Forums >Racing>2022 Advanced Racing Thread
Hi all, sorry for the absence but work/life combined with no race to train for has slowed my activity. I've kept about 50 MPW or so and plan to ramp back up in July (just in time for the heat).
Long run of 18 miles Sunday mid-70's low humidity and I still drank 32 oz of gatorade. Oh yeah and I remembered I hate running with a hydration belt!!
Last 4 weeks for me:
SC- Sorry for the race outcome but very impressive training and I'm sure it will reap dividends down the road.
5K 18:36 (2023), 10K 39:40 (2022), 1/2 1:24:37 (2023), full 2:58:36 (2015)
RIP Milkman
They don't start it any earlier because they have to get the half-marathon out of the way first. I see that they are now starting the half-marathon at 6:00 am, so that's 1:45 between the start of the two races - that's likely to ensure that the marathon winners aren't dodging walking half-marathoners (it used to be only 90 minutes between the start of the two races, with the half going off at 6:15). (edit: they also have to make room for the wheelchair marathon racers, who will be much faster than the marathon runners) The half marathon starts at 13.1 of the marathon, so they have to start it, get every single runner across the start line, and then clean up that whole area before the marathoners come through. When you get to the half-way point, you'll see a TON of portajohns on the side of the road - they were all for the half-marathon start. BTW, remember that the temperature on the course will likely be colder than the reported temperature in Duluth. Especially if you have a wind from the east, which will blow cold air off of the lake.
They don't start it any earlier because they have to get the half-marathon out of the way first. I see that they are now starting the half-marathon at 6:00 am, so that's 1:45 between the start of the two races - that's likely to ensure that the marathon winners aren't dodging walking half-marathoners (it used to be only 90 minutes between the start of the two races, with the half going off at 6:15).
(edit: they also have to make room for the wheelchair marathon racers, who will be much faster than the marathon runners)
The half marathon starts at 13.1 of the marathon, so they have to start it, get every single runner across the start line, and then clean up that whole area before the marathoners come through. When you get to the half-way point, you'll see a TON of portajohns on the side of the road - they were all for the half-marathon start.
BTW, remember that the temperature on the course will likely be colder than the reported temperature in Duluth. Especially if you have a wind from the east, which will blow cold air off of the lake.
I already have my weather plugged in to a station outside the city, not Duluth-proper, so the forecast is already cooler than what the city is saying. I'm a definite weather nerd.
On the half marathon, I totally get that. But marathoners are exposed to heat exhaustion way more than half runners, so with the way the course is set up, they're running this risk annually. Obviously in a perfect world, you would start the marathon first, then the half, but you can't do that otherwise the half wouldn't start until 11 am. And I get not wanting to split the races up into two different days. But if you want to keep all of that together, move the race earlier in the year.
Boston is pretty much a perfect date: if you can get either snow or 70s, you can't really change the date of the race. But you could easily run Grandma's in mid-May and get perfect weather. Even the first week of June would buy you a few degrees each year. It's the same problem with Chicago, but at least Chicago has the excuse that there are so many major marathons throughout the fall, it would be hard for them to move it. NYC unfortunately got the first crack at this by moving their race back to November in the 80s. Chicago is sort of stuck now. They can't go after NYC because they risk snow.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Mother of Cats
Which station?
Outside the city may read warmer, not cooler. In the summer - the closer you are to the lake, the cooler.
You'll see when you get there - Duluth is actually on a very steep hill rising up from the lake (not a factor for the race, which is entirely next to the lake). So whether you are right on the water or a mile away has a dramatic effect on both elevation and temperature (my ears regularly pop when driving around there).
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
Right on the lake at the 13 mile point (so the start of the half). That's generally how I check weather forecasts for marathons: right at the half mark.
Problem Child
JMac You should really get into race directing. I know you really enjoy racing and you are one of the few people who would put a lot of things together focused more on the runners than the spectators.
Having the half marathon start before the marathon is just stupid. Run them on different days, or don't put as much nonsense into the half marathon start. Timing mats and an arch of balloons. Marathon runners can handle this. Sorry, but I have little respect for half marathon runners on a marathon course after running a BQ course and being screwed at an aid station because some "just finish" runners can't comprehend someone else is out there working on a bigger goal. The same thing goes for the Relay Runners at CIM. Enjoy your run, and know you're not the main focus of this day. You're just here to give the race more money to make a better marathon. Similar mindset for 5k runners in a half marathon. You're here because the RD knows they'll get 10 times the number of 5k runners than 13.1 runners. Enjoy your free beer and stay to one side of the road.
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
Mmmm Bop
Page 1 on this thread is an embarrassment.
2022 Advanced Bullshit Marathon Thread.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
don't put as much nonsense into the half marathon start. Timing mats and an arch of balloons.
They don't have much more than that at the half-marathon start - the only addition are gear check bag trucks that drive to the finish. However, any race start leaves all sort of junk that needs to be cleaned up. And it's also making sure that the slower half-marathon runners stay out of the way of the faster marathon runners.
FWIW, the two races are of similar significance (I think the half has slightly less prize money). The full marathon has 9000 runners, and the half has 8000 runners. It's really not like the half-marathon is an afterthought or a lesser competition.
Hot Weather Complainer
RP - Great rant which I have some sympathy for. I haven't even got to Melbourne yet and I'm dreading the 32km mark where the marathon joins the half marathon and it turns into a shit show. I'll be weaving through runners going 90-120 secs/km slower than me and I can forget getting any access to a drink station. But I'm aware of it (thanks to the yearly Facebook threads complaining about it) so I'll just have to plan for it and make the best of it. I do think the half and full are close to equal importance - I would get far more wound up about the 5km getting in the way at the end of the marathon.
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
In general, I agree that it makes no sense to have a half start before the marathon.
However, if you know that this is going to be an issue, why not just pick a different race that more aligns to what you want to achieve? Like, your BQ was a big deal to you but how do you know that a sub-2hr HM wasn't just as big a deal to the person trying to run that? How do you know that some of those relay runners at CIM aren't doing it to raise funds for some seriously unwell child or something?
The reality is that in many bigger events, half marathon numbers have increased a lot more sharply than marathon numbers. Most of the bigger combined events here award similar prominence to the HM and marathon winners (albeit the marathon generally gets more prize money). In a lot of cases from a financial perspective it's the HM subsidising the marathon (which is typically more expensive to run and gets less people).
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"
The Brighton marathon has a very popular and competitive 10k race 45min before the main event which works well as there is no merging.
There's a decent chance my race ends up being in the upper 50s. I may have lucked out
Since I'm going through taper madness right now with each run feeling worse than the prior, tell me your taper woes. When do you start feeling ready to go? Do you feel worse as the taper goes on? Or maybe just the same but no improvement? For me, it seems that every run feels worse until the day before when I do my shakeout run. The earliest I'll ever feel good is 3 days prior when I do a 5 mile run. I've never felt good earlier than that.
I'm sorry that you've succumbed to the longer = better mindset. The 5k is a glorious race complete with massive mounds of pain if you want to produce your finest race. Just because the RD is being kind and letting you do your little jog on the same course as the 5k doesn't mean they have any obligation to watch out for you though common courtesy always suggests that you be aware of your surroundings and don't intentionally block nayone.
1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)
If only this "common courtesy" was shared by the 5k runners closing down streets to raise awareness to those with a lack of stamina. I'm sure it is difficult to think about anything other than finishing when the body is pumping blood hard for 20 minutes. Make sure you rehydrate with a finely crafted "India Pale Ale" and some fruit like those 20 minute footyball matches you played as a kid.
I haven't laughed that hard from this thread in a long time. Maybe my first foray into 5K race directing will be to raise awareness for these folks.
You and Zebano have been added to the front page.