Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2018
That's true Jmac. I think once you get in your 30s you start to lose some suppleness etc. Depending on the athletic nature of the sport it can be time to retire
Luckily long distance running is fairly basic one foot in front of the other so age doesn't factor in so early.
When I had PTT I wasn't able to perform the hop test so running was completely a no go.
Mark running with a speedy group like that is a great way to get through an otherwise boring long run.
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 "
Hot Weather Complainer
Good luck with the injury JMac. Great to see some good year reviews in here, I'm off to Kaikoura for a few days so I'll post mine closer to NYE.
I've been doing some easy kms just testing out the legs - I've already noticed an improvement in my hamstring tightness with consistent stretching. From Monday I'll start adding some speed back into my runs. Slowing down my "easy" pace feels like a good idea, legs feel much fresher which hopefully will help when I get into some decent workouts.
Mark - great 5000m time, I'd be counting that as a 5km PB for sure.
Great to see some new faces in here (although possibly they were here before my time). Stick around for 2019! This is a great community for support and advice, and also following other people's progress.
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
Hope Santa brought the goods to everyone. My Christmas was good, too much eating of the wrong stuff like usual though.
RE: strava - nope I've never done the strava thing. In fact, I don't do much of anything that's social media (no facebook, twitter, etc.). Not that I'm against it, but just never caught a particular interest.
JMac - yeah speed isn't the problem, it seems I'm going soft in my training and goals. Best of luck with the injury. One of the hardest things to do as a runner is force yourself to shut it down, but seems you have the self discipline required.
P Kiwi - ugh, two losses in a row. And yeah I saw Adams get the Draymond Green treatment the other day yet again. Dude has to be sterile by now!
I'll definitely stick around into the 2019 thread, and get to know the rest of the group here.
Just over 3 weeks until my 25k race, which I want to make it a good one. Been lazy before December with Q runs, but I've been able to muster several good ones since then.
A lot to catch up on in the last couple of weeks, I'll take some time later this week to try and catch up and write my 2018 recap
It has been hectic with the Holidays time off from work but traveling, so not much time for much running.
I'm slowly getting back to it though, I got in about 17 miles last week on a few runs, looking to put in 25-30 or so this week.
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)
RIP Milkman
Piwi - The one foot in front of another comment is funny, because my PTT was okay during my test run until I had to make even the slightest turn around a corner, and then it all went to hell.
Anyway, I forgot to comment on one thing a few pages ago. I CAN be a positive motivator, but if someone comes after me with poor logic, I will go on the offensive. Case in point was Calbears telling me because he's ran an age adjusted 2:33 and I've only run a 2:46, that I need to run 2:33 before I can comment on best training practices. Or, if someone pops out of nowhere (brosendahl), demands answers to questions, brags after their race is complete, and then disappears again, I'm happy to just give them terrible answers to their questions the next time they come back. You Kiwis are too nice though, I've never seen you or Mark say a bad thing. Although, I think Mikkey riled mark up a couple of years ago when they got into that debate about easy run pace.
Also, I'm almost up to level 300 in Candy Crush during my time on the disabled list. Only 3,700 to go before I surpass you!
DJ - Glad to see you've really stayed engaged! I always get worried when the old timers come back, usually they just pop in and then they're gone before you know it. Good to have another fast guy on Mark's level around. Someone needs to give him a run for the money, he's been sitting on the throne for too long!
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Jmac funny that reminds me even when I step off a curb I feel like I might get injured.
DJ at least they are close losses unlike last year. Golden State and Denver just lost too.
I'm going out for my 4th day in a row running hopefully my calf holds together
Mmmm Bop
Piwi - The one foot in front of another comment is funny, because my PTT was okay during my test run until I had to make even the slightest turn around a corner, and then it all went to hell. Anyway, I forgot to comment on one thing a few pages ago. I CAN be a positive motivator, but if someone comes after me with poor logic, I will go on the offensive. Case in point was Calbears telling me because he's ran an age adjusted 2:33 and I've only run a 2:46, that I need to run 2:33 before I can comment on best training practices. Or, if someone pops out of nowhere (brosendahl), demands answers to questions, brags after their race is complete, and then disappears again, I'm happy to just give them terrible answers to their questions the next time they come back. You Kiwis are too nice though, I've never seen you or Mark say a bad thing. Although, I think Mikkey riled mark up a couple of years ago when they got into that debate about easy run pace. Also, I'm almost up to level 300 in Candy Crush during my time on the disabled list. Only 3,700 to go before I surpass you! DJ - Glad to see you've really stayed engaged! I always get worried when the old timers come back, usually they just pop in and then they're gone before you know it. Good to have another fast guy on Mark's level around. Someone needs to give him a run for the money, he's been sitting on the throne for too long!
I see that Marky ran a recovery run at 7:08 the other day. 😀 I still stand by what I said and maybe he’ll realise what I’m talking about if he ever decides to run another marathon. He’s racing shorter distances and obviously his training paces are working for him. 👍
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Appropriate easy / recovery pace is a hugely personal, what works for you thing. Whatever pace will allow you to hit that next Q properly.
That's one thing I'll always say to totally ignore on pace calculators basing easy pace on race times and goals. I personally like to run easy at over 8 min/mile, and sometimes even closer to 9 min/mile for recovery. A couple guys I race with that have similar times/mileage/age run 7 min miles or faster for easy. I really don't think that's necessarily wrong or too fast, nor is my pace too slow.
Mikkey: I was actually thinking around those lines when I ran it! I did end up injured for a while after that marathon last year, although I've managed the same mileage this year with no further issues. I do slow down a bit in summer, and that recovery run was hilly and the day after a 28km run (my longest since August). I still run those easy runs to effort/HR rather than pace and some of the ones in winter were noticeably quicker than yesterday's effort. But having said that I've no doubt that if I attempted another marathon it'd be higher mileage at a slower average pace.
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"
Intl. correspondent
So I was visiting my parents town and as I was explaining the concept of Strava segments to my brother in law I started checking out the local segments there.
I then realized that one dude decided to be the king of EVERY SINGLE SEGMENT in town haha. Holy moly, he didn't leave any segment out.
So off course I started looking for the one segment where he ran a soft pace so I could poke the bear, so to speak.
He seems to be a 15 min 5K guy, one of his runs is a 20K long run at 6:24 min/mile pace so off course wherever he runs he will probably dethrone the previous king, but I noticed that in this one segment, out of the way, he went there with a car, ran around the segment and went back home in a car. His entire run was just so he could take over the segment.
Strava was listing the segment at 400m, a nice lap around a small pond. The time was 1:27, I figured he just wanted to run 1 second faster than the previous dude and slacked off.
So I had to choose that one.
Once I got there, I did one reconnaissance lap and realized it's actually 480 meters (or whatever that is in imperial measurements, probably equivalent to 1300 squirrels-with-the-tail-extended).
That was not expected, and taking the segment crown went from a sure thing to a maybe really fast.
Anyway, I did my best effort, which was not optimal as I had to run around 3 slow ladies running 3 abreast.
Another 2 easy laps and then I gave it a second shot, complete, with a short walk to catch my breath after the second one.
I then ran miserably tired on the way home worried I might've possibly injured myself with the stupid attempt.
And I failed by one second.
Not that it would last that long, as I'm sure Mr Local King would go over there and take the crown back the same afternoon, I just wanted a couple of hours of glory
Mikkey - Mark runs fast cause he's beastly fast and strong, so it's actually really easy for him. It didn't make much sense when he ran a 1h27 HM but it started to make a lot of sense once he ran a 1h18 a year or so later.
Jmac - where's the 2019 thread? The missing thread is blocking Piwi from reaching level 4000 on Candy Crush!
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
My easy pace is becoming pathetically slow and
now I can see my heartrate I feel even slower
I get to meet Mikkey next year so will report back if he's a good guy or a douche
Us 50 year olds have lost our filters and are very polarized in opinion after a life of experience and worsening aches and pains to make us grumpy. We don't sugar coat it anymore
Flavio that is hilarious. Firstly taking on a 15 min 5k guy, and secondly that the guy has targeted so many segments. I've hunted out a few like that so I'm a knob too !
Got my 18km run done without issue. Slight ache in my left hammy but that's been there for....over a year. Hopefully I can jump back on my marathon plan next week.
Got to run early here as it's so nice around 5am. Yesterday I went kayak fishing for 4 hours at 5am then came home cleaned up and ran 10k in horrible humidity dew point hehehe.
Are you already starting to protest against your benevolent dictator? 2019 will not be kind to you.
....it's actually 480 meters (or whatever that is in imperial measurements, probably equivalent to 1300 squirrels-with-the-tail-extended).
I don't have a single comeback for this as an American....not one
Hi everybody!!!
I am so sorry I did not manage to write around in the last few weeks. My travelling in December was pretty awful, a ton of work and extra hours and a couple of minor weird injuries (including slicing my pinky finger with a tomato can which by the way put me off running for a few days... !?!?!?!?) made me disappear. But I have now read the last 20 pages of forum (congratulation everybody this is definitely an active forum - and also for the running achievement: overall impressive!!!).
Well done to the dictator JMac for taking the forum in his hands for next year.
I have also seen the good idea to wrap up the year with a summary and a project for next year...
This year (2018) didn't start great with a good training basis for the marathon, but a disaster on race day in Luxembourg (I am not even sue about the time but it was way over 4h 30'...). When I ran the marathon I had already joined this community and here I found the inspiration of training to get better. I realised that consistency is a key factor, and refined my training plan. A few weeks after the marathon I managed a PR (just below 92') in the HM in July and I decided to aim for the 90'. During the summer I managed a 10K (my first) in 40'16'' and in September the half in 1h30'09''
Both very close to my goal time but not just yet there...
I have definitely increased both mileage per week and quality of quality training and I am happy for that. Unfortunately, I still find difficult to juggle work, family and running. December was a perfect example of what can happen when I get lots of work and family commitments...
However, I am positive for next year. My plan is to prepare the Belfast city marathon from now to May, run it (possibly finishing it well and running a modest time) and then try to get a few faster races under my belt in the spring/summer/autumn.
PRs
5k: 18:5410k: 38:56HM: 1:28:01M: 3:04:14
Mileage Progression
2015: ~1,100 mi 2016: ~1,400 mi 2017: ~1,400 2018: ~1,700 (estimated)
2019 Goals
Have funDon't get injured
Sub-4 (possibly sub 3:30) marathon, 1h30 HM, 40' 10K, possibly 19' 5K (or sub) run a total of 2,000 mi
PRs since re-started in 2013:
5km: 19:43 (Belfast park run Sep-16) | 10km: 40:16 (Belfast Lagan side 10K Sep-18)
HM: 1:30:09 (Belfast city Half Marathon, September-18) | FM: 3:25:05 (official chip time Belfast city Marathon, May-19, marathon was 0.3/4 longer, original time 3:27:20 for 26.5/6...)
Upcoming races:
???
2018 year in review.
My goals coming into 2018 were to improve PR’s in the following
1 mile, (< 6)
5k (< 20)
HM (< 1:35)
Marathon (meet the qualifying standard for the Boston Marathon, started at < 3:30 moved to < 3:25)
I started 2018 off with a 5k on a cold January morning it was16 degree and although I did not break the sub 20 mark I did beat my 2016 PR by 4 seconds moving it from 20:51 to 20:47.
Next up was a Feb HM where I did not break the sub 1:35 mark but improved my PR by 51 seconds from 1:37:56 to 1:37:05.
The 1 mile race was up next in August and I was able to break the 6 min mark coming in at 5:40 besting my prior PR of 6:01 by 21 seconds.
In the midst of my Marathon training I decided to take one more crack at breaking 1:35 in a HM and signed up for one in Oct. I felt confident based on my training leading up that I could best my PR and possibly break the 1:35 mark. I ended up with a big PR besting my 1:37:05 set earlier in the year by more than 3 minutes moving my PR to 1:33:56 and was able to break through the 1:35 mark.
My final test for the year in the Marathon would be the most difficult, as the real goal here was to meet the qualifying standard for Boston. I felt that getting a new PR here was a sure thing unless I had a total meltdown or DNF’d. I had a great race with consistent paces throughout and was able to finish in 3:23:07 meeting the BQ standard!
By my account I call this year a huge success for me. I have been injury free and as consistent with my mileage as I have ever been. I will finish the year logging just under 2100 miles vs my previous annual best of 1000.
For 2019 my goals are to stay injury free remain consistent with mileage and of course try and set new PR’s!
1 mile, (< 5:30)
HM (< 1:32)
Marathon (<3:20)
Big thanks to everyone here for the support encouragment throughout the year!
It's great being part of the community
See you all in 2019!