runner thread

[IagosGhost]

I ran my first 5k Saturday. Granted it was really small and casual, but it was a lot of fun. It was sponsored by the local high school (where I teach) cross country team as a fund raiser. So I was running against high schoolers and about five other adult males. There were more runners in the female division. I ran 28:05 which I consider pretty good considering that I had only run about twelve miles in the two weeks before the race, and before that I hadn't run since July. The next fastest guy who was near my age (he was actually a lot older than I) ran a 21:?. He obviously had a lot more experience than I did so I felt pretty good about the whole thing.

[b.]

Man, I hate 5k. I'm just getting warmed up about a mile past the end of those things! My times always suck in those races.

[Chris]

Man, I hate 5k. I'm just getting warmed up about a mile past the end of those things! My times always suck in those races.

Agreed! 50k is about where I start to warm up

[Carbo]

I agree I don't do short races that well. I haven't done a 5k race in years, but I would like to get under 20min next year. However I just ran for the first time in over a month (been out with PF problems), so I am not pushing speed or distance anytime soon.

[IagosGhost]

Carbo, by "PF" do you mean patello-femoral? If so, how have you been treating it? I've had a problem with that too. It's always nice to hear how someone overcame that challenge.

[Chris]

I assumed PF was Plantar Fasciitis but you're right... could be Patello-femoral too. Us runners have way too many injuries to keep track of!

[CClaude]

Man, I hate 5k. I'm just getting warmed up about a mile past the end of those things! My times always suck in those races.

Have to agree that its a tough race. I find that milers that trained like 10K runners always did really well in that race. I find that its a pretty good race to train for to be a better racer. If you can run well at that distance but trained long (ie: when I was doing that distance I was running 100+ miles/week) it would translate well in running at all distances because of the efficiency.

My philosophy is to run well at 50K or 100K is train long but become a good 10K runner- especially since the 50K world record is wimpy. I'll say that since a few years back a guy (Alex) I would run with broke the WR at 50K (but due to technicalities wasn't awarded it) but was a decent runner at shorter distances, but if the elite african runners had incentives to run that distance the record would be obliterated

[IagosGhost]

I always enjoyed the 5K more than any other race. Anything shorter was to fast on high end speed for me, and the 10K on the track felt too monotonous.

5K was my bread and butter but as I moved into more competitive circles I found even that was too quick for my lack of footspeed.

When you get to be my age 5ks aren't sprints, but there are still some pretty fast guys out there. I looked up some times from some local races. I would have been "competitive" in my age division. I'm 37, BTW. I've never raced like this before, and I'm learning a lot. But for me now I race more against myself than against other people. If I happen to beat other people that's just a bonus.

[CClaude]

I always enjoyed the 5K more than any other race. Anything shorter was to fast on high end speed for me, and the 10K on the track felt too monotonous.

5K was my bread and butter but as I moved into more competitive circles I found even that was too quick for my lack of footspeed.

When you get to be my age 5ks aren't sprints, but there are still some pretty fast guys out there. I looked up some times from some local races. I would have been "competitive" in my age division. I'm 37, BTW. I've never raced like this before, and I'm learning a lot. But for me now I race more against myself than against other people. If I happen to beat other people that's just a bonus.

oh, come on... 37 isn't old as an endurance runners. In 1984 Carlos Lopez won the Olympic marathon at that age, and that was a few months after setting the WR at 10K.

[trad brad]

any washington dc area trail runners out there? anyone racing the backyard burn trail race series?

[IagosGhost]

oh, come on... 37 isn't old as an endurance runners. In 1984 Carlos Lopez won the Olympic marathon at that age, and that was a few months after setting the WR at 10K.

I know, I need to get over this age thing. It's a mental thing. I'm actually doing much better. I am doing so many physical, competitive things now than I did in my mid-20 and early 30s. I am getting into the best shape of my life and it's helped me get over depression and a sedetary life. I just feel so much better! I plan on trying some adventure races in the future! I'm having so much fun.

[CClaude]

oh, come on... 37 isn't old as an endurance runners. In 1984 Carlos Lopez won the Olympic marathon at that age, and that was a few months after setting the WR at 10K.

I know, I need to get over this age thing. It's a mental thing. I'm actually doing much better. I am doing so many physical, competitive things now than I did in my mid-20 and early 30s. I am getting into the best shape of my life and it's helped me get over depression and a sedetary life. I just feel so much better! I plan on trying some adventure races in the future! I'm having so much fun.

Now thats a better attitude to have. Or you could be like me, pre-mature dementia, or is it lack of short term memory due to being hit by a car.) I usually have to think how old I really am , on Tuesdays I'll complain that I haven't climbed in ages, when it reality it was on Sunday , ....

[Carbo]

Carbo, by "PF" do you mean patello-femoral? If so, how have you been treating it? I've had a problem with that too. It's always nice to hear how someone overcame that challenge.

Ups yes with PF I meant Patello-Femoral pain. I took naproxen for a month, did some stretching, rested it and never ran during this time. I spoke too soon however, my knee is pretty sore today. Perhaps I started too soon or the muscles inmy untrained legs are pulling too much on the knee as they got tight last night. oh well I will try a slow run again on the weekend.

Btw, I am the same age as you and was in my best shape ever until the injury happened (ran my fastest marathon in April). But I havn't tried a 5K in a while as I feel those speeds are even harder on my knees.

[IagosGhost]

Ups yes with PF I meant Patello-Femoral pain. I took naproxen for a month, did some stretching, rested it and never ran during this time. I spoke too soon however, my knee is pretty sore today. Perhaps I started too soon or the muscles inmy untrained legs are pulling too much on the knee as they got tight last night. oh well I will try a slow run again on the weekend.

Btw, I am the same age as you and was in my best shape ever until the injury happened (ran my fastest marathon in April). But I havn't tried a 5K in a while as I feel those speeds are even harder on my knees.

Sorry to hear about your injury. I have PF pain also. I went to a physical therapist and was given 30 minutes of stretching and some exercises to do twice a day. I would do it morning and night or before my runs. I was also prescribed a PF brace which was simply an elastic band that goes right under the knee cap. It provides some counter pressure on the tendon--it seemed to work for me. (They're $7 at Wal-Mart, but I just used foam athletic wrap.) I was supposed to ice my knee for 15 minutes, three times a day, but usually I only did it immediately after my runs. The ice seem really effective. I took ibuprofen for two weeks, and now I take it after a run if I feel like I might need it. I don't know if you're doing anything like that for your treatment, but it helped me out. My knee doesn't get sore after running anymore. FWIW.

[Carbo]

I woke with knee pain after my slowish test run. I can't walk w/o pain or stiff knee the first few steps out of the desk chair or bed. It was my first run in over a month w/o any running. I did stretch about 30min a day, took NSAIDs and never ran since my last knee problem started. I guess I got to get back to rehab, I will try using my patella strap again (if I dare run again) and see if it helps. Oh well back to square 1