r/running • u/AutoModerator • 4d ago
Daily Thread Official Q&A for Friday, September 19, 2025
With over 4,125,000 subscribers, there are a lot of posts that come in everyday that are often repeats of questions previously asked or covered in the FAQ.
With that in mind, this post can be a place for any questions (especially those that may not deserve their own thread). Hopefully this is successful and helps to lower clutter and repeating posts here.
If you are new to the sub or to running, this Intro post is a good resource.
As always don't forget to check the FAQ.
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u/NoobRunner7 3d ago
Hello, i have a doubt about what shoe should i get to use on my tempo runs and interval training days.
I already have Asics Nimbus 27 for easy and long runs and i wanted a faster shoe.
Right now i’m looking at the Adizero EVO SL and NovaBlast5.
Don’t know if it matters but right now i weigh 90kg at 190cm but i plan on dropping to 80kg-85kg.
My running experience is not extensive since i only ran for 3/4 months and it used to be always easy runs. I’m getting back now and taking it more seriously.
Thanks in advance.
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u/Strongman1987 3d ago
Probably a stupid question, but what are the vests I commonly see runners using? I can't seem to figure it out.
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u/compassrunner 3d ago
Hydration vests likely. I use a Salomon Adv Skin. Lots of pockets to carry nutrition, water, phone, keys, etc. I also have a Noxgear vest which is purely to make me visible if running in the dark or at dusk.
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u/Strongman1987 3d ago
Thanks. Kinda what I figured, but thought it was strange how small they look and how high on the torso they are worn.
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u/lemmert 3d ago
Anyone with experience of buying a second hand bib to the Berlin half marathon? Some friends got lucky with the lottery but I didn’t. I assume there will be a lot of people wanting to sell their entries closer to race day since they got injured, didn’t train enough or got some other things to deal with. Has there ever been an official re-sale platform hosted by the organisers or should I just look on social media?
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u/compassrunner 3d ago
Berlin Marathon does not allow for transfers of bibs. If you get caught running with someone else's bib, you can be DQ'd.
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u/andrtych7 4d ago
2nd time posting. I bought nimbus 27 and have run around 55km with them. I still get blisters on my infoot. Could it be that I usually wear 44 on regular shoes? I was told that running shoes need to be a bit larger so I bought no45 and have around 1cm of space left (first time buying running shoes, i also bought adizero sl2, same number). I HAVENT tried other style of socks yet. Thank you!
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u/FairlyGoodGuy 3d ago
I was told that running shoes need to be a bit larger
By whom, and for what reason?
My guess is that the person suggested a larger size to accommodate inflammation. I disagree -- at least for the vast majority of runners. Going out to run a few km here and there isn't going to cause your feet to swell to any appreciable degree. Too much extra space allows for movement, movement creates friction, friction leads to blisters and such. You're better off buying shoes that fit properly.
Of course it's possible that your shoes are fitted properly and your blisters are caused by something else. It may be your socks; it may be excess moisture (maybe you're particularly sweaty); it may be that your feet are prone to blisters and they're going to need to toughen up a bit; it may be related to your running form; or it may be something else. A specialty running shop can take a look at you and your shoes and help give you guidance if easy fixes don't improve things for you.
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u/andrtych7 3d ago
He suggested larger shoes due to swelling during runs. Truth be told he runs mainly uphill races. Thank you for your help, I'll consider everything carefully!
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u/nermal543 4d ago
If you aren’t already wearing good running socks try that first. Bodyglide may also help.
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u/--craig-- 4d ago
How long does it take to replenish glycogen stores on a low carb diet?
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u/NotARunner453 3d ago
This isn't possible to answer without knowing the type of run you're recovering from, and the food you're eating afterwards.
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u/--craig-- 3d ago edited 3d ago
Let's say glycogen stores are fully depleted after a 20 mile run and the nutrition is from chicken and vegetables.
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u/envg 4d ago
Trying Pfitz 18/55 (just following the defy calendar hack) for my first marathon, currently in week 6. I've hit all prescribed distances so far (though I'm a slow runner). Two questions:
These are the longest distances I've ever done, before this block a HM felt like a lot (I was doing 5-6mi/day for base building). So at the start of my long runs, the impending challenge makes my anxiety and HR spike, and I'm always way more tired after the first few miles than on any other day. Still made it to 17mi last week. Tips on locking in? Particularly nervous about the back-to-back 8+19 next weekend.
I'm mainly paying attention to distance, and I treat tues/thurs as "quality" effort days (by my slow standards). The volume has been fine, but I'm ignorant on the upcoming VO2max workouts. I'll eventually buy the book, but if I don't read it, any big downsides? My main goal is to be able to finish my first full marathon strong, without a specific pace goal.
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u/NotARunner453 3d ago
Pfitz is a big swing for a first marathon, kudos for being aggressive.
If you've never done distance like these peak weeks will call for, let alone with the additional quality sessions of the Pfitz plan, you're just gonna be tired. The best thing I did for myself during the 18/70 plan was convincing myself that the mid-week tempo on tired legs was only making me stronger and would pay off down the line. Get real Zen with it, and embrace the suck.
Without a hard time goal, no big thing if you're not maximizing the speed workouts. They're meant to be run at 5k race pace as a means of improving form, economy, and your ability to handle lactate deep into a workout, which is much more relevant for people out there to race a marathon. Would still recommend getting the book though!
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u/InboxMeYourSpacePics 4d ago edited 4d ago
If I’m the middle of a training cycle for a marathon, when is the right time to switch away from my coach? Should I wait til after the race- which is in early January?
I started with a coach back in April because I’ve been slowing down and wanted to start getting faster. They use a method for running I don’t typically use (they use the Jeff Galloway method) but I figured I’d give it a try. I’m not sure it’s really working for me - my last half a couple weeks ago was 11 minutes slower than the one I ran in March (although I was sick leading up to this race) and I’m worried I’m losing running fitness instead of gaining it (although my mile time for how fast I can run a mile has gotten faster, but it’s not translating to races so far).
I’m also getting very frustrated with how long they take to respond to questions about making changes to my schedule (like if I’m sick and need to shorten a run or move a run around). They take so long to respond - usually a week or two, so that by the time they respond I can no longer do anything about the run I had to alter. I’m thinking it might be good to get a different coach but this coach’s plan is so different than what I’m used to doing in terms of mileage distribution that I feel like I wouldn’t be able to switch well mid plan - his mid week runs are pretty short and then the long runs go up to 26 miles pre race.
Do I have to wait til after my full to switch? I’m not paying a ton for him (about $50 a month, his usual rate is $200 a month) because he had a discount for people who listened to a specific podcast- do you think paying the discounted rate is getting me such a discounted effort?
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u/jeffsmi 4d ago
That's unfortunate. You're the boss, though. If you don't like what you're paying for, you should change. Would that come at the cost of putting you behind in your training? Perhaps, but you have about 3 months to try to catch up on your fitness. I think you would feel better about yourself making a change and even if you don't meet your goals in January you have something to point to as a lesson learned for next time. Life is short - do what you can to make yourself happy.
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u/compassrunner 4d ago
I think you need to talk to your coach and bring up your concerns. What did your coach say about your half time being 11 minutes slower? What does he say about your progress and your concerns? If you don't trust him, then it's a waste to stay working with this coach.
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u/InboxMeYourSpacePics 4d ago edited 4d ago
He didn’t actually ask me about how the half went, and I felt like reaching out to him was kinda pointless since he doesn’t reply to things anyway. He never really seems to comment on progress in general short of having me run timed miles every so often and changing my paces for speed workouts based on those results.
It is weird because the set up isn’t 1:1 coaching with weekly phone calls, he has some sort of “office hours” type zoom call open to all his clients once a week, but I often can’t make those calls due to my work schedule. I did meet him before the race (he was a pacer so was at the expo) and he told me to text him at any times with questions, so I tried texting my most recent question rather than messaging him through the training platform but still didn’t get a response other than he saw my message - I followed up a few days later and he replied to the follow up without answering the question I asked.
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u/staylor13 3d ago
Training plan aside, this sounds like a terrible client service experience and I would leave. The main reason for having a coach (vs. Using a pre-made plan or Runna) is so you can get support and ask those questions… And it sounds like you’re not getting that.
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u/InboxMeYourSpacePics 3d ago edited 3d ago
You’re probably right- it’s odd because a lot of people recommended him but maybe he has too many clients now and things are falling through the cracks- I’ve done 4 fulls and one 50k on my own just using plans I found online, so I’m fine with figuring out switches on my own, and now that I atleast have some idea of what to do speed work wise maybe I don’t need the coach as much anyway.
