2023 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread (Read 286 times)

 

Mick - Sounds like a great idea, though maybe the competitive urge will surface once you cross the start line.

 

With three days to go, and given it's been consistent, I think I can start to trust Sunday's forecast.  Looking at 56º to start, going up to 61º (13C - 16C) with moderate humidity and low winds of about 5 mph (8kph).  The one thing that's been variable is the cloud cover, but - oh well.  The temperature is a bit warm for me, but it could be so much worse that I'll gladly run in that weather.

It will draw the crowds to the streets and seems like perfect PR weather (no pressure)!!! You will have a great time I am sure.

And yes absolutely correct - once I cross the startline I am in beast mode haha. But....if I don't plan on taking it too serious, I won't obsess over missing some workouts during the training block. I believe that's already a big win.

Fred - those conditions sound pretty good.  Good luck.  I also hope the pre-race waiting, logistics etc. aren't tiring too.

Thanks.

It's a hurry-up-and-wait kind of thing.  5:15 am drive to the bus (will feel like 6:15 due to the time change), then an hour ride to the start area.  Then 2+ hours of waiting, which I've now learned to use for relaxation (I'll take a plastic garbage bag to put on the ground so I can lie down without getting damp).  The main thing will be to stay hydrated and fueled in the 5 hours between when I get up and when I cross the start line.

Good luck Fred!  Definitely sounds like good conditions, especially after what was served up last year.

 

Thanks.  Yes, so very much better than last year.

Good luck Fred!  Is there a bib # you can share?  (sorry if I missed it)

My week done and dusted.  Malaysia (coming into rainy season) was super humid as expected... I ventured outside for one run in KLCC Park but otherwise stuck to the hotel treadmill.  Didn't get much time for sightseeing given there was a pretty packed agenda, but my hotel room was on the 25th floor, overlooking KLCC Park and looking directly at Petronas Tower so that was pretty cool.  The food and hospitality were great, only downside was my flight out was late so although I made my connection in Singapore back to Auckland, my bag didn't - although it did arrive on my doorstep less than 24 hours later.  Very impressed with Singapore Airlines - between sorting that efficiently and their very friendly and helpful flight attendants, I would go out of my way to fly with them again.

Weekly for period: From: 30/10/2023 To 05/11/2023

Totals: Time: 05:49:02 - 🦅Imperial: 49.37 mi - Metric: 79.44 km

Good luck, Fred!  I hope it helps to be on the right side of the time change. At least you'll get an extra hour of sleep.

Steve - Glad your partner is doing better.  Hope the horse is ok.

Please excuse the following whining, but I’m getting really tired of having a new issue every week.  Was sneezing a lot last weekend, and it turned into sinus trouble that kept me in bed from Monday (after a surprisingly decent run) through Wednesday.  Last November something similar morphed into a chest issue, maybe bronchitis, just before my goal half, so I suppose it’s better that this happened sooner this year.  I did turn a planned 5-mile tempo Friday, which would’ve been my longest this year, into a 3-mile one.  Pace was ok, & I felt reasonably strong, but my lungs hurt afterwards, so we’ll see how things go.  At least last week’s issue, my back, is doing better.

I’m also having the same sort of pre-half uncertainty that I had last year.  Found out today that the poorly organized half I ran last year has been postponed to next March.  My options are:

1. A small locally run half that’s a week from today.  DW will do the 5K.  Weather looks good (53F/12C), but so far only one person around my speed (he may be a bit faster) has signed up, along with a couple of teenagers who may have improved since their last races.  Running alone most of the way would defeat the purpose of racing for me.  The signup deadline is Thursday, so I’ll taper this week and check back in a few days to see if anyone else has registered and whether the forecast still looks good.
2. A big Thanksgiving Day half in Atlanta.  Current weather forecast isn’t bad (47/8), but it’s almost 3 weeks away, so who knows.  Competition would be very good, and it would be a chance to see how I measure up against the state’s fastest runners in my age group (I think I’m about 6th).  On the other hand, I'm not in great shape, Atlanta is very hilly, and my hamstrings might not do well.  Need to look for a hotel.
3. Wait for the early-January local half that almost certainly will have people for me to run with.  Temperature is the issue; it’s rarely warm enough that time of year for me to want to race.  The current forecast looks unseasonably warm, but two months out that’s just a guess.

Sun - 44 minutes swimming

Mon - 8.3 miles in park PM @ 8:32

Tues-Weds - off sick

Thurs - 4 miles very slow treadmill (48:15) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 mins

Fri - 6.3 miles in park PM including 3 @ 7:04 

Sat - 6.2 miles in park PM @ 8:56

Total - 25.1 miles

YTD Average - 36.6 mpw

Fred’s through halfway at 2:04:15.  Seems to be slowing slightly, though I don’t know if that’s due to hills or rising temperatures.