Hikerchick, we had a mountain lion eat a couple dogs on one of my running routes so I know that fear. For myself, I mostly just try to look and sound like a human being, which is scary to most animals. I have lights on at night, talk and sing if I feel 'watched'. I try not to worry about the mountain lions too much, since I think the horror stories, while real and get your attention, are very rare. I pay attention when I run, to the roads and to the desert, with no headphones in the rural areas, since I do have regular wildlife encounters of other sorts, some scary. I figure with the moutain lion, if it does happen, it'll be over quick. I actually worry more about cars, loose domestic dogs, packs of javelina (wild pig-like animals), coyotes when they pack up (I saw 6-8 one time!!), and rattlesnakes, basically in that order.

Now I watch my snack-sized daughter (20 months old) like a hawk when she is outside, and I find myself constantly scanning the desert, the trees, the rooftops etc. She only goes out in daylight.

Some people that walk around here carry a big stick, like a hiking stick. Very few seem to wear headphones. I have yet to see a runner with a stick. I don't feel like I have great advice. Pay attention, don't zone out from the exertion, use all your senses including hearing and smell, stop and back slowly away if you need to, and watch your children carefully. Change your running routes if there is a place you think is dangerous.

Good luck. I'm sure it'll all be OK.

Anne

6.5 This morning. Felt really good and easy and was a bit up in pace.

I try not to think of wildlife....but I do carry mace for the dogs.

Ennay and Helen -- WOW you gals are amazing!!!

gremilina -- Welcome and congrats on your C25K

Anne and Hicker -- Those are freakin' large animals around your places ...

baffled -- It takes a while to get used to running outside but once you go out you'll never want to come back in... I find it excruciating to run on the dreadmill now

No run today like crazy at the moment....

Oh yesterdays run was just awful. The whole mountian lion thing really messed with my head...plus I put my run off till later in the day (big cats like dawn and dusk) so it was hot.

I just felt terrible.

Anne at least I don't have coyotes and wild pigs. Stray dogs and cars only a little. I do have one neighbor with something like 20 dogs they are fenced in and rarely get out but there are a few pit bulls in there so when I see activity by her fence I take another route. The other pups are ....pussycats really...so they don't bother me.

I had a really nice 7+ mile run this evening. Pouring rain, and muddy, but I felt good. I guess cutting back the mileage a bit does that for you. I've got a 10k race on Sunday, and that's pretty much me done. I'll do a few 3 or 4 mile runs just to keep me ticking over, but other than that I'm ready for the marathon!

Ok, I may be back in business. I went to the New Balance store tonight with a referral from my doctor to be custom-fitted for a new pair of running shoes. The pedorthist worked with me for nearly two hours to make sure all the little idiosyncrasies of my feet, legs, and hips were taken into consideration. He said the pain I've had (that was supposedly tendonitis) was actually just pain from wearing the wrong shoes and from the natural asymmetry between my feet. I'm not so sure about that yet, but I must tell you, when he finished tweaking the shoes, I ran in them and the pain was actually gone. I did a quick 1/4 mile on a treadmill while waiting for my husband at the gym later, and it felt fantastic in those new shoes. I spent $168, but I think it's going to be well worth it.

Plus, (as I already posted in an NSV thread somewhere else), the pedorthist thought I weighed less than 150 pounds, which was quite delightful!

I hope the new shoes work for you.

I've just done a gentle-ish 3.5 miles this morning. I'm really cutting back now - only just over a week to go!

Helen, I bet you're excited!!

I ran 3 miles this morning and it was pretty nice. It felt good to run outside again, even though the last mile was in the rain. I decided I kind of like doing my run in the morning. Never really thought I was a morning person, but maybe I'm changing. The shoes seem to be working so far! Now I can get on that training schedule I've been planning for the half marathon. It's 15 weeks away, I believe, which sounds like plenty of time but I need all the time I can get!

In the meantime, my brother wants me to sign up for an 8k he may do in Tennessee in July. Hmm...

Woohoo Lisa!!!!!

So excited for you Helen

5 creaky cranky miles this morning

I did a "speedwork" run this morning (trying to follow my 1/2 marathon training plan). I ran for five minutes, walked for one, and repeated that five times. I tried to run fast, but I'm still getting back into the swing of things so it wasn't terribly fast but pretty good for me. I ended up doing 2.8 miles in 30 minutes, which sounds better when I remember that five of those minutes were walking! Also, I had to do it outside with a few hills instead of on a treadmill like I wanted to (speedwork is the only time I prefer the dreadmill, of course).

The plan I'm following is 16 weeks of doing 2 easy runs, one speedwork run, and a long run each week. I plan to fill in the gaps with crosstraining on the elliptical and step aerobics, along with my usual weight training and yoga. The long runs work all the way up to 15 miles, which scares me! Tomorrow's is just 4, though, so that's definitely doable!

Can you tell I'm excited to be back?

Lisa Marie!

Had a great 9.15k run this morning only the second one this week and it felt awesome... After my run I hopped on my bike and did 17k... It's going to be a good day

12.4 today..good run

Way too much to eat after but should be good.

Hi ladies - sounds like everyone is doing great this week! So glad to hear the new shoes are working their magic Lisa.

I ran a practice half marathon today, as a dress rehearsal for the real one I signed up for which is coming up in 3 weeks. It went ok, but not great - I skipped lunch before the run because I don't like to have a lot of food in my stomach when running, but I think I ran out of gas a bit by the end because of this. That's ok, because: (a) I finished it! and (b) my scale today told me that I've lost 101 pounds since I started my journey.

Any advice from the experts here on how much to taper in the week or two before the race? Right now, I'm averaging about 30 miles a week, with a long run in the 12-13 mile range. I know that I should scale back from this so that my legs are well rested, but not sure how much.

Rachel

for a half usually 2 weeks before take your last 12-13 miler. that week run your shorter runs as normal. 1 week out do a 6-10 miler. Some say 1 week taper for a 1/2, some say 2. So you could do a long run as late as 1 week out. If I had the time I prefer about 10 days, so I would take a long run on a wednesday, but usually that isnt possible.

That week before the race do your normal runs a little easier and a little shorter, eliminate speedwork and weights with the exception of a few short "pick-ups" (short sections where you go up to race pace for 20-30 strides) in the middle of maybe your wednesday run. The friday run can either be ~ 2 miles or eliminated.

Some people like to take the day before the race off completely, some like to go out for 2 miles or so to stay fresh.

Warm-up before the event--it helps you burn fat for fuel.

That was nice, a PB in the 10k I did this morning. I took about 40 seconds off, coming in at about 47:08. Even better, my legs are good and no damage done before Edinburgh. Next time I put my running club vest and "race" socks and shorts on it will be for real!