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Help me decide on my next goal race - Half Marathon or Full? (Read 160 times)

npaden


    Okay, I'm working up my training plan for the next bit and am trying to decide on my next goal race to shoot for.

     

    One goal that I've had is a sub 7:30 pace half marathon.  I think I'm really close on achieving this if I put in a decent training plan and pick the right race.  My last 2 half marathons have been on a challenging course and both were on fairly limited traings so I think they aren't a good indicator of potential.  If I plug my last 10K in that I trained well for the calculators seem to think that I might be able to pull it off.

     

    The other option is more of a stretch.  I've only run one marathon and beat my goal time for it after religiously following the Hansons training plan.  That's been almost 2 years ago now and I feel that I've improved from that and think I could hit a 3:30 marathon if everything went right, but a 3:25 is my BQ time so that is sure tempting.  I'm not really wanting to actually qualify for Boston really, I would just like to run a BQ time.

     

    I've been looking for goal marathons in late May or early June and just can't find one that jumps out at me.  Either the weather is going to be really iffy or they are going to be tough to travel to or hard courses or something.  Looking around, the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth is close and seems like an easy course and should have decent weather but it is earlier than I would like with a March 1st date.  That would only give me 9 weeks to train for it.

     

    I tentatively slapped in a training plan by using the Hanson 16 week plan in reverse and just jumping in at week 7 essentially and I think I could pull it off, but I really doubt I could do 3:25.

     

    Thinking it through, now I'm considering going for my sub 7:30 pace half marathon at Cowtown and continuing to look for a May/June marathon that I could have plenty of time to train for.

     

    Kind of just thinking out loud here I guess, it really is probably a stretch to try to cram in a 9 week training plan for a goal marathon.  I would probably have lots of potential for a blow up and doubt I could make a 3:25.

     

    I seem to be really affected by warmer weather though and am having a hard time finding a full marathon that looks like a good BQ type course in May/June that doesn't have potential to be too warm.  April is a bad month for me at work so that's why I'm looking at May/June.

     

    Any thoughts or suggestions?

     

    Thanks, Nathan

    Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

    Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

    runmichigan


      I advise against trying to shortcut your marathon training.  Yes you will be able to finish a marathon with only 9 weeks of training, but it is unlikely you will be able to run a 3:25.  The Hanson's Marathon Plan uses the concepts of repetitive stress and cumulative fatigue.  This is part of the reason why they recommend long runs of 16 miles or less.  While you may be able to complete individual workouts starting at Week 7, you may find it difficult to complete all the workouts for that week and beyond.  You also increase your likelihood of injury by ramping up too quickly.

       

      You could be an exception and be able to achieve your goal of 3:25.  A lot will likely depend on how much natural talent you have.

      npaden


        Yeah, my head says that I should just shoot for a sub 7:30 pace half marathon, but my heart says to run the marathon.

         

        I think I could jump right in and do the training plan starting with week 7 without that many issues, I've got a decent base right now, but even if I make it though the training plan a 3:25 marathon is unlikely.  I don't think I have any natural talent, I just pound through the miles and slowly get a little faster.  I do think I could run a 3:30 if the stars aligned, my easy pace is pretty close to what my goal marathon pace was 2 years ago, but the 3:25 is very iffy.

         

        The natural progression would be to make the 1:38ish HM first before attempting the sub 3:25 full.

         

        I checked the calendar and the Boston marathon will be on my birthday in 2025, by then I'll only need a 3:40 to qualify and maybe I could make an exception to not running an April race.  Seems like a long time from now though!

        Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

        Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

        npaden


          Well, I think I've sorted out my plans and will either be running the CowTown as just the half marathon or not at all.

           

          I think I'm going to focus my training on a 50K trail race on April 25th near Houston.

           

          Hopefully I don't break anything before then and will be able to train for it.

           

          I do have a bunch of  non goal races that I want to fit into the mix though including still going for a sub 7:30 pace half marathon either March 1st at Cow Town or April 11th.  Of course thinking about trying to fit in a supported long trail run on March 14th called the Crazy Desert Trail race as well...

          Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

          Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

          npaden


            Thought I would update this thread.

             

            I did end up running the Cowtown Half Marathon and beat my goal of running a sub 7:30 pace with an official time of 1:36:42 for an average pace of 7:23.

             

            Plugging that into the calculators it looks like a BQ is within reach if I can put in some good training and pick a good race.

             

            I wasn't planning on attempting a BQ this year though, and think I will still continue with my plan to wait until next year probably to really focus on that.

             

            I am leaning strongly toward switching to the full 50 mile distance on the trail race coming up in April, but not really focusing on anything other than completing the distance on it.

            Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

            Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

            joescott


              Congrats, man!

              - Joe

              We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.