Virtual Running Buddies--Boston Marathon Week!!!!

[beckms]

Welcome to a new running wekk, VRBs!!! I just came down to check in between classes and saw there was no thread, so I thought I'd start it quickly.

Got a nice run in yesterday with the W-Dog...about 4.5-5 miles, not sure exactly. I ran a new route which was nice. It was very hilly on the way back, though (you'd think I would have noticed the hills on the way out, wouldn't you?)

probably won't get a rokout in today because I'm meeting Les, DW, and possibly knunes and Seathyme for a pre-marathon send-off dinner in Wellesley.

Happy running!

[ktg0930]

Thanks for starting this week, Rebecca.

Good luck on Monday, Les! And have a great time with the Boston VRBs tonight.

I used the rowing machine for 30 minutes this morning and the weather is supposed to be perfect this weekend, so I hope I can get some runs in.

Happy weekend to everyone!

Kathy

[seathyme]

Originally posted by beckms
I'm meeting Les, DW, and possibly knunes and Seathyme for a pre-marathon send-off dinner in Wellesley.

I'll be there and looking forward to it!

Got in 4 this morning with the R-dog. Third morning in a row we've gone out first thing and it just seems to get the day off to a good start.

Greetings all!

[SusanMac]

make sure someone brings a camera to dinner tonight so you can post a group shot of everyone

it"s gorgeous out today and i"ll be headed for a run after my lunch settles

i"m especially looking forward to it because i"ve spent the entire morning dealing with keyboard and mouse issues< as you might be able to detect> my cat spilled water on the keyboard yesterday> argh. note that i'm blaming the cat, rather than myself for not moving the water glass

tomorrow i'm going to check out a new all-women biking club here. i'm looking forward to it, but also a little nervous. i told dh that if i fall down, i just won't go back to another one of their rides Q:-0

good luck les. remind me the race number, since it was on last week's thread. is it 7300 or something like thatQ?

have a great weekend runners

[Natasha]

Susan, your message is cracking me up! Gotta love those pets. Have a good run.

Seathyme, your painted room sounds gorgeous. I love yellow paint Good job on the early morning runs!

Boston folk and guests, have fun tonight!

Hello to everyone else, and have a stellar weekend,
Natasha

[jenmezzo]

Hi gang!

Hope the Boston crew are all having a great time--very cool!!! Just a quick post to catch up with the new thread. It has been a dreary weather week, rain and temps in the 40's in the morning, so I have given in to the blahs and not run much this week:-(

However, I did get in a good 4+ miles with the Dood yesterday and have a morning running date with a couple of neighborhood friends so despite the overnight freeze warning, I will be back in the groove. Now, where did I put those tights....?

I'll be on the lookout for the VRB group photos--have fun out there!

[MaryH]

Another one just checking in. Hope all is well for the Boston group, and yup there better be at least one picture.

(Now, if I can just motivate myself to actually do a little running.)

Edited to add: Oh Bethany, although I really like Susan's haircut, that's not me. (Actually, mine is even shorter than Susan's. And since I usually dislike all pictures of me (and I'm photo challenged in terms of compters), it'll probably be awhile before I post one.)

[knunes]

Fun! Fun! We did it! Lovely dinner at Fig's with Les, Kathy, seathyme (Stephanie), beckms (Rebecca), me (Katie aka knunes) and my DH. DH took a photo with someone's camera---I think Les's--- (DH refused to get in it himself when the waitress offered to take it). It will be so fun to see Les in his chili pepper shorts on Monday! I love meeting BB folks in person!

[Leslie Ferguson]

What a great time last night at Figs! Dinner was great and the company was fantastic. What a wonderful table. I got the picture on my camera and once I get someplace I can download it I'll post. But a great pic of the 5 of us.

Susan - Sorry about the cat and the glass of water - that explains the weird characters. Yes, my number is 7300 and based on the weather predictions for Monday 4 hours is certainly my beginning target - it's supposed to be in the middle 60s for the race. Too warm in my book but better than 85 last year.

