The Running Thread - 2018

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: Nope, no falls while running. (knock on wood)
Actually I can only think of 4 falls in my entire life! 1 was while ice skating as a kid - resulted in my first concussion. Second was a head-to-head hit in soccer than resulted in concussion #2 (and a penalty kick). Bot concussions meant a rest period away form activity, and a lifetime of avoiding spinning rides. Next was tripping down the steps to my father's sunken living room - resulted in a peroneal tendon tear that took months and months to "heal" and is still a problem 30+ years later. Lastly, while skiing - more of a semi-controlled skid to avoid going over a ledge, no injuries.

 

[BriarRabbit]

I was leaning into the finish line at Tobacco Road marathon a few years ago and ended up doing a shoulder roll a few feet from the finish line. My first thought after the tumble was is the chip on my shoe or on my bib to get it across the finish line. It was on the bib so I couldn't just stick my foot across.

 

[LSUlakes]

Does anyone know the fate of the Born to Run book turned to movie outcome? I think it was early January 2015 that they announced Matthew McConaughey was going to be in it... 3 years later I have not heard a peep.

 

[Kerry1957]

ATTQOTD: On trail runs and trail races....too many to mention. I learned the art of tuck and roll on the way down, so I usually just bang my shoulder a bit.

While living in Kuwait I ran along the corniche in Kuwait City. A corniche is a walking path along the shoreline; in this case a wide bricked path along the Arab Gulf (or Persian Gulf depending on your politics). Unfortunately the installation was done poorly and many individual bricks have sunk or risen. Since there were so few running options I ran along the corniche 3 times a week for 6 months, tripping on average about once every 10 runs. I may still have scars on my palms, but the worst cases only resulted in bloody knees and palms.

 

[Waiting2goback]

QOTD: Have you ever taken a fall during a race or training run? If so describe the injury and let us know if you finished the run, called it a day, needed to take a few days off, ect...

ATTQOTD: I have fallen once before on a training run. It was still dark outside and on a route I run often where the paved pathway curves but everyone just runs through the dirt area. Well I misjudged the location of a tree root and my foot got caught on it causing me to not so gracefully fall. I put my hands out to prevent my face from getting destroyed and as i slid my finger slammed into another root. Luckily only 2-3 people saw, so initially only my pride was hurt. I was only a mile or two into a long run (I think it was 15 miles that day). I get up and start dusting myself off and see what the damage is. I had a nasty bruise on my thigh that was formed from the slide. It actually made a whole in my running shorts and it burned a bit but nothing I could not handle. Then I was dusting off my water bottles and thats when I realized something was not right with my finger. I looked down at it and from the knuckle it was bent sideways. A little moment of panic, but then I started to think about what to do here. I decided I was going to pull it outward and then over to get it straight again. It did not hurt that much, I guess because of the adrenaline. I ran the mile or so back to my truck to call my wife who was going to come out to campus later that day to see if she could bring some tape, so I could tape two fingers together. After that, I thought well theres nothing I can do here that I doctor will do differently so I went ahead and finished then run. Finger bothered me a bit during the run but I made it. Took a few months for it to finally work normal again but for now it works fine. I slow down a lot more now when I run that path when its still dark these days lol.

I never fell during a run but I did wipe out on a bike training ride. Hit some sand with the front wheel and down I went. Got up, brushed myself off, and kept going.

 

[Disney at Heart]

QOTD: Have you ever taken a fall during a race or training run? If so describe the injury and let us know if you finished the run, called it a day, needed to take a few days off, ect...

... during a trail race this spring. I didn't know what to expect going into it and single track root-filled mountain bike trails certainly were not expected. It was a half marathon and I made it through 12 miles of having to watch every single step to avoid the roots before a fatigue and a lapse of concentration got me. I caught a toe on a root just at the start of a downhill section and rolled most of the way down the slope. I was doubly fortunate in that I only suffered minor elbow scrapes and a bruise to my pride and that no one was around to see it.

Are you a trail runner if you've never fallen? I've taken a few falls during training runs and races on trails. Luckily, never on roads or sidewalks. I've always jumped up and finished my run, except for number 3 below.
Most memorable falls:
1) I had been running for less than a year, retired from teaching public school and teaching 1/2 day at a private school. I fell on a trail and had a scraped knee. I wore a skirt to school the next day because I didn't want pants rubbing on the scrape all day and a 9th grader asked, "What happened to your knee?" I told him that I tripped while running a trail. He responded, "You too old for that!" How embarrassing!
2) Running a mountain bike trail and some bikers came up just as I tripped. One of them say my husband later and told him, "She rolled over and looked like a dead roach with her arms and legs up in the air." Even more embarrassing!
3) About three years ago while running a trail with DH (he had done an extra loop), he came up behind me and found me unconscious on the ground. Apparently, I had tripped and hit my head. I gained full consciousness when they shoved the gurney into the ambulance, although I kind of remember hearing talk as they put me in a four wheeler to get me off the trail. One CAT scan later I found out I had a sub-arachnoid hemorhage. The doctor asked what was the last thing I remembered and I told him Ms. Map-My-Run said "Distance, 15 miles." I still don't remember what happened, but I ran the Atlanta 10 miler the next weekend, albeit very slowly! (Had to earn the Triple Peach.) I was more happy that I was ok than embarrassed!
4) Last December, I was running my first 5K trail race in the SNOW! Stepped in a hole and rolled my ankle, hopped right back up and finished the race. Nothing significant, but it was the first time I ever ran in SNOW!!!!

Apparently, I'm less coordinated than those of you who have never fallen!

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: Like few others, I’m scared to type that I haven’t fallen yet. The only time where I felt I might eat the pavement was the downhill finish of the Richmond half marathon. Talk about a steep hill! I wonder how many people have taken a tumble hauling it down that hill in pursuit of a PR.

Ran the Derek Davis 5k on Saturday. Knew that I wouldn’t do better than last year but was cool with it. Last year was my fastest 5k ever and I was in much better running shape than I currently am. The first mile is great because it’s a combo of flat and a lot of downhill but you pay for it by basically running uphill for miles 2 and 3. Finished in 29:58 and I was most pleased about my first mile. I’ve had a hard time kicking it into a higher gear on my runs this summer so it was nice to see that I cranked out a 9:14 mile. I know it was a combo of it being a race and the downhill but was still happy to see. It’s a neat local race with freezie pops waiting for you at the finish line. The coolest thing was seeing a kids cross country club being out there for the race and a lot of kids were doing really well. One absolutely smoked me on the sprint towards the finish line!

 

[PCFriar80]

QOTD: Have you ever taken a fall during a race or training run? If so describe the injury and let us know if you finished the run, called it a day, needed to take a few days off, ect...

35 years of running, no falls, no trips, no errors. Also, no first place prizes. But, I do have over 20K miles on the odometer. Probably time for a new pair of running shoes?

 

[garneska]

Nice question, i have to play. I eat pavement on a regular basis it seems. I ran my first trail race two weeks ago and two face plants.

However I did have one really bad one and a year later a kind of bad one. The bad one was a severe ankle turn not one anything. I was going down hard and did not tuck and roll. Took most of it in one arm. I went to urgent care and they said not much they could do, no orthopedic on duty, I went home and got in with my ortho the next day. My hubby was traveling so my mom took me to the dr. I could barely walk, but my arm was killing me. Nothing was broken but severely sprained. Am pretty sure I bent my elbow completely the way it is not supposed to go. With hubby gone, I was down one arm and one leg. I had to care for my doggy on the left. It Was horrible as I had to use my arm, About 5 days later, I woke up in tears. My calf hurt and I could barely move my arm. Everything was super painful. I ended up with a blood clot in my calf and major therapy on my arm. Am sure rest might have stopped that but no chance with the dog.

A year later I tripped at ft Wilderness and still did not learn the tuck and roll. Laid myself out, bruised some ribs. That trip turned into the trip of kiddie rides because I could not handle anything that bumped.

 

[bevcgg]

QOTD: Have you ever taken a fall during a race or training run? If so describe the injury and let us know if you finished the run, called it a day, needed to take a few days off, ect...

