Sub 1:30 half marathon in 2017 (Read 323 times)

Marky_Mark_17


    As a footnote... just confirming what a tough day it was, one guy with the sub-1:30 pacer collapsed about 10m from the finish line, but got helped over the line with 10 seconds to spare!  And a couple of other people unfortunately ended up in ambulances due to heat exhaustion as well.

    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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

    Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

    "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

    JMac11


    RIP Milkman

      Mark - Great job on the race! Sounds like tough conditions. I noticed that everybody on Strava that ran the race though had 13 miles, not 13.1. Was the course short?

       

      Piwi - Great picture, so glad we were able to finally see it

       

       

      Year Recap (great idea Flavio)

       

      This was my year to increase mileage to see what I was capable of, especially with a marathon in November. The previous two years I ran right around 1300 miles, so the bar was fairly low, but still would require dedication. I had two goal races in mind: Brooklyn Half with a goal of sub 1:21 and NYC full with a goal of sub 3:00.  I started the year off battling some right knee problems. It was nothing serious enough to cause me to stop running, but it did lead to a lot of limping and stiff knees.

       

      I spent January through May training for my half. I averaged about 45 miles per week going into that race, was almost 10 miles more per week than any previous half. I hit my goal of sub 1:21, and hit a 10K pr during the training cycle as well.

       

      The next big goal was the NYC Marathon. This was my second marathon and I wanted redemption after my last one, where I lost 2 weeks due to pneumonia. After a 2 week vacation in early July, training started in earnest using the Daniels 2Q plan. Things were humming along nicely until late August, when I experienced pain in my sacrum ligaments. After a period of panic where I thought my cycle might be done, as the pain was pretty bad, it went away in a fairly short time of 1 week. I got back into running and was able to hit a 66 mile per week peak while averaging 52 miles over the 12 weeks leading into the race. I also had another panic when I was told I had a stress fracture in my foot with 3 days to go, but it turned out to be a misdiagnosis. I was able to hit my goal with a 2:54 and was thrilled.

       

      The year isn't ending on the greatest of notes with new foot pain returning. I've only run 53 miles in the 5 weeks since the race. My goal was to hit 2,000 miles for the year, but it's going to be very close. I'm currently at 1927 miles and I'm going to try starting up my running again this week to see how the foot responds. I really hope that it responds well and I can get back into training.

       

      Overall, I couldn't be happier with how the year went. Sure, I wish I wasn't battling some minor injuries, but nothing major came about and I was able to PR at every distance.

       

      For 2018, my first goal is to stay healthy. That should be number one on anyone's list, even if you're not injury prone. After that, I'd like to PR in some shorter distances this spring. I also plan on running the NYC marathon again, but way too early to see what's in the cards there, but of course I'm thinking of PRs . I'd like to increase my mileage again, especially for the marathon. But for now, it's just a question of getting back into shape and barreling through the winter months.

       

      2017 Race Summary

       

      5K - 17:55 (PR)

      10K - 37:32 (PR)

      Half - 1:20:39 (PR)

      Full - 2:54:02 (PR)

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

       

       

      jaimegu


        Mark: Congrats! Smart pacing, but, apart form the weather, I think running on sand, grass and twists is scenic for sure but not particularly fast.

         

        James: Nice week and I wish you enjoy the holidays and vacation.  If you master Chilean, then Spanish is a piece of cake.

         

        Piwi:  Well I don't have a beach and I don't know how to surf, but I did something similar during summer: Biking and soccer took over.  You are doing it better than me by logging 4 runs.

         

        Flavio: My year in review has not finished yet, In these last three weeks I will start Boston training.  However:

        1. I only resumed training by January (I only ran 500Kms last year, plus soccer, and cycling)

        2. I ran my second marathon, and my second BQ, this time I got over 6 minutes to spare (thanks to aging)

        3. On the back of it, I ran a 10K to set a new PR, however it's still very soft.

        4. By summer I went into soccer/cycling mode, with only a random run here and there

        5. Obviously by August/September, my fitness had reduced.

        6. From there until now I have trained well, not excellent, and for the last 9 weeks I'm averaging 71Km/44mpw

        7. I'm around 2500Kms for the year which can be all time best.  I'll try to make it 2700Kms

         

        My goals for 2018 are obviously Boston, where I'd love to go under 3:10. And I will register for Hampton Half Marathon (NH, USA) on March 4, in hopes of breaking my PB (1:28)

         

        Me:

        On Monday I ran home thru the woods in the darkness.

