Donald Duck
Tonga Toast Killer
Bonk breaker bars. Although I consume them during or post 30+ milers and 100s, they will do the trick. No crap ingredients. I swear by them. Food and gear; I'm an expert in. :king:
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Getting back into walking/running and I have questions!
- Thread starter Victoria
- Start date
Bonk breaker bars. Although I consume them during or post 30+ milers and 100s, they will do the trick. No crap ingredients. I swear by them. Food and gear; I'm an expert in. :king:
fmingo36
Well-Known Member
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
Figuring out what sits well in your stomach before and during a run is something that takes trial and error experience. You're likely to get different answers from different people. I used to get cramps if I ate anything before a run, but now I can eat a steak dinner beforehand without any problems (and did when I had a huge dinner at Le Cellier before the ToT13K in 2009! Not that I'd recommend that - it kinda sloshed around uncomfortably throughout the entire race although I did not get any cramps!). Ideally, any time I'm going to run for more than an hour, I'll eat something light beforehand - maybe an apple with peanut butter, or some whole grain cereal. I doubt a protein bar would hurt you. A granola and fruit bar is likely to work just as well. Try things out and see what works for your digestive system and your energy needs.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Something that your body can handle, and is pretty bland. And just like swimming, you want to eat it at least 30 mins before you start to get it time to settle. For a shorter run, a protein bar might a bit of overkill (not to mention a drain on the wallet). I found that peanut butter on toast works well, as do bagels. Fruit would also be a good choice. Also, keep in mind that if you are running for the health/exercise benefits, that what you eat should be equal to or less than the calories you expend. Way to often I see someone at the gym s__________g on a large Frappucino/Coolatta during/after their 15 minute run, which completely negates the point of exercising in the first place.
I agree, its going to be a very personal thing and will take some trial and error. I absolutely can not eat a banana before a run, I find they repeat on me during the whole run and it really puts me off. :lol: I usually make some whole wheat banana muffins though and freeze them, I just take one out of the freezer the night before a run and I'm all set.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Good example! A banana before any exercise is my norm. Like you said, each person has to figure out what works for them. :wave:
Ariel484
Well-Known Member
Peanut butter and toast works for me too. If it's a longer run, it's peanut butter on a bagel, and I try to wait about an hour before I start running. Might be TMI, but I have found that if I don't wait an hour I'm burping up whatever I ate on the run (in fact, that happened to me today :hurl
. I was seeing a nutritionist for a bit a couple of years ago and she said that PB/toast or bagel was good because it was a good combination of carbs and fat. But I agree with everyone else that you need to experiment and see what works best for you. One thing I do know...you don't want to eat anything with too much fiber before you run...unless you want some digestive...issues. :lookaroun 
Frustration and Encouragement
Thanks for all the great input, everyone! It sure seems like there's no "one size fits all" answer on the snacks, and I have been doing a little trial and error. I might also have to consider switching things around, and doing my running training in the mornings, and my toning workouts in the evenings.
Last Friday, I decided to try a new running location, a nice public plaza, much busier and wider than my usual two-person wide loop near home. The plaza is a nicely landscaped rectangle, tree-lined on two sides and open on the other two. I wanted to knock out Day 3 and finish up Week 2. Just over 10 minutes into the workout (alternating walking/running for a minute and a half), I was feeling pretty good and glanced at the app to check my progress-- it said I'd gone just over a half-mile at a 24 minute pace!! ?? On Week 1, Day 1, I'd managed an 18 minute avg pace, and improved it every day, I was down to 12:16! I can only guess that those lovely trees must have interfered with my phone's GPS or something. Bummer.
On Sunday, I woke up around 7 and decided to get up and face Day 1 of Week 3, when I'd have to run for 3 straight minutes (stop laughing, y'all!!
