Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon 2021 Edition
DW You asked about testosterone levels the other day... Just keep eating Chipotle all the time. They serve pork, ergo nandrolone!
(this is a Shelby Houlihan reference if anyone isn't up on their US T&F news)
1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)
Mother of Cats
DW You asked about testosterone levels the other day... Just keep eating Chipotle all the time. They serve pork, ergo nandrolone! (this is a Shelby Houlihan reference if anyone isn't up on their US T&F news)
Yup. And now you know why I always eat it before big races.
(I don't get pork though - either beef, barbacoa, or chicken)
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
JamesD
For gels, I took one at the start line last year and I'm glad I did. It's so much easier to digest that stuff earlier on in the race, so getting your first gel in at the start helps a lot if, like me, you struggle ingesting anything from mile 20 onward.
I've never tried a marathon, but before halfs I usually take a caffeinated gel 15 minutes before. That seems so much easier than trying to fiddle with packets (and water, if I wasn't using SIS) while I'm running, and as I understand it, it takes 45 minutes to an hour for the caffeine to kick in anyway.
Post-1987 PRs: Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)
'24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32
Yup. And now you know why I always eat it before big races. (I don't get pork though - either beef, barbacoa, or chicken)
Neither did Shelby.
RIP Milkman
I definitely eat meat, but try to cut back where I can: their sofritas option is excellent if you haven't tried it before.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
I can't eat soy products - they give me migraines. So meat only.
Intl. correspondent
Mark - Ugh, so sorry to hear about your coach. That sounds like a tough and long recovery ahead. Hopefully it does not impact her spine.
Thanks all for the well wishes. Dad is home and recovered already.
Despite being a very scary situation, the doctor said my dad was incredibly lucky that he's a stubborn madlad. Had he gone earlier to the hospital they wouldn't have identified the clog in the exams and he might have died on the treadmill exam. Or lifting a chair at home.
Watson - Yeah, they're in Brazil.
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
Crazy. I'm glad I've discovered tofu based products to at least help lower the meat consumption. I feel like it's getting better every year. I always thought all tofu tasted like the stuff in miso soup, which I hated due to texture and just complete lack of flavor.
Cobra Commander Keen
Mark - Is there something specific the doctors are waiting on regarding not operating on your coach until next Monday? Either way, I hope she has a solid recovery.
Steve - My eating habits have changed a good deal since my last marathon, so this is something I'll have to do some experimenting with again for myself. I've always tried really stressing electrolytes/fluids in the few days before the race, but not much for liquids the day of. I like stroopwafels for breakfast on race day. They're convenient to travel with and (one particular brand) is easy on my digestive system.
This next time I'll likely stick with my usual diet (primarily animal based, very low carb & fiber) in the days before, but I imagine I may try a "food rehearsal" before a TT or B race to test something along the lines of a rice bowl w/ pork or beef (Chipotle!) for lunch the day prior. Basically easily digestible foods with little to no fiber or anything that could cause GI issues.
Flavio - Glad your dad is home and recovering! "Madlad" is a new one to me.
Steve - Best of luck getting your mum situated. Just having something of a plan in those circumstances can be quite the relief.
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
OKC Memorial 5k - April 27
Bun Run 5k - May 4
Flavio thats good news for you having mad dad home !
Its been a while since my last marathon but I stuffed myself full of carbs the 2 days before. Rice meals and bread etc
Plenty of hydrating as well with a decent breakfast morning of race 3 hours before 3 pieces toast and jam 2 bananas and a drink like powerade. Coffee as well.
Anyway I never hit that wall thing
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 "
Problem Child
Steve I eat "normal" the week of a race. I did the carb loading thing once or twice and eventually realized/read the entire time I'd been training I ate dinner before a long run so I should know what did and didn't work. I won't try the newest seafood restaurant until after the race maybe. Chicken and veggies work. I switched to taking caffeine pills before a race because I had them, and less water = less need to urinate. I'll take a gel for a marathon (I think) 5 minutes before the race starts then every 45 or so minutes during the race, but I also tested that out a lot with the last race I did. I had two or three races with stomach pains I attributed to nutrition I wanted to know for sure what I was taking in wouldn't upset my stomach. I probably hound nutrition the most to everyone I know because it has made some miserable days for me.
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
VDOT 53.37
5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22
Steve - I think in general carb loading is something you need to do from around 48 hours out. It's less about eating heaps and more about tilting the balance of your diet towards carbs (and, I think away from fats to ease digestion as well). To be honest it's not something I've really done a lot (maybe I should have haha) as I've tended to do all my long runs on an empty stomach anyway.
In hindsight I like JMac and RP's approach of taking a gel on the start line or very early in the race as well.
Keen - I think they have to wait for some of the inflammation to go down before they operate. The same thing happened to my mother in law when she fractured her eye socket playing hockey a few years ago.
Flavio - that's good to hear about your dad
Anyway my running club has decided we are having tacos for dinner before road relays this year. Some quality banter on the group chat on that front. I'm actually getting a bit excited about relays even though it's not until early October (not just for the tacos). There are probably 3 clubs that have a reasonable shot of winning the Masters (35+) grade and we are one, along with our cross-town rivals Owairaka and Wellington Scottish. Of course everyone is already talking a big game even though we all know the key is getting 8 good, uninjured runners on the start line in three and a half months time (and getting the leg selections right as it's a very tactical course).
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"
Flavio that's good news about your dad.
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)
DW Do you need new shoes that aren't race legal? Check out the Prime X
Tacos sounds like great pre-race food but what type of tacos? classic beef or something exciting like shrimp and chorizo?
50mm stack height Zeb . I would go for a Wild Boar Taco with over 375 grams of meat 🍖