December 2015 Running Challenge

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  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
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  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
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    @MorningGhost14 Thank you for posting the links. I just devoured them. And I'm so sorry you lost your mom, but OMG what an amazing way for her to be part of your running...buying you all the shoes! I LOVE that she chose such vibrant colors!

    On a side note, what are "zero drop" shoes and how do you find out if that's what you need? The ortho told me I should be using minimalist shoes to get me from a heel strike to a midfoot strike because that's how I stride when barefoot vs wearing shoes. But he never said anything about zero drop anything.
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
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    @virkati... zero-drop shoes have no drop from heel to mid-foot... they are essentially flat shoes. Many traditional running shoes have 10-20 mm drops which, in my opinion, encourages a heel strike which causes me all kinds of ankle, knee, hip and back pain. If there is no drop (or very little, say 4mm), your body will not want to heel strike because it hurts...lol... and you will naturally move to a fore-foot strike. The best way to test this is to run barefoot. Your bare foot is zero-drop and when you run barefoot, you will go to a fore-foot strike, which I believe is how we are made to run.

    Certain companies focus on making zero-drop shoes... Merrell, Altra and the Minimus line by New Balance. The best way to check is to look at the specifications of the shoes... it will tell you what the drop is.

    I found out that I needed zero-drop shoes because all my pain went away when I switched to them. I still run a certain number of miles every year barefoot just to keep my stride where i want it.
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
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    Also, almost all minimalist shoes are zero-drop, but some companies are now making zero-drop shoes with a ton of cushioning.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited December 2015
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    @HonuNui I just caught that you parked on the roadside instead of going home! Thats awesome!
    I can relate! I'm sitting at the park with my bike (no running shoes) and its windy. Just debating on weather or not I'll brave the wind. I know if I go home to get my shoes I'll just take a nap, also, I just devoured a large hamburger.

    @ddmom0811 I plan on running on Christmas too. I think we have the potential for bad weather. No family plans here.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    12/1 5.5 miles - 5.5
    12/2 4.1 miles - 9.6
    12/3 5.5 miles - 15.1
    12/4 4.1 miles - 19.2
    12/5 12 miles - 31.2
    12/6 REST DAY
    12/7 4 miles - 35.2 << Last taper week going into RCM
    12/8 5 miles - 40.2
    12/9 REST DAY << First day of carb loading. 740 g of carbs. woo hoo.
    12/10 3.1 miles 43.3 << last run before RCM
    12/11 REST DAY
    12/12 26.4 - 69.7 <<< Rocket City Marathon (3:38:05 gun time // 3:37:59 chip time)
    12/13 REST DAY
    12/14 REST DAY
    12/15 REST DAY
    12/16 REST DAY
    12/17 5.23 miles - 74.93
    12/18 REST DAY
    12/19 REST DAY
    12/20 REST DAY
    12/21 3.2 miles - 78.13
    12/22 4.27 miles - 82.4
    12/23 REST DAY

    exercise.png

    Decided to take it easy this morning. I have a group run tommorow.
  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
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    12/1 - 4 miles on indoor track + 4.5 miles on stationary bike
    12/2 - Took my rest day early. Weather is supposed to be way better this weekend, so planning to run long(er) than usual both days.
    12/3 - 5.09 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
    12/4 - 4 miles on indoor track + weights/abs
    12/5 - 5.5 miles (I think)...my phone / GPS crashed after about 4, so I lost my distance and time
    12/6 - 3.1 miles on small indoor track
    12/7 - unplanned rest day
    12/8 - 4 miles on indoor track + weight/abs
    12/9 - 5.25 beautiful miles...40° F at 5:00 a.m. in December! Ran a route that I used a lot last spring/summer, but had been a while. Fun, relaxing, almost perfect!
    12/10 - 5.25 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
    12/11 - 3.1 miles on indoor track + weights/abs
    12/12 - 6 chilly miles
    12/13 - rest day
    12/14 - life day
    12/15 - 4 miles on indoor track + weights
    12/16 - 5 wind-blown miles. Can't complain about 42° F at 5 a.m. on December 16 though!
    12/17 - 5.05 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
    12/18 - 4.1 miles on indoor track + weights/abs
    12/19 - rest day
    12/20 - 4.75 miles around my 'hood
    12/21 - unplanned rest day; up half the night sneezing/coughing/blowing nose. It seems someone has gifted me a cold for Christimas.
    12/22 - 4 miles on indoor track + weights. Cold seems to not have grabbed on (another benefit of losing weight and regular exercise...I don't get sick nearly as often or as bad as before)
    12/23 - 4.75 misty miles. Wet, but pleasant.

    exercise.png
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
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    karllundy wrote: »
    12/23 - 4.75 misty miles. Wet, but pleasant.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KnTyZcRZb0
  • runner_girl83
    runner_girl83 Posts: 553 Member
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    Looks to be nice rainy x-mas eve and x-mas day here :smiley: Nice running weather! :smiley:

    @MorningGhost14 Loved reading your write-ups! How is your arthritis these days? Your mum was amazing.. Love how she understood your love for running and wanted to help with buying the shoes. Really lovely!

