Indoor track!

[pyrosheep]

I wanted to get back into shape so my first track meet was on saturday after a week of practice after school. I do distance and my coach just tells us where we are running (around a neighborhood up the street, down the street up to CVS, other neighborhoods.) each of which are about 2-4 miles long. I try and run the entire time on all of them without stopping going at my own pace (slow) to try and not get too tired.I'm normally all the way in the back and eeveryone is normally done before me.  After we go running we will just go back to the school and work out or something, we have a weight room with a bunch of equipment and shit so I will just go on the bike for like 10 minutes and maybe the treadmill if I'm feeling up to it, then I change and walk home.

Anyway, my first meet was on saturday and I caught the bus at the school at 11 and we drove there and I did only the 1500m not really wanting to do too much because I'm still not in shape. I did it in 6:29 and got 9th out of 12th, pretty proud of myself. But afterwards I felt like fucking DEATH. I was dizzy and I had a headache, my mouth was dry for like 30 minutes and everything. I will probably just try the 1000m on the next meet and work it up from there.

Anyway, I just wanted to know how I could pick up the pace, using the equipment my school has, or just running wherever. I normally just stop for like 30 seconds if I'm getting too tired when running anywhere, but I want to try and not do that. Any tips or exercises or anything to help?

[Dale Feles]

If you're going to run, don't pack a 50kg hamburger. Try to eat well, drink a lot of water (important) and you should already do a bit better. Make sure to practice a lot too, learn to know your limits, and find a good pace to run at.

[coolzeldad]

Check out this thread: http://forum.randomgs.com/index.php/topic,14151.0.html

To get the most out of running you might want to alter your diet a bit. I recommend to eat lots of complex carbs (breads, pastas), lots of vegetables like broccoli for calcium, and high quality white meats like fish and chicken breast for protein and essential fats. (if you aren't already, but yea still eat 10 meals a day xD) Try not to eat 3 hours before running.. or at least give yourself an hour and half before trying to run long distances.

I was a distance runner for 4 years in a row and a sprinter as well for 2 of those. I learned that there are 2 types of leg muscle, twitch muscle developed from sprinting and the other muscle focuses long distance. According to my coaches some of the design of the leg muscle is actually in your genes and you can't really change it later in life. This is to explain why some runners are better at sprinting than long distance.

Anyway, if you have normal feet make sure you get some really good shoes for long distance, it's extremely important for your shins and joints. Also, make sure to run on grass, sand, or another absorbing material even with shoes as it will drastically reduce damage to your joints. Avoid places with concrete, asphalt, or other hard materials. (Also, it takes a little bit to break in the shoes usually to where they will be more comfortable)

Before running, make sure to stretch amply. (DO NOT STRETCH AFTER, this has been linked to over stretching muscles and causing injury) I recommend stretching every part of the leg about 20 to 30 seconds.

I also recommend to make your runs consistent. Maybe start off every other day of the week until you build up stamina and muscle, then move onto every day of the week and longer runs, then possibly morning and night and longer runs.

Anyway, I think I covered everything off the top of my head. OH, I almost forgot - DRINK LOTS OF WATER. If you are thirsty than you are already dehydrated. Avoid soft drinks, beer, tea, anything with caffeine or lots of sugar. Juices are alright as long as they are actually juice and not 100% sugar drinks. You'll probably want to start drinking water twice as much as you are now and 3-4 times as much as you start running more. Also, on hot days double your water intake from whatever it was.

Alright then, if I think of something else I'll post it here otherwise happy running!

[blαh2355]

Now we all wish we were this guy.

Superhumans- Dean Karnazes Marathon Man

[Prox]

Why don't you just lift weights instead? I personally think it is much more useful.

[Sabb]

Why don't you just lift weights instead? I personally think it is much more useful.

Running is a cardio workout. Cardio work burns calories during but mainly after the exercise and much more than muscle development (weight lifting) does. That's why plyometrics is really good, as it combines both to develop muscle but also burn a lot of energy (calories). But of course, different people prefer different things. I personally have absolute shit cardio but I don't mind doing muscle development stuff. I still do cardio a lot but I really dread it and most likely will until I get better at it. But that also means I hate running. I still do run every now and then but yea, I dread it. Obviously that's different with other people though so just depends on the person. But cardio work makes you generally more healthy than simple muscle development, and is preferred for weight loss.

So I guess what I'm saying is that not everyone enjoys lifting mud bricks or w.e you lift in Egypt.

[Prox]

Running is a cardio workout. Cardio work burns calories during but mainly after the exercise and much more than muscle development (weight lifting) does. That's why plyometrics is really good, as it combines both to develop muscle but also burn a lot of energy (calories). But of course, different people prefer different things. I personally have absolute shit cardio but I don't mind doing muscle development stuff. I still do cardio a lot but I really dread it and most likely will until I get better at it. But that also means I hate running. I still do run every now and then but yea, I dread it. Obviously that's different with other people though so just depends on the person. But cardio work makes you generally more healthy than simple muscle development, and is preferred for weight loss.

So I guess what I'm saying is that not everyone enjoys lifting mud bricks or w.e you lift in Egypt.

I know what cardio does, and I do know that cardio wont get you in a good shape, it will only help to lose fat, well and maybe make leg muscles stronger as well as your endurance, weight lifting on the other hand turns the fat into muscle instead of just simply burning it.

[Xrain]

I know what cardio does, and I do know that cardio wont get you in a good shape, it will only help to lose fat, well and maybe make leg muscles stronger as well as your endurance, weight lifting on the other hand turns the fat into muscle instead of just simply burning it.

Running, other aerobic activities and weight lifting are a good compliment to each other. I would not recommend just weight lifting. While yes it will give you that manly beefed up looking body all the ladies don't really like. But if you really want to have useful muscle tone its important to keep your flexibility. So running, and yoga and other exercises like that keep you flexible and your muscles fast. So I usually swap focuses every other day, one day I will do a fair amount of weight lifting, and not much running etc. Then two days from then the next time I work out I will switch, and not do much weight lifting and focus on running exercises.

Otherwise  you will end up walking around like a penguin not able to touch your arms behind your back.

Crossfit is a great exercise regime if you are so inclined.

Just be sure to keep well hydrated. (your body can only process a limited amount of water at a time, so start drinking water ahead of time if you plant on a serious workout session.
Lastly make sure you know how to do any exercises you are going to undertake. If you are performing them incorrectly you have a high chance of injuring yourself.

[Prox]

Running, other aerobic activities and weight lifting are a good compliment to each other. I would not recommend just weight lifting. While yes it will give you that manly beefed up looking body all the ladies don't really like. But if you really want to have useful muscle tone its important to keep your flexibility. So running, and yoga and other exercises like that keep you flexible and your muscles fast. So I usually swap focuses every other day, one day I will do a fair amount of weight lifting, and not much running etc. Then two days from then the next time I work out I will switch, and not do much weight lifting and focus on running exercises.

Otherwise  you will end up walking around like a penguin not able to touch your arms behind your back.

Crossfit is a great exercise regime if you are so inclined.

Just be sure to keep well hydrated. (your body can only process a limited amount of water at a time, so start drinking water ahead of time if you plant on a serious workout session.
Lastly make sure you know how to do any exercises you are going to undertake. If you are performing them incorrectly you have a high chance of injuring yourself.

Simply lifting weights don't make you look like on steroids, I also haven't implied that it's what you should aim for when you start lifting weights. And yes, while all the cardio things will help you, they will never make you as strong as weight lifting would. Whichever of those would be more useful for pyro depends on him but surely doing both is the best bet.

[Viole]

You guys are making me feel like a couch potato that hasn't gotten up since 1985. I'm not even that old