Cool Runners - May
 

So, it's a new month, the sun is shining, and I've got a birthday and a marathon this month. I've also got a half and a 10k pencilled in as warm up races. How about everyone else?

This morning I did a fairly easy 4.5 miles on the treadmill. I was still a bit sore from the walk on Sunday so told myself I'd do 15 minutes then see how I felt. Walking and running must use slightly different muscles - I felt absolutely fine when I was running and carried on far longer than I'd hoped, but the second I pressed the cooldown button and started walking, some of the niggles from the walk came back!

I'm meant to be doing 12 - 13 miles after work tomorrow, so hopefully my legs will have recovered yet more before then.

May, YAY!
 

So, after being in a funk, I've gotten back up to 2 miles, and I have a 5k this weekend, and another in a couple of weeks. I'm still slow, but at least I'm out there. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever get to 5 miles at a time.

I've got a half for mothers day weekend so I am in taper as of today! woohoo!

And I am training with my hood-to-coast team so getting my butt well and truly kicked every tuesday evening

I'm running 5 days a week now but as soon as it warms up a bit, one of those will become a biking day

Thanks for starting the May thread Helen :)

I haven't run in a few days, I've been biking, it's a bit chilly but very refreshing :D ...

i ran 2.75 miles today. I'm slowly increasing the amount i run, by .25 miles a week.

Ugh, still no run since my painful 2 miles Saturday. The tendonitis (if that's what it is) is still giving me pain, though I've been icing it and staying off it as much as possible. I'm considering trying a nice slow jog this afternoon, but I don't want to hurt myself. Blah!

Take care Lisa :hug:

I did 12.7 miles tonight after work. I really didn't want to run, and considered doing the short option, but now it's done I'm glad I did the long one. My legs are fine now after the walk on Sunday, so I have no excuses for skipping my last long run next Sunday now ;)

Hi ladies, quick question...I fell off the running wagon about 3 months ago before I was *really* proficient, but I had done couch to 5K and could do 25 minutes or so without stopping. I got on the treadmill today and could do 4-5 minutes at a time with a one minute walk break. Any idea how long it will take to build up my endurance to where I was? Is it going to take weeks and weeks?

I'm so a wannabe runner and really want to keep with it this time.
thanks for any advice!

Emily, it will probably come back a lot faster this time. A lot of running is mental. Once you KNOW you can run a distance, it seems to be easier each time.

I'm sure it will come back a lot quicker too. You know that you can do it, you just need to remind your legs that you can!

6.25 this morning

I'm not feeling as much pain in my foot today, just a slight tenderness when I touch it. I'm thinking of giving it a try today after school -- maybe a short jog on the treadmill, something easy. I miss it so much!! If it hurts a lot after that, I'm seeing a doctor.

Originally Posted by jelynn:
Hi ladies, quick question...I fell off the running wagon about 3 months ago before I was *really* proficient, but I had done couch to 5K and could do 25 minutes or so without stopping. I got on the treadmill today and could do 4-5 minutes at a time with a one minute walk break. Any idea how long it will take to build up my endurance to where I was? Is it going to take weeks and weeks?

I'm so a wannabe runner and really want to keep with it this time.
thanks for any advice!

I started c25k last fall and mostly took the winter off. Only took me about a month of retraining to get back up to 30 min, so I imagine your progress will be sped up considerably as well.

Only one run in so far this week, plan to get out there again tonight. Just feeling a little fatigued lately. Also, on my last run I was feeling a little pain/tightness down my calves and in my ankles. Is there something I'm doing wrong or is that just something you can expect from time to time?

LisaMarie - Hope your foot is better!

Thanks, shananigans.

I tried the treadmill today and it was NOT good. I ran a mile and it hurt. I probably shouldn't have even done that. Think I'll see a doctor. :(

Lisa, what a bummer. Lots of healing thoughts your way.

Had a good but uneventful run today. The ipod has totally changed my perspective and pace. I haven't timed myself but I think I am running faster. Music is a performance enhancing drug it seems.

Lisa :hug:

I did 4.4 miles this morning, including my 600th mile of the year. I went out on my own without music for a change (I usually listen to music when I'm on my own but not when I'm with a group or in a race), and it didn't seem to make too much difference to my pace. It was a nice change really. Rest day tomorrow, then (hopefully) a long one on Sunday.

Helen---oh miss goddess of the high mileage. Do you ever get days where you go out to run and about a mile in you ...just..cant. Not sick, not injured...just cant.

I even had a running partner this morning so I know it wasnt boredom. I ran 1.5 and then walked home.

VERY confidence building for the half next week. :(

And I never ever run with music...I am too scared of not hearing a car or dog where I run. They whip through those country roads awfully fast.

Oh yes. At Easter I went out to do 4 or 5 miles, and just stopped a mile and a half in, struggled on for a couple of miles then walked home. I just couldn't do it.

Right, off on my weekend away now :)

Hi ladies,

Wow, you all are so immensely inspiring!!

I'm just starting running (like, I've gone 4 times) and am really looking for somewhere that I could ask for advice. Would it be okay if I posted here, or are you a pretty well-established group?

Welcome Shelby! Come on in! We have all types in here ranging from newbies to our very own goddess of running Helen (YP1)

One thing you'll find about runners is its kind of like having kids...we encourage everyone else to do it too so we arent the only fools out there! :p

Hi guys ...

At the beginning of ever month I post here. Saying yea, I'm a runner... but then I trail off. But I'm really serious about building up my base mileage. I don't just want to be a runner anymore. I want to be an ever IMPROVING runner and I can't do that if I just run the same slow, 3 miles every two or three days.
My week looked like this:
Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday and Wednesday: 0 (oops)
Thursday:1
Friday: 3

I know I need to work on consistancy. That's my biggest challenge. I have a half on Sunday that I'm going to more or less struggle through. But after I get through that, I really want to get my milage per week up to the 30-35 range. And eventually throw in some speed work. (I've been at 6-10 miles/week that last couple months)

So really! this time I mean it!

Run was a little stronger last night I think. I need to get a stopwatch so I can actually keep track. I’d like to start building mileage, but three miles still kicks my keister pretty hard. Like, I am really running that last block like the holy grail is at the end and I can’t wait to get to it so I can slow down and walk. :lol:

Still haven’t taken my iPod in to get fixed. :(

Watch those long runs, Amber.

Conservative advice is that your long run shouldn't be more than 50% of your average weekly mileage, and not more than once a week at most.

Hiya runners,

I've been MIA for a few weeks, getting past GI illness, root canal, and then a few days there where I was kinda hoping I was pregnant but it didn't turn out :?: . Anyway, I got out tonight for 2.5 miles. Felt pretty rough given that I haven't run at all in maybe 2 weeks, and not consistently for maybe a month. But I enjoyed getting out there, seeing the saguaros starting to bloom.

I'm with you Amber, and need to get some consistency back into my workouts. Haven't been in the pool in a month either, and my road bike has a flat tire I haven't fixed in an obscenely long time. I'm riding tomorrow, and then planning to run again on Sunday.

Anne

Hi ladies, haven't posted in a little while, but I have been running - made it 11.5 miles this morning, and I've finally signed up for a half marathon in June, which I'm very excited about! Hope you're all doing well, and especially Lisa, I hope you've gone to the doctor to see what's going on.

Everything seemed to align perfectly for me today, and so I ran 3.5 miles, my farthest ever, and I ran it in under 5 miles per hour. Now I just have to translate that to a 5k race day! At least I know that my goal of running a 5K in 35 minutes or less is achievable.

Good job, Sheila!!

Rachel, I'm going to the doctor Monday after work, so we'll see what happens. I'm really hoping it's something simple that will go away on its own. I'm still not sure yet what I'll do about the 5k I'm registered to run on Saturday, 5/12. It's the Race for the Cure and I've REALLY been looking forward to it. It's just my second 5k. I wanted to do well, and now I may not be able to do it at all!!

Lisa good luck on your foot! I hope it is something minor. In the meantime, if you have access to a pool, pool running actually keeps your running shape up reasonably well. Of course it is deadly dull and you have to really work it because it is so easy to slack, but it is effective.

Sheila, sounds like you are in great shape for that 5K. Rachel, nice long run. Helen, my jaw continues to drop every time you post. Hi ennay, shananigans and everybody.

I got in just short of 3 miles this morning, pushing the jogging stroller. Some walking, but mostly on hills (hills + jogging stroller = PAIN).

Anne

6.8 ugly miles today...still no oomph

ennay, I hate it when the umph is missing. However it is pretty cool that you can run 6.8 on a "bad day" I am impressed at least.

Yesterday I ran 7 miles which is a personal best. The ipod really helps me go longer distances.

Hi everyone. Room for one more? :-) I am on Week 6 of Couch to 5k program now..so this week goes up to 25 min...or I guess that is about 2 miles. I run outside since the weather has been so nice. I've never been a runner before so I've been pretty proud of myself for sticking to this program. To see the distances the rest of you run is really inspiring to me also and I hope I shall get there someday! :-)

Welcome gremlina!

I got new running shoes today. I've been putting it off but decided not to risk injury.

Anne

My half on Sunday went well. I ran 2:42:19, which I don't think is half bad. My back is a little stiff today, but other than that I'm feeling good.

Originally Posted by MariaMaria:
Watch those long runs, Amber.

Conservative advice is that your long run shouldn't be more than 50% of your average weekly mileage, and not more than once a week at most.

So how much does this mean I should be running? For the most part I was running 3 miles 2-3 times a week. And once every other week or so I'd throw in a 6 mile run. The 3 mile runs are (usually) very easy for me. The 6 mile run, a bit more of a challenge, but not exceedingly difficult. I don't want to start off too fast and burn out, but I want to challeng myself? Any thoughts on where I should start?

I'm so proud of myself. I was away for the weekend, but I dragged myself out of bed on Sunday morning, left the hotel and headed out for 18.5 miles or so. Usually when I'm away I tell myself I'll run if I feel like it, this time I told myself I was running whether I liked it or not and if I got drunk on Saturday night I'd only have myself to blame. That's my last long run before the marathon done, and I'm now officially tapering. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill in the hotel gym this morning before heading back home too.

Finally made it to the doctor, who believes I have tendonitis. He says not to run for another week and then come back for an x-ray if it's still hurting. I asked him about Saturday's 5K and he gave me permission to try it. He said he'd prefer I NOT do it, but I can try it and then just walk it or quit if I have pain. He also said he'd prefer I run on treadmills or tracks for a while instead of hard surfaces. I'm going to try the race Saturday (though he said I can't run UNTIL then, which means I'm probably going to struggle anyway after all these days off) and see how I feel.

Thanks for the welcome ennay.

I'm definitely a beginner runner -- meaning I've been running exactly 5 times! I'm going for 5K (3 miles), but alternating walking and running. Not following C25K, although that was my inspiration. I figured out I'm running approximately 2.5K. There's a killer hill on my route that I CANNOT run up any of yet!

My goal is to run for the CIBC Run for the Cure at the end of September, at which point I should be close to my goal weight, as well.

LisaMarie - Sorry about the tendonitis. Good luck if you decide to go ahead with the race, but be careful to not injure yourself further!

Helen - I have trouble running or getting any exercise in when I'm traveling. Kudos to you for getting it done.

Went and did 3 miles around the park loop yesterday. Didn't want to go my usual route because it looked like heavy rain might be moving in, but the sprinkles and clouds had cleared by the time I'd finished. For my effort I was rewarded with a nasty blister on my left foot. Not sure why this happened all of a sudden, maybe I need moisture wicking socks now that it's warmer and my feet will sweat more? Guess I'll have to try some things out till I don't get blisters anymore. It kind of hurts, hope it’s all better by tomorrow so I can get another run in.

I got in 3.1 miles this morning, with no walk breaks for a change. My HR and pace were both decent too. And it felt great. Only 1 week's worth of consistency! Image what stringing 2 or 3 weeks together will do. Goal for Thursday is 4 miles.

Walked my elderly dogs after the run and saw a dead rattlesnake in the road. That time of year again.

Anne

Hi Everyone!
 

Well, I finished my 5k on Saturday, although not as well as I would've liked, and I had to walk some. Ran a mile on Sunday just to shake off the soreness, and ran a tiny bit over 5k last night. This time with no stops, and beat my official 5k time. I can't believe I can finally run 3 miles + without stopping. Now, I have a question... will I start losing weight? So far, not really losing anything since I've been running. I like running just for running's sake, but it would be nice if all the exercise and watching what I eat would start paying off too.

Dee

Dee -- Congrats on your 5k... I started losing weight when I started running, because it was the most intense cardio I had ever done, I did eventually plateau, but I still feel better and physically fitter when I run...

Off to run to the gym, workout, and run back home... CYA :wave: