SOSH Running Dogs

Gunfighter 09

wants to be caribou ken
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Jul 31, 2005
8,548
KPWT
Santa Barbara half marathon- 1:45:41. I wanted that 41 seconds bad, but just didn't have it at the end.

Phenomenal course, with over half of the race on trails and a pretty cool ending at the ocean. The last 2.5 miles are all downhill after a pretty good hill at the 10 mile mark.
 

Traut

lost his degree
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Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Santa Barbara half marathon- 1:45:41. I wanted that 41 seconds bad, but just didn't have it at the end.

Phenomenal course, with over half of the race on trails and a pretty cool ending at the ocean. The last 2.5 miles are all downhill after a pretty good hill at the 10 mile mark.
You didn't have it at the end because you had it throughout. Great, great, time on a fantastic course.
 

Traut

lost his degree
Lifetime Member
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Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Nailed a 22:27 in a 5k today. Prior best, set last year, 25:08. This was all diet. I haven't done any speedwork since April. I set out to run as hard as I could for as long as I could. This time, I had the energy to finish it. Next year, I want a 1:45 half and a sub 4 hour full. It is on.
 

bosoxsue

Well-Known Member
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Aug 16, 2001
1,774
That's amazing! Congratulations. Every year that one gets older and can make an improvement like that ... wow. Maybe I will check out one of your Sunday morning runs once I'm back up to normal mileage, but I'm afraid I'd be too slow for all of you. However, I would like the company on a long run. Oh, and I sure did notice the incline on the Air Line Trail this time.

Edit to add: Gunfighter, well done. That sounds like a beautiful course, and what a run by you.
 

Traut

lost his degree
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Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
All of our group runs are at a 9:30 to 10:30 pace. And right now we do between 6 and 10 miles on Saturday mornings.
 

TallerThanPedroia

Civilly Disobedient
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
25,536
Boston
I missed a couple of posts I wanted to reply to:

So I am intrigued about the barefoot/minimalist stuff but have a couple of first-pass concerns. For those who are into that, are you all local to New England? If yes, when do you run?

I run between 5 and 630 AM, so what worries me:
- Not seeing hazards: it is dark (duh) and I step on a lot of branches, edge of potholes, etc. A headlamp does not strike me as a good solution since looking down that much would likely lead to bad posture. So worry about injuring my feet.
- Cold: I have Raynaud's (the thing where your fingers get white and numb), feet are usually OK in socks and running shoes, but by this time of year I am using 2 layers of gloves and in midwinter will add mittens to avoid bad pain. So worry about how my toes would take it.

Would be interested in reactions/thoughts/suggestions from the barefoot enthusiasts.
I have similar problems and I haven't quite figured out what to do about it over the winter. I do find I can run with my eyes far enough on the ground ahead of me to look out for debris and still keep my head up, but yeah, I only run barefoot when the sun is up. And I run in the mornings, so I've already stopped going barefoot for the year, though I might try doing just short one-mile runs in the afternoons as doubles until it gets really cold.

Here's my question about the whole barefoot thing. Wasn't the whole concept based on ancient people running on dirt/grass/sad and not asphalt? I don't get how/why it would make sense to try and move it to a man-made medium that has zero shock absorbing properties.
As KW said, asphalt isn't really that hard. And concrete is much much harder, and I run on it barefoot with no problems either.

The key is that when you run correctly there is no impact to absorb:







Those short little spikes are the difference between punching a wall and putting your fist against a wall and pushing hard.

That's what Dan Lieberman of Harvard found, and as far as I know it remains the only science to be done in this area. And it says nothing about injury rates - that's Lieberman's current project. Or as he puts it:

We show that most forefoot and some midfoot strikes (shod or barefoot) do not generate the sudden, large impact transients that occur when you heel strike (shod or barefoot). Consequently, runners who forefoot or midfoot strike do not need shoes with elevated cushioned heels to cope with these sudden, high transient forces that occur when you land on the ground. Therefore, barefoot and minimally shod people can run easily on the hardest surfaces in the world without discomfort from landing. If impact transient forces contribute to some forms of injury, then this style of running (shod or barefoot) might have some benefits, but that hypothesis remains to be tested.
I think it was Born To Run that made the comparison to gymnastics mats. People found that giving gymnasts softer, thicker mats to land on actually made them land harder and be more likely to hurt themselves, because their feet and legs were searching for firmness.

Basically, feet are awesome, if you let them be feet.
 

TallerThanPedroia

Civilly Disobedient
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
25,536
Boston
City Sports is having a sale on VFFs:

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe5a1670726203787011&m=fe7215707561047d7315&ls=fde210737c6603747311787d&l=fe9715737260057a74&s=fe2213787366007b7d1070&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2516747263067f7d1c72&r=0

20% off.
 

bosoxgrl

big fan of Seamen
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May 31, 2005
2,630
The deep end of the ocean
I PRd the Richmond Half this past Saturday. 2:13:15. This was especially gratifying as I've had an injury plagued year, it's a hilly course, and I treated my body like crap all last week while I dealt with the passing of my father.
 

ibrewbeer

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 27, 2003
2,012
1st State
I need a gps wrist thing. I tried the higher end garmin, but I have thick wrists and the way it's molded doesn't fit.
I had been using my iphone, but lost it

Any recommendations?

Maybe one I can put my own strap on
 

rbeaud

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
348
Orange, CT
I need a gps wrist thing. I tried the higher end garmin, but I have thick wrists and the way it's molded doesn't fit.
I had been using my iphone, but lost it

Any recommendations?

Maybe one I can put my own strap on
You tried the larger band? If yes, you must have tree trunk wrists. And too bad. I love my chunky 305.
 

bosoxgrl

big fan of Seamen
Lifetime Member
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May 31, 2005
2,630
The deep end of the ocean
I need a gps wrist thing. I tried the higher end garmin, but I have thick wrists and the way it's molded doesn't fit.
I had been using my iphone, but lost it

Any recommendations?

Maybe one I can put my own strap on
Get a Runner ID band and have a watch guy change it out with the Garmin band. Kills two birds with one stone.
 

ibrewbeer

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 27, 2003
2,012
1st State
kate, i looked into that. but the garmin is molded as a contiguous piece that has a strong bend in it. fking skinny people....

i guess i need to just go to a store and try every one of them on. and then when one fits go back and research it and see if its any good.

i just dont want to run any more with a big ass smart phone attached to my arm i want to be free like the wind
 

Rough Carrigan

reasons within Reason
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
So . . in the course of becoming old and pathetic I gradually felt like my achilles tendons, especially my right one were becoming real problems. Stiff. Sore. They felt mildly restrictive and made me slightly anxious that one really strong push off might tear them, especially the right one, especially right after waking up in the morning.

I didn't know what to do. Stiff, sore achilles tendons were stopping me from running.

And then I bought this for $70.

It's a portable ultrasound device. And it's awesome!
Achilles tendon pain? Gone.
Achilles tendon stiffness? Gone.
Any other pain that crops up? Quicky gone.

I'm running farther on a regular basis now than I ever have. Using Fris's little trick to work calf muscles and eliminate shin splints was fantastic, too. But I would have been stopped from running by progressively stiffening achilles tendons. That obstacle is gone now.

This is just one overbearing jerk's testimony but if you have any similar problem and $70 isn't that big of a deal to you, I suggest you give it a try.
 

PC Drunken Friar

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 12, 2003
14,540
South Boston
I've been stepping up my running routine lately, I want to get in as much as I can before the winter comes. I have been doing 9-14 miles, 2 or 3 days and 4.5-5 miles 3 days a week. For the most part, my times have been consistent, around 7:30/mile for the long runs (Anywhere from 7:25 9 miles to 7:40 for the 14er)for , 7:10 or so for the short ones. I am running the Jingle Bell 5K Race in Somerville in a couple weeks...only my 3rd race my other two times were 21:07 and 20:07, but both of those were last spring when my runs were mainly 3-5 miles, 5 days a week.

My question is this...should I now focus on the shorter runs leading up to the race to improve my time? I would love to get a sub-19:00 time. The last time I did a full out "hard" 5K run (not a race), I came in at 20:01...what is the best way to improve that time over the next couple of weeks?
 

rbeaud

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
348
Orange, CT
I've been stepping up my running routine lately, I want to get in as much as I can before the winter comes. I have been doing 9-14 miles, 2 or 3 days and 4.5-5 miles 3 days a week. For the most part, my times have been consistent, around 7:30/mile for the long runs (Anywhere from 7:25 9 miles to 7:40 for the 14er)for , 7:10 or so for the short ones. I am running the Jingle Bell 5K Race in Somerville in a couple weeks...only my 3rd race my other two times were 21:07 and 20:07, but both of those were last spring when my runs were mainly 3-5 miles, 5 days a week.

My question is this...should I now focus on the shorter runs leading up to the race to improve my time? I would love to get a sub-19:00 time. The last time I did a full out "hard" 5K run (not a race), I came in at 20:01...what is the best way to improve that time over the next couple of weeks?
So you are running between 31.5 and 57 miles per week, 5-6 days per week? That is a pretty hefty base for completing a 5k (goodness). If you are completing these runs at 7:10-7:40 pace...you would be pretty close to what I was running. I believe a sub 19 is within reach and think sub-18:30 would be possible if you can learn to push yourself. It's likely too late for a significant improvement on your 5k time given only a few weeks to the race. That's the bad news. The good news is your training should have already established good cardiovascular fitness. Frankly, I've posted respectable times without yet having incorporated speed work.

The week of the race you shouldn't be focused on speed work. Target 60% of your usual volume to stay fresh (for best performance). I like the following pre-race workouts, presuming a Saturday race. Pace would come from something like the McMillan Pace calculator if you have no recent 5k times. My guess is you should be able to handle a 5k avg of 6:00/mi.

Monday: Run 2 x 800 meters at your 5-K race pace. Jog for 2:30 between repeats, then run 1 x 800 meters at mile race pace.
Wednesday: 3 to 4 x 400 meters at mile race pace. Jog two minutes between repeats.

As to other workouts, it's one area I've been hoping to target for improving my own times. I have a bunch of suggestions from Running Times articles. This one below strikes me as a good starting point. It's for running 400s; warmup easy before of course.

At the track, start with 4 to 6 x 400. Increase the number of 400s every week by two more until, 10 days before the race, the final workout is: 14 x 400. Each 400 (one lap around a track) should be run eight seconds faster than you want to average per quarter mile in your 5K race. Walk for half a lap between the 400s.

The best bet is to add a 5k race as a workout. I've never been able to achieve race pace without racing...just mentally can't do it for some reason.

Good luck.
 

PC Drunken Friar

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 12, 2003
14,540
South Boston
I'm running farther on a regular basis now than I ever have. Using Fris's little trick to work calf muscles and eliminate shin splints was fantastic, too. But I would have been stopped from running by progressively stiffening achilles tendons. That obstacle is gone now.
Can I get the post number to this post? I am very much a novice and really have no idea how to properly stretch or even really pace myself. I haven't gotten hurt (other than a sore heal and tender tendon) so far, been averaging about 40 miles a week for the past 6 weeks or so, but am afraid I am setting myself up to get hurt soon.
 

Rough Carrigan

reasons within Reason
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Smas, the shin splint exercises I like to recommend, and that have been pretty successful for most folks who have tried them, are simply to lie on your back and flex and point your toes, first straight, then in, then out,10 times each, until your shins are screaming and you can hardly move/lose range of motion. After a few days of this, your shins will be strong and your shin splints will be gone. You may want to do it once a week after your shin splints are "cured" as maintenance. Alternatively, you can stand against a wall and tap your toes, again front, in, and out, and again until failure, and this will have the same results (although I prefer the lie on your back method because of the greater range of motion).

A few other thoughts for beginning runners. It is so important to take things easy starting out. Most people quit their exercise routines because they get sore, or hurt, and either don't want to or cannot continue. Thus, Fris' 3 rules for exercise:

#1. Be safe. Don't overdo the workout or take any unnecessary chances. If you're hurt you can't workout.

#2. Have fun. You won't make exercise a part of your life unless you enjoy yourself. Find friends (preferably attractive ones of the opposite sex) to run with. Run interesting/beautiful routes, maybe in the woods or along the ocean or a pond; don't be afraid to travel to run.

#3. Do your best. It sounds hokey, but screw everyone else and run for yourself. Worry about your pace and your stride, and forget what others around you are doing. Be proud of your workouts.

One last thought that came up when I talked to smas over IM; it is important to have balance in opposing muscle groups. What I mean here is that any exercise requires primary and assistor muscles to complete. Do a bicep curp with your sleeve rolled up and you'll see what I mean; when you lift the weight, the bicep is engaged and "pumped," but when you lower it, the tricep takes the brunt of the weight and it is the flexed muscle. People who only work their bicep will create an unbalance and be at serious risk for injury because the tricep cannot handle the same level of resistance. How does this relate to runners? Well, runners' quadriceps get worked much more than their hamstrings - quads are worked a lot anyway - and for many those opposing muscles are unbalanced. This is especially true if you also bike. It is, imo, imperative that runners work their hamstrings, and leg curls, which are shown here, are the best exercise for hamstring work. I think that many knee problems that runners endure are a result of an imbalance in the quads and the hammies. A quick aside for bong and any other skiers here. Alpine skiing is almost entirely a quadricep workout and the hamstring gets virtually nada. The high incidence of ACL tears in skiers is at least partially caused by the huge strength difference between these opposing muscles in skiers. When I worked with the PSIA guys running their training sessions, I always focused first on getting the instructors hamstrings in shape for the upcoming season, and strongly suggest any skiers here do the same.

