The Running Thread - 2018

[SarahDisney]

QOTD: Now that Spring is slowly starting to appear for some of us, let's talk about how you dress for warmer weather. Are you an overdresser? Underdresser? Or are you good at dressing exactly for the weather?

Bonus: Let's talk tea! Are you a tea drinker? How do you take your tea? Any favorites?

For tomorrow's QOTD I nominate ... @LSUlakes (I know, I'm hysterical)

ATTQOTD: I'm an overdresser... I like layers. I need to get better at dressing for warm weather, though, because sometimes wearing too many layers in the heat is just brutal.

ATTBQOTD: I love tea! My favorite is earl gray, but a close second is pomegranate blueberry from Coffee Bean. I drink my tea plain - no milk or sugar or anything.
I also like some iced tea (my favorite is Coffee Bean's Sweedish Berries), but not if its sweetened. I've never had true sweet tea, so I dont know how I feel about that.

 

[jennamfeo]

ATTQOTD: We are bypassing spring and headed straight to summer. I think we will hit our first 100* day tomorrow or Wednesday. I am just trying to get brave enough to run in just a sports bra so I can work on my tan AND not melt. Otherwise you will find me in shorts and tanks once the temp goes over 70*.

ATTBQOTD: I like tea, but I don't drink it a lot. I usually buy the Yogi brand and get the tea flavor based on what they claim it can do for me. Like right now I have the Stress Relief tea, which actually works when I am having some anxiety. But, just like my coffee, I don't add anything to my tea. I don't care for sweet tea, if my tea is iced I need it plain.
Side note: I went to go by some Coffee by LT this morning because they put some bags online and OF COURSE it was sold out already. BOO.

 

[ZellyB]

ATTOQTD: I used to overdress and still do sometimes, but I've gotten a lot better at judging it right now. I've learned it's better to be a bit cold at first for the sake of being comfortable once I warm up.

Bonus: I don't drink much tea, but I do like good Oolong tea with a touch of sugar. Mostly I just drink tea when I'm sick with a dose of honey and lemon in it. Now sweet tea is a different conversation. I used to love a good sweet tea, but since cutting back on sugar and carbs, it's too sweet for me now. Sometimes I'll get a 50/50 mix of it at a restaurant though if I'm in the mood for it.

 

[camaker]

QOTD: Now that Spring is slowly starting to appear for some of us, let's talk about how you dress for warmer weather. Are you an overdresser? Underdresser? Or are you good at dressing exactly for the weather?

Bonus: Let's talk tea! Are you a tea drinker? How do you take your tea? Any favorites?

ATTQOTD: Warm weather is what I have here in NC 75-80% of the year. Shorts and a tech shirt. Easy, simple, go. The only variable is whether I take water with me which depends on both how warm it is and how far I'm running.

BQOTD: Tea! Finally, a respectable, cultured drink for discussion! I love hot tea and drink ~48oz every weekday morning and 1-2 pots/day on the weekend. I tend to prefer spicy teas and my current favorite is to blend Harney Spicy Cinnamon (black tea plus 3 cinnamons, clove and orange peel) with Bigelow Constant Comment (black tea, orange peel and spices). It provides a strong cinnamon tea that's a real pick me up in the morning. When I'm in a more relaxed mood or need something easier on the throat, I will go with a blend of black tea, spearmint and peppermint. All nicely sweetened, of course.

 

[Barca33Runner]

ATTQOTD: It was 44 degrees when I left home today and is supposed to make it to 63 later today. I am wearing shorts. Make of this what you will; I have no idea if this means I'm overdressed or underdressed. It's always shorts weather inside. ETA: Meant to infer that this philosophy shifts to running gear as well. I'll tend to err on the side of fewer layers.

Bonus: I don't like hot drinks but I will force myself to have iced green tea every now and then. Sometimes I'll mix it with a little lemonade for the green tea Arnold Palmer.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: I always do it wrong. I'm either freezing or melting. I've not found the right balance clothing wise.

Bonus: I usually hate tea but I have found Harney makes a mint chocolate tea I really like. Plain, nothing added.

 

[JulieODC]

I tend to overdress, or at least with removable layers - I’m so afraid of being too cold!

I also easily forget what running in certain temps feels like - today is 60, and I just might throw caution to the wind and go in short sleeves!

