Should I still run Mystic?

[RandyS]

I've been working hard to overcome the injury from last month. The injury was caused by limited range of motion in my upper thigh muscles. I've been pretty aggressive in treating it; hoping to still running Mystic on Oct 24'th.

In addition to stretching twice a day I also see a PT (Physical Therapist) on Mon,Wed and Fri's and an ART practicioner (Active Release Technique, a type of deep tissue massage) on Tue, Thu and Sat's.

I discovered on Sunday (based on advice from the ART guy) that if I stretch at the first sign of pain (during the run) I can complete long runs with only a little pain. I was very encouraged when I did 16 miles on Sunday with 3 short stops to stretch. Thats 3 miles more than I have run  since this injury began (not counting several 2 a day's of 8 or 9 miles each).

Over the past 5 weeks I managed to maintain most of my normal milage; running around 60 mpw, down from 70. The biggest gap is the lack of continueous runs over 13 miles (missed 2 24's and 3 16's). Also some of my originally planned sharpening workouts were changed to tempo runs.

Since running my last marathon on May 2'nd I resumed long runs the first week of June. Before the injury I did 6 runs of 18-22 and 8 runs of 16. Along with weekly 13 mile medium long and 11 mile mp runs (both of which I have continued to do even since the injury).

With less than 2 weeks to go I need to decide if its worth running Mystic.

My medium range goal is to run under 3:20 next May (at the flatter Long Island Marathon) but I wanted to lower the gap from my current PB of 3:29 (from Long Island 6 months ago) to around mid 3:20's this fall.

The lack of long runs for 5 weeks, combined with the need to stop for several minutes during the race (to stretch) means my original goal is not likely to happen; I doubt I can match my race time from May (even though that time was soft).

So should I even bother running a race knowing I can't reach my original goal. Or is it enough to get out and do your best with what you have to work with on that day?

Part of me likes the idea of not having the usual pressure that goes with racing; knowing I can't run it well allows me to run it for fun.

I also already paid to run and booked my accomodations before the injury.

Run it as best I can; or forget about it and look ahead to next May?

Randy

[r-at-work]

first off I'm slow to begin with... but three years ago I was coming off an injury and only had a long run of 8 miles... I decide to start, run 10 miles and then stop... it was the innaugural DC(turned out to be the only one)... I figured I could stop and just take the Metro when I got tired... my husband knowing me better said "see you at 2pm"...I ran the first 10 then walked & jogged the last 16, had beer, listened to other people's stories, hung out afterwards, did eventually take the Metro home and had more fun than I had ever had... before or since...

on the other hand it wasn't a race, it wasn't even much of an "event"... decided right then and there I was going to be in better shape from then on...I think I did it since it was paid for & I had hoped it would be an annual event and I would have done 'the first'...

guess what I'm saying is... make of list of why you should and why you shouldn't run the thing... hey it might be fun, it's paid for... BUT will you be in so much pain and will it set you back even more? maybe there is another goal besides time... like testing your treatment, maybe not... I would talk it over with the PT person & TPR/massage person as well...
-R

[cameron]

i'd ask the RD if you could drop to the 10M...especially if the trip is paid for.

[RandyS]

My back-up plan was to switch to the 10 mile race when the marathon seemed out of the question. I am certain the RD would allow it; both races start at the same time and place and neither race is very large (under 2000 runners combined).

The only reason I am debating that choice is the encouraging results on Sunday. Before that I had no chance of covering the distance, now it is at least a possibility if I run it for fun.

I am leaning towards running the full but doing it at my training pace, stopping to stretch as needed, as the kick-off to the base phase for next May's Long Island marathon.

And if the RD allows it (both races run the same course and use the same timing mats for the 1st 8 miles) I will see if I can make the call during the race.

At this years Long Island marathon both the full and half started at the same place and runners did'nt have to make a 'call' one way or the other until mile 11 (where the course split off for the full).

Either way I will certainly not be running with the usual pressure to reach my time goal. I may enjoy that experience, especially at Mystic, a very scenic marathon.

Randy

[Ryan]

Personally, I wouldn't do it because I couldn't see the benefit in doing so. However, I'll just say think about the pros and cons of doing the marathon as a training run. What will you get out of it? What would you get out of doing the 10 miler or not doing either? I'm not seeing the benefit of doing the full marathon but maybe you have a reason for wanting to do so.

[RandyS]

Pros:

1. "Alone/Me Time": I get a weekend all to myself. I have two daughters (6 and 13), who I love dearly, but, some time alone is a nice change of pace. Not to mention my wife and I have been together 25 years so a little time apart can be a mini-vacation.

I love my family and they are very understanding about the 8-10 hours I run every week but a little time apart can be nice too.

2. Socializing/Shopping: This race is setup to offer maximum socializing time. The day before has a full scheule of activities with plenty of time to hang out with other runners. My family has little interest in running, and is bored  to death when I talk about it. Its nice to spend time with people who share my interest in running.

And while I have 2 running stores within 45 minutes of my home neither has the same selection and prices usually available at the race expo. Winter will be here before you know it so a chance to expand my winter running clothing selection is very timely.

3. Long run support: Either way, as my injury heals, I will be returning to long runs for my spring race (I don't follow 18 week programs; I run fairly high milage year round and add tempo, hills and intensity as the race approachs). It would be nice to not deal with hassle of water.

Plus, I must have run every mile of road within a 12 mile radius of my home a zillion times (actually a 12 mile semi-circle since I live along the Great South Bay). To run my long run on scenic route, with water support, someone calling splits and post race bagels and beer seems like a good deal.

Cons:

1. Costs: Although the race is paid for I could still cancel the hotel and ferry. Savings: About $150.00

2. You Owe Me Factor: If I go away for the weekend I have no doubt my family will soon enough be exacting a price in "You had your weekend; now you owe me......".

3. Extending recovery time: This is the most significant downside. It's possible that I could more fully recover and return to normal sooner if I either hold off on running long until November or take some time off from running completly for a few weeks or more.

4. Attitude: Running races for fun may make it easiier, in future races, to slow or ease up when the inevitibale pain sets in during any serious race effort.

On balance I am leaning towards at least going to Mystic. I can reduce the cons considerable by dropping back to the 10 mile race. Never raced that distance so my finish time will be an automatic PB, and my injury has less of an impact on my performance at that distance.

Of course I have not been training with that distance in mind so it would be a pretty soft PB.

Oh, one more PRO. My family is invited to a birthday party for a friends kid (age 3) on the same day as the race. Tonight my wife asked if I was going to Mystic or would be around for the party. I may go to Mystic just to miss the party. A house full of 3 year olds has to be worse than any pain I may feel at mile 21!

Randy

[r-at-work]

after hearing that you would consider running the marathon 'at training pace' I felt like I had to add that I did a 20 miler three weeks ago with just that in mind... coaches told me to start 'embarassingly slow', work on not getting excited, and practice drinking out of those pesky cups... did all that...

what was really nice was that I got lucky and found someone who was about my training speed and we chatted almost the whole way... and I ran the best 20 miles I've EVER run... which showed me how much I've improved this year AND how running the first half slow actually pays off at the end...

but you have lots of things to balance out... to me it sounds like the big factors are $150 and a house full of 3 year olds... tough choice...
-R

[Zeke]

3. Extending recovery time: This is the most significant downside. It's possible that I could more fully recover and return to normal sooner if I either hold off on running long until November or take some time off from running completly for a few weeks or more.

This would be the biggest factor for me.  I'd hate to "screw around" and get re-injured or extend my recovery time.  I'd focus on getting healthy, then cranking up for May.

[Woody]

Randy ,

FWIW- i just ran Chicago and was suppose to only run 20 miles as a training run- I'm Running Cal- Internatinal Dec 5th--  Well the pace I was running felt very comfortable and instead of getting off - I just finished it off for fun.  Had a wonderful time looking at all the sites instead of grinding.   And although it was about 15 mins slower than the shape  i'm in -- those last 6 miles - are a lot different than just running 20.  I took a couple extra days of recovery when I could have got off at 20 and been right  back on the program  for my goal thon.   So I would be careful  -- I like Zeke's suggestion!

Good Luck Bro!

Woody

[cameron]

Yo woodman...i saw your Chi-town result and was wondering what was up.  

Dan Marks looks like he ran a good race.

[Zeke]

Dan Marks looks like he ran a good race.

I thought we weren't allowed to utter his name around here any more. :twisted:

[cameron]

ummm...i must be missing something...

[Zeke]

ummm...i must be missing something...

I was referring to this thread...

http://www.hillrunner.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=898

[Devil's advocate]

Dan Marks looks like he ran a good race.

Not the race he knew he would run, though. I suppose it is easy for him to say he had unforseen freak weather or illness, though. He claimed Ryan had a nice built in excuse but he managed to build in his own excuse even while telling Ryan how precisely he could predict his performance. It would also be easy for him to say he was close but he was the one arguing that close is not good enough and he had the way to precisely predict his performance. As he told Ryan:

"I'll tell you right now that I am going to run 2:45 + or - 2 minutes at chicago barring no unforseen freak weather or illness."

http://www.hillrunner.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=898&highlight=2+45

He at least implied 2:43:00 to 2:47:00. Ryan had the balls to step up and admit the mistakes he made when he failed. I wonder if Dan also does.

[cameron]

wow...didn't read that thread...guess i should lay off the HRM-speak... :lol: