The Running Thread -- 2022

[HangWithMerida]

ATTQOTD: Breathe, smile, you can do this.

The smile part is particularly important. The first guided run I listened to was mentioning how Kipchoge was always smiling during his first sub two hours marathon attempt. That forcing yourself to smile when a run was difficult was sending your body into a positive retroaction loop. I confirmed that it does help me during hard intervals and races. My body seems to remember this and starts smiling on its own when running fast

I read a sports psychology article about this very topic. I try to smile at people as I pass them and if I catch myself grimacing or frowning, I’ll make myself smile and think about something happy. It really does help you feel better, somehow lighter on your feet.

 

[JulieODC]

QOTW: I don’t really use a mantra often, but if so, it’s something like “you are strong.”

 

[SheHulk]

ATTQOTD: "Want it NOW."
I am generally perfect in training, never miss a run, motivated to hit my mileage and pace targets. Then I get to the race and it's all out the window. Whenever you are going for a stretch goal, it's going to get uncomfortable. I had a few years there where I always just slowed down once it started to feel bad. I'm especially sensitive to the people around me. If I pass someone who is visibly struggling or loudly complaining, I think to myself, Yeah this is too hard! And then it's game over.
At some point I realized, I have to honor all the work I do leading up to the race and dig in when it really counts (an official race time lol). So I tell myself, You wanted it all year in training, want it NOW when it counts.

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: Breathe, smile, you can do this.

The smile part is particularly important. The first guided run I listened to was mentioning how Kipchoge was always smiling during his first sub two hours marathon attempt. That forcing yourself to smile when a run was difficult was sending your body into a positive retroaction loop. I confirmed that it does help me during hard intervals and races. My body seems to remember this and starts smiling on its own when running fast

I found that during my first half (princess 2022)—I was pretty miserable and dragging heading into Magic Kingdom, but once there were photographers on the course, I started smiling to make sure I didn’t look miserable, and soon, I was less miserable (taking the inserts out of my shoes at the Cinderella photo stop was the final puzzle piece to curing my misery)

 

[sandam1]

ATTQOTD: "Beautiful girl, you can do hard things.

This is my manta! But for me it is "I can do hard things!"

 

[azrivest]

At some point I realized, I have to honor all the work I do leading up to the race and dig in when it really counts (an official race time lol). So I tell myself, You wanted it all year in training, want it NOW when it counts.

I had never thought about it that way but it totally makes sense. I always need a finish line motivator (bling, a PR, a POT, etc.) but that's such a better way of approaching the race experience

 

[SheHulk]

I had never thought about it that way but it totally makes sense. I always need a finish line motivator (bling, a PR, a POT, etc.) but that's such a better way of approaching the race experience

I should say, I'm 90% sure this was Billy's idea not mine. He should hang out a shingle and start a psychiatry practice.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I should say, I'm 90% sure this was Billy's idea not mine. He should hang out a shingle and start a psychiatry practice.

The race is the "Victory lap of training". The training is the hard part. The race is the celebration of all that hard work. Mostly it's about how we can't control some of the aspects of training (primarily the weather). So we do all this training and then when the weather doesn't line up, we beat ourselves up over the race experience. Instead of just accepting what you can't control and celebrating all the hard work you've done to date. The gains you made in training didn't disappear regardless of the outcome of the race. Not all races or race days are created equal.

The other is "If you want it, PROVE IT, by doing what is necessary to get it".

 

[FFigawi]

When I was heading into my first Ironman, my coach knew I viewed covering 140.6 miles in one day as rather daunting. To help me focus and not be terrified of how much I had left to do, she told me to “win the mile you’re in.” I found this very helpful as it kept me in the moment, not thinking about what was left to come and instead on what I was doing at the time.

 

[pluto377]

Race Report- Cow Harbor 10K, Saturday, Sept 17

This is a hometown race for me, so I was very excited to run. Even though I only live about 10 minutes from the start, the parking logistics and the fact that the race starts and ends in completely different places, I still had to get up pretty early. I was parked and on the bus to the start about 1.5 hours before start time. Weather was lovely. Cloudy, 64, 66% humidity.

I tried to relax and sit a bit for the long wait. I was feeling a bit lonely as there were a lot of run clubs and families about. Not many solo runners from what I could tell.

There were definitely not enough port-o-potties and I was still in line when the race started. Luckily I was in wave 13, so I didn't miss my start. They send the waves off every minute.

I find the first 2 miles of this race the most difficult because it starts with a bit of an uphill, then a BIG downhill and then an enormous soul crushing uphill. I lost a lost of time on that big uphill in mile 2. After that, things went pretty well. There was nice crowd support, the views are always pretty and I was in a groove. There was one last uphill right after mile 5, which isn't that huge, but felt like an absolute mountain to me. Once you crest that it's literally all downhill to the finish. I threw my intervals out the window and just tried to cruise down the hill. (My quads are not thanking me today for that!)

This was a good race for me and I'm pleased with my result, but it stings a little to see my places. It's a very competitive race (and was also the USATF 10K Road Nationals this year) so I know it shouldn't really matter, but it's something I struggle with.

Next up- Marathon Weekend!

 

[GuinnessRunner]

ATTQOTD: Varies from day to day and what I am facing at that point, but the one I seem to go to most often is "Can't stop; won't stop; don't stop."

 

[Disney316]

Anybody have advice for running a half much slower than your usual/ possible pace? I'm running a half in 2 weeks with a friend where it will be her first and I agreed to stick with her. She's aiming for a 12:15-12:30 pace, but my typical running pace is around 10:00, sometimes faster (I'm in the midst of training for the full in January and my LR pace is 10:35.) Yesterday I did 9 miles at 12:00 pace and it hurt my legs far more than much longer runs and I got multiple blisters (I'm assuming from a difference in stride, foot strike, etc.). I'm confident I'll be able to finish the half and stick with her, but any tips for making it manageable & less painful for me would be appreciated!

 

[sandam1]

Anybody have advice for running a half much slower than your usual/ possible pace? I'm running a half in 2 weeks with a friend where it will be her first and I agreed to stick with her. She's aiming for a 12:15-12:30 pace, but my typical running pace is around 10:00, sometimes faster (I'm in the midst of training for the full in January and my LR pace is 10:35.) Yesterday I did 9 miles at 12:00 pace and it hurt my legs far more than much longer runs and I got multiple blisters (I'm assuming from a difference in stride, foot strike, etc.). I'm confident I'll be able to finish the half and stick with her, but any tips for making it manageable & less painful for me would be appreciated!

Add in walk breaks! Yes, you will probably have to let her get ahead while you walk and then catch up, but that's probably the best way to do it.

 

[MissLiss279]

Anybody have advice for running a half much slower than your usual/ possible pace? I'm running a half in 2 weeks with a friend where it will be her first and I agreed to stick with her. She's aiming for a 12:15-12:30 pace, but my typical running pace is around 10:00, sometimes faster (I'm in the midst of training for the full in January and my LR pace is 10:35.) Yesterday I did 9 miles at 12:00 pace and it hurt my legs far more than much longer runs and I got multiple blisters (I'm assuming from a difference in stride, foot strike, etc.). I'm confident I'll be able to finish the half and stick with her, but any tips for making it manageable & less painful for me would be appreciated!

I often run at much slower paces with friends (13ish compared to 10/11/12 for my easy paces), so I’m used to it, and not sure I can point to anything too helpful. I like running at the slower pace!

I think the best thing to think about when you are running slower than usual is to keep your cadence up. It might not be as fast as normal, but don’t slow it down too much - try and take shorter strides instead.

 

[mtnmjd]

Race Report- Cow Harbor 10K, Saturday, Sept 17

This is a hometown race for me, so I was very excited to run. Even though I only live about 10 minutes from the start, the parking logistics and the fact that the race starts and ends in completely different places, I still had to get up pretty early. I was parked and on the bus to the start about 1.5 hours before start time. Weather was lovely. Cloudy, 64, 66% humidity.

I tried to relax and sit a bit for the long wait. I was feeling a bit lonely as there were a lot of run clubs and families about. Not many solo runners from what I could tell.

There were definitely not enough port-o-potties and I was still in line when the race started. Luckily I was in wave 13, so I didn't miss my start. They send the waves off every minute.

I find the first 2 miles of this race the most difficult because it starts with a bit of an uphill, then a BIG downhill and then an enormous soul crushing uphill. I lost a lost of time on that big uphill in mile 2. After that, things went pretty well. There was nice crowd support, the views are always pretty and I was in a groove. There was one last uphill right after mile 5, which isn't that huge, but felt like an absolute mountain to me. Once you crest that it's literally all downhill to the finish. I threw my intervals out the window and just tried to cruise down the hill. (My quads are not thanking me today for that!)

This was a good race for me and I'm pleased with my result, but it stings a little to see my places. It's a very competitive race (and was also the USATF 10K Road Nationals this year) so I know it shouldn't really matter, but it's something I struggle with.

Next up- Marathon Weekend!

I did Cow Harbor Saturday as well! I absolutely love (and hate) that race. It is a must do every year for me. I love, and am intimated by the atmosphere with all the professional runners from across the country....despite the fact that will be nowhere near them other than in those crazy port-o-potty lines. Last year we even watched from the school as the first corral took off before heading to our corral. I was wave 13 as well.
Your assessment of this race is spot on. So nice but so brutal. My calves were not happy with me yesterday.

 

[avondale]

QOTD: (Inspired by my a.m. run and by @gosalyn_mallard 's hill challenge)

Do you have any running mantras? I mean, the things you tell yourself while you're out there getting it done, not the "inspirational posters" that you hang on your wall about running in general.

I have not been able to make mantras work for me. I have a couple that I've thought would be good, and I have even had one of those rubber bracelets made with one so I could wear it as a reminder...and nope. Somehow it just seems fake to me, even though I know there is real research on it. If they work for you, then go with it!

 

[Herding_Cats]

I don't know that I'd call them mantras (I have similar feelings about them as @avondale) but when I get to the sucky part of a race I remind myself that my legs are strong, I am DOING this (not "can" but AM), and that I have trained for ____months for this. Just once or twice, then it's time to refocus and get it over with.

 

[cburnett11]

I think the best thing to think about when you are running slower than usual is to keep your cadence up. It might not be as fast as normal, but don’t slow it down too much - try and take shorter strides instead.

@Disney316
This is good advice. I've done 2 WDW marathons with my wife and another one with my daughter. Especially with my wife, when running (we did run/walk), we were going at a much slower pace than I would run on my own. I did my best to shorten my stride, but keep a decent cadence. From what I recall, my feet were more sore after those races vs. my own races. I attribute that to more time on my feet. My cardio was much better, but I did have some different types of soreness. I really really enjoyed running/pacing my wife and daughter and think I'd like to try it as an official pacer someday in a local race. I felt like I was their tour guide, aid station assistant, gel carrier, encourager, conversationalist, anxiety squasher, photographer spotter, and pace keeper. I truly had a blast running with them.

I was fortunate enough to experience my daughter's first marathon and wife's first marathon first-hand. It was fun experiencing it through their eyes/pain much like you would experience Magic Kingdom with someone that had never been there before. I've done 15 marathons, but these 2 first-time experiences are easily in my top 5 most enjoyable/emotional marathons.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

The other is "If you want it, PROVE IT, by doing what is necessary to get it".

Love this!

 

[Bree]

SAFD: My mantra is not family friendly