Training & Nutrition - Running hurts. :(

Yeah, I took up running. I'm doing less riding because I'm trying to figure out how to use the rollers, and I'm just not getting the cardio workout anymore. So I ran today... like 35 minutes in the morning, then another 35 minutes in the afternoon. Nothing big, not a fast speed at all. I barely went over 4 miles per hour. But damn... my body feels like I got hit by a mac truck, and I am not liking it. But I need the cardio, and I plan to cross train to shake things up and to work on some cardiovascular goals, so I'm going to keep it up for now. No more than 35 minutes at a time right now, and no more than twice a day, and no more than 4 miles per hour either. That's about as much as I can stand.

Whooooooo... gonna jump in a hot bath now and soak my sore muscles and do some stretching in the tub. Tomorrow, I get to start the vicious cycle all over again. 1- 2 sessions of running, as much time as I can take on the rollers before I get tired of falling off of them, and some cycling tomorrow night to the northside and back.

Running makes me really appreciate riding!

Koffee

I'm coming the other way -- I'm a runner just discovering cycling. Cycling hurts! There's constant quadricep pressure, glutes are worked differently, and the posture is taking some getting used to. Riding makes me appreciate running! But I get to see more of the scenery, and it gets me to campus.

Also, congrats on the discipline to pace yourself. It's especially easy for cyclists to want to shoot out fast, especially if they run the route they cycle. It's really motivating to see the seconds come off your mile times the first few weeks, and that only happens by staying healthy and doing the distance.

Wish you were in Austin starting in January; I'd get you to take Triathlon Swim with me for Spring semester and we could share the SAME misery.

Iran for about 7 years..I refused to give into joint pain..Knees..Until I had to...Eventually, my construction..By now, I would be crippled. Needed knee braces for about 3 months, until I could walk half way normal...Other than my knees and pronation problem, the rest of my body took running just fine..

Yeah, I took up running. I'm doing less riding because I'm trying to figure out how to use the rollers, and I'm just not getting the cardio workout anymore. So I ran today... like 35 minutes in the morning, then another 35 minutes in the afternoon. Nothing big, not a fast speed at all. I barely went over 4 miles per hour. But damn... my body feels like I got hit by a mac truck, and I am not liking it. But I need the cardio, and I plan to cross train to shake things up and to work on some cardiovascular goals, so I'm going to keep it up for now. No more than 35 minutes at a time right now, and no more than twice a day, and no more than 4 miles per hour either. That's about as much as I can stand.

Whooooooo... gonna jump in a hot bath now and soak my sore muscles and do some stretching in the tub. Tomorrow, I get to start the vicious cycle all over again. 1- 2 sessions of running, as much time as I can take on the rollers before I get tired of falling off of them, and some cycling tomorrow night to the northside and back.

Running makes me really appreciate riding!

Koffee

two-a-days eh? you might wanna take it easy there, koffee. you need to work into that stuff. I was running for two years at 50+ miles per week before my coach suggested two a days...

Iran for about 7 years..I refused to give into joint pain..Knees..Until I had to...Eventually, my construction..By now, I would be crippled. Needed knee braces for about 3 months, until I could walk half way normal...Other than my knees and pronation problem, the rest of my body took running just fine..

Similar: I ran for about 10 years until I was 25 (only 3 miles a day), then I just had to quit due to knee soreness. At the time I was about 170lbs, which is no feather, so this might have something to do with it.
I can't believe these people who refuse to give up running -- I see them hobbling along at 5mph with bandages all over them, and I feel like yelling out: "just take up cycling...jeeez".

From my experience, running was always harder than cycling over a similar duration -- any way you wanna mix either of them up, running is MURDER by comparison. It also requires more preparation than cycling (eating and drinking too soon prior, etc). It's also much less "smooth" and comfortable; I'd say I would only have felt good during ~2 out 5 five runs.

Having said all that, posting this message has made me realise how much I miss it :( , but the last time I tried it my chrondomalacia flared up after only 1km. The "runner's high", sometimes achieved when everything goes perfectly, and you're flying along at 10mph, is quite unique.


Koffee, as I'm sure you're aware, running is much better for bone density.............and 70mins a day??!!!??? That is A LOT!!!
Are you sure you were going 4mph? That's almost a brisk walk. :p

Like the other poster said, the soreness is most likely you not being used to the movement, but for those that don't know: running is much harder on the legs becuase of the eccentric muscle contractions (lengthening under load). Cycling is virtually ALL concentric (muscles shorten under load). This is why marathon runners can only do so many marathons a year, but the Tour de France riders can ride 6 hours a day, day after day.

