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Ran a 10k - Official Thread (5 Viewers)

Well, just got the long run done. 

That sucked. I don't know what I got myself into but I clearly didn't think this through. I'm sitting on my couch now because I don't really feel like moving. 

It certainly didn't help that I didn't realize none of the fountains in the park would be on with the cold temps. So not only did I run that completely fasted, I didn't drink anything either. That was stupid. Lesson learned, though.

Carry on with the awesome year end reports.
Just remember that at the 15 mile point in a marathon you should still be feeling fresh and comfortable.  

 
Just remember that at the 15 mile point in a marathon you should still be feeling fresh and comfortable.  
I remembered that plenty out there. And I felt anything but that. That said, I was so ####### thirsty that I know that played a role somewhat.

My wife, OTOH, who ran it with me, feels great. Her average HR was 150 and that was also her longest distance ever. She la-di-da'd the hell out of that run. In a tank top, no less ( @gruecd).

I'm married to an animal.

 
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Well, just got the long run done. 

That sucked. I don't know what I got myself into but I clearly didn't think this through. I'm sitting on my couch now because I don't really feel like moving. 

It certainly didn't help that I didn't realize none of the fountains in the park would be on with the cold temps. So not only did I run that completely fasted, I didn't drink anything either. That was stupid. Lesson learned, though.

Carry on with the awesome year end reports.
Nice run! That's strong stuff.

 
Well, just got the long run done. 

That sucked. I don't know what I got myself into but I clearly didn't think this through. I'm sitting on my couch now because I don't really feel like moving. 

It certainly didn't help that I didn't realize none of the fountains in the park would be on with the cold temps. So not only did I run that completely fasted, I didn't drink anything either. That was stupid. Lesson learned, though.

Carry on with the awesome year end reports.
Nice work GB!

 
I remembered that plenty out there. And I felt anything but that. That said, I was so ####### thirsty that I know that played a role somewhat.

My wife, OTOH, who ran it with me, feels great. Her average HR was 150 and that was also her longest distance ever. She la-di-da'd the hell out of that run. In a tank top, no less ( @gruecd).

I'm married to animal.
I am SOOO looking forward to following along with this. Get you some!

 
I've been texting with @ChiefD, but I might as well share with you guys too.

My wife is essentially calling me a giant ##### even though I'm the one that got her out on the long run.

We get home from running, she showers, heads right out to work for a holiday lunch, drop off some work gifts then pick up our daughter.

Me, I'm in the fetal position on the couch.

She texts me to ask how I feel and I tell her I'm pretty tired, then ask how she feels.

She's all "I feel great. Ran. Got things done. Yada yada". Then she goes "I'll make you some cookies tonight when I get home to help you feel better too".

WTF. 

That said, she only did 14.6 miles so there's at least a good reason for how different we feel.

 
I've been texting with @ChiefD, but I might as well share with you guys too.

My wife is essentially calling me a giant ##### even though I'm the one that got her out on the long run.

We get home from running, she showers, heads right out to work for a holiday lunch, drop off some work gifts then pick up our daughter.

Me, I'm in the fetal position on the couch.

She texts me to ask how I feel and I tell her I'm pretty tired, then ask how she feels.

She's all "I feel great. Ran. Got things done. Yada yada". Then she goes "I'll make you some cookies tonight when I get home to help you feel better too".

WTF. 

That said, she only did 14.6 miles so there's at least a good reason for how different we feel.
:subscribedtogianmarcoandfamilymarathontrainingblog:

 
2019 Year-end report

Your goals coming into the year, and were they achieved?

I didn’t really write a race report last year. If I did, it was probably pretty vague. Since I started to become a serious runner, I’ve always had a few goals in mind.

1. Qualify for and run the Boston Marathon.

2. Run a sub 20 5K (check)

3. Run a sub 40 10K (still chasing this one)

4. Run a sub 90 half (check)

5. Run a sub 3 hour marathon (this will hopefully lead to goal #1)

So I guess those are my goals every year. I didn’t accomplish any this year because some have already been accomplished, but I did set a new PR for the 5K distance.

New accomplishments or PRs in 2019:

18:57 5K on Thanksgiving.

