September 2022 Monthly Running Challenge

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  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    shanaber wrote: »
    Question for the month...
    What exercises or stretches do you do specifically to help your running?
    Do you do them because of a previous injury or to maybe prevent an injury?

    I do pretty basic warm-up exercises like toe and heel walks, big dynamic skips, walking front kicks (I’ve heard some call them soldiers) and some leg swings to arm up my hips. After I run I stretch the big stuff: quads, calves, hamstrings, IT band, glutes. I foam roll some but not as much as I used to. I haven’t had any real injuries but found that a dynamic warmu-up, even one as short as mine, makes my legs feel more prepared to start running and the stretching afterwards feels good.
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    @scott6255 16 miles in those conditions is tough! Your fall glow-up is going to be great!

    @marisap2010 I love that shirt!! I would wear the crap out of it on long runs!

    @polskagirl01 I’m glad to see you enjoying running again even if your fitness isn’t where you want it to be. It will come, but in the meantime, it’s good to see you having fun.

  • rps67
    rps67 Posts: 163 Member
    polskagirl01 wrote: »

    Seriously. Like if I can smell conditioner from down the hall outside the bathroom while you're showering, you're using too much!

    It's so funny how this place is so different and yet reminds me so much of the small town I'm from in Pennsylvania.

    1. Now I know what to yell when teenage son is showering!
    2. Any chance you're from NE PA? I used to live in West Pittston and did some consulting work at the Polish National Union in Scranton! Also, nice job on the race!
  • tarun_yadavA
    tarun_yadavA Posts: 1,373 Member
    Good morning everyone!
    Angry/'in a bad mood' Run. So a bit pacier than I woulda liked. duybh1rzqx4z.png
    Got 7 in.
  • tarun_yadavA
    tarun_yadavA Posts: 1,373 Member
    Good morning everyone! Hope everyone's doing good
    Got in 5!
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  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    Thanks @shanaber. I remembered your shoulder issues. I hope PT will take care of things, but the PA was saying that surgery could be an option for even a smaller tear with good results before it gets worse. I'm curious what the PT and the ortho doc will say. Now that I'm more aware of trying not to irritate it, I feel like it's not hurting so much already, but like you I don't want to lose range of motion.

    Let's see, I ran 3.5 or so on Sunday, and just 1.5 yesterday, probably none today. I'm finding not filling in my spreadsheet to be freeing right now so my numbers and times are out there, but I don't track them or worry about them right now.

    I am away for work the rest of this week so I will pack some running clothes but not sure what I'll have time to do.
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,555 Member
    @martaindale nice job on the speed work. I also did a treadmill speed workout today. 6x0.5 mi with WU/CD. The speed sessions actually felt easier as they went .

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  • tarun_yadavA
    tarun_yadavA Posts: 1,373 Member
    Good morning all.
    Today's 5.
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  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,858 Member
    Good morning/evening! Busy with work and life but I finally found some time to catch up here and gave lots of likes, hugs and inspirings because you all do inspire me! Each and every single one of you! Since last check-in, I hiked almost 15 miles on the AT on Saturday - It was a beautiful day to be in the woods; Rest day on Sunday; 5.15 miles on Monday; strength training on Tuesday; and 5.21 miles this morning.

    Question of the month: I really, really suck at stretching. Usually absolutely none before my run unless I'm the first one to the parking lot and have a couple of minutes before the others show up. Afterwards I do take a couple of minutes for general stretching. I usually only foam roll when something is tight, achy, or sore.
  • tarun_yadavA
    tarun_yadavA Posts: 1,373 Member
    Good morning all 😊
    Got in 5 this morning
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  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    Sept total: 80.7/123 miles

    9/1: 4 miles
    9/2: 5 miles
    9/4: 4.2 miles
    9/5: 5 miles
    9/6: 5.2 miles
    9/7: 3.2 miles
    9/8: 3 miles
    9/9: 5.2 miles
    9/12: 5 miles
    9/14: 4.8 miles
    9/15: 5 miles
    9/16: 3 miles
    9/17: 6.1 miles
    9/18: 3.8 miles
    9/19: 7.6 miles
    9/21: 6.5 miles
    9/22: 4.1 miles

