The Running Thread - 2018

[TCB in FLA]

Driving down to the Atlanta area today. Has anyone ran trails at Stone Mountain or Panola State Park? Thoughts?

Also, anyone know of good trails in the Spartanburg, SC area?

I haven’t been to Stone Mountain in years, but I can help with SC. The Swamp Rabbit Trail, a rails-to-trail project, run from Travelers Rest into Greenville. https://greenvillerec.com/ghs-swamp-rabbit-trail/

 

[DopeyBadger]

June Training Summary

Running duration = 26:59 hours
Running mileage = 198.5 miles
Average Pace = 8:09 min/mile (Marathon Pace + 81 seconds)
Average HR = 136 bpm (68% HRR, or about 11% less than Marathon Pace)
McMillan Core Routine = 20 min x 1 times = 20 min of Strength Work

Had my first race since Dopey with the Hot2Trot HM. Ended up finishing in 3rd OA, with a 1st place AG (first time for me). Then, the next week my Daniels M training plan started. I'm starting to feel like my old self again and hopeful for a full return to form. Time will tell.

 

[TCB in FLA]

June totals: 92.08 miles, I believe all trails other than a single 3 mile run around the neighborhood
9 OTF classes. I upgraded to unlimited classes at the end of the month, so I’m guessing that number will increase.
0 races. Had to double-check that stat since this year has been event heavy but nada in June.

@LSUlakes Upcoming events:
July 4 - Firecracker 5K - weaverville, NC
July 28- Highland Brewery Night Flight
Sept 23- Asheville Brewing Supervillian 10k
Dec 8 - Kiawah Half Marathon

 

[CDKG]

June Miles: 91.1
2018 Miles: 523.2

On June 10th I ran my first half marathon since Tinker Bell 2017 (my current PR). It was a new course this year and ridiculously hilly. I was actually on pace for a new PR the first 10 miles. Then they threw in (needlessly) the craziest hill of the race! You know the kind of hill that is so steep it makes you nervous to drive up/down? It took everything I had left to hike up the darn thing. Cruel! For the first time ever, I literally gave up on running when I hit the next hill about a mile later. The last two miles I only ran the downhill portions and last 0.1/mile to the finish line. I finished about 10 min. behind my goal.

July will be about maintaining fitness and preparing for my August half. This one should have better results!

 

[huskies90]

June Miles = 151

May = 156
April = 113
March = 99
February = 78
January = 67

Yearly Total = 551

 

[BikeFan]

June mileage:
246.8 miles in 35:53:39
My highest mileage month so far in 2018, but also my slowest. The heat is just SO draining. I don't know how you people south of me in Virginia do it. I may be retreating inside to the treadmill for workouts in July.

 

[JulieODC]

12.1 miles in June. I know why, but this makes me so sad. Cracked 100 two months in a row, and now I’m here. Freakin’ Lyme.

I did run 3.1 on Saturday - got my June race in (goal = 1 race per month in 2018) by having that count as my Save the Manatee Club virtual 5k.

After every run this month (1-2 miles) I’ve felt pretty beat up the next day. But after 2 miles on Wed I felt good....And I think I would have felt ok after Saturday’s run...if we hadn’t gone to a BBQ followed by a drive to Nh and evening kayak (picture attached for reading this whine!). I just need to know my limits - and not overdo it in other areas if I do a run. Getting there...

I also started reading My Life on the Run yesterday by Bart Yasso - appreciate his experiences with Lyme, but I had no idea the crazy races he’s done!!

 

[Waiting2goback]

 

[Olallamom]

53 miles for June.
No serious long runs during June.

I officially started training for Dopey last week so I anticipate 100+ miles for July.
Living in AZ requires a lot of discipline when running outside in the summer. Up before 4am most mornings. Ugh!

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: Over the weekend a cyclist from this area and a friend were struck by a vehicle. The area they were at is a known and popular area for people to ride at. One of the riders did not make it and the other was airlifted to a local hospital. I realize there is a difference from running and biking, but around here the two activities are usually done by both on the same roads. For todays question I wanted to ask how safe do you feel in the areas you run in which you share the roads with normal traffic? Are there areas that people run, but you refuse to because of the traffic?

ATTQOTD: I normally run around the lakes on the weekends and there are so many people there on the roads that I feel good about it. I've run the area which is about a hour away from my home where this incident happened. It's a rural area and one I would not run alone just in case. I know the rules are different for bikes and runners, but getting hit by a car is a big fear of mine for obvious reasons. I do not know much about the story, but I did see a picture of on of the bikes... It was snapped in two. Really sad for the biking community and stinks because our state is not very bike / runner friendly. Be safe out there folks.

