Legs & Lungs

Nothing should be sore WHILE doing something, unless you're still sore from a previous workout.  Do you mean they simply hurt when performing these activities?  Soreness usually refers to pain and stiffness post-workout.  The more you do an activity, the more you adapt, the less the soreness.  Of course, then you just ramp up the effort more and you're sore again.

I suspect you're really just referring to a burning sensation in your legs and lungs during these activities.  It's sort of part of the game if you're really exerting yourself.  As for your lungs though, depending on how severe, might want to make sure you don't have something like asthma.

But you shouldn't be redlining every workout to the point you're in that kind of pain.  It's hard to tell from your logs, but I suspect you might be trying to run too fast.  Your runs look reasonable fast, but very short.  Try adding a few longer easier runs to your schedule.  You don't need to be pushing at 100% to build endurance.  The best endurance building workouts tend to be very long sustained easy to moderate efforts.

You don't say what kind of intensitities you are training at but you may need to ease up a bit there which may allow you to gradually start adding more distance which will help with your endurance.  Especially with the run.

Again you don't mention what gear you are biking in, but you could try biking in a lower gear with higher cadence if you don't feel like you have the leg strength.  And yes I think biking at 30psi would be tough in any gear (especially pulling around 2 children).  You may want to invest in a decent pump or heck take the bike over to the nearest gas station and throw 50 cents in the air machine to pump them up for the time being.

And no you don't need a road bike to accomplish what you're trying to do.

As for the gear, I have a Gary Fischer 21 speed mountain bike with stock components.  I always ride with it on the big ring because my middle ring seems to jump off at times and the small one makes me pedal a 1000 revs and I don't go anywhere.  So, with that said, I always go with the big ring and then just move from 1 to 7 depending on the incline of the terrain.

As for the running, I have 7 year old cross-training Nikes which are blown out on the sides and should be retired. 

Ok,

You don't need top of the line equipment, but you do need reliable equipment.  This sport, this lifestyle, requires significant investment of dedication, time, and energy.  It also requires at least some financial investment to make sure you don't injur yourself.

First, get new shoes.  Second get a bike pump.   I'm assuming you have a bike helmet.

It sounds to me like you are "Mashing" on the bike.  Doing 5 miles on hills, with kids, on a moutain bike sounds like more of a feat of Hercules than a feat of Hermes.

While this is a good workout it may be over doing it.  What you want, eventually, is to be able to spin at a nice easy pace, and move the gears to keep you pretty consistent effort while you may move slower or faster.

And take VERY seriously the suggestion to slow down the run.  When I first started running with my wife I would take off and be 1/4th a mile into the run before she had gotten 10 yards into it.  by 1/2 a mile she was just getting started, and I was half dead on the side of the trail.

Running at her pace I have been able to build up to her distance, and then increase my pace from there.

Have you cleaned and lubed the chain recently? Does it jump off when you are trying to change to another gear or just at random when you are pedaling? How much wear and tear is on your chain? If it is jumping around the chain may be stretched (you might need a new chain).

I agree with others that pulling two kids with out enough air in your tires, up and down hills, in the big ring has to be mashing your legs.  Do you ever get to ride without the little ones? By the way, that would be a nightmare to me since one of the major reasons I do this is for Mommy time LOL!

x 1000 to air up your tires properly and get new running shoes!!!!!!! Both of those things will help you so much. Well, new running shoes will not really help your lungs but you know what I mean .

Welcome to BT!

Ran the longest run of my entire life today...............5 miles!  I did it in 49:28.  I was hoping to do it under an hour, so when I looked at the watch I was pretty pleased with sub-50.  Around the 3 to 3.5 mark I was considering walking the rest, but I had told my daughter (13) that I was going to do it without walking and she didn't think I could. 

During the run I realized that it really might not be my lungs that are tired, but rather my entire body.  Like I said, I have had zero endurance training, so this is all new to me.  While I do it I kind of hate it, but when I am done, I am pumped from the accomplishment.

My calves are a little tight, but I otherwise feel like I could do it again tonight.  I think I might just do an easy 2 mile bike ride later, just the wife and I.  I plan to get the tires pumped up prior to biking.

I appreciate all of the helpful and encouraging words, it really helps to have the knowledge and experiences of all of you behind me.

Thanks!

FERG

If your shoes fit right and you have decent socks just wear them.  The only shoes I've gotten blisters in were ones that didn't fit.  Did you go to a running store (not a big box sports store) and get fit properly?

As far as music goes, some people like it, some don't.  I use it on about half of my runs.  

And I agree with Scout.  Slow down.  

For some reason I feel compelled to PR every time I run and I am disappointed with myself if I don't.  I can't say I was dying after the 5 miles, but I don't think I could have done it again at that speed without a rest.

As for the shoes, I went to a running shoe store, but they didn't have anything under $100, so as always, I went the cheaper route and bought a pair of $42 running shoes from a department store.  My thought is that new shoes, any new shoes will be better than my current shoes.  Is that fair to say? 

My deal with the music is tied back to the PR thing.  I like to set goals for myself, so of course I want to run my 5 miles even faster next time.  Should my goal instead be 6 miles untimed?  I don't know how best to build my endurance.

Fergdaddy

I would agree fix your bike and put some air in the tires you run the risk of getting a flat.

Well, I took all of the advice that was given..........sort of.  I put air in the bike tires and tried riding in lower gears, especially on the hills.  I am definately noticing a difference in my endurance on the bike.

I have riden a few times on the bike without timing myself too.  I ran a couple of times without the stopwatch, but then today I felt compelled to grab the watch and run 3 miles just to see where I am.  I was able to PR once again, but was contemplating quitting and walking (didn't though) as usual.

I signed up for my first 5k to be run August 6th.  It is a XC 5k.  My boss will be running it and he has completed 3 5k's this year.  He is 1 year older so we are in the same age group.  Any short term training ideas that can give me an edge 2 weeks from now when we race?

PS:  Didn't run in the new shoes yet, I think I am going to take them back and get better ones.