September (2016) Running Challenge

It was a beautiful morning for a long run, partly cloudy and 67F when we started out and maybe 70ish when we got home! I wanted to run the big hill that is sort of nearby and I did - I just should have arranged my run to do it earlier than mile 9 though! The hill isn't long, maybe a half mile up to the top, but it is steep. It starts slowly and then goes up dramatically with a 9-12% grade and 100+ foot change, so it is definitely a challenge. I ran up and over, down the backside (considered stopping at Starbucks at the bottom but turned around and went back up and over. My pace was pretty easy although my HR was high most of the run. The first 8 miles were all around an 11-11.5 pace, as were miles 10-12. The hill and the last 2 miles home were much slower at over a 12 min pace. By the time we were almost home my legs had nothing left and my heel was really cranky. I wore my old (retired) Altras to see how my heel would do and it was fine until I was running back down the steepest part of the hill. I could see it in my time graph because I was surprisingly slower coming down that part of the hill than going up it!
I am ordering new shoes tonight, most likely another pair of Altras. My Skoras have too many miles on them (600 on one pair and 700 on the other) and the company is out of stock until later this year. Apparently they really underestimated demand. I am hoping new shoes will help my heel issue.

Date.........Miles........Total
09/01.......5.23.........5.23 + Strength training and Rally
09/02.......4.67.........9.90 - SLOG Run
09/03.......0.00.........9.90 - Rest
09/04.....13.87.......23.77



Upcoming Races - Let me know if you will be running too!
02/07/16 - Surf City Half Marathon
02/20/16 - Divas Half Marathon - Temecula
07/04/16 - SHEPower Virtual Half Marathon
07/31/16 - San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon
08/21/16 - Tiki Beach 10k, Huntington Beach
09/18/16 - Beat the Blerch Half Marathon, Seattle
11/19/16 - USA Invitational Half Marathon (Yay, I qualified again!)
12/18/16 - San Diego Holiday Half Marathon
02/05/17 - Surf City Half Marathon

Sunday is supposed to be long run day. I didn't wake up in time to avoid the heat and felt sick, so I didn't push myself to the full time this week, but I did make sure to at least get in 6.3 miles.

9/1 6.3 miles
9/3 6.2 miles, split into two equal runs as I started out way too fast.
9/4 6.3 miles


@Orphia Thank you! I got into running in 2014.
@_nikkiwolf_ Thank you!

katharmonic wrote: »

@Orphia I was going to say to enjoy your taper - but then I saw that tapering is not cool any more
My coach's plan calls for a 2-week taper before my half, which consists of running shorter and easier base runs 5 days of the week in the first week of taper and a 75-90 minute long run. Then the week before the race, short base runs on Sunday and Monday, a "sharpener" on Tuesday (1 x 3 minute hard effort), off on Wed and Fri, short base on Thurs, very easy 15 minutes the day before the race.

@katharmonic Thanks! That taper sounds pretty hard!

MobyCarp wrote: »

My mile splits reflect the character of the course. The first three miles are on asphalt, with minimal elevation change. (Miles 1 to 3, 6:46, 6:44, 6:54) Then comes the gravel road, up a bit before the monster downhill. (Mile 4, 6:28) There are some minor rolling hills on the gravel, during which I have to gain 200 feet or so; then a minor climb on less than a mile of asphalt. (MIles 5 to 7, 6:58, 7:25, 7:12). There is a more gentle down on gravel, with some rolling hill. (Miles 8 to 10, 6:54, 6:52, 7:01). The monster hill starts at 10.6 miles per Garmin, and continues to perhaps 11.4 miles; then I need to recover with a bit of downhill gravel followed by an easy incline of asphalt. (miles 11 and 12, 7:14, 7:30). By the mile 12 marker, I know it's easy footing and minimal elevation change back to the school, then a short steeper paved downhill to finish on the track; so I try to run T for the road and pick it up to whatever I have left on the track. (Mile 13, 6:37; last 0.19 mile in 1:02 for a 5:32 pace).

@MobyCarp My brain cannot fathom that those splits are in time per mile, not kilometre.

Truly amazing. Love seeing what you do.


@Stoshew71 Quote doesn't work either, LOL! We should post a rant about that.

Here's a link to the rant that will work:

http://bit.ly/1TaCfS9

9/1 3.0 mi (6mph avg, fastest in months)
9/4 5.1 mi

Goal: 50 mi
Total: 8.1 mi
41.9 to go

Upcoming Race:
Peachtree City Classic 15k 10/15/16

I wanted to do a Whole 30 AIP in August but the time got away from me. I am starting this month, for obvious reasons, "Thirty days hath September, April, June and November".

http://whole30help.com/whole30-shopping-list/

I am trying to follow the Wellness Mama plan: http://wellnessmama.com/22689/autoimmune-diet/

My typical day on the autoimmune diet:

