Plastic,

Sorry to hear about the new knee injury! Hope your healing continues nicely.

Yeah, my poor mountain bike does not get as much love these days. I used to ride her near daily but there just is not as much riding around here. Some cool trails, but not the same variety (at least not within biking or short driving distance) and since I moved away from my former bike shop/team mates and mountain biking community (I also refereed, organized races, sat on the mountain bike committee for the cycling association), it just kind of dropped off. I sold my road bike as I had stopped doing that entirely. My husband and I will take our mountain bikes out now and then or drive somewhere to hit some trails, but certainly it is not the integral part of my life it used to be. It is also easier for me to fit in running - I can go early morning before work when it is still dark (much fun as it is to ride trails in the dark during a 24-hr race or an adventure race, it is not for everyday!) and still have my evenings to get the other things I need to get done.

Running IS definitely a lot more affordable than biking was for me (I cringe to think of all the money spent on bikes, bike gear, race fees, and so on!), a lot less gear, and a lot more portable (when I travel for work and such all I need to take are my shoes and a bit of clothing) too! It is kind of a good thing for my budget I guess, especially now that I have my student loans to pay, and so on. Now that I go minimalist I also only need to buy new footwear once every 12-18 months since there is no cushioning to breakdown, so it is even more affordable. I buy new running clothes even less frequently. The only thing I am buying this year are a couple new sports bras. Well, I already bought them but I have to wait for the vendor to get the right size back in stock to exchange and that won't happen until around October (I have been waiting since April or May!).

So what are/were your bikes? The last two I owned were a Giant XTC hardtail with a Marzocchi fork for open class racing, and then I had a Kona Kaboom (also with a Marzocchi, as I became a loyalist,) for single speed class. Eventually, I got so into single speed racing that I stopped racing on the geared bike altogether. I also had a Giant road bike for training, and Redline cyclocross bike. I raced cyclocross once and really sucked at it, (no technique) but really enjoyed it.

Every time I get a really, really massive running injury that keeps me out for months or years, I contemplate quitting running and going back to mtb racing. But then it's usually the cost and hassle that puts me off. Also, I'm better at running, so it's more fun for me in that way. Sometimes I kind of miss the atmosphere of bike racing, though, which is something running events don't really have.

Plastic Monkey- sorry to hear about your knee. I assume you've already tried it, but if you haven't, try to get a referral for PT. I have an ankle injury, and some muscle imbalances due to that injury. I got a wonderful physical therapists who gave me a giant list of mobility and strength exercises that I need to keep doing for life, but they really did wonders for my pain. Now I only hurt when I really overdo it. If I remember correctly, you're also a grad student. Getting a referral from a student health center can be really challenging, but it's really worth it.

RayKay- if you don't mind me asking, are you special ordering your sports bras because you wear a size that's hard to find? I'm a small band/ large cup size, and I have hell of a time finding bras that fit. They don't always carry them in stock, and I'm very familiar with waiting forever and ever for a bra to ship

I just did my first long-long run this morning. I can't believe that I did 9 miles! (I know we have some seasoned runners who log much larger numbers, so feel free to make fun of me, I still feel pretty damn proud of myself.)
Two weeks ago I ran 6.5 miles, which wasn't a really big deal because I had already ran couple 10k loops.
Today I was supposed to run 8 miles, but it ended up being 9, because one of the streets was closed and I had to make an extra loop to avoid running along a highway to get back home. It was really odd- I was kind of warn out, but felt almost high when I finished my run. I've had a mild rush of endorphins after shorter runs, but this is the first time that it's lasted for so long.

I find the biggest pain about bikes is cleaning and maintaining them. I have several with hydraulic disc brakes and they are more of a pain that cable-actuated ones. I always seem to get my bikes very dirty as some of the trails around here are cinder from old rail beds. It just coats your drivetrain with black powdery dirt if you have too heavy a lube on it. But then if you ride some other places, especially if it has been wet, you get all sorts of organic material (leaf bits, grass bits, etc.) all over your bike. After riding all day, I'm not particularly stoked about spending another couple of hours cleaning up bikes. But, I love it, and I'm just not really into running nearly as much.

_________________
"Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself." - George Carlin

Don't burn your tongue on another man's soup - Old Italian saying

Yes, I went to a masseuse first, then to a sports medicine doc, and then finally to a chiropractor who was certified in Active Release Therapy, since so many of my friends swore by it. Overall, I was out for seven months. I ended up reading a book called "Treat Your Own Knees," and going through that 4-step PT process religiously has been the only thing that has worked. It consists of 1. Vastus Medialus strengthening 2. Hamstring flexibility, 3. Vastus Medialus flexibility, and 4. Proprioception. I had only been doing 2 out of the 4 steps. More importantly, I never really fully understood why I was doing them until I read the book. Knowing why exactly I was supposed to be doing them kept me from slacking off.

I've been back "running" for five weeks now. They started as 5-mile walks with run intervals for as long as I could stand it, like a quarter mile at a time, but eventually the run intervals got to be progressively longer as my knee got stronger. Now I can finally get through 6 miles of running. It's an incredibly slow process, but it's better than nothing.

So I recently started "running." I say "running" since I'm so out of shape that even C25k is too difficult for me (so right now I'm working on my own to get to the point of being able to do the first week of it, so it's mostly walking with spurts of running). I got properly fit for running shoes. I am a ball striker, and I don't have a fairly neutral pronation. My shoes are great since anything I tried over the years previously just hurt my feet (I'm fairly flat footed).

