January 2017 Running Challenge

Date,,,,,,,,,,Miles,,,,,,,,,,Total
1/1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,2.0,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,2.0
2/1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,2.3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,4.3
3/1,,,,,,,,,,,,,Rest,,,,,,,,,,,,,,4.3
4/1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,2.3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,6.6

I am a little late to the game for January digitally - but I have been running. I've been mentally tackling the idea to train for a 10K when I haven't done that distance in quite some time, and I was SERIOUSLY lazy over the holidays.

So I will be in for 40KM for January as I'm just starting my training program and I don't run until April 30 (if I do at all).

January 1 - Personal Training Session (this happens almost every Sunday for me)
January 2 - 2 KM
January 3 - Rest (all Tuesdays will be rest days for me during training)


Distance Run: 2 KM Distance to Go: 38 KM

Side bar: anyone who has run for a long time (like 5 + years) have you ever gone through a phase where you just don't want to run, and you aren't really motivated to sign up for races or anything? In 2015 I did 6 5Ks and a 10K and in 2016 I did 4 5Ks within the first 6 months of the year . . . but then after that my brother got married in the summer so there was a lot of wedding things to do and I just feel like I can't get my running motivation to stick around. Does it come back? Have I just been in a valley for a while?? Any thoughts?

1/1 rest. Colds suck
1/2- 5.23
1/3- 4.03
1/4- 4.01

Total: 13.27

Monthly goal: stay healthy and continue base building to start marathon training at thr end of thr month. Nominal mileage goal: 140 miles.

Today's notes: Well, cold (-15F -26C) windy (12mph/19mph) weather sure is a motivator for running. Just ran 4 miles this morning, because I was giving a coworker a ride today and, well, those temps made me want to run a shorter distance. Had some pretty big negative splits for the run Mile times were:

1: 9:53
2: 9:38
3: 9:27
4: 9:14

Run felt good, but I definitely started feeling the cold in the end, I have sore calves now, and they were feeling cold on the run, so I thin that might be part of it.

k80flec wrote: »

Recently someone shared a post on 'dynamic warm-up' which I intended to go back to view. I can't find it, Aaaaarrrrggh. Could you re-post it, whoever you are. I seem to think it was @skippysmom.
Thank you in advance

@k80flec You were right it was @skippygirlsmom from pg6 and then the links on pg 8 from @Stoshew71

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

Sounds like you are doing what is called static stretches before you run, they are no good, it's not good to stretch muscles that aren't warm. My daughter (and her professional running coach) who runs cross country and track swears by these dynamic stretches. I thought I had a better video link somewhere but I can't find it. This covers it though.

http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/a-dynamic-stretching-routine

I'm sure you'll get lots of other good advice from the folks here. Between us we have all been there done that.

Good morning gang!



1/1: Walked 15K+ steps
2/1: Walked 15K+ steps
3/1: 3.52 kms (Wk1 D1 C25K) + 30 mins yoga + 10 mins Squat Challenge + 5 mins Tabata HIIT
4/1: 3.54 kms (Wk1 D2 C25K) + 30 mins yoga + 7 mins HIIT

Jan 1-5.3 miles
Jan 2- Rest day- P90X3 yoga
Jan 3- 6 miles w/ 3 @ tempo
Jan 4-5.1 miles (1 with crazy Stella)

Despite the weather, I made it out for my tempo run last night. My plan called for 12 minutes in zone 3, but I did 3 miles (the middle 3 of 6 total). It wasn't really true tempo pace because it was dark and wet and slippery, so I just did the best I could. I also tried wearing a baseball style hat with my headlamp as suggested. I don't think that one is going to work for me. I think the beam cast was too far in front of me and made it a little harder to see where my feet were actually landing. My neighborhood is kind of hilly, so my HR definitely got up there at times, so I will count the run as a success. I think most of my uphill segments were faster than the downhills due to the slick roads and the wind. It kind of felt more like an interval run than tempo.

