RunningAHEAD - Topic: Training

Durrr

posted: 4/28/2008 at 1:06 PM
modified: 4/28/2008 at 1:07 PM

Would you consider hanging back to pace/coach Alden along at Crofton --- much like Joe did with Billy at Hospice? It will, after all, likely be the longest run of his life. I'm tentatively planning the run the Walden Sierra XC 5k one week after the Kiwanis 10k, so I'll probably take it as easy as possible in the space between (save maybe some light sprinting for readjusting to 5k pace). I made the huge mistake last fall of cramming roughly 18 or 19 miles in between the Komen and Three Oaks 5ks when those two races were only 6 days apart.

rickschaffer83

Diesel Power

posted: 4/28/2008 at 1:35 PM

That’s most likely what I’ll do. Alden mentioned breaking an hour in the race, although I think 55 minutes (if not faster) is a much better goal. Here’s my dilemma… I definitely want to run a May race. I had originally planned on running my “goal” 10K on the weekend of 5/17 (Capitol Hill Classic, DC), but then discovered that I have a take-home final due that weekend, and an in-class final on Monday 5/19. That weekend is out for a race. I don’t think I could prepare myself mentally for a race this weekend, so that’s out. The only weekends remaining are 5/10 and 5/24. I think my training schedule between Hospice and MCVET on 5/25 would be perfect: a recovery week, three weeks of hell, taper week, race. I have considered a couple of other things… 1. A race on 5/10 will certainly cut into my studying for finals. Additionally, it would require me to mix-up recovery/hard training much more than I’d like leading up to Kiwanis. 2. The MCVET race is a week after finals, and days before my summer class begins. My mind would be free of any stress related to school. There is also a MCVET 5K on this day. However, even if I opted for the shorter race, I would still only have twelve days to prepare for Kiwanis, which would then be my “goal” 10K race. Therefore, once again, I think my best option is to run the 10K on 5/25 as planned, and run a much slower race two weeks later. Have you thought about what Baltimore County race you’re going to run this spring? My last race in this area will be the MCVET on 5/25. I think the rules held that you have to run one race in each member’s area in order to count in scoring, but I’m not sure if we’re even keeping score this year. (Note: I wouldn’t really count Crofton as being in the backyard of me, Val, and Alden, being that all parties involved will be driving 45-60 minutes on the morning of the race). Maybe Alden would be interested in running another race up here in late June or early July.

Durrr

posted: 4/28/2008 at 2:37 PM

I think that rather outdated rule is one that should be left by the wayside. Keep in mind that when it was envisioned back in 2006, you were the only League member running in the greater Baltimore area. Therefore it was enacted so that you (or Phil and Adubb in other areas) wouldn't have to keep traveling to Southern Maryland for score-able races. But now you have Alden as a willing Northern racing companion --- and hopefully Valerie again in good time. And as for Phil and Adubb, the former has yet to participate in a League race and the latter is perpetually abroad (I'm not challenging the Witherclause). That regional rule is also outmoded because races like the Kiwanis --- or the Annapolis 10-Miler or anything in D.C. --- blur the lines of what constitutes a region (I would consider a trip north to Crofton very much out of the So. MD region), and you can only expect a person to do so much traveling for races (especially with gas prices). Furthermore, new initiates outside of our high school group like Perry and Crystal might find it more difficult to make a Towson race, just like new recruits you might gain in Towson (say Brian or your roommate, for instance) would likely find making a Southern Maryland race to be impractical. Furthermore, we agreed that everyone is allowed one solo race a season, which should make things easier for those in more remote locations. So, although I hope to run a big Towson race sometime this year --- mainly for the experience --- I don't think I'll be running any this spring, since I don't plan to run any races between Walden and the Chaptico Classic.

AmoresPerros

Options,Account, Forums

posted: 4/28/2008 at 2:55 PM

We might come up to Robbie Miles on Sat.

It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

rickschaffer83

Diesel Power

posted: 4/28/2008 at 4:07 PM
modified: 4/28/2008 at 4:10 PM

Another point of the regional rule was to try to make sure we all got to hang out more often. However, if the general consensus is that the rule should be eliminated, that's fine.

Durrr

posted: 4/29/2008 at 8:17 AM

I think the past year has proved that we're all very inclined to congregate as often as possible for "League Event" races --- like at Komen or more recently at Hospice. I suppose my main grievance right now is that, after June, I will have run five worthy spring races, and it wouldn't be very fair if they were discredited due to the rather archaic rule of region. Perry said he's on board for next year's marathon, and if both Rick AND Adubb were committed to it, then I'd have no choice but to sign up, too!

Spoon

posted: 4/29/2008 at 9:14 AM

For what it's worth, I agree with Rick in maintaining the regional rule, at least as it pertains to the S.MD / Baltimore groups. I like that it makes everyone come together. Plus, it makes it so each group shares some of the burden of driving. Baltimore group shouldn't always have to come south. I think runs in the more neutral DC area are also great ideas, esp. the Capitol Hill one as that's right in SE, the closest point for S. MD folk. Two of my buddies from flight school that are now stationed in VA Beach will be running the R&R Half with me, so with Alden added it'll make a nice sized group. The more the merrier for sure. Might as well tell you now that one of my friends and I have already signed up for the MCM on 26 OCT. It's really a beautiful run and it'd be great if any of you decided to participate. Sign up for military was in April, but I think general sign up starts in a week or two. It usually sells out in a week or ten days so if you're interested I'd sign up right away.

rickschaffer83

Diesel Power

posted: 4/29/2008 at 9:30 AM

Being that I’ve never participated in even a half marathon, I anticipate signing up for the Baltimore Half in the fall… I believe the date is 10/11/08. As I’ve said previously, I expect my first marathon to be in the early part of 2009. I’ll probably begin a 16-18 week training program following a week off after the Half.

Durrr

posted: 4/30/2008 at 9:15 AM
modified: 4/30/2008 at 9:20 AM

You know, I thought that I've been slipping by completely unnoticed whenever I run at Ryken --- just a random unknown non-student not to be given two looks. But apparently I haven't been so anonymous after all, because yesterday I received a job proposal! I'd just completed my 1.5-mile warm up around campus and was walking onto the track when this guy (not a student ... he looked close to 30) came rushing towards me. My initial thought was that he was going to tell me I couldn't run on the track! However, he --- who identified himself as Rob (and then I remembered him from the Pet Day 5k and the Three Oaks 5k, where he'd been an apparent helper of Schmidt) --- had another agenda. He wanted to know if I was interested in becoming the SMR track team's SPRINTING coach! I politely made it clear that I'd never been much of a sprinter, but rather a distance runner, and he quickly added that the distance unit needs help, too --- and that the cross country team will be in dire need of an assistant coach next fall! Rob went on to explain that SMR is finally trying to build up a decent track program, and that ... brace yourselves for this ... NEXT YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO LAY DOWN A BRAND NEW TRACK SURFACE! Well, I'll believe that when I see it. I told Rob that I'd consider his proposal, and I mentioned Joe the former team captain as a more suitable substitute. Now, I would love to fill Mr. Thomspon's shoes (I'd even clap my hands and say "come on, get it together now"), but fulfilling this position wouldn't really be practical for me. I'd use up a beastly amount of gas driving all the way down to Ryken from Prince Frederick five days a week, and to make it there each day at 3 p.m. I'd have to leave work by 2 p.m. --- meaning I'd have to GET to work each day at 6 a.m.! But I wonder; would I be Assistant Cross Country Coach? Or Assistant to the Cross Country Coach? My track workout wasn't particularly remarkable, so here it is in cursory form: - 400 (1:15) - 400 (1:15) - 200 (0:33) - 400 (1:21) - 400 (1:16) I had PIERCING side stitches during my 1.5-mile cool down around campus. And I just ate TWO big donuts while typing this.

rickschaffer83

Diesel Power

posted: 4/30/2008 at 10:10 AM

I can definitely buy the fact that SMR is now serious about a track program, for a couple of reasons. First, I think they are finally increasing tuition to the point that it’s no longer the “bargain” private school of the state… while it’s not $20K + like some schools up this way, last I heard it was north of $10K (as opposed to $5K when we attended). Second, the growing football program and athletic scholarships seem to be bringing in some great athletes, as evidenced by how the basketball team has been doing in the past couple of years. Some of the best high school athletes compete in three sports. I think a big combination is football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and track in the spring. I hope that the new track program will mean that the cross country program will finally be competitive in the area again. I doubt it’s been very competitive since the class of ’02 graduated. I said this probably about a year ago, but I’ll once again nominate Joe and DR as coaches. While the XC job is currently filled, I’m sure that you two could make a strong argument to take over that program as well. After all, I’m sure there must be some reason that the current head cross country coach hasn’t been asked to helm the new track program. I should really inform my dad of the open track coach position. That might be something of interest to him. Any chance you caught Rob’s last name, or his affiliation with the school?

Durrr

posted: 4/30/2008 at 10:52 AM
modified: 4/30/2008 at 10:57 AM

I didn't catch his last name, but he did mention Ryken's athletic director. I don't quite recall his name either, but that info would be easy to find on the SMR website or by just calling the school. I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have a sprinting coach like your father who's already helped coach sprinting at Ryken before. And yeah, if I became the assistant cross country coach, I think I'd be the guy over on the left ... http://www.fredonia.edu/athletics/wcrossc/2006team.JPG

rickschaffer83

Diesel Power

posted: 4/30/2008 at 1:06 PM

I'd be very interested to know how you came up with that picture. Last night I hit the NCR Trail for a 4-mile tempo workout. I'm still struggling a little bit due to allergies. Over the past few years, I seem to suffer the most between mid April and mid May. If you'll recall, last year I wasn't even running outside until sometime in late May, due to recovering from the ankle thing. I don't remember how allergies affected my running in high school, so I have nothing to compare it to. I am struggling a little bit, though. The tempo portion of the run was split. The first half was ran at a max 170 bpm, which averaged 8:07 (avg HR was probably closer to 167 or so). The second half was ran at a max 175 bpm for the first 1.75 miles (~7:45 pace), after which I opened up my stride for the final quarter mile of the tempo. I was never in an all-out sprint, however. My HR got as high as 185, and my speed peaked at only 5:32. However, because of this final burst, I averaged a 7:37 pace in the last two miles of the tempo. I also warmed-up and down for a mile apiece, at the usual slow pace. The entire six mile run was completed in about 51:30.

AmoresPerros

Options,Account, Forums

posted: 4/30/2008 at 1:07 PM

> Assistant Cross Country Coach? Or Assistant to the Cross Country Coach? Smile

Hey, someonel who plays field hockey or lacrosse for Ryken told me that she thinks Ryken is going to build a new building of some type on the field inside the track next autumn -- I heard that several weeks ago, and then forgot about it. Dunno how accurate it is, or how it relates to a new track surface.

It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

Durrr

posted: 4/30/2008 at 2:01 PM

Rick, haven't you discovered the wonders of google image search? Just type in "women's cross country team." And that sounds like a solid tempo. If they constructed a building on the track infield, then field hockey and women's lacrosse would have to find a new place for games and practice. Maybe the Goat Field?

Spoon

posted: 4/30/2008 at 4:11 PM

Could they be building an indoor track?

The League of Extraordinary Runners

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