July 2019 Monthly Running Challenge
Replies
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zamirasoni wrote: »Thank you guys for the welcoming @kgirlhart @bride001
. Short story for my introduction. I recently got kick out of my running team. I was just not running enough. I gained about 30 lbs from my last half marathon and the extra weight takes a huge toll in your joints. So, I started slow and my plan was to increase my mileage and my knees felt better. So, my friends moved on to full marathon training and I'm just not on the right physical condition at this time 
It made me sad, not be a runner on their eyes.
Bad news: you ARE a real runner, despite what those former running companions might think.
Welcome to the challenge!!5 -
zamirasoni wrote: »Thank you guys for the welcoming @kgirlhart @bride001 . Short story for my introduction. I recently got kick out of my running team. I was just not running enough. I gained about 30 lbs from my last half marathon and the extra weight takes a huge toll in your joints. So, I started slow and my plan was to increase my mileage and my knees felt better. So, my friends moved on to full marathon training and I'm just not on the right physical condition at this time It made me sad, not be a runner on their eyes.
That's awful! You will find that this group is very supportive. There are runners from every level in this group, from those just starting c25k to those running marathons and ultras. I've only been running about 2.5 years and have done a few HMs. I've learned a lot from this group.3 -
zamirasoni wrote: »Thank you guys for the welcoming @kgirlhart @bride001 . Short story for my introduction. I recently got kick out of my running team. I was just not running enough. I gained about 30 lbs from my last half marathon and the extra weight takes a huge toll in your joints. So, I started slow and my plan was to increase my mileage and my knees felt better. So, my friends moved on to full marathon training and I'm just not on the right physical condition at this time It made me sad, not be a runner on their eyes.
Bad news: you ARE a real runner, despite what those former running companions might think.
Welcome to the challenge!!
Yep. You are a runner if you run unless you find dead bodies, then you are a jogger, and we want to stay away from wherever you are jogging!
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02/07 2.52 miles
03/07 2.55 miles
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PastorVincent wrote: »zamirasoni wrote: »Thank you guys for the welcoming @kgirlhart @bride001 . Short story for my introduction. I recently got kick out of my running team. I was just not running enough. I gained about 30 lbs from my last half marathon and the extra weight takes a huge toll in your joints. So, I started slow and my plan was to increase my mileage and my knees felt better. So, my friends moved on to full marathon training and I'm just not on the right physical condition at this time It made me sad, not be a runner on their eyes.
Bad news: you ARE a real runner, despite what those former running companions might think.
Welcome to the challenge!!
Yep. You are a runner if you run unless you find dead bodies, then you are a jogger, and we want to stay away from wherever you are jogging!
Yep, what he said! Welcome @zamirasoni and other newbies. This group is the best group ever!
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This is an awesome group!! 4
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7/2/19-2.98
7/3/19-3.00
Progress so far!!4 -
Welcome @amirasoni!
I'm calling it a rest day today. Picked up my bib for tomorrow's 10-mile race, along with a new water bottle and some salt tabs. Oh, and a tank top. 4th of July sales plus my saved up loyalty bonuses meant that my "I really shouldn't buy more stuff" argument was easily overcome. The water bottle is one of those squishable ones I've been wanting to try. I pretty much hate all options of carrying water so I'm not overly optimistic, but hoping for "less hateful" and "keeps me alive" as a baseline.10 -
Oh wow @Elise4270 I'm so jealous about you seeing tarantulas in the wild. That is very cool. Also, I'm only seeing eight legs - where you have two marked close together on the left hand side, I only see one, but perhaps that's just me looking in my phone.2
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PastorVincent wrote: »@Elise4270 I had to look up "pedipalp". This forum is awesome.
I did too. But come one, how many of us know all the parts of our own body's never mind some random species of spider
Of course! Knee bone connected to the, shin bone. Shin bone connected to the ankle bone....5 -
My goal is 60 miles this month. I think that I ran 57 miles last month... so not an unreachable goal.
July 1....4.26 miles (Monon trail) I ran it after working 3 nights in a row. It was exhausting but I am glad that I got it done.
July 2....4.66 miles (Monon trail) Very hot day. I waited until temperature was in the high 80's.It was 88 degrees when I started. Even after the sun set, it was still 85 degrees. I was inspired by bumblebees who were very busy gathering pollen. It must have been lavender zinnia day in the bee world because they were not interested in any other flowers. Anyway, I was inspired by their work ethic. I started out and it wasn't all that bad. Actually my pace was a little faster than the previous day.
Total: 8.92 miles
Goal: 60 miles.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful Independence Day. I am working this holiday and it should be the last holiday that I have to work this year.7 -
@Mari33a haha! I like critters. They are better than bears or lions or anything else that might eat me. We have mt lions, but they don't bother people. Oh there are gaters in the lake now at texoma. I'll pass there. Take a tarantula any day.
And doc update.
Saw PA
Warning for the squeamish. X-ray. @AvidkeoHorrible photo of the computer screen. But it's noticably healed some since the last visit. Hooray!!!
Think I'll use the tm daily for about half a mile rather than trying to pile on the miles and regret it for a week. Leg is cranky today after yesterday's walk.
Woooo hooooo yeah looking really good!1 -
zamirasoni wrote: »Good morning!!! I always wanted to join a running challenge group, but I get so intimidated by the real runners. I'm what you would call a casual runner. I run a half marathon once a year or every other year, really depends on motivation. Right now, I'm currently training for my 2019 half marathon.
Goal for July-44 miles
Real runners are people who run. Fake runners are people who talk about running, but never get as far as actually going out to run. Joggers are people who find dead bodies.
Don't be intimidated by people who can run faster or farther than you can. They didn't get there overnight, and you may well become able to run faster or farther than you can now.
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Standard 5km. Up the hill into the wind (god how i hate the wind). Turned around at the top and yep you guessed it, downhill into the wind.
I did though see a shooting star. Which was nice.
3 july......5km......38.08
Goals
1. Runs............11............1
2. Distance......59km......5km
3. 5k Time.......<35m......x
4. Long Run.....7km.......x
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zamirasoni wrote: »Good morning!!! I always wanted to join a running challenge group, but I get so intimidated by the real runners. I'm what you would call a casual runner. I run a half marathon once a year or every other year, really depends on motivation. Right now, I'm currently training for my 2019 half marathon.
Goal for July-44 miles
I seriously thought I was that too, a casual runner. I didn’t think I could do it at first given my heart issues and how hard it seemed. I began to enjoy it and well even though I’m slowish and only done maybe 3 or 4 races so far, I’m a runner! I love saying that!
I’ve also got a hm in September..nervous and excited at the same time.9 -
6.25 miles with .5 walk today. So so hot. Ugh.
Managed to push through.
July 1 6 miles
July 2 3.5 .5 walk
July 3 6.25. .5 walk
Total 15.75 run. 1 m walk7 -
July Running Totals (miles)
7/1 – rest day
7/2 – 5.46 easy
7/3 – 4.67 easy
July running total to date – 10.13
Nominal July mileage goal: 150
Real Goals: Build base. Ease into training for New York. Stay healthy.
Today's notes – Almost didn't get out to run today. It was warm, I was still a bit beat up this morning, traffic was awful when I went to packet pickup. Ended up deciding to mow the lawn, and maybe take an extra rest day.
Got done with the lawn, and still felt like I could move. I was mostly dressed for running anyway, and sweaty enough that I didn't need to wet down the HRM. So I put on my HRM, changed into running shoes, and went out for 3 or 4 easy miles about 5 PM. Garmin helpfully told me it was 82° F, and I'm guessing the dew point was somewhere around 65°. Not killer weather, but not terribly pleasant running weather either. I stuck to residential areas, and ran for what shade I could find.
By 2 miles, I knew I could handle 4. I was running a familiar 4.2 mile route in the reverse direction of what I usually run it, and I slogged along. After 3 miles, I started thinking in terms of 5 miles. Ran an extra cul-de-sac, then adjusted to what ought to bring me back to my driveway right about 5 miles.
About 600 meters from home, I started getting an intermittent cramp in my left calf. It wasn't bad enough to compel me to stop running. I know you've heard this story 100 times, and you know what's coming next. I've heard this story 100 times, and lost count of how many times I've lived it; maybe a dozen?
So . . . the cramp wasn't severe enough to compel me to stop running. I stopped running anyway. Walked the rest of the way home. Drank what was left of my Nuun. When I got home, popped an S-Cap. Got my stretching done. And so far, I feel OK. Tomorrow morning will tell whether there's any real damage.
I didn't feel like living the usual ending of this story another time. There are no medals for training runs.
2019 Races:
January 1, 2019 Freezeroo #2 (Resolution Run 7.5 mile) (Mendon, NY) finished in 50:55
January 5, 2019 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY) finished in 1:30:48
January 12, 2019 Freezeroo #3 (Pineway Ponds 5 Mile) (Spencerport, NY) finished in 33:10
January 26, 2019 Freezeroo #4 (Hearnish 5 mile) (Victor, NY) 4.9 miles, finished in 32:28
February 2, 2019 USATF XC Championship, Masters 8K (Tallahassee, FL) finished in 32:53
February 9, 2019 Freezeroo #5 (Tom Brannon 8 mile) (Greece, NY) finished in 55:55
February 23, 2019 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 4.4 mile) (Webster, NY) finished in 28:34
March 16, 2019 USATF Masters 8K Championship (Shamrock 8K) (Virginia Beach, VA) finished in 32:02
March 17, 2019 Shamrock Half Marathon (Virginia Beach, VA) finished in 1:34:21
April 13, 2019 BAA 5K (Boston, MA) DNS - injury
April 15, 2019 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA to Boston, MA) DNS - injury
April 28, 2019 USATF Masters 10K (James Joyce Ramble) (Dedham, MA) canceled registration - injury
May 19, 2019 Lilac Run 5K (Rochester, NY) DNS - injury
May 19, 2019 Lilac Run 10K (Rochester, NY) DNS - injury
May 25, 2019 Sunset House 5K (Rochester, NY) DNS - injury
June 7, 2019 Charlie McMullen Mile (Pittsford, NY) DNS - precautionary
June 16, 2019 Medved 5K to Cure ALS (Rochester, NY) finished in 20:19
June 29, 2019 A Country Mile at Ganondagan (5-ish mile trail) (Victor, NY) 5.41 miles in 49:35 with multiple wrong turns
July 4, 2019 Firecracker Four Mile (Fairport, NY)
July 13, 2019 Shoreline Half Marathon (Hamlin, NY)
September 1, 2019 Oak Tree Half Marathon (Geneseo, NY)
November 3, 2019 TCS New York City Marathon (New York, NY)12 -
I took advantage of another storm system blowing through and ran outside this afternoon. Got a little wind and some cloud cover which helped to make the temps a bit more tolerable. It was really nice to get off the treadmill for a day!
On the home front, we got a dishwasher ordered but of course it won't be here for 2 weeks. I wanted one to match our fridge and they didn't have it in stock. Luckily my in-laws live behind us so we can use their dishwasher and not be stuck hand washing dishes for 2 weeks. I know, I know, serious first world problems!!
7/1: 3.5 miles
7/3: 3 miles
July total: 6.5 miles
July goal: 66 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 Nineteen4 -
Welcome @zamirasoni! I have a friend who started running a few years ago, she decided to train for a marathon, had a terrible experience but kept with it even though she thought she really couldn't and wasn't a 'real' runner. This last year she ran the Berlin Marathon and the Boston Marathon! Anything is possible! You are a real runner and you can do it - you never know you may end up surprising yourself!
@Elise4270 - I am no medical professional but your x-ray looks awesome to me! What a big difference! It is great to actually see it healing so well!
@girlinahat - you need to get to a dryer area to see tarantulas. My cousin in AZ had them as 'pets', not really pets but they lived around his house outside and he protected them. We would be sitting outside and they would come out and wander around. Pretty cool actually and I really don't like spiders.
No run for me today. Too many life issues and adulting requirements to allow for an early run with the pup before it got too hot. I will make up the scheduled run on my training plan tomorrow.2 -
Monthly questions:
Yearly goals - I was 5k short of 100 miles in May, and could do better on the weekly cross-training (typically cycling or swimming), but otherwise YES, the goals are going well.
Forgetting/remembering - I use lots of calendar reminders and notes in my phone. Otherwise I'll forget.
Exercise addiction - I had listened to a podcast about this a while back (Marathon Training Academy) that was really helpful. Basically, "addiction" is something unhealthy, so it's different from really liking running or taking advantage of the endorphins and other benefits. Warning signs are things like: you can't stop, even if you are injured, it is interfering with your responsibilities, relationships or health. Frequently addicts don't believe they are addicted, so it can be helpful to really listen to the people who care about us. I also think we need to be careful as we set our goals, that the NUMBER of miles is secondary to maintaining a healthy balance in our lives. If you can't do that, consider NOT setting a number goal!
My main goal is consistency, so my goals for the year support that: 100 miles/month, weekly speedwork and cross-training (typically cycling or swimming), and at least one training run per month of at least half marathon distance. But those things are secondary to staying healthy and balanced in the rest of my life.
July goal 100 miles, progress so far:
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@zamirasoni forward is a pace. you are a runner!
late to the party...
memory - I'd say I have a pretty good memory. I can recall facts and seemingly random tidbits about people that I met once and even many years ago. I can also recall where words and passages are located in books. I don't know how I do this, I just can. It drives my students crazy because until a few years ago I had assumed that everyone who read could do this. In fact, I didn't even realize that I had a good memory until I met my husband (not my son's dad), who self proclaims that he has the memory of a goldfish. My son also has my memory--as a family we end up having interesting recollections of discussions/arguments...I'll leave it there.
goal for June - 80 miles (92 completed)
my goal for July - 80 miles + strength training program for marathoners (logging for personal accountability)
July 1 - rest day
July 2 - 4.5 miles (10 minute warm up; 30 minute tempo run)
July 3 - strength training + 30 minute spin5 -
90% humidity, but got'er done anyways. Happy to say that not feeling the 50k at all now. So can start thinking about the next plan/target soon.
Date...........Run.......Walk
07/01........00M.......3.5M
07/02........00M.......3.5M
07/03........11M.......3.5M
---MTD: 3.5 miles walking, 0 miles running, and 0KM resting
Upcoming Races
Fleet Feet Liberty Mile - August 9th
Howl at the Moon - Nighttime 5k - August 10
EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler - November 2nd
(a few more races yet to register for)
202? - Disney World Dopey! (if can raise funds)7 -
July 1 - 1.1 mile
July 2 - rest
July 3 - 3.46 miles
It’s hot in Houston but an afternoon rain cooled things off enough for me to run at a local park before dark. I usually run in the neighborhood at dusk and later due to the heat.6 -
@katharmonic will be interested to hear what you think of the squishable water bottles. I keep looking at them but can't really justify the cost when I have loads of rigid bottles.2
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eleanorhawkins wrote: »@katharmonic will be interested to hear what you think of the squishable water bottles. I keep looking at them but can't really justify the cost when I have loads of rigid bottles.
I've got some squishy bottles. They look a bit like these and I carry them in hand for shorter runs (<10km in summer, <15km in winter) when I don't want a backpack or a belt. They are a bit annoying but it's better than dying of thirst. Tried out a bunch of brands and some cheapo knock-off was the only one that didn't leak
I've also got a bigger one that looks similar to this, that I use for flying and traveling. It's too big and unwieldy for running though.1 -
Race report! Memphis Stars and Stripes 5k.
My primary goal for this race was to do better than I did last year, which wasn’t a big ask since we ran 38 minutes and something last year.
This race is the series finale of the M series of road races, so all the really fast local people show up. I knew I wasn’t getting anywhere near the podium, but hoped to finish in the top 10 of my age group. Well... three too many fast people showed up for that to work out for me. I ended up 13 of 56. I also hoped to finish sub 30 minutes, and didn’t quite manage that with a 31:05. BUT! It turns out the official course length was 3.23 miles, making my official pace 9:37. Since a sub 30 minute 5k is 9:40 pace, it turns out that while I didn’t finish the race in under thirty, I did technically run it at sub 30 pace! I’ll take it.
I’m also pretty content with my AG placing, since I looked at the finishers, and my good buddy / arch nemesis aka “Lady who runs faster than me on my best day” who bested me in the winter trail series was only able to manage an 8:53 pace and seventh place in this heat. She normally runs 7:30 miles or thereabouts.
Speaking of the heat! Another major goal for me was managing the heat. Last year I honestly thought I was going to faint at the end of this race, which starts at 7 pm, at which time the sun is still well up and the temperatures are near their highest. This year I was a little better adjusted to running in the heat. I also had an ice belt which is a gel pack that sits in the middle of your back. Temperature at gun time was 97 degrees. And the dewpoint was OMGBBQ 82! 82, really? The highest I had previously seen the dewpoint get in Memphis was 78. There’s no shade on the course, which starts and finishes down a gravel road through open parkland and goes down a major street before turning into a suburb briefly then emerging onto another major street. No cloud cover of course. The air just felt brutal and I was soaked and breathing hard from the heat before I even started running. I ate some frozen orange slices, put on my gel pack, and it felt great, for about the first mile, after which it was body temperature, and I had to take it off and carry it because it was making me hot. Fortunately it was pretty light and easy to roll up and hang onto.
Mile 1, felt fast and easy, little under 9 minute pace. Mile two, starting to get hot, pace dropping to 9:18. Mile three.... about halfway, I gasped to my husband, “I think I may actually die from this heat,” and he said something flippant and vaguely encouraging, I can’t remember what, and he can’t either because neither one of us had a brain that was operating at that point. Shortly after he said, “yeah I might have to stop, seriously,” and since the big annoying hill was coming up we walked it, for a tenth of a mile. Then started running again, feeling honestly not that much better but enough better not to literally stop and fall over! Which is something! Mile 3 including walk break was 10:38. The next mile marker is where the race turns onto the gravel road again. I purely despise running on gravel. And fast finishing on gravel, especially gravel full of ruts and rainwater, is for the birds. Husband pants, “Keep going it’s only a tenth,” and I said, “no it’s not,” because I remembered the distance from last year, and also I could see the finish at that point, and yeah a quarter of a mile looks a lot different from a tenth when your radiator is starting to smoke. But we made a show of picking up the pace and trotted on in, and joined the other bright red soaking wet people stumbling around in the finish area. One man we passed said, “I can’t get out of your way sorry because if I move a step I will fall right over,” and I said, “I hear ya buddy.”
So we drank water and walked in the shade of the trees until we could breathe and think again, then went back and got the misty fan thing my mom gave me, and the cooler, and went back and listened to what was really a very good cover band and ate fried chicken. This race gives out hot dogs and chips, but both hot dogs and chips are problematic for me, and according to my husband the hot dogs were soggy last year, and no one likes a soggy hot dog. So we had intelligently provided ourselves with Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, which is practically on top of the race site.
Highlights: the cover band, the Dantones, was exceptional. They played a huge range of old stuff, from Prince’s “Let’s Get Crazy” to Hall and Oats, plus new stuff like Bruno Mars and really new stuff like “Old Town Road.” Anyone who can segue from a screaming classic guitar solo to rap music has my respect. Swag at this race is thoughtful and useful. It’s supported by an eye clinic and they always give out running glasses and face towels. You can tell a runner from Memphis by their bright orange M Series face towel. And I wear the glasses from last year all the time, it’s nice to have a second color of them. My favorite not-runners, the dancing crew, were there, all wearing an assortment of patriotic clothing and dancing all the way from the first announcement to the finish line. A lot of people were wearing Stars and Stripes in various forms including one young man in a giant Uncle Sam hat. We met a nice fireman in a kilt, who was gregarious because he is in the middle of training and hadn’t gotten more than two hours sleep for the past three days. We saw a very excellent tiny baby, whose mom ran with him in a stroller. Can’t have been more than a week old. A fit muscular lady and I complimented each other a lot on looking good and being older than our actual ages. And we saw a bittern catch a goldfish, down by the lake.
We forgot to take pictures after the race started, but I have a couple from before:
Note: that 82 degrees was the dew point! Also note my red white and blue lucky breakfast! And the obligatory lucky race fingernails, because you run faster when you have race themed fingernails. Or maybe that’s just me.
I love these glasses, they change from stars to stripes depending on the angle.
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eleanorhawkins wrote: »@katharmonic will be interested to hear what you think of the squishable water bottles. I keep looking at them but can't really justify the cost when I have loads of rigid bottles.
I've got some squishy bottles. They look a bit like these and I carry them in hand for shorter runs (<10km in summer, <15km in winter) when I don't want a backpack or a belt. They are a bit annoying but it's better than dying of thirst. Tried out a bunch of brands and some cheapo knock-off was the only one that didn't leak
I've also got a bigger one that looks similar to this, that I use for flying and traveling. It's too big and unwieldy for running though.
Those (the Decathlon ones) are what I've been looking at out of the corner of my eye when the other half isn't looking... my huge trail belt can carry two 500ml bottles, but when you're short, having 2 rigid 500ml bottles strapped to your behind makes running a little awkward, I keep banging my elbows on them! I'm taking 330ml bottles at the moment, which are just that bit smaller and bearable, but my long runs are getting to the point now where even going out at 7am I run out of water before I'm done. Roll on autumn/winter, that's all I can say!
Didn't post yesterday's run, was supposed to be 5km but ended up being 5.8km. 13km planned for tomorrow, followed by 3 whole run-less days due to (sorry, not sorry) leaving for Madrid on Saturday morning for the BON JOVI CONCERT!!!!!!!! I toyed with taking my stuff but then decided to stop being such an addict and give the legs a few easy days of nothing but touristy wanderings.
ETA: @rheddmobile awesome, well done!7 -
@rheddmobile DANG! Racing those conditions is insane! And to do so well, yousa rockstar!1
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eleanorhawkins wrote: »@katharmonic will be interested to hear what you think of the squishable water bottles. I keep looking at them but can't really justify the cost when I have loads of rigid bottles.
I have 2 squishable bottles that are very good quality, but I can not figure out how people actually hold them and drink from them on the run. I do not think I have ever used them. If you have a USA shipping address I can probably mail them to you, international shipping would be too expensive for me though.0 -
PastorVincent wrote: »eleanorhawkins wrote: »@katharmonic will be interested to hear what you think of the squishable water bottles. I keep looking at them but can't really justify the cost when I have loads of rigid bottles.
I have 2 squishable bottles that are very good quality, but I can not figure out how people actually hold them and drink from them on the run. I do not think I have ever used them. If you have a USA shipping address I can probably mail them to you, international shipping would be too expensive for me though.
@PastorVincent lol! I can't drink from ANYTHING on the run without showering on the go! As I do run-walk-run that isn't an issue though luckily. Thanks for the offer but not necessary
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