Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with jogging

Distance running along specific route in Central park

omnigut — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:57:30 -0800

NYJoggingFilter: Distance in Central Park; from 90th St, round the north of the park (over the hill), south along the road on the West side, but cutting back across along the Bridle path which takes me East then North along to 90th St again. Anyone? I've seen the other routes, but can't for the life of me get an accurate measure. Also, but don't go to any trouble finding out if you don't already know, anybody know the equivalent distance if it was on the flat (without those hills on the north of the park)?

Thanks!

Jogging in Aix-en-Provence?

annabellee — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:12:43 -0800

FranceFilter: Where can I go jogging in a semi-secluded, flat area in Aix-en-Provence? I'm staying in Aix-en-Provence for several weeks and am looking for a good jogging route. I'm staying just off the Cours Mirabeau near La Rotonde. Ideally, I'd love someplace like a park but it seems like most of the green space is outside of the city. I know the French aren't huge on jogging and I want to be as far from city bustle and cars as possible. I don't have a car or the luxury of a lot of time to travel by bus to the ideal location. A friend recommended the periphery of the city, but I fear this is too populated. Is there any path by a stream or flat, secluded area where a casual jogger could get some exercise in Aix?

Tips for running?

mintchip — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 08:25:33 -0800

Tips for running? I run (interspersed with some walking) 3-5 miles about 4-5x/week.

1. Other than getting good shoes, what do I need to do to protect my knees? Is getting knee and joint problems from running inevitable?

2. How bad is it to run on a decline? In the area I live it's really difficult to avoid running downhill.

3. Even though I'm quite fit I seem to be really slow about building up aerobic endurance. Is there something I can do to speed this up? I get out of breath after maybe 1/2 half mile and then walk for a bit and start running again. How long before I should be able to go the whole distance without stopping?

Any other jogging/running tips are welcome.

Running against the flow?

gyusan — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:25:33 -0800

Why do some runners run in the road ... against traffic? I've noticed in the past, and today in particular, that a majority of the runners I pass are running in the road, against traffic. Not all, but most. The presence or absence of a sidewalk or trail alongside doesn't seem to make a difference.

I bicycle alot, and one reason I notice this is that inevitably they are running in the bike lane, against traffic. This morning's ride in San Francisco went through the Sunset, the Richmond, the Presidio; both on the urban streets and the more "rural" roads in the Presidio ... many runners going the "wrong" way, out in the traffic lane.

On a bike as a kid you learn early to "go with the flow" ... is there opposing advice for runners?

How do I train for a marathon?

ChasFile — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:44:44 -0800

How do I train for a (half-)marathon? I know there have been questions on this before, but those tend to be really specific and start at a place of knowledge, which I have none of.

Background: For the sake of not having to totally invent the wheel, let's assume I'm already jogging casually for 3-5 miles 3 times a week.

So talk to me like I'm a five-year-old: what do I do between now and race day to get in half-marathon shape? I'm intentionally skimping on the details because I'd like general advice, links to good training guides, etc. "What I know now that I wish I knew when I started training" kind of stuff.

Y'know how Jim Fixx died? A heart attack, while he was jogging!

Lucinda — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:22:06 -0800

I will be jogging in my first 5K race in a week and a half. What can I do in the upcoming days to ensure I don't crash and burn? I am not expecting to win any awards or break any records - at my pace and my rate I will call finishing under 40:00 a major, major victory (I have been doing the Couch to 5K program.) But I'm excited (because I never thought I'd actually *be* at this point), and want to make sure I have the best experience possible.

Any advice y'all have, I'd appreciate. How should I spend the next week and a half? I jog every other day, on the course that the 5K will take (it goes right past my house). What should I eat the morning of the race? (It starts at 9am). What should I eat the night before?

The awkwardness of the crap distance runner

chesty_a_arthur — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:46:42 -0800

Please help me (age 30, healthy weight, no major physical ailments) learn to run like a normal human. I have never really been able to run correctly. even when I'm in excellent physical condition, I get winded very quickly when running. My running gait is awkward to the point that small children have laughed at me in public at softball games. I am assured by those who have seen me run that it's more of a fairly rapid stagger than a recognizable run.

