PHT, Cadence, Foot strike...recovery and rebuilding

ounce wrote:Luckily, I've never experienced and unorganized race, before.

I would ask your high school bunch what type of cheering or things to say at a track meet that would be special between the kids and y'all.  Like doing a wave from the stands.  You remember 'the wave' done at football or baseball games where the crowd stands and puts their hands in the air like a wave in the ocean rolls by.  Even if only you show up.  It'll be that secret act of support where y'all are cool to the kids.  Their parents won't understand...like it should be.  Or wearing a certain color.

Your splits on Heart to Start looked pretty durn consistent and your cardiac creep looked to be unremarkable (meaning consistent and not cause for a concern).

Keep at it, ma'am, yet enjoy it, which seems to be the case.

Wow, congrats on your race! Very nicely done!

If it were just 4 miles, and 0 windchill,  I would opt for the treadmill. I plan to run 5 on the treadmill tomorrow just because of single digit windchills and icy roads. But I can't manage past 7 miles.

ounce wrote:3 degrees to 41?  Boy, that's a spread!  

Before I forget yet not related to running, is that the shingles vaccination is covered by Medicare, now.  It used to be $250.

So, has the cold weather and snow done anything positive for the water rations that the farm is getting.

Are you finding that your runs over the past few weeks are less onerous because there's not really a training schedule for the marathon in December, yet?  I know there's probably a schedule that you're following, but no 'nose to the grindstone' because CIM is 9 months away?

Keep at it, youngster!

• Redmond Run 10K  June 17th
  
• Todd Beamer 10K July 4th (social event)
  
• Boring Half Sept. 10th
  
• CIM Dec 3rd
  

Julie wrote:Congrats on the treadmill run! And the negative split! So sorry for Janice's shingles but thankful it's mild. When I was a freshman in college, my music theory teacher got shingles bad and was out for some time. We get days like that too with big differences between low and high. It's been windy here, too. It pretty much always is, but seems like this is our biggest time for the really high winds. 

enjoy your running! 

ounce wrote:Spring will come.  I would've liked for Winter to stick around a little longer.

I saw that Low pressure coming ashore, this evening, up where you are.  THAT explains your windy weather.  What altitude are you at?  I was looking at the Winter Storm Warning for Northern Blue Mountains at 4,500 feet and higher.

Oh, I watch short and shorter videos on FB.  Somehow, two different people started showing videos about cleaning cow hooves at a dairy farm.  One was in the US and the other in either Ireland or Scotland (they both sound the same).  I was interested in it and fascinated by how cows get them messed up.  And I thought of you and Marty, when y'all had cattle.  I never knew this business existed.  You'd think they'd clear their own hooves.

No telling what other kinds of trouble they get into.

Keep enjoying your s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g.

• 2 mile warmup @11:28
  
• 1st mile @10:42
  
• 2nd mile @10:32
  
• 3rd mile @10:21
  
• 4th mile @ 10:07
  
• 2 mile cooldown @ 10:49
  

1. 11:31
   
2. 11:13
   
3. 11:13
   
4. 11:11
   
5. 11:11
   
6. 11:13
   
7. 11:05
   
8. 10:57
   
9. 10:44
   
10. 10:10
    

ounce wrote:Those are some right fancy splits on that 10 mile run.  That's a re-assuring run, indeed.

So, how's the gimpy, muscle lifter doing?  Is he slowly feeling more whole, yet?

I have a question about Marty's toes.  The one's that have the plantar plate thing similar to my 2nd toe that's bent and not flat anymore.  I'm getting some redness on that joint that's bent, probably from rubbing against the underside of the shoe's upper.  Does he have a similar redness and what has he done about it to not become a blister or open sore?

Keep it up!

nkrichards wrote:I backed out on the group run that Janice planned for the 25th.  We got snow overnight.  Roads were snow covered a potentially slick.  Janice was determined and I was going to join in but it started snowing again and I knew Marty was nervous. The route is steep, narrow, winding, shaded, and not the safest route when the weather is good.  AND you quickly loose cell service.  I decided my safety was more important.  They survived but I got the impression Janice...and others wished they had delayed the run.  I ended up doing my 8 miles close to home.  Got in some hills.  Got caught in a snow storm.  Got in a good training run.  I missed the filled donuts. 

