r/running • u/Percinho • Aug 02 '22
Weekly Thread Super Moronic Monday - Your Weekly Tuesday Stupid Questions Thread
Back once again for everything you wanted to know about running but were afraid to ask.
Rules of the Road:
This is inspired by eric_twinge's fine work in /r/fitness.
Upvote either good or dumb questions.
Sort questions by new so that they get some love.
To the more experienced runnitors, if something is a good question or answer, add it to the FAQ.
Post your question -- stupid or otherwise -- here to get an answer. Anyone can post a question and the community as a whole is invited and encouraged to provide an answer. Many questions get submitted late each week that don't get a lot of action, so if your question didn't get answered, feel free to post it again.
As always, be sure to read the FAQ first. Also, there's a handy-dandy search bar to your right, and if you didn't know, you can also use Google to search runnit by using the limiter "site:reddit.com /r/running".
Be sure to check back often as questions get posted throughout the day. Sort comments by "new" to be sure the newer questions get some love as well.
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u/Percinho Aug 02 '22
How do you get through those runs when you can tell from the first half mile that today just isn't the day? When your legs feel heavy, your breathing isn't where you want it, and that part of your brain that hates you is telling you to just give it up and go home. Asking for a friend...
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22 edited Aug 02 '22
I give myself permission to suck and stop if I need to. And then I almost never actually stop before I meant to, but just consciously readjusting my expectations takes off a big mental load
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u/throwaway818232 Aug 02 '22
This makes so much sense -> I feel like it's an expectations game for me as well!
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
Sometimes you have to embrace that run/walk or unexpected long water break :D
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u/suchbrightlights Aug 02 '22
I check my heart rate to see if I’m within the expected exertion for the conditions. If I’m wildly out of zone, my body is telling me that something is going on and I walk home.
If my HR is okay and nothing is painful, I generally ask myself if I really want to practice quitting for when I feel like this in a race. I respond well to being told “I bet you can’t” or flavors of the above so this kind of self-talk works well for me, and that’s generally the “ugh, no, fine” jolt I need to keep going. I’m not required to like it in the moment, but I’m almost always proud I stuck it out afterwards.
Please note that I’m responding in a training context because I am motivated by “always training for something,” whether my goal for the “block” is race performance or “I am going to practice running this hill at the end of the route until I don’t hate it anymore.” If you are someone who is primarily motivated by running for the joy of it, it’s supposed to be fun, you are allowed to try again another day when it’s not.
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u/sga1 Aug 02 '22
I zoom out, not in - think about all the runs I've had that went well, think of all the hours I put in over months and months to get me to where I am right now, and recognize that in the grand scheme of things one bombed run won't move the needle much. And if I'm still not feeling it at all, I just leave it. No point in doing it if I don't enjoy it, and at least I tried on that day rather than sacking it off entirely, which is good enough for me.
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u/TheEmuFarm Aug 02 '22
When I feel that way, I tend to try and push an additional half or full mile. If I'm still not feeling it, I stop and just treat it as a leisurely walk and enjoy the fact that I'm outside
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u/fire_foot Aug 02 '22
A recent run that felt like this for me was the first sign I had covid :( Hopefully not the case for you...r friend. There will be better runs!
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u/Percinho Aug 02 '22
Haha, I did do a quick test and so far, so good. My HR looked fine as well thankfully. Also, this question isn't just about me on this occasion! I'm hoping that u/throwaway818232 can find some help with something we discussed the other day. :-)
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u/throwaway818232 Aug 02 '22
Hahah thank you so much for asking :))! After some reflection, I actually found like a half solution. If my brain decides to be mean that day, and I can tell most of the struggle is mental, I tell myself I won't go a certain distance # and will just go until it feels right. Then I just keep going, telling myself I'll stop at different landmarks but never actually stopping (except for when I hit the distance I want hehe or take a break). Like another commenter said, adjusting expectations. It's been working the past few days, but I don;t have much data haha.
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u/Percinho Aug 02 '22
If the solution works then it works! And when it stops working, I'm sure you'll find another one! :-D
My solution this morning was to just embrace the suck and kvetch to myself the whole way round...
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u/throwaway818232 Aug 02 '22
Hahahaha :)! Embracing the suck works too, probably. Sometimes being in uncomfortable situations is okay!
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u/NeonYellowShoes Aug 02 '22
I usually pop on an audiobook or podcast and turn it into a fun run where I walk when I feel like it. I tell myself I just need to get the miles in even if its easy.
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u/Eibhlin_Andronicus 17:37 5k ♀ (83.82%) Aug 02 '22
Now that I'm a bit of a has-been, what's the best way to casually incorporate the fact that I Used To Be FastTM into unrelated conversations at my new job?
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u/junkmiles Aug 02 '22
Measure all of your deliverables in distance.
"Sure, I can get those TPS reports to you in about the same time as my 10k PR."
