February 2021 Monthly Running Challenge
Replies
-
2/1 2.02 miles 3.5 mph
Monthly Total: 2.02/56 miles
Today would have been my dad's 89th birthday. In a normal, pre-surgery, high mileage month, I would have ran 8.9 miles to honor his life and remember how proud he was of me for running so much. He was in awe that I had run/walked fast over 700 miles last year and told anyone who would listen. But, given the circumstances, and the fact that it was cold and snowy outside, I walked 2.02 miles on the treadmill in his honor.
If you would like to find out how I managed to get from 89 to 2.02, my explanation is in the spoiler below.The number 4 is a thing in my family. My mom and dad got married on the 4th of September. Seventeen months later, to the day, my brother was born on the 4th of Feb. Exactly 18 months later, I was born on August 4. The other odd thing is that all of these things occurred on a Tuesday. When the time came, my brother got married on Oct 4 and my late husband and I got married on March 4th. Dad passed away on 16 Dec. 4X4=16. That's two 4's, or 44, in my head. So 89/44=2.02. Makes perfect sense, right?15 -
quilteryoyo wrote: »2/1 2.02 miles 3.5 mph
Monthly Total: 2.02/56 miles
Today would have been my dad's 89th birthday. In a normal, pre-surgery, high mileage month, I would have ran 8.9 miles to honor his life and remember how proud he was of me for running so much. He was in awe that I had run/walked fast over 700 miles last year and told anyone who would listen. But, given the circumstances, and the fact that it was cold and snowy outside, I walked 2.02 miles on the treadmill in his honor.
If you would like to find out how I managed to get from 89 to 2.02, my explanation is in the spoiler below.The number 4 is a thing in my family. My mom and dad got married on the 4th of September. Seventeen months later, to the day, my brother was born on the 4th of Feb. Exactly 18 months later, I was born on August 4. The other odd thing is that all of these things occurred on a Tuesday. When the time came, my brother got married on Oct 4 and my late husband and I got married on March 4th. Dad passed away on 16 Dec. 4X4=16. That's two 4's, or 44, in my head. So 89/44=2.02. Makes perfect sense, right?
Beautiful...3 -
@quilteryoyo Lovely tribute to your dad. Hugs to you on his birthday. (Also like your math on that mileage - I'm very partial to the number 4 as well as my birthday is on Nov 4 an there are a few other 4's for me too).
@mbaker566 hope you enjoy your snowblower! That's quite a shoveling workout. We're expecting maybe a foot of snow late tonight into tomorrow. I'm glad to have a plow service for my driveway an no sidewalks.
Yay for a fancy new watch @TheMrWobbly!
Welcome to the new people here!
Date :::: Miles :::: Cumulative
02/01/21 :::: 2.1 :::: 2.1
Starting off the month slowly, with a short treadmill warmup before strength training.
Yesterday's hike was in January but I'll just report on it here because it's not running anyway, and we've all moved over her. We left for the Adirondacks at 3 am an it was COLD. When we got to the trailhead it was -15 degrees F real temp, not wind chill. Fortunately there was no wind to speak of. We certainly questioned our choices at that time as we got all bundled an geared up. This was our first hike using snowshoes an we were told by people there that they were required to be worn from the beginning (the rule has been to our knowledge required to HAVE them, not wear them necessarily when the trail is packed or less than 8" snow. So we put them on and this is where things immediately went a bit wrong. Two of my friends were wearing borrowed snowshoes, the other two of us had our own. Turns out that none of them were really the right kind for mountain climbing and the borrowed ones were especially not good. One friend started out also with really cold fingers and toes, probably from putting on gear and not being warmed up. So she was immediately not in great shape. The mountain we intended to do we decided was a bad idea at that point, given the cold an the problems we were already having. This location is central to a bunch of trails so we had multiple choices to go with. We started towards another trail that would be shorter and less challenging, but even that we decided to bail on.
We ended up doing a much shorter hike, which was a beautiful mountain but not an official high peak (under 4000 ft). The hike took 3 hours total and was absolutely gorgeous. The day ended up being so beautiful with the bluest skies with zero clouds. The sun warmed things up and it was at least 20 degrees warmer by the time we finished, maybe more.
It was a day of some disappointment - not being able to do a high peak when we came all that way, an on a day that turned out to be absolutely amazing - but we learned some valuable lessons about our gear an about being prepared, as well as making the right decisions for safety of everyone involved. We should have just worn our microspikes from the beginning because the trail was packed and snowshoes weren't needed except for one short section where we took a part of the trail no one had been on yet that day an there was fresh snow. If we had done that, we probably would have completed the second hike we debated. The snowshoes we had were just not enough traction and not made for the steepness of an ascent (calves were screaming from this effort). There are ones with more "teeth" an a heel lift that help with climbing. My friend who was so cold did warm up eventually with toe and hand warmers and was fine, but it could have ended badly in a number of ways. I admit to being a little sad about not being able to check off any progress to my 46 high peaks goal. It's the first time I've had to turn back from a planned summit and that alone is an important lesson. Sometimes the mountain has to wait.
But seriously, it was so beautiful up there I can't be too sad about it.
12 -
For those who were interested in the Female Urinary Device (FUD) discussion - I did give mine a little bit of a try. The one I have is like this.
I tried it out at home the day before, using it a few times to get the hang of it. I was surprised that I found it fairly easy to use. I did not have to squat but it was a bit hard to I guess relax the muscles enough to get started. I tried to simulate hiking so really tried to stand and jus unzip the pants an not take them down much. It was a bit challenging to figure out the situation an I was worried about leakage around it an down the legs but I was pretty successful. You have to be ready with the TP for cleanup and coordinate things. It says to rinse with water and/or shake it out if no water.
I did take it on the hike with me, but given this trail location has an info center with bathrooms at the start/end (so civilized!) and we did a much shorter hike this time, I didn't end up using it in the wild. I'm fairly convinced that it will work well. I would not want to carry it running as it's fairly big but if you had a sizeable waist pack or something you could.
5 -
@katharmonic Love it that a three hour hike in sub-zero temps is your idea of cutting things short! Sorry you didn’t get your peak but it looks beautiful up there.
@quilteryoyo what a beautiful tribute! I feel like walking that far less than a month after open heart surgery more than equals running the farther distance!3 -
Rest day today, planning on racing tomorrow. The in-person Winter off-road Series 5k at Stanky Creek was run Sunday and the results came in Sunday night, so I looked at the times in my age group to get an idea of what I should be aiming for. And was instantly confused. Everyone was really, really fast? I had run this course in practice and had an idea of what it was like and the times didn’t seem possible.
I know this group of women, having raced with some of them three years now, and there was just no way they were capable of these times on that course. One woman and I have an ongoing rivalry - I bumped her out of the results last year, the year before she bumped me down. We are doppelgängers of each other as far as pace over shorter distances... over longer distances she has me beat. Another lady is consistently a few seconds per mile slower than I am. In the 3k race in January, my private run over the same course was exactly 1 second faster than my doppelgänger and a little faster than the other lady, so I know our abilities are about the same as in past years. But according to the results, both were faster than I could ever dream of running this course!
On our practice run, which granted included walking along the road and a wait at a stoplight, plus one place where we went the wrong direction briefly and had to turn around, we ran the Stanky Creek 5k course at 13:16 mile pace. It wasn’t 5k either, Strava called it 3.46 miles. So our total time was even slower. According to the results, the slowest person in my AG ran it faster than that! Wait, no one walked it? The top person ran it more than a minute per mile faster than she ran the 3k? My doppelgänger ran it at sub 10 minute pace, which is a road pace for her, but these trails are muddy, rooty, with steep descents and ascents. I was swallowing hard and trying to psyche myself up to really sprinting this crazy course. Could I do it? Did they even run the same course I did in practice?
And then I realized, of course not. The Memphis Runner’s Track Club was doing what it does all the time, posting one thing on the race course page and then running something unrelated on the day.
I joined the Strava group for the organizers figuring that someone in their recent history would have run the race. And yes, there were several people. No, they didn’t run the posted course. They ran a modified course which according to various Strava data was no more than 2.77 miles and possibly as short as 2.20 according to one guy’s gps!So yeah, I feel better now. Tomorrow we are planning to run the modified course rather than the one that was posted on the site. It simplifies things for me because I won’t have to worry about the stoplights and the road not being closed, they just never went down the road.
But I do feel sorry for the lady who ran two extra miles because she got lost!6 -
I started off the month with a 3 mile treadmill run last night.
I have decided to do a mini-strength challenge for the month. It is my 38th birthday, so each day I am going to do a brief set of arm/leg/ab exercises with 38 reps for each. This is in addition to the classes I already do, just something to bump it up slightly.
I also decided that since I have been so tired lately, I would get up 15 minutes early this morning and walk 1 mile to get me going before work. Too dark and freezing to go out and run, but I have an open concept downstairs, so round and round I went while listening to my audiobook. I might try to do that every day.
Pretty snow for all of those who have it! Snow is a rarity here.10 -
Welcome to all the new members!
@quilteryoyo such a thoughtful and loving tribute to your Dad!!!
Just an easy (slow) 5 miles on the treadmill this morning to start off the month.
3 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Rest day today, planning on racing tomorrow. The in-person Winter off-road Series 5k at Stanky Creek was run Sunday and the results came in Sunday night, so I looked at the times in my age group to get an idea of what I should be aiming for. And was instantly confused. Everyone was really, really fast? I had run this course in practice and had an idea of what it was like and the times didn’t seem possible.
I know this group of women, having raced with some of them three years now, and there was just no way they were capable of these times on that course. One woman and I have an ongoing rivalry - I bumped her out of the results last year, the year before she bumped me down. We are doppelgängers of each other as far as pace over shorter distances... over longer distances she has me beat. Another lady is consistently a few seconds per mile slower than I am. In the 3k race in January, my private run over the same course was exactly 1 second faster than my doppelgänger and a little faster than the other lady, so I know our abilities are about the same as in past years. But according to the results, both were faster than I could ever dream of running this course!
On our practice run, which granted included walking along the road and a wait at a stoplight, plus one place where we went the wrong direction briefly and had to turn around, we ran the Stanky Creek 5k course at 13:16 mile pace. It wasn’t 5k either, Strava called it 3.46 miles. So our total time was even slower. According to the results, the slowest person in my AG ran it faster than that! Wait, no one walked it? The top person ran it more than a minute per mile faster than she ran the 3k? My doppelgänger ran it at sub 10 minute pace, which is a road pace for her, but these trails are muddy, rooty, with steep descents and ascents. I was swallowing hard and trying to psyche myself up to really sprinting this crazy course. Could I do it? Did they even run the same course I did in practice?
And then I realized, of course not. The Memphis Runner’s Track Club was doing what it does all the time, posting one thing on the race course page and then running something unrelated on the day.
I joined the Strava group for the organizers figuring that someone in their recent history would have run the race. And yes, there were several people. No, they didn’t run the posted course. They ran a modified course which according to various Strava data was no more than 2.77 miles and possibly as short as 2.20 according to one guy’s gps!So yeah, I feel better now. Tomorrow we are planning to run the modified course rather than the one that was posted on the site. It simplifies things for me because I won’t have to worry about the stoplights and the road not being closed, they just never went down the road.
But I do feel sorry for the lady who ran two extra miles because she got lost!
I ran the Winter off-road series a number of years ago. We didn't have the issues with the course then, but it's been 8 or 9 years. Running through the water near the end was always fun when it's cold out.2 -
Another 3 miles today.
2/1 3.16
2/2 3.16
Total 6.32 / 90
4 -
2-1 6.1k treadmill
2-2 5k treadmill + yoga
February Total: 11.1k
February Goal: 150k
Had some more snow overnight yet again; went on the treadmill. I'm calling this a "paper cut" winter: no real big snows; just a bunch of little snows.
Happy birthday, @marisap2010 !!!!
When you pop in here claiming your December 2021 mileage, what accomplishments will you have made?
PUT THE FUN BACK IN THE RUN!
Return to a good running weight of 175 lbs (second attempt)6 -
@katharmonic Thank you. Love that your birthday is on a 4th too. Those hiking conditions sound brutal. So glad that you all chose to cut it short. (I agree with @rheddmobile on your definition of short.
) That could have ended in disaster. Now you are better equipped to know what to expect and what equipment you need to take the next time in order to accomplish your goal. The pictures are breathtaking. Thank for the review of the FUD. I think they make some that are more flexible and easier to stow in small spaces. I may get one, even if I can't use it when running. Just having it as a back up in the car when traveling would be great.
Thanks @rheddmobile & et.al. I know dad is very happy that I am doing as well as I am.
That's so crazy about the racing route @rheddmobile ! Glad you were able to figure out the disconnect. At least the lady who got lost ran an actual 5K (plus). Hopefully, she wasn't in the running for any of the AG placements. That would be disappointing.
@marisap2010 Sounds like you have a great plan for the month. Great job in doing rounds in your downstairs this morning. Happy Birthday month!
@Tramboman Love your description of a paper cut winter. We have about 1.75" on the ground this morning. It has been warm enough the last couple of days that the roads aren't impassable, but are slick in spots. I'll opt for the treadmill again today too.
3 -
2/1-2.25
2/2-2.25
February Goal-4.5/60
2021 Goal-85.5/634 miles
January-81 miles5 -
Happy birthday @marisap2010 is it today?
Nice goals @angmarie28
That looks amazing @katharmonic (the views, not the FUD) though those temperatures would definitely find me sitting by a fire!
Hugs on your Dad's birthday @quilteryoyo and I like your maths. I was 7 on the 7th of the 7th, '77 so can I divide all of my mileages by 77,777?? I like that plan 😊
No time for 90 minutes in the plan today and I didn't want to so I put in a 10k with effort and hit my 2nd fastest time. Might add some minutes to tomorrow to make up for the short mileage.8 -
Eaglesfanintn wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Rest day today, planning on racing tomorrow. The in-person Winter off-road Series 5k at Stanky Creek was run Sunday and the results came in Sunday night, so I looked at the times in my age group to get an idea of what I should be aiming for. And was instantly confused. Everyone was really, really fast? I had run this course in practice and had an idea of what it was like and the times didn’t seem possible.
I know this group of women, having raced with some of them three years now, and there was just no way they were capable of these times on that course. One woman and I have an ongoing rivalry - I bumped her out of the results last year, the year before she bumped me down. We are doppelgängers of each other as far as pace over shorter distances... over longer distances she has me beat. Another lady is consistently a few seconds per mile slower than I am. In the 3k race in January, my private run over the same course was exactly 1 second faster than my doppelgänger and a little faster than the other lady, so I know our abilities are about the same as in past years. But according to the results, both were faster than I could ever dream of running this course!
On our practice run, which granted included walking along the road and a wait at a stoplight, plus one place where we went the wrong direction briefly and had to turn around, we ran the Stanky Creek 5k course at 13:16 mile pace. It wasn’t 5k either, Strava called it 3.46 miles. So our total time was even slower. According to the results, the slowest person in my AG ran it faster than that! Wait, no one walked it? The top person ran it more than a minute per mile faster than she ran the 3k? My doppelgänger ran it at sub 10 minute pace, which is a road pace for her, but these trails are muddy, rooty, with steep descents and ascents. I was swallowing hard and trying to psyche myself up to really sprinting this crazy course. Could I do it? Did they even run the same course I did in practice?
And then I realized, of course not. The Memphis Runner’s Track Club was doing what it does all the time, posting one thing on the race course page and then running something unrelated on the day.
I joined the Strava group for the organizers figuring that someone in their recent history would have run the race. And yes, there were several people. No, they didn’t run the posted course. They ran a modified course which according to various Strava data was no more than 2.77 miles and possibly as short as 2.20 according to one guy’s gps!So yeah, I feel better now. Tomorrow we are planning to run the modified course rather than the one that was posted on the site. It simplifies things for me because I won’t have to worry about the stoplights and the road not being closed, they just never went down the road.
But I do feel sorry for the lady who ran two extra miles because she got lost!
I ran the Winter off-road series a number of years ago. We didn't have the issues with the course then, but it's been 8 or 9 years. Running through the water near the end was always fun when it's cold out.
This isn’t the usual 8k Stanky Creek course, it’s a new one for the 5k distance - I think after two years in a row of not being able to run the posted 5k course at WC Johnson because of flooding they decided to move locations. Or maybe it was due to social distancing requirements, they moved the 3k from Overton Park to Shelby Farms as well. The classic 8k at Stanky is still coming up though! And both courses require the creek jump!3 -
Happy birthday @marisap2010 !0
-
I’m a couple days late, but I’m back for another month!
I haven’t been feeling much motivation to get up and moving since I’m so busy with college, so my goal for this month is to consistently run and workout4 -
10.1/70 miles
2/1: 6 miles
2/2: 4.1 miles
I ran yesterday late afternoon and had beautiful weather after work. About 60F with only 30% humidity!?! Low humidity is such a treat. This morning it was in the high 30's but still pretty nice. I caught a beautiful sunrise and the cold tends to keep people inside so I get a nice quiet run.
Welcome to the new people! Good job on getting out there everyone. I liked and hugged through 4 pages of comments and am finally officially caught up!4 -
Hahaha @TheMrWobbly ! That would make for some tiny mileages. Love the 7's though....it's supposed to be the perfect number. Guess that's why you are so awesome.
1 -
Happy birthday @marisap20101
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 897 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.2K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions