January 2012 Running - Snow, stay away!

My first run since catching DH's cold and just not feeling like doing much of anything for 1.5 weeks. I did 3.5 miles on the beach, slowly, and was surprised I felt as good as I did. I think using my albuterol inhaler ahead of time helped a lot. I honestly thought I'd be lucky to get 2 miles in, so I was pleased. Back in the "saddle" (so to speak)!

GLC -- how scary! I have to watch out for bicycles on the beach where I run, but am very glad not to have to worry about huge vehicles that could take me out in a heartbeat. Be very careful out there.

My foot is actually feeling better. I did a 3.5 mile very hilly and rocky hike yesterday, and I had a minimum of pain afterwards. I will be riding outside twice this week, so I won't be going to spin, which seems to aggravate this.
I have hope that I'll be able to run again.
But, not until late winter. Not going to ruin what little x country ski season there's going to be.

As of this week, I am back on a training schedule. My first big event (a 50k) is toward the end of March. The BIG news is that my hubby, who has always despised running, signed up to do the shorter distance at the March event, so we've been running together a little (today we did 4.3 miles together). This is his first race ever! I think I'm more excited than he is :p (but he really is pretty excited about it, and I really had nothing to do with him entering this event--it was his idea).

Ran 3.5 miles on the rolling, windy trail at work.

I ran in the morning, before the SNOW started! Yes, SNOW. It was 36 degrees out when it started, so it wasn't sticking to pavement, even though the flakes were thick and coming down steadily. Regardless of the just-wet roads, the hordes decided to flee work at my normal quitting time. Doofi (plural of doofus).

I DID IT!!! I completed my first marathon at Disney! What a feeling! My time was slow but I don't care. DH was running the Goofy Challenge and ran the marathon with me at my pace. We took our time and took advantage of all the photo ops with the Disney characters. These folks really know how to put on a race and I would highly recommend it to everyone--especially for your first marathon. The hip I had been nursing behaved itself and wasn't really a factor. I'm now a firm believer in physical therapy. The only issue I had was a blister that started early and decided to break at mile 24. I know this is a bad place on my foot and had a nice callous built up but I hadn't ran much the past 3 weeks and the area had gotten soft. I am amazed what happens to your body over 26.2 miles and how unbelievably bad your body smells when you are finished. It's so different from a half marathon.

DH and I crossed the finish line together and spent yesterday at Epcot
"refueling.". We are packing now and heading home. It was truly a magical experience.

I will post a photo when I get home. Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement.

Congratulations, Bike Chick. I know you started running at the same time as me, so I really can appreciate how hard you have worked.
And yes, PT is the best.

Congratulations Bike Chick!! Way to go, I'm so glad you and your PT were able to get your hip worked out.


FWIW, if your blister isn't too big, I've had great luck with Band-Aid Advanced Healing blister cushions - both to get me back on my feet on existing blisters, and to prevent new ones from forming.

Enjoy your recovery!

Congrats, BikeChick!! Well done! (but ouch on the blister....that must have been a painful final 3 miles)

I just found out, I won entry into the Blackwater Duathlon in June. I had been hoping to get in - but dreading it at the same time. Is that strange or what? Running 20K in a single day (broken up over 2 runs) will be my biggest challenge. I'll need to get some serious running in this Spring. :eek: The longest I've EVER run was 7 miles.

Congratulations BikeChick! A former co-worker of mine did Disney as his first marathon a few years ago and raved about it too.

Way to go, Bike Chick!

I'm weather-befuddled. It was 28F this morning; I had frozen taking out my dog first thing, so I kept putting on layers when getting ready for my run. And then I was sweltering after a couple miles. 6 toasty-warm miles, with a great sunrise thrown in.

And this afternoon it's supposed to be in the low 50s and sunny. Great bike weather-- but tough for dressing for commuting by bike. There are worse problems to have, of course!

So good to hear that, Bike Chick. You must be on top of the world! :D

Awesome BikeChick! Yes, Disney is fun and I, too, have spend time at Epcot refueling. Glad you had a good time!

K

Very cook Bikechic!!!! Congrats on your marathon. Sounds like you had a great time. We had friends that ran the Goofy Challenge this year too (one of them averaged under 6 min/miles for both---INSANE). I've heard mixed reviews of the Disney Marathon so I am curious about your experience with it. DH and I have it on our bucket list.

Crappy run this morning. Legs sore from layoff when I was sick and then doing first run back on Monday, still kind of congested so couldn't breath. Hot & humid. Still, no breeze. Ran two miles with legs like lead, walked one mile, then ran the last mile back.

Why does running always feel like two steps forward, one step back? So different from cycling!

I did the bridge loop, 7.6 miles at an overall 9:17 pace, threw in some fartlek for the last mile or so. It rained on and off, but not enough to make my shoes soggy, just enough to be comfortable. Good run.

Congratulations, Bike Chick!! I can't wait to see photos!

And congrats, 7rider for getting into Blackwater. I'm sure you'll do great!

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

Congratulations, Bike Chick!! I can't wait to see photos!

And congrats, 7rider for getting into Blackwater. I'm sure you'll do great!

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What she said. :)

Got a nice 3.5 mile run in on the trail at work Wednesday morning before the rain set in during the afternoon. Cold but sunny. I don't really mind running in the cold anymore. Felt good, too. This was a run where I was able to relax my legs/arms while keeping my core strong. I was tempted to add an extra mile but decided not to push it.

I have a question about Yasso 800s - who does them?

This is a new workout for me. I know Yasso himself says start with four and work up to 10. But just this week I did four mile repeats at about 0:15/mile slower than my target Yasso 800 pace. So should I still start with four half miles? Some number between four and eight? Or just do as many as I can maintain the pace, my first time around?

(Don't worry, not doing them today. ;) In fact I get the day off today ... Santa Claus brought me a spa day. :):) )

The snow has largely been staying away, but it's due to arrive in force this afternoon. So instead of taking a planned rest day today, I got out for a windy 5 mile tempo run. It was slower than usual for a tempo run, due to the wind. And it seems that I've worn a small hole in one toe in my vffs-- found it thanks to a small puddle...

Haven't ran consistently. I did 5 miles this weekend with SO. She has NOT been running but is signed up for a 1/2 marathon this weekend. So we did a slow easy 5 miler. I am now signed up for the 1/2 marathon to run with her. I am also doing a 5k & 10k the day before. Last year I finally broke 30 minutes for my 5k, I was hoping to get a new PR. Not so sure after today's run. It was 5 miles, Garmin ran out of battery before the finish but I knew I was under pace, I was tired and my thoughts of new PRs flew out the window.

Treadmill arrives today, maybe I can finally get some consistent speed work. There will be no excuses!

It was a beautiful "spring" day. We are expecting "cool" front tonight. This weekend's race is at the beach, so I expect it will be a bit chilly....maybe perfect for running fast!

K

6.5 miles in the freezing rain. I guess the spring-like weather is history and winter is about to storm in . . .

Ugh; my PT has still not cleared me to run. The hamstring is just not healing. We've decided to give some of the strengthening exercises a rest for the next two weeks. The irony is that because of what we've been doing in session, my yoga practice has really benefited. My one legged balance poses are off the chart strong right now. But I can still barely sit for any length if time without a ton if pain (which means no riding) and running and fast walking are too risky. Ack!

indy -- that sucks, so sorry.

I managed about a 5K very slow and uncomfortable run on the beach this morning. Like so much of the US, Belize is experiencing above-normal winter temps, which means that it feels like summer here. Low in the upper 70s (with high humidity), and highs in the low 80s. The sun comes up really early, and we're in dry season now, so fewer clouds around to help. Running in the heat, humidity, and sunshine is SO HARD for me.

A month ago I was able to run farther and much more comfortably, as we had cooler, more overcast mornings. It's amazing how much difference just a few degrees in temperature and clouds can make.

I am praying for a cold front to bring it down just a few degrees. Please, weather gods!? :(

I really struggle to run in the heat--which for me is anthing above 60. I hand it to you for running in Belize at all!

So, I ran for five whole minutes today as a warmup for my session with my personal trainer. It felt fine.....but it was only five minutes at a relatively easy pace. Still, I'm hoping that it's healing bit by bit. Back to resting it though. I'm not ready for a full-on run. :(

Emily, I also have a lot of difficulty running in the heat. And by heat, I mean anything over 60-65. A couple of years ago, I went for a "practice" 5K run through my town center, in preparation for the one and only 5k race I've done. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny classic New England day, about 70-75 degrees.
I truly thought I was going to faint and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of being in the police log published in the local paper! And this was just a few days after I got back from riding in 100 degree temperatures in Spain. I slowly have been able to build up my tolerance for riding in the heat, but it's still not my favorite thing.
My on and off running has always been an early spring and fall thing.

