August (2016) Running Challenge
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August
2Aug - 7m
4Aug - 8m
6Aug - 5m
7Aug - 6.4m
9Aug - 4.8m
11Aug - 7m
13Aug - 8m
14Aug - 6.2
17Aug - 5m
57.6/100miles
I could not drag myself out of bed early and it was hot yesterday evening so I put off my run until today. Again I failed to rise early so faced the heat. Started fine but each mile got slower and slower. Temp forecast to be lower again tomorrow so should be fine.
I totally agree with @Elise4270 if you are ill, don't push too hard. If you are just sluggish then try walking or cross training to get your mojo back.
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When does this get easier? More enjoyable (as in, at all enjoyable)? Today's run/ walk in the park sucked but I stuck it out. Temps were ok, but humidity was high & my breathing was tough despite the advair, nose spray, albuterol...ugh... My thoughts went from "why the *kitten* am I doing this again?" to "this sucks. I'm not a runner, who am I kidding?" to "I guess I can stick it out..." to "*kitten*-it, no I can't" to "whew. Finished." I try to push out all the negative thoughts, and I feel good (physically & emotionally) for having done it, but man. If I stick with it, at some point it won't feel torturous-to-tolerable and I'll actually enjoy running...right?
You are in the stage we call, "Embrace the suck!". Keep at it, and it will no longer suck, but then you stop improving.
Which is where I invented the mantra, "Invent new ways to make it suck."
I know that if I want to Boston Qualify some day and continue to improve, then if it's easy and enjoyable, I am not doing enough to get to Boston. But that's just how I am wired, I am very goal orientated. If's it's not a challenge to me then I get bored and I go do something else.
Other people do have this zen attitude with running. They just go and run and are able to just zone out and forget the watch, forget the pace, forget the pain, and just run for the sake of running. No goals, no BQs, no PRs, just pure endorphines.5 -
Bwahaahaa! Cracking up at the "brain bleach" comment. I could definitely use more of that! @Elise4270 I think you should go somewhere with year-round beautiful running/ swimming weather...no humidity, mosquitos, polar vortexes....is there an actual place like this on Earth? Definitely avoid Chicago area/ midwest US in general...
I half looked for a job this morning. Nothing looked promising. It has to be somewhere with a refinery, idk or something I can do without a pay cut.. Maybe Washington state or Oregon where Oiselle is. Wait. Aren't there bears that way? Alabama and Florida are absolutely out too. What about Tennessee? Lol!
DH is in recovery. Brain bleach sounds great (margarita style). So I may have to sneak around like a teen.
@luluinca You're here. You're a runner
Come on, you would love Alabama. Well northern Alabama. We are 90 minutes from Nashville. So kind of Tennesee. Actually if I drive north for 20 minutes, I cross into the Tennesee border. But running is big here. Very fun and supportive environment. You could join a race within driving distance just about every weekend if you wanted to. Heck, most of them I could run to. LOL
We have no bears around that I am aware of, but there were a few coyote sightings.
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When does this get easier? More enjoyable (as in, at all enjoyable)? Today's run/ walk in the park sucked but I stuck it out. Temps were ok, but humidity was high & my breathing was tough despite the advair, nose spray, albuterol...ugh... My thoughts went from "why the *kitten* am I doing this again?" to "this sucks. I'm not a runner, who am I kidding?" to "I guess I can stick it out..." to "*kitten*-it, no I can't" to "whew. Finished." I try to push out all the negative thoughts, and I feel good (physically & emotionally) for having done it, but man. If I stick with it, at some point it won't feel torturous-to-tolerable and I'll actually enjoy running...right?
You are in the stage we call, "Embrace the suck!". Keep at it, and it will no longer suck, but then you stop improving.
Which is where I invented the mantra, "Invent new ways to make it suck."
I know that if I want to Boston Qualify some day and continue to improve, then if it's easy and enjoyable, I am not doing enough to get to Boston. But that's just how I am wired, I am very goal orientated. If's it's not a challenge to me then I get bored and I go do something else.
For you it's a BQ, for me it's my current quest for a sub 2:00 HM. For me running is all about embracing the suck, and find different ways to make it suck. Currently it's increasing the duration of my Steady State runs.
@cljoe7 running can always kind of suck. It's sometimes about becoming a masochist so you can enjoy it.
