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

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I'm surprised that you guys all say that you let the hill take you. Maybe I wasn't clear though: these hills were 6% grade over an entire mile, meaning that there were downhill sections that are 10%+ in grade. I don't see how you can go down those without slowing down. I agree on a normal hill (something in the 2-4% range), you can just let the hill take you. You'll get up to a nice, controlled "sprint." But 10%? Do you guys really let the hill just take you at that sort of grade? I feel like if I did that, I would have been running at effectively a full sprint and out of control. Maybe I'm just bad at it like you all said!

Flavio - I've done those exercise with PT before, except using an exercise ball. Does a great job working the glutes. Reminds me I need to be good about strengthening over the next month before I get into serious marathon training.

Race Day - Today is race day for me. Glutes still tight/weak, although the soreness has dissipated. I'm still not convinced I can hit a PR though given how beat up I was the past few days plus the lack of good taper training into the race. We shall see. Race is at 7 PM tonight. I need to go sub 20:05 in this goofy 3.5 mile race in order to get a new 5K PR. Would be ecstatic to break 20:00 given what this past week has been like, but I'll be okay with anything sub 20:30.

Piwi - I'm targeting the White River Marathon on Nov 17. It's a pretty small race (~750 combined between M, 1/2M and 5k), but it's a very flat, fast course (though usually only has 1-2 people between 2:55-3:00. Not too scenic as it's a multiple out-and-back on a river trail, but I'm just wanting to use it as a BQ try for 2020. I also need to get a plan setup - I'm thinking Daniels' 18-week 2Q.

JMac - Get some!!!! Hopefully the glutes cooperate. I'll keep my eye on Strava later looking for the entry. 
I kind of wish my company would do something like this. The office is right on a river trail and from the gate to the trail to a cul-de-sac on the trail before a bridge and back is extremely close to being 5k on the dot, so it would be very easy to setup. Then again, there would be a severe lack of competition (and likely participation overall) as there isn't really a culture of fitness at all around my work.

Good luck JMac.

JMac- good luck!!!

And yeah, 10% grades are definitely too steep to ride the hill!

 

Me - May ended up being my second biggest month of all time @362km (last July was 400km).  Didn't go out intending for that to be the case but that's just how it ended up with some good long runs in there and consistency across weeks.

Yesterday I was wondering why you would say this when it wasn't even the end of the month yet, then after a couple of hours I realized it was, for you . I ended up with my biggest month all time this May, just beating out my mileage from April. I had 160.3 miles in April (258 km) and 166.6 miles in May (268 km). If I can stick with my plan in June I should easily be able to beat that number again.

Jmac ran a pretty fast 5.6k! CONGRATS

Rune: the town is on fire! Lets see if LeBron is broken after last night! Good month despite all that travel.

Piwi: Captain future

Mark: great effort! Consistency...what is it all good for though? What are your aiming for next?

Flavio: safe travels.

Me: 4.5k test jog and eventhough its subliminar I still feel pain around the calf. So will see a PT and will do pool running and cycling.

I think Jmac had to start with a sprint to avoid the crowd - I have done a Corporate Challenge once and thats what I did at least.

Watson: just got to add you on strava. Completely missed it - you have Christchurch coming up. Weather seems much better than in the North. While race day seems to be overcast and dry the North will see a fair amount of rain. Good luck with the race and I definitely look forward to the race report!!!

I do not have much to respond, definitely congratulations on the training, and good luck Piwi with the recovery for the race. JMac, well done

To continue my recovery and "legs-testing" after the bad Lux marathon (which felt a bit like an unfinished business after months of training), this morning I tested my legs on a tempo run for half marathon PR pace (~7' per mile). Hopefully the distance and time was ok (feedback welcome).

I went for a bit more than 8 miles run, with 2 slow miles to warm up, 4 tempo miles at 7', and 2 cool down miles avoiding to job (about 8'per mile). it went well, no sore legs and I wasn't too tired at the end. i am pleased on how I am recovering.

Given the feeling of unfinished business after Luxembourg and this morning's test, I have signed up for the (evening again) Half Marathon on the 20th (on a Wednesday!!!) of June. It's a flat race and, if I am serious with my goal of a bus 90' HM in September, I need to test my legs before summer anyway...

However, I do not have a lot of sessions between now and then, probably a couple of intervals and a couple of tempo run. But it will help me experience the 7' per mile for as long as I can take it, and will help me getting a bit faster after the marathon preparation with too much emphasis on slow, long run and too little speed, interval and tempo run (I did not do any intervals for the whole Northern Irish winter...).

I am not sure how I will train in the coming week. For this week, I'd like to finish above 40 miles (I am at 25 now, I plan for a long run tomorrow and a slow recovery on Sunday). Next week, I'd like to keep it there, aiming for 50, but I will be travelling for work to Amsterdam (who went there recently? any suggestions?)... so I'll take what I can...

Then I only have 10 days to the race, so probably I will be tapering again with some interval in the early stages.

After the HM I will aim to bring miles back up with consistency, contributing to the community total count (since you were complaining about it in the last few days )

have a great weekend

Marco