The February numbers are all calculated and posted here. Some epic running in a short, unloved month. Great job!!
And now we turn to the month of March. A month of ides, of seasonal change, of Spring Break trips, of the disease commonly called March Madness, of celebrations of Grover Cleveland’s birthday, of the start of baseball season, of Nebraska’s anniversary of statehood.
As monumental as are each of these, distance runners know March brings the quirkiest race of them all, the Barkley Marathon.
The race is organized by RunnerKSA's fellow Tennessean, Gary Cantrell, a.k.a. Laz Lake. A race full of mystery and challenge, it pushes runners to go up and down vicious east Tennessee mountains with no trails and minimal directions. For 130 miles. Over 60 sleepless, exhausting hours.
It’s a legendary in our sport. And mind boggling to anyone who has ever run trails in mountains. I’ve driven through that part of Tennessee several times and can’t fathom bushwhacking that distance over those slopes.
Two huge bits of news from the race in mid March. First, Jasmin Paris, a veterinarian from England, became the first female to ever finish the distance in the allotted 60 hours. Massive kudos to her.
In addition, four others finished the distance...never have more than three finished in a given year.
This illustrates one of the fascinating parts of distance running. There is always some “next effort”, some “bigger event” we can shoot for. A friend of mine just had a knee replacement...his “next event” is walking one mile. And that’s every bit as big and important a challenge for him as running the Barkley is for skilled trail runners.
It’s great to know each of us can have that challenge.
What’s yours right now?
Let us know about your March miles and efforts!!
Persevere!
.
________
I have nothing particularly clever or profound to add as a tag to each message...I just like to run.
My own running during March was virtually non-existent...a mere 7 miles...the lowest month since I re-started running in May, 2004. At least I landed on a prime number!!!!
The culprit continues to be chronic pain in my left foot. I finally went to an ortho doc (also a runner and Strava buddy, conveniently). An X-ray showed nothing but a subsequent MRI showed a small stress fracture and bone contusion in a bone at the top of the arch of my left foot. So, the doc recommended getting orthotics in my running shoes to protect that arch better and then let time do some healing.
I snagged some orthotics at our local Fleet Feet store and, at the doc's suggestion eased into using them...spending about one more hour per day on them over the past week. I found them surprising comfortable...I've never worn orthotics before and imagined them to be a fairly medieval slab of rigidity designed to induce further pain. Yeah. No so these.
I walked a mile on Tuesday and Wednesday then actually walked 5K on Saturday and Sunday. No discomfort. So, this morning, I gingerly went out and did the run/walk for 5K. First time I've run in a month. The foot felt fine. My lungs could tell I hadn't run for quite a while. But I was running again and that was a relief.
We'll see how April goes.
Many of you understand injuries...thanks for your empathy!!
Joe
Sorry about the injury Joe, but good that you got it figured out.
57 miles for me. Not a prime. I saw a video that made the claim that when asked to pick a random number between 1 and 100, the most common choice is 37. It is a prime number and people tend to pick (unconsciously) prime numbers because they seem like a more random choice. Also commonly chosen numbers are, 3, 7, 73 which are also prime.
I agree with a comment Surly made in a daily about the Barkley. Laz isn't going to like having 5 finishers so next year's course is going to be extra tough. The good weather was an important contributor to the success this year too and there isn't anything he can do about that.
ETA - 89 not 79
Thanks Joe!! Hope the orthotics help!!
89 miles for me which is a prime!!
Interesting about the numbers people choose Dave - my first choice would almost always be an even number esp 24
denise
Thanks, Joe. Yeah- as crazy as I am, Barkley is beyond my imagination. I hope this does the trick for your foot. I suspected a stress fracture. Glad the orthotics seem to help!
192.5 miles for me- I don't even seem to be able to finish with a whole number, much less a prime! This was my highest month since last October, and might be too high, but I lucked out with some weekends and longer runs.
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
Thanks, Joe!!
Never would even consider Barkley... but hats off to the 5 who finished this year, and first woman! Woot! And I hear Laz is planning on making it harder for 2025, wanting no one to finish, because if a woman could finish, it really was too easy. He really is a jerk.
A stationary bike PR for me, at 596.6 miles. And to think I never actually went anywhere! And finished several books, including the very long The Goldfinch, which had been on my "want to read" shelf on Goodreads for a long time.
Also walked 41.7 miles, which is as much an indication of our mild temps most of March as well as my improved hip function.
Thank you Joe and hope your injury is on a solid path to recovery! 114.8 miles for me.
Tammy
Thanks for the excellent start, Joe, and the good Barkley story and wrap-up.I'm sorry that you've been hobbled, but I hope the orthotics prove to be the fix for that problem. I've been wearing orthotics in my workout and racing shoes for years, and they seem to provide the stability and corrective support that my feet need.
I racewalked 154.4 miles in March. I competed in a 5K that didn't have a walking division, but it was my first 5K since my knee surgery, and I was very happy with my time.
I'll never do anything close to a Barkley, but my next challenge is a half marathon in May that will be my first half in a few years, and I still need to get both my head and body ready for it.
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
Joe, good luck with the orthotics and I hope it solves your foot dilemma. Nice to hear it's improving.
I've had a tough month after the Mexico trip and I believe my lung infection is clearing up but I managed 101 miles for the month of March.
Carolyn
Joe, thanks for continuing this thread!
I had 137 prime miles for March. Also met my goal of at least a HM distance, with 3 runs of 18, 22, and 32 miles.
It was a difficult month, as my dad died on the 18th, but it was a peaceful ending and the whole family was there. And he was 94, so he lived a good long life and went on his terms.
Then on the 23rd I traveled to Moab, Utah for a 50k race with 4 of my friends, and I had a fun weekend. Definitely some highs and lows.
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
Only 64 miles as I continue to struggle with left piriformis/sciatica. I did a 10k trail run using the Galloway run/walk method and would have won my AG if they gave those, but you know, trail "races," what's the hurry? Later in the month I did a 5k charity run, raising money for an indigent health care clinic next door to where Sharon and I volunteer at the soup kitchen. When I tried to start running faster than a jog, it hurt in my hamstrings and piriformis. I stopped a couple of times to stretch but that didn't help much. Had fun seeing friends and got to meet the guy who won our AG, new in town. I got second. Thanks!
"I didn’t run a race until I was 41 and that was a marathon! Let that sink in for a minute." -me
Rose Colored Glasses
March running miles 36.6
Thanks for the opening, Joe. Hope the foot heals nicely.
My personal challenge is facing reality. For the past few years I've been watching my monthly running total ebb and flow. Sadly, there is no more flow. Only ebb.
My reality is I cannot run anymore. And, although this is sad and is a challenge, I have accepted the challenge. I knew my running season was over when the joy evaporated. As some of you might recall, I loved running in the swamp and through the farmer's field before the sun rose, I'd be out there with the moon and the stars and the creatures of the night.
Alas, I render to that world that which resides there. I no longer do. My self imposed exile is due to the absence of the joy I used to find in my morning runs.
Previous to the excruciating pain, I would tour the swamp trails and farmer's field and my mind would be floating among various topics. I would think about my imaginary friends here (you are really real people but you know?) And I would absorb into my pores the night air and the the earthy aromas of the swamp. I would listen to the owls and startle the deer and bunnies.
During my final run on Friday 29 March 2024, as I ran across the big bridge towards the field, a pain in my right knee joined the agony chorus in my right hip and I knew this would be the last 4 miles I run for a while.
Reality hit me like a ton of bricks but also as gently as a feather.
A big lightbulb moment. I tried to remember the last time I ran and didn't think about pain? And when I realized I was not getting any joy out of being in pain even though I treasured those morning moments among Mother Nature's best, the pain was ridiculous.
Of course I finished the 4 miles that morning. You know you would have, too.
When the pain surpasses the pleasure, something has to change.
Change. I had to have a plan and I do. Firstly, I phoned my orthopod and made an appointment for evaluation. My appointment is on 07 May.
Second, I wrote down what I would replace running with.
Third, I vowed to remain consistent in getting my Garmin intensity minutes.
So, Joe. That is my challenge. To remain active. To get my hip examined and to make a plan to stop or reduce the pain.
I can't even walk a mile with severe hip pain that refers to my right knee.
I can, however, take a page from E- van's book and Roch's basement. I have my road bike on a trainer on the back porch and I ride it 31 minutes at least 3 times a week.
I follow that with 11 minutes of arms (YouTube) and follow that with 18 minutes of gentle Pilates. (YouTube)
I'm unsure if I will post my 0 miles for April... so thanks for hosting this topic, Joe.
"Anytime you see the word "inflation" in the news, replace it with "record-breaking corporate profits" and you'll get what's happening."
Thanks for the thread! I always enjoy seeing what others in this group are doing and this thread summarizes things nicely.
My swimming mileage has declined to less than 1/2 of what I was doing prior to starting back up with strength training in December. Only 15.6 miles in March compared to over 35 miles in December. But I'm going to continue this regimen for a while, though I hope the monthly mileage stabilizes around 14-16 miles per month for a while.
I had no meets in March. I was scheduled to swim in a Meet in Binghamton on March 23, but the highway that goes from my home to Binghamton runs through the Catskill Mountains and experienced high snow totals the morning of the meet, even though Binghamton and Albany both hardly got a thing (besides rain).
The quantity of pool training yards is way down, but the quality remains high.
BTY
MM #5615
Thanks Joe! The end of March is near, so I figured I'd better get in here before you shut it down for the month. No races in March just logging the miles to get ready for my next challenge in May... although, not quite as challenging as the Barkley Marathons... just a 26.2 mile slog in New Mexico.
March: 249 Miles
YTD: 627 Miles
Okay--that's it--see ya!
an amazing likeness
I logged 147 miles in March.
March was a miserable month of weather when running. Lost 3 days of workouts due to having no electricity following a major ice/snow storm which decimated trees due to ice weight, leading to the region's power grid getting shredded. No time for workouts, ice on roads, and no shower afterwards. Most discouraging...the storm felled a beautiful black cherry I planted about 30 years ago.
Lost an additional 2 days for recovery from shockwave therapy on upper hamstring -- which is working to relieve pain on leg extension!
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.