Will the groundhog see his shadow? Running in early Feb.

[skhill]

My turn to start it off...

While so much of the US is getting hammered with winter today, we're having a freakishly warm day here. So warm that I ran in shorts today, and was down to a short-sleeved shirt by the time I got home... It felt great-- so great that I went way faster than I meant to. 5.5 miles, at 9:05/mile; no wonder I was hurting at the end. Unintentional speedwork, maybe?

Have a good February, y'all!

[sgf726]

Guessing 0% chance of the groundhog seeing his shadow tomorrow since it will be snowing all day - snowing today too.

I've been doing pretty good getting outside this cold, snowy January but today looks like its the treadmill. Good thing its speed intervals today.

[SadieKate]

Unfortunately, 100% chance here.

We'd be happy to take some of that snow off your hands. :(

[HillSlugger]

I've been mostly stuck inside on a treadmill, but I managed to get outside to run on Sunday. Although I had to run the same clean, one mile stretch 3 times it was still better than the treadmill.

[Susan]

Ok, I didn't stop running in January, but somehow had too little time to post here (well better than the other way round I guess).
I started into February yesterday with a 6 mile run in very cold weather - I was so cold that I almost sprinted the last mile home ;)

[katluvr]

Started February with a 10 mile run on a warm spring-like day. My half marathon is next weekend but I think I am the only one training. Plan to run it nice & easy with my partner & sis.
But I felt great yesterday, it was a bit slower pace than I would of liked, probably why it felt good.
K

[Veronica]

Three miles of intervals this morning with Thom. He really pushes me (in a good way) to go faster. I averaged 9:32 for my last half mile rep. :p

Veronica

[sgf726]

Finally got outside today after Mon-Tues on the treadmill. A little slushy after the last 2 days snow but good to be outside.

Today was 5.5 miles with the main set being intervals of 2 min/5K pace and 3 mins. easy.

Saturday will be my longest training run ever - 14 miles. Its been a tough winter to train for my 1st marathon

Sharon

[limewave]

I ran s steady 3.5 miles. I was supposed to do 5, but since I went long during my last two runs, thought I'd give myself a break.

The snow banks along the road were nearly-as or taller than me. It made intersections particularly dangerous.

[GLC1968]

4.1 miles at lunch today. And I'm sorry to all those facing so much snow these days but I got to smell fresh cut grass on most of my run today. :)Awesome!

[OakLeaf]

I did 7.6 yesterday, longest I'd run since October. :o

I hate to even say it with the winter you all are having, but I was struggling because it was so hot...

[emily_in_nc]

Cold today again...did 3.25 on the treadmill.

[skhill]

I overslept this morning, so my intended 6 miles became 3.5. But at least it was outside; the cold crisp air was invigorating!

This weekend's long run is taking me into distances I've almost never run-- 14 miles. Eek! Why did I think training for a marathon was a good idea????

[Susan]

4 miles featuring 430 steps today to justify the beef-tartare session afterwards ;)

[yellow]

skhill, I had the same thought about my event this morning...and I still haven't been able to answer the "what was I thinking?" question. It's quite possible that I wasn't thinking. And I still have about 4 months of training left.

I got some new shoes (as well as a few other very cute sale items :rolleyes:) today and the guys at the LRS (whom I loooove) gave me a piggy bank. They told me that I am to put 25 cents in piggy for each mile I run to pay for my next pair. It's a really cute piggy bank. It got 14 quarters today :)

[indigoiis]

We had our third midweek snowstorm in three weeks this week, which derailed (somewhat) my training. Last Sunday's beautiful (35 degrees and sunny!) weather allowed for a nice 10.5. Monday I rested. Tuesday I rested. Wednesday I couldn't get out - snow and freezing rain. So I went on my bike in the basement on the trainer and did 50 minutes to some spanish tour de france spinning videos on youtube. Thursday I ran on the treadmill and did some time on the elliptical. Friday I said feck it, I'm going outside, so I ran 4 miles on the crusty snow and it took forever. Today I ran a very fast 3.7 and was very excited because tomorrow I am racing in a 5K and hopefully can PR. Yay!

[GLC1968]

Ooh, good luck with your 5k tomorrow, indigoiis!

