March 2016 Running Challenge

Finally got in my first long high humidity run of the year this afternoon/evening (75 + 98% humidity). As expected, my pace was about a minute/mile slower than usual (at the same heart rate), my dri-fit shirt was totally saturated within the first 2 miles, I went overboard on some gatorade from a gas station at mile 10 to try to cool down - killing my stomach for about 4 miles, and I pretty much felt icky for the last 2 hours as sweat was just sitting on my skin without evaporating in the 98% humidity. On the plus side, I'm returning north in another 2 weeks, and I just have two 20-milers left before my May 1 marathon.

Just need to average 12/day for the last 3 days of the month and I'll hit my target (likely via doubles).

Also, just dropped in a lottery application for Chicago yesterday and will find out in a few weeks. Although it is roughly a month before my first ironman and I'll need some recovery time, I figure it'll be my first remotely feasible attempt to qualify for Boston once I move up to the 40-44 age group in the fall.

3/1 - 3.5 miles
3/2 - 10 miles
3/3 - 5 miles
3/4 - 3 miles
3/6 - 11 miles
3/7 - 18 miles
3/8 - 7.5 miles
3/10 - 13 miles
3/12 - 5 miles
3/15 - 6 miles
3/17 - 5 miles
3/18 - 1 mile
3/19 - 10 miles
3/21 - 20 miles
3/23 - 11 miles
3/25 - 5.5 miles
3/27 - 9 miles
3/28 - 20 miles

Total: 163.5 miles
Goal: 200 miles
Remaining: 36.5 miles

@ddmom0811 - The century ride was a gran fondo with some time-trial portions which made it interesting, as I ended up pulling domestique duty for my team - leading the paceline for quite a bit of the non-time trial sections to keep our target riders fresh, and pulling hard for the first 1/4 of each time trial portion. Still, despite being a relatively intense ride (about 5 hours), I actually felt pretty fresh by the end, and really enjoyed the camaraderie of the experience of riding with a team. Definitely make sure you have a good team for the ride, and it'll seem like a fun group ride despite the daunting distance and the miles will just fly by. With my ironman 70.3 coming up in another 2 weeks, I wanted to get in a bit more intense of a long-distance riding event, and I'm sure my legs will be better off for the experience.

@MobyCarp - Congrads on the AG win!

1 Mar – 3 km
2 Mar – 4 km
5 Mar – 5 km
6 Mar – 10 km – first time ever!
8 Mar – 7.5 km
10 Mar – 5.1 km
12 Mar – 5 km – parkrun PB!
13 Mar – 10 km
15 Mar – 7.5 km
17 Mar – 5.4 km
19 Mar – 5 km
20 Mar – 13 km - furthest distance yet!
22 Mar – 7.2 km
24 Mar – 7.1 km
26 Mar – 5 km – parkrun PB!
27 Mar – 15 km – new distance PB!
29 Mar – 7 km

Total: 121.8 km
Goal: 60 km – I’m WAY over!

ceckhardt369 wrote: »

kristinegift wrote: »

Orphia wrote: »

kristinegift wrote: »

I wear tight shorts most of the time because they don't ride, but lately I can't find any with enough/big enough pockets. I ordered a pair of Saucony scoot tight shorts and the pocket barely could hold one gel! Some of the loose-leg Oiselle shorts (and other brands, obviously) have larger pockets and side pockets you can't get with compression shorts. I hate to leave compression shorts behind because they make my butt look great but I need more pockets, darn it! I wear tight shorts to avoid chafe, but I actually didn't chafe with the Distance shorts, which was a happy surprise -- though I did lube up quite a bit with Vaseline beforehand!

@kristinegift I totally hear you about the pockets! Y U No give me decent shorts pockets, sport companies?

I totally adore my Nike Running Dri-Fit capris which have a phone pocket at the left hip and a key/cash divided zipped pocket on right. I've got 2 pairs.

But can I find shorts with these features? Hell to the no.

@Orphia Capris have the best pockets! But I have a hard time finding leggings with big enough pockets for winter long runs just as I'm hard pressed to find tight-shorts that have big enough pockets. So frustrating! Those Nike capris sound amazing though. Nice big, convenient pockets! Whenever a phone can fit, I'm super impressed, since phones have gotten so darn big!

