Mileage Reporting Week 39 (Sept 26 - Oct 2)

Tristan

Barefooters
Sep 15, 2011
1,855
2,761
113
45
Ohio
Hard to believe this week ends in October. The big cool down is starting, up here anyways. Wore VFF's on my bike this morning for the first time since last winter! Upper 50's isn't a big deal for running but the feet get chilled with the additional wind chill on the bike!

Monday I needed an easy run to start loosening things up from the long weekend working. 2.9 miles at slow pace.

Tuesday (today) I cycled to the trail and back, about 14 miles total, and ran 8.6 miles when I got there. Nice run, legs are loosening up now. Cool and breezy but the black shirt was still pretty hot out in the open stretches under full sun.
 
7.8 miles early morning. Hit some hardly used forrest trails and wore my Vibrams because of all the low lying brambles. Still got scratched to shreds though and soon found out that Vibrams are no match for thorns. At least we don't have to worry about snakes, wolves, spiders and bears here in the U.K.:bear: Just Triffids.
IMG_0997.jpg
 
Been sick, had internet troubles, but you can't get rid of me that easily! ;)

Dear hubby encouraged me to go ahead and give my half marathon event (Saturday, Sept. 24) a try after dealing with a virus for 9 days right prior. He knows me well and I would probably have been disappointed with myself if I hadn't given it a shot.

I finished, but dealt with leg cramping from mile 6 and the last 3 miles were fairly agonizing. Still, I finished in 2 hours 14 minutes, with an average pace of 10:14 (distance ended up 12.9 miles due to road work), was 10 out of 35 in my age group. Did it all barefoot, ending up with a raw popped blister on one toe, which I assume is due to the cramping affecting my stride. The soles were pretty tender once I stopped (there was a lot of chip seal), but nearly fine here 4 days later. Got lots of comments, to many of which I replied, "No, the impressive thing is that I am doing this after having the flu for 9 days." Also, answered a lot of honest questions and got good responses.

Swam on Sunday, which helped with the soreness, spin biked on Monday, did a lot of energetic housework on Tuesday, then ran an easy 2.8 miler this morning. I was kind of bummed that that same leg is tight, but it feels fine any other time, so it can't be too bad. Patience, patience, I tell myself.
 
Couple of good runs so far for me this week -8.5km a few days back & 6km this morning. The first one was wet and the second was nice and dry -both still good temperatures though.
Ran through some bits of fallen tree debris on this mornings run which were quite difficult to avoid. Think I've probably picked up a couple of small bruises on the fleshy bit of the foot (arch area mainly) -ho hum... Otherwise all feeling good:)...
 
Wednesday did an easy short run, 2.9 miles, thinking I might have a chance depending on weather for a long run the following day. This morning looked gloomy, checked the weather and it showed a rapidly rising chance of rain. So I went out for what I thought would be a short run before the rain. Packed my rain jacket and hat in my hyd pack and set out. I was going to turn around at the 3 mile mark but the sky didn't seem to be getting worse so I went on, and turned around at 4.5 miles. As I was getting back the sky was clearing. I ran another mile past my car and came back. Now the sky was blue and the sun was out. Interesting. :happy: I tossed my hat and rain jacket in the car and went back out, repeated my first section but turned at 3 miles out. Ended up doing a good long run of around 17 miles, last 3/4 mile I walked for a cool down. Also after I ate lunch I got on the bike for a quick 10 mile loop before the storm rolled back in, which it finally did soon after.

@happysongbird sorry that sounds like you've had a bit of a miserable time there with the virus and all. I've ran a race at the tail end of a cold but probably wouldn't after a flu, you're pretty determined. Nice to hear you got some good responses and seem to be back to normal. ;)
 
OK
Me and Boulder are getting back to close to my old schedule.
I have signed up for a 1/2 marathon in Marathon TX. (about 50-100 miles from nowhere in west Texas) for October 22nd.

Tuesday 4 miles
Wednesday 5 miles
Thursday 2 miles
Friday 5 miles
Today a sweet 9 mile run at 5:00 am. 66 deg. F., 65 % Rh.
the skies have been clear (lots of stars)
Of course we have been seeing rabbits and hearing owls. I love outings in the mornings:happy:
 
Friday was a day off from running following my long run, but still went out on the bike once earlier in the day and then again in the evening, totaling around 37 miles. Saturday was gloomy and raining off and on, just did a short run out the door in a clearing, about 3 miles. Today I went out for 9 miles at an easy pace, walked the last .5 to cool down. Repeated the course on bike, plus went back out on the bike later in the evening (watched a nice sunset on the return) for 27.5 miles.

Week totals up to 43.6 miles (1-1.5 walking) and 99 miles cycling. Second best running week of the year for me! Of course only way I could pull that off was having the week off... got next week off as well but will be tapering back some, marathon in 14 days...
 
Managed to squeeze in another 8.5km on Sunday morning. Quite a slow one, but I'm happy to be adding a little bit more distance every now & then (yes I know it's not quite ultra running, but it'll do for me for now!;)..).

It is indeed starting to get a little chilly in the mornings as well. I hope the Winter's not too harsh this year -I don't really want to have to curtail the running too much over the next few months..