The Running Thread - 2018

[PCFriar80]

Due to DS being sick I probably wont get around to posting a QOTD tomorrow morning, so I will post it tonight.

QOTD: (For 5/10/18) At what point as a runner do you believe you hit your peak? Do you believe you already have or you still have a few more PR's left in you? If you have, did you start a new set of PR's?

I'll be turning 60 in August and have been running for 40 years and peaked about 25 years ago, so my PR's are in the rear view mirror. Doesn't mean that I won't keep pushing to improve on my times. My goal is to run one more sub 2:00 hour 1/2 in the next 2 years before things really catch up to me. I had a 2:07 in January and think I can knock off 7 minutes somewhere to achieve that goal!

PS Best wishes for your DS getting better!

 

[SarahDisney]

QOTD: (For 5/10/18) At what point as a runner do you believe you hit your peak? Do you believe you already have or you still have a few more PR's left in you? If you have, did you start a new set of PR's?

Me personally? I definitely haven't hit my peak yet. I'm hoping it happens next year, when I have some grand ambitious plans (cue freak out). But I've got time. I've only been running for about 15 minutes (has it really been 4 years? Crazy...)

 

[KSellers88]

ATTQOTD: I don't think I've hit my peak yet...I've been running a little over two years consistently. I hope I haven't hit it, because I really would love to make that right on Hereford and left on Boylston one day!

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: I don't think I have peaked. I turned 50 this year but only started running in 2015. I think I have a lot left and when I get done with this year of 5 marathons thing I am going to try and set some PR's in shorter races.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: I definitely havent hit my peak. I'm not sure I've even started my ascent.

 

[ZellyB]

@Dis5150 great recap and congrats on finishing what sounds like a really tough race. I'd like to run that one some time if they continue to do it and hopefully they improve a bit on the course support (no Gatorade early on in those temps?) as they learn from each experience.

ATTQOTD: I'm hoping I'm not at peak, but suspect I'm pretty close. I was a late starter with running (48 when I began) and I'm turning 54 this summer, so I suspect the inevitable decline is just around the corner. Hoping for a strong marathon training cycle this year culminating in a big PR for me at Chicago. But, that may well end up being my peak.

 

[gjramsey]

ATTQOTD: I think I am probably close to peaking. I actually thought I was past peak for some distances, after not hitting a PR in some races over a two year period, but have PR'd a half and a 10 miler over the last 16 months. I still like to think I have a good shot at a full PR the next time I attempt one. However, I just went past 10,000 miles earlier this year.....

 

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD: This is a tough question! I am relatively young, so I'd like to think I could have 10-15 years of improvement in me. Maybe that's naive? I know I have not reached my peak yet, as I'm just a couple years into running.

 

[apdebord]

ATTQOTD: I don't think I've hit my peak at all. Mainly because I have some first-time distances to complete, so automatic PR (26.2 and 50K????). I've actually been surprising myself in some recent training runs by beating some race PRs.

One conversation I've had with multiple people is about when women hit their peak. My age group placing dropped drastically when I turned 30, and I even cut 2 minutes from my average pace! Based on that, I think that I'm just going to continue to get stronger and faster, and just keep learning about how to train/fuel and what my body needs for PRs. I'm excited to see what I can do as I get older.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: I'm 57. I've been running on and off for 30+ years, consistently for the last 20. I set a 10K, marathon, and a modern-day half marathon PR last year. I feel like I still have a 5K, 10K, and modern-day half marathon PR in me.
I'm going to say last year and this year are probably my peak.

Note: I qualify the half marathon PR as modern-day, as I do have a faster one from 25 years ago. I have it in the back of my mind to break that one, but not sure if it's doable.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: (For 5/10/18) At what point as a runner do you believe you hit your peak? Do you believe you already have or you still have a few more PR's left in you? If you have, did you start a new set of PR's?

I believe I can still hit my peak. I’m only 20 and my running “career” is rather short so far. My only real PR is a 10k since the rest of my races have been at Disney where I stop a lot for characters and such. I’m hopeful to go for a half PR later this year.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: (For 5/10/18) At what point as a runner do you believe you hit your peak? Do you believe you already have or you still have a few more PR's left in you? If you have, did you start a new set of PR's?

ATTQOTD: Hmm, this one is complicated. I've run most of my life, but rarely chasing any kind of time or distance goals, so I can't really go by data (that doesn't exist for most of those many years.) I'm a former ballerina and really think I hit my "peak" physical fitness a looong time ago, in my teens - I'll never hit that level again, no question. Distance running has come close to getting me feeling like I once did at my peak, but there's no measurable way to compare ballet and running. I believe I still have potential PRs in me, mostly because I've never worked all that hard to achieve the existing ones, lol! But I may never want to work hard enough to get new PRs, either, so... yeah.

 

[HomeiswhereMickeyis]

Race Report:
USA Beach Running Champions 10k -2:00:05

Not a great day for me race-wise. This was supposed to be my A race for the Spring and so much went wrong at the last minute. The week before the race I got sick and just when I'd think I was feeling better it would come back. Saturday I felt good and was really optimistic at bib pickup that I'd be able to race. Sunday I woke up feeling ready to go. Pre-race all went well including a good warm up where I felt good and running felt easy.
Mile 1 was on pace despite walking more than I wanted. Mile 2 was rough but that's typical for me so I didn't pay much attention to it. Mile 3 things went downhill fast. The beach wasn't hard packed like it had been the year before (thanks hurricane Irma) so all the runners ahead had torn up the sand leaving tons of ankle twisting divots. It was hot and humid - mid 70s and nearly 100% humidity. To top it all off I started feeling feverish. So at the turnaround I checked my time and pace and realized that there was no way I could hit any of the goals I wanted. I decided there was no sense in pushing myself when I was obviously still sick and I wasn't even going to come close to a goal time and just walked the second half. I actually saw several people who had decided to just walk and were carrying their shoes and walking in the water.
I was really disappointed with not being able to race healthy because my training went really well! But DH had brought our beach stuff so after sitting in my beach chair and eating a plate full of breakfast stuff they had for runners post-race I went swimming to relax and come to terms with my race.
Ultimately I did beat last year's time at this race even if I didn't get a PR. Now I'm just focusing on summer training so I'll be ready (and hopefully faster) for Fall races.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: (For 5/10/18) At what point as a runner do you believe you hit your peak? Do you believe you already have or you still have a few more PR's left in you? If you have, did you start a new set of PR's?

I don't think I've hit my peak yet. My best running to date was in 2012-2015 because that's all I was focused on. I'm certain if I set my sights on another killer A race, I'd be able to get back to that point again.

 

[camaker]

I was always a team sports player and didn't start running seriously until 2015. I think I still have a way to go before I get to my peak. The problem I keep running into, however, is that a lifetime of team sports played largely at a higher than optimal weight has left me with legacy damage to my knees, especially. As a result, when I try to work on pushing to a new plateau, whether that be speed or distance I tend to be susceptible to injuries. Thus far, I've always been able to push through and come back stronger and faster than before, but I can feel it starting to take a toll on me mentally. It's hard to put the work in to rehab an injury and then have to rebuild to where I was pre-injury so that I can push on from there. It's also increasingly hard to trust my body as the little aches and pains that come with stretching for a new level make me worry that they're the start of the "next big thing" on the injury front.

 

[roxymama]

ATTQOTD: Not sure about my peak. I'm 37 and was an athlete in college and danced a ton for a long time. So athletically if I had done what I'm doing now back then with the free time I had then...yeah I have 100% confidence I'd be better than I am now (I was way lighter with more muscles and better flexibility)
However...since we are only talking about running; then I'd like to think I have much room for improvement still

 

[Sanchez]

ATTQOTD: I don't think I've hit my peak at all. Mainly because I have some first-time distances to complete, so automatic PR (26.2 and 50K????). I've actually been surprising myself in some recent training runs by beating some race PRs.

One conversation I've had with multiple people is about when women hit their peak. My age group placing dropped drastically when I turned 30, and I even cut 2 minutes from my average pace! Based on that, I think that I'm just going to continue to get stronger and faster, and just keep learning about how to train/fuel and what my body needs for PRs. I'm excited to see what I can do as I get older.

Not a woman but it seems to me that in distance races 30-39 take up many of the top spots. I assume it has something to do with physical maturation. More than that, it seems like for men and women the 20's are not well represented. Settling into life and jobs as well as having more money might have something to do with it. The 20-24 and 25-29 age groups may have some of the fastest runners but there seems to be little depth in those groups.

For triathlons the 40-44 and 45-49 often have the most depth (though not necessarily the fastest times.) Likely has something to do with more time, more money and the occasional mid-life crisis.

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: I don’t think I have yet. I have been consistently running for the past four years and the past year to year and a half have shown the best results but I think that is because I started to take it more seriously. I did consider if I could run a half any better back in March where I bonked on my attempt to PR a half marathon but I think it ended up just being a bad racing day for me.

 

[michigandergirl]

ATTQOTD: Prior to 2015, I only ran 5k's, so in terms of the longer races, I've been steadily improving over the last 3 years and I don't think I've peaked yet. The bigger question is, now that I'm firmly in my 40's, can I stay healthy enough to reach my full potential...

Which reminds me, @LSUlakes could you update my goal for Saturday to NG? I'm currently losing the battle to shin splints and I'm no longer confident I can PR. I'm going to try to show up with a good attitude and see what happens...

 

[Chasing Dopey]

ATTQOTD: Boy, do I hate this question. I really, really, hope I haven't hit my peak, as I have things I want to accomplish. I'm 42, but only been running since 2015. So I definitely feel squeezed.

So, if I had to answer I would say I have not hit my peak. BUT... I am staring it square in the face. I have a general plan through Sept 1 of next year, around which I'll run (in all likelihood, and if all goes well) the fastest marathon I ever will.