January 2017 Running Challenge

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  • TattooedDolphinGirl78
    TattooedDolphinGirl78 Posts: 5,214 Member
    Good news: no stress fracture! Doctor said there was a ton of cortical thickening and some edema indicative of a stress injury that's been trying to heal over and over but hasn't gotten the proper recovery time. So, 4 weeks off of running and she said Flying Pig is probably too early to train back to a full marathon. However, no scary surgery requiring putting a metal rod in my leg! :o:o:o Yes, I guess if the MRI showed a fracture, this was a possibility that she didn't want to scare me with initially. So, I consider it fantastic news that she thinks 4 weeks off running is all I need (contingent on my pain/progress). In the meantime, I'll have a few sessions of physical therapy and a gait analysis and I can do some low resistance biking in addition to swimming and walking.

    That's great news, except for having to take time off running, but no surgery! YAY! :smiley:
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    Time for another of MNLittleFinn's newbie questions..... I've been running 6 days a week (pre-injury) with a rest day on Sunday. My training plan is 5 days a week (plus 1 XT day) with rest day on Tuesday. Assuming PT clearance today, might it be a good idea to plan my return to running so that my schedule matches the schedule for training?
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    lporter229 wrote: »
    @RunsOnEspresso - Well that just stinks, no other way to put it. Hope you feel better soon. Can you find another marathon in the upcoming weeks?

    Looks like the next marathon would be February 19th. At this point I'm not sure I can mentally wrap my head around getting ready for a different one in a month.

    I feel completely lost as to what to do now. I don't have a 2017 goal for running. I was going to figure it out after I finished the marathon. :|
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    Looks like the next marathon would be February 19th. At this point I'm not sure I can mentally wrap my head around getting ready for a different one in a month.

    I feel completely lost as to what to do now. I don't have a 2017 goal for running. I was going to figure it out after I finished the marathon. :|

    I'm sorry to hear this! I know it's hard, but, I'd think that signing up for the next marathon might help you get out of your funk. I know, for me, if I put something on the schedule, it helps me force my mind into gear. I totally think you can do the mid Feb marathon!
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    mmteixeira wrote: »
    After a recovery month (if you can call December that with the holiday eating :) ), it's time to start training for the Syracuse Half in March...

    January:
    1/1 – 4.2 miles - Resolution Run
    1/2 – 1 mile - part of a triathlon test - did 7 miles on stationary bike, then 1 mile run
    1/3 – 4.5 miles
    1/4 – 3 miles - Fleet Feet Half Marathon Training Class - two 1.5 mile intervals to determine pace group
    1/5 – 4.5 miles
    1/6 – rest day - travel
    1/7 – rest day - travel
    1/8 – 6 miles
    1/9 – rest day
    1/10 – 4.5 miles
    1/11 – 5.5 miles - Fleet Feet Half Marathon Training Class - Speed Work

    January total to date – 33 miles so far

    From this point on, Mondays and Saturdays will be cross days riding a stationary bike (until I can get outside onto my bike again). I will be doing strength work (squats, lunges, upper body and hip work) on Tues/Thurs/Sat after running. I have also signed up for a Sprint Triathlon in June (my brothers in law talked me into it :-| ) - so I will be taking a swim training class on Fridays now to get ready for that portion. On Saturdays, I may add in a 2 mile run right after the bike to help prep for the tri.

    The next 3 months should be busy :)

    Good luck! A friend of mine ran the Syracuse Half last year, and got a nice picture of himself running in a snowstorm. Seems the Weather Gods got the Syracuse Half and the Lake Effect Half turned around.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    @runsonespresso ugh I'm sorry that totally sucks
    @MNlittlefinn happy calves ha ha let us know how PT goes today. Hey I had one of those toes for months, then half came off and how I have a half lumpy toe nail about a year later. Amazing how slow toe nails grow.
    yeah, haha, I've had that toenail for months.

    I can answer the @Stoshew71 question you had. SPM is steps per minute. Higher steps per minute is better for injury prevention and, from what I read, it's also connected with making sure you don't over stride, shorter strides with higher SPM are easier on your body. I was told, by 2 different folks I was working/running with that a good goal is 180 SPM.

    To which I would add, studies of world class runners show that taller runners have longer strides and lower SPM than shorter runners. I was reminded of that on a paced run, when my SPM came out near 180 and Jim's came out in the mid 160s. He's taller than I am, and I have to believe that someone who has completed 15 Iron Man Triathlons doesn't have a problem with his cadence.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    Time for another of MNLittleFinn's newbie questions..... I've been running 6 days a week (pre-injury) with a rest day on Sunday. My training plan is 5 days a week (plus 1 XT day) with rest day on Tuesday. Assuming PT clearance today, might it be a good idea to plan my return to running so that my schedule matches the schedule for training?

    It might not be totally necessary, but it certainly won't hurt. And cutting the running to 5 days a week to match the training plan sounds like a good idea.
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    Time for another of MNLittleFinn's newbie questions..... I've been running 6 days a week (pre-injury) with a rest day on Sunday. My training plan is 5 days a week (plus 1 XT day) with rest day on Tuesday. Assuming PT clearance today, might it be a good idea to plan my return to running so that my schedule matches the schedule for training?

    It might not be totally necessary, but it certainly won't hurt. And cutting the running to 5 days a week to match the training plan sounds like a good idea.

    Thanks. The plan starts out at 5 runs a week for thr first 4 weeks then bumps up to 6, so I was thinking that cutting back, in addition to recovery, would help me get used to the different schedule. The additional runs are all like just 3-4 miles,so not adding a huge amount when they come in.
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    @MNlittlefinn thank you that is what I thought
    @lporter229 if you saw the hill @stoshew71 did repeats on you would say "super beast" :smile:
    @OSUbuckeye906 I'm glad you are looking at "only" a 4 week recovery. Hoping you're 100% soon
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    My calves now love me.20170111_182345_zpsqqejl3eq.jpg

    I'm glad I'm not the only one with black toenails!! Lol! Got my 1st one in the past few weeks. Thank goodness it's winter and not flip flop season!! ;)
  • lissadecker
    lissadecker Posts: 220 Member
    January goal: 100 miles
    1/1: 3.6 miles (m)
    1/2: Downpour Day
    1/3: 4.5 miles (m)
    1/4: 4 miles (m)
    1/5: 5 miles (m)
    1/6: 4.5 miles (m)
    1/7: 4 miles (m)
    1/8: 6 miles (m)
    1/9: Rest Day
    1/10: 4.15 miles (m)
    1/11: Unplanned Rest
    1/12: 3.75 miles (m)

    My Total/January: 39.5 miles
    Mike's Total: 39.5 miles

    After Mike's tests yesterday, neither one of us felt up to running so we put it off until this morning. He was still a little sluggish so we only did just under 4 miles. I saw my doctor the other day and she and I both think that what I thought was some arthritis flaring up in my hip may actually be a piriformis issue. We are going to do some tests and see how things go. For the moment, she says I can keep running and that I should just pay close attention to how it feels. Honestly, it feels good most of the time that I am actually out running. Uphill and sharp turns aggravate it and so do steep downhill paths; I am going to try to keep going and just take it easy on these. I may also stay off the lake path for a while as there is a lot of uneven pavement on that route. Honestly, the pain is really the worst after sitting for any length of time, and it eases up with stretching and movement. I started doing some exercises yesterday to stretch the piriformis and it felt a lot better after that. I did them again this morning before running and will probably continue to do them a few times per day as long as they seem to be helping.

    @Orphia Love the interview!
    @RespectTheKitty Sorry you are having a rough time. And the crazy weather you've been having there can't be helping the situation. Such a bummer about the marathon. I hope you get past this soon.
    @OSUbuckeye906 Great news having no stress fracture! Sorry you'll have to sit it out for 4 weeks but, all things considered, it is definitely better than the other possibilities. :)

    Have a fabulous rest of the day!

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  • mmteixeira
    mmteixeira Posts: 118 Member
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    Good luck! A friend of mine ran the Syracuse Half last year, and got a nice picture of himself running in a snowstorm. Seems the Weather Gods got the Syracuse Half and the Lake Effect Half turned around.

    Thanks! It will be my first half marathon and seemed like a good idea to try one locally before travelling to Indy in May for the Indy Mini... our training runs are all outside so running in the snow will be old hat by the time we get to the Syracuse Half :)

  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    1/1 - 4 miles
    1/2 - 1.5 miles
    1/3 - 0 miles
    1/4 - 3.5 miles
    1/5 - 3 miles
    1/6 - 4 miles
    1/7 - 2 miles with Skip and Macy
    1/8 - rest day
    1/9 - 0 miles
    1/10 - 4 miles
    1/11 - 2 miles
    1/12 - 3 miles

    27 of 100 miles

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    Went out for a quick 3 miles inbetween the cable guy being here this morning and the HVAC guy this afternoon.... okay that sounded wrong on so many levels :wink:

  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    exercise.png

    01/01/17 - 5 miles
    01/02/17 - 5 miles
    01/03/17 - 3 miles

    01/05/17 - 6 miles

    01/07/17 - 10 miles
    01/08/17 - 3.25 miles

    01/10/17 - 6 miles
    01/11/17 - 5.5 miles
    01/12/17 - 3.25 miles
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    @runsonespresso ugh I'm sorry that totally sucks
    @MNlittlefinn happy calves ha ha let us know how PT goes today. Hey I had one of those toes for months, then half came off and how I have a half lumpy toe nail about a year later. Amazing how slow toe nails grow.
    yeah, haha, I've had that toenail for months.

    I can answer the @Stoshew71 question you had. SPM is steps per minute. Higher steps per minute is better for injury prevention and, from what I read, it's also connected with making sure you don't over stride, shorter strides with higher SPM are easier on your body. I was told, by 2 different folks I was working/running with that a good goal is 180 SPM.

    @skippygirlsmom
    Correct in all accounts in @MNLittleFinn response. However, the main motivation for me is to give my legs a super doper workout. I need more speed. My last marathon, my legs got way too tired way too quickly. I am hoping that quicker legs during training will help develop leg strength and speed while at the same time, my hill and mountain workouts provide a different type of strength workout. So the goal for me is to improve both stride rate as well as stride length to get faster for longer distances. I started doing this last year but quit as my legs got exhausted and I had a hard time recovering from the large amount of miles I was doing at the time.
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    @stoshew71 thanks for the explanation.
  • louubelle16
    louubelle16 Posts: 579 Member
    Just a short run today in the worst weather I have ever run in. The rain was torrential, and became snow mid-run, but I went out there and got it done. It took a long time and a huuuuge cup of tea to warm up afterwards though. Really enjoying my cutback week though, and so are my legs. It's good to refresh the mind and body from constant increases in mileage.

    January Running Challenge

    1st - 12.66 miles inc 5km PB 25:05
    3rd - 3.11 miles
    4th - 6.17 miles
    6th - 3.03 miles
    7th - 3.11 miles
    8th - 12.04 miles
    10th - 3.09 miles
    12th - 4.35 miles

    MTD - 47.56/100 miles

    Upcoming races:
    12th March 2017 - North London Half Marathon
    9th April 2017 - Brighton Marathon
  • greenolivetree
    greenolivetree Posts: 1,282 Member
    @skippygirlsmom Now I'm wondering if "quick 3 miles" is code for something else ;)

    @louubelle16 Good job on that run! I think we only get good weather like 10% of our runs! It's always something....
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    @skippygirlsmom Now I'm wondering if "quick 3 miles" is code for something else ;)

    @louubelle16 Good job on that run! I think we only get good weather like 10% of our runs! It's always something....

    @greenolivetree ha ha I'll never tell
  • Azercord
    Azercord Posts: 573 Member
    @jahend08 Welcome and don't worry if you haven't found a dead body and you aren't walking then you are a runner. You'll get there in no time.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Azercord wrote: »
    @jahend08 Welcome and don't worry if you haven't found a dead body and you aren't walking then you are a runner. You'll get there in no time.

    Surely only people walking with dogs are the body finders?

  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    Haven't had time to read yet, will come back. Here's my update:

    Date :::: Miles:::: Jan MTD (goal = 70)
    01/01/17 :::: 4.3 :::: 4.3
    01/02/17 :::: 2.9 :::: 7.1
    01/03/17 :::: 3.1 :::: 10.3
    01/04/17 :::: 3.6 :::: 13.9
    01/05/17 :::: 3.3 :::: 17.2
    01/06/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 17.2
    01/07/17 :::: 6.9 :::: 24.2
    01/08/17 :::: 2.5 :::: 26.7
    01/09/17 :::: 2.8 :::: 29.5
    01/10/17 :::: 2.5 :::: 32.1
    01/11/17 :::: 2.6 :::: 34.7
    01/12/17 :::: 3.5 :::: 38.2

    Treadmill run again today to avoid the pouring rain. I was going to take a rest day but I'm going out to dinner so needed the calorie burn :)
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    @MNLittlefinn that all sounds like good news!
  • _nikkiwolf_
    _nikkiwolf_ Posts: 1,380 Member
    edited January 2017
    @RunsOnEspresso Oh no, that doesn't sound good at all! I'm so sorry that you can't run the marathon! *hugs*
    Maybe you can drop down to a shorter distance and walk it, so that at least you get one of the medals?
    As for running another marathon in a few weeks when you are back at 100% health - I had a quick look, and there would already be one in two weeks; ARR Desert Marathon , or if you want more time to repeat a few weeks of your training plan, there's also the Phoenix marathon on the 25th February.
    Hal Higdon has an article with a few plans for postponing a marathon, maybe that could help you figure out what to do next? It would be such a shame not to run a marathon after all the hard training you did!

    @skippygirlsmom Wow, it took a year and your toenail still didn't grow all the way out? Good thing I didn't know that last year - I lost one in November 2015, and I was freaking out about how long it took to grow, until it was finally back to normal in May 2016. I guess I should be grateful that it "only" took half a year.

    @OSUbuckeye906 That's awesome news :smile:

    @jahend08 Welcome to the group!

    ---

    This week we had a bit of real winter weather. Tuesday I went running anyway. The sidewalks were pure ice, forcing me to walk at a snails pace, but in the forest the trails were covered in frozen snow instead, there I could actually run. Making trails in fresh, untouched snow is so much fun :-)
    Wednesday it started to melt a bit during the day and freeze again before I got home, no running on that new layer of ice! Instead I decided to swap the day with Friday's rest day, so I only did a little of strength training.

    Today the temperature climbed enough to turn the snow into rain that washed the streets mostly free of ice and snow. Still, it wasn't really my best running day ever. I already got drenched in cold rain on the bike ride home from work; so it took quite a bit of effort to motivate myself to change into running clothes and go back out. My plan was to do 10min warmup, 3x800m at 5:00min/km pace with 400m recovery in between, followed by 10 min cooldown.
    I don't know if it was the horrid weather (mostly rain, but with a bit of snow mixed in with the downpour as well), the fact that I only got three hours of sleep last night, or the fact that I tried out a new headlamp and it annoyed the heck out of me. In any case, I was struggling all the time and didn't manage to hit the paces right; I ended up too slow with 5:14, 5:10, 5:06min/km for the three intervals. And I think my rain jacket has lost it's water-proofing after being washed a couple of times, I got really wet and was freezing so much I decided there was no need for a cool-down, a hot shower seemed like a much better option!
    I hope the weather will be better tomorrow (forecast sais heavy snow all day, but maybe they are wrong), if it's dry I'll give the intervals another shot...


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  • OSUbuckeye906
    OSUbuckeye906 Posts: 315 Member
    Thanks for all the support, everyone! It's going to be hard not running for another 4 weeks, but I'm hoping to get into a good routine of alternating swimming and biking/walking. Hopefully those things will help prevent me from getting too jealous of you guys ;)

    @louubelle16 Kudos to you for getting out for a run in that weather! I have to admit, I am definitely missing running but not too sad to be missing running in the current conditions.

    @jahend08 Welcome! We all started somewhere, so don't be shy to post. This group is great support for runners of all abilities.

    @MNLittleFinn Glad to hear you're cleared for running! Hope your PT's assessment will be helpful in recovering and preventing further injuries.

  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    @_nikkiwolf_ yeah it's nutty. It was purple for like ever, then it was black, then it started to lift off at the corners. The parts that lifted and were not attached I cut off because it hurt to run. I'm trying to watch to see if it's really growing back or not. It's like lumpy for lack of a better word. If it keeps looking weird I'll have it looked at. I had another toe that got a plum color and after about 4 month it went away and I never lost the nail.
  • vandinem
    vandinem Posts: 550 Member
    Date     Miles      MTD
    ------   -----    -------
    Jan 02     6.5        6.5
    Jan 07     4.3       10.8
    Jan 09     4.3T      15.1
    Jan 12     6.1T      21.2
    

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  • KeepRunningFatboy
    KeepRunningFatboy Posts: 3,055 Member
    01.01.17 - 15 m. LR
    01.02.17 - 10 m. - This weeks goal is 55 miles.
    01.03.17 - 9.1 m. TM 6 M + 5K.
    01.05.17 - 9 m. TM w/ incline.
    01.06.17 - 10 m. TM. 9:10 pace.
    01.07.17 - 8.1 m. TM 5 M + 5K.
    01.08.17 - 8.8 m. incl 2x5K's.
    01.09.17 - 11 m. TM @ 8:35 pace. - This weeks goal is 60 miles.
    01.10.17 - 8 m. TM. EZ pace jog tonight.
    01.11.17 - 11 m. TM @ 8:27 pace.
    01.12.17 - 6.4 m. EZ. Anticipate a LR this weekend.
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