September 2018 Running Challenge

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  • marisap2010
    marisap2010 Posts: 909 Member
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    @MegaMooseEsq Awesome job on your half!!!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
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    @MegaMooseEsq !!! WELL DONE!!!
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
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    Great job @MegaMooseEsq!
  • Avidkeo
    Avidkeo Posts: 3,190 Member
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    Well done @MegaMooseEsq
  • travelling_lots
    travelling_lots Posts: 377 Member
    edited September 2018
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    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Today I got to run 13.23 miles (and change, because my watch ran out of batteries in the last quarter mile or so), which included miles 5-7 and most of miles 4 and 8 of the Twin Cities Marathon course. For today’s PRs I ran my longest single distance, my fastest half marathon (it counts!), and most miles run in a week.

    As my husband put it on Facebook: My goal this year was to run a 5K in October. After my first 5K in July, I decided to run a half marathon in October. And after running my first half marathon in September, well, I’m still planning on running another 5 (or 10) and a half in October, but I’m definitely not scheduling any marathons for 2018. My husband said I shouldn't say things like that out loud. For real, though, I think the half is probably my distance.

    It was a really good day for a race. Amazing weather, sunny with a breeze, around 55 when we started with a dew point around 53. It was probably up to around 70 by mid-race, and just very pleasant the whole time. I wore a long sleeve shirt to bib-pickup but left it with my husband before starting.

    splqwfr4ac4w.jpg


    The course was two laps of a figure eight around Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet. The race website said that registration was capped at 1500 and was listed as full a couple of days ago. I think the results page said about 1350 finishers. The starting area was pretty narrow so it was hard to tell, but it felt like about the right number of people. Everything also felt very well organized, which I appreciated.

    kqd9izwulrss.jpg


    This was a more Serious Business race than my two 5Ks, but I didn’t feel as awkward as I did waiting for those to start. I’m sure experience was a lot of it, but even though I’d never ran 13.1 miles before, I think that I knew I’d done the work to get there, and so had everyone else there, so no matter what else, we had that in common. Maybe a few of those folks were weekend treadmill warriors who mostly hated running but just wanted something to do to kill a few hours on a beautiful Sunday morning, but I’m thinking very few.

    My plan was to stick to the 2:30 pacer through the first nine miles, and except for a quick bathroom break that’s what I did. There were actually two pacers per group, which was nice because 1) two heads (Garmins?) are better than one, and 2) they kept up an almost unending conversation through the race which helped me keep pace even when I was a bit ahead of them and provided a bit of a distraction.

    The first 6-7 miles felt, dare I say it, actually pretty fun and easy. I’d been concerned that the 2:30 group might be a bit slow based on my math, but I didn’t count on them walking through the water stops. I haven’t figured out running and drinking yet, so the walk breaks were fine with me and kept the running pace up a little bit. It was a bit crowded at points but mostly I enjoyed running with a pace group - there were maybe a half dozen women who ran the whole way more-or-less together, and even though we only exchanged a few words, I was definitely feeling the camaraderie.


    I did a little happy dance after we passed 9 miles and I was into PR land, but those last four miles were tough, especially the last three miles, but especially the last two miles, and ESPECIALLY the last mile right up until the crowd at the finish line was in sight. I think that I’ve been progressing so incrementally that I never really found myself in the position where I started questioning the wisdom of what I was doing, but that for sure happened today when I realized I was going to have to top-off my long run PR with a four mile “easy” run.

    Those pacers really saved my bacon, encouraging me to keep ahead of them, and to keep moving, and to run the tangents, which I’d largely ignored up until then, adding maybe .4 mile onto my total. Ah well. I broke away from them a bit in a few places, but ended up walking and letting them catch up again. I never let them pass me, though, and I crossed the finish line just before they did. I wasn’t expecting them to be announcing names as we finished, so that was an awesome surprise.

    44dxf1x4qgzz.jpg


    The results are still listed as “in progress”, but I’m listed at 2:30:22 clock time, 2:28:25 net time (chip?) and either one is great with me. Nothing impressive place-wise, but even with some walking I think I passed more people in the last few miles than passed me, so that felt good. And I ran the race I wanted to run, which feels really good.

    After food, a shower, stretches, a long nap, and a few hours of sitting around taking it easy I don’t feel especially beat up, although my knees are definitely of grumpy and my back is a bit tight and my hip maybe has opinions if I stay in the same position too long. I’ll do some more stretching before bed and most likely take tomorrow as a rest day. Maybe a chiropractor visit or a massage early in the week.

