SOSH Running Dogs

Marceline

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Sep 9, 2002
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My doctor says he would prefer that I not start running until I hit 300 lbs. I've set that as my goal for my birthday, April 16th ... at which point I will begin the C25K program. That will then give me another 4 months to prep for the Hartford half-marathon. I will sign up for that event.

In the interim, I will continue my walking program. I'm doing at least 6 miles a week right now (2+ miles, 3 days a week). Any suggestions that you all want to throw my way will be greatly appreciated.
If you want to improve your fitness beyond just walking and you can't run yet, one suggestion is you could walk on a treadmill set to an incline. I was doing workouts like this during my recovery from a stress fracture, when I couldn't run due to the impact on my foot. Set to 3 or 3.5mph and then raise the incline to 5% or so and you'll get a really good workout without having to subject your body to the impact of running.
 

rice not rose

eric van is my love doctor
SoSH Member
Dec 19, 2003
565
wayne, nj
If you want to improve your fitness beyond just walking and you can't run yet, one suggestion is you could walk on a treadmill set to an incline. I was doing workouts like this during my recovery from a stress fracture, when I couldn't run due to the impact on my foot. Set to 3 or 3.5mph and then raise the incline to 5% or so and you'll get a really good workout without having to subject your body to the impact of running.
Thanks for the suggestion, Joe. I joined my local Gold's Gym last night and will start in with that idea right away.
 

Bongorific

Thinks he’s clever
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Jul 16, 2005
8,433
Balboa Towers
Do any of you use the Nike + ipod thing? I have no idea what to get my sister for Christmas and was considering this as she runs a few days a week with her Nano. She has Brooks running shoes, so I would have to get one of those pouches that velcros onto the laces. Is it a helpful gadget or more of a novelty?
 

( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)

T&A
SoSH Member
Feb 9, 2010
5,302
Providence, RI
Do any of you use the Nike + ipod thing? I have no idea what to get my sister for Christmas and was considering this as she runs a few days a week with her Nano. She has Brooks running shoes, so I would have to get one of those pouches that velcros onto the laces. Is it a helpful gadget or more of a novelty?
I have one, but I use the wrist thing instead of the iPod. The wrist thing is pretty good, gives you your time, mileage and pace per mile. You can upload your times to a website, but I don't find that very useful. I find my chip to be fairly accurate within .001 or .002 of a mile. I also do not have Nike shoes but I bought this pouch pouch No issues with it.
 

rice not rose

eric van is my love doctor
SoSH Member
Dec 19, 2003
565
wayne, nj
If you want to improve your fitness beyond just walking and you can't run yet, one suggestion is you could walk on a treadmill set to an incline. I was doing workouts like this during my recovery from a stress fracture, when I couldn't run due to the impact on my foot. Set to 3 or 3.5mph and then raise the incline to 5% or so and you'll get a really good workout without having to subject your body to the impact of running.
Thanks for that suggestion, Joe. That's exactly what I've done.
 

FenwayFrenzy

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Jul 16, 2005
2,141
NYC
OK, I'm in!

I'll be doing the couch to 5k program as a start, ideally I'd like to do a 10k by September or October.

I need a suggestion on a race, though. Is anyone running in a NYC-based 5k in the spring or early summer?
 

PC Drunken Friar

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Sep 12, 2003
14,542
South Boston
Haha- I am a complete asshat...I have always seen this thread, but read it as Running of the Dogs...I never knew it was 81 pages long...i thought it was a thread about the Alaskan dog races or something.

I love to run, in the not-so-cold months, i usually do 5 miles, 5 or 6 times a week. In the winter, my route is usually cut to about 3 miles a day. A few months ago, when we had those 2 weeks in early November that were like 65+ degrees I wanted to se how much I could run. So on Sunday, i did my 5 miler but added another loop to make it 6.5. On Monday I upped it to 8, took tuesday off and Wednesday I just ran as much as I could. I got home something like 2 1/2 hours later and saw that I ran almost 19 miles. I could not walk up the stairs the next day! But I kept that schedule (sun-wed) for the next week and the 2nd time I did the big route, I felt fine within a half our or so. I have no real desire to run a marathon, I just wanted to see how far I could make it. Anyway, a couple running friends have made me promise to do at least a 1/2 Marathon with them this summer. I figure with all this going on for 8, I might as well sack up and do it.

Thanks for listening.

