TT Running Club

“It's a funny little park Roam, real small, maybe 20-30 acres. The biggest loop that's "blazed" is 1.1 miles. There are side trails everywhere though and one can easily run a different lap everytime, without trying, lol.”

“is that the same place you and i got lost in, sass?

i did a dayhike in Orion Oaks county park today. it would make a great place to run. a couple really decent hills, too. lots of fall colors right now. (see the "dog park" album in my webshots page)”

“Same place. I figured out the 1.1 mile loop this summer but it all looks so different with the leaves coming down....”

“going good getting back in the rythem after my ankle issues. Planning on another 5k race in a couple of weeks. I've been doing two mile runs for a week or so, on an every other day basis, kinda testing the ankle and it seems like it'll be fine. I also went and got fitted for some shoes, which I LOVE!

Stepping it up a notch today to be race ready in a couple of weekends. I'll start timeing myself and doing some 400 intervals at the track a couple of times a week too - gotta beat my time in the last one.”

“ok, committed now - for the 8th Annual Phantom 4 Miler!

my daughter is also registered for the Kids Trick or Trot Mile.

this'll be fun, theres a Pumpkin Dash following the races. She'll get a shirt too since she's registered for the Trick or Trot mile. heee heee”

“Nice, roam! I'm headin' up to the track tonight myself for some quarters. Should be interesting - it's abso-freakin-lutely pouring right now with 50 mph wind gusts. Yikes!”

“just put the wind at your back and set some PRs in the 100 meter!”

“did three miles tonight - including a PR at 8:53 on the first mile - 27:23 for all three. Felt good.”

“Sounds like you folks are wearing out your running shoes. Way to go. I put in fifteen with three fives on Fri, Sat, and Sun. This five mile distance seems just right for now. It is quite nice to be without any nagging injuries.”

“I am back again after a short break. Did a couple 5 milers so far, not fast or anything but nice. I am anxiously awaiting my new shoes to arrive this week, my legs willl be soooooooo happy!

dunadan glad to hear your still at it. Nagging injuries are a pain for sure. There is a lot to be said for running just cause its fun in and of itself. a tight training regimine can really suck the life out it.”

“400s went OK earlier this evening - averaged about 89-90 seconds for 8 of 'em, with about 90 seconds rest. Then I did 4 200s, all under 40. Seems really slow compared to what I used to do in the not so distant past, but I then remind myself that I haven't done much speed work in the past couple years, so I guess it's OK. Felt good, though.

Doom, that 5-miler comfort level is a good sign. Just stick with that for a while....”

“I must report on a weird couple of workouts. First, I ran 8 400s at the track the other night - as I reported earlier, it went fine (not real fast, but whatever). My heart rate during the 400s was remarkably low, around 160 average during each interval, and maxes of only about 170. Last night, I did 30:00 of tempo. Sometimes I've felt too fatigued to run fast enough to get my HR into the appropriate range. Well, last night I felt fine, but I just couldn't get my HR fast enough. Out of the 30:00 where I was supposed to be in that HR range, only 5 minutes was within the range and the rest below.

This means I either A) I'm getting to be in such good shape my heart barely even notices when I'm running fast; B) I was actually running a lot slower than I thought; or C) my heart is gradually slowing down and I won't make it to the end of this po--”

“someone call 911!!!!

no, i think your workouts are starting to work for you.”

“Report and Race Highlights...

Ran my first Half-Marathon this morning w/ my dad, Papabull.

It's an international course that crosses the US/Canadian border twice. Once over the Ambassador Bridge and once through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. (This tunnel is the only "international underwater mile in the world."

