Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with workout and running

What's the best way to carry all my stuff outside when I work out?

melodykramer — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:33:38 -0800

What's the best way to carry keys, water, mp3 player, and wallet when you're working out outside? Do you have a favorite fanny pack (how...not chic) or have you come up with some alternative arrangement? Would you please share? I've decided to try to run around Philadelphia and start exercising outside. Except I keep my wallet and keys and phone and iPod in my pocket -- and carry my water -- and everything jangles about like a bell ringer at Christmas.

I was wondering if there's a brand of belt pack or backpack that works especially well with people doing things like running, skipping, and running stairs. The belt packs I encounter on the street are particularly hideous -- and I'm looking for practical, not aesthetic -- but I'm not even sure those belt packs stay put should their owners decide to race around a track.

So...how do you secure your stuff? Thank you.

And Running, Running

pyrom — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:11:01 -0800

What can an experienced runner do to improve her speed during the off-season? I've been running daily for about five years now, participating in four years of high school cross country and track. To give a brief idea of my experience, I've raced just about every distance available to me below a half-marathon (800m/1600m/3200m/4k/5k/10k/15k) multiple times. I've peaked at about 60 miles per week during training, my longest run being 18 miles. My most recent mile (1600m) PR came in around 5:22, championing the previous year's record of about 5:40.

However, my off-seasons have left me feeling unproductive. With a pessimistic perspective, it seems my only real gain in speed came from a depression-induced loss of around ten pounds this past year. I've attempted to follow some online training plans during the break between cross country and track, and I've tried to create my own. After about a week of enthusiasm, usually they reveal themselves as over-ambitious. Other times, I begin to question my ability to create a workout that's beneficial to my goal, and thus discredit whatever plan I've been following. I feel like I can follow a rigorous schedule- I just need to know that it's actually helping me.

I'm a runner that thrives on distance, as long days (9-15 miles) are the only workouts that leave me feeling tired but stronger later in the week. However, despite improvements in endurance, it seems that it doesn't translate well to shorter, in-season races. It seems like my body isn't well suited for faster races and I tend to do poorly as the distance begins to drop (where I can do a 5:22 mile, I'm quite sure my fastest 400 was around a 65). My top-end speed is something I feel might be key to improving overall. I'm familiar with tempo runs and do them frequently (6:40-7:20 miles for varying distances), and I incorporate occasional hill workouts during the week, but these seem help little in that sense.

I have a good diet, I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables while avoiding anything processed or greasy (no fast food, no soda, little packaged food). I do not have a strength training plan, mostly due to feeling rather lost when designing one (I feel like I can't tell what is superfluous and what will actually benefit me).

At this point I'm not quite sure what to do. I've always been fast in comparison to my team but always below the range where my accomplishments are recognized.

How can I make this off season productive? Runners, what have you found that has made the most difference in your ability? (Articles, workouts, books, rituals welcome)

Thanks much to everyone!

Help me run and get past the discomfort of lactic acid.

simplethings — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:50:00 -0800

How can I deal with lactic acid build up during a run? I've been running 5k's lately as part of a whole weight loss program. They're one of the only things that have motivated me enough to work out regularly.
I have a race coming up on Sunday and my goal is to jog/run the entire race. Past 5k's have been a walk and run combo. I'd also like to be under 37 minutes.

I've been pushing myself during my workouts and when I'm running over 5 mph the lactic acid will start building up. I'll get the burning and tightness mainly in my lower legs. If I keep running the pain will get more intense and I'll start feeling it in my upper chest/shoulders area.
If I slow down the burning will decrease but won't disappear, if I stop and walk the burning will actually increase for an almost unbearable 10 seconds and then quickly decrease and go away.

I understand that building tolerance to lactic acid requires more working out... but, Sunday is 2 days away.
Is there another way to deal with this during the race that won't significantly slow me down? Would popping TUMS work? Maybe drinking extra water before I start? Or start skipping instead of running? Or stop for a moment and give my calves a quick rub down with IcyHot? Or do I just need to tough it out and run through the pain?

I'm a 23-year-old male, 6'4", and 175 lbs. I'm too thin. What's the best way I can gain weight and muscle? I'd like to start working out in my own apartment.

decrescendo — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:35:41 -0800

I'm a 23-year-old male, 6'4", and 175 lbs. I'm too thin. What's the best way I can gain weight and muscle? I'd like to start working out in my own apartment. I have played sports all my life and played ice hockey in high school, so I'm not totally out of shape or nonathletic by any means. I just really want to turn over a new leaf by moving into my new apartment and making a new me by gaining some weight/muscle. I still feel like I'm a skinny little shit like I was in high school.

Any tips for gaining weight and/or muscle? Anyone know of any good exercises I can do in my apartment? I plan on starting the 100 Pushups plan but I want to do other exercises, as well.