). Got up, walked down in the overcast chill to the local loop and got started. Three minutes felt like six, but I did it, and felt really good afterwards. At some point during the last jog, I noticed the low battery warning had come on. I cleared it, and saw that I had only 34 seconds to go till my cooldown, so I stuck the phone back in my pocket and headed home (it's about a seven minute walk home). The battery didn't last til then, and when I saw the blank screen, I thought, oh well, it's going to say I didn't finish the workout and I'll have to do a five minute walk to satisfy it. Nope. When I charged the phone back up and opened the app, it was like I never did the workout at all!!! Double super bummer.
Enormously frustrating, yet I was encouraged that I'd felt so good during the run.
Yesterday after work I went for Day 2 of running for 3 mins at a time, (although the app says it's only Day 1
)and I thought I was gonna die. Maybe because I was running too fast--app said I was averaging an 8 minute pace. Maybe because I got held up leaving work, and an hour had elapsed since I had my protein bar and I was hungry.
So I'm now wondering if I should move running to the a.m. Even though I only had one crappy evening run, the morning run was so good, it's got me thinking. Although I've had some pretty good evening runs, too. I don't know.
Questions:
Frequency: As Kelly mentioned, the app is called "Ease into 5K". You're meant to do it 3 days/week. Should I stick to that schedule, or if I feel good, accelerate it and do more in a week? I'd finish the program quicker, but I'm not sure if rushing it isn't a good idea.
Mechanics: When I jog, it's at kind of what I would call a "lope"; a short-ish stride where my feet don't lift up too high, and I feel like I'm landing pretty flat-footed. There's a little slope (it's not much steeper than a handicapped ramp, honestly) and I feel like I do that best if I run up it on the balls of my feet. I tried out a bit of a longer stride yesterday, and it felt good but I couldn't maintain it. I tried sending my heels toward my butt, but that didn't feel quite right, either. Any advice?
Pace: I feel like I have to learn to run slow if I'm going to be able to run for any length of time. What's a good pace for a beginner?
Thanks for all the great input, everyone! It sure seems like there's no "one size fits all" answer on the snacks, and I have been doing a little trial and error. I might also have to consider switching things around, and doing my running training in the mornings, and my toning workouts in the evenings.
Last Friday, I decided to try a new running location, a nice public plaza, much busier and wider than my usual two-person wide loop near home. The plaza is a nicely landscaped rectangle, tree-lined on two sides and open on the other two. I wanted to knock out Day 3 and finish up Week 2. Just over 10 minutes into the workout (alternating walking/running for a minute and a half), I was feeling pretty good and glanced at the app to check my progress-- it said I'd gone just over a half-mile at a 24 minute pace!! ?? On Week 1, Day 1, I'd managed an 18 minute avg pace, and improved it every day, I was down to 12:16! I can only guess that those lovely trees must have interfered with my phone's GPS or something. Bummer.
On Sunday, I woke up around 7 and decided to get up and face Day 1 of Week 3, when I'd have to run for 3 straight minutes (stop laughing, y'all!!
). Got up, walked down in the overcast chill to the local loop and got started. Three minutes felt like six, but I did it, and felt really good afterwards. At some point during the last jog, I noticed the low battery warning had come on. I cleared it, and saw that I had only 34 seconds to go till my cooldown, so I stuck the phone back in my pocket and headed home (it's about a seven minute walk home). The battery didn't last til then, and when I saw the blank screen, I thought, oh well, it's going to say I didn't finish the workout and I'll have to do a five minute walk to satisfy it. Nope. When I charged the phone back up and opened the app, it was like I never did the workout at all!!! Double super bummer.Enormously frustrating, yet I was encouraged that I'd felt so good during the run.
Yesterday after work I went for Day 2 of running for 3 mins at a time, (although the app says it's only Day 1
)and I thought I was gonna die. Maybe because I was running too fast--app said I was averaging an 8 minute pace. Maybe because I got held up leaving work, and an hour had elapsed since I had my protein bar and I was hungry. So I'm now wondering if I should move running to the a.m. Even though I only had one crappy evening run, the morning run was so good, it's got me thinking. Although I've had some pretty good evening runs, too. I don't know.
