questions for runners

[rawfigure]

Hey all. This will seem an odd question coming from a former bodybuilder but going to ask anyway !

About 6 weeks ago I reduced my weight training to 2 days a week (circuits) and increased my running.( When I was training for shows I did more distance walking, short runs ) So over the last 6 weeks I have built up to a six mile run, doing varied sppeds to bring me in at 10-12 min miles. And did about 24 miles last 7 day. Well I decided to wear jeans today and wow first pair..really tight in the thighs....babbled I began trying on jeans. 8 pairs and YIKES ALL were so tight, a few would barely go over my thighs. I was shocked. I have not weighed myself in 6 weeks and decided if I did not want to burst into tears I best not step on the scales.

So I tried on jeans I wore just 4 weeks ago and YEP tight !! Yet my work clothes seem to fit fine, alas this is probably cause my work clothes are looser and wear mostly the Limited which have some stretch in the fabric..so fooled !

I did change my diet to include more fruit and less nuts and seeds and I dropped the desert recipes from the diet, except raw banana ice cream on occassion.

SO anyway do any runners have any experience with increased muscularity/loss or weight gain/ loss when embarking on long distance running. I began the new regime to lean down ..and the opposite is happening !!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[dreamrawalwz]

Not sure if this is the case, but if you had excess fat on your thighs it won't dissappear and be replaced by muscle instantly. First the muscle may build up as you use it and the fat still stay there so it'll look like your thighs are larger, but then the fat will melt away and they'll decrease in size and become more toned...hope that helped a bit?

[CaptainSwab]

You have a case of what is known as runner thighs. If you go to the womens forum on Runners World you will see that this is normal for women runners. I think there was once an entire thread devoted to us complaining about how pants don't fit our legs. Our thighs get big because we are working those muscles. I have a hard time finding pants that fit nicely around the thighs.

[rawfigure]

Not sure if this is the case, but if you had excess fat on your thighs it won't dissappear and be replaced by muscle instantly. First the muscle may build up as you use it and the fat still stay there so it'll look like your thighs are larger, but then the fat will melt away and they'll decrease in size and become more toned...hope that helped a bit?

Maybe this is the case...I needed to lose a few pds before I started the my new running regime. I assumed the fat would fall off my legs with the running. My twin is a runner, not a weight lifter, and she has sleek Quads. My Quad measure is up 1/2 " from my measure 4 weeks ago !

[rawfigure]

You have a case of what is known as runner thighs. If you go to the womens forum on Runners World you will see that this is normal for women runners. I think there was once an entire thread devoted to us complaining about how pants don't fit our legs. Our thighs get big because we are working those muscles. I have a hard time finding pants that fit nicely around the thighs.


Hmmmmmm, I am going there now ! thanks. I have a clent who runs marathons and she has great legs and she is 65 ! But maybe she has this dilemma too....I will ask her.

[sevenbravo]

Long runs, that will slim up those legs. Make sure that you do at least one long run of 90-120 minutes per week in addition to your shorter runs during the week. Speed is not important, just the time on your feet. I was slim when I started getting serious about my running, but when I started doing the long runs on the weekend, that is when all the fat burnt off. I had to buy all new pants.

[NFrawRUNNER]

Long runs, that will slim up those legs. Make sure that you do at least one long run of 90-120 minutes per week in addition to your shorter runs during the week. Speed is not important, just the time on your feet. I was slim when I started getting serious about my running, but when I started doing the long runs on the weekend, that is when all the fat burnt off. I had to buy all new pants.
yep...he's right....I think your body needs to "deplete their stores" about once a week! "slow and steady wins the race" (that's the exact reason I like turtles!!!) As a matter of fact, now that the weather is better and my leg is completely healed I can't wait to try a "long run" again....Right now I've not gone longer than the 42K 1/2 marathon distance...but I am going to add on time soon....are any of you gearing up for any races???? I am "searching" right now....trying to decide if I should do another full marathon or stick with the 1/2 distance....doc says I'll "know" if the metal plate is loose or rubbing...but that freaks me out so I am sticking with the "slow and steady" approach!!! :rolleyes:

[twinyoga]

Can I add to this? I am known for runners thighs, too!

My question is about the long run. I run about 2-3 miles on the treadmill. I use the courses with hills and it's a great workout. I use a very good treadmill. I would say I run about an 11 minute mile right now. Long ago, I was running 5K's at about a 9.5 minute mile.

