September 2018 Running Challenge

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  • travelling_lots
    travelling_lots Posts: 377 Member
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Today I got to run 9.01 miles, a PR for longest single run! I also ran part of mile 2 of the Twin Cities Marathon course, but that was on accident around mile 8 of my run, and I walked a lot of it because it’s mostly a big stupid hill. I got some great pictures though!

    To start at the beginning, I got off to a late start, but I still had over an hour before sunset when I left the house, so I figured I’d be okay. First mistake. I’d decided to try out my new water belt, but left the vest at home as it’s a little big and I figured better to try it on a shorter run. I did wear a couple of reflective armbands, which were fine. At first, wearing the belt on my long run seemed like a mistake, but that turned out okay in the end.

    Running with the water belt was weird. Seeing as how I, like many but not all women, have a reasonably distinct waist, hips, and butt, trying to find a good location for even a wide piece of elastic in that general region was something of a struggle. I tried dumping half my water, but then the sloshing was bugging me. The first two miles were really stop and go until I finally managed to winch the straps as tight as they went and wear it so low I was sure it would fall off. At least then I wasn't whacking it with my arms.

    I’d also brought my phone, which isn’t exactly light, and swapped it around a few times before ending up in exactly the configuration I’d started in. I got some nice photos, though! Miles 3 through 5 or so were actually extremely pleasant. After the first two miles I was on a path I hadn’t run before, and now I can say I’ve run around six of the 10,000 lakes!

    Coming around the lake to head home it was really starting to get dark, and the path I’d planned on was dark and steep and didn’t have a sidewalk, so I looped back the way I’d came. Then I made my second mistake (maybe?). I knew the route home was going to be kind of dark and isolated, and I was tired, so I asked my phone for the shortest route home.

    Unfortunately, that route skipped all the rich people neighborhoods I usually run in and went straight down an access road along a freeway for a mile or so. Ug. I could see downtown for most of the run so I wasn’t exactly lost, but I wasn’t really happy with all that sidewalk running in the dark, either.

    Eventually this dumped me out in the sculpture garden, which is around mile two of the marathon, but not a section I’d planned on running because it’s mostly a big freaking hill. And also all sidewalks and too many people who get really confused by someone gasping “on your left”. Oh well. The sculpture garden is lovely at night, and the home stretch is the home stretch, no matter how you cut it.

    Looping back to the water belt, I was super glad I had it and did not give an eff about any sloshing by the time I was trudging up that last hill.

    PHOTOS!
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    The turnoff for my usual lake.

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    This lake was a repeat, but still super pretty.

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    A new lake! So many lakes! What's with all the lakes, Minnesota? I don't know if this was an especially pretty lake or if I just appreciated it more because it was new to me, but I loved the walkway.

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    Sunsets are also pretty! Unfortunately, I was still 3-4 miles from home at this point.

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    I didn't get any pictures of the scary freeway access road. But downtown is definitely pretty at night! Pretty, pretty, pretty.

    SEPTEMBER MILES:
    9/1 Sa - recovery day
    9/2 Su - 1:48:13 - 9.01

    September Total: 9.01/85 miles
    Marathon miles: 1/26

    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/Shirley Brooker 10K, Overland Park, KS
    October 6: Twin Cities Marathon Weekend 10K
    October 21: Mankato Half Marathon

    Beautiful photos. Would have loved that run
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    @MegaMooseEsq - Great pictures!

    Running with a belt takes getting used to. I am a guy so shaped a bit differently so this might not help, but I move the belt around os that the water bottle is behind me. Takes a little practice to draw and return the bottle, but it is really not bad.
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,471 Member
    @ContraryMaryMary That looks like an awesome race. I think I would get distracted by the views. Not sure how well I would do with the cave parts, since I tend to be a little bit claustrophobic.
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    edited September 2018
    sarahthes wrote: »
    @juliet3455 My next MEC trail race is around and past Fort Edmonton park so that's where I was yesterday :D. Oct 7 if you happen to be in town... pretty sure I will do the medium distance rather than the long.
    Pretty sure I ran all the trails on the course but in the wrong order LOL.
    @sarahthes That looks fantastic, I especially like the km 3-4 Wiggly Riverbank Trail promises some interesting terrain challenges. Will add that to my Edmonton list. Unfortunately I can't get to Edmonton then as I am the On-Call tech for Northern Alberta - Fox Creek to the NWT Border, BC Border to Slave Lake ( basically anything in a 4 hour radius of Peace River ). Nothing like being at the southern edge and getting a call for the northern edge 8 hrs drive away.

    I have done the runs on the east side of Hwy 2 - ie Kinsmen through Emily Murphy to Hawrelak then down to the Snow Valley ski hill/campground. I use the Strava Heatmaps to help me find new routes.
    Usually select Satellite view and Labels so it adds in some street address's to help a person figure out where the start/end points and parking areas.
    https://www.strava.com/heatmap#13.00/-113.57190/53.51218/bluered/run
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
    @juliet3455 I got turned on to Trail forks this summer. It's not perfect but it does often include live trail conditions! There's also trail difficulty rating which is nice. That wiggly bit was the muddiest, slippiest segment of everywhere I ran! Only downside was there were a out 10 bikes on the trail - though most of them had bells and I was wearing bright pink so hi-vis (plus my hair is currently also hi-vis flame red).

    Same area on Trail Forks:

    x3dp1ynyads7.png

    And the areas where you have been:

    qy0qurh1otaj.png
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,471 Member
    @marisap2010 Sorry you had to settle for an orange when you were anticipating Chic-fil-a. That would have been a huge disappointment. Sounds like you had a great run, even in the hot, humid conditions. Hope your picture turns out good.
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,556 Member
    Congrats on the PR @marisap2010! I can imagine how hard it was in those conditions.
    And I missed congratulations to @MobyCarp yesterday on your amazing HM! Always the beast!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    quilteryoyo wrote: »
    @marisap2010 Sorry you had to settle for an orange when you were anticipating Chic-fil-a. That would have been a huge disappointment. Sounds like you had a great run, even in the hot, humid conditions. Hope your picture turns out good.

    Oranges are great! I love oranges! But if you are expecting Chickfila, that would be a bit...umm underwhelming.
  • workaholic_nurse
    workaholic_nurse Posts: 727 Member
    Great race reports all!

    Unplanned rest day today as we went to a concert last night and I had trouble getting to bed at a reasonable time, think it was 0330 before I hit the rack. Will be back at it tomorrow though.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
    shanaber wrote: »
    I have a question for the group - when you go on vacation or a business trip do you get excited about running in a new place and spend time plotting out where you might be able to run?

    We are going on a road trip next week and I spent several hours last night (instead of going to bed) looking at Google Maps and running sites for route/trail recommendations. Then I plotted a route in each location where we will be staying and saved them :)

    I always plan to run when I travel. I even bring my running gear. Alas.... I usually don’t end up following through with it. My husband and I both love to hike so this is our usual activity on the rare occasions our schedules sink up for vacation. Most of the time I travel for work and don’t have much time. I am lucky if I can squeeze in a hotel treadmill slog on a work trip.
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,471 Member
    amymoreorless wrote: »
    Should I count my hikes and walks in my monthly challenge miles? Is that cheating?

    It depends on whether you were challenging yourself to RUN said mileage, or only propel yourself forward for that distance.
  • shanaber
    shanaber Posts: 6,423 Member
    @marisap2010 - Congratulations! That is a great time improvement under not so great conditions! I would be super disappointed if I thought there would be Chickfila and there were only oranges... When I try and smile for the cameras during a race I usually end up looking like I am in incredible pain! Ha! Hope yours turn out much better :)
    @amymoreorless - I think it is up to you whether you count your hikes or not. For me personally I have counted recovery walks or walk with 'purpose' but not if I am just out for just a casual evening stroll around the neighborhood.
    @Elise4270 - 9 miles today! Wow you are killing it!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    quilteryoyo wrote: »
    amymoreorless wrote: »
    Should I count my hikes and walks in my monthly challenge miles? Is that cheating?

    It depends on whether you were challenging yourself to RUN said mileage, or only propel yourself forward for that distance.

    Exactly. Your challenge, you set the rules for you. I personally do not, but others do.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    shanaber wrote: »
    I have a question for the group - when you go on vacation or a business trip do you get excited about running in a new place and spend time plotting out where you might be able to run?

    We are going on a road trip next week and I spent several hours last night (instead of going to bed) looking at Google Maps and running sites for route/trail recommendations. Then I plotted a route in each location where we will be staying and saved them :)

    I just wing it. I run towards water. LOL
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    @amymoreorless I am sorry for your loss. <3
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    @shanaber Yes, I do that. Last time, I was taking a very intense (i.e. long days and a couple of nights) course held in a national park service site. I ran some trails there, but unfortunately had too little time to get much done in miles. On the drive down, I gave myself plenty of extra time to do a long run along a biking/running trail along the way.

    When I travel for work, it is normally to the same location. I've been there enough times that I no longer have to look it up - I already know where I'm going to run and how to best run from the hotel to the biking/running trail nearby.

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