I love tea - have a cup a day after my coffee. I take it black. My faves are constant comment, lady gray, and red rose. The only flavor I like is citrus.

 

[Chaitali]

I definitely have a tendency to overdress and I try to be aware of that... but I'm so worried about being cold!

I love tea. It's hard to pick a favorite but I guess it would be a good early gray.

 

[KSellers88]

ATTQOTD: What is spring?? LOL. We normally skip that season and that other season called Fall here in Alabama and go straight to Summer or Winter. I wouldn't say I'm either. My typical running uniform is shorts and a tank top, but sometimes that tank top is removed halfway during a run and I get all brave an run in my sports bra. The fact that I pass maybe 4 cars during all my runs normally helps with this "bravery". During the winter, I am normally an overdresser because I am constantly freezing, but I layer a lot and can remove those as needed.

Bonus: Does sweet tea count? The best sweet tea is at our local BBQ restaurant. There's a local 5K that ends at this BBQ restaurant and they always provide a BBQ Sandwich and huge sweet tea. BEST RACE EVER.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: Now that Spring is slowly starting to appear for some of us, let's talk about how you dress for warmer weather. Are you an overdresser? Underdresser? Or are you good at dressing exactly for the weather?

I wear short sleeves and shorts almost year-round. About the only change I make in the summer is wearing thinner and lighter tops.

Bonus: Let's talk tea! Are you a tea drinker? How do you take your tea? Any favorites?

Can't go to a sushi restaurant without having green tea

 

[camaker]

I'm trying to make a decision on a race for next weekend and wanted to see what your thoughts on the situation would be.

The background is that I'm working my way back through the gears of a Higdon half marathon plan getting fit again after ~10 weeks off to deal with a shin issue. I'm back up to 22 total miles/week and a long run of 10 miles/week at this point. I've found that level to be plenty for a half. I'd like to get back to a race not necessarily to go flat out (I'm not PRing right now), but more for a change of scenery and to refresh things a little bit. There are two races this weekend that I'm looking at with pro's and con's for each:

Owl's Roost Rumble Half Marathon is a trail half marathon. I've never run a trail race before and have been interested in giving it a try. The down side is that the race is 90 minutes from home and I'd have to do morning bib pick up which makes it even earlier. I just don't know how much more effort the trail will require, but slowing down for it isn't necessarily a bad thing. But rolling an ankle would be.

House of Hope 5k is a little charity 5k that will be run ~30 minutes from home. The down side is that I don't really like the 5k distance and I'm not in shape to go flat out for a 5k. The big pro for this one is that it's only 30 minutes away.

What do you think?

 

[roxymama]

Owl's Roost Rumble Half Marathon is a trail half marathon. I've never run a trail race before and have been interested in giving it a try. The down side is that the race is 90 minutes from home and I'd have to do morning bib pick up which makes it even earlier. I just don't know how much more effort the trail will require, but slowing down for it isn't necessarily a bad thing. But rolling an ankle would be.

House of Hope 5k is a little charity 5k that will be run ~30 minutes from home. The down side is that I don't really like the 5k distance and I'm not in shape to go flat out for a 5k. The big pro for this one is that it's only 30 minutes away.

What do you think?

If I were me, which I am, I'd do the 5k and not worry about the PR but seeing what I could do with a solid effort. Maybe see if I could pick a pace that is a bit slower and see if I could press as I go...but not like flat out go crazy that whole way. Or just sight see it (aka long run pace.)
The trail thing sounds cool, but coming off of a half marathon on normal streets that kicked my bootie, I'd be risk adverse on trail half as my first trail race. But I'm also a big chicken.

ATTQOTD: I usually under-dress for races and overdress for training runs. Because I get more worried about being held up with too much stuff to take off mid-race which could slow me down vs just taking a lap back to my house to throw stuff on my porch.

Bonus Tea: I really like tea (hot or cold, sweet or not) but I rarely pick it as my first option. I dig green tea or matcha flavored frou-frou drinks at coffee houses (starbucks green tea frap!!!). I enjoy a green ice tea at wendy's even though it tastes more tropical than anything. Alice in Wonderland tea from Disney is really fun to get when on trips too.

 

[PCFriar80]

QOTD: Now that Spring is slowly starting to appear for some of us, let's talk about how you dress for warmer weather. Are you an overdresser? Underdresser? Or are you good at dressing exactly for the weather?

