Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2020 (Read 618 times)

darkwave


Mother of Cats

    Single degree temps are much easier to deal with than snow, depending on where you come from.  Snow is also not the same in all locations.  I've lived most of my life in DC/MD/VA, but did spend a few years (and winters) in Massachusetts.

     

    In Massachusetts, 6 inches of snow is white and fluffy and stays frozen and can be shoveled and stays where you put it.

     

    In the DC area, 6 inches of snow is usually a snow/ice mix that melts/refreezes/melts/refreezes, and can be difficult to manage.  It's the icy part of it that makes it so treacherous.  It's the same for much of the south.

     

    Weight during a cycle - 5-7 pounds up and down for me is normal.  I almost always gain that much post- marathon during my break - I consider it "cocooning" - I'm pumping in extra calories to get all the reserves topped off.  It comes off during the cycle, and it's not something I specifically work at.  As I get deeper into training, my caloric needs increase, and at the same time I'm focusing more and more on quality foods (veggies, protein, rice) as fuel, and the weight comes off.

     

    Interestingly, if I start gaining weight while in hard training, it's a big sign that I'm overdoing stuff and need to take a few easy days - the weight gain is from water retention from inflammation.

     

    200s versus 400s - I often run them around the same speed, though I feel the 400s a bit more.  I don't have as much leg speed as some, but am pretty good at sustaining what I have while stretching out the distance.

    Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.

     

    And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.

    SteveChCh


    Hot Weather Complainer

      5-7 pounds? Super Bowl (Sympathy) weight. Just cut out sugar, alcohol and caffeine. It isn't as bad as you'd expect.

       

       

      FAKE NEWS

      5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23

       

      2024 Races:

      Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55

      Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024

      Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024

      Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024

      CommanderKeen


      Cobra Commander Keen

        Don't get me started on schools letting out before a single snowflake fell. Last fall they cancelled school for a power outage (I was out running and actually saw the transformer blow from about 3 miles away). Power was back on more than an hour before school was scheduled to start.
        It probably will keep me on the treadmill for the next day, at least. Air temps are still below freezing, but it's pretty sunny and the ground isn't that cold. The melted snow will end up freezing on the roads overnight, and I have no desire to run on that.


        I don't know that I've found what my idea racing weight should be. I'd be quite willing to bet that whatever it is, I'm over it.


        Forgot to mention this earlier: DD3 seems to be sick. Probably just a slight cold or similar bug. However, given how my last race went and with just over 3 weeks until race time, she might have to go live with her grandparents for a while. Or perhaps I should. Eh, I'll get it figured out.

        5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

         

        Upcoming Races:

         

         

        Running Problem


        Problem Child

           

          FAKE NEWS

           

          LMAO! I cut out caffeine for 2 months and sugar isn't that big of a deal. I say this as someone who drinks sugar free rockstars. no aspertame, no aspartamine, or even sucralose. They're surprisingly better for you than most people who label them as "bad" want you to believe.

           

          caffeine....eh, I went from 40 ounces of coffee and a 160mg energy drink to ZERO overnight with no withdrawl. It wasn't even blind because I'm the one who was buying the decaffinated coffee.

           

          My race weight seems to be around 162. It could probably be less if I was a professional, or had a professional coach and nutritionist.

          Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.

          VDOT 53.37 

          5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22

          JMac11


          RIP Milkman

             

            Weight during a cycle - 5-7 pounds up and down for me is normal.  I almost always gain that much post- marathon during my break - I consider it "cocooning" - I'm pumping in extra calories to get all the reserves topped off.  It comes off during the cycle, and it's not something I specifically work at. 

             

             

            You know, I thought that too, but I've put in 3 straight weeks of 73+ miles, and it hasn't come off. I guess I"m bumping up to 80 next week, but that probably won't be enough. Gonna have to start eating properly.

             

            Keen - I think, sort of as DW alluded to, it's the weight you're at right before you start a taper. I've found I'm within 1-2 pounds of that each time. For me, it's also easy: all 5 pounds are in my gut, so it's pretty easy to say "hey, this isn't what you look like when you're about to taper."

             

            Brew - I don't understand the cut out caffeine. Coffee has like 10 calories in it. I'm not worried about that adding to my weight.

            5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

             

             

            CommanderKeen


            Cobra Commander Keen

              Jmac - I'm specifically meaning the weight at which I race best. My weight has been quite stable for the last couple years, so I haven't been able to experiment much. Though if that big container of cashews in the pantry keeps calling my name like it has been I'll get to see what it's like to race 10lbs heavier than ever before.

              5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

               

              Upcoming Races:

               

               

              watsonc123


                Nike NZ store currently does not have the Vaporfly's, I guess they'll bring it back soon, as it's scarcity marketing.  Are they online in other countries?

                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

                JMac11


                RIP Milkman

                  keen - I think that's hard to tell, but I haven't reached a weight low enough where I realized I'm not performing well. I think that's how you find out.

                   

                  VF - they're still available in the US: https://www.nike.com/t/zoomx-vaporfly-next-running-shoe-Sf9zRb/AO4568-600. I'm not sure if I'll be buying these new Alphafly for Boston. I never even upgraded to the Next%. Figure I might as well keep everything in the same shoe this season looking for my new PRs, although I'll sure be tempted if I think I'm just a minute or so off of that Moose Mug 

                  5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

                   

                   

                  Elizabeth78


                  Recovery Phenom

                    Thanks for the welcome! By way of "introduction" my next half is on March 1. Since I'm just coming back from my Vaporfly Next%-induced injury, I don't expect my sub1:30 to be at that race. It will be an interesting comparison because that 1:30:58 PR in my signature was a Vaporfly PR and now I will be wearing adidas adios.

                     

                    Snow: We have had a total of 2 inches here the entire winter. I think it's almost a record low for the Washington DC area. 10 years ago was a record high where we had over a foot of snow. I think the white stuff is pretty and now that I have a new treadmill I wouldn't mind more of it. Yeah, as soon as I buy a treadmill we get a snow-free winter. I actually bought the treadmill more for the summer because I don't tolerate heat well and have a history of getting sick from it.

                     

                    Weight Gain/Loss: I don't ever step on the scale. Former anorexic and just don't need that data point. I track so many others (sleep, resting heart rate, mileage, etc.) that I don't need weight. Based on how my clothes fit, I do think I am the slimmest in the weeks leading up to a marathon. Not intentionally. . . it's probably just the extra mileage. Or, maybe I just "feel thin" because I know I am in marathon shape. JMac: You will probably notice some weight loss soon based on that kind of mileage.

                     

                    Caffeine: I was never a huge caffeine drinker but the company I used to work for (until May of last year) had free soda so I'd have one of those per day. I decided to be 100% caffeine free over the summer and that included chocolate, and even decaf coffee or tea. I did that for three months and I think it helped my sleep, which was the main goal. I don't sleep well in the summer because I get hot, and that's when I need it most. Now I have maybe 3-4 cups of decaf coffee a week. And I'll splurge on a soda maybe once per month. I actually had zero soda of any kind from June-December last year, and when I finished CIM, the first thing I went for at lunch after was a Pepsi! Well earned, I thought.

                     

                    Watson, I have to imagine it will be back soon!

                    26.2 x 31 (3:15:34 PR)

                    13.1 x 35 (1:30:58 PR)

                    Author of the book Boston Bound

                    Running Problem


                    Problem Child

                       

                       

                      Brew - I don't understand the cut out caffeine. Coffee has like 10 calories in it. I'm not worried about that adding to my weight.

                      Coffee isn't the only thing with caffeine. Also, if you want the full benefit of using caffeine in a race you might want to get your baseline as close to zero as you really can. Plus it's mostly a mentality issue. "I can't give up ____" means you've lost before you've even started. As Elisabeth said you might sleep better, and might get to bed at a different time. Some people are super sensitive to caffeine. Some aren't. I just used coffee as the example. Soda, gels, tea, etc. Maybe you like a snack with your coffee and now "coffee" isn't just 10 calories.

                       

                      I dropped to 157 during CIM training then slowly came back up to 162 during taper. It might have been the oreos. I really think it was more that "ideal race weight" thing everyone was talking about last year along with that 2-3 day lag of eating slowing down to training slowing down.

                       

                      I don't worry about weight. I tracked it out of curiosity during CIM. I dropped a MAX of 10 pounds eating how I wanted and running 70 miles a week. I just tell people "I have an eating disorder along with body image issues and instead of restricting my food intake which most people view as unhealthy I just run as many miles as I possible. That way people can tell me how I can eat 'whatever I want because I'll just run it off.' People call it healthy too."

                      Yeah thats right. I run because I really like food and I found the loophole to body image issues and eating disorders. It is called a "healthy lifestyle" to everyone else. Now if only I could get down to 7% body fat...

                      Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.

                      VDOT 53.37 

                      5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22

                      JMac11


                      RIP Milkman

                        Weight - day to day I don't care, but I do know I need to get down 5 pounds to be in prime racing shape for the marathon distance. I'm sure it'll come. It's a good excuse for me to stop eating so much ice cream and sugary crap. More salads for lunch are needed, which is good for my overall health anyway.