        Tuesday was a cold rain at lunch time,

        Thursday, I tried to improve my tempo pace but it was not the day nor the pace

        Friday was actually a real good run

        Sunday I did a long with some marathon miles on it (7K@4:33).  I didn't eat anything and only drank 6 ounces of Gatorade. That's probably one of the reasons I suffered at the end.

        Weekly Summary
        Monday, Dec 04, 2

        017 thru Sunday, Dec 10, 2017

        <tfoot> </tfoot>
        Day Miles

        Pace

        Description Link
        Mon 6.3 7:44 Little red running hood had a lamp tonight strava
        Tue 7.6 7:56 Miserable run... Peter, you missed the best one strava
        Thu 8.0 7:24 5k@4:08/km. Total:13k strava
        Thu 2.8 22:52 Indoor soccer strava
        Fri 8.1 7:32 Easy Run strava
        Sun 18.3 7:58 Cold Long Run strava
          51.1 8:35    

        Marky_Mark_17


          JMac - I had it at 21.0, most of the other quick guys were similar (20.9/21.0).  The race director had run the course twice for 21.1km both times (he logged it on Strava), so it's probably just a case of racing line.  Last year it came up at 20.7km and I noticed they'd extended the turnaround point at Pt. Wells slightly this year - so maybe they just need to nudge it out a bit further next year!

           

          Also on the topic of the race... so not long after I'd finished, a few other guys finished (one guy did a 1:22 in his first ever half! Although admittedly he had competed in triathlons previously).  Then at around 1:24, this guy comes ambling through.  My wife spotted him and said "no way is he a 1:24 guy".  This guy was definitely not travelling at anywhere near 4:00/km pace and just didn't look at all like a 1:24 runner... something just felt very off about it.

           

          Anyway, I checked the results yesterday, and this guy has no halfway split.  It was near impossible to not run over the mat at half way, but I guess there's always the chance his bib didn't register.  However he did the first race in the series at Devonport and his time was over 3 hours so something was definitely up.

           

          So I emailed the race organisers, not suggesting the guy was cheating at all, but just saying 'hey this felt a bit off, you might want to check it out'.  Maybe he took a wrong turn or just decided to pull the pin early because of the conditions, but if that's the case they should update the official results.  It doesn't affect me at all but considering he was 2nd in his AG it could definitely impact others!

          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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

          Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

          "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

          Marky_Mark_17


            JMac - wow congrats on a great year.  That NYC Marathon was definitely the highlight and a fantastic run, but to PR across 5k, 10k, HM and FM in one year is awesome.

             

            Jaime- that's a pretty good year considering that you really only picked it up again in January.  And good to be back up at 70km+ a week already, you should be able to set a good platform for Boston.

             

            My year in review

            Firstly, the year's not quite done yet!! There's still 19 days to go, so we'll see where the mileage ends up.  Currently I'm at 3,451km, which is more than my 2016 total of 2,686km.  Even allowing for 8 weeks lost in 2016 due to injury, that's definitely a step-up in mileage and it seems to have gone OK.

             

            At the start of the year I just wanted to enjoy the Albany Lakes 10km Summer Series, finish the Auckland Half Marathon Series strongly and see where to from there.  With a baby on the way in March, anything could happen!

             

            Well, I ended up winning the Summer Series (partly luck, as Mark Boyce couldn't make the final race and he is at least 1 minute quicker than me), and set a new 10km PR in Race 1, before beating it again in Race 2 a couple weeks later with a 34:44.  Still have nightmares about the hill at the back of the course which is particularly cruel in a 2-lap 10km race, but I'll take the result!

             

            I was 2nd in the Half Marathon Series / 1st AG.  I was really proud of my HM at Race 3 in Coatesville which is a diabolically hilly course - not a PR but probably my best race in terms of overall race strategy and management and only 3 days after our daughter was born too!  I was hoping to PR at Orewa Beach in Race 4 but a slow start and a nasty headwind for the last 3km meant that didn't happen.

             

            Then I decided it was time to step up and do a marathon - with a goal of sub-3 hours.  I really enjoyed training over winter, got some good mileage in, and stayed more or less injury free.  At 6 months prep, it's the longest I've ever trained for one event - and I needed it!  Did a couple of HM's on the way at North Shore (not good, because I was sick), and Devonport (definite confidence builder).  For the marathon, conditions were a little humid but otherwise OK on race day and I got there in 2:57.  Hated the last 6-7km and so marathons are one and done for me, for now.

             

            Definitely took a good 2-3 weeks to be recovered from the marathon, but fortunately got there just in time for the Corporate Challenge 5km, which I won in a new PB of 16:43.  Then to finish the year was the Omaha HM, I was quietly hopeful of potentially hitting a PR coming off much higher mileage for the marathon, but it was just too hot and humid and I was still pretty happy with the race on the day.   Knee has been a little iffy after the race, but hopefully that's just post-race stuff and it will sort itself out.

             

            Overall I was stoked with the results this year.  I had a real breakthrough year last year and half wondered if that was just a fluke, but I guess not.  I still think I've got a quicker FM time in me, but trying to fit the mileage in around work and family means that probably won't happen for a while.  I would've liked to beat my HM PR, but I'm content knowing that I'm actually a genuinely fitter and better runner, and that will be my goal for 2018 (I already have a race in mind on April 8 which is the day before my birthday too!).

             

            Next year the goals will be

            1. Stay injury-free!  I was lucky on that front this year with just a few little niggles.

            2. Have fun.

            3. Beat my HM PR.

            4. Check out some new races.

            5. Podium finish in the Auckland Half Marathon Series (Race 3 is a week after we get back from 2 weeks snowboarding so I'm gonna have to fit some running in while on holiday!)

             

            Race summary

            5k: 16:43 (PR)

            10k: 34:44 (PR)

            HM: 1:20:32

            FM: 2:57:36 (PR)

            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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

            Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

            "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

              Mark - Great race and RR.  Well done!  Ever hitting a 1:20 is like a pipedream haha.  My current 5k goal is sub19 or around 3:45/km.  Holding for an entire HM is mighty impressive.

               

              My week - Since my HM, I got a tattoo in two sessions.  After the first session (outline), I was running about 3 days after.  The 2nd tattoo was 6 hours of colour and took a lot out of me plus is taking a lot time to heal.  I'm finally getting a routine (extending more than a week) of running since the HM at the end of October.  I'm hoping to creep back up to 50mpw by January to start training for my May half.  I am following a modified Daniels' plan (cutting phase 1 and 4 down to 4 weeks so it will be 20 weeks).  I'm hoping for 4 weeks of base at 50mpw and creeping up to a max of 60mpw at peak.  I'll have two races 5 and 3 weeks out (a 13k and a 5k, respectively) and possibly a 3rd that won't be competitive (Hypothermic half-marathon in February which I would use as a training run and maybe hit RP for a few kms here and there if the conditions are right).  Last week I completed 4x800m repitions with 2 minute rests at 3:45/k pace.  I tried again this week and in the final interval really felt my form starting to fall apart towards the end so I stopped.  I have gained about 10-12 pounds in the last 6 weeks (I am going to try to get that lowered to racing weight by phase 2 of the plan) so I'm not exactly in tip top shape.  For the near future I will be doing my intervals at I-pace (4ish/km) and nothing more than 200m/400m intervals at R-pace.

               

              I like Flavio's idea for Year end reports and they've been great reads so far.  I'll share mine shortly.

               

               

              This was last week:

               

              <tfoot> </tfoot>
              Day Miles Pace Description Link
              Mon 6.3 8:32 Easy run. Then 30 mins strength training. strava
              Tue 5.7 8:32 Quick and easy (read: rushed) before meeting a friend strava
              Wed 5.5 8:56 2mi w/u. 4x800m (3:00) w 2min walk rests. 1mi c/d strava
              Fri 6.6 8:13 Evening Run strava
              Sat 11.8 8:17 Long Run strava
              Sun 5.2 8:33 Braving the snowy conditions - not in a treadmill mood strava
                41.1 8:28

              Personal Bests: 5k 19:43 (04/2017), 10k 43.24 (10/2016), Half 1:33:18 (10/2017), Full 3:32:47 (05/2017)
              2018 Targets: 5k: sub19, 10k: sub41, Half: sub90

              watsonc123


                So who is our 2018 thread master?

