Afternoon in Action

on December 19, 2009
in All Posts

Discovered the sports photography mode on my camera!

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And what happens when you slow the shutter speed way down:

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As well as how hard it is to take pictures of Corn hole in action:

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Obviously, I just played with my camera and participated in a Corn hole tournament all afternoon long! 🙂 Pretty sweet afternoon, actually.

 

We took a break for dinner… This meal is rapidly becoming one of my favorite combinations! I think it’s like my vegetarian BBQ fix!

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Baked beans, roasted potatoes, and fresh steamed green beans.  So delicious!

 

Desert was chocolate covered graham cookies from Melissa. Thanks, Melissa! 🙂

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Time for me to hit the hay! I am going to wake up and run 6 miles or so… I am really happy to be tapering now for the marathon.  It’s kind crazy that I consider an hour of running short – but seriously, marathon training WARPS your reality of what’s a “long run.” 🙂

 

Under non-insane marathon conditions, I consider anything over 5 miles to be long, but I currently am THRILLED to see single digits on my schedule – a long run is 2 + hours!

 

What do you currently consider a long run, and what have you previously considered to be long?

{ 53 comments }

 

  • Paige @ Running Around Normal December 19, 2009, 8:28 pm

    Sounds like an awesome afternoon. I love corn hole – one of my fave summer games 🙂
    I consider a long run to be an hour or longer run – so I guess 6 miles or longer. However, now that it’s winter, and freezing here in IL – my runs have been on treadmills, and 5 miles have become my “long run day” very quickly!

  • Melissa December 19, 2009, 8:35 pm

    It’s great that you can fit so much exercise into each day. I’m curious though, how did you fit 3+ hour runs into your day when you still worked an office job? Did you just get up insanely early? Sleep is even more important with that kind of workout.

    • Caitlin December 19, 2009, 8:58 pm

      well, i used to work mon – fri from 8 – 5 and then i had night class mon and wed night. i also had class saturday. i would do one 1 hour workout on tuesday, one 30 min workout on thusday, a 30 min to 1 hour workout on friday, and my long endurance exercise on sunday. i would never wake up early to exercise (i would rather run at 7 PM in the dark)! i would try to do strength training (like push ups) in the morning everyday for 10 minutes. it’s possible to squeeze it all in, but if i only did 3 days a week, i was satisfied. sometimes its hard!

  • Erika December 19, 2009, 8:38 pm

    I remember when I used to think of 2-3 miles as an easy run and 5-6 miles was my long run..now my long run is 14 miles…and 5-6 miles is an “easy” run, lol….Enjoy your run tomorrow…I can’t wait to get back to training…

  • michelle December 19, 2009, 8:49 pm

    Love this question. 2 years ago 1 mile was long. Today- I feel anything over 14 is long. I’ve got my first 20 scheduled for tomorrow! It’s supposed to be cool tomorrow in Miami (55ish) so I’m hoping it will be ideal! Under normal running conditions (no races planned) I think 6-8 is long.

  • Lisa December 19, 2009, 8:50 pm

    I know what you mean, thinking a one hour run is short! I felt the same way when I was training for my first marathon in November. It was so weird at the end of training to think that 6 miles, even 10 miles, was a ‘short’ run! Have a great run!

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite December 19, 2009, 8:50 pm

    I guess I would consider anything over 10 miles to be a long run?

    I’ve ran a couple of marathons, but that was over 7 years ago… currently i don’t run anything over 7 miles.

    Reading all your running posts makes me want to try a longer distance again 🙂

  • Kelly December 19, 2009, 8:52 pm

    I consider 20 miles to be a long ass run!! 20 went great today! Leg feels great! Marathon training totally warps your idea of what a ‘Long’ run is. I can not wait to run this marathon!

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) December 19, 2009, 8:59 pm

    I consider 5 miles a long run. Previously I only considered 3 miles long because I was only running 5Ks. Soon I hope they are longer as I train for a 10K and half marathon.

  • Evan Thomas December 19, 2009, 9:01 pm

    Right now I gues 15+ is long, which is funny because it feels like 2 month ago 10 miles was the end all and be all.

  • Kara (@ Kara's Marathon) December 19, 2009, 9:05 pm

    In non-training mode, 6 miles sounds pretty darn long to me! 🙂 When I start half-marathon training on Monday, though, I think I’ll need to see double digits before I consider a run really long.

  • Laura December 19, 2009, 9:05 pm

    You eat such tiny portions! 🙂 Half a ramekin of baked beans and a few vegetables. I feel a bit greedy in comparison!

  • Matt December 19, 2009, 9:06 pm

    I consider anything over 15 miles to be a long run. Anything under 11-12 is a normal run and anything from 11-15 is a medium long run.

