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

 

I am registered for the hardest marathon in the USA which is on the 3rd of December!  I’ll be running a marathon before then to qualify for London 2024.

Ha that's cool. How are you going to train for a downhill course though Reverse hill repeats, walk up the hill, then hammer down? I think CIM is challenging because everyone thinks it's easy, but then it's like the last layer of the Rubiks Cube.

RP: fucking great race report, fucking great experience, fucking dream, fucking fuck.  What's up next, I mean you will need to find a new goal somehow? Western States the whole thing maybe?

Checked my percentage, I am at 62%. I am going back to  the Waltons and won't post unless I get to a solid 70 (percent and age might coincide by then).

RP: Thoroughly enjoyable read.

 

Yeah I was thinking about that as my usual training would be mostly flat with one hilly trail run per week. I’ll worry about that nearer the time as I’m just focusing on building mileage up and avoiding any more PF flare-ups!

Here's the thing about CIM: if you train on any sort of rolling terrain (nothing serious, 30 feet up, 30 feet down type of hills), you will find CIM to be a great course and you will wonder how anyone finds it "challenging." But if your usual easy run of 10 miles is on almost dead flat terrain, you will find the course a bit challenging. That's been my experience talking to folks: the only people who struggle train on dead flat land. I see it here in NYC: have heard runners say they thought CIM was "hard" but it's because they only train along the river, where you literally will get less than 10 feet of elevation gain on a 20 mile long run if you wanted to.

I'm going to try for a 3 miler today, first attempt in a month. Made the doctor appointment on Wednesday though. Achilles is probably 75% better! But this PTT is a total bitch that refuses to budge.

steve You gotta lose to know how to win. Sounds similar to "the highs are so high because the lows are so low." Chasing the euphoric feeling had plenty of lows. In running and personal life. It was great, and even after talking to commanderkeen when he PR'd CIM I realized it isn't just me who gets to enjoy it. It's my wife, my mom (I probably should have put this in the race report now that I think about it), my family and other folks who can tell people I ran Boston.

Best of luck figuring out the foot thing. I still support the idea of running a 35K or farther at race pace in the race shoes, then normal shoes.

half yeah I'd support the second eyes. I've actually considered using my GoPro to record my running form and uploading it here. The biggest reason I never went with a coach was the $300/month costs. I was cheap or couldn't justify spending it, or told myself it wasn't a guarantee. Just the money alone was enough to prevent me from doing it. I DID "hire a coach" (went to the community college) for a year to learn how to weld. Amazing results. 10/10 would recommend.

Piwi I actually have it in my shorts. I suggested them to a guy at the finish line who said "I need my bag because my phone is in in." The shorts keen said were too long have a brief style liner. on the right thigh it has a pocket. Actually, the newest ones have a zipper pocket on the outside. I use the 7" and apparently the 5" has the pocket as well...so maybe I could go shorter.

https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/mens-sherpa-5inch-running-shorts/211332.html

I did see his videos. All of them. I realized it's how people get too caught up in the fun/social side of Boston and possibly ruin their day. When he was at the expo talking about eating, then walking around more talking about eating, then walking to go get something to eat and so much time had passed I was glad I avoided a lot. Since he's a big social media guy, who had a live stream as well as a shakeout run which I think he ran TO I started to think he ruined his day before it even began. I really liked his video about the race because I think him and I followed a similar path and achieved very similar goals. He ran a 2:56 at Tokyo this year and I had a 2:56 PR until Boston. When his friend said something about waking up feeling like he'd been out all night partying I realized it's just another element I don't have as part of my training. His videos are really good. He's really honest and open. He puts in a lot of work and almost makes me think recording a marathon wouldn't be as bad as I'd think.

I also watch his race recap. It reminded me of when we had Elisabeth Clor run CIM the year I broke 3 hours. I'm pretty sure JMac was there as well. She complained about weather and headwind. Kofuzi did too. I didn't feel a headwind either races and thought the weather was great. So part of me thinks the difference in my race recap/report is I did well and they didn't. His heart rate was getting high and he knew it was the end. He had the same approach to the hills as I did (which is actually the OPPOSITE of what I personally believe about hills apparently) and maybe his social events and "it's Boston. you gotta..." attitude just lead to his body not getting the rest he needed. When I saw people asking for photos and saw the Kofuzi run club" sign on the course it was just another layer. He shows up to do a shakeout, then has 40 minutes of social photos to do (because he's an amazing human being and this is what makes him so likable) I wouldn't have to do. I could run down the street with a gopro on a 3m selfie-stick and no one would care. He pops his out and everyone waves or runs across the street into oncoming traffic to take a photo. I do think it would be fun to run a race WITH him just because him and I are so similar in abilities, and he gives me a vibe of the type of person I'd want to race with. More "team" than "me." There is no I in team (no comments about the "a hole"), but there is an I in WIN.

Flavio Actually, I didn't really chat people up. It is something I realized along the course. I'm not making friends. People were here to run Boston. Not make a new friend and give me a high five at the end. Maybe some folks did because they were struggling for a bit and latched on to people. Maybe I was just focused on my race day being MY race day.  I just realized along the way all the things I'd say out loud stayed in my head because "no one is going to listen." The downhill at mile 16 where everyone stormed ahead....no one would listen to me if I said "hey y'all there is a BIG fucking set of hills coming so maybe check your pace." Although....chatting up the guy talking about "check your pace" at the girls school was about as much as I had come out. It's still amazing I can run that pace and chat. Almost as if my body uses it like other people use smiling to elicit positivity to their body. The whole "smiling makes your body release endorphins" or something.

I couldn't' do 10 pull ups right now if you paid me $1,000. Maybe 6 if I pushed myself.

Mick

steve You gotta lose to know how to win. Sounds similar to "the highs are so high because the lows are so low." Chasing the euphoric feeling had plenty of lows. In running and personal life. It was great, and even after talking to commanderkeen when he PR'd CIM I realized it isn't just me who gets to enjoy it. It's my wife, my mom (I probably should have put this in the race report now that I think about it), my family and other folks who can tell people I ran Boston.

Best of luck figuring out the foot thing. I still support the idea of running a 35K or farther at race pace in the race shoes, then normal shoes.

half yeah I'd support the second eyes. I've actually considered using my GoPro to record my running form and uploading it here. The biggest reason I never went with a coach was the $300/month costs. I was cheap or couldn't justify spending it, or told myself it wasn't a guarantee. Just the money alone was enough to prevent me from doing it. I DID "hire a coach" (went to the community college) for a year to learn how to weld. Amazing results. 10/10 would recommend.

Piwi I actually have it in my shorts. I suggested them to a guy at the finish line who said "I need my bag because my phone is in in." The shorts keen said were too long have a brief style liner. on the right thigh it has a pocket. Actually, the newest ones have a zipper pocket on the outside. I use the 7" and apparently the 5" has the pocket as well...so maybe I could go shorter.

https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/mens-sherpa-5inch-running-shorts/211332.html

I did see his videos. All of them. I realized it's how people get too caught up in the fun/social side of Boston and possibly ruin their day. When he was at the expo talking about eating, then walking around more talking about eating, then walking to go get something to eat and so much time had passed I was glad I avoided a lot. Since he's a big social media guy, who had a live stream as well as a shakeout run which I think he ran TO I started to think he ruined his day before it even began. I really liked his video about the race because I think him and I followed a similar path and achieved very similar goals. He ran a 2:56 at Tokyo this year and I had a 2:56 PR until Boston. When his friend said something about waking up feeling like he'd been out all night partying I realized it's just another element I don't have as part of my training. His videos are really good. He's really honest and open. He puts in a lot of work and almost makes me think recording a marathon wouldn't be as bad as I'd think.

I also watch his race recap. It reminded me of when we had Elisabeth Clor run CIM the year I broke 3 hours. I'm pretty sure JMac was there as well. She complained about weather and headwind. Kofuzi did too. I didn't feel a headwind either races and thought the weather was great. So part of me thinks the difference in my race recap/report is I did well and they didn't. His heart rate was getting high and he knew it was the end. He had the same approach to the hills as I did (which is actually the OPPOSITE of what I personally believe about hills apparently) and maybe his social events and "it's Boston. you gotta..." attitude just lead to his body not getting the rest he needed. When I saw people asking for photos and saw the Kofuzi run club" sign on the course it was just another layer. He shows up to do a shakeout, then has 40 minutes of social photos to do (because he's an amazing human being and this is what makes him so likable) I wouldn't have to do. I could run down the street with a gopro on a 3m selfie-stick and no one would care. He pops his out and everyone waves or runs across the street into oncoming traffic to take a photo. I do think it would be fun to run a race WITH him just because him and I are so similar in abilities, and he gives me a vibe of the type of person I'd want to race with. More "team" than "me." There is no I in team (no comments about the "a hole"), but there is an I in WIN.

Flavio Actually, I didn't really chat people up. It is something I realized along the course. I'm not making friends. People were here to run Boston. Not make a new friend and give me a high five at the end. Maybe some folks did because they were struggling for a bit and latched on to people. Maybe I was just focused on my race day being MY race day.  I just realized along the way all the things I'd say out loud stayed in my head because "no one is going to listen." The downhill at mile 16 where everyone stormed ahead....no one would listen to me if I said "hey y'all there is a BIG fucking set of hills coming so maybe check your pace." Although....chatting up the guy talking about "check your pace" at the girls school was about as much as I had come out. It's still amazing I can run that pace and chat. Almost as if my body uses it like other people use smiling to elicit positivity to their body. The whole "smiling makes your body release endorphins" or something.

