Running • Page 38

Very cool! I personally think getting 3 or 4 20-mile runs in is nice. Ideally a couple of those are above 20, but no more than 23. I think since you have a full 10k to go at the 20-mile marker, there is a nice bit of confidence mentally and from an endurance standpoint that you can go beyond that point. I only did one 20-mile run for my first and wish I would have done more, but I was a dumb college kid haha.

 

Very happy I got a place through the ballot for the Royal Parks Half Marathon. Such an amazing route http://royalparkshalf.com/uploads/files/2017 Route Map - web.pdf

 

Very jealous of where you get to run every day.

 

Being a runner is definitely a big part of why I wouldn't want to leave London. So many amazing parks and routes.

 

Got a half marathon planned in the morning. Big one too. Mercedes half/full in Birmingham. Boston qualifer. Probably 3000 or more entrants. Not trained how I want to be for it but I’ll be fine. Not sure I’ll PR it or not. I’m going to doubt it, but I’m hopeful. May be rainy. We shall see.

 

I'm both proud and still a bit disappointing in my half results from Saturday. Disappointed because I know i'm capable of better. Proud because I still had this type of result even after a couple of injuries and shoddy training leading up to the race. My only other official half was in early December and I was coming off of 3 weeks downtime. That was a mostly flat course of 151ft elv gain and completely straight(rails to trails). I failed to PR this weekend by approx 4 seconds on the 13.1. Considering the course differences I can say I have improved.

1h:53m:03s. 13.23miles. 8:38/mile. 433ft elv gain. Pretty sure the course was over 13.1 considering most people's data showed over. 35/133 in 30/34 age. 229/1074 male. 314/2389 o/a.

13.2 mi Run Activity on February 11, 2018 by Patrick B. on Strava

Now I'm going to focus on recovering this week, and ease into a regular training plan to build for some higher mileage. I lifted some weights for the first time in maybe 10 years last week - probably too close to my half. It was baby weights and I felt like an anorexic 12 y/o but at least I was getting it done. (I swear I saw a buffish female give me a look with my 10+5 weights on each side of the bench press haha). Going to focus on some "running specific" stuff as well as simple upper body stuff maybe 1 time week along with my core routine and IT band ritual. I'll still be swimming as well as I feel that has helped already. Basically, I gotta get my base up slowly and safely.

 

Congrats!

Also, easier said than done, but don’t let other people in the gym bother you. That’s something I’ve battled, but lately I’ve just been working with lighter weights and focusing on my own progress. Light weights done properly and slow is better than lifting a ton the wrong way.

Keep it up!

 

QFT. Lighter weights with good form and engaging the right muscles is infinitely better than trying to trudge through with heavy weights and shitty form.

 

Great job, you should be really pleased with that. I find that my phone always says that my measured runs are a little longer than the distance. I think that's because you're never going to take the optimal line but do a little weaving as you go.

 

Definitely. Thankfully my gym is small so I don’t have to deal with too many people. Recently though this older guy walked in, came right to the weights, stared directly at
me in the mirror, picked up the heaviest dumbbells and then just started spasming or something while continuing to stare at me.

At that moment I was doing so work with 12.5 pound dumbbells, so I don’t know if he was trying to intimidate me or not. It was a weird experience and I haven’t seen him since.

 

Finished 10th out of 750 yesterday in a 4 mile race. 25:30 time.

I’m getting a vasectomy on Friday and I’m pretty freaked out about it. Anyone by chance had one done? I’m looking for more opinions from runners.

 

Very nice, congrats. Curious—I'm running my first race on the 24th (a four miler as well)...did you do anything different to train for it? I generally run anywhere from 3 to 7 miles on my runs. Should I just gun for 4 every time in the weeks leading up?

 

I can’t speak to this personally, but I know someone who had one and they still do a bunch of 5ks. I don’t think they really ran much prior too, but it doesn’t seem to have hindered their running at all since.

 

Thanks. I felt really good which was my goal going in.

I do a lot of long distance high volume runs which I’ve always thought greatly help for any race longer than a 5k. So I would recommend doing 6-10 miles leadin up to build that base.

 

O_O

Alrighty, thank ya.

 

The way I was taught and coached was that during a race you will typically max out effort wise and you want to have built a base to be able to that without exhausting yourself to early.

 

6-10 miles is definitely more ideal, but if you already have a decent base for 4 miles, you could probably throw in some tempo/fartlek/progression runs to get used to getting the heart rate up and picking up the pace while staying within 6-10 miles. Just depends where you are at. I’d still say quality mileage is king though.

 

I think that soeedwork makes a huge difference too, but you need the base of miles first. My current weakness is a lack of speed work. But I just do not have the time right now.

 

Yeah, I gotta up my mileage looking at my last few. Two weeks to go, plenty of time.

2.7m at 7:34/per
4.5m at 7:27/per
3.26m at 7:53/per
4m at 7:33/per
4.4m at 7:30/per

 

speedwork and HILLSSSS

 

Yeah, mileage is the cake and the speed work is the icing for the cake. That said, if you are doing a 6 mile run, there is nothing wrong with doing a hard mile 3 or 4. Picking up the heart rate and giving your muscles different tempos is a good thing. Most people when they show up to a race will run faster at the start than when they are doing an everyday run. The body being used to tempo changes will help with that fact.

 

Been having a hard time motivating myself to run lately. Last year I hit a snag as I tripped over a fallen tree while trail running and fractured my thumb. I ended up needing surgery which shelved me for a bit. I had an actual pin coming out of my skin and I had to avoid moving and sweating until it was removed.

Then my wife and I bought a house, and that took up my entire life.

Things are settling down though. I’ve been going to the gym and weight training, but hoping to start getting back out there soon. It’s also been freezing here in Massachusetts, which normally doesn’t bother me when I’m already in a groove. Since I am not though, it’s hard to get myself to run out in the ice.

Anyone else having trouble getting motivated. I’m thinking I need to just find a race so that I have a goal.

 

I’ve been there. My solution was a monthly mileage goal. It has worked for the past 3 years. Last year I felt like I needed to get back out to more races as I only did 5 in 2016 so I set a goal to double that.

You could always sign up for a challenging event too. That’s motivational fuel.

 

I'm a bit worried about time/motivation as I will no longer be a student and shortly will be starting a full time job. The good news is the job is a 3 mile run home down the canal, so a lovely route which I can also make longer as it's next to a great big park. It might sound weird but this route home was one of the big draws of applying for this job haha

 

Been battling a sore throat/cough for the last few days. Not serious enough to stop me doing any of my usual activities (except drinking, which is a good thing). Is it ok to still run? Because I want to run.