The Running Thread—2023

[Dopey 2020]

Thanks all!

Thinking about it I think the new species of mosquito might be likely... I currently have a mix of mosquito bites some of which are "normal" (tiny patches of redness that aren't too itchy), some of which are extremely itchy with blisters, and 3 of which are horrendously huge patches of redness/swelling (the largest is >3 inches!) where there's clearly been some sort of overactive inflammation and reaction to the bite. So I'm guessing that the 3 horrendously huge patches are probably from a bite by a different mosquito species than the "normal" bites...

Seems like I might have to wait 3-10 days for the swelling to improve...

I'm rather impressed I got so many bites as I stopped for at most a couple of minutes on the run/walks where I got these bites. But it was at around 6am so I wonder if maybe the mosquitoes were just extremely hungry after being starved of humans to feed on overnight... I don't tend to get bitten nearly as much when I run in the late afternoon/early evening!

Anyway, I got a bottle of mosquito repellent, hopefully it works!

Definitely this, my wife is somewhat sensitive to bites and stings but rarely gets much reaction at home. Whatever mosquitos were at Saratoga when we stayed mid pandemic caused half dollar sized welts and bruising. thats when I read skeeter syndrome was actually a thing.

Hi, I might be able to help with this one! I am VERY allergic to biting (and stinging) insects: major swelling, hIves, itching and scarring that goes on for weeks. Two things that work for me: 1. OFF unscented non-aerosol (pump spray) with DEET - I’m in FL and the natural stuff doesn’t do anything to deter mosquitoes; DEET’s the only way to go. I just wash it off as soon as I’m done with outdoor activity. 2. Hemorrhoid gel If I do get bit. Cream is fine, too, but for some reason gel seems better. NOTHING relieves the swelling and itching as well as that! Oral Benadryl is always great, too, but for instant relief on the spot, trust V: hemorrhoid gel is where it’s at.

Something I wouldn’t think of but makes sense and I’ll remember

 

[SheHulk]

I’m a big fan of the iSmoothRun phone app. Lots of settings and alerts to choose from, almost limitless customizing of workouts and intervals, shoe tracking, nutrition tracking, very accurate GPS, and integrates seamlessly with music. I’ve been using it for a decade+ and have had no issues!

I use the Seconds app. It is a paid app (the free version is glitchy), but I think it cost me $5. It plays in my headphones and just beeps over the music. Programming is super simple which is why I love it.

I know a lot of Galloway runners also swear by the Gymboss which is a separate device that beeps. Personally, I don't want another thing to carry when I'm running, but it is very popular.

Great timing for this question because I wanted to tell y'all about the "Interval Timer" app I've been using the past two weeks. I was having a hard time with the app I had used for years so I finally switched to this app called "Interval Timer" by dreamspark in Google Play. (I have no skin in this game.)
The thing I enjoy about this app is that you can make up your own workouts and save them....which isn't that uncommon, BUT you can label each section of the workout by typing whatever you want to call it. So instead of just plain old, Run, Walk, Jog I typed in "focus on quick turn over" then the next section I typed "lengthen your stride and RUN!" A voice tells me what to do as I get to each part of the workout so I feel like I have my own personal cheering squad during my workouts! I listen to audiobooks while I run, and I keep the phone screen off and the app works perfectly, never shutting off or missing a cue during my 80 minute long runs.

July 2023: Activities: 10 Distance: 37.81 mi Time: 7:32:29 This includes two 7-mile runs, a 10k, a 5k and a 1-mile run.
I started the month finishing my June/July holiday in Disneyland Paris so I didn't start running until the month was 33% over. I bumped up my running from twice a week to 3 times a week and reduced Strength training from 5-one hour sessions to 4-half hour sessions.

I made a poster which I hung on the door to my basement and I've been checking off each of my workouts. I'm combining yoga, express strength training, and running so it is much easier to keep track of on the poster than just in my phone. It's fun to see my 6 week plan hanging up and my check marks as I progress through each week.

Yes! I have tried, both her and DD have done Castaway 5K, Princess 5K and Star Wars 5K. Both said, “If I don’t like running Disney why would I run anywhere else” but I’ll keep trying

I used to use intervals pro (the free version only allows one workout setup) but that’s all I needed and it was very simple and basic and ran in the background while my music and map my run were open on my phone. Now I rarely carry a phone

Wow thanks everybody! I let my friend know.

 

[mmm_texas]

Apologies, I know this q has been asked a million times, but my friend is attempting to start running run/walk intervals, and she used the Galloway app but wants to use her own music and stuff like that. She does not have a running watch. How do people time their intervals if they don't use a running watch and don't use the Galloway app? Any other (preferably free) apps? That let you play your own music at the same time?

This may not be the best solution, but I've been using RunKeeper for over a decade now, so I'm sticking with it.

Anyway, RunKeeper does allow you to set up custom workouts, including run/walk intervals, and you can configure a music playlist if you want. I use it on my iPhone with headphones. It works great except I don't know how you could change interval ratios while in the middle of a run, if that matters to you.

 

[nancipants]

Apologies, I know this q has been asked a million times, but my friend is attempting to start running run/walk intervals, and she used the Galloway app but wants to use her own music and stuff like that. She does not have a running watch. How do people time their intervals if they don't use a running watch and don't use the Galloway app? Any other (preferably free) apps? That let you play your own music at the same time?

I used the RunIntervals app on my iPhone until I got a Garmin.

 

[Naomeri]

Apologies, I know this q has been asked a million times, but my friend is attempting to start running run/walk intervals, and she used the Galloway app but wants to use her own music and stuff like that. She does not have a running watch. How do people time their intervals if they don't use a running watch and don't use the Galloway app? Any other (preferably free) apps? That let you play your own music at the same time?

I use the RunIntervals app on iOS. The most ultra basic thing possible: how long do you want to run for? how long do you want to walk for? do you want normal beep, goofy beep, or voice alert? That’s it, hit go and it just goes on repeat until you hit stop.

 

[SheHulk]

This may not be the best solution, but I've been using RunKeeper for over a decade now, so I'm sticking with it.

Anyway, RunKeeper does allow you to set up custom workouts, including run/walk intervals, and you can configure a music playlist if you want. I use it on my iPhone with headphones. It works great except I don't know how you could change interval ratios while in the middle of a run, if that matters to you.

That doesn't matter to her, she's just getting started. I'll let her know, thanks!

 

[SheHulk]

I used the RunIntervals app on my iPhone until I got a Garmin.

I use the RunIntervals app on iOS. The most ultra basic thing possible: how long do you want to run for? how long do you want to walk for? do you want normal beep, goofy beep, or voice alert? That’s it, hit go and it just goes on repeat until you hit stop.
View attachment 781791

Awesome, thanks! I knew there must be a lot of solutions.

 

[camaker]

Well, July is done. That's about the best that can be said for it. On the plus side, I've finally gotten my rhythm of 5 runs/week reestablished, missing only one mid-week run due to a "tired" ankle. Otherwise, it was a slog. The average T+D for my runs was 158, with a max of 169. It was like running in a broiler. I'm starting to worry about my next race. I don't know how I'm going to survive 40 miles in these T+Ds if it doesn't ease off significantly in the next 5 weeks. I guess I'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

I don't think I posted June's numbers, so here are the stats for the last two months:

June Training Summary
Running Miles: 112.88 mi
Running Time: 21:00:24
Average Pace: 11:07/mi
Average HR: 148/min

Other
Walking: 6.66 mi

July Training Summary
Running Miles: 153.24 mi
Running Time: 30:08:36
Average Pace: 11:46/mi
Average HR: 146/min
YTD Mileage: 840.14 mi

Other
Walking: 22.55 mi
Rolling yearly running: 1,514.97 mi

 

[huskies90]

July Miles = 119

NYC training started this month with Dopey close on its heels. I have already had to augment my plan as I was in Orlando for a conference this month which we extended into some Disney time. I know this Fall is going to be challenging with so many events on my schedule through November 5 but I will do my best to work around them and at least try to stick to some type of plan. But I am pretty sure my goal for NYC and Dopey will be to just finish with no time goals.

January Miles = 113
February Miles = 113
March Miles = 116
April Miles = 115
May Miles = 123
June Miles = 112

2023 Total = 811

 

[dobball23]

July Miles = 119

NYC training started this month with Dopey close on its heels. I have already had to augment my plan as I was in Orlando for a conference this month which we extended into some Disney time. I know this Fall is going to be challenging with so many events on my schedule through November 5 but I will do my best to work around them and at least try to stick to some type of plan. But I am pretty sure my goal for NYC and Dopey will be to just finish with no time goals.

January Miles = 113
February Miles = 113
March Miles = 116
April Miles = 115
May Miles = 123
June Miles = 112

2023 Total = 811

That's amazing consistency with the miles this year. Good luck with NYC and Dopey!

 

[Herding_Cats]

Apologies, I know this q has been asked a million times, but my friend is attempting to start running run/walk intervals, and she used the Galloway app but wants to use her own music and stuff like that. She does not have a running watch. How do people time their intervals if they don't use a running watch and don't use the Galloway app? Any other (preferably free) apps? That let you play your own music at the same time?

I use this app, and create *time based* interval workouts. It’s important to let the app open whichever ad it’s going to give you, and then just x out of it before you start the workout otherwise you either won’t get notifications, or the music won’t work.


It might be the one already mentioned, but I use the “text to speech” option for each cue instead of whatever the default sound effect is. I usually have it typed in 2-3 times so for a run interval it’ll say “run run run” because sometimes it’ll get lost in the music. I play Spotify in the background with no issues.

My usual workouts right now looks like this in the app

 

[pluto377]

Finally back to running this month. Only got 26 miles in, but hopefully each month will go up from here. My ankle still doesn't feel quite right so I'm trying to ice and do my PT exercises every day.

 

[mtnmjd]

July:
Run 56.1 miles
Bike 158 miles
Swim 14,382 meters

Clearly I've been spending my time working on my weakness.
I imagine my August and September run miles will start to creep back up as I work back up to 1/2 marathon distance by the end of September.

 

[dis_or_dat]

July totals:
Miles: 131.57
Avg pace: 8:33

 

[Guidman]

July Running
201.3 miles
7:49 avg/mile

Good month given the heat during it. Had a mile road race at the beginning of the month. Finished in 5:38 and eeked out my goal of not getting last in my heat (103/131), although there was a 10-12 person pile up at the start which made things interesting.

 

[Grabnar]

The average T+D for my runs was 158, with a max of 169. It was like running in a broiler.

Solidarity, friend. It's been absurdly hot and humid. Only year I've ever had water condense on my skin leaving the house

 

[SheHulk]

although there was a 10-12 person pile up at the start which made things interesting.

a literal pile-up???

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

July Running
Miles = 47 miles
Avg pace = 10:25 min/mi
Days per week = 2.6
Avg run length = 3.6 mi

I took the first 16 days off from running while on vacation in Glacier National Park. No running, but a lot of beautiful hiking!

 

[striker1064]

July Running

Total mileage: 201.68 mi
Total time: 33h 39min 56sec

I think this is the first time I've had a 200-mile month? I'd have to double-check. This also just barely puts me at over 1,000 miles for the year, with 1,005.75mi as of July 31.

 

[Guidman]

a literal pile-up???

Pretty close to it. You can make out the start of it in the picture. It was only about 10 yards after the start, but you had to come to a quick stop and get going again if you weren't in the first row or so.