Forums >Racing>Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023
Just getting re-connected after a nice vacation.
Steve- Congratulations on the PRs. Really solid work for you this year!
Mark- Course record!! Nicely done. It's still weird to read about you hoping for "December weather" LOL.
WC- How did the interval workout feel? I think the first time back doing speed I normally either feel awesome or a sense of "holy shit I remember how much this sucks!"
DW- Consistent as always...That startle reflex is a strange symptom and must have been tough. Good to hear this are progressing.
RP- Do you have anything on the radar or just enjoying the winter?
Boston week 18 is in the books. Solid week The workout Friday was hard but felt good considering. Saturday LR was sluggish but I expected that on the heels of the workout.
5K 18:36 (2023), 10K 39:40 (2022), 1/2 1:24:37 (2023), full 2:58:36 (2015)
Problem Child
Fishy 5k in March. Maybe checkers or wreckers attempt.
youre doing Boston again? So fitting the formula of ‘Running in winter + lives near course = running The Boston’.
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
VDOT 53.37
5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22
Cobra Commander Keen
Mark - Congrats on the CR!
Steve - Congratulations on another mileage record! The marathon is a tricky beast - it took me 6 or 7 tries to get a decent one, but 10 to actually nail it. Keep plugging away.
DWave - I'm really glad you're feeling better, and just in time to crank up a bit of intensity ahead of Houston.
Merkle - Good that things seem like they're mostly going in a favorable direction for you.
Fishy - Nice week, and welcome back.
Me - 60 miles last week, one workout with paces that were nearly depressingly slow for the effort. That should improve pretty quickly, though, as I get more mileage and workouts. Not that I've been feeling "bad" on runs at all lately, but today was noticeably better than anything for a good while and the HR to pace/effort ratio was quite good. I chatted with my coach some over the weekend and have decided to chase 5k stuff this spring. The 100 I was considering is about 12 weeks away and at that point ahead of Heartland I was already running 90mpw or so. I figure that getting into peak shape for that race so quickly might not be doable and that aiming for 5ks would allow for not only more time to train but (obviously) many more shots at a good race through spring/early summer. Plus, I can always go after that 100 in '25 after a (hopefully) gangbuster marathon cycle for next fall.
Thread Overlord - Y'all need to consider a new one.
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
OKC Memorial 5k - April 27
Bun Run 5k - May 4
RP- Yes, living in the area it's almost a given that if I'm in shape I'll run Boston. Looking forward to a little redemption this year after the frustrating race last year. I'll be starting in a much better coral and running the same pace (hopefully) as those around me so
Love the idea of a FULL-ON 5K. There will be much pain but at least it is over quickly
Anyone else on the thread running Boston?
Dad on the run.
Some of you people that are putting 60+ miles a week in, how?
I'm in a satire group on facebook about how we live in a simulation and the only explanation on how you can run that much in a week is, you must be an NPC.
Anyways, here is my week, it was suppose to be 5 days but again I missed my Sunday run. It was suppose to be 4.3 recovery but I opted to spend time with my family. Took my son to Brickfest Sunday morning and then we as a whole family went out and looked at the Christmas lights that were setup at Noccalula Falls.
Chasing the sub 20 5K.
Some of you people that are putting 60+ miles a week in, how? I'm in a satire group on facebook about how we live in a simulation and the only explanation on how you can run that much in a week is, you must be an NPC.
60mpw is pretty typical for marathoners. How in what sense? Ability to withstand the mileage? Just ramp up gradually over 2-3 years, depending on your starting point. Most people can handle it, some can't. How do you find the time? For me, that's about 9 hours a week. I typically run 1 hour to 1:15 per day, 6 days a week. On weekdays I do that in the morning before work. One LR of 2-2.5 on the weekend. Piece of cake.
Dave
Flavio - I've bought McMillan custom plans, and they still give you runs in minutes! However that's only for easy runs and for workout warmup/cooldowns; for LRs and workout repeats, they're in distance.
My goal is a marathon in 2025, albeit probably not very quickly. I just can't imagine getting over 200 miles in a month. Right now 7-8 miles is my long run and my legs are super fatigued by the end.
Yep! For me those numbers were 7 and 9. Now after 21 I think I'm kind of starting to get the hang of them, but really anytime you go out you can't be certain what you're going to get.
Hot Weather Complainer
darkwave - That's great news. That must have been a pretty scary condition to be living with. And you're 100% right about the forest.
Flavio - This is exciting. One day you'll come in to drop your weekly and probably include a casual "oh and Sunday I ran a 2:55 marathon".
Also, I'm definitely not stopping 2 minutes from home just to satisfy my OCD!
Fishy - Hash who mainly posts on the other thread is running Boston, probably around your pace if he gets in a good training block.
jblack - I wouldn't worry about 60 miles a week, that's something way in the future. You're going about things the right way, slowly building your engine. It's not very long since 60 miles was significantly more than my biggest ever week. Last week when I was almost bang on 60 just felt like a standard week now. Izzy Batt-Doyle, an Aussie pro, was doing 120+ miles a week leading into Valencia to try and get an Olympic qualifier - there's always someone to blow your mind!
Dave/Keen - Do I really have to suffer through 5 or more marathons before I get a good one???
5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23
2024 Races:
Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55
Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024 1:27:34
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Mikkey - I think some people just have a negative bias towards you doesn't matter what you say I hope you are strong enough mentally not to get it to you I actually know you are strong enough - I know you for too long - there were much more vicious personalities on RWOL back some time .
People, just relax please...
I am still not running - was a little bit sick last week - felt weak and dizzy. First time in last 2 years. Hope to get back to running at some point soon.
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
Mmmm Bop
Mikkey - Well done on keeping hold of both rings, and especially your wife. She must be a tolerant lucky woman
FYP.
Thanks Cal, totally agree with what you said and I’m fine. The heel still isn’t 100% yet, but I’ve been doing some short watchless runs with Tyson which I don’t upload because I would have to pause the watch for too long and that doesn’t count as a proper run in my book. I’m still going to the gym most days and still 10st 2Ibs!
Really hoping to make it to LA as that will be the last throw of the dice.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Darkwave - what sort of conditions does Houston normally get for the marathon? I was there once about 35 years ago and my main recollection of it was 'hot' lol.
mmerkle - sometimes that's just the body's way of telling you it needs a little bit of rest. Hopefully sorts itself soon.
Steve - honestly you gotta be happy with it. Record mileage and a fistful of good race efforts. And, it's not necessarily a bad thing to feel like there's more to prove either. That will keep you motivated.
wcrunner - nice job on the intervals.
fishy - nice work! I think Hashiritai, from over on the Waltons thread, might be running Boston next year too.
jblack - Steve is right, never compare your mileage to others. We've all learned on here not to compare ours to Keen because there's always someone who'll be running more (he's that guy). Just focus on building it up as best you can and finding a good sustainable rhythm / pattern to it.
3,000m: 9:07.7 (Nov-21) | 5,000m: 15:39 (Dec-19) | 10,000m: 32:34 (Mar-20)
10km: 33:15 (Sep-19) | HM: 1:09:41 (May-21)* | FM: 2:41:41 (Oct-20)
* Net downhill course
Last race: Runway5 / National 5k Champs, 16:22, National Masters AG Champ!
Up next: Still working on that...
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
Race Report, Northern Pathway Parkrun 5km, 16 Dec 2023
This is a new Parkrun near my place, so I kinda had to check it out at some point. I was mostly over a cold, but not totally, but decided (possibly foolishly) that I would give it a crack anyways, having not run a decent workout in a couple weeks or so since Omaha HM.
The event runs on a shared path alongside the northern motorway. I've run along here once or twice, it's quite hilly, although they are very long, steady hills where you can (hopefully) dial in a good rhythm. The objective today is to go hard, but not 'seeing Jesus' hard, given the cold and all. So mostly, gas the downhills and try to find a rhythm on the uphills. With a couple of hilly events coming up, it's good practice (especially for Coatesville HM which has very similar long hills). The organisers thought it might be the hilliest parkrun in the country, but it looks like it's actually the second hilliest after Dunedin. It's a hot morning, but there is shade on parts of the course which helps.
First km, all downhill, feeling good. There is another runner on my heels for the first 500m or so then I hear him drop off.
Second km, downhill, flat to the first turnaround, then back towards the hill.
Third km, uphill. Steady but blowing at the top. Lots of encouragement from others coming down the hill which helps.
Fourth km, downhill to the second turnaround, desperately trying to catch my breath.
Fifth km, uphill (and slightly steeper than the first hill too). Definitely a slog and if you really pushed it the 5km pain would be nuts. Legs a bit tired to bother with a kick over the bridge to the finish line.
Official time is 17:55 which is a new course record. I'm tempted to come back here in a few months time when it's cooler again (and I'm not full of snot) to have another go.
Overweight per CDC BMI
Are you are looking to complete 26.2 miles or to race a marathon? I completed my two marathons with average 30 miles per week the 5 months leading into them but I was not exactly racing them. I ran out of gas/muscles in the late miles and just finished. 2023 will be my first year which I have averaged 30 mpw for the entire year but my marathon time would still not be close to what the online calculators project based on my time in the Half. To race a marathon successfully, that is where you are needing to average the 45-60 mpw throughout the year, but I doubt I will have the time to do that until my kids are older. I still have yet to achieve 200 miles in a 30-day period.
As others have said, don't get ahead of yourself and commit to taking it one year at a time. If you go to the very beginning of this thread, many of the frequent posters will list out their mile progressions by year in their intros. Make sure you are doing the vast majority of your miles at an easy pace. Determine your heart rate for an easy pace and stick to that.
A couple things which have helped me get in miles with a super busy schedule. Set a minimum distance you will do on your runs with the expectation you will exceed that. For me, that number is 6 miles and I always try to get above that to 8-13, with the days I am not feeling it still getting me 6 miles. The other is doing doubles, as in morning and afternoon/evening. I can run up to about 12 miles in the morning M-F without being tired for work but I don't always have the time. When I am coaching the kids during XC/Track season, I will frequently do 6-8 miles in the morning and then another 3-4 with the kids after school.
Anyway, that's the perspective of someone who is still an intermediate runner compared to the others on this thread.
Memphis / 38 male
5k - 20:39 / 10k - 43:48 / Half - 1:34:47 / Full - 3:38:10