December 2017 Running Challenge
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Looking like 1800 miles for the year is a possibility. With my coach cutting back my miles, while upping intensity, I wasn't sure, but if I get more than 30mpw through the end of the month, I'll get it. That will be 550 miles more than last year.5
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12/01 - Intentional rest day
12/02 - Run Santa Run 5k - 22:11 PR!
12/03 - 13.5 miles @ 9:24
12/04 - unplanned rest day
12/05 - 10.1 miles @ 9:21
12/06 - 10 miles @ 9:24
12/07 - Strength + 7 miles @ 9:14
12/08 - Nada
12/09 - Nada
12/10 - Nada
12/11 - 11 miles @ 9:53
Big Hairy Audacious Goal: Sub 4 hours in Pittsburgh 2018!
Official Marathon PR: 4:11:28
Next Races (more as I find them):
02/10/18 - Valentine's Day 15k
03/17/18 - Shamrock Shuffle Half Marathon
05/06/18 - Pittsburgh Marathon - aiming for sub four hours.
05/12/18 - Glacier Ridge 50k Trail Ultra (I must hate myself)
2020 - Disney World Dopey! (if can raise funds)
Did part of my hilly route today, so a bit slower but almost 1000 foots of elevation. The only thing of note was I saw a lady that was HAPPY running, all bright eyes and smiles AND of course had a beautiful dog, probably a golden, running by her side. She cheerfully said hi as she ran by (we were heading in opposite directions).
Must have been an alien. That is the only thing I can come up with to explain it.5 -
QUESTION:
Maybe it is just cause I am fat, old and slow... but when I have to take a bunch of days OFF in a row, the first run back is like stiff and more painful. Is that normal?0 -
PastorVincent wrote: »QUESTION:
Maybe it is just cause I am fat, old and slow... but when I have to take a bunch of days OFF in a row, the first run back is like stiff and more painful. Is that normal?
Depends on how long a bunch is and the reason for the lay off.0 -
@skippygirlsmom - it was in the 40s in the morning and got to a high of 65 or so I think! But I love all that for running!
@jessicamcb - wow 100! Was that a race or just your own course? Riding a bike 100 miles is painful, I can't even fathom running 100 miles!
I had a plan for running somewhere different after work but the traffic was at a standstill everywhere this afternoon. Took me an hour to get home and would have take 1.5 to get to where I had planned to run. So just went home and ran from there. I should have just changed and school and run from there! Oh well... another day!
12/1 - 1.5 miles #RWRunStreak Day9
12/2 - 43 miles cycling + 1 mile #RWRunStreak Day10
12/3 - 40 miles cycling + 1 mile #RWRunStreak Day11
12/4 - 3.1 miles + Strength Training Glutes W3-A - #RWRunStreak Day12
12/5 - 4 miles #RWRunStreak Day 13 + strength training W3B
12/6 - 2 miles #RWRunStreak Day 14
12/7 - 1.3 miles #RWRunStreak Day 15 + strength training W3C
12/8 - 4 miles #RWRunStreak Day 16
12/9 - 7 miles! #RWRunStreak Day 17
12/10 - 1 mile #RWRunStreak Day 18 + Glutes W4A
12/11 - 3.11 miles #RWRunStreakDay 19
Daytona Beach HM - 2/4/19
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Well I was right... I went for a walk this afternoon and was NOT prepared for the cold... A pair of leggings, and a pair of sweats, a wind breaker, sweater, and tank top, and a hat! Still not enough for -12°C. I still haven't warmed up.
Dec. 11 - 6.1km
MTD - 28km/60km
I can't believe I'm complaining about 24F at the end of this week! Dang! You're hardcore!0 -
PastorVincent wrote: »QUESTION:
Maybe it is just cause I am fat, old and slow... but when I have to take a bunch of days OFF in a row, the first run back is like stiff and more painful. Is that normal?
Not sure about normal, but I understand it. Anytime I take a time out or rest time, I hurt starting back.0 -
@JessicaMcB I am just now catching up on the thread of your achievement. That is an amazing performance! Sorry I missed when I posted this morning! Can't wait to watch you slay in a "real" race.PastorVincent wrote: »lporter229 wrote: »@JessicaMcB Wow, just wow. I am in awe. I don't know how you are able to do the kind of running you do and still manage to take care of three small children. Truly remarkable!
This. Truly this! I have ONE child and feels like it is impossible to get 20 mile runs in. And he is 14!
My new strategy is to take the child along. Granted, that is only working on runs up to 5.5 mi so far...but he is only 9, and he'll grow. And for now, Dad can retrieve him when he reaches his limit (or bring him about an hour into my run). I guess I should take advantage of the situation now because I don't think I'll be able to keep up with him much longer.
