1.) Good read on Salazar, Ritz. Check out the linked video from there too. Salazar is certainly an amazing figure in distance running. When you consider who the best runners in US history, Salazar needs to be a part of the conversation. Arguably he did not perform at the Olympics, but it is hard to overlook his ARs of 13:11 for 5k, 27:25 for 10k, a 2nd and 4th finish at World Cross and his wins in the marathons at NYC and Boston. Add into that his Comrades win (along with a bunch of other stuff I have not mentioned) and what he is doing now in coaching … wow. Still, I find myself, sadly, a bit cynical, as his performances have been questioned in various circles in terms of possible PEDs. Ack.
2.) AM – 4 miles, super easy dog jog.
3.) I found Vance’s write up on cramping in the later part of the race (namely triathlon) interesting. While I have suspected that it could be due to some electrolyte deficiency, I have also thought that I cramp at Pikes because – I have not run that far up for that long at that pace.
4.) Mr Mike is dealing with a sport’s hernia, perhaps one of the least understood injuries in running – and I certainly do not consider myself an expert in this arena. I dealt, and to some extent still do deal with this injury. Messing around with my wife and my daughter in January of 2008, I pulled something “down low.” I did not think much of it, but it became clear in the days and weeks that followed I was messed up. Unlike other injuries I had dealt with in my life to that point, this one struck at my core, and did not seem to get better over the course of days or weeks. Instead, it slowly healed over months, and to some extent it is still a weak spot for me. Some guys grumble about their Achilles post run. For me, I wince just at the idea of sneezing post run because it pulls on the lower abs in a way that, well, hurts. Ask me to pick up something off the ground while standing post a long run and you will see how I still deal with this weakness (which, if I had an ounce of discipline) is address-able. Unfortunately my counsel to the folks that deal with this injury is this: expect to be jacked for a long time, do not go under the knife because the results (based on my unscientific polling method) appear to be variable, and be ready to deal with this for a long time.
5.) Follow up on Alicia Shay.
6.) NYC has a good live stream site. Good to see this sort of stuff coming from the big city marathons, as I think they will serve as a standard, and hence an expectation of coverage that we should see in the MUT race community.
7.) For the IPOD, Solinsky interview. He is on the show with his fellow fat man Macca. The interview with Macca, where he talks about the Germans is CLASSIC stuff.
8.) PM – 9 miles easy. AHR = 139, Max = 149.
10.) Hmmm … easy miles come some days at 7:30 pace (meaning sub 150 HR). Real easy miles (say HR = 140ish) are around 8-8:20. There are days where I have abused myself the day (or night) before where I have to run the miles like that. Hard stuff is at 6 minute pace these day, or faster. This brings my HR to 175ish fairly quickly. So … what benefit do I get from runs like yesterday at 6:50 to 7:10 pace at 150-155?
11.) Thought I might jump in the Rotary Challenge XC race this weekend but it appears that ain’t gonna happen. One of the Z clan has a soccer game in Golden, the other in Westminster, and both in the AM. But, it is the last weekend of soccer for a bit.
Was a very good read. Interesting watching the video too.
ReplyDeleteWow, Ritz thinks a 2:10 marathon is mediocure...I feel flat and slow.
ReplyDeleteHAHA! 5th place sucks too!
ReplyDeleteDerrick just went back and watched the video. It is pretty cool. Lots of stuff like that over here too: http://somaxsports.com/blog/
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think Ritz will run? I think he's due. 2:07.
ReplyDelete2:07 at NY?
ReplyDeleteIsn't the course record like 2:08? 2:07 would be sick.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winners_of_the_New_York_City_Marathon#Men.27s_Open_Division
ReplyDelete... 2:07:43 from 2001 with some bad as names in there since.
Bairu in his marathon debut will pass Ritz at mile 23 and go on to run 2:09 for a new Canadian record. In an ideal world anyhow :)
ReplyDeleteyes but that is in Canadian hours minutes and seconds. Don't forget the conversion to metric.
ReplyDeleteDamn! I still struggle with that conversion. I had to grow up learning both.
ReplyDeleteI think several guys will be under the record. Jared and/or the Chilian miner dude won't be one of 'em.
ReplyDeleteI'd actually like to see Geb run away with it, with Meb and Ritz following.
I heard Geb has changed his form for this race - he's going as a heel striker to prove it's not about form.
ReplyDeleteJorge
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to post all these little tidbits. I try to read most of them. I really got a lot out of that New Yorker article and video.
I totally agree with Salazar on form. Unless someone has a physical ailment, they -can- learn to run more efficiently. I think his mistakes have been that you can't change form radically and run 100 mile weeks. I think they need to take it a lot easier and people shouldn't be getting injured.
Ritz seemed super fluid, great angles on his body, and un-noticeable head bounce. Will be an interesting sub plot to see how he does in NYC. I once read that for an average person using better form could shave a minute off a 10k. Thats 4 minutes+ off a marathon.
I love people that stir the pot. I like Salazar's guts. I like Ryan Hall going on his own. Trying something new.
Something I have never read anywhere, but I think all this form stuff has a lot to do with runner's highs and why a lot of people feel better later in runs when they speed up. I know in a lot of my tempo runs and progression runs that once I speed up about halfway through it actually feels easier. I think running economy (all the items mentioned in this article) apply more easily closer to full marathon race speed. I don't think these form arguments apply running 9 or 10 minute miles.
So what is the point of running at HR 150-155? Well it always helps to do something. That is probably highly aerobic for you, so that is helpful adding to your base. Its also fast enough you are probably getting neuromuscular benefits as that is pretty close to a marathon pace effort.
Too long to say 2 cents. Maybe this is my 57 cents...well, its probably only worth 2 cents.
Great reads and info. Thanks to your diligent blogging, there's good and useful info from 2 years ago, so thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteStreaming video in MUT, who will be the biggest, high-profile race to do this first? Pbville, with new mainstream ownership/"Born to Run" popularity? WS100, which had a noticeable jump in entry fee since last year? Or is it more natural and interesting for 'shorter' above-treeline races? (Not sure if Mt. Marathon in Alaska has live video yet)
Derrick - thanks for taking the conversion comment in good humor. Bairu should be contending for the natl. record, particularly coming off that 10k one he set in May.
ReplyDeleteBrownie - I have been a bit critical of Geb in the recent years. He has become a time trialist and not a racer (although it is a bit hard to criticize that really). But in NYC, he is definitely putting himself out there. Ought to be a good race.
Rick - I may need to rename this site "heel strikers unite."
Brett - Yeah, what amazed me about the Ritz form stuff was that to the untrained or non detailed observing eye his form looks GREAT. In other words, what the heck would Salazar do with a guy like me who has form that looks like someone who is trying to shadow box while run?
I also believe, however that there is something a bit genetic in form. It is a bit of a finger print within you. I have noticed that both of my children have a stride similar to mine - "blocky." (although when JZ's soccer coach said he "gallops" the other day I wanted to tell him that sort of thing seemed to work pretty well for me and if he wanted to run around the block against this galloper I'd be fine with showing him my ass as I galloped away).
Your 2 cents is a buck to me. Easy.
Mike - great question. One of those high market races is going to go that way. I know there are logistic issues to deal with but they can be overcome (look at IM!).
Mike - was talking to Jurek a bit about WS, their race coverage, and what the runner gets out of the event (for dollars invested).
ReplyDeleteHe was pretty critical of the whole set-up there, and has apparently suggested on more than one occasion that they should be looking at Ironman and other top-of-the-line events to make their race a better experience for everyone involved. He indicated, however, that the board is pretty much set in their ways, and that he doesn't see anything much changing in the near future (other than the price tag).
I think the folks at Lifetime have a huge opportunity now with Leadville.
Maybe they keep it the same second-rate, on-the-cheap event that it is, and count the dollars at the end. Or, they take it to the next level, and become THE 100 mile race (i.e., the race that all the top guys and gals focus their seasons on).
With course access as good as it is in Leadville, it seems they have a real opportunity to get creative with race coverage if they are prepared to invest the dollars. However, a simple race tracking website would be a nice start. My guess is that the bike will continue to be the focus of their efforts and that the run will continue to remain an afterthought.
If so, then now would be a good time for ambitious race directors elsewhere to start thinking about elevating their races.
The guys at Burning River might be one example, although the Ohio venue and tame course makes their race a hard sell. However, the USATF prize purse brought in a decent field this year.
FWIW, IM is dancing quite a bit with pissing off their constituency with their recent IM access program snafu and the botched 70.3 event in FL.
ReplyDeleteBut, that said, they are truly the leader in coverage in endurance sports right now.
In any case, regulars to the sport - guys like us on these boards, simply come across as malcontents. As long as folks continue to throw their dollars as events that are poorly run, poorly covered - those events will gladly continue to provide the same level of service.
Two things change that - a someone that wants to move the industry or the consumer forces the industry to move.
Nick, Burning River -
ReplyDeleteMy one and only ultra finish (Buckeye Trail 50K) was one that group put on. The guy that put all the video of Burning River up on YouTube and did the timing, Jim Chaney, great guy. That course isn't really that tame - tons of hills, small hills that you can run, but tons of them. I recall Scott Dunlap saying something along those lines in his report.