PS One of my favourite ever lectures at uni was on sarcomeres (etc) and muscle contractions. Funny how you always remember the interesting stuff at the exam. :)

What I fear...My history of running..Will my knees suffer from the damage inflicted and interfere with my cycling...Knee replacement scares the hell out of me...Had to do it all over again, I would have gotten into cyling from the start...
Possibly, tread mills might be easier on the joints. Less jarring on the knees...I lived in cold climates, I think I would grow to like my trainer...Plus, swimming in the winter.

friends don't let friends run.

Cement

How many are/were running on cement (concrete?)?

We have lots of runners around here who run the cement trails. Yet we have parallel dirt/gravel paths, plus some wonderful "cross-country" dirt and gravel running areas. I find that even when I walk on cement for any length of time, my knee and hip start hurting, yet if I do the same distance on dirt or gravel I have no pain.

Even asphalt is better than cement (concrete?), IMHO, as it has an uneven surface, and is softer and gives a little.

I was a pretty good sprinter in my high schools days, but anything longer than 400m just didn't compute with my body. I tend to lope or spring with really long strides, so it's like every step is a long jump. Just too much pressure on every step. The few times I've tried to take up jogging, I quit after the the first or second night out.

Yes, thank God for cycling. And when I can't get on the bike, the elliptical machine is on standby.

Haha, I remember those days. Running beats your body up a lot more. I remember those 15+ mile long runs where the only way I would be able to walk the next day is to buy like 15# of ice, run a cold bath, slowly lower myself in (screaming at times!) then dump the 15# of ice in. Oh I would also fill 2 gallon size zip locks with ice and use that for spot treatments on the knees and any sore spots while lounging in the ice water :rolleyes: . Then I would force myself to wait till the last ice cube in the tub melted down. My neighbors probably thought I was performing satanic rituals with all the screaming! Very effective though. .... good times ;)

try a rowing machine. one that mimics boat rowing. it should give you a great cardio workout as you are using even more muscles.

Running is quite painful... but if most of the pain is muscular, chances are after a week or two it won't bother you much. I've run track & field all my life so my muscles are perfectly fine running all day, but my knees and hips and low back just can't take it anymore! I also cannot run slow, which would probably be much easier on the joints, or I feel like shooting myself.

I highly recommend you try the run/walk approach to running:

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-51-55-0-236,00.html

It really helps to prevent injuries and to ease you into longer distances (like a marathon).
:eek:

Koffee, I feel your pain!!

I just started running agian to get some variety in my training. also its easier to go for a run some nights than it is to drag the bike out. My legs have been trashed for the last 2 days, but im not going to let that stop me and id like to keep it up and devote one morning / night to a run. If anything the pain tells me that there are several muscles that i am neglecting which may be hampering my cycling performance.

the walk / run method sort of came naturally to me as i equated it to doing intervals on a bike. It seems to work and i can get all the recovery i need.

does anyone think that 1 hour or so run a week would cause issues with injury? Next year i mite run the city to surf marathon here in sydney if i can can get used to it.

Running is such a different expereince, you can take in more of your surroundings and its quite rewarding when you get it right. im hooked, but it would be hard work to seperate me from my bike!

g

Well... after running today, I've just decided to do one a day runs. Splitting it up into 2 -35 min sessions is just painful. Today, I just ran once. Yeah... at 4 miles per hour, I just don't run very fast at all. I am not a runner at all. I think I look like a cross between a chicken and someone stumbling. And it's 4.3 miles per hour at a 2% incline. That's about all I can take. And I can only run on the treadmills at the club by my house. It's called a "Soft Run" treadmill by LifeCycle, and it has 2 fans on it. I just put my music on and zone out. Then afterwards, I can ride my bike and not feel too horrible in the legs. I'm thinking that in a couple of weeks, this won't feel like anything. :)

Koffee

Well... after running today, I've just decided to do one a day runs. Splitting it up into 2 -35 min sessions is just painful. Today, I just ran once. Yeah... at 4 miles per hour, I just don't run very fast at all. I am not a runner at all. I think I look like a cross between a chicken and someone stumbling. And it's 4.3 miles per hour at a 2% incline. That's about all I can take. And I can only run on the treadmills at the club by my house. It's called a "Soft Run" treadmill by LifeCycle, and it has 2 fans on it. I just put my music on and zone out. Then afterwards, I can ride my bike and not feel too horrible in the legs. I'm thinking that in a couple of weeks, this won't feel like anything. :)

Koffee

AAAAH, a treadmill on an incline -- that changes everything. Much less impact, IMO

How is an incline less impact? The impact comes from the foot hitting the ground. No matter what the incline, the impact is going to be there. But the incline is just to get my heart rate up, that's all. Plus, it adds a little more challenge.

