March Runs

[skhill]

The 1st of March, and so it's my first run in falling snow this winter. :rolleyes: Could be worse, it was a year ago today that tornados were dancing their way across the state. I'll take the snow! Just over 6 miles, in 42:30. Felt really good to be outside.

Around here, it's March when the racing season gets going. This weekend is a mud run, which you'd have to be crazy to do as it'll be in the upper 20s at start time. Next week is a 10 miler, which I'm not doing either as I'm not really fit for that distance. The following 2 weeks I am racing, a 3k and a 5k. Looking forward to it all!

[Veronica]

Saturday morning sunrise run.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BEXAvsdCAAACGjq.jpg

It was nice, 50 degrees, not too windy, and with my favorite running partner.

Veronica

[skhill]

Gorgeous! While I was stuck on the treadmill yet again (sidewalks slippery with snow, today). BTW, Friday's run was in 52:30, not 42:30. If only I could go that fast!

[rocknrollgirl]

Saturday the hubs and I did an 8 mile trail run at a park where we normally mt bike. I NEVER in a million years thought I would be able to run there. Yet run I did. I did not need to stop and walk any of the hills. I am pretty pumped. We have been working hard to get ready for The North Face Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain in May. Living near the coast makes training for races like that tough. So the run on Sat was a confirmation of the work done so far.

Good Stuff.

[skhill]

A crazy cold Monday morning (16F!) made for an unusually busy gym. Actually did some weights while waiting for a treadmill to open up! After about 30 minutes the place was starting to clear out, so I was able to get a decent length run, 5 miles. And I found I can still do a pull-up, even if it was just one.

Something weird, though-- I find that I prefer instrumental music these days while I'm running. Renaissance dance music is great, and the Beethoven string quartet I had on this morning went well with a relaxed easy run. Strange...

[indysteel]

A crazy cold Monday morning (16F!) made for an unusually busy gym. Actually did some weights while waiting for a treadmill to open up! After about 30 minutes the place was starting to clear out, so I was able to get a decent length run, 5 miles. And I found I can still do a pull-up, even if it was just one.

Something weird, though-- I find that I prefer instrumental music these days while I'm running. Renaissance dance music is great, and the Beethoven string quartet I had on this morning went well with a relaxed easy run. Strange...

I'm not sure I've heard "Renaissance dance music!" I'm forever searching for new music to listen to while running; I find that it puts a little extra spring in my step.

As for me, I've put running on my back burner yet again. I started taking a new "total fit" class at the gym after talking to one of the instructors in the locker room. The class meets 4 weeknights each week and Saturday mornings. It's a class that aims to offer some cardio, resistance and core work each class. Anyway, a like variety, so I decided to try it in lieu of running. I wish I could do both and there have been a few classes where I've been able to fit in a one-mile run either before or after, but that's about it. I feel sort of guilty about it, but I was getting to the point I seem to get to every spring where I'm just ready to move on for a bit, notwithstanding my desire to keep up with the running.

[Crankin]

This is the exact kind of class I take, Indy, and as with you, I couldn't do that and run. I tried last spring, but as I got near the end of the couch to 5K program, it was just too much on my feet, and I felt like I was on the edge of aggravating the stress fracture that had just healed. And, the resistance stuff is more beneficial to me at this point, when I can get cardio from riding.
The good thing is, I got it all out of my system and now I feel really ready to ride this season, and I can do that and my classes.
Hey, I had 2 CDs of Renaissance dance music when I used to do a Renaissance Festival with my 5th graders. Some of the girls even put together a dance I taught them and performed to the music.

[skhill]

My favorite renaissance music to run to is ripped from an old cd of Michael Praetorious's Terpsichore Dances. Lots of fun! Most of it is up-tempo, with an occasional slow song. (I played in a early music group in college, viola da gamba and recorders and crummhorns, so it's a genre of music I know a bit.) From my asking around, gospel and 80s pop are the most popular among my fellow 6am gym-goers.

