Question - do any of you find yourself analyzing your current workouts to similar workouts from exactly a year ago ? I say this for folks following the same training plans a year apart. My training cycles and plans are roughly identical to last year.  I keep going back to mine to see if I can "beat" my workout times from last year. I'm not sure if this is healthy - lol - or maybe good since i'm pushing myself - I need 7 minutes ! what are your thoughts?

Personally, I don't think it makes sense in most instances to just use the same plan over again and just do it harder.  From year to year, you need to evaluate what your goals are and where you fall short of them and then use a plan (or create one) that meets your needs.  Most people's needs change from year to year depending on things like goals, injuries, available time, base fitness level and things like that.  That being said, yes I do compare similar runs over time, but it is difficult to do because you have to take into account terrain, weather, fatigue, effort and the like.  If I did 10 miles at 9:00 per last year and then did 10 miles at 9:00 per this year on the same course and with the same weather does that mean I didn't improve?  Maybe not, if my HR was 3 bpm lower this year maybe I improved a lot, or maybe 3 bpm is just within the noise created by fatigue.  Its hard to tell.  But I do compare.

Jedi, yeah, it would be fun to see what Wheeler can do, but its not like we're going to be playing in October -- we have exactly one player hitting over .250 in the starting lineup -- so no need to rush things.

Question, I use my new CamelBak this weekend and I had a real hard time with the bite valve.  Its the standard cheapo valve and for the life of me I could not draw much through it.  Every mile or so I had to literally walk for 30-45 seconds while I sucked on the thing and still never felt like I got enough.  I ended up dropping about 6 lbs on a 12 mile run due to dehydration and it was only 85F.  Does anybody have any recommendations on how to deal with this?  Maybe a recommendation for a replacement valve?

So, my tendonitis never really seemed to go away so now I have self-imposed several consecutive URDs to deal with it.  It seems to be improving now.  Hopefully I can kick it by the weekend when I'm supposed to start my MCM training plan.  Been doing a lot of cycling and weights at the gym instead of running.

Happy running y'all.

Jedi - Nice. I just hit 1000 yesterday too.  I found by the time the LR's got to 16, that pace was my new easy pace so it was not bad at all. But I don't know how quickly your LRs build up since you're using a harder plan.

cbus - nice on the 4.

mdawg - might as well book it now - you can always cancel.

bago - are you removing all the air from the camelbak?

I just did an easy 6 last night. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10 for tonight.

Morning!  10 miles this morning.  Big scare when I got home and almost passed out.  I have not been eating and sleeping well so I am stupid.  Weights and a run/walk with hubby later.

Tip it upside down, the air will come to the top. Suck all of the air out the tube.  And see if that helps.  I know it prevents sloshing at least.

 

i did not.  i was not i aware i was supposed to.  didn't come with any directions really.  but, it was pretty full so there was not a lot of air in it to begin with, but there was some.

 

Bago - I use my Camelbak a lot, and I've never had a problem getting enough water out of it, even if I didn't bother to suck the air out.  And I never even have to bite down on the bite valve, I just suck on it like a straw and it's happy.  I get about as much out of the straw as I'd expect to given it's diameter.

Have you tried drinking from it while not running?  I wonder if you're getting a kink in it somewhere when you have the bladder smooshed in the backpack.  Also, make sure the little yellow switch on the valve is totally open.  If that all works, you might have a defective bite valve - like, maybe they didn't cut the opening big enough.   It really shouldn't be hard to get water out in my experience.

 

Personally, I don't think it makes sense in most instances to just use the same plan over again and just do it harder.  From year

Question, I use my new CamelBak this weekend and I had a real hard time with the bite valve.  Its the standard cheapo valve and for the life of me I could not draw much through it.  Every mile or so I had to literally walk for 30-45 seconds while I sucked on the thing and still never felt like I got enough.  I ended up dropping about 6 lbs on a 12 mile run due to dehydration and it was only 85F.  Does anybody have any recommendations on how to deal with this?  Maybe a recommendation for a replacement valve?

  

Bago - can you see water going up the tube ? (is it th tube or valve not working) is the tube kinked anywhere (is it too long)? maybe try putting a q-tip through the ends of the bite valve and see if they touch each other.   One thing i'll tell you - I've used Camelbak warranty on their website - they are fantastic about replacing defective items.  Don't purchase a new valve - go use their warranty link on their website. hope this helps

 

Bago - can you see water going up the tube ? (is it th tube or valve not working) is the tube kinked anywhere (is it too long)? maybe try putting a q-tip through the ends of the bite valve and see if they touch each other.   One thing i'll tell you - I've used Camelbak warranty on their website - they are fantastic about replacing defective items.  Don't purchase a new valve - go use their warranty link on their website. hope this helps

There is water going through the tube.  Gonna check it for kinks and such pretty thoroughly.  Its actually not a CamelBak brand, its Kelty, but the build quality seems pretty good other than the bite valve issue.  Hey, I got it for free for pacing so I'm not gonna complain too much,