Beginners and Beyond

12

All Comers track meets - am I crazy? (Read 57 times)

kettledrum


    There is a series of these meets in my area, and last year I considered showing up and seeing what it was all about, but ended up passing due to fear of injury.  Now another year has passed, and this time around while I'm concerned about injury, I'm not afraid of it like I was last year.

    So...I'd like to do this just to see what happens.   But I'm not really sure how to go about this.  If you look at my log you can see I'm a very low mileage runner.

     

    And now for some really dumb questions.....they may be more rhetorical questions as only I know the answers to some of them....but these are the things I've been pondering.   What event(s) should I do?  I think I'm most interested in a mile or 1500, but anything intrigues me all the way down to the 100.   Anything I'd run would be a  PR    How much should I warm up?  Should my routine be a lot different than warming up for a 5k?   Should I run hard, but not all out to avoid injury?   Any tips?  What am I missing (probably a ton)?    Or am I so woefully unprepared that I should just tuck my tail in and wait another year before attempting any shorter distances like this?

     

    Love the Half


      STFU, register and run.  Seriously, quit thinking so much about it and just do it.  Fair warning though, the shorter the race, the higher your risk of injury since you don't train as a sprinter.  I say that as someone who had a very, very sore quad from racing a 100 in a Corporate Cup event.

      Short term goal: 17:59 5K

      Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

      Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

      LRB


        I would do each event that was practically possible to set a benchmark and to see what appealed to me.

         

        Mileage is an individual issue as some milers run in the 20's per week, while others run 70 and higher.

         

        I am not sure you are at more risk racing these distances than what you already are but I would guess stepping up the strength training and flexibility stuff would be prudent.

        Docket_Rocket


          Do you have to sign up for all events?  I would do them, but if you fear injury maybe take it one race at a time?


          I used to run the 100m in Middle School and liked it (that and the 200m).  I would do those.

          Damaris

           

          As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

          Fundraising Page

          kettledrum


            LTH - that is certainly one way to look at it.  Thanks for the kick in the rear.  I do tend to over analyze things.

             

            LRB - What is this strength and flexibility that you speak of?  

             

            Docket - No you don't have to sign up for every event.  I think you sign up for whatever you want.  Total cost is only $5 combined for the entire series of 6 weeks of racing.  From looking at the results and pictures from previous weeks it looks like it is a good fun family event with a lot of kids there, but also some pretty fast runners too.  e.g.  6 people under 5:10 for the mile run with the winner at 4:40.   I would plan on only doing 1 or 2 events tops this 1st time out and see how it goes.

            Jack K.


            uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

              STFU, register and run.  Seriously, quit thinking so much about it and just do it.  Fair warning though, the shorter the race, the higher your risk of injury since you don't train as a sprinter.  I say that as someone who had a very, very sore quad from racing a 100 in a Corporate Cup event.

               

              Exactly. Take care of the hamstrings.

              Docket_Rocket


                LTH - that is certainly one way to look at it.  Thanks for the kick in the rear.  I do tend to over analyze things.

                 

                LRB - What is this strength and flexibility that you speak of?  

                 

                Docket - No you don't have to sign up for every event.  I think you sign up for whatever you want.  Total cost is only $5 combined for the entire series of 6 weeks of racing.  From looking at the results and pictures from previous weeks it looks like it is a good fun family event with a lot of kids there, but also some pretty fast runners too.  e.g.  6 people under 5:10 for the mile run with the winner at 4:40.   I would plan on only doing 1 or 2 events tops this 1st time out and see how it goes.

                 

                Oh, I meant to say one meet at a time, instead of one race.  Maybe pick 1-3 events on your first time and see how you feel afterwards?  I am sure once you get the hang of it and your fear out the window, you could do more.

                Damaris

                 

                As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                Fundraising Page


                Walk-Jogger

                  I used to take my kids to these when they were young and we all ran in something and had great fun with it. I generally race at least 3 events, always the 100 and the 1500/mile, whichever one they were running that week, and then the 200 or 400 or 800 as well. It's educational and will make you a faster runner. I never got injured doing it, but that certainly is a risk.  We don't have any all-comer meets here in my local area  now and I really miss being able to do them. I had to drive 150 miles R/T recently just to do a one-mile race.

                   

                  Go and do this!

                  Retired &  Loving It

                  PADRunner


                    STFU, register and run.  Seriously, quit thinking so much about it and just do it.  Fair warning though, the shorter the race, the higher your risk of injury since you don't train as a sprinter.  I say that as someone who had a very, very sore quad from racing a 100 in a Corporate Cup event.

                     

                    I went to one and ran the 100 and 200 and had fun. I wanted to go to another one so I went to the track to practice some starts and ended up pulling a hamstring.

                     

                    Maybe next year.

                    wcrunner2


                    Are we there, yet?

                      I'd stick with the traditional distances, 800m, 1500m, mile, and 5000m. I'm not a fan of either the 1600m or 3200m because they are non-standard distances created out of laziness when HS's switched to metric back in the late 70s instead of going with the standard international distances of 1500m and 3000m. You need a really good warm up including strides for these shorter distances because you hit a high effort and speed very quickly, not 15-20 minutes into the race. There shouldn't be any more risk in running those races than in any others. There may be a much higher risk if you tried the sprints, 100m, 200, 400, or the relays, because you are straining to go all out. Don't be afraid to try a double : mile and 800m or 1500m and 800m. Pacing is critical in these races. Go out too fast and the last lap can feel like the someone tied a grand piano on your back, too slow and you're left in the dust to run by yourself. From looking at your log, you should be able to run a sub-7:00 mile. If you do decide to double, be sure to take at least a short warm up before the second event. I would suggest not trying to triple.

                       2024 Races:

                            03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                            05/11 - D3 50K
                            05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                            06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                       

                       

                           

                      Slymoon Runs


                      race obsessed

                        Agreed with LTH and all the above.

                         

                        Just go register and pick an event or 3 that you want to try.  No worries.

                         

                         

                        The way my events were run it was very easy:  1 cost for bib and registration regardless of events completed.

                         

                        ie:  $10 got me a bib and I just lined up for whatever I wanted to run.

                        The coordinator typically grouped the participants into similar paces depending on the number of participants in the event.

                        As far as *how* they decide your pace... they don't *you do*.

                         

                        Have fun with the events


                        delicate flower

                          Good luck, kettledrum!  Honestly, I'd be scared off my butt to show up for a track meet out of fear of getting destroyed.  Pretty much all my training has been HM and marathon-centric.

                          <3

                          LRB


                            Nice post George!

                            wcrunner2


                            Are we there, yet?

                              Nice post George!

                               

                              Thanks! I'm in my element with All-Comers track meets. It wouldn't surprise me if close to half the races I've run in my life have been at them. I commonly doubled and once in a while if I wanted a good workout I'd triple. That really bit me in the ass one meet when I ended up in the last heat of the 800m after already running the mile...and the 3000m was the next event. I had just enough time after the 800m to jog diagonally across the infield to get to the starting line. But I usually had 25-30 minutes between the mile and 800m, and for those races that's generally enough. I teethed on track meets and the 800m, 1500m, and mile remain my favorite race distances.

                               2024 Races:

                                    03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                    05/11 - D3 50K
                                    05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                    06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                               

                               

                                   

                              B-Plus


                                I have nothing of value to add. I just wanted to say I wish we had these around here!

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