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Originally Posted by limewave

6.5 miles in the freezing rain. I guess the spring-like weather is history and winter is about to storm in . . .

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oy vey, lime! Was it miserable? I hope it wasn't too slippery.

Emily, you are welcome to have the cold front that descended on us yesterday (went from being in the 60s to the 30s---with strong winds). Tomorrow and Monday, I probably will be running in 20-30 degree temps but luckily, there isn't supposed to be windy.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Emily, I also have a lot of difficulty running in the heat. And by heat, I mean anything over 60-65. A couple of years ago, I went for a "practice" 5K run through my town center, in preparation for the one and only 5k race I've done. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny classic New England day, about 70-75 degrees.
I truly thought I was going to faint and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of being in the police log published in the local paper! And this was just a few days after I got back from riding in 100 degree temperatures in Spain. I slowly have been able to build up my tolerance for riding in the heat, but it's still not my favorite thing.
My on and off running has always been an early spring and fall thing.

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Me too. In North Carolina, I was very much an on-and-off runner. I tended to run on the treadmill at the gym year-round since I could get there during my lunch break from work and not cut into my before- or after-work time. The temperature there was always right around 68 with low humidity due to A/C or the fact that the gym was in the unheated basement in the winter. No sun beating down on me. I still got really hot the longer the runs got, but not unbearably so.

When I did have the opportunity to run outdoors (not all that often, since I was primarily a cyclist), I did so in any season other than summer. Just couldn't manage it then, though I could and did ride in some miserably hot and humid conditions. Though not always the most pleasant, riding in heat is a lot easier than running in it since you create a nice breeze riding along. I can't run fast enough to do that!

I can handle temperatures from 25°F to 95°F, if I'm acclimated. The trouble in the last few years has been that temperatures have been so variable that I never either get acclimated to the heat, nor get the motivation to run when I'm too cold in the house to even think about putting on running gear.

Hate to gloat, but it was a perfect running day here - low 50s, mostly sunny, very little wind. I thought about running long today - even though I don't really want to be on a 7-day cycle - but the magic 8-ball decided against it, and just did six at marathon pace.

Then hopped in the shower, got re-acquainted with the hair dryer that I almost never use, and took the motorcycle out. :D

Did 5.3 miles today with the intent of keeping my HR within a 5 beat range, just below my LT. The first three miles were pretty easy - mile 4 was tough. But happily, it got easier again. I'm focusing on NOT going so hard, I blow myself up.

It turned into the fastest 5 mile run I have ever done. :D

Veronica

Barely did 2 miles today on the treadmill. Off sick for a week with a cold, and surprising how quickly endurance fades.

Saturday, I resorted to the treadmill; it was kinda cold for running outside, at least for me. 15F (but the horrible wind had died down) makes it tough! I was planning on going at least 6 miles, but maybe as much as 9, depending on my patience and how crowded the Y was. Ended up doing 6 at a long-run sort of pace, and just setting the treadmill at 6.4mph and just cruising along without changing pace felt a lot harder than my usual speeding up and slowing down.

But today, I braved the outside, as it has warmed up. 24F, hooray! There is an inch of fresh snow everywhere, so I slowed down a bit, and just enjoyed the beautiful morning. 4 miles, and the footing was pretty good except downtown.

Sunrise run with DH in the cold (25 degrees, windchill in the teens). Last 1.5 miles were with a tailwind, which was perfect. First two miles or so, I could really feel the chill, but it was fine after I warmed up. The MUT runs alongside a creek, so the sound of the running water was soothing. Felt pretty good and went at a nice pace.

Plan to run at least 3.5 miles tomorrow (maybe 4).

I'm starting to semi-seriously consider a half-marathon next year to mark my 50th.

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Originally Posted by Selkie

I'm starting to semi-seriously consider a half-marathon next year to mark my 50th.

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I think that would be great!

Me....I'm such an idiot.

So it was cold and breezy yesterday, and like VBC, I'm just getting over a week-long head cold that knocked me for a loop. But training plan (semi-serious at this point, will ramp it up more in February) called for a 5-miler on Saturday (actually, just "weekend").

