MK - Congratulations on your 8 days. That's fantastic. You can so do this... and your marathon too.

Windchime - I've never run in the winter although I will be trying it this winter, but my mother has been doing it for a couple of years. She has "YakTrax" for the bottoms of her shoes which help her keep traction on icy streets. You can look them up. It's kind of like putting chains on your tires in the winter.

I've been feeling less than 100% healthwise over the past week and I've been taking unplanned walk breaks during my last couple of 5km runs so this morning I decided just to do 3km and I made it all the way through without a walking break at all. I think I'm going to stick with 3km for the next few days so I know I have a solid base to build from again.

Ahh! So much to catch up on!

sharongrace - my first 10k is in November so I had quite a bit of time to work up to 6 miles, but ya know, even though I am not running 6 miles right now I still feel I could do it. I think it's amazing what the body can do when we really put our mind to it. Honestly it feels like the work from 0-3 miles was much harder than 3-6 (or 3-5 as is my case right now). I spent a lot of the first 6 months running just shedding the weight and building up my leg muscle and improving my cardiovascular abilities. So I think if you up your long runs by half a mile each week, at the very latest race time, you should be up to 4.5-5 miles, and if you can't run the whole thing, so what? That's also how I feel about my 5k/10k... I was really dead set on being able to run the entire 5k and for the 10k my goal is to just finish. I am accepting that I may have to take a walking break but I also know in the back of my mind that if I can do 5 miles, an extra mile shouldn't be that bad (at least that's what I tell myself!)

jayjay- so glad you decided to do the 5k! I have done some trail running around here (which is probably slightly different than cross country because I'm running up and down mountains) and it's a lot of fun! The thought of running through a wooded forest with the fall colors on the trees sounds like an amazing experience! Good luck!

TC - Glad your 4 miles went well!

mkroyer - omg yes, those 3 "options" for running outside during winter is the exact thought I had yesterday!! Don't know how bad it was up where you are but it was WINDY and COLD yesterday afternoon! I just ordered all my new gear so hopefully it'll be arriving soon. I am going to have to suck it up and run outside!!

Cake - I'm so proud of you and your new pace time! Gosh look at you go! And already close to running 10 miles..did I read that right? I need to catch up! Thanks for asking about my knee, it's doing so much better!

Sylvied - hope you get to feeling better soon!

to everyone that I missed...this thread has really grown! AWESOME!

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So my rehab plan for my knee is working (finally). Honestly ladies for a few weeks there I was scared to death I was going to have to give up running for a few months (the thought made me want to cry!!) But I am sticking to my "every other day" running rule, cross training on my off days, and really stretching/rolling the heck out of my hip every single night. I ran 3 miles yesterday (adventures in winter running.. I'll get to that later) and am SO HAPPY to report MINIMAL knee pain yesterday... I'm ecstatic! I wanted to cry happy tears when I got home, lol. I guess when you are faced with the possibility of giving up something that you absolutely love, it can really overwhelm you. While I would love to run every day I know my knee needs the rest so I'm happy to stick with the every other day rule for now.

As for running outside yesterday... it was 40 degrees out when I got home. I bundled up (no gear yet so I put on a huge windbreaker) and went out. I don't think the temps are the killer here... it's the freakin WIND!! First of all it slows me down majorly when running into it... and secondly it's COLD!

So I decided all I need is maybe some ear warmers or a beanie or something to keep my head warm... I had a wicked headache when I got done from my body being hot but the outside temps being cold.

But yes, I'll suck it up and do it. Except maybe when the wind is bad like it was yesterday.. problem is... winter in Colorado..when is the wind NOT blowing? LOL

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone, and for sharing your own 10k experiences! I'm glad to know the scope of the challenge, and that I'm not being crazy - I don't want to have eyes too big for my legs, so to speak!

Btw, I also just wanted to say how great it is to have this thread where little babies like me aren't too intimidated to talk to the marathoners and half-marathoners! When I was just a couple weeks into running, I went to a running specialty store to ask some questions and start researching shoes, and I was totally ignored and dismissed the moment the word "weeks" came out of my mouth. So thanks for being so supportive and friendly and down-to-earth! It makes me excited to keep setting big goals for myself!

Good afternoon ladies! Only have a quick sec to post but saw the thread last night and wanted to say a big thanks for all the replies about the pre-race eating!

No run for me today, just my HIIT and ST'ing today. Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

I want to echo this sentiment...I think there tends to be a class of runners (I see this a lot on the Runner's World forums) that act elite. Sharon I also had the same experience when I went into a running store and tried on shoes... I'd only been running for about a month or two. I went with my marathoner friend and the sales person paid so much attention to her instead of me... even though we were both looking for shoes! I was still 200 lbs then so maybe I looked like I didn't belong in a running store.. I don't know. I have learned SO much from the veterans in this thread...THANKS LADIES!

Sharon--that is so wonderful to hear!! I think the atmosphere of 3FC encourages everyone to be open honest and supportive, and to make us feel like we can ask even the "stupidest" of questions.....I cant vouch for anyone else, but i love to help fellow runners out by sharing my own hard-earned knowledge.....just wish ID had a support thread to go to as i was getting into running. I didnt have anyone to tell me that running everyday, for 6 months straight was BAD for me, or that there was no way i could train to run a 10K, from no running to 6.2 miles in a couple weeks! HA!! Showed them (whoever THEY are!!

Fatpants---you snuck your reply in while i was typing...so DITTO !
Re: Colorado Winter-- its FRICKIN COLD here today ( i think the cold temps are more of a shock than anything else. Lets be honest, this weather would be HEAVENLY in february... I agree about the wind. it SUX....but once again, we have to remember we live in colorado, or "Colorado, Baby!!" We get 300 + days of sunshine a year. I think youll feel differently about running outside in the cold when the skies are blue and the sun is shining and the chill in the air is INVIGORATING. As for now though, these grey, gloomy skys are DEPRESSING. YUCK. And last i heard, its going to be back in the upper 70s this weekend......Did it snow down where youre at today?? The weather lady on 9 news LIED to us. i was promised SNOW when i awoke.....

Yep you are absolutely right, I really don't mind if it's cold out as long as the wind isn't blowing. But down here in the Springs it seems like the wind is constantly blowing from about January-end of April. I live on the east side of town so I don't get the nice blockage from the foothills! But I am originally from the great plains (Oklahoma) so I don't know if I'll ever be converted to a cold weather gal! We had the winter storm watch all yesterday and we even watched the storm blow in over Pike's Peak yesterday afternoon but it didn't snow a flake here! I woke up this morning expecting the ground to at least be covered, but we got nothing. Now it's just WINDY! Glad today is cross training inside the gym today... and ready again for the warm weather this weekend since we're going to the Rockies game on Saturday.

OOoohhhh... sounds the weather will be PERFECT for the rockies game!!

Ok, everyone...I registered for the 10K AND wrote about it on my blog. It's official now! Ack!

I'm feeling nervous about winter running...I'm not so much worried about my body being cold - all of your discussions about what to wear are very helpful. But how do you handle breathing when the air is so cold? Doesn't it hurt?! And how cold is TOO cold to be safe for outdoor running?

the breathing doesnt really hurt, after a while..... it might take a few minutes of each run to get used to it. IMHO TOO cold is anything under approx 15 degrees. here in colorado that really doesnt happen so often...maybe a couple spells through out the whole winter.....but, we all have our limits. if you are concerned about breathing the cold cold air, buy a face mask!! or at least one of those chin ones that cover your chin/mouth and nose

I did 2.2 miles today, and felt great after. It was one of my better times, at 28:21.

And as a side note, I think I finally found my running shoes. I have yet to wear them outside on an actual run, but I think these are it. They are a size 11, which I was surprised at, but they feel good. Not much slippage in the heel, and when I tie them with the loops, it helps even more. And my 2nd toe is NOT hitting the end, so hopefully this black toenail that is plaguing me (it wont fall off) will be my last.

http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.ph...uct_id=1358687

I've stayed away as long as I could, and it's been very disheartening. I think my sprain is worse than I thought, and now I'm thinking possible fracture? My outer ankle is still grossly swollen, and while it isn't discoloured, it still hurts when I walk a long time, when I go up or down stairs, when I sit for a long time... Heck, it seems like I breathe and it hurts. So tomorrow I'm gonna break down and call my doc so I can get a referral for an x-ray.

And to make matters even worse, one of our ferrets died over the weekend. I'm still heartbroken because she was so fun. Our male ferret still looks for her every once in a while, which just kills me. They weren't completely bonded, but she made her way to his hideyhole when she died.

Thankfully I have orchestra, work and rehab to take my mind off it. We have a performance coming up in October and I've been asked to work with a pair of flute-playing twins in my section on a flute trio, with possibly playing as part of the concert. We also have a piece I'm trying to transcribe- unsuccessfully- for fife, and we also have another Brandenburg piece. It's Bach,a nd if you haven't listened to them, go find them on YouTube. I just love them. I also found that Sir James Galway hosted a flute symposium here in Dallas a few years ago and gave some fantastic information on playing the flute better. I'll be listening and following his instructions.

I know, kinda boring. It's sucking not running and I can only walk for a short period of time before the pain moves to my knee. Hopefully the docs will have some good news and get me fixed up. Until then, I'm totally living vicariously through the boards.

Hi to any new members!

I've run in -20C that's -4F, as long as the weather is sunny and not windy it's gorgeous, the winter is my very favourite time of year to run... I'm looking forward to the colder weather actually...

Tonight I ran in the rain and it was gorgeous, I think it was 5k, or close to it...

Sharon, I DREAD going to the running store. Somehow they just know I'm an amateur and definitely treat me like it. No one's ever been outright rude, just condescending, you know?

Anyway, a ton of posts popped up here and I need to get lots of work done tonight so hopefully I can catch up tomorrow... or Friday? (Is tomorrow really only Thursday???)

I did 3 miles this evening in walk/run intervals and I feel great! Running really makes me feel positive. Kind of like coffee, but minus the jitters when I over do it.