December 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

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  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    eleanorhawkins wrote: »
    @mbaker566 yay, well done! Now go do it again. Not today? Ok, maybe tomorrow.

    I thought about forcing myself to run along what has now been christened in my brain as 'crime scene route' but decided I didn't need to confront the demon quite that quickly and just going for a run would be sufficient. Bog-standard 5km run done, nothing to report except it was very windy which made my cap keep blowing off, which pissed me off.
    Then I went to see the physio, who massaged my legs and commented that they were 'very good' today. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Also made me think that it's taken a year but I'm finally recovered and I think I'm doing a good job of maintaining where I want to be. Now I need to decide whether running a trail HM on Feb 28, a road HM on March 22 and then doing a week-long hiking holiday covering around 120km at Easter is sensible or even feasible. The second two are already booked and paid for, I need to make my mind up about the trail race.

    My daughter is struggling a LOT this month (end of term exams, anxiety, general teenage stuff, etc etc etc) and damn it hurts to watch. I'm desperately searching for ways to help her deal with the stress. So wish she'd run with me. Argh.

    @eleanorhawkins --- SAME with the daughter! I just got back from a meeting at her school and it actually went really well where for the first time ever, they said - She's doing better than I think she is - she's come SUCH a long way and she is going to be all right!

    Was just thinking that sentiment might encourage you as much as it did me. ;)
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    All right, after checking the weather I have determined that I HAVE to run tonight. Also, if we consider the marathon is in April, then I can't keep missing days?

    I'm overthinking, I know. Saturday, I really kicked butt but my legs didn't feel normal until yesterday. I am worried I won't be able to finish the race if I don't make myself run more times per week. Gahhhh

    I suppose there will be easier weeks to get it done as well as harder weeks - I just want to really make sure I'm not sabotaging myself...
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    ContraryMaryMary wrote: »
    Did I mention I kinda, sorta, accidentally on purpose signed up for my first full marathon...

    Yikes!

    YAY!!! CONGRATS!!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    All right, after checking the weather I have determined that I HAVE to run tonight. Also, if we consider the marathon is in April, then I can't keep missing days?

    I'm overthinking, I know. Saturday, I really kicked butt but my legs didn't feel normal until yesterday. I am worried I won't be able to finish the race if I don't make myself run more times per week. Gahhhh

    I suppose there will be easier weeks to get it done as well as harder weeks - I just want to really make sure I'm not sabotaging myself...

    You should be actively training now for an April marathon. Depending on your shape when you start, 16 weeks is a good period of time to plan to train for one. So, yes, get out and run, also... you do have a training plan right? :)
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,569 Member
    Congratulations! @T1DCarnivoreRunner. I too can safely say that I have never won a lottery either 😏
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    All right, after checking the weather I have determined that I HAVE to run tonight. Also, if we consider the marathon is in April, then I can't keep missing days?

    I'm overthinking, I know. Saturday, I really kicked butt but my legs didn't feel normal until yesterday. I am worried I won't be able to finish the race if I don't make myself run more times per week. Gahhhh

    I suppose there will be easier weeks to get it done as well as harder weeks - I just want to really make sure I'm not sabotaging myself...

    You should be actively training now for an April marathon. Depending on your shape when you start, 16 weeks is a good period of time to plan to train for one. So, yes, get out and run, also... you do have a training plan right? :)

    @PastorVincent yes! I’m bridging to 10k to marathon. I’ve looked at the marathon schedules and it seems to be an effective way to keep going as long as i keep increasing the miles through the week but more importantly on the weekend long run.

    I just have to be more disciplined through the week and adjust where I can with the kids’ needs. This will be no small feat- even this evening i have already dealt with two meltdowns and it isn’t even 7:30. I haven’t even changed clothes to run and I’m not entirely sure I’ll get to :(

    I only have one child, but he is in the teen drama years so I get it. :) Good luck!
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,532 Member
    Yay @ContraryMaryMary ! Which marathon did you sign up for and when is it?
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    All right, after checking the weather I have determined that I HAVE to run tonight. Also, if we consider the marathon is in April, then I can't keep missing days?

    I'm overthinking, I know. Saturday, I really kicked butt but my legs didn't feel normal until yesterday. I am worried I won't be able to finish the race if I don't make myself run more times per week. Gahhhh

    I suppose there will be easier weeks to get it done as well as harder weeks - I just want to really make sure I'm not sabotaging myself...

