March 2017 Running Challenge

1…4243454748…59

Replies

  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    snowyne wrote: »
    @JessicaMcB -- How awful!! I will say a prayer for her and her family. Do police have any leads on the attacker?

    Not that I've heard :(
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    edited March 2017
    @7lenny7
    @girlinahat back on the Friday you mentioned that the more you run, the slower and more tired you get. Are you getting enough sleep? I rarely do but when I do get enough sleep, I'm amazed at how much better a run feels.?

    Interesting you say that. I'm trying to regulate my sleeping more, as I don't always sleep well, recently waking at 4:11am for no reason.

    I'm thinking a number of things might be contributing to fatigue, since running MORE like I have this week does not seem to be the issue, I'm still feeling fresh.

    Non-consistent sleep patterns. This week I've been waking and getting up at the same time every weekday, rather than a couple of early starts and other later starts. To the extent that I naturally woke at the early time this morning, even though u have a day off work...

    Eating patterns. Making sure I am not just eating enough during the day but spacing my meals better. Fuelling more during the day including an afternoon snack send to make me feel better (although I'm still on early morning runs)

    Changing my run programme to change the percentages. The 1,2,3 pattern I found (short runs three times a week, medium runs twice as long as short runs twice a week and one long run the times as long as the short run) restricts the long run to only ever being 30% of the weekly mileage.

    A final thing I'm wondering, as a pre-menopausal female, is whether hormonal changes affect the level of fatigue. I'm keeping a log to see how things are week by week and it could be I need to have one slack week in four or something.

    Today is long run day, I didn't get much sleep, and I drank too much wine last night. So the ultimate test!!!
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Interesting talk on barefoot. From what I understand the issue with minimalist shoes is that they don't promote a barefoot run style because, well, you're not barefoot. So there's a lack of prio-perception which is pretty much the point of barefoot.

    When I first started running I told myself to figure out the best form to prevent injury and make things easy on myself. I truly believe in the whole listen to your body thing, and helping it do naturally what it should. Hence my argument against supportive shoes - if your ankles are weak, fix the ankles not the shoes.

    So I read up on how to run. I read about keeping your cadence fast, and your steps small, making sure you land beneath yourself. I've had a couple of sessions with an Alexander Technique teacher to look at form, and I find myself looking at videos of elite runners. The one thing I really notice is that when the front foot lands, it is in a vertical plane. The knee is directly over the foot, and the rest of the body is pretty straight. You can't do that and heel strike.

    Every time I run, I pay attention to what my body is doing - I think about where my feet are landing, whether my bum is tucked in, is my pelvis open and free, is my head relaxed and not jutting forward, and what are my arms doing?

    I think form is SO important, which is why I want to get it right, right from the start. Inspired by you guys I'm going to try the run barefoot for 100 yards thing too (nothing like mud between the toes!!!)
  • iofred
    iofred Posts: 488 Member
    edited March 2017
    23/03 - Enforced day off for travel and meetings ... work should not get in the way of my workouts .... :(
    24/03 - 4.2 mile "steady paced" run (even on a TM I want to run faster than I should), followed with 1.5 mile Interval & Core

    exercise.png

    Completed
    • 11/03 - 10K Run The Solar System (thanks for the tip) - 52:01
    • 12/03 - TM Half Marathon (plugged in the MK HM route - attempt 1  ) - 1:54:02
    Coming up:
    • 01/05 - Milton Keynes HM
    • 18/06 - Run-Bedford-Run - 10K
    • 02/09 - Bedford HM
    • 24/09 - Windsor HM
  • NikolaosKey
    NikolaosKey Posts: 410 Member
    @Orphia This is great, CONGRATS!
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    @JessicaMcB oh my god - that is so horrible. That poor woman. Is she going to be ok? And the baby? I get so furious about the "women shouldn't run alone" thing.

    @orphia congratulations on your new distance record. Woohoo! Fabulous job.
  • ddmom0811
    ddmom0811 Posts: 1,881 Member
    @JessicaMcB - that is awful! And she was with her baby! Oh my gosh.
    @RespectTheKitty -- so, so sorry you are feeling so bad. Several in my family have gone through anxiety and it is just awful. At the moment all are on the right meds, but I'm always in fear it will come back.
    @WhatMeRunning - I read it! I'm so glad you are getting your miles back up! I'm going to KC again in June to do the grading for the AP Comp Sci exam so I will be pounding the roads by you again. There were lots of runners that were graders last year and we always went down to the river which was awesome.

