The Running Thread - 2018

Brooks Glycerin for me. I have tried others over the years but have not found an equal. Am now in the market for racing flats so any recommendations are appreciated.
 
ATTQOTD: Brooks Ghost for the last 4-5 years, dozens of pairs. I've not had problems with the various models. It was a running store (don't remember which one) that put me into them. Whoever it was, thanks! Switched to wide a couple of years ago to make room for my runner's callouses.

Nike:
Cortez

In my non-reality life, I lust after a pair of the Nike Cortez Flyknit Forrest Gumps. I wouldn't run in them, just go skateboarding with Farrah Fawcett. https://www.google.com/search?q=far...o4XZAhVMx1kKHQseDm0Q_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=908
 
Today's QOTD inspired me to try to recall aaaaallll of the shoes I've tired over the years... I'm sure I'll miss some, but here's what I remember and how they fared:

adidas:
Supernova Sequence 9 - okay, but altered my gait to the point of injury
Ultra Boost ST - too soft, returned

Altra:
Instinct (the original) - loved the ride, hate the fit; too loose in the heel
Paradigm, Torin, Provision, One - none fit right, returned

Asics:
Nimbus 11 - one of my most favorite shoes! wore them into the ground, but no Nimbuses (Nimbi?) since have worked
Noosa, Cumulus, Kayano, GT1000 - none fit well; too narrow in the forefoot
GEL Phoenix - a good one for me, but they stopped making them
GT2000 - worked well enough for a while, but not an ideal fit and forefoot sole was shot at 150 miles

Brooks:
Launch 2, 4, 5 - best fitting shoe ever for me! But not enough cushion up front for long runs
Ghost 7 - a favorite that I wore into the ground, but no Ghosts since has worked
Glycerine 15 - great fit, good ride, a little too squishy and HEAVY
PureFlow (original) - a favorite that I wore into the ground!
Ravenna 4, 8 - both fit beautifully, but altered my gait uncomfortable
Transcend - most painful shoe I've ever tried!
PureCadence (original) - almost as perfect a fit as the PureFlow and Launch, but the heel was looser than I like

Hoka:
something that started with a K - was amazing... until it wasn't
Arahi - ditto. Something about Hokas just does not work for me

Mizuno:
Nexxus - a favorite! and they stopped making it
Inspire 9 - fit well, but made my gait feel wonky; drop too high
Sayonara - great ride, but too narrow

New Balance:
Vazee Prism - great ride, but the heel is just loose enough to irritate me
Vongo v2 - I want to love these, but they just have too much stability
what I think was a 1400, long ago - I rarely ran in them, but wore them out using them at WDW

Nike:
Cortez, satin - My first running shoe, circa late 70s! I loved those shoes with all my heart... and the multi-color heart laces I laced them up with lol! Had a few pairs in a row.
Pegasus, original - ditto, but with purple heart laces. Various more Peg incarnations throughout my schooling
another Peg in the 1990s - an all-time favorite shoe I wore the heck out of
Peg 34 - new and waiting to be tried tonight! maybe the shoe search comes full circle?

Newton:
Gravity II - a favorite I wore until the outermost lug was completely gone; wish I'd have stocked up on them
Gravity III - never fit as well as the II, though the ride was as good
Motion III - poor fit; heel too loose
Kismet - great ride & fit, but only in one color; other colors fit poorly
Kismet III - working well so far!

Saucony:
Guide 9 - what a store put me in; never fit right and altered my gait uncomfortably
Kinvara 5 I think - looooved the ride! but Saucony just does not fit the shape of my feet; loose heels, tight forefeet

Salming:
Miles - just tried this last night; doesn't fit me well. but for the right foot they have serious potential

PHEW! That's a LOT of shoes. :faint:
What!! No PF Flyers?
 
OMG you have my dream job. Seriously! If only 40yo self could go back in time and tell 18yo self not to give up her dream. I ended up going to college to pursue a business degree.

It takes a lot more math and physics than most people want to deal with - something my students are always disappointed about. :)

It's never too late to get back into it as a hobby...get a small telescope, read Sky & Telescope, etc. There are even opportunities these days for dedicated amateurs to contribute to "real" astronomy that way. Wherever you are, there may be a local amateur astronomy club or college observatory where you can visit and possibly volunteer. And if it's not your job, it's always more fun that way, ha ha.
 
I had to catch up as this thread got way ahead of me!!!

Update about San Diego...my family booked our trip for August but Hotel Del Coronado was too rich for our blood so we'll just do a visit there. Staying at Paradise Point which is a little island with little single story buildings and bikes and boats and places to roast marshmallows. And yes, plenty of room for running. Hoping it'll be good. Gonna do the zoo and legoland. Feels weird but fun to do a non-Disney but still disney-esque type trip :)

Attqotd: I've only ran in Brooks ghosts, Brooks launch & Nike Pegs. The Nikes were an expo sale rack impulse buy that worked out. But I'm currently digging my 3 pairs of Launch 4's. They are lighter than the ghosts but give me some cushiness in the heel area that I like. I'm a heel to mid foot lander right now.
 
I was thinking the same thing. lol Thats a lot of miles over the years.
I'm old - it's been a lot of years lol! ;)

In my non-reality life, I lust after a pair of the Nike Cortez Flyknit Forrest Gumps. I wouldn't run in them, just go skateboarding with Farrah Fawcett. https://www.google.com/search?q=far...o4XZAhVMx1kKHQseDm0Q_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=908
Classics!! ♥

What!! No PF Flyers?
No, but I've had more Chuck Taylors than I can count! Never ran in them, though. Ditto for Stan Smiths and Tretorns. My mother ran in Reeboks in the late 70s/early 80s, so those were in the house, too.
 
ATTQOTD: I've ran in Asics Gel Nimbus (first running shoe), Mizuno Wave Riders, Mizuno Wave Paradox, Saucony Triumph ISO, Brooks Glycerin, Brooks Ghost and my current love Brooks Launch. I went to a local running store to get fitted and analyzed and they told me I was a neutral runner and recommended the Glycerins for longer runs and Launch for speed. They did not sell Asics at that store, but I have since bought a new pair of Gel Nimbus on running warehouse and LOVE THEM! I do not even need inserts because they are so comfy.
 
ATTQOTD: My first pair of running shoes when I decided to take up running 5 years ago was some pair of Nike's I bought at a Famous Footwear because I thought Nike's were like the be all, end all of running shoes. L O L.
And then, after I literally ran those suckers into the ground (500+ miles), I went to a local running store and they never really fit me, they just looked at my old shoes and threw a pair at me. Luckily it was the Brooks Launch 3 and I LOVED them. I have been stuck on them ever since. I have had the Launch 3, 4 & 5.
 
ATTQOTD: It took a foot injury and a trip to the orthopedist to find the right shoe and to learn that shoes have a certain lifespan. Had I found this thread early maybe all would have been avoided. Anyway thanks to heredity my feet are a hot mess so the recommendation was for a very wide supportive shoe with super feet green inserts. I have found that Brooks shoes fit the bill. I started out with Addictions and used for my first half and ended with happy feet but recent model changes have just not felt right. I have switched over to Ariels and GTS and like both. I used both with the inserts Marathon weekend with much success.
 
It takes a lot more math and physics than most people want to deal with - something my students are always disappointed about. :)

It's never too late to get back into it as a hobby...get a small telescope, read Sky & Telescope, etc. There are even opportunities these days for dedicated amateurs to contribute to "real" astronomy that way. Wherever you are, there may be a local amateur astronomy club or college observatory where you can visit and possibly volunteer. And if it's not your job, it's always more fun that way, ha ha.

Math and science were always my best subjects! My telescope got lost in our move to FL almost four years ago :( We moved to a different part of FL last year and I’m just so happy to see stars again. We were in Boca Raton for 3 years and our night sky was just a haze of orange from all the light pollution. We are closer to Kennedy space center now so I’d like to get a membership!
 
QOTD: Lets discuss running shoes today. How did you determine what shoes you currently have? Did you try new brands / type as you circumstances change?

I'm one of those lucky individuals who hasn't had major foot issues and can run in pretty much anything, so mostly I just look for running shoes which are (a) on sale and (b) in colors I like. (Please don't hate me! :o ) I read a study a while back that suggested mixing up shoes with varying drops (the variance in the thickness from the back to the front) can be good for you, as it varies (and thus lessens) the impact on the feet. As a result, I usually have a rotation of shoes going at any one time, and they can vary in drop quite a bit. So far, in ~5 years of serious running averaging 2000+ miles annually, no foot issues. If only my hamstrings were as cooperative as my feet!
 
ATTQOTD: Running shoe store put me in Brooks Adrenalines when I started running. When I bought my 2nd pair of running shoes I returned to same place and we determined I could move to the Brooks Ghost (I stayed in the same brand mostly because Brooks just seem to fit me well everywhere). I went through a couple pair of Ghosts, but then found the Brooks Launch. They are a little less shoe than the Ghost and always feel great. I wish they had a bit less drop, but other than that I totally love them. I wear them for most all of my training and for any race of a half marathon or greater. I've had the 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s. They typically have a good selection of colors/styles so it's easier for me to keep track of rotating my shoes.

I also tried a pair of Saucony Kinvaras once. They are a tad lighter than the Brooks Launch and have less drop. I wanted so bad to like them because I have some Saucony racing flats (Grid Type A5) that feel like a second skin. However the Kinvaras gave me a heel blister and I had to return them. It's possible my pair had something slightly off, but it was easier to just return to my Brooks Launch because I've never had any issues when wearing them.
 
View attachment 299394
Just wanted to share this picture of little man in his Woody outfit. Disney related maybe, running related... not even close.

I disagree with the later part of this statement. In no time you will be running around after Woody all the time. My 4 year olds tell me to wear my running shoes to the park so I can keep up with them.


QOTD: Lets discuss running shoes today. How did you determine what shoes you currently have? Did you try new brands / type as you circumstances change?

ATTQOTD: I went to my local running store and there is a process to get you in the right shoe. I am currently in a shoe that I am probably 20lbs to big to be running in. I like the shoe, but training in them is likely increasing my odds of injury. I have a second pair similar to them that have even less support that I dont want to use at the moment. So this Friday I will likely go get some new shoes and ask for the advice of the employees on what I should do. Buy the same pair again, or get a shoe thats more supportive..

I wonder if there is a topic runners can go on about more than this one?! But it is timely as even my kids (see above) noticed that my toe is poking out of my shoe, and my shins have been a bit sore of late. The toe is a normal thing, it just wears out all of my non-leather shoes this way, but it does look silly and I do not need the extra ventilation in the winter. I was leaning toward a little duct tape (I even have Anna and Elsa duct tape) until my shins were irritating me. The shoes only have 200ish miles on them, so it seems to me like they should last longer. I am considering (1) returning to the running store to try on all the shoes and see if there is something better (2) just ordering a new pair on line, likely cheaper. As for the answer to the question asked, I had a pair of Nike shoes I got from Marshalls and thought were terrible, so I went to an actual running store and got the first pair of real running shoes, New Balance 870v3, which I loved. I loved the fit, I loved the feel, and they were orange! And I hated running so I ended up mostly using them to walk at lunch for 2 years. Then I decided to run again, and thought perhaps I should get a new pair as I had put at least 500 walking miles on a 2 year old shoe. But of course, that shoe would no longer exist. I even went so far as to call new balance and ask if they had anything like it as the word names mean nothing. They told me try the 860 or 880, both of which were terrible for different reasons, in addition to the lack of orange. So I went back to the running store and was mostly blown off by what I now know to be the marathon running store manager who is not 22 and should know better. He had me walk 25 feet barefoot and declared I did not need the moderate stability offered from my beloved orange shoes. He told me I could run up and down the block if I wanted, and I did, and then I walked out with a pair of Mizuno wave runner 20s. My arches, heels, shins and knees hurt in the first half mile of actual running the next day. But I thought it was normal so I kept at it for 2 weeks until I could hardly walk. I went back to a different branch of the same store and got a lovely gentleman who patiently listened to me explain how I hated the shoes I bought, but I loved these old shoes. I tried on every pair of shoes in the store, many twice. He watched me run the length of the parking lot in each of them, and was quick to call me to stop when he thought I should give up the pair (in many cases they were uncomfortable, but I thought that was what it was supposed to be). And I walked out with a pair of brooks adrenaline in a boring grey & maroon, the only ones they had in stock in my size. I was so happy to run in my lame old lady shoes that did not hurt! I bought a slightly less boring pair and was still happy with them, but for the toe hole. And now I wonder if I have changed my running somehow to cause my shins to hurt, or if I really have just beat them up more quickly than I had thought. So, yes, I too will rant on about shoes!
 
Hadn't seen anyone else post their monthly update yet. Bye January! :wave:

January Training Summary:
(Completed/Scheduled)

Total Miles: 103.0 / 146.4 (70%)
Total Time: 13:19:25 / 19:01:25 (70%)
Average Pace: 7:46 min/mile (Goal Marathon Pace + 38 seconds)
Average HR: 141/min (71.8% HRR)

January 2018 was a polarizing month for me. It started off with the 2018 Dopey Challenge. My 5th and final consecutive attempt at the Sextuple PR Challenge. Felt confident I could get all 6, but the marathon would be tricky. Ended up PR'ing the 5k (20:06), 10k (39:54, with a new 5k of 19:27), HM (1:30:35) and came oh so close on the M (3:15:59 vs 3:14:05). All around a great weekend. I took my standard 10-14 days off post "A" marathon (did 9 days this time). Came back to an old issue. Right before I left for Dopey I was having some right calf issues. Wasn't sure whether it was taper madness or real. It was an issue up until Expo day of Dopey at which I had no problems. I was able to race each of the 4 races without issue and felt strong throughout. But on the first run back after the time off, the same calf issue was present again. I gave it a week of running (only easy, as is my normal routine for two weeks post time off). After 8 runs with none being issue-free, I made the hard (but easy) decision to shut it down. I've dealt with minor things along the way that I could run through, but this felt different. So I trusted my gut instinct. I'd rather take some time off now voluntarily and keep it to a low number of days, then to have it potentially become a bigger issue that takes weeks/months of time later. I'm aiming for 11 days of no running and re-trying on 2/5. If it's still present, then time to get a professional opinion.

Certainly I was bummed to take time away from running (although my daughter and I have filled that time with Mario Kart :car:). Looking at 103 miles in a month I figured that had to be an all time low for a while now. Turns out it's the second least number of miles run in the last 33 months. But the silver lining is the least number of miles run in the last 33 months was January 2017 (90.8). And I had an amazing Spring 2017 training cycle. So if I can get this issue resolved and come back soon, then I'm still on track to hit that sub-1:30 HM in April and maybe just maybe hit that sub-1:25 HM and earn a corral A placement at the Chicago Marathon. But, it depends on how the next few weeks go as the 2018 "A" goal is the October Chicago Marathon and that means keeping all training choices focused on being prepared for that. I've got to get back to training for Chicago so I can try and keep up with @CheapRunnerMike!
 
January Summary:

The Good:
Running: 19.3 Miles; Disney 10K [1:05:29], Disney 1/2 [2:07:27]
Biking: 96 Miles
Elliptical: 4 hours

The Bad:
Shin Splints and chest cold [coughing] for 2 weeks after Disney trip resulted in no running, thus the bike and elliptical numbers.

The Ugly:
Diagnosed with an inguinal hernia this past Monday [most likely from my coughing fits]. Pre-op appointment
is Monday and surgery TBD. Most likely no running for at least 3 weeks post op, so I might as well give up running
for lent?
 
ATTQOTD: I ran exclusively in Nike for years. I've had knee pain the past couple of weeks and determined that it probably was time to get new shoes as I knew I was getting close. I went to my local Fleet Feet and they did their test thing and watched me walk. They didn't have any Nike in my size with the support I needed, so they tried on a few different pair and custom inserts. For me this was a very useful process. I did notice an immediate improvement in my knee pain. They're New Balance, but I don't remember the type at the moment.

However, I still haven't run as much I would like in the new shoes. While I noticed an immediate improvement in the knee pain, it would still return mildly and intermittently. I decided to actually truly rest instead of deciding to run based on feel and reducing mileage. I want to start up again next week. I've only taken a week off running so I'm not losing too much fitness. I think I was coming back too quickly and trying to resume right where I left off instead of allowing my body to adjust.
 
Oh, is January over? Months have all blurred together in my head...

Total Miles: 59.6
I'm a little unhappy that I was so close to 60 miles and didn't make it, but ... whatever. It is what it is.
I don't have pace or time info right in front of me and I'm too busy avoiding all the work I have to do to look it up.
 
78.1 miles in January - a mileage PR for me! Even with a possible case of the flu and a 2 week cough (I’m kind of shocked actually).

I did a winter challenge with some running friends - get outside for at least a mile every day in January. I did every day - so that helped with the PR for sure (though some days I did a mile outside and came inside for the rest to avoid freezing!).

I am also on day 71 of a 10k steps a day streak that I started on Thanksgiving.

So off to a good start this year!
 

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