Welcome to the new thread, everyone!

2021 was a great year for us that brought new members and new PR's from returning members, and allowed for much more racing than did 2020.

The rules are simple: Just pick a mileage goal (1,000 is just 19.23 per week) and post your daily and total mileage. The typical format you'll find here is "miles ran today" / "total yearly miles". Feel free to list rucking, hiking, or walking miles if you like as well.

Feel free to ask your running questions here - there's a lot of experience in this group. We also have Garmin Connect & Strava groups you can join to follow along with as well.

The idea has been floated to try arranging a race we could try meeting at. Speak up of anyone wants to try fitting this into your schedule so we can try finding a location (or locations) so we don't have to travel all across the country to do it - maybe Cola Warrior-style regionals.

Best of luck to us all!

For any beginners out there, here's a list of recommendations to help you get started. This isn't exhaustive by any means, and I may add to this throughout the year as things come up, but feel free to ask the veteran runners around here if there's anything more about which you have questions.

•Just get out there. Running doesn't take much at all, and whatever pair of shoes and shorts you have will get you started. Legit running shoes do make a difference. Go to a running specialty store (NOT a general sports store like Academy) and tell someone there you want to be fitted for some shoes. Yes, you'll pay more than you would at Amazon but it's worth it at least once. They'll provide you with a service in the form of looking at your stride and running motion and recommending specific shoe models based upon that. Get your first pair there, then you can order them cheaper elsewhere if you like.
•Forget about pace! I can't stress this enough - don't worry that you aren't "fast enough". Most runs should be at an intensity that's low enough that you can have a conversation while running. You should be able to say 3-4+ sentences without needing to stop to breathe. If you're running easy enough that you could sing show tunes you can pick it up a little. Particularly if you're first starting the paces associated with this may be quite slow, but that's fine. It will build your aerobic base (the key to running fast and/or far) and you'll naturally get faster at the same effort just as you rack up miles.
•Most people, when first starting, aren't running miles at a time without stopping. It's totally OK to run for a bit (even just 30 seconds or so), walk a bit to recover, then run again. As your fitness builds you'll be able to increase the "run" portion of the interval and decrease the "walk" portion.
•Build up slowly - consistency is key. You'll make much more progress getting out there for 20-30 minutes every other day (for instance) and adding on 5 minutes to each run every other week than if you try adding a bunch of time too early and you wind up injured because you're trying to do more than your body can handle.
•Contrary to what Runner's World and others tell you, for most runs you don't need to specifically "fuel" before, during, or after. Your body has more than enough energy stores to get you through most any run. Fasted runs are great for the metabolism and if you're looking to shed some fluff.
•Pick a goal and set a reward for it. Maybe you want to run 3-4 times per week for a month or do your first 5k and then get yourself some new running clothes. Just something definite and achievable that you can use as motivation to get yourself out there.
•NEVER bail on a run before at least starting it. If you don't want to run get out there anyway but make a deal with yourself that you can quit after the first 5 minutes or after you've gone a mile. Here's the secret: Once you're out there you almost certainly will finish the run you had planned anyway, and I can't think of a time I've forced myself out on a run and regretted it.


I'll also toss out another offer to pace or crew an Arfcommer for a race (marathon, ultra, whatever) within a 3-4-ish hour drive from the OKC metro area. Just PM me here and I'll see if I can make it happen.

Im in.  Ran 183 miles in 21 going to try and hit 365 for 22.  Mostly a lifter but trying to work on endurance now as well.

Happy New Year!!!

Thanks @Commander_Keen for kicking this thread off with so much great advice.

Unless I missed it, I would like to add:
-- Keep track of your workouts. It doesn't have to be elaborate; date, distance, time, and any details you want to add. Being able to see your progress, plateaus, and even gaps between runs is motivating.

I will probably cut back to 1,000 mile goal this year and add in strength training and cycling. But, I may be down for a race, as long as I can still go slow.

ETA
6.5 / 6.5

4.11 / 4.11

Just above freezing and raining this morning, so I slept in and ran tomorrow's recovery run instead of the planned long run. This just means that I'll be out in sub-zero wind chills for the long run tomorrow, but that seems preferable to the freezing rain from today.

3.12 / 3.12 - 52F with a strong breeze.  Little chilly for Jan. 1st. :)

4.1/4.1 on the treadmill -8F this morning with out the wind.

My mileage is a combination of walking, heavy pack hiking and running.

2020 - 1025 miles
2021 - 905 miles

5.2 miles in the books for 2022.

In!

We're headed out tomorrow on a week long waterfowl hunt, but I'll jump in shortly after. Shooting for 1200 this year with 2 marathons and maybe another ultra.

1 JAN 2022

3.5/3.5

Let's see how close I can get this year.

