CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
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CCE is 15years old!
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Still feel like I am holding my upper body too stiff but possibly because I was wearing a bag?
I almost always end up with stiff shoulders - possibly as much due to running after a day sitting at a desk as anything else. Best I can manage is making sure my hands/wrists are relaxed and loose (basically flopping around in front of my chest when I run).
@WC just a couple of thoughts: stretching right before exercise is subject to some controversy. If I were you, I would just warm up (even just start running slowly for the first couple of minutes) rather than pre-stretching, then spend the time saved stretching off more at the end, when your muscles are warm.
Second, to an extent, you may have better luck with injury doing more miles than going fast (that is, I would be running Tue / Thu at a comfortable pace rather than pushing to a faster and faster pace on your one run of the week, sort of thing).
Finally, the only way I've found to improve my form is to concentrate on pushing my feet out behind me (almost like the "scraping" feeling people talk about when pedalling in circles). This naturally makes it quite hard to get my feet forward to my usual heel-slam, and also increases cadence, otherwise I would fall over!
Agree on the stretching before exercise. I have never believed in it and what do you know? It has gone out of fashion. Along with drinking way too much water. IN fact, stretching at all is going to be going out of fashion soon but I reckon if it hurts, stretch it. If it keeps hurting, look at what is causing it.
Noticeable that, probably a conjunction of the stretching, and it being the second run, the calves were nowhere near as tight, and today are virtually back to normal.
This is a good sign. You should be using your calves. Many people overuse their quads which leads to knee pain and hip flexor trouble.
Your arms should be alongside your body, not in front of your chest. But yes, relax your hands and shoulders as much as you can while not letting your arms cross on front of your body.
Pushing your feet out behind you is not good form (sorry!) Concentrating on lifting your knees is much better.
"This is a good sign. You should be using your calves. Many people overuse their quads which leads to knee pain and hip flexor trouble."
Sounds like I'm doing okay on that score then, definitely the calves that feel the most worked.
"Your arms should be alongside your body, not in front of your chest. But yes, relax your hands and shoulders as much as you can while not letting your arms cross on front of your body."
Ah, interesting. My arms do cross in front, I'll give keeping them alongside a whirl on Friday.
Hadn't realised there was so much doubt about stretching (having read a bit now). Could this be yet another helmet equivalent for running?
The stretching backlash isn't just a running thing - it's right across fitness/training and has been for a few years. The idea that stretching a "cold" muscle could actually damage it makes a lot of sense to me.
I should also add that it doesn't stop me stretching out muscles that feel tight without a warm up, but I won't stretch as deep or as long when cold as I would after exercise.
Although don't neglect the general benefits of a flexibility routine for helping prevent injury. Yoga is great for improving flexibility and balance.
If I'm going for a longer run, I'll do 10 minutes easy as a warm up, and then do some mobility exercises/dynamic stretches, before getting going properly.
Boyfriend of Fimm is always going on at me for tensing up in the upper body - trying to be relaxed throughout is really good form (though trying to be relaxed while simultaneously trying to do all the contradictory things that you've been told on an internet forum might be easier said than done...).
@WC "Could this be yet another helmet equivalent for running?"
Or walking poles for walking?
"(though trying to be relaxed while simultaneously trying to do all the contradictory things that you've been told on an internet forum might be easier said than done."
Definitely feeling a bit this wAy.
Like others I started jogging this summer to lose some wait put in last year when I wasn't well, and to be a bit more active/sleep better.
To my surprise I found I was really enjoying it. Then I got bad hip pain, which I'm pretty sure was my sacro-iliac joint. I'm hoping the damage was caused by playing a lot of street hockey and tennis with the kids at the same time, and not by the jogging.
So I'm taking it pretty easy right now. I am signed up for that crazy two times round Arthur's seat run in November (my work's entering a group), but am thinking I will try to. Ha get my registration and only run the 5k.
I'd started out running on the canal - early before too many cyclists were out- and really enjoyed it, but I seem to go slower there than elsewhere. Started trying to bring in some elevation. I did one round of Arthur's seat from George square last week and it felt fab (if quite slow). Feeling kind of crappy this week,, so not been running. Not sure if that is chicken or egg though...
