Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023 (Read 575 times)

I've always thought shoes are overrated and are just used as an excuse for a bad marathon.  If you go out too fast during a marathon then no shoes are going to save you.  Shoes are just a subtle benefit if you get the pace right IMO.  And maybe they also stop you dying after the race unlike that barefoot guy in Ancient Greece, who was obviously a Proper Marathoner.

You guys are childish 

 

You guys are childish 

Just having some fun.

Amusingly, when I ran Auckland Marathon in 2017 one of the faster runners did actually abandon his shoes about a third of the way in as they were annoying him.  He still ran a pretty good time - I think in the 2:40's? - but wasn't in great shape afterwards.

 

As for gels, Mikkey might be on to something.  I've taken them in all 3 marathons I've started and got cramp each time.  Therefore, gels cause cramp.

Never taken a gel, never gotten a cramp in a race. QED

I've decided to run the marathon barefoot and wearing only a speedo.

I'll not carry any energy, but if some bees cross my path I shall chew them to extract their honey.

I have also contacted the race organizers to let them know they should release some lions, some bears and some hipos on the course so I can fight my way to the finish line and don't get bored.

I'm not sure Cal and Mikkey will find my feat manly enough though, probably not 🤔

I also raced this past weekend - race report for Rothman 8K.

And here's my belated week:

44 miles running, 500 yards swimming, and 90 minutes pool-running.
M: 90 minutes pool-running and streaming yoga
T: 9 miles, including a track workout of 6x800 in 3:25, 3:22, 3:16, 3:16, 3:15, 3:13 (recoveries of 3:00-3:13). Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming
W: 8.5 miles very easy (9:27) including some grass running and drills/strides, and upper body weights/core
Th: 7 miles trail-running (9:50)
F: 3 miles very easy (9:27)
Sa: 10 miles, including an 8K race in 36:19.
Su: 6.5 miles (9:32) running around cheering at the Philadelphia Marathon.

Anyone running a turkey trot? I signed up for one (5k) a few days ago, on a whim. Even though I haven’t been feeling very fast, post-marathon. I’ve gotten back to some track workouts over the last month or so, but results have been underwhelming. So we’ll see how it goes. I’ll be happy with anything sub-20. I looked at last year’s results for this race, and top 3 in the M50-59 AG were 17:56, 18:56, 19:13. So it does not look good for placing!

I ended up surprising myself and running a PR! My PR was 19:46, and my official race time was 19:19! Although…the course was clearly short, by something like ~0.05 miles (did not look at my watch right at the finish line). I decided to keep running past the finish and stopped my watch at 3.12 (oops overshot a little) which gave me a 19:43. Strava called the 5k at 19:37. So it was a PR any way you slice it. But frustrating that they couldn’t measure it more accurately. It seems like should have been easy—course is a straight out & back on a multi-use asphalt trail. 

I went out at what felt about right, and it was low 6:20s. Goal was to keep it <6:25 for sub-20, so I was already pretty satisfied with first two splits at 6:24 & 6:25. Entering mile 3 I was still feeling pretty strong, so started pushing a bit more. That split was 6:15, so I feel good about how I finished and think I might have a bit more in me. I might look to test that out at some point at a parkrun, and try to go out a bit more aggressively.

I took 2nd AG, which I was happy with based on last year’s results. Last year’s #1 won again with an 18:23, I don’t think #2 was there, and #3 ran a 19:25 so I just edged him out. I chatted with #3 guy afterwards. Apparently he used to win every year, until the other guy turned 50 last year. Now I show up out of nowhere, lol. But he’s a year older than me so will be in the 60+ category next year, which is not nearly as competitive. Brings up my beef: 10 year age groupings! This race had >1000 runners, they couldn’t have done 5? Such a big difference between 50 and 59.

I’m not always in town for Thanksgiving, but if I am I’d definitely do this one again. Despite the short distance (and that may have just been a fluke this year, IDK), the course is fast and flat. Mainly I’m just happy I had a good day. I had already been targeting a 10k two weeks from now, which I wasn’t feeling too optimistic about, but I am now! It’s the only distance I haven’t PR’d this year, so if all goes well I could remedy that.

One of the best parts of running a race before Thanksgiving is a few extra days to sleep in. After less than stellar sleep to Monday and Tuesday (also had a bunch of life/work stuff to catch up on after getting back), I’ve been able to finally sleep off the most of the rest of the bug and get some good recovery in. Not feeling worse for wear now, but trying to take things easy to enjoy the return back to running. . 

Sorry to read about all the bugs going around! Must be the season… hopefully we’re getting it out of our systems now to clear the way for a healthy winter/summer. 

Dec. 3 is going to be a day to look forward to! But I’m also stoked to see your 5k race result, Steve. Amazing! Went out strong and just got stronger… can’t wait to read the report. Especially great proof of how we don’t always feel our best right before a PR. 

Re: Nickleback, I’m not ashamed to say that I’ll listen to them and find some of the songs work well for me mid-workout. I do consider Linkin Park, Evanescence, and the Foo Fighters superior groups (probably blasphemy to even put Nickleback in the same paragraph), but their lyrics remind me too much of the voices in my head  mid-race, and I need more talk-back from my songs. 

Mikkey, you and I don’t agree about much, but we do agree about starting too fast. I don’t know if your comment was in direct reference to my race or just a general observation, but I’ve been comparing my splits to others, and I realized I ran the first half of my race way too fast. If I’d had gone out for the first half slower, I may have gotten closer to my goal race. Despite having run 12 marathons before this one, I still never ran a race I think I’m capable of, and so I always run faster than I should, thinking I need to capitalize on feeling good or this is what I need to do to get my goal time. Next race, I will have a stronger pacing plan and stick to it (I think I’ve said it before, but next time I really will do it!) 

