Mike

All I've ever taken is MSM, so I can't vouch for anything else. My knees have always been a little dodgy ever since I was a kid, and they would hurt even after walking for an hour. Since I've started taking MSM, they don't hurt at all, even after 3-hour runs! I would totally look the stuff up. It's pretty cheap, too. Actually, quick question. I usually buy the MSM that's made for horses 'cuz it's the same substance. Has anyone heard of any reasons why I shouldn't do this? I have had a rather strong craving for oats lately... Mike

My goal is to enjoy multiple sources of revenue from my own businesses and projects. My first step is to find successful, positive people who have already accomplished this goal (authors, motivational speakers, bloggers, business owners, etc.) and to send them a brief list of questions about how they did it and what advice they would give to others who wish to do the same. It would be very much appreciated if you could list any questions I could ask these individuals that would help me get the best possible information. Also, if you have anyone in mind who would be good to contact, please let me know. I'll let you al know what kind of answers I get as soon as I get the lists back! Mike

MSM!!!!! I love this stuff. Almost everybody who has ever tried it has benefitted from it, myself included. It's awesome for the joints and also for your overall health. Mike

Ah, shoes. Possibly the single most important piece of equipment a runner will ever use . I guess it depends on how hardcore of a runner you are. I've heard of some people who really pound the pavement and buy two pairs at a time, so they can switch off every other day! Personally, I kind of go by intuition (bad, I know) and just buy them when I feel like my feet are getting a little closer to the pavement than I want them to be. That might be around 3 pairs per year, and I run around 50 mpw (moving up to 60 this week, woo-hoo). It's so important to have good shoes in good condition, so I would always err on the side of caution.

I'm glad to see you on the thread, CollegeB! I agree with L/G about the fruits. If I don't eat enough fruit during the day, I can definitely feel my energy level decrease. This is especially true since I started running more. I would also HIGHLY recommend probiotics. They really help runners (and joggers and everybody else) fight off those pesky colds =). I'm sure you'll be back to your previous running level in no time, HS. I know how you feel about taking time off. I can't even afford to take one day off without it completely throwing off my rhythm. If I run on Saturday but not on Sunday, you can be sure that I'll be running like a guy in a three-legged race! This previous week was a fall-back week for me, so I cut my mileage waaaay back (actually more than I intended to). Starting Monday, I'll start back up at 51 mpw. I can't wait!

Congrats, Tarz!!!! Wow, that is a fast 10K!

I'm really focusing on running at this point, because I want to be fully prepped for the marathon. But, I've incorporated some upper body, core and quad stuff to balance things out a bit. I run 7 days per week (one long run and 6 shorter, slower recovery runs). For my warmup every day, I do one set of 25 of bicycle crunches, squats, military presses and bent-over rows, followed by a ten-minute walk to get my legs ready. I'm concerned that I might be overtraining by lifting every day, but I'm really only using enough weight to get some blood flowing throughout out my body.

I agree with HS, Marcina. There's no rush . When I tried to run one mile a couple of years ago, it took me 19 minutes and I thought I was going to die, lol. But, tomorrow, I'm going on a 2.5-hour run, so it doesn't take long to make progress. If you just start slowly and keep consistent, you'll be amazed out how fast your running improves. One thing that really helps me is to take a 20-minute walk as a warmup. It sounds like that would wear you out, but it actually makes the running way easier. Please let us know how your next run goes . That's too bad about the 10K, HS. That is very cool that you're finishing first in your group runs so often, though. You may need to move to a faster running group at this rate!

Thanks for the tips, Veginator (cool screen name, btw ). That site has a ton of useful info on it. I'm saving it in my Favorites. I came up with a way to include that cross-training stuff in my warmups and cool downs, so I can still get the benefits of higher mileage without the imbalances that could occur from only running. Hopefully, this keeps me injury-free and physically prepared for the 26.2 mile pounding.

It depends how intense your Pilates sessions are. If they make you energized and ready for more, I would do high intensity cardio right after you do your Pilates and do low intensity cardio on your off days. If Pilates really kicks your butt, so to speak, I would do the low intensity after Pilates and high-intensity cardio on your off days. Either way, just be sure to take one day a week to rest or, even better, go for a nice, slow walk. You could do some easy weight training with your Pilates, but I would try to save your energy for the cardio. Another option, and I'm just putting it out there, is to plan to run a race in the next few months and find a schedule to help you train for it. When it comes to weight loss, I haven't found anything better than sticking to a steady running plan and keeping your diet in check.

A general rule of thumb I like to follow is to not do high intensity workouts two days in a row. I'm not sure what your overall training looks like (if you're doing weight training, etc.), but I would think you would be fine doing high intensity interval cardio on Mon, Wed and Fri, and low intensity recovery cardio on Tue, Thur and Sat. For me, I really don't do any high intensity, except for speeding up and slowing down randomly during runs (fartlek). So, if you wanted to avoid the high intensity stuff completely(because of the hunger effect), you could just incorporate fartlek into your cardio to keep it from getting boring. Having a specific time/mileage goal also helps get rid of the option of stopping. What's your current routine/goals/etc?

Personally, I've had better luck with low intensity, long duration, but everybody is different. Whenever I do high intensity, I find it harder to recover without eating way more calories than I burn. Personally, I run slowly for what averages out to be an hour a day, six days a week. After a couple weeks of this, I had to move to a new notch on my belt buckle. Maybe you could alternate to get the benefits of both? Best of luck, and please never be sorry about asking questions . Mike

Well, I've finally decided to invest the next 20 weeks training for my first marathon! I was initially planning on building up to running a base of 600 minutes (60 miles) per week, but I'm a bit concerned about muscular imbalances and such. Would I be sufficently prepared if I ran 280 mpw (minutes per week in this case), did some heavy bag training (no pool ) for 180 mpw, and biked for 140 mpw (adds up to 600)? The amount of time running seems way low, but I wonder if the overall fitness I would achieve through the other activities would make up for it.

Hey! It's been a while since I've checked in here; I've missed my online running buddies . I hope the 10K went well, HS. It's only a matter of time before you'll be posting your ultra-marathon race times! I know what you mean about running in busy areas. I do almost all of my runs inside, because I'm afraid of breathing in all that downtown car exhaust (yuck!). I love that pic L/G! Great race time, too. I'm still trying to get faster than 10 minute miles, so you're an inspiration, lol.

I totally agree about the squats! I'd add them as an overall leg exercise (an overall full-body exercise for that matter ). Personally, I'd sub Romanian deadlifts for the leg curls and front squats for the leg extensions.