Disadvantages: can be monotonous.

Once you reach a certain distance (3-4 miles), it becomes difficult to run farther distances--I think at that point, psychologically, the distance on the track "seems" much longer than the same distance on the road or a path.

In my early days as a runner I did many of my workouts on a track, as well as during the many times I have had to restart a program after a long layoff or injury. I always found it helpful. YMMV

Magenta15

i am new to the c25k....and have always hated running :grumble:

week one was semi torturous....well...not even so much, i mean pain for me in my legs, but by torturous i mean more that i never thought i'd be ready to move on from week 1 [ i did it 2 almost 3 weeks]....i run outside but on a trail, so it's not hard pavement or boring stretch of road BUT it's a bit uneven turf...but i dont mind that so much...

this week i tried week 2 even tho i still was struggling with one....
and i did it! and not only that but i smiled with amazement after every interval :noway:
i dunno if its that i went after zumba so was extra warmed up. or if it was that i made my own podcast with the new BEPs songs which are so good to pump me up or a combo of both but i did it! and i wanna do it again and again, i had to make myself take a rest day inbetween.... its sorta addicting and more...enjoyable??? when you start to realize you can do it :bigsmile:

but for me to do it on a treadmill???? nuh uh i would watch the clock and die of bordom! -- maybe once im done the c25k, and it's winter i could maintain my running on the treadmill...but while im still learning to do it and like it...i think i woujld give up on the treadmill, 30 min would feel like an eternity for me....same for spinning around on a track, are their any dirt trails you could try out?

everyone is diff and you have to find what works for you :bigsmile:
right now its me, the outdoors, great music and the dog = success

good luck:flowerforyou:

SHBoss1673

The recycled rubber tracks are a godsend for runners. While it doesn't really help that much with improving your performance (although, there is a better energy transfer with rubber than with asphalt so you can run the same distance while expending less wasted energy because the rubber has potential energy in it where asphalt has basically none. They've actually done tests on this stuff.), it is far far far far far better on your knees, ankles, and lower back than with a road surface. I would use this if you want to run outside over a regular road.

As a side point, yes, running outside IS harder than on a treadmill, air resistance and wind resistance do make a big difference cumulatively. I tend to time myself on a track where I can easily measure distance (usually a high school track is 1/4 of a mile around if it surrounds a football or soccer field), and when I do, I notice 20 to 30 seconds per mile slower outside than on a treadmill, worse if it's windy. But it's generally better for you, both mentally and physically as you actually get to experience distance and a sense of moving on a track.

amymeenieminymo

I can run decent on a treadmill....and when I say decent I mean I can run for more than 5 seconds without keeling over dead, which is good for me. So last spring I anxiously started the couch 2 5K, but it didn't go so well. After the first couple of times I started to dread it, started week 1 over and then quit halfway through that week.

I'm still determined to become a runner, to be able to run the 5 or 10K next spring rather than walk it. But running outside is soooo much harder than a treadmill. There is a high school nearby that I am pretty sure has that cushy weird track.....does anyone know if this helps, is it kind of an in-between step? I could just go try it, but I'm wondering what to expect so I am not hoping for miracles.

Tracks have some features that some beginners can find helpful:

Consistent, flat surface.

Keeps you centered in one place (if you run into difficulty, have to stop, etc, it's not a long walk back to the car ;-)

Easy to do walk/jog interval type workouts with a consistent and precise structure.

Easier to increase duration in small increments--you can get lots of "achievement" feedback.

If no is there when you start, you never have to worry about looking silly if you end up stopping after a short distance--you can just pretend you finished 5 miles!

Disadvantages: can be monotonous.

Once you reach a certain distance (3-4 miles), it becomes difficult to run farther distances--I think at that point, psychologically, the distance on the track "seems" much longer than the same distance on the road or a path.

In my early days as a runner I did many of my workouts on a track, as well as during the many times I have had to restart a program after a long layoff or injury. I always found it helpful. YMMV

Thank you, you listed many advantages that I didn't even think of! Yeah, the not letting people know that you've only been running for a minute and are about to die is a good thing :laugh:

amymeenieminymo

i am new to the c25k....and have always hated running :grumble:

week one was semi torturous....well...not even so much, i mean pain for me in my legs, but by torturous i mean more that i never thought i'd be ready to move on from week 1 [ i did it 2 almost 3 weeks]....i run outside but on a trail, so it's not hard pavement or boring stretch of road BUT it's a bit uneven turf...but i dont mind that so much...

this week i tried week 2 even tho i still was struggling with one....
and i did it! and not only that but i smiled with amazement after every interval :noway:
i dunno if its that i went after zumba so was extra warmed up. or if it was that i made my own podcast with the new BEPs songs which are so good to pump me up or a combo of both but i did it! and i wanna do it again and again, i had to make myself take a rest day inbetween.... its sorta addicting and more...enjoyable??? when you start to realize you can do it :bigsmile:

but for me to do it on a treadmill???? nuh uh i would watch the clock and die of bordom! -- maybe once im done the c25k, and it's winter i could maintain my running on the treadmill...but while im still learning to do it and like it...i think i woujld give up on the treadmill, 30 min would feel like an eternity for me....same for spinning around on a track, are their any dirt trails you could try out?

everyone is diff and you have to find what works for you :bigsmile:
right now its me, the outdoors, great music and the dog = success

good luck:flowerforyou:

I guess the thing I hated most about it is that I didn't enjoy or look forward to my work outs. Biking and walking I enjoy, but the running was a dread for me. But maybe I can try again.

Does running with your dog help a lot? We are getting a dog this winter hopefully and that is a main reason I would like to become a runner is so I can run with him. But we're getting him as a puppy (lab) and I heard that you really shouldn't run them until they're about a year old to avoid hip dysplasia. So it will be awhile before I can do that.

amymeenieminymo

The recycled rubber tracks are a godsend for runners. While it doesn't really help that much with improving your performance (although, there is a better energy transfer with rubber than with asphalt so you can run the same distance while expending less wasted energy because the rubber has potential energy in it where asphalt has basically none. They've actually done tests on this stuff.), it is far far far far far better on your knees, ankles, and lower back than with a road surface. I would use this if you want to run outside over a regular road.

As a side point, yes, running outside IS harder than on a treadmill, air resistance and wind resistance do make a big difference cumulatively. I tend to time myself on a track where I can easily measure distance (usually a high school track is 1/4 of a mile around if it surrounds a football or soccer field), and when I do, I notice 20 to 30 seconds per mile slower outside than on a treadmill, worse if it's windy. But it's generally better for you, both mentally and physically as you actually get to experience distance and a sense of moving on a track.

Thanks, that is definitely an added plus to know that the rubber track is better for your knees and such. That is one of my worries over switching from walking to running is the impact on my body.

Magenta15

I guess the thing I hated most about it is that I didn't enjoy or look forward to my work outs. Biking and walking I enjoy, but the running was a dread for me. But maybe I can try again.

Does running with your dog help a lot? We are getting a dog this winter hopefully and that is a main reason I would like to become a runner is so I can run with him. But we're getting him as a puppy (lab) and I heard that you really shouldn't run them until they're about a year old to avoid hip dysplasia. So it will be awhile before I can do that.

yeah I think it helps - I have a large dog as you can see :laugh: LOL and when i get home every day from work i know he needs to go for a walk. so why not make it the c25k while im at it he keeps me accountable, at the very least i say we are just going for a walk but once i get going and hear my tunes i generally decide to give it a go