Mileage Reporting Week 10 (Mar 6 - 12)

[Tristan]

Well the last two weeks were the rough part of my work rotation where I usually can't run the first 3 days or the last 4, leaving me with 7 in the middle which I ran all of them to make up for it. Might have been overdoing it a bit mileage wise. Hoping after the 4 days off to jump right back in Monday, I hate missing that many days in a row. But both Monday and Tuesday was raining, darnit! And windy driving rain. I just wasn't feeling super ambitious and before I knew it my son was getting off the bus anyhow. So make it not 4 but 6 days in a row I didn't run, right after 7 in a row I did. I don't think I'm doing this right! Haha!

Well today I finally got my run in, just my usual 6.4 mile route though I added in a .8 mile walk after. I think adding in a significant walk after really helped me 'cool down' last week doing all those miles. As long as I have time I'll be adding a bit more walking to my repertoire.

 

[Runlite01]

Tristan
I kinda know what you are talking about.
It has been a weird scheduled week for me also.
I did get 5 miles Wednesday and 5 mile this morning.
Who knows what the next few days will be like.

I did sign up for a 1/2 marathon in April (April 2nd) in Irving TX

 

[Tedlet]

Ok so I headed off this morning to find myself a trail to run. There's a reasonable sized woods not too far from where I am, so I figured that was as good a place to start as any.

It was early in the day -so beautifully quiet. Except for a very busy woodpecker I could hear in the distant trees and the occasional squirrel scurrying up into the branches above.

My first trail, so not really sure what to expect, although the ground at the start seemed fine and actually pretty comfortable underfoot.

Then off I went, pretty much just following my nose. The trail was good for the first part -mostly a mixture of sand and clear forest floor. A very undulating surface though - nothing like running on paths and roads as I normally do (is this what they call 'technical'?).
As I got deeper into the woods I ran past any area where they are clearing large swathes of trees (to be replaced by re-planted younger trees apparently). The trail got much narrower in places and I particularly noticed the large volume of small fir cones and the odd stone here & there. -Not always easy to see & quite bruising on the arches of my feet as they sit just proud of the ground!

I pressed on anyway -nice & slow- making a point every now & then of heading for a nice wet muddy patch or puddle. -What a fantastic variety of surfaces!

Eventually found myself back at the top of the path I'd started on -about 8.3km round trip.

Feet picked up a bit of natural camouflage colouring on the way-

Definitely on my 'to do again' list!....

 

[Runlite01]

8 miles Sunday 45 deg.f. 15 mph wind.
We saw a opossum at the end of mile one.
We also saw a hawk and some cedar wax wings.
All in all a nice outing.

 

[Tristan]

Thursday 9.9 miles, first and last .8 were walking warmup and cooldown (8.3 running). Sun out bright, so many birds and other wildlife showing up for spring. The spring peepers were practically deafening near the one swampy spot.

Saturday 8 miles in the evening, after my son's Pinewood Derby at scouts (he took first place in his den!). First and last .4 were walking. Things getting cooler.

Sunday when out in the morning for a long run. Temps were pretty questionable for barefoot, I think it was around 22ºF at the time with wind chill making it feel like 12ºF. Usually around 20 is my cut off, plus with the unusually warm last month and several runs in shorts I thought maybe I had lost my winter conditioning. But I only had a narrow window while my son was in sunday school, so I threw my shoes and socks in my hydration pack and gave it a shot. Trying to work the long runs back up towards the teens too, and set out with a goal of 10-12 miles. I bundled up with a few layers and my extra cut off sock layer around the ankles. Was surprised after about a mile and a half the feet were comfortable. Yeah they were a little chilled but still had color and hadn't gone numb. The sun was out bright so that helped, a very clear blue sky, and the wind wasn't very noticeable. Almost all the wildlife was gone, going by the swamp where a few days ago was a full symphony of spring peepers now there was only a solo going, and that one fell silent as I approached. I turned around at 6 miles, everything seemed ok. But about half way back I started feeling a bit of a pain on my left foot. Thought maybe I'd stepped on a rock. After it didn't immediately go away I lifted the foot to check and was quite surprised to find a big old red spot right in the middle of my forefoot pad. I had burned through a couple layers of skin, not blistered, but abraded. Dang it, this hasn't happened in many years. I did have one problem besides the cold that might have contributed... a couple weeks ago I got a thorn on the inside of the forefoot pad on that foot and it's still bothering me a little. I may have been shifting my weight more to the outside to not pressure that spot. And the cold and reduced feeling allowed it to happen without my noticing. I think I had 3 miles left to go. Maybe I should have put on the shoes at that point, but I just decided to finish up as is. Probably another mistake, though the damage was already done anyhow. I'll have a few days off her to recover anyhow, working the next few dayshifts plus weather is suppose to turn pretty nasty with several inches of snow in the forecast.

So totals for the week 37 miles barefoot, 33 miles running, 4 miles warmup/cooldown walking.

Good luck Runlite on the half! I have two half marathons in April also, 23rd I'll likely run that one with Yvonne (not race it fast, more like training for the next one) and then right the next weekend 29th is the big one. I haven't been training for any speed all winter. Always so unprepared in Spring.

Nice trail run Tedlet. I don't get on the real trails that often. I wish there were more around here.

 

[Tedlet]

...about half way back I started feeling a bit of a pain on my left foot. Thought maybe I'd stepped on a rock. After it didn't immediately go away I lifted the foot to check and was quite surprised to find a big old red spot right in the middle of my forefoot pad. I had burned through a couple layers of skin, not blistered, but abraded. Dang it, this hasn't happened in many years. I did have one problem besides the cold that might have contributed... a couple weeks ago I got a thorn on the inside of the forefoot pad on that foot and it's still bothering me a little. I may have been shifting my weight more to the outside to not pressure that spot. And the cold and reduced feeling allowed it to happen without my noticing. I think I had 3 miles left to go. Maybe I should have put on the shoes at that point, but I just decided to finish up as is. Probably another mistake, though the damage was already done anyhow. I'll have a few days off her to recover anyhow, working the next few dayshifts plus weather is suppose to turn pretty nasty with several inches of snow in the forecast..

That doesn't sound so good Tristan.
You reckon the frost bit you? Did the blood spot get bigger/darker as your foot warmed back up?
Hope it doesn't feel too bad now and that the recovery time you've got does the trick..

 

[Tedlet]

Nice trail run Tedlet. I don't get on the real trails that often. I wish there were more around here.

Thanks. It was good fun, and quite a bit easier than I was expecting it to be too -which is always a bonus!...

 

[Tristan]

No no frost bite this time, just abrasion.

I took a quick cell phone pic. I'm almost reluctant to post it looks so minor without the detail! But beleive me its bad enough I walked with a limp yesterday and today. Put some lavendar oil on it and a bandaid for now until it heals some. Might use coconut oil also tonight. And i was already behind trying to start doing some speedwork... probably going to take a couple weeks till I have some decent skin back in that area it was burned through down to the very sensitive layer.


Its not even apparent in the pic but the area around it, maybe a half inch or more around each side also burned through at least a layer or so of skin too, but its only the middle that is the real issue and very tender. Oh well, could certainly be worse!

 

[IraR]

Weather's been up and down, and pressed for time. No real mileage to report, but been running the few blocks to the gym in the morning barefoot, just to keep up the callouses.