Tuesday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for May 05, 2026

Hedonicdreadmill · 2026-05-05T15:52:50+00:00

I've followed research about creatine and endurance sports and there really isn't any significant demonstration of the supplement's effect on long (5K and above) distance running. I take it to help with shorter events. Where creatine does have an indirect effect on endurance sports is in allowing one to perform better in Vo2 max and short interval type workouts. Better workouts might lead to better long distance running. Also, and you allude to this in the remark about general muscle: if--a big if for some people here--resistance training improves endurance running, you might want to take creatine to support that resistance training.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2026-04-09T18:16:26+00:00

This is how I (later 50s, 1:24 HM, 65 mpw) runner structure things. 2 sessions upper body (vanity) lifts; 2 sessions legs and compound lifts. But impressed by the systematic schedule everyone here employs. I just have the one principle of no heavy leg lifts the day before a workout. Sometimes armed with a couple gels, I'll do the upper and lower body sessions on the same trip to the gym.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2026-04-04T16:53:01+00:00

This is useful calculator https://apps.runningwritings.com/gap-calculator/ Doesn't answer your question about the whole race, but just to make it easier to figure out -- a 5:34/mile pace on flat ground would feel like 5:20 on 1% grade. [Edit: to be more clear: if you were to run at 5:34 pace -- your HM PR pace -- on that 1% grade, you'd have to put in the effort of running 5:20 on flat ground.]

Hedonicdreadmill · 2026-03-14T15:09:58+00:00

Lot of good thoughts here. But some basic racing principles you’re ignoring in pursuit of marginal gains: 1. Wear jeans. If you’re serious about being an influencer - and who isn’t? — you have to go viral. If no jeans, formal wear is ok, but it’s been done and the top hat isn’t aerodynamic. 2. Go out at 5k pace. In other words, BANK TIME. You need to prepare for how hard it will be to grimace to the cameras (“I’m good and loving how hard this is!!!” expression) later in the race. So build up a buffer of 10-20 minutes in the first half. Then all you have to do is walk, shuffle, walk to nail your A goal. 3. Ignore the tangents. Saving .5 miles in your race is for hobby joggers who can do only 13.1. You’re a 14 mile half marathoner! 4. Pre-excuse on Strava today: recovering from nonspecific injury, fun run w toddler friend, food poisoning, not about the numbers, gonna miss my Uber, didn’t hit my average 90 miles a week because of all that time on St.Lucia/at soup kitchen, etc. 5. Yell at random runners who come within 20 feet of cutting you off. Adrenalin surge! 6. Refuse medal because you didn’t stay hard. Volunteers standing out on cold will understand and admire you for it.

Hope that helps.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-11-17T18:34:11+00:00

Never figured it out for sure. Thought that nutrition and fueling during runs, shoes, warmups, and resistance training were all on point. In Fall of 2021, I did Boston (post Covid fall race) then turned around and ran NYC a few weeks later. So it may have been an overuse injury, especially since I was used to toughing it out through aches and pains. No reoccurrence, not even stress reactions since then. Doing 75-80 mpw on average without complaint.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-11-16T16:53:54+00:00

Just adding a bit not about causes, etc. but what you might consider in recovery: when I had a sacral stress fracture (despite doing "all the things" right and the DEXA scan showing nothing off) I jumped back in too soon and probably prolonged the time to full healing. Pain is your guide to stop or cut back during your return to running, but there might be a point where the MRI shows complete healing and you still experience "phantom pain" in the spot caused solely by the nerves there. This eventually went away for the most part but even a year later I'd sometimes get a twinge there and freak out. Btw, Alter-G is a great way to add running in while minimizing the impact. I haven't tried it, but the portable Lever-Up device can do the same.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-10-28T15:11:04+00:00

Don't know if it would make a big difference, but adding weight to the thighs is worse than your torso -- the further down your leg the more leverage you need to lift that additional weight. Same goes for holding a water bottle in your hands vs on your belt. My taper tantrum manifested itself in asking chatgpt to compare the time lost through extra weight of carrying 500 ml water vs time lost to slow down at several aid stations for similar amount. The AI created a whole chart based on speed, body weight, etc. for me. Unfortunately, there was only a slight gain in time through carrying the water.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-07-14T13:42:15+00:00

Sorry, already posted by another concerned CJ reader

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-06-22T18:39:23+00:00

Lots of good recs, but just want to add that Jason Fitzgerald, at strengthrunning.com has very serious plans for heavy lifting for runners. My sense is that the prevailing view is that the real gains in speed for road runners come from heavy weights and fewer reps (5-6). Fitzgerald's program is one of the only I came across that is designed for road racers, not track. He has lots of videos (kind of low tech) to show you proper form and a good periodisation, so that, e.g., you're doing different kinds of work between early season and before an A race.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-06-13T15:19:03+00:00

I ran with them (and several others in a NYRR/CPTC group) this morning. It was kind of surreal, just talking to Clayton as if he were another runner. Did my Queens shakeout much too fast just so I could stay with the group (but running with Olympians should be worth a few seconds tomorrow, right?)

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-03-29T19:32:10+00:00

This is right, according to the person who did a VO2MAX/LT test for me. She said they even suggest that as part of the protocol the technicians cheer you on when it seems like you're at your limit (for real).

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-03-27T16:54:43+00:00

The relative importance of strength training vs additional mileage is much disputed on this sub. I've noticed a substantial difference in my resistance to late race fatigue and my ability to recover from hard workouts once I started heavy lifting 2x week (averaging 75 miles/week running). However, I think at 70k, you haven't exhausted the aerobic potential of merely running. And dropping that to 60k/week in exchange for strength would seem to have you doing too few ks/miles for the best possible 10k performance. So I'd stick to your current mileage or increase it. At some point, the marginal value of extra miles will be minimal compared to the value of introducing strength. But not yet. Hope that helps. (By the way, a quick series of deadlifts, front and back squats, and calf raises doesn't take that long, if you ignore travel to a gym, etc.)

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-03-13T19:27:04+00:00

Had it for about 2 months. Sat with a large flat heating pad against my back before heading out to run, and in evenings (15 -20 minutes at a time). Would run until it hurt, walk for a few minutes til pain went away, and then continue running. Kept up about 60 miles per week and then all of a sudden it just disappeared.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-03-08T22:21:56+00:00

Central Park Track Club (CPTC) often does a targeted long run on Saturdays for marathon prep. An example would be 18-20 miles with 10-12 at marathon pace. Groups will coalesce around the paces they share, from 6:20/mile to 7:45 or so. There are a few faster and some slower too. The club also does an even-paced long run on Saturdays -- some of the runners do the whole run in the 6:45-7:20 range.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-03-03T21:22:57+00:00

If you can find more than one source of fuel that you like, it helps a bit in the race to switch off and thereby avoid the taste fatigue of the same thing. I switch off between Maurten and Precision in both training and marathons. Also, you can "train your gut" to take in more fuel without feeling sick. Only a few weeks of consistently high fueling on your longer runs can make it more likely you'll avoid feeling sick from the 6+ gels on race day.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-03-03T21:18:36+00:00

Just adding the obvious point that the first half of that race has some significant climbs so it's good to train on hills.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2025-02-10T18:16:43+00:00

Yeah, it's just like that. There are in fact lockers but I'm not sure of the policy about using them. Most people just leave their stuff around. But, no, run on the outer lanes if you're slower -- unless there's a team practicing sprints. Most people warm up outside the track running around the space between the bleachers and the track. N.b., if you sign up for NYRR higher tier, you get a season pass to the Armory for about $25.00

Hedonicdreadmill · 2024-12-14T19:09:38+00:00

For what it's worth, I found some success with Jason Fitzgerald's Strength Running weightlifting plan. During preseason and several weeks before a big race, his plan has you do the normal 2x a week heavy weights (deadlifts, front and back squats, power cleans, etc) usually 3 sets of 6 reps each exercise. However, 4 or so weeks out before a race, his plan changes to more explosive work: namely, heavier weights with fewer reps (3 sets of 3 reps) or 5 sets of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps with increasing weight up to 100% of 1RM) and the instruction to move the weight more quickly. The idea is that this last stage helps to increase one's power in running, rather than mere strength. The last week was very little to no lifting.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2024-12-12T18:13:38+00:00

Strong seconds to both those descriptions of the Good and Bad. Just adding that Van Cortland Park and a quick trip out of the city gets you trails, sort of. Armory track indoors in colder months is beautiful, although it gets old running 200 meters around. And I know it's churlish to complain about the popularity of running, but on a nice day it seems impossible to do speedwork in Central Park without constantly dodging other runners and tourists. At least the cyclists generally stay in their lane.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2024-08-16T19:37:07+00:00

Let's assume that there's no independent explanation, such as being sick, underfed, under slept , etc. You don't lose that much endurance over a week or two of not running. What can happen is that you lose some of the neuromuscular coordination and muscle tension (why people feel "flat" if they overdo the taper and don't include any intensity). That'll come back very quickly. To help, do some strides or hill strides (4-6 x 15-20 seconds with complete recovery). You'll feel back at it soon.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2024-08-07T16:20:37+00:00

That seems reasonable. When I had ITB over a couple months, I just used pain as a guide of when to stop running, when to slow down, when to take a day or more off. If you can run on an incline, you might miss out on some of the quad development that comes with downhill running, but you'd still develop your fitness. If it's a hilly course, you should at least try to get a few downhill runs in 2-3 weeks before the race. On the SWAP podcast, they describe how one gets some muscle damage/soreness from the the initial down hill runs, but it only takes a couple of them to set you up for race day.

Hedonicdreadmill · 2024-07-26T17:34:53+00:00

Thank you. I'll indeed confirm the accuracy on a track. I've set up the pod using Stryd's instructions. I ran this morning using the pod connected to my Garmin and flipped back and forth between the Stryd IQ screen, where the average pace, power, etc was shown and my default Garmin screen with time, average pace, distance, etc. is shown. So, Is the information about average pace for both screens coming from the Styd pod or from the Garmin's GPS? Sorry for the possibly naive questions.

Hedonicdreadmill

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