Runs in the rain
Led - Great that you are doing intervals and the graphs were interesting in that the heart rate peaked after your fastest pace. Yeah, I know it gets light very early this time of year, if you wake early it is nice to run while still cool. The farmstand food sounds delish! Convenient to have drinking fountains along a course, you don't have to carry water! As for just doing 9 milers at marathon pace, well, whatever works for you. I tried last year just doing high mileage weeks building all the way up to over 70 miles one week, but my 3 longest runs were only 16, 17 and 18 miles. I had other issues too, but was not happy with how my marathon went, I was ill prepared for the long distance. I think next time I will do a number of plus 20 milers so I know I am ready for the distance. I am also in awe of how fast your pace is! I know I will have to get at least close to that type of performance if I want to Boston Qualify next year.
Rich - Thanks for the further info on the "Tryke". I know you were making mark two, so is the picture of the new one? If the bell still scares people perhaps you need one of those cute little horns with the rubber squeeze bulb! A 70 pound cement frog is what I need for my front flower bed! I had a nice, ceramic frog with a beautiful glaze that cost me $40 stolen. I later had a bunch of Gnomes and a fairy taken, by teenagers I guess. I called the police both times, I'm sure several detectives are working on the case! I also recall being told of an owl sitting on a docking pole by the canal. I went there with a friend from my bird watching days and found a plastic owl! guess it fooled someone. Some good workouts pushing the mower, riding the bike and the 5 mile run!
az - My pool temperature is now 86 degrees! Comfortable, but no longer the chilly plunge after a workout. Once I get out of the village runners are so rare that I get startled very infrequently, usually I hear whatever is coming, even wearing earbuds! Good 10 mile hike and run on Mt. Eldon after those shorter, recovery runs.
Ray - I hear you about the humidity! Even in hot temperatures my runs would be comfortable if only it was dry out. Does not feel good to drip with sweat and still be too hot. However, don't get the wrong impression of the northeast. Weather here can be very variable, hot and humid then cool and dry the next day. The past few day have been on the hot, humid side, but thunderstorms are expected to usher in some days in the 70s next week! Very impressive that you and your DW did so much as internet pioneers. Although I got up to calculus 3 in my education I never was good at computers, which seem more like learning a language to me. The races with the big drops I may have to consider if I fail on my BQ attempt. The HM I run has just a 200 foot drop.
Did my third run of the week yesterday. I was tired from work, but I don't like to do less than 3 runs when training. During the day it was hot, 92 degrees, and very humid. I waited until after dinner, 8 pm, when it had cooled to 80 degrees and did a very short run of a mile and a half, just around the block! I was sweating with the humidity at the end, even though it was cooler and my run short. Jumped in the pool, the water was not chilly at 86 degrees, but it felt comfortable and washed the sweat off! Tomorrow I got off from work. Weather permitting I may try something close to ten miles! Quite an increase in distance, but if it gets cooler and don't rain I think I could manage.
Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?Get up, get out, get out of the door!
Hello everyone. I have been busy with work so didn't get much time for running. Tuesday morning was 4.7 miles, Thursday morning was 6.3 and Saturday was 7 miles. Sunday morning went to the Scout's computer fest to sell a bunch of stuff. Didn't think I would do much because of the heat. Ended up selling everything. Go Figure. Worked in the garage on the car some more and outside but just felt beat so I decided to quit and come inside.
It's great to read all the posts. Everyone is dealing with this heat well it sounds like. It's supposed to make us stronger runners when it gets cooler.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Hello everyone!
Friday - Rest day.
Saturday - I got up early and went to trail that the weekly running group was going to run on. They meet at 8 am and that was going to be a little late and hotter with the distance I wanted to do. Ran 5.5 miles. Lots of connecting trails. Then I met up with the running group. There were 22 of us!! A few from Phoenix. We finished 6.5 miles of relatively hilly technical single track trail. Met up with a few mtn bikers. After the run, some usually decide on a local place for breakfast or coffee. I ran another 4 miles, WHEW!! It was after 9 am and HOT!! My legs decided not to let me run an extra 2 miles ....... still abit fatigue from Thurs hike-run. So total of 16 miles.
Sunday - 6 am - 6.1 miles recovery run on trails near home. DH calls me that his flight has landed at 8 am in Phoenix, he’s returning from MN. I had a HOG (Harley group) meeting to plan out the rest of the year at one of the member’s home. Pizza will be served!! Yummy!!
After the meeting, around noon, I drove out of the neighborhood and saw huge smoke across the mountain peaks!! OMG!!
Apparently, smoke was seen around 11 am. The "Museum Fire". The museum of northern arizona is near the area.
It’s on the other side of the mountain from where we live but the wind can shift anytime. Thank goodness, the wind isn’t gusty. But it is so dry here, and camping areas are open and we have many tourists-visitors during the summer months. I don’t think campfires are allowed. Last year, wild fires risks were so high that many of the trails and camping areas were closed. We could see the flames over the ridge last night from where we live. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/museum-fire-near-flagstaff-arizona-balloons-1-000-acres-overnight-n1032351
Monday - today is REST day.
I have a meeting in 15 minutes. Will respond to posts when I can.
Cooler weather and light rain all morning. I was waiting for the rain to end but it continued to drizzle into the afternoon. It was light enough for me to try a run about 2:30 pm, but since I needed to go to the store I did not try the 10 mile run, instead did the 7.89 mile course I did last week. that I had done so poorly in the 90 degree heat and now it was so much cooler. It was 62 degrees and a very light drizzle which started to clear up by halfway through the run. Except for two stops to pee behind bushes (I had some coffee before) I did it without rest stops, although my legs felt it by the end. Total time was 1 hour 42 minutes, compare this to last week when I took 45 minutes of rest stops for a total of 2 hours 34 minutes! I was pleased with the great improvement in time, but the sore legs show that it would have been pushing it to have advance to 10 miles so quickly.
Monday, 7/22... our temp has dropped into the lower 80's after 3 days of mid 90's, so I headed set out this morning to run the trail. I wanted to add another mile to keep adding mileage to my runs, but the deerflies were bad enough that I turned back at 3 for a total of 6. Understanding how doing all runs at the same pace gives your body the opportunity to adapt and become efficient to the point where there's no longer any training benefit, miles 4 and 5 were 100 yard sprints followed by a slower pace to recover before starting the next sprint. I didn't count, but 12 repeats would be a conservative number, really just a spur of the moment decision to run something different. Mile 6 was a recovery jog...
Altair5... I'm surprised you remembered I built a 2nd tryke and yes, it's the one pictured here. I widened the width between the front wheels and lowered the seat, but the main reason for building it was to make one that would shift like a bike. It didn't work, but I haven't given up yet...Lol My brother had the same 70 pound frog stolen off his property, someone was really motivated own that frog...Lol That was tough running in yesterday's weather, I've a feeling your weather today was much more agreeable.
Art... you asked about using a deerfly patch on my hat this year and I did one day, but it didn't catch many flies so I assumed the number of flies was down this year over last. Wrong! Lol It seems like the weather plays a role in how active they are, today's milder weather had 'em out in force! Running very other day when you're busy is still a good amount of running, eh? And good deal selling all your stuff at the Scouts computer fest, a little jingle in your pocket is a good thing...Lol
az... didn't take you long to get right back into serious training, congrats on the 16 miles and 6.1 recovery!
Edited to add...
Altair5... congrats on today's run, lots of progress!
Art - Some decent runs you did from almost 5 to the 7 mile run. Sometimes it is hard to find the time with our busy schedules and the hot summer days. Great that you sold all that stuff at the computer fest, Sometimes it is hard to find buyers.
az - So you were not content with doing the 6.5 with the running group, you had to run an additional 9.5! Show off! Well, good that you got out early to run while it was still cool before meeting your running friends. The nearby fire is very scary, even if it is on the other side of a mountain from your home. If I understand correctly it effects the Mt. Eldon trails you run and hike on. Quickly skiming your post when I read "I had a hog" I envisioned a roast pig with an apple in it's mouth! Reading more thoroughly I understood you meant planning a meeting of a motorcycle group.
Rich - My temperature was 60 degrees when I got up this morning, surprised that your's are still in the 80s! So far I have not been bothered by insects this year, but then I haven't run my longer routes or gone by the water where they hang out. Good luck avoiding those flies! Those sprints should help you recover some speed! Yeah, someone must have been real motivated to steal a 70 pound cement frog! Your brother should cast one with some heavy metal inside, let 'em bust a gut when they find it weighs 120 pounds! I recall a science kit I put together as a kid, a small cardboard box with foil covered sides. An induction coil and a small battery provided a small shock when you lifted the box and tripped a gravity switch on the bottom! That's what I need for my decorative garden frogs!
3.6 mile run Monday morning. Didn't feel motivated to run. I felt beat and tired and thought a run would help. Not this time. Tomorrow's another day. According to the weather people, we stand a 40% chance of getting rain tonight. It's been a long time since we had any it would be a nice change of pace.
AZ - Nice 26 mile run. When I heard about the fire there I was wondering where you were in relation to it. Nice to know you're on the other side right now. Hopefully the smoke won't affect you too much.
Altair - Cooler weather and rain. Sounds like an opportunity to get some decent runs in. Cool temps for running and rain to clear the air.
Rich - And here I thought the deer flies were what motivated you to do some sprints. Selling the stuff gives me extra car money.
Art... this is why I don't try to outrun deer / horse flies...
"The speed of the male horsefly is attributed to Jerry Butler, an entomologist at the University of Florida, who once got a male Hybomitra to chase a plastic pellet fired from an air rifle; "Which it caught in midair and dropped," Butler says. From the speed of the pellet, he calculated the fly was going at least 90 miles per hour (145 km/h) at the beginning of female pursuit. "
not bad for mile 25
Trying to catch up here. So the heat wave ended Sunday with morning rains. I did 7.n miles in rain. The dog always gets the first mile, at a dignified trot pace, then she went to plop her wet self in the middle of sleeping DW. I went on to do 6 more easy, except they weren't that easy. I guess Saturday's run took more out of me than I thought. Monday's 5 was better, and this morning my legs felt like they had their old pep. 55F temperature probably gave me more pep as well.
Altair - Hey, you ran in rain, too. Good job getting almost eight miles.
Rich - Your deer fly struggles aren't enticing me to move to NH. Aside from the mosquitoes I mentioned earlier, which are only a problem on the Wilderness Park trail, my only bug issues are occasional swarms of no-see-ems, that I sometimes occasionally ingest. Oh, and a big cicada flew into me yesterday morning.
Tuesday, 7/23... rowed the tryke 5 miles on the trail today. I was surprised to see I haven't ridden the tryke in 11 days, but my focus lately has been on running and riding the bike on days that I don't run to help with recovery. Anyway, it took a mile to warm up to rowing, but once I did, it was obvious I've gotten stronger at it.
Led... 55 degrees is a nice way to start the day, eh? A wet dog wouldn't be welcome in DW's bed, to say she's not a morning person is an understatement...Lol Funny how our runs vary, one day we're on dead legs, the next, we're feeling great!
The deerflies are a nuisance on the trail, but they're not there for long, maybe 2 months, then they're gone for the year. For the most part, I enjoy the trail, I've seen bald eagles, bobcat, mink, Fisher cat, deer with fawn, black bear with cub, bull moose, wild turkey, coyote and river otter, as well as many different birds of prey During the Winter, teams of dogsleds use the trail 2 or 3 times a week, as well as XC skiers, snow machines, fat bikers, snowshoers, walkers and other runners. All that to say I could do without the deerflies, but if I have to deal with 'em to enjoy everything else the trail has to offer, I'm ok with it...
4.7 miles Tuesday morning. Well we finally had our first monsoon storm roll through last night. Lots of wind but little rain. Wind gusts were up to 50 MPH so there was the typical blowing things around and knocking things down. The air was a little cleaner but you could tell there were high winds because of all the stuff that was lying on the ground. Cleaned up around the house some. But I expect to do that again Wednesday morning with another storm predicted for tonight. Then things start to dry up some as the temps go back up.