Your proudest and/or best race (or moment within a race):

Again, this would have to be the Turkey Trot. I think I only ran 2 races this year (besides the relay).

A race or training disappointment during 2019:

Half marathon in October. Not sure what my finishing time was, but the race and time were awful. 

Total training volume during 2019:

Should hit 1,600 miles if I stay healthy.

Lesson(s) you’ve learned during the year:

I am not sure if I have learned a specific lesson this year. But I can honestly say I learn something new on a weekly basis. I am constantly reflecting and putting thought into running.

Best and/or funny memories of other guys’ training or races in 2019:

The St. Louis trip takes the cake. Meeting @gianmarco, his wife, amazing kids, and awesome pups was really cool. Meeting @gruecd and seeing him do his thing during that relay was jaw-dropping. A true runner and his knowledge and skills really shined through. @tri-man 47 is the ideal human being I’d like to be when I turn 90. Seriously though, this guy is an intelligent dude that knows a thing or 12. Plus, he really looked out for me. 
Talking with @ChiefD over breakfast gave me the vibe that he just genuinely cared. By the way, I need to get your phone number, so we can keep in touch. Having @Brony show up and help out when he wasn’t even running in the race told me all I needed to know about him. Plus, I’m pretty sure he saved my life by getting me the hell out of there. I’m pretty sure there was another guy at the relay, but I just can’t think of his name at the moment. Really fast guy, very quiet, extremely polite, not the biggest human on the planet. Whatever his name was, he was one of the most humble dudes I’ve ever met.

I’d hate to forget to mention anyone, but I am amazed at everyone’s accomplishments. 

Goal(s) for 2020:

Figure out a way to get/stay healthy. I’d also like to figure out a way to calm down before a race. Other than that, I’ll keep dreaming of Boston and chasing that goal until I reach it. 

 
Not running as much as I would like to but still slogging along. My 2 miles today felt "easier" anyway.  A month ago I would have laughed at trying to run 2 miles.

I can't believe you "athletes" have never heard of the frog stretch..... ;)

 
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I feel SO much better. Man, I think I was really depleted out there by the end. Legs don't hurt at all and I feel back to normal. Good lesson and I need to start working on my fueling during these longer runs. 

And no cookies yet. I'll just tell her "no thanks" when she offers them later. But when she falls asleep......

 
Someone knowledge-bomb me on treadmill running.  I've read things all over the place on treadmill vs outdoor running and how it relates to effort.  I've seen outdoors is harder, that a 1-2% incline evens them out, that they are the same, that at faster paces treadmill has higher heart rates but lower rates at very easy paces, and the list goes on.

I prefer outdoor running immensely more, but the dark and cold are pushing me inside.  I realize I cant replicate the outdoor conditions, but I would at least like to get close...so is that incline, faster pace, both, or something else?

Also, i am quickly realizing my garmin doesn't understand how to track treadmill miles at all  :thumbdown:

 
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Someone knowledge-bomb me on treadmill running.  I've read things all over the place on treadmill vs outdoor running and how it relates to effort.  I've seen outdoors is harder, that a 1-2% incline evens them out, that they are the same, that at faster paces treadmill has higher heart rates but lower rates at very easy paces, and the list goes on.

I prefer outdoor running immensely more, but the dark and cold are pushing me inside.  I realize I cant replicate the outdoor conditions, but I would at least like to get close...so is that incline, faster pace, both, or something else?

Also, i am quickly realizing my garmin doesn't understand how to track treadmill miles at all  :thumbdown:
1% is probably a better equalizer than 2%.  I don't notice that much difference in heart rate.  Difficulty is similar although for fast stuff I prefer the consistency of the treadmill over being outside and dealing with wind and hills.  My advice is to do your thing and don't sweat it.

I don't like by Garmin for treadmills.  I usually just log totals into Garmin connect and Strava manually.

 
Someone knowledge-bomb me on treadmill running.  I've read things all over the place on treadmill vs outdoor running and how it relates to effort.  I've seen outdoors is harder, that a 1-2% incline evens them out, that they are the same, that at faster paces treadmill has higher heart rates but lower rates at very easy paces, and the list goes on.

I prefer outdoor running immensely more, but the dark and cold are pushing me inside.  I realize I cant replicate the outdoor conditions, but I would at least like to get close...so is that incline, faster pace, both, or something else?

Also, i am quickly realizing my garmin doesn't understand how to track treadmill miles at all  :thumbdown:
First, there's no "hard rule", just basically guidelines. Adding a 1% incline is supposed to take the place of wind resistence, etc, but not doing it isn't going to break anything. HR will often depend on conditions - if you have no airflow and it is hotter/muggier, it will push the HR up, IMO. Outside is always better but just moving is never a bad thing. I've kind of decided that I can take 2 of the 3 "bad conditions" - cold, dark, wet, but all 3 combined and I'd rather be inside. And sometimes cold and wet is too much to want to go outside.

As for the Garmin on the treadmill, you can calibrate that. I forget off the top of my head how to do it and I just realized that I left my watch at home... But at the end of a run, there's an option/ability to tell the watch how far you just ran and after doing that it should match up fairly close for you.

 
As for the Garmin on the treadmill, you can calibrate that. I forget off the top of my head how to do it and I just realized that I left my watch at home... But at the end of a run, there's an option/ability to tell the watch how far you just ran and after doing that it should match up fairly close for you.
I believe that calibration happens only after the first time.  Maybe there is a way to re-calibrate but I couldn't find it after an extensive search.   My problem, then, was it would only be accurate in future runs if going about that same speed.

 
Treadmills were invented as a form of punishment.

Personally, I'll do whatever I can to stay off them.  I set the incline to 1% so that I approximate wind resistance.

But generally, I find any pace on the treadmill harder than any pace on the streets.  Not sure why.  My basement is definitely hotter than outdoors, which could be part of it.

And then there's the boredom.  I have a TV in front of the treadmill and put YouTube videos on, yet I still find myself looking at the mileage counter all the time.  

One of the reasons I think treadmills are harder is because every step is a choice to continue.  When I'm out running, and I'm 5K from home, there's no ability to just "quit".  On the treadmill, one can quit at any time.  So it's always a struggle for me to fight that choice.

Re Garmin, it's great at treadmill distance if you run the same pace all the time.  At the end of a treadmill run, it gives you the option to "save and calibrate", which will then set your stride length in Garmin to accurately reflect what it is on the treadmill.  The problem is that if the next time you use the treadmill, you run faster or slower, than the calibration is no longer sound.  At least for me it isn't, because 80% of my pace changes are reflected in stride length and the rest in cadence.  Garmin only measures the latter.

Workouts calling for specific paces/intervals are easier to manage on the treadmill.  And when I want to get a good solid/consistent hiking climb in (without having to drive anywhere), setting the treadmill to 15% at a strong hiking pace for an hour is a great workout.  Those are the only nice things I can say about that masochistic torture device.

I keep searching online for a treadmill which will upload distance, pace, and elevation to Strava.  But no luck as of yet.

 
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Someone knowledge-bomb me on treadmill running.  I've read things all over the place on treadmill vs outdoor running and how it relates to effort.  I've seen outdoors is harder, that a 1-2% incline evens them out, that they are the same, that at faster paces treadmill has higher heart rates but lower rates at very easy paces, and the list goes on.

I prefer outdoor running immensely more, but the dark and cold are pushing me inside.  I realize I cant replicate the outdoor conditions, but I would at least like to get close...so is that incline, faster pace, both, or something else?

Also, i am quickly realizing my garmin doesn't understand how to track treadmill miles at all  :thumbdown:
Races are not ran on dreadmills. They're ran on pavement, some even - some not, curves, around people, on dirt, gravel, mud. They're ran in hot conditions, cold, windy, rainy, snowy. They're not ran on a hamster wheel in stable 60-some degree conditions.