                 

                My year in review:

                I only raced twice this year.

                My only real aim for the year was an October marathon, in 2:59:59.

                This has been my lowest volume year since I've been racing.  With the exception of my first year in 2011, where I had some injuries.

                Jan-Mar was low volume as I had quite a bit of study on.  Plus the previous Oct-Dec was very light, so I had spent around 6 months of low training.

                Apr-June I go ok volume in.

                Late June I raced a half with an aim of 1:29.59.  The 1:30 pacer was a little slow (he want off GPS rather than markers), so with 4km to go we were behind by 30-40 seconds.  I then left the pace group and sped up a little, but just missed out on my aim with a 1:30:06.

                I then got an ok marathon cycle in, except:
                - I struggled with increasing volume due the lack of miles over the previous year.
                - Running outside in one of the wettest winters we've had was a struggle (it can rain very heavy here).  I ended up missing/shortening quite a few runs.  For 2018, I'm considering getting access to a treadmill to allow training to be planned better.
                - I ended up with a niggly left knee and hip.  The knee especially got worse leading up the marathon.

                Come marathon eve, I'd decided there was no point even attempting the aim, mainly due to the knee.

                So I decided to stretch out to relieve the knee.  It probably removed some "bounce" from me, but it did substantailly improve the knee.  So my aim become 1:35 for the first half, with roughly 1:30 for the second half, or at least go 3:09 flat for a small PR.  It was a two lap course.

                I managed 1:35 for the first half, but post there, it was a moderate fade.  Pretty much each km from there
                got a little slower.  I ended up at 3:16:4x

                Post the October marathon, I've ran very little due to:
                - Getting my knee better, which it slowly is.
                - Preparing and selling a house.
                - Sorting out the new build design, contract etc.

                 

                So just 2770km / 1772 miles this year so far.


                Next year shoud hopefully be a little easier to train.  Most of the big house decisions will be done by end of January, and end of January we'll have moved into a rental (still yet to procure this.

                Depending on when we get our section, consents, weather etc. we'll should move into our new house next November.  So it should mean a good Feb-Oct running period which should allow a half PR attempt Sep-Oct.


                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

                runethechamp


                  Piwi - Ha, I'll take that - Fit as hell . Nice crown btw.

                   

                  Mark - Nice RR, sounds like a tough race for sure with the temperature and humidity. We have great training conditions in the Bay Area right now with daytime highs typically in the mid 60s and evening temperatures in the low 50s or 40s. I do most of my runs in the evenings so it doesn't get much better than that. Haven't rained in what seems a really long time now either so it makes it even better.

                   

                  Flavio - Great idea with the year recap so I'll give it a try.

                   

                  I somehow feel like this year was a disappointment and had a lot of what-ifs but maybe I'll change my mind once I'm done writing. Mileage will be very similar to last year, somewhere in the order of 1250, or about 2000 km. Looking at my training log on Strava shows that I had a strong start mileage wise, but some inconsistency for some periods during the summer brought my numbers down to last years levels. I still see it as ok numbers considering I finished with less than 500 miles in 2015 and less than 50 miles in 2014.

                   

                  I felt like I had a strong start of the year where my training was going well and I set an old-man record on the 5k with 20:32 in a tune-up race before a HM I had targeted (my high school record on a track is 19:44.4, no idea how I did it with the type of training I was doing back then). My target for the race was sub-1:35, but then I got a cold the week of the race and ran a race 2 weeks later instead. I feel like I lost some fitness in those 2 weeks, and when the 1:35 pacer didn't show up I ended up starting too fast, faded, and had a disappointing race. I still had good training volume through most of the spring and ran a really hilly 10k in April that I felt went fairly well.

