December 2016 Running Challenge

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)

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

@bmelb1 Awesome! I hope you get lots of practice time.

DH still doesn't know I have it. He wasn't keen on listening to it- and I'm not going to try to concentrate knowing he's grumpy. Hopefully I can get my work hours adjusted or find a local tutor.

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 training

@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.

@Virkati That's wonderful. Congrats!

@katharmonic I did snowshoeing for the first time last year, and it was way harder than I thought. We went up on the mountain, so it was hiking, not running, but still tough. Glad you enjoyed it!

@juliet3455 Haha about all your snow shovels. I'm originally from Calgary, AB, and always get a kick out of people here in Vancouver. Almost everyone puts snow tires on here (almost unheard of in Calgary) and yet we only get snow for a few days every year (or none at all). I remember those frozen eyelashes from my childhood. No balaclava can help you with that. I can't imagine running in that kind of cold. I felt like a warrior yesterday in the little snow and just below freezing temps haha. Good on ya!

@Stoshew71 Sorry you were disappointed. You're a superstar to me!

@Elise4270 That is an awesome photo. Your cat is the sweetest and most adorable ever. Make sure to invite us all to your first concerto!

Well, all our snow turned to slush and I went for a walk in it last night, not to be repeated today. No fun. So I ran circles in my house. Garmin estimated my pace, etc., as if I were on a treadmill. Pretty neat.

12:11 - 1.26 miles

Total: 13 / 40

Hey @Virkati !! Nice going!!

12/2-3miles
12/3-3miles
12/4-3miles
12/5-1mile
12/7-4 miles
12/10-3 miles
12/11-4 miles

Total-21 miles
Goal-50 miles

bmelb1 wrote: »

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...

@bmelb1 Not sure where you live or what stores you have available. If you look back at my picture today you can see me in the Flourescent Yellow Coat. I use a 2 part system - a neck tube that can be pulled up over the bottom of my ears and mouth, if required. The 2nd part is a wicking Beanie toque with mini earflaps built in. Here are some examples from MEC. Also the neck Tube and Beanie are commonly available at Industrial clothing retailers such as Marks Work Wearhouse in Canada.




Okay so I couldn't resist adding in a few Funky-Funny hats such as the Elmer Fudd Special.

A tip for those new to running in cold weather: They say you should dress for 20 degrees warmer than it is, but I know that's hard to do when it's really cold out. Instead, figure out how long it takes you to warm up (about a mile for me) and then plan an initial loop of that same distance so when you get warmed up, you can just drop off your extra layers at home or at your vehicle and finish out the rest of your run. If it's really cold, I prefer to keep that extra layer with me in case I get hurt and can't continue to run. That would suck.

@MNLittleFinn I think you made the right choice.
@Calvin2008Brian I've only been to one ESTRS race, May of this year. I was signed up for 3, but my son's soccer game and his trap shooting tournament got in the way of going to the other two. I'm hopeful of going to three this year though, perhaps one of which I'll volunteer. Storkamp puts on a first class race for sure! I don't know him personally but he comes off as such as humble, personable guy. I'm hoping to enter one or two of his ultras in 2018. It just didn't time out well for 2017.
@NikolaosKey I don't recall if you've told us before. What country are you in?
@MNLittleFinn your'e mention of possibly going for another PR at the 5K reminded me that on one of my long trail runs, I decided seriously train for a 5K this summer or perhaps the one our church puts on in September. I've raced the route now 4 times and know how to deal with the long gradual hill at the end, and being in front of others from our church gives me a lot of motivation to do well. I also think this summer I may try to go for a PR in the 10K and the HM. My 10K PR was less than 3 months after I started running and I've smashed that time just in training runs, so it's just a matter of doing it. For the HM PR that was 6 months after I started running so that should be easily beatable as well. This HM in January holds promise *if* the roads aren't slippery.
@juliet3455 great lash cicles!!
@MobyCarp, good advice about experimenting with different types of races.
@OSUbuckeye906 one thing to keep in mind is that, just like a mile on the trail, a mile through snow counts for more than a mile on dry pavement. How much more is tough to say. If a person is strictly measuring a run by the distance, I can see how it could get frustrating, but if you measure it by effort level, you're getting more out of running in the snow. Another thing I LOVE about running in the snow is that because of the slipping and sliding, you're using a lot more muscles, or using them in different ways, than dry pavement running. This gives you a more well rounded run, helps your balance, and makes you a stronger runner.
@kristinegift glad the new shoes are working out for you, great price too!
@Stoshew71 sorry your race didn't turn out the way you wanted. I have no doubt you'll use this as a springboard to future success.
@RunsOnEspresso I thought of you today after my run. I ended up at a Caribou Coffee, which is a local coffee chain. I like how that worked out!
@bmelb1 I think wind is a much bigger issue than low temps in the winter. Let's say you run at a 12:00 min/mile pace, or 5 MPH. If the wind is blowing 10 mph, then it feels like 5 mph when it's at your back, but 15 mph when it's in your face. And you have to be dressed for both conditions. My solution is zippers. When I run with the wind, I'm unzipping my jacket and my half-zip tops. Against the wind I zip them backup. I'll also take off my buff or hat (or otherwise reduce my covering) with the wind. Since I sweat so much I'll usually also carry a backup buff to swap out when the first one gets too wet. 28 kph winds in the winter are no joke. A strong breeze will keep me inside more than low temps. Now if it's a still day, you're 12:00 min/mile pace means you're facing 5 mph winds no matter which direction your run. Much easier to regulate temperature. As far as head gear, I usually wear a thin buff as a base, and if I need more a fleece-line beanie type hat. I love buffs because they're very versatile for adapting to different conditions. I can wear them as a hat, head band of various widths, and as a neck gator.
@katharmonic I've never ran in snowshoes but many people here do that, and there are even snowshoe races. Seems like a great, fun workout but I think I'd be in big trouble if I started buying snowshoes.
@virkati, way to go!!! Glad to see you back to running!
@RunRachelleRun even in Minnesota I don't know of anyone who puts snow tires on. 30 or 40 years ago it seems like they were more popular.

patrikc333 wrote: »

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 training

@patrikc333 Have fun on Friday!

Here's a link to the hand warmers I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Hands-Hand-Warmers-Pack/dp/B01MQ26W2I?th=1&psc=1

Just looking at my certificate for last Sunday's HM.

54th out of 123 in my age category (40-49), and I'm 49.

@7lenny7 - LOVE the picture and the tree!
@Stoshew71 - Yes you are right, most of us would kill to have that time. Sorry it wasn't what you wanted, but we are still proud of you!
@ariceroni- congratulations on finishing your course work!!!
@juliet3455 - oh my gosh - I can't imagine running in those temps with eyelashes full of ice! My streak would end!
@orphia - you get to move up to a new group next year!!

Busy weekend and no time to check in till now - and not much time this morning. Saturday my husband and I did our normal Saturday ride but decided to add on to it, for 77. It was really hard because the wind kicked up the last half. Where we normally would be going 18-20, at one point I was going 12-13! Just couldn't do it. We were both so sore afterwards and when I did my run I think I looked like a 90 year old woman trying to run. But the next day (Sunday) I was fine! Had a nice run this morning. Temps were a little higher than they have been but no humidity, so it was great.


12/1 - 3.2 miles
12/2 - 1.5 miles
12/3 - 45 miles biking + 1 mile run
12/4 - 27 miles biking + 1 mile run
12/5 - 4 miles
12/6 - 4 miles
12/7 - 1 mile on treadmill for streak (after strength training)
12/8 - 4.47 miles
12/9 - 1 mile on treadmill for streak (after strength training)
12/10 - 77 miles bike and 1 mile run for streak!
12/11 - 27 miles biking and 1 mile run for streak
12/12 - 4 miles

Upcoming races
2/5/17 - Daytona Beach HM
2/26/17 - Disney Princess HM Orlando

@7lenny7 Awesome tree!!!

Today's progress report:

02 - 11.77 miles
03 - 5.39
04 - 5.33
05 - 11.30
07 - 12.78
09 - 13.94
10 - 4.19
12 - 10.32

Total: 75.02 / 125

12/1- 7.04
12/2- 4.01
12/3- 10.01
12/4- REST
12/5- 5.32
12/6- 5.01
12/7- 3.01
12/8- 8.04
12/9- 5.0
12/10- 11.0
12/11- Rest
12/12- 5.21

Total: 563.64

Nominal mileage goal: 100 miles
Real goal, get into the swing of Marathon training, and get used to doing 3 days a week of some strength/core while running 35+ MPW

Today's notes: Treadmill intervals. I've learned that I definitely need to go by either the TM or my Garmin, not try to match the two. My coach had today's intervals set up for 3x1600m at 6.4 on the TM. 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down. My Garmin had some funky differences on my splits, but I'll chalk that up to the TM not necessarily being right on for distance.

After the run was:
25 swings
1 minute plank
25 swings
1 minute plank
20 rows (left arm)
1 minute plank
20 rows (right arm)

First set of swings was with a 10# kettlebell, second set was with 15. I may need to bring my kettlebell though, since that felt too light. Was supposed to do 10 minutes of burpees 30sec work/30sec rest, but ran out of time. Can't say I felt too bad about that, the rest of the workout was good.