July (L)egg fry running

[OakLeaf]

Catrin, that sounds great.

[Catrin]

You made that sound wonderful and even though I ran this morning, now I want to go out to the trail near my house. I dislike running on pavement also, but I am leaving in the morning for a week in Boston and won't have much choice.

It's really been a surprise how different it feels! It also gives me an option to get back on dirt trails in the woods since I can't mountain bike any more It was just so quiet on the trails, and I even surprised a young deer with horns that were just budding (if that is the right term).

[rocknrollgirl]

Catrin, on a deer they are antler I giggled when I saw that, I say horns all the time just to drive my hubs crazy!

We are starting to gear up for a long(ish) trail race. I say "ish" because every time I think it is long I think about Yellow Anyway, we did The North Face Challenge Half in May and had a great time, so we are going to try a 17 miler in September. If that goes well, I am thinking about doing a full trail marathon next spring.

So all that being said, we did our long run in the woods on Thursday, 100% humidity, 85 degrees. Yikes! It was a clear reminder why I do not like to train for long things over the summer! My poor hubs looked like he had jumped in a pool by the time he was done, his shoes were squishy.

[Catrin]

Catrin, on a deer they are antler I giggled when I saw that, I say horns all the time just to drive my hubs crazy!

We are starting to gear up for a long(ish) trail race. I say "ish" because every time I think it is long I think about Yellow Anyway, we did The North Face Challenge Half in May and had a great time, so we are going to try a 17 miler in September. If that goes well, I am thinking about doing a full trail marathon next spring.

So all that being said, we did our long run in the woods on Thursday, 100% humidity, 85 degrees. Yikes! It was a clear reminder why I do not like to train for long things over the summer! My poor hubs looked like he had jumped in a pool by the time he was done, his shoes were squishy.

I guess that is an indication that I am a 'city gal' For some reason when I think of antlers I think of the really big members of the family like Moose, Elk, and Caribu.

I wound up doing some running at the gym yesterday since I was there for some mobility work. Hopefully get to ride today with my fitter! We are trying to determine if my problems on the bike are posture related (since fit has been ruled out) or my "new normal".

[katluvr]

Haven't been on TE lately nor have a been running. Really fell off the running routine! But laced up the running shoes for a slow 3 miler this AM. Dang it hot out there! Hope to get back on track for some fall 1/2 marathons, don't think the 50K by Jan. is do-able now! Oh well, time for a new plan and new goals.

I also forgot how much running helps me emotionally/mentally. It really helps me think through things or "write those letters/talks" in my head to help me move past things.

K

[OakLeaf]

Welcome back kat. Running does help, doesn't it? Hope you can find/make time for more.

[rocknrollgirl]

Yesterday my hubs and I drove 2 hours north to trail run in order to get some terrain. It has been brutally hot here this week and yesterday was no exception. We were prepared for the heat, but were completely taken by surprise by the bugs. I have hiked in this area dozens of time and never had an issue. They were so bad yesterday I actually had a bit of a freak out at one point. It helped a bit when we topped out on a ridge and there was a breeze, but holy cow.

Fortunately I planned the mid point at a lake, where we took off shoes and shirts and just jumped in. The last 3.5 miles followed a river out and we had to stop 2 more times to cool off. Crazy.

Only 8.5 miles total, but given the conditions I still feel good about the time spent getting there.

Next time...bug spray ( which I hate)

[Crankin]

I had an intersting brief running experience today. In boot camp class, the evil instructor had us (there were only 4 of us) get on the treadmills for 2, 2 minute intervals. Class up to that point had been very intense. The air quality and heat are so bad, even at 5:30 AM, we could not go outside. Anyway, I did both of the intervals at a 9:40 pace, 1.5% incline, with no breathlesness at all.
I guess it's the cycling fitness, because when I was running, I could never do this!

[Catrin]

I had an intersting brief running experience today. In boot camp class, the evil instructor had us (there were only 4 of us) get on the treadmills for 2, 2 minute intervals. Class up to that point had been very intense. The air quality and heat are so bad, even at 5:30 AM, we could not go outside. Anyway, I did both of the intervals at a 9:40 pace, 1.5% incline, with no breathlesness at all.
I guess it's the cycling fitness, because when I was running, I could never do this!

We've done intervals like this - but :30 at 10% incline He has my speed much lower than the "real" runners, thankfully. I don't think I could stay on with that incline at a greater speed.

I do need to do more running, as hot as it is getting right now I suspect it will be more inside track than trail. It is far less painful than pavement!

R&R Girl, it sounds like you had fun, even with the heat

[Crankin]

I don't know if I could run up a 10% incline, although I have run up my street at that grade, but going almost a walking pace.
She didn't tell us what speed to set, just to keep increasing it. But, I did look at what the woman next to me had... my evil competitive urge comes out in times like this.
Her speed was only 4.5, and I know this person is a runner. Maybe it's time for me to lace up the shoes again, but my hips do hurt a bit tonight.

[OakLeaf]

Nice Crankin!

rnrgirl, ugh, flies. There are two places on my 8 mile/10 mile loop that have flies, maybe a total of 3/4 mile at the most, and it's just awful. They bite through whatever I'm wearing. I can't imagine doing the whole run with them biting. Uggggggggh. I sure can't imagine bug spray would still be there after a couple of liters of sweat, either.

Me, I've been fighting some stomach thing the last couple of days, probably just ate something I shouldn't have, and between that and the heat I've been pretty well laid out. I just did four miles real easy this morning, the heat index was already 93 at 9 a.m. and I was kind of getting lightheaded, but I'm starting to feel better now, so sweating all that out was probably what I needed. Probably take tomorrow off again, maybe a little yoga, and it's supposed to cool off on Saturday.

Yellow, good luck this weekend!!!

[TrekDianna]

What Crankin said about the heat (and humidity) ! I have been in a class all week in the Boston area (at MIT) and now I remember why I no longer live here! I've been setting my alarm for 5am and heading out to run along the Charles each morning. It's crazy humid, but I am sticking to my training plan -- next weekend is the 10K I registered for. The funny thing is that the hotel front desk person has been keeping an eye out for my return each day and greets me by handing me two bottles of water when I come enter the lobby when I get back.

[Catrin]

I don't know if I could run up a 10% incline, although I have run up my street at that grade, but going almost a walking pace.
She didn't tell us what speed to set, just to keep increasing it. But, I did look at what the woman next to me had... my evil competitive urge comes out in times like this.
Her speed was only 4.5, and I know this person is a runner. Maybe it's time for me to lace up the shoes again, but my hips do hurt a bit tonight.

4.5-5 is my speed when I am at the 10% incline BUT that is only for 20 or 30 second intervals. When I am running longer on the treadmill I keep the incline much, much lower.

Perhaps your hips and hip flexors just need some mobility exercises? Lots of time at a desk does cause brutally short/tight hip flexors which can certainly cause issues. I've been told that this can cause us to over-extend our psoas to make up for the short flexors, especially cyclists and others who spend a lot of time in less than full extension. I didn't realize how tight MY flexors are until we did cheetahs in group yesterday - our coach gave me some extra attention because of that. You may not be as desk-bound as I am...

[Crankin]

Yes, Catrin, I've slacked a little on my stretching because I've been feeling so great since I stopped the PT. I've also determined that it's sitting in the car that particularly ses me off. I started back doing the most important 2 3-4x a day.
Trek Dianna, this length of a heat wave is soooo unusual for the Boston area. If you lived here, you know that 3 days is the norm. I am so looking forward to tomorrow afternoon, with the predicted storms and 80 degrees and dry on Sunday, because I am doing a 75 mile ride. Personally, I am not bothered so much by the heat in terms of my daily activities as I live in the AC, but it makes me feel like I'm back in AZ, housebound. I don't like the humidity at all. I went out for a 15 mile ride at 5:45 this morning and the humidity was 81% when I got back, even though it was only 74 out. I was coughing like crazy and my legs felt dead. Nothing but yoga tomorrow.

[rocknrollgirl]

Sounds like we are all suffering from the heat. We did an easy 45 mins in the sauna ( the neighborhood) this morning. Looped it by the driveway and kept water there. It is SO gross out..

I was thinking while I was trudging along, about what a different runner I am in the winter. This time of the year, I feel like I am just slogging along. I can't wait for fall to get some of the snap back in my legs. I have no issue going out in single digits, snow, sleet, hail....happy trail runner....summer....trudger.

Kudos to everyone that is out there trying.