February Running Challenge

autumnblade75 wrote: »

fabnine wrote: »

@autumnblade75 - 1/4 of the way through the month and almost 1/4 of the way through your elevation- you're really working to pull this off. I'm rooting for you- keep it up!

I feel bad to let you down. I did something to my ankle and I'm going to take some time off to let that heal. I have a race at the end of March, and I hope I'll get to do some training for that - so I'd better back off now, instead of just pushing though and really screwing it up. I'll have to do some more hill workouts when I come back.

Seriously, every time I get up to more than 12 miles per week, I injure myself. After 4 years, you'd think I could build up to more than 12 miles, right? C'mon! This is ridiculous. So, when I start back from scratch, what's 10% of 0, so I go slow enough adding on the miles? I hate that I'm having such a hard time with this.

@autumnblade75 - You sound so discouraged. Don't let this get to you- you're going to beat it!

You're not disappointing anyone when you can't reach a goal here. Well maybe yourself, but we are always our own worst critics aren't we? You've been here a whole lot longer than I have so you already know our goals here just challenge ourselves to push beyond what we believed possible. When we see others reach and even surpass a goal we know what we can strive towards and perhaps one day accomplish. When we see others fall short of a goal we remember that we're all human and learn the value of perseverance together. Every month we see someone here say, "I didn't make my goal last month but this month I've got it for sure."

This time you've got this for sure! You're so ready for success, you've already got a plan for more hill workouts when you come back.

If you're being dogged by injuries so often have you considered increasing your strength and flexibility training to improve your overall conditioning? Our bodies are a complex machine that is so vulnerable to the weakest link in the chain. Look at all the injuries runners are prone to and so many of them are prevented or corrected by Physical Therapy. Now I don't know your routine, maybe you're already strong and flexible. Maybe you just caught a string of bad luck, if that's the case hold your head high and keep running it will pass.

Rest your ankle, strengthen your muscles and strengthen your mind. You know how much of running is mental. You can do this! I know you can, besides someone's got to beat your brother in those treadmill challenges.

2/1 –
2/2 – 1 mile
2/3 –
2/4 – 1 mile
2/5 -
2/6 -
2/7 -1 mile
2/8 – 3.1 miles
2/9 - .5 miles
2/10 – 2.2 miles

Goal: 30 miles
Completed: 8.8 miles

Date.......Miles.......Total
02/01.... 4.60....... 4.60 - Trail run with hill repeats
02/02.... 5.75......10.35
02/03.... 0.00......10.35 - Strength training
02/04.... 6.00......16.35 - Sore from ^ so 6 miles easy
02/05.... 3.92......20.27 - Intervals + Strength training
02/06.... 9.14......29.41 - Long run for the week
02/07.... 0.00......29.41 - Rest
02/08.... 2.06......31.47 - Dog Beach!
02/09.... 5.53......37.00
02/10.... 6.64......43.64 - + Strength training

2/1 - 3 miles
2/3 - 3 miles
2/4 - 2.7 miles (tempo run)
2/5 - 3 miles
2/7 - 6 miles
2/8 - 3 miles
2/11 - 5 miles (speedwork)

Lesleycali wrote: »

This is where I got to do some speed work today

Jealous.

fabnine wrote: »

autumnblade75 wrote: »

fabnine wrote: »

@autumnblade75 - 1/4 of the way through the month and almost 1/4 of the way through your elevation- you're really working to pull this off. I'm rooting for you- keep it up!

I feel bad to let you down. I did something to my ankle and I'm going to take some time off to let that heal. I have a race at the end of March, and I hope I'll get to do some training for that - so I'd better back off now, instead of just pushing though and really screwing it up. I'll have to do some more hill workouts when I come back.

Seriously, every time I get up to more than 12 miles per week, I injure myself. After 4 years, you'd think I could build up to more than 12 miles, right? C'mon! This is ridiculous. So, when I start back from scratch, what's 10% of 0, so I go slow enough adding on the miles? I hate that I'm having such a hard time with this.

@autumnblade75 - You sound so discouraged. Don't let this get to you- you're going to beat it!

You're not disappointing anyone when you can't reach a goal here. Well maybe yourself, but we are always our own worst critics aren't we? You've been here a whole lot longer than I have so you already know our goals here just challenge ourselves to push beyond what we believed possible. When we see others reach and even surpass a goal we know what we can strive towards and perhaps one day accomplish. When we see others fall short of a goal we remember that we're all human and learn the value of perseverance together. Every month we see someone here say, "I didn't make my goal last month but this month I've got it for sure."

This time you've got this for sure! You're so ready for success, you've already got a plan for more hill workouts when you come back.

If you're being dogged by injuries so often have you considered increasing your strength and flexibility training to improve your overall conditioning? Our bodies are a complex machine that is so vulnerable to the weakest link in the chain. Look at all the injuries runners are prone to and so many of them are prevented or corrected by Physical Therapy. Now I don't know your routine, maybe you're already strong and flexible. Maybe you just caught a string of bad luck, if that's the case hold your head high and keep running it will pass.

Rest your ankle, strengthen your muscles and strengthen your mind. You know how much of running is mental. You can do this! I know you can, besides someone's got to beat your brother in those treadmill challenges.

Thanks for all that. I probably just need to keep better records. After all, I did run 33 miles the last week of January. To tell the truth, though, my ankle was giving me grief before I went on vacation the week before that (which was why there were still 33 miles waiting for me when I came back...) And I just ran through it. Because I'm so mule stubborn about wanting to crush my goal. When people at work start asking my why I'm limping, and it hurts to walk - well, I guess I finally decided it was more important to me to be able to run that race I've already paid for than to finish this month's challenge - after all, I'm primarily accountable to myself. I KNOW nobody here is going to e-mail me later and ask "hey, why didn't you meet that goal?"

Anyway, I wanted to do some physical therapy when I was having trouble with shin splints. The ortho guy I went referred me. He said they'd do a gait analysis. So, I showed up and did the assessment, and the PT says I should do all these exercises for weak hips for 8 weeks before we even do the gait analysis. Well, if we don't have an initial gait analysis to work with, how do we know if that's gonna fix anything? She says to me, "well, if we do it now, all I'm going to see is that you're dropping your hips." I couldn't really afford 8 weeks of PT to correct this other thing that wasn't even the problem I came in with. There was some drama on the phone and eventually, as appeasement, she offered to go ahead and do a gait analysis anyway, if that was what I wanted. I replied that "of course you're not going to see anything else, if weak hips is all you're going to look for!" Now, I can't really say I've done a lot to address any weak hip issues, but I'm skeptical about that being a problem at this point.

The ankle feels a lot like the shins. Doesn't hurt while running, sore as hell later and feels bruised to touch. All the way down in the bone. I'm not sure I believe anyone was listening when I was saying that I think the tendon is just tearing it's way off the bone. The ortho guy took x-rays and I swear I remember him telling me that it was definitely not the tendon tearing off the front of my shin. I am still not convinced. Anyone have any tips or advice for tendon health?

I plan to run later this afternoon so I'll update then, just couldn't get out of bed this morning. Skip had to be at school earlier, I had to do my PT stuff and the dog, well you know she wanted to go for walk. LOL

@autumnblade75‌ Sorry you are having injury issues. When I got hurt and decided on PT I asked around on the facebook page of our local running club for recommendations for someone who understood running. I couldn't be happier with my PT guy, he gets it and that is so important. I was having knee pain the last few times I ran down into my feet I thought it was part of the my other injury but while PT was doing his evaluation he said your right hips muscles are weak. He has me doing exercises to build them up. He say he can't stress enough the importance of core and hip muscles for running and the prevention of injury. Hang in there, I know how frustrating it can be.

@ddmom0811‌ I cracked up at your running extra today. Sometimes if I'm feeling good I don't follow my route I go off in other directions and I get home and I'm like good night I ran WHAT?! I don't have any "device" that tells me how far I went so sometimes it's quite funny.

@lesleycali breathtaking view! Add me to jealous. I see my neighbors houses...well not so true, it's usually dark out LOL

@fabnine honestly what is this walking he talks about

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

I plan to run later this afternoon so I'll update then, just couldn't get out of bed this morning. Skip had to be at school earlier, I had to do my PT stuff and the dog, well you know she wanted to go for walk. LOL

@autumnblade75‌ Sorry you are having injury issues. When I got hurt and decided on PT I asked around on the facebook page of our local running club for recommendations for someone who understood running. I couldn't be happier with my PT guy, he gets it and that is so important. I was having knee pain the last few times I ran down into my feet I thought it was part of the my other injury but while PT was doing his evaluation he said your right hips muscles are weak. He has me doing exercises to build them up. He say he can't stress enough the importance of core and hip muscles for running and the prevention of injury. Hang in there, I know how frustrating it can be.

@ddmom0811‌

I recognize the importance of core and hip muscles, and now seems as good a time as any to work on that. I can't really afford the cost of a professional to tell me how to do clamshells, though. I wish you well with your knees and I'm glad your PT guy is awesome. I don't suppose you're anywhere near Chicago, and willing to share his name?

If I wasn't so stubborn, I'd have given up on running by now. I still don't even know why I'm so set on making this work. But I've got 5 years invested into it, and that seems like a huge waste if I give up, now.

1 - 5mi, race/pacing
2 - Birthday, rest day
3 - 8mi, fast finish
4 - 10mi, easy
5 - 9mi, 8x800m (Yasso 800s) at 6:40min/mi
6 - 8.2mi, easy
7 - 19.7mi, long/last 8 w/girl
8 - Rest
9 - 5mi, easy
10 - 8.3mi, easy, +3mi
11 - 10, easy

Feb Goal: 200mi

Total: 86.2mi

2 miles with the jogging stroller on Monday and 3 miles by myself today.

autumnblade75 wrote: »

I recognize the importance of core and hip muscles, and now seems as good a time as any to work on that. I can't really afford the cost of a professional to tell me how to do clamshells, though. I wish you well with your knees and I'm glad your PT guy is awesome. I don't suppose you're anywhere near Chicago, and willing to share his name?
@ddmom0811‌

Don't give up especially if it's something you enjoy. I actually started with PT (I'm in Alabama so his name won't help you sorry) because the orthopedic said I needed back surgery and I refused to do that. I really understand the money issue, I have insurance but it has a big deductible. It sucks to pay for insurance and they pay through the nose until they will kick in.

Google hip exercises there are all kinds of great web sites. I hear yoga is great for strength too, though I can't get into that doesn't seem to be for me.

Feel better.

2/1--- 10.1 miles, trail
2/2--- 6 miles, trail
2/3--- 5.2 miles, street
2/4--- 5.8 miles, trail
2/5--- Rest
2/6--- 6.4 miles, trail
2/7--- Rest
2/8--- 13.5 miles, trail
2/9--- 6.2 miles, trail
2/10-- 6.1 miles, trail
2/11-- 7.5 miles, trail

67 miles done/ 130 goal

Feb 1--- 5 miles
Feb 2--- REST DAY
Feb 3--- 7 miles
Feb 4--- 6 miles
Feb 5--- 6 miles
Feb 6--- 6 miles
Feb 7--- 14 miles
Feb 8--- 5 miles
Feb 9--- REST DAY
Feb 10--- 7 miles
Feb 11--- 5 miles

Total: 61
Goal: 170

Hubby was home for days off and that always seems to throw a wrench in my routine. We did go for a long walk Saturday, but definitely no running. It was crazy icy. We did get to see some beaver tracks and lots of deer on our nature tour. Back on track today for another 3 miles.

2/1 - 7.1
2/2 - Rest
2/3 - Rest
2/4 - 3.6
2/5 - 4.1 (a cold 29* over lunch when I ran. But the forecast this weekend is mid 70s!)
2/6 - 3.8 (34* warmer than yesterday's run!)
2/7 - Rest
2/8 - 7.5
2/9 - Rest
2/10 - REst
2/11 - 2.0

Bad run today. I had to squeeze it in after work but before taking my son to a game. Could only squeeze in two miles..but it felt like 10. Just one of those days where you don't feel it at all.....