Thursday, January 19, 2012

Run painfree?

I wonder..is there such a thing?  Last night on my run it was in the upper 20's, and the sun was setting.  I was pretty bundled up except for my face.  I am amazed at how my runs typically start out.  I leave the house and walk for about 2-3 minutes, then start to jog for about the first 1/2 mile.  Then stop to stretch out tight sore calves.  Start to run again, stop to do more stretching.  The mental part starts to kick in here.  Well lets just run to the 1/2 way point, when I get there I say "lets just run a bit more..to that house over there"..okay fine I get there and turn around. 

On my way back last night I wonder..when does running become pain free, my hip hurts, my calves, my knee.  Nothing terrible, just little aches here and there.

My breathing feels heavy, not like on the bike when you know you're comfortable and in that sweet spot. Not like when I'm swimming and it just feels so natural. Why can't I get there with running?  Why does it always feel so difficult?  At what point does it feel like you're in the "zone". When does it feel easier?   I'm trying to figure this out. Does this ever happen?  Am I not fit enough? Am I too fat?  Am I running too hard?  So many thoughts run through my mind out there.  At then end when i'm home, I forget about all of this and go about my business.

Well...I guess I just need to run "more" and find the answers to my questions.  Unless you have some advice out there!

3 comments:

  1. Don't feel alone. I was having that same conversation with myself this morning. I think it's the impact of running vs. the bike where it's smooth and swimming where it's smooth. I'm constantly in a state of paranoia over my IT Bands. Both. Making sure I run hard but not hard enough to upset them. You're right though, it seems like something is always tight and achey.

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  2. It took me years and years (25, I'm 45 now) to have a span of 18 months of running pain free.I've had so many injuries, I've lost count. Many months off, tears cried (pathetic, I know). The last startup, I started very slowly. Ran 6 days a week, week one was 5min a day 3 times , 10 minutes a day twice, and 15 minutes once a week. Some walking even thrown in there. Then after a few weeks ago, stayed with that percentage (I used this plan that I read from BarryP) of runs per week, and length of time, just slowly inched my way up. no speed work. in 5 months I ran a 60k (some walking, and not particularly fast). 9 months later I had oly and half IM PR's, whic included run pr's. I'm still running, just building base, I don't know if I'll ever do speed work, except in a race, I just got little faster naturally the more I ran. SOme days I'd run faster becuase I felt good, some days slower, but all just how I felt, but stayed consistent. I was a swimmer growing up, so running is so foreign to me. But I'm finally learning what works for my body. You will eventually do. Take your time (I'm not sure how old you are). Best of luck!

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  3. Hmm, I am at a lost! I am not a triathlete and all I do is run (except strength and cross training) so I bet I would have the opposite problem - biking and swimming would be hard for me. I think you are right though - just keep at it!

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