Runners-can you help? XP on GIS

radleyboo · April 2013

Hi girls. I posted this on Getting in Shape too, but I know there are a bunch of runners here so I thought I'd ask this group too.

I am currently training for a 10k that I will run on May 11th. I'm still a novice, I've run a few 5ks, but that's about it. I am running 3 times per week and cross training 2 times per week. My runs during the week are 3-4 miles, and my longer runs are Saturdays, this week will be 5 miles. I feel like I'm doing ok, my pace is generally around the 9:30 per mile mark, give or take 5-10 seconds.

I have two questions:

When I'm running, my lower back tends to tighten up. Do you have any thoughts or ideas on how to prevent that or ease the pain?

What are some effective tips for picking up my pace just a smidge? I'd like to be closer to the 9 min mile mark by race day, I have a month to do it. Is it a longer stride? Faster steps?

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!

peekaboo2011 · April 2013

I don't know about the lower back thing - my spasms are either at the base of my neck or shoulderblade.

As far as pacing, are you a music runner? Jog.fm will give you music based on your mile pace.

Also, your pace is awesome! I average a 10:00-10:30 on a good day, so I'm impressed!

Blue & White · April 2013

I also want responses to question 2!

I'm training for a 5K and all our runs so far have been sub-50 degrees. Great, right? When it was 75 yesterday and I was DYING (and it was only 2 miles or so). My FI also couldn't finish his run yesterday (and he's usually better than me.) I'm hoping we survive our next runs (tomorrow) so I can say yesterday was a fluke.

We need our min/mi time to sign up for the 5K and right now it's seriously like...way the heck over 10 min/mi. I think it was 12 min/mi the last time we ran continuously. I think I'm taking smaller steps like deliberately to save energy. Is that even possible?

Help

radleyboo · April 2013

@Peek, yeah, I wear my earbuds and either use Pandora or just use my iPod when I run. I'll try Jog.FM and see if it helps, thanks for the tip!

@Blue & White, I have found that my runs will totally vary depending on what I've eaten, how I slept the night before, the stress I'm under, and especially how hydrated I am. If I'm low on water, I feel like total crap when I'm running. I have a Camelbak water bottle that holds 26oz, and I try to have at least 2 of those before my runs and 1 after, it makes a huge difference. I also usually have a banana about a half hour before I run, just for some energy.

One of my best friends is running the 25k leg of the race I'm running, and she always says, 'You'll have good runs and bad runs, it's just trying to get something out of each one you do.' She's right. Some days I feel like Usain Bolt, other days, I feel like snail in peanut butter. Good luck to both of you as you train, we can do this!

peekaboo2011 · April 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_runners-can-you-help-xp-on-gis?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:ec374e60-aaa8-448e-af6c-67f95b834520Post:f3c6627a-af35-43a4-b28b-8f16c84d5020">Re: Runners-can you help? XP on GIS</a>:
[QUOTE]One of my best friends is running the 25k leg of the race I'm running, and she always says, 'You'll have good runs and bad runs, it's just trying to get something out of each one you do.' She's right. Some days I feel like Usain Bolt, other days, I feel like snail in peanut butter. Good luck to both of you as you train, we can do this!
Posted by radleyboo[/QUOTE]

<div>True. Life.</div><div>
</div><div>The past two weeks I've had absolutely horrid runs. Like, can't even make it half a mile. The hardest part with those is I get out there, and I'm completely pumped to run, and then it's like everything is off. I don't hurt, I just can't do it, and then I start thinking, get too far into my own head, and it's the end of it. I can't explain it, it's like I start to panic about it.</div><div>
</div><div>So, if anyone has any advice on how to deal with that, that'd be awesome.</div>

Blue & White · April 2013

Peek, I thought yesterday might have been a bit of a special panic. I have some issues overheating (and have had a few panic attacks about it in the last year) so I think maybe the increased heat is messing with my head a little. I'm hoping if I push through it, I'll be able to convince myself I'm fine

