April 2017 Running Challenge
Replies
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lporter229 wrote: »Made it to Boston yesterday. So far it has been everything I imagined and more. The expo was amazing. I got my number and my jacket! Spent lots of money on miscellaneous bling. You just get so caught up. I also might have cried a little while watching the preview of the course, but don't tell anyone. My bib number is 19738 if anyone wants to stalk me on Monday. I am still worried about aDNF as my hamstrings are still giving me fits. I hope I don't let anyone down. Knowing that I have followers might help push me through.
You won't let anyone down. Just getting the BQ and having a time fast enough to actually get in, already makes you part of the 1% of marathoners, who are only 0.5% of the population. You're already amazing. I hope the knowledge that we're all rooting for you will help you push through any troubles!2 -
MNLittleFinn wrote: »Another morning thought. I keep saying I'm slow, but that's because we have some really fast people here. I need to remember that, compared to the general population, we on here are all rockstars...
Yes, and even compared to many of us on here - you still have a rockstar pace. For example- friend took away my 1 minute walking intervals for our run last night. Made it the 6 miles I was supposed to, and the pace was 12:17/mile. I broke 10 minute miles for a 5k.... once.... barely....
Anyways- 6.1 yesterday brings me to 50.7/1007 -
You're still awesome @hanlonsk0
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@MNLittleFinn - That's the spirit! I like the way you think.
I'm never running Boston either. Heck, I may never even be as fast as you! 
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So a slight change to my training plan. Slight being relative because really it's a big change. Yet in the end my target fitness and performance should be similar, maybe a few points higher!
Instead of being a down week after 3 base building weeks, I am continuing my base building for 3 more weeks at my next highest mileage before my down week, so 6 weeks up, one down. This way my HM next week is in the middle of a cycle of 12 mile long weekend training runs, and I have the opportunity for a two week taper before my next HM on 5/13. This seemed to be the best fit I could come up with to fit these HM's in.
So I needed a 12 mile route today. Sticking with my plan of tackling hills, I recalled a "12 mile Death by Hills" route I created last year. I couldn't wait for that!!
It was exactly as described. My legs were feeling good after the first 7 brutally hilly miles, but I was experiencing some notable cardiac drift already.
Not the best sign at just over halfway in. By mile 10 I was having to walk all uphills and was hitting my Garmin high HR alert (entering zone 4) while walking up those hills. Even when running downhill my high HR alert would chirp before hitting the bottom.
I made it the whole 12 miles pain free, but my overall pace sucked *kitten* because of those last couple miles.
Still though, a good, successful run. 
4/1 - 10 miles
4/2 - 4 miles
4/3 - 4 miles
4/4 - 4 miles
4/5 - 4 miles
4/6 - 4 miles
4/7 - rest
4/8 - 10 miles
4/9 - 4 miles
4/10 - 4 miles
4/11 - 4 miles
4/12 - 4 miles
4/13 - 4 miles
4/14 - rest
4/15 - 12 miles of death by hills
72 of 120 miles complete
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Ran a fun local 10K this morning. I was trying to finish it in 60 minutes but actually finished in 62 1/2 minutes - so close! Oh well.
64/100 miles done in April6 -
WhatMeRunning wrote: »@MNLittleFinn - That's the spirit! I like the way you think. I'm never running Boston either. Heck, I may never even be as fast as you!
I'm gimpy and I'm not ruling out Boston You never know where your body will take you if you just give it the chance. Of course, I'll be content if I can match my pre surgery PR's. 5 -
01/04 4.06 miles
03/04 3.10 miles
05/04 3.51 miles
06/04 4.14 miles
07/04 3.10 miles
11/04 3.01 miles
13/04 3.52 miles
14/04 4.06 miles
15/04 4.12miles
Best of luck to @MobyCarp and @Iporter229 for Boston, I'm going to track you both too!
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I'll add to the good luck wishes to you Boston runners; you're my heroes already.
So today's run was the Texas Big Star Half Marathon. As my previous PR (unofficial) was 1:54:45, I'd planned on aiming for a 1:50 time, and so I set pace alerts for 8:15 (too fast) and 8:45 (too slow). However, I took a dose of Condense, which has about 200mg of caffeine...and as I'm not a regular caffeine drinker, that certainly kicked in on my heart rate. But the nice thing about caffeine is that it lowers your perception of effort, so I felt great, even though the 'too fast' pace alert kept going off. Relatively early, I passed the 1:45 pacers, and just ran my race according to how I felt (ignoring the alarm), but I knew I was slowing down a little when the same pacers caught back up with me, so then I just ran with them and decided to see how long I could match their pace.
