Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2020
Hot Weather Complainer
I think absolute best case is drop to level 3 (of our made up levels) after 4 weeks - the only thing that changes is more shops can open. Then level 2, which is still working from home but we might be able to get Uber Eats. Even at Level 1, mass gatherings were banned and races were getting cancelled. I'm looking at your favourite race in Queenstown on November 21 Mark, and I'm not that confident it will happen. I will definitely have done a time trial by then.
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
If it got to that - and I'm still optimistic it won't - I'd seriously consider running a TT marathon. Could run laps on Tamaki Drive or in the Domain and get my wife and daughter to set up a refueling stop.
BTW the mass gathering rules were 500 outdoors... I can see race directors coming up with ways to safely manage this capacity limit e.g. capping entries or staggered starts.
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"
If it got to that - and I'm still optimistic it won't - I'd seriously consider running a TT marathon. Could run laps on Tamaki Drive or in the Domain and get my wife and daughter to set up a refueling stop. BTW the mass gathering rules were 500 outdoors... I can see race directors coming up with ways to safely manage this capacity limit e.g. capping entries or staggered starts.
Yeah but they would have to be small races anyway. The bigger races have so many fixed costs they'd be better off cancelling than having fewer than 500.
Mark what about a sub 3 marathon around your house , that would be badass
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 "
Level 1 has the 500 mass gathering limit. At Level 2, it is "further restrictions on mass gatherings".
And as Steve says, the bigger races cannot run with 500 or less people due to all the overhead costs. Also, I think the 500 would need to include first aid people, race marshals too (you could maybe ban people watching). So that would be maybe 450 runners.
I'm hoping I'll this year is some club runs and some clubs races - I'm not talking inter club, just our club having some races. And that requires Level 1, maybe Level 2 depending on how strict they go.
We need elimination. Given international travel is almost zero, I don't think there's a difference between that and community transmission.
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
Intl. correspondent
Zebano/James/Keen - each one of us has different needs in terms of muscle tension on race day. No one formula that fits all.
I’m with James on this one, I need a day off the day before so that I’m ready for prime time on race day.
Piwi - that video was awesome. I didn’t see you though, was your fee too expensive?
Kiwi friends - Talking from experience: do not spend time making predictions and/or plans
me - we've re-hired our previous functional training coach to write us some strength training plan focused on endurance. It's going well so far.
I'm no longer running myself into the ground. 4 days in and feeling great. It's feeding my running craving somehow.
PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021
Up next: some 800m race (or time trials) / Also place in the top 20% in a trail race
Tool to generate Strava weekly
Problem Child
FIVE HUNDRED!?!?!??! HOLY POOP! MY State elected officials have said TEN was the maximum number of people. Is the land of Nemo even WORRIED about COVID-19 at this point?
side note...I was just discussing fuel costs and road fees with someone on Reddit. IT made me think of this forum and how horrible it would be if Reddit took over all running forums. I'd get banned for not supporting Jack Daniels training 100%
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
You're a maniac in all the best ways!
Sorry to all the people who had their marathons cancelled, I hope it wasn't a surprise at this point though I know it sucks to not have anything to train for. If anyone is looking for an alternative and into that ultra life (or just wants a reason to run a lot on the 4th) check this out: https://personalpeak.ca/quarantinebackyard/
This might be getting to facebookey/feel good but I love how much time I'm getting to spend with my kids lately. I've run with two of my sons around the neighborhood, I've taken two of my sons mountain biking (three times), I've started watching Firefly with my oldest and the board games!! Lets just say deckbuilders are in right now! The only downside is they're actually cooking and we have tons of food around here and I have no self control (eating is just a mindless habit for me, stressed? eat, bored? eat etc).
I'm personally expecting 3 months before any races are held, and that's ok with me. My main worry is that restrictions will start being loosened not because they should be but because of unrest and politicians who want to get reelected.
