January 2017 Running Challenge

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Replies

  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    1/1: 5 miles
    1/2: 2.4 miles
    1/3: Busy day
    1/4: 4.5 miles (am), 4.5 miles (pm) + lifting
    1/5: 6 miles
    1/6: 4 miles + lifting
    1/7: 4.2 miles trails
    1/8: 10 miles +0.6 (Cocoa Classic 10 miler)
    1/9: Sick day
    1/10: Sick day
    1/11: 4.5 miles
    1/12: 6 miles
    1/13: 5 miles + lifting
    1/14: Lazy day
    1/15: Lazy day
    1/16: 4 miles + lifting
    1/17: 8 miles
    1/18: 4.5 miles + 4.5 miles
    1/19: 2.6 miles + lifting + 6 miles
    1/20: Rest day
    1/21: Women's March / Lazy Day
    1/22: 8 miles of trails
    1/23: 6 miles
    1/24: Impromptu rest day
    1/25: 4.2 miles + 7.8 miles
    1/26: 2 miles + 6 miles
    1/27: 2 miles + lifting
    1/28: 12 miles
    1/29: 8.3 miles trails
    1/30: 6 miles
    1/31: 4 miles + 8 miles

    Track Tuesday returns! Today's Hanson's workout was 8 x 800 on, 400 recovery, plus ~1 mile to warm up and ~1.5 miles to cool down. Goals for the 800m laps were 3:20-3:25, which I think I could have nailed in daylight but as the track got darker (no lights, just the lights from neighboring university buildings and a stadium) I got slower even though my effort felt steady -- and this is why I always try to do speedwork in the daylight. But I still had very respectable 800s: 3:17, 3:23, 3:26, 3:26, 3:29, 3:31, 3:35, 3:28. Legs were real tired the last 3 but I pulled out all the stops on the last one to bring it under 3.5 mins. And now I'm sleeping in tomorrow!

    exercise.png


    Winter/Spring 2017 Races:
    1/8: NYCRUNS Cocoa Classic 10 mile 1:21:37 (10th AG)
    2/18: Febapple Frozen 50 - 10 mile (trail)
    3/12: E. Murray Todd HM
    3/18: Looney Leprechaun 10k (trail)
    3/26: Philly Love Run HM
    4/30: New Jersey Marathon (or HM)
    5/14: Delaware Marathon Running Festival HM
    5/21 or 5/28: Cleveland or Vermont City Marathons (maybe)
    7/1: Finger Lakes Fifties 50k (trail)

  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    girlinahat wrote: »
    did a 10k off-road on Sunday. It was wet and miserable starting out and didn't get any better.... /////
    all in all a great race, along a very strange route. I came, predictably, 92nd out of 108.
    am tempted to sign up for another one even hillier at the end of February.

    @girlinahat Hooked on Trails <3 with a little Nasty >:) thrown in just to make it interesting
    @lporter229 Stella has you Well Trained o:)
    @bmelb1- Fantastic Month!
    See Everyone In February. Now off to the Pool for Adult Swim Club.
  • snowyne
    snowyne Posts: 268 Member
    1/31 - 4.0
    102.1 = Jan total Goal: 90
    And that's a wrap! Great job everyone! :)
  • TattooedDolphinGirl78
    TattooedDolphinGirl78 Posts: 5,214 Member
    The rest of the month since Saturday has been wiped out due to a cold. I'm also changing my routine so running will take a back seat for a little while as I will only have time on weekends now (if I make it to the indoor track) until spring. Thanks for letting me be a part of the group. :smile:
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    Stoshew71 wrote: »

    Raspberries. I wasn't finished with January. February IS my mfp mrc runniversary.... I should probably. do. some. thing. :grey_question:
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    Stoshew71 wrote: »

    Raspberries. I wasn't finished with January. February IS my mfp mrc runniversary.... I should probably. do. some. thing. :grey_question:

    @Elise4270 Happy runniversary! You should enjoy a box of chocolates!! :smiley:
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    Date Miles today - Miles for January
    1/1 REST DAY
    1/2 9 miles - 9
    1/3 10 miles - 19
    1/4 5 miles - 24
    1/5 10 miles - 34
    1/6 3.1 - 37.1 <<< Treadmill
    1/7 15 miles - 52.1
    1/8 REST DAY
    1/9 9.5 miles - 61.6
    1/10 10 miles - 71.6
    1/11 5 miles - 76.6
    1/12 10.15 miles - 86.75
    1/13 5.25 miles - 92
    1/14 16 miles - 108
    1/15 REST DAY
    1/16 8.25 miles - 116.25
    1/17 7.35 miles - 123.6
    1/18 5.25 miles - 128.85
    1/19 7.5 miles - 136.35
    1/20 REST DAY
    1/21 13.1 - 149.45
    1/22 REST DAY
    1/23 8 miles - 157.45
    1/24 10 miles - 167.45
    1/24 4 miles - 171.45 << Daily Double
    1/25 5 miles - 176.45
    1/26 10 miles - 186.45
    1/27 5 miles - 191.45
    1/28 17 miles - 208.45
    1/29 REST DAY
    1/30 10 miles - 218.45
    1/31 10 miles - 228.45
    1/31 5 miles - 233.45 << Daily Double

    exercise.png

    Upcoming races:
    UAH 8K - 3/6 <<< 34:33 3 in AG
    Oak Barrel HM - 4/2 <<<< 1:38:00 3 in AG
    Bridge Street HM - 4/10 <<< 1:36:33 3 in AG
    PEO-AVN Team Day 5K - 5/4 <<< 19:10 (2.9 mi) 1 in AG 5 OA
    Cotton Row Run 10K - 5/30 << 44:57 PR
    Firecracker Chase 10.2 miler 6/25 << 1:20:22 1 in AG & 15 OA
    Huntsville Half Marathon - 11/12 << 1:35:55 2 in AG & 25 OA
    Rocket City Marathon - 12/10 << 2:44:41
    Elkmont Hound Dog Half (unofficial) - 1/21 << 1:46:48 2 OA
    Elkmont Hound Dog Half (rescheduled) - 2/18
    Kentucky Derby Marathon - 4/29


    I did a short run this evening after hitting the gym and doing some leg work.
    3 sets of squats, 3 sets of deadlifts, and 3 sets of lunges. Then an easy paced 5 miles for my second daily double since my December marathon. Then I did 3 sets of one legged squats after running. Not a bad way to finish out January.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member

    exercise.png
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    Happy runniversary on mfp mrc @Elise4270
  • garygse
    garygse Posts: 896 Member
    @Elise4270 Happy Runniversary!

    --

    Another easy five-miler to end out the month. Great running, everyone! :)

    01 - 5.21 miles
    02 - 5.60
    07 - 5.56
    08 - 5.60
    10 - 10.71
    11 - 11.21
    12 - 11.19
    14 - 5.37
    16 - 10.57
    20 - 13.21
    23 - 12.16
    25 - 11.28
    27 - 14.33
    30 - 5.62
    31 - 5.58

    Total: 133.20 / 100
  • Calvin2008Brian
    Calvin2008Brian Posts: 1,024 Member
    Not much to say about January except for a stellar first week and an extremely fun destination race in Key West. I'm wrapping up the month with 31 miles logged (of my 50 mile goal), plus 4 strength workouts, and looking forward to a better running month in February.

    I'm still not recovered from the cold virus that's been bugging me for over a week, but feeling about 80% today. An easy run tomorrow will be a nice way to kick off a new month.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    Thanks to everybody who weighed in on my question about running with a group or alone. It's nice to hear everyone's perspectives on the topic. I echo what a lot of you said about running alone for "me time" or to focus on speed work/tempo runs specific to your training plan. Also, I value being able to plan my runs when it fits best into my schedule, especially finding the best time to do long runs on the weekends. There's a meetup group as well as a group from a nearby running store that both do informal pub runs one evening a week, so I may start out by trying one of those to see how I like running with a group. It would also be nice to try out a long run with a group at some point to help myself keep a consistent pace (something I'm really bad at without constantly looking at my watch). I ran a half marathon with my step-sister last year, who is about the same pace that I am, and I enjoyed running with her more than I thought I would because she really helped me to keep a consistent and manageable pace throughout most of the race.

    @OSUbuckeye906 - As I read this, I have to ask what the definition of "running alone" is. I run a lot of long runs in a pace group which is definitely not alone. Most of my speed work is done with the club, where I have a coach and teammates present; but different people have different workouts, and my paces are not the same as anyone else's, so mostly I'm running the speed workout by myself, but on the same track with other people running the same or different workouts at their proper paces. Is that running alone?

    From my introverted perspective, this is close enough to group activity to give me a motivational nudge, i.e. I will actually *do* the speed work. I joined the club originally because I noticed I wasn't getting the speed work done on my own, and I hoped the group would provide enough peer pressure to get me to do it. It worked.

    I do see clumps of club runners doing workouts together. I know they can't all have the same precise paces, so some of them must be running a bit too fast or a bit too slow for where their paces should be. I have occasionally been joined in my intervals by another guy whose proper paces should be a bit slower than mine; but he's usually willing to work his *kitten* off running faster than the workout calls for.

  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    January Running Totals (miles)
    1/1 – 10.39 warmup, 7.5 mile race, cool down
    1/2 – 2.12 easy cross country
    1/3 – 8.58 warmup, tempo intervals
    1/4 – 5.01 easy
    1/5 – 5.99 warmup, speed work, cool down
    1/6 – rest day
    1/7 – 16.59 warmup + Winter Warrior Half Marathon
    1/8 – 7.62 easy on indoor track
    1/9 – 6.51 easy
    1/10 – 6.02 warmup + MP
    1/11 – 6.20 mostly easy
    1/12 – 9.01 warm up, speed work, cool down
    1/13 – rest day
    1/14 – 15.88 warm up, 5 mile race, post-race easy run
    1/15 – 10.06 easy with hills
    1/16 – 6.83 easy plus 4 strides
    1/17 – 8.02 warm up, speed work, cool down
    1/18 – 7.04 group run
    1/19 – 7.67 warmup, speed work
    1/20 – rest day
    1/21 – 16.16 easy
    1/22 – 7.63 one hour easy
    1/23 – 6.50 easy
    1/24 – 8.23 warm up, speed work, cool down
    1/25 – impromptu rest day
    1/26 – 5.17 easy (AM)
    1/26 – 5.04 slow jog, time trial, easy run, slow jog (PM)
    1/27 – rest day
    1/28 – 13.23 paced run + race
    1/29 – 14.07 easy with hills
    1/30 – 6.69 easy plus 4 strides
    1/31 – 7.79 warm up, speed work, cool down

    January total to date – 230.05

    Nominal Challenge Goal – 225 miles
    Real Goals: Train toward Boston, working 3 Freezeroo races plus Winter Warrior Half into the training plan. Avoid injury.

    Today's notes – The marathon training plan called for an aggressive workout at I pace, 1 x 800, 1 x 1000, 1-2 x 1200, 1 x 1000, 1 x 800, with same time recovery between intervals. I asked Coach how Bend should change that and he told me to do 3 x 1000 at T then 4 x 200 at goal race pace. I have no clue what my goal race pace for an 8K cross country event should be, so I targeted somewhere between T and I. Except by the time I was running the 1000's, I forgot the distance for the second set and ran 4 x 400 between T and I. Coach chuckled and said I was an overachiever.

    Tomorrow I'll get in a few easy miles between packing and last day preparations before flying out on Thursday. I don't know what running opportunities I will have on Thursday and Friday. Saturday I'll find out what it's like to run 2K loops on a golf course that has been cleared of snow by manual volunteer labor. It will be an experience.

    2017 races:
    January 1, 2017 Freezeroo #2 (Resolution Run 7.5 mile) (Mendon, NY) Finished in 50:45
    January 7, 2017 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY) Finished in 1:32:40
    January 14, 2017 Freezeroo #3 (Pineway Ponds Park 5 mile) (Spencerport, NY) Finished in 33:42
    January 28, 2017 Freezeroo #4 (Hearnish 5 mile) (Victor, NY) short course, finished 4.88 miles in 32:50
    February 4, 2017 USATF Cross Country National Championship 8K (Bend, OR)
    February 11, 2017 Freezeroo #5 (Valentines Run "In Memory of Tom Brannon" 8 Mile) (Greece, NY)
    February 25, 2017 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 4.4 mile) (Webster, NY)
    March 11, 2017 Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 mile (Rochester, NY)
    April 17, 2017 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)

  • 9voice9
    9voice9 Posts: 693 Member
    100+% of goal

    01-Jan: <Life Day>
    02-Jan: 12.39 miles inc 5.33 on Dreadmill
    03-Jan: 7.74 miles - Double Day
    04-Jan: 4.13 miles
    05-Jan: 8.39 miles - inc 2.26 w/ Alan
    06-Jan: 4.08 miles
    07-Jan: 11.50 miles
    08-Jan: <Life Day>
    09-Jan: 5.85 miles
    10-Jan: 6.68 miles - inc 2.25 w/ Alan
    11-Jan: 5.07 miles
    12-Jan: 6.51 miles
    13-Jan: - Rest Day for HM
    14-Jan: 13.25 miles - Race Day!
    15-Jan: <Life Day>
    16-Jan: 7.29 miles
    17-Jan: 6.81 miles
    18-Jan: 3.87 miles
    19-Jan: 2.21 miles
    20-Jan: 7.25 miles
    21-Jan: 4.06 miles
    22-Jan: <Life Day>
    23-Jan: <Travel to OK>
    24-Jan: <Starting to figure out what needs to happen in OK>
    25-Jan: 10.80 miles
    26-Jan: 9.99 miles
    27-Jan: 9.25 miles
    28-Jan: <Travel back from OK>
    29-Jan: <Life Day>
    30-Jan: 17.20 miles
    31-Jan: 5.88 miles

    On to February!
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited February 2017
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    Stoshew71 wrote: »

    Raspberries. I wasn't finished with January. February IS my mfp mrc runniversary.... I should probably. do. some. thing. :grey_question:

    @Elise4270 Happy runniversary! You should enjoy a box of chocolates!! :smiley:

    I was thinking about running. I know it sounds crazy.... But hear me out.... Haha! My scale says "let 'er rip" pants that is.... Yoga pants. Black gold, Texas tea.... Huh? Haha! You silly hillbilly.

    I had 3.5 brownies. It's the sugar talkin'.

    ETAsk, wait. Is that a Forrest Gump reference? Box o Chocolates, running, me gimpy? Or am I bein' newrdy?
  • OSUbuckeye906
    OSUbuckeye906 Posts: 315 Member
    1/2: 5 miles
    1/3: 3 miles
    1/4: 4.3 miles
    1/5: 3 miles
    1/6: rest
    1/7: rest
    1/8: 60 mins swim
    1/9: rest
    1/10: 45 mins swim
    1/11: rest
    1/12: rest
    1/13: rest
    1/14: 9 miles bike
    1/15: 3 miles walk, 9 miles bike
    1/16: 45 mins swim
    1/17: 2 miles walk, 6 miles bike
    1/18: 45 mins swim
    1/19: 9 miles bike
    1/20: 3 miles walk
    1/21: 3 miles walk, 10 miles bike
    1/22: 45 mins swim
    1/23: 2.1 mile walk, 6.1 miles bike
    1/24: rest
    1/25: 40 mins aqua jogging
    1/26: 6.5 miles bike
    1/27: 32 mins aqua jogging, 32 mins swim
    1/28: 2.3 miles walk, 9.5 miles bike
    1/29: 30 mins aqua jogging, 30 mins swim
    1/30: 6.3 miles bike
    1/31: 2.2 miles walk, 6.5 miles bike

    TOTALS:
    Run/walk - 32.9
    Bike - 77.9
    Swim - 302 minutes
    Aqua jogging - 102

    Not quite my running mileage goal (I can't even remember what the number was, if I even set one), but still got in a decent amount of cardio. Hopefully it will help when I transition back into running.
  • OSUbuckeye906
    OSUbuckeye906 Posts: 315 Member
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    @OSUbuckeye906 - As I read this, I have to ask what the definition of "running alone" is. I run a lot of long runs in a pace group which is definitely not alone. Most of my speed work is done with the club, where I have a coach and teammates present; but different people have different workouts, and my paces are not the same as anyone else's, so mostly I'm running the speed workout by myself, but on the same track with other people running the same or different workouts at their proper paces. Is that running alone?

    From my introverted perspective, this is close enough to group activity to give me a motivational nudge, i.e. I will actually *do* the speed work. I joined the club originally because I noticed I wasn't getting the speed work done on my own, and I hoped the group would provide enough peer pressure to get me to do it. It worked.

    I do see clumps of club runners doing workouts together. I know they can't all have the same precise paces, so some of them must be running a bit too fast or a bit too slow for where their paces should be. I have occasionally been joined in my intervals by another guy whose proper paces should be a bit slower than mine; but he's usually willing to work his *kitten* off running faster than the workout calls for.

    I was defining "running alone" as not running in a group/club setting but, as you indicated, "running alone" can mean different things depending on the situation. I guess I was thinking about the simple definition of the term since I've never run in a group setting before. Under this same notion, I guess "running together" can mean different things as well. I have a lot of family members that are runners and we will frequently run races together - except for the fact that we are mostly all different paces and don't actually run together.

    The part that is bold above is precisely one of the reasons I prefer to run/train alone. I'm a pretty competitive person by nature and I don't want to put myself in a situation where I'm trying to run at a pace that I shouldn't be. I think I've matured enough as a runner where I probably wouldn't do this on a long run, but I could see myself running a bit too fast during speed work if I had company. We'll see how things go when I finally get the nerve to join a group for a run (I'm a pretty introverted person too). Actually, I'm ready to try one out now...just need to get back to running first.

  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Finished January with a late treadmill run because I worked late and it was well after dark by then:

    exercise.png
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    It was a beautiful night for my final run of the month. 8.3 miles with about 3 miles of that going up and down a hill 6 times.

    Month total: 152.9 miles
    Month trail total: 21 miles

    I made my overall goal, but was well short of my trail mile goal.

    ssl9coprbxyr.jpeg



    @OSUbuckeye906 I mostly run alone. I love being by myself and into my own thoughts as I run, just as I love taking long drives alone, hiking alone, or sitting in a deer stand all day long alone. That's not to say I'm anti-social. In certain settings I really enjoy group runs. In particular, weekend long runs on the trail. There's an vibrant trail running community here and which often organizes weekend long runs and I'll hit those when I can, and when it suits my schedule. One problem I have though is they like to start really early in the morning most times and I have a tough time with that. When it works out, though, I have a really good time running with them and need to make more of an effort to make it. For weeknight runs it doesn't make sense to put an hour of time getting to and coming from a group run just for an hour of running. Too much to do at home.

    Last winter I did join a local store's "Winter Warrior" group runs every Tuesday night. The problem I had with that is that there were two routes...3.5 miles or 7 miles. I wanted to run the 7 mile route but everyone else who ran the longer route was faster than me, so I ended up running alone anyway. By the time I got back to the store, the good beer was gone and the socializing was winding down. I didn't join that group this winter.


  • shanaber
    shanaber Posts: 6,423 Member
    As anticipated, I didn't quite make my goal. I am also still not caught up on all the posts and goings on here. I hope to be more involved in February but work keeps intruding and they are already scheduling trips on my calendar.
    Date........Miles........Total
    01/01......0.00........0.00
    01/02......4.58........4.58 - + Agility
    01/03......4.28........8.86 - + Strength Training
    01/04......0.00........8.86
    01/05......4.39......13.25 - + Strength Training
    01/06......8.01......21.26 - run before travel to Seattle
    01/07......0.00......21.26 - Wedding dress shopping
    01/08......3.65......24.91 - Hotel treadmill run
    01/09......0.00......24.91 - Atlanta meetings
    01/10......0.00......24.91 - Atlanta meetings
    01/11......5.75......30.66 - Run between storms
    01/12......0.00......30.66 - + Strength Training
    01/13......6.18......36.84
    01/14......9.73......46.57
    01/15......2.00......48.57 - Dog Beach Sunday
    01/16......0.00......48.57 - Off to Texas
    01/17......3.66......52.23 - Treadmill
    01/18......0.00......52.23
    01/19......4.25......56.48 - Treadmill
    01/20......0.00......56.48 - Home YAY!
    01/21......0.00......56.48
    01/22......6.62......63.10 - Very wet rain run
    01/23......4.54......67.64
    01/24......2.74......70.38 - + Strength Training
    01/25......2.00......72.38
    01/26......3.87......76.25 - + Strength Training and Rally class
    01/27......5.10......81.35
    01/28....10.40......91.75
    01/29......0.00......91.75
    01/30......3.76......95.51 - + Agility
    01/31......0.00......95.51 - + Strength Training

    exercise.png

    My completed and upcoming Races - Let me know if you will be running too!
    02/05/17 - Surf City Half Marathon
    07/23/17 - San Francisco 1st Half Marathon
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
    Forgot to post my monthly challenge goal. After failing to meet my goal 2 months in a row, I am staying with the 50 mile goal for this month and at least one in outside per week.

    1/1......rest day Happy New Year!
    1/2......6 miles...pace 12:30.
    1/3.....work
    1/4.....Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, Classical stretch
    1/5......3.72 miles on treadmill @ 12:14 pace, average heart rate at 88% max.
    1/9.....3.87 miles on treadmill at 11:45 pace, average max heart rate st 85%.
    1/20.....3 miles...pace 11:30, av max heart rate at 89%
    1/24....4.32 miles....pace 11:45 at max heart rate at 88%. Spinning class
    1/30....3.74 miles....pace 12:14 at max heart rate of 87%.rolling hills. Felt like vomiting afterward.
    1/31....3.44 miles...pace 11:45 at max heart rate of 87%, focused on breathing.

    Strength trained the last 2 days and tried a boot camp conditioning class. Was able to run outside twice this month.

    Total...28.11
    Goal...50 miles

    Didn't meet goal but did better than usual during a typical January. Fought a cold this month, malaise, and gym being pretty crowded.



  • zipsterj
    zipsterj Posts: 29 Member

    exercise.png


    a final post to close out Jan, finished of fairly happy :)
  • mustb60
    mustb60 Posts: 1,090 Member
    edited February 2017
    January Running challenge
    Goal: 50 km
    Ran: 30.6 km/50 km

    31/1/17 walk 10 km Easy day no run.
    30/1/17 5 km
    29/1/17 5.2 km
    28/1/17 2 km
    12/1/17 4 km
    11/1/17 6.4 km
    5/1/17 5 km
    3/1/17 3 km

    Consolation is that at least I could run 30 km this month. Better than no run. Seems like I am able to move from just walking to running. In February my goal would be being more regular.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Finished January with a late treadmill run because I worked late and it was well after dark by then:

    exercise.png

    January was 35 miles, I got to 39.8 miles. Ticker is screwed up from when I made February's ticker, it apparently over-wrote Jan. Ugh... I seem to be the only person that has problems with these tickers. I'm actually better than average with computers for most everything, but these tickers just seem to give me trouble.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Well done, everyone!!!
  • mustb60
    mustb60 Posts: 1,090 Member
    FEBRUARY Running challenge
    Goal: 50 km
    1/2/17 Rest day slow walk 3 km

    Hoping to achieve the target this month.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    Thanks to everybody who weighed in on my question about running with a group or alone. It's nice to hear everyone's perspectives on the topic. I echo what a lot of you said about running alone for "me time" or to focus on speed work/tempo runs specific to your training plan. Also, I value being able to plan my runs when it fits best into my schedule, especially finding the best time to do long runs on the weekends. There's a meetup group as well as a group from a nearby running store that both do informal pub runs one evening a week, so I may start out by trying one of those to see how I like running with a group. It would also be nice to try out a long run with a group at some point to help myself keep a consistent pace (something I'm really bad at without constantly looking at my watch). I ran a half marathon with my step-sister last year, who is about the same pace that I am, and I enjoyed running with her more than I thought I would because she really helped me to keep a consistent and manageable pace throughout most of the race.

    @OSUbuckeye906 - As I read this, I have to ask what the definition of "running alone" is. I run a lot of long runs in a pace group which is definitely not alone. Most of my speed work is done with the club, where I have a coach and teammates present; but different people have different workouts, and my paces are not the same as anyone else's, so mostly I'm running the speed workout by myself, but on the same track with other people running the same or different workouts at their proper paces. Is that running alone?

    From my introverted perspective, this is close enough to group activity to give me a motivational nudge, i.e. I will actually *do* the speed work. I joined the club originally because I noticed I wasn't getting the speed work done on my own, and I hoped the group would provide enough peer pressure to get me to do it. It worked.

    I do see clumps of club runners doing workouts together. I know they can't all have the same precise paces, so some of them must be running a bit too fast or a bit too slow for where their paces should be. I have occasionally been joined in my intervals by another guy whose proper paces should be a bit slower than mine; but he's usually willing to work his *kitten* off running faster than the workout calls for.

    This is exactly the reason why I end up running alone. Either I am running too fast to try and keep up with people who are either slightly faster than me or starting out way too fast, which I end up just letting them go. And there are not many in our group that are able to do that. Mostly everyone else ends up behind me and go way too slow for me.

    it's not so bad if it was a track workout and you can actually see everyone. But when you are trying to run a route along the streets in the early morning hours like my group does, then it's like, why did I get up super early to run with these people when I am not even running with them and no longer see them.

    But it is nice to see some faces gathering together before we all leave together, even if we don't stay together. Plus there is the social aspect of it after we all get done. But then again, by the time I get done, everyone else already had their coffee already. So I end up scratching that. I run 10 miles, most everyone else runs 4-6 miles. Whatever route they come up with, I end up modifying it and stretching it out further. I like the people in my group, just very hard to make the commitment to want to get up super early to run with them. I have been thinking about finding other groups and rearranging my schedule. But I am in the middle of training now and don't want to mess with the good formula I have down, even if it means running alone.

    A good buddy who is an awesome training partner for me but I haven't seen him in a few weeks said he is going to be at our group run tomorrow morning, which is encouraging for me.
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