The Running Thread - 2019

[flav]

Something new happened to me recently: Someone offered me her bib that would have otherwise have gone to waste. I said yes without hesitation, knowing that it was two weeks before my next Half! We did the official transfer online. So, when you have time, @LSUlakes , could you please add:
May 26 - @flav - Ottawa Tamarack Half-Marathon (NG/NA)

And let us know when you feel like tackling January 2020!

 

[Wendy98]

I am back from Boston--actually flew home the same night. I have been overwhelmed by all the things "that can wait until Boston's over", mainly my kids, since I have been home.

Boston was just as awesome as it ever is, especially since it wasn't the arctic apocalypse of weather like last year. I was so convinced that I would be wearing long sleeves that I really didn't bring warm weather racing clothes. I always have something for when I go to the gym or maybe a quick run and it's warm, so that is what I ended up wearing. It was raining when I was getting dressed in the morning and I purposely left my sunglasses behind since I knew I wouldn't need them. Nope, ended up warm and SUNNY! I love warm races so I was happy and it brings out so many more spectators. It was a 26.2 mile party all the way to Boston.

I had no idea what to expect from myself. I have spent nearly a month doing the elliptical and pool running, sneaking in the occasional short, slow run. I went out at the start not really paying attention to my pace. Hamstring and glutes were a little cranky, but fortunately not much action from my back. I was feeling OK. It was no PR pace, but still a decent effort. I knew I could probably eek out 15-16 miles before things really started hurting. Around 8-9 miles, one hamstring really was hurting and I got a little scared because I knew I couldn't hang on for the rest of the race with that pain. I kept going and it faded--not sure if it faded or if the endorphins were doing a super good job covering it up.

This was my 6th time running Boston and I really know and love this course. I broke it into chunks, mostly into different cities--get to Natick, then get to Wellesley, then Newton, look for Citgo, enjoy the last mile (except there were probably 20 more segments in my head). The hills weren't terrible--I've always said that I have run worse hills in Cincinnati. I was feeling the heat some and had been dumping water down my neck every other water stop. People were definitely slowing at the hills. I had slowed down by this point--so many things were hurting. Mainly my hamstrings had had enough and my left foot was really hurting. It felt like my shoe was 2 sizes too small. I wore the 4% that I have run 2 marathons in, but it hurt more this time. I had a hot spot on my arch that I didn't examine until right before bed--big blister. Left big toenail got most of it and will eventually fall off. I was trying to keep the pace steady and mentally counting down EVERY mile after 21. My last 3 miles were my slowest--just going through the motions to get it done. Then there is the most glorious of glorious running moments: right on Hereford, left on Boylston. This is why I come back every year. It is the greatest stretch of running. The finish line is always further than you think, probably a little over 1/3 of a mile. The roar of the crowd is deafening. I actually started thinking about where to end up on the finish line so I had a clear pic not blocked by someone else. Not sure why (I assume it was a medical reason), but they were telling runners to head to the right side. I crossed the finish line with an official time of 3:12:37. I am very content with that. I was hoping to not be over 3:30. When I made it to the half in 1:33, I wanted to be below 3:20 which would be easy unless I had a major catastrophe. Then I started playing runner's math in my head and I knew less than 3:15 would be possible. I thought I would hit 3:13, so was happy to see 3:12.

Here are some highlights (sorry for oversharing):


Expo and bib pick up. It was solid craziness on Saturday.


Pics at the finish line.


What did I do the day before a marathon? A brewery tour.



So many layers--I was not going to get cold like last year! My best move was bringing my race shoes separately and wearing an old pair of shoes to toss. It was a freaking muddy mess!


It was painful and sucked at times, but I loved it and enjoyed most of it.




Finish line pics.





The glasses were given to me by the volunteer who gave me my medal. Most people stop at the first person they see, but I like to choose my medal person. She was wearing these glasses and I told her I liked them. She insisted that I have them!



I get my pic here every year as long as it isn't a monsoon.



Since I can only post 10 pics, I will continue...

 

[Wendy98]

Last few pics, I promise:



Celebratory drink and lunch before heading to the airport.



First class, row one on the flight home. My legs were so happy to not take more steps than necessary.



In case you are interested, race splits:

 

[LdyStormy76]

Traveling this week, so a few days behind.

Tuesday QOTD: most of the world before the European explorers screwed it up. Africa for the animals and culture. Galgolpouis Islands for the animals. North American Plains and Pacific Northwest. Antarctica and the North Pole. Australia. The Great Wall. The Taj.

 

[garneska]

@Wendy98 Fantastic job on the race and the trip report. I am so excited. Your pics are great so glad the weather was better this year.

 

[Jules76126]

@Wendy98 Congrats on finishing another Boston. I am glad that the weather worked out better this year for all the runners.

 

[jmasgat]

So can I do the QOTD for today. I'm selfish.....

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

I am home and feeling crappy about Boston. I didn't enjoy it and I had to walk a bunch, which for me means it wasn't a race. (Just for me. I respect everyone/every pace when it comes to racing.)

I bought merchandise, and if it wasn't for the fact that I wore the jacket and spilled on it, I would put it and the sweater on Ebay.

It's beyond disappointment. I really am questioning why I should bother training for anything anymore.

Anyone have any strategies?

 

[IamTrike]

So can I do the QOTD for today. I'm selfish.....

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

I am home and feeling crappy about Boston. I didn't enjoy it and I had to walk a bunch, which for me means it wasn't a race. (Just for me. I respect everyone/every pace when it comes to racing.)

I bought merchandise, and if it wasn't for the fact that I wore the jacket and spilled on it, I would put it and the sweater on Ebay.

It's beyond disappointment. I really am questioning why I should bother training for anything anymore.

Anyone have any strategies?

I'm a pragmatist so if I have a really bad race, I tried to figure out what went wrong. Usually it boils down to my expectations being of alignment with the training that I've done for that race and the actual weather conditions on race day. During the Tobacco Road Marathon several years ago I wound up going out to fast, and getting dehydrated and then had GI issues. The last half of the marathon was awful. I took some time to relax and then scheduled another race far enough out that I had time to train for it, and went into that race with no time goal. It gave me a chance to start training again knowing that my goal was to enjoy the next race and not hit a certain time goal.

Ohh and personally I think finishing a sucky race can be more challenging than finishing a race where everything just seems to be going great. I'd keep the Boston stuff. Just because you didn't have the race you wanted, doesn't mean you didn't keep relentlessly moving forward.

 

[rteetz]

How do you get over a bad race?

I would say I’ve been more or less lucky in that I’ve never really had a truly bad race. I’ve only mostly run Disney races and maybe the worst of those would be this years marathon because of the temperature or wine and dine 2018 because of some knee pain. I still had a ton of fun both times though.

I think maybe taking a bit of a break after a bad race can do you good. Reset a bit. Look at smaller races to help get you back to where you want to be.

 

[camaker]

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

Anyone have any strategies?

Sorry you had a bad race at Boston @jmasgat! I definitely understand where you're coming from, as I had a similar disappointing experience at Chicago last year. It takes so much time, energy and effort to train for these marathons that having the event at the end go sideways is demoralizing and frustrating. To deal with the disappointment and move past it, I suggest a step-wise approach:

1. Take some time to mourn. It's OK to be upset about how things went and be down about it.
2. Once you've had some time to get over the initial "in the moment" disappointment and mourning, take some time analyzing what went wrong. Why didn't you have the race you wanted? Were the circumstances in your control (too little training, wrong training focus, non-ideal training cycle) or out of your control (weather, uncontrollable/unforeseeable factors). Let this guide you to the reason why you had a disappointing race. Did you do the best you could on race day given adverse conditions or were you not ready to perform because your training or other preparation didn't support your expectations?
3. Hopefully, the answers to 2. will give you both a path to acceptance of your result and a pathway to avoidance/improvement in the future. If circumstances were beyond your control, then accept them and come to terms with the fact that you did the best that you could, given those circumstances and be proud of what you did. If there were flaws in your training or preparation, then you have a decision to make. You hopefully will have found the root cause for the disappointment. Then you have to decide whether it's worth the effort and energy to fix those flaws for the next race.
4. Given the results of your analysis, put another race on your calendar. Set your sights on either fixing the flaws you've found or hoping for better conditions on race day that are more conducive to your goals. It's better to have a new goal and plan to start working positively on than to sit and let the disappointment fester. It can feel a bit helpless and rudder-less not having a goal to fix the issues. Keep moving forward!

