2023 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread (Read 301 times)

watsonc123


    Hi Piwi!

     

    Darkwave - a bit late on this, but I enjoyed your RR.  I'm not sure taking public transport makes up for the flights GHGs...

     

    Zebano - nice week, and I hope the niggles are nothing.

     

    Fred - nice RR.

     

    Mark - I didn't realize you'd stopped drinking.  My drinking is pretty small these days.

     

    CC - yeah my week was pretty varied.  I have a rule that I only do 2 hard runs a week, which I broke last week.  I've had some very minor overtraining problems of bad sleep and a very sore calf's, so I've had two days off running.  Although I'm pretty good now.

    PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)

     

    40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)

     

    2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05

     

    2024 PRs: 5km 20:25

    Marky_Mark_17


      Yes, had a good catch-up with Piwi, hopefully sneak another run in with him tomorrow.

       

      Watson - I cut down a lot a couple of years ago, then quit altogether in late 2021. Woke up feeling like garbage after having 2 wines and decided it wasn't really worth it.  Functions used to be a bit tough because there weren't a lot of good alcohol free options, but luckily that seems to be changing quickly.

      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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

      Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

      "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

      JamesD


      JamesD

         

        Zebano, yes the hill sprints were while waiting for the bus. 

         

        For some reason I assumed you were waiting with your kids for the bus taking them to school and not waiting for the bus bringing them home.  Had an image of you telling your little kids while other confused-looking kids watched, "Wait right here while Mom runs up and down that hill over there several times for no obvious reason."  I was thinking that my son would've been so embarrassed...

        Post-1987 PRs:  Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)

        '24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32

        zebano


          Piwi welcome back. Glad you and mark had a good jog.

           

           

          Zebano, yes the hill sprints were while waiting for the bus.  I hear what you're saying about the mental stress but my break is part of a larger effort to cut out the time suck apps on my phone.  Figure I'll go cold turkey for a few weeks and then see what I really miss and try to add it back more purposefully.  Still a great week, good luck with maintaining all the extras this week.

           

           

          Good luck getting rid of the time sucks! I didn't have facebook on my phone for the longest time for exactly that reason but my run club sets up group runs via facebook so now it's a must have and I try not to look at it. Excellent use of time waiting for the kiddos lol. I'm sure my kids would be totally embarrassed if their friends saw me running hill sprints.

           

          Beer/alchohol - I'm down to 2 drinks so far this January but that's mostly because it started causing seriously uncomfortable indigestion. Oddly enough I'm not missing it. I am missing the coffee I gave up for the same reason.

           

          Watson - hopefully you recover quickly. The 2 hard runs a week is an excellent rule.

          1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)

          Fredford66


          Waltons ThreadLord

            On time sucks - I've been Facebook free for more than 8 years now and don't miss it.  When some organizations tell me to see their FB page for more info, I often get perverse pleasure from telling them I don't use FB and thus won't see their info.  RA is probably the closest thing to social medial that I use.

             

            On alcohol - I find it interesting that the general tenor on this thread is about drinking less.  I was never much of a drinker, though my 2 - 3 glasses of wine/week may be putting me on the heavier end of the scale from what I hear.

             

            Rest day for me today.  Fingers crossed that my HM pace run will go well tomorrow.  I'm feeling optimistic.

            5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
            10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

            Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

             

            Marky_Mark_17


              Beer/alchohol - I'm down to 2 drinks so far this January but that's mostly because it started causing seriously uncomfortable indigestion. Oddly enough I'm not missing it. I am missing the coffee I gave up for the same reason.

               

               

              I just read an alcohol that suggested zero alcohol beer is actually an excellent recovery drink.  Beer (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are both high in polyphenols (basically antioxidants) as well as sodium and potassium - and obviously both almost completely natural.  In the case of alcoholic beer the alcohol kind of offsets all those benefits though.  There was actually a study done of marathon runners that demonstrated zero-alcohol beer was associated with a reduced likelihood of getting sick after a marathon, compared to alcoholic beer.

               

              I'm amazed you gave up coffee though. I would probably kill one of my workmates if I attempted to do that.

              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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

              Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

              "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

              zebano


                 

                I just read an alcohol that suggested zero alcohol beer is actually an excellent recovery drink.  Beer (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are both high in polyphenols (basically antioxidants) as well as sodium and potassium - and obviously both almost completely natural.  In the case of alcoholic beer the alcohol kind of offsets all those benefits though.  There was actually a study done of marathon runners that demonstrated zero-alcohol beer was associated with a reduced likelihood of getting sick after a marathon, compared to alcoholic beer.

                 

                I'm amazed you gave up coffee though. I would probably kill one of my workmates if I attempted to do that.

                 

                I can't say I'm surprised by the study. You run a marathon there's a recovery cost, if you compound it by also drinking and increasing that cost your body has more work to do.

                 

                Coffee was actually the first thing I identified as triggering my indigestion so it went first. I had absolutely no headaches or withdrawal symptoms other than just daydreaming about how tasty a coffee would be right now and decaf tea has mostly replaced that.

                1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)

                JamesD


                JamesD

                  On time sucks - I've been Facebook free for more than 8 years now and don't miss it.  When some organizations tell me to see their FB page for more info, I often get perverse pleasure from telling them I don't use FB and thus won't see their info.  RA is probably the closest thing to social medial that I use.

                   

                   

                  I finally gave in and joined Facebook several years ago because our local newspaper and a few other sites of interest required it if I wanted to comment on their articles.  In an effort to maintain a certain amount of privacy, I used the name of a character in a Spanish novel and the mobile phone number of my then-in-his-80s dad who never used the phone.  Seems to have worked, as Facebook keeps sending that phone (which I inherited) messages identifying people with Muslim names as potential friends.  Not that I have anything against Muslims - I knew several in Guyana & Mozambique - but I don't know any here and have no idea why Facebook thinks they might be my friends.

                  Post-1987 PRs:  Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)

                  '24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32

                  Half Crazy K 2.0


                    Beer/alcohol, I rarely, if ever drink. Like maybe once or twice every six months of so. I prefer to get my empty calories from sweets. I cut down coffee several years ago to 1 cup in the am and 1 additional cup before 2pm of caffinated. Anything more regular and I get jittery.

                     

                    zabano, I'm jealous youo had no withdrawl symptoms. I get awful headaches if I skip coffee.

                    Fredford66


                    Waltons ThreadLord

                      I'm with HCK on the caffeine issue.  I don't drink a lot, 1-2 cups of tea a day, but I'll get a mild headache if I go without it for more than a day.

                       

                      I met my RP for 5 miles at HM pace (after a warmup run).  I've been hoping to get back to running my HM miles in the 8:20 range without a lot of success. Today my watch was telling my I was running in the 8:30 - 8:45 range most of the time (and slower up the big hill).  I was ready to accept that since we were dealing with 25 mph winds gusting to 40 mph (40kph/64pkh), and the effort sure felt like HM, but my RP's Apple watch kept saying we were running 8:05 - 8:20, which would have been nice to believe.  In the end, simply going by elapsed time, we averaged 8:43, so I don't know what his watch was reporting.  We'll see whether I can get to sub 8:30, let alone in the 8:20 range, on a day without wind.  If not, this may just be a down training/racing cycle for me, and that's OK.

                      5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
                      10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

                      Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

                       

                      zebano


                        Fred with wind like that, don't worry about the watch. Call that a successful run and move on.

                        1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)

                        JamesD


                        JamesD

                          Is there anything wrong with doing strides to break up an easy run rather than at the end of one?  I'd like to get in 7 or so miles on days I do strides, but these days at the end of 6 miles, even if they're easy, I'm still feeling a bit tired.  Seems like doing three or four miles easy (it takes me that long to get loose when it's cold), then strides with one-minute breaks between each one, then a couple more miles easy would be less tiring, but I always read about strides as a post-run thing.  Any thoughts?

                          Post-1987 PRs:  Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)

                          '24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32

                          Marky_Mark_17


                            Fred - completely agree with Zebano.  Wind messes everything up.  Don't read too much into it!

                             

                            James - I typically do strides midway through an easy run.  Around halfway if I'm feeling good, a bit later if I'm like 'ugh... gotta do those strides some time I guess'.

                            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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

                            Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

                            "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

                              Weekly for period: From: 23/01/2023 To 29/01/2023

                              Weekly Grid

                              Date

                              Name

                              km

                              Duration

                              Elevation Gain
                              in m

                              23/01

                              Afternoon Run

                              8.05

                              00:53:29

                              103

                              24/01

                              Morning Run

                              11.04

                              01:07:44

                              23

                              25/01

                              Morning Run

                              13.42

                              01:16:45

                              43

                              26/01

                              Morning Run

                              11.02

                              01:07:41

                              37

                              27/01

                              Morning Run

                              16.63

                              01:42:45

                              53

                              Total distance: 60.16km

                               

                              The training week is in the bag. I will cross train (cycle) over the weekend, just to get some additional aerobic benefit but have decided against adding another running day / doubles, to prevent injuries. I am very prone to that. 12 more weeks, that means 11 weeks of serious training.

                              Skiing went super well in -20°C, I only fell once, otherwise am in need of new equipment. Will need to make room in my budget for that. They have fancy ski boots now, that you can clip into with soft boots just a bit narrower than snowboard boots – which makes walking a lot easier. I might give them a shot, but they are pricey (Dahu).

                               

                              HCK & Fred: we belong in this thread, speed wise. All others should move over to the hard core racing thread that Keen is moderating 😊 In the end, we are all running solo, so comparisons are nonsense. But I often envy those that run past and are having a calm discussion while I am completely out of breath – and in my case it’s not just teenagers that pass me chatting.

                               

                              Re strides: assuming the aim here is to improve the blood flow in the legs, posture/form and muscle memory in the fast twitch muscles, science would recommend to run strides at the end or towards the end of an easy run. But I don’t think it really matters as much at our level and can be fit in any time, as long as it isn’t during the warmup phase.

                               

                              Re coffee & alcohol: hardly ever drink coffee after 12pm – and have cut back on caffeine intake to improve sleep. And most days, I sleep really well. Same reason why I practically quit alcohol, other than occasional client lunches / dinners. I love lemonade beer however (they call it Panaché in Europe, not sure if this made its way to the US / NZ yet). And for that I usually chose alcohol free beer, tastes just the same to me.

                               

                              On the shoe topic: I have never owned a pair of NB – I ordered one of their foam shoes once, but they felt really flimsy, too soft for me and I returned them. Agree however, that Brooks isn’t the great shoe maker anymore. Not a big fan of the Ghost, haven’t tried the Levitate or others. I usually shop for bargains, and that is usually Asics, Adidas, Nike and Hoka. Need to get a pair of the expensive Saucony’s when they go on sale though.

                              HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)

                               

                              2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!

                              JamesD


                              JamesD

                                I love lemonade beer however (they call it Panaché in Europe, not sure if this made its way to the US / NZ yet). And for that I usually chose alcohol free beer, tastes just the same to me.

                                 

                                I believe what you call lemonade beer is called a shandy in the UK and Commonwealth countries. I've seen it a few times in the U.S., but it's not common here.

                                Post-1987 PRs:  Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)

                                '24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32