Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[Pieter1]

Rather take it easy Andrew, no need to do anything stupid now.

I already registered but won't be able to go. I will still pay the R50 as it is for a good cause.

 

 

I stopped counting how many people I had to tap on the shoulder at races because of cars coming and they have earphones in.... It is so dangerous... if you need music to run instead of chatting to your running mates, you need to get new running buddies

Race Referees need to start enforcing this rule, zero tolerance!

 

I enjoy training with music - at the gym or when I am running alone when training (which rarely happens). If I do run with earphones I only use one so that I am aware of the cars and sounds around me.

Fully agree. It distracts me, takes me away from what I am experiancing. I have started using them in the gym to break the manotany but I still don't like it.

[Tubehunter]

 

snipped...

 

I enjoy training with music - at the gym or when I am running alone when training (which rarely happens). If I do run with earphones I only use one so that I am aware of the cars and sounds around me. 

 

SNAP! Have an old set of earphones that would turn the volume down on their own so cut off the right ear strand that had the volume adjuster, so it's a permanent left ear only earphone. All runs on my own I use this and listen to 80s tunes...

[Jackes]

Does the itb straps help?   Obviously temporary, but at this stage I need to do what can help me get trough the next 3 weeks and the big day...

 

And which one?

 

https://clicks.co.za/clicks_patella-itb-strap/p/223705

 

https://www.hitechtherapyonline.co.za/products/mueller-itb-strap

 

http://www.rocketsrange.com/rockets-itb-strap.html

 

https://sport.takealot.com/sport-ultimate-performance-itb-strap/PLID38532015

 

Anybody else?

 

Or is this not something I want to do on raceday (even with trying it out beforehand)?

 

Should I rather just shave and tape it? 

[EmJayZA]

For the issue with sound, what about using bone conduction headphones? Anyone look into that? Sounds like the perfect fix. 

[Tubehunter]

Hey Stretch, that's some serious speed you are dropping in that 5K TT effort you did this morning dude! Sub 19 mins is just mental!

 

     

 

 

(My goal is to just once run a sub 20.... )

[Hacc]

Hey Stretch, that's some serious speed you are dropping in that 5K TT effort you did this morning dude! Sub 19 mins is just mental!

 

     

 

 

(My goal is to just once run a sub 20.... )

WTF??? Sorry, no other words come to mind.

That is incredible!! Great going Stretch. I think "Happy" is an understatement 

[ScottCM]

WTF??? Sorry, no other words come to mind.

That is incredible!! Great going Stretch. I think "Happy" is an understatement 

 

I agree, but now the problem for him is that if he gets anything other than a SILVER at Comrades we all know he didn't run hard enough   

[Stretch]

Ha ha.. Shot guys.. Just a tester to see where I'm at.... Trust me.. No silver on the cards... I'll be happy with a 8:20

[Orbit]

So the official taper starts after this weekend. Are you guys decreasing distance and adding in some intensity or going to just keep it steady?

[Lexx]

I will be doing less Mileage but will do 1-2 Speeds sessions during the week. Just a couple of 400-800m Sprint sessions.

 

I wont do a 3:46 pace like mr speedie up here  

[Jackes]

So the official taper starts after this weekend. Are you guys decreasing distance and adding in some intensity or going to just keep it steady?

http://www.brucefordyce.com/single-post/2017/05/08/THE-STEEP-SLOPE-TOWARDS-COMRADES

[Rolling Thunder]

I have been looking at my stats from my watch and would like to possibly increase speed and better my running style.

Do any of you guys concentrate on your cadence and stride length? I battle to get my cadence over 165 and generally the faster I go the longer my stride. What should my stride length be based on my height of 1.86m?

[Lexx]

I don't know about anyone else, but I never really cared about stride lengths or cadence etc.

All I care about is, how fast I can recover after a hard session, and ways to improve my time. This year is the first time I have ever used a coach for my Comrades training. Seeing that my last Comrades was 10 years ago, I thought, maybe he can help me get back into shape. And I as actually surprised how the training has changed from 10 years ago. I only did time based training.  

But maybe you have a point there. Look at all those Kenyans, they have huge stride lengths.

['Kaze Pete]

I have been looking at my stats from my watch and would like to possibly increase speed and better my running style.

Do any of you guys concentrate on your cadence and stride length? I battle to get my cadence over 165 and generally the faster I go the longer my stride. What should my stride length be based on my height of 1.86m?

Only increase stride length after "you've" maxed out your cadence. Longer strides require more power and theoretically bigger impacts on "landing". Will most likely lead to injuries.

 

With natural running the idea is to not over-reach (short strides) so higher cadence.

Also longer strides if not prepared for it will most likely force you towards a heel strike.

 

A lot of running form exercises focus on "high knees", not on "big bounds/steps". This focus on shorter steps and more "air time" for you feet - you do not shuffle. More air time will allow for a optimal/natural stride length.

 

My 2c om my unscientific opinions and observations above: do not try to increase stride length first.

 

As stride length requires more power (like grinding the big ring in cycling), I'd suggest to work on form and strength (core, hip flexors, abductors, adductors,  glutes) which will increase your ability to take bigger and more frequent strides (and not force you towards an injury)

 

But then the above involves too much thinking about a natural movement, so just do the form and strength work, and then just naturally run faster 

['Kaze Pete]

I have been looking at my stats from my watch and would like to possibly increase speed and better my running style.

Do any of you guys concentrate on your cadence and stride length? I battle to get my cadence over 165 and generally the faster I go the longer my stride. What should my stride length be based on my height of 1.86m?

I have an old watch, so do not have stride lengths.

 

I am a natural forefoot striker (actually a bit of a bouncy runner), who learnt to do a midfoot strike - Did a lot of track / athletics in my long lost youth!

 

However when doing interval work on the track (yesterday @ 3:30/km for 400m repeats) my cadence drops off as I fatigue. It starts off at 180/182 and then progressively drops off towards my normal distance "plods" cadence of around 160 (These I do at a pace of 6:00/km) for an average of 172/174 per interval repeat.

 

Pretty sure the increase in pace involves an increased stride length as well.

 

 That said, I am about 10cm shorter than you and I am more of a fun runner with a "cycling problem" as I've been running on and off for the last 30+ years...

Edited May 12, 2017 by 'Kaze Pete

[ScottCM]

I have been looking at my stats from my watch and would like to possibly increase speed and better my running style.

Do any of you guys concentrate on your cadence and stride length? I battle to get my cadence over 165 and generally the faster I go the longer my stride. What should my stride length be based on my height of 1.86m?

 

I'm 1.86m short too

 

Although not nearly as experienced as the rest of the group here this is what i went through last year. I wanted to increase my cadence up to 180 SPM as per Jack Daniels book.

 

So before i started with it i found that at

Om die Dam HM AVG : 167 SPM , Stride 1.02m @ 5:55 Pace with 9.5cm Bounce (VO) in Race mode

Birchwood HM  AVG : 168 SPM , Stride 1.11m @ 5:23 Pace with 9.7cm VO in Race mode

 

After picking up various injuries i reverted back to just running on feel.

 

On Sunday i did Colgate and ran that at AVG : 167 SPM , Stride 1.03m @ 5:48 Pace with 8.9cm Bounce (VO) as a training run 

 

I have found that when increasing the pace to 5:00 or below my stride length increase and cadence too, for example, last months park run AVG : 180 SPM , Stride 1.25m @ 4:20 Pace

 

BUT then you look at guys who i know have run Silver and Bill Rowan and some of them are running at 155SPM and in the same height category as us, so my suggestion is to run in whatever way is comfortable and natural for you. 

If that leads to injuries them tweak it a bit but as long as you not getting injured don't go changing it just to suit what other people out there say you should be doing.

 

Case in point, look at Kajsa Berg, the Swedish runner whom came third last year at comrades, she has such an inelegant style, butcher like in fact but she is at the top tier of the sport.