February 2021 Monthly Running Challenge

12357…21

Replies

  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
    Those of you with snowshoes living in snow country should "enjoy" a run wearing the snowshoes. We used to run in snowshoes at Fort Drum, NY and it was a blast. Only rule one needs to remember is "don't back up."
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,188 Member
    @quilteryoyo What a lovely tribute to your dad.

    @marisap2010 Happy Birthday!

    @summerskier I see skunks pretty regularly. One time when I got home there was one in my driveway. I just try not to startle them. I can usually tell it's a skunk and not a cat from a distance.  Skunks have a very distinctive waddle and they are always busy. Cats are graceful when they run across the road,  but they also like to loiter and sometimes they just sit in the middle of the street.  I smelled skunk pretty strong this morning about a half a block from the house. I think the neighbor's dogs got sprayed because when I came home it still smelled just as strong. 

    Welcome to all the new members!
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    Tramboman wrote: »
    Those of you with snowshoes living in snow country should "enjoy" a run wearing the snowshoes. We used to run in snowshoes at Fort Drum, NY and it was a blast. Only rule one needs to remember is "don't back up."

    @Tramboman I live in Syracuse, so not too far from Fort Drum. I drive through that area all the time to get to the Adirondacks. The amount of snow they get up there in the north country compared to here is insane. I have running snowshoes but haven't done much actual running in them. It's hard work! I signed up for a snowshoe 5k a couple of years ago but there wasn't enough snow so it became a trail run - and I haven't tried it again since.
  • polskagirl01
    polskagirl01 Posts: 2,024 Member
    marisap2010 wrote: »
    Guys, they are currently predicting a 70% chance of snow here in middle Ga on the day of my half marathon. If it looks like that is going to be correct, I’m going to need some help figuring out how to dress for that, seeing as we only get snow here every few years, and I have never run in it! 😬

    Layers! Half marathon is a long time to be cold if you're underdressed. Consider keeping an extra layer (hat, shirt/jacket) with you in a pack, and if you don't need it during the race, you have it when you finish - instead of standing in line at the bag deposit freezing. Basics for me in winter are 2 pairs of running tights, tank top/vest, long-sleeved shirt, jacket, 1 buff around neck, one folded like a headband to cover ears, gloves. I have different versions of all of those depending on temperature, and at some point upgrade to a hat or add it over the headband. I'd imagine your roads would be clear, but if slippery just know that it's slowing everyone down. Shorter strides, arms out for balance.
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,571 Member
    Sorry I missed your birthday @marisap2010! Hope you had a great day!
    Snow in GA?!! That is pretty unusual. My twin brother lives in Peachtree City. Yes, layers is the key. But I never know what to do with the shedded items. In typical real-life, organized races, I usually shed the clothes at the start line and they are donated. But for a self-supported race, I guess you can leave them on the side of the road and possibly return for them later, or someone may just pick them up and solve the problem for you :D

    Another 5 miles on the treadmill this morning.

    exercise.png
  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
    polskagirl01 wrote: »
    marisap2010 wrote: »
    Guys, they are currently predicting a 70% chance of snow here in middle Ga on the day of my half marathon. If it looks like that is going to be correct, I’m going to need some help figuring out how to dress for that, seeing as we only get snow here every few years, and I have never run in it! 😬

    Layers! Half marathon is a long time to be cold if you're underdressed. Consider keeping an extra layer (hat, shirt/jacket) with you in a pack, and if you don't need it during the race, you have it when you finish - instead of standing in line at the bag deposit freezing. Basics for me in winter are 2 pairs of running tights, tank top/vest, long-sleeved shirt, jacket, 1 buff around neck, one folded like a headband to cover ears, gloves. I have different versions of all of those depending on temperature, and at some point upgrade to a hat or add it over the headband. I'd imagine your roads would be clear, but if slippery just know that it's slowing everyone down. Shorter strides, arms out for balance.

    ...and those chemical packet handwarmers to slip into your gloves...
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    @marisap2010 what are the temps supposed to be? What's your hourly forecast? If it's actively snowing or has just snowed my concern would be footing and what to wear for shoes more than anything else. @polskagirl01 has some good tips but I would recommend not going TOO overboard if you can't easily shed layers. A throwaway layer is good if it's an option.

    @Tramboman good job on your fastest 6k of the year!

    Date :::: Miles :::: Cumulative
    02/01/21 :::: 2.1 :::: 2.1
    02/02/21 :::: 1.6 :::: 3.6
    02/03/21 :::: 5.0 :::: 8.7
    02/04/21 :::: 2.9 :::: 11.5

    Treadmill warmup before strength training today. I didn't quite get to 3 miles in the time I had.
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,545 Member
    Great run in those temperature, or really in any temperatures @Tramboman ! Congrats on the fast 6K.
  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
    Avidkeo wrote: »
    8k this morning. Was a faster 8k than intended despite the wind I was battling. It was a a great run though. Cool morning, will be hot today though. Felt great. Calf was a little tight at the end but was much better with some stretching.

    2 weeks and 2 days to go till HM!

    You will CRUSH your half!!!!
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,192 Member
    I love those little handwarmers @Tramboman Earlier this year I injured my finger and it would go completely numb whenever it got the slightest bit cold. I lived with a handwarmer on it. I did not know then it was an injury and would recover. I love they last 12 hrs so I could use them to run in my mitten and then also later at the barn to warm Bandit's bit and my finger.
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,545 Member
    Great run @Avidkeo ! You're going to do great in the HM!
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,545 Member
    @SummerSkier Interesting about your HR. I really didn't pay attention to a difference after a long run, but know, overall, mine went down when I was running. (I'm 61 years old.)
  • HonuNui
    HonuNui Posts: 1,464 Member
    edited February 2021
    February Goal: Hike/Run the "B's" *

    2/1 off
    2/2 3.50 Cote D'Ivoire and Cape Verde Islands
    2/3 off
    2/4 3.35 Cambodia

    Total 6.85
    @shanaber I thought you ( and Hobbes the Vizsla ) would enjoy this Parkour agility video (shared by my DH on who's news feed it appeared)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCikJbioKM4

    exercise.png

    *So, my 2021 resolution is to hike/run all 193 (or 195 depending on your source) countries of the world this year. This could be difficult, since I don’t have a passport. But YouTube to the rescue! I have been using the site to take train “trips” recently, and have found them strangely motivating. Why not the world?

  • marisap2010
    marisap2010 Posts: 909 Member
    My HM isn’t until the 13th, so I know the forecast may change, but as of now, it is still predicting snow that day, but also frozen mix the day before. The race is on the Air Force base, so I wonder if there is a chance they may salt the roads...I do have trail shoes I could wear that have more grip, but I don’t know how running that far on a road in them will be. They are saying high of 37, low of 28. I suppose I will just keep an eye out for the next few days and have a variety of layers ready to go.
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    Avidkeo wrote: »

    Thoughts? Trust the plan? Or change? I guess I am worried those last 5k will feel like a real challenge on race day. Though race day excitement will get me through, I know that. And I've done HM before. Heck before I got injured I ran HM distance or very close to it for long runs for 3 weekends. And I got injured not following the plan. The plan is to ease the calf back into running.

    OK ok I know the answer. Stick to the plan.
    Well im going to do 15k tomorrow. Its only 500m more...

    @Avidkeo, your goal with this race is to finish, and be uninjured right? I would trust the plan. I don't easily think in km unless they are multiples of 5, but the plan is roughly increasing a mile a week and then the 5k from the last training run to the race. That is really what I did my first HM. 10 miles was my max training run going into the 13.1.
    I honestly don't think it will make a big difference for you to do 15k, 16.5k, 21k vs. 16k 18.5k, 21k in terms of how you feel on race day. Jumping up 3k during a training cycle when you are more tired might be tougher on you than jumping up 5k on rested legs (you are tapering?) on race day.

    Personally I'd probably be more tempted to add one more shorter run in during the week rather than add to the long run if endurance is your concern.

    @marisap2010 yeah, it's pretty far out but to worry about it too much yet but if the roads are clear 28-37 degrees won't be that bad to dress for. Long sleeve shirt an a jacket you can take off would do it for me, thick running tights, light gloves with mittens over, and a hat and buff for your neck. The gloves and mittens maybe get cheap ones you can toss if you get hot (but I often learn the hard way I'll want them back later in the race).

  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,545 Member
    edited February 2021
    @HonuNui I enjoyed the video too. Thanks for sharing. That dog is amazing. My Tippy will do a lot of things, but she refuses to go through a tunnel.

    @shanaber I hope they figure out the hamstring issue soon and you are able to get it fixed relatively easily.

    @Avidkeo I just looked back and the plan I was following had my longest run at 11 miles, but it was 7 weeks before the race! That doesn't seem right. Anyway, for my first HM I was nervous about never having ran that distance before the race, so I was going to have a hard time trusting the plan. Since you have ran HMs before, I think you can trust the plan and do great.



  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,192 Member
    @shanaber I had another friend with some sort of hamstring issue a while back. She was a gazelle and her hamstring did not hurt if she slowed down when she ran. She tried all sorts of things including dry needling and stem cells. Not sure what the final outcome was and she ghosted me last year... sigh.

    Anyway, I do (when I remember to) use a little ithlete HRV reader in the evenings to see what it thinks my HRV is. It is a pretty good predictor of when I am tired vs fresh and sometimes I use that to plan my runs for the next day a little. Fitbit also tries to measure HRV when I am sleeping and so does Apple watch. None of the readings are every close so I try TRY not to get hung up on all the fancy metrics but more how do I feel. It's a slippery slope the more data we have. Do I feel tired because my watch told me I was or do I feel tired because I really am?

    I am excited for @Avidkeo and her HM. I don't really intend to race but I do want to run the distance by my birthday at a reasonable pace.

    Summer
  • eleanorhawkins
    eleanorhawkins Posts: 1,659 Member
    @Avidkeo my 2 cents.... the reasoning behind Hal's novice 1 only going to 16km is that if you can run 10 miles you can run a HM. That was the plan I used the first time and the one thing I didn't like about it was first time round those extra 5km do seem like a lot and I felt I could have done with longer runs beforehand to reassure me I was capable to doing the whole thing. You, however, know that you are perfectly capable of running HM distance. And the important thing is to be sensible and avoid overdoing it and ending up injured again. So I would say stick to the plan, and just get it in your head now that it is going to be long and hard.
    Actually, the other thing I thought about that plan was that as a beginner I could have done with more of a taper before the race. The second time I did a HM I added an extra week in between the last long run and the race and only did 10k in the weekend in the middle.

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