Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2018
As I wrong if I say that I see a general increase in mileage here in the last couple of weeks?
JMac, Mark, I had a post-hungover last week after years... definitely not worth it, I am too old. Unfortunately when you travel for conferences you always get one official dinner or good meeting that ends up with a bit too much wine. Fortunately, usually is good stuff, so you recover well with a 4/5 miles easy run
James - hope you recover fast from your injuries and can get back running soon...
Keen, yes I do have a lot of miles, but all my travels are in as economy as they can get so I don't get the full advantage of business travel.. but I do get a free ride to Italy every year or so for the whole family, so I cannot complain (it's starting to take its toll though...)
Steve- good idea turning around after Achilles soreness... definitely do not push on an angry Achilles tender, give him time to recover and respect him in your training ... A few years ago (about a year after i got back into running) I ignored it and I ended up with a few very painful months with a injured tender, which still gives me some troubles in the bad weather... it does seem like everything is fine from your post though.
As many pointed out, last Sunday was a hell of a tempo workout, and definitely a surprising fitness improvement.And last week was the second above 40 miles after the luxembourg marathon (which was only 4 weeks ago). Also, after the intervals on Friday (5X800mt + 1000 mt recovery 400mt jog at 3'50'') and the tempo test on Sunday (with times that I didn't record since the early 2000s...), today was the last serious training before tapering for the half marathon in Lisburn (Northern Ireland) on the 20th:
I had planned an interval training repeating 3 times 800 + 1200 with 400 mt jog recovery. It was a painful training but in a good way. I managed all the three 800 mt. around 3' and all 1200 meters around 4'35, which is a pretty fast going just below 3'50'' per 1000 mt.
I am now officially very tired, looking forward to the taper, but not exhausted.
Now I have a problem... let's see what you think:
The plan was to get back on training for a couple of weeks after the Lux marathon to avoid wasting the marathon training with that bad race. The idea was to test my legs on the 90' pace in the half marathon on the 20th of June, expecting to manage about 6 to 10 miles and aiming for a decent time, but not a PB. This was to build up to the real annual goal (half marathon in Belfast)
Now, as you pointed out, I realised that Sunday would bring in the idea of 1h25 (which was a dream to be left for 2019..) of course I am tempted to try (you never know how the future plays out...), but that would require a fast start and a very good race (keeping the pace throughout). I am a bit worried, since the marathon is only 5 weeks in the past, to take this risk. So I have this conflict: should I still use this as a test at 90 min pace (maybe assessing after 6 or 7 miles) or risk it and try the real PB, (it would be a all or nothing type of risk, with the very real possibility to get very very tired at 10 miles and not even get to finish with a PB...).
Any thought? I have a week to think and I will plan this, but the experience within this community in racing at this level is a good opportunity for me to have some feedback...
PRs since re-started in 2013:
5km: 19:43 (Belfast park run Sep-16) | 10km: 40:16 (Belfast Lagan side 10K Sep-18)
HM: 1:30:09 (Belfast city Half Marathon, September-18) | FM: 3:25:05 (official chip time Belfast city Marathon, May-19, marathon was 0.3/4 longer, original time 3:27:20 for 26.5/6...)
Upcoming races:
???
Cobra Commander Keen
Steve - Probably best to play it safe.
Marco - What's the Lisburn course like? Is it one that's even conducive to running really fast?
I had an nice run this morning, partially because the heat didn't seem to bother me much and my HR was silly low throughout despite the workout yesterday and what I consider to be a decent pace given the terrain and conditions. I did see a bunch of cyclists spread out from about miles 1-5.5 of my run, which is really odd since I'm almost always the only one doing anything athletic on these roads. Turns out there's a week-long bike tour across Oklahoma going on that just happens to go through my little town this year.
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
OKC Memorial 5k - April 27
Bun Run 5k - May 4
Keen, the course is supposed to be fast... They advertise the course as flat and fast.
https://www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/things-to-do/lisburn-half-marathon
considering that it is a fairly local race, having a Male course record of 64:10 confirms it.
