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

Aw stever : Sending  positive thoughts and wishes for you and the family. I am fighting in your corner bud, stay strong!

Ok here is the full race report and video link on youtube.  If the link doesn't work for you, then it is on Youtube's Wolfwalker23 channel and it is called My 2nd Marathon 6-2-13   When I came to the half marathon point I gave you Sub2.00 guys a shout out on the video, check it out   Love you all and thought about you guys running alongside me.

http://youtu.be/A-5zTDOiCw8 or click this ---> My 2nd Marathon 6-2-13

Race Report for 6-2-13 "Solo O Marathon" 26.2miles Dockweiler Beach, California

Quick background : I ran this same course in December 2012 which was my first marathon. It is called Operation Jack.  5 months later
I wanted to try it again as last time I missed my time goal by a lot. This time was my "revenge" so to speak heheh.
Morning : Woke up at 3:30am let the dog out
          woke up at 4:30am to let the dog out again ?? wtf
          at 4:31am in the dark I step into a pile of dog crap on the floor. (barefooted) ugh...
          Surprisingly I didn't step hard and didn't even get on my foot whew!!!
    Anyways, I made 4 pieces of cinnamon toast for breakfast and drank a good fill of water. I was on the road at 6:15am and the
drive is over an hour. Got to the beach and the weather was pretty nice 68' and winds 11mph. LOTS of humidity (77%) and I paid the
price in sweat for sure. Started at exactly 8:00am and was feeling good. I did not have a pace marker until around 3.65 miles so I
was a little unsure of how fast I was running. I made it to my first marker and I was about a minute and half ahead of my projected
time. I kept this same pace from the start of the race until around the 20 mile mark. When I came across at 20 miles I was 3 minutes
behind my time.  I needed a bathroom break so I think that cost me 1-2 right there. Anyways from miles 20-26.2 it gets crazy and
painful. 
     Miles 0-20 =    7.45 - 7:50 avg pace.
     Miles 20-26.2 = 10:40ish    avg pace (OUCH)
    So I get to mile 20 and I am feeling a little sluggish on my legs but no pain and plenty of breath.  Next thing I know my calves
are cramping with every step getting worse. I had to do some walk/running for several minutes to try and recover. I stopped and
stretched 2-3 times for 30 seconds, even sat down once for 30 secs. I did this from mile 20-24 probably and it sucked. It was super
painful but around the 23 mile mark the pain started going away. I was chugging my last of powerade hoping for an electrolite boost
or something !!  Then around 24 miles I felt almost normal again and picked up the pace to around 8:30? The last half mile I picked
up the pace a lot and sprinted the last .2  I was really surprised I had juice left in my legs. Finished the full marathon in
3hours52minutes10seconds.  My goal was to get 3:30 which was 8:00min pace.  I am still really happy with this time and the huge
improvement over my last marathon ( almost 50 minutes!!!)  I made a medal a couple days before the race and my mom placed it on me. She was my water station /my supporter / camera / Finish line holder lol THANKS MOM!!

I drank around 55 oz of powerade and 50oz of water during the run. I ate two fruit grain bars as well. 
I lost maybe 7 pounds during the run which is crazy. Even after eating some food and chugging water on the way home, I was still
5pounds lighter when I got home.  I have to figure out how to manage this...

POST RACE thoughts : I was very happy with my time improvement over the last marathon.  I was 150% satisfied with my
planning/training/and everything that led up to this day. I really felt I was ready and there were no excuses in my way.  I made sure
not to overtrain, get hurt, eat wrong foods, everything was SWEET!  The memories I have of running a marathon will now be happy ones.  I felt really traumatized mentally and physically from my last marathon and this was totally different. Anyways, I am feeling a
great runners high right now and loving life. My body is feeling really good and shockingly unsore and unhurt. I hope I can fully
recover in a couple days.  Anyways that is about it, there were a lot of good moments and smiles, lots of sweat and lots of gritting
teeth. I am calling this day a success !

Last marathon ( same course ) 4hours39minutes11seconds 12-26-12
Todays marathon               3hours52minutes10seconds 06-02-13

SORRY ABOUT THE LINE SPACING UGH!!! I CAN'T SEEM TO FIX IT

So, I have done 2:00 on the TM, but its been a while since Ive tried for this speed. Mainly been distance FM training. Weather should be good, but heat and humidity will come in quick. I'll be happy with 2:10, but really want to beat 2:00.

Finished with 2:14. Humidity / heat was worse than I expected. I should have trained more in humid weather. I was tapering for FM just before HM. Anyway, at least I finished, 200 out of 1200 didnt. Saw one guy getting medical help, not sure how many just didnt start. This was a flat course, and the one I signed up for in Sept is actually a DOWNHILL (overall) course. I look forward to crushing 2:00 in Sept!

EdithRevisited – I don’t have much experience racing specially compare to # of races you do, but flat courses are fun. You decide you pace based on your training and can stay at the pace for the entire race if you decided the practical goal. A lot of people don’t do that and you end up passing a lot of them. I find trail running very exciting, but when it comes to the race I think race on the flat courses are fun as one doesn’t need to worry about changing the paces based on elevation. I’m glad that you enjoyed you race and implementing a smart pacing strategy was a part of it. it must feel awesome the way you answered on the track

Miele – thanks for asking about my foot. I started running before 7 and heat didn’t affect me much. Swelling has gone. I am still taking easy because of foot. Foot feels fine, but it is still not 100%. So I will not push it for a couple of weeks. You made a good decision and rested. Congratulations on running the superb race. 70 is not the ideal temperature to start the race, but you managed it well and had a great race. It awesome that you enjoyed the trail race. That’s why I look forward to run on the weekends. When I am on the trails, I feel like I don’t want to trade those moments for anything at all. Congratulations on finishing 3^rd in your AG!

Doctorjen – I am glad that your are improving and feeling better. It is exciting that you are thinking about 50k and the race in Indianapolis. Congratulations for the half. Its great that you felt fine during the race. Great job in running the race in this time especially considering the way you were feeling on previous week.

Bluerun – 75° with 75% humidity is not the condition that most of us want to start our race. You did well considering temperature and humidity

Wolfwalker23 – congratulations in running a great marathon! great job in adjusting your pace because of calf muscle issue and finishing race in only 3:52. Enjoyed your race report. Its strange that they didn’t have mile market till mile 4! It was cool that your mom placed a medal on you and she was cheering for you at aid station

Npaden – good luck with your race this Saturday!

Me – I didn’t run from Tuesday – Friday last week. Went to a long run on Saturday for a couple of hours and it felt great. Wife’s friend is visiting for the week. Wife picked her on Saturday and we went for a 4 miles hike on Saturday. Another small hike was plan on Sunday and few of use hiked to a pub through dip sea trail.

blue-  I think you ran a great race under the circumstances (humidity sucks the life out of me).  And, yes, you should win the race!  That would be so fantastic.   Maybe review the course beforehand?  Don't the lead runners get a bike escort or something like that?  I'm not really sure since I've never been in the lead but I've heard rumors...

stever-  Congrats to you and DW for a great race!   I guess 'tis the season for heat and humidity.  That's OK.  It'll just make us stronger for our fall races.

Wolfy!!-  Awesome!  Loved the video.  The end was great with the shaky cam, slo-mo and the music.  It was all very psychedelic which is kinda how I feel at the end of a marathon.  I have to hand it to you, no way would I ever consider racing a solo marathon.  I just can't wrap my head around that idea.  So big kudos for getting it done!  AND a new PR.  You'll sort out the hydration and cramping and you'll smoke your fall marathon.  Congratulations!  Oh, and aren't Moms great!

Jan-  Not too much longer and then sweet freedom!

Jeff-  Weather's getting to us all.  You did really well.  Hopefully the weather in Sept. will cooperate.  Congrats!

Nathan-  I think you're going to get your goal on Sat.  How's the weather looking?  I'm really OK with my 10k trail time.  It would have made for a more pleasant race had I realized that I needed to change my perspective when it comes to trail races.  Even tame ones.  Lesson learned.  The next one will be much better.

hector-  A hike to the pub sounds perfect!  No need of a designated driver.  Of course, you don't want to drink so much that you get lost hiking home.  I don't want to see any headlines on TV about how a search group is out looking for people who got lost in the middle of the night hiking home from the pub.   Glad the foot is feeling better.  Enjoy the friend's visit.

me-  Ran 7.75 today.  Was going to go to the gym but while I was having lunch I got the weirdest ache/pain in my upper back.  Quite painful if I tried to take a deep breath.  So decided against the gym since, as blue so rightly pointed out, breathing is kind of an essential function.  It feels a little better now.  Strange.

Edith - I would probably do it.  Just don't go all out on the first one.

I ran a warm (79 degrees), windy, hilly 13.2 mile MP tempo run in 1:55:11 nine days before my full marathon following the Hansons plan (it was supposed to be 10 days but I moved it to fit my schedule) and it seemed to turn out all right for me.

miele - Current forecast is 68 degrees, 11 mph wind and 65% humidity at race start, climbing a few degrees by the finish but not much.  I'd take that and run with it the way things have been around here lately.  This morning I put off my run until the treadmill tonight because it was 20 mph wind gusting to 26 when I woke up and checked the weather.  It's going to get to 104 this afternoon so I think the treadmill this evening is where I'll be.

me - I'm struggling a little to get my motivation lined up again after the marathon and giving up my streak.  I had my streak back to a measly 9 days through Sunday averaging around 7 miles a day and then we had friends over yesterday and they stayed late and I should have gotten on the treadmill for at least 2 or 3 miles after they left, but I sat on the couch for about 30 minutes and then went to bed.  I still got in 46 miles last week, but probably will be closer to 30 this week with the 10K race.  My official 10K training plan doesn't start until the end of June so I'm just kind of in limbo until then and I seem to do better with a structured plan than just running when I feel like it.  Seems most of the time I would rather sit on the couch or sleep in instead of getting out and going for a run.  Once I get out there I'm fine, it's just getting motivated to get going that seems to be the issue.

Bluerun – it is exciting that you are registering for a race that you could win!

EdithRevisited – it is good that you are enjoying track rack. Regarding running 2 halves in 2 weeks, I wouldn't do it if my goal is to do my best in each races. I think it is too close and 2 weeks is not the ideal gab between two races. I personally think even if I am able o fully recover in 2 days from my first half, what are the chances of me getting faster in two weeks!? But if I don’t care about running my fastest halves and want to do it for fun, then I would go for it.

Npaden – I think it is normal not to be very motivated for running specially the way you were running for last few months. You were running a lot of miles and you ran seven days a week. I would just take it easy for next couple of weeks before my training plan starts

TaraC – it is exciting that you are planning for half in the July and a couple of smaller races before that. What is your goal for the half?

miele -- yeah, generally there is a bike escort, but I wouldn't be the lead runner, there would still be men ahead of me!  Besides, I could get lost even with an escort, I'm talented like that.  That's so strange about your back -- did you ever figure out what it was?!  Dr. Google is only good for one thing, if you ask me: causing anxiety!

Edith -- if I could do two halfs in a row, I would... I can't because A. I'm too fragile and B. I'm apparently incapable of running a race easy.  But if you can do that, why not?

npaden -- that sounds pretty normal.  I mean, I'm kind of the opposite (I've been injured far too often to lack motivation when I actually CAN run, and structured plans are disastrous for me), but this does seem to happen to a lot of people after a goal race.  It will come back.

Tara -- a July half?!  You are a brave one.

Since it is National Running Day, I had to run... a relatively easy 10K, perfect weather for it.  Where was this on Sunday?!  Hopefully it sticks around all weekend, though of course it's not supposed to...