But running is incredibly appealing: the outdoors! the city! it's basically free once you get the shoes on! music! fresh air! I am willing to be incredibly uncomfortable in the normal new-to-running kind of way, but if I don't get help, I'll keep wasting energy and eventually injure myself

I live in Manhattan, if that's relevant. Where and how can I re-learn to run? Is this something (generally speaking) that insurance might cover physical therapy for? Should I go to a sneaker store for a gait analysis? Is there a book, or a mnemonic? I have tried the Couchto5K program and it was great as far as getting me into better shape, but in the end you can't run a 5K if you can't run very well.

Help me, MeFi, what can I do?

Did road runner have once shin splints?

randomDirtPattern — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:14:29 -0800

I have resumed jogging. However, already after 5 minutes of running, I will have unbearable pain in my lower legs. I might be experiencing "shin splints", and I wonder what are some good ways to prevent/lessen/delay these. I start running, and after 5 minutes I will feel bad muscle pain in the lower-front part of my lower legs. If I continue running for another 5 minutes, I will start running like a duck, as I cannot flex(?) my feet anymore. Another 5 minutes, and I am done and walk back home as a sad duck, although rest of my body is just starting to get warm and I feel like I could have run for an hour if I did not have the terrible pain in my legs. Strangely, this pattern does not seem to change much if I put walking or stretching breaks between these 5 minute sequences. (Although I haven't tried any "5 min run, 10 min walk, 5 min run" kind of extremely loose sequence).

I don't think that I am running too fast, I stretch fairly before I start (and after, when the pain is gone), I am wearing some 'cushion' type of running shoes and I am healthy in general.

I believe this is a bad case of the common shin splints, which should be normal when one is just unfit and needs to get in shape. I wonder if there is anything I can do to reduce or delay this pain. Actually, I don't mind the pain afterwards, since it usually takes 10 min. of rest and then it's gone. I just want to delay the pain, so that I can run longer and so that running is more fun.

I would love to hear from people who had the same problem and how they coped with it... Did you change shoes and the pain was gone? Is there an effective stretching trick? I will be happy to hear some advice or experience.

knee support for a jogger/runner?

grafholic — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:00:02 -0800

joggers with knee problem - do you recommend a knee support? I added jogging to my regular workouts lately, and I started to toy with an idea of running a half marathon this year (not to run competitively, but just to make my exercises a little more fun by adding a goal).

When I started jogging, I was only going for about 3 miles or so and I didn't have any issues with it. But when I started thinking about running a half marathon, I started to jog longer (duration and length) and I started to notice knee pain a day after my jog, which lasts about 3-4 days (or longer if I don't give myself a good rest). At first, I thought it was my old shoes not very fit for running, so I got a good pair running shoes which was designed for people with...well, sort of bad running form (which I believe I have). The shoes have been great, but knee pain continues.

I'm now considering about buying a knee support, but my boyfriend doesn't believe ones sold at drug stores (priced about 15-30 dollars) are any good.

So, my questions are:
* Does knee support actually help (in terms of relieving pain or not creating pain after running long distance)?
* What brand/kind do you recommend?

Running shoes online

2or3whiskeysodas — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:22:18 -0800

Looking for particularly good prices online for running shoes, if such exist. Also, general advice on the subject, maybe. I've been a casual runner (30 minutes, 2-4 times a week) for many years. I've never bought a pair of shoes that didn't suit me fine. The clerks at the shoe store I've bought from in the past have always told me that I have "neutral" feet.

Money's tight right now, but my old shoes are getting hella worn out. So I'm mostly looking for the best price I can find. I'm fine with ordering another pair of the Asics I have right now. Any websites you're particularly pleased with, especially in the price department?

Also, if there are any compelling "do not do not do not order running shoes online" arguments, I'm open to hearing them. I do plan on training for a marathon this fall, and when that starts I'm planning on hitting my usual store. Thanks!