I took a hard fall just past mile 6 during the Tink Half- 2016. We had just come out of the parks- I had just put away my phone (hands empty) and hit one of those darn white reflector bumps in the road! I skinned my knee, palm and my upper lip- but somehow managed not to smack my head in the pavement. Lots of loving arms picked me up, handed me a band aid and made sure I was alright. I ran two more miles-dripping blood everywhere- before I found an aid tent to get wrapped up. Since I was there (CA) on a quick 30 hour overnight trip alone (from CO)- it really hit home the need to fill out the emergency contact info had I knocked myself out. Other lesson learned- pack some basic first aid stuff in your suitcase- much easier than trying to "find" what you need later.

I have run several more races at DL since then- always being extra careful to give those reflectors the respect (aka space) they deserve!
I would bet $$$ those bumps have taken out more runners in DL than anything at WDW. They are wicked!

 

[Olallamom]

ATTQOTD:

I have tripped a few times on training runs with no falls.
My fall story is very memorable and taught me to always be aware of speed bumps.

I tripped during my first half marathon at Disneyworld in 2011. I was so excited as the course went through the magical kingdom parking gate/booth area. I was looking up and didn’t see the speed bump. Down I went, so embarrassing. Lol
A bruise to my hip was only injury besides my pride.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: I did three faceplants in the last four months.

First one, I was running but not during a run. I guess that I got used to displacing myself at higher speed but learnt that it should only be done with proper foot attire aka running shoes. Deep abrasion on my left knee and bruised hands, I could barely walk for a few days and took almost a week off running.

Second one, I mentioned before. It was during the 10k Ottawa Voyageur Challenge (5k+10k+half) and due to a phone distraction coupled with deshydratation. Luckily, despite slamming the pavement pretty hard, no harm done, neither to me or to my phone. I was able to finish the race but not PR it and did well on the Half the next morning.

Third one, went running in Waikiki last Wednesday and did not see the lifted defect in sidewalk. According to some of the answers above, I had probably jinxed myself earler in the day when I concluded that my knee scrape (see number one above) was finally getting healed. I got a new one just next to it.
I did not want to look at it so I ran a 5k before going to the hotel. Turned out that it even made a hole in my pants. We were going to Aulani the next day so I had to find a waterproof bandage. I discovered a product called Nexcare Tegaderm and it allowed me to swim with proper protection. Unfortunately, it is the other knee that hurts since the fall, I guess it got bruised and I feel it walking and going down the stairs. I’ll try running slowly tomorrow. I hope five days rest was enough.
And, fortunately, my phone survived the slap on concrete perfectly! I would have cried.

I learned the art of tuck and roll on the way down, so I usually just bang my shoulder a bit.

I should probably learn the art of tuck and roll but I am afraid to hurt my shoulders.

Also, I do keep trying to improve my ankles strength, just in case it is a factor... I brush my teeth standing on one foot.

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: If you have to miss a run for whatever reason, what do you do? Do you move everything back a day, make it up on a rest day, run a double, or just move forward with your plan?

ATTQOTD: I missed my run yesterday. I was up to late Sunday for a early morning wake up on Monday, so I figured I would just get the miles in that afternoon. Well, DD is having some adjustment issues so we are trying to show her a little extra attention (This may or may not be the right call, but thats a different discussion). While Momma was painting her nails and playing with her I took care of DS and by the time I put him to sleep and get everything else organized it was already 7:45PM. So plan C kicks in, which is to go to my office and use the treadmill there. Well I get to the office and all of the power to the treadmills is out. So it's almost 9PM and I am out of options for a run. I work out and go home but cant fall asleep till 1AM this morning, which means 4:30 AM wake up is not going to happen either! Going to have to run this afternoon come hell or high water! I am thinking of making up the run by running a double tomorrow.

 

[Slogger]

ATTQOTD: Great question about missing a run.

In the past I have shrugged it off and figured what would it hurt to skip a workout or two every now and then. Beer and pizza might be calling my name! Naptime would be so rewarding.

This training cycle I have not missed a single run. When I know there might be a scheduling issue, I move workouts to earlier in the week or double up if needed to get them done.
Sleep, physical discomfort, food.....no time for that. Got to stay on schedule, 8 1/2 weeks to go.

Not sure it's the best plan for me. Was hoping back-to-back half marathons this past weekend would be a good indicator of my current fitness and endurance and failed miserably.

 

[kleph]

ATTQOTD: funny, this happened to me this week as well. didn't feel hot on sunday so i took an extra rest day. in this case i pushed the scheduled long run back to monday. i've been taking a rest day after the long run and following up with a recovery run the day after. in this case, i simply did the recovery run today.

typically, my approach is to try this shuffling runs around over the course of a few days. but there's a certain point where it's not really worth the effort to "catch up" and you just move on. if you are in the middle of a training plan it's not optimal, but a good plan is taking the longer view anyway. a few deviations shouldn't throw you off significantly. and if you are not in a training plan you can just chalk it up to bad luck and try to get back in the groove.

 

[PrincessV]

Does anyone know the fate of the Born to Run book turned to movie outcome? I think it was early January 2015 that they announced Matthew McConaughey was going to be in it... 3 years later I have not heard a peep.

I forgot all about that! Nope, I haven't heard anything, either.

QOTD: If you have to miss a run for whatever reason, what do you do? Do you move everything back a day, make it up on a rest day, run a double, or just move forward with your plan?

ATTQOTD: Depends on what kind of run and where it falls in my training plan. A mid-week short run? I just skip it and move on. A cut-back run? I'll try to do it the following day instead, but if I can't, no big deal. Long runs? I'll rearrange as much as possible to squeeze it in, assuming I'm healthy - if I'm skipping it due to illness or injury, I just skip it and adjust the next long run to be a little shorter than planned.

I agree with @kleph that a good plan has a built-in allowance for "stuff happens." I purposely plan my marathon training to go longer in distance than I think I really have to have so that if something happens and I need to make changes, I have wiggle room. This is particularly critical as a Floridian because WDW marathon training coincides with summer storm/hurricane season.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD:
I do the runner shuffle... I am flexible, but make sure to always get in my important runs (ie: The Long Run). If schedules allow, I actually really like to do my long run during the week, so I will switch things around to accommodate that.

 

[TheHamm]

ATTQOTD:
I try to keep the long goals in mind and not panic. [Cue my impression of the zebras from the Lion Guard 'Panic and Run!']. I run to be healthy enough to hang out with my kids when they are adults and because I want to see what I can do now. Therefore, missing a run is not going to impact that. Missing several runs means I need to asses the situation and make a new plan.
Shift the plan for the next day? Yes, often. Swap or drop my plan for 3 hilly miles to get in longer flat miles the next day? Sure! Sleep in and skip the run because kids were up sick last night? Yes, the ultimate goal is to be around for them now and later, so I needed to be up and I need to not be angry or injured from running on 3 hours sleep. Get the long run in somewhere, and be flexible with the shorter runs.
I say this sitting at my desk, a twinge of guilt for not running in a downpour at 5:30 this morning. I laid in bed telling myself 'you never know what race day brings.' And then I thought of yesterday's fall discussion and decided wet slippery pavement in the dark was courting disaster. I am still hoping to dodge thunderstorms and run at lunch, but if not, missing today {and traveling tomorrow} will not keep me from the long goal. It may keep me from the short goal of a new PR in 3 weeks, but that is not worth missing out on some things now.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: If you have to miss a run for whatever reason, what do you do? Do you move everything back a day, make it up on a rest day, run a double, or just move forward with your plan?

If it’s an important long run I might move things around but otherwise I just skip and ignore it. I don’t go back, I don’t make it up. It is what it is and I move on.

 

[apdebord]

ATTQOTD: Welp, this is happening today. A meeting that I must have today is of course scheduled at lunch, which was the only time I had today to run. I think I'm more mad that I spent time this morning packing my bag with my clothes/nutrition! Typically I would shuffle my runs around when this happens, but unfortunately I can't do that this week. I did do a really tough weight session last night that I was not planning on, so I don't feel bad about not running today. I know it's not the same, but it was some great cross training.

The most annoying time I missed a run because of a work thing: I took a GU, changed my clothes, came back to my desk to put my stuff down and my phone rang and for some dumb reason I answered and I was told I had to put something together before the 1:00 staff meeting. That GU really helped get my work done...