I think it just helps that the treadmill is so user friendly. It's got two fans on the treadmill, big wide sides, the Soft Run floor, and it's new. Plus lots of room for water and I can put a couple of books on there. I can't run at my other gyms... I tried it, and man was it uncomfortable. But at this gym, the treadmill is real comfortable. It doesn't hurt that it faces Navy Pier, and on a nice day, you can totally veg out and just stare out at the nice weather, clear skies, and the Pier.

Koffee

I was just my perception when I used to do it that an incline reduced some of the impact. I don't have any science to back it up.

What about at the end of the session when you return the incline back down to zero, whilst still running? That's when I noticed an increase in impact.

No, it's equally bad whether I have the incline on or off. Bleah.

But I've never read any study or articles that state an incline leads to less of an impact. I have read the studies that show that the impact comes from the ball and heel of the foot hitting the ground. I would have to assume that the ball and heel hits the ground, whether it's on an incline or on a flat. Interesting, though. Next time I read through my running books, I'll see if there's something mentioned (I like the books by Jerry Lynch, I think he's wonderful).

Koffee

I run (job) and cycle. I use it as a crosstraining method, to work on cardio. I find tha tif you go slow and work at it you will be running in no time. When I first started I was "running" 6 MPH for 10 minutes. Not I can "run" at 6 MPH for 30 - 40 minutes, 2 - 3 miles. Just work towards it...

No, it's equally bad whether I have the incline on or off. Bleah.

But I've never read any study or articles that state an incline leads to less of an impact. I have read the studies that show that the impact comes from the ball and heel of the foot hitting the ground. I would have to assume that the ball and heel hits the ground, whether it's on an incline or on a flat. Interesting, though. Next time I read through my running books, I'll see if there's something mentioned (I like the books by Jerry Lynch, I think he's wonderful).

Koffee

you know, treadmills give running a bad name (hah, I'm listening to bon jovi right now...)

I know i've said this before, but when you run on a treadmill, its even worse then being on a trainer with a bike, since running is a more strenious. I suggest that you bundle up and run outside. you dont need to get as bundled up when running since theres not the constant windchill of biking, so its a lot easier to do outside. and, you get the benifits of being able to look at the scenery for inspriation like you get when cycling.

also, I think the reason for the impact being lessened is that your foot doesn't fall as far. think about running downhill, your foot has to travel farther, and can pick up more speed before it hits the ground.

I think the reason for the impact being lessened is that your foot doesn't fall as far. think about running downhill, your foot has to travel farther, and can pick up more speed before it hits the ground.

Yeah! :)

Actually, I'm positive there's less impact on an incline; that's why I used to do it. This is probably a dodgey analogy (I can't be bothered thinking it through :p ), but compare running up stairs to running on a flat road or a slight decline -- I'm sure the pounding varies.

My wife and I have been runners for 25+ years, although she is the more religious one. She has run several marathons (I ran Boston once). A year or two ago she was doing a lot of running in a "fitness challenge" and got stress fractures, so started into cross training. Once she got into cross training, she decided to try triathalons, hence biking. Since she didn't want to do it alone, that's how I got back into biking this past year. After a season, we're both wishing that we had gotten serious about cycling 20 years ago -- it is so much easier on the joints, yet is really excellent exercise, and damn -- it is a whole lot more fun than running!

Wow... all interesting. I did some reading today to figure out why my muscles are so sore... it turns out that uphill running is concentric contractions of the muscles, which means less sarcomeres in the muscles, and less lengthening of the muscles, which makes it [i]seem[/] easier, while downhill running is mostly eccentric contractions of the muscles, which means more lengthening of the leg muscles, and with more lengthening of the muscles, there is more microtears and damage to the leg muscles, which leads to DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This really does make sense. The reading I've done suggested that for downhill running, it would be a good idea to lean slightly forward and take longer strides to counteract the stress from the eccentric contractions. For running uphill, they suggested lifting the knees more, avoiding heel strike when the foot makes contact (make contact with the middle of the foot instead), and push off strong on the foot as it comes off the ground. That should help reduce the stress of the uphill run.

