I enjoyed reading about everyone's goals for the month. I thought it was a good question to ask, for those with a plan and those who maybe haven't thought about it, to type it out and somehow feel accountable now since its on the internet. Good luck to everyone this month and I look forward to seeing how everything went for each of yall at the end of the month!.
QOTD: What are some interesting weather events you have witnessed while out for a run?
ATTQOTD: A few winters ago, I got to run while it sleet / snowed. For those further up north, this may not seem like a big deal, but in the southern states, the frozen stuff rarely happens. Another one, was from this morning (which is what gave me the QOTD idea) I checked the weather before heading out and basically it said, "like running in a steam bath". I head out the door around 4:50AM and I see lightning in the distance and was like, what the hell, I did not see this on the local radar. Went out and ran anyway and had a cool light show to watch while running. When I finished my run I pulled up the radar to see how far away the storm was because I did not hear any thunder. The storm was over a lake near New Orleans, which is ~45 miles away. It was a amazing thing to watch while out for a early morning run.
I ran after work one night last summer and there was lightning everywhere. No thunder, just a lightning storm. I am sure everyone in the neighborhood thought I was crazy for running at that point but I knew it wasn't close.
ATTQOTD: Here in New England the motto is if you don't like the weather wait five minutes. It'll change
. I've run in all kinds of weather, but nothing particularly comes to mind. If the roads are clear, I enjoy running in a light snow, as long as it's melting as it hits, and the roads aren't turning to ice. I'm fine with rain, cold to about 10 degrees (-4 with wind is coldest I've done). The heat gets me, probably because we only get it in spurts here. I'll run in it but cautiously, because it's just not something I'm well acclimated too.
You beat me to this. I enjoy thunder snow, but he takes it to another level
@DopeyBadger, I love your explanations about effort/speed/duration. I have a lot of fast friends who at the same age as me (40s) have been running since they were kids or teens. I've only been running any kind of distance for 4 years, and have had quite a few injury setbacks from trying to do too much too soon. I feel horrible usually when I think about my runs compared to theirs, 1:45 halves versus my 2:25. But you've really put a great spin on it. Makes me feel much better
Speed doesn't matter. Of course we all want to be faster but if you are having fun, keeping healthy, and improving your life through running does it REALLY matter how fast you are?
Why are there so many of us passengers on the hip injury train? I would like to get off at the nearest stop please!
Excellent way to describe it! Honestly, I'm impressed with anyone who laces up and gets out there. All of it is an accomplishment!
My injury is to the ankle but I agree there seem to be a lot of hip injuries, or injuries in general.
I agree that anyone on this thread, or starting a race of any distance is impressive. We are all making a choice to better ourselves by doing this. How can you not be excited to be a part of it?
I'm definitely in the prefer cold weather camp too. I cannot wait for fall.
I LOVE the fall, running or not.
So, one of my goals this month is to run early in the mornings, and to make that successful I have to do so nearly everyday to make it a habit. Well, the first two days on the month I did not even hear my alarm going off. Today I did and it took me a little while from when the first alarm went off at 4:00AM and by the time I started my run it was 4:41 AM. Tomorrows goal is to get out the door a little earlier and try to get a full 10 miles in. The early wake up should at least help me fall asleep earlier tonight. I'll report back tomorrow with how it went. lol
Ill run a race in a singlet in the 30's, but I run nearly all my runs in "normal" running shirts. Like you, I think around 20 is the point where long sleeves would be considered. Now my hands are a different story, i'll bust out the cheap cotton gloves you can get at an expo for like $1.50 a pair all day. Nothing worse than your hands being cold.
Your getting a little ahead here, we are just asking for a cool front in the fall or late summer. I got a good laugh out of you post, so I wanted to post something, but I think the sarcasm in my comments probably do not translate into text.
You need me to call at you at 4:00? I'll wake you up. You'll hate me but I'll do it!
Been following this thread for a while (wanted to get caught up before posting and wanted to make sure I stuck with it) so finally chiming in. I took a long hiatius from running, but been doing C25K to keep me in check (I have a habit of starting to run too fast, too much distance, too soon). I am registered to run the Princess 5k with my family in Feb and the 10k myself. This thread has been very inspiring and so far I'm on track to complete the last two weeks of the C25K app. My plan is to start the 10k app after that.
ATQOTD: Nothing really recent, but many years ago in high school one of our cross country races turned into a mud run. Shoes were getting stuck and everyone was having a great time. It made for an interesting bus ride home, but thankfully it was one of the few local ones we had.
Welcome! So now that you know what habit you had that burnt you out and made you stop you will do things differently this time and eventually get to the distances you want to be at. Before you know it you will be one of us crazies.
I live in northern New England, so there's a lot of the year we wouldn't be able to run if we didn't run in cool/cold temps.
Running in the 30's is actually really nice. All my PRs have been set at temps in the 30's.
