Ran a 10k in June (5 Viewers)

[Darrinll40]

2 miles this morning, finishing January with exactly the same mileage as December, 37.33.

Next month I am thinking of throwing in a couple of 4 milers to see how it goes.

Last night I had a bit of a problem keeping to my diet.

The wife and I celebrated 22 years of marital bliss at a good Mexican place call De La Vega.

I had the Enchiladas Campesinas, 2 Modelo Especial, and came home for a couple of slices of cake.

 

[Darrinll40]

I hope this thing misses all you guys.

If it ends up as big as they think, it will be bad.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-new...east_2011-01-28

 

[Ned]

I hope this thing misses all you guys.

If it ends up as big as they think, it will be bad.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-new...east_2011-01-28

It's headed right my way, but it's looking like we might end up on the right side of this one and it will be more ice/rain than anything. That's what they said about last week too before we got a foot of snow. We're getting this crap weekly.That groundhog better not see his fn shadow.

 

[Sand]

Race Report! Race Report!

Been a little while since I have seen a race posted in here, so here is a shorty to quell the outcry. Or hold your interest for 10 seconds. Or whatever.

As part of my HM training I decided to do a warmup race. Two reasons - I wanted to run something close to a 10k for Bourbon Chase purposes and I wanted a good warmup race. This race comes off a 40 mile week, by far the largest volume I have ever done and the biggest volume month ever.

Weather was spectacular. 42 or so at start and it warmed up nice from there. I hope it is like this two weeks from now. Warmed up with a 1/2 mile jog or so.

When researching this race it looked fairly flat. Oh no. Not even close. Right out of sight going around the first corner was the first (and luckily worst) hill - 100ft in .2 miles. Nothing like a nice 10% grade to start things off. I decided to cruise through three miles and hit the last two hard depending on how I was feeling. This proved to be a good idea since the course generally rose through mile 3 and came back down from there. Mile splits:

1: 7:01

2: 7:14

3: 7:32

4: 6:48

5: 6:42

I was a bit disappointed in mile 3. I think I gave up 15 seconds there or so, due to not keeping on top of my pace. Very rolling terrain, though - sharp ups and downs (365 ft. of total climbing). Miles 1 and 3 had the most climbing. Miles 4 and 5 lost elevation. Other than mile 3 it was a good race. My legs started barking at me at mile 2 - I tried to ignore them as best I could.

Total time was 35:28 (or real close - the official results aren't posted yet). Once again I managed to back into third place in my AG. I'm getting good at snagging the last spot on the podium. First running podium, though! I had the 2nd place guy in my sights and was steadily reeling him in (coming off that huge hill). Unfortunately he heard me coming. Yeah - I was that loud. Think freight train. Or steam engine - just more ragged and pained. He edged me out by 5 seconds or so.

I was really hoping for 35 flat, but the elevation changes pretty much killed that idea. Still pretty pleased with the race, though. That comes out to a 7:08/mile pace, which isn't too shabby. And I got a gift certificate to a good restaurant for 3rd that made my race essentially free - good times.

Race trace.

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Ok, serious question time. This race was hilly. My calculator says that this was was 7.3% slower than I could typically achieve on a dead flat course (33 minutes - 6:38/mile). My half is about half as hilly as this race. I'm trying to figure out what to shoot for and what pace to try and hold for this half. 1:35? 1:37? 1:39?

BTW, my calculator puts me at a 42 minute dead flat 10k. I'm coming for you Grue. I'm that speck way, way off in the distance, but I'm coming!

 

[Ned]

Damn right, Sand! That's a great run. I think you're nitpicking about the 28sec considering the hilly course. Congrats on the podium!!

Did my 8 today and was pretty tired, but it was manageable. All the talk about the earbuds had me itchin' to take the iphone out with me, so I did. It was warm enough today to not worry about the buds freezing my ears. It was nice to have the tunes with me for a change. I might start doing that on my long Sundays to help pass the time.

 

[bentley]

No problem with those. I was a little worried beforehand, but they don't sit that tight on your ear.Up to 98 for the month. Will crack the 100 mile month mark for the first time (I think) with 10 tomorrow.

Ended up doing nine because the lake I ran at had a three mile loop. Did it in 75:11, which was way fast for me. Incredible 70-something day today.107 for the month. Holla!

 

[gruecd]

BTW, my calculator puts me at a 42 minute dead flat 10k. I'm coming for you Grue. I'm that speck way, way off in the distance, but I'm coming!

Bring it, Sand! I'm actually signed up to run a 5-mile race on March 5. I think my PR is right around 33 minutes, but I think I can go a little faster than that.In all seriousness, though, nice run! Race directors are notorious for manipulating elevation charts to make their courses look a lot flatter/faster than they really are!

 

[gruecd]

It's pretty interesting to see how once you establish a pace, your legs are pretty set. Even slowing down seems just as difficult as speeding up.

This all made me wonder about the difference between when Higdon says to just run comfortably vs. a Pace run. 9:10 is pretty damn comfy. Most of the time I end up running 8:55-9:00 on those comfortable runs. So what's the difference? Is MP really that comfortable or am I shooting for the wrong target here?

First part - yeah, that's so true for me to.Second part - remember that a 6 mile comfortable run is different than a 26 mile comfortable run! MP should be comfortable. In the actual marathon, following the taper beforehand, I've been surprised how comfortable the first half of the race becomes. It's the back half that'll get ya. Anyway, gruecd will give a precise answer to your question.

Refresh my memory, Ned. Which race are you running, and is this going to be your first marathon?

 

[gruecd]

Interesting weekend of running for me. I was scheduled to do 15 with 8 at MP yesterday, and since the roads were kinda sloppy from the snow we got overnight, I headed to the gym to do it on the treadmill. Predictably, it was WAY too warm in there, and almost immediately, I started noticing pain in my right Achilles. (I'd felt a little twinge during my last treadmill run on Wednesday, but nothing since.) I did four warm-up miles, then cranked the machine to 8.6 mph (6:58 pace) and had at it. The Achilles didn't like the faster pace, and I started to overheat almost immediately. I finished one mile at MP, did a little cool-down walk, and called it a day at 5 miles.

Woke up this morning after a looooong night of drinking.....and had the headache that goes along with it. The Achilles felt pretty good, and I generally run pretty well after a night of drinking, so I headed out around noon to take another crack at the 15 (leaving out the MP to be safe). And what a difference a day makes. Clicked off the first four miles in 7:45, 7:36, 7:23, and 7:38. At one point during the third mile, I decided to test the Achilles a little bit, so I dropped the pace down around 6:50, and just like Third said the other day, it felt sooooo much easier than it did yesterday on the treadmill. Hooked up with a buddy for the next six miles, and since he's recovering from an injury, we took it pretty easy, averaging 8:20s. Dropped him off and picked it back up for the last five miles, clocking 8:10, 7:39, 7:35, 7:38, and 7:34.

Got home, showered, iced the Achilles, and threw on the compression socks. Probably gonna wear 'em for basketball tonight, too, just to be safe.

Total 60 miles for the week.

 

[tri-man 47]

Sand - that's a great, fast race! Podium is podium. Way to go!!!

gruecd, glad you were able to get in a full run.

--

After a hard workout yesterday, I went out for a long, easier-paced run today. Ended up doing a bit over 19 miles ...pace of 8:54/mile, HR of 143. The temp was around 30, though I headed into a pretty cold wind during the first half (then got caught having to loop around a forest preserve, adding a mile to my planned run). So in the end, I put in 59 miles for the week.

 

[Sand]

Awesome article - Triathlon is a stupid sport.

 

[proninja]

Awesome article - Triathlon is a stupid sport.

The comments are the best

 

[Ned]

It's pretty interesting to see how once you establish a pace, your legs are pretty set. Even slowing down seems just as difficult as speeding up.

This all made me wonder about the difference between when Higdon says to just run comfortably vs. a Pace run. 9:10 is pretty damn comfy. Most of the time I end up running 8:55-9:00 on those comfortable runs. So what's the difference? Is MP really that comfortable or am I shooting for the wrong target here?

