Forums >Racing>2023 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread
HCK - I hope the Daniels speed plan works for you (I think it will). Yes, I definitely had an advantage in the local race. No stress about getting there on time or finding parking. No PoP lines to worry about. And of course, knowing the route in great detail (though most of the last mile was on a street I generally don't run on because it's one of the busier through-streets around here so when it's not closed for a race it has a lot of traffic).
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming race(s): Turkey Trot, 11/25; Hangover 5k, 1/1
Mick, not really running, but I tend to get the extra stuff with the car. I've bought the extended warranty in the past just before the manufacturer;s one is up and it is more expensive then. The tire part, well, I have the worst luck with tires. On my last car, I got my money's worth on the Firestone road hazard coverage, including a brand new tire when I got a screw through a 90 day old tire. I basically work on the campus of a major hospital (that probably even those not in the US have heard of) andd they are always building something, so I guess it is from there.
Half - yes, a major ERP upgrade.
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)
JamesD
James, that's a tough choice with poor organization & good course. Was it a new race so some of the issues could be pointed towards just inexperience?
Experience can't fix that much stupidity.
What's odd is that none of the incompetence -- about which I could go on and on, and did last year -- affected me all that much on race day. One reason is that the organizer wasn't able to implement some of the announced plans (e.g., "Everyone should carry a flag the whole way, because it'll make for great pictures"). There was a good course that started & ended four blocks from home so I could do my shakeout jog on our building's treadmill, I had people to chase for the first 9 or so miles, and the weather wasn't as bad as had been forecast, so it turned out ok despite everything. That's what I'm hoping for this year too.
Post-1987 PRs: Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)
'23 Goals: health; consistency; age-graded PRs; half < 1:30
JamesD, Having just dealt with planning of an event (not running), I am totally picturing this race having a bunch of very enthusiastic people who really need a voice of reason person on the committee to reign things in. It totally sucks to be that person becuase you need to walk that line of well, that's a cool idea, but....... The event I just dealt with, to compare to a race, about 4-6 weeks out, the prizes were being finalized & prettied up, but the race course & timing were not determined. I wound up spending more time than I wanted/had on finding the timing company (not a timing company, but you get the idea).
You're being more charitable than these people deserve. I don't think anyone should need a voice of reason person to tell them that it's a good idea to make the half course map known at least two days before the race, especially when I and presumably others were trying to decide whether to run that race or another half in town the same day. Answering questions posted on your Facebook page rather than ignoring them for months also seems pretty basic. There were lots and lots of other issues. This is an out-of-town group that misleadingly implies on the event website that it is the successor event to a locally run (and really well-organized) full/half/5K that was held for 10 years through 2019 and raised a bunch of money for military charities. The website also had a lot of language about supporting soldiers/Marines/first responders, but they never posted any pictures after the event of them delivering checks to military-related charities, which makes me wonder. The frustrating thing is that they advertised the event well to out-of-towners (and not at all locally), so there were several people around my speed, compared to maybe 1 or 2 in the same-day half put on by our local club, and the course (basically copied from local races) was better for me too. I hope they do a better job this year.
Mark - Congrats on being 3rd OA at the trail race. I think the trail races you signed up for will definitely help you. There's a local runner here who switched his training to the steep ridge north of town (i.e. much more elevation) and went from being a 3:15 marathoner to a 3:00 marathoner. There used to be a trail run near me that had one part so steep that everyone just walked it (and single file because it was narrow), but it had plenty of slopes that were challenging to run on. I don't like handhelds because I feel they throw off my balance. I wind up with less arm swing on the side holding the bottle. Do you have a way around that, or does it just not bother you? Yes, it was great to walk 50' from the finish line and sit down in a camp chair under a shade tent and watch the rest of the runners come in.
It's funny you say this as I was having a chat with another runner at the race, who said that after doing the same trail series last year he ran his first sub-3 marathon!
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: Devonport HM, 1 Oct, course PB.
Up next: Omaha HM, 3 Dec, go harder.
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
James ah the out of town group puts it in a different light. I just got through a big fundraier at work and there were times I wanted to ask those in charge, "why are you focusing on THIS" when it was something that was a minor detail and the key pieces of equipment for the event had yet to be found. If it was a local group, I'd probably think more alaong these lines, but out of town always seems like a bit of a money grab.
I plan to run a lot more hills this summer/fall in the hopes that I can become a 4-hour marathoner.
Quick drop and run on the weekly from me. Not sure how much running will happen next week with the new baby arriving.
Good luck, Mark (& Mrs. Mark)!
It hasn’t been quite as warm this week, and I may be getting acclimated as well. Wednesday’s run was like some of my better runs from last year, though the others this week were slower and sluggish. I still feel limited by my hamstring and glute issues, especially when I start out. It seems to take two (afternoon) to four (morning) miles before I feel like I’m running properly, and sometimes the issues start coming back after seven or so. Still, I’ve been above 40 miles for 8 of the last 10 weeks, with our mini-vacation and 5K being the only reason the other two weeks were lower, so things are going ok.
Sun - 7.5 miles very slow on treadmill (90:25) with 40-second walk breaks/6:00, split into 45:25 AM & 45 PM
Mon - 8.3 miles in park PM @ 8:47
Tues - ~45 mins swimming
Weds - 10.1 miles in park PM @ 8:20, L glute sore
Thurs - 7.5 miles very slow on treadmill (90:25) with 40-second walk breaks/6:00, R hamstring tight after
Fri - 8.3 miles in park PM @ 8:40, R hamstring sore late
Sat - ~53 mins swimming
Total - 41.7 miles
YTD Average - 35.4 mpw
Hot Weather Complainer
Mark - Good luck again, hope it's a smooth week.
James - You've got some very nice consistency going.
My week - Good solid week with 2 sharpening workouts. Not as light as previous cycles but my legs feel really good. Now I head into another race week. I'm looking forward to this one. There will be no big previews or strategy posts, since my plan was to be relaxed and see what happens. I'll stick with that approach. I will say I'm in better shape than the previous 2 - Melbourne I was pretty exhausted for a few weeks around the peak of the cycle, and Christchurch I was sick 2 weeks out, and moved house. So fingers crossed, nothing unexpected happens this week (I know, fate tempted).
<caption>Weekly Grid</caption>
5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23
Upcoming Races:
Foster Park Run 5km November 25
Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024
Christchurch Marathon April 21, 2024
Steve, Mark & James - nice weeks.
Steve - good luck for Selwyn. I hope you end up with some people to run with.
My week was OK. Two strength sessions plus below:
Not much of a week this week. I went from cursing my garmin for telling my I was unproductive to realizing it was right and I was getting sick. Covid tests have been negative and I'm feeling less lousy today, so at least I can probably keep my vacation time for this week. If I tested positive, I would have at the very least worked from home 2 of the days, because why waste vacation days to isolate.
Monday 2 miles easy- treadmill
Tuesday am 6.7 with 2 x 200-ish + 4 x 400-ish
Wednesday am 6 easy, pm strength training
Thursday rest
Friday 6, supposed to be easy, but hear rate through the rooof
Saturday & Sunday, nothing
Mark & family, good luck!
James, nice week. I always fnd early in the spring/summer, anything over 70 feels really warm, then come late August, iit doesn't seem so bad. Same as the first really cool day in the fall.
Steve, hope you have an uneventful week.
Watson, nice week. Jealous of the flat runs.
Thanks all. Won't be around on here a lot the next few days I expect, but hope everyone is going well.