Virtual Running Buddies - Week of Dec. 17

[badunnin]

Good morning all! I haven't been the most diligent runner lately, but I thought it's about time for me to start this thread again!

Les - too cool on the mp3 player! I LOVE mine. I have a hard time running without it some nights. :)

Happy running folks! 3.5 days of school left for me!

[KValley]

Bethany- today is the last day of school for Brendan (for all area districts, I believe)- he was a bit giddy this morning at the thought of 16 days of peace and quiet. Here's to getting through your final days next week!

This morning I celebrated a running/healing milestone- I ran 3 consecutive miles, working gradually up to an 8.30 min mile. That is the farthest and fastest I've run since September and the groin. INXS and endorphins got me through this morning-it felt so good-emotionally, physically, to get to this goal. Next goal is to be at 4 miles 2-3x/week by January 10- then to start ease into a 12-week half-marathon training plan.

It's unseasonably warm- we should be well into snowfall by now, but even the mountains are a bit bare. Bad news for the ski resorts, but I'm rather relieved to be able to leave the YakTrax in the closet a few more days/weeks...

Have a wonderful weekend, runners.

Julie

[TLee4]

Hi all! Thanks for starting the thread, Bethany. Whenever you teacher are on school break, I wish I would have been a SCHOOL social worker. (However, not so fond of many kids...) Enjoy!

Good job on the running milestone, Julie!
Congrats, Les. I love my MP3 also.

Still on the once a week running schedule. Just did 5 miles on the tread. With one bathroom emergency. :rolleyes: :mad: Back to THAT topic again...:)

Take care, all.
Terri

[Leslie Ferguson]

Thanks for starting us Bethany, maybe this will "put you over the top and back into your good running regimen. I hope the remaining 3.5 days of school are uneventful for you and that you have a good break.
Julie - I'm glad that you're coming around the corner on your running too. It isn't any fun to have an injury that prevents you from running so I'm glad to hear that you got a good run in.
Terri - Please... no discussions about that topic. I don't need any help and my body doesn't need any prodding (as it were).

The continuing saga of the overly-healthy guy - I'm fully cleared after the edema and my blood work (liver enzymens and CBC) though clinically abnormal is still at my normal levels. But on the down side - the doctor and pharmacist couldn't come up with any good answer for long term pain management for my arthritis. It seems that all the good meds aren't useable by someone who is allergic to non-steroidals (like me). So... I get to work out as normal and stop when I can't handle the pain/discomfort.

Happy trails all - looking at 10 miles tomorrow (a first since the half-marathon in Oct).

Les

[SusanMac]

Hi all! Is it Friday again already? My days are all mixed up.

Back from San Francisco, and need to catch up on last week's thread. the good news is that I snuck in 2 workouts, small but enough to prevent me from feeling guilty. And enough to wake me up before very long conference-room PowerPoint days. The bad news is that both of them were in my hotel workout room. I had forgotten that SF weather is horrible until Noon each day. The hotel was at the edge of the tenderloin neighborhood, as well, and far enough from the Embarcadero that I knew I wouldn't have time to get there. A foggy, stoplight & homeless person filled run didn't sound very inspiring to me. So, I hit the treadmill & did some weights. It was a great trip overall, though.

Finishing up my Christmas shopping for DH this weekend. I just got DH some CWX running pants, which are specially designed to increase blood flow & speed. We'll see if that's true :-)

Happy weekend everyone!

[SusanMac]

OK, I'm caught up from last week :-)

Natasha - amazed you could even get up and be on a computer w/food poisoning. I couldn't move a muscle during the time I had it. Hopefully it will be gone soon so you can get back to the egg nog!

Aggie - We're so excited that your marathon is getting so close! I wouldn't worry too much about changing your plan over the past few weeks. If you are still able to sneak in a run in the 18-20 mile range, that would be great. But if not, that doesn't mean you can't still finish strong. I would recommend running outside as often as possible before the race. there is such a huge difference between treadmill running and asphalt running. For my mp3 player, I just carry it or, now that it's winter, put it in my pocket. I don't mind having it in my hand, but if you think it might bug you, you should look into getting a music belt. The key that all the books, etc, say is to practice the exact gear, clothes, fluids, food & surface that you'll experience for the race. there will always be something you can't control, so be sure to have a good grasp on what you can control.

Avril - DH used to have severe calf cramping like you describe. the weird thing is that we never quite figured out what caused it. He did lots of stretching, ice, etc. And, he hasn't experience it in about a year. A good way to do self massage in that area is with a dowel or can of food. Something firm that will roll on the ground and put pressure on your calf as you move it back & forth.

I'll check in later w/the Christmas poem :-)

[ktg0930]

Hi everyone and welcome Avril!

After some frigid temps earlier this week, it was a pleasure to run this morning when it was about 30. I ran on the track Tuesday night when it was cold and windy and hadn't been out running since then. But my friend and I picked the coldest night to walk around and look at all the department store windows.

Susan - welcome back. It sounds like you had a productive trip. I can't wait to read the poem.

Aggie - I am so impressed that you can run 15 miles on treadmill. I can't remember, when is your marathon?

Bethany - yay! it's almost Christmas vacation time!

Terri - let's just say that I can relate to your bathroom emergency :)

Julie - congrats on achieving that healing/running milestone. I hope everything continues to go well.

Les - good luck on the 10 miler this weekend and it's good your labs are back to normal.

Hello to Natasha, Seathyme, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Mary...I hope I haven't forgotten anyone!

Happy Friday!
Kathy

[seathyme]

Hi all,

Good to hear from everyone today! Sounds like some satisfying runs are happening after all, despite the occasional run-in (so to speak) with "issues." Julie, very glad you had an encouraging run and were able to ramp things up a bit.

