Quote:
Originally Posted by Kodos
You guys are definitely much more analytical runners than I am. My eyes start to glaze over when the technical discussions begin. I can rarely be bothered to try to figure out what the charts you guys post mean. Sure, I enjoy breaking PRs and stuff like that, but the deeper tracking stuff like cadences and whatever does nothing for me.
I was never able to get my heart monitor to work, and didn't like how it felt anyway. I think I'm comfortable not totally optimizing everything about my running. At some point, I just want to run the way that is natural to me. Too much running theory and statistical stuff sucks away the fun of running in my world. I do try to concentrate on my form (arms don't cross body because the legs follow the arms), especially when running fast, but in general, I'm just running and using perception of effort as my guide. For better or worse. Back in college, one of the best compliments I ever got as a runner was that I didn't even look like I was trying. 
I guess in a lot of ways, I run the way I played FOF. I never wanted to spend time digging under the hood. I would read other people's findings and try to incorporate that into my efforts, but I never wanted to do the primary research myself. I guess that's why I never went on to grad school. At the end of the day, I hate researching stuff. 
I did get a running book recently, but have yet to start it: Galloway's Book on Running. Reading the reviews on Amazon, it seemed like a decent choice for a less technical runner.
Anyhow, not trying to detract from your stuff. I love the enthusiasm you guys bring to your running. And if I pick up a little from your technical talk, all the better. Still, I will probably try to run faster than I should when doing speedwork and recovery runs.  |
lol, and that's ok that way. Everybody runs for different reasons. I'm a bit OCD in many things in my life, when I dive into something, I usually go all in. Have been into martial arts for a while now and when I was at a peak of interest, I would watch videos and try to incorporate new self defense techniques to my arsenal and such.
I realised why I'm running at some point during the winter time: I wanna see how really fast this 43 year old body of mine can go. The little things I do, that may seem big to you, were all gathered about the same way you gathered FOF knowledge, i.e. left and right from reading about other people's findings.
For now, I find fun in doing this, on top of the liberating aspect of simply going out to run, which I still have, despite checking on my HR every once in a while
FM