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

No no no, extenuating circumstances, plus you’re not in your 30s, plus you’re not targeting a fast marathon time. Very, very different. You get my A+ approval: running is going to be the only thing keeping us sane, if they allow us out the door. If that means 120 miles, go for it. Plus you train for ultras. But if you come back after all of this is over and say you’re ramping up to 500 miles a month just to break 3:00 in a marathon, then yes, I will scold you 

Not sure what you mean by saying I am not targeting a fast marathon - I actually would like to target as a fast marathon as I am able to do . Not sure how fast it is going to be but the way I like to do it - if I ran 2:59:XX time, I can positively try to run the next one faster - maybe like a minute or two faster. I obviously not targeting just sub 3 off a high mileage training as I already ran sub 3 in December - so, definitely looking for a better time - my conservative goal is sub 2:55 this coming December (if, hopefully, we are out of lockdown by then) - that would be a Moose Mug time for me, which I think is pretty good. Or, we we get out of lockdown earlier and I have an opportunity to run a race before December, then all those target will be based on my results from a latest marathon. But certainly faster than sub 3 as sub 3 is not exciting anymore after CIM 2019 (and considering the training I am putting in).

 I’ve never considered myself a true runner or lover of the sport....it’s the races and challenging myself that motivates me.

Well, you are not alone I am so lazy deep inside that ideally I would prefer to lay down and just watch some documentary or good show/movie/soccer game. The main reason I go out and run is because I know that is the only way to be prepared to destroy you at some point, if not in Boston, then somewhere else. I only know one way to achieve that - is to run a lot, mostly slow, because fast gets us injured and then we lose time. If there was some magic trick allowing me not to run, I would use it but I do not know any, so, I stupidly go and do the simplest thing - run. It was already told many times that running is a very simple sport - the more you put in the better the output you can expect. There are some anomalies there - for example, to run sub 2:40 somebody like kayry needs to train consistently at 60 mpw, not more. He is my age but if I train at 60 mpw, the fastest I can dream of would be sub 3. You and I seem to be more similar, though looks like you also need to run less miles than me to produce equal results. That's why I have no choice but to run more than you.

Of course running has few other benefits for me and those also play a role why I am running to some degree even at the worst times - much better and healthier sleep, some weight control, no heartburn/acid reflux, no headaches/migraines (which are happening when I am not running) - I would say those reasons alone are pretty worthwhile. Some people are saying something about running for sanity - not sure about that, but spending time away from my better half even for couple of hours a day definitely helps to have that sanity under better control 

On letsrun: and interesting post from Renato Canova on covid in Kenya (2nd post on thread).

 

Apparently it is essential for liquor stores to stay open. 

Well everything’s state by state, but at least in PA where liquor stores are state controlled, they are closed. How many states still have “liquor stores” anyway? You just buy liquor at the grocery store or drugstore or gas station, all of which will remain open.

 

  

Well, you are not alone I am so lazy deep inside that ideally I would prefer to lay down and just watch some documentary or good show/movie/soccer game. The main reason I go out and run is because I know that is the only way to be prepared to destroy you at some point, if not in Boston, then somewhere else. I only know one way to achieve that - is to run a lot, mostly slow, because fast gets us injured and then we lose time. If there was some magic trick allowing me not to run, I would use it but I do not know any, so, I stupidly go and do the simplest thing - run. It was already told many times that running is a very simple sport - the more you put in the better the output you can expect. There are some anomalies there - for example, to run sub 2:40 somebody like kayry needs to train consistently at 60 mpw, not more. He is my age but if I train at 60 mpw, the fastest I can dream of would be sub 3. You and I seem to be more similar, though looks like you also need to run less miles than me to produce equal results. That's why I have no choice but to run more than you.

Of course running has few other benefits for me and those also play a role why I am running to some degree even at the worst times - much better and healthier sleep, some weight control, no heartburn/acid reflux, no headaches/migraines (which are happening when I am not running) - I would say those reasons alone are pretty worthwhile. Some people are saying something about running for sanity - not sure about that, but spending time away from my better half even for couple of hours a day definitely helps to have that sanity under better control 

I had better success with just higher mileage in the first 3/4 years of my running stint, but it got to the stage where I wanted to change things up and started adding strength training to my schedule from 2016 onwards with less mileage/ a bit more quality and think it has worked well. It’s a fine balance getting the training just right without getting injured!  I also feel healthier/more energy when I train more....and some non runners just don’t understand how that works. 

My gym membership came to an abrupt freeze last night and I never even got a chance to say goodbye to my favourite treadmill .  but at least I’ve got enough home gym equipment to get by. I could always join my wife’s outdoor Zumba classes if I get bored.

Hey Mark-

Nice job on the race.  Impressed that you all got one last one in.  Masters is 35+ in NZ right?  Regardless, that is a great time and a crushing time.  Well done!

Still getting caught up with the reading.  I'm working in in a homeless shelter here for the next 8 hours, so I'll have lots of time to kill as everyone is pretty quiet during this COVID business.  Guys in the shelter (44) in 2000 sq ft sharing one bathroom and they almost all have health issues are pretty stressed out, but coping well.  Fortunately our local gov't coughed up the cash and we have put all of our elderly homeless (60+) in hotels for the foreseeable future to minimize their risk exposure.  We have Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer and gloves, but no protective gear and everyone in close quarters, so we as staff are less than thrilled to be making <$15 per hour. End of rant.

I will end up with about 89 on the week

 

DPS - your dog is capable to run 18 miles at 6:50 pace? What kind of dog is it? I never thought it's possible...

Neither did I and hope the dog doesn’t suffer during the run. Is this a new thing to post your week before you actually finish your week?

She is a vizsla.  Runners world recently said they are the top or near top of long distance running dogs.  She can just crush miles.  They can just go and go.  Yeah. I posted early because I'm bored at work.  Also cause I'm doing my long run then going to visit my parents in Wisconsin up north with no internet.  So I likely won't be back on the boards until middle of next week with work and life and all.  Trying to keep up with posts again, but the board moves pretty fast and things are 10x crazier right now.

But point well taken, Mikey.  Put up before you start posting is a good rule in general.  Anyway, hope everyone is doing well.

I see a lot of bumming about canceled races which is a camp that I am in.  Minor benefit is that I'm not doing my daily commute of 30-40 minutes in the car, so that is an hour of my life I have back each day which is nice.  I'm 10% hopeful that summer races will be held, but we'll see.  I see lots of calls for pushing back the Olympics which sucks, but makes sense because people have to be able to know when they are racing trials and have time to run qualifying races.  From a logistics point you can't have an Olympics if people to even have a chance to make it into the trials.

That said, when races can reopen, I think we will see some crazy fast stuff as people go all Once a Runner and just hole up and crush miles.

Side note, we are currently planning (at my local gov't where I work) until October as a minimum to deal with people who cannot pay rent, mortgages, and/or currently homeless.  In the more suburban/rural area where I work, most of our homeless are doubled up with people, but if they start getting pushed back out to the streets out of fear or because they cannot feed and extra mouth...things could get real grim fast with people getting exposed and then walking around all day.  And the only open buildings are hospitals and grocery stores for them to pass the time.  Not what you want.  So for anyone thinking these closure are over reacting, on the gov't side we are prepping for this to get really really bad.  Hopefully we end up being wrong.

Love it. to be fair...it is my goal.  I'll take anything sub 7 average.  going to do 6 mile loops on a relatively flat loop around a lake.

 

I’m going to use that strategy for writing my next race report. Assuming races exist in the future.

 

MTA: back to the golf analogy - for DPS, 18 miles at 6:50 is a gimme like a 2-inch putt.