May 2022 Monthly Running Challenge

kgirlhart · May 2022

May Goal: 100 Miles

5/1: 12.03 miles
5/2: 2.02 miles
5/3: 5.05 miles
5/4: 5.51 miles
5/5: 5.16 miles
5/6: 1.51 miles
5/7: 1.06 miles
5/8: 8.06 miles
5/9: 2.03 miles
5/10: 5.15 miles

47.58/100 miles completed for May

Today's run was another hot one. It's tough when the low temperatureis 78°F. I ran 5 miles. It is starting to be light at the end of my runs which I like because I can vary my route a little more. Today I ran by and saw Sunny the donkey. It still kind of cracks me up that there is donkey living in a house in the middle of town.

Congratulations on your streak @Quilteryoyo!!! That's amazing! 🎉 🎉👏👏

@marisap2010 I hope you have a mild case and feel better soon.

@7lenny7 Our town hired goats last year to clear out the vegetation in some of the creeks. They were really cute snd very effective.

quilteryoyo · May 2022

Mom and I went out and cut and hauled the smaller cedar trees out of most of my hay field this morning. We still have a little bit to do. We were there for about 2.5 hours, but I only had my Garmin on when I was walking/cutting trees. I tried to turn it off when I was driving the Gator and unloading. So, actual "working" time was 1:29:22 min - walked 1.66 miles - burned 330 calories. I was in the sun most of the time and let mom do the shady part. I was hot and tired by the time we quit.

Then, I saw a car at my brothers house, which he recently sold. We haven't met the new neighbor's yet, so mom wanted to see if they were there. We were sweaty and nasty, but hey.... The lady was there and seems really nice. We talked to her for about and hour. Her husband is retired AF and she used to do Relay For Life so we have that in common.

After I dropped mom off at her house, I came home and ate a bite, changed clothes, and went down for a session on the treadmill. Today's plan called for a 30 min Foundation run - 5 min Zone 1, 20 min Zone 2, 5 min Zone 1. I ran the entire way, really slowly. The Zone 1 runs were at 4.2 mph. For the Zone 2 runs I did 4/1 min intervals of a ladder from 4.3 - 4.5 - 4.4/4.2 mph. The HR was pretty well spot on, so I'm happy with that. Walked 0.7 miles total for warm up and cool down at 3.8 mph and the run was 2.30 miles in 32:08 minutes for a 4.3 mph average pace. I knew it would be slow because I was already hot and tired and hadn't eaten much and probably not drank enough. So, overall, I'm happy with it.

After cooling and a shower, I got ready and went to a mandatory training at daycare. At least they fed us dinner....Monterey dip and chips from a local Mexican restaurant. Not the healthiest, but it was good and it was free.

@7lenny7 At least he had time for ice cream. Those goats are cute and that's a great way to get rid of invasive species. Of course, they probably eat the native stuff too. I hope you can figure out how to get more/better sleep. If you do, let me know. I'm having that issue too. Of course, I know mine is simply staying up too late when I could go to bed, if I just would. I have the Merlin App on my phone! I don't think I have the sound ID though. I know you can take a picture and it will ID it for you, if you see it. So, did you every figure out what the crazy bird was? Could it have possibly been a bob cat? They sort of sound like a weird bird sometimes. Cool that you saw so many different woodpeckers. Happy Runniversary. That's awesome mileage. I hope Kody gets along okay this summer. I'm sure he is miserable in the heat.

Thanks @martaindale .

Great improvement @yirara !

Thanks @katharmonic . You are doing great this month. Sometimes it is so hard to find the time to do what you want.

Oh no @marisap2010 I hope you have a mild case and feel better soon.

Thanks @shanaber ! I didn't realize you ran in a bird preserve. That is so cool. Love the Osprey. You had a great run yesterday and glad the PT says you are improving as expected. I hope the pain subsides quickly.

Thanks @kgirlhart ! You're doing great. I'm glad to hear Sunny is still there and doing good. It is funny/interesting where he lives. I wonder how many people even notice.

polskagirl01 · May 2022

@quilteryoyo Congratulations on your streak!!!

@7lenny7 Happy RunVersary! You've done a lot in those 7 years!

7lenny7 wrote: »

@polskagirl01 lovely photos! I've never seen a concrete trail through the woods like that. Asphalt, yes, but not concrete. Seems like overkill and it doesn't seem wide enough to accommodate someone in a wheelchair (the usual reason I hear for paving a trail).

I'd estimate there's room for a wheelchair or stroller, but not room for 2 to pass each other, AND there are rocky breaks in the concrete for water drainage, as well as sections with shale that's hard to run on, let alone push a set of wheels through. It's annoying because it's the straightest path from that starting point to where I'm likely to want to go, but I dislike what they've done so much, I'll probably go out of my way to avoid it. I don't go to the forest to see concrete everywhere. I'm more of a "leave nothing but footprints (on the established trail), take nothing but pictures & memories" kind of person, and they clearly have a different concept of trail maintenance.

I did a fast 5k on Monday to see where I'm at on that distance, and was surprised to learn that I can still do it under 30 minutes. Tonight I've got a 5k night race as part of the neighboring town's Fire Festival. So we'll see how that goes 😁

I'm definitely planning to do the 24-hour thing this weekend (with a sleep/church break, so more like 2 long runs than a 24-hour experience) and told my friends I'm doing it in memory of their son. So I might not be too active tomorrow or Friday, we'll call it a taper. My base goal is 24k, with the option to do more if I want. Next level goal would be to do the 24k in the first run, then on Sunday just see how much I can add. But I need to find my headlamps.

Mari33a · May 2022

I got drenched on my run this morning. Showers had been forecast but with the wind, it was so sharp on my face. When I stopped and took out my tissue to dry my eyelashes I had to wring it out first. After that it was a good run and the rain definitely made me run faster.

05/05 3.38 miles
06/05 3.20 miles
08/05 3.32 miles
11/05/3.32 miles

13.22/30 miles

Congratulations on your 1 year streak @quilteryoyo and your 7 year Runiversary @7lenny7
@marisap2010 - hope Covid doesn't hit you too hard

quilteryoyo · May 2022

Thanks @polskagirl01 . Congrats on being able to run the 5k in under 30 minutes and good luck on your race tonight and the 24 hour race this weekend. Looking forward to the race reports.

Thanks @Mari33a . Sounds like you had a great run in the rain, except for the wind.

martaindale · May 2022

@7lenny7 Congrats on your runiversary! It is so hard as pets get older and I'm sure you miss Kody's company on your runs and I'm sure he would love to be there too. I remember when he would go out with you all the time. I'm glad he is still able to have some walks with you.

martaindale · May 2022

@shanaber Good news from your PT!

@marisap2010 Oh no! I hope your case is mild and you are up and running again soon.

@polskagirl01 Good luck on your race this weekend!

martaindale · May 2022

May totals: 29.9/100 miles

5/2: 3.2 miles
5/3: 6.6 miles
5/4: 3.2 miles
5/5: 3 miles
5/7: 5.4 miles
5/9: 3.1 miles
5/10: 5.4 miles

I ran at dusk yesterday since I didn't have time before work. Now that we are into summer, daytime running is a no-go for me. So, it's either dark-sunrise or dusk-sunset. It is significantly hotter in the evening but the humidity is usually about half what it is in the morning (about 50% compared to 98%). Downside, fewer sprinklers in the evening but I did find one on my cool down walk back to the house. I also started freezing my hydration pack which is nice. I also was reminded that the trail is buggy at dusk. Lots of gnats! Lesson learned and I won't mix that in again for a while at night.
I have also basically abandoned speed work. I am at the end of this 10k training plan so the sessions are getting longer and I just can not muster the paces they are asking for. Yesterday was supposed to be a 60 minute progression run. I ran for 60 minutes but only managed about an 11:00 pace. It is what it is. Today is supposed to be 12 x 400 m repeats. Again, highly unlikely to happen. I think I will figure out the corresponding mileage for the workout and just run it. Maybe mix in a few fartleks if I can. I'm glad I am about finished with this plan. The HM plan I have selected to follow is more for base building so it just has easy and long runs. No speedwork or pace specific runs.

eleanorhawkins · May 2022

@martaindale it's that time of year when we're all surprised at just how hard running fast is until our bodies get used to the heat again (or summer ends!).
I struggled as well this morning, my weather app claims it wasn't all that hot OR humid (72f, 44%) but it felt so. damn. hard. And it was supposed to be an easy run, too. Serves me right for making myself run at a stupid time of day, but I'll be glad I did come race day. However, I decided this morning that after that I will go back to early morning or late evening runs until September, at least.
One thing I have discovered this week is how great it is to run in sunglasses, having found a cheap and cheerful pair at Decathlon that stay put. Even with sunscreen plastered all over my face, they don't budge an inch, and I can see where I'm going without getting a headache!
Another, more annoying thing I've discovered is just how many others use what I think of as 'my' trails later in the day. The short trail loop that I did this morning is usually deserted early in the morning, though there are usually people walking dogs in the evening. Today, however, there were grass snakes (argh!), people riding horses, people walking dogs, a herd of sheep and goats with mean dogs that forced me to detour off the trail for a while, and weirdos. Including one who looked like he was peeing in a bush but stood there holding his you-know-what the entire time that I could see him. I didn't feel threatened at all, but it made me laugh because my husband is forever saying he doesn't like me running very early in the morning because it could be dangerous, yet it's always at busier times of day that I have that kind of encounter. At 7 am the only ones out there are other crazy runners, or if I head into town, a few drunk party-goers trying to remember where they live.
I can't put photo in here because it's on my phone and I can only access the forums from my computer, but it's on my wall and Strava. I didn't take photos of the weird guy, OR the snakes.

martaindale · May 2022

@eleanorhawkins I never really acclimate. At least not to the point where running isn't hard. I just remind myself that the fall glow-up will be worth it. I am impressed with people that be consistent with pace in the heat. The temperature affects me so heavily. My husband runs at the same pace no matter the temps, sun, humidity, etc. Don't know how he does it.

eleanorhawkins wrote: »

One thing I have discovered this week is how great it is to run in sunglasses, having found a cheap and cheerful pair at Decathlon that stay put. Even with sunscreen plastered all over my face, they don't budge an inch, and I can see where I'm going without getting a headache!

Yes! A good pair of sunglasses helps so much. I know a lot of people rave about goodr. I haven't tried them but my husband has a pair and he says they are comfy. And they are reasonably priced. I have a pair from Roka (based out of Austin, TX) that I LOVE! They are pricier than I would usually do for sunglasses but they are featherweight light, don't slip around at all, have fingerprint and spot resistant lenses, and are more stylish than most sports glasses. Mine look like aviators so I also wear them as regular sunglasses. I am a convert and will probably buy another pair soon. They usually have a strava challenge with a discount each month. Worth it if anyone is on the fence about trying them. After all that gushing I feel like I have to say this isn't sponsored!

eleanorhawkins wrote: »

Another, more annoying thing I've discovered is just how many others use what I think of as 'my' trails later in the day.

Yeah, me too. I usually run in the morning so now that I am having to bump some runs to sunset, I realize how many people are out at that time. Off leash dogs galore on the trails and people oblivious to their surroundings taking up the whole sidewalk. Mornings are so peaceful!

yirara · May 2022

02.05: 3.20km in 26min 10 stride repeats
04.05: 6.45km in 57min
06.05: 3.11km in 24min
08.05: 4.00km in 31min
10.05: 3.00km in 22min
11.05: 4.13km in 35min

23.9/60km

Another *kitten* day. No idea what went wrong, but I got weak and dizzy again. Start was good, and from around 3km all energy was gone. Oh well, there'll be more runs.

shanaber · May 2022

@eleanorhawkins - we have homeless folks (mostly men) who seem to find 'my' trail a good place to hang out. They keep to themselves and are mostly harmless but I hate it when the go in the trail bathroom and just stay there. Better than doing it in public like your guy but still...

@martaindale - I don't seem to adjust much to the heat either. Mostly I see it in my HR which goes way up.

I have Tifosi sunglasses. I tried Goodr and didn't care for them. I think they are fun but they really didn't give me the coverage I wanted. I used to have Smith glasses for narrow faces and when I finally after years needed to replace them they no longer had ones that fit well on my face. REI recommended the Tifosi and my husband got them for me for Christmas one year. When I fell last February the bottom edge of the lens is what cut into my cheekbone when my sunglasses and chin/mouth hit the sidewalk (I am still trying to figure that out!). They got scratched a bit on the lens but didn't shatter or break. I would definitely recommend them too but they are pricey too but I tend to keep/wear them for many years so worth it for me.

Today I just didn't feel like running though I tried. My legs felt like lead and my arm where I got my booster yesterday is sore and hurting (other arm, not injured arm). I don't know if it was the booster, allergies, the shoes I was wearing or all of the above, but it just wasn't happening so Hobbes and I had a good walk.
I did see the osprey again! This time going after a crow that wouldn't back down. I wish I could have gotten a shot when the osprey would tuck and roll at it with the talons out. I figured there must be a nest nearby and when we got to the top of the trailhead I realized it was right there on the high nesting box. I have never seen a nest up there so it was pretty cool. Will have to watch now for the babies! Wondering if my Nikon would get better pictures... May have to take it over and see.

quilteryoyo · May 2022

Nice running @martaindale ! Sounds like you have a great plan to deal with the heat.

@eleanorhawkins It sounds like you are doing great, even if it doesn't feel like it. I'm glad you didn't feel threatened by the weirdo. That did remind me of a joke I heard where a lady was in the grocery store and a guy showed "it" to her and she said. "Thank you. That reminds me that I forgot to get baby carrots."

Glad you were able to avoid the angry dog too.

@yirara Are you dehydrated? Is your heart acting up - irregular heat beats or anything like that? Low blood sugar? I hope you can figure it out and you have better runs.

@shanaber I'm glad you and Hobbes had a nice walk and love that you have found the Osprey nest.

I played doubles tennis this morning, ran some errands afterwards, came home and walked a mile on the treadmill before going to church with mom tonight.

Has anyone here ever used StoryWorth? I just bought it for my mom to do. It is a site that helps you ask questions of your parents or grandparents. They write the answers - different question a week for a year. Once it's all done, you get a printed hardback book of the answers - their story. I plan to get it done, review it, and then order some for the rest of the family..my brother and her grandkids and maybe a couple of neighbors who would enjoy having it, I'm sure. You can change the questions, so the book becomes whatever you want it to be. You can also include pictures. I hope it turns out like I have it pictured in my head. But, if not, at least things she remembers and wants to tell will be recorded for the family for generations to see.

kgirlhart · May 2022

May Goal: 100 Miles

5/1: 12.03 miles
5/2: 2.02 miles
5/3: 5.05 miles
5/4: 5.51 miles
5/5: 5.16 miles
5/6: 1.51 miles
5/7: 1.06 miles
5/8: 8.06 miles
5/9: 2.03 miles
5/10: 5.15 miles
5/11: 6.02 miles

53.60/100 miles completed for May

It was another hot morning, but I had a good run. I felt so good I ran 6 miles. It was mostly an uneventful run, but I did see a fox. And I saw Sunny again. And I ran through some water sprinklers.

I have the merlin bird app on my phone too. We have used it a lot to identify birds and figure out which birds are making which sounds.

@shanaber That is so neat that you found the osprey nest. I hope you get to see the babies.

@quilteryoyo I haven't used StoryWorth, but that sounds cool. I hope it turns out the way you imagine it.

shanaber · May 2022

@quilteryoyo - our daughter got us each a Storyworth subscription for Christmas during the pandemic. It was a great activity for us while we were mostly staying at home. You can answer the questions they send you, pick from a list of questions they have or make up your own. It is all just intended to spur memories and get you thinking. We spent a lot of time researching dates and finding/scanning pictures. Honestly it was a lot of fun and in the end our daughter has 2 books that detail our childhoods, college, when we met and when she was growing up. We would definitely recommend it. That said your mom may need help with it. Our daughter also got it for our friend and her 'grandmother' Hilde. Hilde refused to do it. She was very computer literate and I am sure could have done it on her own but I even offered to transcribe her questions/answers. I only wish we had something like it for our parents. They had so many great stories that were passed down verbally but never captured anywhere. We had even talked about doing audio recordings of my MILs stories before her stroke but never actually did them. ☹️

yirara · May 2022

Thanks a lot @quilteryoyo I guess it's part of my muscles or metabolism acting up for some reason. They just do sometimes. I'm born with it and currently trying to give the beast a name. Will likely come down to genetic testing though. Lets see. I won't give up though as I love running.

polskagirl01 · May 2022

"Fire" 5k Report!

Start time: 10:30 PM
Weather: perfectly cool

Got there early, parked away from the route, walked over to the concert in the square but didn't stay long (didn't want to trigger a migraine from the lights).

Line up was a mix of people who looked to be all ability levels, and I guessed wrong on where to put myself; ended up stuck in a crowd going too slow for the first kilometer. Made that up in kilometer 2 and was back close to goal range. The next kilometer had a long hill, which was fine, then hold on 'til the end. At some point with half a kilometer to go, I got passed by a little kid, and as I cheered him on and then looked up ahead, I saw the finish line. Already? Ok, guess I'll speed up then. It was 400 meters short. Kind of disappointing. My time would not have been a PR, but it looks like one from the official results, haha. I was hoping for an accurate 5k race time, but the start and finish kind of messed that up. Will just have to find another 5k and try again. I had forgotten how fun they can be.

Afterwards, I got cold and moved my car closer so I could grab a sweater. I stayed for awards as I knew some people who placed, and the door prizes were worth not leaving, just in case. Didn't win anything, but they gave out a watch, tablet, TV and bike, and there were numbers called who weren't present and therefore didn't win 😲

I got about 4 hours of sleep, so am a bit out of it today 😆

mmckee1189 · May 2022

Coming in late, but it's better late than never. I've been up since 5am and what do I do? Mindlessly scroll mfp.

I'm just starting to run again after 10 years of having/ raising tiny minions. I have three kids and life is always pure insanity. Trying to sneak a run in every other day on the treadmill. Current program is Run your 1st 5k with Knox Robinson. Not sure what my miles have been so far this month but I know it won't be impressive. Trying to heal from bronchitis, plant the garden, and balance everything as we head into summer! I'll update with my miles when the kids head out the door. One snuck in the living room sometime in the night and I don't want to wake them.

The short version - I'm 33. My niece made me her maid of honor for her wedding in August so I would love to feel confident in my dress, giving my speech while she marries the man of her dreams. Getting in shape after 3 kids. Hopefully getting married myself and buying a house in the next 2 years. Have been with my partner 7.5 years and couldn't be happier. I have anxiety and depression which sometimes get in the way, but I'm still showing up for myself every day! My goal isn't a certain number but to feel better in my body and be able to run like I did prekids. There was nothing like the good kind of exhaustion that comes after a productive day and a good run. I also enjoy reading and have read over 20 books since Jan! (exercising the mind is important too!) Have a great day! Remember to just keep "swimming"!

edited to add miles!

martaindale · May 2022

@mmckee1189 Welcome! Jump right in. You’ll find this group very encouraging. Don’t worry about your mileage looking “impressive”. Every one of us started somewhere and we actively encourage people to start out slow to lessen the risk of injury and hopefully nurture a love of running.

@polskagirl01 Glad you had a good time at your race! The door prizes for your event are way better than any I’ve had an event of mine!!

@shanaber The osprey is so cool! Hope you feel better today.

@kgirlhart So cool that you saw a fox! My husband has seen one at our place in the hill country but I have not spotted one yet. I’m headed up there for a couple of weeks in early June so I’ll get several runs in. Maybe I’ll get lucky! Love spotting wildlife on a run!

martaindale · May 2022

May totals: 36.4/100 miles

5/2: 3.2 miles
5/3: 6.6 miles
5/4: 3.2 miles
5/5: 3 miles
5/7: 5.4 miles
5/9: 3.1 miles
5/10: 5.4 miles
5/11: 6.5 miles

Preemptively substituted the mileage from the repeats on my plan for just a run at a pace I could manage in the heat. It felt a little better to me last night compared with the night before, I think it was just a tiny bit less humid. I managed an average 10:24 pace without my HR getting into zone 5. Even had 1 mile down to 10:09. Not bad. No sprinklers but having the cold water from my frozen hydration pack helped a lot.
I almost forgot to mention my fall. I was less than a half mile from my house and it was dark. I sort of saw this thing on the sidewalk and thought my foot would miss it, but it didn’t. Turned out it was a sweet gum ball. When I landed on it, my ankle rolled and my body followed. It wasn’t a hard fall. I don’t have any significant scrapes or bruises popping up but my ankle and knee are a tiny bit tender this morning but I don’t think I actually injured anything. I’m pretty sure a couple of cars saw me go down because they slowed as they passed but I sat up on the sidewalk pretty quickly so they probably figured I would survive and didn’t stop. This is only the second time I have fallen running but it’s within about 6 months of my last one. I somehow managed to go years without a fall.

May 2022 Monthly Running Challenge

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