Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[dave303e]

12 minutes ago, Lexx said:

After a back operation and no running for 2+ years,  I thought my running days are over. I probably Read 100's of articles about back fusion's and returning to running etc. So going against my local house Doctor's wishes, I consulted Adrian le Roux from Cape Town and send him my medical info and type of fusion i had etc. He came back to me and said I could slowly return to running and build my base again bit by bit. But I must still continue with my TRX and strength work I'm still doing at the moment. So I bought the new Hoka's Clifton 8 and will prob start slowly again like a snail 🐌  this afternoon. Super happy I can start running again. I was getting gatvol of just walking around the block..

Love it, good luck with the build up again, take it easy. I am sure you will be comfortable with shorter runs soon enough.

New Hoka's look good

[PhilipV]

Lekker Lexx! 

Be careful, but enjoy the process. 

All the best!

[travisza]

Anyone here done the Knysna Forest Marathon? Was it alot slower than your normal marathon race pace? Wondering what kind of gravel surface we are talking about here...i.e. lots of loose small stones or relatively hardpack gravel/graded road?

[Prince]

My sunglasses broke on the weekend. What reasonably prices glasses you guys using?

[MongooseMan]

2 hours ago, Prince said:

My sunglasses broke on the weekend. What reasonably prices glasses you guys using?

I'm a fan of the various options from 30 South. Durban based, and they have a decent selection of styles at reasonable prices (I tend to treat sunglasses as disposable since they all break/get lost at some point).

https://30south.co/

[Prince]

They look great!

[ScottCM]

how is everyone s training going?

 

Those that are running the Big C, how do you feel?

[guidodg]

[Lexx]

Slowly 🐌 getting there. Its funny how you appreciate things so much more once you get a 2nd chance. Like walking on a 5km run 😅😅😅. 

[b-rad]

4 hours ago, ScottCM said:

how is everyone s training going?

 

Those that are running the Big C, how do you feel?

Mmmm. Not sure. Definitely lacking the hills. 

[ScottCM]

19 hours ago, Lexx said:

Slowly 🐌 getting there. Its funny how you appreciate things so much more once you get a 2nd chance. Like walking on a 5km run 😅😅😅. 

your pace is disgustingly fast for someone that's been through what you have. makes me feel quiet inadequate. on a serious note though, I'm super happy for you. 

[Lexx]

1 hour ago, ScottCM said:

your pace is disgustingly fast for someone that's been through what you have. makes me feel quiet inadequate. on a serious note though, I'm super happy for you. 

Thanks @ScottCM. It's only the first couple of km's that I'm feeling good,lol. 

[Andrew Steer]

On 6/8/2022 at 1:36 PM, dave303e said:

Think it was somewhere on here someone mentioned how the euro's focus on shorter distances etc.

I am targeting a 10km pb and boy oh boy is the training physically more painful than any of the training I have done before. Training for a hundred miler hurts, but this is different. 

It got me thinking though- I reckon finishing a 100 miler/comrades/100km/ultra is more doable for the average runner than doing say a 37min 10km? Your thoughts?

Definitely - I've said it before, I believe anyone can run Comrades, and I absolutely mean everyone. To run 3:40/km for 10km requires an engine that many people don't have I'm pretty sure...
I'd guess not even half of the population could reach that level due to physical limitations. You can of course work on improving all the different metrics, but some people just aren't athletes - never were, never will be. 

I do find all the views interesting though... especially from the guys at the sharp end who I think maybe are so far down the road they don't know what average looks like anymore 

As an interesting anecdote... I remember a friend of mine struggling his way to Comrades and bitching to his trainer about how his fitness just wasn't where he wanted it, and his trainer reminded him that even though he's had a poor training build up, he's easily going to finish Comrades and that put's him likely well within the the 1% fittest people in the world. 

The bar for average these days is so low sadly... I think the average person can't run 3km full stop, probably has a body fat% in the mid to high 20's and a resting heart rate of nearly 70

In Comrades metrics, I reckon a Bill Rowan anyone can achieve if they really put in the hard yards - a silver is another whole chestnut in my books. 

[Andrew Steer]

On 7/14/2022 at 11:43 AM, Lexx said:

Slowly 🐌 getting there. Its funny how you appreciate things so much more once you get a 2nd chance. Like walking on a 5km run 😅😅😅. 

Enjoy and keep it up man 

[Andrew Steer]

On 6/8/2022 at 2:06 PM, Edgar said:

Define AVG Runner? I don't think you can equate anybody just finishing comrades or an ultra to a specific time on a 10k. You don't need to be any better than and avg runner to run a silver comrades. You have to be a better than avg runner to run a silver oceans. Finishing comrades or an ultra doesn't make you an avg runner. You can jog your way to a 5h marathon and walk the rest of the way and finish comrades before the cut off.  

 

I feel that an avg runner should be able to get very close to a silver comrades and at worst no slower than 8:30. Running 5m/km isnt that hard with some training, its a mindset that people create barriers around. Do the training - like you are for the 10k - and suddenly it is doable to run a decent ultra not just finish. Sun 37m 10k is a decent time but not unachievable for the avg runner if they put in the training. You aint going from running 40+ minutes to sub 37 off 8 weeks of training. 

This may be controversial, but that is my view. 

Got a mate that is between 95-100kg that went from running maybe 30k a week and not able to break 34 minutes for a 8k, to a sub 3 marathon and running regularly in and around 37 min 10k. It took him 12 months of training - and he trained hard with a good programme - and still weights over 90kg. I don't call him anything other than an avg runner. 

I agree with much of what you say... but I also think you're so not average that it shifts the goal posts quite a bit! A 90kg unit that can run a 37minute 10km is not remotely average in my books. That's a proper athlete, and if he was better built for running and something in line with 75/80kg's, he'd be shaving off a good few more minutes no doubt.

You and Ferret running Comrades again? Sorry I've been a bit out of the loop

[ScottCM]

On 7/19/2022 at 6:47 AM, Andrew Steer said:

The bar for average these days is so low sadly... I think the average person can't run 3km full stop, probably has a body fat% in the mid to high 20's and a resting heart rate of nearly 70
 

This made me think. With all that has happened in the last year, I've gotten FAT.  Currently 26.4%, no wonder I'm so slow. HOWEVER, life has settled down a bit now so I'm on the journey back. Got my first trail marathon in 5 weeks. Going to pull a page from the Steer playbook , "Super undertrain for the event" 😉

Edited July 20, 2022 by ScottCM