The Running Thread--2024

[MissLiss279]

Question for those who use hydration vests: how do you keep your back cool? I bought one this week for half marathon training, and I wore it, sans water, on my treadmill run to make sure it was comfortable. It passed that test, but my back was warm very quickly, and I definitely did sweat more than usual.

vests are just going to be hot. it's another layer and there isn't much you can do about it. I would definitely test run it WITH water, because the weight makes it fit/sit differently.

-some people freeze the water bladder (helps keep them cool, helps keep the water cool) I have issues with not being able to get any water or get the tube/hose hooked in because things are too frozen, so YMMV

-I've seen people talk about putting [wet] cooling towels between their vest and their back...could tuck into sports bra straps to keep it in place?

You can also just fill it with ice cubes - helps keep the tube from freezing as well.
I think some vests have a pocket between the bladder and your back so you can put ice cubes in.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Very happy with the month
Taper, marathon, recovery and on to the next one mid May
Plus I finished the month this AM with a favorite run…

 

[LorrieAnn5]

Hydration Vest - Cooling.....
I don't use one, but I've seen a honeycomb plastic insert that you fit between your vest and your back to allow for airflow. This is light-weight.

Guess I might as well give my April update since there is no way I'm running tomorrow:
April 2024: Activities: 15 Distance: 50.10 mi Time: 10:10:06 *This month included two 5ks, a 10k, a 15k and some other distances in between.

I worked hard today getting in the final 8.4 miles to get me to 50 miles for the month.

5 magical miles in April were run on the Disney Magic jogging track on Deck 4. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to book a cruise on the Wish in August so we can run the Castaway Cay 5k! (Training start in June)....PRing my 5k in the heat and humidity of the Caribbean in August is likely impossible, but I'll see what I can do.
Until my 5k training starts, May includes running twice weekly.

 

[RuntheMouse]

April running totals:
Miles: 123.4
Time running: 23:02:16

Goodbye April and your weird weather. I had my first B corral POT attempt and it was a spectacular disaster. I have another crack at it in May so that’s my current focus.

 

[camaker]

April was a solid training month despite the rollercoaster of heat and humidity trying to ramp up while cool weather tried to maintain its grip on my area. It was my highest volume month since March, 2023. I feel like I'm doing very well with reestablishing my pacing, maybe even running a little on the slower than needed side. Tempo runs continue to be the challenge with a couple of this month's feeling like "yeah, I'm back, baby!" with a couple of others feeling like "death, I welcome your embrace!" Definitely no middle ground on them right now. This week will be my final hard push before I start tapering for the New River Marathon in mid-May. Here are the numbers:

April Training Summary
Running Miles: 164.82
Running Time: 29:20:38
Average Pace: 0:10:43/mi (down from 12:00/mi in January)
Average HR: 144/min
YTD Mileage: 539.30 mi

Other
Walking Miles: 46.41
Rolling 12mo Miles: 1,459.22 mi

 

[avondale]

Hydration Vest - Cooling.....
I don't use one, but I've seen a honeycomb plastic insert that you fit between your vest and your back to allow for airflow. This is light-weight.

Guess I might as well give my April update since there is no way I'm running tomorrow:
April 2024: Activities: 15 Distance: 50.10 mi Time: 10:10:06 *This month included two 5ks, a 10k, a 15k and some other distances in between.

I worked hard today getting in the final 8.4 miles to get me to 50 miles for the month.

5 magical miles in April were run on the Disney Magic jogging track on Deck 4. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to book a cruise on the Wish in August so we can run the Castaway Cay 5k! (Training start in June)....PRing my 5k in the heat and humidity of the Caribbean in August is likely impossible, but I'll see what I can do.
Until my 5k training starts, May includes running twice weekly.

I generally fill the bladder with as many ice cubes as can fit in and then fill the gaps with water. Yes, it does help cool the back for a bit.

I also sometimes freeze the bladder with water in it. As someone said, you have to make sure the key parts thaw, so take it out of the freezer early. The straw usually thaws pretty quickly, but I've had issues with getting a plug of ice right where the straw connects to the bladder - you may need to check that ahead of time. Also, if you drink the liquid part quickly and leave the ice block, the ice part can thaw much more slowly than you expect even in hot weather, so it takes some experimentation.

I have never seen what @LorrieAnn5 described as a spacer to allow airflow. Nice in principle, but if your vest isn't a bit oversized, you might not be able to fit it in.

Honestly, I know my back gets hot with them, but since running in the hot weather without the liquid (for that length of time) isn't an option I allow, I just get used to it. With a tank top and shorts, everything else gets airflow.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

April running
Miles = 68
Pace = 10:08 mi/min

Happy with my total this month considering I took 6 days off for spring break. Looking forward to running the Pittsburgh half for the first time this Sunday!

 

[huskies90]

April Miles = 118

A pretty uneventful running month. Looking forward to consistent good running weather in May. Still trying to decide which races (if any) I want to run in 2024.

January Miles = 116
February Miles = 105
March Miles = 111


2024 Total = 450

 

[dis_or_dat]

April totals:
Miles: 91.9
Avg pace: 8:38

After the fun of the Boston marathon, I flew home and promptly got into a major accident with no running for at least 2 months.

 

[Naomeri]

April Totals:
Running: 42.55 mi (9hr 48m 1s)
Walking: 4.58 mi (1h 57m 23s)
Indoor Cycle: 15.66 mi (55m 11s)

The end of a pretty poorly executed, yet somehow successful, training plan. I’m now 2 days into my new plan, and I’ve completed both days’ assigned workouts, so…yay me!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

We interrupt your normal monthly recaps to bring you an important public service announcement. Apparently Krispy Kreme is launching their revamped rewards app this week, and it comes with lots of perks, including a dozen original glazed doughnuts for free through Friday. I picked mine up on the way home from my run this morning and have already eaten three

This is not really running related except in that I feel like most runners also really like food, and Krispy Kreme is delicious

Okay, now back to your scheduled programming.

April 2024
Running: 30h 20m, 184.1 miles
Strength/mobility: 9h 24m
Total: 39h 44m

Yay, back to normal after being sick for most of March. I ran my first parkrun and got a new official 5K PR

 

[camaker]

We interrupt your normal monthly recaps to bring you an important public service announcement. Apparently Krispy Kreme is launching their revamped rewards app this week, and it comes with lots of perks, including a dozen original glazed doughnuts for free through Friday. I picked mine up on the way home from my run this morning and have already eaten three

This is not really running related except in that I feel like most runners also really like food, and Krispy Kreme is delicious

Okay, now back to your scheduled programming.

April 2024
Running: 30h 20m, 184.1 miles
Strength/mobility: 9h 24m
Total: 39h 44m

Yay, back to normal after being sick for most of March. I ran my first parkrun and got a new official 5K PR

You should come to Raleigh and run the Krispy Kreme Challenge next February. Starting at the bell tower on NC State's campus, you run 2.5 miles to the Krispy Kreme in downtown Raleigh, eat a dozen donuts, and then run back with a 60 minute time limit. Costumes are encouraged, so it's really just like RunDisney! When people yell "keep it down", they're not telling the spectators to be quiet...

 

[MouseInTX]

April was a down month for me. Life gets in the way sometimes.

103.1miles
13:27:01

Here's to an eventful May!

 

[Guidman]

April Running
170.19 miles
7:50 avg/mile

Had to miss a few runs at the beginning of the month when my plantar fascia started hurting. Thankfully it subsided pretty quickly, but that's not a fun pain at all. Not fully sure what the gameplan is for my half on Sunday. The weather keeps trending in the wrong direction but try to enjoy it nonetheless.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

You should come to Raleigh and run the Krispy Kreme Challenge next February. Starting at the bell tower on NC State's campus, you run 2.5 miles to the Krispy Kreme in downtown Raleigh, eat a dozen donuts, and then run back with a 60 minute time limit. Costumes are encouraged, so it's really just like RunDisney! When people yell "keep it down", they're not telling the spectators to be quiet...

I've done something like this, but it was a dozen donut holes. I can't imagine full sized donuts!!?!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

You should come to Raleigh and run the Krispy Kreme Challenge next February. Starting at the bell tower on NC State's campus, you run 2.5 miles to the Krispy Kreme in downtown Raleigh, eat a dozen donuts, and then run back with a 60 minute time limit. Costumes are encouraged, so it's really just like RunDisney! When people yell "keep it down", they're not telling the spectators to be quiet...

That's gonna be a hard no

 

[pluto377]

April was another disaster. 16.5 miles. I had Covid, my youngest son had Covid, my two older sons had the flu and my husband had kidney stone surgery. Hoping May goes better but I'm not feeling too optimistic based on how the year has been going...

 

[Herding_Cats]

April Totals: 54.2mi

Getting back in the groove and discovering that taking 2 days in a row off absolutely flatlines my motivation to continue training. I should be up to 80mi next month if training goes the way it should, and my body holds up to speedwork 2x a week.

 

[nancipants]

You should come to Raleigh and run the Krispy Kreme Challenge next February. Starting at the bell tower on NC State's campus, you run 2.5 miles to the Krispy Kreme in downtown Raleigh, eat a dozen donuts, and then run back with a 60 minute time limit. Costumes are encouraged, so it's really just like RunDisney! When people yell "keep it down", they're not telling the spectators to be quiet...

didn’t @GollyGadget do something like this? Or am I confusing her with someone else? I remember reading a hilarious story about a similar food related race.

 

[flav]

April 2024 totals
Distance: 194.0km (120mi)
Average pace: 6m32s/km (10:32min/mi)
YTD: 708km on 2024km

The month started with major question marks: Knee, work, health of family members, etc. It was busy and worry some at times but now that it’s over, we can say that everything was stable enough for us to manage it all and even enjoy the best parts

Running wise, I grumpily PR a 10k on the 7th, ran my training plan without any serious pains and celebrated all of it at runDisney Springtime Surprise (report to come).

Marathon coming up in May, for fun