                         

                        Me - legs are really worn down, which they always are at the start of a cycle. I'm mini-tapering into this race: not really so that I can perform at my peak, but more because I need a 20% cut down week before upping my mileage. It's one of my favorite things about racing: allowing myself to dial down the weekly mileage just a bit and use it as a cut back.

                         

                        Since we always have to talk about weather in this thread, I'll include mine for race day: current forecast is 35F, mostly cloudy, light winds. Pretty damn good weather for winter racing. Only question will be what to wear up top. I think it's warm enough for shorts (I usually wear tights at these temps training, but not racing). 35F is an awkward temp for racing: if it's cloudy, it can be cold and you need at least a long sleeve; if it's sunny, you can get away with a singlet and arm warmers, especially because the race starts at 9:15 so you've got a bit of sun angle to work with. Will have to play it by ear when I arrive the morning of.

                        5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

                         

                         

                        CommanderKeen


                        Cobra Commander Keen

                          JMac - That sounds like an awesome race forecast! For anything HM or shorter I'd be wearing shorts/singlet/gloves in those conditions. Probably some throw-away arm warmers for a full. You tend to run colder than I do, though, so long sleeves could be good.


                          Not looking forward to 20 miles in the morning (3rd 20 of the cycle). Not a "tired legs" thing - they feel fine, just a general lack of motivation.

                          5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

                           

                          Upcoming Races:

                           

                           

                          zebano


                            JMAC, that is nearly perfect race weather. Half tights or shorts, singlet and light gloves are all you need!

                             

                            Weight ... I track but mostly because I used to be really fat (I'm 5'9.5" and I weighed 244 somewhere around 2010). I'm actually up considerably since the start of the year at 167 whereas I had settled in around 160-163 for a couple of years and I was really happy there. I had one cycle where I gave up beer and raced at 155 and felt great but I decided that giving up beer wasn't worth it. I do believe I can get back to 155 if I simply stop eating after 8PM.

                             

                            Caffeine ... I'm not giving up my coffee... yall are crazy. The local water where I work tastes terrible so part of how I deal with that is drinking coffee all day.

                            1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)

                            flavio80


                            Intl. correspondent

                              Let me see if I’m caught up, Jmac was totally creeping on Elizabeth and Keen had only 3 inches so he had to stay home. Did I get it right?

                               

                              Elizabeth - welcome aboard. It’s always good to see new faces here. I like your choice of username too.

                               

                              Piwi - Italy is lovely, all the pizza places are great. I need to control myself.

                               

                              Me - I’m like a proud father watching all this weight loss talk. Also, caffeine is bad for you kids!

                              I’ve dropped it 15 years ago and never looked back. In my case it was interfering with my sleep.

                               

                              On my end I’m going crazy with the taper, any scratch in the throat and I’m already thinking I’ve got a cold.

                              I Just need to survive one week. Please! JUST ONE WEEK!

                              PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

                              Up next: no idea

                              Tool to generate Strava weekly

                              JMac11


                              RIP Milkman

                                Flavio - when you're convinced you have coronavirus, we'll know you've hit peak taper madness

                                 

                                Clothing - can't believe you guys can all run in 35 degrees without at least arm warmers. I think my forearms would be officially frostbitten if I did that. Very jealous, but then again, that means I also don't melt at temps around 60 for racing.

                                 

                                Important Race Questions - Which should be my first beer of the ones they are serving?

                                 

                                Blonde Ambition Blonde Ale

                                BLONDE ALE BREWED WITH PILSNER MALT, HOPPED WITH HALLERTAU MITTILFRUH, AND FLAVORED WITH APRICOT FOR A SWEET AND LIGHT FINISH.


                                Blood Orange Pale Ale

                                BREWED WITH 2-ROW BARLEY AS THE BASE MALT WITH VIENNA AND CRYSTAL GIVING IT A DEEP GOLDEN COLOR. OATS ADDED FOR A SMOOTH MOUTH FEEL. HOPPED WITH CASCADE AND BLOOD ORANGE OIL ADDED TO COMPLETE THIS CRISP REFRESHING ALE.


                                Jetty Ale

                                PERENNIAL AWARD WINNING CREAM ALE MADE WITH GENEROUS AMOUNTS OF ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY. THE PILSNER BASE MALT AND CORN ADJUNT CREATES A LIGHT AND SWEET DELIGHT


                                Therapy Session IPA

                                SESSION IPA BREWED WITH 2-ROW AND FLAKED OATS. HOPPED WITH MOSAIC THEN DRY HOPPED WITH MOSAIC. FULL FLAVOR BUT LIGHTER ABV, NOTES OF GRAPEFRUIT AND AROMA OF FRESH PINE

                                5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)