What are /r/running's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

I carry a Screamer (not this exact one, but one similar). I clip mine onto my bra strap and then tuck it inside so it doesn't bounce. You just pull out the pin and it emits a shocking, loud, and frankly terrible siren sound that will make an attacker stop and run. It's generally a good thing to have because you can also use it if you're alone and injured. You can pull out the pin and throw it at someone or pull it and hold it in your hand. The sound doesn't stop until the pin is reinserted.

I've never had to deploy it when I'm running. Still, having it makes me feel safer.

​

Editing to reiterate: It shouldn't be OPs job to change her behavior. It should be the many men in this thread who are commenting platitudes and advice. Guys, instead of commenting on what we wear and how it's just the way the world is, call your buddies and fellow men out for their shit behavior because when you do it you're not risking your safety in the same way we are. That is the best way for you to support us.

You say it's just the way the world is. The world is this way because you're refusing to help us.

Owls have a tiny brain and lots of sharp bits. They are a bag of reflexes which can't help but chase anything small and furry. They can't stop themselves. If you have hair (name checks out), you might consider wearing a ball cap or something.

I read a (true) story once about a park ranger, who took a walk at dawn while he was wearing a fur hat. It was in this book. Anyway, it was a bad choice. He was killed by a great horned owl. (You can bleed to death from your scalp, but of course he was exceptionally unlucky, and maybe his park was pretty remote from medical help.)

I've heard of people being blinded by owls, too, but it's very rare. There was a tragic case in (I think) Saskatchewan decades ago where a zoology student was blinded by an owl, either a great horned or a great grey.

Long time ago I saw a presentation by an ornithologist. When they're banding baby owls, they wait for mom to leave the nest, and then they get 'er done quickly, wearing a hard hat and enclosed safety goggles. He nonetheless had a picture of himself with blood pouring out of a head wound when momma came home early.

If it were to happen again, you might think of finding another route until she settles down. But it's your call.

A couple of others were running in the race and put it up on Strava, too.

• Reid Coolsaet - Canada - 23rd in the race
• Julian Fluegel - Germany - 71st in the race

Some sun-safety running gear have full head and neck coverege and protection. So it's a double win of coverage and sun safety!

I use a hat similar to this, I hope it could work for you. https://www.amazon.com/Sunway-Women-Legionnaire-Protective-UPF50/dp/B074LR61WW

I don't personally know any hijabi runners but my orthodox-Jewish friend (who also cover her hair, tho in a different fashion then a hijab) have this running scarf. It's like a fabric "tube" from a very breathing fabric with strings that can be tied over the forehead and back of neck for safty. It does leave your neck exposed tho

That advice is far better than "drink before you're thirsty" or just guzzling as much water as you can. Hyponatremia can be a serious problem if you're running 2+hrs. I used to guzzle water and kept thinking I was hitting "the wall" or running out of muscle glycogen around mile 15-17. Turns out I was running low on salt.

Moderating my fluid intake in general solved that, as well as drinking more Tailwind instead of straight water.

Hi there,

I haven't been on reddit for a few years but have relapsed and started using again with some gateway lurking. I want to say how encouraging you all are on r/running. I've typically run solo so reading all your stories has been such a joy.

I live in Adelaide, Australia which is 10km from the sun during summer so the upcoming winter is looking pretty appealing right now.

My current goal is to run a sub 35min 10km (currently at 39:54).

I'm running 30km a week which has been a slow slow rise due to injuries and falling off my push bike!

I haven't joined a club but have gone as far as liking some facebook pages and hoping that will inspire me.

I'm also a physiotherapist studying a Masters in Sports specialty so I love long, tedious articles with lots of details.

For sure follow me on Strava and I'll follow back!

Woke up, got dressed and drive to a half marathon trail race. Starting in 35 minutes, so I'm downing a Gatorade and Redditing. Hoping for sub-1:50.

Edit; 1:54:23 on my watch, 13.23 actual miles. Not 1:50 but crushed my PB from a year ago by almost 14 minutes. So I'm quite happy!

https://www.strava.com/activities/375772483

The flipbelt is pretty soft. And I wear it nestled down around my hips, so it is mostly over my shorts, not skin. Regardless, I don't think it would chafe.

Took about a year & half of trying and getting nowhere and lots of painful 1:3X:XX's, but today ran a 1:29:10 HM on a hilly windy course - finally sub 90! http://connect.garmin.com/activity/646786555

Completely pumped to break 1:28 on a flat course in March!

So trying to up my cadence so I listen to random 170bpm songs at the moment. Aim is to try and match the beat.

Longer runs I listen to audio books as generally I am not going fast.

I have recently purchased and quite like the Aftershokz Trekz Titanium bone conduction headphones. I like them as the do not cover my ears and they let in surrounding noise.

At higher volumes it still drowns out outside noise but not nearly as much as regular headphones

Had a 1.5 hour run scheduled that I wanted to push into a 2 hour run, that ended up being 2.5 hours because I went too far out on an out and back loop. Half marathon long slow distance run completed, but not intended. https://www.strava.com/activities/487170600

I enjoyed Peter Sagal's The Incomplete Book of Running. I'm a big fan of his from listening to NPR though, so I may be biased.

Ran my second 5k race. Goal was under 35 mins.

5 pr from the race:

• 1. 1/2 mile pace 9:14/mile, time 4.37.
• 2. 1k pace 9.25/mile, time 5:51.
• 3. 1 mile pace 9:45/mile, time 9:45.
• 4. 2 miles pace 10:10, time 20:21.
• 5. 5k pace 10:05/mile, time 31.21.

The hills did not get me! Sadly, I am now sick.

note: edited for spelling

If you haven’t, I highly recommend getting and reading How Bad Do You Want It by Matt Fitzgerald. Definitely gave me a couple things to think about and work on related to mental toughness

A horrible weekend with my fiancé's Grandpa passing away on Saturday afternoon. She had her first HM lined up today and considered not running. She buckled up and ran it in his name today, having to stop along the way as the emotional pain was a little much. I'm super proud of her for not only completing the race but also showing real mental strength during this tough time.

