# Any one here run



## csdoplr (Aug 11, 2009)

Does anyone her do cross country track and know who prefontaine is?


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## LNZ (Aug 11, 2009)

No. I was a good runner while at primary school (1975-1982, Year 1 to 7, elementary/ middle school if in the US) and almost made a school team. But now I'm an overweight and old 39 year old male.


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## 4Chan (Aug 11, 2009)

I have run track and field, every year, since middle school, and i did cross country 2 years in high school.

I never was into the history of running, and thats my fault, cant help you, sorrie. D:


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## rahulkadukar (Aug 11, 2009)

I run a 100 in under 12.5 seconds


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## pentrixter (Aug 11, 2009)

Yes.


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## Carson (Aug 11, 2009)

Isn't that a character in Les Miserables?


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## Anthony (Aug 11, 2009)

I competed in track and field from 2nd to 8th grade. I'm in high school now and I run cross country.

I actually have a banner above my bed with this quote on it:

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." - Steve Prefontaine


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## Carson (Aug 19, 2009)

I didn't want to make a new thread for this, so I just thought I would throw this in here since it was only a few days old.

I used to jog pretty regularly and run occasionally. I never really put that much effort into it, but it made a nice hobby occasionally. 

Recently, I was talked into picking up the hobby again. So, for the past few weeks I have been hitting the treadmill a few times a week and occasionally the streets or sidewalks. This past weekend, I ran my first two official races... a 2 Mile in 17:18 and a 5k in 29:15. If there are any runners here, they will realize quickly that those are not spectacular times at all, but I am just getting started and have decided to devote a great deal of time to training. I am planning to do a 5k each saturday for the next couple of months, and I am really hoping to see my times drop considerably.

Now would be the time for those "running pros" in the community to offer me kind words of encouragement and tips for getting faster...


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## dbax0999 (Aug 19, 2009)

Carson said:


> I didn't want to make a new thread for this, so I just thought I would throw this in here since it was only a few days old.
> 
> I used to jog pretty regularly and run occasionally. I never really put that much effort into it, but it made a nice hobby occasionally.
> 
> ...



Practice practice practice. And look ahead.


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## piemaster (Aug 19, 2009)

You could work out to get your leg muscles stronger I guess. Go to the fitness center.


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## 4Chan (Aug 19, 2009)

dbax0999 said:


> Carson said:
> 
> 
> > I didn't want to make a new thread for this, so I just thought I would throw this in here since it was only a few days old.
> ...



Ahh, the 5k.
My personal best is around 19-20 minutes. However, at the statewide level for georgia, girls runners were running around 15 minutes.

I guess, pacing is a serious thing, but thats common logic.
State of mind is also common logic.

Have you tried those "energy gels", i've tried some, and they're delicious.
I've seen a lot of runners use them, and im not sure if its actually a placebo, or an actual physical effect, but you should try and decide for yourself.


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## fanwuq (Aug 19, 2009)

I've been at 23-25 minutes for 5k since probably 5th grade or so. I don't have much motivation to train, but I would like to get faster.

Chris,
Really, state-level girls are that close to WR? 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres

Around where I live, sub-18 for boys and sub-20 for girls pretty much guarantees 1st place in city. Most people here run cross country to practice for the basketball season; and those people suck--30min. It's surprise how someone as out of shape as myself can beat around 60% of the people in a high school 5k race. How much do you train to sub-20? Think I got a chance to shave off a minute or 2 by the end of the year?


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## bwatkins (Aug 19, 2009)

Cubes=Life said:


> dbax0999 said:
> 
> 
> > Carson said:
> ...



i ran state XC my junior year in h.s. and was injured my senior year so yes...Pre is a BAMF! These girls times may be true however these are some crazy fast girls!! HaHa state guys usually run at about that time...my PB was 15:16. I dont think the girls times are right...but i've never been to Georgia either!


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## cheiney (Aug 19, 2009)

I ran Track my Freshman year. My events were 110m High Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, and Long Jump. I never really did well in any of them. I mainly did it to get in shape for football.


