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

Wullie - I somehow missed your marathon.  That looked a rather painful second half!

Me too! Sorry about that. Bit going on before finishing work for the year, plus I was sick last week.

I normally don't write big reports for 5k races, but today was special for me, so here it is.

2023/24 Winter Trail Series Race #2 - 12/16/23 - Lewis Morris Park

I'd raced several of last winter's races and enjoyed them all, so I signed up for the first one I could get to this year (I had a conflict with the first race of the series).  Whereas last year's races were on a cross country course used by local high schools, today's race was in a different location, on hiking/biking paths in a different park.  Having looked at the contour map of the park, it was clear this would be a real trail race (vs. XC) with some narrow paths and steep hills (plus I expected plenty of roots & rocks).  We (younger son running the race too; wife along for the ride) got there about 30 minutes ahead of time, saw the 10k race start, picked up our chips (wrapped around the ankle), and I went on a warmup run.

The racers were called to the start line a few minutes before 10:00 and given a brief talk about how to follow the markings on the course.  There was one important point where the 10k course and the 5k course split; we were told to take the left turn.  I'm guessing there were 15 - 20 runners there (turns out there were 19).  A "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" count and we were off.  The start was downhill on a smooth surface so I took off (I've learned on trail races to go fast whenever the course condition allows).  DS was right there with me and I kept expecting other runners to reel us in but it didn't happen.

About ½ mile in we hit the first hill climb and DS fell back.  I was running on my own, still in the lead and figured I'd just keep pushing.  At ¾ mile the course hits a set of short uphill switchbacks and I got a clear look back.  DS was falling further back, but at this point I first spotted a runner in a pink top.  Coming to the 1 mile mark, the course was still climbing, I was slowing, and pink shirt was closing on me.  Trail races where I live are in the foothills of the Appalachians, which means some very old terrain.  The uphill and downhill sections are full of rocks and roots, but the flat sections can be smooth and that's what I got shortly after the 1-mile mark, and I was able to put on a burst of speed and pull away from pink shirt.  This didn't last as around 1.4 miles the course started it's steepest climb up to the highest point.  I made the strategic decision to switch to walking on this steepest, rockiest part.  Near the top, the hill got less steep and I started running again, but pink shirt had caught up and passed me here.  I told her she was now the leader and to go for it, which she thanked me for.

So, about halfway through I was no longer leading, but I wasn't seeing anyone else behind me on the turns, so I knew I was still first male.  Then I noticed pink shirt wasn't really pulling away, but staying 30 yards or so ahead.  We hit a not-too-steep downhill and I put my foot on the gas.  I passed pink shirt on the downhill stretch and she told me to "go get it" and mentioned she thought she'd passed my son, which I confirmed.  However, just as pink shirt hadn't pulled away from me, it seemed I wasn't pulling away from her.  Around 2.7 miles there was another hill climb and I was tiring again.  (I'd caught a couple roots and almost went down at one point, which tweaked my hamstring a bit, so I was feeling a little beaten up.)  I opted to walk the short uphill, expecting pink shirt to pass me again, but she didn't.

By now, we had merged back onto the same route as the 10k and there were more runners around, so I had people in front of me to follow  and to set as targets to help me keep my lead on pink shirt. Around 2.8 miles the course turned to mostly smooth and mostly downhill.  I heard pink shirt say "quarter mile to go," though I don't know if that was just for herself or for both of us.  I recalled that the race page clearly stated "distances approximate" and the RD had told us that the park had made changes to some of the paths, so I wasn't banking on there being ¼ mile left and decided I'd just keep running hard (all that distance training really helped out here).

3.1 miles came and went.  Pink shirt was still back there, sometimes closer and sometimes further back.  The course was flat, wide, and smooth and I was working hard to keep near top speed.  I crested a small rise and saw the building where the finish line would be and started my final kick, pumping my arms hard, passing a few 10k runners in the process, and hitting my fastest pace of the day.  I crossed the line feeling elated.  1st Overall.  I had never won a race in my life.  I finished the 3.56 miles in 37:02.  Hannah (pink shirt) was 10 seconds behind me as first female.in 37:12. She asked if I was sure she was first female and I assured her she was the only one to pass me during the race (no 10k runners passed either of us during the combined portion).

DW greeted me at the end, having no idea that all the runners crossing just before me were 10k runners and that I'd actually won (and then she started worrying about DS, who usually finishes before me, so motherly instinct smothered any joy she might have felt for me).  3rd place was 41:34, so Hannah and I had clearly put the pack well behind us and I think that was in large part because we were pushing each other for more than half the race.  DS came in at 45:18 feeling grumpy about a couple of stumbles and about thinking he'd taken a wrong turn because at 3.1 miles the race wasn't over (despite me warning him that might happen).  He cheered up a bit when he found out he was 4th male, 7th overall, and not as far behind me as he feared.

