The Running Thread - 2016

[LSUfan4444]

QOTD: What are you most proud of doing running wise in 2016?

Awesome!

 

[LSUfan4444]

#1: Running 18 miles at a 9-9:30 pace around the Dubai Marina in 90+ degree weather with 98% humidity. This is the run after which I knew I could knock out the IMFL marathon.

#1a: IMFL marathon in 4:35
#1b: Beach to Beacon 10k in 55 minutes including stopping for a beer with friends halfway through

I was in GREAT shape at IMFLA...I needed to run a 4:20 or better to go under 11 hours and ran the first half pretty conservatively then it all fell apart. Blood sugar dropped and it took about 10 miles ot get right again. Had I known it was going to take me that long I probably would have just chugged 20oz of cola but a sip here and a sip there just took too long for me to feel "normal" again. Limped it on in for a 4:52 marathon and 11:36 overall.

Congrats on a great race!

 

[jhorstma]

QOTD: What are you most proud of doing running wise in 2016?

ATTQOTD: I had such high hopes for this year, but for various reason a lot of it did not happen. I think my proudest moment was finishing the WDW Marathon in January. It is truly a race like no other.

ATTQOTD: Signing up for my 2nd marathon, knowing how freakishly long/hard the first one was. Maybe this next one will be easier...

 

[LSUfan4444]

QOTD: What are you most proud of doing running wise in 2016?

A big goal of mine this year was to improve across all distances and at the age of 40 I PR'ed a 5K (21:08), 10K (41:53) and half marathon (1:36). In two weeks at the age of 41 I'll give my best and try to PR the full marathon (3:54 or better)
.

 

[Chaitali]

I'm proud of PR'ing in the 5k, 10k and half marathon distances this year but I think I'm most proud of convincing 2 friends to train for their first half marathons with me! They've both kept running and one of them did 2 half marathons this year and the other did 3.

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: I am so proud of myself for signing up for my first marathon then sticking with the training and dedication involved in getting ready for it. I skipped some races I really wanted to do because they didn't fit with my training schedule. If you had told me last year at this time that I would be where I am right now, getting ready to run an actual marathon next weekend, I would have laughed in your face!

Side note: This page and all of you are so awesome! I feel I would have quit numerous times if not for advice and feedback on here. No one in my immediate/local family understands my running so it is wonderful to have a place to come and talk, vent and ask questions. So thanks y'all!

 

[camaker]

QOTD: What are you most proud of doing running wise in 2016?.

Completing my first marathon as part of Goofy at 2016 WDWMW.

 

[FFigawi]

I'm loving the Garmin I bought earlier this month -- and am wondering whether you all pay closer attention to average pace or average moving pace? The two paces are pretty different -- I do run/walk intervals, so not sure if that factors in -- but am generally not stopping during a run.

I pay attention to lap pace and instantaneous pace while I am running, in addition to heart rate. All the rest I don't bother with until the run has been uploaded into Training Peaks.

 

[PCFriar80]

QOTD: What are you most proud of doing running wise in 2016?

"Getting back on the horse again" in October. After a broken left arm in May, and rotator cuff/bicep tear surgery on my right shoulder in July I thought I would never run again. Slowly but surely I began again in mid October and am winding down on my accelerated training plan for the half marathon in 10 days. I have only been able to max out with a 9 mile run but feel that should be enough to get me across the finish line!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

I would like to think that this thread has played some part of helping each of us in some way to achieving our goals and I hope it continues to do so.

I think this is very true- for me at least!

 

[DopeyBadger]

QOTD: What are you most proud of doing running wise in 2016?

-Conquering the 2016 Wisconsin Marathon. This race in 2015 was a watershed moment for me and the moment my entire running career changed. In 2015, I had aspirations of breaking 4 hours for the first time. It was my 5th marathon, but ended up being my worst finishing time of 4:58:53. It was a devastating blow to my lifetime goals, including qualifying for Boston and a sub 3 hour marathon. At that point, it became a decision to hang it up or try something new. That's the moment I came up with my running motto, "If you want it, PROVE IT, by doing what is necessary to get it." I returned in 2016 to run the same race again with full intentions of destroying it. I ran it in 3:28:35 cutting about 90 minutes (or a 30% drop) in overall time. I went from the 75% percentile down to the 11% percentile. And this was in downright brutal wind conditions with a sustained North wind from Mile 19-26.2 of ~30 miles per hour. Here's the full recap.

-If all goes to plan, hitting 2,500 running miles on December 31st for the 2016 year. My goal in 2016 was to run 2,016 miles. It wasn't something I was actively striving for and wouldn't change up the necessities of my training to hit, but was something I wanted to see if I could get to.

2016 saw me break the following PRs:

5k - 21:49 on 1/7/16
10k - 44:57 on 1/8/16, then 44:31 on 6/18/16
HM (during marathon race) - 1:38:32 on 5/7/16
M - 3:28:35 on 5/7/16, then 3:23:43 on 10/2/16
Goofy - 5:38:44 on 1/10/16
Dopey - 6:45:30 on 1/10/16

2017 has only one goal - On October 1st, 2017 to run the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon in 3 hours or less.

 

[tigger536]

ATTQOTD:

1. Completing my first full marathon, in under my time goal (4:56)
2. Completing 10 half marathons, including a PR on the anniversary of my first one the year before (JG half in December, 2:17)
3. Not getting any significant injuries (knock on wood)

Looking forward seeing what 2017 brings!

 

[roxymama]

Attqotd: I never raced more than 5k until this year. So just adding distance was a big win for me. PR in 5k, 8k, 10k and 15k were big deals for me.
Proudest moments:
1) crossing the timing mats during my hot chocolate 15k knowing my dis-friends were seeing me surpassing my goal time.
2) 5k PR 27:49 when a year and a half ago my time was 42
3) the training...that I did it...and didn't stop...and won't stop

@Wendy98 flying pig was my first 10k ever, so I can say I ran that with you (much farther behind you but it counts!)

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

@LSUlakes, yes this thread has made a difference. I feel lucky to be a part of it; thank you.

ATTQOTD:
First congratulations to so many of you! Your accomplishments are very inspiring! For me 2016 has been a bit of a tough year starting with a disasterous WDW Marathon last January, it really kicked my butt. As the year progressed I could just not seem to put together a complete race. No dnf's but some real disappointing times and many missed goals.

I think I am most proud of not letting 2016 get me down or feel like quiting. In fact, I am letting 2016 fuel me for 2017 where I hope to have a strong year and accomplish new goals!

Pretty sure I remember some great trail races from you this past year @Baloo in MI...you had some impressive accomplishments!

I was in GREAT shape at IMFLA...I needed to run a 4:20 or better to go under 11 hours and ran the first half pretty conservatively then it all fell apart. Blood sugar dropped and it took about 10 miles ot get right again. Had I known it was going to take me that long I probably would have just chugged 20oz of cola but a sip here and a sip there just took too long for me to feel "normal" again. Limped it on in for a 4:52 marathon and 11:36 overall.

11:36 is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you're on the struggle bus for the last 10 miles...nice work, that's one to be proud of! Any chance you did a race recap of any sorts? Would love to read about it.

I pay attention to lap pace and instantaneous pace while I am running, in addition to heart rate. All the rest I don't bother with until the run has been uploaded into Training Peaks.

I look at my average overall pace most of the time, taking a peek at instantaneous pace now and then as well. I like to see how many seconds I can drop off my average when my power jams come on...my power jams being the throne room/closing credits music from Star Wars and the theme for Pirates of the Caribbean

 

[roxymama]

@CheapRunnerMike I like to follow up my Pirates theme with a little AC/DC Thunderstruck. I may have played that combo to walk into my wedding reception.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

@CheapRunnerMike I like to follow up my Pirates theme with a little AC/DC Thunderstruck. I may have played that combo to walk into my wedding reception.

Love it! I'm totally adding that combo. It really is funny how certain songs just add that little extra kick to your run...

 

[kirstie101]

ATTQOTD: 2016, well the first half, was good to me running wise. I'm probably most proud of getting a new Half PR at Tink in May.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Any chance you did a race recap of any sorts? Would love to read about it.

I wanted to, but I never really got around to it. I should really do it now that the sour taste is gone and I'm a little happier in reflection. In short, the swim was rough (as you know)..I swam 3 minutes slower than my previous two attempts there. I wanted to swim about 1:05 and ended up 1:11 and since someone kicked my watch (stopping it) on the first loop I didn't know my swim time until I actually hit the run. I just kept thinking I was somewhere in that 1:10 range.

I knew I had a decent T1 and my plan on the bike was to ride very conservatively (about 150-155 watts / 68% of FTP) with an expectation of doing something between 5:25-5:30. Well, once we hit the top portion of the bike and I knew we had a tailwind all the way back to the beach I was in great shape so I really backed off to save my legs. I ended up riding 21.1 mph (5:18) which is well below what I was expecting on significantly less watts and kept a low HR throughout.

Once I started the run and saw my family I learned I swam 1:11 (which kinda made me mad) so I knew then I hit the run about 6:40 in race time so I knew all I had to do was run a little under 10 minute miles and I had sub 11.

I was completely locked in the first half running what I thought was relaxed, calm, cool and collected. I even told a friend "It's not a matter of going under 11 hours now, only a matter of how much under 11 I'm going to go" about mile 8 of the run....the miles 9-11 happened. I was clicking the miles off, one by one, walking every other aid station and on cruise control. My HR never elevated. When I walked, it dropped back down to normal but as soon as I started running for more than about 1 minute I started to get dizzy. I wasn't hot anymore, hands were clammy and I couldn't even think straight.

Mile after mile passed and I tried one Galloway method after another all the while skipping gels and gatorade and opting for only cola and water. I tried a 4 minute run and a 4 minute walk..nope. Then a 3 minute run and a 2 minute walk...nope. Then a 2:2....no chance. Then a 1:4....not even close. For about 30 minutes all I could manage was a 1 minute jog and a 9 minute walk all the way till the back of the state park. All I could say to the people that cheered me on was "I'm sorry, the wheels came off"...I. Felt.Terrible.

I saw a photographer in the park just at the turnaround and I told him if he took a picture of me walking I would throw his camera in the sand dunes and he'd never find it again (joking of course....maybe) so he promised that he would wait until I got to the turnaround if I promised I would run all the way back to him and I did. Wouldn't you know it, I felt a little better. So, with each passing mile just as I deteriorated from Alvins Island to the State Park I started to feel better and better with each mile heading to the finish.

I knew sub 11 was gone. I knew a PR was gone and now my goal became simple. I needed to finish under 12 and get to my room, showered and in my NormaTec boots by 7pm because thats when the LSU vs Bama game started and in that regard, I succeeded. I know the fitness was there and for most of the day I feel I executed flawlessly so whether it was purely blood sugar and nutrition or whether I pushed the front half of the run too much or how much of a combo of both I'll never know.

No IMs for me in 2017 but I'll give three 70.3's a whirl then try again in 2018 (Boulder) to get that sub 11 monkey off my back.

 

[FFigawi]

Sounds like you were dehydrated, low on electrolytes, and low on energy stores.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Usually (in my experience), with dehydration comes a HR spike and when the effort draws back the HR drops are delayed (or not existent) but that wasn't the case. In the graph I posted you can see my HR was pretty consistent throughout the whole first half of the run. Dehydration (again, at least in my experience) is usually paired with a gradual increase in HR over time. I used the bathroom twice on the bike (drank 7 bottles of fluids) and while that wasn't quite as much as I drink when it's hot, we had fairly mild conditions in regards to temp.

I agree with the electrolytes and just got behind a little. My fear was bloating (my previous problem during IM) so I skipped a gel hopping off the bike and even though I wanted to take one at mile 2, I waited till mile 5 for some reason (race brain) then took another one at mile 9 and by mile 12 when we hit special needs I wasn't thinking clearly enough to even stop and get my SNB.

It's so hard to look back and say how much of the issue was purely nutrition but I do think being short on intake probably gave me the biggest push down the cliff.