The Running Thread - 2018

[BikeFan]

And in this class, our heart rate stats are up on a big screen for everyone to see, along with calorie burn, etc. The numbers don't lie, I've consistently been the lowest in the class since the beginning of the year and I'm sure to others, it doesn't even look like I'm trying. I am CRAZY self-conscious about it, even though I (and the instructors) know that it's a victory that I'm getting there and moving at all. You just never know what's going on with other people, so yeah, if it's more important to you to judge someone else rather than focus on your own workout, maybe you're the one with the problem.

I'm not sure I'd be a fan of that stat screen up there for everyone to see. That sounds unnecessarily harsh to have it in full view of everyone like that. Good on you for still going to class anyway.

You bring up a good point though - we don't know about what's going on with other people. I had a very fast runner friend who got a heart virus, and was told to stop running completely by her doctor. Eventually, she healed up enough to be able to resume hiking and other outdoor activities she loved, but she couldn't ever return to the runner she was because it would be too much stress on her damaged heart. Looking at her, you'd never know she had a heart problem, but it was there and she couldn't really exert herself because of it.

 

[PrincessV]

Gym Talk... I hate going anywhere to workout, so the only time I'm in a gym is to use a treadmill when A. lightning forces me indoors to run, or B. in summer when I need to finish long runs indoors to avoid heat stroke. I truly don't even notice who else might be in there, and give exactly zero &%$@'s what anyone who might be there thinks of me.

 

[Ariel484]

You SHOULD be really proud to keep going! Growing people is its own kind of work out! And as someone who ended up on bedrest partially for not listening to the direction to slow down, I applaud you for doing so- it is hard! I'm also going to pre-preemptively tell you to find a pool to float in. As compression socks are for your calves, the pool is for your entire puffy body.
Also, I am impressed with people who can deal with the stats board, I think that takes a particular type of person, and I cannot deal with the feeling of being publicly shamed- knowing that I was too busy looking at my own numbers to pay attention to anyone else did not sway my disdain for this. Keep it up!

Thank you, and thank you for the reminder as to why it's important to slow down! I struggle with it sometimes, for sure. I will 100% find a pool, that sounds lovely!

As for the stats board...at some point it may bother me enough that I'll just ditch the HR monitor altogether. Hasn't happened yet but it's still a possibility.

I'm not sure I'd be a fan of that stat screen up there for everyone to see. That sounds unnecessarily harsh to have it in full view of everyone like that. Good on you for still going to class anyway.

You bring up a good point though - we don't know about what's going on with other people. I had a very fast runner friend who got a heart virus, and was told to stop running completely by her doctor. Eventually, she healed up enough to be able to resume hiking and other outdoor activities she loved, but she couldn't ever return to the runner she was because it would be too much stress on her damaged heart. Looking at her, you'd never know she had a heart problem, but it was there and she couldn't really exert herself because of it.

I think the board is supposed to be a motivator, like to get you to compete with others and also with yourself (they have a certain amount of time they want you to hit where your heartrate is in a certain zone, and you can see that on the board). I've stopped paying attention to it for the mostpart...

Really glad your friend is okay!

 

[jennamfeo]

But I did have someone ask me to get off the treadmill once as it was their treadmill and they couldn't use another one. It's things like that that bother me. And yes I did get off as I don't like confrontation and it was easier to move to another one.

NAHHHHH. I would have acted like I didn't hear them and then probably flipped them off. That is not how life works.

 

[roxymama]

I feel the same way! But I get really self-conscious at races when I'm doing run/walk intervals and someone yells out "Don't start walking now!"...I would really like to educate them, but as you said, it doesn't matter!

As someone who has been completely obliterated by run walkers during their runs, then I catch back up, and then off they go again before I can really get them...run/walk does not always equal slower!!!

@Ariel484 yaaaaaaaaay for all future beagle and baby pictures. I'll start preparing for my brain to explode from cuteness

 

[CDKG]

QOTD: Do you feel guilty if you go on vacation and do not bring your running stuff?

Yes and no. It depends where I am going, what I will be doing, and what I am training for.

For example, I do not usually run when on a Disney vacation (outside of races of course). I don't feel guilty because I am on my feet all day anyway. However, this October I will be spending a week and a half at Universal and WDW. Since marathon training will officially be under way, I am going to feel obligated to get the miles in. I have scheduled it to be a cut-back week...but it is still going to be a challenge.

