Hey wring, the hematoma is okay… It’s supposed to be warm - it’s healing. The doctor said if it doesn’t get smaller within two weeks, go back.
I got my treadmill yesterday and I love it! Did some cross-training for the first time in three weeks and tried running to see if it bugged my hematoma - it was fine so I will run today! Woo hoo!
Yep, my nose runs like a faucet. And it doesn’t really matter what the temperature is.
I hate to say that I’ve become an expert at the “farmer blow”. How girly am I?
scout1222: It may very well have been… if you participated in that back in the er… late 80’s, and saw this big blue monster of a rusted out blue van… that was 'em. 
(The van was perfect for things like that: we could fit a queen sized air mattress in the back so people could nap inbetween legs. Never mind people tended to point and laugh at the van.)
Hey emulsified I feel exactly like you do (I think). Most days I have to kick myself hard to get out the door. (like this week I haven’t kicked myself hard enough because I’ve missed yesterday and today) Feel like shit for part of the run but always end up loving it in the end. Kind of a love/hate thing. I too anticipate the time when this doesn’t feel horrible. Soon, right?
nightsong LOL the story about your dad was priceless.
I agree with scout that outdoor running is a better experience than treadmill. I enjoy running most in cool weather with a light rain. I also like cross country skiing in the winter. Two sports that require minimal coordination!
I don’t spend much time in MPSIMS, so I just barely caught this thread.
I’m coming down after a marathon (Country Music, 4:34, a great experience), and have decided to give the long runs a rest for awhile - maybe work on speed. I just went out today and tried Scylla’s fartlek routine, and it felt good. I’ve been used to training for long distances, and those 1-2 minute sprints made me feel some new muscles. My marathon pace is just under 10 min/mile (out to 20) and I was suprised that I was fairly comfortable at an 8 min pace for the 4 minute segments - even after covering 4 miles. Before this, about the only interval training I have done have been Yasso’s 400’s.
I have a Memorial Day 10km coming up - a popular local run.
I run 5-6 miles every other day and work out with weights the other days. This works for me. I used to be a loner runner, but now I have a friend who runs and works out with me. Many a day I would have blown it off if she hadn’t been in front of my house at 6am. I’ve never been a morning person, but I do hate running in the heat. Mornings are wonderful.
I ran a marathon (Mission Bay in San Diego) some years ago and broke four hours, which was my goal. My husband and I do lots of 10K runs and my ten year old daughter just completed her first 5K last weekend! We also do at least two half-marathons a year. The Tucson Half (and Full) Marathon is usually the first week of December and it’s a great race. I mentioned in another thread that it would be fun to have a runner/doper group meet and do that one this year.
I am curious about how often other countries have races, how long the races are, what the average turnout for a race is and how well organised the races are
Here in South Africa I believe we are very lucky because there is a large running culture. In the Pretoria/Johannesburg region there will normally be a 10 and 21km race in Pretoria on a Saturday morning and the same in Johannesburg on the Sunday morning and because the distance between the cities is only about 60km there are quite a few runners who will do a race on both the Saturday and Sunday. During the leadup to the Comrades Marathon (87km) ther will often be a marathon every weekend. The attendance for the races will range from about 500 for the smaller races, around 4000 for a popular race, to the Comrades Marathon which had over 11000 finishers in 2001. The races are normally well organised with water and coke every 3km and distance markers every km.
This morning in Pretoria we had a 10km, a 25km and a 50km. I have just come back from the 25km which I quite enjoyed and there were a lot of runers doing the 50km.
Zerc,
Here in the Southern US, I live in a medium size city. I would not say there’s a “running culture” here, but we do have a pretty good track club, that puts on events (on average) about once a month. Other groups put on races, aslo, so I’d say that within driving distance, you could just about find a race any weekend (except in the hot summer months). 10km and 5km races are the most popular, often held at the same place/day so you could take your choice - or do both. 15km and some 8km are also around. Half marathons and marathons are less frequent.
Around here, a large turnout would be about 1000. Larger cities, of course, can draw 10 times that much. Many of the local club events I’ve run have only 60-80 hardcores.
To everyone who sometimes find running just plain feels bad,get a partner. Besides making you get out when you might not feel like it,just running with a friend can make even a horrid run much easier to deal with. Local running clubs are a great place to find partners. http://www.rrca.org
And my nose sometimes runs faster than I do. 
I started running track for my school this spring. It’s kind of a funny thing. There’s a certain masochism involved, I find. It can be a downright brutal sport when you’re just getting into it, but I found myself coming back for more despite knowing that it was going to hurt. The fact that I started running in Airwalks (heavy, flat, skating shoes that feels like rock and have no support. And I don’t even skate!). So I got my own pair of running shoes and my own pairs of skimpy little running shorts, and I’m having a hell of a time. A good time, that is. Earlier in the season I pulled my right quads and left hamstring simultaneously, which had me “out” for about three weeks. So I’m sadly lacking some practice. Anyhoo…
Right now I’m actually a sprinter - specifically, I run both the low hurdles (300 yards) and the high hurdles (110 yards). In point of fact, I had a meet Friday. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get real hurdle practice, since our “track” (ha) is too far from the school to conveniently haul even our lightweight hurdles. So, I’m stuck with putting three in a row and using those instead of getting a real strong workout. Anyway, this meet was my first time running the high hurdles, and my second meet period. I placed a respectable third, with a time of 20.6 seconds. The low hurdles was much worse, I didn’t place with my time of 53.9, but I broke my previous (only) record by more than six seconds. Go me!
I’m really enjoying this stuff. Does anyone else here do actual track running? Particularly hurdles, since this seems to be an event where I can compensate for my less-than-spectacular top speed more effectively than other races, particularly the nasty medium-distance ones.
Even though I’m a sprinter, I run the mile to warm up, and it feels pretty good. I run the fastest mile in my sprint group, but I wonder if this is just because I simply push myself harder. I’m thinking that I might want to do some more distance running. Do other running Dopers know anything about doing sprints and distance running? Does training for one get in the way of another? How different are the disciplines? I’m new at this.
I hope I keep running this summer. A running buddy would probably be a good idea.
Grelby-
Training for long distance and sprinting is pretty different, but it’s worth giving both a shot when you’re just starting out. You might find out that you’re better at the longer distances or that you like them better. You could at least try moving up to the 800m. That’s a common event for sprinters to try. If you have a decent coach, you could talk to him about it. And it’s not masochism unless you do it in a masochistic way.
El bumpo for a couple of reasons.
The hematoma didn’t slow me down, evidenced by the fact that I am 1.5 weeks away from my first half-marathon and I’ve stuck to the training plan! Woo and hoo! Tomorrow I run the furthest I will run before the half: 10 miles. The crazy Minnesota weather has really been on my side lately… I have only run one time in blazing heat.
The Twin Cities have to be one of the most beautiful spots for running in the U.S. (at this time of the year, anyway).
June 22 at 7:00 AM Central in Duluth, I’m gonna be doing it! 13.1 miles, baby!
Just throwing in a 'cause JillGat ran her marathon in my town! Incidentally, that marathon was moved up to northern San Diego and is now nowhere near Mission Bay.
I’ve been just plugging along, not really training for anything right now. There are a few half marathons coming up soon that I’d like to do, so I make sure my long runs on the weekends are enough to keep in shape for that.
I did, however, buy a nice little running gadget recently. I bought the Timex Speed & Distance system. The little GPS receiver hooks onto your belt, or fastens to your arm, and transmits info to the watch so you can see your pace and your distance. Wow, I’m so high tech!
I did, however, learn that my “6 mile route” is really only 5.8 miles. Crap!
How much did that little beauty cost ya, scoutybaby?
I got it at the Rock & Roll Marathon expo, so it was 15% off that day. $208 out the door. (that included my 10% discount for the Run America Club from Road Runner Sports)
Aw, yeah.
Now I’m a total running dork.
I am bummed because I missed Monday’s Hash House run… and may not get a chance to do another until July…
Since I sold the farm I’m now running on the roads. Got dizzy and dehydrated yesterday. I’m trying to make up my roadrunning carry kit.
This is what I come up:
Squirt bottle of water/juice.
two quarters and a dime.
A $1 bill, a $5, and a $20.
Some toilet paper.
One piece of paper which has a photocopy of my driver’s license, Blue Cross card, emergency contact instructions as well as a request for treatment in the event of a medical emergency, and, God forbid, permission to donate my organs, as well as the beeper number of my friend the surgeon.
Anything else?
Oh, and I’m getting this for Father’s day.
Scylla, you’ll be better equipped than I usually am. I always wear dogtags with the emergency contact info (they’re waterproof and easy to find 'round my neck), a little change for a phonecall (but never have needed to) and a few bucks. I always carry at least 20oz of water/gatorade for anything longer than 5 miles. Maybe throw in my Swiss Army knife, but I’ll admit that’s just macho thinking.
You folks with the tech gadgets are making me itchy. I’ve never used anything more fancy than a $29 timex (unless you count my minidisk player - can’t do without it). I have an engineer’s yearning for gadgety items, but so far, I’ve kept it suppressed where running is concerned.