My name is Jeff, and I'm addicted to running

[camper4lyfe]

I'm pretty excited, and have to share this. Some of you may get it, others may think I'm just off my rocker.

I got involved in a group on Facebook that originated from the running magazine, Runner's World. It's named for the overall goal of running a sub-30 minute 5k. Many people destroy this time, while others struggle. Ultimately, the group is about support and positive thinking and respect for each other (much like this group). Last year, I started hearing about a weekend of races put on by Runner's World near their headquarters in Bethlehem, PA. In a post one day (around October of last year), someone mentioned to me that since my last name sounds so much like hat trick, that I should sign up for this year's Runner's World Festival (http://rw.runnersworld.com/rwhalf/) and register for the hat trick, which consists of a 5k (3.1 miles) and 10k (6.2 miles) on Saturday, and a half marathon (13.1 miles) on Sunday. I laughed (I've heard the hat trick joke way too many times in my life) and said "yeah ok". I thought it was a bit far fetched, as I had just started running and struggled to run just a 5k.

Welllllll....today I signed up for the Runner's World hat trick this October. I'm pretty damn excited to give it a shot. I've already set 3 goals for that: sub-30 5k, sub-60 10k, and a sub-2:00 half. The sub-30 I've already accomplished. I have not yet run a full 10k, but before I got hurt last November, I was pretty darn close to not only 10k, but also sub-60 10k.

On top of that, I just restarted running this past Saturday, and have 5 weeks until my FIRST half marathon (http://www.flowercitychallenge.com/) on April 25. I'm WAY behind on my training, and after much internal debate, I've decided that I'd much rather START and TRY to complete the half, rather than not start at all. I'm able to run about 1/3 of the distance so far, and in 5 weeks I feel like I should be able to at least make a valiant effort at it. I certainly won't be breaking any records, but as long as I finish, and don't finish last, I'll be happy.

[usmcveteran]

Glad to hear your back at it after your surgery. Not sure if this will help you or not but when I used to run in Marines I would never allow myself to slow down for the Physical Fitness Test. It was a 3 mile run and I would start out at a nice easy pace and slowly increase speed throughout and when I started doing that I saw my times get better.

Good luck!

[WARFAB]

Ultimately, the group is about support and positive thinking and respect for each other (much like this group).

Wait... this group meaning this forum? Us?

How is the repaired foot working for you? I'm looking forward to being able to run outside again. It will be a bit more motivational than trying to drag my butt to the gym for hamster wheel training.

[big flash]

hey everyone has their addictions. there's nothing wrong with this one. good luck, I'm sure you'll do great training up for April 25th and October.
setting solid goals like that is the only way to reach them, right!?

my wife and i were thinking about training for a tough-mudder like race next summer/fall. no way we could do a full blown tough-mudder in that amount of time though so trying to find something a little easier. i don't like just plain running any more but understand those that do, i use to run a decent amount. my shins need the breaks of other obstacles to break up the monotony these days.

[camper4lyfe]

Glad to hear your back at it after your surgery. Not sure if this will help you or not but when I used to run in Marines I would never allow myself to slow down for the Physical Fitness Test. It was a 3 mile run and I would start out at a nice easy pace and slowly increase speed throughout and when I started doing that I saw my times get better.

Good luck!

I've been pretty good at keeping a pace or even negative splits like that. In 2 months, I was able to drop my average time by roughly 1 minute per mile, and I was consistently running ~9:30/mile. That was at a fairly comfortable pace, and the last race I ran I managed just under 9:00/mile and finished 3.4 miles in 30 minutes (30:01, to be exact, and that :01 pisses me off). The hamster wheel training helps to maintain a pace, for sure, as it's set at a speed and that's where I am. I'll eventually try to negative split it, once I get more comfortable with my recovery.

[camper4lyfe]

Wait... this group meaning this forum? Us?

How is the repaired foot working for you? I'm looking forward to being able to run outside again. It will be a bit more motivational than trying to drag my butt to the gym for hamster wheel training.

Yeah, most of the guys here are pretty positive and good people, if a little sarcastic.

I plan to hit the canal tomorrow, as I'm already sick of running inside, but that's my only option during the week at this point. I got sick of running in the dark, and with my ankle still not 100%, I need to be able to see what my foot his landing on.

