January Running: starting the New Year on the right (and left) foot

[Catrin]

Oh my, I obviously skimmed through your post faster than I realized, I didn't get THAT at all Glad you are ok! Have fun with the new toy, that sounds like fun

Catrin, the dry heaves and spots weren't actually in my training plan and coach wasn't much happier about them than I was. Our weather has been just as variable as yours, in a higher temperature range. Tuesday morning it was 32° and we were covering sensitive plants. Saturday was that. Sunday it never got above 62°, which was great, too bad it was my day off running! Today was humid but only in the low 70s. So that's why I wasn't acclimated to that heat on Saturday. Haven't been able to acclimate to anything. Welcome to the new world ...

I had fun today with my new toy though. I'd kind of written off the running dynamics on my new Garmin 620 as something that was mostly fun to look at, and possibly over time I'll be able to see improvement in the values, but not something I'd use in realtime. I was still feeling kind of depleted from Saturday, and as I said, my plan for today called for not only slow but also backing off the mileage a bit, so it was a good day to work on form. First off I just worked on keeping my cadence up even though I was running slow, and I've been improving there. But then after I stopped for water I decided to put the running dynamics screen up and tried to keep my vertical oscillation under 8 cm, and here's what happened:

Attachment 16884

I'm actually pretty surprised that I was able to put the realtime feedback into practice so readily. Yay.

[katluvr]

The weather is crazy! I know I am lucky not to deal with cold and snow but as a Floridian I miss my sunshine! I work a variable schedule and since I worked this weekend I was off yesterday and today. So these are my "running days". Best days to get good runs in. Also, I hope to see sunshine! It was beautiful yesterday and I did get my long run int. Today it's pouring down rain. We just can't seem to string a couple of good days together! Cold front coming in and by this weekend for my race it'll be 40-50's, so I guess that's pretty good for a run (as long as sun shines). All this whining is because today I'll have to do my workout/run on the dreadmill!!

[skhill]

Outside again, 2 days in a row! But my Garmin screwed up somehow (or I screwed up my Garmin, more likely). The route I took is a smidge under 5 miles, but the gadget says it was 4.53 miles. Oh well, no big deal. It was in the upper 30s, and I was overdressed and ended up pushing up sleeves and taking off the mittens. A week ago today it was -5 and windy so it's wonderful to be able to overheat today!

Katluvr, 50ish and dry sounds like heavenly race conditions! Have fun!

[GLC1968]

OMG, I need help. I cannot seem to get back into running!!

I really haven't run regularly since my last half in mid-Dec. I don't know if I just needed a break, if I am going through a lazy period (I'm not doing much of anything active at all) or if I just am unmotivated now that my next race isn't until April. Of course, April is fast approaching, so I need to get off my rear.

I think I've run maybe 6 or 7 times in the last month... UGH! I was on such a roll, too...

Any hints or suggestions for how to get back into a grove once I've fallen out of one?

[roo4]

GLC1968, I find that following a training program helps eliminate one point of decision. Doesn't matter if you write it up yourself or download one from the interwebs. That way, I look at the schedule and it says to run 30 minutes (or whatever) on Friday. Well, ok then, off I go. As opposed to thinking that I maybe should perhaps do some running this week. 6-7 times in the last month isn't that bad; it's almost twice a week. Shrug it off and get out there.

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi Guys,
I have been out of the loop for a few weeks because I keep getting hit with one thing after another. Over the holidays my SI joint went out and seized my lower back. My chiro thinks that the fall off my mt bike in Dec pushed it out enough to make everything just clamp down. So on Dec 30th I went to see him in really bad shape. As part of my treatment, no running or cycling. At that point I was fine with it because I could not even use the bathroom let alone think about riding. He said I could walk. Which I did, a lot.

Ten days later just as he was getting ready to clear me, a case of sniffles blew up into a severe case of viral laryngitis. So bad I had to go on steroids. Along with it came a hacking, irritated cough. Terrible stuff.

Ten days later, still not completely recovered, I had a coughing fit so bad a school yesterday, that the nurse forced me to go back to the Urgent Care and...wait for it...wait for it... bronchitis. Now I have antibiotics. ( not completely convinced I need them, it is a tough sell with me}

So yeah, stuck in the house....again. They told me at school that if I showed up today they would beat me.

I AM SO OVER THIS......sorry, small pity party. This is the longest I have gone in six years without exercising. Last week I did not care because I felt so, so awful. Now I am getting cranky. But the nice doc did say ( after I begged) that I could go out for a walk to get some fresh air. I have hardly coughed at all this morning, so it is improved from yesterday. So positive thoughts.

Now GLC, I am in the same boat. I do not even know how to reboot my routine. I was eyeballing my first Xterra race at the end on April. I swear I am half tempted to get out a really easy sprint tri training plan and start back on that. Almost like a reverse taper or something. I am figuring it will take me at least 2-3 weeks to get my strength back after I get cleared to train.

Ok, so I am done complaining. Big Picture not the end of the world. I will get better, and soon. A lady I work with, last Friday her hubs went out to the end of the driveway to get the paper, slipped on black ice, hit his head and has no brain activity. Just like that. So Big picture, I will take my bronchitis.

