The Running Thread - 2018

[Miranda]

I have permanent chafing marks on my breastbone and on either side of my sports bra clasp. Even when I put Body Glide there, I still get some chafing, especially after longer runs, but at this time of the year pretty much after any workout, run or Orangetheory.

 

[GreatLakes]

@DopeyBadger @SarahDisney @TheHamm It looks like the HR settings in Garmin Connect are device dependent. I went in to check the same area for my 910XT and I had the additional options.

Looking at the features of the 935 I noticed a feature under Heart Rate labeled % HRR which the VA3 doesn't have:



Mystery solved. Thanks for the help.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: The worst chafing I had was from an armband. I then used Body Glude and switched arms every 7km.

I since then changed to a smaller phone that I carry in my capri pockets for long distances. Because they are capri, I never had chafing on my tighs but, yes, they are warmer than other shorts and skirts.

I also had one case of bra straps chafing on my back (first half I ran) and now ask someone to help me put Body Glide.

 

[tidefan]

Question - On a NON-LTE Apple Watch 3... If I use power-saving mode (so no HR) and I don't stream music (I don't listen to music when I run), will the watch last the 5-6 hours it will take to finish the race? I haven't had any issues with it so far, but the longest I've gone is 6 miles...

EDITED TO ADD: I do not take my phone with me, so the watch does pick up the GPS...

 

[Waiting2goback]

QOTD: Lets discuss chafing today! Everyone's favorite conversation that we have all experienced at least once, but rarely discuss... except maybe here or with a runner friend. So tell us your stories, what works and what doesnt, how to treat existing areas when attempts to prevent failed, ect!

ATTQOTD: Body Glide FTW!!! This is one of those products I have never heard of until I started running. Well maybe not until I had my first experience! If you did not know you had some chafing after a run, the shower will let you know if there was any doubt! The most desperate I have ever been was while running a marathon in a singlet I started to have chaffing in my armpit / triceps area and it was killing me. In a time of desperation and at least 8 miles to go I opted for the stick with Vaseline to solve the problem. While this worked well, it also created some problems. Specifically, my singlet was more or less ruined because of using it, and I used my hands to rub it on. Opening a GU with those hands was a challenge that kept me occupied for a good half mile lol. The good news is I was able to run the remainder of that race without that burning!!! Currently I have chafing, not from running but from touring the parks eekkk! Body Glide and time will take care of that. So theres my interesting stories lol.

I don't have many chafing stories, I have been lucky. The one I do have is not pleasant. I think I have told it before. During the 2016 Disney full I wore my water belt. I normally wear it with the pouch that holds stuff in the front. Never had a problem in any training run or race prior to this one so no big deal. Well, for whatever reason, maybe because I was drenched from the humidity before we hit MK it was different. Well, think about wear that pouch would rest while sitting in the front and what it might rub on for 27 1/2 miles during that race. I couldn't feel anything wrong because I was sweaty I guess. Needless to say, that shower back in the hotel was not fun. For the record, I wore the belt so it faced the back this past year and I did bodyglide my friend down below just to be safe as well. Sorry if that was TMI.

 

[Waiting2goback]

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: For todays topic I wanted to discuss running while on a diet. For those who have done it, what was the plan? What are some lessons you learned that you wish you knew before learning it the hard way? What worked vs did not work?

ATTQOTD: I've started my diet since I've returned from our trip and I forgot how much it kinda sucks only into day 3. What sucks more is my weight so I'm in it for the long haul. Currently at 232 with a goal of getting back into the low 210. At my largest I was 255, so I know I can do this. I follow a low carb diet, with some intermediate fasting in there 1-2 per week. As my mileage increases I will have to introduce more of a balanced diet to fuel my runs, but hopefully by that time I am getting near my goal weight. Lessons learned last time doing this! Do not fast on Friday with a long run on Saturday as part of the normal schedule. It took a while to figure out why my runs seemed so hard, but as I learned more about fueling, i found the error in my ways. However, in some cases this idea can work towards training if done once in a while. I think @DopeyBadger probably has a more scientific approach to this, but in simple terms you are starting your run on a low tank and teaching your body to use other fuel sources to keep going. It can simulate the later miles of the marathon. The low carb approach works, and can be made into a lifestyle change, I just got to relaxed and my weight kinda snowballed out of control. With 6 months to marathon weekend I have a big mountain to climb to get ready, but I will be ready!

 

[LSUlakes]

RACE LIST UPDATE:

With registration open to AP, DVC, and whatever else is out there, plus normal registration opening up tomorrow I think its time to open up the month of January 2019 to the OP. Since today I will struggle to keep up with this, I ask that everyone who wants there race to be added to the list, to please do so tomorrow. Happy registration!

