OK, it's seriously time for a new runniing thread!!

[skhill]

Since I'm not training for anything in particular, the rain and wind around here of late has had me cutting short my runs. Yesterday, it was a damp (but fast) 3 miles. Today, a very windy 2.5-- and somehow I found it harder to run with a 20 mph tailwind than headwind. Go figure.

Without any big race coming up, I'm finding it hard to keep up my milage. Still running almost every day (it's become just part of my daily routine now) but it's easy to turn a planned 6 miles into 3, or 10 into 7, depending on weather or mood or whatever. The soonest I might be doing anything longer than a 10k is September-- I'm thinking of running the Air Force marathon (or half) up in Dayton.

But my garden is loving the wet weather. Just 5 or 6 weeks until homegrown borscht! And the first tomatoes are going in just as soon as it's dry enough to dig...

[OakLeaf]

somehow I found it harder to run with a 20 mph tailwind than headwind. Go figure.

I actually have the same experience, for two reasons that I can feel. #1 is cooling. I feel MUCH hotter running with the wind at my back than with the greater air movement from running into the wind. #2 is what I call "ram air induction." It's just plain easier to breathe when the wind is pushing fresh air into my mouth and nose.

But my speed definitely suffers into the wind - it's super apparent when I'm running intervals or mile repeats back and forth over the same stretch.

[kacie tri-ing]

Hey! I am way behind posting! Great runs everyone. Colby--I feel you!

I am tri training like crazy, and running plenty. On wednesdays, I am running 8miles that has 20 minutes of tempo work (8:15) at the end. On Sunday, I ran 9 with 3 miles of tempo work. It should have been 7:45, which I am ready to run, but brilliant one here picked a really hilly course to do my speed work on (dumb) AND it was insanely windy every time I went downhill AND it was hot AND my stomach hurt. So I managed that 3 miles at 8:05 and fell into a pile of tears when I got back. I don't even know WHY Just kindof fell apart a little. Clearly, I got a workout in though!

Last weekend, I did my first brick! 36 miles on the bike in 2 hours followed by 6.75 miles running in 60 minutes. Totally happy with the progress I'm making.

Honestly, really hard training is exhuasting! Ironman is in 4 months from this weekend!

[GLC1968]

I love this thread. You guys always make me feel like running and for this non-runner, that's really saying something!

So I did run this weekend - twice, actually.

On Saturday I was scheduled to do a brick, but after a FULL day of garden/farm work, I really didn't have the energy. I knew the run was the more important part, so I did that. I left my house with nothing but a watch (no GPS, no HRM) and just ran. I know how far 3.1 miles is in one direction, so I went that way. I did the full 5K in 36 minutes without too much effort, so I'm pleased. Not fast, but pleased.

Yesterday we had biking on the schedule. We wanted 40+ miles with some climbing and since neither of us felt like mapping out anything new, we combined our 17 mile short route with a nice climb with our rolling 25 mile route. When we got home, I immedately threw on my running shoes and went for a run to get the brick done. I only did a mile, but I was really, really surprized at how fine my legs felt. No lead at all....odd. I will say that running in bibs SUCKS. I won't make that mistake again!

Afterward, on the way to the grocery store, I saw a guy running in VFF's in the next town. First time I've seen that out in our neck of the woods (the country).

[Veronica]

I got in a quick run on saturday before we left to work our rest stop for the Devil Mountain Double. It was a good run - 3 miles.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

So instead of clearing up as it looked like it would do, the rain socked in all day, it was really windy and chilly, and I just couldn't motivate to run long. Stayed warm and dry, did a yoga class I had on tape, MUST run long tomorrow.

[WindingRoad]

I did my longest long run today, a little over 12 miles. I'm going to start tapering from here on out till the HM in 2 weeks. Is this a good time to try some speed work intervals?

[Grog]

Thanks Oak, that's really nice to read.

Well here is the map of the course, with elevation chart at the bottom:
http://www.capitalcitymarathon.org/C...thon%20Map.pdf

I can read it but I have a hard time translating it into my regular running courses, among other reasons because it's in miles and I'd have to sit down and really ponder it for a few minutes. Although some bits look steep, I think generally it's a gradual, mostly uphill slope. I'm accustomed to going up over 200 feet in a mile and not finding it that bad, so I think I'll survive this. Living on Vancouver, it's a challenge to find a flat place to run.

[Grog]

I did my longest long run today, a little over 12 miles. I'm going to start tapering from here on out till the HM in 2 weeks. Is this a good time to try some speed work intervals?

No. Gentle strides at a slightly faster leg-turnover rate than usual, at most!

Enjoy the taper!

[limewave]

Intervals for me today.
1 mile wu
6 x 800's @ 9 min/mile
400 recovery b/w
1 mile cool down

I felt really good today! One more tempo run on Friday. A 7 miler over the weekend. And two short 3 miler's before the 25k.

[Jolt]

I did something a little different on my run today--started out with about 25 minutes of my normal (rather slow) trail running, then did 7 or 8 short sprints (I don't think they were even 100 yards) with walking in between on an open section of trail that runs alongside power lines, then ran normally back to my starting area. Altogether, I was out for about 45 minutes and felt pretty good other than the expected huffing and puffing from the sprints . Maybe I'll work in some intervals a couple of times a week and see if it makes a difference in my "cruising" speed.

[yellow]

Wow, you all are in the thick of running season, sounds like! I'm still just walking, walking, walking...my gawd it's slow and it takes for freakin' ever to go 6 miles. I've been throwing in some pushups on the edge of benches along one of my routes about every other day, so that helps add in some variety. And of course the hour plus of PT every day. Patience.

Run some for me, y'all!

[OakLeaf]

Yellow, hang in there. Sounds like it's coming back to you little by little ... before you know it you'll be stronger than ever (!) and pain free.

Today was just a perfect day for running and I don't regret blowing off yesterday. 20 miles, somewhere between 1400 and 1700 feet of elevation gain, @11:23. I was still picking my feet up by the end of it. Partly I think it's the same as with cycling, you're using different muscles to climb and descend rather than the same ones over and over again in the flats, but mostly I think it's just mental. It's so beautiful here, running is the complete opposite of boring.

I had a moment today like the one I had in the fifth grade when it dawned on me that I was one of the big kids. I had to go back and look up this post just to check the date on it. Good grief, it wasn't even a year and a half ago I thought I had no interest in anything over 10K.

I'm ready. Taper starts now.

[Crankin]

I got up at 5 AM and did 30 minutes on the TM, as my colleagues were taking all of us interns out for breakfast and I am trying to keep my weight down before my trip.
I didn't go quite as slowly as my outside run on Sunday, but varied between an 11:30 and 10:30 mile, with 2 minutes of walking in the middle. So, still a bit slower than my top pace last summer, but my goal is only to sweat.
I'm having a few little ouchy things, but the normal ones for me when I start running; groin, my bunion (it's better with the new shoes I bought last summer). My hip was fine after Sunday, but is achy today. I took an "ice shower" after the run and have been using the otc version of Biofreeze, which really works for me. I just didn't have time to do major stretching this morning, but I did do some. Supposed to do a 43 mile ride tomorrow, but the weather looks iffy. I am not sure if I can run 2 days in a row, though.

[WindingRoad]

OK this is a little embarrassing but I HAVE to ask. So I did a 5 miler in the rain, wind and a floppy cotton T shirt last Friday and it seems it has irritated the nips?!?! Only today are things looking and feeling less irritated. Gawd, has anyone has this issue