December 2016 Running Challenge
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MNLittleFinn wrote: »Question for those of you who plan out your running/racing season, Right now I have my marathon set for June 17, and that is my entire focus for the next 7 months, but after that 2017 is a complete blank, other than the obvious recovering and probably a mud run in August with work. How do you decide what to do?
Before I ran my first marathon I wasn't sure I would want to run more than one. I think within two weeks after my first (in the spring), I had signed up for a fall marathon. I kept doing two marathons per year for the next few years and found that a pretty nice way to balance marathon training with other interests. I'd suggest this as one way to plan your running year. After Grandma's, if you decide you want to do another marathon, Twin Cities will still be available as well as all the other fall marathons in our region. Good call, IMHO, on skipping Med City.
I saw you mentioned maybe targeting a fall half. You should have no difficulty breaking 2 hrs in the half based on your training paces, btw. There's a great fall half (and full) up your way (Whistlestop). It's a great, flat, fast course for someone looking to PR.0 -
@7lenny7 - we've almost certainly raced together several times. I love, love, love the Endless Summer series. I only got to do one of them this year because of work conflicts, but will aim for all four this coming summer. I did all 4 two years ago and have the cherished pint glass set to prove it! ;-)0
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Hey guys. Sorry for not coming online yesterday. Yesterday was so exhausting. Not only did I have my marathon in the morning, but my company party was that early evening.
So to begin, yesterday was not my day to BQ. I got a 3:44:41 when I needed something between 3:20-3:22. I was with the 3:20 pacers for a good 8-10 miles until my legs just started cramping up. I thought I still had a chance up to Mike 15-16 when I finally was just running to get a good finish and maybe at least PR. But when the 3:40 pacers past me around mile 22, I just gave up and did a range with short walk breaks. Cole who I train with met me at mile 23 and started running with me to just about the finish. Kept me going by talking with me and encouraging me and trying to make me laugh. But I was exhausted and couldn't understand why. Yes it was a cold start, but I had pretty good layers on so it didn't seem as bad as I was expecting it. I saw 23 degrees at the start. But I was pretty warm.
After the race people were asking me, did you do it? Nope and you can see the disappointment on my face. But I feel guilty to say I "only got a 3:45" when I know people would kill to have that time. But was disappointed and exhausted. And tried to figure out what happened. Running with the pacers, we seemed to be right on pace. When we reach a mile mark (timers called out the official time) we seemed to be on the mark. But I did notice my watch would mark the mile way ahead and was getting further and further apart as the race went on. My Garmin was tracking a pace quite a few seconds faster than what I should be running. I should be 7:38 and I hit times such as 7:29 7:32 7:28 7:34 7:35 7:23 7:37 7:32 7:30 then finally a 7:48 @ mile 10. My Garmin also recorded that I ran 26.4 miles. So I sucked at the tangents I am thinking and it caused me to run faster than I needed to run. Plus Rocket City Marathon is not quite exactly a flat fast course like it used to be. There's still over 400 feet of elevation gain. The hills are not steep, they just are slight and long and they drained you without you even noticing.
I threw my orange top (5 dollar throw away from Walmart) and my Half Fanatics cap to the RWB station at mile 12.5. I was planning on throwing it to the Pounders at mile 13 but the RWB folks were like here give it to us. The orange top I didn't care about but the hat I wanted to continue to wear but I had so much trouble making the transition that I just threw both of them to the RWB folks. After the race I was trying to find out what happened to it. I was informed that it ended up in this huge pile of clothes sitting out in front of the VBC. I didn't think I would find it. I found my orange top but lost hope on finding my hat when all of a sudden I saw it after almost exhaustly go through everything. And bending over to move clothes around isn't exactly the most comforting to do after racing a marathon but I was actually happy about something after spotting it.
@Ohhim Thanks for the offer to run in Tampa/Clearwater. It sounds like a great opportunity for January. But I already had my eyes on the Kentucky Derby one on April. I still have some time to prepare for it. January I think I barely have time to recover and get back into fine tuning mode. But I will keep that in mind for a future bucket list which continues to grow.4 -
@MNLittleFinn Good luck with your Marathon. My pages are blank too, after Chrismas no plan at all. But, I am watching the running shedule for my country from a internet page and always I mean always there is a 10k or H/M race at 200 km radius from where I live every month. So I will dacide after Christmas vacations in what race I will sign up!1
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Thanks for the info. Depending on How Grandma's goes, I may sign up for TC and just go for 2 marathons next year. Entering the lottery for the TC 10 mile is also a possibility, so is totally switching gears and trying for a sub-23 5k, that would be a 20 second PR....LOL, too many possibilities.Calvin2008Brian wrote: »Before I ran my first marathon I wasn't sure I would want to run more than one. I think within two weeks after my first (in the spring), I had signed up for a fall marathon. I kept doing two marathons per year for the next few years and found that a pretty nice way to balance marathon training with other interests. I'd suggest this as one way to plan your running year. After Grandma's, if you decide you want to do another marathon, Twin Cities will still be available as well as all the other fall marathons in our region. Good call, IMHO, on skipping Med City.
