Hey Tigger

Fred - I'm wondering why you walked 5.5 hours.

6 miles this morning with a 5k imbedded.   4 secs. faster than last year. Not a particularly fast course.  85 degrees and as much humidity plus 15-20 mph hour winds.   5th oa. and 2nd master.   3 h.s. kids got me.  Still tired from Boston but coming around I think.   40 miles only this last week.

Doug,

I wouldn't overthink your running pace and mechanics.  Can you run your long run at your "natural" pace?   If so; do it.   If not your "naural" pace will come with the length of the run. 

I think to slow down you reduce the turnover and let the stride work itself out.

Resting today.  Have good workouts all.

Everything I've read says "B" is the way to go.  For myself, it's a little bit of both, but mostly shortened stride, although my turnover also slows a bit.  At an easy pace I will be about 10 steps per minute slower than at 5k race pace.  As KS says, just try to find a comfort zone.

My legs are a bit stiff today, but not sore. I think I'll just do some stretching and a bit of walking to freshen them up.  Then maybe a run tomorrow if I feel good.

I have a number of comments, and I'll start with my own stupidity.  Every *&%$#@ month I do this, posting in the old thread for 2 or 3 days until some kind person like Sierra pokes me in the Ribs.  Funny, that we used to bust Fred's chops for not remembering to start the new thread.  Somebody needs to take ownership of reminding me around the 30th of each month.

Now as to the arcane and mysterious Fred, may I point out that Paavo Nurmi, as I read his biography, walked a tenK before starting his running workout.  Think about this.  It's all time on your feet, there are different muscles used in walking, and a fast walk increases HR and is beneficial.  Good for you Fred.  Now that being said, cough it up and tell us what you are up to.

Tigger, I couldn't agree with you more!  If anyone has a butt strain anywhere in that region, one airplane trip seems to set you back three days!  I have no idea why this is.  I have tried excusing myself to go to the john, then walking the aisles, anything to keep from sitting there.  But it definitely is a huge impediment to recovery. 

Roch, in my continuing effort to demonstrate that I have read at least three books on running, let me share with you what Jack Daniels has to say on this subject and why the others who selected choice b are correct.  Daniels maintains that ideally we should run at 180 steps per minute, no matter the speed!  And he also says that elite athletes run at 180 steps per minute (and by the way that is 90 left foot and 90 right foot, which makes it far easier to count) no matter what they do, jogging or racing, and the difference between jogging and racing for them is simply stride length.  So if this question were asked of Daniels, he would tell you to maintain the cadence and shorten stride. 

My answer is I have no freaking idea.  I can run slower when I need to, and find any pace, or run faster if I need to.  I will also add that I have run for years with people who are "Poor Johnny One Note" in that they have one pace and it never varies.  These people seldom race well.  I will also add that they don't run every day, so in every run they are always fresh.  I run daily, so I know the difference between fresh running and fatigued running.  Why don't you wait til you are fully recovered, and can run more, before you mess with this question. I am so happy about your excitement about biking by the way.

KS, you are recovering nicely.  Well done. 

Today I ran 16 miles, my best since the surgery.  Spareribs

Thanks, Fred. I appreciate it. I was concerned that I would not breathe well at 1,200 ft. altitude. I got there a day before, though and camped out and did a 1 mile slow run to kind of get acclimated. I guess it worked. Packs of howling coyotes outside my tent kept me awake, though, so I didn't get to sleep until they moved on, at around 1-2 a.m.

They gave me a beer mug for my age group award (I came in 1st), but I don't drink, so maybe I can use it for something else. Lauren, what can I plant in it?

I still have to find out my chip time, and as soon as they post it on Cool Running, I'll be a happy camper.

                                                                                Paul