The January 2016 Running Challenge

Happy New Year everyone. I wanted to hit 25 miles last month for my first month back after injury and I ended up at 30+. I think I will try for a stretch goal of 40 miles as I am trying add miles so I have a longer run once a week and 3 miles each of the rest of the runs.

1/1 4.0 miles. First run of the new year. Tripped over Neeko 3 times but otherwise good and already 2 minutes faster then last time.
1/3 2.0 miles. Legs were tired today so did an easy mile to warm up then did intervals (fartleks?speed play?) for the second mile.
1/5 1.0 miles. Did an easy mile on the treadmill before my session with my personal trainer just to warm up and wake up my legs.
1/6 4.0 miles. Did a slow steady pace on the treadmill and made it thru all 4 miles with only 2 walk breaks. A .25 mile warm up is included in that milage total though.
1/8 3.0 miles. Technically 3.1 but I am only counting full miles, and maybe half if I get desperate. That was a nice run but I overdressed and overheated. It was 40 and rainy and I had on a heavy shirt, a sweatshirt, a hat and gloves.
1/11 2.0 miles. Had rain/freezing rain / snow yesterday and last night so ended up on the treadmill. Could only manage 2 miles before I had to get ready for work because I procrastinated so much. I will make it up this week as I am planning on trying for 5 miles Wednesday but realistically will be happy with 4.5. I think I am still on track for the month.
1/12 3.0 miles. Was planning on today being a rest day and making Wednesday a long run, but life interfered and I have to go somewhere early tomorrow morning and I won't be home from work until midnight (if I am lucky) tonight. I am now planning on a 4-5 mile run Friday. Today was good and dressed perfectly for the weather (snowy and windy and 20 degrees) but the roads were really icy so I kept it short to be safe before I became road kill from the crazy drivers around here.

19.0 down 21 to go

@MorningGhost14, @WhatMeRunning, @7lenny7 Your discussion of shoe screwing is cracking me up

^^^ah hahahahah! @5BeautifulDays . Stan your group is out of control! Enough screwing around...

Thanks for all the addresses. I'll organize the order list (from what you told me you ordered) and put it out so errors can be addressed before they ship to you.

I have 8 envelopes left over. So, get a shirt!

Here is the order form:

https://www.customink.com/g/aeg0-00ad-vcjx

@Stoshew71 if you order a shirt I won't send you money if you REALLY don't want me too. I can sent it to Skip, cuz she's awesome.

Wow this thread is hard to keep up with. I catch up but so hard to comment.

@Ohhim - nice race reports. Congrats on the PR.
@kristinegift -wow, what a deal.

Today was a 30 minute run off the bike, mostly at low tempo with a couple of pickups. Ended up being about 5k. I tried my new shoes again and stretched a lot after. They feel good running, it's just after.

Since I have a 10k run Friday, I'm definitely going to have to up my goal for this month.




My next race is the couples run on Feb 7. My friend and I are running as a couple (they take each 5k time and combine it for a 10k time).

So many posts, so little time . . .

January Running Totals (miles)
1/1 - 10.17 warm up + 7.5 mile race
1/2 - 12.29 long slow run
1/3 - 5.16 easy with fast finish
1/4 - 6.01 easy
1/5 - 11.09 warmup, speed work, cool down
1/6 - 5.95 group run
1/7 - 8.04 warmup, speed work, cool down
1/8 - scheduled rest day
1/9 - 16.48 warm up + Winter Warrior Half
1/10 - 7.46 easy
1/11 - 10.07 easy
1/12 - 8.39 warmup, speed work, cool down

January to date total - 101.11

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

Today's notes - Tuesday evening is speed work at the 200 m indoor track. 2 mile warm up before and 2 mile cool down after are the standard. I'm ignoring the generic workouts Coach is putting out for the club in general; I fall under the clause, "or follow a plan." The marathon training plan speed work assignment today was 4 x 200 at R, with 200 recovery; 2 x 1600 at T, with 200 recovery; and 4 x 200 at R, with 200 recovery.

This workout kicked my butt. My first set of 4 x 200 at R was a bit faster than target. I ran the 2 x 1600 fairly accurately. Then I was compelled to run the second set of 4 x 200 at R accurately. In fact, I had to push pretty hard just to maintain that target R pace. Then I had to take a break before I was ready to do the cool down run, and another break after the cool down before I could handle my post-run stretches.

Running at R is a b*tch. I don't know how I'd survive a structured program like this pointing at a 5K instead of pointing at a marathon.

I'm really going to appreciate running easy tomorrow, even if it turns out to be running in a snow shower. Which seems likely.

Upcoming races:
March 12, 2016 Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 mile (Rochester, NY - need to register)
March 26, 2016 Spring Foward Distance Run 15K (Mendon, NY - need to register)
April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)

January 2016
02/1…13.02…easy…8’27 pace – 1:50:10
03/1…rest
04/1…5.06…pram…8’40 pace – 43:52
05/1…rest
06/1…5.01…easy…7’24 pace – 37:07
07/1…6.01…fast…5’47 pace – 34:46
08/1…rest
09/1…10.02…New Yr 10K…7’10 pace – 1:11:58
10/1…rest
11/1…5.01…pram…9’02 pace – 45:17
12/1…rest
13/1…7.02…easy…7’57 pace – 55:50…26 deg C/ 69% humidity

TOT: 51.15 km / 90 km

Horrible run! Started the run at 7:45am - 26 degrees C and 69% humidity.. Seemed much worse! Felt sluggish and legs hard to get moving. Luckily I parked the car half way so was able to stop for a good drink of water.. I'm sure I lost litres of sweat.. Just hope I've done enough to replace it all!...

I also tried using the "My Asics" app, which I am using for my HM training plan, only once I finished my 7km run I realized the app's GPS had dropped out at 80 metres into the run! Grrrr!! It also had NO voice prompts, so no idea how much I had run or my pace (I have had to guess it today!) Luckily I have run this route a fair bit in the past so know that it was exactly 7k!

Will have to enter my runs to the training plan manually I think in future.

Spibelt worked a treat too! Very happy with it and barely felt it.. It did move on occassion, but nothing too bad. Just need to decide on a running bottle now so I don't have to go to the car at the half way point for a drink! Was looking at this bottle.. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pursuit-510ml-Runners-Hand-Held-Bottle-Running-Water-Bottle-Sports-Gym-Summit-/361152890485?hash=item541663c675:g:eOUAAOSwo6lWHdvt As I've heard the Spibelt bottles (the little ones that clip to the side of the belt) come off really easily during runs?