Forums >Racing>2024 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread
Mark - I raced the Chch half in 2019. Steve was there as a spectator, I think injured, he somehow braved the weather and came and watched.
PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)
40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)
2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05
2024 PRs: 5km 20:25
Yes that's right. One of the most miserable days I've raced on. I was trying so hard to PR I was sprinting down the final straight into a headwind and completely missed Steve cheering lol.
3,000m: 9:07.7 (Nov-21) | 5,000m: 15:39 (Dec-19) | 10,000m: 32:34 (Mar-20)
10km: 33:15 (Sep-19) | HM: 1:09:41 (May-21)* | FM: 2:41:41 (Oct-20)
* Net downhill course
Last race: Runway5 / National 5k Champs, 16:22, National Masters AG Champ!
Up next: Still working on that...
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
I've had a few cases where the RD had to change the course day of. In one race, there was enough fog that the police unilaterally decided that runners would not do a short stretch on a main road, which cut about .3 miles off. Cops were directing runners, I wasn't about to argue. In another, there was a short out and back on a residential street that was completely flooded with ducks swimming on it. The RD skipped that, it was short.
Then there was Gettysburg during covid. It's one thing to study the map. It's another when there are no street signs and the RD makes the absolutely boneheaded decision to put cones across the road you were supposed to run on. Basically, you come to a fork around mile 2.7 or so. I stood there for a second deciding which way to go. I guessed correctly. After I finished, a grown dude had a complete meltdown about this. You'd think that would be something to mention in the pre-race annoucements or on the map/directions. Typically, cones across the road mean don't go there.
Waltons ThreadLord
Upcoming Races
05/18 dpschumacher -Uff Da Half Marathon or 10k
05/19 JamesD Chicago Spring Half
05/19 Frederick - Greta's Run 5k
Fred - hope the pain will subside. Great report, really enjoyed it. I wouldn't have been able to get that error out of my mind. That would have been an eternal loop of: wtf.......interesting that you didn't discuss your race plan with your son. Why didn't you? Sounds like he just needs to up his mileage to avoid the 2nd half fade (sounds just as easy as it is, in theory )
Actually, I discussed my plan with him on more than one occasion. He just chose not to discuss his plan with me. He tends to do that, in part (I think) so that if the race doesn't go to plan, only he knows it.
I sent an email to the RD asking if they cut the course short on purpose or if it was an oversight. Not surprisingly, they haven't responded.
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Scotch Plains 5k, 6/12; Firecracker 4-miler, 7/4
The link below will take you to photos from the 10k I ran, if you're interested. I'm easy to spot in the white t-shirt. The fast-looking guy ahead of me in the first couple photos was the eventual 5k winner, who passed me about 2⅔ miles into the race despite the 10-minute head start the 10k runners got. In the first few rows of photos, it's either around mile 2.66 or mile 5.8, both passing Ellis Island (and Manhattan in the background). I have my hat off for lap 2. In the last few photos, at the crowded start, the guy in blue, right behind me, is my son - it's the only photo evidence that I was ever ahead of him in the race.
https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/121589/RaceDayPhotos?resultSetId=457109&resultId=135581269
Hot Weather Complainer
Fred - You look like you're having a great time...or is it a grimace?
My week - Another solid one, without such a long run. I used my planned race shoes, the Endorphin Pros which have felt magic for the last 2 half-marathons. My coach said they are half and below shoes for him because they feel terrible after 70 minutes (heh) and I discovered for myself that at marathon pace and after an hour or so, they are no good. My right foot got sore and toes felt crampy (which happened towards the end of the ChCh half) and then in the cool down it got to the point where every step was a countdown to get them off my feet. I went from thinking maybe they aren't my marathon shoe to being 100% certain within about 10 minutes. Coach has always been a big fan of Saucony Tempus (especially after 30km) which I used for Selwyn last year and now use for every workout so I've ordered a new pair for the race.
So 2 weeks until race day. I'm way fitter than I've ever been before any of my previous marathons (or any race). So I'm going to try and be positive as I head towards race day and not focus on the previous attempts. I'll catch up with the mental skills coach on Friday.
5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23
2024 Races:
Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55
Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024 1:27:34
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Started coming down with a cold on Wednesday, but overall it wasn't too bad. Took Wed off, had an average run Thurs and felt better Fri/Sat but kept it pretty comfortable. Actually the highlight of the week was the first trail series race of the season with Miss 7 today which isn't in the log below. The short course was 7km with a couple of really big hills, but boy it was fun. I'd say we ran probably half of it which was pretty good all things considered. She didn't complain once and was laughing and doing her best the whole way. I could tell when she was tiring a bit because she'd start asking when the next aid station was (they have water, candy and pretzels!). Honestly, I thought it was really cool that she'd try and find a positive thing to keep her going when it was getting tough.
Given the dumpster fire going on on the other thread (again pretty much down to one person) just wanted to thank everyone on this thread for being a Walton! It’s a much more pleasant place to be (not that I’ve been here much!).
I don’t think I’ve much to say about my recent marathon, but I do probably have a few things to note about the trip as a whole, so will try and get that posted this week.
Good luck everyone with your week of running!
50+ age-group PBs: Half Perish 1:24:24 (June '23 Road Race) - 10km 37:52 (2022 Local Road Champs) - Track 5km 18:49 (Aug '22) - Perish Run 3:17:42
2024 Goals: Boston Perish Run Sub 3:15 - Road/Track 10km Sub 37:30 - 5km Sub 18:20
Mark - nice week. Your daughter did really well.
Steve - nice week. Entirely your choice, but the Suacony Tempus wouldn't be in my top 10 choices for a marathon shoe.
My week was good. I raced ParkRun (local, moderately slow course) on Saturday in 20:28 on slightly tired legs. I couldn't quite do a 2024 best. I'll be racing it again this Saturday. Two short strength sessions, plus:
watson - What are your preferred shoes? It's too late now I think. The Tempus go really well for me on workouts including 32+km workouts.
Steve - my third and fourth marathon's were in the Adidas Adios Pro 2. They're a little beat up now, but are still really good for workouts, but are race retired. I raced Chch full in Adidas Takumi Sen 8's which are advertized as a 5/10km race shoe, but I found them really good (warning if you have wide feet, they'll be no good for you). I'll next buy either the Adios Pro 3 or Takumi Sen 10, depending on what sale price I can find. I totally agree that it's too late to try something new.
My comment was mainly around thinking that a racing shoe would be best. But you do need to go with what you know will work fine, so please don't have me put you off your choice!
Do you know why the Pro's (v3 ?) give you toe cramp? Is the toe box a tad narrow for you?
I think the Tempus is considered a racing shoe by some people - it has that bounce and response without the carbon plate. I first looked at it when my coach pointed me to studies that the super shoes are effective at 16km/h and quicker and potentially detrimental slower than that for long periods. That makes the Pros borderline even for a half for me, although I've found them really nice in the 3 half-marathons I've run in them. It did feel like both big toes were getting jammed and they're both still sore - this never happened in a half, only after 90+ minutes on Saturday. It feels like a risk to wait and see what happens after 30km in them, whereas I know the Tempus still feels good.
It's like the Saturday run proved everything my coach said was right - the slower pace over a longer period didn't give me the benefit that I get at faster pace up to 90 minutes.
Andy used the Tempus for the Christchurch marathon and if it's good enough for him...he was going much faster than 16km/h of course but for him it's the comfort in the last 10km that makes him a believer.
Steve - commented in the other thread as well, but it really does sound like you're in a good headspace going into this one and you sure as hell have the work behind you as well. So far it seems like it's been an absolute dream autumn for race weather (other than Waterfront!) with Christchurch, Rotorua and Hawkes Bay Marathons all having pretty much perfect conditions, so fingers crossed you get at least something like that on Sunday.
Hash - saw your Strava title the other day and cracked up... honestly the only thing that has probably stopped me from a bakery stop during a long run is the fact that when I am out doing my long runs everything is normally closed! And yes, the other thread has kicked off spectacularly again, for exactly the reason you describe.
I've realised one thing I absolutely love about doing Parkrun with my daughter, or the shorter / more social events like the weekend trail event, is that there's absolutely zero ego bullsh!t flying around. People are just out there to have fun, put some work in, get a bit fitter, and enjoy themselves. It's a very pure expression of the joy and purpose of running. We have some good chats and laughs with other runners and walkers along the way, and it's such a positive environment. And at the end of the day, no-one on these threads is elite (except probably Darkwave) - and while we all want to do our best and push our limits, ultimately we are all doing this for fun.
Watson - the great thing about Parkrun, or any 5km event, is being able to race it often and not deal with the recovery from the longer races!
Re race shoes - and this is just a general discussion and certainly not directed at Steve! - I'm interested to try the NB Fuelcell Elite v4 and / or the Asics Metaspeed Edge. The v3 has really grown on me and I noticed Laura Nagel wore the v4 in winning the womens National 5k Champs a couple weeks ago (she set the NZ road mile record the night before, but IDK if she wore them for that). Seeing a lot of runners in the Metaspeed now too. I have a $100 voucher for Running Warehouse Australia but they don't have either in stock in my size dammit.
Looking at Strava, just like last year, Hawkes Bay "marathon" was 200-400m short!The Edge+ has been one I've considered. My main concern is the lack of heel rubber, especially when I loose form I can heel scuff, which has a risk of substantial wear in the Asics.
I know a lot of people who have done really with the Sky and Sky+. I only know a few who've used the Edge or Edge+ (Darkwave being one of them).
The studies on shoe performance are pretty small sample sizes, that show great variance between individuals. There's also the question as to how does the treadmill over short periods of time, correlate with the road for a long period of time.
I've read quite a few of the studies, and even those with slower runners, generally are better off. There were a few runners who did worse in Next %'s than the control shoes, but these were the exceptions.
My feeling that the super shoes will work, unless they cause issues with stability which can cause injuries. I remember talking to someone before Hawkes Bay marathon, she stated she'd race in the Next %'s up to a half, but couldn't do a full in them due to ankle problems.
So a lot of it is now down to judgement as to how it feels, how they do in long runs, budget etc.I'm pretty sure that my last three marathons have been quicker and easier on the feet, than my first two marathons in EVA shoes.
According to my work, it is International Civility Awareness Month.