[Grimey]

I just started running today. I forgot how fun it is. I went to runner's world( i think thats the name) and got some Brooks that fit me really good - so I got the shoes part down.

1) When should I stretch, and umm... what stretches should I do?

2) My back starts to get sore towards the end, like my lower back. It has always done this when I run - its why I stopped. I'm not really overweight, about 7lbs more than normal now.

Other than that, its pretty cool, you get a workout allot faster than on a bike and its easier and cheaper(ie - go out your front door and just run, compared to hassling with bikes etc..)

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Jorvik]

1) Before and after you run. I like to warm up with an easy mile and then get a good stretch in. You might want to warm up with less before you stretch, as I'm a youngin' who stretches every night regardless. As to what stretches:
Quad stretch (Hold your ankle and tuck it behind your ass, stay standing on one leg)
Ass stretch (sitting up, bring one leg over the other and pull it towards your chest)
Groin stretch (sitting, put the soles of your feet together and bring your knees down)
Hammy Stretch (sitting, spread legs out, reach for one leg, hold, reach for other leg, hold, reach for middle)
Do these until your muscles feel nice and loose (should be 30 sec to 60 sec each stretch)

2) Your lower back is probably just weak. Running involves your core quite a bit, although your lower back will probably keep on hurting unless you beef it up. In order to remedy this you do some hyperextensions. Basically a reverse sit up. You'll probably need a gym to do this but I've managed to do it using a couch.

 

[Serial Midget]

Running is good.

I am a bad one for stretching - I seldom do it and don't seem to suffer any ill effects. One thing I do twice everyday is stretch my achiles tendon. I also stop and touch my toes if feel a little lower back tension.

In my running club about half stretch and half don't.

When you do stretch it is now recognized that too much can be a bad thing. Never bounch your stretch or force your joints into movement that is unatural or hyper extended.

 

[Grimey]

2) Your lower back is probably just weak. Running involves your core quite a bit, although your lower back will probably keep on hurting unless you beef it up. In order to remedy this you do some hyperextensions. Basically a reverse sit up. You'll probably need a gym to do this but I've managed to do it using a couch.

See, thats what I thought, but I used to do those(before I injured my shoulder 8 months ago), while holding a 45plate. I'm thinking my body just needs to get used to running.

As for the stretching, anyone have any links to sites with the little diagram dealies. I'm also horrible un-flexible, like its kinda scary how little movement I have. Touching my toes is just like holding on right below the knee. Yeah, umm.. I only 21.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Originally posted by Grimey


Other than that, its pretty cool, you get a workout allot faster than on a bike and its easier and cheaper(ie - go out your front door and just run, compared to hassling with bikes etc..)

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by MtnBikerChk

Meh... I know what he is saying. Sometimes getting the bikes and your gear ready is just a pain in the ass. Especially in bad weather. I don't mind riding in the rain but the clean up afterwards is really a time consuming drag.

Therefore I roll my eyes at you.

 

[Grimey]

OK, How many hours do you have to log into on a road bike to equal a hour run? What if your closest mountain bike trail is a 15 drive away? What if you are going on a weekend trip, do you really want to deal with gettign a bike on the plan and dealing with security?

 

[Jorvik]

There is no form of exercise which gives you as good a workout as running for calories burned per hour. And guess how much it costs? 60-100 bucks for a good pair of running shoes, and nothing else.

Some people get more of a charge out of running than biking. I'm one of them just because I can do it whenever, where ever I want.

 

[fonseca]

Originally posted by Jorvik
There is no form of exercise which gives you as good a workout as running for calories burned per hour.

Exercising at your target heart rate, using a rowing or eliptical machine will supposedly burn more calories per hour than running at the same THR, and cycling will burn about the same as running at THR.

Supposedly, xc skiing burns significantly more calories per hour than any other aerobic activity at the same HR.

 

[Serial Midget]

Activity Calorie Calculator

Running at a 6 minute pace is equal to road cycling at 20 plus MPH. However... most people do not run or bike at that pace.

Running is a whole body workout that tends to work your body harder than cycling which primarily involves your legs.

XC skiing isn't even close.

Also - road biking burns more than XC, typical MTB burns much fewer calories over the same time period.

 

[Silver]

I'm not sure about XC skiing...

It depends if you do it traditional or skating style IMHO. Skating burns a TON of calories (keep in mind I've only done XC skiing a couple of times, but skating REALLY kicked my ass) and involved the entire body a lot more than traditional XC.

Give me a hardtail on an XC course over a set of skis anyday!

 

[Dog Welder]

Originally posted by Jorvik
There is no form of exercise which gives you as good a workout as running for calories burned per hour. And guess how much it costs? 60-100 bucks for a good pair of running shoes, and nothing else.

