Dad on the run.
O.M.G!!! I'm freaking out a little LOT! I have my first HM Sunday morning at 7:30 and honestly I'm feeling overwhelmed. There have been several times I would start a HM training plan and never follow through with it and chicken out before I ever paid for the race. Not this time. It's paid for and I picked up my race packet today. Seeing that bib made it all to real. I know I can cover the distance, I've done it a few times already, what scares me is hitting my goal I have set for myself. I know I probably shouldn't set much of a goal given this is my first HM and I should probably get a feel for it before I go setting goals that I'm not sure I'm even capable of reaching...
I have 3 goals
a. sub 2:05 - I guess I would be ok with this given it's my first but I'll probably pout the rest of the day about how pathetic I performed
b. sub 2:00 - If I obtain this goal I'll be super excited. This is what I'm really hoping for
c. sub 1:55 - This would put me on cloud nine at which I would start for the remainder of the week
My only problem though is the mental game. How do you tell your body to shut the hell up when you legs are crying out demanding for you to slow down and just walk for a minute or two, or forever? This seems to be my biggest issue when it comes to reaching what I think is an obtainable goal. What do some of you do to overcome the need to just stop and rest? How do you will your body to keep moving even when it doesn't want to?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Chasing the sub 20 5K.
To be honest I get all worked up, but then it seems the gun goes off so quickly I don't have time to worry about it anymore. You've (hopefully) put in the hard work and now is the time to show yourself what you can do. Trust your training, don't freak out if your splits are a bit off, and have fun!! You may need to use some extra energy to focus during miles 10-12 or so, otherwise your pace could easily drift. Others around you may be slowing so don't slow down with them. Use it as your opportunity to gain confidence if you are passing people. You could also try a mantra.
Good luck!
Mostly, I wanted to wish you good luck, and more importantly, is to have fun. I'm glad you made it through this cycle not getting injured.
As far as the jitters, try to relax and trust your training. The goals you've set seem reasonable to me. One thing that I like to do, is to give myself a back door. I only do this, in case I have a bad day(leg cramps, tummy issues, etc.). For example, with the goals you have set, I might would have a 2:15 at the bottom of the list. Have you run enough training runs at your goal pace to reach your goal?
When you get to about mile 9-ish, your mind will start to play games. You will definitely feel like the effort is way harder than it was in the beginning. Try to keep pushing till the end. Most likely you WILL fade some, and your splits will reflect this. Don't worry about it, it happens to all of us. This is where the "pushed" training runs will help.
I looked at your log a little, and think the 2:05 range will be the best choice. This is based strictly on your training paces versus distances.
Will they have pacers? This will take a lot of mental anguish off your shoulders. Let them worry about holding pace, just make sure you pick the correct one, because their pace will probably fluctuate a little.
Good luck again, can't wait to hear about it.
delicate flower
What do some of you do to overcome the need to just stop and rest? How do you will your body to keep moving even when it doesn't want to?
I wanted so badly to stop and walk after mile 20 of my last marathon. I was physically destroyed and mentally defeated. But, a little voice in my head just kept reminding me how tough it is to get going once you stop, and that walking only prolongs the pain that you're in. I ran the entire race. Mental toughness is something we all are tested with, and that is part of the reason we train.
Pre-race jitters are a good thing. I worry when I am not nervous.
<3
And good luck, JBJ! Don't forget to tell us how you did.
I once ran a HM after having a bad head cold in the week leading up to the race. I felt about 80% at the start. By about mile 9, I was done. I wasn't particularly uncomfortable, but the course was boring and I didn't feel great and I just didn't care if I finished. I had set a 2:00 goal for that race, which I had managed once before. I just kept telling myself that the longer I could run, the closer I would be to my goal. And, if I kept running, the whole thing would be over sooner. I kept running, and finished that thing in 2:02.
Your training looks similar to mine. My pace is slightly faster, you run slightly more miles, and more longer runs. I'd say 2:05 is well within your reach. And don't forget about race-day adrenaline. I'm always amazed at the pace I can sustain in a race, which seems impossible in training. Have fun!!
My only problem though is the mental game. How do you tell your body to shut the hell up when you legs are crying out demanding for you to slow down and just walk for a minute or two, or forever? This seems to be my biggest issue when it comes to reaching what I think is an obtainable goal. What do some of you do to overcome the need to just stop and rest? How do you will your body to keep moving even when it doesn't want to? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
This is the hard part of any race distance, if you are really racing. I get that feeling in the last 25-30% of any race from 5k to marathon. Of course the longer the race, the longer that lasts, and the harder it can be to keep yourself from stopping. I think that's where the training takes over. You have trained your legs to just keep moving and not listen to your brain. I can't explain what prevents me from stopping during that time, except my legs sort of having a mind of their own. And try to keep your brain focused on how happy you will be to hit your goal. Although I've found when I get to that point, my brain very easily gives up on the goal, and my legs just take charge. Some people play the game where you tell yourself to just keep running to the next lamppost, or next intersection, or whatever, and then when you get there set another short term goal. I've never really tried that, other than just keeping thinking about the next mile marker.
