Nobody had started it yet for this month, so I will. Not a very interesting run for me to report today...about a 40-minute easy run on the roads and trails in town, and then today is a strength training day (I definitely need it).
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Nobody had started it yet for this month, so I will. Not a very interesting run for me to report today...about a 40-minute easy run on the roads and trails in town, and then today is a strength training day (I definitely need it).
Did my social 3 mile run tonight - all thanks to TE'ers for encouraging me to go!
The group was nice enough. I am a bit miffed that they advertised that it was a social running group for runners of every pace, but out of the 20 or so people there, I was definitely the only "slow" one, and save for one really nice girl that ran with me, everyone else was miles ahead.
I am thankful that I went, and super thankful that the girl ran with me. I felt bad for holding her up and bought her a beer as a thanks afterwards (it was a social run with drinks to follow) and she said she'd run with me whenever I'd like.
That's great, VBC! Glad you did the run. I'm always the slow one in a group. I'd run with you if I were in your neck o' the woods.
This morning was 45 minutes on the treadmill. The treadmill is in a room with a drop ceiling and next to a block wall. Running, I could see a spider making his way up and down the wall, right next to my right shoulder. Blech. I hate spiders. But, as long as he was on the wall - live and let live. At mile 2.75, I see him suspended in mid-air, inches from my right cheek. YIKES! :eek: No way, critter. You invaded my space. I hit pause and jumped off the 'mill to grab a paper towel to squish him. I swear that guy knew my plan, because by the time I got back on the treadmill, he was back up, disappearing into a crack in the drop ceiling. And he never showed his face again for the remainder of my run. Good thing. I kept that paper towel handy...just in case.
Ack! Attack treadmill spider!
I haven't run yet since my race sunday. Guessing I will lace my shoes back up (after i wash them from running through the sewage river!).
Looking forward to moving again!
Over the past couple months I've really slacked off my running, so my December resolution is to pick it up again.
Last night I added a lot of new music onto my mp3 player, and so this morning's run was on neighborhood streets with very little traffic with the earbuds in. (I only use the mp3 player if I'm not going to be interacting with traffic-- considering how bad my eyesight is in the pre-dawn dark, I need to be listening for cars in higher traffic areas). The last 30 min. of the Messiah, plus some Praetorious dance music carried me through 4 miles. Running to classical music worked better than I thought it might!
I ran 3 miles last night after. My evening runs rarely go as well as my morning runs. I'm likely just more tired, but I also usually run in the morning on an empty stomach, minus some coffee. Running in the evening with lunch still sloshing away in my stomach sometimes makes me feel a little sick, as it did last night. Plus, I just don't think I'm as relaxed running in the dark. I have a headlamp on and lots of reflective stuff, but I still feel more apprehensive. I ordered a new headlamp that I should be getting any day now that will work better than my current Black Diamond. That should help immensely.
I run best at 8:30 in the morning after a breakfast between 6 and 6:30 of cinnamon toast. Alas, Mon. - Fri. at 8:30 I'm checking in homework. :rolleyes:
Early morning runs my nose is stuffy and afternoon runs I often suffer from sloshy lunch like you. Makes me appreciate those weekends so much more.
Veronica
Wowza. Got my new headlamp today. It's a Black Diamond Sprinter. I may have unintentionally burned my retinas with it. It's pretty darn bright. Plus, it has a rear taillight. I'll have to test it out as soon as it gets dark. My other headlamp is a BD Spot. We bought it mostly for camping, but it just wasn't up to the task. I recently bought a reflective harness and some reflective leg bands. Anything else I might need for safe night running?
A treadmill??? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by indysteel
Sounds like you should be good to go. We can't find our headlamp anywhere, and I have no motivation to buy a new one now that we do have that treadmill. I do feel I need to get out for early runs in the cold to prep for the 5-miler, but I'm pretty sure I'll be fine temp wise (unless it's like 15 degrees for it).
Did somewhere around 3.75 miles this morning on the beach. It was windy, overcast, and cool (that means 70F, as this is the tropics). I felt great! Probably one of the best runs I've had. DH told me what I needed to add on to take it to 4 miles, so I may try that on Monday if the cool air stays put. It had been so hot I was really suffering and was not able to increase my mileage much at all, but now that it's been cooler, I would like to get to 4 miles and hang there for awhile.
