Running

I ran a bit when I was younger, but the last few times I tried my feet killed me after, literally couldn't walk for a few days after. So now I just walk!
 
I used to run in the evenings regularly as a student in Birmingham in the 80's. I found it therapeutic and a good way of dealing with the stress of revising for my exams. I generally lived in the not so nice areas of Birmingham being a poor student. In one area that had a reputation for ladies of the night plying their trade (Balsall Heath) I would generally get wolf whistled at by the hookers as I ran past them. One evening a large Jamaican lady wearing a blonde wig and a leopard print dress shouted "Hey student ....you want some business with a proper woman?" I politely replied that I had no money on me. She said "You love me now you pay me later" then her and the other streetwalkers collapsed laughing. It was a pretty rough area but I never got burgled and my old Chevette was never broken into. One night I left my headlights on and a hooker came to my door to tell me so which was nice of her.
 
I went for a run on Tuesday actually. I had to come back after 5 minutes though because I forgot something. As I came back through the door, my wife asked me what I had forgotten... "I forgot that I can't run!" I replied.

Seriously though, I identify myself as a runner... I had an on off relationship with it for quite a few years but was running for the wrong reasons. It was mainly as a way to lose weight, or to tell myself I had earnt a treat or a night out etc. It's not really sustainable like that. Over the last few years though I have become more consistent and as I say, I now consider myself a runner. It is part of me, part of what I do and as someone said above, it is a very important relationship in my life. Again, like others, I love the mental health benefits it gives me, it's my chance to clear my head and work through things by myself.

I think it helps that I have got quite decent at it, so I can enjoy the results I produce when racing as well as the process of training and socialising. I run with/for my local running club but that is just to mix it up and socialise a bit with like minded people. I am running my second marathon this Sunday in Liverpool so we'll see how that goes but I'm hoping for around 3:10 or so. My other PBs are 18:31 for 5k, 39:56 for 10k, 1:29 for the half marathon.
 
They are brilliant times times (y). Mine have fallen slightly as I've got a bit older, but normally I manage to finish somewhere toward the end of the first 3rd of the runners.

I'm happy with my PB's, but they are nowhere as good as yours: Half Marathon 1:52:06 and 10K at 47:33. [Don't think I could manage a full Marathon] I started running in my 30's as I began to put weight on after I got married, but grew to love it. I'm in my late 50's now :(. But, fortunately no health issues or injuries to contend so usually run on average about about 15 miles a week.

Out running at 7:00am yesterday I saw the sunrise over a local lake which produced some fantastic reflections and colourful skies, which enhanced my usual running feelgood factor... and I've managed to maintain my 30" waist as well. :)

So how did Liverpool go on Sunday?
 
stem said:
So how did Liverpool go on Sunday?
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Liverpool was tough! I went out a touch too fast, was at about 3:05 pace at halfway. The second half of the race was a lot more challenging, it was quite poorly supported and the course itself was just quite dull and twisty going round some parks. I very much hit the wall and was still pushing through until the 3:15 pacer overtook me with a few km to go. That just absolutely destroyed me mentally and I couldn't find any internal reason to justify why 3:15 was really any different to 3:20. All just really deep mental games going on in your head at this stage when you're at a physically depleted stage. It was a great learning experience though as I had never gone through this before. I finished at 3:17 which I am still delighted with as its a massive PB and gives me plenty of headroom to aim for next year.
 
I'm liking my running right now.

I started back in 2013. When I started, I couldn't run far. I got to the point of running 2km without stopping so feeling good I entered one of the hardest half marathons in the country , which was 6 weeks away.

I trained hard for 6 weeks, and ran the HM in under 2 hours which I was very happy with.

After that I kept up the running, I've had peaks and troughs with it. I've run a fair few HMs now but I always feel so drained after that I don't fancy running a full marathon.

Over the last couple of years I've drifted away from organised events as I don't need to fill the drawer with any more medals and I don't need any more running t-shirts. If I need the motivation of a HM etc then I just pick a date and create a nice HM course and train for it then run it. Seems to work the same for me.

I've spent recent months working on my speed though. The previous years were all about half marathon pace, so it had been nice to mix it up. I've never been super fast, so it has been nice to see an improvement on that side. Got my first sub 22 5km last week, now working towards a sub 21. Would love to eventually get a sub 20 but that seems like a stretch!

For me running gives a bit of a balance, I have a busy job which leaves me mentally tired. The running helps clear my mind and tires my body out as much as my brain is!
 
I’m more of a cyclist myself, but do partake in the occasional triathlon and cross country event.

I don’t often run more than 5k, and even less often more than 10k. I’ve once done a half marathon, although that was just one morning around the local lanes with a mate and was only my third run in around three years - I could hardly walk the next day!

The reason I don’t run much is that I don’t particularly enjoy it. I have trouble going at a pace slow enough to actually enjoy it and usually end up pushing myself to the limit which means it hurts. A lot!

Anyway, as I like to challenge myself and stay fit, I’ve recently started fitting in a couple of 5k runs a week in addition to the cycling and gym work I already do. I’m aiming for a 20min 5k - I’m a little way off that at the moment. The weather isn’t helping (and maybe I’m getting a bit old :() but my best was 18 mins dead in 2007 so I still have hope!

Will let you know how I get on!
 
I have a very on off thing with running - there is a park by the office where I work and during the summer I like to go for a run around there (also means I don't have to sit in traffic for ages as it's usually quieter once I've done my run).

I enjoy it when I do it but usually after a while either out of boredom or because of the weather changing I flake off so any gains usually are gone when I start again (to be honest the parks by me have no lights and are usually locked up when it gets dark so the only other option then is running on the street).

There is a new gym being built over the road opening in January though so might use that in the winter.
 
Not exactly running, rather about treadmilling.
My wife's treadmill, a Nero Sports NS-105-BT model, started to develop a knocking sound after about 18 months of reasonable use. I diagnosed a faulty bearing on the main drive roller, a 6301RZ size. I replaced all 4 bearings (2 on drive roller and 2 on the return roller) with NSK 6301RR units. Belt was aligned and tensioned in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. After only 1/2 hour of use the return roller then developed a knock. After removal I identified one of it's bearings was 'rough' so clearly a defective bearing. I again replaced all 4 bearings, but this time with FAG 6301ZZ units. Another half hour later and again one of the return roller bearings was knocking. Rolling it's 2 bearings by hand didn't suggest roughness but one of them obviously is. I'm happy that I'm not over-tensioning the drive belt and it is adequately lubricated with the supplied deck lubricant so I can only presume it's a quality issue with bearings. Having now bought 8 replacement bearings I'm reluctant to continue a pointless exercise, but she insists on me getting back to working order. Note that the seal type RZ, RR or ZZ shouldn't affect bearing performance in this application. Can anyone suggest what make and model of bearings should be used (ie quality, clearance etc)
 
Oof, a £250 treadmill is asking for trouble, something like that it just ain't worth skimping on IMO. If you' re gonna keep at it then cut your losses, triple your budget and buy a better one.
 
One that doesn't wear out after 18 months. Think about everything that makes up your £250 treadmill, the bearings, runners, belts, frame, electronics, design, manufacture, shipping, marketing, etc etc, how much of that is devoted to the bearing?

My Bremshey crosstrainer I bought in about 2005 is still going strong, cost me about £700 at the time and weighs more than me. The bearings on it look like car wheel bearings.
 
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It is more likely to be the bearing shaft or bearing housing that is the root of the problem.
A 63012RS (2 x rubber seals), is a reliable bearing, especially branded ones like NSK, FAG or SKF
Do they slide on to the shaft easily? They should be 'interference' fit, which means tapping on with a mallet and a copper/wood block placed against the inner race only. If they slide on easily by hand the shaft is worn. If you are tapping them on by striking the outer race then you will be distorting the alignment and probably marking the face of the balls. The same applies to the bearing housings. They should be a tap fit. Do the housings have 'bump' washers fitted? (sometimes referred to as a 'wave' washer because of the shape). These must also be refitted. If it starts off as a tap fit but then 'falls' into the housing then the housing is worn.
Removing and fitting bearings is not a hammer and brute force type of job.
 
conny said:
It is more likely to be the bearing shaft or bearing housing that is the root of the problem.
A 63012RS (2 x rubber seals), is a reliable bearing, especially branded ones like NSK, FAG or SKF
Do they slide on to the shaft easily? They should be 'interference' fit
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That's an interesting point that I hadn't considered - even after 3 different bearing manufacturers - The shaft is a relatively easy fit into the bearing inner as is the bearing outer into the roller. My next attempt will be the use of loctite (or similar) retainer compound.

Update : Conny, that was a great tip. There was indeed some very slight burnishing on the shaft indicating slippage between shaft and bearing inner. The bearings also tended to 'fall' out of the rollers which would add to the problem. Application of bearing retainer to both outer and inner bearing surfaces seems to have effected a cure. Once again we live and learn. Many thanks
 
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