Oh, and I got a nice new PB too which is always a bonus!

This is part of an entire resale and export economy, which is often more efficient and has a greater reach than charity! I recommend Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli for lots of really interesting stuff -- it's a really interesting perspective on global production from growing cotton in the US, spinning it into cloth and printing it in China, sale in the US again, and the reuse/resale to a thrift/recycling center and ultimately resale in Kenya.

If you prefer podcast form, Planet Money did the same thing as a series few years back. (Then they did one with oil and petroleum that was also fascinating).

Here's the run... And Garmin says it was 57°!!!! This guy is a world class runner, placed 16th at Badwater this year. Before I knew him people would mention he was running around town in a parka and it was 60°. That was Badwater training. Today, I think he was just easing into fall!

Tomorrow is supposed to be another killer day -- hoping to do a loop of central park. We gotta take each one of these days as a gift. Winter is coming. Not in the "Game of Thrones" kind of way. But coming nonetheless!

Un-complaint: I managed to run 18 minutes continuously[1], and the pace wasn't even that bad!

Complaint 1: Now I know what running after eating a lot of fatty food feels like, and I don't want to repeat it. Seriously, so uncomfortable.

Complaint 2: I'll be travelling for the next ~10 days, into a foreign country, and I'm not sure how comfortable I am with running there. I mean, I'll do it nonetheless, but it takes more initial energy.

Confession: This week is food week. I cooked a lot. There was a work event. I'm surprised that I don't roll on declines.

Haruki Murakami has a great little book on this exact idea. I read it when training for my first marathon and getting used to the really long runs which I was finding more mentally draining then physically

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0099526158/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_B3F7DbZ0P3V4Z

I'm trying to minimize fast food and other garbage, and lose a few pounds as I work towards my 1/2 goal of 1:30. I've been eating these protein bars with lots of fiber and lots of protein, and imo they're pretty tasty. But now i'm eating way too many of them, and I want to try some meal prep to mix things up. I'm thinking kale and some crushed nuts--anyone have a bulk meal prep kale recipe that'd they'd recommend?

Edit: You guys are amazing, thanks :)

Fucking. Exhausted.

Moved into our new house this weekend. Why the hell do I have so much massive furniture and how the hell did it all fit into our tiny old house? Spent Sat/Sun working on things and it's been pretty smooth, yet still tough. I think the cats are taking it the hardest - they've not allowed me to sleep since Friday so I'm very deprived.

I had to do a couple of laps in the back yard yesterday to keep my streak alive so I'm pretty sure the neighbors think I'm already a bit ridiculous. First full day living in our new home and I'm literally running in circles in the back yard.

It's going to be a loooong week.

to finish up my first serious running season, by parents (who walked), and I did a four mile turkey trot in my home!
I ran a 35:35, and am overjoyed with my time, since I normally run 9:30-10m miles. I had the time of my life, in my turkey tights, and socks!

My mother, who has MS, walked with two(!) walking sticks! I did pass them, but only waited a couple minutes at the end, for my parents to finish-- "YOOOO those are MY parents!!! Thaaatta way Chris, and Chris! They're timing you!!"

Major lurker, but working on it!

Where in the world are you? Boston, MA

Are you training for anything in particular? Half marathon in NYC this weekend (sub-2, crosses fingers) and my first full marathon later in the year. Didn't get into New York but I think I might go for one in New Hampshire. But yes, I initially started for general well-being. Runniversary in one month!

What kind of training plan are you following? I switch between Hal Higdon and whatever I'm in the mood for.

Are you a member of a running club? No, and to be honest, I tend to prefer running by myself most of the time (and without music too!). There's something meditative about it that I can't quite replicate with a buddy next to me.

Also tell us something about yourself. I make pinatas. Well, I used to. Oh, and I count ice skating as cross-training. That counts, right?

Strava Smashrun

I always see people talking about doing a Beer Mile so I tried an unofficial one on Sunday. Yeah yeah, I know the beer has to be a certain percentage of alcohol content, and the beer has to be chugged every 0.25 miles on a track. I don't have time for that nonsense. I did it Shoes-Style! Tiny loops in my back yard with the greatest beer ever produced! It wasn't nearly as hard as people have made it out to be. My first ever 'beer mile' done in sub-10.

Photos!

We had a beautiful Sunday in New York, so I couldn't resist pulling out my phone for a few pictures of the city on my slow 9-miler.

Pictures: http://imgur.com/gallery/E1g7H/new Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/462484857

Have a good Friday everyone!

He posts everything to Strava so there is much less doubt (almost none, really) that this is a real attempt. If you look at the October distance challenge, he's massively in the lead:

https://www.strava.com/challenges/October-2016-run-distance-challenge

And thats without looking at his previous running achievements.

Yesterday's race was my first race of the year.

After failing to achieve a sub 1h 10K last year, I wanted to try it again this time. However, after studying the course and seeing that it had quite a bit of elevation (139 meters / 450 feet), I knew it was going to be hard. The race was two loops, going mostly uphill for the first 3 kilometers, then downhill two kilometers, and then the second loop.

Looking back on it, the lack of hill training in my training cycle was a mistake - I didn't know how hard I could go uphill, and I wasn't certain of my downhill technique, and I think I lost a lot of time on both portions of the loop.

Comparing my heartrate data from my preceding race to this one kinda makes the same point - I didn't go as hard as I could have.

However, and even if I finished in 1:00:34 (chip time), and so missed my A goal, I still ran a strong race, managed to keep my speed up, never got so out of breath that I had to really slow down or walk. It also was a 10K PR, which tells me that if I was running on a flat course, I could have done way better.

I'm beginning to better know my body and how to get its strength out, and that makes me happy.

I'm taking this week easy, and beginning a new 10K training cycle February 15th - there's a flat 10K on April 9th, and I'm planning to race it as fast as I can. Don't know my goal yet, but something sub 58 minutes.

I found one of the women from last weekend - and she used HR for extra data:

https://www.strava.com/activities/676408100

Lisa Weightman, Australian Marathoner, 31st place 2:34

http://rio2016.olympics.com.au/athlete/lisa-weightman1

Check out that suffer score.