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: I also follow a low carb diet, partly for weight loss/maintenance, partly for a gluten intolerance. I also allowed my weight to creep up by having too many "cheat" items (I'm looking at you Dunkin Donuts!). Last week I did a Fat Fast, where for 5 days all my foods had to be 80-90% fat and stay under 1200 calories a day. This is the only time I count calories on a low carb diet. I lost 5.2 lbs! I am back to normal low carb eating this week and will weigh on Saturday morning to see where my weight stabilized at. I also do IF but I do it daily, eating between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm, so it doesn't affect my long runs on Saturdays. I do have a coffee with heavy whipping cream in the mornings.

Before, when I was strict low carb, I was fat-adapted, where my body was trained to use fat for fuel. I rarely used any type of fuel during training runs. That is more for endurance than speed though. If you are trying to get faster then you need more carbs.

 

[PrincessV]

Do any of you bring some Glide along on a long run/race in case there is a spot that got missed? Do they make super portable sizes that fit in a pocket or running belt?

I don't bring it on runs, but I do carry the mini-size Body Glide in my daily purse, in case dress shoes start rubbing and for my kid, who never remembers to use it before wearing his Crocs in the parks all day. I know people who do bring that mini-size with them on runs/races, though.

On long summer runs, I bring a little contact lens case with me: in one side I store sunscreen, in the other Vaseline. That fits neatly into almost any pocket with plenty of room to spare, and is really handy for out-and-backs when I can't swing by home or car. I use that for races, too, and was so glad I had it for this year's PHM, when I dropped and lost my lip balm before the race even started; my chapped lips were very grateful for that Vaseline!

QOTD: For todays topic I wanted to discuss running while on a diet. For those who have done it, what was the plan? What are some lessons you learned that you wish you knew before learning it the hard way? What worked vs did not work?

ATTQOTD: "Dieting", as in strictly reducing calorie intake, has never, ever worked for me while exercising regularly. I have chronic low blood-sugar, so it becomes a major issue to burn very much more than I'm taking in. And I can't ever do low- or no-carb diets. I need to drop 5ish pounds now, and instead of anything drastic, I'm just reducing portion size a bit and trying to stay away from empty calories. Past experience tells me that as soon as I get deep into marathon training, weight just starts slipping off because I'm never hungry enough to eat back all that I burn. And then post-marathon I'll be back up a few pounds until the next round. If it weren't for the heat here in summer, I'd just aim to be marathon training all the time, lol!

 

[Chaitali]

Thanks for the earlier tips about running up hill. I tried it this morning with the shorter strides and faster turnover on the uphills and it really seemed to help.

As far as the dieting, I'm still trying to figure this out. Last year during marathon training, I kept an eye on calorie input and output and my goal was to make sure I didn't gain weight during training. That worked well. But I've gained some pounds since then and need to lose them now and have had limited success so far.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: I've been dieting for the last year and a half roughly. I'm down about 60 and when I added running back into my life I had to adjust my diet. I used to stick strictly to points (weight watchers) and at times that really backfired. I wouldn't eat one point over even if I was starving after a run. That didnt help me at all. In fact, at times I gained weight. I've learned to listen to my body a little better, if I'm really hungry after a run and I'm out of points/calories for the day I try to go for a lean protein or a small glass of chocolate milk. I've also learned to not let the scale be the end all be all of a diet. For example, I weigh roughly the same, give or take 10 pounds, as I did in March. But the clothes I wore in March don't fit. At all. I'm the same weight but a size or two smaller. I also have to track if I want to be successful. I hate tracking with a passion but it certainly leads me to success. Unless I'm at Disney. Then I don't count those calories.
At one point I met with a nutritionist to come up with a plan and what surprised me the most was that you actually have to eat to lose. Weight watchers will tell you the same. You have to eat your points. When you don't eat enough you can actually gain weight. Granted, you have to eat the "right" calories. But still. You have to eat to properly fuel your body.

 

[TheHamm]

ATTQOTD: I have been considering this topic for quite awhile. I am diligent about tracking what I eat mostly because I do not want to mindlessly eat (or drink) an extra three deserts. I have a hard time understanding how the body can both build and repair muscle efficiently while calorie deficient. I have noticed differences in long runs based on food intake- I generally eat all the veggies and am consistently low on carbs and protein if left to my own tastes. When running in the afternoon (that is done until fall!) I noticed I felt MUCH better if I had some sort of carb based snack an hour before I went out. As it is hot and I am back to AM runs, I go out before eating, and it is a bit more of a slog. Similar to LSULakes, I figured this is probably just fine and similar to the metabolic pathways others use when they are farther into the race.

