Running/Jogging
 

Yes, I know, it's not bicycle related, but I figured it wouldn't really matter. I want to change up my routine and start running/jogging every other day instead of cycling all of the time so I maintain a balance. I haven't tried jogging in a while, but the last time I tried I was able only able to jog a quarter mile before my legs gave out. But that was around 9 months ago. Since then I picked up a gym membership and I started lifting and going cardio 4 days a week, and I fixed my diet.

I would like to know any and all tips you all might have. My short term goal is to be able to jog 5 miles without stopping, and my long term goal is to run 5 miles without stopping. I already have a pair of new balance running shoes, and my cardio should be above average because of the training. Are there any exorcise you like to do that help you when you run/jog/cycle?

Thanks!

Running tends to be torture for me and I do not enjoy it, but I'm committed to completing a triathlon this summer, thus I've done what I can to make it bearable. The only tip I can give is that shoes really matter when it comes to running and the way you specifically run may affect which shoes are right for you, regardless of how good they seem to fit. I would suggest going to a running specific store and be prepared to spend around $100 on a nice pair of shoes with a proper fit (I had a salesman who took the time to analyze me running on a treadmill and selected shoes based on his analysis). I still don't enjoy running, but it isn't near as bad since I found the right shoes.

Did the fitting cost extra, or is it free?

In the winter, I run. This winter I ran M -F and and cycled on the weekends.

The best advice I can give you is to make sure you stretch and or warm up enough. I start out with a 1/4 walk. It loostens up my muscles and gets the blood flowing. As I aged (I'm 48), I find this to be very helpful. If you have not done any walking or running, the little muscles in the front your lower legs will hurt. You may want to spend two or three weeks walking to strengthen them.

I agree with Big Pete on the shoes. Get the best pair you can. In the past I've tried to save $$ and realized that was a mistake. I found a better way to save, is to get last years model.

Finally and Ipod or MP3 makes all the difference in the world!!

The main thing like they said is to make sure you stretch and warm up before you start. 5min preventative will pay off for the next two days. Adolfo if running is hurting our hard do a circuit group where you jog then do some body weight exercises, this will help build all the muscles and keep the jogging cardio up.

Start with a program of alternating periods of walking and jogging. The Couch-to-5K (C25K) program is a good one. It will take you gently from a non-runner to being able to run a 5K over a period of, if I recall correctly, 9 weeks. You do three sessions during each week. You can track the time intervals yourself, or you can download various people's podcasts that set it all to music, with audible cues for when to run and when to walk. I followed one of them for about 4 weeks before I couldn't stand their choice of music, so I made a little cheat sheet of the time intervals and stuck it to the treadmill and listened to my own music for the rest of the sessions. I went through the program a year ago, and ran three 5Ks last season, and my first for this year is coming up this Saturday.

I used to run all the time, until I destroyed my knees. Was told I would have to replace BOTH. I started biking. Now my Knees are maybe 85-90%. Every Dr. I spoke to told me Jogging was BAD. I do bike 400 miles a month now.

I'd rethink your plan, but that's just my 2 cents.

Mine was free. It's not nearly as in depth as a bike fitting. It took like 5 minutes max.

A lot of people run. The ones who are trying to catch a bus, I understand. Don't see the point of it otherwise. A bike is fast, fun and doesn't jar your joints to death. Running ... not so much.

I find that running and jogging are really hard on my joints. Even after a day of walking, my hip joints will ache and make me uncomfortable. Cycling as a 'non weight bearing' exercise is much easier on the joints compared to running. I have been a runner in the past, did my last 10K when I was 49 years old, and then decided to get back on the bike. I can understand doing some weight training for upper body strength, but can't see that running is any kind of an improvement on the exercise you get cycling?

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL

I highly recommend Couch to 5K as well ... and second the notion on spending a little more on good shoes.

The first advice is to throw away any running shoes with thick, mushy soles that cause to to land on your heels, and pronate. The Merrell "glove" type shoes, or Vibram Five Fingers let you run correctly.

I'd highly recommend taking it slower than you think you can. ESPECIALLY because you've been cycling and building up your cardiovascular system.

