So, I ran most of my 9.5K trail race! It was raining when I got there, but cleared up for the start, which was awesome! I learned that I need to buy trail shoes. It took me 1:07:10 to complete, but there were MANY sections that were so slippery, that I had to slow down for safety, not for tired. Including one massive slip & slide hill at the end of an out and back portion. Traffic both ways. THAT was a total ****show! Mud mud mud mud mud, splat (tho I didn't fall). It took me a long time to navigate up & down, as I went off the path onto the side of a steep hill and pulled myself up & down with the aid of any sapling I could grab on to!

I also learned that trail running = HILLS. Big, tiring hills going up and up and up again. And then down (which can be harder than going up). I took it a bit easy, overall, for a couple of reasons - I didn't know what to expect and wanted to make sure I didn't come out too hard and bonk before it was over, and most importantly - so I didn't hurt myself/bruise myself somewhere visible considering I'm getting married next Saturday. On my next trail run (and there will be one), all bets are OFF!

Now excuse me while I go look for other races I can sign up for!

Thanks, Donna!
So, a "long run" is all about distance with no worries about a walk break?
How is "interval training" defined? Is it various speeds and/or inclines with walking breaks?

That's a great pace, AlbionOakley! Way to go!

Wicked healthy is the right word for it.

Ceci, you look great! That's a wonderful, healthy looking photo!

My trainer tells me I can break up my long run when I need to. Easter I broke up my 9 miles into a 5 mile run & a 4 mile run that were actually several hours apart.

With such a long time between runs you are missing the benefit of one continuous long run. But it really depends on what you are training for. There are certain physiological things that start to happen at around 90 minutes of continuous running. Those are the things you need to train your body to handle for 15K, 10-mile, half marathons, etc.

I think breaking up a long run with a 5-15 minute walk break is fine. Heck, yesterday I stopped in the middle of my 8-mile run for a few minutes after running up a huge hill. Sometime you gotta let your heart rate calm down a bit before moving on.

I've been doing short(ish) bike rides with a co-worker who is just getting started with an exercise routine. Yesterday, she asked if I would run with her. (Of course!)

I picked an intervals run on my Rundouble app, run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. She ran about 4 of the run intervals and walked the rest. After I went back and looked at my pace, I figured I was running too fast. I went to her this morning and apologized for that. I am encouraging her to start with C25k and to alternate biking and running days. I will probably go through the C25k with her, if I can make myself slow down. She is doing a great job so far and I don't want her to get discouraged. It has been pretty easy for me to slow down on the bike (just shift into a lower gear and spin!)

It is so weird for me to the be that fit friend who is encouraging someone else to get moving! (2 other co-workers, a sister-in-law, a niece and at least one other friend are now making an effort to move more because I move so much!)