Virtual Running Buddies 6/12

[oceanjasper]

Good morning! I didn't see a new thread for the week, so I hope it is okay that I have started one.

I just wanted to give a quick update before I leave for the west coast. I went for a run on Wednesday and it was a physically and mentally challenging one. I didn't drink enough water during the day and I suffered. It was also my first longish run on pavement and I could definitely feel it in my legs for a couple days afterwards. Let's hope tomorrow's run is easier for me!

Here are the goods on Wednesday's run:

Distance: 8:53 km (5.3 miles)
Time: 51:45
Pace: 6:03 min/km (9:45 min/mile)
Calories: 544
Wildlife sightings: 1 bunny

I will try to post back tomorrow night and give you the low down on the race. It is supposed to be cloudy with a mix of sun (high of 63 F) on race day. Sounds perfect to me.

Looking forward to catching up later! Have a nice weekend!

[SusanMac]

Thanks for kicking off the new week OJ! Acclimating to pavement definitely takes a while. I seem to have to learn the exact same hydration lesson over and over again many times each summer. Doh!

My Thurs night group run was really fun. Ran on some new trails that I know will need to become regulars for me. Also discovered the hard way that mosquito season has officially started. Grrr.

Should have worked out on Friday, but work was too crazy. I leave on Sun for Singapore, so squeezing a lot of things into these last few days. I need/hope/want to go for a run today, esp since I'll be sitting on a plane for 24 hours! I'm sure I'll check in at some point from over there. Otherwise, wishing everyone a wonderful, sunny, low-humidity, workout-filled week :-)

[SusanMac]

Robyn - Congrats on the new job!! Wow, that was quick. You are quite fortunate, and clearly in big demand :-) I know that must be a big load of stress to get off your chest

[newsomz]

Well, I started last weeks thread and then never got back to post again! I did keep up with most of it though :)

OJ - Can't wait to hear the race report! Hope the weather report was accurate.

Susan - Wow! Singapore already. Have fun.

No humidity free workout for me this morning. I left the house around 6am and the whole city was covered in fog & at about 100% humidity. However, even though I was dripping in sweat it was relatively cool and very cool looking! I got in a 6 mi run. Tuesday was another track workout & Thursday was a very HOT 3 mi run.

Robyn - Congrats!!!! Though I guess the new job is going to cut into your training ;)

Happy trails to all! It is my last week of school before the mid-summer break. I'm heading back to Paris on Friday for about a week. Woohoo! I can't wait to run at the parks now that the weather is nicer and everything is GREEN.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Coming up for air briefly. Hey gang, I'm still alive and kicking in Southern Virginia. A little out of the electronic loop these days and I need to head back to my digs (no connectivity there). But I need to claim a couple runs over the past few days. Only ~40 minutes on Friday but it was terrible, exceptionally hot and humid (it's worse down here than it is in Northern Virginia). But I went out for an hour this afternoon after church and preaching at my father's old church this morning. It felt better and all is going well with my running.

I'll try to check back tomorrow but wanted to than OJ for starting, Robyn for getting a new job, Susan for her good runs and too bad about the mosquitoes, and Carrie on your trip.

Not to be outdone by OJ I'll claim my running partners today: 1 bunny (little one), a grey fox (didn't like me), and countless squirrels (even one "sleeping" in the street -- silly squirrel).

See you all tomorrow and have a good evening.
Happy trails,
Les

[VictoriaL]

Hi all!

OJ, although I seem to work out harder when I run on pavement, my legs don't like it as much. Hope that yours are feeling better by now.

Susan heading to Singapore, Carrie to Paris! Lucky guys, you are! Have safe journeys!!

And adding my congratulations to Robyn for defying the odds of this economy and getting a job!

Les, 'tis the season for running in humidity, I guess. Sounds like you are settling in nicely and, in a response to an earlier comment (last week?), yes it would be great if you had the time to make the trip to the lake house and visit. It's verrrry relaxing there, and you and DW would love it, I'm sure. Since the offer is open (meeting IRL is always fun!), you just need to find the time! ;)

After my run in the thunderstorm last week (Tuesday), I followed it with the same on Thursday. Unintentionally, of course, and this time DH couldn't rescue me because I was out on the trails. My Saturday trail run was great, though, almost 4 miles and my wildlife sightings consisted of a couple of turkeys, one small deer, and a...rattlesnake! I, obviously, did not get very close and gave him plenty of space. :eek:

A busy week ahead, but hopefully a few nice trail runs as well. Take care everyone!

[ktg0930]

It's been humid here too. It's pretty cool in the mornings, but still sticky.

I worked a 10 hr shift at the hospital pharmacy on Saturday but got in a run before the shift. Sunday I did some weights, but no run. I ran this morning, and it was a pretty good run.

Vicci -- sorry you got caught in the rain again...and with no knight in shining armor this time.

Les -- I can't remember, is your father a pastor?