Give me feet of steel.

middleclasstool — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:42:23 -0800

Resources for exercises for my feet, arches, ankles, and lower legs? I'm a distance runner -- or, more accurately, was one until after my first marathon, when IT Band Syndrome finally caught up with me. I've done physical therapy but will have to go back to the doc's for more treatment. Right now I can't do more than three miles for fear of making things worse.

I'm told the ITBS is likely a result of my overpronation, which I'd like to correct. Inspired by this post, I ran a mile barefoot on the treadmill last night, then spent the rest of the evening walking around barefoot and paying careful attention to feedback from my feet, and learned more about my gait from that than six months of running prior. I found myself working muscles in my feet and lower legs that I didn't even know I had. It was, in short, awesome, and has encouraged me that maybe I can build up muscles to help at least partially correct my gait so maybe I can ultimately transition to a lighter-weight shoe.

Thing is, I'm not finding many resources for strengthening exercises that target ankles, shin muscles and feet for overpronaters, so I turn to you for help. Resources need not be online. Books are good too, though I'd prefer not to kill trees. Give me feet of steel, people.

And yes, I will check with the doctor, but it'll be a bit before I can get in to see her.

My body hates jogging...

TheOtherWay — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:08:45 -0800

My body has an irrational prejudice against jogging, though not most other exercise - can anyone explain why? More inside... I'm a 40 year old in middling physical condition. And, my body hates to jog. I can't come to any other conclusion. I've been swimming 1-1.5 km 2-3 times a week for 2 years. No heavy breathing when I finish, heart rate below 130 after a mile in the water. I ride 50 - 100 km a week during warm weather months, walk the course when I golf and do the Royal Marines calisthenic program a few times a week (and breath very hard during that, no question, but without asthmatic shortness of breath).
So, yesterday, 7 at night, temp about 60F, I tried to run with my 8 year old, as he's going to be doing a short "mini-marathon" (1.5 k) for early elementary kids in June. 200 meters in, I can feel my bronchiae going into full on "crimped hose" mode, and I'm sucking wind even while falling behind my son. We got through 800 meters, and I needed to walk off the asthma spasm. After that, I was able to do wind sprints with him, no problem. But, when I tried that regular old jogging pace again - bang! - everything closed up, and I was sucking wind again. This has been a consistent pattern with me since my teens. Haven't gotten a satisfactory answer from a doctor yet. So I come, in supplication, to MeFi...
Can anyone out there tell me why I can swim, bike, sprint and do fairly challenging calisthenics without asthma, but 200 meters into a light jog, I feel like I'm breathing mustard gas? Help! Can anyone recommend a diagnosis/approach/course of action/solution that will let me go running with my son?

How do I get started using a treadmill?

zooropa — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:50:32 -0800

How do I get started using a treadmill? I just bought a treadmill from a co-worker. I am 33 years old, overweight by about 30 lbs., and type-2 diabetic. I know I need to get in shape for many reasons. Please no judgments about why it took so long.

Is there anywhere online with a good resource for beginners? Ideally, I'm looking for a resource online where I can keep a log or record of my progress.

But most importantly of all, I don't know where/how to begin. Almost everything I've seen so far is geared toward experienced runners. I'm nowhere even close to that. I would like to follow something like this:

* Day 1, walk 15 minutes at 3MPH
* Day 2, walk 15 minutes, jog 5 minutes
* Day 3, walk 10 minutes, jog 10 minutes

And so on and so forth.

So I'm really looking for two things:

1. A guide to getting started with a program that details what I need to do

2. An online tracker

Put a bounce in my step without breaking it, please.

RollingGreens — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:57:43 -0800

I'm looking to get physical, but how can I avoid injuring myself when shifting from a sedentary to a mildly more active lifestyle? I'm a young guy (20) who, while not dramatically unfit, is still dripping with teenaged lethargy... I'm looking to gain a little more endurance and energy in general by taking up jogging in the Montreal area (that is, avoiding gyms as much as possible as I'm shy like that).

The main thing I'm asking here is what exercises/stretches would be most useful to do in the lead up to my initial stints of jogging? I've heard stories of people damaging their knees and ankles pretty badly when just diving into athleticism without preparation, so I'm looking to reduce the pain while maximizing the gain.

