The Running Thread - 2019

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD: When I moved to our small town, it was kind of tough to pick a running route. I didn't really (and still don't) care to run the streets in town, but have during this marathon training early in the morning when there aren't as many cars. I used to go west of town in the country on a paved road, but decided that there were way to many cars speeding on a road with no shoulders.
My running route is now east/north of town on country roads. I run the 2 sections (1 sq mile) north of my house, so I'm never more than a couple miles from home, which is comforting, but I can still get in some good miles. The downside is that it is all dirt roads, so I am often at the mercy of weather with ice/mud and my pace is usually slower out there due to the gravel.

 

[cavepig]

automobile...and drive around my running route and mentally map out my distances and approximate mile markers.

Yep, did the car measuring as well.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

I finally made it out there during an interval run today, so, as promised last year. The coyote sign.

 

[mankle30]

Short Term Goals: Finish the WDW Marathon with a solid effort

Long Term Goals:

• Drop some weight and work on increasing efficiency and speed to break 1:00:00 at a local 10K in May (my lifetime PR is around 49:xx, so I'm not going to hit that, but I've run 2 10Ks in the past couple years in the 1:04:xx range).
  
• Run the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in the fall and reduce my time further. I'm looking to take 28 minutes (or more) off my 2017 marathon time with this marathon to get under 5:00:00. I want to be down at least another 15 minutes (if not more) by the fall. Again, my PR, from 10 years ago).
  
• See if I can get my wife to run more. This is a tough one. She's not a runner but is running the WDW 5K with me

 

[mtnmjd]

ATTQOTD: In the very early stages of my running, I just tried to run for 1/2 hour...so 15 minutes away from the house and 15 minutes to get back. As I progressed and learned my limitations and how far a mile really was, I started doing a 3 mile loop in my area which is still my basic run today.

Currently; for my weekday runs, I do a 3-5 mile loop through Central Park before work and my shorter weekend runs vary depending on how much hills I want.
For anything longer than 10, I map out on onthegomap.com. With anything really long, I make sure that my halfway point is the furthest point from home to avoid the temptation of cutting it short.

 

[McNs]

QOTD: What are your short term and long term running goals for 2019?

Continue to work on base fitness - it has dropped a bit in the last couple of months. I'll be starting a training plan for my next marathon pretty soon. Long term goal is 2,600km for 2019 - 50km a week. It's a stretch goal but so was my 2018km in 2018, but I smashed that by 300km, so...

@LSUlakes - my first race is Rotorua Marathon, May 4th, (3:30/N/A)

QOTD: When you started running, how did you plan our your running routes at first? Did that method change as your runs got longer?

In the olden days I would do the car trick to calculate distance, then just continue to run that loop. Then along came MapMyRun so it was easier to plot more courses, or even plot post run. It was a bit tedious on dial up so still not overly practical, so I generally just ran the same couple of loops. I got my first GPS watch in 2012 and that was a real game changer - I could run where I liked. Fast forward to now and I am trying to run as many different streets as I can - to make sure I cover everything I create a course in Garmin Connect, send to my watch, and use that to follow. I'm working through neighbouring suburbs around where I live, not sure where I will end up as Auckland is a spread out city plus there are some sketchy areas, but it's a bit of fun. Below is my current Strava heatmap from around where I live:



The red bits are where I do a lot of running but you can see where I am at with filling in other areas.

I'm on vacation at the moment on an island 40 minutes from downtown Auckland - I run here a lot (my folks live here) and it is stunning but with nasty hills. I'm working on running as many streets as possible here too...



Happy running everyone!

 

[mankle30]

On the latest QOTD:

Doing a loop around my neighbourhood is almost exactly 4 miles, so I use that for anything up to a 10-mile run (sometimes I'll depart for 10-milers). Then I head further afield if I need to do long runs but at least on my 4-mile loop, I have very few interruptions for traffic/road crossing. I lose maximum 1 minute on a run. The further afield runs cost me much more time waiting for traffic lights.