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## bwatkins (Aug 19, 2009)

fanwuq said:


> I've been at 23-25 minutes for 5k since probably 5th grade or so. I don't have much motivation to train, but I would like to get faster.
> 
> Chris,
> Really, state-level girls are that close to WR?
> ...



you can definitely get rid of 2 mins in a year...it sounds like a lot but it wont be too hard. Just focus on running consistent miles...if possible the ultimate goal is negative splits. Don't give in, if you think your outta energy, kick a little harder at the end, and the next time you run, that distance will be the standard. My first ever 5k was 24:56...and i qualified for state a few years later. Also, it sounds funny, but take longer strides, eventually this will become a habit, after all why waste energy taking shorter steps?


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## 4Chan (Aug 19, 2009)

Aaaah~!
My mistake~!
It was the guys, my apologies. T_T

http://www.ghsa.net/crosscountry


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## Carson (Aug 19, 2009)

piemaster said:


> You could work out to get your leg muscles stronger I guess. Go to the fitness center.



I am already weight training about 5 days/week. I started this roughly the same time I started running again, but I quit doing leg workouts because I was often too sore to run for the next few days. I suppose I could give this another shot now though since I'm sure my legs are in better shape than they were before.



Cubes=Life said:


> Ahh, the 5k...
> ...I guess, pacing is a serious thing, but thats common logic.
> State of mind is also common logic.
> 
> ...


Pacing is something that I am working on, but it has been hard thus far since I am still not to the point that I can keep a consistent pace for the duration. I will pay more attention to this from now on though.

I have no idea about the energy gels, I will have to see what that is all about as I have never even heard of them. Currently, I am taking a variation of whey protein for my weight training and also a nitric oxide booster. The nitric oxide is actually designed for weight training, but it dilates your blood vessels allowing more blood, and hence more oxygen, to your muscles, so I have been taking this for running as well. I would prefer to avoid anything based on any variation of caffeine however.



bwatkins said:


> you can definitely get rid of 2 mins in a year...it sounds like a lot but it wont be too hard. Just focus on running consistent miles...if possible the ultimate goal is negative splits. Don't give in, if you think your outta energy, kick a little harder at the end, and the next time you run, that distance will be the standard. My first ever 5k was 24:56...and i qualified for state a few years later. Also, it sounds funny, but take longer strides, eventually this will become a habit, after all why waste energy taking shorter steps?


What do you mean by negative splits?

The longer strides is an interesting concept. I find myself taking more "comfortable" strides. The length of my stride tends to get longer the more I push myself. Should I be thinking of taking longer strides the entire time, and if so, is there a specific thought process involved?


Sorry for all the questions everyone, but I appreciate the input.


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## onestruecolors (Aug 19, 2009)

Good technique will also help you improve a little bit. One thing is a lot of people swing their arms so much, that they are sending that momentum up, rather than forward, same concept with little 'jump steps' people take. You want to use your energy to go forward than waste it that energy pushing it up.


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## bwatkins (Aug 19, 2009)

CARSON...say you wanted to run a 3 mile race. even splits (in mile times would be) 6-6-6. positive splits would be 6-7-8, where your mile times increase as you run further. Negative splits ideally would be a 5:30 mile followed by a 5:25 and to finish the race a 5:20 (or any decrease in time). Runners who manage negative splits show true control of their body and understand its potential very well. If you are running a 5k most inexperience runners will die at the end from coming out too fast. A well polished runner will take advantage of this be running fast, but leaving jst enough to over take in the end. 

By taking longer strides (dont be excessive of course) you naturally push your self harder in workout, eventually this becomes normal however, and while it takes everyone else 6 steps to go a certain distance you can do it in 5...all the varsity runners i know concentrate on this. eventually when you just jog, its like how everyone else would run; thus when you go race pace, you've got a leg up...Plus it feels more relaxing, more fluid. However this could all be false, and the mental aspect plays a larger part than any of else know!


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## bwatkins (Aug 19, 2009)

onestruecolors said:


> Good technique will also help you improve a little bit. One thing is a lot of people swing their arms so much, that they are sending that momentum up, rather than forward, same concept with little 'jump steps' people take. You want to use your energy to go forward than waste it that energy pushing it up.



VERY TRUE...you will never see a DISTANCE runner with tightly clinched fists. relax, swing your arms, and let your hands go limp. It seems stupid, but it really helps.


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## fanwuq (Aug 19, 2009)

bwatkins said:


> CARSON...say you wanted to run a 3 mile race. even splits (in mile times would be) 6-6-6. positive splits would be 6-7-8, where your mile times increase as you run further. Negative splits ideally would be a 5:30 mile followed by a 5:25 and to finish the race a 5:20 (or any decrease in time). Runners who manage negative splits show true control of their body and understand its potential very well. If you are running a 5k most inexperience runners will die at the end from coming out too fast. A well polished runner will take advantage of this be running fast, but leaving jst enough to over take in the end.
> 
> By taking longer strides (dont be excessive of course) you naturally push your self harder in workout, eventually this becomes normal however, and while it takes everyone else 6 steps to go a certain distance you can do it in 5...all the varsity runners i know concentrate on this. eventually when you just jog, its like how everyone else would run; thus when you go race pace, you've got a leg up...Plus it feels more relaxing, more fluid. However this could all be false, and the mental aspect plays a larger part than any of else know!



Interesting. I could never do negative splits. I'm getting around 6:30, 7:30, 8:00+1:00 for the last 200m. Long strides is not a problem for me. I guess slowing down is my main concern. I've seen some people run a 5:00 1st mile, then walk the rest of the way, LOL. I have a feeling it's because no one here cares about cross country; it's just practice for football/basketball. The football players can be pretty good, but the basketball players tend to suck.


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## bwatkins (Aug 19, 2009)

fanwuq said:


> bwatkins said:
> 
> 
> > CARSON...say you wanted to run a 3 mile race. even splits (in mile times would be) 6-6-6. positive splits would be 6-7-8, where your mile times increase as you run further. Negative splits ideally would be a 5:30 mile followed by a 5:25 and to finish the race a 5:20 (or any decrease in time). Runners who manage negative splits show true control of their body and understand its potential very well. If you are running a 5k most inexperience runners will die at the end from coming out too fast. A well polished runner will take advantage of this be running fast, but leaving jst enough to over take in the end.
> ...



lol...try and run your first mile or earlier miles slower, it will allow for more consistency and eventually you'll just get faster...IF you try and stay consistent of course.


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## how-to-solve-a-rubix (Aug 19, 2009)

i stopped running at school. i was average on it. used to run 100 meter and 2 km.

wondering how is it to solve the rubix cube while running


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## fanwuq (Aug 19, 2009)

how-to-solve-a-rubix said:


> i stopped running at school. i was average on it. used to run 100 meter and 2 km.
> 
> wondering how is it to solve the rubix cube while running



Rubik's.

Tyson Mao can sub-6 for a mile+5 solves.
I got something around 8 minutes last time I tried a few months ago.


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## csdoplr (Aug 19, 2009)

dude ur so lucky. i want one of his shirts that says stop pre.


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## Pitzu (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm also a runner. I usually run marathons and halfmarathons. Sometimes in costume.


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## trying-to-speedcube... (Aug 19, 2009)

Pitzu said:


> I'm also a runner. I usually run marathons and halfmarathons. Sometimes in costume.


You also use your body to memo, so it's good to stay in shape


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## El Veintitres (Aug 19, 2009)

I run cross country.


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## Kolraz (Aug 19, 2009)

Haha strange timing to see this thread. Just got in from a 5 mile run.

I've been running for about just under a year on my own but just recently joined a running club and I'm going to take it more seriously. I should be set for my first Sub-20 5k very soon, and I'm probably going to be starting some cross country with the club at the end of this year =)

Negative splits are common for longer distances, where the second half is ran faster than the first, however I've heard a lot of people say that for 5ks they run an even race pace and try to hang in throughout. I've tried both and find a negative split more comfortable, but both produce similar results for me. 5k is definately a more painful experience compared to a 10k.

Didn't realise so many people on here enjoyed running.


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## Novriil (Aug 19, 2009)

rahulkadukar said:


> I run a 100 in under 12.5 seconds



USAIN BOLT IS IN THIS FORUM!!! 

I love running long distances.. 10-40km are gooood


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## isaacthecuber (Aug 21, 2009)

piemaster said:


> You could work out to get your leg muscles stronger I guess. Go to the fitness center.



Eh...I read a lot of articles in running magazines, and I saw one that was about myths about running and that was one of them. It's not really necessary to beef up on muscles. I would suggest possibly subscribing to a magazine like Runner's World, (http://www.runnersworld.com/). It has a lot of information to help beginning runners. 



Kolraz said:


> Haha strange timing to see this thread. Just got in from a 5 mile run.



Haha, I too just got in from a run. It was a nine miler, and it felt really good.  For all you metric people in the world, (a.k.a., everyone!), that's about 14.4 km.


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## csdoplr (Aug 21, 2009)

yes i got a 3k time trial tommorow for cc we normaly run 5k but its just for practice.


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## Carson (Aug 21, 2009)

bwatkins said:


> CARSON...say you wanted to run a 3 mile race. even splits (in mile times would be) 6-6-6. positive splits would be 6-7-8, where your mile times increase as you run further. Negative splits ideally would be a 5:30 mile followed by a 5:25 and to finish the race a 5:20 (or any decrease in time). Runners who manage negative splits show true control of their body and understand its potential very well. If you are running a 5k most inexperience runners will die at the end from coming out too fast. A well polished runner will take advantage of this be running fast, but leaving jst enough to over take in the end.
> 
> By taking longer strides (dont be excessive of course) you naturally push your self harder in workout, eventually this becomes normal however, and while it takes everyone else 6 steps to go a certain distance you can do it in 5...all the varsity runners i know concentrate on this. eventually when you just jog, its like how everyone else would run; thus when you go race pace, you've got a leg up...Plus it feels more relaxing, more fluid. However this could all be false, and the mental aspect plays a larger part than any of else know!



Ahh... that makes perfect sense now. Typically, my first 1/2 mile is fairly quick(for me) and my last 1/2 mile has been pretty quick as well. Between those I have been losing a lot of time though. I tend to get overexcited right out of the gate and overestimate what is a comfortable pace for me.



onestruecolors said:


> Good technique will also help you improve a little bit. One thing is a lot of people swing their arms so much, that they are sending that momentum up, rather than forward, same concept with little 'jump steps' people take. You want to use your energy to go forward than waste it that energy pushing it up.



I just got back from a run tonight. I tried to be aware of my stride lengths throughout the run. I had never really noticed it before, but my strides seem to be pretty good when running at a quicker pace, but I am definitely guilty of taking the short "hop" steps when I slow down. Looks like I found something to work on.

I don't think I really have an issue with swinging my arms too much. I let them swing pretty naturally. I did have a BIG problem with clenching my fists for awhile. It took a lot of effort, but I am almost completely over this. I still catch myself occasionally though. 



isaacthecuber said:


> piemaster said:
> 
> 
> > You could work out to get your leg muscles stronger I guess. Go to the fitness center.
> ...



I don't know that I will subscribe, but I have been checking out a lot of articles on the runner's world site. Most of the specific questions I have run into(pun intended) have been answered using their site. (specifically: using the "search function" )

My time tonight for 3.12 miles, which is pretty much a 5k, was 24:23. That's my PB so far. I have another 5k Saturday morning and I am really hoping to sub 24 it. I would love to be sub 20 before Winter.


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## ianini (Aug 21, 2009)

i got a 5:59 mile in 7th grade


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