Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2019 (Read 641 times)

 

Mark you are probably at least partially right, the fact that I wasn't feeling well for 2 days before impacted. However, I do not think I am ready to run a marathon at that pace and I do not want to fade in the last 6 to 10 miles as I normally do. So, after yesterday, unless things change in the next 2-3 weeks, I have decided that I will start with the 3:30 pacers, take it slow for a few miles and then see what I have in the second half. This will probably be too safe and conservative, but considering the experience in the last 4 years, I need to finish one marathon strong before I can gamble on the time.

 

I really hope to get the next few weeks and pacing right this time...

That's a smart approach.  I went out too fast in the marathon I did and paid the price later.  I actually ran my 35km long run w/ 20km @MP 3 weeks before the race much better than the actual race!

JMac- I guess I'm just crazy.  Most of the symptoms were actually above the neck tbh apart from a slightly sore back which was more likely due to lugging a toddler around.  Fingers crossed it seems to be improving now, felt much more normal on my run this morning, so hoping I can hit my workouts Wed and Thurs.

I swear to you I’m not making this up, at around 3:30 PM yesterday I started coming down with symptoms of a virus. By nighttime, I had inflamed lymph nodes, sore throat, fever, and body aches/chills. Luckily I had a planned off day, so I was able to just rest.

Woke up this morning with the chills/body aches gone, which is good, but definitely have a cold. Much better now than the week of the race, should recover in time. Given it’s the neck and above (unless those body aches return), I should be able to run through it.

Somehow, the Internet is contagious.

JMac - I'm absolutely going to go for sub-3. I'd do it this year, but so far the only marathon in the area that would likely have good weather and won't conflict with my October half is really hilly (Route 66 in Tulsa). I'll keep my eyes open for more marathons to be posted, though.
Here's the thing with wanting to run ultras: I don't want to do the slow, mountainous races, nor do I want to just slog through nothing but slow runs to train. I ran my idea for how to train for the 50mi/100 mile races I have by eye on past Max from the sub-3:20 thread: basically longer T and M pace work, not much I/R stuff. Maybe a few ~30 milers in the buildup for time on my feet. He agreed, and basically summed it up as "train to run a fast marathon", but then run slower in the races than I have been in training. I'm not planning on slowing down any time soon.
Oh, and I like your tapering plan. Taper is something I'm still testing, but so far I think that one like you are planning is probably close to ideal for me as well.
And it sounds like you need better anti-virus on your computer!

James - No typo that I can find. I have another marathon at the end of the month that I'll be using as a LR. Good work building mileage!

Flavio - Bummer about you and your wife getting sick. Strep throat, maybe? Here's hoping you're both recovered soon.
While I do plan on strength workouts (hill repeats, likely), endurance is going to be my primary focus.

CFarr - Good week.

More easy running from me this past week, though I missed my LR due to travel. I still managed ~50 miles, and since I'm just enjoying building back my fitness and not training for anything specific the missed LR doesn't bother me.
I'm very much a data guy, which has lead me to a program/website called Xert. It mostly revolves around bike training (specifically with a power meter), but they're also doing a beta for people (like me) who are using a running power meter (Stryd). Very interesting stuff in how they track threshold/1 hour power, the max you can output, etc., and how long you should be able to hold given outputs.
One thing I'm looking forward to testing is a Garmin datafield that's built around using their algorithms to tackle Strava segments. Basically it takes how they view your fitness, compares it to how long a segment is, and gives you a single number (power target) to run at in order to finish the segment as fast as possible - and it will change this target up or down based on if it thinks you're going to hard or too easy. There's a .4mi/.64km uphill segment (~40' / 12.2 meter e-gain for the curious) I plan on testing this on later this week as part of a fartlek workout. This should be fun in and of itself, but as an aside it can help me better learn how specific shorter race efforts should feel, which is something I could definitely use improvement on.

One of our local marathons had its final running over the weekend, and I was a bit bummed not to get to do it. It was won by a guy who seems to run ~2:35 for the marathon no matter what - downhill, flat, cold, or hot he always runs the same. The HM in particular is super-asterisky. Downhill for the first 9.5 miles (~500' of overall loss, just a couple tiny rollers), then rolling uphill (~90') for the remainder. It's also a perfectly straight course and had a 5-10mph tailwind the entire way. I know of several people who are using this race to help decide on a goal pace for Botswana - including a guy who set PRs for all distances from 10k to the HM during the race. I hope that doesn't come back to bite people.

Mark - I'm pretty interested in this as well (obviously, or I wouldn't be doing it!). I actually created an uphill segment just for this little test; I also happen to own the CR for it as well (back from August '17), so when I smash the record for it I won't have to worry about a local high school kid going after it when he gets an email about his CR being stolen... It will be interesting to see just how much time I can take off of that CR.
This whole analytical/power meter stuff is a bit intimidating as well, though. Part of the site plots the wattage it thinks I can run vs time, and it's a bit scary to see some of those because it's intimidating when I think how fast I'm running while holding some of those wattages. It seems a bit out of reach, but maybe I've just never gone completely to the well for a race before so I don't know what I'm really capable of.
I'm a bit jealous that you're getting to autumn. We've had a bit of a cold snap the last few days, but overall we're really starting to warm up here.

You guys are freaking me out...hope you all feel better soon.

Mark - Thank goodness for autumn.  I just did my last hard tempo session on my work from home day, it's taper time now.  Today was perfect, cool and calm, while Monday was 26 degrees and windy for intervals.  Monday I was near death, today I felt good.  I may be stating the obvious here, but HMP feels way way more comfortable than intervals pace (~4:11-12 pace compared to 3:45-55).  Obviously faster should be harder but it feels 100 times harder.

Today I averaged 4:10mins/km during the effort blocks and could hold it pretty well.

Mark - Incidentally, do you have your race pack yet?  Mine still hasn't arrived.

NEW DISCUSSION IDEA - random race superstitions

This occurred to me while writing the previous post.  Here are some of mine:

• Bib goes on the singlet the night before. Occasionally 2 nights before depending on other commitments and availability of relevant personnel (wife)
• Bag generally gets prepared two nights before to reduce my chances of stressing myself out the day before the race
• Must wear at least one blue item of clothing (typically this has been a blue wristband)
• For half marathon series, must use same safety pins for bib for entire 5 race series
• Never wear event merchandise until after the event is done (yes this is a basic one but I'm still sitting on a half marathon series hoodie that I got in September and can't wear until after next Sunday's race!!!)
• Avoid talking to anyone during warm-up if at all possible, or basically any time between arriving at the event and finishing the race. This includes family.  Particularly family.
• Important races get specific playlists to listen to on the way there (only listen at event base if significant time to kill)
• Clutch's "A Good Fire" can only be played as a pre-race song in Dunedin

Mark - I don't recall superstitions, but there's a certain routine.

Packing everything including pins on bib the night before is common sense.

I do about 5 to 6 trips to the toilet on race day, that's a routine I'd like to avoid 

me - I'm trying to figure out my target for my 3K race on Saturday.

I have basically 2 options:

1 - the Jmac way : I'm not yet recovered after one week with the flu, I've bonked a few workouts, I've gained some weight and my glutes are weak from sitting too much and inactivity. I think I'm going to shoot for sub 18 minutes (5:59/km - 9:40/mi pace). That's a sensible target.

2 - the normal way : I've run 11:09 on the 3000m fitness test in January. Since then I've done quite a few workouts and lost one kg. I'm going to shoot for 11:08 if the temps keep above 24C and sub 11 if they are the weather cools down a bit to something like 19C/ 67F.

So question to the group. Which option should I choose? @piwi/@MickJogger - your inputs are important here.

I'm with JMac and Flavio on this - no superstitions, but I do have a routine. If I travel I pack two pairs of socks as a default (in case one bugs me for some reason), in addition to multiple sets of running clothes depending on possible weather conditions. Everything gets laid out the night before (with bib pinned on) just so that it's easy to get around in the morning. And I like to get to the race area a good hour before the race starts - this gives me plenty of time to loosen up and make sure I'm at racing weight before the gun goes off.

Flavio - If you think you're recovered from the flu I'd go balls-out. No, that's not an obscene suggestion! Even if it's hot a 3k isn't so far that you'll get toasted by the temps. If you're not feeling recovered I'd go with tempo effort if that feels doable. .

Felt quite un-good on my run this morning, so I cut it a couple miles short. I don't know why, but I just felt big and slow. Here's hoping I'll feel better for my little double this afternoon.