I had a 5K race this morning and it went well. I paced it perfectly, used up *almost* everything I had and sprinted to the finish. I beat my goal, but I don't have an official time. They lost all the finishing times between 29:08 and 29:40. Based on my watch (which I forgot to stop) and the race results (where I could ID the couple I passed right before the finish line), I'm guessing I did it in 29:20 or so. This makes me 2nd for my AG and quite pleased! My previous best 5K time was 34 something...so a winter of running has definitely paid off!

[Bike Chick]

Awesome, GLC! Congrats on your PR.

Good luck on your 5k today indigioiis.

[indigoiis]

Yay! Congrats on your race and your time, and also coming in 2nd in your age group! That's awesome.

I pr'd in today's fast and flat 5K. (The Narragansett Super 5K) It was not chipped. By my watch it was a 7:57 minute mile but by their gun and clock it was 24:59 or 8:03ish which is still a PR for me. I spend most 5Ks thinking, why. Why why why. Whywwhywhywhy do I even bother racing? I get all these negative thoughts. Thoughts like, "oh, just walk why don't chya. This running stuff is hard. You don't really want to be doing this. Look at all these people. They're crazy! You can just walk. No one will know." I HATE that. Really. This doesn't happen to me when I'm just out there doing a training run. Just during 5Ks and at the very end of halfs. So yeah. Anyhow, in the raffle, I won a gift certificate for a personal trainer. I am going to ask them, how do I get the fricken little voice outa my head???

But it all ended well because I got my !freaking! PR after all. My DH cut 3 minutes off of his last year's time and PR'd with 6:38 mm. We were running with very fast people -the top guy was 15 minutes over the line - top girl was 18. Most in my age group (Master's) ahead of me were in the 20-21 minute range. I was 17th of 37 in my age group.

I would say... my biggest problem was with the breathing, and second to that, with my stomach feeling queasy. The stomach thing was likely mostly nerves. I'm actually not so much a fan of running with people. Isn't that weird? Like, running with a bunch of people around me makes me a little claustrophobic and irate. Probably because I don't generally run with anyone except my husband, who is kind of a crank socially. Of course, AFTER the race in this big ballroom sitting around a round table eating really good pasta I had NO problem chitchatting with everyone left and right. Do any of you know what I mean or am I just PMSing? I'm probably PMSing. LOL. :rolleyes:

[OakLeaf]

Indigo, GLC, way to go with the PRs!! Woot!!


I was getting a little cranky at my last 5K too, and at my age it definitely wasn't PMS. :o I don't care if people want to take walk breaks, but can they please not stop dead without signaling or checking whether anyone's behind them, or amble through the corners on the racing line making everyone else go wide? :p

I guess I just get into that competitive head space where it's all about ME and my PR. Yuk.


Anyhow.

I was thinking I'd get back on the road bike for a little while today - my wrists are feeling up to it - but the roads were wet, and I really didn't want to spend an hour riding and two hours cleaning. So I did a quick not-quite-5 miles before yoga class. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that, because I can't even remember the last time I ran before 10:30 a.m. that I wasn't racing.

[HillSlugger]

No races for me today. Congrats to all who raced.

Last night I decided that I'd do today's running at the gym b/c I was afraid there'd be ice. With the temp at 36F I decided to run outside. I'm still having to run the same 1 mile cleared path, but it's still more enjoyable than the treadmill.

[limewave]

7.5 miles snow shoe running. The trail was mostly broken in by some local hard-core snow-shoers. But it was still difficult, slippery, and drifted over in sections. I kept hitting my right ankle with my left snow shoe. It's all swollen and blueish purple today :( HOWEVER, it was still way better than running on the road.

6 hilly mile on tap for today. Blech.

[skhill]

Indigoiis, GLC, great prs!

And in almost every race, I too have that moment when I'm wondering why in the world I'm doing this, and wouldn't it be nice to just walk. But I keep on going...

Sunday's long run ended up being (only) 13 miles, and the last 2 were tough, with both hamstrings tightening up. Started out too fast, and I need to get better at eating and drinking before and during these long runs. But it's pretty awesome that a 10 mile run is no big deal, and 5 miles is a typical short/easy run. Maybe this marathon thing is doable...

