2020 Marathon Training and relevant COVID 19 discussion echo chamber (Read 700 times)

OMR - enjoyed reading your report (though it was too short, I would really like to read more .Judging from the photos the course is not that bad - Quicksilver has few long single patches with quite challenging and dangerous rocks, though most (at least half, I would say) of it still pretty wide and very runnable. Come to California next year - Quicksilver, Miwok or Canyons Endurance Run are all 100K courses, challenging but very runnable and I would say not very dangerous. You will have fun for sure (but each those has much ascent though, the least Miwok with its 12K of ascent).

Nimmals:  I assumed you did some sort of strength training.  15.5 hours per week...that's a part-time job!    Regarding you running an ultra, here's a thought.  So, you ran 99.4 miles last week, in 14.5 hours.  Hypothetically speaking, what if you just took six days off from running, and ran those 99.4 miles in one day.  Of course, you'd have to add another 0.6 to make it an even hundred.  Just sayin'.  (It's in your future...you know you want to...accept your reality..."And on the 7th day, Nimmals ran.")

Brew:  Yeah, based on his report, you totally had to drag max along (which was your duty).  I know you might say the PJ sightings were a welcome reprieve, but that was probably because you were so highly caffeinated and talking so damn much that having PJ there was a bit of relief.  ;-)  I'm trying to imagine you pacing me, and I'm thinking it would probably be successful on some level because I would 1) want to run as fast as possible to be done with all of your chatter as quickly as possible, 2) tell you to just run ahead of me after which I would quietly (and happily) disappear and get eaten by a wild animal, or 3) kill you because you can't stop talking, and then run from the scene as quickly as possible.  So, there's a 66.6% chance I would PR, depending on my choice.  ...  Joking aside, you got him through that, when he was obviously not in a good place.  Kudos to you for that.

calbears:  Funny story...so when I was taking the photo of what I called the "moderately easy" portion of the second half, a thought went through my head, that if calbears saw this, he would say, "Oh, that's not so bad."  Believe me, it got worse, and I was too crabby to take photos.  And I wasn't trained for "worse," and I know that for someone who can actually train on this stuff, it probably isn't all that bad.  It is a skill that can be learned, one that needs to be learned if one is going to perform well.  As for the length of my report, my ability to write long reports is based on my ability to remember the details of what happened, and while I had a semi-photographic memory in my youth, those days are gone.  Regarding future ultras, I do think of them as opportunities to explore areas of the world that I haven't seen, and while I've visited California a few times (including running the Napa Valley Marathon), I haven't done any trail running there.  Hopefully that will change someday.

DPS:  Ha, loved your perspective on the impact of children on running.  We don't have kids, but our aging cats are very much the same.

Nimmals, Jmac:  We all enter into and opt out of a public forum for our own reasons.  I have learned (and/or have the potential to learn) something about running/training from both of you, so my preference is that you hang out for a while.  But that's just me, and we all have our own reasons for being here in the first place, and reasons to leave.

Nimmals and calbears, I don't know the back story here, but I just skip over some things from time to time.  For me, running (and running forums) are a happy outlet.  It helps keep me centered, because in my real life I have to deal with students with real problems.  For example, last Friday I had a conversation with a student who rather openly (and oddly unemotionally) informed me that she will be missing some of my classes in the upcoming weeks, because she is going to check herself into a mental rehabilitation facility after attempting to commit suicide.  Your quibbles are not why I am here, so I just ignore them.

Ran 3.5 miles at 0% incline today.  My legs were grateful to not have to 1) run uphill, 2) run downhill, or 3) avoid things like rocks, cacti, or other impediments.  Thank you, flat treadmill belt.

 

 Mikkey you suprised me completely too. I still hope we can be cool. I don't mind this quickly blowing over between us.

 

 

 

And I was surprised about there being some sort of drama with you and Cal in the old RW Facebook group (which I never joined btw). I don’t ever remember him being negative towards you and has always come across as a genuine guy (in my view anyway). I’m cool and this certainly isn’t my playground and wouldn’t want you or anyone else to leave because of “tensions” in the thread.  Anyway, if I fall on hard times then I hope everyone on here chips in and pays for my trip to Boston next year. 

JMac - No way will you be leaving/stop running after Boston....do you seriously want to become obese by the age of 38?

 

 

Nimmals, Jmac:  We all enter into and opt out of a public forum for our own reasons.  I have learned (and/or have the potential to learn) something about running/training from both of you, so my preference is that you hang out for a while.  But that's just me, and we all have our own reasons for being here in the first place, and reasons to leave.

 

+ 1 to this.  Completely agree.  As someone who followed the old RW forums specifically the sub 3 group (some would say lurked ) I took so much information and motivation from reading the weeklies.  I was pleased to find so many of the "old crew" here..... it motivated me to finally participate.   

WHoa!  Apparently I missed a lot.

Sorry for disappearing - the last week before a marathon always seems to be a bit crazy, between getting stuff at work settled, packing, etc.

Here's my past week (now a few days old):

50 miles, 18 "miles" of pool-running, and 2000 yards of swimming
M: DIY yoga at home and 9 "miles" pool-running.
T: 12 miles, including a track workout of 4x1200 in 4:31, 4:28, 4:28, 4:24. Recovery between 2:37 and 2:43. Followed with leg strengthwork and 800 yards recovery swimming.
W: DIY yoga, 9 miles very easy (9:00), plus drills and four strides.
Th: Upperbody weights, core, and 9 "miles" pool-running.
F: 10 miles, including a 5K track tempo in 19:51 (6:26/6:21/7:02 for last 1800). Followed with leg injury prevention work and 750 yards recovery swimming.
Sa: DIY yoga and 8 miles very easy (8:51), followed by drills/strides, upper body weights and core.
Su: DIY yoga and 12 miles split as first 4 averaging 8:17, last 8 averaging 7:47. Followed with 450 yards recovery swimming.

As for how I feel?  Not as good as I would like.  My Ulcerative Colitis flared a bit this past week - no biggie, just had to go back on the meds briefly.  And....I had some joint pain associated with that.  Then I did a miserable tempo on Friday (I was underdressed for what ended up being very cold conditions - low 20s and very windy).  Was stiff the rest of the weekend, with very tight hamstrings.

I was supposed to do 3-4x800 today, but pushed it back tomorrow to give the hammies one more day.  They do seem to be trending up, so that's good. Just a bit achy now.

The good news is that I still feel much better than I did before Richmond, and this is a faster course with better weather.  No taper ever goes perfectly, so I'm still pretty optimistic.

Will try to catch up more later.

I cannot forget things you said to humiliate and hurt me on purpose for absolutely no f&^%ng reason,

 but in my motherland

Well I tried to put it to bed but you seem intent on maintaining a beef. Speaking of in your motherland don't they say Брань на во́роте не ви́снет. Or is it Брань не дым -- глаза не ест.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm\scold me.

I'm sure Vlad is back home going "How you make huge little ego man hurt big Russian man feeling on little computer?? That you cant move past it?? Seems like America makes Russian man soft like curly hair lady man???

You were constantly mean\rude. You don't know me and I don't know you to hate you or not be able to move past  a little head butting on both our parts.  I tried but you spurned me, I hold no ill will then or now and that's why I was willing to chip in. I had no issue with you prior to Boston but some time after that you seem to hold a grudge. Funny thing I didn't even recall you speaking to me you were just there and may have spoke to everyone but me. I can still feel the tension in your words. Calling your training idiotic in a self deprecating way because I said it and bringing up all who support you. How do you know I didn't have support from others too. Man that's ego thinking one is more right than the other we were both wrong you own your mistakes and you move on not say you started it or you were "way way more meaner" as Runners whirled would say. Don't let ego stop you from moving forward in a positive manner.

Mikkey There was no RWOL Facebook beef between him at least not one that sticks in my imagination or recollection.

Brew I apologize for disrupting regular programming but this is important for the good of the thread.

I was just building up some goodwill so I can call in favors when I finally get around to trying another 'bad idea.'  Currently on the waiting list for both Quicksilver and Never Summer, but not sure I can accept spots on either (too close to Eugene which i'm tentatively going to run hard, and in the middle of season so who knows how beat up i'll be).

Unless it's changed Miwok is a lottery with no waitlist, so you have to be on the ball for that one when registration is open in December.

omr I sent his story of Drago’s Back to another runner. I also offered my services for his sub 24 attempt. I might be declined based off his side of the story. I remember myself being “not tired” not over caffeinated but again, nutrition is important. Off to watch a movie about dragons back.

Ha, I doubt it (you getting declined for that reason).  What's the movie about Dragon's Back?  I might want to watch that.

DPS:  How big are those burritos you are eating?? ;-)  I'm also about 6', but a small frame.  I felt extremely heavy at about 172, and ideal race weight is about 152.  I still have a good 10 pounds to get rid of.

Dwave:  I missed that as well (that you're racing this weekend).  Hope the UC clears up and gives you the rest you need to tear it up this weekend.

Keen:  Looking forward to seeing how things go for you this weekend as well.

PJ:  That (the lotteries) is one of the things I've come to not like about ultras, especially WS qualifiers.  More and more of them sell out so quickly that you have to plan too far in advance.