Runner Problems

on February 12, 2014
in All Posts

GPS watch won’t connect to satellite.

Want to leave on your morning run but haven’t pooped yet.

Horrendous tan lines.

Can’t find a clean sports bra. Ever.

Just took a shot of gel only to discover that you’re totally out of water (gross!).

Chafing.  Enough said.

It keeps raining, snowing, and/or sleeting on Long Run Day.

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I love the snow, but it’s a serious Runner Problem.  The weather is not cooperating with me at all.  I’ve been trying to squeeze in a 9 miler all week, and it keeps storming and snowing.  And it’s been impossible to coordinate work schedules with the Husband.  Before Henry, I’d happily run in yucky weather, but I can’t put a kiddo in a jogging stroller when it looks like this!  And I don’t have Yak Traks, so running would be pretty unsafe anyway…

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We’re due to get a total of 7 to 11 inches.  I’d say that we already have 5 on the ground!  This is a HUGE deal in Charlotte.  Southern cities are not prepared for this amount of snow.  It will be a ‘runner problem’ for a few days, at the very least.

 

But – don’t get me wrong.  This is one Runner Problem that I love to have.  Being snowed in – especially when it’s only once in a while and the heat is still on! – is so magical.  Doubly so when your fridge is stocked with Coco-Nut Cups.

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In an attempt to stay on track, I found myself at the gym.  I wasn’t planning on doing 9 miles on the dreadmill (it would really and truly kill me – death via boredom), but I was hoping to do an hour or so.  Unfortunately, when I arrived, I was told the gym was closing in 30 minutes due to the snow.  I sprinted to the track and ran as fast as I could.  I squeezed in 3.0 miles.

photo 2 (30)

I’m doing a half marathon in less than a month!  I wish I could say that training was going GREAT, but I have to settle for… ‘decent.’  It could be better, but it could be worst.  These long runs have been very hard to squeeze in, and I’d definitely prefer to be doing double digit runs right now.  We’ll see what happens come race day…

 

And in other news…

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Henry believes he can feed grandma chocolate via FaceTime.  It’s awesome.

 

He also believes that our Neato’s sole purpose is to slowly drive around his animal figurines.  He gets so mad when the vacuum goes under a chair and knocks off the giraffe!

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Toddler Problems, I guess…

 

What’s your Runner Problem?

{ 45 comments }

 

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs February 12, 2014, 2:58 pm

    Right now, I’m with you on the weather problem — it’s been SO cold/snowy/icy/(insert other winter issue here) this winter, that that days of running outside are a distant memory. Here’s hoping that Spring makes an early appearance this year! 🙂

    • Robyne Spillers February 12, 2014, 3:21 pm

      Seems like we all have similar problems. We have had a snow storm about every week through January and now into February. We have snow piled up so high it looks like small mountains everywhere. Our streets feel more narrow and not all sidewalks have been clear. So its been treadmill, elliptical and indoor track at the nearby university.
      Now what will this all look like when it starts to melt. We may need to contact Noah about a boat.

      • Ali February 12, 2014, 4:15 pm

        I was thinking this too – I have a pile of snow on my deck that is 7 feet deep (I measured this past weekend haha) and that doesn’t hold a candle to our plowed snowbanks. If it warms quickly, we are definitely in for major flooding. We are supposed to hit freezing for the first time since November tomorrow, so hopefully a little snow will melt then!

        • Caitlin February 12, 2014, 4:27 pm

          Where do you guys live?! I loved living up North!

          • Ali February 12, 2014, 6:03 pm

            Northern Wisconsin….

  • Rachel February 12, 2014, 3:08 pm

    My son loves to chase the Neato around! He likes to press the “start” button, which unfortunately stops it. Haha.

    • Caitlin February 12, 2014, 3:42 pm

      That’s so cute 🙂

  • ChristineB February 12, 2014, 3:22 pm

    The weather is my biggest problem too. Under the snow is a layer of ice. I haven’t run outside since November, and I’ve resigned myself to the treadmill until probably at least April. 🙁 There is just SO much snow, and when it melts it will leave puddles on the sidewalks that will freeze overnight & turn to ice skating rinks. And in November I stocked up on cute cold weather running clothes that I’ve hardly had a chance to wear – some things I haven’t worn at all. It’s killing me!

    I might have to pick up some YakTrax – I wonder how they do on the ice.

    • Caitlin February 12, 2014, 3:41 pm

      I’ve heard really good things about them! There may be even better things on the market, though. Anyone have a suggestion??

      • Jennifer-Anne February 12, 2014, 10:44 pm

        Up here in Canada, we know our snow! My friends all swear by the kahtoola microspikes for running on snow and ice. I however, am a bit ‘cheap’ have have ‘screwed’ my shoes by taking an older [but not completely dead] pair of running shoes and screwing in hex screw nails to the contact points on the bottom of my shoe. It’s awesome, though you have basically committed that pair of shoes for that purpose only.