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: I used a combo of mapmyrun and driving potential routes. My neighborhood is hilly so most runs now are based on what hill I don’t mind running up that day.

 

[IamTrike]

Continue to work on base fitness - it has dropped a bit in the last couple of months. I'll be starting a training plan for my next marathon pretty soon. Long term goal is 2,600km for 2019 - 50km a week. It's a stretch goal but so was my 2018km in 2018, but I smashed that by 300km, so...

@LSUlakes - my first race is Rotorua Marathon, May 4th, (3:30/N/A)


In the olden days I would do the car trick to calculate distance, then just continue to run that loop. Then along came MapMyRun so it was easier to plot more courses, or even plot post run. It was a bit tedious on dial up so still not overly practical, so I generally just ran the same couple of loops. I got my first GPS watch in 2012 and that was a real game changer - I could run where I liked. Fast forward to now and I am trying to run as many different streets as I can - to make sure I cover everything I create a course in Garmin Connect, send to my watch, and use that to follow. I'm working through neighbouring suburbs around where I live, not sure where I will end up as Auckland is a spread out city plus there are some sketchy areas, but it's a bit of fun. Below is my current Strava heatmap from around where I live:

View attachment 373169

Have you done any of the Xterra Race Series. I seem to remember looking at a run in that series that was not far outside of Auckland that took you by the Waterfall Golden Picture Frame.

 

[McNs]

Have you done any of the Xterra Race Series. I seem to remember looking at a run in that series that was not far outside of Auckland that took you by the Waterfall Golden Picture Frame.

I've not ran any of the Xterra events but they look pretty cool - that picture frame is in the Hunua Ranges - about an hour south east of Auckland. When I was in Scouts as a young lad we would go tramping there - pretty stunning scenery!

 

[KevM]

As I posted a moment ago over in the Dopey 2020 thread, I decided today that I am going to go for the Dopey challenge in 2020!

 

[txdisneygrl]

Maybe I'll keep up better with this thread this year. Fingers crossed.

First QOTD: goals for this year are to get consistent and stay there- hoping for about 3 mile runs 3 times a week with a 4-5 mile longer run every couple of weeks or so. I am trying to sign up for a longer-ish race every few months to facilitate that.

ATTQOTD: I just sort of set a distance goal and run until about half way and then turn around. I run similar routes a lot and so now I know of some specific distance loops to help me do that. Very scientific I know.

Races:
Woodlands Half Marathon 3/2 Goal sub 2:45

Star Wars Rival Run 10k 4/6 (NG)

Star Wars Rival Run Half 4/7 (NG)

Rock and Roll San Antonio Half 12/8 (NG for now)

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

Offer expired, socks claimed.

This is possibly weird: anyone want a pair of 2XU Full Length Compression Socks, Men's Large? I've only worn them once or twice (don't worry. they've been washed since then). They are just too hard for me to get on and off. I hate to send a pair of barely worn $40-$50 socks to Goodwill if a fellow runner can use them. I'll even pay postage.

I tried to find a picture online of the exact model, but couldn't find one.

If you're interested, PM me.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

ATTQOTD:when I was in my first running fit my first year of culinary school I would just go on time and run randomly.

Now, after I get back in to shape each year, I gradually just add more distance by running down random trails and monitor with my watch. I generally know which routes will get me what distance and add on or subtract as needed. I used Mapquest for a while before the gps watches.

 

[JulieODC]

I live near the center of our town - so am lucky to have a lot of options right out my front door, most of which can be done on sidewalks. We’ve only lived in town for a few years, so my runs were kind of blind exploration- and I’ve really gotten to know my way around due to it!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

QOTD: What are your short term and long term running goals for 2019?

Short term: Finish my first marathon ever as part of Dopey.

Long term: Figure out my running plans for the future. Since it looks like no runDisney on the west coast in 2020, I want to work on running for fitness and exercise purposes as opposed to the excuse it provided me to go to Disneyland or Disney World. After Dopey I have only two races planned, but may be signing up for a few more or at least virtual races.

