stubbysticks Member

I know it's rough to find your weak spots, but I assure you that is exactly the point of the different stages. Stage 1 gets you familiar with some basic compound exercises, now in Stage 2 you do some different ones that are variations of familiar ones to challenge different muscles. Trust the process! I too had to drop the…

I do mine at the gym, & I see several others with either a notebook or a sheet on a clipboard during their workouts. Mostly guys. When I see them, I think "that person is serious about their training...awesome." Definitely not something to be self-conscious about! And keep in mind that many people probably use their…

Finally finished up Stage 1 a couple of weeks ago. Didn't do the AMRAPs because it was clear I made some good strength gains, plus I had taken a couple of weeks off due to a death in the family so I was just ready to get it DONE so I could move on to something different! Off to the Stage 2 thread, keep rockin' it out…

Bummer! There are a couple of ways to get in there. I usually come from 4th St. After you cross Chicago, you go around behind the dome & turn in to the right. Once you're in the parking lot, you follow the building to the end - you'll see where everyone else is parked. Entrance is on the SE side of the building. From the…

Alice, my guess is no but it doesn't say on the website: http://www.runmdra.org/index.php/programs/12-dome-running. There's a contact number on the site, try calling this guy:

Yes to checking with your doctor first. Any of us can *say* you're not too heavy to run, but if your knees are jacked up you very well could be. I did not have knee issues to start & I was over 300 lbs when I started running 2 1/2 years ago. Also yes to getting proper shoes. Go to a running store, have a gait analysis, &…

Yes, there are many races out there that contribute to a cause but obviously there is overhead so only a percentage of your registration really goes to that cause. Although Team Ortho for example is a non-profit, their events aren't promoted as charity events. The organization as a whole supports "research, education, and…

I get the opposition to following a "diet"...but am I the only one who's horrified that she thinks you can't lose weight & still eat BACON? WTF...I am crying inside

I didn't notice anyone running barefoot last year. Vibrams, lots of those. I wasn't really looking though.

YES! That's the best part! You gotta dress up. :bigsmile:

That's right, Polar Dashers got an extension on the series. I highly recommend a du considering your lofty goals this year. The cross training will be a nice break from all the running & still help get your endurance where it needs to be for the full.

No, I don't think it sells out quickly. We have a corporate team & I recall people registering as late as Sept for the races. Even though my race wasn't until Sunday, I went down there Saturday to hang out & cheer on some 5k'ers I know. The kids races are fun to watch too!

Unfortunately you only have an hour to go back & edit anything you post. It's weird. But I'll go out & start threads for my races if they haven't been started already!

1 mile is a great distance, especially for those new to racing. I heard about this one, the TC 1 Mile last May was my first race of this distance & it was fantastic. Highly recommend it!

Love the idea of keeping up with 2013 races James! But I think with the way the threads are set up, everyone will have to do tons of scrolling or paging to find common races. I say let's set up separate topics for each race, what do you think?

I registered for the Monster Series so I got my race packet & hoodie already. :bigsmile: Love it!!!

Do you mean the bar with the zig zags in it (the EZ bar)? You could deadlift with it if you can find a comfortable way to grip it, you'd want to try to grip the straight portions though I would think. Gripping the angled parts wouldn't allow proper form. Also keep in mind the EZ bar only weighs 17.5 lbs vs. the olympic bar…

I don't know, but when you go in just ask the guys who take the money if it's ok. I think me & my friend will be there tomorrow night, maybe I'll see some of you there!

I've seen people step up onto benches before & that's what I do. Perhaps your gym's benches are just rickety?? By all means if you need to use aerobics steps to get a more stable step, then do it.

I've heard about Versagrips & they look cool! Since I already have straps & gloves I probably wouldn't buy them myself, but I would if I didn't have stuff already. I might have to pull them out soon since I'm up to 115 on DL - I'm ok for now with the alternate grip, but after progressing a few more lbs I might need the…

No, when it says that it means you have the chase function turned on & you're supposed to do an interval. If you're running on a treadmill, you want to make sure you have it set not to use GPS. I run it on an iPod so it's on that setting all the time anyway. It can still sense your speed increase because it behaves as a…

I hadn't used the app for a while until the other day, but my zombie chase didn't work either. Not sure why, because it looks like my settings are correct. Going to give it a go this evening again to see if I can get it figured out.

I think the Smith bar is 15 lbs.

I'll be doing the 7k with a friend & some others from my work running club. I did it last year, it's a blast! I'm doing the 2013 Monster Series so I'm also signing up for Polar Dash 10k, Minneapolis Duathlon, Women Rock 10k, & Monster Dash 5k-9. Looking forward to it!

Coon Rapids Y...been a regular for almost 3 years now. :smile: Occasionally I'll hit up Southdale or New Hope.

I am seriously in awe of all the amazing running stories I'm reading here. OP, I really hope it's clear to you how running has affected the CONFIDENCE of everyone who shared their story. I can share mine... 2 1/2 years ago I weighed over 300 lbs & hated myself. I started running when the pain of staying the same outweighed…

Why does one have to be better than the other? A good strength training program will make you a better runner.

Yep...first 40 came off in about 4 months. Second 40 took another 17 months. Surprisingly, it doesn't bother me it's happening much slower now. It's still coming off, so why worry. Besides, I'm too busy being awesome.

A gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds. Water retention is a real thing & can greatly influence your scale weight. Most peoples' weight fluctuates in a particular range over the week; my range is usually 5 lbs or so, though I've seen bigger fluctuations. If the range is 240-245 one week & 238-243 the next, does it really…

Weight lifting 3 days a week - run a mile on treadmill to warm up, lift for 30 min or so, maybe a cooldown walk for a few minutes after. In & out of the gym in under an hour. I run 2-3 other days each week, for 30-90 minutes. I do take 1-2 rest days each week, though this winter I'm doing the Runner's World mile a day…