I couldn't' do 10 pull ups right now if you paid me $1,000. Maybe 6 if I pushed myself.

Mick up next is my Sunday long run. Should be a good one. Check it out around 10am PST. I considered doing the local 50k and I'll need to figure out child care because my wife has already planned a girls day and my event would EASILY be 8 hours. I am not sure I can rely on my mother to do something with my oldest son for 8 hours unless it involves lots of time staying at their hours watching tv.

wc thanks. Also thank for the encouragement you didn't know you gave me around miles 18-19.

CIM Talk to commanderkeen about flat runs and CIM. All I'm going to say is "even when you're going down, you're still going up." Boston had the same TYPE of rolling hills as CIM and no one talks about them. Everyone's focus for Boston is 16-21. You'd think the whole race resembles an X games half pipe/Big air with a jump in the middle the way people describe it. Downhill for 8-16 miles, big hills, then downhill to the finish. Everyone says "CIM is downhill" and it is, and if you want to be a dick about it "so is Boston." Blah blah blah. CIM gets hate because people go there and run times they haven't been able to run elsewhere. Marathons are hard. Put in the work and you'll get the reward. Make excuses and you'll bitch about a race. Both races have YouTube videos you can watch to see what they are like.

CIM....swing the first right hand turn wide, and the first three hills will give you a glimpse of what you're going to see for the next 21 miles.

Boston 2023

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/10925196580

Vertical Gain 906 ft (276m)

Vertical descent 1345.7 (410m)

California International Marathon

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/7919333815

Vertical Gain 655 ft (200m)

Vertical descent 987 ft (300m)

you drop more at Boston by 34m, and the gain is concentrated into one section. If you're not prepared you're going to suffer at either one. Go out too fast at either one and you might ruin your day. My buddy went out faster to bank time for the hills at Boston and PR'd by 3 or 4 minutes. In his second marathon. His first was CIM. Oh wait...there is also the guy who got under 2:54 at Boston 23 and ran a 3:02 or 3:04 at CIM 21 ALSO his first marathon. So if you incorporate hills into your marathon training, and your marathon has hills in it you'll be prepared. If you live in the flats you're going to need to come up with a way to train for hills. JMac did it. Keen did it. Darkwave gets her hill repeats in.

In closing, marathon training sucks and everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

Mmerkle dude, I'm STILL impressed with you breaking 3 hours with a 20 mile per hour head wind.

Jmac I'm glad you are feeling slightly more optimistic about the injury. It won't last forever.

RP interesting on carrying the phone. I'm not a 2 inch split shorts guy so alot of my shorts are more substantial and longer. Yeah it must have been a big working weekend for Kofuzi. Unable to really rest up.

On my tempo run yesterday some of my splits were slower than your marathon pace 

piwi I’ll work on increasing my marathon pace.  You work on being ‘too old’ for things.

I get the feeling that if you train correctly for CIM then it would be about 2/3min faster than London. I mean there’s a reason why it’s not considered a legit course for WR times.🤷‍♂️

NYC isn't legal for WR times either! So I wouldn't use that logic lol.

I think it really depends on training. Like I said, if you train for hills, I do think it's easier than a dead flat course like London. Probably in the 1-2 minute category. The near guaranteed great weather is hugely helpful. I personally like the rolling hills nature of the course, regardless of training. The monotony of a dead flat course gets to me. Too much training with headphones I guess, I'm weak.

RP - I've been digesting your reports here and there. Amazing as always. What's interesting to me is how you don't really dwell too much on how much pain you're in. I wonder if you have another gear!  More importantly, is Marathon Scott joining us at CIM this year? Maybe you will finally get the chance to push Cal in a wheelchair at the start given how little he's training!

 

NYC isn't legal for WR times either! So I wouldn't use that logic lol.

 

I think it really depends on training. Like I said, if you train for hills, I do think it's easier than a dead flat course like London. Probably in the 1-2 minute category. The near guaranteed great weather is hugely helpful. I personally like the rolling hills nature of the course, regardless of training. The monotony of a dead flat course gets to me. Too much training with headphones I guess, I'm weak.

 

RP - I've been digesting your reports here and there. Amazing as always. What's interesting to me is how you don't really dwell too much on how much pain you're in. I wonder if you have another gear!  More importantly, is Marathon Scott joining us at CIM this year? Maybe you will finally get the chance to push Cal in a wheelchair at the start given how little he's training!

I’m pretty sure I will run CIM and think it’s easier than London! 

Cal has assured me that he’s going to put in some decent training for CIM and if you and Marathon Scott are also on the start line that would be so cool! 👍