    3/1 - 3.3 miles
    3/2 - 4.1 miles
    3/3 - rest day
    3/4 - 34 miles biking
    3/5 - 28 miles biking
    3/6 - 4 miles + strength training
    3/7 - 4.5 miles
    3/8 - strength training
    3/9 - 4.6 miles
    3/10 - 4.1 miles
    3/11 - 34 miles biking
    3/12 - 40 miles biking
    3/13 - rest day
    3/14 - 5 miles
    3/15 - 6.1 miles
    3/16 - 3.6 miles
    3/17 - strength training
    3/18 - 44 miles biking - very fast!
    3/19 - 40 miles in the wind - ugh - awful ride
    3/20 - rest day
    3/21 - 4.5 miles
    3/22 - strength training
    3/23 - 4.2 miles
    3/24 - 4.2 miles + strength training



    exercise.png
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    midwesterner85 wrote: »
    @beeerrunner No, not technical trails. I'm not familiar with the area, but based on pics from last year and from the map, the dirt portion is basically an old dirt road (technically still a road on the map, it appears):

    d3d12ac2-a853-4446-85ef-c90de078a2fa.jpg

    @7lenny7 Yes, my trail shoes definitely pick up and hold onto mud, but they also seem to do a good job of keeping me from sliding and falling on it.

    I'm about to retire my road shoes anyway, so I probably wouldn't even bother cleaning them off if they got muddy. I think ya'll have some good points... I was leaning towards the trail shoes at first, but now thinking I'll take the road shoes out.

    I concur with the other responses. I'd wear my road shoes on terrain "mixed surfaces" that are all, or primarily, roads. Even if there is rain, dirt roads are more packed down by automotive traffic than trails are. The mud shouldn't get really sloppy, or at least there should be some firm tire tracks to run in.

    The only race I've run that was advertised as mixed terrain had a bit of trail, but it was non-technical and trail shoes would have been overkill. The last half I ran had about 8 miles on gravel roads. I felt the gravel more through my road shoes (Saucony Kinvaras) than I would have through my trail shoes (Saucony Peregrines), but it was something I could get used to.
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    @JessicaMcB So sorry to hear about the woman in your community who was beaten. My heart goes out to her and her family. It's so ridiculous that women get blamed for being attacked. I almost always run with pepper spray, but I have to remember to always take it with me.

    @RespectTheKitty So sorry about everything you're going through. I hope they get your medication figured out. We'll be thinking of you.

    @midwesterner85 I often have to run with knee braces. I have arthritis in my left knee, and it's actually been fine for a while, but the combination of my last fall and 3 days of downhill skiing have caused a flare up. Right now, I'm just using a knee sleeve and that helps. When I had runner's knee in my right knee, I found one of those large velcro knee braces and compression leggings worked best to give it the support needed. I also used KT tape underneath the brace. My right knee is perfectly fine now...no brace or compression leggings needed. Hope yours heals up soon.
  • garygse
    garygse Posts: 896 Member
    @Orphia Congrats on your 30k!


    Due to predicted rain, this morning's run was substituted for a run last night.

    01 - 13.30
    02 - 9.87
    03 - 18.13
    06 - 13.37
    07 - 7.13
    08 - 13.37
    09 - 10.27
    10 - 18.43
    13 - 13.34
    14 - 10.66
    15 - 13.36
    16 - 11.63
    17 - 13.36
    18 - 7.12
    20 - 13.36
    21 - 12.23
    22 - 13.37
    23 - 10.26 + 12.19

