Are any of you brewers runners?

[roger_tucker]

I used to be a pretty hard core marathoner. I ran my last race in 2008 after I injured my achilles. It's a big tendon, takes a long time to heal and it seemed like every time I'd try and get going again it would flair back up. Now I'm just a big fat guy who brews beer. I still run a bit. In fact I just came back from an eight miler but it's not like it used to be. These days the runs are MUCH slower. I'm carrying around a bunch of extra weight and my cardio is s#$t.

 

[Rockn_M]

I am training to be a runner. My goal this year is to do a half marathon. I also like my beer but work out 5-6 days a week to keep the beer gut down. I also try to keep a healthy diet during the week and no carbs (besides a few beers) at night.

 

[bruteforce]

No running here, but I do compete in strongman and powerlifting.

 

[roger_tucker]

I am training to be a runner. My goal this year is to do a half marathon. I also like my beer but work out 5-6 days a week to keep the beer gut down. I also try to keep a healthy diet during the week and no carbs (besides a few beers) at night.

I'm going to try and get going again, although I've said that many times over the past few years. I'd be happy to just do a half again.

Have you picked a race? And do you have a goal time?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Never trust a skinny brewer!! Given that I don't see how brewers could be runners.

 

[TexasWine]

I love running probably more so than making my own alcohol. Cut back on mileage last year and started running more intervals. Endurance went out the window, but I brought my 1 mile time down

 

[roger_tucker]

Never trust a skinny brewer!!

Given that, it seems I can be trusted. I'd like to be a bit less trustworthy.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Given that, it seems I can be trusted. I'd like to be a bit less trustworthy.

I have a friend that is head brewer in town. He always told me that. I was giving him crap recently because he lost a lot of weight. I'm going to have to find a new brewery to frequent.

 

[roger_tucker]

Cut back on mileage last year and started running more intervals. Endurance went out the window, but I brought my 1 mile time down

I actually went in the exact opposite direction. Conventional marathon training wisdom says tons of slow easy miles. For most of my years of training I was that guy who went out too hard on almost every training run. I finally got smart toward the end of my running. I slowed my training way down, threw in more recovery runs and started running my long runs at about a minute and a half slower than race pace, like every training plan say to. My last marathon was almost 10 minutes faster than any previous. But, my 5K times went into the toilet.

 

[kombat]

I'm an avid runner. I do it to keep off the beer pounds. I run 5 miles on a treadmill at my gym at work each weekday during my lunch break. I do the occassional race, too. I did a 10km run in May (48:04) and just last weekend I did a 5-miler "kilt" run (2,000 people running in kilts), finished in 38:27.

 

[westo2]

I ran heavy through High School and College. Stopped entirely for about 8 years between finishing school, marriage, kids etc.

I've gotten back into it in the past year and a half. Party to justify my homebrew consumption, partly because of new duties at work. I got assigned to our commercial dive team, and was getting blown away by guys twice my age. Decided then that I needed to get back into shape. I've dropped about 30 pounds since then and can haul 80 pounds of dive gear up and down a ladder all day long a hell of a lot easier than I used to.

I'm hoping to drop below 18 again in a 5k later this year, and would love to get back under 30 in the 8k.

 

[Rockn_M]

I'm going to try and get going again, although I've said that many times over the past few years. I'd be happy to just do a half again.

Have you picked a race? And do you have a goal time?

Goal time, not really? I just don't want to be last. There is a race in the northern suburbs of Dallas that has a 1/2 marathon on Dec. 30. Hopefully it won't be too cold to run it then.

Do you have any suggestions? Like technic, training, shoes?

 

[TexasWine]

Personally, I like the Brooks-Hanson team training plans. Last year I followed their 5k plan and was seeing good results. But the plan also had me running 40+ miles per week.

 

[roger_tucker]

Do you have any suggestions? Like technic, training, shoes?

You may already know some of this.

Bump to the training plan suggestion. There's tons of free ones. Just google and find one that fits your abilities and schedule. I would suggest one that gives you at least a week of taper at the end (reducing your mileage before the race). A good plan will have you building your mileage over the course of a couple of months and periodically (every 2-3 weeks) reducing the weekly mileage for some recovery.

Shoes? very important. You're going to be putting some miles and stress on your legs. Depending on your ability on race day you're going to be pushing it a bit harder for maybe close to 2 hours. I'm partial to Aisics, but you have to find what's good for you. Go to a running store and get fitted. A lot of stores will put you on a treadmill and watch your gate and stride and make recommendations from there. You'll likely pay more buying the first time at the running store but once you find what's good for you, you can choose a cheaper outlet for follow on purchases. As a rule of thumb shoes are good for 300-500 miles. Most running logs sites and apps will track your shoe mileage for you.

Strategy? Think about a goal time. Maybe not right now but maybe once you get closer to race day and have a better feel for your ability. Make it conservative and realistic. Not to pin yourself to the goal but more to think about how to plan and pace your race. When you get to the start line think about your plan and pace and stick to it. If you taper a week or two before the race your legs are going to pretty lively, add race adrenaline to that and you're going to feel unstoppable. It is incredibly easy to go out way too fast. Those live legs and adrenaline won't last if you go out too hard. That's why I say stick to a realistic and conservative plan for your first race. if you get half way in and still feel great by all means pick it up. My best races have always been one where I ran negative splits (second half faster than first)

Most important. Have fun. We're not doing this to get paid. It should be enjoyable experience where you get to challenge yourself and enjoy the company of your fellow runners.

Hope that wasn't too much. I'm certainly the bastion of all running knowledge but those are the sorts of things that worked for me.

As one final note I don't even know what kind of runner you are, but I'll tell you with almost absolute certainty, if you train reasonably well you will not come in last place.

 

[Zbay]

Keep brewing and drinking beer and run when you can. I'm battling injuries also and often think back to the glory days of my running career when I'm poking along at a 9 min mile. These things take time to recoup from but I'm willing to bet if we keep working at it we can get back there.

 

[roger_tucker]

I'm hoping to drop below 18 again in a 5k later this year

Ahh to be able to run like that again. I'm approaching 50 so those days are gone for me. I never quite broke 18. I ran 18:20 for a 5K at my best. I was never a great runner, although I was better than average. I was never really any good at the shorter stuff. I was a notoriously slow starter and you can't really recover from a slow start in a 5K.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Sometimes I run to the kegerator for another beer. Does that count?

 

[brewcephus]

I don't consider myself a runner by any definition of the word, but I did recently pick up jogging/running as part of my workout routines to keep the extra poundage down from the mass consumption of the fruits of my labor.

I have never been someone that I would consider to be remotely "in shape" as the saying goes, but last year was the straw that broke the camel's back. I was approaching 320lbs and didn't like the way I looked/felt anymore, as well as being told by my wife and mother that I was getting dreadfully close to needing a C-PAP machine because I was starting to enter the early stages of sleep apnea. So, I made a deal with my wife and mother and decided to change my habits and lifestyle.

September 2013 I stepped on the scale at 315lbs, I'm 6'3" so it spreads out well, but still not a pleasant sight. On September 10 I began my transformation and on January 2014 I stepped back on the scale at 250, due a lot to changing my diet, and have not looked back since.

I said all that to say this, I ran my first ever 5k in April of this year and completed it at just over 30mins, not to long before that I ran my first complete mile without stopping. I get up every morning to go to the gym and every time I get on the treadmill I try to beat my previous mile time.

After having said all that, I still despise my morning jog and still don't consider myself to be a runner as I have no intentions of ever running a marathon/half marathon, but will probably do another 5k since it wasn't as bad as I had always feared that it would be.

Sorry a little OT I know, but....

cheers,
Cephus

 

[pcollins]

I run and brew. Love them both!

Trying to get my 5k to under 25 minutes and to increase my distance on my long slow runs so that I could maybe do a marathon at some point. I have a couple of trail races coming up that are 12k distance but they are "races" for me. I'm quite firmly and happily in the mushy middle for finishing times. I like doing better than average but I'm happy to just be able to run and feel good.

I'm not too bad off in the shape department. I'm 6'1", 45 y/o, and at my heaviest was 220. I didn't like that so started running and I am now hovering around 190 almost two years later. Eating better, eating less, running more. It's pretty simple. It also allows me to continue enjoying beer that I make without feeling guilty.

I run because beer.

 

[Kee]

It's a close call, but I'm probably more obsessed with running than brewing and drinking. I finally got around to running a couple of marathons last year, but the shorter races can be just as much fun. Tomorrow I will run a 5K in hot muggy conditions without a proper taper and I expect to love every minute of it.

