Official Strava/Runkeeper Thread

[Kodos]

I added a picture with me and my daughter so there'd at least be some non-hideousness to look at.

[Ben E Lou]

Bought my first pair of running shoes in my life. I look like L.C. Greenwood.

[Alan T]

Love the shoes!

[Icy]

So weren't you using running shoes before for your 10k sessions? wow i feel sorry for your feet.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Love the shoes!

The color is too flashy for me, but they were the only ones the running store had in stock that were big enough (size 13) and were the right profile for me.

Originally Posted by Icy

So weren't you using running shoes before for your 10k sessions? wow i feel sorry for your feet.

Well, it never occurred to me a few months ago that I'd be anywhere near this point now. The crazy thing is that I really haven't had any significant aches and pains with my $35 Nike cross-trainers. (I did have some mild knee pain at night when I was running 3-5 miles at time weighing 250+, but that subsided as I lost weight.) At some point during the 8-mile run last week it occurred to me that I might want to buy a pair of good running shoes to be safe, and when I told my wife that I had run 8 miles, she pretty much demanded that I buy a pair of good running shoes to be safe.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

The color is too flashy for me, but they were the only ones the running store had in stock that were big enough (size 13) and were the right profile for me.

My wife and I have different approaches to the shoes. I am still fairly conservative and wear white running shoes (now more greyish thanks to the dirt and road tar from the running). But my most recent pair of running shoes have a little more yellow in them (but not much). My wife on the other hand in her most recent pair wanted the brightest pink running shoes she could find.

I have however converted over to running in pretty bright colored orange or yellow tech shirts often now when I'm running on the roads. I've decided it is a little safer for me to just assume every car that is coming is out to try to run me over.

[Fidatelo]

I was a lot like Ben. At first I didn't put any money into running, wearing an old sweat suit and cross trainers for several months. Finally it got too hot to run in the sweat suit and my wife convinced me to get shoes and it was just so much more comfortable from then on.

As far as colors, at first I was a bit concerned with it but now I just don't really care that much. I'm more concerned about fit, comfort, and price. After that if all things are equal I will factor in colors. My thinking is that I probably look like a sweaty dork no matter what i'm wearing

[finketr]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

As far as colors, at first I was a bit concerned with it but now I just don't really care that much. I'm more concerned about fit, comfort, and price. After that if all things are equal I will factor in colors. My thinking is that I probably look like a sweaty dork no matter what i'm wearing

This

[digamma]

I am likely in the minority but I view socks to be as, if not more, important than shoes.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by digamma

I am likely in the minority but I view socks to be as, if not more, important than shoes.

I only run in dri-fit socks, never cotton. So far, knock on wood, I've been pretty lucky to not get any blisters or other issues with the feet like that, but I agree with you and am very careful with my feet, especially since I run a ton in the rain and snow.

[Dodgerchick]

Even for newbie runners who don't run long distances? I may actually cave in and buy a pair.

[Dodgerchick]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I guess running isn't for everyone, but as ABC mentioned above there does seem to be a growing interest. I've seen some of my friends starting to get involved. Maybe it's just the age we are reaching, or maybe its more of an overall groundswell, I don't know. But it's awesome to see and I can't recommend it enough. It's probably the most inclusive sport or activity I've ever been a part of. It doesn't matter if you're young or old, fit or not, everyone can start just by putting one foot in front of the other and then adding an extra foot a couple days later.

I'm still shocked at how much it has shaped the last 5-6 years of my life since taking it up. I walked into that first learn to run class only going to accompany my wife, believing that I would hate every minute of it and fully intending to never run again once it was over. And at first I did hate it. But about a month in something changed. I think as I started to see little increments of progress (3 and 1's! Yeah!). And by the end I was signing up for another class.

Fast forward a year or two and our first child is born. Now I'm pushing his stroller through the slush trying to keep up with everyone but damned if I'm giving up. We bought sun shields and bug covers and rain shields and snow shields. Everyone at the local store knew his name even if they didn't know mine. That kid spent the better part of the first 18 months of his life getting wheeled around the streets near our running clinic by myself and my wife.

