February challenge - week 2

[ilanarama]

We're now halfway through the month (as of yesterday) - how far have you come, mushers? (Be sure to specify if you are giving your total February miles so far, or last week's miles only to be added to the first week. You can count today or not, as you like.)

If you didn't sign up but you want to join our virtual Iditarod, feel free to post your miles, and I'll add them in.

I'll post on Monday, or when everyone's chimed in, with a progress bar for everyone and a progress map for the group.

The story so far:
ilanarama - 46/200 miles = 23%
thalia - 0/35 miles = 0%
semielliptical - 10/45 miles = 22%
silveraspen - 3.5/50 miles = 7.0%
cadenzamuse - 1.25/15 miles = 8.5%
ell - 46/140 miles = 33%
temve - 51/120 miles = 43%
meri_oddities - 30/100 miles = 30% (this one's easy :-)
calico_jane - 0/35 miles = 0%
linaelyn - 17/50 miles = 34%

blnchflr - 31.2/55 km = 57%
ridicully - 30/75 km = 40%

We are (in aggregate) currently 242.8 miles into the Alaska backcountry, twenty miles short of the Nikolai checkpoint.

Comments

[ilanarama]

27 miles so far this week, plus 23 miles from last weekend, for 50 more miles and a total of 96 for the first half of February. I'm going to fall farther behind this weekend, though, as I'm thinking of skiing on Sunday instead of running...

[blnchflr]

Go skiing - it's a great workout, too, and not as often available as running!

[ilanarama]

Yeah, some friends from Boulder are at Wolf Creek this weekend...it's a bit of a drive but I kind of want to see them, and I haven't skied at that area in ages!

[temve]

71 miles as of today, with another 16 scheduled for tomorrow. Yeah, that does sound a bit daunting, I agree. But at least it's mild here. And rainy :)

[blnchflr]

My knees get all tired at the thought of 16 miles :)

[temve]

And, having done the 16 miles, my knees agree with yours! *streeeetches*

[linaelyn]

I managed an additional 12 miles since the last check-in, bringing my total miles for the month up to 29. This was the really tough week for me, health-wise, but I've turned the corner and should be improving my mileages over the remainder of the month. Great to see everyone still chugging along on our journey across virtual!Alaska!

[blnchflr]

Well done on 12 miles during a tough week!!

[silveraspen]

Zero miles this week due to knee injury. Appears to be iliotibial band problem; hoping it's just mild overuse and working to treat w/ stretches, functional training to strengthen, and looking for knee strap brace. ARGH.

[blnchflr]

Oh noes :( - best wishes for a speedy recovery!

[ilanarama]

Do you have a foam roller? That's the best thing to deal with ITB issues. Myrtl exercises are also helpful; see http://www.coachjayjohnson.com/2011/11/eight-week-general-strength-progression/ for video instruction. I hope you can solve it and get running again!

[blnchflr]

38.7 km so far in February - have only been on two short runs since the 18.75 km run, which was a bit hard on my ankles/bum knee.

Partly as consequence of that, I decided maybe it was time to get new running shoes - I've been running in my Nike Zoom Structures 13 (icon) and 14 for 3-3.5 years now O__O

Long story short, I'm waiting for a pair of Asics Gel-Kayano 19 to arrive - and thinking about getting a pair of Nike LunarGlide to alternate with.

[ilanarama]

I hope the new shoes work for you! I have also considered the LunarGlide but haven't tried them yet.

[ell]

I'm only at 68.5 for the month, but tomorrow's 16 miler should help to restore the balance to the force.

[blnchflr]

Have a good run :)

[ridicully]

23km more this week for a monthly total of 53km so far.

And pissed off about it. Gale force winds and torrential rain in addition to the flooded paths make it sensible to stay at home but I *want* to go out...

[blnchflr]

You are at 70 % already, well done!

Stay safe!

[ilanarama]

Good for you for getting out in that weather!

[thalia]

Let's call it 3.5 miles--I ran on an indoor track, and my Garmin decided not to talk to the stride sensor, so I'm guessing.

Yes, I'm behind, and I'm not going to make my goal, but at least I got that first run out of the way. Now to do it a lot more often....

[blnchflr]

You can always consider downgrading your goal, so you don't feel behind. I'm ready to do that, if/when I catch my next cold…

Yay, a run! I'm procrastinating on my own run, and now the clouds are getting darker and darker, whereas an hour ago, there was almost sun. Silly me.

[semielliptical]

10.5 more miles, so 20.5 total. Mushing on!

[blnchflr]

Well done!

Mmm, I want to run in the weather and nature your iconer is running in, not this boring grey and cold we're having here.

[semielliptical]

Me, too! It's an aspirational icon. :)

[calico_jane]

5 miles for me this week, which brings my total to - five miles for the month. Weather forecast for next week only has rain for three days, so am hopeful I'll get back on track!

[blnchflr]

It's five miles more than nothing! Hope you see good running weather this week. All of us, really!

[ilanarama]

Haha, ignore my PM! Somehow I missed this comment! *adds* Yay you for getting out!

[cadenzamuse]

Since last week, I did 3.47 mi.

[blnchflr]

Are you making friends with run/walk :) ?

[cadenzamuse]

Well, I did 1.25 mi of walking during a free trail yoga class, so I counted it. And then I ran 2.22 mi flat, because I am bad at not pushing myself. And then my knees were frakked for the rest of the week and I caught a minor cold. *fail*

On the bright side, my brother sent me some good PT exercise for IT band and hamstring, and everyone's discussion about warm-up and cool-down led me to strength and flexibility training that should help.

I JUST WANT TO RUN ALL THE RUNS, blnchflr! IS THAT SO HARD?

I will figure out the interval trainer on my GPS watch, and make myself do gradually shorter walking intervals whilst doing distances between 2.5 mi and 5k. Because I think I've proven sufficiently that unless I force myself to do walking intervals, I will run AS FAR AS I POSSIBLY CAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

[blnchflr]

Remember, elite runners do run/walks, too, they just call them intervals :) ! Don't fear the walk, it can help you in the long run (pun unintended).

Hope your knees get better. I'm trying to use a balancing board daily for my own bum knee/ankle, but I'm not sure I'm seeing much result yet - then, I am only doing it for 1-2 mins so far, as when I tried doing it for 4-5 mins in the beginning, my knee started hurting like whoa. But mayhaps it's time to go to 2-3 mins…

[ilanarama]

If you don't want to walk intervals, you can just run the whole thing - just run SLOOOOOOOWLY. And keep the distances short and only gradually get longer. The key to staying uninjured is not doing too much too soon. ALL THE RUNS will have to wait.

[meri_oddities]

I'm at 85 total for the month. I ran Austin yesterday and did a few today, so I'm way ahead. :-)

[blnchflr]

You high-mileage runners are so impressive!!

[ilanarama]

Yay! How did Austin go?

[meri_oddities]

Heh. It went okay. I wasn't feeling well from 10-18 and then I got something of a second wind and finished running rather than walking from 18 on. So, I count it as a win. It was a really hilly course.