Mornin' everyone!
Jut a quick walk-by today: I already had a busy schedule for today, and then learned that my Conservation Coordinator at Town Hall is out today with a sick infant. So my day just got a little busier.
5.9 RW miles at 4:10 this morning. It was 37F, which looks to be the high temp for today and the coming week. There was still a lot of black ice out there, but as long as I stayed close to the middle of the road (excepting when traffic came along), I was OK. Had a bit of right glute pain, as well as some pain on the side of my leg just below my knee. I suspect it is all connected, and that some good stretching and rolling around on my foam roller and tennis ball will help. So will the hot tub, if I can get in tonight.
Have a greta Monday!
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
Greetings coastwalker and all to follow! Ouch on the leg pain though and I hope the foam rolling and hot tub will help indeed.
The weekend flew by literally and figuratively. Flew home from Colorado Springs on Saturday and in time for a nice dog jog with Hudson. Yesterday I raced the Jones 10 miler in Amherst, MA and saw the fabulous Deez4boys as well as Bad Dawg, both making the trek out here with their awesome teammates from MVS and GLRR. This race kicked off the USATF-NE Grand Prix road series.
Speedy crowd and a 30 year-old record fell on the women's side.
Our women's open and masters team finished 4th and the open men were second (WMDP---Western Mass Distance Project) I didn't have the race I wanted with a 1:14 and change, but it was last year at this race that I broke my foot, so I am grateful just to run and I was third for our masters ladies and scored for the team.
Story here: http://www.levelrenner.com
Great running Opie and Ribs!
Ran 9.6 miles with Iron J this morning.
I only ran the marathon. Ribs ran the 50k. Ribs, you looked strong and I never suspected you might DNF. I have to confess, I had some of those negative thoughts, too. Hasn't every marathon/ultra runner?
For me, the struggle was to keep negative thoughts about work from intruding. Running is my safety valve. I met with the Dean recently and I have a group of students complaining about my grades last semester. She says I shouldn't worry about my job, but I wonder. I'm only an Adjunct anyway so this would be a very tough blow. We are the Wal-Mart workers of the universities and can be easily replaced. [soapbox mode off]
"I didn’t run a race until I was 41 and that was a marathon! Let that sink in for a minute." -me
Marathon Maniac #957
Good Morning!
No run for me today, just 35-40 minutes of weights and core and then some icing of my heel.
Yesterday I had almost no heel pain either during my run and even later in the day. However, this morning it was back. I am really torn on how to handle this - stop running altogether for however long it takes to completely go away or try running 3-4 days/week with exercises and icing. I have a marathon scheduled for April 6 and really need to get in a 20-miler on 3/2 and 3/16 if I am going to be able to run the race, even as a slow one. And this winter weather we are having is not suggestive of cross training with cycling (to me, at least).
I should add to this that it barely hurts at all right now, which is why I continue to go back and forth about it.
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."
What a fun thread yesterday, Monty Hall and all. Great to see Bhearn here.
Holly, I am praying for guidance and wisdom for you. If you are not racing your marathon in April, and by racing I mean trying to get an AG or BQ, I would say you should take the whole week off. Test it again with a short run on the weekend and go from there. You are fit, you can cover a marathon distance with only one 20 miler. Besides, if you push it and get injured worse, then you may not be able to be at the starting line, anyway.
With my tri-sport weekend (running, skiing, snowshoeing) I am taking the day off to let this old body recover. Winter Wellness program tonight, A disclaimer, on Saturday, I XT skied on the gorgeous trail I showed here. I ran before I left the house for XT skiing.
Here is to an splendid week to you all. It is going to be a special and fun one!
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
Hey everyone,
Thanks for the welcome/bithday wishes the other day. I probably should have jumped in yesterday, over the terse Satruday thread, as I am a math teacher. So a little about myself....I'm a 7th grade math teacher....married with 3 kids (almost 11, almost 9 and almost 5). I've been running since I was about 10 when I started track. I ran cc and track in high school, and college, and then tried to remain competetive for about 10 years after. I raced so much in earlier years that I'm pretty content with just running now (with an occasional race). I've struggled with a chronic calf the past 6 or 7 years so now am just trying to enjoy getting in the daily runs to just enjoy them for what they are (as opposed to trying to get faster).
That's pretty brief....but I will chime in here as long as you all allow it.
Missed my run yesterday. I'm not a huge drinker, but I may have over-endulged a little on Saturday night. (Hey, you only turn 40 once). I had a run planned for after the kids went to bed last night, but went to bed myself instead. Planning on about a 5 miler today after teaching. Have a great day. Looking forward to getting to know you all, at lest in the virtual world.
John
Sayhey! MM#130
you all are too funny! Terse Saturday! SOrry I was offline, but I am appreciating it very much.
OK, Opie, don't let these ultra folks intimidate you.
You never say "only a marathon." Marathon is the premier distance, the one that calls you out with its siren song, makes you give up known pleasures for solitary hours (which come to be pleasurable), causes you to distinguish between varying degrees of pain, many of which you bear and work through, brings you to your outer edge of OCD tendencies in so many ways, but delivers every time you cross the finish line. No matter what your time.
You might argue you can say all these things about an ultra, but after serious research and consulting with mathematicians and exercise experts, I have concluded that:
Given the fact that the condition commonly known as "runner's brain" seems to set in at distances beginning at 7-10 miles, and that this condition generally spikes at the 17-20 mile marker [hence the well-known adage, "The race doesn't start until Mile 20."], 26.2 miles is the absolute end point at which runners can accurately keep track of their miles. After that, it's a crap shoot.
So, it's always: "I completed a marathon!"
As for me, I only did a half marathon this weekend. Followed by an 8K. [It was Gasparilla and I was very prudent, I eschewed the place entirely on Saturday and did NOT run the 5K nor the 15K. ]
grins and happy Monday,
A.
p.s. Holly, how's your heel on the elliptical? I really did prepare for Boston the year I tore up my hamstring on an elliptical. It wasn't my best race, but I finished and was ok afterwards.
Modified to note: so I posted a recent photo. Note how missing you all has caused me a few grey hairs there in the front. I'm hoping you will take pity and plan a charity reunion run before I become the silver cougar. Or mole. Or vole. Or some such critter.
https://agratefullifedotnet.wordpress.com/ (for a piece or two of my mind)
King of PhotoShop
A terse happy birthday to John.
Holly, the worst place to be is a seductive injury that doesn't hurt all the time. Listen to the others.
Hoping your leg heals up too Jay.
Nice running Karin!
Speaking of "only the (name event)" thing, I couldn't believe how on Sunday morning when I asked people what they were doing I got "Only the Half." Hey, you're out there. I admire you.
I wrote up the race here: http://runningblog.dallasnews.com/2014/02/random-thoughts-from-cowtown-2014-all-great-stuff.html/?nclick_check=1
and you'll see some common themes from some of our own posts and things I mentioned yesterday, including that funny picture.
Any 60's music trivia buffs here? Click the link and give me an answer. Spareribs
Congrats to everyone who ran this weekend, and especially Ribs for his ultra. Way to go!!
Holly - I'll echo what Posie said. You won't lose your fitness by taking the week off. Err on the side of caution, continue the icing, massage, and stretching - or whatever you're doing - and see how it feels come Monday. The goal is to get the starting line as healthy as possible.
My race on Saturday went really well, and I finished the 30k in 4:12. I'm very happy with that time as I figured it'd take me 4-4.5 hrs. It was a beautiful day, I treated it as a supported long run, made sure I ate well at the aid stations, and just enjoyed myself. My legs didn't start to get tired until about the last 3 miles, but that was to be expected. This was my longest run in quite some time. There was a nasty section around Mile 10+ that was a bunch of switchbacks, but I was quite pleased with how I handled them. And I have to say, it was nice knowing that when I came around to the start/finish, I got to stop as opposed to going out for another lap around the lake and another 3+ hours.
I got a chance to talk to a couple of people who have run the Firetrails 50, and they said the 30k would give me a good idea of what to expect for the 50 miler, so I'm gonna go for it and sign up for the 50. It will be a challenge, and I'll have to be very aware of the cutoffs, but I'm gonna give it my best shot.
Between Friday and Saturday, it was a very long 36+ hours, and I'm still a bit pooped. Thankfully, today is a rest day.
Oh BTW - The guy who won the 50k - Finished in 3:44:17.
Have a good week ~
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
6 on the treadmill for me this morning. Feeling disorganized today. Not good for an OCD person who only keeps one thing on his desk at a time.
Saw this and thought of Leslie:
Opie, never say "just a marathon". yeah, what Aamos said. She's got it right.
As far as the grading thing goes, if they don't like what they got, then maybe they need to step up to the bar more. The bar doesn't lower for them. I think that's a prevalent problem with our education system these days. The bar gets lowered to reflect higher scores, which makes the institution look good, but you still end up with under-prepared graduates in a competitive job market, and then they whine 'woe is me, can't find a job, economy sucks' blah blah blah.
no running today. just core work and stretching tonight.
Tammy
There was a lot of good racing this past weekend: wild - 50K, fatozzig -30K, ribs - 50K (1 AG), opie - marathon, Aamos - half, and CNY - 10 mile (3rd masters lady). Holly, continue to pamper your AT and good luck with it.
Nice long runs for NHLA, mari, evan, Holl, deez, C-R, and Tammy.
This morning, the temp was in the mid teens and I should have gone out but didn't like the idea of the wind so got in 8 miles on the TM at a 10:52 pace.
Shortly, I will be off for my weekly babysitting job and grandson fix.
A good day and good runs for all.
TomS
Dave - Love it!! Thanks. I REALLY needed that today.
...GoodOne dave/////////
..nothing takes the place of persistence.....
Wow Leslie! 50 miles. Will you have a crew?
Impressive goal.
And aces on your masterful 30K!
Big grins just for you,
A