Forums >Racing>Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023
My take after a bunch of reading is that the TCM cancellation appears legit. It seems they had specific weather criteria they were tracking, based on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). And it wasn’t looking great all week (red flag), but had not reached cancellation (black flag) conditions. They sent an email Saturday evening indicating the race would probably go on, if conditions held, and there would be another email Sunday morning. But it got worse overnight—not by a lot, but just enough to push it into black flag territory. WBGT takes into account not just temperature and humidity, but also cloud cover (there was none) and wind (also none). They sent an email Sunday morning to cancel.
A lot of comments that people trained in these conditions over the summer, and it was a “comfortable day” for southerners. But there were 8000 people with all kinds of backgrounds. A large portion were from the Midwest, and/or were less experienced marathoners, and/or slower runners who would still be on the course well into the afternoon. With that size field, even a small percentage of people having heat issues could have quickly overwhelmed the medical support staff not to mention local ERs. People who’ve been around for a while were no doubt remembering Chicago 2007, which actually had slightly better conditions. https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20851594/2007-chicago-marathon-melt-down/
To me the main issue is that as far as I can tell, they didn’t really share the cancellation criteria. Publish them on the website, include them in emails, direct people to websites where they can check WBGT, etc. So when they finally announced the cancellation, people could be upset but can’t claim it was arbitrary or capricious.
Dave
Hey DavePNW, I think you raised a good point about sharing a resource where people could track WBGT. Everyone is still talking about how the temperature and dew point was not really the worst and make it sound like the decision was subjective. TCM shared in all their email communication the EAS color coding ( created by Chicago Event Management team after the 2007 Chicago Marathon) they use for decision making. Except that chart doesn't give you a quantitative value. I tried looking up online to find WBGT calculator, there are some but not easily readable like just temp and humidity reporting sites.
I was supposed to do the Loony challenge ( i.e 5k and 10 k Saturday and the 10 mile on Sunday. ) So I missed out on the 10mile portion. Even the Saturday races were very oppressive and by noon on Saturday we were wondering how the marathons will fair on Saturday. Without the wind and the clouds cover, a kiwi point of around 145 was feeling bad. And by noon and 1 p.m. it was way worst than that.
I still didn't understand why they cancelled the 10 mile as it started at 7 a.m. and most if not all would have been done before 10:30 a.m. where it was probably ESA still in red zone. But in their email communications, they made it clear that if it doesn't look like they will finish both races in ESA red, they won't start any of them. I would still like to know their justification for not going with the 10 mile, but as you said before, if they were to cancel the marathon everyone might have tried to do the 10 mile which I don't think they had resource for at the time.
Anyways, I felt sorry for the people who had to make the decision to cancel as they must have not been an easy thing to do. And even if I wished I could have completed my Loony challenge, I think they still made the right call.
Apparently in 2007, after which they adopted this system, hundreds of people needed medical attention. I read somewhere close to 900 people sought help.
If you are interested below was the email they sent Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
" Hello Marathon and 10 Mile Runners,
At this time, Twin Cities In Motion still expects to be able to run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and Medtronic TC 10 Mile. The current forecast for tomorrow morning still projects EAS Red Flag conditions – Extreme Caution – Potentially Dangerous Condition.
We will continue monitoring conditions overnight. If cancelling the race is required based upon our best practices and safety protocols in light of weather conditions, it is a decision we will make at any time conditions dictate. You can expect another update on status of the events by 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Octobe
r 1. "
Problem Child
JMac
"On June 8, New York City had the worst air quality in the world and peaked at 484 on the Air Quality Index. Monday's AQI is forecasted to peak at 55."
damn....that SUUUUUUUUUCCCKKKSS. It's so miserable you can feel it inside the house. You can see a visible haze, and it really does look like something from a horror movie with how orange the sky is.
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
VDOT 53.37
5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22
Flavio think of yourself as another Nick Bare he's over 190lbs and gunning for sub 2.45.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCKKKK....I came across this guy's videos. Such a production. So self-centered. "look at how great I am. I did this pretty much all on my own. Look I can run a half marathon or marathon before work with a camera crew. Amazing what owning my own business allows me to do."
Scott I agree but you have to hand it to him he's bloody fast with a bodybuilders physique. The shirt off gets a bit old after a while though
55+ PBs 5k 18:36 June 3rd TT
" If you don't use it you lose it, but if you use it, it wears out.
Somewhere in between is about right "
Lots of power on tap. I’m just jealous of his athletic ability. Seriously. I just don’t particularly care for his personality.
Intl. correspondent
Jmac - I was hoping for better weather in October in Germany. I guess it was too early in the month.Sorry to hear about the rain damage, I'm guessing especially where you live that's gonna cost a lot.
Steve - Yeah, my heart rate is almost the formula 220 - age, with my max heart rate close to 180, and resting heart rate around 55. I'd have to imagine that is the norm for most people and that's why they created the formula in the first place (even though the formula does not work for everybody).There are differences in heart rate monitors as well.As far as I understand higher heart beating rate correlates with heart size, but I'm sure there are plenty of other factors.
Dorothea - It's surprising to hear you're born in the USSR. I'm assuming your parents escaped when it dissolved in the early 90s?
