A thought.

"Rainbow" (rainbeaux)
10/29/2018 at 09:26 • Filed to: None

One time, I did a footrace around Road Atlanta. I didn’t prepare at all, and I kept stopping to pick up pieces of carbon fiber, so I ended up finishing in last place after about an hour. So, in other words, there’s a chance that I hold the slowest lap time in the track’s history. That’s kind of neat.

DISCUSSION (8)

Ash78, voting early and often > Rainbow
10/29/2018 at 09:38

LOL, I’ve heard about some of their foot/cycle races they hold there . I don’t know if I’d be able to avoid taking a racing line...which on foot is really inefficient. I already find myself clipping apexes when I run in r aces, then coming out of the turn wide for no good reason. You know, gotta maintain that momentum at 7mph. /s

I’m planning to do an obstacle race at Talladega in the spring called the Bonefrog Challenge, which is set up and sponsored by the Navy SEALs. They use the infield, the grandstands, the surrounding berms, but I don’t think it actually goes onto the track itself. I’m not sure I’d want to run up that high bank, anyway.

https://bonefrogchallenge.com/

Tripper > Ash78, voting early and often
10/29/2018 at 12:19

“ I don’t know if I’d be able to avoid taking a racing line...”

I always take the racing line on my runs, haha. I just try not to get too close to the apex in order to avoid rolling my ankle. I even “lean” in sometimes. On longer runs when my legs are getting really tired I pretend I’m driving around one of my favorite tracks, concentrating on what gear I should be in.

When I finished the broadstreet run this year , my buddy goes “what the fuck, were you doing with your hand toward the end there!?” “Shifting gears around the N urburgring” I replied. I wanted to stop running so bad around mile 9 that I just had to get in my head and pretend I was doing something else.

Ash78, voting early and often > Tripper
10/29/2018 at 12:51

The alternative is “hypermiling” running -- staying on the crest of the road to even out the pressure on each foot. It can really make a difference, but I’ve never run past 6 miles so I can’t give too much opinion there. I’m thinking about a half marathon in February, I’m just not willing to do much training for it. So I’ll probably just half-ass it to see if I can finish without stopping to walk. That would be a win in my book.

Jason Spears > Rainbow
10/29/2018 at 12:53

But carbon fiber is go-fast bits. How could you possibly lose?

Tripper > Ash78, voting early and often
10/29/2018 at 14:50

Training for those races really is the worst part. Just the time involved! Once you can run 4-5-6 miles without taking a break you can definitely run 10-15. During a race I don’t get bored but running for more than an hour when training is just like, “ok, can’t fuckin wait to be done with this!”

Ash78, voting early and often > Tripper
10/29/2018 at 15:37

That’s my thought, too, and I’ve heard the same. If I take a slow pace (which is mentally very hard for me to do) I feel like I can run forever. My thinking is that some quick 2-3 mile runs mixed with some LSD runs in the 5-6 mile range a few times should be okay to prepare me for the 13.1

A lot of runners don’t like to admit that they just want time alone, away from responsibilities (Same with golf or just about anything else). I’ve got way too much to do and like you, my boredom kicks in quickly. Trails seem to help with that, at least the scenery and cadence is mixed up a bit.

Tripper > Ash78, voting early and often
10/29/2018 at 15:49

I try to run an 8 minute mile until I get tired (3ish miles) then I back off to 10 mins/mile.

I run for the “buzz” I ride my mountain bike to be by myself haha. Running is just something I need to do now, even if it’s on a treadmill. I think about how much I don’t want to do it all day, then right around now I’m like ok it’s time. I’m in the office 8-6 so I like to run late in the afternoon, shower, check email, and leave. It makes the day feel a little shorter.

Ash78, voting early and often > Tripper
10/29/2018 at 15:57

I should try the “mixed pace” approach like that. A lot of people aim for the same pace (or at least the same cadence) for the whole race, but I just try to go with what feels right. At 200#, it definitely helps me to go faster downhill to make up for the uphills where I slow down considerably. But it’s all about conserving energy.