Will the groundhog see his shadow? Running in early Feb.

[indigoiis]

We had our third midweek snowstorm in three weeks this week, which derailed (somewhat) my training. Last Sunday's beautiful (35 degrees and sunny!) weather allowed for a nice 10.5. Monday I rested. Tuesday I rested. Wednesday I couldn't get out - snow and freezing rain. So I went on my bike in the basement on the trainer and did 50 minutes to some spanish tour de france spinning videos on youtube. Thursday I ran on the treadmill and did some time on the elliptical. Friday I said feck it, I'm going outside, so I ran 4 miles on the crusty snow and it took forever. Today I ran a very fast 3.7 and was very excited because tomorrow I am racing in a 5K and hopefully can PR. Yay!

[GLC1968]

Ooh, good luck with your 5k tomorrow, indigoiis!

I had a 5K race this morning and it went well. I paced it perfectly, used up *almost* everything I had and sprinted to the finish. I beat my goal, but I don't have an official time. They lost all the finishing times between 29:08 and 29:40. Based on my watch (which I forgot to stop) and the race results (where I could ID the couple I passed right before the finish line), I'm guessing I did it in 29:20 or so. This makes me 2nd for my AG and quite pleased! My previous best 5K time was 34 something...so a winter of running has definitely paid off!

[Bike Chick]

Awesome, GLC! Congrats on your PR.

Good luck on your 5k today indigioiis.

[indigoiis]

Yay! Congrats on your race and your time, and also coming in 2nd in your age group! That's awesome.

I pr'd in today's fast and flat 5K. (The Narragansett Super 5K) It was not chipped. By my watch it was a 7:57 minute mile but by their gun and clock it was 24:59 or 8:03ish which is still a PR for me. I spend most 5Ks thinking, why. Why why why. Whywwhywhywhy do I even bother racing? I get all these negative thoughts. Thoughts like, "oh, just walk why don't chya. This running stuff is hard. You don't really want to be doing this. Look at all these people. They're crazy! You can just walk. No one will know." I HATE that. Really. This doesn't happen to me when I'm just out there doing a training run. Just during 5Ks and at the very end of halfs. So yeah. Anyhow, in the raffle, I won a gift certificate for a personal trainer. I am going to ask them, how do I get the fricken little voice outa my head???

But it all ended well because I got my !freaking! PR after all. My DH cut 3 minutes off of his last year's time and PR'd with 6:38 mm. We were running with very fast people -the top guy was 15 minutes over the line - top girl was 18. Most in my age group (Master's) ahead of me were in the 20-21 minute range. I was 17th of 37 in my age group.

I would say... my biggest problem was with the breathing, and second to that, with my stomach feeling queasy. The stomach thing was likely mostly nerves. I'm actually not so much a fan of running with people. Isn't that weird? Like, running with a bunch of people around me makes me a little claustrophobic and irate. Probably because I don't generally run with anyone except my husband, who is kind of a crank socially. Of course, AFTER the race in this big ballroom sitting around a round table eating really good pasta I had NO problem chitchatting with everyone left and right. Do any of you know what I mean or am I just PMSing? I'm probably PMSing. LOL.

[OakLeaf]

Indigo, GLC, way to go with the PRs!! Woot!!


I was getting a little cranky at my last 5K too, and at my age it definitely wasn't PMS. I don't care if people want to take walk breaks, but can they please not stop dead without signaling or checking whether anyone's behind them, or amble through the corners on the racing line making everyone else go wide?

I guess I just get into that competitive head space where it's all about ME and my PR. Yuk.


Anyhow.

I was thinking I'd get back on the road bike for a little while today - my wrists are feeling up to it - but the roads were wet, and I really didn't want to spend an hour riding and two hours cleaning. So I did a quick not-quite-5 miles before yoga class. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that, because I can't even remember the last time I ran before 10:30 a.m. that I wasn't racing.

[HillSlugger]

No races for me today. Congrats to all who raced.

Last night I decided that I'd do today's running at the gym b/c I was afraid there'd be ice. With the temp at 36F I decided to run outside. I'm still having to run the same 1 mile cleared path, but it's still more enjoyable than the treadmill.

[limewave]

7.5 miles snow shoe running. The trail was mostly broken in by some local hard-core snow-shoers. But it was still difficult, slippery, and drifted over in sections. I kept hitting my right ankle with my left snow shoe. It's all swollen and blueish purple today HOWEVER, it was still way better than running on the road.

6 hilly mile on tap for today. Blech.

[skhill]

Indigoiis, GLC, great prs!

And in almost every race, I too have that moment when I'm wondering why in the world I'm doing this, and wouldn't it be nice to just walk. But I keep on going...

Sunday's long run ended up being (only) 13 miles, and the last 2 were tough, with both hamstrings tightening up. Started out too fast, and I need to get better at eating and drinking before and during these long runs. But it's pretty awesome that a 10 mile run is no big deal, and 5 miles is a typical short/easy run. Maybe this marathon thing is doable...

[indigoiis]

Lime, I can't even WALK in snowshoes.

Skhill - I know what ya mean... I used to get home from my long runs (usually on Sundays) and collapse with the gatorade on the couch. Now I have more energy to do other stuff. Come to think of it, it goes that way with riding, too. When I first started riding again, long rides (which are now short rides to me) made me all nap-worthy and couch potatoish and now, they are just something we do on the weekend.

But a marathon... not sure on that one yet.

[limewave]

6 relatively easy miles last night. Easy because of the great company. It's so nice to have a good running partner!

Just finished my online registration for Chicago Marathon. I cannot believe I signed up for that circus again.

[sgf726]

Longest run ever on Saturday - 14 miles. Felt great. Next Sat is 15 miles. A little over 2 months until the marathon.

Today was a pleasant 6 miles, in CA for business and it felt nice to run without a jacket and without have to worry about slipping on snow or ice.

[jessmarimba]

I managed a little over 7 miles on Sunday on the trails where I used to live. Had a lot of breaks but it's the longest I've gone since June by at least 2 miles. Hurray!

Now I just need those running buddies to move about 1600 miles closer.

[OakLeaf]

Another quick 4.5 before yoga this morning. Turned it right into a wonderful day.

[skhill]

Had my first session with my personal trainer yesterday (the Y kept on dropping the price, and so I finally bit), and today my glutes are very sore. So my run was only 4 miles.

Just a couple more days of cold and snow, then the warm weather's coming. Maybe the bike path will be ice free and runnable this weekend!

[GLC1968]

5.1 miles on the treadmill last night. My longest run on that contraption since starting up this running thing again last year. I was really dreading it but time just FLEW! I can't believe it. What a huge difference the right music makes!!

A few days ago, I put every song I own that is about a 90 bpm speed into a playlist (because I run at about a 90 rpm). It's super random with songs from Neil Diamond to Sheryl Crow to Nickelback...but it totally worked! I only got through about a third of it, too...so there is lots more music for the next run.