August 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

polskagirl01

Elise4270 wrote: »

A monthly question.
This year has been challenging mentally, emotionally and physically (for some of us). How are you coping? What do you do to get back on track? What challenges do you face and how are you managing them? (hint: if you are not it's time to do so).
or
Remember when you were 10-13 ish? What were your favorite after school shows, snacks, activities, favorite memories and friends or pets?

I cope by being active (running, cycling, swimming, dance/workout videos on YouTube, etc.), being out in nature, and since I'm a Christian - prayer, worship music (on blast in my kitchen or live singing with hubby playing guitar), also spending time with friends, sitting on the balcony drinking tea, reading, quilting... As a family we started a "Family Fun Day" tradition where we go somewhere (preferably free) and do something fun. We've been plane spotting, and have checked out multiple lakes for swimming/biking/eating ice cream within driving distance from our house.

10-13ish I think I liked riding my bike, playing in the woods, reading and taking care of my flock of chickens. I wanted to be a veterinarian. I don't think I had really discovered my musical talents at that point, but was starting to like playing the flute and my brothers complained that I sang all the time.

msapplek

rheddmobile wrote: »

I also run 3x a week, being injury prone I need the recovery time. For me when I was a beginner my pace really started to improve when I started doing long runs of at least 10k (6.2 miles.) Then when my long runs reached 8 miles there was a BIG jump in my easy pace - it went from easy being about 11 minutes to easy being more like 9:45 or so. My race pace increased at the same time, not so much that I was able to run faster as that I was able to maintain a hard effort over a longer distance. The other thing that helped was working on my form, being more forward and concentrating on pushing off to the rear instead of trying to reach out in front of me.

There’s also no shame in being slow, particularly if you are a woman, older, or short! [/quote]

@rheddmobile - Very helpful information, thank you! Your times/race pace/frequency that you described are what I'd like to work toward in August. I've learned about the tips for longer runs to help increase speed, but I'm going to try to get to 6-8miles on long runs (also excited to earn those extra exercise calories on long runs!).

Regarding form, I watched one youtube video that recommended propelling your legs/feet the way you would a bicycle, so it looks like your knees go up more. I tried that the other day and I felt like I was up in the air more (which I've read elsewhere where that's not reocmmended), but on the other hand, it also felt like I was floating through space and felt less effortful on the body. Don't know if this also creates more shock to one's knees/feet.

Knyvern

Elise4270 wrote: »

Does anyone have a monthly question to start us off with?

A monthly question.
This year has been challenging mentally, emotionally and physically (for some of us). How are you coping? What do you do to get back on track? What challenges do you face and how are you managing them? (hint: if you are not it's time to do so).
or
Remember when you were 10-13 ish? What were your favorite after school shows, snacks, activities, favorite memories and friends or pets?

This has been a stressful year so far and I don't see it getting any better anytime soon. I usually knit my stress away but I was diagnosed with tennis elbow (knitter's elbow in my case) and have had to temporarily put my needles away. I have also put on 12 lbs since the beginning of Covid and so I have decided to turn my focus to getting in shape instead. I hope I can create habits that stick. I also hope I can continue as school starts in a couple of weeks. My district has opted to go back to school like normal and we are just supposed to social distance and wash hands frequently. I tried to put my 28 student desks 18 inches apart and still couldn't fit them all in my small, waterless, trailer classroom. I am trying to stay positive. I know the kids, mentally and emotionally, need to be back in school and I do love teaching.

When I was a 10/11 my best friend Candy and I would go on long adventures in her tack room (we would sit on the saddles and pretend to be going places), were often be high rope circus performers walking on her corral fence, and would make mud pies and cakes using orange/lemon juice so they would smell good (I had many citrus trees in my yard and we had an excess of fruit).

Knyvern

1.69 miles this morning. I must remember to get up earlier. The sun peeks over the mountains at 7:30 am and I need to be done by then. (It is supposed to be 104 degrees today.)

kperk91

Hopefully this helps me stay accountable for actually going on my runs!

rheddmobile

Elise4270 wrote: »

Does anyone have a monthly question to start us off with?

A monthly question.
This year has been challenging mentally, emotionally and physically (for some of us). How are you coping? What do you do to get back on track? What challenges do you face and how are you managing them? (hint: if you are not it's time to do so).
or
Remember when you were 10-13 ish? What were your favorite after school shows, snacks, activities, favorite memories and friends or pets?

Both my husband and I are extreme introverts who already worked from home as contracters so lockdown has not been too different for us. The main differences are that we don’t go out to eat after running and we aren’t safe at our usual parks. The thing I miss most is being in nature. And of course since we are both high-risk, and acting as a buffer for my elderly mother who is even more high risk, that’s stressful.

I normally cope with stress by writing, making art, and role-playing, but this constant overarching stress is killing my creativity. What I’ve been doing instead is reading comic books, which I haven’t really been into since high school, and watching anime, the dumber the better. I also pray every morning outside while feeding the birds, no matter what the weather. I make myself find things to give thanks for that I can see around me. So instead of being angry that the day is muggy and humid I am forcing myself to notice the beautiful mist with rays of sun coming through it, for example.

The years when I was 10-13 I was big into horses. The summer I was 13 in particular was the best summer ever. I was an awkward and weird kid but for some reason an older boy at my school saw something and took me under his wing, invited me to his cool parties, made people be cool to me. He was my first kiss. That summer was so hot and we were completely unsupervised from morning to evening at the barn, cleaning stalls, feeding, riding. We would walk into town and buy handmade toffee at the mall and feed it to the horses. That was the year arcades were huge too. Once we rode our horses through the drive-through at McDonalds. It was awesome.

skippygirlsmom

8/1 - 5 mile trail race
8/2 - 4 with Skip and Champ

9 of 115 miles

T1DCarnivoreRunner

7.13 miles this morning, was nice and cool. It was an enjoyable run today.

Faebert

@rheddmobile laughing myself silly at the thought of you riding horses through a McD’s drive thru!! Thanks for that!

My thoughts are with those on this thread who have shared some of their experiences with suicide and mental health difficulties within their families. It is frighteningly common and yet so many feel they cannot speak up or get help. Heartbreaking.

Re the monthly questions... Like many others this has been one of the most challenging years of my life. Surgery in December 19 (mastectomy) meant I started the year lacking all physical and emotional confidence. It’s been a battle to get fit again and managing lockdown as a key worker and single parent has made it harder. I cope by trying to treat myself with kindness. I grab precious alone time by getting up at the crack of dawn and that helps me be more patient with my kids and those I teach. I try not to let routines that help me feel better about myself slip, be it exercise, grooming, house cleaning etc. I try to be positive but I also forgive myself when I slip into being negative.

Re after school stuff, probably a little different living in rainy England. I did a fair amount of music - piano, cello and recorder - so there was practice and orchestra. Also did dance lessons after school. My grandparents lived with us until I was 13 so I remember lots of yummy Greek cakes after school and my grandfather sneaking me the odd sweet. Happy memories.

Weather wise and the heat - in England it’s a fairly fleeting problem to be honest. Massive respect to those of you running in temperatures that would genuinely occupy the British press for days.

I’m off the mark for August with a couple of treadmill miles in a circuit gym class. Mix of hill training and sprints. Going to hopefully do more gym stuff as lockdown eases so a modest 75 mile goal again.

August total: 2m
August goal: 75m

2/8: 2m interval training

July: 81m
June: 78m
May: 80 m
April: 115 m
March: 76.4 m
February: 17.8 m
January: 0

kperk91

Run felt good! Beat the rain! Great feeling for starting August 😁

TheMrWobbly

A monthly question.
This year has been challenging mentally, emotionally and physically (for some of us). How are you coping? What do you do to get back on track? What challenges do you face and how are you managing them? (hint: if you are not it's time to do so).
or
Remember when you were 10-13 ish? What were your favorite after school shows, snacks, activities, favorite memories and friends or pets?

Having been lucky that there are so many jobs either at home for others that I haven't time to consider the issues - always time to hear from any of you if you need a spare ear.

I cannot remember 13 years old, way too long ago!

TheMrWobbly

The issues of running a HM with a non-runner former professional footballer;
- "Do you have water?" - "Yes", a few miles in pulls out a 330ml bottle
- Starting mile pace 09:30 - "We need to keep it steady", shortly after 1 mile split 08:51, mile eleven 13:03!!!
- Plans a route with a mad inclines at 7 and 9 miles
- Starts at the hpotest part of the day
- The 13.2 mark of the route was 5.6 miles from home "I thought we might run farther, but I can't"

Still he made it so fair play!

quilteryoyo

Welcome to all the newcomers! I think you'll really like this group.

Glad you are back @polskagirl01 !

Welcome back @bride001 . You are going to be a busy little bee!

quilteryoyo

I got up early this morning so I could get in 3 miles before my normal Sunday stuff started. I was actually out the door at 6:50. (That's really early for me.) It was 70°F and 83% humidity. So, in theory, it shouldn't have been that bad, but I felt like I was running under water. My legs were fine, but I had a hard time breathing...especially for the first mile or so. I did manage negative splits, partly because I did fartleks the last mile. I just wanted to get it to be over. LOL

marisap2010

I did not set an alarm this morning, so of course it was already hot by the time I headed out at 8:45 for my 7 miles. I also realized that my running hat was nasty from yesterday, as I didn’t do laundry last night, so I pulled out a sweatband and rocked my inner 80s rock star. I need to order another hat.

11/75 miles

deraffemikey06

Date Miles
8/1 8.59
8/2 17.2

Goal: 285 Actual: 25.79. Off to a good start. Easy long run today.

hamsterwheel6

22 miles on the spin bike. 75 minutes.
Finished 1st in the leaderboard in the Echelon app for both classes. Still not sure how I am managing that.
I mean I know I’m working hard as my heart rate and dripping sweat tells me so, but I wonder if the stats are accurate.
If so, then I’m killing it. All that running!

hamsterwheel6

quilteryoyo wrote: »

I got up early this morning so I could get in 3 miles before my normal Sunday stuff started. I was actually out the door at 6:50. (That's really early for me.) It was 70°F and 83% humidity. So, in theory, it shouldn't have been that bad, but I felt like I was running under water. My legs were fine, but I had a hard time breathing...especially for the first mile or so. I did manage negative splits, partly because I did fartleks the last mile. I just wanted to get it to be over. LOL

That is early! Way to get it done even in the heat!

hamsterwheel6

marisap2010 wrote: »

I did not set an alarm this morning, so of course it was already hot by the time I headed out at 8:45 for my 7 miles. I also realized that my running hat was nasty from yesterday, as I didn’t do laundry last night, so I pulled out a sweatband and rocked my inner 80s rock star. I need to order another hat.

11/75 miles

I’m getting used to sleeping in on weekends. Another reason I got the spin bike, lol!
Great for getting out at that time!

hamsterwheel6

quilteryoyo wrote: »

Welcome to all the newcomers! I think you'll really like this group.

Glad you are back @polskagirl01 !

Welcome back @bride001 . You are going to be a busy little bee!

Yes welcome newcomers!