August 2021 Monthly Running Challenge
Replies
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It's really good to see you back @7lenny7 ! I've missed you! I'm glad your plantar fasciitis is better! Hang in there. Cooler weather is just around the corner, I hope!
@penguinmama87 Nice running with the kids.2 -
Great to see you posting here again @7lenny7
I'm currently battling a case of PF and hoping I can start some short running again, but it feels like it's flaring up again since Tuesday. Strange stuff. Seems to come and go with no rhyme or reason at all, running or not. I'm doing a lot of walking though, and finding I can do a surprising amount of that!5 -
8-1 7k measy (between moderate and easy)
8-2 rest
8-3 7k measy
8-4 7k easy
8-5 rest
8-6 7k measy
8-7 7k moderate
8-8 7k measy
8-9 rest
8-10 4k easy
8-11 4k moderate
8-12 rest
8-13 6k measy
8-14 4k measy
8-15 7k easy
8-16 rest
8-17 4k easy
8-18 5k treadmill
8-19 rest
August Total: 76k
August Goal: 150k
Rest day today, with golf instead of running.
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, OH6 -
5 miles this morning. Woke up to pouring rain, so had to hop on the treadmill. Haven't been on it since early June. But wasn't too awful.
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Good morning everyone. Didn’t post yesterday but it was a cross training day. Walked with Leslie Sansone in the house with some boosted walking (gentle jog). According to my Fitbit I walked 4.93 miles. This morning got out early in the morning and surprisingly it was only 81 out with lower humidity. Today was a 30 minute run which included 6 minutes of cadence drill and 4 minutes of acceleration and gliders. I’m running a bit faster. I was under 13:00 pace now in the 12 range. Slowly but surely I am seeing improvements in my running.
August totals
8/01 6.23 miles run
8/02 rest
8/03 rest
8/04 6.24 miles walk
8/05 2.31 miles run
8/06 6.43 miles walk
8/07 2.39 miles run
8/08 5.00 miles walk
8/09 rest
8/10 1.18 miles run
8/11 6.89 miles walk
8/12 2.44 miles run
8/13 6.26 miles walk
8/14 2.35 miles run
8/15 4.55 miles walk
8/16 rest
8/17 1.50 miles run
8/18 4.93 miles walk
8/19 2.43 miles run
Total miles walk 40.30
Total miles run 20.83 with 29.17 miles to go
Tomorrow it will be a day of cross training which I will walk. I’m hoping the weather will be nice. To much wind and rain lately. We’ll you all have a great Thursday!9 -
@Scott6255 Glad the treadmill wasn't too awful for you! It's great to have that alternative.
@julieannegannon You are doing great.2 -
Thanks for welcome, @quilteryoyo @WhatMeRunning and @Scott6255!
Doc told me that PF could take up to 18 months to resolve, so in my mind I had written off running for the year. In early June my wife and I traveled to California for our anniversary and I noticed that with all of the walking and hiking that my foot never hurt (though that could have been the wine, LOL)
After we got back I started doing short, cautious walks and slowly ramped that up to 6 or 7 mile walks. I followed that up with walk/run intervals starting about 3 or 4 weeks ago. A couple of times there'd be slight pain so I'd take a break for a few days.
Much of what the doctor told me to do actually made things worse. Shoe inserts, wearing shoes inside, and stretching it out all made it worse. The only thing he suggested which made is feel better was massaging it with a small ball. This is only my guess but I think I tore my PF slightly and needed to let that heal before any of those therapies would work. Just a guess though.
I just signed up for a local four race series. They're trail races on Wednesdays, two weeks apart. The first two are 4.3 miles and the last two are 3.5 miles. Normally I'd volunteer at these short races but I haven't had a race in 18 months and am so looking forward to these. I'll likely have to hike part of these, especially the first couple, but that's OK with me.9 -
Great to hear you are race ready again @7lenny7 and signed up for that series.
My experiences so far with PF are oddly similar to yours, where taking time off of it completely never seemed to make it better, and walking never seemed to aggravate it any more than simply sitting there doing nothing. Since walking was replacing running it wasn't long before I got up to my current average of about 50 miles/week. All with no additional pain, and actually feeling better.
I ran for one mile on Sunday morning during a walk and all seemed well, no pain the next couple days, but Tuesday and yesterday it seemed to be flaring up a bit. Nothing too terrible, but was the first time it seemed to be worse. During this mornings walk it felt fine again and I decided to run on it for one more mile to see if it was the running, or just PF being so freaking unpredictable. I'm hoping I don't regret it, but at this point it would be nice to discover something, anything, about what causes it to either flare up or subside. Until now there is no rhyme or reason at all to what causes it to either get better or worse.
The only reason I started trying to run on it was something @Scott6255 said (and don't worry Scott, I don't/won't blame you if it goes sideways). He mentioned that he never seemed to notice it getting better by not running, and basically reduced his volume and intensity until it got better (hope I understood his intent correct, that's how I read it). So based on how things have gone so far, I figured if I can walk on it, I should try running on it, and simply go up or down in volume/intensity based on feel.5 -
@7lenny7 Glad to see you back! Can't wait to hear about your races. I hope your PF continues to heal ok! There seems to be a bit of it going around.
@polskagirl01 Nice hike/run. Hilarious that you beat your family back down the hill!
@RunsOnEspresso Sorry you are having a hard time with the wagon. Early in the pandemic I had a hard time wanting to run. Partially stress, partially schedule disruption. On days where I just didn't want to run, I went for a walk. It helped. Like @tramboman said, a little something is better than nothing and it helps get your mind and body ready for more. Hang in there! I know your summer has been brutally hot and I'm sure life gives you plenty to do but you'll be ready to hop on the wagon soon enough.3 -
@RunsOnEspresso - I know it doesn't sound glamorous compared to running (or feel as glamorous) but I have found walking to be an incredibly powerful exercise in the absence of running. You can ramp up walking distances faster than running, walk multiple times per day, all without all the injury or fatigue worries, because it's walking! I've never once had my watch tell me after a walk that I needed more than maybe 12-16 hours recovery time (only fast, hilly walks in those cases). I even started walking daily, something I could never manage to do when running. Plus walking twice/day, something I always found difficult to do with running (let alone 7 days/week).
Just food for thought. Walking in heat sucks too, but sucks a lot less than running in the heat.5 -
WhatMeRunning wrote: »The only reason I started trying to run on it was something @Scott6255 said (and don't worry Scott, I don't/won't blame you if it goes sideways). He mentioned that he never seemed to notice it getting better by not running, and basically reduced his volume and intensity until it got better (hope I understood his intent correct, that's how I read it). So based on how things have gone so far, I figured if I can walk on it, I should try running on it, and simply go up or down in volume/intensity based on feel.
Yes sir, you are correct. Total rest has never helped my 3 bouts of PF over the years. Walking every day until it I didn't feel any pain, then slowly introduce run/walk intervals. Then being very conservative, increase run / decrease walk. If pain starts increasing, go back down. Once pain is gone, start single leg calf raises (slowly raise/lower) for prevention.
And as @7lenny7 mentioned, golf ball rolling under foot is the only thing that helps reduce the pain (for me).
I still do that every single day just as a preventative.
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WhatMeRunning wrote: »Great to hear you are race ready again @7lenny7 and signed up for that series.
Who said anything about being race ready???
Walking is an excellent exercise. While it's not as fulfilling as running (for me), it's certainly better than sitting in a chair. Just being able to walk was such a relief. Last summer I took part in the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee, where you have 4 months to walk or run 600+ miles. If it wasn't for walking, I wouldn't have made it. One thing I found I loved about walking was how quick it was. I didn't have to take the time to get my running gear on, and unless it was really hot, I didn't have to take a shower afterwards. I might not have time to run, with all the pre and post run stuff, but I could easily knock out a mile or three walking.
Back to PF, one thing I'm trying to do which goes against conventional wisdom is to avoid forefoot running. Landing on your forefoot will force the arch down and stretch the PF (normally not a problem). By running more on the mid-foot or even heel I can avoid that. I know heel strike isn't great, but at the distance I'm at now, it's the lesser of two evils.
