March 2016 Running Challenge

Virkati wrote: »

https://unitedrelay.org/
Would anyone be interested in doing this? I was thinking we could maybe do it as our MFP Challenge group, or maybe individuals could "team up" in their states etc. The cost isn't out of this world and it looks like it benefits enough charities that most of us would be happy to help. **I don't know anything about the organizer or some of the charities...I got it in my email inbox and thought I'd pass the info along**

@virkati this is pretty cool, unfortunately 2 things in Alabama, it runs about 2 hours from where I live and it's during the week which pretty much makes it impossible. It's a neat idea though.

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

ha ha! My other half runs faster (22 years of military training LOL) but I can run further so I just let him go when we run "together". Though I gotta say I smoked him in the last 5K we ran together I love the idea of putting more weight in the stroller ha ha. BTW I hate those people pushing a double stroller that pass me in a race, honestly that's just showing off!

In my first 5K, I got lapped by a guy pushing a double stroller...with one of the kids on his shoulders, lol!

@5BeautifulDays It's not fair at all they had wheels

There's a half marathon a month after the September one I'm registered for, and they advertise that it's a flat/downhill course great for setting a PR.....I haven't even run my first half, and I kind of want to sign up for this one too......I'm doomed

AdrianChr92 wrote: »

Does anyone know good stuff for core training except planks?

I used to do a sling trainer ("TRX") class one or twice per week, loved it, and it definitely is good for all those core muscles. Sadly, I've moved away last November, can't find a new class in the new city and didn't manage to install mine in my new appartment. But if your gym has suspension trainers, I would absolutely suggest checking them out.
Otherwise, have a look at this site, or this one.
Edited to add: and this is a really great overview of all kinds of abs exercises you can do without equipment.

I'm having a major bad concience attack reading/writing about gyms, actually. I should have done my dumbbell workout today, but it couldn't get myself to go to the gym. I did a "quick" grocery stop on the way from work to the gym and managed to spend 30 minutes looking at the easter sweets, trying to decide what to get for family members. At one point I had to admit to myself the main reason I spent half an hour debating white chocolate easter bunnies vs giant Rochers was just that I didn't want to leave the shop and go to the gym. I just absolutely did not want to go there today, no way!
So I decided to give in to that tempting voice in my head that told me to go for a run instead. It wasn't strength training, but it was fast! Strava tells me I managed a new 10k PR of 1:08:30, which is more than a minute better than my previous best time

AdrianChr92 wrote: »

In my experience don't skip the gym if you go to one and have time. Also don't skip stretching or foam rolling.

@AdrianChr92 In general, I agree. But I know myself - every now and then I feel like this. If I go anyway, it ends up being a "wasted" training - I just want to get it over with, so maybe when my heart isn't in it I give up early on the lifts. Or settle for some lighter dumbbells instead of waiting for the right ones to be available if they happen to be in use by someone else, ...
I'm going to get a better training out of switching my plans and doing the run today, and the strength training tomorrow when I'm (hopefully ^^) more motivated.

MNLittleFinn wrote: »

Elise4270 wrote: »

Haha! I signed up for my second not having had done the first. But, it was 6 months out. My hip flexors were so sore after the first one, and it took my thighs weeks to heal from chaffing. If you have done near the distance and are OK, I say go for it!

They let you downgrade to the 10 mile or 5k for a $15 charge..... One is 6 months out from now, the other is 7....I think I want to go for it....when they advertise a flat/downhill course made for setting a PR, I kind of have to

Ya, totally! Having signed up for the second kept me motivated. Otherwise, I could have laid around indefinitely..

AdrianChr92 wrote: »

I'm worried if I sign up early that I will get hurt and lose my place

Just incentive to train smart.

Today's running observations ... so, today was my first long outside run in a while. Somehow my out-and-back run was uphill both ways. Lots of people were out and most of them smiley. I just don't get the ones who can't manage to smile when they approach you on a bike path on a gorgeous, sunny afternoon. Anyhoo ...

So race report. It was a good first 5k for the season. Not as good as I had hoped but I PR'd
my last one by over a minute. It was one of those runs where your running into the wind the entire time so that and the side stitch at mile 2 kept me from my goal. Mile one was uneventful, mile two started the side stitch and I had to walk (couldn't remember if l you twist toward or away from the stitch), mile three was hard to pick my speed back up. But I finished and I wasn't dead last so it was a success in my book. Official time was 47:05, still a turtle running through peanut butter but I'm running. And and added bonus is I had forgotten that our sunsets are almost as pretty as our sunrises (I like to run early lol).

03/02 - 3.1 miles
03/03 - 3.1 miles
03/05 - 6.2 miles
03/08 - 3.1 miles
03/11 - 3.1 miles
03/15 - 3.1 miles
03/16 - 3.1 miles



MTD: 24.8 / 40

The other race I'm looking at now: http://www.halfmarathons.net/minnesota-monster-dash-half-marathon-10-mile-5k/

Someone posted this on facebook and I thought I would share here. Not sure if this is the hydration solution I am looking for.
https://youtu.be/Czssbj5fg2w

@AdrianChr92 - I hate direct core work, including crunches and planks. So I don't do it. I do stuff that works the core, but feels like that isn't the whole point. I do pull-ups (pronated, neutral grip, or chin-ups, rotating through the days), push-ups (a set of 60 push-ups has a one minute plank embedded in it), Turkish get-ups with a 35 lb. kettlebell, doing a windmill at the top (hits just about everything, including core), and kettlebell swings and snatches (really works the glutes and hamstrings, but also work the erector spinae). My running club offers core workouts after speed work, and I've never been able to get myself to do that whole drill; but what I do seems to support enough core strength for distance running.