First part - yeah, that's so true for me to.Second part - remember that a 6 mile comfortable run is different than a 26 mile comfortable run! MP should be comfortable. In the actual marathon, following the taper beforehand, I've been surprised how comfortable the first half of the race becomes. It's the back half that'll get ya. Anyway, gruecd will give a precise answer to your question.

Refresh my memory, Ned. Which race are you running, and is this going to be your first marathon?

Hey grue - it's my first marathon on 5/15.

 

[pmbrown_22]

Great work guys. Gru and Tri - youguys are putting in some serious miles. I hope to be back up there with you in a couple weeks.

------------------

I skipped a 9 miler last week and decided to do that on Saturday (in shorts) instead of a recovery run. Hard to really justify doing a recovery run after 3 days of rest. On Sunday I went out and did 13 miles. It was a little rough after doing 9 on Saturday, but I felt pretty good through out. Overall, 30 miles for the week and ramping up for the cycle to start. Everything seems to be coming together allthough I know I have lost some fitness, I hope it comes back quickly.

Have a great day all.

 

[gruecd]

Hey grue - it's my first marathon on 5/15.

OK, that's what I thought. In that case, you really have to be careful to respect the distance. Like tri-man said on Saturday, a 6-mile comfortable run is waaaay different than a 26-mile comfortable run. That being said, I'm curious as to how you came up with your time goal. Did you just arbitrarily decide to shoot for sub-4? Because it's definitely possible that that's too slow for you. I mean, tri-man is right; marathon pace should feel comfortable for the first 3/4 of the race itself, but that's after a three-week taper. If your MP training runs are feeling "pretty damn comfy," then you might want to reconsider your goal.I ran my first marathon back in 2004 "just to finish," and I ended up running 3:45. I'd never raced anything longer than a 5K before that.

 

[Third]

Nice race, Sand. Looks like you ran those last 2 miles really strong.

If you recall, I had a dud of a 16-miler two weeks ago. I attributed it to having a "bad" day and just decided to forget about it.

Bounced back with a great run yesterday. Went out with two friends and did 18. Weather in Little Rock was unseasonably warm - 65F. I was worried about the heat but it turned out to not be a big deal. Different from two weeks ago, I hydrated frequently. Had an 8 oz bottle on a belt (which is a pain but overall worth having fluids with me) and dropped gatorade bottles at the 6 and 12-mile marks. All in all, I had no problems. Calves got a little tight the last two miles, but I finished strong and held a steady pace throughout - about :30 seconds faster per mile than two weeks ago.

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

 

[Ned]

Hey grue - it's my first marathon on 5/15.

OK, that's what I thought. In that case, you really have to be careful to respect the distance. Like tri-man said on Saturday, a 6-mile comfortable run is waaaay different than a 26-mile comfortable run. That being said, I'm curious as to how you came up with your time goal. Did you just arbitrarily decide to shoot for sub-4? Because it's definitely possible that that's too slow for you. I mean, tri-man is right; marathon pace should feel comfortable for the first 3/4 of the race itself, but that's after a three-week taper. If your MP training runs are feeling "pretty damn comfy," then you might want to reconsider your goal.I ran my first marathon back in 2004 "just to finish," and I ended up running 3:45. I'd never raced anything longer than a 5K before that.

I came up with the 4hr goal based on reading everyone's training experiences here, but mainly based on the McMillan calculator. I used the calculator when I trained for my first HM and added a lot of time to it because I didn't really trust/believe it. It ended up being more right than I gave it credit for. So this time around, I'm going to believe it a little bit more than I did the last time. I ran my first HM in 1:51:52 (November). Like you, I hadn't raced anything other than some 5Ks and 1 10K (on top of just getting back into running last Summer). I plugged that HM time into the McMillan calc and it gave me a 3:55:56. Being that 26.2 still scares the crap out of me, I'll be thrilled if I break 4. Now that I see your first was a 3:45, I'm more concerned about it.

 

[gruecd]

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

Lava Salts

 

[gruecd]

I ran my first HM in 1:51:52 (November). Like you, I hadn't raced anything other than some 5Ks and 1 10K (on top of just getting back into running last Summer). I plugged that HM time into the McMillan calc and it gave me a 3:55:56. Being that 26.2 still scares the crap out of me, I'll be thrilled if I break 4. Now that I see your first was a 3:45, I'm more concerned about it.

