The Running Thread - 2026

[eminemilie]

65.9 miles for me in January, which is sort of crazy? I haven’t really been looking at my tracked miles before this month. I did miss a few runs so this number could have been higher.

I’ve also developed a requiring blister between my big toe and the next toe over, which I really am disliking this close to princess. It took about 5 days for it to go away and feel better, but I went on a long run yesterday (about a day and half after it resolved) and it came back even bigger. Even with blister prevention and body glide on! So I’m slapping on everything and anything to my toe hoping it will at least relieve some pain.

 

[marty3d]

@garneska @Fischstick @camaker @princesspirateandrunner @akrosie @marty3d and whoever else was interested in the Lake Hartwell Dam Runs in May:

The Dam Race is going to be altered this year. That refurbishment project, that was supposed to be put off for three years after funds were cut, was put back on the Corps of Engineers calendar. They will start replacing the flood gates and refurbishing turbines in March and hope to be finished before the race in 2027.

After lots of negotiations, we will have a short version of the race. Instead of a 5k and a 10K, they can only guarantee us a single 4k race that will start at Big Oaks as usual, but will only go across the earthen part until we get to the staged equipment/ materials area, turn around, and go back. DH and I are very disappointed, since I had hoped to see many of you here. I’m not sure an uncertified, 4k race is what any of you will be interested in, but we hope to have some participation from folks around here, and we will keep up the streak by still having the “48th Annual Lake Hartwell Dam Run” even if is abbreviated. If you are still interested, it should be on Run Signup soon.

So sorry to hear that! Glad to hear that you’ll at least be able to have a small run. I likely wouldn’t have been able to make it as I’m hoping to run Broad Street again this year and it’s the same weekend. Definitely not ruling out next year’s run.

 

[garneska]

@Disney at Heart i am very disappointed to hear this and disappointed for you and Judd. I will be honest it will be harder to do it for a 4k but I am not counting us out yet.

 

[avondale]

@garneska @Fischstick @camaker @princesspirateandrunner @akrosie @marty3d and whoever else was interested in the Lake Hartwell Dam Runs in May:

The Dam Race is going to be altered this year. That refurbishment project, that was supposed to be put off for three years after funds were cut, was put back on the Corps of Engineers calendar. They will start replacing the flood gates and refurbishing turbines in March and hope to be finished before the race in 2027.

After lots of negotiations, we will have a short version of the race. Instead of a 5k and a 10K, they can only guarantee us a single 4k race that will start at Big Oaks as usual, but will only go across the earthen part until we get to the staged equipment/ materials area, turn around, and go back. DH and I are very disappointed, since I had hoped to see many of you here. I’m not sure an uncertified, 4k race is what any of you will be interested in, but we hope to have some participation from folks around here, and we will keep up the streak by still having the “48th Annual Lake Hartwell Dam Run” even if is abbreviated. If you are still interested, it should be on Run Signup soon.

I'm sure that's very frustrating for this year, but hopefully the refurbishment will be beneficial, and the race will be back to usual in the next year. I think that it's a great idea to have a shorter version of the race because it keeps your website and race entry (i.e.., runsignup.com or whatever) active so that people looking for interesting or nearby races can keep an eye on it and know it's not a race that has been discontinued.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

@garneska @Fischstick @camaker @princesspirateandrunner @akrosie @marty3d and whoever else was interested in the Lake Hartwell Dam Runs in May:

The Dam Race is going to be altered this year. That refurbishment project, that was supposed to be put off for three years after funds were cut, was put back on the Corps of Engineers calendar. They will start replacing the flood gates and refurbishing turbines in March and hope to be finished before the race in 2027.

After lots of negotiations, we will have a short version of the race. Instead of a 5k and a 10K, they can only guarantee us a single 4k race that will start at Big Oaks as usual, but will only go across the earthen part until we get to the staged equipment/ materials area, turn around, and go back. DH and I are very disappointed, since I had hoped to see many of you here. I’m not sure an uncertified, 4k race is what any of you will be interested in, but we hope to have some participation from folks around here, and we will keep up the streak by still having the “48th Annual Lake Hartwell Dam Run” even if is abbreviated. If you are still interested, it should be on Run Signup soon.

