Just a thought... I find it very funny when runners say they are going to use a race as a workout. What are all the workouts for if you go to a race and consider the effort equal to another workout? Too many runners, in my humble opinion, choose to define a race as another workout. I wish for once, I could hear a runner say I am going to my next race and try to kick ass. It is time to bring back old school mentality to racing. Give it your blood and guts. Use your training workouts to achieve a specific goal at a specific race. Workouts breed better performances.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Triple workout and a rant
Today, I couldn't hook up with DD for a 4:30 AM water run so I headed out for a 30 minute road run at 6:45 AM. Then at 12:00 PM I went for another 30 minute grass run at the Lawrence reservoir. After dinner I got on the bike and spun hard for 42 minutes reaching well above 120 rpm on many occasions. Tomorrow morning I plan on an early water run and more grass running.
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Well said.
ReplyDeleteSide note - ultra guy who makes furniture ... http://dewittwoodworking.blogspot.com/search/label/furniture
...thanks GZ.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have the needle of the compass heading in the proper direction. Best of fortune at Pikes Peak. Don't let Kevin Tilton try to suck off your back.
I find it funny you find it funny. While it is obvious you don't consider races as workouts, others certainly do. As everyone is different (physically as well as mentally when they approach running), it may not be immediately apparent to some. For people that race all the time like me, there are 'throwaway races' and other efforts that I may refer to as my workouts, and there are goal races I want to do well in. My goals were Washington, Boston, Loon, Cranmore, Redhook, MSD, etc. I have never referred to any of those as 'workouts'. But, a race like Newburyport certainly is (for me). Now it may not be to a D2 XC All American and old-schooler, but for me, who is not a long distance guy by nature, I look to some longer races before goal races (like Baystate) as my workouts because I don't do traditional 'workouts' I guess. I don't go to the track and don't do organized 'workouts' during the week. Instead of running repeat 5:00 pace intervals on the track, I go and run a random 5k or 5 miler, etc, hard. A lot of coaches also tell runners to 'go and do Fresh pond this weekend' or go 'do xyz 10 miler or 5k as a workout' instead of the traditional workout on a track or hill somewhere. Not uncommon by any means. Not quite sure where the confusion is...unless someone else out there (besides me) is constantly saying they are just doing 'workouts' when they race... To me, a workout is anything that busts my ass and makes me run harder and faster than a normal day out on the trails. Whether it's on a track doing a ladder, or out on a hilly 5 mile course I paid 20 bucks to run on, I don't really see the difference. I'm running harder than usual. Thats a good enough workout for me. Don't mean to offend by saying so... Good to see you are still hitting the workouts in the water and on the bike/grass man...Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I still love you (contrary to what dd says about you)...
ReplyDeleteOh boy Dave, i hear you!
ReplyDeleteThis is my opinion, of course, but i hate hearing that "i am running it as a workout". When i raced, i raced. When i worked out, i did not need other runners around me to get a great workout in, and why pay to do a workout? Most "old school" runners that i knew would bust their asses during the week and RACE on the weekend. I was too competitive to let anyone try to get away from me in a race, so a "race workout" would have never happened anyway. When i toed the line, i was ready to feel pain or cause pain.
As for runners that do race a lot and use races as workouts, go for it. In some ways i am jealous because i could never race that much. But if i was coaching a runner, i would never say "use this race as a workout". Doing hard workouts on your own just toughens you up that much more and dropping the hammer in a race comes that much easier. I guess that is why i won so many of my races early in the race by beating the others brains in :)
Just my opinion, for what it is worth.
I'm still completely baffled that people care that much about what others do...I'd say focus on what makes you better and let others worry about their own running...just my opinion. I could go on and on about other stuff that I know would raise hairs...but then I sit back and realize that that ain't my style... People should get on the line for their own reasons and not particularly worry about other people's motives for being out there... Some people do run for fun, others for money, others to lose weight, etc. I've noticed a lot of people around me care a little too much about what other people do, in a negative way. I follow other runners in a positive way (or at least try to)...I try not to let other's training methods keep me up at night. Because I don't run or race for a specific reason, doesn't necessarily mean I'm right for doing it my way and others wrong for doing it another. My 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteC'mon Jim, raise some more hairs :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, lately, i run to lose weight.
Just remember, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. In the end, everyone runs for their own reason and that in itself is a great thing. We are all involved in a great sport. But ............................
I agree... however the title of this post should have been 'Doublej ain't a real man' or something like that...my 2 cents. If I didn't already watch what I said on my blog before, I really will going forward...
ReplyDelete,,,See Ruben's blog reference to the 10 miler (b4 the "race")
ReplyDeleteI run for my sanity that is why I am typing this at 3:15 AM to aqua jog w/ DD in a pond 20 miles away from my house.
JJ I always told you to run faster (than 55 minutes) you need to race less and do more speed work,. If you feel that short 5k do the trick then that is your call
I've always said, "If you put money down to run, then it's a race" I guess Scott M, Dave Q, and I all grew up during the same era. We killed ourselves in every race we ran. Scott and Dave had many more wins then me but that never stopped my burning desire to let it rip at every race.
ReplyDeleteI just can't understand paying good money to go out and not give 100% effort.
I'm much slower now and most likely racing to much. Races are my speed workouts these days because my body can't take a speed workout and a race in the same week. But that doesn't mean I go 80% or do intervals during the race. I love racing and seeing how I stack up. My goal in every race is to beat as many people as possible and if they puke, even better!!
I've never not given 100% effort in a race (to my knowledge). Thats the thing. Everyone is missing my point completely. I give 100% in workouts (when I used to do them) on the track, hills, etc. I bust my ass. I was never that great at being able to do intervals on the track and would usually be all out by the end anyways... But I'd rather get my 'speedwork' in racing other people and having fun at races rather than alone at 6am on a track somewhere in east jesus massachusetts. When I say I'm doing a race as a 'workout' I mean I am taking that day and that location and running my ass off. Whether it's a race, or a 'workout', its the same to me. I use it to try to get faster. That's what I consider a workout. I think people are thinking it is something else. If you went 6 months of running 7:30 pace every day and never racing...or you went 6 months of running 7:30 pace every day, but one day a week, you went and ran a 5k or 5 miler somewhere, which plan do you think will make you a bit faster? It's pretty simple. My races are my speedwork for the week. Whether you agree or not, thats the way it is. I'm sorry if I sometimes refer to them as 'workouts'. I guess I should put 'my type of' before them, as to not offend the old schoolers... As for Ruben, not sure what his idea of 'workouts' are and I'm not particularly concerned about it. I congratulate him when he runs well regardless of what he calls them and I don't let any words he uses to describe his races get under my skin...
ReplyDeleteJJ, I know you put 100% into every race. I love reading your blog about the races. In fact I remember at least 1 snowshoe race where in the first 100 yards of the race you had a 50 yard lead and you never backed down. The rest of us were thinking WTF is up with Jim.
ReplyDeleteKeep it rolling buddy.
I was making sure I had enough room on Wolfe...that guy is unpredictable...
ReplyDeleteI think I understand what Jim is trying to say. It's not that he's going to the races and running a laid back effort, it's that he's running all out and using that to get better. Some people just don't get better by running intervals on the track or long tempos out on the road solo. He's running the races all out to make himself better at other distances. Judging by the time it doesn't look like he was holding anything back. If he had run 57 minutes knowing that he's run under 55 and he said he'd run it as a workout, I'd be saying the same thing as you guys. There is no way that I could race as often as JJ and be able to race as well as he does, but ti works for him. To each his own.
ReplyDeleteBTW, good training DQ.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about being VERY lazy most of the week and then cherrypicking on the weekend...a good combo to try to stay in a constant state of mediocrity...
ReplyDeleteDave, Way to hit a beehive with at 2x4!!
ReplyDelete