2021 Sub 3:00 Marathon Thread (Read 453 times)

CommanderKeen


Cobra Commander Keen

    Hello, all! It has been mentioned to me a couple times that I should perhaps participate more in this thread (instead of just lurking) as I'm running CIM this year (or Tucson on Dec. 4 if something interferes with CIM). I've been around before, but it's been long enough that I don't expect anyone here who isn't also heavily involved in (or lurking in) sub 90 HM that a quick intro is warranted.


    My name is Kyle, I'm 36 (for a short while longer), married with 3 daughters (3, 7, 10), live and run just outside of Oklahoma City. I'm an adult-onset runner and have been consistently running for just over 6 years now. "How fast can I get" ended up being much more motivating for me than "I"m getting too round and need to stop that". My treadmill has no name, and I'm a huge fan of the Oxford comma.


    I've been working with a coach (a first for me) since late May. Across the past 10 weeks I've averaged 85mpw, including my largest week ever last week (below).

     

    Weekly for period: From: 09/20/2021 To 09/26/2021

    Date Name mi km Duration Avg/mi Avg/km Elevation Gain
    in ft
    09/20 6E, 8mi alternating 1mi M effort / 1mi HM effort 15.76 25.35 01:57:42 07:28 04:39 459
    09/20 Squeezing in a bit more heat training 4.25 6.84 00:37:54 08:55 05:32 180
    09/21 1 rabbit & 1 owl 10.00 16.10 01:28:44 08:52 05:31 433
    09/22 3 rabbits, 2 skunks, & 1 owl 15.10 24.30 02:06:18 08:22 05:12 581
    09/22 Earlier than I wanted, but what can you do? 5.11 8.22 00:46:25 09:05 05:39 161
    09/23 3 raccoons, 3 rabbits, & 1 screech owl 9.05 14.56 01:21:10 08:58 05:34 430
    09/24 2 rabbits & 1 owl 11.10 17.87 01:31:11 08:13 05:06 348
    09/24 1 heron 5.10 8.21 00:45:29 08:55 05:32 177
    09/25 6E, 12M, 2E 20.15 32.43 02:30:54 07:29 04:39 614
    09/26 3 rabbits, 1 deer (1 stride), 1 coyote, & 1 heron 6.50 10.47 00:57:35 08:52 05:30 220

    Total distance: 102.14mi

    5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

     

    Upcoming Races:

     

     

    CommanderKeen


    Cobra Commander Keen

      And lest someone should think I'm just dumping a weekly and a bio...


      JHud - Sorry about the knee problems. Have you seen, or do you have ready access to, a PT or witch doctor?


      JT - With your taper coming up, are you also already starting to obsess over the weather forecast for Hartford?


      Flavio - I also avoid plenty of things in my diet, but salame, sausages, peperoni, and garlic are very much not in that list of avoidances.


      Marby - Nice Tuesday workout. Was there anything in particular that lead to a lack of recovery by Thursday?
      Also, what would have to happen for your marathon go to on or even be rescheduled (hopefully not cancelled) again?


      RP - Definitely go for the 10k PR. Even with your smoke-impacted training I'd be surprised if you didn't get it, barring any nasty weather surprises.
      Your training week was bigger than I saw on Strava. Perhaps I just missed seeing them. Nicely done.

      5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

       

      Upcoming Races:

       

       

      Running Problem


      Problem Child

         RP - there is plenty of time until CIM. Your fitness will grow exponentially. Don't be so down on it yet. If it was late October, different story.

         

        *checks calendar* OH THANK GOD IT'S NOT OCTOBER!

        All joking aside, this is why I like coming back here. The motivation it brings out and the "dude, calm down. You have time." So now what should I do for a 10k? Pretty flat course

        https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/4314778948

        Weather should be low 50s at race start. Out and back course all road. The turnaround is a hairpin around a tall orange construction cone. The last 1/4 mile is slightly uphill. Enough to make it suck extra for the end of a 10k. I'm 95% sure this will be as close to a certified course as I can get. I've run this road enough to say "if you told me it was uphill I'd disagree" and I'm sure on race day it will feel uphill both ways.