Oh yeah, I'd like to thank Ryan (Traut) for taking the lead with the SoSH Team Running Dogs, and hope you will all join him.
PCDF, here it is at the top of this post by Fris.
 

Kremlin Watcher

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
5,232
Orleans, MA
I've been stepping up my running routine lately, I want to get in as much as I can before the winter comes. I have been doing 9-14 miles, 2 or 3 days and 4.5-5 miles 3 days a week. For the most part, my times have been consistent, around 7:30/mile for the long runs (Anywhere from 7:25 9 miles to 7:40 for the 14er)for , 7:10 or so for the short ones. I am running the Jingle Bell 5K Race in Somerville in a couple weeks...only my 3rd race my other two times were 21:07 and 20:07, but both of those were last spring when my runs were mainly 3-5 miles, 5 days a week.

My question is this...should I now focus on the shorter runs leading up to the race to improve my time? I would love to get a sub-19:00 time. The last time I did a full out "hard" 5K run (not a race), I came in at 20:01...what is the best way to improve that time over the next couple of weeks?
rbeaud was being gentle. You run too much for 5K training. 40 miles a week is overkill and you are risking either injury or overtraining syndrome at those high volumes. If your next priority race is in a couple of weeks, you should seriously cut back on the volume now and make sure you are well-rested for the race. You won't add any speed by doing long runs in the next two weeks, so be rested and ready and then you should be able to go like hell on race day. Clearly your aerobic base is very strong, but two weeks just isn't enough time to add much speed. Being rested and recovered from all that running is what will help you run fast on race day, not more long runs.

But in general if you are having issues with getting faster, I would say it is due to your focus on high-volume training at the expense of power/speed development. You already have the endurance; for a fast 5K, you need to develop power. Hit the weight room - squats, deadlifts, plyometrics. Swap most of your high-mileage runs for speed work, things like tempo runs, fartleks, track sprint drills. This may sound stupid and obvious, but if you want to run faster in a race, you'll need to run faster in training. A lot faster. Whatever pace at which you train is the pace at which you are most likely to race; doing a lot of running at any one pace trains your muscles to run at that pace. Even if you can run 10 miles at a 7:30 pace, it does not necessarily follow that you can run three miles at sub-6:30. Picking up that incremental speed is not a matter of endurance, but power generation, and you need to train your body to generate that power. Many runners ignore speed and gym work in favor of high volumes, but the fact is that speed work is significantly more effective than high volume in making you faster.
 
Sep 27, 2004
5,576
Your worst nightmare
I am slow as hell and just started doing coached speed work in the last couple of weeks. Holy crap, it is MUCH harder to shave 2 minutes off your mile time even when it's only 3 or 4 miles. KW is right -- do some speed work this winter.
 

rbeaud

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
348
Orange, CT
rbeaud was being gentle. <snipped> some good running advice
Kremlin, I'm not sure how you are using "gentle" (curious, not offended). Nonetheless my experience with running is a bit different than your recommendations. And, from your posts, I know you are very well read on the subject. Context: I'm 42, started racing 4 yrs ago (running 5 yrs ago), and have a 17:38 5K PR. Mostly, my training regimen has not been that much different than what PCDF describes. A typical week is 30-40 miles, 4-6 days, 6-10 miles length plus a long run of up to 14 miles, all at 7:10-ish pace. I exclusively race the short distances (works for my family life) and haven't gone longer than a 10K. I would say you can do well with what PCDF has done. The aerobic base that develops is a significant part of holding race pace.

What I mean to say is that PCDF has a great possibility of hitting the sub 19 or better based on my experience. (I'm not sure if you were quibbling with that thought.)

Of course, by employing your recommendations maybe I could break through the 17:00 barrier! If I can get over what I suspect is a sports hernia, I'll be looking to structure my training with speedwork. Even still that would only be one, maybe two workouts a week. The bulk would be at either long run or easy pace. We can't all be Nate Jenkins (a true training madman).
 

Kremlin Watcher

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
5,232
Orleans, MA
Kremlin, I'm not sure how you are using "gentle" (curious, not offended). Nonetheless my experience with running is a bit different than your recommendations. And, from your posts, I know you are very well read on the subject. Context: I'm 42, started racing 4 yrs ago (running 5 yrs ago), and have a 17:38 5K PR. Mostly, my training regimen has not been that much different than what PCDF describes. A typical week is 30-40 miles, 4-6 days, 6-10 miles length plus a long run of up to 14 miles, all at 7:10-ish pace. I exclusively race the short distances (works for my family life) and haven't gone longer than a 10K. I would say you can do well with what PCDF has done. The aerobic base that develops is a significant part of holding race pace.

What I mean to say is that PCDF has a great possibility of hitting the sub 19 or better based on my experience. (I'm not sure if you were quibbling with that thought.)

Of course, by employing your recommendations maybe I could break through the 17:00 barrier! If I can get over what I suspect is a sports hernia, I'll be looking to structure my training with speedwork. Even still that would only be one, maybe two workouts a week. The bulk would be at either long run or easy pace. We can't all be Nate Jenkins (a true training madman).
I was just being a bit of a tool - I think PCDF runs way, way too much for 5K training and tried to make that point more bluntly than you did. And yes, if he is properly rested and fueled for his race, he can probably go under 19:00. But I was trying to make the point in his case that he needs to dial back the volume NOW because he isn't going to add any more fitness by next weekend. A lot of people forget this. In the lead up to a race, rest and proper nutrition are vastly more important than additional training.

But at any rate, my training specifically in coaching runners and cyclists to go faster (I am a USA Triathlon certified coach) is based on the physical fact that speed work is a more efficient way of gaining speed than high volume. There isn't really any debate about this from an exercise physiology point of view. You can get faster by running high volumes at one pace and then racing at shorter distances at a faster pace, but it's not as effective a method as speed training. High volume training also adds significant injury and overtraining risk. Look, I LOVE running and if I could, I would run 10-15 miles a day every day. And over time, if I didn't get injured, I would be a faster runner. But all of my coaching training and all the scientific literature clearly proves that lower volumes of training at higher levels of intensity (properly periodized) produces more speed. It's how the pros and elites train. So yes, if you wanted to go under 17:00, I bet you could cut those 38 seconds off if you did 8-12 weeks of really focused and intense speed training. My training plans for athletes include relatively few truly long runs and very, very few runs at an easy pace. Think of it this way: you will race pretty much like you train. If you run long and slow, you'll race long and slow. This is because your CV system is not the key to racing fitness; it's the muscles. Training long and slow is great for your CV fitness, but has very little benefit for the muscles. Speed training trains the muscles to go fast. Your CV system conditioning will follow the development of your muscular fitness. Muscles, not the heart, are the key to great fitness and speed. And that's what speed training does - makes the muscles able to go faster.
 

TallerThanPedroia

Civilly Disobedient
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
25,536
Boston
Ah, the great divide: speed work or mileage.

I'm in the latter camp. I think KW is right that the former is more efficient for gaining speed quickly, but I disagree that it's less risky. I almost never do anything resembling speed work* and the few times I have tried to get into it are when I've gotten my worst injuries. I've gotten a lot faster over the years, both in short and long races, but it's all from miles. Steady on!



*by which I mean intervals and fartleks and all that stuff. I run my shorter runs faster than my long runs, but I'm usually watching HR more than pace.
 

pedro1918

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2004
5,139
Map Ref. 41°N 93°W
Did anyone run the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K outside of DC on Saturday? It was a huge cluster. To get an idea of what happened, read the apology e-mail I received today.

In trying to formulate what to say in regards to yesterday's events, I realized that what I said over and over to the folks I helped get on returning shuttle buses was exactly what should be said to all. While it became repetitive, it was no less from the heart in any one time from the other:

I am the owner of RAM Racing. Please allow me to tell you how deeply sorry I am for the way yesterday's race went. I am terribly sorry that the race did not go off anywhere close to as planned, and I feel terrible that your day and experience was not a good one because of that.

We have been putting on races for 10 years now, producing over 100 races. In fact just a month ago we put on the Hot Chocolate race for 40,000 people in Chicago without a hitch.

With that being said, yesterday was a nightmare for us, to say the least. Whether it was auto accidents on the highway causing insane traffic or a terrible choice of venues that couldn't support this race, there are no excuses, in the end, I am responsible. Again, I am terribly sorry.

I want to share just a portion of the manner and the extent to which we planned for this event and the series of incidents that ensued, in an effort to be transparent, not to offer excuses. Over the past year:

-We worked extensively with, and paid a great deal to, the county and state police to handle traffic. While that is always the case when putting on races, the efforts here, and the involvement and control required by the county and state police was significant. There is an element of trust inherent in this process.

- We were assured that the National Harbor could handle parking 5,000 cars in a short period of time

- We devised a comprehensive parking plan, again at a great expense, including additional parking lots and shuttle buses

- The course mandated by the municipality, in the end, while narrower than desired was to be handled with an equally narrow starting line. Something we have had to do many times before and that works well if executed properly, something that we have had great success with.

What went wrong:

- Two pre-race reported traffic accidents stopped all traffic on the inbound highways

- The parking company hired by the National Harbor to park cars in their lots was not even close to sufficient to handle the job, adding to the traffic issues as cars backed up on the highway waiting for access.

- This in turn left the 75 shuttle buses we hired, stranded in traffic as well, delaying the delivery of waiting runners

- In an attempt to wait to allow the bulk of the runners to make the race start, we delayed the start. We considered starting the race after only a brief delay, but the continuous stream of late arriving runners would have crossed the course and that was an unacceptable safety concern.

-Finally, we start the race! What happened next defies belief, absolutely inconceivable!!! After planning with the police for months, the lead biker for the 5K was misdirected by a police officer at the first turn of the 5K, literally not allowing him to follow the course as planned and as approved by the local authorities!

- This action directed the 5K in the opposite direction from the way it was supposed to flow, insuring that the runners would run into themselves. Horrifying!

- Our race director quickly came up with a contingency plan, real time, on the spot, in the horror of what could have been a disaster.

-We had to open up the start line much faster than we would have liked, in order to avoid returning runners from running into outbound runners, which would not have been a problem if the lead runner was allowed to follow the planned course.

-This worked and while the 5K course was too crowded, everyone was able to run the entire course and no one was injured!

- From there it was a matter of putting out fires that all developed due to the initial course reroute, as the 15K had to flow through the same area as the 5K race near the end of the 15K course.

- To finish it all off, after the race, there was another traffic accident on the beltway delaying returning buses, as well as we believe the buss company appeared to significantly under-deliver the number of buses we contracted for. We had to find buses immediately and get all the people returning to Crystal City and Old Town on their way.

The above are not excuses, merely an explanation. We are experienced race organizers. We didn't come close to showing you the terrific race event that should result from the tremendous talent and work ethic of our staff. DC did not get to experience the great race event RAM Racing is known for. I understand, and again, I am deeply apologetic. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart!

As for my staff, I have never been so proud of a group of people in my life. No business, and no race organizer, should ever have to experience the unfolding events of Saturday. Yet, these talented professionals adapted on the fly, kept their cool, and never took their eye off of trying to give our racers the best experience possible under the circumstances. I am deeply in debt to you all and have the utmost respect for your efforts.

I would like to thank the vast majority of our racers who, while justifiably upset with the way the race experience unfolded, took it in stride, completed the race, enjoyed the post-race party, participated in the Expo, and persevered to get the most out of the day as possible, your example is inspiring. For those of you that have publicly or privately shared your frustration and anger, we appreciate your honesty.

What doesn't kill us will make us stronger, and we intend to learn from this experience and use it to make the next race better and hopefully more insulated from these kinds of circumstances.

When we make it back to the east coast, I would pray that you give us a second chance. We have an amazing team that puts their heart and soul into their work. They are unquestionably among the best in the business. It is terribly unfortunate that you couldn't see that yesterday, as they are amazing!

Again, I cannot apologize enough for the way yesterday's race went and I hope the rest of your weekend is much more enjoyable.

Keep running and racing!

Thank you.
FTR, I ran the 15K. Considering I froze my ass off for an hour waiting to start, the problems with the course and that I am recovering from a hip injury, I'm very pleased with my time: 1:09:00 for a 7:24 pace. I'll never run a RAM organized race again.
 

TallerThanPedroia

Civilly Disobedient
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
25,536
Boston
Just passing this along:


South Boston Neighborhood House (SBNH) wants to let you know we still have some spots available on our 2012 John Hancock Boston Marathon Non-Profit Team. Susan Hurley of Charity Teams is our program manager and has set up a fantastic training and incentive program for her Hancock Boston Marathon Charity teams.

Each runner must commit to raise $5,000 – Interested runners can contact Susan directly by email charityteams@comcast.net or phone 978-852-7891. There is also a link to the Charity Teams website and a Marathon Team application on the SBNH website www.sbnh.org.

Please spread the word! We are looking for some special people to run the Boston Marathon and raise funds for a special organization - South Boston Neighborhood House!
 

pv21feet

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Jul 15, 2005
180
Medfield
Did anyone run the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K outside of DC on Saturday? It was a huge cluster. To get an idea of what happened, read the apology e-mail I received today.

FTR, I ran the 15K. Considering I froze my ass off for an hour waiting to start, the problems with the course and that I am recovering from a hip injury, I'm very pleased with my time: 1:09:00 for a 7:24 pace. I'll never run a RAM organized race again.
Nice effort on what must have been a tough day.