    Recovery miles on the trail. Something super cool happened this morning! As I was running down the trail, a big owl flew across the path about 6 ft in front of my face! I have never seen an owl that close in the wild. It even had its head turned like it was watching me as it swooped by. My trail friend was just ahead and when we met he asked if that was an owl and said it looked like it was about to attack me from his angle! 😄😄
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,162 Member
    September Goal: 100 Miles

    9/1: 6.02 miles
    9/2: 2.11 miles
    9/4: 10.02 miles
    9/6: 5.31 miles
    9/7: 5.33 miles
    9/8: 5.41 miles
    9/11: 11.02 miles
    9/12: 2.02 miles
    9/13: 5.51 miles
    9/14: 5.52 miles
    9/16: 5.51 miles
    9/17: 2.03 miles
    9/19: 5.51 miles
    9/20: 5.54 miles
    9/21: 6.02 miles

    82.88/100 miles completed for September

    I didn't get a chance to update this weekend. We went to visit our son and his girlfriend in Denton. I ran 2 miles on Saturday before we left. It was hot. There was a dog a couple of blocks from my house who was out of his fence. I skipped my long run on Sunday, but I did walk a mile at the park when we got home for my mile a day streak. It was 97°F but I knew if I waited until later I wouldn't want to get out.

    While it was fun to see our son, it was kind of a disappointing trip. We planned to go to a shooting range in Lewisville which is about 20 miles from my son. We got there and paid for our lane rental and the power went out so we didn't get to shoot. They still didn't have the ventilation system up the next day, so we will have to go back another time. They did say they will honor our receipt for the lane rental and they gave us each 2 free lane rentals. But it is 2 hours away from us so we aren't sure when we will get to go back.

    Monday morning I ran 5.5 miles. It wasn't a bad run. The dog down the street was still out. He barked at me and ran towards me, but he stayed in his yard. I understand that sometimes dogs get out, but I don't think these people are good dog people. I have seen them outside before and they never seem to interact with their dogs.

    Tuesdsy morning I ran 5.5 miles again. It was hot again. It seemed like we were going to get some cooler weather, but summer just keeps hanging on. I didn't see the neighbor's dog on my way out, but he was there on my way back.

    Yesterday I ran 6 miles. It was an uneventful run, but nice. I decided to take today as a rest day and run tomorrow instead. I had to go in for a mammogram today and also get blood work (just part of my yearly well woman exam). But since I needed to be fasting for the blood work and I had run on Monday it seemed like Thursday would be a better rest day than Friday. So I just walked one mile today for the streak and plan to run in the morning.

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  • tarun_yadavA
    tarun_yadavA Posts: 1,373 Member
    eleanorhawkins wrote: »
    @tarun_yadavA lol your gentle pace is still way faster than my race pace!
    @martaindale so cool about the owl! I scared one into flight early one morning this summer and it flew down low in front of me for a while before making what I took to be an exasperated noise and headed for the hills. I clearly got in the way of its plans.
    @Scott6255 that's awesome about your brother!

    I'm sure I've missed lots of things to comment on, I speed read, like and hug but life is pretty crazy atm, lots of travel, mini-me just started back at school (loads of drama and stress as she decided to change subjects halfway through sixth form), and of course, there's my 'not-quite-a-marathon' training.
    Peak week (inc that dreaded 20 miler) next week, and today, while messing up what was supposed to be a shorter long run (just 14 miles, whoever would have thought I would come to say just and 14 miles in the same sentence?) by adding in random kilometres at HM pace and running up the big hill 5 times, I came up with a horrific plan for that 20 miler... In an attempt to be more race specific, as from what I can tell on the elevation graphs there are 11 hills and none of them are very long (steep may well be another matter), rather than just going up the mountain for 10 miles and then turning around and coming back down I am going to do a similar run to today's, but instead of doing 5 x 500m up the big hill and back down again, I plan to do 15 x 500m up the big hill and back down again. I may die of boredom or exhaustion, and my legs may fall off, but it should be pretty damn good preparation for race day. And then... taper time.
    In the meantime, I've consciously decided not to log or even worry about the crazy amounts of food I'm inhaling. As I lost a couple of kilos with my gastritis issues and was left pretty weak and feeble I needed to start getting some fuel back on board. I've regained about 1 kilo I think, and am feeling a little bloated, so will be trying not to go too crazy, but restricting food is probably the last thing I need to do right now. Trouble is, I am SO rungry! Now I understand why everyone told me they gained weight during marathon training. I thought I was going to be the odd one out on that, but with a month to go I may still end up joining that club lol.

    @eleanorhawkins haha, I've gradually got quicker over the last 18M from around 9:45"-10:00" to 8:30"-8:45". That said, running say, 5M 28/30 days in a month at that pace - start picking up aches and niggles. So when I feel like I might be about to tweak something, I'm calming it down now.

    I struggle to accelerate these days. Feel it in my right glute-hammy, so try and stick to the same pace I started off at. Occasionally, I'm in a foul mood for whatever reason, or stressed about something, and I find it I've just attacked the first half so much quicker than I would have liked.

    Hear what you're saying about Marathon training. Ive never run a full one. Done several Halves (max is 16M), but found I'd put on weight whenever I did. No idea. 🤷. Pass.
    Think it's cos you overeat the next day and are pretty lethargic for a day or two.

    I saw your 14 on Strava - awesome 🙌
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,133 Member
    Currently at 107.2 miles out of 120 goal for the month. Got my booster yesterday afternoon so I expect by this afternoon I will feel a little puny. I can already tell my HR is up and I have a headache. But I did a 5 mile run at a pretty normal decent pace. Lately I have been a snail so this is good.

    My new Apple software tracks a LOT of additional metrics but I still find the ones which were already there are the most help. The others just seem to follow the pace and cadence as far as results.
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    @Scott6255 Congrats to your brother! It’s cool that you are getting to celebrate with him.

    @kgirlhart I used to work providing vacation coverage for a breast center in Denton from time to time. The main thing I remember about it was a restaurant called Hannah’s in the old downtown area. It was sooo good and the place was really cute. Kind of a TX fancy casual vibe.

    @eleanorhawkins It’s smart that you are adding some race specific components to your workouts. Besides the physical training, it’s probably good for your mental prep. Re: runger. I am not as far into my plan as you are, but I am running 35-40 miles a week and my appetite took a DIVE this week. I had a couple days where I didn’t even eat all my snacks because I just wasn’t hungry. IDK if it’s the type of calories (ratio of macros) in this weeks meal prep or if the overall volume of food is just too high (it doesn’t seem crazy) but I’m hoping this will sort itself out. I don’t usually struggle with eating and as the mileage climbs, I need the fuel. Not losing weight or anything but when I am underfueled, I know my runs get harder and recovery doesn’t work as well.

    @SummerSkier I got my booster recently too. My initial series and 1st booster was Pfizer but my pharmacy only had Moderna, so the 2nd booster switched brands. My husband had Moderna initially and felt run down for a day or 2 after each shot but yet again, not a single symptom for me. It’s weird. I thought my lack of symptoms after the Pfizer shots was a difference in the brands/dosages, but guess not.
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    Sept total: 88.7/123 miles

    9/1: 4 miles
    9/2: 5 miles
    9/4: 4.2 miles
    9/5: 5 miles
    9/6: 5.2 miles
    9/7: 3.2 miles
    9/8: 3 miles
    9/9: 5.2 miles
    9/12: 5 miles
    9/14: 4.8 miles
    9/15: 5 miles
    9/16: 3 miles
    9/17: 6.1 miles
    9/18: 3.8 miles
    9/19: 7.6 miles
    9/21: 6.5 miles
    9/22: 4.1 miles
    9/23: 8 miles

    Drove out to the hill country after work last night so I could wake up here. It’s a few degrees cooler here and the humidity was pretty low this morning so overall nice conditions for a longer run. Once again, got sidetracked by phone calls and got out 30 mins later than intended so the sun was out in full force and the temps started climbing pretty quickly in the last few miles. I was expecting the hills to kick my butt, but it wasn’t as bad as expected. I think mixing in the treadmill 1-2 times a week, which almost always has some incline changes, has helped maintain some of the gains I made on the hills during my last visit. Of course, it’s no substitution for the real thing but it helped. From my house, any route I choose with be net downhill on the way out and net uphill on the way in. So while I handled the uphills on the outbound portion like a champ, the biggest ones pop up about 60-70% of the way through my run. I hiked up a couple of them to let my HR come down but I still think I’m in a better position than I would be without the treadmill and more than 2 months since I have done any hills runs.

    Going to try out the run club tomorrow morning. They seem to run about a 5k, so I’ll finish off my run alone afterwards. I’ve never participated in a run club before. I guess we’ll see how it goes.
  • swenson19d
    swenson19d Posts: 789 Member
    edited September 2022
    end of month question?
    Share a story, tid-bit, or pic that isn't running related!


    My monthly question is more of an update.
    I got new compression socks this week . Like many (once a) runners, I have an overdeveloped interest in stockings, pens, pencils, the proper key chain, the only acceptable drink cup, etc... I bought a package of 6 knee-high compression socks. I did't unpack them so I can just reach in a get a surprise pair. I think I may have to continue this cheerful way to start the day, except I can't afford new packages of random hosiery; well I might be able to do a monthly pack. There should be a Stocking Exchange; wear once, send to a random runner. I thought of @garygse yesterday, our handsome apace elf on the shelf with my newest favourite soks, and @WhatMeRunning as I discarded the toe-socks for the charity bin; and @7lenny7 for sharing his boys Bob Ross, because I want to paint. Hope you all are well.

    My Gary soks
    Yes, the house is a mess. Keepin' it real.
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    I got a viola.
    Did I already tell you all that? I bought it from the luthier, its handmade, in Ireland. It is beautiful. It is the Specilized bike to the old walmart bike at a yard sale. Yes, I have nearly fallen out if love with the internet purchased machine made violin. My teacher says I am at the point whereI can continue to learn both without too much trouble. But, the viola is divine.
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    Mental health
    Alex is still dead. Sadness is upon me rather than the darkness. I spent the last school year in a masters programme studying psychology. It was opportune and cathartic. Autism and ADHD diagnosis; which has helped me understand why I don't exactly fit in and have certain struggles. It's allowed me to "lean in" to my grief process and accept that I will probably always have, what seems to be a soulless existence. I've given my soul to Alex. I am back in the nursing programe, (where's Jeremy? @workaholic_nurse)? a semester and a half left. From there I think I will go back to psychology and aim for a clinical psychology degree. I should connect with a psychologist, have one pick out even, just need to make an appointment. Grief is a chronic condition.

    Latest pic of Alex shared with me from on of hi friends. Love that I get the surprise pic still.
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    I was one of the first on scene
    Car vs deer, deer into oncoming car + motorcycle at 5am a week ago. I helped the motorcycle rider best I could for 30 minutes before EMS/EMT's/5-0 got there. I may entertain emergency medicine. I reached out to the volunteer FD for more info in joining them. I'm 8 minutes from where this happened, not 20-30. My psych mental health professor says a lot of ER/ED visits are psych cases. So, IDK what I want to do when I grow up... other than an accomplished Violist of course.
  • polskagirl01
    polskagirl01 Posts: 2,024 Member
    @eleanorhawkins just don't go TOO crazy on the 20-miler! The point of that run is time on your feet. General hills/mountain terrain are fine as that's similar to race conditions, but a tough hill workout should be on a different day. You don't want to run your race in training and then still be recovering on race day. Just my 2 cents though. Feel free to ignore me 😁 It could also be you're planning to do those hill repeats nice and slow, in which case it might work out ok.
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    @swenson19d So glad to hear from you. It sounds like you have been busy.
  • swenson19d
    swenson19d Posts: 789 Member
    martaindale wrote: »
    @swenson19d So glad to hear from you. It sounds like you have been busy.

    Yes. I was diagnosed with "distraction as a coping mechanism". 😁

    With cooler weather upon us, are you looking forward to those brisk runs?
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,313 Member
    swenson19d wrote: »
    Yes. I was diagnosed with "distraction as a coping mechanism". 😁

    With cooler weather upon us, are you looking forward to those brisk runs?

    So, so much. I've been over summer pretty much since it started!

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