The Running Thread - 2018

[GollyGadget]

@IamTrike how did you connect Hourglass Lake with Bonnet Creek and Caribbean Beach? That sounds like a good solution.

I was at Pop a couple of weeks ago and found this route to get to CBR. There's a cast member underpass with sidewalk to get across Century Dr. I've had good luck just looking at Google maps to find running routes.

 

[Baloo in MI]

@GollyGadget Thank you!!

 

[LSUlakes]

In a related question... When spending several days at Disney in the middle of a training cycle, do you stick to your scheduled mileage? Or, do you cut back on mileage knowing you will be spending a lot more time on your feet at the parks?

I am having this same thought process as well for our trip in September. Our trip is during the first week of my official marathon training plan as well. Leading up to it, I should be running more miles than the first week calls out for. My plan for now is to run the days I am supposed to run, but the distance may be shortened based on how late we are out and if the park we are going to in the AM has EMH.

Man, you really can't let this thread go more than a couple of days, huh?

Some weeks are busier than others, this one had a good amount activity. Also, our group seems to be growing as well, so we have a lot more people posting. I would say this is good news though, as we share our answers we can all learn from one another. Looking back on last years thread, we are around the same pace. The weekends are quite though.

 

[CDKG]

I am having this same thought process as well for our trip in September. Our trip is during the first week of my official marathon training plan as well.

I am planning a week and a half in Orlando in late October, right in the middle of training for my first marathon! My friends are not runners, so I will be on my own getting the miles in. At least I have plenty of time to research and think about it.

 

[LSUlakes]

I have a question for the group. 2017 was not a good running year for me. I ended the year with less than 600 miles. My schedule is now allowing me some more free time to get back to it. For anyone who has taken a extended break, how long did it take for you to get back to your normal paces? I know the distance will take a while to work back up to, but I was not expecting the speed to be so much slower for me. @DopeyBadger perhaps you have a scientific approach to this?

 

[CDKG]

I have a question for the group. 2017 was not a good running year for me. I ended the year with less than 600 miles. My schedule is now allowing me some more free time to get back to it. For anyone who has taken a extended break, how long did it take for you to get back to your normal paces? I know the distance will take a while to work back up to, but I was not expecting the speed to be so much slower for me. @DopeyBadger perhaps you have a scientific approach to this?

I only logged 595.5 miles in 2017 myself (I was too embarrassed to share that one on twitter...) I started building up my base again in mid-October and felt like I was back up to speed by early December. So, for me it was about 7 weeks.

Stick with it and your fitness will return. You might find that you're even stronger than before! A little break does a body good once in a while.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I have a question for the group. 2017 was not a good running year for me. I ended the year with less than 600 miles. My schedule is now allowing me some more free time to get back to it. For anyone who has taken a extended break, how long did it take for you to get back to your normal paces? I know the distance will take a while to work back up to, but I was not expecting the speed to be so much slower for me. @DopeyBadger perhaps you have a scientific approach to this?

Not completely the same, but 11 weeks of non-activity drops performance by about 25.7% according to this research (link). I've got to imagine the loss in fitness eventually levels off, but it does appear there is a doubling effect according to their chart.

0-7 days = none
10-14 days = 6%
14-30 days = 12%
30-63 days = 19%
63 days = 26%

Using this and continuing the trend (which it does not have to be this way):

126 days = 52%
250 days = 104%

But this is non-activity, not a reduced mileage base. But it usually takes about equal time to 75% of the time to get back to where you were. It will certainly take several weeks/months to get back to where you were. The key in my mind is to not try and train at where you were. Allow yourself to progress slowly over time. The great part is its easier to rebuild fitness then make new gains. So if you're diligent, consistent, and patient you'll be back.

 

[McNs]

I have a question for the group. 2017 was not a good running year for me. I ended the year with less than 600 miles. My schedule is now allowing me some more free time to get back to it. For anyone who has taken a extended break, how long did it take for you to get back to your normal paces? I know the distance will take a while to work back up to, but I was not expecting the speed to be so much slower for me. @DopeyBadger perhaps you have a scientific approach to this?

I had a shocking year in 2016, only running 385km... first couple of months were quite unpleasant running, and actually brought about s couple of lifestyle changes too - switched from coffee to tea for a while and limited alcohol intake. It wasn’t until March that things started to come right. Interestingly my speed hasn’t really come back but that is partly getting old but also the frequency of running means I can’t smash it every run like I used to when only getting out a couple times a week.

 

[jmasgat]

@LSUlakes I had to take time off in 2011 after I developed a C5/C6 herniated disc. I was off running for about 3-4 months. Came back and ran a 5k to see where I was fitness-wise. It was decent, but nothing spectacular. But using that as a baseline, after a few months of training, I was back to PR level half times. And I was in my 50's. So I expect you will return to form much faster.

Apropos of this.......I dreamed up this little ditty while rehabbing. Sung to the tune of "When I'm 64" by The Beatles (for you young'uns)

As I get older, gray in my hair, creaky joints and all
Will I still be able to run sub-9?
Win my age group, feeling so fine
Now I’m just jogging, here at the gym
Treadmill’s such a bore
I was so speedy, now I’m just needy
Stuck on 6.4


Every summer I will pick a plan to help me run a fast race, and it will be clear
I will train and train
Hill workouts once a week,
Fartleks, tempo, pain!


Plug in the Gramin, download the stats, time for a review
Indicates precisely what I ran today
Slower, slower, fading away!
Maybe I’m old and maybe I’ll be
Slow forevermore.
I was so speedy, now I’m just needy
Stuck at 6.4


Since then, I have PR'ed my 5k and 10k, so all was not lost!

 

[GreatLakes]

Fun Friday QOTD: When you are at Walt Disney World, where do you like to get your runs in? (This excludes runDisney events)

The Boardwalk area is my favorite. With a few loops and heading down to HDS, up and over the canal to the other side, and with some additional Swan/Dolphin area loops you can get in a pretty long run.

 

[tmungania]

I think i am now at the right thread. RUNNING! lol

 

[Wendy98]

On my schedule for 2018? I typically have a spring and fall marathon and sprinkle stuff in wherever or however I feel. I did 4 marathons from Oct. 2016-May 2017--not sure I want to do that again. My fall 2017 marathon was a DNS because of injury. Right now, Boston is my spring race. I just love the experience so not sure when I will get tired of it. I don't know if I will do Flying Pig again (20 days between marathons was a little rough). I might switch back to the 10k. I will probably do Chicago in the fall. I was on the fence with it and NYC, but Chicago is so much easier logistically since I can drive as opposed to fly. And I love the city of Chicago! I didn't have a lot of love for NYC marathon, but would like to try it again.

Fun Friday QOTD: When you are at Walt Disney World, where do you like to get your runs in? (This excludes runDisney events)

I love the Wilderness Lodge/Ft. Wilderness loop. There is something about running past that stable of horses early in the morning that makes me happy. I have run before it is quite daylight before and I get jumpy from the wildlife--the worst was the time I saw a snake.

I like the Boardwalk/DHS loop too but usually end up on the roads and DHS parking lot some to add in mileage.

I leave for Saratoga Springs next weekend. Has anyone ever ran there? Last time I stayed there I was 5 months pregnant and not running.

I have a question for the group. 2017 was not a good running year for me. I ended the year with less than 600 miles. My schedule is now allowing me some more free time to get back to it. For anyone who has taken a extended break, how long did it take for you to get back to your normal paces? I know the distance will take a while to work back up to, but I was not expecting the speed to be so much slower for me. @DopeyBadger perhaps you have a scientific approach to this?

Come join me on the struggle bus. I was off nearly 3 months (with some random, non-doctor approved runs thrown in). I am noticing improvement, but it is taking time. My first step was just to run. Don't pay attention to time, but just go run. I stayed there for about 3 weeks. These runs were short (for me), about 5-8 miles, sometimes less. Lately, I have had a lot of quality treadmill time, so I am forced to see the pace. This can be a slippery slope because I know what I can do on a treadmill and have a tendency to take it too fast.

Right now, my biggest challenge is motivation. I think I have the overshadowing thought of injury constantly in my head.

 

[LSUlakes]

I think i am now at the right thread. RUNNING! lol

Welcome to the thread! I’m sure there is a interesting story about finding this thread... how did you hear about it or find it? Activity will pick up after the weekend for the QOTD.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

Hi everyone - I need some advice about an injury! I recognize the internet is no substitute for medical attention but thought some of you might recognize the symptoms.

I just completed Dopey and will readily admit that I was untrained. I was in excellent shape in October and then pretty much only ran the DL Avengers weekend and a handful of 3-5 milers between then and Marathon weekend. I wasn’t too worried - the goal was to finish and I did, even doing parks commando-style with my family all week long too.

My ankle began to hurt the morning of the marathon, before we even started but walking to the corrals. I needed to biofreeze it during the race twice and it turned a bright purple for two days after. Then the swelling went away and the pain was only going down stairs, and then no pain at all after another couple of days. I never saw a doctor and assumed it was an overuse injury that would go away with rest. But it still makes a funny creaking sound when I flex my foot? I wasn’t too worried and figured it was healing up.

Yesterday I suddenly developed pain in my heel and today it is worse. It hurts only when I stand/walk on it and goes away with continued use. Dr. Google makes me think it might be plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis, neither of which have ever been a problem for me before. I also don’t know if they fit since I have complete and painless range of motion for the ankle in all directions. I just hear/feel the tendon creaking when I flex up.

It will be difficult for me to see a doctor in the next week with my work schedule and some travel that I cannot avoid. I also need to get back running for the Big Sur marathon at the end of April. Do these sound like generic symptoms that go away with rest and stretching? Any other suggestions?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Go to the doctor. If your ankle turned purple - something was damaged.

<- queen of ankle issues that resulted in surgery after 17 years abuse

 

[Baloo in MI]

@nervous1sttimer I agree with @Dis_Yoda go so your doctor. The fact that the injury had bruising and is still hurting a few weeks later, I think it would be worth having a doctor look at it. I do hope that it is an easy healer!

 

[dis_or_dat]

I have a question for the group. 2017 was not a good running year for me. I ended the year with less than 600 miles. My schedule is now allowing me some more free time to get back to it. For anyone who has taken a extended break, how long did it take for you to get back to your normal paces? I know the distance will take a while to work back up to, but I was not expecting the speed to be so much slower for me. @DopeyBadger perhaps you have a scientific approach to this?

I agree with @DopeyBadger. I took 6 weeks off after having a baby and had been gradually reducing mileage and speed throughout my pregnancy. I really wanted to get back to my old fitness and pushed to try to get to 7 minute miles since I can only squeeze in runs during his super short naps. Unfortunately this caused me to tweak my calf and have been paying for it since and now am barely able to limp through 9 min miles without severe pain. I should probably take at least a week+ off, but I don't want to lose even more fitness. My goal of a BQ marathon this year seems to be a dream I have to let go of since I haven't done more than 3 miles. But I wonder what I can do once he has enough head control for a jogging stroller if my calf heals....

TL;DR: take it slow and steady.

 

[tidefan]

You guys are killing me! I did 3 miles yesterday doing 10 minute miles and felt good!!! My Half PR is 2:15!

 

[Disney at Heart]

Answers to some questions of the day

- Medals: Allied medal hanger in the den. DH's medals on the left, mine on the right. We remove them at the end of every year and put them in boxes and start over, so 12 WDW Marathon weekend medals are on there now!

- Ice: Just no. I don't even run in temps below freezing (unless it happens during a race, like Disney, LOL)

- Race schedule: Several we have done before - Thrill in the Hills trail half, Hartwell Dam Run 10k, Peach Jam half, Echo half, Triple Peach series (10k, 10 miler, half); no marathon planned for me this year at this point. DH has many more races planned than I do.

- Running at Disney: Love it! In my quest to stay at every resort, I have also run at many of them:
1. Pop/ AoA Hourglass lake (including the "half" last January)
2. SSR to Disney Springs (Got kicked out of Disney Springs by security. It was not "open" yet.)
3. Fort Wildnerness Lodge to Fort Wilderness and around many loops and back
4. Boardwalk Loop to HS and back and around the sidewalks outside the resorts on Epcot Resorts Drive
5. Coronado Springs - Added parking lot perimiters for more distance
6. All Stars path and on past MacDonalds to front of Coronado Springs and back (added mileage through AS areas like Mighty Ducks, Broadway, Basketball, etc.)
7. Inside Coronado Springs - running trail + in and around different areas/ parking lots (It will be interesting to see what happens after construction)
8. Riverside/ French Quarter (loved the fun run; we started early and tacked it onto the end of a 6 mile run)
9. Grand Floridian to Poly and back ( short, but beautiful, and add a little mileage running around the lodges at Poly to the Ohana show area)
Stayed at CB, CR, AK and a few others before I started running, so I'll have to go back to run there! Also, didn't run at OKW during Marathon weekend. We had planned to do a short 3 mi. shakeout run after a long drive, but it was too cold!

These are all favorites because, Disney!

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

I'm curious how the rest of you ramp back up after WDW Marathon Weekend. I did RCM in early December, so I'm doubly pooped (technically 2.5 * pooped, since I did the Goofy).

I did 24 miles this week, with an 8 mile 'long' run. All of it at reduced pace.

What is everyone else doing?