The Running Thread—2023

Went on my first ever cruise, and the Carnival Sunshine was going through this on the way to us embarking.
https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/carnival-sunshine-passenger-documents-storm-damage

It was only slightly less pleasant for us, driving down in a driving rain (no pun intended), and then getting thoroughly soaked in 50-degree weather while unloading and getting across the parking lot to the building where they staged us. Instead of boarding by 1 pm, we killed time for most of the afternoon until getting boarding instructions around 5:30, and were finally on board at 10:30 pm. But I will say that they did a great job of getting the ship turned around, and we saw no evidence of the near-hurricane storm they went though. And we had pleasant weather the rest of the time.

And back to my watch, I had post-drop tested it in the rain and in the shower, and earlier that afternoon on a jetski. But it failed the immersion test. I had just told the wife that it seemed to be doing fine, looked at the display not two minutes later and it was all dark. The display flashed once as I was looking and went dark again. Dang. I now have it in a bag with rice, but I'm not sanguine about it.

I've been pondering the "withdrawal symptoms" of not having my Garmin watch, the most immediate being that I keep looking at my wrist for the time. I think the rest of it is that I've become used to the constant and instantaneous knowledge of things like my heart rate (especially if I've just bounded up some stairs), step count, calories burned, etc., and I use these numbers when deciding if I need to get in some more steps, have I burned enough calories, and so on. Yes, I could go back to my basic Fitbit, but I've gotten used to the Garmin. So I just ordered a new Forerunner 255.
 
G and I ran the 2023 Brat Fest 5k. She took over my training journal to give her thoughts on the race!

2023 Brat Fest 5k w/ G (G Takeover!)

screenshot-2023-06-02-at-7-32-36-pm-png.764866
 
The Fantasy is my FAVORITE ship, I've been on it 5 times. 😍 Might be too hot for the Castaway Cay 5k but the bikes are always fun!
We've been on them all and love the Fantasy. I put it as number two, only because we have done the Dream many times and it was our first so remains our favorite. Heading to the port in a little bit and will plan on an unofficial 5K on Castaway for sure.
 
May Miles: 52.05

January: 92.75
February: 87.25
March: 131.25
April: 109.45

YTD: 472.75

Currently struggling with motivation with no definite race for the rest of the year. Have a mild bout of planter fasciitis that I know I need to keep tending to so it doesn’t blow up when Dopey training starts. Working with a new RD to help with fat loss/weight loss among other things and she more or less told me I haven’t been seeing results because I keep going from training cycle to training cycle. And the results I’m looking for won’t happen if I’m stressing my body training for a race. So that was hard to hear.

Goals for June: short to mid-distance easy runs 3-5 days a week. Peloton on the days I’m not running + strength training 4 days a week.
 
The new Garmin arrived today. Since I was using my own money, and not points from work, I went with the Forerunner 255 music. Now to get it set up and figured out. Still no running today or yesterday, due to strained quads while trying to school my teen on the basketball court. Schooling was done, but I paid for it. The weather is *perfect* and it is driving me crazy not to run.
BTW, the sneaks are my new Mizuno Wave Rider 26 shoes that I’m breaking in. My feet love them.
 
I'm a little late to the monthly training summary game, but here's my update. May was another relatively light "between plans" months where I focused on trying to get away from intervals and back to continuous running while seeing if it could be done without blowing up my posterior tibialis again. I'd call it a qualified success.

I'm back to continuous running and my pacing has been improving, but I feel like I'm right on the edge of the tibialis flaring up again. My volume didn't get back to where I had hoped, as audits and on-site training at work led to some missed runs. I'm trying out some new shoes to address the tibialis now, too.

I did go ahead and register for my two planned fall races, so the "bad ideas tour" is officially on the calendar. At any rate, here are the May numbers:

May Training Summary
Running Miles: 100.76 mi
Running Time: 18:01:44
Average Pace: 10:43/mi
Average HR: 149/min
YTD Mileage: 579.15 mi

Other
Walking: 15.79 mi
Rolling yearly running: 1,594.96 mi
 
Attention experienced Virtual Runners.....I need some helpful advice.

I am at the end of my half marathon plan and am looking to close it out with 13.1 this weekend. I am not racing for anything except to finish the distance (she says) The easiest/cheapest option is just to go to a local rail trail and bang out 13.1.

Any advice on how to make this more "bearable"? I don't want to "race", but I don't want to treat it like just another long run. It's more the mental aspect of the run-- it's not like there's a race crowd and I don't listen to music.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. How did you make it through your virtual race?
 
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Attention experienced Virtual Runners.....I need some helpful advice.

I am at the end of my half marathon plan and am looking to close it out with 13.1 this weekend. I am not racing for anything except to finish the distance (she says) The easiest/cheapest option is just to go to a local rail trail and bang out 13.1.

Any advice on how to make this more "bearable"? I don't want to "race", but I don't want to treat it like just another long run. It's more the mental aspect of the run-- it's not like there's a race crowd I don't listen to music.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. How did you make it through your virtual race?
  1. I choose a scenic course with potential places if I need a pit stop, water fountains and bring my phone to take pictures (I do that in real races too).
  2. I set an objective. It may be time, it may be look at the flowers, it may be a scavenger hunt, etc.
  3. I purchase or make some bling for the end, like a shell 🐚 on a ribbon if running at the beach. Ideally someone is waiting for me with it at the end.
  4. I occasionally use a guided run like the ones on NRC or on JustMove.
  5. I celebrate the accomplishment after.
Enjoy 😊
 
adding to @flav great suggestions....
6. Wear a racing outfit instead of you normal workout clothes (simple costume??)
7. Go through your usual pre-race rituals, such as what time you get up, what you eat, bathroom stops, etc.
8. Get a little nervous with pre-race anxiety
9. Get even more excited with pre-race anticipation
10. Have a celebratory post race food item / drink
 
Attention experienced Virtual Runners.....I need some helpful advice.

I am at the end of my half marathon plan and am looking to close it out with 13.1 this weekend. I am not racing for anything except to finish the distance (she says) The easiest/cheapest option is just to go to a local rail trail and bang out 13.1.

Any advice on how to make this more "bearable"? I don't want to "race", but I don't want to treat it like just another long run. It's more the mental aspect of the run-- it's not like there's a race crowd and I don't listen to music.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. How did you make it through your virtual race?
You say no music. Does the preclude podcasts or audio books? Keeping my mind occupied helps the miles go by.
If you can get a ride, make it a point-to-point run past some points of interest (as others have suggested).
Alternatively, make it an out-and-back or a big loop.
Set a definite start time and stay close to it.
Set a goal for pace or finish time.
Is this run gong to have walk breaks? If so, do walk breaks/simulated water stops. And maybe some sort of fuel.
I like flav's suggestion of taking a few selfies.
Have some sort of finish reward (again, as others have suggested).
YMMV
 
Attention experienced Virtual Runners.....I need some helpful advice.

I am at the end of my half marathon plan and am looking to close it out with 13.1 this weekend. I am not racing for anything except to finish the distance (she says) The easiest/cheapest option is just to go to a local rail trail and bang out 13.1.

Any advice on how to make this more "bearable"? I don't want to "race", but I don't want to treat it like just another long run. It's more the mental aspect of the run-- it's not like there's a race crowd and I don't listen to music.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. How did you make it through your virtual race?
Have a family member(s) or friend(s) cheer you on at different spots along your course? Or have them bring you water/fuel, kind of like a water stop in a race.
 
Sadly, since I will be driving to a suitable site, there will be no post-run parking lot beer. I know I'm letting @FFigawi down.
I'm a beer snob, but even given that, there are some decent non-alcoholic beers suitable for post race. The Athletic Brewing Company and German import stuff is not bad and would probably work fine.

Edit to add....and pour it into one of your old runDisney cups.
 
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