tappae Member

This is solid advice. If you want to become a better runner, you need to build aerobic fitness. The best way to do this is by spending a lot of time at a slow pace. If you get out of breath, walk for a while. The biggest problem I had running when heavier was chafing, so I would advise investing in petroleum jelly or…

Yeah, this. Just a flirt fail.

I've got a trail 3.5 miler in 5 weeks and then a road 5K 2 weeks after that.

I've got a trail 3.5 miler in 5 weeks and then a road 5K 2 weeks after that. Then, it's 4 months of training to prepare for a mile race and the sequel to my road 5K.

I think you should totally celebrate the fact that you're more fit than some people that are more thin than you and yet still work toward what is best for you. If you're healthy and overweight, you can still be healthy and thin. Cut yourself some slack, though. Don't make it about "I have to lose this weight to be…

My son prefers beans and rice to most meat. If your kid doesn't like beans, it might be a little hard to be a vegetarian. I know there are lots of protein sources and meat substitutes out there, I just don't have any experience with them. Beans and rice is cheap, healthy and tasty (of course, it's better with bacon).

I've watched a lot of top distance runners on TV and paid close attention to how their feet land. Mostly, they seem to land almost flat, but a little toward the heel, and then roll a little bit toward the outside of their feet before putting most of their weight into the balls of their feet. This looks a lot like what…

I would say slow down until your breathing is relaxed and you're not really thinking about it. I do most of my runs at a speed that doesn't get me out of breath. Sometimes I try to concentrate on breathing through my nose, but mostly I think about other aspects of my form, so I tend to breathe through my mouth. It doesn't…

Chocolate milk, hot shower and a potluck dinner.

Love the "pi" run, Ted! I finally caught the illness that my family's been struggling with all week. If it was just me, I would still run today, but I don't like the idea of stopping every 2 minutes for my son to blow his nose.

Greetings, Penman! Our credibility is similar. We have similar weight to lose and have both gained back previously lost weight. I just want to warn you not to drink the Kool-Aid! Like any other exercise, running is subject to the laws of science. There are rules about how the skill of running is developed. I have found the…

#fastpeopleproblems :happy: I'm glad you got in!

I was pretty severely bullied back in school. Not just name-calling (which is terrible enough, I know) but also physical abuse, and I honestly don't know if I have advice that can help. You could try giving back as good as you get, but this may not work. I tried teasing a skinny bully but what limited success I had led to…

Short on your Garmin? Was the course certified? Recreational GPS units are designed to give you a reading as often as possible, even if it isn't accurate. I got to help my wife with her Master's thesis field work and she was using a professional GPS unit. Her readings weren't considered accurate without a certain number of…

I'm totally into round numbers, but I have to recognize the limitations of measuring systems. I say if you pick a system (like your garmin) and stick with it, then it's fine. Still, I'm not sure I would have run that extra 0.01, since after 15 miles, you may have actually run more than 1/4 mile more or less. I use internet…

Also, with trail running, it's dangerous to think about anything besides where your foot is about to land. I don't trip and fall every time my mind wanders, but every time I fall down, I was thinking about something else besides where my feet go.

There's so much to think about in terms of correct form: posture, foot strike, relaxation, cadence, breathing Getting my form right makes me run faster with less effort and less risk of injury.

Just finished my first run of the week. I'm feeling fine, but had to work late a few times this week, had an ice storm to deal with, and my son's been sick again. After missing a week of training, though, I dialed my goal back to 100 miles for this month. Since I only made 80 last month, and have only broken 100 once since…

Vibrams helped me stop overstriding as well. I'll still heel-strike in sturdier shoes if I'm not paying attention, but the vibrams allow less of that.

Last year, I gained back the 40 pounds I lost the previous year. I wasn't really trying to maintain, so I guess it doesn't answer your question, but I think it's hard. This time, I'm doing something a little different. I tried to estimate my TDEE at my goal weight and that's what I've set my calorie goal to. The idea is…

Did you eat your sweet potatoes raw? It seems like they would be a little hard. What did you use for fuel on long rides? When I ran far last year, I used date balls as fuel. I'm not sure if they qualify as raw vegan or not (I don't know the rules): rolled oats ground into flour, mixed with cocoa powder and dates in the…

Potatoes are awesome! French fries are a big part of my weight gain, but eaten in moderation, potatoes can be part of a healthy diet. I especially like mashed potatoes with butter and milk in them. Plenty of carbs and fat, but if you balance it with a good protein source, it's a good meal. Also a good source of vitamin C.…

I didn't even break 100 this month, but I'm going to try for 125 again!

3 pair Vibram Five Fingers, 1 in current use 3 pair Altra Instinct 1.5s, 1 in current use 5 pair Injinji toe socks, 3 light, 2 medium 1 pair Smartwool running socks 1 pair Experia running socks 1 pair tights 1 pair "biker" shorts 2 pair soccer shorts 9 race shirts, 1 long-sleeve with a hood 2 pair fleece gloves 1 felt hat…

I believed this, but not anymore. After a strong base has been built, then speed work will definitely help. Doing speed work without the base will risk injury and won't give the same benefits that it would give later on. The faster you run, the more anaerobic of an exercise it is. The more anaerobic it is, the less aerobic…

Listen to this guy! I've also seen results (less dramatic) by decreasing the intensity of my runs and increasing the total volume. The faster you run, the more anaerobic your energy source will be, the less you will be developing your aerobic system, which is the primary type of fitness you need for the half-marathon.

The domestic cat is an obligate carnivore. That means that they have to eat meat to survive. There are certain amino acids that they need to function that they can only get from eating meat. Here in America, more than half of them are obese. In my work, I've seen x-rays of cats that show a girth to pelvis ratio that…

Yeah, for me 175 is my sprint at the end of the race when I very nearly throw up on the volunteer that's taking my timing chip.

I stopped using my heart rate monitor because it was giving me really high burn estimates and also some spikes in heart rate that weren't real (it was jumping up over 200 when my actual heart rate was around 140). In the past, I managed to get it to work better by pushing an internal "reset" button, but this time I didn't…