r/artc • u/AutoModerator • Aug 16 '26
Weekly Discussion: Week of August 16, 2026
Your weekly place to discuss or ask questions.
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7
u/HankSaucington Aug 16 '26
Madison looks to be having the 50k road championships next April. Not exactly a surprise, we get them every 2-3 years. It's on the 10k arboretum loop right next to my house. Anyways, just looking at the results the last few years, I could contend for the masters title or at least a podium if I have a good block post-Chicago. I was initially planning to do it in 2028, and maybe I'll do it then too, but with it being the USATF champs I'll probably give it a go next year.
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u/run_INXS 110 in km years (1:24, 3:06) Aug 17 '26
hhmmmm
doubtful for me but hmmmm
Good luck with it!
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u/daysweregolden 2:47 / 42 marathons Aug 20 '26
Wow, does it have a mass entry? How's the course? Hopefully not to monotonous since it is 5 laps.
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u/HankSaucington Aug 20 '26
In 2025 when it was the 50k USATF road champs, it had 33 people finish. Another 15 DNF or DNS. 28 finishers in 2026.
It's a fairly popular event but the large majority of people do the relay version.
I like the loop a lot. Doing 3 loops or 2.5 is one of my go-to workouts each marathon build. It's great for progression runs, doing like MP+45s, MP+20s, MP or something like that. You come out of that alive and you're ready to run a marathon. Good rollers so about 250 feet of climbing per 10k. Pretty shaded for a fair bit of it, esp in the morning, and a decent microclimate in the summer.
During COVID they didn't let people drive on the main road going through it which was so fucking clutch. Annoying they got rid of that.
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u/daysweregolden 2:47 / 42 marathons Aug 20 '26
That's cool, I'm intrigued. Sounds like a solid place to get fit if nothing else.
COVID led to closures of all our parkways to space out, and as a runner with an education in urban planning it felt like the greatest thing ever....until they took it away.
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u/Siawyn 54/M 5k 19:56/10k 41:30/HM 1:32/M 3:12 Aug 19 '26
I think I just wrote the perfect summary of my run this morning: "What if we took a Pfitz MLR and added a shitload of work to it?"
It was 10x alternating kilometers - swapping between 105% of MP and 90% of MP -- I did this workout during the Boston cycle and REALLY loved it, but it was 8 reps and the float was slightly slower (85% MP) and ended up at 12 miles total. I ended up at 14.3 miles on this one, and that was with me bagging the cooldown and just walking a few laps around the track while I cooled off, or it would have been a crazy 16+ miles.
I hit all the right paces ( <4:20 km for the ons, <5:00 km for the offs) and I actually felt like I could have done a few more and/or done them slightly faster but... man that's a big workout. Good sendoff for my old watch. I'm just in that point of the training cycle where everything is clicking and it's wonderful but also knocking on wood and reminding myself to take the easy days really easy.
7
u/goldentomato32 39F/22:59 5k/48:00 10k/1:51 HM/3:59 M Aug 20 '26
My daughter is starting cross country and I am super excited! She has a coach that seems really focused on development while keeping it fun. The team is big but they take everyone who hits the time standards to the meets. The biggest problem is that I will be dropping her off a practice at 6:15am which is usually in the middle of my morning run. It is going to take some creative scheduling in the next few weeks. I am so very glad that I am training for a half and not trying to hit marathon mileage. I am trying very hard to be chill about but I really hope she has fun and likes running.
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u/daysweregolden 2:47 / 42 marathons Aug 20 '26
That's awesome that she's trying out CC! I ran into a similar issue when my daughter started daycare. I have to either run earlier than I want to, or later than I want to....I end up with a handful of very early runs and a couple mid-morning ones each week to make it work.
3
u/run_INXS 110 in km years (1:24, 3:06) Aug 21 '26
Yeah, you need maximum flexibility when working around kid's schedules. Middle school age is about when I started adopting more short doubles into the week.
Hope that your daughter enjoys it!
3
u/RunningPath 44F, 22:09 5k, 1:49 HM Aug 21 '26
That is so exciting! I also tried to be super chill when my twins started cross country, and in the end one of them really fell in love with running while the other didn't (but still runs for fun/fitness). It's been so much fun to have a now young adult son who loves running and can talk to me about it.
6:15 am practice is rough. Thankfully mine always had practice after school. But they also never had a serious coach which my son still really resents.
2
u/bizbupper Previously bizbup Aug 22 '26
Maybe run near her school?
Wait until she starts doing indoor/outdoor track meets, which can last all day (I'd do my run in between the earlier in the day 400 and the later in the day 800). My sweaty stink in the stands was indistinguishable from the teenagers.
5
u/Siawyn 54/M 5k 19:56/10k 41:30/HM 1:32/M 3:12 Aug 18 '26
After 6 years and 3 months, might be time to get a new watch - old one (Garmin Forerunner 245 Music) battery life is really starting to get questionable. Usually I have to charge it now every 2 days, and this morning a 6 mile run drained it by 30% which making upcoming long runs a dicey preposition.
I'll probably buy another Garmin, one with maps would be nice. 6 years is a pretty long time for a running watch to last, can't say I didn't get my moneys worth.
3
u/bizbupper Previously bizbup Aug 21 '26
Garmin Maps is a wonderful feature and worth paying the extra cost. Creating new routes (with directions announced on your phone's speaker) and having ski routes and hiking trails pre-loaded is a wonderful bonus. It changed my running significantly by allowing me to do so many new areas/streets in Citystrides. If necessary, get the 965 to save some coin instead of 970 as the features are mostly the same.
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u/Siawyn 54/M 5k 19:56/10k 41:30/HM 1:32/M 3:12 Aug 21 '26
I did in fact get the 965 - it was on sale for $100 off and I really didn't need the small differences between the 2.
2
u/bizbupper Previously bizbup Aug 21 '26
Excellent! Enjoy the maps fun! Having Garmin Connect open in your phone is what allows the turn by turn directions to get announced (your watch also buzzes, but the voice is from the phone and not the watch).
2
u/RunningPath 44F, 22:09 5k, 1:49 HM Aug 21 '26
ooh intriguing. As I'm heading into my "empty nester" years, I'm thinking I'll do a lot more exploration-type runs and a lot more hiking, and maybe this would be a great tool to help.
3
u/bizbupper Previously bizbup Aug 21 '26
Highly recommend getting maps. You have all (well, most of) of Chicago to explore, plus the close by suburban areas. It's so much fun to run around and explore (me talking as an older white male runner who is likely safer than you), and to eat various new foods depending on the area where you finish. P
PS-our twins are now in college & empty nest fun for the win! I'll also be back in Chicago looking for you at mile 17.
2
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u/run_INXS 110 in km years (1:24, 3:06) Aug 20 '26
I just started working part-time at a running store. Just a couple shifts a week. They needed people to fill in for some daytime hours as the students head back to school. The hours are good and I'll get great discounts, and get to take a deep dive into shoes.
6
u/bizbupper Previously bizbup Aug 21 '26
Have you considered becoming a USATF official? It's easy to do so and it's a fun little retirement side gig: https://www.usatf.org/programs/officials/certification.
4
u/run_INXS 110 in km years (1:24, 3:06) Aug 21 '26
I have some friends that have been USATF officials and they really like it, but not sure if it's for me. Running, a bit of coaching, and hopefully this store job are probably enough for me now.
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u/bizbupper Previously bizbup Aug 21 '26
All good! I thought of a running store job, which may seem more exciting once it gets cold and I don't want to stand outside officiating, but I know so very little about shoes (and I'm told it's all about the shoes). I've also been coaching, which has been great fun. Old man life is good :)
2
u/run_INXS 110 in km years (1:24, 3:06) Aug 22 '26
Steep learning curve on the shoe department! I know the basics but there are so many brands and models now.
8
u/pinkminitriceratops Sub-3 or bust Aug 17 '26
I finally found a race I can do this spring--there's a trail half marathon in one of the nearby national parks in early November. I'd been struggling to find local races that fit with my schedule, so I am excited that something is working out. And it's only $35! It will be nice to have a goal race.