@Elise4270 - The singlet is on the outside because it's what marks me as a member of the Genesee Valley Harriers. The shirt is under it because when I decided what to wear it seemed a little on the cool side to get away with just a singlet. I could have run in just a tech tee, but I don't happen to own a GVH tech tee, yet.

March Running Totals (miles)
[2/28 – 7.78 easy]
[2/29 – 7.22 easy + 4 strides]
3/1 – 9.31 warm up + 8 x Yasso 800s
3/2 – 6.02 easy
3/3 – 15.05 easy
3/4 – scheduled rest day
3/5 – 17.01 2 easy, 13 MP, 2 easy
Weekly total 62.39 vs. target 62

3/6 – 7.70 easy
3/7 – 8.17 easy + 4 strides
3/8 – 11.67 warm up, speed work, cool down
3/9 – 11.03 easy
3/10 – 8.92 warm up, speed work, cool down
3/11 – scheduled rest day
3/12 – 15.10 easy 2 solo, pace 8, race 5
Weekly total 62.59 vs. target 62

3/13 – 11.00 – 4 easy, 3 MP, 4 easy
3/14 – 5.74 easy + 4 strides
3/15 – 7.96 easy
3/16 – 9.41 easy
3/17 –
3/18 –
3/19 –
Weekly total TBD vs. target 68

March total to date – 144.09

Goal – 56, 62, or 68 miles per week, per training plan
Expected March total - ~282 miles

Today's notes – Actually, two days of notes because I didn't post my mileage yesterday. I was pretty sure I wouldn't know the whole story until today, anyway.

The assignment yesterday was a challenging speed workout: 2 miles at E, 4 miles at T, 5 miles at E, 3 miles at T, and to miles at E for a total of 16 miles. The assignment for today was "easy," and 4 miles was what would make the weekly mileage work out. Things didn't go as planned.

Sunday morning I noticed my right ankle wasn't totally right. It hurt to walk barefoot, was better wearing clogs with some arch support. Poke spots the way my podiatrist does, and I find a sore spot. Okay, put a wrap on the ankle, go to church, and see how things are. In the afternoon, wearing the ankle wrap, the ankle tolerated 11 miles OK (4 easy, 3 MP, 4 easy). Monday, the ankle was a little better, but I was pleased to run just an easy 5 miles and 4 strides. I had been a bit concerned about the strides, but they felt okay when I got there. Tuesday morning, the ankle was a little less bad, and I thought I might do the workout or might not. Let's see how it goes.

Got to the park early, and started doing a warmup. At 2 miles, the ankle was still wonky enough that I decided not to accelerate to T. I just kept running till time to meet, got a bit more than 4 miles in. The ankle didn't like drills, and by now I'm pretty sure I'm just running easy. Talk to Coach, and he says take it easy today, ice the ankle, go on ibuprofen around the clock for 2 days. End up with a bit under 8 miles, because the ankle said to quit then.

This morning I had a scheduled visit with my podiatrist anyway. Asked him about the ankle. He tells me I probably have a tear in the posterior tibial tendon. He likes what Coach told me. I can be on ibuprofen, or on Mobec (but not both.) He prescribed a right ankles support, much like the left ankle support I got for a sprain last year. But he didn't tell me to stop running, and he didn't bat an eye when I told him I was pointing at Boston.

So . . . no speed work yesterday, and went out to run easy in the new ankle support this evening. I thought I'd run about 8 miles, making up 4 of the miles I was short yesterday. Added a loop that I hadn't run before, and realized when I got back to a familiar route that it should be about 8.9 miles when I got to my driveway. Felt so good late in that section that I added another loop and ended with 9.41 miles today, making up 5 of the 8 miles I missed yesterday.

The week may still come in below the target mileage. I won't do the scheduled speed work tomorrow, and I may not do the scheduled speed work next week either. I have a 15K a week from Saturday, and I'll see how well the ankle recovers. I may just use that 15K as training for Boston strategy, trying to run the first 10K (net downhill) at MP - 10 seconds and the last 5K (net uphill) at MP + 15 seconds. That would be slow for a 15K, but right now I'm thinking the most important thing is to have a chance of arriving at the start line in Hopkinton as healthy as I can. If the ankle doesn't improve noticeably in a week and a half, that would mean running that 15K at E and being very slow indeed.

@Stoshew71 called me a beast. Maybe so, but right now I'm a beast who is a bit paranoid about injury. First priority is to not make the ankle any worse. I know I can get better while running nothing but easy; I don't know how long it will take at my current mileage level. The last time I did this, it took 4 to 6 weeks with a worse sprain but only running 30 miles a week.

Oh, well. Just have to be consistent with the support, the ibuprofen, the ice, and the discipline to run easy. I've done this before, I can do it again. If I don't hit the target miles this week, that's not the end of the world.

Upcoming races:
March 26, 2016 Spring Forward Distance Run 15K (Mendon, NY)
April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)
April 24, 2016 Flower City Challenge Half Marathon (Rochester, NY)