The Running Thread - 2019

[Baloo in MI]

The 4th year of the thread, so cool!

ATTQOTD - Goals:
Short term I am focused on simply rebuilding a base and shedding some weight after being away from running so long. Most important be patient and stay healthy!
Long term finish 2019 running strong and injury free! Planning to get my 5th Dopey (in 2020after missing it this year).

ATTQOTD - planning runs:
I just started running around my neighborhood and let it expand. Back in the day I used my car to measure distances. Later when I started trails I just used the park maps to figure distance.

I have four races scheduled so far:

May 11, Amway River Bank Run, 25k, no goal-just finish

June 2, Dexter to Ann Arbor Half Marathon, under 2 hours

September 6-7, Woodstock 100, toe the line and hope to finish!

October 20, Grand Rapids Marathon, under 4:15

 

[kleph]

An interesting (and timely) article from the British Psychological Society regarding a recent study of runners. On the face of it, the results seem pretty obvious but what is interesting is the more granular breakdown on the findings and what they suggest regarding success.

Runners Get A Wellbeing Boost From Participating In Organised Races

A recent study suggests it’s worth a go – Marzena Cypryańska and John Nezlek report in The Journal of Positive Psychology that recreational runners were happier and more satisfied with life during weeks in which they had taken part in an organised race. The pair believe this is because the main aim for most people who take part in (non-elite) organised races is simply to complete the course (which virtually all entrants do). Therefore “no one loses, no matter how long they take to finish” and finishers usually get some kind of medal or award and come away with a powerful sense of camaraderie and achievement. The researchers add that “In this sense, mass road races, however unwittingly, potentially represent a positive psychology intervention.”

Just over 400 runners (average age 34; 52 per cent women) provided sufficient diary data – at least four weeks’ worth – and among these, 340 ran in at least one race during the study. The results were clear: during weeks that they’d competed in an organised race, the runners on average scored higher on virtually all the wellbeing measures, including experiencing more positive emotions, having higher self-esteem and confidence, feeling more satisfied with life, and that their life had more meaning.

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/01/0...-boost-from-participating-in-organised-races/​

 

[jmasgat]

I have four races scheduled so far:

September 6-7, Woodstock 100, toe the line and hope to finish!

I have volunteered at this, but never run it. Maybe I should give the half a try for fun, then volunteer (or vice versa)

 

[lahobbs4]

Is anyone doing (or have done) Run the Bluegrass half in Kentucky? I'm trying to find something new that is relatively close. This would be 6 hours away. And any other recommendations for something close to Arkansas would be fantastic

 

[Dis5150]

Ugh, how did I forget we would have a new thread?? I have just been checking the 2018 one, thinking, man it's awful quiet on here, lol! Now I am 8 pages behind!

@LSUlakes can you add a race for me?

April 7 - Dis5150 - Star Wars Half Marathon (N/G / N/A)

Short term goal is to actually start running again. I have been a major slacker. Long term goal for the year is to lose 15 lbs to make running easier and train for Dopey 2020. Or Goofy. Idk.

 

[broadsheet]

Is anyone doing (or have done) Run the Bluegrass half in Kentucky? I'm trying to find something new that is relatively close. This would be 6 hours away. And any other recommendations for something close to Arkansas would be fantastic

I’ve never run it but the Viking Half Marathon in Greenwood MS looks fun! It’s sponsored by the Viking stove people and entrants got a free whisk last year

 

[QueenFernando]

ATTQOTD: from the end of our street around the two loops in our neighborhood back the the end of our street is exactly 3.1 miles. So that's really convenient. When I need more miles I just start adding side streets off the loops. If I ever train for more than a HM I might need to look for a urban trail to get some of the longer distances. But for now the neighborhood roads are sufficient.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Good morning everyone and welcome to the new running thread for 2019! Thank you again for everyone who participated in last years thread and I'm looking forward to another year of discussing our two favorite things, running and Disney! Lets start this year off with our QOTD: What are your short term and long term running goals for 2019?

ATTQOTD: My short term goal is to make it through the WDW marathon. Long term is to make running more of a normal daily activity and try to get back to racing with hopes of PR's!!

Short term: To run at all

Long term: to keep running, and then get faster.

Seriously though, I am feeling weirdly motivated even with this injury. It got me down last time. Now that it appears I may be able to run this year I am going to focus on losing weight, while working on the bike to keep my fitness up. I am looking to make it 5 years in a row of the BAA 10K in June, and depending on how that goes I will decide on races from there.

I was looking at race times from past races yesterday. I found my 10K PR and the course i set it on was a HARD course and VERY hilly. I was sore for a week after that race. My pace was 8:47. On top of that it was July 3rd. My point is, my fitness was at it's peak then. If I had run a flat course in cool weather I would have been much faster. I want to get back to those times just once more!

Is anyone going to try and Hang with Meb's pace group at Shamrock. I've heard he's pacing the 1:30 pace group. I'm tempted to sign up and just see how long I can hang with that group.



That sounds intriguing. I liked the OBX full.

I couldn't keep up with Meb on a bike!

QOTD: When you started running, how did you plan our your running routes at first? Did that method change as your runs got longer?

ATTQOTD: At first I just ran my little neighborhood loop which turned out to be 1.75 miles and my sister showed me the basic 4 and 5 mile loops around the LSU lakes. Once I started having midweek runs over 7 and weekend long runs over 10 I ran with a group or created a route on mapmyrun.com. I would also reference existing routes to get ideas of places to run.

I ran an out and back loop near my old house. When I needed to increase mileage for marathon training I took a detour and went down to a different neighborhood. At my new house I just explore. My new neighborhood is so hilly it is awful to run, but it gets results. But I don't mind taking a different turn every once and a while to learn new roads. I think it's fun.

 

[rteetz]

Short term goal is to actually start running again. I have been a major slacker. Long term goal for the year is to lose 15 lbs to make running easier and train for Dopey 2020. Or Goofy. Idk.

I like the way you think!

 

[TinkerBellLiz]

ATTQOTD:

Short Term

Crawl out of the funk which I’ve let myself wallow in. Start running and strength training again. We have the Stars Wars race in 3 months! So far I’m 2 for 2 running and zero for 2 gym.

Running goal short term is train to improve my time over last year for the Rival Challenge (I’m in another age bracket this year )


Long Term

Overcome my sugar addiction (again) and train our new T-Rex puppy to run with me. And be more social.

Running goal long term is to not take a break after a race or race weekend...even if I just walk the scheduled runs.

2018 was rough for me and I’m glad it’s behind me now!

Belated Happy New Year!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

ATTQOTD:

Short Term

Crawl out of the funk which I’ve let myself wallow in. Start running and strength training again. We have the Stars Wars race in 3 months! So far I’m 2 for 2 running and zero for 2 gym.

Running goal short term is train to improve my time over last year for the Rival Challenge (I’m in another age bracket this year )


Long Term

Overcome my sugar addiction (again) and train our new T-Rex puppy to run with me. And be more social.

Running goal long term is to not take a break after a race or race weekend...even if I just walk the scheduled runs.

2018 was rough for me and I’m glad it’s behind me now!

Belated Happy New Year!

Need puppy pictures please

 

[Kerry1957]

ATTQOTD - planning runs:
I'm fortunate to live a couple of minutes from the Des Plaines River Trail here in suburban Chicago. The section near my home has over 30 miles of continuous trail generally about 6 feet wide topped with crushed limestone and/or dirt (and of course leaves, twigs, occasional branches, etc). Combination of open prairie and woods. The trail has markers every quarter-mile so it makes life pretty easy. Although I've now run every mile of this section hundreds of times, I start and stop at different points to keep it a bit more interesting.

I'm not sure if I would be a runner if I had to pound the pavement while watching for crazy drivers.

 

[IamTrike]

I've been in a funk too. This is the first time I've missed Marathon Weekend in 9 years. I've always spent the months up to the holidays doing long runs on the weekends with my running buddies. Since there were usually multiple of us training for challenges it meant I'd often spend 3 - 5 hours a weekend running with friends. Since I've come off my knee injury I've been running 6 days a week, but I haven't done much over 7 or 8 miles at a time and I haven't had nearly as much time with my running buds. Having a common race goal really does make it a lot more enjoyable.

I "won *" a Nordic track treadmill with the big screen and online classes and google maps running routes in a charity auction. So I have been running a lot on that recently. It's good but I think the Peleton version is probably better.


*My wife likes to point out that in any auction you don't "win", you "buy"

 

[IamTrike]

ATTQOTD: I'm closing in on 45 so I'd guess physically I only have a couple more years left were I can set lifetime PR's. I'd really like to do that for both the Marathon and the Half Distance.
I also really want to qualify for Boston.
Lastly I want to get my weight back under control. I'd like to loose about 15 pounds in the hope of making that Boston qualifying time more plausible.

 

[TinkerBellLiz]

Need puppy pictures please

14 weeks and all teeth! He just noticed our neighbor’s cows.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

ATTQOTD: I'm closing in on 45 so I'd guess physically I only have a couple more years left were I can set lifetime PR's. I'd really like to do that for both the Marathon and the Half Distance.
I also really want to qualify for Boston.
Lastly I want to get my weight back under control. I'd like to loose about 15 pounds in the hope of making that Boston qualifying time more plausible.

I hear that. I turn 40 this year, I think if I do dopey in 2020 I might focus my training to run a sub 2 half. The closest I have come is 2:00:32. I doubt I have a shot up here at 7000 feet, unless I do one of the downhill halfs, which just seems like cheating in my mind.

 

[IamTrike]

I hear that. I turn 40 this year, I think if I do dopey in 2020 I might focus my training to run a sub 2 half. The closest I have come is 2:00:32. I doubt I have a shot up here at 7000 feet, unless I do one of the downhill halfs, which just seems like cheating in my mind.

Downhill races aren't as easy as they seem. There is a downhill marathon in NC called Peak to Creek. A lot of people go into it with a goal of PR'ing but then find its actually harder than it seems. In this case it's a lot of switchbacks down a mountain.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Downhill races aren't as easy as they seem. There is a downhill marathon in NC called Peak to Creek. A lot of people go into it with a goal of PR'ing but then find its actually harder than it seems. In this case it's a lot of switchbacks down a mountain.

Well, that’s kinda the nature of things up here. One of my races is from the base of a ski area up to the summit and it is 8 miles up 3000 feet, then back. One of my training trails is 1400 feet up two miles, then back. If I don’t do that I lose a lot of options. Totes obvi I’m not doing those in the snow.

The 3000 vertical foot drop half is paved.

 

[JeffW]

I hear that. I turn 40 this year, I think if I do dopey in 2020 I might focus my training to run a sub 2 half. The closest I have come is 2:00:32. I doubt I have a shot up here at 7000 feet, unless I do one of the downhill halfs, which just seems like cheating in my mind.

I just rationalize that the downhill races here in Colorado aren't cheating since I'm still doing them at a mile or higher in elevation

 

[aalvis]

Accidentally posted in 2018 thread. So cross posting here.

I don't want to be accused of enabling, so I will just share my joy with you that my shoes are on sale today for $65 (Brooks Launch on the Brooks site.) And right when I needed my next pair!

Thanks for the info! Got a great deal on some new shoes!