January 2018 Running Challenge

1/1 - 5.0 km
1/2 - 5.1 km
1/3 - strength + walk
1/4 - 5.7 km
1/5 - walk
1/6 - 8.1 km
1/7 - rest
1/8 - strength plus core
1/9 - 5.8 km

29.7/80 km

I did not brave the cold. Braved the gym instead, which was of course packed. I might try to get there before work on Thursday instead of after.

Upcoming Races:
1/1/18 Resolution Run 5K ~38:00 (no official times)
3/4/18 MEC Road Race #1 10K
4/7/18 Jasper Half Marathon
4/22/18 MEC Trail Race #1 5K
5/20/18 MEC Trail Race #2 10K
6/24/18 MEC Trail Race #3 15K
8/18/18 Edmonton Marathon 10K
9/2/18 MEC Trail Race #4 10K
10/7/18 MEC Trail Race #5 15K

Back at it! We ran a new paved trail today, the Germantown Greenway. There's a 5k here on the 20th and we wanted to see what the course was like. It's very pretty back along the river - we saw a Downy Woodpecker and some bluebirds. We keep shaving seconds off our 5k time, today was 33 minutes 6 seconds. But the best thing about today's run was it's starting to feel like 5k ain't no thang.

Then, after running perfectly fine and feeling great, I did some foam rolling and yoga and put my stupid knee out! Hoping it feels okay to run on in a couple of days. This is the knee with no ACL - it just does whatever it wants to do, some days deadlifting or running is fine, some days it goes out when I'm getting out of bed in the morning. I wear a brace on it to run, but then it surprises me by doing something stupid at the time you'd least expect it.

Jan 9: 5k

January goal: 75 miles

1/3 - 4.4 miles
1/4 - 4.1 miles
1/5 - 4.1 miles
1/7 - 9.1 miles
1/9 - 4.3 miles


26/75 miles completed

Today was a perfect day for me for a run. 74°F and mostly sunny. A little windy, but nice. It should be good again tomorrow but then the cold weather will be back. Hopefully I can wear shorts and a tank top again tomorrow. Trying to figure out what to wear when it is cold is so hard for me. I 'm already looking forward to tomorrow's run.

@kat_ontherun Congrats on the distance PR!

@rheddmobile Hope the knee is better soon!

January Goal....do something

1/1 gobsmacked
1/2 3.35
1/3 3.20
1/4 couldn't
1/5 3.27
1/6 2.50
1/7 wouldn't
1/8 3.58
1/9 4.16

Total 20.06



Ticker is my goal for 2017 and progress to date:




Upcoming races:
Phoenix Women's 10k 1/28/18

Tonight almost took a turn for the absolute worst. Kody and I came very close to being seriously hurt or even killed. It all happened so quick that by the time I realized we were in harms way, we were already out of harms way.

I debated whether I was going to say anything here because it was completely my fault and I'm embarrassed about it but perhaps it will help remind others to be smart out there.

My son had soccer practice tonight and I planned on taking him there and running for the hour. As usual for my runs after sunset I had my headlamp, flashing arm light, and my highly reflective vest. Kody had blue and red flashing lights on his collar. The parking lot entrance was busy with parents coming and going with their kids. The front car in the line of cars leaving the lot was over the crosswalk so i decided to go behind him. I quickly turned my headlamp into the second car to get his attention, got eye contact and even a wave so I knew I was good to go. As I walked in front of him I realized I knew who it was and gave him another wave and a smile. That was the distraction which almost did me in. I thought I saw recognition in his eyes and him pointing to me as if to say, "hey, I know you!".

No, it wasn't the look of recognition, it was the anxious look of impending disaster, and he wasn't pointing to me he was pointing at the minivan which was about to hit me.

The bit of distraction made me forget all about looking for incoming traffic to the facility. I crossed in front of one car, recognized the driver, and never looked to my right for cars entering the lot. What a dumbass. A lucky dumbass.

I can't say I remember everything, it happened so quick, but what I do recall is that after giving the guy the second wave, I turned to continue to run. By this time I was past my friends car and entering the incoming lane. As I turned my head I either saw, sensed, or felt a large mass by my face. I stopped my feet so fast my upper body continued to move forward and I instinctively put my hands up to guard my face from hitting this large object, which I was just now realizing was a minivan.

I put my hands up as my upper body continued to move forward. Both hands hit the side of the van, just behind the drivers door I think. As I pushed against it to keep my body from falling into it, I could feel the metal body of the van sliding forward under my hands. Though in my conscious mind I still hadn't figured out what was going on, my subconscious mind was hoping my gloves didn't catch on anything, was cringing in anticipation of my toes getting run over, and wondering where the hell Kody was.

When my hands reached the end of the van I continued to fall forward but was able to catch myself in a crazy stumble. This was about the time I finally realized what was going on. I glanced down to see Kody was just fine and running a step behind me, as he always does when we run in town. I'm so grateful Kody is trained to run at a heel.

With momentum still carrying me forward and the realization that we were unscathed, I just kept going. It took me about 5 minutes to process in my mind what had just happened, and what could have happened. Such a close call.

I feel bad for scaring the driver of the van, They did nothing wrong, it was all my fault. And I hope my friend didn't recognize me with my running gear on and beard covering my face because I really don't to talk about what a dumbshit I was.

I finished with just over 5 miles for the run. Much of the run was spent in prayer, thanking God for watching over me. I also spent the time thinking how this would never have happened if i were on a trail.

One bit of good news is that there was absolutely NO pain, discomfort, or anything in my knee! My knee hasn't felt this good after a run since before the IT band issue surfaced, so I'm very happy about that.

So be careful out there and learn from my stupidity. It only takes a little distraction to take your mind off safety.

I can't keep up with you today! I do usually read everything every day, but I can't today.

Just got time to post pics from my awesome run this morning.

01 Jan – 5 km parkrun 28:08
02 Jan – 21.2 km half marathon 2:12:33
04 Jan – 6.7 km
06 Jan – 5 km parkrun 29:09 so freaking warm!!
07 Jan – 18 km
10 Jan – 13.1 km

Jan goal: 170 km
Jan total: 69 km



Love this Redgum.




I saw a big kangaroo!

@Ryokat

Generally running against traffic is the norm if running on the road.

I second the need for a headlamp rather than just hi-vis. Hi-vis only works if the cars lights are trained on you, and they need to be remarkably close to see you. I’ve come across runners on a country lane on the way home from work, and it can be very difficult to work out where they are or what they are – I’ve had one occasion where the split second of realising there are people on my side of the road running towards me, has almost caused me to swerve into oncoming traffic, so flashing lights are even better to give drivers a chance to figure out well in advance what you are on the road. (as an aside, please can ALL drivers indicate when they are moving across into the centre of the road to overtake, as it really helps to not freak out the oncoming car who doesn’t actually know they are overtaking?)

@7lenny7 there is a certain element of blame to the van also. If he was passing into the facility and the route was not clear, then he shouldn’t have continued – hitting pedestrians is just not cool – over here I frequently struggle to explain to drivers that if they are turning from a major road into a minor road, and I am already crossing that minor road as a pedestrian then I do actually have RIGHT OF WAY