Forums >Racing>2024 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread
Hot Weather Complainer
Mark - Yeah, it doesn't pass the risk reward for me now, and not sure how it could for anyone with what we know now. Back then I decided it did, but that was based on a lot of misinformation we were fed.
Fred - it's quite handy to remember how people's years have panned out. You're the dictator though, so completely up to you.
On that note, I split my workout last week to isolate the race splits more clearly. It was a small negative split and looking at those last few km when I was really hurting makes me very happy I managed to hold on. Hopefully that's really good marathon practice, assuming cramp isn't an issue.
https://www.strava.com/activities/10858369651/overview
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
Mark - Yeah, it doesn't pass the risk reward for me now, and not sure how it could for anyone with what we know now. Back then I decided it did, but that was based on a lot of misinformation we were fed. Fred - it's quite handy to remember how people's years have panned out. You're the dictator though, so completely up to you. On that note, I split my workout last week to isolate the race splits more clearly. It was a small negative split and looking at those last few km when I was really hurting makes me very happy I managed to hold on. Hopefully that's really good marathon practice, assuming cramp isn't an issue. https://www.strava.com/activities/10858369651/overview
I don't mind doing it going forward. I just can't promise if/when I'll get through the 20 pages of history we have already. If anyone puts in a new post with a list of their times so far in listed races, I'll add that as it will be easier for me to do.
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
My week was good. Two strength sessions plus below:
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
Steve - everything says that you easily qualify for Boston. Except your cramp history. Do you have a hydration and nutrition plan? As you'll be aware from lap two* there's personalized drinks, so that plus what you carry can be substantial. Have you started figuring out sodium, water and carb aims for the race, and the logistics of it? I am wondering whether more aggressive hydration and fueling may be reduce/eliminate your cramp problem.
* To others in the thread - it's a four lap course.
Watson - good to see you are building the mileage back up again.
Me - lots of workouts this week. The weather alternated between nice autumn weather, and humid mess. Two sick kids at home so it's gonna be a super fun taper week for sure with Maraetai HM next weekend. The weather could still go either way for next weekend, which based on previous experience, is probably worth 3-4 minutes on this course. Last time I ran it was back in 2019 and it was super hard work that day. But the legs are feeling pretty strong at the moment, which is positive. I still think I can find a little more speed and sharpness but that might be the objective for the 4 weeks between Maraetai and Waterfront HM, the final race of the series.
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: Runway5 / National 5k Champs, 16:22, National Masters AG Champ!
Up next: Still working on that...
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
JamesD
Vaccines - I was a bit more cautious than most, partly because of age and partly because I knew several people with friends or relatives who died. DW & I have had the first two jabs and then I think two followups. Side effects have been pretty mild. I was even wearing a mask to church and the grocery store until a few months ago (as were a few other people). I’ve heard of a few cases around here in the last month or two, but none seem to be life-threatening.
Between continued left knee swelling and life getting in the way, I only ran three days this week and was in the pool for two more. I had wanted Monday’s run to be a mile or two at maybe 10-mile race pace, but I started 30 seconds/mile slower than that (maybe a bit faster than marathon goal pace if I ever did one) and wound up doing three with almost exactly even splits, so that was ok. My calves have been cramping up after 75-80 minutes of pool running, so today I did an hour, then swam for 13 minutes, then pool ran for 23 more minutes before I started to feel that cramps were imminent. The knee seems slightly better but still isn’t ok.
Sun - off
Mon - 5.7 miles in park PM including strides, 3 miles @ 7:20
Tues - 82 minutes pool running
Weds - off
Thurs 7.5 miles slow TM (30:25 PM, 60 PM) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 min
Fri - 8 miles slow TM (96:25 PM) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 min
Sat - 60 minutes pool running, then 13 swimming, then 23 pool running
Total - 21.2 miles
YTD - 40.3 mpw
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
watson - I think personalized drinks only start on lap 3? I've changed to Precision Hydration with the high sodium (3 times the amount in Powerade) and run my numbers into their calculator to work out what I'll need on race day. They also do free video consults which is great and worth jumping on before they get any bigger. I've used it on a couple of warmer long runs and all good. I also got some "Cramp Stop" spray as a back up. I got a tiny hint of cramp on a 2 x 10km MP workout a few weeks ago, when I was also fighting off a virus and tried a spray which seemed to work. Hopefully all this warm weather training makes me more resilient too.
Nice week, you're building nicely.
Mark - Nice workout week. This race will hopefully set up Waterfront for you, because those hills and potential warm weather will be a big test.
James - Slightly better is at least going in the right direction?
me - "Down" week after the race which somehow still ended up over 100km. Unfortunately after the long run yesterday I got a tickle in my throat which is developing into a proper cold. So I had 1.5 weeks in between colds which is an action replay of last year and really f&&king annoying. Just hoping it doesn't get too bad.
https://www.christchurchmarathon.co.nz/race-day-info
Aid Station Locations
> Chester St East: 3k, 13.5k, 24k, 34.5k.
> Peterborough St: 6k, 16.5k, 27k, 37.5k.
> Hagley Park West: 8.5k, 19k, 29.5k, 40k.
> Rolleston Avenue: 11k, 21.5k, 32k.
Full Marathon Special Drinks
Full Marathon Special Drinks will be catered for at drink stations from the 11k Aid Station onward (after your first lap).
Cool - for some reason I had it in my head it only applied after most of the half runners were off the course.
I also got some "Cramp Stop" spray as a back up. I got a tiny hint of cramp on a 2 x 10km MP workout a few weeks ago, when I was also fighting off a virus and tried a spray which seemed to work. Hopefully all this warm weather training makes me more resilient too.
Steve - Does CrampStop work on side stitches too? They're a kind of cramp, I assume.
Steve Nice week again. Where is it that you cramp? Or does it vary? Have you been working on your electrolyte intake? I'm really curious if that will help. I think a lot of athletes might not realize how important it is to consume your salts. And most likely you need more than is recommended for the average person by whatever dumbass government food/drug/health organization you have.
My Week
A nice recovery week after my race lol. My right soleus was sore Monday and Tuesday but it got better. Did my long run on the flat NCR trail (a rail trail where I did a marathon in November 2022). My marathon goal pace felt much more comfortable than on hilly roads. It also made me feel tempted to hop back into that race this year. I still have time to think about it. Also for whatever reason I have been making a ton of pee stops on my runs lately. Not sure what that's about.
James - I don't see why not. It seemed to work for me on the 2 occasions I got minor cramp towards the end of a training run but the real test is when it comes back. It's an NZ product but I'm sure there are many similar.
https://nznaturalformulas.co.nz/crampstop/
mmerkle - Recovery week indeed!
It usually starts in one of my hamstrings or the inner quad. I've started drinking high sodium sports drinks (Precision Hydration) and on a hot day when I had about the recommended amount for someone who sweats like me (high volume, high salt content) I got through fine. The first time I've felt cramp since I started using it was 2 weeks ago when I had a minor virus and then again on Saturday - as soon as I finished that run I felt a tickle in my throat and I'm now much sicker than 2 weeks ago. I'm not worried about cramping episodes when I'm sick, seems to happen even when I'm not running.
So my HRV is now showing as low and was almost 50% below my baseline last night, along with a resting HR 10bpm (25%) higher than usual. At those levels my coach has said no running. I probably could if I had to, at easy pace, but it wouldn't be smart. It's good to have the metrics available on my newish watch that take the decision out of my hands.
MM - that's one big week for a recovery!
Steve - good thing you have a coach. There's been several times in the past where it hasn't sounded wise you keeping training through sickness. n=1, but I find my sickness recovery is much quicker if I do zero running until the point I'm clearly getting better.
So... now my wife has gone down sick too and it turns out she has Covid. I'm assuming that's what the baby had too as she's been grumpy as hell. The 6 year old still has a blocked nose which she's now had for almost a week, no idea if that's related or not. I felt a bit average late last week, but nothing like any of those three, so I'm just gonna hope like anything I can dodge it. This will take race week madness to a new level for sure.
Watson - yeah I probably would have tried to push through like I did 2 weeks ago with the last one, but I’ve actually spent most of the last 2 days in bed which really shows how unwise it would be. My partner says she can tell I’m proper sick when I ask her to help me with anything.
It really feels like I get sick way more often these days, although it ties in with marathon training so it may just be that. Although I didn’t get sick for the cancelled Wellington marathon in 2021. There may have been something that happened in late 2021 to impact the immune system but let’s not go down that path again
Mark - so annoying! Especially in race week even if Waterfront is a bigger target. The races really are the fun part, for me anyway. My partner isn’t sick somehow so maybe it can be avoided. I haven’t actually done a Covid test but I have to visit some older people today so I will do one so they have perfect info. Although if I was them I would say no to a visit either way.
Edit: I did the test and have the Covid again, which explains why it feels different to what I had 2 weeks ago. It's not as bad as the first time round so far.
I do see the irony after the booster discussion...but I'd rather this than Shingles at this point, and I doubt the booster would have stopped it.