    SEPTEMBER MILES:
    9/1 Sa - recovery day
    9/2 Su - 1:48:13 - 9.01
    9/3 Mo - lifted heavy things, but not too heavy
    9/4 Tu - 0:55:04 - 5.15 tempo
    9/5 We - lifted heavy things, but not too heavy
    9/6 Th - rest
    9/7 Fr - 0:45:10 - 4.12 steady
    9/8 Sa - rest
    9/9 Su - 2:27:30 - 13.23 City of Lakes Half Marathon

    September Total: 31.51/85 miles
    Marathon miles: 6/26

    Races!
    July 4: Red, White and Boom! 5K Chip time: 0:32:20
    August 25: Glo Run Night Race 5K Chip time: 0:30:40
    September 8: Helen Gold 10K DNS - trip postponed
    September 9: City of Lakes Half Marathon Net time: 2:28:25
    October 6: Twin Cities Marathon Weekend 5 or 10K
    October 21: Mankato Half Marathon
    Well, it’s done!

    From a score of 1-10. 10 bring the best.
    How do you apart from making plants to see chiropractor next day

    Did you have fun?
    You look so happy in the picture. Either finish time sounds good too.

    Congratulations!

    When the next one ?

    Great wardware?
  • noblsheep
    noblsheep Posts: 584 Member
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    Need some advice here.

    I have gotten my grubby paws on some half marathon entries for Oct. 14. It's a standard road HM, quite flat, women only, so she likes that part. The HM cut-off time is 3.5 hours.

    SO is on the fence on whether to run it. She is a pretty good swimmer and can go at it pretty much forever. Lately she has been really getting into lifting - 4 times a week is the norm. She can run 10km in around 70-80 minutes but not without getting out of breath and walking toward the end (apparently she hasn't learned the art of slowing the f down). However, running is not something she does regularly.

    Oct. 14 is 6 weeks away. We are going on a 2 week trip to Ireland late Sep. and early Oct. I've planned a lot of slow running as per marathon training plan, so ideally she could tag along and get in some pretty long runs. She might also decide sleep is more important and not run a step.

    How doable is this situation? If she decides to do it, any suggestions on how to train without interfering (too much) with her lifting while not getting injured? Could she pull it off with two runs a week? What other runs might I suggest besides the weekend ever-increasing distance run?
  • workaholic_nurse
    workaholic_nurse Posts: 727 Member
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    @MegaMooseEsq WTG!

    @RunsOnEspresso as @Scott6255 said distance doesn't define you as a runner, the fact that you get out there each time and push it does. *hugs*

    @MobyCarp nice XC race report, love the hat.

    @royalty819 welcome!

    3.62 intervals and then slow run. Hit some shin splints just before mile 3 and had to walk for the last bit. Breaking in some new shoes as well so....be back to my usuals in about a week or so.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    @noblsheep I agree with @PastorVincent . Yes it can be done. Just make sure its a positive experience so she'll do more :wink:

    3.5 hour cut off for the HM is an average 16min mile. So ya, maybe she could run every other mile or such. Love that its a women's only event!
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited September 2018
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    @RunsOnEspresso hows today? You slept, cried, got mad.... We at acceptance yet?

    I woke up thinking about of you. I know you'll find another challenge. Hell, i bet you sneak up on a marathon or maybe even a century. You could always go to Hawaii in January and climb that volcano! :wink:

    Have a happy Monday inspiring running girl!
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
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    Scott6255 wrote: »
    @RunsOnEspresso BIG hugs! I know how you feel, having failed two years in a row myself to get to the marathon due to injury. I too cried. But running a marathon doesn't define you as a runner....running does. Be it a 5K, 10K, HM, full, ultra, or just around the block. It's how it makes you feel to push yourself to the limits. And that's what you have done. Never say never. There may be a day down the road that you will try again, and that is the thrill of running. There is always more road (or trails) out there to conquer. Chin up girl! You are awesome!

    This is really good, Scott, so I'm just going to quote it and say @RunsOnEspresso you are a runner, and an awesome one, whether you run a marathon or not. I totally understand having that goal and being really disappointed right now, so I add my virtual hugs.

    @marisap2010 great job on 20 miles again. Time to taper? I'm starting to be jealous of those with marathons coming up sooner who are on their last long runs. :)

    @missevil well done on your 5k!

    @noblsheep I'm in agreement with @PastorVincent's comments. It sounds like she's in good shape and athletic, but if she doesn't run regularly and doesn't REALLY want to do this herself, it might be a miserable 6 weeks of training and race. Especially if you are traveling for 2 weeks in there. If she's totally up for it and fine with not worrying about time at all and having to walk, then sure.

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