I'm going to try both methods when I start back with my running on Monday. Yay! I'm off for the weekend! I only run Monday through Friday! :)

Koffee

Oh, I forgot: IMO, too high an incline puts more stress on the Achilles:)

We just can't win :p

Yeah, I read about the achilles too. I don't think I'll ever do an incline over 5%.

Koffee

Hey Koffee,
You're running will get better after several weeks keeping at it.

Not sure how much you know about this, but Just make sure that you have the right type of shoe for your feet. Show your old shoes and feet to a running shoe store employee and they should be able to help you out.

Also, work on your foot strike. If you're a heel striker (i.e. heel-toe, heel-toe, etc), that will make running more painful---more impact just travels throughtout your body.

Try to minimize the angle your feet hit the ground---like a mid-foot striker. Running on the treadmill at an incline will help this. 1%-2% incline will represent running outdoor on the flats.

I'm sure there are lots of other cross-training runners in this forum that can add to this.

For more advice, you can go to http://www.runnersworld.com. They have some good suggestions for beginners.

Ok, so not heel first? Should I be striking the floor with the ball of the foot first?

I went to Vertels and got a running shoe. Actually, I got the shoes a couple of years back, but I've only run like 3 times in them, and once in the rain! I used to run a lot, then one day, I just quit because I got tired of it. Then I grew to hate it altogether and stopped running and focussed more on the cycling.

I'll try that website. Thanks!

Koffee

The only time I see runners run on the ball of their feet are when they are running at a good clip...like around 7 minute miles or faster. As long as you minimize the angle your feet hit the ground, then you should be okay.

Also, I call the treadmill the "deadmill". I feel like a hamster running on it. If at all possible, run outside on a dirt trail. It's much more enjoyable and let's time fly by faster.

There are no dirt trails in downtown Chicago. And I can't run far enough to get to the nearest dirt trail. :( I'm ok with the treadmill for now. In the late spring, I'll head out to my brother's in Virginia and find some trails to run on there, provided that I'm not totally into the cycling by then.

Koffee

Bike to the trail?

When I was actually doing killer workouts, for lunch I'd bike to Riverside. MWF I'd use the running trail, T/TH I'd play frisbee with Riverside Ultimate (http://riverside_ultimate.tripod.com/) . The bike back is harder.

Only problem is locking up the bike. Especially at noon, there's enough foot traffic in Austin that I don't think anybody'll lift my bike if I lock it there.

In this weather? No thanks. I actually wouldn't mind the bike ride, but I doubt I'd be able to run in weather where the high is 16 F. This is why I said I'd wait until I'd get to Virginia.

Besides that, I don't know of any trails in the Chicago area. I know some bike trails up north, but they're not dirt trails... they're cement.

Koffee

In this weather? No thanks. I actually wouldn't mind the bike ride, but I doubt I'd be able to run in weather where the high is 16 F. This is why I said I'd wait until I'd get to Virginia.

Besides that, I don't know of any trails in the Chicago area. I know some bike trails up north, but they're not dirt trails... they're cement.

Koffee

I found that when I was running in cold weather, I got hot real fast, even to the point of taking clothes off. Running really gets your body going and, if it is not a windy day, then wind from your running speed is not a factor, as it is in biking.

Tights, etc. keep you pretty warm.

Don't some of the Forest Preserves have dirt trails (http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_id=45)? At least, when we lived in the Chicago area, I thought I remembered that. As in this 3+ mile crushed gravel trail. (http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_id=36&file=rec_36a) Is your ground covered with permasnow yet? :D

Forest preserves have paved trails. I think the one in Park Forest is mostly dirt, but it's a long trip for a short path.

I don't feel like really traveling 1+ hours by train to get someplace to run for 3 miles. There is a paved trail up north by the Botanic Gardens, but again, not worth the trip. It's not like I'm so into running that I'm willing to go through all that just to run a short trip.

I am happy on my treadmills. Some people prefer to run outside. I prefer to run indoors.

Koffee

Seems like you are getting good advice here, and from your reading. I'll just add a couple of thoughts.

1) About your shoes: Even if you haven't run on them much, if they are three years old, it is possible that they have broken down enough just with age, that they may not be as resilient and supportive as they should be.

2) About days off: I know you're taking weekends off, but you may find that a mid-week day off would be helpful. Experimenting a little with your schedule could help to minimize your muscle fatigue and give your skeleton a break. Maybe take Wednesdays and Saturdays off? I'll also second the suggestion of the run/walk technique. It helps pass the time, and gives you a bit of a break.

