Highlight of the Week: Fitting in some weekday runs despite a loco 4+ hour (total for the day) commute!
Monday | October 27, 2014: teaching strength class
Strength: body bars, Difficulty: easy, Felt: tired/meh
Tuesday | October 28, 2014: 8 m run
Loc: hood, Temp: 64°/60°, Time: 1:18:29, Pace: 9:48 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great, annoyed with the wind
Wednesday | October 29, 2014: 8.5 m run
Loc: hood, Temp: 46°/45°, Time: 1:24:29, Pace: 9:56 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great, still annoyed by the wind
Thursday | October 30, 2014: 10.1 m run
Loc: hood, Temp: 34°/34°, Time: 1:39:09, Pace: 9:49 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, happy it wasn’t windy, ha ha
Friday | October 31, 2014: teaching strength class + 4 m run
Strength: body bars, Difficulty: easy, Felt: peppy
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 37°/36°, Time: 37:45, Pace: 9:25, Difficulty: easy, Felt: energetic (somehow not annoyed by 25mph winds
Saturday | November 1, 2014: 21.6 m run (w/Bobbi for second quarter)
Loc: DPRT, Temp: 35°/39°, Time: 3:43:58, Pace: 10:22 avg, Difficulty: mostly easy, Felt: good, tired for the last few miles
Sunday | November 2, 2014: 3.3 m run
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 29°/33°, Time: 31:55, Pace: 9:41 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: decent
Notes:
- Woo hoo! October was my first (and maybe only) 200 mile month of the year! One more high mileage month before the marathon in December!
- During my runs in the dark this week I was thinking how good it is for me to run without daylight… because I don’t stop as much as I do when it’s light out, to take photos! Ha ha. Although, I did stop at the house for water, and one time, ended up petting Data for a few minutes. Oops. (Data is so cute – whenever I run before work he watches out the door for me the entire time – ha ha, just kidding – I know he’s watching wildlife and blowing leaves)
- Speaking of stopping for water, it’s getting to be that (colder) time of year where I can be lazy about carrying water. In the summer, I’ll carry my handheld for a three miler! In the fall/winter, I won’t take it until I am doing six or more. How do your water carrying habits change between the hot and cold months?
- I have been remembering my electrolyte tabs for my long runs! And now it’s the Vaseline for my nose I am forgetting (I need it in the winter – my nose gets chapped)! I should just put it by the tabs, ha ha.
- There was a skunk sighting this week. Sigh.
- On Friday we had 25 mph winds with 50 mph gusts, so I did something I haven’t for almost two years – wore headphones for my run (to block out the wind)! The headphones succeeded in making me feel more annoyed with them than the wind (they are bluetooth and I had to carry my phone for the songs to not cut out – my vest pocket/bra wouldn’t work). But once I got them to work the beats gave me a speed boost. Maybe I’ll wear them for my next 5K!
- I got sick to my stomach twice during my long run this week, I think, because of a Clif Gel I took. It’s one with 100 mg of caffeine, which gives me a huge energy boost, but bothers my stomach. Gah. I wish the flavors with OMG ALL THE CAFFEINE didn’t have to be chocolate-y or coffee-y!
- I stood up for quite a few hours after my long run, working on my computer. I think being on my feet really helped my recovery!
- So many bullets this week! AHHHHH!!! Last one, I promise. For my past two long runs (and several random runs) I’ve turned my Garmin to a screen that only shows overall moving time, rather than showing that plus distance and pace. This allows me to focus on running naturally, rather than worrying about pace. A lot of people talk about running “naked” (sans electronic devices like this) for the same reason, but I still like having the data for later. Do you ever run with a GPS watch but ignore the stats during the run?
Sometimes I put my garmin in a pocket or spibelt to run “naked.” I also like to have the data later!
Hammer Gel has a tropical flavor with caffeine (vegan!).
I’m not sure if you consider power gels to be vegan (it says made in a facility that also processes dairy and soy), but they have several fruity flavors with caffeine too. LMK if you want some strawberry banana as we have a TON! I can send you a few.
That is a good idea, too! 😀
Ahh, I have not tried them! How much caffeine is in it? I am okay with made in a facility with that stuff. I would love to try some, thank you!!!! 🙂
That’s funny you mentioned the vasoline for your nose, because I forgot that too. My nose was so chapped and dry that when I went to scratch it on my run this morning, I took a huge chunk of skin off. Now I look like Rudolph.
Ouch ouch ouch! And you would think that would make us remember, right? Sigh! I hope we both do, next time!!!! 🙂
holy miles….nice work. I like all your reflective gear…I need to invest in some more. My nose chaps too, it’s weird right? Sometimes I won’t run with a watch but I like all the numbers afterwards too but it is refreshing.
Thanks! My vest is a Brooks one I got on Amazon! Let me know if you want the link?
It’s annoying, is what it is! Ha! Mine is peeling today. Womp womp.
Have you tried Huma chia gels? I tried one for the first time today. I got a pretty good boost from it halfway through a 10-miler. I don’t think it has caffeine in it, but it was great for a little boost!
200 miles! Rockstar.
Oh gosh, this is horrible, but I was sent two to try years ago and they scared me and I never did. How is the consistency of them? I should try them!
The high caffeine gels bother my stomach, too. I tried one of the Clif gels that’s a double shot of espresso (can’t remember the exact name of the flavor) and wretched after swallowing it. Not for me. My dogs distract me when I stop at home in the middle of a run–so hard to ignore the cute fuzzy critters!
Wow 200 miles that is a crazy amount of miles. Keep up the great work and I can’t wait for your race.
Gu had gels with caffeine that aren’t the real heavy flavors. I can’t do the chocolate/peanut butter/etc flavors for running. But give me a passion fruit with caffeine any day!
Bummer about not feeling good on your long run. I hate it when I try to eat and then don’t feel good after. 🙁 I am bad about carrying water at ALL unless I’m going over 10 miles. I know, bad habit. Congrats on your high-mileage month! That’s awesome!
I hate it too! Makes me not want to eat any more after that, but I need to!
I have been reading your posts and am surprised how much less water you need than me! But! We are all different! 🙂
Thank you!
YOU SAW ANOTHER SKUNK?? You have got to be kidding me! What powers do you have to attract these creatures?
Ha ha ha! Maybe they think that we smelly creatures should stick together! 🙂
I like Hammer Nutrition gels. They just came out with a new one, Hazelnut Chocolate, and cannot wait to try it. 200 miles? Amazing!!