If it was a good training plan, it should tell you your goal pace, and you should plan on that. You might still take the first mile a bit slower, to ease into it. And it wouldn't hurt to take a 1-mile easy warmup jog. Someone here also said if you're feeling exhausted by mile 7, slow down; if you're feeling pretty good at mile 9, speed up.
Good luck & tell us all about it! .
Dave
I'm always amazed at the pace I can sustain in a race, which seems impossible in training.
Yeah. This too. Don't let the goal pace scare you, if that's what your plan says you can do.
Nervousness is usually a result of the unknown, so the more you do that is familiar to you, the greater the chance of lessening the impact of it.
I do not have a problem with pre-race jitters but have on occasion had to deal with the pressure to do well whether from outsiders or from within and that is no fun.
In those case I just go through my normal race day morning routine (coffee, sustenance, stretching, warm-up run) and arrive at the corral and take my place. When the gun goes off (or shortly thereafter) all is forgotten.
Regarding your race, you have quite the range of goals going there:
1:55 - 8:46 pace
2:00 - 9:09 pace
2:05 - 9:32 pace
I would suggest you pick the one that is the most realistic (meaning the one you have trained for not the one you hope for) and stick to it or it might be a long miserable morning.
And I would not let the thought of walking enter my mind for one second, especially if you have covered the distance.
Former Bad Ass
Trust your training and go. Good luck!
Damaris
This ^. Good luck!
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Hi and good luck! The good news is that the HM distance is a really nice one for racing. The pain you sound like you're worried about is more like 5K pain, not HM pain. Unless you're LTH, you aren't going to be super uncomfortable for most of the race. It sort of builds on you. And yeah, the last part is tough, but you're also almost there at that point.
From your log, it looks like your July training went pretty well, but maybe August was tougher? I'm a bit worried about the week off two weeks ago, for example. With that in mind, I'd suggest going out at a really conservative pace, maybe closer to your 2:05 goal, and pick it up only after you're well into the race.
At my last HM, they had mats every 5K, and from that I figured out that for me, the race is all about keeping my focus during the 3rd 5K section. So for my next one, that will be my mantra- rock the 3rd 5K and the race will be a success.
Since I know you have some speed, one thing that might help if you get tired and fall off pace might be trying a little surge. It gets your legs moving faster again and then sometimes it's easier to get back on to pace.
Regarding your race, you have quite the range of goals going there: 1:55 - 8:46 pace 2:00 - 9:09 pace 2:05 - 9:32 pace I would suggest you pick the one that is the most realistic (meaning the one you have trained for not the one you hope for) and stick to it or it might be a long miserable morning.
This ^^
I ran my first (and only) half last fall. Of course I was nervous, but the distance itself did not intimidate me because, like you, I had run it a few times before.
i don't think you can start out with a 2:05 objective pace and pick it up at halway point and hope to do 1:55. If you feel like you can do 1:55, go for it right from the start.
On the very few races I ran, i always went for my A goal (your 1:55). Then, at about 75% of the race, when it gets really tough, I keep on telling myself to tough it out. If I get injured or something happens in the near future and this ends up being my last race at that distance, I want my PR to be as good as it could be on this day. Today. This might be my last shot at this.
In my last 10k, at mile 2, my mind was already telling me I probably could not hold that pace all the way through, it would be smarter to slow down or else I might need to drop out or start walking or something. I kept telling myself do I need to slow down NOW? Can I hold this a little longer? Yes? So I did. And managed to hold it pretty much all the way through (had a drop in pace during the 9th km) and beat my A-Goal!
So I say go with a realistic objective, but one you would be proud of. Trust in your training. If it's a realistic goal, you should be able to do it. Then at 75% of the race, just tough it out
You could also slow down sometime in the race and still hit your B-Goal, which you would still be somewhat happy with.
The pain you sound like you're worried about is more like 5K pain, not HM pain.
This is a great point, and one I just thought about the other day. It is not even 10k pain, which for the most part is comfortably uncomfortable...unless of course you are having a bad day, then the whole thing sucks ass.
Jimmy - you only have one first race, so most important, go out and have fun. See how you are feeling and what the weather is like and run the best race you can. If you have a fairly big crowd, it's easier because you can use other people to spur you on as you work to pass them (or not be passed by them). That's my favorite part of racing. As Cyberic said, if you blow up and run the last part slower, you will probably still make your B or C goals. On my first HM, the steep hills at miles 8 and 11 got to me and I ended up walking. Didn't matter. I still surpassed my expectations. You'll do just fine.