Les, very sorry to hear you will have to run with sub-par pain management. But the clean blood tests are great news. I hope you'll have fun with that 10-miler and that it won't hurt overmuch. And congrats on winning a cool prize!

Kathy, I agree the warmer temps are a relief. No more hooded thug out in the darkened streets, at least until the next cold snap. This morning I felt pretty good, happily. Went to the gym for overdue weights (ugh, it had been over a week) and 40 mins. elliptical. Tomorrow looking forward to a run outside.

btw Susan, do let us know if the magic speedy pants work. I could use something like that.;)

Have a good weekend, all. And Natasha, do check in when you can. We're a little worried, and we miss you!:)

[AvrilH]

THank you Susan - I will try the dowel massage. My calf is a bit achy today after yesterday's run. But Saturday is treadmill try-to-increase-my-pace-while-watching-kids-have-swimming-lessons day, and Sunday is my long run day (about 12-ish K) so I hope the calf survives!

On the topic of weather: What temperature does everyone consider a cut-off for running outside? In Edmonton we have such a collection of bike paths and wooded trails (and of course just plain old sidewalks) that at least one of them is available for running (eg. the sidewalks get slushy in the spring, but are dry by the time the wooded trails start to melt) all year long. But what temps should I watch out for? It can get pretty cold here - I have always drawn the line of about -15 C (Not sure what that would be in Farenheit - 5-10 degrees?). It just gets impossible to keep my legs warm enough and keep them moving much colder than that.

And don't get me started on that unmentionable subject. DS#3's birth left me in a bad spot that way..... Let's just say I am glad that I run in the woods most of the time.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by AvrilH
On the topic of weather: What temperature does everyone consider a cut-off for running outside? In Edmonton we have such a collection of bike paths and wooded trails (and of course just plain old sidewalks) that at least one of them is available for running (eg. the sidewalks get slushy in the spring, but are dry by the time the wooded trails start to melt) all year long. But what temps should I watch out for? It can get pretty cold here - I have always drawn the line of about -15 C (Not sure what that would be in Farenheit - 5-10 degrees?). It just gets impossible to keep my legs warm enough and keep them moving much colder than that.
Good for you, -15 C is about 5 degrees F. What temps you run in are really a personal thing. I know people who wouldn't think of running when it is colder than about 35 F while others are still running as the temp reaches 0 F. The biggest thing for me (one who doesn't like cold weather) is layers. (Remembering that I'm male - probably the only one on this thread) When the temp drops into the teens I go out with polypropolene (SSP) pants and wind pants over the top (to trap the heat). On top I wear layers - typically a singlet, a short sleeve shirt, and a long sleeve shirt if it's in the teens along with a wind breaker if it is windy. So for a short answer, -15C is probably a good temperature to call it quits and run inside. But that's just me.

For me - no run today, I'm resting for my extravaganza tomorrow.

Until then, happy trails,
Les

[badunnin]

Avril - I thrive on cold runs (tonight it's about -7C with windchill) but I do have a limit, and it's about -15C. I have great tights (with Natasha will attest to - she has a pair as well. They are the Jetstreams from MEC) and my legs didn't even feel a chill tonight. I don't run inside, though, so I'm more likely to push it a bit on the temp (yes yes - this is my first winter running. But the same rules apply for XC skiing and snowshoeing, thank you very much ;))

I'm impressed with all of you that can do the treadmill runs, especially you this week Eva!

Got a decent run in tonight. Lovely evening here.

Hello Nat, Kathy, seathyme, Terri, Mary, Maureen, Les, Susan, Julie and Rebecca! Wow - is that a round dozen of us?

[seathyme]

Hey Bethany I'm gonna have to check out those tights. Mine are just barely adequate for these cold days. Avril, I start thinking seriously about the dreaded 'mill around 0-5F (-15 to -18C). If the windchill is down at the bottom of that range it's a bit much -- or maybe I need some new gear. ;) If there's no ice, I'm inclined to push that envelope for the love of being outside. If Santa is good to me, I may have an MP3 player to try out on the mill this winter. I need something to make those big red numbers move a little faster!

Reporting in with 5.5 miles this morning. Chilly but good.

Have a good day, runnahs.

[MaryH]

Ah winter. Got in about three this morning in the fog.

Julie, so can you teach me how I can get to 8:30 minute miles :cool: I think I'm forever stuck at 10:00+ min/mile. (Of course, you'll probably tell me to do speed work and all and/or run more than 2 times a week but maybe there's a "magic" faster running cookie I can take.) :)

[badunnin]

Ack! Seathyme - I was going to post a link to the tights, but saw on the MEC website that they are unavailable. So, I called. It turns out that they are being discontinuted! I'm so disappointed. The rep said that they will be replaced by something else, but not until spring! :( It also looks like the slipstream tights (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=679831&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=782063&bmUID=1103388478649) might work as well.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by MaryH
Julie, so can you teach me how I can get to 8:30 minute miles :cool: I think I'm forever stuck at 10:00+ min/mile. (Of course, you'll probably tell me to do speed work and all and/or run more than 2 times a week but maybe there's a "magic" faster running cookie I can take.) :)
Don't I wish there was a magic cookie to make you run faster (although sometimes raisin cookies... don't need to go there :) ). If you're looking to run faster I'd recommend something simple like a fartlek to get started. Not the dreaded "speed work" but something that makes doing intervals fun.

Doesn't it suck when a company discontinues something (like tights) or changes them in the name of change (like shoes) - makes me a little purturbed.

Reporting in on a fine 10+ mile run this morning. Everything went smooth, with the possible exception of my hip but that's from lack of running over the past 6 months (more or less). I'm pretty much back to the level I'd like to be at - able to run 10 or more miles on Saturday without pain or issue. Still have ache/pain in my ankle/foot right now but then again I'm sitting (the worst position for me to be in it seems). It was warmer than I expected (and than I was dressed for :rolleyes: ) but I'm certainly getting ready for the "fun" next week.

