The Running Thread—2023

[pluto377]

QOTD- race schedule- the past few years I've based it on what's local, except for MW. I haven't had the money or time to really travel to races. So I'd just see what's around at a distance and time of year that I wanted to run. I'd like to branch out starting this year, but I'm not sure if it's feasible yet. I'd like to focus on the half marathon distance.

I was hoping to do one towards the end of March, but I can't seem to find anything near me... I'm on Long Island and didn't get in to the NYC Half. We're going to Florida for family vacation from April 1-10, so I wanted to get something in before then and then ease off training a bit for the hot months and then do a late fall race (November?). There's a few possible halfs around here in late April/early May, but the weather can be hot then and me and hot don't mix. So this is year is completely up in the right now.

 

[MissLiss279]

QOTD- race schedule- the past few years I've based it on what's local, except for MW. I haven't had the money or time to really travel to races. So I'd just see what's around at a distance and time of year that I wanted to run. I'd like to branch out starting this year, but I'm not sure if it's feasible yet. I'd like to focus on the half marathon distance.

I was hoping to do one towards the end of March, but I can't seem to find anything near me... I'm on Long Island and didn't get in to the NYC Half. We're going to Florida for family vacation from April 1-10, so I wanted to get something in before then and then ease off training a bit for the hot months and then do a late fall race (November?). There's a few possible halfs around here in late April/early May, but the weather can be hot then and me and hot don't mix. So this is year is completely up in the right now.

I sometimes use www.runningintheusa.com to find races during a certain time or location.

Maybe one of these would work?

https://www.runningintheusa.com/classic/list/ny/03-11-2023-to-03-31-2023/half-marathon/

You can also change it to check nearby states.

 

[Baloo in MI]

8th time running it this year?
;-)

I will vouch (sp?) for @michigandergirl. I have only run the Groundhog Day Marathon once, but by the time you finish all those loops on the snow…. It feels like 8 times in one year!

 

[HangWithMerida]

@pluto377 For HM, I really like www.halfmarathons.net. You can filter by state or month and it sometimes has ones that don't pop up on some other sites I use. For smaller local races I use Runguides. I don't know how good they are if you don't live in a large city. In the Houston area, this site includes a lot of the smaller local races and is great for finding ones I haven't tried before. I'm also not sure how runguides gets their information. If it relies on race directors to submit the information, YMMV if those in your area don't really use it.

 

[PrincessV]

Doubtful I'm sick since my RHR is perfectly normal. It's only when I'm running that it's elevated, which it seems isn't unusual.

FWIW that is exactly what happened to me post-COVID: HR elevated about 10 clicks higher than my norm on easy running efforts, but was normal resting. It wasn’t dangerous, just odd. Lasted for months.

 

[kps7795]

FWIW that is exactly what happened to me post-COVID: HR elevated about 10 clicks higher than my norm on easy running efforts, but was normal resting. It wasn’t dangerous, just odd. Lasted for months.

Did you see someone about it? I saw a cardiologist believing that I was in danger. He brushed it off and basically said, "You're fine. It'll return to normal soon." FWIW, he was right.

 

[PrincessV]

Did you see someone about it? I saw a cardiologist believing that I was in danger. He brushed it off and basically said, "You're fine. It'll return to normal soon." FWIW, he was right.

Nope - it was but one minor blip compared to a mountain of much worse stuff going on, so I ignored it and it eventually went back to normal. We’re talking the difference between 125 and 135 bpm, so nothing near being worried about or spending $$$ to see someone about it.

 

[JulieODC]

FWIW that is exactly what happened to me post-COVID: HR elevated about 10 clicks higher than my norm on easy running efforts, but was normal resting. It wasn’t dangerous, just odd. Lasted for months.

I had the same experience - normal, but spiked when I’d run. It did eventually go away, but took 2 months or so.

 

[Popo]

Question for people who have done marathons before: is it normal for your HR to be elevated when returning to running after a marathon? I've done a couple of 30-minute easy runs and for both my HR has been about 10 bpm higher than I would expect. Still within an easy range for the most part but it's a significant difference. Is that just lingering fatigue? My resting HR is completely back to normal, so the higher HR during runs is making me nervous.

Many things can impact your heart rate during a run. Age, emotional stress, work stress, nutrition, hydration, sleep, intensity of activity, and even race recovery can all have an effect. The two things I look for is that my RHR is not rising over time and after running my heart rate returns to normal within a few hours.

 

[PrincessV]

Kara Goucher and Des Linden have teamed up for a podcast series, “Nobody Asked Us”, and it is terrific! Ep. 2 is really speaking to me right now, as I try to figure out what to do with my aging body that’s made it clear it can no longer train the way I have for the past decade - it was SO good to hear them both talk about aging and that while a few exceptional people are able to maintain or even improve their abilities as they age, most of us are going to experience a decline… and that that’s OKAY. And normal.

So, as I struggle to figure out what my body wants, I pose this as a QOTD: have you experienced the need to adjust your training to accommodate an aging body? What changed? How did you figure out what you needed?

 

[GuinnessRunner]

ATQOTD: Have definately experienced changes as I have gotten older. The biggest thing that changed was pace and the need for more recovery. Unfortunately, while my body changed, the one area that still resists it is my brain that has those older paces locked in. So my struggle has been overcoming that internal voice constantly saying "you should be doing this faster like we used to." At his point, that used to is 15+ years (and I didn't start running until my 30s)

It's still a battle to accept what parts of it are my body changing over time vs. different training but I have finally realized that (1) I'm training more (and probably better) now than I used to and (2) I suffered through a lot of running related injuries that were likely coming from listening to that internal voice. So clearly age is part of the calculus in the changes I've seen. I try now to really run easy on the easy days; take extra rest if something starts to not feel right. Obviously those are good ideas no matter what age you are, but I know now that while I might have been able to overcome those things in the past, now it's a "must" and not just a "maybe." It's still a constant struggle though to shift my attitude to "improve over yesterday" as opposed to "improve back to where I was." and reset my mental goals.

 

[SheHulk]

Kara Goucher and Des Linden have teamed up for a podcast series, “Nobody Asked Us”, and it is terrific! Ep. 2 is really speaking to me right now, as I try to figure out what to do with my aging body that’s made it clear it can no longer train the way I have for the past decade - it was SO good to hear them both talk about aging and that while a few exceptional people are able to maintain or even improve their abilities as they age, most of us are going to experience a decline… and that that’s OKAY. And normal.

So, as I struggle to figure out what my body wants, I pose this as a QOTD: have you experienced the need to adjust your training to accommodate an aging body? What changed? How did you figure out what you needed?

Literally ran to my phone to subscribe to this, thank you!
ATTQOTD: I'm 51. I don't have any answers, I haven't adjusted yet but I keep saying I should. In my youth, I always tended to be pretty muscular, for a woman. More of a sprinter than a distance runner. Partly with age, maybe partly from doing only long distance running the past 10 years, I am just not as strong as I used to be. My butt, which is your motor for running, has almost disappeared. Muscles visibly gone. I haven't suffered any big injuries yet but it has to be coming, so many people say that weak glutes are the root of all injuries. Every year I swear this is the year I'm going to strength train, but it's boring to me and I can't stick to a program. On top of strength training being Just One More Thing you have to do for this hobby. Stretching too. I have never in my life been able to touch my toes. But I can't keep acting like a 20 year old: Walk out the door, immediately start running with no warm up, stop running and shower and just get on with my day. Knock wood, it's a miracle I haven't suffered any big injuries and I'm very interested to see other answers here.

As far as performance, I've been kind of lucky there too: Because I have always run super-casually, I haven't seen a decrement in performance yet. Again, knock wood. This has to be the decade things start ramping down though. I just want to keep going no matter the speed. The Galloway method intrigues me and I'm assuming I'll start doing that when stuff starts to really fall apart.

 

[GreatLakes]

So, as I struggle to figure out what my body wants, I pose this as a QOTD: have you experienced the need to adjust your training to accommodate an aging body? What changed? How did you figure out what you needed?

