August 2021 Monthly Running Challenge
WhatMeRunning
Posts: 3,538 Member
in Challenges
WARNING: Following this thread may be addictive; it gets very talkative...miss a day and you can be 50 posts behind. This is the most popular challenge on MFP. If you found us in the middle (or end) of the month, you're still very welcome to join in - no requirements or special invite needed. Once you post, that's it you're in. And yes, we do this every month.
You set your own pace and distance for the month. We will all be doing it together. This is your virtual running group to help keep you accountable, to enjoy a virtual post-run coffee with your fellow runners, and to make new friends and learn a few things.
This is a continuation from the July 2021 Monthly Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10837150/july-2021-monthly-running-challenge/p1
Anyone can join in, new and old, and if you found this thread late, you can join in at any time.
We have members ranging from total beginners all the way to Boston Qualifiers and beyond. We are a friendly and encouraging bunch. You never need to be ashamed of your miles. If you are making the effort, you will find only support here.
Here are the details from last month that apply again:
Anybody want to join in for a running challenge? Set a goal here and update us every day. OPTIONAL: You can post your progress by creating a ticker at http://www.tickerfactory.com (if creating one seems difficult, or you're like me and can't be bothered, then just type in your daily miles in this thread).
You can run, walk, or do treadmill - just be consistent. Don't let the high (or low) goals of others intimidate you. Some do 25 miles, others do 50, some go higher than that, some do lower; it's entirely your goal and therefore completely up to you. We help motivate each other, so what do you say? If you're new to running, set a low goal. If you're from a part of the world where miles aren't your thing, log your distances in KMs. And if you'd rather log your progress by time rather than distance, then you're entirely free to do that as well.
Feel free to set your goal now but wait until August 1, 2021 to start logging your runs!
Also, don't forget to join our group which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/21182-monthly-running-challenges
Bookmark the previous and past challenges: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10393468/current-past-challenges#latest
Find a small group of runners that encourage and offer food support:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10573619/runners-that-need-some-nutritional-accountability#latest
Note: we also have a group on Strava and Facebook.
After you run, come into this thread and post what you did (don't forget to hit the star in the upper right corner to bookmark this thread). Simply keep a running tally of what you've done this month, and interact with the others. Many folks come in here and chit-chat it up, even on their rest days or while recouping from injury. This is a very social group and we talk about many things (sometimes even about running). It's a very friendly bunch here so don't be afraid to say hi (even if this is your first time), talk about a recent or up-coming race, ask questions, provide answers, or just lurk-n-learn. Participation is what makes this group successful.
Not quite sure how to log your runs? Follow the examples of many other challenge members. Even take a peek at last month's thread (posted above).
*******OPTIONAL TICKER*************
Info on tickers since I know there will be questions. Sign up for an account at http://www.tickerfactory.com and create your ticker. Then you need to update it after you finish a run and post it here. Here is what you will need to do.
After setting up your ticker, you will need to make note of the weblink they give you so you can return. An example would be:
http://www.tickerfactory.com/exercise/w6K1EiX/ <<<< the last part will be a part of the image link (explained below) that will be supplied to you after you initially create your link.
When you return to TickerFactory with the weblink, go to your settings page. Make sure you type your PIN in that you set when you created your ticker account. Then, where it says "Your current cumulative value", there is an add button. Simply add the distance that you just did, and the cumulative value automatically changes. Then hit next.
After adding your new miles (or KMs) to your ticker, you need to post it here.
After you hit next, it will give you a bunch of codes suggesting how to display your ticker.
Use the one at the bottom where it says Direct Image URL:
It will look something like:
http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/w6K1EiX/exercise.png
To display that correctly in your post, make sure you place the image (img) tags around that link. So it will look something like the following (but removing the spaces in the img tags):
[ img ] http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/w6K1EiX/exercise.png [ /img ]
^^^^^^^ Don't forget to remove the spaces between the brackets ^^^^^^^^^^
Some key things to pay attention to when posting your ticker:
Use the link that ends in .png
Remember the [ img] and [ /img] tags go in between the link
Remove the spaces in the img tags before posting
YES, there is a / in the second /img tag
By the way, everyone here should consider themselves a runner no matter how fast or slow. There's no judgment, we all started somewhere. And no comparisons, except with your former self. Don't compare your Chapter 1 to somebody else’s Chapter 20.