I kept up with them until there was about a half mile to go, and then powered on ahead with the rest of runners that had been using the pacers. Crossing the finish line, I had an official time of 1:43:43, besting my previous PR by over 11 minutes. It's kinda amazing what race conditions will do to your run. My heart rate was pretty high too, averaging 187 and topping out at 202; that's caffeine for ya!
Funniest sign at the finish line? "That's a lot of work for a free banana."
Anyways, here's me with some of the other runners from my morning running group who also took part in the race. Super proud of them all for running the event, several of whom also set new PRs.
And here's my updated mileage for the month.
03 - 13.37
04 - 9.59
05 - 13.39
06 - 10.75
07 - 13.36
10 - 10.73
11 - 9.27
12 - 8.16
13 - 8.89
14 - 2.33
15 - 13.14
Total: 112.98 / 175 miles11 -
Date :::: Miles :::: April MTD (goal = 95)
04/01/17 :::: 7.7 :::: 7.7
04/02/17 :::: 3.5 :::: 11.2
04/03/17 :::: 2.5 :::: 13.7
04/04/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 13.7
04/05/17 :::: 3.5 :::: 17.2
04/06/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 17.2
04/07/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 17.2
04/08/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 17.2
04/09/17 :::: 3.5 :::: 20.6
04/10/17 :::: 3.0 :::: 23.6
04/11/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 23.6
04/12/17 :::: 3.2 :::: 26.8
04/13/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 26.8
04/14/17 :::: 4.0 :::: 30.8
04/15/17 :::: 6.2 :::: 37.0
You guys - I ran a 10K race today! I wasn't planning to, just woke up and was planning to go to my usual Saturday long run, but saw posts on facebook from people in the group who were doing the 10k. Well, heck, I might as well do that instead! So I threw on some clothes, jumped in the car and got myself signed up for the race with only about 15 minutes to spare. Usually I'm so early for these things, and doing it all last minute I had no time to get nervous!
It was a lot chillier than I thought at the start and I was regretting just wearing my tank top but it turned out to be a really lovely day. Slightly windy, but the sun was out and it was just cool enough that I didn't get overheated. This was my first 10k race ever (I've run 5k, 8k, and a half but never 10k), so obviously new to this course. I had expected hills from hearing about it but they said they revised the course to get rid of the "big hill". Overall it was rolling hills and pretty nice, except for one sneaky hill at the end that was kind of tough. I tried to maximize my downhills to keep my average pace up. It really felt great, and what a way to get out of my running slump! Lots of personal bests according to Strava:
And a cool spinning medal
After the race they served loaded tater tots that were amazing - they had eggs and pulled pork with cheese and sour cream on them. Plus some local hard cider.
I know that's a lot for a 10k race, but it was a great and much needed good run for me today. I feel like a real runner again
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@garygse - Congrats on smashing that PR and running an incredible effort!1
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@MobyCarp and @lporter229 just wanted to pop in and wish you both good Boston runs!0
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My goal is 3 miles a day. I am getting in shape for the first time and after a small injury, my workout was limited to cardio a month ago so I started walking and have added jogging. 16 laps around my yard is a mile so I walk 2 and jog 3-4. I have been consistent since April 1st. I have to take a couple of weeks off to recover from surgery, but hope to jump back in and continue to build my stamina.8
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Congrats @katharmonic on a great new PB, cool medal AND loaded tots??? I really want some loaded tots, like right now!
Welcome @daf_fields!0 -
Thanks! Now I'm just letting the recovery tights do their thing, while Garmin suggests that I don't run again for 3 days, lol.WhatMeRunning wrote: »@garygse - Congrats on smashing that PR and running an incredible effort!
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Goal - 40 miles
4/3 - 2 miles (gotta start somewhere)
4/5 - 2.5 miles
4/7 - 5 miles
4/8 - 1 mile then crosstrained
4/10 - 2 miles and strength train
4/14 - 5 miles
Total Miles - 17.54 -
WK: 4.10.17 - 4.16.17
M - Rest / Recover Day
T - 10.6 m. 9:33 pace.