I'm more open minded to the dreadmill than I used to be, but the only time I will consider using it is when safety is the issue. For me, that's not a cold or dark thing. It's not (necessarily) snow and ice either. If I have a speed workout scheduled and I don't think it's safe to do it outdoors then I will go to the wheel. I only have two winter's to reference, but I only did one speed workout winter 2019 on the wheel...and two in winter 2018. To be fair, with better planning that number probably would have been four in 2018. It took a while for me to reconcile using that thing. So my bar for using it is clearly quite high. For an easy run it takes extraordinary circumstances for me to use it - if it's not safe to run outside then I'll usually just take that day off. The issue becomes when days string together. I did one easy run on the wheel in 2018 due to weather conditions, but with better planning that number should have been three or four. I never used it in 2019.

I'm not sure if any of that is helpful or not, but - cliff notes: if it's not safe then use the wheel, but otherwise I think you will benefit more in the long run rasslin' with mother nature.

 
I believe that calibration happens only after the first time.  Maybe there is a way to re-calibrate but I couldn't find it after an extensive search.   My problem, then, was it would only be accurate in future runs if going about that same speed.
:goodposting:

If you run significantly faster or slower than the pace you calibrate at, it will be off to some extent. But I do know you can calibrate it more than once. I just don't recall exactly how. I think it has to be done as part of saving the run but I don't remember off the top of my head. Just googled and found that there is an ability after the first time to select "calibrate & save" but I'd have to look at mine to see if/how you get there. 

I know I did it a couple of times - mostly to account for what you list here. As I got faster, I would re-calibrate for the "typical pace" I would run on the treadmill. It still usually under reports by just a bit but not enough for me to stress too much about - I usually run until the watch says 5 or 6 miles and the treadmill will be at like .25 or so. 

 
Someone knowledge-bomb me on treadmill running.  I've read things all over the place on treadmill vs outdoor running and how it relates to effort.  I've seen outdoors is harder, that a 1-2% incline evens them out, that they are the same, that at faster paces treadmill has higher heart rates but lower rates at very easy paces, and the list goes on.

I prefer outdoor running immensely more, but the dark and cold are pushing me inside.  I realize I cant replicate the outdoor conditions, but I would at least like to get close...so is that incline, faster pace, both, or something else?

Also, i am quickly realizing my garmin doesn't understand how to track treadmill miles at all  :thumbdown:
I usually just leave mine at even or maybe 1%. My treadmill is in my basement, and I have an older home, so even when I am at what the treadmill considers level there is still probably a little bit of an incline. 

I like using the treadmill to control my heart rate. It's the one workout I do where I can stay under 150 if I want to based on the speed and incline. I think this actually helped me in the build up to the marathon last year. I had a handful of runs where I just zoned out and had that low heart rate churning out miles. 

 
My basement is definitely hotter than outdoors, which could be part of it.

And then there's the boredom.  I have a TV in front of the treadmill and put YouTube videos on, yet I still find myself looking at the mileage counter all the time.  

One of the reasons I think treadmills are harder is because every step is a choice to continue.  When I'm out running, and I'm 5K from home, there's no ability to just "quit".  On the treadmill, one can quit at any time.  So it's always a struggle for me to fight that choice.
First part is totally the suck - if I'm on the treadmill it's usually to avoid a cold rain but the muggy heat of the Y sucks. 

The second part is helped at the Y - a little more scenery to help distract - it's usually evening when I'm there and I can watch wheel of fortune and jeopardy to help some and if all goes well, watch the other people working out, if you know what I mean! 

The last part is totally truth - and it's also why almost all my runs involve going away from home and not some loop that passes by the house. I don't want the ability to decide I don't have "time" for that last loop or something. When it's early in a run, I can often convince myself to go a little further in a run before turning around that if I'm near home is easier to opt out of.

 
2019 Year-end Report

Your goals coming into the year, and were they achieved?

  • Run the Indy 500 Mini Marathon in May "at about 1:45".
Ran the Carmel HM at the end of March in 1:44:08. Then ran the Mini in May in 1:43:22. 

  • Run the HM at the Monumental again to compare to last year. (2:10:22)
Didn't run the HM at the monumental, but I did run the HM at Fort Ben in October - set my current PR at 1:38:47!  30+ minute improvement in 11 months... Kind of fun.

  • But... After the successful runs in the spring, I set a new goal to do the full marathon at the monumental.
Did it pretty well, IMO. 3:45:58! But failed to #beatgrue.   

