Road Racing & Training Thread: Week Ending 6/20/2021

HHW :

I agree that I am in better shape, at least aerobically. I leave for Utah later this week, and want to take full advantage of training there and when I get back see what I can run. I haven’t touched 5k pace in a very long time so I am hoping to get 1-2 workouts in at Vo2-5k before I try and hold it for 12.5 laps.

Coach Jeff - That sounds awful. You are doing the right thing. If you can't run in a fashion that is enjoyable, then there isn't much point in it. Might as well do something else in the interim until that clears up.

coleiolio - man, if you can run that far at sub 6:10 pace like it's nothing, that's a GREAT sign (obviously).

I ran twice last week, which is a lot for me these days. Despite not running much, I’m still in spitting distance of marathon race weight, although I doubt I’ll ever run another marathon again. I may, however, run a local 5k this fall, th the modest goal of trying to beat my best 5k split from my last marathon (from which I will be nearly 3 years removed come 5k race day).

May pop in from time to time if I start running more regularly.

Hope all are doing well.

Female, 47, 5'4", 105

PRs 5:25/18:51/38:56/1:02:28/1:24:08/2:57:42

Goal races: Grandma's Marathon (June 19 - goal sub-3:05).

Eventual goal times: 18:30 for 5K, 1:23:xx for half, sub-2:55 for full

31 miles running, 500 yards swimming, and 2 hours pool-running

M: 1 hour pool-running and streaming yoga.

T: 8 miles, including a track workout of 400, 3x800, 400 in 88, 3:01, 3:02, 3:01, and 85. Followed with 500 yards recovery swimming.

W: 4 miles very easy (9:10) and light upper body weights/core.

Th: Travel.

Fr: 2 miles shakeout (9:22)

Sa: 1200m warm-up and then Grandma's Marathon (3:18:54 - split as 1:37:56/1:40:58

Su: 1 hour pool-running.

So that marathon didn't go quite as planned... I'm honestly still trying to map out exactly what happened. I ran it watchless as always, and really ran the best race I had in me that day. I just had nothing from very early on - I started conservative and then had to back off early on, and then still had to really fight just to finish.

In terms of excuses - it was on the warm side (mid 60s at the start and finish, according to Weather Underground), but not really hot enough to explain this sort of performance. I had a lot of trouble sleeping the two nights before (my dorm room had no AC and it was hot in Duluth on Thursday/Friday) and also felt really nauseous Friday night, but I've had both happen before and still have run well.

I've been feeling slightly off the past two weeks - just hot all the time (even indoors), which I attributed to the hot weather in DC. Perhaps that has something to do with it. Or maybe it was just an awful day.

It was still damn good to run a marathon. I'm upset about the performance, but that's outweighed by sheer gratitude for the opportunity to race.

(will try to catch up on comments soon)

DW: Sounds like a tough but ultimately fulfilling day. On the + side the splits weren't that cockeyed which shows enough self-awareness to save yourself from complete brutality.

OR: It really doesn't take much for you to get back in shape. Jeez man.

Cocoon: I like that 7x90s hill workout. I also find it really tough to lock in on vo2 max type efforts on hills. I always seem to overshoot on the first few. The only way I have been able to do it is by starting absurdly slowly and then accelerating throughout. I find when taking this approach the reps are actually faster anyhow given I am not tying up at the end. Then again, I also just suck at hills.

sub6: Sorry about the needle guy. I had some crazy dude throw an apple at me at 4am a few weeks ago. Not like maliciously... he really wanted me to have one of his apples. There are some real weirdos out there.

notarobot: Hilly 10k are two words I hope to never see together again.

HHH/Coleiolio: I said this on your HHH as well but that is just a sick 4x3.4k workout. Cole, that is a sick 4x2 mile workout. Very similar times. For what it is worth Coleiolio HHH just ran a 15:teens in the 5k recently hence my comment about why you should get in a race. HHH, that workout shows a ton of strength. I think your HM PR might be on borrowed time.

BHViking: You and me both. I just ran 6 "recovery" at 8:09 pace and was having a hard time keeping my HR under 150.

Drcrusher: Welcome back! We missed you!

Mrs Stone: Glad your healthy and excited to see your Boston build-up.

Coach Jeff: I think you are doing the right thing. Especially as doing all of those things likely removes the joy from the activity itself to a degree. Get healthy man.

Allen: My neuroma symptoms usually start as a tingling foot then progress to the feeling of a bunched up sock in my shoe while running. This is fine. When it graduates to the feeling of a localized pebble in-between my 4th and 5th toes is when things start to get hairy. When that happens it usually starts to become a thing outside of just running. I to build visible callouses around it which alters the way I walk and run which generates all sorts of problems. Last time it got that far I was out for like 2 weeks so I am very sensitive about just not letting it get to that point. Overall footwear seems to be the biggest thing. This is problematic given my shoe addiction. I just need to buckle down and not mess around with new models.

GNR: Solid 2 weeks.

hhw - hope the foot is feeling better

OR - nice flyers as usual

Sub6 - Never fun to run into those situations, the wife and I ran by a strange fellow walking around with a screwdriver on sunday morning, put a little pep in our step to pass him. Olympic Trails have been enjoyable to watch, less fun waking up at 5AM to run after seeing the 400s last night

HHH - solid race times, nice to see you back

Coach Jeff - sorry about the lower leg woes, hopefully taking the time to build strength works. my wife had to do similar for her core/hip strength. It certainly beats running with pain everyday/step

cocoon - sounds like a good general training plan

Smoove - nice to see the last few runs pop up on strava, how has your cross training routine been?

darkwave - sorry about the marathon

glad to see some returning to the thread

If by cross training you mean extensive amounts of yard work, walking 2-5 miles a day, and copious 12 ounce curls, it’s been about perfect!

I haven’t done any aerobic work. I’m just not motivated to, and all of the little injuries that I pushed through for that last marathon knowing that they would likely linger the rest of my running career have indeed lingered. Like I said during that cycle, I knew that was likely my last marathon, so I was willing to abuse my body some. Now I’m paying the price and am likely relegated to an occasional low key 5k effort (and, frankly, totally okay with it).

Male, 26, 5’8”, 135 lbs

PRs: 17:11 5k (2015), 28:31 8k XC (2015), 36:11 10k (2018), 59:23 10M (2018), 1:20:55 HM (2021)

Goal Race: Charleston Distance Run (9/4/2021)

Goal Time: Sub 1:35

Trying to get back in the habit of posting regularly (again). Was posting pretty regularly in the spring during buildup to my half marathon debut.

Took a week off after the half and have been building mileage back up since. Have been back up at 60 for the past 2 weeks, goal is to push up to 65-70 for the summer. I have traditionally struggled doing more than about 60, but have done a lot of weeks at that mileage during the pandemic, so am going to try to build up a bit more.

Was on vacation Mon-Fri this past week so didn’t attempt any workouts as I was in unfamiliar territory. Routes were hilly though so I was putting in some decent work still. Long run on Sunday was a struggle, heat and humidity really kicked up several weeks ago and heat acclimation has been a real struggle for me this year. Workouts haven’t been looking very impressive on paper but I trust that the fitness is there.

M: 6 EZ

T: 10 EZ

W: 10 EZ

Th: 10 EZ

F: 10 EZ

Sa: Off

Su: 14 mile long run. Middle 12 in 1:26:59 (7:14 pace). Shooting for 7:00 pace but fell off after 4 miles struggling in the heat/humidity

Total: 60 miles

Goal oct 10 hm

M: was going to run home, but my stomach was bothering me.

T: 15k

W: was going to run home, but forgot my running vest (use it carry my wallet phone and keys)

T: stomach issues again

F: 11k

S: had to work all day, couldn’t find time to get out.

S: 10k (12x 400m @83 seconds with 200m jog @87 seconds)

Wasn’t the best week for me, combination of stomach issues and work kept me from getting out. I’m on some heavy medication which is likely causing the stomach issues, so I might just need to get used to more flexible training. The Sunday workout felt good though, original goal was 86 second laps (18 flat pace) but settled in at 83 seconds and managed to hold on.

Goal for this week is a lot more mileage, hopefully 65k, as well as a workout on the weekend and hill sprints during the week.

M/36/145

M: 6.1 miles @ 6:43/mile

T: 2WU, 2x1mile, 1.5 CD - Failed workout, had a side stitch real bad. Dehydration issues I think

W: 10 @ 6:59/mile (could still feel the stitch from previous day)

Th: 7 @ 6:56/mile (4x200 at 35 in there) - Had a race next day, wanted to feel out mile pace... felt not great. Mile pace is fast.

F: AM 2 miles; PM 2 WU, 1 mile race, 1 mile again (to make it a bigger workout), 2.1 CD

Sa: 8.1 @ 7:02/mile

Su: 10 @ 6:39 (failed long run, heat/humidity... death march)

Total: 55.3 miles

Strange week, but made it through it. Been running recovery/easy days too fast. Really need to curb that. Think it's draining me.

Anyway, raced a mile "road" race on Friday, on a small municipal airport that they shut down and let you run down the runway. Pretty flat, but still had a bit of decline through the first .4 or so, then up, down, and up to finish for the last .2 or so. I'll give you a brief race summary b/c it was a mile, it's gotta be brief.

Sized some guys up on the line, knew of a few of them, but no one I really knew I could key off of. Figured I was in shape for 4:30s. PR was 4:43. Get out fast, it's slightly downhill, look at watch through the 1/4 and it was a 68. Not alarming, right on pace. Then it slows down a bit and I'm basically forced to take the lead for a bit to keep the pace moving. That slight lull resulted in a 72 second 1/4. picking it back up, some college kid takes the lead back and we hit 69 through the next 1/4. Then, all of a sudden all these young kids have another speed to them, and I don't. So I get outkicked in the last 200 meters by 4 guys even though I split a 65. Final time was 4:34.0.

Think I have a bit more in the tank for a mile, but man it was fun to race something short and fast. I recovered pretty quickly and 5 minutes later ran a 5:05 during the open heat just for a bit more work on the day. That one wasn't all out, just ran by feel to get some work in.

All in all a great week. I'll get in on the comments later, but congrats to darkwave at Grandma's.

darkwave wrote:

Sa: 1200m warm-up and then Grandma's Marathon (3:18:54 - split as 1:37:56/1:40:58

Su: 1 hour pool-running.

Congrats on a solid marathon even though you weren't able to hit your planned paces. Love that your 1st half - 2nd half split wasn't that disparate. When my marathons go south, I have atleast a 10-15 min positive split :).

Also, amazing that you did an hour of pool running on Sunday <gulp>

Hello all,

Good training weeks from all. Keep up the great work!

Didnt post for a few weeks.

Went 83.3, then 90.05.

This last week:

Monday- 13.0 1'23"02 (6:23 avg)

Tuesday- 7.16 miles 40:01 (5:35 avg) workout was 10x2 min on one min recovery, then ran home, 6.01 miles 40:39 (6:46 avg)

Wednesday- 13.01 miles 1'24"13 (6:28 avg)

Thursday- 7.12 miles 40:00 (5:37 avg) workout was 15x 1 min with one min rest, then ran home, 6.01 miles 41:15 (6:52 avg)

Friday- 4.99 miles with a friend 35:10 (7:03 avg) and finished the rest, 2.07 miles 13:50 (6:41 avg)

Saturday- 3.25 miles 20:35 (6:20 avg), 3.12 miles 16:28 (5:16 avg) course was 1.55 down, then all back uphill (around 150 feet up), so not a fast course. 8.54 miles 59:05 (6:54 avg)

Sunday- 13.03 miles 1'22"26 (6:19 avg)

87.20 on the week. Workouts went fine, race was just not a fast course to run. I will do the same workouts for the third week in a row. I have decided they are enough and will do what I need them to do to hopefully get my goals.

Closing in on 2400 for the year.

Have a good one all.

DW I was waiting for you to post before writing out some comments. I guess most of us know that feeling of being disappointed about a performance, but the fact that you ran the race you had in you that day is something to be proud of. It just definitely sucks when a bad day coincides with a race day ☹️

Smove: Nice to see you popping up on Strava and I had hoped you might be popping in here, too. You've been a bit more active recently on LRC... I figured maybe you were getting itchy... that 5k marathon split goal sounds fun...

Mrs. Stone: All the best on the rebuild. You've got lots more good stuff to come.

drcrusher: Great to see you coming back... seems like a lot of folks on a similar trajectory.

HHH: Boom. Good to see you back.

notarobot: Sounds like a fun race!

RunnerSam: The biathlon thing is so cool. Call me when they start the beerathlon.

Sub 6:00 He was just needling you.

OR: Glad you're having fun again.

To everyone:

I appreciate the support. Forgive me posting 3 times daily on Strava, but it makes the "rehab" feel like part of my "training." So far it looks like OR has the "Comeback of the Year" in the bag, but it's only June and I plan to have my finishing kick back by December!

darkwave - nice work at Grandma's!

Lanc - that's one helluva interesting mile.

ZmSwift - that sounds like a really slow 5K course. your consistent training continues to astonish me with the combination of pace over elevation.

darkwave - Based on your splits it looks like you did a great job of managing your effort. Sorry it wasn't quite the time you wanted.

Smoove - Glad to see you're here and considering a 5k. I've come across some of your comments before while trawling through various training threads. I've found your advice to be very helpful in my own training.

jmar - I've also had trouble trying to sustain anything over 60 mpw. I'm looking forward to seeing your buildup!

Zm - Nice job on the hilly 5k!

Some comments:

HHW: Hopefully your foot sorts itself out. As someone with no fast-twitch muscles in his body, that Wednesday workout sounds disgusting.

OR: Fitness looks like it is coming back quickly. Expect we will be seeing classic OR soon!

Cocoon: That’s a big long run

Pewow: I admire your discipline in carefully building back up

Sub 6: I’ve dealt with SI issues before too – never fun. Avoiding the bridge troll sounds like it was wise.

RunnerSam: Podium in your biathlon debut is impressive!

Notarobot: Sounds like a brutal race

HHH: Very impressive that you are back in PR fitness after only 3 months! What are your goals for the half and full?

BHViking: Nice job getting in miles despite the weather. Hot and sticky moved in here a couple weeks ago, can’t kick them out although I’d like to

Drcrusher: Welcome back! Lots of folks returning to posting this week (myself included)

Coleiolio: That 4 x 2 mile is very impressive. One of the tougher ‘classic’ workouts in my opinion.

Stone: Haven’t heard of anyone else running a marathon PR on a broken toe before.

Coach Jeff: Shutting down definitely sounds like the right call. Good luck with the rehab efforts!

Allen: Very good to see you keeping at it!

Smoove wrote:

I ran twice last week, which is a lot for me these days. Despite not running much, I’m still in spitting distance of marathon race weight, although I doubt I’ll ever run another marathon again. I may, however, run a local 5k this fall, th the modest goal of trying to beat my best 5k split from my last marathon (from which I will be nearly 3 years removed come 5k race day).

May pop in from time to time if I start running more regularly.

Hope all are doing well.

Thanks for popping in Smoove, as others said I've enjoyed your Daniels commentary on prior years threads. I suppose many of us will reach a point where we run with pain. That 2-5 mile walking is good, and impressive to keep similar weight. You coach people right, how are they doing? any big improvements without races and the time to train some got through covid?

LancRunner - Solid Mile

Coach Jeff ROC - Any progress with the foot?

I've been enjoying olympic trails spectating, my LR bracket is doing alright although some scratches have lost me some points (Sisson 5k, Richardson 200, Quigly Steeple). Starting my 3rd year in RRTT, my first posting thread was 18 pages! Covid hurt huh. 2018 was a great running year for me, hoping for more of that this fall.

How are all of your brackets doing? I am at 38 points. I see notarobot at 36.

33 for me, I saw there was a RRTT group but I'm in a local one