I saw you mentioned maybe targeting a fall half. You should have no difficulty breaking 2 hrs in the half based on your training paces, btw. There's a great fall half (and full) up your way (Whistlestop). It's a great, flat, fast course for someone looking to PR.
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@Stoshew71 Maybe not exactly what you were aiming for, but still a very nice race. Congrats!1
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Date Miles MTD ------ ----- ------- Dec 01 4.4T 4.4 Dec 03 5.6 10.0 Dec 04 5.1 15.1 Dec 07 5.2T 20.3 Dec 09 6.5 26.8 Dec 11 8.2 35.0
@MNLittleFinn Thanks for the shout out ... I admire your unflagging enthusiasm ... nice of you to spread it around!
I listen to podcasts on my long runs ... usually Chris Hardwick's 'Nerdist' show, or the Runners World podcast. I'm a little behind, but today I listened to their November 8th show, 'Running While Female', which followed up an article in the magazine about how often women runners were getting harassed. I had no idea how pervasive the problem is ... their survey indicates something like 35% of women responding reported harassing or threatening situations while out running. Everybody should read/listen to this. runnersworld.com/the-runners-world-show/episode-28-running-while-female1 -
4 km with the Winter Warriors Today. A picture of 3 of us. Note the Eye Lash Icicles and Frost Moustaches.
The other 4 speedsters were all ready inside drinking coffee.
Notice that Tuesday is forecast for a Beautiful -5C, so a 20 degree temperature change overnight. This usually means a Big Dump of snow.
December Running Goal 140km
12/01–0.0 km –140km – 0 km – YTD 1210.5 km
12/03–8.0 km –132km – 8 km
12/04–5.0 km –127km – 13 km
12/05–12.0 km –115km – 25 km
12/07–7.0 km –108km – 32 km
12/10–5.0 km –103km – 37 km
12/11–4.0 km –99km – 41 km – YTD 1251.5 km -25c
@Stoshew71 Still a pretty darn good result. Think of it as a training run/race. Like you said many of us would kill to have a time like that. I have never done a full so can't truly understand the training load that it requires.
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@Stoshew71 - Too bad on the day not being The Day, but at least you finished. I don't know anyone who brings a marathon in right at 26.2 on the GPS. Went and looked, and I clocked 26.39 miles for Boston. To be fair, it wasn't possible to even attempt good tangents at Boston for most of the course.
@MNLittleFinn - At this stage of your running career, when you're between major goal races I think you should sample different things to see what you end up liking. Maybe a trail race, maybe a cross country, a mud run, or whatever else sounds interesting. As far as how I plan, the best adjective is "poorly". I signed up for the Freezeroo series, which includes an 8 mile race on February 11. Now Coach and some teammates want me to run cross country (probably 8K, subject to verification) in Bend, OR on February 4. Absent travel, it would be reasonable; but travel to Bend is likely to be a Big Deal. I'll likely be playing 2017 by ear, seeing what fits in before Boston and not making any decisions for May and later until after Patriots' Day. I've got myself in trouble from committing to major races too soon.1 -
12/1: 5 miles
12/2: 4 miles
12/3: 4 miles
12/4: 11 miles
12/5: 5 miles
12/6: 7 miles
12/7: rest day
12/8: 4 miles
12/9: rest day
12/10: 5 miles
12/11: 11 miles
TOTAL: 54 miles
11 miles in 1:47:20 (9:46 pace). Winter has officially arrived in central Ohio. Remember a few days ago when I excited about the snow? Yeah, it wasn't so fun. I popped my metal spikes onto my shoes (similar to Yak Tracks) and those helped prevent me from slipping, but MAN running in the snow really is a workout. We didn't even get much, it was just running through the fresh powder instead of packed down snow that felt tough. The first 3 miles were mainly in the snow and on hills and I could feel my energy level dropping already (I did go out a bit too fast too though). The rest of the run was mainly on flat plowed streets but I was pretty much spent by mile 8. A much harder run than last week, but at least I got it done. Last year I really lucked out with winter running (well, with the little winter running I did) because we had a very mild winter, so it's been awhile since I've run in the snow. Kudos to you all who do it all the time! Maybe I'll be used to it by the end of the winter.1 -
@juliet3455 great job getting out there and running! Those were some nasty conditions! Also, I had to google where you are. You're WAY norht up there!0
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12/1: 6 miles with Pacers crew +lifting
12/2: 2 miles
12/3: 8 miles with the Saturday crew
12/4: 5.3 miles on trails +lifting
12/5: 6 miles
12/6: 2 miles + lifting
12/7: 6 miles
12/8: 6 miles + lifting
12/9: 1 mile
12/10: 13.1 miles
12/11: 4.6 miles on trails
Traaaails!! Really chilly today; a few degrees below freezing when we started at 10 am. I layered just right though and I was really comfortable. Went out with two friends... and the dog of one friend which was really fun. The dog and I raced through a wide bit of trail at the very end and she had this huge doggy smile on her face. So cute!
Plus I finally got to try out my new trail shoes which I LOVED. They're Sketchers Go Trail, and they were on sale for $59.99, and so with a 10% off coupon I got them for $54. Great price for a pair of starter trail shoes to see what I want/need/like. They fit perfectly right out of the box, and they were great for the run. Comfortable, good traction, stylish, and kept my toes from getting banged up. Going from running trails in NB Zantes (no traction; I get leery with these even on wet concrete!) to actual trail shoes was like night and day. I felt so much more confident bounding over rocks and leaves and icy mud. Even more fun than before!
Winter/Spring 2017 Races:
1/8/17: NYCRUNS Cocoa Classic 10 mile
2/18/17: FebApple Frozen 50 - 10 mile option
3/12/17: E. Murray Todd HM
3/18/17: Looney Leprechaun 10k (trail)
3/26/17: Philly Love Run HM
4/1/17: NJ Ultra Fest HM (trail, maybe)
4/9/17: Rutgers UNITE HM (maybe)
5/14/17: Delaware Marathon Running Festival HM
5/21 or 5/28: Cleveland or Vermont City Marathons (maybe)
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@MNLittleFinn I mean... it's December 2016. Why plan fall 2017 already? That's 9-10+ months away. Get into the depths of training. Run your first marathon. Then decide how to focus your fall. I find that trying to plan more than one training season ahead is just futile. My wants and needs change by then.
@Stoshew71 I know that kind of Bad Race Day acutely, and it really sucks. I'm sorry that you had problems so early in the race. It's days like those that make us appreciate the race days when everything comes together. And having just had a race like that 3 weeks ago, I can appreciate the disappointment you felt/are feeling. Hopefully Kentucky Derby is a better day and you can get the BQ you've been working for! In the meantime, enjoy the recovery and the off season (however long you give yourself for that!).2 -
December goal: 100 miles
12/1: 3.25 miles
12/2: 2.75 miles
12/3: 3.15 miles (m)
12/4: Rest Day
12/5: 5 miles (2 + 3 treadmill)
12/6: 4 miles (m)
12/7: 4 miles
12/8: 4.35 miles (m)
12/9: Rest Day
12/10: 3.5 miles
12/11: 5 miles (m)
My Total/December: 35 miles
Mike's Total: 17 miles
Temps are back up in the low 60s this morning which actually felt a little warm after the last few days. Mike and I went out with Fergus for 5 miles and then he and Fergus did an extra half mile or so on the trails. My ankle gave me no problems and is fine today. The last two days I have been back to my usual loop path. The new path that we run by the lakes is much more uneven than the loop and I am wondering if that is what caused the issue with my ankle swelling up. I will probably run that area again sometime this week and see if I have any problems.
My son got me a Milestone Pod for my birthday last week and I finally set it up last night and ran with it this morning. I didn't really see anything too surprising in the results. I think it will be a nice tool to help me improve.
@Elise4270 Love the photo of you, your violin and your cat!
@RunsOnEspresso How convenient to end your run right there at Starbucks. It's like you planned it or something.
@kristinegift Sounds like you had a fun day yesterday at your HM! Good luck with the auto negotiations.
@MobyCarp Glad to hear your Achilles is OK after your race. Nice job!
@_nikkiwolf_ Shoe covers are something I had not considered. Excellent idea. Thanks.
@Stoshew71 I know it isn't what you wanted from your race but still nicely done!
@juliet3455 Nice picture! Boy, you guys look cold!
@OSUbuckeye906 Nice snow run!
Have a fabulous rest of the day everyone!
Completed Races:
12/3 Snowball Run 5K, Kingwood TX (35:34.2) *PR
Upcoming Races:
1/22 Choco Loco 10K, Houston, TX
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@Elise4270 I love the violin picture, your cat is so cute. After hearing about my sister taking up the trumpet and you taking up the violin I decided to try taking up the clarinet. I haven't played since I was in high school 30 years ago but I often wish I had stayed with it. Anyway, I ordered a clarinet yesterday and I'm hoping I'll get it before Christmas. I'm going to join my local New Horizons Band in January to relearn how to play.
@juliet3455 I can't believe you can run in that kind of weather, you are an inspiration!
@7lenny7 I thought I would hate running in the snow but it actually wasn't a problem. Thanks for asking.
The weather here was unseasonably warm up until last week, now we're in below 0*C weather and have snow which is more normal for this time of year. I was dreading the colder weather and afraid I wouldn't be able to handle running in it but so far it's not too bad. It was -7*C today and 11 km/hr winds for my run and I was fine. The cold and snow don't seem to be a problem so far, it's the wind I'm having issues with. Last Sunday I was running straight into 28 km/hr winds and felt like dying by the end of my run. I'm having trouble finding head gear that can block the wind to protect my ears. I've tried a few different head bands, some fleece lined, and the wind just whips right through them. What do other people use to protect their ears in windy weather? I was thinking of trying ear muffs but I'm worried they may not stay in place with the bouncing around of running and they won't protect my forehead. Any suggestions would be welcome...
Date Km Today - Km for Dec.
12/1 6.17 - 6.17
12/4 5.77 - 11.94
12/6 5.34 - 17.28
12/8 3.23 - 20.51
12/11 5.76 - 26.27
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Goal 75 km
Upcoming Races:
Resolution Run 5km - 12/31
Polar Hero 5km OCR? - 2/4
Tamarack 10km - 5/272 -
@kristinegift great point. I just always feel like I'll lose motivation if I don't have something on thr horizon. Working on changing my focus to the hear and now so I can train strong for the marathon.1
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Thanks guys for all your suggestions.
Sorry to be a pain, does anyone have a link to Amazon for a good chemical warmer?
My first road bike will be ready on Friday, I'm so looking forward to it! I moved to a different country and I'm missing my wonderful parks, scenarios for runs are quite boring and ground is flat here, on the contrary there are a milion beautiful places to cycle. Plus I'm concerned one day I'll pay the price of running a lot everyday, so I want to do some cross training1 -
Great job, all you hard core winter runners! @juliet3455 those eyelashes! Your poor frozen faces. I thought I was cold today.
Date:: :::: Miles :::: Dec total (goal = 80)
12/01/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 0.0
12/02/16 :::: 2.6 :::: 2.6
12/03/16 :::: 3.1 :::: 5.7
12/04/16 :::: 6.0 :::: 11.8
12/05/16 :::: 3.3 :::: 15.0
12/06/16 :::: 2.4 :::: 17.4
12/07/16 :::: 2.4 :::: 19.8
12/08/16 :::: 3.7 :::: 23.5
12/09/16 :::: 0.0 :::: 23.5
12/10/16 :::: 7.0 :::: 30.5
12/11/16 :::: 3.5 :::: 34.0
Today was new - snow shoe running! I have never used snow shoes before at all, and I borrowed a pair from a running friend and we went out for an hour. Wow - hard work! Even though we didn't run the entire time, I'm counting it all as running because it felt like it. My legs and feet are not used to that. I had fun, and I definitely will do that again. She let me borrow the snow shoes indefinitely so I can try them out on the trails by my house.
When I try cross-country skiing very soon, I'll finally feel like I've embraced the winter sports scene after living here in snow country for so long. I was never in any kind of shape that I would have enjoyed it before, so I'm feeling really great that it's something I can do now.1 -
@Stoshew71 - I am sorry you didn't hit your BQ and the end of the race was a struggle. You finished and with a very respectable time! You'll get there!!
@_nikkiwolf_ - That is so strange about the UA pants. I am pretty short so I always have the opposite problem with everything being too long. I am glad the men's smalls will work.
@juliet3455 - Brrrr that looks SO cold!
@lissadecker - Happy Birthday! What day was yours? Mine was the 5th and it seems like there are several others with December birthdays!
@vandinem - We have had a few discussions that article on previous months and it is pretty scary how many of the women here in our group have experienced harassment as well.2
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