I'd rather start working out in my apartment and then maybe move to a gym a few months down the road. I feel too skinny/weak to be in a gym, I suppose. I guess that doesn't help the situation.

I should probably also change my eating habits to gain some muscle/weight. Any tips for that, as well?

Thanks MeFi.

I need to pick a hairstyle and run with it.

Metroid Baby — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:47:38 -0800

If keeping sweat and hair out of my face while running is my only consideration, would it be better to cut my hair short, or to let it grow out and wear it in a ponytail? I currently have an overgrown chin-length bob, and I’m due for a haircut. I haven’t decided what to do yet. I like my current style, and I’ve liked having my hair longer, so getting a similar cut I can grow out is definitely an option for me. On the other hand, I’ve never had my hair shorter than ear-length, and I really want to try a pixie cut.

One of the deciding factors for me is how easy it will be to go running with my new haircut. I work out five days a week, and three to four of those workouts involve running. I haaaaate getting sweaty hair in my face when I run. At my current length, I can sort of hold my hair back with a half-ponytail and a stretchy headband, but it’s not a perfect solution and the headband often slips. When my hair was longer, I would just pull it all back into a ponytail and it’d be no problem. I'd need to let my hair grow for at least a few months before that becomes an option, though.

The pixie cut is compelling because my hair would simply be too short to flop in my face. However, judging from the amount of sweat that gets in my hair now, I worry that, without much hair to absorb it, that sweat would just pour down my face instead. That doesn’t sound like much fun either. Or does it evaporate? And I realize that, if/when I grow it out, I’ll have to go through the floppy bangs and headband phase again.

Which is more comfortable for sweaty workouts: short hair or long hair in a ponytail? It seems like a silly question, but I only have experience from one side and honestly don’t know the answer. I don’t care how my hair looks when I work out, just that it’s out of my face. (I do care how my hair looks when I’m not working out, of course, but that’s not relevant to the question.)

Additionally, if there’s some magical running hat or headband out there that can stay put, keep my hair out of my face, and keep me relatively cool and dry, I’d love to hear about it. I’ve looked at various hats online, but I’m not convinced.

Thanks as always!

why do people work out together?

krautland — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:45:32 -0800

why do people work out together? I'm trying to convince my buddy to start running with me. he currently runs alone with his ipod and so do I but we are at similar levels and I think we could push each other all the more. I need arguments to get him to try this out. so why is working out together better than doing this alone? what are you missing out on by going it alone?

Help me change my exercise routine.

2or3whiskeysodas — Tue, 29 May 2007 05:27:59 -0800

While I'm still super enthusiastic about exercise, both my motivation and fitness level have plateaued. Suggestions? I've been running for 30 minutes at a time fairly consistently for years and still enjoy it greatly. I moved from weight training at home with a bench and some cheap dumbbells to a wonderful gym last year. Since then, I've mostly been doing variations of the 3 Day Split Workouts found here. While I haven't seen any huge muscle gains, I'm fairly happy with the results. But the amount of weight I can lift hasn't increased in I don't know how long, and I'm starting to feel just a little burned-out.

So obviously, a change is needed, and I'm open to just about anything. Ideally, it would be something that would build some muscle and/or help me break through the walls I've hit when I return to the sort of weight training I've been doing. A friend has recommended the Bodypump classes offered at my gym, but I'm not much of a believer in low-weight/high-rep stuff, which is what this sounds like. And I've meant to take swimming lessons for a long time.

workout tunes

DecemberRaine — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 06:55:01 -0800

Any tips for good tunes to bring to the gym? I'm currently doing a basic running program, only about 30 minutes at a time right now, but I like to mix up my music so I'm not listening to the same thing every day. I'm only using a small mp3 player that will hold 30 - 60 minutes of music, so I'm basically looking to make up 4 or 5 different playlists that I can upload before I go to the gym during the day. Atleast until I can get myself a shuffle or something, LOL.

Treadmill or real running: which burns more calories?

twine42 — Sun, 09 May 2004 03:38:37 -0800

PhysicsFilter : which burns more calories, a treadmill or a road run? [MI] Despite being a fat b*****d, I go down the gym and do a bit of running on the treadmill. Nothing too stressful, but it burns off a few calories. If I try this on the road, I'm knackered within seconds. What's happening?

Part of me wonders if treadmills are less effort. If you put one on the flat, then you're using energy to bounce your body mass up and down and to flail your legs around, but are you actually using any energy to propell yourself forwards? Is it this extra effort that's knackering me when I try it on the road?

I'd suggest it's that the treadmill is flat and the roads aren't, but I live on the Fens - we give pancakes a run for their money...

NB: I tend to 'run' at about 12kph / 7.5mph and I weigh about 134kg / 295lbs, if that accentuates the problem. I'm not a small bloke...