Sub 2:00 Half Marathon thread (Read 2396 times)

    Jeff Great race report.  Hogsback is right in my backyard and East and West River Road used to be and intergral part of my long runs. However we purchased a Condo in RI and spend most weekends there now.

     

    Although you said it's only a 100 ft net change, this is far from a flat course and a lot of little rolling hills.

     

    Who was the race director this year?  I know the old race director was very precise on his mile markers and was a certified course, so it sounds like they changed the director.

    LPH

    "Today I broke my record for most consecutive days lived!"

    doctorjen


      pcaharrier - 3:45 is my goal as well.  And I finally picked a race!  Sounds like we are on the same plan here.

       

      Lurch - baby docs = docs in training.  I teach in a family medicine residency program and we get brand new residents every July.  People who've been doctors for a week can be stressful ...  How's the marathon training going?

       

      Wolfwalker - how are you managing with school?  What are you working on again?  it's hard to squeeze the runs in around busy lives sometimes ...

       

      miele - I'm interested to see how this Hanson's plan works for you.  Running your long runs a little faster sounds scary to me, but maybe with the shorter long runs and the overall plan, that's the way to go?  I think you'll have that sub 1:50 half in the bag if you can hold the pace on a 7 mile tempo.

       

      Stever - great marathon and race report!  Stoopid knee, though.

       

      Jeff - Great job going sub-2!  How exciting to have the gps be off and have it be a surprise at the end!

       

      Zelanie - Ha! "they did a good job with everything but the course"!  Congrats anyway on your swag.  I don't know if I need a "Kiss me" necklace, but the rest sounds like a lot of fun!

       

      bluerun - arrgh, sounds like you have a stoopid knee as well.  Hope you can heal up in time for your half.  6:5x is pretty darn fast for a mile!

       

      Jan - I'm glad this year is better, even if it's still not your favorite job!  A whole different level, but I'm not so thrilled with this year's new crop in my own teaching ...  Sounds like a couple of fun races coming up, even if the long runs aren't too fun.  I'm having the opposite thing - I've been doing speed work and holding some goal pace miles, and I'm really happy when I get to just chill out and run long!

       

      hectortrojan - your avatar does look pretty serious!  I'm not planning an ultras at the moment - maybe a 50K on the same course I ran the summer 50K in February this time.

       

      TaraC - Man, that was a fast 5K!  Running that fast just doesn't seem possible for me!

       

      Nathan - what does one do with an elk, anyway?  Loved your finish pic with the missing leg, too!

       

      FreeSoul - sounds like you have a good chance at that sub-2.  Those kids are hard on our bodies, huh?  My baby is 10 now and it's been great to string multiple training years in a row together without pausing for someone else to take up residence!  (I have 4 kids total)

       

      me - plugging away at the marathon training - and I finally picked a race!  I'm running Indianapolis Monumental on Nov 2.  It's going to be a crazy travel situation.  I'm using frequent flyer miles to get there for free, but the only flight after my race on race day is at 2:30 pm.  Marathon starts at 8 am.  That means I need to run sub-4, and walk straight to the rental car and drive to the airport!

      Yesterday I raced a 5K for the first time in a long time.  I was in San Diego for the week for the national family doc conference and they have a 5K every year.  I didn't know what to expect, because I feel like I'm in pretty good shape, but I'm at peak mileage and I didn't plan to taper.  I'd run 67 miles in the 7 days previous to this 5K.  The weather was perfect, the course was flat, and it's always great fun to see a bunch of family docs being healthy.  There were 429 runners, and another 300 walkers I think, and the course was sort of out and back (with a couple side loops) along the harbor.  It was chip timed, but they also lined us up by projected finish time, and I ended up pretty close to the front.  That didn't stop some dingbat from almost shoving me off the path in the first 50 yds anyway (dude, I'm happy to respond to an "on your left!")  I went out at what I hoped was the pace I've been running my intervals in (7:30) and was pleased to hit mile 1 right at 7:28.  Mile 2 featured part of the back part of the course and I got to see lots of other runners, which is always a nice pick me up for me.  Mile 2 was 7:29.  The last mile featured seeing the finish line at 2.5 miles, but having to turn out on another loop before you go to loop around back to it.  I just kept telling myself "less than a mile, just hold on!"  Hit mile 3 at 7:30, and turned in view of the finish timer finally, and realized I was still under PR pace!  Official time, 23:19, a PR by 18 seconds.  I'm pretty darn pleased with that in the middle of marathon training!

      Today was supposed to be 18 miles.  Pfitzinger calls for 14 at goal marathon pace, but I've decided that's just too many miles to try to go goal pace at, so I was planning to do 10 miles at goal pace (8:35)  I was pretty nervous about it, but my fast friend Rick was going to run it with me and pace me.  He was also on call (does something computer related) so the plan was to stay within 2-2.5 miles of his car.  He invited a couple of other guys he knows, all faster than me, too.  We were supposed to run 5 miles as a warm up, but those guys took off like bats out of hell, so I just let them go, trying to keep my warm up miles north of 9:30 pace.  They waited for me at the first pass back by Rick's car, and by then Rick had a call to reboot a server, so he said he'd try to do it in the car, and that his friend Chris could pace me.  So off to the races we went.  Every mile, I'd remind the guy I was shooting for 8:35, and he'd apologize and slow down - for 50 yards or so.  Somehow, I managed to hold on.  We did 10 miles at an average of 8:19 (I did run one mile at 8:34, the only one we managed to get over 8:30.)  Ended up with 18 in 2:38, or 8:47 pace overall.  It was hard, but it gives me some confidence going forward, that's for sure, especially since I raced yesterday and then traveled most of the day!

      MTA:  This Chris guy?  He's running a 100 miler in 2 weeks and hoping to go sub-20 hours.  He ran 25 miles yesterday, and 20 today!

      npaden


        New PR for me this morning.  Beautiful morning, wish I would have been better prepared because this was one I could have really put a great number up there.  Went out a little too fast and just tried to hold on at the end.  Not running for 10 days in a row sure didn't help anything and I think I should have skipped the strides on my run yesterday because my legs were feeling it a little already by about mile 4.

         

        I clocked it at 1:44:19, but I think my official time was 1:44:25.  Good for 2nd in my age group and this race didn't have a clydesdale division so this was straight up against normal smaller sized runners.

         

        I'll try to do an official race report later and try to catch up with everyone.  I think a nap is in order right now!

        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)

        FreeSoul87


        Runs4Sanity

          doctorjen - boy do they, I mean I read how much pregnancy and giving birth can change the body but man I had no idea how much recovery time my body needed. Oh well, you live and you learn I guess. Yeah I'm pretty content with just one right now, at least for the next 5 years or so.

          *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

          PRs

          5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

          10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

          15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

          13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

           26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

          Zelanie


            Here is the report from my 10K.  It's cross-posted, so you may have seen it elsewhere.

             

            Summary: Official time 53:03, a 5:29 PR over the same course last year.  Missed my goal by quite a bit, but felt like I ran a solid race.  I was 69/169 OA, and 6/30 in the 30-39 AG.

             

            Today I ran the Corvallis Fall Festival 10K.  It’s actually only my second 10K, and my first one was this same race last year, when I was very happy to come in under an hour.  This year, I was hoping to beat last year’s time by a minute per mile, because how many times in your life do you get that sort of opportunity, right?

             

            I was off for the spring and most of the summer with a knee injury, and have only been back to quality work for the past 6 weeks or so.  My main training focus is a half marathon in November, so I didn’t really cut back this week other than to shorten my LR a bit and run it on Friday.

             

            Prerace: It is so stormy here that they canceled today’s Fall Festival except for the race.  We have been getting heavy rains and strong winds all weekend.  Luckily, it wasn’t that bad this morning.  It was raining but not pouring, and the wind was fairly calm.  Temps were in the mid-50s.  I ran my 2 mile warmup in a hoodie, raincoat, and gloves, but I made myself ditch all 3 in my car before the start.

             

            I ran a 5K a couple of weeks ago and didn’t have a great race, so today’s plan was to ease into my pace and then try to pick it up.  I was thinking I’d run my first 2 miles at 8:30, then try to get down to 8:20 for the next 2, then see what I had left.

             

            Today’s race had a 5K and a 10K, and for whatever reason they start the 5K first.  It was chip timed, but they only had a mat at the finish, not the start.

             

            Start: I felt like I was lining up too far forward, but the next row behind me was a herd of people in matching shirts and some kids, so I didn’t want to move back.  It turns out I was too far back and had to just go with the flow for a while.  Then we hit the back of the 5Kers.  Luckily it was pretty wide by the point.  I knew I was really slow compared to my goal, but tried to just relax and ease into my race pace.

             

            Mile 1- 8:37.  I was starting to even out.  My hands were super cold and I wished that I had gloves.  I got passed by a couple, and the girl was in her sports bra, so I told myself to suck it up.

             

            Mile 2- 8:27.  About perfect.  We split off from the 5K somewhere around here, and it suddenly got a lot quieter.  The course is a loop, and the turnaround is before the halfway point.  This part was an out and back, so I got to see the leaders coming back through.  Two guys from my running club were dueling, but weren’t so close to each other at this point.  They finished the race within 7 seconds of each other, though!

             

            At the turnaround, there were three of us together: me, the girl I was passing, and the girl in the lilac shirt who was passing both of us.  Too many people all trying to go around a cone!  I decided that I needed to keep Lilac in sight.

             

            Mile 3- 8:36

            Mile 4- 8:19.  I swear they were both run at the same effort.

             

            I was having a hard time pushing myself, but on the other hand I felt like I was running really well.  Everything felt good, I just did not feel like running any faster, hehe.  I was breathing well, thanking the volunteers, and at least feeling confident instead of ragged.  Somewhere around here I crossed a road and somebody called my name from a car.  I couldn’t see who it was, though.

             

            We were on the road in one part, and there was an intersection with a pretty deep puddle on both sides, and a single-person-width dry spot in the middle.  It would have been great, except that there was a car that went through right at that moment, splashing me and taking the only dry spot.  I yelled, “Fuck cars” to the volunteers and flipped off the driver.  Then I realized that people might think I was serious instead of joking, so I started to laugh.  Then I realized that my laugh sounded kinda scary, and they were probably all wondering what was wrong with me.  Oh well.  Hollering a bit did give me a boost, though.  It was easier to run for a little bit.  I really hardly ever swear IRL, honest!

             

            Mile 5- 8:33

             

            Somewhere in here I realized that my hands were no longer cold.  I was glad I hadn’t brought my gloves after all!  I still had Lilac in sight, plus the girl in the Orchid shirt that she had passed.  I realized that I must not be running hard enough if I still knew words like Orchid and Lilac, but I didn’t care.

             

            I had been closing in on a guy for a couple of miles now, and finally drew even with him.  But he was holding on and kept pace with me.  I looked over, but he wouldn’t make eye contact.  He picked it up, but I didn’t think I was ready to really push to the end, so I let him go.

             

            I remembered that in my 5K, I had been outkicked by the only two people who were nearby.  Was I going to lose to this guy, too?  Maybe I’m not much of a competitor, really.  Or maybe we’re both pulling each other to go a little bit faster.  One woman did pass me in here.  She was only the second to pass me after the first mile.

             

            Mile 6- 8:36

             

            I passed my husband’s cousin (she wasn’t in the race), and we headed back through campus and towards the finish.  Time to step it up.  Fast and smooth, and my legs responded.  It felt good to run fast.  When the finish line was in sight, I started my kick for real, and it was solid.   I breezed past that guy (chicked!) and was closing on Orchid and Lilac at the line.  They finished 13 and 15 seconds ahead of me.

             

            Last 0.24- 7:41

             

            Final time via Garmin: 52:57.  Official time 53:03 (no starting mat)

             

            I felt pretty good after the race.  I congratulated the guy from the finish, and we both agreed we had run faster because of the other.   I got a post-race stretch and some good advice from the PT tent that was set up there.  He thinks that what I’ve been thinking is a tight piriformis is really mostly my obturator.  I’ve never even heard of that muscle before!  He says I should stretch more, and he is probably right.

