Forums >Racing>Sub-90 Minutes for the Half Marathon (2011)
Only if you do them right by taking 100m rest between each.
I think "right" might be dependent on the workout purpose.
A few years ago we had a coach for our local racing team who would have us do 16-20 x 400 with 100 very easy recovery. It's a VO2 max workout. Most guys were doing the workout at 72-75s and can run HM's in the mid-teens. Everyone hated it... very repetitious. So when I said "do them right," I was being sarcastic in a sense.
In the track group I run with now, there is usually a variety in the workout- for example, last night was 4 x 800 with 400m rest, 4 x 400 w 100m rest, then 2 x 800 again. I thought of the 400m observation during one of the early 800's.
I thought he was just responding to my comment/question about puking. If that's the purpose, I'm thinking large number x 400 w/100 recovery would serve that purpose. For me. Especially if I ate eggs for brefass
Agreed. I've never even attempted 400s with 100m rest, but it sounds painful.
I don't think Gopher 400 would work for me. I couldn't do 12 x 400s at 1:35, but I think I could run a 1:35 HM tomorrow if I really had to.
Agreed. I've never even attempted 400s with 100m rest, but it sounds painful. I don't think Gopher 400 would work for me. I couldn't do 12 x 400s at 1:35, but I think I could run a 1:35 HM tomorrow if I really had to.
It is a very painful and repetitious workout!
LTrain- Don't cut yourself short. You just ran a 5k in 19:27 according to your log. That is 12.5 laps at 1:34 each with NO rest...
How fast could you do 12x400 repeats with 100 rest? Your HM PR is 1:29- do you think you could do 12x400 at 89 each?
I was partially responding to your question about puking. I once puked from eating eggs from Jack n the Box, and I didnt go for a run.
Tiefsa
A half marathon is long! I'm just starting to realize it as I am training. This week I did 6 at 6:46 pace which is just under 1:30 pace for the mile. Just trying to get comfortable at that uncomfortable pace. It's kinda fast. Later in the week I did my longest run so far at eight miles. My race is in nine weeks. I hope things start feeling a bit better. I was thinking of doing a 10 mile run about three weeks before my race at my race pace. Is that a good idea?
Distinctively Juvenile
I don't know if it's a good idea, but it doesn't sound like a terrible one. 3 weeks should be plenty of time to recovery from a 10 mile hard effort. It might be good if you can find an actual 10 mile race to do it in, so you get a little race practice in before your half.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
I don't think I'd do it. I did 8 at HMP a few weeks before mine and that was plenty, if not overkill. I'd just continue doing shorter workouts (4-6?) at HMP but then also be doing another interval workout during the week at faster pace. I don't know how to describe it other than it makes the legs move even faster which in turn makes HMP feel easier. Then I'd just do some fast finish miles on some of my long runs.
BTW, 6 at pace in training is hard. Race day it's easier.
Thanks for the advice LTrain and h2bubbles. I forget what race day is like. This is the first big race for me running since my last 8k XC race in college. That was in 1998. I sure hope it feels easier.
a
In the midst of this 2 month stretch with no sub 90 attempts on the main calendar, getting kinda itchy.
Since my last update on this thread, ran a nice 5k pr, and have a challenging 8 mile race coming up in 3 weeks. That should be a better gauge of my longer distance fitness, as I’ve been struggling a bit to figure out what my true HM race pace should be. Macmillian, etc. reads one thing, but that’s based on short distance extrapolation, and seems pretty ambitious.
“Long run” yesterday turned into a tempo (perfect weather, newish shoes, just because), and gave pretty good confidence that sub 90 is clearly attainable if all goes well.
Weekly mileage has been pretty steady around 35. Plan to get that up to about 40. Still want to get my long runs longer. Good luck all.
a In the midst of this 2 month stretch with no sub 90 attempts on the main calendar, getting kinda itchy. Since my last update on this thread, ran a nice 5k pr, and have a challenging 8 mile race coming up in 3 weeks. That should be a better gauge of my longer distance fitness, as I’ve been struggling a bit to figure out what my true HM race pace should be. Macmillian, etc. reads one thing, but that’s based on short distance extrapolation, and seems pretty ambitious. “Long run” yesterday turned into a tempo (perfect weather, newish shoes, just because), and gave pretty good confidence that sub 90 is clearly attainable if all goes well. Weekly mileage has been pretty steady around 35. Plan to get that up to about 40. Still want to get my long runs longer. Good luck all.
I'm not sure sub 90 is the question, more of how much lower you can go. You ran 10 miles at 90 min half pace just the other day.
Kmark, that's what I'm hoping/thinking as well, and what all signs are pointing to. Just a bit of fear of unknown.
I've run enough 5ks now to almost be able to tell you within 10 secs on either side what I'll run on any given day at that distance.
I've only ever run 2 HMs before though, and both were over 10 years ago.
Race is about a month away. Ran some longer runs recently and it sucked.
Any advice in the last month of training to help me feel more comfortable on the longer runs?
Race is about a month away. Ran some longer runs recently and it sucked. Any advice in the last month of training to help me feel more comfortable on the longer runs?
I think you need to run more longer runs. Keep your traditional weekend long run, but add a 2nd or 3rd slightly shorter long run during the week. A longish easy should should not feel hard if you plan to have a solid 1/2M.