The Running Thread - 2018

[Princess KP]

My favorite breakfast is Nutella & Banana Crepes. I'm perfectly fine with the fancy brunch version or the IHOP version.

I'm also going to be ignoring the boards a lot more for the next few weeks.

OMG adorable!!
I like nutella and bananas on a waffle with some whipped cream on top!

 

[Mickey Momma]

ATTQOTD - The location of Barkley is around an hour away from me and usually happens the same weekend as the race I just ran. (I have used that as mental motivation in the past. Comparing my discomfort with those attempting Barkley.) I will say the weather was awful all last week until Sunday morning, so I wasn’t at all surprised by this year’s outcome.

As for the actual question, I have only ever questioned my real chance of finishing this year at Dopey. I had a miserable experience at the half the day before and, despite knowing I trained well, I was still questioning myself when I lined up for the marathon. (This is where having my husband pop up on the course helped immensely.) Of course it was fine.

My bonus question is how many races have people run where they really should have just slept in that day? I can think of a couple local half-marathons.

 

[BikeFan]

ATTQOTD: When the going gets tough, I just think WWDD (What Would Dory Do)?

One foot in front of the other, and on and on and on...

 

[run.minnie.miles]

Pancakes: Yes
Waffles: Yes
Cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch

ATTQOTD: I really admire the people that enter Barkley, but it has no appeal to me. I have started each race expecting to finish, but I think how I will finish is always the question.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: My first and only cross country meet when I was in 5th grade was brutal. Our coach never held practices so I went into it with 0 training. I wasn't sure I'd make it but I did. Then I quit running for several years. My first real 5k I was so excited to finish strong that I giggled like a crazy person the entire last half mile.

 

[camaker]

QOTD: In the past we have talked about the Barkley Marathon and the little film about it on Netflix. Well this year no one finished all 5 loops. In fact no one finished 4 loops. Only the "fun run" was finished this year. To read more use this link from Runners World. So todays question I wanted to ask is have you ever got to the starting line of a race and thought theres a realistic chance that you will not finish despite being well prepared for the race? For those ultra runners in the group, maybe the idea of this is a little closer to home... With only 40 entrants per year, if you could get a spot in the race would you try it?

ATTQOTD: The only time this has happened to me was at this year's Dopey. I went into the race weekend uninjured and in the best shape of my life with plans to ease through the first three races and then shoot for a PR in the marathon. After the 5k, I started feeling a little iffy. I ran the 10k at my target easy pace and it felt like a tempo run. That's when I knew I was in trouble. I continued to feel worse and worse with a bad cough, fever, and chest congestion. The half marathon was the worst race of my life. I had no energy in my legs after about mile 8 and struggled to a personal worst 3:07 (I usually run sub-2:00 and was planning on a 2:05-2:10 in that race). At that point I was totally exhausted and thought my weekend was over. There was no way I was going to be able to finish the marathon the next day. After a lot of good advice from this group, I decided to give the full a shot and pull myself at a med tent when it got to be too much. The first half of the race was a struggle, but once it started to warm up I felt better and was able to pick up the pace. I ended up finishing the marathon at more than a minute/mile faster pace than the half the day before and, more importantly, finished up my Dopey.

As for the Barkley question, I am looking to run my first ultra some time this year or next. No way would I take a slot in that race. I'm paranoid enough about getting off course in a road race, much less something like that monstrosity! You'd probably find my frozen body thawing out in a ditch somewhere come spring. Not to mention the distance and the effort are way beyond me right now!

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: In the past we have talked about the Barkley Marathon and the little film about it on Netflix. Well this year no one finished all 5 loops. In fact no one finished 4 loops. Only the "fun run" was finished this year. To read more use this link from Runners World. So todays question I wanted to ask is have you ever got to the starting line of a race and thought theres a realistic chance that you will not finish despite being well prepared for the race? For those ultra runners in the group, maybe the idea of this is a little closer to home... With only 40 entrants per year, if you could get a spot in the race would you try it?

I've never started a race I didn't think I'd finish. I may know in advance I'll be much slower than normal for one reason or another but I never didn't think I would finish.

As for the Barkley, it is fascinating and I have read and watched a lot about it but I have no desire to attempt it. I don't think I'd finish one loop.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Real talk.

They need like three cups of chocolate chips, hot fudge, whipped cream, you name it before they are even close to being palatable.

@Keels - we need to get you some real NY Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup. The contrast of cold syrup and hot pancakes- divine! (and dark amber not just for libations!)

DW says my pancakes lately have looked so good, Bisquick should put them on their packaging.

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: Similar to @camaker, the marathon at this year's Dopey. I was on my first @DopeyBadger plan and was feeling great about my running and finishing well. We walked the 5k and 10k to save our legs for the marathon. Halfway thru the Half I started feeling iffy. By the time we were done I knew I had a fever and was coughing. I went back to our room and cried. This was my first Dopey and I wanted to finish with a better time than last year's marathon. At that point I didn't even think I was going to start. I just didn't see how I would even be able to get up out of bed and get dressed for the race! DD28 was super encouraging and so were lots of you guys on the boards so I decided to just attempt the race, take my time, walk if I needed too, have as much fun as possible and quit if I needed to. I honestly thought I would be walking and end up swept. But I finished! 1 mile ahead of the balloon ladies! We had a great texting group going with lots of you great people, keeping me updated where they (balloon ladies) were and offering encouragement during the race. I got pictures, rode EE, and finished with my frozen margarita in hand! But other than that I have always known I would finish a race I started.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Does anyone run with mace? I’ve had it with dogs (and their stupid owners) after this morning’s run. I usually go out of my way to stay the heck away from dogs even if it ends up with me in the street (like today). A teen walking a mastiff lost control and it got to me and almost knocked me down. I freaked out of course and ended up backhanding it on the side of the head and sprinted away as fast as I could. I had no idea if it was going to bite! This is the third time this week I’ve had issues with dogs.

Our greyhound adoption group recommended SprayShield in the past, so we bought some. Its a concentrated citronella spray. So no issues in windy conditions like pepper spray or mace. I think I've only taken the safety off twice in all our Max walks. Though, it does state that extremely aggressive dogs (and bears) are likely to be undeterred.

Fighting is not tolerated in the race kennels, we've been told. Don't want them to hurt each other and be unable to race. So they often don't know how to react when attacked during retirement. Max was bitten by a Great Dane who was off-leash several years ago. I didn't have the spray with me, unfortunately. It was a business that is dog friendly. We will never return there.

 

[Barca33Runner]

ATTQOTD:

Every race I line up for I figure there's a chance I won't finish; I'm pessimistic like that. But I've never not finished and I plan to keep that streak alive every race I enter. I came close to giving up during the WDW Marathon this year, but that was largely due to poor preparation and unexpected illness.

As to entering Barkley (in a theoretical world where I'm in about a million times better shape):

This may seem a little tangential but I'll make it back around to the question. The US Open is my least favorite golf tournament. The reason for this is that it is incredibly easy to make the game of golf difficult. The USGA has taken their course setup to ridiculous measures to try to humble the tour players and give the casual fan more "Hey, they're just like me" moments during the week. The big problem with this is that it has become so extreme that mere chance rather than skill often dictates the outcome of some of the most important shots and moments during the week. This leaves the US Open as the tournament least likely, IMO, to identify the player who played the best during the week as it's winner.

All this is to say, making running hard is also really easy. I don't see the appeal of a race where the instructions are intentionally obtuse and every detail of the experience is as peak twee and pretentious as anything could possibly be.

 

[AFwifelife]

ATTQOTD: haven’t started a race that I was worried of not finishing yet but I’m already nervous for Dopey.

 

[SarahDisney]

ATTQOTD: I always feel like I might not finish ... although I usually know that I can walk the end if I can't run the whole thing.
No interest in Barkley. I wouldn't even finish the first loop. Not for me.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

The name is Gantu. He actually slept pretty well for Night #1. Cried for 2 minutes then settled down and slept. Woke up 6 hours later to pee. Cried for 2 minutes again then went to sleep until we woke up 70 minutes later.

ATTQOTD: I either know at the start if I'm going to finish or not. I purposely started Dark Side 2017 and Wine & Dine 2016 knowing I would bail about 5 to 6 miles in. For Princess 2018 10K - if I ended up swept because of photos, I was also ok with that as I wasn't taking it serious.

 

[PrincessV]

Can I add a follow on question for today? If you go to a restaurant, where do you celebrate post rD races?

My go-to is the Hollywood Brown derby. A classic gin martini and salmon meal FTW!

QOTD: In the past we have talked about the Barkley Marathon and the little film about it on Netflix. Well this year no one finished all 5 loops. In fact no one finished 4 loops. Only the "fun run" was finished this year. To read more use this link from Runners World. So todays question I wanted to ask is have you ever got to the starting line of a race and thought theres a realistic chance that you will not finish despite being well prepared for the race? For those ultra runners in the group, maybe the idea of this is a little closer to home... With only 40 entrants per year, if you could get a spot in the race would you try it?

ATTQOTD: Yep, a 10K last spring. I'd been sick leading up to it, hadn't hit anything near my goal pace in training, and the day's forecast was HOT. I decided to give it a shot, aim to hit my goal pace, and if at any time I couldn't maintain that pace, I'd bag it since I was only running it for PoT. 3 miles in, there was no way I could keep up my pace and my car was closer than the finish, so I bailed mid-race. Not a single regret!

Unless we count my 27+ mile marathons, I've yet to run an ultra, but I find the Barkley Marathons soooo intriguing! I could never manage the navigation, let alone the running, but I'd love to help crew.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

QOTD: With all the PR's over the weekend I wanted to ask, when you meet a goal or PR, do you treat yourself to something special?

ATTQOTD: We've eaten at Shula's to celebrate both our runDisney weekends. Already made reservations for next month to continue the tradition!

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: In the past we have talked about the Barkley Marathon and the little film about it on Netflix. Well this year no one finished all 5 loops. In fact no one finished 4 loops. Only the "fun run" was finished this year. To read more use this link from Runners World. So todays question I wanted to ask is have you ever got to the starting line of a race and thought theres a realistic chance that you will not finish despite being well prepared for the race? For those ultra runners in the group, maybe the idea of this is a little closer to home... With only 40 entrants per year, if you could get a spot in the race would you try it?

Heading into my first Comrades, I knew there was a chance I might not finish. There's so much that can go wrong over that many miles, I had to at least be aware of the possibility no matter how well trained I was. It didnt stop me from being confident I'd finish, but certainly helped keep me from being over confident.

For the Barkley, I've got zero interest in running it. The navigation alone would drive me crazy.

 

[JulieODC]

QOTD: despite having loads of self-doubt weighing on me with each race, I always feel like I can finish.

 

[Sailormoon2]

@Dis_Yoda HURRAY for PUPPIES!!!

 

[MissLiss279]

ATTQOTD: So... last September I had marathons in back to back weekends. Leading up to the races, I thought I was trained well enough to be fine/finish both. However, I have had a little pain in the ball of my foot right behind my second/third toe. The first marathon had a lot of downhill in the first half and then was mostly flat during the second half. During the first half of that race, my foot was taking a pounding. I was trying not to change how I ran, but my ankle started to hurt also. The second half was pretty miserable and hot. The last few hills I walked. The 5 hour pacer came up behind me with about 1 mile left, and I was able to latch onto her and finish with a PR. That next week, I was staying with my sister, and we had planned to do some outdoor activities (hiking, biking, and kayaking). I could barely put any weight on my foot, my ankle was in a lot of pain. It would occasionally be okay, but would still have shooting pain sometimes. Going into the marathon the next weekend, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish. I had my sister standing by to come pick me up if needed. Thankfully during that race, it was more of an ache type pain and not too bad (no shooting stabbing pain). I was able to finish. I walked up most hills in the second half and just took it easy.