I do need to make sure I drink like 10x more water than I think I need (that's what I do with diving and it tends to not stress me out as much, haha)

radleyboo · April 2013

Here is a link to an article on posture that one of the girls on GIS shared, good info. I know I'm guilty of running with my head down, looking at my feet. Could be the source of my back issues:

http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/perfect-form

@Peek-Take note of how you are treating your body when you aren't running. Rest, food, hydration. If you're treating yourself well, your body can completely handle a 1-2 mile run, but don't feel like you have to go that far. Maybe try a walk/run combo for a few days to get back into it. Do you have a running buddy? That might help too! You can do it!

doubleSS07 · April 2013

I've not had spasms in my lower back either but like pee k I do sometimes get really tight in my upper shoulders and neck and it's usually when I'm struggling. I recently took a running clinic with a rep from the Newton running shoe company (awesome shoes BTW) and he gave us some great tips for improving form like not striding too far forward and more like kicking your foot back. He started out by having us skip and then going in to the stride and slightly leaning forward. I have to say it has helped immensly with any little aches and pains (knees, hips, shoulders) and it has improved my time a smidge.

I too want to shave some time off and he did say that it is a process to do that. You have to watch your cadence and slowly kick it up doing things like sprints every couple of minutes and tempo runs. I agree with your friend though, it's awesome if you can just get a little something out of each run. So even if you don't get the time you hoped for, you still finished your first 10K!

peekaboo2011 · April 2013

I'm just going to leave this here.

LaSak87 · April 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_runners-can-you-help-xp-on-gis?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:ec374e60-aaa8-448e-af6c-67f95b834520Post:dce92b7d-29d1-42d6-9c59-0b7797fbdff1">Re: Runners-can you help? XP on GIS</a>:
[QUOTE]Snail in peanut butter. I like that. Pretty appropriate for me and my 12 minute mile over here.
Posted by buggle2[/QUOTE]
High five for slowness!

PrincessJas · April 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_runners-can-you-help-xp-on-gis?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:ec374e60-aaa8-448e-af6c-67f95b834520Post:c8cf5a93-a84d-4d5f-b57a-fb1db1cf1c54">Runners-can you help? XP on GIS</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi girls. I posted this on Getting in Shape too, but I know there are a bunch of runners here so I thought I'd ask this group too. I am currently training for a 10k that I will run on May 11th. I'm still a novice, I've run a few 5ks, but that's about it. I am running 3 times per week and cross training 2 times per week. My runs during the week are 3-4 miles, and my longer runs are Saturdays, this week will be 5 miles. I feel like I'm doing ok, my pace is generally around the 9:30 per mile mark, give or take 5-10 seconds. I have two questions: <strong>When I'm running, my lower back tends to tighten up. Do you have any thoughts or ideas on how to prevent that or ease the pain?</strong> <strong>What are some effective tips for picking up my pace just a smidge? </strong> I'd like to be closer to the 9 min mile mark by race day, I have a month to do it. Is it a longer stride? Faster steps? Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Posted by radleyboo[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>In response to the first question, definitely read the article PP posted from Runner's World. Every once in a while on you runs, "check-in" with your posture. For me, my lower back used to hurt more than any other part of my body after longer runs, mainly because I have very large breasts and they make it very easy to hunch forward!!! You will probably also notice your form degrading towards the end of your run, so pay more attention when you start to fatigue. Another, longer-term solution is to increase your core strength. It will help to improve your posture and prevent you from hunching forward.</div><div>
</div><div>In response to the second question, the common adage is "You can only run faster if you run faster", or something like that. Start incorporating speed workouts into your weekly routine. These can take the form of sprints on a track, fartleks (e.g., alternate sprinting and recovering between successive lightposts), or even hill repeats, which train the same muscles. Don't try to go out for a 3 or 4 mile run and just run the whole thing faster than you normally would - start with short, faster intervals, and slowly make them longer. Also, from my experience of years of running both short and long distance, dropping 30 seconds per mile in a month for a 10K is probably a little too ambitious, but it's a great multi-month goal!! (I'm in the process of trying to trop 3 minutes/mile off my marathon time, and I'm giving myself a full year to do it).</div><div>
</div><div>If you really want to improve, I would recommend going and poking around the Runner's World website (<a href="http://www.runnersworld.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.runnersworld.com</a>) and reading their articles on training for specific distances, training for novices, and speed work.</div><div>
</div><div>Good luck!!

