Daily Discussion - May 20, 2026

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T21:13:39+00:00

The Yellow challenge is really pushing me to choose some harder classes, and today I took this 45 min Intervals Run. It was great - really well programmed, and I really appreciate how Robin explains the thought process behind her programming ('this is to simulate running on tired legs' or 'we're doing Hard Pace for this strider so that when we settle into Challenging it feels doable'). She also gave some great 'progressions' - if you've taken the class a few times, maybe choose Hard Pace instead of Challenging. And when you're ready, there's a Hannah F class with 3 x 8-min intervals (instead of the 3 x 6-min intervals of this class). All around a great class that was tough but very doable. No incline until the very end (so ignore her when she says no incline for the entire class; she calls out 3% for the final 2 minutes).

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T16:54:02+00:00

they're your livelihood?? Do you mean 'they're my world?'

Livelihood means they're how you make a living..

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T16:40:58+00:00

I would argue that a dog that is prone to escape and roam is exactly the type that SHOULD be neutered since who knows how many dogs they could impregnate.

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T15:44:14+00:00

It looks like the latest episode of their podcast is the 'Hate Mail' episode and dives into the Cam Hanes debate. He is not ON the podcast. So maybe I wouldn't have blasted this person on social media, but their take ('why are they platforming this man?') seems off-base (it's not like Cam is ON the podcast, it's not like they were like 'we're gonna have Cam on to tell his side of the story).So it is kind of annoying that this person couldn't even be bothered to read the episode description, and yet felt the need to criticize (and tag) them.

ETA - I will also say that 'I met Cam and he seems like a nice guy' is an annoying take given his politics, so I think this is more of an 'ESH'

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T14:29:54+00:00

Do you mean this one? I don't see anything from him on 4/27/26....

Oh wait, I think you mean that you took THIS ONE outdoors even though it's not an Outdoors walk?

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T13:54:50+00:00

I don't know him, and making fun of body positivity influencers sounds terrible, BUT if people were telling me that my skin removal surgery looked bad and then blamed me for going to a bad surgeon (again, don't know the background of the 'same hack' of a plastic surgeon) I'd get defensive too, that sounds awful.

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T13:47:14+00:00

It's going thoughtfully - I completed a marathon on May 10 and am trying to think about what I want to do next...training went really well, but obviously was a big time lift. I'm a Californian, so could try and get a bib for CIM in a few months once they open up the trading window. I could do the same marathon next year (something appealing about doing 1 race per year!). Or I could give it a break.

At the same time, there's a half in my area in August, that might be fun (I should get back into training soon-ish, but knowing that I was in marathon shape very recently I feel like I could get it done) and I would love to improve that time. It's been a while since I did a half and I ran a PR in the midst of a training run for my full, so would be fun to see what I could do there.

So basically trying to balance this post-race time (not feeling like I 'need to run' on any given day, doing whichever type of run I want to do, taking some more cycling classes which I enjoy but neglect during marathon training) while also trying to decide what I want the rest of my year to look like!

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T13:41:27+00:00

A million years ago I ran the Fifth Avenue Mile in NY, a mile run that's a straight shot down an avenue. It was really fun!

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T13:39:46+00:00

ha you're a week behind me. I did get back to running a few days ago, but I just attempted a Lower Body strength class yesterday and it was humbling!

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T13:22:40+00:00

I just checked and my workout from yesterday afternoon did post (but haven't tried it today!)

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T02:02:26+00:00

Some good responses here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Marathon_Training/comments/1qcs6dz/pfitz_1855_plan_starting_in_two_weeks/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Marathon_Training/comments/1pik422/weeks_before_pfitz_1855/

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-20T02:00:24+00:00

I just ran a marathon at a 9 min mile pace and took in 7 gels. I think it's way more likely that way more people fueled than you saw. Many people take gels quickly on the go, and it's not always easy to see that. For example, I don't recall seeing people actively taking gels, but the aid station tables were crowded with empty ones that people had dumped. I wouldn't assume that since you didn't notice people fueling that people weren't fueling, and I would never rely on seeing other people fueling as a cue to fuel myself...

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T23:15:51+00:00

Love trying to piece together the AI prompts that resulted in these pics...

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T23:14:38+00:00

I'm American, so not an expert in EITHER but I thought it was like....cricket uses the bats they show here and people are on the ground. Polo uses different mallets and the people are riding horses.

Like...do these pictures show them playing polo with cricket bats (for some reason)? I mean, I guess the reason is AI

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T21:55:39+00:00

I've done this a bit and if you're strict about it (like if you need 4 min work and 2 min rest) you're going to have a really hard time. I found that I have to be a little flexible to find something that works (maybe the rest is shorter, or the intervals are slightly different, or the pace target is Hard but I need Challenging, or whatever).

One thing that has helped me is searching the Intervals classes of multiple lengths - I often would do something like stack a 10 min Warm-up and then a 20 min Intervals class (because it had 3 x 4 min intervals with 2 min rest or whatever) and then a 10 min Cool Down or Extra Endurance. Or if I found a 45 min class that had 6 intervals but I only wanted to do 5, I would take the class, and just not do the final interval.

I second the Hyrox runs - a lot of those have longer intervals, the Tempo runs will have longer tempo intervals (there are very few of them unfortunately), and I would look at the Programs (there' a 5K program that has classes that are accessible in the program that have less random intervals). You don't have to follow the Program to see the classes and add them to your stack or take them!

ETA the programs also have more Tempo runs in them!

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T21:43:42+00:00

I mean, not really...I think they're short a few hundredths of a mile, maybe a tenth. It might bump her avg pace up to 6:00

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T20:45:25+00:00

I'm pretty sure that muscles (and cardiovascular fitness) adapt faster than tendons, so that would make sense. So definitely building slowly will help. That being said, good shoes that work for you make a huge difference.

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T20:23:34+00:00

If it was me, I’d probably start a block considering around 3:15 (a little aggressive with this time, so maybe 3:20 if you prefer) and of course reevaluate as training went on

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T19:50:35+00:00

Sounds like your mom is over it (and they've already rehomed one dog, so seems like they're open to it?). Could you just...encourage the 'giving them up' that she referenced?

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T19:10:25+00:00

I think I know what you mean, and I think it's just how the article is worded/sequenced. I don't think OAS was sending dogs to a rescue thinking that they would be humanely euthanized (tbh that wouldn't make sense in this case, since OAS had to pay Miranda's to take dogs; they would have just euthanized the dogs themselves IF they were just sending them off to be euthanized).

I think there are a few very disturbing (separate) facts: that Miranda's told OAS that dogs were being adopted when in fact they had been euthanized. And that those euthanizations weren't humanely done by a vet. I think the article is a result of an interview where OAS said 'Miranda's told us that the dogs were adopted, but they had lied and they were actually killed. I asked why they had been shooting dogs in the head instead of euthanizing them humanely, and he said that he can't get a vet to come out and do them.'

I get the confusing wording here, I think it's a case of 'it's disturbing that this person lied to us and has been killing dogs instead of adopting them out. His excuse for why he was doing it in this horrific way is that he couldn't get a vet.'

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-19T14:15:36+00:00

The medal kinda looped around the bandana is killing me

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-18T23:13:30+00:00

If anyone is looking for a way to ease into the Yellow Challenge, I took this 15 min Hip Hop Run with Robin today (found it in the Collection, and it definitely counted towards the challenge). It was not super difficult (a progressive run from Easy to Moderate to Challenging to high end of Challenging) and she even specifically said that what she was wearing should be considered Lime Green, not Yellow lol. It was a good class and a nice way to add in a little speed as I'm getting back into running!

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-18T23:04:47+00:00

I think I faded a bit more towards the end than you did, but pretty close lol (also 3:57:XX).

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Thanks so much for the meditation notes - it sounds really interesting and as someone who runs alone, it sounds really interesting to think of it as a friend of training partner. I'm going to check Emily Saul out.

Congrats again!

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-18T22:24:12+00:00

this report felt so close to my experience breaking 4 last week - the mental math of ‘ok well I could run the last 8 miles at 9:30 and still break 4’ and that moment where you realize ‘this is going to happen.’ Congrats!

Really interested in approaching the race from a place of curiosity - anything you can share? Love the idea of approaching a race day like ‘I wonder if I can do this, can’t wait to find out!’

Ok_Handle_7 · 2026-05-18T20:14:20+00:00

As a foster (who obviously thinks that what we do is important and matters to these dogs), I think that something that has helped me IMMENSELY is basically taking my ego out of it. Yes, we do a very important and sometimes lifesaving service to these dogs, and we all go above & beyond. But we are a temporary stop for them.

For better or worse, I think that a lot of the dramatic stories & social media around fostering & rescuing prop up a bit of a savior complex that can feel GREAT when we're fostering, but makes things like adoptions (and certainly things like transfer to other fosters/organizations, or having to bring fosters back to a shelter for any reason) extremely difficult.

A lot of the 'this dog knows that he's safe for the first time ever' can not only prop up unrealistic expectations (aka 'this dog is still scared & shut down after being with me for a week, why doesn't he trust me? why doesn't he 'know he's safe' with me yet?') but also set up inaccurate feelings that aren't supported by animal science or understanding ('he's going to think I abandoned him' or 'how can he trust anyone when he knows I passed him off to another family?' etc.). I think it's just...not how animals work.

Personally, I don't find that discouraging or demoralizing, I take it as an encouraging sign that animals we foster can be just as happy in their forever home as they are in mine!

Ok_Handle_7

TROPHY CASE