The January 2016 Running Challenge

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  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    @Stoshew71 God I love when you get all science-y!! While I may not be asking the questions, I may have wanted to at some point. A few months ago you suggested adding electrolytes because I was also experiencing the dizziness etc when I was trying to increase my distance for long runs (my best was only 6.01) and hasn't been repeated yet cuz I'm paranoid about the ice and snow...so I tried NUUN. Can't even tell you how much better I was feeling during and after my runs just from adding that.

    So for those of you asking the questions or just hoping someone else will ask...this is a GREAT place to get educated. But you have to put it into practice. When they say "conversational pace" they mean it. If you're huffing and puffing and can only talk in your head, slow down. Speed comes later. Your improvements can come when you least expect it. And rest days, esp for the newbies, is ESSENTIAL. At the moment I'm on my second rest day because I have a sore left hip muscle. Taking a few days off now might mean I can keep going later instead of losing several weeks because I can be stubborn. Just my two cents worth!
  • vandinem
    vandinem Posts: 550 Member 
    Date      Miles      MTD
------    -----    -----
Jan 01      6.5      6.5

    exercise.png

    New pair of Sauconys to break in today ... definitely a better run. I think I let the heels on the older pair get a little too wrecked.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    January Running Totals (miles)
    1/1 - 10.17 warm up + Resolution Run 7.5 mile (Mendon, NY)

    January to date total - 10.17
    Goal - 51 to 62 miles per week, per training plan
    expected January total - 245 to 251 miles

    Today's notes - The forecast was for 31° and 15 mph wind, with 15% chance of precipitation at 10 AM gun time. Got up a bit past 5, with almost 8 hours of sleep. Looked outside. The grass had a dusting of snow, but my driveway was wet. Got breakfast, put on my running clothes, decided I could wear road shoes.

    Looked out again at 8, and there were a few pellets of graupel on my driveway. A lot can happen in 2 hours. I changed to trail shoes before heading off to the race site. Good call. It was snowing as I drove. There was a thin coating of snow on the roads for my warm up. The tire tracks were very slick, but it was better on fresh snow cover. Ran 2.61 miles of warm up, an out and back to refresh my memory of the end of the race route.

    By gun time, it was snowing pretty steadily. It looked a lot like last Valentine's day, which produced some very nice pictures of people running in a snow storm. People who had decided against wearing their trail shoes were regretting that decision. The roads were more heavily coated with snow, and the footing (assuming trail shoes) was actually better than it had been for my warm up. The wind was less than forecast, but the snow stuck to my glasses and I had to brush them off several times.

    It wasn't a day for PR speed. Garmin had me at a 6:51 pace for the first mile (starting downhill, and with the surge of faster runners), then splits ranging from 7:04 to 7:15 for miles 2 through 7. Picked it up when I passed the 7 mile marker, and Garmin has me at a 6:44 pace for a tag of 0.56 miles. Official time was 53:58 for 7.5 miles, average pace 7:12. That was good for 28th out of 301 overall, 1st of 20 in the male 60-64 age group. Garmin says 7.56 miles, and I didn't even try to run good tangents in many cases because I preferred better footing to shorter distance.

    I didn't run Resolution Run (a.k.a. Freezeroo #2) as fast as I ran Summerfest in these hills a few months ago; but 7.5 miles of 30° and snowing was a lot more fun than 12K of mid-80s and high humidity.

    There is no bling, because this was a low budget race. (Nominal entry fee was $17, which I got for $12 because I'm a GRTC member; more than half the field was Freezeroo series runners getting a package of six races at a bigger discount than I got for just this one race.) But that's okay. it was a lot of fun.

    After the post-race food, the snow had stopped. Knocked 2" of snow off my car, and drove home on mostly wet asphalt roads. My driveway had melted clear without my intervention, but there is still snow on my lawn. New Year's Day couldn't be any better than this.

    Upcoming races:
    Jan. 9, 2016 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Rochester, NY)
    April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)
  • KatEmmaMarie
    KatEmmaMarie Posts: 64 Member
    I got in 3.31 miles this morning! It was my second run outside. I am usually a treadmill runner but since I want to try to do more races I know I need to get out on the road. Today was a little rough, my legs were pretty sore from my run yesterday. There are a couple hills on my route that I haven't gotten used to yet. I also take one of my dogs with me (I have 3 so I switch which one comes with me each time since I can't handle all 3 at once) and the one I took today is an American Fox Hound, so he is very enthusiastic about smelling EVERYTHING. So there were many times where he was trying to stop to sniff something haha. Hopefully once he gets used to the route he wont be as excited about all the new smells. My stomach also started to cramp a little towards the end of my run which made it hard. Overall I am very excited about this challenge!

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  • patrikc333
    patrikc333 Posts: 436 Member
    awful start of the year for me

    I rested a lot more in these days and... I ache everywhere

    Left for my usual HM this morning and had to stop after 6km, hip pain was very strong plus my left foot was not ok. I stopped as I didn't want to risk something serious. I cannot understand how it is possible that I'm fine one day and not ok the day after, after resting!

    Anyway, I went for a random run this afternoon with no goals, just to listen to the body and trying to understand it. Was at 60-70%, than a loosen dog jumped over me, I did a stupid movement with my left leg, and now I cannot properly move it

    wow.

    will keep my goal at 500km for the month, but if this is the way I've started...

    01/01 - 10 miles (6km +10km, and an awful 4.5k walk to come back home from where I stopped this morning)
  • beascot
    beascot Posts: 3 Member
    exercise.png

    I'm new to MFP, and running, so setting a rather *low* target. Not sure.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Annual Resolution Run. I did 5k.

    5/50k
  • Katiebear_81
    Katiebear_81 Posts: 719 Member
    I'm new here. I've run before, usually a summer endeavour for me, as I didn't have a treadmill before and it gets very cold here (-20) on the regular. But a friend of mine is doing the 1000 miles in 2016, so I thought I would join her. My goal is 84 miles in January, in order to keep on track for that.

    I am currently using an adapted version of the Zombies 5k training program (as the first few weeks are very easy for me). I run every day, and sometimes walk as a "rest day". I started about a week ago, so I have some decent momentum right now.

    I am very much looking forward to having a support group to check in with!
  • jmatt67
    jmatt67 Posts: 2 Member
    On my way! Ran on the treadmill but didn't mind it.

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  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    Why did today have to be a rest day? Everyone is running but me and I am getting pi$$y and petulant....
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    @MorningGhost14 I feel ya. It's a scheduled rest day for me too and I am throwing an internal tantrum about it. I keep trying to convince myself that taking a walk would be okay, buuuut I REALLY need the "do nothing at all" day. *sigh* :neutral:
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    MorningGhost14 wrote: »
    Why did today have to be a rest day? Everyone is running but me and I am getting pi$$y and petulant....

    You have rest days? You'll be a beast tomorrow! We'll all be crying we over did it.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    Welcome @beascot, @Katiebear_81 @3dogsrunning

    @patrikc333 Rough start. Smart to call it. I have days like that too.



    1-3.68

    3.68/100+

    Upcoming races:

    02/06/16 Hot Chocolate 15K Dallas
    03/19/16 Rock N Roll 5K Dallas
    03/20/16 Rock N Roll Half Dallas
    04/24/16 OKC Memorial undecided distance
    Run the year 2016 3.68/2016
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    @MobyCarp sounds like a great run!
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    @Elise4270 ... yeah I get my sort of long run tomorrow (maybe Sunday...depends on my schedule)...

    Love the new profile pic... :)
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited January 2016
    runner_girl83 wrote: »
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    Oh short answer- yes, use mid run fuel :smiley:

    Thank you soo much! :wink: You're awesome @Elise4270 ! Jellly beans!! Didn't even think of it! I have an armband for my phone, though the phone I have at the moment is huge and takes up ALOT of arm :lol: It's amazing just how much warmer it makes me feel running in the heat at the moment.. and once I get too sweaty it begins to slip down my arm. Lesson learned - Will be asking for a smaller, lighter phone in a few months for my birthday and will make sure it's much smaller!

    The armband you are talking about to hold keys/gels.. What material is it made out of? It sounds like a great idea! I will do a search on ebay for one. Any tips on brands?

    Someone on here mentioned a hand-held water bottle, might have been some months ago now - One where you can put your hand through the middle of the bottle for easier carrying?

    Thanks again!!! :smiley:

    It's an Amazon find. The one I went with is by Given. The fabric is light, and wicking. It has a zipper. Some fold over and seem like a good idea, but I was afraid to lose my car key that way. Says its for your wrist, but is very lose on mine, so I wear it on my ankle.

    You can also safty pin your fuel to the inside of your shorts. Haven't tried it yet, was told you can just pull it and it comes free.
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    @Virkati ...I do the same thing... I probably would have found something to do if I had a short run tomorrow, but I have to rest my legs from time to time... #gettingoldsucks #unlessyouaremobycarp
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    MorningGhost14 wrote: »
    @Elise4270 ... yeah I get my sort of long run tomorrow (maybe Sunday...depends on my schedule)...

    Love the new profile pic... :)

    Thanks. Cold, windy, and sick. Figured I should give up the pie for 2016. Bad example with all the newbies about.

  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    edited January 2016
    @Elise4270 I'm not changing my profile pic until I have a better race photo to put up lol. Me and the grandkids are doing the Graffiti run late April so I might change it then!
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    MorningGhost14 wrote: »
    @Virkati ...I do the same thing... I probably would have found something to do if I had a short run tomorrow, but I have to rest my legs from time to time... #gettingoldsucks #unlessyouaremobycarp

    Straight talk right there lol
  • runningagainstmyself
    runningagainstmyself Posts: 616 Member
    My goal for this month will be 50km. Getting back into shape after 5 weeks off so it will be a challenge but I think I can do it!


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  • Amy_Sokol
    Amy_Sokol Posts: 3 Member
    My goal will be 75 miles. 90 if I am lucky!
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    edited January 2016
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    Figured I should give up the pie for 2016. Bad example with all the newbies about.
    Wha??? A pox upon thee!!!

    (Then get cold, windy and sick more often, lil hottie... :) )
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    9.3 miles today. The plan was 12 but it was cut short by a tweak to my right calf muscle. I continued to run the remaining 4 miles but used a very short stride and stopped to stretch it a few times. Hoping like crazy this isn't going to blossom into something worse.

    9.3 out of 135 miles
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    Amy_Sokol wrote: »
    My goal will be 75 miles. 90 if I am lucky!

    Then I hope you get lucky....
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    MorningGhost14 wrote: »
    @Virkati ...I do the same thing... I probably would have found something to do if I had a short run tomorrow, but I have to rest my legs from time to time... #gettingoldsucks #unlessyouaremobycarp

    I read this as #gettin gold sucks and was slightly confused. :D
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    Virkati wrote: »
    MorningGhost14 wrote: »
    @Virkati ...I do the same thing... I probably would have found something to do if I had a short run tomorrow, but I have to rest my legs from time to time... #gettingoldsucks #unlessyouaremobycarp

    Straight talk right there lol

    I was going to chastise you...but then saw you are over 50, so you are allowed to beotch...

  • Amy_Sokol
    Amy_Sokol Posts: 3 Member
    exercise.png
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    I just signed up for a marathon in June so I need to start training. My goal for this month is 69 miles.


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  • runner_girl83
    runner_girl83 Posts: 553 Member
    01- Rest day
    02- 13.02 long run – 8:28 pace

    Total- 13.02 km
    Goal- 70 km

    Longest run to date! Legs started tiring around 10K so took the last 3K home nice and slow :smile: Legs feel amazing! I made it a goal to run for 25 mins, walk 5 the whole way – worked well and I feel much more rested because of it.. Feel like it was easier on my legs! One thing though.. Took me 1:50:10 :unamused: Hopefully I get a little faster over the next few months.

    Definitely looking for a water bottle I can hold while running or a belt that holds a bottle today – Around 10K it just hit me and I started getting a little sluggish and dizzy in parts. Had a water iceblock (icey pole) when I got home and felt pepped up within a few minutes. Definitely need to take water on the longer runs!! Thanks guys for your advice on that too! :wink: Off to the swimming pool now for some relaxation and light strength exercises! Happy New Year everyone!

    Let’s smash 2016’s butt!!!

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