2014 Running Thread

the one I wear most is practically  fishnet , moisture wicking, lose fitting tank top when I ran for America Foundation for Suicide Prevention .. light blue, has a life preserver on it... soooooo soft.. very airy. I do have a huge stack of running tech shirts.. most of disneys are mens or unisex so they are huge on me. But Ill wear the princess one and my Tough Mudder one. otherwise Ill just go to target and pick up a champion tech shirt.. I prefer the Vneck. I havent tried running in a tight tank top yet. we are having a Race for the Cure this nov..prolly going to do that one

Goldlining -  it was a resting echo but I got the results today and my ejection fraction is at 62.5% which is actually up from my previous echo in April. I'll have to keep in mind that there are different ones and ask about the exercise one if things keep up. Between now and then I'll listen to my body and try to leave the technology at home. Bhawww, like that will ever happen it makes me feel a bit better to know that I'm not the only one who has a crazy high heart rate during runs.

All this talk about Disney runs is doing wonders for my motivation. When I did the Goofy Challenge five years ago, it was one of the coldest winters in Florida, it was the year the lizards were falling off the trees. The temperatures at the start were below freezing, and we had hail and snow while we waited for the half marathon to start. The best was the thin layers of ice that formed around the water stations, that wonderful really slippery stuff. The water station volunteers did their best to make it safer by pouring Gatorade powder on the icy spots. The upside is that was the exact type of weather I had been training in! Hoping for warmer weather this go around.

As for favourite race shirts, my two are the ones from Around the Bay and the Canada Army Run. Both long sleeve tech shirts that are usually well made and cut. Out of all the Army Runs that I have done, I have two shirts that I don't like as much, one is mostly cammo as opposed to the small accents they put on other years, then last year they had a strip of stiff reflective fabric down the sleeves. Great for visibility but not really comfortable. I'm usually not a big fan of race shirts, I find they don't fit me as well or the quality is not that great. I'm usually not a big fan of huge logos which I find most have. My worst race shirt has to be the one from the 2010 Ottawa Marathon, it was neon yellow with blue piping and a huge Run Ottawa logo in blue on the front. The logo took up the whole front. To top it off it was a really odd fit, I have a short torso and this one was too short for me. I do like races where you get something other than a shirt. The Hypothermic Half usually has hats and gloves/mittens or duffle bags. One year it was a packable tote bag, it's great for travel. 

As for store bought shirts, I'm a big fan of the Nike semi fitted models. Either long sleeve, short sleeve or tank based on what the weather calls for. The material they use is so soft and they wash very well. The neck lines are not too high that they choke me but still give coverage. As much as I'm a lululemon fan for other pieces, I tend to go back to my Nike shirts for running. 

BetterDay - were you a runner before BC?  I'm impressed either way, but if you weren't a runner previously I'm REALLY impressed that you could run a mile when you got started!  Way to go either way!

Thanks so much!  Sweetandspecial, I was not a runner before BC.  Exercise was just not my thing.  When I was diagnosed, it scared the wits out of me so I figured I better start going something.  I had neoadjuvent chemo during the fall and winter 2013-2014, and we had the most miserable winter in Chicago, so outdoor exercise was not an option.  But I did try to spend some time on the elliptical during chemo, when I felt well enough.  Not a lot, maybe 20 minutes a few times a week.  Then I had surgery and the elliptical was off limits.  My PS was worried I would slip and hurt myself.  I was cleared for exercise in April, right about the time that the weather took a turn for the better here, so I thought I would give jogging a try. That first attempt was pretty ugly, but I did it and just kept doing it.  I think that being triple negative with no continuing treatment options is a big motivator for me.  I honestly feel like I am running for my life.

Hi NatsFan -- the training sounds great! Also loved the bus advertising guilt-trip! Even better than my vivofit and its red line that means "move!"

BetterDay, welcome! I relate to picking this up as a BC coping thing. I had just started running not long before my dx, and actually started for a similar reason: I injured my hand at the start of sabbatical and couldn't write or type. I didn't even know how to run or what to wear, so I was very tentative and just kept chipping away. I was heading to the airport for my first half about 18 months later when I got the message to come in for magnified view mammo. A cloud hanging over the trip, for sure. I developed a Bell's Palsy the night after the run, and I think it was the physical stress of recovering from the run and the emotional stress of dealing with the unknown threat that prevented me from fighting off the virus. 

One thing we late adopters of the running life have over those who were lifelong athletes is mint-condition knees and other essential body parts. It's good compensation for having to learn everything new.

For me, running is about control. There is a lot we can't control, like what appointments we have to have and when the appointments are. (Going scorched-earth with mastectomy and recon for DCIS was a little bit of a control move too, but man, did I have to fight for ever step of that.) With running, I control when I stop, I control how fast or slow I go. I don't have to think of anything else while I'm doing it - I even can't think of anything else sometimes. When I finished the first half marathon after the mastectomy, I was so overwhelmed, I remember thinking "this is the hardest thing I have ever done". I didn't just run it, but I healed from surgery and ran it. I made myself proud and gave myself confidence that I can do this. We are all awesome!

You rock, LuvLuLu! Great job! That sounds invigorating AND tasty!

Betterday - welcome to the tread!

LuvLuLu - I'm happy to hear that your long run this morning went better than last week. Isn't it great when you have somewhere to stop on your run for a potty break? 

Sweetandspecial - that is still a great pace walking, I'm sure you will be back to running in no time. 

NatsFan - it sounds like your training group is very well organized. The runs and workout sound fun too.

Im planning on a 16k long run tomorrow. If I get this one done then I'll have a bit more confidence for the race. On Thursday I ran Fartleks up hill. That takes hill training to a whole other level then yesterday I climbed a whole bunch of stairs. My husband and I decided to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary by going to a water park. It was cool and cloudy which meant that there were minimal line ups. We did lots of slides but that meant lots of stairs. I forgot how good of a workout stairs can be! We definitively got our money's worth at the water park with the amount of slides we managed to do and a good workout to boot.

Great workout, oncearunner! You're brave to do it in these temperatures! Happy anniversary.

I went out this morning for a run at the Y, a bit more than 5.5km. Planned to just be slow and loose but I started out uphill, and that had me making the effort to power up the slope and I just kept it up. I stopped for some photos and still made just over the 5K split time from the 15K. In all, a good outing. In looking at the stats from the Garmin, I'm enjoying that feedback. It is giving me mostly green dots for my cadence now (moved up out of the yellow range with a conscious effort to take smaller quicker steps), and even lower ground contact time. That watch is a barrel of monkeys. Fun!

Doubt I will run again before Disneyland. Now focusing on the carbs - had a cronut for lunch! (Crafty excuse!)

I have made my packing list already!! I sewed my Dumbo sequin skirt this morning, and will sew my Lilo running dress this afternoon.

You're doing Star Wars, eh? I loved this shirt from Raw Threads in their new collection. It speaks to my "who cares about pace" philosophy.

S and S I'm still lurking on this thread to see if there are any runners besides you with implants! Still would love to run when I recover but don't want to risk anything happening to the new girls! 

bethq, I have implants too.  I had bmx and permanent implants in the same surgery (it was a long 7.5 hours!).  I got the all-clear to exercise from my PS 6 weeks after surgery.  He even said that I don't need to wear a bra, and I often don't, even when I'm running.  There's really no bouncing with these implants.  Obviously with direct to implant surgery, I'm not very big.  Probably a large B or small C cup, though things are shaped a bit differently these days.  I agree with sweetandspecial to check with your doctor to be sure.

beth and betterday - I dont' get much movement with mine either and I have 750cc .  I think when I finally get around to Nordstrom's for some bra shopping I'll be a D or DD.

Nats, OUCH!!  Sounds really fun but KILLER!  I guess the fun part helps take away the pain.  You must've felt GREAT when you got thru.  I know what you mean about your comfort zone - I never push myself out of it . . .

Better - I'm a lone runner too, so being in a group is new to me.  

So far I like some parts of it, such as the structure and special training like the ranger run.  It's also fun to be around other runners of all ages, shapes, sizes and experience.  Since we're in pace groups, I'm with runners of my own (slow) capabilities which is reassuring - normally other runners fly by me when I run alone on park trails, and that be discouraging at times.  

But I also like running to music, and in the clinic sessions we don't use headphones because we need to be able to talk and listen to our coaches and fellow group members.  I also enjoy the mental cleansing I get running alone - sometimes I just want to run alone with my own thoughts and not feel that I have to be social.  So we'll see how that plays out for me.

Our training schedule calls for one run on our own on Thursdays, so I do get my loner fix on those days. 

I ran today - 1.5 miles...  my third run since Saturday.  Same route, same pokey pace, but I'm doing it!!

I have my oophererctomy this coming Tuesday, not sure what my restrictions will be but I'm sure I won't be running next week.  I'll try to get in a few more miles between now and then.  It feels nice to be doing something normal!