Comments on: Seeking help from the Magic 8 Ball…

By: Pamalamadingdong

Pamalamadingdong — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 01:34:17 +0000

Do the voices in your head ever mention anything about bowling?

By: jeanne

jeanne — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 17:26:19 +0000

I’m with Jack. Why not run it as a training run? Just take it slow. No need to walk. I did this with the cherry blossom 10 miler. My farthest distance was 6 miles, and i was ready to bail. Then I decided to use it as a training run, and told myself to be ready to bail at 7. I went really slow, REALLY slow for the first 1/2, had a GREAT time, and didn’t need to walk.

But that was me and this is you, so: Your mileage may vary.

This is a tough decision. Good luck. (Geeze, i just noticed that the race is TOMORROW!)

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 15:06:43 +0000

I can’t add any advice here. What the others said is exactly right. Take care Lara.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 12:03:10 +0000

My suggestion is if you decide to run it you need to treat it as a training run, long run pace, walk the uphills, don’t worry about speed. Oh, and stop if your body tells you to.

By: christine

christine — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 02:44:32 +0000

Yep, what everbody else said. Keep your eye on the “A” race Lara. Things have changed since you signed up for the 15K, stick with the new plan. I’m sure this isn’t easy but it’s an opportunity to race/train smart and I’m pretty sure your M will be the better for it. I do like that your a bit torn though…just means your real runner

By: Jess

Jess — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 20:39:47 +0000

Oh man, that’s such a tough decision. I mean I guess it shouldn’t be and it should be obvious that for all the rational reasons you listed, you shouldn’t run the race. But I understand what you mean about being drawn to do it.

I don’t want to poo-poo on that, but I really think you should just go and cheer. You don’t want to put your marathon at risk. On the chance you’d do the race and get injured, you’d just end up frustrated that you’re marathon training was in jeopardy.

So I say go, cheer, and train hard for that marathon!

By: Kurt in Boston

Kurt in Boston — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:30:17 +0000

You really want someone to say you can run it, don’t you? Don’t you!? Admit it!

Race it? Magic 8 Ball says…”My reply is no”.

Run it faster than last time? Magic 8 Ball says…”My sources say no”.

Take it very slow and easy? Accept the fact that you may need walk breaks? Be ready to drop out if need be? Have the courage to drop out? And accept that DNF if it happens? Run the risk of further injury? Magic 8 Ball says…”Concentrate and ask again”.

…but then again, if I were to ask the Magic 8 Ball if I should be running a summer marathon after suffering from heat exhaustion in my last race, I think I know what the answer would be. Will it stop me? Hell, no.

Forget the Magic 8 Ball.

You want my advice? Here it is.

First of all, avoid hills. If it’s a hilly race, forget it. Hills just add more stress to your knees. And until you’re running strong again, I’d avoid them in training as well.

Second, which is more important? This race? Or the marathon? Even though you know you don’t have it in you right now to “race” a 15K, running/jogging/jog-walking 9.3 miles versus 6 miles is really no big deal by itself. But there are two implications to doing so.

1. Obviously, there’s the risk of injury. Only you can decide when you’re ready to take on that risk with the longer miles. Of course, you’re going to have to test that knee sooner or later. But is it time yet?

2. Now, if you were using Hal Higdon’s novice training schedule (don’t recall if you mentioned a particular plan), you’d be looking at a 7 mile run this weekend (and you’d be two weeks away from a 9 mile run). So the second implication is you may be exceeding the recommendation of the program (this is assuming you treat the race as a training run). So maybe no injury, but now you’re too tired from the race to train effectively for several days. It’s likely to throw off your training for the marathon for a little while.

So which race is more important?

[How’s that for a weaselly opinion?]

By: susie

susie — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 11:39:54 +0000

Do you remember when I ran that first half after my injury? And I was so proud of myself for finishing and not walking? And then I couldn’t walk for days or run for a month? And how long it took me to get back up to speed? Just sayin…..

By: Jon in Michigan

Jon in Michigan — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 10:52:06 +0000

See, since I’m not registered I can also be the voice of reason and say, just sit it out. But I know if I were registered, I would want to run it too. In fact, reading your post, I wanted to go sign up and run it even though I am totally unprepared and my back is broken into pieces. I think its just something about a race that makes us want to go run it. Its worse than heroin.

Bottom line, I know where you are coming from but I would hold out and continue with your M training. That’s the big prize.

PS
Please ignore the fact that I ran the New Haven Road Race during M training and totally killed myself.

By: Marshall

Marshall — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 04:06:35 +0000

I hate to be the voice of reason (I really hate it) but as someone sitting here with an extremely painful knee, and someone who is unable to train or race because of it, I would advise you to wait. I threw caution to the wind and tried to run too many miles to quickly, and now I’m sidelined for an indefinite period of time. So I would recommend that you focus on the ultimate goal and not get sidetracked.

good luck!