That being said, I feel no need to justify taking as many or as few gels as I do in a race. Each person is individual (to also answer your question, Cal), and while some folks get by on very little in a race, I have to train with a minimum of 1/2 L of water for a long run, and so I usually race with high hydration needs as well. Since I’m looking to get some sodium and other electrolytes in too, those gels come in handy. I train with a lot less than I race with, and like RP wrote, a lot of racing is experimentation… each race is another experiment and I’m still figuring out what works best for me. I’ve done marathons with 0 gels, or only 2-3. I’ve found I like never feeling like I’m going to run out of energy, and a gel every 30-40 minutes helps with that. I didn’t make the connection with too many gels and cramps, though, so that’s something to test. I do tend to have a very strong stomach, which is why the way it was so weak before the race really annoyed/concerned me. I also started the race under-fueled, so I wanted to make sure I had at least enough to get me through. 

Darkwave, CVS is a great pre-race needs store! It was the first place I hit up to get some groceries for my stay (only place open at 10pm). The idea to pick up a Christmas blanket was smart. It’s annoying that there were no real ways to figure out corrals, though. Sorry you’re not totally pleased about your race, but a rust buster is unlikely going to feel too smooth, anyway, and the fact that you were running half of it into a strong wind cannot be understated.

Wcrunner, I’ve been thinking about what you wrote, too, and that makes a lot of sense. My best races have come from seasons where I ran pretty consistently for over a year, and I didn’t get to be consistent this summer (a lot of it was outside of my control). So it’s one of the reasons I kinda want to scrap the 100 plan and sign up for a spring race. I can take a little break now to recover, and get back into training. I appreciate what you wrote what darkwave says about that too, RP, and not to decide anything for two weeks. I couldn’t help myself and already looked at races, seriously considering the Wisconsin Marathon at the start of May. The only downside is the wind. Open to suggestions for other race that first week of May, as well. Wcrunner, great to read you got the okay for more speed!  

Flavio, hope you’re not going crazy with the taper. See it as an invitation to take things easy. You’ve done all the hard work! It’s really just a matter of bringing it home. You’ve got this! Also thanks for the note re strength and stability training. Yeah, that’s true. Though I can do stability training at home… I usually need the gym equipment to get a proper strength workout in. 

Also, I think this time you should do all the things to ensure a good race for yourself. Next time you can do those other things (extracting honey from bees, etc.) to prove how tough you are. 

Mark, looks like a fun race season up ahead for you! It will be fun to run some with your daughter too, I imagine. I agree with Steve. The amount of dirt to bring home is an excellent reason to run trails. 

Cal, Garmin is such BS. You know your body and how it should be feeling right about now. I’m sure unproductive is not the case. 

Longboat, great to see you running! I bet NZ is an amazing place to do so… but I imagine the humidity and heat are starting up there as well (and can’t forget travel fatigue). I wouldn’t worry too much about fitness as a result of those runs, yet. 

Mt, how’s the calf? I wondered if it was a fluke thing, induced by driving maybe. I hope it wasn’t more serious!!

Keen, bummer about the bug and the race. Have you been able to find an alternative yet? I realize you want to qualify for NYC? Glad to see you’re feeling better, though. 

Dave, great race yourself, yesterday! Congrats on the PR and the placing!! Great to see the negative split play out for you (I really need to consider that strategy more seriously), but annoying that it was a 10-year grouping (all the more proud to know that you beat all the 51 year-olds as well!). The 10k in a few weeks is looking good! Given your injury earlier this year, I think you can be proud to claim the trifecta of PBs this year. And yeah, I definitely need to get better organization before my race. I was so focussed on bigger concerns this time that I forgot a lot of the finer details… it would be good to have a list. As for the voices… yeah, I see what you mean about the brain trying to talk one out of the race… it happens to me too, but this time the legs were probably right, and I just ignored them. 

Mmerkle, I don’t think I’ve ever run a race where I seriously considered quitting, and I don’t think I ever want to. Way to power through. I think you may have taken it on as a road runner and less as an ultra runner… with your talent, you could have beat a lot more of those guys and gals out there, but hammering down fast miles halfway through is probably not the way to do it. Just finishing seems too little for many non-ultra runners, but you can definitely be proud of that; and you finished pretty darn well too! Just sorry to read about the injury. Hopefully it’s been feeling better, and isn’t long lasting. I can say, though, that this is the kind of strength you need for your PhD as well, so hang on to that. 

RP, thanks for putting a lot of stuff into perspective. Yeah, I DID have a lot of fun this year. While I have been prioritizing running a little more than I should this early in my career, I definitely grew a lot as a runner! 

And I’ll keep some of the upcoming events as “events.” That’s a good point. AND, as for more good points, thanks for reminding me that workouts don’t need to be hours long. I already got a gym membership at my school to be able to tack them onto a workday, I just need to get my butt over there more often. But even if it’s just for 10-15 minutes, it’s still worth it. 

Dorothea:   York Marathon, York, PA, 2024 date not announced yet but it should be the first or second weekend in May. It was May 7 this year.  It's small, about 200 runners on a mostly out-and-back rails to trails path, so crushed stone, though the start and finish are on roads.  It's a sequel to the old Bob Potts Marathon which I have run so I know the course is mostly flat. If there are any hills, they would be mild and at the start or finish. I recall a mild uphill getting to the start of the rail trail.