Forums >Racing>2024 Advanced Training and Racing Thread (still competitive jerks)
Welcome to the 2024 Advanced Training and Racing thread.
Thanks to our 2023 leader CommanderKeen who also motivated and led us with his excellent perfomances over the last year.
Here are the general guidelines:
Notable Quotables:
“We runners are all a little nutty, but we’re good people who just want to enjoy our healthy, primitive challenge. Others may not understand running, but we do, and we cherish it. That’s our only message.”– John J. Kelley, two-time Boston Marathon winner, U.S. Olympian
“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
My favorite quote and inspiration provided by JMac
Fishy - there's one solution to your problem: get faster
5K 18:36 (2023), 10K 39:40 (2022), 1/2 1:24:37 (2023), full 2:58:36 (2015)
Race Calendar
Problem Child
Name Running Problem
Age 39. I act my shoe size.
Location Best Coast
Brief Running: As a young child I ran around backyards (some call them gardens), and possible front areas as well, chasing whatever I could find. Due to my age I was exposed to Andrew Agassi early on and was drawn to the 2 in 1 shorts and recently shifted from a 7" model to the 5" for more speed and exposure of the brief. No company has attempted to match Andre's flare for color even with the resurgence of 1990's fashion.
Favorite Distance marathon
Training Distance currently 5k
2024 Running Goals 5k PR (Sub-18) and a marathon PR (2:55:22)
I'm looking forward to 2024 right now and have some irons in the fire with a few more pounds laying in a pile ready to be warmed up depending a lot on how 2024 plays their cards. I just wanted to be the first so people know I'm competitive and take this thread seriously.
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
VDOT 53.37
5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22
Name: Mark
Age: 42
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Brief Running History: Discovered running kind of by fluke in 2015 after a bad knee injury. Also discovered I enjoyed it and was quite good at it. Got quite serious about it. Won NZ Masters half marathon and 10,000m titles in 2019 and 2020. Now getting progressively slower, but still enjoying racing, discovering new events (especially trail ones), and doing events with my 6 year old daughter (the 6 month old isn't quite there yet lol).
Favorite Distance: Probably half marathon but very partial to a 10k also.
Currently training for: Auckland half marathon series races in Feb, Mar, Apr. Will figure out the rest later.
2024 Running Goals: Have fun. Don't get injured. Do new races.
I don't have any grand plans for 2024. Just have fun. IDK maybe that's against the ethos of this thread... although when I'm racing I'm still competitive as hell (just maybe not quite as quick as I used to be). But I guess my attitude these days is do the training and the results will be what they will be.
Still retired from marathons because in the past they've consistently resulted in breaches of goals (1) and (2). But in 2024 I'd like to give back to running a bit too, since it's given me a helluva lot over the past 9 years. I'll definitely try and get a sub-1:30 HM pacing gig at Auckland Marathon, and may do some parkrun volunteering and other stuff too.
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"
Part of TLC
Hi, my name is Josh. My last lasting online appearance was on RWOL which I left when I was chronically injured and couldn't stand my own whining anymore. I said I'd be back after my first painfree run of over 60 minutes. A few weeks later RWOL was shut down and life took over.
Now I'm 57, married, three sons (aged 7, 11 and 14), and still chronically injured – but I've learned to live with that. Pain is shifting around my right AT, PF and heel bone. Some days are good, some are a little bit harder (anybody get the reference?), but I'm running.
My time zone is UTC+1 (whatever that's in EST) which might complicate communication, my native tongue is German (which might complicate communication as well - please pardon any hiccups you may notice in my writing). I've been lurking around here for a long time, posting has been spotty. As a result I feel that I know some of you quite well (or ar least your RA persona), while you hardly know me. Don't let that irritate you, it will change soon enough.
Prehistory (TLDR: I'm not the runner I was thirty years ago):
Played badminton competitively in my youth. Took up running in 1987 to stay in shape whenever I couldn't train properly due to various reasons. Running took over quickly. YTD from 1987 to 1993:
1987 – 186 / 115,6
1988 – 897 / 557,4
1989 – 2889 / 1795,2
1990 – 4170 / 2591,2
1991 – 4571 / 2840,4
1992 – 3855 / 2395,5
1993 – 5180 / 3218,8
Lifetime PRs that year: 3K 10:34, 5K 18:22, 10K 38:14. Ran 43,5K in 3:14x. Still the family records but I expect our oldest son to break the 3K and 5K this year or 2025 (if he works on his endurance).
Never got faster than that. In hindsight I guess my training was too endurance oriented, no drills, no sprints, no hills, almost no intervals, lots of threshold and an almost weekly long run of 32 to 35 kilometers. Self “coached” with no clue, I did what I was (more or less) good at.
After 1993, life took over and made me set other priorities (or forced other priorities on me) – exams, time abroad, work, family, unpleasant family stuff, illnesses – you name it. I never stopped running completely, at times I simply needed it to stay sane, but YTD varied very much over the years (in the last 22 years the highs were around 2.100 km / 1.300 miles (2006 and 2014), the lowest at 286 km / 177 miles in 2013 with most years between 630 / 390 and 1360 / 850).
Fast forward to the last twelve months: January was fine, February was fine until I got Covid. Next “run” was 600m in June. Except for neurological / cognitive issues I have since recovered enough to run every other day. I'm still 30 to 40 seconds per K slower than before but considering that this is already around 30 seconds faster per K than in August I'm probably on the right track. If only some medical profesional could help with my foot … .
Goals for 2024:
A - No further injuries. If A → B - YTD of 2102 kilometers
Things I should do to facilitate reaching my goals: Eat and drink better, sleep better, start a prehab routine. Buy new running shoes.
Goal for 2025: Shorten the introduction.
Don't hurry - next AG will start 2026
Hot Weather Complainer
Welcome to 2024 everyone. I'm Steve, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. I've been running for 20 years but only consistently (and properly) for I'd say the last 5 years.
I've set new mileage PRs in each of the last 4 years and got the pay-off in 2022 and 2023 with PRs in every distance (5km, 10km, Half and Full marathons). Until 2021 my main distance was the half - I chose a bad time to enter marathons with many cancelled before I ran one and what felt like a never ending cycle of marathon training. Since then my focus has been the full - all the regulars here know how that has gone with major issues with cramp. More details are in the yearly wrap up in the 2023 thread.
I'm heading into 2024 with my main goal currently to get through the Christchurch Marathon with no or minimal cramp issues - if I do that I think I can get a Boston qualifier which is sub 3:20, so in reality probably more like sub 3:14. I have a longer term goal of running either New York or Boston. I have a New York Qualifier for 2024 but as we all know, that still makes it a long shot as an international entrant. If I do get an entry and Christchurch goes well I will use it either in 2024 or 2025, depending on life etc. A good race in Christchurch will put Boston 2025 on the table too.
An even longer term goal is to try and make the Canterbury team (the province in which Christchurch is the main city) in 2027 when I tick over into the next age group and my current 10km pace is enough to get selected for Nationals. Whether I can maintain that level for 3 years is a major unknown but no harm in trying.
I'll also have a crack at PRs in the 5km, 10km and Half again this year. I think the 5km and 10km are there for the taking, while the Half feels like a stretch goal because when I set my current PR in September it just felt like the perfect day and that doesn't happen often.
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
Intl. correspondent
Hello again to the regulars and any possible newcomers.
I'm Flavio, 43yo, originally from the south of Brazil and currently living in Porto, Portugal.
2023 was a big year at 4410km/2741 bald eagles + PRs in the 5K (17:53) and 10K (37:55).
My favorite race distance is the 1500m.
I was extremely injury prone from 2009 when I started running all the way to 2019, to the point I spent 26 weeks injured in 2017 and I would almost never run any workout out of fear of getting injured.
Then I finally gave in and decided to do strength training. Just like magic I have never had any running related injury since then. I really only had maybe 3 or 4 small strength training injuries, mostly because I'm lifting heavier than I need for my running as I'm working hard to earn the title of "average strength for my size", which according to my research should be 1.25x bw in the barbell squat and 1.5x bw in the deadlift.
Anyway, to the lurkers out there, if you're often injured, do strength training. If you think you don't have the time for that, just reduce your running mileage by 5 or 10 miles per week and use that time for strength training. It WILL pay off!
It works like a shock absorber, it's not a guarantee of not getting injured, it just dramatically reduces the odds of that.
It's also useful for your daily life, and to ensure you will be more healthy in your old age.
Anyway, my objectives this next year are:
- Watch what I eat better and consume more protein and roughage to keep diabetes away.
- Stay consistent with my training
- Race an 800m and a 1500m
- Take a shot at my 10k PR
- Run a sub 3 hour marathon.
PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021
Up next: some 800m race (or time trials) / Also place in the top 20% in a trail race
Tool to generate Strava weekly
Mother of Cats
Darkwave - female and 49 years old. I live in Arlington, Virginia, which is the part of Northern Virginia that is essentially Washington DC without the negatives of living in DC proper. About 50% of my weekly mileage is run in DC or Maryland, not Virginia.
I started running 17 years ago, at the age of 33, so I'm an adult onset runner. My previous sport was horses - hunter-jumper to be exact.
Outside of running I'm a lawyer with the federal government, specializing in all the ways that law and IT interact (think information governance, policy, privacy, ediscovery, electronic legal research, cybersecurity response). I mostly telecommute (go in one day a week) and live very close to a track and an indoor pool - very convenient for training. If you're wondering how I fit stuff in - that's how.
I live with my boyfriend/partner of a decade plus and three defective cats (one has severe allergies, the other two are visually impaired). I also have a treadmill called Fluffy.
In February 2023 I was officially diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinsons Disease (yes, I know this is new information - I was sitting on this info for several months for a few reasons, including wanting to have personal conversations before I posted on social media). It's frustrating, since my body no longer works the way it used to. But OTOH, marathon running combined with yoga and strengthwork is the best possible thing I could be doing for it (high intensity aerobic exercise is currently the only way to slow or stop the progression), so now I have a medical team who wants to help me run a lot and fast.
Other positives - the 3:20:29 I ran in Chicago this fall is apparently the fastest marathon ever run by anyone (male or female) with Parkinsons Disease (I think I can get that lower). And I'm now a late entry to Boston 2024 - they've expanded their para-athlete competition for 2024 to include a division that I should qualify for (T35-38) with substantial prize money to the top 3 finishers in each gender.
The BAA is holding a spot for me in the para field contingent on getting "classified" for the T35-38 division (which will hopefully happen a few days before Boston). If for some reason I don't get classified, they'll very nicely let me run anyway in the regular field rather than go up to Boston for nothing.
Besides the above, I also have asthma and ulcerative colitis (mild), so I manage both of those. I have not yet been diagnosed with hypochondria.
My lifetime PRs (all run at ages 43-46) - Mile: 5:25 (2017); 5K: 18:51 (2017); 10K: 38:56 (20:17); 10M: 1:02:28 (2019); Half: 1:24:08 (2019); Full: 2:57:42 (2018).
Post- Parkinsons PRs: 5K 21:45, 10M: 1:10:19, Half: 1:33:20, Full: 3:20:29
I eat a lot of Chipotle before races.
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.
Are we there, yet?
George here, the old man of the group at 77. Not sure I belong here as I'm competitive only in my own mind. Most of my races don't have age groups, but if they did, the only reason I might place in the top 3 is because there are 3 or fewer runners in my AG.
After a less than stellar high school running career as slowest on the team all four years, I took a 4 year break, then returned to running at 21 and have been running ever since. Something weird must have happened during those 4 years, because my running improved dramatically. In just 2 months I dropped my mile PB from the 5:22 I ran in HS to 4:56.4. By my mid-30s these were my PBs:800m - 2:07, mile - 4:41, 5K - 16:22, 10K - 35:10, HM - 1:19:03, Marathon: 2:54:56Those early days were before courses were certified, so the 5K and 10K times may be off a bit, also the mile since it was a road mile. My PB on the track is 4:45.9 indoors (1500m equivalent 4:24.3).
I'm here mostly to provide a historical perspective and add my two cents (with inflation shouldn't that be more like 50 cents) to topics of interest to me.
I also now run mostly fixed time ultras and 50Ks. After dealing with a series of medical issues the last half of 2023, my 2024 goals realistically are very modest, 40 miles/ 65 km for 12 hours and 7:45 for 50K. I may even try a 24 hour race late in the year.
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
DW, Steve - what I said on the other thread.
Flavio - "suffer horrible consequences from falls, especially after 55" - that's a typo, right?
George - Of course you belong here - or else I should leave immediately. I'm not competitve now and I won't be for the rest of the year. But I have to restart somewhere and planning to be competitive again in 2026 is reason enough to post in this thread. Besides, "advanced training" probably includes training at an advanced age anyway.
Happy and healthy new year, everybody!
Josh - I have edited it to remove my usual hyperbole. But yeah, strength training is super important for general health.
WCRunner - You certainly belong here! I don't know if there are metrics for this, but I'd bet $500 that you are in the top 5% of people your age in terms of fitness.
DW - I guess the doctors eventually reached a verdict then. That's a nasty curveball that live has thrown at you.
Now looking back, would you say those times when you fell while sprinting at the end of races were early signs?
Anyway, please receive my wishes that the treatment works well 🙏
Thanks - I felt sooooo old when I read that. But of course I feel old at other times, too. Maybe I am .
Plus, realistically how many of us can really be called competitive as in has a chance at the podium? I know I definitely don't.
I think most of us just roll with the concept that competitive = Takes running seriously, likes to compete.
DW - getting a diagnosis at least lets you set up a proper course of treatment. That would be great to be able to compete for prize money at Boston if all the necessary approvals are made.
Flavio - maybe your example for strength training will finally get me back to doing that. It probably was a significant factor in my youth when I had ready access to equipment and trained regularly.
Josh - I don't remember you from RWOL, at least not under that userid, but then I spent most of my time in the Beginners Forum.
Wcrunner I laughed at your comment about inflation.
darkwave good luck on the life competing as a para-athlete. This explains all the unexplainable health issues of 2023. Are you still on lots of medications, or are they all gone? Las I read you were finally on one you like and didn’t throw off your balance.