Running in a Winter Wonderland: December Runs

[indysteel]

My thread title is a bit ironic given that we're experiencing near record highs here in Indiana! I wonder if we're in for another nonexistent winter.

I ran roughly 4 miles yesterday and roughly 5 miles today. I'm still trying to set up my new Garmin, so my distances aren't exact.

[skhill]

Same here in KY! I celebrated the first day of December with a nice little 5 miles. Started off wearing a hat and mittens and 2 shirts, one short sleeved and the other long. By the end of the first mile the hat was off. By the end of the second, the mittens were off. By the end of the third, the long sleeved shirt was off. And I was considering stripping down to just the bra by the time I got home. It felt a lot warmer than 50F!

[Tri Girl]

Same in OK. It's crazy! Although I'm not really a fan of bitterly cold winters, these warm temps are just not right, and I don't like it one bit.
I actually enjoy getting bundled up in 4 layers and running with gloves and cute hats and coming home with frozen butt cheeks.
Alas, my 7.5 mile run today was in the 70's and I was wearing sleeveless. Sigh...

I just ordered some Hoka One One's because I'm really having a hard time finding a trail shoe that doesn't cause me knee issues. I have a few ultrarunner friends who wear them (and there are plenty of the top ultrarunners who wear them), so I'm willing to give them a try. Bad news is they are $170. What the what???
I found a pair online for $120, I hope they work.

[Crankin]

I walked/ran 2.5 miles yesterday, disappointed that it was still too wet for me to ride, although it was about 48 when I finished my run. I took my headband off about half way through, but other than that, I was actually dressed correctly. I really want to run more, but my knees are a bit achy, which I think, is from the hundreds of squats and other torturous things I am doing in boot camp.

[skhill]

It was 58F and humid at 6am today!! I dressed for the weather, not the calendar, this time; shorts and short sleeves and bare head. Did about 5.5 miles at an 8:35 pace. With all this speed lately, I'd like to get in one more race this year, but it doesn't look like it'll happen. My December Saturdays are pretty full. Oh well. There's the Jan 1 5 miler to look forward to...

[GLC1968]

I did do some running during this event, so I'm counting it here.

Sunday night, I did the Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon in Las Vegas. I had to walk it since I was only cleared to run a few weeks ago, but boy...walking a half SUCKS. I was with two wonderful friends who kept me company despite my need to actually walk slower than a normal person. After the half-way point, I couldn't take the walking anymore and we started adding in run intervals. We started with run 1 min, walk 9 but the run interval was too short. So we went to 2/8 and then I felt like the walk interval was too long. So we settled on 3/3 for the remainder of the race until the last 1/3 mile or so where we just ran to the finish. Ran is a relative term of course, as my pace was closer the walk pace of my longer-legged friend!

When asked if I was glad that I did it, all I could muster was a 'I'm glad that it's done". I can say with all honesty that I'll never do that again. If I can't run a 1/2 marathon for some reason, then I'll just skip it. Walking for that long was rough!

The good news is that I feel amazingly good today (about 40 hours later) considering how awful I felt at the finish line! My legs are only pleasantly tight and my calves are a bit achy. My injured/recovered foot is sore, but not unbearably so...and I'm looking forward to getting back into run shape again.

[indysteel]

Good job, GLC. Frankly, given what you went through the last year, walking a HM sounds like challenge enough. Good job on your run/walk!

[Tri Girl]

Congrats GLC!!! SO proud of you for finishing even tho it sounded like a slog to the finish line! I agree- walking that far is hard. I had to walk half of the marathon I did last month and it not only took FOREVER, but it hurt worse than running that long (of course I hadn't trained for walking so maybe that was part of it). Congrats on your strong finish!!!!

[Crankin]

Congrats, GLC.
I walked 11.5 miles in the Walk for Hunger a few years ago; the recovery was longer than after anything else I've done, including a century...

[SadieKate]

Excellent, Wilma!

[OakLeaf]

Wow GLC, nicely done. It's been a Very Long Time since I've walked anything close to that distance, but I know how my muscles feel when I walk a much shorter unaccustomed distance, now. Heck, I still remember when I was 17 and coming back from a knee injury, got home from college and walked yeah probably 10 miles for transportation, and then could hardly get out of bed for three days...

+1 on the unseasonable weather. Hard to complain when you're in it, but it's scary and not right. At least I was fully covered for my 12.5 today (no hat though), which is more than I can say for the 11 I did on Monday in shorts and short sleeves...

18 weeks out from Boston. The tough part of the training is right around the corner and I'm just praying my body holds together for it.

[GLC1968]

Thanks all! It was way harder than I had anticipated. Who knew that walking was so tough?!

Today my PT saw my foot for the first time since last week and she declared me 'good to go'. She said everything looks really good! I'm pleased. I'll be running again this weekend.

[indysteel]

I ran 3.5 miles after work last night. I had on tights, but I simply could not get my legs to warm up. It was otherwise a nice run. I'musing a Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp and a reflective harness from Nathan (I think), so I could see really well and am pretty sure I could be easily soon, too.

[indigoiis]

I am in week 6 of marathon training. After not having ridden for a couple of weeks, I rode 28 on Monday. I think it affected the rest of my week, because my Tues., Wed. and today runs were all three kind of "mehh." I am hoping it is just a phase. Other than that, I am so joyful to be out running in the winter. It's a good way to see holiday lights and other sights.

[Tri Girl]

Ran 2.5 miles to work this morning, then took the long way home and ran 5 miles coming home. I wore my new Hoka One Ones. It was like running on a cloud while my feet were being kissed by angels the whole time. They are the trail version, but I wanted to test them out on the pavement. Pavement hasn't EVER felt that good. I've had a knee twinge for about 3 weeks now every time I run. It didn't bother me at all today. They are the bulkiest craziest shoes I've ever seen (remind me of moon boots from the 80's), but all the big ultrarunners wear them and swear by them. I had to give them a try since I'm really ramping up my trail running in distance for next year.
Love at first run...

Plus, they are the NBA OKC Thunder colors so that's a bonus (I live in OKC and am a huge Thunder fan).