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: The reason I run out at our local state park, which is about a 20 minute drive from home, is because it is VERY unsafe to run (or ride a bike) where I live. Single lane, no shoulder, blind corners, vehicles drive WAY TOO FAST! It is a posted 35 mph zone but I have never seen anyone drive that speed except my 74 year old mother who lives with us. I admit that I drive it about 45 too. But there are people who fly by my house at 60+ (we live on a straight stretch between curvy areas.

 

[JBinORL]

ATTQOTD: I avoid heavily-trafficked roads for that very reason. I'm fortunate to live near several lakes with paths around them, and small neighborhood streets to link them together. I also don't run with music anymore so I can better hear what's going on

 

[kleph]

ATTQOTD: I actively seek out running routes that have no traffic whatsoever. This comes from my personal experience as a runner and my professional background dealing with traffic.

 

[TheHamm]

QOTD: Over the weekend a cyclist from this area and a friend were struck by a vehicle. The area they were at is a known and popular area for people to ride at. One of the riders did not make it and the other was airlifted to a local hospital. I realize there is a difference from running and biking, but around here the two activities are usually done by both on the same roads. For todays question I wanted to ask how safe do you feel in the areas you run in which you share the roads with normal traffic? Are there areas that people run, but you refuse to because of the traffic?

This breaks my heart and terrifies me. We have reports of pedestrian/cyclist vs. automobile reports so often they no longer make the main news and seem to be buried in city & university police notes.

It is a joke to friends and family that I love safety, that I have consistently been assigned 'safety leader' in every lab I have worked in, that my kids point out motor and bi cyclists without helmets and as why they do not choose safety. I used to ride my bike 2 miles out of the way to avoid traffic on my way to work because I do not trust drivers to not be busy yelling at their kids, shaving, or spacing out having coffee. Bike lanes and shoulders are littered with debris, trash cans, and parked UPS trucks, so they are not really useful 50% of the time anyhow. So perhaps it is not so surprising that I am willing to run in even fewer places than I will bike. I worry about everything, and would prefer to do laps around our stadium because while there are more hills and zero shade, there are few blind corners or driveways for cars to pull in or out of rather than many of the other runners choice of running in neighborhood roads (even if the concrete is harder, the potholes are brutal in the road anyhow). Unfortunately that leaves me with fewer options to string together the longer runs I hope to work on.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: My city has a dedicated bike lane down the major roads and many runners use that instead of sidewalks. I have always been too afraid to ride or walk in those lanes because I have seen so many near misses. Some drivers are just oblivious to anyone outside their car. I tend to just run gravel or paved trails in the woods instead of the roads.

I went to high school with a girl that was driving down the road, not off the road, and her rear-view mirror hit a young teenage girl that was walking in the bike lane. The young girl somehow ended up under the car and died. I haven't trusted the bike lanes since.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: Rambling answer: I run on rural back roads. No sidewalks, but the shoulders are generally wide enough to jump to safety. There is not much traffic. People drive distracted (and I doubt our new law is going to change that) and too fast. Not to mention, some of the 'locals' actually are aggressive toward runners. I bail out onto the shoulder about once every 1.5 miles. I stay alert and don't wear headphones. I wave at every driver. The motion gets their attention, let's them know I'm friendly, and if they wave back, I know they've seen me. Pickup trucks with the 2 foot long mirrors scare me the worst. I've been running the same roads for so long, I think people have come to expect me.

How safe do I feel? Medium to low. I worry sometimes that the odds are going to catch up with me at some point.

Would I bike on these same roads? No way!

 

[camaker]

ATTQOTD: I choose my running routes so that I don't have to run on roads. I'm either on a sidewalk or on a greenway/trail. That hasn't stopped me from having run ins with vehicles at road crossings, though. Crosswalks don't seem to be recognized, acknowledged or understood by a lot of drivers out there. Fear of riding on the road has been a major player in my not taking up biking until now. Even last night, going out for a relatively short 7+ miler was nerve-wracking and has me looking for bike path/greenway options for my training there.

 

[Miranda]

ATTQOTD: Maybe I should have more fear on the roads, but I don't really. I usually run on sidewalks or shoulders around through town, but sometimes on outerskirts or more heavily trafficked roads. I've never felt unsafe.

 

[ZellyB]

June total: 74 miles ( missed a few runs for various reasons so hoping July is better)

ATTQOTD: We try to run on low-trafficked roads or very early in the morning when traffic is light or non-existent.

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: I try to make sure that anywhere I run has sidewalks. I make it a rule to always assume that I am not seen by anyone who is driving. Even when I am at a crosswalk and have the walking symbol, I will wait a second or two making sure no car will come through or forget to look for me.

June miles: 53
June was crazy busy with us being out of town three weekends, sickness, etc. Marathon training starts next week so I am looking forward to getting back at it more consistently.