Seriously, I'm a waaaaaay better runner now than I was 6-7 years ago. If I remember correctly, I just trained using Higdon's "Novice" program that I found online. I didn't know anything about speedwork, pacing, or anything like that. I just ran. With all the resources that you've got available (including us), I think you'll be just fine shooting for sub-4.

 

[Ned]

I ran my first HM in 1:51:52 (November). Like you, I hadn't raced anything other than some 5Ks and 1 10K (on top of just getting back into running last Summer). I plugged that HM time into the McMillan calc and it gave me a 3:55:56. Being that 26.2 still scares the crap out of me, I'll be thrilled if I break 4. Now that I see your first was a 3:45, I'm more concerned about it.

Seriously, I'm a waaaaaay better runner now than I was 6-7 years ago. If I remember correctly, I just trained using Higdon's "Novice" program that I found online. I didn't know anything about speedwork, pacing, or anything like that. I just ran. With all the resources that you've got available (including us), I think you'll be just fine shooting for sub-4.

Thanks! This crew is without a doubt the #1 resource for me. The support is great.

 

[tri-man 47]

I ran my first HM in 1:51:52 (November). Like you, I hadn't raced anything other than some 5Ks and 1 10K (on top of just getting back into running last Summer). I plugged that HM time into the McMillan calc and it gave me a 3:55:56. Being that 26.2 still scares the crap out of me, I'll be thrilled if I break 4. Now that I see your first was a 3:45, I'm more concerned about it.

Seriously, I'm a waaaaaay better runner now than I was 6-7 years ago. If I remember correctly, I just trained using Higdon's "Novice" program that I found online. I didn't know anything about speedwork, pacing, or anything like that. I just ran. With all the resources that you've got available (including us), I think you'll be just fine shooting for sub-4.

Thanks! This crew is without a doubt the #1 resource for me. The support is great.

I agree with gruecd that you should be just fine. My favorite, simple rule-of-thumb - take your HM time, double it, and add 10 minutes. That's consistent with the calculator's 3:55. FWIW, I hit 3:48 on my first marathon a few years ago. If your basic stride and form are good, as reflected in a HM time, then it's just a matter of training sufficiently and smart ...and then racing smart.

 

[Third]

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

Lava Salts

Thanks.

 

[Ned]

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

Lava Salts

Thanks.

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

 

[prosopis]

January total for me is 78.62

I think I found a 1/2 marathon I want to run in March. I have been doing this 1/2 marathon training and the 1/2 I found falls exactly at the end of my training. Kind of strange to find one exactly at the proper time and I feel like I am meant to do it. I just need to get the cash and justify the expense with my wife. but

I think I can pull this off.

 

[Ned]

January total for me is 78.62I think I found a 1/2 marathon I want to run in March. I have been doing this 1/2 marathon training and the 1/2 I found falls exactly at the end of my training. Kind of strange to find one exactly at the proper time and I feel like I am meant to do it. I just need to get the cash and justify the expense with my wife. butI think I can pull this off.

Do it!!!

 

[IvanKaramazov]

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

I don't, but I've considered it. My shorts have pockets deep enough to hold all the fuel I need, but I doubt a belt is any less comfortable than that.Just to chime in here, you should look at your first marathon as a learning experience. By all means, go ahead and set a time goal. But you'll be much better placed to set a good time goal for your subsequent marathons after having gone through your first.

 

[FUBAR]

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

I don't, but I've considered it. My shorts have pockets deep enough to hold all the fuel I need, but I doubt a belt is any less comfortable than that.Just to chime in here, you should look at your first marathon as a learning experience. By all means, go ahead and set a time goal. But you'll be much better placed to set a good time goal for your subsequent marathons after having gone through your first.

I've worn a belt that has two flasks and taped a couple gu's to it, doesn't bother me at all now but it took some getting used to. I actually use a handheld bottle more often but might start using both soon as I get nearer the 50k.

 

[Ned]

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

I don't, but I've considered it. My shorts have pockets deep enough to hold all the fuel I need, but I doubt a belt is any less comfortable than that.Just to chime in here, you should look at your first marathon as a learning experience. By all means, go ahead and set a time goal. But you'll be much better placed to set a good time goal for your subsequent marathons after having gone through your first.

I've worn a belt that has two flasks and taped a couple gu's to it, doesn't bother me at all now but it took some getting used to. I actually use a handheld bottle more often but might start using both soon as I get nearer the 50k.

I carry a 12oz gatorade in my hand and then Gu in my pocket. The bottle gets pretty annoying on anything longer than 8 or so. I don't know that I can handle carrying something like that for 15+ without going crazy.

 

[Reepicheep]

I swear they had the thermostat set at 78 today, I was slogging big time, sweating like a pig and thought my head was going to explode. The only other explanation is spending the weekend on my duff eating mostly pizza and ice cream.

I'm itching for the snow to melt so I can start running trails again. 30-40 minutes is basically my upper limit on a treadmill or the indoor track. The treadmill is boring and the 14-lap track is way too much turning, plus it's crowded this time of year.

For those up north, do you run outside in the winter? I'm assuming trails are right out, but do they mostly keep sidewalks clear even when getting pelted with snow, or what? In the DC area when we get dumped on it's basically impossible to go running outside for however long it takes for the snow to melt.

 

[Sand]

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

I don't, but I've considered it. My shorts have pockets deep enough to hold all the fuel I need, but I doubt a belt is any less comfortable than that.Just to chime in here, you should look at your first marathon as a learning experience. By all means, go ahead and set a time goal. But you'll be much better placed to set a good time goal for your subsequent marathons after having gone through your first.

I've worn a belt that has two flasks and taped a couple gu's to it, doesn't bother me at all now but it took some getting used to. I actually use a handheld bottle more often but might start using both soon as I get nearer the 50k.

50k - Is this a trail run? Looked into Camelbaks?I typically use a handheld bottle for anything over 10 miles. This summer I'll break out the Camelbak since I sweat so much. The belts with the bottles look awkward (though a spibelt to hold nutrition might be something I'd do).

 

[IvanKaramazov]

For those up north, do you run outside in the winter? I'm assuming trails are right out, but do they mostly keep sidewalks clear even when getting pelted with snow, or what? In the DC area when we get dumped on it's basically impossible to go running outside for however long it takes for the snow to melt.

I live in a small college town in South Dakota (population ~20K). We have a really good indoor gym at the university. The sidewalks around campus are occasionally okay, but they often contain extended patches of polished ice; the best case scenario is packed snow, which is safe but a very difficult surface to run on. Rural roads are kept clear, but they also have no shoulder during the winter. Despite wanting to run outside more often, I find myself doing the overwhelming majority of my winter running on treadmills. From April through October, I don't think I ran on a TM more than 10 or so times, and only then due to rain or high winds. By way of contrast, I doubt I've been outside more than 10 times since late November. That sucks, but that's just our town. I know most of the people in my town who are into running, and they're almost all in the same boat as me. Our cross-country team does a fair amount of outdoor running, but that's about it. My thinking is that if the guy who did Lean Horse is willing to put in 20+ mile TM runs during the winter, then I'm not going to fret about my measley runs either.

 

[tri-man 47]

For those up north, do you run outside in the winter? I'm assuming trails are right out, but do they mostly keep sidewalks clear even when getting pelted with snow, or what? In the DC area when we get dumped on it's basically impossible to go running outside for however long it takes for the snow to melt.

I'm in a near-west suburb of Chicago, so I tough it out on city sidewalks or, if too icy, the streets (which have usually been salted). I recently got some YakTrax, so now I'll run on most anything. I have been doing some moderately-packed snowy trail runs in them. The footing can still be dicey, but the movement should help with muscle development. Worst case, I'll go to a five-story parking garage and run up and down the stairs. But for the record, I don't enjoy the heavy schedule of winter running that's demanded to prepare for Boston on 4/18. There's a perverse pride in gettin' 'er done, but it's not what I'd call fun.

 

[2Young2BBald]

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

Lava Salts

Thanks.

I cured them with a slightly different approach. I had the chance to discuss calf cramping with an exercise physiologist that I met at a triathlon expo. She talked about alkaline levels and their impacts on cramping. My daughter had alkaline test strips for science class and my tests showed I was very acidic. The physiologist advised that if I was acidic, I could balance things by using Pink Sea Salt. I now use it in place of regular salt (I never used salt of any kind as I felt most foods contained more than enough) and my annual blood work showed my Ph levels were right in line, as were my sodium levels AND I have had no calf cramping issues since starting the routine. The other piece of advice I was given was to use a mix of Pink Sea salt, lemon and water as a secondary sports drink for long workouts. I used this for my 1/2 Ironman training and race last year. I go about 2:1 Hammer Heed to the sea salt drink. I've put a bottle of it on my fuel belt as well. After the nasty taste of sports drinks, the salt & lemon is a welcome switch.

 

[2Young2BBald]

January total for me is 78.62I think I found a 1/2 marathon I want to run in March. I have been doing this 1/2 marathon training and the 1/2 I found falls exactly at the end of my training. Kind of strange to find one exactly at the proper time and I feel like I am meant to do it. I just need to get the cash and justify the expense with my wife. butI think I can pull this off.

Do it!!!

Agreed. Its already been "justified" by your improvements running-wise and health-wise.

 

[gruecd]

Had to quit a half-mile into my 5-mile recovery run last night because my stupid achilles was barking at me. USRD today. Grrr.

(As you can see, I don't do well with injuries. They disrupt my anal-retentive training plan. Eff you, Pfitz.)

 

[pmbrown_22]

Rest day for me yesterday and today everything was covered in a nice thin layer of ice. Probably will try and do my 8 tonight. I need to get back out there as I am starting to want to eat everything I am seeing right now. I need that balance.

For those of you talking about the belts, I used a spibelt to hold my gels during my last marathon and it worked out great. I did not even know it was there. I would spin it around to the back when I was running and then spin it around when I needed to get something out of it. Very helpful for me. I have thought about the complete fuel belts, but I don't think they would work for me. I use a Camelbak and do like it. It can be a bit cumbersome to get ready and carry around while full. You can't beat it in the summertime though.

----------------------

Bourbon Chase Update:

I posted on Facebook the first Captain's Update that I received. I will probably post all of them so we can discuss things. Looks like we need to get on vans and hotel rooms to start out.

Have a great day all.

 

[Sand]

Had to quit a half-mile into my 5-mile recovery run last night because my stupid achilles was barking at me. USRD today. Grrr. (As you can see, I don't do well with injuries. They disrupt my anal-retentive training plan. Eff you, Pfitz.)

The off time will do you good, IMO. I haven't been swimming much (thanks to my largest ever 153 miles run in January!). Went yesterday and still managed to pop out a 7 minute flat 500 in the drag suit. The time off has done me pretty well.

Bourbon Chase Update:I posted on Facebook the first Captain's Update that I received. I will probably post all of them so we can discuss things. Looks like we need to get on vans and hotel rooms to start out.Have a great day all.

Cool. I guess the discussion has died down about our name, but the folks that chimed in all seemed to like "This run is useless without Bourbon". Any objections to that or should we just go ahead and adopt it?

 

[pmbrown_22]

Had to quit a half-mile into my 5-mile recovery run last night because my stupid achilles was barking at me. USRD today. Grrr. (As you can see, I don't do well with injuries. They disrupt my anal-retentive training plan. Eff you, Pfitz.)

The off time will do you good, IMO. I haven't been swimming much (thanks to my largest ever 153 miles run in January!). Went yesterday and still managed to pop out a 7 minute flat 500 in the drag suit. The time off has done me pretty well.

Bourbon Chase Update:I posted on Facebook the first Captain's Update that I received. I will probably post all of them so we can discuss things. Looks like we need to get on vans and hotel rooms to start out.Have a great day all.

Cool. I guess the discussion has died down about our name, but the folks that chimed in all seemed to like "This run is useless without Bourbon". Any objections to that or should we just go ahead and adopt it?

I am thinking that we shorten it to "Useless without Bourbon". This way it covers both the joke for the FBGs and anyone not associated with FBG as well.

 

[Third]

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

Lava Salts

Thanks.

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

FWIW, I have a SPI Belt I use to carry gels, ipod, car key (if necessary) etc. It is great and never gives me any problems. I recently bought an 8 oz. Amphipod flask that fits on the belt. It doesn't hold much, but it's enough to get by in between water stops on long runs. When full, it bounces a little if you don't have it in just the right spot (on the side of your hip), but once you drink 1/3 of the fluid, you don't notice it at all.It's not perfect, but I like it better than running with a bottle in hand.

 

[ThreeThousand]

It was a great confidence booster. Any specific recommendations on preventing leg cramps? Is it simply conditioning or can I supplement with potassium during the race (or before) and help avoid them? I don't want to get hit with my calves knotting up and have to limp the final 4 miles home.

Lava Salts

Thanks.

This reminded me. How many of you are wearing those belts? I see quite a few people wearing them and I can't see myself getting into all that. That doesn't look comfortable at all.

Well, I'll use this as my first foray into this thread. I'm a MOP age grouper in my local tris, have done some half marathons, and am currently training for a full marathon in March and a couple HIMs this coming summer. I started as a runner looking to lose some weight, liked running, and some friends roped me into some local triathlons. Now, I'm hooked on those, but getting enough sessions in has been a pain with work schedules, school (some night classes), and a firstborn on the way. Looking forward to some lively discussion about training plans and nutrition with you guys.

That said, I've got one of the fuelbelts mentioned above, and I LOVE it. For me, it's essential when going for anything more than about 6-7 miles. They buckle tightly enough that there's no slipping up and down on my waist while I run, and the elastic pretty much holds it in place. It's got a pocket for my GUs/car key, which helps a bunch as well. The belt has 4 8oz bottles, so I can carry 32 oz of fluids with me. I usually stick with Gatorade G2, because I like the sugar boost it gives over the GU/Hammer products, but that's just me. For a 10-12 mile run, I'll usually take a bottle about every 2 miles, which hits my water intake level just about right, and keeps me going with the aforementioned sugar. If you have any more specific questions on them, let me know and I'll be happy to answer.

 

[Third]

Well, I'll use this as my first foray into this thread.

Welcome 3000!Glad you stopped in...hope you stick around.

 

[pigskinliquors]

I like either Useless Without Bourbon, or This Run is...

I'm still pretty darned pissed off. I'm seeing my Dr. tomorrow to get a full assessment of my groin, calves, knee and wrist. My wrist still doesn't allow me to do a push-up, and my knee/groin are still lingering. I'm worried that I have a larger knee problem than I thought, and it's causing the other injuries. Finger's crossed.

 

[culdeus]

Awesome article - Triathlon is a stupid sport.

Solid analysis here.

 

[Ned]

Well, I'll use this as my first foray into this thread.

Welcome 3000!Glad you stopped in...hope you stick around.

Just as you see on the feedback about the belts, this is a great group of guys. Hope you stick around, and thanks for the tips!Thanks Third for the SPIbelt link - I hadn't seen those before. Decisions, decisions....

 

[BassNBrew]

Race Report! Race Report!

Been a little while since I have seen a race posted in here, so here is a shorty to quell the outcry. Or hold your interest for 10 seconds. Or whatever.

As part of my HM training I decided to do a warmup race. Two reasons - I wanted to run something close to a 10k for Bourbon Chase purposes and I wanted a good warmup race. This race comes off a 40 mile week, by far the largest volume I have ever done and the biggest volume month ever.

Weather was spectacular. 42 or so at start and it warmed up nice from there. I hope it is like this two weeks from now. Warmed up with a 1/2 mile jog or so.

When researching this race it looked fairly flat. Oh no. Not even close. Right out of sight going around the first corner was the first (and luckily worst) hill - 100ft in .2 miles. Nothing like a nice 10% grade to start things off. I decided to cruise through three miles and hit the last two hard depending on how I was feeling. This proved to be a good idea since the course generally rose through mile 3 and came back down from there. Mile splits:

1: 7:01

2: 7:14

3: 7:32

4: 6:48

5: 6:42

I was a bit disappointed in mile 3. I think I gave up 15 seconds there or so, due to not keeping on top of my pace. Very rolling terrain, though - sharp ups and downs (365 ft. of total climbing). Miles 1 and 3 had the most climbing. Miles 4 and 5 lost elevation. Other than mile 3 it was a good race. My legs started barking at me at mile 2 - I tried to ignore them as best I could.