                   

                  After feeling like I was getting in decent shape I ran a 10-miler in May, following a very light week, a week with no running, and then the week before the race a week with 10 relatively hard 10-mile training runs and a transatlantic flight the day before the race. I still thought there was no way I wouldn't beat my time from the year before, and it felt like a punch in the gut to actually run slower than the year before. Lost a little bit of motivation, had 3 weeks in June with almost no training, and didn't feel like signing up for anything else since I didn't feel like I was in shape for that. Still trained for and completed an Olympic Triathlon in August, and then set my sights on the Berkeley Half.

                   

                  Again I felt like training was going well, but I might have been aiming a hair too high in the race. I didn't reach my goal but at least managed to PR on a tough, hilly course. Since then it's been mostly easy runs, with the exception of the Santa 5k, but I've been picking it up lately and actually felt great in my workout yesterday.

                   

                  On the positive side I've been pretty much injury free and I haven't lost my motivation for next year, and I'm still going strong on my December running streak! The dog is also very happy about the extra workouts she's getting.

                   

                  I think I've decided to aim for the Oakland Half Marathon in late March next, but maybe run the HM I missed last year in February as some test run of sorts. Both races are near pancake flat so they should be good courses for a PR. I have a 15-week marathon plan from Jack Daniels laying around that I think I will use, just because I feel like I actually benefited a lot from the mileage in the long runs when I trained for Paris in 2016. The plan is relatively easy on overall mileage with an average of 35 per week, peaks at about 42 miles per week, so I figured why not, and then I can adjust the easy runs up I want to add more. Week 1 is this week so I guess I better get started!

                  5k: 20:32 (1/17)  |  HM: 1:34:37 (2/18)  |  FM: 3:31:37 (3/18)

                   

                  Getting back into it

                    My 2017

                     

                    This was my 2nd year distance running.  Before last year, the longest I'd ever run continuously was a one-mile fitness test trying out for my varsity basketball team in high school.  I ran it in just over 6 minutes. Late last March, I started jogging to lose weight.  I ran a 5k in August and was hooked.  After my first HM, I had injuries.  In November and December of 2016, I did maybe 3-4 runs.  I didn't keep track of my mileage but I'd estimate about 500-700km.

                     

                    In January 2017, I discovered Strava.  I started logging my runs when I started training for a full marathon.  I did far too little research and followed some beginner's training plan that didn't really go into much about volume.  Add in the fact that I was having personal issues and injury flare ups and my average mileage for the 19 weeks was: 39km/week.  Obviously way too low.  My long runs got up to 35km (in about a 75km week) which was clearly too high for my regular volume. 5 weeks out from the Full I could barely run due to shooting pain on the inside of my ankle.  I did it anyhow.  Also ran a 5k PB 3 weeks out on the injury.  My initial goal was 3:20 but I decided the night before to go for 3:30.  The first 5km were painful.  Then the pain went away. km 6-25 were wonderful.  I moved into a 4:45/km pace by then thinking 3:20-3:25 was possible.  I hit the wall at 32km. By 34, I was barely moving.  I think I averaged around 6:00/km over the last 8km.  3:32:47.

                     

                    I couldn't walk for a few days afterwards and ended up at urgent care three days later because my feet ballooned up so bad.  The doc said "extreme tendonitis in both feet."  He also asked me my time and said he was a runner and thought it was impressive for my first (that moment of recognition almost made it entirely worth it).  I very slowly got back into running.  Within a month, I was eyeing a HM in October.

                     

                    That's around the time I hopped in the thread at Runner's World.  My mileage steadily went up.  I missed maybe 3-4 runs due to injury (which didn't turn out to be that bad).  I wanted that sub90.  I realized that I probably wasn't exaclty in sub90 shape.  I decided to shoot for a 4:20km pace (<92 minutes) and if things felt good/stars aligned, maybe I'd find my way into a 4:15 pace.  I hovered around 4:20 (one km at 4:15) for about 12km.  I'll keep this part short since I gave the full RR before but around then I slowly slowed down.  Hamstring started cramping and a few other things went "wrong" and the course ended up being about 200m long (the course officials later announced that the 2nd turnaround point was put too far out so it was due to human error--kind of a big deal for some because it was the provincial HM championships with three guys coming in at 1:13, 1st and 2nd separated by a few seconds). Official result was 1:33:18.  Strava measured my HM distance at 1:32:16 so I was in the realm of sub92.

