July 16-22: Fun While You Run!

[yellow]

It's a new week!

My recent slackerness has caught me, wrapped its tentacles around my neck, and thrown me down on the ground. In other words, WAKE UP CALL!

Did a long run this morning and felt terrrrrible for the first 3 miles, all the while thinking that I may just quit running altogether since I can't seem to run enough to keep the kind of conditioning I want to keep. It got better once I got through most of the uphill and got to run on mostly flat for a while. But after about 10 miles my knees and hips were hurting and it was obvious to me that I was in damage zone. Still had to get back to the trailhead, though, so it ended up being 12.6 miles. BUT-- even though the run was kindy crappy, the flowers were incredible (I was getting slammed by chin-high flowers) and it was nice and cool up where I went (started at about 7600'). I took an ice soak in the creek afterwards (for about 2 minutes, which is all I could stand). :)

I do think I need to decide if I want to focus on being able to do longer runs (which I love) or just sticking with shorter runs and being happy with that. The long runs aren't fun when they hurt. So if I want to get back to fun-when-I-run-long, I need to start running more again.

[shawnada]

I'm impressed you have been slacking and then still manage 12+ miles. I start to have ADD(attention deficit disorder) when I get around 5 or more and I workout alot. Long distance makes me nauseous just thinking about it. I get bored after 6 and see no reason to run any longer. Obviously I'll never be a long distance anything. Short, fast and sweet for me. Kudos to you for your stamina.

[teigyr]

I've been really lethargic but did an 8 mile ride around the neighborhood then a 2.5 mile run/jog/walk with the operative word being walk. At least that's how it felt :D

[HillSlugger]

Still working on regaining my form, speed, and endurance. 3.2 miles @ 9:34 pace. I was hoping to be a little faster today, but I think I'm still tired from my practice triathlon on Saturday.

[yellow]

I I start to have ADD(attention deficit disorder) when I get around 5 or more and I workout alot. Long distance makes me nauseous just thinking about it. I get bored after 6 and see no reason to run any longer.
Well, I'm not running 12 miles on pavement...don't think I could do that. For me it's like really,really fast hiking. I walk up the steepest hills (and sometimes not so steep ones:p ), take pictures, and admire the scenery. Trail running is a whole new ballgame. I never get bored running in places like this! If you haven't done much trail running I highly recommend it for curing the boredom problem! :D

(Bonneville Shoreline Trail offshoot to Black Mountain, me in the middle there)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/tasdan/StplChs002.jpg

(Bonneville Shoreline in the winter...lovely!!)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/tasdan/Just%20for%20Fun/Feb_07013.jpg

(Deseret Peak, which we ran/hiked 2 weeks ago...just over 11,000 at the top!)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/tasdan/Just%20for%20Fun/Running/deseret07007.jpg

[crazybikinchic]

What a great view. The rain in Texas has finally given it a break so that me and wonder dog could go running outside (without my white dog turning brown). 3.6. Good run, but hot at 8:00 this morning.

[alpinerabbit]

To me, last week's motto applies....

I set the alarm for 5 am today because it's been hot (that's around 30°C for you desert dwellers). I was out the door at 5.20 and was gonna go an hour.

I decided to turn around at 20 min... and then I had to go to the loo so bad... I ended up walking the last 1K. It made me nauseous too.

I'd had grape juice the night before. eeks.

But other than that running in the morning is wonderful.

[Kimmyt]

Had some bad days running, with some minor knee problems. I'm not sure if that just means I need new shoes, I got them at the beginning of the winter but have probably put over 200 miles on them, anyone know what the usual life span for shoes is?

Ran 4 miles on the Dreadmill yesterday, today I think I'll head outside and run since it was too foggy to bike into work today (now it's turned to sun, of course!)

K.

[alpinerabbit]

I've read somewhere 600 miles (?)

[KSH]

Well, I hear you ladies talking about running anything over 6 miles... is boring.

My coach had me doing 1, 8-mile run a week. Now I'm doing 1, 10-mile run a week. UGH! It's SO BORING!

The first one I did last week... was pure h@ll! It was hot... and humid with a heat index around 95-100F. I could barely run more than 1 minute without walking. I was drenched with sweat after 1 mile. Miserable.

I get to do it again in a couple of days. UGH! I know I have to do it, to get ready for my Half Ironman... but not sure how I'll keep this up till October.


Anyhoo... I did a good job today though. Actually ran in the MORNING! I never do this. Got in 3.50 miles at about a 11 minute mile. There was some walking... the humidity was a killer... but I did OK.

I wish I had someplace pretty to run. I do my 10 milers around a lake, but it's not that pretty. I do like to see the ducks and geese though.

[tattiefritter]

Had some bad days running, with some minor knee problems. I'm not sure if that just means I need new shoes, I got them at the beginning of the winter but have probably put over 200 miles on them, anyone know what the usual life span for shoes is?


K.