    @Stoshew71 How is the body feeling at the moment? Do you have any upcoming races in the new year?

    @Virkati I run in Nike Pegasus and from my understanding (please, anyone correct me if i'm wrong!) They have a big drop from heel to toe and I try and concentrate on landing mid-foot.. I like how my toes are lower to the ground, it means I don't scuff the toe of the shoe and makes it easier for me to roll my foot through. The more cushioning I have in a shoe, the harder my legs have to work at bringing the shoe up higher in the air to swing my leg through I find (Might sound a bit strange?) I have little legs and feet - I just feel rediculous wearing big cushioned shoes :smirk: BUT.. I did try the Brooks Pureflow recently and nothing against them but for me personally, they were too low in the heel for me .. I'm not sure if they would be classed as minimalist, though it felt like I was pretty much running barefoot. They might have been fine in the long term and I probably could have gotten used to them, though I found the fact that I had just started getting used to striking mid-foot really difficult to run in these shoes as I think they were meant for more fore-foot striking... I was all over the place and in a lot of pain!!! If you do decide to try a more minimalist shoe - Let us know what you go with :smiley:

    @ddmom0811 I hope to get a little run or walk in on Christmas morning.. I am trying to keep my streak up and the shortest distance I'll do is 2km so even if that's all I can manage I'll walk up and down my street if I have to :smile:

    @moyer566 Hope you and your puppy are feeling better!!

    @MobyCarp Love your photo! What race were you running with the reindeer antlers? :smile:
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    @Stoshew71 How is the body feeling at the moment? Do you have any upcoming races in the new year?

    At the moment I am OK. I can feel a little weak but nothing too serious. If i wanted to, I know I could go for a run. I actually did much more during my training leading up to my marathon.

    This is just more of a precaution. I want to start back up into full gear nice and fresh. A good reverse taper from a marathon usually lasts 2 or 3 weeks. I am only in week 2.

    My only commited race is not until OAK BARREL HALF MARATHON: Lynchburg, TN - April 02, 2016.
    I will probably sign up for the UAH Spring Road Race 8K which happens in early March. Registration for that hasn't begun yet. If another race opens up that i like then maybe. LOL


    @MorningGhost14 - Great tune.


  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
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    @runner_girl83 .... the arthritis is essentially gone since I have had both of my hips replaced (the right one twice). In fact I was just at my orthopedic surgeon's yesterday for my annual "check-up" and he told me the x-rays confirmed that the hips are not showing any signs of wear, despite them being 14 years old. He attributes that to my running in minimalist shoes. He gives me the green light to keep running as long as I promise not to encourage his other patients to do the same thing... lol.
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
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    @MorningGhost14 I want YOUR ortho...my knee doc keeps trying to get me to do less "stressful and injurious" activites. Like walking, golfing, I promise I'd step in front a moving bus if all I was allowed to do was golf!
  • kimlight2
    kimlight2 Posts: 483 Member
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    12/2 - 3 miles at 4:15am, I am tired but glad I got out as it is supposed to be a rain/snow mix tomorrow. Good start to the month. :)
    12/5 - 3 miles. Getting faster but still working on cutting out the walk breaks.
    12/7 - 1.5 miles. I tried my hilly park run and it was too much. My piriformis was complaining on the first down hill so I made it one loop instead of my planned 2 and quit. I gave it a good stretch and a cold shower when I got home and it is good today.
    12/9 - 2.5 miles. Very stiff and sore. Never got into a good rhythm or loosened up after a session the day before with my trainer.
    12/12 - 3 miles. Had an unleashed dog come running out to "protect" her owner as Neeko and I were going past. Luckily her owner was right there and she didn't go into attack mode, just ran out and barked at us. Only thing that got me really mad was her owner saw us coming and did nothing until she started out the drive and across the street. Luckily Neeko didn't really react and listened when I told him to stay and sit as he has a tendency to fixate and go into protect mode himself or it could have gone really badly.
    12/14 - 2 miles. It was a beautiful 62 degrees out. Ran in shorts and a t-shirt which was wonderful until... I started chafing. Never had that problem before but I am hoping for Bodyglide in my stocking this year. Which means I am running to the store to buy some for myself and putting it there LOL.
    12/19 - 1 mile. Ran a fast mile today and it started to snow as I was going down the driveway. Tried out new winter running tights and they were wonderful except they were short and cause about 3" of ankle to show so now I need to find a good pair of long socks. Tomorrow is my Santa Hussle 5k. Can't wait! There are 1700 runners signed up and another 700 for the half marathon. Told son if I do the half next year he needs to sign up as a volunteer/elf and he agreed frighteningly fast. So guess what I'm working towards LOL.
    12/20 - 3 miles. Had a great 5k and set a PR. It was freezing but well worth it.
    12/23 - 3 miles. Did an easy 3 miles on the treadmill at work today. Wish I could have gone outside but there isn't a really safe place to run here where I won't get hit by a car. Oh well, it should be warm for a few more days so I will make up for it.

    22 down 3 to go.


  • runner_girl83
    runner_girl83 Posts: 553 Member
    edited December 2015
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    Goal – 100 km’s
    01 – 5.76 km walk
    02 – 2.34 km run
    03 – 4.37 km walk – stage 2 melanoma
    04 – 3.05 km walk
    05 – 4.08 km walk
    06 – 2.07 km walk
    07 – 2.01 km walk
    08 – 2.98 km walk
    09 – 6.00 km run
    09 – 2.96 km walk
    10 – 2.19 km walk
    11 – 2.11 km walk
    12 – 5.13 km run
    13 – 5.22 km walk
    14 – 4.00 km walk
    14 – 5.00 km run
    15 – 2.20 km walk
    16 – 10.04 km run
    17 – 2.18 km walk
    18 – 4.64 km walk
    19 – 4.00 km walk
    19 – 2.45 km run
    20 – 7.30 km walk
    20 – 4.10 km walk
    21 – 2.50 km run – shin splints
    21 – 5.00 km run – new kicks : blue nikes
    22 – 5.70 km walk
    23 – 2.47 km walk
    24 – 10.04 km run – 9:05 pace

    Total – 121.89 km

    First 10k since I hurt my ankle. 22 deg C and 82% humidity! :open_mouth:

    Started out with the first day of HM training, which finished just over 3k… Legs felt great by then so decided to keep running until 5. Planned on walking 2k to cool down, though after 1k thought ‘stuff it.. I don’t have to be anywhere for a while’ so ran another 3k (bringing me to 9k)… and despite wanting to run it, I walked the last km.

    Splits were:
    9:01
    9:50
    9:24 – HM training ended
    8:39
    10:39 – ran/walked
    8:11
    7:57
    7:35
    7:53
    11:20 – Cool down

    Total time = 01:31:08

    Very happy! And shins aren’t feeling too bad either so that’s always a bonus! :wink:
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    I think this group is OCD. LOL! Every time I check in there are tons/tonnes ( I'd say a butt load, but not to many are familiar with that quantity, 108 gallons, and may mistake it for a large posterior reference) of posts. :flushed:

    1-6.03
    2-1.02 TM
    3-10.01
    4-4.15 walk, per HM training plan
    5-7.23
    6-1.0 TM
    7-6.02
    8- migraine
    9-4.12
    10-5.37
    11-3.95 walk
    12- resting foot
    13-5.04
    14,15- resting extensor tendonitis
    16- rehab follow up. Travel.
    17-20 extensor tendonitis
    21-3.49
    22-3.47 walk.
    23-5.32

    60.84/90+

    Upcoming races:

    02/06/16 Hot Chocolate 15K Dallas
    03/19/16 Rock N Roll 5K Dallas
    03/20/16 Rock N Roll Half Dallas
    04/24/16 OKC Memorial undecided distance
  • shanaber
    shanaber Posts: 6,406 Member
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    @kristinegift great job on that hill! When I run at Fort Rucker there is a hill, it's steep and must be a half mile or so long. It took me 3 times to finally be able to run the whole thing. Last time some Army guys riding bikes were watching me and when I got to the top they were yelling "you go you badass girl!". Made my day! I'm not a hill person by nature but it always feels good when you concur one.
    @skippygirlsmom - This is awesome! You are a badass girl!
    @7lenny7 - hope that shoulder feels better soon! I am also amazed that you will be running a marathon just a year after starting. Awesome!
    @Ohhim - That is great completing 1700 miles of running and 5000 miles of biking!
    @_nikkiwolf_ - Sounds like Santa needs to bring you a headlamp or knuckle lights! What a great place to get to run along the beach! I have to admit when I run the beach here it is not on the loose sand. I don't think I would get too far. I do like to run barefoot on the packed sand - it gives my feet a workout and helps my plantar fasciitis.
    @ddmom0811 - I will run on Christmas in the afternoon probably since I am racing on Sunday. I want just go for a short run to get my legs moving a bit. I also have @MorningGhost14's posts on running shoes and mom and his brother Curt tagged and the video! Love it!
    @MorningGhost14 - was going to ask you to share! So glad you did!!
    @Virkati - A caution about going to 0 drop shoes. Depending on the drop in your shoes now, it may take some adjustment to be able to run in 0 drop. They may make your calves especially, pretty sore. If you are wearing shoes with a high drop you may want to go down in increments before going to 0. I was running in shoes with 4 and 8 previously and went straight to 0 and didn't have much of a problem but I have read about others who have gone from the higher ratios and really hated the 0 drop because it made them so sore and they were not expecting it.
    @runner_girl83 - I also tried the Pureflow. I wanted to like them so much but they also caused me huge issues and made my knee hurt. I run in 0 drop shoes already but there was something about those that was just wrong for me.
    @Elise4270 -
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    I think this group is OCD. LOL! Every time I check in there are tons/tonnes ( I'd say a butt load, but not to many are familiar with that quantity, 108 gallons, and may mistake it for a large posterior reference) of posts. :flushed:
    LOL!! But you are definitely correct - a bunch of OCD runners! Ha!!

