Forums >Racing>2024 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread
Mother of Cats
Hey all - thanks for tracking. I'm OK.
it was hot, so I started conservatively before starting to build. Then I passed the woman who was leading my division at mile 10, and I decided just to bring it in carefully and preserve the win. Good thing I did so, because despite feeling like I never hit marathon effort in this race (and staying on top of my gels and fluid intake) I still really struggled the last few miles. But I finished it and got the win, which was what I really wanted.
Hash, I'm sorry we didn't get to meet. Post-race was really busy for me - especially since my hotel was 30 minutes away. Next year I may stay closer.
Longer race report to come. The race itself was tough, but a lot of other things were awesome about the day.
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
Cheers, everyone.
Tough day at the office with a 3:46 (18-mins slower than my Whanganui marathon in December) with a bad fade (which was the one thing that I was trying to improve on in my marathon running). But actually, I'm not worried about this fade in the slightest. I had decided that I would run this race to enjoy it, and not worry too much about time. I never ran the shortest tangent, as I made it my goal to high five as many people (especially the kids) as possible. A lot of time and effort was spent achieving this goal! To be honest, I thought I'd be crying a lot more during the race, but as I tried to interact with the crowd as much as possible, this put a smile on my face for most of the race. This became the main focus of my race. I feel that I put the hard work into qualifying for Boston - this was the time to sit back and enjoy a (perhaps) once-in-a-lifetime experience.
You may have heard of the Boston Marathon cheering; I can say that those stories are certainly not exaggerated. The cheering was epic - and if you choose to engage - draining, too. I loved it, though.
We were planning on hanging out in downtown Boston for the evening (my family came to the finish line from Ashland to meet me) and catching up with friends, but we didn't realise how much our recent journey had taken out of all of us. We just got some food from the supermarket and caught the commuter train home.
Steve: I'll do a re-cap soon of all the things that may be of use to you if you do Boston in the future. One of the most difficult things during the race was how many times to stop at the "kiss me" signs without being a creepy old guy!
Fred: Good work on the strong 5km time!
DW: Legend effort! Congrats!
Where to from here for Hash?: I'd definitely like to get a good marathon under my belt that doesn't have a big fade at the end. Once we get back home from Boston, I'll have a bit more time for training for this as I won't be working at all. I've quit my job, as my dad passing has reminded me that time is too precious, and I want to spend it on things that are really important to me. At the moment this is running, and my family (and we are in the privileged position that both my wife and I can get by without working for a few years).
50+ age-group PBs: Half Perish 1:24:24 (June '23 Road Race) - 10km 37:52 (2022 Local Road Champs) - Track 5km 18:49 (Aug '22) - Perish Run 3:17:42
2024 Goals: Boston Perish Run Sub 3:15 - Road/Track 10km Sub 37:30 - 5km Sub 18:20
Totally understand. I was going to say the same thing, as we are staying in Ashland, and it was going to take us a while to get home. A point-to-point race was also hard, because it meant that I didn't have a phone with me at the end of the race until I finally met up with my wife (who, after cheering me on in Ashland, had to haul herself and the two youngsters all the way into Boston, then through the crowds to the family meeting area, to meet me). But the time we eventually met up, we realised we were all exhausted and pretty headed straight back home.
Maybe next time I'll aim for a smaller race!
Hot Weather Complainer
Brilliant effort darkwave and hash. That sounds like similar conditions to the half I ran in February which was intended to be a progression but ended up as even splits with me holding on for dear life (while others crashed and burned around me). A full in those conditions, especially on that course, sounds pretty brutal.
Hash - I can't imagine wanting to stop at any of those signs...but who knows, maybe the occasion would get the better of me.
I did my strength training and drills at 6am yesterday due to a workshop all day and got a very sharp pain in my left calf. It was hard to walk all day but felt considerably better today so I tested it for a shakeout and felt basically fine, probably wouldn't have thought about it on a normal day. Went to the physio who was happy it's no major but he sent me for an ultrasound and x-ray just in case. Initial feedback from the ultrasound is there's a small spot where I said the pain was but very insignificant. I'll have a phone consult with the physio on Thursday once he's reviewed them but I'll still plan to race on Sunday. My coach has changed my session tomorrow from tempo into 4 x 500 metres hard to just a short tempo block. If I hadn't gotten Covid and this was marathon week, I'd be going out of my mind.
5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23
2024 Races:
Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55
Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024 1:27:34
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Waltons ThreadLord
Upcoming Races
04/20 Kathi ROAR for Kids 5k
04/21 Steve Christchurch Half Marathon
04/21 watsonc123 - Christchurch Marathon
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Running is Back 10k, 5/12; Greta's Run 5k, 5/19
Darkwave, congratulations on the win!
Hash, glad you enjoyed the race. Conditions were defintely not ideal for running, probably was a nice day for your family to be spectating.
James - Any progress is good progress. I'm glad you're seeing some.
Watson - I'm glad the niggles are improving. Best of luck at the race.
Kathi - Nice week of mixed work.
Mark - Yes, sometimes just finishing a race can be a victory when life throws you some curves.
Darkwave - Congratulations on the division win. I'm glad it went well for you.
Hash - Congratulations on the race. Yes, big-race cheering is really something that has to be experienced. I'm glad you were able to enjoy it.
Steve - I hope the small spot turns out to be no problem.
My week was mostly easy/recovery runs after last weekend's half and then the ParkRun, which I've already posted about. Thanks for all the positive comments, everyone. 35.6 miles/57.3km.
D&R ParkRun
Steve - good luck.
I don't know about live tracking, I am bib #140
PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)
40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)
2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05
2024 PRs: 5km 20:25
Tracking is on the mobile app.
All the best Steve. Looks like near perfect conditions.
3,000m: 9:07.7 (Nov-21) | 5,000m: 15:39 (Dec-19) | 10,000m: 32:34 (Mar-20)
10km: 33:15 (Sep-19) | HM: 1:09:41 (May-21)* | FM: 2:41:41 (Oct-20)
* Net downhill course
Last race: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr, 1:15:48
Up next: Runway5, 4 May
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
Me too?
Good luck watson!! Can only assume Mark thinks you don't need luck
All the best, boys! Will be following you from the monster truck rally that we’re going to. ‘murica, baby!
JamesD
Good luck, watson & Steve!
Well, this is why I don’t enter races until the last possible minute. I haven’t run at all this week because of something like sinus trouble & bronchitis. (It’s not covid, the flu, or strep throat, if the tests are to be believed.) I had this about 16 months ago, and it hung around for a few weeks. Even if I could get back to training tomorrow, it would take a couple of weeks to get back close to the pre-peaking shape I was in, by which time I’ll need to taper for my May half. I signed up for the race (4,000 people in Chicago) a few weeks ago because it was about to fill up, so those are the breaks. If I can’t run a good time, I’ll try to have a good time.
Post-1987 PRs: Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)
'24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32
Yikes sorry Watson! I had registered you were racing but totally forgot to wish you good luck, I hope now is not too late! I knew a few people headed to CHC but got confused and thought you were racing Hawkes Bay, I think you ran that last year.
Steve done in 1:27:34. Looks like he started conservatively and sped up in the second half. Good result after a pretty disrupted few months training.