                     

                    Since that I had two tattoo sessions that required some recovery time (the 2nd one moreso than the other).  My mileage is currently climbing back up towards 80km/week.  I've got a HM goal race in May and I'm full on going after sub90.  I'd like to get up to 96-100km/week at peak.  Everything feels pretty good.

                     

                    As of today I am at 2147km.  I should get over 2300km by year's end, obviously a personal best.

                     

                    Summary:

                    5k - 19:43 PB
                    10k - N/A

                    13k - 56:55 PB (I know it's not a traditional distance but it's a popular local race).

                    HM- 1:33:18 PB

                    FM - 3:32:47 PB

                     

                    2018 Goals:

                    3200km total

                    5k - sub19

                    10k - sub41

                    13k - sub54

                    HM - sub90

                    FM - N/A (I'm not running another FM until I believe I can attempt breaking 3:05).

                    Complete a 50k ultra trail run (no time goals here -- it's a race that is nearby in September and kind of a nice bucket list thing)

                    Personal Bests: 5k 19:43 (04/2017), 10k 43.24 (10/2016), Half 1:33:18 (10/2017), Full 3:32:47 (05/2017)
                    2018 Targets: 5k: sub19, 10k: sub41, Half: sub90

                    jaimegu


                      Hi, guys,  I just chime in to tell that I pulled my back today while doing weights (leg press) probably I didn't place myself correctly.

                      I'm taking few days off, hoping to be OK in 7-10 days (last time it happened was 6 years ago and I was far better after one week).

                      Marky_Mark_17


                        Watson - you definitely had a pretty disrupted year on the running front.  Hopefully 2018 goes a lot more smoothly!

                         

                        Blair - if you can stay healthy you will be sub-90 for sure next year.  That's a lot of improvement in the space of a year!

                         

                        Rune - I definitely think the longer runs in marathon training have helped my HMs as well.  21km really doesn't feel like that far when you are running further than that in training.  Conditions sound great where you are... enjoy!  3 months ago I was complaining that it was always raining on my long runs, now it's warmer and I actually wish it would rain a bit!

                        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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

                        Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

                        "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

                        flavio80


                        Intl. correspondent

                          Thanks guys for the yearly reviews.

                          I'm signed up for a 4 mile (well, 6.4km) race tomorrow.

                          I was checking results from last year, winner in 22 min, a sub 25 minutes (3:50/km-6:10/mi) was 15th, so a little stacked on the top this one.

                          I frankly have no idea what kind of pace I will be able to sustain. I have not run any fast pace for a long while except that 6K tempo at 4:05/km.

                           

                          My legs are a bit trashed from the leg work on Tuesday, but I'm taking today off and it's been a light week so I might arrive at the start line with some fresh legs.

                           

                          I recently bought a new watch, the Garmin 235 on a Black Friday promotion with 20% off.

                          It was almost the same price as in the USA, so a gigantic wonderful catch!

                           

                          Especially since Black Friday is such a big disappointment here that people refer to it as Black Fraud haha.

                           

                          It arrived this week and I already took it out for a spin. It's gorgeous and über fast to pick up the GPS signal.

                          It has a wrist based heart rate sensor which seems fairly accurate. My heart rate is around 130 for easy pace, though that number does not make much sense until I learn what are my resting heart rate and max heart rate numbers.

                           

                          It also calculated my vO2max as 56.

                           

                          vO2max tables tell me 56 is equivalent to a 18:05 5K which is precisely my 5K PR to the second. Now am I on 5K PR shape? I'll learn more about it tomorrow.

                          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

                          flavio80


                          Intl. correspondent

                            I just looked up the weather forecast. It looks like it's going to be 30C (86) at 8am race start. Suffice to say it it stays like this nobody is setting PRs tomorrow.

                            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

                              Flavio ouch thats stinking hot. Dont stress the time just run to effort with a little reduction to allow for the heat.

                               

                              Its a little embarrassing looking at all your great years compared to my non racing effort.

                              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 "      

                               

                              flavio80


                              Intl. correspondent

                                Piwi - we don't get to bring the garmin watch during the surf haha

                                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