Congratulations nanxin! Nice PR!
Now I feel like a turd for sleeping in this morning after paying the registration fee... seemed like a good idea at the time.
Richard Hefner Past Race Results (Athlinks)
The weather held off, but I would not call it beautiful, but my legs decided they did not want to race today. My worse HM in over 2 years. Final result - 1:55:10
Han,
how was the "beautiful" weather in terms of racing? how bad was the wind? rain? Headwind? Were you able to tuck in behind someone? Did anyone else run at Racefest this morning and how was it?
Rob
I had to bail out this morning. Tough week and running on empty. Congrats to those that raced this weekend.
Shashi, you ran in tough weather, and it sounds like you started on tired legs. You're gonna catch the right day soon and crush it!
Nanxin, congrats on a PR!
I plan on trying to rest a little more and giving it a go to be the fastest man in Charlotte next Saturday.
Ok, I know that ain't happenin', but I'll run hard. I guarantee it!
Han, how was the "beautiful" weather in terms of racing? how bad was the wind? rain? Headwind? Were you able to tuck in behind someone? Did anyone else run at Racefest this morning and how was it?
I felt windy on the providence road from mile 4 to mile 6, but it was definitely not 22 mph as in the forecasting. As for rain, I only recalled a shower on the Foxcroft rd for about 5 to 10 minutes. Since everyone was expecting wind, lightening and heave rains, when DJ said it is a "beautiful" day on the start line (cloudy at that time), everyone laughed and agreed.
As for the course, the hill on the Sharon view and the one on the Barclay down definitely had impacts on my legs, these are the only 2 miles I ran in 8 minute pace. The hill on Arbor way (when cross Fairview) is steep, but it is a short one. Since the weather was better than expected and I had a PR from last Nov, I have nothing to complain.
Scheduled Races:
Tokyo Marathon (March 2020)
Boston Marathon (April 2020)
Nanxin nice race.
That weather while not my cup of tea, i think was PR weather. Headwind early for a few miles, and possibly behind our back in the second half. I could feel the rain washing off sweat, and was definitely not cold rain as I expected.
Any way I tried something different for this race with my recent speed work and not taking the day prior to the race day off, to see if that helps, now I know it does not, lesson learned and move on. I'll take this as a tough training run.
under a rock
Good job, Nanixn!
Shashi, sorry it didn't go as you hoped. I'm one that doesn't like to run the day before a race either and I don't like to skimp on tapering. I guess you have to learn the lesson at some point of whether it works for you or not.
Nice racing, guys!
Personally, I kind of like a short and easy run the day before. I've tried not to get wedded to it (missed out once or twice due to travel), but it seems to help me stay loose and burn off nervous energy.
Shashi, I'm wondering if intervals 5 days out and mini-intervals 3 days out had more to do with it. And having run 41 miles in the seven days preceding the race.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Shashi,
you were correct to do speed work but I think the timing of it was the issue. I was looking at your log (you did that speed workout this past week and also started with strides). I think what actually happened is that the speed work (and strides) caused your legs to get sore because you had no prior speed work (or stride) base. At the muscle fiber level you worked your fast twitch muscle fibers for the first time in the week prior to your race. But what is important is that you had not really worked these muscle fibers at this level of intensity in your training/build-up for the race. So these muscle fibers broke down and were in the process of building up (which can take seven to ten days) -- and you hit race day "un-sharp".
Now I think you were also running per one of the various plans out there.
What I would do (assuming your going to stay w/a plan) is at least two days a week incorporate 4 to 6 strides (80m to 100m and record your times so that you can gauge improvement -- 4 strides comes to about 1/2 mile total). Whenever your race is planned, increase the strides to 8 for the three to four weeks prior to your taper. And then when you taper bring it back to 4 to 6. It will take you about 4 weeks of running two sets of strides per week until you "get in shape" for running strides (i.e., start to feel the speed in your legs).
And I would also do some sort of speed workout at least once a month in the three months prior to your taper (so that when you taper, and decrease mileage, and do a modified speed workout during your taper, that speed workout will help to "sharpen" vs. what happened with this race). Hope this helps!
Rob, Thanks for the input. Will try the strides twice a week or 1 weekly track session and another day with strides for my next race, Marathon in July, 12 weeks out so the timing of your plan works.
Clive, Yes I think the 40 miles in the 7 days and the 14 miler on Sunday probably had something to do with the dead legs in race.
While I thought I did not put in the effort, my calves are very sore this morning, more than I remember for all other races including the marathon.