What else? Getting stoked for the race, in fact I'm off to pick up my number and take my training partner out on the course. Should be fun.

Great job on everyone's workouts et al. Howdy to Natasha, Jennifer, Kathy, Mary, and Katie. Love to give everyone a personal note but I need to get going so I don't fritter away the day.

Check you all later and thanks again.

Happy trails,
Les

[beckms]

What a nice dinner! Great food, great company, great coversation (we'll just ignore the little turn we took down the lane of "cow gut microbiology"...sometimes I forget myself. )

I'm so glad everyone was able to come. Les and his DW were quite the pair...you know how you can just tell when two people truly enjoy each others' company and just exude love and happiness? That's Les and DW in a nutshell.

Can't wait for Monday!

[Mimeea]

Sounds like the Boston dinner went really well. It's great that you guys were able to meet up.

I wish I could be in Boston to cheer everyone on! I hope the weather will work out for you all. Will it be televised on ESPN or anything? I remember seeing a clip of it last year, but it would be great to be able to tape the whole thing.

Well, I got in a whopping two miles yesterday. I thought I would cut it short since my knee was starting to bother me, and I certainly don't want it to get worse. Had a track meet last Wednesday and ran the mile, if it hadn't been for the 20 mph winds I'm not used to, I would have ran the two mile as well. Maybe at the meet this Wednesday.

Susan, how did the biking group go?

[seathyme]

Yes, dinner was fun! I enjoyed everyone's company, and almost all of the conversation. Just kidding, Rebecca. Even the cow guts were interesting, to a point...

Meg, good job being cautious with your knee, and hope you had fun at the meet!

Mary, thanks for checking in. Another VRB piping up on the weight thread. Don't suppose there is a connection between the two, do you? As in, how could we be so healthy yet so challenged by what we're putting in our mouths? Doesn't seem right, somehow.

On a happier note, I'm headed to the gym soon for weights and elliptical. Sun is shining in Boston. Unfortunately for Les and the marathon multitudes, the temps are just about to go up to 70ish. Too bad, as today is closer to 50 and would have been great for running long. Les, I hope you'll have a great run anyway, and are enjoying the expo etc today.

Hello to everyone else, and happy running.

[beckms]

mimeea--

I believe OLN will be broadcasting the entire marathon. look for Les in his bright green singlet and chili-pepper shorts.

Take care of your knee...best to stop before it really starts to hurt. Any idea what the problem is? New shoes on the docket, perhaps? I've found that when my knee starts to really bug me during and after a run, I have to bit the bullet and buy new shoes. It's like an automatic cure.

[beckms]

Oops, we were posting at the same time, Seathyme. It is indeed a beautiful day here. I'm trying to get some studying done without being distracted by the sunshine and blue sky, or by my landlords who have been screaming at each other upstairs ALL DAY. They're renovating the apartment and are quite like a significantly less-funny Abbott and Costello.

Originally posted by seathyme

Mary, thanks for checking in. Another VRB piping up on the weight thread. Don't suppose there is a connection between the two, do you? As in, how could we be so healthy yet so challenged by what we're putting in our mouths? Doesn't seem right, somehow.

I'm pretty sure that my problem lies in the ever-present rationalization, "I can eat this enormous meal because I ran today (or yesterday, or last week...somehow one measly run manages to negate the calories of an entire week in my head)

[Miss Giggles]

I ran 2 miles on the treadmill.. I have been running for 8 weeks now.. thats a record.. and I still haven't lost a pound . Oh well...

[beckms]

Originally posted by Miss Giggles
I ran 2 miles on the treadmill.. I have been running for 8 weeks now.. thats a record.. and I still haven't lost a pound . Oh well...

Two miles! Yay! Think of all the people out there who can't even come close to that. Good for you.

I know you don't want to hear this, but it's probably better not to focus so much on pounds while you're getting into your running routine. I think it takes a while for your body to adapt...probably it's still redistributing the weight in preparation for losing it.

Also, I noticed that it really wasn't until I started to seriously ramp up my mileage that I noticed any weight loss, and that also coincided with a concentrated effort to consume less food (the bane of everyone's existence, I know).

This is a life-long lifestyle change; nothing is going to happen overnight. But it will happen as long as you keep challenging and pushing yourself.

Meanwhile, give yourself the pat on the back you deserve for sticking this out.

[beckms]

Another thing I just thought of: I think it's true that the more you weigh, the faster the weight will come off, but as you lose more weight and have less to lose, it comes off slower and slower. Therefore, if you start at a relatively low weight (which, if memory serves, you are), the weight loss will be slower and in smaller increments than someone who weighs 300 pounds and has never exercised before. That's why the programmable treadmills ask you for your weight so they can give an accurate measurment of calories burned during exercise. The more you weigh, the more nergy it takes to move your body, and therefore, the more calories you burn. Same reason for the decrease in WW Daily Points as you reach certain thresholds in weight.

Does that make sense? VRBs, care to voice an opinion on my highly scientific posulates?

[Laura]

I know my problem. I have the same rationalization that Rebecca has. Now if a pound equals 3500 calories and a mile run burns around a 100 calories (give or take a few), I need to be running a lot more or eating a lot less to see some changes. I am on a 12 week plan modifying BFL, Oprah Boot camp, and good 'ole common sense. If I could lose 6 pounds over the next 12 weeks that I felt would stay off, I would be very pleased with my progress.

I wish I got OLN. Les I am praying for a sudden cold/cool front to hit Boston on Monday.

I did try to push myself in my spin class this morning. I think I will go out for a walk in a little bit, and plan to run tomorrow.

[Miss Giggles]

You're right. I am small and it is redistributing itself but taking its time..

I have burned 4000 calories in 5 weeks in just exercise but thats only 1 pound!

I shall look at the Oprah Boot Camp.. I like BFL, but I think Oprahs on the low carb bandwagon.. which I won't do..

Rebecca I hope you get good neighbors when the landlords are done..my apartments ok because most of my neighbors aren't there a lot.

[beckms]

Originally posted by Miss Giggles

Rebecca I hope you get good neighbors when the landlords are done..my apartments ok because most of my neighbors aren't there a lot.

I am keeping my fingers crossed. My old neighbors were a little on the weird side, but they were quiet, kept to themselves, and liked our dogs.

miss Giggles, don't forget that even though you've burned "only" 4000 calories exercising, your metabolism is faster now, so you're burning calories at a higher rate even when you're sitting on your butt watching TV. That's the BEST part of this running gig.

[badunnin]

Originally posted by MaryH

Edited to add: Oh Bethany, although I really like Susan's haircut, that's not me. (Actually, mine is even shorter than Susan's. And since I usually dislike all pictures of me (and I'm photo challenged in terms of compters), it'll probably be awhile before I post one.)

*blush* Sorry!

Continued good thoughts for Les, and I'm going to ask for good marathoning vibes for my friends Ruth and Maniza, who are doing LONDON tomorrow!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Aww shucks. I'm glad that Kathy and I exude that kind of love. especially considering we've had about 22 years to get it "right."

Dinner was fantastic and the company was great (I had no issues with the tenor of the discussions either - but then again I am a little off and a male -- go figure ).

Miss Giggles - Congrats on another 2 mile run and having run for 8 weeks now. That's fantastic. On the more philosophical side, most doctors say you shouldn't lose more than 1/2 to 1 pound per week and I can attest it is much easier to lose weight when you are 80 pounds overweight than when you are 5 pounds overweight. I can't back that up with good stats but I know that from experience. Good idea to not get on a low carb bandwagon (IMO) because carbs=energy. Without carbs there's not much else to burn in your system. My understanding is your body burns carbs best, then protein (read muscle), then fat so a really low carb diet is just setting yourself up for other issues - especially if you want to be active. I also saw a statistic that at lest 30% of those who espoused low-carb diets would put on weight within the next 10 years.

I may be violating one of my "rules" tomorrow. I'm going to start the race without my orthotics and see how that works. I spoke with my coach last night and he had some interesting things to say based on the class he's taking up here. In a nutshell he said the podiatrist teaching one of the sessions said that orthotics and cushion shoes (what I wear) don't work well together (gee maybe my experience is backed up by science). I took a test run up the hill in Wellesley and didn't feel any worse the wear (with the possible exception of a little hot spot because the sock liners are thinner than the inserts so I may have to make a trip to Marathon Sports - darn the bad luck ). Looking forward to tomorrow and even if it is 70 I'm ready. My goal is about 4 hours and even in 70 degree weather that should be doable.

I'll probably be back once more before tomorrow but if not thanks for all the wishes and cheering. BTW - I've added chili pepper socks to my ensemble so I've got white socks with red chilis to add to the group - such a fashion statement I'll make.

Happy trails,
Les

[Natasha]

Hi runfolk,

Hope you're all enjoying the fine weather we've been having for quite a few days now.

Les, good luck again and I look forward to hearing all about it! Glad everyone had fun at dinner!

Seathyme, how did it go with the houseguests? I'm sure they loved your house, especially with the fresh paint job

We're back from what was a really strong bike ride for me. We did our usual hilly route and I just let myself go on the hills. Had a new mileage high on one downhill - 56.1 kph (35 miles). Not super fast by others' standards, but it was fast for me, given my small size and my occasional apprehension of hills. I let out a big whoop at the end of it We also did bike drills (one foot, tight turns, etc) at the end of the ride. Yesterday was more biking and abs; Friday was a run.

Hi Rebecca, Laura, Mary, Bethany, Terri, Elizabeth, Meg, Kathy, Miss Giggles, Susan, Jen, and everyone else!

Happy weekending,
Natasha

[SusanMac]

I'm usually not online on Sundays, but had to work today (argh!) & also wanted to check in on the London Marathon.

Paula Radcliffe set a womens-only record (it's kind of strange that they track those separately, but whatever). Looks like a big upset on the men's side, with the Olympic winner coming in 6th and Paul Tergat coming in 8th. I didn't see any coverage at all of Haile, so don't know what happened to him. Badunnin - it's cool that you had friends there. It's so huge, I'm sure that's quite an experience.

Friday night dinner sounds great! Can't wait to see the pics. Sorry I missed the cow discussion :-)

I had *so* *much *fun* on my bike ride yesterday (thanks for asking, Mimea :-) It was my first time joining a local womens-riding group, so was very aprehensive. Everyone seemed cool, a good mix of experienced "teachers" and novices. We practiced riding a paceline (my first time) for 2 whole hours. And, it definitely proved that riding with other people makes you push yourself, as I hit a new average MPH. So, I'll probably join the club & start riding with them regularly. Yea! Very good confidence booster (I don't remember being this nervous or un-confident when I started running....I guess it is much tougher to fall down running, although not impossible esp with a dog :-) (Natasha - can't believe you think 35 mph on a downhill isn't fast! That rocks! Good for you!)

On another note....I went to see David Sedaris last night. Any VRB fans?? I have not laughed that hard in a really, really, really long time.

Today is a low-key spinning day for me. Followed by an exciting trip to the grocery store (woo hoo)

Miss G - congrats on your 8-week milestone! Keep it up and be smart about balanced nutrition, and you'll be strong & happy! You might want to look into some sports nutrition books. They're not designed for weight-loss per se, but are focused on eating smart for running (which I'd think would accomplish 2 birds with 1 stone)

Looking forward to Boston tomorrow!! I have several meetings, but will try to pop in on OLN & the web tracker as much as possible.

[Natasha]

Susan, glad you had such a blast riding yesterday with the group! What's a paceline?

Oh, and I love David Sedaris!! That must have been fun to see him.

It's not that I think that speed isn't somewhat fast (BTW, I omitted to mention that we also rode our mountain bikes (albeit with slicks), which created more rolling resistance than if we had taken road bikes), but it's not as fast as my teammates could take it. Two of them are much more experienced riders, and all three of them are tall guys, so it's a simple matter of gravity that they'll get to the bottom of the hill before this petite woman will But they're all cool with that and that's the important thing, right?

