The February 2016 Running Challenge

11 m. TM. 85:58 or a 7:49 overall pace.

So...it was spitting a little rain and about 65F and I was thinking about not running because of the rain, then I recalled the sub-zero, early morning, cleat wearing, snow slogging, bug eating, spider avoiding, mauled by holes and chased by geese runners and sucked it up and went. Really nice run too!

ceciliaslater wrote: »

kristinegift wrote: »

I just about threw in the towel after the geese though. I loathe geese. I am convinced they all want to bite me (an unfounded assumption, I know). Glad I stuck it out. The last couple miles were great and it ended up being a good run overall, even if I spent at least 6 miles thinking I may pee myself at any moment

NOT UNFOUNDED!!! I have owned two geese (both ganders of different breeds), and both were total a holes. Wild geese are more leery of coming at you, but if a male perceives a threat to a female, they will attack. Also, their beaks and tongues are serrated. And they will grab onto your leg and beat you with the sharp points of the joint in their wings. Pretty terrifying. And painful. But probably won't happen to you.

Self protection: either kick it under the breast bone (like lift it with your foot and force it away from you as hard as you can, don't swing back and kick it like a football) or grab it by the neck and spin it 180 degrees to make it face away from you. Neither option will hurt the goose, and it will probably take a couple times, but it will eventually run away honking in hatred of being bested.

I agree not unfounded... while I never had a problem with Canadian geese we had wild geese of the domesticated varieties on the lakes in my home town parks. The geese would chase us and bite on the back of your legs and butt and leave bruises and cuts. They are not cute, or nice, but scary terrifying birds... that said I have never had a problem with swans but I am sure they could be just as bad.

I've been bit and snapped at several times at that park when I was a kid. I heard of one kid who was attacked and ended up with a broken arm. It's called Silver Lake Park but we always called it Goose *kitten* Park.

yep...geese are *kitten* holes

Ducks are pretty cool though. I never had any issues with them.

@HonuNui Nice work today!

Most scary thing out running when it is still dark - spiderweb across the path at head height with a big, fat spider in it. Especially when you don't see the web before you have run through it. Then you're freaking out, trying to pull web off your face and work out if there is a huge spider on you somewhere. I have been known to turn around and run the other way if I see a big web across the path.

Next scariest thing - dogs. If I see a dog ahead in the distance on the street, without its owner, I turn right around and run the other way.

I have also been attacked by birds - I must have been running close to their nest, and maybe they had some little ones they were protecting; but they were these big ground dwelling birds, mainly black with a red crest and blue breast and a hooked beak, and they came after me snapping at the backs of my legs. I ran a bit faster. My husband has been attacked by a duck while out running.

And that's not to mention magpies that swoop during spring when they are nesting. Oh, and the occasional snake on the path, too.

I have to say that the kangaroos never attack. Even if they are as big as me, they just watch me go by.

Orphia wrote: »

_nikkiwolf_ wrote: »

Has anyone ever done a vVO2max test?
There is a running workshop at a hospital in my area in two weeks where you can do one for free. Only catch: you can't sign up online, you have to register in place. I'd have to get up at 6am on Saturday to get there in time, and I'll have to get up early on Sunday as well (in that case, for a ~5k race). That'd be really tough, because I love sleeping in on the weekend ;-)
Would having that number be of any use to me, or can I get the same planning benefits by planning my training following the Jack Daniels HR math?

Quoting this because I'd like to see an answer to this interesting question.

I am only answering based on my own experiences, gathering data and building my own training plans from there.

I have not done this myself simply because I see no benefit other than knowing exactly what the number is. Additionally, your VO2Max can change as your fitness level changes, so that number is temporary.

Training at (or near) VO2Max is the best way to improve form and build muscles for running strength. Now, what I find interesting about training at or near VO2Max is that you are essentially doing your maximum effort. So, I'm not sure what benefit knowing what one's VO2Max is if all they have to do is go at maximum effort to get those training benefits.

I am sure there are excellent reasons to know it however, otherwise people would not do these tests.

ETA - I do not have any training runs where I run at maximum effort. I do have some speedwork intervals where I am running at a high effort, above my lactate threshold, closes to my VO2Max than any other workout. But these distances vary from 400m to 1600m and I run at a different effort for each one. The highest effort being 400m which is possibly near VO2Max. But at the same time I am still overweight and building strength, so I am not sure I am pushing myself at true maximum effort. I am trying not to injure myself too. But I am also pushing myself. I am sure I could put in some extra effort, but only with added injury risk.

Good morning everyone, had another good run this morning.

rohanivan wrote: »

This is first 5K I will be running, is there some days I should rest before the run?

Personally, I don't ever run for at least one day before a race and at least one day after. Typically, I like to take two days off from running before a race, and I try to concentrate on healthy eating, staying well-hydrated, and getting a little more sleep than usual for that time, but we all know that life doesn't always allow for all of that to happen, especially for us amateurs. I'm not quite as particular when it comes to 5Ks, anymore, but I still try to adhere to all my little pre and post running rules for every race.

Elise4270 wrote: »

@instantmartian wow! I do not want to go to the gym!

...

I had to change bras as I got to the park the other day to run. So I stepped into the porta potty to change. Between the urinal and the hole, was a to-go plate from Denny's untouched, eggs, toast, hash browns, chicken fried steak and gravy.... It's at the skate park portion of the park, so I though some teens were behind it. @ceciliaslater you'll be running right past it mile ~24..8 on the A2A...

Yesterday in a field (same park) I saw a guy sunning in his black boxers. It was too cool to be sunning, and he wasnt in the public area of the park, like the equipment area... I thought maybe he was dead, but he had a pack under his head. I thought "more men should be out here sunning more often".

On most days, I don't want to go to my gym, either! haha On a similar note, I'm not sure I want to be going to your park! Maybe the Denny's plate in the porta potty and the dude sunning himself were some sorts of crazy "art" installations?

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

@stoshew71 LOL on the expletives! I tend to use them a lot when I run.
...
@instantmartian and @5BeautifulDays I too have big respect for gym folks, especially treadmill folks. My favorite lady at the gym is older and has had work done obviously since her boobs can be used as a shelf. Anyway one day I was in the locker room and she was pulling her girls up and her top down so they would show more. I almost laughed myself silly every time she walked past my treadmill. We have talked a few times, very nice lady, but I still laugh.

I, too, tend to use a lot of expletives when I run. As for your gym experience, I would, silently, refer to her as Shelf-boob Lady, and my brain would call her that every time I see her again from then until eternity. I have Cake Lady, Taco Man, Yo-yo Man, and RBF Starer at my gym. There are probably others, but I can't think of them right now.


@kristinegift: I was attached by a hoard of geese when I was on my bike along a canal when I was about 14 or 15. They had me surrounded. I couldn't move the bike forward or backwards, and they kept nipping at my bike, my feet, and my legs. I couldn't pull my feet up being on a bike and everything, and I couldn't jump off and run for fear they would run after me, and I wasn't entirely sure if I was capable of outrunning geese. After what felt like an eternity, I was able to break free with my bike and quickly continue on my way. Thankfully, they didn't follow me. It was terrifying. I completely get it.

@Elise4270, @instantmartian.... Thanks a lot for you advice.Let me try by taking couple of day offs before run day.I don't want to quit running after this 5K, I just want it to grow.

Date.................KM...................Total
2/7....................1.19.................1.19 (Run)
2/10..................1.85.................3.04 (Walk)
2/11..................1.88.................4.92 (Walk)
2/12..................8.8.................13.72 (Bird Count Exercise)
2/13..................4.2.................17.92 (Walk)
2/15..................5.27................23.19 (Run)
2/17..................5.32................28.51 (Walk)
2/18..................2.28................30.79 (Walk)

First 5 K.................. 25th Feb