Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023 (Read 574 times)

Can someone explain to me what VDOT means?

Sorry, I am even thicker than Piwi 🤦🏻

It is a calculated score based on running performance in past races. I use this site to calculate comparable performance in different distances and for training paces but ignore the VDOT score. It doesn't factor in anything extra like age for you old guys or weight like us with dad-bods.

V.O2 Running Calculator (vdoto2.com)

 

I love this.

 

Andy - funny enough, during my down period, I was thinking "maybe I should put more into my career" and then had a terrible meeting at work the morning of Boston, which added up to my "I'm not throwing in the towel just yet." But right now, my injuries are what make this hard: if it was just a matter of flipping a switch and coming back to it, I'd be there right now. But like some of you who have run bad marathons thinking "I can't go through another cycle and spend all that time just to bomb on race day," I have a similar nagging feeling of "I can't go through another cycle and not even get the opportunity to test myself because of an injury."

 

I think one of the issues in general too with two young kids is I feel like I'm missing some opportunities with them on my runs. If I want to continue running, I'd have to learn how to be a morning runner, at least on the weekends. That is becoming clear to me. My problem is my high sleep needs: if I can, I'll sleep 9+ hours every night no problem. There is no such thing for me as "getting by" on 6 hours. It has to be at least 7. So that makes things tougher in general.

 

For the kids running, yes I can tell my oldest is interested. It's sad because literally yesterday she was using bean bags as "ice packs" and putting them on me because she said "daddy hurt himself running." So sad. I'm already an old man in her eyes. That's why I still post here - ya'll tell me I'm still young 

1. NEVER put more into your career. I don't say this from the "RP fucking hates his job" side. I say this from the "you won't get out of it what you put into it. I honestly wish, sometimes, the guy who trains for marathons could show up to work. Eventually I remember I'll be used and the reward won't be worth it. I don't know how to say it but what I "lose" from training isn't as bad as what I'd "lose" from putting the same effort into work. Do great, get promoted, have more challenging work to do, get promoted again and have more headaches to deal with. I can walk away from running at any time. Sure you can find a new job, but not for just a few months. I can also blow off a shitty workout a little better than work, and I'm a guy who has ficticious arguing matches with my manager in the car.

2. I've never had an injury as bad as yours. I would just pull out the "do what you tell others to do" line of bullshit you don't want to hear. You're smart enough to know what happens when you train through injury (remember that time you trained for CIM and didn't get injured all summer?) and what the best way forward is.

3. you're ABSOLUTELY correct about missing things with kids. It's something I heard at Boston after finishing. Dad's talking about 3:30am runs and I'm thinking "yeah, I was up and out at 5:30 starting my runs so by the time I get BACK the kids are finishing a movie/tv and ate. I wouldn't have spent any quality time with them at 7am. I DO spend quality time with them after. I changed my schedule to accommodate them a bit. 2019 I'd taken shorter lunches to be home to help the wife at dinner time, and I'd do my TRX after the oldest went to bed (only at the time). This year I'd get dinner, help with the kids and head for a run at 6pm with a goal to be home by 8 and do bed. Twice a week. It's actually a reason I stick with Hanson's. I know the routine. I also took half days at work to get my 2 hour Thursday runs done so it would be less impact on the family. Monday and Wednesday are swimming lessons and Saturday was baseball for a while so getting my runs done while trying to put as minimal impact on the family was important. Now that Boston is over I can just get my jogging on.

If I would have just spent the past 4-6 months blasting out high quality work meeting the highest expectations my boss could give me I'd just have harder projects taking more time causing more stress or concern. fuck. that. At least after four months of training I can take a break and hit the easy button. I'm sure my manager would LOVE to have me working at marathon effort, and I have had enough managers to know "it's never going to be good enough." I'll burn out and hear how sad management is about me blah blah blah and yet I know training at M effort and going for PRs will eventually lead to burnout in racing. AT least the effort in running my family understands. Heck, the 2 year old apparently tells mom "no. daddy running" because to him all I do is run. His mother also allows him to sleep in so I don't see him before work anymore. He use to ask "daddy running?" no. work "Oh. Daddy work. bye."

The morning run is a thing. You just adapt your body to it. Sucks going to bed at 9pm. KNOW WHAT DOESN'T SUCK?? Having your 2 hour long run done by 9am. Enjoy the time off. I know I am. Spend more time with them knowing when you get back to training you're going to wish you had the time. Make it count (look at me sounding like a Hallmark card) because you can't get it back, but the return on investment is probably going to be worth it.

Mikkey - wasn’t it also something to do with a sponsor clash? I’ll be keeping an eye on Ellie Pashley.

RP - brilliant post. Any time I feel guilt about not being 100% dedicated to work I remember how quickly I’ve been made redundant in the past

Side by side comparison of cadence in Philly in November and Boston in April.  It's clear that the crowds got into my head (it may have been there before the race even started).  I used WAY to much mental and physical energy early trying to get "on pace" rather than let the race come to me. That's what I love about the marathon....Every time I think I have it figured out it humbles me again.

Oh yeah....and I finally figured out how to post pictures

Guess I'll have to figure out how to view them.  All I see are two blank rectangles.

Can someone explain to me what VDOT means?

Sorry, I am even thicker than Piwi 🤦🏻

Andy and RP gave a practical definition, but it is based on vVO2Max or velocity at VO2Max, hence closely related to actual performance at or near threshold pace rather than a lab value for VO2Max.

 

CRAP!!  they show up on my screen. I probably screwed something up

You are hosting the images on Google, right?  You need to have the permissions set for the images so that anyone can see them.  I suspect the permissions are not set that way.  So you you can see the images linked here, but we can't.