Once the second guy came around the running with the kids stopped. The older one was 18 months and starting to get antsy in the stroller on any run over 30-40 minutes, and the little one never really adjusted to it. Still, my wife and I just took turns running. And then I started running the 4.5 miles home from work a few days a week. Anything to keep getting runs in, because at this point I'm totally fucking addicted.

Somewhere in all that the 5k races we entered became 10k races, and then half-marathon's. Someday, when I have more time to properly train, I will do a full marathon. I've dropped over 30 pounds. The older boy (now 4) wants to run with us again now, so we bring them both out on fun runs and let them run until they get tired, and then run with them on our shoulders the rest of the way. Or my wife will take the oldest to her clinic runs in the stroller, which he now loves again, although he was pretty confused by the concept of 'hills', openly questioning why Mommy would run him back and forth over a busy, dusty bridge 8 times in the stroller.

A couple months ago my neighbor flagged me down as I ran down my street on the way home from work. He told me a story of how a co-worker of his has taken up running, but had stopped in the fall once it got cold (I did this the first 2-3 years as well). But then he saw this guy running down the streets during rush hour most days, didn't seem to matter how cold. He said this guy was inspiring him to get out and start running again despite the winter that never seemed to end. My neighbor said "I know that guy! He lives by me!". I laughed at the story and said it likely wasn't me, there is this other guy that runs a similar route on a more frequent basis than me (he runs morning and evening, 5 days a week and he has been partly my own inspiration) and that it was likely him. But then my neighbor said "No. I pulled you up on Facebook and he said 'yeah! That's the guy! I want to be like him!". That was the first time in my life I'd ever heard of anyone ever saying they wanted to be like me. I'm just not that kind of guy. It felt then, and still does even as I type this, like one of the proudest moments of my life.

My original clinic instructor had her own little catchphrase. "Running is fun!". I still see her all the time at runs, and she's always yelling out "Running is fun!" with a giant smile on her face. And she's right, it is fun. But in a way, it's so much more than that. To me, running is the best.

What a great story!

[Draft Dodger]

ran tonight on back to back days, which is something I didn't do when I was in the swing of things. I really feel like I might finally be getting serious about getting serious

[Fidatelo]

I haven't run since Thursday, and I might not run all week (aside from a frisbee double header tomorrow night, not sure if that counts). Is 10 days off before the half-marathon proper 'tapering'?

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I haven't run since Thursday, and I might not run all week (aside from a frisbee double header tomorrow night, not sure if that counts). Is 10 days off before the half-marathon proper 'tapering'?

Well... I guess at least your legs will be fresh?

[Kodos]

2/3rds of the way to my 40 km badge in the Junedoggle. Baby steps...

[Ben E Lou]

Gonna be in my old stompin' grounds this weekend. For my long run (probably Sunday morning around 6am, so no traffic concerns,) would y'all recommend doing a big loop like this, or repeating something smaller?

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Gonna be in my old stompin' grounds this weekend. For my long run (probably Sunday morning around 6am, so no traffic concerns,) would y'all recommend doing a big loop like this, or repeating something smaller?

I like bigger loops when i run as they seem less boring to me than repeating the same area multiple times, but generally when I travel I don't go with the big loop unless I know the area well. I don't want to get caught on a bad place to run (dangerous or bad traffic) plus I don't want to get lost too well. usually when I travel somewhere that I am not familiar with, I'll do an out and back.. I'll run down a street 3.5 miles or whatever, turn around and run back 3.5 so I know exactly what I have to run back through.

Since its your old stomping grounds, if you are familiar with the area, then nothing wrong with the big loop at all. I prefer running those when I can myself.

[digamma]

bigger loop for sure

[AlexB]

I use MapMyRide rather than Strava, but hope you don't mind me posting! I prefer to cycle rather than running, but have to run to build up leg strength after snapping Achilles last year.

I have been running along the canal, so very flat - decided i ought to try a bit of uphill too, so mapped out two variations of a 5 mile run along similar routes this morning. En route however i seem to have mixed the two together, and ended up running nearly six miles (I've only done 5 miles three times before, so it was a bit of a shock when I was still running after 40 minutes!)

Fortunately the last mile was downhill, but I was pleasantly surprised how I feel afterwards. Hopefully i will feel the same tomorrow! Now kinda wishing I'd gotten more confused, as I was only a couple of hundred metres off 10k by the looks of it...

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by AlexB

I use MapMyRide rather than Strava, but hope you don't mind me posting! I prefer to cycle rather than running, but have to run to build up leg strength after snapping Achilles last year.

I have been running along the canal, so very flat - decided i ought to try a bit of uphill too, so mapped out two variations of a 5 mile run along similar routes this morning. En route however i seem to have mixed the two together, and ended up running nearly six miles (I've only done 5 miles three times before, so it was a bit of a shock when I was still running after 40 minutes!)

Fortunately the last mile was downhill, but I was pleasantly surprised how I feel afterwards. Hopefully i will feel the same tomorrow! Now kinda wishing I'd gotten more confused, as I was only a couple of hundred metres off 10k by the looks of it...

I did that one day, ended up making my long run 11 miles because I got lost in a neighborhood in Worcester once.. woops

I was just telling someone else earlier today that even though you use mapmyride, there are 3rd party tools that can let you export mapmyride rides to TCX files that you can then upload into strava if you wanted to join the group there (We have a few bikers as well as the runners here). Or it is even easier to use strava and then download the GPX file that you can then upload to mapmyride (even though I find Strava far superior for biking personally). Or if you just want to stay there, feel free to friend me on mapmyride, most of my biking/running co-workers use that so I usually upload all of my data there too

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Since its your old stomping grounds, if you are familiar with the area, then nothing wrong with the big loop at all. I prefer running those when I can myself.

I have a few connections to the area in the link. I'll be staying at my brother's house. He lives in the subdivision right in the middle of the loop (right off of Mobley Road. Looks like it's a half mile warmup walk from his house to the starting point I selected at Mobley and River.) My high school alma mater's campus is bounded by River Road, Bradley Park Drive, Roaring Branch Creek, and (sort of) Graystone Ct. The first golf course I ever played on was Green Island Hills, and several of my buddies lived in that subdivision. And I went to church (and got married) on Double Churches Road. So, yeah, it's safe to say that I know the area fairly well.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I have a few connections to the area in the link. I'll be staying at my brother's house. He lives in the subdivision right in the middle of the loop (right off of Mobley Road. Looks like it's a half mile warmup walk from his house to the starting point I selected at Mobley and River.) My high school alma mater's campus is bounded by River Road, Bradley Park Drive, Roaring Branch Creek, and (sort of) Graystone Ct. The first golf course I ever played on was Green Island Hills, and several of my buddies lived in that subdivision. And I went to church (and got married) on Double Churches Road. So, yeah, it's safe to say that I know the area fairly well.

Sounds like it will be fun to run through the old neighborhood and see everything

One of the things that I've been itching to do is plan one year to come back down and run the peachtree road race.

[Ben E Lou]

Testing...

[Ben E Lou]

Editing that sucker into first post in thread.

[Alan T]

Sweet

[Radii]

Just did my first ever core workout. OW.

[Ben E Lou]

What is the "correct" heart rate for an "Easy" run? The various calculators all have me at a pace of around 11:15, but I wonder if because it's so flat around here that's not as accurate. I tried to stay at 11:15, but was constantly being told by that iSmoothRun gal to slow down. I was at around 11:00 for the run, but the heart rate was in the mid-130s or lower for a good majority of it. Thoughts?

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

What is the "correct" heart rate for an "Easy" run? The various calculators all have me at a pace of around 11:15, but I wonder if because it's so flat around here that's not as accurate. I tried to stay at 11:15, but was constantly being told by that iSmoothRun gal to slow down. I was at around 11:00 for the run, but the heart rate was in the mid-130s or lower for a good majority of it. Thoughts?

According to Jack Daniels, an Easy Pace should be between 70-75% of your HR max.

Your maximum performance from your PRs are pretty similar to mine, so likely your VDOT score would be something similar to mine. Using the spreadsheet that I posted about in my running log (in the dynasty thread), it has my Easy pace between 10:54 - 11:38 to match that 70-75% HR Max. I would guess yours is about the same based on what I know of your fitness level.

[Ben E Lou]

Is that 70-75% using Karvonen (sp?) or just the straight calc?

[Fidatelo]

I remember our running instructor showing a chart that had paces (easy, fat burning, etc) along with heart rates and then also a way to gauge it without a heart rate monitor, which was generally how well you could speak. So for example, at an easy pace you should be able to have a conversation fairly comfortably, using full sentences. I wish I could dig up that chart now as I can't remember it all, but it was pretty useful when I knew it

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Is that 70-75% using Karvonen (sp?) or just the straight calc?

To be honest, I'm not sure if I know that answer. I don't actually do HR running training myself and look for pace based training based off of my VDOT scores. Most of the advanced marathon books have an easier calculation for HRmax to be: 220 - your age or 207 - 0.7 * (your age) but that approach is pretty inaccurate as different people are well different. I know the suggestion that I had was finding it through this method:

• Max heart rate: warm up thoroughly (e.g. run easy for 20 minutes and include a few strides), then run three all-out 600-meter repeats up a hill, jogging down between each interval. The highest heart rate you achieve during the third interval will be within 2-3 bpm of your max heart rate, as long as you did these hill reps all-out.

From a scientific standpoint, I'm not sure which method Karvonen or Zoladz is more accurate.

[Ryan S]

I am pretty much ignoring heart rate now, as I think I may be one of the outliers. Running in the 150-175 zone seems fairly comfortable to me, and at the end of a couple of sprints I have reached the mid to high 190s without feeling like I am going to drop dead.

My resting heart rate is about 60, and going by previous runs I would guess that my max is somewhere near 200.

[HerRealName]

You guys expose me for the hack that I am. I know nothing. I just started jogging to keep in shape for basketball until I screwed up my knee so bad, so many times that the jogging took the place of the basketball.

I had a brutal run today. It was around 94 degrees, 50% humidity, with a strong, steady 20mph wind out of the S-SW. I may have sweat a gallon or two. Running the square felt like an accomplishment today.

[Dodgerchick]

That's what the weather's like here too. I hope those clouds give me some rain.

[HerRealName]

I just looked up the heart rate monitors for the Nike watches. Those things go around your chest? I'm a big, sweaty dude and I'm not sure that would work very well for me. I think I'm just going to pretend like I didn't read these interesting, stat filled posts.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

I just looked up the heart rate monitors for the Nike watches. Those things go around your chest? I'm a big, sweaty dude and I'm not sure that would work very well for me. I think I'm just going to pretend like I didn't read these interesting, stat filled posts.

Yea, around the chest. I sweat a ton, and don't have problems with my HRM. It took a little getting used to, but now I don't even notice I'm wearing it.

[FrogMan]

I'm getting my Forerunner 210 tomorrow and I was wondering about the HRM strap too.

Had a good run alone tonight as my son is studying for his finals. Good pace steady for some 38 minutes or almost 4.5 miles, my longest and fastest yet. Very happy with it...

FM

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Yea, around the chest. I sweat a ton, and don't have problems with my HRM. It took a little getting used to, but now I don't even notice I'm wearing it.

I don't think sweat is a bad thing with heart rate monitors as the sensors need to be moist. If you sweat a lot you may need to clean the strap after every run.

[korme]

Just joined this thread/app/club with Strava. Maybe this will be the kick in the butt I need for myself.

I imagine I'll be doing more cycling than running (running blows, amirite) - is that kosher for you guys??

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I don't think sweat is a bad thing with heart rate monitors as the sensors need to be moist. If you sweat a lot you may need to clean the strap after every run.

I generally wash it off by hand after every run. There are some tips out on the internet about ways to take care of the strap so you don't have problems with it. I generally wet the connectors just lightly before putting it on for a run also. I haven't had any problems with mine other than twice I've had it come off during a run, but that was probably more due to my not readjusting it after losing more weight.

[Icy]

As alan said, sweating while running is good for the HR band as it needs to be humid, in fact i put mine under water before wearing it or it shows incorrect values for the first minutes until i start to sweat.

Just clean it with water after each run to remove the sweating salt and it will be fine.

[korme]

First bike ride of the year was expected to be terrible. It was worse. How much worse? I ended up running.

Pulled my bike off of the stationary, realized it probably needed some air in both the tires. I pull my air pump out, take off the cover on the front tire and twist the pump onto the tire. In the process of pumping tire #1, the top of the airpump breaks off and I struggle mightily to no avail to re-connect it properly. It seems as if the top piece just couldn't hold to the latch and after probably 30 minutes of trying, no air in the tires. So I begrudingly take the bike upstairs and decide to run.

Running is much more of a pain in the ass to me for many reasons. 1) More physical. More importantly, 2) no where to keep all of my possessions. Had to abandon my ipod, as I can't have it bouncing around, plus, my earbuds kept falling out. Ended up taking my house key off of my keychain, but then it kept flying out of my pocket, so I had to tape it to my arm (that looked kewl). No place for my wallet, either, so I just took my ID/debit out and put that in my pocket. Not to mention my phone that's keeping track of all of this had to bounce around in my shorts. With a bike, all those things are easily contained in a case in the front.

As for the run. Well, I suck at running. I was winded very easily, ending up doing about 55/45 on the run-to-walk ratio. Took 29 minutes to do 2.4 miles. Right as I upload it I see digamma did 4.5 miles in a little over that time. Sweet!

It might be slightly skewed as I was getting hosed on the intersection crosswalks. How do you all account for those? Do you pull your phone out and pause the timer? EDIT: Ok, I see upon my results it says my moving time was 27:04... that's pretty cool that it adjusts like that.

[Dodgerchick]

Welcome, shorty! Err... korme

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by korme

Running is much more of a pain in the ass to me for many reasons. 1) More physical. More importantly, 2) no where to keep all of my possessions. Had to abandon my ipod, as I can't have it bouncing around, plus, my earbuds kept falling out. Ended up taking my house key off of my keychain, but then it kept flying out of my pocket, so I had to tape it to my arm (that looked kewl). No place for my wallet, either, so I just took my ID/debit out and put that in my pocket. Not to mention my phone that's keeping track of all of this had to bounce around in my shorts. With a bike, all those things are easily contained in a case in the front.


It might be slightly skewed as I was getting hosed on the intersection crosswalks. How do you all account for those? Do you pull your phone out and pause the timer? EDIT: Ok, I see upon my results it says my moving time was 27:04... that's pretty cool that it adjusts like that.

Yes, most apps have moving time and it will auto-pause internally if you stop long enough at a cross walk. Not a big deal when I go for easy runs, when I do intervals or tempo runs (more of a speed run where time is important), I just try to run places without crosswalks such as bike trails or tracks.

For how to manage the stuff, I generally will take my house key , ID and Credit card and stuff them with my iphone in my iphone arm band if I am listening to music when I run. If I am running without music/phone I don't carry my arm band and instead I just tuck my key inside of my running hat that I wear on my head. I know other people will tie their key to their shoe lace. For headphones, I ended up getting over the ear phones so they don't fall out of my ears anymore. Some people get bugged by having headphones over their ears though. I can't stand having things in my pocket though..

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by korme

As for the run. Well, I suck at running. I was winded very easily, ending up doing about 55/45 on the run-to-walk ratio. Took 29 minutes to do 2.4 miles. Right as I upload it I see digamma did 4.5 miles in a little over that time. Sweet!

As for the speed.. Running is not something that you can cram for like a test and suddenly come out and run super fast. Looking at your run, you were going really fast but then had to stop because you got winded. Since you haven't run much, your aerobic base is not able to handle running that fast for that long. My best suggestion for you to make running a bit more enjoyable is to slow down.

Everyone has different fitness levels, and you're probably in far better shape than I was when I started running, so its hard for me to tell you how much slower you should run, but the general recommendation I hear is when you first start running, you should be able to have a conversation with someone comfortably as you do it. If you are too short on breath or are getting winded, you are going way too fast. Next time, try turning it down a few notches and see how much further you can go before you get winded. You don't have to run fast to improve your aerobic base, and as you do it more, you'll be able to run fast for longer down the road.

[Alan T]

Lots of people with 80k/40k badges today. Good job all of you!

Looks like Strava lets you Star your favorite segments to watch now too as a new feature. Playing with that now to see how much or useful it will be for me. I imagine in a city with very commonly used segments it would be more fun than out in the boonies where I am often the only one running my segments

[korme]

Thanks for the tips/motivation Alan.

[lighthousekeeper]

thanks to this thread and the motivation is has provided, i'm running my first 5k in over a decade this saturday.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

thanks to this thread and the motivation is has provided, i'm running my first 5k in over a decade this saturday.

Good luck! Race magic is great!