So sounds like we all come in ‘27 when you all also add medals right? Sorry they through that wrench into the works for you all but glad it should only impact one year. Depending on lacrosse schedules, I may still bring my son up to do his first race.

 

[Kerry1957]

@garneska @Fischstick @camaker @princesspirateandrunner @akrosie @marty3d and whoever else was interested in the Lake Hartwell Dam Runs in May:

The Dam Race is going to be altered this year. That refurbishment project, that was supposed to be put off for three years after funds were cut, was put back on the Corps of Engineers calendar. They will start replacing the flood gates and refurbishing turbines in March and hope to be finished before the race in 2027.

After lots of negotiations, we will have a short version of the race. Instead of a 5k and a 10K, they can only guarantee us a single 4k race that will start at Big Oaks as usual, but will only go across the earthen part until we get to the staged equipment/ materials area, turn around, and go back. DH and I are very disappointed, since I had hoped to see many of you here. I’m not sure an uncertified, 4k race is what any of you will be interested in, but we hope to have some participation from folks around here, and we will keep up the streak by still having the “48th Annual Lake Hartwell Dam Run” even if is abbreviated. If you are still interested, it should be on Run Signup soon.

With a daughter and SIL in Charlotte, I had just started a conversation to see if they would be in town that weekend. I agree with @GuinnessRunner... let's plan for a large diser meetup in 2027!

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

65.9 miles for me in January, which is sort of crazy? I haven’t really been looking at my tracked miles before this month. I did miss a few runs so this number could have been higher.

I’ve also developed a requiring blister between my big toe and the next toe over, which I really am disliking this close to princess. It took about 5 days for it to go away and feel better, but I went on a long run yesterday (about a day and half after it resolved) and it came back even bigger. Even with blister prevention and body glide on! So I’m slapping on everything and anything to my toe hoping it will at least relieve some pain.

Ouch. I have two problematic toes and my solution is corn pads, not for corns, but as a physical barrier between the toes. Regular Dr Scholls corn cushions from the grocery store. I put one on before training runs and for races and it stays put for the duration and does the job.
FWIW, I sustained a couple of blisters during the MW half (forgot to double sock) and had a blister on the pinky toe of each foot. I drained them Sat night and applied some moleskin before going to bed so that I wouldn't have to mess with it 5 hours later in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Between that and Kintoe toe socks, they would up being a non-issue for the full. YMMV

 

[IamTrike]

I’ve also developed a requiring blister between my big toe and the next toe over, which I really am disliking this close to princess. It took about 5 days for it to go away and feel better, but I went on a long run yesterday (about a day and half after it resolved) and it came back even bigger. Even with blister prevention and body glide on! So I’m slapping on everything and anything to my toe hoping it will at least relieve some pain.

I have 2 different solutions for blister management that have worked for me. For blisters between toes I've found bodyglide between toes + injiji socks works well for me. For blisters on the outside of feet I tend to use bodyglide + wrightsocks.

January totals. 174.17 running and walking.
Current Goal is to run 2026 miles this year and am averaging just slightly more than what I need to hit this.

 

[SheHulk]

January running:
Total distance: 64.3 miles
Average pace: 12:00/mi

27 of those miles were in the WDW Marathon... I haven't been signed up for any races and am trying to mix up my training because, frankly, I'm bored of running and have seen the light that I must get serious about strength training. I've also added in more elliptical training to mix things up and avoid freezing my butt off.

Psychologically I'm just going to need to not pay so much attention to my Garmin stats if I'm going to sustain this change... it is so easy to get pulled in by the numbers and see mileage go way down and then freak out over it.

 

[The Expert]

QOTD: How careful are you about potential exposure to illness leading up to an A race?

Back story: I work remotely, as does about half the staff of my organization. Pre-Covid they used to have one week a year where as much of the staff as possible got together for meetings and morale building. Most of the activities are outdoors (weather permitting in southern Utah). They are bringing this event back this year, and I really want to go. I used to live about a 4.5 hour drive from our HQ but now I'm across the country and I don't get many chances to visit (and it's a pretty special place). I rarely see a lot of my colleagues in person and this gathering is a meaningful one for me.

The problem is, they've scheduled this event for September 28 through October 2nd. I'm running the Chicago Marathon (and hopefully going for a massive PR) on October 11. I'd travel out from Vermont, then come back home for a week and leave again on the 9th for Chicago. I'm less worried about the travel part than the gatherings while there. It seems every year we had these previously, a bunch of folks went home sick. I travel a lot and know I can be diligent about hand washing and immunity support. I have a pretty good immune system, but doing the same I still managed to come home from MW with a minor cold. I'm being asked this week to RSVP. I'm leaning toward going and just being super careful, knowing in the back of my mind I can probably bail out when it gets closer if I feel the need. But would it be easier emotionally to just call it right now and not plan on going at all?

I'd love to hear some advice here on which direction to go. Have you been in a similar situation, and if so, what did you do?

 

[Dopey 2020]

Attqotd
That’s a tough one and I’m not probably one that should give advice as I tend to not worry about it. I worked throughout all of COVID, actually more overtime than usual. Prior to that if I got sick, oh well, let my immune system do its job. Interesting enough though I do think about it now a little more and what I have noticed is the more you worry and try to stay away from germs, the more you get it from something you never thought of and the worse it is. I was actually considering myself lucky this year because I caught whatever was going around FL in early December and was fine a couple weeks later, therefore managed my first cold free MW (remember those good old fashioned 70s pox parties - get sick now so you’re not sick later).
In all seriousness though, I guess I’d go but try to avoid any obvious high risk areas like a corner table with someone hacking away, especially being that’s around the time of flu season kick-off, but you can only do so much.

 

[garneska]

ATTQD: That is a tough one. The going for a PR and really being an "A" race would make me more paranoid, but you also don't know how the weather will be, if you bathroom correctly in the morning (sorry for the potty talk but i stress out about race morning and going, but i have issues), and all kinds of other things out of your control. I would go and try to be vigilant.

 

[Novatrix]

QOTD: How careful are you about potential exposure to illness leading up to an A race?

My 2 cents, I do try and limit work trips if I can get away with it before an A race, but this sounds like a different bucket of being a community oriented event. Those I never limit, as to me they're worth more than peak performance during a race.

Also, especially with a race so far out, there is A LOT that can happen between now and then that might turn it from an A race to something else. (As @garneska mentioned, anything from race day logistics, to injury.) If I were in your shoes, I'd RSVP and plan on going, then see what life holds.

 

[garneska]

Well i went to the dr today. i needed a new referral for PT and i wanted to try the HA shots again, plus get some Meloxicam. Funny the orthopedic dr is completely fine with me taking it all the time but the regular dr is like it is bad for your kidneys. Mom has stage 3b kidney disease so i pay attention.

He did Xrays which i expected. Also as expected the arthritis is getting worse. Saw significant changes, so he is going to get the HA through the insurance and we are going to do both knees this time. Though it is now one shot in each knee. 2 years ago i had to do the 1 shot weekly for 3 weeks.

From a chatgpt perspective my knee is still significantly damaged, but the dr is like keep doing PT.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Jan:
41.5 miles
I have been focusing on shorter runs... this year my longest runs will be 10 milers. Just working on getting my speed up.

 

[eminemilie]

FWIW, I sustained a couple of blisters during the MW half (forgot to double sock) and had a blister on the pinky toe of each foot. I drained them Sat night and applied some moleskin before going to bed so that I wouldn't have to mess with it 5 hours later in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Between that and Kintoe toe socks, they would up being a non-issue for the full. YMMV

I have 2 different solutions for blister management that have worked for me. For blisters between toes I've found bodyglide between toes + injiji socks works well for me. For blisters on the outside of feet I tend to use bodyglide + wrightsocks.

I've looked into toe socks before, but I have pretty terrible circulation in my feet. I've tried toe socks for regular socks before and my feet would get freezing, so I stopped trying to make them work.

I've started using the bodyglide, and have been bandaging my toe with hydrocolloid bandages, and wrapping the top next to it with KT blister prevention tape. I tried using that over my bandage for my long run on saturday, but it actually made the blister worse

 

[IamTrike]

QOTD: How careful are you about potential exposure to illness leading up to an A race?

Back story: I work remotely, as does about half the staff of my organization. Pre-Covid they used to have one week a year where as much of the staff as possible got together for meetings and morale building. Most of the activities are outdoors (weather permitting in southern Utah). They are bringing this event back this year, and I really want to go. I used to live about a 4.5 hour drive from our HQ but now I'm across the country and I don't get many chances to visit (and it's a pretty special place). I rarely see a lot of my colleagues in person and this gathering is a meaningful one for me.

The problem is, they've scheduled this event for September 28 through October 2nd. I'm running the Chicago Marathon (and hopefully going for a massive PR) on October 11. I'd travel out from Vermont, then come back home for a week and leave again on the 9th for Chicago. I'm less worried about the travel part than the gatherings while there. It seems every year we had these previously, a bunch of folks went home sick. I travel a lot and know I can be diligent about hand washing and immunity support. I have a pretty good immune system, but doing the same I still managed to come home from MW with a minor cold. I'm being asked this week to RSVP. I'm leaning toward going and just being super careful, knowing in the back of my mind I can probably bail out when it gets closer if I feel the need. But would it be easier emotionally to just call it right now and not plan on going at all?

I'd love to hear some advice here on which direction to go. Have you been in a similar situation, and if so, what did you do?

ATTQOTD:
It's been a while since I've been in a similar situation, but I tend to try and minimize risk without necessarily eliminating it. Some of it would depend on the type of activities at the event. My big concern would be catching something on the flights. I've spent about 50 hours on airplanes in the last 2 weeks and had people coughing around me on every flight. If I was really concerned about getting sick I'd probably ensure I had N95 mask for those flights.

 

[avondale]

QOTD: How careful are you about potential exposure to illness leading up to an A race?

Back story: I work remotely, as does about half the staff of my organization. Pre-Covid they used to have one week a year where as much of the staff as possible got together for meetings and morale building. Most of the activities are outdoors (weather permitting in southern Utah). They are bringing this event back this year, and I really want to go. I used to live about a 4.5 hour drive from our HQ but now I'm across the country and I don't get many chances to visit (and it's a pretty special place). I rarely see a lot of my colleagues in person and this gathering is a meaningful one for me.

The problem is, they've scheduled this event for September 28 through October 2nd. I'm running the Chicago Marathon (and hopefully going for a massive PR) on October 11. I'd travel out from Vermont, then come back home for a week and leave again on the 9th for Chicago. I'm less worried about the travel part than the gatherings while there. It seems every year we had these previously, a bunch of folks went home sick. I travel a lot and know I can be diligent about hand washing and immunity support. I have a pretty good immune system, but doing the same I still managed to come home from MW with a minor cold. I'm being asked this week to RSVP. I'm leaning toward going and just being super careful, knowing in the back of my mind I can probably bail out when it gets closer if I feel the need. But would it be easier emotionally to just call it right now and not plan on going at all?

I'd love to hear some advice here on which direction to go. Have you been in a similar situation, and if so, what did you do?

ATQOTD: Personally, I don't tend to get sick, and I'm around a lot of college students who are always sick and passing crud around. I probably wouldn't worry for myself.

However, YOU know YOU. You said that "previously, a bunch of folks went home sick". Are you usually the sort of person that picks up stuff like this? If so, then it's probably risky for you to go. If not, then you might go.

 

[IamTrike]

I've looked into toe socks before, but I have pretty terrible circulation in my feet. I've tried toe socks for regular socks before and my feet would get freezing, so I stopped trying to make them work.

I've started using the bodyglide, and have been bandaging my toe with hydrocolloid bandages, and wrapping the top next to it with KT blister prevention tape. I tried using that over my bandage for my long run on saturday, but it actually made the blister worse

The wrightsocks are dual layer socks. Maybe try and replicate that with a pair of thin toe socks and then another thin pair of socks over top of it. I think the biggest things with blisters is trying to eliminate friction.

 

[Novatrix]

I've looked into toe socks before, but I have pretty terrible circulation in my feet. I've tried toe socks for regular socks before and my feet would get freezing, so I stopped trying to make them work.

I've started using the bodyglide, and have been bandaging my toe with hydrocolloid bandages, and wrapping the top next to it with KT blister prevention tape. I tried using that over my bandage for my long run on saturday, but it actually made the blister worse

Have you tried using liquid bandage? I use it to build up areas of my feet that are more prone to abrasion damage.

Also, I haven't tried this yet so take with a grain of salt, but I've read really good things about trail toes anti friction cream and bought some to try out next long run. (Bodyglide didn't work for me either, so hoping the thicker consistency does the trick.)