June 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

@Avidkeo Sorry about your husband but glad he’s home. Hopefully the antibiotics kick in soon.

9.3 (15k) hot miles today. It wasn’t too bad as I decided that since I’m not really training for anything quite yet, and it’s hot, and I didn’t feel like getting up super early, that I would take as many breaks as needed. Which I did, every mile I took a water/electrolyte/fuel walk break and still managed at about 11 min mile average. There were quite a few people out which I was surprised at given the temps, but also nice to see.
It’s our 22 nd anniversary today so we’ll be venturing out for dinner for the first time since shut down. Restaurants are open here now at 50% capacity, and most take your temps before you go in. It’s going to be interesting. Can’t say I’m not a bit nervous.

Today should have been a long run but I got glutened at lunch (well we had ice cream sundaes from a new place I have never been before, but calling it lunch anyways) so have to skip it. I am trying to be upset, but it is in the 90s today so I am not really as upset as I should be

My plan called for a 10 mile long run today. First I will say that I did it! Yeah me! A PR for distance. It was ugly and there was a whole lot of walking going on, but I got it done.

I meant to get up early, so I could get started before it got too hot. Fail! It was 9:30 when I got started. The temperature was only 73°F, but the humidity was 83%. "They" say it doesn't affect you below 81°F, but I could really feel it today.

I planned to do a run/walk for 4/1 minutes. That seemed to work pretty good a couple of weeks ago. The first 3 or so miles were good, but I started getting really, really hot. I decided to start walking up the hills - a little bit early in the run to do so, but thought it would save some energy for later. Then at around 6 miles I started feeling like I was getting dehydrated. I had stopped sweating for a few minutes, which I know isn't good. I had been stopping for a drink of water or Gatorade every 1 - 1.5 miles. I can't drink too much at a time, or it just sits and sloshes around. Hydration is one of the things I still need to figure out. I did start sweating again, so decided to see how it went. I convinced myself to stop at mile 7 and do the other 3 miles this evening. I was walking a lot by then and feeling a little better, so decided to try for 8. At that point, I was at my mom and dad's house, so I stopped and talked to them for about 10 minutes.

I was going to stroll home and do the other 2 miles on the driveway. But, I didn't want to waste that mileage, so I walked fast most of the way and ran down the hill at my mailbox. I was unsuccessful at continuing to walk fast up my driveway, so stopped the Garmin and inched my way home. I took a short break and then finished the run by doing shortened laps on the driveway - only did the relatively flat area that was in the shade. So, like I said, I got it done, but it was slow and ugly. My first 3 miles were at around a 12:15 pace, the next 2 were around 12:30. Then I somehow messed up and pressed lap or something weird, because it has a lap that is only .34 miles long. Anyway, the last five miles were slower, with the last two being 14:57 and 15:37. I really can walk faster than that, but not when tired. My half mile cool down walk was at 17:14!

I am NOT a morning person at all, but today showed me that I may just have to suck it up and get up early for a long run in the future.

I also walked a mile - half mile each for warm up and cool down. So, total traversed today, was 11 miles.

@quilteryoyo great work powering through and getting your 10 miles + done. Congrats on a distance PR!

@hamsterwheel6 Happy Anniversary - hope you have a nice dinner! I am looking forward to restaurants reopening but it is going to be a challenge. Also good job getting through a hot 9 mile run.

@PastorVincent sorry about the glutening.
And @Geneveremfp hope you feel better soon and your flare calms down.



I just realized when I looked at my notifications that it's my fifth anniversary of joining MFP today. Wow. What a lot has changed in 5 years. I feel like a completely different person. When I signed up I was really just coming out of a very bad depression. I was the heaviest I had ever been and my health was being negatively impacted. I was starting to make a few positive changes in what I was eating and trying move a little more. Although I had tried many times over the years to lose weight, this time it clicked for me (with the help of being involved in the MFP forums) and I slowly started making progress. And then I took a bold and out of character step and joined a walk to run group at my local YMCA a few months later, having never run in my life other than when forced in phys ed class.

And here I am 5 years later - about 50 lbs lighter and having become something I never would have dreamed *an athlete* who trains and competes in crazy running and obstacle races for fun. I would like to share with you guys, if you don't mind, these pictures - the left is a photo from May 2015, the photo that embarrassed me and told me I needed to do something. The right is from a Spartan race last summer.
I don't remember exactly when I first started participating in this group - I think around summer 2016, but I thank you all for all the support, encouragement, motivation and friendship over these years.