Superbowl through Mardi Gras and Games Opening week of running! [Archive]

indigoiis

02-07-2010, 01:17 PM

Hi all! That last thread was getting long - so psyched that so many more TEers are running!

Happy Superbowl Sunday everyone! We're going to make nachos and play cards and then turn on the game at 6:30. It's going to be a great game.

Well, I ran my fastest 5K today! Yay! Oh and I was wearing the Vibram Five Fingers too. I got a few comments on the footwear. One group of guys I passed said to one another, "See those funky feet shoes?" and the other guy goes, "those are sick!" I was laughing because - sick or not - they just got passed! HA!

So DH went right out as I suspected he would and I stuck on his heels past the seawall, about the first half mile. Then I mentally wished him luck and watched him disappear to the front of the pack I was running with, and then I focused on my own thing. It was a great race and I really pushed myself and I am proud of that! I think it helped that we did a mile warmup run beforehand because it was really cold out today. I had never done a warmup run before but I will be doing it from now on. I PR'd one minute ahead of my last PR! 25:10 averaging 8:06mm!!! DH did really well too - 7:34mm and 23 odd minutes for him - not bad for his first 5k. And I met some nice folks! All around a great race and a super day.

Hope you are all having great runs!
Yellow, I am thinking of you and hope your surgery goes well....
Indy

Aggie_Ama

02-07-2010, 05:10 PM

No run today but I did do the core workouts in the latest Bicycling Magazine. I liked the workouts and am going to try to continue doing them several times a week. My core is sadly very weak.

hammertime

02-07-2010, 05:27 PM

no run today... did spin class.. one hour on my new trainer:D

kacie tri-ing

02-07-2010, 05:36 PM

Way to go! I think he was impressed with your shoes :p

I had good and bad running news from the week!

Good news: I ran a 10K in 49:09, which I was happy with. :D
Bad news: I was out of town last week on a field trip with my students. I was running in the dark very early in the morning, and I tripped over a very black speed bump, and hit the ground really hard. A little sore/bruised/bloody, but I was back in time to run the 10K!

Happy running!

OakLeaf

02-07-2010, 05:55 PM

Whoa, way to go indigo and kacie!

Kacie, hope you're not too sore.

Grog

02-07-2010, 07:31 PM

Cool runs ladies!

I am happy to report that I ran 23.6 km in 2 hours 30 minutes - on very flat ground for 2/3 of it - and I feel pretty good. My toes are bummed (they always are when I increase mileage), my left hip is a bit sore (I am getting massage on Thursday and it's going to hurt) but other than that it's all good.

Very happy runner!

Now it's time for a well-deserved rest week. I'm just going to have gentle runs this week and most likely a 16 km next weekend. Then it's preparing for my half-marathon race on the 21st.

Yay!

Aggie_Ama

02-07-2010, 07:40 PM

Kacie I am so jealous! I bruised my knees two weeks ago and still feel it some running. I bruise easily and heal slowly, guess I am just lucky like that.

Urlea

02-08-2010, 06:53 AM

Wow Indi & Kacie, great times for both of your races! :D Very nice.

I'm a little late on the posting, but I got two runs in last week despite still being sick with a cold earlier in the week!

DH brought home an adapter to get my old Ipod shuffle working (yay!) so now I can use Cardio-Coach workouts during the bike/run bricks again. Turns out I had a lot of "Let's go run" music on there so that prompted my first run of the week. 3mi in the VFFs, lungs weren't quite 100% yet but it was a decent run.

Being healthy enough for Saturday's long run was my focus. Thankfully I was feeling more normal & good to go by then. Three inches of snow fell Friday night & with the warm temps mid 20s-30s that snow turned to slop which made getting footing a huge challenge. There are bench mark runs for me in training that I remember as being really hard character building runs & this was definitely edging it's way up there. At mile 20 we almost called it quits, but pushed on old man shuffle style walk/run for the final 3.5! :) Glad I did it. Body recovered better than expected too which is encouraging because I need these 20-25 milers to start feeling easy leading up to the 100 in August. It's a process. I'll get there eventually.

limewave

02-08-2010, 07:02 AM

Wow Indi & Kacie, great times for both of your races! :D Very nice.
Double thumbs up.

Urlea--what's the longest run you do to train for your 100 miler? You ultra-marathon runners are a little crazy :)

Got in my 8 miles on Sunday. I'm starting to get into the running groove again. I averaged 10:43m/mi. Still pretty slow compared to my times from 2 years ago, but it's feeling good. And the best part, I had negative splits! Yay!

On a fun side note, my brother and DH are training for the same marathon. They are the both very competitive. It's fun watching them try and out-do each other. But, I have to say, I think my brother is going to come out with the best time and a boston qualifier too. I don't think DH will be so lucky.

Urlea

02-08-2010, 07:46 AM

Lime- Negative splits? Woohoo!! Are you training for a race now or running for the fun of it?

To answer your question, the longest training run prior to the ultra will be 50miles. The plan is to do that late June hopefully after my HIM. Next month I'll join up with the ultra crew for a back-to-back marathon weekend. 26.2 on Saturday & 26.2 on Sunday. We're playing around with the idea of doing the first marathon throughout the night Friday, but haven't decided yet. I have to get used to running in the dark for a long time w/ a headlamp. Then there's the 50k race in May, which will be like a long tempo training run more than anything to test out pacing & fueling. I have a hard time considering myself an ultra-runner at this point with only one 50k under my belt, but within the next couple of months that should change. :)

limewave

02-08-2010, 09:34 AM

Lime- Negative splits? Woohoo!! Are you training for a race now or running for the fun of it?

The negative splits are partially b/c my running partner started to feel sick at mile 6 and started walking. I was able to speed up since I wasn't wasting my energy on gabbing.

I am training for a 25k in May. After that I plan to focus on mntn biking. I have two races I want to do this year, one in August and one in November.

But, I think there may be another marathon sometime in 2011 . . . maybe.

Urlea

02-08-2010, 01:46 PM

Didn't realize so much snow fell over the weekend. Sidewalks were covered/drifted over in most places & the roads were drifted/icy too. In conditions like that it doesn't matter what kind of shoes you are wearing so I decided to go with the VFFs, sometimes I have a better shot of grabbing the ground with my toes then. It worked. My pace was all over the place sub 8mm to 10:40mm depending on footing & after checking it is as windy as it felt out there. 20-25mph! Made it 9 miles though. Happy with that. :D

OakLeaf

02-08-2010, 01:48 PM

Twenty.

Bike Chick

02-08-2010, 03:52 PM

Yeah! Good for you, Oak!

WindingRoad

02-08-2010, 05:18 PM

Bike Chick

02-09-2010, 03:03 AM

Dang I dunno if I'm qualified to post here anymore, all these long miles.... all I did was a mere 5 or so on the treadmill. ;) Great work everyone!

We have another snow storm heading in tonight so it looks like the treadmill and I will have to get reacquainted for now...:rolleyes:

Ick, Winding! You poor folks have just been hammered. FYI. That snow storm blew through here last night. We were supposed to get 4-7" and we got 3". I hope they are wrong in your case also. And if you aren't qualified to post here, then I'm certainly not. I won't do 5 miles until this weekend and that will be the longest run I've ever done!

OakLeaf

02-09-2010, 03:11 AM

It wasn't two years ago that I was posting here, probably even prouder of my first six miles, than I now am of my first 20.

If you put one foot in front of the other for fitness, fun or speed, you're qualified to post here!

Hang in there with all the snow.

Susan Otcenas

02-09-2010, 12:48 PM

Jeff & I did a 2 day snowshoe trip (Sun & Mon), so coach gave me Monday "off" from my normal monday morning speed workout. I came home from snowshoeing and opened up my email expecting to have to do a run Monday night, and boy was I pleasantly surprised she gave me a pass. Snowshoeing is tough on the calves, and mine were definitely talking to me last night! :D

Looks like I'll be up at 4am tomorrow morning to get my 11-miler in before work. If I could learn to run faster, I would get to sleep in longer....

Susan

Bike Chick

02-09-2010, 04:23 PM

WindingRoad

02-09-2010, 06:21 PM

Well I did my 5 miles on the treadmill this evening... it seemed really hard tonight and my heart rate was higher than normal? Maybe that Diet Mountain Dew I drank earlier. I know I know it's horrible to drink pop but every once in a while I break down and do the Dew. Well I had a pretty stressful day today (tests!!!) too so I suppose that could be part of it? Shins are a little eeky so I'm doing some precautionary icing this evening.:)

rocknrollgirl

02-10-2010, 04:13 AM

Dang I dunno if I'm qualified to post here anymore, all these long miles.... all I did was a mere 5 or so on the treadmill. ;) Great work everyone!

We have another snow storm heading in tonight so it looks like the treadmill and I will have to get reacquainted for now...:rolleyes:

I know, I feel the same way sometimes, but we are running!!!

We did 5 on the road last night because the trails are buried with more snow coming today. It only served to remind me why I do not run on the road...because I HATE IT......there, I said it out loud. I AM A TRAIL RUNNER!

Whew, I feel better now...time to go ride my trainer, to which I yell...I AM A MT BIKER.....:D:D:D

Oh well do what you gotta do...

Great running everyone and Urlea, I am embracing the Fargo ice bath. Snow banks are good for something.

indigoiis

02-10-2010, 10:44 AM

I hear ya Rockinroll... I hate running and having cars come up. I live in a rural area and it's just a lot of headlights and no shoulders. I try to trail run whenever I can.

I did 5.4 today with DH on a trail/dirt road route with the beginnings of snow and wind, and two massive long hills (5% effing grade at mile 2.5 and mile 3.5 - basically a big saddle - out and back.) That was in place of a tempo run I was slated for.

It's good to run in the VFFs in snow - there may be snow in two weeks in Hyannis and i need to be prepared either way.

Susan Otcenas

02-10-2010, 11:10 AM

Ended up with 11.6 miles this morning at just shy of 11 minute miles. That's slower than I usually do my long runs, though I wasn't really feeling particularly slow. My calves were/are still a little sore from snowshoeing, though.

OakLeaf

02-10-2010, 11:49 AM

9 x 1 minute sprint intervals, then 9/10 mile barefoot.

I was still sore from Monday's long run and yesterday's yoga, so it was good mental practice. "Dig deep."

It's cool how even this little bit of barefooting is pulling everything together - the midfoot strike I learned in Chi Running, the foot strength I've started to build in yoga, the hip exercises and calf stretches the PT has me doing. I was really noticing on my long run on Monday how the outside of my left foot - which is often painful because there weren't any shoes wide enough for me - wasn't giving me any trouble. Like I'm really using the muscles of my feet even when I have shoes on, even when I'm running long, and my feet are getting functionally narrower. Woo-hoo!

limewave

02-10-2010, 03:08 PM

Grog

02-10-2010, 06:33 PM

This is a rest week for me.

I went for a 4 km jog this morning. I swear it's my heart that carried my legs, which would have gone nowhere on their own. I am mechanically fine from my long run, no pain no nothing, but my legs were SO HEAVY it was ridiculous.

I am planning to run longer tomorrow morning, maybe an hour if I can pull myself out of bed at 5 a.m. We'll see.

Then I have massage at night. I can tell already it's going to hurt: I haven't gone for years. Will report.

hammertime

02-10-2010, 07:51 PM

6 miles....:D

felt good to get to the gym... haven't gone in a few days due to this crappy snow:rolleyes:

Jolt

02-10-2010, 08:31 PM

Despite how it may appear given my lack of posting, I have actually gotten a few runs in over the past week. More slowness and frustration, but I now think I have an explanation for why my running has been so rotten lately and why I've been feeling "blah" and not my usual hyper self. I had some labs drawn last week as part of the screening for a research study I was interested in participating in, and it appears I have some iron-deficiency anemia happening--hematocrit was 32, don't remember the other numbers off the top of my head but hemoglobin, MCV and MCHC were on the low side too. That explains a lot that I had been blaming, apparently incorrectly, on "winter blahs". A hematocrit of 32 isn't terrible, but I looked back at my last one that was done at a physical two years ago and it was 45 (and I seem to remember that I had tended to be on the higher end before that as well), so it's quite a bit lower than what seems to be my general baseline. The only reason I can think of is that my dietary iron intake must have been too low lately, since I haven't had any unusual bleeding or heavier menstrual flow than usual. So, time to take iron supplements for a while to replenish the stores and hopefully I'll be pretty much back to my crazy self within a few weeks.

rocknrollgirl

02-11-2010, 06:04 AM

I did six this morning on the road which is an ice skating rink

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/rocknrollgirl_01/Round%20two/

kacie tri-ing

02-11-2010, 07:18 AM

8 outside last night. I was a bit on the cold side, but was able to get through it :)

OakLeaf

02-11-2010, 08:52 AM

Oakleaf--I'm not brave enough to try barefoot running yet. But glad you are liking it! I've started reading ChiRunning and am working on my form. I am enjoying it so far.

I did a :

1 mile warm-up
3 x 1600 @ 9:30m/mile
w/ 800m @ 10:30m/miles between
1 mile cool-down

I did it! Yay! I've never really done consistant speed work. This is new to me. I'm always so proud of myself when I can cross a work out off my calendar :D

Yay lime! That looks like a tough workout. How did you feel afterward?

I've been working up the nerve to run barefoot for a long, long time. It was a combination of things that made me finally decide I was ready to try it. I've kept the orthotics in my shoes, and I definitely don't feel like I'm ready to go without them - barefoot, my feet can move freely; in shoes, with the limited range of motion, I feel like I still need correction.

Anyway, I'm not even up to a whole mile yet. And only on the beach! So far, the hardest thing about it has been last week when I took off my running shoes for a little barefooting, then didn't want to put my sandy feet back in them. I had to run across a busy road and walk the rest of the way home on my tender soles. Just a quarter of a mile - but Ow! Ow! Ow! :p

R&R - eeek! Be careful out there. :eek:

Jolt - hope the iron supplements work out for you. I kind of wonder whether I should try one now and then. I LOVE greens - probably eat greens four days a week - but so much of the nutritional content depends on the soil they're grown in.

GLC1968

02-11-2010, 09:06 AM

I've been working up the nerve to run barefoot for a long, long time. It was a combination of things that made me finally decide I was ready to try it. I've kept the orthotics in my shoes, and I definitely don't feel like I'm ready to go without them - barefoot, my feet can move freely; in shoes, with the limited range of motion, I feel like I still need correction.

Oak - I was the same way, but two runs ago, I pulled my orthotics out of my running shoes (and replaced them with plain flat insoles from Walgreens since I'd long ago thrown out all my original insoles). As long as I pay attention to my form (mid-foot strike, light quick feet, good posture, relaxed below the knee, etc) then it's totally fine. I had highly corrective orthotics that I haven't run or hiked or played tennis without in 5 years. Two runs without them, and my feet feel 100% fine. The pain that prompted these things is no where to be seen! I don't know if it's from the barefooting or from the Chi Running efforts, but I'm thrilled!

And, the bonus? Without those things in my shoes - I have WAY more room for my toes! They can actually spread a little in my wide shoes - something they could not do with the orthotics in there.

Maybe try a half mile without them and see how you feel? It's so liberating!!

limewave

02-12-2010, 04:54 AM

On tap for today:

5 miles easy with 3 acceleration strides (hopefully I don't slip on the ice!).

indigoiis

02-12-2010, 10:30 AM

Got in 4.24 today at lunch, in shoes (left the VFFs at home.) It was pretty good, I tore out the insoles of the shoes. I did feel it in my ankles, though. Overall was a good run. It's beautiful out!

Jolt

02-12-2010, 06:48 PM

It definitely was a beautiful day for a run today! I ran some easy trails but still did an awful lot of walking. I know this is a bit late for the thread where we were all comparing heart rates, but I wore the HRM on today's run and the numbers were as follows: minimum 112 (must've been during a walking break), max 204, average 178, and during the running portions I saw an awful lot in the mid to upper 190s. That's high even for me!

colby

02-12-2010, 11:53 PM

Wow, just catching up on this week... I have had a heck of a week at work. You ladies have been busy. 20 mile runs, fast 10ks, negative splits, just running at all, all good!!