Thanks

How do I mount a laptop to my treadmill?

mosch — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:09:23 -0800

What's the best way to mount a laptop to a Landice L7 Treadmill, for use while walking? Previously I had a True 500 treadmill, and I mounted a laptop by building a custom wooden shelf. This (obviously) presented some problems, and shortened the lives of the laptops that sat on the shelf, but was great for my fitness regimen.

Since the original experiment was such a success, I want to do it right this time. But what is right?

Will my heart explode?

bonheur — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:26:10 -0800

When I jog, my heart rate goes to 195 beats per minute. Is that bad? I've recently started jogging, following the couch to 5k program. I've led a moderately active life thus far, but I've never been an athlete and I'm about 30 lbs overweight. I bought a heart rate monitor and wore it during my last run. I was surprised to see some very high numbers on the monitor. My resting heart rate (HR) is 65. I thought my max was 185. Brisk walking brought my heart up to about 140, and when I started to jog (slowly!) the monitor hit 195! I can jog for about three minutes at that level before I have to walk again.

I'm definitely huffing and puffing and sweating and red in the face at that level, but I don't feel like I'm going to barf or die. Now, here's my question: According to the materials that came with my monitor, I should be training in the 65-85% zone. Does this mean I can't run at this fitness level and should just be walking? Am I harming myself in some way by pushing my body and heart too hard during exercise? How long will it typically take for my heart to adjust to the strain of running and slow down a bit? Tips, thoughts, experiences all welcome. Thanks!

Help! Shin splints.

Autarky — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:01:50 -0800

Help, I think I'm getting shin splints! I've started running recently, with the goal of [eventually] building up to a half marathon. I've done a few runs of about 3 miles, and I have the same problem every time.

For the first, say, mile and a half I'm feeling great, then as the run wears on I start to feel a sort of burning in my shins (and sometimes ankles). It gets worse as the run goes one. It goes away not too long after I stop running, but my shins feel kind of sore for a day or two (I'm not running every day, mainly about 3-4 times a week with cross training).

Also, today for the first time I had another problem. About 2-2 1/2 miles into my run I had this weird sensation in my foot, like something was pressing my nerve or something. It basically went away as soon as I stopped running and hasn't bothered me since, but it's a little worrying. My unofficial analysis says that I have moderately high arches and supinate (my shoes get worn along the outside edge)

A few ?s:

Am I correct in guessing that I'm developing shin splints?

If so, what should I do? I know everyone says go to a proper running store, and I'm working on that, but it's going to be very hard. I go to a college in a very rural (read 20 miles from walmart) area and I don't have a car. What other things can I do to help myself?

Should fat people run?

long haired lover from liverpool — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:47:45 -0800

Should overweight people run? I'm 238 pounds, couch potato, looking to get around 150. To do this I'm making a lifestyle change and integrating daily exercise. I'm aiming to jog a 5K race within a few months, and then 10K, and so on. This goal-based thinking is the only way I can bring about a change.

But I read online that jogging isn't a good idea for fat people because it damages the knees in a permanent way. I've just been out for my first session and got pretty bad shin pains, although this could be down to incorrect footwear and I don't want to be put off before I've even started.

So should fat people run? Don't tell me to do gym work for six months first because that just ain't gonna happen. If I wanted to do that I wouldn't be 238 pounds.

What gear should I wear to run in the winter?

octothorpe — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:51:56 -0800

What gear should I wear to run in the winter? I've always moved indoors and run on the treadmill or just quit for the season and got fat but I want to try to keep running outside this winter. I live in cold snowy, sleety, freezing rainy Pittsburgh so it can get pretty nasty during the winter and some days I'm sure that I just won't be able to go out but if I can get out three days a week, I'd be happy. I looked around the REI website and got a little baffled about all the choices. Pants, shirt, jacket, hat, gloves, socks? I'm not sure how to dress so that I'm not freezing at the beginning and/or roasting and drenched in sweat by the end. My typical run is 3-4 miles along a river trail. What do I wear?

