The Running Thread - 2020

[The Expert]

Another vote for Smartwool. You can often find them at a discount at Sierra Trading Post stores (and online).

 

[dvcterry]

It does seem that running is a lot more abusive on socks in my case. My two running issues on toes in the past four years cannot be blamed on socks.

Please allow to demonstrate
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Our toes do take a beating. When I ran a marathon I thought for sure I lost a toenail, was afraid to take my sneaker off.

 

[SheHulk]

I'm not only amazed at everybody's stories of socks lasting for 5 years without holes, I'm amazed that anybody can go 5 years without losing at least one of a pair of socks in the laundry!

 

[PrincessV]

I'm not only amazed at everybody's stories of socks lasting for 5 years without holes, I'm amazed that anybody can go 5 years without losing at least one of a pair of socks in the laundry!

I nearly always have one sock MIA. It'll finally show up tucked into a pair of tights or a shirt, and then another one will get "lost." They always show up eventually, though!

 

[Chasing Dopey]

I'm not only amazed at everybody's stories of socks lasting for 5 years without holes, I'm amazed that anybody can go 5 years without losing at least one of a pair of socks in the laundry!

... and it makes me so ANGRY. Irrationally so. For a second, anyway.

Haven't been on here in a while. Hope everyone is hanging in there.

 

[JediKnightXan]

This isn't 100% running related, but I found some event guildlines from the international triatholn union (I tired positing a link but this website doesn't like it, if you google World Triathlon Event Guidelines, it should pop up). I am not a triathlete, but the Aid station and running portions might be applicable for when running events start up again. Only sort of guidance I have been able to find for events.

A few highlights to me are.

• Athletes are advised to wear masks/mouth-nose face covering and rubber/disposable gloves during any non-competition activity.
• It is recommended to create courses that are loops by avoiding out and back sections and with as few laps as possible.
• The athletes are recommended to avoid running directly behind another athlete at a distance less than 4m. If the distance is less, it is recommended to be either at a 45-degree angle or alongside the other athlete and avoid facing each other.
• The finish chute must be split into 1.5m wide finishing lanes to prevent the athletes from coming closer than this distance

 

[Waiting2goback]

It does seem that running is a lot more abusive on socks in my case. My two running issues on toes in the past four years cannot be blamed on socks.

Please allow to demonstrate
View attachment 492875

The solution seems simple to me. The socks aren’t the issue. Time to chop off the end of your toe.

 

[flav]

The solution seems simple to me. The socks aren’t the issue. Time to chop off the end of your toe.

Yes, I thought about that. And also about kevlar socks. We all have own own dreams/nightmare!

 

[PrincessV]

• It is recommended to create courses that are loops by avoiding out and back sections and with as few laps as possible.

• 
  
  I'd love to know the reasoning behind this one - how is a loop safer than an out and back, I wonder??

 

[camaker]

• 
  
  I'd love to know the reasoning behind this one - how is a loop safer than an out and back, I wonder??

My guess is that once you start to thin the field on a loop, the average distance between each runner increases throughout the race. On an out and back, you get the increased average distance only until runners reach the turnaround point. At that point the average distance would begin shrinking again as the faster runners came back through the slower portion of the field.

in addition, a loop course has all runners facing the same direction, minimizing the risk of coughing or sneezing directly onto another, at least not into another’s face. On an out and back, you’ve got runners facing each other for a significant portion of the course, increasing the risk.

At least, that’s my take on the difference. I’d be interested to hear if there were official, published rationale.

 

[DopeyBadger]

My guess is that once you start to thin the field on a loop, the average distance between each runner increases throughout the race. On an out and back, you get the increased average distance only until runners reach the turnaround point. At that point the average distance would begin shrinking again as the faster runners came back through the slower portion of the field.

in addition, a loop course has all runners facing the same direction, minimizing the risk of coughing or sneezing directly onto another, at least not into another’s face. On an out and back, you’ve got runners facing each other for a significant portion of the course, increasing the risk.

At least, that’s my take on the difference. I’d be interested to hear if there were official, published rationale.

I agree with this idea. I'd add additionally that if a road is a single direction it allows the flow in that direction to be more spread. But if you cut the road in half in a single direction, then even in that flow you now have a more dense population of runners. Add in the opposite direction and you could go from 1x density to as much as 4x density due to the out and back design. This example would not be the case in some areas of a Disney course where the runners are split onto a divided highway but still appears on a map as an out and back.

Similar rationale for multiple looped courses in that you'd have faster runners passing slower runners which increases the density. A 1 mile HM looped course would have multiple passing events due to faster/slower and a 13.1 mile HM looped course would have zero of those same type of occurrences (not accounting for runners of somewhat similar paces just naturally passing each other which would occur on any design style course).

 

[FFigawi]

I see the key to the preference for loops being the second part of the guidelines - with as few laps as possible. Making the loops as long as possible keeps people spread out more and for longer. The overall length of the race is an important factor too. The more people have time to spread out on the bike course (since these are triathlon guidelines), the easier it is to limit crowding on the run course if the loops are sized appropriately.

 

[GreatLakes]

I got a survey from the Akron Marathon organizers today asking how safe I'd feel doing a large event and then listing a set of options asking whether each would factor into my willingness to race. Some of the options included only sealed bottles at water stops, staggered start times, cancelling the after party, mandating masks, and a few others.

I suspect we are going to start to see more of these emails from organizers in the near future as they prepare for their summer and fall race calendars.

 

[huskies90]

I got a survey from the Akron Marathon organizers today asking how safe I'd feel doing a large event and then listing a set of options asking whether each would factor into my willingness to race. Some of the options included only sealed bottles at water stops, staggered start times, cancelling the after party, mandating masks, and a few others.

I suspect we are going to start to see more of these emails from organizers in the near future as they prepare for their summer and fall race calendars.

I am just glad they are at least trying to get these races to happen.

Being outside, I would feel safe in just about all race situations. I think the starting area is probably the trickiest part. But after that, it is not too difficult to keep 6 ft away once you are out the course. I pretty much do that during every race anyway. I would be fine wearing a mask in the starting area but would want to take it off once we start. Having to wear a mask for the entire race would probably be the only requirement that would cause me to not race.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I was so on track for hitting my goals for the month. I went out for my bike ride yesterday and got about 4.5 miles from and bam, flat tire. Now the bike is at the bike shop (I get a free tune up 30 days after buying so seemed like a good time for it) for a new tire and i’ll Get it back Saturday. There goes just about a week of riding as yesterday only gave me 4.5 miles of my 15-20 scheduled ride.

On the positive note though I ended up running home next to the bike. Slower pace of course but I still ran. I ran today too. So I got 3 straight days of pain free running for the first time in about 4.5 years. Haven’t been able to string consistent days together since 2015. I don’t even feel sore. I may try for another 3-4 tomorrow.

 

[Guidman]

For everyone with Disney+, they are having a segment on runDisney this Friday on Disney Insider.

 

[Waiting2goback]

QOTD:

Has anyone else noticed the activity slowing down on this thread this year? Normally we would have a couple hundred pages by now. Any thoughts as to why?

 

[Waiting2goback]

 

[camaker]

QOTD:

Has anyone else noticed the activity slowing down on this thread this year? Normally we would have a couple hundred pages by now. Any thoughts as to why?

Coronavirus and almost the entire spring racing season being shut down?

 

[MissLiss279]

I think the lack of a QOTD every weekday.