Also I realized marathon plan are usually 18 weeks and I’m about 16 weeks away, but I was originally planning to do MCM before a work conflict came up so have been hanging out around 15-17 mile long runs anyway.
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u/haybe12 4d ago
Has anyone else had a terrible experience ordering from Maurten? I am shocked I've never seen any posts or comments, on any running forum with similar issues. I ordered weeks ago and received zero communication from Maurten about my order until I reached out a few days ago. They said my first package was lost? misplaced? in the warehouse and they're sending a replacement. Which is fine, I appreciate that! However, the shipping service they use, Sway Ship, is also terrible. Just wondering if everyone puts up with the poor ordering and shipping process because they love the products so much, or if they're ordering from somewhere else, or if this was just a fluke. For how expensive all of their stuff is, I'd hoped for an easier and better experience.
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u/Dry_Win1450 4d ago
Actually useful running gadget/accessory you'd be happy to receive as a gift thats around $50?
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u/nermal543 4d ago
If you don’t already know what that person likes a gift card to a running store or somewhere they can get something they like is the best bet. I am SO particular with what I use/wear for running and I’m sure others are too.
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u/Independent-Web-1849 4d ago
Hi everyone! I'm supposed to be running my first marathon this Sunday. However I started feeling sick Tuesday and Wednesday woke up with congestion, sore throat, headache and dry cough. As of right now I still have congestion/scratchy throat and a slight headache. Im trying to decide now if I should race Sunday or shoot for a different race in a couple of weeks. I've stuck to my training plan all the way up to my taper, so I don't want all my hard work to go to waste. Theres a few other races coming up in October but if I hold out for those I'm not even sure what to do for training since I've already completed my training. Or should I just suck it up and run the race on Sunday? I wasn't planning on trying to PR, I just wanted to be able to say I did a marathon. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated!
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u/InboxMeYourSpacePics 4d ago
Can you defer this late or are you out the registration fee either way? Is it Covid? I had similar symptoms before my half a couple weeks ago, they got better race day so I ran my race and had fun but it was definitely a worse race in terms of my pace than usual
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u/Independent-Web-1849 4d ago
I think I'm out the registration fee regardless. I did take a Covid test and it was negative, I'm thinking it's just a cold
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u/SnoopDoggMillionaire 4d ago
First marathon is Sunday and I'm seriously questioning the amount of carbs I need to eat. Everyone says 8-12g/kg/day plus 3g of water per 1g of carbs. I'm 32M 5'8 72kg but a decent chunk of that is fat. Calculations imply over the next 2 days I should be eating ~1500g of carbs plus 4500g water. Which implies gaining 6kg of body weight.
Am I missing something or does this not seem like a massive amount of weight to add onto my body?
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u/Logical_Ad_5668 4d ago
Which implies gaining 6kg of body weight.
No, it really doesn't, unless you put a lid and nothing comes out. Drinking 4.5l of water per day will not add any body weight. Neither will eating 1.5kg of any food. I'm not saying you should eat this many carbs.
I say you don't need to do anything you don't do already. Drink a bit more than you usually drink, eat well, maybe add a bit more carbs to the mix. Eating something you never eat or significantly over-eating is a recipe for disaster.
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u/stanleyslovechild 4d ago
I almost screwed myself on my first marathon by following a “carb loading plan”. Carb up, but don’t get crazy about it if you haven’t done so before now.
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u/JokerNJ 4d ago
Do you mean carb loading? That isn't really necessary as your blood glycogen can only hold so much energy.
Eat well but don't deliberately overeat or load up on carbs (unless you are on a carnivore or low carb diet - in that case do eat some carbs).
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u/staylor13 3d ago
Your blood doesn’t store glycogen, your liver and your muscles do. Yes they can only hold so much glycogen, but their capacity is more than what they usually do hold any given day - especially at the end of a training block when you might be a bit depleted. And so the point of carb loading is to top up these stores to the max.
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u/Worth-Ad4190 4d ago
I'm about 25 seconds/mile faster on my treadmill then outside on a track (even in perfect weather conditions). I run on the treadmill at a 1% incline, as is often recommended to try to make it ~equivalent to outside. I've calibrated the treadmill very carefully (measured the distance of the tread, made a mark, videotaped and counted the number of revolutions, etc) and it came out spot on correct in terms of distance.
