Fall Frolicking: November Runs

[indysteel]

Congrats GLC!!

( ... looks around, realizes she's in the running thread, gasps in terror, makes hasty retreat ... )

You should stick around, Jo!!!

[Crankin]

Yeah, I'm getting that seasonal urge to run, which happens regularly when my cycling starts dropping off and the snow hasn't arrived. I did run a little (intervals interspersed with hill walking) on the TM yesterday. Had sort of intentions to go outside and run today, but that didn't happen and I did a functional fitness DVD with other cardio intervals at home. It's not that cold but very windy (30 mph gusts) and I just feel like hibernating, which is odd for me. My head wants to run, but when I actually do it, it feels incredibly hard. But, maybe if I don't even think about speed, I can handle it.

[Veronica]

It was 47 degrees when we went out to run today at 6 AM. I know that's quite pleasant to many of you. We were suppose to warm up for half a mile and then do intervals for 2.5 miles. It took me two miles to get warmed up. Everything from my knees down just felt really tight and I couldn't get my breathing to feel good. I wanted to head home after the first half mile, but stuck it out. I'd catch up to Thom while he was walking in between his intervals. I was glad I stayed out as I finally felt good and did the last two intervals with him. I was his rabbit on the last one and he didn't catch me. He gave me a really good head start. But I ran it perfectly, building all the way through. It was a good finish.

Veronica

[Tri Girl]

Hey...look at me...posting to the running thread again!!

Run #2 will be tomorrow. Yay!

Yay GLC! That's awesome!!! Welcome back to the running thread!!

[Tri Girl]

Today I ran 7 miles at the Ho Ho Half Marathon I put on with about 40 runner friends. It was just a silly little run that I organized and put together on Tuesday to honor the demise of Hostess. The "entry fee" was one box of Hostess goodies (and since nobody could find any- everyone just brought Little Debbies) and everyone brought their own water/gatorade and we all just ran. Everyone made their own bibs using old racing bibs, some people made shirts and we just had fun running- like it should be. Some ran on the one mile paved loop, some ran on the 2 mile trail loop, and some did both. Some people ran a 5K, others a 10K, but most everyone ran the half. It was silly and fun- and a great way to get out and spend some time with old friends and meet new ones.

We decided we are going to put on another one next month the Sunday before Christmas. Free events with friends are always a blast. I'm getting REALLY tired of paying $70+ for a half marathon and $90+ to run a marathon. Sometimes I don't mind when I need an official finish or if I'm in another city and it's a destination race, but this paying exhorbitant fees just to run is getting out of hand. And most of my friends agree. So it will be more frequent free events where we potluck the nutrition/water and have a little no-pressure racing atmosphere.

[GLC1968]

Tri Girl - that sounds like a lot of fun! What a great idea! (mmmm, ho ho's!)

I did not do run #2. We spent the day loading and unloading 1700 lbs of new flooring and then ripping out and disposing of the old carpets, pads and laminate in our old house. I was exhausted. The following day, I painted the living room, hall and half a bathroom. I had barely enough energy left to bowl in my league...so again, no run. I hope to get out again tomorrow at lunch!

[skhill]

Tri Girl, what an awesome idea! Mentioned it to a few friends and we're thinking of copying it. It's so convenient that there are spray painted markings on one of our most commonly used 5k routes, and we've all run it so many times we know it well...

The technical term for this morning's weather is "icky" I think. Drizzle, barely too warm for snow. So it was my first treadmill run in months. 4 miles in 33 minutes, and I don't trust the data from the treadmill because it didn't feel anywhere near that fast.

[indysteel]

Had two good runs yesterday and today. I've been careful lately to shorten and quicken my stride and it's really helping me to actually enjoy my runs. I picked up a Garmin Forerunner 410 on sale at Amazon. It's way more watch than I arguably need but I could pass up the price. It just came today, but it's going to take me some time to figure it out. Thank goodness my husband likes gadgets!

[Tri Girl]

Tri Girl, what an awesome idea! Mentioned it to a few friends and we're thinking of copying it. It's so convenient that there are spray painted markings on one of our most commonly used 5k routes, and we've all run it so many times we know it well.

Go for it! The idea wasn't totally original. I wanted to run a half marathon but there wasn't a race in November close enough, so I just created one. I was going to call it the Swiss Cake Roll Half (those are my faves)and my tagline was going to be "Will run for the Rolls" but then when Hostess went out of business and I decided to do it in honor of them. I Googled Hostess half and it turns out some guy started a Hostess Half Marathon a few years ago. Fun runs are the best!

[SadieKate]

Free events with friends are always a blast.

Last year, a local woman started a snowshoe running group on Facebook but this year she started organizing trail runs earlier, before the snow flew, and I've joined in. She just posts the location each week and then we show up to carpool. Sometimes only a few people show but a couple weeks ago sixteen people showed up for a run 42 miles out of town and in the cold, drizzly rain. I have to give her kudos for bringing together total strangers just through word of mouth.

[skhill]

Finally back outside for this morning! We're having a warm(ish) spell, it was around 40F at dawn, and there were lots of other runners out there. Did about 7.5 miles at an 8:35 pace (absolutely flying), and I'm writing to my councilman about the defective pedestrian signal. It hasn't turned green since they replace the equipment a couple months ago...