Sub 1:30 Half Marathon 2021 Edition (Read 448 times)

 

This is an interesting point. When I'm running, I get mad at people on sidewalks who are looking at their phones, or walking on the left side not paying attention, and I have to veer out of their way at the last second. But if I'm walking and some runner is coming up on me and doesn't get out of my way, I would be annoyed at them because they're going twice the speed of everyone else and should be the ones with the most care.

 

It reminds me of a run I had last year. I was running on the sidewalk and some woman with a small dog had her dog off leash (on the sidewalks of Manhattan mind you, not some park). As I passed the dog, the dog started running after me barking its head off. I stopped running, and the woman came up to me and said "oh it's not your fault." I couldn't believe it: that's the first thing you say? Not "oh I'm so sorry, my dog got away" or even being mad at the dog. No, it's that it could even possibly be my fault that she decided to tell me it's okay. Entitlement 101.

 

Anyway, all I said to her was "how about you put your dog on a leash?" and kept running. No cursing, no anger, just those words. Then some other woman who witnessed it called me an asshole, which was even more shocking to me! I get chased by some woman's dog, just say "put your dog on a leash" and then I get yelled at for being in the wrong! But thinking back on it, this third party probably saw some runner yelling at a woman with a small dog and he looked like a douchebag.

 

So maybe we all need to have more sympathy. But not for MAMILs. They deserve all the hate 

I refuse to stop for these people. They can yell their dog's name as long as they want to. The county has a leash law and a dog park is where it DOESN'T apply. If I'm ever asked why I didn't stop running I'll say "they make leashes for a reason. It's not my responsibility to make sure your dog doesn't run away. It's yours.'

As for moving out of the way of runners. I'm mixed and sometimes it's a "dude there is a road right there. I run in it all the time. You'll be okay" and sometimes a "ah crap I'm doing what I hate."

I'm not sympathetic. I'm blunt. No one cares about MY day so I don't care about theirs. Point made when you decided your dog being free to move about the country was less important than my choice to be free to run down a path. I HATED when a friend brought his dog on some dirt trail and let her run off leash. Bunch of "oh she's a good dog." as we run. I don't wait for him. I even told him he could use a leash since the county requires it. He told me he wasn't going to put his dog on a leash so she could run free. "exactly. Your dog running free is more important than anyone else enjoying this trail without your dog coming up to them. This is why I wouldn't move out of the way if I was on a bike and your dog wasn't on a leash. If you cared about your dog's safety you'd put them on a leash."

yup....I'm that guy. Just check out that COVID 19 thread

On my book, people with their dog off the leash are only better than rapists and genocides.

Something must be done about dog people. In Italy it was socially acceptable to walk into a restaurant with a dog. Disgusting.

Flavio you've had some really bad experiences with dogs off leash. I think in NYC I'm a bit spoiled when I run in the park and dogs are off leash: outside of this one incident on the sidewalk, I've not had a single dog off leash chase after me. I think it's just an issue of abundance: there are runners everywhere, so the dogs off leash in the park are just used to it.

Let's all agree: people are the worst.

5K Weather: I don't think 65F is bad at all for a 5K if it's cloudy. I think you can run a fast time in 70F, partly cloudy, and very low dew point (<50). We tend to get those types of days in May here in the USA and they're beautiful. I think the sun and dew point matter more than the temperature to be honest. Assuming cloudy, dry days, my cutoffs for good times (not ideal) by distance are:

5K - 75F

10K - 70F

Half - 65F

Full - 60F

Ideal temps are about 10-15 degrees below max temps. I find running 5Ks in the 40s to actually be pretty tough, whereas it's perfect for a marathon. Love running 5Ks in the uppers 50s/low 60s though. A nice light sweat and not too cold where the breathing is tough as you're sucking in air.

People who don't control their dogs...possibly a bigger annoyance to me than cyclists.  Very apt too as I had an incident this morning, running through the domain and a small dog (it's always the small dogs) chased after me trying to nip my legs but got caught up in my feet and I think he got a foot in the mouth.  I stumbled but didn't trip but did utter an FFS at the owner.  I'm glad it was a short easy run, wouldn't want that at speed or after 30+km.

I've mentioned here my other 2 incidents I think - one last year when another small dog nipped me at Hagley Park and actually sunk its teeth into my calf.  That one was on a long leash with an oblivious Karen.

The other major one was when a big dog this time slammed into me at Elsternwick Park in Melbourne and sent me flying through the air and landed on my face on the concrete and got a bleeding nose - could have been worse if I didn't get my hands down sooner.  That time I don't think the dog even saw me, was just crazy excited to be let off the lead.  The owner probably should have looked around before letting it go.  Small dogs genuinely seem to want to attack though.

Another time at the local domain a dog decided to run with me and came out of the park then started running all over the road.  The owner was miles away so I ended up having to chase it to prevent it getting hit by a car.  I think if you can't control your dog then it needs to be on a leash.  But then, it could be fine 99% of the time.

Despite all that, humans are definitely the worst.  So many people who see you coming and still don't unblock the footpath.

Yes Steve I advised Piwi junior to not flip the finger next time. He learnt his lesson i think. The dude must have been on drugs.

I once put my shoulder into a teenage skateboarder who was with his mate and wouldn't move out the way on the footpath. It was a dick move by me. I would probably just move out the way next time 

 

A couple of weeks ago my son had a dude come screaming up behind him as he was exiting the Harbour Bridge. The guy started raging and making big hand gestures etc  as he pulled alongside my son....who then flipped him the finger  which turned out to be a mistake as the guy was huge gangster gang member dude and followed him for 10 mins. Eventually my son had to stop at a red light and the guy pulls up alongside winds down his window and says.

" Bro all I wanted was for you to say sorry, you were going a bit slow. I could've fucked you up. "

My son replies " sorry man have a good day "

Gangster dude says " you too bro "

And that was it 

 

The gangsters in NZ are far too polite and forgiving!

In London there’s no messing about. 

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/hyde-park-stabbing-police-release-images-suspects-b938728.html?itm_source=Internal&itm_channel=homepage_trending_article_component&itm_campaign=trending_section&itm_content=2

 

5K Weather: I don't think 65F is bad at all for a 5K if it's cloudy. I think you can run a fast time in 70F, partly cloudy, and very low dew point (<50). We tend to get those types of days in May here in the USA and they're beautiful. I think the sun and dew point matter more than the temperature to be honest. Assuming cloudy, dry days, my cutoffs for good times (not ideal) by distance are:

 

5K - 75F

10K - 70F

Half - 65F

Full - 60F

 

Ideal temps are about 10-15 degrees below max temps. I find running 5Ks in the 40s to actually be pretty tough, whereas it's perfect for a marathon. Love running 5Ks in the uppers 50s/low 60s though. A nice light sweat and not too cold where the breathing is tough as you're sucking in air.

Zebano - As Flavio said, I'm weird (and ran my fastest 10K in the last 40 years at TDP 142 including 87% humidity), but I don't think high temperatures should affect you all that much in a race as short as a 5K as long as it's reasonably dry and you're not standing around in the sun for an hour beforehand.  I've read that it helps to lower your body temperature if you put a bunch of ice under a baseball cap and/or drink something with crushed ice* before the race.

* "Something" probably should not be a frozen daiquiri.

5k went pretty well this morning.  Unofficial 20:51 which is 46s quicker than three weeks ago.

Nice job Watson, claim that extra second 

James frozen Daiquiri 🍸 haha hilarious 😆

Jmac good luck with your 5k.