Breakfast– A sauté of protein and cooked vegetables, a cup of homemade bone broth (if I have some ready), some fermented vegetables, and/or some raw vegetables..
Lunch– A huge salad with leftover protein (meat, offal or fish) or A stir fry with some type of protein (meat, offal, seafood) with a lot of vegetables and allowed spice. Kombucha tea or Herbal tea.
Dinner– A sauté or soup with some type of protein (meat, offal, seafood) with a lot of vegetables and allowed spices,
*
No carbs.
No grains.
Consuming at least 9 cups of vegetables a day, especially brightly colored vegetables, leafy greens, and onions and garlic.
*
Sleep. It is my nemesis. I stay up late and skimp on sleep so I can get more done (self-employed). Going for 6-7 hours a night for this Whole30. [Please do not ask what I have been averaging. :-( ]
*
Stress reduction: 8k - 10k Steps/day,2x/day (2.5-3 mi.), Rebounding 1/day, Meditation 1/day, & Qi Gong 2x/wk
*
Supplements. MCT oil, Vitamin D (and daily sunshine in the morning), Magnesium, Vitamin B, and Vitamin C.

September Walk/Run Miles Goal: 70-80 miles by 9/30

9/1 2
9/2 1.5
9/3 1.5
9/4 2
9/5

~ Lavender

Wow, lots of pages since Friday! I quickly read through all of the posts figuring when I got here I could chime in about a few...but there's too many!

@Elise4270 I am registered for Jenks also and am working on getting back up to HM mileage ahead of November. Given the way things have been these last few days starting back up it is hard to imagine. It should be possible but I also worry about overdoing it ahead of my scheduled November HM's. So I am trying to just not think about those right now and instead just focus on building back up by feel with a touch of brains.

For my long run yesterday I was debating whether I should try a long run at all given how I have only been pulling off around 2 miles per walk/run for my first couple attempts back at running (and they sucked big time). I kept having the 25% to 33% rule pop up in my head and I kept having to tell it to STFU.

I started out heading off on a familiar 8 mile route figuring I could turn around early whenever I felt like it. Well, at about 1/4 mile in is one of the toughest little hills in my area. It is long enough to warrant serious consideration but it is mainly the grade that makes it tough. I was determined to make it to the top of that hill.

I made it halfway.

My legs were really feeling it and my HR was up in 5k race territory. And yes, much to my chagrin, I was running slow.

So I walked to the top of that hill and made an executive decision that it was a hill workout day instead. So I ran (and walked) up and down that hill for 3 miles. Take that you stupid hill!

Stupid hills.

Today I set out on a recovery run. I headed out on a familiar path that gives me options of 2 to 6 miles, maybe more if I get creative. I was really hoping to run at least one mile at an easy pace but was not going to let my HR creep up more than necessary either. I made it 1/2 mile. I also secretly hoped to have the strength to maybe go the standard 4 miles that I have always done on that route. No such luck. By mile 1 my legs were letting me know they were unamused. So I made it a two mile route. Towards the end I started suspecting I may have pushed a little too hard today because my legs were burning while running and it was really hard to keep moving them forward at the end.

Yesterday the "Garmin Recovery Advisor" told me it would be 66 hours before I would be fully recovered. Today it said 44, which means I did not add any recovery time from todays run at all. That little feature is curious indeed. I'm putting it to the test as I build back up.

Happy Labor Day to all in the states, and Happy Monday to everyone else!

9/1 - 2 miles
9/2 - 2 miles
9/3 - Rest
9/4 - 3 miles
9/5 - 2 miles

Total 9 of 50 miles

@WhatMeRunning I think we're all in similar situations. I probably could try to run and see where I get. But DH swears that if I run I'll damage that nerve and my leg will never work at all, LOL!

Don't hurt yourself for jenks. There's always next year, or maybe the Garmin Half.

Haha! Way to show that hill!


Well, @7lenny7 dang! Good luck with the calf. Wishing you well for tomorrows run.

Had to cut short my run today - so much to learn! Coming from cycling I totally misjudged my eating today and got an upset stomach about half way through original plan - on the bike wouldn't have been an issue.

I've similar learning curves to explore with hydration and temperature control. On the bike I used to drink fairly constantly on any rides longer than 20 mins or so, but if I drink similarly on the run it gets quite uncomfortable (not to mention having to carry something) so as my runs are getting longer, ironically I'm probably drinking less and just have to learn to pre-hydrate! Similarly, my cycling tops have 3/4 or full length zips and pockets so very easy to cool down or to carry extra layers when needed, but obviously not so easy with running gear - got that to look forward to with the unpredictable British autumn weather now here!

Anyway, good news is that whilst my ankle was uncomfortable, it wasn't painful - I ran a little slower than usual and managed fine. Anyway, today's 5.6k takes me up to 20k so far this month:

9/1 - 7 miles
9/2 - 6 miles
9/3 - rest day - cross country meet but I noticed I put in about 3.5 miles running all over the course ha ha
9/4 - 5 awful miles
9/5 - 5 not as awful miles

20 out of 115 miles



I have to go read all the posts.

9/1 3.0 mi (6mph avg, fastest in months)
9/4 5.1 mi
9/5 3.2 mi (sprints)

Goal: 50 mi
Total: 11.3 mi
38.7 to go

Upcoming Race:
Peachtree City Classic 15k 10/15/16

Another 3mile run today.

9/1 13 mile run
9/2 off day
9/3 23 mile run
9/4 off day
9/5 10 mile run

274 miles to go.