The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner

[Woodsey]

Do you worry Dan that in a couple of years and beyond when you hit your 40's that all the training/running will have lasting effects or your knees/joints, or do you think thats a bit of a myth?

Not a myth at all. My body is fked from all the sport and training I did when I was younger. I'm 40 now and I haven't been able to go out for a run for 7 or 8 years, it was nice being in good shape when I was younger, but I now can't do the stuff I want to do to keep in shape and have been pretty overweight ever since tbh........

[kinboshi]

Do you worry Dan that in a couple of years and beyond when you hit your 40's that all the training/running will have lasting effects or your knees/joints, or do you think thats a bit of a myth?

Depends.  I think playing hockey is far more damaging on the knees - lots of people I know who play hockey who are in their 40s now have buggered knees.  Astroturf isn't a very forgiving surface.  I also know people in their 60s who still run or play hockey and are in fine health with regards to their joints (and overall to be honest).  Guess it depends on lots of factors, including luck.

As for running, well I've mentioned a lot of times on here about running technique being a major contributing factor to injuries runners sustain.  I definitely believe (based on my own experiences, anecdotal evidence and now some actual scientific studies) that fore-foot/mid-foot striking rather than heel-striking drastically reduces the chances of running-related injuries.

I've linked to this in the past, but it's a good read for anyone who runs:  http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/documents/Running_Fast_and_Injury_Free.pdf

[TheChipPrince]

Do you worry Dan that in a couple of years and beyond when you hit your 40's that all the training/running will have lasting effects or your knees/joints, or do you think thats a bit of a myth?

Depends.  I think playing hockey is far more damaging on the knees - lots of people I know who play hockey who are in their 40s now have buggered knees.  Astroturf isn't a very forgiving surface.  I also know people in their 60s who still run or play hockey and are in fine health with regards to their joints (and overall to be honest).  Guess it depends on lots of factors, including luck.

As for running, well I've mentioned a lot of times on here about running technique being a major contributing factor to injuries runners sustain.  I definitely believe (based on my own experiences, anecdotal evidence and now some actual scientific studies) that fore-foot/mid-foot striking rather than heel-striking drastically reduces the chances of running-related injuries.

I've linked to this in the past, but it's a good read for anyone who runs:  http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/documents/Running_Fast_and_Injury_Free.pdf

Good answer, but diappointed at the lack of a 'bite'. 

[kinboshi]

Do you worry Dan that in a couple of years and beyond when you hit your 40's that all the training/running will have lasting effects or your knees/joints, or do you think thats a bit of a myth?

Depends.  I think playing hockey is far more damaging on the knees - lots of people I know who play hockey who are in their 40s now have buggered knees.  Astroturf isn't a very forgiving surface.  I also know people in their 60s who still run or play hockey and are in fine health with regards to their joints (and overall to be honest).  Guess it depends on lots of factors, including luck.

As for running, well I've mentioned a lot of times on here about running technique being a major contributing factor to injuries runners sustain.  I definitely believe (based on my own experiences, anecdotal evidence and now some actual scientific studies) that fore-foot/mid-foot striking rather than heel-striking drastically reduces the chances of running-related injuries.

I've linked to this in the past, but it's a good read for anyone who runs:  http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/documents/Running_Fast_and_Injury_Free.pdf

Good answer, but diappointed at the lack of a 'bite'. 

LOL.

The marathon is the day after my birthday, and it's quite sobering to see on the acceptance form that it says I'll be 36 when I run it.  Sigh.

[kinboshi]

Bloody hell I'm unfit.

I've been out for three runs this week.  All just a little over 4 miles - so nothing substantial, especially as I'll be running 15 mile training runs 5 months from now and (hopefully) thinking nothing of it.  But now, the 4 miles is a struggle.  I moved to the North-East of Nottingham in March, and where I am is at the top of a hill - a big one.  So any run I do is easy to start with as I'm fresh and running downhill.  Coming home is the hard part.  I've managed to work out a route that takes me through a nature reserve, which is far nicer than running alongside the traffic on busy roads.  The only downside is that it is also at the top of a hill, a bloody high one. 

So anyway, this run of just over 4 miles is taking me about 34 minutes @ about 8m/mile pace, and it's tough.  The bad news (for me), is that 8m/mile pace is the pace I want to run the marathon in next April.  That's 26.2 miles - so a little bit further than the quite frankly embarrassing 4 miles I'm managing at the moment.  At this moment in time, my chances of running a 3hr 30m marathon next April are very slim.  But at least it's a target.

At least I'm not completely unfit.  The hockey season restarted last weekend, and the team I play for managed promotion last season.  So this year we're in a much tougher league, and the opposition seem to be younger, faster and fitter than the teams we played last season - as you'd expect really.  Last weekend we played Loughborough Town, a side made up mostly of students from the university who can't make it into the Uni teams (who are amongst the best in the country).   Anyway, we were 1-0 down at half-time and my role as the defensive midfielder is to man-mark their play-maker and he happened to be their fittest and fastest player on the pitch.  I somehow managed to keep up with him and did a decent number on him.  We managed to score two in the second half and win 1-2.  Couldn't walk on the Sunday, but the rest of the team said that my running has paid off as I played well (when they say played well, they mean I ran around a lot and got in the way of the opposition).  I'm hoping the hockey helps my running, and vice versa over the next 6 months.  Or, knowing my luck, I'll get an injury and it'll mess both up...

We've got a team who managed to win 9-1 last week and so are the early league leaders.  Sounds like another 70minutes of fun...

[boldie]

you still running the marathon for charity next year then, Boshiballs?

[kinboshi]

you still running the marathon for charity next year then, Boshiballs?

I certainly will be.  Not decided on the charity yet though.  I have a short-list and when I've chosen the one I'll be hassling all you good folk (and you boldie) for your 'hard-earned' cash.  The biggest disappointment for me last time was that I didn't break 3hr 45m, which would have meant you'd have to double your donation.  As I crossed the line, it was the first thought that came into my head. 

Fancy the same pledge this time?

[boldie]

Of course, was gutted that you couldn't run it this year as it felt like a win for me when you just failed last time...I even did a little jig and I really wanted a repeat fail.

[kinboshi]

Of course, was gutted that you couldn't run it this year as it felt like a win for me when you just failed last time...I even did a little jig and I really wanted a repeat fail.

So same again? I break 3hr 45m you double your pledge? 

[Laxie]

Of course, was gutted that you couldn't run it this year as it felt like a win for me when you just failed last time...I even did a little jig and I really wanted a repeat fail.

So same again? I break 3hr 45m you double your pledge? 

I know he's foreign, but pretty sure that's what he's agreed.

[boldie]

Of course, was gutted that you couldn't run it this year as it felt like a win for me when you just failed last time...I even did a little jig and I really wanted a repeat fail.

So same again? I break 3hr 45m you double your pledge? 

I know he's foreign, but pretty sure that's what he's agreed.

That's what I thought as well.

Tell ya what Boshi, ya enormous wimp. if you break 3.35 I'll treble it...seeing that we both know you will never EVER break 3.30.

[boldie]

BTW, I went to the doctor yesterday and he told my that I had the legs of an olympic athlete.





Well, athlete's foot..but mine sounds better.

[kinboshi]

Of course, was gutted that you couldn't run it this year as it felt like a win for me when you just failed last time...I even did a little jig and I really wanted a repeat fail.

So same again? I break 3hr 45m you double your pledge? 

I know he's foreign, but pretty sure that's what he's agreed.

That's what I thought as well.

Tell ya what Boshi, ya enormous wimp. if you break 3.35 I'll treble it...seeing that we both know you will never EVER break 3.30.

...and how much are you going to pledge?  Trebling £2.45 isn't that impressive.

[boldie]

Of course, was gutted that you couldn't run it this year as it felt like a win for me when you just failed last time...I even did a little jig and I really wanted a repeat fail.

So same again? I break 3hr 45m you double your pledge? 

I know he's foreign, but pretty sure that's what he's agreed.

That's what I thought as well.

Tell ya what Boshi, ya enormous wimp. if you break 3.35 I'll treble it...seeing that we both know you will never EVER break 3.30.

...and how much are you going to pledge?  Trebling £2.45 isn't that impressive.

Dammit, got caught out there.

£50 better?

[boldie]

Actually...thinking about you failing so spectacularly last time. Don't you think you should pledge something if you fail (again)?