marathon man

[maxrevs666]

Im sorry to say that as such I haven't just fallen off the wagon, but the wagon has broken an axle and has landed on top of me. I had a mild bout of flu and I regressed into my junk food eating, non exercising former self. I got really peed off with myself for allowing this to happen so I am hitting the roads again tonight.

 

[fatcat216]

Glad to hear you getting out there..... Speaking of feeling worthless??? I've been pretty much a worthless schlub all winter. Worst four months in over ten years. A stress fracture in my ankle, thoracic outlet syndrom in my neck, gimp knee and 120 inches of snow, 12 hour workdays .... I could not jam anything more into my little black bag of excuses! It overfloweth like the ten pounds of unadulterated human lard from my...oh let's not go there. I called the vet and asked them to put me out of my misery...but would they???..NOOOOOOOO. That leaves only one option: Someone needs to take a whip and beat this old nag...

So... I'm back at it, too. Misery loves company. Let me tell you at 48 well... it falls off fast. It is going to be one hellacious and uphill road back....

Where's that running god Badgerman been?? I'm really beginning to hate him. (jk)

I penciled in some personal events MaxxRevs. Thanks for the inspiration. I'd been sort of lacking focus. Now get out there and give me five! :debil:

p.s. My kid joined drn. When mom gives her permission, she's gonna ask where the good trails are in Ireland. Help her out, would you Irish guys? She's only 11, but a big dreamer. Hmm. I wonder where that quality came from. She goes by elf something or other. lol.

 

[BadgerMan]

Where's that running god Badgerman been?? I'm really beginning to hate him. (jk)

Running god.....yeah right!

Still at it…….my legs are holding up pretty well for an old man of 46.

I am still sticking to my plan/schedule for the most part. We are getting up near forty miles per week now with quite a bit of speed work. The first of three 20+ mile long runs is coming up in ten days or so. I don’t mind the long easy runs so much but the 4-5 mile tempo runs are no fun at all, LOL!

I have been running really hard this spring and have gotten faster as a result. I took 30 seconds off my previous 5K PR at a March 15th race. However, my V-dot number has now inched up putting my goal marathon race pace at 7:48/mile. Given my current level of endurance, I am thinking there is no stinkin’ way I can maintain that pace for 26.2. Oh well, May 24th is a long way off.

I am doing some things differently this time. I have been working extra hard on stretching, flexibility, and quad strength. I think it has helped keep the knee pain to a minimum and given me the ability to push harder than in the past. I am also hitting the whey protein and L-glutamine after every work out. I think I recover very quickly as a result and my immune system seems really strong (knocking on wood). I have to stay focused though as spring has sprung around here and the KTM’s are calling to me! I want to hold off on the serious riding until after the marathon.

Yes, by all means, get back in the game. I have found that it is a great way to stay active and competitive now that we can’t ride as much due to time constraints and gas prices.

 

[fatcat216]

Thanks for checking in Badgerman.

A pr, eh? lucky dog. Those are long behind me. I find the math is pretty sketchy on the prediction times- but, that was for me. My best distance was never the marathon, despite a couple of kick-ass ones. (Chicago and Grandma's.) Having said that- it's all in the proper taper and having the right constellation of stars and weather and biorythms on race day. 7:48 os what- a 3:26? Very doable for you. Believe.

I can't join you all in the running goal thing- but- in the spirit of camaraderie I put several things on the calendar- a Mother's Day 50 mile (bike)- which will really be a 62 miler, and a 100 miler in honor of my buddie's 50th birthday. (Actually it's just something really long and hard that I haven't done before and I needed to stick something on the calendar with someone to guilt me off the couch. My pal is true blue Iron, and will poke along at 12 mph with me, just because we are friends. This from a guy who won the master's Chicago 5k a few years back. Talk about loyal friends!)

I have zero training in, but conned someone into driving my car home from work two days a week. Unless I'm gonna walk home, that will give me two long bicycles/ week.

I put dirtbike training on the calendar beginning now-2 days per week-undermining my goal, of course. Short term it will be with my kid. I should be able to do both as it will be easy skills/rides on th weekend. It'll be tough come summer if I get a chance to work on my own skills. Guess we'll see. As an old coot I reserve the right to change that August 100 miler to a 50 or something. lol.