This is a very timely question as I am waiting to board my flight home right now after 10 days in AZ. It was a cut-back week for me and I only missed one run (it was a travel day, too early to run before I left and afternoon running in AZ is not an option for me) and moved another to accommodate an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon (AMAZING!) Other than that, I got in all of my miles and hit all of my paces. However, my diet and drinking habits more closely resembled someone on vacation than someone training for a race. Let's just say... my easy slow pace was very easy to hit!

 

[Ariel484]

@Ariel484 yaaaaaaaaay for all future beagle and baby pictures. I'll start preparing for my brain to explode from cuteness

In the meantime we will be preparing the beagle!

 

[roxymama]

In the meantime we will be preparing the beagle!

Just remember: Angry puppy pictures are just as cute to the people who don't have to deal with the angry puppy

 

[Miranda]

I'm not sure I'd be a fan of that stat screen up there for everyone to see. That sounds unnecessarily harsh to have it in full view of everyone like that. Good on you for still going to class anyway.

I'm guessing it's Orangetheory Fitness, or something similiar... the stats screen is kind of a feature of the classes. It's definitely helpful as a workout tool, and it's not like it's in full view of an entire gym full of people... there's just the people in class, and maybe some people for the next class waiting in the lobby.

I'm too busy trying to just find myself on the board all the time and look at my own number to worry about what anyone else is doing... I always forget where I was. I did feel a little self conscious during my first class, though, because I did the power walking on the treadmill instead of jogging or running. Actually I was more self conscious about doing the power walking than what the screen said (I spent like 35% of the class in the green zone and hardly anything in the orange/red zones, which did make me feel like I wasn't working hard enough). The power walking was no joke, though, because they have you put the incline up to 10-15% sometimes.

 

[SarahDisney]

Speaking of Orangetheory ... there's one near my office, so I was considering checking it out. Thoughts from those who have been (or go regularly)?
Also... do they have showers? I dont want to be disgusting on a crowded subway...

 

[Miranda]

Well, I have only been once so far, my location just finally opened officially less than a week ago (I signed up for it back like at Thanksgiving!) But I really like group fitness, so I think it will be good for me. But I'm also right in the hard part of my HM training so I'm trying to not overdo it too much, hence the power walking since I'm doing it (or planning on doing it) on my non-run days for now. Our location is not very large, but there is at least one shower in there. It's not like a big locker room, though, it looked like it is just a single shower in a bathroom type room, so I'm not sure how that works if more than one person wants to use the shower.

 

[MissLiss279]

Speaking of Orangetheory ... there's one near my office, so I was considering checking it out. Thoughts from those who have been (or go regularly)?
Also... do they have showers? I dont want to be disgusting on a crowded subway...

I love OrangeTheory! I’ve been going twice a week for just over two years now. I like that it incorporates running but also has strength and weights to it. It’s different every time, so for me it doesn’t get boring. The HR screen, I don’t think is too bad. I’m really only ever looking to see how I’m doing and don’t worry about others. I do struggle now sometimes to get my heart rate into the ‘Orange’ zone. I have been slowly trying to increase my pace so I can get my HR up faster. My studio has two showers, and they sound like what @Miranda mentioned. They are their own little room (no toilet in there), but a tiled shower with curtain and a dry area. I’ve never used the shower because I have time to go home before I go back to work. You should be able to get at least one free class to try it out if you wanted.

 

[LSUlakes]

In the meantime we will be preparing the beagle!

First things first, congrats! We have a beagle as well and her favorite part of the day is when the children eat. She learned about the high chair from the first child and when we took it back out for #2 she looked very excited knowing whats coming. It's been a long time since the dog has had those puff things. lol A lot of good memories heading your way with the kiddo and puppy.

 

[jennamfeo]

puff things

Ah, yes, baby crack.

 

[Ariel484]

Just remember: Angry puppy pictures are just as cute to the people who don't have to deal with the angry puppy

Noted. What you can't see from the pictures is that he is VERY loud when he is angry!

First things first, congrats! We have a beagle as well and her favorite part of the day is when the children eat. She learned about the high chair from the first child and when we took it back out for #2 she looked very excited knowing whats coming. It's been a long time since the dog has had those puff things. lol A lot of good memories heading your way with the kiddo and puppy.

Thank you!

I am honestly just as freaked out about how the dog will handle the kid as I am about the kid itself, so thanks for the reassuring words!

I'm guessing it's Orangetheory Fitness, or something similiar... the stats screen is kind of a feature of the classes. It's definitely helpful as a workout tool, and it's not like it's in full view of an entire gym full of people... there's just the people in class, and maybe some people for the next class waiting in the lobby.

I'm too busy trying to just find myself on the board all the time and look at my own number to worry about what anyone else is doing... I always forget where I was. I did feel a little self conscious during my first class, though, because I did the power walking on the treadmill instead of jogging or running. Actually I was more self conscious about doing the power walking than what the screen said (I spent like 35% of the class in the green zone and hardly anything in the orange/red zones, which did make me feel like I wasn't working hard enough). The power walking was no joke, though, because they have you put the incline up to 10-15% sometimes.

Yep, that's what I was talking about. I have gotten exactly 1 splat point since early January (some time this week), otherwise I always get zeros. Almost always in the blue and grey zones, except recently I've been creeping back into the green, I guess second trimester energy is really a thing. It's been a little embarrassing to have my subpar stats up there, but what can ya do? Oh and I almost never got the recommended 12 splat points before pregnancy, normally it was more like 6-9. Maybe because we are distance runners?

Speaking of Orangetheory ... there's one near my office, so I was considering checking it out. Thoughts from those who have been (or go regularly)?
Also... do they have showers? I dont want to be disgusting on a crowded subway...

I LOOOOOOOVE OrangeTheory! I've been going since early August 4-5 times per week. As MissLiss said, the workouts are never the same from day to day, and I can attest that it's suitable for all fitness levels (I've been able to modify stuff as needed since I can't do crunches anymore, for example).

I will warn you - it's not cheap. I'm not sure where your office is but my brother just moved to NYC and the Manhattan locations, and the ones near Manhattan are "premium" locations, so they are extra pricey (which I think translates to "they charge more because they can"). As previous posters have said, there should be at least one shower. At my main location there's just one, at the other location I have been to (downtown) there are 4. They may or may not provide towels (mine do not).

It's an hour (sometimes 45 minutes, sometimes 90 minutes) of treadmill/strength training - that includes a short warm-up and cooldown. They also use water rowers. I honestly think this is what has truly "fixed" my back after having so many issues - regular strength training and core work. I'd definitely recommend trying it out and doing the first free class if you're at all interested. Ask about any corporate discounts (I got $10 of per month because of where I work, not much but it's something). They have different monthly packages you can sign up for (4x per month, 8x per month or unlimited) so you could probably do something like the 4x per month or the 8x per month and mix that in with your running schedule. I could go on and on, if you have any other questions feel free to PM me!

 

[Disney at Heart]

QOTD: Do you feel guilty if you go on vacation and do not bring your running stuff?

ATTQOTD: Most vacations are runcations, but I always take running shoes with me. And if the vacation is to be the beach in June, I find a race nearby while there! This will be the second year I have run the Echo half marathon, Osteen to DeBary, not far from Daytona Beach. Also, it's more fun to run in different places than it is to do the same old courses I always do at home.
Answer to the Random Question: I used to count walking miles when I first started and then quit as I got more and more miles per month just running. But when I had to take 2 weeks off after eye surgery last month, I did 2-3 miles on the treadmill on my running days and I did count them in March's pitiful totals. It made me feel like I was at least doing something

Congratulations @Ariel484 and to Mr. Ariel, too!

 

[flav]

Random Question (I'm good at these )...
Do you count walking miles in your monthly mileage totals?

When it's nice out, DH and I enjoy going for 2-3 mile walks in the evening together and can't decide if I want to record them in my ol' journal.

No, I don’t even count the walk intervals during my DD training runs.

 

[SarahDisney]

Thanks for the OrangeTheory thoughts, @Miranda @MissLiss279 @Ariel484

I will warn you - it's not cheap. I'm not sure where your office is but my brother just moved to NYC and the Manhattan locations, and the ones near Manhattan are "premium" locations, so they are extra pricey (which I think translates to "they charge more because they can").

So basically... Astor Place is going to cost me 4x as much as anyone else is paying. Fun.
That's the problem with anything near work ... so expensive. Ugh.

 

[michigandergirl]

Congrats @Ariel484 !!! Maybe he or she will be a future runDis'er?

 

[Smilelea]

Where are you finding the HP audiobooks? Audible? I’ve been wanting to listen to them during runs but they audiobooks seem so pricey for something I’ve already read.

I bought them on eBay. I agree that they're too pricey. But I also knew I'd listen to them many times.

ATTQOTD: Vacation - nope; work trip - yep and I usually get 2-3 runs in for a week.