The Running Thread - 2016

[RunDisneyDad]

ATTQOTD: I'm bad about this one as the majority of my runs happen after dark. I primarily wear a white or brighter shirt, but I'm not good about wearing any lighting of reflective type material. The areas I run after dark are neighborhoods that aren't too busy, but do see some traffic. I automatically assume approaching traffic can not or do not see me and therefore I try to be ready for anything unexpected. One upside of running after dark is the headlights on cars help give you an indication of approaching traffic (especially when corners or intersections are coming up). I'm not saying running after dark is better, but generally I find traffic is much lighter after dark and obviously during hotter months it is cooler out.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Good morning and happy Friday to everyone. Todays QOTD feeds a little bit off of yesterdays question and suggested by a fellow poster. Thanks for the suggestion!

QOTD: Lets discuss safety while out for a run. If you run before sunrise or after sunset do you wear reflective clothing, lights, or anything else to make yourself noticeable? Do you have routes you avoid for your safety? If you are listening to music while running, how do you stay aware of your surroundings? If a sidewalk or running path is not available, do you run with the flow of traffic or against it? Any other concerns about safety while out running?

I do run quite a bit in the early morning or later in the evening. So I do wear reflective clothing and a head lamp and try to stay on the sidewalk or trails as much as I can. I do have one route that takes me into downtown Lansing via a river trail and it goes by a number of overpasses and vacant warehouses. In the day it is a very pretty trail with nice views of the river and offers a nice change of pace of the main roads. But in the dark it feels very sketchy so I have learned to save it for long run days when I can leave later in the morning. I don't take my wallet, but stash 20$ in my fuel belt should I need money for some reason. Lastly, I am not a small guy (under statement!) I think this provides a little more security.

I automatically assume approaching traffic can not or do not see me and therefore I try to be ready for anything unexpected.

Very smart! A few weeks back while running in a Neighborhood an approaching car was veering a little. I got all the way to the side and as the car got closer I could just tell they were not paying attention. I ended up stepping into bushes and the car whipped past me right where I had just been! I do not think the driver ever saw me regardless of my reflective clothes or headlamp. It was very scary! If I had assumed the driver could see me (because the car's headlamps were completely lighting me up).

You are right on, you have to assume the driver does not see you, even if it seems impossible that they don't!

 

[DVCFan1994]

QOTD: You put in the miles and train hard for a race, and on race day things did not go as planned. Everyone has a off day and unfortunately it happened on race day. What is your response to having a bad run/race?

The only thing that I have ever gotten pretty upset with myself about is if I have started walking when I really didn't need to. And that was more of an issue when I was first starting as I would mentally hold myself back quite a bit for unknown reasons.
The other thing that will get to me is if I'm running a PR pace and the course is long (or I ran it long)...nothing worse than hearing a PR over my gps update and still see I am nowhere near crossing that finish line.
I don't really get too upset for long. I just sign up for more races to try again (like many people have already said.)

Thanks for posting this QOTD, sorry I have been MIA since you did Post vacation catch-up got the best of me. Clearly, my reaction to a bad race (like my GSC half last weekend) is to overreact and act like a toddler But, I have to say, since I've thought about it more, I have decided I am fine with my time all things considered. I am disappointed my IT band acted up that weekend, after having few issues with it for months. I am disappointed I didn't get to run with my sister. But I am proud I did not just quit. I am happy that in the moment I realized this was not my day, and made the best of it by for stopping for virtually every picture opportunity. I think the biggest lesson is to not overreact at the end of the finish. Instead, I need to take in the finish knowing that there is plenty of time to analyze it in the coming days, but you only get the chance at the finish line celebration in that moment.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words about my race report. I appreciate them

 

[DVCFan1994]

Good morning and happy Friday to everyone. Todays QOTD feeds a little bit off of yesterdays question and suggested by a fellow poster. Thanks for the suggestion!

QOTD: Lets discuss safety while out for a run. If you run before sunrise or after sunset do you wear reflective clothing, lights, or anything else to make yourself noticeable? Do you have routes you avoid for your safety? If you are listening to music while running, how do you stay aware of your surroundings? If a sidewalk or running path is not available, do you run with the flow of traffic or against it? Any other concerns about safety while out running?

ATTQOTD: I have a reflective vest with lights for runs in the dark, but I still don't trust drivers on the road because everyone is playing with their phones. Some routes I can only run alone because the roads are to busy and to small to push the running stroller on. I don't listen to music anymore while I run, but when I did I put only one ear piece in on my left side and kept them volume low. I always run going against the flow traffic for a few reasons. The first is I believe legally I am supposed to and secondly I can see the car coming at me that's going to hit me, and have a better chance of getting out of the way while they are playing on their phone.

Hope everyone has a good run this weekend and stay safe running and any other activities you might engage in.

