November 2021 Monthly Running Challenge

Did an easy 5 miles on the trails this morning. My Mizuno Wave Kazans are starting to wear holes on the upper, so I grabbed my wife's Hoka trail shoes (yes, we wear the same size shoe ). She has some physical limitations that are preventing her from trail running and these shoes are nearly brand new. They didn't feel too bad. I think they were a little slick on the leaves and pine straw, but were fine on roots and rocks. I got a bit of a hot spot on my right big toe, but I think I can live with it. I felt like they didn't have much support, which I confirmed when I got home. They didn't have any insoles in them! So, I grabbed the insoles from another pair of her unused Hokas and I'll give them another go, maybe tomorrow.

88.2 out of 165

November Goal: 100 Miles


11/2: 4.03 miles
11/4: 4.04 miles
11/6: 13.18 miles
11/9: 5.10 miles
11/10: 5.10 miles
11/11: 5.10 miles
11/12: 3.14 miles
11/14: 8.18 miles
11/15: 3.14 miles
11/16: 5.25 miles

56.26/100 miles completed for November

I think I am finally caught up. I have given lots of hugs and likes but probably won't be able to personally respond to everyone.  I will try to do better going forward. 

Yesterday I ran 3.14 miles. It's the "Don't Hug a Runner Yet " challenge from RTE so I have been running (or walking) at least a 5K every day.  Yesterday was pretty chilly in the morning at 42°F feels like 40° and I ran in shorts and a t-shirt with sleeves and gloves.  Today it was 58°F and I wore shorts and a tank top.  I was pretty comfortable both days.




2021 Races:
4/24/21: Run For The Children - 10K PR 55:46:28.
11/6/21: Run For 57th AHC Half Marathon - PR 2:07:11 and 1st in AG

So a weird thing happened. Sunday night my right ankle started hurting. Like painful to walk. I was limping. I couldn't think of anything that had happened that day. I later figured out that during my Saturday run there was a spot I forgot the sidewalk was higher and came done pretty hard. I am pretty sure that was my right foot. So yesterday I woke up and still limping. I had to be in the office yesterday so I could only elevate it at lunch. I also elevated and iced after I got home even though it had stopped hurting at that point.

With all that said, I skipped yesterday's run and did it this morning. Another 4 miles

November: 45 / 80ish
2021: 973 / 1000

Short 3.5 mile run to redeem myself after a dreadful run yesterday. I was faster today with an average pace of 9:23 min per mile.

November cumulative:
56.4 miles & 3,811 feet of elevation

@katharmonic very pretty pictures, I bet it was even prettier in real life.

@quilteryoyo and others who asked - I was sick, along with the rest of my family and some of our friends. Everyone stayed home, and it appears to have been more than just a bad cold. We did test, to make sure it was safe to return to society, and are now negative. Still tired though. And there's a ringing in my ears that comes & goes.

I met up last night with some girls from run club who typically do more walking with light jogging mixed in. We got in 4k at the track while chatting. I could probably run, but at this point maybe I'm just lazy. I think it will be better to err on the side of laziness though, rather than risking overdoing it.

5 miles, Forbidden Forest.

93 out of 165 done.

November Goal: 100 Miles


11/2: 4.03 miles
11/4: 4.04 miles
11/6: 13.18 miles
11/9: 5.10 miles
11/10: 5.10 miles
11/11: 5.10 miles
11/12: 3.14 miles
11/14: 8.18 miles
11/15: 3.14 miles
11/16: 5.25 miles
11/17: 5.3 miles

61.56/100 miles completed for November

This morning was just beautiful.  There were lots of stars when I started out and the sky was beginning to lighten as I got home. It was 61°F and a little windy,  but not too bad. I ran 5 miles and felt really great.




2021 Races:
4/24/21: Run For The Children - 10K PR 55:46:28.
11/6/21: Run For 57th AHC Half Marathon - PR 2:07:11 and 1st in AG

Today's run was 5 miles. I'm getting there, albeit slowly. I need to work on getting a bit faster, and hills - though all of my go to running trails are quite flat (I'm not a fan of running on the roads since I tend to space out when I run in a way that does not make me feel safe around cars).