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Date :::: Miles :::: Cumulative
11/01/17 :::: 3.0 :::: 3.0
11/02/17 :::: 9.1 :::: 12.1
11/03/17 :::: 4.3 :::: 16.3
11/04/17 :::: 3.0 :::: 19.4
11/05/17 :::: 4.0 :::: 23.4
11/06/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 23.4
11/07/17 :::: 4.5 :::: 27.9
11/08/17 :::: 0.0 :::: 27.9
11/09/17 :::: 3.0 :::: 30.9
11/10/17 :::: 8.8 :::: 39.7
11/11/17 :::: 5.1 :::: 44.8
Arrived in DC today and wow, much nicer weather! My flight was delayed and then there were stupidly long waits to get into the gate and get a bus to the terminal and I was just itching to get outside! As soon as I checked in to the hotel I changed into my running clothes and got out there. I had a really nice run from my hotel along the National Mall, close to the White House, and all around. Just fantastic to see everything that I've only driven past. The run felt really good, such a contrast to yesterday's slog fest. Almost 50 degree temps didn't hurt at all.
I clocked 5 miles, with erratic pacing due to picture taking and walking along the Vietnam Memorial, plus several stoplights. But my last mile back to the hotel was a great pace for me, so I was really happy with that. I celebrated and used up all those calories (and more) with a great burger and some FABULOUS Key Lime Pie. OMG. So good. I'm so full now I can't even believe, but so worth it.
Also my hotel room has a huge soaking tub that I made the most of after my run. How awesome was today? I submit that it was very awesome.
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@SusanDSME I just knew if I didn't go today I probably wouldn't go for the next couple either and I hadn't gone the last few! I just needed to get out there. 24°F has been one of my favourite running temps since I started running a couple months ago.1
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12/11: 3.1 miles
This month my husband and I decided to alternate weeks of 2 days running and 3 strength with weeks of 3 running and 2 strength, plus two days of rest each week, since we had been feeling stressed and overtrained with only one rest day per week. That seems to have been a great decision - last week I added 20 lbs to my bench press, and today we shaved two whole minutes off our 5k time! 34 minutes! And the last tenth was at a 9 minute mile pace. Two days rest in a row really makes a huge difference in my recovery.
I love what running does for my blood glucose. We stopped at Five Guys on the way home from running - I get them to lettuce wrap the burger, but I gotta have my fries, and I ate what I thought was probably too many fries plus ketchup which has a lot of sugar in it. But to my surprise when I tested at an hour fifteen after eating my levels were back below normal. I'm still losing weight too, despite eating All The Food.
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PastorVincent wrote: »
Did part of my hilly route today, so a bit slower but almost 1000 foots of elevation. The only thing of note was I saw a lady that was HAPPY running, all bright eyes and smiles AND of course had a beautiful dog, probably a golden, running by her side. She cheerfully said hi as she ran by (we were heading in opposite directions).
Must have been an alien. That is the only thing I can come up with to explain it.
I don’t think I ever look happy while I’m running! In fact friends will tell me - oh I saw you running, you looked so serious I didn’t beep or wave.
It’s my trying not to die while running face.8 -
December Running Totals (miles)
12/1 – rest day
12/2 – rest day
12/3 – rest day
12/4 – 3.10 easy
12/5 – rest day
12/6 – rest day
12/7 – rest day/travel
12/8 – rest day/travel
12/9 – 6.29 warmup + 8K race
12/10 – rest day
12/11 – rest day
December running total to date – 9.39
Nominal challenge goal: 80 miles
Real goals: Get healthy. Run 8K of cross country at Club Nationals on December 9. We don't need no steenkin' speed goals, just finish the race.
Today's notes – Was away from my computer from Thursday afternoon through late Sunday evening. Tried to skim posts from where I left off, but the volume defeated me about 10 pages back from here and I decided my time would be better spent composing a race report.
The event of the weekend was Club Nationals, or more formally the USATF 2017 National Club Cross Country Championships in Lexington, Kentucky on December 9, 2017. I ran for the Genesee Valley Harriers Supervet (60+) A team.
The club had hired a bus to take us from Rochester, NY to Lexington, KY. The plan was to arrive at Columbus, OH about 10:30 PM, stay for the night, and continue on to Lexington the next day. We got as far as Buffalo to pick up a few club members without incident. Then we started driving through lake effect snow west of Buffalo. Just before the Pennsylvania line, we came to a complete standstill.
Other club members told how 3 or 5 years ago the bus had stopped 10 miles earlier, the Thruway was closed, and they never made it to the race. Cheery subject. But then we got moving again, slowly. After we got past Erie, traffic flowed pretty normally. But we lost a lot of time, and I didn't get to bed till a bit past 12:30 AM. Then the alarm was set for 6:30 so I could grab some hotel breakfast before getting on the bus to leave at 8.
We got into Lexington early, grabbed some lunch, and picked up packets. The packet was pretty simple; race bib for the front, age group bib for the back, and a commemorative pint glass:
Out to the site for a course preview. By now the temperature is in the low 30s F (plus or minus low single digits C). My hurt leg hadn't bothered me all the way down, but I could feel it walking in the (relative) cold. Given a recent history of taking several rest days, running, and needing multiple rest days before being able to run again, I had decided not to run a course preview. I walked the course down to the soccer field loop, saw that the soccer field loop was fairly flat and all grass, and set out to walk the rest of the 4K loop. Ended up mistaking the turns and walking the rest of the ladies' 3K loop instead; but I figured out what I had done. Went back and walked the inside detour of the 4K loop, and saw where the 4K loop went that I hadn't gone. This would have to be good enough. I did note that my leg improved with walking that much.
Team meeting at 8 went late. Got to bed maybe 10:30, alarm set for 6 so I could grab hotel breakfast at 7 and be on the bus at 7:30. Actually got a reasonable night's sleep, but was still feeling the lack of sleep from the night before. Spent the time before check in walking back and forth on the course to warm up the injured leg gently. The team checked in at 8:30, and I went out to walk some more. Ended up running a short warm up with my team captain and one other team member. Got to the one mile marker on the course and realized I hadn't started my watch. Oh, well. I estimate 1.25 miles of warmup, and the leg felt about as good as could be expected. I've done what I can to prepare to run the race hurt, and the plan is to run so I don't come up lame. I don't know whether I'll run fairly well, run poorly, or come up lame and DNF.
We have the traditional pre-race huddle, with the masters women there to cheer us on:
The race starts. Lots of guys take off faster than I do. I'm trying to run to manage the hurt leg, and by the way let's run a good tangent across the opening field. I find that I'm trailing my team captain by a bit. He's faster than I am, and a much better race tactician than I am. I figure if I can hang with him a while, that's good. I pass him early in the soccer loop, a little worried that I might be running too fast; but I know he is also nursing a hurt leg.
Run the first loop. Find that the long grinding uphill at the end of the loop isn't the half mile I thought, it's only about 500 meters. Come out of that in good shape. Get to the soccer field loop, run it in reverse the second time. Come back up the hill to the inset bump I'd missed the day before, and there's my team captain cheering me on. I realize he had to DNF, and we have no chance of a team podium finish. That kind of deflates me.
The last mile and a half I just ran to finish the race. The leg hurt. I can feel it hurting in this picture perhaps 200 meters before the finish line:
I end up finishing in 34:19, at the fast end of what I had thought might be possible. Yes, I could run it faster if I were healthy; but this was a good result for the day and my condition. I was 18th of 110 finishers in an 8K race restricted to men over the age of 60. The winner ran it in 29:29. I was 17th of 43 in my age group, because there was a 66 year old guy ahead of me. I passed the first finisher in the 70-74 age group somewhere around 7.5 K in; at that point he was averaging a sub-7 minute mile. At age 70. He finished in 34:56.
USATF national events draw a tough field. Finishing in the top half of my age group at one of these events is an accomplishment; 38 of the 43 guys in my age group finished with an average pace faster than 8 minutes per mile. 68 of the 110 finishes ran 8K of cross country at an average pace faster than 8 minutes per mile, at ages ranging from 60 to 73. I was 18th overall, but only 29th on an age graded basis. Tough field.
After the finish, a team member got the GVH Supervet A team together for a team photo:
By now my leg is hurting. I limp over to find a spot to cheer the masters women. It's supposed to warm up, but the sun goes behind clouds and the wind picks up. It feels colder, but then again I'm not running any more. Then it's time to cheer the 40-59 masters men 10K. I don't quite make it through that race before I'm forced to retreat to the heated bus. Change into a dry shirt and dry socks, and go out again. The wind is stronger, and now there are snowflakes in the air. I get a few glimpses of the open women and open men running, then I'm forced back into the heated bus. We ultimately head back to the hotel before going to the after party at 5.
I go to the after party because I want to chat with team members. When the party moves to a different bar, I have enough. I walk the mile and a half back to the hotel. I don't walk fast, and I'm hurting by the time I get there. Roll out the leg, wind down, and make it to bed by about 8:30. I'm in pretty good shape for the 8 AM bus; a couple guys were feeling hung over. Long day getting home, lake effect snow threatened but didn't significantly slow us down on the way back, and I actually got home before 8 PM.
Today I don't hurt much, but I still can't run a step. This is feeling familiar, but it's been going on too long. Made an appointment with a sports doc that a lot of club runners use, and I'll have to see what exactly it is that I hurt and what I need to do to get better.
And that's the end of the 2017 racing season for me. I will not run Reindeer Run next Saturday, and I will not run the indoor 5K on December 30. If things go well, my next race will be on New Year's Day 2018.
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
October 29, 2017 Pete Glavin XC Race #4 6K (Brighton, NY) finished in 25:32.8
November 12, 2017 Pete Glavin XC Race #5 8K (Canandaigua, NY) finished in 34:42.6
November 23, 2017 Race with Grace 10K (Hilton, NY) finished in 41:53
December 9, 2017 USATF Club National XC Championship 8K (Lexington, KY) finished in 34:19
2018 races:
January 1, 2018 Freezeroo #2 (Resolution Run 7.5 mile) (Mendon, NY)
January 6, 2018 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY)
January 13, 2018 Freezeroo #3 (Pineway Ponds Park 5 mile) (Spencerport, NY)
January 27, 2018 Freezeroo #4 (Hearnish 5 mile) (Victor, NY)
February 17, 2018 Freezeroo #5 (Valentines Run "In Memory of Tom Brannon" 8 Mile) (Greece, NY)
February 24, 2018 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 4.4 mile) (Webster, NY)
April 16, 2018 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA)
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PastorVincent wrote: »
Did part of my hilly route today, so a bit slower but almost 1000 foots of elevation. The only thing of note was I saw a lady that was HAPPY running, all bright eyes and smiles AND of course had a beautiful dog, probably a golden, running by her side. She cheerfully said hi as she ran by (we were heading in opposite directions).
Must have been an alien. That is the only thing I can come up with to explain it.
I don’t think I ever look happy while I’m running! In fact friends will tell me - oh I saw you running, you looked so serious I didn’t beep or wave.
It’s my trying not to die while running face.
Exactly. I even had one guy stop me and was like "you alright? you look terrible" heh - thanks?0 -
@MobyCarp Congrats on kicking 1/2 their butts
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Whee! Take a couple days off, miss 250 posts!
I was a lazy bum over the weekend. I felt okay, it's just that it was cold and I just wanted to stay inside and hibernate. Today I was back at it, watching the finale of season 2 of The Great British Baking Show and running 5 miles.
Today it snowed just in time for the evening rush hour. What a lovely drive home. Not. I really wish I could have run in that snow, though, but alas, it was dark and I didn't want to get hit by a car in the low visibility.
The last couple weeks or so I've been having a lot of issues with my IBS. We're talking loads of painful gas and some of the big D here and there. I went to see my general doctor about it and he prescribed Bentyl, which I can take when my symptoms flare up. So far it's worked pretty well and I kind of wish I'd known about it sooner because I've been dealing with IBS pretty much my entire life and this would have been nice to have during other flare-ups. I also discovered that the protein powder I'd been putting in my morning smoothie is a huge gas culprit. Boo, I really liked that stuff. Oh well, guess I'll have to get my protein another way.
No appointments tomorrow which means I can run M-T-W-Th this week. Friday's almost always a rest day because I go to my mom's house after work and hang out with her and my son. Saturday and Sunday I play by ear. Sometimes I'm not feeling it, other times I want to go for a nice long run.2 -
Went back and read a bunch of the posts I missed. I usually run 100 miles in a month. I simply cannot fathom running 100 miles in one run. Simply cannot.
Wow.4 -
MNLittleFinn wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »QUESTION:
Maybe it is just cause I am fat, old and slow... but when I have to take a bunch of days OFF in a row, the first run back is like stiff and more painful. Is that normal?
Depends on how long a bunch is and the reason for the lay off.
Reason: Life comes at you fast and steals your time to run
Bunch: This case.. 3.0 -
@ddmom0811 that is cold for you
@MobyCarp great race, I always enjoy your race reports. I hope the leg is nothing serious.0 -
@SusanDSME I just knew if I didn't go today I probably wouldn't go for the next couple either and I hadn't gone the last few! I just needed to get out there. 24°F has been one of my favourite running temps since I started running a couple months ago.
Wow. I'm impressed. 38 is my favorite, but maybe I should give 24 a try!1
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