Later, I will knock back a few home brews.

 

[WWJPD]

I've been running for about a year now, mostly to offset the beer, but it also makes me feel better, both physically and mentally. When I first started, it sucked. I was only able to run 1/10mi at a time, but I slowly kept increasing it and ran a 5K last fall. Now I routinely run 6K to 8K 4 to 5 days a week depending on my schedule. I try to run enough to burn the beer calories plus a little bit more. Some weeks it works, some it doesn't.

I know a lot of my "beer friends" also run, trying to offset their high calorie hobby.

If you are thinking about doing it and feel that you are not in shape enough, just start slow, even if it's just walking. It gets easier and you'll feel better

 

[Braufessor]

Hmmmmm.... "runner" would be a bit strong these days. Ran CC and track in HS and College. I coach CC and track at the HS I teach at. I do some running with the kids I coach - especially in summer and fall. Nothing in the winter. Track tends to be more hectic, so not a lot then. I am probably 30lbs heavier than I should be, but, I can still run 6-8 miles relatively comfortably when I have been running for a few weeks.

 

[roger_tucker]

September 2013 I stepped on the scale at 315lbs, I'm 6'3" so it spreads out well, but still not a pleasant sight. On September 10 I began my transformation and on January 2014 I stepped back on the scale at 250, due a lot to changing my diet, and have not looked back since.

I love seeing stories like this. I've seen it a million times and never tired of seeing it.

 

[AnOldUR]

Are any of you brewers runners?.

From 2007. These days, at 60, my knees are not cooperating. Easy runs in the field with my dog are all I’m good for. Even so, I've put in enough miles that I'll always consider myself a runner.

 

[ktrain]

Rodger,

Runner, here mostly 10Ks and I try to do a marathon ever few years. I have similar problem with my Achilles. It so bad that i could barely walk...it felt like an old rubber band when i would hold my ankle and move my foot. Achilles never really heal fully but you can rehab it with very specific exercises (confirm with your physical therapist) to the point of being able to run.

Two tips that really helped decrease my times are; Tempo training, the conventional wisdom of long slow runs don't really improve your "speed/speed tolerance". The runkeeper app, the training programs are pretty good with these. I would also recommend some core strength training to prevent injury and keep the back from going out .

There's just something special about running for a couple hours at the park then coming home to a glass of homebrew to rehydrate.

 

[roger_tucker]

From 2007. These days, at 60, my knees are not cooperating. Easy runs in the field with my dog are all I’m good for. Even so, I've put in enough miles that I'll always consider myself a runner.

Dude you are a beast. Under 24 hours, that gets you a silver buckle, right? A friend of mine just finished it yesterday. He came in at 27 hours. I was an above average marathoner, under 3 hours, but I never even considered trying that insanity.

One of my friends told me that late in a ultra if he stumbled over a rock or root it just became easier to fall down and pick himself back up. It took less energy than trying to keep his balance.

 

[AnOldUR]

Dude you are a beast. Under 24 hours, that gets you a silver buckle, right?

Thanks. Silver buckle and an age group win. I came off of many years on the roads in my late 40’s with marathon times like yours, but trail ultras became an obsession. It’s an amazing thing, knowing that even though every sane thing in your head and body is telling you to stop, you don’t have to. For an East Coaster, that trip to Auburn was a highpoint.

 

[hunter_le five]

I like running in unconventional settings - trails, challenge courses (Tough Mudder, et al), etc. But I absolutely loathe running on pavement. To me running is excruciatingly boring, so I need interesting scenery/obstacles/etc to make it more interesting/to distract me from the fact that I'm running and the fact that running f***ing sucks.

 

[SteveHeff]

I throw in a few miles every week. I've never enjoyed running on pavement, though. If I find a nice wooded area, I'll go for 2-3 miles. I'm not the marathon or even the half-marathon guy, but I do feel a 10k might be doable in the future.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Never trust a skinny brewer!! Given that I don't see how brewers could be runners.

I am not to be trusted.

 

[Devin]

I used to run 1 to 2 half-marathons a year. I really got burnt out on running last fall, so I am taking some time off. I plan on starting it up again soon, but I also just started mountain biking, and have been getting most of my cardio that way along with basketball 3-4 times per week.