10k on Sunday at the park around the lake - soooo many people. And all of them with no trail etiquette whatsoever. “On your left,” elicits no movement, just people slowly trudging four and five abreast, like herbivores grazing. Sometimes they would stop, all across the path. And turn to look at you, like “What?” as you were forced off trail and ran around them through the rough. Ugh I shouldn’t be rude but I don’t understand how it’s possible to walk so slowly. I used to be obese with bad knees but I didn’t walk that slowly! And everyone was doing it, it’s like there was some sort of family challenge slow walk contest at the park.

The colors are finally starting here, but it’s still not really turning. I can’t remember fall coming this late before! Despite all the poky walkers everywhere we saw dozens of deer. And the walkers were oblivious to the deer as well! An entire family of deer crossed in front of one family - within twenty feet - and they just ambled on talking. I said, hey, do you see the deer? And the family jumps out of their skin at the deer, they really had no idea there were half a dozen large animals right in front of them!

Lifted heavy on Monday, including new leg extensions and hip thrusts. I have discovered I can use the hip thrust machine to do leg extensions as well!

So started Tues with tired legs, went to Chuckalissa which is not for people with tired legs. The theory was to run Chuckalissa “easy” which considering that the loop is exhausting just as a walk is a funny idea. But! We did it, we are getting more fit. We ran more than we walked, and never really got winded except after the three big hills. Ran most of the downhills. After being so worried about falling on the downhill I caught a root and almost fell on the flat. Did not fall, much cursing however. My husband also caught his foot and turned his ankle on the flat. With more fallen leaves, the tricky going is trickier than before.

We passed another couple at Chuckalissa, which is the first time that’s happened. I am local legend on Strava out there at the moment which considering we run it once every one or two weeks means not many people run there. So the first we know of the couple is this woman shouting at us, “Stay right there! Don’t come any closer!” We dutifully stop, wondering what sort of trail hazard is around the curve, and it’s her dog which is off leash. Husband trying to catch the dog, mostly grown golden retriever puppy which is delighted and having none of it. Lady keeps shouting and freaking out as if her dog is going to maul us if not caught, meanwhile the dog, which keeps looking at us and wagging, is getting freaked out by her reaction and starts jumping around and dashing at us then running back. Okay I get it, your dog is not socialized and isn’t supposed to be off leash here, but this is really really NOT the way to socialize the dog. Husband finally catches the dog and the woman tells him to take the dog off the trail so we can pass. We say thank you. Husband heads a few feet off trail, did I mention this was at Chuckalissa? Land of abrupt declivities and dangerous slopes, where if you trip and step a foot off path you will never be seen again? So this couple are maybe in their sixties, look fit for hiking but not young people, and this dog by this point is very jumpy and yanks the guy off his feet, and he starts tumbling straight down a gully overhanging a huge drop off. Stopped by a tree, about thirty feet down. We yell “Are you okay? Can you get back on the trail?” Lady yells, “Just keep going, get out of here!” and heads off trail towards them and starts sliding too. Guy says, “I think I’m okay…” There is no easy way back up from where he is. Everything soft and slick with leaves too. Wife still yelling at us to leave, now also sliding down. So, we left them, as requested, but we did mention they existed and where they were to the ranger station on our way out. I hope they are okay. And I sort of hope that guy gives his wife an earful after they are both safe.

shanaber wrote: »

@polskagirl01 - I remember you thought you were coming down with something. Did you test positive for covid? I know they are reporting pretty bad outbreaks of the flu here now too.

Yes, it was covid. We didn't figure it out right away, although everyone immediately self-quarantined anyway. It was pretty rough, but I'm grateful because I'm well aware it could've been much, much worse. Recovery seems slow, even after the negative tests.

On a more humorous note, I'll just say that tinnitus is not good for a musician - I was laying there trying to determine what note I was hearing, then had to get up to check. Haha. It's not constant. Maybe it will go away.

@rheddmobile as frustrating as that must've been, your description of the slow families and crazy dog lady are so funny!
A friend of mine has been having Strava issues like yours for a while now. She's recording on her phone and suspects a GPS issue. Of course her husband's maps look great, even when they run together. She's tried all sorts of things; nothing has helped. It messed up all of her Strava PR's too and has shown her walking on water. Oops.