It was a bit of a rough weekend all around for race managers. As you shared, the Hot Chocolate in DC was a nightmare on Saturday, and on Sunday the Palm Beaches Marathon ran out of water and finishers' medals, and the first-ever Rock n' Roll Las Vegas full/half marathon was totally overwhelmed by the crowd of participants pre-race, and by a last minute move indoors for their post-race activities. Apparently, folks were throwing up all over the Mandalay Bay convention center, and there were so many people that you couldn't go anywhere to escape it.
 

pv21feet

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Jul 15, 2005
180
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that whole serving water from fire hydrants in trash cans seemed like a bad idea in Las Vegas
Public perception would agree, but it isn't as rare or as unsafe as you might think.

More likely: the relatively close quarters of the convention center finish festivities + an overwhelmed medical and volunteer staff + a few folks that happen to be suffering from the norovirus + a group of 44,000+ folks that just ran a long distance =


 

Traut

lost his degree
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In Vegas they also started the marathon like two hours before the start of the half marathon. Resulting in a significant bottleneck as marathoners were stuck behind slower half marathoners. After reading the comments on their facebook page, I'm not inclined to ever sign up for one of their races.
 

Traut

lost his degree
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What a great start to winter - 50 degrees and sunny this morning. Couldn't resist wearing shorts.

Spent some time this morning thinking about my goals for next year. Last year, my goal was to make it all come together and improve my speed, body composition, and run a marathon. I hit those goals - breaking 2 hours in a half marathon, running a 22:27 5k (nearly 3 minutes better than last year, and finishing the Hartford Marathon.

What's even better is that I'm ending this year much healthier than I started it. Kremlin's suggestion of Paleo for Athletes has completely changed both my body composition and ability to exercise. I now get more out of running less and recover faster than I ever have. My regret is not changing my diet earlier in the year. This summer my weight ballooned to 173 pounds and for a guy who is 5'7" that is way too much. Right now, I'm 149 and find running to be so much easier than it was even a few months ago. My heart rate is lower on my runs.

With all of this in mind, my singular goal for next year is to run a 3:59 marathon in Hartford next fall. This year, I did it in 4:36 and felt great. Up until mile 20, I was on pace for a 4:20 and I remain convinced that but for a blister I would have held that pace. So I'm feeling good about my chances to break 4 hours so long as I continue to eat and train right.

The other major step forward that I took was training with a group for the first time. The group pushed me as we ran ridiculous hills in heat that I never would have done if training solo. It also helped to push my pace on long runs as "we are a running group not a walking group". I'm going to train with the same peeps next summer.

I'm going to seize the moment as 2012 may be my last crack at a marathon until 2014. My wife and I hope to have our second child in 2013. Depending on the timing of things, it is going to be very difficult if not impossible to balance a 3 year old and a newborn while logging the hours necessary to build for marathon.

How was your year? What are your goals for 2012?
 

Kremlin Watcher

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Congratulations Traut. Hell of a change. I bet you feel fantastic. Someone once asked me why I push so hard. You know that enervated, exhilarating feeling you get after a hard run? I told him that I get to feel like that almost every day.

I had an amazing year. Did the Hyannis half in 1:46. Ran Boston in 4:01, shaving an hour and ten minutes off my 2010 Boston time. Would have gone about 3:58 if I hadn't destroyed my foot at mile 25.5. Worked like crazy over the spring and summer and did Ironman Lake Placid in 12:54. Got so into triathlon that I decided to start a coaching business, so have been working like mad on the web site and getting it all started. We should be going live soon. It's been an amazing journey, but now I can channel my passion for fitness and my pedantry into something productive.

So for 2012 my goals are myriad: get the coaching business up and running. Compete in a boatload of races as part of marketing the business and in preparation for the big one: Ironman Cozumel in late November. Shooting for a Kona qualifier, which may be a stretch for me, but what the hell, I'll give it a shot. No stand-alone marathons, though. Want to get my half-iron triathlon time to around five hours by mid-June. Want to stay injury free, which is probably my most ambitious goal. So it should be a fun year.

I look forward to reading about your successful assault on the four-hour barrier.
 

Traut

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And Kremlin and underhandtofirst - Bikilas are on my Christmas list. I'm poking my way through Maffetone's "Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing" which is full of good stuff. Since I'm sure conventional wisdom on dieting is completely wrong (e.g. the pasta dinner), I'm willing to consider that the conventional wisdom on footwear is completely wrong as well.
 

