The January 2016 Running Challenge

karllundy wrote: »

7lenny7 wrote: »

If @Elise4270 changes her name to Elise420, we'll know somethings up...

Hahahaha! I thought about that too!

Hey now! You've got it all wrong.. @MorningGhost14 is the one that started it all.. Dad gum him! I rarely even drink.. Honest..

Think I smoked it 3-4 times in high school, made me barf every time. Maybe once or twice when I was like 10, but we'd all steal it from our parents just to look cool. I barely have a handle on reality as it is, I can't afford anything that alters it.

Uh, er... Maybe I should say "what of it"

Officially over half way there!

1/1: 6.2 miles
1/2: 11.6 miles
1/3: Rest/Travel day
1/4: 10 miles
1/5: Rest day
1/6: 4 miles (am), 8 miles tempo (pm)
1/7: 4 miles (am), 6 miles with the Thursday crew (pm)
1/8: Rest day
1/9: 12.2 miles with the Saturday crew
1/10: 5 miles
1/11: 5.8 miles with "Joe-to-Go" crew
1/12: Rest day
1/13: 4 miles treadmill (am), 7.1 miles with Wednesday crew (pm)
1/14: 6 miles (am), no second run :[

Planned to do 6 with my group tonight, but I strained my big toe extensor tendon last night, ran on it this morning like a dummy, and it's gotten worse all day. So no second two-a-day for me this week! Not sure if I'll make 210 for the month without tonight's run, but I'm not going to try to make it up since I'm not even in training right now and should be taking it easy anyway. I don't run again until Saturday, so hopefully the toe feels better by then with some rest, KT tape and periodic icing. I'm more bummed to miss out on social running time than about the injury itself. I really like those folks!


Currently, I've got the toe itself wrapped in athletic tape to its neighbor toe and KT tape applied on the tendon as directed from the official site. All the wrappings make it look worse than it really is, trust me! I had the same strain on the opposite foot last year and it heals up quick. It's usually a result of shoes that are too tight near my ankle (ahem, hello winter boots...) and so I dorsiflex extra hard when I'm walking around.



Upcoming races:
4/3: Caesar Rodney HM
5/1: New Jersey Marathon
6/12: Race and Ride Cedar Point HM (maybe)

5.2 miles in the cold tonight. About 2C. No rain though

39.5/60

The ever so slight sound of snowfall, along with the insulating nature of it blocking out normal neighborhood noise makes snowfall runs truly great. You don't want to miss out on it.

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

Do the -3 snow.... it will be most exhilarating, empowering, bad-*kitten* run you have ever done... and the addiction will set in sweetly....

By spring you will put that useless treadmill on the curb...

I fall. Like a lot. When I fall I break. Badly. I think I will be patient and wait for a nice dry day...I will bank your words of encouragement and will use them to build the excitement for when cowardly me makes it out I also have @Stoshew71 's nature drug to take with me.

1/1......3.68
2/1......5.20 walk
3/1......5.70
4/1......0.5
5/1......2.17
6/1......rest
7/1......5.10
8/1......rest
9/1......4.3 treadmill walk.
10/1....9.47
11/1.....Travel Dr appt
12/1.....lazy
13/1.....5.51
14/1.....3.31


44.91/100+ Miles

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  44.94/2016

@kristinegift I put the tape on the outside (medial) of the toe and ran in along the medial side towards the heel. Then did like you, around the tarsals. It seemed to help discourage fexion of the toe. After a few days did heat and massage. It does heal quickly, but dang it hurts!

WhatMeRunning wrote: »

Between the bourbon, pot (and even microsdosing), munchies delivery vans, screwing our shoes (and smoking pot from them), all this thread is really missing is the rock and roll. Hey looky there. Time to go to Arizona! http://www.runrocknroll.com/arizona/

Right! But we did cover our play list, so I think we've digressed nicely!

cheriesanta wrote: »

I don't really know how to find my last post. I'm trying to do this and it is great to hear everyone's posts. I see so much of myself as a 20 something, 30 something, young mom etc. I am slow, but steady. I also spin. The kind of 30 something competitive me would be intimidated by a lot of you speedier people, but now I know we are all a community. Love reading, hearing of victories, setbacks, reactions to setbacks etc. Thanks for all your stories.

