Running "rules of thumb" (Read 609 times)

These contributions are outstanding.  I too track miles on shoes and toss them at 400. I read here on RA some time ago that the cushioning in the shoe is the key criterion, rather than the wear on the sole. My shoes don't show any wear on the soles at all.  But I love that soft, cushiony feel of a low mileage shoe.  I know that some shoes hold that cushioning longer than others but it's too much of a nuisance to think about all that, so I just use 400.

WC, that really is an excellent suggestion about mileage build-up. Conservative is usually best.

Can't believe how much excellent material is in this thread, and for the most part from people I respect and trust on this forum over many years.  Thanks so much.   Spareribs

Only vary one factor at a time. (If you're increasing mileage, don't add more speedwork)

Don't look back.

I broke a cardinal rule at Boston -- I ran in shoes I bought at the expo. I've done that before, but this time it was also a new brand (Skechers).

Mr. Hearn:  When I lived in NY I ran the 1977 NY Marathon, the second year of the 5 borough race.  I rode the bus from upstate NY 50 miles or so to NY and then took the bus home. On the home trip I sat next to a man I knew for many years who was also much older than me and very religious.  He told me this story:

The day before the race there was a guy selling shoes out of his panel truck and giving out raffle tickets.  This man's number was called and he won a pair of shoes.  He told me, "I knew then that Jesus wanted me to run in those shoes, so I wore them in the race."  I looked at his feet and his shoes were covered in blood, no doubt from a very difficult experience in those new shoes.

I wondered how anyone could conclude that Jesus wanted anyone to wear a brand new pair of shoes in a marathon, and never heard of such a thing again.  (I do recall Harry Caray saying a few times after a Cub victory that God wanted the Cubs to win.)

Now as for you, I can understand wearing a new pair of shoes in a marathon, mostly because today's shoes are different from what we wore in the 70's, and I am not nearly the class of runner that you are, but I can't imagine testing out a new brand like Skechers in a race that important.  I am going to remember this about you for the next time you defeat me in an argument. I'll say, "Yeah?  What about the time you tried out a new pair of Skechers in the Boston Marathon?"  Spareribs

Yeah well, it's not quite as crazy as it sounds. I had done my homework on these shoes (GoRun 4). Like almost nothing else on the market these days, they are light, cushioned, neutral, and high drop. I knew the specs, and was eager to try them at the expo. They were very comfortable. I bought them Saturday, did an easy 4 in them Sunday. I could pretty much tell that they would be no problem for a marathon-length training run.

 

Given the forecast heading into the race, I'd written it off as a goal race, so I figured what the hell. Had I been going to race it I'd have worn my marathon flats (NB 1600). When I got to the start line it was not so bad, so I did start out on PR pace, but dialed it back to a training run before too long. The shoes were great. No blisters or anything. A bit less cushiony after 15 or 20 miles than I would have predicted, but still fine, really.

 

See, I've been around the block enough times (so to speak) to know when I can break the rules. More or less.

Like putting on a pair of slippers.  I've finally found a suitable replacement for the Brooks Green Silence.

How about the old "for every pound you lose, you will get 2 seconds faster per mile" or something like that.

I have found this to be very true, within certain limits.  Having logged races and weight for years, I was surprised to see this hold true for my longer races.

I would amend it to say, it costs about 2 seconds a mile to lug around each extra pound of fat, when otherwise in good shape, when racing in the 30-minute to 3-hour range. If you are not in shape to race it, then it does not hold. And it seems to reverse a bit when you are racing things like a 800m or 1500m.  That's absolute weight, though, and not fat-weight, which I am fairly sure, aids very little.

That's my personal experience over 100+ long distance races.

I think concrete feels like it is at least 10 times harder than asphalt and I stay off if it it is at all possible.

Like bhearn, I also ran a marathon in a  brand new pair of shoes.  But I have a lot of experience with shoes and i could tell the new shoes would be okay.  I have tested shoes for New Balance for at least six or eight years and I have tested over 70 different pairs.  So I have gotten pretty good at determining if a pair is right for me from the first try on.  A couple years ago I got a new pair to test right before the marathon, and I ran in my marathon shoes in the rain the day before the marathon and those shoes got soaked.  I don't like to put on wet shoes and I decided to wear the new shoes instead because they were dry and  I could see they would be okay for me when I tried them on.  No problems in the marathon.  But I am a special case since I have had so much experience wearing different pairs of shoes.

I use these rules frequently:

The 20 Degree rule:

When dressing for your outdoor run, dress as if it's 20 Degrees warmer than the outside air temperature.

The Neck Rule:

If you're feeling sick, use this to decide if you should run today-  If you are sick from the neck up - GO RUN.

If you are sick below the neck (lungs, chest) - SKIP THE RUN.

Disclaimer:  I am NOT a Doctor and I have never portrayed one on TV.