I am now gonna go run my 5 mile route in celebration of being able to wear a t-shirt and shorts in Boston on January 1st.
 

Sprowl

mikey lowell of the sandbox
Dope
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Jun 27, 2006
34,441
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First time, long time...

I used to run with a dog, but then he got old and there went my cardiac exercise for years. Now I'm a running dog again, and it's a lot easier without waiting around for a dog. I'm now back to running 5K once or twice a week between volleyball days. It feels great in the lungs, but hard on the heels. I have no particular goal or race in mind in running (in fact, running empties my mind), but maybe I'll try the Vancouver sun run this year.
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,878
Dallas
I'm in.

I'm in about as bad of shape as you can get. I'm 315 pounds on a 5'10'' frame. But I have until October to do it and I'm committed to finishing. I'm a student so I have a lot of time to run. I have some health issues but my doctor cleared me to work out and walk/jog/run so I'm ready to start.

Thanks in advance for your help guys. I'm new at this so I might ask a lot of questions.
 

Big D

Member
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Oct 5, 2000
671
NH Seacoast
I am feeling the nudge to participate in this wonderful challenge. I lost my sister (4 years ago) and my father (this year) to cancer and feel this would be a great thing to do in their memory as well as "8"'s. I have been a member of SoSH just about since it's inception back in the Globe and fastball days though I almost never post, but am on everyday gaining knowledge and usually having a good laugh due to someones witty prose.

I have never been very good at sticking to any kind of program. I will usually do it for a couple of weeks and then "find something better to do" with my time. Maybe a goal like this is what I need. I just don't really know where to start...

Oh, I am thinking of aiming at the Smuttynose half marathon that usually takes place in either September or October.
 

JGray38

Member
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Oct 31, 2003
3,044
Rockport, MA
The more the merrier! Ask away, there's plenty of good advice here. I would join Daily Mile and add the SoSH Running Dogs as a group. You'll get quite a bit of attention to any running questions there.
 

back_to_lawrence

New Member
Aug 14, 2006
1
Longtime lurker, first post and couldn't be happier for it to be for this thread. I'm a Boston ex-pat, living in a flyover state. Will be running (at least) two half marathons this year, the first in April and aiming for the BAA in October so I can catch an ALDS game or two. Joined both DailyMile and the SOSH Running Dogs Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber fundraising page. 100k or bust.
 

sass a thon

Member
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Jul 20, 2005
2,265
Just wanted to throw out a recommendation for the Hood to Coast documentary that was in theaters last night. It was only a one night engagement and should be out on DVD soon. It's a really well-done look at the H2C relay in Oregon and 4 teams who participated in 2008. I've said this before, but I will absolutely do that race someday.
 

Mooch

Member
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Jul 15, 2005
4,494
I haven't posted here since I ran the NYC Marathon but I'm currently training for the Albany, GA Snickers Half Marathon this March. Looking to break 1:37 and set myself up for a fall BQ marathon on a fast, flat course. So far, this training program is almost laughably easy compared to the sheer horror of the PFitz 18/55 death march but my body deserves a break after two full marathons in 2010. That said, I'm still eating like a marathoner, and having trouble fitting into my clothes.

I'll check in more frequently this Winter/Spring.
 

bosoxsue

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Aug 16, 2001
1,774
Haha- I am a complete asshat...I have always seen this thread, but read it as Running of the Dogs...I never knew it was 81 pages long...i thought it was a thread about the Alaskan dog races or something.
This made me laugh, as for the longest time I assumed this thread was for SOSHers who enjoyed greyhound racing.

Question: I've developed a shin splint in one leg for no good reason. No increase in mileage or departure from my routine. Do shin splints even occasionally plague people who are not beginners? Maybe I need new sneakers; I'm not good at keeping track of how many miles I have on each pair.
 

24JoshuaPoint

Grand Theft Duvet
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Nov 4, 2004
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This made me laugh, as for the longest time I assumed this thread was for SOSHers who enjoyed greyhound racing.
:lol:

Anyone ever have numbness develop in the front of the foot while running? I've had it come and go but it usually sticks around for a mile or more. Does it have anything to do with putting too much weight on the front of the foot? I find that leaning back a little further helps but i can't tell if that's the issue. Also - this foot was on the good leg when i had torn apart my other knee so it's possible my mechanics are off on one side. After running it's completely gone in a matter of minutes.
 

bosoxgrl

big fan of Seamen
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May 31, 2005
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This made me laugh, as for the longest time I assumed this thread was for SOSHers who enjoyed greyhound racing.

Question: I've developed a shin splint in one leg for no good reason. No increase in mileage or departure from my routine. Do shin splints even occasionally plague people who are not beginners? Maybe I need new sneakers; I'm not good at keeping track of how many miles I have on each pair.
Yes, I get bothered by them all the time. Do Fris' shin exercises and buy yourself some Zensa sleeves. I don't run without them.
 

sass a thon

Member
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Jul 20, 2005
2,265
This made me laugh, as for the longest time I assumed this thread was for SOSHers who enjoyed greyhound racing.

Question: I've developed a shin splint in one leg for no good reason. No increase in mileage or departure from my routine. Do shin splints even occasionally plague people who are not beginners? Maybe I need new sneakers; I'm not good at keeping track of how many miles I have on each pair.
Do you have super tight calves? Tight calves are the cause of so many running injuries. I've got major calf issues that I'm always trying to work through. For the last week or so my calves have been tighter than usual due to some tough crosstraining and downhill speedwork and as a result, I've had some annoying shin pain in my left leg. I'm fairly certain that if I keep stretching and eventually loosen my calf out, the pain will go away. Perhaps this could be the case for you, too?
 

bosoxsue

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Do you have super tight calves? Tight calves are the cause of so many running injuries. I've got major calf issues that I'm always trying to work through. For the last week or so my calves have been tighter than usual due to some tough crosstraining and downhill speedwork and as a result, I've had some annoying shin pain in my left leg. I'm fairly certain that if I keep stretching and eventually loosen my calf out, the pain will go away. Perhaps this could be the case for you, too?
Very much so on the tight calves. I pulled a calf muscle during the Manchester RR and almost wend down in a heap. Maybe I've overcompensated for that calf, as it's the other leg where the shin splint developed. Thanks for pointing out the possible connection; I'll work on stretching that area more. And bosoxgrl, appreciate the lead on the Zensah sleeves. That's a great idea.
 

sass a thon

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Jul 20, 2005
2,265
Very much so on the tight calves. I pulled a calf muscle during the Manchester RR and almost wend down in a heap. Maybe I've overcompensated for that calf, as it's the other leg where the shin splint developed. Thanks for pointing out the possible connection; I'll work on stretching that area more. And bosoxgrl, appreciate the lead on the Zensah sleeves. That's a great idea.
Calf sleeves, a foam roller, and ice should be your best friends. Use the roller and ice every single day, whether you run or not.
 

pokey_reese

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Jun 25, 2008
16,247
Boston, MA
Ok, signed up, going to run a half marathon. Haven't run more than 2 miles in my life, and even that was a long time ago. First question: What are foam rollers and what are they for? Also, since I will just be starting out, what pace should I be shooting for/are hills better than flat ground/etc.?
 

sass a thon

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Ok, signed up, going to run a half marathon. Haven't run more than 2 miles in my life, and even that was a long time ago. First question: What are foam rollers and what are they for? Also, since I will just be starting out, what pace should I be shooting for/are hills better than flat ground/etc.?
See my previous post on foam rollers.

Regarding pace, that is something you have to find out for yourself. Right now, as someone who is starting out, your main objective is to build endurance and learn how to run 13 miles. Building speed will come later and as a result of building your endurance. Don't get caught up in pace this early - it will only lead to injury. Endurance is key. Your weekly "long runs" should be done at a pace that is easy enough for you to have a conversation while you run. Sure, you might breathe a bit harder as a result of the talking, but it should be manageable. If you can't speak, you're running too fast.

As far as hills go, mixing in a few hills to your runs won't hurt, but don't get carried away with specified hill training just yet. Again: endurance is key.

Hope that helps. Welcome!
 

FenwayFrenzy

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Jul 16, 2005
2,141
NYC
My training isn't going so well -- I've been sidelined for the past two weeks with hip bursitis. I started physical therapy, but I'm at least 4-6 weeks away from training again.

It's frustrating because I haven't been this motivated in a long, long time.

Has anyone else had hip bursitis? Any suggestions on what I can do to stay "active" in the meantime? I think I'm going to swim a couple of times a week and focus on my core strength training.
 