Questions:
Frequency: As Kelly mentioned, the app is called "Ease into 5K". You're meant to do it 3 days/week. Should I stick to that schedule, or if I feel good, accelerate it and do more in a week? I'd finish the program quicker, but I'm not sure if rushing it isn't a good idea.
Mechanics: When I jog, it's at kind of what I would call a "lope"; a short-ish stride where my feet don't lift up too high, and I feel like I'm landing pretty flat-footed. There's a little slope (it's not much steeper than a handicapped ramp, honestly) and I feel like I do that best if I run up it on the balls of my feet. I tried out a bit of a longer stride yesterday, and it felt good but I couldn't maintain it. I tried sending my heels toward my butt, but that didn't feel quite right, either. Any advice?
Pace: I feel like I have to learn to run slow if I'm going to be able to run for any length of time. What's a good pace for a beginner?
I've not been on the running boards in a while. I dunno, been getting back to the running but just feel kinda weird knowing how I'm on & off the pavement lacking consistency. I'm kinda proud this go around. I started the 'Ease into 5k" app in February with the mindset I would follow the schedule as far as I could until I hit a wall. Then I would repeat schedule days & work from there. I've been amazed at how I've adjusted along with the program. From about halfway thru I'd look at the next day with increasingly challenging intervals and think "Oh yeah, that's going to be the wall". But it never was. I'd finish the impossible and feel just fine with it. Craziness! So I'm currently down to the first day of the final week (wk 8, day 1) staring down a 28 minute run with 5 minutes warm-up/cool-down on either end. Do I still think "That's going to be the wall"? Yeah, it's the first thought that comes to mind. Do I believe that? Not really. 27 minutes 2 days ago felt impossible but I did it. This evening will be 28 minutes that I'll look back at with a lot of pride tomorrow. I'm proud to say this is the longest I've ever been able to run without stopping in my whole life. Seriously. Even when I was in high school I couldn't do this. In college I lifted weights and was a tight little muscle but I couldn't do this. 4 years ago when I dropped below my ideal weight & was working out like mad I couldn't have done this. Yet here I am poking along at my slow pace (11:30/mile average). I'm far from my ideal weight but, you know, at least I can say I'm running, I'm healthy, and it feels dang good on the inside.
Who knows, maybe someday I'll feel like I'm really a "runner". That's such a huge name/label to me. It's what I strive for. Maybe someday..
I just struggled with running for 3 minutes straight, so I cannot even imagine 27 or 28. But I'm having the same experience, in that I seem to be adjusting as I go along, and while it might seem hard while I'm doing it, at the end of the cooldown I feel pretty darn good. Knowing that you've already gone thru it will keep me going!!
Whaddya say--Girl's Cruise, Castaway Cay 5K--we doin' it??
My experience won't help ya kid, I'm just saying welcome to the boards. Listen to Joel, Coryna (fmingo), Jill, and all of the other veterens, except me...listening to me will only get you hurt and you might end up lost on a trail with a broken leg...
Thank you for the welcome!! I think I'll stick with 5Ks for now :lol:
Although I do have a tendency to get ahead of myself, and I was really tempted to sign up for the ToT 10 Miler, since I'll be at WDW that weekend...maybe next year. :lookaroun
I read your report about 100 miler: (1) Holy Cow. (2) Now I understand how there can be such a slim guy behind the pictures of ALL THOSE PASTRIES in the Food picture thread!!
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the great input, everyone! It sure seems like there's no "one size fits all" answer on the snacks, and I have been doing a little trial and error. I might also have to consider switching things around, and doing my running training in the mornings, and my toning workouts in the evenings.