Miss Giggles, congrats on the 8 week milestone!! Keep it up

We went for a hike with the dog this afternoon and I think the rest of the day will be a tad more sedentary. I'll start by doing the grocery shopping (fun! wow!)

Natasha

[badunnin]

Yay! My friends both completed London...

23251 (5529) 33703 MANIZA. NTEKIM W20 4:54:23
23252 (5530) 47616 RUTH. FRISKNEY W20 4:54:23

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by Natasha
Hi runfolk,...
We're back from what was a really strong bike ride for me. We did our usual hilly route and I just let myself go on the hills. Had a new mileage high on one downhill - 56.1 kph (35 miles). Not super fast by others' standards, but it was fast for me, given my small size and my occasional apprehension of hills. I let out a big whoop at the end of it

Hey - 35 mph on a bike is plenty fast for most people. I figure it this way - I only go as fast as I'd like to lay the bike down on the pavement and still get up. 35 mph would be a pretty nasty speed to lay a bike down at. Good for you on the ride and it sounds like you are having a great weekend.

Susan - I'm glad you had a good ride yesterday. Once I get home and can download the picture I'll post it. Everyone there said the pic looked great so I can't wait to show it.
Bethany - That's way cool about your friends at the London marathon always fun to run in a big race like that too.

Did I ever get the weird look from the guy at Marathon Sports this afternoon when I was looking at inserts. He was leery to sell them to me but when I said that I already knew what it would feel like to run 22 miles with the orthotics in he said that it couldn't hurt to run without them. He also mentioned that it looked like the orthotics may be the wrong style for me - they provide medial post and overpronation support as opposed to underpronation support (that's what I get for getting orthotics from an non-sports minded orthopedic ).

Getting ready for a sushi fest with LW, my coach, and running partner. Can't go wrong with that in my book.

Check you all later...

Les

[memartha]

This is a most interesting thread. Of course I will be looking for Les tomorrow. If I can't look for the singlet (I'm only 5'4"), I'll peer through the crowd for the pepper socks/shorts! The dinner at Figs sounds awesome. Can't wait to see the picture!

I liked reading about Miss Giggles' predicament (not losing weight but exercising a lot). I started working out with weights with a trainer and walking/running on the treadmill on the days I don't go to the gym about 3 weeks ago. I don't really have any weight to lose; my goal was to gain muscle. But I have frankly been shocked that I have not lost a single pound, either. To go from zilch exercise to all that I have been doing, and not see any reflection on the scale, is kind of bizarre to me.

So I appreciated Rebecca and Les' responses and will keep that in mind. My current BMI, according to a pinch test, is 14.6; my goal is 12.0 as per my trainer. With that in mind, and my weight, he said I will just end up redistributing my weight, with more pounds in lean weight/muscle and fewer pounds in fat weight. Does that sound right to you?

[Natasha]

Les, this is all interesting to me about the orthotics. I'd really appreciate any observations you have on how running with them is compared to running without them, any more news about the possible "misdiagnosis", etc. Also interesting about your coach's learnings from the seminar. Just on Friday, my husband picked up new shoes and the lady (who seemed pretty knowledgeable) said that he shouldn't need orthotics for the type of shoes he had. It was the first time I'd heard that, and I'm not ready to pitch my orthotics yet, but am keeping my ears open regarding all things orthotics.

Happy sushiing and hello to your LW!

Have fun tomorrow, all you folks in Boston, whether running or cheering.

Yay to Bethany's friends!!

Edited to add: Hi, Martha! Good to see you here

Natasha

[beckms]

Welcome memartha!

Two things:
1)3 weeks is not enough time to realize any weight loss. Your body is still in the "what the heck are you doing to me?" mode. Don't worry, it will get the idea after a while.
2) I thought BMI was supposed to be in the low 20s or something?

I will look around and see if I'm making that up.

editing to say: check out this website to figure out your BMI. Your trainer is giving you funky numbers. A BMI of 12 at 5'4" would have you weighing in at 67 pounds or so...