Ugh...I run. Unfortunately. I hate it.
High school crosscountry. It sucks, but for some reason, I do it anyway.
-Mark
by Mark Straub » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:33 am
by foweyman » Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:33 am
RickF wrote:I've been running for fitness off & on for the past 34 years (I'm 51). Typically I run every other morning, between 3 and 5 miles. Two summers ago I built up my distance and ran the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon. I have also done some occasional mountain bike riding over the past 20 years. Then last summer I dusted off my old road bike and joined some friends for a few 30 mile Sunday rides. After bike riding I started feeling some soreness in my knees. Not what I would call pain but more like discomfort. My knees also started making grinding & popping noises. According to conventional wisdom cycling is lower impact and easier on the knees, right? So I backed off the cycling but kept up the running and my knees started feeling better. I might be some freak of nature that is better off running than cycling.
Being concerned that I my blow out a knee while carrying a 60 lb. pack, 10 miles deep into the backcountry, I decided to get checked out by an Orthopedist. After x-rays and MRI's the doc told me yesterday that there is some scaring but no real damage and that I should go ahead and "live my life". The doc also recommended some quad strengthening exercises. Good news for me, no surgery for now!
by RickF » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:41 am
foweyman wrote:The conventional wisdom that cycling is easier on the knees than running is only partially true. There is less pounding than running but pressure is applied when the knee is more bent which puts stress on different parts of the knee (also true of the hip). Cycling is also typically a more prolonged activity. Cycling knee problems can also result from too low rpms and slight misalignments of the foot and knee.
by RickF » Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:18 pm
by gjonbelay » Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:25 pm
RickF wrote:Its time to give the 'runner' thread a bump.
I was reading the comments and suggestions posted in response to 'training for Rainier and other PNW Peaks'. Many are of the opinion that running is not good for your knees, or that you shouldn't run longer than 30 minutes per session. Rugby legs may indeed be better than marathon legs.
Not only my knees, but my whole body starts feeling better and I really begin to enjoy running when I have time to run for longer than 30 minutes (the first 10 minutes are the hardest for me). I can usually find 3 or 4 times per week to run 40 to 60 minutes.
I typically have only limited windows of time availble for exercise/training. I get a much bigger return running from running than from cycling or playing Rugby for an hour. Running is so pure and simple. You don't need a bike, Rugby field, or any other arsenal of specialized equipment.
I realize that running is not for everyone, but I am sure glad that my 51 year old knees allow me to run as a primary form of exercise.
by Thrusthamster » Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:25 pm
by Stu » Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:57 am
by gjonbelay » Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:10 pm
Thrusthamster wrote:I'm wondering if I've experienced a "runner's high" already, but just didn't know what it was. I run 1,5 hour every Sunday, a bit longer as I approach a triathlon, and I feel good for the rest of the night after a run like that, except some aches that are natural after running for a long time. Is that what a runner's high is?
I used to think it was when I got really dizzy when I got off the treadmill, turns out it was wrong.
by RickF » Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:31 pm
MikeTX wrote:RickF wrote:you shouldn't run longer than 30 minutes per session.
Did someone actually say this? I said I have quit running for longer than 30 minutes. But that's for me. I do think people have to listen to their bodies. If your knees say stop, I would not recommend to keep going. You're fortunate to have good knees. Not everybody does.
by gjonbelay » Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:35 pm
MikeTX wrote:I agree that running is indeed an excellent conditioning exercise and I wish I could do more, because I actually enjoy it so much. And I would recommend it to anyone who has healthy knees. You can't beat it for cheap, efficient exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight.
by John Duffield » Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:35 pm
by gjonbelay » Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:24 pm
John Duffield wrote:I think the speed of running would also have something to do with knee pain. The architecture of the body subtly shifts as you run faster.
by DukeJH » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:54 pm
by DukeJH » Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:28 pm
by Thrusthamster » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:41 pm
MikeTX wrote:I've been a heel-toe runner for the past 20 years. I recall being told this was the best form for long distance running. I think a high school friend who ran cross-country told me this. So, that's the way I've always run.
Now I keep reading that running on your toes or balls of your feet is better. Anway, I ran four miles on Sunday...on the balls of my feet (no heel strike). It felt very awkward and my calves are sore as hell. But my knees feel better than they normally do after I run. So, maybe there's something to the "run on your toes" idea.
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