January 2012 Running - Snow, stay away!

[OakLeaf]

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.

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.

[7rider]

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.

[Crankin]

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).

[emily_in_nc]

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.

[skhill]

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?

[Veronica]

Kitty was just trying to put the hairball in a discreet place.

Morning workouts always make me feel better about my day. Good job getting it done.

Veronica

[limewave]

Going to attempt first snow shoe run of the season this afternoon. I'm expecting lots of pain, the collapsing of lungs, tripping over myself and getting lost. Speaking of which, I better make sure my Garmin is fully charged . . .

[katluvr]

I never did post about my weekend trio of races. I wrote a nice race report in my head, but never put it down in words. Did finish my 5k in under 30 minutes (29:55)...happy with that but just think if I really did speed work and train consistently I could maybe run that fast for longer distances. The 5k was followed by a 10k. I was running just to run. By mile 2.5 my ITB was acting up...felt like my knee would collapse. Did ok w/ it until mile 4, then if I ran anything faster than an 11 min mile pace it would feel like my leg would buckle. Next day was a long 1/2 marathon. I signed up last minute to help my SO get thru it. She fell off running & training and yet still was going to do the half. Actually first 4 miles or so was ok. Mile 6 she thought she was one, we pasted our hotel mile 8, we contemplated that there was DFL (which at that time we were not) but she felt DNF was better than DNS...but then there is pride or wearing the shirt and getting a medal...so she kept on and I kept her going. The course was closing at 3 hours and we were a few minutes past that. The people behind us must of quit so we were last. It was like the vultures are following you...the fire rescue care, the truck picking up cones. She got emotional about being last so I walked and let her finish in front. Not sure if that helped or not! I really hated the "vulture" following us feeling!!

Now for my poor training/running: I have not posted many runs because I have not been running (or doing much of anything except this past race weekend). So today I FINALLY got on our brand new treadmill (we have had it a week!) to do a speed workout I used to do. I managed to do only 3 speed intervals at paces slower than my 5k pace! Why is the treadmill so much harder?! I think I should do this work out everyday until I can complete it (the full workout ) and without stopping! I ended up with only 3 miles and with the walk breaks to catch my breath a 12 min mile pace!!

K

[OakLeaf]

Hang in there Kat. Hope your ITB feels better. Sometimes it's hard and you feel like cr@p and you feel like you ought to be faster ... those are the times to be proud of yourself that you kept going. Three races in a weekend is epic!

I wouldn't count on a treadmill being all that accurate. Could be the pace indicator is just off. Could be the different stride you have to use on a treadmill feels weird and hard to you and uses different muscles - if that's the case it'll get easier once you adjust.


Me, I did Yasso 800s for the first time today. I was even a little bit excited about trying a new workout. My target pace for the repeats was 7:50 (for a 3:55 marathon goal ), but I was kind of having trouble finding the pace, figured it was better to do them a little faster than a little slower, and wound up with all of them right around @7:40, give or take a few seconds.

I did 8 repeats. By the last one my legs felt pretty leaden, but I kept the pace up. It's possible I could've kept going for another one or two, but I didn't want to totally use myself up the first time I tried the workout, especially since I'm supposed to ride with the club tomorrow.

Good run.

[katluvr]

Great workout Oak!

K

[Selkie]

On Wednesday morning, I had a great run. Felt really relaxed and in a rhythm. I ended up going 4.2 miles, wanted to go longer but alas, not possible since I was at work.

It was 42 degrees with a strong, cold wind. Luckily, most of my route was protected from the worst of the gusts (woods).

Since they are predicting potential slippery conditions on Sunday when I usually do my long run, I might do a five-miler today. I don't want to have to do a long run on the treadmill......

[skhill]

Why oh why is it so difficult to dress just right for the cold? Keep thinking I should have this figured out by now. It was about 27F, wind chill in the upper teens, this morning. My legs and arms were just right, torso a bit warm, and head and hands way too warm with hat and mittens, way too cold without. And my toes were freezing. So it goes... But I got a pleasant surprise when I looked at the final numbers for the run-- just under 6 miles, at a 8:52/mile pace . It's been a while since I went that fast on an easy run!

Kat, that's a heck of a lot of racing. Like a month's worth, in just a weekend! talk about persistence...

[yellow]

My legs and arms were just right, torso a bit warm, and head and hands way too warm with hat and mittens, way too cold without. And my toes were freezing.

I assume that you are wearing wool socks, but here is a little secret (that isn't so secret, really): duct tape over the meshy part of your shoes. Blocks the wind.

FWIW, I can't stand to wear a winter-type hat if it is warmer than about 25 w/o windchill, so I wear a ballcap-style running hat and an earband. That way I can take the earband off if I get too warm. The hat isn't totally ventilated, so it provides just enough heat retention.

I will have my first test-of-mettle for the year this afternoon: a long run in the rain. Yes, rain. Not snow. Rain and mud make me cranky. This is just so wrong for January in northern Utah.

[emily_in_nc]

Did my longest run in the new year today -- just 4 miles, but I was happy. I caught a bad cold around new year's and have been very slow coming back (between coughing and asthma). It felt good to finally get back up to 4 miles.

[7rider]

4 easy miles - some walking uphill to keep the HR reasonable. So just thinking about building distance at this point. Not worried about speed or even running the whole thing - just form when I can and keeping the legs moving.

DH and I are away for the weekend to deal with family issues, so this was as good as I could get as I'll be in the car or with family the rest of the weekend, so my planned long run was kaput.