2020 Fretboard Virtual Running Club

Iamnobody

mcsdan said:

Iamnobody said:

drofluf said:

...especially if you’re 20k from home

The weird thing is with this ITB issue it gives me a warning (about 1k before it’s too painful to run) and gradually gets worse. IfI stop the run and walk there’s no pain. Whereas when I buggered my knee up ( medial ligament) I could barely walk and had to stop running for around 3 months altogether.

Check your posture when running. Often the IT band isn't at fault. It is very strong and can withstand many times your body weight. However I've seen many times that posture can overload over muscles like TFL (Tensor fascia Latae) which is top of your quad/hip - roughly where that little pocket on front of jeans is. This can get overloaded quite easily, get tight and since it joins/crosses ITB it pulls on it and hence makes it tight. Not the ITB tight but the TFL pulling on ITB. Likewise with the PSOAS muscle which is linked to lower back and posture. So worth checking that these aren't tight. Variation on the lunge work well.

Strong glutes also help control the pelvis and leg rotation which lead to less overload of the smaller support muscles and no tight IT band.

Some videos below:-

Hope these help

TFL Stretch

TFL roll - I prefer this with a ball - gets right in there

PSOAS Stretch

I also find split squats/bulgarian split squats really help get a stretch on this area.

Some info on issues with trying to stretch the IT band - most stretches I've seen actually stretch other muscles not the ITB.

Cheers. It’s great that you share your knowledge. 

I’ll have a good look at those - 7.2k pain free today with no suggestion it was going to come on so that’s positive. The run was preceded by a 2k walk and plenty of warm up stretches.

mcsdan

Iamnobody said:

Cheers. It’s great that you share your knowledge. 

I’ll have a good look at those - 7.2k pain free today with no suggestion it was going to come on so that’s positive. The run was preceded by a 2k walk and plenty of warm up stretches.

No problem - happy to point people in the right direction to keep running. I am actually a UK Athletics licensed running coach so fairly used to helping out runners

Good to hear a pain free run today for you. Keep it going

mcsdan

20 miles hilly off road for me this morning. Really pleased with this run since I've done the same 20 miler twice before now in June and July but this time I was 45 mins quicker and average heart rate was only 1bpm higher than before. So the same level of effort but much quicker. Felt absolutely fine and took it easy since I have another long run tomorrow.  Pleased with progress although still a way to go but heading in the right direction.

mcsdan

Another 10 miles this morning. Felt surprising good. Total for August 151.4 miles. A bit off where I'd planned due to tooth probs and missing some runs but more importantly the runs are feeling good.

Iamnobody

mcsdan said:

Another 10 miles this morning. Felt surprising good. Total for August 151.4 miles. A bit off where I'd planned due to tooth probs and missing some runs but more importantly the runs are feeling good.

Great stuff. That’s some a mileage tooth problems or not!

What are your thoughts on frequency of running for the erm...older gentleman?

I currently limit myself to twice a week at the moment due to injury concerns and as a few posts ago upped the distance to try and make the most of each run

However, if I’m sensible with the stretching and cool downs etc would you recommend more runs in a week. 

I should say on the days I don’t run I’ll pull 10k on a concept 2 rower or lift weights so it’s not like I do nowt on the non-running days. 

I’m thinking about walking the kids to school and running home weather depending (for them more than me) that could be up to 5 days a week. 2k walk to school as a warm up then maybe a 5k route home.

mcsdan

@Iamnobody ;; key things for the older runner are

- recovery takes longer

- changes should be more gradual

- strength work

You are doing strength work so that's good - assume you are doing leg/hip work in there e.g. squats/deadlifts/lunges etc and not just doing some arm curls.

You base fitness should be fine with the current runs and the cross training you are doing. So just a case of managing the extra impact forces on the body.

Don't recommend going from 2 runs a week to 5. This will most likely end in injury. Start with 1 extra run a week taking it to 3 runs.

Some key points:

- leave at least a day in between runs.

- Start short and easy for the extra run e.g. perhaps 2k for a week, then upto 3k and so on or alternatively go by time e.g. 10 mins, 15 mins. Keep the pace really easy - the aim is to get the body used to the extra run, build consistency and adapt before picking up the pace.  I say again, keep it easy. You should finish the run thinking you could have done more - that will come later.

- Continue with your cool down and stretching plus other cross training - that's all good. Add in some foam rolling especially of areas that you know get tight.

- Keep the distance of your other runs the same as your are currently doing.  Only have one of those runs at your faster pace. The other should be easy as should the new additional run.

- the new shorter run is a good opportunity to practice your running form. In particular posture and keeping the head up and body not slouching - imagine helium balloon tied to top of your head pulling your body up. Keep a level pelvis. Short quick steps (upping cadence) 2k for example is great to practice this sort of thing without it getting tiresome and will have benefit to the other runs you do.

- listen to your body. If a 1k jump feels too much one week then stay at the previous distance.

3 runs a week is a good platform to make solid progress.  See how you get on with this.  Although it may feel like slow progress, it will only take a month to introduce the 3rd run and get to 5k distance but importantly the increase will still allow you to continue with the other runs and make progress hopefully without injury.

Hope this helps and update to see how you are getting on.

Good luck

Iamnobody

mcsdan said:

@Iamnobody ;;; key things for the older runner are

- recovery takes longer

- changes should be more gradual

- strength work

You are doing strength work so that's good - assume you are doing leg/hip work in there e.g. squats/deadlifts/lunges etc and not just doing some arm curls.

You base fitness should be fine with the current runs and the cross training you are doing. So just a case of managing the extra impact forces on the body.

Don't recommend going from 2 runs a week to 5. This will most likely end in injury. Start with 1 extra run a week taking it to 3 runs.

Some key points:

- leave at least a day in between runs.

- Start short and easy for the extra run e.g. perhaps 2k for a week, then upto 3k and so on or alternatively go by time e.g. 10 mins, 15 mins. Keep the pace really easy - the aim is to get the body used to the extra run, build consistency and adapt before picking up the pace.  I say again, keep it easy. You should finish the run thinking you could have done more - that will come later.

- Continue with your cool down and stretching plus other cross training - that's all good. Add in some foam rolling especially of areas that you know get tight.

- Keep the distance of your other runs the same as your are currently doing.  Only have one of those runs at your faster pace. The other should be easy as should the new additional run.

- the new shorter run is a good opportunity to practice your running form. In particular posture and keeping the head up and body not slouching - imagine helium balloon tied to top of your head pulling your body up. Keep a level pelvis. Short quick steps (upping cadence) 2k for example is great to practice this sort of thing without it getting tiresome and will have benefit to the other runs you do.

- listen to your body. If a 1k jump feels too much one week then stay at the previous distance.

3 runs a week is a good platform to make solid progress.  See how you get on with this.  Although it may feel like slow progress, it will only take a month to introduce the 3rd run and get to 5k distance but importantly the increase will still allow you to continue with the other runs and make progress hopefully without injury.

Hope this helps and update to see how you are getting on.

Good luck

mcsdan said:

@Iamnobody ;;; key things for the older runner are

- recovery takes longer

- changes should be more gradual

- strength work

You are doing strength work so that's good - assume you are doing leg/hip work in there e.g. squats/deadlifts/lunges etc and not just doing some arm curls.

You base fitness should be fine with the current runs and the cross training you are doing. So just a case of managing the extra impact forces on the body.

Don't recommend going from 2 runs a week to 5. This will most likely end in injury. Start with 1 extra run a week taking it to 3 runs.

Some key points:

- leave at least a day in between runs.

- Start short and easy for the extra run e.g. perhaps 2k for a week, then upto 3k and so on or alternatively go by time e.g. 10 mins, 15 mins. Keep the pace really easy - the aim is to get the body used to the extra run, build consistency and adapt before picking up the pace.  I say again, keep it easy. You should finish the run thinking you could have done more - that will come later.

- Continue with your cool down and stretching plus other cross training - that's all good. Add in some foam rolling especially of areas that you know get tight.

- Keep the distance of your other runs the same as your are currently doing.  Only have one of those runs at your faster pace. The other should be easy as should the new additional run.

- the new shorter run is a good opportunity to practice your running form. In particular posture and keeping the head up and body not slouching - imagine helium balloon tied to top of your head pulling your body up. Keep a level pelvis. Short quick steps (upping cadence) 2k for example is great to practice this sort of thing without it getting tiresome and will have benefit to the other runs you do.

- listen to your body. If a 1k jump feels too much one week then stay at the previous distance.

3 runs a week is a good platform to make solid progress.  See how you get on with this.  Although it may feel like slow progress, it will only take a month to introduce the 3rd run and get to 5k distance but importantly the increase will still allow you to continue with the other runs and make progress hopefully without injury.

Hope this helps and update to see how you are getting on.

Good luck

Thanks for taking the time to set out all that information @mcsdan ;

I’ll take it all on board - starting with a slower shorter extra run. 

I need to keep myself in check - I know I have a habit of going all out. Having the advice in writing will hopefully rein me in.

I’d noted the helium balloon technique from one of your earlier posts - I start off doing it but particularly on a longer run I know it drops away so using a short run to really focus on technique makes sense. 

Thanks again.

axisus

axisus said:

I usually do 8.5k on Wednesdays before work, but if I'm feeling good I bump it up to 10k. I felt good today so it was 10k in 57 minutes. Not too bad a time considering the 178m of climbing, plus I'm a fat old bloke!

I only allow myself 1 run a week due to hip deterioration (sad face).

Trumped the same course this week, 10k in 55.31. Hard work but extremely satisfying, fastest two km by a long way were the last two.

mcsdan

no worries @Iamnobody ; hope it helps

Great stuff @axisus always good to get a PB on the same course - great improvement.

Iamnobody

Smashed it @axisus - great effort.

@mcsdan - I’m sure it will help.

mcsdan

Good week of running for me with a total of 50.3miles over 5 runs. Got in a long run (20), fartlek (speed) and long hill repeats plus a couple of easy runs.  What's odd is that I've been really busy at work with a couple of long 12 hour days plus got the builders in doing the bathroom yet don't really feel I've done much running. Funny how the mind perceives things! Easy week next week to allow some decent recovery.

Everyone still running?

Iamnobody

Great mileage again! 

Still on it here - chucked the extra school walk/run in and also PB’d my 10k at 51:26 today so it’s going ok.

mcsdan

@Iamnobody ; excellent. Good 10k time

fields5069

I'm getting back into it now. After 2 weeks off, I was shocked that I didn't have the legs for my normal run, so I dialled it back a bit and now I'm almost back to where I was.

djspecialist

Still keeping up a steady ~100km per month.  The challenge is going to be continuing that as we head into the colder, darker part of the year ...

mcsdan

glad to hear you're getting back to normal runs @fields5069 ;

Great distance @djspecialist. Hardest part in the winter months is just getting out the door to run. Having an idea of when and where you are going to run ahead of time helps with just getting on with it and usually after a 10mins or so you'll warm up / adjust to the temp and will be just another run. Layered clothes help to regular temperature in colder months and a head torch helps even on roads. A waterproof jacket is a useful bit of kit too as are another pair of trainers to alternate whilst the others are drying out! Some runners prefer a botdy torch since it points where there are going. Personally I run off road even in the winter - great fun in the dark in the woods with just a head torch - plus a good challenge running through all the mud!

PolarityMan

Hows everyone doing? I pushed myself a bit today and got my 5k time to 27:47 which Im pretty pleased with. I dont think its quite a PB as have a feeling I got 27:30 something back in aug but still pretty pleased with that. 

drofluf

Been running more than cycling recently especially on the windy days; I can find more sheltered routes and somehow plugging into a headwind is less soul destroying on foot than on a bike. Also worked out a “winter” loop to run when my normal route gets too muddy. Does involve going up the biggest hill in the area as well 

Iamnobody

Still going - doing my weekend 10k and at least one 5k in the week. Tonight is 5k night!

Deadman

Been off work so been eating/drinking a bit more! 

Ran/scrambled from Keswick, up Catbells and around Derwentwater (Lake District) last week, with a slight diversion. Went for a recovery run 2 days after around Keswick (quads were in pain!). I'm DIY'ing it this week so will get back to a proper regime next week when I'm back at work.