2018 3:20 (and beyond) (Read 582 times)

 

 

Arvind - dunno if you remember, but last year I drove from DC to Pittsburgh to race a mile.  So....4+ hours driven one way to race for less than 6 minutes....

Keen: the link didn’t work and I love to over analyze data, so can you check on that for me? 

Going back to May 1 to see what I've missed.  I probably missed things before that...

MP runs: There's probably been pages of discussion of this since Dkggpeters dumped on the Daniels MP+T+MP+T+MP run... but hey, better late than never.  I used to do those and they were brutal.  I'm much more of a fan of the Magness style MP runs.  MP + (MP+5%) alternations where the MP portion gradually increases from 1 mile to 3 and the "rests" are always 800 meters.  They are plenty challenging and give you lots of practice at MP (e.g. to find out your MP HR patterns) but they aren't brutal.  I agree with Ilana who has said previously (and maybe now) that MP runs are at best practices for rest day.  As workouts, they cost a lot and there are better ways to use your workout time.

Daniels Plans:  One key thing in the fine print is that for mortals you generally convert one mile of Tempo into 5 minutes.  The workouts become much more manageable that way.

FB: DW and I dream of having a European trip planned.  We have a 13 yo Golden Retriever who is one incarnation away from nirvana though, so we're kind of sticking around while she's sticking around.

Forum Feature Request:  I wish we had the personal message feature like in RWOL.  That way the TURD could reprimand us in private first before dumping (heh-heh) on us in front of everyone else.

Dkggpeters:  What did you learn from that call with Canova?

Running Logs: I used to post my weeks somewhat regularly here.  But it's more-or-less available on Strava (missing a lot of pool running miles lately).  As with most internet stuff, it's lower quality but free so good 'nuf.  You'll find me in the 3:20 group, usually near the top in mileage (when I don't have a PITA) and near the bottom in average pace.

Hard time goals:  I hate them.  You can be in 3:19:59 shape, run a 3:20:03 and walk away disappointed because you didn't get the BQ.  People who are far from a hard goal of consequence are lucky.  But I hate marathons too, so ignore me.

Brew: You just want free beer, don't you?  My friend Jeff who did Miwok "with" me (finished 2 hours before me) says that the only 3 non-100 mile races that are WS qualifiers are Miwok, Canyons, and Black Canyon.  Black Canyon is well run and very do-able within the WS cutoff (17 hours) but I think the course is a little dull.  Canyons is on the WS course, and is very hard (lots of climbing, possibly warm) but is again do-able because of the cutoff (17 hours I think).  Miwok is drop-dead gorgeous but the parks people insist that the runners be off the trails by sunset so the race ends at 15 1/2 hours.  My friend Jeff ran faster at Canyons last year (when he crushed all his races) than he did at Miwok this year.  So all in all I'd say Miwok is the hardest.  But they are all worth running.  CONGRATS ON THAT 10k PR!!!!

Jim's Kat: I ran for 45 minutes with that Ben G guy starting on the SCA trail.  At that point he was doing a fun run because he had no bib.  I would have introduced you.  You should have come out.  I cried when I realized I wouldn't see you.  Belated congrats on NYRR's Runner Of The Year.

Rovatti: How long is the path around the perimeter of Manhattan?  Asking for a friend.

Clever: When did you realize you were off course?  Looking down from Rattlesnake Ledge?  Instead of saying "you can't get lost" I should have said "high functioning individuals can't get lost".  Har-har.  I'm the guy who came out of the woods in one race, marveled at a beautiful meadow in front of me, and then ran a mile or more into that meadow because I didn't see the trail marker/turn to my right.  The only reason I turned back is because I finally caught the runner in front of me and he wasn't wearing a bib.  "Hmmm... something doesn't seem right here."  Anyway, the good news is that you got those few zig-zags right.  That's it for turns on the course - they will be well-marked on race day and there will probably be a person there directing you off the long straight-ish downhill onto those final 6 miles.  A high-functioning individual won't have any problem there.  Re: the next few weeks, if we get more hot days I would try to do a few heat runs - way too many clothes, run at the hottest part of the day, etc.. They are like workouts though so don't do them just before the race, and recover as you would after a workout.  You will be lucky if it's 50s when you finish.  That valley tends to get warm in the sun.  Not hot, but more like 67 than 50s.  It won't last long and you may not need to train for it, but assume it will heat up so it doesn't surprise you if it happens.  Maybe you will get lucky.

Dad: Hey, I've worn Galen Rupp (and Jim Walmsley)-inspired shirts and shorts.  I'd repost that picture here but "Source" is opaque to me - "this folder right here on my Turbo PC" doesn't seem to work.

Arvind: Whatever she said, DW's injury-prevention stuff is large doses of PEDs.  Whenever she starts talking about asthma medication, just assume it's code talk to her supplier about what she needs right now.  It's someone here in the forum but I haven't yet figured out who.  The most likely suspect is obviously you, but McB is a close second, and all the coming-out-lurkers are third.

OMR: I gave you kudos on Strava so no need to acknowledge you here too.

Random Fact From "Endure" For This Week:  Runners who race against a virtual version of themselves, based on a previous race they've done very well in (aka a PR), usually are able to keep up.  The interesting thing is that this true even when the virtual runner is secretly sped up by 1-3%.  If it's sped up more than that, people fail/give up.  There's this 1-3% available if you can get your brain to help you somehow.

PJ: Yes on the R2R2R, but only a couple decent people are in at this point.  The other LOSERS all dropped out.  I'll let McB and CDave reveal the identity of the losers - I'm not the type to speak out of class.

After 17 pages and a post that is likely to crash the forum, I still feel like I've missed half the people here.  Hi to all of you as well.

This past weekend I did a 27 mile/10000 feet of climbing training run with a runner who will run the Macchu Pichu marathon in early June - ~11000 feet of climbing, from 8000 feet to 14000 feet, 13 hour cutoff, and one of those 26.2 mile marathons, not a fuel belt 5k marathon like Jim's Kat likes to do.  I don't have any races schedule until late July, when things get stupid.  My PITA is still there but every day it gets a little better and I can basically train as I need to for my races.  Still scared to run fast though, which rules marathon training right out.

Forum Feature Request:  I wish we had the personal message feature like in RWOL.  That way the TURD could reprimand us in private first before dumping (heh-heh) on us in front of everyone else.

Try this: https://www.runningahead.com/mail Or should I have sent this in a message?

Sometimes a public call-out is better.

Ace - I updated my botched link, but see you figured it out anyway. I actually found that site just after I started running (before they had even translated to English) but never actually used it until I got the notification about Garmin auto-import. Too bad they only auto-get the past 30 days. 
My apologies to Mrs. Ace.

Max - Nice to see you around here again.

Brew - I enjoyed the jokes. DW says I've regressed to only telling "Dad jokes".
It looks like the Vazee Pace 2 can be had for not much more than $50. Try checking ShoeKicker for shoe prices. I'm currently on an Altra Escalante kick, but the no drop thing can take a good amount of getting used to, especially for speed work. My calfs were a bit sore for a couple days after my first several speed sessions. -

 

Laurel Highlands too. That one has been on my radar for a few years. I'd prefer if it wasn't in June, but nobody consulted me.

 

PJ - Dave and I are going R2R2R next Saturday. The others smartly backed out after realizing it would mean being alone with me for 14+ hours.

 

Driving to races: We all start our pre-race rituals hours ahead of time anyway, right? So why not spend that time in the car?

I assume those 3 non 100M qualifiers are just on the West Coast?  Cause I know a bunch in the east and south--Bandera, Hellgate, and Never Summer, of course. Plus several outside the US.

I would have loved to join on some Grand Canyon fun but I currently can't afford the parking at the airport to fly anywhere.  Let alone the actual plane ticket to anywhere.