The Running Thread - 2018

[jennamfeo]

I can’t believe how many of you don’t like peas. Add me to that list!

I can't believe how many people were forced to eat lima beans. What is wrong with your families?!?! I probably don't like lima beans, but I have never tried them and I probably never will.

 

[Keels]

QOTD: How do you balance running with work and/or family life?

I’m a SAHW with only furkids, so I’m pretty flexible. I tend to run during the middle of the day, usually when my husband is on conference calls or what-not and could use the quiet and privacy.

I also tend to do my long runs mid-week (like Wednesday or Thursday) so I can have most of the weekend free, unless I have a long ride scheduled, so I try to knock that out as early as I can.

Really, the only restriction/request Mr. Keels has is that it doesn’t interfere with his time off when we have plans or are traveling - he doesn’t take much time off, if any, so I need to work my schedule around that. That’s meant running at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning in New Orleans after staying out until 2-3 a.m. (Pro Tip - do not recommend, but you also won’t be the grossest person out on the street at that hour either), or on our Alaskan cruise last summer when he had alternative plans from me.

 

[KingLlama]

Quick ? from a half-marathon newbie....

I've always read/assumed that your major carb-loading meal prior to the race should be the night before. But in the past two days, I've read one person say that it should actually be LUNCH the day before the race, and then I just read another say that it should actually be TWO NIGHTS before the race. So now I'm all confused.

What has worked best for you all? Night before? Day before? Two nights before?

 

[Waiting2goback]

QOTD: How do you balance running with work and/or family life?

I’m fortunate to be a stay at home parent, but my DH has at least one week long business trip a month. I usually run as soon as my DD leaves for school at 8:40 or before DS gets up at 6:30am. Afternoons/evenings are too hectic with dinner, homework, therapies for my DS and sports. I run as early as possible on the weekends so I can fit in more family time even if it means a 5am wake up. I can’t remember the last time I have slept past 6am!

Bonus QOTD: What is a food you were made to eat as a child that you refuse to eat now?

Scalloped and Au Gratin potatoes. The smell..........

Balancing everything is a challenge. It will get easier once the nice weather arrives and stays for more than 20 minutes. Then I can lace up and just run outside. I can get my run in during the same amount of time I would be driving to the gym. But I will run in the morning or at night when kids are sleeping, that doesn't bother me.

Bonus: My parents were lucky. I would eat just about anything. My mother was not a good cook however and she used to make cube steak. I swear, if I didn't go to the bathroom and spit it out in the toilet I would still be chewing it. I will eat peas, broccoli, cauliflower, etc... I can't stand jellied cranberry sauce though. I'm sorry, that stuff is disgusting. I was never forced to eat it as a kid so it may not count but I can't get it down as an adult.

 

[MissLiss279]

Quick ? from a half-marathon newbie....

I've always read/assumed that your major carb-loading meal prior to the race should be the night before. But in the past two days, I've read one person say that it should actually be LUNCH the day before the race, and then I just read another say that it should actually be TWO NIGHTS before the race. So now I'm all confused.

What has worked best for you all? Night before? Day before? Two nights before?

I like it to be lunch the day before. I’m usually going to try and go to bed early-ish the night before a race, so I like my evening meal to be on the lighter side. Nothing really scientific to my decision, though...

 

[Disney at Heart]

ATTQOTD: I started running with DH just before I retired from teaching (@Capang @tidefan ) when mileage was low. Now runs happen whenever I please. I was h.s. yearbook advisor for 18 years, so days were long, from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm with essay grading at night most days. Lunch “hour” was 25 minutes with duties during lunch. After work there were sons’ homework, making supper, laundry, and other home/family responsibilities. I could not have trained regularly back then, so I really admire those of you do it with all your other responsibilities.

Bonus: Growing up in a family of 7 and with both parents having grown up during the Depression and working, there was no chance to be picky. Mama cooked and we ate or went to bed hungry. But I swore that when I grew up, I’d never again eat hog brains in scrambled eggs or tripe. Your peas, beans, and meatloaf don’t sound so bad now, do they?

 

[Princess KP]

ATTQOTD: I started running after my kids went off to university so I don't have to worry about anyone else but me. Training is part of my schedule, kind of like work is. I try to plan all my social activities outside of my training time. Although, the gym is also a place to socialize...I'm there a lot.

Kudos to those with little kids and other commitments and wake up early to train. I don't think I would have had the energy to do it. Kids were in competitive dance and hockey and my part time job was chauffeur.

Bonus: Can't stand peas. I'm feeling sick just thinking about it.

 

[ZellyB]

Quick ? from a half-marathon newbie....

I've always read/assumed that your major carb-loading meal prior to the race should be the night before. But in the past two days, I've read one person say that it should actually be LUNCH the day before the race, and then I just read another say that it should actually be TWO NIGHTS before the race. So now I'm all confused.

What has worked best for you all? Night before? Day before? Two nights before?

I don't carb load really. I'm not sure there's really any good science behind it. I pretty much just eat the way I normally would but avoid anything with a lot of fiber or spicy or unfamiliar. I'm much more careful about being sure I drink a lot of water the day before so that I'm fully hydrated.

 

[FFigawi]

You got it. Hate pineapples on pizza : ) But... I thought we were already friends because of our shared love of bubbles and good beer.

Of course we are! Those are great things to build a friendship around.

 

[avondale]

QOTD: How do you balance running with work and/or family life?


Bonus QOTD: What is a food you were made to eat as a child that you refuse to eat now?

ATTQOTD: I have no family living near me except my husband. We are both very tolerant of each other's activities and scheduled. I play tennis and run a lot. He plays tennis and video games a lot. It works out. We also have three cats, but they don't really get a vote about scheduling.

Bonus ATTQOTD: Just about all vegetables. I'm seeing a lot of votes for peas and lima beans, and those both get a lot of hate from me. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, also. I can tolerate corn and sometimes green beans, but I wouldn't go out of my way for them. My husband thinks that if my mother hadn't cooked everything to almost a mush when I was a kid I might have liked some of them, but I'm not convinced. I can still almost get a gag reflex going by imagining one of them. And I was forced to eat them, even through high school, but at least my mom tried not to cook the worst ones very often. Blech.

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: The balance for me depends on when my kids are in school and not. I am currently a stay at home mom but I still substitute teach at the school I taught at for nine years one or two times a week when I can. My oldest and one of my twins go to the elementary school but they are on different schedules because my daughter attends the special needs pre-k program at the school. The other twin attends preschool three days a week. Running could be an early morning wake up, run in the morning when all three are in school, treadmill, or run in the evening once my husband gets home. It just depends on what day it is honestly but I am still thankful I am able to squeeze in time to run. Definitely helps keep me sane!

Bonus question: Green beans!!! Still hate them to this day.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

Quick ? from a half-marathon newbie....

I lightly carb-load the night before a half, mostly because it is a pre-race tradition.

I believe traditional wisdom is that you don't need to carb load for a half.

Remember not to overdo it and inert carbs (used 'inert carbs' twice today!) are better than volatile carbs. Think pancakes instead of pasta Puttanesca.

 

[KSellers88]

Quick ? from a half-marathon newbie....

I've always read/assumed that your major carb-loading meal prior to the race should be the night before. But in the past two days, I've read one person say that it should actually be LUNCH the day before the race, and then I just read another say that it should actually be TWO NIGHTS before the race. So now I'm all confused.

What has worked best for you all? Night before? Day before? Two nights before?

I'm a creature of habit and eat Papa Johns pizza the night before my races. I never eat big lunches and I'm not sure what the benefit of eating it two nights before would be, but I don't know much about nutrition...

 

[FFigawi]

I lightly carb-load the night before a half, mostly because it is a pre-race tradition.

I believe traditional wisdom is that you don't need to carb load for a half.

Remember not to overdo it and inert carbs (used 'inert carbs' twice today!) are better than volatile carbs. Think pancakes instead of pasta Puttanesca.

And carb loading with pancakes is best done at breakfast the day before a race. Carb loading the night before isn't nearly as effective.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

My husband usually has us eat pasta two days before the half or major race for him.