Carrie -- my Paris newsletter was about the summer solstice music festival on Sunday, so check it out!

Susan -- have fun in Singapore.

OJ -- What race are you doing again? Good luck with it!

Hello to everyone else!

[Kathy B]

Finally got back to the CC this AM for weights and 40 min on the EB. I scaled back a bit on the weights since I haven't been very consistent for the last several weeks...I'll have to work my way back up.

Susan, I hope you had an uneventful flight to Singapore. Have a great time while you are there!! OF course we will expect a few pictures....

Vicci, good job on your 4 miler! The rain just keeps coming, doesn't it? I am hoping for a few more dry days this week. Glad you saw the rattler before he saw you!

Nice that you are able to get some runs in, Les, even if the weather isn't ideal. It has been fairly cool here, if also pretty wet. I have only had to turn on the AC a couple of times so far this year...very unusual for mid-June!

Great job on all of your runs, Carrie! Back to Paris? Lucky you!!

OJ, How was your race? DId you have a pretty good crowd? Hope your legs are feeling better.

Not much else to report. Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

ETA: Kathy, we were posting at the same time, but I wanted to jump back in and say good job on your workouts!! You are a better woman than me to be fitting in a run before your 10 hour shift...you go girl!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Vicci - I'd love to take you up on the invitation, the lake place sounds divine. Good that you saw the snake early, rattlesnakes are no fun. :( I hope you have a good week.

ktg - Yes, my father is a pastor. He's been ordained since 1993 (he became a pastor later in life), and he served in Appomattox since 1995 (I think). A little following in Dad's footsteps I think. ;) I'm impressed that you got out for a run before your 10 hour shift. Way to go even if it was hot/humid.
Kathy - That's hard to believe that it's been cool out your way. I haven't spent too much time there but having passed through Missouri/Kansas/Arkansas in the summer it can be brutally hot in June. Good for you to have it a little cooler than usual. I hope your strength comes back quickly - it probably will.

I claim another run today. Although it was a lot cooler and less humid (it rained all night and morning). It was probably 10 degrees cooler today than yesterday and probably 20% less humid too. It was a pretty decent run although I did a little exploring and ended up running down a long downgrade into a dead end then had to turn around and slog up the same hill. It certainly felt a lot steeper going up (they always do).

Running out of speed right now - time to head back home and clean up after my run (it was cooler but no where near cold - so I've got a little salt caked on).

See you all later and happy trails and travels all,
Les

[oceanjasper]

Hi everyone!

I'm home and had a total blast yesterday at my first running race. Our team went into the race with a goal to have fun, but being competitors-at-heart, we decided to try and finish in under 4 hours. We did it! Our time was 3:55.

The course is beautiful, but there were lots of hills. Most of them were in my leg! I was feeling pretty bad for the marathoners who were walking the hills at the end of their long race. I was so glad I wasn't one of them.

The weather was perfect. It was overcast and about 13-15 C. I'm so glad that it wasn't sunny, because the ocean air was quite humid and I would not have been a happy camper.

I was really careful about hydrating the day before and had no issues on race day. It just felt really good and I found the perfect pace (not too fast) and just powered through the hills. I was actually shocked when I saw the km marker and had only 4 km to go. I didn't realize that I had run that far already and it gave me a little boost to know that I was going to make it without much misery!

I decided not to worry about wearing my ipod gadget and was going to just time myself. However, I forgot to start my watch when I left. Based on my teammates best guesstimate, I ran my leg (9.2 km) in about 54 minutes. I'm really happy with that time, as I wasn't so sure I was going to be able to do it under 1 hour. I know my teammates were feeling really bad for me when they drove the "rolly" route on their way to the finish line.

I ran flat out across the finish line. There was lots of noise and cheering and you just couldn't help but smile and raise your hands in the air, like you had just finished the marathon all on your own. I received a participant medal and even got a hug from Quatchi, one of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic mascots. :)

A couple of notable competitors at this race were the 75 year old woman, and the 26 year old guy from Australia who decided on a whim to run the marathon after only ever running a maximum of 6km in his life, who both finished the full marathon before we did! The Aussie could barely walk afterwards, but amazingly he pulled it off without any training whatsoever. It was also really cool to see a woman in her late 60s slightly beat out a younger woman in her early 20s. It showed me that it really doesn't matter what age you are; it is all about conditioning and mental strength. I was in awe of the sheer determination I saw in many of the competitors.

My muscles are a little stiff today, but overall I feel good. The cold I have been willing away has decided to settle in and I am looking forward to an evening on the couch, maybe even a nap. And I am already looking forward to my next run! I think I am hooked!

[oceanjasper]

SusanMac - Have a fabulous time in Singapore! It looks like a very fascinating place to visit.

Robyn - Congratulations on getting a new job! I missed what happened, but it looks as though everything is working out well for you.

newsomz - I can't remember where you live, but your foggy run sounds cool. Have a great time in Paris! I love Paris and can't wait to go back again someday.

