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

Miele: Yes and yes - that's my daughter in the avatar, and I have two daughters.

Oh yeah to the question someone had a while back about running the day before the race...  I'm for it.  I think if you want to skip a day, skip the day two days before the race, not the day before.  But keep it to 2 or 3 very easy miles with maybe a few strides thrown in.

Now my question....

I was poking around on our running clubs website this morning and just realized that I will actually be in town when they are running the Panhandle Marathon here in Lubbock.  Usually I am out of town on a hunting trip in Wyoming, but they moved it back a week this year so I will be here.

They have a Full Marathon, Half Marathon and a 5K.  It's on September 29th.  My goal 10K race is September 14th and I'm currently following a training plan for it.  It doesn't have any particular long runs, but I am back to averaging about 50 mpw on it.  I could probably throw in some 14 and 16 milers instead of the 12 milers on the schedule and get that up to around 60 mpw and I think I wouldn't have a problem finishing the marathon, but I doubt I would do as well as I did at the one I ran back in May.  I think I could still go sub 4 hours though.  The other option is to run the half marathon, I might add a 14 miler or two to my existing plan, but otherwise I think I would be right on target to race a half marathon and probably set a PR.

I think it comes down to whether I run the marathon a little under trained and just try to finish it without blowing up, or whether I run the half and try to drop my PR a few minutes.  One other note, last year the marathon had less than 100 people and the half marathon had a little over 500 people.  Compared to my first marathon with 20,000 people at the starting line, I would be running solo pretty much the entire time if I ran the full marathon.  I've run a half with only 100 or so runners before and did fine, just not sure how I would do on a full marathon with that few people.  I'm not like wolfwalker, the race day magic and the crowds are a big benefit to me.

Any thoughts?  Would I setting myself up for a miserable experience trying to run another marathon so quickly after my first?  Especially since I really haven't been training specifically for one?  The half marathon sounds like a wiser choice, but the way the calendar falls, my Wyoming hunting trip is going to interfere with this race more often than not.

Any of you experienced marathoners want to chime in?

Thanks!  Nathan

Jan-  Glad you had such a great time in Missoula!  And congrats on a well run race.  Except for that little hiccup (wardrobe malfunction?).  What happened with the arm pack?  Had you not used it before?  Now you have to sign up immediately for another HM so you can get your official PR.  It's funny what a turnaround you've made in regards to cycling.  That other bike you had must have been all wrong for you.  The leg is feeling great and I'm hoping tomorrow's run will be completely pain-free.

Nathan-  Those are some speedy intervals!  I'm all over the place, too, when I start back with intervals after not having done them in a while.  But it serves a purpose in that next time you'll know at what pace to start.  Don't let the thought of not getting your 10k goal get in the way.  So what if it takes a couple of tries before reaching that goal?  You'll most likely get PRs along the way.  But if you're training for several months before your next 10k  I think you'll be very close to your goal and might just get it.  Wait a second.  I just plugged your interval pace into a calculator and if you could hold that pace for a 10k it comes out to a sub 44:00.  I know 12x400 is well short of  a 10k but it's not that far off, either.  I think you've got this in the bag.  When's your race?

blue-  Your sports doc is on vacation?  What bad timing.  Sorry the pelvis is acting up.  Now you're probably dwelling on the fact that you have to wait so long to be seen by the doc.  Just keep running on the AlterG.  Isn't Tel Aviv the race that got cancelled last year.  Maybe that was the marathon and not the HM.  In any case, it's got to be flatter than Jerusalem.

stever-  Glad to hear the knee is feeling well enough to get those impressive runs in.  I know it's no fun missing all the karate but you're being smart about it.   Being injured just sucks.

Edith-  How's your Dad?

me-  Tomorrow's the big day!!!  I can't wait!  I was going to go to the track but since they've got it all torn up it looks like that's not going to happen.  Seriously, that track was beautiful and the pitch was in great shape.  So why did they need to tear it up and replace it?   Now the plan is to run at the gym on the TM.  Monday I did a full leg workout at the gym using lighter weights and my leg felt fine and yesterday I did another spin class and the leg felt fine.  Fingers crossed.

miele - Today's the day!! I hope your run goes well - can't wait to hear how amazing you felt. The arm pack malfunction happened because I broke one of the major rules of racing - never try something on race day that you haven't done before. It's actually a holder for an MP3 player, but I thought it would be perfect for carrying our GUs. I'd never practiced getting anything out of it while I was running, and found out the reason why it's meant for music and not fuel. I had to take it off my arm, wrestle the Velcro open, then get the packets out (I'd crammed them in pretty tight). Then open the GU, suck it down, put the pack back on my arm and head out. Duh!

wolf - Like you, none of my family runs and only a couple of my friends do. You're right about the motivation coming from within. When is your next race?

Nathan - I think the small marathon sounds nice and like miele said, it would be a lot easier to meet up with you family. But, if a PR is important to you, running the half would be a slam dunk. Where in Wyoming do you go hunting? I live in Cheyenne, in the southeast corner. I bet you go way up north, where it's actually pretty.

stever - I'm glad the PT didn't find anything major. It sounds like it's healing if you're able run those paces without pain.

two-foot - Good to hear from you! I love how your daughter brought you a towel in the rain - how sweet.

Me - This week is one where I have absolutely no pre-set plans for workouts, and I'm loving it big time!  So far I've done an easy 5 miler, a fast 4 miler, and two 2 hour bike rides. Also some weights and core stuff.

Next week DH and I are starting a 12 week half training plan for Long Beach in Oct., and it's probably one of the more aggressive ones we've tried. If a new PR is going to happen, it'll most likely be there. Our next half is Aug. 25th in Boulder, CO, but it's not a PR course. Hilly...loose gravel in some spots...washboard road in others. This is one we do with my son, so we let him set the pace where he's comfortable. Last year was the first time we did it, and it was his first half. I felt guilty for choosing such a difficult course for his first one, but he did amazing and it was his idea to do it again. The week after Long Beach we're running the Denver R&R Half, again with my son. I've never done halves that close together, so he may be dragging me across the finish line in Denver.

Thank you all for the well wishes.  Dad is home and doing well.  Can you believe he had surgery on Friday and was sent home Tuesday?   But at least he lives nearby.

tara - the halfs that you have chosen sound really fun!

Jan - I hope your 12 week plan brings you the result you want!   With all the running/training that you do, I'm sure you could run a half every weekend.  Did you see that woman who ran a marathon everyday for a year???  Who has that kind of time????

Miele - if it is a school track I can tell you that they tore it up because they were given the money to do so.  That's the only reason.   I sure hope you have a great run, though I will miss the swogging stories...

Wolfie - sounds like you are having some great runs and some great weather... LUCKY!

Nathan - I honestly believe that you could run a marathon and run it well.  You are running so much and with such great focus.  But that's just my opinion, obviously.

Stever - I hope the knee is 100% soon!

Zelanie - congrats on the trail run!   I walk many hills, when they are particularly steep.   glad you are feeling better, too.

me -  Quadzilla 15k trail official time is 1:45:28.  When the race first started, I wanted to cry as I was thinking of my dad while i was out running.  Then I decided to think of how hard he was working to heal, and apply that to any time I was suffering on the trail.  At around mile 2 I wanted to quit but sucked it up.  Got to mile 3 and thought that I would just take each mile as they came and the next thing I knew, I looked at my watch and it was at 6.75 ( but was at mile marker 7, so my watch was ahead...Sweet!).  I was feeling good and was just enjoying the race (and the hills) so much.  I FLEW on the last half mile, downhill, and finished feeling really happy.

The next day my quads were very sore so rested until I did an easy paced 7 miler last night.  It was humid.

Marathon training begins Sunday (well, Saturday for me as I do my long runs then).   Take care and run happy!

The run went extremely well today!!!

Jan-  Ouch.  That's a really tough way to find out your gear doesn't function the way you expect!  That's OK.  Live and learn.  Plus, you know you're going to blow away your PR after 12 weeks of training.  I think you'll be fine doing the 2nd HM a week later with your son unless he goes out at 1:30 pace.  (I forget how fast he is).

