I do most of my running in 2 places: South Florida and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The way I’m treated as a runner on the roads in these places is wildly different, and was wondering what it’s like in other areas.

Florida: Even at a crosswalk, cars don’t yield. People with dogs on leashes do not shorten the leash or move so they aren’t taking up the entire sidewalk and I’ve been clotheslined more than once. Dogs off leashes can’t be trusted not to chase you. People walking or standing around chatting, even when they see you coming, do not shift over to let you pass. Cars don’t give you any extra room even if the other lane is empty. Cyclists are hit or miss. Some yield to you, some force you to pull a Homer Simpson in the bushes kind of move to avoid being hit. Other runners wave or nod maybe 1/4 of the time. In short, every person for him or herself. And I hate it.

Massachusetts: Entirely different story. People in cars stop to let me cross even if there isn’t a crosswalk. The cars wait for the other lane to open up so they can give me more room. So much more awareness and consideration to others sharing the road, sidewalk, or trail. Rules generally followed about which side to bike or walk on, and cyclists yield to runners. Eye contact when we pass and some kind of acknowledgement.

I often say we have a culture problem here in Florida, and it transfers into so many aspects of life. It’s very me, not we.

It’s just such a drastic difference. So I’m curious what it’s like in other states and countries.

Hey runners, it's another day and it is time to post your accomplishments you'd like to share - big or small.

Note: No need to preface YOUR accomplishments with something like, "this may not be an accomplishment to most of you...". Be proud of your achievement.

The Li’l Race Report Thread is for writing a short report on a recent race or a run in a new place. If your race doesn’t really need its own thread but you still want to talk about it, then post it here! Both your good and bad races are welcome.

Didn't run a race, but had an interesting run to talk about. Post it here as well!

So get to it, Runnit! In a paragraph or two, where’d you run and how’d it go?

Hey runners, it's another day and it is time to post your accomplishments you'd like to share - big or small.

Note: No need to preface YOUR accomplishments with something like, "this may not be an accomplishment to most of you...". Be proud of your achievement.

### Race Information

* **Name:** AsIAm 5K

* **Date:** August 17th 2025

* **Distance:** 5 km

* **Location:** Corkagh Park, Dublin

* **Website:** https://asiam.ie/events/run4autism

* **Time:** 38:46

### Goals

| Goal | Description | Completed? |

|------|-------------|------------|

| A | Don't die | *Yes* |

| B | Run the whole thing | *Yes* |

| C | Sub 40 | *Yes* |

### Splits

| Kilometer | Time |

|------|------|

| 1 | 6:47

| 2 | 7:32

| 3 | 7:35

| 4 | 8:06

| 5 | 8:28

### Training

I've never been much of a runner. Never really liked any kind of sport. But like a lot of people approaching the wrong side of 40, I needed to lose weight so I started jogging. No plan, no programme, had flunked out of Couch to 5K a few times so I just said I'd run to the next lamp post, the next Pokestop, whatever. Gradually, it became easier to run for a whole song, then a few songs and so on. It got to where I needed to buy proper trainers, proper shorts, something to hold my phone, that kind of thing. Wasn't breaking any land speed records but I was able to do 5-6 km at a time a few times a week. For a few years now, an Autism charity in Ireland has had a 5k run event. It's advertised as accessible and for all ages, abilities and so on but I'd never had any interested in going. This year, as I was starting to get into running, I said I'd sign up. I'm autistic so I figured it would be nice to raise some money for the charity and give something back to my community.

### Pre-race

My wife was working and I didn't really have any friends who were interested in coming along with me, so off I went on the day on my own. The race was due to start at 12 but the event started at 11, so I said I'd get there for 10:30 to beat traffic and crowds. I figured I could sit in the grass and read my book or just relax and wait for the event to start. The first thing I noticed was how busy it was already. Everyone had my idea, get there early. There was plenty of space but it was already kinda hectic. Next thing was: no bag drop. I had just a change of shirt and some food but there was nowhere to put it, which I thought was a bit of an oversight. I think I was quite unique, almost everyone there had someone with them that was waiting around the finish zone that was holding their stuff. It was definitely more of a family fun day than a race event. Waited around until 11:40 or so and then they kinda called everyone over to do some kind of warm-up and have a little talk about it. They say to not change anything on a race day and I guess that really applies to Marathoners but for 5k, it's probably less important. Still, the race was starting way later than I'm used to (I usually run before work around 7am) and so that was a bit different for "fuelling". The other thing was that I never really do a warm up. I stretch my legs a little and walk to my starting point and then run a little slower than my pace until I feel warmed up. This warm up was pretty full on, something that actually tired me out quite a bit ha ha.

### Race

Eventually, we all got warmed up and lined up and here we go. As the event was accessible, there was plenty of non-runners, walkers, kids on bikes or scooters, people with dogs, everything you could imagine. There was no instructions from the organisers for people to line-up by category or ability or anything (part of the event is the idea of giving everyone the same chance in life, so it all feeds into that). This meant a solid kilometre of having to dodge around people, running on grass and whatever way I could to get around them. Again, as someone who only runs on my own at unsociably early hours, this was a new experience and I didn't care for it. It also meant I went out waaay too fast and had to really reel it back in. I guess some form of adrenaline or excitement kicked in. I eventually found my rhythm, even settling in with some people around the same pace as me (I assumed). One group would walk for half a k or so and then run for half a k. When they walked, they blocked the whole path and I had to run around them to get past. When they ran, they would overtake me comfortably and then spread out in front of me again when they slowed down to walk. That annoyed me a little but at one point I overtook them and they never came past me again, so I guess I won.

Another thing was how hot it was. I know other people run in hot weather but I am not used to it. Usually by the time I finish my run, it's way before the hottest part of the day. It was 22c by the time we got going, unbearably hot for me when I'm not running, never mind when I'm trying to do a 5km. I could really feel myself flagging for the last 2km and they were below my pace. Luckily, my first 3 were fast enough that I was still able to finish under 40 minutes. I don't know if this is normal for an event like this, but the run tracker I use was a little off, not showing 3k until I was about a minute after the marker. On the final stretch, the markers said 500 m to go but my tracker was saying 700 meters. Then, right at the finish line it synched up to 5km and I was so tired I didn't know what had happened (except that I had finished and hit my target). Not sure if that's normal. They also told me the course was flat but my Runkeeper told me I'd had the 3rd most elevation change of any run I'd ever done, so something's not right there ha ha

Something that was a little fun was right at the finish line, two little kids had their hands out to give 5 to the runners but no-one running past was paying them attention (at least from when I spotted them). So as I ran past, I somehow mustered the strength to stoop down and slap their palms and they seemed delighted. I have seen people do this at race events so I was glad I was able to do it, as silly as that sounds.

### Post-race

Finished the race and got my medal. Felt good. Found a patch of grass and sat down to take a selfie and show off my medal, message my wife and friends and just catch my breath. The post race zone had a water station, so I went over and had some water. Everything else was really busy (coffee place, ice cream van and a sandwich place) and I was pretty exhausted and didn't fancy standing around for much longer, so I headed off. If I was to do this again, I'd make sure I had a few people with me, even if they're not running, because it's more of a family event. I'd also probably get a bit closer to the front for the start to avoid people pushing buggies and with dogs on leads. Speaking of pushing buggies, a guy ran the whole race in front of me pushing his kid in some kind of sports buggy and when I got to the finish line, they were giving the baby a medal. I didn't see if they awarded any dogs a medal. A running club near where my dad lives is doing a 5k for the same charity in November. It's not a family friendly event so I might sign up for that to see what that kind of race is like.

Overall, my first ever running event, I didn't have a bad time but I like running solo for now.

Made with a new [race report generator](http://sfdavis.com/racereports/) created by u/herumph.

With over 4,125,000 subscribers, there are a lot of posts that come in everyday that are often repeats of questions previously asked or covered in the FAQ.

With that in mind, this post can be a place for any questions (especially those that may not deserve their own thread). Hopefully this is successful and helps to lower clutter and repeating posts here.

If you are new to the sub or to running, this Intro post is a good resource.

As always don't forget to check the FAQ.

And please take advantage of the search bar or Google's subreddit limited search.

Post your training for this past week. Provide any context you find helpful like what you're training for and what your previous weeks have been like. Feel free to comment on other people's training.

(This is not the Achievement thread).

Hey runners, it's another day and it is time to post your accomplishments you'd like to share - big or small.

Note: No need to preface YOUR accomplishments with something like, "this may not be an accomplishment to most of you...". Be proud of your achievement.

With over 4,125,000 subscribers, there are a lot of posts that come in everyday that are often repeats of questions previously asked or covered in the FAQ.

With that in mind, this post can be a place for any questions (especially those that may not deserve their own thread). Hopefully this is successful and helps to lower clutter and repeating posts here.

If you are new to the sub or to running, this Intro post is a good resource.

As always don't forget to check the FAQ.

And please take advantage of the search bar or Google's subreddit limited search.

Enforcing Rule 3 (no self-promotion, social media links) is a must with a large sub such as this, but we do realize that it filters out some truly useful content that is relative to the sub. In an effort to allow that content in, we thought we'd have a weekly post to give a spot for the useful content. So...

Here's you chance!

Got a project you've been working on (video, programming, etc.), share it here!

Want to promote a business or service, share it here!

Trying to get more Instagram followers, share it here!

Found any great running content online, share it here!

The one caveat I have is that whatever is shared should be fitness related, please.

I've got myself back into running in the past couple of months. Last week, I set a new PB of 22:31 for the 5km. I'm looking to try to bring my time down towards the 20 minute mark over the next few months with a mixture of interval workouts and easy long runs.

I'm doing my easy runs on an 11km route, with the aim of doing 5:30/km pace. I wear a watch to try to maintain that pace, but any time I stop looking at it and try to run for a couple of minutes, I start running 5:00-5:10/km pace and then have to consciously slow myself down again. I barely notice that I'm doing it, it just happens.

I'm finding it frustrating because I'm really not chasing speed or times on these runs. They're purely about getting kilometres into my legs and I do them without the added risk of fatigue, but it's almost as though my body/brain thinks I should be going faster unless I'm spending the entire run staring at my watch.

Does anyone have any methods they use to keep the pace down on easy runs and control their speed? I just want to enjoy them more without having to consciously apply the brakes every couple of minutes.

Hey runners, it's another day and it is time to post your accomplishments you'd like to share - big or small.

Note: No need to preface YOUR accomplishments with something like, "this may not be an accomplishment to most of you...". Be proud of your achievement.

With over 4,125,000 subscribers, there are a lot of posts that come in everyday that are often repeats of questions previously asked or covered in the FAQ.

With that in mind, this post can be a place for any questions (especially those that may not deserve their own thread). Hopefully this is successful and helps to lower clutter and repeating posts here.

If you are new to the sub or to running, this Intro post is a good resource.

As always don't forget to check the FAQ.

And please take advantage of the search bar or Google's subreddit limited search.

Good morning, Runnit! Another weekend of races is approaching, so let's take a minute to see if any other Runnitors will be laying down those miles with us!

If you're racing this weekend, put a top-level comment below with the race details to help find other members of the community. See a race mentioned that looks interesting? Ask questions! Running your favorite race of the year? Tell us what makes it so awesome!

This thread is just an easy way to help Runnitors find each other in some sort of organized manner and help cheer each other on!

Another week is coming to a close!

What’s good this weekend? Who’s running, racing, tapering, recovering, hiking, camping, cheering, volunteering, kayaking, swimming, knitting, baking, reading, sleeping, .. ? Tell us everything.

How’s your week of running going? Got any Complaints? Anything to add as a Confession? How about any Uncomplaints?

Hey runners, it's another day and it is time to post your accomplishments you'd like to share - big or small.

Note: No need to preface YOUR accomplishments with something like, "this may not be an accomplishment to most of you...". Be proud of your achievement.

With over 4,125,000 subscribers, there are a lot of posts that come in everyday that are often repeats of questions previously asked or covered in the FAQ.

With that in mind, this post can be a place for any questions (especially those that may not deserve their own thread). Hopefully this is successful and helps to lower clutter and repeating posts here.

If you are new to the sub or to running, this Intro post is a good resource.

As always don't forget to check the FAQ.

And please take advantage of the search bar or Google's subreddit limited search.

Let me just say, the things we do for these stubborn joints of ours.

So, I recently stumbled across a water treadmill in a hotel gym. Imagine the regular treadmill you know, but this one is inside a tank with water up to your waist, like something out of a film, honestly. The trainer was full of promises: “It is gentle on the knees! You still sweat! You will thank me!” You know how these gym people be, always with the big talk. But I am skeptical by nature. Is it really that different from cycling, or even rowing, which I can do at home while my mother yells at me to fetch water?

I went down an internet hole searching for opinions, and somehow I ended up reading a review on Alibaba about gym mats. I even asked around. My friend tried the water treadmill after a football injury. He said it was alright, but after two weeks, he quietly returned to his old routines, as if nothing happened.

So, has anyone here actually used a water treadmill at all? Is it worth the hype, or should I just stick to my stubborn bicycle? Please, I need honest opinions.

It's that time of week already...the gear thread! What have you picked up lately? What's working for you now that it's whatever season you believe it to be in your particular location? What have you put through rigorous testing that's proved worthy of use? We want to know!

To clear up some confusion: We’re not actually asking what you’re wearing today. It’s just a catchy name for the thread. This is the weekly gear discussion thread, so discuss gear!

NOTE: For you Runnitors looking to sell/trade any running gear (as well as bib transfers), head over to /r/therunningrack.

• Name: 2025 Edmonton Marathon
• Date: August 17, 2025
• Distance: 42.2 km
• Location: Edmonton, AB
• Website: https://www.edmontonmarathon.ca/
• Time: 04:39:30

Goals

Splits

Background

I [M41] never intended to run a marathon this year. But I had been running consistently since 2023, had two half marathons under my belt, and had just wrapped up a 10K training block that ended with a result I was really happy with. So I figured I’d keep the momentum going and aim for something bigger. That "something" turned out to be the Edmonton Marathon.

Initially, I set my sights on a sub-4:00 finish, based on my VDOT-predicted time. But I quickly revised that to something more modest: just finishing, ideally around 6:00 min/km. And I was totally fine with revising that upwards if things went south [Narrator: Oh boy, and did things go south!]

Training

For training, I made what I now see as my biggest mistake: I relied on Garmin’s Daily Suggested Workouts. The mileage was consistently low; even lower than Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Plan. I was running five days a week, but my weekly totals hovered around 40–45 km. My longest run, in mid-July, topped out at just 17 km (1:48:00).

With just four weeks to go before race day, I realized I had plateaued far short of where I needed to be. At that point, I asked ChatGPT to sketch out a plan for me. It did; and that meant bumping up both weekly mileage and long run distance very quickly. I ran 55 km the first week, with a 25 km long run. The following week, I hit 60 km, including a 28 km long run. On both long runs, I ran the final 5 km at my target pace.

I knew it was risky to ramp both weekly mileage and long run distance so quickly, but I went in prepared to pull the plug if anything felt off. Miraculously, I made it through injury-free, probably thanks to the intensity of my 10K training block and the base building I did before then.

Still, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Family and work commitments meant I was up at 4:30 am most mornings to run, before heading straight into a full day. Sleep was poor; often under six hours a night plus a 20-minute afternoon nap.

A month before the race, my wife finally put her foot down and insisted I start going to bed by 10:00 pm. That one change made a huge difference. Within days, recovery improved dramatically. My runs felt fresher, and I had a lot more energy to give.

Race Day

Edmonton is known for being a fast, flat course. Combined with how my long runs had gone, I felt cautiously optimistic. The weather, though, was a concern: 12°C at the start, climbing to 21°C by late morning.

The race started on the dot at 7:00 am, and the first half went smoothly. I cruised comfortably at 5:50–5:55/km. My heart rate stayed near the lower end of Zone 3. Fueling was consistent: A gel every 30 minutes, and small sips of water every two km or so. Around 20 km, I felt a tiny twinge in my left hamstring, but a short walk break cleared it up and it never returned.

At the halfway mark, the course loops past the start/finish, and my family was there, cheering me on at the top of their voices. It was the perfect morale boost!

Things started to shift after 25 km, when my pace drifted to 6:20, then 6:30. I wasn’t too worried. My goal pace wasn’t set in stone; I was more focused on finishing well than hitting a number.

And then, right at 32 km, the wheels came off -- almost comically in line with what so many other race reports on this sub describe.

First, I felt a cramp in my right shoulder, followed quickly by one in what I think was the serratus. Like the hamstring earlier, both cleared up quickly and never came back. Finally, my calves started spasming. Not really painful, but on the edge of locking up if I didn’t back off and walk. From then on, I alternated short runs with frequent walk breaks.

Meanwhile, the sun was out in full force, the temperature had climbed above 20°C, and the course felt endless. Edmonton’s route isn’t exactly scenic: mostly suburban sprawl, no shade, nothing to distract from the grind except for a glimpse of downtown at the start/finish. I was miserable.

I tried to set small targets -- run 1 km, then walk -- but even that became too much. At times, I could barely manage 500 m before the calves forced another break. My pace cratered to around 8:15/km. Strangely, I didn’t feel all that fatigued. Maybe the walk breaks kept my heart rate low, or maybe the calf issues just masked everything else.

Crowd support kept me alive. Every cheer, every clap, helped me shuffle forward. And in the back of my mind, I kept telling myself: "My wife, my kids, my parents are all there to watch … no way am I DNF’ing."

Eventually, I crossed the finish line, running, in 4:39:30. Way off the sub-4 dream, and far from the strong finish I imagined, but it was a finish. My family was there cheering, and that moment made every bit of suffering worth it. And to top it off, I walked away with a massive medal haul: the kids made full use of the activity stations and proudly draped their creations around my neck afterward.

Assessment

This not the race I dreamed of, but exactly the kind of first-marathon experience I half-expected: plenty of suffering, plenty of lessons. Here are mine:

• A marathon training block is intense. 60 km/week stretches you thin when you’re juggling work and family.

• I can't trust Garmin's DSW for race-specific training anymore. I’ll stick to one of the established plans next time. A longer buildup and more volume are essential to make my legs marathon-ready. Higdon's Novice Plans seem to work well for most people, and they also cut down training days to four a week.

• ChatGPT makes for a passable interim coach, or maybe that's just my survivor's bias talking.

• Summer marathons are brutal. Running in 20°C+ with no shade is not my idea of fun. I’ll stick to spring/fall races next time.

• Marathon fatigue hits differently. In the final third of a 10K, I’m usually gasping for air, heart redlining, lungs burning. In the marathon, the wasn’t my heart or lungs that failed me, but pure muscular breakdown.

Despite the blow-up, I’m glad I did it. I knew a debut could go sideways, and it did -- but I learned a lot. I stayed injury-free, gutted it out instead of stepping off the course when things fell apart, and crossed the finish line.

I get to call myself a "marathoner" now. That is good enough. For the time being.

Made with a new race report generator created by /u/herumph.

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Then what are you waiting for? Tell us all about yourself!

The LW thread is an invitation to get more involved with the /r/running community.

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Hey runners, it's another day and it is time to post your accomplishments you'd like to share - big or small.

Note: No need to preface YOUR accomplishments with something like, "this may not be an accomplishment to most of you...". Be proud of your achievement.

With over 4,125,000 subscribers, there are a lot of posts that come in everyday that are often repeats of questions previously asked or covered in the FAQ.

With that in mind, this post can be a place for any questions (especially those that may not deserve their own thread). Hopefully this is successful and helps to lower clutter and repeating posts here.

If you are new to the sub or to running, this Intro post is a good resource.

As always don't forget to check the FAQ.

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Back once again for everything you wanted to know about running but were afraid to ask.

Rules of the Road:

This is inspired by eric_twinge's fine work in r/fitness.

Upvote either good or stupid questions. Sort questions by new so that they get some love.

To the more experienced runnitors, if something is a good question or answer, add it to the FAQ.

Post your question -- stupid or otherwise -- here to get an answer -- stupid or otherwise. Anyone can post a question and the community as a whole is invited and encouraged to provide an answer. Many questions get submitted late each week that don't get a lot of action, so if your question didn't get answered, feel free to post it again.

As always, be sure to read the FAQ first. Also, there's a handy-dandy search bar to your right, and if you didn't know, you can also use Google to search runnit by using the limiter "site:reddit.com r/running".

Be sure to check back often as questions get posted throughout the day. Sort comments by "new" to be sure the newer questions get some love as well.

[Posting on behalf of u/Percinho who is busy perfecting the recipe for peanut butter stuffed French toast]