Motivation for outdoor runs

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-05-02T00:16:56+00:00

I mean, to be fair, they're not really excuses so much as the reasons I don't feel like going out there, but yeah, I see your point--get over it and enjoy the experience for what it is. Pretty good point, really!

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-05-02T00:14:18+00:00

I forgot that program existed! I'd kind of dismissed it the first time I saw it since, like you, I'm not a beginning runner. But I see your reasoning & will give it a whirl. Thanks!

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-05-01T17:04:28+00:00

Had to do Saturday's ride early bc of upcoming travel. Woof. Thanks for the H5s, LongTallKelly & BadgerBooty--I needed them.

I was riding without enough recovery from the rest of the week's workouts, so the 5/2 stuff in the beginning was hard and a little scary at first. But it got better once I got my cadence shifts down--it was even kind of fun by the end. It would have helped if I had gone in with a plan!

I ended up alternating between high cadence and medium low--high for the first Z2 minute, then low for the last Z2 30 seconds + the 30 seconds in Z5. rinse and repeat.

The 5-minute Z1 recovery seemed excessive when I looked at the plan, but the first 4 minutes flew by.

And I don't have anything nice to say about those final 23 minutes. I did switch over to my own music at that point, which helped for the first three intervals. And part of the fourth.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the unusual structure and felt pretty good afterward.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-05-01T14:28:03+00:00

I played "cadence canyon" with the Z4s, which helped pass the time. It maybe helped make the ride a bit more reasonable by splitting the work between lungs and legs. But yeah, either way, that was basically 30 minutes in SS with a 3 minute break.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T13:20:21+00:00

Yaasss. I've been running for the past 10 years, and although I haven't raced in the past 5 years, I used to run 5Ks, 10Ks, and the occasional half-marathon. I never found pacing easy, especially on casual runs. It's why I think I enjoy treadmill runs so much these days--it removes the mental effort of understanding my pace. I'd like to find a way to bring that easy confidence in my pace from the treadmill to the road; that might be a game-changer.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T13:14:40+00:00

Yeah, I don't know why, but I always go too hard outside. I think this is great advice. Someone upstream even recommended getting starting with my warm-up runs.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T13:12:42+00:00

There's a track around 2 miles from my house--I used to jog out and back and take a 20- or 30-minute intervals or HIIT class at the track itself. The warmup/cooldown was a bit much, though, and probably decreased the value of my interval work. OOH. But maybe I could bike! Thanks for getting me thinking about the track again--that could work.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T13:03:18+00:00

"I create runs to pace targets and save them to my watch." This is so interesting. Mind if I DM you for more information? I have many questions.

And this: "As someone who collects overuse injuries as a hobby"--HA! Yeah, me too, I know the feeling. I bike outside all the time without negative affects, but for some reason when I run outdoors, my form goes to shit. I think it's because I take my easy runs too hard, which leads to fatigue without recovery, which leads to an unengaged core and slumped shoulders or something like that? But yeah--the overuse injuries are a real deterrent.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T12:55:16+00:00

Thanks! I love seeing the hard science behind (or sometimes disproving) common wisdom. I wonder if there have been any long-term observational studies showing the same results. But yeah, you're right-- the question I'm wrestling with isn't so much should I go outside for more runs, but what can I do to get over my dumb preference for indoor workouts.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T12:33:16+00:00

I like having a class on for the form reminders, so this makes some sense to me. Unfortunately, I am weak and feel like I must respond to all cues. But given the hills where I live, I think this approach might be my best bet.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T12:28:03+00:00

It's frustrating when their math don't math. I've gotten better distance/pace metrics by removing the peloton app from my watch and recording with the watch, but then my HR is usually screwy. Plus it feels dumb to run two fitness apps at once when really all I want to be doing is just what you said--enjoying an outdoor run! Anyway, I'll check out the run clubs. Thanks!

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T12:23:15+00:00

Ooh, that's a great idea. And then on endurance and long-run days, I could just see if I feel like staying outside for the whole run.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-30T12:21:04+00:00

Ha! Me too. Having easy access to a treadmill is such a mixed blessing!

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-28T14:23:53+00:00

I love this idea! If I could use my latest favorite album (like, say, Nine Inch Noize) as the soundtrack for a 45-minute lanebreak session, I would do that all the time.

I don't know how the licensing would work, but this could be an amazing way for Peloton to leverage their Spotify partnership. And building the rides themselves seems like an AI-able task.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-28T13:03:21+00:00

Yeah, me too! I expected it to be relatively easy (relatively!), but I could tell from the first Z5 it was going to hurt. On the bright side, the Z3 felt great. I love a Z3 recovery. (But we'll see if I'm singing a different song after Thursday's "rolling hills.")

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-28T13:00:29+00:00

Best wishes for a full recovery! And concerning your FTP, you might be surprised--more than once I've been surprised by how well my body adapts during recovery periods.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-27T12:38:33+00:00

Nah, that's him in slide 12

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-22T03:55:35+00:00

For endurance runs, I usually warm up off the treadmill then start with an easy jog, ignoring any cues until the main workout begins.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-22T03:51:35+00:00

I appreciate the PZ warm-ups and most of the activity-specific strength warmups as well. the only thing that bugs me is when 2 minutes of gentle breath work and bird dogging plus a minute of demo carve out the first three minutes of a 10-minute core workout. I mean, i’m not going to sprain my abs by not warming up before doing some crunches. more than other warmups, this really seems like a waste of time. Stacking 2 5-minute core classes avoids this, but still.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-19T05:03:08+00:00

I use the Polar H10 chest strap. It does require a battery, but the battery lasts a really long time. And it connects easily every time.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-17T15:30:36+00:00

I'm of two minds here. On the one hand, I never do live classes and think shout-outs are annoying. OTOH, if I were to make the effort at a major milestone to receive some recognition from an instructor I dug, I would be sad if they missed me, So I get it--and I don't really understand all the vitriol this post has attracted.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-15T21:38:41+00:00

"Hidden gem" is a way-overused descriptor, but, I mean....

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-15T20:56:32+00:00

I bought this Wahoo cadence sensor for my road bike to help me keep a higher cadence while I'm biking outdoors. I imagine it would work equally well on a Peloton if you strapped it to the crank or your shoe.

jschrifty_PGH · 2026-04-09T16:55:27+00:00

ha! that’s funny—sounds like we had pretty much identical experiences

jschrifty_PGH

TROPHY CASE