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Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Fman99 Dec 31 2018 05:50 AM

Might as well post 2018 recaps here as well. Racked up the miles in December as I'm trying to keep a strong longer-distance base up for the winter, and hopefully make my spring marathon training easier that way. Got in 128 miles this month, a single 5k run on the indoor track at the Y and the rest were outdoors. Final numbers for me (assuming I don't do anything besides my planned 30 minute elliptical workout today) for 2018 are 1363 miles running and 538 on my bike for 1911 miles total. Ran 23 races and set new personal bests at the 5k, 3.5 mile "Corporate Challenge", the 15k and marathon distances this year. I am feeling great and nothing hurts. Will be doing the annual local "Resolution Run" tomorrow to start 2019 on the good foot.

The Hot Corner Jan 01 2019 02:51 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I only ran twice in December due to a persistent cold/allergy (not really sure). I sneeze frequently and have periodic coughing spells, but I have never had a sore throat or fever. I don't really know how much I ended up running in 2018, but it was definitely the least I have run since 2011. I plan on heading back to the gym tomorrow. I need to lose the 6-7 pounds I have gained since Thanksgiving.

Fman99 Jan 03 2019 07:39 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

The Hot Corner wrote: I only ran twice in December due to a persistent cold/allergy (not really sure). I sneeze frequently and have periodic coughing spells, but I have never had a sore throat or fever. I don't really know how much I ended up running in 2018, but it was definitely the least I have run since 2011. I plan on heading back to the gym tomorrow. I need to lose the 6-7 pounds I have gained since Thanksgiving. Hey, NC, are you formerly a rockin doc per chance?

The Hot Corner Jan 03 2019 05:38 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

=Fman99 post_id=399 time=1546526397 user_id=86]Hey, NC, are you formerly a rockin doc per chance?

That's me. I returned to my original name with the move to the new CPF home. The last site refused to allow me to sign on the last few weeks due to the apostrophe in Rockin' Doc. Ben tried, but couldn't fix it. I decided to avoid that potential problem in the future by returning to my original screen name.

metsmarathon Jan 04 2019 12:28 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

apparently, i ran a grand total of 279 miles in 2018. that is almost certainly the lowest yearly total since i started running, and once would've been a good two months. (there's a chance that in my first season of cross country - my first season of ever running, i did not get more than those 279 miles in; certainly every year since then has been far, far higher.) i've run exactly three times since july 20th. one was a quick mile and a half to confirm that running fast didn't make me feel any better than running slow. i also ran a 5k with a 4-year old, and in december, because i was in a state in which i'd neither before been nor run, decided to steal a three mile run. i'm maybe about a week away from giving it a try again. I've been going to physical therapy since just before christmas, to stretch out an exceedingly tight IT band, which has been causing bursitis and associated pain at my hip. i'm finally starting to feel some improvement this week. i'm half-tempted to try and go for a run this weekend, but i'm pretty sure that instead i'll give me one more full week before i poke the angry bear. i also want to see how my hip responds to playing volleyball this coming week (i haven't played since PT started) and adding in running will mask that response. one variable at a time!

Fman99 Feb 01 2019 08:26 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Solid 109 miles in January spread out over 20 runs on 18 days (had a couple of doubles in there). Feel great. Got all kinds of races on the docket for 2019. Couch Potato 5k Sunday, Feb 3 Lake Effect Half Marathon, Feb 24 Shamrock Run (4 miler), March 9 Flower City Half Marathon in Rochester, Apr 28 Mountain Goat (10 miler), May 5 Cleveland Marathon, May 19

Fman99 Mar 02 2019 07:01 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Down a bit in February, 88 miles. Lost most of a week due to having some flu. Other than a pesky blister on my toe, I am feeling great. Going to run 15-16 miles tomorrow. Cleveland Marathon is in 11 weeks.

Fman99 Apr 01 2019 06:09 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Banged out 147.9 miles in March, my highest mileage month in probably 3-4 years, as I've been ramping up for the Cleveland Marathon in seven weeks and trying to get more volume on weekends. I feel great, too - nothing hurts, I ran 19 miles yesterday and I feel fresh 36 hours later. Better yet, a friend of mine had a favor to call in with a friend of his who is affiliated with the New York Road Runners org, and, now, for the first time, I am registered to run in the New York City Marathon. I've been trying to get into this race since 2013 and now I finally get my chance. I am elated to be able to run 26.2 miles in my parents' home town.