Kremlin Watcher

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Traut - the best advice I can offfer on minimalist running is to be careful. There is a strong faddish element to much of what is written about it and many of the products coming on the market. The central problem with making the switch to minimalist footwear of any kind is changing your gait. Keep running on your heels in VFFs and you will hurt yourself, possibly severely. So while I am an advocate and practitioner of barefoot running, I am often loathe to recommend it because I see so many people running in VFFs on their heels. Do a lot of research on the midfoot gait and do it first in regular running shoes. If you do make the transition, make it slowly. Good luck.
 

underhandtofirst

stud who hits bombs
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Jul 25, 2005
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[quote name='Trautwein's Degree' timestamp='1324570764' post='3904578']
And Kremlin and underhandtofirst - Bikilas are on my Christmas list. I'm poking my way through Maffetone's "Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing" which is full of good stuff. Since I'm sure conventional wisdom on dieting is completely wrong (e.g. the pasta dinner), I'm willing to consider that the conventional wisdom on footwear is completely wrong as well.
[/quote]

You won't find me trying Bikilas any time soon. I do like the theory behind it, but I'd not prepared to build up my tolerance to them correctly at this time. Maybe someday I'll take the plunge because it would be nice to run with a few less ounces on the feet!
 

rbeaud

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Jul 15, 2005
348
Orange, CT
One thing: Baby Jogger. I've used mine since the 13 YO was, well young. The 8 YO still went out with me last summer, though he has now transitioned to running 5k's himself. The real Baby Jogger is an awesome running toy. I probably couldn't have run half the miles without the wife knowing one of the kids was out with me so her workload was less (key when it's a newborn). In general these things are so much better than an umbrella stroller or most any kind of stroller for the money. If you are interested (we're both in CT, right?) I've got one whole and one needing a new seat cover (don't need either).

You can also get up around 5 like I do and run while everyone else is asleep. Ughh.
 

ibrewbeer

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Jan 27, 2003
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In 2011 I started the c25k on 3 jan, and finished it with a half marathon in October. I raised $6k for cancer.
However, I am slow, and that needs to change.

I realize that I cannot be a successful runner at 300lbs. That's goal one in 2012.
Goal #2: running the Athens, Greece marathon.
 

Traut

lost his degree
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In 2011 I started the c25k on 3 jan, and finished it with a half marathon in October. I raised $6k for cancer.
However, I am slow, and that needs to change.

I realize that I cannot be a successful runner at 300lbs. That's goal one in 2012.
Goal #2: running the Athens, Greece marathon.
Way to have met your goals and set new ones. Every pound you lose is worth roughly 2 seconds per mile (yes this is a curve). It is a lot easier to run with less weight on your frame.
 
Sep 27, 2004
5,576
Your worst nightmare
My running goal in Jan. 2011 was to get off the couch and start running and eventually run the BAA Half Marathon in Oct. 2011 while raising $ for this group. I did all of that and lived.

Goals for 2012:
Join/ed a 2x per week running group to try and improve my speed and fitness levels and keep up a steady progress during the winter months;
Better my times on all the 5 milers and do one half marathon this spring/early summer;
Inspired by Traut's weight loss, drop 20lbs to see if my speed and fitness improve;
Train for a big race in fall 2012, possibly the Marathon Greece marathon with Ibrewbeer.

Got gift cards to buy new running shoes at Marathon sports, running gear at Lululemon and a runner's massage with my friend who did such a great job undoing the knots in my legs before the half.
 

TallerThanPedroia

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Jul 19, 2005
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Boston
This year I set a half PR at 7:37 and 5k PR at 6:24. The latter is totally satisfying for now.

For next year,

Outside chance: BQ (7:15).
50-50: Run a 7:00 half.
Likely: Run a BQ-pace half.

The test will be the Run to Remember in May. If I don't get below 7:15, then I'll wait for trying to BQ and do the BAA Half again in October. If I get 7:15 or below, then I'll think about going for the BQ in Lowell in October. The closer I get to 7:00, the more likely I am to try it (especially considering the new qualifying rules).

Number One Goal, as always: don't break anything.
 

deconstruction

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Jun 27, 2006
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Anyone here familiar with or suffer from hallux limitus? From years of over-pronating, I've worn down the cartilage in my big toe joint, which has caused a limited range of motion and pain on impact. I haven't been able to run for the last 18 months, but would eventually like to again. My podiatrist told me to focus on lower-impact cardio activities, which I do, but, being in my early 30s, that's not satisfying, damnit!
 

Jerrygarciaparra

My kid has superpowers
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Jul 31, 2001
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Calling for wind chills of 20 to 25 below tomorrow. Better make sure I'm bundled up.

Actually so far the big problem has been my cheeks and chin. The rest of my has stayed warm under all the layers