Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Strideouts
So, in an effort to try and improve my speed a little while running, I decided last night to take the advice of some of the magazines and finish off my workout with a couple of short sprints so the legs get used to the feeling of going faster.
[BTW has anyone else noticed that there is a particular fashion in running magazines of having little sidebar articles titled something like "what are strideouts?" which never actually explain what they are? Uhh, yeah, you just stride out easily and efficiently while not using much effort. Okay, I'll try that.]
So I finished my half an hour run about 500 metres from home and walked for a little to get my breath back. And then I picked up my legs to do a quick easy sprint while using not much effort - and I almost fell over. What I didn't take into account was the fact that once my legs stop moving back and forwards they are not so easy to get started again. I feel like I need one of those cranks from an old car to get some energy back into them. So no speedwork last night. But I did treat my neighbours to the thrilling site of me staggering along the street in an ominous fashion with a determined smile on my face whilst trying to expend not much effort.
[BTW has anyone else noticed that there is a particular fashion in running magazines of having little sidebar articles titled something like "what are strideouts?" which never actually explain what they are? Uhh, yeah, you just stride out easily and efficiently while not using much effort. Okay, I'll try that.]
So I finished my half an hour run about 500 metres from home and walked for a little to get my breath back. And then I picked up my legs to do a quick easy sprint while using not much effort - and I almost fell over. What I didn't take into account was the fact that once my legs stop moving back and forwards they are not so easy to get started again. I feel like I need one of those cranks from an old car to get some energy back into them. So no speedwork last night. But I did treat my neighbours to the thrilling site of me staggering along the street in an ominous fashion with a determined smile on my face whilst trying to expend not much effort.
4 Comments:
I find a lot of stuff in magazines about running too technical. Even if they explain stuff, I just glaze over. I think I need to have someone actually show me then it would all click in place.
Yeah that's part of what I like about it - I can get excited about reading about long repeats or hill workouts safe in the knowledge that I won't have to do any of that crap for months.
However, some of the stuff I just don't understand. I glaze over at the aerobic/anaerobic stuff and when they talk about different thresholds and stuff.
However, some of the stuff I just don't understand. I glaze over at the aerobic/anaerobic stuff and when they talk about different thresholds and stuff.
I loved the descritption of what you looked like Deege! Priceless! lol
I find that when I stop for a water break in the middle of my long runs it is really hard to get going again - I feel like a little old lady as for the first few hundred metres I am aying "ooh! Ouch!!! Ooh!" and my legs are all stiff and sore - they seem to seize up when I stop moving! The getting out of the car when I arrive home is something else all together :-)
I find that when I stop for a water break in the middle of my long runs it is really hard to get going again - I feel like a little old lady as for the first few hundred metres I am aying "ooh! Ouch!!! Ooh!" and my legs are all stiff and sore - they seem to seize up when I stop moving! The getting out of the car when I arrive home is something else all together :-)
So true about the sidebar explanation thing... bugs me too.
as for the stop and start... can't help but chuckle at the description, I know that if at any point during a run I stop to walk I'll never get going again :oD
Keep up the great work Deege.
as for the stop and start... can't help but chuckle at the description, I know that if at any point during a run I stop to walk I'll never get going again :oD
Keep up the great work Deege.