Ran a 10k in June (1 Viewer)

[pigskinliquors]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

 

[culdeus]

Bike guys: though my goal this year is a 100 mile ride, I'm guessing that by this time next year, assuming I have time to train, I'll be preparing or done with my first race. Do you think I should buy a used, aggressive race-set up 9 speed for $1000 or go new for ~$1200-1400 and get an aluminum frame, carbon front fork, Shimano 105, less aggressive position? I ask because I spoke with the guy who did the maintenance on the used bike. I know and trust him and he seemed to be kindly trying to tell me not to go used and to start out with the less aggressive bike. I'm guessing he doesn't want me to get burnt out by the uncomfortable position. I'm inclined to go new and more comfortable, but don't want to break the budget.Also, what sort of necessary extra costs will I run into (bike lock, speedometer, patch kits, etc.)?

You can PM me and I'll walk you through it. I think I'm at about 20 happy FBGs and counting for bike advice. Hell, pigskin is repeat business now.

 

[pigskinliquors]

SoldierField 10 mile: Personal goal = 80 minutes (8/mile)Actual time = 79 minutes, 59 seconds.I like to leave myself a little bit of a cushion... With 4200 runners, the first mile was a cluster, so I ended up with an 8:48 After that, 7/9 were under 8, #4 was 8:00 and #9 was 8:05. Finished with a 7:41 to make the goal.

Awesome!! The fact that you were able to kick it in for your last mile shows that you ran a nice controlled race. The slow first mile might have actually helped your overall time, as it kept your HR down, when it is very easy to get it flying early in a race that long. Well done!

 

[pigskinliquors]

Madison marathon

Cliff notes: 3:46 and change. Not a Boston time, but a satisfying experience and a good first marathon for this 51 year old. Aching quads killed my striding over the last 8-10 miles, and that's where I lost a lot of time: 1/2 marathon: ~ 1:45:30, second half: ~ 2:01. Flat Chicago training <> rolling Madison course.

Overall:

20 of 56 in age group

261 of 661 men

304 of 1,029 overall

As gruecd noted, we had a great day. I had a 'stretch' goal of 3:35 as a BQ (8:14/mile), but knew I'd be happy with, well, the above. I decided to start behind the 3:30 pacer (8:01/mile), knowing the first mile was slightly downhill and he would keep it at an 8:00 first mile. (Starter: "These guys are machines at maintaining their pace each mile") We go out at 7:50. Then mile two is 7:50. But I was running real easy - casually talking to guys around me and striding very easy ..almost some short steps. So I stay behind this pacer figuring, meh, what happens, happens. We settle in at 8:00/mile. Running slower would have been almost unnaturally slow at this point.

5 miles: 39:40. 90 seconds ahead of my BQ pace, but feeling relaxed. Got talking to another guy around miles 8-9, but noticing my breathing is a bit labored, so I decide to back off. But I reach 10 miles: 1:20. Two minutes ahead of pace. We hit two hard hills, but then two miles of trails. I find a nice rhythm again. 15 miles: 2:01. Still two minutes ahead of pace. But the next 3-4 miles start grading up, and my quads start hurting around mile 17. I reach 20 miles at 2:44, giving up the earlier time. I knew I'd need to stay at 8:30/mile to achieve BQ, and the next mile was around 8:45 and the quads weren't feeling better. I knew I had no stride left, so game over. I wasn't at all depressed, and my spirit was still very positive. People started passing me, but that didn't bother me. Basically - the quads weren't ready for this terrain, so I had an "equipment" failure. I ended up shuffling along at 10 min/miles.

Everything was fine - no other problems, I took gels and fluids well, and I ran it all (except some 2 to 10 second water station walks). Again, my mind was fine throughout the race. It was just them quads. I didn't need many mental tricks to keep things going. I used my mantra a fair amount (*), and used a Christian contemporary tune in my mind for a bit. Otherwise, the race took care of itself.

Other comments:

- It was great to meet Schmegma and his BIL. I won't steal Schmegma's thunder, but I'm real proud of his effort.

- During Saturday check-in, I see a late 30-ish couple with their three kids (ages 7-11?). Mom was running in one of the events ...and she was hawt. Nicely endowed, incredibly flat tummy and a tight butt. Wow. But no pics.

- Also at check-in, I stop at the pacer's table to get a sense of how they run their race (steady? pick up some early time?). The woman starts grilling me about my training and such, and is about ready to suggest I run with the 3:50 group. I try to explain my best case goal of 3:35. She asks about my high weekly mileage, and I say I peaked at 50 miles/week.

Her: "I'd like to see it at 60. And besides, you can make up the time in the final miles."

Me: (Mentally, :finger:)

- Race finish: I just couldn't move the pace due to the quads. But as I turn the final corner for the last 150 yards or so, I remember my BIL's challenge to pass someone at the end. So being kind of ticked about the quad, I decide "nuts to this" and start driving it. A young gal next to me picks it up and tries to move past me. Not today, honey. I go into overdrive and sprint it real strong. We both pass two guys and I beat her to the finish. :shallowvictory:

- Overall lesson learned: This was a good rookie effort, but I need to fine-tune the training, since most courses have similar terrain.

Mantra: Exhale Out, Exhale Out, Rythmic Swing, Rhythmic Swing, Lean it Forward, Lean it Forward,

Stride, Stride, Stride (pause)

GREAT race Tri-Man! It is soo hard to keep Boston's call from effecting your race/training. I've made that mistake countless times. It's always tough to know how your body will respond to a new course, and a new distance. You only missed by 11 minutes = you are right on the cusp of getting there. Hills will get your quads when you're not used to them (I have a post in this thread about my quads last month from too many hills). I hope you're sitting back, resting your quads, and have the ability to relish in your accomplishment .

 

[pigskinliquors]

Mad Marathon and 1/2 ....

It was great to meet Schmegma and his BIL. I won't steal Schmegma's thunder, but I'm real proud of his effort.

Sorry for making you wait. My entire family was in town either to run or to watch, so I've been busy filling ice packs, passing around my finisher's medal, thanking the neighbors for the "Congratulations" sign on the garage door when I got home, etc.First things first, tri-man is one TALL DRINK OF WATER! I got to see him finish, and he has much to be proud of. Congratulations, tri-man!

I set out with a goal of 2:30 for the half marathon. The first two miles were perfect, then I started feeling some pain in my right knee. It subsided after about a mile, and I ran the first 7 miles in 71 minutes, way better than I ever expected. I saw my parents at 6.5 miles and told them I might be able to finish in 2:10-2:15!

Mile 8 is when I entered the depths of knee pain hell, and my pace for that mile dropped to 11:25 with a significant amount of walking. I ran the last 6.1 miles in approximately 68 minutes, in pain the entire time, and finished in 2:18:46.

My pains today: right knee, right hip (new), left calf (new), and a huge blood blister on the tip of the toe next to my right big toe (no pain, but something new).

Not that anyone cares, but I should also mention that my sister, whose goal was 2:15, finished in 2:08, and my BIL, whose goal for the full marathon was 5:00, finished in 4:17! They got me into running last June, and I'm extremely proud of them.

Now I just need to figure out how to get up and down the steps. My wife suggested laying a blanket down and just sliding, which works great, but now I am stuck downstairs...

Great race to you as well Schmegma! Running through injuries (especially knee) sux. It sounds like you made the most of it. Have you started taking Glucosamine Chondroitin yet? If not, I highly recommend it. Tip some beers and pat yourself on the back!!

 

[pigskinliquors]

I wasn't kidding when I said that you all inspired me. In the world where you either crap, or get off the pot, I decided to crap. Maybe that is not the best term, but I just signed up for the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon.

http://www.1stplacesports.com/jm.htm

It is not until December, but I want a lot of time to train.

I am sure I will have many questions over the next 6 months, and here is the first one.

Should I continue to run the 5k and 10k races while training.? I pretty much committed to the July 1 10k, but there are 3 or 4 others in September and October.

I am going to start mapping out my long runs, so that I am running at least 10 miles toward the end.

Map of Jax half marathon.

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=518

Super! You've got plenty of time to prepare = YOU WILL DO IT!

 

[gruecd]

OK, here we go.

#1 running goal for this fall: Break 1:30 in the half marathon. Current PR is 1:32:41, but judging from my 3:10 marathon time, this should be do-able as long as I pace myself in the early part of the race.

#2 goal (a stretch): WIN this year's Cheesehead 5-K. It's just a small little race in my hometown, and last year I finished third with a PR time of 19:34. Last year's winner ran 18:40. Not quite sure if I can reduce my time by almost a full minute, but I think I'll focus my track workouts on some shorter, 200- to 800-meter repeats and see what happens.

With a lot of you guys done with your spring races, what other crazy goals does everyone else have for this fall?

 

[El Floppo]

OK, here we go.

#1 running goal for this fall: Break 1:30 in the half marathon. Current PR is 1:32:41, but judging from my 3:10 marathon time, this should be do-able as long as I pace myself in the early part of the race.

#2 goal (a stretch): WIN this year's Cheesehead 5-K. It's just a small little race in my hometown, and last year I finished third with a PR time of 19:34. Last year's winner ran 18:40. Not quite sure if I can reduce my time by almost a full minute, but I think I'll focus my track workouts on some shorter, 200- to 800-meter repeats and see what happens.

With a lot of you guys done with your spring races, what other crazy goals does everyone else have for this fall?

#1 <1:30 seems VERY within your range given the marathon (still really, really impressed with that race you did)... wow- how nice does a 1:29 1/2 sound?#2- Speed seems tougher to come by- but it soudns like you're going to take the right steps with the shorter speed repeats. Mabye work some more squats, lunges in as well- or some "power" lifting for the legs to work on the explosiveness? If you can stay right on the leader- not lose that minute at the beginning- I'd be hard pressed to bet against you.

My Goals?

Run- don't get hurt.

Bike- don't get hit by a car and get hurt.

Swim- don't drown.

If those goals are met by the end of July, I might look at a fall 1/2 IM to get the feet wet again. as long as it isn't too close to the NYC Marathon which is the one real goal of '07 for me.

 

[El Floppo]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

Finally... somebody filling my need for affirmation.But she's a bit of a dog compared to my ex. (don't tell her, but her top-tube is... .... too fat).

 

[El Floppo]

I'll say this swapping cassettes is no big deal. It's a $50 expense and you'll go through 2 of them before you go through a chain anyways unless you live somewhere like college station. 12x27 or even 28 would help me sleep better at night.ETA: 10 speed cassettes look to run in the 70 buck range, 9 are in the 50 range. Can't remember what you have. Shimanos come in 12x25 and 12x27 for big climbing

Crank/BottomBracket FSA CarbonPro Carbon Fiber Compact 50/34T integrated with MEGAEXO External Bearing Bottom Bracket  (Compact Cranks have 95% of a 30spd triple gear range without the extra weight and tuning hassles) Cassette/Chain  Shimano 105 10 Speed 11-25T, Shimano CN5600 105 10spd Chain

Here's what I'm pushing Coldeus.LOL at 6 hrs...anything under 8 and I'll be happy. I climb at 6.5-7 mph. Given the last 27 miles are up hill and there's one big climb around mile 40, that will eat up 4+ hours.Thanks for all the advice, gotta run but I do have some more questions.

Jesus, 34x25 should be just fine. Running that out to 27 and you might fall over.

:X I completely missed this the first time around... 34x27

 

[culdeus]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

Finally... somebody filling my need for affirmation.But she's a bit of a dog compared to my ex. (don't tell her, but her top-tube is... .... too fat).

Why two gear bags? One for the weed and the other for ???

 

[pigskinliquors]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

Finally... somebody filling my need for affirmation.But she's a bit of a dog compared to my ex. (don't tell her, but her top-tube is... .... too fat).

Why two gear bags? One for the weed and the other for ???

More weed

 

[GStrot]

SoldierField 10 mile: Personal goal = 80 minutes (8/mile)Actual time = 79 minutes, 59 seconds.I like to leave myself a little bit of a cushion... With 4200 runners, the first mile was a cluster, so I ended up with an 8:48 After that, 7/9 were under 8, #4 was 8:00 and #9 was 8:05. Finished with a 7:41 to make the goal.

Wow! Nice job reaching your goal!How was the finish? I might do that one next year.

 

[GStrot]

Madison marathon

Cliff notes: 3:46 and change. Not a Boston time, but a satisfying experience and a good first marathon for this 51 year old. Aching quads killed my striding over the last 8-10 miles, and that's where I lost a lot of time: 1/2 marathon: ~ 1:45:30, second half: ~ 2:01. Flat Chicago training <> rolling Madison course.

Nice job!

 

[El Floppo]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

Finally... somebody filling my need for affirmation.But she's a bit of a dog compared to my ex. (don't tell her, but her top-tube is... .... too fat).

Why two gear bags? One for the weed and the other for ???

More weed

No, no, no... weed in the front, crystal meth in the back.

Good catch there- I didn't used to ride with the rear bag (carried a seat-post strap that held my CO2 and inflator)- kept tube, tools, wallet, gus in the bento box for easy reach. The crash took out my co2 gear, so I slapped my mtn bike bag under the saddle and threw my tools, tubes etc in there, leaving the bento as food/wallet etc. I've been carrying my pump in my back shirt pocket. It's a mess.

But I've really only been on this bike a few times, so the gear and bag situation hasn't been determined. And I should mention that we are SQUEEZED into our apt... like- can't buy more than a 4-roll of TP as we've got nowhere to store it type of squeezed. Keeping things on the bike means not having to stash it away at home. Hell- I've been riding with a rain-flap on the back regardless of the weather- took it off for the picture.

 

[GStrot]

- Race finish: I just couldn't move the pace due to the quads. But as I turn the final corner for the last 150 yards or so, I remember my BIL's challenge to pass someone at the end. So being kind of ticked about the quad, I decide "nuts to this" and start driving it. A young gal next to me picks it up and tries to move past me. Not today, honey. I go into overdrive and sprint it real strong. We both pass two guys and I beat her to the finish. :shallowvictory:

This made me

 

[GStrot]

- Overall lesson learned: This was a good rookie effort, but I need to fine-tune the training, since most courses have similar terrain.

This is what sucks about Chicago training. Well, it makes the training easy.

 

[GStrot]

Mad Marathon and 1/2 ....

It was great to meet Schmegma and his BIL. I won't steal Schmegma's thunder, but I'm real proud of his effort.

Sorry for making you wait. My entire family was in town either to run or to watch, so I've been busy filling ice packs, passing around my finisher's medal, thanking the neighbors for the "Congratulations" sign on the garage door when I got home, etc.First things first, tri-man is one TALL DRINK OF WATER! I got to see him finish, and he has much to be proud of. Congratulations, tri-man!

I set out with a goal of 2:30 for the half marathon. The first two miles were perfect, then I started feeling some pain in my right knee. It subsided after about a mile, and I ran the first 7 miles in 71 minutes, way better than I ever expected. I saw my parents at 6.5 miles and told them I might be able to finish in 2:10-2:15!

Mile 8 is when I entered the depths of knee pain hell, and my pace for that mile dropped to 11:25 with a significant amount of walking. I ran the last 6.1 miles in approximately 68 minutes, in pain the entire time, and finished in 2:18:46.

My pains today: right knee, right hip (new), left calf (new), and a huge blood blister on the tip of the toe next to my right big toe (no pain, but something new).

Not that anyone cares, but I should also mention that my sister, whose goal was 2:15, finished in 2:08, and my BIL, whose goal for the full marathon was 5:00, finished in 4:17! They got me into running last June, and I'm extremely proud of them.