[camper4lyfe]

hey everyone has their addictions. there's nothing wrong with this one. good luck, I'm sure you'll do great training up for April 25th and October.
setting solid goals like that is the only way to reach them, right!?

my wife and i were thinking about training for a tough-mudder like race next summer/fall. no way we could do a full blown tough-mudder in that amount of time though so trying to find something a little easier. i don't like just plain running any more but understand those that do, i use to run a decent amount. my shins need the breaks of other obstacles to break up the monotony these days.

I actually used to absolutely hate running, but something clicked for me at the end of 2013/early 2014, and now I love it. I was running consistently for 2 months (I had worked my mileage up to 5 miles per run) in October/November before I got hurt, and it absolutely sucked. I had signed up for next month's half back in October when I was still healthy, so I'm a bit frustrated that things won't work out this time like I had originally planned.

I'd like to do a tough mudder or something similar at some point. I'll need to do a lot more upper body work in order to do it though. My pencil arms just wouldn't last very long.

[WARFAB]

The canal path is a bit of a hike for me, so when the weather gets warmer I just run in our neighborhood. Not as nice as the canal path because of the "crown" of the streets, but it's more interesting than the treadmill. My issue is that my ankles can only handle so much. I'm not sure if I need to learn to stretch them more or what, but they get sore so I need recovery time between runs.

[camper4lyfe]

The canal path is a bit of a hike for me, so when the weather gets warmer I just run in our neighborhood. Not as nice as the canal path because of the "crown" of the streets, but it's more interesting than the treadmill. My issue is that my ankles can only handle so much. I'm not sure if I need to learn to stretch them more or what, but they get sore so I need recovery time between runs.

I can run to the canal from home which is nice, or drive down and park behind Riki's. It's nice and flat and should be clear by now.

Try heading fleet feet and have your stride checked. They'll video your gate and stuff and get you into shoes that'll work best for you. It's pretty interesting to see.

[Pissed Off Patriot]

I get it completely. I wish I could still run like I used to.

My biggest problem was motivation. I was mostly a fair weather runner until I hooked up with a local running group which is what gave me enough motivation to get out there on a more regular basis. Running became easier when I had other people to train with.

[Firenailer]

Running isn't the worst addiction to have, good luck with the races. Now that the weathers breaking its SO MUCH NICER to be running outside again. Some days the neighborhood, some days the high school track, it just feels better than the treadmill in my basement!

[camper4lyfe]

I get it completely. I wish I could still run like I used to.

My biggest problem was motivation. I was mostly a fair weather runner until I hooked up with a local running group which is what gave me enough motivation to get out there on a more regular basis. Running became easier when I had other people to train with.

I actually prefer to run by myself. Maybe it's my personality. But mostly I think that it's just become my time by myself to relax and think with no distractions (I've inly come close to getting lost a couple times in a god awful housing tract).

I do love running races though. There's something about trying to pass the person in front of you. Pass one, on to the next.

[Meketrefe]

I was in the running club in Highschool and first year in college. I did regional track races. Also lots of soccer. Some boxing and diving/fishing in the summers. Also later mountain bikes and TT (dirt bikes) racing. After that sailing, shooting some competitions, Martial arts, etc....
Now I fish and hunt. I can walk all day but I cannot find myself running. It would take me a while to get to the pounding. I would proabably still have some endurance like 1 mile! lol.
I guess the mountain bikes are a more attractive to me as they take you places fast. One of the reaons I stopped running in college is because I started to
get bored. Until then I was pretty introvert so I didn't mind.

So what do we do to get mature folks back running when zombies are not chasing us.?

[camper4lyfe]

I was in the running club in Highschool and first year in college. I did regional track races. Also lots of soccer. Some boxing and diving/fishing in the summers. Also later mountain bikes and TT (dirt bikes) racing. After that sailing, shooting some competitions, Martial arts, etc....
Now I fish and hunt. I can walk all day but I cannot find myself running. It would take me a while to get to the pounding. I would proabably still have some endurance like 1 mile! lol.
I guess the mountain bikes are a more attractive to me as they take you places fast. One of the reaons I stopped running in college is because I started to
get bored. Until then I was pretty introvert so I didn't mind.

So what do we do to get mature folks back running when zombies are not chasing us.?

You download this app https://www.zombiesrungame.com

[phritz]

I'm addicted to not running.
Used to run, just a mile or two at a time, and hated every second of it. I wanted to like it, just couldnt.