r0ckh0und 

I think running is great cross training and I love doing it.........but it is rather painful as of late since taking a bit of a tumble on Porcupine Rim a couple years ago. I abused my knees for 45 years with no problems and one little crash.........

I having taken up hiking in the winter months and this winter will try XC skiing.

santiago

Very nice!

Zephyr11

Nice! Honestly, I believe that as long as you have the running base in place, riding does a great job of maintaining.

Daspydyr 

I had both hips replaced at age 54. Beware of running on paved roads and concrete. They will wear your body out way early. Tracks, beaches, stadiums, GOOD SHOES, dirt trails are much better for your joints.

Hiking and long walks are excellent cross training with biking. Take a good joint supplement as well.

20 years ago I was able to ride a bike for a year while putting off knee surgery (meniscus tear, bucket handle). I couldn't do much anything else, but i could ride. Biking is amazing.

Zephyr11

Careful on beaches. Sand is more treacherous than you'd think, and you'd be surprised at how many college athletes leave for spring break healthy, do their training on the beach, and come back with plantar fasciitis or achilles tendonitis. The softer the surface, the harder it can potentially be on tendons. However, harder surfaces mean greater impact (tougher on joints and a greater possibility of stress fractures), so it's all about striking a balance based on what your body can handle. I agree that concrete is terrible, but asphalt roads aren't nearly as bad as concrete. Tracks, on the other hand, are useless for substantial mileage. Other than being boring, many of them also have rules in place that force you to only run in the right direction, and always running the same way around a track can precipitate ITBS and other issues in your inside leg. If you can find a track that lets you change direction, this is less than a problem. I save the track solely for speedwork. The rest of my mileage is done either on roads or the dirt shoulder on the side of the road.

dminor 

That's about where I am on that too. I particularly like using the soft shoulders for descending grades but then will get back onto the tarmac when it flattens out. For some reason I like the efficiency and prdeictability of the harder surface; and, with the shoes I run, cushioning has not really been an issue. Of course, I'm not putting in marathon-training mileage each week either.

Longissimus

Not running now but have done both extensively in the past. Yep, its new muscles and will take some getting used to. The good news is that the cross training is fantastic and you will certainly see improvement in the riding as a result of the running (and vice versa). As for shin pain, if it becomes a chronic issue, my brother turned me on to Egoscue. Some simple, static exercises will alleviate the shin pain permanently in a day or two www.egoscue.com

dminor 

I'm dredging this thread up from the dead for a reason. It's time for an update, santiago. Are you still in a running regimen? How's it going? I really do want to know.



Since I can't ride my MTBs yet, I decided to enter my first running race in about ten years . . . at my favorite riding place: Beacon Hill. They're having a 10K trail run there to benefit the bike park and trails on Saturday. Thought I'd do my part. Should be fun - - it's got a lot of elevation changes. My 10K pace isn't anywhere near the low 6s it was 15 years ago but what the hey.

junkyard

I heard santiago sold his bike and running shoes and has taken on competitive ballroom dancing exclusively.

santiago

Yeah, and last night I was unfortunately kicked off of the competition I was taking part in.

Doug - I'll pop back in this evening as I have more to add than just a quick answer.

rankin116

What happened? I'm heading this afternoon to get some running shoes from a specialty store, hopefully they'll come in at a decent price.

dminor 

^^ Broke my hand at the end of August at a DH race at Schweitzer, ID. Not cleared for rough play yet.

Try on Asics Kayanos or their GT2150s (or whatever 2100 number they're on now). Both have a supreme ride.

santiago

I can vouch for the Mizuna Wave Musha 2. For my last pair of shoes I decided to go with a thin sole and think these are great.

In reality, just like the bikes we ride, it's best to try it on and see how the shoes feel.

santiago

So, this is excellent timing since it's been about a year since I ran my first 5K (info posted previously in this thread). Right after that I sort of slacked off for a bit as the event was behind me but I got the itch to run in late autumn, early winter. I joined a running club at one of our local running shops here (Boutique Endurance on St-Denis street here in Montréal). It was a half-marathon training program. The club met two times per week. Sunday mornings for the long run and Wednesday evening for the interval runs.

