In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Any runners or cyclists here?

Discussion in 'Hobbies and Interests' started by T-Stew, May 18, 2015.

  1. T-Stew

    T-Stew

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    Running has long been a favorite workout of mine, I did a couple years of crosscountry back in high school. I got out of it in my 20's and started down an unhealthy path. Tried turning things back around in my 30's and back into running again. Got serious about it in 2011 and started doing some racing in 2012. I had a bad year last year, but back at it this year and did pretty well at a half marathon 2 weeks ago (~1 minute behind my best) and also broke a 10k PR this past weekend by several minutes! Some may find it interesting that I run barefoot, started that in 2011 after some foot and leg problems I was having.

    Ran my first full marathon in October '13 in 3:48
    Here is a pic powering into the finish line...
    finish-crop-e700.jpg

    I've always enjoyed biking as well but never had a good road bike until last summer although I went all over the place on mountain bike, be it trail or asphalt. But now with a couple road bikes I have a blast just cruising down the rail trails around here. Still not a strong road biker, or long distance, but working on it. I hope to try my first duathlon this summer.

    So do we have any other runners or cyclists or triathletes?
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2015
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  2. briansol

    briansol

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    i try to 'run' about 5k a week... usually 1.5 or so a couple times a week. I'm more of a putzzer than a runner though with my 9:40-10:00 mile times :/ lol

    i couldn't imagine running barefoot though. I tried the minimalist shoes for a bit and my ankles were just destroyed
     
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  3. T-Stew

    T-Stew

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    Brian - I spend plenty of time at that pace too, the important thing is to get out there and move the legs. ;)

    I can't run in minimalist shoes. Many seem to be able to but not me. They seem to be more for experts, otherwise they can be bad - like they trick your body into thinking your wearing shoes but they don't provide enough protection or cushion to continue using them the same you would regular shoes. I've never heard of a barefoot runner with ankle problems btw, much more common in shoe wearing folk. :whistle: I've got to admit the marathon was pretty tough, not so much because I was barefoot but because I couldn't get enough training miles in! This year I'm not planning on a marathon but focusing on shorter distances and getting more time on the bike. Though I really want to try an ultramarathon before too long, I just can't commit the amount of time to running. And some weeks on shiftwork its not even possible (like 72 hr weeks!).
     
  4. Will C

    Will C

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    Another old fat guy that does a little running. It seems like very time I work up to a respectable mileage I break down! 2 years ago I was doing 8-10 mile long runs and got 22-25 miles a week in.
    Now, it more like 6-8 miles a week at a 12:00 pace. Still enjoy it, but it is hard to find the time.
     
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  5. coal reaper

    coal reaper

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    yeah barefoot! i was all about it after 'born to run'. ran marathon in 2010, shoed. told myself never again. started running barefoot, and backpacking a bit. loved it. rolled foot on a step and broke it pretty good. didnt heal right after 3 years. was in the boot again for the second half of this winter. back into running again now, only up to 4 miles. feeling good. will try the barefoot again after at least a year passes. doc said in a year fracture will still only be 90% healed so i gotta take it easy.
     
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  6. bassJAM

    bassJAM

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    I was a sprinter back in the day, but I really can't stand to do distance. 3 miles is the most I've ever done and it was torture (mostly mental torture). I tried road bikes for a few years and never got into it either, I think my longest trips were a couple 50 milers. But last summer I picked up a decent mountain bike and started hitting the trails around me, and I finally found something that I like! I guess it's because I was into dirt biking for awhile, but with a house and family it's hard to find time to trail ride on the dirt bike all day. I find that a lot of the skills from that translate to a mountain bike, and I can haul my mountain bike on the back of my car to work, stop on the way home for an hour ride and get a decent work out in and have a blast doing it.
     
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  7. schlot

    schlot

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    Did some sprint triathlons a while back.

    Love swimming, love biking but I hate running. But I do it occassionally on the treadmill....and I much rather run barefoot than with shoes. Out of the habit of prepping but look foward to getting out this summer again. Great stress release!

    Out in the real world, does it take time to get use to running barefoot? Obviously on the treadmill I don't to worry about rocks or sticks.
     
