Marathon thread

[Cookies Galore]

May 4, 2015 14:00:15 GMT -5 flamingo said:

www.csnphilly.com/blog/700-level/message-runners-everywhere-shutttttt-uppppppp

I shared this on facebook, but it's funny and I thought you'd all get a kick out of it. And probably relate more with it than my random group of fb friends.

My Philly running Facebook group was cracking up over that on Friday! So many good quotes. :-)

My favorite: There’s way too much emphasis on goals these days. That’s the problem with humans. We have too much ambition. 

[ken a.k.a OMK]

I used to get a kick out of the post running socializing which took much longer the the run. A couple of at 10 am really loosened us up.

[NancysSummerSip]

May 4, 2015 14:00:15 GMT -5 flamingo said:

www.csnphilly.com/blog/700-level/message-runners-everywhere-shutttttt-uppppppp

I shared this on facebook, but it's funny and I thought you'd all get a kick out of it. And probably relate more with it than my random group of fb friends.

That's hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also want to add the bit about the people who take selfies when they run. How do people snap photos and do it while they run? I'll never be that coordinated.

And the women with the perfect hair and makeup...what's that all about? You run with enough face paint on to decorate the circus? And why do they all still look good when they are done with their run? If I did that, my face would melt like a Popsicle on a dashboard.

[NancysSummerSip]

I found out today that my running/cycling shop is doing open water swims and run/swim/run training sessions during the week. Dayum...something else to add to the training regimen.

Not to the time fairy....I need more. More, I tell ya!

[NancysSummerSip]

Glad to hear that you are feeling better, Ratchets. I am having some allergy issues myself, and also using a nasal spray to help unblock and get that stuff outta my head.

[flamingo]

May 9, 2015 13:25:23 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

May 3, 2015 12:55:05 GMT -5 flamingo said:

I wish I could blame an altitude change on my breathing troubles today. Alas, I just overran. It was a 10 mile training run and the whole time I kept thinking, WTH why can't I breath. When I finished I looked at my running app and it told me I had run a 10 mile PR-by more than 4 minutes!!! ACK! I mean, in general, that's really good, but it's a training run FFS. I shoulda been going slower.

On the other hand, if I keep up this training pace, I could easily hit/beat my goal of a 2:00 half in July. I'm starting to think the heat and humidity of central Florida affected me more than I thought. I've been doing much better in my new midwestern city.

Ratchets: be careful! If running outside is causing you problems for any reason, find an indoor activity. It's not worth the potential health hazard!!

That's a huge deal, to take 4:00 off a run like that - congratulations! I didn't notice what your previous PB was for a half marathon, but if you're already doing 10-mile training runs and feeling strong on them I think you'll have a very good race in July .

MY PB for a half is 2:04:51. I REALLY want to break 2 hours. My training is going better this time than last, so I'm hopeful. I've done 3 half's and each was faster than the last, so fingers crossed!

[NancysSummerSip]

Soooooooo...my bike shop is offering a triathlon workshop for newbies. Two-day school in everything from running techniques to swimming starts and transitions. Some cost to participants (actually, it is two half-days, not two full days). I think I am going to sign up. DH will be gone that weekend, so it makes perfect sense to do it.

[steph08]

Nancy, that sounds awesome. If I could find something like that, I would put more consideration into doing a triathlon!

Well I signed up for the Memorial Day half marathon. Then I promptly came down with a cold, which turned into a sinus and ear infection. The whole right side of my face still hurts, and I haven't run all week.

The half should be interesting.

[NancysSummerSip]

A half on Memorial Day here would likely kill me. It's too hot by then. I'm doing a 5K that day, though. I also have a swim meet five days later, then the triathlon camp the following weekend. I was going to go to another swim meet the weekend after that, but I think after paying for camp  I'll pass. Turns out there is a fee for it after all. I keep telling myself it's an investment, not a cost.

[Jaguar]

Tip for you runners:

[steph08]

I did get my 11 miles in. Did it this morning - I will say it was 5.5 miles, then about a half hour break (walking around outside as our new shed was delivered), then 5.5 miles again. But basically it was running 11.

Hopefully I make it through the Memorial Day half. I might have been a little ambitious in signing up, and I know I won't PR (1:58), but I'd take anything below 2:15 and consider it a win. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Hopefully I make it through the Memorial Day half. I might have been a little ambitious in signing up, and I know I won't PR (1:58), but I'd take anything below 2:15 and consider it a win.

Hey, I'll take that from you if you don't want it!

I did some hill/bridge work last night, since I got home too late for a full run. My Memorial Day 5K does have some elevation change in it, but not much.

[Cookies Galore]

I got five miles in yesterday with my run club (Thursday is beer night). I'm hoping I get up early enough tomorrow so I can get at least 7 miles in before it gets hot and icky and potentially thunderstormy. If I get 7 miles then I'll be over 20 for the week. Woo hoo! We have things to do Sunday afternoon so Saturday has to be my long run day. Tailgating and tired do not mix!

[Cookies Galore]

I ran 7.5 miles, stopped to get iced coffee, and walked the half mile home. Half marathon plan says this week's long run was 8 miles, so I did my duty!

[NancysSummerSip]

May 16, 2015 9:47:48 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

May 10, 2015 9:07:58 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Soooooooo...my bike shop is offering a triathlon workshop for newbies. Two-day school in everything from running techniques to swimming starts and transitions. Some cost to participants (actually, it is two half-days, not two full days). I think I am going to sign up. DH will be gone that weekend, so it makes perfect sense to do it.

That sounds cool.  There was a time last fall when I was interested in doing one, but don't have a bike for one thing, and so many in the UK are in open water and I'm nowhere near confident enough in my swimming for that. I did have a lot of questions though about how the logistics of the races work, but figured I'd just ask you when the time came .

I've done only one open water swim, and it was not an ocean swim; it was in a marina, where currents and tides were really not a factor. The same shop is also offering Friday evening open water swim sessions, combined with short runs. I'm going to try one this coming Friday, since I am not swimming Saturday.

[NancysSummerSip]

So I started open water practice. Not bad. A little harder with currents, tides and wave action. But not bad. Water is yucky and salty. Repulsive, yet curiously addictive, in a "Welcome to the dark side" kind of way.

[steph08]

Well I did my half marathon. Not really how I wanted it to go - at the halfway point I was falling apart. I figured I was a little undertrained but probably was more than i thought. Plus it was so hot and I think that killed me.

I also went out too fast and ran the first 6.5m in 1:05. I just couldn't get myself to slow down and I paid for it

I finished in 2:23, my worst time ever!

[ArchietheDragon]

May 26, 2015 9:26:56 GMT -5 steph08 said:

Well I did my half marathon. Not really how I wanted it to go - at the halfway point I was falling apart. I figured I was a little undertrained but probably was more than i thought. Plus it was so hot and I think that killed me.

I also went out too fast and ran the first 6.5m in 1:05. I just couldn't get myself to slow down and I paid for it

I finished in 2:23, my worst time ever!

Good learning experience.    


Heat just zaps my strength when running, too. 

[flamingo]

May 26, 2015 9:26:56 GMT -5 steph08 said:

Well I did my half marathon. Not really how I wanted it to go - at the halfway point I was falling apart. I figured I was a little undertrained but probably was more than i thought. Plus it was so hot and I think that killed me.

I also went out too fast and ran the first 6.5m in 1:05. I just couldn't get myself to slow down and I paid for it

I finished in 2:23, my worst time ever!

Maybe not your best time. but you did it! That's still an accomplishment. Especially since you didn't train as hard/as much as you maybe wanted. So, good job!

Family fun month is over. I've been pretty good with my middle of the week runs, but this week(end) I have to crack down on training. If I could get an 11 mile run in this weekend, I'd feel good about things. 

My DH convinced me to sign up for a 10k the weekend after my half. He wants to run it with me. So, I figure if literally run with him at his "glacial" pace, I should be fine. Usually the weekend after my half I cut down to 4 miles, so I think I should be ok for a 10k that weekend. We'll see. I'm not doing that race for anything other than fun so that should help.

[NancysSummerSip]

May 26, 2015 9:26:56 GMT -5 steph08 said:

Well I did my half marathon. Not really how I wanted it to go - at the halfway point I was falling apart. I figured I was a little undertrained but probably was more than i thought. Plus it was so hot and I think that killed me.

I also went out too fast and ran the first 6.5m in 1:05. I just couldn't get myself to slow down and I paid for it

I finished in 2:23, my worst time ever!

I think I'll still have to hurt you. Hey, be nice to yourself. It was hot out there. My 5K yesterday wasn't bad, though I probably did not do myself any favors with that bike ride on Sunday.

My DH convinced me to sign up for a 10k the weekend after my half.

Flamingo, I'd have to hurt your husband for even making a request like that.

[steph08]

Live and learn.

I lived through the race, and I learned that it is probably in my best interest not to try and run a September full marathon.

I swear my joints are still out of whack from having the baby. I might try for Pittsburgh next May - baby will be completely weaned by then and I have a whole year to really prepare myself mentally and physically for running another full.

[Cookies Galore]

Congrats on finishing Steph! I'm hoping my first half in a few weeks will hover around 2:20ish. My training runs have been steady, staying between a 10:20 and 10:40 mile pace, but I have also been taking stretch breaks when I need to so I think my race time will be closer to an 11 minute average pace. I am totally cool with that since 1) it's my first half, 2) it's a hilly course, 3) there will be games at the water stations, and 4) it's June. It's also crazy hot right now so the weather better cooperate!
Hubs and I are going down the shore this weekend. I'm going to go out by 7 a.m. Sunday and run 9.5 miles and hubs is going to do some open water swim with a tri group. If I plan my time right I'll get to the beach where he will be practicing in time to watch.

[steph08]

Games sound like fun!

That's why I loved running the Disney marathon - sure my time sucked, but it was just so much fun to run through the parks, stop for photos, etc.

All of my other long races have been on trails - I haven't done any other big race with a lot of runners and a lot of crowd support. I really need to do another one where there is more to see than just trees and gravel.

For this half, I really didn't take the weather into account - my other three half marathons were in October, October, and November!

I don't know why I expected a better time - I am in good shape, but I am not in GOOD shape like I was when I ran the other ones (the October ones were during marathon training and the November one was right when I got pregnant and I had trained hard all summer and fall). I pretty much did the minimum amount of training possible for this half.

[NancysSummerSip]

Cookies, I started open water swimming, too. Did my first open swim (in a marina) in April, and my first ocean swim is six weeks away.

Ran last night, just a few easy miles. Slept like a rock afterwards!

I have a swim meet Saturday, and Sunday is DH's birthday. He's going to see a friend's car collection Sunday, not sure if I want to go or not. I may just do some training. I need to get tri shorts and a shirt for my upcoming triathlon, too.

[Cookies Galore]

Hubs has done two open water swim in a lake and this will be his first ocean one. I think he'll be plenty prepared for the tri!
He got a great deal on his tri shorts. Had a 20% off coupon for REI Outlet items and had $23 or so in REI dividends. His $55 shorts ended up costing him $1.84! I love it.

[NancysSummerSip]

We have one REI store in Jacksonville. Not going to be near there until September. It's not too far off the Interstate, though. I'll have to see if there are others on our trip route later this year. I've never been to one.

Aha---Raleigh, North Carolina...on our way to NJ!

[Cookies Galore]

Ran/walked 11 miles this morning. It was terrible! Ha ha. It was more humid than I thought it would be and by mile 8 I had to walk some. I guess the nice thing about running is that there is only one way to get home. Aside from hopping on the train.  But, regardless if I'm ready, I have my first half next Sunday! Blerch.

[steph08]

Awesome job Meghan! You will do fantastically at your half marathon, just keep hydrated (and I mean water, not beer - at least during the run).

I took last week off as a pity party to myself for sucking donkey balls at the half marathon. But yesterday I was back on the treadmill - it stormed all day, of course!

I also bought a used BOB jogging stroller (found it at a yard sale for less than 20% of the new cost!). I have only taken the kiddo once. The only problem is that it is hilly at our house and we live in the country with no sidewalks. But I plan on taking her down to the lake quite a bit (it is a little over a mile to get there). Problem - it is downhill the whole way. Coming back will be a b!tch!

[Cookies Galore]

Thanks steph! It's a hilly course so I am going to run some hills tonight. Thankfully I live in a hilly area! (And how many times can I say hill?) I figure I was out on Saturday for over two hours so that was good half training. Ha. I am going to hydrate the shit out of that race! Seriously. It's going to be HOT this weekend. Thank jeebus for 7 a.m. starts!

[NancysSummerSip]

Our road racing season is on hiatus right now, due to the heat. But triathlons abound. I did my triathlon camp last weekend. Not bad - nobody got hurt. -rofl-Good sign, right? (Hey, the coach thought so).

I am practicing bike-to-run transitions tonight. Did my first ocean swim practice at camp on Sunday. Scary at first, but I figured I've done worse things. Once you get through the shoreline wave action, it's not bad.