April 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

Tramboman

4-1 7k easy
4-2 7k easy

April Total: 14k
April Goal: 170k

January Total: 161k
February Total: 167k
March Total: 181k

2020 Total through March: 509k

Clear and frosty this morning with just a little wind. Ran the "Creature Feature 7K" today. Saw a goose walking on the road and easily outdistanced him. Ran across a squirrel who wanted to get past me to the other side of the path; he put on a burst of speed and won. Finally, came across two doves who cheated by flying and left me in the dust. So I finished fourth, which ties my worst race finish (age group wise) ever. But it was still a pretty day. Right hip was not great, but it was OK.

When you pop in here claiming your December 2020 mileage, what accomplishments will you have made?

Return to a good running weight of 175 lbs
Run at least 4 5k races
Get a 5k PR
Average at least 138k per month, to meet my Run the Year pledge of 1,020 miles
Stretch goal: If I can average 169k per month, I can run 2020K in 2020

Run the Year Team: Pavement Pounders

2020 races:

5-23 Race for the Parks 5k, Hudson OH
6-20 Freedom Run 5k, Aurora, OH

quilteryoyo

bearly63 wrote: »

@quilteryoyo I love NCIS. I could run a marathon staring at Gibbs.

Hahaha Me too!

@rheddmobile Love the pictures and glad you found a new spot to run. The plants are Mayapples. The plant itself is poisonous if eaten, but you can make jelly out of the ripe fruit. I've never actually made the jelly, but would like to try it at some point, just to see what it tastes like.

@Tramboman Love the description of your run! It made me smile today. Thanks!

janejellyroll

Absolutely gorgeous day for a run. I was able to wear shorts as we were already in the mid-40s very early!

I've fully committed to doing the virtual marathon in June and I bought an expensive hydropack yesterday to celebrate the decision. I've resisted buying one for years because I didn't really want the extra weight and my usual long run route has decent water fountain coverage but I don't want to count them right now because who knows how safe it will be to use them? This thing has so many pockets! Gonna debut it this weekend on my planned 14-mile run.

4/1: 7.75m
4/2: 4m

kgirlhart

April Goal: 100 Miles

4/1: 5.16
4/2: 5.15


10.31/100 miles completed for April

321.71/1000 miles for Run the Year Team Pavement Pounders

My HM training plan for today called for a 3 mile pace run. It also has this weekend scheduled for a 5K race. I never did sign up for a 5k for this weekend so I didn't have one cancelled, but I decided to sign up for the RTE Un-Cancelled project anyway since it was free and sounded like fun. So today for my pace run I ran it as a virtual 5K. I ran one mile warm up and a mile cool down so my total for today was 5 miles. I considered stopping my watch between the WU and CD and the actual "race", but since it was dark I didn't want to be messing with my watch so I let Garmin count it all as one run. But I ran the first mile in 11:04 and the next 3.1 miles in 29:34 so I'm calling it a sub 30 minute 5K. It was a really good run. The theme for this weeks race is gratitude, so I tried to think of all the things I am grateful for while I was running. I felt strong and fast when I was "racing" and I thought I did a good job of keeping my warm up slower than my race pace. I ran the last mile a little faster than I probably should have, but by then I was really needing to get home. I got started a little later than I wanted to. I have not gotten up good any day this week. I'm just not going to bed early enough and not really sleeping well. And then it was so windy when I got up this morning I was just dreading going out. But once I got dressed and got out there I was really glad I did. And even though my virtual 5K wasn't a PR, it was still a sub 30 minute 5K which is really good for me. The last we heard about the HM that is scheduled for May 16 was that it is still on. But that was before they changed the shelter in place to April 30th. So we will see. I am going to keep training for it and if it is cancelled then I'll just run it on my own. I hope if they have to cancel they will give a virtual option, but if not I'll just do my own virtual race.






2020 races:
5/16/20: Run for 57th AHC Half Marathon 🤞

quilteryoyo

WTG @kgirlhart ! A sub 30 minutes 5K is still a pipe dream for me.

Today was a cross training day, so I did a 2 mile walk into the neighbor's field with my dog and then finished up with laps on my driveway. Soon after I came back in, Tippy, the dog, started barking. I went out to see if I could figure out what she was barking at and was hit with the distinctive smell of skunk. Oddly enough, it is stronger in the garage than anywhere else. She is still down the hill barking. I'm praying she didn't get sprayed!!