         

        I don't run 10ks so I'm just going off the spreadsheet I use for training paces and maybe towards the last mile or two I evaluate how I feel and go from there. Im pretty sure every race I've done I picked the pace/time I wanted to do and just ran it. At least now I know running a 6:20 pace would be stupidly painful for about 4 miles until I decide not to do it anymore, but it would be epic if I pulled it off.

        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

        Marby


        Ash

          RP: That’s a solid week. Sub 40 has a nice ring to it.

           

          CK: Good to see you here. That’s some serious volume and great marathon pace run. 
          I pushed Tue session to the arvo and only had 36 hours for the Thu, that was part of not being able to get up for it.
          As to the marathon going ahead, there are varying degrees of optimism and I’m in the glass half full camp. Partly to preserve what remains of my sanity and partly based in reality. For Melbourne, where I live, a roadmap out of lockdown has been detailed with significant opening up by early Nov when it is projected that 80% of 16+ will be double-vaxxed. Sydney is a few weeks ahead of us in jabs and have a similar, slightly more aggressive roadmap. We’ll be able to watch what happens across the border, if the hospitals get slammed no doubt our roadmap will get revised, and the marathon canned.

          Next: Ballarat, April 28, Pacing 3:50

          Best: 5k 19:46 (Parkrun, 2016), 10k 40:37 (Track, 2022), Half 1:26:41 (2016), Full 3:00:23 (2021)

          OMR


            OMR - belated, but very sorry to hear about the achilles issue.  I hope it clears soon.

             

            A belated "thank you."  I ran a few days last week, for as much as about 2.6 miles on one day.  The next day it was hurting again, so I've had to just shut things down.  It is now pain free, so I'm working on eccentric heel lifts, and also trying to make sure things up the chain aren't tight.  The next two weeks are really hectic for me, so it's a good time to just take a little down time, and then get started again in mid-October.  So, I'll mostly be lurking here for a while, but I will be keeping an eye on the upcoming races and wishing all of you the best!

            flavio80


            Intl. correspondent

              I remember reading Jmac's posts not too long ago talking about how he was completely spent and done with running during a very hard training block.

              I may have fallen in the same manhole. I'm so ready to retire from running.

              I may take a month of no running after the marathon. No running, no strength training, just be lazy, eat ice cream 4x a week, find me a place with some good pastries.

              I can't diagnose what exactly is giving me so much stress, I've been so anxious lately, it's like my heart is gonna jump out. Then I check the heart rate and it's perfect normal.

              It's completely subconscious.

              I'm taking nearly 3 weeks off work starting this Friday, so if it's work I should probably know by oct 20th. If it's running, then a month of no running should also help restart back to a point where running was fun.

              For the longest time I was so overconfident before a race it was hilarious. It would be 75F with the sun out and yet before the 5k would start I'd have a feeling I could run a PR, for no reason.

              This time it's so different, not sure whether it's performance anxiety or if my life-anxiety is interfering with my running.

              For the longest time during this training block I had set in my mind that I'd run at most 3 hours on race day and I'd just drop out if a sub 3 was not there.

              Lately I've been working to accept that breaking my PR 3h15 would still be a nice result. I need to go into the race not thinking of time, I need to go there and enjoy the process.

              To be continued...

              PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

              Up next: no idea

              Tool to generate Strava weekly

              flavio80


              Intl. correspondent

                Some of us are wired by results and to follow the clock, we forget to stop and smell the roses in a way.

                Mentally I should be approaching this grateful that a race is going to happen, grateful that Portugal has 85% vaccination and cases are super low, grateful that Dad started working with a nutritionist, grateful that the health in the family is at least stable lately, grateful to have a good job and career, and a loving wife. Grateful that I can enjoy a very nice scenery during my runs. Grateful that I can afford to live in a safe city.

                PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

                Up next: no idea

                Tool to generate Strava weekly

                flavio80


                Intl. correspondent

                  I've just had a bowl of Açaí and everything is again right in the world.

                  I put dark chocolate, paçoca and honey on top. yummm!

                  PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

                  Up next: no idea

                  Tool to generate Strava weekly

                  Running Problem


                  Problem Child

                    I remember reading Jmac's posts not too long ago talking about how he was completely spent and done with running during a very hard training block.

                    I may have fallen in the same manhole. I'm so ready to retire from running.

                    I may take a month of no running after the marathon. No running, no strength training, just be lazy, eat ice cream 4x a week, find me a place with some good pastries.

                    I can't diagnose what exactly is giving me so much stress, I've been so anxious lately, it's like my heart is gonna jump out. Then I check the heart rate and it's perfect normal.

                    It's completely subconscious.

                    I'm taking nearly 3 weeks off work starting this Friday, so if it's work I should probably know by oct 20th. If it's running, then a month of no running should also help restart back to a point where running was fun.

                    For the longest time I was so overconfident before a race it was hilarious. It would be 75F with the sun out and yet before the 5k would start I'd have a feeling I could run a PR, for no reason.

                    This time it's so different, not sure whether it's performance anxiety or if my life-anxiety is interfering with my running.

                    For the longest time during this training block I had set in my mind that I'd run at most 3 hours on race day and I'd just drop out if a sub 3 was not there.

                    Lately I've been working to accept that breaking my PR 3h15 would still be a nice result. I need to go into the race not thinking of time, I need to go there and enjoy the process.

                    To be continued...

                     

                    I've been here. Very recently. It sucks and all I can say is eventually it passes. If you think no one cares about your running you're wrong. It brings you joy and it is something people use to identify you. If you just quit running you'll lose the endorphins and you just might end up with some grief or depression and THAT sucks WAY more. Your training runs are showing ME you can PR by a lot. 3:15 shouldn't even be a goal and I doubt you'd actually quit the race. People don't get to a 3:15 PR by quitting. The highs are so high because the lows are so low.

                     

                    Besides, I'M the negative one here. Not you. I'm the pessimistic "sky is falling" chicken little where everything is going to end in pain and death, and life is filled with misery.

                    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

                    flavio80


                    Intl. correspondent

                       

                      I've been here. Very recently. It sucks and all I can say is eventually it passes. If you think no one cares about your running you're wrong. It brings you joy and it is something people use to identify you. If you just quit running you'll lose the endorphins and you just might end up with some grief or depression and THAT sucks WAY more. Your training runs are showing ME you can PR by a lot. 3:15 shouldn't even be a goal and I doubt you'd actually quit the race. People don't get to a 3:15 PR by quitting. The highs are so high because the lows are so low.

                       

                      Besides, I'M the negative one here. Not you. I'm the pessimistic "sky is falling" chicken little where everything is going to end in pain and death, and life is filled with misery.

                       

                      I'm no expert but it sounds like you need more Açaí in your life 😂

                       

                      Jokes apart, I have had an interesting conversation with a nutritionist today. She has a few theories around why my recovery/and sleep are bad and she has a plan. Let's see what happens.

                      PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

                      Up next: no idea

                      Tool to generate Strava weekly

                      darkwave


                      Mother of Cats

                        Some of us are wired by results and to follow the clock, we forget to stop and smell the roses in a way.

                        Mentally I should be approaching this grateful that a race is going to happen, grateful that Portugal has 85% vaccination and cases are super low, grateful that Dad started working with a nutritionist, grateful that the health in the family is at least stable lately, grateful to have a good job and career, and a loving wife. Grateful that I can enjoy a very nice scenery during my runs. Grateful that I can afford to live in a safe city.

                         

                        As someone who has a real tendency to go glass half-empty, I've had to work hard to control my thoughts while running.  One trick I've learned is to list out five reasons before each workout or race why the workout or race will go well.  Then, whenever a negative thought hits during a race/workout, replace it with a positive one.

                         

                        It's worked shockingly well, at least for me.

                        Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.

                         

                        And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.

                        CommanderKeen


                        Cobra Commander Keen

                          Flavio - Not sleeping much?? Those are some early-morning posts.
                          Hopefully the time off work helps reset things for you, and if not that, the time off running. You do seem to be in quite good condition (and have a very solid and I'm sure not all-inclusive list of things going well for you) and I'm looking forward to seeing your race result. Also interested in your nutritionists theories and if they pan out.


