Sub 2:00 Half Marathon thread (Read 2396 times)

    Hey Stever : I think you should run the 10k.  It is only 6.2 miles and in the grand scheme of marathon training I doubt that pushing it hard on a  6 miler will hurt your training.  I wouldn't go crazy and pull something but why not go out and run for fun?

     

    Miele : I think the quote that sums it all up = "Not every race is perfect, not every run is perfect. Getting out there, is perfect"

     

    Good luck to Edith and Pcaharrier on good races this weekend. Hope it is exciting and fast for you both!!

     

    Me - still tapering.  ran a slower 8mile yesterday and will run another 8 miles today.  I will have an easy 8.6 on Sunday and  then its marathon week after this one.  Nothing left to do except stay healthy and safe and start getting excited for the big run coming!!

      5k  = 19.48 10/1/13

    10k  = 45.28 4/16/13

    Half Marathon = 1:38.53  Summer Sizzle 7/13/14

    Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/12  4:39.11

    Solo O Marathon 06/02/13  3:52:10

    Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/13 3:40.34

      WOW - So much going on this weekend -

       

      Good luck to Edith and pcharrier - -

       

      Wolf - You are going to ROCK your race - keep up the great work - oh, and stay healthy ;-)

       

      I am going to try my half this weekend in Boston although I haven't FULLY recovered from my cold/flu.  Did a few runs this week, one at tempo and didn't die from coughing so I am in.  Hubby too, although his cough is still bad.  Am running with 5 others from our running group - so we are ready to hit Boston with everything we have!

       

      Hope it's a great weekend for everyone!

      Ready, go.

       

      hectortrojan


        Pcaharrier – good luck with your race.

         

        Miele – I know what you mean by warm up helped in the race. My wife said the same thing! That might be the case. Sorry that your tempo run didn’t go well. Just consider it as a bad day and don’t think much about it. I think mind plays a big role in the race. I personally would ignore upto 2% climb and try to maintain my pace during those climbs where climb is not significantly long. My weekday runs including speed workouts are on TM

         

        EdithRevisited – I agree with you regarding the family and feel blessed to have an awesome family. Good luck with you marathon this weekend. I am sure that you will do well.

         

        stever1966 – go for 10k race. You are preparing for the full and 6.2 miles race would be a piece of cake for you.

         

        Wolfwalker23 – good job in tapering. I am sure that you will feel very fresh on the race day.

         

        TaraC – good luck with your race this weekend. I am sure that in spite on not feeling 100% for a while, you will crush your race

         

        Me –havent ran since the race. Was feeling very sore for first couple of days. Rode stationary bike yesterday and today. looking forward to go run on trails this weekend.

        bluerun


        Super B****

          Just popping in to wish all the racers this weekend the best of luck... looking forward to some awesome RRs!

          chasing the impossible

           

          because i never shut up ... i blog

          npaden


            Sorry Edith!  Some how I missed your race this weekend!  Good luck!  Hope you do great!

            Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

            Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

            Jan26.2


              Good luck Edith and pcaharrier!!!

              PR's: 5k - 23:33/ 10k - 48:30/ 5 mi. - 39:21/ 13.1 - 1:53/ 26.2 recent - 4:34

               

              Upcoming races: Resolution Run HM 1/1/13

                                          Phoenix R&R    HM 1/20/13

                Quick shoutout to Tara ! Somehow I lost your race in the stack of posts.  Hope you have an awesome flu recovery and your husband as well.  I think you will kill the Half and your Hubby and running group will too!! Make us proud in Beantown!!

                  5k  = 19.48 10/1/13

                10k  = 45.28 4/16/13

                Half Marathon = 1:38.53  Summer Sizzle 7/13/14

                Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/12  4:39.11

                Solo O Marathon 06/02/13  3:52:10

                Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/13 3:40.34

                pcaharrier


                  I'll write a little more later, but for now: pretty good weather + pretty nasty sniffles + fast, flat course = a 43:46 10K.

                  bluerun


                  Super B****

                    Congrats, pcaharrier!

                     

                    I blame this thread: on an otherwise lovely seven-mile run this morning, I experienced my first-ever running faceplant.  And it was a literal faceplant -- I've got the goose egg to prove it.  (Besides that, my wrist hurts.  Guess I'll skip the strength training today!)

                    chasing the impossible

                     

                    because i never shut up ... i blog

                    miele


                    Godzilla

                      pc-  Way to go!!!!  You crushed your goal!

                      10K: 47:12* / 13.1: 1:50:56 / 26.2: 3:53:48

                       

                                  

                        PCA blew it out of the park woohoo!! Looking forward to the RR for sure!

                         

                        Damn Bluerun !!!  You are the third person in this thread in about a month to fall.  WTF is going on in here??? Miele been passing the wine bottle around I think Big grin

                         

                        Me- ran my last long run today 8.6 miles at a decent pace but not fast or crazy.  Next week is snail trail running = 3.1 miler 5.6 miler a 2mile walk and then 26.2 on Sunday.  I will be going crazy with taper fever!!!!

                          5k  = 19.48 10/1/13

                        10k  = 45.28 4/16/13

                        Half Marathon = 1:38.53  Summer Sizzle 7/13/14

                        Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/12  4:39.11

                        Solo O Marathon 06/02/13  3:52:10

                        Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/13 3:40.34

                          pc-wow, that's a super fast 10K, congrats!!

                          Steve

                          5K/22:33   10K/47:52   21.1K/1:44:06  42.2K/4:07:37
                          2014 Goals: 5K<22:00 10K<45:00 HM<1:40  FM<3:45

                            Quick-check in here -

                             

                            Freezing temps - but full recovery from cold = 1:35:31!  I was so surprised. Hubby beat me but I watched his back the entire run =  1:35:14.

                             

                            PC - GREAT race!  Awesome 10K -

                             

                            I'll write more later.

                             

                            T

                            Ready, go.

                             

                            Jan26.2


                              Tara - Fantastic time!! I'd say you were definitely recovered from that cold, and if not, that's the kind of cold I want to catch next time. Well done.

                               

                              pcaharrier- Congrats on your time!!! You killed my best-ever 10K time, which was 47:00. Way to go.

                               

                              stever - I'd say do the 10K. It's at the beginning of your marathon training, so you could count it as a speed workout.

                               

                              Wolf - Less than a week until the big day!! Hang in there with the taper - it'll be worth it.

                               

                              hector - Did you get out for some running this weekend? Hope you're feeling better. Congrats on your awesome race, btw.

                               

                              blue - Sorry about the face plant! Hope everything is healed up and the wrist soreness wasn't anything serious. It must be contagious, since there seems to be a lot of that happening in here.

                               

                              miele - Hi! Answering your question from a page back about tempos...I usually do them on my regular running route, whatever it may be for that day, and just try to keep the pace where it should be. Lately I've been trying to run more by feel, so I hit what feels right and check Garmin at the end of the mile. When is your next race?

                               

                              docjen - Hi! Sounds like you've been getting those miles in. Have you made a definite decision about a fall marathon?

                               

                              Edith - I hope your marathon was amazing and can't wait for the RR!

                               

                              Zelanie - How are things with you? I hope your knee is feeling better.

                               

                              Nathan - What's next on your racing schedule?

                               

                              Me - Things are settling down a bit now that my son's graduation is over. It was the best weekend - lots of time with family and friends, and talk about a lot of proud mom moments! My oldest son and his girlfriend were here, and although we'd met her when we were in Long Beach for the marathon last fall, we got to know her better and she's a doll. Running has been good, getting in between 25-30 mpw. My next half isn't until July, so I'm just working on building the mileage and quite a bit of tempo work so that HMP feels fairly normal. Just read Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel by Matt Fitzgerald. It's definitely changed the way I look at my training, especially with following prefabricated plans and caring about what elite runners do. I've yet to ever follow a plan exactly as written, so maybe that's why I loved this book so much. 9.5 days left of school for me, and it's about 9.5 too many!! I'm so done with the little Satan's minions. Next year I'll be teaching 4th grade, so I figure I'll finally know if I hate teaching in general, or if it was just teaching 2nd grade that I hated. Oh well, summer will be here soon!

                              PR's: 5k - 23:33/ 10k - 48:30/ 5 mi. - 39:21/ 13.1 - 1:53/ 26.2 recent - 4:34

                               

                              Upcoming races: Resolution Run HM 1/1/13

                                                          Phoenix R&R    HM 1/20/13

                              pcaharrier


                                Congratulations to Tara on a great race!  Sounds like you and your husband pushed each other to great times.

                                 

                                Now for a little more on my race.

                                 

                                Pre-race: I didn't post anything here at the time because I didn't want to be a whiner, but I didn't feel all that great from Wednesday on.  Whether it was just allergies or a full-blown sinus infection I don't know, but it definitely sapped my optimism a bit.  I didn't run at all after Tuesday morning, but when I got up Saturday morning I actually felt pretty decent.  I got to the race plenty early, parked, warmed up a bit and then waited for the wife and kids to arrive (they drove separately which turned out to be good since they could get in out of the cool weather soon after the race was over).  I helped them stake out a spot where they'd be able to see me (the route actually goes up and down the street it starts on three times).  Once they were situated I headed to the starting line which wasn't very organized, but it's not a huge race so it wasn't really a problem.  It was clear and temps were (I'm estimating) in the low 50s with strong but gusty breezes.  I popped a couple Ricolas, hoping that that would keep the nose and throat in check for most of the race.

                                 

                                Race:  After the gun went off it took me about 20 seconds to shuffle forward to the timing mat.  It was crowded for the first 1/4 mile or so, but I was able to settle in to a good pace before too long.  However it happened I missed the 1 mile marker and happened to look down at my watch when it read 9-something (all of these times are to the best of my memory since I was only wearing my watch and not using a GPS).  It was about that time that the course had doubled-back on itself and we ran the same direction down the same street as we had started.  The wife and kids were cheering and my 4 year old and my two year old got to see me running in a race for the first time.  Big grin

                                 

                                At the second mile someone else's GPS beeped near me and I was able to see that I was around 14:15 or so; that was a little ahead of pace, but I wasn't too concerned.  It was here that the course swung out to run along the river for a while and although the views were nice, the wind was coming off the water pretty hard.  It was also around that point that I was able to settle in with a group of runners I think were all part of the same local running club.  They seemed to be going about the pace I wanted to and trying to stick with them was good motivation.  Also there was a guy in a kilt who told a couple jokes, so if nothing else at least I'd get a few laughs out of it

                                 

                                We hit 3 miles just before we turned into the Naval Medical Center and I was about 30 seconds ahead of pace, 21:15 or so.  From here to mile 5 there were two more spots where we turned out right next to the water and the wind was strong, but mostly from the side.  My "mantra" through this segment was "Maintain!" and it seemed to work.  I don't remember the exact splits for miles 4 and 5, but I was still about 30 seconds ahead of what I knew my goal pace needed to be.

                                 

                                By the 5 mile marker I was feeling it and I started telling myself that I really needed to start digging.  The group I'd been sticking with had strung out a bit; some were ahead of me (even out of sight) and some had fallen a little behind.  We turned back onto the starting street with 1/2 mile or so to go and I gave it everything I had short of a full sprint.  Heading back down toward where we started the wind was at my back and it really helped me push on through the finish.  The clock had just ticked past 44:01 when I was getting close so I knew that I'd met my goal.  I cruised over the finish line and stopped my watch which read 43:45 (official chip time was 43:46 and I do seem to recall hitting my watch a little bit late at the start so the one second discrepancy seems right).

                                 

                                Post-race: I was spent and went looking for something to drink because my throat was pretty sore and dried out by that point.  My wife had actually had to take my 4 year old to use the bathroom, so they missed my finish, but having them there to greet me was still special.  After that I helped them pack up so they could head back to the house.  I stuck around for a little while and had a couple slices of pizza at the post-race festivities.  I knew I hadn't won any age-group awards, but I stuck around to watch the organizers hand out awards anyway.  All in all, it was a well-organized race with an enjoyable course and really goo weather.  I doubt we'll have the same nice weather here next year, but I think this race very well may be an annual tradition for me now.  Maybe next year the kids might even do the fun run!