The Runner's Thread

[homeryansta]

Hey all! I'm a beginner runner and would like to get some advise from some of you more experienced guys out there.

I just got done running 10 miles in 89 minutes and man.... I don't know how you marathon runners do it. I went through a whole bottle of powerade while doing this.

Any advice from you runners out there on how to get more energy? My legs were giving out on me.

[Zenmaster]

Honestly, having been a wrestler in highschool and having to do way more cardio than any other sport, all I can tell you is to keep at it and raise your O2 levels, you'll see your endurance go through the roof.
Over time, your heart will be stronger and be able to saturate oxygen more efficiently.

As for supplements, I don't really know of any for cardio so i'm clueless there.

[Zenmaster]

Although, I just thought about carb loading for a marthon.

[diddy535]

Sub'd

I'm just getting into running myself, just a couple miles here and there on the weekends but looking to get more into it

[Read T]

I used to run about 8 miles a day in high school then broke my femur while running which set me back a bit. In college I got fat and lazy, then in grad school picked up running again and got my PR in the 1600 down to 5:06 (my goal was to get a sub 5 minute mile). Since then I've blown out my knees and now cycle.

My advice is to cycle so your knees arn't totally screwed up later in life. Oh, and watch out for slippery mud.

[homeryansta]

sub 5 minutes? holy crap man.... I'm doing 8:57 - 9 minute miles.
What are you a Kenyan?

[XiP]

Jump rope and weights (squats, calf raises, leg press) to help strengthen your legs and improve endurance

and invest in a pair of good shoes so you don't hurt your legs

[homeryansta]

Originally Posted by XiP

Jump rope and weights (squats, calf raises, leg press) to help strengthen your legs and improve endurance

and invest in a pair of good shoes so you don't hurt your legs

I'm on my second pair of Nike Free runs with inserts. I've been running for just a little bit over a year, but I wanna get into marathon running.

[diddy535]

I'm a fan of the brooks gts and ghost models, but I'm running like 4-5 miles at a time... No marathoner

[JohnsZ]

Originally Posted by homeryansta

Hey all! I'm a beginner runner and would like to get some advise from some of you more experienced guys out there.

I just got done running 10 miles in 89 minutes and man.... I don't know how you marathon runners do it. I went through a whole bottle of powerade while doing this.

Any advice from you runners out there on how to get more energy? My legs were giving out on me.

Congrats on taking up the sport! Long distance running is definately not for everyone for a myriad of reasons but for those that do successfully take up the sport, running is extremely rewarding. This is a sport where the saying "you only get out what you put in" is very true. I spent over 25 years of my life running, starting at around the age of 28 and gradually stopping at 55. In that time, I logged over 23,000 miles (I kept a diary of all my runs) and ran 4 marathons including well over 50 other races anywhere between 4 miles and the marathon distance. There is so much advice I could give but I will generally say this; start slow with short distances and work your way up, run regularly even if it's only a short run, stretch before and after, eat well, and get enough sleep. Rule of thumb for running....if you can't hold a conversation while running, your going too fast. Good shoes are a must but the right ones for your particular feet and gait are vital. A Running Store is the best place to buy running shoes. Run races as they are motivating and an incentive to keep at it and run with others or join a running club. To answer your question about energy, you will fiind that your energy level will quickly improve with a consistent running regimen. If you only run a couple of days per week or just on the weekends, you will get frustrated seeing little improvement. Run at least 5x per week. One bottle of Powerade????? That should be a minimum. If you follow these general guidelines, you will be amazed of how rewarding running is. Good luck to you!

[diddy535]

At least 5x a week for results? How can I approach this without burningout?

[homeryansta]

Originally Posted by JohnsZ

Congrats on taking up the sport! Long distance running is definately not for everyone for a myriad of reasons but for those that do successfully take up the sport, running is extremely rewarding. This is a sport where the saying "you only get out what you put in" is very true. I spent over 25 years of my life running, starting at around the age of 28 and gradually stopping at 55. In that time, I logged over 23,000 miles (I kept a diary of all my runs) and ran 4 marathons including well over 50 other races anywhere between 4 miles and the marathon distance. There is so much advice I could give but I will generally say this; start slow with short distances and work your way up, run regularly even if it's only a short run, stretch before and after, eat well, and get enough sleep. Rule of thumb for running....if you can't hold a conversation while running, your going too fast. Good shoes are a must but the right ones for your particular feet and gait are vital. A Running Store is the best place to buy running shoes. Run races as they are motivating and an incentive to keep at it and run with others or join a running club. To answer your question about energy, you will fiind that your energy level will quickly improve with a consistent running regimen. If you only run a couple of days per week or just on the weekends, you will get frustrated seeing little improvement. Run at least 5x per week. One bottle of Powerade????? That should be a minimum. If you follow these general guidelines, you will be amazed of how rewarding running is. Good luck to you!

I felt like 1 bottle of powerade was sufficient for 1 hour 30 minutes of running.
Is it not? Maybe I should do 1 1/2 next time. I do feel my calves cramping up after my runs though.

[Corona370z]

To throw my two cents in, it's a little long but read. Shoes will make the difference as it was stated before. Strtengthening your legs will help tremendously to endure the weight being moved. A couple of things I didn't see covered:

You should also know HOW to run. A lot of individuals do the mistake of heel striking as they run, which in the long run (no pun intended), can give you shin splints. Typically, you want to run on the ball of your foot.

JohnSZ, covered all the things in a general sensus, but keeping a good diet will help out a lot more and you will see results a lot faster. If you stick to the outside edges of a grocery store, the healthier the food.

Hydration is key, a powerade will give you a tiny boost but it cannot hydrate you as you run. You should be hydrated a day prior and of the run days...actually any day in general. This is why you are cramping up. I drink about 1-2 liters of water a day and about 3 on a workout day.

Last thing, I have for you is to set your own goal. Don't try to do someone else's. This is how one could lose interest and quit. Have fun on your runs and remember to warm up your body before the run and strecth each muscle 30 secs or more to actually have effect.

[homeryansta]

I ran 11 miles today @ 1 hr 37 min. Had to do 2 snap shot because the treadmill limits me at 60 minutes.