Just a couple of thoughts. You are athletic enough that you'll no doubt figure out what will work for you.

In general though, even though running is a whole different gig than cycling, it isn't as evil as it is sometimes made out to be.

Good luck!

My friend once ran 18 miles on a treadmill training for a marathon---it was raining that day. I opted to run outdoors that day...

...to each his own...

Nothing better than running in the rain ---- ah, fond memories...Unless it's zero degrees, of course

Wow... all interesting. I did some reading today to figure out why my muscles are so sore... it turns out that uphill running is concentric contractions of the muscles, which means less sarcomeres in the muscles, and less lengthening of the muscles, which makes it [i]seem[/] easier, while downhill running is mostly eccentric contractions of the muscles, which means more lengthening of the leg muscles, and with more lengthening of the muscles, there is more microtears and damage to the leg muscles, which leads to DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This really does make sense. The reading I've done suggested that for downhill running, it would be a good idea to lean slightly forward and take longer strides to counteract the stress from the eccentric contractions. For running uphill, they suggested lifting the knees more, avoiding heel strike when the foot makes contact (make contact with the middle of the foot instead), and push off strong on the foot as it comes off the ground. That should help reduce the stress of the uphill run.

Hey Koffee,
I think most of the DOMS that you're getting is from simply starting a running program, and not so much from running down hills. Have you been doing a lot of downhill running since you've started? If not, that's definitely something you should progress into very gradually because of the stress it puts on the quadriceps and supporting knee structures (tendons, ligaments, etc). What was the reasoning for taking longer strides while running downhill? I've always learned that it's better to quicken your stride when going downhill, although I have seen books that say to lengthen it. When I see the word "lengthen," it tells me that if you lengthen your stride, your tempo/turnover/cadence will decrease. The forward lean, upright posture, and proper arm movement, are all important parts to good downhill running mechanics, but if you're going to lengthen your stride, it's important to increase your turnover/cadence to match the higher speed. If you don't, you'll be running in a quite inefficient manner.

I'd suggest that you count your strides to see what sort of cadence you run at normally (flat roads) and then make sure you do at least that on downhills as well. That's what I've found in my years of adventure racing, which is all about conserving energy. I learned to not overstride, but to land near the middle of my foot or closer to the ball of the foot and to focus first on maintaining a higher cadence. Overstriding downhill can do a few things:
1) cause you to waste energy by taking loooooooong strides
2) cause you to land on your heels which will only serve to slow you down (I've also read that heel-strikers may be at more of a risk for knee problems...more than runners who land more near the ball of their foot)

One of the benefits of increasing your cadence (and/or shortening your stride length) when running downhill, is that you'll increase economy. Plyometrics, which trains explosive muscle actions by stressing the stretch-shortening cycle, is a type of exercise that has been used to train runners. The studies that used this type of exercise showed really good results. This is similar to downhill running with a shorter, but quicker stride in that:
* downhill running and plyometrics both cause DOMS and both require eccentric muscle contractions
* they rely heavily on the stretch-shortening cycle
* when you see efficient downhill runners, they run in such a way that their feet are in contact with the ground minimally and their cadence is very high. Because they train for this, they can move almost effortlessly over terrain. It's like watching a gazelle run...just beautiful.

So I just think it's important for you to look at your running cadence now and then go from there. Figure out what it is, and try to increase that first. Then, when you run downhill, focus on maintaining that cadence and/or even increasing it.


I'm going to try both methods when I start back with my running on Monday. Yay! I'm off for the weekend! I only run Monday through Friday! :)

Koffee

Good luck!

The only time I see runners run on the ball of their feet are when they are running at a good clip...like around 7 minute miles or faster. As long as you minimize the angle your feet hit the ground, then you should be okay.


Just to add to this post...

If the runner is running at a slower pace and is heel-striking, they will have to increase their cadence to maintain that lower angle. I found that in my warmups and cooldowns, I run on the balls of my feet (definitely slower than 7min/mi) and don't have any problems with it. I think you just have to train yourself to get used to that feeling at such a slow pace. It felt strange at first, but now it's all good. ;)

... it turns out that uphill running is concentric contractions of the muscles, which means less sarcomeres in the muscles, and less lengthening of the muscles, which makes it [i]seem[/] easier, while downhill running is mostly eccentric contractions of the muscles, which means more lengthening of the leg muscles, and with more lengthening of the muscles, there is more microtears and damage to the leg muscles, which leads to DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This really does make sense.
....