Regarding my previous whine about not having a consistent pace, I went out for a run while on a business trip this week where it was significantly more flat and the tiny hills were rolling and noticed that my pace was significantly less choppy, so that was nice to see!

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: I have done the 21 day fix diet twice. I did the food plan while my husband did the food and workout stuff. Both times it took me awhile to realize that I just didn’t have the energy past running 3-4 miles becasue of when I was choosing to run. I realized I had to plan out when I was eating the food I considered a snack (fruit, etc) a little closer to when I was running (especially on longer runs).

Yesterday’s question: My thighs eat running shorts like it’s a bad habit. I have tried to just run in different shorts a few times over the years and it has resulted in some bad chafing. I now run in the longer compression shorts when it’s warm and I don’t have any issues now. I still use body glide becasue you just never know when some random chafing might creep up though.

 

[kleph]

ATTQOTD: I've started my diet since I've returned from our trip and I forgot how much it kinda sucks only into day 3. What sucks more is my weight so I'm in it for the long haul. Currently at 232 with a goal of getting back into the low 210. At my largest I was 255, so I know I can do this. I follow a low carb diet, with some intermediate fasting in there 1-2 per week. As my mileage increases I will have to introduce more of a balanced diet to fuel my runs, but hopefully by that time I am getting near my goal weight. Lessons learned last time doing this! Do not fast on Friday with a long run on Saturday as part of the normal schedule. It took a while to figure out why my runs seemed so hard, but as I learned more about fueling, i found the error in my ways. However, in some cases this idea can work towards training if done once in a while. I think @DopeyBadger probably has a more scientific approach to this, but in simple terms you are starting your run on a low tank and teaching your body to use other fuel sources to keep going. It can simulate the later miles of the marathon. The low carb approach works, and can be made into a lifestyle change, I just got to relaxed and my weight kinda snowballed out of control. With 6 months to marathon weekend I have a big mountain to climb to get ready, but I will be ready!

well, if you are looking for strategies to succeed in your diet, your first and biggest mistake is living in louisiana.

 

[Bree]

ATTQOTD: I don’t really diet or go low carb, etc. When I’m on my best behavior I track my food & calories in MyFitnessPal. I have 8 pounds to lose, but not really trying or stressing about it right now.

 

[Miranda]

Diet is something that I need to get serious about again. There is no way I'm putting actual numbers here but I am up 25-30ish lbs from my lowest, and I was not done losing weight at that point. I've just been not bothering to watch what I eat now for like 2 years. I really need to make better choices. And maybe uninstall the DD app.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

ATTQOTD - I don't believe in dieting. I believe in fitness and portion control. I have gout, so I have to watch my intake of purines, but I still eat what I like - just less of some things. If I do not eat enough, I can feel it in all of my workouts. Fat doesn't burn as efficiently as fuel.

Everyone is different, so each of us has to do what works for us. I hate to give (or receive) advice about dieting because our diet is so critical to our overall health. Weight control is important, but not as important as health and fitness.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

ATTQOTD: DW and I did a Whole30 round this spring, in the midst of ramping up my training for the Dark Side half. Having cut out all the sugar, processed foods, grains, 'hidden' sugars, and everything else that might cause inflammation, the first two weeks were definitely sluggish. You get the food/desert dreams, which is a common side effect of switching to ketosis, even though we were still getting carbs from veggies, potatoes (white and sweet), and fruit. But, right on schedule at about 2 weeks in, the body switches over to burning fat like a car shifting gears. It's remarkable. In addition to burning off weight like crazy at that point, I was sleeping better than ever and had consistent energy throughout the day. (Not 1 nap.) I think dropping about 10 pounds by the time of the race, and the added recovery, helped me PR that half (in the heat, no less) by over 5 minutes.

We just started another round of Whole30, and this time I'll need to eat more as I'm adding in more strength training and more miles (which won't be easy as I ate plenty the first time through - no measuring of any kind on this diet). If you look for Whole30 and running online, you'll see a handful of coaches talking about how terrible it is because you need carbs, etc. Unfortunately, Whole30 requires more research to understand. You can get all the carbs you need, just not from grains. (Because you just might be one of those people who has a reaction to rice, or oats, or corn, in which case you're body is fighting against a harmful food while you're trying to recover.) DW and I recommend looking into it. It's a major commitment, and you've got to be willing to cook. Virtually no options when eating out, but the sleep alone was worth it.

 

[Miranda]

Dieting is so hard, there are so many options and everyone is saying that their way is the best. I am the type of person that gets paralyzed by too many choices and end up making no choices at all.