[indysteel]

This is the exact kind of class I take, Indy, and as with you, I couldn't do that and run. I tried last spring, but as I got near the end of the couch to 5K program, it was just too much on my feet, and I felt like I was on the edge of aggravating the stress fracture that had just healed. And, the resistance stuff is more beneficial to me at this point, when I can get cardio from riding.
The good thing is, I got it all out of my system and now I feel really ready to ride this season, and I can do that and my classes.
Hey, I had 2 CDs of Renaissance dance music when I used to do a Renaissance Festival with my 5th graders. Some of the girls even put together a dance I taught them and performed to the music.

Yeah; I figure my legs can take both riding and the class, but not running and the class. The issue will be more about time. During the week, I'd just as soon go to the class, even when the weather improves. In years' past, my plans to ride with DH after work are often thwarted. He'll get home too late or he'll be too exhausted (he is on his feet nearly all day versus my desk job). Or we'll talk ourselves out of riding because of the weather. I'm far less likely to skip the class, so long as I get home in time.

So, that leaves the weekends, and I've already told DH that I want us to try harder to ride first thing in the morning if we're doing a road ride. DH is a putzer, and it's hard to get him motivated in the morning. It drives me nuts; I feel like we end up wasting half of the day. If he doesn't get a bit more disciplined, I'm just going to start riding without him.

[OakLeaf]

I love Renaissance music - sang a lot of madrigals in high school and college, and one of my HS classmates still plays viola da gamba professionally. It never occurred to me to put it in my iPod for water running! Most of what I have in the 90-105 bpm range is either hip-hop or bluegrass, which makes for a very wacky playlist. Some Pretorius would be just the thing to make it totally insane. :cool:

Indy, that sounds like a fun class. I hear you on two-a-days - even when time isn't an issue, motivation can be. Heck, even a lot of the pros take an annual break from running. That's kind of where I am with cycling right now - I'm just crossing my fingers that when I'm back in hill country my back will be healed up enough to ride the hills.

I did 20 today for the first time this cycle, and it almost feels better than the first time I ever ran 20. I'm too gun-shy to count on anything at all right now, but every step forward is a step forward. I saw a bald eagle and a swallow-tailed kite riding the wind - it was a beautiful day for running, sunny, dry, not too windy, and temperature in the high 50s - and I did the last couple of miles with a huge grin on my face. Yay.

[indysteel]

Sounds like a fantastic run, Oak. I like the image of you running down the road with a smile!!!

[skhill]

Breakthrough! On the treadmill this morning, I did 5 miles in 39:56! It started out as a tempo run, at an 8:10 pace (which is crazy fast anyways), then I started picking up the pace for the last 1.5 miles, and even did a good long chunk at a 6:55 pace. Was listening to Beethoven's 5th symphony, btw. Good distraction; I was visualizing the sheet music and playing along mentally.

If the weather clears, I might finally go to the club run at my very local brewery tonight. Free tuesday evenings are rare for me, but an easy 3 miles to round out the day sounds like it might be fun. If it's not snowing, that is.

[OakLeaf]

Whoa! Very nice skhill! You earned that beer, extra run or not!

[indysteel]

Whoa! Very nice skhill! You earned that beer, extra run or not!

+1. That's awesome, skhill!

[skhill]

Skipped the brewery run on Tuesday-- it was raining hard at the time it started, and a near white-out by the time I would have been heading home. So I just enjoyed a can of their beer at home with dinner! No run on Wednesday, as the town was snow-covered, and it was back to the treadmill this morning due to slushy sidewalks. 5 miles again, but in a much more responsible/reasonable 41:47. Everything's melting today, so hopefully I'll be back outside on Friday. Running and biking has made me a weather channel addict!

I wasn't planning on racing this weekend, but it looks like Saturday morning will be beautiful, and there are 2 5ks in town, so maybe... But I really ought to do a long run. And I'm racing 3 out of the following 4 weeks already.

[Anelia]

First run for March (http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/AneliyaKaragyozyan/5kl8csnm114dgaab) and the distance is half marathon. My husband came with the bike to keep me company and to carry my bottle of water with aminos. I drank only 3 times each time 3 sips. While in winter I managed to run without eating or drinking, now I will have to bring water for my long runs.