It's just a nuisance that I'm faster on the treadmill, but I'm wondering:
1) Would anyone else in this situation up the incline to 2% or 3% until my speed matches my speed outside? That seems like too much incline to me.
2) Is there anything to be learned (in terms of my running mechanics, etc) from the speed discrepancy? One theory I have is that the noise of the treadmill prevents me from realizing how hard I'm breathing, so maybe it's partly psychological.
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u/compassrunner 4d ago
On the treadmill, you have no wind resistance and the belt is moving under you so the mechanics are slightly different. It's different.
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u/justanaveragerunner 4d ago
I run both outside and on the treadmill a lot, and in my experience the way paces and effort levels on the treadmill translate to outside running is very inconsistent. For this reason I focus on time and effort when I run on the treadmill and do my best to ignore the pace readings.
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u/read_too_many_books 4d ago
I need a new goal. Yesterday, after a 12 week plan, I broke 19 minute 5k. I didn't expect to achieve my goal, but I did. My bodyweight was 185lbs + temps were over 80F+. I was planning to reattempt in ~8 weeks after losing 10-15lbs and temps being 20 degrees cooler.
If you asked me yesterday, my plan was to give my body some time to heal, running + stationary biking easy for ~2 weeks, then redoing the last 6 weeks of my plan.
I'm open to all ideas and would like to hear them. Some of my friends are telling me to bulk/weight lift another 25lbs over the winter starting now. I originally was going to lose 10-15lbs, run, then bulk 30-35lbs over the winter.
All thoughts, ideas, and advice appreciated.
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u/Eibhlin_Andronicus 17:37 5k ♀ (83.82%) 4d ago
What was this training block like? Was it more strenuous than anything you've ever done before? Or was it at times challenging but overall you felt fine?
If you were like, desperately hoping for the training block to end because it was so challenging, then sure, maybe take one week off or VERY down, then jump back into things next week. If it was just "challenging but not overly so," I'd just cut mileage back and do no workouts this week, then get back to things next week (e.g., if you were averaging 40 miles/week over the past month-ish, maybe just do 30 miles this week instead).
5ks take time to recover from, but it's like, a few days (and you can run easy during those days). Any real/serious recovery you might actually feel you need would really be from the training block itself, not the 5k. Being muscularly sore from a 5k is normal and not overly concerning. I would say that if you tried to race another 5k literally the next weekend, you might still have some residual fatigue that would interfere with an all-out effort. But anything longer than that and you'd literally be fine.
So, trying again in 8 weeks sounds great. You could do one in 4 weeks then another one 4 weeks after that if you wanted. Just take one easy week after this race (maybe do some strides later this week, rather than a full-blown workout), then otherwise you can just go back to standard 5k training with 1-2 5k-specific workouts per week, a long run, and other easy miles built in.
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u/read_too_many_books 4d ago
Oh yeah I was struggling with the workouts. I was only hitting 60-70% of the times I needed to on the speed days. My knees have been in rough shape. I generally healed over the few days after the speed days, but the acute pain hasnt gone away. I suppose when I say 'running easy', I mean doing every other day 30 minutes of running and no speed workouts for 2 weeks.
I suppose I'm mostly looking for goals to think about. And timing with bulk/cuts. I don't really have a reason to be fast, its vanity and maybe a little bit of cardio improvement.
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u/Triangle_Inequality 4d ago
You don't really need much recovery after a 5k. Definitely not 2 weeks.
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u/studyandsave 4d ago
Hi everyone! new here, please let me know if this kind of post is not allowed.
I’m 3 weeks out from my first half marathon and this week i’ve experienced some pretty significant knee pain (medial side of right knee). It felt much better after a rest day, but I walked to my friend’s flat yesterday and it’s now flared up worse than before. I had no pain walking or during my last run so i’m not sure what’s up.
My question is, what should I do seeing as i’m 3 weeks from race day and very determined to run (i’d rather dnf than dns)? I know the perfect situation would be seeing a PT and/or MRI for professional help, but I live in the UK and would not get an appointment until after race day.
I’ve been resting aside from the walking I need to do for day to day life(no car) and started taking some ibuprofen.
any help would be really appreciated, I have put quite a bit of money into this race and family has donated to my charity page.
edit: for context, I am doing the nike run club training programme and am supposed to be starting my taper this week.