    You should be actively training now for an April marathon. Depending on your shape when you start, 16 weeks is a good period of time to plan to train for one. So, yes, get out and run, also... you do have a training plan right? :)

    @PastorVincent yes! I’m bridging to 10k to marathon. I’ve looked at the marathon schedules and it seems to be an effective way to keep going as long as i keep increasing the miles through the week but more importantly on the weekend long run.

    I just have to be more disciplined through the week and adjust where I can with the kids’ needs. This will be no small feat- even this evening i have already dealt with two meltdowns and it isn’t even 7:30. I haven’t even changed clothes to run and I’m not entirely sure I’ll get to :(

    I only have one child, but he is in the teen drama years so I get it. :) Good luck!

    @PastorVincent i did it! Somewhere around two and a half miles on the treadmill in the gym - i still need to figure out why the endurance on the treadmill is easier than on pavement for me and fix it.

    Yes, two kids by myself is hard, especially when they both have special needs! But we make it work and really, in spite of my son’s meltdowns this evening, they’re doing really well. It’s just never going to be 100% perfect all the time. It’s always going to take a certain degree of work and grit.

    I’m pretty pleased with my run tonight, I never once felt like I was going to die or stop breathing or not be able to keep going. I can’t believe how much progress I’ve made! A couple of months ago I could not run a mile and I constantly felt like I would not be able to live through it!

    Yet here i am :)
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    @T1DCarnivoreRunner congrats on getting into Chicago!

    @ContraryMaryMary congrats on signing up for a marathon!

    And @Camaramandy648 good luck in your training for your first marathon. April seems far away now but glad you have a training plan you are working on.

    Thank you @shanaber and @hamsterwheel6.

    I'm still over here not running - not really "enjoying" recovery as much as being a bit down for the count with this cold, but regardless, no running.
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,786 Member
    quilteryoyo wrote: »
    Yay @ContraryMaryMary ! Which marathon did you sign up for and when is it?

    I'm doing the 'We Run the Forest' trail marathon in Rotorua, as part of the Forest Festival on the first weekend in August (it'll be a girls' weekend with my running besties!)

    Photos show it to be an easy trail, with not too much elevation. Looks really really pretty.

    Links for the curious:
    https://www.forestfest.co.nz
    https://www.strava.com/routes/22686189
    https://www.forestfest.co.nz/we-run-the-forest-images.html
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    katharmonic wrote: »
    @T1DCarnivoreRunner congrats on getting into Chicago!

    @ContraryMaryMary congrats on signing up for a marathon!

    And @Camaramandy648 good luck in your training for your first marathon. April seems far away now but glad you have a training plan you are working on.

    Thank you @shanaber and @hamsterwheel6.

    I'm still over here not running - not really "enjoying" recovery as much as being a bit down for the count with this cold, but regardless, no running.

    I hope you start to feel better! I have been eating a lot of Sambucol/ elderberry. I’m hoping it keeps me from getting sick....

    I keep thinking that too - April seems far away NOW, but wisdom is understanding that it will be here in the blink of an eye!

    My friend from work’s wife finally signed up for the marathon and she’s never run anything before so she’s gonna have to get to work! I’m hoping we run a similar pace!
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,532 Member
    @ContraryMaryMary That looks like a lot of fun and really beautiful place to run. The elevation gain at the end looks a little tough to me, but what do I know. I'm sure you are going to really enjoy the weekend!

    @PastorVincent Very insightful thoughts on the treadmill. I have one of the fancier ones that automatically changes incline as you go. I think I could program it to "run anywhere in the world," but have never tried it in all the years I have had it because my internet service is horrible and I am assuming it really wouldn't work that well for me. I guess I shouldn't assume and perhaps should try it out. Anyway, I also make the effort and change the pace as I go too, so it isn't quite so boring. But, you are right, it IS different from outside running. I think that is partially why my 5K was harder than I expected it to be last weekend. I've been mostly on the treadmill for a couple of months. I need to find some good outside routes around here to run.
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    quilteryoyo wrote: »
    @PastorVincent Very insightful thoughts on the treadmill. I have one of the fancier ones that automatically changes incline as you go. I think I could program it to "run anywhere in the world," but have never tried it in all the years I have had it because my internet service is horrible and I am assuming it really wouldn't work that well for me. I guess I shouldn't assume and perhaps should try it out. Anyway, I also make the effort and change the pace as I go too, so it isn't quite so boring. But, you are right, it IS different from outside running. I think that is partially why my 5K was harder than I expected it to be last weekend. I've been mostly on the treadmill for a couple of months. I need to find some good outside routes around here to run.

    In my opinion, that very well could be. Definitely try mixing it up with outside runs and see how it goes. :)
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »

    @PastorVincent i did it! Somewhere around two and a half miles on the treadmill in the gym - i still need to figure out why the endurance on the treadmill is easier than on pavement for me and fix it.

    Yay!

    So, this is hotly debated by some. I do not get into the debates, but running on a dreadmill is different than outside and you need to consider these things when you use one for any level of serious training - such as, you kno, maybe training for a marathon in April :)

    Incline: Some people feel you should set it to 1% or 2% to better simulate running without the assistance of the belt. Others say that is bogus. I personally do all my dreadmill runs at 5-6% incline because I know I will run much shorter distances on one than if I ran outside. The greater incline helps make up for that shortness.

    Pace: The dreadmill enforces exact pace. Outside you naturally adapt your pace to terrain/etc as you go. This is not possible on dreadmill. As such some people use a dreadmill for pace training - that is learning what certain paces feel like so they can hit them on their own.

    Steady State: Dreadmill runs, unless you actively work to counter this are steady-state. What I mean is nothing changes as you run. Weather, terrain, etc are all exactly the same. Outside nature various from moment to moment and your body develops in a more balanced manner. I used to belong to a gym that had a dreadmill that you could set it for "random hills" and that helped. I miss that feature. Some fancier models will actually follow the evaluation of a popular trail.

    Form: Your running form on a dreadmill is different than your running form outside. You may not realize it but if you video yourself and watch closely you will see this. Because of this if you are training for an outside race, you really need to make sure you keep running outside so that you exercise the form you will use on race day. Not saying never dreadmill, but am saying do not exclusively dreadmill. :)

    As much as I do not like running on them, they are a very useful tool and should not be avoided when they can be helpful.

    This is great! And also reassures me that I am not crazy! I think I will run the race better if I train primarily outside. The sole reason I love Saturdays so much is that first it's gym time, but then I spend the rest of my time outside, on a trail, mix it up with pavement, in the woods, etc. I need to FOCUS tomorrow and quit goofing off so much, though. In the gym, I have proven I can make my legs go farther than I think they can when I am outside, and I'm sure this is because there are so many variables to consider....

    Feeling pretty good today after last night's run and looking forward to tomorrow! :)
  • eleanorhawkins
    eleanorhawkins Posts: 1,659 Member
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »

    This is great! And also reassures me that I am not crazy! I think I will run the race better if I train primarily outside. The sole reason I love Saturdays so much is that first it's gym time, but then I spend the rest of my time outside, on a trail, mix it up with pavement, in the woods, etc. I need to FOCUS tomorrow and quit goofing off so much, though. In the gym, I have proven I can make my legs go farther than I think they can when I am outside, and I'm sure this is because there are so many variables to consider....

    Feeling pretty good today after last night's run and looking forward to tomorrow! :)

    @Camaramandy648 actually, your legs are probably perfectly capable of going just as far, or even farther, outside. An awful lot of running is a mental game, and our minds are usually the ones that decide we can't go any further long before our bodies do. I find if I keep my pace slow and distract my mind (either with music or listening to something or just getting lost in my thoughts.... side note, running has become my therapy and problem solving time for that reason) then my legs can go a hell of a lot further than my brain thinks they can!
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    @MegaMooseEsq I get the pillow! I have one that was about 50$ and I love it. It smelled like coconut when I got it, now it's a lavender since I put oil on the side of it.
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    eleanorhawkins wrote: »
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »

    This is great! And also reassures me that I am not crazy! I think I will run the race better if I train primarily outside. The sole reason I love Saturdays so much is that first it's gym time, but then I spend the rest of my time outside, on a trail, mix it up with pavement, in the woods, etc. I need to FOCUS tomorrow and quit goofing off so much, though. In the gym, I have proven I can make my legs go farther than I think they can when I am outside, and I'm sure this is because there are so many variables to consider....

    Feeling pretty good today after last night's run and looking forward to tomorrow! :)

    @Camaramandy648 actually, your legs are probably perfectly capable of going just as far, or even farther, outside. An awful lot of running is a mental game, and our minds are usually the ones that decide we can't go any further long before our bodies do. I find if I keep my pace slow and distract my mind (either with music or listening to something or just getting lost in my thoughts.... side note, running has become my therapy and problem solving time for that reason) then my legs can go a hell of a lot further than my brain thinks they can!

    This, so much so. Endurance sports are often more about what you THINK you can do verse what you CAN do.
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    So at work, they brought in eggnog for our holiday celebration. Now, I am a big fan of eggnog so I grabbed some.

    What I did not know when I grabbed it was it was not, umm, regular eggnog. It had rum, brandy, and whiskey added to it.

    So now I can say I definitely without question prefer normal eggnog! LOL. It really was not good. :smiley:
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    So at work, they brought in eggnog for our holiday celebration. Now, I am a big fan of eggnog so I grabbed some.

    What I did not know when I grabbed it was it was not, umm, regular eggnog. It had rum, brandy, and whiskey added to it.

    So now I can say I definitely without question prefer normal eggnog! LOL. It really was not good. :smiley:

    drunk pastor.

    Just kidding.

    At Thanksgiving we start our days with mimosas at 9AM and then we make homemade Sangria, and then we break out the old fashioned's....

    I think I like egg nog but I'm not sure. I guess I'd better figure it out. I could experiment this weekend. :)
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    So at work, they brought in eggnog for our holiday celebration. Now, I am a big fan of eggnog so I grabbed some.

    What I did not know when I grabbed it was it was not, umm, regular eggnog. It had rum, brandy, and whiskey added to it.

    So now I can say I definitely without question prefer normal eggnog! LOL. It really was not good. :smiley:

    drunk pastor.

    Just kidding.

    At Thanksgiving we start our days with mimosas at 9AM and then we make homemade Sangria, and then we break out the old fashioned's....

    I think I like egg nog but I'm not sure. I guess I'd better figure it out. I could experiment this weekend. :)

    If you buy it, make sure it is real eggnog. Like check the ingredients and toss anything that has corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup out. They add those sweeteners to make up for garbage ingredients and processes. :) Hard to find good stuff in the stores, but if you have a place like Whole Foods you probably have luck there.

    Of course, if you are going to dump a ton of alcohol into it and get so drunk you do not care, then I guess it does not matter. ;)
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    Camaramandy648 wrote: »
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    So at work, they brought in eggnog for our holiday celebration. Now, I am a big fan of eggnog so I grabbed some.

    What I did not know when I grabbed it was it was not, umm, regular eggnog. It had rum, brandy, and whiskey added to it.

    So now I can say I definitely without question prefer normal eggnog! LOL. It really was not good. :smiley:

    drunk pastor.

    Just kidding.

    At Thanksgiving we start our days with mimosas at 9AM and then we make homemade Sangria, and then we break out the old fashioned's....

    I think I like egg nog but I'm not sure. I guess I'd better figure it out. I could experiment this weekend. :)

    If you buy it, make sure it is real eggnog. Like check the ingredients and toss anything that has corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup out. They add those sweeteners to make up for garbage ingredients and processes. :) Hard to find good stuff in the stores, but if you have a place like Whole Foods you probably have luck there.

    Of course, if you are going to dump a ton of alcohol into it and get so drunk you do not care, then I guess it does not matter. ;)

    Probably not drunk. Maybe just at ease. ;)
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    edited December 2019
    not yet. 2 on deck for tonight. after the vet visit for the wheezy foster dog, and after possible moving in curbside free sofa from the neighbors, disassembling reclining love seat, put in quarter rounds.

    the whole weekend looks like that :)
    good lookin @Tramboman

    foster dog
    2i105db3hybt.png

    that looks great @ContraryMaryMary
  • Camaramandy648
    Camaramandy648 Posts: 711 Member
    mbaker566 wrote: »
    not yet. 2 on deck for tonight. after the vet visit for the wheezy foster dog, and after possible moving in curbside free sofa from the neighbors, disassembling reclining love seat, put in quarter rounds.

    the whole weekend looks like that :)
    good lookin @Tramboman

    foster dog
    2i105db3hybt.png

    that looks great @ContraryMaryMary

    what a sweet baby!

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