Anyway, when I first started, everything was fine and dandy. The last few times I've run, my MCL is hurting pretty badly after my run. It doesn't hurt during, just after. The first time it happened, I rested for a week and a half because it was hurting for several days, and I wanted to rest it until it stopped hurting. Went running Thursday, and my MCLs were pretty sore. They didn't hurt immediately after the run, but they did wake me up in the very early morning, and ibuprofen did well enough. At lunch time Friday they hurt again, so I took more ibuprofen, and they didn't hurt again. Went out tonight, and they're aggravated, so I'm going to make a doctor's appointment (found a sports medicine doctor who seems to have good reviews from runners) for early this next week if I can get in and just rest until I see what she says. I've never had knee issues.

I did realize that I was striking more on my toes than the balls of my feet, and that seemed to help a little adjusting that, but other than that, I'm not doing anything differently than when I first started. I make sure I have proper form, I'm working on controlling my breathing, I push myself just a little bit more than I think I can go but not too much, but I am pretty good at listening to my body while I'm running and adjusting when needed. I'm going the same distance and speed, same trail, etc. So I don't understand why my MCLs weren't hurting before but now they are.

Any ideas why my MCLs are acting up now? I'm getting frustrated because I actually look forward to running unlike most exercising I've tried (I dread exercise, but I do it). I've had people suggest that running may be too hard on my knees and I should switch to something low impact, which I would like to avoid because of the fact that I look forward to running unlike everything else I've tried. Others have said I need to probably build up my knee muscles (which I know I do, and I have been working on that). Someone suggested some support like KT tape. I'm afraid of injury, so obviously I'm hoping I haven't torn my MCLs, and I won't know until I go to the doctor.

Bluebird- I have no personal experience with MCL injuries, but I have personal experience with ligament and joint injuries. Unfortunately, the joints and the ligaments adjust a lot slower than the heart and the muscles, and they take a long time to heal, so I'd rather be overly cautious than compound the damage.

If you can afford it, please see a doctor or a PT before you move on the longer running intervals in C25k (and by longer, I mean the 5-10 minute ones, because that's a lot of stress on one's joints if you're new to running). I ignored an ankle injury for too long, and I couldn't run for almost 10 years, despite having had surgery. Now I'm still in pain if I don't do my strengthening exercises for couple days.
You mentioned you only like running- how do you feel about running in water until you can get the problem sorted out? Obviously, you won't be able to do C25K as written, and it's more boring. However, you can still get a really good cardio workout, and you can practice side-to-side strengthening movements without adding pressure to your knees.

ETA: Both DH and I have messed up ankles. KT tape didn't do anything for me - it was as beneficial as wearing masking tape. On the other hand, DH and my sister swear by it. My husband was carrying quite a bit of extra weight when we both started getting into running, and he swears that the KT tape prevented his ankle from shattering. Since it's not expensive, and there are videos that show how to tape joints, it can't hurt to try. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones that benefit from it.

Long distance runners and cyclists- what do you use to refuel on longer runs/ rides? Do you have any experience with homemade gel or fuel?

I usually hit a wall after 90-100 min, despite being hydrated, and I crash unless I eat something to boost my blood sugar.
The GU gels worked ok and didn't upset my stomach, but they taste really gross to me, because I'm one of the few freaks who dislike the taste frosting.
I got a sampler pack of chomps, so I will experiment with that next. I know it's really individual and what works for one person may not work for others, but I'm very new to doing endurance training, so it's really helpful to get recommendations from seasoned runners.

I used to use cytomax while training/racing for cycling. No particular reason for picking that over something else--I just liked the taste, and they had it in stock at the bike store.

With running I did numerous things. I used to drink gatorade, though not a whole lot, during my long runs of 16+ miles. Then I did some reading on training the body to burn fat after glycogen depletion and started drinking only water instead during training runs. During marathons, I'd drink a combination of whatever sports drink they had provided and water, plus carry 6 gels with me.

So I guess you have to make a choice--either learn to refuel during training, or take the more extreme route (usually reserved for people with competitive goals, since it's pretty unpleasant) and train your body to do without fuel after glycogen depletion.

A lot of my friends either like sport beans or cliff blocks, but I can't deal with anything I have to chew, so during marathons, I just gulp down gels without tasting them. I don't care what brand they are.

guys, I need your advice. I started running when I was 15 (I was really really really out of shape back then), and now I am 21. I am female, 5'1" and 110lbs, I'd like to lose few lbs more. or lose few inches off my waist.

I have started leisurely run 5km 4 times a week on running track first time in the morning for one year now, but I can't seem to improve my time nor speed anymore. doing 5km in 30-35 minutes isn't exactly great. endurance and adding distance is not a problem for me though. I hike 8-10 hours straight without losing my breath, but from what I read forever endurance training won't help weight loss. seems like I had hit plateu-time to improve. running more than 5km makes me sleeepy in class afterwards too.

I randomly weight train and speed play. but I have no idea how to incorporate those to my routine... like should I keep running 5km 4 times a week, and adding speed play & weight training 2 times a week? or should I replace 1-2 slots of my usual routine with speed play and weight training? also, should I follow beginner's speed play or what?

advices are greatly appreciated