Marathon thread

[NancysSummerSip]

I hope to go back to my speedwork tomorrow night. DH has medical tests tomorrow and I have to interview two guys with a new food truck in the late afternoon, then try to get a run in. I'd do it tonight, but I have a Wednesday a.m. deadline for a magazine piece and it needs to get done pronto.

I've also got a post to write for my chocolate blog, but that may need to wait until Thursday, at least.

-faint-I'm glad I did not schedule any races in September, though I am looking at a swim meet later this month, possibly.

[Deleted]

Sept 10, 2013 16:10:21 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

And good luck to you too ArchietheDragon...do you suppose it will seem easy after doing the marathon and all the training for it?

no.   I ran 8 miles this past weekend and I felt awful.  I couldn't imagine having to run 5 more miles, let alone 18 more miles.   Endurance goes quick.  But I think it comes back fairly quickly too.

[NancysSummerSip]

OK, so I signed up for the swim meet. Keeping it simple: a 400 freestyle and three other events at 100 yards each. All of them early in the day, so I at least have part of the day left (it's a single-day meet).

Planning a short run tomorrow and a swim, longer run next Saturday and then the really long runs start.

BTW, my fundraiser page for my Oct. 6 run is still open. Let me know, and I will PM you the link. Thanks!

[steph08]

You know those long runs when things are going so super awesome and then they just fall apart all at once? Ya, that was my run today.

Last week I did my 50k relay and felt pretty good but had sore quads until about Thursday from the hills. I did 4 miles/4 miles/6 miles throughout the week and felt pretty good, so I thought "Instead of stepping back to 11/12 this week, like I thought I would need to because of the race, I'm going to 17."

That plan was awesome until mile 12.5. I was running pretty fast the entire time and felt great, but then...I don't know. I started thinking about how I needed to order new shoes and then my feet started to hurt and then my legs started to ache and then the sun came out (it was a cool 50-55 the entire time I was running) and I ran out of water and I just about died. Not really, but I did walk/run intervals for miles 13-16, but mile 17 I flat-out walked the whole thing. Oh well.

I was on pace for about 10:30s through mile 13. By the time I finished, my average was 11:40, which isn't terrible considering how terrible I felt the last four miles!

[ilovedolphins]

On Thursday I timed one mile running on the treadmill.  It took me 15 minutes so after I work on endurance to run further I will have to work on getting faster.

[ilovedolphins]

Just got back from the gym and ran 1 mile in 13 minutes.  Ran a total of 2 miles without stopping but did have to slow down.  I am slowly getting there and it is so motivating to see how far you can go.  With running you can always challenge yourself to go farther or faster so maybe I won't burn out.

[NancysSummerSip]

Well done, dolphins! And always, always challenge yourself. But remember, in order to challenge yourself well, rest is important. I know...I hate tapering and rest days. I have that coming up this week (swim meet next weekend). But in order to be your best and give the body a chance to recover, you have to do it.

[ilovedolphins]

What do you recommend for rest days?  How many a week?  Then on rest days do you walk or not do anything?

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 15, 2013 13:47:16 GMT -5 ilovedolphins said:

What do you recommend for rest days?  How many a week?  Then on rest days do you walk or not do anything?

I walk on my rest days, but not far...mostly a morning walk to get the paper and back, just about a total of two easy miles. My competitive season runs from October through May (with an additional swim meet or two in the summer) so my training is different in those months than it is from June-September. I do two-a-days several times a week, but that varies with weather, freelance assignments, stuff I need to do at home, and upcoming competitions.

And I don't have regular rest days. I take them when I need them. The real athletes here, like Steph, may do differently.

[steph08]

I only run 4 days a week. My rest days are usually complete rest, unless I do some strength training but I haven't done that in a while.  

[NancysSummerSip]

I do some training with light weights and stretch cords, but other than that, no cross-training outside of the bike/swim/run routine.

[NancysSummerSip]

See, these are the sensible folks. Me, I push too much too often. A rest day to me sounds like a four-letter word. And it shouldn't.

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 22, 2013 21:30:11 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

Sept 16, 2013 14:39:31 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

See, these are the sensible folks. Me, I push too much too often. A rest day to me sounds like a four-letter word. And it shouldn't.

You have to some times though, Nancy!  That's what I tell myself when I'm on the 42nd rest day in a row anyway ...

Speaking of 42 days off...found out tonight that half-marathon isn't until November 22nd or something, not the 1st.  My run club buddy is already sweating it, and when she told me it was on the 22nd I thought "sweet!  I can procrastinate for another month before starting training" LoL!!

Also found out tonight that there is another half-marathon in Peterborough on....errr...October 14th or something.  I forgot now...not good with dates LoL!!  Anyway, it's a lot sooner than the Norwich one, so may sign up for it too.  We'll see...

OMG....mine's not until Feb. 16th, 2014, and I'm sweating it. I have races planned out between now and mid-January tailored to help me train for it.

I'm beat and tired today. Did a six-mile run Saturday and a swim meet yesterday. Came home from the meet, unpacked, snacked, threw in a load of laundry, washed the car and finished weeding the front yard. Cannot imagine why my short run this morning felt like a slog in the mud.

[steph08]

Been a while since I updated - decided to back off of marathon training. After my 17-miler, I was just spent mentally. I've been running 12/14 every weekend since May pretty much because I had two 25ks (one in July and one in September) and I just overdid it.

I have three half marathons that I'm looking at - one this weekend, one next weekend, and one in November. I want to try and go for sub-2:00 but that will require a forgiving course and a lot of effort. I'm not sure if it is the humidity or stress this week, but I couldn't really catch my breath last night on my 6-miler. Probably a combo. One of our dogs was diagnosed with lymphoma back in March and had been doing well, but he has been drinking a lot of water again this week and I'm worried he's on the decline (we only found out he had lymphoma because of his crazy drinking - I guess lymphoma causes super high calcium levels which makes him really thirsty).

[NancysSummerSip]

I'm still deciding on the 10-miler in October. I have family in town that weekend, and that will make it ugly if I try to do everything. I do have a five-miler this Sunday; first race of the season. <br>

[NancysSummerSip]

I have been training hard; first race of the season is Sunday, a five-miler. The course is an out-and-back with a drawbridge, so two small elevation changes. I had planned a ten-mile race Oct 20, but family is coming into town. Fortunately, my bike shop is sponsoring a ten-mile training run the next weekend, and it's free, and they feed you afterwards!

[NancysSummerSip]

Dang, I guess everyone has been out training.



My five-miler was not bad, but I had hoped for better. It was hot, though the mostly overcast skies helped. I'm still feeling soreness in my quads, but other than that, remarkably well today. I gave myself the option of eating whatever I wanted yesterday, as long as there was protein all day. I made lobster stew and homemade bread for dinner. Danged near shut down my arteries with that butter and half-and-half based stew (it called for light cream, but I could not find that).  And is there anything better than fresh, hot, homemade bread?

No other racing this month - my brother is in town on the weekend of that 10 -miler, but my bike shop is doing a timed 10 mile run the following week, so I will do that instead.

[Deleted]

I ran a 1/2 this morning.  I signed up for it yesterday.   Just a little last minute.  Probably wasn't the best idea in the world.  I have not been training or even running recently.  I went out too fast and killed myself on the back half.  Slowed up by almost 6 minutes compared to the first half.   Glad I ran it, I just should have paced myself better.

[NancysSummerSip]

Oh, good Archie. At least you did it and pushed yourself. I don't have another long event until the 26th; it's timed, but not a race. And there's a cycling event (again, just timed, not a race) the next day. I think I will be toast after those two.

[NancysSummerSip]

OK, soooooo...did a 10 mile run today, less than a day after getting a couple of cortisone shots.

Note to self: bad idea. Nausea in mile 7. Even worse idea. I had no idea you were supposed to eat after a cortisone shot.

[NancysSummerSip]

I've got another month to work until I do the next 10-miler (Nov. 16), so at least there's time. I won't be running next Saturday, due to an all-day committment. I have a race on Nov. 10, so the day before is mostly a rest day. So it looks like next Sunday will be time for another longish run. I won't be swimming on the weekends again until Thanksgiving weekend.

[steph08]

I signed up to do a half marathon on 11/10. I haven't been training too hard really - I did 10 this past Saturday and I'll do 8 this Saturday but that's about it. I should have trained harder because I would love to break 2 hours, which requires me to run a pretty good pace for the entire thing. I have held the pace for the 10k distance - we'll see about half marathon distance!

[NancysSummerSip]

Oct 28, 2013 16:01:46 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

Were you talking about triathlons once Nancy?  They do "sprint triathlons" here that sounds fun - I think it's a 5k run, 1k swim, and 10k bike ried or something along those lines...sounds really fun (but I can't swim that far   ).

Yes, and I plan to do them, but likely will wait until after Daytona. There's just too much on the plate right now. And definitely the shorter version. NOT going for an Ironman right out of the gate!

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2013 13:36:02 GMT -5 @joey said:

Feb 1, 2013 13:30:07 GMT -5 steph08 said:

A lot of people say "marathon" when they are talking about a race of any distance.  But a marathon is a specific length - it is 26.2 miles.  

Most common races are a 5k - 3.1 miles; 10k - 6.2 miles; 15k - 9.3 miles; half marathon - 13.1 miles; and marathon - 26.2 miles. 

Good to know, I am new to all this. The run I have signed up for is called a 10K road race. Thanks Steph! 

Hey, I forgot about this. 
I did the 10K race and had a not bad time. After the race I did not run again!  Guess I'm not a runner at heart.
 But still it was a great experience.

[NancysSummerSip]

NancyinHauntedFL - isn't a full triathlon a marathon distance run? That would be hard enough on it's own minus the swimming and cycling!

Yes, that's considered the Ironman distance. Some friends of mine are doing the Florida Ironman this weekend - 26.2 mile run, 112 mile bike and 2 mile swim. I'm tired just writing that.

Apple, good job. And it doesn't matter what you do next, so long as you challenge yourself at whatever you do.

[NancysSummerSip]

Wow, so where is everyone's training at this point? I know steph is coming up on her race in January, and I think Ratchets said he had one this month. Archie, how about you?

[Deleted]

Nov 5, 2013 9:42:19 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Wow, so where is everyone's training at this point? I know steph is coming up on her race in January, and I think Ratchets said he had one this month. Archie, how about you?

Training is slow.  I just can't seem to motivate myself without a big concrete goal ahead of me.

I have a 5k coming up on December 8th.   I was going to run the turkey day Manchester Road Race with 15k+ other runners, but we are hosting this year so i don't think I can take the time that morning.

[NancysSummerSip]

I've got a 5K on 11-10, a four-miler on Thanksgiving, and a swim meet tomorrow.

A 10K in mid-December, and possibly a swim meet the next day (if I do the meet, I will only do two or three events, at most).

I need to do several more 10-mile runs before my half-marathon - the next one is 11-16. I'm tempted to start looking at ocean swims and bike races, but seriously, I need to hold off until the end of February, after Daytona.

[steph08]

I have a half on Sunday.

My Disney race is a 10k and a half marathon at the end of February.

I might do a turkey trot 5k on Thanksgiving but I haven't signed up for anything yet.

[NancysSummerSip]

OK, my bad - I thought you were doing the January race, the marathon/half marathon weekend. You're doing the Princess race, which is the weekend after mine in Daytona, right?
My friend is doing the half  the weekend of January 8-12. Dang, I just looked at their site. They have a lot of races in that period. All pretty much sellouts, too. I guess I should not be surprised, given the time of year and the fact that heck, where else can you run without snow on the ground?

Speaking of which, I will be meeting up with him for lunch in about two weeks. I have not seen him in over three months - since before my eye surgery. I have not asked him about his training. I am anxious to know how he's doing.