Trails for Two

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:Barefoot Run: 4.16 miles on very wet asphalt

Weather: Rainy, 46° and falling. Gear: Bare feet, tights, long-sleeved T, jacket, hat, gloves.

I was NOT motivated this morning, especially considering this was the day to go up a mile on this run, and that it was cool and very rainy outside. I debated doing it on the treadmill, or doing it in shoes, but finally decided to force myself outdoors. To make it even *more* fun, my attempt to turn my Garmin on failed -- twice -- so I was forced to come up with data that didn't match the run. I'm pretty sure I ran 4.16 miles. If not, it's .34 miles less than that. Or more. Anyway. One of those days.

The run itself was okay, though very wet. The first mile was rather uncomfortable, but my feet warmed up.

Average HR for entire run: 134ish

 Some days are like that Mark.  Good for you for getting out there and getting it done!

Hope you can get the Garmin reset or refurbished and get it functioning again.

I did both a soft and hard reset after the run this morning. It's been giving me weird HR data at times -- like saying my HR was 115 when it was probably closer to 60 -- so I've been assuming it was the strap. But I swear I pushed the start button, and nothing happened. (Well, I'm pretty sure, since I was distracted.) So maybe it's the unit. Anyway, I hope the reset gets it back to normal again. 

I wouldn't mind a new Garmin, but they're kind of pricey. I'd rather keep the old Forerunner 305 for a while and spend the money on races. 

I was having trouble with my 305 during Boston training in 2015.  At that time I was able to purchase a new/refurbished 305 for a very reasonable price.  I also sent mine in and had it refurbished for a very reasonable price.  Not sure if either or both of those options are still available.  I like my old clunky 305(s).  The new ones are not only spendy but complicated for an old person like me.

Clunky is retro, and retro is cool. 

Besides, I did a hard reset on it yesterday, and it was working like a charm today. (Whew!)

Oops, forgot to post this earlier!

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Treadhill Workout: 3 miles @ 12% grade (1,900 feet climbing) 

Indoors, 70° Gear: Topos, shorts. 

Another hill session. I think the first half felt more difficult than the second, which seems weird. By the time I'd reached an hour, a twisted part of me briefly considered going for another mile. Briefly. 

My peak HR was a little lower than it was two weeks ago, so I'm going to take that as a good sign. My HR doesn't spike on these workouts -- it just keeps on rising throughout. I could slow down, I suppose, to see if that takes the edge off, but 3 mph seems pretty good at this point. 

Average HR: 142. Max HR 151.

Low HR Run: 4.28 miles with Alita

Weather: Damp, a little rain. 44° Gear: Topos, pants, long-sleeved T, jacket, hat, gloves (shed)

We were scheduled for 5 miles this morning, but I need to go into work a little early today, so we decided that a bit over 4 miles would be sufficient. Our plan is to get in 10 miles tomorrow on the local trails.

We were both creaky and slow to start out with (we got to bed late last night), but we eventually warmed up after a couple of miles. Our fastest mile was the last one, and it felt pretty easy.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 128

You and Alita are getting to old to stay out late and then get up early for a run!

Glad to hear that you stuck with it till the creakiness subsided and got in a good run.

nkrichards wrote:You and Alita are getting to old to stay out late and then get up early for a run!

Glad to hear that you stuck with it till the creakiness subsided and got in a good run.

Pfft. You're only as old as you feel! (Which for most of us varies from 17 and 117, I think.)

Trail Run: 10 miles in the rain with Alita (corrected GPS says 10.5 miles)

Weather: Overcast, ill-timed rain shower, cool. 48°, falling to 43°. Gear: Lone Peaks, shorts, T, jacket, hat, gloves (could have used a long-sleeved T)

Double digits! Alita and I were scheduled for our longest rail run this year today, despite doppler radar showing showers passing through. I'd hoped we'd not get hit directly by one. Of course, we did. We didn't end up with a downpour, but we had moderate rain for long enough to get thoroughly soaked and chilled. But Alita was a trouper, and we pressed on.

We brought larabars with us and each had one about halfway in. That helped with our mood a bit, though it was rather unpleasant there for a while. Feels good to be dry again, though I'm still not warm yet.

But we got it done and that's a good feeling. Well, when the feeling comes back, that is. :-)

Walked first and last 5 minutes or so. Average HR for entire run: 129

Mark B wrote:Trail Run: 10 miles in the rain with Alita (corrected GPS says 10.5 miles)

Weather: Overcast, ill-timed rain shower, cool. 48°, falling to 43°. Gear: Lone Peaks, shorts, T, jacket, hat, gloves (could have used a long-sleeved T)

Double digits! Alita and I were scheduled for our longest rail run this year today, despite doppler radar showing showers passing through. I'd hoped we'd not get hit directly by one. Of course, we did. We didn't end up with a downpour, but we had moderate rain for long enough to get thoroughly soaked and chilled. But Alita was a trouper, and we pressed on.