    I got in a good 6 miles today! I think I am ready for Sunday. I am hoping my daughter will run the HM too (she is signed up) but she has not been training regularly and feels a bit inadequate. We'll see - it is a great course with around a 700 foot net drop and only one real hill at the beginning.

    Date..........Miles.........Total
    12/01.......4.20..........4.20 - + Strength Training
    12/02.......3.55..........7.75
    12/03.......6.81........14.56 - + Strength Training
    12/04.......0.00........14.56
    12/05.....12.07........26.63 - Birthday run!
    12/06.......0.00........26.63
    12/07.......5.17........31.80 - + Agility
    12/08.......0.00........31.80 - + Strength Training
    12/09.......5.20........37.00
    12/10.......0.00........37.00 - + Strength Training
    12/11.......5.17........42.17 - Tempo
    12/12.......0.00 ........42.17 - Travel day
    12/13.......0.00 ........42.17 - Volcanoes and waterfalls!
    12/14.......3.57 ........45.74 - Treadmill
    12/15.......3.14 ........48.88 - Rain Forest run
    12/16.......3.58 ........52.46 - Rain Forest run
    12/17.......0.00 ........52.46 - Carera National Park
    12/18.......5.09 ........57.55 - Rain Forest run
    12/19.......3.95 ........61.50 - Rain Forest run
    12/20.......4.07 ........65.57 - Rain Forest run
    12/21.......3.02 ........68.59 - Treadmill
    12/22.......0.00 ........68.59
    12/23.......6.34........74.93

    exercise.png

    These are my upcoming races, let me know if you are going to be running too:
    12/27/15 - Holiday Half, San Diego, CA
    02/07/16 - Surf City Half, Huntington Beach, CA
    02/20/16 - Special Edition Divas Half, Temecula, CA
    02/27/16 - SoCal Running and Beer Fest, Lake Elsinore, CA
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited December 2015
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    @Virkati I second @shanaber 's shoe advice. I was in a 10 and recently moved to a 6 by Merrell. They feel like a 2, but manufacture says 6. Any how., I love them. They have a real road feel. Just work them in slowly. So far the only problem I have with the transition is overdoing it. And I started speed work in them, (because I can hit a 5:30 pace, only in those shoes). This resulted in a bit of extensor tendonitis. I am also relearning to run, with gait changes and muscles firing that hadnt before. So I ran with a bit of a limp and stiff foot. If you are a barefoot person, I say go for it. I have the Merrell All Out Flash, plenty of heal cushion, I can run hard, but don't feel the disconnect with the running surface. And forefoot is real road feel. They tend to run half size small, just FYI. I'm in a whole size up, anticipated winter socks.

    @runner_girl83 I also tried the PureFlow. I did want to love them too. But they did not work for me either.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    @MorningGhost14 Wow. Those were a joy to read. Thanks.
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
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    I have the Brooks Dyad 8. No idea what kind of drop, if any, these shoes have. These were recommended by the store personnel. I wasn't sure how to take the advice from the P.A. (physician's assistant) about the shoes because he's the one telling me to STOP running IMMEDIATELY because he'll have to replace my knee...at some undetermined time in the future-it might be 5 yrs, it might be 25, but blah blah. I decided he can suck it. I'm going to run until I can't run anymore. Then I'll have replacements and I'm going to run with them too!
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
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    @MobyCarp Love your photo! What race were you running with the reindeer antlers? :smile:

    That was the Reindeer Run 5K, last Saturday. They give antlers to the first 1700 registered, and most runners (including the overall winner) wore them. Some who register too late to get the free antlers have leftover antlers from a prior year, and I would have given an extra pair of antlers to a friend if he had registered too late to get this year's pair.

    The local Fleet Feet had a photographer out. I saw her on the course and thought I should go look and see if there was a good picture, but I didn't have to. By the time I got around to checking Facebook, someone had already tagged me.

    I thought my former picture, which was from Summerfest 12K, was a bit too summery for the current season.