Where in the world are you?

Waterloo, ON.

Are you training for anything in particular?

10k/day streak. Somehow the streak is still alive and today is day 187. I've been subscribing to /r/running. /r/advancedrunning, and /r/amileaday.

I'm also running my first marathon in April.

What kind of training plan are you following?

Nothing. But I do long runs in the weekend, and cycling. I've been consistently running 85-90km/week.

Are you a member of a running club? No, because I'm a shy guy.

Also tell us something about yourself. I'm a PhD student (duh). A really short and skinny guy, 5'4" and 110lbs. If you meet me in person, you might think I have malnutrition. I used to think my body is physically weak, and unattractive. In Highschool, I was a kid whom you think smart and weak. But hey, fuck that. Now I think my body is built for running. No unnecessary weight? check. Can eat anything without gaining a pound? check! Skinny like Kenyans? Yes!

strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/8504029

Can't go past Belaga Hidden Comfort socks.

They are around ~$13 USD, are super comfortable and last ages !!

I've been lurking for quite a while, but here goes:

• Boston!
• I've got the Boston Marathon coming up in two weeks, and also hoping to do Chicago in October. Would be the first time for both!
• Not anything too rigid, though I try to get up to at least 50 mpw at the peak of my training with one long run, one speed workout, and a tempo run here or there every week and whatever I need to keep my legs warm in between. Getting on a real training plan would probably improve my times but so far it's worked out okay.
• No, not a part of any clubs. Perhaps I should make that my goal before 2017 rolls around. If anyone from Boston can recommend one to me, I'm all ears.
• I have a black cat named gamja (which means potato in Korean), and I adore him.
• https://www.strava.com/athletes/11289643

Woo new parkrun PB. First sub 18! I didn't rest at all prior to the run due to marathon training, but about halfway round just decided to really go for it. A real nice confidence boost before my first marathon in 2 weeks time!

Where in the world are you?

Maryland!

Are you training for anything in particular?

My first half marathon! It's in two months :)

What kind of training plan are you following?

I kind of just developed my own base building plan that I'm using to work up to the half.

Are you a member of a running club?

Yup! Just joined a few months ago, but I have yet to run with them because I like to run at work during lunch.

Also tell us something about yourself

I love to bake and I once made a Pink Floyd cake.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/11707556

Where in the world are you?

Near Strasbourg, France

Are you training for anything in particular?

The Amsterdam marathon in October (it'll be marathon #3!) and a few halfs leading up to it (Geneva, Vignoble d'Alsace -- which will be more about drinking than running, but shhhh, Colmar).

What kind of training plan are you following?

No training plan in particular at the moment, just building mileage back up. I've recently faced facts and realized that I need to seriously revamp my nutrition and lose weight if I want to get faster. So I'm currently in the losing weight phase of my plan.

Are you a member of a running club?

Nope. I'd like to change that in the future though.

Also tell us something about yourself.

I used to dream about running the way that people dream about flying. It still amazes me that I can run -- I just wish I had started sooner.

strava

Where in the world are you?

Belfast, NI

Are you training for anything in particular?

Training for a marathon in two months, hoping to be fit enough to run it this year. Tried last year and only managed 22 miles before I needed to pull out.

What kind of training plan are you following?

Not too good at following plans but currently roughly using a McMillan Marathon plan on Strava as a guide.

Are you a member of a running club?

No but looking to maybe join one come summer.

Also tell us something about yourself.

Haven't ran properly in 4 days and feeling really frustrated about it at the minute.

Strava

I've done 52 days of a run streak and I may be breaking it tonight in favor of video games, Avengers Age of Ultron, and pizza.

ARE YOU HAPPY NOW, PEOPLE? GOSH!

Hands down the one thing I cannot run without is my fanny pack. I can’t find the exact one I have, but this is very similar. It holds my keys and phone and I hardly notice it when wearing it. I forgot it once and had to stuff my keys in my bra and hold my phone and I just felt so off and couldn’t enjoy my run. Sounds weird, but I’m just so used to it now that I feel naked without it!

Edit: not sure if the link is working so here’s a similar pack: Gritin Running Belt, Waist Pack Fitness Belt W Headphone, No Color, Size No Size https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXWH9NC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KhU1Db55MEKCV

He told me I was being detained as he cuffed me, so I looked up detainment rights when I got home (I was curious, not bitter). I came across this simple explanation. He detained me with PC (I matched the description), told me I didn't have to talk, questioned me, and released me in a reasonable amount of time. I like sticking it to the man as much as the next redditor, but everything seems in order here.

I found one of the women from last weekend!

https://www.strava.com/activities/676408100

Lisa Weightman, Australian Marathoner, 31st place 2:34

http://rio2016.olympics.com.au/athlete/lisa-weightman1

Check out that suffer score.

Dang it is hard to snoop around on Strava

My dude, you need a stick of body glide. My husband uses this stuff and he has no chafing at all any more.

Body Glide Original Anti-Chafe Balm, 1.5oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00288L2N6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2Y.6DbSJBB1PC

I think this is the most applicable answer, even as a female. I like these LED lights because they have a magnetic clip so I can put them on anything (bike trailer, my shirt, whatever). I got them as a 2-pack from a running store for way less than whatever Amazon is charging, though.

Where in the world are you? : Calgary, AB, Canada

Are you training for anything in particular? A race? Or general wellbeing? : I don't race often. Running is just what I do to keep myself mentally, physically, and emotionally in-check.

What kind of training plan are you following? I do about 60-80km per week. Mostly just heatmapping. I try to never run the same route twice. When I use the treadmill is when I focus on pace practice. Otherwise, I'm pretty casual about it.

Are you a member of a running club? No. Running is me-time. Go wherever I want at my own pace and space out.

Also tell us something about yourself. I've been running regularly for about 12 years. I have a preschooler who tolerates going for runs in the stroller sometimes, as long as I promise her a stop at a playground and a bagel with peanut butter along the way. I've lived in three countries. And if I'm ever having a bad day, just give me a small latte made with coconut or soy milk, no sweetener, and my mood will instantly improve.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/5584105

Hi.

