For those who don't know, I'm a cyclist who is attempting a conversion to the dark side (half-IM). My horrendous swimming is well-chronicled in other threads. In this one, it's all about the running.
With something like 8 or so runs under my belt (I hadn't run in a decade plus), I'm cruising through 5-6 mile runs at a ~9min pace mostly Z2. I'm happy with this progress. For the first few runs, I was in Z3, even at that slow pace. But for whatever reason, the HR has dropped 10-15 bpm already with the same pace/effort. Legs are definitely the limiter, since they aren't used to running. No problem... until I stop. Wow, the knees feel miiiiiiiiiighty stiff/painful when I bend my leg (i.e., a quad stretch or squatting down). That goes away after 10 minutes.
What doesn't go away for a solid 4-6 hours is an odd fatigue/pain in my achilles area, or really just above it. It feels like soreness, the kind you get the day after lifting weights. Strange. I'm flexible, but don't stretch prior to running. Huh.
I'm also finding that the temptation to run faster is *immense*. The first mile I just want to quit, but after that, it's the opposite and I have to hold myself back. I keep thinking of Friel/Gordo's "Going Long" comments about working on endurance for *years* before running faster. Bo-ring. Plus, faster running seems smoother and, well, fluid. I didn't think I'd like it, but I really do look forward to my runs now.
I'm getting in 2 runs/wk now, looking to add to this by tacking on a short run after a bike session or two.
Feel free to comment on any of this stuff.
**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.
Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.
With something like 8 or so runs under my belt (I hadn't run in a decade plus), I'm cruising through 5-6 mile runs at a ~9min pace mostly Z2. I'm happy with this progress. For the first few runs, I was in Z3, even at that slow pace. But for whatever reason, the HR has dropped 10-15 bpm already with the same pace/effort. Legs are definitely the limiter, since they aren't used to running. No problem... until I stop. Wow, the knees feel miiiiiiiiiighty stiff/painful when I bend my leg (i.e., a quad stretch or squatting down). That goes away after 10 minutes.
What doesn't go away for a solid 4-6 hours is an odd fatigue/pain in my achilles area, or really just above it. It feels like soreness, the kind you get the day after lifting weights. Strange. I'm flexible, but don't stretch prior to running. Huh.
I'm also finding that the temptation to run faster is *immense*. The first mile I just want to quit, but after that, it's the opposite and I have to hold myself back. I keep thinking of Friel/Gordo's "Going Long" comments about working on endurance for *years* before running faster. Bo-ring. Plus, faster running seems smoother and, well, fluid. I didn't think I'd like it, but I really do look forward to my runs now.
I'm getting in 2 runs/wk now, looking to add to this by tacking on a short run after a bike session or two.
Feel free to comment on any of this stuff.
**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.
Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.