The course starts at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. From there, you run through Corktown (Detroit's oldest neighborhood) then Mexicantown (Highlight #1, live Mariachi band!). After that, you run (or walk a bit...) up the Ambassador Bridge over the Detroit River which was where I last saw Papabull (Highlight #2, Sunrise over the Detroit River and Windsor, Canada. Beautiful). The next four miles are in a Windsor park on the bike/walk trail along the Detroit River (Highlight #3, Bagpipe players in the park). The park offers great view of the Detroit Skyline, along w/ art sculptures and waterfalls. Runners then run down and up through the Detroit-Windsor tunnel (Highlight #4, Michigan Govenor, Jennier Granholm high-fiving runnersas we exit the bridge into the US, including the First Gentleman who was just in front of me). The course takes you through another section of Corktown and the theatre district before heading you back towards Woodward Avenue. The race finishes through the 1/4 mile tunnel into Ford Field, Home of the Detroit Lions. Finish line is on the 30 yard line (Highlight #5, finishing).

I don't know my time, exactly. I think it was right around 2:10. I'll know when they post the results. Papabull finished about 2:04. Both of our paces were slower than the paces for our last few weeks of long runs (9:20s to 9:30s). Not sure why. I started feeling pretty low at around the 9-mile mark and had to push to finish. My left knee started hurting around mile 7 and is still sore. Besides that and a really sore right calf, I'm feeling alright. Papabull says his hips are sore but feels fine.

I was pulled aside for a quick interview by the Detroit Free Press cause the guy was interested in my shirt (https://www.kintera.com/AccountTempFilesSSL/Account8747/images/_2040487296656.jpg.) I'll get to see tomorrow if they print anything from our interview.

I have one pic on my digital camera that we took after the race at the car. I'll post it later.”

“Excellent, tb!!

Running slower than you expect just happens sometimes - there's not always a reason. BowlderGal is from the Detroit area, so she went out to watch the marathon a couple of times to see friends who were running.

Nice shirt. Let's hope the rest of your state has a similar perspective - mine's doing our part....”

“BTW, just got back from a 12+ mile run. I averaged about 7:30-7:45 - felt great! Marathon is 6 weeks from today....”

“Suuuure... rub it in! lol!! (yes, I'm kidding)

I forgot to mention that the 1st place Marathon runner finished less than 10 minutes after I finished the half. lol. 2:19:27. I was still on the field and was able to see him come through the finish line. Pretty cool”

“Tara! If you had timed it just right, people might have thought you were racing him to the finish! That actually happened in the steeplechase in the '96 Olympics. An American guy had been doing really well in the prelims, but hurt his leg in the semi. So he ran in the final anyway, really slow (for him). He ended up getting lapped just as the winner and 2nd place guy were reaching the finish - so he's in all the photos of the exciting finish. I'm convinced he did that on purpose....

7:30-45 sounds fast until you start talking to some of my buddies, like the 47-year-old guy who ran a 1:15 half marathon last weekend - yikes! Actually, my run this morning felt fairly fast, but I'll have to run almost a minute a mile faster to get under 3:00 in the marathon - double yikes!”

“Official race results were posted this evening. My finish time was 2:11:26, a pace of 10:02. Papabull's official time was 2:03:55, a pace of 9:28.

We placed 1,140 amd 831, respectively, out of 2275.

So.... experienced runners... What did I do to my knee? I can't put much pressure on it and it's swollen and extremely sore. All I remember about that leg was some muscle spasms during the race, but it happened in the right calf, not the knee. The left knee, the one that bothered me a little during the race, is mostly fine. But, the right is a wreck. What did I do?? :-(”

“btw, TT docs, the pain is on the outside of the knee, more towards the back than the front, if that makes any sense. And, it doesn't hurt as much when my knee is completely straight or completely bent. The pain is worst when my knee is just slightly bent (nearly straight) even w/out putting any pressure on it.

I'm 31... why do I feel 81? lol”

“Hmmmm. Often, pain on the outside of the knee is iliotibial band syndrome, but when I had that (a loooooooong time ago), there wasn't any swelling. Usually, IMHO, pain + swelling = visit to the doc....

Good luck - it's probably nothing....”

“that is so cool that you did this!! and you got interviewed! let us know if you show up in the paper!

hope your knee feels better.”

“...and now I don't feel like it anymore. :(

Tried to run today, had to see how much I am slacking...and was plesently surprised. 5 miles in 56 minutes. Darn, I thought that was pretty good. I guess not.

I never was great in running though. I can't continuesly run the complete 6 miles, I have to speed walk in between. I think I start out too fast. Hey..I am still a newbie in this.”

“WOOT!! @ tarabull”

“Good Job Tara glad to hear you made it. I had thought about doing this race but by the time I check into it the half marathon it was booked and I was defiantly in no shape to do a full marathon. I am planning on signing up for next year’s race, it looks like fun.

Sorry to hear about your knee problem that can be a real nuisance but since this is the first time you complained about it hopefully you just strained it and a little ice and rest and you will be back in action again. I have had problems with my knees but custom orthotics and specific strengthening exercises and I haven’t had a problem since.

Congratulations again, and good luck with the legs!!”

“Way to go Gemini. Running a 10K is nothing to sneeze at. Many, if not most, participants in recreational 10K runs do some walking during the race.

You should be proud of your 5 mile run. There are definitely experienced runners out there that you would pass at that pace. Get the bug and keep running - you will only get faster.”

“Tarabull, take it easy on that leg for a few days. Pain is common, swelling isn't. Maybe check with the doc.

And congratulations on the successful half marathon!!”

“Congrats! However, it sounds like you did some damage to your knee. No shyt, huh? Best you go see the doc, and in no time at all, you will be on meds and told to rest the knee while it is placed immobile in a brace of some sort. Hopefully, it won't interfer with you ability to tip a cold one to thy lips. For medicinal purposes only...the cold one, that is.”

“Congratulations Tarabull, I know you worked hard for this race, and it paid off. Sounds like the scenery was really interesting too.
I would have liked to ran that one.

The guy I work with that ran the full marathon did what he wanted to do, too. Got a 3:18.

5 more days 'till my 1/2 on Mackinaw Island. I've gotten 13.2 long runs in for the last 4 weekends; and I'm feeling pretty good.”

“Thanks everyone!

I woke up this morning and started moving about w/ barely any pain in my knee... for aobut one minute. lol. It's back. Tho, the swelling seems to be gone. I'll take it easy for a couple days and if it doesn't seem to be improving, I'll visit my doc.

Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/sports/othersports/marathon/2004/marathonline25e_20041025.htm

To clarify what he quoted... When I said at least two dozen ppl tapped me on the shoulder, they were all ppl who were giving positive feedback about my shirt. No one said anything mean or viscious; Everyone was a good sport about it.”

“Great time Tara! Good job Chicky. I'm really glad you were able to do the run. Feeling like you're 81, instead of 31, after your first half marathon is normal. ;)”

“Great job tarabull! Hopefully the knee will be ok, my right knee does something similar if I've put it thru a lot of stress hiking up and down big climbs, or running longer/harder than it's used to. Rest and advil makes it better. I only get a small amount of swelling though, very little really.”

“With a week still left to the month, I've already reached my highest mileage for any month this year at 122 miles. My 41 miles for last week was my highest mileage week of the year, too. Heck, it was my highest week and is my highest month since October of '01!”

“So, what do you all know about sports-induced asthma? (I know Tarabull knows somehting about it.) We had a fitness goals seminar during lunch today, and I asked the lady what I could do to keep from geting so darned winded while running. She told me to get checked out by my doctor for sports-induced asthma. I recall one day this summer where my boyfriend pushed me a little too hard and I ended up wheezing. I can't run more than a 1/2 mile or so without feeling like I better stop or I'll pass out.”

“Scary, I know squat about asthma, sorry.

Tarabull, congrats on your run. When is your first marathon?”

“lol. Everyone asks that question. I don't have the desire to run a marathon. Besides that, my current work/school/homework schedule would make it literally impossible to devote the necessary amount of time.

I didn't even train as much as I was supposed to for the half. I cut out, usually, one run a week in the last four weeks.

SG - does the wheezing happen on the inhale or the exhale? From what I've been told, that helps to diagnose whether you have asthma.”

“Tara, I recall you saying once that you'd never run a 1/2 marathon, but now that you've been bitten, its only a matter of time LOL.”

“The Phantom 4 Miler is this weekend. Gotta love the theme races - my daughter is entered in the Kids Trick or Trot Mile - which should be kinda interesting - i really hope she gets a race shirt out of it.

I still havn't set a goal for this yet - my training is just now getting me to where a 4 mile distance is doable and I haven't timed myself at that distance yet.

I have managed to take about 1:20 or so off my 5k time from the last race i did, which is a very satisfying thing for me.”

“1:20 is a substantial chunk of time. Run like the wind!”

“yeah, it made me think my distance measurment is off, but you gotta remember that when I did the 5k i'd only just barely gotten to where I could actually run that distance at all. So my starting point was pretty conducive to showing dramatic improvement.”

“Olympics up next, eh roam???


Did another tempo run late afternoon today. Again, it seemed somewhat difficult to run fast enough to get my HR into tempo run zone, but I succeeded. Part of the route I ran was on an accurately measured 1.5 mile stretch. I ran it in 10 minutes flat, or 6:40 pace. Very pleased with that. It means I'm in the ballpark of being able to do this sub-3 thing (6:50 pace) in 6 weeks....”

“Olympics up next, eh roam???

hardee har har


hardly - i'd kinda like to do a half sometime in the next year - maybe in the spring perhaps - we'll see. But at this point I really can't see myself ever hitting a 6:00 pace. I'd be tickled to death if I could ever get to a sub 8:00 pace. (I'm at 9:00+ now)”

“Tarabull, I've only had the wheezing twice, I think, and I was so scared I don't know whether it was in the inhale or exhale. I would venture to guess it was on the inhale. I don't get to the wheezing point often because I wuss out before that. It just seems like I breath pretty heavily the entire time I run, and with the training it doesn't really get any easier.”

“Oh, by the way, I ran/walked 2 miles on the treadmill today. Big victory for me, since I've been non-active for the last several months.”

“I'd see a doc, scary. I think asthma is very treatable. Heck, you see people in the Olympics grabbing for their inhalers every so often....”

“Wow, total crash and burn 20 minutes into my run last night - just an easy 6-miler with BowlderSon riding his bike with me. Had to stop and walk for about 5 minutes, then was able to jog really slowly for another 5, then had to stop again, then jogged again for 10, then had to walk again. Didn't think I'd make it home!

I had eaten my usual lunch, and also ate a pear mid-afternoon. Had 3 big glasses of water during the afternoon, so wasn't dehydrated. Hmmmmm.

Planning to do 4x1-mile with about 4 minutes rest between each one after work today. Hope I can make it!
last edited: 10/29/04 1:15:04 PM”

“maybe your body was just taking a chance to beyatch at you last night.”

“SG. I'm certainly not ane expert... But, the way I understand it, wheezing on the exhale would be a possible sign of asthma. And, exercise induced asthma is more prominent in cold and/or dry months.


The knee is still not working so good :-( Much less pain than the first few days but I'm still getting the pain in the side of my knee when I bend/straighten. Biggest problem is walking down stairs, or downhill at all. Going up isn't too bad. Bottom line - no running for me this weekend.

Good luck on your race, le subtil!”

“Hi Tara!

Sorry to hear about the knee--maybe you strained the muscles around it and just aggravated it by continuing to run?

...and I love your T-Shirt! :-) Are you going down to Hart Plaza on Monday?! :-) Let me know if you do...I work minutes from there...

We need to get together again, soon!

Scary-- on exercise induced asthma-- I have it and my doc gave me an inhaler which helps-- I also get wheezy when it gets cold or in a smoky area... might be a good thing to check up with your doc!”