Are we there, yet?
Again, thanks for the opinions guys! I would probably race the HM pretty full out, because I am just not good at holding back, so why set myself up for failure? I recover pretty well, in that I can do easy runs the next couple days after a HM without a problem, but I don't recover so well that I could race it 3 weeks out. I like LTH's idea of 8 weeks, because then you have time to make some training adjustments if needed, but I haven't found a doable HM at that time. What do you guys think of 6 weeks? Still time to recover and I could make a couple changes for the next 4 weeks if needed (I am pretty sure the Hanson taper is only 2 weeks).
I think 3-6 weeks is a good time frame. Fitness changes in the last 6 weeks of a training program aren't going to be of sufficient magnitude to materially affect your choice of goal pace. If you're using it to determine goal pace and not as a test run of the first half of your marathon, you shouldn't be holding back.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
You said your full marathon is Nov. 2, correct?
If so, this is 7 weeks before on Sept. 14.
http://www.wvrr.org/bluesatthecrossroadshalfmarathon/index.html
MTA: And it's fairly close to you if I'm not mistaken.
Hip Redux
So there you go, Ami. You have a choice of 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 weeks. Whatever you do, don't go with 7. No one likes 7. EDITED to include 9.
So there you go, Ami. You have a choice of 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 weeks. Whatever you do, don't go with 7. No one likes 7.
EDITED to include 9.
THIS is why I participate in these forums. The running education ...errrr, the smart ass comments. lol
Ball of Fury
You said your full marathon is Nov. 2, correct? If so, this is 7 weeks before on Sept. 14. http://www.wvrr.org/bluesatthecrossroadshalfmarathon/index.html MTA: And it's fairly close to you if I'm not mistaken.
Why, yes ma'am, you are correct on both counts! Too bad that 5 minutes before I read this post, I registered DH and I for the Air Force half, which is the next weekend! Thank you very much for the suggestion though! Dayton is actually a bit closer but not by much. Of course, had I registered for your suggestion, it would have gone against everything I learned on this thread, which was...don't go with 7!!!
PRs: 5K 22:59, 10K 46:54,HM: 1:51:15
But 7 is obviously the best time since no one suggested it.
miscreant
How is it going to help you determine goal pace if you run it as a tempo run? All the calculators assume a race time entered is from an allout race for the numbers to be valid.
I thought the exact same thing. If you're not going to race it, it does you no good at all. Might as well do a tempo run in your neighborhood.
I'm happy, hope you're happy too...
I agree. Time trials are supposed to be treated as races, unless you want to do a half as a practice for the full. But then, it can't be called a time trial.
Also, I usually run my tempo runs at somewhat faster pace than my HM pace. Is that wrong?
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Beer-and-waffle Powered
If you go by the "tempo should be about the pace you could hold in a race for an hour", then you're fine.
In the words of my late-coach : Just hang in there, relax... and at the end of a race anyone you see.....just pass them
But how accurate would a time trial be? You usually underperformed in a TT as compared to a race if I recall correctly.
I agree. Time trials are supposed to be treated as races, unless you want to do a half as a practice for the full. But then, it can't be called a time trial. Also, I usually run my tempo runs at somewhat faster pace than my HM pace. Is that wrong?
Damaris
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Ok, thanks. I usually try to hit 15k pace for my tempo runs, up to about 7 mile long.
Damaris, you're right. One should consider that the time trial was done while in training, therefore not entirely accurate. Pfitz will allow for a very mini taper if we choose a half as a time trial (but he usually recommends a 10k or 15k, instead).
I thought he was referring to using a race as a time trial to determine a goal race pace, not a solo time trial on a training run.
Chasing Rainbows
It was a bad choice of words on my part. I didn't mean that running a HM at a tempo pace could determine a marathon goal pace on its own, but it can help to determine the goal pace.If I'm 3 weeks out from a marathon, I already have a pretty good idea what my goal pace should be, based on how my training has gone and any races I've run recently. If I run a HM that close to a marathon, I run it at my estimated marathon goal pace and based on how that goes, I may adjust my goal pace up or down.Of course it can be done as a tempo run in your neighbourhood but I prefer a HM to help prepare me mentally for the marathon a few weeks later.
The obstacle is the path. - Zen proverb
I like 3 or 4 weeks before. I don't have a problem recovering in time for the full if I race the HM 3 weeks before. But 4 weeks is nice because I can do my longest LR 3 weeks before.
PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09
Glad you were able to find one. Especially with all the disparate inforamation given.