Runners, newbie needs gear advice

[skimomma]

Warning - LONG

 

I am going to attempt, for about the tenth time in my life, to start running. I need some help, mostly with gear.

 

First, background: I am very physically active and in shape during the winter months. I cc ski on a daily basis and love it. Every year, the same thing happens....I come off of the winter in great shape and I quickly turn into a couch potato. It is always by accident. We usually do not know ski season is actually over until it has been over for a week. That might be hard to understand if you do not live in big-snow country, but just trust me:) In the summer, I enjoy trail biking, but there is about two months between the end of ski season and when the trails are dry enough to bike on. Road biking is also difficult during those months as the roads are full of gravel, ice, and mud during that two month period. I also am in charge of my 9 yo dd at all times so going to a gym is nearly impossible. None have a children's area, none allow children under 12 to have a membership, and all require too much travel time for me to comfortably leave dd at home. For years, I have struggled to fill that two months with some activity that is cheap, quick, and "get-it-done." I have the same needs at the end of fall when conditions are similar. We walk frequently as our main mode of transport, but I do not get my heart rate up enough to call it a work-out, even when walking briskly.

 

Running is the obvious choice. I can do it right outside my door whenever I have time, I am OK leaving 9 yo alone for the 40 minutes or so I would be gone, dd is actually interested in trying it too, it is relatively inexpensive, and I have the added bonus of being able to trail run in the summer when I do not have time to haul my bike to the trails.

 

But, I have tried this before and I have always failed spectacularly. At least half of these failures are directly attributed to trying too much too fast. I have this covered. Despite being far from the couch at the moment, I am going to use the couch-to-5K program. Running uses different muscles than skiing and I am OK with starting slow.

 

The other half of the failures have to do with my extreme dislike of being hot and uncomfortable. There is not much I can do about the temperature. But the more difficult discomfort is shin splints, blisters, tendon pain, side stitches, securing the bOOks, and "breath burn." I am not sure "breath burn" is even a real thing but it is when my throat burns from breathing too hard.....which is likely correctable with the slower introduction. Same with the side stitches....although those have plagued me when running for as long as I can remember and I have no idea why I am more susceptible than others:(

 

It is the blisters, shin splints, and tendon pain I am hoping to get help with. And clothing....

 

Now the questions start:

 

1. There are no store locally that fit people for running shoes. I have looked online to get an idea of how to fit yourself. I think I can get a good start from some of the online guides. But there is one issue I never see addressed. The biggest issue I have with any shoe that I walk/run/ski in is achilles tendon pain. Not from USING the tendon, which is a serious problem, but from the shoe physically agitating it. When you look at most running shoes, the back comes up higher than the rest of the shoe. Usually there is a dip-like cut-out for the back of the ankle. Despite the cut-out, the back agitates the tendon to the point of extreme pain. After a couple of workouts, a lump appears. It takes months for this to go away. This is true of almost all shoes. I have special ski boots to address this and I walk almost exclusively in clogs or low-back sandals. Anyone ever hear of a running shoe that does not have a high back? Question #4 below might be related.

 

2. Blisters plague me with all shoes. And I can never tell when at the store that a shoe will give me trouble. I have to walk a few miles before the troubles appear. I have bought so much mole skin over the years..... Are there tricks to judging if a shoe will give you a blister problem? I have had success with some shoes, so I know it is possible. My current ski boots are a great example. They are a half-size too small which is "good" for blister-prone skiers. I know going small with running shoes is a no-no. Are there socks that are better than others?

 

3. Dumb and embarrassing question next...... If I plan to run on roads/sidewalks AND trails, what sort of shoe should I look for? When I say "trails," I am not talking about rocky hiking trails. I am talking grassy or packed dirt. Maybe the occasional root or rock, but nothing crazy. Cash is tight so I cannot afford multiple pairs right now. And now for the dumb part....what do you do when it is wet and/or muddy out? Do you just use your regular shoes and clean them somehow? Or are you OK with then getting really dirty? Even on our roads, there is a lot of mud.

 

4. I see those five-toe shoes. Anyone have success with them? How do you use them in colder weather? What happens when your foot comes down on a sharp rock or glass? Would they work on trails?

 

5. The shin splints I get are very obviously from a technique problem. I tend to come down hard on the heels. Any tips for shoes that might help with this or working on technique?

 

6. I currently have some clothing holes for this activity. I have plenty of upper-body, cold-weather gear that will work in the colder months. And I am pretty sure I can figure out how to get the right kind of bras and shirts to work for all temperatures. But, it is the legs I am a little baffled about. Running shorts are easy enough in warm weather. What do you do in colder weather? Like below freezing? Just running tights? Is there something that is useful for when tights will not be warm enough?

 

7. Any suggestions for inexpensive online resources for gear? I like a lot of the clothing in the Athleta catalogs, but I cannot swing the cost.

 

8. What would you do for a 9yo who might be interested in running? She is also a skier and is encouraged to condition year-round. In a couple of years, it will go from encouragement to requirement if she wants to remain on her team. I do not want to lay out a whole lot of cash until I know she might like it enough to stick with it, but I also know she will hate it if she has the wrong gear. What is the minimum that we can get away with gear-wise to get her started? She currently has no workout-type clothes except ski stuff.

 

9. Or is it a bad idea for a 9 yo to run at all. I am really clueless about this sort of thing.....

 

For those who made it this far, THANKS. I really do not know any runners and feel pretty dumb.....

[nono]

Vibram 5 Fingers might work for you as you will NOT be able to run a lot in the beginning in them, and you will be "encouraged" via physical feedback to keep off your heels.

 

Random thoughts: Make friends with moleskin and Body Glide. I would immediately patch the area of your achilles with moleskin before your first run, even if you end up choosing 5 Fingers. (Injinji makes a toed sock that they call a liner that fits beautifully inside). Try to remember where every blister ever was on your feet and hit it with a bit of Body Glide. Ski clothes, esp. accessories, make great running gear! (So does surf gear -- and yeah, sometimes in the winter I'm wearing 3 types of sports gear at once while I run!) Any sports tights that are gussetted will do. And even occasionally some that aren't. One of my favorite running outfit "bottoms" consists of a pair of ski long underwear(not gussetted) topped with a tennis skirt. :laugh:

 

I think the rule of thumb with younger children is for them not to run more miles at once than their age or somesuch. My 9 year old will race up to a 2 miler, and isn't interested in running more than 2 miles at a shot. She's a swimmer/surfer/dancer though, so she's getting plenty of activity. She uses plain old fashioned sweats and a pair of all around Nikes for her 2 mile jaunts.

 

I have had good luck finding running gear at Marshalls, Ross, and the other store like that...whose name escapes me! :bored: Online, I just poke around for sales and clearance items from all the major players. I haven't found a consistent "go to" choice, though ebay occasionally coughs up a real deal.

 

HTH a bit and gives your post a bump!

[nono]

P.S. For shin splints one of the best things to do is to sit in a chair and do toe taps -- just raising and lowering your toes about 10x. It helps give a gentle workout to the area where most shin splints are centered.

[momofkhm]

I'll answer what I can. I am not expert on shoes! I don't run in the 5 fingers type shoes. They don't give me enough support. I've had issues with plantar fascitus, so I don't want to go low support. I just run in "running shoes". I do run some on trails but I think trail shoes and a new thing and for the most part running shoes will be fine.

 

Socks for blisters I can help with! IN college I had double layer socks. The thought is that one layer will go with your foot and the other layer will go with your shoe. The two layers rub each other not you foot.

 

For the shin splints, you may need stability shoes. But like I said, I'm not shoe expert.

 

Clothing - I get what I can at Target. Honestly. Except running bras. I also like roadrunnersports.com. Buy their brand and it's a lot cheaper. I do buy their bras. Also, keep an eye on sales at places you like. I do like the stuff at Athleta but I hear you on the price! Check their sales. I "liked" skirtsports.com on facebook and now I hear about their sales first. I love their stuff and will only buy on sale. Now would be good to check on winter stuff.

