Jogging / Running
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That only works if you're among the 3% of humanity who have abso-frikkin-lutely perfect biomechanics.
Software Zen:
delete this;I must know a lot of the 3% then. I've also seen multiple studies with the same result. Your body adapts to running on a hard surface by exerting less pressure. Adding padding deadens your natural reaction and you end up landing harder and putting more stress on your body. It's not going to hurt you to just give it a try a few times and see.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
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Am thinking of taking up jogging/running as a way to get fit...any advice to an unfit desk jockey (other than don't overdo it)?
Must... not... evangelize... :-D (I've been running for almost 20 years) First off, congratulations for deciding to be more fit! Running is a great way to do it. It's inexpensive and doesn't take a lot of gear: a good pair of running shoes and you're all set. I recommend going to a running shoe store. Your typical mall store doesn't carry much in the way of running shoes, and the salespeople don't have the expertise to help you find the right kind of shoe. If you need help finding one in your area, contact your local running club. You can find a local club through Road Runners Club of America[^]. A good all-around resource to start out with is http://www.runnersworld.com[^]. Look under the 'Training' heading, and the 'Beginners' topic for lots of stuff that will help you out. Good luck!
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Andy Brummer wrote:
Worn out running shoes also cause fewer injuries than brand new shoes.
Could that be due to the tendency of people to be new to their fitness regime when they get new shoes? Or maybe because they are not used to the weight/size of the shoe yet?
Andy Brummer wrote:
Our species has been running quite well without any kind of special running foot gear.
I think our life expectancy has also doubled or more in recent times. Brushing our teeth, antibiotics, keeping our joints in good shape... little things like that help to keep our fragile bodies from wearing out as soon as they used to. And with things like sidewalks (very hard and wouldn't be found in nature), we need a little extra shock absorbency.
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AspDotNetDev wrote:
Could that be due to the tendency of people to be new to their fitness regime when they get new shoes? Or maybe because they are not used to the weight/size of the shoe yet?
Also the padding hasn't broken down. :)
AspDotNetDev wrote:
I think our life expectancy has also doubled or more in recent times. Brushing our teeth, antibiotics, keeping our joints in good shape... little things like that help to keep our fragile bodies from wearing out as soon as they used to. And with things like sidewalks (very hard and wouldn't be found in nature), we need a little extra shock absorbency
I'm talking specifically about running long distances with padded shoes. Some people do just fine with it. Many don't. Personally I go nearly barefoot or barefoot almost all the time, and I like the difference. My wife has a neuroma that orthotics and several years of treatments didn't fix. Going barefoot fixed it after a few months. It's anecdotal, but that doesn't mean it's wrong.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
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Am thinking of taking up jogging/running as a way to get fit...any advice to an unfit desk jockey (other than don't overdo it)?
This[^] is where I started when I trained for a 20K. Worked out well. Started in January when it was cold on a treadmill and moved outside in March following a different training plan. Search for running plans if you have a goal (which I would highly recommend). Set a goal though because weight loss might not cut it. Start small with a 5K and go from there. Running without a race to look forward to is just exercise :-D
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
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I must know a lot of the 3% then. I've also seen multiple studies with the same result. Your body adapts to running on a hard surface by exerting less pressure. Adding padding deadens your natural reaction and you end up landing harder and putting more stress on your body. It's not going to hurt you to just give it a try a few times and see.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
Andy Brummer wrote:
I must know a lot of the 3% then. I've also seen multiple studies with the same result. Your body adapts to running on a hard surface by exerting less pressure. Adding padding deadens your natural reaction and you end up landing harder and putting more stress on your body. It's not going to hurt you to just give it a try a few times and see.
Absolutely. I was convinced after reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Now I run in cheap water shoes to protect my feet from rocks and whatnot (glass might cut through them, so I tend not to run on beds of broken glass). 5 fingers seem ridiculously overpriced to me. Going minimalist shouldn't be so damn expensive. Running shoes are not only a con job, they are actually harmful. I think some companies are catching on though, eliminating the stupidly cushy soles (especially in the heal) and marketing them as though they're leveraging some new technology. Yeah, it's called YOUR FEET.
He said, "Boy I'm just old and lonely, But thank you for your concern, Here's wishing you a Happy New Year." I wished him one back in return.
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Am thinking of taking up jogging/running as a way to get fit...any advice to an unfit desk jockey (other than don't overdo it)?
Heard a disturbing fact the other day: Sitting for hours at a time, day after day (as in software development) is unhealthy even if you exercise well outside those 8 hours. I'm trying to get into the habit of taking a short walk every hour or two, but it's easy to forget while immersed in code.
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Andy Brummer wrote:
I must know a lot of the 3% then. I've also seen multiple studies with the same result. Your body adapts to running on a hard surface by exerting less pressure. Adding padding deadens your natural reaction and you end up landing harder and putting more stress on your body. It's not going to hurt you to just give it a try a few times and see.
