Team ZGeek

[kleph]

http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/files/2/0/1/sydney.jpgOn Sept. 23 of this year, approximately 21,000 people will line up at Milsons Point and, at precisely 7:10 a.m. they will surge forth and begin an almost 42 kilometer run through the city of Sydney.

I plan to be one of them. Benwah will be another. Together we will be proudly representing Team ZGeek.

There are approximately 19-and-a-half weeks until this race. That's about perfect for a training schedule to prepare for a marathon. Most likely, I will kick off my training on the 22nd of this month.

If you have ever considered taking on a marathon, we warmly welcome you and urge you to register and become one of Team ZGeek. If the big boy is too daunting, and that's completely understandable, the health festival also will include a half-marathon, a 9k bridge run and a 4k fun run. It would be awesome to have Team ZGeek members in each race.

You can find the information on the event here: http://www.sydneymarathon.org/
My running blog is here: http://www.kleph.com/run
And the official ZGeek runners resource thread is here: http://www.zgeek.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53715

Oh yeah, there will be t-shirts.

[Benwah]

I'm so up for this. go team marathon Zgeek.

[That Bloke]

I doubt I could run 42km, could definately briskly walk it though.

In the local 8km jog I keep intending to jog the whole thing & get my time down to 30-35 minute mark but problem is I don't have a jog pace, what happens is that for the first 1500 metres I just run & I move from the back of a several hundred strong pack to right up neer the front & then I burn out, end up walking most of the rest of the way, make the 8km in dead on 50 minutes.

[BlueBoy]

If I ran 42km I would die.
If I can get the money/time I will be there as part of the cheer squad.

[Mr. Bungle]

If I ran 42km I would die.
If I can get the money/time I will be there as part of the rum squad.

edited for truth

[dwarfthrower]

9k bridge run might be a possibility... The only way I can run a marathon is to spread it out over a fortnight.

[Glompbot]

I could probably do the 4km jog across the bridge. I can jog 1km before I need to stop and die for a little while, and I can run 500m before i need to stop, so it just means either slowing down for the whole thing, or getting better.

I will also double as a cheer squad.

[BtrFly]

if i was able to come up there i could probably participate in the 4km fun - walk part of this. i am not a runner, but i AM a fast walker :)

[King_Crud]

9km run sounds good, i could do that comfortably. I will check it out

[King_Crud]

Oh, and will Klephs appearance in Sydney be the start of zmeet 2007?

[Girl.]

I'm not a runner, so I'll do a 4km swimming marathon then join BlueBoy as the zgeek cheersquad :)

[kleph]

the marathon cutoff times are as follows...

08.30am - 10km Anzac Pde
10.00am - 21km Anzac Pde
10.50am - 27.5km Sussex & King St
11.30am - 32.8km Norton Street (aid station 14)
11.50am - 35km Before Glebe Island Bridge (aid station 15)

keeping in mind the race starts at 7:10 you get an idea of how slow you can run the race and still be a participant. that said, having run one marathon at a snails pace, i can assure you, you don't want to be out there on the pavement for five hours.

but, face it, none of us is racing any of these things so it doesn't matter which race you enter or how slow you go. doing it is the point of the thing. if the 4k fun run (http://www.sydneymarathon.org/default.asp?PageID=3231) is all you feel you can handle then register for that bad boy.

moreover you have four months to get ready. i don't care how bad a shape you are in, you can get fit enough to run a 9 k in 134 days so the 4k will be a breeze. as i said, pop over to the runners resource (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53715) or getting fit (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44547) threads for all kinds of good info on how to go about it.

because i'd love to have folks there to cheer for us poor bastards as we haul in at the end of our masochistic endeavor but it would be even more awesome if you had your own medals to show off afterward as well.

[Mr Bigglesworth]

42kms. Id die after about 5.

Thanks but no thanks, but I'll be sure to join you guys for drinks afterwards.

[Glompbot]

Can we still be team zgeek if we only do the 4k run?

[BtrFly]

actually i remember a couple of years back i was a person at the finish line who handed out the medals. i feel so proud :p

[kleph]

actually i remember a couple of years back i was a person at the finish line who handed out the medals. i feel so proud :p

that's awesome. i can't tell you how much folks like me who run these things appreciate the work volunteers do. on behalf of everyone who raced that race, i say thank you.

sapia, HELL YES!. that's the point.

mr. bigglesworth, if you can do five then you can run the 4K. AND you can have the drinks afterward.


the fact is, anyone who wants to run the marathon needs to be already running about 25 to 35 kilometers a week. that puts it out of the range of lots of folks. if you want to start from zero and do a long race, there is just enough time to do the half-marathon. but you will really have to work on it.

but, given the lead time we have, the 9k and 4k are completely possible for anyone barring a medical condition of some sort. remember, the point of these is to get out and have fun and the organizers keep that in mind.

[Benwah]

The more the merrier I say 4K, 9K or the full marathon or supporters or people there at the finish.

I'm also going to make a photodocumentary of my training.

[Mr Bigglesworth]

It sounds like a plan, Kleph.

Plenty of time between now and September to shape up a tad :)

[kleph]

sounds great.

and remember, one of the reasons i wanted to create Team ZGeek is to be a support group for everyone participating. nineteen weeks is a long time and getting in shape enough for your given race is a slow process filled with setbacks and dissapointments. my hope is we can help each other out here on the forums and then celebrate together when we finally reach our goals.

[kleph]

The Dailies

the idea is this, if you get out and get a workout in, post about it here. i've started the first one with the Manic Mondailies (14/5) (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1160765) thread. it's the thread-of-the-day for team zgeek.

post whatever aspect of your workout you feel is important. food intake, noxious smells, developing a stigmata... whatever.

about every running guide i've read urges starting a running diary. this is exactly the reason i started my running blog (http://www.kleph.com/blog.php?v_blog_id=5) but, for lotsa folks starting out, developing a routine for running is a big enough task. the dailies are a substitute as well as a way for all of us to keep track of each other's progress.

if you are the first to run one day, feel free to start the daily - just include the date so we don't confuse them down the road. i'll make all mine for the day ahead given the bulk of Team ZGeek is australia-based.

[Thyrd]

I've been invited by Kleph, but I can't come. Different state & all. :(

[kleph]

bah, bring your ass on over. it's near the time of the zmeet anyway so you should be in nsw getting upto hijinx with the irc krew.

[Glompbot]

AND bring the girly too. make it a romantic geeky holiday with added exercise.

[Mr Bigglesworth]

I've been invited by Kleph, but I can't come. Different state & all. :(

What kind of lame fucking excuse is that you lazy arsefarmer. Get your ass here and have a run and a drink with us. I cant wait to give you shit in person ;)

[beerbaron]

best of luck to all entrants in team zgeek !
crush em :)

[Glompbot]

I've got a friend who is going to sign up to zgeek and join this and help me run around.... only if I do the 9km one >_<





yeah..... urgh... ok... maybe

[Veeedka]

I've got a friend who is going to sign up to zgeek and join this and help me run around.... only if I do the 9km one >_<





yeah..... urgh... ok... maybe



Going to? ;)

Hey kids!

[still life]

I'll do the 4km one, shouldn't be too hard at all.

9km if I get in good enough shape.

(pm sent)

[That Bloke]

Put me down for the 9km, I'll need accomodation for the weekend(although there's some months yet to sort that out).

A can't imagine that I'm likely to put in the training to do the half marathon, Walking it(or the full marathon, I once walked 110km non-stop, it took a little over 12 hours) would be a piece of piss to finnish but at only 8ish km/h I wouldn't come in on time.

[Glompbot]

Going to? ;)

Hey kids!

Yeah, Ok.
You have to come and getme running though.
I buy runners next fortnights pay...

[Veeedka]

Yeah, Ok.
You have to come and getme running though.
I buy runners next fortnights pay...


I've still gotta actually get off my own arse and do this...

And you don't really live on my way home from work :P haha.

[kleph]

first post updated. i'm overjoyed at the response folks. it's awesome to see so many want to take a stab at this.

ok. to keep this organized, this thread is now for discussing the races themselves, members of team zgeek and whatnot. i'd like to keep actual training issues in the daily threads and/or runners resource. also, i'm moving all the running-specific comments from the getting fit thread to runner's resource to make them easier to find.

[Benwah]

Marathon = Entered, Training begins in T-minus 7 days.

[kleph]

benwah = hero

[Glompbot]

Cool

[Elentari]

19 weeks ought to be enough time for me to get into shape....




for the 4 km fun run!

It actually sounds mighty tempting... been so out of shape since I was sick for 3-4 months at the end of last year and I havent been motivated to exercise since then because its too damn difficult. It would be a good excuse to go down to Sydney and get into a bit better shape... I will have to find out what my workload is going to be like next semester though.

EDIT: I just read that there will be T-shirts... yet another reason to do it! Will definately have to find out if workload will allow for it.

[still life]

Marathon = Entered, Training begins in T-minus 7 days.

So what will training consist of mr benwah, I would love some pointers!

[kleph]

both benwah and i will be using variations of hal higdon's 18-week marathon training schedule (http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm). this is designed for the first-time marathoner who has a base of 15-25 miles (24-40 km) per week.

[Benwah]

So what will training consist of mr benwah, I would love some pointers!

Running and lots of it!

It's strange, since I left my ex (on NYE lols) I have been running more and more and in the last 3 months since moving to Randwick I have been running at least one 90 min run a week with 2-3 good 45-60 min runs durin' the week so I have unwittingly built up a good base, and to top that off last week before Kleph floated the idea I finally booked and went to the physio to get a niggling lower leg ache looked at (turns out it's no big deal) so my base is all sorted which is good and I have no major injuries.

I am tossing up which Hal Higdon training guide to do now, but basically they all point to the same thing, running 5-6 times a week with at least one long run a week peaking at runs of up to 35Ks... really it's all about having enough in the tank to complete the Marathon.... with training this way helping you to grow a bigger tank.

Lots of good music to keep you sane, good healthy food = fuel for the fire, and positive thinking helps too.

My brother is doing a half marathon this weekend so I'm going to get along to remind myself what the atmosphere is like.

I'm looking forward to it already well done on all the Zgeeker who have expressed interest in taking part and supporting.

[kleph]

well, speaking from painful experience, i'd say be conservative in your choice for the first race. pick the training plan that is closest to your current running level and see where it takes you. don't set a specific time goal. let your body learn the rigours of this style of training with this marathon and your next marathon will be for a specific goal.

the expression is that you run your first marathon and race every one after that. i made the mistake and confused the two and now i'm back to training in order to just finish the thing in a decent manner.

[kleph]

and now we are officially a zgeek sanctioned entity. pirate said 'it shall be' and was gracious enough to give us our own sub forum to play in.

so now if you have training issues, race questions or whatnot lets get it done in the Team ZGeek sub sub forum (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=212).

[TheGorn]

I did the Sydney Marathon in 1996 in the piss-weak time of 3hr 33mins.

I had very poor prep - played two hard games of squash during the week with no warmdown. I got to the starting line just before the start time and had no warm up at all. I instantly cramped up and thought I'd have to pull out. I think it took me about 45 mins just to run the first 5 km. Luckily the legs started to loosen up after that.

One of the best things for such a shit start is finding myself in the rear of the field, and then picking off people for like 30kms once I got my legs. That's a real mental boost.

I was ready and much more prepared in 1997 but the fuckers cancelled the race because some big Jap sponsor pulled out.

http://www.coolrunning.com.au/sydneymarathon/pastyears.shtml

What brought absolute pleasure was seeing the odd red-neck Sunday driver having fits of road rage when they were blocked by the barricades and i could see them exploding at the officials trying to get through. That put a spring in my stride and a smile on my face :)

I'd do it again but I've bulked up too much in the gym, and at 85kgs I'm about 10kgs over what I used to be when I did these sorts of things. That'd put a fair bit of weight on my knees I'd reckon.

[dwarfthrower]

I'd do it again but I've bulked up too much in the gym, and at 85kgs I'm about 10kgs over what I used to be when I did these sorts of things. That'd put a fair bit of weight on my knees I'd reckon.

Frigging ectomorphs... at 85kg you're still 10kg lighter than I am.

[BlueBoy]

For a myriad of reasons (mostly revolving around money, time and a lack of both) I will not be running this year.

[still life]

I am probably also out due to being a slack unfit bastard.

Also, spending all my weekends hunting for a house to buy.

[That Bloke]

I am probably also out due to being a slack unfit bastard.
.
At least do the 4k, 3 years in a row I never trained for an 8k & I managed.

[kleph]

alright, if you haven't entered and still plan to you best hurry. race organizers say (http://www.coolrunning.com.au/forums/index.php?showtopic=13772&view=findpost&p=259020) everything but the marathon will be capped this week. the number of participants so far are as follows:

- Marathon 1,800
- Half 4,500
- Bridge Run 16,000
- Family Run 6,000

the team zgeek entries are still open so feel free to join us but, sadly, the t-shirt offer is now closed.

also, the race nutritional partner is GU (http://www.runthebridge.com.au/default.asp?PageID=3240) this year. that means their brand energy drinks and gels will be what you get on the route. so you might want to give them a try over the next few weeks (the raspberry is damn good).

[kleph]

alrighty kids, i made it to the states and found all the t-shirts ready and waiting for me. HUZZA! now we need to figure out a time to get together to hand them out and meet all our haggard faces. since we all have to attend the race expo prior, i suggest we do something in conjunction with it.

[Glompbot]

Sounds good :)

[boonzie]

So are we meeting somewhere before the race??? or just for beers after?

[That Bloke]

So are we meeting somewhere before the race??? or just for beers after?

Unsure, I know we're meeting at the Australian Pub at The Rocks from 1pm Saturday.


Now onto other business, my printer is fucked, so I can't print the email, it it possible to pick up my runner's kit with a photo ID & also quoting the reference number in the email?

[dwarfthrower]

Now onto other business, my printer is fucked, so I can't print the email, it it possible to pick up my runner's kit with a photo ID & also quoting the reference number in the email?

Yeah, they even seemed to have a 'by surname' list of participants so you could look up your number if you forgot it.

[Glompbot]

Their site says you just need your licence to prove your ID
write down your number as well cause thats to help you find them.


I'm going to pick up my kit today.
See you all at the pub at 1pm?

[Glompbot]

All done.
I have one blister on each foot :(
But I'm very happy that I did it and I will definitely be doing it every year from now on.

http://www.fivefootdemon.org/pics/running/bridgerun23-9-07.jpg