July 2022 Monthly Running Challenge

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  • eleanorhawkins
    eleanorhawkins Posts: 1,655 Member
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    Shoe porn post as promised! First, the pictures:
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    I thought the seed thing was pretty cool... not sure how compatible with our local dry, desert-like flora is, maybe I'll take them next time I head for the mountains. It does say on the envelope they're compatible with European plantlife.
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    The colour scheme was a coincidence, but they get bonus points for matching my go-to hot weather trail outfit!
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    Do y'all think I got them dusty enough for the husband to not notice they're new?
    So... Brooks Cascadia 16s. I have wanted a pair of Brooks ever since I tried a pair of Glycerins when I had a gait analysis done almost 4 years ago. They were ever so slightly above my price range at that point, but the memory of those soft, squishy things remained. So I was excited about a new pair of soft and squishy shoes, as the Cascadias claim to be cushioned.
    Well... they probably are, but I'm coming from Hoka Speedgoats which are really squishy, so I didn't get that instant "ahhh" moment as soon as I put them on. However, I did really like the feel of them around my toes, there seems to be a lot more space which might be good for my seriously trashed toenails.
    I realise now that I should probably have waited for a short trail run for my first spin in them, but I don't have one of those scheduled until at least Sunday if not next week, and I've been thinking about them since they arrived on Monday LOL. So, the trial trail run was on the same 11k route I ran on Sunday. Little bit of road but mostly dirt, mostly good, non-technical footing but a couple of decent easy hills and a few, short, more technical hills at the end with loose, slippery dirt and sand underfoot.
    First I have to say I was faster than Sunday, but that could have been the shoes, the trail gods smiling on me, the fact that I stuffed my face with (mostly healthy, nutritious) food yesterday or that I was doing a Paula Radcliffe (if you know, you know!).
    The cushioning was (just) enough to not feel jarring on my knees on the short stretches of road, including one downhill stretch, but my initial impression was that I would end up feeling my knees in them on longer runs, especially if they include more road or stony ground. So probably won't be any good for my races in October (stony 21k and 35k).
    What I did like, and again this may also be me starting to get some of my confidence back, was that I seemed to be faster and more sure-footed coming down hills. The Speedgoats are super-spongy and comfy for long runs and do protect my feet well, but the soles are so thick it's kinda like typing with boxing gloves on. In the Cascadias, I can feel the ground under my feet and that seemed to remove some of the fear of losing my footing.
    There was one brief slip on my way up my 'Nemesis' hill, the one I'm still not brave enough to descend but am forcing myself to climb on a regular basis. The footing is nasty, very loose dirt, and it has one extremely steep part that I felt my left foot slip slightly on, but that was all.
    Around the 4-mile mark, I started to feel the back of the right shoe rubbing against my ankle, and from mile 5 onwards I could feel a blister forming. Bummer! They're taller in the back than my other trail shoes but shorter than my road shoes, and obviously found the tender spot. Maybe (I hope!) it's just a case of breaking them in or learning to tape or lube or lace them up to stop that happening because overall I like them and would like to at least wear them on my shorter trail runs to change things up.
    So, does anyone have any awesome lacing or other tips to avoid back of ankle blisters?
  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    eleanorhawkins wrote: »
    So, does anyone have any awesome lacing or other tips to avoid back of ankle blisters?

    No but I like the looks of them and it makes sense that you feel more confident in them descending on the trails. KT tape sticks pretty good to skin so that would be my first try.
  • AlphaHowls
    AlphaHowls Posts: 1,905 Member
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    Request still pending, anyone know him?
    AlphaHowls wrote: »
    Pending Requests to Join (Strava MFP group)

    Zak Brockman
    Stourbridge, England, United Kingdom

    Anyone know him?


    7/1 15.14 miles
    7/2 16.24 miles
    7/3 15.5 miles, 1525 days on the run, 707 days HM+ Streak
    7/4 15.16 miles
    7/5 15.31 miles, HEAT ADVISORY until Friday
    7/6 15.26 miles, EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING until Friday
    7/7 15.33 miles, Running Partner A ~1 hour, EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING until Friday
    7/8 15.17 miles, 1530 days on the run, 712 days HM+ Streak, EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
    7/9 16.69 miles, 7 years MFP! (7/9/2015), Running Partners A & E
    7/10 15.15 miles
    7/11 15.28 miles
    7/12 15.52 miles, Running Partner A ~mile 4 - 11
    7/13 15.59 miles, 1535 days on the run, 717 days HM+ Streak
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,061 Member
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    @eleanorhawkins Love the new shoes! I think you got them dirty enough to pass a new shoe inspection. Hopefully the ankle rub will break in. I haven't had that issue with mine but I run in Brooks a lot so they all hit at about the same spot.

    @swenson19d That story is crazy and very sad! Glad to see you back though. You too @polskagirl01!
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,061 Member
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    @polskagirl01 Oooooo, fresh raspberries and cherries right off the bushes sounds amazing!
  • eleanorhawkins
    eleanorhawkins Posts: 1,655 Member
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    martaindale wrote: »
    @polskagirl01 Oooooo, fresh raspberries and cherries right off the bushes sounds amazing!

    This!
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,437 Member
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    @eleanorhawkins I almost always use the heel lock (also called runner's loop) when lacing my shoes. If you ever wondered what that extra holes is, that's what it is for 😁. Just search for runner's loop and you'll find lots of videos showing you how to do it. It's easy, but hard to explain just with words.
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,061 Member
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    July total: 54.6/110 Miles

    7/2: 10 miles
    7/3: 4 miles
    7/4: 5.2 miles
    7/5: 5.1 miles
    7/6: 6.1 miles
    7/7: 3 miles
    7/9: 8 miles
    7/10: 3.1 miles
    7/11: 5.1 miles
    7/13: 5 miles

    My watch and the treadmill still aren't lining up but the treadmill pace feels closer than what my watch says so I'm going with that. I'm hoping my watch will get better over time as it has more data points. I guess it's not a huge deal since this is not my main training method but I crave precision!
  • eleanorhawkins
    eleanorhawkins Posts: 1,655 Member
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    Scott6255 wrote: »
    @eleanorhawkins I almost always use the heel lock (also called runner's loop) when lacing my shoes. If you ever wondered what that extra holes is, that's what it is for 😁. Just search for runner's loop and you'll find lots of videos showing you how to do it. It's easy, but hard to explain just with words.

    @Scott6255 thanks! I had heard of that but had conveniently forgotten all about it again, will give it a go!
  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    I met a friend for 5 slow miles at 5 this morning. Temp was a nice 65F but humidity was 98%. 36.5/70 for the month.

    @Scott6255 - Your "it didn't suck" comment made me laugh!

    @polskagirl01 - I've been picking blackberries along my running route and enjoying them but raspberries sound so good!

    @marisap2010 - Two runs in one day! You're my hero!

    @martaindale - The pace and distance on my watch and my treadmill never match and it drives me crazy so on the rare occasions that I run on my treadmill I just don't use my watch.

    Hope all goes well with your daughter's procedure @kgirlhart.
  • Mari33a
    Mari33a Posts: 1,084 Member
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    Felt like a good run even though it was warmer than usual. Even the files came out, first I seen this year.
    01/07 2.60 miles
    02/07 2.60 miles
    07/07 2.75 miles
    12/07 2.75 miles
    14/07 3.19 miles

    Total 13.89/30 miles
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  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,437 Member
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    martaindale wrote: »
    My watch and the treadmill still aren't lining up but the treadmill pace feels closer than what my watch says so I'm going with that. I'm hoping my watch will get better over time as it has more data points. I guess it's not a huge deal since this is not my main training method but I crave precision!

    Yeah, every treadmill is different, and you'll never get accurate pace on your GPS watch. On mine, if I set it on 6mph (10 min pace) it feels like I am running at about 7 min pace. You just have to treat treadmill workouts as easy days and don't worry about pace (unless you want to work on speed and set it to something that makes you FEEL like you are going at your actual road fast pace)
  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    I enjoyed reading all your running reports @7lenny7. You have really been killing those hills! And deer flies... :-) Good to see you back with us!
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,437 Member
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    Great running @7lenny7! Very nice descriptions of all your adventures.

    Another 7 treadmill miles tonight after work. Felt even better today.

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  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,437 Member
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    Ha, no wonder I felt better for that run...I only did 6 miles, not 7! I just looked back at my data on Strava and was utterly shocked to see 6 and not 7. Why the @#$ did I think I did 7? I'm losing it 😒

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