        If I just need extra traction in the snow [no ice], I wear a trail running shoes and the waterproof trail shoes, brilliant for wet slush.

  • Abi@AbsofSteel February 12, 2014, 3:42 pm

    lol, the second one. I know I’ve been there before 😉

  • Sara @ LovingOnTheRun February 12, 2014, 4:00 pm

    Isn’t facetime/ichat the best!? When we moved away it has really helped being able to see my family once a week! I am sure it will be even better when children come along. Chaffing is the WORST!

  • cristina February 12, 2014, 4:12 pm

    I went for a 5 miler early at 7am and i am happy i did. Ive never seen charlotte sooooo full of snow! What half marathon are you running? I have commented on your pics several times that Im training for my first full one in Atlanta in March. I am TERRIBLY scared. Your posts seriously help me so much. Ive read the terrific twenty post at least 5 times. I dont have any other runner people in my life so all of this is new territory. i am doing 20 miles this weekend! lets hope this snow melts by saturday!

  • Megan @ The Skinny-Life February 12, 2014, 4:12 pm

    I am sorry to hear the weather is becoming a hinderance in your fitness training. I live in AZ so I cannot even imagine what that must be like. I would suggest going to the gym, but obviously that doesn’t work when they close. Maybe a treadmill at home as a backup?

    • Caitlin February 12, 2014, 4:28 pm

      I’ve thought about it! Not sure if I’m ready to make the commitment, though. I’m always afraid it would become a clothes hanger 🙂 Do you have one??

  • Ali February 12, 2014, 4:13 pm

    Be grateful that you have been able to run outside at all this year! I literally have not been able to exercise outside (or be outside at all, except to walk from my car to a building and even that is horrible) since the end of October. Lack of sunlight + cabin fever is really getting bad at this point. I’m moving back to the south this summer and cannot wait. 😀 Even the bad winter in the south sounds like heaven right now (+ things would be cancelled! Work was never cancelled this year despite a blizzard with -75F wind chills – fun!). 🙂

    • Caitlin February 12, 2014, 4:27 pm

      true, true! i’m always so impressed by people running up north during the winter. it’s dedication!!

  • Valerie February 12, 2014, 4:22 pm

    Everyone seems to have similar snowed-in issues. I’d be risking my life if I tried to walk outdoors, so I tried on old exercise DVD; the Leslie Sansone DVD (walking fast) got boring, even with weights. I wish the fitness club was closer!

  • lisa February 12, 2014, 4:32 pm

    OMG! That is the cutest picture of Henry trying to feed grandma. Thanks for sharing.

  • Maryea {happy healthy mama} February 12, 2014, 4:44 pm

    I’m such a weather wimp when it comes to running. I hate running when it’s, hmmmm let’s see, below 50 degrees. And warmer than 80. Ha!

  • Jessica February 12, 2014, 5:04 pm

    Henry is such a doll!

  • Amanda February 12, 2014, 5:23 pm

    My problem is that I haven’t seen a double digit temperature since last year. I have the worst cabin fever ever right now. The gym is my best friend. That and my parka : /

  • Amy February 12, 2014, 6:48 pm

    When I was living in Germany last year, I became accustomed to running in the snow and really loved it! I ran in my regular shoes and never had any issues. I will say though that I def wouldn’t have done that with a kid in tow (my dog was a big fan, though!), and in Bavaria, dealing with the snow is one of the things they specialize in, so I always felt safe!

    I’m now wrapping up marathon training in El Paso and even though we’ve had great temperatures, the wind has been kicking my butt.

  • Lindsay February 12, 2014, 6:49 pm

    I think you mentioned it before but where did you get the big plastic figurine animals?

  • Rebecca February 12, 2014, 6:57 pm

    My RP is not running. 😛

    My dad would probably say forgetting to start or stop his watch, too. Oops.
    He’s doing a run at crazy elevations for him in Colorado in June. He’s working on increasing the incline on the treadmill so he gets at least somewhat of an idea what the elevation might be like on his body. He’s been at high elevations before, but not for a long time, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does. He’s also training for a long run (Ultra???? A 50K I *think*? I can’t remember distance but it’s crazy.) in like July, and then might join my sister if she runs a Half in September. She may just do the relay, depending on her roommate’s plan. We’ll see.

  • Camilla February 12, 2014, 7:00 pm

    I’ve only been running for about 12-18 months, but at my size, that means I’m still doing 10km in about 90 minutes. However I can still relate to all these runners problems!! I’m loving your posts – you’ve just scored yourself a new stalker… I mean follower 😉

  • Kaitlyn @ Wanderlust Kait February 12, 2014, 7:39 pm

    Girl I feel you with the runner problems. I live in Spain and my Garmin watch hasn’t worked since I got over here. Today, I was running outside and the wind was horrendously strong. I wanted to stop but coming from Ohio where our winters are filled with snow, I had to remind myself that a little wind is nothing.

