January 2019 Monthly Running Challenge
Options
Replies
-
It's been a week since I checked in and wow this group moves fast! Last week my schedule was
Monday: Cross training (lifting)
Tuesday: Speed training on treadmill, 35 minutes
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 6k run, 44 minutes
Friday: Cross training (lifting)
Saturday: Parkrun (31:56!!!)
Sunday: Fartlek on treadmill, 30 minutes
I am so happy with my Parkrun time. This is my best time since May! I feel like working on my speed is really paying off already. I've decided to stick to the treadmill for my speed runs for now just while I get used to what it feels like to run at certain speeds as I'm still a bit clueless in that regard. I'll switch to outside again when the splits get longer but checking my watch every minute is just too distracting for me.13 -
Houston Marathon 2019 Race Report
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....
Sorry to be so dramatic, but being my first full marathon, it was pretty epic.
About a week before, my wife says we should rent a car to drive down to Houston, because both our cars are quite old and held together with duct tape and chewing gum, and she didn't really feel safe driving 4 hours each way in either of them.
So there is that extra expense. We drive down and pick up my son in College Station on the way, and then head over to the expo to pick up bib and packet. Traffic and parking are crazy in downtown Houston, so I park at the curb of the convention center, and hop out and my wife says she will just stay there and wait for us.
The convention center is huge, and it takes a long time to get packet, then have to go into expo and go the very back to get T-shirt (they give out nice t-shirts for everyone, then a finisher technical shirt at the finish). So rush through to get back to the car. Get back in the car and realize I don’t have my glasses. I know I had them after packet pickup and going to the expo because I put them in my pocket after getting bib. So run back and retrace my steps until I hit the expo, but never saw them. More $$$$.
From there we go to the hotel and check in. That actually worked out well. They said since we booked it through the marathon, check-out was already set for 2pm. Well, that’s nice! But why couldn’t someone have mentioned that during any one of the numerous requests for late checkout?
Drive back to my daughters house outside of Houston, have a nice dinner, then drive back to hotel for an earlier bedtime. Don’t know why, because I never sleep well in a hotel, and then add marathon anxiety to that, and you get zero sleep. I seriously never remember falling asleep.
Get out of bed at 4:45. Eat, get dressed, put in hand-warmer in gloves and shoes and walk a mile to the convention center to check gear and meet my niece for pre-race hugs. They announce Coral A will be closing in 30 minutes, so head out. It is a fairly long walk, and know I need to use a port-a-potty and warm up some. Get to the start of the Corals, and they announce there are no port-a-potties in the corals this year! All are outside the gates. So try to find the shortest line, and after a few minutes, the line next to mine said “Uh, this is the line. That isn’t a line.” WTF?? So run over to another line and wait….
Finally get in the coral with a minute to spare. Find the 4:00 pace group and warm up a little. Shed some clothes, but forgot to take out the hand-warmers in my shoes. I realized that as we were jogging to the starting line, and they were slowly creeping down to the end of my toes. I figured I would stop at some point soon and take them out, but didn’t want to lose the pace group. So just ignored it for now.
First few miles were very cold and windy, but as the sun rose, the wind died down considerably. It started out at about 30F with a wind chill of 18F. But Garmin says over the entire run the temp averaged 32F. That is much colder than I normally run, but felt pretty good, except for Raynaud's on my fingers and toes.
My brother was nice enough to lag back with me for the first 8 miles before the HM split, and we stayed with the 4:00 pace group. I stuck with my plan to take ½ a GU every other aid station, and that worked out rather well. Energy level stayed pretty even. Saw family in the crowd at the split and that picked me up. But then I was on my own as my brother peeled off to finish his HM. Was still feeling good when saw family again at 17, but soon after I started to feel like my feet were being abused. My pace fell off a few seconds each mile after that. Around mile 19 I succumbed to the fact I wasn’t going to break 4:00, and waved goodbye to the pacer. For the first time in the race, I walked at the water station at mile 21 for about 30 seconds, then again at 23 and 25. After 25 I knew I would finish, and picked up the pace back to around 9:00/mi. Saw family at the finish line and almost cried. Finished at 4:09:03. That was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I bow down to all of you one-time and multi-marathoner. I knew it was going to be hard, but I really didn’t think it would be that exhausting. And all you ultra-marathoners…you are just insane .