Marco - If it were me, I'd be aggressive with the time goal as long as the weather cooperates.
Keen- great week, you really are putting in the hard yards.
SteveCHC - always a good plan not to mess with any achilles issues. I had ongoing niggles back in my hockey days. Weirdly after my knee injury they haven't really reappeared!
Marco- I'm with Keen. If the course record is 1:04 for a race that size, it's probably quick if the weather is good. But, listen to your body as well and if you feel any niggles coming on, dial it back. It's still only a month or so since your marathon and the risk is that you're still not quite 100% recovered. I did a half ~6 weeks after my marathon last year and that was the start of ITB issues that took ~6-8 weeks to be fully rid of.
Me - got invited to go do a long run up at Orewa on Sunday with Brad Luiten, Mark Boyce (1:13 half and sub-33 10k), Stephen Lett (~2:30 FM) and the fast guys. Unfortunately wifey is working Sunday so I have to do my LR Saturday this week... doh! But Brad also mentioned they're doing the cross-country GP at Long Bay next weekend, so I might give that a crack. Haven't done any XC races but a lot of the other guys I know do them, and it'd be good to team up with those guys as they do some of the other events too like the NZ Road Relay Champs and probably the NZ Road Race champs too.
3,000m: 9:07.7 (Nov-21) | 5,000m: 15:39 (Dec-19) | 10,000m: 32:34 (Mar-20)
10km: 33:15 (Sep-19) | HM: 1:09:41 (May-21)* | FM: 2:41:41 (Oct-20)
* Net downhill course
Last race: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr, 1:15:48
Up next: Runway5, 4 May
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
Marco
For what its worth, I would go for it, if the weather is good and your legs feel strong.
cf
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)
Mark hanging with the big boys !
Marco your 6 mile tempo was around 3.54/km ( hope im reading that right ) but with your mileage is more likely 15k race pace. I would go at 4 min/km for the first 15kms and then just see how you can finish.
55+ PBs 5k 18:36 June 3rd TT
" If you don't use it you lose it, but if you use it, it wears out.
Somewhere in between is about right "
Piwi - yeah I joined the Takapuna club yesterday as those guys are all in that club. Bays Harbour is probably my 'local' but they are good guys and will be fun to do events with, whereas I don't really know anyone at Bays Harbour. Cross country debut coming up next Saturday! And may well do NZ Road Race champs at the start of September with them too, it's in Cambridge so quite close by.
Im sorry Mark but you are no longer a hobby jogger now
Mark well done for joining the fast guys, and good luck with the training.
CF and Keen, I will see how I feel on the day, but I agree with Piwi's assessment: the tempo wasn't really a HM pace yet for me. Also, I am pretty tired (guess not fully recovered yet from the FM few weeks ago). So I will start with the pacer at 90 HM for the first few miles, aiming to test a few miles faster in the middle and see how it goes. If I can finish strong around 4 per Km, I will. If everything is right, it will be a PB. I will report
For now I am enjoying the tapering: tomorrow I am off to a wedding in Italy (which could further slow down depending on the amount of food and alcohol). I'll be back on Tuesday and Wednesday the race in the evening. I'll give it a shot, but without giving too much importance to the tempo training.
RIP Milkman
Race for me on Saturday is looking like 72/22 and full sunshine. Besides all those absurd turns and my full day of walking around the US Open with beer in hand tomorrow, things are not looking good. I have no idea what to expect. Miracle PR? Heat adjusted time of sub 39? Gaga costume? It’s anybody’s guess!
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
JMac - treat it as a 'B' race.
PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)
40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)
2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05
2024 PRs: 5km 20:25
Haha JMac it's not a bad thing necessarily to have a slow course, hot day, potential hangover... hopefully it accumulates you some good karma for the next race. Yes I know that isn't how this works but if you're gonna have sub-optimal conditions you may as well have all of them in one go.
will you follow a specific flight? Why dont you just hang out at a grandstand. From there you can see two three things and rest your legs. Sunscreen beer binoculars. Have fun
HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)
2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!