jogging and motivation thread

[WussRedXLi]

 

[rarenick]

Sorry, don't know much about this cortisol thing. High intensity training is usually about only 20% in volume, or session for distance runner. So it's not really that high volume. For most people is just once a week. And the rest of the week roughly 80% is only zone 2 or mixture of grey zone and zone 2 if you are training for a race.
Will this affect your cortisol goal?

Thanks. I forgot about the percent thing. I checked my garmin workout plan suggested by chatgpt. It think quite safe. Initially worried too much zone 4 for me.
Below is the breakdown for a 44.5 mins run (not 35 mins, oops).
Zone 2: ~61%
Zone 3: ~32%
Zone 4: ~8%

The hardest to maintain is zone 2. Fast walk is irritating.

 

[bbbbbw]

Last Fri started at 830pm. cycled from Clementi to Alexandra road to Pickering street then ended up at MBS.

Went to East Coast park and stopped at national service resort then cycled back to Clementi

The furthest I went very shag

 

[rarenick]

Last Fri started at 830pm. cycled from Clementi to Alexandra road to Pickering street then ended up at MBS.
Went to East Coast park and stopped at national service resort then cycled back to Clementi
The furthest I went very shag

Good job. Do a few more times it will become a normal ride

 

[Ender]

@xllms Last time you posted a lobang on Tao bao to get outsoles that matches the models of some popular branded shoes. IF you still have it, can share it here again? My AAP3 didn't survived last night run. The outsole pichar badly, can't reuse them back.

 

[Ender]

Thanks. I forgot about the percent thing. I checked my garmin workout plan suggested by chatgpt. It think quite safe. Initially worried too much zone 4 for me.
Below is the breakdown for a 44.5 mins run (not 35 mins, oops).
Zone 2: ~61%
Zone 3: ~32%
Zone 4: ~8%

The hardest to maintain is zone 2. Fast walk is irritating.

Just my opinion, don't really have to stick strictly to the HR of zone2. The zone table for most people are usually wrong anyway.
Just go with a RPE with what they say is conversational pace, and run. Specificity in running + consistency (preferably at least 4 days a week) will help your body adapt to be resilient.

 

[xllms]

@xllms Last time you posted a lobang on Tao bao to get outsoles that matches the models of some popular branded shoes. IF you still have it, can share it here again? My AAP3 didn't survived last night run. The outsole pichar badly, can't reuse them back.

here you go.
https://e.tb.cn/h.6on5CG6z5yodmqM?tk=ZNU6Vg8hOma

alternatively u can long press the image of the product and select 找相似 for alternatives.

 

[ksapple]

Anyone buy anta pg7 before?

 

[WussRedXLi]

 

[WussRedXLi]

 

[Ender]

here you go.
https://e.tb.cn/h.6on5CG6z5yodmqM?tk=ZNU6Vg8hOma

alternatively u can long press the image of the product and select 找相似 for alternatives.

Thanks, will place the order now.

 

[WussRedXLi]

Blind me, Choa Chu Kang South hit 42 deg C heat index (34.2 C, 58% RH) this afternoon.
edit - Sembawang 33.6 deg C 63% RH, 42.3 deg C heat index
Pulau Ubin 34.6 62%, 44.8 deg heat index
Sentosa 33.7, 63%, 43.1 deg heat index

Tonight gonna be freezing 1 x 600ml bidon and put into my top's front, with 2 x 250ml frozen season's ice lemon tea packet drinks in my back pocket. See if it works.
Gonna be trying out that micro interval workout (3 sets of 16 x 30s at relatively high RPE).

Heat index temps @ 8pm likely to be in the 32-36 deg C range with the higher range in some areas

 

[sales69]

Anyone buy anta pg7 before?

Soft bouncy. I'm using for walking. Running is fine if you want neutral cushioned shoe.

Unlike that NB 1080 V13 crap. Too soft until unstable when standing still.

Running with 1080 even worse. Energy sapping.

 

[WussRedXLi]

Forgot to mention that I don't wish to overstrain and causing cortisol increase. Is it too contradicting to my original goal?

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/exercise-effect-cortisol-level


Fitness influencers claim intense workouts such as HIIT or running can spike cortisol and hinder weight loss, while gentler alternatives like walking keep it in check. But cortisol’s role in exercise is far more than simply “good” or “bad.”
Often branded as the “stress hormone,” cortisol is blamed for everything from belly fat to burnout. But it plays a crucial role in keeping the body running. “If we don’t have cortisol, we die,” says Martine Duclos, an endocrinologist and physiologist in sports medicine at Université Clermont Auvergne. It helps mobilize energy, suppress inflammation, and maintain blood pressure in stressful situations.
So, if cortisol is essential, why does it have such a bad reputation? And does exercise send it spiraling out of control? Here’s what the science actually says about this misunderstood hormone—and what it means for your workouts.

How exercise affects cortisol​

Cortisol doesn’t just react to stress—it follows a natural daily rhythm. Levels are highest in the morning to help us wake up and be alert, says Travis Anderson, a research scientist at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee who has investigated cortisol as a circadian hormone. Throughout the day, cortisol gradually declines unless the body encounters stressors—like exercise—that temporarily push levels higher.
Despite cortisol not being inherently harmful, persistently high cortisol levels can contribute to high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and metabolic dysfunction. In extreme cases, such as Cushing’s Syndrome, the body produces too much cortisol, leading to increased fat accumulation, a predisposition to type 2 diabetes, and other health complications.

