Not quite 8 miles on awesome snow covered trails, even had a notion to slip out of the mukluks for a bit barefooting and I did, I did. People around here think I am off my rocker anyway so lets add to the silliness shall we. 
Mileage Reporting 50th Week Of 2012
- Thread starter Sid
- Start date
1k yesterday, barefoot in the afternoon to take advantage of the sun warming up the snow at-24C. No windchill, or I would have beat Bob on the temp side of things. My feet were very very tingly when I got back in the house. It will be a while before I try that again. No frostbite or blisters, the roads were packed snow and ice.
Funny story Bob, my buddy lives near Assinniboine park and while on his trail run he said that a Yeti was running in the park as he saw a large barefoot type print in the snow. I told him that there was a loony guy that runs out that way that tends to wear vibrams.Not quite 8 miles on awesome snow covered trails, even had a notion to slip out of the mukluks for a bit barefooting and I did, I did. People around here think I am off my rocker anyway so lets add to the silliness shall we.
NickW
Guest
3.25 miles. I started out barefoot but at 43 degrees and wet and then standing there to buckle my son in his stroller and then at the light before I started my feet got really cold so I only made it a quarter of a mile before I had to put the sandals on. I ran 1.5 in the sandals and then finished the last 1.5 barefoot. Tough run for me despite being slow. I think I am just tired and burnt out from school and so mentally this was a hard run. My body seemed to handle it fine. I also had gotten a late start because I had to take my son to see Santa, whom he promptly ran away from screaming. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with him unless he was about 20 feet away. Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas and he said nothing and ran farther away and then from about 20 feet or so away whispered, Curious George books. Was pretty cute, but I've never seen a kid that afraid of Santa. He was like that last year too. He's been talking about Santa and wanting to sit on his lap for the last month so we thought this year was going to be different.
Monday,
I only slept 4 hours, didn’t have the mental focus to do my current max bench of 225, and failed, so I took it down to 195 and pyramided down from there, and then found my energy and focus renewed by the bench pump and had a good rest of the workout, pushing the curls in particular a bit, up to the 55 pound dumbbells. And now that my MCL is more or less good to go (knock on wood), I was able to resume doing my leg lifts and bicycle sit-ups with 10-lbs ankle weights.
Tuesday,
I was going to run after my son’s daycare x-mas pageant, but I forgot about the part where we mill about afterwards socializing with the other kids’ stiff parents. Oh well, I was still pretty tired anyway, having woken up after just five hours of sleep, and the streets were still pretty snowy from the weekend’s 12” snowfall.
Wednesday,
With the auspicious 121212 date, I couldn’t really blow off another workout, but I did toy with the idea of moving on to my scheduled back strength-training day instead of shifting Tuesday’s missed run over one day. But news of Ambassador Bob and Dutchie’s brilliant Borean bravado yesterday spurred me on and got my a$$ out the door into the slushy streets. I knew there was a good chance I wouldn’t be able to hack the moisture so I brought the as-yet-unused Moc3s for back-up. To avoid salt, I thought the best bet was to run straight up my street and then do a couple of 1.7-mile loops in the State Fairgrounds, where there's little traffic. It was a good strategy. My feet heat kicked in a little before the one-mile mark, but never got going enough to offset the slush and wet of the streets, and I couldn’t really stop for more than 50-100 feet in between intervals before my toes would ice-up, so it turned out to be more of a tempo run or one-mile cruise interval run than an intervals run properly speaking. With the longer intervals I couldn’t quite keep within my 8-9 mm pace range, and so the constant pace alerts got pretty annoying.
At about the four-mile mark I felt a slight onset of ITBS, so I stopped and walked to a nearby bus stop to stretch out on its rail. A campus bus driver pulled up to ask if I was alright. I wasn’t really—the stoppage had allowed my feet to freeze up pretty good, kind of like one of those cartoon characters who turn to ice in a matter of seconds, but I still had my Moc3s in my hoodie’s front pocket if things got out of control. The stretch seemed to take care of the ITB strain and I was able to run the rest of the way home at a decent pace, although it took a block or two for my feet to become pliable again after starting up the run. The cold slush was a good motivator to maintain a decent pace all the way home, and the mild ITBS flare-up was a good reminder not to get overconfident and overdo things. I gotta stick to six miles or less for at least another few weeks I think.
5.66 miles total,
5.24 miles / 8.4 kms. running.
9:08 overall running pace.
36 F / 2.2 C, 32 F / 0 C windchill.
I only slept 4 hours, didn’t have the mental focus to do my current max bench of 225, and failed, so I took it down to 195 and pyramided down from there, and then found my energy and focus renewed by the bench pump and had a good rest of the workout, pushing the curls in particular a bit, up to the 55 pound dumbbells. And now that my MCL is more or less good to go (knock on wood), I was able to resume doing my leg lifts and bicycle sit-ups with 10-lbs ankle weights.
