The Official Thread for Runners

[lambdacoug]

So I've been keeping a spreadsheet with my running stats. I just did some tinkering with the numbers and am surprised at my improvement according to the GPS measurements. I only have data from July 18th as I wasn't using GPS tracking until then.

July Average Pace:     16:52/mile
August Average Pace:   13:41/mile

Beside the fact that I run slower than a grandma with a walker, a 3 minute improvement on my pace is not small. I was thinking that I wasn't really showing much improvement, I guess that's because this 5k to 10k program I'm using is totally kicking my ass. Not bad for a guy that was morbidly obese Thanksgiving 2011.

[OhioBlue]

That's freakin' awesome, AC. Huge improvement. You deserve serious props.

[Pheidippides]

So I've been keeping a spreadsheet with my running stats. I just did some tinkering with the numbers and am surprised at my improvement according to the GPS measurements. I only have data from July 18th as I wasn't using GPS tracking until then.

July Average Pace:     16:52/mile
August Average Pace:   13:41/mile

Beside the fact that I run slower than a grandma with a walker, a 3 minute improvement on my pace is not small. I was thinking that I wasn't really showing much improvement, I guess that's because this 5k to 10k program I'm using is totally kicking my ass. Not bad for a guy that was morbidly obese Thanksgiving 2011.

Nice job! When I first started running my paces were similar; keep running and losing weight and you'll keep seeing great improvement I bet.

[The_Douger]

I'm running a half marathon in 9 days. I've been running since mid Feb. I run about 11 minute miles over this time, sometimes when I've been doing longer runs I'll take 12 minutes. I generally struggle through my first two miles, get in to a decent pace and do fine after that. I was about 310 initially and I'm down to 275. Shooting for 230. I'm 6'4 and built thick.

I can easily run 4-5 miles regularly at this point. I've done an 8 mile run and a 9 mile run on consecutive Saturdays. I should do a 10 miler this weekend. I don't get knee pain and stuff like that, so I'm pretty happy with how it's gone for me.

I can usually run 5-6 miles without needing to drink a bunch, and I usually do loops and run past my house and get a drink inside and continue running after that.

I've never run a race before. Should I eat something on race day before the race? I usually run late at night and haven't done many runs in the am previously. I've been practicing running downhill because this is the Nebo run and it's mostly downhill. I'm shooting for 2:15.

Any tips appreciated.

[Pheidippides]

I've never run a race before. Should I eat something on race day before the race? I usually run late at night and haven't done many runs in the am previously. I've been practicing running downhill because this is the Nebo run and it's mostly downhill. I'm shooting for 2:15.

Any tips appreciated.

Yes, but make it a little bit bland, and only if you've practiced eating before running (I'd start now if you haven't already). Also, cowboy gave me a great tip: a couple of imodium AD before night before helps with nervous GI distress.

I'd also practice drinking from a cup while moving, and grabbing paper cups. Key tip: grab it from the top, not around the sides (think fingers in the cup, thumb out) and then pinch before you drink. Then dump and swallow. It ain't pretty but it's fast.

And make sure to start out SLOW on race day (please remind me of this in six weeks). Use the first mile to warm up, bank time thereafter. I am a major believer in negative split even though I have yet to do them in a marathon.

Going downhill, make sure to keep cadence high and steps short. Let gravity carry you, and make your legs keep up.

YMMV, though. The above works for me.

[bluegoose]

Runners World opens up a can of worms this afternoon on their FB feed.

They state that Paul Ryan recently reported running a sub-3:00 marathon, not giving any more details other than "Two Fifty-something".

They then went on a hunt to verify this and cannot, as of yet, find any evidence of an official race time. So they've opened it up to their readers to help with the fact checking.

http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/08/31/paul-ryan-says-hes-run-sub-300-marathon/?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-News-_-PaulRyan

As of this moment, no official results have been found.

