Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2018
Bro - I would something like:
Thursday 3 X 1km at half pace with 0.5 and 3 X 0.5km at 10k pace. Easy of 0.5km between reps. Warm-up 3km, cool down 1km. So 11.5km total.
Friday 6.4km easy
Saturday 4.8km with striders. Or off depending on whether the day before run helps you.
I would have taken Wednesday off. So maybe cut back Thursday by one rep at each pace?
It is pretty late to ask for taper advice.
Marco - nice intervals.
Re drop - I ran quite a bit last year in zero drop minimalist shoes (Inov8), I think zero drop contributed to my knee issues. I go with 6-10mm drops now. Most of my training is Adidas Boost, with some light Adidas shoes for racing (cannot remember model).
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
Hot Weather Complainer
Far out, my taper week is far far lighter than the rest of you guys...last few races were Monday 60 mins with 4x500m, 2x1km intervals, Wednesday 45 mins with 3x500m and 6x250m intervals, Saturday 15 mins with 4x100m strides. I've even thought, especially after the last race, that I should do even less than that.
The universe seems to be telling me not to do my race in 2 weeks...after 10 days off with the calf, I've had a good solid week where I've gotten back to nearly what I would have been doing without the niggles. But now I've picked up a cold. I managed 15km @ easy pace yesterday with the beginnings of the cold but towards the end it felt tough. It feels like a heavy cold today which usually means up to a week without running at all then a week of slowly easing back in - that may sound overly cautious but I've paid for trying to jump back in before. Unless a miracle occurs and it disappears overnight I can't see myself doing the race in Ashburton. I expect to be recovered by then but can imagine it not being fun and certainly not a PB possibility on the back end of a cold. If I didn't have to travel I'd be more likely to do it.
There is another one in Christchurch on September 23 which is far enough away for me to be able to get all the training in that I want. It's pretty frustrating after 4 months of looking forward to putting the last one behind me, but sometimes I remind myself that a calf niggle and a cold is nothing compared to the health issues some people have to deal with.
Bourbon is good for a cold right?
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 1:27:34
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Cobra Commander Keen
Steve - Bummer about the sickness. If it were me, I'd probably scrap Ashburn, try keeping as much fitness as possible then going hard after Christchurch. I ran into similar problems last fall - I had a hip issue that kept me from running for 3 weeks. Things went well for a couple weeks after that, but I got a pretty bad sinus infection within the week before the race. The sickness combined with the weeks off/low weeks immediately after the time off and the antibiotics I was on really made the race suck. I dropped from the full to the half and had a hard time the last 5k - finishing the half at well under marathon pace. Frustrating, yes, especially with the awesome training cycle I had going on up until that weird injury. My next couple races (a few months later) went really well, though. I've heard warm brandy can do wonders for all sorts of sicknesses.
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
Bro- I probably taper more than most for a half but it's worked well for me. I am generally averaging ~75km/week, and will go slightly lighter two weeks out (~60-65km) and pre-race probably only 25-30km that week. The important thing is still keeping some hard efforts in there, sprints or faster intervals are ideal, but dropping the mileage. Probably pretty close to what Watson suggested but I prefer sprints to strides personally.
Steve - bummer about the cold. I jumped back in too fast for North Shore Half last year after a cold and paid the price for it.
MJ/JMac - that sportjester guy is hilarious. Classic conspiracy theorist. 50 years of running training and science has it all wrong! But eureka I have the answer. Lololol.
A_Taylor - welcome back.
MJ - I really like Mizuno shoes. I'd probably have gone through 10 pairs if Wave Inspires by now if they hadn't made them heavier from the 12 onwards. But I still like the Catalyst and the Sayonara a lot. I've got a pair of Wave Sonics too that I'm tossing up as a race option vs. the Saucony Fastwitch.
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"
Hey all its about time for some new shoes any recommendations? I have always ran in Asics Nimbus but couldn't handle the change when they went to the Nimbus 20 so I switched to Brooks Ghost 10 they are ok but not as happy with them as I was with my old Asics.
Hey all its about time for some new shoes any recommendations?
I have always ran in Asics Nimbus but couldn't handle the change when they went to the Nimbus 20 so I switched to Brooks Ghost 10
they are ok but not as happy with them as I was with my old Asics.
I should have said Nimbus 19 not 20's
Right now I am just looking for something to train in that is cushy, since pushing my mileage up my feet are starting to hurt.
Maybe I'll try the Nimbus 20's again if they have reversed some of the changes that were made to the 19's
I did race in both my old Asics Nimbus, and the last 2 halfs I ran in the Brooks Ghost. I also have some New Balance Zante I like for my speed work. Eventually I would like to find something lighter to race in too.
Steve sorry to hear about your cold so close to your race.
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)
Intl. correspondent
That jester troll is hilarious, very well done.
We had our fair share, remember that guy who said he'd run 5 miles a day, 1 mile 9am, another noon, another 3pm and so on. I'm still not sure whether he was a troll or just clueless, because I was able to find his pictures from a race and his result was legit
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
I could not resist and trolled him. Hopefully he didn't watch 3% on Netflix
RIP Milkman
Flavio - the only troll I remember over at RWOL was that weird dude (I think he was weird completely based off his photo alone) who would just pop in and say something like "just ran 12 on the treadmill tonight" and then we wouldn't see him again. I can't remember what his name was.
Me - 5K on Sunday looking humid. We've had some really great weather here lately (low DEW POINT if you're curious Piwi) but it's going to get very humid Sunday morning. Not sure how much humidity impacts 5Ks vs a half, but it'll definitely do something. Still gonna go out at PR pace but wouldn't be shocked if I don't break 18. So let's say A goal is 17:50, B goal is 17:59, C goal is no heat stroke.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Jmac - no more excuses, PR or Gaga!
JK, I'm sure you will crush it, good luck!
We need adjusted Gaga costumes by person. Mine is 19 minutes.
I think Marks' Gaga costume is 1:20 in the half.
We need adjusted Gaga costumes by person. Mine is 19 minutes. I think Marks' Gaga costume is 1:20 in the half.
19 only with a high dew point. Otherwise the time drops too
I think Mark is at his peak. So he will probably attack the 1:15 so I suggest 1:17 to be fair Mark whats you goal time for the Taupo half???
Flavio: not sure they show 3% here in Switzerland but I will check it out. I enjoyed Cidade de Deus and the Swat series with Moura. What else is everyone watching on Netflix?
HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)
2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!
Bro - Good luck with your race and last couple of days of taper! I will not taper much for my upcoming half as it is in the middle of my training program, just move the midweek workout up one day to have 3 days in between workout and race, and then keep the running light in between. Maybe do some quick strides a couple days before.
Marco - Great intervals! I did a set of 1000s yesterday (more details below) and I'm not as fast as you.
JMac - Good luck in your 5k! Lady Gaga ftw!
Steve - Sucks with the cold. I've heard stories in both directions about how people do right after I cold, but my experience was bad. Maybe that was because it was still hanging in there come race day.
Piwi - I'm hoping you are right about Marco's intervals and 5k prediction, because that would mean I'm in line for sub-20 on the 5k!
I did my 5x1000 session yesterday. Had to take care of it on a work trip, before my flight home, after I got up at 3:45am in the morning to catch a 5:10am flight (that's way too early for me btw). To make sure I could catch my flight back I cut the planned 5 miles before the intervals to 3, but otherwise did the workout as planned. Managed a 6:19 average pace, but in what's become an annoying habit, I lost my focus on the second to last interval (ran 3:54, 3:53, 3:55, 4:00, 3:56). Looking at the paces have made me realize that I have run pretty much all my workouts faster than my "starting fitness" paces. In fact, they all align very well with my goal for my upcoming half. I hope that works out for me...
5k: 20:32 (1/17) | HM: 1:34:37 (2/18) | FM: 3:31:37 (3/18)
Getting back into it
Thanks guys. I did 3x1000 at half marathon pace (4:02, 4:08, 4:03) with 400m jogs. Felt pretty comfortable but I’m thinking I’ll be in the low 7’s for the whole 13.1. The main goal is just to get in a good corral for Chicago in October.
Shoes- I alternate between the Saucony Iso Triumph 4 and the Hoka Clifton 4. It distributes the mileage more and I've heard switching shoes can help with preventing injury (strengthening the feet).
Marco- Nice consistent intervals! Whereabouts in Italy are you from?
Mark- It's always tough to find new fun routes when you are living somewhere else. I'm afraid I'll have to experience that in a few weeks when I move into college!
Taylor- Welcome back, and good luck on your half marathon buildup!
Bro- I'm no expert, but I would just make sure to decrease mileage a bit and have your last workout maybe 3-4 days out (depends on race distance). Then run easy from the last workout up until the race. The day before run nice and easy to loosen up and maybe some strides, if you have done them throughout your training cycle.
Steve- Good luck with the recovery, and best of luck for the half in August!
Rune- Goal oriented people find ways! Well done on that interval workout!
PR's: 800 - 2:01.9, 1600 - 4:34.4, 3 mile - 16:00, Full Marathon - 2:54:49
Goals: Break 1:20 HM, Break 2:45 FM, Break 34:00 10k, Break 16:00 5k
Strava link