I never run in the dark, except at Disney races. The roads I run on are, poorly lit, or not lit at all, narrow, in poor condition, driven on by drivers going too fast and poorly cleared of snow and ice in winter. I also live in a city with its share of crime. My schedule makes daytime runs easy to get in most of the time, so I do all my running in the light.

I do always listen to music, but I leave it low enough to hear cars and other surrounding noises.

 

[LSUlakes]

Another busy weekend for me. Getting our house ready for market next week. Hope to catch up soon.

 

[Slogger]

ATTQOTD: I listen to music frequently, usually just my iPhone on speaker so that I can hear everything around me too.
Short runs I will use Pandora (Van Halen or Kenny Chesney stations are great), long runs I use the shuffle feature on my iPhone music.

I tend to run before or after work so plenty of quality time in the darkness. I carry my phone, wear a bright lightweight jacket with reflective strips and sometimes remember a strobe for my jacket and my shoes. Many times I don't. I have a shortsleeve R U Seen shirt that is very reflective. Sometimes I bring a small handheld flashlight. I always run on the opposite side of traffic and constantly watching for cars because I know they probably don't see me.

I probably need to "up the ante" with being more visible and get a headlamp or use my strobes.
Stay safe fellow runners in the dark.

 

[dmross]

Great thread! I just found it and I'm sorry I missed so much, lots to catch up on.

ATTQOTD: I run in the dark frequently this time of year. Early mornings are my time to run due to work. I use a reflective vest in the winter with a head lamp, plus bright or light clothing. I also try to run with my local group when I'm gonna run in the dark. Fortunately, I run on lots of well-lit sidewalks during low traffic hours. Running against traffic is my preference, and on my local roads I prefer running against traffic even when on a sidewalk. I like to see cars coming. If I do listen to music, I use one earpiece and keep the other one out... again, if I can hear something coming all the better. I'm gonna look into some of the gear that is mentioned in some of y'alls answers... I need to up my visibility according to some of these posts.

I heard some stats on pedestrian deaths due to traffic, and the danger is real.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't run at night.

If I did, though, that Tracer thing looks cool.

...there have been plenty of times where I barely saw the person while driving and had to avoid them.

I see so many people in my town running in things you can tell they *think* are reflective, but they are too old and worn to actually reflect. I post stuff that like regularly on the town's running FB page, especially since we've had one woman hit by a car at night on a solo run, and a man killed during a dusk group run...by a train. The reflective stuff obviously isn't for train conductors, but it does add credence to the concept of being incredibly cautious while running. I run the risk of sounding holier than thou, but if it causes one person to go outside in their normal gear and have their spouse or a friend drive by to see IF they are actually visible, then it's worth it.


********************

At the Princess 5K we saw the cutest clothing item. It's like these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010IGP4M4

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LO4939U


The woman wearing it (the Fly shrug) loved it, and it did the job of keeping her hands, arms, neck, and shoulders warm until she warmed up. Then it just ties around the waist without the bulk of a full jacket. But she was pretty tiny, and while I'm small I'm not "tiny".

So I wondered if anyone of the other women on this thread had worn anything like those, and how they liked them.

********************

bumbershoot - Hot Chocolate Seattle 15K - 3/6/16
bumbershoot - Rock 'n Roll Seattle Half - 6/18/16
bumbershoot - Rock 'n Roll Vancouver 10K 10/22/16
bumbershoot - Rock 'n Roll Vancouver Half 10/23/16

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I've got an event to add to the first post:

*DisneyDreamer - Lucky Leprechaun 7K - 3/19/16

ATQOTD: I don't at this point run in the dark. Since I am a solo runner, I just don't feel safe or comfortable doing so. I got a headlamp before last winter because I wanted and thought I would run outside after the fall time change for Daylight Savings, but it never happened and I didn't use it, because it started making me nervous when I thought about it. I wish I felt comfortable with it, but between the dark, possibility of snow, and the lack of sidewalks right around where I live, except for on the busy streets, I didn't like the idea.

On another note, I've been able to do outside runs the last 2 weekends! It's taking some getting used to, since I haven't done much running outside since Wine and Dine in November, but it feels good to get back out there. I'm looking forward to hopefully using the local pathways and trails (just paved bike-like trails, not actual trail running) more this year since I hate having to pause and stop for street crossings. It ruins my momentum.

 

[derekleigh]

Good morning folks! Let me start off by wishing the best of luck to @Keels @NurseRunner , and @Baloo in MI on your upcoming races this weekend. How is the forecast looking for yalls race? Are you ready for the distance you are running? If you would like to adjust your goal let me know! @Keels your race budget is impressive!

QOTD: You put in the miles and train hard for a race, and on race day things did not go as planned. Everyone has a off day and unfortunately it happened on race day. What is your response to having a bad run/race?

If the problems are within my ability to change, I simply shake it off after being annoyed for 5-10 minutes. Address what went wrong and how can I adjust to fix it.

If the circumstances are outside factors, generally I get pissed and stay pissed. For example, I was running a 5k and was on course to a sub-7:00 MM and win my age group. Well come about the 2-mile mark I had separated from the front runners and there was a turn at a sharpe corner that I was supposed to take but there was NOTHING there to signal me to take that turn. Thus I ran and extra mile in the wrong direction. I finished but had a professional conversation with the director which she was nice enough to grant me a free entry into the 2015 race. However I did not take that offer up because I am still mad about the whole thing.

Good morning and happy Friday to everyone. Todays QOTD feeds a little bit off of yesterdays question and suggested by a fellow poster. Thanks for the suggestion!

QOTD: Lets discuss safety while out for a run. If you run before sunrise or after sunset do you wear reflective clothing, lights, or anything else to make yourself noticeable? Do you have routes you avoid for your safety? If you are listening to music while running, how do you stay aware of your surroundings? If a sidewalk or running path is not available, do you run with the flow of traffic or against it? Any other concerns about safety while out running

Hope everyone has a good run this weekend and stay safe running and any other activities you might engage in.

During colder months, I run with a Nike All-reflective jacket. The thing us awesome! I got it as a gift a few years back and even with just a little moonlight, you can see me coming! I also wear a headlamp all year round. I wear a Road ID wristband and gave my phone for those rare emergencies.

 

[Baloo in MI]

So I ran my half marathon today, a small local race of about 500. It went about as I had suspected. I was a bit anxious as I have been struggling to stay on my schedule since getting back from Marathon Weekend and today it showed. I went out with the 2:00 pace group and was able to pull away from that group a few miles into the race. I felt ok through the race, but never could find the next gear to really get moving and finished in 1:57. I am happy with the race. I was smart, did not push too hard in the front half and really let my legs guide me. I am just a bit disappointed that I did not have more to offer today and originally I thought I might go for a PR today. Only missed that by 7 minutes! It is some good motivation to start training harder as I have a bunch of races to find improvement.

On a positive note the race today is called the Portage Winter Blast yet was not very wintery. It warmed up quite a bit, up in to the high 40's/low 50's with wonderful sunshine. Made for a good day to run.

 

[MeridaAndAngus]

I don't run at night.


I see so many people in my town running in things you can tell they *think* are reflective, but they are too old and worn to actually reflect. I post stuff that like regularly on the town's running FB page, especially since we've had one woman hit by a car at night on a solo run, and a man killed during a dusk group run...by a train. The reflective stuff obviously isn't for train conductors, but it does add credence to the concept of being incredibly cautious while running. I run the risk of sounding holier than thou, but if it causes one person to go outside in their normal gear and have their spouse or a friend drive by to see IF they are actually visible, then it's worth it.

Wow, that's really scary. You bring up a good point; many runners (and pedestrians in general) don't realize just how invisible they are to vehicles. This is true even at dusk or dawn when ambient light is low. Also, it's important to note that reflective gear has shelf life. A shirt or jacket that was a reflective a year ago, but has been washed and worn multiple times, is going to be less effective than when it was purchased. It's important to keep up with buying new reflective gear, and of course to always assume that anyone in a vehicle doesn't see you.

 

[bumbershoot]

many runners (and pedestrians in general) don't realize just how invisible they are to vehicles.

I see at least one person wearing ALL black every evening when I'm driving home from the YMCA. I truly do not know what they are thinking. (not runners, but pedestrians)

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I see at least one person wearing ALL black every evening when I'm driving home from the YMCA.

I run in all black a lot - in the winter, and during the day.

 

[Anisum]

I signed up for the wineglass 1/2 in Corning last week (totally not ready for a marathon yet). We certainly didn't not get sub 3:30 in the princess half (one of our group got heat exhaustion and we were far enough up in the corrals that we got some pictures and made it without being swept) so with The Wineglass Half being the first one I run alone and the whole thing (my friends do run-walk with more walk) and without distractions I'm hoping for a better time. So if you could add it @LSUlakes I would be appreciative.

It's in October:
02 - Anisum - Wineglass Half Marathon (Sub 3:25:00 / N/A)

 

[IamTrike]

I've been feeling really meh recently when I run. I've had a particularly hard time with my tempo runs. I am trying to run them a little harder than the last time I went through Hanson's in the fall, but I've really struggled with them for 3 weeks. I was hoping it was an issue of mental boredom because I was running them by myself on a treadmill. I am two weeks out from a full that I'm hoping to PR with one of my running buddies so I was pretty scared I was going to let both him and myelf down. He had suggested doing a long tempo on the race course to get a feel for it which we did this weekend. We wound up running 18 averaging 10 seconds below marathon pace. Mile 15 was up hill and we managed to do that at 30 seconds below goal pace and I still felt pretty decent at the end. I'm feeling pretty psyched now for the race. It's amazing how a good run can really alleviate concerns.


In case LSU is still busy with house stuff what about this for a QOTD:

QOTD: How do you handle shoes for training. How do you know when your shoes are wearing out. Do you track your milage in a pair of shoes or do you do it by the way they feel?

ATTQOTD: I should be better at tracking my shoe milage. I usually just do it by a combination of feeling and a rough estimate based on the miles I've run over the past couple months.

 

[LSUlakes]

Sorry I have been MIA over the last two weekends. Getting out house ready for the market is a lot more work than I thought it would be. My running time has also taken a back seat due to the amount of time involved with prepping and house hunting.

ATTQOTD: I keep two pairs and track my mileage on them using Garmin Connect. I get about 350 miles on a pair.

Thanks @IamTrike for the start!

 

[FFigawi]

I've been feeling really meh recently when I run. I've had a particularly hard time with my tempo runs. I am trying to run them a little harder than the last time I went through Hanson's in the fall, but I've really struggled with them for 3 weeks. I was hoping it was an issue of mental boredom because I was running them by myself on a treadmill. I am two weeks out from a full that I'm hoping to PR with one of my running buddies so I was pretty scared I was going to let both him and myelf down. He had suggested doing a long tempo on the race course to get a feel for it which we did this weekend. We wound up running 18 averaging 10 seconds below marathon pace. Mile 15 was up hill and we managed to do that at 30 seconds below goal pace and I still felt pretty decent at the end. I'm feeling pretty psyched now for the race. It's amazing how a good run can really alleviate concerns.

Nice job! It's funny, though, that sometimes a bad run can alleviate concerns too. I know I will always have a bad training run at some point during the cycle; it's almost impossible not to. When it happens, I know I've gotten it out of the way and will be ready to go on race day.

QOTD: How do you handle shoes for training. How do you know when your shoes are wearing out. Do you track your milage in a pair of shoes or do you do it by the way they feel?

Both. I track the mileage on my shoes as part of the information I record for each workout. I know my Asics are typically good for 300-400 miles, so around 275 is when I start paying very close attention to how my feet and legs feel after each run. When the shoes feel shot, I retire them and bring what was my second pair in the rotation into the prime spot.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I've been feeling really meh recently when I run. I've had a particularly hard time with my tempo runs. I am trying to run them a little harder than the last time I went through Hanson's in the fall, but I've really struggled with them for 3 weeks. I was hoping it was an issue of mental boredom because I was running them by myself on a treadmill. I am two weeks out from a full that I'm hoping to PR with one of my running buddies so I was pretty scared I was going to let both him and myelf down. He had suggested doing a long tempo on the race course to get a feel for it which we did this weekend. We wound up running 18 averaging 10 seconds below marathon pace. Mile 15 was up hill and we managed to do that at 30 seconds below goal pace and I still felt pretty decent at the end. I'm feeling pretty psyched now for the race. It's amazing how a good run can really alleviate concerns.

It's always nice when a run like that comes along and boosts your confidence. We're in the same boat (similar time goals, similar past training) and I'd agree that this current Hanson's cycle has been much more difficult to maintain paces than the past two cycles. You got it!

I track my shoe mileage on a printed out excel sheet on the kitchen wall. Every few months I like to sum the total on each pair of shoes to see where they are at, but I like to keep some mystery to the total mileage on a pair not to subconsciously believe that the shoes are done for. It's kind of a combo, when I feel the shoes are done I check the actual mileage to confirm it's over. I had one bad run in a pair earlier this year and thought it was over for them but gave them another try and they've been good for another ~75 miles since.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I've been feeling really meh recently when I run. I've had a particularly hard time with my tempo runs. I am trying to run them a little harder than the last time I went through Hanson's in the fall, but I've really struggled with them for 3 weeks. I was hoping it was an issue of mental boredom because I was running them by myself on a treadmill. I am two weeks out from a full that I'm hoping to PR with one of my running buddies so I was pretty scared I was going to let both him and myelf down. He had suggested doing a long tempo on the race course to get a feel for it which we did this weekend. We wound up running 18 averaging 10 seconds below marathon pace. Mile 15 was up hill and we managed to do that at 30 seconds below goal pace and I still felt pretty decent at the end. I'm feeling pretty psyched now for the race. It's amazing how a good run can really alleviate concerns.

That is great, but shouldn't you be tapering if you plan on running for a PR in 2 weeks?

QOTD: How do you handle shoes for training. How do you know when your shoes are wearing out. Do you track your milage in a pair of shoes or do you do it by the way they feel?

I rotate my shoes and track mileage on a spreadsheet. I think that I will use Garmin Connect with my next round of shoes, which I need to purchase soon as my existing shoes are ready to be retired.