I don't mind running in the cold necessarily. I like the cold. I just don't like that it takes so long to get ready to run. I love when I can just throw my normal running clothes and shoes on and head it. Adding the layers slows me down.
I'm a day late, but I'm going to use the QOTD to introduce myself. I've been reading for months, but it's a little hard to join in when I still don't think of myself as a real runner. I'm signed up for the GSC, and have lots of big dreams in my head. (Can I do Dopey in 2018? Maybe I can do ALL of them? LOL.)
I started training in May. Of course, I have no clue what I'm doing, so it's kind of a mix of C25K (right now) and Galloway's run/walk/run and just increasing distance. I'm going to run a local 10K in mid-September for proof of time, but my goal is really just to finish in the upright position. I'm about 80 pounds overweight, so I'm definitely not fast!
QOTD: What are your goals as it relates to running for the month of August?
1) Keep running, especially increasing the "long" runs in preparation for the 10K.
I guess I only have that goal--don't quit. There are probably others I should have, but I don't know what they are!
You are not a day late, you are right on time. Welcome. With so many lurkers joining us recently I need to point something out. I don't know if you all read from page 1. If you did you read when the QOTD was to tell our stories of how we got where we are. None of us are elite athletes in that we are professionals. We have some ultra runners, and triathletes, and multi-time marathoners. We have a Boston Qualifier and a few who aspire to be. But, the majority of us come from a time where we didn't run. We were overweight and unhappy. When we started running we doubted ourselves and we were scared at this whole process.
"(Can I do Dopey in 2018? Maybe I can do ALL of them? LOL.)" To answer your question, YES. You can do it. If you believe you can do it, you can do it. The only thing stopping you is your mind. Will it be a lot of work, absolutely. Will it be worth it, absolutely. Ask
@Keels about her journey to Dopey last year. I got to follow it all on the 2016 Marathon thread. She was scared at points. Some tears were involved at points. But I also got to read her posts after she did it. It sure seemed worth it to me.
You say you're new and you have no idea what you're doing. Welcome to the club. I was scared out of my mind when I signed up for my first race. But, now you found a place where you can ask your questions and find out what to do. You'll have to make it work for your budget (as far as gadgets and shoes and stuff) and your body but there is a lot of experience and information here. Most importantly, you will have bad days, we all do, you will get motivation here. And when you have good days you can come here and share those as well. And if you eat right and keep up the running you won't be 80 lbs overweight very long. About 2-3 weeks ago several people posted their transformation pictures. You have made the decision to change your life, just believe in yourself and make it happen now.
With even more new posters and some new to running folks joining in on the thread I thought we could spread some good advice around with todays QOTD.
QOTD: What is the best advice a fellow runner has given to you?
ATTQOTD: I asked a friend what he thought was the best way to achieve a BQ. He told me high mileage, and with the increased miles the speed would come naturally.
I asked this a couple of years ago, and then followed up with "currently I can run 4 miles as a easy run that takes nothing out of me, what should that number be when looking to get a BQ. The answer he gave me is 8 miles or around a hour. I can comfortably run 7 miles in a hour now, and I think once temps come down some, 8 is within reach to be a nice steady run. One day at a time for now.
I don't remember any specific person or piece of advice. There was some obvious ones, like don't try anything new on race day, etc...
What I remember when I first started running was the encouragement and support from people on this forum. PrincessV and John were on the ToT thread and helped talk me off the ledge a few dozen times.
Here is the advice I give to people when they are first starting out. It's simple. "DON'T GIVE UP!" Do not quit on yourself. You can buy the nicest shoes, the fancy gadgets, and the best running clothes money can buy but if you quit when you get discouraged then all that stuff just become expensive dust collectors. You may not love running, not everyone does. But at least give yourself the benefit of the doubt and run through the first few months of frustration and then find out. I don't like the first 3 miles of just about every run. If I quit when it was uncomfortable I would never run again. It's miles 4-15 that are the most fun. Miles 16-22 are when I wish I would get hit by a car, and 23-26.2 is when I realize I can do anything I set my mind too. I would miss out on all of that if I gave up at mile 1-3.
Since I seem to be on a roll posting today, lets not forget the upcoming races this weekend.
05 - @disneydaydreamer33 - Superhero 2.5k (NG / N/A)
06 - @jhorstma - OldFashioned 5k (28:59 / N/A)
06 - @DVCFan1994 - TD Beach to Beacon 10k (NG / N/A)
06 - @DisneyDreamer ♥ - Big Ten Network 10k (NG / N/A)
06 - @GARUNMOM - Vinings 5k (NG / N/A)
07 - @SueInBoston - Bridge & Back 10k (NG/ N/A)
Good luck to each of you on your upcoming race. If you would like to revise your goal let me know. Look forward to reading how things go for you.
Good luck to everyone this weekend.
