Not really sure if anyone can help or if this is something I've just got to deal with...any ideas?

Not really sure if anyone can help or if this is something I've just got to deal with...any ideas?

I am about 50-70 pounds over weight and just started running. I am a big guy so even thought the weight seems like aton it is spread out on 6'5 of body. I can run 5k now with a good effort. I just started a training plan that is 16 weeks and most the runs during the week are 5-8 k and then once a week the runs go from 10k all the way to the final marathon of 42k. I was wondering if you guys thought it would be realizst for someone of my size to lose enough weight and be able to run the actual marathon after the 16 weeks. I ask because I want to sign up for the LA marathon as I know signing up will make sure that I keep on my training which is going amazing so far. But Im worried that no matter how hard I train I will not be able to get to a reasonable weight in the time frame. The LA marathon is Feb 16th.

 Any opinions.

We use a combination of BMI, time taken, and MET score to estimate your calories burned.

BMI is your body mass index score and is based on your height/weight ratios. For more info: http://www.whathealth.com/bmi/formula.html

MET (Metabolic Equivalent) is the ratio of the work metabolic rate to the resting metabolic rate. One MET is defined as 1 kcal/kg/hour and is roughly equivalent to the energy cost of sitting quietly. A MET also is defined as oxygen uptake in ml/kg/min with one MET equal to the oxygen cost of sitting quietly, equivalent to 3.5 ml/kg/min.

Specific activities have a working MET -- ie, walking at a very slow pace (less than 2mph) for an hour will be the equivalent (ie., burn the same calories) to sitting still for two hours. The METS for this activity is 2.0

See: http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/compendium.htm

So the final equation bringing this all together is:

Calories Burned = (MET value) X (BMI/24) X (duration of activity in hours)

To see this formula in action, visit our calorie calculator

-Kevin
Co-Founder, MapMyFitness

can some one give me some advice with my very annoying and embarassing problem :

i'm training to participate the 20km of Brussels the 25th May 2008.
Since i run more than 1hour (10k) , i feel the need to go to the lavatory.
When i train 1hour and a half, it ends in a sprint to the toilet to avoid an "accident".

The sportdoctor i went to, never heard of the problem and adviced me : no fruit or vegetables the days i run and a medicin against diarrhoea (Immodium) just before i start. But last time it didn't work.

This way, i can't participate, because there are no toilets available on the road.

Help

Whenever I run, I ALWAYS have a tight right hamstring, usually within a few minutes of running. I don't know what's causing this, but I can say that I stretch both legs equally, for the same amount of time, without overstretching. No matter what the terrain; flat or hilly, it happens. No matter what running shoes I have tried, it happens. I do pronate slightly in both feet.

It's not painful, but it does affect my stride and is just nagging and annoying.  I am maybe thinking my right leg is shorter than the  left.

Any suggestions as to what could be causing this?

Thanks in advance. :) 

I am more of a runner then a cyclist having run a marathon last weekend But since I like to train and I love project, I have planned to ride a 200km next spring for a charity cause... . So I am looking for information and a training program that would have both cycling and running. I have looked for duathlon training program but I don't find any free on the net... So I have a few questions...

Do you know where I could find a training program?

Do you train the same way for a marathon then for a 200k cycling? This ride will be paced to 25-30km/h, should I speed train?

Is it realistic that I continue training for both a marathon AND 200k cycling (assuming there is more then a month between them)?

Anyone has ever do something like that? Any tips would be appreciated!

http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/stretching-exercise/stretch-sequences.asp 

Nice little routines, and great animation to help show the proper technique

Enjoy!

 Long story short, my leg started feeling sore.  I had not fallen, twisted, or otherwise done anything specific that caused this.  I continued running every day for another week, until it became so sore I could not run.  I rested for a few weeks before finally seeing a doctor.  He diagnosed my injury as a pulled muscle, and sent me for a hip x-ray.  This came back negative.  He sent me to physical therapy, and over the course of several weeks they had me in traction, walking on a treadmill, stationay bike, etc.  Over the course of 3 months since the initial injury, my symptoms slowly got worse.

 My primary care physician finally sent me for an MRI.  Turns out I had a femoral neck fracture, the part of the femur where it necks down to the ball of your hip.  It was almost completely factured.  Research on-line says that this type of stress fracture may not show on an x-ray in the initial stages.