Edit Update: It wasn't a skunk...or at least she didn't get sprayed by one. She did, however, roll in something nasty, so still had to get a bath.

brittanystebbins95

You guys are all so inspirational. Seriously. I love this thread.
Yesterday was a rest day for me but it was too beautiful out to stay inside. My husband and I walked the dogs for a good hour instead.
Tonight I'm gonna aim for 5 miles I think. 4 miles is the longest I've ran in the last year, so I'm apprehensive but I think I can do it. Maybe I'll just tell myself to go for 4 miles, and then once I see that, I can tell myself, "You've got another quarter mile in you." until I get to 5

enaliba

4/1 1 mile
4/2 2.9 miles

It felt really good to be out running today. I chose a route that had less hills and so I could complete the running sections without stopping. my daughter is feeling great again and I am so relieved. I haven’t caught up with everyone else’s posts, but you are all very inspiring to me! It’s so easy to feel anxious and just want to sit on the couch watching movies instead of getting out to exercise.

June 13-Helvetia 10K

Abi

skippygirlsmom

Elise4270 wrote: »

Monthly question?

What’s the first thing you are going to do when all this over (assume it will be over eventually).

Have dinner with my friends. I also had to cancel a trip back home for my best friend's birthday, I was going to surprise her, so hopefully I can reschedule that trip for June.

skippygirlsmom

brittanystebbins95 wrote: »

I need a love button for this!!!!

shanaber

@rheddmobile - some here would pay great money for those used bricks! Looks like an interesting place to run. Someone in our neighborhood did one of those stained glass like chalk drawings too. It is almost exactly the same actually.
@tramboman - pretty sure the doves and the squirrel are younger though so that just leaves the goose that you beat... 1st place as far as I am concerned😂
@brittanystebbins95 - I too love that picture like @skippygirlsmom. I keep coming back to it because it makes me smile!

No run for me today but I did a 45 min stretch and roll class streamed on instagram by my gym and it was awesome. This afternoon I will be doing my regular strength workout, wishing I had more variety of weights but I am making it work with what I have.

LoveyChar

6.4 running miles today before rain hit!

Teresa502

Finally got in a run to start the month. After work, I laced up and got 5 very slow and hilly miles done.

Hugs and prayers for you and your family @Scott6255. We had the first death in our area from the virus and he worked at the same place that I work, same site, but different building. I didn't know him but I had friends that did. He was in his 50s. I'm in my 50s. Scary stuff.

On a brighter note, I entered the lottery for the Marine Corps Marathon and learned that I got in yesterday!

katharmonic

@Teresa502 yeah for getting the Marine Corps Marathon! I hope that all will be returned to normal. That race is an amazing experience.

Date :::: Miles :::: Cumulative
04/01/20 :::: 5.0 :::: 5.0
04/02/20 :::: 3.0 :::: 8.0

I was freezing in my house all day so I bundled up like it was winter out there, but obviously needed to shed some layers when I finally warmed up. Still, it felt very chilly for 50 degrees. I did NOT want to go out and run. But I forced myself out as soon as I finished teaching my class and I just did a loop around the lakes, which is almost exactly 3 miles.

I'm so very tired. I slept uneasily last night with unpleasant dreams and have been working solid for a couple of days until late at night. I am now having a beer and getting ready to head to bed early so I can be a little more refreshed to take on tomorrow's to-do list. One good thing that happened today, I came up with a secret plan to do something for a friend that I am really hoping will come together via strangers on Facebook (along the lines of replacing something she lost). It's the little things that give us something else to concentrate on, and I think this small token would really make her day if I can pull it off.

Camaramandy648

Hey all!

Still working my guts out at work.

Over fifty hours last week.

I am fortunate - I have no complaints.

I have been working to take all of your advice and strengthen my glutes and core while still getting to run just a tiny bit??????

I have been lifting and doing strength training all week but today was so pretty, so I took the dog to the trail. Amazing weather, good little run. Just almost five miles. I am not in too much pain. Today it was mostly my knee but the run wasn’t bad. Maybe all the self care is working.

Also Buzz the love beast malamute saw his first family of deer today and I lived. He’s a good dog who makes good choices - if he had wanted to get those deer, he is fully capable of dragging me along. But he did not and I am grateful lol.

It’s almost Saturday and I need to choose my distance for the uncancelled virtual race. 10K or half... idk...... probably half 😎

Avidkeo

Hey all.

Had a crap sleep last night, still eating all the things sigh. But I decided to use all that fuel as well fuel. 8k run this morning, and it was fantastic! I took it easy, and gentle and it was one if those fantastic runs where you feel like you can keep going forever. So one advantage of eating a lot of junk food, the carb loading for the longer runs haha. I have a 16k tomorrow, that I'm still plenty loaded for (sooo so much chocolate) so that is going to be great!

Personal update in the spoiler

so now I have imaged several people with suspected covid. I have officially and properly moved into the basement. I have a kettle, sandwich press, cutlery etc so don't need to go upstairs for anything really. We've ordered a mini fridge that should get here in a couple of days. I went and got some groceries, tried to get all good foods but have a couple of small treats.

I have crafts up the wazoo, and my weights/exercise equipment. It's pretty cosy and snug.

My 6yr old understands somewhat, my 3 year old doesn't at all. So it's just easier I keep at a distance. I'll still need to go upstairs for the toilet and shower, so it's not like I won't see them at all.

Oh and it's hubby and mine 10 year wedding anniversary today. Um yeah. Thanks covid. I think we will need to splash out on a hotel and an overnight babysitter when this is over.

Camaramandy648

I forgot to say

@Scott6255 i am so so so sorry. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. Seriously.

@Avidkeo your spoiler - you are in a tough tough position but it does sound like you are making the best of it

@Tramboman i love your run report so much!

noblsheep

0403-6.2k, total-6.2k goal-100k

An easy 6km. Not really feeling it today.

@Avidkeo Lots of hugs. That sounds really tough. Take care of yourself.

@Camaramandy648 Congrats on a good run and sensible dog! Work is kinda kicking my butt at the moment as well, so really feeling you there.

@katharmonic The little something you're putting together sounds great. Hope everything comes through.

brittanystebbins95

Got my 5 miles in!! ♡
Question for the more experienced runners.
Is coughing after a run normal? Not wheezing, but actual coughing. I can breathe fine. Its like phlegm deep in the chest but it's hard to get it to come up. And not for a couple minutes either, it usually lasts anywhere from a few hours to a day or two.
I thought it was just a part of running and I've jokingly called it runner's cough. I mentioned it to my dad, who was a long distance runner for most of my childhood until he got injured, and he looked at me like I was crazy and asked what I was talking about.

hanlonsk

Oh my gooooooddneeesss..... no running happened, which was expected, well below zero, and 9+ inches of snow, and trying to not have mad sounding lungs right now.... but also no fitness happened. This was not expected....

I understand the sentiment behind the whole “introverts, please put down your book and check on your extrovert friends, they are not ok right now.” But OHHH MY GEEE
@PastorVincent - was it you who suggested that the current environment us introverts are actually being subjected to MORE than normal levels of social interaction?? Like I didn’t disagree at the time, as my stir crazy father was already encouraging DAILY family video chats- this is a man I would talk to once or twice a week at best. Today.... I spent FOUR HOURS on video calls. In addition to normal levels of work phone calls, we did an agency wide video call. The rest were family video chats, stir crazy extrovert friend video chats, Etc. And there is another hour i spent on the phone to my mother, because quarantine hasn’t been favorable to her world...as an introvert I am both totally done and over with talking to people AND going stir crazy because of not being able to to go into the out....and I don’t know how to fix either side of my insanity.. but going for a run in sub zero temps = coughing.... and coughing is not s good idea right now.


Also, today’s “glitter challenge” part one:
2 days ago was almost 60* F, today was well below 0* F. Today’s challenge was when I had to figure out (before coffee) which coat I had, that was sufficient for the weather, would fare the best with daily hot water washer and dryer trips.
Glitter challenge part two: remembering to put washer machine load into the dryer on the same day. Work clothes, and even running clothes, I can forget over night, and still figure the next days clothing out..... coats that are sufficient for pat one... not so much.


Sorry, all was, essentially, off topic.... but all of that was to explain why I not only goose egged the running but also all the fitness and even life things.

Faebert

@hanlonsk - wow that’s cold! And I can understand why running didn’t happen. Hope you get a bit more headspace today and a bit less phone time.

@Avidkeo - enjoy your well-fuelled runs and your very well-deserved rest time too.

I’ve just had a struggle of a run this morning. Maybe because it’s my 11th day in a row? I never normally do more than three runs without a rest day but that was based on the old days of longer runs and lots of cross training and hot yoga in between. Now it’s my only exercise so I’m determined to do my 40 minutes a day as long as it’s safe and permitted to do so. But yeah, today was hard!

April goal: 75 miles
April total: 10.8 miles

1/4: 3.6 miles
2/4: 3.7 miles
3/4: 3.5 miles

March: 76.4 m
February: 17.8 m
January: 0