Now I just need to figure out how to get up and down the steps. My wife suggested laying a blanket down and just sliding, which works great, but now I am stuck downstairs...

Great job!Is that normal for a person to beat their goal by 13 minutes for the half and 43 minutes for the full marathon?

 

[GStrot]

I wasn't kidding when I said that you all inspired me. In the world where you either crap, or get off the pot, I decided to crap. Maybe that is not the best term, but I just signed up for the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon.

http://www.1stplacesports.com/jm.htm

It is not until December, but I want a lot of time to train.

I am sure I will have many questions over the next 6 months, and here is the first one.

Should I continue to run the 5k and 10k races while training.? I pretty much committed to the July 1 10k, but there are 3 or 4 others in September and October.

I am going to start mapping out my long runs, so that I am running at least 10 miles toward the end.

Map of Jax half marathon.

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=518

Way to .... um ... crap. Seriously, good job. We will be here to help you crush the half marathon!

 

[GStrot]

RIP Gstrot?

I don't post often on weekends. My "race" is this Saturday. I will probably not post an update until Monday so be prepared to wait a bit. If I die, I promise not to post an update.

 

[pigskinliquors]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

FWIW: it looks like you have a very short seat to aerobar drop (maybe 2 inches). Is this purely for comfort, bike too big, seat not as high as it normally is, etc. as it doesn't look overly aero setup like that.

 

[GStrot]

OK, here we go.

#1 running goal for this fall: Break 1:30 in the half marathon. Current PR is 1:32:41, but judging from my 3:10 marathon time, this should be do-able as long as I pace myself in the early part of the race.

#2 goal (a stretch): WIN this year's Cheesehead 5-K. It's just a small little race in my hometown, and last year I finished third with a PR time of 19:34. Last year's winner ran 18:40. Not quite sure if I can reduce my time by almost a full minute, but I think I'll focus my track workouts on some shorter, 200- to 800-meter repeats and see what happens.

With a lot of you guys done with your spring races, what other crazy goals does everyone else have for this fall?

Quoted and noted. No backing out now.

 

[GStrot]

First of all, at the risk of sounding gay, am very proud of all the guys completing their races this past weekend.

I knew I should have read this thread sooner than today.

I was supposed to run 5.5 on Sunday. I only managed about 5.1 or 5.2 due to a miscalculation on my part. I had mapped out a run in an area along a busy street that, it turns out, didn't have a sidewalk. Funny how you don't notice that when you are driving by at 45 mph. Because my run is this Saturday, I didn't want to run on uneven ground and do something stupid like twist an ankle. So, I altered the route and thought the detour took about 0.5 miles off. It ends up, it took about a mile off the route so the extra 0.5 miles I added in at the end left me a bit short.

I was a little surprised when I finished in 51 minutes and then a little bummed when I realized I was short. I started second guessing myself because the run took a lot out of me. But, I am very sure it was the humidity and that I could have ran an extra 10 minutes and crushed a 10k if I had to.

I guess we will see on Saturday.

I will probably run 2 miles tomorrow and then nothing until Saturday.

Again, congrats to everyone who ran this past weekend. I wish there was a better way of showing my excitement in print. But, you will just have to trust me, very excited for everyone finishing and making their goals!

 

[wraith5]

Madison marathon

Cliff notes: 3:46 and change. Not a Boston time, but a satisfying experience and a good first marathon for this 51 year old. Aching quads killed my striding over the last 8-10 miles, and that's where I lost a lot of time: 1/2 marathon: ~ 1:45:30, second half: ~ 2:01. Flat Chicago training <> rolling Madison course.

Awesome, awesome, awesome job!! Congratulations on a great race - let alone "first" race!! You're right about Chicago's terrain being a factor. It's hard to train adequately for any courses with significant elevation changes. You really have to go out of your way to try & work something into the routine.

Again, Great job!!

 

[wraith5]

I set out with a goal of 2:30 for the half marathon. The first two miles were perfect, then I started feeling some pain in my right knee. It subsided after about a mile, and I ran the first 7 miles in 71 minutes, way better than I ever expected. I saw my parents at 6.5 miles and told them I might be able to finish in 2:10-2:15!

Mile 8 is when I entered the depths of knee pain hell, and my pace for that mile dropped to 11:25 with a significant amount of walking. I ran the last 6.1 miles in approximately 68 minutes, in pain the entire time, and finished in 2:18:46.

My pains today: right knee, right hip (new), left calf (new), and a huge blood blister on the tip of the toe next to my right big toe (no pain, but something new).

Congratulations on the gutsy finish!! Keeping that kind of time going with significant knee pain is no small feat. You should be very proud of your accomplishment here! I hope you're starting to feel better by now!

 

[Schmegma]

Is that normal for a person to beat their goal by 13 minutes for the half and 43 minutes for the full marathon?

We were both first timers at these distances, and to be more accurate his goal was 4:30-5:00, so he was only 13 minutes under 4:30.I had no idea if I could even finish a 13.1 mile race, so I just based my goal of 2:30 on my times from my recent 9 mile runs. I averaged 11 minute miles for those, so I figured if I could average 11:27 with 4 more miles added on I'd be able to finish in 2:30. Somehow, even with a bum leg for the last 6 miles, I was able to average 10:36! I'm certain that I could have finished close to 2:10 if my right knee/hip had held up.