“I often hear someone say I’m not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner.” – Bart Yasso
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius
"We all know that if you run, you are pretty much choosing a life of success because of it.” – Deena Kastor
“Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.” – Steve Prefontaine
“Get going … walk if you have to, but finish the damned race.” – Ron Hill
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." - John Bingham
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay on track.
You set your own pace and distance for the month. We will all be doing it together. This is your virtual running group to help keep you accountable, to enjoy a virtual post-run coffee with your fellow runners, and to make new friends and learn a few things.
This is a continuation from the July 2021 Monthly Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10837150/july-2021-monthly-running-challenge/p1
Anyone can join in, new and old, and if you found this thread late, you can join in at any time.
We have members ranging from total beginners all the way to Boston Qualifiers and beyond. We are a friendly and encouraging bunch. You never need to be ashamed of your miles. If you are making the effort, you will find only support here.
Here are the details from last month that apply again:
Anybody want to join in for a running challenge? Set a goal here and update us every day. OPTIONAL: You can post your progress by creating a ticker at http://www.tickerfactory.com (if creating one seems difficult, or you're like me and can't be bothered, then just type in your daily miles in this thread).
You can run, walk, or do treadmill - just be consistent. Don't let the high (or low) goals of others intimidate you. Some do 25 miles, others do 50, some go higher than that, some do lower; it's entirely your goal and therefore completely up to you. We help motivate each other, so what do you say? If you're new to running, set a low goal. If you're from a part of the world where miles aren't your thing, log your distances in KMs. And if you'd rather log your progress by time rather than distance, then you're entirely free to do that as well.
Feel free to set your goal now but wait until August 1, 2021 to start logging your runs!
Also, don't forget to join our group which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/21182-monthly-running-challenges
Bookmark the previous and past challenges: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10393468/current-past-challenges#latest
Find a small group of runners that encourage and offer food support:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10573619/runners-that-need-some-nutritional-accountability#latest
Note: we also have a group on Strava and Facebook.
After you run, come into this thread and post what you did (don't forget to hit the star in the upper right corner to bookmark this thread). Simply keep a running tally of what you've done this month, and interact with the others. Many folks come in here and chit-chat it up, even on their rest days or while recouping from injury. This is a very social group and we talk about many things (sometimes even about running). It's a very friendly bunch here so don't be afraid to say hi (even if this is your first time), talk about a recent or up-coming race, ask questions, provide answers, or just lurk-n-learn. Participation is what makes this group successful.
Not quite sure how to log your runs? Follow the examples of many other challenge members. Even take a peek at last month's thread (posted above).
*******OPTIONAL TICKER*************
Info on tickers since I know there will be questions. Sign up for an account at http://www.tickerfactory.com and create your ticker. Then you need to update it after you finish a run and post it here. Here is what you will need to do.
After setting up your ticker, you will need to make note of the weblink they give you so you can return. An example would be:
http://www.tickerfactory.com/exercise/w6K1EiX/ <<<< the last part will be a part of the image link (explained below) that will be supplied to you after you initially create your link.
When you return to TickerFactory with the weblink, go to your settings page. Make sure you type your PIN in that you set when you created your ticker account. Then, where it says "Your current cumulative value", there is an add button. Simply add the distance that you just did, and the cumulative value automatically changes. Then hit next.
After adding your new miles (or KMs) to your ticker, you need to post it here.
After you hit next, it will give you a bunch of codes suggesting how to display your ticker.
Use the one at the bottom where it says Direct Image URL:
It will look something like:
http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/w6K1EiX/exercise.png
To display that correctly in your post, make sure you place the image (img) tags around that link. So it will look something like the following (but removing the spaces in the img tags):
[ img ] http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/w6K1EiX/exercise.png [ /img ]
^^^^^^^ Don't forget to remove the spaces between the brackets ^^^^^^^^^^
Some key things to pay attention to when posting your ticker:
Use the link that ends in .png
Remember the [ img] and [ /img] tags go in between the link
Remove the spaces in the img tags before posting
YES, there is a / in the second /img tag
By the way, everyone here should consider themselves a runner no matter how fast or slow. There's no judgment, we all started somewhere. And no comparisons, except with your former self. Don't compare your Chapter 1 to somebody else’s Chapter 20.
“I often hear someone say I’m not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner.” – Bart Yasso
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius
"We all know that if you run, you are pretty much choosing a life of success because of it.” – Deena Kastor
“Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.” – Steve Prefontaine
“Get going … walk if you have to, but finish the damned race.” – Ron Hill
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." - John Bingham
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay on track.
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Replies
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I'm walking the entire month of August in an effort to get this plantar fasciitis to calm down. With luck I'll start running again in September. Until then, I'll keep to the right and let y'all zoom by on the left! Although, to be perfectly honest, I've been over here on the right the whole time, even when running as you speedy little devils zoom by!10
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Thanks for setting us up, @WhatMeRunning!
I'm in for 150k again.7 -
Hey thanks @WhatMeRunning for setting up August!! So sorry your PF is still keeping you from running. But I know you'll rehab well and be back soon. I really do feel your pain.
I will start my 15K race training on Sunday (August 1). So mileage will be lower than normal (but will be doing more speed work). So will just say 100 miles for my mileage goal.9 -
@skippygirlsmom the new thread is here0
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Thanks for setting us up @WhatMeRunning !!
I am going to go with 100 miles for August. It is a stretch for me with the heat and my arm/shoulder issues but I am willing to work on it, especially since I have that HM in early September that I hope to still be able to run (run/walk).10 -
Thanks @WhatMeRunning!
Out of curiosity I looked back on my mileage for the past three months of participating in the thread:
May: 21.81
June: 36.69
July: 50.7
It's amazing to me that it's increased so much in just three months. And for August, my goal is 60 miles!10 -
penguinmama87 wrote: »Thanks @WhatMeRunning!
Out of curiosity I looked back on my mileage for the past three months of participating in the thread:
May: 21.81
June: 36.69
July: 50.7
It's amazing to me that it's increased so much in just three months. And for August, my goal is 60 miles!
You're making great progress. Keep it up!!4 -
200 miles minimum goal,
400 miles and over is where I am focused
August will be hard for me. I am waiting for surgical guide and then start the phase 1 of 3 to get this implant done. Also fighting with the county I live in about jury duty. Appears they do not care that I am my mother's caregiver.11 -
I’m in for August. Training for Sept 5k race which will hopefully be my first face to face race since Covid. Although races may be cancelled by then if caseload keeps going up at this rate.
Still caretaking for my mother and also it’s insanely hot here, but I hope to get in some speedwork, get my long runs back up to at least 10k (several have been cut short recently due to lack of time) and run at least three times a week. I should also plan to get out to run the course at Shelby Farms where the race is held since it’s hillier than the park where I’ve been running. Here goes!11 -
I don't know, I'll just say 100 miles again. I haven't done that well with this goal this year, and hiking is still going to be a priority so we'll see how it goes.8
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Okay to go for August. I’ll start out with a 50 mile goal since this is my first time I don’t know where to start. I officially signed up for a 10K race that is October 31st in Phoenix. So I’m officially in training.9
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Thanks guys!
I'm taking things pretty cruisy atm. Just following my watch really. So will just see what happens.
Only did 73k in July. Hope to do more in August.9 -
Here’s my first entry for August.
08/01 6.23 miles8 -
August 1 - 6.3 miles
I'm going to aim for 100 miles for August. I have a couple of short trips planned but they are with a running friend.
Thanks for starting us @WhatMeRunning! Hope your PF clears up soon.
Welcome @julieannegannon!7 -
8-1 7k measy (between moderate and easy)
August Total: 7k
August Goal: 150k
Partly cloudy, upper 60s F, and a light wind today. Hard to believe it's already August.
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)
2021 Races:
6/26 Direction Up 5k, Solon, OH 31:48 chip; 31:59 Garmin; 53d overall; 2d male 65 and over
7/17 Run of the Ox 5k, Mantua, OH 32:19 Garmin; 44th overall; 3d place male 60 and over
9/18 5k Run and Roll, Aurora, OH8 -
Welcome @julieannegannon!
It felt pretty darn good for the first 8 miles, then the heat and sweat really got to me. I tightened up my hat thinking that would help with the salty sweat dripping down to my eyes and burning, but all it did was give me a headache (along with the stinging eyes). I have the Halo hat that is supposed to prevent that. Not sure what else to do. Got my 13.1 miles in, but that's probably the last long run for a while.
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You are doing great @penguinmama87 ! Keep it up.
I hope everything works out well for you in August @AlphaHowls ! Hope the dental implant doesn't set you back too much in your running.
I'm impressed with your running @rheddmobile ..... heat, humidity, and taking care of your mom full time. I don't know how you do it.
@julieannegannon Do you have a training plan for your 10K? If so, looking at that should help you determine your mileage for the month.
Nice run @Scott6255. I just let the sweat drip. For some reason, it doesn't get into my eyes. It has dripped off of my eyelashes before though.
My HM is quickly approaching, if August goes as quickly as July did, it will seem like no time at all (it's Sept 18). I'm getting nervous about it and haven't made hotel reservations yet. Guess I need to get with it.
Looking at the plan, I am going to set my August goal for 100 miles running and 31 miles fast walking.
Today is my rest day, so I did my mile walk after church and before lunch.
1 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - driveway laps, barely beat the heavy downpour
I did my walk on the driveway, after I got home from church and before going to my mom's for lunch. It was only 72°F, but with 94% humidity, I was really sweating when I finished. It came a downpour about 5 minutes after I got finished.
I posted yesterday's long run in the July thread. I did 8 miles which put me over my monthly goal and was a PB for a monthly total - ever!
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Well done on your mileage PB for July @quilteryoyo.2
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Great job on your monthly mileage PB @quilteryoyo!
Yes @AlphaHowls I hope your dental work goes smoothly too. My wife is having a root canal on Tuesday 🤐4 -
FYI - Someone needs to add this thread to the current/past challenges thread since I can not post there.
Congrats @quilteryoyo3 -
Hmm...wrong thread! 😆2
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August Goal: 100 Miles
8/1: 6.50 miles
6.50/75 miles completed for August
I think I will set my goal for August at 75 miles. That is less than I have been running, but I am trying to stick to Hal's plan. Of course, I can only see the plan for the next two weeks which really annoys me. But based on what the next two weeks have I will go with 75. If it ends up being more then awesome. But I don't want to set it too high because then I will be tempted to run more than the plan tells me to.
Today the plan called for 6 miles in 1 hr 1 min at 10:06 min/mi. That's a lot less than I usually run on Sundays so it was kind of hard for me to stick to the plan. But I did. My run ended up being 6.5 miles (I miscalculated when I needed to turn around) in 1 hr 6 minutes at 10:13 min/mi. Hal was pleased and said my run was perfectly executed. It was pretty humid this morning and I had to work harder to keep my pace than I thought I would so even though I didn't run as long as I usually do on Sunday I think I worked a little harder.
2021 Races:
4/24/21: Run For The Children 10K PR 55:46:28.
11/6/21: Run For 57th AHC Half Marathon
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Trail run today - still getting out there at midday which is stupid hot, but less so than it has been recently. Watch said 88 degrees with a heat index of 101. Too sunny but with a little breeze which was nice.
We had planned to run 5 miles and walk 3, ended up running 4 and walking three due to it just being too hot to contemplate more running!
I still like running trails. Even a stupid hot trail run has its pleasures. Today it was all the butterflies, damsel flies, dragonflies, flying grasshoppers, and a big fat cicada which went screaming by and almost hit me in the ear! There’s one type of butterfly in particular which I ought to look up, which we call the “poop fly” because it seems to cluster on the horse poops along the trail! It’s a large black and blue butterfly which is really quite pretty, it just has odd tastes!7 -
Thanks everyone.
@kgirlhart I agree with Hal today, you executed your run perfectly.
Nice running @rheddmobile . Getting in 4 miles in those conditions is fantastic. I think I know which butterfly you are talking about. Is it a Spicebush Swallowtail?3 -
August 1 - no running. I slept in after my hiking extravaganza of the last two days. Went to brunch and then packed up and drove home. For the most part I felt good after getting moving a little but my left knee (bruised) and right hamstring (compensating I think) are pretty sore. The car ride home did not help matters much. I did some ice and heat and foam rolling. I am definitely happy to take a rest day or two.
I will post a hike report that is LONG, so under spoilers. Please feel free to skip. And then a few pics. In summary I hiked two days, clocking 35.4 miles on my Garmin, and 7748 ft of elevation gain (lots of up and down so this is not very accurate overall by miles or elevation). Three more high peaks, bring my total to 35 of 46 done. One rainy day, one beautiful day - but all amazing and rewarding.
Trip reports: (copied from my journal, sorry for length)Seymour 7/30/21
I had booked a place to stay in Lake Placid for Thursday night through Sunday. New hiking friends and I talked about doing Marshall on Friday and the Lower Great Range on Sunday. Well, the best laid plans and all that, neither happened as planned – but two hikes got done! Both Friday and Sunday had rain in the forecast, but Saturday was looking beautiful. We switched plans to Seymour for Friday because of the rain and concern about a water crossing on Marshall. Two of the group backed out altogether though and I thought the whole thing was a bust. But friend of a friend wanted to go rain or shine so last minute we were back on. I woke up to thunder in the early morning but the mountain forecast was still saying only light rain early on and then clearing up. I was stocked with rain pants and jacket, and a backpack cover, this time in an attempt to not be as miserable as I was on Street & Nye. Hannah was a wonderful hiking companion and we forged out in the rain – which did not stop until we were well on the way down. The hike out is a long flat to gradual trek on the Blueberry trail for about 6 miles or so before you start to really get to elevation gain. We saw just a few people out there during the flatter part, some guys that had camped at the lean to and were hoping the rain would stop before they headed up (it didn’t), and some young guys who apparently slept up near the summit. And then it starts to get serious pretty fast. There are a lot of rock slabs that were very wet which was a challenge but nothing too scary. We saw some great mushrooms including a gorgeous purple one, and there was a beautiful waterfall. I incorrectly predicted that we had come to the last rock scramble at one point – no, there were a few more waiting. And a ton of mud. Near the top was a mud pit.
We finally made it to the summit at about 4 hours in. There was absolutely no view because of the clouds and rain, although it was only very lightly raining at that point. We hung our backpacks up on branches and changed out a layer to warm dry shirts at least, and had a snack. Then we headed back down. The trip down was challenging with the wet and mud – which had gotten noticeably worse throughout the day. Sections of the trail we hadn’t remembered as muddy definitely were now. It was slow going but we kept moving as well as we could. It finally stopped raining and the sun peeked out here and there, which felt wonderful. At the Ward Brook lean to we stopped at a picnic table and did another change of clothes and snack break. And used the privy, which is a mixed blessing. I took off my rain pants which were moderately successful in that my pants were mostly dry under there but they rain pants were clingy and felt like they were falling down much of the time. Not sure I loved those. Waterproof socks were also not fully successful, but the backpack cover was a godsend. The hike out from there was still over 5 miles and it felt very long. I slipped on some boards once and fell to my knees pretty hard, which left some good bruises. And I had another slip in the mud where I fell on my side in a comical slow motion way. Fortunately not hurting anything in that one. When we finally saw the parking lot it was the hugest relief. I took off the boots as fast as I could and gratefully changed into dry clothes. We spent 8 hours 50 minutes total. Hannah is a coffee lover so took me to Nori’s in Saranac Lake where I had the best tasting hot cinnamon vanilla latte, which was heaven on a unseasonably cool and rainy day at the end of July. Peak #33 done, and a new friend made. It was a great day, despite the somewhat miserable conditions.
Nippletop & Dial 7/31/21
Day two of my pre-booked weekend in Lake Placid. We knew the forecast for Sunday looked even worse than Friday for rain, while Saturday looked beautiful. So I decided I would attempt to do back-to-back hikes. I had a reservation for parking at AMR so Jenn and I aimed for Nippletop and Dial. Hannah considered but ultimately decided she wasn’t up for two in a row, which I can’t blame her for. I didn’t sleep as well as a I wanted but I woke up not feeling too stiff and sore. I did some yoga stretching and put on my dry trail shoes and chose from my overpacked selection of hiking clothes my capri hiking tights and layers on top. I was very happy to have brought an extra jacket and lots of socks and shirts.
We started off from the parking lot right at 7 am and headed up the Lake Road – making this my third trip up and down this road for hikes. This time we did not get on the Gil Brook scenic or easy route trails at the first intersection, although those are much nicer scenery we had just done them a few weeks ago and in the interest of saving time and energy we went with the road farther up to the cutoff trail. Once we got on the trail, it started to easy to moderately steep but I knew it definitely was going to get much steeper. We had some good therapy style conversation along the way which helped the time go quickly until we got to that steeper part, and then it was a fun climb up the scrambles. I really enjoyed this part of the hike – although it was relentlessly long! We kept thinking we had to be very near the summit. And then we would see there was something higher above us. When we came to the junction where we had to turn right to go to Nippletop we saw it was still .2 miles, but then we saw what looked like a whole separate mountain ahead and thought that surely couldn’t be it. But it was! It went surprisingly quickly though and suddenly we were at the (unmarked) summit. And the views were incredible. It was a gorgeous day, cool with vivid patches of blue sky among the clouds. We could see mountains everywhere as we looked over at the entire Great Range and mountains beyond in all directions. The colors of the sky and all the shades of mountains and shadows were just amazing. It was chilly up there so we sat down in a bit of valley between rocks and had some lunch. It was about 4 hours in (how are they all about 4 hours?) and were ready for a nice break. A group of two younger couples we had leapfrogged with along the trail arrived and we chatted for a bit and took each other’s photos. Then we said see you on Dial and headed back to the junction.
I think the sign said Dial was 1.9 miles from there, and we were about 6 hours in when we reached it. On the way there we ran into a solo hiker coming from the other direction playing music on his phone fairly loudly. He said hello and asked us how close to the junction he was and then asked if we had seen any bears. I thought he was making a joke but turns out he had seen a bear cub right on the trail coming up to Bear Den trail (appropriately I guess). It ran off and he didn’t see a mama bear, but he was clearly freaked out about it. And now we were a little bit concerned but hoped the bear had moved well out of the area by this time. But reaching the summit of Dial offered another just incredible view on this perfect day. The couples were there again and we all lounged on the big rock for a while and chatted while fueling up some more and taking many photos. Truly a place to just marvel at what you’ve done and the reward of the climb.
At this point in the hike I was starting to feel the effects of two difficult hikes, the fall I had taken, and a new injury when I jammed my left knee into a point branch on the way up Nippletop. My knee hurt going down and my back was also feeling very tight and starting to twinge when I stepped certain ways. I took some Aleve on the way to Dial so I hoped that would kick in, and just kept moving. The hike out was tougher than we expected though. I didn’t anticipate going up Bear’s Den adding so much additional elevation, and then some other nameless peak after that. And then it was a pretty steep trail on the descent after that. Meenu had told me how the great thing about Dial was how much shorter the hike out on Lake Road was, but I neglected to study up on the fact that it was not a short or easy hike down before you get to that point. I was really slowing Jenn down, which I felt bad about, so I tried to just keep going as fast as I could and tried to keep from irritating my back by taking shorter strides. The steep trail made it hard. Finally we reached a more gradual section and I really tried to pick up the pace. Then we saw the Lake Road and I was so relieved. As an extra bonus there was a deer and her fawn right there and they did not seem concerned with us at all, even though we were quite close.
We hit the road and I was able to kick it up a notch, with the even surface making it less stressful on my back, and I knew it was .7 miles to the gate and another .8 miles to the car. We talked about food and anything we could think of for distraction and were so excited to see the gate and sign out of the log book. We were fast enough on this route out for Garmin to tell me I had a Lake Road PR. Finally to the car at 9 hours and 45 minutes total. I was expecting 10 hours or more, so this was a relief. As was changing into my recovery sandals (dry feet this time though thank goodness – and I really liked my trail shoes for this hike). It was an awesome day with perfect weather and it felt like an incredible accomplishment to finish peaks 34 and 35. Not having to drive back to Syracuse and not having to hike again the next day also felt amazing.
Pictures (3):Seymour mountain - rainy day, no view
Nippletop mountain - gorgeous day, gorgeous view
Dial mountain - same gorgeous day, another incredible view
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July was a *kitten* show. We are putting that behind us. 😉
August plan calls for 192 miles. A few of those days I'm not sure how I'll get 7 miles in before going into the office so we will see!
10/1928 -
Hey all.
No run today. I did a run yesterday then played netball. Watch said rest, so I rested.
I'm back to following my watch and actually really enjoying it. It gives me variety and I'm supposed to be improving again!
I'm enjoying not training for anything. I got my refund through, yay. And I'm enjoying running for running sake.13 -
Sorry I disappeared for over a week. I just skimmed 150+ posts. Great running, everyone!
Congratulations @AlphaHowls on your year! I'm guessing Guinness is really picky about their world record verification. Or maybe not, considering some of the fiascos I read about in - I think - their marathons in a year category, and some lady who hosts her own races and ends up on the results list even when witnesses say she was standing at the finish area all day, when there appear to be people added to the finishers list afterwards to meet the minimum requirements, or when the races happen in locations that would be geographically impossible for her to be in both places simultaneously... but I digress. On second thought, who needs a Guinness World Record? You're awesome!
I was at a camp all week, leading music, sports & English. I led a daily morning running time for the kids who wanted to come, and consistently had about 1/3 of the campers in attendance.Apparently this was a first, as in previous years, after the first day, morning exercises got about 5 kids to come. Maybe it was talking about endurance on day 1 and promising a reward for those who came at least 5x. Or maybe it was fun.While at camp, I did manage to sneak out for some solo running in nearby forests and next to a canal. Got my 40k running for the week, and a little openwater swimming, too.
I started each day with a short talk about a different "Key" (endurance,
fitness, balance, self-control, joy, teamwork, reward) and how it relates to running AND life. Then the warmup/game or how we ran the 400-meter course were usually somewhat connected to that idea (relay for teamwork, obstacles for joy, intervals, running "easy" and racing, etc). On the last day those who had come 5x got a certificate and medal, and they seemed very happy about that
It was probably my favorite part of camp.
Then we packed up and moved even further north, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by flat fields and trees, and just a few minutes from the Baltic Sea. Yesterday we participated in a running festival in a forest area near another small town. The kids raced 500 meters and I did 10k.
10k recapI woke up tired, but breakfast and coffee fixed that nicely. Race was mostly in a forest area, and the paths were mostly wide, flat and dusty. There was a big dust cloud after the start, and while I was initially feeling good, it seemed to trigger that mild asthma I have, and I would've actually used my inhaler, if it hadn't been in my other running pack, back at the cabin where we're staying. I actually texted my husband where to find some other medicine I had in the car, so I could take it immediately at the finish. Halfway through, we came out of the woods and through a tiny village, before turning around and going back. I think ALL of the inhabitants were out on the street cheering us on, with signs, decorations, a water curtain, noise makers, etc. It was great. Even though most of my race was trying to find a pace where I could breathe reasonably, while my legs and heart wanted to go faster, it was a great race. It was hard but I managed to finish just under an hour and avoid that pesky 1: at the beginning of my time 😆. Some guy was literally getting picked on by his friends on the sidelines "Don't let a girl beat you!" at the end as I had passed him. But I just wanted to be done, and I don't think he was caring about me at that point either. Got my medicine and felt better a few minutes later.
They had great food at the end - watermelon, bananas, gels, big bottle of water, sandwiches, bread, kiełbasa with sticks and a campfire to roast them on, and really good soup. Oh and big fat donuts! It was a family picnic atmosphere, very nice. And in the race packets were gingerbread cookies stamped with the race name. I got a cool shirt and medal, and the kids got keychains, water bottles, and their own medals, juice boxes and chocolate wafer-cookies at the end.
Pics
Some big youth running club brought a bus full of their well-trained kids,so when my daughter asked if I thought she'd come in last, I said I didn't know, but if she is last, she better be having the most fun of anyone there. And that's pretty much how it went. Son was towards the back but not last, and also had fun, and after their races the food ladies finally opened the lines to children, so they got to celebrate a bit.The race packets also included a free hour at a local pool, so I sat in the hot tub with hubby and watched the kids play on the floating obstacle course (well, we both did the course once too), then on the drive home went through a town that was having a reenactment of the Warsaw Uprising. So we stopped and watched,and it was very well done, complete with loud shooting, bombs and burning stuff, with a narrator telling the story and great actors.mascot got a workout at the front of all the kids races
August goal: 100 miles as usual
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