The January 2016 Running Challenge

After having some calf pain Friday I skipped my plan run yesterday and went to a new brewpub instead. The IPA had a harsh bitterness to it but the porter was very nice. The wheat beer had a really off aroma and flavor. Hope they fix that by summertime.

The brewery therapy worked and I was able to run 4 pain-free miles today. Today was a new experience. My daughter is home from college and evidently college has mad her soft. She won't run outside with me so I found a nearby high school that allows you to run their indoor track in the off hours and we went there today. I found I didn't actually hate it as much as I thought. I kind of enjoyed passing people and weaving in and out of traffic. I couldn't do it for a long run but I'll be back when I went to do a tempo run and it' still snowy/icy outside. I'm also going to try to talk my wife into going with me. She can walk around the track while I run a few laps, walk a lap with her, run a few laps, etc.

Between my calf pain, which kept me from 11 planned miles, and the death of a close cousin Friday, I'll be struggling to reach my goal. That will keep me from running for the next 3 days though I'm thinking about stopping for a run on my way back home from the funeral Wednesday.

I have a group question:

Looking at my Garmin data I'm running 5-10 minutes and walking 2-3 my entire run. Once in a while, I have runs that are better or worse. I can run a race non-stop, 10k done, besides the chafing I had on the HM, I feel like I could have done it (minus the water stations). I nailed the first 10 miles.

My husband thinks its mental. I'll be able to rule out cardiac issues in a few weeks (which really I doubt I have, but who knows).

Lets assume it's mental. What the heck do I do? Could it really be mental?


Today My training journal says:

"... No matter where you stack up when it comes to speed or distance, stake claim to your group and run with pride. Your running will soar by being a part of something bigger than yourself. " Lauren Fleshman.

@Elise4270 - I had a lot of issues in 2014 overcoming mental limitations. As I became more aware of what I could do, how I felt recovering, and gained knowledge to analyze my running data I just had to push through it. Sometimes my mind was trying to convince me that my legs were running out of energy. So I would test myself to see how far I could go until my legs would just buckle out from under me. That never happened, curiously enough. Sometimes I would feel like I was pushing my HR too hard, but when looking at my HR (especially over the run) it was clear that I was not past theshold or evrn in VO2max pretty much every time. So I had to just run past it. That one can be tricky (even worrisome). The only method I can really describe is a mantra I started using after mile 16 in my first full. I trained so hard but felt like running was really hard that day and my glutes felt numb. I knew I had the fitness to make it. When I nearly convinced myself to give up I remembered all that and repeated a mantra to myself the rest of the way, "Medal, Injury or Body Bag". I was only stopping and going home with one of those. I made it home with the medal.

That may not work for you, I am sure these mental blocks and the paths around them are unique to all. This may also just sound ridiculous or too simplistic perhaps. You will figure it out if you truly want to overcome those blocks you know are only mental.

Date – Km’s – DTD
02/1 – 13.02 – 13.02 – 8:28 pace
04/1 – 05.06 – 18.08 – pushing pram, 8:40 pace



Decided to move my Tuesday running day to Monday’s instead.. I am going to challenge myself by running with my little boy in the stroller on these Monday runs – Boy it’s hard work! Kudos to all those running mums & dads out there that do it often! Have also joined the Running Mums Australia group – some meet up in certain suburbs each weekend so will try and get to some of those meetings this year!




Upcoming Races
9/1- New Year Virtual 10K
6/2- Ninja Virtual 10K
5/3- Howl At The Moon Virtual 10K
17/7- Jetty 2 Jetty HM (Redcliffe)
22/10- Run For Life 10K (Springfield)

Thanks, @WhatMeRunning I'm gonna try slowing my pace, and push through like you say. I've started off with so much pain and every run was a battle, I think I've just adopted that pattern as my norm.

So I got my long run in today! 10 miles with a brief walk to cool down afterwards at an 11'45'' pace. I definitely pushed myself a little too hard and ended up with some not so fun runners stomach, but after relaxing a little I'm doing better now. My legs were fine too, despite being a little sore going up and down stairs. Then my dogs escaped our back yard and when my neighbors came over and told us I went running out the house after them and I think I hurt my right shin in the process. Hopefully it'll be fine tomorrow, it would seriously suck if it's anything worse than a little sore.

You folks who are new to cold weather running, one thing that you can do as you experiment with clothing layers is to plan a short loop to begin to give yourself a chance to add, shed, or exchange layers. Don't make any changes until you're fully warmed up.

If you shed a layer, consider wrapping it around your waist if it's really cold. I do this if it's below 25F or so in case I get injured and have to walk back. I should be bringing my phone too, for the same reason. Next week the forecast calls for highs in the single digits so I'll be experimenting myself.

@skippygirlsmom, thanks.

CrimsonWhite wrote: »

WhatMeRunning wrote: »

Congrats on the new distance! I cranked out many miles last year at similar paces. Keep at it and you will be running distances you never thought you would even attempt. Better yet, you will feel like you could probably just keep on going forever after a good while of training like that. Not that I tried going on forever, mind you.

..., but it felt good. My nose just tends to want to get a little sniffly in the cool air. I must remember kleenex in the future.

Snot rocket.. I resisted for years to do it. But last few days running sick, its become a must. No shame.

Elise4270 wrote: »

I have a group question:

Looking at my Garmin data I'm running 5-10 minutes and walking 2-3 my entire run. Once in a while, I have runs that are better or worse. I can run a race non-stop, 10k done, besides the chafing I had on the HM, I feel like I could have done it (minus the water stations). I nailed the first 10 miles.

My husband thinks its mental. I'll be able to rule out cardiac issues in a few weeks (which really I doubt I have, but who knows).

Lets assume it's mental. What the heck do I do? Could it really be mental?

While there could be a physiological component, an awful lot of distance running is mental. Assuming the walk/run thing is primarily mental, here's an exercise to train yourself to keep running: Instead of doing run/walk intervals, do run/run slower intervals. This will help you get mentally used to doing a couple of things: Running slower to rest instead of walking, and going back to running faster after you've had some recovery while running slower.

If you get scientific about this, Jack Daniels has several paces of different speeds that are used for different training purposes; and the distance or time of the interval varies by what length race you train for and where you are in the training cycle. But the mental aspect is pretty much the same; you get used to the idea that it's okay to run slower, but it's not okay to stop running.

That's a very simplified explanation of speed work. Its primary purpose is to train you to run faster in the race, but it can also help you with the mental effort to keep running and the mental effort to turn it up a notch when you get near the finish line.

Of course, all this needs to be tossed out the window if it turns out there is a real physiological reason you need to back off to walking for your intervals.

If it's simply that you can't keep running longer than 10 minutes, but you can run again after you've walked 3 minutes, chances are there's a simpler cure: Just run slower, to the point where you *can* keep running for however long your planned run is.

Elise4270 wrote: »

Snot rocket.. I resisted for years to do it. But last few days running sick, its become a must. No shame.

This is why you are one of my faves....