The Running Thread - 2020

[ReginaMBK]

January Totals:
215.3 miles
(I have no idea what my avg pace is because I do a variety of easy + track workouts + long runs, but probably somewhere in the 8-9min/mile range)

 

[DopeyBadger]

I spent about 6 weeks running 2/1 intervals so that I could get through Dopey with no ill effects. I took almost two weeks off before returning to training. I would like to attempt a 100k at the end of March, so I need to ramp the mileage back up pretty quickly. I started back up with runs at the pre-injury "easy" pace without intervals last weekend. They have been much harder than I expected and now my Garmin is giving me the "Overreaching" training status. I need to make a decision in the next week or so to register or not register for the ultra, so how do I make that decision? Do I continue what I've been doing, counting on my body to "remember" that those paces are easy and catch up, eventually? Do I need to slow down further to make the runs actually "easy" while maintaining the training volume? Am I trying to do too much too quickly given the circumstances and need to give up on the 100k goal entirely? I'd appreciated any advice people can give.

Whether you do the 100k or not, I'd recommend slowing down even further than your old easy paces. The saying goes, "If easy doesn't feel easy, then it isn't easy." From personal experience, I just started training again last week after 9 days off. The Dopey (marathon specifically) take a lot out of us physically. And that particular day we were given was far from easy. For me, I'm trying to keep the same easy effort level and post-run looking at my HR values. My goal is to see HR values post-run that are similar to HR values from during marathon training. The big difference is that the pace right now is significantly slower. For the first few runs the easy pace has been 20-45 sec/mile slower than prior to the marathon. Just in the last week though, my easy pace has increased by about 10-15 sec/mile at the same effort/HR level. The fastest gains in the HRvPace relationship usually happen within the first few days, but the rate definitely slows down over time. Here's a graph from Spring 2018:



Several training cycles worth of training data shows that I'll have regained my fitness levels in about 42 days. So I'm not really going to worry about anything until at least the end of February. So that's all to say, I'd recommend slowing down to ensure that easy running actually feels easy. Think of pace goals more as caps. Don't go faster than them, but you can certainly go slower than them if the effort dictates.

Even if you were perfectly healthy, doing the 100k roughly 9 weeks after resuming running from a 2 week break and Dopey is ambitious. Certainly not impossible, but ambitious. Add on your recent difficulties with the hamstring and it seems like an even tougher sell. As with lots of choices in running, I think it comes down to your willingness to accept risk. Is it worth the chance of re-injury to the hamstring or possibly an increase in the severity of the injury if a reoccurrence occurs? I certainly can't answer that question or even know how the probability changes based on training choices. Hamstring not withstanding, is the 100k in what seems like a relatively short timeframe also worth the risk? Or is the 100k better served as something you can have a longer lead into?

 

[FFigawi]

@camaker you've gotten some good advice already. The only thing I’d add is to weigh the risk of further injury against the importance of this particular race. If the race is the priority, then do the best you can in you training. If it’s not, then it’s time to really ease up, take it slow, and make sure you’re fully trained whenever you get to your next big race.

 

[KSellers88]

January Totals:
214 running miles
9:35 average pace
149 average HR

51 Barkley miles (see Barkley below, lol)

 

[gjramsey]

January Totals:

Total Miles - 88.68 mi
Total Time - 12:38:28
Average Pace - 8.33/mi
Avg HR - 145

Since I went to Australia/New Zealand for the last part of Dec and early Jan and taking 3 weeks off from running (worth it!), it has taken me a little bit to get back into the swing things. I also realized, I never posted 2019 totals in that thread, so

2019 Totals:
Total Miles - 1,553.45 mi
Total Time - 220:01:20
Average Pace - 8.29/mi
Avg HR - 142

 

[Dopey 2020]

January totals:
Miles 90.2
Avg pace 9’36”/mile

ended running Dopey and training faster than expected I guess, this is the first month with an average less than a 10 min/mile

 

[The Expert]

January Totals:
64.4 miles
17 hours 10 minutes

This includes the 10K and Full at Marathon Weekend, but I got hit with a nasty flu/cold/something immediately after, so I've only run a few times since, and max four miles. Finally starting to feel normal and ready to jump back in this weekend!

 

[sky13]

January totals
100.6 km or 62.5 miles
Average pace 7 min/km or 11.2 min/mile

Last year my goal was to run 100 km/month, which I met for most of the year.

This year I thought I might need to concentrate a bit on other aspects of my life - so I tentatively changed my goal to around 20 km/week or 80 km/month. The idea is that lowering my mileage aim would give me more flexibility when there are days when I stay late at work, or meet friends for dinner, etc.

But I was so close to 100 km this week that I thought I might as well just hit 100 km anyway, and there's something psychologically satisfying about doing that...

That being said though, I really did not like running this month. I started getting plantar fasciitis symptoms again - nothing as bad as last year but still enough to be annoying. Also, for outdoor runs my pace slowed dramatically and there were a few days where I only managed 1.5 miles before having to stop (compared to usually easily getting to the 5k mark). Oddly enough, while outdoor runs got more difficult, indoor runs on treadmill got much easier - I could run the same distances as before but at higher speed!

Hoping February will be a more enjoyable month of running. And that I can at least keep up running regularly!

 

[StacyStrong]

January Totals
Miles - 74.8
Time Spent - 18:14:32

This is a new high for me. I’m excited to see the progress I’m making. Looking forward to a good and consistent running year.

 

[C.beara]

January summary
Miles: 24.4 (6.4ish were the MW 10k)

I’m not a particularly high-mileage runner, but I took a lot of January off during our Disney trip and then recuperating afterwards.
Focus for February is just increasing mileage while I plan out my training. I’ve almost decided my next race.

Question: there is a 5k I’m thinking about that’s a women’s only run. For women on the boards, have you ever done one of these? Would you recommend it?

 

[Professor_Cookie]

I’m pulling the plug on January.

30.7 miles.

last of the holiday break, respiratory infection(which still has a little lingering weeks later) and the build up and execution of opening weekend of Sundance left me in rough shape. I’ve also only had three days off since December 17. I’m worn out. 2 nights of the festival left.

upside-I got to see Jessica Williams, Lena Waithe, and Ron Howard. Last year we had Jason Momoa and Jordan Peele in amongst others and I got to tell Richard Kind(Bing Bong) where the bathroom was. It was a bigger year last year.

 

[michigandergirl]

January: 82 miles

Question: there is a 5k I’m thinking about that’s a women’s only run. For women on the boards, have you ever done one of these? Would you recommend it?

We have a race in my area that is all women: the Gazelle Girl 5K, 10K, and Half. This will be my 5th year running the half. I enjoy it. They do a great job of celebrating women of all ages and sizes, it's a feel good event. My favorite part is that the volunteers at the aid stations are mostly men and they are very fun & entertaining, wearing tutus & costumes, and sometimes not much at all.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

January Totals:

Running: 90 miles
Average Pace: 9:40
Total Elevation Gain: 9,250 ft
Steps: 445,837

January was a light month for me. Excuses are cold, dark, vacation, and recovering from too many races. I am happy to report that the January distance is the highest YTD.

January was capped off by 3 miles today in fun conditions. I'm in the south so I don't fully know the different forms of frozen precipitation. It started off with snow/sleet "wads" and ended in hard sleet pellets. It was nothing compared to what northern runners have to contend with, but for Georgia it was pretty harsh.

I'm still figuring out what's next for me running-wise.

On a different, but somewhat related topic: I'm just finishing up "Running with Sherman" by Christopher McDougall (the "Born to Run" author). I highly recommend it. It's not a running book, but probably contains too much running for non-runners. It's really about teamwork and trust and animals and how exercise can fix broken people and animals. Like the reviews state, it will have you laughing and crying in the same paragraph.

 

[baxter24]

January miles: 76 (48.6 was from Dopey)

Took a week off after Dopey and did nothing and it was wonderful. Only run a few times after that. I've had fantastic intentions of waking up early and running before I subbed all this week and I was 0-5. Oh well! Hoping I have better follow through in February!

 

[roxymama]

Question: there is a 5k I’m thinking about that’s a women’s only run. For women on the boards, have you ever done one of these? Would you recommend it?

I've done a handful of women-centric races (5k through HM) and I've enjoyed them. I may be "basic" and "typical" but I like having shirts and medals that were a little more girly/pretty/blingy. Like any other race, how good it will be will depend on the course and the organization that is running it. Defintely try it out!

 

[mtnmjd]

January mileage:
Swim - 1700m
Bike - 0
Run - 99 miles

This is killing OCD me, can you please run a mile tonight and repost?

 

[Kazrak]

January totals:
15.9 miles, 3:54.

Slow overall due to walking the NYD 5k; not a lot of distance due to Anaheim trip and a slow start when resuming training. However, I think I'm in a good place going forward - 10.1 miles of that was in the past two weeks.

 

[roxymama]

I was doing a Jan workout streak. Included run, bike, strength, yoga. I just had to make the time to do something everyday. I got a stupid cold right at the end of the month. I did mindful yoga meditation one night to keep me going and then yesterday I forgot to do something aaaaaghhhh. Broke my streak on 1/30. sigh.......
To be fair I feel like crud and working out would have only made that worse. but sigh.....

 

[garneska]

@OldSlowGoofyGuy i did buy the book, i have not started it yet. Too many things recently got in the way, I am looking forward to reading it. I did read Born to Run.

I will post January totals after my run today. The weather was too crappy this morning for me to go. I will run after work around 4. It is still crappy but I think the precipitation will be gone. Weather is crappy for Georgia today.

 

[avondale]

January 2020

running: 106.2 mi
average pace: 11:21 min/mi
total time: 20.10 hr

This is pretty similar to December, except December included a marathon and then some time off. In January, my new training cycle is starting.

tennis: 20 hr

This assumes my match tonight occurs as scheduled. This is 2x more than in December, but the leagues ended about halfway through December.