Some people get more of a charge out of running than biking. I'm one of them just because I can do it whenever, where ever I want.

No jumping rope is better....easier on the knees too...but it can get very boring quick unless you get mix it up.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by Dog Welder
No jumping rope is better....easier on the knees too...but it can get very boring quick unless you get mix it up.

Nope. Jumping rope is excellent for leg strenth but is only equivelent to a leisurely 10 minute running pace - it lacks forward momentum and wind resistance.

 

[Jorvik]

Yup. I run at a little over 7 minute pace for 30-40 minutes, you can't beat that by jumping rope. Also, since I am not a lightweight, (195 Lbs), anything which takes my weight partly out of the equation decreases the calories burned far more than a skinny person.

 

[gorgechris]

Wanna' burn more calories, not hurt your back and feet as much, enjoy the great outdoors, and still get in your run? The solution is simple: TRAIL RUNNING!

I can't stand to road run, it bores the $hit out of me. Trail running is much more stimulating, strengthens your knees better, and is hella' more fun! Plus, you get reminded what it's like to be a ped on the trail and have five freeriders in full gear bombing down the singletrack towards you. Still, it hurts less than getting hit by a car.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by gorgechris
Wanna' burn more calories, not hurt your back and feet as much, enjoy the great outdoors, and still get in your run? The solution is simple: TRAIL RUNNING!

On Saturday I am running the Cle Elum Ridge 50K Trail Run. 31 miles of singletrack trails and 5,400 feet of gain. The motoheads will give up and go home - there are about 125 of us running this race.

 

[gorgechris]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
On Saturday I am running the Cle Elum Ridge 50K Trail Run. 31 miles of singletrack trails and 5,400 feet of gain. The motoheads will give up and go home - there are about 125 of us running this race.

Dude, that is nuts. I thought I was tuff for doing a trail 1/2 marathon this coming Sunday (of course, I'm only going to run it if I don't hurt myself riding the logs on Saturday).

You should considering doing the McKenzie River marathon some day. It is an insanely beautiful trail. I can't run that far, so I'll stick to riding it, which is more fun anyway, right?

http://www.users.qwest.net/~ultrawillow/McKenzieRiver.html

 

[Jorvik]

If you can run a half marathon you can run a full marathon. Its all mental at that point. You won't be running as hard, but you'll still be able to keep a good pace the whole way through. I've never run a organized marathon, only ones with my running buddies. We all found this to be true. None of us though we could run a full marathon so we started with a half marathon. In a month or so we just all decided to do a full 26.2. Every one of us finished with a good pace.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by gorgechris
Dude, that is nuts. I thought I was tuff for doing a trail 1/2 marathon this coming Sunday (of course, I'm only going to run it if I don't hurt myself riding the logs on Saturday).

You should considering doing the McKenzie River marathon some day. It is an insanely beautiful trail. I can't run that far, so I'll stick to riding it, which is more fun anyway, right?

http://www.users.qwest.net/~ultrawillow/McKenzieRiver.html

I've run the McKenzie before but not an organized race.

In your neck of the woods I have run the SOB 50K in Ashland, McDonald Forest 50K and Hagg Lake 50K twice. All very enjoyable.

Here I am finishing Hagg Lake this year, up to that point it was my PR but a month later I finished Mt Si in 05:22. I'm trying for a sub 5:00 in November if all goes well.

I'll be about 7 hours in Cle Elum due to the elevation gain. Mad fun all the way.

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
Here I am finishing Hagg Lake this year, up to that point it was my PR but a month later I finished Mt Si in 05:22. I'm trying for a sub 5:00 in November if all goes well.

DUH.

 

[gorgechris]

Originally posted by Jorvik
If you can run a half marathon you can run a full marathon. Its all mental at that point. You won't be running as hard, but you'll still be able to keep a good pace the whole way through. I've never run a organized marathon, only ones with my running buddies. We all found this to be true. None of us though we could run a full marathon so we started with a half marathon. In a month or so we just all decided to do a full 26.2. Every one of us finished with a good pace.

I suppose so, but for me, I don't want to devote the time for training for it - I'd rather be out riding! I figure I'm in good enough shape if I can tear off a 10 mile trail run at the drop of a hat. Maybe it would be good to try and do one in March, so it doesn't interfere too much with riding.

I'm with ya', though; I'd just do it with my GF, and not in some organized manner. Real runners are too weird, they always want to talk about their bowel movements. It took me a while to re-educate my GF, but she now only gets into the runner-dork mode when other runners are around.

 

[gorgechris]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
DUH.

Nice job, dude, that is pretty serious! Even from that fuzzy picture I can tell that you are a biker and not just a runner dork. The clue: bulging outer thigh muscles that are ever-present in cyclists, but absent in true runners.