9/8/19 SleeplessKnight - The Giant Race Lou Seal Challenge: Half Marathon followed immediately by a 5K. Goal to be determined by what happens with training after Dopey.

Dopey was always meant to be my reward for the end of a good year of training and personal improvement and, quite simply, I haven’t deserved a reward for a while. I love Marathon Weekend and while it may seem silly I’m kind of proud of being perfect dopey. I want to be proud of the work I’m putting in to keep that designation.

Sometimes what we become in the pursuit of a goal is of greater benefit to us in the long run than the actual accomplishment of the goal itself. Best of luck in improving in those areas that matter to you.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Short term: Finish my first marathon ever as part of Dopey.

Long term: Figure out my running plans for the future. Since it looks like no runDisney on the west coast in 2020, I want to work on running for fitness and exercise purposes as opposed to the excuse it provided me to go to Disneyland or Disney World. After Dopey I have only two races planned, but may be signing up for a few more or at least virtual races.

9/8/19 SleeplessKnight - The Giant Race Lou Seal Challenge: Half Marathon followed immediately by a 5K. Goal to be determined by what happens with training after Dopey.

Sometimes what we become in the pursuit of a goal is of greater benefit to us in the long run than the actual accomplishment of the goal itself. Best of luck in improving in those areas that matter to you.

Red Bull 400 in Park City! It’s only 400 meters!

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Offer expired, socks claimed.

This is possibly weird: anyone want a pair of 2XU Full Length Compression Socks, Men's Large? I've only worn them once or twice (don't worry. they've been washed since then). They are just too hard for me to get on and off. I hate to send a pair of barely worn $40-$50 socks to Goodwill if a fellow runner can use them. I'll even pay postage.

I tried to find a picture online of the exact model, but couldn't find one.

If you're interested, PM me.

PM'd, thank you so much! This community rocks!!

 

[Smilelea]

I also thank you @LSUlakes for keeping up with all of this.

12 - Smilelea - Walt Disney World Half Marathon (NG / N/A)

Not that it really matters but I would like to change my goal to Finish

ATYQOTD:
Short term goals - finish my first half marathon at Disney next weekend
- make my very first list of races I'd like to run for the year. I already have 6 in mind and that's a record in itself
Long term goals - lose some fat, gain some muscle (no since in saying lose weight because that doesn't seem to work for me )
- try some new races / new distances
- continue improving in form, speed, etc.

QOTD: When you started running, how did you plan our your running routes at first? Did that method change as your runs got longer?

When I first started, I used the c25k so I just went out in my neighborhood and ran based on the time it had for me that day. I'd guess about when I needed to turn around to head back to the house (and usually guessed way wrong). Then I started using Runkeeper and that helped me to realize what distances I was actually covering. 3 miles and under - I know exactly where to turn around and I don't have to do much doubling back. Anything longer, then I try to get creative so that I can avoid certain hilly parts or I go to the local park where one lap is a little over a mile long. I like not having to run the same laps 5 times just to cover 1 mile .

 

[Baloo in MI]

The 4th year of the thread, so cool!

ATTQOTD - Goals:
Short term I am focused on simply rebuilding a base and shedding some weight after being away from running so long. Most important be patient and stay healthy!
Long term finish 2019 running strong and injury free! Planning to get my 5th Dopey to (after missing it next week!)

ATTQOTD - planning runs:
I just started running around my neighborhood and let it expand. Back in the day I used my car to measure distances. Later when I started trails I just used the park maps to figure distance.

I have four races scheduled so far:

May 11, Baloo in MI, Amway River Bank Run, 25k, no goal-just finish

June 2, Baloo in MI, Dexter to Ann Arbor Half Marathon, under 2 hours

September 6-7, Baloo in MI, Woodstock 100, toe the line and hope to finish!

October 20, Baloo in MI, Grand Rapids Marathon, under 4:15