The Running Thread—2023

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: in a perfect world, I’d wake up on my own, minus an alarm, eat breakfast, chill a while, then run, so say around 9-10am-ish? In reality I live in FL and that scenario happens maybe 3 days a year because the sun is too strong and/or the air is too hot to go out that late 99% of the time. As I think on it, though… there are actually a lot more days that could happen - I’ve just been training for Jan. Marathons for so many years (which does require starting early, regardless of weather, because the rest of my life doesn’t wait around for me to run hours at a time) that I haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy them. This is the year!

 

[Grabnar]

ATTQOTD: As much as I would love to be an afternoon runner, it's just too humid here in Houston. I'm usually up at 4a to get ready for a run, a little later on weekends. I have gotten a bit better since I've just able tripled my salt intake during long runs, though.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: Since 2020, most of my runs are with DH. So weekdays we tend to run at lunch. It is a nice break from work and often the warmest part of the day, which is generally a good thing around here. During the weekend, we tend to have breakfast, relax and head-out by 10:30AM.

I used to go very early in the morning and will do so if I know it won’t be possible later. Similarly, I am ok to catch-up at 8PM if I need to.

ETA: When traveling, very early in the morning is typical.

 

[nancipants]

ATTQOTD: Lately I run in the morning after my husband takes my son to daycare. They leave around 7:15, I usually am out the door by 8. I will have to force myself to leave earlier though as it gets hotter.

I also like running after my son goes to bed, either outside if it's still light out, or on the treadmill.

 

[pluto377]

ATTQOTD: Usually a morning runner. Sometimes in the summer I'll do late evening.

 

[SheHulk]

ATTQOTD: I want my run out of the way before work, no matter what. It sucks in the winter when that means going out in the dark/cold. But I don't like having it hanging over my head all day. Also I think it helps with any dark circles or bags under my eyes if I run first thing. Flushes out my face or something.

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: I’m trying for early morning runs this summer (and even got my boss to let me adjust my start time on my weekday run days so I wouldn’t have to get up before dawn) because hot summer sunlight is my nemesis In a perfect world (meaning one without mosquitos and gnats) I’d run at night with my lamp and Noxgear in the summer, but there’s only so many bugs I’m willing to swallow in the name of physical fitness

In the winter though, afternoon is best because it’s the generally the warmest it’s going to get, even if “warm” is only 10 degrees (if I’m lucky)

 

[jmasgat]

ATTQOTD: Morning, morning, morning. I'm retired, so I have the luxury of getting up at 6:30 ish, coffee, read the news and then go for my run around 8. Breakfast happens after I run. In the summer, I move a run earlier if it's really going to be/is warm.

I have tried to run in the afternoon--my body does not understand the concept and refuses to go along.

 

[Grabnar]

I’d run at night with my lamp and Noxgear in the summer, but there’s only so many bugs I’m willing to swallow in the name of physical fitness

If you haven't tried the new Noxgear chest lamp yet, give that a shot, it clips right into the middle of the vest. Not having the light immediately near my face has helped tremendously with the bug problem.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I can’t run in the morning because I’m asleep. Plus I’d start the day hot and sweaty.
If I run at lunch, then I miss lunch and I’m a hot sweaty mess.
If I run in the afternoon, then I have a sanity break from work and people, so now I have a window of time to get in a an hour or so between end of work and dinner.
After the initial weeks of Covid lockdowns and 10+ hour days, I started stepping away from my computer each afternoon and going for a run. It has done wonders for my physical health and adjusting my attitude after dealing with people all day. Yes, very hot temps during the summer, but (for me) preferable to cold.
About the only time I run in the morning is for a race.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

ATTQOTD: Mostly a morning runner. I find that if I don't get out the door immediately when I get up, it's too easy for something to pop up that keeps me from doing it later. Plus running in either Georgia or Texas, it makes summer running much more bearable. I find that if I wait until after work, my desire to just go home and cook dinner outweighs my desire to run. If my schedule is light for the day, there are sometimes I will block off time in the calendar round lunch and go to the gym for a run instead of the early mornings. When I'm in Texas I can get up around 4:15 and get my runs done and be headed to work by 7:00. When I'm home with the family I typically go out later in the morning (8ish) so I don't wake the family and dogs. @DopeyBadger was even good enough to help me structure a plan where my long runs are during the week when I am typically in Texas and can take advantage of being able to get out the door earlier and have more time with family on weekends.

 

[striker1064]

ATTQOTD: Also a morning runner, although my run club does 1-2 runs per week in the evenings and I do those. I'm definitely antsy those mornings though.

 

[NYC_MW]

ATTQOTD: Mornings: partially because running group, partially because it (irrationally) feels like bad guys are more likely to be out at night so it's safer to run in the morning (joking, not joking).

 

[Naomeri]

If you haven't tried the new Noxgear chest lamp yet, give that a shot, it clips right into the middle of the vest. Not having the light immediately near my face has helped tremendously with the bug problem.

Yep, that’s what I use, but bugs still fly towards it and then up to my face because I’m just lucky like that

 

[Dopey 2020]

I like mornings for running, used to be at exactly 7:30 but with a new puppy it’s now sometime before noon, whenever I can fit it in.

On another note, I finally caved this morning and bought into club runDisney. I’m tired of the stress of registration and with them selling more memberships I think it will make my day easier when the time comes. I hope it was worth it…

 

[Kerry1957]

Race Report:
Run The Bluegrass HM
Lexington, KY

Headline: I achieved my goal and had another great weekend.

Details: This was my fifth RTB weekend. Running, bourbon, and horses...what's not to love. I drove down on Friday from Chicago and went straight to Keeneland Race Course for packet pickup. Picked up my bib, shirt, and bottle of bourbon. Each year a special bottle is created for the race and this year was a 130 proof single barrel Knob Creek; not cheap at $100 but past year's have all been terrific. Sampled a few other bourbons and headed for the hotel.

I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of my goals and performance. Last summer I ran three HMs and finished each between 2:35 and 2:37. I have trained differently this year with fewer days running per week but 2 days of Orange Theory and 2 days of biking added to 2 days of running. So I wasn't sure what this would mean in terms of my fitness level. I definitely wanted under 2:45 with a stretch goal of 2:35. The course is continual hills (last year my Garmin said I ran up 89 flights and down 90 flights)

It started raining Friday night and continued pretty steady through Saturday noon after the race. I was a bit disappointed waking up to the rain Saturday morning but I knew the forecast and always tell myself not to worry about things I cannot control. The temps were in the low 60's which is nice running in the rain weather,

I didn't even attempt a standard run/walk ratio. I tried to never walk down a hill and to walk when necessary up at least a lot of the steepest hills. There were 2:30 and 2:45 pacers so I gauged my time on staying between them. I faded a bit the last mile but finished in 2:34:06 which I was very happy with.

 

[surfde22]

I’d run at night with my lamp and Noxgear in the summer

And your sunglasses too I hope!!

I'm retired, so I have the luxury of getting up at 6:30 ish

Waking up at 6:30 doesn't sound like a luxury to me.

ATTQOTD: I run whenever I can squeeze it into my schedule. I was once upon a time a get up and run early in the morning, and then COVID and work from home happened so I decided since I don't have to leave the house I can run whenever works for me. And now I get up early thanks to a toddler and a puppy. Just exchanged one evil for another.

 

[The Expert]

ATTQOTD: I've never been able to motivate myself to be a morning runner outside of races. Couple that with my work-from-home schedule tending toward the early part of the day, being west of many of my colleagues, and I tended to get in training in the afternoon. With the treadmill, it was super easy to just jump on when things slowed down for the day. Except when I didn't. It was always far too easy to get busy or just skip it, so my consistency sucks. Except Sundays during football season. I love watching NFL Red Zone from the treadmill!

I'm hoping to take advantage of this move to the eastern time zone and get in my runs in the morning. I'll be realistic -- I'm not someone who is going to get up pre-dawn and run. But I work from home and have no kids, and my work cadence is opposite now, with a slower start and busier end of the day. It's not out of the question to attempt my runs at 8-8:30am when I've had some coffee, attended to the animals and sent DH off to his office. Things are a bit chaotic still and we're in temporary housing without my treadmill, but it's Vermont in May and the weather is perfection. I have a run on the schedule for Thursday, so here we go!

 

[jmasgat]

Waking up at 6:30 doesn't sound like a luxury to me.

When I was still working, I was up and out the door by 5 am so that I could go to the gym and do whatever workout I could before rolling in to work by 7. So yeah, it is a definitely a small luxury. Of course, when my husband retires next week, I'm going to have to start getting up earlier for the dog, so we could be back to earlier mornings (the dog is near 17 and let's just say it's not good to try and sleep in and expect him to "hold it"!)

 

[Professor_Cookie]

QOTD: What time of day do you prefer to run and does that change any with the seasons?

ATTQOTD: Usually during the work week I end up running around 6:15 PM ish and during the weekends around 7 AM. The hotter it gets during the summer those work week runs get later and the morning start earlier on the weekend. I really need to just wake up earlier during the week but I like my rest lol.

Attqotd: Traditionally, I have been a mid-day runner. I fell off running in January, and have finally getting back after it. I quit drinking and nicotine usage, and I’ve been able to start running before 7am. Today I took the time to figure out where to hit up bathroom breaks, since, uhhh, much earlier running. I love it though, feels good to get a workout in before many people are even out of their houses. Not sure how it’s gonna be when the snow returns, but being in shape and easing into the cold is much easier than trying to start from scratch running again out in the snow