I just joined the rec center up the road from us and can use a treadmill there, but it's a last resort. I don't really enjoy it nearly as much as running outside. I am really sensitive to overheating, and I have yet to find a gym that is cool enough for my taste.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider
I have run in 15 degrees. I must be nuts because I don't really mind it (assuming the winds aren't too brutal).
indy, I find I can go colder and colder as winter sets in and I get used to it. Last year I ran several times when it was in the 8 or 9 F range and I have definitely Nordic skied in colder. I find that if I wear a wool Buff over my mouth and nose that I don't get cold lung burn. I know there are masks out there that probably do a better job, but they seem claustrophobic to me when I've tried them on. Winter is my favorite time to run because it is cold (and because the trails are so heavenly to run on when they are snow covered).
[Edit: it's really dry where I live, so I realize that makes it easier than in some other places. Still, I think acclimation is the key.]
That BD headlamp is pretty popular around these parts with the night runners. If I didn't already have 2 Zipkas, I'd probably get one. Maybe when one of my Zipkas dies. :p
I'm in ramp-back mode still, but I've seemed to clock bigger weeks than I've planned. I need to make a concerted effort to back off yet still run with regularity. It's hard when the conditions are so very nice for running.
I did not get my mid week runs in, but heading out for my scheduled long run of 8 miles. Per the training program I am doing my LR pace should be 10:10 - 11 min miles (my HM goal is is 2 hours). I felt good, did not walk any and kept strong til the end. Overall pace was 10:32, that includes the first couple miles at closer to the 11 min mile pace. I felt good. Still can't imagine running 9 min miles for that long, but hopefully in 10 weeks I can!
We have our annual X-mas party tonight at our house. So I just had a good post-run breakfast and I'm off to the shower. I have house cleaning, decorating & food prep to do. I must work best under pressure!
Oh forgot to mention the weather was perfect for me. Just barely 60 and breezy, I even wore long sleeves. Didn't get too hot. Also in December the white pelicans migrate and drop in for a month or 2. We have lots of pelicans, but seeing white ones are rare. There was a flock of 8 swimming around in the bay at on section along my run, made my day!
K
Today's 9 miles was my longest run since September! The last 2 miles were tough, but that was to be expected. Couldn't ask for better weather for early December-- clear and dry and not to much wind, and in the upper 30s for my whole run.
Indy, how does that headlamp do letting you see where you're putting your feet? I keep having to slow down because I can't see where I'm going, and maybe a headlamp would help?
Awesome long runs, gang! I did an hour long run today. I don't own a Gramin or any other device to track distance or speed. On the treadmill the other day, I ran at a 9:50 pace; that's the only metric I have at this point.
@skill, I haven't officially used the headlamp yet, but I did take it outside and it is plenty bright and has a long enough beam to light up the road in front of you. I think I'll be quite happy with it. It can be tilted up or down and can also be dimmed. I got a decent price for it and free shipping from Backcountry.com via Amazon.
I think this is a very good point. While I don't run, I do strongly enjoy winter hiking and, oddly, as easily as I get cold I enjoy it most in bitter cold temperatures. There is something about being out on the trails when it is bitter cold (in the single digits), everything is covered in snow and all I can here is my steps in the crunchy snow, the occasional snow/branches falling from the trees and the occasional very hardy winter birds. Heavenly!Quote:
Originally Posted by yellow
Snow run this morning! 24 degrees and at least 6 inches of snow on the ground, still snowing as we ran. We only did about 3 miles (and 3 miles was plenty) but it was a pretty fun run!
Then my car almost got stuck trying to get out of my parking spot on the side of the road...hah. I'm the only one in my running group without AWD and could only get traction going backwards, so it took some maneuvering!
I also enjoy running and hiking (in addition to x country skiing and snow shoeing) in the cold/snow. It's what makes winter bearable. In fact, I find I often get warmer exercising in colder weather.
Most of my sporadic running has been done in the late winter to late spring and resumed in the fall. One of the weird things about this year is that we have had warm weekends and I am still riding. Usually this time of year is kind of a shoulder season and I do a lot of hiking. I think I'm just getting more acclimated to riding in the cold, and doing the other sports have never bothered me in the cold.
It was a beautiful day today, which is good, because cold weather is really hard for me. I'm always freezing as it is, I'm starting to think I might have a touch of Raynaud's, and it's really hard for me to give up what little warmth I have to change into running clothes and go out in the cold.
I was a little bit bummed actually when they changed the weather forecast, because the bike club rides Saturdays and I've already packed my bike for travel. But it gave me the chance to get out for a nice 9 miles at a moderate pace. It felt really good, and I chose a route that's pretty open, so I never felt in danger from hunters (though I sure saw a lot of guys in orange).
I'm thinking I might train for the next marathon a little differently - focus on building volume right now, more speedwork later in the training cycle. We'll see. I still want to PR that 5K I always run at the end of January, so I'll be doing some speedwork between now and then, anyway.
So, we started (at dawn! :eek:) with some mountainbiking at Rosaryville State Park. Seven of us did the ride - some on 'cross bikes, some on borrowed mtb's (including DH, who was on the LBS's phenomenal ti Seven Sola 29'er hard tail that he's loving but is so completely over the top - everything is, predictably, top-of-the-line...in fact, the headset cap has a slogan on it that reads "Light...Strong...Cheap...Pick Two" - that I resist him even considering buying it. A friend rode his Klein dualie for her first time ever off road. She did great, but climbed like a roadie (out of the saddle - spinning that back tire like mad). A bit under 9 miles of sweet singletrack.
But this thread is about running.
After DH and I got back home, I polished off the last of the Propel in my Camelback, ate a Zone Bar, dressed into knickers and a different top, and went out for a run. Still building miles in preparation for the Celtic Solstice 5-miler on the 17th. I thought it was the 18th, but I guess it's the 17th. :rolleyes: Anyway... 5.3 miles today in 1 hour flat. Better than I expected, relatively pain-free, and makes me happy that - assuming I stay injury free and healthy - I should be able to do okay on the 17th. Next weekend is my Chi Running clinic. Looking forward to that.
Oh...and after the run...I took my first ice bath! :eek: Got into my cheapie Target C9 shorts, kept a sweatshirt on, and a fleece cap, sat down in the tub and filled it up to just over my thighs with cold water. And then I dumped a bowl of ice cubes into it. Then 15 minutes of shivering while playing solitaire on my phone to kill the time. Brrrrr.... But, I've been told I should be doing this regularly, and the legs feel okay now. So....despite my husband's thinking I'm insane....it might be something to do regularly.
I ran for the first time in about 5-6 weeks. My foot is fine, and I am suspecting that it was not a stress fracture, as I have times when it hurts and I am doing nothing and times when it's fine when I am doing something with impact. Given my history of weird things, I am just being watchful now.
I ran very gingerly, 2.4 miles. Not sure how fast, but it was even slower than my usual slow, on purpose.
7 Rider,
This time of year the weather in Florida is great for running and I am always training for a HM. Although the weather is warm my pool is not! It is not like an ice bath (it is still pretty chilly) and I stand with my legs immersed up to my hips for 10 - 15 minutes. IF we are having really some "winter" weather I still do it, just warm up a cup of coffee and put a sweatshirt on. I think it has really helped over the past few years.
K
Actually what I've read recently is that inflammation and muscle building are connected. So I don't ice my muscles after a planned workout. If I've gone and really overdone something then I'll do the ice bath thing, and obviously if I have an injury I'll ice that, but otherwise I'm saving the ice baths for after races. OTOH I've read all this after my last marathon ... so we'll see when I start to ramp up the miles again. :cool:
IAE, I'd read that anything below 60°F decreases inflammation, which means most northerners could just run cold water without having to add ice.
I'm kicking myself for watching my Bengals getting their *sses kicked yesterday instead of going out. It's raining all day today so whatever I do, I'm going to keep it short.
I've read - and been told - to save the ice baths for after "hard" workouts (or races). After a 41 mile bike ride Saturday, and a multi-sport Sunday, my legs were feeling it. The 5.3 miles was my longest run since August. I figured that constituted a "hard" workout for me (all things being relative, I guess).Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
I've also heard that the water should be "in the 50s". No idea what the cold water coming out of my tub's faucet is, but I've also heard that it probably would have been adequate without ice. No need to torture yourself, right? But...I had already emptied the ice maker into the bowl and brought it with me into the bathroom. So I figured "waste not...want not" - and dumped it in. :rolleyes:
I, too, enjoy running in the cold. I don't know what it is, but I like it. Yesterday I ran in the pouring rain with a hard, cold wind from the north. Perfect running weather if you ask me!
6 miles for me yesterday. In the rain and cold.
More on the ice/cold baths after hard workout.
Not sure if my pool is cold enough or if I should do it after long runs, but it feels good and I think I am less sore the next day. I know I missed them this summer when I ran long because I did not have a cool pool to stand it (it was hot bath water by July) and I don't take the time to really to sit in a bath.
K
I love the wonder that is an ice bath after a particularly hard workout! It's incredibly delicious when it's hot, your feet are aching and you get to stand in an icy mountain stream or lake after a tough hike. Pure awesomeness!