 

Below freezing - that so rarely happens around here. I run in tights and then a wind layer. Gloves are your friend. And a good hat. I have a fleece baseball hat for winter. I'm able to wear fewer clothes than most people I see out there running just because I have a heavy hat on and they have nothing. What you need to do is gp run and then write down what you wore, the temperature if and when you peeled clothing off. Then you'll get to know what to wear in what temps. I know down to 50, as long as it's sunny, I can run in shorts and a t and a regular hat. Under that and I need long sleeves to 45, then capri tights. At 50 is also where I go from normal hat to fleece hat. But I also know that down to 29, I get a mile or so in and I'm taking all the outer layers off I thought I needed and am left in tights, long sleeves, *light* jacket and my fleece hat. Even my gloves have come off.

 

Your 9 yo can run! he c to 5k should be fine!

[Kim in Appalachia]

Runningwarehouse.com also has good deals on clothing. I can use any bra, but my dd must have a good support bra. She has loved Moving Comfort. You can look on their site for which styles will give the most support, then check on runningwarehouse or even sierratradingpost.com. Titlenine also has good bras (they moved the bras to another site, but I don't know it. There should be a link at their site) but they are pricey.

 

Shoes are difficult. From your description I thought of several types of shoes, but the one that stuck out were Newton's. They are supposed to encourage mid-sole strike. I understand you Achillies issue. I have that, and so does my dd15. She's beginning to hate shoes because everything rubs that bone. I use Asics and they don't bother me, but I know everyone is different. It just depends on how it hit. You may have to order a couple of pair of shoes and send what you don't like back.

 

And I love Athleta too. I look for sales, plus I have a Gap card so I get points. I just used up my points on a couple of tops, one for spring and one for summer. I will say that their stuff is nice and it holds up well.

[Pawz4me]

3. Dumb and embarrassing question next...... If I plan to run on roads/sidewalks AND trails, what sort of shoe should I look for? When I say "trails," I am not talking about rocky hiking trails. I am talking grassy or packed dirt. Maybe the occasional root or rock, but nothing crazy. Cash is tight so I cannot afford multiple pairs right now. And now for the dumb part....what do you do when it is wet and/or muddy out? Do you just use your regular shoes and clean them somehow? Or are you OK with then getting really dirty? Even on our roads, there is a lot of mud.

 

Oldest DS runs on his high school's cross country team. They run in all sorts of weather and all sorts of terrain. When he comes home with muddy shoes (a very frequent occurrence) he hoses them off and puts them in front of a small fan to dry so they're ready for the next day.

[momofkhm]

Oldest DS runs on his high school's cross country team. They run in all sorts of weather and all sorts of terrain. When he comes home with muddy shoes (a very frequent occurrence) he hoses them off and puts them in front of a small fan to dry so they're ready for the next day.

 

 

 

Wet running shoe fix - take out the insoles, stuff them with newspaper. It doesn't matter where you leave them, the next day they are dry!

[MamaJeanne]

I just wanted to encourage you about your 9 year old. My 9 yo and I are in week 8 of c25k and have come so far! I know all kids are different, but I really have to work on my expectations while running with my son. I can't necessarily push myself to finish like I would alone. I am figuring out the balance between pushing myself to meet my goals while also encouraging him to run longer/farther without making it stressful and miserable for him. I want him to push himself but still have a good time. It has really been fun to get out and run with him!

[Michelle My Bell]

Not really what you asked but I want to tell you about the actual program you are using. I really like C25K because it turned me into a runner having hated it all my life. Here are a few tips for you:

 

1.) If you have an iphone, there is a great app that lets you listen to your own music yet it still informs you when to run and when to walk. I really like this because when I hear music I love, it makes me want to dance which I translate into running. It also helps the time pass as you sing a long in your head.

 

2.) There are more than the cool running C25K podcasts out there if you don't like that one. I really liked the British version before I switched to my iphone app.