Traut

lost his degree
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Jul 20, 2005
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I'm in week 11 of the 18 week FIRST Half Marathon program. I skipped the first 2 weeks of the program. After roughly 6 weeks, I feel stronger than ever. Having fewer but very focused and somewhat difficult runs is paying dividends. I feel like I could meet my goal of a sub 2 hour half tomorrow. I think come April, I'll be looking at something closer to 1:55. I look more muscular and feel better.

Has anyone else used FIRST? I'm going to use it for my marathon program this year.
 

cjdmadcow

Member
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Jul 16, 2005
1,477
St Albans, UK
As I mentioned in the thread on the main board, I'm in the UK and will join in this collective madness by committing to a 10K run here in my home town in October, a run which the company I work for founded and is title sponsor. It's more appropriate that I'll be walking/running/crawling for the cause that this run was set up for, which is a local hospice, so I hope that's ok with everyone?

Let's get the stats out of the way:
50 years old two weeks ago
5'10" / 230 pounds at the start of training
Used to be very active in sports but that was some time ago - consequence of that is having very dodgy knees now, so I'm walking at this early stage

Goals:
- to complete the 4-day hike to Machu Picchu in Peru (without being hospitalised) May 1-4 2011
- to complete the Herts 10K run on Sunday 9th October 2011

I've completed 6 proper walking sessions since training began, covering 37km in 7 1/4 hours and over two courses that both contain what the web site describe as two Cat 5 climbs. So far, I'm happy with the way things are going.

One other thing...I'm walking in my hiking gear and not sports gear. That is boots, hiking pants and fleece or waterproof jacket and carrying a small daypack, as I want to replicate as best I can the hike I'll do in Peru. A "friend" suggested I stick my head in a plastic bag while I walk as that would be the only way to replicate the altitude. I think he was joking!

Anyway, that's me. I'll need help over the coming months so expect to hear cries from across the Atlantic.

I am serious about achieving these goals but I don't intend to do it by cutting out the things in life I enjoy. It may horrify some of you to learn that as I sit here on the couch, listening to good music and enjoying the delights of a nice glass of Merlot, my next walk is due in less than 8 hours time. I'm too old to change everything and quite frankly, I don't want to.

It's all about moderation!

If anyone's interested, here's some links:

Herts 10K
Grove House Hospice

Map My Run only seems to have connectivity with Facebook and as I consider that to be the spawn of the devil and have no intention of ever having a Facebook account, if you are remotely interested in how I get on I'll be posting my times via my Twitter account here Tweet Tweet.

Good luck to all.

Colin
 

NortheasternPJ

Member
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Nov 16, 2004
19,272
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone in this thread and the other one. Since I decided to do this on December 23, I've run 72 miles. I'd never run over 7 miles before (which was 3 summers ago) and I just finished a 9.3 mile run in 1 hr 20 min flat. I'm planning on doing the Providence Half Marathon May 1st, but may try to do one before then as I'm much further along the way than I thought possible.

Weird thing is I have been eating better, stopped drinking any caffeine, drinking a bit less and haven't dropped a pound. i'm guessing some of that is muscle but I was hoping to be down 5-10 lbs at this point. Ohh well, I'm sure it will come.

My goal for the half is sub 2 hrs. If I can make it through the bitter cold and February I'm going to be good. I'm not looking forward to the next 5 weeks or so of weather.
 

24JoshuaPoint

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Nov 4, 2004
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Weird thing is I have been eating better, stopped drinking any caffeine, drinking a bit less and haven't dropped a pound. i'm guessing some of that is muscle but I was hoping to be down 5-10 lbs at this point. Ohh well, I'm sure it will come.
Yea it seems to happen after having not run in a while. I think i'm up around 120+ miles since mid December and i've only shed abut 3 pounds. But i'm guessing you are probably feeling and looking better as I generally just 'feel' stronger. Nice job on getting back in the swing.
 

( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)

T&A
SoSH Member
Feb 9, 2010
5,302
Providence, RI
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone in this thread and the other one. Since I decided to do this on December 23, I've run 72 miles. I'd never run over 7 miles before (which was 3 summers ago) and I just finished a 9.3 mile run in 1 hr 20 min flat. I'm planning on doing the Providence Half Marathon May 1st, but may try to do one before then as I'm much further along the way than I thought possible.

Weird thing is I have been eating better, stopped drinking any caffeine, drinking a bit less and haven't dropped a pound. i'm guessing some of that is muscle but I was hoping to be down 5-10 lbs at this point. Ohh well, I'm sure it will come.

My goal for the half is sub 2 hrs. If I can make it through the bitter cold and February I'm going to be good. I'm not looking forward to the next 5 weeks or so of weather.
I have not lost a lot of poundage either since starting to run more intensely. But my scale has a body fat % feature. I do not know how accurate a $30 scale is, but my body fat % has dropped like 300 basis points on the thing. So that's a great sign!
 

Traut

lost his degree
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Jul 20, 2005
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I have not lost a lot of poundage either since starting to run more intensely. But my scale has a body fat % feature. I do not know how accurate a $30 scale is, but my body fat % has dropped like 300 basis points on the thing. So that's a great sign!
This is great news. Once you start doing races you'll see that there's little correlation between weight and being in good shape. You'll see fatter people coast by and thinner people bringing up the rear. Of course the very fast are always thin and in good shape.

From experience, controlling diet is more important than exercise in weight loss.
 

steeplechase3k

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Oct 25, 2005
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I can't find it in a quick search, but I think someone posted here about what they use to carry the Nike+ chip thing in non-Nike shoes. I have a pair of Nike Trail shoes but my road shoes are non-Nike so I'll need a way to carry the chip.

Thanks...
 

GregHarris

beware my sexy helmet/overall ensemble
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Jun 5, 2008
3,460
New BQ times announced...

This is gonna make ti tough on us who are barely able to make the old times.

(note: no 59 second buffer anymore)

Age Group Men Women
18-34 3:05:00 3:35:00
35-39 3:10:00 3:40:00
40-44 3:15:00 3:45:00
45-49 3:25:00 3:55:00
50-54 3:30:00 4:00:00
55-59 3:40:00 4:10:00
60-64 3:55:00 4:25:00
65-69 4:10:00 4:40:00
70-74 4:25:00 4:55:00
75-79 4:40:00 5:10:00
80+ 4:55:00 5:25:00
 

TallerThanPedroia

Civilly Disobedient
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
25,544
Boston
New BQ times announced...

This is gonna make ti tough on us who are barely able to make the old times.
Harder to BQ, and even harder to actually get in the race:

2012 rolling registration dates

- Day 1 (Sept. 12) - Qualifiers who have met their age and gender qualifying standard (3 hours, 10 minutes for men aged 18-34 and 3 hours, 40 minutes for women 18-34) by a margin of 20 minutes or faster may apply for the marathon.

- Day 3 (Sept. 14) - Qualifiers who have met the standard set for their age/gender by a margin of 10 minutes or faster may apply.

- Day 5 (Sept. 16) - Qualifiers who have met their age/gender qualifying time by a margin of 5 minutes or faster may apply.

- Day 8 (Sept. 19) - Open to all qualifiers to register.

- Day 12 (Sept. 23) - Registration closes for qualified applicants. Registered qualifiers will be notified of their acceptance by Sept. 28.
So now if I squeeze out a 3:04:59 for the 2013 race, I have to wait until the eighth day of registration.
 

TheoShmeo

Skrub's sympathy case
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Jul 19, 2005
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Question for the SoSH runners:

I started running/training for the Sox Run to Home Base a few weeks ago. Started slow and still running just a mile a day (with some additional time on elliptical sans hand swinging). Some time before I started running, I slept on my shoulder oddly and it started hurting. Since I began running, the pain has morphed from my shoulder to my left chest muscles and my left arm. This could be nothing to do with the running. On the flip side, the running books and one of my friends who is also training with me points out that it's important to run without flapping my arms too much.

In any event, does this sound to seasoned runners like a typical malady that affects runners, particularly new ones? I'm a little flipped out by this and I absolutely need to complete the Sox race as I've raised over $6k thus far! Plus, I'm loving the running and the idea of being able to run 9K, and desperately don't want to stop for reasons that don't relate to the utter embarrassment it will create given the donations.

I know an obvious thought is to see a doctor, but I thought I'd check with the runners here first.
 

sass a thon

Member
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Jul 20, 2005
2,265
Question for the SoSH runners:

I started running/training for the Sox Run to Home Base a few weeks ago. Started slow and still running just a mile a day (with some additional time on elliptical sans hand swinging). Some time before I started running, I slept on my shoulder oddly and it started hurting. Since I began running, the pain has morphed from my shoulder to my left chest muscles and my left arm. This could be nothing to do with the running. On the flip side, the running books and one of my friends who is also training with me points out that it's important to run without flapping my arms too much.

