Running into the Holiday 12/20-12/27

[indigoiis]

Hi all... did you get snow? We did! After plowing and shoveling out the animals and barn, we went for a 6.2 mile run on the plowed roads. It was a good run but traction was slick.

[Jolt]

Hi all... did you get snow? We did! After plowing and shoveling out the animals and barn, we went for a 6.2 mile run on the plowed roads. It was a good run but traction was slick.

We got about 8 or 10 inches here (it's hard to tell since the snow got blown everywhere). No run for me today--snowshoed instead. About two miles, which took an hour and 40 minutes (which seems really slow to me) since I was the first one on the trail and it was powder snow. I'll probably snowshoe again tomorrow--might as well enjoy the snow while we have it.

[Aggie_Ama]

After a month of dental surgeries and pain I decided to inflict a good pain on myself on a 1.6 mile run/jog. It was brutal but I felt good that I got off the couch. I have a long way to go to get to half marathon shape by 3/27 but one of my favorite quotes says it all "you don't have to be great to get started but you have to get started to be great".

[rocknrollgirl]

We have upwards of 2 feet of snow here in south jersey. I have been sick since Saturday so I did not get to go play.:mad:

[katluvr]

So I am back to running! As I struggled with creating my own 3-day running plan to incorporate all the run I need…Women’s Running mag came in the mail. Normally I find mostly what I consider “fluff” in this magazine. But it had a 13.1 PR plan. It has 3 target runs…it actually is perfect. I can adapt it easily to my marathon TP. So incorporating my current long distance run and the 2 other target runs, I think I have a plan.
So Sundy it was about 50 degrees and windy…good running weather. The plan also had “pace” recommendations for all the different target runs. I headed out and was probably a “bit” speedier on my initial 4 miles. I knew at mile 5 I was going to bump up the 4 mid distance miles (5 – 9) to my MP. And I did! It was tough and I can’t seem to hold just my MP…I am over by a smidge or well under. So I was under a 10 min mile pace a lot. So I just drifter over and under, etc. I knew that the last 5 miles could be run slowly—so this got me thru. So I did my 14 miles (last week as 16 and next week is 18). I don’t remember my stats…but I know I did my 4 mid miles at a 10 min mile avg and the rest was around 11--just where it should be for the training run.
So feeling better. I am getting focused and feeling more on target (than my last few posts!)
Happy Holiday week running to everyone!

[OakLeaf]

Yay Kat! Glad your head's in a better place.

I've got 15 on my plate for today and for some reason I'm really scared of it, even though it's a beautiful day for running and the 11 hours of sleep I got last night should have me in good shape for it... mapped out a route last night...

[katluvr]

Oak,
It is just 3 five mile runs...I know you can do it!
Luckily the weather is more favorable for running than it has been here in FL.
Yeah, the 18 next Sunday scares me a bit. But I am keeping positive!
Have a great run!
K

[Susan Otcenas]

Did a brick yesterday. 4.5 mile run after a hilly 2.5 hour bike ride. What fun THAT was. I haven't done a brick in ages and it reminded me why not. Absolutely zero snap in my legs. Though interestingly, my time on the 4.5 mile course was no different than usual. It just *felt* like crap. :o

This morning was a hill repeat day on the treadmill.
15 min warmup
6 x 2:00 @ 3% incline, in Zone 4
3:00 rest interval (walk jog to target HR) between each
10 minute cool down

Kicked my butt. Which, I suppose, was precisely the point.

[Bike Chick]

Two mile run after work...............slowly starting back

[Becky]

1.5 mile treadmill run this morning before my IT band and knee flared up again. Despite my best efforts to stretch, use the foam roller, and work on muscle imbalance exercises, I can't seem to get ahead of this for more than a few days :-( (Sorry for whining!)

I have a ~4 mile "pickle run" in less than a month, and I really need to start getting some miles in so that I don't make an @ss of myself!

[Bike Chick]

What's a pickle run?

[Becky]

What's a pickle run?