4leighbee wrote: »

Orphia wrote: »

kristinegift wrote: »

I wear tight shorts most of the time because they don't ride, but lately I can't find any with enough/big enough pockets. I ordered a pair of Saucony scoot tight shorts and the pocket barely could hold one gel! Some of the loose-leg Oiselle shorts (and other brands, obviously) have larger pockets and side pockets you can't get with compression shorts. I hate to leave compression shorts behind because they make my butt look great but I need more pockets, darn it! I wear tight shorts to avoid chafe, but I actually didn't chafe with the Distance shorts, which was a happy surprise -- though I did lube up quite a bit with Vaseline beforehand!

@kristinegift I totally hear you about the pockets! Y U No give me decent shorts pockets, sport companies?

I totally adore my Nike Running Dri-Fit capris which have a phone pocket at the left hip and a key/cash divided zipped pocket on right. I've got 2 pairs.

But can I find shorts with these features? Hell to the no.

in re: pockets - I literally got back in my car before my long run yesterday so I could more carefully inspect the darn capri tights I was wearing - what do you mean there are no pockets? There must be a pocket somewhere <practically undressing in search of a pocket>. Nope. Carried my key fob for ten miles.

@4leighbee Haha, how inconvenient! At least give us ONE fob-sized pocket! That's always the first thing I look for when I buy bottoms for running -- where/how many pockets. A zero-pocket pair usually elicits an eye roll from me. In an age when everyone has phones and fobs and ID cards and keys to carry, how do these companies get away with zero pockets?!

This whole discussion makes me happy I have my Flipbelt!! I was never a consistent runner in the past and I got my Flipbelt because most of my clothes are yoga clothes so they typically don't have pockets. I never thought about how hard it would be to run if I didn't have my belt, it sounds like a real headache!

I just had to Google that...

https://flipbelt.com/

Awesome!

I ordered a cheapo phone belt off eBay the other day, but that Flipbelt looks far superior.

03/02 4.5 miles Legs took a while to warm up seriously thought of turning back home at mile 1 but persevered with it and turned into a really good run.
03/04 4.6 miles Kept it comfortable rather than the build up that was suggested legs wanted a slight break
03/06 8.7 miles Bit hillier than I normally do so was rather happy to find that I could run up the hill on the route.
03/08 4.5 miles
03/13 11 miles Longest run so far!
03/17 4.5 miles Rather comfortable run to set me up before my first race on Sunday, probably my last run until then as I don't want to exacerbate the blister on the arch of my foot.
03/20 6.3 miles First ever race.
03/23 4.6 miles
03/27 6.6 miles Lovely run down by the canal where my parents are moving to slightly faster than planned but felt good for it.







03/20 Canterbury Riverside 10k 1:16:12
05/29 Edinburgh Half marathon

Ohhim wrote: »

Also, just dropped in a lottery application for Chicago yesterday and will find out in a few weeks. Although it is roughly a month before my first ironman and I'll need some recovery time, I figure it'll be my first remotely feasible attempt to qualify for Boston once I move up to the 40-44 age group in the fall.

@Ohhim - If you'll turn 40 in the fall, you're already in the 40-44 age group for purposes of qualifying for Boston 2017. I ran Buffalo at age 59, but BAA let me register on the first day because I beat the 60-64 age group standard by more than 20 minutes.

From the BAA FAQ:

Q: I will be 44 when I run my qualifying race, but will be 45 when I run the Boston Marathon. What is my qualifying standard?
A: Your qualifying time is based on your age on the day of the Boston Marathon, thus your qualifying standard will be 3hrs 25 min - and you can be 44 when you run your qualifying race.

rohanivan wrote: »

Hi People,

I got a doubt. today the organizers of the next 5K which I registered sent an email telling, do 1 speed run, 1 Tempo run and one long run so that you don't end up injured during the race.
I generally do is just run at normal pace, walk when tired and regain running and put maximum towards end the running. In weekends I just try to put some extra distance. Am I doing something wrong?

What are this Tempo runs and Speed runs? More I am learning about running it's getting more complicated.

@rohanivan - By chance, is this 5K associated with a half marathon on the same day? This sounds like standard advice for beginners running a half, and it's a bit overkill for people running a 5K.

To answer the details, speed runs are typically intervals where you run some distance or time fast, then a slower interval, then faster. They can be simple or complex, and speed can vary with training intention. For example, a beginning of training cycle speed work might by 4 x 800m at T pace with 200m recovery. What that means is, I run 800m at T (variously described as "comfortably hard" or "tempo" or "lactic threshold"), then jog easily for 200m, then repeat that 3 more times. Tempo runs are longer runs that are consistently at tempo pace. Most running in training should be slower than tempo pace.

