Thursday, November 6, 2014

Things I Don't Do, But My 8 Year Old Son Does Whilst Running

Things I Don't Do, But My 8 Year Old Son Does Whilst Running:

1.    Experiment running with his hands behind his back.

2.    Pick up random Halloween candy he finds on the ground.

3.    Eat found Halloween candy.

4.    Earn $1 for each mile run.

5.    Alternate running from the sidewalk to the grass.

6.    Speed up when I say slow down.

7.    Take breaks (Oh who am I kidding?  I take breaks, too).

8.    Skip.

9.    Drag feet in slow motion to demonstrate fatigue.

10.  Have enough energy to play basketball, street hockey, running bases, and tag for hours afterwards.

We did the first 5k together on a sunny 60 degree Election Day.  After dropping him off, I ran another 3.7 miles on my own.  The first half of the run was so much more enjoyable.  Love my running partner.

Look Ma, no hands!

Who needs a fuel belt when you
find what other people dropped?




20 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great workout!

    I love running with my kids although it doesn't happen as much anymore. I used to take my son to the HS track and run laps with him when he was 9. No matter how many times I told him to pace himself he would take off at full speed and immediately run out of gas. Nowadays we mostly run on trails. He's much faster than me but I can still outlast him.

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    1. I love the company and wish it happened more often. The bribing helps.

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  2. Mind if I pick your brain as I don't know any experienced marathoners? I'm doing Philly on Sunday, November 23rd. Did a 20 miler last Sunday, November 2nd. Peaked at 52 miles that week. It was my second 20 miler, and I have averaged in the high 30s miles per week over the last 15 weeks. Started tapering mildly this week by running 5 on Tuesday, 7 on Wednesday and 6 on Thursday. Monday and Friday were rest days as usual for me. What kind of long run do you think is good for this weekend? And should I do my long run on Saturday rather than Sunday to give my body an extra day of recovery before the racer, with just a short recovery run on Sunday? Thanks!

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    1. Sorry for the late response! I just saw this comment today. I would do maybe a 16 miler for your next long run and keep it on Sunday. The following week I would run 10-13 miles on Sunday, then keep marathon week super easy (3-4 days of no more than 6 miles). I like to do a quick shakeout run the day before the race, like 2-3 miles at an easy pace.

      Good luck!! Please let me know how you did!

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    2. I honestly don't know how I missed this, as I kind of obsess over this blog :/ Again, I hope I didn't screw you up.

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    3. Thanks. I did a fast finish 13. First 8 at long run pace. Next 2 at goal marathon pace. Final 3 at half marathon pace. Thinking 8-10 this Sunday. Trying to respect the taper. It's difficult.

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    4. Sounds like you're on the right track!

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    5. Thanks. Now I have to determine a time goal and pacing strategy. Its difficult. I appreciate the notion that you should have no goal for your first marathon other than to finish, but that seems kind of pointless. If your goal is just to finish, why waste the money on the train, the hotel and race fee? I could just run around my neighborhood until I hit 26.2 instead.

      Congrats on the cholesterol.

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    6. Usually, they say to double your half marathon time and add ten minutes. What are the times of your most recent races?

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  3. Did a 5k in July at 23:21 and the cow harbor in September at 48:43. Last half was last December, at 1:55:47 on a fast course. Been running for a little over two years. Thinking 4:05 - 4:10, but really considering lining up with 4:00 pace team. Did my two 20 milers at 9:45 and 9:52 on hilly routes.

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    1. The most relevant race is Cow Harbor since it was near the peak of your training. Your fitness level has likely been very good. A half last December is too long ago. I would say you have a very good chance of running a 4 hour or sub 4 hour marathon, however, I don't think you should start with the 4 hour pace group. My advice would be to start the first 10k between a 9:30-9:45 pace, then run by feel for the rest of the race. It is soooo important to run your first 10k smart, otherwise you pay for it during the last 10k. A lot of people make this mistake and feel great for the first 18-20 miles, then the wheels come off and the goal flies out the window. I made this mistake during Boston. The race where I felt confident and capable all 26.2 miles was Baltimore (Marathon #2). I went out with the 4 hour pace group for the first 10k, then ran my own race for the remainder. I wound up finishing in 3:41 (BQ) with a negative split on a course that is hilly from miles 16-21. Again, I can't stress enough how important it is not to get caught up in the hype at the beginning.

      I hope everything comes together for you on race day! Please update :)

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  4. Thanks for the advice. Will be a game time decision.

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    1. How was it? And how do you feel today?

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    2. Complete and utter disaster!

