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

DK - tough race with the weather. Whenever I race during summer in Memphis, my strategy is to always have frozen water bottles planted on the course to dump on the back of my neck for a quick cool off but then artificial sweat. These races are normally 10k or less and the longest race I've done in summer with this strategy is 11.5 miles so not sure if it will be a game changer in the full marathon.

As for me, I'm starting to feel more productive and I think this tightness and pain I've experienced for the past month is rooted in inadequate stretching. I'm going to see a stretch therapist Friday to see how that helps. My father-in-law is a CrossFit instructor who also stretches out his clients (not sure of his certifications) and he stretched me out yesterday which provided immediate relief. I even did a tempo run yesterday which I paused after each mile and stretched which gave me immediate relief of any minor pain/tightness coming on.

Fishy - been meaning to ask what is an over/under workout.  I thought I was pretty familiar with all the current terms and a lot of obsolete ones, but I can't remember ever hearing that one before.

For this workout it was alternating MP then HMP no rest between.  Goal was the make the MP feel like recovery pace  the MP miles felt easier but by no means easy LOL.  I hadn’t done them before and It was definitely challenging but a good confidence builder.  Getting back up to HMP was a good mental (and physical) test.

Fishy I tried the caffeinated Cliff Bloks last long run. I definitely liked them. Do you use gels as well, or only those? They seem to sit in my stomach way better than gels around/after 2 hours.

 

Flavio I'm a proponent of supplementing with Vitamin D during the winter. Pretty much for the reasons you stated. Hope it helps you out. Keep us posted.

Glad to hear it! I only use gels when I have no blocks left then I take whatever the race is giving out.  During Boston last year I dropped a full sleeve of blocks and was forced to use gels late in the race which sucked and added to my general “shitty day” 

For me they work and do sit well in my gut. The gels just leave my mouth too sticky and gooey.  I’ve tried the Maureen gel and can’t get past the consistency.  I’m a big “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” guy so as boring as it is I buy them by the box on Amazon.  I’ve found 2blocks every 4-5 miles is my magic number.

 

For this workout it was alternating MP then HMP no rest between.  Goal was the make the MP feel like recovery pace  the MP miles felt easier but by no means easy LOL.  I hadn’t done them before and It was definitely challenging but a good confidence builder.  Getting back up to HMP was a good mental (and physical) test.

This reminds me of the Mona Fartlek or Aussie/Deek's Quarters. It's amazing how much tougher it makes a workout when you need to push yourself on the recoveries. In fact I find myself more focused during the recoveries - I'm accustomed to pushing myself on the fast parts, but it's hard to avoid going too slow on the slow parts.

 

This reminds me of the Mona Fartlek or Aussie/Deek's Quarters. It's amazing how much tougher it makes a workout when you need to push yourself on the recoveries. In fact I find myself more focused during the recoveries - I'm accustomed to pushing myself on the fast parts, but it's hard to avoid going too slow on the slow parts.

Thanks Dave I’ll be googling these tonight for some easy reading! I agree there is no coasting at any point.

RP- the gels are pretty accessible and it’s cleared out by 15 or 16 miles in.  I’m sure you’ll bring some along for the early miles.  It’s VERY congested early so it may be easy to miss the one at 12.

Am I the only one who understood this to be a response to RP's challenge? As in, these 2 creatures are Keen and RP lined up at the beginning of a marathon to figure out who's the best marathoner of the two?

Keen - I can see you're back to being yourself which is great!

Fishy - I was sore for 4 days last week due to running 18km 11 miles with 900 feet elevation on the Sunday, let's just say Ultras as beyond my imagination at this point.
That over under workout sounds really nice!

 

Andy Wife and I 'split' purchased a theragun. I've done the stretching, foam rolling, add a day rolling, and whatever else I could think of. I use this when I remember and I like to think it helps. Do you do easy warm ups before harder runs?

I have been using my massage gun (Hypervolt) religiously for the past year and a half. I even take it to the office with me. It helps loosen me up for sure but my issues go back to lack of strength work and stretch routine which lasts 3-4 minutes. I always do a warmup before hard runs but rarely stretch afterwards. My pain in my butt/hip are coming from my Piriformis, as it turns out, and this is causing tightness down my IT band and into the Peroneus Longus in my calf. Here is a good article I found on the topic. https://www.runtothefinish.com/piriformis-syndrome-exercises/

mmerkle - When are you going to put up some type of profile picture? My go-to for sugar during long runs and races are the Jelly Belly Sport Beans. I cannot stand Gu or gummies due to the consistency and the jelly beans have enough of a solid shell that I can tolerate them. My 4-year-old loves to eat them as well, if you need a non-bias opinion on the taste. Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans 24-Pack | Running Warehouse

Am I the only one who understood this to be a response to RP's challenge? As in, these 2 creatures are Keen and RP lined up at the beginning of a marathon to figure out who's the best marathoner of the two?

 

Keen - I can see you're back to being yourself which is great!

 

RP is a very intimidating person to race against. Case in point: CIM 2021 we're lined up together and he pulls away within mile 1 and I literally never got a glimpse of him since. CIM 2022 I'm there by my lonesome and the race went much better, allowing me to just edge past his PR.