Keep up the good work guys! Maxrevv, you still planning on your half in June?

Timmay, when was your race?

 

[Timmay#678]

Hey max, same problem here, I had a desperate bad flu all week, haven't ran since last friday. I'm getting over it now, am going to risk getting back into it tonight, I'll go mad if I'm stuck inside anymore.

Fatcat, I havnt had a race in a while now, (3wks I think), the motocross every wkend is messing that up. I'm looking forward to the track season starting up here soon enough, lots of 400m/800m races for me then.

 

[maxrevs666]

Im still going to attempt my half marathon in june alright guys, even if my schedule is a little out of kilter at the moment. I have found it hard to get back into excercising but I have to admit, having you guys for support is really helping. I actually get guilty when I log onto the website and I see there are replies to my thread!

thanks for keeping a fat irishman going!!

 

[Timmay#678]

Complete disaster for me, I've broke my arm! Max, I done know if you know of Timahoe track in Loais, but anyway I was practicing there last sunday, it was the end off a long day, track was rough, I was knackered from 20mins flatout riding and I got a massive tankslapper, spit me waaaay up in the air and I landed hard on my arm. Getting either a plate or pin put in it on friday. So no running or bikes for me for ages :bang: :bang: :bang: . I'm so gutted, mx championship starts this sunday and I was looking forward to the track and field season, both of which are pritty much a no no this year.

So the next time you are been lazy and don't want to go out for a run, consider yourself very lucky that you are able to, I am only 3 days locked up as a couch potato, going mad here as I wont be able to even start jogging for weeks.

 

[fatcat216]

oh no!

I'm so sorry Timmay. :(

Since you've got time on your one good hand, tell me about Track and Field season over there.... We don't have quite the same thing here- for recreational fitness athletes- except in urban areas. All road races.

Ugh.

What's the break? I've got a nice long pin in my elbow. I've always wondered what happens if you fall on it with a pin in. :yikes:

 

[fatcat216]

p.s Get well soon! Hope the surgery went okay!

oh- max revv- nice website (other thread)... and glad you feel guilty when you read this... Whatever it takes to get hooked on the good kind of drugs. ;-)

Goals!! :cool:

 

[maxrevs666]

Thats hard Luck Tim, I actually have a bit of a superstition where I never ride bikes close to an event coming up, for example Im playing a gig on saturday night so I won't be riding saturday in case I have a spill. the same before I go on holidays and stuff. I have zero luck and wouldn't win an argument!

 

[Timmay#678]

Since you've got time on your one good hand, tell me about Track and Field season over there.... We don't have quite the same thing here- for recreational fitness athletes- except in urban areas. All road races.

Ugh.

What's the break? I've got a nice long pin in my elbow. I've always wondered what happens if you fall on it with a pin in. :yikes:

T&F is probably the same here, more only for club runners, I started out as just a recreactional runner but got bored of running on my own and joined a local club. We still do lots of road races, but the T&F is an interesting change. The distances vary from 100m to 10k (25 laps of the track - v boring!) I still do road races from 5k(3miles) to 1/2 marathon, but from doing sprint work with my club I found out I'm actualy fairly good at short stuff, I had been training for the 400m and 800m, both balls out, very fast racing. There is something very statisfactory about just running as fast as you can for 1 or 2 mins.

However this arm has fecked up the whole T&F season for me, I can probably get back to jogging then running within a few weeks (I only needed to get a pin in the arm, not too much muscle damage). But I would not be able to risk doing any short speed work, there is too much chance of stretching my arm a funny way or even falling over.


The break is above my elbow, I escaped with just a pin in it, no plates or screws. I don't really know or want to know what would happen if it broke again, As far as I'm concerned lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place!

 

[Timmay#678]

Well, quick update. My arm is healing very quickly, I dont need the sling or anything anymore. I'm going in for a checkup wed, hopefully they will give me the all clear to go back running! (if they dont, I think I will anyway :p ). As well as not smoking and little drinking, I really think my athletics fitness has helped me heal that bit quicker! I was on an excercise bike today, the 1st bit of a workout I had in 3 weeks. It felt good to work up a sweat and It'll help me keep my running fitness in check untill I start pounding the roads again :cool: .

 

[fatcat216]

Timmay really glad to hear you are mending well. I'm pretty sure youth doesn't hurt on the mending either (said the old lady frowning at the veins now depleted of the once plentiful Hgh). :debil: :|

One of my kids ran a whole season of track with a cast. I don't want to encourage you to be stupid or disregard medical advice, but, he did pretty good. He was an exceptional athlete and true competitor. (Besides having one of the coolest most upbeat souls I've ever encountered).


In regards to speed work- oh yeah. Nothing like it to make you glow.

From a spectating standpoint I think the 4 x 200 is the most beautiful sport. Sheer speed and strength in a way that is far more graceful than the 4 x 100 or the 4 x 400. It is elegant perfection.

As for myself, mentally the mile repeats were the hardest, the 800's strong but hanging on by grit, and always wanted to throw up. The 400 and 200s fun. Plain old sick fun. Yeow.

Anyway, glad you checked in, and things are going well. It seemed like your surgery was a breeze? When I had the screw put in my elbow I woke up from anesthesia screaming! When the nurse told me to pipe down...well... I used words that would have made ship full of sailors blush. JK. None the less I was not so nice! Drugsad.

Hope they clear you Wednesday... Now where is that MaxRev hiding? I'm way behind schedule, but packed the good road bike into my Honda. Time to commit to the plan. He started this thing...

 

[maxrevs666]

Im down but not out fatcat, still pounding the roads away. that june deadline is approaching fast!

 

[Timmay#678]

Yep, I feeling alot more confident about getting back for the track season now, I just need to get the strength back in my arm, 400/800 really do require upper body strength! I have a feeling that when I go for this checkup in the morning the docs are going to tell me to wait 2wks or so before running, but they were also recommending that I never get on an mx bike again :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: . Of course I wont be jumping in and doing speedwork immediately, need to build up the milage 1st, but the is still a sub 2min 800 in me this year!

Quick question for you fatcat, Does everyone there run metric distances on a 400m track? Or do you still use quarter mile tracks?
What did your young lad need the cast for? Far play to him, I would have done the same if I had to! You would need to brake both my legs to stop me :laugh: !

 

[fatcat216]

Quick question for you fatcat, Does everyone there run metric distances on a 400m track? Or do you still use quarter mile tracks?

Hmm. Good question.

Short answer: Metric on a mix of qtr mile or metric tracks.
Newer facilities and collegiate facilities all have gone metric. I think indoor was always metric here. But no public school has gone out and rebuilt any tracks to reflect this change. It's all in the chalk.

In cross country its all metric.

I would guess this is true nationwide for the most part, but it is hard to say. The USATF is all metric. Things tend to go from the top down here. So whatever the national and collegiate levels adopt tend to become rule everywhere. However, it is a pretty big country. There are many exceptions and local traditions to the rules.

None the less people in the stands will refer to the mile and 2 mile when talking of the 1600 and 3200. But they never do that with 5k or 10k And, if it is on a track its always called formally 5000 meters- never 5k. The 800 tends to be called the 800 and the 400 people still refer to as the qtr.

What did your young lad need the cast for?

mmm. It was a couple years back now...and I may be mixing up my kids but..... I believe a big bruiser broke his arm in playground game of basketball. The head coach was not too happy. He did awesome anyway. He wasn't bothered by the weight of his cast... I'm trying to remember if it went over his elbow...

I'm not so sure he had a plate/screw in it... However, I'm not sure that is the salient issue in whether you should run.... I suppose you could fall... but couldn't you fall walking down stairs or going out for the mail or getting in your car? :debil: Sorry... envying you your youth! Be smart, I suppose.

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[Timmay#678]

Hmm, my checkup a few days ago went ok, they were happy with how the arm was coming along but said its best not to run at all untill the next checkup...in 4weeks time!!! :bang: . So I was fairly bummed all week, woundering what to do with myself for the next month.
However, I was down with the physio today, he was far more positive, he wants me to use my arm far more (and stop trying to protect it and keep it in the same position). But the main point, He also advised me to get back to jogging soon to free up the arm, that the doctor was being way OOT! :cool: :cool: :cool:
So happy days for me, I know its going to be a slow road to recovery and getting my fitness back, but at least I'm on that road :) . Thanks for listening to my blabberings here, it's good to have someone to listen to me (the athletics lads thing I'm mad and its my own fault for messing with bikes, and the bike lads wounder whats the big deal about me wanting to run so much!)

