Random Running Thread

[OakLeaf]

The other day I was trying to wait for the humidity to drop below 90% before I went out. It was like 1:30 in the afternoon and sunny ... I'm finally acclimated though, so of course we're going to have a few cooler days to lose the acclimation. Not complaining as long as the rain and lightning don't get too heavy.

Did the local Fourth of July 5-mile race. It's a weird distance but a fun race. Anybody else race on the Fourth?

[rocknrollgirl]

The other day I was trying to wait for the humidity to drop below 90% before I went out. It was like 1:30 in the afternoon and sunny ... I'm finally acclimated though, so of course we're going to have a few cooler days to lose the acclimation. Not complaining as long as the rain and lightning don't get too heavy.

Did the local Fourth of July 5-mile race. It's a weird distance but a fun race. Anybody else race on the Fourth?

Can I get a YUK for that weather????

[yellow]

My experience with humidity is limited In the summer we often have single digit days, but this summer has been more moist than normal. What that means is that instead of being 7%, it's 30%. Waaaah, the sweat is not evaporating immediately! I would DIE running where you ladies do.

I am going to TN in the fall to do a race with a buddy there and I am worried about 2 things: (1) yes, humidity and (2) bugs. I have never run in the east before. Should be interesting. Might need to find a sauna to use for a month beforehand.

Tahoe is next week. Training this week has been weird. I have no problem embracing taper; that's not the issue. I just feel wiped out. I need to try to get more sleep this week. And drink a ton of water. And chill out about it. When I did this event in 2013, it did not go well. My dad had passed away about a week before the race (I wasn't sure I was even going to be able to run, but my ma put me on a plane to Reno) and then it was much hotter than normal. The result was a complete and total meltdown, my most spectacular meltdown ever. So I am nervous about it, to say the least. I'd say I was motivated to kill it before this week, but I just feel blah physically and mentally (standard mid-life existential crises not really related to running). I am hoping I can find a happy place this week. We leave on Thursday and the race is on Saturday.

Wish me luck. I need it.

[OakLeaf]

Good luck, yellow. You will OWN this race!

[salsabike]

<3, yellow. Go have fun with it!

[Crankin]

Did my second trail run today. I avoided the wet part of the trail, so I had to descend the very steep trail in the beginning. Did not run the very top part, but after awhile, the descent becomes more gradual. Because the entrance to this trail starts about a 1/3 of a mile closer to my house than the wet part, I ran the part where the trail goes into the next town, through a field, and then becomes a short trail again. It's very hot today, but, I went out at around 8:30, maybe 8:25, and being in the woods was very nice. I would say I ran about the same percentage of time as last time, but I took a couple more walk breaks going back up the steep climb. Probably not such a good idea to run so soon after breakfast, but I was on a time schedule. Still somewhere between 2.5 and 3 miles.
I have to look at the You Tube video of doing the loops through the extra lace hole thing; my right shoe is still slipping a very teeny bit, even with the laces put through the extra hole. My right foot is almost half a size smaller, so this makes sense. Also, waiting for some new socks to wear with these shoes. There's a nice web site called Sock Addict...

[OakLeaf]

The lace goes through the "extra" hole on the SAME side as its last "regular" hole. That creates a loop on each side. Then you pass the laces through the loops on the opposite side, so it's like a yoke. I've been lacing my shoes like that forever. Except with the Skoras, that don't have that loop hole AND I don't miss it!

[TrekDianna]

I did. I ran a 5k only. It was around the hop fields of the Rogue brewery. Finishing gift was a Rogue Brewery pint class and your choice of filler

[OakLeaf]

Yellow, hope your race went well!!

[yellow]

Soooooo much better than 2 years ago. Weather was nearly perfect and my head was in a better place. 25th overall, 5th female, 3rd in AG (yes, 3 of the top 5 women were over 40!). Not my fastest ever, but considering the terrain (and the fact that there was one mile in there that had 1100 feet of climb!) I'm happy with my time @ 11:01 for 51 miles. I spent a couple of days in Tahoe afterward and enjoyed some quiet time with some friends, including a friend that lives there and who I hadn't seen in almost 10 years. I was a bit sore yesterday but we went for a long hike and that helped loosen me up considerably. I feel good today and plan to get back to it tomorrow AM.

[OakLeaf]

Nice work, yellow! Congrats!

I will now stop whining about the hill I ran yesterday, that climbs 120 feet in 1/10 mile. Maybe I need to start using it for hill repeats.

[Crankin]

I went for my 3d trail run today; been a little distracted by lots of cycling and my son visiting.
The shoelace trick worked. Now, I have to figure out why my knees are aching. It's not from running, it started before I got the trail shoes. I suspect it was the bike I had in France, with less lower gears and 170 mm cranks. That seemed to set me up for this, any time I do a lot of climbing, stuff at the gym, or running. I've been trying to wear flats a lot (not that I wear very high heels). It got really bad the day after I rode in 50 degree early AM chill a couple of weeks ago, then got better. Despite all of that, I still like trail running, although my running is not much faster than a hike. Interestingly, I can run up the steep hill fairly well, just stopping at the top for a bit to recover. Next time, I will go to a different trail. Just too lazy today to drive to a trail.

[OakLeaf]

I wouldn't be surprised, 170s kill my knees. Hope yours feel better soon.

I brought both my road shoes and trail shoes to run after the farmers market yesterday - with the other errands I needed to run, the paved trail wound up being more convenient, so I did my first interval session in way too long. Nothing too strenuous, just 8 x 600 at goal half marathon pace to wake up my body and remind myself what intervals feel like.

I signed up for the half marathon in Columbus in October. Really I'd like to do the full one more time, but I just did not feel motivated to train for it.

[Crankin]

First early AM trail run. I don't want to commute today and have to ride home in the 98 degree 90% humidity, with good chance of thunderstorms.
Went out at about 5:35, well covered with bug spray. It was peaceful and nice, but it definitely felt harder for me at this time of the day. When I go to the gym at 5:15, I warm up on the TM for a few minutes and that helps. When I ride early, I go with no expectations of speed, and I often record averages that are super slow. I did warm up when I walked up the street to the trail, but I think i needed more.
Of course, when I got down the steep descent, I had to go to the bathroom, had no tissues, so I made the decision to run the other way on the trail, at a junction, and back. So, probably ran 2-2.5 miles. I am glad I went, and I was totally soaked when I got back up the hill. I slowly run down the side of the street with the grass to cool down, before I have to walk up my driveway.
Definitely need to drive to a different trail next time. At least my feet feel fine!

[BikeDutchess]

Next-to-last long run before my Labor Day weekend half. Got my second wind the last 2 miles and felt tired but good at the end.

Question for you experienced runners: how should I structure my training between de Labor Day half (Sept. 6th) and my Lake Powell half on Oct. 17th? Currently I run 3 miles two mornings a week, and for the weekends I alternate between another 3-4 miler one week and a long run the other week. My long runs have been increasing by about 1.5 miles each time, I'm up to 11 miles today. One more long run in 3 weeks (have to work around a bike event in 2 weeks) before I taper. So what length runs should I be shooting for during the 6 week span between the 2 half marathon events? Should I schedule in another 11 and 12.5 miler (which honestly makes me cringe) or can I make the long runs shorter to avoid burning out? As you may have guessed, I'm not running for speed, just to enjoy the events and finish.