It takes time to build up the supporting muscles and tendons in your feet, ankles, and legs. But without those strong, you can easily build up enough leg strength and CV endurance to outrun - or outwalk - the supporting structures in your feet and ankles. The results can be quite painful, and can sideline you for months.

This happened to me a couple of years ago. I got back into walking for exercise. Did too much too soon - even though I _thought_ I was taking it slow. Ended up with a stress fracture in my foot. WALKING. First sign was pain in the top of my foot above my arch - as if my walking shoe was too tight. By that time, I'd already done the damage.

So... be very cautious about increasing your distance too quickly. You can't rely on your heart, breath, or leg muscles as a guideline.


Edited to add: If you decide to go with 'minimalist' running shoes, the above advice about going slowly and building up your feet and ankle muscles is even more important.

I've run off-and-on for the past 5-ish years. Last year I got very serious with it, and started running long-distance races. I found that cycling improved my running and the running improved my cycling. Running targets your leg muscles differently than the biking does, so IMO they are complementary exercises.
(Interestingly, I've been riding a bike for 30-ish years and never desired racing/touring of any type, and now that I've run a few long-distance races, I'm dying to try a century on the bike. There's one in April that I think I'm going to do!)

Any ways, some beginning running advice:
-SHOES (as everybody else has mentioned)... don't skimp here, it's not worth the savings, though "last year's model" as mentioned is quite a good method to keep costs reasonable. Unless you're a paid professional runner, you most likely won't notice the difference.
-Don't overdo it. You do want to push yourself, but not into an orthopedic dr's office. Make sensible increases in distance/time/speed. Joining a running group is an invaluable resource. If you get your shoes from a "running" store vs. a sporting goods store, ask them if they sponsor a group... they frequently do.
-Time off of your feet is just as important as the workouts. Starting out, take at least 2-3 days off a week from "serious" running.
-Google "interval" training, or "fartleks". These are a good way to increase your running distance.

Do some research into "natural" or "chi running". Its very vogue right now and definately works for some people. The key w/a more mid foot strike is to gradually introduce it into your running regime. A few years ago I started w/the Vibram craze, a little too much at first. Over the last couple of years I've developed my running stride into one that allows me to run 2-3 times as much as a used to. I've graduated from Vibrams to what I currently run in - Altra Insticts and Lone Peaks. As a start, I'd suggest doing some research into natural/chi running then select a shoe that gives you good support, but has a minimal heel to toe drop ratio (a flatter sole) - there are several out there. If you're very heavy, I'd also suggest keeping the running to a bare minimum and focus on more walking. Hill walking/hiking will kick your butt without destroying the body. Once the weight starts coming off then you can gradually start into running.

I would present this from a different angle....... have some one look at how you run, and get coaching to move from heel strike and roll style to a mid-foot strike style.

Just going to minimalist shoes without a plan will not get good results. The recommendations are consistent start really low distance and build up slowly to avoid injuries and you have to change your running style

I am slowly working on this and it seems that it is easier on my knees than heel strike

Outside had some interesting thoughs on this here is link

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness...ng/Myth-2.html

bottom line it is not a universal panacea....here is brief excerpt


The biggest mistake barefoot newbies make is overstriding. Adopt quicker movements that cover less distance. If you’re on the fence about whether barefoot is right for you, use the following chart as your guide.

Injury: Sore knees
Switch: Worth a try. Barefoot running can lessen knee pain.

Injury: Achilles tendon problems
Switch: Probably not. Striking your forefoot increases stress on the Achilles.

Injury: Heel pain or plantar fasciitis
Switch: No. Without perfect form, you'll be pounding that sore heel without any padding.

Injury: Sprained ankle
Switch: Could be beneficial after the ankle heals. Going shoeless can improve the body's pro-prioception, or spatial awareness, reducing risk of another sprain.

Alternating between run days and ride days works great. The ride days do a good job of working out the muscle soreness from the runs. If you are not already making sure you are fully hydrated each day you need to start. It seems that being even slightly dehydrated when running will cause a lot of problems. Start off really slow and go with short distances. After a few months of good progress add a little more. A general rule of thumb is to not add more than 10% at a time. A lot of injuries come from impatience. I highly recommend against going to minimalist shoes for at least a year or two. For now concentrate on a flat footed landing instead of a heel landing. This is harder to do in a traditional running shoe because of the thicker heel but it is better ergonomically and will prepare you in the future to migrate over to running shoes that have less heel to forefoot drop.

+1

proper shoes, proper shoes, proper shoe. get a good shoe for work, a good shoe for walking, and a good shoe for jogging. your body will thank you.
same with cars even when i buy a car first thing i do in a month is buy new tires (even when i bought a brand new car)

Jogging/running we all agree works the best in the shortest time. but its horrible on clydes knees and spine.

i only jogged once a week and on a bike day if it was raining. when it got cold dark and rainy out i bumped up the jogging to 3-4 days a week. and developed a knee injury that sidelined me from thanksgiving till now.

just picked up jogging once a week again last tuesday and now that i got a new bike will do most of my cardio on it. It takes longer to achieve the same but in the long but the knee thing was horrible and expensive.

i wonder if i did hill sprints up a steep grass hill instead of jogging 5-7 miles i would have achieved more and safer?

I don't follow. Both cycling and running are cardio intensive and put your legs to work. Wouldn't something like weight lifting to develop upper body strength be more of a balance?

Depending what part of Florida you're in, kayaking is great for that - it's fun, gets you outside, and works a lot of muscles that cycling doesn't.

Well, I can cycle about 25 miles, but that doesn't mean I can run or jog 25 miles. Both cycling and jogging are supposed to compliment each other. I just got back and I was able to run a mile and I only stopped for 20 seconds. After the miles my calves were tight, but after I stopped it went away after about 5 minutes. I figure that if I add even more water to my diet, and switch shoes I can probably run another half a mile. I am stuck on what shoe to buy, because I have flat feet and I tend to overpronate. Unfortunately there aren't any placed that offer shoe fittings.

As far as weight lifting, yes, it does. I do lift weights to build upper body strength.

Good work mate, that is a good start

I am more of a runner than a cyclist. Started about five years ago. I started by walking out my front door, continue walking for thirty minutes, turn around walk home. I did that everyday. Slowly I started running and walking, until I could run without stopping. I don't differentiate between jogging and running. If your not walking, you are a runner. Once I was going longer distances, I cut back to every other day. I've run 9 marathons and a bunch of shorter races in that time. Just listen to your body, it will let you know how fast you can go. Nothing wrong with 12 minute miles. I never feel like I am getting pounded, but I do try to run as smoothly as possible. I don't stretch, just take off at an easy pace. Some people theorize that stretching may cause injury. I like running because of the minimal equipment, and because you can't coast. My final tip, is to try a short stride with quicker steps, just like spinning on a bike.

For shoes I like Nike Vomero. They are however the most cushioned shoe available. Which is contrary to what everyone else recommends. If you get them be careful at first, they are more prone to ankle roll, which is a really bad thing.

Lots of conflicting advice here. To what's been said I'll add stretch but warm up first. Never stretch starting out cold - try slow and easy running/walking for five minutes. When you start, alternate running and walking and do both slow. It's important to build up a base of pain and injury free miles. Take it very easy in the beginning. Shoes are important but are much more when you pick up the pace and distance. If you are alternating running a minute and walking two, any shoes will work. But after you get going, make sure you have something that works for you. Most good stores have experts that match you with shoes for your style and even take a video on a treadmill. Finnaly don't get frustrated and enjoy yourself - it takes time to build up.

I really don't get this attitude that running is BAD for you. The earliest humans ran. Our bodies have changed very little since our prehistoric ancestors' days, aside from generally getting stockier. Yes, you can suffer an injury if you don't run PROPERLY; but the same case can be made for weightlifting or most any other sport.

I believe that it is hard and people are afraid of it so they give it this stigma as though it is dangerous. And those that don't simply overthink it. There's no great secret to it. It's one foot in front of the other. It should be a natural movement.

I didn't do a C25K program. I was like 360 pounds and my brother woke me up while I was napping on the couch and told me we were running a 5K race in less than an hour. THAT was my couch to 5K program! Since then I've done 13 other 5K's, a pair of 10K's and a half marathon. I've never been lighter than 265 for ANY of them. I've been lucky enough to only have one major injury - IT Band Syndrome just before my half marathon last year - and that was a result of overtraining on my trike because I was racing on it in the months prior.