July 2017 Running Challenge

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  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
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    cburke8909 wrote: »
    7 miles at a 9 minute pace. Stayed within the zone for all but the first ten minutes in which my heart rate soared to almost 200 bpm. Interesting that it also did a similar thing on Monday. Not sure what that means except maybe I need to start slower, my pace for the first mile should have been slow enough (10 minutes) but the heart rate is well into zone 5.

    @cburke8909 - Did you feel like you were working exceptionally hard those first ten minutes? If not, there's a good chance it's a bogus high reading.

    I saw that phenomenon for a couple years, till I got a newer, better HR monitor with the 630 that replaced my older 620. And instructions for care of said HR monitor. After seeing the same phenomenon with the 620 occasionally, I'm convinced it's a data glitch, caused by bad readings/weak connection of the HR monitor. My first hint was a Q&A session with a Garmin rep, where he casually mentioned something like that happening in the winter when it takes a long time to sweat enough to make a good connection.

    Observations: It happens more with my old HR monitor (as when I had to use that until the replacement for the new one that died arrived). It happens more if I don't remember to rinse the monitor strap, or don't remember to use soap on in once a week (instructions say every 7 times you run, but I can remember "Saturday.") It happens more with races and group runs, where I put my HR monitor on at home, drive somewhere, and then run, i.e. the moisture I added to put on the HR monitor dries up and it takes a while to generate enough sweat to get a good connection. I tested once, and just looked at my HR after I took the monitor off; the readout gradually gave me higher and higher numbers till it maxed out somewhere around 245. Since I wasn't even wearing the monitor, those readings were obviously bogus.

    I have no idea why the monitor generates bogus readings instead of something meaning, "Sorry, I can't hear the heart rate." But that appears to be what is going on.

    FWIW, the old HR monitor got a bit better with this after I washed the strap and started applying the care instructions that came with the new HR monitor. But the new one is still just a better HR monitor; the bogus high reading is rare with the new one, even on group runs and races.
  • seanevan10
    seanevan10 Posts: 385 Member
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    @RespectTheKitty I have the bad sugar carvings at night. I have made my own protein (like @PastorVincent said, high fat and protein) cookies to keep in the freezer. This really helps! Just have to have one! And I put oats in them and they are chewy so it takes awhile to eat just one.

    Taking an extra walk throughout the day. Not to "workout" but just get moving a little. This helps because if I sit, I will probably eat. This is also why I sew, knit and crochet. If my hands are busy making something, I don't think about the food. This was a big problem because my kids are young and go to bed early. We sit and watch TV a lot after they go to bed. I found I have to keep the hands busy. So maybe just learning how to crochet. I can even send you some extras that I have. I am sure that my hubby would be thrilled about that. :-)
  • seanevan10
    seanevan10 Posts: 385 Member
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    So I posted a question/poll on the main group about sports tracker/smart watches that everyone has. If you don't go to the main group page, I would love to hear/see your answer here. Which one do you have and why do you love it?
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
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    @kgirlhart no thanks on the snake!
    @orphia love love love the tights


    Rest day today since I had to take Allen to the airport at 0 dark 30.
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    edited July 2017
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    seanevan10 wrote: »
    So I posted a question/poll on the main group about sports tracker/smart watches that everyone has. If you don't go to the main group page, I would love to hear/see your answer here. Which one do you have and why do you love it?

    I will check that out, but I use Apple Watch Series 2 - for a couple main reasons

    PROS
    1) it was cheaper than a lot of the competition ($300) which was surprising since it is Apple
    2) Waterproof - not just resistant. Sweat proof/ water resistant/etc stuff breaks on me ALL THE TIME
    3) When I am not running it functions as a second screen for my iPhone, nothing else can do that
    4) It runs tons of apps, nothing else out there can compare
    5) 2 day battery life for normal use
    6) Apple Care+ Warranty. Fully covered no matter what happens.
    7) Stand alone GPS, and onboard storage for mp3s - so can leave phone at home

    CONS:

    1) Battery life for full fitness tracking is 5 to 6 hours.
    2) Locked into iPhone only

  • cburke8909
    cburke8909 Posts: 990 Member
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    @seanevan10
    I have the under amour band and heart monitor
    I do not live it but it's realitive inexpensive (less than $200 total) and it does the job.
    I'm tempted to go either the route that says I'll be tech-free and train by pace and feel or higher tech and spend more money on a more expensive watch, running shoes that collect data and a high tech scale but I think the money would be better spent on good ice cream.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited July 2017
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    @kgirlhart wow! Awesome critter! YIKES!!

    @Orphia and @garygse
    ="@Orphia Every female runner needs to get those leggings...they look awesome!

    I suppose they'd be awesome with our embrace the suck shirts. I'm definitely not fast enough to buy them!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
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    cburke8909 wrote: »
    ...but I think the money would be better spent on good ice cream.

    This gets my vote :lol:
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited July 2017
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    @RespectTheKitty I do Halo Top mint chip ice cream. 1 pint is 240 calories, 20g protein. The doc is definitely the way to go, but till then try to stick to healthy foods. You can have all the veggies and lean meat you want and should stay on track.

    Good luck. I know that can be very a frustrating situation. Maybe it's one of those side effects that gets better with time?

    ETA have you experimented with flavored water? Like ice cold mint and cucumber? Berries? Or the like. I try to do a lot of soups when I get like that (pms, stress or sometimes steroids).
  • JimCrackinDandy
    JimCrackinDandy Posts: 146 Member
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    Talking about watches.... I'm curious, does anyone just use MapMyRun?
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
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    JimCrackinDandy wrote: »
    Talking about watches.... I'm curious, does anyone just use MapMyRun?

    I tried it but was disappointed with it and went back to RunKeeper. That was over a year ago now so only vaguely remember it.
  • cburke8909
    cburke8909 Posts: 990 Member
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    @JimCrackinDandy I use MapMyrun it's ok.
  • Bakins929
    Bakins929 Posts: 896 Member
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    OMG! Over 500 posts behind!

    As with all great plans, life got tin the way and I don't think I can hit my goal this month. 4.5 this morning.

    exercise.png
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Bakins929 wrote: »
    OMG! Over 500 posts behind!

    As with all great plans, life got tin the way and I don't think I can hit my goal this month. 4.5 this morning.

    exercise.png
    7.5 miles a day for the next 4 days, you can do it!

    These monthly running topics always go fast, I went to bed early one night and woke up to 50 new posts, and I got up at 0400!

  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
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    Elise4270 wrote: »
    @kgirlhart wow! Awesome critter! YIKES!!

    @Orphia and @garygse
    ="@Orphia Every female runner needs to get those leggings...they look awesome!

    I suppose they'd be awesome with our embrace the suck shirts. I'm definitely not fast enough to buy them!

    Ah, but you'd be fast enough when you're driving your invisible plane. ;)
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Thanks everyone for the advice on cravings. A few things in there I will try.

    I have had Halo Top, but unfortunately the sugar alcohols give me gastric distress. So that, and most sugar free stuff is out.

    My new plan is to avoid sugar as much as possible, since that's a huge trigger. I'm also increasing veggies. That should help. I'll keep you all updated.
  • JimCrackinDandy
    JimCrackinDandy Posts: 146 Member
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    @PastorVincent and @cburke8909 Thanks for the input. I've never tried RunKeeper. But I really like MapMyRun, especially since giving my Garmin watch to my son. He's running now with me! Loving it.

  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
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    JimCrackinDandy wrote: »
    Talking about watches.... I'm curious, does anyone just use MapMyRun?

    As a new runner, I used a non-GPS Timex watch and mapped my routes after the fact on a web site. Later, I got a smart phone and running apps; of the free apps at that time, MapMyRun and RunKeeper were the most accurate. I went with RunKeeper because MapMyRun was a bigger battery hog at that time.

    I had some minor annoyances with using a phone app, like muffing the start of the app at the start of a couple races; but it was interval work in my first HM training program that got me to buy my first GPS watch. That, and the iPhone battery dying in weather that's considered cold by Southern California standards (like, 40º F / +5º C) or dying 11 miles into a 13 mile run even when I tried to keep it warm and the air temperature was +10º F / -15º C.

    I found the GPS watches had a little bit of a learning curve to learn to operate, but once learned they are easier to operate on the run than a phone app is. And the battery of whichever watch has been good enough to get me through a marathon, even the time my *legs* weren't good enough to get me all the way through the marathon.

    Bottom line: A phone app is fine for recreational running in nice weather with no pressure to start the app at the starting gun, and no need to time intervals that are defined by distance. For races, and for serious interval speed work, a GPS watch works better.
  • JimCrackinDandy
    JimCrackinDandy Posts: 146 Member
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    What a review @MobyCarp ! Well... I guess I will have to see how my phone holds up in the heat. I'm sorry to say that I've never paid attention to interval work. I followed Hal Higdon's marathon running plan in 2013 and he didn't require it. Funny thing, I just printed off another copy of it this morning for a Nov 5th marathon I'd like to run. Maybe interval training is something I should look into? But quite honestly if I am not trying to beat anyone, just finish strong, I wonder if I need to do interval training?

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