DW - I'm hoping you landed ok after all that roller coaster of stuff. And also hoping you have a great race in Chicago!
WCRunner - haha, excellent! Yeah, I'm waiting for the official pictures, I might be purple.
Mikkey - Thanks for the kind words. I'm def. Far from the strongest, I can't even squat my wife's weight.
For my vote for absolute strongest, I'd have to go with either Mark or RP, they're beastly strong.
Honorable mention to Darkwave and her friend who posted here for a couple of months, they're both absurdly strong.
Piwi - Yeah, but this Nick Bare dude would run sub 2h30 if he weren't so buff.
me - Ok so, remember how I said I had a very sore throat on the couple of days before the race?
I don't think I mentioned, but the night before the race my throat was swollen, I had even thought about taking a anti allergic pill, but wasn't sure if it would affect my race.
I don't think this affected my performance, but it did affect how I felt after the race. I felt destroyed, with pain everywhere, very sluggish.
Yesterday was the usual miserable thing with fever, body aches, head aches, pain in the eyes. Not ideal when you have to catch 2 flights back home.
Anyway, turns out I have covid.
I've still got a bit of sore throat, but I'm likely on the other side of it.
PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021
Up next: some 800m race (or time trials) / Also place in the top 20% in a trail race
Tool to generate Strava weekly
Apparently that’s a misconception, and the joke only developed later in America, as something of an urban legend. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner While the phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner" can be understood as having a double meaning, it is neither wrong to use it the way Kennedy did nor was it embarrassing. According to some grammar texts, the indefinite article can be omitted in German when speaking of an individual's profession or origin but is in any case used when speaking in a figurative sense. Furthermore, although the word "Berliner" has traditionally been used for a doughnut filled with fruit jam or jelly in the north, west, and southwest of Germany, it has never been used in Berlin itself or the surrounding region, where the usual word is "Pfannkuchen" (literally "pancake"). Therefore, no Berliner would mistake Berliner for a doughnut.
Apparently that’s a misconception, and the joke only developed later in America, as something of an urban legend. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner
While the phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner" can be understood as having a double meaning, it is neither wrong to use it the way Kennedy did nor was it embarrassing. According to some grammar texts, the indefinite article can be omitted in German when speaking of an individual's profession or origin but is in any case used when speaking in a figurative sense. Furthermore, although the word "Berliner" has traditionally been used for a doughnut filled with fruit jam or jelly in the north, west, and southwest of Germany, it has never been used in Berlin itself or the surrounding region, where the usual word is "Pfannkuchen" (literally "pancake"). Therefore, no Berliner would mistake Berliner for a doughnut.
Thanks Dave, I grew up in Germany and didn't know that the folks from Berlin refer to it as Pancake. Odd people, those Berliners But I have to say, I have the greatest respect for the party that they put together. The Berlin marathon is legitimately represented in the Major series. Fun fact: I have a medal, but ran the race under a different name, since I bought the bib from someone who couldn't run. I will therefore have to run it again, if I ever wanted to get the World Major Completion medal. Fun fact nr. 2: someone I met on the track today will be running the Chicago marathon this weekend - which will conclude the World Majors for him. I haven't fully understood the air quality discussion, but hope the race still takes place. That would be bad, if he travelled all across the globe for bad air.
Dorothea: you were born in the USSR and I thought you were fresh out of uni! Super human....
Flavio: you ran 1:22 in Cologne with Covid. Wow, if Covid-graded, this would easily be a 1:20. You will crush it in Valencia my friend.
Re Nick Bare - seems to be a natural. Really impressive and good genetic predisposition!
Darkwave: I was really glad when I saw the agreement! Hope the race doesn't get cancelled now.
HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)
2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!
Cobra Commander Keen
Something tells me a significant portion of his athletic ability likely comes out of a bottle. Or bottles. It seems Mick and I disagree on this part.
Flavio - Nearly a PR in hot conditions and sick with a respiratory virus. I hope you recover quickly, but that just further goes to show that you're in really good shape right now.
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
OKC Memorial 5k - April 27
Bun Run 5k - May 4
Find out for yourself what he does in the morning. Might be fun to jog along side of him. I think he lives in Texas or something.
https://youtu.be/ZPQbK4gNCnk?si=1nCsBC7EtphGJjfa
’it’s better to be consistently good than occasionally great.’
no. I disagree. I’d rather be great than good. I haven’t ever been told ‘this isn’t great enough.’ I’ve heard ‘this isn’t good enough.’
Flavio 1.22 with covid ! You just added to your legend status .
Keen in his last video he does a workout then goes back to his truck for his quote " breakfast of champions " which was a handful of his supplements. "
While all legit I'm sure it still seems very artificial compared to my 2 poached eggs on toast from our chickens
Hot Weather Complainer
Flavio - Warm weather, bad air quality and Covid. I'm standing by my assertion that you're in sub 1:20 shape. Hope it's a quick recovery because sub 3 and beyond is calling your name.
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
Mmmm Bop
Legend status and a covid super spreader.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Flavio 1.22 with covid ! You just added to your legend status . Legend status and a covid super spreader.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