We failed at that this trip but he also hasn’t run in over a month so this half will be interesting for him

 

[Capang]

I tried adding a pic but I give up. So frustrating.
The weather is absolutely beautiful. I finally got out for a nice outdoor run. This week has been super stressful with state testing at work so I was excited to get home and get out. About 30 seconds into my run the ball of my foot started to hurt. It went downhill pretty fast from there but I still got a couple miles in. I've lost about 60 pounds in the last year and in the last couple of weeks I've gained back about 5. It felt like 500 while running. As soon as I hit my car I was sneezing and congested. Go figure. At least I got out. It was a pretty day for a run.

 

[Smilelea]

QOTD: How do you balance running with work and/or family life?

This was very difficult until a few weeks ago. Now, I drop the boys off at school and DH picks them up from after school care. This way I can come home, run, shower, and have supper ready when they walk in the door. In the summer, (9 month teacher here) I can get up about 6am and run before DH has to leave for work.

Bonus QOTD: What is a food you were made to eat as a child that you refuse to eat now?

Brussel sprouts!

Side note: Running my very first official 10K in the morning. Hoping for a time of 1:12 to submit to Disney (while secretly hoping for 1:08). Sadly there just aren't that many races in my area between now and October.

 

[flav]

Quick ? from a half-marathon newbie....

I've always read/assumed that your major carb-loading meal prior to the race should be the night before. But in the past two days, I've read one person say that it should actually be LUNCH the day before the race, and then I just read another say that it should actually be TWO NIGHTS before the race. So now I'm all confused.

What has worked best for you all? Night before? Day before? Two nights before?

For a half, I start carb loading three days (two nights) before.
A normal plate is constituted of one part protein, one part carbs, two parts veggies. For carb loading, veggies can drop completely and be replaced by some carbs.
Then, I avoid excessively fat (it slows us down), fibrous (broccoli, cabbage, etc), salty and spicy food (anything that will hurt my stomack or be hard to digest).
Depending on my metabolism and how much calories I plan to burn (say if I plan to tour the parks from rope drop to fireworks or to go skating 14km the eve of the race...), I add some snacks (dried fruits, fruits, compotes, bars) between meals.
Of course, drinking sufficiently is crucial: Carbs makes us retain water, hence the feeling of being bloated (and the weight gain). But very useful for a race.
At that rate, I tend not to be very hungry the night before the run so my main meal the day before is lunch with afternoon snacks and a lighter dinner. It also works for me for afternoon/ evening runs.

 

[jennamfeo]

For a half, I start carb loading three days (two nights) before.
A normal plate is constituted of one part protein, one part carbs, two parts veggies. For carb loading, veggies can drop completely and be replaced by some carbs.
Then, I avoid excessively fat (it slows us down), fibrous (broccoli, cabbage, etc), salty and spicy food (anything that will hurt my stomack or be hard to digest).
Depending on my metabolism and how much calories I plan to burn (say if I plan to tour the parks from rope drop to fireworks or to go skating 14km the eve of the race...), I add some snacks (dried fruits, fruits, compotes, bars) between meals.
Of course, drinking sufficiently is crucial: Carbs makes us retain water, hence the feeling of being bloated (and the weight gain). But very useful for a race.
At that rate, I tend not to be very hungry the night before the run so my main meal the day before is lunch with afternoon snacks and a lighter dinner. It also works for me for afternoon/ evening runs.

Good grief. I just eat a whole pizza and some wine and call it a night.

 

[KevM]

Late to the question (Travel day & 1st Disney day).

ATTQOTD: i’m Single w/no kids, so there aren’t many family issues that get in my way. Works a little different. I find it difficult to fit running in in Mondays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays. I work from home on Tuesdays and generally run on my lunch break. I’m off Friday-Sunday and can fit running in pretty easily. Sunday mornings are generally my long run days.

ATT Bonus QOTD: Nothjng really. There is a bit though. I was such a picky eater as a kid, my parents didn’t really force me to eat things. They found it easier to just let me eat what I wanted.