Forums >Racing>2024 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread
Waltons ThreadLord
Getting a head start on this so it's ready when the new year rolls around. For now, feel free to post races for the list, but please continue regular postings in the 2023 thread until 2024 actually starts. Here are some basics from the 2023 thread that are worth repeating.
All are welcome!! The term "advanced" is no longer in the thread title. While this was originally a half marathon thread, it has outgrown that designation. Racers of any distance can feel free to participate. The term "Waltons" in the thread title refers to the intention that this thread be a more relaxed, friendly, and low-key option than some other threads where the discussions occasionally get heated (not always in a bad way).
Thread Etiquette:
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: Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27; Spring Distance Classic 5k, 4/28
If you're in the mood to post races you plan to run, then just reply to this thread with your race(s) posted as MM/DD YourName - Race Name and I'll copy/paste it onto this first posting. (Race location, goals, etc. are optional.)
Upcoming Races
04/27 dpschumacher -Get in Gear 10k
04/27 Frederick - Clinton Township Country Run 15k
04/28 Frederick - Spring Distance Classic 5k (rescheduled)
05/04 MarkyMark - Runway5
05/05 JamesD Invest in Yourself 5K
05/12 Frederick - Running is Back 10k
05/18 dpschumacher -Uff Da Half Marathon or 10k
05/19 JamesD Chicago Spring Half
05/27 dpschumacher- Brian Kraft 5k
06/02 Steve Selwyn Marathon
06/22 Darkwave Garry Bjorklund (Grandmas) Half-Marathon
06/22 dpschumacher -Bjorkund Half Marathon (Master's debut)
07/04 Frederick - Firecracker 4 Miler
07/15 Frederick - Pizza Run 5k
08/28 dpschumacher -Rutabaga Half Marathon
09/08 dpschumacher -City of Lakes Half Marathon
09/15 Steve Dunedin Half Marathon
09/29 Frederick - Jersey Shore Half
10/06 dpschumacher -Twin Cities 10 Miler
10/26 Frederick - Halloween Half Marathon
11/03 dpschumacher -NYC Marathon
11/10 Frederick - D&L RaceFest HM
Completed
01/01 Frederick - Hangover 5k - 25:39
01/06 Frederick - Winter Trail Series Race #3 (10k) - 58:31
01/20 Frederick - Winter Trail Series Race #4 (10k) Cancelled
01/20 MarkyMark - The Goat - 3:07:55
01/20 watsonc123 - Trentham ParkRun - 20:54
01/27 dpschumacher -SJU Indoor Alumni Meet 3k
02/03 Frederick - Winter Trail Series Race #5 (10k) Cancelled
02/03 Frederick - D&R ParkRun - 26:02
02/10 Darkwave By George 5K - 21:59
02/10 Frederick - Super Satuday 10 Miler - 1:29:33.27
02/10 watsonc123 Trentham ParkRun - 20:25
02/11 MarkyMark - Coatesville Half Marathon - 1:17:24
02/17 Frederick - D&R ParkRun - 28:42
02/18 watsonc123 - Wellington Round The Bays 5.5km - 22:42
02/25 Steve Motorway Half Marathon - 1:29:55
03/02 Darkwave One City Half-Marathon - 1:34:11
03/02 Frederick - D&R ParkRun - 25:50
03/10 Frederick - E. Murray Todd Half Marathon - 1:58:29
03/10 MarkyMark - Maraetai Half Marathon - DNF
03/16 Frederick - D&R ParkRun - 25:27
03/16 watsonc123 - Trentham ParkRun - DNS
03/24 Kathi B&A HM
03/30 Darkwave Easter Classic 10K - 46:44
03/30 Frederick - D&R ParkRun - 25:27
03/30 watsonc123 - Trentham ParkRun - 20:41
04/06 Frederick - RunAPalooza / Asbury Park Half - 1:59:30.8
04/07 MarkyMark - Waterfront Half Marathon - 1:15:49
04/13 Frederick - D&R ParkRun - 25:26
04/15 Darkwave Boston Marathon - 3:41:17
04/20 Kathi ROAR for Kids 5k
04/21 Steve Christchurch Half Marathon - 1:27:34
04/21 watsonc123 - Christchurch Marathon - 3:18:47
Thanks Fred! Here's mine so far. I haven't figured out beyond April just yet.
1/20 - MarkyMark - The Goat
2/11 - MarkyMark - Coatesville Half Marathon
3/10 - MarkyMark - Maraetai Half Marathon
4/7 - MarkyMark - Waterfront Half Marathon
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"
Hot Weather Complainer
This is what I've got locked in so far although the second half of the year may get shuffled depending on whether I get into New York:
02/25 Steve Motorway Half Marathon
04/21 Steve Christchurch Marathon
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
Apologies Fred I failed to read correctly, have amended with my name in there this time!
No need to apologize. The lesson is: ThreadLord is at times lazy. It could be argued that adjusting the entries on initial copying is overall less labor-intensive than going back and fixing them later, but laziness is something that happens in the moment and doesn't plan ahead. Also, ThreadLord is at times peevishly stubborn, though certainly not proud of it, and wants others to help carry the load by doing their part. Threadlord tries not to let these traits be too obnoxious, but doesn't always succeed, especially if tired or grouchy.
Thread lord makes the rules! (which were entirely clear if one read the post correctly!)
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
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.
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.
DW - I don't know what to say except that I hope that your way of combining different kinds of exercise really does stop the progression of your illness. And of course this year's edition of the Botswana Marathon has just become more interesting.
Steve - Try the 10K first. It's your weakest PR and bettering it by an adequate margin (41 seconds?) should give you lots of confidence for the rest of your quest.
Darkwave, wow, that had to have been a lot to absorb. Sounds like you have a good team of doctors and the opportunity at Boston sounds so cool!
darkwave - I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm also thinking maybe you're well past needing sympathy from people given you're already making plans to conquer the world. I think it's safe to say you're the first and only (and probably the last) world record holder to post here.
Josh - Did you blank out my marathon PR Don't worry, I've tried to forget it too. That is the one I'm gunning for first. The 5km and 10km are both there for the taking because I've never run one as a goal race, just tune ups. I may run a 5km as part of a summer series that runs here, with lots of fast club runners on a certified course (my Park Run PR is on a long course). I'll probably do the 10km at the Canterbury Road Running Champs again but if it's on the same weekend it will again be a tune up, this time 3 weeks before Dunedin.
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.
I don't have any grand plans for 2024. Just have fun. IDK maybe that's against the ethos of this thread...
No, it's not .