W - 8.5 m.
T - 8 m.
F - 10 m.
S - 5 m. LR tomorrow, hopefully.
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Total -1 -
Chilling with family today means I'll end up with less than 12 hours between my next 2 runs. 5 miles tonight, 4 miles tomorrow morning..... unless I get the 4 in after I drive home tomorrow, but not sure on running after a 3.5 hour car drive1
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April Running Totals (miles)
4/1 – 18.19 paced run
4/2 – 3.90 easy 30 minutes
4/3 – rest day
4/4 – 10.75 tempo intervals
4/5 – 6.85 group run
4/6 – 8.18 tempo intervals
4/7 – rest day
4/8 – 12.07 paced run
4/9 – 7.83 almost easy 60 minutes
4/10 – 4.51 easy 30 minutes + 4 strides
4/11 – 7.81 warm up, speed work, cool down
4/12 – 3.81 easy 30 minutes
4/13 – 5.45 easy/MP workout
4/14 – travel day
4/15 – 4.12 easy run along the Charles River
April total to date – 93.47
Nominal Challenge Goal – 150 miles
Real Goals: Run Boston. Finish healthy. Recover well.
Today's notes – I've been struggling with a cold. Yesterday afternoon I felt like crap. Got to the hotel, put my nutrition in, and found I was 800 calories short of what I needed. Well. Went to McDonald's, had an Egg McMuffin and a cone, came back to the hotel and ate the Shot Blocks from the race packet.
In the night I had a fever; I slept better after it broke. Still, today was a day to be more careful and be sure I was getting enough calories. This is a new experience for me when traveling. When I travel with the club, I eat enough to gain weight. This trip, I met my sister. She eats very healthy, and not very much to maintain *her* weight. But she had also scoped out where there is a Trader Joe's, and now the mini-fridge in the hotel has some familiar stuff for snacks for the rest of my stay.
So this morning I got up, grabbed breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, and thought about running. Text from my sister; she was waiting to watch the BAA 5K. Ended up walking down to meet her. Found the wreath commemorating the 2013 Boylston Street bombing on its 4th anniversary:
After various conversations, we ended up at the corner of Hereford Street and Boylston Street when the leaders came through. This is just past the 2 mile mark of the BAA 5K:
We had plenty of time, so we positioned ourselves on the same side of the 5K route as the hotel. Went back there, regrouped, and headed out for an easy 30 minutes along the Charles River. I reverted to form, and didn't even think about taking pictures of the pretty scenery. My original intention was to use this run as practice for controlling pace.
In the first mile, I noticed a 7:15 pace. Looked at my HR. 153. Oops. Tried to run by HR after that; it was more challenging than I expected to keep it below 129. Ended up running 4.12 miles in 32:29, for an average pace of 7:54 per mile. Average HR came in at 130, but when I look at the graph I see a warmup plateau in the 150s during the first mile. And a dip when I stopped to tie my shoe. I'll take that as bad news, that pace control is still an issue that needs serious attention; and good news, that I was able to mostly correct it once I noticed my HR being way faster than intended. The plan is to wear my Vivofit on my right wrist on Monday, and try to keep my HR low for the first 6 to 10 miles of the race.
Last year, I didn't wear the Vivofit. I decided that it was one more distraction I didn't need. This year, I have some training experience (not much) running to HR. It's worth a try, particularly since the major goal is to finish health.
My cold has been bothering me off and on all day long, but it didn't seem to affect my running . . . at least for the short distance today. It remains to be seen how it will affect an endurance run on Monday, assuming it has not finished running its course by then.
Around 7 AM, @lporter229 sent me a PM with her contact info. I didn't see it until almost 5 PM, because I wasn't at my computer. Oh, well. Maybe I'll see her tomorrow morning on Commonwealth Avenue, maybe I won't. My sightseeing and social aspirations have been scaled back considerably due to my cold. The main goal at this point is to have enough energy to run the marathon and finish healthy uninjured.
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 Masters 8K (Bend, OR) Finished in 35:39, team won the 60+ Men's cross country championship
February 11, 2017 Freezeroo #5 (Valentines Run "In Memory of Tom Brannon" 8 Mile) (Greece, NY) sat out due to training schedule
February 25, 2017 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 4.4 mile) (Webster, NY) short course, finished 4.34 miles in 27:51
March 11, 2017 Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 mile (Rochester, NY) finished in 33:25
March 18, 2017 USATF Masters 8K Championship (Shamrock 8K, Virginia Beach, VA) finished in 30:59, PR for 8K
April 17, 2017 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)
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Date Miles today - Miles for April
4/1 20 miles - 20
4/2 10 miles - 30
4/3 REST DAY
4/4 10 miles - 40
4/4 4 miles - 44 << Daily Double
4/5 6.2 miles - 50.2
4/6 6.2 miles - 56.4
4/6 4 miles - 60.4 << Daily Double
4/7 REST DAY
4/8 16 miles - 76.4
4/9 REST DAY
4/10 7 miles - 83.4
4/11 7.5 miles - 90.9
4/12 REST DAY
4/13 8 miles - 98.9
4/14 5 miles - 103.9
4/15 14.5 miles - 118.4
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 Festival Marathon - 4/29
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@garygse - That's an amazing PR smash!! Well done!
To everyone running Boston (or any other race) have a fab time! Talk here of Boston plus seeing my mates in the pub this afternoon after a decent run has inspired me to do a marathon this year in advance of London next year.
Not sure which yet but one of the pub-goers is planning to do Beachy Head (aka Seven Sisters). It's both off-road and very hilly but very tempting as it's not until the end of October, (and also means someone to share hotel/travel costs with!)
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As for me today was 15k over 3 legs. Few (i.e. Lots of) beers since then so no report. Will just say I'm really pleased that although slightly behind I may actually make my goal this month for first time since December!
2-Apr: 19k easy
5-Apr: 5k very easy
6-Apr: 12k easy
7-Apr: 5k PR attempt + 2.4k cooldown [5K PR @ 24:28]
10-Apr: 4.3k + 4.1k easy
11-Apr: 11.9k + 5k easy
13-Apr: 13.7k MP
15-Apr: 5.2k + 10.1k easy6 -
4/1-6.05
4/3-3.45
4/12-3.32
4/13-1.02
4/14-3.01
4/15-6.26
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MNLittleFinn wrote: »I just had an intervention with myself and came to a realization..... I now have accepted that I'll almost certainly never be fast enough to BQ, and I now realize that my relentless push toward ultra is a way for me to compensate for that...... I may always be slow, but if I can go slow for a LONG way, I can be OK with it........
........LOL, Saturday morning thoughts...... this is the problem with getting my LR done on Friday, and not getting a run in yet today.
Just as an aside, and absolutely not a negative as to those running Boston, but here in the U.K. We get asked all the time if you're aiming for a marathon 'oh, are you training for the London marathon?' And for me the answer will always be No. I'm a trail girl, so roads and tarmac races don't interest me. Talk to me about UTMB or the Spine Race or a Bob Graham Round and I might want to talk, but talk a famous road race and I'm not that bothered.
Being fast enough for a BQ may be important for some, but does it affect your overall running urge? If the attempt to BQ means you hold back on something else, then I would suggest that the urge to BQ is not the thing for you. Seek out something deeper and better. You will find the answer in some unexpected places.7 -
@WhatMeRunning and @MNLittleFinn - do it like me: count on getting older! In a little more than thirty years, my current marathon time will be good enough to qualify, and I'll even be retired and have time to travel to Boston and run the marathonWhatMeRunning wrote: »@MNLittleFinn - That's the spirit! I like the way you think. I'm never running Boston either. Heck, I may never even be as fast as you! 
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@girlinahat - May not be hardcore enough for you but this is the one I got talked into this afternoon if you fancy joining: http://www.beachyheadmarathon.co.uk/
EDIT: p.s. I'd still love to do London next year. Not for running reasons but for social reasons - think it's just be an amazing experience to run with those sorts of crowds/support - that's also why I want to do a marathon before then so that I know (all being well) that I can finish so when it comes to London I can just relax and soak up the atmosphere.2 -
Goal - 40 miles
4/3 - 2 miles (gotta start somewhere)
4/5 - 2.5 miles
4/7 - 5 miles
4/8 - 1 mile then crosstrained
4/10 - 2 miles and strength train
4/14 - 5 miles
4/15 - 2.5 miles
Total Miles - 20 miles3 -
@lporter229 and @MobyCarp All the best for Boston!