I totally don't know what you're talking about, although I'm glad that you've researched it!

I follow the Galloway training program, it works wonders at avoiding injury, while providing a training roadmap for reaching whatever running fitness goal you have-- up to a sub 3 hr marathon.

http://www.shelterpub.com/_fitness/_running/gbr_book.html

I took up running as a crosstraining thing recently, too. Since I'm still trying to lose weight, I found shin splints were the biggest problem starting out. Took me a few weeks to figure out that running a little faster made it a lot less painful. I'm guessing that

For somebody who was completely unatheletic for the first 25 years of their life (I actually did fail gym one year in high school!) it has been a big point of pride. Running my first ten minute mile had me smiling all night. Now I use a quick mile on the treadmill as a warmup at the gym for weights and swimming.

Since I'm still trying to lose weight, I found shin splints were the biggest problem starting out. Took me a few weeks to figure out that running a little faster made it a lot less painful. I
.

I've read that shin splints are cause by inadequate arch support.

The arch "falls", which puts stress on the small muscle that runs vertically, from near the bottom of the foot to the middle of the shin.

I did a lot of runing before I took up biking, and now with the winter I just went for a run yesterday (5k on the treadmill). I always raise and lower the speed based on what song is piping through the gym. Keeps things from getting too tedious.

I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I definitely get a more intense high from running. I'll tell ya, too, I was quite surprised to find the tops of my thighs sore from the run. I thought the biking would have steeled my legs against anything.

I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I definitely get a more intense high from running.

Agree

I know I have some DOMS... it will probably be a few weeks before my muscles are recovered from starting something new. I would probably feel this sore if I took up kickboxing! I just felt like in the long run, it would be a good idea to cross train.

I am going to get a pedometer. I'll start counting my cadence so I can see how I'm doing. If I'm ambitious, I should be looking for a pedometer that I can upload on my computer so I can graph my results. Does such a pedometer exist?

I have to assume you weren't implying that I'd be doing plyometrics! Right now, I'm not even thinking on that plane. Neuromuscular adaptation and then building strength and endurance is a must, and the plyometrics will come later with the strength training I'm doing now for my cycling. I simply am doing the running as a cross training activity. But the insight into the running always does help me figure out if I'm doing things right.

I ran today. This time, I was able to keep up for 45 minutes. I guess that's progress. I'm still a little sore, and I have to pack tonight, but before I head to bed, I'll be applying some heat, and then I'll add in some ben gay to the mix just before I fall asleep (after the heat pack goes bye bye). When I did that this weekend, it seemed to help. I'll be looking for a club with a sauna, though so I can do some tiger balm treatments to my knees. They're feeling pretty rickety!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I really do not like running at all, but I'm going to stick with it for the cross training benefits.

Koffee

I am going to get a pedometer. I'll start counting my cadence so I can see how I'm doing. If I'm ambitious, I should be looking for a pedometer that I can upload on my computer so I can graph my results. Does such a pedometer exist?


Your thread got me so curious about running that I got up this morning and did about 3 miles around the neighborhood (in 17F weather nonetheless). Aside from my quads feeling strangely tight while running, I felt pretty good. We'll see how I feel by lunchtime today.

Anyway, to answer your question about the pedometer, based on what I've read about the new Polar S625X, it would be the monitor I'd buy if I was serious about running (instead I bought the S725). It comes with a footpod that calculates your speed (and I assume cadence) plus you can download all the data just like you can with the S725. And, for an extra $80, you can use the same monitor on your bike. I couldn't justify the extra cost at the time, but if I was doing it again, I'd buy the 625 and add on the cycling features (comes out to about $150 more than the 725).

Good luck with the running program and thanks for all your interesting and informative posts.

I've read that shin splints are cause by inadequate arch support.

The arch "falls", which puts stress on the small muscle that runs vertically, from near the bottom of the foot to the middle of the shin.

It depends on the kind of shin splints. Mine are in the muscles on the inside of lower leg (anterior) and primarily due to pronating. I've been told that some good motion control shoes should make a huge difference. In any case, they suck, verily, but lo they do goeth away with rest (and beer).

Got to the point where running hurt so took up cycling - that was fine till I was in an accident! Cycling much harder on the body. So now I am starting training for Triathlons.

Got to the point where running hurt so took up cycling

That's one reason I got a bike.

I ran 5k on Sunday, and today on my bike the tops of my thighs were killing me. Wow. I had to cut short my ride.

why do ya'll run so much? there are better less damaging excercises that you can do.