We brought larabars with us and each had one about halfway in. That helped with our mood a bit, though it was rather unpleasant there for a while. Feels good to be dry again, though I'm still not warm yet.

But we got it done and that's a good feeling. Well, when the feeling comes back, that is. :-)

Walked first and last 5 minutes or so. Average HR for entire run: 129

Double digits and in the rain no less.  Nice job to both of you!

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:Trail Run: 10 miles in the rain with Alita (corrected GPS says 10.5 miles)

Weather: Overcast, ill-timed rain shower, cool. 48°, falling to 43°. Gear: Lone Peaks, shorts, T, jacket, hat, gloves (could have used a long-sleeved T)

Double digits! Alita and I were scheduled for our longest rail run this year today, despite doppler radar showing showers passing through. I'd hoped we'd not get hit directly by one. Of course, we did. We didn't end up with a downpour, but we had moderate rain for long enough to get thoroughly soaked and chilled. But Alita was a trouper, and we pressed on.

We brought larabars with us and each had one about halfway in. That helped with our mood a bit, though it was rather unpleasant there for a while. Feels good to be dry again, though I'm still not warm yet.

But we got it done and that's a good feeling. Well, when the feeling comes back, that is. :-)

Walked first and last 5 minutes or so. Average HR for entire run: 129

Double digits and in the rain no less.  Nice job to both of you!

Thanks! It's pissing down rain here right now, so there's a decent chance our 4-miler today will be done on the treadmill. You can be soaked and chilled only so much...

Low HR Run: 4.3 miles

Weather: Rainy, chilly. 42° Gear: Topos, tights, T, pullover, jacket, hat, gloves (shed)

We put off our Monday recovery run until today (we went wine tasting instead), so I'm squeezing it in before work. It's still rainy and cold here, and I was almost about ready to surrender to the treadmill when I decided I needed to get outside in proper gear to prove to myself I can run in cold rain without getting hypothermia. So I added my SportHill pullover, which is made of a tech fabric that warms even while wet. I also threw on a pair of tights.

And, as you've probably already guessed, I ended up getting overheated.

The run was challenging, since my legs have been sore since the trail run, and also because my legs apparently wanted to go faster. I let them, a little, and spent most of the run in the 10s and 11s, with a few forays into the 9s. I kept my average HR to an acceptable level, though I had to walk my HR down a couple of times when I'd pushed too hard (and gotten too warm).

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 132 (Max was 150)

Barefoot Run: 4 miles, outside (briefly) and on treadmill

Weather: Frosty outside (30°), warm inside. Gear: Bare feet, shorts (once I got inside...)

I attempted to go outside this morning, but it was cold enough that it was obvious I'd lose feeling in the soles of my feet, so I headed back inside to use the treadmill. Boy, what a temperature change.

I set the TM to an 11:32 pace and was pleased to see my heart rate rise very slowly and settle right at my target heart rate. It crept up only a little bit in the final mile.

This is a new system for me starting this week, since I have a new schedule (and title) at work, which is blowing up my schedule and routine. More on that later.

Average HR for entire run: 134

Mark B wrote:Barefoot Run: 4 miles, outside (briefly) and on treadmill

Weather: Frosty outside (30°), warm inside. Gear: Bare feet, shorts (once I got inside...)

I attempted to go outside this morning, but it was cold enough that it was obvious I'd lose feeling in the soles of my feet, so I headed back inside to use the treadmill. Boy, what a temperature change.

I set the TM to an 11:32 pace and was pleased to see my heart rate rise very slowly and settle right at my target heart rate. It crept up only a little bit in the final mile.

This is a new system for me starting this week, since I have a new schedule (and title) at work, which is blowing up my schedule and routine. More on that later.

Average HR for entire run: 134

I always knew you were crazy but outside...barefoot...at 30 degrees.  You've got to be kidding!

Glad to hear the run went well once you came to your senses and moved indoors.  Another option would have been shoes.

Congrats on the new title.   Hope it doesn't mess up the running schedule to much.

Congrats on the new position at work!

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:Barefoot Run: 4 miles, outside (briefly) and on treadmill

Weather: Frosty outside (30°), warm inside. Gear: Bare feet, shorts (once I got inside...)

I attempted to go outside this morning, but it was cold enough that it was obvious I'd lose feeling in the soles of my feet, so I headed back inside to use the treadmill. Boy, what a temperature change.

I set the TM to an 11:32 pace and was pleased to see my heart rate rise very slowly and settle right at my target heart rate. It crept up only a little bit in the final mile.