[skhill]

I'm hoping this was the last 20F morning of the season... Ended up on the treadmill, yet again. 5.5 miles, at an 8:10 pace. It would have been 6 miles, but I was delayed getting to the gym by having to scrape the windshield. But it's great to find that a pace that fast can feel so comfortable, especially after yesterday's hill and wind workout (up and down, with the up into a 20mph headwind).

First race of the year is Saturday! Just a little 3k, and I'm hoping on a pr. The weather's looking to be good, and I'm feeling good. But I'm going to enjoy it, even if I don't make my time goal!

[Anelia]

Today I did some hill runs (http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/AneliyaKaragyozyan/8cgner0d57khaso8) but I felt so heavy and unfit. Recently I can't raise my heart rate neither cycling, nor running:my heart rate in Garmin (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/284785785) but the initial high HR is due to the monitor mistake, Í don't go to 173 in the first 5 minutes of running.

[skhill]

First race of the year is done! It was plenty warm-- about 58F at start time-- and also plenty windy. Nothing like a 20 mph headwind for the last 3rd of a race... I started out fast, with my best mile yet in 7:15. Then I faded, running into that wind. Finished the 3k in 14:04, a pr by 38 seconds (whew!). That was good enough for 3rd in the age group, as a lot of the fast 40 year old women weren't there. The woman who usually finishes every race about 5 seconds ahead of me was 4 seconds ahead of me (oh well). Can't help thinking that if I had pushed a little harder when I slowed down to gather myself for a final kick, I might have broken 14 minutes (and beat Liz too).

Now it's off to the St Pat's festival, to visit the beer tent. It's blowing even harder now, I'll need that beer after biking into a head wind getting there...

[OakLeaf]

Very nice skhill! Enjoy your beer. :)

Anelia, I wonder if you aren't dehydrated and/or overtrained, the way you've been describing your workouts. Has your resting heart rate gone up?

This week has been a little bit of a bust for me, with a houseguest and the motorcycle races this weekend. 20 again on Monday, a quickie Wednesday, bridge repeats Thursday and I'm going out for a quick loop yet this afternoon. I've pretty much made my footwear decision for the marathon - which is not the nice light Nikes I really want to wear but seem to be hard on my Achilles, but the brick heavy Brooks that I've done all my long runs in so far. Ah, well. Not like I was going to be setting any PRs this time in any case.

[skhill]

It took until September last year before I had a pr; got that out of the way early this year! Next Saturday is my first 5k of the year, which I need to run fast to get off to a meeting at church. And I've been invited to go riding with a couple guys I know about an hour after the meeting is supposed to end-- they're both older and less fit than me, but with better bikes and more miles in this winter/almost spring. What to do, what to do....

Oak, the shoe issue is one thing that has me reluctant to sign up for a marathon. I'm running exclusively in VFFs these days, and I've done a half in them without much trouble. Not sure about extending out to a full marathon in them, however, and I don't really want to go back to conventional running shoes. Guess getting to the finish line in good shape is the most important thing!

[Anelia]

Anelia, I wonder if you aren't dehydrated and/or overtrained, the way you've been describing your workouts. Has your resting heart rate gone up?
In fact, it's down...My HR is 35 (yes, I'm sure). I went for a regular physical and the red circle is my HR: 16092
I'll try to drink more water before I go running.

[Anelia]

skhill,
Congratulations! This is a very fast run in the wind!

[Anelia]

Yesterday I had to run against the stopwatch to test my 1500 m by my gps did not work and I think I ran less than 1500: maybe 1300. My time was 5:29 so I guess my 1500 would be around 6 and something.

[skhill]

Race day! again. It was great weather, upper 30s with just a hint of a breeze and a bit overcast. Well, great weather once we got running; standing around waiting for the race to start was quite chilly. The race was a 5k fundraiser for an organization that has a lot of folks I know working with them (they put on fun summer day-camps, focused on helping kids who are poor readers improve their reading skills). I was hoping to run somewhere around 24:30, and that's exactly what I did (24:31). Not many of our fast local runners were there, and I find it really hard to go as fast as I know I'm capable of when I'm basically running alone (there were a handful of fast folks out in front, and then a handful of us strung out in the 24 to 26 minute range, then a whole lot of slower runners and walkers). Not sure about placement, as I couldn't stick around for the awards, but I was either 3rd or 4th among women. With how fresh I felt at the end, I definitely had it in me to go faster; maybe next time!

[Melalvai]

I decided to join a Couch to 5K group. I've done 5Ks, I've even done a trail half marathon. But I haven't run at all in a couple months, and I thought I might find someone to run with closer to my speed at a Couch to 5K group. At least I can keep up with beginners; I can't keep up with anyone in the multisport club.

I forgot the clock in the bedroom is fast and I thought I was late. I sprinted the 3/4 mile so that I wouldn't be late to the first night of Couch to 5K! I laughed at myself the whole way.

I'm as much faster than these ladies as the multisport folks are than me. But that's ok--I can definitely keep up. I was really impressed with the 2 who came out tonight: it was pretty chilly and there is snow on the ground. We might get a big crowd on Wednesday when we have more normal weather.

[skhill]

Thanks to my running log, I know it was 51F at 6:30 am a year ago today. But today, it was back to the treadmill yet again, as it was snowing. Really not that cold, but cold enough that I didn't want to get wet. So it was 6 miles in the toasty warm Y; ended up soaking wet anyway but with sweat not melting snow.

Cool thing from the results from Saturday's 5k: I passed a guy in the last few yards of the race, and it turns out that he won my age group on the men's side. Now that's something! Of course, it seems like there aren't a lot of 40ish men turning out for most local races.

[OakLeaf]

Nice job skhill!!

Last long run yesterday before tapering. I'd managed to strain my left quad the week before ... probably secondary to dehydration secondary to the mild hyponatremia that I talked about before. :mad: So I took it real easy, only did 21.5 which I'd have liked to get another couple, but it's enough considering what-all I've been through in the last year, and my leg actually felt better when I got back than it did when I started out.

Got my bib pick-up packet in the mail yesterday. It says "Runner Passport" ... does that mean I really, finally, am a runner? :o

[Anelia]

skhill, that was fast!
Yesterday I trained for 1500 meters and I did them in 6:42...maybe the distance was a little longer but my gps didn't work. But still, I think this was too slow. The weather was pretty cold, some snow on the ground and also I was worried because of some health issues of a family member. I hope next time my running would be better and faster.
Even if I am not happy with yesterday's run, today I needed recovery so I took a day off from training and went to sauna.
By the way, on Saturday I'm going for an orienteering race. I am very bad with maps so even if I run fast, there is a chance to get lost ot miss a point. Anyway, I do it for fun and I will watch carefully :)

[VeganBikeChick]

Trying to get back into my running. Right now it's still a walk/run combo as I'm running about a 12 min mile. I guess that's better than people sitting on the couch! I did a great outside run today, and tried it again today but had no stamina. I thought running 2 days in a row was supposed to make the second day easier, but it definitely didn't. I walked much more than I ran today and feel pretty defeated.

[OakLeaf]

I thought running 2 days in a row was supposed to make the second day easier Who told you that?! When your muscles are tired your muscles are tired, and that doesn't make anything FEEL easier! Consistent running will make it come easier, but that doesn't mean you don't feel stronger with rest and more fatigued without it. (Why d'ya think I'm on a 3-week taper ... many people prefer 4 weeks!)

No reason at all to feel "defeated" .... feel strong and proud!

[skhill]

About 2 miles into yesterday's long run, I tripped on an uneven sidewalk in some really bad light. The way the trees cast shadows in the streetlights in that neighborhood... Oh well. I fell well, I guess. Some scrapes and bruises, but otherwise ok. Ended up cutting it short and only went 5.5 miles. That particular neighborhood has caused me problems before; slipped on some ice just around the corner a couple years ago. And I came as close to being hit by a car while on a bike as I ever have near there too. Think I'll be sticking to poor neighborhoods for a while; the slums are a lot safer than that rich area.

[katluvr]

Hi all! I have not been posting or running very regularly--but working on it. Last weekend was a 15K trail run. Quite a challenge but I loved it. And I was not last. I have a 10 mile adventure run in a few weeks so need to get the runs in. Did 6 miles today. It was a beautiful spring day here in FL. Been missing this weather. Sadly no trails close to run so just getting in miles on the pavement.

K