I was also think about @keeprunningfatboy and knowing I was running in his memory. That also kept me going, knowing he would finish and be able to cross Texas off his list of states running a marathon. You are still and inspiration to many of us!
Thank you all for your support! I was running with all your thoughts and prayers as well. They really meant a lot!
@RunsOnEspresso Great job finishing that tough HM. That shows how strong you are!
@rheddmobile Nice race report! Sounded like a cold race, but very well managed!
@louubelle16 contgrats on a PR for your HM!!
35 -
PastorVincent wrote: »
I suspect that UA and Nike are very similar, I just used to get better deals on UA stuff, but I no longer have access to those deals so need a new way to save some cash
Their web site has lots of errors on it, like this one:
And bigger with more details that clearly show the "t-shirt" is labeled "warm"
I am NOT running outside in 59 Celius, with any pullover on that is for sure.
So that is making it hard to shop!
UGH! I would say (unless they don't make their own stuff over there) they are better at making running gear than they are at making websites in 'merican. At the moment when I run, they only things not bought from Decathlon are my leggings (purely because I already owned long leggings that work to run in, my summer shorts did come from them!) and my shoes. And the only bit of me that gets cold is my fingers cause I haven't splashed out on gloves yet.
0 -
Nuun/electrolytes - I like Nuun quite a bit but I don't use it or any other electrolytes any longer, unless they happen to be in whatever I'm drinking. On training runs under 20 miles I'm just drinking water. Over that I'll use something with carbs such as Tailwind so I do get electrolytes there. I've just found that I just don't feel I need them. Many studies have shown that muscle cramps are not associated with low electrolytes, and as I recall, the concentration of electrolytes lost in sweat is actually lower than the concentration in your bloodstream. I'll have to find those studies and articles.
HM and Full race days - A quick survey of Minnesota full marathons shows 9 on Saturdays, 6 on Sundays. For HM it's 48 on Saturdays and 10 on Sundays. In Minnesota, at least, Saturday is the favored day for long races. @amymoreorless I looked for Texas and Saturday is favored in Texas too, but it's more even than here. If you take the links above and in the URL change "mn" to "tx" you'll find the texas full and half marathons for the two days. Then you can play around with the filters at the top and get lost down a rabbit hole and end up registering for a few more races. That may or may not have happened to me before...
Eclipse - I thought the times I had were for the start to finish, but it turns out it was the time of full eclipse. Thankfully I went out a half hour early and got to see the moon about half covered. I then went out every 5 minutes or so, well into full eclipse. I did get some photos but haven't looked at them yet. @amymoreorless I'm glad you got out to run in it. I thought about it but with the long run earlier in the day I elected to just step out from time to time.
@Avidkeo those photos of your kids are priceless!
@louubelle16 a PB on tired legs? NICE!!!
@MegaMooseEsq sorry those mitts didn't work out for you. I love mine. I have weird hands in that they fluctuate back and forth from numb to sweaty during a run and having the easy temperature regulation they provide works great for me. Great job getting out there in the cold! I'm sure your keeping a close eye on the forecast for Saturday. That race of yours could be even colder! That's a race I had intended to run every year but this will be the second year in a row I'll miss it due to injury. I'm not injured now, but if I can't race it, I'm not going to spend the money, even if the swag is fantastic for the race. Next year!
@kristinegift Thumbs up for a great long run!
@Butterchop Nice work, getting out in the suck!
@AlphaHowls those comments are pretty funny!
@scott6255 a 4:09 in gale force winds? That's tough, but great running! A headwind can really hamper a run by quite a bit. The sucky thing is, a tailwind really doesn't help a runner. Looking forward to the full report!
@greyparks206 everyone has miserable runs from time to time. You did great to get through it and get it behind you.
@shanaber so glad to hear they got the cancer out! That event is pretty cool. The lure must be remotely controlled? It looks like they let him catch it right there at the end. Love it!
@katharmonic I'm jealous of your snow! We're supposed to get 6 to 8 inches, starting tonight. I'm going to try to get up early tomorrow so I can run in the best of it.