Come race day, the people running a half marathon will average a bit slower than T pace for the half. The people running the 5K will be running faster than T pace for the shorter distance.

If you were planning to try to run the 5K as fast as possible, you would also be doing some speed work at paces faster than T. but if your plan is to just run at the same pace you train at, and you've trained up to the distance, you should be fine. You'll want to take a closer look at how to train when/if you decide you're interested in longer distances than a 10K.

rohanivan wrote: »

Hi People,

I got a doubt. today the organizers of the next 5K which I registered sent an email telling, do 1 speed run, 1 Tempo run and one long run so that you don't end up injured during the race.
I generally do is just run at normal pace, walk when tired and regain running and put maximum towards end the running. In weekends I just try to put some extra distance. Am I doing something wrong?

What are this Tempo runs and Speed runs? More I am learning about running it's getting more complicated.

Some races send out complimentary training plans. I ignore them. Not everyone is ready for speed work. I'm waiting until fall to schedule it in. I'm sure others can expound on speed work. Just simply put- its varying your pace with faster segments.

1.61 with the dog this morning

Orphia wrote: »

Total: 121.8 km
Goal: 60 km – I’m WAY over!

@Orphia Wow, you are WAY over your goal! Way to go! You're killing it this month!!

rohanivan wrote: »

Hi People,

I got a doubt. today the organizers of the next 5K which I registered sent an email telling, do 1 speed run, 1 Tempo run and one long run so that you don't end up injured during the race.
I generally do is just run at normal pace, walk when tired and regain running and put maximum towards end the running. In weekends I just try to put some extra distance. Am I doing something wrong?

What are this Tempo runs and Speed runs? More I am learning about running it's getting more complicated.

@rohanivan I'm gonna second @MobyCarp's question on this one; is there an associated 10k or half-marathon? Because a speed run, tempo run and long run aren't really necessary for a 5k! I am sure you're training well with what you're doing

Glad I ran twice yesterday - totally slept through my alarm this morning. Still on track to meet my goal.

I had to run on the treadmill, yesterday, or else I would have risked being blown away. The wind was so strong that it literally took my breath away just walking from my mailbox to my house. This was after I had to chase the mail that was ripped from my hand into my neighbor's yard and stomp on it to retrieve it. At least I provided some entertainment for all the people waiting at the stoplight during their afternoon commute.

I went into the run with the intention of doing a good miles, depending on how I felt. My mileage has been awful this month, and with a 15K coming up, I figured I needed to warm myself up with a decentrun. That 6 miles turned into 4.63. I was wearing my "new" shoes (that have over 150 miles on them, so they are definitely broke in). My feet hurt so bad from all the rubbing that I didn't want to chance any blisters 4.5 days before my 15K, so I just stopped running. I will be wearing my old, almost-past-their-prime shoes for the 15K.

In the meantime, I am going to dinner in Philly with my boyfriend for our 5-year dating anniversary, tomorrow, so, before dinner, I will be stopping into Philadelphia Runner a few blocks from the restaurant to be fitted for, and to pick up, a new pair of shoes. Of course, this is way too late for the race on Saturday, but at least I can start breaking in the new pair. It's been a handful of years since I was properly fitted, anyway, so it's probably good to do all of that, again. Do I want to drop money this soon on another pair of shoes when I have a "perfectly good" pair, already? No, but my mangled feet tell me I have no choice.

Also, I am a bit embarrassed by my pathetic March running. I can't wait for April to come so I can start over. Last year, my upcoming 15K was the start of my injured hip, and the super-hilly 5K I have the following week is what completely did me in. My fingers are crossed that I remain injury free this Spring!

03/01 3.47 mi
03/03 3.25 mi
03/07 2.71 mi
03/09 4.00 mi
03/13 4.00 mi
03/17 5.41 mi
03/21 4.73 mi
03/28 4.63 mi
TOTAL 32.20 mi

2016 Races:
02/21 – Disney Princess Half Marathon – 2:38:29 (included 16 stops to either take photos of something or have my photo taken with something)
04/02 – Philadelphia Hot Chocolate 15K
04/09 – Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K
04/16 – River Horse 6K
05/01 – Blue Cross Broad Street Run (10 miles)
08/06 – Foreman Foundation Chocolate Tour 10K
09/18 – Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon