The January 2016 Running Challenge

4.4 miles this morning, including Parkrun. 44/60.

Ch1psNQueso wrote: »

MobyCarp wrote: »

Ch1psNQueso wrote: »

Anyone have a 5K to 10K training program they'd recommend I follow? I'm at the point where I can finish 3 to 4 miles and feel like I can do more, but I'm not sure if I should push it too much. My legs are feeling good. Other than normal muscle aches I have no complaints.

You might not even need a program. If you're want to actually run the distance from a mental preparation standpoint.)

Blast from the past: In 2011, I trained myself up to a 5K, ran one in October, and looked for a 5K on Thanksgiving Day. There wasn't one locally, but there was a race that said it was 4.4 miles. That was about what I was running, and the distance seemed perfect; but the web site said it from a 5K; but the game changes between the 10K distance and the half marathon distance.

Funny you say that because I said F it and set out to complete 5 miles today and nailed it. Was certainly tired at the end but I could have kept pounding a bit longer if a finish line was ahead of me somehwere. I think my fitness is there, I just need to get my mind to catch up with my body. Seeing all you middle aged folk (like me) post big distances is certainly keeping me motivated to improve. Thanks for that!

https://www.strava.com/activities/471120924

I slowed my pace and quit trying to be fast, focus on non-stop distance. When I want to walk I just tell myself "you are walking, you can walk all day". It does seem to help. (Until my calf hurts, and I'll walk 0.5-1mile, usually fine after that).

I ran my first Half never being able to run much more than 3 miles nonstop. Something about a race keeps ya going.

@shanaber I do PT exercises every other day for my hips, glutes. I can tell when I slack off too.

01/02 3.5miles
01/04 3miles
01/06 4miles
01/09 3.5miles
01/13 3miles
01/16 3miles

I usually run in the morning, the house is cooler (cold) and I'm the only one home. But this morning I felt very sluggish, my calves were very tight and the house was freezing, so skipped the run. But I really like running, so I decided I would try after work. UGH. The house was way to warm and it felt like I was running one step at a time.

1/01 - 4.7 walk/run treadmill
1/02 - rest, did a half hour x-country ski
1/03 - 4.5 walk/run treadmill
1/04 - rest
1/05 - 3.7+ (I shut off the treadmill during the run..oops)11 min steady run
1/06 - rest
1/07 - 4.4 ran all the run bits, first time. did two 10 min runs. felt awesome.
1/08 - rest, went for a ski, beautiful sunny winter weather!
1/09 - 4.5 ran all the run bits AGAIN
1/10 - I was a sloth. Ate like I ran a marathon.
1/11 - 4.5 third time i ran all the run bits, must make it true
1/12 - rest
1/13 - 4.5 zombies week6 w1. was challenging! but I ran all the run bits again
1/14 - rest
1/15 - 4.4








Treadmill runner for now, following zombies5k. Running at 180spm seems to be keeping the shin splints at bay.

1/1 - 3.4 miles
1/3 - 2.4 miles
1/9 - 4 miles
1/15 - 1.5 dreadmill miles at gym
1/16 - 3.5 miles

14.8 of 120 miles

Used KT tape on the ITBS this morning, got 2.5 miles in before it started to hurt. Decided not to push it and headed home, the last quarter mile was rough but I didn't stop and didn't cry lol sounds like a win to me.

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
1/13 - 8.02 easy and snowy
1/14 - 8.70 warm up, speed work, cool down
1/15 - scheduled rest day
1/16 - 13.64 with hills

January to date total - 131.47

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

Today's notes - The training assignment was 10-13 miles with hills. My initial plan was that if we didn't have a snowstorm I'd go run the Spring Forward route (all rolling hills, net downhill for 10K then net uphill for 5K) plus 4 miles of out and back in the Mendon hills. But Thursday at speed work, a friend suggested we do a run around Irondequoit Bay. He knew the route, and doing an around the bay was on my bucket list, and there are hills. So that was decided. Bill said it was about 14 miles, so I cut my cool down short by a mile Thursday to make room for a slightly longer run on Saturday.

We got great running weather at 8 AM; 39° and cloudy, looking dismal, but no rain and 11 mph W wind. It was cool enough to run comfortably. It looked awful, which helps keep the traffic light. My target was to be at a pace between 8:00 and 8:30 per mile. It turned out that Bill wants to eventually do an around the bay at an average below 8:00 per minute, so he was pushing some of the easy sections harder than I liked; but I'm naturally a bit faster than him and currently in better shape for distance, so I outran him going up the hills and either waited or ran a few circles at the top.

Oh, the hills: We start almost down at the shoreline level of Irondequoit Bay; call it the same level as Lake Ontario. We go up to the top of the Niagara escarpment and back down to near shoreline level four times. Bill calls it three and a half hills, because one of the times going up isn't very steep and just keeps going for quite a while; that's the half hill. The last two were HILLS, where I slowed down close to a 10:00 pace because they were so steep. But I did run the hills all the way from bottom to top, even the steep one at mile 12. I thought about Heartbreak Hill all the way up that one.

Total time was 1:50:58, total distance 13.64 miles, for an average pace of 8:08 per mile. The average is in my easy pace range, but the mile splits were all over the place given the terrain. Full mile splits ranged from 7:39 to 8:53. The last 0.64 mile came in at a 7:09 pace; but that was mostly a huge downhill, and I did a stride on the flat road at the very end.

The Sunday through Saturday training week came in at 56.28 miles, versus a target of 56 miles. I feel pretty good about making it come out that close. Cutting a mile off my cool down on Thursday was definitely a good decision.

It's a lot of miles to Boston, and today some of them were hills. I suspect that running the downhills was even more important than running the uphills, in terms of preparing for Boston.

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)

@skippygirlsmom - glad the KT tape helped! No crying is a good thing!

Ran around 11am and it was too darn hot! Said it was only 73 but it felt much more with humidity. Busy weekend but I should be able to get some runs in.

Jan 1 -41 mile bike ride
Jan 2 - 34 mile bike ride
Jan 3 - rest day
Jan 4 - rest day
Jan 5 - 5.25 miles
Jan 6 - 3.3 miles
Jan 7-11 - Sick
Jan 12 - 4.1 miles — finally!!! Felt so great.
Jan 13 - strength training + 1 mile on treadmill
Jan 14 - 5.2 miles
Jan 15 - 5.1 miles; trainer cancelled
Jan 16 - 4.2 miles

@cheriesanta - I typically have my upcoming races listed in my distance updates and can search on one of the words in the race names by clicking on the little magnifying glass next to the page links at the top or bottom of the page. It is easier for me than using the notification lists and searching that way.
@MorningGhost14 - let us know how the run experiment works out for you
@Ch1psNQueso - I agree with what has been said about not really needing a training program. I also just increased my distances over time. I really didn't even know about training plans. A friend signed me up for a half marathon when she knew I was managing 10 miles for my long runs and that was my first race. Even if you don't have anyone to sign up for a race with, just find a local one that looks like fun and go for it - maybe a 5k first or a 10k. Runners are a very welcoming group of people and will help you find your way if need be. You may even find others at the race who seem to be going your pace, that you can run with and don't be afraid to tell them it is your first race. If you want to check it out before you sign up for one just find one close by and go and see what it is all about.
@ddmom0811 - glad you are feeling better and back to getting some running in! I'm sorry about your trainer though. I would be really sad if my trainer quit!
@moyer566 - Good luck on your race! Hope you had a wonderful time!!
@kristinegift and @skippygirlsmom - glad both of your injuries are getting better!
@WhatMeRunning - 11.5 while not 12 is still a great run! You will get back to being able to do 12-13 easily again!

No run for me today. I am stiff and sore from my fall last night and my knee is bruised and swollen. I have taken some Aleve and am icing the knees and staying pretty low key and quiet today. I am going to try some gentle stretching or maybe some yoga later today. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. I hope to get in some kind of run if not a long one.

I am also having to work today with meetings and deliverables so even if I felt fine I might not have been able to run anyways - certainly not a long run. I am hoping to be done in time to watch most of the Packers football game (Go Pack Go!!).

second 10 miler of the weekend, much faster. Whew.

Elise4270 wrote: »

I slowed my pace and quit trying to be fast, focus on non-stop distance. When I want to walk I just tell myself "you are walking, you can walk all day". It does seem to help. (Until my calf hurts, and I'll walk 0.5-1mile, usually fine after that).

I ran my first Half never being able to run much more than 3 miles nonstop. Something about a race keeps ya going.

I need to take this advice myself... Over the last few weeks I got a bit caught up on speed intervals and although I got a sub-30 PB for 5km, my shins are paying for it! Think I need to go back to my shuffle for a bit lol

@Elise4270 What was your time on that HM by the way.. If you don't mind my asking? I was initially aiming for around 2:38 with My Asics app, though I am thinking I might need walking breaks so maybe it will be more around the 3hr mark