Bonus: Let's talk tea! Are you a tea drinker? How do you take your tea? Any favorites?

I tend to overdress for the warmer weather but that's because I like to sweat.

Bonus: No tea for me. It reminds of being sick when I was younger.

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: In warm weather I am an under-dresser. I prefer to be cold at the beginning of a run and comfortable for the rest. In winter I tend to have a lot of layers.

Bonus: I love tea, hot or cold! My favorite hot tea is Bigelow Cinnamon Stick. Sweetened, of course. I drink way too much iced tea to drink the true sweet tea we have here in Arkansas. I brew my own, using Lipton Southern Sweet Tea iced tea bags. They are pre-sweetened tea bags, sweetened with Splenda. Getting ready to have a glass right now.

 

[Jules76126]

ATTQOTD: I tend to overdress as I am cold a lot. For 50s, I will wear leggings and a long sleeve tech shirt. 60s will be leggings and short sleeves. 70 and over tanks and shorts.

Bonus: I love tea. I drink it every day and collect teapots. I really like loose leaf teas. For domestic blends, I really like Harney's holiday tea. I also like Bigelow Constant Comment. I drink a lot of Twinnings. My favs would be Early Gary or Irish Breakfast. We actually did high tea at Fortnum and Mason last year in London and bought a bunch of their teas (wedding blend, Queen Anne, Jubilee blend) You can also buy them from William sonoma. I also went to the twinnings store on the strand and bought a bunch of rare blends that you can't get in the states. We are doing tea in Dublin in June so I am sure I will buy more tea this summer. I also like Iced Tea - unsweetened. The only thing I don't like it green.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: Now that Spring is slowly starting to appear for some of us, let's talk about how you dress for warmer weather. Are you an overdresser? Underdresser? Or are you good at dressing exactly for the weather?

Bonus: Let's talk tea! Are you a tea drinker? How do you take your tea? Any favorites?

Warmer weather? What is that? Just kidding its like 58 today and I am loving it! I will still wear a thin long sleeve in this weather and shorts.

I drink both hot tea and iced tea. I particularly love sweet tea.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: I am cold natured. For training runs, I purposely overdress for 2 reasons:
1. All my training routes are out and backs, where I am back at home base often, so it is easy to ditch layers as I heat up.
2. I figure if I train overdressed, and race underdressed, I will be faster.

BQOTD: Lemon Ginseng, straight.

 

[apdebord]

ATTQOTD: I think I dress properly. Most of the year I can get by with shorts and a tank, but have a few long-sleeve options and 2 running jackets. I also have a pair of capris and 1 pair of leggings that don't fall down, so those come out if it's 50 or below.

Bonus: I drink Yogi almost exclusively every afternoon. I bought Blueberry Green Tea Slim Life, which is my favorite. I don't think it has anything to do with weight loss, but I like the blueberry. Their regular Green Tea Antioxidant is great too. Like coffee, I do not add anything to my tea. Sweet tea is gross to me, so I like iced black tea. Panera has/had an acai iced tea I really liked; I also like the unsweeted passion tea at Starbucks.

 

[FredtheDuck]

ATTQOTD: If we're in the high-thirties/low-forties, I've had some difficulty when it comes to LRs. I had a few where I was underdressed and come home with a bright red torso from the cold. This past weekend was the first time I felt overdressed, but I was close enough to home after my warmup to drop in and shed my jacket and change my hat, and that did the trick. It seems that we only have like five seconds of spring here, so pretty soon it'll be back to shorts and tanks. I realized over the weekend that I own only two short-sleeve tech shirts. The rest are either tanks or long sleeves. Seems appropriate for our weather patterns.

Bonus: I'm not much of a tea drinker these days. This is going to sound way more #humblebrag-y than I mean it to, but the reason that I don't is because I found a tea when I was in Darjeeling that I fell absolutely in love with. I brought some back but have long since finished it, and haven't been able to find anything I like near as much. If I am feeling like tea, though, I usually go for earl grey or english breakfast, nothing added.

 

[LdyStormy76]

@camaker Another vote for the 5k. Just walking a trail puts different stresses on feet, ankles and legs than most people are used to; trying to do it at any type of speed (especially when you have never tried any type of trail race) might open you up to issues besides the potential for a rolled ankle. A charity 5k is truly a fun run. If it were me I would treat it like a training run with different scenery.