January 2020 Monthly Running Challenge
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@eleanorhawkins Glad you had a good run. I had to laugh at the cop asking if you knew it was raining. I would have probably said something smartarsy. You showed great restraint.
@katharmonic Glad you had a good long run. The conditions weren't ideal, but you got it done. I would have probably baled and did a treadmill run. I'm such a wimp.
@emmamcgarity Yeah! Glad you got to enjoy a nice park run with friends. You are doing great sticking to your rehab plan and it seems to be working.3 -
I was proud of myself on Thursday of this week. I worked at one of my part time jobs until about 3pm and then had a mandatory training for the daycare that night - at 6 pm. I also had some errands to run. I had decided to take my running gear with me, and, if I had time, get in a run before the training. I did have about 1.5 hours of "down time", so I went into the daycare to change clothes for the run. They asked me if I could work. I told them I had just come in the change. They really needed me to help in one of the classrooms for a while, so I told them I would for 45 minutes, but that was all, because I really wanted to get the run in. In times past, I would have just went ahead and worked for the 1.5 hours, and blew off the run. I may actually be beginning to like this running thing.
Anyway, I got to run downtown in a fairly flat area. I had hoped my pace would be much improved over the last time I ran there, but it was about the same or a little slower. However, I didn't really push it and the run felt good. I did 3 miles at a 12:12 pace.
Then, on Friday, I went to the doctor for my scheduled 6 month check up. There was a medical student there, shadowing my doctor. I told them that I had signed up for the HM and they were impressed and excited for me. They said that they had just watched a video about aging and how to prevent/delay a lot of the problems it brings. The main point was to keep moving, "like you are." I had a bone density test done earlier and the results showed that I am above average in bone density for my age. Also, my blood pressure was really good again, so I asked about getting off of my HBP pill. He agreed to cut the dosage in half and see how I do with that. Finally, my heart rate had been on the low side, so I had worn a holter monitor for 24 hours. It showed that my HR had dropped to 43 at one point and was 52 for a couple of hours. I didn't have any symptoms of feeling bad or anything, so he wrote in his notes. "She is a runner. I believe this HR is a sign of a healthy heart." So, back to the discussion of who is a runner (I think that was on this thread), I guess if your doctor calls you one, you are one. So, long story short is that running is good for you. Even if you don't start until you're older than dirt.
Today was my long run for the week. Being the wimp I am, I opted for a treadmill run instead of going out in 35°F temperatures. I went at an easy pace, 12:15/mile. My legs felt fine, but I had a hard time breathing for some reason. Still, it felt good, especially when I was done. With the warm up and cool down walks, I did 6 miles.
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@quilteryoyo Congratulations on getting great health results! It's such a great feeling, like "Hey, what I'm doing is working!" I have two close, personal obese friends that are quick to take a pill for any and all ailments and I'm always inviting them out for a run, a walk, a swim and they always decline. The second I ask them over for a meal, you can guarantee they'll show up. Unfortunately not everyone gets it. So many problems... physical, mental, emotional could be alleviated with exercise and better nutrition.2
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6.4 miles today, first time this week I got out to run by myself in the daylight. I do what I can when I can, but I don't like running when it's dark. Morning runs on the weekend are so freeing for me and this was by far the best run I've had all week.4
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Good news on your results @quilteryoyo
So I got everything ready, water bottle, gel, jelly bellys, did my warm up, stretched, walked the first mile, started to run and my back decided it still wasn't ready for it. Still a nice morning for a brisk walk in the clean air.
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@quilteryoyo great doctor visit!
@eleanorhawkins I squeeze as much air out of the hydration pack bladder as I can when I close it, then lay it flat and push the air bubble over where the tube goes in and suck the air out. l also make sure I'm wearing it snugly so it doesn't have as much room to move around.2 -
@quilteryoyo My HR is in the 40s too. That is definitely a sign of a more athletic heart. Since most people, most by far, are not nearly as active as you and docs go by averages on the charts we both look bad. Gald your doc had enough sense to think around this one. I have heard of runners being prescribed meds (which they did not take) for this.polskagirl01 wrote: »@eleanorhawkins I squeeze as much air out of the hydration pack bladder as I can when I close it, then lay it flat and push the air bubble over where the tube goes in and suck the air out. l also make sure I'm wearing it snugly so it doesn't have as much room to move around.
Odd. I do not seem to have this problem. I fill my bladder to the max each time, often a bit more, and then just close it as normal. Not sure what y'all mean by sloshing? When I am done the bladder is quite flat and empty with no extra air.
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@quilteryoyo wooo hooo on the good Drs visit. I know my HR is usually around the mid - High 50s, down from the low 80s it was before I started running. I like that philosophy - keep moving like you are. When I think about my long term (30-40 year goals) I want to be like an old GP friend of mine, who was in her 70s and still running half marathons. THATS my ultimate running goal.
@eleanorhawkins I lay my pack flat and try have the water level at the same level at the "plug" when I close it. Not perfect but gets rid of a lot of air. I agree on the sloshing. It's annoying.
As far as packs go, I got a cheap no name brand from wish.com. It cost me like $15usd. Had it for 1.5 years now and I LOVE it. I've had to replace the bladder but the pack is in perfect condition. I got a cheap bladder this time, but next time I get a better one.
As for me, I did 2.6k run this morning. Not much as I feel like im coming down with something. Oh and I got ANOTHER pair of shoes. Last gasp of all the sales, so I've got some kayano 26s. Now have 3 pairs of shoes to rotate through! Happy runner!
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Jan - goal 140k
Jan 1 - 2.1k
Jan 2 - 3k
Jan 3 - 6k
Jan 4 - 3k
Jan 5 - 9k
Jan 6 - 6.3k
Jan 7 - 2.3k
Jan 8 - 8.3k
Jan 9 - 3k
Jan 10 - 7k
Jan 11 - 4k
Jan 12 - 2k
Jan 13 - 5.5k
Jan 14 - 3k
Jan 15 - 7.6k
Jan 16 - 3k
Jan 17 - 4.5k
Jan 18 - 7.2k
Jan 19 - 3.4k
Jan 20 - 2k
Jan 21 - 5.2k
Jan 22 - 9.0k
Jan 23 - 3.7k
Jan 24 - 3.4k
Jan 25 - 6.6k
Jan 26 - 2.6k
Total: 122.8k
Run streak - 37 days8 -
So getting sick got me out of sync on my "PasterVincent Runs a Marathon" training update. So as a reminder I hired a coach who thinks she can get me a BQ (Boston Qualifying Run, way faster than I currently can run) so for my first week back from sickness here was the plan:
Monday:
PLAN: 1-4-4-1 Run
Actual: 1-4-4-2 (I turned around too late lol)
Tuesday:
PLAN: Rest Day
Actual: Rest Day
Wednesday:
Plan: Easy 10 miles
Actual: Easy 10 miles
Thursday:
Plan: Easy four miles
Actual: 5 miles on dreadmill at 5% grade
Friday:
Plan: Rest Day
Actual: Rest Day
Saturday:
Plan: Easy 14 miles
Actual: Easy 14 miles
So I did pretty well staying on plan this week, though I am supposed to do "light stretching" on rest days and have not. So we can just ignore that. Talking it over with coach we did not reset the plan at all with me being sick, so this is exactly where I would be in the plan had I not missed two weeks.
Not mentioned in there is the heated competition between my son and me in Beat Saber. Pretty much every day was an hour of cardio doing that in addition to the running. I am still beating him, but man, it is getting harder and harder to be the old man that beats the kid in all things. He really gaining on me!12 -
quilteryoyo wrote: »Then, on Friday, I went to the doctor for my scheduled 6 month check up. There was a medical student there, shadowing my doctor. I told them that I had signed up for the HM and they were impressed and excited for me. They said that they had just watched a video about aging and how to prevent/delay a lot of the problems it brings. The main point was to keep moving, "like you are." I had a bone density test done earlier and the results showed that I am above average in bone density for my age. Also, my blood pressure was really good again, so I asked about getting off of my HBP pill. He agreed to cut the dosage in half and see how I do with that. Finally, my heart rate had been on the low side, so I had worn a holter monitor for 24 hours. It showed that my HR had dropped to 43 at one point and was 52 for a couple of hours. I didn't have any symptoms of feeling bad or anything, so he wrote in his notes. "She is a runner. I believe this HR is a sign of a healthy heart." So, back to the discussion of who is a runner (I think that was on this thread), I guess if your doctor calls you one, you are one. So, long story short is that running is good for you. Even if you don't start until you're older than dirt.
This is awesome!!!1 -
Today I ran the Hot Chocolate 10K in Asheville, NC. I and 5 other running buddies loaded up in a minivan at 6:30 and made the trip over the mountain arriving around 7:30. Because we were so early, we were able to snag a parking space in a lot not too far from the starting point. We picked up our “packet” which consisted of a bib and a pair of cotton gloves. Hot Chocolate merchandise (shirts, beanies, etc.) were sold separately but I didn’t buy any. The race started at a local elementary school. Athough some port-a-potties were set up outside we were able to use the school facilities. The school coordinates the event and gets the proceeds from it. The volunteers on the course and off were super. I always try to thank the police that are stopping traffic and the volunteers and they always said “no – thank you for coming out and running. We appreciate you.” I think this made the 13th year they have been sponsoring the races and the announcer said they had made over $300,000 for the school.
It was a sunny morning and the temp was 35F but the wind was blowing causing the real feel to be 27F. The course – it was mostly on a downhill grade for the first mile and then ran flat along the river before crossing a bridge over the river and into a park. We looped out of the park and back across the bridge and down the road by the river. The road was not closed to traffic but there were few cars and all of them were going slowly and very courteous. I knew the last mile would be mostly uphill. However, they took us in the back entrance of the school on the return and it was even more steep than the front where the race started! I’m really not a fan of uphill finishes, but a finish is a finish and I’ll take it. I finished in 1:05:59 with an average pace of 10:37/mile.
After the race we headed into the school to get refreshments. Offerings were bananas, granola bars, and hot chocolate. We stayed for the awards ceremony because one of the ladies in our group won first place in her age group. All in all it was a good race and one that I would do again.
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@LoveyChar - if you take your phone when you run your husband can likely track you on your phone if you set it up. I have done that with mine for when we travel and I run in unknown places he could find me if need be. At home I run mostly the same route and there are typically quite a few people out on the trail if I needed help.
Thank you...I don't pay for internet/WiFi or whatever it is outside of the house. Thank you, though. I might get it, though...smart idea for running into the unknown.
You don't need wifi. If your phone has a gps your husband's phone or even PC can be set up to track it.
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RunsOnEspresso wrote: »I took the dog out for a trail run today and I got some cholla in my shoe. That was fun to pick out in the middle of a trail while doggo tried to eat everything green.
@RunsOnEspresso - this made me laugh! Hobbes will take every opportunity to eat green things! I have nicknamed him the red goat!0 -
Today I ran the Hot Chocolate 10K in Asheville, NC. I and 5 other running buddies loaded up in a minivan at 6:30 and made the trip over the mountain arriving around 7:30. Because we were so early, we were able to snag a parking space in a lot not too far from the starting point. We picked up our “packet” which consisted of a bib and a pair of cotton gloves. Hot Chocolate merchandise (shirts, beanies, etc.) were sold separately but I didn’t buy any. The race started at a local elementary school. Athough some port-a-potties were set up outside we were able to use the school facilities. The school coordinates the event and gets the proceeds from it. The volunteers on the course and off were super. I always try to thank the police that are stopping traffic and the volunteers and they always said “no – thank you for coming out and running. We appreciate you.” I think this made the 13th year they have been sponsoring the races and the announcer said they had made over $300,000 for the school.
It was a sunny morning and the temp was 35F but the wind was blowing causing the real feel to be 27F. The course – it was mostly on a downhill grade for the first mile and then ran flat along the river before crossing a bridge over the river and into a park. We looped out of the park and back across the bridge and down the road by the river. The road was not closed to traffic but there were few cars and all of them were going slowly and very courteous. I knew the last mile would be mostly uphill. However, they took us in the back entrance of the school on the return and it was even more steep than the front where the race started! I’m really not a fan of uphill finishes, but a finish is a finish and I’ll take it. I finished in 1:05:59 with an average pace of 10:37/mile.
After the race we headed into the school to get refreshments. Offerings were bananas, granola bars, and hot chocolate. We stayed for the awards ceremony because one of the ladies in our group won first place in her age group. All in all it was a good race and one that I would do again.
Sounds like a lot fun! Congrats to your friend and for your time!
I’d like to do it next year! Only trouble is it’s a good 3.5 - 4 hrs away.1 -
Well I did the 1-4-4-1 today. It went alright I think. Went easy for the first 5 then picked it up and actually had negative splits for 6-9. But I was glad for and looked forward to the mile 9 cool down/easy. I might have gone too hard. Weather Was nice - 50’s but windy so the wind didn’t make it any easier. Still happy with the run.
On hydration...I don’t have a vest but have been thinking about it. Trouble is I’m short and smallish so most are too big.
And I don’t want anything heavy. Right now I have a flip belt for shorter runs, and a running belt that holds two water bottles. I don’t usually run more than 10-12 miles on long days so it’s usually enough plus I can fill them up.
May have to research vests...4 -
@quilteryoyo awesome results, way to go!1
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polskagirl01 wrote: »So parkrun was really fun! It was a small group of people, but I expect it will grow, especially when the weather gets nicer. I rode my bike there, and the hills reminded me how out of shape I am for cycling. It was freezing and later started lightly misty-raining, so not the greatest but it's whatever.
The parkrun course itself is an undulating loop that you do 3x, so it is a challenge, but not too bad. I tried to not to treat it like a race, and intentionally started my watch with a slow 1k jog, then just paused it until we started, instead of starting a new workout, so that I wouldn't really know how I was doing on the 5k. As it was, I could definitely count it as a speed/hill workout. I probably won't, though. Also I think the course is a bit short anyway. But the point is to have fun! Mission accomplished!!!
Got my 50k for the week and am on track with the monthly goals
January goal 100 miles (stretch goal 200 km)
Now I really should check out the one here!3 -
emmamcgarity wrote: »@polskagirl01 I’m glad you enjoyed your first Parkrun. It’s nice that you live close enough to bike over.
I returned to Parkrun today for the first time since my injury. It felt good to run with friends again. I did not worry about pace but ran by feel to make sure I didn’t overdo it. My hamstring was tight during the run but not painful. My rehab plan called for a 30 minute run with no walk breaks. But at 25 minutes I felt it was smart to walk a bit when I felt a tiny bit of cramping. From there I did walk/run intervals by feel until I finished. I had to remind myself not to sprint at the end. I’m trying to stick to the plan and not have any speed work until rehab is complete. If felt good to be back, and it was lovely chatting over coffee afterwards. Strava also gave me a 5k badge for the month. My first 5k since the injury. Woot!
Great news. Really impressed with how well you are able to keep to you recovery plan1 -
You know...working in the Emergency Management field leaves me feeling like an under paid babysitter sometimes. I swear...last night involved the world's biggest headache on the Mississippi River. But at least I was able to get home, get some sleep and get up for my 5 mile run before work. With all the other walking around I have done today I have ended up back on track with my 2,020 miles in 2020. Oh...and I signed up for another half marathon. I think I have a slight HM addiction, lol.
@shanaber Thank you for the suggestion of the turmeric supplements for my pup. I think those will work well for him. He did his longest run today (5 miles).
Anyway, here are my updated totals for the month:
Jan 1: 2.47
Jan 2: 3.28
Jan 3: 3.74
Jan 4: 8.12
Jan 5: 3.13
Jan 6: 5.32
Jan 7: 8.64
Jan 8: 4.80
Jan 9: 5.67
Jan 10: 4.50
Jan 11: 17.58
Jan 12: 1.31
Jan 13: 5.78
Jan 14: 4.76
Jan 15: 4.43
Jan 16: 5.32
Jan 17: 4.16
Jan 18: 7.65
Jan 19: 5.98
Jan 20: 7.56
Jan 21: 4.06
Jan 22: 6.43
Jan 23: 5.86
Jan 24: 4.37
Jan 25: 6.51
Total miles for Jan: 141.43
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After the race we headed into the school to get refreshments. Offerings were bananas, granola bars, and hot chocolate. We stayed for the awards ceremony because one of the ladies in our group won first place in her age group. All in all it was a good race and one that I would do again.
Yay! Well done!
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