Spring Running Thread

[Catrin]

Have run RNR!

[rocknrollgirl]

Thanks Ladies,

We survived. It was hot and humid which does not go well for either of us. My husband in particular. I was soaked from head to toe by mile 3. The course was nice, lots of nice single track. It was however connected by open field crossings. No fun in the heat and very brushy. I was glad I sprayed with bug spray on my legs. So it went ok considering. The last couple of miles were tough. I have never cramped in my life and when I finished even my feet were cramping. No fun. I was well hydrated and my nutrition was fine, I think it was just that there was no way to keep up with salt loss.

We do not have any races planned over the summer, but will start back up in September. I had been seriously considering a full trail marathon last year, but I think I am going to shelve the idea and just stick to trail 1/2 marathons and shorter. My teaching load is really heavy next year, I have 80 AP students registered, almost double the norm. It is going to be a heavy load to carry and I want to be smart and manage and enjoy my training. Keep things in balance.

So there you have it. Survived. Got good swag, got to run with hubs and one of my former students who met us there. All good.

[Crankin]

Sounds like a good experience, despite the weather.
And, your plan for sticking to halfs during a stressful year sounds good, too. More people should do this. It avoids burning out and ending up hating something you loved.

[rocknrollgirl]

Sounds like a good experience, despite the weather.
And, your plan for sticking to halfs during a stressful year sounds good, too. More people should do this. It avoids burning out and ending up hating something you loved.

That is my biggest fear. I LOVE trail running. I don't want it to become a "thing"

[Catrin]

Sounds like you had fun outside of the cramping. I'm sure you've nailed proper prep for endurance activities in the heat - have you ever tried something like Salt Stick Buffered Electrolyte capsules? They have two versions, one with caffeine. I've found in serious heat it really helps to pop one periodically. They are on the large side, but well worth it.

Focusing on what you love without allowing it to become stressful is a great idea! It's so easy to go there without really realizing it...

[rocknrollgirl]

Catrin,
we have tried everything, endurolytes, S-caps, gatorade, nuun, gatorade and nuun mixed. Usually I am just unhappy and slow i n the heat. My husband gets clobbered. I am at a loss of what to do. I am starting to think it might be a blood sugar thing with him. He rarely takes nutrition on our long runs, and so he is not used to doing it on race day. Yesterday he ran 13 miles of trail on 1 gel. I had 1 before and 3 during. I am thinking this because I gave him a coke after the race when he felt bad and it was immediate improvement.

So it may be a combo of mile dehydration and low blood sugar.

[Catrin]

Catrin,
we have tried everything, endurolytes, S-caps, gatorade, nuun, gatorade and nuun mixed. Usually I am just unhappy and slow i n the heat. My husband gets clobbered. I am at a loss of what to do. I am starting to think it might be a blood sugar thing with him. He rarely takes nutrition on our long runs, and so he is not used to doing it on race day. Yesterday he ran 13 miles of trail on 1 gel. I had 1 before and 3 during. I am thinking this because I gave him a coke after the race when he felt bad and it was immediate improvement.

So it may be a combo of mile dehydration and low blood sugar.

That's not a good combo for sure, and the heat & humidity doesn't help for sure. Hope you can work this out - and hopefully other events this year will be at least a bit better, conditions wise.

BTW, I really enjoy reading about your trail runs, one of those ways I live vicariously though some on this forum. I was able to trail run just long enough to start enjoying it a lot before my knee forced me to stop.

[rocknrollgirl]

That is very sweet, thank-you. I will keep on posting updates. The best thing about trail running aside from being in the woods, is the people I have met on the trail at races. Most of the time just a voice in front or behind for a few miles and then we split up and you meet someone new. The mid packers are the best, Most of us trudging along just happy to be out.

I ran behind a young couple for a few miles yesterday, I called her pink shoe laces. They were doing the full marathon, two loops. Good runner.We split up and I saw her later at an aide station. I yelled out PINK SHOELACES! We meet again. She laughed said it was nice to put a face to a voice.

Then I hooked up behind another young couple doing the full, ran with them for a bit. They are training for a 50 miler in Colorado. Hard core. Nice youngsters.

Then I ran a few miles with a guy probably in his 60's. Interesting guy. Married to an oncologist that does palliative care. Said he had been married to his first wife for 14 years and lost her to cancer and never thought he would find love again. Very sweet guy.

Ran with another young guy for a bit that said his goal this year was not to get lapped by the marathon leader. Said it had happened last year. We talked a lot about cold beer.

Most of the people I chat with are shocked at my age and tell me that they find it inspiring, so that is nice. I tell them it is either keep a race on the schedule of my butt might just land on the couch and stay there!

We are hiking in some nice spots this summer too, so I will post those up.

[OakLeaf]

Nice, RnR. I thought about you in that heat. My friend the serial marathoner took a rare weekend off this week to rest up for the FIVE he's doing next weekend - I happened to run into him at the coffee shop Saturday morning and allowed as how it was a very good weekend to stay home.

My experience is I can't keep up with electrolyte loss even at more normal temperatures. Figure you lose 500-1000 mg sodium for every liter of sweat, and in those temperatures you'll probably sweat three liters an hour if not more. Plus the magnesium and calcium. Any more, I pre-load before an event, and after eight marathons I'm finally feeling like I've got a decent handle on nutrition and hydration to where I'm not in a complete mental fog by the finish, but even that probably wouldn't have been enough in 90°+.

I'm on the email list for Carmichael Training (never been a client of theirs, just got onto their mailing list somehow), and a couple of weeks ago they put up a blog post about nutrition and hydration in the heat. Maybe there's something in here you or your DH can use.

[emily_in_nc]

Nice job, RnR, especially considering the conditions. Heat and humidity make for very tough running. Kudos to you!

[Skierchickie2]

Hi guys - I'm back after several years away from this forum. I started running this spring, after ski season ended. First time in maybe 10 years that I was able to run enough to get to the point where it feels fun (not just torture), and didn't just quit running and turn to other things. I've been really happy, worked my way up to 12.5 miles on the nearby single track. Enjoying running again, feeling like I could go forever. I've missed that feeling. I was even planning to sign up for a 25k trail race, and some other local events. Was even thinking of doing a marathon in the fall, if all went well.

It didn't. I'm home on the couch, icing my knee. I'm supposed to keep it elevated, but that seems to cause excruciating pain.

Here is what happened: Sunday morning Hubby and I went for a run with our dog on our favorite single track. It was our first really hot, humid run of the year, and he was having trouble, but I felt way better than I expected. I had planned to do 6-8 miles, as my long run a week ago had ended with some hip pain, so I thought I'd cut back. Anyway, after 5 miles he and the dog went home, and I continued on. It was going pretty good. When I got to 9.5, I figured I should cut directly back to my car, on the main ski trail/2-track, but I really wanted to stay on the trail. So I did. Big mistake. At 11 miles I caught my toe on a root or a rock, and pitched forward. Missed hitting the nearby tree with my head, so that was good. But I landed HARD, especially on my left knee. it was bad. When I was able to look, it was all bloody - I figured whacked and scraped. Then I saw the small missing chunk of flesh. Lots of blood. Had to walk 1-1/2 to 2 miles back to the car. Lots of whimpering and "ohmygodohmygod" going on.

Got home (car is a stick shift, so the clutch was torture). Took a shower and tried to clean it up, but there was a lot of dirt ground in. Hubby tried, then decided I needed stitches. Went to the ER, got X-rays, etc. Doctor said one view looked like something was in there. He spent a long time cleaning and hunting, cleaning and hunting, but couldn't find anything. It was excruciating, even after he numbed it. Because of the possibility of debris inside (he said it was a puncture, that went all the way through to the pocket, plus extreme bruising) he wasn't comfortable doing sutures, because of infection. So it has to be kept immobilized so it can heal. So I'm on crutches, in a lot of pain. The pain pills don't work long enough, but do okay for a while. I really think there is more going on, maybe under the kneecap. He said nothing was broken, at least. I see the regular doctor tomorrow, so hopefully will learn more. I just know that while it feels really bruised on top, the majority of the pain is inside. Not bruise-type pain. At first I hoped it was from the thorough poking and prodding, but that should have let up by now.

I've been off work so far - really should go in tomorrow, but not sure how I'll be able to arrange & support my leg at my desk. And driving is an issue (we do have a pickup with an automatic, but space is a problem, plus the pain), although hubby can cart me around tomorrow. Fortunately he is off work then, and can take me to the doctor

Just posting to whine, I guess. I know I'm jumping to conclusions about how bad this is, but I really thought it would be a little better by now.

I just bought new road shoes the day before this happened.

Thanks for listening

[OakLeaf]

Welcome back, skierchickie! So sorry about your knee. I'm not surprised that trauma like that hurts more the second day. Hope it's "just a flesh wound." Take it easy as much as you can, hope you can find some way to deal with it and stay reasonably comfortable at work. Hang in there and heal quick.


I'm building mileage back little by little, it just bums me out how sore I am all the time on so little mileage. Most of it's the new IMPROVING biomechanics I know, on top of soreness from the exercises themselves, but it's still frustrating. Especially since I'm obviously not going to be ready for the 5-miler I've done the past few years on the Fourth of July. It is what it is though, some symptoms are still basically unchanged but some things are definitely improving. Plus I can feel my nicer butt muscles in the shower. I should be ready for some of the later season 5Ks and a half in the fall no problem.

[rocknrollgirl]

Oh No. I am so sorry. You are in the thick of it now, right after the crash. Try not to panic. Because you have a wound and impact damage, it is going to take some time to heal. But don't freak out. Go to your doctor. Find out what he/she has to say. Maybe you need a scan or further imaging. Follow their instructions and know that you can come here to vent/whine/complain.

I had a hamstring issue this winter, mild tear. Thought for sure my season was over. Even said out loud, well my season is over.Spent 2 months in PT and hours and hours stretching and strengthening my glutes. Season not over. So try not to freak out ( too much). When you are ready, let me know and I will send you lots and lots of tiltles of inspirational trail running movies you can watch online. Got me through the winter

OK, I am going off to start a summer thread. So meet me over there.