Beginners and Beyond

123

Only a Couple more Days Before the St. Louis Half! I Am excited!!! (Read 88 times)

Love the Half


    My only word of caution.  If you are this excited, it may be easy to let race day adrenaline get the better of you in the first couple of miles.  Having read hundreds of race reports, I can say with a fair degree of accuracy that such a tactic rarely works out well.  You should have a pretty good handle on the kind of pace you can maintain for 13.1 miles. Stick to the plan.  If you reach 8 or 9 miles and aren't feeling fatigued, then by all means, feel free to pick it up.

    Short term goal: 17:59 5K

    Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

    Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

    FreeSoul87


    Runs4Sanity

      That's why I am seriously thinking of taking my MP3 player, put some slow native american music on there or something to slow my pace for the first 5-7 miles........ or I might try to make friends with someone real quick and tag along with them, I would really prefer to keep my pace for the first 5-7 miles at around 10:45-11:00 min/mile.

      *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)


      Dr. Cornsitter

        My only word of caution.  If you are this excited, it may be easy to let race day adrenaline get the better of you in the first couple of miles.  Having read hundreds of race reports, I can say with a fair degree of accuracy that such a tactic rarely works out well.  You should have a pretty good handle on the kind of pace you can maintain for 13.1 miles. Stick to the plan.  If you reach 8 or 9 miles and aren't feeling fatigued, then by all means, feel free to pick it up.

         

        +1

         

        And do they let you have earbuds in? I was under the impression that that was frowned upon in races.

        Quote from BeachRunner3234 on 6/25/2013 at 8:20 PM:

        So I'm currently sitting with a bag of frozen corn in my ass.

        Luke79


          Something a better runner than me shared once...

           

          Don't let the excitement overwhelm you on race day.  Stay calm and focused.  When you're at the starting line, don't do all that jumping around and shit.  Just stay calm, and when the gun goes off execute your intended pace.

           

          MUCH easier said than done, but good advice IMO.

           

           

           

           

           

           

          Better I Leave


             

            +1

             

            And do they let you have earbuds in? I was under the impression that that was frowned upon in races.

             

            I know at Oakland they discourage it, but don't flat out disallow it. The only thing they have to say is that if a runner is shooting for an award or shooting to qualify, they will not allow MP3 players.

            FreeSoul87


            Runs4Sanity

              They don't recommend buds but you can wear them. Not sure if I need to worry about an award lol.

              I will keep all in mind, or at least try to.

              *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)


              Hip Redux

                Kick some ass, FS!

                 

                Docket_Rocket


                  Good luck!  And stop obsessing about the speed bump! Big grin

                  Damaris

                   

                  As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                  Fundraising Page

                  Love the Half


                    That's why I am seriously thinking of taking my MP3 player, put some slow native american music on there or something to slow my pace for the first 5-7 miles........ or I might try to make friends with someone real quick and tag along with them, I would really prefer to keep my pace for the first 5-7 miles at around 10:45-11:00 min/mile.

                     

                    Well hell, you don't want to jog it.  It is a race and it's supposed to hurt like hell.  Just discipline yourself to keep your pace where you want to keep it and start learning to understand the signals your body is sending.  There is a decent body of evidence that runners who associate - thinking about how they feel and about how to run the race - have better times than those who dissociate - listening to music, chatting with other runners, watching the squirrels, etc.  Focus means just that.  Focus.  Focus on running the splits you need to run and not worrying about what anyone else in the world is doing.

                    Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                    Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                    Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

                    FreeSoul87


                    Runs4Sanity

                      Actually I was thinking about the native american war drums Big grin What if my body thinks or wants to run fast, my last few runs it seems like my body has found 10:00 min/mile pace to be an easy starter than what it used to be, and speeds up as the miles go on but then by mile 6 or 7 my lungs don't seem to be agreeing by then. Eh, I'll take it easy and try to control myself until the excitement begins to wear off. Heck I'll probably get nervous that morning and take it slow..... I need a pace buddy lol, someone who can slap me every time I go below 10:30 or above 10:50 for the first 5 miles or so

                      D, I ain't worried about those bumps anymore. I know with 100% positivity that I've ran bigger and more hills that this race. 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)

                      RSX


                        Good luck. The taper is always my favorite part

                          I'll be running this one, too.  My first race longer than 5k.

                           

                          I understand the excitement.  That's why I'm on here looking for other people who're running it when I should really be working.

                           

                          Good luck!

                          FreeSoul87


                          Runs4Sanity

                            Smile I wonder what corral I'm in. I won't know until Friday when I pick up my packet. I still have to figure out how to get DH, my son, stepson and mother there to the start smoothly without screwing me up. I've got to be in my corral by 6:40 otherwise I will have to start at the back Shocked, so I might walk or slow jog to the start (hotel is less than a mile away), and DH can drive and find a parking space. Now I've got to make sure things go smoothly at home for the animals.

                            *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)

                            GinnyinPA


                              Good luck.  I hope you have a great race.

                               

                              If you have time the day after, take your family to Cahokia.  Fascinating place.

                              RunTomRun


                              Wickedly Average

                                Good luck, Freesoul!

                                 

                                I think you're going to do great!

                                 

                                Think of it as just another long run. Pick a reasonable pace, expect that you'll be just a bit faster than you have been, and go with it.

                                 

                                The good thing about a longer race is that you can make adjustments to you speed. You want to be pretty close starting out, but if you're really feeling it after 4 or 5, you can drop back about 10-20 seconds a mile and carry on. Conversely, if you feel really strong after 4 or 5, you can bump it up 10 seconds or so. Little changes, but you have time to make them.

                                Tom (formerly known as PhotogTom)

                                5K - 25:16, 10K - 55:31,  15K - 1:20:55,   HM - 1:54:54

                                123