[Moliere]

Had a crappy run this morning. I guess I was due. I wanted to get in 5 miles, but at mile 3 I was done. It didn't help that I started 2 hours later than usual as it was already 85 degrees and still very humid. After 3 miles I walked a bit then ran 1.25 more miles then walked the rest in. I got in 5 miles, but almost 1 mile was walking.

I guess it also didn't help that I got 4 hours of sleep (thanks BYU football!) and ate crappy food last night. Here's to hoping the temps go down soon.

[Pheidippides]

Runners World opens up a can of worms this afternoon on their FB feed.

They state that Paul Ryan recently reported running a sub-3:00 marathon, not giving any more details other than "Two Fifty-something".

They then went on a hunt to verify this and cannot, as of yet, find any evidence of an official race time. So they've opened it up to their readers to help with the fact checking.

http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/08/31/paul-ryan-says-hes-run-sub-300-marathon/?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-News-_-PaulRyan

As of this moment, no official results have been found.

Dude looks like he could do it, but don't lie about the times! Anybody check athlinks yet?

[Pheidippides]

Had a crappy run this morning. I guess I was due. I wanted to get in 5 miles, but at mile 3 I was done. It didn't help that I started 2 hours later than usual as it was already 85 degrees and still very humid. After 3 miles I walked a bit then ran 1.25 more miles then walked the rest in. I got in 5 miles, but almost 1 mile was walking.

I guess it also didn't help that I got 4 hours of sleep (thanks BYU football!) and ate crappy food last night. Here's to hoping the temps go down soon.

My run sucked too this am. Horrid weather.

[ERCougar]

Dude looks like he could do it, but don't lie about the times! Anybody check athlinks yet?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/01/paul-ryan-marathon-time_n_1848715.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Wow. You know, cuz a 4+ hour marathon is pretty much the same thing.

So stupid. Like someone's not going to check that?

[Pheidippides]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...comm_ref=false

Wow. You know, cuz a 4+ hour marathon is pretty much the same thing.

So stupid. Like someone's not going to check that?

Yeah, as a runner that runs around a 4 hour marathon (hoping to do much better in a month!), I totally can drop it down to a 2:50 marathon whenever.

[Coach McGuirk]

2012 Disneyland Half Marathon

Okay Lets start with some "back" story. I trained very hard for this race. Did a lot of hill training and put in legit work. On thursday I woke up with a twinge in my lower back, didn't feel great, but nothing I haven't felt before. Thursday at the BYU game sitting there for a while, it was bugging. Woke up early to head to Diz and by the end of the 9.5 hour drive, my back was locked up and causing pain into my left leg. Bad stuff.

I stretched and stretched all day saturday but it wasn't looking good. went to bed and woke up this morning at 4. Pain was gone from my leg, back was still tight, but I could move. stretched some more and headed to the starting line.

Mile 1 - 9:09

Felt good. Got off to a clean start and got in a good grove. Headed to the side walk to clear traffic.

Mile 2 - 9:21

Hey, I just past Jeff Galloway. No Freaking way!! I am awesome or I am running too fast. Oh well keep on keeping on. Ran through Radiator Springs. Awesome.



Mile 3 - 9:05

Now through Diz. Really pumped. feeling good. lots of hills through diz, more than I remember. Through the castle, through tomorrow land, out the back of toon town and on to the road again.

Mile 4 - 9:30

There's my wife cheering me on! Was going to switch headphones, but if I hold my phone, it works okay. Up the i-5 and chug on. Feel pretty good and back is holding up.

Mile 5 - 9:17

This is the boring part, just up and down streets until mile 8 gotta hold on through the boredom. There is a nice butt, follow her!

Mile 6 - 9:46

Have to using a porta potty bad! but I don't have the extra time here, just gonna have to hold. hold. hold.

Mile 7 - 9:23

Quick stop at the medical tent to grab some ibuprofen. Wow these are the coolest cars I have ever seen. Old Rolls Royce, woodys, Model Ts, Mustangs (really nice 64 1/2 convertable, corvettes. A really entertaining mile.

Mile 8 - 9:57

Wish we would get to Angels Stadium already.

Mile 9 - 9:30

Honda Center, Santa Ana river trail, running on the dirt is a little relief from the grind. I can see the Big A. Yahoo!

Mile 10 - 10:27

Into the stadium. I know my time is gonna suffer, but I have always walked through the hallowed grounds of Angels Stadium. Will just have to make up for it. Okay, back to hauling ass!

Mile 11 - 9:41

Man, I never should have walked, having a hard time getting back up to speed and my back is tightening back up. Under 2 hours is long gone, but I still have a chance at 2:05. Just keep swimming.

Mile 12 - 10:10

The straightest and most boring part of the course. Only you and your will and mine is failing me. My mind is telling me yes, but my body. my body is telling me no!

Mile 13 - 9:56

Breath and stop. Give it what you got. and all I got was a 10 mile pace. Still kicking myself for slowing down back on mile 10. Idiot.

Mile .1 or really .2 - 8:47 pace

Where is the family? Don't see them. Oh well push man, push!

Finish line. Officially - 2:07:04
13.1 - 2:06:17

Personal record for a half marathon and for the course. Really really pleased.

Now for the bad.

Disney is slacking. The pre race swag bag contained a shirt and a mini clif bar and nothing else. I was pissed since they raised the price by $25. The expo was smaller than ever and they didn't have squat, no where near the D world expo and not up to diz past years. After the race food goodies, they switched to a hand out box of pre packaged crap instead of getting to choose and they also switched to mini bottles of powerade instead of full. Disney is getting cheap and it really ticked me off.


Looking forward to my first marathon at D-world this January!

[Pheidippides]

2012 Disneyland Half Marathon

Okay Lets start with some "back" story. I trained very hard for this race. Did a lot of hill training and put in legit work. On thursday I woke up with a twinge in my lower back, didn't feel great, but nothing I haven't felt before. Thursday at the BYU game sitting there for a while, it was bugging. Woke up early to head to Diz and by the end of the 9.5 hour drive, my back was locked up and causing pain into my left leg. Bad stuff.

I stretched and stretched all day saturday but it wasn't looking good. went to bed and woke up this morning at 4. Pain was gone from my leg, back was still tight, but I could move. stretched some more and headed to the starting line.

Mile 1 - 9:09

Felt good. Got off to a clean start and got in a good grove. Headed to the side walk to clear traffic.

Mile 2 - 9:21

Hey, I just past Jeff Galloway. No Freaking way!! I am awesome or I am running too fast. Oh well keep on keeping on. Ran through Radiator Springs. Awesome.



Mile 3 - 9:05

Now through Diz. Really pumped. feeling good. lots of hills through diz, more than I remember. Through the castle, through tomorrow land, out the back of toon town and on to the road again.

Mile 4 - 9:30

There's my wife cheering me on! Was going to switch headphones, but if I hold my phone, it works okay. Up the i-5 and chug on. Feel pretty good and back is holding up.

Mile 5 - 9:17

This is the boring part, just up and down streets until mile 8 gotta hold on through the boredom. There is a nice butt, follow her!

Mile 6 - 9:46

Have to using a porta potty bad! but I don't have the extra time here, just gonna have to hold. hold. hold.

Mile 7 - 9:23

Quick stop at the medical tent to grab some ibuprofen. Wow these are the coolest cars I have ever seen. Old Rolls Royce, woodys, Model Ts, Mustangs (really nice 64 1/2 convertable, corvettes. A really entertaining mile.

Mile 8 - 9:57

Wish we would get to Angels Stadium already.

Mile 9 - 9:30

Honda Center, Santa Ana river trail, running on the dirt is a little relief from the grind. I can see the Big A. Yahoo!

Mile 10 - 10:27

Into the stadium. I know my time is gonna suffer, but I have always walked through the hallowed grounds of Angels Stadium. Will just have to make up for it. Okay, back to hauling ass!

Mile 11 - 9:41

Man, I never should have walked, having a hard time getting back up to speed and my back is tightening back up. Under 2 hours is long gone, but I still have a chance at 2:05. Just keep swimming.

Mile 12 - 10:10

The straightest and most boring part of the course. Only you and your will and mine is failing me. My mind is telling me yes, but my body. my body is telling me no!

Mile 13 - 9:56

Breath and stop. Give it what you got. and all I got was a 10 mile pace. Still kicking myself for slowing down back on mile 10. Idiot.

Mile .1 or really .2 - 8:47 pace

Where is the family? Don't see them. Oh well push man, push!

Finish line. Officially - 2:07:04
13.1 - 2:06:17

Personal record for a half marathon and for the course. Really really pleased.

Now for the bad.

Disney is slacking. The pre race swag bag contained a shirt and a mini clif bar and nothing else. I was pissed since they raised the price by $25. The expo was smaller than ever and they didn't have squat, no where near the D world expo and not up to diz past years. After the race food goodies, they switched to a hand out box of pre packaged crap instead of getting to choose and they also switched to mini bottles of powerade instead of full. Disney is getting cheap and it really ticked me off.


Looking forward to my first marathon at D-world this January!

You nailed this race - I was watching your splits the entire way on the website, and was really happy to see you finish in a good time. (My dad also had a great race, although some 30 minutes behind you).

Disappointed to hear about the swag bag. Disney can't get cheap here - that's what makes the race great. The fees are already the highest around.

Time like that ought to give you a pretty nice starting corral for the D-World Full. Love that race - great pick for a first marathon. See you there.

[Bo Diddley]

I'm learning how to run--all over again.

I was having knee pain this year, so I went to physical therapy. The first thing they did was put me on a treadmill, and then filmed me running. Apparently I was doing it all wrong.

My strides were too slow and long. I stretched my stride out, and hit on the heel of my foot. It was too open as well. Apparently you're supposed to cross-over in your stride, and you should have overlap on where your big toes hit.

So I've been learning to take a shorter stride, hitting mid-foot, at a higher tempo (180 bpm), with my stride crossing-over. It's not natural to change your stride after so many years of running wrong. But it actually does feel more efficient.

[Joe Public]

2012 Disneyland Half Marathon

I was there, Coach! I guess that means I've missed you twice in one year. Nice run; I enjoyed the write-up.

This was my first time at the race. I'd already knocked out the farther half of the Coast-to-Coast Challenge, so I thought this would be a fun, supported training run on the path to Saint George.

My plan was to keep close to my 9:00/mile training pace during the run. There's something about race day, though, with the pack of runners, the crowd, the music, etc. Starting in the first group made a huge difference from January; we were out of the gates right away and didn't have packs of walkers to dodge.

I kept at a shade over 9:00 for the first mile, but I felt pretty good. I decided to take a tempo run approach and allow myself a little faster pace for a couple of three-mile segments during the race. I figured that would be somewhere in the 8:30/mile to 8:20/mile range.

Well, I found my muse and away I went. Breathing felt relaxed. My legs were unaccustomed to the faster pace but were just on the good side of getting heavy. I had good energy, which surprised me for having slept four hours the night before, and I was high-fiving the Boy Scouts and cheering for the pep bands.

Running through the park was fun. I'm not one to go to Disneyland unless I'm taking little kids (NTTAWWT), but even I found the new Cars Land to be impressive. I also enjoyed running through the stadium.

I looked at my watch a couple of times, saw that I was below where I wanted to be, but just kept going because I was feeling good. I decided to go kind of hard - for me - for the last mile (7:12 mile for Mile 13) and finish strong.

PR! I didn't expect to do it, especially at a Disney race, but I'm thrilled. I had a top 500 finish and a sub-8:00 average pace. Maybe I'll have recovery issues during the next bit of my marathon training, but I won't mind if I do. Today was a blast.