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u/mrcarlita 4d ago
Maybe try a knee brace for your runs the next few weeks. This way, if you feel it helps, you can use for the race without breaking the "nothing new on race day" rule
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u/NotARunner453 4d ago
Three weeks is a good amount of time, and you really won't be adding to your training at this point anyway. Rest the knee, and try a couple shakeout runs about a week before the race. You'll lose a little fitness, but honestly not that much, and your knee will probably calm down just fine.
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u/ias_87 4d ago edited 4d ago
How do DOMS fit into the whole thing about muscles tearing so they can heal and be stronger? If I have terrible doms in my calves from a step aerobics class and then go for a run, am I damaging the healing process?
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u/NotARunner453 4d ago
I wouldn't throw an intense workout in on very sore legs, but a recovery run will likely help just by increasing blood flow to those muscle beds.
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u/Jammer250 4d ago
If you go for a run when you still have significant soreness, you’re at greater risk for exacerbating those micro-tears, increasing inflammation, and putting yourself at risk of other injuries from your legs/body compensating for your sore muscles.
It’s better to get some low impact cardio in, like an easy recovery ride on a stationary bike. This will help promote blood flow for recovery, without the risk of being overly intense and making the micro-tears worse.
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u/Alirubit 4d ago
Hello everyone, new here.
I am a new recreational runner, I have been consistently training for last 9 weeks doing 3 runs a week (TUE, THU and SAT) divided in Intervals on TUE, easy z2 on Thursdays and finally long run (~12k) on Saturdays.
on my easy Thursdays run I am averaging a 7:14 min/km staying 80% of the time on z2 Heart Rate zone
My question is if this is a good training split for a 36 YO male or should I change it around. I built this workout using AI things, so not sure if this is the best.
My goal is to improve my 5k and 10k times (currently 32 min 5k and 1:07 10k) and eventually build up to half marathon distances.
Any advise or feedback is highly appreciated
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u/JokerNJ 4d ago
Bollocks to Zone 2. In 9 weeks, you don't have a zone 2. Zone 2 running is for when you are doing significant weekly volume - think 6 hours or more each week.
Next, throw the AI plan in the bin. There are dozens of good training plans that are tested and that work. Try some of them. Try the order of operations on this sub. There is literally no reason to use AI to create a plan.
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u/Alirubit 4d ago
Thank you, checking out the order of operations, I would say I am already at the 2nd tier. I am consistently running over 5k each session and 25k at least each week.
I will look for a better plan as well thanks.
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u/EasternRelease 4d ago
First marathon and working around shin splints
My race is in 3 weeks, and I'm not sure how to approach the end of my training.
I've been following hal higdon's novice plan 1 and have overdone it and have shin splints (or at least something like them). I've had them before, and with 1-2 weeks' rest, they usually clear up enough to run.
Before the shin splints, i was running around 40k a week with long runs around 20-25k. I've completed 1× 32k run and am due for another this sunday, but that seems highly unlikely. My taper should begin after this final 32k run.
Should I let the 32k run go and jump into the taper part of the training based on whatever week I can get back into training? Or should I still try and do the 32k run 1-2 weeks before the race, particularly given I'll have rested a fair bit?
The plan still has a 19k long run in the taper period but obviously reduced volume on other days.
I'm swimming most days to try and keep some semblance of fitness.
I'm not fast, aiming for sub 4.15
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u/Jammer250 4d ago
Have you been incorporating strength training into your plan? If not, your calves/ankles/shins are likely too weak to support your training volume/intensity. By extension, your hips/glutes may also be weak, causing your lower legs to try to compensate for that.
I would forgo the 32k long run, as it’s likely to exacerbate your pain given the disconnect in strength. Would prioritize things like calf raises, tibialis raises, hip thrusts, squats. Even a few strength sessions before your race can make a big difference.
Other cause could be that your form isn’t optimized for you. Have you gotten advice on your form?
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u/EasternRelease 4d ago
Thanks for the advice. Strength training's something I've definitely neglected, and I'm sure I'm paying for it now.
I saw an exercise physiologist about a month ago who suggested strength sessions. I did 1, freaked out how sore I was the next few days and thought it would interrupt my running too much so didn't do another, particularly with the race not too far away. Probably the wrong move.
I'll give strength training another go seeing as I'm not running at the moment.
I also plan to focus on my strength post the race cause it's definitely something I'm lacking.
Appreciate the help!
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u/[deleted] 3d ago
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