More Manatee Mayhem - 2017 Edition - Closed (Page 51)

Happy birthday! Beware the Ides of March

There's already been some technical explanation to this question, and I found myself asking the same year after year. For my first IM, I hired a coach who set a customized training plan for me, and it was time based. After that for my IM training, I took that plan and moved everything to distance based for a few reasons. If I know I need to run for an hour, my lazy azz will inevitably lolly gag until I've gone an hour. But if I need to run 6 miles, I'll much more intentionally cover the ground and have a solid workout. Maybe that's just me, but time didn't translate very well for my training, especially since I don't do different paces or type of workouts. I do this for fun and know I will be relatively back of pack - no need to kill myself and be miserable in training if I can truly enjoy it by just doing it and not worrying about heart rate or paces or types of workouts.

I realize not everyone approaches training and racing this way, but that's my .002

Originally posted by TXTriRook

Originally posted by brigby1

Originally posted by TXTriRook I find time as training an interesting and surprising way to train. When I was training for my 1st marathon a few months ago, everything was based on distance. I can't imagine why "run 1 hour" would make sense when 1 person could run 10 miles and another 5 miles in 1 hour. Maybe if it's a customized training plan based on a specific athlete's ability it's a different story. For my HIM's (I've only done 2), I did all my training based on distance and HR.

There are some other explanations above on how it does make more sense. What you just did in this is show how to make the workouts more the same for varying ability. Some do have an easy pace (as found by VDOT or other method) of about 12'/mi where some of the fastest elites can actually have an e-pace breaking 6'/mi. The one hour run incurs about the same amount of stress whereas going by distance would give the slower runner twice that of the faster one.

This also shows up in the faster running. Over on ST awhile ago, there was a discussion on what Ben True does. One thing was a solid effort tempo that goes for 8-9 miles. This sounds really long for a tempo, but then his threshold pace is better than 5:00/mi. That means it's taking him about 40' to run this. This is on the longer side for a tempo, but much more normal to see. Most people can't come close to this. And can't keep up that intensity for that distance. It's physically impossible for them. They can run that intense for 40', however, which would be replicating that workout as appropriate to their ability because both the intensity and duration would be more the same.

I don't doubt this has been analyzed and discussed over and over. Maybe one day I'll be able to understand it and actually make a noticeable improvement in my fitness

I only meant there were some posts on this just before yours that might help.

Funny how that works sometimes. Good to see it's for the better!

Having a distance is a very powerful motivator for many people for exactly what you're seen. Hence my response of looking more at time than distance, but not saying exclusively one or the other. I'll have the duration in mind, have an idea of the pace range I'll be in, and set up a route to fit that. Then I know it's X miles around and that's what I need to get to. Since you said it, think lack of the distance (or route completion) could be part of what makes the treadmill harder too.

Having a distance is also very helpful (maybe more so) when doing faster work too. Hence people going to the track for it. Still for that, it works better to know how long the intervals are for, then set up the distance as it tends to be more motivating in pushing oneself. Same thing as in just going for a run, really. For the faster work, it also matters as the adaptations that come depend on what was stressed. Not just getting to exhaustion, but intensity matters as the system or aspect of a system changes with it. A faster runner won't have done enough to elicit as much of a training response if done to something appropriate to a slower runner. Maybe no response if the difference is great enough. And when vice versa, the slower runner won't be able to complete the workout or will do so at a lower intensity that also might not elicit the desired response even if going to exhaustion.

VO2max intervals come to mind with this. Elites can are fast enough to go for a mile in under 5' for this. A number in the group would be about twice that long. If a single interval could be completed up at the right intensity it would leave the runner exhausted. If the effort is lowered then the training effect is lessened. I've seen some rationalize such thoughts as thinking at least they got something, while not untrue, the difference in the training response can be rather profound. Shortening up the length of the interval so that it takes a more appropriate duration will allow the runner to operate at an intensity that will better drive the response desired. Exhaustion limits what one can do, but it's the operating intensity that drives what the adaptation will be towards.

I don't have a track, but have been doing such intervals on a loop in a nearby neighborhood. It works out really well for my current ability as they take near the 4' I wanted them too. I feel that same motivation for distance and keep driving hard until coming back to the start point. I went a little faster than expected and they weren't as hard as one normally associates with this type of interval.

ETA: Lisa, pretty sure much of that wouldn't interest you, but think some others would like to see it.

I went to the one in Cary, NC a few weeks ago.  It was a bit like a race expo.  My coach was speaking and I thought that it would be good to show up.  Plus they had beer. 

Beer?! It needs to come to Orlando!

Looks like it's not anywhere near you or me Hands.

Wow, that's great, both the lack of foot pain and the gain in speed!

MMMM, Beer.

Thanks for the birthday wishes!  I took the day off work and had originally planned to ride on the trainer a little bit but in the end it just didn't fit into my day.  I think the hour I spent at PT counts for a workout!  

We had over a foot of snow Tues and maybe another 3/4" yesterday which ended up causing a lot of problems with icing and drifting.  Pretty cold weather, too. Hopefully this will be Old Man Winter's last hurrah.  I don't really mind the cold as much as I do the cold mixed with the high winds we've been experiencing lately, brrrr!

It was a semi-local brewery - Appalachian Brewing Company out of Boone, NC.

I am not racing but there is a really fun mass ride on the path of a proposed greenway. Bike of the Irish. Doing with the kids and toting the grandkid. Should be fun and muddy

I know Janyne and TJ are racing.

Here is a news clip about the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. This year, being the 75th anniversary of the death march during WWII, promises to be very emotional.  I anticipate being surrounded by military men and women in uniform and lots and lots of RWB people. It will be hard, but it will be amazing.

http://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/7000-expected-to-participate-in-bataan-march-memorial/4428166/

Which proposed greenway? ;-)

Are you coming to Raleigh for the 8k next weekend?

Yup, and that's all that I found this week too.  Well, the usual sickies and walking wounded too :-(

Racing Manatees!!!

March 18-19
TJ - Bataan Death March Memorial Marathon at White Sands Missile Range on Mar 19 with my RWB team
Janyne - Shamrock Marathon on Sunday

Disabled List
Ann-Marie - under the weather
Jen - under the weather

March 19 is Randee's birthday

Surely it will be very moving.  I only read the article and didn't watch the clip (becauseimatworkshhh) but how far is the run?

Woooooooo, go racers!  You already make us proud, so make us prouder!  Have fun (respectful fun in TJ's case) and be safe out there.

Happy early birthday, Randee!