The Running Thread - 2016

[baxter24]

AATTQOTD: Before this year, every race I did was an attempt at a PR, not counting any Disney races. This is the first year I have scheduled races for training purposes in order to prepare for my first marathon. My idea has been that if I need to get the miles in, doing a race is a pretty cool way to do it. Plus its a way to gauge how I am doing in my training.

I ran the Bull City Race Fest half marathon in Durham, NC yesterday morning and man was it a butt kicker. I approached it as a training run so I purposefully stuck with a pacer that averaged a slower speed than I normally run. The goal was to stick with the 10:30/mile pacer the whole way. But the course was tough and that plan lasted until mile 7. We were either running up a hill or down one the entire race. The elevation change looked like someone's reading on a heart rate monitor. The only flat portion I can recall was around mile 8 and that didn't last for more than 0.75 of a mile. After mile 7, I was feeling gassed and decided I would take at least one hill off per mile and walk to the top. I knew going into the race that the distance wasn't going to be a problem but the course itself proved to be really hard (or at least it was for me). I finished in 2:24 and I wasn't too disappointed in how I did. Still hoping to PR at my next half marathon in November and I think its doable especially since that course isn't near as hilly as this one was.

 

[RunDisneyDad]

Then I began to think about it and what I need to do to improve.

Sounds like it wasn't the day you wanted, but I love the fact you are able to analyze some things from it and come out better.

ATTQOTD: For races during training I'll generally use them as a fitness test or possible proof of time.

 

[Tasmen]

QOTD: What are your objectives for the races you do leading up to a goal race?

Fitness checks really and for my last race, it was to get a time to submit for corral placement for the upcoming Dark side. Overall, I aim to do better with each race even if the improvement is a little time or an overall feeling of ease with the run. Baby (running) steps.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: What are your objectives for the races you do leading up to a goal race?

Well I haven't really run any races leading up to a goal race. If and when I do I would use them as a training run or a practice for my goal race.

 

[roxymama]

Okay, I have decided I need to get new running shoes. I was all set to just order another pair of the Brooks Transcend 3's that I currently have but then got in a discussion with someone in a Facebook group about blisters. I have been getting blisters on my right big toe and on my foot just below my big toe on the curve/bone. They were telling me that I'm getting the blisters because Brooks shoes are super curved and my foot is pretty straight. Has anyone else here had any issues with that? I have tried all different types/brands of socks and still keep getting the blisters in those spots. I used moleskin for my 17 mile run this weekend and it helped but still had pain there during the run and got a small blister on my toe. I love the cushion of the Transcends and they were great at helping with my peroneal tendonitis problem so I'm a bit nervous about trying anything new, especially this far into my marathon training.

I've been getting blisters in same exact spot once I get over 5 or 6 miles in my brooks ghost. Enough so that I was thinking of keeping for my short runs & switching for my long runs. Anyone have any suggestions for this?

 

[Keels]

The results are in and ...

(Cue Maury Povich voice)

I've been cleared to start training!!

 

[opusone]

@LSUlakes, please remove my half marathon this upcoming weekend:
Oct 23 - opusone - Naperville Half Marathon (TR / N/A)

My coach and I have decided not to even use it as a fast training run given my two injuries over the past few months. We are going to gear back up to longer runs a little slower now. Thanks!

 

[roxymama]

@LSUlakes, please remove my half marathon this upcoming weekend:
Oct 23 - opusone - Naperville Half Marathon (TR / N/A)

My coach and I have decided not to even use it as a fast training run given my two injuries over the past few months. We are going to gear back up to long runs a little slower now. Thanks!

If you decide to do this one next year, I may have to come say "hi" (if I don't hate half marathons by that point.)

 

[opusone]

The results are in and ...

(Cue Maury Povich voice)

I've been cleared to start training!!

Awesome!!

 

[Dis5150]

@Keels that is fantastic!! Go you!!

 

[LSUlakes]

I use to have races during training to help build to my "A" race. But I found too often that I couldn't control my competitive spirit and tried to PR every time I went out. Some times I would get it and sometimes I wouldn't. But I believe all of this extra PR racing took away from my training. I tended not to take time off or lower mileage/intensity after these races and just jumped back into it. Thus, I wasn't appropriately recovering from all the racing. I think this was one of many reasons why my PRs for my "A" races stalled and I wasn't making as much progress as I wanted (back in 2012-2015). When I changed my mindset on running 6 days a week, nutrition, etc. back in Summer 2015, I also changed my mindset on races. I needed to do less racing and more training. So now I keep my "B" races limited to one per training cycle of my "A" race. This way I don't have to take time away from my "A" race training. So when I rarely do a "B" race my sole objective is to judge my current fitness for my upcoming "A" race.



After hearing of your training going into the race (in addition to the weather and health), I would agree with your reasons/assessment. I did a very similar race (training wise leading into it) in Fall 2015. Hit my highest mileage training to that point with a HM that weekend. I ran a HM PR of 1:46. When I ran my marathon six weeks later, the second half of my marathon was a 1:46 (marathon 3:38). So maybe consider what you just ran as the end of a marathon, rather then a HM PR attempt. So that would beg the question, have you ever run a 1:41:56 in the back half of a marathon? If not, look at the back halfs of your last couple marathons and see how much progress you've likely made since then.

About 2 months after the Fall 2015 marathon (so not even a full training cycle and barely fully recovered from the marathon), I ran a PR HM attempt and hit 1:38. If I were to try and extrapolate this data to you, then I'd predict your current fitness times of a HM PR at 1:35:13 (7:16 min/mile) and M PR at 3:18:17 (7:34 min/mile) when fully rested/tapered. How do those predictions sit with you?

Those are kind of my more realistic goals despite having I think 1:30 for HM and 3:00 for M. And after yesterday I am with you and think they are within reach given the right circumstances. Thanks for you input. Very informative and positive as usual!

I race every race I race. Pretty much.

You are just a different type of animal. Its gotta be something in the water over there...

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

ATTQOTD: All of my races to this point have been goal races. But my next 2 won't be, I am running them with DH ( and one will be in Vegas!!) so the objective will be to just have fun.

I raced the Marine Corp Half in Jacksonville yesterday. The course had to be modified since the race had been rescheduled and it would take too long to get new permits. It ended up being a 4 loop course and the first shorter loop was the 5k. So I was able to run with my family and see them cross the 5k finish line. Running with them was a big help in the beginning it kept me slow and steady. Once I left them I kicked it up a bit and was able to PR @ 2:56:07!

 

[Slogger]

I use to have races during training to help build to my "A" race. But I found too often that I couldn't control my competitive spirit and tried to PR every time I went out. Some times I would get it and sometimes I wouldn't. But I believe all of this extra PR racing took away from my training. I tended not to take time off or lower mileage/intensity after these races and just jumped back into it. Thus, I wasn't appropriately recovering from all the racing. I think this was one of many reasons why my PRs for my "A" races stalled and I wasn't making as much progress as I wanted (back in 2012-2015). When I changed my mindset on running 6 days a week, nutrition, etc. back in Summer 2015, I also changed my mindset on races. I needed to do less racing and more training. So now I keep my "B" races limited to one per training cycle of my "A" race. This way I don't have to take time away from my "A" race training. So when I rarely do a "B" race my sole objective is to judge my current fitness for my upcoming "A" race.

Great response @DopeyBadger and perfect timing since I am debating A/B events and possibly Pass/Fail racing strategies right now with a HM next weekend and the Full less than 4 weeks away.

 

[Baloo in MI]

ATTQOTD: I think the way I am approaching races is shifting, and I am struggling to answer the question. In the past "B" races were experiment/practice time for the "A" race. In that mold my marathon this weekend is that "A" race. But I think I am shifting some. Still planning to go after my PR on Sunday. But not sure I want to identify any race as an "A" race. I think I want to find several races that really push me and stretch me with some longer term goals to be identified once I have begun to tackle these first challenges.

I know I keep talking about trail races, and I hope I am not boring people... But I have become transfixed by trail running and outside a marathon or two a year and Dopey I think that I will run trail races. I want to complete a 100 mile race in the next three years so I guess that is my unnamed "A" race. But I see all the races between now and then to be important steps along the way that I don't want to think of as "B" races. I hope to be really challenged by each. Sorry for the book! Much longer and I would need to provide a table of contents.

 

[Ariel484]

The results are in and ...

(Cue Maury Povich voice)

I've been cleared to start training!!

"You ARE the runner!"

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I've been cleared to start training!!

Great, now get to work!

 

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD: I am using my November 10K as a POT for Princess, which is my goal race, so my main objective is to get a decent (for me) POT. It's also my 1st race in 2 years, so it'll be a "return to racing" test run of pre race rituals, pacing, and a good test of my mental toughness!

 

[The Expert]

ATTQOTD: As of a few weeks ago, I'd have said the races I've signed up for were primarily to keep myself running on a regular basis. I'm still a relatively new runner and any time my schedule changes or things get busy, it's easy for me to skip a few runs and pretty soon not be doing it at all. I did have two 10Ks over the last few months that were for attempts at POTs for Princess and Tink challenges next year. Now that those 10Ks are out of the way, I have no races until after those two Disney runs. So far.

In other news, I started my nifty new @DopeyBadger training plan today (thankyouthankyouthankyou)! I was transferring all the info into my Google calendar last night and went from excited to anxious to downright scared. But I'm taking it one day at a time and knowing that it's going to be a fun new challenge. Getting some of those runs in during my three-week trip through Asia could be a challenge, but I'm actually on a PLAN instead of just stabbing away in the dark, so that's good, right? I do have to say that it felt completely strange and kind of hard to run slow on purpose. My pace today was just barely faster than a walk, so it felt great physically and I was able to run the full 2.5 miles without intervals, but it's just such a different feeling than what I'm used to. I just have to trust in the spreadsheet!

 

[DopeyBadger]

ATTQOTD: As of a few weeks ago, I'd have said the races I've signed up for were primarily to keep myself running on a regular basis. I'm still a relatively new runner and any time my schedule changes or things get busy, it's easy for me to skip a few runs and pretty soon not be doing it at all. I did have two 10Ks over the last few months that were for attempts at POTs for Princess and Tink challenges next year. Now that those 10Ks are out of the way, I have no races until after those two Disney runs. So far.

In other news, I started my nifty new @DopeyBadger training plan today (thankyouthankyouthankyou)! I was transferring all the info into my Google calendar last night and went from excited to anxious to downright scared. But I'm taking it one day at a time and knowing that it's going to be a fun new challenge. Getting some of those runs in during my three-week trip through Asia could be a challenge, but I'm actually on a PLAN instead of just stabbing away in the dark, so that's good, right? I do have to say that it felt completely strange and kind of hard to run slow on purpose. My pace today was just barely faster than a walk, so it felt great physically and I was able to run the full 2.5 miles without intervals, but it's just such a different feeling than what I'm used to. I just have to trust in the spreadsheet!

A training plan is like a good book. You have to trust that the author will guide you from the beginning to the end. That the author will help explain the twists, turns and plot detours along the way. But sometimes we like to take a peak at a later chapter (WAIT WHAT?!?!? ROCHELLE DIED?!?! WHO DID THAT???!?! OMG!!!! ) and this causes concern. As you said it's better to just read each sentence as they come up, each paragraph as they mosey along, and each chapter as a moment of success. Before you know it, you'll have reached the end of the book. And you'll look back and smile and say "Yep, that was a pretty good book."

 

[keahgirl8]

Okay, I have decided I need to get new running shoes. I was all set to just order another pair of the Brooks Transcend 3's that I currently have but then got in a discussion with someone in a Facebook group about blisters. I have been getting blisters on my right big toe and on my foot just below my big toe on the curve/bone. They were telling me that I'm getting the blisters because Brooks shoes are super curved and my foot is pretty straight. Has anyone else here had any issues with that? I have tried all different types/brands of socks and still keep getting the blisters in those spots. I used moleskin for my 17 mile run this weekend and it helped but still had pain there during the run and got a small blister on my toe. I love the cushion of the Transcends and they were great at helping with my peroneal tendonitis problem so I'm a bit nervous about trying anything new, especially this far into my marathon training.

I'd say it's worth a shot! I would talk to my running store, tell them what's happening, and see if they have advice on it.

The results are in and ...

(Cue Maury Povich voice)

I've been cleared to start training!!

So excited for you...and jealous. lol