I was pretty dumb about this. I thought those two evenings were the entire training program for the half-marathon but it turns out I was supposed to follow a running schedule that ran 5-6 days per week. There was a paper that was near the door we were supposed to take home with us. I figured this out after a while but I could never put in the time to follow the full schedule so I think I was only putting in 3 days per week.

We were training for a half-marathon that was taking place in April. Training was going really well and we got to the point where our long Sunday runs were 18-19km so I really felt ready for the event. By March i was running for 90 minutes straight and was feeling in tip-top shape. Then one Sunday during a 19km run my knee started hurting at the 16km mark. The next day it killed then went away pretty quickly. I took the week off and decided to run the following Sunday. This time my knee started hurting at the 5km mark.

I took a couple of weeks off and went to see a sports doctor. This guy had no idea what was going on and recommended I see an orthodics specialist. I went and the person convinced me I needed orthodics. Meanwhile I was reading about the other school of thought regarding this type of knee injury in that this was likely due to over-use and over-muscle development creating new strains on the balance that was my knee/ligament/joint/muscle structure. Essentially the imbalance in muscles was pulling things off of balance and creating friction. I only really bought into this much later (summer time actually). My knee injury essentially occurred 1 month before my half-marathon took place and I basically called it off as I knew that I had to rest the knee but that also meant that my training essentially stopped.

I believe that I was suffering Iliotibial Band Syndrome and I've really concentrated on stretching out the iliotibial band with some stretching routines I found online (https://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_5/194.shtml). So far so good. I think this was truly the cause and I think I've taken care of this as my legs, ankles and knees have been feeling very strong.

I bummed around for the rest of the summer not doing much and started up running the short distances (5-8km). I also switched my shoes to the Mushas. I decided to go with little support and really try to run with less impact on the heals and more towards the front of the foot. I basically started all over and eased my way into running the way we used to on the Serengeti.

Then I came across a free iPhone app from Adidas. It is a GPS training logger/coach application that actually allows you to build and customize a training program. I decided to follow a "Run a faster 5k" program. Last year I finished my 5K race with a 4:22min/km pace. This past summer with the slower half-marathon pace I was running and the time I slacked off, I dropped to about 5:00min/km. The program I followed basically had a schedule of days to follow (all on my schedule). It was calibrated to me so that my easy zone was truly my easy zone and not one of a world-class athlete nor one of a first-time runner. I've been following this program since late August and I have to admit I am very impressed.

I haven't run a full 5km "all out" but I do notice that my average heart rate has dropped significantly for the same effort I used to run. My easy run with a pace in the low to mid 5:00min/km now has my heart rate hovering in the low-to-mid 150s. My solid pace (4:30-5:00min/km) has it hovering in the mid 160s. Considering I was always in the 170s and higher before I think I now have lots of room to improve. I can now sustain 15-20 minute stretches at last year's racing pace (4:20ish min/km) but without feeling like I'm at the ragged edge.

So, do I have any goals? People keep asking me if I'm training for a race. I'm not. If an opportunity comes up to run one, I will but that's not my goal. I run because I enjoy running. What's next? I'd really like to run that April half-marathon and take care of some unfinished business. After that I would like to try to run the Montreal Marathon in autumn 2011.

I suppose one goal I'd really like to achieve is a sub 20-minute 5k run. That would be awesome.

Phew! Sorry for the long-winded answer, but you now know how the running's been doing.

This is from last January. It was ****ing cold that day (-20C)! I'm in the front crouched wearing black and grey.

dminor 

I appreciate it, really, santiago. That's the kind of narrative I hoped was lurking out there; although sorry to hear that the injury scrubbed your first half marathon. Glad you seem to have that ironed out now. And your progress and sticking with it are awesome!

Don't know if you'd subscribe to any of his notions (I'm still sifting through it all) but I've started reading Run for Life by Roy Wallack (wife got it for me for my birthday). So far it's been an interesting read. Wish I could say I've finished it but have about three books going at once now and haven't done well on any of them.