      I paced perfectly, however. Ran first 10k at 9:23 and first half at 9:25 or so, and felt strong. The "hills" at miles 8 and 10 were nothing. I was thinking 4:05 range no problem, which was my real goal. Then my hips started really hurting and locking up on me around mile 15, which had never happened before. They get tired and weak towards the end of a long run sometimes, but nothing like this. So I slowed down to my long run pace and figured I would just hold on to that until the end. But the pain became too much, and then my calves starting cramping a little probably because my stride was out of whack. The last 9 miles were pure torture, with hips burning. Contemplated taking a DNF a couple of times, but soldiered on by walking the full length of every gatorade/water stop and walking a little bit whenever the pain from running became bad. Chugged two beers at mile 21, and high-fived a lot of kids, and kept trying to run and to convince myself that I didn't have far to go, but my hips had other ideas. Managed to sprint the last 1/3 mile to the finish line after getting an amazing pep talk from a complete stranger, and crossed the finish line at a 7:40 pace, and gave the mayor a high five. Final time was 4:26. Not proud of my time and not proud of simply having finished a marathon, but proud that I finished a marathon by lumbering on thru pain for the final 100 minutes. No exercise until I see an ortho. Suspect acute bursitis, but fearful of some cartilage damage.

      Thanks for your advice and support. Great race btw. Great fan support. I plan on going back and taking another crack at it next year.

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    3. I don't think a 4:26 is a complete and utter disaster by any means for a first marathon. Most of these maiden races are learning experiences. You've never run 26 miles consecutively before so chances are you have no clue how to go about it. Like the rest of us.

      9:23-9:25 pace doesn't sound too aggressive, but I guess it wasn't conservative enough. Your symptoms,the pain and cramping, sound like textbook misjudgment on pace. I think 20 seconds slower would have made a big difference in the end. Your next cycle, you will be even fitter with the advantage of experience under your belt. I'm glad the day after you are eager to do it again. Perseverance is half the battle. Congratulations on becoming a marathoner!

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  5. 4:26 sucked, and it sucked because of how I got it. I didn't bonk. I didn't start out too fast. I had a sore hip after my shake out run the day before, and it started to hurt by mile 14 and to really burn by mile 17. The last 9.2 miles were pure torture. I came real close to quitting at mile 23. I was in shape for a 4:05, and was hoping for a little better. No biggie. I'll get it next year. I'm basically over it already.

    So, I haven't run since Philly, and my hip is just starting to feel better (IT Band inflammation/bursitis), I have a half next saturday. I plan on testing the hip with one short easy run a few days before the race. Am I crazy for running a half three weeks after hurting my hip at a full and without running in between? And if I do run the half (as I probably will), any idea how the legs will feel and how my performance will be impacted by the three week break? I'm fairly new at this btw.

    Thanks

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    1. That's a tough one. The general rule is that the fitness one builds up during training would be lost after two weeks of not running at all. I'm not sure I buy into this completely. I think if you're a naturally healthy, athletic person, you could pick up where you left off.

      I don't think you're crazy running the half. What are your expectations? If possible, I would try to do 4 runs next week before your half next Saturday. Are you hoping to PR? That's possible. If you really thought you were in 4:05 shape, then a PR should be within reach. Your legs will be well rested, but possibly not as limber as if you had been running regularly. Good luck! I think you could knock out a 1:52.

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    2. Don't want to risk running that often as I'm pretty certain that my hip can't handle it yet. My thinking is that everyday that I don't run increases the likelihood that I'll complete the 13.1 pain free next week. I'll do some cross-training instead -- a couple of spin classes and an elliptical workout (which is about as much fun a trip to the dentist).

      My PR from last December is 1:55:37, which is an 8:50 pace. I ran 13 in 1:59:30 on a fast finish long run two weeks before Philly (7 days after my second 20 miler), with the first 7 miles around 9:30 pace, the next 3 around my goal marathon pace, and the final 3 in the low 8:00s (final mile was 8:07). I'm thinking that I'll start around an 8:50 pace and then try to race the final 5k, and take a modest PR, and maybe make a run at that 1:52 if I feel strong. After blowing up at two straight races, I'll be ecstatic with any PR. I tried for a 1:48 at the Hamptons Half a week after Cow Harbor (which was stupid in retrospect as I hadn't fully recovered), on a hot and humid day with a hamstring that was barking on the uphills, and got a bad side stitch at mile 6. When the stitch came back after a short walking break, I blew off racing and waited for a slower friend behind me and paced him to big PR. Knowing that I wasn't going to make my goal at that race, I sacrificed it to get back to training for Philly, and then blew up again at Philly. Hence the frustration I expressed last week.

      Thanks again!

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