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How would you taper for a goal half marathon in this situation? (Read 116 times)

    Race date: March 17th  - Shamrock Half Marathon - Virginia Beach

    I've run many races of this distance before so it's nothing new to me.  I'm young-ish and recover quickly.  I have a snowboarding trip Feb 24-26.  I will likely be sore from that for a few days.

     

    Trying to figure out when my last long run should be and what distance?

     

    Tell me what you would so if you were me!

      What does your training look like now?

       

      I have a goal half marathon on March 17th. I don't plan to taper much for it other than the last 3-4 days before the race. I plan to do an easy 13-15 on the Sunday before (Mar 10th.)

       

      The snowboarding trip is far enough in advance and short enough that I would not think it would affect your taper plans at all.

      Runners run


      Kalsarikännit

        I'm young-ish and recover quickly. 

         

        Gdmt.

        I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

         

          I'm old-ish and recovery quickly, so there's that.

          Runners run


          Kalsarikännit

            I'm old and recovery quickly, so there's that.

            Gdmt.

            I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

             

            ilanarama


            Pace Prophet

              I never taper for more than a week before a half anyway, and usually I am running a LR of 14-16 and I'll still do that one week out.  But a lot depends on what your weekly mileage is, and what your long run usually is before a half.

               

              Also, I ski every Friday (and sometimes another weekday) in the winter, and I still run on Saturday, usually a LR.  I would think your volume would not be affected by your trip (I assume you won't be running during it, just picking up again afterward) but you might want to keep it easy until you feel recovered.

               

              There's no reason why you can't run long on Mar 2 and Mar 9.  I'm actually running a half on the 16th myself and plan 14 or 15 on the 2nd and 14 on the 9th, and 50-55mpw until the week of the race which will be much lower volume.

                Thanks!  I run 40 mpw - 1-2 speed workouts a week depending on how I feel.  Long runs between 12-15 miles.  I usually do about 10 miles the weekend before the race, but the snowboarding trip is making me a little worried.  It doesn't help that I really suck at it and am more banged up than a normal person after a trip to the slopes.  I'm just not sure my body will want to run 15 miles a few days after boarding.

                  While I'm at it - I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what pace group to sign up for.  I've yet to hit the sub 2:00 mark.  Best was 2:01 and in November a 2:03 on limited mileage and some 2:05's.   I ran a hillier 5k on Sunday (did a 13.5 easy long run on Sat) and ran 25:40 which is 30 seconds off my PR from November.  My last 10k was 51:30 but that was back in the Fall as well. My tempo runs are between 8:45-9:10.   I usually do cut down's so after warm-up I will start out at 9:15 and cut it down until I get to 8:40.  My tempo miles never exceed 4-5 miles.

                   

                  Pace group choices are 2:05 and 2:00.  I know I can hit the 2:05 unless something terrible happens, but I think 2:00 might be a stretch although I'm not sure.

                  Mr MattM


                     I'm just not sure my body will want to run 15 miles a few days after boarding.

                     

                    It will make no difference if you run 15 or don't run 15.  None.  Nada.  Zero.  Try not to miss too much running, but don't stress over whether or not you feel like doing a 15 mile run.

                    be curious; not judgmental

                    LeighDS


                    Live Free & Run

                      Pace group choices are 2:05 and 2:00.  I know I can hit the 2:05 unless something terrible happens, but I think 2:00 might be a stretch although I'm not sure.

                       

                      If it was me, I'd start off with the 2:05 group as a good way to conserve during the first hald. Then maybe mid-point pick up the pace and joint group 2:00 sometime in the back half of the run. Or stick with the 2:05 group for only the first 3 miles then pull up to the 2:00.

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                      FULL - 4:41:12 on 1-11-2015

                       

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                        Hm, see, I would say based on the limited information available (25:40 5k on tired legs, 2:03 on "limited mileage," currently @40mpw training) that the OP should break 2 hours. By a couple of minutes, even if it's a really good day and the course is favorable.

                         

                        So my answer to the pace group question is start with the 2hour group and plan to move ahead of them as soon as the initial start-wave congestion has cleared a little. (My real answer is: neither, run your own race and aim for, say, 1:58, but that is maybe not so helpful.)

                         

                        I usually do my last long run 2 weeks before the half, and an easy 8 miler the week before. I wouldn't recover in time from a 13-miler the week before the race!

                         

                        If it was me, I'd start off with the 2:05 group as a good way to conserve during the first hald. Then maybe mid-point pick up the pace and joint group 2:00 sometime in the back half of the run. Or stick with the 2:05 group for only the first 3 miles then pull up to the 2:00.

                          Training cycle for November, I had 2 speedwork/week but the mileage was 25 most weeks.  I could have broke 2 hours then, but I decided it was a good idea to start off at 8:40 and I paid for it at mile 9 which is the reason why I'm looking to join a pace group!

                          ilanarama


                          Pace Prophet

                            If you ran a 2:01 on 25mpw and are now running 40mpw, go for the 2 hour pace group.