Reply to: Running When Tired

[d000hg]

You build up a good thick layer of skin on the foot which protects you from the painful stuff

Yeah quite quickly too.

[IR35FanClub]

I also forgot to add the main point why I was replying... you could also try BMF (Military Exercise & Fitness Training Programme | British Military Fitness). As well as running you excercise all the other parts of you body in fitness training type excercises. Some of their sites also have a running club as well as military fitness. I've been with them on and off over the last few years and the thing I like most is they actually make excerising fun - well as long as you stay away from joing the upper "greens" group where basically you get beasted for an hour! I accidentally thought I could give it a go once, as I was coming top in the middle "reds" group. The difference was night and day - very little recovery time, much harder pair work - and less fun planned into the activities. I also find having a few nice girlies around gets me pushing myself and working a lot harder then when I try and do the same excercise on my own. Hmmmn, wonder why that is?! Now I wish I hadn't mentioned exercing other parts of your body. I usally give up classes sometime after the clocks change when it beceomes too dark to see the tree roots as you are running round the park - no point excerising if you end up injured.

[mudskipper]

You build up a good thick layer of skin on the foot which protects you from the painful stuff

Yep - went to primary school in South Africa - we all did PE and games with bare feet. Most kids ran around barefoot the whole time, although my mother thought it was rather common and made us wear shoes. I remember standing in line on the black tarmac in full sun - it was like standing on a hotplate, and sadistic bitch of a teacher wouldn't allow us to move until everyone was standing still.

I'm sure everyone remembers Zola Budd running barefoot at the Olympics.

[Spacecadet]

I guess after a few months you feet toughen up and then stones become less of a problem. either that or you'll have to walk/run round twarted all the time.

You build up a good thick layer of skin on the foot which protects you from the painful stuff

[IR35FanClub]

There's also a whole movement about barefoot running though I don't know if it's sensible or they're a bunch of nuts

To bring up an old cliche - I think before you start barefoot running you should try barefoot walking.

There's a guy I know who, apart from jollies into town where there's the usual mess of urban life, he walks around barefoot. I tried it on hoiday for a few days recently - not too bad, except for the gravel road on the campsite. I was fine in the evenings after a few beer, but trying to get to the shower block in the morning I was ooh, aah, ouch, how the hell did I do this last night?!

I guess after a few months you feet toughen up and then stones become less of a problem. either that or you'll have to walk/run round twarted all the time.

[doodab]

They're really good then.

Dunno, never really used it.

[Mich the Tester]

I have one. It's going on ebay later.

They're really good then.

[doodab]

Has anyone tried those breathing trainer things? It often feels like my lungs aren't working right, but I put it down to lack of fitness.

Wiggle | PowerBreathe Plus Respiratory Trainer General Fitness Training Aids

I have one. It's going on ebay later.

[mudskipper]

Has anyone tried those breathing trainer things? It often feels like my lungs aren't working right, but I put it down to lack of fitness.

Wiggle | PowerBreathe Plus Respiratory Trainer General Fitness Training Aids

[mudskipper]

OR you could look at it like I did and treat yourself to one now to help increase/motivate yourself to get a sub 30 min run by running a standard pace that you keep increasing slightly with each run.. AND it allows you to setup workouts as mich described, a run, a walk, a run etc. for one course.

I get almost obsessed about not falling below the 5:20 /km mark for both the current km and per average for the run that it keeps my pace up and overall improves times.

True - if I haven't made it by Christmas (and haven't given up before then) I'll put it on my list.

[mudskipper]

Go and pay for some coaching it could be one or more things holding you back and a few one on one sessions will target the right problems

But I can get free advice on here.

Will give it a few more weeks - might try the run/walk thing on my mid week runs and see how I go.

[chef]

Going to treat myself to one if/when I get to < 30 mins on my parkrun. Yep - I know that's not very ambitious, but I seem to have been stuck on around 35 for weeks. No idea how to improve - suspect I need to be doing it more than one a week.

OR you could look at it like I did and treat yourself to one now to help increase/motivate yourself to get a sub 30 min run by running a standard pace that you keep increasing slightly with each run.. AND it allows you to setup workouts as mich described, a run, a walk, a run etc. for one course.

I get almost obsessed about not falling below the 5:20 /km mark for both the current km and per average for the run that it keeps my pace up and overall improves times.

[chef]

Go and pay for some coaching it could be one or more things holding you back and a few one on one sessions will target the right problems

surely a role for mr mudskipper

[Spacecadet]

Yeah, been adding a 'round the pond' run midweek for last couple of weeks. I understand the interval principle, but walking always feels like failing. Already do cycling, so hopefully the twice a week run will help me improve. Don't want to do too much, because last time I got into running I buggered my hip for months. Last week I followed the '30' pacemaker for the first 1.5k or so and got a new PB, so this week I'll try and keep up for a bit longer.

Go and pay for some coaching it could be one or more things holding you back and a few one on one sessions will target the right problems

[Mich the Tester]

Yeah, been adding a 'round the pond' run midweek for last couple of weeks. I understand the interval principle, but walking always feels like failing.

Please get that idea out of your head ASAP. Walking for a rest is an integral part of training. You can sit down for a moment if you want, but walking at least keeps the muscles moving. If you really need convincing, go to an athletic track and just look at how much time the athletes spend wandering about, sitting around talking, aimlessly stretching etc. You don't get fitter while training; you get fitter while resting. Obviously, that doesn't negate the need for the short bursts of hard work.