Forums >Racing>Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023
Welcome Mr Root. That’s some fast running! Finally someone I can relate too around here . Seriously I hope you stick around!
MMerk-I misunderstood and though you were thinking of either a half or full this spring. Weather is absolutely number one for me. Line up a couple and don’t be afraid to switch if it’s warm. I’d rather run alone for26.2 in a small race than deal with warmth for the sake of crowds/support. Just my 2cents
5K 18:36 (2023), 10K 39:40 (2022), 1/2 1:24:37 (2023), full 2:58:36 (2015)
Intl. correspondent
All hail our new thread overlord!
I'm Flavio, 42, originally from the south of Brazil, also an Italian citizen, currently living in Porto, Portugal.
Wife, no kids.
I've started running about 11 years ago and I have probably tried every wrong choice there is. Up until 2019 I had never done workouts safe for a quick training block in 2016. I was always getting injured when I tried. It turns out I just needed strength training. Once I started that I could do workouts just fine. It turns out strength training is the answer to 90% of the questions.
The 1500 is my favorite distance, I hope to run one more in 2023, hopefully in a proper race, not running by myself like the last time.
I'm not doing well with the running at the moment but I promise I'm a runner.
I've picked up a nasty cold during Xmas lunch (damn it socializing) and I have not been able to run ever since.
We've traveled to Madeira Island, a Portuguese territory on the Atlantic Ocean, about the same latitude as Morocco. The first couple of days were super fun as the island has beautiful mountains, it reminded me a lot of both Machu Picchu and also the Grindelwald region in Switzerland. Now my body is fighting a throat + both ears infection, sleeping was hard last night.
DW - Yeah, I'm aware of the neuro issues, I was wondering if vision problems were making it worse.
Steve - Great job with the PR to end the year in style! Also, Mikkey was right!
Mmerkle - No idea why JackD has that, but it makes no sense to us. Well, it sort of makes sense if you start at his phase 3 and only have a 12 week training block.
Fishy - The Chilly Willy 5k is a great name. It reminds me of that long running thread "Dick hurt in the morning"...Also, you can't go around and say a 5k race is "junk miles", that's blasphemy!
Keen - Yeah your shorter distance PRs are soft, go after them!
Mark - May the new baby live a healthy and long life.What strategies do you have in place on how to avoid getting sick?
Jmac - This is the year you will get your moose mug. Chin up! Now would you stop flying so close to the sun?
Ryan - welcome aboard. I hope you stick around.
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
Dorothea
Who is Ana Lyse and why does she spell her name so weird? I thought it was Annalease.
lol
Qualifications: I like to run. In Florida. In the summer. At noon.
Last race: Community 5K, March 2nd. Speed test run with 2 walk breaks. Went pretty well.
Speaking from experience, think at least twice before giving up competitive running. I have before and after pictures in the form of drivers licenses and what I looked like before kind of disturbs me. I am much happier and healthier now and I am the best version of myself when running competitively. The man speaks the truth here! I’m not sure I was ever “competitive” and certainly never had the times posted but it has taken far more effort, miles and perseverance to get back near where I peaked than it got to that peak.
Speaking from experience, think at least twice before giving up competitive running. I have before and after pictures in the form of drivers licenses and what I looked like before kind of disturbs me. I am much happier and healthier now and I am the best version of myself when running competitively.
The man speaks the truth here! I’m not sure I was ever “competitive” and certainly never had the times posted but it has taken far more effort, miles and perseverance to get back near where I peaked than it got to that peak.