  • Erin December 19, 2009, 9:11 pm

    You have this vegetarian craving BBQ tonight. It will definitely need to go on the menu this week. For now, soup is perfectly hitting the spot as I wait out DC’s crazy blizzard.

  • Joelle (The Pancake Girl) December 19, 2009, 9:16 pm

    Mmm I would say anything over 6 is pretty long.. around 4 is my “could do everyday” fun run. 🙂

  • Little Aspects December 19, 2009, 9:20 pm

    5 years ago, when I was running lots of half marathons (9 halfs in an 18 months period) I would consider anything over 15km a long run, 10-15km a “medium” run and under 10km a short run. Now that I’m building up my mileage again, 50+mins is a long run 🙂 Crazy how perspective changes!

  • Lily @ Lily's Health Pad December 19, 2009, 9:21 pm

    Right now, I consider any run over an hour to be “long.” When I trained for a marathon, anything over 10 miles was “long.”

  • Allison December 19, 2009, 9:23 pm

    For me, 8+ miles is “long.” When I swam on a swim team, we would practice for 2.5 hours so a 1 hour running workout to me doesn’t seem that long. Generally when I go running I run about 6 miles or so.

  • erica December 19, 2009, 9:33 pm

    for me, 3 and under is a short run 3-7 is just a run, and over 7 is a long run. But that’s because 7 takes me about an hour when i run at a comfortable pace so i guess just being out longer than an hour…

  • Lisa December 19, 2009, 9:33 pm

    For me, I consider anything over 4 miles a long run! Im much more of a sprinter than an enducrance runner, but Im working on becoming better.

  • Shannon (The Daily Balance) December 19, 2009, 9:34 pm

    love the camera experiments! 😉

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is December 19, 2009, 9:42 pm

    I consider a long run 1 mile. 😛

  • Kristin (runningsongs) December 19, 2009, 9:42 pm

    These days? Anything over an hour is a long run. Later in the game? I never go much over 2ish hours (half marathon training)… but they sure do get harder: we do “fast” long runs that come the month before the race.

  • Nicole December 19, 2009, 9:51 pm

    I can’t believe your marathon is so close. I’ve been training vicariously through you for the past, what, 3 months? Time flies!
    I consider anything 6 miles and up to be a long run but yeah, I’m not running marathons…basically if you’re running for an hour or longer, I think it’s considered a long run.

  • Sam (Merit to the Carrot) December 19, 2009, 10:05 pm

    Vegetarian BBQ fix… is there any better kind, truly??
    Action shots are so fun.

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels December 19, 2009, 10:18 pm

    a regular run for me is 20 minutes and a long run is 45 minutes . . . I will be super impressed with myself when I get upto 60 minutes!

  • Sammi December 19, 2009, 10:26 pm

    Right now a normal run with my dad is twice around town which ends up being a little over 5 miles. A long run for me 6 miles and over. That will change though 🙂 one of my 2010 goals is to run a half marathon and either run a marathon or be registered for one by the end of 2010!

  • Ashley December 19, 2009, 10:43 pm

    Girl. Your tweets crack me UP! =)

  • Nicole, MS, RD, LD December 19, 2009, 10:51 pm

    I used to consider a long-run anything over 8, probably. That was when I was marathon training.

    Now, I think anything over 4 is long. I try and do 20 miles a week with 2 hockey games a week and that really seems to work for me. Some days I do 2-3 miles, and some days it’s 5 or 6.

  • Lesley December 19, 2009, 11:03 pm

    I think anything over 5 miles is a ‘long run.’ I agree with what everyone is saying..that over an hour is a long run!

  • Jenna December 19, 2009, 11:09 pm

    chocolate covered graham crackers sound great!
    jenna

  • Diana (Mymarblerye) December 19, 2009, 11:11 pm

    i’ve completely hit a wall. I’ve been slowly increasing my mileage (started running 2 months ago) and I’m up to 6 miles twice a week as my long runs but lately I haven’t been able to run that distance and I’m pooped by the 3rd mile! maybe it’s my fuel (food) lately…too many christmas snacks? AHHH. What would you do in my case? has this ever happened to you?

    • Caitlin December 20, 2009, 10:03 am

      yes, this has happened to me, usually when im pushing myself really hard to increase mileage/speed. couch to 6 miles in two months is really fast (i’m impressed). most training plans have built in “step back” weeks every three weeks or so. you are prob due for a step back week (and try to do them once a month). if you look at my marathon training plan (left side of the blog) you’ll see i have step back weeks. they might help you get over that hump and increase your recovery time.

