Spring Running Thread

[rocknrollgirl]

The important thing is to keep moving, be it hiking, cycling, walking, running, whatever. It does not really matter. When I had my foot surgery last year, I was pestering my doc about getting on the trainer while I was healing. He said sure...why not, your heart and lungs won't know you aren't running! Just keep moving....doing something you love, your heart and lungs will thank you!

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks so much for the support, Oak, Crankin, and RnR. Of course you're right. I am still super active; I just have to stop beating myself up because I haven't been in the proper place (or mindset) to run lately. Part of it is that I enjoy doing things with DH, and he doesn't run (has too many knee problems when he tries), so we hike and walk and bike, and that doesn't leave a lot of time/energy/days left to run!

Oh, and Crankin, that woman's statement is what's known as a "humblebrag". Annoying, isn't it? Most of us would be very pleased with a 29-minute 5K, and she knows it. :-P

[rocknrollgirl]

Thanks so much for the support, Oak, Crankin, and RnR. Of course you're right. I am still super active; I just have to stop beating myself up because I haven't been in the proper place (or mindset) to run lately. Part of it is that I enjoy doing things with DH, and he doesn't run (has too many knee problems when he tries), so we hike and walk and bike, and that doesn't leave a lot of time/energy/days left to run!

Oh, and Crankin, that woman's statement is what's known as a "humblebrag". Annoying, isn't it? Most of us would be very pleased with a 29-minute 5K, and she knows it. :-P

I hate when people do that. I actually split from a group of women that I used to train with for that very reason. Well that and they were super catty.

I remember one day in particular we were training for a long triathlon and out for a long run. The pace was supposed to be zone 2. I was wearing a garmin, so I held us at zone 2. We were actually right on pace for over 2 hours. When we finished I was super stoked that we did exactly what we were supposed to, and one of the women went off on this rant about how much she sucked and how pathetic the pace was and how slow the run was. WHAT? Who needs to hear that?

And it went on ALL the time in a slightly under the radar passive aggressive kinda way. Did wonders for my morale and self esteem. Needless to say, I do not train with them any more. Or even talk to them for that matter.

My hubs and I never talk pace outside of making sure we get our time in on our feet for our long trail runs. He does not even run with a watch anymore he was so turned off by that group and the data hounds in general. Outside of this forum, I do not talk much about any of the running or sports that I do with other people.

[Crankin]

I know this, Emily and RnR, and it seems out of character for this person. She is a super fast competitive runner, just coming back from having a baby. And, she is my older son's age! I became friends with her on FB, to findout that she is one of those "Beachbody" coaches, too. Yuck. It's a giant pyramid scheme.
I find cyclists do the humblebrag all of the time. It is hard for me to take. I don't compete, except maybe with myself, but it is hard to see others, older than me, who are just so much faster. I keep telling myself I am OK, and I am in it for the long haul. I stopped wearing my HR monitor years ago, don't care about power. I use cadence and speed to judge my rides. While I do look at my speeds, I try not to obsess.

[OakLeaf]

Welp, I don't know if you can really classify all those things together.

Complaining about the pace of a group run? Especially when the pace was what was agreed on at the start? That's just rude.

Venting disappointment over a bad race for one's own ability, even if someone else might be stoked to log that bare clock time? Who else can we express our disappointment to, if not other athletes?

I don't feel like there's much difference between myself celebrating a great race for me and someone else wanting commiseration for a sucky race for them, even if we logged the exact same time, even if their sucky race was 20 minutes faster than my great race. Because the bottom line for any recreational athlete is, "I competed against MYSELF, and came up ..." either wanting, or triumphant.

[Crankin]

I try to take that attitude, especially with this person, but it is really hard for me. I know I secretly wish I could be fast, in anything, but I am not willing to suffer. I was such an uncoordinated kid who hated sports, so I know I should be happy. And obviously, I just have to look at the other 98% of the population.

[rocknrollgirl]

Welp, I don't know if you can really classify all those things together.

