The Running Thread - 2018

[Jules76126]

ATTQOTD: this is a very busy time of year for us. In term of running, I’ll have no problem getting them in as my Christmas break started yesterday and I don’t go back till the 3rd of January.

We left today for my in laws in Maine to celebrate Christmas this weekend. I also made a bunch of cookies. We will stay here till Sunday. On Monday we will head to my parents and spend Christmas night there and then celebrate Christmas with them, my sister and her boyfriend and both sets of grandparents. We then have our wedding anniversary the weekend of New Years and then head back to Maine the first weekend in January to celebrate Christmas with the rest of my husband extended family. I’m exhausted just typing it out lol

 

[flav]

Interesting anecdote for the board:

Back in the Spring I purchased 4 pairs of Asics Nimbus 19's on clearance at Runners Warehouse so that I would have the same shoe I trained over the summer and into the Fall be the same shoe I ran in for Goofy. Really LOVE the shoe!! As we got closer to the race, I decided to buy a couple of more pairs on Amazon mainly because I wanted a color that would better match my outfit for the marathon but also because the 19's are pretty much gone now.

I started breaking in these shoes last week and noticed they are NOT the same as the previous pairs I purchased. The lot #'s are different and the new ones were made in Vietnam instead of Indonesia. You can tell that there is not as much padding on the new ones and they are not as stiff and actually, my feet hurt when I took them out for their first runs last week. I mean the differences are very slight but, I can definitely tell the difference. I hope as I continue to break them in, they will be fine, and if not, I can fall back on a pair of the other shoes that have 250+ miles on them.

But, anyway, I thought it was interesting to share. Has anyone who buys multiple pairs of the same shoes experience this?

I also use ASICS Nimbus 19.
After reading your post I tried to do an inventory:
Pair #1 is retired and at work
Pair #2 is also in the office so ?
Pair #3 is from Indonesia
Pair #4 is still in a box and made in Indonesia
Pair #5 is still in a box, is the men model and is made in Vietnam which now worries me. I will let you know when I try them. If I buy more, I’ll be careful.

Edit: I am very curious about pair #6 that my mom is going to give me for New Year!

 

[Smilelea]

First of all, runs will be a lot easier to get in even with the holidays. All of our travels are late afternoon/evening. I'll get my runs in right after breakfast or during YDS's naps.

Secondly, our holiday season has started off fabulously. We discovered that one of our vehicles has an emissions problem that is no longer covered under warranty and they (the dealership) want to charge us $1400+ to fix it. Thankfully, my cousin owns a garage and can fix it for half that. But still, spending $700+ this close to Christmas wasn't in the budget.

On a happier note, tomorrow we will decorate gingerbread houses and I will get in my long run for the week. Christmas Eve Eve, we will travel 1.5 hours to my MIL's for that side of family Christmas (after morning church and YDS's nap).
Christmas Eve, we will make and decorate Christmas cookies for Santa and then be lazy until time for the Christmas Eve service at church (which is thankfully only a mile from our house) @ 5pm. Then come back home for supper and Christmas movies.
Christmas Day, we will do our usual Chrismas morning gifts, cinnamon roll Christmas trees with green icing, and then be lazy (us) while the children play with their new toys. Then go to my FIL's for supper and that side of family Christmas @ 5pm.
Sadly, since my grandparents passed away, it's hard to get my side of the family together anymore. On the other hand, we did just see my parents last weekend for my mom's surprise 60th birthday party. They also live 4.5 hours away so that makes it that much harder to get together.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: So I am off as is the rest of the office. I am going back early this year, January 3rd, because I want to keep those few days for Dopey 2020. Kids are off until the 7th. We will use the vacation time to see family, they live within a two hours radius from our house in different country sides. We hope to limit the number of sleepover places to three this year because otherwise it feels like I am always packing-unpacking-wash and repeat. It is a pleasure to see everyone though. It should be easy to fit my runs: Many country roads to explore!

 

[kleph]

ATTQOTD: The standing rule is that after the Christmas meal the turkey carcass is mine to make gumbo.

 

[gjramsey]

Race Report - Houston's 12k of Christmas

When I planned out my race season, this race was not planned. My cousin asked in Oct if I wanted to run it, and the price was right. My cousin hates driving in downtown Houston, so she came over to my house before heading to the race site. The race start and finish was in the usual downtown Houston location, Sam Houston Park, and the route was 6K out and back on Allen Parkway. My cousin had not been to this part of downtown and was shocked at the layout of the park and the old houses they have there. For races, it is a fantastic location, and makes perfect sense to be used by multiple races, even though Allen Parkway can get repetitive with multiple races.

I have not done any long tempo runs yet this season, so my goal today was to try and run a consistent pace for what I hope to be my half pace in January. The race started at 7:30, and the temps were a little warmer than I was hoping for, in the mid 50s. I took off a little faster than I planned, and decided to see how long I could keep it up. Miles 1 and 2 were 7:02 and 7:01. Since it was out and back and two laps, I saw my cousin when she was at 1.5k. She was hoping to finish her 6k before I finished my 12k.

Mile 3 was 7:06, and I was starting to feel like I can't keep that pace. Mile 4 dropped to a 7:12. Mile 5 ended up being a 7:00, which surprised me. 6 and 7 were both 7:16s.

I passed my cousin in the last .1 of a mile, and she yelled NOOOO! as I went by her. She had not trained too much over the last several months except for crossfit, and was happy with her time.

This was a fun race, and the two loops were good, being able to see other runners for most of the last 3 legs. Also a good number of runners in Xmas costumes. Saw the grinch, a deranged easter bunny, and may Christmas sweater looking running shirts.

Finished with a 52:43. My quiet goal was sub 55.

I ended up 4/47 in my 50-59 age group. 46/840 overall.

Really happy with the race, and really feel positive in going for a 1:35ish half next month.

 

[rteetz]

I had an awesome 20 mile training run today so I am now ready to take on my 3rd Dopey with confidence. Its taper time!

 

[garneska]

@gjramsey soundslike a great race and primer for your half. Go get it.

 

[DIS-OH]

ATTQOTD—Christmas plans.

I have an extended family that is pretty close and no one was willing to give up “their” holiday time, so over the years we ended up with multiple gatherings.

On the 23rd, we celebrate at my house and the granddaughters open their gifts from me and DH. In addition to my two DDs, SIL and two granddaughters, we will also host my parents, my in-laws, my sister and BIL and their kids, my brother and SIL and their kids, and a family friend, his wife and kids. Dinner is pizza and assorted snacks.

Christmas Eve is at my Aunt’s house. She lives in the 1840’s brick farmhouse that has housed at least 7 or 8 generations of my dad’s family. My cousins and all their kids will be there, along with many other friends & family. We do a grab-bag gift exchange game that is usually pretty fun! Dinner is a carry-in...I usually make a Reuben Dip appetizer.

Christmas Day includes breakfast at my in-laws and dinner at my parents. The uncommon thing is that my parents and in-laws get along so well that they always go the the gathering at the other’s house!

Plan is to run 12 miles tomorrow morning...and then enjoy the festivities over the next three days.

 

[avondale]

Its finally Friday and time for our Fun Friday QOTD!!!! With today being the last working for most of us before the holiday, what are your Christmas plans over the weekend and into early next week? Any unique traditions? How do you fit in your runs with so much going on over the next few days?

MY DH and I don't have any family locally, so we are always traveling for Christmas. First we go to his family in a suburb of Detroit for a few days before Christmas and Christmas day. Then we go to my family in rural western PA the day after and for a few more days - total travel time is 8 days or so. We are lucky that our families don't fight over who "gets" us for Christmas day, since my extended family tends to have their big party on the Saturday after Christmas. The down side is that we've never been in our home for Christmas in the 20 years we've been married.

At both places, I usually get up and run at about 7:30am and come back for a late breakfast. Depending on the specific family members, they may or may not all be awake and around by the time I get back. This gets it done so that other activities don't interfere, and I like starting out with exercise since the rest of the time with our families is pretty sedate.

Hope you all have a good holiday season!

 

[jmasgat]

MY DH and I don't have any family locally, so we are always traveling for Christmas. First we go to his family in a suburb of Detroit for a few days before Christmas and Christmas day.

Waving in your general direction from Beverly Hills, MI.....

 

[huskies90]

I had an awesome 20 mile training run today so I am now ready to take on my 3rd Dopey with confidence. Its taper time!

10 miles yesterday (Saturday) 20 today (Sunday). My legs feel like jelly. I guess that means I am ready? Hopefully the next time I finish running that far someone is putting medals around my neck with cartoon characters on them. Up next: tapering.

 

[Keels]

@LSUlakes - sneaking in one last race weekend to close out the year:

31 - @Keels - NYE Eve Double: A.M. Half, P.M. 5K (NG)

 

[MissLiss279]

@LSUlakes
If you are adding non-Disney January races: I’ve got one..

1 - MissLiss279 - Hangover Half 5k (<25:00/NA)

I’m not sure if I can do this, but I’m going to try. Right now, I think there was a little snow predicted for New Year’s Eve. If that happens, I will really be unsure about this time.

 

[PrincessMickey]

Attqotd:

I’m going to work. And then I’m going to work some more. I’m a few hours into a 16 hour night/day. Go home for a few then back for another night Christmas Eve. Then Christmas I’ll be working all afternoon and night Hopefully it’ll be slow and not too bad, the check should be nice just in time for dopey.

My family will do something at the end of the week to celebrate.

 

[LSUlakes]

Saturday I ran with a guy from out of town thats coached by the same person as I am. Since he wasnt familiar with the area the coached asked if I wouldn't mind he run with me. I had no problem with this and was happy to have someone run with me. He was supposed to run 23 miles and I had 18 to do. Since she suggested the idea I thought we were at similar paces. Well a few miles in he ask about my run/walk ratios. It is then I realized I never asked what his pace was. I told him my goal is to make it 5 miles without a stop and from there take walks as needed. His reaction let me know that was not good. After some additional follow up questions his normal pace is 12 min/mi for long runs. We ran the first 4 at 10 min pace or less. Needless to say the rest of the run went much slower once I realized our differences in pace and I felt kinda bad about the first 4 miles. He stopped at 18 because he was done. I really enjoyed having someone to run with. The important thing I was reminded of here is assuming things rarely turn out well.

ATTQOTD: The standing rule is that after the Christmas meal the turkey carcass is mine to make gumbo.

I approve of this!!!!

 

[LSUlakes]

To end the year and start of the new year we have the following folks with races:

30 - @Kazrak - Brazen Almost New Year's Eve 10k (1:14:00 / N/A)
31 - @Keels - NYE Eve Double: AM Half, PM 5k (NG / N/A)

January 2019
01 - @MissLiss279 - Hangover Half 5k (24:59 / N/A)

Best of luck to each you this upcoming weekend! I added the January race just incase I do not get a chance to do it next week before it happens. If anyone else has a race they would like to add please let me know.

 

[LSUlakes]

Public Notice:

The 2019 version of the running thread will go live January 2, 2019 hopefully mid morning. Once that thread is going, feel free to let me know of any upcoming races in 2019. If you have a January 2019 race you would like to add you can let me know in this thread or once the new one is made, the choice is yours.

I would like to thank everyone for their participation in this years thread. It appears we have gained a few new posters and the thread has grown a lot over the last year. I've enjoyed all of the conversations with everyone here and look forward to another year of talking about running and whatever random things that come along with it.

 

[ZellyB]

Thank you so much @LSUlakes for keeping this thread up (past, present and future). I know it's a lot of work but I really appreciate your doing it!

 

[LSUlakes]

Christmas Eve QOTD: This is going to me a multi part question. Do you have dreams about a big race thats coming up? Are they good good dreams or a dream of something going wrong? Do you have dreams about being in the parks, and if so what are those like?

ATTQOTD: I do have dreams about big races and usually they are not bad. They are just snaps of me running various parts of the course, so I guess thats good. The dreams about the parks happened last night and is the reason I was asking this question. I had a dream we were in MK a day or two after the marathon and instead of a crowd level of 5 or lower, it was Christmas level 10 crowds. I guess that could be considered a nightmare lol.