The Running Thread - 2019

Just itchy, or hives? I grew up in WNY and broke out in big, painfully itchy hives whenever I was out in the cold more than a few minutes. Nobody really knew why. It wasn't until I was an adult that I was diagnosed with Raynaud's Syndrome, which is an autoimmune disease in which the body responds to cold like it does an allergen. Worth a Google to see if it sounds like what happens to you! I have to be really careful when the temp drops here in FL, as even in the 40s and 50s, I can start to react.

Just itchy! No hives. And only when I run.
 
Okay so maybe strange question here but has anyone else ever started to swing into form when it really doesn't make sense that its happening? I'm starting to feel the best I've felt since my surgery in July. And considering how whackadoodle my schedule and maintaining it has been the last four months it doesn't make any sense. I'm starting to be able to run up at 5 mph on the threadmill for the first time in months. This makes absolutely zero sense with the timing and my chronic stuff but I'm definitely doing better and feeling better then I was even last week (though that ended with an absurdly strange run).

I don't know if I'm just riding the pre Disney/Dopey high. Or what the heck is going on. I'm not really complaining since this is great timing with Dopey literally right around the corner just kind of confused.

Or maybe its just taken me this long to bounce back from the operation? Five months feels like a really long time though.
 




Question:
Do you run with routine of time or place? How much mixing it up do you do? Do you find the unpredictability fun or unwelcome?

Why I am thinking of this/my answer:
I used to travel extensively for work and for fun, but cut back to only fun when my kids were born. Then I took up running. I do fine getting in my miles when I work and I run the same route M-F because I have a closed, hilly vehicle track I can use at lunch in winter and I have a reasonable route to run in the semi-dark before work. It requires very little creative thinking or planning. I often think I would like a different varied route, but I rarely pull it off. Now I am back to traveling for work and I find it really hard to get in the miles when not at home. When traveling for work I sleep oddly (this is necessary for work sometimes), and I am not always in a place with outdoor running or a treadmill.
I wonder if this is a common issue. I wonder how other cope with unpredictability.

When we are home for the weekend I have the same 3 routes I run out of love or convenience. I do a bit better with variation here because I have time, but I keep going back to the same routes.
During the week I am pretty consistent. I'm either on a treadmill or one of the handful of greenways near me. On weekends I like to mix it up. We have several greenway systems in the area as well as a couple parks with both bridle and backpack trails. On my running buddies and I like to string together interesting routes. This morning we did a 7 miler that was 5 miles of hilly bridle trails and 2 miles of really hilly backpack trails through a huge park. Last week we did an out and back that was 4.5 miles of paved greenway and sidewalks and 5.5 miles of lightly marked backpack trails.
 
ATTQOTD: Back when I was training, it was pretty consistent depending on my need and availability. Track for speed, next to track for tempo, trail for long run, neighborhood for easy.

Just itchy! No hives. And only when I run.

It's probably a mix of a histamine response and vasodilation. It happens to me too when I get back from running in the cold, especially if I take a hot shower right after.

Okay so maybe strange question here but has anyone else ever started to swing into form when it really doesn't make sense that its happening? I'm starting to feel the best I've felt since my surgery in July. And considering how whackadoodle my schedule and maintaining it has been the last four months it doesn't make any sense. I'm starting to be able to run up at 5 mph on the threadmill for the first time in months. This makes absolutely zero sense with the timing and my chronic stuff but I'm definitely doing better and feeling better then I was even last week (though that ended with an absurdly strange run).

I don't know if I'm just riding the pre Disney/Dopey high. Or what the heck is going on. I'm not really complaining since this is great timing with Dopey literally right around the corner just kind of confused.

Or maybe its just taken me this long to bounce back from the operation? Five months feels like a really long time though.

Don't question it and enjoy the ride!!! : )
 
I’m on a set schedule, T Th after work and Sat morning, on the same four mile loop that I repeat for long runs. I add in any extra days depending on what I’m training for and I can add streets to change miles or do some hill work, or hit the treadmill if it’s too dark or icy. It can get dull but it has kept me in the habit and I get to look forward to changing things up every time we go to Disney.
 
My 8 year old and I did the Santa Hustle 5k at Cedar Point this morning. It was cold, it was fun, and they gave out chocolate chip cookies and cups of chocolate chips on the course.
She doesn't "love" running so much and we did way more walking than I had hoped, but she likes to earn the bling for bragging rights at school. 🤷‍♀️45758020191208_102455.jpg
 

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BCS (Bryan-College Station) Half race report

I signed up for this race after my other fall races turned out much better than expected. I really had not trained for fast races this fall season, but ended up running much better than expected. I have run the full twice before here, so had an idea about hills and what not around the course. This was my first attempt at the half. The race parking is at a mall in College Station, and the start line is not far away. The mall is just over an hour from the my house, and got there about an hour before the start of the race. Hit the porta-potties before the lines grew too long, but that turned out to not be a worry. They had about 100 for the 2000 runners, and there were no long lines before the race. Sat in the car for a little while, than ran a warm-up lap around the mall.

Saw several of my running club buddy's at the start. Two were running the full, and another running the half. The fasted pace group for the half was 1:40, and I was hoping to be close to 1:35, so I started in front of them. I decided to go out faster this time than my earlier races to see what I could do, and try to hang on later in the race. The morning started off around with a T+D around 100. Also a lot of fog and low clouds, which was good to keep the temps steady almost the whole race.

Splits:
1 7:21.3
2 7:15.3
3 7:11.5
4 7:14.6
5 7:16.8
6 7:14.9
7 7:28.2
8 7:20.5
9 7:17.2
10 7:35.0
11 7:19.7
12 7:17.6
13 7:27.3

One thing I did not remember is that there is almost no level ground in this race! Almost always up or down, some being more gradual than others. I will say, running through the A&M campus was much easier for miles 8 to 11 than miles 21-24 of a full. There is one nasty little hill right before mile 11 that still sucks.

My finish time was 1:36:48, my 2nd fastest half ever. Was really surprised to end up 3rd in my age group (3/70). 51/633 gender, 55/1585 overall.

First race this fall that I did not negative split, but that was kinda the plan. There were 3 of us that were changing positions almost the whole race, pretty much helping each other out. One of them ended up winning his age group (next one older than me), and I was wondering most of the race if he was in my group or not.

4 races this fall, and I was happy with all of them. Next race is not until early Feburary, but will be taking 3 weeks off during an extended vacation over Christmas and New Years.
 
One thing I did not remember is that there is almost no level ground in this race! Almost always up or down, some being more gradual than others. I will say, running through the A&M campus was much easier for miles 8 to 11 than miles 21-24 of a full. There is one nasty little hill right before mile 11 that still sucks.

The lack of level ground in and around College Station is going to make the new finish of the MS150 tougher than some people are expecting. Getting to the stadium will really beat your legs up.
 
Morning all! Well, its here, marathon week for me. Calf is still healing, but should at least be good enough to give it a go on Saturday. Weather isn't exactly the greatest, rain is in the forecast. I had one long run in the rain this training cycle, and had to cut it short due to the chafing. What if any recommendations do you have to avoid this, if it is in fact raining on Saturday?
 
Question:
Do you run with routine of time or place? How much mixing it up do you do? Do you find the unpredictability fun or unwelcome?
ATTQOTD: Apparently, my route is VERY routine, since I'm now on a first-name basis with the "strangers" I've been seeing in a local park for the past 10 years, lol! But I love that my route changes every day, depending on time of year, weather, who's out and about, what nature I see, etc. I do like changing it up, though, so I'll do some other routes, too. My schedule is determined by whether or not I'm training for something specific, but overall is pretty consistent: run 3-4 days per week, yoga 1 day a week, Pilates or ballet one day a week, one rest day.

Morning all! Well, its here, marathon week for me. Calf is still healing, but should at least be good enough to give it a go on Saturday. Weather isn't exactly the greatest, rain is in the forecast. I had one long run in the rain this training cycle, and had to cut it short due to the chafing. What if any recommendations do you have to avoid this, if it is in fact raining on Saturday?
Caveat: I live in FL and have no experience with cold rain, only temperate/warm/hot rain. But I run in the rain a LOT thanks to monsoon season. Body Glide is your friend: apply it liberally anywhere you may chafe. Soft, light fabrics that won't get heavy/baggy/clumpy when soaked. Form-fitting shorts/capris/tights/whatever are the best. A hat or visor with a brim will deflect rain from your face/eyes. If it's daylight, sunglasses will help, too. After the race, take out your shoes' insoles and stuff shoes with newspaper, changing out the paper after the first couple hours. That will speed drying time.
 
Morning all! Well, its here, marathon week for me. Calf is still healing, but should at least be good enough to give it a go on Saturday. Weather isn't exactly the greatest, rain is in the forecast. I had one long run in the rain this training cycle, and had to cut it short due to the chafing. What if any recommendations do you have to avoid this, if it is in fact raining on Saturday?
So, I just ran MCM 50k, 20 miles of it were running in the rain. Thankfully it was warm enough for the rain - 60ish. I put on body glide anywhere that I thought might start rubbing. I normally use 2Toms roll-on on my toes. They are prone to blister even with my toe socks, but this combo usually helps. I added Vaseline also to my toes, because I thought they would probably need a lot of help. I did carry a small tube of Vaseline, just in case. I thought it might be useful if there wasn’t an aid station right where I needed it.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for - the built in socks of my shoes chafed my ankles. The latest version of the New Balance Vongos replace the tongue with a built in sock. My normal socks do not come up above the top of it on the top of my foot (but they do at the heal side). I’ve never had issues with it before. I did start putting the Vaseline I was carrying on my ankles, but I probably started too late. I definitely had sores on both ankles, and still have slight red scars from it (about a month and a half later).

My suggestion, start out by putting body glide at any point that might be a rub point, and then during the race if anything slightly feels like it is starting to chafe, put something on it immediately (body glide/Vaseline). Don’t wait.
 
...chafing. What if any recommendations do you have to avoid this...

As others have said: Body Glide. For a half or longer, I apply it like car wax, everywhere except my face and bottoms of my feet. I apply it to the seams of shirts and shorts. I cake it on to my toenails. For a full, I'll carry a little one for re-application.

I previously did the bottoms of my feet, but stopped when I realized it was making me too slip-slidy.

Body Glide is relatively cheap compared to the investment in a marathon. You would be hard-pressed to put on too much.
 

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