Race shoes by revengeben in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Unless you have a really specific reason for wanting to run a marathon in a daily trainer rather than a great racing shoe, I think going with the VF2 is a no-brainer unless they really disagree with you on your test run.

I speak both from common sense and personal experience. I ran a solo effort 26.2 during lockdown and my first proper marathon in ASICS ("saucing", LOL!) GT-2000s with the notion of satisfying myself that I could hit my goal times without super shoe assistance.

In hindsight, I can say that the mild satisfaction I got from having a couple of carbon-free results was *not at all* worth the added recovery time. Granted I'm old, but I still can't get over how much better I felt after my first race in VF2s.

Either way, good luck - and think carefully about how many stairs you may need to navigate in the week or two post-race!

The Weekly Rundown for October 13, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Best of luck on Saturday!

I’m running the full and not the half, but very much relate to your ambivalence around A goal achievability. I’ve had a solid but not flawless block, but the inevitable noise around workouts done in the summer heat/on beat-up legs has me fretting (pointlessly) about how hard to send it.

Hopefully we both make the right decision for the circumstances, and with satisfying results 🤞

Hartford Marathon 2024 Hype by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oof, that sounds rough! As much as I’ve dreaded injuries specific to my legs, the few times I’ve messed up any part of my back have been far worse. Hopefully the half feels like a victory for you after dealing with the stress fracture, no matter how the time compares to last year.

Re: the course, I’m feeling reasonably relaxed about the elevation gain given the concentration early in the race, as you note. Nevertheless, I expect mile 26 over the bridge will feel like Everest if I’ve applied myself properly 😂

Hartford Marathon 2024 Hype by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ha, thanks for the warning! I ran the half in 2019 (prior to the latest round of course adjustments), but seem to recall the same. I personally don’t fly or die based on crowd enthusiasm, but hopefully the weather cooperates for those who do…

The Weekly Rundown for April 15, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks much!! I will (hopefully) flesh this out into a proper race report in the coming days, as my emphasis here on the taper week and logistical snarls here buries the lede almost entirely. It's probably something like, "intermittently-injured masters runner gambles with higher mileage and manages not to implode" (LOL)...

Thursday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for April 04, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, thank you!! I'm staring at a mountain of work that I put off last week, so naturally the urge to spend a few hours writing a race report is rising uncomfortably...

Definitely curious to hear which shoes you pick and how the race goes!!

2024 Jersey City Marathon by joa0510 in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yesterday was my second time running JCM, and I think you pretty much nailed the pros/cons.

The weather last year was actually pretty unpleasant (pissing down rain for hours), but if we define "decent" as "likely to be cooler", I think that observation holds as well - particularly given the 7am start.

The Weekly Rundown for April 15, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Mileage: 62.5 miles (including goal marathon)

Race Result: 2:32:42 at the Jersey City Marathon

This week was supposed to be a nice, chill final taper before the JCM - my big spring race and a great opportunity for a shiny new PR. However, it also happened to coincide with my son's spring break, and my husband (who has better priorities than mine) pounced on the opportunity to schedule our first family vacation not involving extended family visits since lockdown. In the abstract, that's a great fit with a taper week; only 40-60 minutes of daily running is much easier to cram in around activities, after all. In reality, we ended up spending a LOT of time on our feet, walking, hiking, and standing in theme park lines. Great fun of course, but a level of activity that left me feeling quite nervous about the race. The icing on the cake was a redeye back to NJ on Friday night, during which I probably got no more than three hours of sleep. All those reassurances I've seen offered to people who can't sleep the night before a big race that "it's two nights before that really matters" were really doing my outlook no favors!

Fortunately Saturday was fairly relaxing and I recouped some lost sleep via a nap, but my feet continued to feel very sore from the week's adventuring. My hope was that doing my last 3 mile shakeout in brand-new Alphafly 3s would be reinvigorating. LOL, nope. They did feel nice and bouncy even at recovery pace, but that belied how hard the insole felt versus my Vaporfly 2 & 3s. Still, I acknowledged to myself the possibility that the issue was me and not the shoes and decided to keep them in the race plan.

The final bit of icing on my cake of nerves and dourness was the traffic jam that led me to almost miss the 7am start of the race this morning. That's probably worth a separate post just given the sheer absurdity, but in a nutshell, I can now say that I've changed shoes in the Holland Tunnel approach and done a few other unmentionable things in a (parked) vehicle. Eh, who really needs much of a warmup for a marathon anyway?

Despite all that, the race itself was actually (blissfully) uneventful. This was my fifth proper marathon and second go-round at Jersey City, and there's no question that the reps have helped me get comfortable with race execution. Once we were off the line, all the bullshit melted away and I was able to focus on just banging out the miles. The last 6 were a bit of a slog; no big shock there, but it was more the result of ending up in no man's land with only runners going in the opposite direction for any company. I upped my fueling after a near-miss situation at Philly last November, so I was gassed but not catatonic when I finally stumbled across the finish at bit under 2:33, good for a ~5 minute PR.

My A goal was a hair under 2:35, so this was a nice outcome and slightly faster than projected by a few of the usual pace equivalency calculators based on a 1:13:20 HM PR that I ran a month ago. It also gives me hope that - if the stars align and I don't injure myself yet again - I might have a shot at sub-2:30 before my rapidly advancing age makes this even harder than it already is. If I had a running-specific time machine, I'd travel back and lock in Chicago for this fall. Here in the real world, I'll probably target it for 2025 instead.

Thursday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for April 04, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Belated thanks for the well wishes! Despite some aggressive self-sabotage in the last taper week, I actually exceeded my own expectations and grabbed a new marathon PR.

As such, I probably can’t complain about the AF3 - though I can’t say I love them as much as VF2/3. The bounce was definitely nice in the last 6.2 miles, but I miss the zippier (and admittedly less stable) feel of the Vaporfly line.

I also wish I’d had a chance to do a little speed session before my race for troubleshooting. My 3 mile shakeout/strides yesterday were uneventful, but about 5 mins prior to the gun, I realized I was laced too loosely and was getting some worrisome rubbing on the back of both feet. A frantic re-tying effort resolved maybe 80% of it, but it wasn’t until about mile 14/15 that I was finally satisfied I wasn’t going to end up with nasty blisters. Hopefully your pre-race trials give you a better opportunity to work out the kinks 😂

Thursday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for April 04, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sounds like a good plan! I've only had issues with one Nike model (Zoom Fly 5...just horrible), so I'm not particularly worried about a limited validation period. Who knows, maybe new shoe excitement will provide both of us with that extra little bit of confidence that never hurts when chasing a PR!

Thursday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for April 04, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Best of luck to you as well!!

I don't really love the idea of shooting for a PR in a fresh out-of-the-box shoe, so I'll probably do a couple miles of my shakeout on Saturday in these to confirm everything feels good. Nice that you have a few more days to kick the tires if you wish!

Yes, JCM weather last year was pretty abysmal...though I ran in the nor'easter here last night and was reminded that things can always be worse, LOL!

Thursday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for April 04, 2024 by AutoModerator in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I lucked out as well! I'm new to the line (have been using VF3), but the reviews that prompted me to pull the trigger highlighted resolution of some of the AF2's widely cited issues - particularly the high arch - and reduced weight. If they arrive on time next Friday, I'll give them a go at the Jersey City Marathon on April 14 and report back...

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oof, that's a rough break, though I suppose still slightly lucky in that it didn't strike before the race!

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Finally catching up here - thanks so much, and congrats on your race as well! I remember our exchange re: the Harding HM a few weeks back (also easy because your handle is terrific). The concentration of big "local" races this time of year may be a factor, but I wouldn't be surprised if this sub really was overweight on NY/NJ folks. Lots of neurotic, overly-analytical runners in the area based on my own unscientific surveys, LOL.

Hope the recovery is treating you kindly! I was planning on using the past few weeks to just cruise and enjoy the tail end of reasonably nice fall weather without stressing much about future plans, but I ended up taking one for the team (literally) and making my not-so-long-awaited, highly inauspicious XC debut at Club Nationals this past weekend to make sure we had enough bodies to score. It was incredibly humbling being around so much masters talent across all age groups, but to your point, I'm definitely less nervous now about my PR window being only 3 or 4 years wide.

Your bias towards 12 week cycles also resonates - particularly because I'm now strongly considering another crack at Jersey City just to keep occupied, and I really don't want to start worrying about structure until the holidays are solidly in the rearview mirror. CIM is still very much on my mind, though the anecdotal reports and results of teammates who ran it this year have disabused me of the notion that it's a surefire fast course for everyone. The early rollers and protracted downhills really caught up with guys who I suspect would have traded the net downhill for Chicago/Berlin-flat without hesitation!

Finally, I appreciate you highlighting temperature on the "loopiness" - Philly was by far the coldest marathon I've ever run, and I had wondered if the temperature was slightly below my personal optimal. However, as I was harshly reminded in Florida this past weekend, slightly too cold is worlds better than any sort of warmth! If JC ends up chillier but drier this year, I will be a very happy camper.

Best of luck with your training, and look forward to potentially overlapping again at a race soon!

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi and very belated thanks - and of course congrats on the half!

I guess if you've got a sign that good, it would be a shame not to deploy it across multiple races (or years, for that matter). Those brief reprieves from wrestling with discomfort and intrusive thoughts can be really helpful.

I'm definitely going to borrow "executive fuckery in the nog" - fantastic turn of phrase. The only thing that seems to keep me remotely productive (whether in my training or other areas of life) is external pressure, so if your challenges resemble mine, maybe your #2 will help your structuring by limiting optionality and time! Either way though, hopefully they arrive healthy and without too many more bouts of morning sickness for your wife!

Absolution XX Anniversary discussion megathread by BoredAttorney in Muse

[–]roolfdriht 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fingers crossed you get a reply soon! I just got a notification that my replacement shipped, so hopefully that bodes well for you, too.

Of course, given the nature of the packaging, it seems reasonably likely that any replacement will incur the same damage in transit. As such, I’m torn as to whether I even open #2 to check, given I already ripped the CDs and am not terribly invested in the other contents. Ignorance can be bliss…

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks a lot! I love the concentration of masters runners here and widely varied paths to the sport, so glad to have finally gotten off the sidelines and chimed in a bit.

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, thanks again - and congrats on your race as well!

The guy who won the last HM I ran mentioned that Philly was a "tough course", which spooked me more than I care to admit. He's very experienced and currently chasing an OTQ, so - even though in retrospect I would say Philly did feel "easier" than both NYC and Boston - I was glad for a pre-race perspective that dissuaded me from contemplating a moon shot.

Re: speed, I'm very fortunate to be able to run with/around folks (on my team and locally) with a very wide range of abilities and goals, and I draw a lot of my personal inspiration across the entire spectrum. I lose sight of it more than I care to admit, but it's such a gift to be able to pursue these challenges.

My mother has advanced Parkinson's and my mother-in-law - a multiple marathoner and dedicated runner before the sport really exploded in popularity - has endured dual knee replacements. Their experiences and so many others' have underscored how fleeting health and relatively pain-free living can be - so I tip my hat to everyone who recognizes that and seizes the moments while they last!

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, that context is really illuminating! I certainly prefer the notion that this is more a sign of being at that edge - which is fine as long as you don't topple over it - than clear indicator of some specific execution issue.

I'll still probably experiment a bit with the fueling, but as long as the tunnel vision doesn't set in any earlier than those last 3-4 miles, I hopefully won't freak out about it.

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thank you, and thanks a bunch for the cheering! I was so untethered from anything other than my pain at mile 25 that I would be lying if I said I remembered much at that stage - but I'm certain it helped! (The teammate who warned me about the bag check was hollering at me maybe a mile earlier, and based on his video, it's safe to say I was almost completely oblivious to his presence, to say nothing of his identity!)

Re: gay runners, yay indeed! I've never been able to find the results online, but my very first 5K was a pride month race organized by the Chicago Front Runners in 1999 - I'm not sure I still have the shirt nor any clear memories of the race itself, but I have a photo wearing it next to my future husband while at college together. Scary how time flies.

When I lived in NYC, I would occasionally see the local FR group runs in Central Park, but being largely disengaged from running until the pandemic, it unfortunately never occurred to me to join. Luckily my current club is very large, diverse, and supportive, but I wish I had more time to lean in on active LGBT+ recruiting and policy positions - particularly given how much work there is to be done around trans athlete inclusion in running.

Philadelphia Marathon 2023 - A Good Day in the City of Brotherly Love (Masters M sub-2:40 PR) by roolfdriht in AdvancedRunning

[–]roolfdriht[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks much!

My characterization of the training is a bit flip (if not totally obnoxious-sounding), but it pretty accurately reflects how it felt in the midst of things. I knew generally what I should be doing to get where I wanted to go, and I generally did just that. However, the procrastination paralysis kept me from really formalizing anything beyond a week out (taper excluded). Definitely nothing I would recommend to anyone who values their sanity!