Hello there my fellow runners. How are you guys. So this is technically the third day of the month but either way I am excited to start off a new month of running. This is my LAST month before my HM on Labor Day weekend. So I need to stay focused. I haven't run all weekend but will definitely be running this evening and oh BTW I RAN 3M in 33:15 on Friday. Now I can run an 11:00 minute on any day but never can sustain that long....this was my tempo run BTW.
Have a great day LADIES!!!!

excellent job on the tempo run Cake!! They are very hard, but definitely a GREAT way to train...consistency is key, if you want to continue to improve your times!!! I just recently added back track workouts to my weekly routine...my marathon training doesnt call for it, but im getting so much faster now even WITHOUT doing speedwork, that i really want to see my times improve even more!
So, i had a 10 miles race this weekend.....my training schedule called for a 14 miler, so i did the 10 miles race than went back out for 4 miles......and here comes the big shocker...------ I was the FIRST PLACE FEMALE!!!!! Seriously!! what a fluke!! All the good runners must have been sick or something, because i didnt even run it that fast (was trying to do a pace run, practicing my pace for my half marathon next weekend....maintaining an 8:00 to 8:30 miles...)HARDLY fast enough to win a race!!! ANyway, im really excited about it, but still find it so strange.. So that day, there were two race options, a 10 mile race and a 20 mile race..for the 20 miler runners just repeat the 10 mile course twice......it turns out, they were only giving out awards for the top 20 mile racers!! FIGURES. the ONE time i PLACE, and they arent doing awards... Oh well.... i didnt do the race with any expectation of winning or getting awards so......How did everyone elses runs go this weekend?? Any races?

WAY TO FREAKING GO MK That is sooo awesome!

Thank You Cakebatter!!!! How did your long run go?? or did you not do it? (up above it says you didnt run this weekend)

MK - I did it today and it went well! I really think the tempo runs really improve my long runs. I can so long at a faster pace and it amazes me. I am getting sooooo close to the HM its scary. And I found out all finshers get a medal. Awesome!

Did two tempo run last night of 2.5M each. It took me right under 28:00 min each time! I CAN NOT wait to do a 5k and test my new time. easy day today moderate tomorrow and then rest until long run. Well that is my week all planned out.

MK - how are you???

im doing "ok", i guess.....tired, for sure......i had a pretty high milage week last week(almost 50 miles), with no days off in my training scheduled...and this week is looking pretty much the same, milage wise/trainingwise. I WILL however get Sunday off, so i think i will take a spinning class then....yesterday was a 7 mile pace run, today was ANOTHER 7 mile pace run, tomorrow is a 5 mile track workout, then friday is easy breezy 4 miler, because on saturday i have a goal Half marathon race!!! This is a big race, and one ive been looking forward to! It was my first HM ever, when i ran it last year, and i think i did it in about 2:10....not bad...THIS year however, i have EVERY INTENTION of absolutely SHATTERING that time and running it between 1:50 and 1:55...we will see.....i think i am beginning to feel the strain of being overtrained, at least i am right now....On top of my running i have a personal trainer i meet with 3x a week, and he is training me very hard, trying his best to break me down and help to make me a great runner...i LOVE IT!!
Oh, a quick story/side note about yesterdays morning run...scary stuff.......i was running my usualy 7 mile route at about 4:45 am along this one particularly dark and deserted stretch of the route and a guy in a pickup truck drove by, slowed down and kinda follwed me then drove off...i didnt think TOO much of it (you know how creepy men can be). then a minute later as i am running up this hill, he passes me AGAIN going the other direction, and slows down to stare at me, then drives up and over the hill....LITERALLY a minute later, i am STILL running up this hill, and he must have flipped a u-turn on the other side of it, becasue he comes down the hill again, and slows down and stares at me....by now im COMPLETELY freaked out...there is NO ONE around, no houses, no businesses, no lights along this stretch of road.....so i weigh my options and decide to book it to the nearest populated place, a gas station thats about a mile down the road......i go inside and then just kinda hang out, around the well-lit store for quite a while deciding what to do..I didnt see him again, and i thought about going home, or calling my BF to come pick me up, and then i realized that the entire rest of my run was along high traffic, major roads, so i just decided to finish it out....really scary either way.Ive never had anything like that happen to me before..

Hey I could use some advice from you runners. I am on week 7 of C25K. I took a week off because I was traveling for work. The next time a ran I noticed that I was feeling a fairly sharp pain along my bikini line. It hurts every time I am active (started about 7 min into my run yesterday) and then is very sore the rest of the day.

I did ice it yesterday.

What would you do?

Candice

Crcossel- along your bikini line you say? Sounds like your hip flexor muscle.....if that is the case you may have inadvertantly "strained" it.... it was lower than a side stitch? (sometimes i get stiches very low). If it IS your hip flexor, its prob ok, just take it easy on it, and try stretching it out...also make sure you adequately warm it up, THEN stretch it, then continue with your run...did icing it help at all??? Icing should only really help if there is any swelling involved..if the icing didnt make a difference then there was no swelling ( a GOOD thing).... DO you have good running shoes? have you had your gait analyzed at all to see if you are a pronator (over or under) or a neutral runner?? Weird alingment issues can affect anything all the way from the ball of your foot up into your hip or lower back.... In anycase, if it goes away within the next couple of days, then it was prob nothing....did it hurt bad enough to cause you to have to stop running?

Yes it is definitely lower than a side stitch and it lasts the rest of the day.

Its hard to tell if its swollen. The ice felt good while on but it was still sore afterwards.

I do have great running shoes. I have gone to a good running shop, ran on a treadmill for them before getting a shoe recommendation.

I did stop running twice for about 30 seconds. Then I only did 20 min instead of 25. I tried to push through but I just couldn't. Walking for my cool down it was hard to not limp.

Does it hurt more when its "cold" (ie, the beginning of the run, before its warmed up, and during the day after youve been sitting and then stand and walk, kinda thing) or does it hurt more with USE (as in, the further you got into your run, the more it hurt)??
good for you on getting fitted for good shoes--absolutely important!!

I injured my hip flexor on a super long hike last summer, painful! You'd notice it whenever you lift your leg up if that's what it is.

mkroyer- that is scary! Good thinking going to a populated place. If you see him again remember his plate number and call him in if you have to.

As for me, I'm still trying to get used to running in the morning. I'm definately going to go back to evening runs in September!! Although I do appreciate the quiet of the early morning... I like my sleeping in lol.

Hey girls! Wow, you're all kicking serious butt - it's amazing!

Cake - Way to go on the tempo runs. I was running on the treadmill the other day and decided it would be "fun" to do a mile in under 9 minutes. Man, was I sore after that!

Mkroyer - Damn! 1st place! That's no accident. Your training and dedication is so impressive and inspirational!

As for me, I ran 6 miles on Monday, my longest distance yet! It felt amazing to run for a solid 60 minutes, but it was on the treadmill (which for me is easier than outside) so I have to take my training outside to get ready for my races. I've inspired a friend to start training too, so we'll be doing outdoor runs together on Saturday mornings. I'm excited!

Off for a run...treadmill again, too hot outside (I'm a wuss, I know). Have a good day/night everyone!

Mk - that was pretty scary. Please be careful...carry a taser if you have too. And I am assuming you tell someone where you are going.

Taking charge - mile in under 9 minutes! Awesome! Thank you for the encouragement and compliments.

As for me I started running and I was pretty sore but usually I can push it. I had to listen to my body today and just do cross training. Not only was I lacking umph but the ball of my foot started having some weird a** pain to the point where I had to stop. I may need new shoes...they are 300 miles in. I am off tomorrow and then back on it friday! Happyu Running!

CAKEBATTER_----- Ball of foot pain is BAD BAD BAD!!! Especially if it was bad enough to have to stop running!! If it continues PLEASE go see a doctor!!! You might have a stress fracture in you sesamoid bones or Metatarsalgia!! Also you could be right about needing new shoes-- if i dont replace mine every 300-400 miles i start having serious issues with all my vairous tendonitises and stress fractures.....

aneleh-morning running will come easier..just give it some time!!! You will learn to completely revel in that quiet time to yourself, before the rest of the world wakes up....

Cake batter- can i ask you a question?? How are you doing your tempo runs? i noticed above you said you did "two" tempo runs in one workout..... can you step me through one of them please...

Taking charge-- Congrats on the 6 miles!! What an amazing accompolishment!! Are you training for a 10K? If so, youve got it in the bag!! Once you start comfortably running at the 10K distance, your bodies physical ability to handle even greater distances and challenges will improve also, very rapidly!! Doesnt it feel great to inspire someone else to make healthier more active choices?!?! Its funny, the harder i train and the more body fat i drop, i begin noticing others here at work are starting to "copy" me alittle...i.e; start exercise programs, and i notice peoples lunches starting to look a little similar to mine, etc....its kinda funny