The Running Thread -- 2022

[Herding_Cats]

Does anyone live in or near Chicago? My Olympic triathlon is there at the end of the month and I’m wondering if I can expect anything weather-wise. I am very nervous about heat and humidity which we have been dealing with in central Ohio, but I’m curious what affect Lake Michigan has on that.

Paging @Kerry1957 ? If I remember correctly. Could be completely wrong. hahaha!

 

[Kerry1957]

Does anyone live in or near Chicago? My Olympic triathlon is there at the end of the month and I’m wondering if I can expect anything weather-wise. I am very nervous about heat and humidity which we have been dealing with in central Ohio, but I’m curious what effect Lake Michigan has on that.

Edit: spelling. I am an English teacher and appalled at myself.

Lake Michigan acts as a giant thermal sink, with the volume of water moderating temps. Thus the lakeshore is a bit cooler (4-8 degrees) in the summer and warmer in the winter than the rest of the metro area. Daytime temps in late August average low 80's in the metro area, but it's usually "cooler by the lake". That being said, as everywhere else, the temps can be quite variable. It was in the low 90's over the weekend and it's only low 70's today.

I realize that is not much help. I would start watching the weather underground website which is usually pretty accurate 10 days out.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I realize that is not much help.

It is helpful! Thank you everyone who responded.

 

[jpeterson]

Getting really frustrated with a small sickness. We just got back last Friday from a trip to Universal and a cruise on the Disney Wish. Had a great trip, but came down with a small head cold a couple days later (not COVID, I've tested over and over again just in case). Not a terrible illness just a mild congestion and feeling of tiredness.

Decided to be prudent and skip my run on Tuesday. I could have pushed through but wanted to get better. Here we are on Thursday, and I once again had to pass on my workout. I know this will get better but I don't like skipping workouts! I know that it's a slippery slope for me and I stick to the plan to keep me on track.

No real point to this, just venting a bit.

 

[Cabius]

Getting really frustrated with a small sickness. We just got back last Friday from a trip to Universal and a cruise on the Disney Wish. Had a great trip, but came down with a small head cold a couple days later (not COVID, I've tested over and over again just in case). Not a terrible illness just a mild congestion and feeling of tiredness.

Decided to be prudent and skip my run on Tuesday. I could have pushed through but wanted to get better. Here we are on Thursday, and I once again had to pass on my workout. I know this will get better but I don't like skipping workouts! I know that it's a slippery slope for me and I stick to the plan to keep me on track.

No real point to this, just venting a bit.

I feel you. I had a cold twice in about 3 weeks -- the perils of having three little ones at home, I guess! -- and it sucked to miss runs, or to perform poorly on them. Get rest, and get back out when you're ready.

 

[azrivest]

I know this will get better but I don't like skipping workouts!

I feel you too. I need to stop running for a few days while I nurse a pulled hamstring and it sucks. Especially since the summer weather is finally letting up.

 

[kps7795]

I feel you too. I need to stop running for a few days while I nurse a pulled hamstring and it sucks. Especially since the summer weather is finally letting up.

Feel better. Hopefully, it's only a few days. I'm slightly jealous that your summer weather is letting up. I'll be able to say that in two months.

 

[azrivest]

Feel better. Hopefully, it's only a few days. I'm slightly jealous that your summer weather is letting up. I'll be able to say that in two months.

Hopefully!

I can only empathize with fellow runners in Texas or Florida who run in hot temperatures so many months a year

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Getting really frustrated with a small sickness. We just got back last Friday from a trip to Universal and a cruise on the Disney Wish. Had a great trip, but came down with a small head cold a couple days later (not COVID, I've tested over and over again just in case). Not a terrible illness just a mild congestion and feeling of tiredness.

Decided to be prudent and skip my run on Tuesday. I could have pushed through but wanted to get better. Here we are on Thursday, and I once again had to pass on my workout. I know this will get better but I don't like skipping workouts! I know that it's a slippery slope for me and I stick to the plan to keep me on track.

No real point to this, just venting a bit.

A few years ago I caught a cold right around the time of my last long run before a January half marathon at Disneyland. Honestly, I pushed too hard to train when I should have rested. That last long run was brutal and I cut it short. On race day itself, I ran one of my best races ever. The lesson I learned from that experience is that consistency leading up to the race gives you some cushion if something comes up that forces you to miss some runs.

So hang in there. You will not lose all of the fitness you've gained to this point and it should come back pretty quickly once you return to running.

 

[accm]

On the subject of shoes, I'm in the market to buy at least a couple more. I need one for the tread, and then probably one or two more for outside. Should I stick with what I've been using? Try something different? For reference, I'm newer to running consistently, and have been using a new balance w880.

 

[camaker]

On the subject of shoes, I'm in the market to buy at least a couple more. I need one for the tread, and then probably one or two more for outside. Should I stick with what I've been using? Try something different? For reference, I'm newer to running consistently, and have been using a new balance w880.

When it comes to shoes I'm firmly in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" category, unless you need something to address a very specific need like rugged trail running.

 

[Fishteacher]

Hello, we are staying at SSR next week and I have a long run (17 miles) as part of my training plan. Does anyone have any suggestion on a route I should take. I am not interested in multiple loops around the resort 1 mile path. I will be starting around 4:30am. Thanks in advance!

 

[Cabius]

Hello, we are staying at SSR next week and I have a long run (17 miles) as part of my training plan. Does anyone have any suggestion on a route I should take. I am not interested in multiple loops around the resort 1 mile path. I will be starting around 4:30am. Thanks in advance!

You might try driving up to Ft. Wilderness if that's possible and running around the loops there. There's a lot more sheer mileage to loop through, and pretty scenic. I saw deer a few times.

 

[MissLiss279]

Hello, we are staying at SSR next week and I have a long run (17 miles) as part of my training plan. Does anyone have any suggestion on a route I should take. I am not interested in multiple loops around the resort 1 mile path. I will be starting around 4:30am. Thanks in advance!

SSR is great resort to run around! I did my 2021 Virtual Goofy there. If you end up making it to dawn, you can add about 4.5 miles by running over to OKW and running their loops. You can run over to the Treehouse Villas. That loop itself (from Grandstand) is about a mile. Looking at my half route, I think the most I ran a segment was 3 times, and some I only ran once (maybe 4 from out and back the the Treehouse Villas twice).

 

[MissLiss279]

Hello, we are staying at SSR next week and I have a long run (17 miles) as part of my training plan. Does anyone have any suggestion on a route I should take. I am not interested in multiple loops around the resort 1 mile path. I will be starting around 4:30am. Thanks in advance!

Here’s a 5.4 mile route around SSR with very few repeated areas, and some sidewalks that aren’t covered. Lots of options!

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/123351657

 

[kps7795]

@DopeyBadger If I remember correctly, you have begun utilizing HIIT workouts in your training in addition to running. When you first started doing HIIT or plyometrics, do you remember experiencing any swelling in your lower legs? I had not done any HIIT since March before sustaining my shin splints, but yesterday I was feeling like it was time to return to plyo. It was only a 20 minute session and I never experienced any pain, but this morning I could tell that there was some swelling. I'm not concerned and I'll likely not run until Sunday (unless I'm feeling 100% normal tomorrow). Nonetheless, I am curious about how your experience compares.

 

[Fishteacher]

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I will share them with the family.

 

[DopeyBadger]

@DopeyBadger If I remember correctly, you have begun utilizing HIIT workouts in your training in addition to running. When you first started doing HIIT or plyometrics, do you remember experiencing any swelling in your lower legs? I had not done any HIIT since March before sustaining my shin splints, but yesterday I was feeling like it was time to return to plyo. It was only a 20 minute session and I never experienced any pain, but this morning I could tell that there was some swelling. I'm not concerned and I'll likely not run until Sunday (unless I'm feeling 100% normal tomorrow). Nonetheless, I am curious about how your experience compares.

Depends on what you mean by swelling. Not exclusive to when I do HIIT, but as my training progresses there are times when my calves will swell. This tends to ebb and flow towards the end of my training and historically for me this is usually a sign of when my legs are in a peak phase (occurs about every 3-4 weeks). But certainly an unexpected swelling is probably not a great sign, and could be an issue. So it's hard for me to say about your experience, and if it persists it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a medical opinion.

 

[kps7795]

Depends on what you mean by swelling. Not exclusive to when I do HIIT, but as my training progresses there are times when my calves will swell. This tends to ebb and flow towards the end of my training and historically for me this is usually a sign of when my legs are in a peak phase (occurs about every 3-4 weeks). But certainly an unexpected swelling is probably not a great sign, and could be an issue. So it's hard for me to say about your experience, and if it persists it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a medical opinion.

Fortunately, it went away by this morning as I predicted that it would. I’m self-admittedly super paranoid about anything being a potential problem. I believe that my muscles weren’t used to the exercise since it has been at least 8 months since I last did this workout. I decided to be extra cautious and I didn’t go running today. Instead, I opted to do some Pilates to work on my mobility. Tomorrow morning I graduate to 40 minutes.

 

[dis_or_dat]

After reading Mark Cucuzzella's book I decided to go with the least amount of shoe I can for my everyday running shoe. I was running in a Mizzuno Wave Rider with SuperFeet inserts and had been for more than a decade. Mark's contention is that people don't have foot problems because they don't wear a supporting enough shoe, they have foot problems because they wear too much shoe and never let the foot work like it should. If you wear little or no shoe and let the foot work properly it will build up the muscles and many foot problems will go away over time. I have to say my experience has matched what he says 100%.

I think that makes a lot of sense.

On the other hand I wear the super cushioned Brooks Glycerin for almost all my runs Pegasus for speed work.

For treadmill, I use my old shoes that have seen a lot of abuse and miles.

I have Vaporfly 2% I save for race day. I'll do a 10 mi run beforehand to work out any kinks.

My weird stance is that I like to run in "heavier/less responsive shoes" almost exclusively so on race day the fancy shoes help enormously. That's probably all psychological though.

**Also forgot to add I had a really cool run today. Well the run wasn't the funnest as I forgot to bring water, but afterwards an older gentleman came up to me as I was at the water fountain and asked me about my mileage, what I was training for, my race history etc. Then he told me his life story and it was so impressive. He was a septuagenarian who had just completed a marathon the week prior (and still running daily) with over 350+ marathons under his belt. He is now mostly an ultra runner, racing all over the world and won a 400mi race! He showed me his shoes that his daughter made for him (famous brand) and then told me she designs all the shoes for a very well known track & field gold medalist Olympian!

HIs words of wisdom: You never know what you can do unless you try.

Although I enjoy running, these types of interactions always brighten my day and are really inspiring.