The Running Thread - 2018

[rteetz]

My question is: is a week sufficient for a half marathon taper? Is it a bad idea to put a 10 miler on my calendar 7 days before my first half? That is the farthest I have run yet, and am fine with that, but I do not have many opportunities to commit 2 hours to running To be precise, I have 3 possible dates, and I am not sure I can stomach the predicted weather for one of those tomorrow. My goal is 'finish and feel good afterwards so I can go to the parks!' so I am not sure the 10 mile run is necessary, but I am more concerned as to it being detrimental.
Thanks for your input!

I don't see why not. A half isn't like a marathon and I feel one week would be sufficient for a half. I think you'll be fine with a 10-miler if you feel comfortable with it.

 

[MissLiss279]

Here are a couple pictures of my doggie, Copper.

 

[DopeyBadger]

is a week sufficient for a half marathon taper?

I usually recommend a 7-14 day taper prior to a HM with the last hard workout being 5-10 days from the race. The hard workout that is at 5 days is usually a lesser hard workout than one that would occur 10 days out. I usually aim to cap the weekend prior's longest duration to 90 min, but most I write are around 60 min (depends on how much taper I'm trying to get from all the training prior).

Is it a bad idea to put a 10 miler on my calendar 7 days before my first half?

Is the 10 miler a race?

If yes - The philosophy I follow is that of Daniels. For every 3k of racing you need 1 day off or easy. So 10 miles of racing would be 16.1 km or 5 days easy/off. I then say it takes roughly 1-2 times the days off/easy to be back in shape to race again. So if taking 5 days off/easy you would need 5-10 additional days to be ready to race again. So after a 10 mile race, you would need roughly 10-15 days before your next race.

If no - It sounds like you're doing the January Disney HM. Which means you've been training up until now. You also mention having done 10 miles previously (assuming recently). So really the question is extended taper vs very short taper then. You're 35 days out roughly. So if this weekend is out, then that leaves 28 days out, 21 days out, 14 days out, and 7 days out. If you could only do one run at 2 hours on those 4 days, then I would rank them as best 14, 21, 28, and 7 as worst. If you went with 21 or 28 days out as the 120 min run, then I'd hope to see at least 75-90 min 14 days out (but honestly even without it you'll survive fine). I'd be the least thrilled with putting the 120 min run on 7 days out just because I view the need for recovery outweighs the gains you'd make from that single run that close to race day.

 

[Wendy98]

My sweet girl:



We do a run/walk almost every day after one kid gets on the bus and before I need to drive my high schooler.. Lately, it has been just a walk because there are too many good things to smell. We usually go 1-2.5 miles. When it’s just a walk, we max out at 20 minutes currently because I am freezing.

 

[PCFriar80]

QOTD: With dog stuff on my mind lately it's only natural that todays question will include your pet. I realize not everyone has a pet, so todays question may not pertain to you. If you have a pet that can, do you take it for runs or walks? If so how far have you gone with it?

Jassie is more of a swimmer, but also likes gardening and watching planes fly over!

 

[FFigawi]

My question is: is a week sufficient for a half marathon taper? Is it a bad idea to put a 10 miler on my calendar 7 days before my first half? That is the farthest I have run yet, and am fine with that, but I do not have many opportunities to commit 2 hours to running To be precise, I have 3 possible dates, and I am not sure I can stomach the predicted weather for one of those tomorrow. My goal is 'finish and feel good afterwards so I can go to the parks!' so I am not sure the 10 mile run is necessary, but I am more concerned as to it being detrimental.
Thanks for your input!

I think a week is fine, but then again, I'm the one who likes a two-week marathon taper instead of the typical three.

 

[avondale]

OK, I couldn't resist joining in, because there haven't been enough cat pictures. These are, in order, Zathras (m), Rascal (m), and Kali (f). They are siblings from the same litter that we got from a rescue organization. Despite the fact that they are siblings and never been separated, they are far from being best friends with each other. They are not interested in running except after the food bowl or interesting bugs that get into the house.

 

[Baloo in MI]

So this week my deferrals for last year’s River Bank Run, 25k and Dexter to Ann Arbor Half came due. Both runs let me push my registration from 2018 to 2019 at no cost do to the injury. So I signed back up for both and have some races now in May and June! Psyched!

 

[Miranda]

Zathras (m)

Does he have a very sad life? (I hope his name is from the show I think it is )

 

[TheHamm]

I don't see why not. A half isn't like a marathon and I feel one week would be sufficient for a half. I think you'll be fine with a 10-miler if you feel comfortable with it.

I usually recommend a 7-14 day taper prior to a HM with the last hard workout being 5-10 days from the race. The hard workout that is at 5 days is usually a lesser hard workout than one that would occur 10 days out. I usually aim to cap the weekend prior's longest duration to 90 min, but most I write are around 60 min (depends on how much taper I'm trying to get from all the training prior).



Is the 10 miler a race?

If yes - The philosophy I follow is that of Daniels. For every 3k of racing you need 1 day off or easy. So 10 miles of racing would be 16.1 km or 5 days easy/off. I then say it takes roughly 1-2 times the days off/easy to be back in shape to race again. So if taking 5 days off/easy you would need 5-10 additional days to be ready to race again. So after a 10 mile race, you would need roughly 10-15 days before your next race.

If no - It sounds like you're doing the January Disney HM. Which means you've been training up until now. You also mention having done 10 miles previously (assuming recently). So really the question is extended taper vs very short taper then. You're 35 days out roughly. So if this weekend is out, then that leaves 28 days out, 21 days out, 14 days out, and 7 days out. If you could only do one run at 2 hours on those 4 days, then I would rank them as best 14, 21, 28, and 7 as worst. If you went with 21 or 28 days out as the 120 min run, then I'd hope to see at least 75-90 min 14 days out (but honestly even without it you'll survive fine). I'd be the least thrilled with putting the 120 min run on 7 days out just because I view the need for recovery outweighs the gains you'd make from that single run that close to race day.

I think a week is fine, but then again, I'm the one who likes a two-week marathon taper instead of the typical three.

Thank you all for the input. Despite my goal of finish, I ‘feel’ like I need to get in more long runs. Based on time constraints I think I will aim for 1.5+ hours next weekend (28 days) and hope family and weather cooperate for another New Year’s Eve. Realistically I can get in the total miles over more days, I am just in panic mode.
Realistically I can walk half of it and still finish with pleny of time, but I think I would be disappointed.

So this week my deferrals for last year’s River Bank Run, 25k and Dexter to Ann Arbor Half came due. Both runs let me push my registration from 2018 to 2019 at no cost do to the injury. So I signed back up for both and have some races now in May and June! Psyched!

I am hoping dexter Ann Arbor has better weather this year. there was nearly a swim section you missed out on!

 

[Baloo in MI]

@TheHamm are you running it this spring? I have run it once before, in 2015 or 16; it rained like crazy almost the whole race! I don’t mind running in the rain, but that year was about my limit. Sounds like I missed a tough one last year. Spring in Michigan...

 

[avondale]

Does he have a very sad life? (I hope his name is from the show I think it is )

Yes, actually, his name turned out to fit him very well. He's always so put-upon and no one has any regard for him. You can see that he has a tough life. And, yes, that is where the name is from.

And then Rascal turned out to be the trouble-maker, so even though we named them at about 6 weeks, they lived up to the names.

 

[FFigawi]

I saw this comic today & thought it was fitting for all the pet owners after the recent discussion here

 

[michigandergirl]

So this week my deferrals for last year’s River Bank Run, 25k and Dexter to Ann Arbor Half came due. Both runs let me push my registration from 2018 to 2019 at no cost do to the injury. So I signed back up for both and have some races now in May and June! Psyched!

Yay! See you at the River Bank Run!!

 

[TheHamm]

@TheHamm are you running it this spring? I have run it once before, in 2015 or 16; it rained like crazy almost the whole race! I don’t mind running in the rain, but that year was about my limit. Sounds like I missed a tough one last year. Spring in Michigan...

I ran the 10k this year. I have not run a half yet (one month!) so I will wait to see if I enjoy the half at WDW before I decide to sign up for another. DX*A2 was my favorite race last year, despite the downpour so unless family obligations preclude it, I will be there for a distance.

 

[kleph]

This week we have the following folks with races:

08 - @evre13 - Kiawah Half Marathon (2:20:00 / N/A)
08 - @KSellers88 - Kiawah Island Marathon (NG / N/A)
08 - @TCB in FLA - Kiawah Half Marathon (NG / N/A)
08 - @Sanchez - Kiawah Half Marathon (1:34:00 / N/A)
08 - @jennamfeo - 12k's of Christmas (1:19:00 / N/A)
08 - @Dis5150 - Casa Half Marathon (2:40:00 / N/A)
08 - @KevM - 12K o’ Christmas (NG / N/A)
09 - @jennamfeo - Scottsdale Half Marathon (2:15:00 / N/A)

Best of luck to each of you this weekend! If you need to revise your goal, please let me know.


I also realized that it's the last month of the 2018 running thread and what a amazing year it has been! We only have a few folks left with runs for December, so if you are running one and would like to add, please let me know.

forgot to add mine. i got an accidental HM PR for the year yesterday.

09 - @kleph - Dallas Half Marathon (NG / 1:59:51)

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

It's only December 10th and I'm tired of winter. The good news is starting today, the sunset is getting later (at least in Lula, GA)! So we are over the hump on the darkest evening of the year.

I spot checked Boston and it looks like Dec 17th is the magic day there.

You can check your location here. Warning: I got an invalid certificate warning when I accessed it.

https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.php

Here's another one that does a month at a time:

https://www.sunrisesunset.com/USA/

 

[KSellers88]

Oh yay, puppy pictures!!! Here are mine, Barkley (golden retriever), Shug (black Pomeranian) and Bo (white Pomeranian). They are all named for Auburn, so I apologize in advance to the other team's fans (Charles Barkley, Shug Jordan and Bo Jackson). Barkley will run with me once he gets full grown, he is currently 11 months and we go on a two mile walk every night. The little dogs get carried more than they walk. LOL.


@LSUlakes, I finished the Kiawah Island Marathon in 4:07:57 this weekend for a 20 minute PR, if you wouldn't mind updating that too please!

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: On my way to work I had a good running question, but Im going to save it for tomorrow now. I somehow managed to pull my back lifting my 20 lbs son out of his car seat and looking for tips and tricks to get this thing back in working order. And gooooo!

ATTQOTD: I'm not enjoying this aging thing.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: On my way to work I had a good running question, but Im going to save it for tomorrow now. I somehow managed to pull my back lifting my 20 lbs son out of his car seat and looking for tips and tricks to get this thing back in working order. And gooooo!

ATTQOTD: I'm not enjoying this aging thing.

ATTOTD: Aging can suck it. Now... if it's a pull, you want to baby it. Resist the urge to stretch it for 24ish hours and let the tissue repair. Ice is good at this point: 20 minutes on, 40 off. If you can apply compression, that's a good idea, but could be a challenge on a back muscle. After about 48 hours, ice is useless and heat is good - same thing: 15-20 mins at a time. A hot shower can be really helpful. Very gentle stretching to start, but nothing crazy, only to the point of pain, then back off. Hang in there!