Scaring up some good runs: October

[SadieKate]

OMG, this seasonal running thing might be a training sekret! After taking the summer off, I started again about 2 weeks ago. Did 4 miles yesterday and set my fastest non-race pace -- without intending too. Woohoo! Unfortunately, I'm sure this, too, shall pass.

[yellow]

Did 4 miles yesterday and set my fastest non-race pace -- without intending too. Woohoo!

Ahhhhh, so my channeling is working!

[katluvr]

So my half marathon is Nov. 18th (Women's Running here in St. Petersburg)...so about 4 weeks away. Lost the middle 1/3 of my training time to biking. So I looked at where I should be in my plan and decided that 8 miles would be do-able today. Just slow and easy. Averaged an 11 min mile pace. So that is about where I feel comfortable right now. Still warm...today we are up to 86. Most of my AM run was overcast and in the upper 70's. Still not cool, but not like the summer. I now the chances it will still be pretty warm for the HM. Back to my run: it felt "ok", nothing hurt, last mile legs were heavy and tired. So 12 miles in 2 days with not much running for weeks. Guess getting up to run tomorrow might not be the best idea.

I have to have oral surgery, but my nice new oral surgeon understands that I need to keep running until my HM. So we will be planning my surgery for the week after Thanksgiving. Amazing how full one's schedule can be!

K

[SadieKate]

Ahhhhh, so my channeling is working!

Must be your ninja power.

[Crankin]

Just came back from a good run. Only down the hill and back up. My plan is to not start using the Garmin until I've been running a little more regularly. The whole thing is 2.2-2.4 miles (I forget) and I did a little bit more running in the beginning, because a neighbor who was driving by stopped to talk to me and when I finished that, I began running instead of continuing my warm up. So, I ran up an extra hill, which I know is 8%, down the hill to the 1.1 mile mark with one 20 second walk break, and then back up the flat and 10% grade with 2 very short walk breaks. I'd say I ran about 2 miles and felt pretty good. At least now I won't feel guilty about going out to dinner.
I think the ten sets of 20 seconds of burpees yesterday made the uphill run feel not so bad.

[Tri Girl]

Well my Palo Duro 50K turned out to be a 30K. I was doing well and feeling good until about mile 8 when I moved off the narrow trail to let a fast 50 miler pass me (he was lapping me at that point ) and I slipped and fell HARD (bruised my hip and knee, and got scratched up). He didn't even stop to ask if I was OK. I boo-hooed and walked for about 5 miles and then I just couldn't get in a groove. It hurt to run and walking was hard, too. Plus that course was wicked hard and technical and it was in the 90's when I stopped at mile 19. I knew I didn't have another 12.5 mile loop in me with the rising temps and the prospect of it taking another 4+ hours to do that last lap. I could tell I was getting behind on my hydration, so I stopped. I'm doing a 24 hour race this coming weekend and I didn't want to trash myself (anymore than I already had). So I didn't complete my first 50K. Oh well, I will get more than that this weekend at the 24 hour race.

1st pic is of the sun rising over the canyon walls. The little white dot is a runner's headlamp behind me on the trail. It was pitch black dark for about the first 20 minutes.
2nd pic is one of the prettier areas in the canyon
3rd pic is a smokin' fast 50 miler flying by me. He looked like Phoebe from Friends running all crazy- like.
4th pic is of the bridges there. I had to be careful going over them. The boards were so far apart they'd grab your shoe toe and almost throw you down.

[emily_in_nc]

OW, Tri Girl. So sorry! Still, you did 14 miles more than I've ever done! Nothing to feel bad about except the pain you're certainly in. Hope you heal up by the next superhuman feat. A 24-hour race!?!?

[OakLeaf]

Ow Tri Girl! Hope you heal up quick. Sounds like you made the right decision though.

It was a perfect day for running here (except for the little yappy dogs, one of whom ran all the way across a four-lane highway with its owner chasing after it...). I was bummed to miss the Columbus Marathon this year, but it was hard to be too sad on such a beautiful day (especially since I didn't have to get out of bed before daylight and stand around in the freezing cold ). I did the 9-mile loop again right at a 10 mm pace. The treatments are really loosening up my low back, which is some long standing stuff, and the numbness in my legs is improving too. Fingers crossed...