You mentioned intervals . . . haha, I'd forgotten how much I hate intervals but how necessary they are. Just did a set down on the HS track yesterday for the first time in about ten years. Ugh! Give me roadwork or hills.

Good job, man! And keep at it - - wanna hear about your half- and full-marathon adventures.

rankin116

I have a friend who lives on Rue St Denis in Montreal. In fact, I was there this September for his wedding. We stayed at the Hotel St. Paul, and the wedding was in a nice little restaurant in Old Montreal, but I can't remember the name. The day after we went on a brunch cruise around the city, and while we were walking from the hotel to the peer, we had to navigate through a marathon that was being run that day. It was labor day weekend here, so September 5th I think. Seeing the address of that store reminded me that's where they live.

A friend of mine had the same problem as you did. He went to see a physical therapist, and they pretty much just had do a bunch of stretches. I think he has it pretty well worked out now.

sscyco

I have had a few running woes as of late as well. My long term goal was to do a marathon in the sub 3 hour mark. I have only done marathons at the end of a tri – I have done sub 4, but not too much below the 4 hour mark. I was holding my weekly mileage at about 25 to 35 miles per week for some time. My job requires quite a bit of international travel, so that number was getting disrupted quite a bit. Some weeks would be as little as 0 and some up to 35 – this whole time I was keeping my 5K at sub 18 min. Well, I found out the hard way this is not really maintainable for me, especially over time. About 6 months ago I noticed a pain in my left foot at the beginning of a run – after a mile or 2 the pain would go away. As time went on the pain lasted longer – until it would not go away the entire run.

Next stop was the Doc – couple Xrays, nothing, and then a bone scan – walla – a stress fracture. So I have stopped running for the last 2 months. I am going to start again in the next week or so. But this time I will focus on form and shorter distances and only ramp the mileage up for specific events.

dminor 

^^ Bummer! Hope it checks out clean.

BTW, don't run over me if you're up riding at Beacon tomorrow .

sscyco

What time is the race?

rankin116

I do remember reading about that now, seems like it was a very long time ago. I ended up getting some Asics, but I have no idea what model. I let the guy fitting me bring out whatever he thought was best, and I picked the ones that felt good. They didn't have a shoe under $85, so I just decided to go by feel instead of price. Ended up paying $107 with tax, so not too bad, but certainly more than I usually pay for sneakers.

dminor 

^^ Haha . . . yeah, I remember the sticker shock I got when I got my first real running shoes (since HS Cross Country) at age 40. Yowza!

Enjoy 'em

sscyco

Well, first time running in a while today - 5 miles - was not the plan, but I felt good and kept going. Slow pace - about 8:30/mile average, just tring to be smooth and easy on the foot. D - how did the race go?

dminor 

It went pretty well, actually. Squeaked onto the podium with 3rd. Nearly tied with the third-place 40-49 guy. I had no clue how I'd stack up against real runners after so many years off but felt good. I learned a couple things too: that loop at Beacon is easier running than on a mountain bike; and I can still climb pretty well. Wish I was that good on a bike.

mx_599

I have been doing quite a bit of running for a while now as well. I enjoy off-road running most.

I run almost exclusively in my Vibram 5 Fingers now. I like the light feeling, proprioception, and bouncing from rock to rock or log etc.

Since learning to run with proper form, I have found a genuine appreciation for running. Running off-road in 5 Fingers on cool trails with boulders and fallen trees etc is anything but boring.

I have "thrown away" my custom E-Sole orthotics.

I also joined a running club. Although, I have not had much time to take part in their get togethers. I joined mostly to support their efforts.

mx

mx_599

wow, I just reread my older post in this thread and I am amazed at the transition of thought I have made. hmmm, I feel so much more enlightened now than I did back then.

I was oblivious to the wonderful recommendation made last year by one of the Forum members regarding "Born to Run"

oh well, I guess life is a learning process...transition made