VETERAN RUNNERS! What's your preferred distance?

Trail_Addict
Trail_Addict Posts: 1,340 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This is for runners who have been racing for a few seasons; those who have sampled the various race distances, from 5K to Half or even full Mary.

What is your favorite distance?
Is it your strongest distance, or your favorite for other reasons?
How did you determine it to be the best distance for you?
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Replies

  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    bump for reading later :)
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    Define veteran runner?
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,340 Member
    Define veteran runner?

    "This is for runners who have been racing for a few seasons; those who have sampled the various race distances, from 5K to Half or even full Mary. "
  • aprilgicker
    aprilgicker Posts: 395 Member
    bump for later
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    Define veteran runner?

    "This is for runners who have been racing for a few seasons; those who have sampled the various race distances, from 5K to Half or even full Mary. "

    Reading is an essential skill. I should try to learn this sometime.
  • nuttyfamily
    nuttyfamily Posts: 3,394 Member
    My favorite is the shorter distances. After training for two halfs, I find I just do not find that I like the longer distances at all. I have no desire to do a full.

    So my favorite is a 10k and then 5k.
  • ChristinaK69
    ChristinaK69 Posts: 249
    My greatest endorphin run was 30 miles. But, 10 is a comfortable jaunt. It has been awhile though.
  • annamook
    annamook Posts: 28
    I do really well in 4 mile races for some reason. I like a 10K also though
  • dreanance
    dreanance Posts: 246
    13.1. I think anything less than 10k is a waste of my time since getting to a race would take me longer than it would to run it.

    I'm running my first full this fall though, I can't wait!!!
  • kjcorredora
    kjcorredora Posts: 2 Member
    Favorite distance is the marathon. Love it. Love all the training, love all the crazy stuff your mind does while you taper, love the pure euphoria at the finish line (also, because I'm odd, I love those hours out on the course, just running and staying calm and dealing with whatever challenges come up). Also, I love it when little kids want to high five me.

    For road races, my best competing results have been the 10K distance, but it's not a favorite.
    For trail/xcountry races, my best competing results have come at the 4K distance (with a big ol' hill with 20% grade smack in the middle of the course). Again, not my favorite. Probably won't do that race series again. Not even for the bling.

    Been plagued by injuries this season. Considering focusing more at competing in 1/2 marathons come Spring (it's fall here in Chile now). Maybe won't even run a full again until mid 2013.
  • tenunderfour
    tenunderfour Posts: 429 Member
    My favorite is the half marathon....long enough to feel like a big race. But, not so long that it kicks your *kitten* for 2 days after!

    That said.... the full mary is the gold standard. And even though it's grueling and I swear I will never do another.... I always find myself coming back to it. NYC marathon lottery drawing is tomorrow. Fingers crossed I get in!!

    And, like a previous poster - my best times actually come in 10K races......

    I despise 5Ks. I would rather run long than fast. :)
  • Run4iiiiiit
    Run4iiiiiit Posts: 489 Member
    half is my favorite. I feel like I could wake up and decide to run a half and go do it. It's long enough that you have to pace yourself, though. I don't need a week to recover, either. why do I run fulls?
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    Marathon. Love doing the 20 - 22 mile training runs as well.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Half marathons for sure! Run at a nice pace, no concerns about hitting the wall (not long enough).

    I'm currently training for marathon # 26, I still haven't figured out whether or not I like them...
  • scribb
    scribb Posts: 3,659 Member
    I love running half marathons in a race, but if I am alone I tend to like a 10 mile run along he river bend.
  • coronalime
    coronalime Posts: 583 Member
    Half marathon for my version of "running" and working at it..I show improvement at least..

    I run marathons but Im not that good at it. Mile 16 I fall apart and struggle
  • run4yourlife
    run4yourlife Posts: 379 Member
    Define veteran runner?

    "This is for runners who have been racing for a few seasons; those who have sampled the various race distances, from 5K to Half or even full Mary. "

    Reading is an essential skill. I should try to learn this sometime.

    :laugh:
    My fave is a half marathon. It's not my fastest distance, but it's my favorite because I find it completely doable, yet it still gives me a challenge.
  • SD2bfit
    SD2bfit Posts: 11
    After 11 full marathons, (Marine Corp was my favorite!), and 6 Half Ironman events, plus numerous "other" race distances, I love my one marathon I do each year. It makes me train through the holidays--great for weight maintenance, especially since I am usually doing longest runs in Nov-Dec. I like doing Half Ironman events better than Marathons, though, if I have time to train all 3 events. Running is my meditation. I am strange--love being out there with just me and Mother Nature for 3-4 hours of just running. 5Ks just aren't worth the entry fee anymore.
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
    By myself, I love to run 8-9 miles, favorite races are 1/2 marathon, but best times are always 10K's. Anything less than a 10k takes more time to warm up than actually run the race. But, I still do them b/c they are fun!
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    Mine is actually the 10K. It's my favorite because I tend to have pretty strong performances, in terms of besting my own PR's, and being able to push through to really finish strong. In the 10Ks I've run, even the super hilly ones, I feel like those last three miles are golden; like I have little wings on my feet, and they'll just take me anywhere. It's really that great finishing strength that made me decide I loved that distance, because I don't feel that way for the last few miles of other races. I usually get that feeling the last mile or so, but not a few miles.

    Granted, I loved my half marathon and marathon experiences, because the sheer feeling of finishing at the end is just awesome. But I didn't always feel as great during the races as I did doing those 10Ks. Those races were just pure joy during, while the longer ones were pure joy afterward.
  • azukarsweet
    azukarsweet Posts: 1 Member
    I will be running my fourth half marathon (one barefoot). I decided this would probably be my last one for a while only because the training keeps me from doing what I really enjoy, photography. So I've decided 5k's will be my new favorite. My husband recently convinced me to run on some trails and I must admit, although harder, I kinda enjoyed running them.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I'm presently enjoying 1/2's mainly because they are so easy to just run, w/o having to worry about much stress on my body or training. I'm training for my second full this fall, hopefully, I can maintain the mileage and be able to do the same with full's as I have with have - just run one whenever I want w/o having to worry about too much training to get there.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    not that I am one. My husband's boss who is in his 50s, has been a runner for 35+ years. He told me his preferred distance is a 1/2 marathon. (he brought this up since I was training for one).
  • lauleipop
    lauleipop Posts: 260 Member
    I love 1/2's. It's not too far, the training is easy to fit into a busy schedule. That being said, I'll run my first full this October and am really looking forward to 3 - 4 hour runs during training.

    If by "strongest" you mean fastest pace-wise, no. I have solid performance during a half, generally hitting my best split at mile 9. The last 4 miles are hard, but I know I'll finish them. Physically I feel at my peak when I'm trained for a half. I'm hoping training for a full will set a new standard for me.
  • trimom10
    trimom10 Posts: 388 Member
    Great question and one I really haven't pondered until now. I really like a 10 mile race that I've done about five times now. Long enough to be challenging, have to put time into training, and feel like you've accomplished something when you cross the finish line.

    That being said, I've run a one mile race the past two years and thought it was challenging in a different way than the 10 mile. I really had to concentrate on running and pushing myself the entire way, no time to daydream or sightsee. I came in around 7:30 and was so pleased with the PR. Can't wait to run it again this season being 15 pounds lighter and hopefully sub 7.
  • trail_rnr
    trail_rnr Posts: 337 Member
    I don't race too much these days, usually one or two big dogs a year, and I like to try different races in the west. That said, I'm repeating a 50m this year in which I did poorly here in Utah last year because I feel like I need to redeem my crappy performance (plus last year the route was an alternate snow course and it kind of sucked). I like 50m way more than 50k, but the longer the better, in general. I think this is primarily because I am slow and suck at shorter races (granted, I haven't done a 5k or a 10k in something like 15 years). And I just really like running for hours.

    I do a lot of long training runs in beautiful places and after the "eventing" season (I like the word "event" better than "race") is done I like to tackle a few adventure runs. These usually run in the 30-50 mile range. Since I seem to default to that distance, it must be my favorite.

    Strongest? Heck, I'm usually happy to just finish :happy:
  • aprilgicker
    aprilgicker Posts: 395 Member
    I don't race too much these days, usually one or two big dogs a year, and I like to try different races in the west. That said, I'm repeating a 50m this year in which I did poorly here in Utah last year because I feel like I need to redeem my crappy performance (plus last year the route was an alternate snow course and it kind of sucked). I like 50m way more than 50k, but the longer the better, in general. I think this is primarily because I am slow and suck at shorter races (granted, I haven't done a 5k or a 10k in something like 15 years). And I just really like running for hours.

    I do a lot of long training runs in beautiful places and after the "eventing" season (I like the word "event" better than "race") is done I like to tackle a few adventure runs. These usually run in the 30-50 mile range. Since I seem to default to that distance, it must be my favorite.

    Strongest? Heck, I'm usually happy to just finish :happy:
    So, As far as resting for these, DO you walk some or actually jog the whole way. I know running on trails makes the miles slip by but just curious.
    And what if you hit the wall are you disqualified if you walk to try to recover in other races.
    I know if you sign up as a walker you have to walk but if you are a runner can you walk? or is it different with every race?
  • trail_rnr
    trail_rnr Posts: 337 Member
    I prefer to think of it as power hiking :happy: On these long races, very few people DON'T walk at least a little. You have to learn how to be efficient and rest on your feet. If you can walk up a steep hill faster than you can run it, you walk it. Many, many people walk ALL of the uphills. And sometimes you just need to walk.

    Every race is different. I did a trail marathon last weekend with a total of over 7000' of elev gain (most of it in two long, steep climbs). That was way harder than the 50k I did a few weeks ago (6+ miles farther) with only 4000' of elev gain. Much more walking during the marathon.
  • aprilgicker
    aprilgicker Posts: 395 Member
    I prefer to think of it as power hiking :happy: On these long races, very few people DON'T walk at least a little. You have to learn how to be efficient and rest on your feet. If you can walk up a steep hill faster than you can run it, you walk it. Many, many people walk ALL of the uphills. And sometimes you just need to walk.

    Every race is different. I did a trail marathon last weekend with a total of over 7000' of elev gain (most of it in two long, steep climbs). That was way harder than the 50k I did a few weeks ago (6+ miles farther) with only 4000' of elev gain. Much more walking during the marathon.
    This sounds like something I would like. I see folks doing the pavement pounders And I just think of how bad it would hurt afterwards and boring. My husband loves to do trail runs. We will be moving to Germany in a month the place is littered with trails. There is even a castle group. Thanks for the answer!
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 778 Member
    13.1 is my preferred distance for competition - 7-8 milers for daily runs.

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