The January 2016 Running Challenge

5BeautifulDays wrote: »

The question is, will anyone notice if I run naked tomorrow...because I'm not sure a bra is happening!

Damn.

@shanaber I absolutely feel like an addict sometimes, but you know what it is, It’s more like I feel I am more in touch with my body’s needs—did i spend enough energy today or not? Or, why do i feel a bit restless? It seems the answer is mostly because I feel the need to move, it’s because my body is feeling in need of exerting some effort—that, i say, is really, really normal

@GBrady43068 Thanks for the encouragement. By the way, I think you’re doing awesome and you’re hard on yourself sometimes!

@TheMobileMom way better late than never. Welcome to that January Fest!
@ceciliaslater so, are you going for 145 miles? That’s impressive.
@5BeautifulDays wow, 12.5 miles. that’s excellent. I would love to do an HM by myself one of these days. My max was a few days ago, about 10.5 miles.
@michable wow, i really appreciate how consistent you are with your running. have to learn some!
@MorningGhost14 Is this pattern of running your choice or are you following a training program?
@bluelove2004 welcome to January challenge.


1/1 5.6 miles—street run given the snow and ice on sidewalks. excellent run at 25 F.
1/2 elliptical day, no run
1/3 10.2 — excellent run, slow pace 11:45. But pain in the heels and achilles afterwards. got better with ice treatment!
1/4 elliptical day, no run
1/5 rest day
1/6 6.5 — ran in 28 degree weather. starting to feel 30 degree weather might be pushing it too warm for comfort My heels, which bothered me after my last run (stretched, iced, and rested) held up quite nicely during today’s run. i guess i should just recognize that every time i push myself a bit more on distance or on speed, i should expect some pain if not planned well enough and if not done in a gradual way.
1/7 3.64 — the run was okay at 10:30 per mile, but the roads were slippery because of some freezing rain. icing helps a great deal with the pain. I still have some pain in my achilles, but doing much better everyday. I took it easy though.
1/9 6.11 —nice group run while snowing lightly!
1/10 crosstraining—elliptical
1/11 4.31 — 6 degree weather @10:50
1/12 crosstraining—elliptical
1/13 5.08
1/14 3.14 — have to say, those compression socks rock! first time user, wow! Did s half hour of elliptical too!
1/15 cross training—elliptical training for 90 minutes. That was good!
1/16 6.08 —
1/17 4.32 — coldest miles ever. It was 0 degrees and -20 with windchill. I forgot who mentioned this a couple of days ago, but it is really true: most of what we think we’re unable to do (not everything of course and I recognize different people have different abilities), but most of what we think we cannot do has to do with the mental games we play in our own heads. I would have never imagined walking, let alone running, in a windchill weather like this one!
1/18 — rest day.
1/19 6.3 — nice run, in new shoes, in the dark and cold. Ah, so relaxing. I do think I am becoming a runner because I came home without a plan to run, work was really busy, but I just could not sit still before I running. I not only missed it, but actually needed it to relax!
1/20 4.22 — nice easy run (11 minute/mile), cold but bearable, and clear sidewalks. it was a really good run.


65.52/70

Becky_44 wrote: »

I'm thinking maybe I should step away from this, and maybe come back when/if I become a real runner again! Thanks to those of you who have acknowledged me, chatted with me, supported and encouraged me, I appreciate it more than you know! Good luck with all your goals everyone, and be sure to have fun working towards them!

You know you're welcome here. Ya know how sometimes your body and mind aren't in agreement? Like when someone loses weight and still thinks of themselves as a fat person? Id hate for you to leave because you have expectations of yourself and feel your not in the right place. Of course, if you really feel that running isn't your thing, I totally respect that.


I get asked if I'm a runnner and I never can bring myself to say "Yes" and own it. I always have to explain where I am and my limitations.... Even though, here, I know I'm a runner. My legs don't always agree. I have days where I think, " why? This is hard. I should just go sit on the couch ".

Walking is just slow running, so..... We'd love you to stay if that's what you want. If you do take a hiatus, don't forget about us when your ready.

Elise4270 wrote: »

Becky_44 wrote: »

I'm thinking maybe I should step away from this, and maybe come back when/if I become a real runner again! Thanks to those of you who have acknowledged me, chatted with me, supported and encouraged me, I appreciate it more than you know! Good luck with all your goals everyone, and be sure to have fun working towards them!

You know you're welcome here. Ya know how sometimes your body and mind aren't in agreement? Like when someone loses weight and still thinks of themselves as a fat person? Id hate for you to leave because you have expectations of yourself and feel your not in the right place. Of course, if you really feel that running isn't your thing, I totally respect that.


I get asked if I'm a runnner and I never can bring myself to say "Yes" and own it. I always have to explain where I am and my limitations.... Even though, here, I know I'm a runner. My legs don't always agree. I have days where I think, " why? This is hard. I should just go sit on the couch ".

Walking is just slow running, so..... We'd love you to stay if that's what you want. If you do take a hiatus, don't forget about us when your ready.

and this..

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

If you were not a runner, you would have never even clicked on this thread...

Please stay!! Walk for a while.. See how you feel and reassess if you want to continue running or walking. A lot of us include walking in our monthly distances!! If you decide to go, at least stop by now and then and let us know how you are going!

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

If you were not a runner, you would have never even clicked on this thread...

Short, sweet and on point... Well said.

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

runner_girl83 wrote: »

Asked my sister to watch the kids so I could do a quick 5km..

What?? Don't do that! Unleash those little hellions on those unsuspecting non-running snarky moms...

hahaha Oh their faces were gold! I wasn't bothered by them.. Just annoyed and did one of those "oh please!" moments in my head when I ran past them... Actually.. It might have been more on the "f*** you for judging" oops.. Can I say that here?

Anyone watch Malcolm In The Middle? My kids are sort of like that

Have to go and backtrack a bit now and read up on everyone's progress!

dominichoran wrote: »

Another tidy week, currently on a 759 mile, 76 day uninterrupted streak

Wow !! You are smashing out the miles!! Way to go!

Marissaxzxzxz wrote: »

01/02 3.5miles
I've found the last few runs quite tough.

We all have a few runs here and there that frustrate us.. Sometimes your legs just don't want to move properly, or you feel like you're running in cement! There are days when I feel great, aim for a fast run (for me, around 7:30 pace)... and I get out there only to find I can't get under 9:00 mins per km... And no reason... Legs just don't want to move! Grr... Sometimes though, I have a few of these runs in a row and then bam.. Head out expecting another long and frustrating run but my legs are on fire and I am speedy gonzalas - run my fastest pace and reach a new PB! You just never know what kind of run it's going to be until you head out and run - You're doing really well! Keep going!

5BeautifulDays wrote: »

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

ha ha I'd be like, well if I sit here long enough someone will surely notice I haven't come home and start to look...like you know when they get hungry and I'm not there to cook.

Mom's rules of survival. It might take awhile, but *someone* is going to want dinner and a clean pair of jeans for school tomorrow, lol!

How will they every cope?! This is hillarious... And very true!

michable wrote: »

Hey everyone, I would like to ask what people use to carry stuff in while they are out on long runs - water, phones, food, etc. I have this really old running shirt that has pockets in the back I can fit phone and snacks in, but I will have to retire it soon. And now I can't find a running shirt with pockets to replace it! That shirt still doesn't allow me to carry water, though, so I am keen to hear what other people use. I won't carry a water bottle in my hand.

I found that running anything over 10km meant my hands swell and I have trouble holding anything. I can run with my phone in hand up until this point, but I recently bought a Spibelt for my phone instead, as longer distances are coming up very soon and i wanted to be prepared to use that for my phone instead. I've used it a few times now and it's fantastic! Phone doesn't bounce around and it's very comfy!

My only issue now is a water bottle! I did try a Spibelt bottle (one of the ones @_nikkiwolf_ is thinking of trying) and it was crap, sad to say.. for me anyway.. It just slides around the belt and my thigh hits it and I had to keep shifting it back towards my side... insert grovel here, considering those little bottles are bloody expensive! lol.... Not sure what to try next, to be honest.. I want to avoid carrying anything in my hands.. I may just have to stop in half way for a drink in my car.. or find and use water fountains around running routes. The other thing is I have seen people running with skinny, small water bottles with a piece of elastic that goes over the back of the hand.. something like this may make it easier to hold onto! I have got a cheap small bottle from coles recently.. it won't hold a lot, but thinking of trying to use it... Worst case, if I need to ditch it once it's empty, it only cost $2!

@ddmom0811 LOL You crack me up! That is the BEST thing I have read in ages, thanks for sharing!! I bet every parent here can relate!

9voice9 wrote: »

moremonica wrote: »

I am hoping to run for at least a mile tomorrow.
It will be very embarrassing to be in this group and have a 10 mile goal and not make it.

Don't beat yourself up! A goal is just that - a goal. We hit it, we miss it, we pass it. It's a one-month thing, and we recalculate for the next one. If you run a 1/2 mile (or walk it!), you're doing better than the "old you" that didn't do that!

Not embarrassing at all! We have all set goals in the past and been way off... No one will judge you! If you don't reach it, try again next month! We believe in you!!

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

ddmom0811 wrote: »

@MorningGhost14 - I think of you as a laid back runner, who wouldn't be worried about technology failing. Unlike me who has apps, FitBit, and HRM on ... like I'm going into outer space. And if my phone started rebooting like @WhatMeRunning said, I would completely freak out.

Well.. the ONLY technology I have are these very basic Garmins that let me know my mileage. I think the only heart-rate monitor I would consider using would be one that would say only two things... "C'mon, sissy... I know you can crack 200!" and "Thar she blows!!"

I have (very proudly) deleted all running apps from my phone since getting the Garmin FR10! I love it... I love that it shows my pace, distance, time.. it even beeps at me to go faster/slower or when to do intervals! What more could I ask for?! I still take my phone, for music and safety.. but it's great not having to fiddle with that before each run anymore!

MorningGhost14 wrote: »

runner_girl83 wrote: »

@MorningGhost14 - How did the experiment go? Did you try it?

I did. I am not sure if I reached any definitive conclusions. So many things factor into it. I never have two runs the same as it is, so it was difficult to determine if the "supplement" made any difference, good or bad. I think the most significant factor was the length of the run. I think in order to get a better read on it is to try it on a longer run. This one was only 14 miles which is not long enough to get me into that "battle zone" of pain, fatigue, doubt, etc. where you start testing yourself. Over the next few weeks, I have a two 24 mile training runs and a 26 mile training run, so if I feel like trying it again, I might get a better feel for any benefits. I also wondered if the "quality" or "strain" factored in... I chose some rather generic home-grown instead of the Blue Dream or White Widow medical grade stuff. I would probably try one of those if there is a next time.

The one "positive" thing that I was aware of was a section of about 4-5 miles of quiet, low-key euphoria, during which time I was able to zone out and just listen to my shoes hitting the road... it was quantifiably different than the more customary runner's "high".

The one "negative" is that I so rarely partake, that I felt a little strange (and a bit silly) lighting up before a run.

Found it! Sorry.. Had to go back further than I thought!
Sounds like a peaceful run! lol... The fact that you were able to zone out like that! Did you find you still have a decent amount of control? I guess the fact you were trying it was to see if it would help your body feel better in the longest runs.. Just wondering if it would relax you so much that you could open yourself to injury? I know I'd probably find a crack in the pavement and fall if it were me! lol

ddmom0811 wrote: »

@Stoshew71 - awesome list. Okay, you are inspiring me that I need to figure out some more to sign up for!

@Becky_44 - You are a real runner. We support everyone. Many of us have been hurt/injured/sick and still posted other things we did. Or we just whined, which is okay too because we all understand.

@MorningGhost14 - I think of you as a laid back runner, who wouldn't be worried about technology failing. Unlike me who has apps, FitBit, and HRM on ... like I'm going into outer space. And if my phone started rebooting like @WhatMeRunning said, I would completely freak out.

@5BeautifulDays - wow - I don't know how you went so far on a treadmill! Now that is dedication! Bra chafing is the worst. You reminded me I need to figure out my clothes/sports bra for my HM next month. Of course, who knows what the weather will be. But I still need to do a long run in my potential gear to make sure I don't get any chafing.

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 5 sick days.
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
Jan 17 - 6.02 miles
Jan 18 - Rest Day
Jan 19 - 7.4 miles - fun run but think I am losing another toenail.
Jan 20 - strength training





2/7 Daytona Beach HM

Thankyou for that! @ddmom0811! Up and down, up and down is the way it often goes right!?

How do I work out my VO2 max for my Garmin?

January goal 70 miles


1/1 3.69
1/2 4.15
1/3 3.12
1/4 rest
1/5 3.31
1/6 5.59
1/7 rest
1/8 3.00
1/9 heavy duty yard work
1/10 3.27
1/11 3.38
1/12 snorkel 3 hours
1/13 6.39
1/14 rest
1/15 3.12 (and some more heavy duty yard work)
1/16 4.25
1/17 3.05
1/18 rest
1/19 3.00
1/20 5.51


Total 54.83

Upcoming races:
3/20 Big Island International 1/2 marathon
6/26 ShePower Virtual 1/2 marathon
11/13/16 Las Vegas Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon

Ticker is my goal for 2016 and accumulation to date:

3.1 miles today, that's 31.9 miles in total. Going to have two days off then going to go for 4 miles on Sunday.

runner_girl83 wrote: »

How do I work out my VO2 max for my Garmin?

Depends which Garmin you have, some offer this functionality, others don't. Otherwise you can go to a lab for test, or calculate using an online tool having done a specific workout to identify your max HR.
I normally take a HR reading from the end of an intense race like a 5k where I've absolutely smacked myself.