~Philadelphia Marathon 11/23/08~

[princessmomma]

JOdi, wow, that is an awesome pace for LSD!

I too will write more tomorrow, but wanted some advice, my knee is starting to swell! OMG, this is not good. I popped more advil and am icing right now, but I really need to know what is happening. Who else can I see about this? A physio?

 

[msblrobs]

Colleen - I am at Disney. I don't know what to tell you about your knee. Mine is bad too and I have no history of knee problems. I don't know what to do either at this point. I did go to an acupuncturist on Friday but I think I should go see someone also. I hope your knee feels better soon . Please post an update so I know how you're doing. We're like the walking wounded these days .

Jodi - Aewsome job on the LR . I was up at 4:00 a.m. at Disney today with no alarm. I was out of the room by 4:15 for a walk and I read for a bit over at the food court. I soaked my foot and knee in the wading pool. Yes, I really relish my alone time in the a.m. and it is the only thing that will keep my sane with the 24/7 going on here .

DH and DD6 are at the pool so DD10 and I are enjoying some peace and quiet. I will squeeze a little yoga in this afternoon.

Have a great week guys . I need to actually run before I taper, don't I .

 

[princessmomma]

. I need to actually run before I taper, don't I .

The way I feel right now, I answer is NO. Don't know if I should laugh or cry.

Dave, I need to advice on swogging. When you swog or in running in place? How deep are you? Will 30 minute pool running = 30 minutes of road running or 60 minutes?

The pain in my knee has moved from the outside to right under my kneecap. The swelling was below the kneecap and on the anterior.

 

[Optimator]

I was up at 4:00 a.m. at Disney today with no alarm.

Sara - I'm always up at 4 AM as well. It may be China, Fiji, Australia or somewhere other than where I am, but it's 4 AM

Jodi - Great time on the LR. Very impressive!

Colleen - Sorry but I've got no good advice. Just try to take it easy. And I don't think there's a hard and fast definition of when the official taper begins. Maybe 5 weeks is good.

 

[skfulkers]

Hey guys! Thought I'd hijack the MCM thread again since I haven't been around here lately. Looks like you guys are doing pretty well going into the final stretch. The Columbus marathon is just a week before MCM, so I'm feeling your pain at this stage of the game. Honestly, why do we really run this much? Seriously, is 20 miles really that good for you?

Actually, I just wanted to comment on SWOGging for you, Colleen. I'm sure Dave can give you a lot more advice than I can, since I know he does it pretty consistently. But, I think I can answer at least one of your questions. I've heard that 30 min of pool running, swogging, etc is equivalent to 30 min of running. You can either swog hard or easily, similar to running. When I do it, I usually do it in the deep end of the pool so my feet can't touch the bottom. I use an aquabelt to stay afloat, but you could use a life preserver or anything else that will keep you somewhat floating.

Maybe you already knew all this stuff, I just thought I'd chime in. I will say that SWOGging is soooooooo boring. I really admire Dave for his consistency at it.

Ok, you guys can get back to your regularly scheduled MCM talk. Good luck to you all in these final weeks!

Steve

 

[Jodi]

Holy cow! I'm away from the boards for 24 hours or so & all this craziness is happening! People getting up @ 4 a.m., knees swelling, or otherwise protesting, taper worries and the like. Phew!

Colleen - You may have to quickly replace your knee b4 10/28. I think this would be best at this point... . UGH, seriously, which knee is it? Is it the one on the side you were having all those other probs? Either way, stay off that thing & the only dopey advice I can give is what you're doing already, elevate, ice, rest, blahblahblah. No hot soaks now. How does it feel today? Can you walk on it at all or are you limping? My sister tore her cartilage in her knee about 3 mos. ago & had all this swelling, but she couldn't put any weight on it at all.

Sara - Are you feeling better now that you've given running a break? How's the weather down there? Where are you staying? Where are you going today?

Steve - No, 20 miles is not good under any circumstances

Mike & Collen - So I'm not the only one who throws out those gift wrapping fundraiser thingies the moment my son brings them home? . Puh-lease, that crap is so overpriced! The only fundraiser I participate in is where my son & I can go "work" @ the local corn maze for the afternoon. We're "corn cops" & help people navigate their way through this thing if they get lost. The farm pays us $7.50 an hour each & the $ goes directly to the school. I don't mind putting the time in, but don't ask me or my son to sell poop to my family & neighbors!

Back to this marathon thing, 5 weeks of tapering is completely acceptable. Just relax, guys. Give it time & don't run until it feels ok. I hate to even bring it up, but you have until 10/5 to defer, that's another solid week.

And NO CRYING!! CRYING IS FOR WIMPS! like me

 

[princessmomma]

I hate to even bring it up, but you have until 10/5 to defer, that's another solid week. :

October 5th, hmmm, well, I am definitely taking this week off and maybe try another longish run the middle of next week.


Jodi, it is the same right knee I have been having all my problems. It doesn't hurt during the day when I walk around and no I am not limping, but something funny that happens is if I twist a funny way, while I am sitting or in bed, I can feel pain.

Steve, thanks for the swogging advice. So your feet do not touch the bottom of the pool. See how much I know?!?!? Do you try to propel yourself forward or just swog on the spot? This morning was the first morning I thought to myself, "Why am I doing this?" I think I really need a rest both physically and mentally. I hope Krista is doing alright, tell her I miss her.

Hey guys, how was your recovery after your long runs?

 

[rKyDeX]

I'm falling waaaay behind in reading posts. I usually only get to catch up during lunchbreaks Monday - Thursday.

Colleen
The reserrvation works for Tracy and I. Looking forward to meeting everyone in real life.

Saturday was a 5 miler at pace. I decided to run the first mile at "warm-up" pace and then increase pace for each mile. The second mile was at "easy" pace, third mile was run at "marathon" pace, fourth was at "half marathon" pace, and fifth was at "10k" pace. I really liked "shifting gears" this way and had good results:

10:37
9:56
9:21
9:03
8:24

The last mile felt easier than the first. I need to check my resting heart rate again to see if there has been a decrease.

Sunday's 20 miler was aborted. I had to drive to tampa at 8:00am to work in a Raymond James Stadium concession stand at the Bucs vs. Rams game as a fund raiser for DD15's soccer team. By the time I got home it was 7:00pm and raining. I was too beat to run in the rain for up to 4 hours. I'm going to try and fit it in tonight if the weather is good.

on tap for this week:

Monday make up 20 miler
Tuesday 5
Wednesday 5
Thursday 5
Saturday 8
Sunday 12

Happy pavement pounding to all,

Chester
W.I.S.H. Half-Fast Marathon Team

 

[Optimator]

Hey Steve - Good to hear from you. How's training? Is Columbus a PR'able option for you? BTW, I actually ran a bit in Columbus back in my college days while visiting friends at OSU. Well, actually it was more like staggering quickly from bar to bar, but still...

Chester - Great job on the 5 miler. Let us know how the 20 went (or goes as the case may be). Sounds pretty cool working at the stadium. Was it enjoyable or just a lot of hard work?

Hey guys, how was your recovery after your long runs?

Colleen - While my LR Sat wasn't much to be proud of, I recovered MUCH better than after my 18 miles 2 weeks ago. I had absolutely no soreness at all today and my 5 miles were smokin'. I will attribute my quick recovery to the leftover pot roast I had post-LR.

PD on the mystery knee.

Sara - How's the World treating you?

Jodi - Do the "corn cops" ever give bad directions just to mess with people? Now that'd be fun!

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Good Morning MCM Teammates:

I recovered from my 20 miler really well with no soreness whatsoever. Maybe it goes to show I could have ran it a little faster - oh well, I'll take the slow and steady. Yesterday I ran 5 miles at an 8:33 mpm pace! I felt great!

I had a question for everyone - is anyone planning on going to the official "Dining In" carbo loading dinner the night before the marathon? It sounds kind of fun, and I wondered if we could get a WISH table together.

Colleen- I'm glad Steve was able to answer your swogging question. I use a kayaking life jacket to keep my floating upright when I swog, and my feet do not touch bottom. It's about 6 feet deep in the university pool I swog in. I do end up going back and forth doing laps. It takes me about 4.5 - 5 min to go back and forth the length of the pool, but you don't have to go back and forth. Swogging in place will work too. I hope you're getting some much needed rest, and I hope your knee is getting better. Hang in there. To answer a question you asked a couple days ago, I have a step back week this week, and then I'm planning on going 22 or 23 miles the week after that. That will be my longest LR for my MCM training, and then it's taper time.

Jodi- I wanted to say congratulations on your 18 miler at a sub-10 mpm pace. That is an incredible pace! You're much faster than I am on the LRs. I'm hoping I can keep up with you in DC.

Steve- Great to hear from you. How's the training for Columbus going? You must be getting pretty close to your last really long runs. Give my best to Krista and Hines. Go Steelers!

Chester- That was an amazingly fast 5 miles on Saturday. How'd the 20 go on Monday?

Mike- Glad you recovered well from your 20 miler too. What do you have on tap the next couple weeks of training? How long is your longest LR going to get?

Sara- Hope you're getting lots of rest and having a ton of fun at WDW. How's the weather? Not too hot I hope.

 

[rKyDeX]

Mike and Dave
My 20 miler is officially postponed until this Sunday and my second 20 miler scheduled for 10/7 will be replaced with a 14 since I'm running the Race for the Taste that day.

I ended up doing a quick 5 last night - 20 miles is just too much after a full day of work and a neighborhood Architectural Review Committee Meeting. It would have been 1:00am by the time I finished.

Mike
Working in the concession at an NFL stadium is better than working in a High School concession stand because the equipment is better, but it is just as hot and the hours are longer. Plus, you really have no idea what is happening in the game.

Tonight is a fast 5, tomorrow is an easy 5 and Thursday is another fast 5.

Tapering is just around the corner,

Chester
W.I.S.H. Half-Fast Marathon Team

 

[princessmomma]

No running today or tomorrow for me, but I did get 60 painfree minutes on the elliptical today. I will swog tomorrow and then see if I can get a few miles in on Thursday.

I also made a chiro/acupuncture appointment for tomorrow. Hopefully she can release/correct something. This running is getting mighty expensive.

 

[princessmomma]

Tapering is just around the corner,

Not for me. I am on the 5 week taper plan. Actually, I do hope to get in a 20 miler.

Chester, you are racking up a lot of weekly miles!

Dave, good job on your easy 5 miles today. What is this carb loading meal you speak of, something I didn't read? Jodi did you get tickets for this?

Mike, Ah, pot roast, red meat, ahhh, now that is a recovery meal.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Dave, good job on your easy 5 miles today. What is this carb loading meal you speak of, something I didn't read? Jodi did you get tickets for this?

I saw it on the website. I think it is on Saturday evening, and there's a picture of Marines in dress blues plus cake! It says for information on ticket sales call 800.RUN.USMC. Looks like it might be fun.

http://www.marinemarathon.com/weekend_events/carbo_dining_in.htm

 

[Jodi]

Hi fellow trainees!

In response to the LR recovery, it wasn't as great as I'd hoped. On Sun. my upper thighs were sore (a little twinge when walking down stairs) & my calves were a little tight. Sunday in general I felt like poopy, headache, nauseated...After my LR on Sat. I don't think I really ate & re-hydrated properly, in fact I know I didn't. That night I had an ale, yes, one bottle of beer (I'm not a big drinker, but usually on Sat. night I'll have an ale) & I truly think i was hungover on Sun . It was a dark, strong beer & yummy, but it did me in! . Dehydration sucks!

I ran yesterday a.m. for 50 mins. & while the first mile was a little stiff, the rest felt great & it was real cool out, 45-50, pre-dawn . Today the soreness is all but gone. 40 min. of CT today after work, elliptical i suppose .

Colleen - Glad you're pain free as long as you're not running...We'll see what THurs. brings. I had a weird pain in my knee in the winter while training for my May marathon. It was such a strong pain & would wake me up @ night, it constantly felt like I had to stretch it out. It would also pain me while driving/bent. I'd rub it to no avail, once up & walking around it felt better. I do think it swelled a bit, too. Is this anything like what you're experiencing? For a while I thought I had that Restless Leg Syndrome stuff you see on tv.
Yes, I have tickets to that Carbo Dining-In thing @ the Hyatt on Sat. night that Dave mentioned. They have entertainment, and I'm hoping it's the Silent Drill Team, that's the main reason why I got the tix. If not, I may try & get my $ back. Unless everyone wants to meet here? It's up to ya'll. Good thinking on the accupunture/massage, pls. keep me informed.

Dave - Believe me, you'll be able to keep up with my pathetic-ness . I've got tix to the Dining In thingie, see above. What's up with that 8:33 pace on the 5 miler??? SWEET, I can barely ride my back that fast!!

Mike - Last year I'd give directions & I seriously had no idea what I was talking about . I was standing on 1 of 2 "bridges" if you will, when you can look out over the maze. I'd watch my unsuspecting victims wander around, no doubt cursing me up & down! I had a hard time finding my way out when my shift was over.

Chester - That's a lot of running, even without the 20 miler...be careful, I don't need anymore injured posters here . Soooo jealous you're going to RFTTaste!! I wanna go!!

Sara - How's that heel, woman? Did you rent a cart???

 

[Optimator]

is anyone planning on going to the official "Dining In" carbo loading dinner the night before the marathon? It sounds kind of fun, and I wondered if we could get a WISH table together.

Mike- Glad you recovered well from your 20 miler too. What do you have on tap the next couple weeks of training? How long is your longest LR going to get?

Dave - I'm going to have to skip the "Dining In" the night before.

As for my next couple of weeks: I'm pretty much on the 5-8-5 midweek plan until the week before with LRs of 12 (but I may do 14) this week, 20, 12, then 8. I'm following (a little loosely) the Hal Higdon Novice II plan. Hal's philosophy is that anything over 20 miles is hallowed ground, dared to be tread upon only in the race. Who am I to disagree?

P.S. I like how you tempted the ladies with marines in dress blues and cake. Very subtle.

 

[msblrobs]

Colleen- Glad your elliptical session was pain free today . I am also only going to get one 20 miler in so we should be in the same boat come 10/28. I hope your chiro/acupuncture goes well and it helps ease whatever knee pain that remains .

Dave - As a fellow NY'er you have to know I am dying down here!! We've been taking advantage of a.m. EMH and getting back to the room around noon, taking a nap, doing some work and then out to dinner and off to the parks. Glad to hear you had no soreness from the LR. You are getting speedy !! The walking wounded will have to eat your dust I'm afraid .

Jodi - My knee issue sounds just like what you had. Did it resolve on its own? Also, did you run Burlington? That's like almost a local race for me. About the hangover. I am not a drinker either so I completely understand. Glad the recovery run was good and I hope the CT goes well too .

Chester - Glad you decided to postpone your 20 miler instead of trying to squeeze it in. Your plan from here on out sounds great.

Mike - The World is always a wonderful place to be even when it is a tad too hot for my liking. I kind of feel like a vampire only coming out at night . That's why I am loving being able to get out at 4:00 a.m. which is the time I normally run at home and it is actually comfortable.

Happy training to all this week . I am most likely with Colleen on the 5 week taper plan. My knee is just not right so I feel it best to take it easy. I want to run with my WISH family and some Marines on 10/28!!!

 

[Optimator]

Sara - Sorry about the heat. How are the crowds? We've never been this time of year but it seems it shouldn't be too awfully packed.


Here's a long, meandering question about race strategy for you experienced marathoners.

I know the idea is to run a nice, steady race. Maybe even have negative splits and run the last half faster than the first... but I'm enough of a realist to accept the fact that I'm not a strong enough runner, don't train enough, don't have enough running experience, to hope to run as strong at mile 24 as at mile 10 even if I add 30 seconds per mile to my pace.

So my question is this: Say you hope to finish in 4:30, a 10:18 mpm pace. Do you run your race at a 10:18 pace and hope to maintain all race or do you run a little faster, but still pretty comfortable, to allow some breathing room for fatigue/problems at the end of the race?

Your expertise would be much appreciated!

 

[nucpharm29]

Hey all--because I said I would, I'm checking in before leaving town tomorrow. Starting to get those pre-race jitters--waking me up at night. I think I'm more stressed b/c DH is still taking the "it's no big deal" attitude. MIL has scheduled all this stuff for Sat. afternoon after the race. I asked DH did he really think he'd be up for any of it (unless they had wheelchairs for the disabled! ) He says, yeah, no big deal--we'll get a quick nap and be ready to go. Somehow that Y chromosome is coming to the conclusion that 26.2=no biggie!

Anyway, all those with injuries PD that they get better soon! Take it easy in the meantime!

Dave--good to see you posting over here--missing you on the weekly thread

Mike--I'm not "seasoned" enough to be able to really answer your question. I'm going to try out a pace team this race. We are going to start out with the 4:00 pacer and see how it goes. From what I read, the pacers at this race do even/negative splits--walking through water stops. We'll see.

Okay, I've got to get to work, and then pack--yes, we leave at 4 am tomorrow morning and not one of us is packed! I'll post results sometime Sat. afternoon or Sunday (maybe I should leave that to DH since he's gonna be superman and all! )

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Hey all--because I said I would, I'm checking in before leaving town tomorrow. Starting to get those pre-race jitters--waking me up at night. I think I'm more stressed b/c DH is still taking the "it's no big deal" attitude. MIL has scheduled all this stuff for Sat. afternoon after the race. I asked DH did he really think he'd be up for any of it (unless they had wheelchairs for the disabled! ) He says, yeah, no big deal--we'll get a quick nap and be ready to go. Somehow that Y chromosome is coming to the conclusion that 26.2=no biggie!

Anyway, all those with injuries PD that they get better soon! Take it easy in the meantime!

Dave--good to see you posting over here--missing you on the weekly thread

Mike--I'm not "seasoned" enough to be able to really answer your question. I'm going to try out a pace team this race. We are going to start out with the 4:00 pacer and see how it goes. From what I read, the pacers at this race do even/negative splits--walking through water stops. We'll see.

Okay, I've got to get to work, and then pack--yes, we leave at 4 am tomorrow morning and not one of us is packed! I'll post results sometime Sat. afternoon or Sunday (maybe I should leave that to DH since he's gonna be superman and all! )

Stephanie- Good luck in Akron this weekend! Run like the wind. You are going to do fantastic! I have every confidence in you. Go and bring back those shoes!!!