 

[GStrot]

Is that normal for a person to beat their goal by 13 minutes for the half and 43 minutes for the full marathon?

We were both first timers at these distances, and to be more accurate his goal was 4:30-5:00, so he was only 13 minutes under 4:30.I had no idea if I could even finish a 13.1 mile race, so I just based my goal of 2:30 on my times from my recent 9 mile runs. I averaged 11 minute miles for those, so I figured if I could average 11:27 with 4 more miles added on I'd be able to finish in 2:30. Somehow, even with a bum leg for the last 6 miles, I was able to average 10:36! I'm certain that I could have finished close to 2:10 if my right knee/hip had held up.

I did not realize it was your first time at that distance. Pretty impressive. I was just surprised that you both were so far UNDER your estimates. Most people that I hear about missing, miss by being slower than they thought. Nice job.

 

[El Floppo]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

FWIW: it looks like you have a very short seat to aerobar drop (maybe 2 inches). Is this purely for comfort, bike too big, seat not as high as it normally is, etc. as it doesn't look overly aero setup like that.

I've said before- I'm none-too flexible. This is actually a more aggressive setup in terms of seat to bar drop for me than my previous bike. The bike's fine, I'm not.

 

[pigskinliquors]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

FWIW: it looks like you have a very short seat to aerobar drop (maybe 2 inches). Is this purely for comfort, bike too big, seat not as high as it normally is, etc. as it doesn't look overly aero setup like that.

I've said before- I'm none-too flexible. This is actually a more aggressive setup in terms of seat to bar drop for me than my previous bike. The bike's fine, I'm not.

She's still beautiful! Is it a tiphoon? How do you like the ti frame? I know you had a Litespeed previously = I'm guessing ti is your preference. Advantages and disadvantages over carbon more importantly. FYI: I'm looking at this frame. I'be been told I need to get a smaller frame, but I'm a bit hesitant as I'm really comfortable in my current setup (58cm) but would like to go faster (thus the reason I'm looking at carbon to compensate for the smaller frame).edited to add; Yoga may be good for you! I've only been doing it since December, but I've noticed a huge difference in my flexibility. It hasn't stopped my aches and pains, but I guess that comes with the getting old part.

 

[Schmegma]

Hey. If anybody is looking for a Polar RS200SD heart rate monitor (black) with the footpod for measuring your distance shoot me a PM. I paid $220 for it new on 3/2/07 and I'd rather sell it here to avoid the Ebay fees.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just decided I wanted a Garmin 305 instead.

 

[culdeus]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

FWIW: it looks like you have a very short seat to aerobar drop (maybe 2 inches). Is this purely for comfort, bike too big, seat not as high as it normally is, etc. as it doesn't look overly aero setup like that.

I've said before- I'm none-too flexible. This is actually a more aggressive setup in terms of seat to bar drop for me than my previous bike. The bike's fine, I'm not.

She's still beautiful! Is it a tiphoon? How do you like the ti frame? I know you had a Litespeed previously = I'm guessing ti is your preference. Advantages and disadvantages over carbon more importantly. FYI: I'm looking at this frame. I'be been told I need to get a smaller frame, but I'm a bit hesitant as I'm really comfortable in my current setup (58cm) but would like to go faster (thus the reason I'm looking at carbon to compensate for the smaller frame).edited to add; Yoga may be good for you! I've only been doing it since December, but I've noticed a huge difference in my flexibility. It hasn't stopped my aches and pains, but I guess that comes with the getting old part.

Oh, that's what you compensate for. Gotcha.

 

[culdeus]

FWIW I'm pretty much going steel or ti next time out. I just trust metal more plain and simple. I had the option of paying 250 bucks more for my first road bike to be ti and passed on it. I'd take a kick in the balls to have that decision back again.

 

[GStrot]

Hey. If anybody is looking for a Polar RS200SD heart rate monitor (black) with the footpod for measuring your distance shoot me a PM. I paid $220 for it new on 3/2/07 and I'd rather sell it here to avoid the Ebay fees.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just decided I wanted a Garmin 305 instead.

PM me how much you want for it. My wife was going to buy me something similar (but not as fancy) for my birthday so I will have to check if she has bought it yet. But, I am interested.

 

[pigskinliquors]

FWIW I'm pretty much going steel or ti next time out. I just trust metal more plain and simple. I had the option of paying 250 bucks more for my first road bike to be ti and passed on it. I'd take a kick in the balls to have that decision back again.

But the carbon frames look so awesome! I'm in no hurry for a new frame, but am looking. EF: Here's a decent ti frame with a "skinnier" top tube for you!

Oh, that's what you compensate for. Gotcha.

Among other things

 

[El Floppo]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

FWIW: it looks like you have a very short seat to aerobar drop (maybe 2 inches). Is this purely for comfort, bike too big, seat not as high as it normally is, etc. as it doesn't look overly aero setup like that.

I've said before- I'm none-too flexible. This is actually a more aggressive setup in terms of seat to bar drop for me than my previous bike. The bike's fine, I'm not.