Where in the world are you?
Turkey.
Are you training for anything in particular? A race? Or general wellbeing?
I just raced my first HM on sunday. (You can check it out here.)I have another HM on April 24th but It's uncertain if I'm going to participate. I'll be training as if I will.
What kind of training plan are you following?
I followed a plan on Endomondo but I think I'm going to try another one this time. Still looking for a plan.
Are you a member of a running club?
No.

Also tell us something about yourself. Do you eat crazy quantities of pizza? Are you cake obsessed? We need to know.
The way I look at alcoholic beverages these days.. Oh boy. I forbid myself from drinking as of 3 days ago.

This morning ran 22 miles in 3:34:42. 9:45 pace. That's my last long run before the Marine Corps Marathon. The achievement is that I felt great the whole way and didn't walk once! :)

Part of it is tough training runs. You can train yourself to endure more pain. There was a study done with swimmers that showed two things: 1) endurance athletes have a higher pain tolerance, but the same pain threshold, than non-endurance athletes. This means that the athletes registered pain at the same time as the non-athletes, but they could tolerate it much better. 2) They showed that pain tolerance increased as the season went on, meaning that it increased with training. If you're having a tough run, remember, you're building your pain tolerance.

Another thing to try is mindfulness meditation. Studies have shown that this helps with athletic performance. There are several books on Amazon about it. Also, here's a site that does streaming mindfulness meditation (it's commercial).

The last thing is doing brain workouts. Alex Hutchinson has done a couple of articles on training for a marathon while also doing mind puzzles before/after his long runs. The research is still fuzzy in this area, but it may have some impact. You do get mentally tired after a physically exhausting run.

I'm able to spend money but I'm cheap about where I spend it. Had some running friends I've known for a few years tell me I look stupid in basketball shorts. Then divorced ol' me kinda went ... I guess I need to dress "fashionably" for the ladies.

​

So cheap ass me did research ..... OK, I asked in the weekly clothing Q&A here and bought these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZYBSMGM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

​

Wore them 3 times so far and I have to tell you .... big step up in comfort AND style in regards to running. I expect to buy a few more pair and retire my basketball shorts.

​

Now what to do with my 10 pair of basketball shorts?

If you read Daniels' Running Formula by Jack Daniels, he has a system that does this. By using "difficulty" multipliers you can then create a program which aims to hit certain weekly totals. You may have heard or used the 10% rule (don't increase your mileage by more than 10% from week to week) as a way to avoid injuries. Well that doesn't take difficulty in to account. Using the multipliers you could apply the 10% concept but off point totals rather than mileage. Truth is, you might run the same number of miles week to week but if you suddenly went from all easy runs to lots of serious intensity runs then you would be very likely to get injured.

​

tl;dr If you really want to get in to this, check out Daniels' Running Formula. It is an incredible book!

I just ran a half marathon this morning and crushed a few PR's.

• 10k = 51:24
• 15k = 1:21:41
• 20k = 1:55:21
• HM = 2:00:18

Not gonna lie, im pretty happy with today so far :)

Strava Run

I didn't think it would be possible with this heat today but I finished my first 5k race in just under 30min and I'm so damn proud! That was the first time beating that benchmark and Strava doesn't think I ran 5k. God damnit, Strava.

(Strava)

Woke up at 5 AM (!!) on Saturday, drove down to Maryland, and went on a group trail run with /u/rennuR_liarT, /u/WeeLeigh, /u/josandal, and /u/Sacamato. The run had everything: a rusty gas pump, abandoned houses, a suspension bridge, and a waterfall with a shallow pool you could wade through underneath. (Pics are on my Strava activity if you want to see.) It was soooo humid, though. I could have used a change of clothes by about a mile in. I hope we can do it again sometime soon.

Pretty much spent the rest of the weekend glued to the couch and binge-watched the entire new season of BoJack Horseman. I hope this doesn't spoil anything too much, but the end was running-related again and a lot more moving than one might expect from a cartoon with talking animals. Also, Casino is now on Amazon Prime.

Not really a lurker, I've been posting more and more recently, but here it goes anyway: Where in the world are you?

Ames, IA. God I hate Ames, IA.

Are you training for anything in particular?

Indy 500 Mini Marathon first week of May, plus the Dam to Dam in Des Moines at the beginning of June. Still haven't decided whether I'll attempt another full in the fall.

What kind of training plan are you following?

Right now I'm on Pfitzinger's Half Marathon 2 plan, the one that peaks at 63 mpw. I'm not sure how it's going to go, the first long progression run kicked my ass. If I have to I'll drop down to his lower-mileage plan or combine the two into some sort of hybrid.

Are you a member of a running club?

Not at the moment. As an ancient grad student, I'm afraid I'll feel really old and slow if I try to join the University running club

Tell us something about yourself

I'm also crazy about lifting. It's slowly started taking a backseat to running, but I still hit the gym 4x per week on top of my crazy-high (to me) running mileage. I have no free time.

Edit: Shameless Strava profile plug

You're correct - nobody is staring at your chest.

Running is fantastic, so I hope you can get into it.

Depending on your chest size, get a medium to high-impact compression type sports bra and pair it with a mens running singlet. A quality high-impact bra will produce little to no bounce at all. I have a few (New Balance and Gap) that might as well be binders because of how compressive they are.

You can also throw some pushups and planks into your daily routine, they will help tone your chest which can "tighten things up" a little bit. Even if it doesn't reduce any bounce, it can feel less dysphoric when your pecs are built out.

How would you even train for something like that? Damn!

Edit: I actually bought a copy of this from one of the finishers to see how the hell people prepare for a race like this

Waterlogged by Dr Tim Noakes.
He’s pretty controversial in his opinions but he was the first to actually make me think about why I wouldn’t need to follow a plan on hydration. Just drink to thirst.

The camelback on a 5k/10k is quite a ridiculous modern interpretation on hydration.

Complaint - 102 F real feel today. More treadmill for me.

