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Tips for running because I suck.

Pistol719

Will Over Skill
pilot
Contributor
You were definitely right about breathing through the nose and out the mouth. I trimmed almost 45 seconds off my run time, when I tried that today. I figured my breathing was holding me back, it does not feel natural but works surprisingly well. My leg muscles did not feel anywhere near as tired as they usually do. I could not keep up that breathing the whole time, a little more practice and I should be able to run a bit faster. Thank you for the help!

Figure I will add my update today after reading this at work.. I cannot agree with you any more bro... I did the exact same thing today and got the same results.. The breathing felt a little abnormal but I did not feel nearly as winded or fatigued as I usually do nor did I feel the cramping in my calves as much.. Instead of doing an all out jog/time run like I usually do I did alot of sprints... I would sprint a few hundred feet then walk some..alternating.. I definitely felt more energy and felt that I could do more. For my workout I took Jynx's advice and hit up some leg exercises at very low weight but high reps... My calves feel awesome right now (By awesome I mean god damn are are the sore haha) But in the good way... I think I am going to hit the track again tommorow and try for 3 miles or maybe go hit up a swim! Thanks for the help guys.. I am def. on the road to improvement
 

Semisonic9

New Member
The nose-breathing thing is huge for me. I've also found more interval-style training very helpful.

I'm having a lot of problems with shin splints. This has got me more than a little paranoid, since a buddy of mine had a lot of problems with shin splints while in the service. I believe he was held back a month or more in either basic or AIT with persistent shin-splints.

What can I do to minimize them? Also, I've been running with cross-trainers. What are some good, affordable running shoes I should look at? I could care less about name brands. If they've been reviewed well and work, then I'm interested.
 

C420sailor

Former Rhino Bro
pilot
The nose-breathing thing is huge for me. I've also found more interval-style training very helpful.

I'm having a lot of problems with shin splints. This has got me more than a little paranoid, since a buddy of mine had a lot of problems with shin splints while in the service. I believe he was held back a month or more in either basic or AIT with persistent shin-splints.

What can I do to minimize them? Also, I've been running with cross-trainers. What are some good, affordable running shoes I should look at? I could care less about name brands. If they've been reviewed well and work, then I'm interested.

WARM UP! Stretch lightly after the gentle warm up and before your main run, and stretch very well immediately after. Make sure you are running in the proper shoes. I like to pop two advil before I run and another two after, but that's just what I do---your mileage may vary. And ICE! I ice down after EVERY run even if my shins feel great. You want to be proactive with icing and stretching.

Never understood the whole breathing thing. I know people who time their strides to their breathing, have a "breath count", breathe in through their nose out their mouth, and all kinds of respiratory voodoo shit. I'll never understand it, but whatever works for you I guess.
 

Jynx

*Placeholder*
Contributor
What can I do to minimize them? Also, I've been running with cross-trainers. What are some good, affordable running shoes I should look at? I could care less about name brands. If they've been reviewed well and work, then I'm interested.

As has been mentioned, STRETCH. Take in about 100-200 paces to get the blood flowing, and then stretch. You can get the front of your shin by touching the top of your foot to the ground and bending your knee down. There are a few million to get the backs.
Also get your ankle loose by rotating them around. You can do that as a preventative whilst sat at a desk in school or work as well. Another good preventative is to plant your heel and raise your toes whilst seated. When you're done running, ice down. It'll help recovery and minimize splints in the long term. There are a ton of shin split stories here, many good solutions have been posted.
As for shoes, this has also been mentioned, but go to a store, drop 100 bucks to get yourself checked out, fitted and shoed. It hurts to spend the money, but if you crimp out, you end up doing real harm to yourself if you need the help and don't get it.
 

Semisonic9

New Member
As for shoes, this has also been mentioned, but go to a store, drop 100 bucks to get yourself checked out, fitted and shoed. It hurts to spend the money, but if you crimp out, you end up doing real harm to yourself if you need the help and don't get it.

If the money's worth it, it's not a big deal. But a guy who goes shopping without knowing how to shop for value can also be called by his Indian name. It's pronounced "sucker". :icon_wink

I don't want to be that guy. I know crap about running shoes. What's good, what's bad. How to be checked out and fitted for them, etc. Can someone drop some knowledge on me? A few good links would be great.
 

Pistol719

Will Over Skill
pilot
Contributor
Personally I go with low top track cross trainers as apposed to straight up running shoes.. because they can take more of a beating and serve a wider range of uses.. i.e. other training. Reason I say that is because straight up running shoes are usually very lightweight and if you are going to be doing other workouts in them, They may not last long. My personal fav's are the Nike Zoom Air's I actually go the extra mile and make my own on nikeid.com (Which let me tell ya, living on a ship with limited space made it very nice and able to identify my shoes...) Then again if you are on this site most likely you will have a stateroom :D
 

kat27

New Member
When you get tired, lengthen your stride. Really focus on your form. Form usually goes to shit when ppl get tired. Make sure you are driving your arms forward. I have seen a lot of big dudes with T shape upper bodies twist their torso way to much. It's wasted energy.
 

mastbump

I live vicariously through myself.
pilot
I'm having a lot of problems with shin splints.

The advice about planting your heel and raising your toes worked for me in OCS. I had trouble with shin splints in the beginning, so every morning before PT'd I would do those for about 10 minutes. The results were pretty dramatic. I didn't run any faster but I ran pain free.
 

voodooqueen

DAR Lapsarian
Roll through your metatarsal arch; put some bend in your knees and relax your upper body. Pace yourself and build up speed gradually.

Breath from low in your diaphram. If you breath high in your chest it will wind you and give you the side ache.
 

Jynx

*Placeholder*
Contributor
A guy who goes shopping without knowing how to shop for value can also be called by his Indian name. It's pronounced "sucker". :icon_wink

I don't want to be that guy. I know crap about running shoes. What's good, what's bad. How to be checked out and fitted for them, etc. Can someone drop some knowledge on me? A few good links would be great.


Truer words were never spoken.

What's good is what fits you well, but if you have a flat foot, you'll be needing more arch support then a person with a high arch, so ymmv. For my money, Adidas make a good $80 shoe, but that's for people who need a heel cushion and arch. The way to figure all that mess out is to go to a proper running store. Bring your old, worn out shoes. They'll use those to check your highest impact areas (Heel, Outside, etc) Have them check your arch, tell them where your shin pains are coming from, and have them put you on a treadmill or sidewalk to analyze your gait. From that point an honest guy will push you towards shoes worth about 80-100 dollars, or inserts for the shoes you already have if they seem right.
 

BTP1368

Pro-Rec SWO!!!
I'm not sure if anyone has said this yet, but if you are getting shin splints you may want to look into prescription orthotics. I think most insurance companies will cover the cost.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
Just be sure when you get orthodics, that they KNOW they are for working out and being active.

TRICARE sent me to a podiatrist in Corpus who had inserts made. I wore them for almost a year, and my foot problems got worse.

Turns out, they made me inserts for diabetics, to keep them from getting sores on their feet but are not meant for working out.

Gotta love how "Fat Diabetic" is the default down in South Tejas for dealing with medical places.
 

Jynx

*Placeholder*
Contributor
Just be sure when you get orthodics, that they KNOW they are for working out and being active.

TRICARE sent me to a podiatrist in Corpus who had inserts made. I wore them for almost a year, and my foot problems got worse.

Turns out, they made me inserts for diabetics, to keep them from getting sores on their feet but are not meant for working out.

Gotta love how "Fat Diabetic" is the default down in South Tejas for dealing with medical places.

Threadjack:

Woa. I've never even heard of Fat Man Inserts. How bad was the obesity problem in ST? Does it compare to rural Florida?

End Threadjack:
 
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