  • Ashley M. [at] (never)homemaker February 12, 2014, 8:00 pm

    OMG the snow. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, but no. We have had a foot on the ground for a while and people just stopped shoveling their walkways. Now we’re going to get 6-10 more. I’m thankful I buckled down on Monday to get in my 10-miler, but it was TOUGH and SLOW. Great year to quit the gym . . . not 🙂 As you can tell, I’m DONE with winter running.

  • Lee February 12, 2014, 9:06 pm

    I understand the weather obstacles! I am in Raleigh, so we started getting the snow today. After leaving work early today and driving over two hours to get home (should take 35 mins) I had an hour long run on my plan. Luckily we have a treadmill at home, so I was able to get in my run, thankfully!!!

  • Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties February 12, 2014, 9:23 pm

    HAHA love your list of runner’s problems. I agree with every single one of them. The snow is killer this year- I moved to NY from VA and am not used to the perpetual snow-covered sidewalks! That picture of Henry trying to feed grandma is the cutest thing ever! I love how you can see her mouth open in the pic haha 🙂

  • Kate @KateMovingForward February 12, 2014, 10:34 pm

    My most common runner problem is having your favorite running gear dirty. 🙁

  • Elisabeth February 13, 2014, 12:48 am

    This NC weather is nuts!! In December I moved from Ohio to the Raleigh area, thinking I had escaped most of the snow. I almost would rather be in Ohio where people have experience driving in it, they have mannnnyyyy snow plows/salt trucks & there are snow emergency levels (1-3) so people know exactly when it’s safe to go out. I’m training at a new job in a hospital this week & as an ‘essential employee’ I was there today – managed to make it home after, but it took me 5 1/2 hours to drive 24 miles… Fortunately they’ve decided I’m not essential for the next two days since I’m just training!

  • Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork February 13, 2014, 6:18 am

    My current runner problem is similar to your current one. We already have about 8-10″ on the ground and are getting slammed with the storm that just hit you. No safe place to run outside this time of year: many sidewalks are unshoveled (the road being the priority) and roads are quite narrow. Also, at only 5’4″, plenty of the snowbanks are higher than me, so turning a corner can be dangerous! Hope you get out of the snow soon!

  • Elle February 13, 2014, 8:46 am

    Here in Dublin, Ireland it’s been quite stormy for the past few days (flights delaed or cancelled, to name a few)! Last night I went for a run (or hop over the branches on the footpaths) but when I was about to hit the hill half-ways through my route the wind was so strong I couldn’t move! So hey, I turned around and got a little “push” by the wind as I made my way home.

  • Kim Daly February 13, 2014, 9:54 am

    Happy snow day! Glad you are enjoying the anomaly of snow in Charlotte; we could use a little more here in Denver, ironically! PS – how do you like your robot vacuum???

    • Caitlin February 13, 2014, 2:21 pm

      LOVE IT. I hope to do a review soon!

  • Amy February 13, 2014, 10:40 am

    Living in Minnesota, snow is always in issue in the winter. I’m not a big runner but my co-worker said he put very short finishing nails into the bottoms of his shoes (small enough that they don’t go through of course!) and they work great for grips during the winter. No expensive Yak Tracks and they pull out when you want them to and shoes are back to good! 🙂

    • Ruby Leigh February 15, 2014, 10:15 am

      Hah, MN girl here too. Similarly, My friend puts mini-dry-wall screws, the ones with the gnarly heads on them, in the bottom of and older pair of running shoes. He says, Yak Traks aren’t enough around here.

  • Laura @ SneakersandSpatulas February 13, 2014, 11:16 am

    The snow in Durham is my running problem right now, same as you! But we’re snowboarding this weekend which will be perfect with all the snow the mountains have had so I’ll take it!

  • Aishah @ Coffee, Love, Health February 13, 2014, 12:02 pm

    OMG Henry feeding his Grandmother through facetime!! Favorite part of this post, he’s so cute! We finally got the snow here and we are all snowed in today 🙁

  • Jen Tooman February 13, 2014, 4:59 pm

    I did 8 in the snow last weekend. 9 this sunday, snow or shine! 🙂 Yaktrax are a big help. 🙂

  • Holly P. February 13, 2014, 6:30 pm

    My major running problem, is the first on your list: GPS watch won’t connect to satellite. Why does it take so long sometimes?!

  • Jasmyne Teoma @ SpiceItUpFitness February 15, 2014, 4:57 pm

    Oh I LOVE this! My running problem is when I reach stretches where due to the weather/extreme rain the only space to run is against the line in the street. 🙂

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