I wish I knew! Friends talked me into it. It looks like a bunch of winter running insanity, with both timed runs and predictive runs (where you win by guessing your finishing time- speed has nothing to do with it).

Check out the second one down: http://runtheday.com/findarace.shtml

I think it's going to be a lot of fun!

[indigoiis]

I did a 3.26 mile run today but it took me 35 minutes. I did run in my new dive booties (an effort to do a sort of minimal footwear that stays warm - and they do!) so that might have slowed me down. Well that and the temp - 18 degrees F. Getting slower rather than faster which is a little discouraging but I am having fun so that's what counts.

[OakLeaf]

Well the weather was beautiful yesterday but my 15-miler was still a slog. I got it done, anyway. And, I got to see a bald eagle building its nest. :) That was definitely a "Wow" moment!

[skhill]

My pre-Christmas growing grumpiness was (partially) cured by finally getting out for a decent run this morning. More than decent, actually-- 5.9 miles, at 9 min/ mile. Blazing fast, for me! I've never held that quick a pace for longer than 3.5 miles before... maybe all those unscheduled rest days in the last week have done some good!

[Jolt]

35-minute run on the snowy trails today, now that the snow has been trampled down quite a bit. Easier in some ways (smoother going--rocks and roots are covered) but harder in others (kind of like running in sand, in some spots). All in all a good run.

[rocknrollgirl]

1.5 mile treadmill run this morning before my IT band and knee flared up again. Despite my best efforts to stretch, use the foam roller, and work on muscle imbalance exercises, I can't seem to get ahead of this for more than a few days :-( (Sorry for whining!)

I have a ~4 mile "pickle run" in less than a month, and I really need to start getting some miles in so that I don't make an @ss of myself!

my IT band bothers me more on the treadmill than if I run on a soft natural surface. This may sound stupid, but have you tried outside lately?

[Becky]

my IT band bothers me more on the treadmill than if I run on a soft natural surface. This may sound stupid, but have you tried outside lately?

Yep, I've definitely experienced the same thing. Unfortunately, the hamster wheel has been my only option lately (work, dark, ice, etc.). I find that the treadmill is more tolerable when I'm barefoot, and it's proving to be good for my form. Come spring, I hope to continue running barefoot (or at least minimally shod) outside.

Did 1.5 barefoot miles tonight, and really focused on what alleviated the pain each time it "twinged", and holding those changes. I felt really good at the end!

[Bike Chick]

I wish I knew! Friends talked me into it. It looks like a bunch of winter running insanity, with both timed runs and predictive runs (where you win by guessing your finishing time- speed has nothing to do with it).

Check out the second one down: http://runtheday.com/findarace.shtml

I think it's going to be a lot of fun!

Neat! Sounds like fun......better than your ole run of the mill 5k.

[katluvr]

Did 1st run w/ the new plan after work yesterday. It was as follows:
1 mile "easy" (11 - 11:30)
1 miles Tempo (10)
1/2 mile recovery (yes, I did take walk break during part of this time)
1 mile Tempo
1 mile easy (cool down)

So all and all did OK. First go round it was hard to hit and keep 10 min mile pace. And always "over shot" the pace. Breathing was off. But did it. 2nd tempo mile I don't think I hit 10 min mile all the time but was between there and 10:30. Then on the easy last mile (actually only did .8) I found myself running pretty easy and sometimes below 11.

I think I did 4.3 miles in about 45 or 46 min. (Forgot what watch said).
Tomorrow is farklets.
Weather is cool 50's (highs of 60's) so this is good running weather for me!

[indigoiis]

I did my intervals on the dreadmill because the paddocks have a foot and a half of snow. I did something like 6 x 5K pace for 2 min. with 2 min in between of 6 mph pace, a warmup and cooldown at 5 mph, and it ended up being 3.36 miles total.

[Susan Otcenas]

8 miles for me this morning. It was about 30 degrees out, with very dense fog. Which means freezing fog crystals on the ground and slightly slippery conditions. I took it easy wherever it looked slick, or in the dark patches. 85 minutes start to finish, which included a 3 minute walk at 45 minutes while I ate a Gu and drank some water. I can't run over 60 minutes without some nutrition half way through.

