The Running Thread - 2018

[garneska]

I am running the Atlanta Christmas 5K! New location in Piedmont Park instead of through the Virginia Highlands neighborhood, so should be a flatter and faster course.

Probably not flatter if you are going around the park. If it is the same as the Dogwood Festival 5K the beginning is straight up 10th street hill and up Piedmont a bit.

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: What did you find to be the most difficult part of running when you first started? What do you find to be the most difficult now?

At first it was thinking I couldn't run more than a mile. Once I did my first 5K though I didn't really have any problem putting in more and more distance. Now, it is slowing down. I have decided to do a prioritization cycle or running at my MAF pace which is a HR of 180-age. It is really difficult to go that slow.

QOTD: Race day preparation. Do you review the course route and try to learn it or just glance it over before the race? Do you prefer not knowing and the whole thing be a surprise instead?

I generally just look at the elevation and see if we run past or through anything interesting like a park or along a waterfront. If it is a race close to home, like most 5K and 10K races I do, I'll look to see where it goes since I know the area.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

QOTD: Race day preparation. Do you review the course route and try to learn it or just glance it over before the race? Do you prefer not knowing and the whole thing be a surprise instead?

I give the course a cursory review. I like to have a general idea where it will be going.

 

[chuckille]

QOTD: Race day preparation. Do you review the course route and try to learn it or just glance it over before the race? Do you prefer not knowing and the whole thing be a surprise instead?

I will look through the course a bit. But even if I were to study the course a lot, I would likely forget the details and just follow people ahead of me.

 

[chuckille]

QOTD: Race day preparation. Do you review the course route and try to learn it or just glance it over before the race? Do you prefer not knowing and the whole thing be a surprise instead?

I will look through the course a bit. But even if I were to study the course a lot, I would likely forget the details and just follow people ahead of me.

 

[flav]

2020 dates

Marathon Weekend - Jan 8-12, registration: 4/16

Princess - Feb 20-23, registration: 6/4

Star Wars - Apr 16 - 19, registration: 7/16

2019 W+D registration: 3/16

Thank you for these. What time of day do registration typically open?

Also, when do TA start having availability either for runDisney packages or just for group rates packages (I would prefer my resort reservation be independent from my race registration if possible).

I know Disney resort reservations are 400+ days before and packages/rack rates come in June/July.

 

[Miranda]

ATTQOTD: Not in depth. I usually just look at the elevation profile and take a quick glance at the course so that I know the general type (loop or lollipop or point-to-point... although generally I need to know ahead of time if it's point-to-point because there are usually bus logistics )

 

[AFwifelife]

Thank you for these. What time of day do registration typically open?

Also, when do TA start having availability either for runDisney packages or just for group rates packages (I would prefer my resort reservation be independent from my race registration if possible).

I know Disney resort reservations are 400+ days before and packages/rack rates come in June/July.

They changed the time of registration to open at 10am Eastern.

 

[Baloo in MI]

ATTQOTD: If it is for longer races and/or a trail race then I will study the course as much as I can. I will review what ever I can find on the race's website and I will look for any blog's/race reports that might help me learn more about the course/terrain and elevation. My first ultra was on a course about 40 minutes from my house and I ran on the course weekly for about two months prior to the race. I was so anxious for that race, getting familiar with the course made me feel better. Ironically all the training was in good weather and the race took place in the middle of three days of rain; bad weather never occurred to me! It was a mud-fest and I was hooked.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD course map: I look at those mostly out of excitement. It is part of the event!
If trying to run for a PR, I also adjust my fueling strategy to where the water stops are.

 

[dis_or_dat]

attqotd:

running challenge at the beginning: strength runs
running challenge at now: time to get my runs in

course map: a little. RnR SF had a video map and it was extremely helpful SEEING all the hills!

 

[Waiting2goback]

QOTD: Race day preparation. Do you review the course route and try to learn it or just glance it over before the race? Do you prefer not knowing and the whole thing be a surprise instead?

ATTQOTD: I always review it regardless of distance. I rarely know all the turns because I am just going to follow the person in front of me, but I do like to know about any interesting sites I will see and elevation changes.

I do it opposite. When I sign up for a race I look at the course first to make sure it has enough water stops and ports potties. If a race has limited of either it is usually a sign it is a smaller race and possibly not as well organized. Once I do sign up for the race I generally don't look again and I just go run.

ATTQOTD: I glance over it but don’t really study it. Which I regret a little during the actual race because I find it mentally better for me when I know what’s to come/how far until _____. Since 4 of us are doing Marathon Weekend and we will all be together for a couple days for Christmas, I’m expecting us to break down the course maps more than usual. My mom is super nervous so I want her to get as comfortable as possible with what’s ahead.

I am not sure if your mom is doing the full or just another race on marathon weekend. If she's doing the full I wouldn't recommend looking at the course ahead of time because it can be intimidating. There are a couple videos on YouTube of the course with a view as if taken from a drone. It takes like 7 minutes just to show the whole course from the air. I showed it to my friend before he ran it and his response was, "there is no way I can do that, are you crazy". He finished but he was so scared before the start of the race he had to run to the porta potties during the national anthem. Of course we still laugh at the stories now.

If she is doing a shorter distance then I just wasted everyone's time.

 

[AFwifelife]

I am not sure if your mom is doing the full or just another race on marathon weekend. If she's doing the full I wouldn't recommend looking at the course ahead of time because it can be intimidating. There are a couple videos on YouTube of the course with a view as if taken from a drone. It takes like 7 minutes just to show the whole course from the air. I showed it to my friend before he ran it and his response was, "there is no way I can do that, are you crazy". He finished but he was so scared before the start of the race he had to run to the porta potties during the national anthem. Of course we still laugh at the stories now.

If she is doing a shorter distance then I just wasted everyone's time.

Nope just the 10k but in her mind it probably seemed like a full to her when I first encouraged her to go for it.

 

[Dis5150]

ATYQOTD: I study the maps. I have done several races where I was alone on the course and it wasn't well marked and I didn't know where to go. So now I make SURE I know where all the turns are.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Nope just the 10k but in her mind it probably seemed like a full to her when I first encouraged her to go for it.

For some people it is their marathon. It is still impressive to tackle a distance that is scary to them. she should be proud. But I would think it is safe to look at the map in this case. : )

 

[Nole95]

If it's the first time I am doing a particular race, I always look at the course map. I like to be prepared for any elevation gains, where water stops are, etc. Plus get a general idea of where I will be running.

 

[tigger536]

Probably not flatter if you are going around the park. If it is the same as the Dogwood Festival 5K the beginning is straight up 10th street hill and up Piedmont a bit.

This is true, but still probably flatter than the highlands course! It is, after all, Atlanta. There is no hill avoidance here.

 

[garneska]

This is true, but still probably flatter than the highlands course! It is, after all, Atlanta. There is no hill avoidance here.

For sure the only place my elevation is low is my beltline runs, which are normally tuesday and thrusday .

 

[tigger536]

ATTQO

For sure the only place my elevation is low is my beltline runs, which are normally tuesday and thrusday .

I love running on the beltline! It's always a part of my long runs and some shorter ones too.

 

[mtnmjd]

QOTD: Race day preparation. Do you review the course route and try to learn it or just glance it over before the race? Do you prefer not knowing and the whole thing be a surprise instead?

In the past I've rarely looked at course routes.....but I make it a point to doing so now after running a local 5k this summer.
Somewhere around the midpoint of the race you made a right turn and did a small loop before rejoining the course a few hundred yards before that right turn where you were then SUPPOSED to go left and continue to the finish.
I realized the error of my ways after my second loop and passing my wife whom I left behind in the first few moments of the race.
So my 5k turned into a 5.4