Let's see, Sunday I did about 6 miles, observing pace and relative effort (brain check). Tuesday was hill repeats - 2 minutes up and over, finishing strong (teaching me to keep pushing OVER the hill, not just until I see the top ;)). Thursday was intervals by # of steps - 100 hard/50 easy, 200/100, 300/150, 400/200, start at 100 again and repeat for 20 minutes (I make it through one full round and about halfway through the second).

I finally got my VFFs (they are in super short supply and I wear a small mens size), I think I want to marry them. The shoes/toes are long enough that I can wear socks with them and get in and out comfortably. I have been wearing them every day since Tuesday, but have not ran in them. I can't tell the difference between normal end of a long week muscle fatigue and anything from the shoes. I am really looking forward to running in them. Freedom for toes! I love being barefoot, and I like the safety of the VFFs considering the gravel and glass and other nasty stuff I see on the trails and sidewalks.

My next race isn't until May (12k), so I'm just doing Ironman training... long runs upward of 10-12 miles right now (looks like this weekend is a warm-up, 8-10, cool-down).

hammertime

02-13-2010, 04:44 AM

had 'good' plans to get in a good run last night, when.... while pulling in the gym parking lot my car started flashing 'oil pressure, stop car now':mad:, great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so i went inside anyway, but lost my mojo to run :( I hate car problems. Decided to bike with the boyfriend for 30min on a high cadence spin and came home and worried all night of what the prognosis of my car will be, LOL.

We'll see the prognosis this morning after I bring it in, and after I go for a dental cleaning... anyone wanna have 'my' Saturday?, LOL!!

I will try to run today... hopefully 5-6 miles:D

indigoiis

02-13-2010, 07:01 AM

I hear ya on car problems, Hammertime. But don't neglect an oil light! It's usually bad news when those things come on. But look at the bright side: an excuse to bicycle commute! ;)

I ran 5.25 today with DH. My goal was to stay with him, hills and all. I managed to until the last 500 ft where he took off in a sprint. I let him win. ;)

Running in shoes yesterday really messed up my ankles. They were pretty sore today. I hope it doesn't effect tomorrow's long run.

skhill

02-13-2010, 08:05 AM

This week, it feels like the weather and life have been conspiring to keep me from running. Ice one day, 30mph winds another, etc... I managed a grand total of 12 miles through Fri.

But today I finally got in a decent run. It was warmer (20 F) with almost no wind, and the roads are mostly ice-free at last. So I managed 11.5 miles. Oh, and my route took me up two of my least favorite hills on the bike. Somehow, they're not as bad running....

Bike Chick

02-13-2010, 01:17 PM

My training partner and I got our 5 mi run in while DH was running in a local half marathon race. We started with the group and turned around at the water stop at the 3 mile mark and headed back. It was fun running somewhere new.

OakLeaf

02-13-2010, 01:49 PM

Mile repeats x 3. I had to drag myself kicking and screaming out the door. :o Been a lazy few days.

WindingRoad

02-13-2010, 03:04 PM

Not a great run week for me. So many tests at school then my sickness started coming back on me so sat on my bum all Friday just to give my body a good solid rest. Been battling the bug with vitamins and feeling pretty good today so I did a 5.5 mile run indoors. Most of my sickliness has been respiratory and sinus so I figured the gym would be safest.

More snow predicted for Monday, gimme a break already!:(

Aggie_Ama

02-14-2010, 07:27 AM

colby

02-14-2010, 05:18 PM

Allergies have been killing me and once again my job is wearing me out so I skipped a couple workouts in favor of sleep. Yesterday I went for my 8 mile long run. It was painful, I got a blister on my toe and my muscles were sore the most of the run but I was happy to have the run under my belt. I am worried about my half marathon because my work is making it hard to keep my motivation. I spent 9-10 hours a day stressed out and all I want is to rest. I am so stressed out running doesn't even make me feel better, only sleeping does. :(

If it comes to it, there are other half marathons you can do. Your body and your sanity are more important. Try some informal running, shorter distances, just keep your feet under you. If it's not relaxing, it's not fun, and if it's not fun, you're not going to want to do it anyway. You have a box of time to fit your training in every day and work and life do come first... sometimes your box gets squeezed, sometimes you have to give in. Try to stay positive (easier said than done, I know... I've had a couple of stressful weeks this last month, including one where I started to break out in a rash for no absolute reason :P).