Happy weekend runnahs,
Les

[seathyme]

Thanks for trying, Bethany. I've tended to prefer tights to pants for running, but maybe I'll get out the pants I bought once in a fit of optimism and see how they feel. And there must be other companies that make good warm running tights. There's always the option Susan is giving her DH for Christmas -- the ones that make you speedy (how's that Mary, in the absence of a magic cookie?;) ).

Glad you had a good run, Les! You deserve it.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Thanks seathyme. I'm not the right person to ask about running tights. I have problems wearing something I can't feel for weight and actual fit. I've got Large pants that are second skin tight and others that are baggy. I think my heavy-weight tights are Saucony and I've liked them for years (LW bought them for me after my very first marathon). I've got some from Roadrunner Sports that are ok but definitely not for really cold weather. I'd recommend going to our favorite running store in Wellesley Hills to touch and sense the tights - there's nothing like a hands on test ride.

It's good to have my first long run under my belt. Now I have to work on making my lower body happy to run that distance again. Muscles are a little tight tonight but this too chall pass.

Happy remainder of the weekend and happy trails,
Les

[beckms]

Hi all!

Les, it's great that you can run 10 miles after such a long time off...I'm running a marathoin relay in May and I'm doing a 10-mile leg, so I hope to work myself UP to that distance in the next few months!

BF and I got ourselves to the gym yesterday for weights. I'm trying really hard to get back into a routine now that finals are over, but holiday parties and holiday travel are determined to thwart me...oh well it's better than nothing.

I've been trying out a new method of low weights/high reps, which is a lot harder than I anticipated.

Hopefully today I'll get out for a run with Wrigley, although it looks chilly out there.

I'm watching this conversation about tights...I only have one pair of long pants to wear outside, and it's starting to get a little too cold to rely on them. Maybe Santa...ah, I'll probably have to do it myself.

Happy running!:cool:

[badunnin]

Avril - I may test out your "how cold before you don't run outside" theory today - it's -15C out there, with a lovely wind making it feel like -24C.

Got in a good run last night, and this morning, listening to the wind, I'm glad I did. I really want to get another run in tonight, but I'm not desperate (or stupid) enough to push it in this weather.

Rebecca - glad to 'see' you back here, and I'm glad to hear you survived exams.

[Natasha]

Hi all!

I have to go grocery shopping soon, but wanted to stop in and say HELLO. Missed you guys! The food poisoning wasn't that bad at all in and of itself - it was my chest that took a pounding. It was a crazy and pretty stressful week all in all, and the food poisoning was only a small part of it. The food poisoning incident should teach me not to eat any more of those magic running cookies ;) :D Hopefully the week leading into Christmas, and the holiday period between then and January, will be better!

Avril, welcome from a fellow Canadian!! Great to have you aboard :) I love running in cold weather, up to a point. I have run in up to about -20 C but only if it's not too windy. Today, for example, is too much for me. It's about -17 FAHRENHEIT today with the windchill, so I won't be running outdoors today. I may go on the bike trainer, or else go to the gym and hit the treadmill. We'll see.

Les, wow on the 10 miles!! Good going :cool:

Seathyme, it's too bad that the Jetstreams are not available on the website anymore. They are great tights. My husband and I have each had a pair for about 3 years and they're still in fine shape. I rarely use them to run, but do use them often for snowshoeing, winter hikes, and the like. The slipstreams are good too, though, or else I'm sure you'll find something good at the store Les mentioned. Good luck!

Susan, welcome back from SF!

Rebecca, congratulations on surviving exams.

Hi to Bethany, Elizabeth, Scout, Kathy, Julie, Eva (yay on the treadmill run!!), Terri, and all the rest.

Natasha

[seathyme]

Natasha! Good to hear from you.:) Sorry you've had a stressful time there -- hopefully something better lies ahead.

Some of you have some seriously cold weather going on. Eek. I have a feeling some of that is headed our way as well. A test of my semi-adequate tights for sure... maybe a trip to Marathon Sports is in order as you suggest, Les. Nothing wrong with buying a little Christmas present for *myself* now is there?;)

Have a morning run planned, but we've got snow in the forecast so we'll see. It might turn into a shoveling workout instead...

Hope our runners had good weekends out there.

[badunnin]

Originally posted by seathyme


Some of you have some seriously cold weather going on. Eek. I have a feeling some of that is headed our way as well. A test of my semi-adequate tights for sure... maybe a trip to Marathon Sports is in order as you suggest, Les. Nothing wrong with buying a little Christmas present for *myself* now is there?;)

Have a morning run planned, but we've got snow in the forecast so we'll see. It might turn into a shoveling workout instead...




It's 3F out there - 3. And what was I doing tonight? Yep. *sigh* I'm seriously touched in the head. FWIW, the tights are still good at 3F, but barely. In hindsight, I should have thrown on another bottom layer tonight - either wind pants on top or silk long underwear underneath. On top I was toasty warm. As always after a winter run outside, though, I feel powerful. And crazy. ;) I was also surprised at how fast it was.

Time for cocoa.

[Natasha]

Seathyme, thanks for the welcome back and I'll hope you get to run instead of shovel tomorrow ;) We're supposed to get snow too, later in the week - probably the same system moving west? Looks like I may be snowshoeing before the year is out.

Bethany, you rock to have run in this weather! :cool:

Julie, I forgot - you mentioned Yaktrax earlier. Aren't they the best? :) I love mine and got so much use out of them last season.

Les, you'd mentioned the other day that there was too much stress. Sorry to hear it. I hope all the VRBs' stress levels (including mine :rolleyes: ) go down soon. Are many people travelling for the holidays?

I did 45 minutes of good spinning on the bike instead of going to the gym. It was so fun. I learned that Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas CD is a lovely accompaniment for a 40-minute spin :) Fun and inspiring both. After it finished I just had a few minutes to go. Now I've got the Messiah playing in the background - O thou that tellest is on at the moment, one of my favourites in the entire recording. But I'm rambling ;) Good night, folks.

Natasha

[Leslie Ferguson]

Busy weekend around here.
seathyme - Certainly nothing wrong with a little personal Christmas present from Marathon Sports - things from there would be the perfect stocking stuffer from Santa. Funny how the jolly old elf knows all the perfect sizes and colors too. ;)

BRRRRR! I get cold just thinking of 15 F let alone 0. If it's any consolation (and I don't think it shold be) but we got our first snow of the season tonight and the cold winds should make it just beautifully frozen come the morning for the commute. :rolleyes: But you all can keep the negative celcius temps thank you. :D

Natasha - It's been a very stressful fall and winter (so much so that I've got patches of hair that have fallen out of the back of my head). But I can also say that the project I've been working on for over 6 months is done and turned in to the Admiral who requested it. I even finished a very thorough briefing presentation (112 slides in all) on the project. So I think my stess will go down at work, and my medical seems to be headed in the right direction so... another stressor going away. Now just a little more time and I can truly go and decompress in Appomattox Thursday through Sunday. Speaking of which, while I was at the gym I got a call from mom and she had a couple thoughts for Christmas Dinner and wanted to float them my direction. Something about a pork tenderloin (they're kind of "beefed" out because my uncle normally sends a box from Omaha Steaks for Christmas). I think I can come up with some way to prepare it and a couple sides that should come off ok - corn bread, green beans (somehow), and something else. Of course I'm hoping my father makes his grandmother's famous carrot pudding (carrots, raisins, walnuts) and hard sauce (worth the splurge and oh so rich and decadent - from an OLD German recipe).

Today wan't too bad (until just recently). My workout was very good and I think I didn't overdo it like I have in the past couple weeks. Hopefully things will be mostly dull tomorrow and not achy.

Until tomorrow friends, keep warm and healthy and I'll be in touch.

Happy trails,
Les

[aggie94]

Kathy, the marathon is on January 9, less than 3 weeks away! :eek:

Susan, I am definitely going to try to get out and do as many runs as possible outdoors. I know there's a huge difference between road running and treadmill running, but it's SO hard when I run late at night. No way can I recruit DH to go out with me, unless it's a very short run (like 1-2 miles), and I don't feel safe going it alone. Hopefully with the upcoming holidays and some time off from work, I can get out for a few road runs pre-race.

Well, I didn't do my 18-miler this weekend. We got keys to our new house on Friday (yay!) and started cleaning and moving things over late that night and most of Saturday. With all the dust and dirt and dog fur that got stirred up, my allergies were killing me. I thought I'd be OK by Sunday (which is when I had planned to run), but then I got food poisoning Saturday night. :mad: I spent the entire night sick as a dog and by Sunday afternoon, my symptoms were mostly gone, but my body felt like it had been hit by a freight truck. Needless to say, running was out of the question.

Anyway, I am feeling a hundred times better today. I am still a little run down, though, from not sleeping well and barely eating or drinking a thing all day yesterday. So my plan is to fuel up today and do a short, easy run tonight and try for 18 tomorrow.

Oh yeah - I found out this morning that I've been chosen as a volunteer captain for the inaugural Ironman Arizona in April. I'll be overseeing a sector of the run course. Should be fun! :D

[SusanMac]

Happy Monday before Christmas everyone :-)

Les - Congrats on your long run! That is awesome news.

MaryH - I always use Fig Newtons for my magic running cookies :-) I've been expecting to hear from you and Scout on all of this running in 5-degree weather discussion!

Avril - Your running in the woods comment cracked me up!

Sharkies - Now I've forgotten who posted about these. The website looked cool, and they seemed like the perfect stocking stuffer. But now I can't find them anywhere around town. Argh!

Had a good weekend. Weights and a bit of rowing at the Y on Sunday, as it was 5-degrees out. Driving around, though, I still saw runners outside, and was a bit jealous. Like Badunnin, running in the cold does make me feel strong. Oh, and the neighborhood walkers just passed by on their daily lunchtime walk. If they can walk today, I should be able to run, right??

[seathyme]

Wahoo! Although there is now enough snow to require shoveling, at 5:45am there was just enough to be pretty, so I went out for 8 beautiful white miles. Had to take it a bit slow due to the footing, but I enjoyed every minute out there. At the time the temps were close to 30F, which was balmy compared to, say, what Bethany braved last night.;) But those lower numbers are on their way here too, so we'll see what the rest of the week holds.

I'm happy with the 8, as I want to start ramping back up to weekly long runs again, which I had let go for one reason after another in the past 6-8 weeks. Hope to do 10's, 12's, and maybe one 14-15 before the half in March.

Hang in there with all the work projects, etc, everyone. (I'm doing the same here.) The holiday is rapidly approaching!:D

[SusanMac]

Yea! We're done with our Christmas letter. Here is the poem. You guys dont' get the benefit of the fun photos & cute newsletter format that went with it, but I'm sure you can visualize...



'Twas the night before the Ironman
And all through the MacCall home
Scott was carbo-loading with pasta
Piled on his plate like a dome.

The Gu was lined up
On the counter with care
Right next to the Gatorade,
Chamois butter and Nair.

The alarms rang at 3:30am
The big day was finally here.
John, Linda and Susan
Were all prepared to cheer.

Lake Monona filled with 2,000 racers,
Nervous and buff.
A cannon signaled the start.
“Did I really train enough?”

