Random Running Thread

[OakLeaf]

Welp ... doesn't seem like there's enough activity in this subforum to keep on with monthly threads, plus I couldn't think of anything running related that rhymes with June.

My big news is I actually showed some self restraint last week. I'd been wanting to try Skora shoes for a while, and they were having a clearance sale, and even though I've NEVER done any trail running and never thought I could run minimal, what they had left in my size was a minimal shoe. So of course I ordered a pair! I had some errands to run in town and there's a 6/10 mile canal trail, mostly firm dirt/grass with a little bit of #57 stone. I did one out-and-back and stopped. I've been trying to think of the last time I ran 1.2 miles and said I was done for the day, and it *might* have been as late as 1973, but probably longer ago than that. Everything felt great, but I could tell I was using some unaccustomed muscles and it wouldn't be a good idea to go any farther, so good thing I chose that short trail so I wasn't tempted. I definitely had a little bit of soreness and a lot of noticeable fatigue in my arches and hip internal rotators the next day! The shoes aren't a perfect fit, but that would be too much to hope for. For a very short one, they're absolutely close enough, as close as anything else I've run in. I really like the construction; the asymmetric lacing and half-attached tongue solve several problems I have with most shoes, and the uppers are just comfy. Yet to be seen how well they're going to work for me over longer distances, but if it goes well I'll be ordering a pair of their cushioned road shoes next (too much exposed #4 on the one hand, and concrete on the other, for me to ever consider minimal shoes on the road).

I'm signed up for that 10K tomorrow morning. It's one of those things where I'm not even remotely in shape for it and I don't much feel like running it, but I just need something to kick start my summer, and I'm pretty sure if I didn't run it, I'd wish I had. Sooooooo we'll see how it goes.

Mostly I see more wildlife out my living room window or pulling weeds in my garden than I ever do when I'm out making noise and stirring stuff up and going by too quickly to notice little critters, but there are times I'll see something cool on a run, and I had one of those recently: a mink chasing a baby rabbit. Mink are elusive around here - there are plenty of them, but this was only the fourth time I've ever seen one after 18 years in this house. They were pretty evenly matched in size and from what I could tell, in speed as well! I'm not sure who got the best of the distraction - when I came along, the rabbit froze on the edge of the road while the mink darted into the hayfield. Don't know what happened next - but if the mink got her lunch, I'm kind of glad I wasn't there to see it.

Who else?

[Crankin]

Nothing, except I, too, am showing restraint by not going to the LRS and buying a new pair of Mizunos for boot camp, AND, to stay on your topic, a pair of trail running shoes. I've always been intrigued by trail running, and I feel like I don't need to try and run as fast, can always hike/walk. My body doesn't seem to react so poorly to running on dirt. But, my light hikers are too heavy for this.
I am waiting until I get back from my cycling trip, to let my foot heal more. It's better, no bruising left, but the most pain seems to happen from fast walking. Unfortunately, I went for a ride really early Thursday morning and it was really cold, so I wore my winter cycling shoes and woolie bullies, which are much tighter than my regular cycling shoes. This irritated the foot, so back to the icing.

[roo4]

I've been doing a bit more running than cycling lately. This morning I am taking my kid on a run, probably just a mile. We're headed to a local rail trail. Soft, flat, no cars.

[yellow]

I'm finding it easy to discover new shoes that I like or love a lot these days. So many to choose from now. I'm not too fussy, so it's fun to try different things. Current favorite trail shoe is the PI N2, which is their neutral training shoe. I've found that minimal just doesn't work for me for big mileage. The PI shoes are what I would call a happy medium and I plan on wearing them for all races this summer. I think my next experiment will be the Salomon Sense Mantra 3. I have the Sense Mantra 2 and I like it well enough, but I don't reach for it for 3+ hour training runs. Word from friends in the know that if I like the 2, I will love the 3 and that I will like it for those long trail runs. We shall see. That said, I am currently cycling through at least 2 pairs of the PI shoes, a pair of Hoka Stinsons, an older pair of Saucony Peregrines that I hoarded in my closet because I loved them so much (I don't care for the latest versions), and the Salomon SM 3. Yeah, I have a lot of shoes. And that's not including the "rejects" that I don't reach for (meaning that they aren't anything special) and/or the ones that have become garden shoes.