[indigoiis]

Lime, I can't even WALK in snowshoes.

Skhill - I know what ya mean... I used to get home from my long runs (usually on Sundays) and collapse with the gatorade on the couch. Now I have more energy to do other stuff. Come to think of it, it goes that way with riding, too. When I first started riding again, long rides (which are now short rides to me) made me all nap-worthy and couch potatoish and now, they are just something we do on the weekend.

But a marathon... not sure on that one yet.

[limewave]

6 relatively easy miles last night. Easy because of the great company. It's so nice to have a good running partner!

Just finished my online registration for Chicago Marathon. :eek::eek::eek: I cannot believe I signed up for that circus again.

[sgf726]

Longest run ever on Saturday - 14 miles. Felt great. Next Sat is 15 miles. A little over 2 months until the marathon.

Today was a pleasant 6 miles, in CA for business and it felt nice to run without a jacket and without have to worry about slipping on snow or ice.

[jessmarimba]

I managed a little over 7 miles on Sunday on the trails where I used to live. Had a lot of breaks but it's the longest I've gone since June by at least 2 miles. Hurray!

Now I just need those running buddies to move about 1600 miles closer. :)

[OakLeaf]

Another quick 4.5 before yoga this morning. Turned it right into a wonderful day. :)

[skhill]

Had my first session with my personal trainer yesterday (the Y kept on dropping the price, and so I finally bit), and today my glutes are very sore. So my run was only 4 miles.

Just a couple more days of cold and snow, then the warm weather's coming. Maybe the bike path will be ice free and runnable this weekend!

[GLC1968]

5.1 miles on the treadmill last night. My longest run on that contraption since starting up this running thing again last year. I was really dreading it but time just FLEW! I can't believe it. What a huge difference the right music makes!!

A few days ago, I put every song I own that is about a 90 bpm speed into a playlist (because I run at about a 90 rpm). It's super random with songs from Neil Diamond to Sheryl Crow to Nickelback...but it totally worked! I only got through about a third of it, too...so there is lots more music for the next run.

[OakLeaf]

What app do you use to sort by BPM? I tried an old version of Tangerine, but it wasn't all that accurate.

[indigoiis]

Monday night (I planned this with the rigor of an Army Sargeant) I got off the bus 9 miles from home and ran it. I had lights, but the majority of the run was back roads (3 miles dirt) with relatively few or no houses. It was eerie and beautiful. I only had one crazy guy in a truck yell something. It sounded like, "Your Aunt owes me money!" but I'm sure it was something much different. I took the pace easy and got home by 7, and the DH had dinner waiting. What more could a girl ask for?

So, I'm supposed to do 5 today, and I will go at 4:30 while my kid is in a class. Need. Motivation.

[limewave]

6 hilly miles schedule for me today. It's relatively flat right by my house, unless I wanted to drive somewhere, I had to make-do with doing hill-repeats on a moderate grade 1/4 mile long hill on a busy road :(

It was bitter, bitter, bitter cold and windy. I never had to work so hard to run down hill before :eek: Anyways, managed to get in 12 laps for 6 miles and had about 780 ft of climbing. Avg. 9:15m/miles.

[GLC1968]

What app do you use to sort by BPM? I tried an old version of Tangerine, but it wasn't all that accurate.

This one:

http://www.mixmeister.com/bpmanalyzer/bpmanalyzer.asp

It seemed pretty accurate. It's also not very invasive. I'd installed it on my work computer a year ago, used it to analyze a couple of songs, and then uninstalled it and I could find no trace of it anywhere (which was my hope). I eventually reinstalled it on my home computer and it works great.

What I need to figure out is how to get my bpm info to load into itunes so that I can see it displayed there. It's there for the songs I did last year (prior to loading into itunes, I think) but it's not there for the recently analyzed ones. I really don't want to reload my whole library!

[Susan]

Great idea! I'm ill and not allowed to run or do anything atm, maybe I'll make use of the extra time by sorting my music :)

[skhill]

How cold is too cold to run outside depends on so many factors for me, but today all it took to decide was a glance at the thermometer. 6 F, definitely too cold. So it was back to the Y and the treadmill yet again... 5 miles, with 3 on the random hills program just for some variety.

[kacie tri-ing]

Slowly and cautiously running again.....2 miles twice this week (along with 2 pt appointments, 2 ART appointment, 1 accupuncture, and will be five swims :rolleyes:). Really ready to be back at it, with an ironman in may, but I know to be patient and to follow the orders of all the people helping me recover!!!

[GLC1968]

Hang in there Kacie - you'll get there!

I did another 5 mile run on the treadmill yesterday.

[skhill]

Totally crappy long run today... Things have thawed out enough that I decided to give my local bike/walk path another try. Bad idea. The path was mostly ice-free, so that was ok, but I had forgotten that there was a 5k using a stretch of it this morning. Oops. Got caught up in the traffic for about a mile, and lost my head and started speeding up and trying to pass as many folks as I could. Throwing in an 8 min/mile 7 miles into a long run was really stupid... Then the final mile of my run was uphill into a brisk wind. Was aiming for 15 miles, but went only 13. Oh well...

On the upside, I've just completed my first ever 40+ mile week. First of many, hopefully!

[limewave]

7 miles for me yesterday. It was slow and painful. Should not have had the wine and beer the night before! :eek:

6 easy miles tonight. Since when did 6 miles become my short run???

[GLC1968]

6.6 miles yesterday. Pouring rain the whole time and directly in my ear so badly on one stretch that my earbuds kept sliding out! Luckily, I had the foresight to throw a fleece jacket in the car so that I could strip off my drenched top at the trailhead and I didn't have to shiver on my ride home.

[Susan]

5 enjoyable Miles in the drizzle today.

[sgf726]

15 miles for me on Saturday. Longest run to date.

63 days to marathon monday....

[HillSlugger]

5 miles for me yesterday; nicest weather in a while and sidewalks finally clearing from the snows.

[indigoiis]

5.75 "commute" run home from another bus stop last night. All uphill! After a weekend of xc skiing, I felt slow. I am doing the same 5.75 tonight.

[skhill]

A great tempo run for me this morning-- first outdoor speedwork since I don't know when. One mile warming up, then 4 fast, going from 8:40 down to 8:25. My watch was hidded in my sleeves/mittens, so I wasn't checking it while running, just hitting the hidded buttons. It didn't feel like I was going that fast!

[limewave]

I got in my 6 miles last night. I did it. That in itself is a an accomplishment.

[sgf726]

I couldn't bring myself to get all bundled up and go outside today. Temps are in the 20's and have been running in that weather or colder all winter, just wasn't up to it today so 4.5 miles on the treadmill at least it was an interval day.

[sgf726]

5.4 miles yesterday - 50 deg out could have worn shorts. What a difference 48 hours makes. Drill was 2x2 miles hard with 5 minute recovery.

Of course tomorrow is my long run day - 13 this week - and its going to be cold and windy/

Gotta love New England winters. :-)

[skhill]

My cats were doing intervals the length of the house last night... they're loving the warmer weather!

I did a quick 6.25 miles this morning, in the warm and wind. Running uphill into the wind was tough, but coming home downhill with a tailwind might have been even tougher. But I was dressed too warmly, in shorts and a t-shirt!!

[GLC1968]

I've had a very bad running week. I did my longest run ever on Sunday and then proceeded to skip runs the rest of the week! I have no idea what is wrong with me - it's just been an off week. Even my swims (which I didn't skip) were bleh.

Anyway, today was supposed to be a fresh new week for me which meant a run at lunch. Now I'm not so sure it'll work. Apparently President Obama is arriving at the tiny airport across the street from my office and will be touring Intel around lunchtime. My run route takes me right past the airport (where all the cops and TV trucks are currently parked) and then I loop around the Intel campus where the tour is being held. I have a feeling that I might get detoured or blocked.

I might just wait and do a treadmill run tonight. Ugh - what a way to spend a Friday evening, huh?

[Susan]

I stayed in London for the last week and could try a treadmill for the first time in the hotel fitness room. I did 2 5k runs and some intervals and found it quite entertaining to play with running speed and incline.
I guess it gets boring though if you get used to those gimmicks.

