Come Back to Boston

It was only one run, right? You are a thoroughbred to me anyway - you will be back...

I know, I know - last week was just one of those weeks, and this week, I feel like I might be turning the corner. Suddenly 9 min pace seems a bit easier (although I'm a ways off from running that as my easy long run pace), but I'm feeling more comfortable. I finished last week with only 27 miles, but it did involve a 9 hr drive to Boston with my daughter to return her to school and a wasted day in Logan Airport coming back to Ohio. However, the last couple of runs have felt much better than last week, so I'm feeling more positive and hoping that it is still early enough to rally by April and go sub-4. I did it in 2009, but I was a bit younger then (but had less of a base).

Glad you're having a better week, Michele! I feel confident that you'll break 4 hours.
I will say, though....as I age I lose my fitness level soooo much more quickly than just a few years ago. Not just in running, but also my sit ups, push ups, etc. It's frustrating.

Nice work, Michele! And good incremental progress, too.

Remember, it takes about six weeks for the beneficial adaptations from exercise to really kick in, especially when you're rebuilding those little mitochondrial energy factories in your muscles. It'll just keep getting easier (and faster) as you stick with it.

Cold here (11F this morning when I ran outside and in a light dusting of snow) which is interesting and a bit fun. I have not run in cold like this since 2005, so it is still a bit of a "novelty". I'm lucky that I get to run in the daylight as night or early morning would be tough. I did wimp out yesterday (the group runs at 6:30 pm) as I thought that I couldn't tolerate the cold with the darkness so I ran indoors on the track. I also wanted to do a little "speedwork" which really still just consists of pickups rather than actual track work. This is ok as the outdoor track is once again covered in snow (we only received about 2 inches on the west side of Cleveland, but they got dumped on over on the East side (6-8" and more as you approached NW PA and NW NY). I guess that is one perk to living on the west side and lake effect.

The lake is very interesting as well since it actually had a layer of ice this morning which was not there yesterday. I can still see a barge in the horizon, but near the shore is frozen. Kind of weird if you ask me.

Brrrrr.....I think the coldest weather I've run in was ~15 or so. I have to admit that this year, the thought of running in the cold (and dark) is more than I can handle. Don't know why, but I just can't get myself out the door when I get home from work and it's cold and dark. I'm ever so thankful that we bought a treadmill last year. I've been running everyday on the 'mill before I get ready for work. Mill miles are better than no miles, right?

I've run in -35 windchill before but it isn't fun. It's just impossible for your legs to really get warm when it's that cold.

I hope you're enjoying the group, it sounds like a great group. I love my running group. They're really many of my closest local friends now.

Cold-cold runs are extremely rare where I live, so they're a bit of a novelty. I can't imagine having to face frostbite-inducing conditions day after day. That's when treadmills get a whole lot less horrible.

You lived in New England. You've got this cold thing down.

Alex Kubacki wrote:You lived in New England. You've got this cold thing down.

I am getting used to the cold - the snow is getting to me though as it just takes so much more effort to run in it. I keep remembering that Scott Jurek phrase that mark posted about how running with dicey conditions can help your coordination, proprioception and supporting muscles. I need that as much as I need the mileage and you can't get that from the treadmill. In talking to my coach, he mentioned that the time on my feet was more important than the mileage - so if 120 min is usually 13 miles, but now will be 11 - so be it.

We've got ice here today...Snow last Friday. Ya never know in North Carolina.

I so admire your dedication to your training! Right now, my goal is to run for fitness and to be toned and not need any uncomfortable under garments when my daughter gets married in May. So, short runs with lots of strength stuff for me.

Slowly but surely getting there. I ended up buying a pair of the Icebug shoes and I'm so glad that I did as they were perfect for the last two days runs. I might even talk my husband into getting some for his early morning walks as they worked great on the partially melted/plowed/refrozen all purpose trail in the Metropark this yesterday and this morning. I ran 14 easy miles yesterday followed by a 6 mile tempo run this morning where I actually got down the pace to an 8:20 mile. Now while that seems like a long way off from last year, it is indeed progress. My left hip/ITB gave me a few fits at the very, very end, but after I finished, I immediately stretched it and it was fine again. The core/weight class that I am taking on M and W mornings (at 5:50 am!) along with Whitney's exercises are helping a lot with me regaining strength in the hip girdle area. It is amazing what happens when you spend 3.5 wks kind of laid up and I came back pretty fast. I'm just hoping to go between 1:45 and 1:50 come the New Orleans half at the end of February (weather dependent of course since I'm obviously not spending a lot of time in any type of warmth or humidity!).

44 miles this week which is steady progress.

More good progress, Michele! I wouldn't worry too much about the hip/ITB; I bet the ice and snow has made for awkward footing and thrown off your form. Your core work is a good idea, though. Might need to try that again myself, one of these days...

A half in New Orleans? Glad it's in February.

I'd say 14 miles is definitely headed in the right direction, especially if you were able to knock out some faster miles today. The fact that the progress is slow is frustrating, but every little bit helps I guess. Be careful on the ice!

Very weird weather (so far) this week, and I guess it will continue. Last night I ran my 7 mile run with Hill repeats in 57F weather with a bit of rain, thunder and lightening. I had on shorts, a long sleeve shirt and a ball cap (and light) and it felt wild to actually be able to run in shorts in January in NE Ohio. This morning, this weird weather continued as I ran once again in shorts and a long sleeve shirt, but this time it was a raging downpour (which began at mile 1.5), but once again, it was an odd and somewhat liberating feeling to be running outside in shorts.

Of course, by 6 am tomorrow, the temps are supposed to drop to the high 20s and it won't be much better from there. We are then expected to get that lake effect snow once again with as much as 1 foot on the east side of the city. So going from running in shorts to temps in the teens by Saturday is kind of unfathomable to me. Back to running in a zillion layers and Icebug shoes for our next long run - 16 miles Oh the joy!

Needless to say, despite the long, 6% grade hill, last night's run was pretty good - slow since the hill is a beast and we ran 8 repeats (200 m long), but I'm definitely feeling stronger. I can tell you that Heartbreak Hill ain't got nothing on the Detroit Rd Beast.

Yeah, 63F here yesterday 4X800 on rubberized track in shorts and high tomorrow 18F then low 1F at night, whee!

Ah, the Midwest. Thanks for reminding me my why ancestors ditched those climes for the Pacific Northwest generations ago.

Stay warm! Er, cool! Er...

Ah yes, living in the Midwest. This is my 2nd time in NE Ohio and there are some best kept secrets for sure; however, the weather is not one of them I can tell you that the people are genuinely friendly and not the sickly, sweet "honey child" of the south, and I do like that. When they talk to you at the market, they really mean to talk to you and hope you do indeed have a good day. It takes a bit for this skeptical New Englander to catch on, but it is refreshing.

On the running front, you have to admit that while running when it is 25F is a bit crazy, it is not as crazy if you do it during a snow shower followed by beautiful sunshine! The group runs at 6:30 pm on Thursdays and I usually reserve my run for then, but they are still saying snow and the temps are still dropping - so running in the cold sunshine seemed the best bet. I ran in my Icebug shoes since the sidewalks had a light dusting over ice (left from yesterday's rain) and they worked great. A 6 mile Progression run withe miles from 9:55 down to 8:30 was complete! I wonder what it will feel like running in shorts and a singlet in New Orleans in 24 days.
Off for a massage now since my IT band has been bugging me a bit - should feel good.

Worst part of winter running: snow/ice underfoot or wind? Discuss....

mul21 wrote:Worst part of winter running: snow/ice underfoot or wind? Discuss....

I'm thinking wind, Jim since I have those Icebug shoes and they really help with footing. The 25 mph wind off the lake though is often enough to push me backward!

And speaking of ice, I took this picture of the lake on Tuesday before the rain came in. The "frozen" portions look a lot like the moon.

Wow. I can see why you'd need those Icebug shoes in those conditions. And an ice ax.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Ah yes, living in the Midwest. This is my 2nd time in NE Ohio and there are some best kept secrets for sure; however, the weather is not one of them I can tell you that the people are genuinely friendly and not the sickly, sweet "honey child" of the south, and I do like that. When they talk to you at the market, they really mean to talk to you and hope you do indeed have a good day. It takes a bit for this skeptical New Englander to catch on, but it is refreshing.

New Englanders can get skeptical?

Alex Kubacki wrote:

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Ah yes, living in the Midwest. This is my 2nd time in NE Ohio and there are some best kept secrets for sure; however, the weather is not one of them I can tell you that the people are genuinely friendly and not the sickly, sweet "honey child" of the south, and I do like that. When they talk to you at the market, they really mean to talk to you and hope you do indeed have a good day. It takes a bit for this skeptical New Englander to catch on, but it is refreshing.

New Englanders can get skeptical?

Hehehe.....

Got chased inside today and that was fine since it was just a recovery run before tomorrow's 16 miler. We got 6" of snow last night and the roads/sidewalks were/are still covered. Decided to run 5 on the mill over the Boston Marathon hills - pretty fun, and it shows just how short those hills really are, but they are also at 6% grade. The lake is weird as it is suddenly "unfrozen" even though are temps today are in the teens. Strange as it froze when the temps were in the low 20s. Tomorrow should be interesting as the temps are supposed go even lower, but the all purpose trail has been plowed, so the group figures that we can get in our 16 miles before the next band of snow comes in tomorrow night. Guess I'll get used to this snow and cold before I leave for Beaver Creek on Wednesday for a few days of skiing.

16 miles at 17F in the snow (both on the ground and in the air) is done and a bit insane - just sayin'.

(Funny that I was incredibly warm with all the layers and my feet stayed dry (except for the sweat) in the Icebug shoes.)