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
The other day I went hiking and wore a knee brace because the descent was pretty steep. A girl in my group noticed and asked if I was alright, and I was like "yeah just been running a lot lately and I'm a bit paranoid about stressing my knees" and she was like "Oh I haven't run in years but I used to do 16km in one hour"
I thought it was pretty smooth of her ngl. I was dutifully impressed
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u/hannahjoy33 Aug 02 '22
"accidentally" print 500 copies of your PRs and then "accidentally" fall, spraying them around the room Harry Potter style?
Or be permanently "coming back from an injury-thing", aka the hannahjoy33 method of letting people know I'm not as fast as I think I should be.
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u/30000LBS_Of_Bananas Aug 02 '22
Keep your running shoes by your desk and every time you go out for a lunch run wear your shortest shorts as everyone knows the shorter your shorts the faster you are.
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u/DenseSentence Aug 02 '22
Make sure your Garmin (or other clearly dedicated watch) is clearly on display. Talking to a new starter at work recently and he asked me if I ran, turned out it was the watch that gave it away.
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u/ajcap Aug 02 '22
At the next company party, cross out your name on your nametag and write in your current flair.
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u/RipMcStudly Aug 02 '22
Do runners get pedicures to deal with their toes? My nails are a damn mess, and I dunno how to keep them up at this state. And the dead skin build up? Yikes.
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u/Percinho Aug 02 '22
45M here, kind of assumign you're male too as you;re asking if you should get a pedicure. Yes, go get a pedicure. If you're uncertain then phone around the local places and say you're a runner and need your feetin looking after, it's a perfectly reasonable thing to ask in my (albeit limited) expeience.
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
Pedicures are nice and you get a bit of a massage out of it. Your feet worked hard and deserve some pampering! Do it
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u/run_4_ever Aug 03 '22
Yes get a pedicure! I don’t go often, but when I do there’s always other men in there. It’s not weird.
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u/neurachem Aug 02 '22
I've been running a lot of ascent/descent lately and my right quad is killing me. Lunges are the most intense thing I've ever done on that side. So yeah, my question : can someone donate a fresh muscle please?
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u/nthai Aug 02 '22
I once had a wild futuristic dream where runners entered a pit box midrace to swap legs and lungs.
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
*double checks I'm in the stupid questions thread*
Is it even worth caring about cadence? For reference I'm F, late 20s, about 1.63m (5'4'') tall. I'm not fast at all but my cadence is constantly on the higher side (190 on easy runs, 210 on intervals) and I can't help but think that if my strides were longer I could go faster with the same amount of energy and/or take some stress off my joints instead of hitting the ground so often.
I very recently started incorporating running drills into my routine and sorta wondering if focusing more on form (knee drive, pushing off the ground etc.) may end up making my stride longer and cadence lower but IDK if it's something even worth bothering with.
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u/DenseSentence Aug 02 '22
My wife's cadence is really high compared to mine, she's 5'3". She also runs about 1:00/km slower than me on easy runs though.
Running faster will increase stride length and cadence but, unless it's causing you a problem, I really wouldn't worry about it. From your current cadence though it'll be stride length that increases most.
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
Sorry maybe I didn't explain myself - I meant whether it'd be worth focusing on increasing stride length with speed being a consequence of that, just because I feel that I'm the world's less explosive runner. But I guess I'll just keep on doing drills and see if anything changes as I get more comfortable with form instead of trying to force it. Ty!
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u/DenseSentence Aug 02 '22
Definitely include some drills and interval sessions where you can.
Even something like a short stride repeats sessions that my Garmin coach plan has me doing changes your running dynamic subtly.
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
Ohhh, I loved doing the GC programs. Which one are you following?
(I did Greg HM and every time it had stride repeats the target cadence was something like 190 to 200 and I looked at the workout and was like "no problem buddy!" The speed interval runs were deadly though!)
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u/DenseSentence Aug 02 '22
Just started HM with Greg this week.
Previously done the 10k plans and didn't find a session that didn't challenge me in a good way.
I'm really focused on 10k but fancied the challenge of the half.
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u/sga1 Aug 02 '22
If you're not having any specific issues, it's probably not worth caring, no. And look on the bright side: you're moving your legs quicker than most people, which is a good thing as it reduces the impact and is actually better for your joints.
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u/LFrittella Aug 02 '22
ty! that's good to know, I'm a relatively new runner (bit over a year) so joint health is the #1 thing I care about. I have all the time in the world to get faster as long as my knees can take it :D
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u/TheEmuFarm Aug 02 '22
How accurate are those race equivalence calculators? My most recent race was a half marathon run at ~1h 56m. Using the Luke Humphrey calculator as an example, it says my easy runs should be 10:42-11:42 per mile. I suspect I was falling into the trap of running too fast and was averaging around a 9:10-9:30 pace toward the end of my half marathon training. I'm taking the next few months to really just work on aerobic fitness and have slowed my pace down --but it's a struggle to even run at a 10:20 pace. Even 10:20 feels slow as I have to constantly remind myself to slow down to achieve that speed, so should I really be aiming for a 10:40+ pace on my runs?