Anywhere between 300 - 500 miles depending on your running style, weight, running surface and shoe durability (and probably some other factors too). 200 miles should still be fine really. I think the UK version of RunnersWorld magazine has published some tests you can do on your shoe to get an indication of whether they are worn or not, www.runnersworld.com may have someting similar on the site somewhere.

My knee is giving me grief at the minute as well but I don't think its my running shoes, I think my cycling shoes are not helping.

Did a test run at lunchtime today, 4 miles and it felt ok for most of it, my left leg wasn't hurting it just felt tight from the weekends riding. By the endof my four miles both my knees were a little achey but it felt like it did when I first started running, not surprising then after the break I've had. However, its got progressively more achey as the day has gone on so I'll have to wait till tomorrow to decide if I've aggravated it or not.

[Kimmyt]

hmm yeah i did just do a century on sunday and then ran for the past two days so maybe my knee is just rebelling a bit.... well it'll get a rest when i go climbing this weekend (only one day of biking or running involved!)

K.

[rocknrollgirl]

The DH and I decided to run today before our Wed mt bike ride. Usually we make it a brick workout, but today I wanted to focus more on the run. Well in a word it was miserable! Not the actual running, that was tough as usual, but the weather was unbearable. We slipped our workout between two lines of storms moving eastward. It had just stopped storming and was mid-eighties and 100 percent humidity. It was like running in the rain forest. Hot, humid, close, drippy, muddy, buggy...Nice huh!

Then we saddled up the mt bikes and had the crappiest ride of the season! We were at a 3 day mt bike festival over the w/e and did some really hard riding and I guess that combined with 45 mins of trail running prior to the ride were enough to seal the deal. My legs were toast. YUK!!!!

Glad that workout is over. Swimming tomorrow..ahhh.....

[HillSlugger]

Today was my last run before the triathlon on Sunday. I pushed it hard and improved my pace to where it was before the ankle sprain. Of course, back then I was doing this pace for 3.4 miles! Still, I'm pleased and I'm expecting to continue improving for the Iron Girl (August 19).

3.18 miles @ 9:13/mile

nothin' but rest from here til Sunday :D

[Wahine]

Wow. Sounds like everyone has had a tough week.

I am on a rest week. I ran at the track today with my new form coach who is really good. I mean really good. He had me adjust my stride significantly and I can already tell it's going to help. We're doing a trade hour for hour, coahcing for me and body work for him. He's an ex-pro triathlete and raced against the likes of Mark Allen. Oh, did I mention that he's buddies with Floyd Landis. Yeah this guy's been around the block and I'm getting one on one coaching time with him.:cool: :D :eek:

Keep on keepin' on girls!! We gotta work through the tough weeks too.

[KSH]

2h 3m
10.51 miles
11m 42s /mile


That is right... I ran my first 10.5 miles EVER TONIGHT!

It hit me, I am 2.5 miles off from a half-marathon! WOW! Trust me, a year ago, I never would have believed I would be here today.

Sometimes, I am very hard on myself and I don't give myself credit when I should.

Well, I am giving myself some credit for this run!

Turns out the loop is 2.1 miles, NOT 2.66 miles. I found this out when I was about to hit mile 4. UGH. Two more laps to go.

Jonny (my boyfriend) ran with me for loop 4. It was a nice break and I got to listen to him talk (I was working too hard to talk).

Overall this was a good run. I ran more than I walked, although I did walk some. The weather was nice, but it was humid. Not too hot though.

The hills... oh the hills! Long and climbing... some of them short and steep. I did more running than walking up the hills (although Jonny might beg to differ).

Now, with all the positives said... let me just say.. that was also my hardest run to date. WOW! My legs are FEELING IT. Even after I stopped I kind of stumbled around and I didn't have the energy to stretch for a long time.

I have swimming and running on tap for Friday, but I can't imagine running right now. I hate to get behind on my running miles, but my legs are hurting... and it's mostly the quads!

[Wahine]

WWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!!

Way to go KSH!! I am so proud of you. When I signed on to TE for the first time 7 months ago you could barely run 3 miles without agony. Look at you now!! Wow. You rock.:D :D

[teigyr]

KSH, that is fantastic!!! I almost know how it feels...today I ran my 3 mile run without walking! Baby steps, you know. I was thrilled and I actually feel more energized right now than when I started.

Anyway, wow!!! And of course it's a hard run for you but you did something incredibly difficult. So I think :D

[KSH]

Wahine... awe, thanks so much for the congrats! I appreciate it!

Teigyr... yes, baby steps. I think it was September 2006... I couldn't even run 1 mile without walking. You WILL get there! :D

[Skierchickie]

Way to go, KSH! Once you work your way up in distance, it comes quicker every year. I run from about April until October, so I start over every year, after ski season (my favorite!) is over. I'm as aerobically fit as I'm going to get, going into running season, but it is still a totally different set of muscles, so it takes me a while to get beyond 2-3 miles. I do a 25k in mid-June, so I'm always struggling to get up to 9 or 10 before then, and then suddenly jump my distance up by 50% that day (stupid, huh?). After I recover from that, it gets easier. You won't have any problem doing a 1/2 marathon, if you are up to 10.5 already.

Like Yellow, my way of battling the boredom is also trail running - a totally different animal! I absolutely hated running for years, until I did enough one year to feel strong and have fun. Then we started running almost exclusively on trails, and it makes a world of difference. My few road runs are usually on a beautiful stretch along Lake Superior, which I do enjoy. Narrow road with little shoulder, but twisty & rolling & cool & scenic. I feel awful on long straight roads (mental thing, I suppose).

I did a 10 mile road race today (let's see, I did about 1/4 mile of pavement in April, a 5k in May, and 10 miles today - gotta love those Asics Kayanos, or I'd be pounded to death). I've run so little this season, between road biking, mtn biking, and swimming, recovering from grueling races, and just getting back from a week paddling in the Boundary Waters, I wasn't sure I could do it today, pavement aside. I'm pretty pleased with 1:25:19 - not a PR, but my PR days probably ended 10 years ago. I did win my age group!:D And I beat my DH and my training buddy (reeled her in gradually and passed her 10 feet from the top of about a 1.5 mile hill, maybe 1/2 mile from the finish - teehee). Fantastic weather - 62F at the finish, sunny but lots of shade along the course. And I didn't have to poo! Highly unusual for me for a pavement run.

[Wahine]

Way to go Skierchick. Nice race and good on ya for winning your AG.

I went for a short track workout today after my ride. I got this new running coach ya see. The idea being that I might be able to tweak out my form a bit before IM and improve my time. This guy used to race against Mark Allen and Dave Scott! He's totally intense and he intimidated the h@ll out of me the first time I met him. Well he gave me some form tips to work on and I did exactly that today. He's a great coach and I'm glad we hooked up but man is he intense.

So off to the track I was to do my spazzy skipping drills and run repeats stoming the cockroach and wouldn't you know it....the relay for life was on and I had to run around all these people walking on the track. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy they were out there doing their thing for cancer but I really had a hard time concentrating. So yes, I ran today. No it was not a good run. So I'm going to try to go out again tomorrow. I have to clean up my form before Tuesday - my next coached workout.:eek: :eek:

[Shiraz]

Hi Everyone,
I haven't posted in a long time. Wow the summer is flying by! I have been pretty busy with a new grandbaby and a sick elderly mother- in -law.

Sounds like everyone is still hitting the trails and road. I have signed up to do another half in Park City, Utah August 25th. Anybody else?? Yellow maybe we can meet up again. Luckily, I have been getting my miles in to prepare for my run but not any extra time to spend on the internet.

I can't wait for the fall weather!! It has been high 90-100's here in SE Idaho. I can hardly stand it. I logged 35.75 miles last week and thought I would die in the heat. I can get in some early morning miles but not most. I feel like I am running in the mud in the heat.

[alpinerabbit]

I went for a 4 hour hike on Sat, for enjoyment and base endurance on the side.

It was about an hour climb and then an hour descent with another hour there and back "flat".

What hurts are the tender ligaments and such around my ankles, because it was very tricky finding footing on the descent but I reckon that would strenghten a lot of the little stabilizing parts in the foot.

[yellow]

I have signed up to do another half in Park City, Utah August 25th. Anybody else?? Yellow maybe we can meet up again.
I am tentatively planning on running the Jupiter Peak Steeplechase on Aug 11. I'm afraid I've slacked off enough that I don't know if I could finish it (it's 16 miles on the trails in Park City). I'll definitely meet up with you when you're here for the Park City Half! The Midmountain Trail Marathon (Sept 8) is defnitely out given my lack of proper conditioning. Maybe next year.

Glad to hear you're rippin it up! :)

[tattiefritter]

Am still working away at my injury but have felt quite good for the last couple of days and my walking gait is almost back to normal I think (I've been moving my left knee out on contact with the ground rather than picking my foot up properly). I've been working on my single leg squats etc and have discovered that my left glute medius is not up to par either so have been working on that too. Have also spent a bit of time faffing with my cleat and saddle height/position on the bike and that appears to have helped some. Did Body Pump and Yoga last night and the difference in strength between my left and right legs is like night and day , I'm beginning to think I've just been dragging my left leg around like a parasite for years!

Left leg a little stiff from BP I headed out on a 2 mile run this afternoon concentrating on picking my feet up properly and driving forward with my knee and......it felt quite good actually, I was springing along so much so I extended my run to 2.5 miles :D (think that's quite enough for a comeback run - sensible head on). Only slight problem was that I did run far too fast but we'll see how things are later after an afternoon of desk driving.

I've decided to stop being so "woe is me" and take advantage of my inability to do long rides/runs and go give blood for the first time tonight, I've always been worried it'll mess things up training wise. Fingers crossed I don't faint afterwards....I've been told to freely raid the biscuit (cookie) tin by those in the know and its also a great excuse to drink red wine :)