what brand of running shoes do you guys run in? i just bought some mizuno's and they seem glorious so far, but i'm not sure if it's worth the money

1/21/2009 11:15:18 PM

i have new balances which i like but i know a ton of people who run in asics so i may try those next because they have fun girly colors and shit

1/22/2009 11:30:15 AM

^^Good running shoes are worth the money if you run a lot.

And I use Asics, which I love...but it really depends on your feet and how you run. Go to a store that specializes in running shoes where they can match your foot and running style to a shoe...then it will definitely be worth the money.

1/22/2009 11:32:57 AM

Quote :

" also i had never run more an 5 or 6 miles before the race, my training program consisted more of a balance and stability routine and training in different heart rate zones but there are tons of programs you can find out there online"

so the race was the first time you did 13 miles? that is awesome, congrats what program did you follow? My biggest issue is finding time to exercise more than an hour per day (read: i can't run 13 miles in an hour, so I have to figure out how to train for something like this in the time that I do have).


I have a pair of adidas that i LOVE. they are expensive, but worth it.

1/22/2009 12:25:53 PM

alright, the gist i'm getting is that the money is worth it so i think i'll just quit buying the cheapest pair and go for some decent shoes. is there a particular place around raleigh that can help you out? measurements and what not?

1/22/2009 1:47:43 PM

Fleet Feet (http://www.fleetfeetraleigh.com) over by the whole foods on wade behind meredith. They measure you and test your gait with shoes and all kinds of stuff. I was actually gonna go check it out after work today.

[Edited on January 22, 2009 at 2:04 PM. Reason : /]

1/22/2009 2:03:26 PM

awesome, thanks a lot. i need to pick up a nice pair of running shoes so i won't be crippled by age 40

1/22/2009 3:16:18 PM

I can also HIGHLY recommend The Athlete's Foot in Cameron Village. I worked there for about a year, and they definitely do a great job of fitting you to the right shoe.

1/22/2009 3:19:34 PM

Quote :

"so the race was the first time you did 13 miles? that is awesome, congrats what program did you follow? My biggest issue is finding time to exercise more than an hour per day (read: i can't run 13 miles in an hour, so I have to figure out how to train for something like this in the time that I do have). "

yup, pretty much. thanks!

i didnt follow a specific training program. i got that v02 testing thing done at my gym and just did the 2 months worth of cardio it recommended. i printed off a new heart rate zone work out everyday and did it. they started at 60min and at the end i was doing 80min work outs

those 80min work outs are BORING but you just gotta get through it, because the race is long too!

i was working out 5 days a week then i tapered off and unfortunately i didnt do a single work out the week before the race.

some days i would do my 80min of cardio then go do an hour of balance training...

1/22/2009 9:28:22 PM

followup: went to fleet feet after work and got fitted for some new shoes. The guy in there was really helpful. Seemed like all the staff were former/current cross country runners in high school and college, and knew their stuff. He measured my feet when I was standing and sitting to see the difference when I have weight on them. Then he watched me jog to see the mechanics of my gait. Then he picked out some specific shoes to try on. Very good at explaining the benefits of each shoe and why he thought they would work for me. Also very good at listening to my feedback and making suggestions accordingly instead of just trying to force me into one type of shoe or another.

oh yeah and there's a 30 day return policy so even if you run in them for a bit and they don't work out for you its no big deal to return them. I got some new saucony's that are way more comfortable than my current shoes. Hopefully that will translate to longer runs.

1/22/2009 10:28:33 PM

I will run 14 days in a row starting today

will report back

1/23/2009 3:20:59 PM

Good luck!

I ran 8.43 miles last night in 1'05" - a 7:43/mile pace including a stoppage to get water and waiting and traffic lights and what not. Felt really good to get out and go at a fast pace after feeling slow all last year.

1/23/2009 3:40:26 PM

Looking for some new fast paced running tunes!

1/25/2009 8:43:06 PM

went to fleet feet the other day, got a lot of awesome advice and ended up picking up some new mizuno running shoes. i would definitely recommend it

1/25/2009 10:08:34 PM

Ok so i've never really been that big of a runner. I used to road bike a lot pre-college (i'm a senior) but i've never really gotten into a weekly running routine. My roommate and i just ran a 2.5 mile loop and i'm all sore. I'm definitely out of shape but would like to lose some weight and get back in shape. Any tips from you guys? I was thinking about an every other day kinda thing, to recover from being sore. What should be my goal for the next few weeks?

1/30/2009 4:09:12 PM

the soreness will go away within days or at most 1-2 weeks of regular running. Be sure to stretch good after your runs to help with soreness.
Also, paradoxically, sometimes going for an easy run is the best cure for being sore.