DH looked at the thermometer, reading in the mid-20's, and we watched the wind blowing through the trees out our back window. My motivation was flagging - if it ever existed at all. "Why don't you run on the treadmill?" he asked. Why indeed. I honestly find running by myself boring. If I'm going to be bored for an hour (I could do it SO much faster on the bike!), I may as well be bored in the comfort of my home on the 'mill, listening to some good tunes on Pandora. I laced up my new running shoes (lighter stability shoes, vs. my clunky motion controls I normally run in), and remembered the picture of my foot from last week's gait evaluation follow-up and how I could run with orthotics or not, based on Doug's recommendation. So, I put my SuperFeet inserts in the shoes (the black ones) that I had from bike shoes that I sold.

New SuperFeet inserts + 5.25 miles on the treadmill = painful feet. OUCH. :eek: My soles are killing me. I should have done a 2-mile run on them to start. Then a 3-miler. Not jump right in to +5. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Crap. Well, hopefully, they will be pain free by Monday when I plan to get in an easy 3 (without the inserts) for my day off.

I hope your feet are feeling better, 7.

MLK Day run -- DH and I ran this morning, after my swim. It was cold (25 degrees) but the wind wasn't as brutal as Sunday. It was blowing in the opposite direction from yesterday (south vs northwest). My legs felt great. Because I had post-swim sinuses, I was a snot rocket factory!

Ouch, 7!

In honor of it being MLK day, I ran the length of my city's MLK Ave. Even the block there at the end that scares me; but at 6:30 am the dealers and prostitutes aren't out working. Came back on a parallel road that includes a bunch of landmarks of local black history-- the site of the slave auctions, several of our oldest historically black churches, and the old "colored" city high school. Even threw in a 1/4 mile on the school's track. All in all, about 4.5 miles.

Owie, 7, hope your feet feel better!

skhill, that's a terrific idea for a run.

I did 17 today, and it felt basically okay after I finally managed to drag myself out. :rolleyes:

DH and I did the motorcycle safety class again yesterday - I got a little dehydrated being out in the sun all day, plus one of the main things I'm trying to get past is a panic reaction in the really tight U-turns, so the class took a lot out of me both physically and mentally, and I didn't wake up until 8 a.m. today and still couldn't get moving for hours. But when I finally got myself to run, it was fine. :) 10:30 pace overall, tried to kick the last mile at marathon pace.


I'm a little bit off schedule - I'd like to try for a 5K PR at Daytona again this year on the 28th, but that means this is my last long run until after that. I guess I'll do between 12 and 14 next weekend, that should work out pretty much okay.

Thanks, all!

Feet are feeling better. Not perfect, but good enough for an easy (verrry easy, as it was after a similarly very easy 18.5 mile bike ride, and I'm in no shape to be doing bricks just yet) 5k this afternoon in my old motion controls. Was actually nice to be outside finally, getting some fresh air and listening to birds.

Spent the morning washing floors, as Miss Zoe Kitty decided that last night would be a good time to re-introduce her little mouth to our peace lily plant, and she threw up in four different spots. Grrrr. So we wiped up everything last night, but this morning the floors got washed. You would think sweeping the kitchen floor is the MOST interesting thing on the planet, the way the cats followed me around, staring. :rolleyes:

More experimenting with my foot. I had 15 minutes to warm up for a killer weights/core class, so I warmed on the TM for 5 and then did one minute intervals for the next 10 minutes, with a 2 minute cool down. The intervals were even ratios (1 minute run at 6 mph and 1 minute walk at 4.2 mph). My foot felt fine, and even better, I felt in control of my breathing at 6 mph. I kind of modeled this after a trainer workout I do on my bike.
My foot was fine after, during the class, which had a lot of balance and foot work (squats, lunges) It's a bit tender now, but I think, this is the way to go to increase my tolerance on the foot and also my tolerance for running (again).

5K beach run. Super windy in my face on the way out; it felt like going uphill the whole way. The way back was MUCH easier with wind at my back. A little cooler today and partly overcast, which helped. Still getting back my endurance after my cold.

I was efficient last night-- from the weather forecast, it was clear that it would be a treadmill day today. So I packed the reusuable grocery bag I use as a gym bag last night, and left it sitting on the floor in the bedroom. When I got to the gym and started pulling stuff out, I found that one of the cats had deposited a hairball in there. YUCK! Thankfully it was on my shirt, so I just rinsed it off a bit and put it on and hit the treadmill anyway. Did a 4 mile tempo run, broken into 2 segments as a leak started dripping on the first treadmill after about 10 minutes. The day can only get better from the start, right?