Last Friday, I decided to try a new running location, a nice public plaza, much busier and wider than my usual two-person wide loop near home. The plaza is a nicely landscaped rectangle, tree-lined on two sides and open on the other two. I wanted to knock out Day 3 and finish up Week 2. Just over 10 minutes into the workout (alternating walking/running for a minute and a half), I was feeling pretty good and glanced at the app to check my progress-- it said I'd gone just over a half-mile at a 24 minute pace!! ?? On Week 1, Day 1, I'd managed an 18 minute avg pace, and improved it every day, I was down to 12:16! I can only guess that those lovely trees must have interfered with my phone's GPS or something. Bummer.
On Sunday, I woke up around 7 and decided to get up and face Day 1 of Week 3, when I'd have to run for 3 straight minutes (stop laughing, y'all!!
Enormously frustrating, yet I was encouraged that I'd felt so good during the run.
Yesterday after work I went for Day 2 of running for 3 mins at a time, (although the app says it's only Day 1
So I'm now wondering if I should move running to the a.m. Even though I only had one crappy evening run, the morning run was so good, it's got me thinking. Although I've had some pretty good evening runs, too. I don't know.
Questions:
Frequency: As Kelly mentioned, the app is called "Ease into 5K". You're meant to do it 3 days/week. Should I stick to that schedule, or if I feel good, accelerate it and do more in a week? I'd finish the program quicker, but I'm not sure if rushing it isn't a good idea.
Mechanics: When I jog, it's at kind of what I would call a "lope"; a short-ish stride where my feet don't lift up too high, and I feel like I'm landing pretty flat-footed. There's a little slope (it's not much steeper than a handicapped ramp, honestly) and I feel like I do that best if I run up it on the balls of my feet. I tried out a bit of a longer stride yesterday, and it felt good but I couldn't maintain it. I tried sending my heels toward my butt, but that didn't feel quite right, either. Any advice?
Pace: I feel like I have to learn to run slow if I'm going to be able to run for any length of time. What's a good pace for a beginner?
This may sound trie but I honestly don't mean it to come across that way. My advice is that you should run at the time of day that you are most likely to complete your run and that feels most comfortable to you. And you should keep whatever body form is most comfortable at this stage. When you can go longer and further without stopping, you can consider how changing your form will make you a faster or stronger runner. It took a long time (maybe years?) for me to feel like I "look like a runner" when I am running. And even now, I know my short stride looks nothing like the gazelle-like elite runners. But it works for me.
Oh, and as for frequency, I think you might get stronger if you can devote 4 days per week to it, but 3 would be the minimum. I know how time is at a premium. Running is a priority for me, but taking care of my family is my #1 priority for me. I run 3-4 times per week.
That sounds like good common sense to me. :animwink:
4 days a week somehow "feels" right to me, even though, as you say, life can "get in the way"--sometimes I get out there on back to back days, and once had a gap of five days in between workouts. The laundry must get done, after all, and the house doesn't clean itself, although I am fortunate that my hubby helps out plenty with household chores. I'll just keep trying to take my half-hours wherever I can.
So, my 5K is the day after tomorrow. :lookaroun
I'll do as much as I can running, but I'm not even through Week 4 of the C25K program, as I haven't been able to get out running in over 10 days. I was hoping to be starting Week 6 this week. Life got in the way.
Just curious, how often do you guys run outdoors vs. indoors/treadmill? I don't have access to a treadmill, so it's all outdoors for me, which makes it harder to fit in/easier to blow off.
I'll be in WDW next week, so I'm looking forward to some early am runs through Old Key West.
I'll do as much as I can running, but I'm not even through Week 4 of the C25K program, as I haven't been able to get out running in over 10 days. I was hoping to be starting Week 6 this week.
Life got in the way. Just curious, how often do you guys run outdoors vs. indoors/treadmill? I don't have access to a treadmill, so it's all outdoors for me, which makes it harder to fit in/easier to blow off.
I'll be in WDW next week, so I'm looking forward to some early am runs through Old Key West.
Kristia
Well-Known Member
So, my 5K is the day after tomorrow. :lookaroun
I'll do as much as I can running, but I'm not even through Week 4 of the C25K program, as I haven't been able to get out running in over 10 days. I was hoping to be starting Week 6 this week.
