Posted on 11/17/2017 6:50:24 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
I don’t understand how endorphins could make people angry. After running, these chemicals make me feel good, pleasantly tired, laid-back, with a sense of accomplishment.
I don’t join Anything...
That would have Me as a Member!
You could race me. It would be close, though.
“despite the “new wisdom” telling me that intervals with maybe a single long run per week was the way to go.”
Why is it that “new wisdom” is never right?
“That attitude about any activity naturally leads to a sense of entitlement and then anger at impediments, no matter how small.”
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head.
“Running is miserable no matter how often I do it, my physical condition, etc.”
That’s because you’re doing it wrong.
"...Triathletes can’t hold their line, a disaster in a group..."
I have no idea what the "right" way to do it would be.
All I know is that I hate it and it makes my joints hurt. I look forward to never having to do it again.
Have you considered swimming, yoga, or the dreaded Elliptical Trainer?
I run because I am active duty Army, and it is a requirement to run 2 miles for the biannual physical fitness test. At my age, I could do the walking test, but it looks even more difficult than the run.
I like bicycling and hiking, but I will stick with the running for another couple of years.
Perhaps you could train on the elliptical. I read an interview in Runners’ World with a ballet dancer who said he did most of his hard training on the elliptical in order to protect his feet. He ran “live,” so to speak, only for relaxation.
I know myself well enough to know that the only way I can prepare to do the two mile run within the allotted time is by running outdoors. I can’t get the training I need on an elliptical or treadmill, although I will use the treadmill when it is too cold outside.
I do the elliptical on occasion, but never as a substitute for running.
“I own my own maul AND bucket! ;)”
It’s gratifying to walk the walk.
Whatever works for you!
I last did this in my forties, so I’m not sure how it works for people older than that. The VA sawbones told me not to do it now, especially using a cane, but it worked extremely well in my twenties, thirties, and forties.
The first part is the mindset. This is probably easier for women than men. You have to set out not only to tolerate, but to revel in public humiliation (assuming you have to run in public, as I did.
You start out on day one by running as slowly as you possibly can, then cutting your speed in half. At the first sign of discomfort, stop. Little old granny ladies using walkers should pass you with ease, uphill or downhill. When this happens and carloads of young people hoot and mock you, smile, wave, and slow down even further. It doesn’t matter how slowly you run, as long as you maintain the running posture. The minute you drop into a walk, though, you’re done for the day.
Young men usually have too much ego for this. Pride drives them to run faster to look better, and guess what: that hurts. If you’re not willing to tolerate looking like a lightweight for a fairly short period of time, you’ll never get there.
Don’t run two days in a row, and never let more than two days pass between runs. A good schedule might be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Depending on your level of conditioning on day one, run as described above for anything between 30 seconds and three minutes. On day two, if you can do it without discomfort, increase your time by anything from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
The important thing at this stage is do*not*hurt*yourself. At all. You should never be out of breath. If you think you can add ten minutes, add five. If you experience discomfort during that last five, stop at that point. Do not push through it. Stop at any sign of discomfort. Embark on each run determined to look like the weakest, slowest, most pathetic PeeWee Herman act-alike in the lower 48.
The name of the game is not to add distance or speed. You want to add minutes. It doesn’t matter if you go from fifty yards in five minutes to fifty-two yards in ten minutes; that is a success. A substantial success. During these early weeks you should work on your form. You must absorb the shock of your steps with muscle, not bone. Get whatever advice you need on form from a successful distance runner.
As you creep upward toward thirty minutes, which could be a matter of weeks or months, you will at some point hit the wall. That is, all your ready-service fuel will be expended, and your body (which is your enemy in this endeavor) will start screaming at you that you must stop. You will be completely exhausted.
This is not defeat. This is your body’s last, desperate Hail-Mary attempt to keep you from losing weight and getting in great shape. It is tempting to push through this, but be careful not to hurt yourself. You might want to run right up to the wall and stop a few times before you attempt it. This assumes that you have built up to this point slowly enough that just before you hit the wall, you still feel pretty good.
When the day rolls around that you feel like breaking through the wall, remember to run as slowly as you possibly can, then cut that speed in half.
You will know when you break through to the other side. You’ll get a blast of renewed energy and a major endorphin high. You’ll feel great. Stop anyway. Remember, your number-one goal here is to experience no discomfort. If you push it to 45 or even 60 minutes too quickly, you will very likely regret it. Sports injuries are your body’s revenge, and you must not allow them.
Once you get used to pushing through the wall, it will get easier and easier. You will probably be adding time in blocks of five minutes, but this makes it easier to hurt yourself or lose your breath. Never, never lose your breath. You should be cruising way below capacity at this point.
And then, one fine evening, you will run for 60 minutes and feel fine at the end of it. If you’ve been doing it right, you won’t have covered much ground in that 60 minutes, but you won’t be out of breath, and you won’t hurt.
Now you’re running 60 minutes three times a week, and without even trying, or hurting yourself, your speed and distance covered will increase of their own accord, without pain.
I did this three times in my life, after backsliding and porking out. I credit my longevity to this, and to distance swimming when I could no longer run. My personal optimum was to cover six miles in that hour…except that sometimes I felt so good that I just did another three miles. When I did that, though, I was in my twenties and in fantastic shape…for me.
I’m sure I’ve left a lot out—for instance, never, ever, no matter what just *don’t* run in the heat of the day. Your run should end just as it gets too dark to be out running. Don’t wear those ridiculous suits that are supposed to make you sweat. Remain constantly alert for the beginnings of sports injuries. Prevent them by stopping.
Well, I guess your mileage may vary, but this has worked for me. It played a big role in putting me on the podium at the national championship in my chosen sport, lo, these many decades ago. I think there are very few people, even professional athletes, who wouldn’t benefit from this regimen. (Marathoners, of course, excepted.) If a person has osteoarthritis, or something similar, running six miles might not be indicated. I’m not a doctor and this is not medical advice.
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