April 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

Tramboman

4-1 rest
4-2 7k easy
4-3 7k easy
4-4 rest
4-5 7k easy/threshold
4-6 11k easy
4-7 7k recovery
4-8 rest
4-9 7k easy/threshold
4-10 4k slow
4-11 rest
4-12 4k easy
4-13 5k (Shine the Light)
4-14 7k recovery
4-15 rest


April Total: 66k
April Goal: 150k

January Total: 131k
February Total: 159.5k
March Total: 183k

Next year when you pop in here claiming your December 2019 mileage, what accomplishments will you have made?
Run at least 4 5k races.
Get under 30:00 and a PR for 5k.
Average at least 135k per month, which would put me over 1,000 miles for the year.

Run the Year Team: Five for Nineteen

Scheduled rest day today. Just as well, because it's 35 degrees F, windy, with mixed rain and snow. Today was supposed to be the first day of golf league -- I'll run in the snow, but there's no way I'll golf in the snow, even though I have before. With age comes wisdom (sometimes).

@lporter229 Have a great race!!!


2019 Races:

4-13 Shine the Light 5K -- 31:12 chip time; First Place 65 and older
6-1 Freedom 5K (Will be off the schedule due to another commitment)
6-30 Strides for Starfish 5K

mbaker566

good luck @lporter229

rheddmobile

Yesterday I walked my 5k race, due to my Achilles’ tendon injury, while my husband ran the 10k we originally signed up for.

This race was a little bit cursed - we signed up for it because it had a nice shirt, a medal, and promised free beer and bbq with live music, plus it’s on the same trails where we usually do our hill practice. It seemed like the ideal first 10k race. But then the weather decided that of all the beautiful days in April this one day would be cold, torrential rain, with a wind warning for gusts up to 40 mph. So it became an exercise in determination. We will have fun whatever life throws at us!

At least the shirt was even better than expected, due to manufacturer shortages they upgraded our shirts for free, so it’s a high end tech fabric half zip with thumb holes. I expect to wear the shirt next fall after the weather cools back off (it has instantly gotten pleasant again, as soon as race day was over.) And I like the medal, which is a bbq grill.

My husband ended up with TWO medals, placing third in AG out of I think eleven.

We normally run together and had been curious how he would do running separately. He’s physically faster than I am but has asthma, and in practice I tend to outlast him over anything longer than 10k. Since we had done a tempo run on the exact mapped course before I was injured, I had a good idea of what I could have run had I not been injured. But then, as usual, the course wasn’t what was on the map. I have literally never run a race in Memphis where the map was accurate, with the exception of the big St Jude races. In this case, instead of starting on the paved trail, the races started and ended smack in the middle of a soggy field and then the runners ran towards the officially marked paved bit, with about an extra tenth of a mile tacked on to the start and end as a result. No idea why they did this, since there’s plenty of room to set up where the map says to set up, but the same crew handled the Turkey Trot and they did it then too. Yesterday the ground was absolutely saturated and squelchy. My husband was saying we should be arrested for abuse of road shoes! Our poor shoes looked like we ran a trail race in them! Anyway our practice run came in at 6.21, and his tracker had 6.37 for the official race. Based purely on pace, he ran the race about 15 seconds a mile slower than we did together. But then, conditions yesterday were horrifying.

The 5k started ten minutes before the 10k and ran the same course with the exception of a loop around the lake. As I lined up, the announcer made the usual announcement about slow runners and walkers starting in the back, and I realized this race was going to be a little different from my usual experience - instead of everyone jostling to the front, no one was willing to go near the starting gate. Every single person was hanging back a hundred feet from the start, looking around to see if any “fast runners” would materialize and step in front. The announcer eventually asked people to please move up! I realized, looking around, that the field was made up almost entirely of people who couldn’t run the 10k or half marathon for some reason. One fit young guy kept coughing into his sleeve. Several people had visible braces or bandages. Some were visibly unfit for reasons of age, infirmity, or obesity. And then there were my favorite people, who attend races all over the Midsouth area, the dancing crew. It’s usually a man and woman, but yesterday they had a friend with them. They wear matching shirts saying, “No walk, no run. We dance!” and they do - they dance the entire distance of the race, usually shorter distances but I’ve seen them at a half. I told them my troubles and that seeing them brightened what was set to be a disappointing race, and planned to hang with them as long as I could keep up - they dance faster than I can walk.

