I don’t have a particular question or topic in mind today, so I thought I’d open up the floor (again — we did this once before and it worked out great). What’s on your mind?
Have a question? Or a thought to share?
Something cool/funny/sad/exciting/etc. that happened this week?
Any accomplishments or goals you reached? Running-related, or not?
Also, I wanted to share a couple of newsletters I’ve come to read and love lately:
Julie Hughes’s Run to Write, a daily email for writers who love running (and runners who love writing), and
Neal Bascomb’s Work/Craft/Life — you’ll be hearing more from Neal soon in this space, as he wrote an amazing biography of Roger Bannister called The Perfect Mile, a new edition of which will be out soon.
If I don’t hear from you, have an awesome, awesome Friday 👍 — Terrell
Just wanted to say I'm scaling back a little on running, finished my 36th H/marathon, May 28th, at Ft Benning GA,,,, the day before I turned 70....
Just wanted to share it's never to late to Start... Did my 1st h/m in N'ville in '02, month before turning 50..... I finished my 35th one back in N'ville a month before turning 70!!!!!!!!! Feel so Blessed to be able to still do what I love.... Have had 3 back surgeries,,,, and 3 foot surgeries,,,, but the worse thing I could do for myself is to Quit.....
I did a Woman's Half in Savannah GA April 2nd,,,,, N'ville Rock n Roll Apr 23, then Ft Benning May 28------+ 3 with no down time.... Have done only 20 miles this week and has felt great. I'm doing the Runners World streak, till July 4th.
Will do! If you’d like to read more, “Stingy Nomads” has some great online guidebooks/writing about the ‘Camino del Norte’, Muxia/Finesterre route” and ‘Camino Ingles’ routes- all great possibilities for next year spring for a run/walk pilgrimage. Many choose to go on to the “end of the earth” (before we knew better), a few days to Muxia/Finesterre from Santiago.
I recently changed my diet from being a vegetarian/ vegan for 16 years to eating some meat occasionally simply because I was starting to feel very weak and like I was hitting a wall in terms of my running goals. This week I went on my first 10k run since this diet change and ran my fastest mile in a really long time! Really exciting to feel stronger! Hope everyone has a great weekend
Thanks so much for sharing this, Gabriella! This is really interesting to me, because I've been considering cutting back significantly on how much meat I eat. How strict were you with your vegetarian/vegan diet? Did you ever eat fish?
Yeah it been really cool to see such a big difference with my diets. As a vegetarian I was pretty strict. I did that for about 13 years before going full vegan. Vegan was even more strict! That was for 3 years. I started my journey back into meat with fish first at the beginning of this year! That was really nice. I was running really well on that diet & I discovered how delicious lobster rolls were so, win win. I instantly felt stronger when I started with chicken and beef though. Total difference there! It’s been about 3 months since I’ve first started so I’m excited to see where that takes me!
It has been quite a while since my last “ultra”, but looking forward to pacing the MCM 50k this fall in DC! So, one idea I’ve had in my mind and heart is organizing a multi-day running Ultra Pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, along north coast of Celtic Spain, to cover 100-200k over 4-7 days… have taken small walking groups and helped lead retreats there the past 7 years, and observed how beautiful it is to run along the trails and coast, and incredible international fellowship as one stays in pilgrim hostels and meets fellow outdoors lovers, spiritual and cultural explorers :-)
Shin Splints. How long to recover before I start running again? Was on my last run before my taper to do a marathon and ended up missing the race. Been two weeks now and still can’t run.
Tried running a couple times as part of my taper but no way would hold up for 26 miles. Letting it rest and hoping to get back to it this weekend. Just sucks not being able to run.
Started the Runner's World Streak on Memorial Day -- to run at least 1 mile a day for 36 days to July 4th. Today is Day #19. Thank you and have a great weekend.
What is everyone's go -to/favorite cross training exercise? Mine is yoga. I started doing it seriously 7 years ago and it has been a complete game changer and kept me running healthy and injury free. Running and yoga complement each other like beer and pretzels.
