Getting back to running after a long time off

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Getting back to running after a long time off

Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157

Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:26 am

It took a lot longer than I'd expected, but my running bug is finally back. After a strong 2004, and a pretty good January and February this year, I barely ran at all through most of the spring in summer. I went from a string of 200+ mile months last year to about 20 miles per month! But that's slowly improving: I ran 71 miles in August, and 113 in September. It's still far below where I used to be, but it's a start. The only problem is that with all the time I took off, my fitness level is way below where it used to be. I guess it's time to get cracking!

mfox

South Orange, New Jersey
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 367

Re: Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:55 pm

Good job Rickshaw. I'm glad to see you've got the bug again. I know how you feel; I've been in the same boat more than once. Be patient, your fitness will come back. Probably sooner than you expect.

Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157

Re: Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:15 pm

Thanks... one thing I plan to do differently is avoid falling into the miles = speed trap mentioned in one of the recent articles. I was doing 75 mpw for a while last summer, but it didn't seem to help all that much, and I was dead tired all the time. This time around, I'm going to pay more attention to my form, and work on some drills to improve running economy, make sure I do my easy runs EASY so I can make the hard days really count. So far I've been practicing getting my stride rate up and adopting what is supposedly a more effecient stride, so we'll see how that goes. I hope your running life is going well. Post sometime and let us know what's new.

Bricks
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Chicago
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 222

Re: Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:03 am

Glad to hear you're back in the swing of things. I liked that article, also germane the point about months off and having to spend a lot of time getting back to where you were in the first place. It sounds to me though that you needed the time off. I think you'll come back even stronger and smarter (not that you weren't before, just that it's amazing what you learn from trying different things).

Rustyboy

LA, CA
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 225

Re: Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:56 am

Welcome back, Rickshaw! Beginning early this summer, I started to really concentrate on trail and mountain running, which has really captured my heart and intensified my love for running. I ran a 25k moutain race in August (my first ever) and placed 112 out of 236, which shocked the hell out of me, and now I have my first ultra (50k) in January. Keep those feet movin' and have FUN.

Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157

Re: Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:44 pm

Wow, you're moving into ultra territory already Rustyboy? Awesome! I'm glad to hear that trail running as been good to you. The few times that I've tried it myself, I had a blast. Have you tried Trail Runner magazine? I've had a subscription to it for a while, and I definitely enjoy it. It seems a little more meaty than the fluff that Runner's World publishes. If you have time, write up a race report for your August 25K and let us know all the details!

mfox

South Orange, New Jersey
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 367

Re: Getting back to running after a long time off Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:46 am

I love running trails. Though most of the trails around me are pretty rocky with a lot of hills. I'd like to be able to run where I didn't have to spend so much time concentrating on my footing. I've got the Delaware and Raritan Canal Path (abou 60 miles long) near by but that's pretty flat. I'm planning on doing my first ultra in late November; the Knickerbocker 60K in Central Park. I hope to work up to doing a 50 miler or two next summer, and then eventually a 100 miler later on. Another good periodical is Marathon and Beyond (www.marathonandbeyond.com). As the name implies it focuses on long runs. It's not anything like the typical running magazines. It's in paperback book format and usually has many really interesting articles.

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