I kind of disappeared from last year's thread. As I started to really get into the groove of things with my new schedule, I got the privilege of getting that illness that gets its own forum following an OTJ contact. While I was legally (and mostly practically) recovered 10 days later, it was about a month before my body (i.e. lungs) actually felt right running again. During the last weeks of 2021, was working on building speed, stamina, and endurance back-up. I'm looking forward to putting some numbers up this year.

4/4 on the 1st going into the 2nd. I try to get my runs in where I can. I had about 275 last year and 275 on the bike. I've been focusing on my running much more as of late.

14.5 / 18.6

13°, -3° wind chill. Layers are key!

I’m in for 1,000 for 2022.  I finished 2021 with 325, this year I’ll focus a little more on running.

1.1 = 4.5 miles slick.
1.2 = 2 miles with lvl4 rifle plates and 4/4 laoded rifle and pistol mags with a camelback.

This is an awful idea, but I'm in.

I'll set a 20 mile a week goal.

So I guess 2/20 since the week just rolled over.

I think I'm confused as to the format of posting things here? Is it per week? Per day?

is it miles ran/miles walked? Or miles ran/goal for the week?

3/3 Run

1.4/1.4 Walk

3/7. Below freezing but got it done.

5.0 / 11.5 -- My treadmill is in a barn/storage building. I don't leave the heater on, and it was around freezing out there when I hit it this morning. I went from the beach to freezing; not my idea of a good time.

Does anyone want to do The Woodlands Marathon on 3/5? I'm going to do at least the half; I'll decide after a long run this weekend whether to do the full. I'm leaning to the full but have not committed.

My treadmill is also in my garage (with uninsulated doors). If we get an ice storm I'll be in there running in 3" split shorts and gloves, which I'm sure looks ridiculous.
I'm out for the Woodlands - I'm pretty sure my wife would slip a blade between my ribs if I spent the day before our anniversary running a marathon with anyone else.


6.15 / 24.77

1/2: 6/6

Might have to head out in dark tonight.

5.9/16.8

3/6 Run

1.4/2.8 Walk

4.05 / 7.17

2.1/7.7

8.0 / 19.5

So, about reading material on this "running" thing, does anyone have any interesting to share/suggest? One of the guys I met on a trip to Israel (Q from my sigline, and yes we did log a few miles on that trip) suggested "Born to Run" by McDougall. I thought it was a really good read, one that I may go back and read again. I followed the plan in "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer", Whitsett, for my first marathon which I completed, as was my goal. I'm currently reading "Galloway's Book on Running". I'm not very far in, but it's interesting so far. Of note to me is that I'm in the second stage "Jogger" and borderline "Athlete", hoping to skip to the final stage of Runner. Of course, it might be weird to read about "running", but I read about a huge variety of topics. So, what do you suggest?

Failing to ignore the siren song of the open road and competition, his name was @Commander_Keen ...

3/9 Run

1.4/4.2 walk

9.25 / 42

uff da. First workout in about 6 weeks shows that I'm... rusty.

1/3: 3.5
1/4:  10 / 19.5

5.25 / 12.42

I have a half-marathon race in a week from Sunday.  Should be fun. :)

2.1/9.8

5.2 / 24.7

What type of books are you wanting? Born to Run is a pretty good read, but it's certainly more narrative/story than accurate info.

Lore of Running by Tim Noakes is great, and a rather scientific read. The section on nutrition is absolute garbage, and even the author now says it's all wrong and should be torn out of the book.
Fixing Your Feet by John Vonhof is realy good for all things feet.
Daniels' Running Formula by Jack Daniels is great for training - my preferred method/coach.
Hansons Marathon Method by Luke Humphrey is one that a running buddy of mine absolutely loves and has served him very well.
Me, You & 26.2 by Denise Sauriol is one I haven't read, but I've heard great things about for beginner runners.
A World Champion's Guide to Running the Beer Mile by Lewis Kent is another one I haven't read but about which I've heard good things. Should be amusing, at least.


@sgt_seti

@joshdb50 sorry I missed this. The typical format is "miles run today" / "total yearly miles". I just post miles run, others include rucking, hiking, walking, etc. as well - pretty much any personal conveyance using your own two feet.

Interesting list. I'll check some of them out.

Frankly, I'm not after one specific type book. I need technical just to learn, but stories (whether fictional or not) are great for when I want to relax the brain. Based solely on the title, I could sandwich that last one between my books on homebrew and running just to confuse people. No, I don't follow the Dewey Decimal system, but I do group by category.

Thx, @Commander_Keen

4.13 / 16.55

Two books I've used that have helped are:

1) Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster Revised Edition by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss
2) Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot by John L. Parker, Jr.

3.48/16.73

This one was with my plate carrier with lvl IV plates and 4/4 rifle/pistol mags.

It was a chilly 36ish degrees.

4/13

4/17

2.8

3.66/28.2

3.27 / 19.82

12.2 / 36.9

3/20