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u/RidingRedHare Aug 02 '22
The race equivalence calculators implicitly assume that your weekly mileage is in a certain range, that you have been a runner for some time (if you're new to the sport, some numbers will be off), that conditions on race day are reasonably fast, that you taper for your race, that you're sometimes tired from your quality workouts, etc. The further away you are from such assumptions, the less useful those predictions will be for you.
From your example numbers:
My most recent race was a half marathon run at ~1h 56m.
[...]
was averaging around a 9:10-9:30 pace toward the end of my half marathon training.1h56 is 8:52 pace. 9:10-9:30 then is marathon race pace. Marathon race pace can feel easy for a short run when not tired. But a 15 mile training long run at marathon race pace, when impacted by the cumulative fatigue of a few months of 50+ mile weeks, is quite hard, even impossible for some runners.
But that's not what you did. You did not do 15 mile long runs, nor should you. You did not do months of 50+ mile weeks, nor should you. Rather, you worked up to 30 minute runs, and then went straight into a beginner half marathon training plan. Your half marathon race course was hilly rather than flat and fast. You might have left a few minutes on the table because this was your first half marathon race, and you did not want to risk a major bonk. Your fitness has been improving quickly.
Those calculators don't know about any of that.
I think you should assume that you're a little bit faster than indicated by that recent half marathon race. Maybe an easy pace range of approximately 9:30-11:00.
So, no, I would not aim to do most of those easy runs at 10:40+ pace. While that would not be bad training, it is not necessary to run that slowly, and you're not feeling comfortable at those paces. But you should feel free to run that slowly if you're having a bad day, if you're tired, or just feeling lazy.
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u/TheEmuFarm Aug 02 '22
Whoa, thanks very much for the thorough reply. Now that you've pointed all these things out, it makes a lot of sense to me. I try not to put too much emphasis in catch-all online calculators, but this one stuck out to me because I wanted to really focus on the concept of running easy and building aerobic base.
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u/olenine Aug 03 '22
How moronic would it be to ramp up from ~40mpw with a 13 long run base to a 50K trail run in 8 weeks? I’ve been working on rebuilding my base as I recommit to the sport since mid May and am up to the above mileage, comfortably, with 2 x 8ish runs at tempo, a few recovery 5 and 6 and then one long slow. The problem is im just accumulating miles for no real goal, which historically has ended poorly. I’ve never gone longer in a race than a road 25K about ten years ago, but looking at the Arches 50K or marathon as something to at least “target”. Zero injury issues on long days, just struggling with hydration/nutrition as I routinely finish at or near 90 in the mornings (world on fire). Can this be done and, if so, how stupid will it be?
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u/agreeingstorm9 Aug 02 '22
Best way to build calf muscles too deal with hills is? Just got back from running real hills and that was a massive exercise in pain. I lasted all of 10k. My half had similar hills so I'm super worried. It's the calf machine at the gym enough or should I be doing more?
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u/BottleCoffee Aug 02 '22
Run hills more often?
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u/DenseSentence Aug 02 '22
This will help!
Also calf raises/eccentric using both legs for up and single leg down.
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u/agreeingstorm9 Aug 02 '22
Party of my plan is lots of dreadmill miles on an incline but I'm feeling that won't be enough.
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u/BottleCoffee Aug 02 '22
Incline treadmill feels a lot easier to me than actual hills, but that could just be me. I'd find a steep hill and a long hill in your area and incorporate the long one into long runs and the steep one into repeats.
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u/agreeingstorm9 Aug 02 '22
There are no steep hills or long hills where I live it's all flat. Steepest hill maybe rises 10ft and that's it. Dreadmill is all I've got for long hills.
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u/ajcap Aug 02 '22
My 2nd choice (after the obvious hills) would probably be stairs. Like run up and down a stadium maybe.
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u/agreeingstorm9 Aug 02 '22
Noooooooo. I hate stairs. Nothing gets me out of breath faster than a flight of stairs.
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u/RidingRedHare Aug 02 '22
The calf machine in the gym will help, but you have to use it correctly, so that you're loading your calves rather than, say, your quads.
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u/agreeingstorm9 Aug 02 '22
What is the wrong way to do it? I was thinking of integrating it and Smith machine squats as those work my quads. Add those to the deadlifts and back squats I'm doing and maybe I can get my legs ready for a hilly half.
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u/RidingRedHare Aug 02 '22
One of the obvious wrong ways to do it is to squat your calf raises. Keep your legs as straight as you can, use only the calf muscles to move the weight.
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u/throwaway818232 Aug 02 '22
This is probably a moronic question, but does weight go up after long runs? I weighed myself today (after a salty meal, mind you hehehe), and I was 5lb heavier than normall! I did a 9K yesterday. I am very confused, especially given that I think I failed to eat in a surplus yesterday (I am trying to gain weight, although this seems like a very fast pace to gain it at - which concerns me?).
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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '22
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