Work your Weakness aka "Hey, Mike, STFU!" Challenge (Page 50)

Originally posted by msteiner

Originally posted by Asalzwed

Originally posted by msteiner

Originally posted by Asalzwed

Originally posted by msteiner

Originally posted by Asalzwed I had a great race!!!! The course was SO tough. About 2-3 minutes off PR type of course. It was very, very competitive so I feel pretty good about being something like the 200th fastest club xc unner in the nation ill certainly give more details later as I am terribly hungover. Got some fun shenanigans to share. We may or may not have stolen a brew cycle (look it up) and ridden it through the awards banquet...

GJ Salty!  The race looks epic.  It makes me look forward to USAT Nationals next year.

Yo, how was your HM? 

It went well.  I ran a 1:32 like I did in september, but I'll take it considering the cold I had recently.  I held with the "runner" triathletes for the first 10k and attacked some just to keep it interesting.  I'm a lot closer to them now than I have been.  Next season should be interesting.

And when is your marathon?

Jan. 11.  Got two more long runs before taper, 2:50 (about 21 miles) and 3:00 (about 23).

Right on. Do you have a  Have you extrapolated a goal time now that you are pretty close?

Yeah I'm going to aim for 3:15.  I could theoretically get a faster time, but it's a hilly course, and I want to make sure I have enough left to finish strong.

Now that's funny!

Ha! We should just start posting our "theoretical" PRs  

Also, I forget, what are your previous marathon times? Or time? I can't remember how many you have run.

I've ran two, both at the same race.  First year was 2011 I ran a 4:06.  In 2012 I ran a 3:45, with my longest run being only 16 miles and lots of biking.  I was experimenting with how far biking heavily would carry me.  I was looking solid, until my last 10k, which I finished in an hour.

It's so, so true. 

It's so spectacularly different than two HMs. I always try to tell new marathoners that ... it's so hard to describe until you do it.

But yeah, I have yet to really nail that last 6.2 miles. I think it just shows my marathon immaturity

Well, it's about time to reassess my weaknesses.  I'm been focusing on speed primarily through a weekly R-pace workout on the track (Tuesday) which has been going very well and I want to keep doing as I am feeling good gains with my economy and form.  I've had two hilly races recently that did not go as planned and I think a lot of it has to do with running strength (big weakness).  So I'm going to add some hill repeats to an easy run later in the week.

I am planning on a marathon March 1st and was going to start ramping up my miles after the first of the year but that doesn't leave a whole lot of time so I'm starting this week with my build.  The weakness I need to focus on with this is patience with my pacing.  I run my easy and long runs too fast.  If I am going to ramp up my miles I'll need to slow down.

Lastly, my weight has been a weakness that has really bugged me.  I'm five pounds heavier than I was about a year ago and about eight pounds heavier than I want to be.  I really feel the extra weight when I run which I carry around my middle.  I'm not a "strength" runner.  My wife says I have chicken legs.

Sounds like an XC season would do you some good as well.

Yeah, hill repeats of all varieties is a good idea. You could also incorporate generally hilly easy runs into your schedule. So doing say, a long run on a hillier route will kill two birds with one stone, keeping your long run on the easier side and getting some strength.

I'm not working a weakness at all, so I'll probably not be in here too much. I'm taking some time off and then gonna do some season planning. Soooo, take care y'all!! 

I was looking at the results and the running club that I belong to did pretty well (especially on the women's side).  Would be a lot of fun.  When I was young I ran XC and actually won a few high school Invitationals.  Do they have a division for broken down, old men?

Is it GBRC? If so, KC is super fast. She's a trials qualifier, too.

Open is just open but masters is broken down into 10 year increments I believe. And masters is 40+

Yes and I see her out running all the time on the paths around town.

And that isn't really surprising, he's just that good when things are going for him.

Then your comment on teammate Joe, I've seen that too with some really fast guys like this. Seems a much bigger percentage in the sports we do now than in the ones I've been done in the past. From personality and feelings of how things went, you'd never suspect just how fast they are. It's all inside with how badly they want it.

Someone I didn't mention by the way, that absolutely SHOULD be is Uli Steidl. Take a look at the Masters results. Now take a look at the Open results. The guy is so badazz.

The amount of talent that was at the race was just insane. I struggle to fully illustrate it, but you see someone like Lauren Fleshman, who's run a sub 15 minute 5K runnin' a 22 high 6K on this course for 28th place. 28th place! 

It's just amazing. 

BTW, Jesse Thomas was MCing. I got a creeper photo for Elesa

Old guys can certainly run!

Working on the catch again. Borderline between set speeds at masters, so went with the faster one. Pulled a lot to get things back under control. TJ has said before that taking care of the front end will help with a lot of things in the back. The entire set was essentially 25 x 100 mixing up 2 send-offs. That extra 5 seconds on the slower one sure seems like all the time in the world after being on the tighter one. Especially since I would get back before the 1st guy would go again. Things always seem a bit more frantic when that is happening.

Yeah last weekend even made my weight go up a hair.  I'm monitoring it pretty hard.  It's going to be tough having my peak mileage week around Christmas.

I'm doing a bike threshold test tonight to see how that's doing.

Staying or slightly dropping here. Seem to have tricked myself into thinking chocolate granola works.

Continuing to work on my run, but adding a new weakness to the mix.  I have a tendency to push myself too hard for too long, and refuse to stop and take a break....so after a really awful swim on Monday and an even worse trainer ride on Tuesday (and the trainer rides I did last week were all terrible as well), I decided that I need to take a break and mentally recharge.

So my goal for the next two weeks is to continue running (and enjoying it!), and do some seriously unstructured swim and bike training....so unstructured that it may be taking some time off altogether.  Goal is to start the new year off really wanting it -- so taking some time to mentally (and physically) recharge.

Originally posted by dtoce

Originally posted by ligersandtions

Continuing to work on my run, but adding a new weakness to the mix.  I have a tendency to push myself too hard for too long, and refuse to stop and take a break....so after a really awful swim on Monday and an even worse trainer ride on Tuesday (and the trainer rides I did last week were all terrible as well), I decided that I need to take a break and mentally recharge.

So my goal for the next two weeks is to continue running (and enjoying it!), and do some seriously unstructured swim and bike training....so unstructured that it may be taking some time off altogether.  Goal is to start the new year off really wanting it -- so taking some time to mentally (and physically) recharge.

good plan-those SBR dudes know what they're talking about everyone should recharge their mental and physical batteries and this is a perfect time to do it

Consider it done.  I actually am just coming off my transition phase, and the schedule madness of the next two weeks should prevent me from jumping in too quickly.

My weight has crept up to about 202...5# or so heavier than my training weight and 7 or so more than racing.   It's been a combination of "eatin' season" and my transition phase, but I know it'll drop once I'm putting in the time.

Looks like you guys are staying on track through the holidays.  Taking a break and getting mentally and physically recharged is pretty much my focus too.  Seems to be going ok :)

We arrived in Oz a few days ago, and it has been just awesome.  104 yesterday, but it will be cooling off to a dry heat 90 today.  I've been able to get in some EZ miles every morning running through a beautiful park that goes along the river.  The birds and trees here are amazing, and the miles go by very quickly with so many interesting things to watch. I am very impressed with how many people are out in the park and on the paths exercising every morning.  Australians like to party, but they like to be outside and be fit too--nice combo.  Have had some good local beers, Salty;)

Yesterday I got to go to pilates with my dad and his instructor got 4th in the 40-44AG (my AG as of this year) at Kona in 2012 (10:22.11).  She qualified for Kona in her first IM and had only done two sprints before that.  Get this--she started running after she had three kids at the age of 37 and at 40 she ran a 2:50 marathon--holy genetics batman!  She is also one of the most modest people I've ever met.  She offered me her bike and shoes while I'm here and to set me up on a group ride in the hills--so nice!  Anyway, just an amazing woman and athlete and very inspiring.

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas!

xo,

e