After 2.4 miles in the water
Scott jumped on his bike.
Ready to face the Wisconsin heat,
Corn fields, hills and the like.

We drove around town
Cheering for Scott here and there.
He was smiling, having fun.
Didn’t he mind the wear and tear?

Next came the marathon piece,
Clearly the most grueling part.
The 26.2 miles
Determined who really had heart.

Covered in sweat and sunscreen,
Scott kept moving along.
Spectators cheered his name
And played rockin’ songs.

Late in the night
Waiting in the stands
We saw Scott turn the corner
Still smiling to all the fans.

Scott’s 140-mile race
Had come to a close.
He was finally an Ironman
Celebrated with those he loved most.

[seathyme]

Susan, that is great!! I could picture the whole thing. Congratulations all over again to Scott, and to you for being such a good pit crew.:D

[seathyme]

One more note -- just noticed that three of us all had a mind meld and posted at the same time. Eve I didn't see yours at first. So sorry about the food poisoning! Weird that two VRB's got it in the same week...:confused: Very exciting about your house, though. You'll do fine with the marathon, and we'll be cheering you all the way!

[ktg0930]

Susan, your poem is great!

Seathyme, your weather was warmer than ours this morning. We were in the teens and it was my off day anyway. I'm planning to run tomorrow morning and am expecting it to be chiily.

Eva, I didn't realize your race was coming up so quickly! What a bummer about the food poisoning. I hope you are feeling better and enjoying the new house.

We leave tomorrow afternoon for Wisconsin (Susan, we'll be in Madison) and will be there until Christmas night. I'm looking forward to seeing my family but the weather...not so much. I have been alerted by my sister that it will be cold there and I was considering not even bringing the running stuff. But as everyone has said, people are out running and walking, so if I dress properly, I should be able to be out there too.

I may not get a chance to check in again before Christmas, so I hope that everyone has a great holiday.

[TLee4]

Delurking...(yes I am such a bad VRB that I actually have to delurk!) to say that I love your poem, Susan! Very creative.

Kudos to you runners, especially in the cold. It goes without saying that Princess Terri will not be joining you. Maybe one treadmill run sometime this week.

Merry Christmas, VRB's!

Terri

[aggie94]

Thanks, Kathy - luckily it was a pretty mild bout of food poisoning compared to what I've had before. Have a wonderful Christmas!!! Check in with us when you get back. Safe travels!

Susan, I love the poem! You must be so proud of him. :) I mentioned the Sharkies in last week's thread. I still haven't tried them yet, but if they're as good as the guy told me they were, they'd make a great stocking stuffer for Scott. Their website hasn't been updated yet with a list of retailers, but I found this number for them: 1-877-666-5377. I bet if you call them, they can tell you who's carrying them in your area.

Thanks, seathyme! I'll post my race number as we get closer - don't let me forget. ;)

I forgot to mention the other mishap I had over the weekend. In the course of moving, I tripped over a dolly (it converts to a cart, so it was laying on its side on all 4 wheels, like a cart). I was carrying a big, empty box that was almost as tall as me, so I couldn't see my feet or what was on the floor in front of me. Took a bad spill and ended up with a bruise and knot on my right shin as big as a baseball. :( I also tore the toenail off my big toe, so the whole nailbed is exposed, which doesn't feel too good. When it rains, it pours, I guess.

Wish me luck on my 18-miler tomorrow, please. I think I'm gonna need it. :o

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by aggie94
I forgot to mention the other mishap I had over the weekend. In the course of moving, I tripped over a dolly (it converts to a cart, so it was laying on its side on all 4 wheels, like a cart). I was carrying a big, empty box that was almost as tall as me, so I couldn't see my feet or what was on the floor in front of me. Took a bad spill and ended up with a bruise and knot on my right shin as big as a baseball. :( I also tore the toenail off my big toe, so the whole nailbed is exposed, which doesn't feel too good. When it rains, it pours, I guess.

Wish me luck on my 18-miler tomorrow, please. I think I'm gonna need it. :o
When it rains it pours. :( Sorry about the tumble and the injury and I hope that you figure out how to run without your toenail. It may be difficult at first but you should be able to give it a go - they make neat things called toe caps that are like moleskin (but not really) that have a lubricant inside that do a decent job of protecting the toe just for things like missing nails. Best of luck with your 18 miler tomorrow. Remember, it's not about speed it's about doing the miles.

seathyme - Yep - it was a lot warmer there than it was in Norfolk this morning. I think the dry bulb was 13 or 14 F when I got up and wind chill was at or below 0 F. Needless to say it was so cold my cross - inside my lined jacket, under my uniform shirt and t-shirt was cold against my chest. :o Not a pleasant time either - the wind and the humidity made the morning almost unbearable.
Susan - Thanks for sharing the poem - it was great.
Kathy - Safe travels to you as you head home for Christmas.

I got an elliptical in today - feeling the 10-miler (I think) or at least I don't want to stress things too much. Plus I was not ready by any stretch of the imagination to run in gust of up to 25 mph when the air temp is under 20 - too cool for my thin blood (and lack of BF).

Check you all tonight after work.

happy trails,
Les

[MaryH]

Susan, I love the poem!!!

As for weighing in on the -5 runs, I figured I'd get banished off the board (and rightly so) for wimping that 30 degrees is cold to me. :) I do have a pair of InLine tights that work well for me, but since I haven't tried them at colder than say 28 degrees, I can't say how well they'd do. I did get out this morning for a run, but I am scrambling to get Santa gifts wrapped (while the little ones are NOT around) and finish off everything esle, so I'll check back later.

[seathyme]

All this chatter is much more fun than working.;)

Forgot to tell you my amusing anecdote from this morning's run. Somewhere around the third mile I was cruising along, watching my footing in the snow but basically just having a great time out there. Because it was dark, I didn't always see what was ahead until I was right on top of it. So out of the blue, there appeared coated with new snow, a banana peel! In the middle of the suburban sidewalk. I really felt like a cartoon character with a script directing the inevitable to happen.:p

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by seathyme
Forgot to tell you my amusing anecdote from this morning's run. Somewhere around the third mile I was cruising along, watching my footing in the snow but basically just having a great time out there. Because it was dark, I didn't always see what was ahead until I was right on top of it. So out of the blue, there appeared coated with new snow, a banana peel! In the middle of the suburban sidewalk. I really felt like a cartoon character with a script directing the inevitable to happen.:p
ROTFLMAO!!!!! especially since you didn't get hurt or slip on the peel. I don't think I could have made something like that up.
Thanks for sharing.
Les

[beckms]

Ugh, Seathyme, I don't know how you get yourself out there at 5:45 in the morning. It makes me cold just thinking about it.

Got a quick (actually, slow...) 3.5 miles in on Sunday before stuffing my face at a holiday party, then a good weights session yesterday with BF.

I just got back from a "walk" with the dogs, who got half a block before giving up and sitting down with a really pathetic look on their faces. Their feet were cold and they wouldn't walk anymore, so my guess is that a run outside is out of the question today...I'll try to make it to the gym. I have to get it in today because I'm driving to Rochester tomorrow, and then who knows how much exercising I'll get in while I'm there...

The holidays are quickly approaching. Why is it that they are more stressful than fun sometimes? Really, all I want is to get back into my exercise routine and relax during my break from school. I think we need to spread the holidays out a little...Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are all too close together.

Bah, Humbug.

Happy running!;)

[SusanMac]

Happy Tuesday!

Got in my first treadmill run of the season last night. 30 min, which isn't bad considering how much I loathe those machines. I got the last good treadmill at the gym, and it wasn't even 5:00 yet!

Aggie - I totally sympathize on the issue of keeping a running routine on these short/dark days. In fact, I'm impressed w/anyone who trains for a marathon during this! I called the Sharkies guy & learned that REI carries them. Woo, hoo. I'm off to pick some up today. I called my REI to make sure, and the woman said "Do you mean the gummy bears?" I guess no one really buys the "energy food claim." Will make a fun stocking stuffer either way.

Seathyme - Frozen banana peels?? That sounds like a Laurel & hardy movie.

We got our first snow of the year last night. I'm kind of excited, but it's really just a little dusting. You can still see the grass, which means it will be melted by Christmas :-( We did, however, have fun walking with Ki last night to look at holiday lights in the neighborhood.

[seathyme]

Hey runners,

As Rebecca said, your cold air did show up here last night and this morning -- though it's supposed to get up to 50F again tomorrow, go figure. I *hope* the snow will make it through Saturday, for a white Christmas...

Coaxed the car into making it the 1.5 miles to the gym this morning, where I did weights and then 3 on the dreadmill. Wondering if Santa will bring one of those MP3 players to pass the 'mill time????

Had an anxiety dream last night about the Canyonlands half-marathon, believe it or not. I was running with an unknown someone else, and we kept discovering diversions set up by the race organizers -- fun things to do along the way. So we'd stop to do those and suddenly I'd say, "Wait! I'm supposed to be running so I can try to beat my time from Portland!":D :p

[Natasha]

Originally posted by beckms
I think we need to spread the holidays out a little...Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are all too close together.

I've always thought U.S. Thanksgiving was oddly close to Christmas. Why don't you celebrate our Thanksgiving instead, on the second Monday of October? ;) Kidding!

Seathyme, that is a classic story about the banana peel. Glad you weren't hurt :)

Natasha

[Leslie Ferguson]

...Quiet day - not by design here but still...
Eva - How was your 18-miler? I was thinking about you and your run today and inquiring minds want to know. How is your knee doing too? I hope the swelling has gone down and that there is no residual pain/discomfort.
seathyme - My hat's off to you for going out at all - especially to walk your dog. I'm glad that you had a reasonable run on the dreadmill today - good for one of us. Sorry you're stressing about the next half, but I know you'll do fine and be ready for all the fun. What a way to start your sabbatical... Would the half marathon be personal growth, continuing education, or time for reflection? ;)
Rebecca - I'm not a fan of cold weather either. Sorry about your dog's feet - probably a god idea to not run if it was that cols up there.
Susan - Funny story about calling REI regarding Sharkies. I guess you're right when you said some people aren't "fooled" by the "for runners" packaging. Still would be worthwhile finding out how they taste/work on a run.

Like I alluded to above today was a missed workout - and not by design. A little frazzled this morning and I left my gym bag under the dining room table (it wasn't where it was supposed to be so I wouldn't forget it but the Christmas tree is occupying that space). In retrospect - it probably was ok because I was feeling my ankle a little more this morning than I had in a while - may have done too much over the weekend. Still trying to figure out what my threshold is.

FWIW - I got confirmation that my application was accepted for Boston 2005. All they have to do is confirm my entry figures and I'm in (after dropping $101 for entry fees). Look out Boston - here I come one more time. Hopefully I can get LW to join me this year (as long as she isn't sicker than an dog again).

I hope everyone is winding down for as Christmas approaches.

Happy trails,
Les

[SusanMac]

Went on a run yesterday in 5-degree weather. I feel very proud. We passed other runners along the way, and you get to do the little "yea, we're running in the freakin' cold" nod :-) Today will be a designated rest day. I do plan to make raspberry strippers tonight. Probably should not do that on a rest day :-)

Les - That's great news about Boston! Take it easy on the ankle. You've got 4 months to go.

Natasha - Thanksgiving in Oct would be too close, too, really. Then you'd just be extending the entire Thanksgiving-Halloween-Christmas-NYEve eating/drinking fest by a few more weeks!

Seathyme - When does your sabbatical officially start? Has it begun yet? I think dreaming about your marathon is a good sign, even if they're strange dreams!

Gotta run into a meeting. Ciao!

[aggie94]

Originally posted by Leslie Ferguson
Eva - How was your 18-miler? I was thinking about you and your run today and inquiring minds want to know. How is your knee doing too? I hope the swelling has gone down and that there is no residual pain/discomfort.

Thanks for thinking of me! I did it. I finished 18 miles. :D That's about all I can say about it, though. It was pretty tough, especially the last 4. I just had to keep repeating to myself, "You're almost done. You're almost done." Even when "almost" was 6 miles left. :rolleyes: By the end, I was doing 4 minute run intervals to 1 minute walk intervals, at what felt like slower-than-a-snail's pace, but I finished. It took me a heck of a long time (almost four hours :o), but I finished. The lack of a toenail didn't seem to bother me (and strangely, I can't seem to find those toecaps you've mentioned anywhere) and my bruised shin is feeling fine, but I do have this one pesky blister that keeps coming back on my long runs, despite new socks and assorted blister remedies. I need to work on that guy. Other than that, I felt OK when I was done. My knees felt pretty achy (forgot to take some Aleve beforehand) by the end, but I feel surprisingly good today. I can't believe the race is only two and a half weeks away!

Oh, and the Sharkies did not do much to get me through, so I was pretty lacking on fuel for four hours. I could barely choke one down - they were nasty. :o They tasted like berry-flavored cardboard, but I'll admit that they're still better than Gu or Powergels. There seemed to be a couple of different flavors in my package (I got the orange package - I think it's "berry blast") and I only tried one. I would be willing to try the other flavors, but I don't have high hopes. Does anyone have any recommendations for palatable fuel sources that are easy to carry for my race? Up until now, I've been eating candy bars, but I know I'd be better off with some complex carbs versus just simple sugars.

Les, congrats on Boston! Good luck with your training - hope you stay healthy and injury-free.

[seathyme]

Congrats Eva!! 18 miles is a Really Long Way. Ya done good.:) Sorry about the persistent blisters though; I don't know what to do beyond the usual stuff you've tried. And sorry to hear the Sharkies were disappointing (Susan, did you already buy some for DH??). Hopefully others will have good advice for you; I have only tried a gel once and I have to say I hated it. But I know others have good success with them -- and maybe I wasn't in bad enough shape to appreciate it!;)

Happy Birthday Scout!!! Hope you're having a great day.

Les, congrats on Boston. I'm glad you'll have another chance to take on the Big One. Multitudes will be cheering for you, that's for sure.

Susan, I know what you mean about the mutual suffering/secret pride shared with other runners out in ridiculous weather. LOL. Thanks for asking about the sabbatical -- it starts Jan. 1 and I'm very excited!

Got out for 5.5 this morning in the dark. Ice is melting today so that bodes well for the rest of the week. Have a good day all!

[TLee4]

Since I still have no runs to report. :o

Eva, I don't know if you plan to wear any type of fuel belt for the race, but I did. I just put a Clif gel into the bottle and filled it with water. By the time you run, the water and gu all mix together and it's just like mildly flavored water..I found it very palatable. Usually I would drink half of one at a rest stop, and the other half a few miles later. (I had two bottle with one Gu in each for the whole marathon).

Hi to all and I'm still keeping up with all of you, just quietly.

Terri

[SusanMac]

Aggie - No! Don't tell me the Sharkies are gross! Oh well, too late for our house. I'm sure we'll test some on Xmas day even though we won't need any "energy fuel." If you don't like energy bars or gels, I don't have many other ideas for you other than to say it is soooooo important to get some serious fuel inside while you're running. I'm convinced that is what kept my last marathon time from being better (even though I was happy w/my race). I ran an entire 4 hours on one little Gu pack & some Gatorade. The more I read, the more I learn that's not enough. You can try honey, which sounds strange but you really do need raw sugar/energy. At REI I saw that they have honey in the little Gu-type of packets to make it easy to carry & consume. My favorite bars are Clif bars because they really do taste like brownies that I'd make myself :-) Good luck in your search. And congrats on your 18-miler. That's really imressive!

[badunnin]

One frustrated runner here tonight. I just can't seem to break out of the 2.5 mile range, and even that hasn't been comfortable lately. I could make excuses for myself - stress, not getting home until 7 in the last 3 weeks, not eating regular meals... but still, you'd think at 4 runs/week I'd be making some progress! Grrrr.

Eva - I'm proud of you for your 18 miles!

Terri - thanks for delurking to check in!

Hello to the rest of you!

[Leslie Ferguson]

I mean really - it was in the middle 50s today. What's up with this weather???

Susan - I hope your rest day was good and relaxing. From experience I can say that I do a few more gels during the marathon - more than I would do during training runs. I think I eat 5 gels (4 GU and 1 Cliff Shot during a typical marathon - because I think I process them differently). I know the races that I skip the last gel (23 or 24 miles) I always run out at the finish.
Eva - Like Susan said there are these neat honey based "gels" out there. They are called "Honey Stinger" and you can find some more information on them at their web site (http://www.honeystinger.com) . I've had pretty good experiences with them but they are really high energy for me - but then I am slightly hypoglycemic (just another one of my bodily purturbations). You may want to try them. And I wouldn't worry about the way you felt after your 18 miler - that's kind of how you feel during your longest training run every time (believe me...).
Bethany - Sorry you aren't seeing good results of all your running but you pegged it - nutrition, stress, and general restedness will impact your runs. Progress will come in time.

I didn't really run today - but I did 60 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Just too easy to do that right after I left the dentist (annual check-up) before going back to the grind. Felt great and I hope I can carry this to Saturday's long run after presents and before dinner. I'm looking for 11-12 miles on Saturday and hope I feel good afterwards.

