July 16-22: Fun While You Run!

[tattiefritter]

Had some bad days running, with some minor knee problems. I'm not sure if that just means I need new shoes, I got them at the beginning of the winter but have probably put over 200 miles on them, anyone know what the usual life span for shoes is?


K.

Anywhere between 300 - 500 miles depending on your running style, weight, running surface and shoe durability (and probably some other factors too). 200 miles should still be fine really. I think the UK version of RunnersWorld magazine has published some tests you can do on your shoe to get an indication of whether they are worn or not, www.runnersworld.com may have someting similar on the site somewhere.

My knee is giving me grief at the minute as well but I don't think its my running shoes, I think my cycling shoes are not helping.

Did a test run at lunchtime today, 4 miles and it felt ok for most of it, my left leg wasn't hurting it just felt tight from the weekends riding. By the endof my four miles both my knees were a little achey but it felt like it did when I first started running, not surprising then after the break I've had. However, its got progressively more achey as the day has gone on so I'll have to wait till tomorrow to decide if I've aggravated it or not.

[Kimmyt]

hmm yeah i did just do a century on sunday and then ran for the past two days so maybe my knee is just rebelling a bit.... well it'll get a rest when i go climbing this weekend (only one day of biking or running involved!)

K.

[rocknrollgirl]

The DH and I decided to run today before our Wed mt bike ride. Usually we make it a brick workout, but today I wanted to focus more on the run. Well in a word it was miserable! Not the actual running, that was tough as usual, but the weather was unbearable. We slipped our workout between two lines of storms moving eastward. It had just stopped storming and was mid-eighties and 100 percent humidity. It was like running in the rain forest. Hot, humid, close, drippy, muddy, buggy...Nice huh!

Then we saddled up the mt bikes and had the crappiest ride of the season! We were at a 3 day mt bike festival over the w/e and did some really hard riding and I guess that combined with 45 mins of trail running prior to the ride were enough to seal the deal. My legs were toast. YUK!!!!

Glad that workout is over. Swimming tomorrow..ahhh.....

[HillSlugger]

Today was my last run before the triathlon on Sunday. I pushed it hard and improved my pace to where it was before the ankle sprain. Of course, back then I was doing this pace for 3.4 miles! Still, I'm pleased and I'm expecting to continue improving for the Iron Girl (August 19).

3.18 miles @ 9:13/mile

nothin' but rest from here til Sunday

[Wahine]

Wow. Sounds like everyone has had a tough week.

I am on a rest week. I ran at the track today with my new form coach who is really good. I mean really good. He had me adjust my stride significantly and I can already tell it's going to help. We're doing a trade hour for hour, coahcing for me and body work for him. He's an ex-pro triathlete and raced against the likes of Mark Allen. Oh, did I mention that he's buddies with Floyd Landis. Yeah this guy's been around the block and I'm getting one on one coaching time with him.

Keep on keepin' on girls!! We gotta work through the tough weeks too.

[KSH]

2h 3m
10.51 miles
11m 42s /mile


That is right... I ran my first 10.5 miles EVER TONIGHT!

It hit me, I am 2.5 miles off from a half-marathon! WOW! Trust me, a year ago, I never would have believed I would be here today.

Sometimes, I am very hard on myself and I don't give myself credit when I should.

Well, I am giving myself some credit for this run!

Turns out the loop is 2.1 miles, NOT 2.66 miles. I found this out when I was about to hit mile 4. UGH. Two more laps to go.

Jonny (my boyfriend) ran with me for loop 4. It was a nice break and I got to listen to him talk (I was working too hard to talk).

Overall this was a good run. I ran more than I walked, although I did walk some. The weather was nice, but it was humid. Not too hot though.

The hills... oh the hills! Long and climbing... some of them short and steep. I did more running than walking up the hills (although Jonny might beg to differ).

Now, with all the positives said... let me just say.. that was also my hardest run to date. WOW! My legs are FEELING IT. Even after I stopped I kind of stumbled around and I didn't have the energy to stretch for a long time.

I have swimming and running on tap for Friday, but I can't imagine running right now. I hate to get behind on my running miles, but my legs are hurting... and it's mostly the quads!

[Wahine]

WWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!!

Way to go KSH!! I am so proud of you. When I signed on to TE for the first time 7 months ago you could barely run 3 miles without agony. Look at you now!! Wow. You rock.

[Skierchickie]

Way to go, KSH! Once you work your way up in distance, it comes quicker every year. I run from about April until October, so I start over every year, after ski season (my favorite!) is over. I'm as aerobically fit as I'm going to get, going into running season, but it is still a totally different set of muscles, so it takes me a while to get beyond 2-3 miles. I do a 25k in mid-June, so I'm always struggling to get up to 9 or 10 before then, and then suddenly jump my distance up by 50% that day (stupid, huh?). After I recover from that, it gets easier. You won't have any problem doing a 1/2 marathon, if you are up to 10.5 already.

Like Yellow, my way of battling the boredom is also trail running - a totally different animal! I absolutely hated running for years, until I did enough one year to feel strong and have fun. Then we started running almost exclusively on trails, and it makes a world of difference. My few road runs are usually on a beautiful stretch along Lake Superior, which I do enjoy. Narrow road with little shoulder, but twisty & rolling & cool & scenic. I feel awful on long straight roads (mental thing, I suppose).

I did a 10 mile road race today (let's see, I did about 1/4 mile of pavement in April, a 5k in May, and 10 miles today - gotta love those Asics Kayanos, or I'd be pounded to death). I've run so little this season, between road biking, mtn biking, and swimming, recovering from grueling races, and just getting back from a week paddling in the Boundary Waters, I wasn't sure I could do it today, pavement aside. I'm pretty pleased with 1:25:19 - not a PR, but my PR days probably ended 10 years ago. I did win my age group! And I beat my DH and my training buddy (reeled her in gradually and passed her 10 feet from the top of about a 1.5 mile hill, maybe 1/2 mile from the finish - teehee). Fantastic weather - 62F at the finish, sunny but lots of shade along the course. And I didn't have to poo! Highly unusual for me for a pavement run.