Just curious, how often do you guys run outdoors vs. indoors/treadmill? I don't have access to a treadmill, so it's all outdoors for me, which makes it harder to fit in/easier to blow off.
I'll be in WDW next week, so I'm looking forward to some early am runs through Old Key West.
Hi Tiggerish! Just saw this thread today. I am a little behind.
I have actually never run on a treadmill before. I don't have one and we don't have any gyms close to our house. I just wanted to say that training outside is better than training on a treadmill because it is more like conditions you would encounter in a race. My sis started running and only ran on a treadmill. About a week before her first race, she did an outside run and was amazed at how much harder it was. I know it is harder to fit in and easier to blow off (I can be the queen of that)! The weather has been kind of bad here this week and I haven't run at all in 10 days. :lookaroun Good luck on your first 5k!
Ariel484
Well-Known Member
So, my 5K is the day after tomorrow. :lookaroun
I'll do as much as I can running, but I'm not even through Week 4 of the C25K program, as I haven't been able to get out running in over 10 days. I was hoping to be starting Week 6 this week.
Just curious, how often do you guys run outdoors vs. indoors/treadmill? I don't have access to a treadmill, so it's all outdoors for me, which makes it harder to fit in/easier to blow off.
I'll be in WDW next week, so I'm looking forward to some early am runs through Old Key West.
Ooh, good luck! Let us know how it goes.
I try to run outdoors most of the time for a few reasons. As Kristy said, the biggest one is because when I'm training for a race, I think it's better to train on the same surface as the race I'll be running. Treadmills are softer than the road and sort of "pull" you along. You don't get a sense of similar conditions you'd have during the race (wind, hot/cold weather, etc.), and unless you mess with the incline, all of your running is on a flat surface, which is mostly likely not what your race course would be.
The other big reason I try to avoid the treadmill, and I think this is true for most people, is that I think it is BORING. :hammer: I think my limit's about 5 miles on the treadmill, and even by then I'm driving myself nuts wondering when it will end. I know, so dramatic.
Despite all of that, I think you just have to do what works best for you and your schedule...and right now what works best for me is treadmill running 2 days per week so that I can fit it in before work and get credit for the visits to the work gym (which lowers my health insurance).
It's better than not running at all.
Thanks, Ladies!! I've never run on a treadmill at all, so I was curious.
At least one of my gym-going co-workers confessed that he'd run outdoors a couple of weeks ago to prepare for this race and was appalled at how spoiled he'd gotten on the treadmill. This is a guy who runs about 3 miles a few times a week! So maybe I won't be as pathetic as I'm expecting to be. :lol: It's strangely comforting to know that even experienced runners, such as yourself, fall victim to the hard to fit in/easy to blow off problem--I feel so much better now!!
I have to agree--even though I've never done it, I imagine that a treadmill run must be very boring. Even just going around my local 1/3 mile loop can be interesting, as it's around a pond and there's all sorts of things to notice. The only good thing potentially about the treadmill is that it's weatherproof! There's a gym at my office complex, but I'm not sure I want to spend the $$ to join it, when I consider that outdoor running is free! :lol: I thought about looking for a used one for home, becuase that would also eliminate some of the "hard to fit in" problems, but I have no space for one.
Thanks for the support, it means a lot! I'll definitely report back on Friday. :wave:
Hi Tiggerish! Just saw this thread today. I am a little behind.
At least one of my gym-going co-workers confessed that he'd run outdoors a couple of weeks ago to prepare for this race and was appalled at how spoiled he'd gotten on the treadmill. This is a guy who runs about 3 miles a few times a week! So maybe I won't be as pathetic as I'm expecting to be. :lol: It's strangely comforting to know that even experienced runners, such as yourself, fall victim to the hard to fit in/easy to blow off problem--I feel so much better now!!
Ooh, good luck! Let us know how it goes.
I try to run outdoors most of the time for a few reasons. As Kristy said, the biggest one is because when I'm training for a race, I think it's better to train on the same surface as the race I'll be running. Treadmills are softer than the road and sort of "pull" you along. You don't get a sense of similar conditions you'd have during the race (wind, hot/cold weather, etc.), and unless you mess with the incline, all of your running is on a flat surface, which is mostly likely not what your race course would be.
The other big reason I try to avoid the treadmill, and I think this is true for most people, is that I think it is BORING. :hammer: I think my limit's about 5 miles on the treadmill, and even by then I'm driving myself nuts wondering when it will end. I know, so dramatic.
Despite all of that, I think you just have to do what works best for you and your schedule...and right now what works best for me is treadmill running 2 days per week so that I can fit it in before work and get credit for the visits to the work gym (which lowers my health insurance).
I have to agree--even though I've never done it, I imagine that a treadmill run must be very boring. Even just going around my local 1/3 mile loop can be interesting, as it's around a pond and there's all sorts of things to notice. The only good thing potentially about the treadmill is that it's weatherproof! There's a gym at my office complex, but I'm not sure I want to spend the $$ to join it, when I consider that outdoor running is free! :lol: I thought about looking for a used one for home, becuase that would also eliminate some of the "hard to fit in" problems, but I have no space for one.
Thanks for the support, it means a lot! I'll definitely report back on Friday. :wave:
lukacseven
Well-Known Member
So, my 5K is the day after tomorrow. :lookaroun
I'll do as much as I can running, but I'm not even through Week 4 of the C25K program, as I haven't been able to get out running in over 10 days. I was hoping to be starting Week 6 this week.
Just curious, how often do you guys run outdoors vs. indoors/treadmill? I don't have access to a treadmill, so it's all outdoors for me, which makes it harder to fit in/easier to blow off.
I'll be in WDW next week, so I'm looking forward to some early am runs through Old Key West.
I only run on the treadmill when the weather doesn't allow for an outdoor run. Even then, I started going to a new gym back in October that has an indoor track, so I prefer the track. The treadmil is good for doing interval training, but you can also do that outdoors. They also have TVs, so it's not too boring, but it messes up your posture looking down at the screen. You aren't missing much.
I can see how indoor track would be preferable to treadmill; like the weather-proofness of it, too. I don't think I could look at television while running--it wouldn't feel like work then! :lol: Also, I've found that running seems to have improved my posture. When I started out, I had to focus really hard on just remaining upright :lol: I wound up standing up straighter all the time. Excellent side effect, though!!
Did it!!
Well, I've got my first 5K under my belt. :king:
Not only am I not dead, I'm really proud that I ran the whole first mile without stopping. In fact, I ran a lot more of it than I expected to; at one point, I tried to slow down to a walk, but my feet wouldn't let me, they still wanted to run. :lol: I'd guess that I ran at least 2 full miles of it, maybe a tiny bit more? Considering that I only got halfway through the C25K program, I feel pretty good about that. Also, running a course was so much better than just running a loop.
Official time was 37:32, which put me right in the middle of my age group.
Well, I've got my first 5K under my belt. :king:
Not only am I not dead, I'm really proud that I ran the whole first mile without stopping. In fact, I ran a lot more of it than I expected to; at one point, I tried to slow down to a walk, but my feet wouldn't let me, they still wanted to run. :lol: I'd guess that I ran at least 2 full miles of it, maybe a tiny bit more? Considering that I only got halfway through the C25K program, I feel pretty good about that. Also, running a course was so much better than just running a loop.
Official time was 37:32, which put me right in the middle of my age group.
lukacseven
Well-Known Member
I can see how indoor track would be preferable to treadmill; like the weather-proofness of it, too. I don't think I could look at television while running--it wouldn't feel like work then! :lol: Also, I've found that running seems to have improved my posture. When I started out, I had to focus really hard on just remaining upright :lol: I wound up standing up straighter all the time. Excellent side effect, though!!
One positive about he treadmill...if you watch ESPN or something with scrolling text, it forces you to reduce your head bob so you can read it.