My biggest decline is in my sprinting. I'm never going to run a 4.1 40y again or get back below 10.5 in the 100m. I haven't actually timed a 100 in years but this summer I'm going to try and see how far down I can get that but it isn't going to be close to what I could even do in my early 30s which was still sub 11.

So far distance running hasn't seen a big decline. I need to foam roll and stretch a lot more, and I won't be setting any PRs below the 10K again, but I just set a Marathon PR last year and think I can get my 10K PR down a few seconds. I'm sure I have genetics on my side based on the times some family members were able to run as they aged. I'm 45 so we will see what the rest of this decade holds for me. The biggest thing I've noticed is that I have to be more conscious of my movement away from running. Sitting posture, how I pick things up, stuff like that. I finally came to terms with having to go from shoveling snow to buying a snow blower after some back issues from shoveling last winter.

 

[The Expert]

ATTQOTD: My experience is a little different than those who have posted so far, because I didn't start running until I was 45. I turned 52 in late December. I've never been fast and haven't experienced a decline, but I had a realization early on to set my expectations low. It was hard for a while, but I've learned the hard way that comparison robs you of joy and I try not to do it.

I've remained somewhat active through my adult life and started working weekly with a strength trainer when I was 40, so my muscles and bones are in good shape for someone my age and size (short and prone to bone density issues). I'm not a body builder but I don't have a lot of injuries and joint issues.

That said, I hit pre-menopause about a year and a half ago and am struggling with those hormone changes and a tiny bit of weight gain. I'm taking longer to recover for sure and take my rest days seriously. I am learning to listen to this new body and give it grace.

 

[surfde22]

ATQOTD: So far I haven't had to make any adjustments. I'm coming up on my 40th, and only re-started post high school running about 7 years ago or so, and only had a few really good training cycles in that time. After running Dopey this year, and completing by far my best marathon to date, I feel I am still a ways off of my plateau/peak, and have some good time improvements left in me still, even as I age. We'll see what happens over the coming years though.

 

[jmasgat]

So, as I struggle to figure out what my body wants, I pose this as a QOTD: have you experienced the need to adjust your training to accommodate an aging body? What changed? How did you figure out what you needed?

ATTQOTD:.........................(Silence).......................(Thinking).....................
Oh this question. Short answer: It''s a journey to acceptance.

Longer answer: Okay, I turn 65 this year. I took up running 15 years ago, when I was going to turn 50 (It was an excuse to go to Disney and run!) I have dodged the inevitable "you'll slow down/break down" bullet for a long time because as a late starter, who could tell what my peak was, and I had not "young adult" injuries/issues to deal with. I have run sub-4 marathon, sub 1:49 half, sub 50 10k, sub 24 5k ---annoyingly good enough (for my age) to make me disappointed in what is now the inevitable decline.

It seems as though I have always been somewhat prone to running injuries--but always a different one, so it's hard to say I am not listening to my body/doing the things i need to keep it fit. Stress fractures, muscle strains, ITB issues. I learn and move on, but then a new and glorious setback occurs--and mostly I don't know why. The reality now is that my body is making the decisions for me. An injury comes, I take a break.

So do I adapt physically? I guess so: I have run 3/4/5/6 days a week in past training cycles. I now think my limit is 4 days/week. I have done yoga for as long as I have run, and beyond the occasional yoga injury (it happens--try kicking back to chaturanga from crow pose and every so often you break/screw up a toe), I now make sure I get in 2 vinyasa sessions a week to help my overall strength/stretching. I continue to pepper in other strength training (when I remember it/get motivated) and I do taken one day off a week (which may be accompanied with yoga stretching).

The bigger issue I am now facing is mental--the motivation to race. I mean, what's the point of racing? and therefore "training"? I have always been of the "very few/hard out" race mentality. Maybe only doing 1-2/yr. Always going for time. Now, that has lost its appeal. Sure, I can always race for "age-graded" results. EX: My 5k from 2021 was sub-25, which was just as good from an age standpoint as my actual earlier PR. But I don't know if I want to put my body through that. My current struggle is whether to register for NY Marathon. Do I really want to subject myself to marathon training feeling like the odds are high I'll get injured in one way or another?

The fundamental question for me is: at what point do I stop training and just run....for fun and fitness. Do I need to do "Races"--even in a non-competitive way? And if I do, will it be satisfying enough to keep me going or will I feel like I am "underperforming"/failing myself. Sigh.....

So no good answer yet.

 

[superchime]

QOTD: I'm 46 and have only recently started trying to get back into shape, so I have a lot of room for improvement, which is fun. I am learning, however, that I can't push myself like I did when I was younger. Progress is slower and I don't bounce back like I once did, but I am making progress. I'm looking forward to where the next year takes me.

I do need to learn to balance my ambition with my limitations, though. I'm not sure how much is actually possible for me. After finishing the half this past MW, I'm now considering whether or not to run the full next year, and then try for Dopey in 2025 (when I will be 48.6). Is this good and healthy ambition or am I setting myself up for injury?

 

[Bree]

ATTQOTD: I will be 46 in February. I really haven’t made any changes and I can’t say my performance has peaked just yet. I think I have a few more PR’s in me and I am chasing a sub 4 marathon at least once in my life.

What’s unfortunate is how long it has taken to get all my mysterious illnesses diagnosed. I’ve literally been told all my life that it’s anxiety….you have a nervous stomach…you are a mom so of course you are tired….it’s all in your head….take more vitamins….you are getting older so it’s just part of life….we don’t know what’s wrong so we will call it fibromyalgia Whelp, a stress fracture in my hip in 2019 led me down a very weird path and I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia. I have antibodies that attack the intrinsic factor in the gut which processes B12 from food. I’m on daily B12 shots for life now. Other than having to make some adjustments in dosage last month I feel better and recover quicker after my runs than when I was younger. Last week? Finally confirmed allergic to egg whites, egg yolks, kale, cranberries and flax seed (a few others, but those were the major ones). Those are all things I ate daily. No wonder I felt so crummy and had so many GI issues when truly racing for time.

So after that long diatribe I look back wondering where I would be now had these issues been diagnosed 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. I am looking forward to this next year and excited to see how I perform in the Springtime Surprise 10 miler and the NYC Marathon!

 

[garneska]

QOTD: I feel like I need to respond, but I feel your pain @PrincessV. I turned 49 two days ago. I was an athlete in high school. I put on some weight in college. I started playing basketball and running after college (I worked at an AF base so i had lots of stuff i could play). I did my first marathon in 1999, my first Disney marathon in 2003. Generally been running since all distances. I have run a long time. I am always plagued with injuries. When I was younger, knees and hips (my first disney i used two huge knee braces). Most of my injuries were over use, plus i broke a LOT of bones. I was a bit heavier. My knees and hips were always an issue. My times went down when I lost 25 pounds in 2016. I was able to BQ in Oct 2018, but since i have been injured a lot. Now it includes my back. My 2023 marathon was extremely disappointing. I felt awful afterward (but saved the knee ). It took me a lot longer to recover. Mentally I am with @jmasgat, can I run races without the disappointment.

For now I have decided to focus on losing some weight. A little bit crept back on in 2022. I ran 2023 about 10 pounds heavier. My plan is to focus on losing that weight, and a 10k. I feel like dialing back the distance may help the knee. I am still working with a therapist. I started strength training twice a week (nothing major but trying to keep my bones strong). I have determined that I can only run 5 days a week. I am also going to try and do something other than run. I was much better at doing other things, hiking, biking or swimming with my running. DH, Whisky and I are hiking again. What hurts is the recovery. It is taking so long and I don't have patience.

 

[jmasgat]

Is this good and healthy ambition or am I setting myself up for injury?

It's a fine ambition. You have time and if you progress slowly, you can do it.

@Bree It can be tough not to look back. I am not a rousing success story in this area, so I offer no magic formula. But to quote Pumba "you got to put your behind in the past" You are in a good place to do more now and in the future. That's what matters.