The Running Thread—2023

[prncssjas]

The Bayshore half is already on a waitlist.
I’m local. But not signing up for the full. Nope.

LOL! Fair, totally understand!

I am not at all shocked that the half sold out at Bayshore--it always does but I love that they allow bib transfers. Are you running the half? My husband and I always run this race, as it's one of our favorites...then MOOMERS ice cream. We are local too (sorta -ish, in MI).

 

[Herding_Cats]

LOL! Fair, totally understand!

I am not at all shocked that the half sold out at Bayshore--it always does but I love that they allow bib transfers. Are you running the half? My husband and I always run this race, as it's one of our favorites...then MOOMERS ice cream. We are local too (sorta -ish, in MI).

I’m not signed up for anything at the moment. And I’m not quite ready to sign up for that particular full because of the time limit. SIL is signed up for the half so I’ll probably do support/cheer crew for her. May is a tricky time of year for my house to fit a race weekend in.

Moomers is always fantastic, and I appreciate how many local places carry it as well.

 

[Herding_Cats]

So here's a question for the hive....may as well make it a QOTD.

How do you pick your races and make your schedule?
Do you find a race you really want to do and plan around it?
Pick a distance, map out when you want to run it and then find a race that fits the bill?
And if you feel like sharing, what's on your schedule this year (or that you're hoping makes it onto your schedule)?

 

[camaker]

ATTQOTD: My general approach is to pick a primary race in the winter, spring and fall. They don't have to be max effort or true "A" races, just races that I'd really like to run. Once those are identified, I set up my training plans with them as the end points. Finally, I'll look at that training plan and see what points on it would be good to use as supported training runs. I'll then look to see if there are any interesting (or just close by) races to run as those supported training runs and register for them.

I'm a little slow getting started this year, but right now it's looking like:

Winter: Dopey Challenge (done)
Spring: Blackbeard's Revenge 100k (registered, end of March)
Fall: TBD (maybe Emerald Isle Marathon or City of Oaks Marathon)

I haven't gone through to see what secondary races I might add yet, as I want to make sure I'm past my tibialis issue before I commit to too much. I also need to see what the PoT window for MW 2024 looks like. If they go back to a 2 year window for 2024, my current PoT will be expired and I'll have to find a race to slot in to reestablish one, which could complicate my plans significantly.

 

[DopeyBadger]

How do you pick your races and make your schedule?
Do you find a race you really want to do and plan around it?
Pick a distance, map out when you want to run it and then find a race that fits the bill?

Good question.

The first thing I do is ask myself, what do I want to accomplish this training cycle? What's the goal? Everything then centers around that goal. For me, I'm coming off a 30 week marathon training plan. I haven't raced a 10k or HM in cool temps when it was the main focus in years. So the goal for the Spring cycle was to find some local 10k/HM races that are at times that have historically cool temps. When the T+D is over 100, but moreso over 130, my times really start to suffer. I prefer 30-40F for racing (well under T+D 100).

Because of the variable nature of FL weather, I didn't want to make the 10k/HM at Princess in Feb the main focus of the training cycle. I did that in 2022. I came in with an absolute superb training run right before leaving for FL. And while the temps weren't super bad at all (T+D around 120), it just wasn't as fulfilling to hit my potential. I came back to WI with the idea that maybe I'd continue training through it, but then my body just kind of wanted a break. So this time around, Princess is towards the beginning of my Spring training and not the end.

When filling out my calendar, I looked for several 10k/HM options until the weather turns. I spaced them out with at least a weekend in between. I plan to play each by ear when they come up as to whether to be aggressive or not (knowing me, I'll probably be aggressive on all of them). But I'm going to let the weather play a big role, as well as how I'm feeling heading into the race. So my Spring calendar looks like:

2/24/23 - Princess 5k w/ G
2/25/23 - Princess 10k
2/26/23 - Princess HM
3/11/23 - Shamrock 10k (about 20 min away)
3/25/23 - First Call HM (about 35 min away)
4/15/23 - Parkinson's HM (about 4 min away)
4/30/23 - Non-Cancelled HM (about 35 min away)
5/27/23 - Brat Fest 5k w/ G
6/4/23 - Girls on the Run 5k w/ G
6/17/23 - Hot2Trot 5k w/ G

I don't normally fill up my calendar with lots of races. I typically focus hard on the training cycle and do one "A" race and maybe a single "B" race. But I'm getting closer and closer to plateauing (if not already there). So this time around I'm using a shotgun approach and spreading out my chances based on how I feel and what the weather does.

Fall remains to be seen. I want to see how Spring goes.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

ATTQOTD: Funny story, I was just trying to work that out myself. Based on the responses, I think my initial ideas might have been a little overly ambitious. Which, to be fair, doesn't mean I won't still try them, but at least if it blows up in my face everyone can say, "I told you so"

But basically, I took my goals and looked for some nearby races that fit those. And then I was like, "But what if I also ran a marathon," and messed up the whole calendar, but what can you do

 

[Dopey 2020]

ATTQOTD
Used to be I’d just look at the runDisney calendar and sign up for them all, now it’s just W&D and MW. Used to do a local marathon on October but it’s changed to spring and I’m not sure about this year. Now it’s look for something to do, thinking destination race and looking toward fulls I think (no idea why). No matter what I end up finding I usually plan my ‘A’ races to be in the fall as even though I run year round I tend to lose speed over the winter and gain it back as summer cools off.

 

[prncssjas]

So here's a question for the hive....may as well make it a QOTD.

How do you pick your races and make your schedule?
Do you find a race you really want to do and plan around it?
Pick a distance, map out when you want to run it and then find a race that fits the bill?
And if you feel like sharing, what's on your schedule this year (or that you're hoping makes it onto your schedule)?

That's both easy and hard to answer, lol.

My husband and I both discuss what we would love to run/want to run and then we make a plan. So much of it depends on our racing goals. For 2023, I am gunning for a specific time for the half distance so I am focusing on that. My husband is trying to BQ so different goals (wayyyyy different goals, LOL). We also love to travel race so that helps.

2023 includes (so far):
WDW January Half (done)
Princess 5k (for fun) and Princess Half (also for fun)
Martian Invasion of Races in MI (10k for me, 1/2 for DH)
Glass City in Toledo, OH (1/2 for me, full for DH)
Bayshore in Traverse City, MI (1/2 for both us)
Chicago Marathon (for DH)

I am sure we will add more as the year goes on but who knows....? Just trying to run/stay healthy and have fun while doing it.

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: I don't really have any set process and it depends a lot on the year.

Some years I have a race I really want to do, like Cherry Blossom or a Disney event, and the start my planning there. Other years I have a vacation destination in mind and look for a race close by in the general time frame we are going and plan around that. Other years I just pick the local races I want to do and often those I decide on much closer to the date.

ETA: My schedule for this year is pretty opened. I'm doing Boston but we due to a large work implementation that just started and will go through the rest of the year my 2023 is basically work and fitting life in where I have a window. I do plan to try and PR the mile at our local mile race with the pros (Guardian Mile) and am going to put in some speedwork to try and get my 5K back below 19:00. If I'm going to be home and lack a lot of time I might as well work on the shorter stuff.

 

[SheHulk]

ATTQOTD:
Kind of like @DopeyBadger (but not nearly so sophisticated), I try to pick a fitness goal for the next cycle and choose a race based on that. Then maybe plan around another race or 2 that I want to run, or that will provide a sub-goal (like a runDisney PoT). I am at a loss since the half I ran in November though, I have, like, no goals left! Not because I am such a high achiever, but I reached all my goals, as unambitious as they were, and I don't know where to go from there.

Another "strategy" other than picking a goal for a training cycle, sometimes I just roll the dice on a race lottery, and if I get in, that influences the plan for the rest of the year. This year I actually got into the Chicago Marathon, but I'm still not necessarily planning on PR'ing in it. So I have to decide whether that will be an A race or a B race or even a C race.

A few years in there, I happened to be a DW AP holder, so my race plan was just to run a bunch of runDisney races to wring every cent out of my AP (and included memory maker in the past). I'm no longer an AP holder, but I am going to try to get into the Disneyland Half with some friends in January. And if I do that, I may as well run something during MW to get the Coast to Coast medal right? None of these would be "A" races if I did run them.

All of this means I don't have any races until October. Which doesn't seem right. But if I do sign up for something this spring, then I'll be training all winter, then all summer for Chicago, and then all fall for DL and maybe MW (hoping I get in).

Considering entering the lottery for the Broad Street 10 Miler in late April. But then I need to decide whether to train like crazy and try to get the PoT cutoff for the A corral for a possible MW Marathon or Goofy in the future, or just run it for fun.

All of this to say, I am totally at sea training-wise. Even the races I'm planning, I can't decide what to train hard for and what to hardly train for. Maybe this is goal burnout, I don't know.

 

[The Expert]

ATTQOTD
I'm pretty well committed to attend MW every year at this point, so it's mostly about deciding what I'll be doing there, then working backward. And if any other DVC trips line up with race weekends, I'll do those too.

Once rD is decided, I look for races that may line up in the training cycle. Then I look at short local races that will keep me motivated to at least keep running the rest of the year. We have two big race weekends - one in April and one in July - and a new RnR in August, plus a million 5Ks so there's always something to plug in.

I've pretty much already decided to do the 10K and Half at MW next year, and will likely sign up for the same at DL, my training cycle won't need to start nearly as early as Dopey for those. None of my DVC trips line up with other weekends, so since the rest of the race schedule is wide open, I've decided to try and improve on my half marathon confidence and speed. I think April will be too early to get enough of a cycle in after Dopey recovery, so I'm looking at July or August (but heat scares me, even though our overnights get cool). I may end up finding a fall destination half somewhere to train toward -- or maybe W&D will land on my schedule after all.

For now:
April 2023 -- SLC 5K (I've done this nearly every year since 2016, so may as well keep it up just for fun)
July 2023 -- Deseret Marathon Half (or 10K if I choose RnR as my A race)
August 2023 -- RnR SLC Half (if I didn't do the half in July)
November 2023 -- W&D maybe?
January 2024 -- MW 10K + Half and DL 10K + Half

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

ATTQOTD: I look for fun sounding races in cool places. I also love a good theme or race events with multi-race challenges. Extra credit if the theme is around food or booze! If we have a normal vacation planned, I'll always check for races in the area to see if I can weasel a race into our plans. I don't have time goals or follow training plans.

2023 plans so for:
- Clearwater Running Festival 5k & Half (Jan)
- Princess weekend all distances (Feb)
- Hawaii Half in Waikiki (Apr)
- local 5k (Apr)
- Flying Pig 5k, 10k, Half (May)
- Pickle 5k in Michigan (Jun)
- local wine run 5k (Sep)
- Monumental Half in Indy (Oct)
- Either Wine & Dine or Space Coast or Islamorada half - I'm struggling to choose. I'd love to try a new race we've never done, but W&D is "our" weekend.

Hope to add a few more if schedules allow!

 

[garneska]

ATTQOTD: I start with what is going on in my life and at work. Going into 2022, my dad was sick. I knew that would take up my time and energy, so there was not much racing. Then I wanted to see how I survived MW 2023. I have a huge work project that started in Jan 2023 and goes live April 2024. Plus I now have to help my mom a lot more. The verdict is no marathons for me this year. Life and work too complicated. Since I know MW 2024 is the half, I am focusing on a few 10ks. It should make life a but easier.

that being said, I told my friend I would run the half marathon piece of a half Ironman relay. The real problem with that race is running in Augusta, GA at the end of September probably between 2 and 4 pm.

 

[MissLiss279]

ATTQOTD:
I usually look for races that sound fun or are scenic. Then I’ll have a training plan end at that race. Then I usually end up adding another race or two soon after that or before, whatever sounds good. I try and add a new Marathon state or two each year. I do try and have one or two halves on my schedule that I may try and get a good POT from. There’s also sometime races that lots of running friends will travel to.

Dopey (done)
Cowtown Marathon (Feb)
Springtime Surprise (April)
Local Half (early May)
Revel Rockies Half (June) with lots of friends.
Berlin Marathon (Sept)
Route 66 Marathon (Nov)

We’ll see if I add anything else in. Berlin will take up a lot of PTO and travel budget, so anything else would need to be over a weekend with not much or any vacation time.

I’m also hoping to get a new puppy in the next month or two. My dog from my picture passed away in October. So a puppy will take up more time too!

 

[SheHulk]

ATTQOTD:
...
I’m also hoping to get a new puppy in the next month or two. My dog from my picture passed away in October. So a puppy will take up more time too!

I'm sorry for the loss of your fur baby.

 

[HangWithMerida]

ATTQOTD: I usually have 1-2 races planned for January-Feb that I do for time. MW kind of threw my usual plan out the window this year. I would still like to try for a HM PR but the window is quickly closing on that. Depending on how the next few weeks go, I may sign up for a local HM and give it a shot. The shoulder seasons I like to do the trail races in my area or find a new race I haven’t done before. This is the first year in a long time that I don’t have most of my races planned out. So far, the only ones on the books are a local 5k with my MIL for her first running 5k (So proud of her - she’s been doing c25k for several months to build up to it) and Bird in Hand (5k and HM) in Pennsylvania.

 

[surfde22]

ATTQOTD: I don’t have a particular method for determining plans. I mostly do local or localish races. I look at the ones that are running around me and pick the ones I want. This year I’m running all five races by a local organization because all the medals go together to make a cohesive design and then I’m also doing Twin Cities marathon. I may start looking at a destination marathon every year or two now that I’ve decided to stick with the marathon distance. We’ll see how the wife handles that.

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: I choose a goal race, and set up a training schedule towards that goal, and then see if there are local races that match up to the training distances on the schedule.

Upcoming race schedule:
Princess Weekend 2023 (5K + challenge)
Springtime Surprise 2023 (challenge)
Twin Cities Women’s Half (June 25)
TC Loony Challenge 2023 (Sept 30-Oct 1)
Disneyland Half Weekend 2024 (5K + challenge)

 

[DopeyBadger]

Some other thoughts that go into the race choice decisions, and timing within a training plan:

-Equal time off is equal time return. If you take off 2 weeks from running, then you need 2-4 weeks of easy running before returning to training. If you maintain training volume at about 50% of recent peak, then you're about ready to go.
-Aerobic maximization occurs after about 8 weeks of training.
-Skeletal muscular maximization occurs after about 12 weeks of training. This combined with the above shows a potential grey area pitfall in training in between 8-12 weeks. You "feel" like you can do more, but your body is ready yet.
-Don't spend any more than 6-8 weeks on any area of the spectrum of training paces. After 6-8 weeks, you can touch those previous paces, but the focus should shift.
-It takes about 4-6 weeks to "reap" the full benefits of the training load. So typically the training that occurs in the last 4-6 weeks is more about maintaining.
-It takes about 10 days to "reap" the full benefits of a single training run. So you can run fast within 10 days (and should), but don't do a full tilt workout within that timeframe.
-The length of taper is dictated by the event distance. 5ks don't really need a taper, 10ks maybe one less hard workout that week, HMs 1-2 weeks, Ms 2-3 weeks.
-The length of time of recovery from a race event is about 1 day per 3k race. So a 5k takes about 1.5 days to recover from. A marathon takes about 14 days. This assumes an "A" level effort in the race. So in theory, you could do a 5k every 3-4 days, or a HM every 7-10 days. But eventually the training will get stale and you probably won't be able to sustain the same level of fitness anymore.
-The lifespan of mitochondria is about 14 days. Long hard training runs over 90, but more so 120 min really decimate mitochondria. So that's why it's common to see training modalities that split long runs away from each other that go over 120 min.
-It's hard for many, but not all, to be in "optimal" training load (when the load is different enough) for much longer than 8-12 weeks.
-Most, but not all people, are best served with a training plan of about 16-18 weeks. It's a sweet spot given the above. Some people do better with a longer training plan, but those that do usually don't suffer from mental burnout from running. After the 16-18 week training cycle, there needs to be a downturn in volume and intensity. This drops the training load. The most gains are seen when the training is different enough from what you've been doing the last 4-6 weeks, but not too different that it pushes you too hard. When you see fades in training, you're likely training too hard. If you don't take some down time after a training cycle ends, and try and jump the volume back up too soon, then you'll stunt the improvement during the next training cycle because the training is too similar in a big picture view, and potentially peak too soon for the next event. And the peak is at a lesser level then you could potentially have achieved.
-Peaks tend to happen every 3 weeks or so. So if you suddenly feel really really good, then you're probably peaking. That peak will last about 3-4 days, and then you'll go back to feeling normal again. When that happens, the peak is likely to return with continued good training in about 3-4 days.

That's everything I could think of off the top of my head in the moment.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

-The lifespan of mitochondria is about 14 days.

Isn't that a Star Wars thing? J/K