             

            Final thoughts: I feel good about this race, though clearly I had a lot left at the finish.  I don’t know whether it’s sandbagging so much as I haven’t really developed the mental ability to push myself into sub-LT territory and hold it there.  I kind of feel like I ran this race like a mini-HM instead of a 10K.  Then again, I think I like the HM distance better, or will, anyway, since I’ve only run two races longer than a 10K.  Maybe as I get more experience I will be able to push myself a little bit more without worrying too much that I’m going to melt down or something.  I did like the more relaxed start, though.  Two weeks ago, I tried to hit my goal pace right from the gun, and that maybe didn’t set me up to run my best.

             

            I’ve got almost two more months until my HM.  I don’t know if I will race again before then.  There is a hillier 10K in two weeks.  I’m considering running that at HM pace/effort as a training run, but haven’t made up my mind just yet.

            Zelanie


              Wow, Jen, talk about cutting it close on the marathon!  Hope you have a great time!  Sounds like it was a solid weekend of running for you!


              Npaden- Congrats on the PR!

               

              FreeSoul- I just have one, that was plenty for us while we were still younguns trying to get our act together, and now that she's 15 I couldn't imagine going through baby/toddler stuff again!   So instead I just have plenty of time to run. Smile

              FreeSoul87


              Runs4Sanity

                Does she run with you? I am hoping Dorian wants to run with me when his is old enough.

                 

                Wow, Jen, talk about cutting it close on the marathon!  Hope you have a great time!  Sounds like it was a solid weekend of running for you!


                Npaden- Congrats on the PR!

                 

                FreeSoul- I just have one, that was plenty for us while we were still younguns trying to get our act together, and now that she's 15 I couldn't imagine going through baby/toddler stuff again!   So instead I just have plenty of time to run. Smile

                *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                PRs

                5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                 26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

                Zelanie


                  Not really.  She hasn't seen the magic that is slower pace = more distance.  So she's good for a mile or so, then is done.  On the other hand, she can kick my ass with weights.

                   

                  Does she run with you? I am hoping Dorian wants to run with me when his is old enough.

                   


                  You Rang?

                    npaden - Nice elk!  That is quite large!

                     

                    Stever1966 - I read that story too.  Interesting.  Several years ago I read an essay in the New Yorker about an expat American return to the USA after living in China for 10+ years.  He is a slower runner, and  wins a half marathon in Las Vegas after asking one of the volunteers for directions, and all of the other runners miss the half turn around point and run a few extra miles.  I've found a link to the essay, but unfortunately, it is behind a paywall.

                     

                    Miele - Its always good to be home.  I think it wasn't the humidity that did me in. I think it was the heat.  I'm accustomed to running along the beach.  It is very humid at the beach.  It is also quite cool. The current flows south from Alaska, so the water is rather cold.   Air temperatures  are int he high 50's to low 60's. Orlando had the same level of humidity (or higher) with air temps in the high 70s.  yuck.  As fun as it is to travel, its always good to be home.

                     

                    Wolfwalker 23 - The race does not seem like a long way away.  It's 102 days away, not that anybody is counting....  The fact that the race is 102 days off and is double the distance than any other race I've run is extremely motivating.  The race is on day 3 of a 17 day vacation.  I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to more.  The race or getting away for two and a half weeks.

                     

                    JeffCT - Congratulations and welcome to the sub two club.  And welcome to Corral A at Disney.  Time to replace that PR isn your siggy!

                     

                    FreeSoul87 - Best of luck to you in your quest for a sub 2 half marathon.

                     

                    Doctorjen - Thanks for the clarification on what a baby doc is.  I suppose all physicians have to have a first week.  I remember my first week as an attorney.  It didn't take me too long to figure out that I didn't really know anything.  Don't ya just love frequent flyer tickets.  The airlines do their best to make you miserable because they are giving it away for free.

                     

                    Zelanie - Thanks for the race report.  My last 10k has a 5k race with it and the 5k started first.  I missed out on my goal of sub 60 due to weaving around the runDisney Wall of Humanity(tm) of 5k walkers.  Were the 5k folks a problem?

                     

                    Me -  Week 3 of Pfitz's 18/55 are in the book.  40 miles on the sidewalks of Huntington Beach, California.  No more travel until the end of October and that is just a day trip to San Francisco to take a test (yuck!) .  Along with running, i have been logging my food intake with Lose It!  In the last two weeks, I'm pleased to report that I've shed 9 lb.  I suppose marathon training on a limited calorie supply will do this to you.  I've got another 29 lb. to go.  as I'd like to line up at the starting line at 199 lb.  Like Zelanie, I used to be much heavier than I am now.  Unlike Zelanie, I have found it really really tough to get rid of the last 30 lb.

                     

                    I've also settled on a tune up race for my January Marathon.  I was considering the Hoover Dam Half, but it is a trail race.  My marathon is a road race, so I don't think a trail race would be a good measure of fitness level.  I'm going to register for the Holiday Half in Pomona, CA on 12/15.  It should be fun.

                    I'm also racing this upcoming weekend.  I'm in the Chapman Univ. 5k, and a quick look at my log I see that this race last year was my last 5k. I went to law school at Chapman.  Along with four law students, one other alumnus (who is 15 years younger than me) and two professors, I have been drafted onto the law school's team.  My goal is a new PR, and I hope not to drag our team time down too much.

                    Rick 

                    PR: 5k 25:01 (10/15) 10k: 57:44 (7/14) HM: 1:57 (5/15) FM: 4:55 (1/15)

                    bluerun


                    Super B****

                      Checking in so I don't get TOO far behind... but that's already happened.  So.  Hello to all the new people, and congrats to those who achieved their goals (Jeff, Zelanie, Nathan -- am I missing anyone??).

                       

                      Me, I'm rapidly morphing into the suicidal homicidal maniac I know all too well, because a week off didn't do a damn thing for my knee.  And now it feels like it isn't tracking properly, either, and I have a half in less than two weeks, so yeah, I'm pretty much screwed.

                      chasing the impossible

                       

                      because i never shut up ... i blog

                      FreeSoul87


                      Runs4Sanity

                        Thanks Lurch

                        Zelanie - lol

                         

                        Not really.  She hasn't seen the magic that is slower pace = more distance.  So she's good for a mile or so, then is done.  On the other hand, she can kick my ass with weights.

                         

                        *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                        PRs

                        5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                        10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                        15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                        13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                         26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

                        hectortrojan


                          TaraC – congratulations on your super quick 5k! I think you are the quickest runner on this thread. What is your goal for the upcoming HM?

                           

                          stever1966 – I hope your knees feel fine and you can get the PR in your upcoming HM

                           

                          miele – great tempo run. You have a good problem of not slowing downJ

                           

                          Wolfwalker23 – greats long and fast tempo run.

                           

                          FreeSoul87 – welcome to the forum. I am sure that you will have sub 2:00 HM. Hope you had a great race.

                           

                          Zelanie – enjoyed reading your race report. Congratulations in running great race.

                           

                          Doctorjen – it is exciting that you have picked up the race. It is going to be an intense race and catching the flight after that. congratulations on running an awesome race.

                           

                          Npaden – congratulations on running great race and getting PR!

                           

                          Lurch – great week of running. its nice to see that you are progressing well in the training.

                           

                          It was a great week of races in this forum. Its nice to see that so many runners here are running excellent races.

                           

                          Me – ran for an hour with a couple of friends on the weekend. Ran for 4 hours for the entire week.

                          Zelanie


                            Lurch- From the descriptions of Disney I've read, it was nowhere near the same level of congestion!  There were maybe 500 runners in both races.  The main problem for me was that it took so long to get clear of the start in the 10K that it kind of all blended in to the back of the 5K.  And I didn't want to sprint to get around people and through gaps if I could avoid it, since I was focusing on a smooth start.  I had to stop looking at my watch, because the slow slow average pace it was telling me (like, over 10:00 for a good way) was freaking me out.  I finally switched the screen so I could only see current pace, and tried to keep that steady instead.

                             

                            Congrats on your mileage and weight loss this week!

                             

                            bluerun- Sounds so frustrating!

                             

                            Hector- Glad you got a good run in with friends.

                            miele


                            Godzilla

                              Zelanie-  Congrats on a great PR!  I don't know if you sandbagged or not but I bet it felt good to finish strong like you did.  I can only imagine since my pacing is kinda opposite of yours.  Those coconut hazelnuts sound yummy.  So you mean you never had the problem for which you were originally diagnosed and it was actually the obturator all along?  (I've never heard of that either, BTW, will be checking google...).  The PT obviously helped you regardless and if you just need to stretch more to help the obturator that's not a big deal.  I try to stretch every night in front of the TV.  Although I must admit that I let it drop sometimes.

                               

                              Free-  Aha!  It's the poop thread.  That's where I recognize you from!  I need to go post my own experience over there.  Not that it would necessarily help you but you never know.  Nice progression run!  You might be in for a substantial HM PR.

                               

                              doc-  Yay!  You picked a race!  And FreeSoul is running the HM there.  The faster paced LRs in the Hansons' plan are a bit intimidating at first but after you've done the first one you realize that it's doable.  I find that with all speed work.  After I get the first one out of the way, I know I can hit my paces and I don't get nervous going in.  Unless it's just a bad day which can happen.  Your going to do great in your marathon!  You've got great mileage and it sounds like you've got great running buddies, too.  That flight schedule sounds daunting but since you're going to smoke the marathon you'll have plenty of time to get to the airport and checked-in.

                               

                              Nathan-  Great PR!  I dunno but that time seems to be fantastic.  I know it's all relative and you had higher expectations but wow...Very nice time!  And 2nd AG is wonderful!  All we need now is an RR and a finish line pic!

                               

                              Lurch-  I don't think you have to worry about dragging the team down.  Sounds like a fun time.

                               

                              blue-  Dangit!  Silly knee.  Although since you've turned into a 'suicidal, homicidal maniac' I'm kind of glad I don't live near you!   I had a tracking problem once which was helped by leg extensions and KT tape.  I'd put the tape around the outside of the patella to slightly push it towards the center and that allowed me to run pain-free.  I'm sure you've been all over this and tried everything but I thought I would mention it anyway.

                               

                              hector-  Are you still running mainly on trails?  The weather is so nice now.  Hope you're enjoying every step.

                               

                              PC and Nathan-  Hansons question.  How do you feel about the taper?  Or lack thereof?  It's scaring me.  I knew when I first read the plan that the taper is something I would adjust.  It just seems like very high mileage with some serious speed work.  PC, how are you planning to tackle the taper?  You keeping it as written or adjusting?  Nathan, I know you changed things up but I don't recall exactly how.  I'll check out your log later but if you have any additional thoughts they would be greatly appreciated.

                               

                              me-  Just got back from my intervals.  6x800s w/ 400 R/I.  My goal was to hit a 7:25 pace since my last 800 workout was at 7:28.  I was able to run at 7:21.  It was hard but, then again, they're not supposed to be easy.  Total of 9 miles.  Tomorrow is a SRD.  I'm going to enjoy that.   But before that I'll do a leg workout at the gym today.  But first, lunch.

                              10K: 47:12* / 13.1: 1:50:56 / 26.2: 3:53:48

                               

                                          

                              bluerun


                              Super B****

                                miele -- I've been trying a bunch of different KT applications, and that's the latest one.  I do think it's helping.  Except that guess what happens after a week off?... now my knee is swelling.  It's not inflamed or anything, it's barely even noticeable, but it's still slightly swollen.  And it feels bruised even though there isn't any bruising there.  Higher up the ITB, yes, because of the roller, but nothing at the knee.  Weird.

                                 

                                Oh, and you know what's even worse for such problems than running?... the elliptical.  HOLY **** THAT HURT.

                                chasing the impossible

                                 

                                because i never shut up ... i blog