Confession - it has actually been ok on the work gym treadmill. I complained enough so they finally installed a TV, yahoo! I am forced to watch reruns of Friends, Mike & Molly as well as 2 and a Half Men but better than no entertainment

Complaint - the holiday season is whirling around and I am not ready. Soon it will be Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

Confession - these silly things have made more room on my shoe rack for my running shoes! https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Slotz-Space-Saver-piece/dp/B01BFC7RWU They look ridiculous but suddenly I have so much space! This means moar shoes!

I managed to eclipse the 500-mile mark for the month of April by wrapping up a 124-mile week yesterday. For much of the week I have been battling a nasty cold or flu virus, so I've been very achy, tired and out of sorts. In addition, I'm coming off a 130-mile week, meaning in the past two weeks alone I've cleared 250 miles and averaged eighteen-plus miles per day. If not for an eight-mile Wednesday this week that average may have been closer to nineteen a day.

Next up, sixteen days until my run streak hits 800 days then it's on to my debut marathon, with an A-Goal of 2:45 and B-Goal of 2:50.

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Where in the world are you?
>Currently: San Antonio, TX

Are you training for anything in particular?

>Would like to Run 5k's and finish in a reasonable time in every state in the continental US. (then run the New York Marathon but thats more of a late 30's goal of mine)

What kind of training plan are you following?
>go outside and run/jog/walk/roll/crawl/passout under every condition possible under as much stress as possible for 6 miles. So running a 5k in New Orleans in July is a walk in the park. (i'm currently working up to a constant 6)

Are you a member of a running club?
>Solo Dolo

Also tell us something about yourself.
>I love nature and the idea of traveling and walking around wilderness with the grass beneath your bare feet but in reality i would rather make doodles in CSS, listen to DefCon talks, and drink beer

Link your strava/smashrun account!
>(just got one of these not too long ago!)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/13354915

>I'm running for weight loss, trying to get rid of my belly.

80% of weight loss is diet, not exercise. I run 10Ks three times a week, and didn't lose any weight whatsoever until I began counting calories.

1. Go to MyFitnessPal. Figure out what your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is.
2. Record everything you eat. Eat at least 20% fewer calories per day than your BMR.
3. ???
4. Profit. ("Profit", in this case, being weight loss.)

You could eat celery or pure lard or ice cream for every meal; as long as your daily calorie intake is at least 20% smaller than your BMR, you are guaranteed to lose weight.

This is, of course, not to say that running 5K every day is a bad thing; not at all. The running just 1) improves your fitness and 2) gives you a slightly larger BMR to target, that's all.

I ran my first 5k yesterday! I was a lot less nervous than I thought I would be even at the starting line. It was Oatlands Invitational which, if any of you have been there is a pretty hilly course. I did better than I was thought I would and my final time was 24:28. With about 550 people in my race I finished around 440ish. I have my Garmin data here if you want to look.

I ran 3 miles in 22:39. I tell you, I set out in my mind that I wanted to beat 23 minutes and I actually did it. I was high on adrenaline for the rest of the day. Sub 20 5k here I come!

Hydrating starts hours before your run. Are you drinking enough water through out the day or night before if you are a morning runner?

Also gels and chews are meant to be taken with water, most even say that.

I run with this hydrosleeve. It holds 7.5oz (you can fit like 9oz in it) and is easy enough to run with without feeling like you are carrying water.

Those are the 'walk' version of YakTrax.

I love my running version of them.

https://www.amazon.ca/Yaktrax-Traction-Cleats-Running-Large/dp/B007S3RA1Y

You can't slip them on and off as well since they tie into the shoelaces, but they stay on well with the extra strapping. I had some 'walk' ones come off of my shoe once. Plus the spikes towards the front add some extra grip.

I am currently in Charlotte, NC

Not training for anything in particular although I ran my first half marathon a couple of weeks ago and definitely got a little addicted

I don' really follow a formal training plan, I just try to listen to my body and go from there

Not a member of a running club

I'm currently getting my undergrad degree in biology, in my free time I like to run (obviously) and bake/cook.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/11544247

I’ll recommend this instead. Easy to clean, has multiple uses, and I also use it when I go to amusement/water parks.

Flip Belt

In regards to the shorts, I’ve never found a pair that could accommodate a phone comfortably. It will always flop around or slap up against your legs.

If you're concerned for waste, I really enjoy clickheat I use these for hiking. You boil them and then they be reused again. They last around 30ish minutes once they are clicked.

Exactly. Here is one similar to mine so you can better picture what I'm talking about.

Plantronics BackBeat FIT Wireless... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JKJN8NW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I’ve been using the Plantronics BackBeat FIT headphones 3-5x per week since May. I’d consider myself a sweaty bish because all other headphones would slip and slide out halfway through a run. These absolutely do not budge on me. They’re a little pricey but definitely worth it IMO.

wow - that person sounds a bit shitty, to be honest!

Go out there any race this weekend - and enjoy it! Celebrate how far you have progressed to get to the start line!

10ks arent like 5ks - you have to put the work in to be able to run them - and you've done that! - Be proud of yourself!! I GUARANTEE you will overtake loads of people if you keep running - no matter how slow (you think) you are going!!

On a side - this is a easy/cheap/accessible book on running and psychology - I found it very useful - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Resilient-Runner-Toughness-Training-Endurance/dp/1500337250/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=9781500337254&linkCode=qs&qid=1554300248&s=books&sr=1-1

When I’m feeling self conscious I just wear dark sunglasses. Surprisingly it works wonders!

Currently rocking these cheap babies when I need to go incognito.

WearMe Pro - Round Super Full... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073BW87WL?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Holy shit. I was considering posting how happy I was about reaching 10k for the first time tonight, but that's nothing compared to your feat! From 10k to half marathon in under a month? There's no fucking way I could do that, but now that you've done it, I kind of want to try, even though I'd fail miserably.

Your last 3 kilometers are really impressive. I wish I could pump it that hard even for a 5k. Congrats!

Here's my 10k run anyway.