Help Me Train for a 300 Meter and 1.5 Mile Run

metawabbit — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:51:03 -0800

What is the best training plan to improve my performance in a 300 meter and 1.5 mile run in 6 weeks? I am applying for a job that requires me to take a physical fitness test in about 6 weeks, which includes a 300 meter and 1.5 mile run. I am a 32 year-old male, 6 feet tall, 185 lbs. and I am fairly muscular, but mostly in my upper body. I don't have any formal background in running, but I usually jog about 4 miles once a week. I tried the 300 meter run this past weekend and was very discouraged with my time of about 50 seconds. I need to shave about 4 seconds off that time. I think my form is a large part of the problem. My wife was watching me and said that I looked too stiff and upright while running. Also, my forearms, around my elbows, were really sore right afterwards. Anyway, bottom line, is it realistic to expect that I can decrease my time by 4 seconds in 6 weeks? What is the best training plan for this? Should I do squats, lunges? Will a 10 lb. drop in my weight make much of a difference (this should be doable if I stop lifting upper body)? Should I be eating anything in particular? I've look at instructional videos online, but is there a better way to improve my form?

Too heavy for Couch to 5k?

aebaxter — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:35:15 -0800

I just had a doctor tell me I'm too heavy to run the Couch to 5k program. Is this really true? I'm 25/F, 5'6, 240 lbs with a sedentary job and no exercise routine to speak of for the past 6 years. About 3 weeks ago, I decided I was fed up and I started the Couch to 5k program at home on a treadmill. I made it through week 3 feeling great, still motivated and really enjoying the challenge. I was also doing lighter walk/runs and weights on the in between days of the program.

In order to work out with a friend, I started running outside at the track. Within 2 workouts running outdoors, I started having crippling pain in my knees. Worried I'd injured myself, I went to an osteopathic doctor. She told me that I was "100 lbs too heavy to be running" and that it was an unacceptable form of exercise for me. She said that "all the extra weight had pounded my knees into a severe sprain." She told me to stop eating too much (without even asking about my diet habits, but oh well) and to stop exercising period until my knees healed, and then to only do low-impact exercise.

I agree that my knees are injured (obviously, the pain tells me that), but is it really that I'm just too heavy to run? Have others been successful doing the Couch to 5k program beginning at a similar weight? Is my being overweight truly the problem, or did I just overdo it by exercising with a bit too much zeal on the off days instead of resting as is recommended with the Couch to 5k program?

Please help me learn to run.

sequential — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:13:00 -0800

Please help me learn to run. For starters, I am built like a sprinter: big, muscular legs. I have never been a particularly good distance runner.

Next, I have a variety of foot related issues, mostly corrected through the use of the proper footwear and foot care. I have wide feet (EEEE). I over pronate. I have a history of blisters and calluses.

As part of my weight loss efforts, I began walking. Now I can walk at 4.4+ miles per hour, at steep inclines, for very long periods of time. I can fast walk at about 5 miles per hour, though I struggle to maintain speed at steeper inclines. Though I continue to train for fast walking, it's particularly stressful on my hip flexors.

Because of my schedule, I primarily workout on a treadmill. It is not clear to me if this is causing any issues.

I've tried adding running into my routine at various times, but within 30 to 60 seconds, no matter how much I warm up or stretch, either my shin splints act up (most common) or my hip flexors act up (less common). Though I have run a mile once since March (at 10'49") and a quarter mile (at 2'15"), I have not been able to repeat either performance.

After nearly six months of struggling to start running, it struck me: I don't know how to run. I am strong cardiovascularly (VO2max of 61) and have an abundance of endurance. How would you suggest I go about learning to run? I have looked into couch-to-5k programs, but none of them specifically address the fact that running is physically painful to me.

I am open to the idea of hiring a running coach, but wouldn't begin to know where to look or what to look for. I have hired a personal trainer to work on, for lack of a better phrase, my "smaller muscles"; think core muscles and secondary muscle groups that aren't part of the mirror or vanity muscles many people work on (hip flexors chief among them). I would love a specific training program that includes resistance training, stretches, warm up, cool down, and a variety of routines to choose from. (By variety, I mean a short work out, a long work out, and some flexibility to do HIIT or other types of work outs.) Most of all, though, I need to learn to the proper form.