    Total: 234.75 / 200 miles
  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
    3/1 - Hate starting a month on a rest day.
    3/2 - 5.0 miles.
    3/3 - Grrr...overslept this morning and have commitments after work. No run. Unwanted rest day!
    3/4 - 6.0 miles.
    3/5 - 3.1 'mill miles, then upper body weights.
    3/6 - Life got in the way. Had to get kids up and going early.
    3/7 - WINDY 4.38 miles.
    3/8 - 3.45 'mill miles, then upper body weights.
    3/9 - 4.8 treadmill miles at Trek class.
    3/10 - Unplanned rest day.
    3/11 - 4 'mill miles.
    3/12 - 7 windy miles. Longest run in 5 months. Plus, negative splits...woot!
    3/13 - Another rest day. I am totally slacking.
    3/14 - 5.1 treadmill miles at Trek class. Lots of speed/"hill" combo today.
    3/15- 3.42 treadmill miles, then upper body weights.
    3/16 - 5.05 treadmill miles at Trek class.
    3/17 - Bodypump, then 2.25 treadmill miles.
    3/18 - 7.3 mile group run.
    3/19 - 4.05 hot miles.
    3/20 - Rest day.
    3/21 - 5.0 miles.
    3/22 - 3.4 'mill miles, then upper body weights.
    3/23 - 5 treadmill miles at Trek class.
    3/24 - 4.7 balmy miles.

    exercise.png
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    @BeeerRunner Yes, that's what I ended up getting... one of those velcro knee supports that just wraps around the knee and closes with velcro straps. I took it out on my run last night (roads / sidewalks / paved path) for a few miles and still ended up with some post-run pain. I'm sure it would have been worse if I had not used the brace. I'm going to have to remember to take some NSAID's in order to reduce any swelling. I'm already at work now and it slipped my mind to bring some in with me. I'll grab some in a few hours when I go for lunch, and then take again tonight before bed. I'll set out my stuff for tomorrow before I go to bed tonight (because I have to get up early for it, and I'm not a morning person), and will remember to put some in my bag for tomorrow.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    Date Miles today - Miles for March
    3/1 5 miles - 5
    3/2 10 miles - 15
    3/3 3.1 miles - 18.1
    3/4 20 miles - 38.1
    3/5 REST DAY
    3/6 7 miles - 45.1
    3/7 7 miles - 52.1
    3/8 REST DAY
    3/9 7 miles - 59.1
    3/10 REST DAY
    3/11 14 miles - 73.1
    3/12 REST DAY
    3/13 10 miles - 83.1
    3/14 10 miles - 93.1
    3/15 REST DAY
    3/16 10 miles - 103.1
    3/17 3.1 miles - 106.2
    3/18 18 miles - 124.2
    3/19 REST DAY
    3/20 10 miles - 134.2
    3/21 10 miles - 144.2
    3/22 6.2 miles - 150.4
    3/23 10 miles - 160.4
    3/24 3.1 miles - 163.5

    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 << 1:41:04 1 in AG & 24 OA
    Kentucky Derby Marathon - 4/29


    5K worth of recovery run.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    @7lenny7 Congratulations to your Jayhawks making it to the Elite 8.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    @Orphia that is impressive, way to go. My longest distance 18km!!

    @JessicaMcB that is absolutely terrible. We should not be afraid to be out by ourselves. It goes to show the ignorance of some people with those comments!!

    @epr3996 way to go Buddy!!!!!!
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    edited March 2017
    @JessicaMcB - That is terrible, and I hope that guy gets some serious payback, and those asswipes looking for an angle on her get the *kitten* knocked out of them so they can blame themselves! Crap like that really pisses my *kitten* off to no *kitten* end!
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    @JessicaMcB That is horrible news. The guy who did that should be beaten just like he did to that woman. I hope they catch that *kitten*.

    @RespectTheKitty I hope you get back on track and your medicine dosages is figured out.

    @Orphia Awesome on your 30K.
  • Bakins929
    Bakins929 Posts: 895 Member
    edited March 2017
    @Orphia - Congrats on your 30k! That's awesome!

    Easy 3.5 on the treadmill this AM.

    exercise.png
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    @JessicaMcB - Words fail me on the woman who got beaten. I hope whoever did it runs into a pack of p*ssed off runners who recognize him. I know, not likely; but I can fantasize.

    @girlinahat @7lenny7 - Enough sleep is one of the keys for me. I haven't figured out all the details, but it's pretty clear that banking extra sleep Tuesday and Wednesday nights before short Thursday and Friday nights for travel to Virginia Beach helped me have a good race in spite of two nights in a row of less sleep than I'd like. I think I'm in better shape now than I was 4 weeks out from Boston last year, and not having to get up to go to work when I need more sleep is almost certainly a factor.

    I've been following the discussion of barefoot and minimalist running with some interest. I wear light weight but not minimalist road shoes (Saucony Kinvaras) and found that cross country spikes (Saucony Kilkennys) are even lighter. Where I came from: As a new runner, the local Fleet Feet put me into Brooks Adrenalines. These are heavy by my current standards, and they have a 12 or 13 mm heel drop. I had some foot injury issues, and one thing the PT mentioned was that my weak hip abductors made it hard for me to control my foot strike, so I was messing up my foot. Fixed the weak hip abductors, and started focusing on form.

    My nephew had packed ultra-light running shoes to go to Iraq, more for the packing that from any theory of them being the best running shoes. He came back with his over-pronation gone and form massively improved. He explained that when you don't have the extra padding, running with poor form hurts. So you clean it up unconsciously, running so it doesn't hurt, before it causes worse problems. That got me to try light weight shoes with less drop (4mm), and I've been running in them ever since. I'm happy with my results.

    I've seen the theory of running barefoot, and it sounds good, but in my mind the issues of broken glass and similar road hazards outweigh the benefit of being barefoot for form. That, and I suspect the best barefoot runners started running barefoot before puberty, not in their late 50s. I don't know whether it's possible for someone as old as I am to develop the feet to support good barefoot running on roads.

    That having been said, I do a couple minutes of barefoot running up and down my hallway every morning while my eggs cook. When I started that, I concentrated on form. As a newbie, I made myself a forefoot strike runner; after the foot issues, I worked on turning that into a ball-heel strike. Part of that work was consciously making sure my heels touched down on the carpet while running barefoot. Now, I'm a ball-heel strike indoors barefoot, and pretty much a midfoot strike on the roads. The discussion here makes me wonder if I'm getting some form benefit from that little bit of barefoot hallway running, even though it's not serious exercise. *shrug* Don't know, but it works for keeping me from staring at the frying eggs.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    @RespectTheKitty - Hugs to you. Sending thoughts of wellness in your direction.

    @JessicaMcB- That is unreal. I can't imagine that somebody would do such a thing. Please be careful out there.

    @Orphia Woo hoo! That's quite a great accomplishment...congrats!

    @ariceroni - I love the outfits. So cool that your mom did that with you. And congrats on a fantastic run!

  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
    @JessicaMcB - So much about that is wrong. I hope she and her baby are OK. So hard to believe the "blame the victim" mentality so many have toward women.

    @Orphia - Wow! That's fantastic!

    @MobyCarp - Interesting about switching to light shoes as a way to force yourself into correcting your form. Count me intrigued and considering that.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    @JessicaMcB -
    I've been following the discussion of barefoot and minimalist running with some interest. I wear light weight but not minimalist road shoes (Saucony Kinvaras) and found that cross country spikes (Saucony Kilkennys) are even lighter. Where I came from: As a new runner, the local Fleet Feet put me into Brooks Adrenalines. These are heavy by my current standards, and they have a 12 or 13 mm heel drop. I had some foot injury issues, and one thing the PT mentioned was that my weak hip abductors made it hard for me to control my foot strike, so I was messing up my foot. Fixed the weak hip abductors, and started focusing on form.

    Yes- Fleet Feet put me into Adrenalines too back when...They feel like giant heavy boats on my feet compared to my usual shoes and my form in them bothers my knees.