  • See what I can do in a 5K - high school PR = 18:01, "adult" PR - 23:45
Ran the fast flash 5K 1 week after the May HM in 21:19.

  • Lose weight - "get down to around 200 at least but preferably 185ish"
Made it down to about 192 for a bit before being a little too free with the eating... Currently about 196ish. Still a huge success - was 235 a little over a year ago. 

New accomplishments or PRs in 2019:

  • HM: 1:38:47
  • Fastest 5k since high school: 21:19
  • First ever full marathon: 3:45:58
  • Most miles ever run in 1 year - and it isn't even close: 1175 and counting.
Your proudest and/or best race (or moment within a race):

This is a tough call - going to highlight a few. Simply sticking with this for more than a full year makes me happy. Definitely more "life changing" than "passing fad" and I'm super stoked about that. As for actually races... Finishing Carmel under 1:45 was huge. And actually doing the full marathon and doing it pretty well was awesome - maybe that should be THE moment but...

I think my most complete race, and one of the funnest times I've had running, was the HM in October. Pretty sure I could have gone even faster if I had been trying to but I had no idea I could do what I did for sure when I started the race. To be able to set a goal, execute the plan exactly as I hoped, and get a (slightly) better result than I targeted was nothing but fun. That race was awesome!

A race or training disappointment during 2019:
3 things to fit here: 

  • One is just a general disappointment with some of my training:  lack of consistency and several "blank spots" in the calendar for no reason other than bad excuses. 
  • The second was the May HM - I improved my time from Carmel so it wasn't a total failure... but I was there. I know I didn't give my best effort and gave into a weak mind. Definitely a motivating moment from a "let's not let that happen again" angle.
  • And I'd be totally remiss if I ignored the biggest disappointment in the history of running - forgetting to hit save at the end of the Monumental and totally losing the the GPS data from my first ever marathon. How does that happen? So freaking painful! But remembering that part helps ease the pain for failing to #beatgrue by like 17 seconds!
Total training volume during 2019:
It will be somewhere between 1200 and 1300 miles by the end of the year. That's more miles than I've ever run in one year by far - including high school because I was a slacktastic runner between seasons back then. 

Lesson(s) you’ve learned during the year:

  • This running thing is fun.
  • I haven't found my limits yet.
  • Age definitely forces one to pay attention to details, like stretching and such.
  • This community is just the bomb. So much love for this place - between the fountain of knowledge to the huge support and encouragement to the funny crap that goes on to the awe inspiring performances to the amazing runs on strava to ... you name it. This place is phenomenal and I thank each of you in here for being a part of the fun and success I've enjoyed this year.
Best and/or funny memories of other guys’ training or races in 2019:
So many that it's hard to keep them all straight and would be silly to try to list them all so I'll do my best to be brief...

#1 is easily @ChiefD coming around the corner at the halfway point in Carmel. I just wanted to give him encouragement for the back half and all he cared about is how I did in my race! Then he trucked off down the road with the biggest smile on his face to finish his own #BMF-ery

Getting to meet a handful of people from here in person - having dinner with @ChiefD and @Juxtatarot before Carmel and having lunch and drinks with @SteelCurtain and @gruecd while they busted my balls for losing my marathon from my watch! Really hoping other opportunities arise to connect with others along the way. 

@Zasada's poop stories... while less than ideal, they still provide a level of entertainment! More fun following along with his trail runs and #BMF efforts in the marathon but still... 

The race report from @gianmarcos 15K was phenomenal. I needed a nap after just reading it! Even better was him putting together the relay event with a number of you. Following along with that and reading the reports was amazing. I would totally love to participate in a similar event with some of you at some point in the future. Seems like an absolute blast!

@xulf coming in and just knocking out runs like it's nothing with minimal running background, etc. Kind of crazy stuff in such a short time, IMO. 

Also love it when there is a weekend with a number of people with races to run - something about having 2, 3, 4 guys will different races around the country at the same time that just rocks! Lastly I'll add in just a generic blurb for all you crazy people that put my accomplishments into perspective - so many of you knocking out marathons at the pace I ran a 5k in (or faster) is nuts. Or seeing the ultra results/efforts and all I can do is be in awe. @tri-man 47 being like 90 and knocking out the MCM like he did is truly awe inspiring. I love you guys! 

