January 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

Definitely in for January. Going to try a goal of 40 miles

Hello again everyone! I’m putting myself down for 30 miles this month, because I’ll be on vacation for the first half of the month and am not sure if I’ll be able to run while I’m gone. Starting my first half marathon training plan the day I get back!
As for my running goal for 2018, it’s to train for and complete my first half marathon in April!

debrakgoogins wrote: »

What are the benefits of using the Strava application?

Strava essentially provides a central platform that is device-agnostic. I use Garmin now, but if I ever switched to another tracker, such as Suunto, I can still keep all my runs in one place. Also, if you are a data nerd, you can use the free Elevate Chrome extension to gain insight into your running performance trends (say, if you're losing fitness, then maybe it's time for some reduced mileage).

From a personal point of view, I have real-life running friends on there, and I think it's neat that we're able to ask each other about, and discuss, our runs.

So I was cruising race calendars looking for dates of races I'm interested in, and I came across an interesting race name.

For those of you who aren't familiar with upstate NY geography, the Finger Lakes are a series of long, narrow lakes that run more or less north-south. They were formed by glacial action, and on a map they kind of sort of resemble fingers.

The largest of these, both by surface area and north-south length, is Seneca Lake. It's located centrally in the Finger Lakes district. So there's a race on May 4, 2019, at Seneca Lake State Park. It's called the "Middle Finger 5K."

I'm not all that fond of the 5K distance, but that's close enough to drive and I might like to run that one just for the name. It is just a week after the USATF Masters 10K, which is 13 days after Boston, so it might not fit in well for me physically to run it hard. Check packet pickup - local to me on Thursday. Check start time . . . 6 AM. After a 1.5 hour drive, and need to get there early. Bleah. I'd need to get up at 3 AM and eat breakfast on the road.

Guess I'll have to give that one the finger.

MobyCarp wrote: »

So I was cruising race calendars looking for dates of races I'm interested in, and I came across an interesting race name.

For those of you who aren't familiar with upstate NY geography, the Finger Lakes are a series of long, narrow lakes that run more or less north-south. They were formed by glacial action, and on a map they kind of sort of resemble fingers.

The largest of these, both by surface area and north-south length, is Seneca Lake. It's located centrally in the Finger Lakes district. So there's a race on May 4, 2019, at Seneca Lake State Park. It's called the "Middle Finger 5K."

I'm not all that fond of the 5K distance, but that's close enough to drive and I might like to run that one just for the name. It is just a week after the USATF Masters 10K, which is 13 days after Boston, so it might not fit in well for me physically to run it hard. Check packet pickup - local to me on Thursday. Check start time . . . 6 AM. After a 1.5 hour drive, and need to get there early. Bleah. I'd need to get up at 3 AM and eat breakfast on the road.

Guess I'll have to give that one the finger.

@MobyCarp Personally, I think signing up for a race because you like the name is a fantastic reason. Is there a “Middle Finger” finisher t-shirt? Oh...what does the medal look like???

debrakgoogins wrote: »

What are the benefits of using the Strava application?

I once won a Strava running contest. I won a pair of free “Runderwear” (a running specific running underwear brand thing). I now enter all the contests in hopes of winning something amazing one day. I am constantly trying to win new shoes and race entries (hint, hint Strava administrators....).

You also get virtual bling in the form of digital trophies. I do like my bling....

Elise4270 wrote: »

Monthly group question number 1:

What motivates you to race? What are your payoffs?
Or why do you not race?

I'm gonna be the one to say it: racing is more fun when you have a chance to win. And because I am an older lady in a town full of mostly fat people, in many local races I have a chance of placing in my age group. If I were younger, or lived in a different town where more people ran and BBQ was not the leading sport, I would be pretty slow compared to others. And that would be sad for me because I really get a kick out of winning. Not so much winning itself, but being within striking distance of winning - close enough to make it important to consider my tactics and training. Tactics are fun! Training is fun! And while it is definitely fun to bust those PR times wide open with no one watching, or just finish a distance you never thought you could do, it's even more fun to do it against other people, with spectators. Even losing is fun, because then you learn what you should have done differently and what to do better next time.

I grew up riding horses competitively. I quickly learned that lolloping around trying to look pretty was not for me, and took up riding jumpers - a sport which is judged on going clean, and on time, not on looks. I was good at it. One of my favorite memories is winning an Open Jumper class against a professional trainer who was short-listed for the Olympic team. I was thirteen. I had a very good day for me and he had a very bad day for him, and he actually cursed out loud when he realized he had been beaten by a thirteen year old. That's one thing about competing - it's not always about who's better, it's about luck and timing and all kinds of factors. If the best person always won, there would be no need to hold a competition. The competition is about THAT DAY. I could wind up being faster than Eliud Kipchoge on a day when Kipchoge had a horrifying mishap and collapsed without finishing. I think it was @MobyCarp who recently said it's all about who shows up. You show up. You put in the work and you show up, and you see what happens. That's a thing you can't get without racing. I know, because I have done it, that I can run the lake course for the West Cancer center 5k in 28 minutes and something. But on the actual day of the race I wasn't able to do that, I ran it considerably slower. And what you didn't do on that day doesn't count. That's what the guy I beat when I was 13 had forgotten - you don't own the right to win because you can do something. You have to actually show up and do it.

Another thing about racing is that it keeps me moving forward towards a goal. I need to be ready for this certain activity on this certain date. That's not a bad thing, because running itself is the unconquerable sport - no one can be at top form all the time. I let my speed work slip when I was working towards my half marathon. I let my distances drop when I was working towards a faster 5k. Later I may let everything slide while allowing my body a recovery period so that I will be strong and fit for whatever comes next.

And, the last thing, I am an extreme introvert. I think it's fair to say that I mostly hate having to meet other people at a time to do a thing. Which makes it good that I need to do that sometimes in order to race. I enjoy doing a thing usually when I make myself do it. I enjoy laughing with people and talking to them and even standing in line with them. People are cool. But on my own I prefer avoiding them to seeking them out. Racing motivates me to get some socializing in. And then, because it's only one or two days (counting packet pickups, expos, etc.) I get to go back home and shut my door and not be around those people anymore.

My goal for January is to grt this calf healed and get running again. Slowly does it. In my ideal scenario I’m able to run the Albany Lakes 10k on the 20th. Could be a bit of a dream though...

MobyCarp wrote: »

So I was cruising race calendars looking for dates of races I'm interested in, and I came across an interesting race name.

For those of you who aren't familiar with upstate NY geography, the Finger Lakes are a series of long, narrow lakes that run more or less north-south. They were formed by glacial action, and on a map they kind of sort of resemble fingers.

The largest of these, both by surface area and north-south length, is Seneca Lake. It's located centrally in the Finger Lakes district. So there's a race on May 4, 2019, at Seneca Lake State Park. It's called the "Middle Finger 5K."

I'm not all that fond of the 5K distance, but that's close enough to drive and I might like to run that one just for the name. It is just a week after the USATF Masters 10K, which is 13 days after Boston, so it might not fit in well for me physically to run it hard. Check packet pickup - local to me on Thursday. Check start time . . . 6 AM. After a 1.5 hour drive, and need to get there early. Bleah. I'd need to get up at 3 AM and eat breakfast on the road.

Guess I'll have to give that one the finger.

I'd be tempted to register for the race and as I crossed the finish line, give the appropriate single finger salute to the cameras, in keeping with the theme of the race.

I'm going to jump in for Jan for 50 miles.

I've been hemming and hawing about signing up for a race this spring, but can't decide. I often have trouble getting myself out when it's cold, which brings me to my second goal, which is to run at least 3x a week this month.