Check you in the morning - happy trails,
Les

[MaryH]

Originally posted by badunnin
One frustrated runner here tonight. I just can't seem to break out of the 2.5 mile range, and even that hasn't been comfortable lately. I could make excuses for myself - stress, not getting home until 7 in the last 3 weeks, not eating regular meals... but still, you'd think at 4 runs/week I'd be making some progress! Grrrr.

I'll join you (except you have to agree to run at about 10 min/miles). Oh well, so if there's no magic cookie is there a magic drink??? (I KNOW the tiki bar is there for a reason.)

[badunnin]

Originally posted by MaryH


I'll join you (except you have to agree to run at about 10 min/miles). Oh well, so if there's no magic cookie is there a magic drink??? (I KNOW the tiki bar is there for a reason.)

10 minute miles? I'm so there! Well, give me 11. And I think my tiki bar is covered in snow. ;)

Les - you should see the snow many of us are under right now! Definitely not spring up here!

[Natasha]

Exercise today was shovelling snow and going for a couple of walks with the dog, one of which involved more jumping through snow than walking.

I don't know how much I'll be online in the next couple of days, so I'll take the opportunity to pass along my good wishes now. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Natasha

[badunnin]

Like Natasha, my exercise today was a bit of shovelling and a whole lot of snowblowing. My friend Sabrina is home from CA for the holiday, and together the 2 of us did the driveways/sidewalks of a neighbour who had a house fire this week (they'll be out for a few months while all the dry wall is replaced) and another neighbour who are out of town for the birth of a grandchild, as well as our own two houses and an awful lot of sidewalk! I scoped out my running route tonight and found 3 things: 1) the people around the corner have a SWEET ice rink going up, floodlights and all, 2) only about 7 houses don't have their sidewalks shovelled, and 3) my route is about .25 miles longer than I had thought.

Now, on to practice my mad gift wrapping skills. ;)

Happy holidays!

[seathyme]

Hi everyone!

No snow shoveling workouts in this neck of the woods today. In fact the bit we had from a few days ago melted entirely with temps near 60F. It was downright balmy. And now is pouring buckets! I guess the good news is we don't have to shovel out buckets of rain; bad news is no white Christmas in New England. Alas.

This morning I managed to do weights and elliptical. Not many people at the gym -- holiday madness has set in for sure.:D Tomorrow hoping for a good a.m. run, to put me in a good space for three Christmas Eve candlelight services later on. I *love* these but am a basket case by the time they're over.

I'll be around and probably will check in here and there over the next few days, but also want to wish everyone joy and peace for the holidays, and may your personal and global wishes come true in the coming year!

[beckms]

Evening, runners! I'm writing to you from frozen Rochester, NY, where the weather outside is truly, as they say, frightful, and has been every since I got here yesterday! They're predicting a frigid, white Christmas, though, which will be a nice touch., I slogged through 4 miles on my parents' treadmill today. I'm going to try to make a bigg effort to exercise in the coming days in anticipation of the SEVENTEEN POUND rib roast my dad bought for Christmas dinner...:eek:

My folks have a set of freeweights. Any ideas on leg exercises I can do with freeweights? I was thinking of lunges, but can't think of anything else.

Les, YAY on Boston! This year I'd love to meet up with you before or after the race...and I'll make a big sign to hold in Natick Center!

Aggie--Whoa. I am truly impressed. as Seathyme said, that is a RLW (really long way!). Good for you!

Badunnin--nutrition, stress, and sleep are definitely bad for the running. I was a big whiny mess during finals period and for several weeks before and couldn't run more than 1.5-2 miles, and practically cried every time. And now that school is over for a few weeks, my runs have been much better. I feel for ya! You're right, though, a little is better than nothing!

Happy birthday Scout! :)

Hi and happy holidays to Mary, Terri, Seathyme, Natasha, and anyone else I missed!
:D

[Leslie Ferguson]

Hey gang - just a quick after midnight check in from Mom and Dad's. Escaped Norfolk for a three day Christmas in lovely Appomattox. Based on my missing my run today and the predictions for the weather over the next two days I may try to squeeze my long run tomorrow instead of Saturday.

If I don't talk to you all before Christmas - I hope everyone has a healthy and happy Christmas.

Happy trails,
Les

[TLee4]

Hi all and Merry christmas everyone! No snow here but no warm weather either. COLD!!! (5 degrees right now).

Rebecca, yes, walking lunges would be good. And how about some squats while you hold the weights on your shoulders?

I thought I would at least take a Spin class today, but I am going to take Les's theory of "sometimes NOT exercising is the healthiest choice". I had TOO much running to do today (not real running, unfortunately) and I don't want to be exhausted and crabby by 8pm. So I thought I would sleep in today. But no, here I am on the BB before 6am! :rolleyes:

Terri

[Leslie Ferguson]

Rebecca - Another leg exercise you could do with hand weights is one-leg squats. All you need is something about a foot high (so you can squat down without having your "off" foot hit the floor) and you're in - think like a hack squat. It really doesn't take much weight to get a good workout doing those things.

Terri - You're right, some days it's just better to rest because you body really does need time to recuperate. Rest is important when you're training or when you're just maintaining. I've really learned this during the past couple months of recovery from my ankle issues.

Bethany - That ice rink sounds like a blast. Too bad you have to live in the cold climate to have something like that in your neighborhood. You are a real neighbor doing all that shoveling too. I bet you got quite the burn doing all that work.

Rebecca - I think it would be fun to get all of us together some place in Boston (or at least all of those who are in the area). As the day approaches we'll have to make better plans.

Getting ready to head out for 11+... wish me luck. I'll check back when everything is done. And in the correct week's thread. :rolleyes:

Happy trails,
Les