Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2018 (Read 704 times)

Mark - Nice race and RR

Rune and Steve - good luck.

Mark - great race report. It’s funny you mentioned me in that because right when I read you forgot your gels, immediately I said in my head “no big deal, not needed for a half.” Anyway, fantastic race, as usual your consistency is amazing. What’s next on the docket for you? I know one race distance where you can definitely get a PR...

Steve/Rune - best of luck! (Although I think Rune is done already).

Thanks JMac.  Race starts in just over 3 hours, very friendly start time of 10am.  Weather looks good, currently -1 down in Ashburton and will be about 3 at the start with light winds and cloud cover with potential showers.  Warming up to about 10 so it's in my happy zone as long as I get in a decent warm up after the drive down.

Good luck Steve!

South Island Half Marathon - Race Report

As regulars will know I was gunning for a PB in this race but 5 weeks out I had a calf niggle that took out 10 days of mostly speed training then I got a cold which didn't stop any training but made it much less intense than required.  I had basically decided to pull out but had a good training run on Wednesday which made me realise the cold was gone so decided on Thursday to still enter with slightly reduced expectations.

My plan was to set out at 4:30mins/km or 1:35 pace and see how I felt at about the halfway point.

After an hour or so drive, I got to the Lake which is really an amazing setting.  Weather was perfect, about 5 degrees at the start, barely a breath of wind.  It got up to 10 degrees by the finish.

The start was a bit tight, even for a small race and the first 2km of the first lap (the race went around Lake Hood 3 times) was on shingle which wasn't that easy to run on.  There was also a 7km event which started with the half marathon and a walk which started 30 mins before the runners so that led to a bit of crowding but if anything it helped keep my pace in check.

The first lap felt great, especially once I reached the asphalt.  I was really trying to stick at 4:30 pace but found myself going slightly faster.  I felt good but was worried this might bite me later, with my reduced training.  I went through 5km in 22:05, saw my partner and dog (who made her feelings known - she is used to running with me) at 7km which always gives me a lift.

The second time on the shingle took it out of me much more than the first time, and I noted in my head to remember on lap 3 that it gets much easier once through that section.  Coming up to 10km I was just behind a guy then pulled up next to him and he decided to have a chat "catch the game last night?".  Yes I did, 9 titles for the Crusaders.  We ran together and chatted for a bit, I asked how he was feeling and he said he was starting to feel it.  Going through 10km my watch told me it was 4:33 and my slowest of the race - possibly because I was running with this guy.  I felt good so left the conversation and ran to feeling again.  I went through 10km in 44:13 so pretty consistent with the first 5km.  I had planned to be there at 45 mins but I felt fine.  At 10km in Auckland in the last race I already knew I had serious issues so I took it as a good sign that I was still good.

Went through the start/finish area again and felt like lap 2 had gone very quickly.  I braced myself for the shingle again and again, it was tough.  At 15km the time was 1:06.06 which meant I'd sped up a bit and done 10-15km in 21:53.

Somewhere around this point I calculated what I needed to do to go under 1:33 - I'd set out targeting 1:35 but now I was in a position to go a bit faster I wanted 1:32.xx because I have a few 1:33.xx times but I couldn't remember the seconds...1:32.xx would be my 4th fastest time over 18 half-marathons so it seemed like a decent time to go for.

I felt like I really ramped it up towards the end but maybe that was more in effort than speed because my times aren't noticeably quicker.  15-20km was done in 21:35 and then I finished with a 4:08 and 3:41 pace for the last 230 metres for a finish in 1:32.39.

All up,I'm pretty happy with that especially given that 2 weeks ago I was coughing up my lungs and saw no way I'd do the race.  Now I need to recover well and look towards the next race in 7 weeks as a genuine PB attempt.  It's also mentally good to have a race like this after the disaster of my last race.  I was tired at the finish but felt like maybe I had a little bit left....not enough to PB today but enough to know I have more in the tank.

I have no idea about the official results/times yet as it's a small race...I'll update when I know.  Based on last years results and what I saw during the race I may be in the top 50 and top 10 for my AG.  The benefit of a small race!

Garmin Link: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2906559098

Steve great job. Having been coughing up a lung myself for 2 weeks, this was a great effort so soon after your illness. Well paced and strong finish.

My week was a mixed bag.  Life got in the way Monday (did not run), and then Thursday.  I managed to get a small run in Thursday, and instead did my tempo on Friday.  As mentioned my tempo was very good, 8km at 4:04/km, with a considerable wind.  I'm two weeks out now, and feel 1:25:00 is on the cards if I get good conditions.  The other issue with this race is that the length is rather variable.  One year pre having a Garmin I raced it, and thought I'd really stuffed my markings, until afterwards I realized it was 1km too long.  Two years ago it was 3km too short.

Mark - it's the 5 Bridges Half marathon on August 19.  Yes, being out by 3km is terrible.  The second time I ran it, it the right length (or at least close).  When I ran the 10km two years ago, Garmin came in at exactly 10.00km.