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  8. bogydave

    bogydave

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    20 - 40 mile bike rides.
    Was getting over 100 miles a week,
    Should be getting back to that again soon.

    Mt bike , 29er with front shock, hyd disc brakes, a lot softer ride than the road bikes.

    DSCF4932.JPG
     
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  9. coal reaper

    coal reaper

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    Yes, but not as much as you would think. Its more about technique than building calluses our toughening skin. While i havent done a barefoot marathon, i did run a 10k and a backpacking trip of 26 miles barefoot. No punctures or cuts, never bleed. And i was doing portions of runs over gravel just to see capabilities.
     
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  10. papadave

    papadave

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    Right where I want to be.
    Long time runner back in the days before my knees told me to stop.
    Pretty dang fast when I was young, and ran only one year of CC in high scholl (moved a few times, so hard to get into a rhythm).
    Most I ever did was some 10Ks with a neighbor. Ran the St. Paddies in Detroit a couple times, and a few others.
    Loved doing distance, as once you get the body conditioned, it becomes a mental battle. No one but yourself to lean on.
    "Runner's high" was always nice.:)
    Had a nice bike in my teens that I rode everywhere, but no competitions.
     
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  11. T-Stew

    T-Stew

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    Yeeks! Hope you heal up well. I read Born to Run after learning to run barefoot (after hearing all the hype on the forums. It was entertaining read. I went the route of leaving my shoes off after having lots of foot and lower leg problems running and looking for answers why. A lot of the opinions I was reading online was all about form suggested learning to run barefoot. Sounded crazy enough that it just may work, but at that time I was up for anything that might help.

    Sprinting... now that's tough lol. I was never a good sprinter, though I did ok in shorter distances like 5k. Actually you've biked further than I so far, I think my farthest has been in the 30 mile range, with typical rides in the 20's usually. Hope to break 50 this summer, but it's hard finding the time for really long trips! I haven't been on the trail with the mountain bike much but I do have an entry level MTB, and do enjoy that although I'm not very skilled over technical terrain.

    Getting used to barefoot running is quite an individual thing. For me it was a long slow process since I was very un-barefoot for 30 years. I would usually even wear shoes in the house. I had very weak feet, sensitive skin, and weak calves since I was mainly a heel striker. I was relearning how to run from scratch, with all new form, and I did it cold turkey style and went from 6+ mile runs to a couple hundred foot runs. About 6 months I was pretty comfortable with it and doing 3-5 miles, and within a year I did my first (ever) half marathon. Though most of my running was smooth paved rail trails so I was still a bitof a tenderfoot off road and gravel, etc. After 2 years I did a 30-some mile 3 day hike in the Adirondack Mountains and did it mostly barefoot. That was pretty tough and there were a few points I through on my 6mm sandals when it got to rough. Treadmill can be a challenge barefoot with friction of a moving belt hitting bare skin I've heard, though I don't generally have that problem. The tread itself gets pretty warm though.

    Looking good bogydave!

    Sounds good papadave! I did cross country in high school as well, my 11th and 12th grades. Most of the other kids had been in it 2-4 years more than me, but I was still middle of the pack most of the time. My record was somewhere in the 17's, I can't remember exactly. After getting out of shape in my 20's the first 5k I did as an adult in my 30's was like 25 minutes! Ever year I'd do a couple more 5k's and shave off 30 seconds or so. After going barefoot I shaved off even more, and finally year before last I broke 20 minutes for the first time as an adult with a 19:26 finish. Last year I had issues and didn't set any pr's and took it easy, but this year I feel like I'm making a comeback and last weekend PR'd in 10k with 40:36 2nd place finish (was a small rural race).

    I'm still debating on duathlon. I got the ok by the race director to compete barefoot in one but he mentioned the second run had gravel and crushed limeston which doesn't sound good at all (I thought it was a paved rail trail, but the section the race is on is not yet paved). So I'll have to go there and check it out to see how rough it is.

    I've got a few 80's road bikes I've got within the last year, here is my nice one I'm training on to hopefully race with, 1987 Schwinn Prologue:
    IMG_9325-1000.JPG
    I put new tires on it and barefoot friendly pedals but that's it so far besides a tune up. Contemplating aerobars and a new forward seatpost and perhaps new lighter saddle to go with. Its pretty darn light considering its 1980's steel bike, 15 lbs lighter that the aluminum mountain bike that I was using prior. I also have an '88 Tempo that will be a project bike and an '88 LeTour that I've done my longer rides with:

    IMG_7972-1000.JPG
    The LeTour still had the factory Schwinn tires on it! They were bulging and frayed cord sticking through, had to replace them. Other than that just pedals and good to go! $80. Frame was on the large side for me but still quite comfortable.
     
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  12. bogydave

    bogydave

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    DSCF4932.JPG
    Did 30 bike miles today,
    sunny & 70° , was 1st time in 3 weeks able to ride.
    Felt great.
     
  13. T-Stew

    T-Stew

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    We had wonderful weather yesterday, and I had a couple hours to kill while my son was at a birthday party so I hit the bike trails in Columbus with my LeTour. Was hoping to finally break 30 miles this year but finished in 28.2 (but after dark a did run an errand to my ex's house via bike that was a 10 mile trip). I haven't been riding the LeTour much lately since I've been trying to get used to the Prologue for potentially racing this summer, but I noticed a few things yesterday on the trip. I have several spokes on my drive wheel that are completely loose, like I can rattle them around. And I seem to develop a noise coming from the wheel hub (kind of a tick every rotation). I don't know much about bike mechanics but want to learn, so I guess its time to test out my google-fu and figure out how to adjust spokes, and whether or not I can grease my wheel hubs or if they are sealed (and in which case if they are toast). Hope I can keep it going its a nice riding bike. The Prologue already needs new wheels (couple small hairline cracks around a few spokes), so I hope not to have to invest also in the LeTour to keep it running.
     
  14. Guido Salvage

    Guido Salvage

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    I have been running for over 40 years, though the past year has seen minimal activity. I have Haglunds Deformity (a bone growth on my heel that has also calcified my Achilles).

    I raced for most of that time period, running up to 40 events a year. Had some long streaks including doing 1 race 29 times. Did every thing from 1 mile up through ultras with some oddballs (i.e. hash house and ultimate runners).

    Gravitated to trail running towards the end of the last century and did quite a bit of it in the mountains of Va. I retired from racing when I moved from Va but still run with a couple of local groups.

    Met a lot of people running and made some good friends. Always took for granted I could do it and turn good times. Sadly I don't think I could run 1 mile today at my former marathon pace.
     
  15. ironpony

    ironpony

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    6'3" 260 lbs, not built to run.........swimming ok low impact.
     
  16. JRSDWS

    JRSDWS

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    I run some on the treadmill so I don't balloon back up to the very unhealthy weight I was a couple of years ago. I don't particularly like it, but I know I can do it so I push myself. The treadmill gives my weary old knees some cushion. I've tried running out on the road here and it's just too much impact for what's left of my knees. This summer I'm going to try some trail runs. It'll be a slow pace, but maybe it'll make running more enjoyable.
     
  17. Guido Salvage

    Guido Salvage

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    Trail running is not always running. If I am going 25-30 miles in the mountains I will power hike the large climbs. You expend too much energy trying to run them.
     
  18. T-Stew

    T-Stew

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    No mountains around here, trail running just means natural surface and no asphalt. But yeah even ultra runners walk most of the hills... at some point it becomes more efficient just to walk anyhow than try to maintain a run. My choice of natural trails around here really sucks so 95% of my runs are all on pavement. I've got a big vacation coming up and will be in northern NY for most of it with lots of trails and plan on running a lot. Also will visit the mountains while I'm there I hope, but likely not do much running. If I'm in the mountains chances are I'll be carrying my pack and hiking :)
     
  19. Guido Salvage

    Guido Salvage

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    I was fortunate when it lived in Virginia I could be on the Appalachian Trail in an hour and 15 minutes.

    Some of my trail running comrades joined Scott Jurek over the weekend as he headed north on the AT in his attempt to break the AT speed record. He is averaging about 50 miles a day.
     
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  20. Shurdel

    Shurdel

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    This a picture from today's ride. I do a little bit of everything, trail running, road running, mountain biking and road bike. Anything that gets me outside.
     

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