My orthopedic surgeon said I was a "walking time bomb" and immediately had me admitted to the hospital.  The following day I had surgery, during which a plate, 2 screws, and a bolt through the femur into the ball were installed.  I was up on crutches the night of the surgery, and home the next morning.  It looks something like this:

If it had broken completely, I would have ended up with a new hip.

He says I will be able to run again; I am glad I was in OK shape going in.  I eat well, I wear good running shoes, and my bone density looks good (per my surgeon, who saw them in person).

 It gives me the willeys to think of all the stuff I did over those 3 months...

 Hopefully no one goes through this...

I read somewhere once that you needed to drink 8 cups of water a day for two days straight in order to become fully hydrated. Is this true? If not, how do you really become fully hydrated?

Thanks in advance,

Matthew

Thank you!

 I've done a quick search through the forums and I don't see anyone asking this specific question so I figured I would.  I'm just getting to the point in my training where I'm doing 9 miles once a week on my long runs.  I've been reading about the benefits of fueling on the go once you start reaching the 1 hr + mark.  Although it might just be my weekly progress, I do feel better when I bring food with me.  

My question is this, I've been using regular Quaker Oats Granola bars and Nutrigrain breakfast bars.  Does anyone see a benefit in buying the specialized bars or gels?  

 For instance, compare the nutrition of Quaker Chewy Granola vs. Clif Shot Gel

It seems as though the Granola Bar has more fat (not a real concern for me, especially when running), and is either on par or containing higher levels of sodium, carbs, protein, and vitamins.  Considering you can buy the granola bars 10 for $3 and the supplement bars/gels are atleast twice the cost.  I just wanted to get some others opinions as to if/why the supplements are worth it.  Thanks. 

Training May Curb Some Sports Injuries In Women

by Allison Aubrey 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93309486

 so i've been trying very hard to get into running, It's been about a year and a half and I've participated in two 5K's, i've never ran more than 4.5 miles though. my endurance seems to get the best of me at about mile 3, I really want to pursue this as it's an incredible way to keep fit. Does anyone have any tips to up the ante some? 

Appreciate it much, this is a GREAT website !!

 Alliyo

Here's my problem: my heart rate during my long run was between 150 and 168 most of that time (I use a heart rate monitor).  My HRmax is computed to be 176.  I'm 45.

I feel great - best I've felt in years.  My average heart rate is coming down over my long runs - and I can feel myself getting stronger and better.

 But is it OK to keep running like this?  I'm way above the 75% range where it's supposed to be during these runs.  Or is it?

My question...is anyone out there using MapMyRun to record their CrossFitting?  There's not a real precise category, so I've just been using gym workout "Total Body" as the default, and then specifying in my notes what we did.  If anyone has a better way, I'm certainly open to it.  

If you're not familiar with CrossFit, checkout the website, www.crossfit.com.  It's a lot a fun, and so far, has been the hardest workouts consistently that I've done in a long time.  It's my present to myself now that I'm forty.

Thanks!

1) thru different processes they filter the water 15 TIMES! To ensure they start w/ the purest water possible. Pure H20.

2) After they take everything else out, they re-mineralize the water, they put minerals back in like potassium, magnesium, calcium, mostly for taste they say, and electrolytes. Good stuff!

3) They IONIZE it to have the PH of 8-8.5 I've never heard of ph balances of foods but after doing some research it turns out that having that alkaline balance is really beneficial to your health. wikipedia it.

4) Here's where it starts to get really cool, they've figure out a way to MICRO-STRUCTURE the water, they somehow make the water molecules smaller, so the water is able to travel in and out of your cells quicker, the result of which is more rapid and effective hydration.

5) Then finally the somehow infuse the water with oxygen, they call it MBO or molecular bound oxygen. My friend explained that the oxygen will never leave the water! if you leave the bottle open it won't go flat like carbonation or something, it's IN THERE! it is bound to the micro-structured water, and it travels w/ the water all throughout your body to your muscles, in a matter of seconds, it's amazing the results this stuff gets!

My friend went on to tell me that it's not available in stores, but here's the site where he orders it from, it's www.scorpius.mychoices.biz 

It's only 1.99 a bottle, which is what I was paying for vitamin water, psh see ya! I'm drinkin Perfect Water from now on! Ya GOTTA check it out! See ya on the trail! 

Thanks for your thoughts!

Dave

anyone experience heightened hay fever / grass allergin problems after running?  Mine seems to be worse once I've stopped.  Could that be because of lungs working extra hard & taking in deep breaths?  have tried every anti-histamine around, none seem to help. Almost feels like I'm wheezing.  Any suggestions - its exhausting!