September 2017 Running Challenge

@cameronheel Awesome weight loss result; absolutely well done!!!

@amymoreorless Congrats on winning those shoes!

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First week of taper is now complete, with a long run of just under 16.5 miles. It felt kind of weird peeling off from my regular long route to take a shorter path, but that's just how it's got to be! All went well with the run, and I ran the last four miles at MP, which felt relatively hard given the temps and humidity. Thankfully, things are supposed to be cooling back down again next week...hopefully for good this year! Next week will see the start of the second week of the taper with an even greater reduction in mileage, and I'll start breaking in the next pair of sneakers ready for race day.

01 - 22.04
05 - 12.10
06 - 15.07
07 - 12.43
08 - 25.57
10 - 13.29
11 - 14.50
12 - 11.42
13 - 14.10
14 - 9.70
15 - 23.84
18 - 11.22
19 - 9.05
20 - 11.34
21 - 9.21
22 - 16.47

Total: 231.35 / 250 miles

September Running Totals (miles)

9/1 to 9/19 – injury, rest, PT, some cycling, lots of frustration
9/20 – 2.03 easy
9/21 – 2.11 easy
9/22 – rest day, PT
9/23 – 3.11 easy

September running total to date – 7.25

Nominal challenge goal: 1 mile

Real goals: Get healthy enough to run again. [cleared to run 9/20] Make a final decision on whether to register for Boston 2018. [registered, hotel reservation made]

Today's notes – Woke with the alarm to get up for the paced run, made a snap decision that the extra sleep was more important, rolled back over. Woke again at 6:14. Realized I could throw on some clothes and make it to the 7:00 paced run. Since I was only planning on running 3 miles, I did that. I had a plan. The routes were 6+3+9 miles for a total of 18 possible. I thought I might just run the middle three, or turn back early on the first 6.

Got there, and there were no runners needing an 8:00 or 8:30 pace. So I set out with the 9:00 group, then turned to run the middle three where they went straight for the first 6. Another snap decision; I decided I liked the middle 3 route better than the first half of the 6. It was pleasant, about 59º F (15º C) and reasonable humidity. After leaving the 9's behind, just ran by feel; that turned out to be an average 8:03 pace, including a tenth of a mile with the 9's plus a wait at a stoplight. There's nothing wrong with my lungs or heart.

The ankle, however . . . 3 miles was okay. The PT was right yesterday. 6 miles would have been too much. Tentative plan is to attempt 4 miles the next time I run, probably on Tuesday. Next Saturday is the first paced run of the new session, with 5 miles for half trainees plus 3 more for full marathon; I expect to be up to running 5 miles by then. 8 might still be a stretch.

This is when patience is important. It's actually harder to convince myself to run *just a little* than it was to convince myself not to run at all. But I need to remember that coming back completely is more important than coming back quickly.

2017 races:
January 1, 2017 Freezeroo #2 (Resolution Run 7.5 mile) (Mendon, NY) Finished in 50:45
January 7, 2017 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY) Finished in 1:32:40
January 14, 2017 Freezeroo #3 (Pineway Ponds Park 5 mile) (Spencerport, NY) Finished in 33:42
January 28, 2017 Freezeroo #4 (Hearnish 5 mile) (Victor, NY) short course, finished 4.88 miles in 32:50
February 4, 2017 USATF Cross Country National Championship Masters 8K (Bend, OR) Finished in 35:39, team won the 60+ Men's cross country championship
February 11, 2017 Freezeroo #5 (Valentines Run "In Memory of Tom Brannon" 8 Mile) (Greece, NY) sat out due to training schedule
February 25, 2017 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 4.4 mile) (Webster, NY) short course, finished 4.34 miles in 27:51
March 11, 2017 Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 mile (Rochester, NY) finished in 33:25
March 18, 2017 USATF Masters 8K Championship (Shamrock 8K, Virginia Beach, VA) finished in 30:59, PR for 8K
April 17, 2017 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA) finished in 3:49:42
April 30, 2017 USATF Masters 10K Championship (James Joyce Ramble, Dedham, MA) finished in 39:54, PR for 10K
May 21, 2017 Lilac Run 10K (Rochester, NY) finished in 40:04
May 27, 2017 Canandaigua Classic Half Marathon (Canandaigua, NY) finished in 1:33:06
June 9, 2017 Charlie McMullen Mile (Fairport, NY) finished in 5:44.90, PR for mile
June 18, 2017 Medved 5K to Cure ALS (Rochester, NY) finished in 19:32
July 4, 2017 Firecracker Four Mile (Fairport, NY) finished in 25:42
July 15, 2017 Shoreline Half Marathon [1:40 pacer] (Hamlin, NY) finished in 1:39:05
July 28, 2017 Karknocker 5K (East Rochester, NY) finished in 19:28
August 9, 2017 Pound the Ground 10K (Mendon, NY) finished in 41:26
August 12, 2017 Bergen Road Race 5K (Bergen, NY) finished in 19:47
August 25, 2017 USATF Masters Mile (Hap Crim Michigan Mile, Flint, MI) DNS - injury
September 3, 2017 Oak Tree Half Marathon (Geneseo, NY) DNS - injury
September 17, 2017 MVP Rochester Marathon (Rochester, NY) DNS - injury
November 23, 2017 Race with Grace 10K (Hilton, NY)

2018 races:
April 16, 2018 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)

kgirlhart wrote: »

I got my packet from the Aim at Melanoma virtual run today.

Dear Lord, it's the first time I've seen the actual medal.....I lost it.

9/1- REST
9/2- Family Time
9/3- Family Time
9/4- 6- 384 feet elevation
9/5- 8- 1598 feet elevation
9/6- 6.2- 1263 feet elevation
9/7- 8- Track Thursday
9/8- REST
9/9- 20
9/10- REST
9/11- REST
9/12- 8.1 - 1663 Feet Elevation
9/13- 8.1- 1640 Feet elevation
9/14- 7.2- 1388 Feet Elevation
9/15- REST
9/16- 14- 2352 Feet elevation
9/17- REST
9/18- REST
9/19- 8,1- 1663 Feet Elevation
9/20- 6.2- 1247 Feet Elevation
9/21- 4
9/22- 6
9/23- 26.2- 1142 feet elevation

Total Miles: 136.1
Total Elevation: 13980 ft

September goal: Survive 100k training and the beginnings of pre-race freak out
Nominal Mileage goal: 200 miles.
Elevation goal: 15000ft

Today's notes: ELY MARATHON!!!!!

Today was one of those days where pace meant nothing, time meant nothing, it was all about the finish and time spent with my mom and brother.

Weather this morning wasn't great, about 65 with 90% humidity, as we headed out on the bus to the starting line. My mom was nervous, she hadn't gone this far before. Neither had my brother, but he didn't show any nerves. I had TONS of nerves. I had talked both of them into this race and I wanted their first 26.2 to be both memorable and a happy introduction to marathon distance.

The run itself went well. We started off around 11:30 pace and slowed down some through the first half. it was sticky out, and the humidity was nailing all of us. We started taking walking breaks early, to save energy and help the two marathon newbes through the race.

As the race went on, we walked more and more, and finally just kept walking the last 7 miles or so. Mom has MS, and the heat especially gets to her. Our goal was a finish. I kept reminding her that as "slow" as she was going, what she was accomplishing was more than most people will ever know.

We kept at it and, finally, we were in downtown Ely, it was cool/eerie, the streets were totally empty, and we had them to ourselves. Finally, after a last turn we could see the finish. Despite being totally exhausted, mom put on a great show, running in the last bit through to the finish chute as the announcer called her and my brother's names and congratulated them for completing their first marathons, something I set up a couple days ago. Official time: 6:24:32 for mom, I was one second behind her, and my brother was one second behind me. We all got our medals and our post-race beers. It was a great day.

I'm feeling GREAT right now, one small blister on my left foot, but that's it. I'm feeling so happy about today. As of a week ago, my mom had huge doubts about whether or not she could do this, and she did. I really just can't say how happy I am that she toughed it out when it was hard and got her 26.2 medal.

I hope everyone had a Runderful day!

2017 Races Scheduled
6/16- William A Irvin 5k
6/17- Grandma's Marathon 4:24:06
7/15- Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon 7:22:23
8/12- UMTR FatAss "Not Quite" 50k DNF, too darn hot out
8/19- Rampage at the Ridge 5k OCR
9/23- Ely Marathon (full)
10/21 Wild Duluth 100k
11/23- TBD 5k Turkey