Rich - I know all those little bugs and critters can move pretty fast. Thankfully I don't have to worry about them much here. Isn't it nice to realize the exercise is actually working as things get better? Good job there.
Led - I bet DW was pleased. Hard to predict how our legs will feel sometimes. But they let us know right away when they don't feel up to it.
Okay, this might make up for the deerflies.
Got my intervals in this morning. It went well, my fastest so far. 59F helped. My heartrate was weird this time: It was at its highest before I even started the intervals, and just kept getting lower as I progressed.
Hello!
Monday: usual REST day.
Very smokey from the Museum Fire on the other side of the mountain. The residents nearest to the area are on 'stand-by' to evacuate. Rain predicted tomorrow so hope it slows down the fire. DH and I have to be at the 'work home' (about 2.5 hrs drive) later today. I will be back at northern AZ home tomorrow or Wed. DH is retiring the end of the month so we are trying to get in sync with the mover's schedule and ours. They are back-logged so we might have to just get the company to send out the 'packers' and then have our stuff stored until a moving truck is scheduled for a midwest trip.
Tuesday: Should have gotten a short run in this morning but I didn't so another REST day.
And I have to be back in northern AZ home later today. Been separating stuff that needs to stay in AZ and other stuff that needs to be in MN.
Wed: I returned to northern AZ home last night. I'm planning on a short run on the dreadmill at the athletic club. It's too smokey to run outside. Most of the trails are closed including Mt Eldon. The rain was a quick movement over the fire area but the threat of lightening was high. It's only 10% contained last night. Some residents in the area evacuated while others are still on stand-by .........more from the risks of flash flooding if heavy rain comes.
Yesterday I mowed most of the back yard, no run. Finished just in time before thunder and a downpour started. Today I finally registered for the Sept. 1st Oak Tree half marathon, I was worried I might not get in if I waited too long. It was 1 pm before I got out for a run. Nice weather, 79 degrees and mostly sunny. I thought about doing 10 miles, but decided I was not ready. As I started my run I realized how tired my legs still felt from the nearly 8 miles I did Monday and was tempted to do just a short easy run. But then told myself I needed to enjoy the nice day and needed to step up my game if I was going to be ready in just 5 weeks. I did have more issues with the sweat getting in my eyes, although the humidity was not high. I rinsed them several times with my water bottle. I still felt like cutting my run short, but the occasional cloud and breeze felt good and I paused a few times in shady areas to rest and cool off. I also tried looking across the valley and at the puffy white clouds to distract myself. My longer runs are hilly and from mile 2 to mile 6 the elevation gradually increases by 220 feet. At the top I sat for a while on a rail barrier by an overpass to rest a few minutes. I was glad when it became mostly downhill for the rest of my run. It also became more overcast with more cool breezes, temperature fell to 74 degrees. Finished 8.8 miles in 2 hours 11 minutes. Now my runs are recorded from my Garmin to Strava and that is set up to not count the times when I was not running and it gave a time of 1 hour 58 minutes. So my total rest time for this run was about 13 minutes! Also, my records for this course give my fastest time as 1:33:31 back in 2013. Anyway, I then jumped in the pool, now a cool 77 degrees, and felt better. My legs are very tired and I am sure they will feel sore tomorrow, but I am glad I finished another long run and hope I can increase the distance again next week.
Oak Tree Half Marathon race
5.2 miles Wednesday morning. No storm really last night but the sky was cloudy and looked like it had some rain clouds in it. Rain clouds looked to be in the West so I headed East. Sure enough, after about a mile it started to drizzle and then a light rain till it stopped about half mile left in my run. Enough to get a little wet and wash some of the sweat away. Forecast is for dryer weather but temps near 110 for the weekend. There were 3 other runners out in the rain also this morning.
Led - That's interesting on your heart rate that it went down doing the intervals. I would have expected the opposite.
AZ - Sounds like you're going to be in MN for a while again.
Altair - Nice that you were still able to get in to the half. Five weeks still gives you time to improve.