Tuesday,
I was going to run after my son’s daycare x-mas pageant, but I forgot about the part where we mill about afterwards socializing with the other kids’ stiff parents. Oh well, I was still pretty tired anyway, having woken up after just five hours of sleep, and the streets were still pretty snowy from the weekend’s 12” snowfall.
Wednesday,
With the auspicious 121212 date, I couldn’t really blow off another workout, but I did toy with the idea of moving on to my scheduled back strength-training day instead of shifting Tuesday’s missed run over one day. But news of Ambassador Bob and Dutchie’s brilliant Borean bravado yesterday spurred me on and got my a$$ out the door into the slushy streets. I knew there was a good chance I wouldn’t be able to hack the moisture so I brought the as-yet-unused Moc3s for back-up. To avoid salt, I thought the best bet was to run straight up my street and then do a couple of 1.7-mile loops in the State Fairgrounds, where there's little traffic. It was a good strategy. My feet heat kicked in a little before the one-mile mark, but never got going enough to offset the slush and wet of the streets, and I couldn’t really stop for more than 50-100 feet in between intervals before my toes would ice-up, so it turned out to be more of a tempo run or one-mile cruise interval run than an intervals run properly speaking. With the longer intervals I couldn’t quite keep within my 8-9 mm pace range, and so the constant pace alerts got pretty annoying.
At about the four-mile mark I felt a slight onset of ITBS, so I stopped and walked to a nearby bus stop to stretch out on its rail. A campus bus driver pulled up to ask if I was alright. I wasn’t really—the stoppage had allowed my feet to freeze up pretty good, kind of like one of those cartoon characters who turn to ice in a matter of seconds, but I still had my Moc3s in my hoodie’s front pocket if things got out of control. The stretch seemed to take care of the ITB strain and I was able to run the rest of the way home at a decent pace, although it took a block or two for my feet to become pliable again after starting up the run. The cold slush was a good motivator to maintain a decent pace all the way home, and the mild ITBS flare-up was a good reminder not to get overconfident and overdo things. I gotta stick to six miles or less for at least another few weeks I think.
5.66 miles total,
5.24 miles / 8.4 kms. running.
9:08 overall running pace.
36 F / 2.2 C, 32 F / 0 C windchill.
I'm magic mom; laundry and house come together so easy for me, we all just take it for granted. Same for gourmet dinners. Happens at least a few times per week no matter how busy I am. Missed my calling as a domestic goddess.What, no house cleaning and laundry? What a life of leisure. Feel pretty safe as I am nowhere near Sced to get get my a$$ kicked.
NickW
Guest
Lee, sorry to hear you're still dealing with these ITBS issues man. Hope the other knee problem is mostly gone for you. My knee problem is mostly gone but still occasionally reminds me not to be a jacka** and push too hard yet. I've been afraid to try doing anymore squats or lunges so haven't started those again yet. Really having a hard time with motivation myself, but I know it's mainly just the stress of school. I've got 2 of my 3 finals done and will have the last one done tomorrow. I think I have passed the two classes that I've taken the finals for already, but the one class I think I cut it really really really close. Man I just don't understand business. Like, I actually understand it pretty well, it's the dang terminology and the way things are worded in the books that confuses the snot out of me. I keep having to have my wife interpret for me because no matter how many times I read it I just don't understand what they are trying to tell me. Oh well I guess. Happy I get to relax for a couple weeks after tomorrow.
Yeah, I'm very happy that the MCL thing seems to be a thing of the past. The ITBS issue I put down mostly to a lack of conditioning while rehabbing the MCL and building my mileage back up. Also, on yesterday's run I didn't put on my knee braces or ITB strap, so that might have something to do with it. Plus I was running slightly slower paces than I had been doing down on the track. The track is now covered with a foot of snow, so I'll have to run in the streets for the rest of the winter, which means fartleks. If the streets are a bit drier on tomorrow's run I'll try a somewhat faster pace with more breaks, but those walking breaks yesterday in the slush were a challenge. I had to get running again before I had really recovered. I think 9 mm is my new 10 mm pace. It's the pace I'd like to maintain on a longer run, and then have 8 mm be my tempo run pace. I feel so good when I'm within that range. Hopefully I'll be there in another couple of months. I was getting close to that in August, so I know it's not unrealistic.
I know your knee issue is different, but Abide's advice to run faster has been golden for me, and jibes well with our mutual suspicion that we're both built as faster runners by nature. That might work for you too. Try building up your level of conditioning, running increasingly longer and faster intervals until you can do your desired pace all in one stretch. I'd like to do 6-10 miles comfortably at 9 mm pace, or 4-6 miles comfortably at 8 mm pace by spring sometime.
I think squats, lunges, deadlifts, and anything else that strengthens the quads, hips, butt, and lower back helps support the knee, and is worth getting serious about. I've scheduled in two weekly strength training days now that address those areas, in order to support my running better. I'll be doing one of those workouts later today. Funny to be looking forward to squats. I used to hate them.