I have luckily never been in a position to think about quitting running somewhat competitively except 2020, which is when I took a lot of time off to let an injury heal and finish my dissertation. Don't know if I ever could give up running... it's a bit of an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drug for me that I have to take daily or at least multiple times a week, but this is a fair reminder to stick to it. Glad you're back at it, mmerkle
I didn't answer you on the old thread but will here: does JD really recommend 24 weeks in the 4th edition? That is just crazy. I don't know anyone that could succeed with that sustained effort. You either get injured (me), lose motivation, or peak too early (not picking on Steve, but rather his coach, in that was by far his coaches biggest mistake and Steve paid the price by peaking 2-3 weeks too early before the taper). You will do much better by really trying to understand what JD is trying to get at in his training plans and then create your own. I still use a lot of his workouts, but by my 3rd marathon cycle, I was starting to do it the way I thought made more sense for my style. Here is a simple example: in the 3rd edition, his FIRST workout is a 13 mile continuous workout of 6 @ MP, 1 @ LT, 6 @ MP. In no universe, even in my best shape, could I run that workout 18 weeks out from a marathon. That's something I would try in that key period of 4-6 weeks out from the marathon. So I don't even do that. His plans are really built for the super elite who are already running 100+ MPW, but then he tried to adapt it down for us mortals. It doesn't work. This is especially true given you've done two very long marathon cycles if my memory is correct. You have nothing to lose this cycle. I would try what many of us do here: shorten the marathon cycle (I like 15 weeks, but 12-18 is reasonable), and use the period before that to either put up a huge base of easy miles plus a LT run here and there, or do a 5K/10K cycle. I like the latter, but many people like the big base.
I didn't answer you on the old thread but will here: does JD really recommend 24 weeks in the 4th edition? That is just crazy. I don't know anyone that could succeed with that sustained effort. You either get injured (me), lose motivation, or peak too early (not picking on Steve, but rather his coach, in that was by far his coaches biggest mistake and Steve paid the price by peaking 2-3 weeks too early before the taper). You will do much better by really trying to understand what JD is trying to get at in his training plans and then create your own. I still use a lot of his workouts, but by my 3rd marathon cycle, I was starting to do it the way I thought made more sense for my style.
Here is a simple example: in the 3rd edition, his FIRST workout is a 13 mile continuous workout of 6 @ MP, 1 @ LT, 6 @ MP. In no universe, even in my best shape, could I run that workout 18 weeks out from a marathon. That's something I would try in that key period of 4-6 weeks out from the marathon. So I don't even do that. His plans are really built for the super elite who are already running 100+ MPW, but then he tried to adapt it down for us mortals. It doesn't work.
This is especially true given you've done two very long marathon cycles if my memory is correct. You have nothing to lose this cycle. I would try what many of us do here: shorten the marathon cycle (I like 15 weeks, but 12-18 is reasonable), and use the period before that to either put up a huge base of easy miles plus a LT run here and there, or do a 5K/10K cycle. I like the latter, but many people like the big base.
For the past two-ish years I was following the Greif Plan, which is a plan based on some great marathoner in Germany and goes year round, with two regeneration phases of a month each every year. The rest of the time it's in cycles for shorter and longer distances, keeping the marathons in the Spring and Fall in mind. Mileage at 100% of the plan was regularly 65-70 mph and long runs were always around 35k. Those who do well on the plan swear by those regular long runs. To me it was just stupid (though maybe I'd have found more success if I actually tried it). Also, race season in Florida is basically also only in winter, so my goal races somehow always ended up doing the regenerative phase. There were individual plans for the peak weeks before goal races, but in general, the plan was built a lot like the JD, it sounds like, and just not a good fit for me.
Bio:
Name: Scott
Age: 52
Gender: male
Location: Boston, MA
Running History: Took up running in my early 40's and was hooked immediately. Steadily increased mileage and my first race ever was a full marathon. I finished in 3:50. Steady progression from there 3:12, 3:08, 3:04, 2:58….I followed/lurked the RW forums and slowly improved each race until I went sub 3 in Boston 2015. After that continued to run/race but just could not find the motivation to sustain the consistency needed to improve.
2022 Marathons: Boston a disappointing 3:20. Philly an encouraging 3:09.
Goals for 2023: Steady improvement. Race more and post more!
Still my favorite race: Philly - Big city feel without the hassles of Boston.
Comander- Please put me down for Boston 2023. Goal time of sub 3:09. Training about to begin in earnest next week.
Excited about the new year and starting on this thread with you all, as I only recently discovered the forums again after about 17 years of using this log. Welcome Ryan! You and I have a similar running history, except you're obviously much faster and went a lot further.
Thanks for moderating the forum in 2022, JMac, and thanks for taking over this year, Keen!
I'm Dorothea and I grew up between the US and Germany, but spent most of my time in south Florida, which is also where I'm currently living. I'm a 31-year-old academic and am largely able to take advantage of flexible work times for training, though my job also takes a lot of time and energy out of me. My "only" current family obligations are two aging parents. I've been running since the pee-wee leagues in soccer, but I discovered I liked pure running in the 8th grade, where I did a treadmill challenge in gym and got the most mileage... as much as I could being limited to 6 mph on the treadmill. I joined cross country in the 9th grade and was immediately the fastest runner on my team, though that's not saying a lot as I don't think I broke 23 minutes for the 5k that year. Still, in sophomore year I made it to states in the 5k and regionals in track, which I'd also joined running the mile, 2 mile, and 300 meter hurdles (those hurdle stills come in handy on runs when I come across an obstacle). My 21:14 PR from that year stood for about 6 years and my peak in high school was pretty much that year, probably because I was in a rigorous academic program after that and only getting 4 hours of sleep each night. Still, ran through to college. My college wasn't a member of the national collegiate sports leagues, so no team running for me then, but I did start a running club and organized people to go to races with me and lengthened my race goals to the half-marathon 1st year and the marathon 2nd year (2011). Since then I've pretty much focussed on the longer distances, though occasionally life grants me a period of shorter, faster training cycles, which allow me to attack my 5k and 10k times. Despite having been running for such a long time, I don't think I've reached my full potential yet, probably because I spread myself too thin among all my passions/responsibilities.
So far my longer-distance PRs are from 2019, which is when I also had a streak going: half-marathon PR of 1:35:11 and marathon PR of 3:30:39. Like you, Merk, I have a war with 3s for the marathon... though for me it's the 3:30. I would finally like to break that barrier.
My shorter distance PRs, surprisingly, are from this year, which is when I ran a 10k PR of 43:51 and a 5k PR of 21:01. My only explanation is that I was jubilant about being able to run again after breaking my toe in January, did tons of bike miles during that time, and was probably able to reset my fast-twitch muscle fibers for the shorter distances again.
Goals for this year (edited):
Up the mileage, since I realize I am probably doing too few miles to really set myself up for successful longer races. I'm saying 2223 for now. For context, my last five years were approx 1800, 2025, 800, 1700, and most recently 1750. I plan to supplement those with more bike miles, though, since that was another thing I did in 2019 that helped and I tend to get injured easily.
Run the Ft. Lauderdale Marathon, either as a PR attempt or a supported training run (depending on my condition and the weather). A goal for the start would be 3:28:30.
Run my first real ultra (did a backyard style race in July) in March of 40 miles.
After those two races, I'll probably give myself an easy summer of running and building a solid base for some shorter races in the fall again. Don't know where I'll be next fall as there's a job search pending, which is why I am not setting any goals for that quite yet, but I'd like to attack the 5k PR again.
I was hoping to get a rise out of someone with that comment!!
Weather report for tomorrow in Seekonk, Massachusetts:
55°Hi
RealFeel® 47°
Chilly
RealFeel Shade™ 46°
Breezy and mild; a thick cloud cover in the morning, then times of sun and clouds in the afternoon
Part of me wishes I'd signed up for the half instead of the 5K but there are certainly no excuses here
My initial comment was: "you can't go around saying a 5k race is junk miles, that's blasphemy, only a slow person would say that
But I got worried what if the Waltons were on their periods and started brigading against me
I guess I just bought my ticket into this thread now ..
On a more serious note, go for it Fishy, PR or bust 💪
My initial comment was: "you can't go around saying a 5k race is junk miles, that's blasphemy, only a slow person would say that But I got worried what if the Waltons were on their periods and started brigading against me I guess I just bought my ticket into this thread now ..
I think you’ve mistaken this thread for bodybuilding.com
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: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr, 1:15:48
Up next: Runway5, 4 May
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
Hot Weather Complainer
Hello from 2023 - to all of you still in 2022, don't worry, it feels much the same although a little more hungover.
I'm Steve, 46 years old and live in Christchurch, New Zealand. I'm pretty settled here now after 6 years. Previously I lived in Melbourne, Australia for 10 years and shorter stints in Wellington, Dunedin and London.
I started running in 2001-02 and soon settled into the half as my preferred distance. The marathon was always something to be done in the future "after I get sub 1:30 in the half", "when I'm more settled in my career", "when I'm not distracted by playing cricket or soccer".
That time never seemed to come with injuries or moves or big life changes, like relationships ending, moving cities/countries or the loss or illness of family members. From 2014 I started working with a coach and since then my training has improved, increasing mileage and decreasing injuries albeit with the occasional issue. I first went sub 1:30 for the half in 2004 before finally doing it again in 2016 with a new PR. I've had 5-6 races very close to 1:30 since then before finally going sub 1:30 again in November 2021, missing a PR by 8 seconds, then smashing my PR at Southern Lakes in May, 2022.
Throughout 2021 and 2022 I trained for several marathons which were cancelled, one only 4 days out, and many cancelled half marathons. I finally ran one in Melbourne and as everyone from last years' thread knows only too well, it was a disaster with severe cramping issues. I've seen a nutritionist, sports doctor and physio and changed coaches since then. The consensus is I trained for too long (and not smart enough) and peaked a month early, along with having some significant strength issues. I feel really positive about the track I'm on now. 2022 was probably my best running year ever with PRs at 5km, 10km, half and full marathons but it still feels like a slight failure given the marathon was the focus. I really enjoyed my PRs though, it's a great feeling that I want more of.
Mileage Totals
2022 4127.8km (2565 miles)
2021 3850.3km (2392 miles)
2020 3442.36km (2139 miles)
2019 2331.46km (1449 miles)
2018 2308.67km (1435 miles)
2017 2291.61km (1424 miles)
2016 2796.60km (1738 miles)
Races for front page:
Motorway Half-Marathon February 26 Goal: Sub 1:30 (may update this depending on training and weather - may be hot)
City to Surf 12km March 19 Goal: Sub 50
Christchurch Marathon April 16 Goal: Sub 3:20 (to be determined and argued about I'm sure)
I'll have a real crack at a half later in the year, possibly Dunedin, but all focus is on April 16 for now. If all goes well, I'd like that Motorway race to be a "Flat course PR" attempt.
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
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Looks like I get the first weekly of 2023 in. Well, even though only 1 day of the actual week occurred in 2023. Energy levels still a little flat after that bug I had most of last month but seems like things are slowly improving with some reasonable workouts. This was my biggest mileage week in a couple months so I'm not too surprised it felt like hard work at times.
Mark - Good week especially considering the amount of temptations around. I had my first booze free week between Christmas and New Years possibly forever (not including Xmas Day and NYE of course).
me - Lighter week obviously aimed at the 5km (report on 2022 thread). It occurred to me to add another goal this year - I can qualify for New York with a sub 1:28 half on a certified course. If I have a really good day, that is on. JMac would a 1:27:59 guarantee me entry? Certainly a cheaper route to 2024.
Well I have a big fat zero to report. I picked up a cold during xmas celebration lunch, as usual (last year was just the same), but then instead of staying home and taking care of myself we flew to Madeira Island and road tripped for 4 days, including a wonderful hike.
It started getting really bad around Wednesday evening and it progressively got worse and worse until now. It's the usual course where it attacks my throat and ears. I had a putrid taste on the back of my throat and I lost taste and smell temporarily during yesterday.
Honestly I have no idea when I'll be able to run again, I find it stupid to try to run in these conditions and I'm not tough enough to do stupid things. I'll have to wait until the throat inflammation subsides, I'm trusting that the Ibuprofen will take care of that.
It's a shame cause I was in supreme shape and I was looking forward to a PR attempt in early February on a certified course. Granted that might still be on, but the possibility lowers by the day.
As I type this I'm looking at the prescription the otorrino doctor gave me early last year with a series of allergy tests I'm suppose to take. I guess I should no longer procrastinate on taking them.