                          DWave - "The glass is currently at half of its maximum capacity".
                          What are your typical "positive" thoughts/reasons why it will go well?
                          Personally, in a race I'm typically a "This isn't anything harder than I've done in training" kind of guy.

                          5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

                           

                          Upcoming Races:

                           

                           

                          Running Problem


                          Problem Child

                             

                            I'm no expert but it sounds like you need more Açaí in your life 😂

                            There are a lot of things I need more of in my life. I just refuse to change while also expecting different results. If you've never read a race report of mine I kind of work off the negativity, but I totally understand when there is so much it reaches a depressed mode and thankfully I've never had it when a doctor asks "have you lost interest in something you enjoy??" yeah, but thats normal (isn't it?) and it eventually goes away because I stop feeling sorry or making excuses.

                             

                            Oddly, I need new running shoes. The New Balance Fresh Foam Prizm shoes I have had the insole on the left foot detach. I'm not sure how to describe it, other than it slides back when I start running and the heel portion rides up my achellies about 3 inches by the time I'm done with a run. I can feel the inside of the shoe when I run. It happened on the left foot for both pairs I have, and it's almost as if they needed more glue or something to hold it there. I've never had this happen before.  Since I can't seem to find much more than a $20 markdown online I might check out the local running shop for last years model of something. I don't hate this shoe, other than the insole slides back and rides up my foot. I actually find it interesting there are no blisters or side effects of the insole, and also curious if it is my stride since it happened on two pairs, about the same mileage point.

                            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

                            Andres1045


                              As someone who has a real tendency to go glass half-empty, I've had to work hard to control my thoughts while running.  One trick I've learned is to list out five reasons before each workout or race why the workout or race will go well.  Then, whenever a negative thought hits during a race/workout, replace it with a positive one.

                               

                              It's worked shockingly well, at least for me.

                              I tend to have an easier time focusing on staying positive and working hard during races, and even workouts. What I always focus on is how well I feel after I'm proud of my effort, versus how lousy I feel when I've mailed it in. It's the non workouts I struggle with. The "just go and run 12 miles easy" days. Those almost always turn into 9 or something.

                               

                               

                              Oddly, I need new running shoes. The New Balance Fresh Foam Prizm shoes I have had the insole on the left foot detach. I'm not sure how to describe it, other than it slides back when I start running and the heel portion rides up my achellies about 3 inches by the time I'm done with a run. I can feel the inside of the shoe when I run. It happened on the left foot for both pairs I have, and it's almost as if they needed more glue or something to hold it there. I've never had this happen before. 

                              This exact thing happened to me in the last 3 pair of New Balance I owned. I stopped buying them.

                              Upcoming races: Boston

                                CK: Welcome back! I remember you joining early in the year; hope you stick around this time. Outstanding week! In general your training always looks really good. High mileage, smart workouts. It makes me wonder why your PR is 3:04; don't take it the wrong way but if I looked at your training without knowing your PR I'd say this guy broke 3 a long time ago, and is probably well under 3 by now. But I don't know your race history; maybe you've not raced the marathon frequently or recently. Anyway, I'd say you're in for a massive PR at CIM!

                                 

                                You asked about weather obsessing on my part; yes, that's in full swing. I'm a bit disturbed by the huge difference between what Accu-weather and Weather Underground are predicting for race day. It's still ~10 days out though so hopefully things will converge in the right direction. I at least feel good that an earlier option I registered for this Saturday in Long Island looks to be quite warm and windy, so I don't have to torture myself about whether to jump into that race.

                                 

                                RP: Go balls to the wall in the 10k, you can break 40!

                                 

                                Flavio: Sorry to hear about the rough patch; though seems like your breakfast (or lunch?) might have resolved it.  You listed some great positive things you have to be thankful for; keep those as primary focus and remember this running thing is first of all for health (physical and mental) and races are something extra, and should be for fun.

                                 

                                On a negative note, I have the same pain on the top of my foot/front part of my ankle as I had a few weeks ago. I took this morning off to try to let it pass. I'm not exactly sure what caused it this time; at the start of Sunday's LR the laces on that foot were a bit tight the firsr 3 miles; I stopped and re-tied them looser and felt fine the remainder of the run. Perhaps it's a delayed onset pain from that?

                                2:52:16 (2018)