My first ever race win felt great.  My prize was free entry into an upcoming race, which I promptly registered for (so about a $35 value).  The next race will be back on the XC course and my track-star nephews will be there for the 5k, so I signed up for the 10k so they wouldn't be able to compare their times with mine.

Congratulations Fred, that's great!  Good that you & Hannah could push each other.  Too bad about your DW worrying more about your son.  

After a couple of days resting my left knee, I started alternating treadmill days and pool-running ones.  Feels like I’m at least not losing too much fitness but certainly not gaining any.  The knee feels more stiff than painful now, but I hope that’s just adjustment to the pool running.

Sun & Mon - off resting knee

Tues - 5 miles very slow treadmill PM (60:20) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 mins

Weds - 60 minutes pool running

Thurs - 7.5 miles very slow treadmill (48:25 AM/42 PM) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 mins 

Fri - 62 minutes pool running

Sat - 7.5 miles very slow treadmill (60:25 AM/30 PM) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 mins

Total - 20 miles

YTD Average - 36 mpw

Mark - still a lot of running, despite the cold. Btw its summer time for you guys, why do you catch a cold????

Fred - great achievement. What a way to end the 2023 season. Great stuff.

James - hope that knee gets better soon.

Watson great week and nice long run. I am jealous but have to remind myself that in the end its summer for you guys and I felt like it was easier to be out and do some longer stuff than now, in this dark and gloomy weather in Europe...

My week was decent - shifted from 5k to the JD Marathon Plan, as I am slowly starting to ramp up for an 18 week training cycle.

4 Runs totalling 48km / 2 easy bike sessions and one tennis session for a total of 7:41h of working out, plus a bit of stretching and lifting in the basement.

Weekly for period: From: 11/12/2023 To 17/12/2023

Totals: Time: 07:41:43 - 🦅Imperial: 29.70 mi - Metric: 47.78 km

65 miles running, 90 minutes pool-running and ~1000 yards swimming.
M: 90 minutes pool-running and streaming yoga
T: Upperbody weights/core and 7.5 miles very easy (10:25) on trails.
W: Streaming yoga and 11 miles very easy (9:27) plus strides.
Th: 10 miles, with 8 Iwo Jima hills (alternating 2-2:50 uphill with 30-40 second downhill stride, 60-90 second jog between each). Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.
F: 11 miles very easy (9:41) plus drills and strides. Streaming yoga in afternoon.
Sa: 17.5 miles, including 2x5 miles at marathon effort (37:24- 7:29 pace and 37:13 - 7:27 pace) with 8:32 float between the two. Followed with injury prevention work and 500 meters recovery swimming.
Su: 8 miles very easy (10:17) on trails.

I'm finally starting to feel like myself, 3 weeks after stopping the Lexapro. Saturday's long run was a nice confidence boost, especially given the fact that I intentionally pre-loaded my legs with a lot of work in the days before. I'm now 4 weeks out from Houston, so I'm going to start pulling back slightly on the mileage while upping the intensity.

Fred - congrats on the win - that's awesome!  I enjoyed the race report!

James - I think stiff is a positive sign that your knee is past the initial inflammatory stage.

Rune - you've got some good overall fitness there.

Half_Crazy - I totally get the bed thing.  If I didn't have a marathon in a few weeks, I would have made the same choice.  And yes, they're redoing the infield on that track.  And it's great that they take the time to maintain the facility and this is the best time of year to do it, so I shouldn't complain too much.

Watson- solid long run!

Mick - what is a (fr)easy run?  A freezing easy run?  Or an easy run in a French-speaking area?

Hi Waltons. For those who don't know me, I'm from the jerks thread. Just wanted to barge in here real quick to say congratulations Fredford66 on your first win, that's awesome! Back to lurking. Sorry for kicking in the door.

You're really letting down the jerks by being polite and gracious

Hi Waltons. For those who don't know me, I'm from the jerks thread. Just wanted to barge in here real quick to say congratulations Fredford66 on your first win, that's awesome! Back to lurking. Sorry for kicking in the door.

MJ, do you have deer? Here the staring is from the asshole deer. They really don't care about people. Last week, I came in our garage door instead of the front door because they would not move off the front yard by the walkway. Even pulling the car into the driveway and honking the horn won't make them move (granted Subaru's have the wimpiest horns ever). We live in the no hunting part of the county, so their only danger is cars. There is a line in the northern part of the county where you can discharge guns with certaiann restrictions, it's far more rural.