 

[dis_or_dat]

@jmasgat - I'm so sorry you feel this way! Powering through a bad race is so hard and you did an amazing job. So many people try for years to get into Boston, so that's an accomplishment just in itself. I'm a huge pessimist so will give myself all the excuses to not run a good race beforehand, but if I'm unable to maintain pace I really beat myself up and it becomes a vicious cycle. Perhaps this isn't the best way to get over things, but as a negative person, misery loves company. I've been reading Boston recaps and many people have been saying they cramped up pretty bad this year and the humidity really got to them. Someone said they saw people getting help crossing the finish line and some needed medical care at the end. One person literally crawled to the finish line because he refused help.

That said, a mental victory is the hardest won and you did it!

 

[PrincessV]

So can I do the QOTD for today. I'm selfish.....

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

I am home and feeling crappy about Boston. I didn't enjoy it and I had to walk a bunch, which for me means it wasn't a race. (Just for me. I respect everyone/every pace when it comes to racing.)

I bought merchandise, and if it wasn't for the fact that I wore the jacket and spilled on it, I would put it and the sweater on Ebay.

It's beyond disappointment. I really am questioning why I should bother training for anything anymore.

Anyone have any strategies?

First, I'm sorry it was such a sucky race for you. I felt very much as you describe after my first long distance race, which was really unpleasant due to injury that came with a LOT of pain and totally altered how I thought things would go. I think I got past it mostly by complaining a lot coupled with the fact that I had to take time off to heal - and I really missed running during that time.

That was years ago and my view has changed a lot since then. I had a pretty unpleasant WDW Marathon this year and I was mostly accepting of it within a few miles of when things went south. I think what's different is that I know how much I love running, and I've experienced bad races and saw that it didn't change how I felt about the sport. So this time, my attitude was, "Whatever: it's just not my day. At least I get to run at all." It's a bit of a mantra for me: I get to run. I don't have to; I get to. I did spend some time later trying to ID what went wrong and if it was anything I could control going forward, but I just didn't dwell on it because I still get to run, even after a lousy race.

 

[AntimonyER]

ATTQOTD: I may not have a bad race yet to give advice, but that may change here soon, as my training since I got the flu two weeks ago has been terrible. As is the case EVERY time I get the cold or flu, I am still fighting off bronchitis, and that combined with the much warmer temps of late, my training runs have been slow, and draining. And of course the weather predictions (granted we are still 9 days out, so can change) for the race is warm and humid. I am trying hard not to let it become a self-fulfilling prophecy, because its easy to do.

That being said, your bad race was the Boston Marathon. To get there, you have to be able to run a really good race. Perhaps reflect on the fact that you have proven yourself already just to get there, and so it is time to do it again, and show it was just a fluke.

 

[Barca33Runner]

ATTQOTD: My expectations going into every race are pretty much that my legs will stop working after four or five steps, so it’s pretty much all gravy after that. Since I’ve finished every race there’s never really been an ultimate disappointment.

I have felt bad about my prep a lot. Like, basically all the time a lot. At some point I hope to be good enough and to have prepared properly so as to have a right to some disappointment.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

For me, it depends. Did I have a bad race because of something that I could have prevented? If so, I beat myself up and vow to never make those mistakes again. If I was properly prepared and just had a bad day, I don't give it any thought at all.

When you have been running as long as I have you come to understand that you are a different person every day that you walk out the door. With respect running, some days will be amazing, and some days will suck - and this is often completely unpredictable. I have gone out the door when exhausted and run effortlessly. I have gone out the door feeling great and fully rested and had horrible runs.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD:

Sorry you had a bad race at Boston @jmasgat! I definitely understand where you're coming from, as I had a similar disappointing experience at Chicago last year....

I was formulating an answer in my head, but I can't say it any better than @camaker

 

[TheHamm]

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

I have few races that have gone according to plan, none as much of a commitment as you getting to Boston. I address my disappointment much like @camaker details
(1) I get to be disappointed. But not so irritated and moody that it makes me unpleasant to be around. I've done that and it makes it worse.
(2) I need space. in general taking a break after a race is good for me, but I need to fill that space with something else I enjoy or I just sulk some more that I am not out there working to be the better runner I do not think I will be.
(3) I want to know what went wrong, and decide what I could have controlled or not. Sometimes this is enough, but usually not.
(4) I want to know what went right. I did not show up at a race on accident, I did some planning, and I need to acknowledge the work I did.
(5) I always remind myself that this was my idea, and that not everyone has the opportunity I do. My body lets me continue another day, and if I remembered the conditional of point 1 my family will let me try again if I want to.
(6) I keep deciding I do want to and find a new date for the calendar.

I think you worked hard to get to your race. I think you completed the race, even if it is not how you wanted. I hope in the future the sweater and jacket are a reminder of the things that went well on the way to the finish line.

 

[cavepig]

Awesome run @Wendy98 thanks for sharing!

So can I do the QOTD for today. I'm selfish.....

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

I am home and feeling crappy about Boston. I didn't enjoy it and I had to walk a bunch, which for me means it wasn't a race. (Just for me. I respect everyone/every pace when it comes to racing.)

I bought merchandise, and if it wasn't for the fact that I wore the jacket and spilled on it, I would put it and the sweater on Ebay.

It's beyond disappointment. I really am questioning why I should bother training for anything anymore.

Anyone have any strategies?

I'm so sorry you feel this way, but you finished. I don't race a lot or have help really, but going way back to high school cross country I had some stinkers, some I threw teenage tantrums because I didn't do well, I cried a lot, but basically I learned one season to let being down about a race go soon after. I was a minute off my goal in Jan for the marathon, I know I could have beat it if, if only if. It's okay to feel down about it, but after a few days look at what you have done in running and what you can do to improve to not have that crappy feeling again. One race doesn't define you as a runner. Sometimes the crappy races that didn't feel like racing are the ones that make you stronger and want to get back out there and prove to yourself what you can do. Look at the jacket as motivation

 

[avondale]

So can I do the QOTD for today. I'm selfish.....

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

ATTQOTD: A couple of things I do. First, as others have said, I try to figure out why the race didn't go like I wanted? Training not there? Didn't get enough sleep? Nutrition/hydration? Etc. Then I plan how to fix that for the future. (Educator nerdiness: this is part of the "growth mindset" - looking at a setback or bad result as a challenge to improve for the future.)

Second: This is newer for me. I try to do this even during races when things aren't going too well...put it in perspective. I am or was out there running X miles. How many people out there don't bother to trying to do something like that? How many people can't do something like that, even if they wanted to, due to various physical, mental, or other challenges? I know I'm not the sort of person to sign up for a race, never train, and then expect big things. So that means that I put a lot of effort into it - how many people do that? I will say that this doesn't always work so well for me, but I am trying to focus on the positive that way.

Third: It helps that I have a lot of non-runner family and friends who are impressed by my results no matter how I do, so I will admit that that is a ego-booster. When I try to explain why I thought it was a "bad race", they look at me like I'm crazy, because they can't even imagine doing it.

@jmasgat , hope you start feeling better about it soon. Maybe you need to also try something a little different? A trail race? Or relay? Or something to get you more interested again.

 

[FFigawi]

So can I do the QOTD for today. I'm selfish.....

QOTD: How do you get over a bad race?

I am home and feeling crappy about Boston. I didn't enjoy it and I had to walk a bunch, which for me means it wasn't a race. (Just for me. I respect everyone/every pace when it comes to racing.)

I bought merchandise, and if it wasn't for the fact that I wore the jacket and spilled on it, I would put it and the sweater on Ebay.

It's beyond disappointment. I really am questioning why I should bother training for anything anymore.

Anyone have any strategies?

You need to give yourself longer than three days to process what happened. I view getting over a terribly disappointing race as kind of a grieving process. When we're so excited for something we've worked so hard for, be it a race, a new job, or whatever, it can be crushing emotionally if things don't turn out as expected, and it takes time to get over the feelings of disappointment and even despair. Give yourself plenty of time to feel sad and despondent about your race. Don't try to rush back into feeling happy or looking forward to more training and races because you think that's what you're supposed to do.