Complaining about the pace of a group run? Especially when the pace was what was agreed on at the start? That's just rude.

Venting disappointment over a bad race for one's own ability, even if someone else might be stoked to log that bare clock time? Who else can we express our disappointment to, if not other athletes?

I don't feel like there's much difference between myself celebrating a great race for me and someone else wanting commiseration for a sucky race for them, even if we logged the exact same time, even if their sucky race was 20 minutes faster than my great race. Because the bottom line for any recreational athlete is, "I competed against MYSELF, and came up ..." either wanting, or triumphant.

Case in point, the race I just did. I was SO pumped about being 7 mins faster than last time and my BIL was mortified and humbled by his time. His sucky race was 25 mins faster than my great race. Hugs for him, high fives for me. He did not make me feel badly about it though.

The few times I have gone to road races with him, he is completely discombobulated as to why I do not " run faster". he said to me...you look like you should be able to run really fast. He is not being mean, he is truly confused. I think he now understands that trail running is a different beasty and will have a bit more respect for the dirt! I am happy just to be out there moving!!

[emily_in_nc]

I try to take that attitude, especially with this person, but it is really hard for me. I know I secretly wish I could be fast, in anything, but I am not willing to suffer. I was such an uncoordinated kid who hated sports, so I know I should be happy. And obviously, I just have to look at the other 98% of the population.

Ditto ditto ditto!

I was a sickly child with a huge number of allergies, asthma, skinny, and weak. I missed lots of school being sick all the time. I hated gym, did everything to avoid it. I was a straight-A student, bookish and nerdy, who felt clumsy, awkward, and couldn't hit a ball if it beaned me in the head. I would love to be "fast" at whatever, too, but these days I'm just happy to be out there doing more than 98% of 55-year old women!

[Crankin]

Maybe we should start a club, Emily....
The thing is, the sports I hated as a kid are not lifetime fitness actiities that require endurance. Although I struggled to learn to ride a bike (I was 9), I always loved it and felt competent. But I never knew I had good endurance until the aerobics craze kicked in. I tried running briefly in the late 70s, but gave myself shin splints, so never thought of just trying better shoes! I got fit so fast that after just a couple of years, I was a certified instructor teaching 7 classes a week. What a crazy time. My gym teachers are laughing from their graves, as I was the kid who was assigned to "Flab lab" when I flunked the President's Fitness Test. That test, was skill related and the only thing I could pass was the running. I will never hit a ball or get a basketball in the hoop. Flab lab was actually endurance and core work. I was not happy at being there, but I do remember feeling quite fit when it was over.

[emily_in_nc]

Maybe we should start a club, Emily....
The thing is, the sports I hated as a kid are not lifetime fitness actiities that require endurance. Although I struggled to learn to ride a bike (I was 9), I always loved it and felt competent. But I never knew I had good endurance until the aerobics craze kicked in. I tried running briefly in the late 70s, but gave myself shin splints, so never thought of just trying better shoes! I got fit so fast that after just a couple of years, I was a certified instructor teaching 7 classes a week. What a crazy time. My gym teachers are laughing from their graves, as I was the kid who was assigned to "Flab lab" when I flunked the President's Fitness Test. That test, was skill related and the only thing I could pass was the running. I will never hit a ball or get a basketball in the hoop. Flab lab was actually endurance and core work. I was not happy at being there, but I do remember feeling quite fit when it was over.

LOL! I would totally have flunked the President's fitness test too! Hah!

I loved aerobics when it became a "thing" and did it all through college and after for awhile. I tried running in college but also ended up with killer shin splints and had to stop. Interestingly, I never get them now, even as much as I stop and start with my running. I always had a bike as a kid and through high school, but I was never "good" at it, it was just a way to get around. I had no bike in college or my early 20s until DH bought me a bike when I was 26. I have been hooked ever since. Hard to believe I've been riding one bike or another as an adult for 29 years now -- though I got more serious about it in the early 2000s. Before that, it was more of an off/on thing, kinda like running is for me now.

[Aromig]

I find cyclists do the humblebrag all of the time. It is hard for me to take. I don't compete, except maybe with myself, but it is hard to see others, older than me, who are just so much faster. I keep telling myself I am OK, and I am in it for the long haul. I stopped wearing my HR monitor years ago, don't care about power. I use cadence and speed to judge my rides. While I do look at my speeds, I try not to obsess.

This is my story. We have a Wednesday night group in our town, and there are usually two options for the ride -- 10 miles or 30 miles and all bike types are welcome. The first 5 miles of the short route is always with the first 5 miles of the long route. I'm not fast enough to keep up with the racers who do the 30 miles (and they honestly scare me how they pass and zip around - we've had at least one wreck so far this season with broken bones) so I hang out at the back with the comfort bikes and cruisers. But then I'm riding the last 25 miles usually by myself, or a few people who are slower than I am. I feel like I can't leave them, but its not a pace I like either. So I chalk the Wednesday rides up to making friends. I have friends that I ride with at work that are naturally more athletic than I am, and I can keep up with them for shorter rides, but I couldn't do it on a super long rides. I keep telling myself that speed doesn't matter, I'm really into this to work out and that's working out for me, but I do catch myself watching my speed. I can change the display on my Garmin so I've been meaning to remove the speed display so then it really won't matter :-)

[rocknrollgirl]

So just like that the weather has become very unpleasant for running. Last w/e was still tolerable and then Tuesday, blam, 87 degrees and humid. The pollen count is off the chart, we have had air quality alerts all week. Blech.

Yesterday we had a long run. the last before our next race in two weeks. Two hour trail run. At 6am it was already near 70 degrees and humid. Made for very difficult conditions. I find it drives my heart rate through the roof until I acclimate. So it was a tough two hours. This is our last trail run locally until the fall. The ticks are out. So from now on we will have to drive to trail run which stinks.

On a good note, I think my new orthotics are going to do the trick. I have gone through all of my work and casual shoes and gotten rid of anything that causes me discomfort. Replaced with a few pair of Clarks, very comfy and supportive. Today I am going out on a mission to find flip flops with arch support. They do exist, but they may be unicorn status.

[OakLeaf]

I would think flip flops would kind of defeat the purpose - you have to extend your big toes to keep them on, which unless you have phenomenal control of your foot muscles, is going to flatten the arch as well. Plenty of sandals with strap tops and rigid soles though - Chaco and Teva come to mind.

Brutally hot here too, smog here too (yep, 50 miles from the nearest city which is a small city, in the 21st century we get smog too ). Thankfully the humidity is still low, the pollen hasn't been too bad and my shots are keeping up with it. Between the heat and I'm still sore all the time from the PT exercises, I've kind of given up on building distance for the time being, and instead I'm keeping it VERY short but trying to run every day or at least six days a week. I'm figuring if the distance is so short, I won't need as many recovery days. It drives me crazy to run for a shorter amount of time than it takes me to get dressed, warm up, and then stretch afterward, but that's called discipline, I guess.

How does the terrain of your upcoming race compare to the last one?

[rocknrollgirl]

Hey Oak,
I only need the flip flops for flippity flopping around the house and a quick run to the store. I do not wear them for hours on end like the rest of the folks around here. I found a pair of sketchers that may work. Otherwise I have on really supportive shoes or retired running shoes with orthotics in there.

Fortunately the terrain at the next race is more like what we run locally. I think there is only 1500 feet of elevation change in this race compare to 4800 at North Face and the upcoming race will not have the rocks like at Bear Mt. probably lots of roots which we are used to. So it should feel more runable, less power hiking.

I am not sure what I will do after this race as far as maintaining distance. I will not have anything "long" until next fall. We will trail run all summer and want to start mt biking again after this next race. I may just do a longish trail run every other week just to keep my endurance up. 90 mins would probably do it.

We have three trips planned and they all involve hiking, so that can sub for some long trail runs too.

[OakLeaf]

Good luck tomorrow, RnR! Go have fun and kick some butt!!