Save for tight calves, it felt pretty good! And I love that 8 miles feels "routine" now, when just 6 months ago I'd never run farther than 10K. :)

Susan

[colby]

I think I ran once or twice this week, mostly 3-4 mile distances, but I have been to the gym once or twice, too. At one point I felt like I was going to implode and went to the gym post haste before someone died. ;) I've been doing the elliptical, level 8, random, for 45-60 minutes. Feels a lot like running without pounding the pavement.

After I have been running, my heel has been bothering me - I think it's everything from my arch through my achilles, so I've been trying to take it easy from running and stretch. Time to do some strengthening in that system!

Left big toenail is pretty purple, all the way down to the base of the nail, but interestingly not at the very top, almost like it was bent or jammed downward. I could feel it down to the first knuckle for a while. Goodbye, toenail. You will be missed.

[limewave]

My in-laws dumped a major project on me that has to get done in the next two weeks. Never work for family . . . BIG MISTAKE. :mad:

And on top of that, I'm the only one working in the office at my "day job". I feel like I have been completely dumped on. I'll be working all weekend long and probably on Christmas.

Anyways, all that to say that I was supposed to get in some good runs this week and it isn't working out so well.

Ran 3 miles last night at midnight.

Then got up at 5:30 this AM to run 6 miles.

I'm behind on my 25k training schedule. The good thing is that the running is helping work through my anxiety and anger issues towards the inlaws. :)

[Susan Otcenas]

Goodbye, toenail. You will be missed.

A week after my half marathon in October, it became clear that I was going to lose the 2nd toenail on my right foot. I have no idea how I damaged it. After more than 2 months, it's finally gone, and the new nail is looking pretty good! Weirdly, though, it seems alot smaller. (narrower and shorter). I can't remember losing a nail as an adult. I wonder if it will ever look normal again?

[OakLeaf]

Weirdly, though, it seems alot smaller.

Now that's interesting. I'd pretty much given up on the idea of having my damaged toenail removed because I'd heard (not from a podiatrist) that once a nail bed is damaged, it's permanent and the nail would grow back the same way. Maybe there's hope and I need to think again about scheduling a time when I can be off my feet...

Anyway, it has not been a good few days :( but I got out for four today.

[indigoiis]

lime, I am sorry to hear of your in-law woes. That totally sucks. Once you are done with this project, can you "fire" them? Can you get them to get some other person to take on their projects in future?

Oak, I am sorry you are having a crappy week. :(

I ran 3.26 again today with DH, in my VFFs on paved (plowed to pavement) roads. It's 40d. and sunny. I was supposed to do weights too but we did farm chores like shovel snow in the paddock, so that was my weights. Next two days are rest days. I see my MIL Saturday though so I figure I need to run Saturday before we go, because I'll be sitting on my rear end eating fat and sugar all day. ;)

[Deborajen]

Limewave, that bites! Glad you got a good run in. Running helps me burn things off, too.

I did a 2-miler night before last before the weather changed here. It was getting dark so I decided to run in the park on the grass, around the basketball court, around the tennis court, etc. It was kind of fun with the variety of surfaces - I usually just run on pavement.

Now it's snowing a little, and the wind is blowing 35-45 mph. I'm going to squeeze in some stairs here in a little bit. Hopefully a long run Saturday or Sunday.

[zoom-zoom]

10 miles today...4.2 miles in I hit 1800 for the year--woot! Now just one more 5 miler and I can claim having run at least 100 miles every month all year. 2009 has been a good year for running. :)

[zoom-zoom]

I'm behind on my 25k training schedule.

Hey, 25k...in MI? Would this be the 5/3 Riverbank Run? Don't worry, you have MONTHS to catch up and be ready to go. :)

[colby]

A week after my half marathon in October, it became clear that I was going to lose the 2nd toenail on my right foot. I have no idea how I damaged it. After more than 2 months, it's finally gone, and the new nail is looking pretty good! Weirdly, though, it seems alot smaller. (narrower and shorter). I can't remember losing a nail as an adult. I wonder if it will ever look normal again?