Thanks for all the Good Luck wishes, good people. This will be my 3rd time doing Loch Ness so I'm aware of the hill at 18, and @remberbuck it is indeed a great shirt. I'm glad they don't change the design every year like EMF (2015 FINISHER shirt! I want something that says Marathon or 26.2 at the very least!).
I did LN last year in 3:33:29, but injury for the last 2 months has knocked the training back somewhat so going to be pacing a pal doing it for the first time around hopefully for his first sub 4.
I'll be sure to come back and let you all know how it was. :)
2015 FINISHER shirt!
I have seen people wearing these and I do think they look slightly patronising!
Ah, interesting. My arms do cross in front, I'll give keeping them alongside a whirl on Friday.
If you think about it, keeping your arms alongside means your chest will be opened up making it easier to breathe. It will also keep your body more upright and your shoulders back, hopefully helping with the tiredness here though they may ache a bit to begin with if you are not used to it. It should feel better straight away though!
It definitely feels a bit intimidating out there in my vaguely athletic t-shirt that my mom got me at Costco, being overtaken by all these men whose t-shirts are from ultra butch event in past years. I think that's why so many people do wear those emf shirts (I'd been a bit taken aback by how many I saw previously).
Park run last Saturday was fun. Way fewer 'event' t-shirts.
Pushing your feet out behind you is not good form (sorry!) Concentrating on lifting your knees is much better.
Interesting... when I think about lifting my knees I heel strike. I guess the tricky thing is what each person "feels" when they're doing vaguely the right motion is quite different (for instance, I can't pedal in circles if I think anything about my feet. Instead I imagine hooks in the back of my hamstrings pulling them back, and the shape on the graph machine from pedal sensors then goes much more circular).
SRD, they should just make t-shirts for those people that say what they want: "I'm significantly fitter than you".
You should get one that says "Two children!"
Min, you should take up coaching!
I'm tentatively thinking about starting running again. I used to run a lot (in my non-cycling limbo between getting my childhood bike stolen and starting up again 5 years ago thanks to the bike to work scheme).
I've been put off running- I stopped because I was getting bad shin splints- it turned out this was down to flexibility and pronation and I now have orthotics (that I also use cycling). I think the reason that these issues hadn't manifested previously despite running a lot was that I was also regularly playing football at that time and that this cross-training helped with stability. It seems that cycling may be decent cross-training for running so I think that if I get running shoes that fit my orthotics and work up slowly then I should be fine. I'm not sure what a reasonable starting point is though.....5k twice a week, then increase by 10% each week?
Those EMF t-shirts that I keep seeing people running in - are they cotton? If so, they must be a bit crap for training in unless these athletes sweat a hell of a lot less than I do.
They never say what time folk finished in. They could have walked it for all we know. ;-)
Interesting... when I think about lifting my knees I heel strike. I guess the tricky thing is what each person "feels" when they're doing vaguely the right motion is quite different (for instance, I can't pedal in circles if I think anything about my feet. Instead I imagine hooks in the back of my hamstrings pulling them back, and the shape on the graph machine from pedal sensors then goes much more circular).
Yes, it is possible that you are not actually doing what you sound like you are doing!
Min, you should take up coaching!
Hmm, I kind of feel I need to practise what I preach a bit more. ;-)
@Condor, I'm with you on the EMF shirts this year - all those miles for a shirt that you cold have got for 10K! The only advantage is you don't risk breaking your neck looking back to see what someone else ran when they pass you.
Mind you not as bad as the Scottish Half, where they don't put the date on. OK if you've only done it once: not so good the second time. Wonder if the connectionn is that they are GSi Events promotions ...
@SRD I wouldn't rule out running for your hip problem - sacro iliac is a classic running injury, brought on by impact and caused by weak glutes. (90% of running leg problems from big toe to groin are sorted by strengthening your glutes). And be very careful of too much canal running. The flat level gradient provides no vatiation in muscle use, and is more likely to cause overuse then an undulating route. Plus, less obviously, the tow path is a fairly inflexible surface, and thus emphasises impact. I've friends who were "banned" from it by their physio. Tarmac is much more forgiving, and a better option for building miles.
(Meadows trails are the best).
@WC I'll leave the pre run stretching argument for you to work out, but I'm on the side of those who use the first mile or so to get warmed up - you're below pace so why not use it.
But all the best with keeping going. Edinburgh is a fabulous city to run in and around, and I've found it gives you a whole different sense of "ownership" than cycling.
And, if and when you do an organised run you'll reaiise why you would want to wear the shirt ...
Chapeau.
PS: The EMF tshirts are a cheaper "technical" material. I've got a few from doing the marathon relay.
@remberbuck - yes, very aware that sacroiliac is common for runners. that's why i'm being extra cautious now.
have been running meadows/links a bit. thinking of also trying the paths around Craighouse. would be nice to get off tarmac.
@smashfacethecat, 5k x 2 +10% sounds reasonable. I step it back by a mile or 2 every 4 weeks so as not to overdo it.
I have to wear prescription orthotics after tearing my ATFL ligament in the London Olympic Triathlon last year and I find that if you have the 2/3rds heel type they'll fit in most running shoes. Over the last 3 years I've had mine in ASICS Foundation 12's , ASICS GT 2000's, Brooks Purecadence 2's & Brooks Adrenaline 14's. I get about 400-500 miles out a pair of shoes hence the reason for so many, and rotating them to avoid hotspots.
*BROSCIENCE ALERT* I was told by my physio that when running on the pavements to run back on the same side on an out and back, or switch sides half way on a loop to even out the slight camber of the pavement on the legs. I've certainly noticed a change of form due to the slope when doing 16 miles+ on the same side, though some of it may have been in my head / getting tired.
"I was told by my physio that when running on the pavements to run back on the same side on an out and back, or switch sides half way on a loop to even out the slight camber of the pavement on the legs"
I've always assumed this is why some people insist on running along NMW, MMW and Leamington Walk right on the paint line along the middle of the path, despite the fact that their flailing elbows then encroach on the bit cyclists are allowed to use. Possibly also why some people jog along the road when there's a footway, unless that's just so that they don't get slowed-down by mortals.
I run on the road in the early mornings because the footways tend to be in such terrible condition and lack dropped kerbs.
I've been a sporadic runner for a few years but my only events to date have been obstacle races. First training for a tough mudder, then the Edinburgh rat race. My training for them didn't go over about 8miles but then I started training for the Rat Race dirty weekend (20 miles 200 obstacles last May).
I was talked into signing up without really considering the training requirements, before the event my training runs were up to 17 miles but taking 3 hours. Having a young family makes that very hard to fit into my schedule on a regular basis so since the even I have only done 2 parkruns.
I need to get some more runs in as the Edinburgh Rat Race is in 3 weeks.
Tough Mudder gave a finisher t-shirt which is a basic technical fabric while the Rat Races give all entrants a decent technical t-shirt with the events details on it.
At night I run in the road because the constant driveways make for a very up and down route, and in the dark it can be more difficult to see the drops coming.
I run on the road because I paid for it with my taxes.
And it makes me less of a pain in the erse for people who are walking on the pavement.
I can see why you might be tempted to follow the white line when running in the meadows at lunchtime. The pedestrian side is often quite full and having to constantly swerve really puts you off your stride and takes you out of 'the zone'. That's why I mostly run on the grass away from everybody else, not to mention the surface is softer on the joints. TBH I don't particularly begrudge flailing elbows entering the cyclists side, in the same way that I don't mind cyclists slowly riding on a footpath when it is safe to do so.
Interesting thread.
I've flirted with running, mainly when my bike commute had raised my general fitness to a level where I could breathe and run simultaneously (asthma-related issues, also a gym instructor once suggested I had 'small lungs'). But then along came the kids and some health problems.
I'd love to be able to get back to my slow plodding though. What advice would anyone have to avoiding neck/should pain and stiffness after even a short run? I've obviously got bad form, but I don't even know where to start. No matter how hard I try to relax my head, neck and shoulders, it doesn't seem to work for me.
hmm...sounds not unlike me weezee, except I've found running good for upper body stiffness.
My mother has a yoga stretch where you put your arms behind you, straight and get someone to gently press your elbows together, while you keep your arms straight. best thing for my back/posture ever.
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