@garygse That's a huge PR. Congratulations!
@katharmonic Awesome race! Sounds like it was a brilliant idea to sign up.
@girlinahat UTMB?! Wow, now that would be something... If you ever run it, let me now, Chamonix is just 90min away from me by car. I'll come and cheer you on!
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Today was the last very long run in my training plan. I used the chance to try out new sunscreen and a new hydration vest that I saw on sale and couldn't resist.
The sunscreen was a complete failure. Especially in the face, it felt really oily and sticky during most of the run, yuck!
The vest (Nathan Firecatcher Race Vest) was great. It leave more of the back uncovered that my hydration pack, so it felt lighter. Unlike my backpack, it doesn't have a whistle included, I need to remember to add that before taking it out on some mountain trails.
And I need to fix some spare hair ties to the straps as well. Today, I lost the one I was wearing after ~27km. I guess it took a moment for my braid to unravel, because when I noticed and looked around, I couldn't find it. Which ment 6km of running without. You know how in movies you sometimes see women with running with long hair flowing behind them, and it looks wild and free and sexy? That ain't me
I was sweating, and kept getting strands of hair in my face, and then they stuck to the oily mess that was the new sunscreen. I took a selfie at the end of the run, because I wanted to show off the new vest, but the I decided that nobody wants to see me after a 33km run with oily face and hair from hell, so I'll spare you that 
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girlinahat wrote: »Being fast enough for a BQ may be important for some, but does it affect your overall running urge? If the attempt to BQ means you hold back on something else, then I would suggest that the urge to BQ is not the thing for you. Seek out something deeper and better. You will find the answer in some unexpected places.
The BQ means different things to different people.
Some aren't particularly interested in Boston; the BQ is meaningless to them.
Some marathon runners are comfortable with the fact that they will never be fast enough to qualify for Boston even though they might like to experience it. Some subset of this group will raise funds for charity at least one year in order to run Boston because the BQ time is beyond their reach.
Some people try for years to BQ, and never get there. Other try for years to BQ before they ultimately succeed. The nasty thing is, while they're trying they never know which of these groups they are in.
Some people can BQ any year they want to put sufficient effort into training, if they pick a favorable marathon for the BQ attempt.
And some people will BQ pretty much any time they run a marathon.
Some people BQ and don't run Boston. I spoke with a woman at the expo yesterday who said she had many BQ marathons, but had to wait till she was retired to have the time to make the trip from California to Boston for the marathon. Other people may turn in BQ marathons, and not run Boston due to budgetary constraints. Visiting Boston on Patriots' Day Weekend is not cheap.
The perspectives on what the BQ means differ from one group of marathon runners to another. At the expo yesterday, I looked at medal racks. I ended up buying a Boston Marathon medal rack with 14 hooks. People asked me if I was going to fill it up with Boston medals. That's not likely; to do so I'd have to run Boston every year until I'm 73. But I expect to have 2 Boston medals to put on it, and I will pick which of my other medals I want to display.
If I hadn't bought the medal rack that turned out to be an inch an a half too long to fit in my suitcase, I could have bought a small 4-hook rack. The hooks on the left were labeled, "Qualifying." The idea is that people who worked very hard to BQ would hang the medal from their qualifying race on the left, and the medal from Boston on the right. But that wouldn't appeal to the woman I know who is running her 8th Boston this year, or the guy my sister knows who only runs Boston because he doesn't want to run more than one marathon a year.
It's a strange mix of attitude in Boston, from the people who are somewhat in awe of the fact that they actually got here, to the people who just casually say, "See you next year." And of course, there are grades of difference in between.6 -
@MobyCarp @lporter229 wishing you all the best at Boston!
Today I tried a little running (in 0.5 mile intervals) during my walk, and my hip only felt mildly stiff. It's been a couple hours now and it's still feeling only a little stiff. So, I am thinking I am over the hump. Tomorrow I'll rest the hip and try again on Monday.
Happy Easter everyone!2 -
@dkabambe @_nikkiwolf_ Thanks guys! After several hours of wearing the RY400s and a brisk walk this afternoon for a few miles, I'm actually starting to feel surprisingly normal again.4
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