Big Soccer Runners Thread (R)

Discussion in 'Other Sports' started by hangthadj, Nov 9, 2007.

  1. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    1500 is about where I think I will end up too, although I haven't really been logging this year. I always tell myself I would like to hit 2000, but life just interferes too often. My training partners ran their 100 last weekend. It was brutally hot and only one finished--the other made it 70. I don't think I'm up for that anytime soon.
     
  2. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    Anyone else do a ladder workout? Here's ours:

    200 meters - 200 recovery
    400 - 400
    800 - 400
    1200 - 400
    1600 - 400

    6 100 yard striders, which I skip

    1600 - 400 (also skipped)
    1200 - 400
    800 - 400
    400 - 400
    200 - 2 to 2 1/2 final cool down laps

    The increased distance then decrease gives a new twist to the challenge. I loved the workout, even in the HHH and smoky DC area air. Skipping the striders for 4-5 extram minutes of recovery must of helped since my last 400 was 1:25 and my last 200 was :35!
     
  3. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    Haven't in many many years, but that is exactly what a should be doing.
     
  4. SoccerNewf

    SoccerNewf Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    Pasadena, NL
    Hey guys, just found this thread. Don't know why I never thought of finding it earlier.
    But anyway I started running about 3 years ago and blew out my ACL playing soccer.

    Just go the operation done a few months ago and I haven't even been running 2 months yet. Still running with the brace, but it is really starting to annoy me.

    I have official times in the 5k and 10 miles
    5K: 22:45
    10 mile: 1:30:08 (chip time)

    I also have a the nike+ ipod, I need it calibrated I think, but I have a 10K time of, 52:24.
    Other then that I have never gone longer than 10 miles but I am thinking of doing a half soon.

    Cheers.
     
  5. Quango

    Quango BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2003
    Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Welcome to the thread SoccerNewf. I like nike+ too. Has anyone tried the iPhone version with GPS? It looks like it costs a couple bucks for the ap and I'd need to buy a clip case or something, but it might be nice to have a more accurate record of the run (assuming I get any service where I run...).

    Anyone having a good fall season?

    I'm trying to build back up from nothing again. Post marathon failure last fall led to few miles until April when I started picking back up only to injure my foot the first week of May and basically not run for two months. It's rough getting back out there on a consistent basis, but I'm getting three short runs in a week. I love running in the fall, so I'm trying hard to be out there as much as possible.

    Q
     
  6. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    Things are going...fair. I had a couple ankle injuries and have some nagging tendonitis in my feet resulting from those. Still managing about 35 a week though and have just concentrated on doing higher quality miles. I have only done a couple races recently, both trail 15ks. I have the Indy half tomorrow, the Knobstone Trail half next week, then maybe the Monumental Marathon in a few weeks. I'm doing the Tecumseh Trail Marathon again in December and then maybe the HUFF 50k if recovery goes well.
     
  7. SoccerNewf

    SoccerNewf Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    Pasadena, NL
    I just ran a 20K this morning. I did it in just over 2:02, was not what I had hoped for when I first signed up but I had a hip bursa I have been fighting for the past month and a half. It's really my own fault, I started ramping up my training way to quick and in the end it did more harm then good.

    But guys if you are looking for a destination run, this is an excellent one, apparently it has been featured in a few magazines and we have been getting people from the US, Europe, all 10 Canadian Provinces and even Australia. I suggest checking it out as the course is anything but flat and has some great scenery, though there was fog this morning making it kinda hard to see anything.

    Here's the website
     
  8. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    That looks like fun. I was actually telling my training buddies recently about the East Coast Trail and how it would be perfect for an ultra.
     
  9. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    My last marathon rocked! Twin Cities, October 3.

    I was concerned that I started out too fast, 8:15 pace at mile 4 but I was able to keep it going. The first facility break I took at mile 6 set me back for quite a bit, it took me a while to get under 8:30 again, which turned out to be a blessing. I kept up a solid pace, soaked in all the cheers, looked at all the beautiful lakes, and loved every minute of the race! Well except for needing facility break #2 between miles 15 and 16. I made up the three minutes I lost there and then some since I felt much better. Climbing up Summit Avenue I was wondering if I had the 53 minute 10K in me that I would need to break my Richmond (Nov 13) goal of 3:40. After some struggles, I kicked it into another gear, especially at the end going downhill. I was exactly 90 seconds behind gun time.

    Final chip time: 3:35:54, a PR by over 10 minutes! That puts me 19:55 away from Boston. But I was in a ton of pain after crossing the finish line. Once I figured out I didn't need medical attention (for a second there I thought I was going to vomit), I booked it straight for the massage tent which helped me a ton! This was a very rewarding race in many ways.

    7:22 negative split, chip time was 2 seconds fast than I thought, 3:35:52. I did spend about 3 minutes at a facility break around mile 16 so my negative split was really slightly over 10 minutes. It took me about 10 seconds to start running a lot better after the break. I don't like to lose time in a race by taking those breaks, but that one ended up gaining me time in the long run. So I think my negative split would have been a lot less without it.

    Richmond on November 13, then 2 plus weeks completely off to recover and get ready for the PmP exam.

    2011 Tentative Plans, these will change, Marine Corps Marathon on Oct 30 instead of Oct 23 kills my ideal 3 marathons 3 weeks apart test I wanted to do:

    2/20: Marathon - Greenbelt, MD: put on my http://www.dcroadrunners.org

    3/21: Shamrock Marathon - Virginia Beach

    5/29: Vermont Marathon again - Burlington

    6/12: slight chance of Lake Placid Half

    6/18: Baltimore 10 miler (bling value more than race fee)

    8/28: Annpolis 10 miler

    10/2: Marathon (Twin Cities or Freedom's Run out of Sheperdstown, WV)

    10/9: Alternate option, projected Steamtown (Scranton, PA) marathon

    10/30: Marine Corps Marathon

    11/12: Richmond (again)?

    11/20: Alternate, projected Philly marathon

    I recovered surprisingly quickly from Twin Cities. Can't wait for November 13!
     
  10. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    I'll see if I can break 3:30 in Richmond tomorrow. I'm in Corral 2 so it will foce me to start conservatively.

    Next year's total race plans, I hate being compulsive about it since at least Marine Corps can sell out in one day so sometimes you have to be:

    Marathons and Half Marathons:

    March 20 - Shamrock
    May 29 - Vermont

    Oct 9 (projected) - Steamtown - would be the all out one
    Oct 30 - MCM
    November 12 (projected) - a race in Richmond, probably the half

    I've figured out that 3 marathons next fall probably isn't happening. The schedule fit of 3-4 weeks apart just isn't there, especially when I consider my trip to Colorado for a week after Labor Day for the Pikes Peak Challenge (http://www.pikespeakchallenge.com) and seeing friends.

    Other races:

    If Pacers Running Stores does their Race Series VIP Program http://runpacers.com/pacersraces/2011.asp, I will sign up since I'd run a lot of these anyway.

    Of course, the Baltimore 10 Miler on June 18th because the schwag is worth the entrance fee and I can never get enough workout clothing (I've lost 60 pounds since 1/1/08). And the Annapolis Ten Miler on the last Sunday in August.

    Yup, I'm addicted. I add mileage to the races I that don't run all out (should I sign up for the whole Pacers series) and make that my weekend long run, however long it needs to be that on that particular week.

    Anyone else planning for next year already?

    Right now I'm headed back to the Expo and for my 3 mile day before marathon jog.
     
  11. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    Marathon Summary:

    Got there in plenty of time, checked my bag, made sure I used the portables, and got in the front of Corral 2. First mile: 8:25 or so, second 7:35 or so. A little inconsistent at the start for sure. I ditched the upper layer at mile 4. The first half of the course was very enjoyable for the most part, the crowds in the city were great and the suburban parkland-style areas near the river were scenic.

    1:44:22 first half split, my first thought was my 3:30 goal is in reach, even though I needed a portable break. I am really going to focus on eliminating that need in my 2011 marathons. I lost a few minutes there, but hey I can make most of that up, right? Not when you have a mishap with your running belt and drop your bottles. Having to go back and get them sucked. But I figured I'll deal with it and just enjoy the rest of the race and do the best I can. I lost six minutes or so between that and not being able to get my Clif Blocks out of my pocket. I'm guessing only made up a minute or two of that throughout the race.

    This was my fourth marathon, but the first one where I felt I hit a wall. Right after going over the bridge on the Boulevard, my legs started feeling weak, and I thought "oh crap, I now know what the wall feels like". Miles 19.5 - 23 were a big struggle. I felt a lot stronger at the same point six weeks ago at the Twin Cities Marathon. At this point, 3:30 was obviously out of reach, it was an aggressive goal, but not attainable today. By the time I hit mile 23, I knew the PR wasn't being broken. No biggie.

    I finished fairly strong, soaked in the cheers when running down the hill at the end, and finished in 3:37:24. A great time considering that I dealt with more adversity than I did in any of my first three marathons. The first half split tells me that with a little fine tuning combined with more endurance and speed work, I can break 3:30 in the near future. Only 92 seconds off of my PR, I'm happy. Especially after the massage I got at the James Center. That will take at least a week off of my recovery timeframe. I'd visit the school who did those the next time I'm in the area, even if I'm not doing a race.
     
  12. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    I was going to try to run three marathons in the spring or fall of 2011. Forget that, I'm going to sign up for this Triple Crown instead. 22.5 miles on a day that my Vermont training schedule calls for 18-22 anyways? I'm game for this adventure. It will give me an excuse to go to Delaware too. Incredibly, I have never been there. Or to Philly.
     
  13. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    It'll be the marathon on April 30. Anyone else running in Holiday races? If so, do you take them seriously or just run for fun?
     
  14. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    I DNFd the Tecumseh Trail Marathon yesterday to avoid long term injury. I went 23 or 24, but I was just too tight. There was several inches of fresh snow and the course had to be changed to an out and back which made it significantly more difficult.
     
  15. SoccerNewf

    SoccerNewf Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    Pasadena, NL
    So it looks like I have set a date for my first Marathon, October 16th, 2011 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
     
  16. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    YH, sorry to hear about the ending. But it sounds like you did the right thing.

    I think I'm running the Delaware Triple Crown Marathon on April 30. This will be my first trail marathon. I have a cut down schedule in terms of numbers, but long races overall, schedule for next year:

    Feb 20, March 20, April 30, May 29, October 9,30: Marathons
    May 15, November 12: Half Marathons
    August 29: 10 Miler
    June 18: 10 Miler, maybe
    Dec 31: 4 Miler for fun
     
  17. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    I'll either be redeemed or injured by Saturday evening. Just registered for HUFF 50k four days in advance. I'm a ********ing dumbass.
     
  18. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    Bump. Looks like it's been almost exactly a year...

    HUFF 50k this time last year was a fun (long) time. 8 degrees at the start. This year was wet to say the least, but I couldn't make it.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=60jOGxBoD-A

    It's been a little slow with a new baby, but other big races for me this year were Dances With Dirt, Gnaw Bone 50k, Knobstone Trail half marathon, Howl at the Moon 8hr, and Tecumseh Trail Marathon again. At the end of January I think I'm going to do a night trail race. Right now it'll probably be a hm instead of the full. I guess as the year went, I lost speed but I learned how to run long. Now, if I can have a decent year to bring it all together, I'll be really happy. I might take a swing at 50 miles...probably either Land Between the Lakes or Dances with Dirt.
     
  19. Quango

    Quango BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2003
    Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nice job YankHibee. Those sound like some tough races. I keep putting races on my calendar and failing to do them. I was finally getting back into decent form this summer but rolled my bad ankle on my first attempt at a trail run and have had problems both physical and motivational to get going again. Finally running relatively pain free the last week, so I'm hopeful that 2012 will go better. Q
     
  20. yossarian

    yossarian Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 16, 1999
    Big City Blinking
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't see how you guys do trail runs, especially the really long ones.

    My running group has a holiday tradition of doing an 8-mile trail run and then a big breakfast/holiday party afterward. The sorest parts of me every year after doing that thing are my shoulders from being so tense the whole freaking time, worried that I'm going to step on a root or a rock and roll my ankle.
     
  21. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    The easy answer is that I train on trails. I live next to a park with 10 or 12 miles available. Road and trail running are just as different as road and mountain biking. Just like biking, you sorta have to learn how to fall. Roads make me more sore now, especially if I'm trying to go fast. Recovery from long runs on the trail is easier on me because the trails are softer and motion is less repetitive.
     
  22. stanger

    stanger BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 29, 2008
    Columbus
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just found this thread!

    My wife, a non-athlete her entire life, trained and finished the Columbus Half Marathon last fall. I have always been a soccer player, have run intermittently in the 20 or so years since I stopped playing competitive soccer ( I do still play rec ball) and although I was impressed with her, always thought I could do it rather easily.

    I was WRONG.

    Started training for the Cap City Half on Monday of this week. I am using the Nike Running training schedule for intermediate runners. Starts out with 3 days a week, 4, 4, 6. Next week is 4, 5, 6 and adds a mile a week to get to the total.

    Eight miles in three days is killing my calves to the point that I am limping around like an idiot. Any suggestions on what I can eat, how I can stretch, or anything else I can do to get through this? The cardio aspects aren't killing me, it's the muscle tightness.

    Any suggestions?
     
  23. Quango

    Quango BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2003
    Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    I've found the Nike+ training programs too aggressive and advanced when starting from no training. The intermediate ones start throwing in intervals and tempo runs really early and crank up the miles too fast. They're better if you already have some training under your belt. Maybe switch to the beginner level (which for the half-marathon schedule is still pretty rigorous). Runner's World has a lot of schedules as well, and maybe more variety than Nike.

    I don't know about the calf pain. It might be just the sudden ramp up in mileage. Have you gotten new running shoes for the training? If not, I would recommend a running specific store that will do a gait and stride video analysis, so you can get shoes with the right amount of balance for your pronation and foot fall. There's a Road Runner Sports in Columbus it looks like. They do that. I'm sure there are a bunch of others as well. http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs...2600003&cm_sp=header-_-anchor-_-store_locator

    Q
     
  24. YankHibee

    YankHibee Member+

    Mar 28, 2005
    indianapolis
    In general I find that new runners try to run too fast. Slowing down cures most training issues. If you're sore enough that you have to take days off that you want to train, you're doing yourself a disservice. Base building is about mileage and not getting injured. Everything else about training can be saved for months down the road.
     
  25. sitruc

    sitruc Member+

    Jul 25, 2006
    Virginia
    I'm a bit under the weather today and I'm being told a lot of what I've been saying all day doesn't make any sense. I apologize in advance.

    Form is more important than miles for the hell of it. You aren't doing yourself any favors if you don't work on form. Many injuries and especially shin splints are from bad form and/or bad shoes. Running stores will help you find shoes that are good for your workouts.

    Stay hydrated. Water is your friend. Some people love Gatorade and the like, but if I'm in a good workout just about anything is too syrupy for me to consume and it becomes a "wet my mouth and spit" at most. I haven't gotten deep into the million different Gatorades, but G2 is lighter than regular Gatorade.

    Don't be afraid to eat. Eating is good. You're burning the calories. I'm the last person to advise about diets, but I've seen too many anemic people running and have all sorts of problems as a result. Eat. Since you are training, I wouldn't be too concerned about weight. You may gain weight when running and working out, but you're adding muscle unless you take my eat advice too far. Muscle weighs more than fat. That should always be remembered and used as a convenient excuse if you stop running too. Just don't tell people you aren't working out anymore.

    It's really important that you stretch before and especially AFTER you run. I know many people who will half-ass some stretching before they run (and I admit it may not do as much if you aren't sprinting), but not stretching after you run can help lactic acids build up and you will definitely feel it later on. I always recommend some sort of cool down as well. The body produces lactate and fluids faster than the body can use them when you are exercising so it's important to allow yourself to work back to a more normal state. Definitely attempt to stretch the muscles in your legs before and after workouts. It's easy to stretch your quads, calves, groin and just about anything in your leg with simple stretches.

    The most basic stretch that will do more than you realize is simply keeping your body and legs straight and reaching for your feet. Whenever you do any stretch make sure you slowly go down and come back up. Blood is flowing in your body and you may give yourself a headache if you rise too quickly. I recommend doing at least two reps of most stretches for a 10-count or however long you feel is good for you.

    I would repeat the last stretch with the legs crossed as well.

    I also like reaching for the ground while standing with my legs about shoulder width apart.

    After that I may go into a "lunge-like" position and hold that to stretch my groin. I'm sitting at my station at work so I'm blanking on a lot, but whichever direction your body and feet face make this a very different stretch.

    While standing, stand on one foot. Hold the foot you are stretching with the opposite hand behind your back. (Some people will hold their foot with the corresponding hand, but I find that doesn't do as much.) If you have trouble maintaining your balance and don't have anything to hold on to, I recommend placing your hand that isn't holding your foot on your stomach to center yourself.

    I do some stretches on the ground, but I recommend doing those after you do the others. Especially if I plan on doing a track workout, I will do a warm-up that may be a mile or so before stretching to get my heart rate up some and prepare my body for more. I stretch my calves easier when in a push-up position. Cross your legs and shift your weight back. Then cross the legs the opposite direction to stretch the other leg. The first stretches on the ground I may do are similar to the first two I advised. Simply reach for your feet. Keep both feet together and reach and then spread the legs and reach for each foot.

    Don't forget your arms. Stretch those as well.

    After stretching, I like to do some drills to work on form as well. Shoes and form are what will prevent shin splints.

    I'm know I'm forgetting a bunch of things that I do regularly. Blah.

    I'm not familiar with the Nike training plans, but I never recommend running distances just to run distances. I like the idea of building, but I don't like that much time off if you are training. My routine is normally a weekday running routine. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are normally hard days while Tuesday and Thursday are for form. I like doing hard sprint workouts so Tuesdays and Thursdays tend to be my distance days. Any weekend runs are normally well-paced distance runs too.

    I'm sure this entire post won't make sense to me in a couple days.
     

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