      • Diana (Mymarblerye) December 20, 2009, 10:09 am

        Thanks Caitlin! I’ll check it out! I though my body was telling me I was allergic to exercise..but alas..no. 🙂

  • Christy December 19, 2009, 11:50 pm

    I consider anything over 5 miles long… but I did think it was around 2 or 4. Guess I’m making progress 😀

  • Emily Eats and Exercises December 20, 2009, 12:01 am

    I love that I now consider 4 miles to be my short run! Last winter I started couch to 5K and I struggled running 3 minutes in a row. Now I can do an hour!!! I just signed up for my first half marathon and I can’t wait to start training.

  • Melissa S. December 20, 2009, 12:11 am

    Oh! i’m so glad you got my baked goodies! was afraid meghann was going to snag them all 😉 j/k

    have a great run and tapering! i’ve always thought that was the best part of long distance training…and right now long run is over 10 miles…hoping my 12 miler won’t kill me tomorrow. 🙂

  • Katie December 20, 2009, 1:35 am

    My running comfort zone is 3-4 miles and above that it’s long.. anything more than an hour is too much! I must start to train for something!

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) December 20, 2009, 1:49 am

    Running for 5 minutes straight would be long for me!! My new years resolution is to learn to run, and to run a half marathon in September.

  • Whitney December 20, 2009, 5:58 am

    When I trained for a half marathon, I considered anything under one hour to be “short”. So anything over six miles was long to me (i.e., need more fuel, more water, etc). I think I have always thought that way. I think the one thing that remains constant is the long run (whatever distance one considers long). I always did my long runs myself, and that was always -my- time, whatever the distance!

  • Laura December 20, 2009, 6:12 am

    Just to change the subject completely, but its snowing in the U.K! All the schools have been closed in the South, and some places are without power! You might get a White Christmas this year Caitlin x

    • Caitlin December 20, 2009, 10:04 am

      AHHH we heard! we are so excited.

  • Lauren December 20, 2009, 7:40 am

    I generally consider a long run to be anything over 8 or 9 miles. I’m training for a half marathon right now, followed by a marathon in May, so my current longest distance has been 14 miles. Obviously, I feel well prepared for the half, but the idea of adding another 12 miles onto that 14 miles for the marathon is so daunting right now! I ran a marathon two years ago, and definitely remember well how wonderful tapering felt. You’re so right: training for a marathon really distorts your sense of what is a long run and what is a short run!

  • Janna (Just Flourishing) December 20, 2009, 9:12 am

    Nice. I want a col camera! I’ll probably have to wait until my birthday in May though.

    Right now I consider a long run to be over a 10K. 🙂 One day I’m sure I’ll think of a 10K as a short run though!

  • Stacey December 20, 2009, 9:38 am

    Whit and I were talking about that this afternoon! She said that training for a marathon totally transformed her thought on time and mileage lol. I consider anything over 5 to be “long”, but then again, I haven’t run a marathon (YET) 😀

    • Caitlin December 20, 2009, 10:04 am

      love the use of the word “yet”

  • Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life December 20, 2009, 10:13 am

    The chocolate covered graham crackers look amazing!

  • Erica December 20, 2009, 10:40 am

    I love all of the pictures 🙂 Makes me want a new camera even more. haha. Those chocolate covered graham crackers look TERRIFIC. Melissa is one sweet chick! Hope the run goes well today. Anything 6 miles and over is a long run to me. I used to think anything over 3 was long

  • Hallie December 20, 2009, 11:04 am

    I like this question and reading all the answers! I am still new to the running game, and I’m pretty slow, so I’d say anything over 4.5 miles is “long” for me…cuz it takes awhile to do it! I can’t wait to increase my mileage but I’ve been trading outdoor running for short treadmill interval runs and the stair climber. So I’m afraid to increase my weekend long run distance too much cuz I don’t want to get hurt…if that makes sense.

  • skinnyrunner December 20, 2009, 11:32 am

    haha, love your action shot!
    id consider anything over 15 to be a long run but its all subjective i guess.

  • Angela December 20, 2009, 12:08 pm

    I used to think a 10K or over was a long run. When I started running marathons, though – 8 miles was my “off-week; shorter” distance. At that time, 16 miles or over was a long run to me. Now that I’ve been on a hiatus and am starting from square one again? A 10K sounds like a good challenge again. 😉

  • Katie December 20, 2009, 12:18 pm

    Yummy chocolate!

    Cute photos – and worn in jeans! Love em.

    I consider anything over 5 miles long for me now…I used to consider anything over 10 miles long for me…but times change!

    Happy SNOWED IN SUNDAY!

    Katie
    http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/2009/12/slim-secrets-bars-giveaway-extended.html

  • Ellen Collis December 20, 2009, 12:53 pm

    I used to run 6-8 miles frequently, but now I’ve scaled back to 3-4. I want to get back to doing more long runs though, which for me is usually anything over 4 or 5 miles. It’s hard to get motivated for long runs in the winter though—NYC got six inches of snow last night!

    http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/

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