August (2016) Running Challenge
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@MNLittleFinn Maybe I just have the wrong kind of other shoes to compare with (and it probably doesn't help that I have the GTX version, which is like 15-20g heavier than the regular version), but for me they just feel really heavy, already when I take them out of the closet. It's not all in my head either:
This is the weight comparison if I enter them into a comparator (on runrepeat.com), together with my other shoes.
From top to bottom: Saucony Zealot, S. Cortana(*), S. Xodus GTX, Brooks PureFlow, Asics Runnegade
(*: have I mentioned yet this week how upset I am that Saucony discontinued the Cortana? *sigh*)
Other than the weight, they are fine. Good for you that you like them
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You are in the stage we call, "Embrace the suck!". Keep at it, and it will no longer suck, but then you stop improving.
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.
Having participated in many sports I am definitely familiar with always pushing yourself way past comfortable in order to improve. I'm not opposed to that at all. It's just that my current slow jog doesn't seem like it should feel as tough as it does. I suppose I'm still remembering being able to run a lot faster without this much effort...although I did sprint distances in track so it's not really a fair comparison. I didn't start trying to do a 5K distance until my 30's. I don't know...I guess some days I just feel old & pathetic.
@MobyCarp thanks for your encouragement. I think I have been expecting I should be able to add mileage & speed more quickly than I can. I have to keep remembering that I'm not 18 anymore and I just can't/ won't improve as quickly as I did once upon a time, and even more critically, that recovery takes longer & more effort. Also, I am surrounded by a lot of very fit & active people and I suppose sometimes it's hard not to compare my "chapter 1" to their "chapter 20" (especially because I'm essentially re-starting chapter 1).
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@cljoe7 It does get easier! I used to have loads of thoughts of just giving up while running. I'd almost forgotten about that, even though it was less than a year ago.
Great comment about pushing out the negative thoughts. I'm a huge fan of cognitive behavioural therapy.
My motto in life is, "Don't believe everything you think. Challenge your thoughts." Works in everything, and every time you do it, it helps the next time.
Thanks @Orphia ! I really appreciate the encouragement.
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5BeautifulDays wrote: »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!
Awesome that you are getting your kids into it!
No worries following along. We understand some people have a life outside MFP (not me obviously). Keep rockin' those family runs!2 -
8/1 circuit training
8/3 circuit training
8/5 circuit training
8/8 circuit training
8/9 1.4 miles
8/10 circuit training
8/12 circuit training + 1.6 miles
8/14 1.7 miles
8/15 circuit training
8/16 2 miles
8/17 circuit training
8/18 2 miles
My current situation: I tried to get back into running in the spring (after a few years of general laziness and weight gain) and promptly injured my IT band. I went to an orthopedic doctor who sent me to physical therapy, but I grew tired of the copays and slow progress and decided if all we were going to do was strength train other areas, I could do that with a personal trainer and get a good workout for my time and money. So for the last month and a half, I've been getting my butt kicked 3 times a week (in what I'm labeling "circuit training" above). My knee still feels a little "weird," but hopefully I will be able to start adding some mileage. On an "imbrace the suck" note... the heat/humidity is curbing any desire to do too much too soon.
Meanwhile, both of my sons are now running high school cross country... I'm so excited for the first meets next week!
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@mbaker566 Love the new profile pic :-D
@Elise4270 I'm with you....no life outside of MFP
@5BeautifulDays Thankfully this is not like those jr high school clubs where you are required to do 2 fundraisers a year to stay a member! Hehe. Checking in should be fun, not a burden, so just drop in when you can.2 -
Marissaxzxzxz wrote: »02/08 4 miles
03/08 4 miles
17/08 4 miles - missed 2 full weeks, the weather's been shockingly bad but this was the best run I've had since April/May. I've fallen behind in reading everyone posts again. I was so annoyed with myself for not getting out that I couldn't bring myself to read the posts. Maybe if I had it would have motivated me to brace the wind and rain and go. I must buy a rain proof jacket as I've only got a wind breaker.
SHOPPING! Erm. Retail therapy! I love running in the rain. Reading the post are definitely would have motivated you to get out there with the return of: EMBRACE THE SUCK - Ina new rain jacket!1 -
I'm trying to figure out what to do this weekend. I had a scheduled 22 mile long run that I did last weekend since I thought I better take advantage of the good weather not knowing what this weekend would hold. Now that I see I've got even better morning weather I'm think just an easy 15 would be a waste of a God given 60 degree morning. I've always wanted to try this 5-4-3-2-1 long run. Anyone of you marathoners ever tried this.
http://running.competitor.com/2015/09/training/workout-week-5-4-3-2-1-long-run_113444
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You are in the stage we call, "Embrace the suck!". Keep at it, and it will no longer suck, but then you stop improving.
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.
Having participated in many sports I am definitely familiar with always pushing yourself way past comfortable in order to improve. I'm not opposed to that at all. It's just that my current slow jog doesn't seem like it should feel as tough as it does. I suppose I'm still remembering being able to run a lot faster without this much effort...although I did sprint distances in track so it's not really a fair comparison. I didn't start trying to do a 5K distance until my 30's. I don't know...I guess some days I just feel old & pathetic.
@MobyCarp thanks for your encouragement. I think I have been expecting I should be able to add mileage & speed more quickly than I can. I have to keep remembering that I'm not 18 anymore and I just can't/ won't improve as quickly as I did once upon a time, and even more critically, that recovery takes longer & more effort. Also, I am surrounded by a lot of very fit & active people and I suppose sometimes it's hard not to compare my "chapter 1" to their "chapter 20" (especially because I'm essentially re-starting chapter 1).
@cljoe7 I can totally relate to all of this. Me also growing up playing many different sports we did a lot of running. And yes, a slow job never felt this tough.
But now I am 44. There was a long period of time between college and about 2.5 years ago where I was very athletic at all (minus a few seasons of beer softball leagues and the occasional pickup basketball game at lunch with workmates). But growing up, I never ran the amount of distance I run now. Even during football season and wrestling season, if I actually ran a total of 20 miles per week, I would be surprised. I know regularly run between 60-70 miles each week. And constantly trying to improve.
Something else to look at as far as recovery is concerned is how much protein do you get in? Until I came on here on mfp and started tracking my food, it would be easy for me to not get enough protein in. Runners tend to make sure we get enough carbs in but forget the protein too. I tend to follow the body builders attitude about protein intake, although I may not be getting 1g/lb of my body weight. But I make sure I get a lot in especially if recovery seems to be too slow.2 -
instantmartian wrote: »
I decided to do a loop that would allow me to stop at home twice throughout my run. Because if this, it added several minutes to my time, but I'm not too concerned with that for training. First stop at home, just after 3 miles, and I had some water and a little bit of fruit. Second stop at home, at nearly 6.5 miles, I just had some water. I decided to finish out the last 1.5 miles by running the hill (approximately a 4% grade) in my neighborhood that I live in the middle of. From the end of my block to the dead end at the top, it's approximately .25 miles. By the end of the run, I ran that hill a total of 5 times.
My calves and hips started to seriously stiffen up around the 6 mile mark, I think it was simply a fatigue issue, because they loosened up not too long after I stopped and everything seems to be fine, again.
At this point, I'm not entirely sure how I managed to run a half marathon in February because I feel like I am nowhere close to being ready to run another one a month from now.
08/02 7.00 mi
08/04 3.00 mi
08/06 6.23 mi
08/09 4.00 mi
08/15 4.00 mi
08/17 8.00 mi
TOTAL 32.23 mi
Upcoming 2016 Races:
09/18 – Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon
09/24 – The Great Pumpkin Run 5K
10/09 – 5,000 Yards Dash
Sounds like you are doing your training runs right- focus on distance, fuel , hydration.
You have a 7, 6+ and and 8 mile run under your belt this month. I ran 9, a very sloppy 9, as my longest hm training. I think you can do the hm in a month, and you'll be surprised. This one in a month is a pre Feb HM, just a training race. Because by February you'll be able to dial in your pace and strategy. And it's a RNR run? You'll be ready.
Get your mind right. Adopt a mantra. "I'm strong, I'm trained, I can do this" or when that negativity creeps in just before the race- "so what" . So what if I walk, so what if I'm past my time goal, so what... It's not a crisis. It's fine. "I'm strong,. I'm trained, I can do this". Dismiss that negativity. It's not valid. Your a bad *kitten*.
@ddmom0811 and I ran our first hm's on the same day. Having a training buddy helped. (Anyone running the same weekend?) She came across a blog turned book by Brook Kreder "Onward".. it helped manage my fears, find solace, and see the humor and spirit of running.
That goes for all of us, don't that let doubt creep in. Y'all are beast's! We are runners.
Ps- a month out from the race, have a massage1 -
skippygirlsmom wrote: »RespectTheKitty wrote: »OK, I have a question for y'all.
Today I woke up with some weird tightness in my right leg that I've not experienced before. It starts at the top of my quad and radiates around my glute to my hamstring. Is this the IT band? I've never had any experience with IT band issues, so I have no idea what to do about this discomfort. As it is, I'm taking a rest day today to let it recover.
Edit: I think it may be time to invest in a foam roller.
In my case IT band issues hurt around the outside of my knee. You might be hurting more in your sciatic or piriformis nerve. I have a compressed disc in my lower back and it presses on my sciatic nerve. Every day I feel pain in the middle of my butt cheek that radiates down through my hamstring area. When I'm running it feels a bit like a hamstring pull. Definitely get a foam roller.
Oh... I wouldn't be surprised if it were the sciatic nerve. I have had multiple issues with that in the past. It was just weird because the tightness was radiating around my leg. I get paid tomorrow; I will go pick up a foam roller and also look into yoga videos.
I'm wondering why all of a sudden I'm having minor issues with my back again, when I went months without any problem. Maybe it's time to replace my shoes? Couldn't hurt.2 -
@RespectTheKitty My low back/sciatic nerve problems come and go without warning or reason. That is odd about the pain going from front to back. Maybe it's just your whole hip area is tight/sore? I would stretch your hip flexor and glute plus foam roll front, back, and side.0
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@RespectTheKitty Your pain sounds similar to mine. Mine was tight piriformis muscle that was irritating the sciatic nerve. Might be worth checking out.1
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As the day goes on, the soreness is situating primarily in my quad. So, it looks like my quad is just not happy about yesterday's five miles.
Doesn't help that I sit all day. Every time I get up from my desk, everything is just so tight.1 -
@RespectTheKitty Your pain sounds similar to mine. Mine was tight piriformis muscle that was irritating the sciatic nerve. Might be worth checking out.
That's exactly what I had in the past. Time to try to remember my old PT exercises...1 -
@atlantarunner my daughter runs high school cross country. Good luck to your boys this season.
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@Stoshew71 thanks again for your encouragement & suggestions. As an on-again-off-again vegetarian getting enough protein has always been something I've had to watch. I know I wasn't getting enough before starting to track it here on MFP. I've been doing much better, but maybe need to increase it even more....
...plus the stupid knees are bothering me again despite doing the PT exercises I learned the last time I went. I'm waiting for the new PT referral to arrive in the mail. Hopefully going in again will help.1 -
3.3 miles today (technically 3.33, but I'll let the hundredths go). Holy humidity. I thought maybe I was just dragging and it wasn't all that bad, but my gym buddies confirmed that they all struggled today, as well. According to the weather channel, it only "feels like" 89 degrees, but I must disagree. Felt more like running in a hot tub than I would expect out of 89 degrees.
24.8 miles completed of 40 mile goal.2 -
I've been using MFP a long time, but haven't spent much time in the forums. Just getting back into a regular running routine, and this seems like a good way to stay accountable.
My goal for August is 60 miles. 3.3 mile jog this morning puts me at 30.5, pretty much right on track.
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8/1 .......... Rest
8/2 .....5
8/3 .....3.1
8/4 ...13.7
8/5 .....2.2
8/6 .....3.1
8/7 .......... Hiked 5+ miles
8/8 .......... Rest
8/9 .....8.1
8/10 ........ Skipped...
8/11 .10...
8/12 ........ Skipped...
8/13 ...2.4
8/14 ........ Rest
8/15 ...6.2
8/16 ........ Rest
8/17 ...3.8
8/18 ...3.2
Total according to Strava: 61.2
I was running more or less in my usual easy pace (11:34 min/mile) today but it did not feel very easy. Yesterday, I ran faster (10:43 min/mile) in a route with more elevation and it felt easier. Are my legs tired from the <4 miles of the run yesterday? Or, just that I did not have enough sleep last night... Originally, I plan to run a little "warm up" 2~3 miles on Saturday before the HM because I tend to feel sluggish from not running but now I am not sure.
BTW, @cljoe7, I started running for almost 2 years now. As you can see, some days still feel like a drag for me but, most of the time, the runs are more enjoyable, even the ones that take me 2+ hours to finish!
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