</div>

cu97tiger · April 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_runners-can-you-help-xp-on-gis?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:ec374e60-aaa8-448e-af6c-67f95b834520Post:dce92b7d-29d1-42d6-9c59-0b7797fbdff1">Re: Runners-can you help? XP on GIS</a>:
[QUOTE]Snail in peanut butter. I like that. Pretty appropriate for me and my 12 minute mile over here.
Posted by buggle2[/QUOTE]

<div>Another high five from a slow-a$$ runner.</div><div>
</div><div>Like PrincessJas said, take one of your regular weekday runs and turn it into a track workout. You don't need a track to do it, either. I used to find a street that had street lights, and I'd sprint from one street light to the next, then sloooowly jog to the next, then sprint to the next. Repeat for 15'ish minutes. You can google 'speed workouts' and find about a trillion of them!

WRT your lower back spasms... You might need a shoe with more cushion, or you might need to adjust your running style. You might be a heel striker which can be really tough on your back. Also, make sure you FULLY stretch out your back before you run.</div><div>
</div><div>PS - YAY for runners! Slow or fast, we all rock.</div>

moonraffe · April 2013

Like other people said, check your posture. I have to constantly evaluate how my body is when I'm running so that I don't hunch over, it's so easy to do. Core strengthening will also help with your posture, Pilates is my friend. As for your speed, when you increase speed you want to have a quicker turnover of foot strikes, so you actually want to shorten your stride a bit. Speed work (as also mentioned above) is your friend, you can make a huge difference by incorporating it into your workout. Also (not saying YOU need this, as I don't know you), losing weight can change your pace completely. When I lost 10 pounds, my speed changed by about 30-45 seconds/mile. I have plenty of weight to lose though, so please don't take that as a good idea if you are at your healthy happy weight. In addition, losing 10 pounds in a month is also questionable as a good idea. One more side note: 10Ks are my favorite distance, it gives me eough time to really hit my stride, but isn't so long as to wipe me out. I'll need a nap this weekend after my half marathon I'm doing.

Stina51286 · April 2013

The back issue, I have no idea.

Interval training helps with speed work. Im between 9 and 9:30 min miles. I have a half on May 19, and I'd really like to get under the 2 hour mark. My fastest was 2:05 with an IT injury.

Google interval workouts, these are great to do at tracks.

radleyboo · April 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_runners-can-you-help-xp-on-gis?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:ec374e60-aaa8-448e-af6c-67f95b834520Post:9a59b39e-c068-4b7b-acb6-d1cd1717d1bf">Re: Runners-can you help? XP on GIS</a>:
[QUOTE]Like other people said, check your posture. I have to constantly evaluate how my body is when I'm running so that I don't <strong>hunch over</strong>, it's so easy to do. Core strengthening will also help with your posture, Pilates is my friend. As for your speed, when you increase speed you want to have a quicker turnover of foot strikes, so you actually want to shorten your stride a bit. Speed work (as also mentioned above) is your friend, you can make a huge difference by incorporating it into your workout. Also (not saying YOU need this, as I don't know you), losing weight can change your pace completely. When I lost 10 pounds, my speed changed by about 30-45 seconds/mile. I have plenty of weight to lose though, so please don't take that as a good idea if you are at your healthy happy weight. In addition, losing 10 pounds in a month is also questionable as a good idea. One more side note: 10Ks are my favorite distance, it gives me eough time to really hit my stride, but isn't so long as to wipe me out. I'll need a nap this weekend after my half marathon I'm doing.
Posted by moonraffe[/QUOTE]

@Moonraffe: I am a terrible huncher! I watch the ground big time. Once this rain dissipates I'm going to be making a conscious effort to keep my chin up and eyes on the trees instead.

Thank you everyone! I agree, runners rule!!!!

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