Race Advice

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ngcaper
Tom Longboat
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Race Advice

Postby ngcaper » Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:57 pm

It's been a while folks...been lurking but not much to say lately. Just running/travelling/running/travelling working and sleeping.

Speaking to coach tonight he suggested running ATB. I've ran it 2x already and pretty sure that's enough for now, I may reconsider but still thinking. He wants me to focus on a fast ATB as a early season tune-up to build speed leading into the heavy work for Grand 2 Grand in Sept.

Anyone have any suggestions for late March to mid-April marathon. I was hoping something closer to Ottawa, I found Waterloo but that feels far when really it's a tune up early season race. So I'm back to RM asking for advice where I first started asking for advice a few yrs back.

Oh and we've had to defer the Dopey as my DW got a shin fracture in August and it's just not recovering as fast so her training is nil. So 2016 it is.
Beer, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems.

2015 Races:
The Limberlost Challenge 56k
Dam Wakley Damn 55k
I2P Run 50k
Grand 2 Grand 273k

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scrumhalfgirl
Lynn Williams
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Re: Race Advice

Postby scrumhalfgirl » Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:16 am

i did this search a while ago looking for april and there wasnt anything closer than waterloo. first weekend of may gets you Mississauga and toronto,
Jesse's 2017 Plans
April - Boston Marathon
May - Sporting Life Ottawa 10K
May - Ottawa Half Marathon

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ngcaper
Tom Longboat
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Re: Race Advice

Postby ngcaper » Tue Nov 11, 2014 1:07 pm

Thanks Scrumhalf I was just hopping I had bad tooling abilities for Ontario races. I'm thinking Waterloo or into May is too late as I'll need full trail/long pack carrying focus then. Well maybe ATB it'll be or I'll just train for it and not race.
Beer, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems.

2015 Races:
The Limberlost Challenge 56k
Dam Wakley Damn 55k
I2P Run 50k
Grand 2 Grand 273k

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MikeM
Bill Crothers
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Re: Race Advice

Postby MikeM » Wed Nov 12, 2014 1:36 pm

ngcaper wrote:Thanks Scrumhalf I was just hopping I had bad tooling abilities for Ontario races. I'm thinking Waterloo or into May is too late as I'll need full trail/long pack carrying focus then. Well maybe ATB it'll be or I'll just train for it and not race.


Is Winterman in mid-February too early?

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ngcaper
Tom Longboat
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Re: Race Advice

Postby ngcaper » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:05 am

Maybe not too early but definitely too cold. The Missesran it last year, I was a spectator. That was an insanely cold day.
Beer, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems.

2015 Races:
The Limberlost Challenge 56k
Dam Wakley Damn 55k
I2P Run 50k
Grand 2 Grand 273k

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ngcaper
Tom Longboat
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Location: NCR

Re: Race Advice

Postby ngcaper » Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:54 pm

Rant start...

So I decided maybe I should look at winter man for kicks and to give me a goal. My rant is the price of races. Currently its $122 tax inc for this race. There is nothing special about this race except the cold. Its a 5k loop on the parkway that you do 8x + a kicker 2k. We're DINK's with no debt, so its never can I afford it, its simply a value for money thing.

When I see prices like this it reaffirms my desire to not run in organized races after g2g next year, but to seek out adventure runs I can plan on my own or with friends. Anyone getting the feeling the running boom has peaked, with virtual races races, expensive entry fees, more races than you can shake a stick at etc. and well soon see a decline?

Rant over.
Beer, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems.

2015 Races:
The Limberlost Challenge 56k
Dam Wakley Damn 55k
I2P Run 50k
Grand 2 Grand 273k

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Spirit Unleashed
Lynn Williams
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Re: Race Advice

Postby Spirit Unleashed » Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:01 pm

We're DINK's with no debt, so its never can I afford it, its simply a value for money thing.

When I see prices like this it reaffirms my desire to not run in organized races after g2g next year, but to seek out adventure runs I can plan on my own or with friends.


I think about this alot.
But I gladly signed up for my adventure race because I couldn't do it alone.
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QuickChick
Lynn Williams
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Re: Race Advice

Postby QuickChick » Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:29 am

There are a ton if you're willing to travel... probably a more fun race experience than Ontario in March-April, too.
"Don’t let negativity rent space in your brain for free. That is how you become a badass…by excavating her from inside you. You don’t have to become someone else. You need to identify the effing awesome parts of you that are your tools to work with, and maximize those." -Lauren Fleshman

Dstew
Bill Crothers
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Re: Race Advice

Postby Dstew » Sun Nov 23, 2014 8:47 pm

ngcaper wrote:Rant start...

So I decided maybe I should look at winter man for kicks and to give me a goal. My rant is the price of races. Currently its $122 tax inc for this race. There is nothing special about this race except the cold. Its a 5k loop on the parkway that you do 8x + a kicker 2k. We're DINK's with no debt, so its never can I afford it, its simply a value for money thing.

When I see prices like this it reaffirms my desire to not run in organized races after g2g next year, but to seek out adventure runs I can plan on my own or with friends. Anyone getting the feeling the running boom has peaked, with virtual races races, expensive entry fees, more races than you can shake a stick at etc. and well soon see a decline?

Rant over.


Chicago, Big Sur, etc, etc are selling out in record times. Calgary Marathon offers an expensive 50 K option and the demand is overwhelming and the one time only is back for at least one more year. In the Calgary area, at one time you had the 5 peaks series and although reasonably priced, some races were getting less then 150 runners and that was about 5 - 7 years ago. There was the Powederface and Moose Mountain trail races and now ... 5 Peaks is 400 or more runners. The Powederface marathon and half marathon trail races are now a 3 day event and Moose Mountain added a marathon to the 16 and 29 K options. Two more ultras at the Canmore Nordic Center and Iron legs 50 mile race are relatively new. $25 races are now $50 or more. To your point about cost, MEC is offering a no frills road series that started with just 5 and 10 K races and now adding a couple of marathon options. There is also a new trail race series at Canadian Olympic Park and $15 in advance, $20 at the door and a beer is included. I do sense there are a few less 5 - 10 K only events but I think the MEC series is filling that void.

I think marathons are fairly static but there does seem to be a demand for unique such as trial races, ultras and also for the shorter races around here. You can push a little too far. The Banff marathon and half did not sell out. They charged $125 and "forced" people to stay in Banff or Canmore for a pre race briefing that was not necessary and could have just as easily been done by email, web and twitter. I believe they are now adding a 10 K race.

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NMG
Bill Crothers
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Re: Race Advice

Postby NMG » Sun Nov 23, 2014 9:53 pm

ngcaper wrote:When I see prices like this it reaffirms my desire to not run in organized races after g2g next year, but to seek out adventure runs I can plan on my own or with friends.


I can definitely see the attraction in that.

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ngcaper
Tom Longboat
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Re: Race Advice

Postby ngcaper » Thu Nov 27, 2014 12:40 pm

Interesting info DStew...I didn't know that about the Banff marathon, its a bit cheeky of the race organizers and I see why it didn't sell out with that approach. Banff is beautiful, but if I lived in Calgary that would really tick me off and I'd skip it. The big city marathons I've always felt are more hype than substance. I see the same with a few of the trail races out there like WSER. The marketing of the race is better than the actual course or race itself.

Per the MEC races I've heard so many good comments from those that ran the Gatineau version this year. Hopefully they're on to something, and it brings a different market to races that has mostly been ignored. Those looking for more economical, less supported events, that allow you to race without all the "noise" of a larger event.
Beer, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems.

2015 Races:
The Limberlost Challenge 56k
Dam Wakley Damn 55k
I2P Run 50k
Grand 2 Grand 273k


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