She's still beautiful! Is it a tiphoon? How do you like the ti frame? I know you had a Litespeed previously = I'm guessing ti is your preference. Advantages and disadvantages over carbon more importantly. FYI: I'm looking at this frame. I'be been told I need to get a smaller frame, but I'm a bit hesitant as I'm really comfortable in my current setup (58cm) but would like to go faster (thus the reason I'm looking at carbon to compensate for the smaller frame).edited to add; Yoga may be good for you! I've only been doing it since December, but I've noticed a huge difference in my flexibility. It hasn't stopped my aches and pains, but I guess that comes with the getting old part.

Yeah- tiphoon.I love ti... but I've only got steel to compare it to (test rode aluminum- felt... dunno- springy to me). The ti feels like a great combo of weight, strength and flexiblity (for longer rides steel was kicking my ###).

I've never even been on carbon- but that frame looks pretty frigging amazing. Like Culdeus mentioned- I'm a bit nervous about the carbon- I had a carbon seat post crack on me, and when carbon cracks it's doesn't muck about. Have you checked the geometry on that frame and compared it to your current setup? A 58 in one bike can be a LOT different than a 58 on another.

YOGA.... .... I've been telling myself for YEARS to get in to a regular yoga class, but I just can't seem to do it. I think it's purely out of being embarrassed about how inflexible I am. To paraphrase Fat Bastrard- I'm fat, so I eat... and I eat, so I'm fat. :sniff:

 

[GStrot]

2 miles this morning. Could have done more but I figured I would be doing enough on Saturday.

Quick question: I normally don't eat before I run in the morning. I usually run between 5:30 and 6:30 am immediately after I wake up. The 10k is at 7:00 am. I will probably be awake for an hour and a half before the race even starts. Should I eat something like a bagel or a banana when I wake up?

 

[El Floppo]

FWIW I'm pretty much going steel or ti next time out. I just trust metal more plain and simple. I had the option of paying 250 bucks more for my first road bike to be ti and passed on it. I'd take a kick in the balls to have that decision back again.

But the carbon frames look so awesome! I'm in no hurry for a new frame, but am looking. EF: Here's a decent ti frame with a "skinnier" top tube for you!

That looks pretty nice, actually. I looked into Airborne awhile back... something came up that turned me off, but I can't remember what. I think I'll probably stick with QR and put some more miles on it- see how I feel once I get back up to some normal rides in the 50-80m range.Right before I bought my QR, I thought I had locked up a LS Blade with customized Saber (ie: skinny) top-tube on it... but the seller ended up selling to a buddy instead of me. That was the bike I really wanted.

 

[pigskinliquors]

Swam 900 on Friday combo of 25s, 50s, 100s and one 200. Made sure to count my strokes on the 25s which opened and closed the workout- barely hung on at the end to match the count.

Ran 20 minutes at an easy pace... meh... no pain in the knee, so that's good.

more importantly... MY BIKE... sniff- ain't she a peach?

She's gorgeous!!

FWIW: it looks like you have a very short seat to aerobar drop (maybe 2 inches). Is this purely for comfort, bike too big, seat not as high as it normally is, etc. as it doesn't look overly aero setup like that.

I've said before- I'm none-too flexible. This is actually a more aggressive setup in terms of seat to bar drop for me than my previous bike. The bike's fine, I'm not.

She's still beautiful! Is it a tiphoon? How do you like the ti frame? I know you had a Litespeed previously = I'm guessing ti is your preference. Advantages and disadvantages over carbon more importantly. FYI: I'm looking at this frame. I'be been told I need to get a smaller frame, but I'm a bit hesitant as I'm really comfortable in my current setup (58cm) but would like to go faster (thus the reason I'm looking at carbon to compensate for the smaller frame).edited to add; Yoga may be good for you! I've only been doing it since December, but I've noticed a huge difference in my flexibility. It hasn't stopped my aches and pains, but I guess that comes with the getting old part.

Yeah- tiphoon.I love ti... but I've only got steel to compare it to (test rode aluminum- felt... dunno- springy to me). The ti feels like a great combo of weight, strength and flexiblity (for longer rides steel was kicking my ###).

I've never even been on carbon- but that frame looks pretty frigging amazing. Like Culdeus mentioned- I'm a bit nervous about the carbon- I had a carbon seat post crack on me, and when carbon cracks it's doesn't muck about. Have you checked the geometry on that frame and compared it to your current setup? A 58 in one bike can be a LOT different than a 58 on another.

YOGA.... .... I've been telling myself for YEARS to get in to a regular yoga class, but I just can't seem to do it. I think it's purely out of being embarrassed about how inflexible I am. To paraphrase Fat Bastrard- I'm fat, so I eat... and I eat, so I'm fat. :sniff:

No need to go to a class. I use this. I do one of the two full hour workouts at least once a week. It also has 10 minute stretches for running, biking, etc. which is actually making me quite a bit more flexible. My wife, who does quite a bit of yoga got it for me, and it is the only tape she uses now (she owns a full library of yoga dvd's).

 

[El Floppo]

2 miles this morning. Could have done more but I figured I would be doing enough on Saturday. Quick question: I normally don't eat before I run in the morning. I usually run between 5:30 and 6:30 am immediately after I wake up. The 10k is at 7:00 am. I will probably be awake for an hour and a half before the race even starts. Should I eat something like a bagel or a banana when I wake up?