Agreed, Kevin! Iyengar Yoga is what I have done since I was 22. My fastest times were when I was putting in the miles and coming home to do 1.5 hours of yoga afterwards! Running became my go to for a while--did not do cross -training, and boy, oh boy,did the physical fitness slip. After realizing what I had done to myself, I'm back to shorter distances with yoga after every run. Must say, it makes a huge difference. My body and mind are beginning to feel normal again!
I have always wanted to try yoga in a sustained way. I've done it here and there, but I would imagine the benefits would really come when you do it every day, or at least regularly. How often do you do it?
Definitely rhe day after a long or hard run....and on days when running has seem to catch up to me! But yoga has completely changed the way I stretch even after a strength session. It teaches you how your body is SUPPOSED to move if that makes sense. Favorite teachers are Melissa Wick and Kassandra on youtube.....
I am in the middle of a get faster 5k program...just finishing first cycle (4 weeks) and about to start the 2nd cycle. I've hovered around 27min for years...have slowed down a ton with more halfs on the schedule. Seeing if i have it in me to reach the elusive 26 min mark. I like it - pushing me!! Happy Friday and Weekend Terrell and crew.
What's your 5K program... I was always told tempo runs are the key to getting faster... as they say, you need to push it to get faster... I'm confident you will hit the 26 min mark...
This is so awesome, Michelle! I love the shorter distances because they let you really let it rip with speed -- it's fun to just let fly and run as fast as you can sometimes, isn't it? Feels like being a kid again.
I have such a mental block on this...I literally will STOP midway or some other crazy mental hiccup. Anywhooo...trying to improve and will report back...race is July 9th (super hot time usually here in NY). Thanks Terrell
Can you send out the half marathon training guide you used earlier in the year but the whole thing as I will be starting training soon for a Sept race.
Terrell, super cool and generous of you to share Run to Write here! Thank you. I would love to share an achievement here...my first 50K is in the books! :) WOOHOO. It was hard and awesome! Thanks again!
May 28th! It was at Highland Forest, Fabius NY. GORGEOUS! I'm blessed to live only 20 minutes away. The trails are beautiful. I loved that the run was 3 loops so I had my hydration set up as I went through the start/finish. It was a great run for my first and highly recommend it. Thank you for asking.
Terrell, You’re a prince for recommending my newsletter and so happy to have made a connection with you. I was out running today, thinking about how much my love for it came from my own father. Watching him lace up his shoes in the morning early, then take off down the path until he rounded a corner. He always returned happier than before, and that stuck with me. Anyway, good morning to all and hope you take a look at this new avenue of my writing. Best, Neal Bascomb
That is awesome Neal… I often have the same parental positive running thought on XC courses, and really any time at a race. My mom coached most of her life (several state champion teams in Michigan), competitive runner herself, and dragged me around in backpack or tow somehow, as I grew up (she was a single mom)… some of my best memories were on team bus rides with dozens of high school girls and XC camps each summer :-)
Very nice. I tried to rope my kids into XC. Thought I had a convert (her team won state in her freshman year) but the call of theater was too great. Alas, I'll have to leave it to my writing to recruit others to the sport!
Neal I love this! I hope my love of running will be passed down to my children as well. It really is special...something about those quiet morning runs...the best thinking. Thank you for sharing.
He was a daily runner until his late 40s. Definitely the one who pushed me into cross country, which I ended up loving. Still do. Nature runs are the best
After a rough year of teaching 7th graders & dealing with Covid, masks, lockdowns, students’ mental issues, war in Ukraine, human trafficking, upcoming elections, the homelessness in my city, etc., I felt myself getting REALLY negative. That’s not my nature. I wake up happy & see good on about everyone I meet.
So I decided to start looking for miracles in my life & those around me. I even started a journal to capture them in writing. It’s been fun to think of things that have happened in my life that were amazing. My mom & sister & husband jumped on board & keep pointing out miracles they remember or we experienced together. It’s been really helpful for me—mentally, spiritually, & emotionally. It’s even given me more to think about when I run! (Some of my best ideas & memories come to me when I’m running!)
My older sister like to look for heart-shaped objects. Clouds, rocks, shadows, leaves, anything. Amazing how many you see when you start looking. Now she has the rest of us doing it.
That is such a great idea, Corrina -- you're so right, it's the thing(s) we focus on that our attention gets directed towards, and our life becomes about. Great idea.
Running for 55 years, have had it a few times. When you feel it coming on (pain in the first steps of a morning), switch into cross-training mode immediately. Bike, water-running, get the weight off the foot. Also, don't carry anything heavy (luggage in the airport) while you are recovering. Also, I put a little extra ethofoam under the arch of the foot in the shoe to help support the fascia. It is a slow heal, but it will. Also, I would switch to running on sand (beach), or the rubber track for a while. Stay off the feet as much as you can while still staying active.
I had it twice! M<y doctor looked at my shoes and just shook his head... I wore the boot... for what seemed like forever... then SLOWLY started running again... I understand there are injections you can get and I've heard rolling a frozen water bottle helps the swelling... The only thing I know for sure, it will heal...
I was beginning to get it a few weeks ago, but then I read an article about how wearing flip-flops (which I wear, a lot) can cause, or at least contribute to, plantar fasciitis. I got rid of them and got some new running shoes, too, and I can tell a big difference already -- the pain I was feeling every day, especially in my left foot, has almost completely faded away now.
To be honest, I just kept running & after about a year and a half it disappeared. The same thing happened to both of my sisters (they run) & our mom (who does not). My PT told me it would eventually disappear.
I'm recovering from it myself now. I have been resting for 5 weeks and I'm going to try to go for a short run this weeknd to see how healed it is...
One of the things I tried that seemed to help me was to use a TENS unit to "shock" the area on my foot. After doing that a few times I did seem to feel an improvement.
It’s the third Friday of the month and that means “Keep it light!” So, with that in mind, how about sharing your favorite signs you have seen along the way in your races. I’ll start it off with 3 of my favorites: 1) at Disneyworld in 2008, Sharpie had placed a series of signs to lighten the mood … “Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of a bottle?”; 2) at Nashville Rock ‘n Roll in 2018 … “I trained for four months … to draw this sign”; 3) at Spacecoast (Cocoa, FL) in 2021 … “This sign canceled due to Covid19”
I would love to hear from others about how they have treated/prevented lower back pain at longer mileage. It never happens to me during marathon training, perhaps because I'm running slower on those long runs (even at the 20-milers), but on race day, my back starts to go around mile 19 and it has happened to me the last two marathons. Some have told me yoga, so I've gone back to that on cross-training days. Others swear by glute bridges--so I'm doing those again. I do work a desk job, and I feel like that counteracts how active I am with all the running and has given me a weak spot in my back. Would love to hear your thoughts/suggestions.
Qigong excercise first thing in morning helps my back and body-mind-breathwork a great deal… there are always free live sessions on Insight Timer or you can YouTube search for YOQI for beginners!
I agree Mark, I get mine in before I get coffee, the alarm goes off and down to the workout hall I go to get them done. I can't run on an empty stomach but I sure can stretch and lift on one crazy
I do what's called deep sit ups... On a sit up frame.. switch your position. It's like leaning over a bed and having sitting on your lower body ... You go down and make an "L" and then with your hands behind your head, you come up level or slightly higher... hope I'm explaining it correctly... it works your core and lower back. START SLOWLY!!! Also, while lying in bed, do leg lifts... go up about two feet and work up to 25 reps then 50...
I have a 5 day a week training cycle and a set of pre and post activity stretches. An example of the daily morning work is a mix of lumbar and theoretic rotations, hip flexor stretches', bridges and adductor rocking, that gets mixed in with standard strength training and single leg balance work. Pre-run/ride are active stretch's like high knee, butt kicks, lateral lunge, high kick, and ankle hops. Post run/ride are static stretches like prone press-up (yoga Cobra), figure 4 stretch, and couch stretch's
I developed this issue last year and it got so bad I had to pull out of a marathon before I got it looked at, I know silly me. Since then I have done some PT and it has been diagnosed as a pinched nerve in the lumbar area. I have not been able to tell which one yet as it takes almost 2 hours of running before it gets bad. and 3 before i have to quit as I can't left my leg to run. I have been put on stretches of the lower back and strength training of the hips and and thighs. so far it seem to be helping I am a little quicker and can go into the 2 hour range without an issue. Let me know if you want a list of exercises. I will send along the ones that my trainer uses on me. I would say you should have it looked at to be sure that there is not any other issues.
