OK, it's seriously time for a new runniing thread!!

[Jolt]

So I'll start it this time. I just went for a short run in the neighborhood today. Wore my huaraches this time--anyone else tried these? They take a little getting used to but are pretty good.

ETA: Just noticed I made a typo in the thread title--whoops!!

[Grog]

Well there's running and then there's runniing, and a few of us are running serious miles, so I think 'runniing' applies!

So here I am, I survived to tell the tale. I was very grateful to see Shootingstar on her bike ride (really from the corner of my eye for a few seconds, merely a glimpse) as it kept my brain busy for a bit (that was around my 10th kilometer, heading onto a big hill). Later, a friend of mine - what a friend! - joined me for the last 10K. I was very, very grateful for that, as it gave me something to look forward to and sort of broke the run into two chunks.

I enforced 10 minutes running - 1 minute walking for the first three hours, but when my friends joined me we walked more to accommodate her, but really it was also accommodating me too. Eventually she was not feeling all that good so she sent me ahead. I would run for 5 minutes and walk back for a minute or so to meet with her.

Despite all that walking at the end, I did finish 38 km in 4h17m, so I am pretty confident that I can complete the full marathon in around 4h30m if I keep the pace steady and the course doesn't turn out to be too too hilly. Uphill is fine, downhill kills me.

And now the feet: well they are sore, no doubt about that, but they started hurting only at about 20 km (instead of 10 km previously) and it's only sore arches, not the weird side pain I had the other day. I think what's happening is that I change my stride to accommodate my sore arches and that's when I hurt my left foot. Today it's mostly fine. I'm also happy I had some foresight and scheduled a massage for tomorrow. I had a cold-hot shower (alternating) and will sit in a cold bath tonight for a few minutes. (UGH.)

So from now on it's all downhill! I'm pretty excited about the taper and I look forward to the race, in three weeks. I can't believe I just ran 38 km. (And I have an even harder time believing that some of you do that all the time. Hats off to you! You amaze me.)

My friend was patient enough for me to have a quick shower and meet her at a local brunch spot for fabulous french toast with berry/port compote and lots of maple syrup. She even let me have her potatoes. That's truly a friend. Now I'm off to nap, and then I have some Ikea furniture to build.....! I'll be on my knees, not my feet, thankfully.

Thank you all for the encouragement!

[Becky]

I ran my first trail 5k yesterday. It was so awesome! That course was awfully tough, and I walked more than I expected to, but I still finished under 37 minutes and had enough juice left for a kick to the finish line.

I know that I went too fast at the beginning. The route entered some singletrack pretty quickly, and it was hard to hold back when there were people right behind me. Otherwise, I think I did ok with pacing.

I can't wait to do it again next year!

[Bike Chick]

Wow, Grog! Sounds like you are ready. Good luck on your marathon. I hope the taper will give your feet time to heal before the big day.

I got a 12 miler in today and start my taper tomorrow. I got rained out yesterday and dodged the raindrops this morning but got it done. It was a huge confidence builder going into the half-marathon next week. I felt stronger with every mile and hope I feel the same way on Saturday. Now its time to put my feet up. Mine are sore too, Grog.

[Grog]

Congrats on your race, Becky! Sounds like fun. I'd like to do more trail running.

Bike Chick, good luck on your race. It sure sounds like you're ready too!! Enjoy the rest.

[limewave]

Great running everyone!

I did 12 miles today too. Last long run before the 25k. The first 6-7 miles weren't bad, but the next 5 were into a 20 mph headwind. I'm surprised I managed to keep moving forward. It was supposed to be a progressive run, but with that wind, I'm just glad I survived. Two weeks to taper before the race

[zoom-zoom]

I ran a 5k PR today...first leg of a duathlon. Then my 2nd 5k (after a 30k bike in high winds and pouring rain--first ride ever in the rain and first duathlon) was my 3rd fastest 5k. I placed 5/9 in my age group, which has me pretty tickled. 4th place finisher was only 4 minutes ahead of me and I have 20#s to lose and more biking skills to hone before next year.