I took about a month off in April-May (for a good thing--a Grand Canyon river trip!) so I decided to forego a big run for June and stick with July and August races. I am doing a race (trail, since that is really all I do) as a training run in 2 weeks in Idaho; the area and terrain are similar to that of a stage race I am doing in August so I kind of want to check it out. I have a rematch with the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 in July (it kicked my arse in 2013) and then the stage race (in Idaho, the mountains around Stanley) in August. I fully expect that to completely kick my arse. So I am building mileage and trying to get into the mountains and am focused on staying healthy. After that, who knows. Maybe a 50k in Oregon in September, maybe just riding my bike, maybe nothing. I keep saying that one of these days I will hang it up and just lounge on the couch for the duration I reserve the right to take myself up on that offer any time!

[OakLeaf]

Yellow! Good to "see" you. Those are some beautiful places you're running and rafting in!

I managed to break 50 minutes for the 10K this morning, for the first time. I knew I had it in me but didn't really expect to pull it off today. Going to be sore tomorrow ...

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi Ladies,
Yellow!!! Good to see you. I have been running and too lazy to post. I am just trying to be consistent. I have lost of of my speed since my surgery in Nov, so I am going to have to work on that. So right now I am just trying to get out regularly. I do not have any races planned until the fall leading up to The North Face Endurance Challenge at Bear Mt next May. So I have time to get things rolling.

[yellow]

Okie dokie, a couple of updates.

First, I know I said I was going to try the Sense Mantra 3 but when presented with an option that feeds on one of those little back-of-the-brain lurking thoughts, I went a different direction. It took a gift card, a sale, and a regulars discount at the LRS and suddenly I found myself in a new pair of Hokas (trail), this time the Challenger. I'm pretty much in love with it. It's not as clunky as the Stinson, which kind of bugs me but isn't a huge deal since I really only wear the Hokas when I am feeling beat up and want or need to slow it down. But the Challenger is definitely more streamlined and lighter. I haven't tested them with a super long run yet--that will come next weekend. This week is an easy week so my long run won't be all that long. I'll still continue racing in the PIs, though. They are currently my #1 love.

Oak, any updates on the Skoras?

My other update is that the 50k went well. Better than expected, even. It was my slowest 50k evah but that's ok. I ran consistently and my fueling and hydration were just right. The next event is a headphone-free event and I expect it to be warm, so my training for the next month will include some runs when it's over 90 (I did 2 of those this week) and without listening to podcasts. I don't know which I am more afraid of. I'm a total podcast junkie and not listening is going to be a challenge. I'm looking at it this way: I get to save up a month's worth of podcasts to get me through the month after that and the stage race. The heat? Gah. I do not thermoregulate well, hot or cold.

[OakLeaf]

Glad you're doing well!

I don't have that many more miles on the Skoras - it's the kind of thing where I have to drive so far to do anything at all, that if I'm going to the trails, I want to work it in with another errand, and that doesn't always happen. But, I've been up to four miles of uneven surface with some elevation change, and the more I run in them, the more I like them. If I hadn't already stocked up with a year's worth of Altras when they discontinued the model I'm wearing now, I'd be trying the Skora Tempo, their most cushioned shoe, for sure.

Hoka sponsored the 10K I ran earlier this month, and the rep says they're going to start making one model in wide this fall. I'll be curious to try those on also.

I'm starting to kick my mileage back up a little again, two months is long enough to laze around the house and never run longer than 10 miles at a time. I'm finally starting to acclimate to the heat too, I could tell yesterday when it dropped all the way down to 77° and 70% humidity and it felt pleasantly cool and bone dry. Three years in a row now when the humidity stays above 80% 24 hours a day, welcome to our new climate.

Thinking about running Columbus again this fall. I'd like to run the marathon, I've only done Columbus once, but I'm not sure I really feel like another one just quite yet - might just do the half again.

[BikeDutchess]

2 weeks ago I did a 6.5 mile training run and just wasn't feelin' it. I managed to finish but felt totally wiped and discouraged. Today I had an 8 mile run on my schedule - and it went so much better! I got an earlier start so the sun wasn't quite peeking over the mountain tops yet for at least the first hour, which made a big difference. My pace per mile dropped by a full minute and I felt great at the end. Very happy. And grateful to my dear daughter, who rode her bike alongside as my support person both times. Those sips of ice cold water along the way were heavenly!

[Crankin]

My toe is better; not perfect, but definitely better. I will be going to the LRS to replace the shoes I wear for the small bit of running I do at boot camp (Mizuno Wave somethings ). Any suggestions for trail running shoes? I have narrow heels and I need a wide toe box. I also like cushioning. The LRS guy is really good and was spot on with the Mizunos, but I don't want to spend 4 hours there.

[Crankin]

OK, half of my purchasing is complete. Of course, they stopped making the Mizunos I've been wearing for running at boot camp. This is the second time this has happened. I now have a pair of Aisics that feel very good, and they are much cooler looking. In fact, I tried on 3 pairs that felt good.
However, there were no trail runners in the LRS in my size (6). The guy was very helpful, called the warehouse in Lowell and found one pair of Brooks, which someone will bring over here. So, I imagine it might be another week before I go out on the trail.

[OakLeaf]

Did you try Altra? Their trail shoe is called the Lone Peak - you might also try The One which is wider in the toe box but has a more flexible sole (cushioned, just flexible - though am I remembering right that you like a really rigid sole? That's been my experience with Mizuno). Skora is a newer brand and not a lot of stores have them yet. Hoka One One are spendy - not wide enough for me, but I'm pretty sure they have a nice foot-shaped toe box.

Glad your toe is better. Happy shopping!

I'm back into the serious hills. Can't really do more than ten around here without hitting them, though the loop I did yesterday was one of the more brutal ones. Yeow.

[Crankin]

I actually like a lot of cushioning, it's just that the Mizunos had the less rigid and wider toe box.
The only choice I am going to have in the trail shoes are the Brooks Cascades. If they don't feel right I will have to go into town, to Marathon Sports. The LRS here is really good, so I am praying the Brooks work.

[Crankin]

OK, just got back from my first trail run. I go on these with no expectations, no Garmin, not even a watch. My goal was to run at least 80% of the time, and I did, albeit probably not much faster than I can hike!
The shoes will work. It took me awhile to get the laces at the right amount of tightness where I tie them. I tend to err on the too loose side, because my feet are so damn sensitive. But, I felt some movement, especially in my right foot, so I made them tighter. This is with the laces done up with the special "extra hole" trick, as I have narrow heels. Nothing hurt, except my injured toe, but that has been aching a little in the past couple of days, in a minor way.
It's horribly humid out, kind of spitting. I doused myself in Deet, praying no tics got me. Next time, I am going to drive to a different trail. The beginning of my neighborhood trail is too wet and overgrown, and with the branches laid out, so you don't step in the mud, way too slippery for running, at least for me. I could access the trail by going down the steep hill to avoid this, and then doing a slightly different route to one of the spurs. All in all, I think I ran 2.5-3 miles, walking about 1/2 mile down the hill to the access point. I did not go on the trail into the next town, as it's very overgrown and wet, despite being an open field. If I do that, door to door it's 4 miles.
I'll probably feel this tomorrow, but right now, it's good.

[rocknrollgirl]

We have been running, but I have just not been posting. Partly because it is just so gross out I can hardly stand to run in it more less write about it. How gross you ask? Well yesterday morning at 6 am it was 77 degrees and 93% humidity. Gross. Stuck my head out and it felt like a sauna. Yuk.

Where oh where is my frigid winter running weather!

OK enough whining. Back out there tomorrow.