November Running Challenge

Date - Run Miles
11/1 - 5.8
11/2 - 6.02
11/3 - Taekwondo
11/4 - Tennis
11/5 - 6.2
11/6 - Tennis
11/8 - 9
11/9 - 3.7
11/13 - 6.7
11/15 - 12.01

Nov Total - 49.43 miles of 80 mile goal

So much excitement since I last checked in.
Great Races @grimmeanor @skippygirlsmom & @gabbo34. Nice PRs too!!!

@Abakan & @sonicdeathmonkey80 Awesome Vert on those runs. That's hardcore!

ShortMrsN wrote: »

And I shaved 20 seconds off my average pace today! It was a good run.....had a smile on my face during the walk back home

Wonderful. The joy on another runners face always makes me smile.

_Date___ Miles
Nov 1 ____16.3
Nov 2 ____7.1
Nov 3 ____6.2am + 8.1pm
Nov 4 ____1 streak
Nov 5 ____6.2am + 7.2pm
Nov 6 ____1 streak
Nov 7 ____5.1 1,400miles in 2014
Nov 8 ____10.5
Nov 9 ____3.1
Nov 10 ___7.6am + 6.2pm
Nov 11 ___1 streak
Nov 12 ___6.4am + 4.9pm
Nov 13 ___1 streak
Nov 14 ___10.3
Nov 15 ___8.1
Nov 16 ___8.3
____ Total ____ 125.6

Nov 1 - Biking 24 miles
Nov 2 - Biking 20 miles
Nov 3 - 4 miles
Nov 4 - 4.5 miles
Nov 5 - strength/weights
Nov 6 - 4.5 miles
Nov 7 - rest, unplanned but trainer cancelled.
Nov 8 - Biking 38 miles
Nov 9 - 4 miles had to end early
Nov 10 - rest day
Nov 11- 3.4 miles
Nov 12 - Strength/weights
Nov 13 - 4.5 - felt really good. Last two runs had to quit early for various reasons. You don’t want to know -TMI.
Nov 14- strength/weights
Nov 15 - 4.0 miles
Nov 16 - Biking, 40 miles

Pretty cold stroller run this morning, 30F. The girl was toasty with her ski mittens, hat, down jacket, fleece lined pants and blanket. I was fine running in capris and a long sleeve shirt, but i did catch a chill in my lungs while getting the girl situated so my asthma was not happy. When that happens I just have to run slower.

11/02/2014 26.2 miles
11/07/2014 3.2 miles
11/08/2014 5.3 miles
11/10/2014. 3.1 miles
11/11/2014. 5.5 miles (with stroller)
11/13/2014 3.1 miles
11/15/2014. 7.5 miles
11/16/2014. 4.2 miles. (with stroller)
Total 58.1 miles

Bad week - birthday coincided with very poor weather and a trip away -still managed a few miles though!

1/11 ill (manflu)
2/11 ill (2nd day - obviously a serious dose of manflu)
3/11 REST
4/11 4.35
5/11 4.25 (8.6)
6/11 6.23 (14.83)
7/11 REST
8/11 3.15 (17.98)
9/11 6.66 (am) and 3.60 (pm) (28.24)
10/11 REST
11/11 4.04 (32.28)
12/11 REST (birthday)
13/11 unintended rest (weather)
14/11 REST
15/11 REST (away from home)
16/11 7.09 (am) and 4.09 (pm) (43.46)

Congrats to all of you with the great races and other new PBs!

I had a nice long run despite constant drizzling rain today. The only not-so-great thing: when I keep on the hood of my rain jacket for a time while running, my ponytail gets turned into a tangly knotted mess (guess it's chafing against the jacket when it's stuffed inside or something like that). Maybe I'll try french-braiding my hair next time... Does anyone else have that problem and any advice about it, or is my hair just weird ?

---

1.11. - 8.6km
3.11. - 4.5 km
5.11. - 5.7 km
7.11. - 4.4 km
9.11. - 10.3 km
11.11. - 3.9 km
13.11. - 4.8 km
14.11. - 5.8 km
15.11. - 10.6 km
_________________
58.6 (of 70) km

SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »

Congratulations on your first half marathon! I would recommend acclimating yourself more for the next time's conditions... I notice you ran only twice in the two weeks leading up to the half, both long runs. Not sure why you did that, but I'd incorporate a few more short distance, easy runs to stay loose during your taper period. Training runs = more time to experiment with clothing, fueling, etc.

Thanks! All feedback is appreciated, of course as I figure this stuff out.

My reasoning for the two long runs pretty much boiled down to two things.

The first I was running out of time to build up to 11-12 miles in the final weeks ahead of my first half. One part of that was struggling with a refueling strategy and realizing I could only be confident if I had more than one successful long run in the 11-12 mile range using that refueling strategy. I did not need to refuel on shorter runs, I received no benefit from it that I could discern, thus part of the reason I was really concerned with longer runs.

The other was that (perhaps partly hand-in-hand with the refueling issues) I found I was having troubles on both my long and shorter runs as my overall weekly miles built up to where I was looking to be for the training a month ahead of the half marathon. However, a few days rest followed by a long run with a new refueling strategy that bumped up my carbs just ahead of the race, and also during the run worked very well. I wanted to make sure it would work a second time so I rested again and ran again the same as before and had similar results. These were my 11/2 and 11/6 runs.

I debated whether to do a couple shorter runs on perhaps 11/9 and 11/11 to keep limber as you suggested, but I also found that the essentially 3 consecutive long runs I did left my ankles actually sore among my hamstrings feeling tight. So I was actually hoping the longer rest would allow all of that to heal and I would not suffer too badly before the half with such a long rest.

I will say that the 13.1 mile run was the hardest thing I have ever done so far. It was almost a full mile further than my longest runs in the weeks prior, and that last mile was somewhat painful. But 12 miles in on race day and there was no way my brain could negotiate with my body to give up. I walked most of the last mile, actually, because I did not think I could cross the finish line if I pushed things harder (I was pushing myself just to walk). I am still just sore as heck the next day. So this probably shows this wasn't the best idea, but I did at least finish.

I also think the cold had a part in this, perhaps a large part. My legs, and particularly my hips really felt cold between miles 9 and 13 and were stiff. Approaching mile 12 my hips started just not feeling right, though they feel fine today.

I think what I have learned is to carry extra layers with me at the start, and put them on between 4 and 5 miles in. I have not had much trouble in mile one being too cold, and actually have found myself getting a bit warm around miles 3-4 and needing to vent a bit. But after that, once I hit about 5 miles in, even zipping up with all of the layers I have on I find I am rather frigid by mile 9 and that is when things get really tough. Tougher than runs in warmer weather that are over 9 miles, that's for sure.

I'm still figuring all this out, since I'm still pretty new to distance running. My fist 10l was in September. I had no idea then I might consider a half marathon by November, and I knew that would only be possible if I could make some 12 mile runs in the couple weeks ahead of the race. So I was really focused on doing whatever I could to make those 12 mile runs...perhaps too focused, in hindsight.

Thanks for all of the advice. I know I will figure these things out as they work for me eventually.

11/2 – 6.01 miles (easy)
11/9 – 10.01 miles (long)
11/11 – 6.17 miles (8x800)
11/12 – 3.01 miles (easy)
11/13 – 7.48 miles (5x1)
11/14 – 1.61 miles (plus stronglifts)
11/15 – Rest Day
11/16 – 3.26 miles (Hog Jog – 5K – 2nd in age group)

Just went for a quick 25 minutes today, testing out a new sports bra (it worked great!)

Date - Run Miles
11/1 - 5.8
11/2 - 6.02
11/3 - Taekwondo
11/4 - Tennis
11/5 - 6.2
11/6 - Tennis
11/8 - 9
11/9 - 3.7
11/13 - 6.7
11/15 - 12.01
11/16 - 5

Nov Total - 54.43 miles of 80 mile goal