October 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

For October, if I run every day I have planned, I will make 70 miles. Realistically... my goal is 60 with a stretch of 70.

[Food question] We'll likely host the Thanksgiving meal for my parents and brothers but there's not usually too much extra food after the fact. Except pie. There's always too much leftover pie. None of the other holidays revolve around food in our family, though there will probably be lots of candy and cookies at work. If When I overindulge, I will just get back to tracking like I am now. I didn't track (or run much) during our vacation in August and am doing both again, as I know that's what I need to do to reach my goals.

[Age question] Eh. I've never really been too concerned about my age. Wait, that's not entirely true. My biological dad committed suicide the day after his 25th birthday so that age was significant, though not quite what you were asking. It felt very strange to consider that I lived longer than he did. Now my kids are both older than 25 and it's not so strange.

[Activity question] I think I would love to try skydiving but there's no way in hell I could do it. I'm absolutely petrified by heights. Not afraid. Petrified. This year on vacation we were snorkeling and I actually went under the water for the first time with the snorkel. I'm not sure why I wasn't willing to try before, but that was fun. If we lived near the ocean, my husband and I would both try scuba. His parents were certified years ago and I think it would be great. It just doesn't seem worthwhile to go through certification for something we'd do maybe every couple years or so.

01/10 2.55 miles

Alright... I am in. My goal for october is 125 miles. I have a 12 hour race, a spartan and some 5k's in there.... Fingers crossed for a strong body and mind through it all.

Jumping in here! Goal is 100 this month! It's high 90's in Texas, still, which isn't unusual and I do most of my running in the mornings with a jogging stroller and my seventeen month old strapped inside. I'm running my first marathon in February. I started running 3 years ago. I run as much for stress relief and to maintain my sanity as well as for physical fitness and staying in shape. I go out one person and come back a calmer and happier one. I wish everyone luck and success this month! Happy October!

Side note: My weeks vary. Two weeks ago, I ran 29 miles and walked countless miles. Last week I ran 15. I think this group will be a great support/challenge for each other!

Welcome @Camaramandy648, @durhammfp, and @LoveyChar!

01-Oct 3.0 mile
02-Oct
03-Oct
04-Oct
05-Oct
06-Oct
07-Oct
08-Oct
09-Oct
10-Oct
11-Oct
12-Oct
13-Oct
14-Oct
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29-Oct
30-Oct
31-Oct

Date :::: Miles :::: Cumulative
09/01/19 :::: 4.8 :::: 4.8

Started out the month with the last speedwork before my HM races. It was 86 degrees when I left work just after 5 and it felt worse. I had to race home, change, and head back out again before I had time to think too much about not going. As soon as I got there we could see the dark clouds rolling in.

The workout was hill repeats, but first we had 15 minutes of warmup on the track. Then a 3-minute "sharpener" for those who are doing a race this weekend. Most of us not racing just continued warming up. I screwed up my watch somewhere in that 3 minutes plus the transition over to the hill, so I had to subtract out a chunk of time where I was just standing around (really drags down the pace - can't have that on my record!).

We did 30 minutes of hill repeats - halfway up, easy down, all the way up, easy down. During the warmup the wind had picked up it started to rain. Then it rained a little harder. The temps dropped at least 10 degrees. It was mostly a relief to have the heat break.

An impromptu run tonight. I was going to clean up the house but decided a run sounded better and Kody needed the exercise so we went out for a quick 4 miles after the rain rolled through.

51F today vs. 74F yesterday made a HUGE difference. My 75% quartile speed was 8:23 which is close to the pace I'd like to hit for my 10 mile race Sunday and it felt pretty good, so that's encouraging. Kody was gassed, but he loved it.

That short run was quite enjoyable and I'm going to try to do that more often instead of taking days off.

October Progress: 4/150 Miles

My coach has more confidence in my abilities than me. LOL

2.05/40-110

8.5 mile Threshold workout this morning. It was 1.5 WU, 4 miles @ 7:50/mi pace, then 5:00 recovery, then 10x100m @ 6:15/mi with :30 recoveries, then 1.5 CD.
When I first saw this workout on the schedule, it kind of scared me. But then I saw it was in October, so I thought it wouldn't be too bad since it would be nice and cool. HaHaHaHa. Joke is on me! 79F at 4am on October 2! Give me a freakin' break! But I got through it somehow.
Also, someone had the bright idea to put up their Halloween decorations already. They put a scarecrow up right next to the sidewalk. Well it worked! Running in the dark at 4am and all of a sudden seeing this human-like figure standing right next to the sidewalk as I run by made my heart jump out of my chest!!
Great way to start October

October Goal - 100 miles

October 2 – 5.18 miles

I’m ready for this heat to be over! And the humidity - which was 93% this morning. Come on Fall weather. It was so hot at bootcamp yesterday afternoon that one guy got sick and had to sit it out. Tomorrow is not looking good either with a high of 95. Maybe they will turn on the sprinklers.

What is your approach to the upcoming holidays and abundance of food? How will it affect or effect your training or goals? I usually run early Thanksgiving morning with some friends and a local group also has a Christmas morning group run that I like to do also. It rushes me to do them, get back home, shower, food prep and travel to my aunt’s for lunch but it makes me feel better to off-set the extra calories a little anyway. Office treats can be abundant but I try to visualize other people’s nasty fingers picking the treat up and putting it back before I get there. Works some of the time!

How old are you? Not chronologically. Is there an age where you knew who you wanted to be and have found that you’ve held tight to it, or perhaps comeback to it years later? What things have always interested you? This is a tough question for me also. I sometimes forget that I’m 54. When younger that number sounded ancient but I don’t feel ancient. The age numbers never have bothered me. It’s just that – a number. I don’t let it define who I am. I’m not sure I have ever known what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was one of the go-with-the flow kids. I wish I was more goal-oriented but that’s just not me.

What one sport or physical activity have you always wanted to try but haven't yet? Why haven't you tried? I would love to learn to tap dance. I think it would be a great form of exercise but still fun because music is involved. I haven’t tried it because there is not place around me that offers lessons. I tried SUP for the first time this summer on one of our local lakes. I started in a cove where the water was very calm and eventually made it out of the cove onto the lake where an occasional boater would make it a little more challenging. It was a lot of fun.