@sarahthes I can feel the bite of the wind on my face just looking at those photos. You are tough!
@RunsOnEspresso Ugh!! Sorry to hear about that tough race. You showed your character by pushing through it and getting it done though. Nice job!
@rheddmobile Great report! I was able to imagine the entire race in my head reading through that. An your own private heated bathroom!!! wow! I thought I learned a good trick last fall when I stopped at a small park near the race start to use the portapotty but your trick is a much better trick. Home court advantage indeed. Sweet finish too! When I did my first 50K, it was an out and back on mostly single track. It was great to see the leaders coming back the other way but yeah...passing on single track can be treacherous. The convention, at least around here, is that you step off for those ahead of you coming back on the return, which i did, but many behind me must not have known about it and there were some interesting moments.
@mbaker566 looks like a great post-race meal. And I know that dirty look all too well.
@workaholic_nurse "according to your training calendar you will be..." LOL!!!! They got you! That sounds like a fun event. Those are commonly called fatass runs...a well organized long run but no cost and shy of being an actual race.
@HonuNui beautiful shots.
@jesspen91 great parkrun!
8 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »louubelle16 wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »@noblsheep @louubelle16 @girlinahat @eleanorhawkins @rheddmobile and anyone else I missed...
Thanks for the notes on Decathlon! I fully agree UA is overpriced, but its options are slim to compete with it around these parts. I am looking for a mid layer to go over my UA Cold Gear compression shirt for days like today when the thermometer registers 2F (-17C). I have a great top layer, my North Face Windwall (talk about pricey!!) but need a good midlayer.
Can you recommend something form their line? I really need it to wick. That is the problem with my current 1/4 zip that I used to use. It does not wick, so I get chaffing bad.
Thanks!
Having never run in anything colder than -3C courtesy of the UK climate, I wouldn’t know what to recommend on that front, sorry! However, I do know that everything I’ve bought from their running-specific range (note not their more general fitness/gym range which, as seems industry-standard these days, is more about fashion than practicality) is as good at wicking as any of my Nike tops. I have lots of Nike tops to compare, I live 4 miles from a Nike factory outlet, (my poor bank balance ) but I couldn’t tell you how they compare to UA, as I only wear their sports bras.
I suspect that UA and Nike are very similar, I just used to get better deals on UA stuff, but I no longer have access to those deals so need a new way to save some cash
Their web site has lots of errors on it, like this one:
And bigger with more details that clearly show the "t-shirt" is labeled "warm"
I am NOT running outside in 59 Celius, with any pullover on that is for sure.
So that is making it hard to shop!
Well, I love a good deal and have been wanting to pick up some more winter peripherals, so I took one for the team and will report back in 3-7 days.
Thanks!
I just hope you do not have to wait for it to be 59C to test it.1 -
eleanorhawkins wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »
I suspect that UA and Nike are very similar, I just used to get better deals on UA stuff, but I no longer have access to those deals so need a new way to save some cash
Their web site has lots of errors on it, like this one:
And bigger with more details that clearly show the "t-shirt" is labeled "warm"
I am NOT running outside in 59 Celius, with any pullover on that is for sure.
So that is making it hard to shop!
UGH! I would say (unless they don't make their own stuff over there) they are better at making running gear than they are at making websites in 'merican. At the moment when I run, they only things not bought from Decathlon are my leggings (purely because I already owned long leggings that work to run in, my summer shorts did come from them!) and my shoes. And the only bit of me that gets cold is my fingers cause I haven't splashed out on gloves yet.
I sent them an email asking where they are based that they wear pullovers in 59C so that I know to stay far away. (Not really, but I did point out the error and asked for more information)
2 -
Well done @Scott6255 - you had a plan and executed it well despite some "road bumps" along the way!2
-
@Scott6255 You did a fantastic job running that marathon. I don't think anything can truly prepare you for your first, particularly for the muscle fatigue in the last few miles, but you handled it very well. Now that you know what to expect, and learned a bunch, you'll be able to do even better next time. Our marathon times are within a minute of each other. And our realization of a 4:00 finish slipping away was the same. So when is your next marathon?9
-
There were lots of great races this weekend!