Welcome! This place is great and there are runners of all ages, abilities and experience here. So have no fears.

The best advice I can give for finding your last post is trying to remember what day it was and an approximate time frame. Then I just go back a page at a time until I think I'm in the right area and start scanning. I hope someone else knows an easier way!

WhatMeRunning wrote: »

cheriesanta wrote: »

I don't really know how to find my last post. I'm trying to do this and it is great to hear everyone's posts. I see so much of myself as a 20 something, 30 something, young mom etc. I am slow, but steady. I also spin. The kind of 30 something competitive me would be intimidated by a lot of you speedier people, but now I know we are all a community. Love reading, hearing of victories, setbacks, reactions to setbacks etc. Thanks for all your stories.

Welcome! This place is great and there are runners of all ages, abilities and experience here. So have no fears.

The best advice I can give for finding your last post is trying to remember what day it was and an approximate time frame. Then I just go back a page at a time until I think I'm in the right area and start scanning. I hope someone else knows an easier way!

I am usually 2-3 pages back because we get so many posts on here now, and then I do CTRL+F and search my name. You can also search your name using the little magnifying glass at the end of the page #s on the webpage or the "Search" function on the app with the thread open.

After 3 total days of rest (with lots of post-marathon hobbling around), I was finally feeling ok this morning (similar level of soreness to the day after a speedwork session or long run), so after feeling good on my bike ride & swim, I decided to try out a slower recovery run tonight in my most cushy shoes. My legs cooperated, but I'll take another (running) rest day tomorrow before trying a longer run on Saturday.

1/3 - 10 miles (5 speedwork, 5 slow)
1/4 - 7 miles
1/6 - 3 miles (@ MP)
1/9 - 2 miles (pre race tuneup)
1/10 - 26.5 miles (Disney marathon in 3:29:08)
1/14 - 3 miles

Total: 51.5 miles
Goal: 180 miles
Remaining: 128.5 miles

@_nikkiwolf_ - Now that I've had a few days, not too upset. Things I could have better controlled would have only covered about 8-10 minutes (weight/pacing), but the weather definitely wasn't something I could do anything about

@ddmom0811 - Thanks. You definitely understand the impact of humidity... training in it can only get you so far.

@mobycarp - Every marathon has been a good learning experience (as Disney was my 4th). Just need to trust myself more when my pace says one thing, but my heart rate says another (as I don't think you ever can fully trust your body when the adrenaline is pumping). I've always been a bit of a data junkie, and going by my watch/heart rate hasn't (yet) led me astray in a race.

@whatmerunning - The first 2 hours felt pretty comfortable (even going at 90% of my max HR)... it was the last 90 minutes that were the mentally toughest.

@lporter229 - Thanks. Although it got a touch less humid by the 3rd hour, it was still pretty icky.

@stoshew71 - I'm currently scheduled for Pittsburgh in May, but have been tempted to sign up for the A1A next month, as I think my fitness is close. Given the weather I saw for RC, I think a 3:25 is in the bag for you if you can find a cooler flatter race in the next month or three.

@kristinegift - Definitely resting quite a bit. Finally got in my first run today (Thursday), although I did a few bike rides & swims as they aren't as tough on my joints.

@snha - I definitely didn't think I'd ever be able to run one when I started (especially at 260lb)... still, 3 years later, with 100lb off me, I've done four and am definitely continuing to push myself.

@rune1990 - Thanks - Treadmills always seem to destroy my shins & calves but sometimes that is all the weather will allow you to do.

@5BeautifulDays - I hope the weather is a bit less ugly for the Princess race. Have a bunch of friends doing it, including one guy/girl couple who are both dressing up.

@GBrady43068 - Thanks. Good luck with your HM!

@skippygirlsmom - Being up front at a 3:30 pace, the crowds weren't that bad for trying to PR (outside of the weather) as I had plenty of space and only had at most 1 person waiting for pictures (as I passed them) had I been in it for the pics. From the pics I saw of the middle of the pack, it gets a very crowded and much harder to run the tangents, and you have to wait for long lines for photos. I may try to BQ there next spring if I can't find a good fall marathon for it. Congrads on States! With Skip's speed, she probably could avoid most of the crowds and get some great photos!

@nezyrumrunner - Congrads on getting through the Dopey. Not sure I'd want to try that as I can't sacrifice times in races and would be dead by the marathon. Given the winning times were also 15 minutes slower this year than last, I'd hate to think of what the northerners thought of this race (as I didn't stick around after finishing). Despite living in FL, I still just can't get used to the humidity.

@9voice9 - Took up running 3 years ago. Did my first marathon in May 2014 (as this was my 4th). Given how much marathons can hurt (physically and mentally) when you go out too fast (as each 10 seconds you do the first half too fast hurts you by 30 in the 2nd half), I mainly just focus and overthink the race to avoid inflicting too much pain on my body.

@juliet3455 - Finally took off the shirt at mile 20. I know there were small children around, but at that point, I didn't have too much to lose nor that many spectators to scare (as it was still pretty early).

@Amandajs232 I have resistance (read: cowardice) to running outside as well. I'm always scouting out the road to check conditions (snow covering ice lately). One day I will run outside.

WhatMeRunning wrote: »

The ever so slight sound of snowfall, along with the insulating nature of it blocking out normal neighborhood noise makes snowfall runs truly great. You don't want to miss out on it.

@WhatMeRunning You describe it perfectly, I love those evenings. And then hoping into the hot tub while the snow flakes continue to fall. Man I need a hot tub!

And a second pair of shoes. So I can run outside, in the snow ya know.

@KatEmmaMarie wow - you are doing great!

@kristinegift and @Elise4270 : I am just chiming in on the aches and niggles of long distance running. Who doesn’t love talking about that? So, I have never had any toe, shin, hamstring or ITB issues, but I have found that I dorsiflex excessively with my right foot, so I have been concentrating hard for the last 6 months or so on relaxing that off as I run. I also have a dodgy right knee that starts to act up with increasing volume, medially and posteriorly. I think it could be my medial meniscus.
My right hip flexor usually flares up when my volume increases, and I did relate that to my right glute not being active enough. Now I do this thing where rather than thinking about driving my leg forward (which would activate my hip flexor), I concentrate on pulling my leg back (hence activating my glute). It seems to help; however, I am not doing speed work or the kind of distances you are putting in, @kristinegift.

Interestingly (to me, anyway), all my niggles are on my right side, and sometimes when I run, I try to tell my right leg to do the same as my left leg, because my left leg never has any problems.

All my aches and niggles are quiet right now, because my mileage is not huge, and my hope is that by increasing mileage gradually, and doing all easy running, my niggles will not notice, and I will be able to run this marathon in July.

michable wrote: »

@KatEmmaMarie wow - you are doing great!

@kristinegift and @Elise4270 : I am just chiming in on the aches and niggles of long distance running. Who doesn’t love talking about that? So, I have never had any toe, shin, hamstring or ITB issues, but I have found that I dorsiflex excessively with my right foot, so I have been concentrating hard for the last 6 months or so on relaxing that off as I run. I also have a dodgy right knee that starts to act up with increasing volume, medially and posteriorly. I think it could be my medial meniscus.
My right hip flexor usually flares up when my volume increases, and I did relate that to my right glute not being active enough. Now I do this thing where rather than thinking about driving my leg forward (which would activate my hip flexor), I concentrate on pulling my leg back (hence activating my glute). It seems to help; however, I am not doing speed work or the kind of distances you are putting in, @kristinegift.

Interestingly (to me, anyway), all my niggles are on my right side, and sometimes when I run, I try to tell my right leg to do the same as my left leg, because my left leg never has any problems.

All my aches and niggles are quiet right now, because my mileage is not huge, and my hope is that by increasing mileage gradually, and doing all easy running, my niggles will not notice, and I will be able to run this marathon in July.

Mine are left. That has to be a muscle imbalance issue. I find myself telling my left to just do the same as the right. I may have to tape up my left foot, around mile 3 I've been getting some stinging on the bottom of my foot. I assume it planter faciatis? Again, I'm sure it because my left side has gone rogue. About a year ago I couldn't engage my left glute. My training plan has speed work schedules every other week, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet.