November 2016 Running Challenge

OSUbuckeye906 wrote: »

@federicafezza4271 You can do it! It's okay if you're not going your fastest, just focus on going the distance. And if you can't do it, that's okay too. Don't be afraid to repeat weeks or do a few extra days of a week until you feel confident to move on. I started running with the C25K program about 6 years ago and rushed through the program because I was too anxious to move on. I finished the 5K I signed up for at the end, but it was a huge struggle and I quit running after it. The following year, I attempted C25K again and made sure to follow the plan carefully, even repeating weeks until I felt like I had it down. I've been running ever since and I returned to my original 5K last year and beat my original time by over 6 minutes. Sorry for the rant, but I love encouraging new runners because I was in your spot not that long ago and know how the C25K can help turn someone into a runner if they want to be. Good luck!

Thank you for all the encouragement! I actually ran 25 minutes consecutively yesterday, it was hard at the end but worth it Still far from 5 km but I plan to reach that goal in 2017!

On the negative side, I had a goal of 80 km walking+running for November but I believe i will only reach 50 km, I had to stop going to the gym for a couple weeks for family reasons

Date     Miles      MTD
------   -----    -------
Nov  5     6.2        6.2 
Nov  6     5.0       11.2 
Nov  7     2.0T      13.2 (+20M Bike @15)
Nov 15     3.2T      16.4 (+10M Bike @15)
Nov 16     3.3T      19.7 (+10M Bike @15)
Nov 19     6.5       26.2 
Nov 21     5.2       31.4
Nov 24     3.1       34.5 Hingham Turkey Trot
Nov 26     5.0       39.5

shanaber wrote: »

@MobyCarp - Awesome run coming off your Achilles injury! I love the RwG jacket and shirts and it is always great to get a cash award! Congratulations! Also I really need to get FleetFeet to open a store in So California! I love their events and all the fun things they do. It is crazy to me that there isn't a decent running store anywhere near me - before I started running there were apparently a few (RW still lists them) but they are all out of business.

@shanaber - Do you feel called to run a business? I know the local Fleet Feet owners work their butts off marketing to the running community. They make good money, and the running community loves them. I don't know what you need to do to get a franchise; I don't have the aptitude or desire to run my own business, so I've never looked into it.

November Running Totals (miles)
11/1 – 1.77 easy
11/2 – 2.09 easy
11/3 – 2.43 (1.67 + 0.76) easy
11/4 – rest day
11/5 – 2.60 easy
11/6 – 3.19 (2.60 + 0.59) easy
11/7 – rest day
11/8 – 2.15 easy
11/9 – 3.10 easy
11/10 – 2.04 easy
11/11 – rest day
11/12 – 3.70 easy
11/13 – 3.64 easy
11/14 – 3.05 easy
11/15 – 3.38 warmup + easy speed work
11/16 – rest day
11/17 – 4.76 warmup + easy speed work
11/18 – 4.25 easy + one stride
11/19 – 5.18 easy + one stride
11/20 – 5.00 easy to moderate
11/21 – 5.05 windy
11/22 – 5.26 warmup, easy speed work, cool down
11/23 – rest day
11/24 – 6.91 Race with Grace 10K + cool down run
11/25 – 5.65 Black Friday Waffle Run
11/26 – 7.21 easy with fast finish

November total to date – 82.41

Nominal Challenge Goal – 30 miles
Real Goals: Continue recovery. Complete Race with Grace 10K on Thanksgiving without setting recovery back, even if I have to walk most of it.

Today's notes – At the Waffle Run yesterday, I spoke with the Fleet Feet co-owner. She asked if I was back, since the last time she'd seen me I had been crossing the finish line at Rochester in a golf cart. Told her how I was doing, and that I wasn't sure I was up to 8 miles Saturday. She threw out the standard advice, "You know the drill. Come back slowly."

That was just the nudge I needed to be more conservative. The training group's shortest route this morning was 8 miles. I slept in till the alarm cat went off, then was leisurely about getting breakfast. Didn't get out to run till almost 10. 39° F (4°C) and cloudy, with a light drizzle and a west wind that felt stronger than the 7 mph the weather feed claims, but it was really pleasant running weather. By the time I hit the road, it felt so good I talked myself into a 7-ish mile route with rolling hills from mile 2 to mile 5. Felt so good at the home stretch that I picked up the pace when Garmin said 7 miles and went into finish line sprint mode at the last fire hydrant before my driveway, maybe the last 100m I ran.

While this isn't really a true long run, it feels great to be running as training instead of just running as injury recovery. Yes, I still h ave to pay attention to my calves and the recovering Achilles; but there was no doubt that I could commit to a 7 mile loop route with no easy options to cut distance. Worst case, I'd have to slow to a walk after 6 miles and walk a mile home. That turned out not to happen.

In other news, the cheapskate in me got fascinated by a Black Friday deal and signed up for the Greater Rochester Track Club Freezeroo series of races. Yeah, I only saved $5. But I was feeling pretty good about being able to run, and I'm less obsessed this time around with being picky about races fitting into the Boston training schedule. I'll adapt the training to fit the races. And I would have wanted to do Resolution Run on January 1 anyway. So my list of upcoming races below got bigger. I'm thinking I may want to skip Reindeer Run on December 17, just because I've committed to so many races with Freezeroo. Hmm. Maybe I'll register for Reindeer Run after Club Nationals, if I feel great and up to another 5K the next week after traveling.

2016 races:
January 1, 2016 Resolution Run 7.5 mile (Mendon, NY) finished in 53:58
January 9, 2016 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY) finished in 1:30:59
March 12, 2016 Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 mile (Rochester, NY) finished in 32:32
March 26, 2016 Spring Forward Distance Run 15K (Mendon, NY) finished in 1:05:24
April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA) finished in 3:23:01
April 24, 2016 Flower City Challenge Half Marathon (Rochester, NY) finished in 1:36:50, targeting MP
May 15, 2016 Highland Hospital Lilac Run 10K (Rochester, NY) DNS - injury
June 19, 2016 Medved 5K to Cure ALS (Rochester, NY) DNS - recovering from face plant
July 16, 2016 Shoreline Half Marathon (Hamlin, NY) finished in 1:31:11
August 13, 2016 Bergen Road Race 5K (Bergen, NY) finished in 19:07 (5K PR)
September 4, 2016 Oak Tree Half Marathon (Geneseo, NY) finished in 1:31:37
September 18, 2016 Rochester Marathon (Rochester, NY) DNF a mile from finish
October 15, 2016 Finish Strong 15K (Hilton, NY) DNS – Achilles tendonitis
October 22, 2016 Scare Brain Cancer Away 5K (East Rochester, NY) DNS – Achilles tendonitis
November 24, 2016 Race with Grace 10K (Hilton, NY) finished in 42:38, First Senior (60+) Male
December 3, 2016 Freezeroo #1 (Don Curran Memorial 5K) (Gates, NY)
December 10, 2016 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships 8K (Tallahassee, FL)

2017 races:
January 1, 2017 Freezeroo #2 (Resolution Run 7.5 mile) (Mendon, NY)
January 7, 2017 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY)
January 14, 2017 Freezeroo #3 (Pineway Ponds Park 5 mile) (Spencerport, NY)
January 28, 2017 Freezeroo #4 (Hearnish 5 mile) (Victor, NY)
February 11, 2017 Freezeroo #5 (Valentines Run "In Memory of Tom Brannon" 8 Mile) (Greece, NY)
February 25, 2017 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 10K) (Webster, NY)
April 17, 2017 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)

Date:: :::: Miles :::: Nov total (goal = 75)
11/01/16 :::: 5.7 :::: 5.7
11/02/16 :::: 2.9 :::: 8.5
11/03/16 :::: 2.2 :::: 10.7
11/04/16 :::: 2.0 :::: 12.7
11/05/16 :::: 6.4 :::: 19.1
11/06/16 :::: 2.5 :::: 21.6
11/07/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 21.6
11/08/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 21.6
11/09/16 :::: 2.4 :::: 24.0
11/10/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 24.0
11/11/16 :::: 2.4 :::: 26.5
11/12/16 :::: 7.2 :::: 33.7
11/13/16 :::: 3.1 :::: 36.8
11/14/16 :::: 2.8 :::: 39.5
11/15/16 :::: 5.6 :::: 45.1
11/16/16 :::: 2.7 :::: 47.9
11/17/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 47.9
11/18/16 :::: 2.2 :::: 50.0
11/19/16 :::: 7.3 :::: 57.3
11/20/16 :::: 3.0 :::: 60.3
11/21/16 :::: 2.6 :::: 62.9
11/22/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 62.9
11/23/16 :::: 5.7 :::: 68.6
11/24/16 :::: 3.1 :::: 71.7
11/25/16 :::: 3.4 :::: 75.1
11/26/16 :::: 7.3 :::: 82.4

Nice long run this morning. The weather was sunny and 36 degrees, a bit breezy but not bad. I missed doing the long run with my group, but I listened to an audio book and time went by pretty quickly.

@MobyCarp and @juliet3455 My first lap when I thought I was running 9:00 and finding it easy was actually 10:00 and by the end I was running 8:30! CLEARLY have no real idea what I'm doing as any idiot surely would have thought there was something wrong at that point when I was obviously pushing tempo pace I mean, I have a master's degree and yet didn't realise that my lungs burning means I was not running HM pace? The brain is a weird thing.

Even stranger is that my finishing time gives an average only 10sec/mile off my goal pace anyway, it was just a hideously uneven run.

So probably will run tomorrow. My running shoes are finally dry after last Wednesday's run.
Also will try to catch up with posts....am in the middle of my work week.

Congratulations to all of the Turkey Trotters...I hope to join you next year (I should not have to work on the holiday.)

Anyone know what causes that "wooden leg" feeling? Is lack of electrolytes? Conditioning?

Thanks in advance for answers.

I had a great long run this morning. The kind when you just don't want to stop. It was cool and beautiful and still very windy but Hobbes the Vizsla and I had a great time chasing the wind, leaves and tumble weeds. Made it home before the rain hit and it has been raining ever since.

@louubelle16 - loved your story! It is exactly something I would do and why I never change my watch display!
@MobyCarp - I have absolutely no interest in running a business. I want to retire and just enjoy myself! Although at one time I thought it would be great to have a wine bar/coffee and bakery shop/book store... maybe there would be a way to tie it all together with a running store hmmm...
@juliet3455 - your tiger animation is who my pup is named after

Date........Miles.....Total
11/01......0.00......0.00 - + Strength Training
11/02......4.66......4.66
11/03......0.00......4.66 - + Strength Training and Rally Obedience (2 classes!)
11/04......4.29......8.95
11/05......0.00......8.95 - Agility Trial
11/06......0.00......8.95 - Agility Trial
11/07......4.23....13.18 - + Agility class
11/08......3.00....16.18 - + Strength Training
11/09......4.41....20.59
11/10......0.00....20.59 - to Napa
11/11......0.00....20.59 - Wine
11/12......5.02....25.61 - Wine country run + Wine
11/13......0.00....25.61 - Back to reality
11/14......3.67....29.28
11/15......5.06....34.34 - Sunset run
11/16......0.00....34.34 - + Strength Training
11/17......4.60....38.94 - + Rally Obedience
11/18......5.58....44.52
11/19......0.00....44.52 - Dog Beach
11/20....10.32....54.84 - Long almost rain run
11/21......4.52....59.36 - After the rain run + Agility class
11/22......4.86....64.22
11/23......0.00....64.22
11/24......7.28....71.50
11/25......4.32....75.82
11/26....11.55....87.37
11/27......0.00....87.37



My completed and 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!) - CANCELED!!
12/18/16 - San Diego Holiday Half Marathon
02/05/17 - Surf City Half Marathon

2 running miles and 3 walking miles on the treadmill tonight while watching Penn State whoop Michigan State's patootie. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to top my longest run to date. Woot!

RespectTheKitty wrote: »

2 running miles and 3 walking miles on the treadmill tonight while watching Penn State whoop Michigan State's patootie. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to top my longest run to date. Woot!

Very nice! Good luck tomorrow! Have some pie!

lissadecker wrote: »

November goal: 75 miles
11/1: 3 miles (m)
11/2: Rest Day
11/3: 3 miles
11/4: 3 miles (m)
11/5: 3 miles
11/6: 2.75 miles
11/7: 3 miles (m)
11/8: 3 miles
11/9: Rest Day
11/10: Rest Day
11/11: No running per Doc
11/12: No running per Doc
11/13: No running per Doc
11/14: No running per Doc
11/15: No running per Doc
11/16: 4 miles
11/17: 4 miles
11/18: 4 miles
11/19: 4 miles
11/20: 5 miles
11/21: 5 miles
11/22: 5 miles
11/23: Rest Day
11/24: 5 miles (m)
11/25: 5 miles
11/26: 3.15 Miles (m)

My Total/November: 64.9 miles
Mike's Total: 17.15 miles

Good run with Mike and Fergus this morning. Brought it down to just a 5K today and my hips are thanking me. Of course, within a few steps of stopping I was already regretting not doing 5 miles again. But I was pushing my pace again and sticking closer to 12 minute miles instead of 13 so that is something. I have to keep reminding myself that I am still carrying quite a bit of extra weight and it is hard on my joints. Sometimes I have to reign it in so that I can keep on going the next day. Maybe I will take an extra long walk later.

The last time I ran an actual 5K race was in 2010 and my time was around 43 minutes or so and I was about 110 pounds overweight at the time. Gearing up for the 5 K next week, I am only about 65 pounds overweight right now and running much more consistently than I was back then. I'm looking to come in under 40 minutes. Today's was right at 39, so I know I can do it.

@Oberon21 300 pairs of shoes and a DSW just opening up near you...Wanna go shopping?
@shanaber It sure is nice seeing the times improve. Especially when it feels so good...I mean, I might not really be moving all that fast, but I FEEL like I am flying sometimes.
@katharmonic Nice job hitting your goal!
@Orphia Congrats on the 50th Parkrun PB!
@RunsonEspresso Shoe shopping is about the only shopping that I can tolerate in person. I buy almost everything else online.
@louubelle16 Funny story with your watch! I have done that as well. I usually keep mine set so I can monitor my distance and I accidentally bumped it into the heart monitor mode once and kept trying to figure out why my first mile went so fast and the next one was just crawling. Glad I'm not the only one!
@NikolaosKey Congrats on reaching your goal! Good luck in your HM!

Upcoming Races:
12/3 Snowball Run 5K, Kingwood TX
1/22 Choco Loco 10K, Houston, TX

I'm in! That DSW coupon is burning a hole in my purse!

Sigh.

My Garmin will no longer pair with my phone. I have tried everything I could find online, including power cycling both the watch and the phone, turning bluetooth off and on, removing the device from Garmin Connect, you name it. Nothing works. The app keeps telling me it can't find the watch.

Has anyone else had this issue? Is there anything else I can try? If I can't figure it out soon, I guess I'll have to contact Garmin tech support.

November Goal: have as much fun running as Lily the Whippet does!

11/1 6.50
11/2 got distracted by some silly ball game...
11/3 3.20
11/4 2.05
...and off for a couple days as I travel to Vegas to meet with the whole famdamily including son who was supposed to be dead by now!
11/5, 6,7 travel
11/8 2.50
11/9 3.40
11/10 travel
11/11 family reunion/travel/playing cards/arguing politics/walking for miles in Vegas
11/12 ditto
11/13 6.38 Las Vegas Rock n Roll 10k....and more family reunion drama (tl:dr....family sometimes sucks....)
11/14 travel/15 hour airport layover, redeye overocean flight
11/15 nap...may try a treadmill run later....(didn't happen)
11/16 3.20
11/17 delayed jetlag
11/18 3.60
11/19 4.07
11/20 rest
11/21 4.25
11/22 3.61
11/23 cooking/cleaning
11/24 cooking/cleaning/eating.....<stupor after all that
11/25 6.13
11/26 core/strength training and 2.30

Total: 54.29

Upcoming Races:
Races For Awareness Virtual 10k for Outrun The Sun Skin Cancer Awareness: soon

Ticker is my goal for 2016 and total to date:

9voice9 wrote: »

Ah well - passed the goal for the month with a couple days to spare. Not sure how to set my goal for next month - will be travelling in Japan for the last week, so I'm really not sure how much running I'm gonna be able to fit in, or find place to use. Anybody know anything about Kyoto?

@9voice9 - I think @ACSL3 was living in Japan but I am not sure exactly where.