Random Running Thread

[OakLeaf]

Welp ... with the caveat that I've NEVER been motivated enough to keep my fitness up immediately after an event ... I would focus more on getting your weekly mileage back up, rather than worrying too much about running near race distance in your long runs. I've read a few places, and I've started to experience it as I experiment with different training strategies, that within reason, weekly mileage is really more important than the long run in isolation.

I've read that one of the more effective ways to return to action is to do your taper in reverse. Have not tried that - every time, no matter my intentions, I've always found myself needing a mental break and/or needing to get non-running stuff done around the house and especially physically taxing stuff in the yard/garden/woodlot, and my running-specific fitness has gone to h377. Sigh.

Then again, since you're not aiming for any time goals, you might do best to think of your second event as your main goal, and not taper at all for the first one. If you'll have run 12.5 before the first event, and if you don't plan to run it at a quicker pace than you've trained, it won't tax your body any more than an ordinary training run. Then you can go into your second event fully fit and not have to worry about the intricacies of peaking for and recovering from the first one.


I did a local 5K yesterday, a race I've done the past three years. Kind of a tough course, through an arboretum, all paved but with a LOT of elevation change. Took nearly a minute off last year's time, yay - if anything the temperature was just slightly warmer this year, but the rain last year meant that footing would have been a little sketchy in some places, which might have slowed me down. But I think some of it is residual fitness from the spring, and some of it is I'm still learning the distance even with as many 5Ks as I've done, particularly with this race where I'm better able to judge how hard to power up the hills. Doing a bunch of shorter races in lieu of speedwork for a non-goal race worked for me last year. But now I've kind of got a bug in my head about attempting a HM PR in October, and if that's going to happen I better start real training pretty dang soon ...

[BikeDutchess]

Thanks, Oak, for giving me some strategies to consider.

[yellow]

I purposely schedule my races 4 weeks apart (I use a 4 week periodization). I also typically use a race as prep for the next one, so I kill 2 birds with one stone. The week after an event, I take it easy--this is my "off" week. Midweek running is similar distance-wise but I don't do a structured workout (such as intervals or hill repeats) and my long run is shorter (I don't go by miles--do 90% of my training by time and not distance). The following week I go big, but not too big because, in theory, I should already be close to or at peak because I just did a race of sufficient length that it acts as a training run. Then the next 2 weeks are progressively a little lighter, mostly in the long run (midweek runs don't change that much, with the exception of the type of structured day that I do, which is definitely less intense the closer I get to my next event).

If I were in your shoes, for a 6-week interval, I'd probably go easy the first week, moderate the second week, big the third week, moderate, and then easy. For my big week, I'd probably do something that would take me about 75% of the time it takes me to do the race distance, max. Certainly no more than that. You will reap the benefits of your first race even though it seems like it was a long time ago.

I have used reverse taper, but for relatively short races. Weeks 1 and 2 are easy, with a gradual build, and then the next is big and then moderate the week of the race. This seems to work ok for me if the later race is not as important to me...which brings me to the other thing to consider, which is identifying the race that is more important to you and how important other things in your life are in comparison. Your focus on one or the other might help you get through the mental tangle about how best to train. This is, for me, the bigger struggle.

Good luck! 🌷

[BikeDutchess]

Thank you for your thoughtful input as well, yellow! A lot to think about, including your point of how important other things in my life are in comparison.
Really appreciate both your and OakLeaf's input.

[yellow]

Yay! Done. 4 day stage race in Idaho. Total of 91 miles, 21 hours and 57 minutes, ~ 14,000 feet of climbing (less than expected!), and I felt pretty good most of the time. The first day was rough but after that it was pretty damn good. Gorgeous scenery. The race organization was a little...lacking...but not much I could have done about that.

[OakLeaf]

Woot!! Very nice yellow. Congratulations - and what beautiful scenery to run in.

Been doing a little too much running around lately and not enough actual running. But I had a little fun weekend before last. We went to Indianapolis for the MotoGP race (yay!!) - we were supposed to ride, but DH changed his mind at the last minute. As disappointed as I was to take the car, it let me throw a towel and a change of clothes into the car and run from the hotel to the track each morning while DH drove in. The ticket takers were NOT used to someone showing up for a day at the races, all sweaty and carrying nothing but my ID belt. It actually worked out really well, much better than coming back at the end of the day and trying to find time and motivation for a run!

[yellow]

Thanks, Oak. Apparently I was way off on the climbing. That was for the first 3 days. Total was just over 23000 feet!

[BikeDutchess]

Holy cow, yellow! That's amazing - the accomplishment, the scenery, the belt buckle, all of it. I'm in awe!

Oak, I'm sure you made a lasting impression on those ticket takers

[OakLeaf]

Total was just over 23000 feet!

Yikes. Wow. I'm in awe!

[Crankin]

Yeah, me too. When you said stage race, Yellow, I really thought you were talking about a cycling race. I know this is the running thread, but...

[Jolt]

YUCK is all I have to say about the weather here lately...hot and humid! The only way to get a run (or ride for that matter) in is to do it first thing in the morning, and it still feels gross. I did about a 3 miler this morning and it was not enjoyable at all. Taking it somewhat easy this week because I am riding D2R2 (100k) on Saturday, hopefully it will be a little cooler and less humid then!