Absolutely. I was convinced after reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Now I run in cheap water shoes to protect my feet from rocks and whatnot (glass might cut through them, so I tend not to run on beds of broken glass). 5 fingers seem ridiculously overpriced to me. Going minimalist shouldn't be so damn expensive. Running shoes are not only a con job, they are actually harmful. I think some companies are catching on though, eliminating the stupidly cushy soles (especially in the heal) and marketing them as though they're leveraging some new technology. Yeah, it's called YOUR FEET.
He said, "Boy I'm just old and lonely, But thank you for your concern, Here's wishing you a Happy New Year." I wished him one back in return.
Yeah, the price tag on the 5 fingers is really high. I'm hoping that competition brings the cost down, and I do go barefoot for most of my running to cut down on the wear and tear. They do get plenty of questions and comments as I wear them all the time, even to work.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
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Am thinking of taking up jogging/running as a way to get fit...any advice to an unfit desk jockey (other than don't overdo it)?
Never run with an erection.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow
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Yeah, the price tag on the 5 fingers is really high. I'm hoping that competition brings the cost down, and I do go barefoot for most of my running to cut down on the wear and tear. They do get plenty of questions and comments as I wear them all the time, even to work.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
These things[^]? Bloke I work with occasionally wears them for running, and mostly wears them around the office too now. Claims they have cleared up all sorts of persistent or repetitive injuries he was having before.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
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Apart from that, once you get past £90(ish) the extra cost doesn't bring any extra benefit, just increased profit for the manufacturer.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.” I wouldn't let CG touch my Abacus! When you're wrestling a gorilla, you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is.
Henry Minute wrote:
Apart from that, once you get past £90(ish) the extra cost doesn't bring any extra benefit, just increased profit for the manufacturer.
Can't remember where I heard it, some trade thing, but they make expensive trainers / running shoes / football boots and so on because people want them. Punters think expensive is better and are demanding they be able to buy them so they just make some to have a higher price tag.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
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Must... not... evangelize... :-D (I've been running for almost 20 years) First off, congratulations for deciding to be more fit! Running is a great way to do it. It's inexpensive and doesn't take a lot of gear: a good pair of running shoes and you're all set. I recommend going to a running shoe store. Your typical mall store doesn't carry much in the way of running shoes, and the salespeople don't have the expertise to help you find the right kind of shoe. If you need help finding one in your area, contact your local running club. You can find a local club through Road Runners Club of America[^]. A good all-around resource to start out with is http://www.runnersworld.com[^]. Look under the 'Training' heading, and the 'Beginners' topic for lots of stuff that will help you out. Good luck!
Software Zen:
delete this;Thanks for the positive response. I'm not overweight (5'9", 10.75 stone) just need to get fit. I've got an exercise bike but it's tedious cycling indoors and the roads around here are not very bike-friendly so running seemed a fair alternative. I'll go in the local sport shop and see what they say. Have to watch my knees though!
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Am thinking of taking up jogging/running as a way to get fit...any advice to an unfit desk jockey (other than don't overdo it)?
My vote is get a partner as that helps the stick to it part of the equation.
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Don't get expensive running shoes. Running barefoot or in a minimal shoe is better for your knees. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100104122310.htm[^]
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
best of both worlds ? Vibram FiveFingers[^]
Stephane "Facebook is like prison - sitting, wasting time, writing on walls and being poked by people you don'k even know."
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Never run with an erection.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow
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Henry Minute wrote:
Apart from that, once you get past £90(ish) the extra cost doesn't bring any extra benefit, just increased profit for the manufacturer.
Can't remember where I heard it, some trade thing, but they make expensive trainers / running shoes / football boots and so on because people want them. Punters think expensive is better and are demanding they be able to buy them so they just make some to have a higher price tag.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
yous gotta understan man how vital it is to av de best, innit.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.” I wouldn't let CG touch my Abacus! When you're wrestling a gorilla, you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is.
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Thanks for the positive response. I'm not overweight (5'9", 10.75 stone) just need to get fit. I've got an exercise bike but it's tedious cycling indoors and the roads around here are not very bike-friendly so running seemed a fair alternative. I'll go in the local sport shop and see what they say. Have to watch my knees though!
You're welcome. As others have said, it's important to not overdo it when you're starting out. A good way to start is to alternate walking and running. If you've got light poles, street signs, houses, or other regularly spaced markers on your route, you can use them to space things out. Walk for two poles, run for one, and repeat for 20-30 minutes. Once you can do that without getting too tired or out of breath, switch to walking two poles, running two. Keep progressing (walk 1, run 3; you get the idea) until you eventually don't need the walking stretches. Even if you need to start out just walking, and running one brief stretch at the end, that's okay. One thing a lot of new runners seem to worry about is their 'pace'. The easiest measure is this: When you're running, you should be able to maintain a conversation with someone running with you. If you can't do that, you're going too fast.
viaducting wrote:
Have to watch my knees though!
Overuse injuries are really annoying. I was very gung-ho when I first started running, and it took my body a long while to catch up to what my brain wanted to do. During the first couple of years I was constantly fighting cases of shin splints, bruised meniscii in both knees, Achilles tendonitis, and even a couple stress fractures. It was my own damned fault for being impatient and not listening to what my body was saying. There's a difference between the discomfort/ache that results from effort and the pain of injury. If it's been a while since you exercised regularly, or this is a first time for you, it may take you a while to learn to tell the difference. If it's injury pain, STOP. If it's discomfort from the effort, that's a sign of progress :cool:.
viaducting wrote:
I'm not overweight (5'9", 10.75 stone)
Believe it or not, you sound like marathon material. A lot of the elite runners are your size. Unfortunately, I'm not in that category (6'1" and 15 stone; I need to drop about 15 pounds).
Software Zen:
delete this; -
These things[^]? Bloke I work with occasionally wears them for running, and mostly wears them around the office too now. Claims they have cleared up all sorts of persistent or repetitive injuries he was having before.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
Yeah, I'm no zealot, but I find them so much more comfortable than regular shoes now. Especially when standing for long periods of time.
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
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You're welcome. As others have said, it's important to not overdo it when you're starting out. A good way to start is to alternate walking and running. If you've got light poles, street signs, houses, or other regularly spaced markers on your route, you can use them to space things out. Walk for two poles, run for one, and repeat for 20-30 minutes. Once you can do that without getting too tired or out of breath, switch to walking two poles, running two. Keep progressing (walk 1, run 3; you get the idea) until you eventually don't need the walking stretches. Even if you need to start out just walking, and running one brief stretch at the end, that's okay. One thing a lot of new runners seem to worry about is their 'pace'. The easiest measure is this: When you're running, you should be able to maintain a conversation with someone running with you. If you can't do that, you're going too fast.
viaducting wrote:
Have to watch my knees though!
Overuse injuries are really annoying. I was very gung-ho when I first started running, and it took my body a long while to catch up to what my brain wanted to do. During the first couple of years I was constantly fighting cases of shin splints, bruised meniscii in both knees, Achilles tendonitis, and even a couple stress fractures. It was my own damned fault for being impatient and not listening to what my body was saying. There's a difference between the discomfort/ache that results from effort and the pain of injury. If it's been a while since you exercised regularly, or this is a first time for you, it may take you a while to learn to tell the difference. If it's injury pain, STOP. If it's discomfort from the effort, that's a sign of progress :cool:.
viaducting wrote:
I'm not overweight (5'9", 10.75 stone)
Believe it or not, you sound like marathon material. A lot of the elite runners are your size. Unfortunately, I'm not in that category (6'1" and 15 stone; I need to drop about 15 pounds).
Software Zen:
delete this;Gary Wheeler wrote:
Overuse injuries are really annoying. I was very gung-ho when I first started running, and it took my body a long while to catch up to what my brain wanted to do. During the first couple of years I was constantly fighting cases of shin splints, bruised meniscii in both knees, Achilles tendonitis, and even a couple stress fractures. It was my own damned fault for being impatient and not listening to what my body was saying.
It took me a while to learn that. It takes toughness to overcome fatigue. It takes idiocy to push through injury. :doh:
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
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Gary Wheeler wrote:
Overuse injuries are really annoying. I was very gung-ho when I first started running, and it took my body a long while to catch up to what my brain wanted to do. During the first couple of years I was constantly fighting cases of shin splints, bruised meniscii in both knees, Achilles tendonitis, and even a couple stress fractures. It was my own damned fault for being impatient and not listening to what my body was saying.
It took me a while to learn that. It takes toughness to overcome fatigue. It takes idiocy to push through injury. :doh:
Curvature of the Mind now with 3D
Andy Brummer wrote:
It takes idiocy to push through injury
You betcha. I went to one of the local sports medicine places with what I thought were shin splints in both legs. Come to find out I had an active stress fracture just below my left knee, a partially healed one just above my left ankle, and another active one above my right ankle. My doctor was impressed that they were visible on an X-ray (you can't see them that way usually). His prescription was absolutely no running for 4 months, custom orthotics, motion control shoes, and a very gradual resumption of my training program :-O.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Am thinking of taking up jogging/running as a way to get fit...any advice to an unfit desk jockey (other than don't overdo it)?
Build up slowly using routes you now so you can judge your distance and pace. Some gentle stretching exercises before you start are a very good idea, but try not to overdo it. At first you'll probably find running quite uncomfortable, but if you persevere a little while you'll find that once you get through the initial discomfort the endorphins kick in and you start to get "the buzz". :) The first time Beth took me out running I could barely make it to the end of the road without being out of breath; now although I know the first half a mile or so can be a pain after that it's just great. I even enjoy a fast sprint to finish off our runs now. FWIW I prefer cross country (we often go round the edge of the golf course) to street running; YMMV. Finally, Beth and her Dad both swear by ChiRunning[^]; although I haven't quite got the knack of it yet it's definitely worth being aware of.
Anna :rose: Tech Blog | Visual Lint "Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"