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

Marky_Mark_17


    Keen - cool, looking forward to it.

     

    Steve - I was on the school chess team at high school.  At an all boys school, that kinda makes you a target.  Fortunately there was a guy on the team who was an even bigger nerd than me so I generally didn't cop it too bad.

    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

       

      OK Keen, you're on.  I'm pretty rusty but there's only one way to get better.  I just created an account on Chess.com  - "GhoulWrangler".

       

       

      Dammit, I glanced at this and first read it as "Goldfinger." I was going to give you major applause.

       

      Keen - He does have a good amount of I work in his 56-70 plan, he just doesn't combine it with R work. Personally, I don't think you need a lot of R work for a marathon, as long as you keep up with strides after easy runs. However, I think you could always include them in an I workout by just removing one repeat and replacing it with 4x400R or something like that.

       

      Piwi - Your calf has been crazy! Definitely worth it to heal up now before the 18 week cycle starts.

       

      Mark - 1:18-1:19??? Come on now. Even a slow course, you should be doing 1:17:. As someone who has sandbagged goals in the past, I know it when I see it 

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

       

       

      Marky_Mark_17


         

        Mark - 1:18-1:19??? Come on now. Even a slow course, you should be doing 1:17:. As someone who has sandbagged goals in the past, I know it when I see it 

         

        We'll see.  It's a deceptively slow course (although it's beautiful and I love it), the weather looks unhelpful, and I hate humid conditions.  Depending who shows up, there's every chance I might run for place rather than time (a podium is possible but you never know who might show up at these races, like last year's Norwegian tourist who ended up winning the thing by over 2 minutes!).

         

        Plus, this race is kind of a bogey for me... last year my ITB issues basically started immediately after this race and that was a pretty miserable 8 weeks or so.

        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


          Facebook just tipped me off to this: Running Stats NZ which may be of interest to Piwi, Steve and Watson.  Some smart people have built some code and a statistical model that identifies the fastest courses in the country - not based just on average times but actually controlling for the runners present based on gender and name.  They must've either got a data download from all these races or just some technology to scrape the results websites.

           

          Anyway, unsurprisingly Southern Lakes is the fastest HM course in the country (thanks to a large and cruisy net downhill) followed by Kerikeri.  I was a little surprised to see Taupo that high, and that Huntly wasn't higher (there was a course mismeasurement a year or two ago though).

           

          In other news, they've actually built a cool time predictor that (purely on a statistical basis with no adjustment for weather, fitness, etc.) predicts your time on one course based your performance on another. My Auckland time predicts me a 1:17 at Omaha on Sunday haha.  Maybe JMac was right.

          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 Keen  keep us updated on the Chess match.

             

            It has been dark since the time change and cold/rainy here over the last several weeks making it very hard to stay motivated to run.

            Trying to get my runs done inside on the treadmill is no fun good thing i'm tapering right now.

            a bit over 1 week to go

            PR's

            1m  5:38 (2018)

            5k    19:59 (2019)

            HM  1:33:56 (2018)

            FM  3:23:07 (2018)

            JMac11


            RIP Milkman

              Mark - That's a cool thing you guys have. I was only teasing about your goal, but I do think 1:17:XX is probably right!

               

              Corey - The darkness is killing me. Although the cooler weather has made my running significantly faster/easier, the sun setting at 4:30 PM has not been enjoyable. I guess we just have 4 more weeks of this before it starts getting lighter each day? Not sure how I'm going to get through winter training. Anyway, you shouldn't be losing motivation when you're tapering! After your race is the time for that 

               

              Piwi - Have you seen the waves recently in Hawaii? They are INSANE. https://youtu.be/VF1sQBy7Xxk?t=59

               

              Half Goal Times - My main goal is Boston this spring. I've set a very aggressive goal of sub 2:40, but I know that is going to require a lot to go right. More importantly, it's going to require me to put up a sub 1:17 a the NYC Half (more like sub 1:16 on an easier course, or even worse a sub 1:15 if I was fully tapered) in order to even think about it, which is scary to me. I know Mark is running those times but I don't know many other people that actually are, so you're going to be my main motivation! It's so far out though that I have a long time to see improvement in fitness. One step at a time. First up will be going for a sub 36 at this 10K in 5 weeks with almost no speed work going into it. Going to be fun!

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

               

               

              flavio80


              Intl. correspondent

                Piwi - OMG!!! Please don’t say it out loud what will the neighbours think!

                Also Ouch, it looks like we’re on the same boat re left calf issues. Mine I have currently a theory that the root cause is lack of dorsiflexion on the left side and plantar fascitiis on the left foot. I've been doing some stretches on the left ankle but the dorsiflexion has not improved one bit so far. Apparently my feet are too arch-y.

                Jmac - You are amazing. You picked an incredibly difficult course for a 2h46, then now you need to run faster and you picked an even worse course haha. Why can't you be lazy like the rest of us and run a flat marathon with cool temps.

                MJ - Where u at?

                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

                CommanderKeen


                Cobra Commander Keen

                  CFarr - The cold and rain certainly would hinder motivation, but stick with it! I think I'm one of the only people who prefer running in the dark, so that hasn't troubled me much. Have you tried watching movies or something on the treadmill? I find that action or comedy movies are best - ones that you can basically turn off your brain for and still enjoy without missing plot points.


                  JMac - Aggressive? Yes. But having seen what you've been doing lately and knowing what you're planning on I certainly think it's doable for you. DWave would probably be a good person to talk to about strategy for the Botswana course.
                  Even without pure speed work, all the T runs you've been doing should help quite a bit for a 10k.


                  Flavio and Piwi - I'm really hoping you guys get past your calf issues soon!

                   

                  Mark - Did you miss the knight hanging, or did I overlook something devastating if I took it?

                   

                  Spring Plans - I found out that my MIL is getting me a race entry for Christmas - specifically the Chisholm Trail Marathon on March 24. It doesn't give me quite as much down time before training takes off than my usual spring race (OKC Memorial), but it should be fun and fairly fast as well.
                  This is a road race, not a trail marathon. For those not familiar with post-American Civil War history the Chisholm Trail was used to drive cattle from ranches in Texas and Oklahoma North to railroads in Kansas. Wichita, the race city, was one of a few common stops on this trail.
                  Since work will almost certainly pay for it, I'll probably end up running the OKC marathon a month after this one, too! Now I just need to find a 10k or half to run before Wichita...


                  I'm still working on a training plan. I may or may not get quite the mileage of my last cycle, but I'll undoubtedly get more quality!

                  5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

                   

                  Upcoming Races:

                   

                   

                    Keen thats a nice xmas prezzie from MIL. I get some OKC history lessons in the ad break of the basketball 

                     

                    Cfarr it gets light here soon after 5am right now.

                     

                    Jmac yes I watch every heat of the Jaws Big Wave event and the Nazare challenge last week. The waves are massive and dangerous as hell. They have to use 10ft long heavy cumbersome boards just to get enough paddle speed to catch the wave and then not bounce around too much on the chops on the face of the wave. They wear a special flotation device with 4 gas cartridges that can be pulled to inflate and get them to the surface so they dont drown. Also a big team of jetskis with sleds is on hand to pick them up and take them out of the danger zone. Coughing up blood from lung trauma is fairly common 

                     

                    Flavio I tease alot of my runner friends when they have calf issues so I guess karma is a bitch.

                     

                    Mark thanks for that link. Tauranga is well represented.

                    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 "      

                     

                    watsonc123


                      On that Running Stats NZ site - I am quite surprised that Wellington Round The Bays is slower than Wellington.  Christchurch is quick but they do change the course every year.  Hamilton seems to have heaps of course changes too.

                       

                      Out of what I have raced, my order would be

                      Christchurch

                      Wellington Round The Bays

                      Hamilton

                      Wellington

                      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

                      SteveChCh


                      Hot Weather Complainer

                        JMac - I don't think I imagined it...did you just spend a paragraph commenting/complaining about the weather??  I should also point out that my comment on Strava about rain was a reference to a classic Kiwi song...

                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QNhPY5w000

                         

                        They also do a song about the world chess championships in Cuba (better than it sounds!).

                         

                        I think I better join in...it's light too early now!  When the birds start singing before 5am, that usually signals the end of my sleep.  On the plus side, I did an early morning run last week so I could go out that night for my birthday and it couldn't have been any more perfect before 6am.

                        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

                        SteveChCh


                        Hot Weather Complainer

                          Interesting link Mark.  For half-marathons in NZ I've done Christchurch, Wellington, City of Wellington (around Miramar but may not exist anymore), Pelorus Trust (Lower Hutt, may be called something else now), Queenstown, South Island Half Ashburton, Auckland Waterfront.  I'd only rate Queenstown and City of Wellington as tough as far as course goes with some decent hills, although every race in Wellington has the potential to be tough conditions.  Out of those Christchurch has had the fastest field overall - the winner in my first ever race did 1:02.

                          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

                          Marky_Mark_17


                            Keen - nah.  I used to be a very defensive player so decided to play a little more aggressively and sacrifice it for position.  Not sure yet whether or not that will pay off!  It's nice to be playing again tbh, and a much better use of phone downtime than Pokemon Go haha.  Anyway race entries are a great Xmas present!

                             

                            JMac - yeah I thought it was interesting.  It doesn't adjust for weather which could be a biggie in some races (e.g. Wellington).  But given NZ is a small place with a limited number of races it should be possible to build a pretty reliable predictor over time with additional data points.  Re HMs... I honestly thought I might never beat my 1:18 PB and then this year I've run five races under that and I definitely think another HM PB is possible next year at Waterfront, Christchurch or Kerikeri.  Good training, the right conditions, it all helps.  That NYC course does have a tough profile though, similar elevation gain to Auckland albeit with Auckland the hills are pretty front-loaded with some long flat stretches from the 8km mark.

                             

                            Steve - it didn't surprise me at all that Queenstown and Hawkes Bay were slow.  Still find it funny they're marketed as flat and fast.  Flat... mostly.  Fast... nah.

                             

                            Flavio - bummer on the calf Sad

                            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"

                            SteveChCh


                            Hot Weather Complainer

                              Mark - Queenstown markets itself as "Flat Out Beautiful".  A friend of mine who also did it last year wrote a strongly worded email after the race...

                               

                              Flavio - Good luck with the calf.

                               

                              It's definitely contagious through this forum.  Mine has been okay although last night I felt a niggle on the same calf, different side.  Feels okay today but now I've decided not to a race for a while I might not risk it tomorrow, or I'll just test it out for 5-10 mins.  I hate missing my weekend run (because it justifies the chips and bourbon on Saturday evening) but I'd rather do that than have another 2 weeks break.

                              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

                                Steve I think calves just take a bit of time to heal. Its hard to feel confident though as you feel recovered and then bang that sharp pain feeling followed by a dull ache.

                                 

                                That fast flat hype is just marketing by the events companies. Its hard to swallow as a runner who has run those supposedly fast courses.

                                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 "