[yellow]

Oh, RnR, I feel for ya. I ended up with a bad flu Dec 23, which became the won't-go-away hacking cough. I was stubborn and skate skied through the end of the flu and into the coughing phase, which I probably shouldn't have but I kept telling myself I was fine. I finally backed off but I am still not fully recovered; I am most definitely lacking in strength and energy. The biggest problem for me is that I've become so used to "resting" that I am having a really hard time even wanting to go out (and walking here isn't an option without getting in the car and driving somewhere higher elevation; we are in a very bad pollution inversion cycle and going out in it bothers my already unhappy lungs--and I can't be bothered to drive that far anyway). I am pretty sure I left my motivation somewhere in eastern California, or perhaps near Reno.

I just made a big payment to my running coach for the next 6 months. I am hoping that might call some of my motivation back home. I start back on a real schedule on Monday. It will be interesting, to say the least.

[rocknrollgirl]

Yellow,
First of all....sorrrrry. OY.

Anyhoo, funny you say that about the resting part. My hubs and I were out for a walk the other day and he said the same exact thing. Between the weather and me being injured and sick he has not been out much either. He said he feel like he almost needs a 65 degree day to be excited to get back out there. Now he has some version of what I have and more OY.

And as my doc reminded me yesterday, slowly start back, SLOWLY. ( this was after I asked her if I could exercise this weekend. Hey it was worth a shot. You should have seen the look on her face. Priceless.)

[Crankin]

Be careful, ladies. When I was much younger (40?), I had severe case of the flu. Fever of 104, a week off from work. This was sometime in March. I started coughing terribly after the worst symptoms went away, and the cough, and the subsequent weakness, etc had me down until the beginning of May. I was very fit then and had to give up teaching at the gym for 8 weeks. I eventually started back by swimming and walking, but it was a long road. I wish I could say I learned my lesson, but I try very hard to rest now when I *know* I should.

[OakLeaf]

Amen to that, Crankin. When I was 29 or 30 I had a sinus infection that lasted 11 weeks because I just would not stay off my bike. I wound up finally having to take a week not only off riding but off work too, before I got better. (And during that week I managed to run a red light and T-bone someone else's car ... thankfully no one was hurt. But exhaustion was probably one of the reasons that happened.)

So, everybody rest and take care of yourselves!! Getting back into the routine will happen when you're ready, I believe in your ability to to that.

I'm on perma-sore already and there's a long way to go until race day. Just thank goodness the weather has cooled off here. Still working on speed development and trying not to get too concerned about how quickly I'll have to be building up the long run distance. I hired the coach, now my job is to trust him. Six mile tempo run tomorrow.

[rocknrollgirl]

Be careful, ladies. When I was much younger (40?), I had severe case of the flu. Fever of 104, a week off from work. This was sometime in March. I started coughing terribly after the worst symptoms went away, and the cough, and the subsequent weakness, etc had me down until the beginning of May. I was very fit then and had to give up teaching at the gym for 8 weeks. I eventually started back by swimming and walking, but it was a long road. I wish I could say I learned my lesson, but I try very hard to rest now when I *know* I should.

I really think I am rounding the corner today. I have not coughed at all. I am hoping this is the beginning of the end of it.

[Catrin]

Resting is hard even when we KNOW we should do it! Wishing all the best for everyone with injuries and illnesses right now, hang in there.

I am having a small problem with one of my hamstrings complaining when I start running. I don't push it to hard, and it is up high, near the insertion point. This is NOT the same hamstring I injured a gew years back that some will remember. It is more of an ache rather than pain, and I do stop when I see it is settling in for the duration. I suspect tight muscles as the underlying culprit. Anyone have this problem and found a solution? I do have a two 5K off-road events coming but not until May.

[emily_in_nc]

I have been getting back to a little treadmill running this month since we're staying in a complex with a gym. I haven't run indoors or out for over a year, so I'm taking it slowly. Today I did 3.5 miles total, 1.5 of that was running at a slow 11-minute mile pace, and the rest walking on a slight incline. It was nice to do that after a 40-mile ride yesterday and have nothing hurt!

[katluvr]

First race (technically 2 of them) of 2014 and first race in my new age category (50-54 and darn those women are still fast!). It was chilly, 50 and WINDY but it was sunny. Bad part was 20-25 minute delay due to a motorcycle cop getting hit by a bus on the race route. Weather was fine for running but not for standing around. First race the 10 K. I'm not really up to speed but I did set my sites on a 1:06 time and I did it! 1:06:24 if we must be accurate! Had about 30+ minutes to stretch, walk around and try and stay warm before the 5K. I took this one easy and had no goal set but to finish. Took small walk breaks at each mile. The wind was wicked when it was in your face. So race weekend #1 of the many upcoming races now complete. I'm pretty satisfied today. ITB is a bit angry but it always likes to remind me it's there!

Everyone...hope you get well. Take it slow and easy. As for losing the running bug...I find myself there often and planning races (even short ones just for fun) help.

K

[OakLeaf]

Nice work Kat! Congrats!

Hope the motor cop will be okay. What a thing to happen today when so many of us were out running MegSMiles.

Six mile tempo run, plus warmup and strides for a total of 7.5. I'd been pretty well dreading it after last week, but the weather was SO much cooler, pretty much perfect for running. It was hard but not horrible.