White Lightning
I would skip it. I ran it last year and it was hillier than advertised. The hill at mile 23 is absolutely brutal. More importantly, it is still a very small marathon with organizational difficulties. This past year I heard of ppl arriving on time for the shuttle, and then being dropped off a couple of miles from the start line, running out of water at the aid stations. The expo was pretty small and unimpressive as was the end of race treats and festivities. On the bright side, the weather was really nice. Cold start about 40 degrees warming to the low 60's by finish. I could see running it if it were local, but definitely not a destination marathon. If it's not too early, you can look at Long Beach on Oct 13. It's a bigger marathon, but much better organized.
ap4 - first off welcome to the group and thanks for the input. Yeah long beach is way too early.
I live in Canada and there's really nothing left up here end of October to beginning of November. I'm heading down to my parents place beginning of November so was hoping to pick a race between say Nov 1st and Nov 10th as I leave for Hawaii on the 15th for two weeks, don't want to be training while on that vacation. which ever race I pick needs to be within a days driving distance of Las Vegas, so I can drive out the day before the race, stay in a hotel, run the next morning and drive back to Vegas the same day after the race. Money IS an issue as I spent all my money on the Hawaii trip so I need to be as frugal as possible which means no plane tickets, cabs, multi night hotel stays, restaurants (i'll bring my food with me in a cooler), etc.... I don't care about the expo and I'd prefer no major hills. I'm not looking at this like a "vacation".
So that being said, there's only three races that I can find that work with my schedule and location. Santa Barbara, Malibu International (ugly last few miles with a kick in the nuts hill to finish) and Two Cities Marathon in Fresno (their registration isn't opened for 2013 yet) it only had 500 people run last year. So I'm leaning more between Santa Barbara and Fresno. Decisions, decisions
Play the Game Hard!
ap4 - first off welcome to the group and thanks for the input. Yeah long beach is way too early. I live in Canada and there's really nothing left up here end of October to beginning of November. I'm heading down to my parents place beginning of November so was hoping to pick a race between say Nov 1st and Nov 10th as I leave for Hawaii on the 15th for two weeks, don't want to be training while on that vacation. which ever race I pick needs to be within a days driving distance of Las Vegas, so I can drive out the day before the race, stay in a hotel, run the next morning and drive back to Vegas the same day after the race. Money IS an issue as I spent all my money on the Hawaii trip so I need to be as frugal as possible which means no plane tickets, cabs, multi night hotel stays, restaurants (i'll bring my food with me in a cooler), etc.... I don't care about the expo and I'd prefer no major hills. I'm not looking at this like a "vacation". So that being said, there's only three races that I can find that work with my schedule and location. Santa Barbara, Malibu International (ugly last few miles with a kick in the nuts hill to finish) and Two Cities Marathon in Fresno (their registration isn't opened for 2013 yet) it only had 500 people run last year. So I'm leaning more between Santa Barbara and Fresno. Decisions, decisions
Josh and Cbus-Thanks for the welcome to the group. It's nice to find support amongst peers about the same speed as me!
Your schedule does make it a little bit of a challenge. I also saw Santa Clarita which should be about the same time, but their date isn't set on their website yet. I guess my expectations for Santa Barbara as my second marathon were high and I really didn't run into the annoying semantics that a lot of the other runners did. The shuttling was the biggest complaint if you read their Yelp reviews. I had my wife to drop me off at the start line, as opposed to having to run 3 miles to the start line as one reviewer claimed. I definitely wasn't prepared for the hills. I crashed and cramped about mile 18. The other 3 races I ran were significantly less on the rolling hills than this one. Santa Barbara is a beautiful city, but if you won't have much opportunity to explore, I'd go with Fresno. Our hotel was $175 for the night at a Hampton Inn, but that seems kind of high for a midgrade establishment.
Honestly, looking at the elevation chart, I think you'd end up a with a better time at Fresno. I ran a 4:02 in my first marathon in Feb, then a 4:12 in Santa Barbara. I was averaging 45-50 miles per week in my training for Santa Barbara. Granted, I went out too fast, but even on a perfectly run race, I would have barely broken 4:00 with 50% more miles than my first marathon. If you're training on hills though, you may take to it like a duck to water. If it makes a difference, Santa Barbara was accepting entries up to race weekend and didn't sell out so you have time to decide.
Yeah I think Fresno its going to be. Much cheaper hotel rooms as well.
They just announced a new marathon up here in Banff National Park. You guys want to see a marathon with amazing scenery? Check this one out. Its four weeks after my goal marathon this spring but I may see if I can get a spot and run it just for the experience, limited to 1500 entries. Map says it drops about 700 feet start to finish.
Banff Marathon
Smashy!!!
Josh and AP, Santa Clarita is also very hilly. Although, depending on the layout, it is possible to make a big portion of it flat and even downhill. I don't know as much about Nor Cal, but I hear good things about Two Cities. And of course CIM is up there, and it's known as a fast downhill course. But I agree with AP, Santa Barbara is a fantastic city with great wine country. It's almost worth suffering through a hilly marathon to visit the city.
PRs: 21:35 (5K); 1:46:46 (HM); 4:30:46 (FM)
Trail Monster
Cbus - congrats!
sprinkles - I think you need to listen to the doc on this one. Elevated AST, low potassium and low iron can all be can be caused by heavy exercise. But if taking two weeks off doesn't change your levels then something else may be going on. Did your doctor run other liver panels to rule out liver disease? More potassRichard iron rich foods may fix the potassium and iron.
rest day here but I'm feeling like running. Probably will end up with 2-3 easy or walking so I don't bounce off the walls.
2013 races:
3/17 Shamrock Marathon
4/20 North Coast 24 Hour
7/27 Burning RIver 100M
8/24 Baker 50M
10/5 Oil Creek (distance to be determined)
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Well, about 10 additional inches of snow last night. Ought to make a 15 mile run interesting, especially with me having a mild sinus issue which is only natural after all the goings on in this house this holiday season. LOL. I am doing the 15 if I have to wear skis.
Sprinkes -
You get better. I know your determination and grit, but get better first.
Josh - Do you train on any hills? If not, I would guess you could crank up the elevation on the treadmill. Usually, given a choice on the treadmill I will raise the elevation before I crank up the speed. Those inclines will make you a stronger runner.
Ap4 - Welcome to the Donuts crowd! Glad to have you here.
Cbus - Are you "the man" when it comes to starting the January thread? Whats for dinner on New Years?
Banshee - I hear you sister. I am thinking about two or three slow ones on the static zapper today. Chomping at the bit to get out for a long one tomorrow.
PRs...5K - 20:36, 4mile - 26:15, 13.1 - 1:32, 26.2 - 3:42
Just Run!!!
Hi, guys. Interesting discussion about which marathons would be better. I am signed up for Napa and wonder how hilly is that one. It will be for fun though, so the time won't matter to me.
I did a 5K race this morning without albuterol...until I got an asthma attack. The 95% humidity was bad, even with my running by HR strategy. I had to use the inhaler and wasted 3 more minutes. I am OK with no PR'ing but I wanted a strong race with no albuterol. Guess it was not meant to be.
I am glad 2012 is almost over....
Hope everybody has a great weekend.
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.
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sprinkles, I agree with Banshee. Could be something else but it sounds like that. Have you been eating well while you train hard?
Cbus - congrats! sprinkles - I think you need to listen to the doc on this one. Elevated AST, low potassium and low iron can all be can be caused by heavy exercise. But if taking two weeks off doesn't change your levels then something else may be going on. Did your doctor run other liver panels to rule out liver disease? More potassRichard iron rich foods may fix the potassium and iron. rest day here but I'm feeling like running. Probably will end up with 2-3 easy or walking so I don't bounce off the walls.
Banshee yes, that was my plan. To guess at first and refine it closer to race day. I figured guessing on the more optimistic side would be better provided I can complete all the workouts. And nice job shaving so much off your PR!!!
Amik - the work is done and what you do in taper shouldn't affect your race too much. Getting to the start line healthy is most important!
Nachos - Congrats! How exciting! And nice job on the tempo run
Sprinkles - hang in there
AP4 - Hi and welcome!
Docket - sorry about the asthma attack. Hope next year gets better for you.
8 miles again today for me. We got a little snow but it's light so should be fine for running.
Oops, where are my manners? Welcome, ap4!
Cbus - If I wasn't doing a big Hawaii trip, I'd definitely be picking a destination marathon. I was trying to convince my family to do Hawaii in December so I could run Honolulu but no joy. Two Cities is very flat it seems, about mile 20 there is a good sized dip but the rest of the course seems like there's no more than about 10-15 feet elevation change per mile.
Indi - I've been manually moving it up and down but i'm trying to figure out how to create a course on my ifit so it will change elevations for me. I have some good decent elevation changes running outside, which since its supposed to be 30 degrees in about an hour, I'm heading outside today. Looks like I'll be running while the snow is falling but the next two weeks we are back to highs of 28-30 degrees, quite the change
Sprinkles - Missed that you weren't feeling well, sorry :-(
Docket - The more miles and races under my belt I'm hoping to run more races for fun, then I'll pick the Napa races and some other like that.
36 miles this week, week 2 of Pfitz 18+2/55. Highlights were 5 x 800m at 7.47 (5K pace), and a 13m run this morning with 10 at GMP (9:06). It was supposed to be 13 with 8 at GMP, but it was pretty cold, so the body went into auto to generate some heat. Right achilles was giving some grief at the end: taping and stretching will be necessary this week! 4-mile recovery run tomorrow. Monday will be a total rest day, and a Hangover 5K on Tuesday
Personal bests (bold = this year): 5K - 23:27 / 5M - 38:42 / 10K - 49:31 (track) / 10M - 1:24:26 / HM - 1:51:17 / M - 3:58:58
Next races: NYC Marathon, Nov 2014
Just wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone ! How many people ate too much ? I feel sooo fat right now ! That's last time i do a bunch of baking
Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. I need to catch up on the posts and am leaning towards another marathon training cycle. 7 minutes still really bugs the inner accountant in me Right now, i'm just doing my once a week slow run (8-10 miles). I think my goal may be to try again to break 4:00hr. If I can achieve this (and lose my Christmas baby-fat) i think in future years my desire is to simply train and run races (be they 5K or marathons) with folks for fun without regard to a time goal. This past year took all my spare time up during running and on the couch afterwards. I don't know how all of you with families train. You must have awesome support mechanisms.
I did get the Hanson's book over the holidays. If i do another cycle, I probably will stick to Pfitz 55 again since i am familiar with it. Anyone out there doing Hansons method this year ? from what I can tell, the main differences from Pfitz are : 1) no mid-week long run 2) 6 days of running instead of 5 days 3) max weekend long run of 16 miles 4) no tune-up races. Anyone have positions/thoughts on Pfitz vs Hansons ?
indiana and cbus - so like..... when are you coming up here to show me how to run ? what's this long run stuff all about ?
docket - i hope the humidity is better this time of year for you !
PB's 10K 47:15 (9/13) HM 1:45 (9/13) M 3:57 (10/13)
Running Blog http://davesdigitaldestinations.blogspot.com/
Whippet
Banshee & Docket - My AST levels have been elevated for approximately 10 years - likely due to a combination of genetics and a severe bout with lymes disease as a child. I saw a specialist and he ran an MRI and every test under the sun - it ruled out literally every possible medical issue that I could have. The only remaining possibility is that running ups my ASTs even more than they are already up. The potassium thing is likely a fluke, as it has never been off before, and is only off by 0.1. There's no answer on why my lymph nodes are enlarged, but my allergy shots are suspect. Good times. Basically, rest rest rest and eat healthy. I hope that it'll also have the added benefit that my back will stop being all twingey!
13.1: 1:45 | 26.2: 3:55
Afternoon donuts! 1 hour of stepmill this morning at the gym followed by stretching. Boy, did I want to run with DH when he left for his 10 miler this morning. Gonna stick to my original plan of waiting another week though. Better safe than sorry!
Docket: thought about you this morning when I saw the high was supposed to be in the mid 80s today in Miami. I know good things are ahead for you in 2013. Bring it on!
Nachos: congrats to you and DW!
sprinkles: good thoughts sent your eay. Hope all is well when you hear from the doctor.
dtf: I was planning on using Hanson for a spring marathon until I got injured. From everything I've read, Hanson concentrates more on teaching you to run at GMP. That's what I got from all the discussions. Others may have different thoughts.
PRs: 1:38:10 (HM) 3:32:46 (FM)