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Serial Racing (Read 152 times)

    This article on serial racing really struck a cord with me.  

     

    If you've had positive experiences with serial racing, it would be cool to learn about it.  

     

    MTA: Click

    "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

    xhristopher


      Interesting article. The author does not define what "frequently" is.

       

      I've been trying to run at minimum one race a month (going back to Oct 11). Distance is irrelevant. I feel it keeps my head in the game and I don't ever toe the line feeling stale. Some races double as workouts. I'd say it certainly does not feel like a "Serial" effort, especially compared to some of the crazies around here.

      kcam


        I suppose I'm kind of a 'serial' racer but I dunno what that really is.  For reference I've raced 15 times so far this year from 1 mile up to 10miles.  Last year I raced 37 times with similar numbers the two years before that.  It limits what you could do if you trained and peaked for a specific distance but then I'm not competing for prize money or wins.  I run for fun and racing is fun.  I tend to race myself into shape in exactly the way Eggleston describes, I'm just a lot slower than him.  For what it's worth my PRs have come down from what they were before I started racing a lot.  I have PRs this year at 4 miles, 12K and 10miles, and I've raced those distances a lot in the past.  Haven't yet got to my 1/2 marathon and marathon season yet, it's all a progression to my marathon in December.

        spinach


          I am a serial racer.  I run 30 to 40 races each year and have run a race every month since April 2002, 134 months and counting.  The races are my speed work and, although I haven't run a PR in a while I have been within a few seconds of my PR recently.  I really think this has helped keeping me from slowing down much with my advancing age (I'm 55).  It is an interesting article.

            Any article link is gone, but I suppose I am a serial racer.   I do about 50 a year, and have something lined up most every weekend, from 5K to 24-hour race distance.  Hey, what is 40 bucks a week(most races) when you are having fun and still settin' PR's?   :-)

             

            And I would rather be a "Serial racer" than a "Cereal Racer".

             

            Okay, that is a bad joke...

            The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

            beat


            Break on through

              The link is there....   mouse over the words "serial racing" in the original post.

              "Not to touch the Earth, not to see the Sun, nothing left to do but run, run, run..."

                Interesting article. The author does not define what "frequently" is.

                 

                I've been trying to run at minimum one race a month (going back to Oct 11). Distance is irrelevant. I feel it keeps my head in the game and I don't ever toe the line feeling stale. Some races double as workouts. I'd say it certainly does not feel like a "Serial" effort, especially compared to some of the crazies around here.

                 

                Yeah, this makes a lot of sense.  Plus, I think its a good way to stay connected with local runners.

                 

                I bet there are people who have made great progress, not just race-mind wise, but fitness-wise: Doing weeks of one workout + one all-out race.

                 

                The author of the article takes a measured approach: Not every race is an all-out effort and he seems to plan the race schedule pretty carefully.  Sometimes, I'll see people posting a race goal that's not PR. I'll think "Wait, why would you race if you are not going for a PR?"  But, now I'm kind of getting it.

                "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                  I bet there are people who have made great progress, not just race-mind wise, but fitness-wise: Doing weeks of one workout + one all-out race.

                   

                  Actually a lot of the guys I know who truly race every week, basically don't do any other workouts. They run mileage and race, and race well.

                  Runners run

                  zonykel


                    I think the key is to enjoy it. If it burns you out, what's the point?

                     

                    but in the linked article, they're talking about these elites running 2:1x marathons a few weeks apart. To me, that's mind blowing.

                    Julia1971


                      I've done 7 races in the last 2.5 months.  I didn't plan it out that way for any training effect.  Mostly, I just missed racing after two back-to-back marathon cycles where I didn't race much and I wanted to cultivate a more competitive instinct - I've missed placing in some races by mere seconds and I think it's because for most of my racing life I've been competing against myself but now that I'm age group competitive, I need to start wanting to beat other runners.

                       

                      The author didn't address it much but I think serial racing can take a mental toll after a while.  Maybe that's because he's not racing all out for each race?  I pretty much have been racing hard each time and I had a bit of a mental break during my race today and I think it was because in the battle between fatigue and aggressive edge, fatigue eventually got the upper hand.  The wheels didn't fall off or anything but I wonder if a lot of hobby joggers risk reaching a "Screw this, I'm going home" state by trying to compete so frequently.  I start another marathon training cycle in a month, but now, the idea of not racing for a while sounds nice.  Hmm...  Maybe this was a good idea after all then...