    If you do any trail running in harder terrain or where there are thorns and find your shoes falling apart, trade in the Kilkenny's for Brooks Mach. (I started with Kilkenny's since they were known to be on the wider side for XC shoes - I have wide feet that won't fit in most XC shoes - and they fell apart ridiculously quickly..ripped and some of the spike housings would loosen and come out. The Brooks Mach shoes fit my wide feet amazingly well and have taken quite a beating - I've actually had to replace the spikes several times, which is something I never came close to getting the chance to do in the Kilkenny's.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    @WhatMeRunning I didn't read a word of it.
    @JessicaMcB that is just so messed up, both the incident and the blaming the victim!
    @Orphia totally fabulous run!
    @girlinahat I was just listening to a podcast which talked about a frequent cause of getting up in the middle of the night around that time. They were interviewing Dr. Phil Maffetone and he says he sees it frequently. It had to do with the body releasing high levels of the stress hormone cortisol at night, when the level should be low. If you're interested, read this article about overtraining, particularly the "Stage 2" section. I agree wholeheartedly about the importance of form and injury prevention particularly for longer distances. I don't think I'll become a barefoot runner (I have the same concerns as @MobyCarp ), but I do see myself replacing my high drop, high cushioned shoes with more minimalist shoes as I wear out what I have. I'm too cheap to just get rid of the 5 pair of road shoes I have now.
    @Stoshew71 thanks! It was a very close, competitive first half! I've seen the Jayhawk games play out like that many times this season. They start out with cold shooting, the opponent is able to stay close or get a lead, then early in the second half the Jayhawks find their shot, figure out how to stop the opponent's shooters, and away they go!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I read an article recently that stated that it can take an experience runner anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to effectively transition from 12mm drop shoes to 0-4mm drop. I think the longer you have been running in the higher drop shoes, the harder it becomes. Unfortunately, the article did not give any advice on how best to do this. I have been running in Asics Kayanos for at least the past 10 years, and other similar shoes for almost 10 more. I bought a pair of Saucony Kinvarnas a few years back and man were they rough! I love the light weight, but oh my gosh, I feel like I have duck feet flapping around on the bottom of my legs! I think I need to try and run in them a little bit each week and see if it gets easier.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    I'm breathing a little easier after last night's run. As a runner does, I had visions of a long term injury when I hurt my calf Sunday, but after feeling the improvement after Tuesdays' and last night's run, I'm feeling much more optimistic.

    5.4 miles last night, in my high drop, high cushioned ASICS Gel Nimbus shoes. I kept the pace about a minute slower per mile, the stride short, and tried to run like I was wearing my minimalist Merrells'. It felt like it worked. I felt lighter on my feet...springier even...as it should. I've read that natural form running (barefoot-like) allows you to store more energy in your Achilles and plantar facia, much like springs, and use that energy on the push-off, and it felt that way. Maybe it was all in my head.

    The important thing, though, is that there was ZERO pain or discomfort for the first 4+ miles. Somewhere around the 3+ mile mark my feet started getting sore from the new running form, which is to be expected, so I went back to the old form for the rest of the run, and eventually a slight discomfort came back.

    I'm encouraged. I had a 30 mile trail run planned for tomorrow but I think I'm going to run gravel roads instead. There's a spot nearby where I park at an intersection and run out & backs in all directions and can easily stop if or when my calf acts up. I have a 17 mile trail race coming up in two weeks which I want to be able to run as a full training run, not as a rehab run.

    Between the skipped runs when my son was home from college, and the skipped & shortened runs from this calf, it's safe to say I won't make either my trail mile goal or my overall mile goal.

    g1msubeevoe5.jpg
    g24.jpg 30.9K
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    7lenny7 wrote: »
    @girlinahat I was just listening to a podcast which talked about a frequent cause of getting up in the middle of the night around that time. They were interviewing Dr. Phil Maffetone and he says he sees it frequently. It had to do with the body releasing high levels of the stress hormone cortisol at night, when the level should be low. If you're interested, read this article about overtraining, particularly the "Stage 2" section.

    @girlinahat here's another good article about getting up in the middle of the night, and sleep as it pertains to training:
    http://sock-doc.com/cortisol-and-sleep/

  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    edited March 2017
    I'm not interested in barefoot running myself, but I did like a pair of 4mm drop trail shoes I purchased. I am keen on getting a pair of zero drop Altras, but right now I have about a dozen running shoes with plenty of mileage to burn before I'm going there.

    But it will happen. Might not be until next year though :lol:
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    In regards to the 0 drop, minimalist, barefoot running discussion, Born to Run is an excellent read that discusses the topic.

    My 1st pair of shoes were an 8mm drop. I read that book, and wanted to decrease so I went to the Kinvaras from there, which were a 4mm drop. Then down to 0 drop. It was a pretty easy transition for me, but I hadn't been running long. I will say the 1st day of 0 drop shoes didn't result in immediate love. The 2nd day was great though. Right now I have Altras and both my road and trail shoes are pretty cushioned. Not Hoka type cushioned. I do want to try a road shoe with less cushioning. However, I do not really have a desire to feel rocks underneath my tender feet when running trails. Ouch! ;)

    I've tried barefoot running just around the house and a tad on my street. The grass in Texas is drought resistant so it's not soft at all. There are also fire ant beds and stickers that keep me from trying to run in the grass.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories