Forums >Racing>2018 3:20 (and beyond)
Keen - I keep reminding myself I have a long way to go before October. Heck, when I trained for my first marathon the "serious" part of my program lasted for 11 weeks and I still have more than that to go now . Goal for the weekend is 1:32:56.
Oregon - Thanks! Racing in 90 degrees sounds absolutely brutal! My m-pace is supposed to be the Jack Daniels calculated m-pace based on my HM from February, which always is aggressive, and it comes out at 7:29. But, once I started training I realized that I was running all the workouts on the fast side without killing myself, so I adjusted all the paces a bit faster and they actually align very well with my HM goal for next weekend. In a perfect world this m-pace also lines up with the pace I can run in October, even though this is faster than my official goal (3:15 vs 3:20). It all depends on how my training goes. I can't run by feel with the likes of DW, but I know pretty much exactly where my HR needs to be at different stages of a full marathon to last all the way in. So eventually I will see where my HR is in training sessions to get a feel for whether the pace will be sustainable or not for the full distance. Yesterday the pace was most definitely not sustainable for 26 miles but I'm hoping the needle will move enough in the right direction over the next weeks and months to get there.
5k: 20:32 (1/17) | HM: 1:34:37 (2/18) | FM: 3:31:37 (3/18)
Getting back into it
Resident Millennial
The Carr fire was caused by a private vehicle (pickup truck) towing something, metal things hanging from vehicle in improper way, sparks flew, caught fire. People have been killed, millions have been negatively impacted. (We were in Sonoma County for the past ~24hr, 200+ miles from Redding - air quality bad and smelled like fire). Every single car trip has a cost that the rest of society incurs - this one has been massive.
_________________________________________________mile, 5:26 /5k, 19:34 /10k, 41:00 /13.1, 1:31:49 /26.2, 3:12:58
Problem Child
All I’ve heard is mechanical vechile failure. Nothing about towing improperly. Where did you hear/read this?
Every persons (stupid) actions affect other people’s lives. Heck, the people next to me at Donner lake left a TON of hot coals from their fire when they left the campsite. Angora and Rim fires come to mind.
EDIT: I had a friend ask (in regards to the weather) if I'd run "in this stuff" and it made me think about my current training as a whole. Sometimes I don't make smart choices (running in 100F instead of waking up early) and things I see others do. I told them my personal rule is when I cant see specific landmarks or it says "avoid prolonged exposure" I won't because an hour outside would probably do more damage to my long term health than taking training off for a week. Since the weather is expected to be this way for a week I'll probably miss this entire week. Between work and home it's going between orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups, 100-150) and red (unhealthy, 151-2000) so I'll have to make due with accepting damaging my longs long term I'll be "money ahead" by suffering with not running. I don't even trust running on a treadmill in the garage and moving it inside takes up NeRP's kennel.
I also told this person "If it was like this for 3 weeks I'd probably cancel the race, pick CIM and eat the $200 race fee for Chicago because my lungs are worth more than $200. When I can't see the mountains, and I work in Air Quality, I know the stuff I CAN'T see is more damaging than what I can."
Work Air Quality 154.
Home Air Quality 132
Mammoth Lakes Air Quality 310 (there is a fire in Fresno, CA)
Redding Air Quality 194 (massive fire rlk was huffing)
Auburn Air Quality 158
Oakland/San Francisco/Santa Rosa Air Quality 29-34
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
Nice recovery and come back Elizabeth
A Few Easy Miles to the Beginning or Ending of Workouts via Keen I definitely think this is the best way to add mileage and NOT adding doubles. I like to maximize my recovery time so if I am doing doubles, then I'm really sacrificing recovery. But hard workouts are when it's supposed to be hard, so adding on mileage at the beginning or end would be better. In the summer, I would add it afterwards so you don't overheat before the hard stuff starts. In the winter, I would add it beforehand to get a nice warmup in. When I started working with my coach he gave me long workouts with at least 30 minutes of additional easy running and it worked really well. And then my easy days were truly short and easy by comparison. Fun or Interesting Reads via AceHarris Boston Bound by me! It's not really fun, but hopefully it's interesting. Regarding Harry Potter, I read the first 5 as they came out and then stopped. And then, last year, I started reading them all again and now I am 1/3 of the way through book 7. I don't have a lot of time to read so it's slow going. Commander: Thanks for the perspective on the dirt trail. The marathon is otherwise "perfect" in terms of location, weather, and course profile so I am just going to go with it. Even it if slows me down a little, it's worth it to not have to train hard in August. And the options for December marathons are limited. Brewing: UGH- that is really frustrating about the parking lot. I always leave concerts a little early to avoid that but man, I can't believe they held up traffic. Rune: I've found that consistency is really the number one determining factor in making gains. So kudos to you. And it's awesome that your HR is lining up with your goals so early in the cycle. Darkwave: I read your blog about timing the workout. Sounds like you had a good approach and it was fun. Max: Cheering for you!!! Hooray!!! - - - - - - - - Here is my week. I am now confident that I am "out of the woods". This illness, which I have had multiple times in the past, can trick you into thinking that you are all better and can resume normal life and running, and then a relapse happens. So you have to be super cautious coming back. When I ran the 5K as a training run last Sunday (not yesterday but a week ago Sunday) I felt confident that I wasn't going to relapse and that has held true! It's kind of boring not doing any speed work, and I think my coach will start prescribing that next week. So just one more week of boredom.
A Few Easy Miles to the Beginning or Ending of Workouts via Keen
I definitely think this is the best way to add mileage and NOT adding doubles. I like to maximize my recovery time so if I am doing doubles, then I'm really sacrificing recovery. But hard workouts are when it's supposed to be hard, so adding on mileage at the beginning or end would be better. In the summer, I would add it afterwards so you don't overheat before the hard stuff starts. In the winter, I would add it beforehand to get a nice warmup in. When I started working with my coach he gave me long workouts with at least 30 minutes of additional easy running and it worked really well. And then my easy days were truly short and easy by comparison.
Fun or Interesting Reads via AceHarris
Boston Bound by me! It's not really fun, but hopefully it's interesting. Regarding Harry Potter, I read the first 5 as they came out and then stopped. And then, last year, I started reading them all again and now I am 1/3 of the way through book 7. I don't have a lot of time to read so it's slow going.
Commander: Thanks for the perspective on the dirt trail. The marathon is otherwise "perfect" in terms of location, weather, and course profile so I am just going to go with it. Even it if slows me down a little, it's worth it to not have to train hard in August. And the options for December marathons are limited.
Brewing: UGH- that is really frustrating about the parking lot. I always leave concerts a little early to avoid that but man, I can't believe they held up traffic.
Rune: I've found that consistency is really the number one determining factor in making gains. So kudos to you. And it's awesome that your HR is lining up with your goals so early in the cycle.
Darkwave: I read your blog about timing the workout. Sounds like you had a good approach and it was fun.
Max: Cheering for you!!! Hooray!!!
- - - - - - - -
Here is my week. I am now confident that I am "out of the woods". This illness, which I have had multiple times in the past, can trick you into thinking that you are all better and can resume normal life and running, and then a relapse happens. So you have to be super cautious coming back. When I ran the 5K as a training run last Sunday (not yesterday but a week ago Sunday) I felt confident that I wasn't going to relapse and that has held true! It's kind of boring not doing any speed work, and I think my coach will start prescribing that next week. So just one more week of boredom.
Cobra Commander Keen
Oregon - Thanks! I couple years ago I ran a 5k series that was all about heat - races at 8pm during the middle of summer. I was between 1:30 and 2:00 slower than my PR (from earlier that summer) during all three races, as were everyone else I knew. 14:30 is blazing, especially in that weather!
Brew - Too bad about the air quality outlook. I'm sure you're making the right call about not getting out there with terrible air quality. Are there any nearby gyms offering ridiculously cheap pay-as-you-go specials so you can use a treadmill? I can't turn on the radio without hearing a couple ads for those.
Awesome weather here this morning (not to rub it in)! ~64*, and the humidity (98%, 62* DP) actually felt good along with the slight wind. I'm trying out the "much longer workout days" thing. We'll see how this goes.
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
Keen: Solid week! I see your consistency paying off in the near future!
Brew: I find public event hot dogs to provided a fair chance at extended time in the bathroom. Sorry about that man.
Elizabeth: Glad you're back on the road!
Max: Well done on the Ouray finish! Can't wait to hear details.
Rune: Nice work getting your 50 miles in. Nice MP workout too!
Oregon: Nice AG win! On hot days like that it's always important to see how you stack up against the competition. Coming out on top aint bad. As for the 14:30 runner...well...I got nothing for ya.
Pesto: you lurking around here?
I had kind of a tiring week running. Weekly mileage was 50, but from Sunday to Saturday was 67 miles, no wonder I felt tired on my long run. Also had more early morning runs than usual plus some extra yard work and helping my parents trim trees and clean their gutters.
Still felt a little sluggish this morning on my 5x1200 workout. Recovery was 1:00. Goal was 4:35 and work down to 4:28ish. I went 4:35 then 4:34 x 4. Consistency was good, but just had no life in the legs. Maybe I should've skipped the G&T last night.
Last Week:
Tue Jul 24
8.10
7:59
Morning Run
Wed Jul 25
2.00
8:29
Warmup
3.98
6:18
6x1000 with 1:00 rest (3:45, 3:43, 3:40, 3:40, 3:41, 3:39)
2.01
8:32
Cooldown
Thu Jul 26
10.02
8:06
Moonlit run and a full body spider web experience. 🕸🕷
Fri Jul 27
7.02
8:08
Workin’ dem hills (847' gain, meh)
Sat Jul 28
17.01
8:12
15 easy, 2 pickup (6:35, 6:15) on the Virginia Creeper Trail
50.15
8:01
Road Mile: 5:19 (2017), 5k: 17:09 (2021), 10k: 35:54 (2021), HM: 1:21:55 (2020), M: 2:53:18 (2021)
Oregon - Thanks! I couple years ago I ran a 5k series that was all about heat - races at 8pm during the middle of summer. I was between 1:30 and 2:00 slower than my PR (from earlier that summer) during all three races, as were everyone else I knew. 14:30 is blazing, especially in that weather! Brew - Too bad about the air quality outlook. I'm sure you're making the right call about not getting out there with terrible air quality. Are there any nearby gyms offering ridiculously cheap pay-as-you-go specials so you can use a treadmill? I can't turn on the radio without hearing a couple ads for those. Awesome weather here this morning (not to rub it in)! ~64*, and the humidity (98%, 62* DP) actually felt good along with the slight wind. I'm trying out the "much longer workout days" thing. We'll see how this goes.
No gyms but I have a treadmill and while getting in miles in the garage sounds OKAY with mid to high 90s I’m still unsure of how good the Air is. Moving it inside might be too much since it’s where NeRP hangs out if we don’t want him crawling around. Smoke should be gone Thursday-ish if the fire fighters get some good work put in and sooner if we get HELLA rain, or 98% humidity.
Ace: I might avoid them next time.
Hey all -- summer greetings and condolences on all the fires, smoke and air quality. Will catch up later. Visitors left this morning and both daughters are coming on Friday (and a DBF); so lots of fun. House full of 20-somethings!
Congratulations Max, great weeks Rune, Ace and Keen, 40-ish for Ilana, TM in the garage for Brew, Oregon getting ready for CIM, PJ in beautiful Mendo county, and rlk suffocating in smokey Sonoma county (and hopefully drinking lots of wine).
Between a strained achilles and 100F temps (and too many late nights), I'm running 40mpw at 9. And stopping and doing stairlifts to keep the heel from seizing up. Not really sure whether the heat or the heel is worse. But wtf. At least I can still get out there.
Happy summer all!
m: 2:55:04 | 10k: 37:14 | 50mile: 9:35
Pace Prophet
Brew - I was looking at the Purple Air site and thinking about you. It's pretty smoky here in Telluride, and apparently even worse at home in Durango, but it's nothing like the way it was in June from the 416 fire. Typical morning readings were 250-400, and visibility barely a mile. I would wait until it got to around 100 to bike to the gym to use the treadmill, and I'd run outside at 50 and down. The dilemma was that the breeze would blow things out in the late morning, but by then it was hot. Right now it's around 100-130 in the whole region. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I get home, but considering running easy runs outside and quality on the treadmill. The "sensitive groups" text suggests that it's not so bad to run in ~100, but I worry. We have been biking in this yuck, and I feel like my lungs are kind of tight by afternoon.
Yeah it's kind of hard to decide if running for an hour in "unhealthy for sensitive groups" when it was 134 yesterday. 100 (temperature and air quality) would be something I'd consider running in and had I checked it this morning I probably would have packed gear to run. 90-93F with 10-13 mph winds and 14% humidity...not something I haven't run in for training previously. The Carr fire is 35% contained so we shall see how it goes today and tomorrow for clearing out the smoke. The 16-17 mph winds Friday - Sunday might blow the smoke further North.
I totally forgot about the fires out there last year. We only got down to 7 miles. I can't imagine a 400+ air quality rating. I'd probably leave town or walk around with a full respirator. Thankfully I don't have asthma.
EDIT: Oh look....Sunday's workout includes some 4 and 6 mile runs at marathon pace. That could work for making me feel better about skipping today's workout.
Ace - Thanks! I'm sure hoping it pays off, too! Pretty good week yourself. I like that "sluggish" 1200 workout, too.
FB - That's definitely going to be a full household! Is the achilles showing improvement?
Ilana - Despite the atmosphere, are you and your SO enjoying Telluride?
So I'm trying the whole "long workout days, short(er) easy days" thing, but a thought occurred to me this morning: If I'm doing ~16mi/25k+ on a workout day, does that change how long my LR needs to be? It seems a bit "wimpy" to do the same or less easy mileage for a LR than I am doing a couple times a week with a workout included. Or perhaps that's the wrong way to look at it.
Think about from a time perspective if you want. Is your longest training run longer than your longest run of the week? Pushing well past 2 hours to finish those 16 miles? Also consider your longer workout mileage as the equivalent of a long run making up the bulk of your mileage. The "key" percentage I remember hearing is "Don't make your longest run more than 25-30% of your weekly mileage" and even my last training plan had 10 miles at marathon pace with up to 3 mile warm up and cool down. As long as you're not replacing a long run with a workout with extra easy miles, and you're not exceeding the 25-30% of weekly mileage with one run I wouldn't see a need to change a long run. If anything, add in a day off because you're getting your weekly 50-60 miles while keeping a 2 hour long run on the weekends. I kind of had that goal when I was running (last week). Doubles became a necessity just so I could avoid 10 mile runs every single day and allowed me to shorten my weekend runs a little...even though I kind of got lucky that week.
pie man
Hmm. That Mendocino complex fire is looking like mostly where I’m heading. That’s a development.
11:11 3,000 (recent)
Speed Surplus
It rained here today in Seattle. Did any of it spill into California? You guys could sure use it.
5:27 / 18:49 / 40:32 / 88:12 / 3:12
It's chilly and super misty in SF recently, but that's the marine layer's typical August (rather, Fogust) behavior - not real rain.