The Running Thread - 2016

[Miranda]

Also a question from a fairly new runner - in a race, if you're running intervals where do you usually start?

Running around my parking lot I can usually get somewhere between a 10:30 to 11:00/mile pace (depending on effort, temperature, etc.) according to Runkeeper with 45sec/30sec intervals. I'm running my first 5k on Saturday and I want to keep up with the intervals but don't want to get in the way of people who are running the whole thing!

I'm also planning on intervals for my 10k and really just have no clue how to handle that in a setting with actual other people.

Do you mean how far into the race do you start?

I run 90s/30s intervals. For a 5K, I usually skip a lot of the intervals because the race is short. Definitely the first 2-3 walks and then I skip them periodically the rest of the race. For a 5 mile, I skip maybe 2... a 10K or more, only 1 at most at the start.

As for having other people around, the biggest thing is to not stop in the middle of the road when you are going to walk. People who are running hate that, you will hate that if someone does it to you and you're on your run part, etc. Just move off to the right as far as you can, glance behind you to make sure you're not about to cause a collision if you stop, and if there's a lot of people around hold up your left arm to signal that you're stopping (just throw it up at a right angle as a quick "hey, something is happening here" indicator). Once things thin out, I don't bother signaling with my arm anymore. I also get lazy about moving to the left vs right once things really thin out, too. The main thing is to just move off to the side.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Also a question from a fairly new runner - in a race, if you're running intervals where do you usually start?

Running around my parking lot I can usually get somewhere between a 10:30 to 11:00/mile pace (depending on effort, temperature, etc.) according to Runkeeper with 45sec/30sec intervals. I'm running my first 5k on Saturday and I want to keep up with the intervals but don't want to get in the way of people who are running the whole thing!

I'm also planning on intervals for my 10k and really just have no clue how to handle that in a setting with actual other people.

You need to race the way that you train. If you plan on running further at the outset, you need to practice that in training. But if you want to stick with your intervals, just start on the right side and farther back in the crowd. No one will mind.

 

[keahgirl8]

Also a question from a fairly new runner - in a race, if you're running intervals where do you usually start?

Running around my parking lot I can usually get somewhere between a 10:30 to 11:00/mile pace (depending on effort, temperature, etc.) according to Runkeeper with 45sec/30sec intervals. I'm running my first 5k on Saturday and I want to keep up with the intervals but don't want to get in the way of people who are running the whole thing!

I'm also planning on intervals for my 10k and really just have no clue how to handle that in a setting with actual other people.

You need to race the way that you train. If you plan on running further at the outset, you need to practice that in training. But if you want to stick with your intervals, just start on the right side and farther back in the crowd. No one will mind.

I really couldn't have said it better. I am pretty good about doing this now. For my first few races, I got really excited right out of the gate. I took off like a shot across the line and I changed my intervals to add more running....and I paid for it. I wouldn't recommend it. I got a great time on my first 5K, but I almost didn't finish.

 

[Keels]

You can put me (and @Keels) down for Dopey in January

I'm in for Chicago in October too.

 

[Baloo in MI]

ATTQOTD:

Sunscreen - I am either running in the evening/night or very early morning so I do not use sunscreen. But as my grandfather use to say "Few heads in this world are perfect, the rest God put hair on" to describe his big old bald head! I fell victim to the same genes. So during day runs I wear a lot of hats!

Hills - There are some good hills on a couple of my regular routes near my house. But when I want a really challenging hill run there is a State Park about 30 minutes away that has some hill trails that just destroy me everytime I get stupid enough to try running them again. Same location where I will attempt my first Ultra in the fall. I will be a regular visitor to the park this summer!

Also for any of you waiting to sign up for Marathon Weekend, just four more days!! Good luck to all those racing this weekend.

 

[Keels]

QOTD: As our days are getting longer and the temps increase, we have more time to get our runs in outdoors when there is still sunlight out. Do you use sunscreen when you go out for a run?

I've fallen in love with the SunBum brand of products. I use the zinc on my face, the 50 or 70 on my arms and legs, and I keep the After Sun around for after a run. It smells AMAZING, is organic and paraben free, goes on smooth and not greasy and doesn't get all sandy when I pair it with bug spray. It's not cheap, but it's really been worth it to me. You can get it on Amazon.

QOTD: Lets discuss hill training. Do you go out of your way to run them or just have a run or two a week where you try the biggest hills in your area? If you live somewhere flat how do you attempt to train for hills?

I have plenty of hills around me - Zoo Hill, right by my house, RadioShack hill by the river, and then mile 9-10.5 of our big, local half is up the big hill from the river into downtown. I purposely go out of my way to avoid hills, but @FFigawi shames me into doing them, so I do it. But then I bug him all times of the day/night about them, so maybe the joke is on him?

I also think going up and down the stairs multiple times a game during multiple baseball games a week counts as "hill training", so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask about this ...

 

[FFigawi]

I also think going up and down the stairs multiple times a game during multiple baseball games a week counts as "hill training", so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask about this ...

That's not hill training, that's carb loading

 

[Keels]

That's not hill training, that's carb loading

This is America. They bring beer to your seat! I just have to get up to get cheese fries. Or to go stand on the concourse when we're losing and I can't stand to watch.

 

[LindseyJo22]

Thanks everyone!

The safest thing to do is pick a side of the road and stay out on the edge. People who do run/walk sometimes will put their hand up before they stop for a walk break. I generally just look around me and make sure I don't stop in front of someone and if you run a certain pace you usually run with the same people most of the race and by a few stops they usually realize you are a run/walker and they know to not stay behind you, at least from my experience. Just be considerate of people around you and I am sure you will be fine.

Yeah, I figured this 5k will probably be pretty small so I'd just try to make sure I wasn't going to be in anyone's way, but signal if it seemed necessary.

As for having other people around, the biggest thing is to not stop in the middle of the road when you are going to walk. People who are running hate that, you will hate that if someone does it to you and you're on your run part, etc. Just move off to the right as far as you can, glance behind you to make sure you're not about to cause a collision if you stop, and if there's a lot of people around hold up your left arm to signal that you're stopping (just throw it up at a right angle as a quick "hey, something is happening here" indicator). Once things thin out, I don't bother signaling with my arm anymore. I also get lazy about moving to the left vs right once things really thin out, too. The main thing is to just move off to the side.

Haha yes! That seems like a good plan - suddenly stopping sounds like a recipe for a collision. I'm planning on doing intervals from the start, so I'll just stay to the side I think.

You need to race the way that you train. If you plan on running further at the outset, you need to practice that in training. But if you want to stick with your intervals, just start on the right side and farther back in the crowd. No one will mind.

OK awesome - I was mostly thinking about how far back in the crowd I want to be when we start - I'm definitely planning on pretty consistent intervals the whole time. Since I'll be walking frequently, farther back makes sense - I can always make it up later if I get going faster.

I really couldn't have said it better. I am pretty good about doing this now. For my first few races, I got really excited right out of the gate. I took off like a shot across the line and I changed my intervals to add more running....and I paid for it. I wouldn't recommend it. I got a great time on my first 5K, but I almost didn't finish.

Oh no! I did this a little bit a couple of weeks ago - met some people for a trail run which I'd never done before. I had a few friends that were running some long intervals, maybe a minute or two and then short bits of walking. I made it and felt ok during, but afterward I was totally beat - way more than I would have been if I'd just stuck to my usual thing. Definitely not planning anything new for these races, I just didn't want to be frustrating to other people

 

[Anisum]

I used to use that, but the Coppertone Sport doesn't streak as much and doesn't sit on top my skin when I sweat. Neutrogena also has a sport sunscreen. I haven't used the one for the body, but the one for the face is pretty good.

I'm the opposite. I used to use Coppertone Sport but it got in my eyes when I sweat so I switched. I may try Neutrogena's sport though.

 

[surfde22]

This is America. They bring beer to your seat! I just have to get up to get cheese fries. Or to go stand on the concourse when we're losing and I can't stand to watch.

I'm pretty sure fries still have carbs in then.

 

[Miranda]

You need to race the way that you train. If you plan on running further at the outset, you need to practice that in training. But if you want to stick with your intervals, just start on the right side and farther back in the crowd. No one will mind.

Yeah, I really should be better about this, this is why I only skip like one interval in the start of my longer races. I just can't make myself walk 90s into the race, plus it's all crowded still. Skipping just the first walk interval (and being very mindful to not go nuts on the pace) on runs that are 10K+ seems to work out ok for me. I shouldn't really say that I skip like 2 normally for a 5 mile race. I don't race that distance very often... twice so far, and the first time I only skipped one. The second time (2 weeks ago), I skipped a whole bunch but not really very intentionally. I forgot my Garmin. So I just had to go back to run until I'm tired, then try and count out 30s in my head for a walk break.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Hi guys...I finally got around to pulling my thoughts together on Boston. The blog post seemed way too big to post in this thread so I just created a training journal here. Life is starting to get back to normal now so going to try and catch up on the thread...good luck to everyone racing this weekend!

 

[Anisum]

I'm pretty sure fries still have carbs in then.

Only if you buy them for yourself. If you can convince whoever you're with to pay, it's a gift and gifts don't have calories.

Edit: Typo Correction

 

[cavepig]

QOTD: Lets discuss hill training. Do you go out of your way to run them or just have a run or two a week where you try the biggest hills in your area? If you live somewhere flat how do you attempt to train for hills?

I live on a hill and no matter which way I go there will be another hill & another. Now, if I want to avoid hills I can repeat a back and back forth stretch which I did when I was in the most pain from my glute injury but that gets boring but it's doable to avoid hills. I prefer up hill running to downhill...downhill running I have always been hesitant on, but once you go up at some point you must go down, so that's something I still need to work on. I'm glad actually for the hills because they just make me stronger.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I'm in for Chicago in October too.

Welcome back Keels!

Hi guys...I finally got around to pulling my thoughts together on Boston. The blog post seemed way too big to post in this thread so I just created a training journal here. Life is starting to get back to normal now so going to try and catch up on the thread...good luck to everyone racing this weekend!

Awesome recap Mike. I am glad everything went so well and I hope you get to go back. So, in your opinion, did the Boston Marathon live up to all the hype or was it just another marathon?

 

[LSUlakes]

Todays QOTD was submitted by a poster of this thread. I think its a good one! Any suggestions by anyone else, just send me a PM!

QOTD: What is the best sign you've seen while running a race? Spectators create some amazing signs and some very humeours ones to what are the best ones seen during races you have done?

ATTQOTD: Being from Louisiana where a parades brings thousands of people to stand along side the road all day for cheap plastic stuff, the "Worse Parade Ever" sign always gives me a good laugh. Another one I thought was funny was on the way to the starting line for a race and I guy is offering donuts, beer, and smokes. People took him up on all except the smokes. lol

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: What is the best sign you've seen while running a race? Spectators create some amazing signs and some very humeours ones to what are the best ones seen during races you have done?

There are so many good ones but some that stick in my mind from marathon weekend last year are the Steve Harvey signs or someone has a sign saying you run faster than Disney builds attractions. I need to start taking pictures of good ones in the future.

 

[IamTrike]

Todays QOTD was submitted by a poster of this thread. I think its a good one! Any suggestions by anyone else, just send me a PM!

QOTD: What is the best sign you've seen while running a race? Spectators create some amazing signs and some very humeours ones to what are the best ones seen during races you have done?

ATTQOTD: Being from Louisiana where a parades brings thousands of people to stand along side the road all day for cheap plastic stuff, the "Worse Parade Ever" sign always gives me a good laugh. Another one I thought was funny was on the way to the starting line for a race and I guy is offering donuts, beer, and smokes. People took him up on all except the smokes. lol

I'm looking forward to the other responses here.

The farther I get into a race, the more entertaining I find any sign. At on race someone had the distance to the finish calculated to 3 decimal points on their sign. I found humor in that. I also usually chuckle at the "this seems like a lot of work for a free banana" signs.

Was in Vegas for a conference all week so I was slammed, but my wife rocks and she signed me up for Goofy while I was out there so you can add me to that.

 

[RunDisneyDad]

ATTQOTD - Mine was more inspirational than funny. I had just come up a good hill at Mile 22 during the SA Marathon and knew I was starting to bonk. As I was coming over the hill this sweet family was holding a sign that read, "When the legs and body are done, the heart takes over." I was like hell yea and managed to hold on.