Les and VictoriaL - Love the wildlife sightings! Such a variety of critters out there. I have never seen a fox or rattlesnake in the wild before, as they don't live here on the island. I think I would be fine running into a fox, but I'll take a pass on the rattlesnake, thanks! :)

ktg0930 - Here (http://www.edgetoedgemarathon.com/) is the website for the race I did. I was on a relay team, so I only had to do 9.2km of the 42km distance (thankfully!)

KathyB - If only a little bit of your gym motivation could rub off on me I would be very happy. I am just not motivated to go to the gym, even though I know I need the weight bearing exercise.

Hello to everyone else out there!

[Leslie Ferguson]

It sounds like you had a great race OJ. The hills at the end definitely sound like they are less than enjoyable too. Your observations about running/racing are quite true, you can't always reckon whose going to be fast or be able to finish a race. Good for the older lady beating the younger ones.

I forgot to claim my sightings yesterday too: a white-tail deer (doe), a frog, another box turtle, and a turkey vulture.

I'll probably rest a little today, don't want to whack my legs this early in training and two days in a row is sufficient.

Happy trails,
Les

[Kathy B]

OJ, thanks for the race report. Lucky you to be the one who got to cross the finish line to the sounds of the cheering crowd! Gotta love that! Great time, too, especially with you getting the hilly leg! I am sure the prehydration was really helpful. I always forget about that...

I did a little over 4 -1/2 this AM. Thunderstorms all night, but it stopped early this morning and left the air nicely cool. Humid, but cool, and I thought I better go ahead and get a longer run in while I could. Headache later in the day, and I am sure it was from lack of hydration(!!), but a couple of excedrin took care of it nicely.

No deer or turtles for me, Les, but I'll add a crane(gorgeous!) and a garter snake to our VRB critter sightings. Hope you had a good rest day.

[Kathy B]

Back to report an easy, not quite 2-1/2 miles this AM. Since my legs were a little tight from yesterday's run I decided to keep it short, but it was hilly and pretty darn warm so it was still a WORK out.

Working tomorrow, but I'll check in to make sure you all aren't slacking! ;)

[SusanMac]

Greetings from Singapore! My flight here was a bit too eventful, unfortunately. But I finally made it, a full day later than expected.

Got out for a run this a.m. Definitely not used to the heat & humidity! Like running through soup. But, still fun. City-streets run with a coworker for about 40 minutes. We were headed to the Botanical Gardens, but didn't find it. Must have missed a turn somewhere. Hope to get out again on Sat after my work obligations are over.

Fun foodie place!
- conveyor belt sushi!
- chili crab
- fresh fruit juices pressed while you wait
- dough-throwing noodle chefs

OJ - Congrats on your race! It sounds like a blast. I've never done a relay, but would love to. that's awesome you got to cross the finish line.

Greetings to the rest o' the gang.

[TKay]

Another week spent MIA for me. Apologies for not keeping current with everyone. I had to skim the thread today. In a strange twist, after months of being relatively slow, work has slammed me. Wouldn't it figure that it hits just as the kids get out of school? (Last Friday was the final day of the year.) Any extra time I've had (and there hasn't been much) has gone to them.

I have managed to keep up with my workouts, abbreviated though they've been. Alternating runs and weight-walks on the TM have kept me going.

Susan - Singapore already?! Amazing. Enjoy.
OJ - Nice race report. Congrats!
KathyB - Good going on being consistent.
Les - Glad you're still hanging in there with all you've got going on.
Vicci - A rattlesnake? :eek:
Newsomz - Vive la France!

[Robyn1007]

I'm alive. I'm exhausted. Hopefully next week will be better for posting for me. Too much going on and just haven't been able to put workouts into writing even if I'm getting them done. :o

[Leslie Ferguson]

Gee Robyn, I can't imagine you being busy this week considering you have a new job and everything. Good for you to get workouts in with all the perturbations in your life.
Susan - Oh how I remember going to Singapore. Humid is not the word. I love your description and you'll probably start to get used to it about the time you leave. Just wait until it rains then the sun comes out and dries up all the rain... never any fun and 100%+ humidity too. Chili crab - was that at the satay court? Ours was stingray in banana leaves with peppers (ground chili). I hope you have a great trip.
TKay - Good workouts to you and sorry you're slammed.
Kathy B - I'd take a crane on a run these days. Good to rest your legs a little.

My trip of the week... I'm back in Northern Virginia until Saturday morning. Not what you think, I had my permanent crown installed this morning and my teeth cleaned. :( It wasn't too bad except $$$. Not too much pain but the torential downpour made a run this afternoon not in the plans (way too high humidity would have been killer). But I went for a ride and tried to dodge puddles among other things. I will probably run tomorrow if I can get out early enough (it's heading to the middle 80s tomorrow). Can I claim a Great Blue Heron on my ride today as our latest addition to the critter list?

Happy trails all and I'll see you tomorrow.
Les