As we started, a woman walking near me commented, “The weather didn’t turn out to be so bad after all! It’s not as cold as they said it would be, and it’s not raining!” And that was true for the first mile, through the piney woods. Then we turned the corner into the open area by the lake.

You could hear it before you could see it - the howling wind and the supports for the flag over the visitor’s center clanking. Then, coming out of the woods, you could see the people who had emerged in front of you suddenly put on a burst of speed. The joggers were running, and the walkers started to jog. And then you emerged yourself, and the horizontal blasts of rain hit you in the face.

I wasn’t running because of my injury, so breaking into a run was not an option. I put my head down, held onto my hood, and walked very, very swiftly.

My husband, running the 10k, had two and a half miles of this, the first one into the teeth of the wind. He ran an eight minute mile, which is about 45 seconds faster than our usual 5k pace. Says he had no idea what speed he was running, he was just trying to stay upright. You know that video of the ducklings getting blown around? That was us. Found out later the wind was 25 mph with gusts to 60 mph.

For those of us walking the 5k, we only had a few hundred feet of unbroken wind, then back into the woods which provided some shelter. I decided that since my ankle didn’t seem troubled by a very fast walk, I would try to walk the rest as fast as possible, for the exercise and also because not running when surrounded by runners was SO HARD, Y’ALL! We passed some buffalo, who seemed untroubled by the weather. The wind put an end to any camaraderie among walkers, since no one could hear anyone, everyone strode briskly in silence. It was strangely beautiful - one of the blessings of being a runner is being out when sane people stay indoors.

I did burst into a run on the finish line. Couldn’t stop myself. It seems not to have hurt anything - in fact my ankle felt better after the race than before.

By the time I made it back - 45:17, average pace 14:15 according to my gps since the course was long - the temperature had dropped twenty degrees. A windswept cover band cranked out “Don’t stop believin.” I pulled up find my phone and located my husband, about three miles in. Soon the first 10kers came into view, a pair of young men wearing nothing but shorts and flying along, generating more than enough heat to stay warm. I positioned myself where I could cheer for my husband and snap photos as he arrived on the pavement and then after he turned onto the soggy run to the finish. He did 59:28, so under an hour, which was our goal. Assuming I had been running with him, I would have been second in my AG, and if I had run it at our practice pace, would have won the AG. But that’s why they have races, it doesn’t count unless you show up and do it! As it was, my brisk walk was 8th of 12. Yay not last!

We grabbed some bbq but it was a measly amount, instantly cold, and our fingers were freezing. So we went to the car to tailgate, then decided the heck with it and went to our favorite bbq joint, which was fortuitously open at 10 am on Palm Sunday Morning, even though we were the only people there. I found out later from the Facebook page that they ran out of bbq before the half marathoners got in, and the promised “beer” was a cup of half a beer. People were not pleased. All in all not a well run race, but it was their first time so hopefully next year will be better.

Still not regretting getting out there despite injury. In some ways this was harder than my half marathon. Not running is hard!

sillyshamrock11

AlphaHowls

4/1 15.3 miles
4/2 20.14 miles
4/3 20.26 miles
4/4 20.21 miles
4/5 28.52 miles, 340 days on the run
4/6 32.41 miles
4/7 15.16 miles
4/8 15.28 miles
4/9 20.64 miles
4/10 20.3 miles, 345 days on the run
4/11 20.36 miles
4/12 20.25 miles
4/13 40.29 miles
4/14 21.6 miles
4/15 20.32 miles, 350 days on the run

Teresa502

@lporter229 at the half 01:50:23! Her bib number is 20895 if anyone else wants to track her. She's doing great!

rheddmobile

Teresa502 wrote: »

@lporter229 at the half 01:50:23! Her bib number is 20895 if anyone else wants to track her. She's doing great!

Oh man hang in there girl!

kgirlhart

@lporter229 is finished! Her time was 3:46:37! Congratulations!!!!!

rheddmobile

Yay she made it in! Congrats @lporter229 on a fabulous Boston finish!

zeesparrow

Congratulations @lporter229! It was so fun to track your race and cheer you on from Washington!

Elise4270

kgirlhart wrote: »

@lporter229 is finished! Her time was 3:46:37! Congratulations!!!!!

Way to represent!!! PARTY!!!!

mbaker566

great job @lporter229

kgirlhart

@BeeerRunner has also finished! Congratulations!

And if I"m right @noblesheep also ran today! Congratulations all around!

Mari33a

01/04 1.73 miles
02/04 3.42 miles
03/04 3.24 miles
04/04 2.37 miles
05/04 3.51 miles
06/04 3.22 miles
07/04 2.78 miles
08/04 2.08 miles
09/04 3.22 miles
10/04 3.24 miles
11/04 2.23 miles
12/04 1.04 miles - for the April Streak
13/04 4.14 miles
14/04 4.08 miles
15/04 2.04 miles

Avidkeo

Congratulations to our Boston peeps!

Teresa502

Congratulations @lporter229!

Avidkeo

6k run this morning with an extra km walked tacked on to bring my time to 45 mins. Its getting cooler, around 11 degress c this morning (51f) makes for a fantastic run. This is close to my favourite temperature for running. It was clear with no wind. Just lovely.

Gonna have a rest tomorrow, I'm planning on a 15k run on Thursday... Been a while since I've done that distance. Looking forward to it. My mum arrives tomorrow as well for Easter break. So excited.

And interview is 2 weeks today!

Scott6255

@lporter229 FANTASTIC Boston Marathon! 3:46:37 is pure gold!
Congrats @BeeerRunner and @noblesheep as well. You all are the envy of us all!

KatieJane83

I'm still catching up (I really need to get better at following this thread over the weekend!) but I wanted to get my miles posted before another day went by, lol.

Got 2 miles in on Fri, intense zumba class Sat, and 6 miserable miles yesterday, lol. It was a combination of things: It was mid-70s & pretty humid and I'm not acclimated yet, I meant to bring water but forgot it, and w/every step the soles of my feet were burning. Now, as for the feet I'm really hoping it's not my new shoes (1st time in the Glycerin 16s after being in the 14s for ages). I always stress trying a new-to-me model # worrying that something like this will happen. However, I am open to the possibility that my feet were already sore after 5 days in a row of activity, including the intense zumba class in sneakers that I need to get rid of (I have a new pair for zumba, just keep forgetting to get them out of the box). I'll give the new Glycerins another chance or two, fingers crossed they work out!

Date Miles Notes
4/1 -- 5.5 -- Hoped to do 6 but needed to get to dinner plans w/my friend
4/2 -- 0 -- rest day
4/3 -- 1 -- test run of the new kicks + zumba
4/4 -- 0 -- life
4/5 -- 0 -- life
4/6 -- 3.1 -- Bill Fortune 5k w/the bestie
4/7 -- 0 -- life
4/8 -- 0 -- life
4/9 -- 0 -- life
4/10-- 3 -- finally getting out after a stressful day
4/11-- 2 -- lunch run
4/12-- 2 -- after work fun
4/13-- 0 -- zumba
4/14-- 6 -- miserable miles

22.6/50

Also, absolutely feel free to ignore this, but I've had people donate from the most random places so I figured I'd post my annual Wildlife Conservation Society fundraiser, since I have less than two weeks left and it can't hurt! This is the one big fundraiser I do every year and it's my 5th consecutive year doing it. It culminates in the Run For the Wild 5k at the Bronx Zoo, which I highly recommend to anyone else who lives in the area - it's a fantastic, fun day!

https://my.wcs.org/fundraiser/1836605

KatieJane83

Congrats on your Boston finish @lporter229!

Tramboman

Congratulations to all of our Boston marathoners!

MegaMooseEsq

Today I got to run 1.75 miles to the gym, where I deadlifted 145 pounds for four sets of three reps. Only 15 more pounds until I can deadlift my own bodyweight!

The gym is starting a weekly running group but I don't think I'm going to participate - it's Monday evenings at 5:30 and would eat more of a chunk out of my day than I'd prefer. Plus I like running alone.

And in random news, I filed my taxes today! Anyone else squeak in under the wire? >.<

Also, congratulations to everyone who ran Boston today!

4/1 Rest
4/2 Strength class, ran/walked 1.13 miles
4/3: Yoga and prehab
4/4: Strength class, ran .75 miles
4/5: Strength class, ran 1.65 miles
4/6: Rest
4/7: Ran 3.74 miles
4/8: Rest
4/9: Ran 1.76 miles, strength class
4/10: Spring blizzard
4/11: Spring blizzard
4/12: Ran 3.38 miles, strength class
4/13: Strength class
4/14: Ran 4.73 miles
4/15 Ran 1.75 miles, strength class

April Mileage: 18.89 miles

2019 Races! (bold registered)
January 26: Securian 10K, St. Paul, MN Chip time: 1:05:07
February 16: Half Fast 10K DNS
March 23: Hot Dash 5K, Mpls, MN Chip time: 0:28:39 (*PR!)
April-May: PHRC Pensieve 10K (virtual)
May 19: Women Run the Cities 10K, Mpls, MN
June 12: ESTRS French 5K, Plymouth, MN
June 29 Lift Bridge 10Mi, Bayport MN
August 4: Beat the Blerch Half Marathon, Carnation, WA
September 2: MDRA Victory Labor Day 5K or 10K, Mpls, MN
September 8: Sioux Falls Half Marathon, Sioux Falls, SD
October 5: TCM 10K, St. Paul, MN
October 6: TCM 10Mi, Minneapolis to St. Paul, MN
October 12: Bemidji Blue Ox 26K, Bemidji, MN
November 28: Turkey Trot St. Paul 10K, St. Paul, MN
December 14: Reindeer Run 10K, Mpls, MN

zdyb23456

4/1 5miles, 30 minutes TRX routine
4/2 5.86miles (tempo intervals)
4/3 rest
4/4 7.25miles (6miles, 6 strides)
4/5 10miles, 30 minutes hip exercises
4/6 4miles
4/7 rest
4/8 6miles, 30 minutes TRX routine
4/9 5.4miles
4/10 2mi, 1hr Regymen (similar to Orange Theory)
4/11 10miles
4/12 3.1miles
4/13 3.1miles
4/14 rest
4/15 6miles, 30min TRX routine

Ran six miles this morning and got back in time to watch the Boston marathon. I did my TRX routine while watching 🙂

martaindale

Forgot to put in my Sunday miles (2.4). And, I ran tonight, another 5.2 miles. It was upper 70’s and sunny, but a nice breeze. Warm, but not miserable. I have had this weird cramp/charley horse in my upper abs a few times now and I have a theory that it’s related to hunger. I run after work and usually have a snack about 2 hours before I make it out. The last couple of longer runs, I have eaten a little something, like 150 cals or so, right before I get ready. I have felt less tired on my runs, and no cramps so far. I’m going to keep doing it for a while and see what happens. A little bonus pre-run snack is probably a good idea anyway with all the calories I’m burning.
I have done every trouble shooting thing for my phone’s GPS, and it’s not working. Every day I get back from running, I have to fix the distance in Strava. This is annoying because it’s wrong, but also it throws off all the paces and my stats basically mean nothing. What’s the point in tracking that stuff if it’s all wrong? So, I am getting a new phone. I actually don’t remember exactly when I got this one, but I think it’s been a little over 2 years. Seems like they sort of stop working right after about 2 years now. Anyway, hopefully that will fix my tracking problem.

4/3: 3.1 miles
4/5: 3.3 miles
4/6: 7 miles
4/8: 4.3 miles
4/8: 2.1 miles
4/10: 2.4 miles
4/12: 7 miles
4/13: 2.4 miles
4/14: 5.2 miles

April total: 36.8 miles
April goal: 70 miles

2019 Races:

Piney Woods Trailfest 5k - 2/2/2019 29.23
Rodeo Run 10k - 2/23/2019 1:03.12
Run Houston! Minute Maid Park 10k - 3/23/2019 1:01.28
Brazos Bend 50 10k - 4/6/2019 1:15:33
El Chupacabra de Houston 10k (night trail run) - 8/2019
TWRC Run Wild Run Free 5k - 9/2019
10 for Texas 10 Miler - 10/2019 registered
Wine and Dine half marathon - 11/3/2019 registered

Run the Year 2019 - Team Five for Nineteen

katharmonic

Congrats to @lporter229 and @BeeerRunner and all the other Boston runners!

Date :::: Miles :::: Cumulative
04/01/19 :::: 3.8 :::: 3.8
04/02/19 :::: 2.7 :::: 6.5
04/03/19 :::: 1.6 :::: 8.1
04/04/19 :::: 0.0 :::: 8.1
04/05/19 :::: 0.0 :::: 8.1
04/06/19 :::: 5.7 :::: 13.8
04/07/19 :::: 5.0 :::: 18.8
04/08/19 :::: 0.0 :::: 18.8
04/09/19 :::: 3.4 :::: 22.2
04/10/19 :::: 3.3 :::: 25.5
04/11/19 :::: 4.1 :::: 29.6
04/12/19 :::: 3.6 :::: 33.2
04/13/19 :::: 5.5 :::: 38.6
04/14/19 :::: 5.3 :::: 44.0
04/15/19 :::: 4.4 :::: 48.3/ 100 mile goal

It was cold and rainy all day and I was more than ready to bail on speedwork, but the rain stopped about when I got home from work. Running outside with friends for motivation sounded better than the treadmill, so I regrouped and headed out. Tonight's workout was a 20-minute tempo run. It was a small group (I was not the only one not into the cold rainy day) so I was definitely back of the pack on this one. We finished with 4 sprints/strides, and with those plus w/u and c/d, it was about 4.4 miles for me.

quilteryoyo

Congratulations to all the Boston Marathon runners today!!

shanaber

Congratulations to all the Boston runners (@lporter229 and @BeeerRunner and any others?)! Hope you had a wonderful race!

lporter229

Thanks all! I am at the airport and just seeing this. It's so cool to know that you were all supporting me yesterday! I will post a race report when I get home. I did get to meet Lisa, @BEERRUNNER and we did a shake out run together on Sunday and rode out on the buses together on Monday. The weekend was full of wacky weather.

polskagirl01

Yesterday - 8.3 km at the track (12x400 plus recovery/warmup/cooldown) while my kid played around on the soccer fields (or football pitch, depending on where you're from). One benefit of the teachers' strike was that the fancy shmancy school track was empty and I did half of my workout there.

Today - 17 km checking out part of the marathon route.

I've got childcare lined up so I can do my final (for this time) 20-mile training run on Thursday. I'm looking forward to it.

ddmom0811

What a beautiful morning! So unusual that it's not miserably humid/hot in Orlando, even at 4:30am!
I had a nice slow run without any pain, but at one point I stepped on a rock, with the right foot and it made me step wrong or stretch or something on the right side and BAM - butt pain reappeared. I walked a little and then just did a slower run the rest of the way. It's not too bad or I would have completely stopped. I always remember something someone posted about running with an ache versus pain and am careful (somewhat).

4/1 - rest day
4/2 - 4.5 miles + strength training/legs
4/3 - 5 miles
4/4 - strength training / upper
4/5 - 4.5 miles
4/6 - 31 miles cycling
4/7 - rest day
4/8 - 5.2 miles + strength / glutes/legs
4/9 - 5 miles + strength - bi/triceps
4/10 - 4.4 miles -intervals
4/11 - 2.5 miles - cut short due to left glute
4/12 - strength training -legs and abs
4/13 - 45 miles cycling
4/14 - 1.25 miles on beach
4/15 - strength training - back/biceps
4/16 - 4.5 miles

36.7 / 70