In any event, does this sound to seasoned runners like a typical malady that affects runners, particularly new ones? I'm a little flipped out by this and I absolutely need to complete the Sox race as I've raised over $6k thus far! Plus, I'm loving the running and the idea of being able to run 9K, and desperately don't want to stop for reasons that don't relate to the utter embarrassment it will create given the donations.

I know an obvious thought is to see a doctor, but I thought I'd check with the runners here first.

Hmmm. I can't say I've ever had any upper body issues. But if it is running related, you're using your upper body WAY too much. Aside from running uphill, you should never be using your arms. You want to keep your arms, shoulders, and neck as relaxed as possible. Try keeping your arms at your sides so that it almost is like your hands could slide easily into pockets if you had them. Hope that makes sense....I heard an elite runner say that once and it's one of the most helpful things I learned.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
19,272
Ugh, I've completely fallen off the running wagon. Went to San Fran for work 3 weeks ago and had 0 time to run (and hurt my knee walking around in a shitty pair of dress shoes) last week sucked for work and so does this week. I'm going out for 3 today to see how it goes. I'm pretty pissed at myself and/or schedule.
 

bgo544

Member
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Nov 25, 2003
876
East Bay
Question for the SoSH runners:


In any event, does this sound to seasoned runners like a typical malady that affects runners, particularly new ones? I'm a little flipped out by this and I absolutely need to complete the Sox race as I've raised over $6k thus far! Plus, I'm loving the running and the idea of being able to run 9K, and desperately don't want to stop for reasons that don't relate to the utter embarrassment it will create given the donations.
I have had some intermittent upper body issues since I started running 2 months ago. Sass is right that your upper body should be relaxed and not moving much when you run, but this can be difficult to achieve for beginning runners. I notice that especially when I am struggling a bit, my shoulders get rounded and I hunch forward a bit and lower my head. This has led to some upper back and shoulder pain.

To combat this, I make sure to stretch my back & shoulders before and after runs. The stretching has made a big difference. I also try to pay more attention to my form - head up, shoulders back and relaxed, arms loose.
 

JGray38

Member
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Oct 31, 2003
3,044
Rockport, MA
Back on again, finally. Hopefully can stick with it. Picked up some nice new heavily cushioned shoes to combat the foot problems. Felt good.

As for upper body issues, yeah, run loose. I find that it starts with the hands. Keep your hands loose, and from rising too high, and the rest will follow. If you run with clenched fists, that tension rises up your arms and into your shoulders. Never let your hand clench into a fist. My wife makes fun of me, as my hands flop and roll all over when I run, but that's my way of keeping my arms and shoulders from tensing up.
 

Verryfunny2

Member
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Jul 22, 2005
708
Leeuwarden
9 weeks ago i started the couch to 5k program, with the support of the running dogs on Daily mile i can proudly say i finished the program today.

In those 89 weeks i ran 28 times for a distance of 58.44 miles. My weight has dropped from 196 pounds to 180 and my bmi dropped from 28 to 25. Im on my way to a healthier lifestyle. My next program will be to build up to 10k and ill be running my first 10k event on the 22 of May.

Id like to thank running dogs for their support and tips and ill see you on Daily mile :)
 

Traut

lost his degree
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Awesome news. C25k is such a great way to get started. Glad to see you're onto a 10k. Don't stop there. Go for the half this fall!!!
 

Mooch

Member
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Jul 15, 2005
4,494
Ran a great half marathon in Albany, GA yesterday: 1:38:45, PR'd by nearly 3 minutes and finished 31st overall. My hammys are killing me right now. Next big race (not counting some local 5/10Ks this spring) will be the Savannah Rock N Roll Marathon in November -- Hoping to break 3 1/2 hours for the first time.
 

sass a thon

Member
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Jul 20, 2005
2,265
Ran a great half marathon in Albany, GA yesterday: 1:38:45, PR'd by nearly 3 minutes and finished 31st overall. My hammys are killing me right now. Next big race (not counting some local 5/10Ks this spring) will be the Savannah Rock N Roll Marathon in November -- Hoping to break 3 1/2 hours for the first time.
Congratulations - that's a great time! And 31st overall - wow!
 

underhandtofirst

stud who hits bombs
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Jul 25, 2005
1,575
Chelmsford, MA
Ran a great half marathon in Albany, GA yesterday: 1:38:45, PR'd by nearly 3 minutes and finished 31st overall. My hammys are killing me right now. Next big race (not counting some local 5/10Ks this spring) will be the Savannah Rock N Roll Marathon in November -- Hoping to break 3 1/2 hours for the first time.
Congrats! That's a nice PR and finish in the overall results. You should on track to break 3 1/2 hrs if you can carry your fitness through the summer. In 2008 I ran 1:35 in Feb then 3:19 in Oct.

Keep an eye on those hammys. No need to rush back into intense training right away and tweak one of them. Enjoy that PR!
 

underhandtofirst

stud who hits bombs
SoSH Member
Jul 25, 2005
1,575
Chelmsford, MA
My training isn't going so well -- I've been sidelined for the past two weeks with hip bursitis. I started physical therapy, but I'm at least 4-6 weeks away from training again.

It's frustrating because I haven't been this motivated in a long, long time.

Has anyone else had hip bursitis? Any suggestions on what I can do to stay "active" in the meantime? I think I'm going to swim a couple of times a week and focus on my core strength training.
I missed this post before. I had a hip stress fracture a couple years ago and then a torn labrum last year. A lot of the reading I did led me to believe it was bursitis before I was diagnosed with the torn labrum. I ended up getting a cortisone shot and I felt like I could jump over buildings within a day or two. I got back into running on and off and I'm finally back in decent health. Get as much rest as you can to let it all settle down inside. I ran through my issues last summer which didnt help the healing process.

As far as other things to stay active, swimming sounds great if you can do that often. I've ice skated without any issues, but that's not an option for everyone.
 

underhandtofirst

stud who hits bombs
SoSH Member
Jul 25, 2005
1,575
Chelmsford, MA
New BQ times announced...

This is gonna make ti tough on us who are barely able to make the old times.

(note: no 59 second buffer anymore)

Age Group Men Women
18-34 3:05:00 3:35:00
35-39 3:10:00 3:40:00
40-44 3:15:00 3:45:00
45-49 3:25:00 3:55:00
50-54 3:30:00 4:00:00
55-59 3:40:00 4:10:00
60-64 3:55:00 4:25:00
65-69 4:10:00 4:40:00
70-74 4:25:00 4:55:00
75-79 4:40:00 5:10:00
80+ 4:55:00 5:25:00
I was bummed when this first came out, but I've read a few articles that lead me to believe they may have expanded the field slightly. Still kind of suprised they didnt cut down the women's Qual times because so many people thought that was the route they were going to take.

This is their race and they can run it any way they want. I'm all for higher standards in life so I can't be too critical of this. My goal now is to run 3:10 this fall so I can get in before the end of the first week in Fall 2012. This will give me the 5 min cushion I think is going to be necessary.

In any case, I'll be online in late Sep to throw in my time of 3:20:25 and hope it holds up over the 2nd full week (I'm not optimistic). Good luck to all who are going to try this fall.
 

pv21feet

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
180
Medfield
I was bummed when this first came out, but I've read a few articles that lead me to believe they may have expanded the field slightly. Still kind of suprised they didnt cut down the women's Qual times because so many people thought that was the route they were going to take.

This is their race and they can run it any way they want. I'm all for higher standards in life so I can't be too critical of this. My goal now is to run 3:10 this fall so I can get in before the end of the first week in Fall 2012. This will give me the 5 min cushion I think is going to be necessary.

In any case, I'll be online in late Sep to throw in my time of 3:20:25 and hope it holds up over the 2nd full week (I'm not optimistic). Good luck to all who are going to try this fall.
Might as well jump into the conversation here - I'm on the race's organizing committee. While there are always unofficial, internal conversations about how large the field can get*, I believe registrations are projected to remain fairly level in the near future. That said, going with three waves this year MAY, in theory, allow us to consider more runners without compromising the race operations and cities/towns' support infrastructures.

I know that after this year's registration process left so many folks disappointed (to put it mildly), the BAA put a lot of thought into developing a solution that would be as fair as possible to all parties. The 'rolling admissions' idea and higher standards should help to maintain the race's place as a world-famous running experience(/competition).

Feel free to shoot any Boston-related questions or comments my way. No, I don't have any waivers for you. :)

* I'm not talking about growing the field as big as the 100th - no one wants to do that again :lol:
 

Kremlin Watcher

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
5,233
Orleans, MA
... going with three waves this year MAY, in theory, allow us to consider more runners without compromising the race operations and cities/towns' support infrastructures.
I will be firmly at the back of the pack at the start again this year, only this time in the third wave! Got my race number yesterday: 22,247. Very excited based on much better training this year; shooting for a significantly better result than last year, although I think qualifying is only a faint glimmer in the distance.
 

underhandtofirst

stud who hits bombs
SoSH Member
Jul 25, 2005
1,575
Chelmsford, MA
Might as well jump into the conversation here - I'm on the race's organizing committee. While there are always unofficial, internal conversations about how large the field can get*, I believe registrations are projected to remain fairly level in the near future. That said, going with three waves this year MAY, in theory, allow us to consider more runners without compromising the race operations and cities/towns' support infrastructures.

I know that after this year's registration process left so many folks disappointed (to put it mildly), the BAA put a lot of thought into developing a solution that would be as fair as possible to all parties. The 'rolling admissions' idea and higher standards should help to maintain the race's place as a world-famous running experience(/competition).

Feel free to shoot any Boston-related questions or comments my way. No, I don't have any waivers for you. :)

* I'm not talking about growing the field as big as the 100th - no one wants to do that again :lol:
Is there an expectation they'll even get through the 1st week of registration? Based on last year's 8 hour registration period I dont see how they get past those with a 5 minute cushion, never mind get through 2 weeks when all who have a qualifying time are able to get in the race.

I like the idea of 3 starting times. Can the start handle 3 waves of 10-11k each instead of 2 waves of 14k each? That keeps the race away from the 38k of 1996, but more than the 27k in recent years.
 

pv21feet

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
180
Medfield
Is there an expectation they'll even get through the 1st week of registration? Based on last year's 8 hour registration period I dont see how they get past those with a 5 minute cushion, never mind get through 2 weeks when all who have a qualifying time are able to get in the race.
It will be interesting to follow next year. At the very least, this new process should reward accomplishment - beat your qualifying time by a wide margin, and you'll have a better chance to get in. Yes, folks who 'just' make their BQ might get locked out of the race, but that happens in the present system, too.

Can the start handle 3 waves of 10-11k each instead of 2 waves of 14k each?
In a word, yes.* This year, we'll be loading/unloading three waves with 8-9k each (plus a few more at the back of wave three) in a reasonable amount of time per wave. Before going to two waves years ago, we were able to fit 25k+ runners into the corral system, so that could be retweaked to accommodate more runners again, if necessary.

* Here's my IANAL speech: note this is all "in theory." I'm not speaking as an official rep of the race with regards to future plans. I'm just saying it could conceivably be done.
 

Kremlin Watcher

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
5,233
Orleans, MA
Headed to Boston Sunday morning to pick up my number and get ready to race. Really looking forward to this, as my training and race prep has been about a thousand times better than last year. Starting in the third corral at 10:40 with the rest of the charity runners and slowpokes. If you are so inclined, you can follow my progress at baa.org. My bib number is 22247. Still hurting mildly from various strains and sprains from a difficult training program, but feeling pretty good about my fitness and readiness to run. My goal is to break four hours.

More importantly, I will be running for The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge to raise money for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's program for innovative basic cancer research. Much like Traut's inspired vision of raising money for the Jimmy Fund, The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge asks athletes to dedicate themselves to both running a marathon and to raising funds for basic cancer research. I have dedicated this year's efforts to my father, currently recovering from radiation therapy for his cancer, and to my beloved aunt Liz, who is battling multiple myeloma. I will also be running in honor of my father-in-law Donnie, who we lost to cancer several years ago. As much as my selfish desire to improve my marathon time drives me, I am always reminded that, in running a marathon to raise money to fight cancer, my task is the easy one.

There is something extraordinary about running a marathon when you dedicate the effort to something greater than yourself. I mostly do athletics for selfish reasons; Monday I run for my dad, for my aunt, for Donnie, and for cancer patients everywhere who rely on institutions like Dana-Farber for the research and treatment without which cancer would stake a greater claim in all of our lives. Cancer touches almost all of us. Raising money for Dana-Farber gives me hope that we can do something about it.

If you are athletically inclined and haven't signed up for Traut's Jimmy Fund program, you should. It can change not only the lives of those for whom you raise money, but your own life as well.