I haven't raced the 5k distance in almost 2 years and last time was 99% humidity and warm. My asthmatic lungs rebelled. I may have to find another 5k race soon to see what I can do when I don't have nearly 2 more hours of racing to follow.

[Jolt]

I must be a little crazy...just got back from my SECOND run of the day! I had a random urge to go for a run in the dark, so I did. Only for a little over 20 minutes, but still not bad for having already run today. Not sure what got into me but it was fun (and I didn't trip on anything or crash into anything).

[zoom-zoom]

So from now on it's all downhill! I'm pretty excited about the taper and I look forward to the race, in three weeks. I can't believe I just ran 38 km.

Wow, that's a really good last long run! You're going to rock race day! Enjoy your taper, too, but don't make the big mistake I always have--don't keep eating like you are running mega miles. I always gained 3-4#s during taper because I was so accustomed to eating a ton. I didn't NEED the food, I wanted the food.

[colby]

Way to go, Grog! Make sure to run that extra 4km at the beginning of your marathon, not the end

[colby]

Way to go, zoom-zoom! Running in that weather isn't so bad, until you hit the headwind.

Riding in the rain seems to be one of those things you get used to in time. I remember the first time I raced in the rain, I was very very cautious. Since then I've learned a little more where to be cautious and where it's okay to give a little, but I am still very very careful around corners - tri shorts don't make for much between my skin and the ground.

[zoom-zoom]

Way to go, zoom-zoom! Running in that weather isn't so bad, until you hit the headwind.

You ain't kiddin'! Plus I couldn't see anything due to the rain blowing in my eyes. That was yucky.

Thanks.

[colby]

I did a sort-of Olympic distance race simulation today, all in the gym. Bleh. The swim was okay, I am behind on my swimming miles but I felt surprisingly good, I know which drills I need to do next. The pool was 84 degrees (my heart monitor says 82-84). Too warm for a hard swim.

The bike was blah also, when I bike in the gym I go based on time more than what the machine says for distance, so it's all an estimate. Then we got to the run, and I used the treadmill for convenience (didn't have my GPS on me), so I was kind of grumpy. Did a lot more walking than I usually actually do in a race. So, basically it was just a dry run of "doing the 3 things you do in a triathlon in the same order but not really anything like a race"

I looked at the Wii (I weigh myself weekly using Wii Fit) and I am down 10 lbs from last April. Not as far as I hoped to be, but I will take it. 2 of those are in the last 2 weeks when I was very good about eating all my calories spread out through the day, going no more than 2-3 hours between eating at least 200 calories. I think I've got it worked out for my work week, it's at home where I get in trouble and get behind in calories. If I stay right on my calories, I lose weight. This is my mission for the next 2 months: eat all my calories rationed throughout the day. I actually find it harder to eat larger meals now and I've only been doing it for a week. If we eat lunch out, I divide my lunch or eat a smaller lunch and get something to-go to eat later.

The body, she is a complicated machine.

[Grog]

Colby, you made me laugh out loud. I'll remember that one comes race day.

Good job Zoom-Zoom on the PR!

[OakLeaf]

Wow, great runs everyone!

Grog, super pace over the distance. You are totally ready! Isn't there a posted course for the marathon so you can know how hilly it's going to be? (Not that this is the time you want to be finding out for the first time, maybe. )

Becky, way to go on your race, sounds like great fun.

Zoom-zoom, you totally rocked your race! Way cool running so fast and keeping your wits about you on the wet bike leg.

Lime, it's amazing how much the wind can slow you down on foot ... good show pressing through it. You're going to pwn that half!

Colby, 10 lbs in a year is nothing to sneeze at. Way to go on your race simulation. I don't think there's any way I could do that in the gym.

Even long distances outside are a struggle for me when it's boring. As sore as I was after last week's 15 miles, my head was all "it's so much easier when it's not BORING!" I think that's really the main reason why I was so much quicker than I'd been running in the flatlands. That, and the new shoes, which for some reason are just fast. They don't make it any less effort, so I'm not any faster on maximum speed, but at tempo and long-run pace, for any given form, they just run faster than my old shoes.

So I guess there's my decision... hills today, soon as the rain lets up a bit.