I was told at one time that I needed to get more flexible ... I found out, it takes a long time and you have to keep it up to maintain it... AS they say, stretch before you start hurting...
If your job gives you access to benefits, check it with a physiotherapist who specializes with runners. They will get you going the right way, and can give you strength training exercises. Strength training is so good and important for us as well!
This week was rough in terms of running however did complete a full 8 miles today! Only six more weeks until first Half Marathon!
You'll love it.... Where is that, and what kind of weather this time of year??
The weather will be around a high of 77 degrees and Camarillo in in Ventura County, CA!
Way to go, Hayley!! 🙌 What race will your first half be?
Camarillo half marathon!
Just wanted to say I'm scaling back a little on running, finished my 36th H/marathon, May 28th, at Ft Benning GA,,,, the day before I turned 70....
Just wanted to share it's never to late to Start... Did my 1st h/m in N'ville in '02, month before turning 50..... I finished my 35th one back in N'ville a month before turning 70!!!!!!!!! Feel so Blessed to be able to still do what I love.... Have had 3 back surgeries,,,, and 3 foot surgeries,,,, but the worse thing I could do for myself is to Quit.....
So let's keep moving.....
Love that, Betty!! 👏 And, happy belated birthday! What’s prompting the scaling back?
I did a Woman's Half in Savannah GA April 2nd,,,,, N'ville Rock n Roll Apr 23, then Ft Benning May 28------+ 3 with no down time.... Have done only 20 miles this week and has felt great. I'm doing the Runners World streak, till July 4th.
Will do! If you’d like to read more, “Stingy Nomads” has some great online guidebooks/writing about the ‘Camino del Norte’, Muxia/Finesterre route” and ‘Camino Ingles’ routes- all great possibilities for next year spring for a run/walk pilgrimage. Many choose to go on to the “end of the earth” (before we knew better), a few days to Muxia/Finesterre from Santiago.
How did you get into leading yourself there? What an amazing adventure that must be.
Former Franciscan brother- many moons ago, but still keep the contemplative, retreat and earth-loving parts of the charism :-)
Educational Psychologist & Logotherapist now.
My biggest recent running win — that also has non-running benefits — has been:
Monthly. Pedicures.
I don't know why it took me this long to outsource this critical aspect of my running health and happiness to a professional. It's worth every cent.
OK BYE happy Friday! And GO GET A PEDICURE.
Yes!!!!! Pedicures are a must!!!!
The ten at the bottom are no less important that the one at the top.
Maybe even more! Cost a lot less, too! :)
They are Great. . .especially when you have a hard time seeing what you are doing to your toes--includes me for a very long time!:)
You’ve convinced me!!
I recently changed my diet from being a vegetarian/ vegan for 16 years to eating some meat occasionally simply because I was starting to feel very weak and like I was hitting a wall in terms of my running goals. This week I went on my first 10k run since this diet change and ran my fastest mile in a really long time! Really exciting to feel stronger! Hope everyone has a great weekend
Thanks so much for sharing this, Gabriella! This is really interesting to me, because I've been considering cutting back significantly on how much meat I eat. How strict were you with your vegetarian/vegan diet? Did you ever eat fish?
Yeah it been really cool to see such a big difference with my diets. As a vegetarian I was pretty strict. I did that for about 13 years before going full vegan. Vegan was even more strict! That was for 3 years. I started my journey back into meat with fish first at the beginning of this year! That was really nice. I was running really well on that diet & I discovered how delicious lobster rolls were so, win win. I instantly felt stronger when I started with chicken and beef though. Total difference there! It’s been about 3 months since I’ve first started so I’m excited to see where that takes me!
First, congrats to Julie in 1st 50k!!
It has been quite a while since my last “ultra”, but looking forward to pacing the MCM 50k this fall in DC! So, one idea I’ve had in my mind and heart is organizing a multi-day running Ultra Pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, along north coast of Celtic Spain, to cover 100-200k over 4-7 days… have taken small walking groups and helped lead retreats there the past 7 years, and observed how beautiful it is to run along the trails and coast, and incredible international fellowship as one stays in pilgrim hostels and meets fellow outdoors lovers, spiritual and cultural explorers :-)
I would LOVE to go on one of these! A friend of mine has been on a trip there this spring to walk some of the trails... they look amazing.
My Golly! I looked at photos on Google Maps. Very reminiscent of North Dakota and the Midwest in late summer, early fall! Gorgeous country!
Great Idea! Keep us posted! :)
Shin Splints. How long to recover before I start running again? Was on my last run before my taper to do a marathon and ended up missing the race. Been two weeks now and still can’t run.
Great question, Jimmy. A little bit of quick Googling turned up this: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17467-shin-splints#management-and-treatment
It looks like they recommend a very gradual return to running and exercise -- have you tried that? (Or, you may need to wait a week or two longer.)
Tried running a couple times as part of my taper but no way would hold up for 26 miles. Letting it rest and hoping to get back to it this weekend. Just sucks not being able to run.
Started the Runner's World Streak on Memorial Day -- to run at least 1 mile a day for 36 days to July 4th. Today is Day #19. Thank you and have a great weekend.
NICE!!!! Way to go, Thomas!
What is everyone's go -to/favorite cross training exercise? Mine is yoga. I started doing it seriously 7 years ago and it has been a complete game changer and kept me running healthy and injury free. Running and yoga complement each other like beer and pretzels.
Swimming … for me, it’s a total workout
Agreed, Kevin! Iyengar Yoga is what I have done since I was 22. My fastest times were when I was putting in the miles and coming home to do 1.5 hours of yoga afterwards! Running became my go to for a while--did not do cross -training, and boy, oh boy,did the physical fitness slip. After realizing what I had done to myself, I'm back to shorter distances with yoga after every run. Must say, it makes a huge difference. My body and mind are beginning to feel normal again!
I have always wanted to try yoga in a sustained way. I've done it here and there, but I would imagine the benefits would really come when you do it every day, or at least regularly. How often do you do it?
Definitely rhe day after a long or hard run....and on days when running has seem to catch up to me! But yoga has completely changed the way I stretch even after a strength session. It teaches you how your body is SUPPOSED to move if that makes sense. Favorite teachers are Melissa Wick and Kassandra on youtube.....
I am in the middle of a get faster 5k program...just finishing first cycle (4 weeks) and about to start the 2nd cycle. I've hovered around 27min for years...have slowed down a ton with more halfs on the schedule. Seeing if i have it in me to reach the elusive 26 min mark. I like it - pushing me!! Happy Friday and Weekend Terrell and crew.
What's your 5K program... I was always told tempo runs are the key to getting faster... as they say, you need to push it to get faster... I'm confident you will hit the 26 min mark...
Steve love your confidence for me! Here is the website I used https://www.runningfastr.com
This is so awesome, Michelle! I love the shorter distances because they let you really let it rip with speed -- it's fun to just let fly and run as fast as you can sometimes, isn't it? Feels like being a kid again.
I have such a mental block on this...I literally will STOP midway or some other crazy mental hiccup. Anywhooo...trying to improve and will report back...race is July 9th (super hot time usually here in NY). Thanks Terrell
Can you send out the half marathon training guide you used earlier in the year but the whole thing as I will be starting training soon for a Sept race.
Thanks
Sure! It's here: https://www.halfmarathons.net/18-week-half-marathon-training-schedule/
Great thanks
Terrell, super cool and generous of you to share Run to Write here! Thank you. I would love to share an achievement here...my first 50K is in the books! :) WOOHOO. It was hard and awesome! Thanks again!
That's amazing. Looking forward to reading your stack.
Thanks Neal! Same to you
Congrats!! Look forward to reading more, and sharing some too…
Awesome Mark!
Way to go Julie...