Marty and I are back to strength work.  We've started a new program last week and I'm taking it easy for the first few days.  It's a 5 day a week program (35-45 min per day) but I told Marty that the max I could fit in with my running was 3 days a week so we're just doing the workouts in order and not trying to keep up with the workout calendar.  It's structured much differently than the programs we've done recently.  It alternates between endurance (light weights, more reps) and power (heavier weights, less reps) each week.  And each day is different.  She also uses mostly combination moves.  For example this morning we did our bicep hammer curls while in a reverse lunge...working both the upper body and the legs.  It's different and challenging but I think it's a nice change.  Our old program was getting boring.  Marty isn't 100% but won't wait any longer.  He wants to add back in the nightly stretching as well.  I agreed as long as we aren't as aggressive.  We haven't started stretching yet.

My hamstrings have been a bit tight and the left one is whining a bit.  Not surprised as I've upped my running very slightly in both intensity and distance.  The left hamstring was never completely pain free.  I just think I need to remember to roll, stretch it, do my PT, pay attention to my running form...  It's just one of life's challenges.

The Madras Runners Challenge started today.  It's 3 weeks long.  A different course each week.  You run or walk or ?  Not timed.  It's all about getting people outside and active.  We're decorating the courses with motivational signs and chalk messages this year.  So far we have a lot of interest and people are still signing up.  Free but you have to sign up to be eligible for prizes.   We have $1000 worth of gift cards from local businesses.  I'm in charge of decorating the 2nd course next week.  I walked the first course with Katie this morning and will walk with the grandkids after school on Wednesday.  Janice will want to jog it when she gets home.

Baseball weather here.  Sunshine one minute and snow the next.  And always windy.  Actually pretty typical for spring weather but it's a cold spring.  

We're still building snow in the mountains (147% of average) which is good.  Precipitation is now up to 90%.  The reservoir hasn't recovered from several years of drought.  We've been allotted 35% of our normal water.  It could increase slightly later in the season if the weather cooperates.  I think I mentioned in the past that our basin is unusual in that the water enters the ground and remerges a year or two later in the form of spring water rather than just melting and running down the river.  As a result it takes a year or two for good snow packs to make a difference.  At least we're trending in the right direction.

Melissa is starting to build my mileage and challenge me once a week with faster stuff.  I enjoy the challenge.  I always get a bit melancholy this time of year.  I've been watching Michele, Nick, and Michael train for Boston and will track them and watch the race.  Someday maybe I'll get back there...

Ultreya...

ounce wrote:

Regarding the weights, I'm in the power/strength camp.  The endurance camp is also the 'show' or 'looks' camp.  Since my skin no longer has any elasticity, there's not much point doing endurance for show. But a positive to inelasticity would be that strength will be hidden under all of the skin.

So, has your PT person tweaked anything that you're getting in treatments?

That's a cool program the running bunch in Madras have going.  What are your thoughts on your decoration theme?

Are the water gatekeepers elected or appointed?

Keep that Boston carrot in front of you as you do better.  Did you and Melissa ever chat about a longer long run near the end of your training cycle?

nkrichards wrote:


Here's the signs that Jamie's boys made for the first week.  We'll pull them and reuse them for next week.  I also plan to let the kids chalk messages on the trail.  It's called King of the Mountain as it goes up and over the M hill and then returns the same way.  Short...1.8 miles...but steep.  I'll encourage the kids to use the King of the Mountain theme but will let them use their imagination as long as it's not inappropriate.

ounce wrote:That's cool!  Best of luck with that.

Maybe add one like "Heartbreak Hill - Dead Ahead"
"There's a bear behind you!"
"Rolling down the hill doesn't count."
"Rolling down the hill counts!"
"Having fun, yet?"
"Who suckered you into doing this?"
"Who told you you're doing this?"
"1.7 miles to go!"

ounce wrote:They look great and even happy to be there!

Welcome on the suggestion.  Just thought of another one..."Being dragged counts"  which begets..."Being carried counts."  All sorts of variation with "Being _____ counts."
"Judges are cheap to bribe."

I gather that's Madras (can't fool me), but how much of Madras is in the photo?  And what is the mountain range in the background?

Can I have a peanut butter and jelly?

Hope y'all had fun.

nkrichards wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Welcome back!    My friend Dave is looking to run CIM next year, so I may be out there as his sherpa and spectator.   It would be fun to see you - and Marty? and maybe Katie too?   I will not be running it as I'll be running XC nationals a week later in Tallahassee.

Rest up!  Ease back into it and I'm glad you had fun.  Australia and New Zealand are definitely on my list even if I have to go there by myself

Hey Michele, great to hear from you.  It's fun to follow you on Strava but it's just not the same. 
It would be fun to see you in Sacramento.  Marty will most likely drive me down.  Katie will accompany me if/when I make it back to Boston.

Any suggestions that you can offer as Melissa and I try to figure out changes we can make in my training to help me successfully run a BQ?  I'm really struggling mentally to figure out what I should do differently...or even if that's a reasonable goal at this point in my life.  I know you work with Melissa and understand her training philosophy.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  I really respect your ability and your experience.  

Speaking of experience, I know that you were able to successfully train and run through some pretty stressful times recently.  I'm not in a good place right now.  Part of me is reacting by running more and running harder to try and deal with the stress but part of me recognizes that the stresses I'm dealing with probably definitely contributed to my tough race at CIM.  Maybe I need to settle down and make sure running is helping me deal with the stress...or at least not adding to it.

So here goes...I'm going to get this off my chest and then I'm going to move forward with whatever life hands to me.

I mentioned that my Mom passed in mid-November just a few weeks before CIM and our overseas trip.  I think I also mentioned that I'm her executor.  What I didn't mention is that her estate is large, complicated, and that there are some family issues that had been bubbling up along the edges the last year or two.  I have a good attorney and I am committed to doing the right thing which is preserving family relationships even if I'm not confident Mom understood what she was being asked to do.  Those family relationships were more important to her than the money and I want to honor that.

That's the easy part.  Kevin and family came home to farm with us nearly 10 years ago.  His family has grown to 5 kids!  Our assets and our futures have become more and more entwined as the years pass.  We are dependent on his labor and technical expertise.  He is dependent on our experience and financial support.  It hasn't been the perfect partnership but we never questioned the future of that partnership.  I think 5 kids, the most severe drought in history, nearly historic inflation, and more... all combined to make him question his ability to thrive in the partnership.  His answer to the problem was to grow the farm bigger.  We balked and did not and still do not understand how that will provide him with more time for his kids but are especially unwilling to put the current farm at risk to go in debt to double the size.  Relationships have been strained since late last summer.  They reached a boiling point this fall and boiled over while we were overseas.  Emotions are high and we can't convince him to slow down and work toward a succession/separation plan that is mutually beneficial.  He insists we make decisions...immediately...that allow him to double the size of the farm and end our participation in the farm operation.  That puts our financial future in jeopardy.  Not to mention what it does to the relationship with the grandkids.  It's getting more and more nasty by the day and we don't know how/when it will be resolved.  

I pretended for a long time that I could handle the stress of Mom's decline and passing.  And that I could handle the stress of farming with our son during a drought.  And that I could run successfully at the same time.  Obviously I couldn't.  I guess I'm human after all.

I probably said more than I should have but it's said and now I intend to deal with whatever life brings and be the best runner that I can be under the circumstances.

Ultreya...

ounce wrote:That's a beautiful photo!  Would the desert looking land in the foreground be white from snow in, say, February?  A beautiful bunch of scenery sure makes the run go easier.

I have no doubt that you'll find the motivation as the days go by.  Just let your body heal up on the non-motivational days, when stats are not what they should be.  I think that'll help you out when Maggie Motivation takes up residence for the Summer.

Keep your legs happy!