2 miles is perfect- no need to tire your legs out this week on longer runs before the race. Welcome to the world of "taper". Just don't get sick.Eating's tough. Much better to have figured out what works/doesn't work a couple weeks ago- ie: force yourself to run at the same time as the race (if possible) and experiment with eating or not eating. But at this point- a bagel or banana can't hurt too much... or can it? Just make sure you've got a bottle of water on you before the race.

 

[pigskinliquors]

FWIW I'm pretty much going steel or ti next time out. I just trust metal more plain and simple. I had the option of paying 250 bucks more for my first road bike to be ti and passed on it. I'd take a kick in the balls to have that decision back again.

But the carbon frames look so awesome! I'm in no hurry for a new frame, but am looking. EF: Here's a decent ti frame with a "skinnier" top tube for you!

That looks pretty nice, actually. I looked into Airborne awhile back... something came up that turned me off, but I can't remember what. I think I'll probably stick with QR and put some more miles on it- see how I feel once I get back up to some normal rides in the 50-80m range.Right before I bought my QR, I thought I had locked up a LS Blade with customized Saber (ie: skinny) top-tube on it... but the seller ended up selling to a buddy instead of me. That was the bike I really wanted.

We had a used Saber in our LBS last month, and my neighbor almost pulled the trigger on it. It was a bit heavier than I expected (all Ultegra), but looked awesome.

 

[El Floppo]

No need to go to a class. I use this. I do one of the two full hour workouts at least once a week. It also has 10 minute stretches for running, biking, etc. which is actually making me quite a bit more flexible. My wife, who does quite a bit of yoga got it for me, and it is the only tape she uses now (she owns a full library of yoga dvd's).

But the classes have all those delectably nimble little things in them... Thanks, pig! I just orderd the tape. I've always thought about classes because I'm so inflexible- that I'd need a teacher there making sure I was doing the poses right. I've waited long enough, however- and like the idea of doing this at home. Crap... there's a girl I went to HS with who is now in LA and does a whole series of Yoga for Dummies type of tapes... she's purty.

 

[pigskinliquors]

No need to go to a class. I use this. I do one of the two full hour workouts at least once a week. It also has 10 minute stretches for running, biking, etc. which is actually making me quite a bit more flexible. My wife, who does quite a bit of yoga got it for me, and it is the only tape she uses now (she owns a full library of yoga dvd's).

But the classes have all those delectably nimble little things in them... Thanks, pig! I just orderd the tape. I've always thought about classes because I'm so inflexible- that I'd need a teacher there making sure I was doing the poses right. I've waited long enough, however- and like the idea of doing this at home. Crap... there's a girl I went to HS with who is now in LA and does a whole series of Yoga for Dummies type of tapes... she's purty.

Get yourself some flexibility by doing the tape for awhile, THEN take a class with all of the delectable nimblets!

 

[Dash]

2 miles this morning. Could have done more but I figured I would be doing enough on Saturday. Quick question: I normally don't eat before I run in the morning. I usually run between 5:30 and 6:30 am immediately after I wake up. The 10k is at 7:00 am. I will probably be awake for an hour and a half before the race even starts. Should I eat something like a bagel or a banana when I wake up?

2 miles is perfect- no need to tire your legs out this week on longer runs before the race. Welcome to the world of "taper". Just don't get sick.Eating's tough. Much better to have figured out what works/doesn't work a couple weeks ago- ie: force yourself to run at the same time as the race (if possible) and experiment with eating or not eating. But at this point- a bagel or banana can't hurt too much... or can it? Just make sure you've got a bottle of water on you before the race.

Make sure the banana is fully ripe. Any green and you'll be having issues no matter when you eat it. The less ripe a banana the more difficult to digest.

 

[El Floppo]

Oh- update:

Ran 20 minutes last night. 10 out and back and the pacing's getting better- timing, I should say, not pacing (which is still intentionally slow). No knee pain with the slow speed.

Seeing the PT again today after a 3 week hiatus

 

[El Floppo]

No need to go to a class. I use this. I do one of the two full hour workouts at least once a week. It also has 10 minute stretches for running, biking, etc. which is actually making me quite a bit more flexible. My wife, who does quite a bit of yoga got it for me, and it is the only tape she uses now (she owns a full library of yoga dvd's).

But the classes have all those delectably nimble little things in them... Thanks, pig! I just orderd the tape. I've always thought about classes because I'm so inflexible- that I'd need a teacher there making sure I was doing the poses right. I've waited long enough, however- and like the idea of doing this at home. Crap... there's a girl I went to HS with who is now in LA and does a whole series of Yoga for Dummies type of tapes... she's purty.

Get yourself some flexibility by doing the tape for awhile, THEN take a class with all of the delectable nimblets!

You are wise in the ways of nimblets, master.

 

[pigskinliquors]

You are wise in the ways of nimblets, master.

As an old married guy, I'm only wise in the ways of ONE nimblet (and I'm still learning everyday). An update on my training:

On Memorial day we played Dodge ball for four hours straight in our cul de sac (we got 13 dodge balls from the local middle school!). We had 12-14 people per side and played 23 games (ended up 12-11). Participants included kids aged 4 to 12 and their parents. The final game came down to my neighbor Paul (age 51 and a great athlete. He still plays and pitches in a very competitive baseball league) and an 8 year old girl (for our team). She dodged at least 20 throws from him like a Ninja (all thrown at his full velocity) and she got him out when he dropped (while trying!) a throw from her. It was most awesome!