Goal(s) for 2020:

  • Run more miles and more consistently in the coming year - in my mind I want to push for 1800 miles or so, but we will see. (breaking my monthly total 12 for 12 months better happen!)
  • See how close to 1:30 or below I can come in a HM.
  • See how close to 20:00 or below I can come in a 5k.
  • Run the Monumental Marathon and remember so save it! Will see how the year goes but would like to push toward 3:30 as a goal.
  • Continue to get in better shape and shed pounds and/or exchange fat for muscle. Getting to about 180 would be great. 
 
I'm not sure if any of that is helpful or not, but - cliff notes: if it's not safe then use the wheel, but otherwise I think you will benefit more in the long run rasslin' with mother nature.
Better the wheel than nothing - not all of us have the resolve to suffer mother nature! I've definitely started to embrace the bad weather more - went out last night in the cold and dark and loved it. And I love it more and more as I continue to embrace it. But this time last year, not so much! And still if it is cold, dark and rainy, I'd rather go suffer the suck of the wheel or tiny little circles on the indoor track than suffer too much outside. 

 
I believe that calibration happens only after the first time.  Maybe there is a way to re-calibrate but I couldn't find it after an extensive search.   My problem, then, was it would only be accurate in future runs if going about that same speed.
You can "Save and Calibrate" after each run, but that just seems to change the overall miles and full pace in Garmin Connect, but the Strava run is already pushed over.  I have no idea if it learns from these re-calibrations but what it gave me yesterday was an absolute joke (~50% of my distance/pace).  

I think you are spot on with the speed...if you always run one pace it will probably be close but when mixing it up during the run or just running at a different pace it craps the bed.

 
First, there's no "hard rule", just basically guidelines. Adding a 1% incline is supposed to take the place of wind resistence, etc, but not doing it isn't going to break anything. HR will often depend on conditions - if you have no airflow and it is hotter/muggier, it will push the HR up, IMO. Outside is always better but just moving is never a bad thing. I've kind of decided that I can take 2 of the 3 "bad conditions" - cold, dark, wet, but all 3 combined and I'd rather be inside. And sometimes cold and wet is too much to want to go outside.

As for the Garmin on the treadmill, you can calibrate that. I forget off the top of my head how to do it and I just realized that I left my watch at home... But at the end of a run, there's an option/ability to tell the watch how far you just ran and after doing that it should match up fairly close for you.
I'm realizing I can do cold or dark but I don't like to do them together.  I will rationalize it by telling myself that it seems more dangerous when those are together due to ice and I think drivers are just worse in general there...but the reality is it is that 90% of not getting in cold/dark is b/c I am a wuss (oh - and I don't do rain).

 
I'm realizing I can do cold or dark but I don't like to do them together.  I will rationalize it by telling myself that it seems more dangerous when those are together due to ice and I think drivers are just worse in general there...but the reality is it is that 90% of not getting in cold/dark is b/c I am a wuss (oh - and I don't do rain).
Winter running has been a process for me.

First year, just a few months after starting, I virtually didn't run outside unless it was nice.

Last year, I grew a pair and invested in a few items to get me out there. Headlamp (was like $6 at Walmart) and the Noxgear Tracer. A couple tights. A balaclava.  Gloves.  I learned that once you get out there and get past the first few minutes it's not bad at all if you dress appropriately. 

This year, I don't mind getting out there yet. However, I hate when it's overcast and cold and windy. So far, for the amount I've run, the weather has cooperated enough where I adjust the time I get out to maximize the "best" conditions but it's still rarely perfect. Yesterday was 40 and sunny and ideal. Most days aren't. 

In the end, I'm not afraid to get out there anymore even when it sucks. I don't like it, but I won't run on a treadmill. 

 
Treadmills were invented as a form of punishment.

Personally, I'll do whatever I can to stay off them.  I set the incline to 1% so that I approximate wind resistance.

But generally, I find any pace on the treadmill harder than any pace on the streets.  Not sure why.  My basement is definitely hotter than outdoors, which could be part of it.

And then there's the boredom.  I have a TV in front of the treadmill and put YouTube videos on, yet I still find myself looking at the mileage counter all the time.  

One of the reasons I think treadmills are harder is because every step is a choice to continue.  When I'm out running, and I'm 5K from home, there's no ability to just "quit".  On the treadmill, one can quit at any time.  So it's always a struggle for me to fight that choice.

Re Garmin, it's great at treadmill distance if you run the same pace all the time.  At the end of a treadmill run, it gives you the option to "save and calibrate", which will then set your stride length in Garmin to accurately reflect what it is on the treadmill.  The problem is that if the next time you use the treadmill, you run faster or slower, than the calibration is no longer sound.  At least for me it isn't, because 80% of my pace changes are reflected in stride length and the rest in cadence.  Garmin only measures the latter.

Workouts calling for specific paces/intervals are easier to manage on the treadmill.  And when I want to get a good solid/consistent hiking climb in (without having to drive anywhere), setting the treadmill to 15% at a strong hiking pace for an hour is a great workout.  Those are the only nice things I can say about that masochistic torture device.

I keep searching online for a treadmill which will upload distance, pace, and elevation to Strava.  But no luck as of yet.


Races are not ran on dreadmills. They're ran on pavement, some even - some not, curves, around people, on dirt, gravel, mud. They're ran in hot conditions, cold, windy, rainy, snowy. They're not ran on a hamster wheel in stable 60-some degree conditions.

I'm more open minded to the dreadmill than I used to be, but the only time I will consider using it is when safety is the issue. For me, that's not a cold or dark thing. It's not (necessarily) snow and ice either. If I have a speed workout scheduled and I don't think it's safe to do it outdoors then I will go to the wheel. I only have two winter's to reference, but I only did one speed workout winter 2019 on the wheel...and two in winter 2018. To be fair, with better planning that number probably would have been four in 2018. It took a while for me to reconcile using that thing. So my bar for using it is clearly quite high. For an easy run it takes extraordinary circumstances for me to use it - if it's not safe to run outside then I'll usually just take that day off. The issue becomes when days string together. I did one easy run on the wheel in 2018 due to weather conditions, but with better planning that number should have been three or four. I never used it in 2019.

I'm not sure if any of that is helpful or not, but - cliff notes: if it's not safe then use the wheel, but otherwise I think you will benefit more in the long run rasslin' with mother nature.


Thanks for the comments.  I am with you that I would prefer to be outside...but sometimes circumstances will not allow that to happen.  And, sometimes, the convenience factor is going to win out.  I would rather get a run in than not, and when my wife is at work and I have my 7 year old and 6 year old, running in the basement is the only option I really have.  My main objective right now is to continue with the miles and improve my form/cadence which can obviously be done on the treadmill.

 
To the safety point of treadmills.  I often choose them when traveling because I am uncomfortable running in dodgy neighbourhoods, or even "safe" unfamiliar neighbourhoods in the dark.  In France last week, I did one run outside because it was daylight, but the run the next day had to be done before meetings in the dark, so I chose the hotel treadmill.

Oh and almost without exception, hotels seem to keep their workout rooms hotter than even the rest of the hotel.  :rant:

 
Winter running has been a process for me.

First year, just a few months after starting, I virtually didn't run outside unless it was nice.

Last year, I grew a pair and invested in a few items to get me out there. Headlamp (was like $6 at Walmart) and the Noxgear Tracer. A couple tights. A balaclava.  Gloves.  I learned that once you get out there and get past the first few minutes it's not bad at all if you dress appropriately. 

This year, I don't mind getting out there yet. However, I hate when it's overcast and cold and windy. So far, for the amount I've run, the weather has cooperated enough where I adjust the time I get out to maximize the "best" conditions but it's still rarely perfect. Yesterday was 40 and sunny and ideal. Most days aren't. 

In the end, I'm not afraid to get out there anymore even when it sucks. I don't like it, but I won't run on a treadmill. 
Yeah - I have the gear and I was doing ~half of my running in the early morning dark before the HM and 15K.  I actually enjoyed it for the most part as it was like a different reality.  I also don't mind the cold either, it just takes me longer to get off my butt and get geared up.  

 
Total training volume during 2019:
It will be somewhere between 1200 and 1300 miles by the end of the year. That's more miles than I've ever run in one year by far - including high school because I was a slacktastic runner between seasons back then. 
This just blows me away.  Not that 1300 miles is inconsequential, but just that you had such fast race times with so "little" volume.  You have real talent.  I can't wait to see how fast you run, as you up your volume in 2020!

  • See how close to 1:30 or below I can come in a HM.
  • See how close to 20:00 or below I can come in a 5k.
  • Run the Monumental Marathon and remember so save it! Will see how the year goes but would like to push toward 3:30 as a goal.
Don't be a poosay and set soft goals like this.  Pick a time and go for it.  "...how close to..." and "...push toward..." gives you too much flexibility!

 
In the end, I'm not afraid to get out there anymore even when it sucks. I don't like it, but I won't run on a treadmill. 
Look at this guy.  Legit runner now.  

For me, icy surfaces are by far the worst part of winter running.  Darkness is bad but would never stop me from running outside.  Cold temps are the least bothersome thing.  Assuming decent attire, frozen eyelashes are about the only issue and that doesn't happen until 10F or less. 

 
For me, icy surfaces are by far the worst part of winter running. 
Ice and deep snow are the two things that will keep me inside.  Cold, even down to -30F as I experienced last year, can be managed with layers.  

I've had three major wipeouts in my (short) running career:  One by tripping over a root on the trails, and the other two were ice that I didn't spot.  One of the two latter involved me giving my head a good whack on the pavement, which was a scary wakeup call to really slow down my pace when turning corners in winter conditions.  Otherwise I'll be signing-up for every 100K I can find, and not just Miwok.  :crazy:

 
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At this point, cold north winds over about 15mph are a no-go for me once the temps hit the teens or lower. I can handle the cold, but the cold AND wind are treadmill time. 

 
Look at this guy.  Legit runner now.  

For me, icy surfaces are by far the worst part of winter running.  Darkness is bad but would never stop me from running outside.  Cold temps are the least bothersome thing.  Assuming decent attire, frozen eyelashes are about the only issue and that doesn't happen until 10F or less. 
Says the guy who had 4 30-minute elliptical workouts yesterday  :rolleyes:

:P

 
Don't be a poosay and set soft goals like this.  Pick a time and go for it.  "...how close to..." and "...push toward..." gives you too much flexibility!
I'll set solid goals as I prepare for the races. I still have some work to do to prove to myself what is real verses just a pipe dream. For the May HM, I'd like to try for 1:30 but that's a 6:50/mile and that's the pace I ran a 5k at last year... or put another way 30 seconds/mile faster than I ran in October!

3:30 for a marathon seems possible, IMO, if I put in the miles - 8 min/miles for 26.2 miles - not easy but that is a goal I'm putting in my head and plan to work toward. We'll see how it goes.

For a 5k, I just need to put a couple on the schedule and go rf; dbap! and see what I can do. I actually have a couple on the schedule so far but the one in a couple weeks isn't really conducive to that kind of time, IMO - last year we had perfect weather for the first Saturday in January, but it involves hills, tree roots, downed logs, a run through a creek, mud, possibly snow or ice... totally a fun race but not really PR material. 

So, those are the numbers I'm aiming for - sub 20 5k, sub 1:30 HM, sub 3:30 M. We'll see if any of those are attainable.

 
For me, icy surfaces are by far the worst part of winter running.  Darkness is bad but would never stop me from running outside.  Cold temps are the least bothersome thing.  Assuming decent attire, frozen eyelashes are about the only issue and that doesn't happen until 10F or less. 
Yup, it's the ice.  I can handle cold; I can tolerate wind; and with my faculty schedule, I can avoid having to run in the dark.  But I'm fearful of ice.  The 'other' university, which is 1/4 mile 400m from my house, does a good job of keeping their sidewalks clear for the mile loop, so as needed, I'll run repeat loops there.  

I will be moving my bike onto the indoor trainer by this weekend and I'll substitute some rides for run mileage (in part as I gear up for a June triathlon again).

 

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