Forums >Racing>2020 Marathon Training and relevant COVID 19 discussion echo chamber
Speed Surplus
"I think one thing to remember is that training compounds, and a completed training cycle is not a waste, even if no race at the end of it. So assuming no races until fall (which I think is inaccurate), there's still some benefit of going through a cycle just to climb up a stair step."
Yes, but for me, getting up to 50-60+ mpw requires a spousal sacrifice with regard to child-rearing that I cannot obtain in perpetuity. I have to pick and choose the right time to spend it when I can actually race a marathon at the end of the training block.
So if my race is cancelled, it's better for me to dial back to my usual ~40 mpw until another opportunity presents itself.
5:27 / 18:49 / 40:32 / 88:12 / 3:12
I think one thing to remember is that training compounds, and a completed training cycle is not a waste, even if no race at the end of it. So assuming no races until fall (which I think is inaccurate), there's still some benefit of going through a cycle just to climb up a stair step.
I’ll have go keep this in mind, because I feel like I’m in a pretty good place fitness-wise. But balanced with the fact that full-on marathon training takes me to the edge of what I can do without getting injured. So I just need to be careful about extending that level of mileage/intensity for too many extra weeks.
Dave
The other thing I'm wondering is if I should try to capitalize on this fitness at this point and try a half marathon time trial. I don't know exactly how that would work, but based on previous races, I would think a GPS reading of 13.15 miles would sufficiently qualify as have being sure you ran the correct distance. Of course, I know it's SO difficult to run your potential in a time trial, but what other option do all of us have at this point? Anybody ever do a time trial of any distance longer than a 10K?
Hey JMac, you know I love time trials on the track! I've done 1 mile, 5k, 8k, 10k, and 10 mile (16.1 km) time trials on the track. I've toyed with the idea of a half time trial but did not get around to it. They have the advantage of no traffic (automotive, anyway) and accurate distance. I think you should go for a 10 mile or half marathon TT on the track, you'd put down a blistering time.
2:52:16 (2018)
RIP Milkman
DW - I knew hotels would be a pain, just booked one now. I panicked and booked the first one I saw, which seems to be a dump, but changed to the Holiday Inn, which should be a bit nicer. Anyway, I now have 3 marathons I'm signed up for: Boston in September (not happening, although maybe I'll just take the train in and hobby jog it?), Grandma's in June, NJ in April. I have never wasted so much damn money on racing, but given this was supposed to be my attempt at a lifetime PR, I'm trying not to let $150 registration fees get in my way! Plus the wasted fees will easily be covered by the lack of a hotel in Boston, that alone was gonna set me back $1K+.
Here's what I'm thinking: I'm going to keep training as if NJ is happening, even though I think it's under 10%. If that gets cancelled, I'll just reorient everything toward's Grandma's. I still may attempt that HM GPS time trial. Probably have someone ride beside me for fluids. Yeah, yeah, technically not part of the rules, but I need someone to hold that plus it'll be motivation to not stop when the pain train hits around mile 10.
(ETA): JT - thought about the track. My concern there was it should technically be faster than the road, and I didn't want that sullied by that, even if it's accurate measurement. I have two options in my mind: just do it in CP for guaranteed closed roads, but the elevation gain will be a bitch. Or, I can try to find a flat trail somewhere in the area where I never have to cross a road. The trail Nimmals runs on comes very close to that: you do have to cross a road here and there, but it's pretty minimal. Will do some research.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
A great time to run for the pure love of running. Maybe use the money that would have been spent on races to donate to charities that will help people and families put food on their plates who are really going to be struggling now.
My daughter was going to graduate from University of Washington this Spring. Classes are cancelled. She's on self-quarantine since returning from Rome. Everything is a mess.
not bad for mile 25
If you're furiously trying to sign up for alternative races, here's a side note. I signed up for a local 10 mile race the other day. At checkout they had the option to add race cancellation insurance for 3 or 4 bucks. I read the fine print on that, and epidemics and pandemics are specifically excluded. Don't buy it.
Stotan Disciple
Berlin and London are back to back guess its race Berlin 9/26 jog London 10/4. Or change Age Group World championships to Berlin.
Thinking should be done first, before training begins.
Problem Child
JMac If I was there I'd volunteer to ride along side you to help out. Just remember all this spending comes in handy. When my son had RSV I pulled out the credit card and had my HSA reimbursement faster than you can run a mile. Even when my wife needed a medical grade pump that money was spent so fast. Would part of the rules allow a cyclist to offer you aid at set intervals as if it was an aid station? Ride ahead and hold out the bottle and snacks and if you drop it it's on you to finish?
SC I totally get spending time with family/kids and the amount of work you put on the wife to watch them. After three cycles I was REALLY wondering how much longer I'd have before my wife pulled the plug on my BQ attempts. Since you have a few local marathons you might could keep training with long runs on weekends for long runs, or since spring is coming it might just require running before work. I was kind of going for a sub 19 this weekend and Im not sure I'll have the drive to do it again in the near future.
United States Equestrian Foundation has canceled events. COVID 19 might push my state to implement a state income tax if we can't bet on horses and no one is going to hold a convention in Vegas.
https://www.horseillustrated.com/coronavirus-covid19-first-horse-event-cancelled
The American Quarter Horse Association announced the cancellation of the 2020 AQHA Convention. The event was scheduled for March 13-16 at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
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
Come to Long island my college kids are home they can pace us. Or you can say this is the goal 1:12:59 and I pace you and Oscar. I would gladly help I do it all the time for other people. MY GF will drive and give bottles. She knows the drill from helping on the Truth runs.
My kids are remote schooling and they have cancelled outdoor track. I can have one jump in at 6 to go to keep us on pace. Let me know and I can set it up. I actually only ran a few miles this week I was pulling out of training mode.
We can also do it in Cedar Creek park take Jones beach bike path which is flat but windy. Going north on Massappequa bike path trail is all uphill. But you get slight downhill on the return.
Mmmm Bop
That's beyond Boston application window!
London will used to improve BQ time.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Ha, I see you are pretty confident you still can run 2:59:XX with your heels? You know, it might be harder than you think as you are getting so old...
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
Looks like they are going to close schools here for next couple of weeks - not official but Oakland Unified District closed their schools and it's so close to our district. This thing is bigger than cancelling marathons
Mother of Cats
DC, MD, and VA are all shut down, school wise. THey started making the call county by county in VA and MD, and then the governors did a shutdown on a federal level
It's a difficult issue. On the one hand, I get that schools can be germ factories, even if kids seem relatively shielded from this bug.
On the other hand, we have uneven wealth distribution around here, and telling kids to stay at home and do school online amplifies the gap in opportunities between the haves and have nots. Especially if libraries are also closed.
And then there's also the school lunch issue that's already been covered in detail. And parents who are now scrambling for childcare.
Hard choices.
Brew - interesting point about the USEF (Equestrian). They actually can't stop horse shows. But what they can do is refuse to recognize points from those shows for a set time period, which is what they are doing.
[in horse showing, you accumulate points over the year - a blue ribbon at an A rated horse show with 30 participants gets X points, and so forth.] Those points are added up over the course of the year, and are how year end awards are determined, and also how one qualifies for the major end of the year shows.]
Basically, it's the equivalent of USATF or Boston saying "if you run the OTQ/BQ standard in the next 6 weeks, we won't accept it."
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.
On the other hand, we have uneven wealth distribution around here, and telling kids to stay at home and do school online amplifies the gap in opportunities between the haves and have nots. Especially if libraries are also closed. And then there's also the school lunch issue that's already been covered in detail. And parents who are now scrambling for childcare. Hard choices.
Really good point not to mention having kids stay home compromises the healthcare workers who some 64% have kids in school.
Add to it the all hands on deck needed to flatten the health care response curve, which puts tremendous strain on the workers to find alternate daycare for the children. Very bad all around.
DC, MD, and VA are all shut down, school wise. THey started making the call county by county in VA and MD, and then the governors did a shutdown on a federal level ... And parents who are now scrambling for childcare. Hard choices.
...
And parents who are now scrambling for childcare.
It's not a hard choice - it's a ridiculous choice - they are telling people to leave their kids at home when a lot of people have no resources to do so. So - if you are telling them to do something that adds unforeseen expenses, you should pay, not the folks who were told to do so. It is simple as A, B, C. Otherwise, you can tell anybody to do anything you want and not to incur any financial responsibilities. Anybody can make a decision that doesn't involve money - try otherwise and then we will see. All I see right now they just do not care - they just show false signs of care trying to cover their elected asses. It's just horrible...