Congrats to @RunsOnEspresso , @rheddmobile , @louubelle16, @mbaker566 and @scott6255! I enjoyed reading all of your race reports! I'm sure I missed someone in there so if you raced this weekend congrats to you too!
@shanaber I loved the video of Hobbes! He looks like he's having a great time. And @7lenny7 awesome ice beards! I always love to see Kody's ice beard photos. Or really just any photos of Kody.
@Avidkeo I weigh daily. I find that it is really helpful for recognizing patterns. There are certain foods that always cause water retention for me. Lots of women have water fluctuations relating to their cycles whether it is during menstruation or ovulation or both lol, and like others have mentioned DOMS usually comes with some water retention. If weighing daily messes with your head then it might be best to weight once a week, but I find weighing daily and using a trending app makes it easier to see what is really happening than just weighing once a week. If your one weigh in happens to be on a day with a high fluctuation it can make you feel really bad when you are really right on track.
@debrakgoogins My nose runs a lot when it is cold. I started carrying a handkerchief. I used to think that handkerchiefs were only for old men, but they are really awesome. They don't fall apart when they get wet like a paper tissue. I carry one on all of my runs. In the summer they are good for wiping sweat off my face and in the winter they are good for wiping my nose. I still have not perfected the art of the snot rocket, and honestly for me it is just the dripping that bothers me.3 -
@7lenny7: My hands fluctuate while running but higher on the temperature spectrum - I would definitely see the benefit of the muffs if I was needing to wear two pairs at once but even on these last couple of runs, gloves in sleeves worked fine and was easier to manage.
Right now it's looking like an overnight low of -9, daytime high of 5 for the race next weekend, brrr! The 10K starts at 9:15 so I'd bet something in the middle. Mainly I'm hoping for sun and low wind. I've never run along that part of the river - I've got to think the wind is going to be a factor no matter what.PastorVincent wrote: »Thanks!
I just hope you do not have to wait for it to be 59C to test it.
I won't hold my breath!
On the couch with what feels like the beginning of a cold today. I'm planning on skipping the gym today and tomorrow and taking it easy so hopefully I can be back up to snuff by the end of the week. Fingers crossed!
Congratulations @Scott6255!8 -
@Scott6255 Congratulations! Awesome race report!2
-
almostsuperpowered wrote: »-37C with a warning that 1 minute exposure = frostbite, so I am thinking treadmill today
Still stiff from the Saturday volleyball tournament, so I will be sure to warm up slow and smart-like. I have 40 km to put in before the end of the month so am going to try to run more than 5km, but also not take a overly long lunch hour to do it.
20/60 km
Update: Team, I forgot my running tights so I just went ahead and ran on the treadmill in my thermal long underwear. Not only was it super flattering at the time, I will be fuchsia until 2 PM. I put in slightly more "distance" -- 6 km.
26 km of 60km goal11 -
I love reading everyone’s race reports! All of you who raced this weekend ROCK! You all pushed through, even when it was tough.
@HonuNui Great eclipse photos! I did stay up for it, but I was too tired to set up the tripod and camera (I fell asleep earlier and happened to wake up to see it - oops!), so my pics didn’t turn out as good.
Three miles this morning. It was 33F, and considering that it doesn’t get that cold here often and I don’t have to dress for it( I mean, it was 70 here on Saturday), I overlayered and got warm. I shed my gloves and pushed up my sleeves about halfway through. I am really uncertain of how to dress for my trail race in two weeks. It will probably be in the 30s, but I’ll be in the woods without the direct sun, so I don’t know how warm I’ll get.
1/1: 3
1/3: 2
1/5: 1.5
1/10: 3
1/11: 3
1/12: 3
1/13: 4
1/18: 2.25
1/19: 3.15
1/20: 4.1
1/21: 3
31/40 miles6 -
-
PastorVincent wrote: »eleanorhawkins wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »
I suspect that UA and Nike are very similar, I just used to get better deals on UA stuff, but I no longer have access to those deals so need a new way to save some cash
Their web site has lots of errors on it, like this one:
And bigger with more details that clearly show the "t-shirt" is labeled "warm"
I am NOT running outside in 59 Celius, with any pullover on that is for sure.
So that is making it hard to shop!
UGH! I would say (unless they don't make their own stuff over there) they are better at making running gear than they are at making websites in 'merican. At the moment when I run, they only things not bought from Decathlon are my leggings (purely because I already owned long leggings that work to run in, my summer shorts did come from them!) and my shoes. And the only bit of me that gets cold is my fingers cause I haven't splashed out on gloves yet.
I sent them an email asking where they are based that they wear pullovers in 59C so that I know to stay far away. (Not really, but I did point out the error and asked for more information)
LOL I sooooo would have really done that! Having worked as a newspaper editor for a while, I am a terrible nit-picker and often upset people but suggesting corrections to their websites. Stupidly though, my fingers are dyslexic so I'm also forever correcting my own typing, hence the endless edits of my own posts on here, d'oh.5 -
RunsOnEspresso wrote: »Medals from this weekend
Excellent bling!1 -
Thank you Shanabar. The cramp has really ruined my challenge, as it came back pretty much immediately the next time I ran. I am now down a few days, as my calf is still stiff. I am thinking that perhaps it was a muscle pull rather than a cramp....1
-
eleanorhawkins wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »eleanorhawkins wrote: »PastorVincent wrote: »
I suspect that UA and Nike are very similar, I just used to get better deals on UA stuff, but I no longer have access to those deals so need a new way to save some cash
Their web site has lots of errors on it, like this one:
And bigger with more details that clearly show the "t-shirt" is labeled "warm"
I am NOT running outside in 59 Celius, with any pullover on that is for sure.
So that is making it hard to shop!
UGH! I would say (unless they don't make their own stuff over there) they are better at making running gear than they are at making websites in 'merican. At the moment when I run, they only things not bought from Decathlon are my leggings (purely because I already owned long leggings that work to run in, my summer shorts did come from them!) and my shoes. And the only bit of me that gets cold is my fingers cause I haven't splashed out on gloves yet.
I sent them an email asking where they are based that they wear pullovers in 59C so that I know to stay far away. (Not really, but I did point out the error and asked for more information)
LOL I sooooo would have really done that! Having worked as a newspaper editor for a while, I am a terrible nit-picker and often upset people but suggesting corrections to their websites. Stupidly though, my fingers are dyslexic so I'm also forever correcting my own typing, hence the endless edits of my own posts on here, d'oh.
This is what I actually sent:Body:
Hi, I am trying to shop your store, and having trouble figuring out what will work due to what appears to be errors in your clothing description. For example, this pullover is listed as a "T-Shirt" and states it is good for running in "41C to 59C" degrees.
https://www.decathlon.com/collections/mens-running-long-sleeves-and-pullovers/products/mens-running-warm-light-long-sleeve
I am not sure where you are based that it reaches 59C but I highly doubt anyone would wear a pullover in those conditions unless it was packed with ice. Is there someone that can help me find the right products? A live chat, or email address since I can not trust your website? Thanks!
I was trying to be light and polite. Hopefully, it translates well to whoever answers their emails.
0 -
@Scott6255 - Congratulations!! You did it! Whoohoo!!
@RunsOnEspresso - I'm sorry your race didn't go as planned but you finished and hopefully learned some that will help you in the next race?
@rheddmobile - that 5k trail race sounds crazy! Congratulations on your AG place!
@Elise4270 - Thanks for asking. The tumor was removed with clean margins but this type of cancer tends to come back and can pop up anywhere. We had him in last week actually to have some new areas checked and what they could test came back negative and the others are suspicious but too small to test so we are tracking them.
@skippygirlsmom - they have a minimum amount of time to complete the course, 2 mins I think for his distance. It was not a problem I don't think for any of the dogs who mostly stayed on course. Hobbes had no issue
@quilteryoyo - Vizslas are very fast, usually listed in the top 3 or 4 dogs for speed. They can run somewhere around 40 mph and while greyhounds are much faster Vizslas typically have more endurance. We have another event in a couple of weeks where he will run a timed 100 yard dash and they get points based on their speed. I think it will be fun and interesting to see just how fast he will go.
No visible eclipse here tonight either, too many clouds.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 397 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 975 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions