TT Running Club

“Yup, you're right. It's freakin' hot in Marquette today (tho, not nearly as humid). However, as we all know, living in a severe mid-latitude climate, we're subjected to extreme high and low temperatures throughout the year. But, the average highs/lows in Marquette in July (specifically) are on average 8*F cooler than in my town. And, I'd take that any day...:-)
last edited: 7/16/05 8:27:34 PM”

“WOW

So I am without family this week and decided to do what any self respecting temporary bachelor would do...GO TRAIL RUNNING!!!!!

It was hella hot and muggy today. I vowed to get out anyway. As luck would have, a very nice and very long rain storm came my way.

The route I ran is a techinical singeltrack mtn bike trail. Its was recently rerouted so I was eager to see the changes. I was not let down, more hills, tighter turns and switch backs, more rocks,roots etc...With the rain I had the added bonus of mud and puddles. The temp droppped about 15 degrees and the rain felt cool, it stopped 4 miles in and it got pretty muggy but bearable. The wet leaves that over hung the trail were refreshing. The highpoint was coming up on a doe and her two fawns, they were so beautiful full red summer coats. The woods seemes almost primevel today, the ferns were thick and bushy, the understory crowded every space as the branches nad leaves fought for room to grow, the smell was amazing wet pine needles, and sweet loamy earth. Silence but for my breathing,muffled footfalls and rain falling steadily.

Today is the reason I run.”

“Very nicely said, Birch.

---

“You gotta adapt, darlin'.”
le Subtil

I should expand upon that; I didn't mean it as just a flip answer.
What I was thinking is, that if you do run when it's hot and muggy, start slow, stay hydrated, etc. you'll build up a tolerance to it, just like anything else.
When it's summer, I train after work as it's the warmest part of the day. It makes those hot summer races seem easier. Conversely, in the winter I train first thing in the morning.

I remember part of one of the Tom Brown books, where he asks his "grandfather" why the cold dosen't bother him. The old indian grandfather answered "Because, it's real"

All that said tho, I realize some folks have more problems w/ heat than I...

10 days till my first trail marathon!!!”

“Well put LS, exposure really helps. You'd think that I would be more accustomed to the heat, I havent worked in AC in years (maybe a day here and there). I hate running in town in the heat and humidity, the exhaust and pollution hang like a dirty wet blanket. If I am on the trails, I could care less.”

“Woohoo....I ran this morning for the first time in over a week...foot was a little stiff but no pain!!”

“I've not run all week, my ankles have been really sore from the 16 mile hike i did saturday, plus the blisters.....

got another big backpack trip this weekend, so i might be off the streets next week too - we shall see though.

Already did my July race anyway :)”

“Anyone doing the Detroit Marathon?

Anyone train with a heart rate monitor?
Does it help?
Sometimes I feel like I don't push hard enough on my weekday runs.”

“Hi le Subtil!

I did a lot of HRM training prior to my marathon this past December, where I ran a 3:12:53. So I think it really helped.

There were three types of training where I used it.

First, I occasionally wore it during my long runs to ensure that I was running slow enough. I have a tendency to try to run everything as hard as I can, and it's important to run the long runs slowly. I would have a max heart rate in mind (don't remember what it was right now - maybe 145 or so?), and would check it often to make sure I wasn't going above it.

The second, most technical usage was on tempo runs. Somehow I figured out a range of HR's that were appropriate for a tempo run (maybe like 160-165??). On those, I would set the watch part of it to beep at me whenever I strayed outside of the range. I think I was usually doing 30-minute tempo runs.

Finally, I would use it during track/interval workouts. I would record a lot of data to tell me what kind of shape I was in. Basically, for each interval (work and rest) I would get the starting HR, the average, and the ending (the ending HR during the work interval was also usually the max for that interval). I would put these into a spreadsheet and just go over them for a few minutes to get a sense of whether I really worked as hard as I had planned or if I was slacking off. Also, I looked for the ending HR of the rest interval both during and after the workout, as that is a sign of whether you are working hard or working too hard. Sometimes I would do a workout where I would start a new work interval when my HR got down to some predetermined rate.

Whichever type of workout I did I would also record my HR 1:00 after finishing and 5:00 after. Those numbers also helped me figure out what kind of shape I was in. Toward the end of my training, I found that, in the tempo runs, I was running as hard as I could, but just couldn't keep my HR high enough to be in the desired range. I believe this meant that my heart was in really, really good shape for an endurance race.

My weekly training typically consisted of a longish run, a tempo run, and a track workout, with other runs fit in between as appropriate to hit the mileage I wanted.

I guess it worked.


And, no, I'm not doing the Detroit Marathon! :-)
last edited: 7/21/05 12:03:25 PM”

“upluver, great to hear about the run. hopefully many more will follow...

LS, I use an HRM often. Bowlderman laid out the same reasons and types of workouts that I also do (at least when training). The HRM is cool also because I get an idea of my actual effort during any given run (calories burned,duration and most of all ave heart rate). A great example is that after my adventure race a while back my HR for a typical 6 mile run at a 10min pace was 154, 2 weeks later it was 131 beats for the same 6 miles. The hard data is really intersting to me. It is also a big motivator on a speedwork day.

I dont like em on trail runs since the HR can flucatuate so much due to hills etc...Polar makes some really nice ones for around $100 or so. Its well worth it.

Oh yeah, I dont know about detroit...I may run the half. It depends on if I do a big run in sept. You?
last edited: 7/21/05 7:20:15 PM”

“Two days in a row and all is good :)
Well all except running intervals the day after doing leg workouts probably wasn't such a good idea!!....lol going up and down steps is a little challenging right at the moment!

I have a HRM that I really need to use more when I'm running...I used to use it all the time when I was doing a lot of bike riding, just can't ever seem to remember to grab it in the morning....maybe cause I'm only half awake! lol”

“They posted the times for the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival that I ran July 9/10.

I didn't place very well, tho I thought I was running ok. Maybe these trail runners are even more competitive than road runners?

10K - 50:47.00 18th of 22 in age group, 130th of 222 overall.

5.8K Hill Climb - 39:30.00 17th of 19 in age group, 115th of 179 overall.

25K - 2:55:42 13th of 16 in age group, 103th of 157 overall.

Not that I really care a lot about the standings. I had a lot of fun, got to spend a long weekend in one my favorite places, and ran some really incredible trails.”

“BTW, I signed up for the Crim 10K ”

“I think G is going to run the Crim 5K. I'm looking at a women's only race in Flint in late September. Hopefully the weather will cool off a bit and I can get back to running!”

“I'm doing an "Urban" Adventure Race in August and looking at another one similar in September.”

“Anyone up for the Tioga Pass run in September? It goes from Lee Vining near Mono Lake up 3000' in 12.6 miles to the east entrance of Yosemite.

I've driven the road several times and it's a white knuckle ride. I don't remember there being much of a shoulder though.

http://www.basecampcafe.com/tioga.htm”

“They posted the results for the Grand Island Trail Marathon that I ran July 30th.

I ran a 3:58:35.
12th out of 27 in my age group.
56th out of 156 overall.

I'm happy. I ran the whole thing hard. I never walked or got tired, or hit any "walls". It was a fairly rugged and hilly course, demonstrated by the winner's time - 2:43:35.

It sure was a beautiful place. I want to post my pics to webshots but I have to first pay them, again...

I promised my joints that I'd take a whole week off if they got me through that one, and they did, so I totally rested all last week. Drove me nuts. It sure felt great to get out and run Saturday!!!

Next weekend is the 10 mile "Run thru Hell (Mi.)"

Anyone interested in running a marathon in Death Valley beginning of December? I don't want to travel that far alone.”

“Great time Le Subtil!

DV sounds interesting but I don't think I'll ever rub a marathon, I'll stick to 10ks for a few years.”

“Reptiles, there is a 10K too...”

“I've been running w/ the Brooks Adrenaline GTS shoes for a while now. I'm on my second pair. I find them to be very comfy and have had absolutely no problems. Brooks is one of the few brands of running shoes w/ a wide enough toe box to comfortably fit my feet.

But, I recently found a pair of Salomon XA Pro II shoes on the REI Outlet site and picked them up. I'm in love. I love them more than my Brooks. I wore them the last two mornings while running, both on packed gravel and asphalt and they felt very natural.

http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/47966157.htm?vcat=OUTLET_SSHP_FOOTWEAR_SA

Just thought I'd share...”

“Am running 20 mile long run for my birthday this Saturday. Hey, has any runner out there noticed a real decrease in their times as you have continued to train, or do you seem to maintain your pace?”

“I've been running since highschool, but never had any desire to run a marathon. 10K is long for me, then again, I was a miler when I competed.

I try to run about 25 to 30 per week, but prefer short, fast, tempo runs. The longest I go these days is about 7.”

“applesauce, I have noticed that my pace varies widely based on my training nad what I am training for. I generally dont train for speed but do notice that by the end of summer I tend to be faster (I run with my dogs when its not too hot and muggy, I really run after them LOL). But by late winter my speed drops unless I don lots of winter speed work.

Good find on the shoes tarabull, I need some new ones myself.”

“I wonder why Goodyear does not make running shoes? They'd last a few thousand miles, wouldn't they?”

“Those steel belts might be heavy.”

“Oh.”

“This weekend I get to Run Thru Hell !

I started doing some speed work for the first time, at the nearby high school track. What the training program calls "strides". Kicked my butt!”

“Watch out NCAA XC teams!!!


http://gostanford.collegesports.com/sports/c-xc/spec-rel/081705aaa.html”

“The distance of my regular runs has shortened since a friend has decided she wants to get into running. Last week and this week, we ran two miles in the morning, several mornings a week. Still running occasional weekends w/ dad, when I'm home. But, for now, I'm dedicating my running to my friend. It's been kinda nice to jog slow and short w/out trying to keep up w/ pops.

She's set a goal for a 5k in September. We'll be running it together.”

“That's way cool. If she sticks with it you'll have made a significant contribution to her life... and what will it have cost you? :)”

“Any of you MI runners running the CRIM this weekend? I'll be there, but not running. Just wondering if I should be on the lookout and cheering you on!”

“I think Lesubtil was planning on running two of the races (is that possible?).”

“I was supposed to do a 5K skate race and a 5K running race in Ohio last Saturday, but I had to work. That might be what you're thinking of.

I am running the 10 mile at the Crim this coming Saturday. I get to run with (albeit way behind) the Kenyans...”

“G is running the 5K, but its a 5 miler at teh Crim, right? I don' think he knows that....

LS - I'll look for ya behind the kenyans!”

“There is a 5K, an 8K, and a 10 miler.

Smiley, if ya see me, say Hi. I haven't seen you in ages...”

“ Keweenaw Trail Running Festival pics

Grand Island Marathon pics ”

“How did the 10 mile go for you, LS? G did well in the 8K- the first time he ran that distance. 48:48 was his time. He made his goal to be under 50 minutes.


I didn't realize how large that race really is. THere were and unbelievable amount of people in Flint. And 7000 running the 10 mile race. Unbelievable.

Weather held off until we were walking back to the car. G was already soaked from rinsing off under the spray, but I got soaked from the rain. Felt nice.”

“After spending two weeks in the rare air of the Rockies, I'm disappointed to report that my almost four-mile route at 800' was not any easier!”

“I took 1st in my age division at the B.A.R.C. (Bay Area Running Club) annual Labor Day 10K. Never got a 1st before.”

“You RAWK, dude!”

“good job le Subtil!”

“Wowee Lesubtil! Good job!! =D”

“Congrats, ls.”

“Completed my highest mileage week of the year yesterday, running a 9-miler to reach a whopping 29 miles from Monday to Sunday. That also put me at my highest mileage for any month, at a hair under 90 for September. Barring some disaster at work, I might actually hit 100 miles before we get to October. Hard to believe I was hitting the century mark on almost every month last year on my way to that December marathon. Sure is nice to be running more....”

“YEAH!!!! Strung together 3 miles at just a tad over 7 minutes each tonight.

65 degrees and 5% humidity is good for me!

This was reaching a HUGE milestone for me.

We'll see how it holds up in the Race For the Cure on Sunday morning.”

“Nice work, Roam! You may have to change your handle to something that sounds a little faster, like "Zoom" or "Whoosh."

I reached 100 miles for the month yesterday, the first time all year. I looked back at last year's mileage, and September was the first month over 100 miles after 3 months under. I went on to run that marathon last year, so I guess I'm not as far out of shape as I thought. Just slow.”

“I'm shooting for a marathon next fall. Got a long ways to go to get ready.”

“I'll send you my training plan from last year - you may be able to run one sooner than you think!”

“Roam, you have mail!!”

“Thanks dood!”