The Running Thread - 2016

[LSUlakes]

Unfortunately I'm in the same boat. I've had some personal stuff going on (all good now) that caused my training to go off track so I decided to defer until next year. I'm going to find a half to do in Feb and likely a 10K in March.

ATTQOTD: Tapering has always been mental with me. Its almost like I feel like I'm no longer "training" but instead trying to hold on to my fitness before race day. And i get super impatient because once the taper hits I know race day is getting near.

Sorry to hear that, but glad things are improved. I will adjust the list accordingly.

 

[LSUlakes]

The streak is still alive!!!

This week we have the following poster with a race!

24 - @GreatLakes - Frosty Five (NG / N/A)

Best of luck this weekend and thanks for keeping the streak alive!

 

[LindseyJo22]

I don't really have much of a taper at the moment - hopefully next year I'll be doing a long enough distance that I will have a "real" taper. But before my first half this year I really enjoyed the lower mileage right before the race because I'd been consistently running farther than ever before, so the break was appreciated!

 

[JeffW]

QOTD: With a lot of followers on this thread running WDW Marathon weekend I thought todays question would generate some good replies. How do you feel about the "taper" portion of your training plan? Do you look forward to the reduced miles or hate running less? Does your mind start playing tricks on you and you think you have all kind of injuries all of a sudden? Anything else that the taper makes you feel?

I found that a 3 week taper drove me absolutely crazy, so once I had a couple of marathons under my belt, I started experimenting. I've found I really like a 20-22 mile long run 3 weeks out, and then around 16-18 miles 2 weeks out. Too many plans had that 2 week mark at 12-14 miles, and I just felt like I'd lost something in the latter half of those races. I also like to do a 3-4 mile race pace run 3 days before the race, to convince me that my legs are still ok. Probably more mental than anything, but it helps me.

The true battle for me during the taper is the urge to think "Hey, my next run isn't THAT long, I can indulge in <insert your favorite bad food here>". I find keeping nutrition up is hard when I'm not pushing myself

 

[Miranda]

I followed the Galloway plans for 2015 rD races, and the one for Tink called for a 3 week taper. I thought it was too long. The W&D one only had a 2 week taper, and I found that to be much better for me.

 

[gjramsey]

It appears i wont be running the Houston Marathon this year, but since we had plans to be there to hang out with some friends we are still going to be there. My buddy still plans on running the race so I will be at the race, just from a different perspective. Perhaps I will see you out there.

Bummer about not being able to run the full. The half is a pretty decent run as well, except for between miles 9 and 11 where there is little crowd, before it merges with the marathon course again.

Hopefully we can meet up.

 

[dis_or_dat]

Interesting about eating during taper. I always find myself sick of carbs by race day. I thank a half doesn't require carbs the way a marathon does, so maybe I'll cut back next time.

 

[FFigawi]

Bummer about not being able to run the full. The half is a pretty decent run as well, except for between miles 9 and 11 where there is little crowd, before it merges with the marathon course again.

Hopefully we can meet up.

Don't forget to stop by and see my hash friends at the beer stop at mile 24/11 along Allen Parkway. They'll have plenty of cold beer to hand out to thirsty runners going by.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I followed the Galloway plans for 2015 rD races, and the one for Tink called for a 3 week taper. I thought it was too long. The W&D one only had a 2 week taper, and I found that to be much better for me.

Yeah, half marathon plans generally have a 2 week taper while full marathon plans generally have a 3 week taper - but I have seen a few coaches recommend only a 2 week taper for the full, too. I have never just done a 2 week taper for a full so am not sure how it would work for me, but I don't drop my long run mileage as much as some plans require. I will run 12 and 15 miles this weekend. My big drop is next weekend.

 

[FFigawi]

Yeah, half marathon plans generally have a 2 week taper while full marathon plans generally have a 3 week taper - but I have seen a few coaches recommend only a 2 week taper for the full, too. I have never just done a 2 week taper for a full so am not sure how it would work for me, but I don't drop my long run mileage as much as some plans require. I will run 12 and 15 miles this weekend. My big drop is next weekend.

For a marathon, I normally have a two week taper. 20-22 followed by 13-14 followed by race day. I find this works well because I run strong on tired legs. I don't recommend it for everyone, though, because it could prevent one from a full recovery before race day.

 

[ebradley23]

ATTQOTD- I am always ready for the taper. After putting in 330 miles in the last 8 weeks before it starts, my body is tired. For me taper madness causes me to become a germaphobe (which I'm normally not) and a part time meteorologist trying to monitor any would be weather worst case scenarios.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

ATTQOTD- I am always ready for the taper. After putting in 330 miles in the last 8 weeks before it starts, my body is tired. For me taper madness causes me to become a germaphobe (which I'm normally not) and a part time meteorologist trying to monitor any would be weather worst case scenarios.

It is the only time that I take vitamins, and I am super-cautious in public places. While I have never had a race ruined because of an illness, I act as though it were a regular occurrence.

 

[ZellyB]

I'm drinking Emergen-C daily and I swore yesterday I was getting sick.

I feel perfectly fine today.

 

[Slogger]

Want to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday and best wishes for happy and healthy 2017!

 

[gjramsey]

Don't forget to stop by and see my hash friends at the beer stop at mile 24/11 along Allen Parkway. They'll have plenty of cold beer to hand out to thirsty runners going by.

This will happen!

 

[mollybloom]

Drink your Emergen-C, people! I took my daughter to visit a friend who SAID she and her baby weren't sick, but when I got there, they were both sneezing and she was all congested--and now my daughter and I are both sick! I am SO MAD, hahaha. I was planning a two-week taper, so my last long run would be on Christmas, but now I'm all messed up because of this dang cold. Plus my baby only wants to sleep in my lap because she's so congested, so I also haven't slept in a few days. So seriously, I totally vote for bubble wrap!!

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

I am a big fan of nasal saline rinse. That and lots of high-speed nasal launches (you know what I'm talking about!) while running in cold weather seem to be able to keep a cold from getting a foothold.

I also take probiotics (home-made kefir) with the belief that it may prevent intestinal illnesses. There have been cases where my wife and I have eaten the exact same thing for 48 hours and she got food poisoning and I did not. Anecdotal evidence; actual studies have mixed results, but it's fun to make and tastes good in a weird buttermilky-yogurt way.

 

[Baloo in MI]

QOTD: With a lot of followers on this thread running WDW Marathon weekend I thought todays question would generate some good replies. How do you feel about the "taper" portion of your training plan? Do you look forward to the reduced miles or hate running less? Does your mind start playing tricks on you and you think you have all kind of injuries all of a sudden? Anything else that the taper makes you feel?

ATTQOTD: I've been in a taper since November lol! Not that I have a race coming up, but not running for the most part has made me more tired, easily aggravated, and just grumpy. The plus side is I am spending a lot more time at home with DW and DD. So I guess that helped with D? lol. Hoping to get healthy again soon and get ready from spring races.

ATTQOTD: A little late on the response, work has been demanding! But my mini-vacation began today, so a little more time now. I am approaching this taper different than in the past. Previously I think I have let the taper be a bit of an excuse, for me, to take it a bit too easy and come into a race rested but off my game, so to speak. I have a friend who has been pushing me more this past year and he suggested I still taper but reduce the drop off. So for my taper I went from two 50ish mile weeks to a 35 mile week (taper week 1) to a planned 20ish mile week (taper week 2) with one more 5 miler planned for Tuesday before Dopey begins on Thursday. These are mostly slow and steady miles with one up-tempo run each week. I think this is helping me stay focused and keeping my usually nervous energy before a race at a minimum. Of course the real results will be how I do in Dopey, so we shall see.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Good news for me yesterday...MRI revealed my piriformis issues are not coming from my back at all. No reason to stop running now but keep up with yoga, stretching (Mckenzie stretches) massages, strength training and I'll make the final call on the Louisiana Marathon likely next week. Supposed to run 16 tomorrow and 20 next weekend but alot is going to go on how tomorrow goes and how miserable it is. Last week's 16 wasn't fun at all.

 

[Miranda]

Yeah, half marathon plans generally have a 2 week taper while full marathon plans generally have a 3 week taper - but I have seen a few coaches recommend only a 2 week taper for the full, too. I have never just done a 2 week taper for a full so am not sure how it would work for me, but I don't drop my long run mileage as much as some plans require. I will run 12 and 15 miles this weekend. My big drop is next weekend.

Oops, I totally spaced that people were talking about a marathon taper.

I was a little surprised the Galloway plan taper was so long for that Tink plan.