1/30/2009 4:22:18 PM

definitely make sure you have good shoes, as the thread already mentions. also try signing up for a 5k or an 8k coming up in a few weeks or months so you have something to look forward to. i'm certainly more motivated by an upcoming race, even though i dont race competitively

1/30/2009 5:15:48 PM

So i've been running a 2.5 mile loop every day since Friday. I feel a lot better and am not as sore as i was Saturday after running Friday. I'm running in some cheap new balances now but i think i'll be getting some running shoes this coming weekend in Charlotte. My mom mentioned some place on East Blvd. in Charlotte that will put you on a tread mill and fit you to a specific shoe.

2/2/2009 3:36:39 PM

Your two best options in Charlotte:

http://www.runforyourlife.com/site3.aspx
http://www.charlotterunning.com/

2/2/2009 3:41:03 PM

^thanks! I think the Charlotte Running East Blvd. store was the one she was talking about.

2/2/2009 3:57:18 PM

has anyone done the raleigh run for the oaks 5k? its held sometime in march every year. looking to run it but wanted some feedback if anyone on here has experience with it

2/2/2009 4:54:22 PM

So i have an iPod touch 2nd gen. Has anyone actually tried out the nike thing? Is it just a pedometer? I would assume you'd have to calibrate it to your stride if you want distance, etc.

2/2/2009 8:20:42 PM

i use the nike plus on my 2nd gen ipod touch

yes you do have to calibrate it, which is easy if you have a known distance

i used the nike plus during my half marathon and it was very accurate-- not to mention helpful when i felt like the next mile marker should be showing up any second... i just checked my ipod touch and checked in on how far from the markers i really was

2/2/2009 8:25:01 PM

from last page

Quote :

"I used it with a Nano, not a Touch, which includes a whole ton of workout options and training options. But it works surprisingly well. After calibrating the nike+ipod (you set it into calibration mode, then run 1/4 or 1/2 mile), it was consistently reporting to within 0.02 miles vs. my Garmin GPS. I thought going up/down hills would mess it up b/c your stride is different, but it all seems to even out in the end"

2/2/2009 8:38:37 PM

^,^^ thanks. Might have to try it out. I'm amazed at how much stretching prevents my legs from getting sore.

[Edited on February 2, 2009 at 8:44 PM. Reason : .]

2/2/2009 8:44:25 PM

ran 6.72 miles today

2/3/2009 11:19:29 PM

Went to Charlotte Running and tried on at least 6-7 different shoes. I finally got some new balances because they were the only ones wide enough for my feet. Anyone know where you can buy the nike ipod thingies?

2/8/2009 5:36:58 PM

apple store has them for sure and some random running stores

also online if you dont mind waiting

2/8/2009 6:00:24 PM

I just picked up a pair of Saucony ProGrid Triumph 4's for $30 at payless. Jack pot.

2/8/2009 6:23:48 PM

So I've been averaging 4-5 miles a run these days, and I'd really like to keep that up as well as train for a half marathon (maybe by end of May or early June?). So this is going to sound absolutely ridiculous... I have been using the same running shoes for the past 7 years. (retarded, I realize this.) I just never made buying new ones a priority, and it's gotten to the point where my feet bleed every time I run. So (again, ridiculous question) what shoes do you ladies on here use? In particular, which have you found are the best for loose ankles? In general, I have extremely loose ligaments, and my ankles suffer every time I run (especially where I live), so I'd like to find a way of minimizing the issues with that (though I'm not entirely convinced a good shoe can do such a thing).

Any suggestions, or am I basically stuck with trial and error here?

2/8/2009 11:21:55 PM

go to a running shoe store and have them help you

you'll spend the same amount as you would picking out your own shoes but they'll help you choose the best shoes for you and the way you run

especially if you're going to run a half marathon, seriously go tomorrow and get new shoes!

2/8/2009 11:55:26 PM

for those of you who remember when you first started running, how did you begin over time to increase things? is it just consistency and repetition, and eventually you get better and faster?

i mean, i've never been consistent with my running, i'll run now and again, sometimes for a few weeks consecutively, but i never really stick with it.

i've done various distances, from about 2 miles - 4 miles, depending on a few things. i'm just wondering if i stick with a consistent plan (like right now i've been trying to get in two miles every day, no matter what), then over a month or two, things will naturally improve for me, or if i need to be pushing my body harder every day to get it more prepared.

2/9/2009 12:17:25 AM

For me, increasing distance is much easier than speed. So I always increase my distance first at a slow pace 9-10 minutes. Then build up my speed before a race.

Running for the sake of running is boring as hell to me, so I always pick out a race I want to train for. Be it a marathon, 10K, triathlon or whatever. It's much easier to stay motivated if you have a payoff at the end.

2/9/2009 8:36:48 AM

Quote :

"For me, increasing distance is much easier than speed. So I always increase my distance first at a slow pace 9-10 minutes. Then build up my speed before a race. "

That was my method too, worked out pretty well for me.

2/9/2009 8:46:50 AM

ran 6.72 miles today in 65 minutes

2/19/2009 8:52:28 PM

FuhCtious
I used to run 2 miles a day and just gradually added more and more. I've worked my way up to 6 miles a day over a couple of years but when you get used to running 5 or 6 miles a day and then you run 1 mile... it seems so easy that you can basically sprint the entire way. that's how it worked for me atleast. building the stamina sort of increased the speed in some instances.

2/20/2009 4:07:44 PM

does anyone know of any scenic half marathons? im looking for something in june at the earliest

i found one in lake tahoe and another in utah but want to know if anyone out there has any input

im looking at another half in november but want something else before then

2/24/2009 11:04:35 PM

friends of mine have run the san francisco half-marathon at the end of july -- it goes along the bay, over the golden gate bridge (and back), and ends in golden gate park (not sure if that'll be 'scenic' enough for you with the fog though), i enjoyed being a spectator though it was freezing!

and this is earlier than you mentioned, but the la jolla (in san diego) half is end of april and is pretty scenic, runs mostly along the coast and ends up down in la jolla cove

2/25/2009 11:17:11 AM

i am doing the rock n roll one in VA in september but that is not really scenic.

2/25/2009 11:45:15 AM

^^ i found the SF half but their time limitations are a bit strict for me. you have to run 13.5min miles and i cant do that for 13 miles!

la jolla would be awesome but the bf is from the area and we're looking for something different

the lake tahoe one is looking more promising, especially since we'd have a free place to stay

2/25/2009 12:27:08 PM

i'm running a 5K in 2 weeks! i know it is a baby race, but i've never run an actual race before. i'm not a "runner"--my sport was always swimming. but i want to work my way up. i don't think i ever want to run a full marathon, but i'd like to do a 1/2 eventually and maybe a triathlon sometime. and while i could probably start at a 1/2 marathon and not completely die, it would probably suck a lot, so i would rather do the baby steps. especially because this 5K is on a trail not like a paved street.

i eventually want to do something with the leukemia and lymphoma society team in training. i've had a couple of friends train with them before, has anyone here ever done that?

i'm pretty much only interested in runs that benefit a cause. the one i'm doing in 2 weeks is for brain tumors.

i hope it will be fun!

2/25/2009 9:03:05 PM

^ the angels among us run?

2/27/2009 10:47:13 AM

lotta 5ks coming up this spring in the area
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/joemiller/a-spring-case-of-the-runs

3/2/2009 11:07:46 PM

Going on week three of 40 mile weeks. So far so good...no pain except a nagging soreness in my right hip flexor.

Dreading the arrival of summer heat and humidity...

4/21/2009 9:38:12 PM

I like this thread.

I would like to start getting into running, but it's hard enough just to motivate myself to get going. And then once I do, man oh man am I out of shape! That and I think the cheap-o pedometer I have is wrong. And it's not like I have special shoes or anything either. I've only just been out running twice this week, both times I'm not sure how far and I couldn't run/jog the whole time.

But I'd like to start

4/21/2009 11:49:31 PM

i too have recently started running...can't even finish 2 miles without stopping...i hope to be getting in the 5mi range soon...its so hard changing my diet, but i've been better the last 2 days

4/21/2009 11:52:15 PM

When you are first starting, run by time, not by mileage. Those handheld pedometers are shit for accuracy usually so just remember your course and come back and check your distance online if you are curious. There are several links in this thread with online run mapping.

4/22/2009 8:19:29 AM

mapmyrun.com is awesome!!
Pedometer said I went .436 miles, and I knew it was wrong. Turns out it was 2.83 Yay!

Would you all recommend getting good shoes at the beginning? Or do you think my gait/stride/etc would change that the shoe I could get now wouldn't be the best shoe say a few months from now??
Speaking of, I'm guessing around the $100-150 range, but how much do running shoes cost? If the answer above is to always have and start off with support, I may head out to fleet feet this weekend.

So instead of mileage, just see how long I can go without having to walk/stop?

[Edited on April 22, 2009 at 8:42 AM. Reason : $]

4/22/2009 8:30:06 AM

Get good shoes now to prevent injury. Your gait won't change any faster than it will take you to wear out the cushion in them. You can probably get away with spending anywhere from $70+ . Check out insideout sports (http://www.insideoutsports.com/) to have them measure your gait/feet

4/22/2009 9:52:23 AM

getting good shoes is always important. just as important for beginners as for experienced runners.

and I fully agree with the advice to run for time instead of distance. Don't say "i'm going to go run 3 miles", instead say "i'm going to run 30 minutes today." That either means doing 15 minutes out/back, or finding a loop that's ~30 minutes. The distance is irrelevant, although you may want to keep track of it just for record keeping, or to see how your pace is doing.

In high school, my CC and track teams did our distance runs (i.e. not workouts) only by time, and we were the best running school in NC in the 90's, so if it was good enough for state champions and all-americans, it should be good enough for starters. We would do things like Group A 55 minutes, Group B 40 min, Group C 30 min, and do rough distance calculations later.

4/22/2009 10:05:48 AM