Just tried it myself on a 10K outing. To be perfectly honest I think the bad outweighs the good here. Too much stopping and crashing on me. Good for you if it helps you get out and run more but I don't know if it's for me. I think I'm going to be doing my running and Pokemon Go training separately.

https://www.strava.com/activities/635311432/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1468082053

I signed up for a 10k never done even 5k before, overweight and unhealthy but I managed to run for 5 miles today for the first time ever, I am just over a mile short of my goal. https://www.strava.com/activities/590419735

Where in the world are you? - Baltimore

Are you training for anything in particular? - Full Marathon October 2nd

What kind of training plan are you following? - MapMyFitness "Dynamic Training program" not sure if it's actually any good. But it seems OK. Open to suggestions on this.

Are you a member of a running club? - Nah.

Also tell us something about yourself. - Well...I have lost over 150lbs in 2.5 years (so far) but ...I am still a "Heavy Runner" as I have seen it called. I am currently 235lbs, but I started off my journey at 387lbs . I took up running as soon as I thought my knees would be able to handle it (about 330 lbs) I started and failed Couch to 5k twice before finishing it on the third try. Went into the 10k version, got bored with it since I did not have a 10k goal or race to train for. I got pressured into signing up for a marathon, and decided to go for it, since I started upping my weekly distance the weight loss plateau I was sitting at (250lbs) was destroyed, and the scale as started ticking downward fairly consistently. Come October I'd like to be at or below 200lbs when I take on my first marathon, but I feel confident that I will be fine if not. I am 22ish weeks out, and my long run of 11 miles last week didn't kill me.

Link your strava/smashrun account!

I've had an account on Strava for a while, but never used it, I just linked my tom tom gps watch to push to their as well. I will start to use it as well. https://www.strava.com/athletes/7053834/

Alright here we go.

Where in the world are you? I live in Oakland, CA.

Are you training for anything in particular? I have two triathlons coming up. Escape from Alcatraz in June and an (off-brand) half iron distance race in July!

What kind of training plan are you following? I made my own training plan up. I have had recurring stress fractures for the last 5ish years. I was injured last summer and have been training since November. I started with 30 second runs and have increased by 30 seconds up to a mile. Now I'm at 4 miles and am still injury free!

Are you a member of a running club? I ran with a couple local hash groups, but no not really. Once I can go a bit further again I'd like to check out the November Project group in SF.

Also tell us something about yourself. I'm in my second year of law school and I'm from Ohio (that's two things).

Link your strava/smashrun account! Okie doke! (Strava)

I de-lurked two weeks ago but forgot to post my account links, so I'll just go again, I guess?

Where in the world are you? Stuttgart, Germany

Are you training for anything in particular? I'm training to run 5k regularly, and I'm considering a 10k for autumn, a Tough Mudder and a half for next year and a marathon for the year after that.

What kind of training plan are you following? C25k with extended long runs in the end - I got up to 18 mnutes of running / 2.x km in week three.

Are you a member of a running club? Nope, I love running on my own.

Something about myself: I love tracking numbers. Looking at numbers has replaced stupid mobile games for me. I look at running numbers, I look at calorie stats, I look at my financial stats, I just want ALL THE DATA.

strava/smashrun

WHOA posting quite early! Yesterday the BF and I decided to change up our long run a smidgeon! We were both feeling lazy and didn't want to plan out a route but decided to run along the canal. However in the spirit of the Single Road/Trail EB (which is the same thing as the Straight Line but sometimes you can't have straight lines, we decided to take a bike along. The BF first ran his 18km to (takes about 2.5km to get to the canal) and up the canal and then we switched. During this time, I tagged along on the bike. I then ran up another 1.6-1.7 km before heading back so ended up running about 17.5 km single line! It was definitely nice to switch it up but we were out for like 3.5 hrs.

Anyways I was bored and checked how long it would take to get to Antwerp and apparently its 46km. I'm thinking if we ever decided to take a mini stay-over/day trip to Antwerp, we can follow the same style and run/bike there.

Here is the BF's run

Here is my run

Where in the world are you?
Chicago, IL
Are you training for anything in particular?
Illinois Marathon in late April, my first one!
What kind of training plan are you following?
Hal Higdon Novice Program
Are you a member of a running club?
Not a club but a meetup group. Uptown Runners on the north side of the city
Also tell us something about yourself.
Started running last July, lost 30ish lbs, also trying to eat really clean. I swim for cross training and just bought a bike for my 1st Tri this summer!
Link your strava/smashrun account!
https://www.strava.com/athletes/13283713

Biggest mileage week in marathon training coupled with some real quality sessions and a parkrun PB too. An awesome week and making me feel a little bit more confident of hitting my A* marathon time target.

I take liquid iron! It’s not supposed to cause GI symptoms like iron pills, and it doesn’t give me any side effects. It’s also absorbed much better.

I get this automatically delivered every month Nature's Way Liquid Mineral Supplement, Iron, Natural Berry, 16 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LTCAU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FjJSDbJK2G5FD

I’ve heard floradix is good too but it’s a bit more expensive.

Got the Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow cookbook for Christmas and have been slowly working my way through the recipes. So far my favorite is the miso butter salmon (I omit the honey). I also put it on mushrooms and cook them with the salmon. My picky 4 year old ate it so quickly I thought she dropped it on the floor. The butter mix is also delicious on toasted sourdough English muffins

I got this reflective winter hat as a Christmas gift. The outside of the hat has some kind of reflective fiber knit into it, and the inside is black fleece, so it's pretty warm. I think they lined it because it feels like it might be uncomfortable and maybe a little scratchy otherwise. The reflectivity works really well, too! Here's a picture taken in low light with a flash.

My previous 10K PR is gone, I got a shiny new one, at 51min https://www.strava.com/activities/547930588.

Was hoping to get a round 50 min and looking at my early splits, I think it was doable, but I'm OK with that. Next month I will race another one, part of my HM training plan and then I will aim for something below 50min. It would be really cool to see a 4X:XX.

I've been lurking on the sub for about half a year or so, but I have been trying to comment a bit more. I've learned a lot from just reading. Had run on and off before but I'd consider the end of last May/early June my real start.

• Marengo, Iowa
• Nothing in particular though my new thing has just been keeping a streak going. I'm currently up to 127 days.
• Not a member of a running club as there isn't too much around the immediate area and I don't have time with 4 kids and work to try and join a club that would be about a half hour away.

• I had open heart surgery (something called the Ross procedure) when I was 16 and am probably going to have surgery again to replace my aortic root and valve as it is currently about 6cm which is really large. As odd as it sounds I am cleared to run but just can't do any marathon training which I would love to do. So streak running is about the safest challenge for me.

• smashrun

• strava

Where in the world are you? Forney, Texas a small town 20 miles east of Dallas

Are you training for anything in particular? My next big race is the Rock and Roll Chicago half in July. I also typically train for the Dallas Marathon each year. I put my family up in the Omni hotel, a nice hotel by the finish/start line and we make a fun little vacation of it all. But I also like to do a few local halfs and other races. I have a 5K friday night and I'm probably going to do The Party Run at the Texas Motor Speedway in April.

What kind of training plan are you following? I'm not following any particular plan right now, just trying to maintain a base right now. I am looking to start one of the Daniels plans. My running group starts the Galloway plan in May to lead up to a lot of the fall/winter races, though the primary race we train for is Dallas.

Are you a member of a running club? I've been running with the Dallas Galloway group for the past few years. I know it's not extremely popular with the folk around here, but I enjoy using the run/walk for the longer distances (half and longer) and it has also allowed me to introduce my wife into running.

Also tell us something about yourself I work for EMC which is an IT storage company. We provide all different types of storage mainly for enterprise solutions. We just agreed to be purchased by Dell, so I hope this goes smoothly and I come out the other end with a job! I've been married for 10 years and we have a 7 year old daughter. I'm Mormon and my other interests mainly include video games. My family and I have been recently obsessed with the Lego Dimensions game where you build real life Lego and then get to put them on a portal and play with them in the game. It's quite fun.

Link your strava/smashrun account! https://www.strava.com/athletes/11017051

Why the fuck did I wait so long to join r/running group on Strava? The kudos are seriously awesome.

Edit to say: this is me Follow me and give me those sweet, sweet kudos! https://www.strava.com/athletes/9301250

If you're going to link to this (well known in this sub) documentary, at least link to Netflix, and use the correct title.

"Because we cool by sweating rather than panting, we can stay cool at speeds and distances that would overheat other animals. On a hot day, the two scientists wrote, a human could even outrun a horse in a 26.2-mile marathon."

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/health/27well.html

What I appreciate: random people cheering you on!

I was spontaneously running my first recorded (and 2nd ever) HM distance a few days ago. At KM 19 , I was so exhausted, I was ready to give up on my sub 2h goal and slow-jog the last meters.

At exactly that second, I passed a beer bike full of guys enjoying their evening. When they saw me, they all started cheering and clapping. They held out their hands and I got 5 high-fives in a row running past.

The cheering gave me a huge rush and instead of slowing down, I sped up! Here is the strava link to the run, and if you see the huge spike at 1:51, that's the beer bike effect. Really loved those guys that moment and finished strong.

What I also appreciate: Runners in summer outfits. You all look super hot.

I use a FlipBelt to carry my phone at the front of my waist. I can't even tell I'm carrying a phone. Doesn't bounce or anything.

I picked up a no-name hydration belt off amazon: Rocketek. Aside from it being huge and making me look like I'm defending some sort of WWE Heavyweight title, it actually functions very, very well. It was able to hold my phone, wallet, two GUs, and my car keys, although that was pretty much its limit. The best part however is that it only cost about $15.

If you don't trust GPS (which should always indicate a bit longer because you're never going to run an optimal route) just use a pace chart. You can even get them in temporary tattoo form.

https://www.amazon.com/PACE-TAT-Temporary-Pacing-Marathon/dp/B07CL25QVL

I've posted a couple of comments now.. May as well delurk properly!

Where in the world are you? Leeds, UK

Are you training for anything in particular? I'm doing a 10k in 3.5 weeks then another in November. The July race is my first ever so just aiming to finish

What kind of training plan are you following? I'm not really, I'm just trying to run! I'm slow and I have quite a few walking breaks but I'm getting there :)

Are you a member of a running club? I am not! I'm considering joining one but I'm worried that I'm too slow..

Also tell us something about yourself. I have 6 Guinea Pigs and they are the loves of my life 😍 I'm 29 and I can't swim!

Link your strava/smashrun account! https://www.strava.com/athletes/14543910

Goal Race: Indy 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, Dam to Dam

Goal Time: a) Sub-1:40, b) PR (1:51:26), a+ and a gold star) 1:35

Training Plan: Pfitzinger Half Marathon 2 (45-63 mpw)

Weekly total: 44.1 miles

Monday: Cross-training (13.1 miles bicycling)

Tuesday: 7 miles aerobic

Wednesday: 5 miles recovery (Sort of. It started raining partway through so I sped up a bit out of recovery range)

Thursday: 10 miles total with 2x1200, 4x800 at 5k pace. Totally went out way too fast on the first couple intervals, ended up with a massive side stitch that I eventually worked my way through, but it was touch and go for a while

Friday: 4 miles recovery

Saturday: 6 miles with 2x6x100 strides, ended up 6.5 miles because I misjudged my distance to start the strides at a little and the track is 1.5 miles from home

Sunday: 11 miles endurance

Strava training log

Reflections on the week: This is the penultimate week of my HM training plan, and the beginning of winding down mileage. It was a strangely mixed week, with most of my runs feeling great, but a few glaring issues, like the side stitch in the middle of my VO2Max workout, plus my long run felt pretty crappy, with higher than expected heart rate, and I couldn't really kick at the end like I prefer to on long runs. I think a lot of it may have something to do with the fact that I've been eating at a deficit the past couple of weeks to get myself down to a good racing weight. If that's the case, going back up to maintenance and doing some good ol' carb loading this coming week should fix everything. If not, well, I've got another half in a month if things go completely south.

Goal Race: Peachtree Road Race 10k/Lululemon Seawheeze Half-marathon

Goal Time: 32:30/win

Monday: 9.0 mi @ 6:50/mi

Tuesday: 10.1 mi + strides (x8) @ 6:49/mi

Wednesday: (AM) 3 x [8:00 on, 5:00 off] didn’t go well at all - 11.0 mi total, (PM) 5.0 mi @ 6:39/mi on treadmill

Thursday: 5.0 mi @ 6:47/mi

Friday: (AM) 11 x [2:00 @ 5:00-5:15/mi, 1:00 off] – 10.4 mi total, (PM) 5.2 mi @ 6:57/mi

Saturday: 8.0 mi @ 6:49/mi

Sunday: 17.0 mi long run @ 6:17/mi

Total: 81.0 mi

Strava Training Log

This was probably one of the best training weeks I’ve had. Despite my rough workouts on Wednesday morning, every other run was great and executed according to its purpose. The workout on Friday morning was difficult, but it felt great. I had originally planned to do 12 reps, but I was close to an all-out effort on 10 & 11 so I shut it down. There’s no need to go over the edge just to get one more rep in. I think I can do that workout faster in the coming weeks, but I need a bit more speed under my belt. My long run this morning was probably the best run I’ve ever had. I just felt great, and I was able to run 6:15/mi and faster without too much effort. My heart rate stayed super low considering the pace, and so I just went with it. I ended up running a filthy last 7 miles and dipped under 6:00/mi for the last 2.

This was my highest weekly mileage total ever! I’m so stoked. 81 mpw is no joke. I’m feeling really good right now, and I’m looking forward to steadily increasing my mileage over the next few weeks. I’ve got another week at 80 and then 85, 85, 90, 90, 90 mpw to finish out May. It’s going to be rough, but I’m confident I can handle it I just need to make sure I get the proper amount of sleep and calories.

I'm in London for the year, doing a masters before I go back to the US to do residency. just moved from rotherhithe to peckham, and am liking it a lot better in my new neighborhood (along with the cheapo rent)

Not training for anything in particular; I just started running in October. In my mind I'd like to be able to run a half marathon, but have only ever run 7 miles at onces. just working on getting my miles up. also i'm insanely slow so i don't know if I want anything on record.

No specific training plan. I try to do 1 long run and two shorter ones during the week, though my left hip's been bothering me so i've had to stop after a few miles a couple of times.

No running club. Again, I'm crazy slow. I'd like to start running with london city runners before I leave in august--we'll see if it happens.

-Something about me: I love cooking. If I had my druthers all I'd eat would be meaty salads and flourless chocolate cake. Well i'm an adult and feed myself so i guess I could have my druthers, or rather I am having my druthers and it's not just meaty salads.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/12447357

Where Hollywood, FL (between Ft Lauderdale and Miami)

Training I was, until I had to cancel both my tune up and goal races in the same week in early February. The only thing on my calendar for the rest of the year is the Space Coast half in November. I'm hoping to find at least one other half to do this year.

Plan It's the year of Pfitz! Started with his base building to 30 MPW and will transition to either his low mileage HM plan or continue with base building to 45 MPW. Depends on how the calendar shapes up.

Club No club for me. None of the meet times for the ones in my area work with my schedule.

About Me Not a complete lurker, but I also don't comment all that often. I live with two senior cats, a full of energy 2 year old who has discovered the joy of chasing said cats, and an "I only run because it's good for me" SO. I ran XC in high school longer ago than I'd like to admit. I love to bake, but hate fighting my small kitchen to do so. I always run in capri length pants because I hate running in shorts. I've taken up quilting in the last few years and just finished my fifth. I'm on the spreadsheet, but here's my Strava again.

Where in the world are you? 24 year old guy living in Durham, NC

Are you training for anything in particular?/What kind of training plan are you following? In the first week of base building (from 20-25 mpw to 45 mpw). Current goal race is the Bull Moon Ride and Run (5k on July 23), because it was the first race I did after starting to run regularly, and I want to see how much I can improve my time from last year (22:28). Currently running right below 20:00 for 5k. Since the race is 18 weeks out, I'm going to base build for 10 weeks and then pick up a training plan 8 weeks out... and maybe try to drop 5ish pounds.

Also tell us something about yourself.

Uh... I'm moving to Norway this fall to start grad school. I'm pretty excited!

Strava. Sometimes I forget to add treadmill runs. I have no friends :(

Where in the world are you?

Venice, FL

Are you training for anything in particular? A race? Or general wellbeing?

I am currently trying to increase my mileage to 30 miles/week, but snowbird season is making that difficult. Mostly I run because I am a better, nicer, happier person when I am running regularly.

What kind of training plan are you following?

I'm following a plan in Faster Road Racing: 5K to Half Marathon by Pete Pfitzinger and Philip Latter. Once I get to 30 mpw and have a new goal race, I'll use another plan in that book as well. I've used Hal Higdon's plans in the past, but I wanted to try something different.

Are you a member of a running club?

Yes, but mostly for the race fee discount. I mostly run alone, except Tuesday nights I do a pub run with a good group.

Also tell us something about yourself. Do you eat crazy quantities of pizza? Are you cake obsessed? We need to know.

I am a quilter, although I haven't fired up my sewing machine in several months. I have about 12 UFOs laying around that I really should finish up.

Link your strava/smashrun account!

Strava

I suggest not specifying the date, but say do it sometime within next week? I have another run scheduled on Sat so I'd much prefer to do it on Monday. Also do we count the treadmill runs, we just got 15 cm of snow here.

Edit: Also if you guys are on Dailymile, maybe we could make a Dailymile challenge?

Edit2: I set up a challenge on DailyMile, everyone join in!

Who: My 5 year old son and I.

What: The "Run from the Cops 5K" is a fundraiser for our local police department. There are donuts at the end. My son ran this with me last year and loved it, so we're doing it again.

When: Tonight! It starts at 8p.m. in conjunction with our weekly live music festival so there's always a big crowd.

Where: Waukesha, WI

Why: Why not? It starts like three blocks from my house. Plus there's donuts.

Here's our Strava Data from last year's race. 17:00 miles (he was four, so, you know. I carried him for about 3/4 of a mile as well). All things considered, he did great and I'm super proud of him.