For what it's worth, I am medically cleared to run by my physical therapist and my primary care physician.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Save me from last.fm embarrassment!

charmston — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:25:31 -0800

Recommend me some music to run to. My current favorite album to run to is Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSongs: it's pretty good musically, a little cocky in the lyrics, and is paced perfectly, leading me to run between 8:15 and 8:45 miles. I'd appreciate any suggestions to provide variety, saving me from the embarrassment of having JT as my top artist on last.fm. Bonus points if your suggestions match my usual music taste:

- Dance-punk - LCD Soundsystem, !!!, Out Hud, Death from Above 1979, Hot Chip
- Hip-hop - Cunninlynguists, Immortal Technique, Common, Tonedeff, Foreign Exchange
- Grime - The Streets, Sway, Kano, Wiley, M.I.A, Dizzee Rascal
- Indie Rock - Arcade Fire, Muse, Broken Social Scene, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Magic Numbers, My Morning Jacket
- Post-rock - Sigur Rós, Explosions in the Sky, Eluvium, God is an Astronaut, 65daysofstatic
- Folky-ish - Sufjan Stevens, Damien Rice, Alexi Murdoch, José González, Elliott Smith
- Folktronica - The Album Leaf, The Notwist, Si*Sé, Talkdemonic, Lali Puna, Dntel
More detail on my music taste.

Actually, come to think of it, I would appreciate any music suggestions. Most specifically, I would appreciate suggestions of good music to run to. Also, I am aware of and use the Nike Plus series (Chemical Brothers, LCD Soundsystem, Aesop Rock) from time to time, I would just prefer something with better vocals than those provide.

I know they recommend exercise for PMS... but how do you exercise?

scission — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:28:24 -0800

How do I maintain a regular exercise routine despite period fatigue? I'm trying to start jogging regularly for my general health, as well as with an eye towards a 5k in September. I had a few false starts during the school year, during which I usually managed a half hour workout, 3 or 4 times per week, despite homework and some extracurricular commitments.

I'm overweight (5'6" and 160), but as a college student, I walk everywhere and take the stairs most of the time. (Jogging a 10-11 minute mile on a treadmill gets me temporarily out of breath but isn't a problem otherwise; real life, replete with hills, is harder) I'm not on the school meal plan and try to eat moderate portions, but not always healthy ones.

From a few days before my period until the third or fourth day of it (out of five), I'm very easily out of breath and my muscles get tired a lot more easily. I'll notice my heart rate increase more than it should after one flight of stairs at a walking pace.

I guess the culprit could primarily be dietary, but I've been fatigued during my period since menarche, so it'd be something I've been consistently doing wrong from 12 to 20. I've always assumed that some level of fatigue was typical, but I feel tired enough that I'm unable to maintain my usual level of training. I wonder if some part of it is psychological, but I know that I really do get tired, and it bothers me that I can't perform anywhere near my peak.

Is there an insider secret or some standard solution that female athletes use? Or am I stuck with writing off one out of every four weeks?

I don't so much walk as lope, and I don't so much jog as sprint.

fujiko — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 12:58:49 -0800

Short people, how do you jog? Okay, for some this may seem plainly absurd. But, it's a real problem that I'm having. I cannot figure out how one jogs.

I'm short; just under 5'2". Over the years, when health and weight allowed, I've went running whenever I needed to release frustration. The problem is that I get extraordinarily tired by this because I actually /run/. More appropriately, I sprint - fast as I can go over short distances. I sprint so hard that my vision blurs or cuts out, tears run down my face and my head hurts. (Luckily, I live on a farm and no one has to see this.) It's like I have no middle speed.

Some say running to appropriate music helps regulate your speed, but my legs are short and I find myself working twice as hard and making half as much progress as anyone else. I will not exercise with a partner for this reason. I find it incredibly frustrating.

Short people, do you have any tips for running? Bonus points if you get shin splints and have found a way to deal with them.