Sub 1:30 Half Marathon 2021 Edition (Read 448 times)

So, in light of our government's ongoing incompetence and lack of a plan except 'summer will be fine', Running Events have just made the call to defer all their events until early next year (i.e. they're compressing their usual 7 month calendar into 4).  This means I've got a very busy race calendar from Jan-Mar with 4 x North Shore Run Series 10k races between mid Jan and mid March, and then Omaha HM in late March.

I don't blame them; they were smart and booked back-up dates so given the uncertainty over the next month or two, they may as well get first dibs because they won't be the only ones trying to reschedule events to those dates I suspect.  Still some hope of a track race with either Auckland 3000m Champs or Night of 5's being smaller pre-Xmas events that may be able to go ahead.

I did say at the start of the year that I'd be happy if I ran Southern Lakes HM and nailed it and I still stand by that!  But it is a bit frustrating that our government has had 18 months to plan for this and we are now paying the price for their incompetence.

Zebano - nice week, hope that calf niggle is nothing major.  Yeah I'm not sure 'seeing Jesus' (I think that quote originated with Flavio) is a good thing to do every week but I definitely needed the reminder of what it looked like.

Flavio - I've been lazy and probably neglecting strength training a bit over our lockdown.  Thanks for the reminder.

Keen - epic.  As usual!  Also - pacing an ultra?  I thought people generally just wanted to finish those.

Steve - Sorry to be a downer, but I really can't see Queenstown happening.  Nelson has said they'll go ahead but with reduced numbers and wave starts (probably same deal as Selwyn), although I probably won't be allowed out of Auckland to attend.  "Working through options" was exactly what the same race organiser said about Auckland a month or so ago before punting it down the road to January (incidentally, a marathon in Auckland weather in January has the potential to be a complete disaster).

Anyways at least you have Selwyn; make the most of that.  Might be worth a 3k TT effort or something just to try and shake the rust?  As long as you probably see Jesus for a little while, that should do it.

 

You never know about Queenstown though.  Did you hear the govt is coming up with a plan?  That must be nice to hear after 2 months (and counting) of being locked down, 20 months after this all started.  They are so amazing.

Yesterday they announced that on Friday they will announce a framework.  Apparently we are adding a traffic light to the existing levels as well as the steps that were added two weeks ago.  I swear this is the political equivalent of "look! over there! purple monkey!"

Anyhoo, on a more serious note, yeah I think as long as you feel you've dug into the pain cave - just enough, certainly not the whole way! - that should cover it.  It's more just above having that reminder of what race intensity needs to feel like.

Zeb - LOL sorry but that’s hilarious. “Sorry coach, there’s an extra 20 miler in there”

It’s nuts that you can run those 20 milers as if they’re a 5 miler for me.

As for body weight, simple does it. Like Mark signature says, consistency is King.

Keen - Though I’m sure a bit of strength training would help you, you are already ridiculously super strong, so it might not be needed.

Steve - IIRC, in the past you've struggled with going out too fast way too often. a 3k or even a mile time trial would help take the edge off so you're calmer come race day.  But it has to be at least 2 weeks out so it does not impact your race.

That's the reasoning anyway. Also, running fast is super cool and 3k lasts only 10 to 11 minutes (for us mere mortals).

Keen I would definitely have thrown a 5k double in if I realized I was that close to 100 miles. In depressing news, I was listening to the Citius mag podcasts interview of Nick Willis who was talking about how he's only running 55-60 miles a week right now and can still break 4 by about 7 seconds.  oh yeah, he's 38 years old too so closer to us than most of the pros.

Anyway pacing was super super easy. The course is a 20.2 mile loop repeated 5 times and I was scheduled to run with him on the last lap but did the fourth due to scheduling issues with the other pacer. The long and the short of the pacing was that he was an absolute trooper and it was a super easy gig. From about miles 61-72 we moved really really well, jogging all flats and downhills and he did a great job eating and drinking but he ran smack into a wall around mile 72 where his jogging pace dropped precipitously. Regardless, he continued to jog as best he could when I told him it was time to jog it was just slower. It took 4.5 hours to complete the loop compared to him taking 4 hours for each of his first 3. I cannot overstate how impressed I was by his mental fortitude, there were simply no negative emotions, no need for me to be a drill sergeant or to sweet talk him. he knew his goals and he was going to get it done regardless of the nearly 2,800 feet of elevation each loop.

Re: Mark. Yes, most people are all about finishing ultras, but I know an absurd amount of people who are running them to win or to break certain times (especially on the flatter ones). The coach I was mentioning was the US 50k road champion in 2020 (the unfavorable reading of this is that it was near the US Olympic marathon trials so the field was depleted). That said, my understanding is that pacing is often done to ensure the athlete stays on the course, continues to eat & drink, and helps provide some motivation when things get mentally rough.

Piwi yeah coach wasn't super happy about that, especially since ultra pace is so slow as to be arguably useless as a training pace. I wouldn't say it was easy, my hips were rather unhappy and are the reason I didn't run on Saturday. I blame  all the technical terrain we traversed.

Steve - IIRC, in the past you've struggled with going out too fast way too often. a 3k or even a mile time trial would help take the edge off so you're calmer come race day.  But it has to be at least 2 weeks out so it does not impact your race.

That's the reasoning anyway. Also, running fast is super cool and 3k lasts only 10 to 11 minutes (for us mere mortals).

Last year I went out too fast once (in the time trial) then tried to be conservative in the next 2 but had bigger fades.  I can probably put Queenstown aside - I should have been conservative++ given the course is slightly harder than a typical road course.  For the Cherry Blossom race, I think I cooked myself with some really big workouts in the last 2-3 weeks.  One I rated as 9.5 on my coach's RPE (runners perceived effort) chart.  9.5 is close to seeing unicorns.  I also did an adventure race 2 weeks out which took more of a toll than I thought.

The time trial was the smallest fade and most of that was down to a fast start.  I think doing 8 laps in the park by myself made it a bit harder to really push it.

This time I'm coming off possibly my best half-marathon training block ever (because it keeps extending out with cancellations), which was built on the base of a marathon training block (but not a race so I didn't need a big recovery).  It did take 6-8 weeks before I felt like the faster paces were sustainable though.  So if I get a good day and start conservatively, this is my best chance at sub 1:30 since joining the forum.  I did a 10km tempo 3 weeks ago and nailed down the race paces much better than I've done previously when I've gone too hard.  I'll do another 10km tempo 11 days out and hopefully that can replicate a race in a way, but obviously not going all out.

Zeb - even at walking pace, 20 miles is a very long distance.

Steve - best of luck, I’ve read that the vaccination levels are quite high already, which makes me happy, that should bring New Zealand to open the borders sooner, so we jet setter folk can go there.

Corey - you will likely beat me in mileage this week 😁

Me - I had a hopeful run this morning. Just mere 4 km, but you gotta start somewhere.

I can say that it’s nice to run without any responsibility, just for fun. Speaking of that, where’s Piwi …

I see this thread is still 75% local Kiwi talk. I'm glad nothing has changed.

After my marathon, I'll be back here as I don't think I'm running a spring marathon. I hate the weather uncertainty and training throughout the dark winter. I do have a half this weekend though. I haven't run one in 18 months so I don't remember how awful that pain is at the end, but I'm ready 

Corey - you've had quite the up and down. You've always been a very positive person though! It's good to have you around.

Flavio - was also popping over here to ask you what your spring plans are. I know you're done with marathons. Is it another crack at a half PR?

Steve - I've been following your training, it's been quite impressive (especially your easy run pace ). Hopefully you get to race real soon

Zebano - what's your racing plan?