Running and Foot Races this Summer for ERErs

[stand@desk]

Excited for a 20km run event coming up at the end of the month in our city. Been training hard and the goal is 1:35. I ran a training run for this distance in the 1:36 handle last weekend and I'm now preparing my tapering phase of training. My wife is running the event as well, she beat me a couple years ago in a half marathon and I have really upped my training to make sure it doesn't happen again! . I like running because it's based on hard work, much like ERE, and not luck or cheating or scheming (like public politics for example) etc. Plus it's something you can do pretty much for life as long as you stay injury free and its such a great inclusive sport (at least at the rec level) where successes by all can be celebrated.

I'm wondering what active runners out there are up to in their training or races for this summer. Any good resources to share? I have a few, Sage Canaday on Youtube has a great video series.

If the ERE-archetype is to achieve personal freedom, then the ERE-archetype runner would naturally be in search of PRs in running instead of just participating? Once you can't PR (Personal record) anymore, you have to find new motivations in the sport, usually age group success or maybe running different distance events not before tried or new races in different cities etc.

My plan after running this upcoming event and a half-marathon next month (the marquee event of my running season)..I plan to move to 6 days a week training from 5 and up my weekly mileage to about 40 miles a week+ from about 30 right now. They say the more long slow run mileage you do per week, the greater potential for PRs as long as you stay injury free.

Good luck to all the runners out there this summer!

[enigmaT120]

I've upped my running to 2x per week. My only races are an Olympic triathlon early September and a 15K trail run at the end of October. I don't want to run more often than 2X per week because it cuts in to my bicycling and lifting weights.

[stand@desk]

It just seems logical from an ERE and INTJ perspective that once one leaves the traditional workforce, a very dedicated athlete development program would be "employed" by the individual/family. Now I know once you achieve FI and quit the day job you are free to do whatever you want, but naturally becoming ERE from a health perspective would likely come next. The next frontier. Build a bulletproof War Chest and then a Bulletproof personal transportation/life vehicle (your bod). Of course you don't have to be FI to get started but with much more freedom it would seem to make the body stronger and faster and less injury prone would be the next conquest.

Then after that..focusedly improving the diet? Then the hobbies I guess! More reading..

[jacob]

After THAT ... yes ... that's the problem/challenge.

I seriously contemplated the "endurance athlete + events" FIRE lifestyle, but I found that endurance training is not "my thing" since I don't enjoy the runner's high. (For those who do, it seems like ultra-events might be worth trying out). The other thing to consider is that such a strategy gets decreasingly viable in the long run for physiological reasons. Again ... anyone who enjoys [ultra pursuits] can pursue this into their 60-70s or even further.

[stand@desk]

I have to say I do enjoy the current challenges of distance running and do like the potential achievement/notoriety awards that it presents. Although I do feel I place a lot of pressure on myself to achieve. I think it's just something in me that wants to be good at something, to be recognized for something and to know I am in the top x% of the participants in something that is hard to do. And naturally I look for things that I think I should do reasonably well in that is not easy for people unwilling to work hard. There is a feeling of status/power being able to run fairly fast for an extended time.

[shade-tree]

Thanks for this topic. I have run (slowly) in something like 50 organized races, lots of 5Ks, but also a few triathlons and half marathons, one terrible, rainy Portland marathon. (Never again!) I did my favorite12k race about 8 yrs in a row (until this year.) I guess I am in the midst of a break from racing.

I think I got kind of put off seeing a difference in increased commercialism and complexification of running and events over recent years. so many people now with weird accessories, (arm warmers! Wrist-top gps! Belts that hold tubes of gels!) and such seriousness for such a simple, fun sport. It's just going somewhere--with your feet!

BUT THEN, I saw this documentary about the Barkley Marathons and got all interested in trying something challenging like that. it's Just you, your feet, and the trails. Have you heard of this race, stand@desk?

[stand@desk]

@shade-tree Yes I want to see that documentary. It's on Netflix I understand.. A race like that would be great to watch but I am not there mentally or physically to participate/compete in something like that, let alone a shorter ultra. But I hope to see the film.

I think my passion right now is for the road and pavement. I like to pass buildings at a fast speed. It feels invigorating. Especially those old row houses close together in the old residential neighborhoods..covering ground and seeing the surroundings pass by feels great! ( I like doing this in the early morning when there is little action about) I haven't experienced much at all with trail running.

I am considering a heart-rate monitor or gps but I don't want to inflate this activity too much. Hopefully I can get something for a reasonable price if the opportunity presents itself. And there are a lot of areas in the sport to uncover..like just going to the track and being a track-rat..the social opportunities of learning from and befriending other runners..maybe I'll get a chance to do that someday. It's not a viable option at the moment with us having the little one at home right now but maybe someday soon!

[enigmaT120]

I think I got kind of put off seeing a difference in increased commercialism and complexification of running and events over recent years. so many people now with weird accessories, (arm warmers! Wrist-top gps! Belts that hold tubes of gels!) and such seriousness for such a simple, fun sport. It's just going somewhere--with your feet!

Not just all the toys (which I'm lucky enough to not be interested in), but the races are becoming really expensive. I was fretting that the triathlon I entered cost me $120, which means I'll not likely do any more. But a lady I run with just finished the Big Sur marathon, which was $160!

I've been trying to convince my running friends that ultras (I've done 2 50K trail runs) are a much better value in terms of miles/dollar but they don't care, they just want to do those expensive road marathons. My 50K races were only about 45 bucks and include a t-shirt. And lots of food along the way. Man Oreos are good after about 20 miles. Still, I doubt I'll do any more long events like that because the training for them takes up so many hours per week. Even after retirement there will be lots of things I want to do besides just run.

[Ego]

As some of you know, I've been complaining about both the price and the atmosphere of running races for a while now. This time I came back to the US with the intention to do something about it. I got tacit permission from the powers that be at the Y to begin the process of organizing a weekly 5k race series with two stated goals, $0 entry fees and zero hoopla. No race clock (self-timed). No shirts. No aid stations. No beer garden. Just a simple start/finish line with a turnaround point, like the races I used to run in the 1980s in Philly. Simple. No frills. Tourist friendly as we have lots of tourists here. All run by one volunteer (me).

We have a path that runs along the river. Perfect for a Sunday morning race. So I began working on the permits.

-Must have handicap accessible potties. What about those at the main facility 200 yards from the start? Nope.
-Must pay for police to direct traffic. Traffic on the walking/bike path? Yep.
-Must have insurance. I figured we would need it and thought I would see if I could get some grant money or pay for it myself, but the pottie/police requirements made the amount insurmountable.

I am still going to keep an eye out for larger health related grants and talk to a friend who has some juice at City Hall, but for now it is on the back burner.

[Gilberto de Piento]

If you want to compete but don't want to spend money you could:
- find "underground" races that cost little or nothing
- run or bike the appropriate distance and track your time
- if ethics allow, you could poach the event by riding or running without a bib
- participate in a competitive group ride or run

[Ego]

My triathlon club has dealt with the problem by organizing critical-mass style "races" where groups of 200 friends get together and race without lifeguards, permits, and all the hoopla. It worked for a while but the permit people got smart. The first race (early spring, cold!) they turned on the sprinklers on our bikes and gear while we were swimming. So we split up into smaller groups and move around.

I seriously considered organizing the 5k races critical mass style but I'm just a little too risk averse for that. Just a little.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_ ... cycling%29

[jacob]

How about doing stacked starts? That's what the cycling group at one of my former places of employment did. While it wasn't technically a race, they sure as sh** treated every outing as a race. The slowpokers (aka the "fitness" group) would start first and 10 minutes later the "serious" group would start.

[Ego]

Yeah, I could do that. But the problem is, if I call it a race and publicize it for everyone, then I would need a permit regardless of how I stagger the start.

[theanimal]

Don't call it a race. Call it a classic or an open, something like that. It's not the title that makes it a race. In Alaska, there is a multi day, self supported, human powered, wilderness race. It often goes through national parks and other public tracts of land. They don't have to get permits because they don't call it a race. But you better believe everyone treats it like one.

[shade-tree]

I agree, stand@desk, it's fun adventure to run in the city early or late when there's less traffic and people.
About low key races, I think I once read about some races that are long, unsupported, sans porta potties. I thought they were called Bare Ass, but when I did a search for that term, I came across a totally different kind of 'unsupported' race.

[stand@desk]

My wife, baby and I went to the local track tonight and met my in-laws (they took their bikes). I'm tapering for a local 20km race next weekend and my training for tomorrow was for a 10km at half marathon race pace but I decided to go tonight instead. My previous best 10km was 45 minutes in last year's race (I ran the 10 last year, running the 20 this year) but tonight I ran it in 43:38 (about 7:00/mile pace). Really excited for a PR!

I entered my time into a pace calculator and it predicts I can run the 20km in about 1:31. My goal is for 1:35 so I have a bit of a buffer. My goal for next month's half marathon is 1:40 and the pace calculator says I can run it in the 1:36 handle. It's a bit of a relief to see these numbers after tonight because I was worried I might not be able to meet my goals but it looks good right now!

Just two more training runs to go, a 6km at race pace on Wednesday and thu and fri off and 3km on Saturday then it's race time!

I can see us as a family hanging out at the track a lot during the summers in the years to come.

I was talking to my wife last night and I'm thinking I might try for the full marathon next year, we'll see.

[JamesR]

How do you folks keep your running costs down? BIFL shoes or just go barefeet? Also joining races can be a bit expensive, is there a way to keep racing costs down?

[enigmaT120]

I dropped my running down to a couple of days a week, so my shoes last much longer than they used to. Also, if I find a pair I like I look for them cheap on the internet. Unfortunately the kind I'm using now aren't available anywhere any more. I'll need another pair before the end of the summer.

[Ego]

How do you folks keep your running costs down?

I haven't bought a new pair of shoes in a long time....
https://youtu.be/1YR9DAYBDFo

[henrik]

These guys do "races" all over the world for the price of beer, usually weekly:)

@stand@desk -- congrats on breaking 45min for 10k, I'm working on that too.