Thank you so much Steve! It proved to me once again that what I say to myself matters! Mindset all the way.
This is AWESOME, Julie!!! When did you do it? And where did you run it?
May 28th! It was at Highland Forest, Fabius NY. GORGEOUS! I'm blessed to live only 20 minutes away. The trails are beautiful. I loved that the run was 3 loops so I had my hydration set up as I went through the start/finish. It was a great run for my first and highly recommend it. Thank you for asking.
Terrell, You’re a prince for recommending my newsletter and so happy to have made a connection with you. I was out running today, thinking about how much my love for it came from my own father. Watching him lace up his shoes in the morning early, then take off down the path until he rounded a corner. He always returned happier than before, and that stuck with me. Anyway, good morning to all and hope you take a look at this new avenue of my writing. Best, Neal Bascomb
That is awesome Neal… I often have the same parental positive running thought on XC courses, and really any time at a race. My mom coached most of her life (several state champion teams in Michigan), competitive runner herself, and dragged me around in backpack or tow somehow, as I grew up (she was a single mom)… some of my best memories were on team bus rides with dozens of high school girls and XC camps each summer :-)
Very nice. I tried to rope my kids into XC. Thought I had a convert (her team won state in her freshman year) but the call of theater was too great. Alas, I'll have to leave it to my writing to recruit others to the sport!
Neal I love this! I hope my love of running will be passed down to my children as well. It really is special...something about those quiet morning runs...the best thinking. Thank you for sharing.
That's so cool, Neal! Was he an everyday runner? And did he run races too? So glad you chimed in 👍
He was a daily runner until his late 40s. Definitely the one who pushed me into cross country, which I ended up loving. Still do. Nature runs are the best
After a rough year of teaching 7th graders & dealing with Covid, masks, lockdowns, students’ mental issues, war in Ukraine, human trafficking, upcoming elections, the homelessness in my city, etc., I felt myself getting REALLY negative. That’s not my nature. I wake up happy & see good on about everyone I meet.
So I decided to start looking for miracles in my life & those around me. I even started a journal to capture them in writing. It’s been fun to think of things that have happened in my life that were amazing. My mom & sister & husband jumped on board & keep pointing out miracles they remember or we experienced together. It’s been really helpful for me—mentally, spiritually, & emotionally. It’s even given me more to think about when I run! (Some of my best ideas & memories come to me when I’m running!)
Anyway, that’s my two cents. Look for miracles. 🥰
I agree it's been a tough year... I can't imagine teaching grade schoolers who have the attention span of a gnat... what you've done is a miracle ...
My older sister like to look for heart-shaped objects. Clouds, rocks, shadows, leaves, anything. Amazing how many you see when you start looking. Now she has the rest of us doing it.
Yes! This is awesome Corrina! :) Bravo!!
That is such a great idea, Corrina -- you're so right, it's the thing(s) we focus on that our attention gets directed towards, and our life becomes about. Great idea.
Plantar Fasciitis. What works for people? I rehab and get rid of it for weeks at a time but like a bad penny it comes back.
Running for 55 years, have had it a few times. When you feel it coming on (pain in the first steps of a morning), switch into cross-training mode immediately. Bike, water-running, get the weight off the foot. Also, don't carry anything heavy (luggage in the airport) while you are recovering. Also, I put a little extra ethofoam under the arch of the foot in the shoe to help support the fascia. It is a slow heal, but it will. Also, I would switch to running on sand (beach), or the rubber track for a while. Stay off the feet as much as you can while still staying active.
I had it twice! M<y doctor looked at my shoes and just shook his head... I wore the boot... for what seemed like forever... then SLOWLY started running again... I understand there are injections you can get and I've heard rolling a frozen water bottle helps the swelling... The only thing I know for sure, it will heal...
I was beginning to get it a few weeks ago, but then I read an article about how wearing flip-flops (which I wear, a lot) can cause, or at least contribute to, plantar fasciitis. I got rid of them and got some new running shoes, too, and I can tell a big difference already -- the pain I was feeling every day, especially in my left foot, has almost completely faded away now.
