ATT949 Member

When I started running, I ran on my forefoot because I used to play basketball. That simply doesn't work when you're running half marathons so I had to learn to run on my mid foot. It became "natural" very quickly. Along the way, I got sucked into the "support" game. That lasted a few months until I got away from the mass…

If you're in significant pain, see a doctor. There could be significant issues and, even if there aren't, a decent MD has significant training, experience, and insights and for the sake an hour of your time and a small fee, you can purchase a lot of that person's expertise. Many docs are, unfortunately, "anti running".…

You were on your feet for almost 2 hours. Do you normally train that long? Note - it has nothing to do with "dehydration" and the food that you ate 2 hours prior was not an issue. And, unless you've made a deliberate decision to incorporate refueling as part of your training plan, don't. It sounds like you're a new runner…

Read all of that, too, and, after following it for a while, I concluded that it's just good reading. If you're doing "two a days", there's value in it. Other than that, we just don't burn that much, that quickly so as to benefit. I can't cite you a source for this off the top of my head (I've been away from running due to…

Late to the thread but I'll leave a reply for other readers. I'm three weeks postop on my THR and am looking forward to returning to running. Like so many people here on MFP, I was obese (though only for a few years, fortunately) and lost quite a bit of weight. I lost my weight through an aggressive diet, one that was…

Sorry to hear about the IT band issues - I had that once and it was brutal. Fortunately, it was quickly resolved by a few days of rest but that's one of the worst pains that I've felt. Having been away from running for about a year, I can understand your frustration. Running was (and will be!) a big part of my life and the…

I read the book a few years ago and it's a very demanding training plan. I chose a variant of McMillan's training plan (check out his book "You, Only Faster") because it fit my mindset and, more importantly, the mileage wasn't so high. Best suggestion - try it. If you can work up to the mileage and intensity of that plan,…

I'm late to the thread but I've been down that road and have a suggestion - get in to see a doctor and have a hip X ray. I had the normal aches and pains of "running after obesity" and, after about three years of training, I was running well but noticed that I was having problems lifting my right foot to take off my…

The caution to move to a lower drop shoe was solely (pardon the pun) because the Achilles would have to stretch more due to the increased range of motion of the heel. If you're decreasing the amount that the Achilles will stretch, the only long term issue will be the eventual diminution of the amount of stretching that the…

Carb loading was all the rage about 40 years ago. The concept rested on the idea that we could fill up our system with carbohydrate which would take a marathoner past "the wall". That's when you hit mile 20 ± and you run out of glycogen so you have to metabolize fats. A study out of Scandinavia showed how valuable carb…

As a runner at 175 pounds/80 kg, I was using 100 gm protein (I couldn't find a credible source that would recommend anything higher than that for an endurance runner), about 55 - 50% carbs, and the rest fat. I have no way of proving that diet worked well for me but it's pretty much in line with what most running sites…

That's one of the reasons why many runners don't use HR based training and go by perceived exertion (Google "Borg scale"). One factor is "cardiac drift" but there's also the fact that, for many runners, mile 10, for example, is a lot more demanding than mile 2. What I haven't seen mentioned, and, if you're of a techie bent…

"Comparison is the thief of joy" - great quote! And the rest of what you're written is right on the money!

The 220-your age is a valid measure for some uses but is an inaccurate means of determining the maximum number of beats per minute for your heart. Newer formulae have been developed but, for myself, I have yet to find any formula that comes close. Like BMI, which is a valid measure for the purpose for which it was…

They have very similar definitions. In terms of training for LD running, it could be my bias, but LT is a common metric whereas AnT (I think that's the right abbreviation) is not as common. And, for another poster, "LT" is an abbreviation of rank in the US Army and, for people of that rank, it becomes their first name. ;-)

Thanks for posting that. Very handy.

Yes. VO2max varies from one person to another for a handful of reasons the biggest being genetics followed up by training. Unless you have data that conflicts with what you're getting from the Garmin, I don't know of a reason not to accept the data from the Garmin. Garmin uses technology from FirstBeat, a software company…

I'm 28 days out from my race and have been building my mileage over the past few weeks by following a modified McMillan plan (page 22 in his book "You (only faster)"). If you haven't worked with training plans before why not check it out? Greg's book has decent background info no why to run what runs and it's available on…

What do you have to lose and, second, if this is important to you, are you actually going to let the good folks here talk you out of it? When I was doing long distance motorcycle rides (back when I was obese), my motto was "Plan the ride, ride the plan, enjoy the ride." Apply that simple expression to your endeavor and see…

:-) I'm glad that you found it helpful!

As the father of someone who lived with untreatable depression for 19 years (diagnosed at 8, suicide on 10/1/14 when she couldn't handle it any longer), please see a doctor and integrate this into a mental healthcare plan. We've known for a long time that exercise can be very beneficial in treating depression so this is…

The most popular modern training method could be described as "80/20" training where 80% of your mileage is done at paces that are about 90 second slower than race pace. The rest of the mileage can be labeled "speed work" in that they include training at an increased pace, consisting of some combination of runs near to,…

The Half is sufficiently short that the CHO vs fat isn't an issue. If you refer to this document, columns I and J show how much CHO I burned during a Half about 18 months ago. All told, I burned about 1032 cals from CHO which is about 258 grams. An untrained individual (quoting Dr. Noakes) will have just under 300 grams of…

I don't know if this page will be helpful but I find it a fascinating site. http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Race_Ready_Shorts_and_Tights

When I was obese, I used to do long distance motorcycle rides (the entry level ride is 1000 miles in a day). Almost everyone has a Road ID but it's accepted that all body parts may not be connected when they get to you.

My name and date of birth and names of contacts with cell phone numbers. My understanding is that EMT's don't care about much else 'cause they check anyway. I've had to take a blood thinner for a while so I cut the top and bottom off the plastic bottle and run the wrist strap through what's left of the bottle.

It sounds like it was a very minor injury (I tore up ankles playing basketball so I've had the range of injuries). Doctors have moved away from "stay off of it" to "get back on it ASAP" because we tend to heal more quickly by putting acceptable strain on the body. The key is "acceptable". In that you had very little…

If you're eating few calories than you take in you will tend to gain weight. However, just 'cause you've gained weight doesn't mean that you've eaten more calories than you've expended. In that your eating times changed but your calorie level didn't, I'd guess that your times when you have a bowel movement have changed and…

The classic test for IT band is bend the knee at a 20º angle. If you feel serious pain at that point of flexion and only at that point of flexion, that's the IT band lighting up. If that's the case, remember - foam rolling can reduce one of the symptoms but does very little to resolve the cause. "ITBS" is pain we feel…

Hey, thanks for all the really good ideas! :-) I just ordered a strobe light from Road Runner sports and will start running with it next week. I've been running on roads since I started running again but I will really appreciate the extra peace of mind that my little blinkie thingie provides. :D