This morning's run started with a mile with Stella. She was in some kind of crazy mood from the moment she woke up. She was even jumping up on me during our walk. I thought this would make for an atrocious run, but she did okay. A few stops and lots of weaving back and forth. Her pace for the mile was 9:51, but for some reason it felt so much faster. I finished the run with 4 solo miles. The temps dropped like a rock over night and the wind was pretty gusty. I am so thankful for those of you that suggested hand warmers in my gloves. What a life saver they have been! Plus, it doubled as a heating pad for my sore shoulder on my drive into work

@ddmom0811 - It's amazing how much we inspire others without even knowing it. That is so cool to hear!

@instantmartian - Ugh, sounds like a mess! Glad no one was hurt. And congrats on the engagement! Somehow I think I missed that one.

@acorsaut89 - I have been running for nearly 20 years and I can definitely say that yes, those times do exist. I know that due to health reasons and other life situations, I have had periods of up to a year where I did not run. The good news is that you never really lose that bug, it just goes into hibernation for a while. And when you get back at it, you will be amazed at how quickly you are able to make gains. At 44, I am probably at or near the best shape of my life in terms of running. Pick a long term goal to inspire you and keep at it...you will be back in the saddle in no time!

@Stoshew71 -Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge with us. Where would we be without you? Seriously. Where???

HeatherMN wrote: »

Ran 3.8 miles on the treadmill, doing 4:1 intervals, while watching Netflix.

Updated goal for 2017 is 505 miles, since I've committed to doing the Run The Year Challenge with a team. Running friends are bad influences

Awesome goal! How's the marathon training going?

lporter229 wrote: »

I also tried wearing a baseball style hat with my headlamp as suggested. I don't think that one is going to work for me.

I've tried wearing a headlamp with a baseball cap, and it doesn't work for me either. So, when I run in the rain in the dark or in the middle of a Texas summer when I have to start a long run early in the dark but the sun will come out with a vengeance in the middle of that run, I use a flashlight that attaches to the brim of my hat. It's not super bright, but it works, and I know all us runners need more gadgets.

This is the one I have:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001QCXTBI/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483546934&sr=sr-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=hat+light+clip

I'm just checking in to report that I'm not running. Ha. I actually charged my LED belt last night and set out running clothes but the alarm went off at 5:15 and I saw 15F/Feels like 8F and I blew it off. I'm overwhelmingly tired anyway. Maybe it's the diet. Maybe it's still travel fatigue. Maybe it's that my husband is an insomniac and won't come to bed

Mostly I just have no desire right now to rock the boat with running. My husband is never really 100% supportive. Saturday morning he gave me "It's cold outside and you're crazy" talk (it was cold, but quickly warming and I came back sweaty/hot). He hates me running in the evening because creeps come out after dinner but they sleep in late in the morning. And right now we're dealing with a whole new morning routine of him trying to eat healthier. I just don't feel like arguing about why it's not crazy to run in the cold or in the dark or any other time RIGHT NOW, only to have the whole routine interrupted again by his surgery trip and then have to do the battle all over again. I'd rather get past this and then establish my new running routine. He gets used to it if I get into a routine.

So anyway, definitely will run Fri/Sat but Sunday will probably be too busy.

@skippygirlsmom Gotta even out those miles :-D

@snowyne I would go as far as to say the first 3 miles suck. When I push past 3 it always gets better.

@instantmartian What a mess! But congrats on the fiance!

@9voice9 I've never flown that long and had to run, but when we went to Hawaii (from Alabama) I did notice my first run and half the second were awful. I had to make myself keep going, after that I was fine. I think flying sucks the life out of you. Allen (the other half) has been flying back and forth over seas for the past 2 years, he complains all the time about how he feels for the first few days going either direction. Even if he gets home and sleeps for hours he is still burned out. I would say give it a few more days and you'll probably be back to 100%.

@greenolivetree ha ha running OCD. I'm sorry your hubby isn't supportive, I know that has to be hard.

@acorsaut89 I can relate to the motivation issue. As most here know, my mom passed away in September, before that I was running between 100 and 120 miles a month (that's without going and double checking those numbers). Anyway, it set me back on my heels. The last few months I doubt I've run that total. After gaining some weight and feeling like *kitten* I decided I really need to get myself moving. The weight I can control with diet, but the feeling like a slug I need to move. So I'm doing a fake it until I make it. I'm forcing myself to run even if it's only a couple miles to get myself back in the groove and I know without a doubt I'll get my motivation back. I also signed up for a HM in April with my daughter so that helps too. Hang in there and I think you'll find your mojo comes back.

@instantmartian holy crap you've had a time of it. What state are you in again? We had the same thing happen here in Alabama last month, delivery dude put the diesel in the regular tank at the gas station. Honestly he had one job to do. I'm glad your fiance (woohoo congrats!!!) is okay, geez talk about when it rains it pours.

@ddmom0810 happy back to school Great job inspiring others, I love that.

@juliet3455 thanks for finding the page with the link I posted.

@kristinegift great streak!!! Maybe it was the back from travel more than the rest day that got you.

@elise4270 and @stoshew71 if you two keep bickering we will have to separate you

Elise4270 wrote: »

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

@elise4270 and @stoshew71 if you two keep bickering we will have to separate you

I did start it.... But everyone here is a nerd....

I'm just restless... And wannabe a nerd again..... Nearly Everyone Runs Daily....

that settles it. You are definitely a NERD! LOL

I've been reading along, so I guess I'll join!
January goal: 80 miles
Upcoming race: 1/2 marathon 4/17
1/1 rest (ran 8.0 on 12/31)
1/2 3.0
1/3 new weights routine. Ouch
1/4 2.5.

To enter the glycogen discussion, lately I came into the issue of time on my feet as I tried to increase my mileage to 80 kpw/50 mpw. I have gotten to the point where I ran 6 days a week with a 10 k each day that took me around 60 minutes and a longer run that took me about 90 to 120 minutes. I found it hard to increase my mileage by adding miles to my current runs as running runs after runs in the 70-80 minutes area made it just to hard on my body. After some research and strava stalking on some people running close to 100 mpw I noticed why. These people don't usually run more than 1 hour continuously at a time. But they double a lot and are much faster. I mean it takes them 2 hours to do an 18 miler, and that's easy pace. So I did some reaserch, read some articles, especially the part where the running benefits level seriously after 60 minutes. So now I added a 7th run on my day off and a double and I'm also gonna do my long run by time rather by distance.

About running long runs while depleted I remember there was research that supported this approach, but not all the time. The idea was that it's ok to do it in the first stages of training and to stop doing it when you get closer to the key race and you start adding time at marathon pace because being able to perform better during the run was more important

Easy today and strides

Date.......Distance

January 1 - 12.1 km
January 2 - 7.0 km
January 3 - 12.9+5.3 km
January 4 - 11.5 km

juliet3455 wrote: »

k80flec wrote: »

Recently someone shared a post on 'dynamic warm-up' which I intended to go back to view. I can't find it, Aaaaarrrrggh. Could you re-post it, whoever you are. I seem to think it was @skippysmom.
Thank you in advance

@k80flec You were right it was @skippygirlsmom from pg6 and then the links on pg 8 from @Stoshew71

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

Sounds like you are doing what is called static stretches before you run, they are no good, it's not good to stretch muscles that aren't warm. My daughter (and her professional running coach) who runs cross country and track swears by these dynamic stretches. I thought I had a better video link somewhere but I can't find it. This covers it though.

http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/a-dynamic-stretching-routine

I'm sure you'll get lots of other good advice from the folks here. Between us we have all been there done that.

Long quote ..... Thank you very much.

@greenolivetree well you have to appreciate the fact he's concerned about you. Buy some mace, I carry it when I run every single the dog attacked us. Of course that won't keep you warm. Poor man, the detox is the worse! I haven't had McDonald's since last week and I might literally die.