Fman99 Apr 08 2019 06:49 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

So, because I wanted to see where I had come from, running wise, I found this thread in the archives. My running of the NYC Marathon on November 3rd, 2019 comes almost exactly ten years after I did my first 30 minute run on a treadmill, November 14, 2009. I'm proud of how far I've come since then -- my posts are all full of trepidation and anxiety back then, as a novice runner. It also makes me miss more chatter in the run thread, come on, you guys, it's finally getting nice out! Who's running these days? TM? ABNS? MM? Rockin Doc? JCL? Buehler?

metsmarathon Apr 09 2019 07:17 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

i'm hesitant to speak of my running, because every. time. i. do. i break myself. i seem to be on a decent trajectory right now, though. finished up PT for my IT band, and running feels fine enough. consistently keeping my pace around 9 minutes, but not pushing hard either, i don't think. i ran 45 miles in march, doubling my total from february of 23 miles. my primary accomplishment from march was running in three new states in three days. north carolina, alabama, and on a tennessee treadmill. as near as i can tell, i think i've run (either a minimum of a mile or in a competition) in about 20 different states. the total count might be off, as i'm pretty sure that i've run in oklahoma, on work travel, but cannot currently confirm it - though i could theoretically dive through my old running logs. dailymile going kaput hurts me here... i've also run in indoor track in connecticut, though the total distance is surely less than a mile, and i'm pretty sure i never ran any cross country races there, and certainly neither road races nor just going out for a run. but running in a race must surely count as running, so it's on the list. for the record, the list of states that i've run in includes: (TM = treadmill, R = race, HM = Half Marathon, M = Marathon) 1. NJ - R, HM, M 2. NY - R, HM, M 3. PA - R 4. CT - R 5. MA - R 6. MD 7. FL - R, HM, M 8. CA - R, HM 9. AZ 10. NM 11. WA 12. CO 13. OH - R 14. NH 15. VA - R 16. NC 17. AL 18. TN - TM 19. MN - TM 20. HI - R i've also raced in the bahamas, and run in international waters. and although i've also been to iowa, illinois, and wisconsin, i'm almost positive that i did not run in those states. oh yeah, as far as long term planning goes, i'm slated to run the disney win and dine half marathon in november. which will cause me to run a half marathon sometime before the end of july so that i can avoid being chucked into the last corral in november. i was originally thinking that i would run the superhero half in mid-may, but that conflicts a bit with minimm's soccer schedule, so i think i'll be running something called the rockapulco half in rockaway beach, NY, mid-julyish. i suppose i could widen my search window and try to snag a new state, but that's what i'm looking at for now.

Johnny Lunchbucket Apr 09 2019 07:41 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I am also very hesitant to speak of running but that thread right up top explains, need to lose weight to stop getting hurt running, need to run to lose weight, basically gave it up a couple years ago. I've been riding my bike alot but need to run more, tried a few runs last month in fact but running low on gas early.

Johnny Lunchbucket Apr 09 2019 07:51 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Bonus: That thread has the sexy origin story of Sheila at Seal Beach -- now a major motion picture

Fman99 May 01 2019 07:58 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Fully trained now for the Cleveland Marathon after my last long run, this past Sunday. I ran 21 miles, the bulk of which was a half marathon in Rochester, NY that I had wanted to run for many years but always seemed to have a conflict. So I did 6 miles before the race, and 13.2 (races always go long) during the race, and a final 1.8 miles after I finished. April stats of 141 miles ran and another 22 biked. This Sunday is Syracuse's most historical and iconic run, the ten mile Mountain Goat, now in its 41st iteration (this will be my 9th straight). I feel great.

metsmarathon May 06 2019 12:12 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

hmm... i checked my mileage for april, and was surprised to find it sitting at about 36.6 for the month. coulda swore it should've been higher, but there were no missed workouts that i can figure. chalk it up, i suppose, to missing two weekends - one for easter and one for vacation. regardless, i figure my trajectory is still on the upswing. needing to snag a qualifying time for disney in november, i realized that they'll also accept a 10k result. as luck would have it, there's a small 5k/10k in my town that just happened to be yesterday. this was also the day after we returned from a week-long cruise. so, y'know, at least my legs would be fresh... the course is unpleasant, to say the least. starting with a slight decline, and a bit of flatness through a local park and past the high school, it then gets angry for about a half mile, rising 200' in a long slog of a climb. unsatisfied, it continues to rise uphill another 50' over the next mile as it approaches the literal turnaround at 2.6 miles. then, back down that hill you go before you turn off to run a rollercoaster-y mile loop in a residential development, until you return to the high school and the local park, with a short uphill finish. oh, and yesterday was particularly monsoonish. my goal for the race was to finish in an hour. in an ideal world, just under an hour. seemed pretty reasonable, but that hill looms. and that's really all i need to do for the qualifying time, too. as i'm getting ready for the start, i look over the assembled field. i notice that it's pretty thin. there's a 5k and 10k concurrent. 130 runners, 50 in my race. of course, my race looked like it caught more of the faster runners. positioned about 10 or 15 back from the starting line, the race begins with a short downhill - a nice way to get the legs stretched out - and perfect for tricking you into starting out way too fast. that, and i always get geeked out for races, even when i'm not expecting to do well. about a half mile in, i glance at my phone. 7:30 pace. oh, that's going to be a mistake, isn't it? a grassy, soggy field separates the park from the high school. i successfully avoid losing a shoe. the field of runners starts to settle itself out, and is mostly single file as we leave the high school parking lot and approach the hill. there are two runner ahead of me, with a gap before them, and after me, i already feel a gap opening up. so that's the race, then, isn't it. as we start to climb, i feel myself flagging. insinct kicks in. i allow myself to believe that if i can close the gap between me and those other two guys, maybe i can hold on. i start to reel in the one, and he falls back from the runner in front of him. as i close in, i start to think about the course. after the big hill, it does flatten out a bit, and then continues to rise. i'm not sure how much i can sustain pursuit for, so in my head, my only hope is to pass him on the big ascent, and hopefully with enough momentum to discourage his own chase. i pass him just before the big hill flattens out, and try to open up a lead. the runner in front of us pulls steadily away - at least far enough that i can't use him. i keep pressing to the turnaround. i think i've got a gap built behind me, but can't tell. the turnaround is literally that. a sign in the road. and you turn around at it. no graceful sweep. no chance to maintain momentum. i've got maybe 10 seconds lead. and then we go down the hill. i knew i needed to open up going down. i just couldn't will myself to fly easy enough. maybe it was the wet terrain. maybe i was already spent. but my turnover just wasn't growing, and neither was my stride. at least not nearly to the extent that i needed them to. i maintained my gap, and maybe built it a bit. but then we turned into the residential loop. the rollercoasters. at the turn, there was a water stop. i grabbed a cup, and felt all the momentum flush out of my body as we had a small uphill. i was exhausted. i knew my goose was cooked. and i didn't react to it nearly enough. he'd cut my lead by half, and i had a mile of this damned rollercoaster loop to get through. when it was over, i led by a few seconds, but knew that i couldn't 'race' him for the last mile and a quarter. i think maybe it was a bit of self sabotage, or self defense, but back at that water stop, at the end of the loop, i stopped for a drink of water. i needed it. and maybe wanted to get passed. maybe just to keep myself from doing something stupid, too. but also, maybe the water would help, rejuvenate me. maybe. he was on my heels when i started again, slightly wetter on the inside. i kicked up the pace a bit, hoping he'd spent his last energy on teh chase. maybe i could discourage him. maybe. but as we turned into the high school parking lot, he caught and passed me. i was beat, and he was just out there running a steady, even race. running across the field slowed me even more, and usually the change in terrain give me a boost. here' i'll just blame the long wet grass. as we ran through the park, i briefly entertained the though t that maybe, just maybe i could catch him at the end. ehhh... no. he didn't really pull away too much, it's just that i couldn't find that extra bit of speed. i was fairly well exhausted. at the turn to the finish, a slight uphill, i looked up at the clock, and then, finally, did find the boost i'd wanted. not to pass a runner, but just to beat a round number. i finished in 53:29.2. 8:37 pace. not flying, but not sluggish either. 16th overall in the 10k. 3rd among males 40-49. how delightfully unexpected! way, way faster than i reasonably expected, or probably should've have hoped for. my nemesis had beaten me by 20 seconds. there was a minute gap after me. this was my third fastest 10k, 5 minutes off my pr of 48:20, from back in '11. all in all, i think it supports an upward trajectory. oh, also during the cruise i ran the castaway cay 5k, a fun run on disney's own bahamian island. so, two races in three days, and i got two medals. good times. that race was slower, uneventful, and not really a race. so it doesn't get a race report. sorry.

Fman99 May 06 2019 08:43 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Nice recap! I miss your re-tellings, glad to hear you're out there competing. For the ninth straight year, I ran Syracuse's best local race, the ten mile Mountain Goat Run. Including those runners doing the two person relay, about 2500 local runners take on a variety of ups and downs and then return to the downtown Clinton Square for live music and beers. They have special "incentive" patches for sub 80, sub 70 and sub 60 finishes for men (for women they are 70, 80 and 90 minute times). So my goal, as it's been for the last several years, was to run a sub 80, hold 7:45-7:50 pace on the flatter portions of the course, and hold close to an 8 minute pace on the climbs. Which I did. Finished in 1:19:04, my fourth straight sub 80, 20th of 91 in my age and 257th out of 1910 overall runners. Had some beers afterwards with my buddies. Cleveland Marathon is in 13 days and I'm right where I want to be.

metsmarathon May 07 2019 07:19 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

nice work! y'know, every time i write a race recap, i think to myself, 'what's there to tell? this one'll be quick.' a page of text later, i think to myself, 'see, i finally wrote a short one. that was a fairly uneventful race.' then i scroll up.

Centerfield May 29 2019 11:32 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I'm supposed to run in the Chase Corporate Challenge today. Was looking forward to it. The event is "RAIN OR SHINE", only being cancelled for "severe weather". The forecast for tonight: [BLOCKQUOTE]An “isolated tornado” is possible in New York City today on May 29, 2019, according to the National Weather Service. Even if a tornado doesn't develop, be prepared for severe weather that could include damaging hail and strong winds. The weather system is part of the same one imperiling areas of the Midwest.[/BLOCKQUOTE] The race has not yet been cancelled.

Fman99 May 30 2019 07:50 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

We had our local Corporate Challenge last Tuesday. I took mine nice and easy, having it just two days after a grueling 26.2 miles in Cleveland in 80 degree heat. Finished in just under 30 minutes, a good 5+ minutes slower than my time from 2018, but intentionally, just going at a sustainable pace and enjoying the day (we had perfect low 60s, sunny, breezy weather).

metsmarathon Jun 07 2019 09:57 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

for the record, may was a 56.9 mile month for me. in addition to my 10k age group award, i also ran the spring lake five mile run. my time was pretty slow, at 51:06, but that's not at all important. what's important, is that [BIGPURPLE]minimm ran a 51:06[/BIGPURPLE] in the spring lake five mile run!!! overall, we kept up a pretty good pace throughout. not going too fast, not going too slow. our mile splits were fairly consistent, though they inched slower as the race progressed. we stopped at each of the water stops and had a drink and a walk, and in between, we probably ran at about a mid-9 pace. the important part is that he tackled the overly-crowded first mile with aplomb, and was neither darting to and fro, nor getting stuck behind slower traffic. he definitely was getting tired as the race wore on - we'd never run 5 miles prior, though 4.6 miles of hilliness is probably a harder training run. and it was a pretty warm morning in the sun. but, he persevered. complained a little in the 4th mile. but stuck with it. and then. we turned onto the final stretch. the finish line was ahead. less than i half mile away. you could see the banner. and i told minimm. and no sooner had i told him "hey, see that blue banner - that's the finish. it's less than a half mile..." [BIGPURPLE]FWOOSH!!!!!![/BIGPURPLE] "...away." the kid turned on the afterburners. i mean, i knew he had more in the tank. and i was expecting a kick. i just wasn't expecting... this! he rocketed forward, propelled by jets and a burning desire to be done with the damned thing. his acceleration was frightening, mostly because i had to match him! i was running with my phone, for our timing and pacing. i look down at it as i'm trying to keep up with the kid. 6:20.. 6:14... i think i saw a 6:04 momentarily. the kid was FLYING! i was just hoping not to send my phone flying too, but i did manage to catch him on video as i chased him, and as perhaps seen on the facebook and the instagram. i was more than a little worried he's kicked too soon, but he basically carried the speed all the way to the finish. a little hint of let-up at the end, but i pulled my "can you catch -that- guy?" trick with maybe 75 meters left to motivate him to keep on pushing to the line. he finished strong, and was totally gassed to be sure. but once he caught his breath he was fine. he got his medal, which he totally earned, and his commemorative glass. i think we'll do it again next year. ;) and hopefully june continues the general theme of running improvements.

Frayed Knot Jun 07 2019 01:08 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Kids are often oblivious to the whole 'pacing themselves' thing. I remember when my dad first started running in those community type events (he was probably in his 40's at the time) and he'd talk about getting passed by some 10 y/o practically at a sprint. But then he'd re-pass him because the kid would get tired from his sprint and decide to simply sit down on the side of the road and rest ... but then dad would get re-re-passed when the same kid would get up and start racing again a minute later. The rest of us are usually afraid to stop (much less sit down) for fear of never getting re-started again but kids have a quicker on/off switch.

Fman99 Jun 30 2019 08:50 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Strong June for me, although I've been dealing with some general discomfort post-marathon in my right knee, I was still able to manage 22 runs for 115.6 miles, and 10 rides for another 87.7 miles, in June. Got a couple of annual favorites on tap for July, a ten miler around Cazenovia Lake on Independence Day, and then ten days later the Utica Boilermaker 15k (along with 17,000 other 15k and 5k runners and a big post race party with live music and beer).

Fman99 Jun 30 2019 08:52 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Oh, also, it turns out that I owe this thread a recap of my awful Cleveland Marathon, a full hour off of my PR and a big ol 80 degree ten-miles-of-walking-breaks shit show.

metsmarathon Jul 01 2019 09:53 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

i got myself a 2nd place M40-44 medal in a small local 5-mile trail run two saturdays ago. the course was a bit different than i'd run in the past, as they turned it around putting a big giant climb right at the start instead of having a treacherous steep high speed descent in the last half mile. but little did i suspect that they also yanked out a flat mile and a half along a rail trail, and instead had us climbing over more big and little hills, with other smaller treacherous descents. i ran about as well as i could have expected, and was definitely holding back during the race. my current running shoes aren't all that good traction-wise on wet pavement. and this was wet mud and slippery rocks and all sorts of uneven roots and fallen trees and all the other things you might imagine laying about a narrow single track that straddles a few granite ridges. so running a trail race in shoes you don't trust is a delightful experiment in not going all-out. probably not a bad idea as i wasn't expecting quite as much hilliness on the back end of it, and was feeling pretty fresh. also managed not to kill myself, which is a plus. passing people on single track is hard enough. when you don't actually trust your feet... so much more so! but now it has me hungering for better shoes and also for hoping to be able to run the longer races in the series in the fall. (though i think my schedule is going to be massively in the way. darned soccer and vacations) my goal through any of these smaller races is to beat anyone who looks bigger than me. once again, the strategy held out, and got me an age group medal. momentum-win for the win! i finished june with 64.1 miles, up about 7 from may. i don't think i have any races planned for july, but i'll be on the lookout for any targets of opportunities.

metsmarathon Sep 30 2019 11:19 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

for the first time since... um... i'm not exactly sure because my training log got wiped out by a website closeout a few months back.... but, well, it's probably since the last time a trained a marathon so back in 2016... so.. where was i... ahem. let's try that again. for the first time since probably early 2016, i logged a hundred mile month, with 100.3 in september. i wasn't really tracking my total distance until about midway through last week. had to put in a 10k today to get over the hump, but it felt good. i'm not feeling too terribly beat up about it either. i'm feeling (knock on wood to avoid the inevitable jinx) pretty good about the upcoming wine and dine half marathon.

Fman99 Sep 30 2019 01:07 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Very nice! I'm just about done training for NYC - ran a 21 mile training run yesterday at an average pace of 9:06. Not quite the 8:50 pace I trained at a year ago, but still enough where I can comfortably attempt to run 8:30-40's in the boroughs and come in around the 3:50 or so finish time. Ending the month with 124.4 miles running and another 58.5 on my bike (plus potentially a few more bicycle miles today, weather permitting). Got one easier (~13-ish mile) long run, and one big/long one (22-ish miles) left to do, before I taper. Feeling great, honestly. I found that I needed to take in more gels and nutrition, going from every 45 minutes (and routinely bonking out after 2.5 hours) to every 30 minutes with good results.

metsmarathon Sep 30 2019 02:38 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

i'm starting to think that i could consider another marathon. finding the time to train, though, is the biggest barrier. waaay too much other stuff to spend time doing, especially in the non-summer months. i suppose that means that i should look for an early fall marathon, and spend my summer weekends running 20-milers... luckily, i have a fair bit of time until i need to make that poor decision. in the meantime, i'm just happy re-building my base.

Fman99 Oct 01 2019 01:26 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I'm always on the lookout for a new marathon. And I've never run one in New Jersey. Just throwing that out there. I have not picked any future marathons past NYC next month.

Fman99 Nov 15 2019 09:01 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Well, while most of you also interact with me on social media, it's worth mentioning that I finished the NYC marathon 12 days ago, running a 3:59:08, which I was super pleased with. I will hopefully have some time to write up a more lengthy summary, but for now, suffice it to say, it was the most fun I ever had in a running race (having done about 250 of them over the last 10 years).

Johnny Lunchbucket Nov 16 2019 06:58 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Great job, Fman. Was looking for you at the foot of the Pulaski but missed you (must been going too fast). You crossed that point probably within a minute of another friend running who I did see. You'll be pleased to know you beat him by the end.

metsmarathon Nov 16 2019 04:48 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Nice work fman! I love New York marathon. I just ran the wine and dine half in Disney with mrs.mm; we finished in just over half your time, at 2:01:22.

Fman99 Jan 02 2020 06:02 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Roll call! How many miles did you all finish 2019 with? I ended up with 1,372 for the year, almost exactly what I ran in 2018 (1,360 miles). Settled on the Delaware Marathon on April 26, in Wilmington, for marathon #18. Still debating my fall choices.

TransMonk Jan 02 2020 07:43 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

280 in 2019. 2020 needs to be better. Shooting for 500.

metsmarathon Jan 02 2020 09:39 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

i finished with just over 613.8 miles. i thought i had a shot at 700, after 100 miles in each of september and october, but 37 & 35 miles in each of november and december did not get the job done at all. and that 37-mile november included a half marathon! a wicked combination of illness, travel, weather, and time conspired to put the kibosh on all o'that. on the bright side, injury was not a consideration. on the whole, not a bad year. i'm ashamed to say, though, that i failed to note in this thread a few major accomplishments. in our annual family turkey trot, minimm ran a 27:23, good for 8th in the highly competitive 6-10 year old group. and perhaps at least as impressive, µmmL ran a 46:06 in his second career 5k, netting a 3rd place medal in the 5-and-under group. µmmR finished a second behind him with a 46:07, but he was in a running stroller for the first half of the race. still, half of a 5k is a major accomplishment for him as well, and way more than most 5-year-olds can lay claim to. ...and of course, this has led me down a rabbit hole. there's a link in the race results to the finish line video. the two 5-year olds who beat µmmL&R did so with a 33- and a 36- and each crossed the finish line in a running stroller. so i think it's fairly certain that µmmL was the fastest and perhaps only 5-year old who ran the whole race. and µmmR was the fastest and perhaps only one who ran half of it. though there may have been kids behind us who ran/walked the whole thing, albeit much slower. more egregious, perhaps, is the two under-10s who crossed the finish line togther, with a net time of 19:46. i'm sorry, but there's no way these kids ran that fast. especially after starting more than two minutes off the starting line. another 9-year old ran a 25:45, which looks legit, and a 7-year old with a 27 flat, which also looks pretty legit. and then minimm had the third-fastest (legit) net time, but the clock time bit him in the butt, as some kids up to two minutes slower net-time crossed the line before him. so minimm had either the 5th fastest time for under-9Ms, or the third-fastest. i'm a race results truther, apparently. i guess i can't complain too much about the kid-in-stroller thing, since i had a kid in a stroller with a bib both times, and that may have potentially stolen an award from another 5-year old who'd completed the entire distance. regardless, for 2020, the goal will be to get all three kids to complete the 5k unassisted. and for me i've set a hopefully readily achievable goal of 750 miles.

Frayed Knot Jan 02 2020 01:08 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

=Fman99 post_id=29129 time=1577970130 user_id=86]Settled on the Delaware Marathon on April 26 ...

Can you run a marathon and stay entirely in the state of Delaware?

