Questions about running (and iPhone)

[BarthelloSylph]

So I am starting to run for exercise. Two questions:

1) I am looking for earphones that will stay in while running, plus an armband for the iPhone. Recommendations?

2) Overall recommendations regarding running - do's/don'ts, routines, food/drink, etc. etc. Also any good running websites for n00bs would be appreciated.

Thanks BG.

[Tyche]

www.mapmyrun.com

iMapMy

mapmyrun helps keep a training log. The other site is the greatest application ever that I wish I had. Essentially turns your iphone into a GPS watch. It'll map pace, distance, time, etc with your built in GPS.

do's/don'ts, routines, food/drink, etc etc depends on how intense and serious you will be.

[BarthelloSylph]

I guess I'm just doing this to get into shape/exercise. I'm tired of being winded the second trip down the basketball court. I'm not trying to run a marathon though, at least that isn't a current goal.

EDIT to say, thanks for the site/app, they look really cool.

[Tyche]

Go to a running specialty store and have them check your gait to see if you have pronation issues and get you a proper pair of shoes. If you try and run in a bad pair of shoes, you'll really fk yourself up. I like adidas for short distances and Saucony for longer distances (10k+).

[Acturus]

Buy very good Running or Cross-Training shoes.

i.e. don't run in basketball shoes or your loafers, or those Converse you've loved forever.

I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but a good pair of shoes (and supportive socks) help tremendously when it comes to longevity of the legs and back handling the strain of exercise.

*edit* beat me to it.

[0ni0n]

So I am starting to run for exercise. Two questions:

1) I am looking for earphones that will stay in while running, plus an armband for the iPhone. Recommendations?

2) Overall recommendations regarding running - do's/don'ts, routines, food/drink, etc. etc. Also any good running websites for n00bs would be appreciated.

Thanks BG.

I think you better get a ipod shuffle or nano for your exercise because they are both ultra portable. I don't feel my shuffle at all when I run (3miles), and I dont have any problems with my headphones. They are cheap too, you can get a shuffle for like $49.

My dietary recommendation is that not to drink anything prior to your running routine because the fluid in your stomach will just make it harder. Eat a couple bananas or energy bars 10 minutes before the run, then drink protein shake and gatorade right after.

The choice of songs will also be important because chances are that you will need all the motivation you need approaching the end of your workout. Having songs that will pump you up and energize you will definitely mitigate the possibility of you giving up in the last mile before you finish.

I have also heard that teaming up with a female partner is supposed to help, because obviously you don't want to lose to her or give up too easily in front of her. Google and check out local running clubs.

[Tyche]

Food is a really complex issue that factors in a lot of variables. How long is the run, how instense, what time is the run, etc and so on.

As far as songs, I completely agree with the above poster. My playlist...

1. Eminem - Lose Yourself (laugh all you want, greatest running song ever)

misc...
10 Years - Beautiful
Alina - When you Leave
Kanye West - Love Lockdown
Hawthorne Heights - Rescue me
The Fray - Look After You (a song from my wedding)
We The Kings - Check Yes Juliet
Paramore - CrushCrushCrush
U2 - Vertigo
Trapt - Headstrong
Tom Petty - Won't Back Down
RATM - Bulls On The Parade
Cake - Going the Distance
Maroon 5 - Harder to Breathe
Van Halen - Panama
The Fray - You Found Me (Amistad)
Kanye West - Jesus Walks
Kevin Rudolph - Let it Rock

etc and so on (tired of flipping through my blackberry)

Edit: I run alone and it sucks. Find a friend, you will push each other harder and harder. It's psychologically harder to push yourself alone.

[BarthelloSylph]

My wife would probably run with me.

About shoes - are New Balances OK? I've got two old pairs that I could use. I guess I'll get a new pair if need be but money's tight since I'm in school (and will be for 5 more years)

[Serif]

I don't see how people like running with music

You will have to test try all of your dietary habits with running, seeing how everyone is different.

My best advice after you run though is to have an orange ready to eat, to get your GI back up and a cup of chocolate milk, it is better/equal to Gatorade after a workout.

Oh yeah, check to see if there is a Fleet Feet around your area and base your running off the temperature. 40-60 is the best running temperature, I think it is a 1.5% decrease in performance for every degree over or under this.

[Tyche]

I can't see how you aren't bored out of your damned mind running a marathon with no music. I don't think I could run 5k without music.

The tempeture thing blows my mind. I have a hard time buying that literally, although I'm sure the idea is correct. Hot and humid is terrible, but hot and dry is decent. I'd think I'd perform better when it's 75 and dry than 60 and humid because of oxygen content.

[Tristam]

I don't run with music either, paying attention to my pace and how I feel is motivation enough. But then again I was a swimmer through HS/college and simply having scenery compared to staring at a black line underwater for two hours is a pretty major difference in the boredom factor.

It also depends where you run, if you need to be aware of your surroundings (on a heavliy used trail or near traffic) I wouldn't use music for safety reasons.

[Tristam]

also a general tip, if you plan on increasing the amount of time you spend running (>30mins) get bodyglide or some other form of lubricant.

[Tyche]

Friction sucks.

[Serif]

Nip guardsssssssss and vaseline are a god send!

One of the best things when you are running and you are at a stop light waiting to cross after a long run and you take off your top and wring out all the sweat. The faces on the drivers looking at you is priceless, haha...

[Jefe]

Eh, I run w/o music and it's not that bad (7x1, 4x1, 1.5x2 miles per week), besides I have to be alert all the time w/ the traffic and shit.

About the running shoes, I highly recommend this ones: Adidas Men's adiStar Cushion 6 Running Shoe: Sports & Outdoors Those are a little pricey but are very comfortable and offer great protection.

[Tyche]

I run in these

Men's Grid Tangent 3 | Saucony

Love em. I have to stress to get your gait analyzed. Most specialty stores (and some chains like Fleet feet) will analyze your gait for free. If you overpronate or underpronate you'll need certain shoes or inserts to counter your pronation issues, or you'll run into some injuries.

For shorter distances, I run in flats. Flats probably aren't good at any distance for a beginner, so I'd go with a mid to max shoe. Even the Saucony I posted above is sort of a minimalist shoe.

[Serif]

These are my babies <3

Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax 11+

Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax 11+ Running Shoe Review: Runner's World

[Osede]

So I am starting to run for exercise. Two questions:
2) Overall recommendations regarding running - do's/don'ts, routines, food/drink, etc. etc. Also any good running websites for n00bs would be appreciated.

Thanks BG.

Don't eat before running or doing any exercise. If you feel like very hungry, probably try a small chocolate bar or something then will enough.

Drink water at every interval of resting.

hm.... just force yourself to do it at least 3 times a week.

[Serif]

Don't eat before running or doing any exercise. If you feel like very hungry, probably try a small chocolate bar or something then will enough.

That is highly dependent on what you are doing. If you are exercising for periods longer than 45 minutes you should eat before you exercise. Especially with running, seeing how you can only store so much glycogen in your body. After 30-45 minutes of running you will need to replenish yourself. Eating before hand helps your body replenish itself and you won't get off to as bad of a start when you first warm up exercising.

I ALWAYS try to eat 1 hour before I do any workout and then 30 minutes to 1 hour after working out.

Everyone usually says well if you wake up and don't eat that is more calories you burn. If you are eating right you shouldn't be worried about those 120-200 calories before you go run or workout.

Also if you do run for longer than lets say 45 minutes to 1 hour, you should bring something besides water on your run. You need carbs and electrolytes to restore what you have lost in that time span. Water is fine for runs up to 45 minutes usually but anything after that you need to bring a high electrolyte drink.

[Tyche]

That is highly dependent on what you are doing. If you are exercising for periods longer than 45 minutes you should eat before you exercise. Especially with running, seeing how you can only store so much glycogen in your body. After 30-45 minutes of running you will need to replenish yourself. Eating before hand helps your body replenish itself and you won't get off to as bad of a start when you first warm up exercising.

I ALWAYS try to eat 1 hour before I do any workout and then 30 minutes to 1 hour after working out.

Everyone usually says well if you wake up and don't eat that is more calories you burn. If you are eating right you shouldn't be worried about those 120-200 calories before you go run or workout.

Also if you do run for longer than lets say 45 minutes to 1 hour, you should bring something besides water on your run. You need carbs and electrolytes to restore what you have lost in that time span. Water is fine for runs up to 45 minutes usually but anything after that you need to bring a high electrolyte drink.

This couldn't be more correct. I eat like a fucking champ before a long run. Usually about 1-2 hours before. With that said, for anything less than 30 minutes of exercise, you won't even get any returns. You won't (shouldn't) burn through your stored energy in a 5k or less run. Eating and drinking after is fine, but throwing down gatorade for a 30 minute run isn't going to do anything for you during the run other than simply quenching your thirst. Two hours befor a workout is ample time for the fluid to be cleared from the stomach and for the kidney's to remove the excess.

Eating prior to long distances....lovely formula...

(Hours before Race) * (body weight in pounds) = Number of calories to eat.

So for me 2 hours before a race...

2 * 135 = 270 calories

As I said, before a 5k or something, little if any pre-race calories are needed.

After runs, your body is a carb sponge. Glycogen resynthesis takes place within 30 minutes after stopping, consuming carbohydrates for this process. Eat foods with a high GI to speed up the replinishment. If enough carbs are consumed, it takes about 22-24 hours to replace glycogen stores.