Sorry, been busy lately - so I'm a bit behind.
Rich - Man, sorry about the achilles. The article was a great read. I'd read some articles I think that are referred to in it, but it was really nice to see such a nice summary.
Dan - Glad that you seem to be keeping it going even on the TM. When the weather is bad we need all the tools we get our hands on (or feet ;-)
Fletch - So happy to hear someone else enjoys running in the rain! One of my best memories was of running in a torrential downpour in college.
Chantilly - Like those distances. Wish I had the time to get those in. Awesome work!
Debra - PR Baby!!! YES! Hope the woman that pushed you thanked you at the end.
Art - Nice runs!
Az - You sound busy! Such a variety of runs. Hope everything turns out fine in the end with you FIL.
Here's the short version of what's been going on here. Friday, 1/31, 5.1 miles in 1:04:30 walking. 6 mile hike at Pinnacles National park on 2/1 - didn't see any condors. Sunday rest day and sophomore roommate arrived (staying out our house) - More RAIN, yes! Monday 3.7 miles in 31:48 with college buddy. Tuesday 3.1 miles in 24:10 with CB. Wed 3.1 before work with CB in 27:14 (he was sore from Tuesday). 4.2 at work with workmates in 41:51. Started raining just as I was leaving work - continued till I left for work today. 7 miles today in 57:05 - nice and cool, but relatively dry. They're saying we should be getting a big storm starting tomorrow and lasting 'til Sunday - crossing my fingers. We going to need a lot more to end the drought.
Ray
Chantilly: wow, you're awesome on staying so consistent on piling on the mileage each run!
Ray: You've been busy too! And having some running buddies to boot, great! So glad you've got some rain in your area!
Another incredible sunny morning which really motivates me to take advantage of being outside in the winter when most days are dreary. Decided to run before 10 am, are you freaking kidding me?!? I was hoping the SUN would be helpful even though it was -5 degrees, 10mph windchill, -20 below!! It was pathetic!! I realized how stupid this is, haha!! So I got smart and headed home, didn't even break a sweat as my body was too busy shivering and freezing, ouch!! It was a LONG run jog home. Odie was not impressed, had a "I told you so" look on his face, haha!! It's suppose to 'warm up' to a high of 8 degrees but the windchill is hovering around -16 regardless. I've been doing some workouts on the Health Rider, weights, stretching, etc. but I'm getting bored. Knee is fine and I keep telling myself that it is grateful for the LONG recovery. All that running almost everyday on my beloved trails in AZ ..........well, I feel like I'm losing all the benefits of my gains in endurance and strength, so I'm getting depress. I hate starting ALL OVER!! ugh!! But I don't want to DRIVE to a gym, what's the point in this weather? I feel better now, thanks! It's Friday!
Friday, 2/7... 6 miles of XC skiing today. The groomer hasn't been through on the railtrail since the last snowstorm, but plenty of snowmachines have, so conditions were good for classic XC, but not skate. Close enough, I was out the door .
az... grab those XC skis, bundle up like the Pillsbury Doughboy and give skiing a whirl! Seriously, extra clothes don't hinder your ability to ski the way they do running. Add to that all the work your arms, shoulders and back get from pushing off with ski poles and you'll be the fittest girl in Mn before you can say, "wow, that was fun!"
Ray... researching anything on the net is like panning for gold. You sift through a bunch of worthless junk before finding a nugget. That's what that web site about Achilles Tendonitis is, a nugget. You're doing great with your workouts, staying in excellent shape! And hey, congrats. on the rain!!
Official weigh-in was today, but I got sabotaged by my Achilles and didn't lose a thing. I didn't gain either, so still down 6.
justrundan
AZ- just keep repeating, warmer weather is coming, warmer weather.... You won't lose much if anything; you're not at altitude now!
Ray- that is quite the week you had. So great to be able to run with your college bud! The hikes/walks sound great too. But the best- the rain!!!
Rich- nice job with the XC skiing. you're right, good cross training.
Debra, AZ- did my first 'relay day' runs. 6:30 this morning, 5 mi on TM @ hospital, then @ 11:30, 5.25 mi on river walk , each in just under an hour. That included warm up/cool down. The beginning of the second run felt good, the end, not so much.
DS&DIL coming in tonight for the weekend, hope to persuade them and DW to do the weekend walk together tomorrow. But DW's family has a big birthday gathering Sunday, so she may be too busy baking pies. That would be too bad. She make the most awesome pecan pies!!! I can smell them now.
Have a great weekend friends. You are all such a great encouragement!
Dan
AZ- just keep repeating, warmer weather is coming, warmer weather.... You won't lose much if anything; you're not at altitude now! Debra, AZ- did my first 'relay day' runs. 6:30 this morning, 5 mi on TM @ hospital, then @ 11:30, 5.25 mi on river walk , each in just under an hour. That included warm up/cool down. The beginning of the second run felt good, the end, not so much. DS&DIL coming in tonight for the weekend, hope to persuade them and DW to do the weekend walk together tomorrow. But DW's family has a big birthday gathering Sunday, so she may be too busy baking pies. That would be too bad. She make the most awesome pecan pies!!! I can smell them now.
Dan: thanks for the "altitude" reminder!! I really feel better now, haha!! Well, Dan, how nice of DW to have a couple of pecan pies after our relay race to celebrate?!? That's great on the double run before noon!! You'll be 'experimenting' with TRIPLE runs in a day soon, . By the time the event comes around, you may run the whole 55 miles ..........plenty of time! I'm gonna slap myself if I am the first to complain about the HOT and HUMID weather!! So glad that the Olympics are on, DH and I are enjoying the events.
It's really frustrating that I can't run the way I want to, my Achilles is saying, "try it and I'll make you pay." lol
Saturday, 2/8... 4 miles of xc skate skiing this morning. The groomer went through sometime yesterday, but the heavy snowmachine traffic afterwards rutted up the trail enough to make for difficult skiing. A good workout, but I want to RUN... lol
Dan... enjoy time spent with family AND the pie...
Az... I think it's downhill freestyle where Kelly Kearney won gold 4 years ago. She's originally from a town in NH just 30 miles from me and when they did a story about her on the local TV station, they also talked to her mother. I immediately recognized the mother as a very good runner who shows up at a lot of the races I do. Anyway, the daughter's in Sochi trying for a repeat, she's quite an athlete...
Fletch
Debra - Nice work on a crowded track. When is your HM?
Chantilly - 8 miles, plus bike and weights. WTG!
Ray - Great running with CB. And YAY RAIN!!
Rich - Nice XC work. Glad to hear you're able to keep that up while the Achilles mends.
Dan - Nice relay training. +1 on the pecan pie...my favorite!
Az - Odie must be kin to my dogs. Last week, when we dipped below 10 degrees, I caught one of mine leafing through a Florida real estate brochure. DW and I have caught a few of the Olympic events. Hoping to see more this weekend.
Thursday and Friday were rest days for me. One planned, one unplanned. I figured the 7 mile run Wednesday was probably pushing the envelope for where I am right now, so I planned to rest Thursday. Was going to run Friday, but had an early meeting, then some friends invited DW and I to join them for dinner. So I ditched the run in favor of good company, a cold beer, and the best pizza in town!
This morning, I ran the trail where my 5k will be held in two weeks. Part of the trail is new to me, but about 2 miles of it circles the city's Reservoir Park lake. DW and I walk the dogs there quite often, and I have run that part a few times. I didn't set out to see how fast I could finish the route...just tried to keep a pace that was just a little faster than comfortable. I don't know whether it's the effects of the training, the stride changes...or maybe the pizza from last night, but I managed to run the 3.1 miles in 28:06...9:03 pace! I think I'll just try to forget that one...don't want to set myself up for the disappointment of not being able to do it again in the race.
Enjoy the weekend, everyone!
Crazy Diamond
AZ-Oh how I understand your frustration! A fellow runner at the track and I made each other promise we would not utter one complaint about heat or humidity this summer!
Chantilly-Great run-bike-strength workout! Never boring at the track -- I enjoy watching and learning from everyone.
Rich-Hold steady on the weight loss battlefront! So happy for you that the achilles isn't aggravated by skiing.
Ray-You have been busy! Sounds like a great time with your CB. Hope more rain heads your way.
Dan-Yea for you on the double! A few more times, and you'll find the pace you need to run the first one to help finish strong on the second. Enjoy the family time, AND the home-baked pie ... mm-good!
Fletch-We posted at the same time. 9:03 pace - that's fabulous! It is all coming together so well for your 5k. The HM is the beginning of May. Third time running it, and it's in my favorite state park. Dan and I both ran it last year, it's a beautiful course.
Thursday's 7 miles postponed until Friday due to a very long, physical day at work. Today no running. DS2 and I donned the snowshoes and hiked up to and around the nature preserve about 4 miles. About 7 degrees, snow fall and good conversation! Rich - son and I laughed that we looked and walked like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man in Ghostbusters!
As NBC was previewing the winter Olympics last evening, the speed skating facility that houses the indoor track I've been using a lot this winter was shown a few times!
Run strong friends!
Quo Vadis?
Another blinding bright morning into the afternoon!!
Tempting to try a short run outdoors but don't think that will be smart ........again!About -6 degrees, 12 mph wind, -22 windchill, yikes!! It's the darn windchill that pretty much dictates the decision. So another day of Health Rider, weights and whatever ........Will try my bike on the trainer too. All while watching the Olympics. I have yet to try my new snowshoes since I've been back..........would be perfect on a sunny day like this but not with this windchill. I've learned from snowmobiling (yrs ago when living in ND) that if you're cold, it can make for a very miserable ride.
One can be so overdressed to stay warm that it can impede your movements, blah, blah, blah. I'm really making a great case to not run outside today, LOL!!!
The high predicted to be -1 degree; with windchill, will feel like -19 !! Another typical day in northern MN.
Rich: We watched Hannah Kearney on the moguls. She was trying for a repeat as well in that event. Haven't catch the freestyle for women. Snowboarding events were awesome, young athletes with reckless abandonment and having fun out there!! Skating is always spectacular to watch, mental toughness is a critical factor ......just like running!! Don't push those achilles if you don't feel they are ready for the intensity. I'm gonna have to practice patience when I start running again .......
Fletch: That happens to me sometimes too, weird, right? It baffles me when I run better than expected during training runs on trails after a night out with friends. DH keeps telling me I should try that before a race, . Great pace regardless. But you've been slowing improving, that's proof of your consistent and determined healthy attitude, keep it up!!
AZ-Just hold on a bit longer. According to the latest NWS report, milder temps hovering over the plains and moving into the great lakes area by Wednesday. Hoping and praying it reaches north to your area of MN! Then again, to paraphrase Shakespeare ... "Weathermen were deceivers ever."
Today's plan called for a long, slow 12 miles. Friends arrived as I was finishing, so ran with them for another 2 miles. Total of 14 miles run in 2:34. I've been weaning myself off the use of gels. Used water/Hammer endurolyte at 6 and 10 miles with great results. Watching the Winter Olympics always seems to break up the doldrums of February.
Az - Those are some frigid temps. Be careful. And hang in there. I keep saying spring is coming, but I wonder sometimes myself...they're forecasting snow for us again this week. DW is not happy. They already have to make up days from the last snow (she's a teacher), and if more days are cancelled, the makeup days will probably be during her spring break.
Deb - 14 miles! That's a great run. Keep going at that rate and you'll have a great HM in May.
Beautiful day here yesterday. Spent it with DW doing yard work (raking and pruning crepe myrtle trees). I'm counting it as cross training! I didn't feel well this morning, and really was not into a run...but I forced a steady 3 miles out of it. Not sure I feel any better physically, but I'm glad I made myself do it.
Have a great week, everyone!
rmcj001 more rain there sounds good. You seem quite the bird-watcher.
az2mntrail some cross-training there with the Olympics…watching others can be so inspiring!
gito57 hiking in the snow-shoes would be a good workout. Nice 14 mile run.
Fletch_NC running when you don't feel like it will pay off in the long run. Hope you don't get more snow.
NH Runner I am suffering from the "eldest child syndrome" that wants to tell you to take 3-4 days off from all activity and just rest with your feet up. Then start back walking with just some ordinary heeled shoes, no stretching, no sandals, no skiing, no running, just rest a bit.
worked the weekend.
9 miles run (pace 10-11 min. per mile)
11 minutes cycling
1/2 mile run
10 minutes cycling
1 mile walk.
Working tonight.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
OMgosh!! it was still bone-chilling shivering temps as I tried to tough out a pitiful 2 miler around noon. It was about -6 degrees, 8 mph wind, -15 windchill. We have different thermometers placed in different places outside and they vary with the weather channel temps for our area. Our temps tend to be 'colder' that the WC site temps. It's 0 degrees now, 5 mph, feels like -10 now. Maybe I should have waited .... like that's makes a huge difference, LOL!! I added a couple of more reps to my exercises yesterday especially lunges (with weights), and added 15 minutes to my health rider, it has been a good hurt all day . ouch!! So thus, the run was to loosen up the nice soreness of my legs but not sure if it made a difference. Odie was glad when I turned to run home!! He wears a nice cover for warmth but he doesn't like it. Tomorrow is suppose to be above zero, YAY!! But snow predicted late WED into Thurs, ugh!!
Chantilly: WTG!! Overall workout, just awesome!!
Deb: a 14 miler!! I long for two digit mileage ...... keep it up!
I got out both Sunday and today for sessions of classic xc skiing, 5 on Sunday and 7 today. Here's a good example of what classic skiing looks like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvel-hQFNIg a nice workout...
az... I was surprised when you said Hannah Kearney had already finished with the Moguls. Moguls IS her sport and I thought I had an olympic schedule that would tell me when she was competing. So much for that! Anyway, she ended up with Bronze, so still did really well.
gito... nice run! I always thought we store enough Glycogen in our liver and muscles to carry us for roughly a 20 mile run, can you explain why you're taking electrolytes well before that distance? I've never been good at fueling, avoiding the wall once in a while, but usually hitting it right around the 20 mile mark. I tried caffiene gels in my last marathon and might as well have taken nothing.
Fletch... can't wait to hear how your 5K goes, you're running really well.
Chantilly...I'm actually resting my achilles now. Skiing doesn't aggravate and it IS getting better, it's just not GOOD yet...
Debra- nice 14 miles!! You are going to really make a breakthrough at Peninsula State Park in May. Can't wait! You've had a great winter of training.
AZ- 2 miles is 2 miles. That cold would be hard to take, so congratulate yourself on small victories.
Chantilly- nice workout today!
Rich- you are really keeping active despite the Achilles, nice job.
Rest day yesterday after a walk on Saturday. 4 miles on TM early this morning. Busier week than usual, may not get on TM tomorrow, we will see. Hoping to get outside later this week if the forecast is accurate.
Have a great week, and enjoy the Olympics.