May 2015 Running Challenge

shanaber

@Ohhim - great job on the pace and PR! Seems that what you are doing is working. I am in process of getting my weight back down to where I was when I got my last half PR. Have just 2 pounds to go. It is not a huge amount but I know I feel better and run better at the lower weight.
@SonicDeathMonkey80 - love the pictures!
@Wendy1Fl - you had a great race and wow stopping to help someone too! Awesome! I am sure those tears were a result of some of the stress and pressure you were putting on yourself to just get through it and finish!
@labyars - It is definitely important to have fun and enjoy life without worrying about calorie counts and exercise once in a while! Sounds like you had a great time!

I met up with an older 'elite' runner I see sometimes on my trail and he invited me to run with him. I have been intimidated in the past to run with him because I was afraid of being too slow. We ran at his pace and chatted the entire time and it was great! The miles and time went by so fast and then it was time, unfortunately for me to go back to work. He was telling running and racing stories and I could have just kept going and listening.
Date.......Miles......Total
05/01.....9.20.......9.20
05/02.....0.00.......9.20 - Rest
05/03.....4.33.....13.53
05/04.....6.42.....19.95

WhatMeRunning

@Ohhim - Congrats on going a full without bonking and making great time!

@isulo_kura - That soundspretty freaking insane! Glad you did not lose a shoe.

@Wendy1Fl - Super classy move helping her out! Sounds like you made a great run out of the lost time and had a more rewarding run in the end than if you had made your goal time.

3 mile easy run today. Probably the first easy run I've done. And yes, it actually was easy.

5/2 - 6.07 miles
5/4 - 3 miles

madube84

I WILL make my goal this month!

5/1 0.8miles
5/2 2 miles
5/3 0.8miles
5/4 2 miles

Total:5.6 miles
Goal: 30 miles

kristinegift

5/1: 5.2 miles
5/2: REST
5/3: 12 miles (scheduled: 20; left calf was not having it today)
5/4: REST -- resting, stretching, rolling calves; cross-training tomorrow, hopefully will be good by Wednesday!

Total: 17.2 miles
Goal: 155

ddmom0811

@wendy1f1 - Awesome job, for you and helping the lady! I wish I could explain your tears, but I can't even explain my own! I cry at commercials, weddings, graduations, baptisms, and the worst -- people meeting at the airport when they come out of the security and greet their friends/relatives -- yes, these are strangers! I've learned to just look straight ahead and not watch any reunions at airports! It's ridiculous. I haven't cried at a race before but that will probably happen too! I guess you were just so excited that you finished, and just full of emotion, so it just all came out! PS I probably would have cried if I saw you helping that lady, lol.

@shanaber - That's so cool that you got to run and hear some stories! A new running buddy!

@ohhim - love the pancake picture with the shoe next to it! Never heard of that place, but never been to PA, except to Amish country as a kid, to those restaurants where they serve family style and I just remember thinking "what is shoo fly pie and why would I eat that?"

jtarmom

5/1 - 3.4 miles
5/3 - 10.5 miles
5/4 - 3 miles

Elise4270

Goal 75
5/4 - 5.51 miles

rnjcb

I'm in for 50 again....a little short this past month, but feeling more fit!

SBRRepeat

@Wendy1Fl Good for you for stopping AND for hitting your goal, that's amazing!

I definitely cried at mile 9 of my first HM, no idea why. I was just running along, trying not to die and, boom, waterworks.
For some reason, mile 9 is always the hardest mile for me, whether doing a training run or racing, whether it's a 9 mile or 15 mile run. I always get weirdly emotional, even if I'm just trotting down the local trail.


Also, let's call today another unscheduled rest day. Spent the whole day in bed with the flu.

0/75- off to a great start.

Ohhim

@sonicdeathMonkey80 - I think I was offered beer at 7 spots along the course this year (Mile 1/2 - strip both sides, Mile 5 - after 3rd bridge crossing in Mexican war streets, Mile 9 & 10 - beginning and end of south side, Mile 23 - Bloomfield, Mile 24 - in front of church brew works) - so I can definitely understand that approach to the race. Given I had 7 friends cheering at different spots, with some forethought, 13 "beer miles" could have been feasible. With 70 bands on the course, 10 DJs, cheer squads, marching bands, and plenty of unofficial (and official) water/food/beer stops, the Pittsburgh marathon is more of a fast migrating party than necessarily a race - glad you were able to partake in that element.

Managed to walk 4 very slow miles today (and did a bit of swimming - arms only) but not adding them to the total. In fact, no running planned until at best Wednesday. Still, I'll correct my total as I just noticed that my post-marathon math was a bit fuzzy.

5/2 - 2 miles
5/3 - 26.2 miles

Total: 28.2 miles
Target: 100 miles
Remaining: 71.8 miles

FancyPantsFran

In for 45

juliet3455

johnsonnelly wrote: »

I have noticed several people who run between 4-7 miles on average and then bust out a random 13-14 miles. What is the trick to being able to do that?? I have been running for over a year now and am lucky to make it 5 miles on a "long" run. I think that I am doing something wrong? On a normal month I run at least a 5k most days of the month. Any insight would be great!!

shanaber wrote: »

@johnsonnelly - I try to get in a long run once a week. When I was running 2-3 miles as my normal run I tried to go for a long run of 5 or 6 but would typically take a walk break or two as needed. Over time I have just pushed the distance boundary on my normal runs as time (work) allows. As they increased I also increased the long run distances. I also kept the pace on those longer runs slow as I added in distance and less breaks. I still keep the pace slow as the goal for me on the longer runs is to build endurance, with that my pace will improve too.

@johnsonnelly - I think the others ( @shanaber, @grimmeanor and @Stoshew71 ) have nailed it. Slow down your pace to increase your distance. I usually do about 6:30 per km on my normal 5 km runs. On my long runs I slow that down to about 7:00 per km. This 30 seconds doesn't seem like much but it is what allows me to stretch my long run out to 10 km and a time of 70 - 72 minutes. Not the fastest - not the slowest. According to the results for the local 2014 Tri-River Sprint Marathon this puts me in the middle of the pack.

wasiemer

1 May: 2 miles
4 May: 4 miles

_nikkiwolf_

Wow - a few days late to join in this month, and already I have eight pages to catch up. You've all been busy, it seems

I'm in again for 100km. Made it in March, didn't make it in April, so let's see if another month starting with an M will work again...

2.5.15 - 4.1km
4.5.15 - 3.9km
___
8km (of 100km) done

isulo_kura

@grimmeanor yes it was rather an insane one and I was not leaving without a shoe firmly attached to my foot

LoneWolfRunner

DATE...............MILES............TOTAL
5/1/15................6.25.................6.25
5/2/15................6.50...............12.75
5/3/15................6.00...............18.75
5/4/15................Weight training
5/5/15................5.25...............24.00

JimCrackinDandy

a humid 4 miles for today!
You all are such an inspiration to me!
Many blessings Ladies and Gents...

Stoshew71

Date Miles today. Miles for May
5/1 REST DAY - 0
5/2 16 miles - 16.0 <<< Madkin and Weeden Mountains on RSA (1,208ft elevation gain)
5/3 REST DAY - Went hiking ~4 miles with the wife at Monte Sano instead
5/4 10.35 miles - 26.35 << slow recovery miles. Still feel sore from weekend
5/5 10 miles 36.35

Stoshew71

Ohhim wrote: »

Very happy with my race today, starting with the 3:45 pace group, but moving up a bit as my heart rate was cooperating. My fueling strategy (involving pancakes from pamelas for lunch yesterday, and 10 gels on course), worked out pretty well, as I didn't bonk at 20 like I've done on prior races. Finished in 3:44:16, maintaining a consistent 8:30-8:35 pace for much of the race. Given the impending summer heat, I'll hold off until January (Disney) for my next full marathon. Didn't run into @Training2BeFast or @SonicDeathMonkey80 at the start this morning as they were likely in the A/elite corral given their half paces, but hope their races went well.

@Ohhim I never congratulated you on a job well done.

Stoshew71

Wendy1Fl wrote: »

Today was my first organized race since track in High School. I did Bloomsday in 1hr, 11 min (7.46 miles). I'm pretty happy since my goal was at least 1:12 so I could qualify to start in front of the walkers next year. I stopped to help a woman who rolled her ankle about a mile into the race. I was pretty astonished that everyone just kept passing her by as she was sitting there crying. As I was about to run back to the medics we had passed, her family came so I was able to continue knowing she had help. Then I started crying because I was certain I had lost my chance at my goal time. It took a little bit for me to quit being such a baby! I finally pulled out of it by making a game out of what had gotten her hurt - jumping up on curbs & grassy sidelines to pass as many people as possible. So I'm real interested to see what distance my Garmin tells me I actually did with all that bobbing & weaving. Let me tell you, I was never so grateful for all the trail/grassy running I have done! My ankles felt strong & solid. Me feet weren't wobbly. I felt agile, like a Billy Goat! Then, for some crazy reason, I bawled like a baby after I crossed the finish line. I wasn't hurt. A huge wave of gratitude washed over me & I burst into tears...what gives?!?!

@Wendy1Fl Congrats on making your time and even helping a fellow runner on the course. That was so nice of you.