Forums >Racing>2024 Advanced Training and Racing Thread (still competitive jerks)
Hard on the brain though
I wonder what sport I'd pick up if I get fed up with running, I'm guessing boxing. It's good cardio and low impact to my old joints.
55+ PBs 5k 18:36 June 3rd TT
" If you don't use it you lose it, but if you use it, it wears out.
Somewhere in between is about right "
Might not be that big of a deal for him
Btw Flavio, you know there is an unwritten rule - if it isn't on RA nor Insta, then it doesn't exist. So please post that six-pack picture, or else we won't believe you. Can be in a gaga costume, it's really up to you Funny enough - we had 26° last weekend, and now it has dropped to 5° with snow and hail coming down. The Zurich Marathon is coming up this weekend - looking like it could be a shitshow. Really glad you got the sub 3h project done and dusted before; I would have felt terrible, after having tried to convince you to do it.
Mikkey and golfing - reminds me of Karl Meltzer, the all time 100 mile champ who also plays a sub 10 handicap. There something about fast runners and golfing. I am slow and really bad at both although I love golf and if I had to pick that one sport for the rest of my life, golf would be pretty high up there. Assume you didn't go to Rotterdam then. Is there another race you are thinking of doing this year?
HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)
2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!
Right?? I'd rather have impact on my joints than on my face.
I tried taking up golf in my 20s, never played enough to get any good, then started having kids and no longer had the time. It's enough fun even if you suck, but I always wished I were better because I know I'd enjoy it even more. I've thought about getting back into it, but at this point I spend so much time running that I don't think I could justify to DW golf too. Maybe when I'm retired.
Dave
Mmmm Bop
It's amazing how much the mental game matters in golf. My goal for 2024 is "course management" when it comes to approach shots. I have to learn to stop firing at pins . I just can't get into the gym. I used to work out a good amount before I got back into running at 25, but there's something about the gym that lacks a "goal" for me: it's just workout and hope you gain muscle and you can do more weight/reps. I need hobbies where there are real tangible things to chase: for golf, it's a handicap. For running, it's clearly a PR. I'm not someone that can just go to the gym because I'm supposed to. Need to figure out how to make it work though because I've put on 20 pounds since quitting running!
It's amazing how much the mental game matters in golf. My goal for 2024 is "course management" when it comes to approach shots. I have to learn to stop firing at pins .
I just can't get into the gym. I used to work out a good amount before I got back into running at 25, but there's something about the gym that lacks a "goal" for me: it's just workout and hope you gain muscle and you can do more weight/reps. I need hobbies where there are real tangible things to chase: for golf, it's a handicap. For running, it's clearly a PR.
I'm not someone that can just go to the gym because I'm supposed to. Need to figure out how to make it work though because I've put on 20 pounds since quitting running!
Golf and boxing are the two sports I respect most! I’ve never boxed because I know I’d get knocked out by an opponent within seconds in the ring, but golf is a gentleman’s sport that requires skill and huge mental toughness and keeping your nerve which I could never do…I got down to a 7 handicap when I was a teenager when didn’t have a care in the world. 😁. I never enjoyed the gym previously, but if you see positive body results then you get more motivated….yes I know that getting a 6 pack is not as exciting as running a marathon PR…but you need to stay looking good for you wife otherwise her eyes might start wandering!
Steve - I will need to keep an eye on you…if Flavio can run a sub3 then so can you. 😎
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Intl. correspondent
Keen - woah 134grams, that's a feather!
Jmac - I mean, you can chase weight lifting PRs, I can assure you the joy is just the same as with running PRs. I truly felt superhuman when I dead lifted 130kg a few weeks ago even if that's classified as Novice in the weight lifting world.
Steve - Best of luck on your half!
😂
Piwi/Mick/Dave - Yeah I was more thinking pad/punchbag work, foot work drills etc, most certainly not competing in the ring.
Running is one of the very few sports I'd compete, if not the only one. Every other sport is just too risky plus I suck at anything that requires coordination.
👏😂
Mikkey is back for a day and the forum is already way more entertaining!
Btw Flavio, you know there is an unwritten rule - if it isn't on RA nor Insta, then it doesn't exist. So please post that six-pack picture, or else we won't believe you. Can be in a gaga costume, it's really up to you
Ask and you shall receive!
Warning: Make sure your wife is not around, this picture puts the hots 🔥 on people.
SCROLL DOWN 👇
LOL I'm not posting that on a public forum, but I put a link to a private album below.
Private Album
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
Dorothea
You're a 🍄 (funghi), Flavio.
The eminent thinker Roland Barthes certainly seemed to think boxing was the supreme story-telling sport. He had only good things to say about it, even if it results in people getting concussions, crooked noses, and ruptured eardrums.
Cheers, Dave. You know yourself! That's something few of us can ever say, haha. Hope the taper's been treating you alright. I haven't had a lot of time to let it get to me, but it will probably hit next week. I did only just realize that the Glass City course only offers Honey Stinger gels and chews, and I've never tried them and didn't intend to, but I also don't feel like carrying my own gels.
Here to wish Andy and Steve great races this weekend! Andy, sub-20 is a big jump from just going sub-21 a year ago, but maybe you've been able to tap into a new level of speed these last months! Steve, I wonder if the calf thing was one of those weird taper pains and not an actual strain.
Qualifications: I like to run. In Florida. In the summer. At noon.
Last race: April 28, Glass City Marathon, 3:29:53. Saw deer; cried; didn't melt in rain or heat.
I did only just realize that the Glass City course only offers Honey Stinger gels and chews, and I've never tried them and didn't intend to, but I also don't feel like carrying my own gels.
Oh I always carry my own gels; I thought that was one of the cardinal rules of marathoning. You certainly don’t want to try anything new, and even if they’re giving out what you use, you also don’t want to risk them not being there when you need them.
Good point. I usually have one or two on me to cover earlier stops and missed stops... but more than that weighs me down, so I often hope the race carries what I tend to use. Guess I need to rethink that strategy.
Overweight per CDC BMI
Andy, sub-20 is a big jump from just going sub-21 a year ago, but maybe you've been able to tap into a new level of speed these last months!
I did gain some confidence by setting a new Half PR by more than 2 minutes 5 weeks ago. I know that doesn't necessarily translate to 40 seconds improvement in the 5k but I feel I am in a good spot to do it. I have also put more focus on strength work, especially the past 6 months, whereas I did no strength work prior to a year ago. I remember last April being in a lot of pain from racing the kids in sprints at Track practice but I am able to do it now with just some minor tightness the next day. Anyway, the sub-20 may be too ambitious but its a big goal which I want to hit before I turn 40.
Memphis / 38 male
5k - 20:39 / 10k - 43:48 / Half - 1:34:47 / Full - 3:38:10
Andy - It can be tough to shave time off the 5k. After I ran a 20:09, it was 3 years and 13 more races before I finally ran a sub-20. YMMV! (I hope!)
👏😂 Mikkey is back for a day and the forum is already way more entertaining.
Mikkey is back for a day and the forum is already way more entertaining.
Well I also think that Dave is capable of a sub 3…but maybe he needs to find a steeper downhill course next time.
I think you need to have inspirational people to think of when you’re hitting those hard long runs when your legs have had enough towards the end of a cycle and you just want to get to the taper and chill.
When I ran my marathon PR I just focused on Joe Biden, he’s an absolute legend and an inspiration. 👍
Hot Weather Complainer
Mikkey - Just don't get any ideas like wheeling him into a bank to try and get a loan.
Andy - Sub 20 is definitely on the cards, especially with that half result.
Dorothea - The x-ray did show some "thickening" indicating a sprain. The plan is to forget about it but if it makes itself known and gets worse I'll pull the pin with bigger goals on the horizon.
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
That clip was tragic and funny 😂😂😂
Hi All- 5 Wednesday and 7.5 today. No soreness but still tired Wanted to update the front page (I promise I'll try to stay on top of it better).
DWave, Mark, Merk and Hash- Can you send me times and any notes/comments? On the board or DM is fine. Thanks- Fishy
5K 18:36 (2023), 10K 39:40 (2022), 1/2 1:24:37 (2023), full 2:58:36 (2015)
Salisbury Marathon 2024 Race Report
Prep Same old morning routine and fueling. Cold shower, LMNT, coffee, Maruten Solid 225, didn’t eat my slice of bread with organic PB this time because my appetite wasn’t there so maybe that’s where it all went wrong. Joking. Also the usual bag of caffeinated sports beans half an hour from the start.
Start At the start line I met up with Justin who ran the race last year. We both had the same goal in mind and our training and race times leading up to this were very similar. So we decided to work together until one of us fell off. Either that or a serious battle towards the finish (which I really wanted).
Miles 0-11 Not much to mention here, other than this was the first time during a marathon I had to pee and had to obviously pee myself because stopping costs way too much time. This happened right around mile 11 but I had been holding it for half an hour. This was a mistake. My advice to the reader, if you’re mid marathon and have to pee, just pee. Don’t hold it or it will hurt.
So anyway, we were holding about 6:30 pace, I didn’t check my watch but Justin wanted to hold that pace and checked his watch frequently, so, that was that. The pace felt totally chill. I wasn’t straining at all. But I did feel like I was at a little under 100% of my “energy” so to speak.
Miles 12-17 Between miles 12 and the halfway point, my “energy” came back. I felt pretty good here. Justin and I agreed to trade lead during miles 14-18 which is pretty much all headwind. I don’t know what the wind speed was but I would say a good 10 mph or 16 kph, maybe more at times. Justin took lead at mile 16. As mile 17 approached, Justin started to pull away. He wasn’t increasing speed, I was fading. But WHY?
I felt some overall fatigue but mostly my calves started to hurt. I started to back off the pace to avoid disaster in the final miles. If you feel better you can always pick it back up. But I didn’t.
The Rest I had to pee myself again around mile 18 and then again around 21 I think. I never bonked but my calves continued to feel worse. If it weren’t for that I think I could have picked it up by a good margin because I felt ok otherwise. I knew sub 2:50 was out the window but at this point a PR might be as well. But I knew I could still stay under 3. By mile 25 my calves hurt badly. Last mile was something like 7:12. Justin ended up running a 2:52 and this was the first marathon he didn’t bonk, so I’m definitely happy for him.
Splits:
Mile 5, 33:15, Mile 10, 1:06:43, Half/13.1, 1:27:15, Mile 15, 1:40:05, Mile 20, 2:14:08,
Mile 25, 2:48:4, Finish, 2:57:03
So there you have it. I just faded, mostly due to calf pain. Besides the week I was sick, three weeks out, my training went well and I had two race results that indicated sub 2:50 was possible. The first week of March was my first ever 90 mile week. I am at a loss here. It’s probably as simple as a lack of talent at the distance (and maybe also what dw mentioned above improvement having an oscillation to it). People who I am close to or faster than in shorter distances consistently perform better than I do in the marathon. I am starting to think marathon progress for me will always look like a few bad ones and then a PR, with the times always being slow relative to my capability over shorter distances. Hope I'm wrong.