On the topic of of animals, we have bears, wolves and cougars up here.1 -
Bwahaahaa! Cracking up at the "brain bleach" comment. I could definitely use more of that! @Elise4270 I think you should go somewhere with year-round beautiful running/ swimming weather...no humidity, mosquitos, polar vortexes....is there an actual place like this on Earth? Definitely avoid Chicago area/ midwest US in general...
I half looked for a job this morning. Nothing looked promising. It has to be somewhere with a refinery, idk or something I can do without a pay cut.. Maybe Washington state or Oregon where Oiselle is. Wait. Aren't there bears that way? Alabama and Florida are absolutely out too. What about Tennessee? Lol!
DH is in recovery. Brain bleach sounds great (margarita style). So I may have to sneak around like a teen.
@luluinca You're here. You're a runner
Come on, you would love Alabama. Well northern Alabama. We are 90 minutes from Nashville. So kind of Tennesee. Actually if I drive north for 20 minutes, I cross into the Tennesee border. But running is big here. Very fun and supportive environment. You could join a race within driving distance just about every weekend if you wanted to. Heck, most of them I could run to. LOL
We have no bears around that I am aware of, but there were a few coyote sightings.
Well, I did a job search and there are opportunities. Makes me regret not finishing that Masters degree in chemistry. I'm making ~90k with a B.S. (hard to walk away from. That's dumb luck, I'm not that smart. Okay yes I am). It does sound like an ideal area. I bookmarked a few jobs.. DH is over being mad at me for the moment... I really could use a running community. We have coyotes here too. They don't bother me. My dad's family is in Alabama.... So tempted.
Think I'll make sure my resume is updated in case something comes along I can't pass up. Or until dh gets mad at me again 4 -
August 11th....3.89 miles to add to the total of 23.89.....27.76. Still trying to achieve 85 miles this month.Long run planned today....going to slow it waaay down at 70% max heart rate, hopefully 10 miles today...still very hot at Naptown....84 degrees, 91HI, and 52% humidity. Will check in later.
Achieved goal of 10 miles.....but unable to slow to 70% ...at all. First mile, averaged 75%, then next 6 miles at 80-82%; Felt good, breathing well, focused on posture, arm placement and slowing my steps. Then legs and feet became very sore and I felt like I had to pick up the pace to stretch out my hips...and I noticed that my heart rate decreased by 3%. Co-incidence? It happened on 3 other occasions in the last couple of miles...I really tried to focus on keeping the heart rate down, still at 79-83%. After completing mile 9.25, sprinted the last 3/4 mile...ended with 96% heart rate, but not really breathing hard or bent over trying to catch my breath like I usually am when going full out. ...it took forever (nearly 2.5 hours for 10 miles)....but going to try it again in a couple of weeks. Not sore at all. Even cut my recovery walk (jumping jacks, high knees, etc) short due to my husband needing me to help with the yard.
August 1---poison ivy....rest day
August 2....;poison ivy....rest day
August 3....dr.'s visit for the poison ivy....put on Prednisone....rest again
August 4....4 miles....
August 5....husband's 65th birthday....celebration with friends.
August 6.....10 miles
August 7....still with poison ivy....rest day...actually I work the night shift.
August 8th...weight lifting, Spinning class...then 3.87 miles on the treadmill.
August 9th.....6 miles...
August 10th....rest day....lots of walking at the Indiana State Fair.
August 11th...weight lifting....treadmill (rolling hills)....3.89 miles. Worked in some sprints, otherwise running at slower pace...averaged 11:45 minute pace. Drenched in sweat afterward. Last day of Prednisone.
4 pages of posts that I haven't read yet...you guys are killing me.
The prednisone taper was rough. Didn't feel like working out today at all. Slept hard last night 5 hours and then another 3 plus 2 extra in the afternoon...total of 10 hours. Legs today feel heavy esp. around the knees. I don't think that my legs are more sore today than normal but that Prednisone masked my muscle soreness for a week, and I am now feeling it. Skipping my long run this week. Also have a long stretch of work nights ahead....5 out of the next 6.