I've lost both the second toenails (before the big toenails, actually, probably because they are slightly longer than my big toes) and this will make both the big toenails.

My big toe nail grew back thicker, but otherwise pretty much the same. My second toenails grew back thicker in the middle part but are formed much more closely to my toe than they used to be (it's kind of nice). Shape-wise, I think they are pretty close, maybe a little narrower. It took forever for them to grow to their full size and look right again, even the second toes. It's like you grow back a super thick layer, then it grows out, and you get the real replacement nail behind it. They do put up with more stress now... the bright side I guess ;)

Ran about 5k with my dog yesterday and picked up a wandering black lab (turns out she was 2). As long as we were moving, she was on our team, so I ran her home and got close enough for me to read her collar. We called her people and got her picked up.

[Bike Chick]

I got in a 2-miler yesterday morning before I started cooking again. My side of the family came over for our Christmas get-together. It felt so good to run and do something healthy before I got into the Christmas cookies again. Anything leftover and fattening is going into the trash today!

[katluvr]

With the holidays I have not been around the computer to log my runs.
Thursday AM was a 5 miler w/ farklets (sp?) around mile 2. So it was 1 mile WU, at miles 2 I did 5 X 2 min w/ 2 min recovery...that only took me 2 miles so I did 2 more miles = equal my 5 miles.
My "fast" runs were only around 9 min miles. I was very slow during the recovery time. But still testing out these workouts.


Sunday was THE long run....18 miles. We drove out to this place called Fort Desoto. It is a old fort and nature perserve/state park. Very natural, very natural beach. It was in the 50's, breezy and overcast. Actually perfect running temp.
I felt good/strong most of the way. I was running abour 10:30 - 10: 40 a lot of teh time. I did take a "pee" break (and keep time on watch running) around mile 4. Took less than 3 mins. I fueld w/ 1/2 a Gu at mile 4.5 ish and then did 1/2 a Gu and drank about every 2 miles from then on. Til the last 3 miles...things were not as scheduled. I would say I felt really good/strong til about mile 10 ish. I was disappointed that I don't feel GOOD and that it is "easy" to at least teh 13.1 mile place. But that is just how it is. I did my first 1/2 in about 2:23....nto stellar. But I was running at a pace I felt I could keep up teh whole way. Between mile 15 to 16 (at miles 16 I had a turn around place and knew it was only 2 miles left to go)...anyway at this point it was tough. I had to dig really deep and fight the "walk" urge. I was defiintely slower by this point and time. But I hit mile 16 way ahead of when I did my first 16 miler a few weeks ago. I thought as I was at mile 16...that I not only had 2 miles in me but at least 4 miles. But I must admit as I was in teh last mile to finish 18 miles...I was glad to be finishing.
I think it was 3:18. A 11 min mile avg. So that is about where I am and seem to always land. I think I may be a smidge faster for race day...but I know my 4:30 goal is a dream at this time. I will continue to do my training as if I was going to make that. But I still think it'll be around 4:45. But I am pretty sure I can make it.
My toe (2nd toe right foot) started hurting and shooting the pain down into my foot closer to mile 10 this time. Used to be earlier. I know it is how my shoe/foot bends and the top of the shoe hits my toe. My toes are very short, my shoes are a 6 1/2 and I usually wear a 4 or 4 1/2 in dress shoes and maybe a 5 at times. So shoe is long enough. I have more padded socks and put mole skin on end of toe/over nail bed to help pad. Not sure what else to do (except cut hole in top of shoe!).
For recovery...walked into the gulf. It is a bit colder than my pool. I think I only lasted 5 minutes. My feet do hurt the most after the run. Like I really don't want to walk on them.
After warm shower did the compression sleeves and rested/watched football.
Today I feel pretty good and the feeling of accomplishment of running 18 miles...well as many of you know--that is priceless!:)

Next Sunday is the big 2-0. Should be a piece of cake!;)