Marching On: running thread

[skhill]

Well, the race wasn't fast but it's done. With how little I've been running and the rising pollen count I set a modest goal averaging a sub-9 min mile, and did. Barely. It was a very small field so I was running on my own most of the way; didn't really feel like a race. This is how small the field was: I was 5th overall and 3rd among girls/women, despite being so slow. But it was a beautiful morning and I'm glad I ran.

[OakLeaf]

Nice work skhill!

In other news: 20 miles still feels like 20 miles on my legs, but the mental game is just a whole lot different this time around. For one thing, the long run is definitely not the hardest day of my week - the speedwork and long tempo runs put the long run in a different perspective than I've had before. And then, even though I pretty much knew from week to week what my long run distance would be when I was making it up as I went along, it feels different to just get my training plan from my coach and say to myself, "Okay, that's what I'm going to do."

Still pretty sore at the moment, though.

[skhill]

Looks like a treadmill week-- 3 miles yesterday (it was 22F) 3 miles today (heavy snow falling); tomorrow's going to be frigid, so treadmill again. Sigh. At least on the treadmill I'm not planning routes to avoid that nasty pollen from maple trees....

Oak, I find the mental part of long long runs the hardest too. Once it gets more than 2 hrs, it's so hard for me to stay engaged. I do enjoy speedwork, maybe I'm not going hard enough!

[TrekDianna]

Hello all, I logged in for just a few minutes and of course I am totally jealous of all the running and biking going on. I am currently in Beijing, China and today has been the first day in awhile that I could actually go outside other than to work and back. It's been 435 or so out of 500 for the pollution (air quality index) and that's the hazardous range where it can cause death in old/young and serious breathing issues in others. I am finally heading for home tomorrow and not only am I going to be thrilled to breathe the fresh Oregon air, I don't care how tired I am, I am going for a long run to get all this junk out of my lungs -- a nice long air exchange.

[OakLeaf]

Wow TrekDianna ... Welcome home and hope you get a good run in nice fresh air!

One more 10-mile tempo run for me, in 88% humidity ... though overcast skies made it much easier, it still took a lot out of me, especially since I'm spring cleaning and spent the rest of the day either climbing up and down the stepladder, or on hands and knees scrubbing the floor. I am seriously hoping this was my last one of these this cycle. I am so ready to taper, I just hope I'm going to be ready to race.

In other news, I'm registered for NYC. My half marathon time in Columbus last fall was good enough to get me into the time qualifier lottery, and I just put my name in because it's on so many people's bucket list, it seemed rude not to ... I'm not really sure I want to run it though, not this year at least. One thing about New York, I can defer until next year, though I'd still lose the registration fee. I just need to get through Boston before I can even think about it (let alone discuss it with DH, ha ha).

[yellow]

Wow, Dianna. Breathe deeply when you get home! It really makes you appreciate what you have, huh?

Oak, methinks you will do NY

I had a rough week last week but today was a better run, so I am optimistic that last week was an anomaly. It's kind of a rest week for me by default anyhow, and I think it will be good for me. I am going on a backpacking trip with some friends and, no, I am not going to run while I am on this trip. I will be scrambling through red rock to go see arches, reading pictographs and petroglyphs, staring at the sky from a sandstone perch, and playing Pass the Pigs over a collection of flasks.

I am currently signed up for a trail marathon, my first race of the year, on April 19. As of last week, I was ready to bail and just stay focused on my June event, which is really what I am training for. So far I have not bailed, but I can if it gets closer and I am still battling with my legs. It's out of town and we had planned to camp, so we'll probably go regardless. If I don't run, I'll just mountain bike all weekend. Either way I am (1) away from work, (2) in a beautiful place, and (3) with hubs and my pooch. Doesn't get much better than that!

[katluvr]

Oakleaf, you are doing fantastic! Can't believe how you are sticking to that training plan.

I have been running in March, just not posting (not sure why). It has been a great month of trail runs. I did an awesome 10K at the start of the month. Actually pretty happy with my overall time. Last weekend did a 15k, it kicked my butt, but I finished. My legs were a bit tried from a 48 mile bike ride the day before. I have one more trail run at the end of April. Then no more trail rans/races, get's to hot and buggy here in the summertime. I will miss them. This next race is 10 miler Xterra. Since there are no mountains or elevation changes these races are on single track or up and down berms or steam crossing. They throw in dirt or sand mounds to go over. So it'll be a bit of a challenge. So I started April off with a good run...guess I should start an April running thread!

[TrekDianna]

I got out two days in a row. First day I ran a bit over 5k and spent a lot of time bent over hacking junk up. I can't believe that 10 days in the Beijing pollution caused that much crud. Yesterday I got out for another 5k and then an 8 mile hike and felt much better.