The Running Thread --2025

[LSUlakes]

I just had to second this recommendation.

I'm glad someone on here knows what I am talking about lol. Just learned the Varsity Sports running store is starting the training groups long run by the Market Saturday morning! This means I will get to buy direct from the guy and hopefully get some fresh Louisiana strawberries!

 

[bpr2002]

Just learned the Varsity Sports running store is starting the training groups long run by the Market Saturday morning! This means I will get to buy direct from the guy and hopefully get some fresh Louisiana strawberries!

I usually visit the Saturday morning farmers' market with my dad. I'm definitely ready for the strawberries. I've participated in the fall Varsity BR run training but my job prevents me from running with them in the spring or even running with the Happy's group until summer. Of course.

 

[LSUlakes]

I usually visit the Saturday morning farmers' market with my dad. I'm definitely ready for the strawberries. I've participated in the fall Varsity BR run training but my job prevents me from running with them in the spring or even running with the Happy's group until summer. Of course.

I never get to run with the Happys group as I work on the other side of town till 5:30PM. I am planning on running a few the club south 2 milers this summer. I made it to a few Varsity runs this fall but missed most and had to run on my own. I'm the tall guy with the brown/white (liver roan) Brittany spaniel dog. If you ever see me out there come say hi and your from the Dis lol.

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: When is your favorite time of year for running races and why?

ATTQOTD: For longer races in my area, I like January and February as its typically in the lower 40's and unlikely to get much above 60 before the race is over. For 5k and 10k's, March and April since its still cool in the mornings and I have had enough time to transition from long distance training to shorter, faster type workouts. Summer is brutal and is just about surviving each run to maintain fitness, and fall is the time to ramp up and prepare for winter races. Thats at least my approach to the year.

 

[The Expert]

My brain went directly here...

Late spring and summer is pretty darn nice here in Vermont. After the snow has melted and the roads are back to dirt rather than mud. It still cools off nicely overnight and isn't too humid. I love a cold weather race, but haven't been brave enough to jump into one here yet.

 

[LorrieAnn5]

I don't always race at Disney, but when I do, it's in January.
January races provide the best time to run the training plan.

I'm planning on the early September race in Disneyland this year and Springtime Surprise in 2026...but I'm not going to be happy about executing those training plans in humid, hot summer, and then in the bitter cold, icy winter. I'm making poor life choices.

 

[Guidman]

ATTQOTD: Fall for me. That October to mid-November period is great. You can pretty much find any distance to race during that time, weather is usually good and you can get some great scenery (at least here in western PA with the foliage if it's a rural race).

 

[marty3d]

ATTQOTD: There's really no ideal time for me - for the best time to train it's a late May race. For the best running weather I'd say late September/ early October.

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: I like fall once it starts getting cooler and the mosquitos and other annoying bugs have mostly gone away

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: The best weather to race is dry, sunny and too cold to stand outside without a jacket but above freezing. Around here that is April or October. In both cases, training is difficult, either because of bad road conditions and rain in spring or because of heat in summer.

 

[GollyGadget]

ATTQOTD: I prefer racing in the fall for the mild temps. Winter risks being icy or below 0. Spring could be a sudden warm spell or a washout. Summer is definitely way too warm & humid. The only downside to fall racing is the summer training.

All that said, I currently have race registrations for April, May and next January . I did enter the lottery for NYC so I guess there's a minimal chance that gets added to my fall plans.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: well, I live in west-central FL, so seasons are pretty limited lol! Summer is out of the question: running at all is just about survival, not time - and summer is roughly late April through November. What’s left is a mix of weather that could be classified as fall-like, spring-like, wintery, and Summer Anywhere Else - any of those might happen at any time from December through early April and sometimes all within a single week: seasons are rendered meaningless. My favorite weather for racing is a temp in the 60s, light breeze, 70% humidity, and sunny with lots of big, puffy clouds.

 

[PrincessV]

Does anyone here run in the Brooks Glycerin 21? I’ve got a pair on right now…. And I think I might really like them! Surprisingly firm for such a high stack, and a welcome but also surprising amount of toe flex - both pluses in my book. They fit beautifully. What I’m wondering is how much can I expect the firm cushion to change with break-in - are they going to become mushy over time? Also wondering how much that super comfy upper is likely to stretch? Bonus question: the reviews for the 22 model are GLOWING, but the price tag is almost $70 higher: are they really THAT much better???

 

[Naomeri]

The Twin Cities Marathon has announced they're extending the finish time to 6h30m from when the start line closes, so runners have to be finished by 2:50pm. So I'm still not quite fast enough to finish, but it's getting closer. I think I could almost make it if I were in the first corral, but they usually stick me in the third or fourth corral for the 10 Miler at TCMW.

This change would also extend the finishing time for the 10 miler, since the races share the last 4 or 5 miles.

 

[SimbaMufasa321]

Does anyone here run in the Brooks Glycerin 21? I’ve got a pair on right now…. And I think I might really like them! Surprisingly firm for such a high stack, and a welcome but also surprising amount of toe flex - both pluses in my book. They fit beautifully. What I’m wondering is how much can I expect the firm cushion to change with break-in - are they going to become mushy over time? Also wondering how much that super comfy upper is likely to stretch? Bonus question: the reviews for the 22 model are GLOWING, but the price tag is almost $70 higher: are they really THAT much better???

I have run two marathons in the glycerins now! I love them but they do get heavy over time. Haven't really noticed that much break down or change in the upper. Also have the same questions about the 22 model! The 21 works for me so havent felt the need to upgrade yet.

 

[PrincessV]

I have run two marathons in the glycerins now! I love them but they do get heavy over time. Haven't really noticed that much break down or change in the upper. Also have the same questions about the 22 model! The 21 works for me so havent felt the need to upgrade yet.

This is very good to hear - thank you! They fit me so well, but I tend to oversupinate on one side and it happens to be the slightly smaller foot that really cannot afford for the upper to stretch a lot: I need that upper to stay strong!

 

[jmasgat]

Oops....I spent so much time dreading signing up for the half marathon that was supposed to be the end of my Garmin training plan that it sold out--although weirdly it is still open if you are willing to go "no shirt, no medal" and I am not.

Now off to see if I can find something reasonably close by.

ETA: Apparently it's a "no shirt" option....you do get a medal and can buy a shirt if there are any left over. Works for me. So I'm in.

Can I add.....I have not felt this anxious about signing up for a race since Minnie 15k in 2008--my first distance race. So much self-pressure about pace when my head knows that my body will not deliver any time that I'd be satisfied with. So this will be an exercise in learning to deal with current reality.

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: Who here uses some sort of spread sheet to keep records of their runs and for making training schedules?

ATTQOTD: I have a excel spreadsheet where I make plans and then adjust them as to what I actually did if it was different from the plan. Each tab is a labeled the month and year. I total weekly mileage and monthly mileage and make notes of weight. I also put any major social plans on it so I know if I will have any issue getting a run in on a certain day. At the end of all the tabs I have a PR list for every distance race or not from Beer Mile, to marathon. Although I do not have anything for 21-25 miles. Then I have a race list where I put date, location, cost, goal time, and finish time for the races I have run. I know all of this is basically on Garmin, but for some reason I like the excel document a lot as well lol.

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: I have at least a half dozen spreadsheets on my iPad related to running. I have one with tabs for all the training plans I've done, one that tracks mileage and performance on different types of workouts, one that tracks my races (and automatically tells me if I got a PR), and one that compares just Disney races. I also have a spreadsheet for keeping track of my pace vs the last pace group for Disney races where I might have to worry about that. And I made a spreadsheet to do my T+D pace adjustments for me. The nice thing about doing it on iOS is that I can build the spreadsheets on the big screen of my iPad, but access them on my phone. And Numbers does time math, which is a weak point for me

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: Who here uses some sort of spread sheet to keep records of their runs and for making training schedules?

I used to use a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. Now I use Training Peaks instead. Everything feeds automatically from my Garmin, all the metrics and analytics are easy to dive into, and there's space for comments and feedback between my coach and I on how things went. The only running-related spreadsheet I use now is one that totals the number of races I've done by distance and shows my PR for each.