Oh and I noticed all runners I saw in the city were wearing short thin summer clothes while I was wandering around in my winter coat - Londoners seem to be tough people ;)

[indigoiis]

My week was weird - since we went xc skiing last weekend I didn't get in a long run, so I did a 5.5 on Monday, a 5.5 on Tuesday (both nights, both returning from the bus), rested Wednesday, 6.7 on Thursday (bus to the car where my daughter was waiting) and off Friday. Then yesterday I did an ultra-fast 3 miles on hills - I think I even PR'd - on a training run!

Today though was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. I had a scheduled 12 (next week is the Hyannis Half marathon which we are doing. We left the car for my daughter to pick up later at the park and ride, and ran from there. It was entirely uphill. I started out great and in fact, I have been noticing lately that I have been faster. But then the Fiber One I had had for breakfast (duh!!!) kicked in at 5 miles and I spent the next seven very hilly and cold miles running alternating with walking to keep from... uh... letting loose? and when I did run, I felt my energy sapping. Did I mention it was TTOTM? In any case, I was stuck, I had to run through it, so to speak. :( We got home in 2:05, which wasn't horrible but was nowhere what pace I wanted to do today. I felt so, well, POOPY!

[limewave]

Today though was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. I had a scheduled 12 (next week is the Hyannis Half marathon which we are doing. We left the car for my daughter to pick up later at the park and ride, and ran from there. It was entirely uphill. I started out great and in fact, I have been noticing lately that I have been faster. But then the Fiber One I had had for breakfast (duh!!!) kicked in at 5 miles and I spent the next seven very hilly and cold miles running alternating with walking to keep from... uh... letting loose? and when I did run, I felt my energy sapping. Did I mention it was TTOTM? In any case, I was stuck, I had to run through it, so to speak. :( We got home in 2:05, which wasn't horrible but was nowhere what pace I wanted to do today. I felt so, well, POOPY!

Oh no!!!!!! I think we've all been there. Not fun!

I had 8 miles on Sunday morning. DH had 12 scheduled. We got up extra early and skipped church (sorry up there!) to get our runs in before the the snowstorm. I'm really glad we did that. Nice dry roads to run on. And now, after the storm yesterday, looks like we'll be getting the running snowshoes out again. Sigh.

[skhill]

14 miles on Saturday; the first 10 were so easy, the last 4 were tough. And it was in those last few miles that I saw a lot of other runners out on the streets, most of whom looked incredibly fresh...

Today, in honor of President's Day, I ran the length of the nearest street named for a president (Jefferson), then on past the statue downtown of a VP from here (Breckinridge), then on home. I was planning on going on to Lincoln Ave., but the wind was howling so I cut it short. 4 miles in all, but the wind made it feel like a lot more.

[Bike Chick]

Started back running again yesterday after trying to let the ankle heal and it's amazing how quickly you lose it! I did a half marathon in December and it was a struggle to get 2 miles done yesterday. Oh well, gotta start at the beginning.....again:(

[Veronica]

A great run this morning. Today was interval day so after about a mile warm up we did 4 rounds of "run at an uncomfortable pace but not a sprint" for about 1/3 of a mile. Then walk for two minutes. I was pretty happy with my pacing. The first one was a 9:17, followed by 8:03 , 7:09!, and a 7:55. The first one I realized I had way more in me and it wasn't as hard as I thought. :rolleyes: On the 7:09, I actually made Thom work. :p The last one included running up a hill, which had been in our walk phases.

Veronica

[sgf726]

13 miles on Saturday which felt harder than last Saturday 15. I think it had something to do with the intense headwind on the first 1/2 of the run, worst part was the wind kicking up all the sand/salt from the road which really hurt on the cold skin. We were joking about our free facial scrubs.

Today was speed intervals - 4.80 miles after a wu 3x3 min intervals with the fast at 7:40 pace and then recovery at 10:00 pace. That was tough.

Trying to get my long run in on Friday this week as I am traveling on Sunday current forecast is raining and 40's - sounds like fun...

[Susan]

Todays 4k wasn't fun I felt tense and unfit, though it got better somewhere in the second half of the run. Maybe it was just because of the interval training I tried yesterday.