December 2015 Running Challenge

12/1-3.7 miles + strength training
12/2-4.7 miles-Hot Chocolate group run
12/3-3.3 miles dreadmill intervals +strength training
12/4-3.3 miles
12/5-3.5 miles
12/6-10.1 miles
12/7-rest/yoga\
12/8-strength training
12/9-6.1 miles
12/10-5.5 miles
12/11-3.5 miles +strength training
12/12-rest day
12/13-rest day
12/14-unplanned rest day-ear
12/15-3.7 easy miles
12/16-4.0 easy miles
12/17-3.4 miles

3.4 miles was all I could manage to find time for yesterday. Not what I wanted, but at least it was something. I should have more time this evening and I am actually looking forward to a little jaunt through my neighborhood to look at all the Christmas lights. Did that the other night, but it was a short one and it was unseasonably warm, so it was hard to appreciate the spirit. Tonight it should be right around 32F, so that is perfect Christmas running weather!

juliet3455 wrote: »

The Last HM I registered for They had a Bling Bin of Odds and Sods ( Headbands, Tees, Socks etc. including some Gels and Energy bars, Probably last years stock items or Loss leaders from vendors ) that we could just pick something - Got me some Knee High Smart Wool Socks - loving them for the extra layer of warmth on my calf's in the last few colder winter days. Bling is Bling no matter how big or small.

What a great idea. This just made me think...what is the best race schwag you ever got?

The Cincinnati Flying Pig marathon is always good. A nice tech shirt and a good quality bag of some sort (Asics duffle bag, insulated cooler, back pack were the last 3) which is filled with good coupons and stuff. But there is a local 4th of July 4 mile race in Cincy called the Hyde Park Blast. The first year I did it we got an award winning (design) t-shirt, a Nike backpack with a Blast water bottle and Blast Defeet socks and lots of other goodies. And the race fee was next to nothing. But that was at least 10 years ago and when I did it recently the goods had been scaled back a bit, but finishers did get a race beach towel, which was nice.

12/1 - 4 miles on indoor track + 4.5 miles on stationary bike
12/2 - Took my rest day early. Weather is supposed to be way better this weekend, so planning to run long(er) than usual both days.
12/3 - 5.09 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
12/4 - 4 miles on indoor track + weights/abs
12/5 - 5.5 miles (I think)...my phone / GPS crashed after about 4, so I lost my distance and time
12/6 - 3.1 miles on small indoor track
12/7 - unplanned rest day
12/8 - 4 miles on indoor track + weight/abs
12/9 - 5.25 beautiful miles...40° F at 5:00 a.m. in December! Ran a route that I used a lot last spring/summer, but had been a while. Fun, relaxing, almost perfect!
12/10 - 5.25 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
12/11 - 3.1 miles on indoor track + weights/abs
12/12 - 6 chilly miles
12/13 - rest day
12/14 - life day
12/15 - 4 miles on indoor track + weights
12/16 - 5 wind-blown miles. Can't complain about 42° F at 5 a.m. on December 16 though!
12/17 - 5.05 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
12/18 - 4.1 miles on indoor track + weights/abs



@runner_girl83 - That is fantastic! Glad it worked out so great...definitely a negative into a positive!
@7lenny7 - Brrr! That wind sounds brutal! Great job pushing through!
@lporter229 - My favorite schwag is a "beanie" hat from this past October's IMT Des Moines Half Marathon / 5k combo. It isn't super special and not even "tech"...just bright, warm and fun.

Everyone have a great weekend!

lporter229 wrote: »

What a great idea. This just made me think...what is the best race schwag you ever got?

A pint of ale, including the glass!

That was my first 5K and my first day of running. It was one of our local Brewery Running Series Runs

This past summer and fall were brutal on my running (damn personal life)... three or four months with less than 100 miles, which will put me about 450 miles under the 1850 I got last year. I was having a tough time finding my mojo, so I re-upped with MFP for the sole purpose of doing these monthly challenges (@Stoshew71 ... you rock) and signed up for a 50k in May. Today was the best sign that I am finally getting back to where I want to be: it is a rest day and I am crawling out of my skin and feeling like a slug. I love it.

Also, I have to say that the miles that @Ohhim, @patrikc333, @Stoshew71 and @MobyCarp lay down are so impressive... I get giggly when I can do 180-190 miles a month, but those guys blow past 200 like a walk in the park. I think about that when I feel like cutting a run short...

Virkati wrote: »

mom3over40 wrote: »

I went to check out a 5k race that usually happens in June. They moved it to April... This 5k was the only reason I did not go for the R&R HM here in San Diego. So, I went to check out the R&R HM only to find that, they also have the special pricing yesterday like the one @Virkati registered but now the cost is $99

Is there somewhere you can sign up to get notification of special like these?

Somehow I got my email address on Colorado Runner Magazine's email list. Turned out to be the BEST thing to have happened. I don't know when, where, or how they got my email, but I get information almost daily about events. Some are right around the corner and others are for distances near and far, (Las Vegas, Miami and Lisbon being just a few examples). With these guys, for every event I volunteer at, I can either run the longer distance for free (because it's usually a later start time) in that race or I can apply my free admission to a different event. I'm planning to do the Labor Day Mini Marathon that way...keeps my costs down and helps me appreciate the volunteers even more.

Thanks for the information. I am nowhere near Colorado but if it means savings, I am going to check it out

shanaber wrote: »

I am just popping in to say hello from Costa Rica. I have been running about 3.5 - 4 miles while here in the heat and humidity and up a nice hill on a rainforest trail. Hopefully this will be enough for me to be ready for my HM on the 27th!
I will update my overall progress next week when I get home. I won't be able to get caught up with everyone or make comments to all but from what I have read everyone is doing great and making progress to their goals!!

Here is a picture from my rainforest trail paradise! Other than the heat and humidity it is fantastic!

Weather looks beautiful!!

To all you cold-weather runners...brrr! To all you lucky dogs having a tropical getaway...jealousy!
Today was the last day of school and going into the busiest weekend ever...and then two glorious weeks of mostly nothing pressing except celebrating with family. (Ok, there is that meal for 20 I have to prepare...and the NYE bash I'm expected to throw...sigh) but there should be plenty of time for running. I think I will do a Christmas lights evening run like @lporter229 --what a great idea!

---

12/1 3.5 @ 11:17 on the treadmill plus strength training
12/2 5.25 @ 11:04 on the treadmill. Oh my heck, please let it be sunny tomorrow. Or at least not so wet.
12/3 4.75 @ 12:03 on the park trail with the doggy. Yay! Sunshine!
12/4 3.5 @ 11:03 (really 3.25 at 10:48, plus .25 at a walk) on the treadmill, plus strength training
12/5 3 miles hiking with the cub scouts

12/6 Woke up feeling sore from Friday's strength training, so took a rest day
12/7 9.25 @ 12:26 on the park trail, nice and easy
12/8 3.75 @ 10:48 on the treadmill (3.5 at 10:39, .25 walk), plus stretch/yoga
12/9 5.25 @ 11:32 on the treadmill
12/10 Sort of rest day? Trip to Colonial Williamsburg with my daughter's history class. Lots of walking!
12/11 6.25 @ 11:18 on the treadmill.
12/12 Rest Day

12/13 3.25 @ 10:10 (5K race chip time 32:06--I finished 191/395 women 30/64 in my age group)
12/14 7.25 @ 12:03 (7 @ 11:57 and .25 walking) on the park trails
12/15 2.0 @ 10:29 on the treadmill and strength training
12/16 5.0 @ 11:49 on the park trail
12/17 Rest Day. It is cold and wet and my back hurts from present wrapping. Bah humbug.
12/18 6.0 on the treadmill (5 @ 11:40 and 1 walking) plus strength training
12/19

@kristinegift glad you are feeling better, you don't want to get to Mom's hungover

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

This past summer and fall were brutal on my running (damn personal life)... three or four months with less than 100 miles, which will put me about 450 miles under the 1850 I got last year. I was having a tough time finding my mojo, so I re-upped with MFP for the sole purpose of doing these monthly challenges (@Stoshew71 ... you rock) and signed up for a 50k in May. Today was the best sign that I am finally getting back to where I want to be: it is a rest day and I am crawling out of my skin and feeling like a slug. I love it.

Also, I have to say that the miles that @Ohhim, @patrikc333, @Stoshew71 and @MobyCarp lay down are so impressive... I get giggly when I can do 180-190 miles a month, but those guys blow past 200 like a walk in the park. I think about that when I feel like cutting a run short...

I can't speak for the others, but I expect December 2015 to be the first month I run more than 200 miles. November, I ran 189.74. Before that I had months in the 160s and 150s. I don't think in terms of miles per month, even though I add them up in a spreadsheet. I think in terms of miles per week and the aggressive Boston training program I'm aiming at. In late September, I went from running 4 days a week to running 5 days a week, because I didn't see how I could get the miles in on a 4 day a week schedule.

Absent training for a marathon, I might be happy running 30-35 miles per week and maybe 150 in a 31-day month. That would be enough to let me run a half pretty much whenever I felt like it, and I could do it on a 4 day schedule. That would make it easier to fit in grocery shopping and other mundane tasks that have to be done some time or other.