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August Goal: 75 Miles
8/1: 6.50 miles
8/3: 5.16 miles
8/4: 4.67 miles
8/5: 5.35 miles
8/7: 7.06 miles
8/10: 5.02 miles
8/11: 5.10 miles
8/12: 5.26 miles
8/15: 7.62 miles
8/17: 4..37 miles
8/18: 4.64 miles
8/19: 4.03 miles
64.78/75 miles completed for August
I didn't get a chance to update yesterday. We were celebrating our 31st anniversary. But I did run. Even though Hal had a rest day scheduled. I don't know why. I filled out the app that I run my long run on Sundays and the other days that I run are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. So I ran yesterday, but didn't upload it to the app.
I thought it might be raining yesterday morning, but when I got up and checked my weather app it was not raining and it looked like the chance for rain really started around 7:30 and I knew that I would be home long before then. So I got dressed and ready to go.
When I opened the door it was raining. So I checked my weather app (Which I had been checking as I got ready) and it didn't show that it was raining. It just said "showers in the vicinity ". I debated just staying home but I figured since it wasn't stormy it would probably be a good idea to go ahead and run since training in all kinds of weather is a good idea. So I grabbed a cap and headed back out. I hadn't gone very far when the rain stopped so I decided I wouldn't really get a chance to run in the rain after all. It sprinkled on me a little which was kind if nice because it was warm and humid. I turned back towards home after about 2 miles and then the sky just opened up and it started pouring. I was running through ankle deep puddles and I was really glad I had grabbed my cap. I was totally soaked. I didn't start to see any lightening or hear thunder until I was about 1K from home. I ended up with 6.67 miles yesterday and I got to feel like a badass for running in the rain.
Today Hal's plan said 4 miles in 42 minutes with a pace between 10:05 and 10:45 min/mi. Or average pace 10:24. It was so humid and hot when I got up this morning. The temperature was 79°F with 99% humidity and 77° dew point. It was miserable. And I was tired. We ate out for our anniversary last night so I over ate. And I got to bed late and didn't sleep well (since I had some indigestion from over eating). So I was not feeling it this morning and the 77° dew point really did me in. I did run 4 miles, but I could not keep my pace up and ended up with 4 miles in 48 minutes with a 12:07 min/mi pace. But Hal still seemed pleased so I guess it was good enough.
I am going to post this now on my lunchbreak, but I will have to come back and catch up on reading after work.
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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@7lenny7 I'm so glad it didn't take 18 months before you were able to run again! Sounds like you are taking a great, reasonable, and healthy approach to getting it better and keeping it that way. Enjoy your race series.
Happy Anniversary @kgirlhart ! Sounds like you had a lovely evening celebrating. I think you are a badass, even without running in the pouring rain.
Great running! I'm glad Hal was pleased. 3 -
Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - driveway laps, barely beat the heavy downpour
2 Aug - 3.30 Run 1.0 Walk - Tempo run - 2 hours mowing the lawn
3 Aug - 2.50 Run 1.0 Walk - Recovery Run on the driveway - Weed eat at mom's in the afternoon
4 Aug - 6.20 Run 1.0 Walk - Birthday run on the driveway - played singles tennis earlier
5 Aug - 2.50 Run 1.0 Walk - Long Interval Run on the driveway
6 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Driveway walk this evening - doubles tennis this morning
7 Aug - 10.0 Run 1.0 Walk - Long Run with Speed Play
8 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Driveway walk to keep the streak going
9 Aug - 2.75 Run 1.0 Walk - Tempo Run - driveway laps
10 Aug - 2.50 Run 1.0 Walk - Recovery Run - driveway laps
11 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Treadmill walk between shopping and church
12 Aug - 2.25 Run 1.0 Walk - Driveway Long Interval Run also played singles tennis this morning
13 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Treadmill walk after work
14 Aug - 5.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Cut my 10 mile run short so that I could trim mom's lawn
15 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Walk in the neighbor's field
16 Aug - 3.50 Run 1.0 Walk - Tempo run doing driveway laps
17 Aug - 0.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Treadmill walk after running errands all day
18 Aug - 3.00 Run 1.0 Walk - Foundation run - driveway laps
19 Aug - 3.50 Run 1.0 Walk - Long Interval Run on the local road
4.70/100 miles running 19.0/31 miles walking
Again, I slept in and went out to run at 10:40. It was 73°F with 89% humidity. Temperature was okay, but it was so muggy. Again, I was dripping sweat and it actually felt cool when walking home when a breeze kicked up and I was sooooo wet. It was short lived though.
Today's plan called for a long interval run. It was supposed to be 5 min Zone 1, 5 min Zone 2, 5 x (3 min Zone 4/2 min Zone 1) 5 min Zone 1. I knew that I would have trouble getting my HR into the proper zones today when my warm up walk averaged 101 bpm...yesterday it averaged 127 for the same walk. I don't know if Garmin wasn't reading it right or if it was just low today. I didn't stop to check it manually. I never did get into Zone 4 and almost 4 minutes of my first easy 5 min run was below Zone 1. It was just a bit crazy today.
Anyway, I wound up running by feel. I walked the 2 minutes of recovery every time and did, I'll admit, walk a little bit during a couple of the fast intervals. My legs were okay. It was my breathing again. Maybe one of these days my lungs will get the memo that it really isn't that hard. LOL
Anyway, I was pleased with the overall results of the run. I ran 1.47 miles total in 15 minutes of fast intervals, which averages out to a 10:12 min/mile pace. That's really good for me. Even with the walking and the easy pace runs, my overall average pace for the 41:52 minute run was 11:58 min/mile. I'm very happy with that.
Then, it happened. I can't say that I'm totally surprised, but I am disappointed. I checked my e-mails this afternoon and the AF marathon, my first HM, has been shifted to a virtual event due to the increase in CoVID cases. Last year, due to the aneurysm and impending surgery, I gifted my entry fee to an airman. Right now, I am planning to go ahead and run it virtually this year. I will be on the hunt for a good place to run it that is not on my local road. If you have any ideas @Teresa502 , or anyone else, please let me know. I still want it to be different and "special."6 -
Well you have all been having an eventful time over the last couple of months especially with the weather!
@katharmonic who's counting the peaks - it is none, one or too many
Superb news for Skip @skippygirlsmom
Hope you are on the mend quickly @Tramboman
@RunsOnEspresso if you chase the wagon it will only go quicker, it is on a loop and will come back around when you are ready for it
For me just working back into it with a few 5k walks keeping it to 13 minutes a mile, next week I will start doing 9k home to work5 -
I hate to ask this question again, because I know that it was in this discussion earlier in the month, but I can't find the responses. I want to get a hydration vest. If you use a vest, which one do you use and/or what would you recommend? OR, if you know what page the answers were earlier, let me know and I'll go back and check it out.1
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quilteryoyo wrote: »Right now, I am planning to go ahead and run it virtually this year. I will be on the hunt for a good place to run it that is not on my local road. If you have any ideas @Teresa502 , or anyone else, please let me know. I still want it to be different and "special."
Sorry to hear your HM went virtual. It's a good idea to try a new route to make it feel "special". I have always had a hard time with virtual races because they do feel like you are just running through your neighborhood. Does a nearby town have an area like a waterway or a big, well-known park that could serve as an anchor to your race? You could find a focal point then use strava to build a route around it. I have done that when I am traveling.2 -
Thanks, @martaindale and @Tramboman !quilteryoyo wrote: »I hate to ask this question again, because I know that it was in this discussion earlier in the month, but I can't find the responses. I want to get a hydration vest. If you use a vest, which one do you use and/or what would you recommend? OR, if you know what page the answers were earlier, let me know and I'll go back and check it out.
@quilteryoyo I use an Ultimate Direction "Scott Jurek" model. But really, that's not relevant to you. I've seen requests for hydration vest recommendations come up repeatedly on my trail running groups and, like shoes, it depends. What's right for one might not be right for another. Brands I've seen mentioned most are Ultimate Direction, Nathan, Solomon, and Camelback. Any of those might be right for you.
Instead of looking for a recommendation for a particular model, I suggest you see what features are available and decide which of these you need. Questions to ask are:
How long will I be running with this? (long runs require more water and gear, and therefore more storage, whereas shorter runs can use a more minimal vest - you don't want a vest sized for a weekend expedition if you're running short runs)
Will I be running trails or pavement? (trails can take more gear than pavement)
Do I want to carry my water in bottles in front, or in a bladder in back...or both?
Do I want it to be adjustable to wear over layers when it starts getting cold?
How much water do I need it to hold? Plan on a little more than that.
Do I use trekking poles? (Some vests have loops for carrying these when you're not using them)
What's my budget?
Then start looking at models available and see what they offer. Start the process of elimination and narrow down the options. Color is a valid criteria. One place to get a good idea of what's out there is REI, but there are other websites. If you have a local running store or sporting goods store, get in your running outfit and try them out. See if they'll let you take a run around the parking lot. See what their return policy is. What feels great in the 5 minutes you try them on might not feel great fully loaded with water, several miles in to a hot, sweaty run.
Good luck on your search!
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Sorry about your HM, @quilteryoyo .1
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I’ve not had plantar fasciitis but have had a lot of foot issues recently, and in chatting with my osteo/physio, I have learned that a lot of foot pain and tightness stems from tight calves, including plantar fasciitis. Try rolling/massaging and stretching your calves and see if that impacts your foot pain. Good luck and speedy recovery!6
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Thanks for the suggestion @martaindale ! I was thinking about an old railroad bed that was made into a running/bike trail that is about an hour away, Tweetsie Trail. I think @Teresa502 has run there before.2
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Thanks @7lenny7 . I did go to the closest Fleet Foot last week, but they don't keep any in stock, so couldn't try any on. I will check out the REI website with those qualifications in mind.
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6.5 mile run with an average pace of 9:12 min per mile.
August cumulative:
47.9/100 miles
4,230/10,000 feet of elevation6 -
Just under 6 miles today (walk/run intervals), for a monthly total of 42. The 60 mile goal is in reach.
It was stinkin' hot. 90F and humid. Suffocating really. I purposefully waited for the heat of the day. It made for an awful run (and walk) but I'm better for it, and more importantly it made me slow down.
In spite of the heat my run intervals are getting longer and I can feel my stamina improving. Looking forward to the day when I can spend several hours on the trail again.ContraryMaryMary wrote: »... in chatting with my osteo/physio, I have learned that a lot of foot pain and tightness stems from tight calves, including plantar fasciitis. Try rolling/massaging and stretching your calves...
That is absolutely correct. Anything wrong with one part of the kinetic chain can affect any other part. I know I should get better about the whole picture but unfortunately I'm not.
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Distance Log:
Aug 2: 4.17 miles
Aug 4: 4.80
Aug 6: 5.94
Aug 9: 5.74
Aug 11: 2.75
Aug 16: 5.86
Aug 18: 3.58
Aug 20: 5.75
Total: 38.59/60 miles4 -
August 1 – 6.33
August 2 – 5.35
August 3 – 5.28
August 4 – 5.27
August 6 – 6.04
August 7/8 – 5.01
August 9 – 4.83
August 11 – 5.59
August 12 – 4.08
August 13 – 5.15
August 14 – 5.52
August 16 – 6.02
August 17 – 3.11
August 18 – 8.02
August 20 – 6.01
Back in town and even though it was still warm and humid this morning, when I finished the run at least the air seemed cooler than when I was in Florida. I felt no relief there after the run!
@quilteryoyo – I’m so sorry that your HM is now virtual but I’m glad that you are pressing forward and not using that as an excuse to back off! Your hard training is going to pay off! Unless you run on the Tweetsie Trail in Johnson City/Elizabethton or on the Creeper Trail in Abingdon, you are probably going to have a hilly route. I know you have been training on roads so you probably don’t want to run on technical trails like at Bays Mountain. Since it won’t be an official race with road closures, you will have to be careful of traffic - you probably want an area with decent sidewalks. Have you run any around the town of Greeneville? Does it have good sidewalks? If you want to come to Kingsport, I can easily find a 13-mile route for you. Are you running it on the same day that he AF half was scheduled? Maybe I could join you for part of it. (I think it was last month that we discussed running vests.)
Good to “see” you back with us @7Lenny7!
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