Why cortisol rises during exercise​

Since exercise is a form of stress, cortisol naturally increases during physical activity. But this isn’t a bad thing—it’s a key part of how the body fuels movement. Anderson explains that cortisol ensures enough glucose is available for muscles to keep working.

Resistance exercises like kettlebell training trigger a different hormonal response, often leading to a smaller cortisol spike than HIIT exercises.


Unlike high-intensity workouts, Pilates tends to keep cortisol levels stable, making it a go-to for recovery and resilience.

In a study examining 12 active men, researchers found that moderate- to high-intensity cycling workouts triggered spikes in cortisol—a finding consistent with several other investigations. The study measured intensity using maximal oxygen uptake, or VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during intense exercise. Sprinting up a hill, for example, would get close to 100 percent oxygen uptake. Cycling workouts at 60 and 80 percent of an individual’s maximal oxygen uptake led to increased cortisol levels, while a lower-intensity session at 40 percent didn’t.


“The higher the intensity of the workout, the greater the cortisol response,” says Anthony Hackney, a professor in exercise physiology and nutrition at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. “Although you have to keep in mind it’s not infinite,” he adds—eventually, cortisol levels plateau. Aerobic exercise also spikes cortisol levels more than resistance training, such as weight lifting.

How long does cortisol stay elevated after exercise?​

But how long does this surge last? Research shows that once the workout ends, levels begin to fall quickly. Duclos says the body has a built-in negative feedback loop that prevents cortisol from remaining elevated for too long. “After exercise, cortisol drops and the levels become similar to people at rest,” he adds.
In the cycling study, the cortisol level of the participants had nearly returned to baseline after 90 minutes. Extreme conditions don’t seem to override this recovery process. “Even super high intensity exercise that gets cortisol pouring out of your ears—if you recover, it’s going to come back down,” Anderson says.

Why low-intensity workouts lower cortisol temporarily​

While high-intensity exercise temporarily raises cortisol, the study also found the opposite happens at lower intensities. Anderson says the workout doesn’t create enough demand to stimulate the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol.

 

[ksapple]

Soft bouncy. I'm using for walking. Running is fine if you want neutral cushioned shoe.

Unlike that NB 1080 V13 crap. Too soft until unstable when standing still.

Running with 1080 even worse. Energy sapping.

Right now i using army de new balance dunno will improve my timing anot

 

[sales69]

Right now i using army de new balance dunno will improve my timing anot

I would use PG7 for easy slow runs. You can speed up of course and it won't hinder you.

For me, fit is more important. My fastest timing came from wearing Hometeam Orange/White Mizono. Fits like bespoke design for my foot.

 

[WussRedXLi]

Is doing HIIT running good?

My considerations are:
To build strength/leg muscles, not so much for stamina performance.

Total 35 mins inclusive of warm up 10 mins, cool down 10 mins.

Heart rate most at zone 2 and 3, short intervals zone 4.

Just saw this.

If you are after type 2A/2X and most muscle bulk/development (ie fast twitch more than slow twitch), then just hoot the hill sprints (or hill strides). Nearly complete recovery between sets, meaning it will probably take quite a while/a few good minutes like 2 or maybe closer to 4-5 for the newbies. But you really need to slowly progress up and be a bit patient before you can master it in execution, very demanding in all areas. Actually the higher the gradient, the better. You can also try stairs sprinting for some variation.
Once you have mastered it and at least neurologically feel you can manage the speed, then try flat ground Sprint Interval Training. I am saying "managed" coz i think for middle age group, not many can manage the speed and i do really mean SPEED, ie a bit rusty here and there. I really like SIT, been doing it since 2019 (theorectically most runer folks dont see it as a form of running conventionally, except those sprinting community lol). I actually was doing stairs sprinting as a form of exercise (in ard 2015) without me knowing it, but anyhow do one lah.

Go youtube and see how to execute.

edit - also best to make sure you are cleared in the cardiac dept, things like these and shorter intervals/micro intervals can really spike the HR unknowingly sometimes. The weather also damn terok recently, that's another factor that can further contribute/exacerbate.

 

[kaixax555]

Blind me, Choa Chu Kang South hit 42 deg C heat index (34.2 C, 58% RH) this afternoon.
edit - Sembawang 33.6 deg C 63% RH, 42.3 deg C heat index
Pulau Ubin 34.6 62%, 44.8 deg heat index
Sentosa 33.7, 63%, 43.1 deg heat index

Tonight gonna be freezing 1 x 600ml bidon and put into my top's front, with 2 x 250ml frozen season's ice lemon tea packet drinks in my back pocket. See if it works.
Gonna be trying out that micro interval workout (3 sets of 16 x 30s at relatively high RPE).

Heat index temps @ 8pm likely to be in the 32-36 deg C range with the higher range in some areas

I ran this morning, it's so hot that I took a super long time to cool down

 

[WussRedXLi]

 

[WussRedXLi]

I ran this morning, it's so hot that I took a super long time to cool down

Yeah terok..... heard some OLs in Tg pagar kpkb just now.

Just came out of a quick shower, need to get rid of the stickness first, then later 8pm can go for session