No more flip flops... shoes with support....
Rest. It’s the only thing!
To be honest, I just kept running & after about a year and a half it disappeared. The same thing happened to both of my sisters (they run) & our mom (who does not). My PT told me it would eventually disappear.
I'm recovering from it myself now. I have been resting for 5 weeks and I'm going to try to go for a short run this weeknd to see how healed it is...
One of the things I tried that seemed to help me was to use a TENS unit to "shock" the area on my foot. After doing that a few times I did seem to feel an improvement.
It’s the third Friday of the month and that means “Keep it light!” So, with that in mind, how about sharing your favorite signs you have seen along the way in your races. I’ll start it off with 3 of my favorites: 1) at Disneyworld in 2008, Sharpie had placed a series of signs to lighten the mood … “Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of a bottle?”; 2) at Nashville Rock ‘n Roll in 2018 … “I trained for four months … to draw this sign”; 3) at Spacecoast (Cocoa, FL) in 2021 … “This sign canceled due to Covid19”
At the Vermont City Marathon: “We’ve been trying to reach you about your extended automobile warranty “
Running the Ocala Marathon in 2012... the last hill was a bitch.... "No Beer If You Don't Finish!!"
🤣🤣🤣 Love them!
My favorite was a couple of years ago in Raleigh, NC: "Run faster, Jeff! The dishes aren't going to wash themselves!"
Love it!!!
Great one!
Love these, Dave!
I would love to hear from others about how they have treated/prevented lower back pain at longer mileage. It never happens to me during marathon training, perhaps because I'm running slower on those long runs (even at the 20-milers), but on race day, my back starts to go around mile 19 and it has happened to me the last two marathons. Some have told me yoga, so I've gone back to that on cross-training days. Others swear by glute bridges--so I'm doing those again. I do work a desk job, and I feel like that counteracts how active I am with all the running and has given me a weak spot in my back. Would love to hear your thoughts/suggestions.
Qigong excercise first thing in morning helps my back and body-mind-breathwork a great deal… there are always free live sessions on Insight Timer or you can YouTube search for YOQI for beginners!
I agree Mark, I get mine in before I get coffee, the alarm goes off and down to the workout hall I go to get them done. I can't run on an empty stomach but I sure can stretch and lift on one crazy
I do what's called deep sit ups... On a sit up frame.. switch your position. It's like leaning over a bed and having sitting on your lower body ... You go down and make an "L" and then with your hands behind your head, you come up level or slightly higher... hope I'm explaining it correctly... it works your core and lower back. START SLOWLY!!! Also, while lying in bed, do leg lifts... go up about two feet and work up to 25 reps then 50...
I have a 5 day a week training cycle and a set of pre and post activity stretches. An example of the daily morning work is a mix of lumbar and theoretic rotations, hip flexor stretches', bridges and adductor rocking, that gets mixed in with standard strength training and single leg balance work. Pre-run/ride are active stretch's like high knee, butt kicks, lateral lunge, high kick, and ankle hops. Post run/ride are static stretches like prone press-up (yoga Cobra), figure 4 stretch, and couch stretch's
I developed this issue last year and it got so bad I had to pull out of a marathon before I got it looked at, I know silly me. Since then I have done some PT and it has been diagnosed as a pinched nerve in the lumbar area. I have not been able to tell which one yet as it takes almost 2 hours of running before it gets bad. and 3 before i have to quit as I can't left my leg to run. I have been put on stretches of the lower back and strength training of the hips and and thighs. so far it seem to be helping I am a little quicker and can go into the 2 hour range without an issue. Let me know if you want a list of exercises. I will send along the ones that my trainer uses on me. I would say you should have it looked at to be sure that there is not any other issues.
I was told at one time that I needed to get more flexible ... I found out, it takes a long time and you have to keep it up to maintain it... AS they say, stretch before you start hurting...
If your job gives you access to benefits, check it with a physiotherapist who specializes with runners. They will get you going the right way, and can give you strength training exercises. Strength training is so good and important for us as well!
I wonder this too, Caroline -- do you have the option to have a standing desk? I wonder if that might help.
I agree...