Tara-  That sounds like a good plan.  You sound so busy and it does take so much more effort (at least for me) to train for a full as opposed to a half.

Edith-  I was shocked when they had my BIL up and walking the day after open heart surgery.  It's really amazing what they can do.  I'm sure your Dad is happy to be home again.  Wishing him a speedy recovery.  It sounds like you needed that good, hard run to let go of some of that pent up emotion.  So your marathon training starts on a Saturday with a LR?  About the torn up track.  If it's private money then that's fine with me but if it's school money or money from taxpayers then I'm not fine with that since they hit us up every, single year with 'parcel taxes to fund the school' because they're having to increase class sizes and cut some classes.   I don't even like thinking about that since I get a bit mad.  I just like to think it was private money.

Nathan-  Nice tempo!  And such a boost, too!

me-  Ran 3 miles on the TM today!!!!  I approached it with some trepidation as I was scared I'd feel pain but it all worked out.  It felt weird to run again.  Leg still feels good tonight and I'll see how it feels tomorrow.  If all goes well then I'll run again on Sat.  It was only 3 miles but I'm so relieved that is was pain-free.

Edith-  A follow-up question:  You said that you went out and ran 3 miles after six weeks in a boot then jumped right back into running regularly.  What do you mean by that?  Did you build up your mileage slowly or did you get back up to your usual mileage pretty quickly?  Did you run consecutive days?  I'm wondering how to tackle the next 2-3 weeks and would appreciate hearing about your experience.

miele - I'm so glad your run was pain free!!! I'd suggest building your mileage back up fairly slowly, like increasing the length of your runs by no more than a mile each time until you're sure the pain won't come back. That's what my doc had me do this spring. My son most definitely won't go out at a 1:30 pace. He runs about 3 times a week, and his longest run will most likely be 10 miles, maybe once or twice before the race. He's into lifting too, so has to split his workout time between two loves.

blue - Were you able to get into a doc today for an x-ray? If so, any news?

Nathan - Nice tempo run!! If you do the half, you'll absolutely kill it!

Edith - Good luck with marathon training - I hope it goes well for you. I'm so glad your dad is home and recovering well. I did read about the woman who ran a marathon every day. There are so many reasons why I couldn't/wouldn't do that, but kudos to her.

Tara - I hope your weekend isn't as crazy as your week. DH and I usually run together - once in awhile we don't but that doesn't happen very often anymore. I'm following the half plan from Greg McMillan's new book YOU (Only Faster). It looks do-able, so we'll see. Your half PR time is amazing! Which plan are you following for the Boston half?

Me - Did 25 miles on the bike today, which is my longest ride so far. Then some upper body weights and core stuff. Tomorrow we'll do 8-9 for our long run of our "no plan" week. I'm loving this unstructured stuff right now.

Miele - I ran 3 and felt great.  I probably ran 3 miles every other day or so, but built my miles training for a Half on October 10, so I did increase my mileage fairly quickly; not like a newbie. I did run some consecutive days but not before or after the longest run of the week.  I was hurt while training for the marathon so I moved to the Half; boot was off the first week of September, so it was about 6 weeks or so.   I didn't focus on speed (as that was how I became injured in the first place), and was able to run a decent 2:08.  I've really had no problems since (KNOCK WOOD!!!  THROW SALT!!! ).   I did avoid speed work since (hello, like 2 years), but I was and still am running with faster people so I've really gotten faster.  I am going to try speed work for ths marathon but nothing too intense.    I hope this helps.   I've never been one to follow conventional wisdom.

I was supposed to pace a friend for his ultra in Philadelphia tomorrow, 9 miles, but the city cancelled the event because of the heat.  Be careful out there, people!!!

blue - find a new doc.  My PT told me to stop running.  I found a sports chiropractor who supports what I do.

Jan - I LOVE unstructured running.  will miss it starting tomorrow.  Sigh.

Nathan -  amazing pace (how sweet the sight?)