November 2019 Monthly Running Challenge
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Race Report: Cade’s Cove Loop Loopet (Sunday, November 3) In Memory of @MobyCarp
This race is the only race held within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park borders. Cade’s Cove is a valley in the park where wildlife is in abundance. The loop is a one-way scenic drive and is very popular. Especially in the Fall with everyone leaf-looking. The park is in close proximity to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge (home of Dollywood) which boasts lots of tourist attractions for kids and adults alike. The loop is closed to traffic every Wednesday and Sunday morning (May through September and for today’s race) until 10:00 am to give runners and cyclists a chance to use the road.
They have two distances – a 10 mile and a 5K. The field of total runners is limited to 750 runners. Parking inside the park is limited to 100 vehicles. Those parking passes cost an additional $35 which I gladly split with my friend who was running with me. If you didn’t snag a pass, you have to be shuttled in on a school bus. Nothing wrong with that but after the race it’s nice not to be rushed and to have a change of clothes in the nearby parked car. The race started at 7:30 and we arrived around 6:50 am. We saw two bears after we parked the car and were walking towards the start area. These were the only bears that we saw as I’m sure all the runners were making enough noise to keep them far away. We saw a herd of wild ponies in a field near the start line. The temperature was around 31F and there was a large frost on the ground. It was so white that it looked like a snow! I wore long pants and a short-sleeve tech t-shirt under a jacket. I had a headband covering my ears and a pair of knit gloves on my hands. I shed the gloves around mile 5 but kept the jacket on for the entire race.
My friend and I signed up for the 10-mile run. This year was the 3rd anniversary of the race and made our second year running it. There is a 2.5 hour time limit on the 10-mile race. However, once the course is open to traffic and since it’s a one-way road, the traffic will begin close to the start line so realistically you have longer to finish and not worry about traffic. My goal time for the race was “finish” and my pace strategy was run as hard as I could. As typical for me, I got caught up in the excitement and went out too fast. My first (and fastest) mile was at 9:52 pace. The first mile is mostly flat or downhill. After that there are a lot of hills on this loop. There are a few historic buildings along the route including a couple of churches. As a matter of fact, the last half mile to the finish line is a gradual uphill. I ended up finishing in 1:51 (average pace of 11:14/mile) beating my time last year by a minute (1:52) so course PR for me! My friend who is 62yo came in at 1:43 and placed third in her age group! Unfortunately, I didn’t carry my phone with me so I didn’t get any pictures.
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@Teresa502 that sounds like a fantastic venue for a race! Bears, scenery, and history! Congrats on the PR! I didn't know they closed the loop to traffic just for runner either. THAT would be an awesome way to see it!
I had to look that race up because it's something I would be interested in running sometime. I was browsing the results of the 10 mile and saw that someone was disqualified. I wonder what they had done? Their times shows 1:24:XX, but a big DQ and listed at the bottom of the results.2 -
I hesitate to answer since, as a large male, I don't have the same concerns that you have but I will anyway.
Live tracking apps are useful but they won't be of any help if you get attacked. They may help in finding you after the fact.
Taking photos of suspicious cars and people is a good idea but they only help find the perpetrator after the fact.
As @RunsOnEspresso talked about, your best defense is situational awareness and trusting your gut instinct. Make it a point to notice every single person and every car around you. Don't just look where you're running, keep looking around you. What looks suspicious and what doesn't? If something doesn't feel right, don't think you're being paranoid, act on it and avoid it the situation. Turn around, duck into a store or restaurant, cross the street, whatever you need to do to make yourself feel more comfortable about the situation.
There's a book I recommend, not just for running, but for everyday safety called "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker about this very subject. I think it was @ddmom0811 who bought this on my recommendation. Maybe she'll chime in with her thoughts on the book.
Your local police department may have a class for personal safety, and if it's geared towards women, even better. If they don't have one, they may be able to tell you were you can find one.
This is all great insight!
I need to read that book - I'll add it to my list on scribd. I am reading Born to Run right now and I AM LOVING IT. I am not opposed to carrying a handgun. The idea is to not need it. Or maybe a knife. And also awareness - yes. so much that.2 -
@Teresa502 running in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park sounds like an awesome place for a race! I'll bet it was beautiful. Way to go on getting your course PR!4
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November Goal: 285km
01/11: 3.26
03/11: 21.15
04/11: 6.52
05/11: 13.53
Total KM run: 44.46
It's such a beautiful morning today. I got out about 5:30am just before the sun rose, the sky was a beautiful pink colour, very little wind and about 15°C. Perfect! About 8km into my run I went from some slight GI discomfort to I MUST FIND A BATHROOM NOW. I know there are toilets about 1km away so I quickly turned around and headed straight there. On the way I remembered that they are building a new high rise right where the toilets are so I kept repeating to myself "please still be there, please still be there". As I rounded the corner I saw the whole area was surrounded by construction fencing and my heart dropped, but as I got closer I saw there was a small alleyway leading to the toilet block. Phew!!
@7Lenny7 As always, I'm completely in awe of your achievements. I find it hard to imagine one ultra, let alone 3 in 3 weeks. You're a legend. You write so well and I always look forward to reading your race reports, you really capture the spirit and let me race vicariously through you!
@Dory_42 Beautiful beach pic. That's so interesting about the seals
@PastorVincent Love the ninja pic!
@Teresa502 That sounds like a great place to run. Congrats on the PR!!!
@eleanorhawkins We were also taught to use keys for self defence in school too. I don't carry my keys with me when I run, but I've definitely pulled my keys out of my purse when I've been walking back to my car when out late and feeling a bit spooked
@greenolivetree Sounds like you made the perfect choice to walk with your husband
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Hi everyone. Definitely going to drop my mileage for November and concentrate on upper body strength ahead of the surgery I have next month. But aiming for at least 20 miles. I haven’t previously included treadmill miles but will have to this month as the weather is terrible and I’m not safe out in the dark right now so lots more indoor running. Managed a few miles as part of a gym class Sunday. Hoping to get out on Wednesday morning this week for a decent run.
Plans for 2020 - recover from surgery, get back to running. Hoping to be fit for Macmillan Cancer Charity 10k in June, Wimbledon Common half marathon in August and then Race for the Kids through Hyde Park in October.
11/3: 3 miles
November total: 3 miles
November goal: 20 miles
October total: 64.1m
September total: 82.2m
August total: 85m
July total: 90.1m
June total: 86.1m
May total: 67.6m
April total: 71.5m
March total: 42.9m
February total: 30.2m
January total: 31.7m
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Congrats on the PR @Teresa502 - sounds like a great race.
If I am attempting 15k next weekend should I consider taking some form of fuel with me?3 -
@7lenny7 another awesome race, another awesome race report. Keep up the good work!2
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TheMrWobbly wrote: »Congrats on the PR @Teresa502 - sounds like a great race.
If I am attempting 15k next weekend should I consider taking some form of fuel with me?
For a 15km race, I wouldn't bother, however, it could be helpful to have a sugar hit around 10k to help you get to the finish line if you're starting to flag. That being said, they say nothing new on race day - gels are notorious for causing upset tummies. But if you're used to having something to snack on mid run, then go for it. Something inoffensive like jellybeans or dates could give you the boost you need without giving you a stomachache. You'll find the race probably has electrolyte drinks at the water stops which may be enough.7 -
@Teresa502 that sounds like a fantastic venue for a race! Bears, scenery, and history! Congrats on the PR! I didn't know they closed the loop to traffic just for runner either. THAT would be an awesome way to see it!
I had to look that race up because it's something I would be interested in running sometime. I was browsing the results of the 10 mile and saw that someone was disqualified. I wonder what they had done? Their times shows 1:24:XX, but a big DQ and listed at the bottom of the results.
That is interesting. Cheated somehow perhaps?0 -
Thanks, @JMNagain ! Unfortunately it's a necessary evil for long runs. Chafing can be QUITE painful.
Pro tip: Never shake hands with an ultra runner.
Tell your boyfriend to try running the distances @7lenny7 has been without lube, and I promise he will change his tune. You only make THAT mistake once. Trust me
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35 min on the treadmill after work which included 25 min running (5 min x5 with 1 min walk breaks) then 1 mile walk with hubby outside. Maybe tomorrow I'll run outside 😬8
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TheMrWobbly wrote: »Congrats on the PR @Teresa502 - sounds like a great race.
If I am attempting 15k next weekend should I consider taking some form of fuel with me?
Race like you train. Do you take fuel on training runs around that distance? If not, then do not in race. If you do, then do the same at the race.
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ContraryMaryMary wrote: »@7lenny7 another awesome race, another awesome race report. Keep up the good work!
This!
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Great job @Teresa502!2
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Commitments for November:
1) Run at least 36 miles
2) Walk at least 36 miles
3) Finish the last 2 weeks of Active's C25K program
4) Finish the first 2 weeks of Active's 5K to 10K program
Date......Walk......Run
11/01.....6.11.......2.21
11/02.....2.72.......0.00
11/03.....4.20.......2.58
11/04.....2.71.......0.00
With this group I feel like I'm at a really cool party with nothing to talk about, being just a newbie still. I do have a race on the schedule, though. My first 5K will be on Dec 7. By that time I should have something to contribute... maybe? :-)17 -
13 miles today, but lost my water bottle that I have been running with for over a decade, and broke my nox lights.
Fixed the lights, but no sign of water bottle
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Hello, all! It's been a while since I've been on this thread - I'm going for 20 miles this month (and walking on the off days!) as I try to get back in the swing of things 14
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PastorVincent wrote: »...but no sign of water bottle
I hate that! There isn't a lost-and-found nearby is there? I lost my driver's license on a run the other day and it was returned to the nearby university library...and they got it back to me.
Someone knows where it is, I hope
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Date......Walk......Run
11/01.....6.11.......2.21
11/02.....2.72.......0.00
11/03.....4.20.......2.58
11/04.....2.71.......0.00
With this group I feel like I'm at a really cool party with nothing to talk about, being just a newbie still. I do have a race on the schedule, though. My first 5K will be on Dec 7. By that time I should have something to contribute... maybe? :-)
I've been here a year and still feel that way sometimes. But you're contributing now - every day you read and like a post, or share something of your own.11 -
I hate that! There isn't a lost-and-found nearby is there? I lost my driver's license on a run the other day and it was returned to the nearby university library...and they got it back to me.
Someone knows where it is, I hope
I ran 13 miles... some of it on roads, some on trial, some by a river... could be anywhere and I will not be out that way again till Wednesday, and thanks to DST it will be dark then. I will re-run the route though and see if I get lucky. 4 -
Date......Walk......Run
11/01.....6.11.......2.21
11/02.....2.72.......0.00
11/03.....4.20.......2.58
11/04.....2.71.......0.00
With this group I feel like I'm at a really cool party with nothing to talk about, being just a newbie still. I do have a race on the schedule, though. My first 5K will be on Dec 7. By that time I should have something to contribute... maybe? :-)
Being a newbie is the coolest though! You get to do everything for the first time! Every race is a new PR!
Seriously, there are probably people lurking right now who are even newer than you, considering starting c25k or working up the courage to run in public for the first time. You never know who you might be inspiring.
And for the experienced runners, seeing a new person having fun helps them remember why they got started in the first place.13 -
ContraryMaryMary wrote: »
For a 15km race, I wouldn't bother, however, it could be helpful to have a sugar hit around 10k to help you get to the finish line if you're starting to flag. That being said, they say nothing new on race day - gels are notorious for causing upset tummies. But if you're used to having something to snack on mid run, then go for it. Something inoffensive like jellybeans or dates could give you the boost you need without giving you a stomachache. You'll find the race probably has electrolyte drinks at the water stops which may be enough.
For me, if I eat carbs before starting, 10k without fuel is fine and 15k easy is fine but 15k at race pace would require something like a gummy (at around 10k as @ContraryMaryMary suggested) to keep me feeling my best. Different people are different though. What have you been doing in training?1 -
@7lenny7 Great race report. Your races always seem really interesting. So different from what I typically run
@Teresa5022 That race sounds very cool! Congrats on the course PR!3 -
@Teresa502 that course sounds beautiful! I didn’t know they had wild ponies in the Smokies, I wonder how they get on with the bears.
@7lenny7 Dude I almost missed my run because I got stuck reading your race report and forgot sunset was an hour earlier. Great job as usual! Love all the photos, you’re very photogenic when running.
I got 5k in at Shelby Farms, but ran the hilly trails instead of the flat Greenline because I am tired of being a wuss. Yesterday I woke up with my nose completely stopped up and mild fatigue, and I was worried that running today would be a bad idea, but it seems to have made me feel better. We saw deer, buffalo, coots, red winged blackbirds, and a great variety of good doggies and their owners. Tried to push the pace a little since we have been running a lot of slow miles lately, and honestly our pace was not great for the effort. It seems like adding more mileage makes me slower before it makes me faster.8 -
I did 5 miles tonight. Had my "fastest" 5k with my new watch which is basically my fastest 5k since I broke my leg. Seriously, how long do I get to use that as my measurement?
I even had doggo going pretty good. We had 14-minute miles for the first 2.10. I dropped her off and immediately got 2 minutes faster per mile.
18.3/???14 -
Date......Walk......Run
11/01.....6.11.......2.21
11/02.....2.72.......0.00
11/03.....4.20.......2.58
11/04.....2.71.......0.00
With this group I feel like I'm at a really cool party with nothing to talk about, being just a newbie still. I do have a race on the schedule, though. My first 5K will be on Dec 7. By that time I should have something to contribute... maybe? :-)
@durhammfp your value to this group has ZERO to do with your mileage or your experience. I know how it feels. I came here several years ago as a total newbie as well.
Every runner, regardless of their current level started at the same place. You can't compare your chapter 1 with someone else's chapter 20.
I look forward to hearing about that 5k after you're done!12 -
rheddmobile wrote: »
Being a newbie is the coolest though! You get to do everything for the first time! Every race is a new PR!
Seriously, there are probably people lurking right now who are even newer than you, considering starting c25k or working up the courage to run in public for the first time. You never know who you might be inspiring.
And for the experienced runners, seeing a new person having fun helps them remember why they got started in the first place.
@rheddmobile three short paragraphs, three great points.
You 2nd paragraph reminds me of what I did when I started running. I'd always get in my truck and drive to a park a few miles away because I was so self conscious that I didn't want our neighbors to see me running. And then when winter came and I started running in tights... I was glad it was usually dark when I ran, lol!
I'm glad you got your run in I'd feel bad otherwise. And of course I'd only post the best photos of me!8 -
@durhammfp You'll contribute more than you know. This group loves questions. You have any? Maybe gear, shoes, favorite ghosts, ideal distance, screw shoes...food... anything?
Almost running related:
I kicked the Nerf soccer ball in the yard for the snake charmer.
I got a short clip if it’ll ever get uploaded....
21 second clip. We played for probably 20-30 minutes... Maybe 10. IDK I have no concept of time now that I don't run. Kicked with the better leg. Not the sx one
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19TTdyehriKQlv6yED3x_L2X6zJXgf1Uy/view?usp=drivesdk7 -
Almost running related:
I kicked the Nerf soccer ball in the yard for the snake charmer.
@Elise4270 I have no idea what this means but comments like this are why I love you!
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