I think we all agree muscle tension is individual but I like this article on it: https://www.scienceofrunning.com/2010/03/key-to-running-fast-on-race-day-muscle.html?v=7516fd43adaa
Piwi - honest question here: what do you get out of online shoe reviews? I'm always worried that people are endorsed by a company or have such a different foot from mine that their shoe review will be meaningless to me or at worst misleading. It's also why I've found a few brands I really like and just tend to stick to their shoes: Altra for almost anything, NB for fast stuff, Saucony for easy/long shoes, Merell for trail shoes. Of course, each of these brands also has shoes that miss the mark but l've come to expect that.
A quick query for the board: How long can you peak for? and how long does it take you to recover from a mile race? i.e. if I want to take 2-3 cracks at the mile how should I space them out? If the first one goes well, I've identified 4-6 strava segments that are 1KM-1mile in length and would be challenging to take.
1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)
Zebano - it depends on how strong you are I guess. It took me maybe a couple of days to recover from the 1500m time trial I did last year. It felt like a super heavy workout for the whole body.
Maybe do one rust buster and then another one a week later. Anything beyond that and you will likely become stale.
Cobra Commander Keen
Zebano - I've just started watching Firefly as well - I can't believe it took me so long to start it. Soooo many quotable moments!Speaking of time with the young 'uns, I need to finish teaching my oldest two (9 & nearly 6) to play chess. I'd think for a 1k-1mi trial you could likely do two seriously per week. Maybe 3, if you recovered well, but that many would almost certainly in to running in other ways, though.
For me if I have any noticeable soreness or negative impacts to pace after a workout it's usually 2 days after the workout. It just really hit home after that 5k workout/virtual race that I typically feel really good the day after a workout - I just clipped along at a solid 15-20 sec/mi faster than I had been on my easy runs, and felt good enough to tack on an extra 2 miles. Perhaps I'll experiment with this some before doing a TT or a race (you know, if those ever happen again).
Knocked out my LR this morning as I have the second "race" in a virtual series put on by an LRS this weekend. Great weather for it, a solid 10-12 degrees cooler than usual. It's amazing how much of a difference just a couple weeks of running in warmer conditions makes when the weather cools down again.
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
RIP Milkman
Flavio - looks like things are heading in the right direction in Italy, you must be feeling some relief, even if the lockdown won't end soon. We're still heading up the curve in NY but I actually think we'll be at the apex within the next 7 days, so a glimmer of hope.
Keen - forgot to answer your clothing question! The Japanese brand is Uniqlo. Good, inexpensive stuff. My other favorite Japanese brand, although a bit harder to find, is Muji. They're a multi-purpose store in Japan that sells things like luggage and stationary, but their clothing is suprisingly good and fits even better than Uniqlo imo and is better quality. Finally, I'd say slightly more up-brand, and online only, is Bonobos. They have by far the slimmest fitting button down shirts I've found. Their slim dress pants are actually too slim for me, which I've never seen before in any other brand. Stuff is expensive at Retail, but they often have 25%+ off so just wait for a sale.
Mark - I've thought of a marathon time trial. It's possible, but having just done a half, it seems so impossible. The mental demons you battle around 15K in, I don't know how you get through that in a time trial.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Mother of Cats
One caution I'd throw in about time trials - remember that any all out effort is going to depress your immune system for a few days...
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.
DW - I posted this article a little while ago because I was worried about the same thing before my time trial. The latest research seems to indicate it's a myth:
Debunking the Myth of Exercise-Induced Immune Suppression
Keen that sounds right as DOMS hits 2 days after a hard effort.
Zebano I usually watch Kafuzi or Seth James Demoors reviews and they say they have no affiliation with shoe companies. I also read alot of the people's reviews on Running warehouse. It's so hard to get shoes at a reasonable price here. We can buy from overseas but it adds $30.
Flavio thanks my son doesn't live at home so we cant visit right now as we all have to stay in our home " bubbles "
Great news if Italy starts trending down.
DW - I posted this article a little while ago because I was worried about the same thing before my time trial. The latest research seems to indicate it's a myth: Debunking the Myth of Exercise-Induced Immune Suppression
I don't know I'd say myth as much as the jury is still out.
There was a point in my life when I ran. Now, I just run.
We are always running for the thrill of it
Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it