Fman99 Jan 02 2020 09:00 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Frayed Knot wrote: Settled on the Delaware Marathon on April 26 ... Can you run a marathon and stay entirely in the state of Delaware? Lol, yes, valid question. The first half is a loop around various parts of Wilmington, and the second half is an out-and-back on a wooden bridgeway along a creek or river of some kind. Looks pretty nice actually.

Johnny Lunchbucket Jan 03 2020 06:02 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

The first park you'll go through along the Brandywine is a really underrated old Frederick Law Olmstead-designed park. You'll hit up the hoity-toity hoods on the west side, then spend most of the time in "new" parkland (marshy stuff along the Christina). You'll start and finish near the Blue Rocks stadium (also a nice brewery-restaurant called Iron Hill). Fun Fact: in the 19th century it was all giant shipbuilding and rail car building yards

The Hot Corner Jan 04 2020 09:48 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

After taking up physical fitness (running and working out) 10 years ago, my knees started to betray me. When I got to where I had to wear a knee brace on both knees when I went to the gym, I decided it was time to cut back on the running. I mostly walk briskly (4.2-4.5 mph) on a 15 degree incline. Occasionally, I will run for short intervals (walk 7-8 minutes and run 2-3). This new regime has done wonders for my knees, but I don't log nearly the miles I did in the past. This year I logged only 445.05 miles. I would like to increase that to 500 for 2020. My weight training and strength, however has steadily increased as my running has decreased. i have to burn off the calories somehow. I wish everyone a healthy 2020.

Fman99 Jan 05 2020 04:36 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

Likewise Doc!

Frayed Knot Jan 05 2020 11:28 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

If you've got access to an elliptical machine, HC, the rotational motion of those are supposed to be much easier on the knees. Alternating elliptical work with the inclined walking would maybe add some physical as well as mental variety to your workouts. Or you could just do what a lot of knee-addled ex-runners wind up doing: buy a bike.

The Hot Corner Jan 07 2020 09:12 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I always used the running as a way to burn calories in order to keep my weight in check. When I found my knees could no longer withstand the constant pounding of running I decided to conduct a little experiment. I did 10 minutes on an elliptical, a stationary bike, and walking on the treadmill. I maintained the same heart rate (as best I could) throughout each of the workouts and compared the number of calories burned on each machine. Even if only walking briskly 4.2-4.5 mph, the treadmill easily burned the most calories. The elliptical machine machine was next and the stationary bike was a distant third. The bike however definitely gives the legs a very good workout and the elliptical gives a little more of a total body workout. The treadmill primarily burns calories. The nice thing about walking (rather than running) on the treadmill is that it allows me to read. My Nook sits nicely and I can get 30-45 minutes of reading time in while at the gym. I could read on the bike as well. I am thinking of incorporating some time on the bike both for variety and for the leg work out it provides. The gym just got 2 new stair/climbers which look interesting, I will likely give them a try soon.

Fman99 Jan 10 2020 04:16 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I don't know if your gym has these, but some of the newer styles of ellipticals make for a much more runner-like experience. I took a quick video of one of these last year that you can see me using here. (Note: You do not have to be a registered Instagram user to view this page).

Centerfield Jan 27 2020 11:28 AM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

I've changed my workout routine for 2020. I'm now alternating between weight training days and running days. I used to do a combination of both for most workouts. By doing this, I've found I can run much longer and I'm enjoying it more. Now instead of running for 1.5-2 miles at the end of the workout, I'll either not run at all (and solely weight train) or run exclusively, and run for 3-5 miles. I find I'm enjoying running a lot more now. I'm seeing the cardio benefits, and I'm finding it easier to go on long runs. Hoping that I'll see some physical gains as well. Time will tell.

Fman99 Jan 27 2020 08:09 PM Re: Run, Rabbit, Run: The Running Thread 2019

=Centerfield post_id=30568 time=1580149708 user_id=65] I've changed my workout routine for 2020. I'm now alternating between weight training days and running days. I used to do a combination of both for most workouts. By doing this, I've found I can run much longer and I'm enjoying it more. Now instead of running for 1.5-2 miles at the end of the workout, I'll either not run at all (and solely weight train) or run exclusively, and run for 3-5 miles. I find I'm enjoying running a lot more now. I'm seeing the cardio benefits, and I'm finding it easier to go on long runs. Hoping that I'll see some physical gains as well. Time will tell.

Very nice!