"only" 6.3km today, but I did 15x20" full speed intervals, and I am as tired as if I did 12km !! Average of 3'40" per interval, very happy !
I like the way faster running leads to a better kind of tired. You feel exhilarated instead of exhausted, and the legs drained but not strained. Trading in volume for intensity can be a profitable exchange.
7.5mi barefoot trail. Had rained recently. Ground was more firm. Some muddy bits, too. Found some fresh horse apples. Was a bit less fun going in, was slower, about 10min pace, maybe still a bit tired from my previous runs. Almost felt a bit routine, since I've run this part of the trail before.
Then, on my way back I saw one of my footprints, and it was all about leaving more footprints! Perhaps to mark this as barefoot territory and to serve as an invitation for others to try the trail with their shoes off.
I like this trail, because it's been a different experience every time. Left thinking, "that was a good run!"
Then, on my way back I saw one of my footprints, and it was all about leaving more footprints! Perhaps to mark this as barefoot territory and to serve as an invitation for others to try the trail with their shoes off.
I like this trail, because it's been a different experience every time. Left thinking, "that was a good run!"
Fun and entertaining lunch run today, missed the snow falling but had a blast trail blazing for 4 miles along the uncleared bike trails around the office.
Sunday 4 miles
Monday 7 miles
Tuesday 5 miles
Wednesday 6 miles I was only going to do 3, but 3 turned into 4, into 5, into 6.3. I couldn't stop myself. I was feeling the "spring" and even allowed myself some 9 minute miles.
Today 0 miles So hard not to run. Pretty good conditions, but I have a long run planed for the weekend.
Tomorrow 0 miles. Probably going to be snow on the ground anyway.
Saturday 25 miles. Well that's the plan. It's a group run with the Zion 100 organizers and a few ultra runners. Dilemma is it is raining right now and the trail could be muddy. My sandals don't work well in the mud. The trail might be too rocky to barefoot at that distance and I don't want to make a fool out of myself. I could just meet the group and do an out and back if the conditions are poor. I'll see when I get there.
Monday 7 miles
Tuesday 5 miles
Wednesday 6 miles I was only going to do 3, but 3 turned into 4, into 5, into 6.3. I couldn't stop myself. I was feeling the "spring" and even allowed myself some 9 minute miles.
Today 0 miles So hard not to run. Pretty good conditions, but I have a long run planed for the weekend.
Tomorrow 0 miles. Probably going to be snow on the ground anyway.
Saturday 25 miles. Well that's the plan. It's a group run with the Zion 100 organizers and a few ultra runners. Dilemma is it is raining right now and the trail could be muddy. My sandals don't work well in the mud. The trail might be too rocky to barefoot at that distance and I don't want to make a fool out of myself. I could just meet the group and do an out and back if the conditions are poor. I'll see when I get there.
4.3 miles at 11:24/mile. After spending a week in FL, I'm finally feel like I'm getting back on CA time (I don't do timezones very well)...
I don't normally report strength-training workouts separately from runs, but I feel so pleasantly sore after yesterday afternoon's session, that I felt compelled to write something. I've kind of stabilized on the deadlifts, at 225, so that I have a lot left over for the squats, bent-over rows, kettle bell swings, and other back/lower body stuff. I'm trying to bring everything up a notch at the same time, to really support my running, especially my knees. I'm especially enjoying all the ankle weight mobility stuff I do at the end of the workout, after the heavy lifting: hip abduction/adduction, reverse leg lifts, hyperextensions, lateral leg raises, plank climbers and spidermans, dirty dog, donkey whips and donkey kicks, finishing up with crunches and the ab wheel. I started doing this stuff after my recent knee issues, and now that my MCL is healed, I can do them with 10-pound ankle weights. It's a lot of fun, and really works the hip joint and all its muscles really well.
I haven't done a darn thing since Monday grrrrr I have being dealing with a stupid upper respiratory virus
But it seems like everyone else is doing just fine.
But it seems like everyone else is doing just fine.
I haven't done a darn thing since Monday grrrrr I have being dealing with a stupid upper respiratory virus
But it seems like everyone else is doing just fine.
That was me last week, get well soon.
I haven't done a darn thing since Monday grrrrr I have being dealing with a stupid upper respiratory virus
But it seems like everyone else is doing just fine.
I fought it for two weeks with sleep deprivation. I think Dama's course of action is much wiser. Just rest and get it over with.
But in a way Dama is still running, alongside of me, making sure I don't overdo it. Today, for example, I'm wanting to go up to seven miles, but the reply to the question, "What would Dama do?" is to stick to 5-6 miles for another run or two, and make sure my legs are ok with that.
It's been raining all day. I'm happy about it, need the moisture on the farm and at the ski resort. Just checked the Zion 100 FB page and they might move the run to a more rocky section because of mud. Barefoot is out, sandals are out. I just dusted off the Merrell Trail Gloves and shoved my expanded feet into them. Haven't taken them off the shelf since March. I'll see how it goes, I'm a little worried, but enough wining already! Just run.