Unfortunately, I woke up yesterday and could barely move. My back, shoulder, and buttocks (bruised from a nice fall!) hurt like a you know what. I skipped workouts yesterday and today, and have a brick (25b/5r) scheduled for tomorrow morning. As of right now I plan on doing it, but it could be interesting. Flippin' Dodge Ball!

 

[wraith5]

2 miles this morning. Could have done more but I figured I would be doing enough on Saturday.

Quick question: I normally don't eat before I run in the morning. I usually run between 5:30 and 6:30 am immediately after I wake up. The 10k is at 7:00 am. I will probably be awake for an hour and a half before the race even starts. Should I eat something like a bagel or a banana when I wake up?

2 miles is perfect- no need to tire your legs out this week on longer runs before the race. Welcome to the world of "taper". Just don't get sick.Eating's tough. Much better to have figured out what works/doesn't work a couple weeks ago- ie: force yourself to run at the same time as the race (if possible) and experiment with eating or not eating. But at this point- a bagel or banana can't hurt too much... or can it? Just make sure you've got a bottle of water on you before the race.

Make sure the banana is fully ripe. Any green and you'll be having issues no matter when you eat it. The less ripe a banana the more difficult to digest.

Solid advice here. Personally, I have a couple of Quaker instant oatmeal packets a couple of hours before race time, along with some coffee (physical addiction, must have my caffeine). After that it's water or gatorade until race time. Speaking of which, if it's a pretty big race, there will be long lines for the port-o-lets, so plan accordingly. Or you can be like me: convince a couple other guys there is safety in numbers and go behind the johns instead of waiting to use them...

Last hydration thought - Gatorade seems to be pushing their endurance formula at races now, and it's got significantly higher sodium than the standard version. If you haven't used it (whatever "it" is, actually), don't start before/during the race. Stick ONLY to stuff you've had before. I made the mistake of trying Endurance for the first time before the Indy 1/2 last year and it didn't agree with me...

 

[wraith5]

SoldierField 10 mile: Personal goal = 80 minutes (8/mile)Actual time = 79 minutes, 59 seconds.I like to leave myself a little bit of a cushion... With 4200 runners, the first mile was a cluster, so I ended up with an 8:48 After that, 7/9 were under 8, #4 was 8:00 and #9 was 8:05. Finished with a 7:41 to make the goal.

Wow! Nice job reaching your goal!How was the finish? I might do that one next year.

Finishing the race in Soldier Field is really very cool. The race starts on the east lawn, runs south on roads then turns back north at about mile 4.5. After that you're on the bike path. Even with 4200 runners this year once I got past mile 2 or so it wasn't all that crowded. At the finish you enter the stadium on the NW corner and come out of the tunnel onto the field. If you remember to look, when you cross the finish line you can see yourself on the Jumbotron. Of course, I was pushing so hard to beat 80 minutes it didn't even occur to me... There are a lot of people hanging out in the seats watching the finishers. After I grabbed a bagel & beer, I went up there myself just to relax and watch for about 20 minutes.

 

[wraith5]

First of all, at the risk of sounding gay, am very proud of all the guys completing their races this past weekend.

I wish there was a better way of showing my excitement in print. But, you will just have to trust me, very excited for everyone finishing and making their goals!

I've processed through my race results (112/348 division, 762/4215 overall) and I feel like this race was different for me (it's the first time I've actually made my time goal) in large part due to this thread: 1) I'm training smarter. I focus on negative splits and finishing the race strong. The advice here has a lot to do with my "new" training style.

2) I'm training more consistently. Most of the people in my life (as opposed to my iLife) don't care if I run or not. But I know I'm going to report in here, and for whatever reason, that makes a difference to me.

3) I'm cross training. Riding my bike, doing lunges (still :finger: ), push-ups and sit-ups... I think it all makes a difference. Again, this is all because of this group. (I'm not saying I'm going to try yoga, however...)

4) The positive reinforcement I get here.

Despite the fact that I had every excuse I needed ready to go for why I wouldn't make my goal (I was sick, my 7 month old was up x6 times during the night, my SIL decided at 5:15am to bail and not run with me. Oh, AND the fact that I got guilted into not running with any music... )

Anyway, all of that BS and with 2 miles to go, as my lungs were burning and I just wanted to slow down or even walk for a minute, I envisioned posting not "I came really close BUT..." - and instead thought about posting "I did it." For a guy who trains alone, and who typically races alone, and finishes... well, alone, having you guys with me made a really huge difference.

... I guess that's a long way of saying Thank you!!

 

[meeka]

It is great to see all of the success posted here lately. The Mrs. and I are looking into another race in June/July and I think we will run seperate this race. We have both been running the 5k distance when we run and have been able to improve our times. My wife is now under 30 minutes, and really getting into it. Like wraith5 I have been leaning on my ifriends here in this thread for motivation, but now with my wife getting into it I feel even more supported. I think it is time to start some training for an 8 or 10 K. I feel pretty good running 5k now and would like to set a goal that I have to work twords during the summer.

Wraith, how much bike riding have you added to your training? I am thinking about trying to bike in to work a few times, and would use that as a part of my training schedule.