This is a new system for me starting this week, since I have a new schedule (and title) at work, which is blowing up my schedule and routine. More on that later.

Average HR for entire run: 134

I always knew you were crazy but outside...barefoot...at 30 degrees.  You've got to be kidding!

Glad to hear the run went well once you came to your senses and moved indoors.  Another option would have been shoes.

Congrats on the new title.   Hope it doesn't mess up the running schedule to much.

Well, when the soles of your feet get numb, it tends to negate some of that ground feedback you get through the skin. Sure, I COULD have used shoes, but barefooting is what I do to improve my running form, so I hate to miss it.

Thanks on the job! It's going to be hectic, but there are some significant upsides.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Congrats on the new position at work!

Thanks Michele! It's much of what I'm doing already, but with more responsibility and better hours.

I'll post more about it a bit later. The title is Metro Team Editor.

Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Clearing fog, 38°

Made it out for a lunchtime walk at work, along the Columbia River. It felt good to stretch the legs out and be outside.

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Clearing fog, 38°

Made it out for a lunchtime walk at work, along the Columbia River. It felt good to stretch the legs out and be outside.

Much more reasonable way to spend time outdoors.  I'm assuming you wore shoes for this walk. 

Congrats Mr. Metro Team Editor.  Hope the new schedule works well for you and that you enjoy the new responsibility.

Treadhill Workout: 3 miles @ 12% grade (1,900 feet)

Indoors, 70. Gear: Topos, shorts.

Thanks to my new job/schedule, I work all day shifts now. That's great, though it means I have to figure out when to get workouts in. I tried to cram a 60-minute treadmill hill climb in this morning, which I think is going to be my maximum I can manage.

Anyway, the climb went well. I think my HR stayed lower overall, which is a good sign.

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Clearing fog, 38°

Made it out for a lunchtime walk at work, along the Columbia River. It felt good to stretch the legs out and be outside.

Much more reasonable way to spend time outdoors.  I'm assuming you wore shoes for this walk. 

Congrats Mr. Metro Team Editor.  Hope the new schedule works well for you and that you enjoy the new responsibility.

Thanks, Nancy! It will be a lot like what I was doing before, but with more managerial responsibilities and a significantly improved schedule.

Before, I worked a Tuesday through Saturday shift, days (10-7) on Tuesday and Wednesday, nights (2-11) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It's given me lots of time to train (and talk to myself and the cats), but it's greatly impacted our ability to do things and be more social. Alec never had a shot at Boy Scouts, for example, because I could never do anything on Saturday.

My new shift is Monday through Friday, 9-6ish. I will be on call one weekend out of three in case the town burns down, but that doesn't happen very often.

It's been more than 11 years since I've had a schedule so "normal," and I and my family are happy that I'll be around more and that it'll be easier for us to do things. It's a totally new thing for Alec, and he keeps marveling at it. That's a nice thing.

Scheduling runs will be trickier for now. I can barely squeeze in an hour workout between getting Alec to school and me to work. I'm looking forward to spring, when it'll be light enough for us to maybe run after work. (Though before or after dinner will be something we'll have to figure out.) And no night shifts and no weekend shifts means we will have better opportunities to head out... and maybe even get enough sleep for a change!

I'm still a little stressed and disoriented about making it all work, but I've got a feeling it'll all work out in the end. Case in point: I was having a tough time finding time to sit down and write about all this, so I decided to try posting from my iPhone during lunch. Mission accomplished.

Success, one small step at a time.

Well most of us normal people work 8-6 ish - so we get it.  I put in a lot of 5:30 am runs in the past - even in the winter, even in my Ohio days when Shannon was 10,11,12, so it can be done.  It will take some getting used to though.  I still run one day per week at 5:30 am because I adore the company of that early morning workout.

I'm with Michele but I do ALL of my weekday runs at 5:15 or 5:30.  I'm lucky in that it's never that cold here in SoCal and I have a 5 minute drive to work but I often will run 5 miles and be at work just after 7am.  I'm just excited now as it starts getting light very soon after I start my run.  November to January I'm finishing my run and it is still dark...

Personally I hate trying to run after work.  I do it maybe once every month or two if I have something up in the morning but the traffic & trying to unwind from work just doesn't work for me.  Plus I'm often at the office until 6.  I love how peaceful it is heading out in the dark with little traffic on the roads in the morning.  Plus I'll see a coyote every once in a while...

Good luck with the new schedule.  Hopefully you will find a routine that works for you.

Mark B wrote:


It's been more than 11 years since I've had a schedule so "normal," and I and my family are happy that I'll be around more and that it'll be easier for us to do things. It's a totally new thing for Alec, and he keeps marveling at it. That's a nice thing.