Hey fatcat, interesting comment "the old lady frowning at the veins now depleted of the once plentiful Hgh". That is one thing I have never taking for granted, I often see how the older athletes and bikers have much more trouble recovering from injury, when I can bounce back in no time. I really count my lucky stars that I still have youth on my side, I see a lot of other people my age who never seem content in life and always want more, its the basics which really count.

 

[fatcat216]

Thanks for listening to my blabberings here, it's good to have someone to listen to me (the athletics lads think I'm mad and its my own fault for messing with bikes, and the bike lads wounder whats the big deal about me wanting to run so much.

Too funny. I understand completely!! lol.
At least your "quirkiness" keep your many friends entertained! ;-)
Do you have a cast? If so, when do you get it off? I'll tell you my secret formula that worked with my kids and students for fast mobility when you get cast off....

(Get into a pool the same day as cast removal!!!)

 

[Timmay#678]

Nope, no cast, I only had a cast on for the week between breaking it and getting the pin put in. I had it in a sling for 2 wks, had it off for the last week and am slowly (and painfully) moving my arm as much as possible. My physio did recommend just that though, go jump into a pool where gravity wont be such an enemy!

 

[fatcat216]

Water has magical healing properties.

Trust your physio. You will not be disappointed.

 

[Timmay#678]

Well, I'm back running :yeehaw::yeehaw::yeehaw: ! I was out running with a few of the girls in the club, They were too quick for me and I only managed 3.5miles before my shoulder was in too much pain to go on, but still, I'm back!

 

[Timmay#678]

Quick update from me! Back running full time, I've changed my training schedule, and instead of hammering out the miles, I'm doing far more speed work, and am concentrating on my 800m time at the min. I lost all my fitness over the last 7wks, and its tough trying to get it back, I have a 5mile race 2morrow, it will be tough but I'm determined to get around.
No news from Maxrevs??? you still on target for the 1/2 in cork? A few of my friends who do mx are doing the full marathon in cork, they are up to 18/19 miles at the minute.

 

[fatcat216]

Timmay, glad to hear you are healthy again. That sounds like a lot of fun. Badgerman is on track for a nice full in a couple weeks. He was grooving at a race last weekend...We're going to have to flush MaxRevv out. Since you are the closest, I guess you are going to have to hunt him down and find out what's up. Personally I find it difficult to balance competing hobbies. Even without this wreck of human flesh, time is scarce to do the distance stuff. [Even on a bike! Or especially. I've got some docs trying to get me back on track, and things are progressing in a positive direction. I'm hopeful! Less focus on the Can't Do and more on the Can Do always works for me!! ;) There's always something an old hag (or young 20 something would be half marathoner) can do!]

Please post up on how the 5 mile went. What kind speedwork are you doing and target times?

MaxxRevvs.... what's happening? Are "we" deferring this goal, or are you on task?

 

[BadgerMan]

Badgerman is on track for a nice full in a couple weeks.

Six days baby! :cool:

I am in the midst of a full blown taper right now! Ten miles yesterday and a nine mile bicycle ride this morning. I will do a couple shorter runs this week (4 to 5 miles) and then just go for it on Saturday morning. I have been doing most of my running, for the last week, at or near my eight minute race pace. I feel real comfortable at that pace so the only question is my endurance after 20 miles or so. All I can do now is get lots of rest and hope for some good weather. :nod:

 

[maxrevs666]

time for the whole truth and nothing but the truth..... I am not going to make my target of the half marathon on the june bank holiday weekends. The main reason for this is the fact that i have found myself under an amazing amout of pressure to juggle work/family/running/riding/performing with my band. I simply cannot afford to dedicate the hours each night to it. However, I have not stopped running entirely :cool: I am currently doing approximately 5 miles 3 times a week at a comfortable pace. I am managing to keep my weight down and I honestly cant remember the last time I felt so good. For some strange reason I was also finding it hard to run in the daylight - the earlier runs in the short winter evenings were much more enticing to me. at the moment I am taking advantage of the fine weather and getting as much time in the saddle as possible. I really appreciate all the support you guys have given. I still plan on completing a marathon before Im 30 but hopefully this time I'll be able to make a better impression!