Road Racing and Training Thread, Week Ending 5/12/2019

Allen1959 wrote:

Lanc -- What a surprise to show up expecting a road race, and face the grass and mud! Did you run back home to grab your XC spikes? Did your competition wear spikes?

This made me laugh out loud... I haven't owned XC spikes for 15 years. I could have used some, but just pushed through it in a pair of racing flats. Probably another reason I couldn't get the legs moving.

Competition, I think they were wearing shoes with a bit more tread than mine (maybe), but definitely not spiked up.

LancRunner wrote:

This made me laugh out loud... I haven't owned XC spikes for 15 years.

Ha! My spikes are 17 years old, and it's been 16 years since I've worn them (a snowy and icy ROAD race!), but I've still got 'em, just in case ... :)

44 year old male 5'6 124 lbs

PR's: 17:05 5K, 34:52 10K, 1:15:59 Half (1:13:08 downhill half), 2:42:22 Full

Goals: Race 5K/10K/half marathons chasing PR's, participate in some open/master's track or XC races to beat my high school track/XC PR's

Relatively low volume week recovering from my half marathon last Sunday. Thinking about racing either a local 5K or 10K this weekend.

Monday: Treadmill HIIT continuous 4.5@5:49+Strength/Core/Rowing

Tue: Treadmill WU 0.7@6:39, 1 mile@2% incline 5:00, HIIT intervals 1.3@5:30+Strength/Core/Rowing

Wed: AM Treadmill Easy 4@7:22

PM Track WU 1@7:30, MAF Test (6:30, 6:47, 6:51,6:56, 7:03) @ MAF Target 141 HR + 4x100 strides (13-15 seconds/100 m)+Form Drills

Thu: AM Treadmill Tempo WU 1@6:41, Tempo 7@5:39, CD 1@6:16

Night Treadmill Recovery 4@7:22

Fri: Treadmill HIIT Intervals Total 2 miles@5:00 (rowing/strength recoveries in between) + Strength/Core/Rowing

Sat: Long 18.1 Road/Trail @ 6:59

Sun: Rest day per wife's request for Mother's Day

The forecast said rain on Sunday pretty much all week, so I moved my long run to Saturday to avoid the scheduled deluge this week. I didn't go outside at all yesterday and I told myself I'd hit the treadmill to get my last run of the week in, but when it came down to it, I couldn't bear the treadmill in May with no imminent race goal to feel obligated to get it done. An unscheduled rest day. Oh well. A little bit of a setback in my quest to bump up my average mileage before the real marathon schedule kicks in in a few weeks. Not going to worry about it though.

M: 5.8mi

Tu: 7.3

W: off

Th: 8

F: 8

Sa: 12

Su: lazy

Total ~40 mi

The upcoming weekend will be running-less as we are going to Shenandoah NP and will be road biking. I haven't been on my bike much in the last year -- only a couple 20-mile or so rides this Feb when out in California for vacation. Looking forward to the long climbs along Skyline Drive :-D

RunnerSam wrote:

Guy Broman - interesting to see 8 runs in 7 days at 40 miles. I typically wait till about 70MPW to add any doubles but might try to start sooner this cycle. The stimulus is good twice a day no matter your total mileage but the extra shower/waking up early can be a killer. regardless both your Mn speed and Friday ks suggest you could knock down that 5k time

I do a lot of short doubles, especially in summer. 2-4 easy at dawn, then work (outside on my feet), then 2-4 easy after work. This is a big, filthy sandwich so I just shower once at the end. The recovery is better this way at the same mileage: singles actually wear me down more.

GT: Tremendous volume of quality there. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

TDR: Congrats on the win!

Allen: I think its really positive that the knee held up to both pushing hard for 8+ miles as well as a time trial.

Coyote: Good to see you back, if I recall the rest was well deserved after a bonkers racing block.

RunnerSam: Good to get in the speedwork habit even if you don't feel like its quick for you.

LH: Sounds like things are going to hold together and that plan sounds good.

Lanc: Way to keep at it in under weird conditions.

Allen1959 wrote:

stat- So, a race yesterday?

Today, actually, but the track looks like this right now so may be going for a swim instead...

Huh, Imgur doesn't want to play along...Trying one more time.

https://imgur.com/uep1gj3

40 y old/Male/172 lbs

Goals:

1) Run a sub 3 marathon in 2019

2) Time-qualify for New York Marathon in 2019 (run 1:24:59 for the half)

M: 6.2 @ 8:09

T: 11.6 @ 7:52 with 3 mins on/ 90 secs off @ 6:35 1 min on / 1 min off @ 6:20

W: 11.2 @ 8:20

Th: Off

F: 11.9 @ 8

Sa: Off

Su: 18@ 7:08 with 15 miles at just under 7.

a) Traveling for work the last week, so time was at a premium. Had to take Thursday off because I got an invite to a team dinner. Food > exercise when traveling :). Saturday was the travel day, so was not in a mood for running after traveling across 8 time-zones.

b) Sunday's long run was great. All the days off I had this week ensured that I was well rested. Ran the last 7 miles at under 6:50 pace, which is my goal MP.

Working Harder - That's great news! Looking forward to seeing you back reporting around these parts soon.

Darkwave - belated congrats on the sub 63 success last week!

Outsiderunner - You ran that marathon in some muck, turned it into a contact sport twice, on a warm and muggy day before you were acclimated for the summer, all basically solo, on a couple week turnaround after Boston...and came within a couple minutes of your PR. Sorry, but head-to-head that's the more impressive performance than the pack-ran 20 miler last fall that 'equates' to 2:44 (at least in my eyes). I've tried to run with any semblance of quality on a mucky towpath and ended up choosing to turn it into 10-15% grade hill repeats on pavement instead because that was the less miserable option. Impressive toughness and fitness display out there.

RunGuyMidwest - Hope you recover quickly. Agree with Allen - that much motivation for a stationary bike trainer sure looks like the fire's still there no matter what you say. I meant to say something last week but never got around to it, usually when I start getting into that mindset of "why am I doing this, no one cares but me." I take a couple easy or down days to rejuvenate and then suddenly I stop asking myself those questions. It's a tough balance but I think it's worth it, even if I can't explain why to anyone else.

Puto Miudo - Impressive near back-to-back double half PRs. Looking forward to the report because the last one was great.

BHViking - looks like a big week for you. Have you been hitting 90miles following the Hadd plan this whole time and I wasn't paying attention, or was this a juiced week? Either way, looks like you're pretty well recovered from Revel.

Guy - I've also started adding some pretty short doubles lately and I think I'm really going to like them when I have time for it. A bit worried about the summer lunchtime heat for office sweating though. Hasn't been a problem yet.

RunnerSam - Glad to see the patient consistent build/return continue for you.

Allen - I'm still working in generalities for goal time right now. Considering the last time I ran a half you guessed my time within ~5s I'm sure you're guess is as good as my generalities at this point. I've got a couple workouts remaining on the schedule that might help me narrow it down, but I'll need to wait for the weather report to know for sure. We're still pretty cold here most runs (lunch run at 45° today), so if we suddenly make the jump to summer like we sometimes do I could be in for an unacclimated world of hurt. The forced heavy clothes acclimation process sounds miserable and I don't have access to a sauna, so I'm taking the "cross my fingers" approach with the weather.

I love the short doubles as well.. I go 3-4/3-4 quite often esp in summer or coming off injury. Last week I ran a double at 32 miles and took an extra day off. To me that is better for recovery and building mileage.

GT - You nailed that analysis. I could not agree more. And certainly not downplaying the 20-mile race, either. That was stellar, too.

Guy - Alas, if only that were true. Did I mention that after my time trial, I literally had to climb our stairs on all fours? Same as previous week. And my knees screamed for the entire 8-miler. But I haven't given up! Gonna try the treadmill today, set at 5% incline. The reduced impact force and reduced range of motion helps.

statfanatic wrote:

Huh, Imgur doesn't want to play along...Trying one more time.

https://imgur.com/uep1gj3

You might have been better off running my XC race this weekend than on that track...

Allen - I should have also mentioned based on your prior handicapping before my race, feel free to share with me what I'll run this time. This one's more rolling than the one from 14 months ago.

GT - Excellent comments, sir, and thank you for hitting all of the relevant points. Very well argued.

Allen/RRR/LR - Yes, the flyers are a-comin’, and I am giddy. Here is perhaps the first...early this morning...

9.13 at 6:35.7 overall...7:14, 7:07, 6:42, 6:37, 6:30, 6:26, 6:27, 6:17, 6:03, 0:49

My usual requirements are at least 10 miles and 6:30 avg. or better. Should I suspend that for this morning’s run, considering I am just off of a marathon? -:)

“Oh now feel it comin’ back again

Like a rollin’ thunder chasing the wind...”

A favorite of mine...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xsJ4O-nSveg

Allen: Well that is pretty grim.

Allen1959 wrote:

But I haven't given up!

That's the spirit! I really hope it comes around for you.

GT - Feeling less fresh is evidence it’s working. I sometimes have trouble going out too fast at the beginning of workouts as the first lap can have a touch of adrenaline. It can help to simply check the split very early (200m, sometimes 100m). The other option one coach had us do was to start every workout with a 400m at about 5k pace. Not too taxing, but it helped burn the adrenaline off and find the pace.

TDR - Nice win. I miss doing field day in my old Parks and Rec job, but never had to do much organizing.

JQ - The early part of every cycle/season is quite nice. Looks like we are getting back in at a similar clip.

RRR - Nothing excels like excess. Glad I can be of some inspirational quoteness.

GFMAH - Your ballpark approach to duration/distance is pretty great.

OR - Gotta say I still think the 2:49 in the slop wasn’t a bad effort. Looking forward to seeing what you can do over the summer.

Allen - How is the knee doing? It’ll be tough to defend that title, but I’m happy to see you’re at least back out there.

DirtroadSC - Hope you enjoyed the off week. Hills reps are great, no matter what you’re training for.

Jewbacca - No need to rush things. Looking forward to seeing some good fall races from you.

Hereford - Good build week. Any intermediate goals before Boston 2020?

LongWayFromHome - Welcome to the thread. With a good summer, you should be in shape to run well under 2:30 in Berlin.

Darkwave - Probably a good week to ease it up a little. Patuxent is definitely worth a visit. (There was a Runwashigton post on it a few months ago.)

RGMW - Bus sprints can be a good workout! Did a few last week, but only about 150m.

CM - I think a few of us are in post/early-season funks. That’s not a bad looking week.

BHViking - That’s some good mileage.

GuyB - Odd that the doubles would affect you like that. For me and I think for most the first easy run would help shake things loose for the harder afternoon session.

Stat - Good quality. I had a recent nightmare about unexpected car shopping, driven by the possibility of my work moving out to the burbs in a couple years.

UD - You achieved what you wanted to this week. I think a few of us are in that phase right now.

PM - Congrats on the PR! Everything in Geneva is expensive. (But running along the lake is free.)

RunnerSam - 7 months from a goal is a great time for some good, social running.

Jeff - I like the name. Mountain cruise intervals. I was digging through Daniels 3rd the other day and might loosely follow the 5 week cycles this summer.

HHH - That race sounds awesome. I’ve done a similar (smaller) relay a few times and really miss doing it.

LebanonHills - The voice of reason is usually to take it slow. Glad to hear it’s going in the right direction.

LancRunner - Nice workout. Surprise XC would throw me for a loop. This weekend’s 10k, I’m just going to see what the competition is. I won it last year, and if I can I’d like to do so again. Other than that, don’t want to go out any faster than 5:20, and see how I feel.

Bruin - Good for a recovery week. An 18 miler is always worth something.

Drcrusher - Biking in Shenandoah sounds awesome. Weather looks like it should be pretty good too.

Cocoon - Hard to keep consistent with travel, but that’s a good way to end the week.

Well sub 6.

There are days when I feel like this summer of RRR May be foolish. But I aim to see it through until August.

I get a little fatigue going like today. Then crush a half case of Buds and eat a good meal...wake up at 0430 and pound my chest and am ready to go.

As AJ would say. “Fatigue is for P******”

Sub 6:00 wrote:

GT - . It can help to simply check the split very early (200m, sometimes 100m).

Yeah I think the first 200 was like 37s. I really don't know what got into me.

Gordon Tremeshko wrote:

I should have also mentioned based on your prior handicapping before my race, feel free to share with me what I'll run this time. This one's more rolling than the one from 14 months ago.

OK. You crushed that 5K a while back, and have been logging incredibly impressive high-volume tempo workouts. You're obviously way beyond where you were a year ago.

There is a scary-fast figure in my mind. But there are the rolling hills and the possibility of a warmish day. So perhaps best to temper the prediction. Also, I like to see traditional 18- to 20-mile runs as a component in half-marathon training.

So, all considered, I'm saying 1:17:46.