Runs in the rain
Here I am after the race Sunday, wet with bagel in hand! You can see the high school track I finished on and the valley in the background. Yes, I wear the same "lucky" shirt for each race. Official times are posted, mine was 2:06:28, I was 157/267 and in age group (65-69) was 7/10. Winner did it in 1:09:06, a 5:17 pace! In my AG 1st did 1:39:49 - 7:38 pace, 2nd 1:53:35 - 8:41, 3rd 1:58:23 - 9:03. I am a bit disappointed not to finish in the top half of my age group after the effort I made. Guess I need to work more on my speed. My finish time would predict like a 4 hr 23 min marathon and I would need better than 4:10 to Boston qualify. The upcoming October marathon is flat with like 2 small hills, so maybe I can do better without those strength sapping hills! I still have a month to go, but only two weeks of hard training before I should taper off. I am working on my replies for everyone now and will post whenever done!
Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?Get up, get out, get out of the door!
3 miles this morning before getting ready for work.
Altair - Don't sweat the time too much. Think of the next race and how you can improve. Sometimes we think we're running at a decent pace but are capable of more. Depends on how you feel, the runners around you, etc. Think of it as a training run for your October marathon.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Art in AZ - Good advice! I know all this thinking about times is just a hill of beans and it is how you trained. how you feel and the conditions of the race that will make the difference. It is just that I have never trained for a speed goal before and I don't think I have trained enough for the distance and pace. I will say that my confidence level of Boston Qualifying had dropped below 2% before my race, After the HM I saw I ran at about race pace for some of the distance and my confidence rose to like 20%. Now, thinking it over I feel more like 12% confident, I think it can be done, but it was hard to push pass my comfort zone and I think to BQ I would need to reach into a whole other level of stress and I don't know if I have the willpower to do it. So, I must ask myself if I should start the marathon at like a 9:20 or better pace and see if I can keep it up for 26 miles? Or shall I just try for a good effort, whatever that may be? I guess I can't really answer until the race itself.
5 miles this morning doing part of the canal route. Got off to a slow start and first couple of miles just didn't feel like running. Took a short walk and then started running again. Whatever it must have worked as I felt better running the last couple of miles.
Altair - I have never ran or trained for a marathon so I don't really have any actual experience at that. I usually run half-marathons. So this is based on what I did last year (2016). The goal I set then was just to do better and try to beat my times from the year before (2015). So I planned to run more and exercise a little more. Basically putting a little more effort into my workouts instead of just cruising. I did more longer runs than usual and worked my core a little more. How much that helped I don't know. But based on my results I improved in every race, kept setting PRs and was enjoying myself. I felt like I prepped properly and on race day I was just feeling good and hoping to do well. Started at a comfortable pace and started chasing people after a couple of miles of loosing up. It helped I think that I found a groove that my body liked and was able to stay at. Can I do the same this year? I keep asking myself that question. First I have to really get into training mode and pick a few races. I wouldn't try going out too fast at the start though. If you don't get there this year just make it your goal for next year. That's my 2 cents worth.
Warm weather broke on Tuesday, so all is much better now...
Rich - Golf involves walking and carrying heavy bags, right? Sounds like good cross training. BIL had good timing on leaving area for awhile...
Dan - Sounds like you're getting some good tapering for you race. Been using a blue-tooth headset with phone for music lately and DS1 has called a couple of times and inevitably he'll ask "are you running?" -- convenient, but not always good for the run...
Chantilly - Coastal doesn't have real contingency plans, RD was an ultra-marathoner and don't think seriously considers cancelling for any reason (well, maybe a hurricane...). Hope your marathon goes well!
Art - There are are age grade calculators and even heat grade calculators for runs (along with all the various marathon predictors and other race calculators) that I find "fun" to play with. Rule of thumb is like 2s/miles for every 5F change. I know we don't have the heat here that you have, or even what I grew up in (central valley). As youngster I didn't think much of running in 90F+ weather, but did a few longer runs after midnight to escape the heat occasionally.
Az - Some nice runs lately for you. Hope the move is going well. Avoiding thunder storms seems like a good idea...
Altair - The half sounded a little tougher then you were expecting. I might have misunderstood, but I think the 60 mile week so close to your half is going to skew your results. Hopefully, you're getting in a fairly high mileage this week and next (think that gives you 2 weeks to taper). Also, let +1 what Art said. There are so many factors that go into a "good" race, weather, crowd, course and sometimes it can be a crapshoot. Which is why I advocate racing more then just a couple times a year. Keep a positive vibe, aim for improvement and, above all, enjoy the journey.
As I've mentioned, my training has been a bit inconsistent this year. I'm hoping to be more consistent this month. Last night was a real test of my will to maintain that consistency. DW had a HS friend in from out of state and we met her in SF for dinner. Long story short we didn't get home 'til after 11pm and barely got in enough time to finish 4 miles. Hopefully I'll get to make up a little for it today and get in a little extra...
P.S. Monday is first day of registration for Boston. 2018 Boston thread Here. I'll be skipping this year...
Ray
Ray - I think I read somewhere that one week is enough taper for a half and I did feel like I was improved after the 60 mile week. However, you have greater experience in racing and may be right that it was too close to the race. I have read of different taper lengths with some using a whole month for a marathon. But really my concern is for the full marathon Oct 1st and I will do a two week taper before that. I guess the half was run at a pace I should have expected since I have not done really fast training runs and had almost a 2 minute faster pace during the race. Still, I did think I would have made more progress with the greater training I have done.Improvement has been slow. This week I still feel sore from the race. I took Monday as a rest day, did close to 5 Tuesday, Wednesday I boiled tomatoes from my garden into a sauce and froze like 14 containers for later use and today I just got back into longer runs with 11 miles. Friday I will do like 10 to 12 miles and will try to get some shorter runs in during the weekend. I hope to do another 20 + run next Monday and achieve another 60 mile week. Then I be as ready as I can be for the Marathon.
justrundan
Chantilly- I like your motto, but I need more practice. This evening I DNS (DID SOMETHING STUPID!) Cleaning up my zero turn, blowing it off with air compressor. finished that, put pulley covers back on and took the tools to the tool box in front of the shed. walking back to turn off the compressor, wearing the sunglasses I wear outside mowing (didn't have my regular glasses with me). Not paying attention and walked right into the steel tongue of my brush mower, hitting both shins and falling over the tongue. WOW did that hurt! That and my pride!
It won't keep me from racing next weekend, but I was limping for awhile.
Altair- I like the shirt!! I will be joining the 65-69 group next fall! Good luck with the last week of hard training for the FM.
Ray- you are one dedicated runner! If I got home at 11PM I'd fall into bed!
Art- is the canal route paved or gravel or trail? You use that one a lot don't you.
5 miles early this morning with my headlamp, then several hours work at nursing home and addiction counseling office. got home just as DW was going for her walk, so I changed quickly an did a boomerang run with her and got in another 3.5. Big family party tomorrow so I'll be up early to try to get in another 5-7 miles, the cut back the last week before the HM. More miles this week, but slow ones.
Dan
justrundan You don't seem to have followed the motto of Do nothing stupid...you seem like you went in the opposite direction....Hope you didn''t cause permanent injury. I hope you have a good race next W/E.
Altair5 You did well at your HM, it doesn't sound like you have much time for extra training before your next race. I like your lucky hippie shirt.
Art in AZ I liked your advice for Altair and it was a good summing up of what you did last year to get the PB"s in your fall races
NH Runner Hope you are doing well.
rmcj001 That is dedication, getting out for a late night run. You have had some good races this year. And I can understand that if your RD was an ultra guy, he wouldn't stop for anything outside of a hurricane, like you said.
az2mntrail If my FM goes ok this w/e, I will probably go to Las Cruces Oct. 28. It may be my last chance to get down there.
Mostly walking and bicycle riding this week, the MT worked on Right hip. I almost switched to the HM , I was talking myself into it at breakfast, but when I got to the race expo, I stayed with the FM. It will be a suffer fest, with under training, but I need this 29th FM for my records on Marathon maniacs.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
6 miles this morning. Rained last night so was muggy this morning. Another storm to the East heading this way so I expect it to rain again tonight.
Ray - I'm with Dan. Getting home that late I would be thinking about my morning run. Isn't it different what we could do when we were younger?
Altair - Your plan is good. You'll do fine in the race.
Dan - Ouch! I can relate to that pain. Good thing it just bruised your ego. The canal is blacktop in sections, concrete sidewalk in others, but mostly packed gravel with stones. I can pick it up a mile from the house and go in different directions along the route. Gives me a little variety for my runs.
Chantilly - Good luck in your race.
gosh, it's been a week since I posted?!? Didn't think I was THAT busy. So let me back up:
Last Sun: 10.5 miles. Mon: REST
Tues: Ran 5 miles w/ some strides thrown in, at the 'maze.' Great run!! It was pretty chilly, breezy, cloudy. I didn't wear a cap or buff and afterwards, had cold chills from the sweat.
Wed: woke up w/ sniffles and congestion. Should have worn something to cover my ears on my run yesterday, always starts w/ an earache. Then, muscle aches/fatigue set in later in the evening. Darn it. REST day.
Thurs: still feeling under the weather, now I'm sneezing, stuffed up nose, congestion. Drinking hot tea and resting when I can. I don't take meds, just let body take care of itself. Took another REST day. DH returned from AZ late night, safe and sound.
Friday: feeling better, just a runny nose, a run would do me good, sweat it out, right? So later in the day, went to state park. Planned on running at least 8 miles, see how I feel. It was ideal weather, breezy and sunny, and cool, wore a buff this time to cover my ears. Ran mostly on X-country grass/dirt trails w/ some short hills. Finished 13.1 miles, yippee!!
Saturday (yesterday): REST day. All better now!
Sunday: nice partly cloudy, breezy day. Planning on a short run later.
Mostly organizing what we might need for the few days after movers leave, and if we beat them to the house. DH is getting his truck ready to haul our Harley bikes in the smaller enclosed trailer. Hope to take care of my work w/ U of CO-Denver by emails, conf call, phone so I don't have to drive to/stay in Denver. But I might have to stop in for some meetings. Love the city but it has gotten so much bigger, too much traffic. Have a couple of trail races that I might run in, depends on where I am on Sat and Sun.
az2mntrail If my FM goes ok this w/e, I will probably go to Las Cruces Oct. 28. It may be my last chance to get down there. Mostly walking and bicycle riding this week, the MT worked on Right hip. I almost switched to the HM , I was talking myself into it at breakfast, but when I got to the race expo, I stayed with the FM. It will be a suffer fest, with under training, but I need this 29th FM for my records on Marathon maniacs.
Chantilly: how did the race go? Always tough to make a decision on distance on race day due to some unexpected body parts that doesn't feel like it wants to endure a race. Hope the hip held up and you made it w/out any further injury. I know you'll tough it out. So, you can make it to NM, would be a great finish for the year, a trip and a race. Kinda a 'celebration' to yourself for early retirement.
Dan: hope you feel better!! OUCH, that sounds like it really hurt!! 'stupid' things like that happens to me too .........first thought, 'can I still run?' LOL!! I would like to run the DWD Gnaw Bone in Indiana (Sept) and/or DWD in Hell, Michigan (May). I have to laugh every time that that is the real name of the town!! But yes, will always keep DWD in WI in mind, would like to run that again when injury is healed this time, and see if my finish time will be better.
Altair: the 'race' shirt is the first thing I noticed! I like the shirt!! You only have one? That's alot of pressure to deal with on training runs. Even tho' the hills make it tough, it would be a great way to strengthen your legs for a stronger finish. I would continue to run those hills as part of training. Sounds like you're conditioned for endurance but need stamina. Strides are good for those. That's my 2 cents.
Art: Having some choices along the canal routes would be less boring for sure. Any smoke from the wildfires? I hope you're getting some 'cooler' temps lately.
Ray: I wouldn't be able to sleep after a late run like that but sometimes our bodies need it. Consistency is something I'm hoping to be better at once we are back in the southwest. Having more choices to run on different trails do help to get out there more often. Also, having others who enjoy trail running is a great motivation as well.
NH: how are you doing?
Art in AZ Nice 6 miler for you in the humidity. Have you decided upon a fall race yet?
az2mntrail You have been busy the past week. Good for you to get in those workouts.
QCM marathon result:
6:18:38 7/7 AG.
I probably walked almost 30 km of this race. It was 77F out with wind gusts up to 40 mph. I liked the temps. They changed the course a bit, so that we ran downtown, for awhile, which I liked, but ran along a couple of streets not closed to traffic, which I did not like and had to run in the gravel. Most of the race is on park paths to minimize traffic crossings. I had medic support ride alongside me, the last 3 km, which was embarrassing, like I didn't know what I had gotten myself into. I had to tell them that I fell off my bicycle a few weeks ago and could not train enough, so walking was pretty much all I could do.
It was fun to run the Wheel Mile, which was some fitness club who set up about 25 stationary bikes on both sides of the path, with people bicycling on them all and cheerleaders. Many funny signs up along the route, lot's of cheering, even at my slow pace. I ran with the 6 hour pace bunny for awhile, but could not keep up.
29th full marathon or further finished.
AZ- I think DWD has a special finisher's medal if you do all 3 of their races. (they had a 4th in FL at one time). That would be a lot of trips to the mid-West! If you ever want to do Devil's Lake DWD you are welcome here.
Chantilly- Way to hang in there! That temp and wind makes it so tough! 29 races of 26.2 mi or greater! That is quite an accomplishment. Good luck on your recovery this next week.
Will be doing short easy runs M & T, then SRD WEdnesday, and likely nothing Th or F due to being in Madison early for continuing ed meeting. That's my taper week!
justrundan Thanks. Sounds like a good taper plan.
1 mile walk this am. I finished 3rd last yesterday. It was the aid stations that closed at 6 hours, the finish line stayed open, so I was lucky there.