Success, one small step at a time.

Wait...did I read that correctly?  You have a high school age son who is marveling at the fact that he'll be able to spend more time with you?  You must have done something right!  That's an awesome accomplishment...kudos to you, Alita and Alec!!

Sounds like the job/schedule has it's pros and cons but the pros far outweigh the cons.  I'm sure you'll figure out a training schedule that works for the everyone.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Well most of us normal people work 8-6 ish - so we get it.  I put in a lot of 5:30 am runs in the past - even in the winter, even in my Ohio days when Shannon was 10,11,12, so it can be done.  It will take some getting used to though.  I still run one day per week at 5:30 am because I adore the company of that early morning workout.

Back in my marathon training days, I used to get up crazy early and run up to 90 minutes before getting folks ready for school. But that was before Alita got the job she has now, and before high school, when we're getting up at 5:20 a.m. anyway just to get them out the door. Early morning runs will definitely be in the offing once summer rolls around, though.

Tim C wrote:I'm with Michele but I do ALL of my weekday runs at 5:15 or 5:30.  I'm lucky in that it's never that cold here in SoCal and I have a 5 minute drive to work but I often will run 5 miles and be at work just after 7am.  I'm just excited now as it starts getting light very soon after I start my run.  November to January I'm finishing my run and it is still dark...

Personally I hate trying to run after work.  I do it maybe once every month or two if I have something up in the morning but the traffic & trying to unwind from work just doesn't work for me.  Plus I'm often at the office until 6.  I love how peaceful it is heading out in the dark with little traffic on the roads in the morning.  Plus I'll see a coyote every once in a while...

Good luck with the new schedule.  Hopefully you will find a routine that works for you.

I actually really enjoyed most of those super-early runs I did years ago, even though they were run entirely in the dark. (Well, a family of yipping coyotes off in the dark somewhere got me a little nervous me once...)

I've done runs before, during and after work, and they can all work out once you get into the routine, so I'm sure it'll work out.

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:


It's been more than 11 years since I've had a schedule so "normal," and I and my family are happy that I'll be around more and that it'll be easier for us to do things. It's a totally new thing for Alec, and he keeps marveling at it. That's a nice thing.


Success, one small step at a time.

Wait...did I read that correctly?  You have a high school age son who is marveling at the fact that he'll be able to spend more time with you?  You must have done something right!  That's an awesome accomplishment...kudos to you, Alita and Alec!!

Sounds like the job/schedule has it's pros and cons but the pros far outweigh the cons.  I'm sure you'll figure out a training schedule that works for the everyone.

Yeah, the training schedule is pretty much the only downside to this scenario. I'll probably be eating less junk food, too, since I won't be eating out boredom at 9 o'clock at night at the office...

And that was a pleasant surprise from Alec, who said something to the effect of "I know I spend all of my time upstairs in my room, but it's nice just knowing you're here more." Teenagers. Whatcha gonna do?

This is a scheduled rest day, and boy do I need it. I've been quite sore lately. Those extended trail runs and hill climbs on the treadmill are definitely stimulating the system. Alita's feeling it, too, so I'm going to be modifying the long run schedule slightly. I'd inadvertently put in four weeks of mileage increases without a stepback. This was to be the third week of increasing mileage, up to 11, so I'll drop us down to 8, then do 12 the week after.

Our trail route -- a 1.83-mile loop in the woods near our house, done over and over again -- doesn't have any huge climbs in it, but neither does it have any flat spots. The whole loop is runnable, so we run almost all of it. It is so much more difficult building miles here than just heading out on the roads or bike paths, or even over in Portland's Forest Park, which has miles-long climbs and descents but less constant up-and-down work. I think that means we're getting some great conditioning out there that'll pay huge dividends as we keep at it.

We do plan to head out to other locales once the weather gets better (we may get snow today), but they'll involve lots of climbing to get us used to power hiking up a mountain for an extended period of time. That's the one part of the training we're missing, though I'm trying to replicate it on the treadmill.

Let's hope that Alec never changes!

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Let's hope that Alec never changes!

Low HR Run: 5 miles with Alita

Weather: Partly cloudy, cool. 47° Gear: Topos, shorts, long-sleeved T, jacket, gloves (used only briefly)

This is my first Saturday off in my new work schedule (Saturdays off after 11.5 years is a little disorienting, but cool) so we put off our run a little to do some errands. We ended up running in the late afternoon, which is a little different but not bad. At least it's at the warmest point of the day!

We did an easy five miles, out and back, on the least scenic route. Concrete sidewalks aren't the best running surface, but two people on country roads sounds a bit nerve-wracking right now.

The run went well, though we caught each other surging at times and had to rein it in. I kept my HR below my target for the whole run.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 128