 

3.) Repeat weeks if you need to. I only did once in awhile but it was good to do so.

 

4.) Wear layers that you can strip off and attach to you. I always wear a thin hoodie that I can tie around my waist when I get hot.

[FriedClams]

Great advice here so far!

 

You may also want to look into Galloway running. He's he run 4 minutes / walk a minute guy (with varying number based on speed, etc). Supposed to save wear and tear and reduce injury. LOTS of people use his methods.

 

I wear double tights when it's below 40 since I have a weird cold allergy.

 

My DH runs in 5 fingers and LOVES them, but be aware they take a long time to get adjusted to. Once he transitioned his knee pain disappeared and he runs faster now.

 

My DD runs in running shoes and sweats. I limit her to 3-4 runs a week. We did the couch to 5k thing and she was perfectly fine with it as a 10 year old.

 

I get my workout stuff at target, TJ Maxx and my shoes online. I like Asics.

 

 

[skimomma]

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much! I love hearing about the kids running too. My dd is used to skiing so I don't think it will be a huge jump as long as I can get shoes that work for her. Unfortunately, she inherited my foot blister problem. I cannot get shoes on the kid all summer.......

 

I am wondering if the 5-toe shoes might not be too hard for me to adjust to since I am not a runner anyway. I hike in sandals all summer....even with a heavy multi-day backpack because all hiking boots are a problem and my feet hate to be hot. I still wonder if it hurts to step on sharp things though..... Anyone know?

 

I am off to look up Body Glide......

[skimomma]

Also, I am totally geeked about the C25K app with music! Thanks for the tip:)

[Mom28kds]

Do you have a Dick's sporting goods near you? They helped me with my running shoes. I also did research online about the best type if running shoe for me. My favorite website and the one I ordered my shoes from was Runningwarehouse.com look for a coupon code. They have good reviews on their site also.

[nono]

 

I am wondering if the 5-toe shoes might not be too hard for me to adjust to since I am not a runner anyway. I hike in sandals all summer....even with a heavy multi-day backpack because all hiking boots are a problem and my feet hate to be hot. I still wonder if it hurts to step on sharp things though..... Anyone know?

 

 

 

Given that information, you don't sound like you need much "shoe" and the 5 Fingers might even be a lot for you to tolerate. :D The 5 Fingers are tough rubber underneath. I use them because I can't stand my feet freezing off in the winter. In the temperate weather, I go barefoot on my shorter runs. Anyway, at low tide there can be a lot of broken, sharp shells, and I don't have a slice through my 5 Fingers which are a couple years old. So I would say they are tough. You might feel something, but trust me, as you get into running, you will likely feel a lot more pain than just a momentary poke on your sole. ;)

[skimomma]

Do you have a Dick's sporting goods near you? They helped me with my running shoes. I also did research online about the best type if running shoe for me. My favorite website and the one I ordered my shoes from was Runningwarehouse.com look for a coupon code. They have good reviews on their site also.

 

 

No Dick's here. Nothing actually..... We do have a great independently owned sporting good store but they do not sell running shoes. But I will check out Runningwarehouse for sure. Thanks for the tip:)

[skimomma]

 

Given that information, you don't sound like you need much "shoe" and the 5 Fingers might even be a lot for you to tolerate. :D The 5 Fingers are tough rubber underneath. I use them because I can't stand my feet freezing off in the winter. In the temperate weather, I go barefoot on my shorter runs. Anyway, at low tide there can be a lot of broken, sharp shells, and I don't have a slice through my 5 Fingers which are a couple years old. So I would say they are tough. You might feel something, but trust me, as you get into running, you will likely feel a lot more pain than just a momentary poke on your sole. ;)

 

 

Ha! You are scaring me:)

[skimomma]

P.S. For shin splints one of the best things to do is to sit in a chair and do toe taps -- just raising and lowering your toes about 10x. It helps give a gentle workout to the area where most shin splints are centered.

 

 

Great tip. Thanks!