August 16th...4 miles....finally got a run in between my work nights....worked 5 out of 6 this stretch. Light drizzle...very humid...the weather is trying to break here...I'll take it over what Louisiana is dealing with. Anyway, pace was 10:45 minute miles...not really pushing myself that hard, probably 88% max heart rate..the first time I have run sub 11 minute miles... total is 31.76
Sooooo behind with regard to reading posts....about 12 pages.0 -
Bwahaahaa! Cracking up at the "brain bleach" comment. I could definitely use more of that! @Elise4270 I think you should go somewhere with year-round beautiful running/ swimming weather...no humidity, mosquitos, polar vortexes....is there an actual place like this on Earth? Definitely avoid Chicago area/ midwest US in general...
I half looked for a job this morning. Nothing looked promising. It has to be somewhere with a refinery, idk or something I can do without a pay cut.. Maybe Washington state or Oregon where Oiselle is. Wait. Aren't there bears that way? Alabama and Florida are absolutely out too. What about Tennessee? Lol!
DH is in recovery. Brain bleach sounds great (margarita style). So I may have to sneak around like a teen.
@luluinca You're here. You're a runner
Come on, you would love Alabama. Well northern Alabama. We are 90 minutes from Nashville. So kind of Tennesee. Actually if I drive north for 20 minutes, I cross into the Tennesee border. But running is big here. Very fun and supportive environment. You could join a race within driving distance just about every weekend if you wanted to. Heck, most of them I could run to. LOL
We have no bears around that I am aware of, but there were a few coyote sightings.
Well, I did a job search and there are opportunities. Makes me regret not finishing that Masters degree in chemistry. I'm making ~90k with a B.S. (hard to walk away from. That's dumb luck, I'm not that smart. Okay yes I am). It does sound like an ideal area. I bookmarked a few jobs.. DH is over being mad at me for the moment... I really could use a running community. We have coyotes here too. They don't bother me. My dad's family is in Alabama.... So tempted.
Think I'll make sure my resume is updated in case something comes along I can't pass up. Or until dh gets mad at me again
Not sure about the job market on your line of work, but as far as running friendly, I think my neighborhood is pretty nice. We also have a race nearby almost every weekend. But here in San Diego, we do get whinny about weather, we start to say "too hot" before it hits 80F and "too cold" when it gets below 60F 1 -
mom3over40 wrote: »
Bwahaahaa! Cracking up at the "brain bleach" comment. I could definitely use more of that! @Elise4270 I think you should go somewhere with year-round beautiful running/ swimming weather...no humidity, mosquitos, polar vortexes....is there an actual place like this on Earth? Definitely avoid Chicago area/ midwest US in general...
I half looked for a job this morning. Nothing looked promising. It has to be somewhere with a refinery, idk or something I can do without a pay cut.. Maybe Washington state or Oregon where Oiselle is. Wait. Aren't there bears that way? Alabama and Florida are absolutely out too. What about Tennessee? Lol!
DH is in recovery. Brain bleach sounds great (margarita style). So I may have to sneak around like a teen.
@luluinca You're here. You're a runner
Come on, you would love Alabama. Well northern Alabama. We are 90 minutes from Nashville. So kind of Tennesee. Actually if I drive north for 20 minutes, I cross into the Tennesee border. But running is big here. Very fun and supportive environment. You could join a race within driving distance just about every weekend if you wanted to. Heck, most of them I could run to. LOL
We have no bears around that I am aware of, but there were a few coyote sightings.
Well, I did a job search and there are opportunities. Makes me regret not finishing that Masters degree in chemistry. I'm making ~90k with a B.S. (hard to walk away from. That's dumb luck, I'm not that smart. Okay yes I am). It does sound like an ideal area. I bookmarked a few jobs.. DH is over being mad at me for the moment... I really could use a running community. We have coyotes here too. They don't bother me. My dad's family is in Alabama.... So tempted.
Think I'll make sure my resume is updated in case something comes along I can't pass up. Or until dh gets mad at me again
Not sure about the job market on your line of work, but as far as running friendly, I think my neighborhood is pretty nice. We also have a race nearby almost every weekend. But here in San Diego, we do get whinny about weather, we start to say "too hot" before it hits 80F and "too cold" when it gets below 60F
I was born in San Diego! Sounds nice there!1 -
8/17: 2.42 miles
Took it very easy tonight. The humidity was way down so even though it was 80 degrees it felt much nicer. My right leg is a bit twingey so I want to take it easy the next couple of days.
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So, I didn't run today, but getting a box from running warehouse made it a much more bearable day.7
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mom3over40 wrote: »
Bwahaahaa! Cracking up at the "brain bleach" comment. I could definitely use more of that! @Elise4270 I think you should go somewhere with year-round beautiful running/ swimming weather...no humidity, mosquitos, polar vortexes....is there an actual place like this on Earth? Definitely avoid Chicago area/ midwest US in general...
I half looked for a job this morning. Nothing looked promising. It has to be somewhere with a refinery, idk or something I can do without a pay cut.. Maybe Washington state or Oregon where Oiselle is. Wait. Aren't there bears that way? Alabama and Florida are absolutely out too. What about Tennessee? Lol!
DH is in recovery. Brain bleach sounds great (margarita style). So I may have to sneak around like a teen.
@luluinca You're here. You're a runner
Come on, you would love Alabama. Well northern Alabama. We are 90 minutes from Nashville. So kind of Tennesee. Actually if I drive north for 20 minutes, I cross into the Tennesee border. But running is big here. Very fun and supportive environment. You could join a race within driving distance just about every weekend if you wanted to. Heck, most of them I could run to. LOL
We have no bears around that I am aware of, but there were a few coyote sightings.
Well, I did a job search and there are opportunities. Makes me regret not finishing that Masters degree in chemistry. I'm making ~90k with a B.S. (hard to walk away from. That's dumb luck, I'm not that smart. Okay yes I am). It does sound like an ideal area. I bookmarked a few jobs.. DH is over being mad at me for the moment... I really could use a running community. We have coyotes here too. They don't bother me. My dad's family is in Alabama.... So tempted.
Think I'll make sure my resume is updated in case something comes along I can't pass up. Or until dh gets mad at me again
Not sure about the job market on your line of work, but as far as running friendly, I think my neighborhood is pretty nice. We also have a race nearby almost every weekend. But here in San Diego, we do get whinny about weather, we start to say "too hot" before it hits 80F and "too cold" when it gets below 60F
I was born in San Diego! Sounds nice there!
I went to college in San Diego, but grew up in Orange County! I love their weather, especially now that I live in the IE!
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Had to wait until after work to get in my run. I had trouble sleeping last night, so waking up early was not an option. That's what I get for not taking my Lunesta. Tomorrow is another day...
Anyway, today's run was great. New 5k PR - 37:21. New 4 mile PR - 48:09. At 4 miles my legs did the autopilot thing again. OMG, I love that feeling. Wound up doing a full hour, 5 miles exactly. I'll do a couple more 5 mile runs before I attempt 6. Thing is, the treadmill only goes an hour at a time, so in order for me to do more than 5 miles, I have to restart the treadmill, LOL. OR... go the *kitten* outside. I have yet to be able to do more than 4 miles outside, because heat. The fall can't get here soon enough.
3 -
RespectTheKitty wrote: »Had to wait until after work to get in my run. I had trouble sleeping last night, so waking up early was not an option. That's what I get for not taking my Lunesta. Tomorrow is another day...
Anyway, today's run was great. New 5k PR - 37:21. New 4 mile PR - 48:09. At 4 miles my legs did the autopilot thing again. OMG, I love that feeling. Wound up doing a full hour, 5 miles exactly. I'll do a couple more 5 mile runs before I attempt 6. Thing is, the treadmill only goes an hour at a time, so in order for me to do more than 5 miles, I have to restart the treadmill, LOL. OR... go the *kitten* outside. I have yet to be able to do more than 4 miles outside, because heat. The fall can't get here soon enough.
Fabulous progress and it's so funny to me because I am literally terrified of running on a treadmill, walking is fine, and I totally prefer running outside. You're way ahead of me though time-wise on either. I'm still at a 40 min 5K.1 -
RespectTheKitty wrote: »Had to wait until after work to get in my run. I had trouble sleeping last night, so waking up early was not an option. That's what I get for not taking my Lunesta. Tomorrow is another day...
Anyway, today's run was great. New 5k PR - 37:21. New 4 mile PR - 48:09. At 4 miles my legs did the autopilot thing again. OMG, I love that feeling. Wound up doing a full hour, 5 miles exactly. I'll do a couple more 5 mile runs before I attempt 6. Thing is, the treadmill only goes an hour at a time, so in order for me to do more than 5 miles, I have to restart the treadmill, LOL. OR... go the *kitten* outside. I have yet to be able to do more than 4 miles outside, because heat. The fall can't get here soon enough.
My gym has all the treadmills set to shutdown at an hour. There are like 50 of the silly things and at least 10-15 always available. I tried in vain to get them to unlock a few to unlimited so I could do longer speedwork sessions but corporate refused. I found the manual online and reset one on my own one day, then like 2 weeks later they rearranged the gym and I couldn't find it again. Fortunately it was almost spring so I started back outside. If you look up the model number of the treadmill there are instructions online to get them to go longer. It only took a few minutes to get to the menu and do it.9 -
Rest day today. Needed the time to go grocery shopping anyway, and to read back messages here.
@cljoe7 - You remind me of the year I turned myself into a runner, and between 4 and 5 miles it just sucked and I had to gut it out to get to 5 miles. In 20-20 hindsight, part of that was summer weather, the worst running weather of the year. Part of it was that, like most newbie runners, I was running too fast. And part was that I just wasn't as well conditioned physically as my running ambitions. 5 years later, 5 miles seems like a short run; but running in summer weather still sucks. It's just that not running sucks worse.
. . . and when I turn in a PR 5K on a day with ridiculous humidity where runners who trained indoors had to slow down after 2 miles, having run a lot at 90º suddenly doesn't seem all that sucky.
@Stoshew71 - Interesting about needing a goal and deliberately seeking the suck in your quest to BQ. I think you must be made of sterner stuff than I am. I tolerate the suck of speed work because it helps, and tolerate the suck of drills because I think they're supposed to help even though I don't understand how they help, but I don't go deliberately invent ways to make it suck more. (That's what having a coach is for.)
Having a rest day when my legs feel great sucks. But I need to honor it, because if I run today my mileage will ramp up faster than it should. And having a rest day when my legs feel great sucks a lot less than having a long string of rest days because I can't run does.5 -
Pats Creek 61:39.25 - 14km with 6 members of the Wednesday Night Hill Climbers. One long Gentle 6km slope. All the way up with no walk breaks. Turn and burn to the bottom. One of the quiet Petite ladies started 10 mins late caught me at km 10 she just disappeared around the corner - Little rocket!!
Although I am pretty happy with my time for a 14km. Puts me in a good place for my September Roots and Ruts 10km Bushwhacking Trail race . Starts at 1800 and sunset is at 1900 so those that take too long end up running through the bush in the evening twilight.
08/01 – 0.0 km – 0.0 - 140 km
08/03 – 9.0 km – 9.0 - 131 km
08/06 –10.0 km –19.0 - 121 km
08/09 – 6.0 km – 25.0 - 115 km
08/11 –12.0 km – 37.0 - 103 km
08/13 –12.5 km – 49.5 – 90.5 km
08/14 –7.0 km – 56.5 – 83.5 km
08/15 –6.0 km – 62.5 – 77.5 km
08/17 –14.0 km – 76.5 – 63.5 km – YTD 801.7 km
So many posts we are really growing as a super supportive group. I lurked around the edges for close to a year before joining in.4 -
I was down with what I think might be migraines for a couple days over the weekend. It's just been painfully hot and humid, too. But yesterday I got out for a short evening run (2 miles) and another this morning (another 2). They were quite slow since I brought my kids with me and they're not used to running the whole way yet, but they're getting a little better each time!
I'm sorry I'm not following along with everyone this month, but I love you guys and wish you well!
4 -
08/01- 7.2km
08/02- 3.9km
08/03- 12.5km
08/04- Active Rest Day (taking the babies to the zoo)
08/05- Rest Day
08/06- Rest Day (wedding)
08/07- 11km
08/08- 8.8km
08/09- 5.8km of dreadmill
08/10- Rest Day
08/11- Rest Day
08/12- 24km
08/13- Rest Day (Happy Birthday Baby Girl!)
08/14- 4km
08/15- 7km
08/16- Rest Day courtesy of cranky baby
08/17- 7.9km
3
Been there, done that, ran out of brain bleach to try and forget it! 
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