FWIW - I do feel like I get the same effect from wearing my Zoot Rx Recovery tights for a few hours post race. And they are easier to wear in the car than an ice bath would be. ;)
I finally got out to run this weekend after being down with a stomach bug last week. I did 4 miles on Saturday with my husband and then 6 on my own yesterday. My plan had me doing 12, but I didn't want to push it and with my HM being on Sunday, the longer miles weren't going to really do much for me anyway. I plan to run 3 after work today and then again on Wednesday and that's about it before the race.
The good news is that the last forecast I saw showed dry, sunny and a high of 45 for next Sunday (which means it'll be about 40 for the race itself). We'll see if that holds as we get closer though! :rolleyes:
I did 4 miles at the gym today. It's been raining to beat the band. I don't mind the cold, but I'd rather not run in a hard rain. So I settled for the treadmill. My boss and I had to go out of town today for a trial that the parties settled over the weekend. Grrr. The upshot is that I got home early and was able to make lentil soup for dinner, clean the kitchen, finish the laundry and get to the gym, all before 5 o'clock. Awesome!
I had an icky run today. I was all set to up my mileage slightly to 4, but we had an unusually high tide this morning, so I had to run in soft sand and lots of sea grass rather than the usual packed sand, in a lot of places. It is really hard to run in soft sand, and I was slow as mud. So, I did 5K and called it done for today. Hopefully next run (Wed.) will be at low tide!
It's raining here yet again, so today's run was on the treadmill at the Y. 5 miles in 45 minutes flat; I finally managed to put on 5 lbs, and it's helping my speed tremendously. A couple guys were looking at me strangely while I was on the treadmill, but c'mon, if you're listening to renaissance dance music on the mp3 player while running, you're going to be playing the air viola da gamba at times. :D
45 minutes on the treadmill with my friend, Mr. Spider.
I realized yesterday that I do much better at staying motivated on the treadmill if I cover up the display with a towel. I'll otherwise just stare at the clock and count every second until I'm done.
5 miles through the 'hood this morning between my first and second course of breakfast.
It feels good to be running regularly again.
4 mile tempo run today. Mid 2 miles were supposed to be at 9 min miles per the plan...I made it about 0.75 miles at a 9 min mile pace, then had to have a short recovery, then ran more like a 9:30 min mile pace, felt more comfortable. Overall with warm up & cool down completed my 4 miles in 40:30. That is my fastest 4 miles, I may need to look back at all my training logs but I really don't think I have run a 40 something 4 miler. I may have not executed the run exactly as I should of, but I did run a tempo run and a PR training run I do believe!
Tonight is the local Jingle Bell run. So it will be a very easy 5K with friends. We have a "cool" front moving in this afternoon. It was warm 70's for my run this AM, it is dropping at least 20 degrees, so may feel a bit Christmasy for the run after all!
K
Upped my beach run to 4 miles today, double where I started (2 mi) back in September. Yes, my progress is slow, but I'm no spring chicken, so I figure I'll allow myself to move along at a snail's pace to avoid injury. So far, that has worked very well indeed. I felt downright good today! :D
Awesome Emily!
I did three hot treadmill miles. They were unremarkable but at least I got them done. I have finally gotten back to working out nearly everyday--something I am thrilled about. Tomorrow is a rest day though. I meet with a trainer on Fridays and I want to be fresh.
Everyone is doing great here!
Yesterday was my first run in the rain in years. Luckily, it wasn't pouring and it was in the high 50s. Managed to get in 3.5 miles--it really wasn't bad at all. I wanted to get out either yesterday or today. Since today is supposed to be significantly colder and windy, I didn't want to risk hitting an icy patch on the trail at work.
I had a gait analysis done last weekend & discovered that Brooks Ariel is way too much shoe for me. I've switched to Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12s and what a difference. :-)
This weekend is the Chi Running Workshop (Sat) and Jingle Bell 8K (Sun).
Ran 5 miles after work last night. It was an ugly run but I got it done.
I've been taking my running gear to work with me and running as soon as I get off so I can run in the last 30 minutes of daylight instead of driving home. It's turned cold here and the brisk, 30 degree air was invigorating.
Same here! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Selkie
Are you doing the Rockville JB 8K with MCRRC?
Saw this article on a Chi Running workshop and thought it was interesting.
Did my first Runerval DVD session (30 minutes of intervals) this morning. Found my treadmill was not as quick to respond as Coach Troy wanted. I had to anticipate when we went back into work mode (thanks to CT and his 5-second warning), so I could prep the 'mill with elevation and speed.
Last night it felt like I had a cold coming on; this morning it had arrived. So no run, just a very brisk walk with my dog, in the cold. I've signed up for a Reindeer Ramble 5k this weekend, but with the predicted temperature (20F!!) and a cold, that might not be a good idea...