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2013-07-11 11:53 AM
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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
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Edited by dmiller5 2013-07-11 11:59 AM


2013-07-11 12:00 PM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing

Originally posted by dmiller5And you should be running 6-7 days a week almost year round to spread that milage out.

More advice that simply does not apply to everyone.

Every time I've upped my running to 6 days a week (marathon or ultra marathon training) I've gotten injured. Every single time. Even when coached. My body simply hasn't responded well to it. 

But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong Cool

2013-07-11 12:02 PM
in reply to: noelle1230

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing

Maybe it's not a good analogy, BUT:

My compare it to mountain climbing.  Everyone looks at doing Everest because it's the biggest, has the mystique, history, etc.  TV shows, books, movies about Everest.

However, in a strictly climbing view, it's not that hard.  There are FAR more technical climbs that draw people.

People like Everest because it's epic and big but thousands and thousands of people get tons of satisfaction doing much smaller or more technical climbs.

 

A couple other side notes:

 

There is more viewership for the 100yd dash at the Olympics than probably 4 years of Kona combined.

They spend 3 hrs of TV coverage to show 2 minutes of a triple crown HORSE RACE.  I don't get that.

I find it very rare on BT that someone would say that the goal should be IM.  In fact, I almost only see encouragement for people doing ANY distance here on BT.

Sounds like someone feels slighted that their "shorter" distances isn't getting the props they feel it deserves.  I'm sure the WNBA, NHL, and other sports not in the forefront probably feel the same. 

I guess if I'm happy doing what I'm doing, I'm not sure why I would get upset that I'm not getting the "props" I feel I deserve?  Just be happy with what you are doing and who cares what people think.  What are you looking for?  Everyone to say sprints are cool and the best?  Ok.  Then what?  If YOU think they short stuff is the cat's meow, what does it matter what others say about it?  Does your ego need that kind of stroking?

2013-07-11 12:13 PM
in reply to: Kido

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by Kido

Maybe it's not a good analogy, BUT:

My compare it to mountain climbing.  Everyone looks at doing Everest because it's the biggest, has the mystique, history, etc.  TV shows, books, movies about Everest.

However, in a strictly climbing view, it's not that hard.  There are FAR more technical climbs that draw people.

People like Everest because it's epic and big but thousands and thousands of people get tons of satisfaction doing much smaller or more technical climbs.

 

A couple other side notes:

 

There is more viewership for the 100yd dash at the Olympics than probably 4 years of Kona combined.

They spend 3 hrs of TV coverage to show 2 minutes of a triple crown HORSE RACE.  I don't get that.

I find it very rare on BT that someone would say that the goal should be IM.  In fact, I almost only see encouragement for people doing ANY distance here on BT.

Sounds like someone feels slighted that their "shorter" distances isn't getting the props they feel it deserves.  I'm sure the WNBA, NHL, and other sports not in the forefront probably feel the same. 

I guess if I'm happy doing what I'm doing, I'm not sure why I would get upset that I'm not getting the "props" I feel I deserve?  Just be happy with what you are doing and who cares what people think.  What are you looking for?  Everyone to say sprints are cool and the best?  Ok.  Then what?  If YOU think they short stuff is the cat's meow, what does it matter what others say about it?  Does your ego need that kind of stroking?




well i posted originally to say this is what i see and think about something, i don't understand the other perspective, give me your thoughts. many people answered this in ways that made sense. i dont need "props" for shorter races, and i enjoyed my "props" for my ironman. that wasn't the point.
2013-07-11 12:18 PM
in reply to: lisac957

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by lisac957

Originally posted by dmiller5And you should be running 6-7 days a week almost year round to spread that milage out.

More advice that simply does not apply to everyone.

Every time I've upped my running to 6 days a week (marathon or ultra marathon training) I've gotten injured. Every single time. Even when coached. My body simply hasn't responded well to it. 

But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong Cool




i removed that post while you must have been answering sorry haha. i just decided discretion is the better part of valor in this discussion.
2013-07-11 12:22 PM
in reply to: lisac957

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by lisac957

Originally posted by dmiller5And you should be running 6-7 days a week almost year round to spread that milage out.

More advice that simply does not apply to everyone.

Every time I've upped my running to 6 days a week (marathon or ultra marathon training) I've gotten injured. Every single time. Even when coached. My body simply hasn't responded well to it. 

But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong Cool

You must be.  Heaven forbid an otherwise healthy human body isn't capable of running 7 days a week.  If some of the people on this forum can do it with success, we must all be able to do it......or clearly our training plan is to blame!

Ah, perspective.  There are those that say long distance training shouldn't beat me up or I'm training wrong.

Shoot to the other end of the spectrum where numerous chiropractors, doctors and other medical professionals have said--as recounted by several posters over the years, myself included--that distance training, especially running is just bad for the body period, no matter how well you train.

Opposite extremes, both too short sighted to apply to EVERYONE in my opinion.



2013-07-11 12:23 PM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by dmiller5

Originally posted by noelle1230

Originally posted by lisac957
Originally posted by noelle1230

 I conclude that my body just responds better to one than the other likely due mainly to genetic factors.

So some people are different than others?
Who knew?  

Yep, that is my point.  Some people are built to handle longer distance training very well and some are built to handle it not as well.  The right training plan may help; however, some people's bodies will break down faster than others even with all training factors being equal.




Which is why canned training plans are kind of silly. I agree with johnykay, if you trained properly and built up to your easy 15 mile long run, it should definitely not be harder than your 5k all out race. What most people miss is that perhaps you should be spending a year or two good consistent milage before you are really doing 15 mile training runs. And you should be running 6-7 days a week almost year round to spread that milage out.


I'll take one more stab (and probably fail) at communicating my point. If you are able to handle a training load of 'x' (again, load is a combination of volume + intensity--you can't divorce the two), I do not see why there is any 'genetic' reason that you cannot spread that load over 'long and easy' or somewhat shorter, but harder. Especially since the variation in intensity levels should not really be dramatically different for the most part since success at IM or a sprint are both highly correlated with 'threshold'. And similarly, if you can handle it, why not do 'x' for a sprint or an IM? There is no physiological reason to do "x+y" for an IM or "x-y" for a sprint. There may be other reasons, e.g., "I don't want to do 'x' because it leaves me feeling too tired for the rest of the things I want to do in life, so I will do 'x-y' and that allows me to do just fine at shorter races, which I enjoy" or "I really want to complete an IM and, even though it is very difficult for me to handle, I feel doing 'x+y' for a short time is my best chance of preparing myself to handle that challenge".

Anyway, all this is sort of tangential to the topic first raised in the thread. I think it's clear that not everyone thinks the longer the race, the better. Nor does everyone hold completion of those longer races in some sort of awe. Some people do and for a variety of reasons. Many triathletes come into the sport and view completing a sprint tri as a real challenge. Once they complete that, they often think the next logical step is to see if they can do something even longer as a new challenge. But others do enter the sport trying to see how fast they can go (can I win my AG? the overall race? beat my friend/rival?). I doubt many of them hold the distance of the race as much of measure of their success.
2013-07-11 12:25 PM
in reply to: lisac957

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by lisac957

But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong Cool




That's actually a very good possibility.
2013-07-11 12:50 PM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing

Originally posted by JohnnyKay
Originally posted by lisac957 But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong Cool
That's actually a very good possibility.

This response is so awesome I don't even know what to say!

2013-07-11 1:12 PM
in reply to: lisac957

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
At least in my experience. At about 6 weeks of training for a Sprint triathlon I start hitting a wall. For a 10 mile bike at the end of week one I'm doing it in about 29 minutes. Week two about 27 or so. Week three with a considerable amount of concentration I hit 26. Week four I hit 25:50. Week five I hit 25:30. Week six I hit 25:40. Week seven I hit 25:30. Week eight 25:29. The gains just get so small and the intensity of work to accomplish those gets to be so painful it's just not worth it. So I just tend to hang at 26. For running it's almost the same thing. I've been doing this long enough that I've pretty much hit my max V02. I know where it is and know it will probably always be there. The adventure is gone. With distances it's another story.

2013-07-11 1:18 PM
in reply to: lisac957

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by lisac957

Originally posted by JohnnyKay
Originally posted by lisac957 But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong Cool
That's actually a very good possibility.

This response is so awesome I don't even know what to say!




Say nothing. Just marvel at its awesomeness.


2013-07-11 1:21 PM
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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
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2013-07-12 11:41 AM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Subject: RE: What is up with this in awe of distance thing
Originally posted by dmiller5

What does everyone seem to think that the longer the race is, the better it is. I've done them all, and I can honestly say that I generally enjoy my sprints and olympics much more than my halfs and my full. Now yes it was a great feeling of accomplishment to finish the full, but at the end of the day, I think I prefer the shorter races.

And it isn't even a training thing. I am probably training more, and harder, for my 'A' race this year (a sprint) than I did for the full IM last year.

I'm just reading these threads that say things like, just sticking to sprints, is that ok? or I'm going to do an Ironman for my first race because the easier ones are a waste of time. To me it seems people are missing the point.

sorry, rant over

I think the beauty of our sport is the varying of distances and venues. We have the option of choosing between super sprints and "try-a-tri", to double ironmans and ultraman events. We can choose flat course to monster climbs, pool swims to open water, hot and humid to cold. We have an amazing sport.

And as for those in "awe": every event that I've been to, from a local parks and rec sprint to the World Championships in Kona, have had total strangers cheering and offering support for the athletes.

We participate in the Baskin Robbins of sports, if somebody only wants to eat vanilla, enjoy!
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