Total time was 35:28 (or real close - the official results aren't posted yet). Once again I managed to back into third place in my AG. I'm getting good at snagging the last spot on the podium. First running podium, though! I had the 2nd place guy in my sights and was steadily reeling him in (coming off that huge hill). Unfortunately he heard me coming. Yeah - I was that loud. Think freight train. Or steam engine - just more ragged and pained. He edged me out by 5 seconds or so.

I was really hoping for 35 flat, but the elevation changes pretty much killed that idea. Still pretty pleased with the race, though. That comes out to a 7:08/mile pace, which isn't too shabby. And I got a gift certificate to a good restaurant for 3rd that made my race essentially free - good times.

Race trace.

-----

Ok, serious question time. This race was hilly. My calculator says that this was was 7.3% slower than I could typically achieve on a dead flat course (33 minutes - 6:38/mile). My half is about half as hilly as this race. I'm trying to figure out what to shoot for and what pace to try and hold for this half. 1:35? 1:37? 1:39?

BTW, my calculator puts me at a 42 minute dead flat 10k. I'm coming for you Grue. I'm that speck way, way off in the distance, but I'm coming!

Congrats dude. Was this the first FBG podium of the year?

 

[BassNBrew]

Absolutely brutalized myself yesterday.

mile 1 - 11:00 pace, 155 hr

mile 2 - 10:23 pace, 150 hr

mile 3 - 12:44 pace, 157 hr

mile 4 - 10:20 pace, 149 hr

mile 5 - 11:21 pace, 154 hr

mile 5.67 - 11:00 pace, 157 hr

total 1:03:14

mile 6 - 8:59 pace, 133 hr

mile 7 - 7:01 pace, 142 hr

mile 8 - 8:57 pace, 151 hr

mile 9 - 7:59 pace, 144 hr

mile 10 - 9:12 pace, 150 hr

mile 11 - 8:17 pace, 142 hr

mile 11.17 - 7:52 pace, 145 hr

total 1:48:47, 9:44 pace, 150 hr

Ran up Beech Mountain. This profile matches the Bear run up Grandfather Mt this July. 1600 ft elevation gain, roughly 1700 ft total climbing. I think my pace up was between 11:10 and 11:15 overall. I have to believe that dropping 20 lbs would knock a minute off this pace. At this point in time I happy to have completely this run without stopping.

The trip back down wasn't much fun as my "braking" was a putting a pounding on my quads. My back is absolutely killing me today.

 

[pigskinliquors]

BnB! Awesome run! Hopefully you are getting your butt in the water a bit, as you are getting ready to kill a triathlon!

3Grand: Welcome to the thread!

Grue: time off sounds essential right about now.

 

[gruecd]

Grue: time off sounds essential right about now.

Meh. I think I caught it early enough that it's just a mild strain at this point. If I had a marathon or something today, I could probably run, but instead I'm gonna go see a client of mine who's a PT and have him do some ultrasound or something. Tentatively hoping that I can get back out there tomorrow or the next day.(I'm a lot better at giving advice than I am at taking it. Can you tell??)

 

[FUBAR]

Awesome article - Triathlon is a stupid sport.

Solid analysis here.

Every time an ironman tat is drawn on someone's leg, a baby seal dies

 

[tri-man 47]

BnB - good point about the first podium finish for the year. Should we set a thread target for podium finishes in 2011? That might be fun to track during the year (highlighting gold, silver, bronze, and downplaying who brought them in).

Also - killer workout! I can fully imagine that the downhill was as challenging (in a different way) than the ascent.

3000 - welcome!!! Glad to add your voice and expertise to the mix.

And will someone just take liquors behind the shed and shoot him? Put the poor soul out of his misery.

---

6 miles in the early phase of the storm this morning (just some wind and an inch of snow). Psyching up to attack again tomorrow morning, just to be a little stupid.