The Running Thread—2023

[accm]

I got my husband the Noxgear vest last Christmas with the chest light. He seems to really like it.
I'm scared of running in the dark, so I just go on the treadmill.

 

[nancipants]

I ran this morning and the weather was SO MUCH BETTER than before I was on vacation. I know most of you would think it’s still too hot, but high 60s is a dream right now.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I've been doing more reading and trying to edumacate myself leading up to the MCM this weekend. (I know, dangerous...)

I was seeing several articles advocating a short (like 20 minutes) run the day before a long race, and doing the bulk of the carb loading two nights before the race (as opposed to a large, heavy meal the night before, which makes sense).

Question for the group: When is your last run of significance on your taper down?
I did a slower paced 4 mile run yesterday (Wed afternoon). Friday is travel and expo day, not that I expect to be very long in the expo.

So any sort of run on Friday? Or have Thur (today) and Friday as rest days and then just do the short jog on Sat afternoon?

Just curious as to what has worked well for others.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Question for the group: When is your last run of significance on your taper down?
I did a slower paced 4 mile run yesterday (Wed afternoon). Friday is travel and expo day, not that I expect to be very long in the expo.

So any sort of run on Friday? Or have Thur (today) and Friday as rest days and then just do the short jog on Sat afternoon?

Just curious as to what has worked well for others.

I think this is very individual. Personally, I like to take the day before the day before off and do a short shakeout run the day before a race. I find that when I don't run at all, I feel kind of sluggish the next day. However, I also know people who like to leave the day before a race as a rest day so they're fresh for the event.

What's worked best for you before a workout or long run in training?

 

[striker1064]

I've been doing more reading and trying to edumacate myself leading up to the MCM this weekend. (I know, dangerous...)

I was seeing several articles advocating a short (like 20 minutes) run the day before a long race, and doing the bulk of the carb loading two nights before the race (as opposed to a large, heavy meal the night before, which makes sense).

Question for the group: When is your last run of significance on your taper down?
I did a slower paced 4 mile run yesterday (Wed afternoon). Friday is travel and expo day, not that I expect to be very long in the expo.

So any sort of run on Friday? Or have Thur (today) and Friday as rest days and then just do the short jog on Sat afternoon?

Just curious as to what has worked well for others.

I've done short (15-25 min) shakeouts with strides about 24 hours before a race and that always works well for me. In the past, I've always done easy running in the week leading to race day, but this time around for MCM Daniels recommended a 3x 1 mile LT tempo run 5 days out. That seems to be his standard. Very curious how that turns out!

There are a few different schools of thought on carb loading. For my last marathon, I followed the Western Australian method, which involves significantly more carbs the day before the race only. That worked out pretty well, and I plan to do it again this Saturday.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I think this is very individual. Personally, I like to take the day before the day before off and do a short shakeout run the day before a race. I find that when I don't run at all, I feel kind of sluggish the next day. However, I also know people who like to leave the day before a race as a rest day so they're fresh for the event.

What's worked best for you before a workout or long run in training?

I generally run every other day. My Saturdays are usually consumed with football games or yardwork, or airplane building, so I'm on my feet but not running.

During the week, appx every other day unless I'm pushing it and feel like some back-to-back, in which case we are talking about appx 3.5 mile runs.

And it may be that the airport, the expo, and taking in the National Cathedral will be enough for Friday.

We'll be doing some light sightseeing this Sat, but the wife's bad knees pretty much dictate that I won't be overdoing it with walking around on the day before.

FWIW, for the Goofy on MW, Friday is for driving down and the most time I'll be on my feet is walking around WWS to get my bib and a quick look at the expo. For that, I'm thinking an easy lower-pace run on Wed, and then Thur is a rest day.

I think the main difference for the MCM is that I'll be running for a time goal for the first time, which is why I'm now having to think about it more. As opposed to rD events where I've run simply to finish and enjoy all the sight-seeing and photo ops, and knowing that the photo ops would be defacto rest breaks during the race(s).

(And, yes, trying to think about this more without overthinking it, or doing anything new for race day).

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I generally run every other day. My Saturdays are usually consumed with football games or yardwork, or airplane building, so I'm on my feet but not running.

During the week, appx every other day unless I'm pushing it and feel like some back-to-back, in which case we are talking about appx 3.5 mile runs.

And it may be that the airport, the expo, and taking in the National Cathedral will be enough for Friday.

We'll be doing some light sightseeing this Sat, but the wife's bad knees pretty much dictate that I won't be overdoing it with walking around on the day before.

FWIW, for the Goofy on MW, Friday is for driving down and the most time I'll be on my feet is walking around WWS to get my bib and a quick look at the expo. For that, I'm thinking an easy lower-pace run on Wed, and then Thur is a rest day.

I think the main difference for the MCM is that I'll be running for a time goal for the first time, which is why I'm now having to think about it more. As opposed to rD events where I've run simply to finish and enjoy all the sight-seeing and photo ops, and knowing that the photo ops would be defacto rest breaks during the race(s).

(And, yes, trying to think about this more without overthinking it, or doing anything new for race day).

If it were me and I had mostly been running every other day, I would probably stick to that for race week also. I guess it just depends how much you want to experiment the day before a race.

 

[RuntheMouse]

Question for the group: When is your last run of significance on your taper down?
I did a slower paced 4 mile run yesterday (Wed afternoon). Friday is travel and expo day, not that I expect to be very long in the expo.

So any sort of run on Friday? Or have Thur (today) and Friday as rest days and then just do the short jog on Sat afternoon?

Just curious as to what has worked well for others.

I’m in the take the day before the race off camp. It naturally came about for me as I run Su, T, W, Th, Sa on my weekly schedule and so many races are on Saturday. I also am usually walking quite a bit the day before so that keeps me loosened up. I PR’d my 10k and half this year so if it ain’t broke…….

 

[PrincessV]

I've been doing more reading and trying to edumacate myself leading up to the MCM this weekend. (I know, dangerous...)

I was seeing several articles advocating a short (like 20 minutes) run the day before a long race, and doing the bulk of the carb loading two nights before the race (as opposed to a large, heavy meal the night before, which makes sense).

Question for the group: When is your last run of significance on your taper down?
I did a slower paced 4 mile run yesterday (Wed afternoon). Friday is travel and expo day, not that I expect to be very long in the expo.

So any sort of run on Friday? Or have Thur (today) and Friday as rest days and then just do the short jog on Sat afternoon?

Just curious as to what has worked well for others.

Whatever worked in training, I do for a race. #NothingNewOnRaceDay! For me, that has always been a rest day before a marathon - excepting all the Dopeys, when I ran 13.1, of course. But I rested the rest of the day.

My final long run for marathons was ideally 3 weeks out, followed by a 10-12mi 2 weeks out, and a 7-8mi 1 week out. A couple 3-4 milers week of.

But this is so much a know your own body thing. My body is not benefitted by a bunch of extra mileage and craves rest and recovery.

 

[jrsharp21]

I usually try to take off the day before a big run. This year, since we will be at WDW for new years through MW, I plan on getting in some short 5 mile runs on the 1st and 2nd around the resort, and then taking the 3rd off.

As far as eating goes, I will carb load each day while we are at WDW. LOL. But I will actually have a light dinner the night before the 5k. Then each day of MW, I usually have decent lunch, some snacks in the afternoon, and try to eat a lighter than usual dinner early evening. I hate running the morning after having a big meal. I feel very sluggish when doing so.

 

[GreatLakes]

Does anyone have any recommendations for good gear (such as a light vest) that they like for running in the dark? With the time change approaching, it will soon be getting dark here around 4:30-5 pm. I’m running the Fairy Tale Challenge in February and really want to be better prepared and trained this time, which either means resorting to a treadmill during the week (which I don’t have at home) or running in the dark. I’m not looking for anything fancy or expensive, just something simple that I can use for 30-45 minute runs twice a week.

Thanks!

Noxgear is the best but I run where there are street lights and I don't feel I need anything like that. I have this clip light I wear on the front and these that I wear on the back however they appear to have been discontinued and replaced with these. Both are rechargeable. I also have a Petzl headlamp that is an older model but I generally just use them on trails. It is an older model and discontinued but if I were getting one today it would be the Swift RL or Actik Core

 

[Bree]

I posted this in the W&D thread too, but they still need volunteers for all three races.

https://registration.rundisney.com/...KIp9XVn8FiXgfG2ABDO0lzUt_wmootKBk0gX40EVk7_fw

 

[kps7795]

I posted this in the W&D thread too, but they still need volunteers for all three races.

https://registration.rundisney.com/...KIp9XVn8FiXgfG2ABDO0lzUt_wmootKBk0gX40EVk7_fw


View attachment 805442

Maybe they could get people to volunteer if they gave them a pass to go to Disney World. What a novel idea!

 

[camaker]

Maybe they could get people to volunteer if they gave them a pass to go to Disney World. What a novel idea!

"Maybe they could get people to volunteer if they paid them" sounds a little odd...

 

[GollyGadget]

Does anyone know how much rD donates to the charity? I sincerely have no idea but I’ve always been curious. That’s part of the rub for me with asking for volunteers. Disney is a huge company and does not need my charity.

I regularly volunteer for my local races because I want to support them. I considered volunteering for marathon weekend but those shift times are horrible. If I knew that my shift was contributing x amount to the charity, I might reconsider.

 

[Bree]

Does anyone know how much rD donates to the charity? I sincerely have no idea but I’ve always been curious. That’s part of the rub for me with asking for volunteers. Disney is a huge company and does not need my charity.

I regularly volunteer for my local races because I want to support them. I considered volunteering for marathon weekend but those shift times are horrible. If I knew that my shift was contributing x amount to the charity, I might reconsider.

I think they announce it during the weekend before the races. I’ll try and pay better attention next weekend.

 

[SheHulk]

See, this is the insidious part of "shrinkflation": They certainly haven't lowered race entry fees, I'll be shocked if they lowered fees for vendors at the Expo. but they are cutting costs by not offering volunteers benefits, and now they won't have as many volunteers. What does this do to the race experience, that we keep spending more and more for? I'd be interested to hear what happens at Wine & Dine.

 

[jmasgat]

Sitting here with a miserable cold that bloomed in full in London (thank god for Sudafed and business class to get me home okay), have done nearly no running in the last 2 weeks (see: massive storm in Scotland that canceled my race + sick), contemplating when's the "right" time to end my dog's life.......I am so not into thinking about running NYC marathon next weekend.

Sorry for the moan, but I figure you guys get it. Life throws you curveballs--in the scheme of things, these are minor. Right now, they just get me down.

 

[Scootin'By]

I posted this in the W&D thread too, but they still need volunteers for all three races.

https://registration.rundisney.com/...KIp9XVn8FiXgfG2ABDO0lzUt_wmootKBk0gX40EVk7_fw


View attachment 805442

This is so tempting. If I wasn't traveling the weekend before AND the weekend after, I'd be down there in a heartbeat.

And yes, those shift times are awful. But at least it's only 7 hours...

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

"Maybe they could get people to volunteer if they paid them" sounds a little odd...

I hear you, but asking people to be up in the middle of the night for absolutely no benefit other than the fun of standing for hours, and *then* telling them they still need to pay big $$$ to spend a day in the park also seems off putting.
Especially since if they are in the park later that day, they are still spending money on food and drink and souvenirs. Presumably, if they don’t get enough volunteers, then Disney has to pay cast members to show up, and I would think that a park pass is trivial compared to paying cast members. So I do not see an issue with offering volunteers, some sort of perk, whether it is a T-shirt, a jacket, or in this case a park pass.
Just my 2 cents.