Well, for fun, I did my first long run last week (on the treadmill) with rolling hills. I did 4 miles in just under 50 minutes. I felt great, comfortably sore and pushed hard but not too hard. I had no problem recovery. So, how do I decide what is too much or not enough in a long run? The last thing I want is an injury! And I can run 3-4 days a week.

Rawfigure, I hope this question helps you, too. If not, I can move this to another thread.

[NFrawRUNNER]

Can I add to this? I am known for runners thighs, too!

My question is about the long run. I run about 2-3 miles on the treadmill. I use the courses with hills and it's a great workout. I use a very good treadmill. I would say I run about an 11 minute mile right now. Long ago, I was running 5K's at about a 9.5 minute mile.

Well, for fun, I did my first long run last week (on the treadmill) with rolling hills. I did 4 miles in just under 50 minutes. I felt great, comfortably sore and pushed hard but not too hard. I had no problem recovery. So, how do I decide what is too much or not enough in a long run? The last thing I want is an injury! And I can run 3-4 days a week.

Rawfigure, I hope this question helps you, too. If not, I can move this to another thread.

Again, I would encourage you to go for time as opposed to distance....maybe you could add 5-10 minutes each week for your long run until you are comfortably doing a (long) 2 hour run.....That way if you decide to do a "race" or some other goal you are already pretty conditioned for it...If the 2 hours is too long because of the kids you can divide it into 2 runs on that day and research has shown it has the same benefits as one long run....hope this helps....I think the way you are doing it sounds perfect "comfortably sore" is a great term you've coined and is perfect to guage your running!!! You go girl! :D

[sevenbravo]

Take your time and add mileage slowly....no more than a 10% increase per week, and even then you have to listen to your body. If you are exhausted all the time, you are obviously doing too much.
Your long run should be roughly 20-25% of your total weekly mileage (or time). So you have to slowly work your way up to a 2 hour run in relation to what you are doing the other 6 days of the week. I think 90 minutes is plenty for most people intent on improving and not setting records. 90 minutes will get you into the fat burning phase and help increase your stamina.

Good luck!

[sevenbravo]

And do lots of Yoga! That keeps the injuries away!

[twinyoga]

Thanks!

I just bought new running shoes today. I got them for a great store just for runners. I brought the shoes I've been running in (which I ran a marathon in) so they could compare the shoes. I will test these new she out on the treadmill tomorrow. I'm so excited to be in running mode again. Except this time I'm a yoga teacher who runs. Not a person who just said "I want to run a marathon 'cause I want to". (I'm a different person now, it's a much different outlook).

I know I can run 50 minutes comfortable. So, I'll start pushing that as my long run. And I'll go from there.

[rawfigure]

Take your time and add mileage slowly....no more than a 10% increase per week, and even then you have to listen to your body. If you are exhausted all the time, you are obviously doing too much.
Your long run should be roughly 20-25% of your total weekly mileage (or time). So you have to slowly work your way up to a 2 hour run in relation to what you are doing the other 6 days of the week. I think 90 minutes is plenty for most people intent on improving and not setting records. 90 minutes will get you into the fat burning phase and help increase your stamina.

Good luck!


In teresting method of calculating. My longest run right now is 80 min. So if I did 6 hours running I should bump my longer run to 90 min this week.

I am doing two one hour runs today..leaving here soon for the second one.
I am trying to get that additional fat burning going. I am working my way to 40 miles a week by mid summer.

[rawfigure]

Can I add to this? I am known for runners thighs, too!

My question is about the long run. I run about 2-3 miles on the treadmill. I use the courses with hills and it's a great workout. I use a very good treadmill. I would say I run about an 11 minute mile right now. Long ago, I was running 5K's at about a 9.5 minute mile.

Well, for fun, I did my first long run last week (on the treadmill) with rolling hills. I did 4 miles in just under 50 minutes. I felt great, comfortably sore and pushed hard but not too hard. I had no problem recovery. So, how do I decide what is too much or not enough in a long run? The last thing I want is an injury! And I can run 3-4 days a week.

Rawfigure, I hope this question helps you, too. If not, I can move this to another thread.


Yes you can add to this thread , your welcome ! :D

I have leaned down some since I initially posted but alas the jeans are still tight in the thighs. I guess if I am going to be a runner again I will get used to it.

My twin's thighs get thinner when she runs. We think maybe (since we are genetically identical) that my thighs getting muscular may be due to my weight training history of 20 years while she has done minimal weights her whole life.