Sub 1:30 Half Marathon 2021 Edition (Read 448 times)

darkwave


Mother of Cats

    My week.  Now with weather whining, conversions from miles to KM, and conversions from Fahrenheit to Celcius.  Paces are in minutes per mile, and then minutes per km.

     

    63 miles/101.5K running, 3 hours pool-running, and 1500 yards swimming.
    M: 90 minutes pool-running and streaming yoga.
    T: 12 miles/19.5K, including a track workout of 2x1200, 2x800, 2x400 in 4:47, 4:44, 3:06, 3:01, 87 and 87. Recoveries of ~3 minutes after each 1200 or 800; 1:40 recovery between the 400s. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming. Temp 74, DP 72 F (or 23/22 C)
    W: 8.5 miles/13.5K easy (9:36/5:56) to gym (temp 71, DP 69F or 22/21 C), then upper body weights/core, followed by 3.5 miles/5.5K very easy home (9:09/5:40) (temp 81, DP 73F or 27/23C) and then drills, two hill strides, two flat strides.
    Th: 90 minutes pool-running and streaming yoga.
    Fr: 12 miles/19.5K, including a cruise intervals workout of 3x1 mile, 2x5 minutes at tempo effort. 60 second recovery after each, except for 3 minutes recovery between the last mile and first 5 minute segment. Paces/splits were 6:45, 6:44, 6:40, 6:40, and 6:36 per mile (or 4:12, 4:12, 4:08, 4:08, 4:07 per K).  Followed with four sets of 30 seconds at mile effort with 60 second jog.  Temp 77, DP 76 (or 25/24 C)
    Then did leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.
    Sa: 10.5 miles/17K very easy outside (9:20/5:48) plus drills and four hill sprints, followed by upper body weights/core.
    Su: 16 miles/25.5K progressive, split as first 5 miles/8K averaging 9:29/5:53 pace, next 5 miles/8k averaging 7:59/4:58 pace, next 6 miles/9.5K averaging 7:14/4:29 pace, and then a half-mile jog. Temp 74, DP 71 (or 23/22 C)
    Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.

     

    I was pretty happy with this week.  I'm not where I want to be, fitness wise, but I see the progress and that makes me happy.  Bloodwork this week showed that my iron levels were much improved, which matches how I feel.

     

    If you're wondering about Friday's odd workout - I bit off more than I could chew with mile repeats at tempo effort with 1 minute og, so I ended up taking a longer break to get my heart rate under control and then swapped to 5 minute intervals (which is what I should have gone with to start).

    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.

    watsonc123


      Steve, Flavio, Darkwave and Piwi - nice weeks.

       

      Darkwave - well done on all the conversions.

       

      Flavio - what were you doing wrong with the press-ups?  You were not keeping the plank position?

       

      Cfarr - nice RR, and congratulations on sub 6.

      PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)

       

      40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)

       

      2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05

       

      2024 PRs: 5km 20:25

      Marky_Mark_17


        Flavio - yeah those Maurten gels are really an excellent product!  I did notice the caffeinated ones to be slightly more bitter than the regular ones (but they're still awesome).  Your analogy with introvert/extrovert etc. is bang on.  Glad things are on the up for you.  Also I'm genuinely surprised you've only just gotten a foam roller now!

         

        Darkwave - sounds like more positive progress in terms of energy levels and how you're feeling overall, great news.  Good call adapting the workout too, I've done that sometimes when I've just not been up to whatever was scheduled (conversely I'll sometimes add an extra repeat if I'm feeling really good).

         

        Corey - nice race report and a nice quick finish there!  The idea of a road mile seems so novel to me since there are literally none here in NZ.

        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: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

        Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

        "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

        SteveChCh


        Hot Weather Complainer

          Flavio - Great news to have you back in business.  I agree with Mark that it is surprising you only just got a foam roller, as the strength training king.

           

          Corey - I enjoyed your race report.  Great work on a fast time and high placing.

           

          Darkwave - Good to hear you're feeling a bit more normal.  I sometimes update a workout when I'm not feeling it but usually spend a good few km pondering whether I'm just taking the easy way out, even though I don't think that is ever the case.

           

          Marathon Beep test - I saw on Strava that our local elite, Oska Baynes, did a workout he called the marathon beep test yesterday.

           

          3km loop, starting at 4:20/km and dropping 5 seconds per km each loop until 2 failures in a row. I assume this is lockdown craziness kicking in.  Spoiler alert:  He ran 43.32km with the last few km @ 3:15/km.

           

          https://www.strava.com/activities/5869235921

          5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23

           

          2024 Races:

          Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55

          Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024

          Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024

          Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024

          JamesD


          JamesD

            ...I get what you are saying - there's something about lockdown that makes us all discover that bit of extrovert/people needing that we didn't realize we had...

             

            Not me.  I think the lockdown helped me realize that I need a lot less human contact than I usually get.  Living with DW & at the time our son, seeing people around our apartment building, saying hi to running & walking acquaintances in the park most days, Zoom meetings with my environmental group & zoning commission boards, emails with relatives, and a few online discussion groups were really enough for me.  Now that we've mostly opened up again, I find myself very meh about resumed in-person activities like our church & my civic club.  DW enjoys getting together with her (vaccinated) friends, so I'm happy for her, though.

             

            Corey - Enjoyed the RR; congrats on your time.  Must’ve been fun to run with your son.  Mine doesn’t like any endurance sports but enjoys weightlifting and golf, neither of which are options for me.

             

            I started building back up slowly after last week’s 5K, as my legs are still tired.  Have also started some mild glute strengthening exercises - bridges, etc.  

             

            I’ve signed up for the October 23 half north of Dallas that I mentioned a couple of days ago.  (Keen, I think I remember that you’ve run in Dallas; the race is in a park in a planned community called The Colony.)  DW and I will be in Dallas for an investment club convention of hers, and I can duck out for the Saturday morning race.  The race looks like fun, but I’m surprised that one this size (800 runners) doesn’t have a bag drop.  I guess everyone else is local and can leave their things in their cars.  Looks like I’ll have to rent a car rather than Ubering, even if driving 40 minutes through an unfamiliar city at 6am will be a bit of a hassle.  The registration fee was low enough that if there's cold rain that morning, I can always skip it and hope for better weather at plans C, D, or E in the following few weeks.

             

            Covid - Georgia’s hospitalization numbers are as high as their previous peak in January, which is pretty sobering considering that half of us are vaccinated now and weren’t then.  Hope our vaccinations will remain effective until we get our boosters, probably in December.

             

            Sun - off

            Mon - 5 miles slow in park @ 8:45

            Tues - 5.2 miles very slow (60 mins) on treadmill

            Weds - 7.3 miles not as slow in park @ 8:36

            Thurs - 15 minutes swimming & 5 pool running

            Fri - 7.8 in park @ 8:29

            Sat - 8.6 very slow (99 mins) on treadmill

             

            Total - 33.8 miles

            YTD average - 45.6 mpw



            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

              I'm an extrovert I think. I have no problem talking to complete strangers. I however hate public speaking and suffer stage fright.

               

              Steve im trying to get my head round that beep test workout.

              So your average is over each 3km loop and you drop 5 secs average over each consecutive 3km loop. If you have 2 loops in a row that don't hit target pace then you are out ?

              Seems like some serious math going on to work out your average pace for each loop.

              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 "      

               

              SteveChCh


              Hot Weather Complainer

                piwi - Yeah my take is the goal was:

                 

                0-3km:  4:20/km

                3-6km:  4:15/km

                6-9km:  4:10/km

                9-12km:  4:05/km

                .....

                39-42km:  3:15/km

                 

                2 laps in a row not hitting target and you're out.  The ultimate progression run.  If I was to do something like that I'd maybe start at 5:20/km but I doubt I'd get much past about 30km.  Make it 6:20/km to start with and I'll hang in past the marathon distance.

                5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23

                 

                2024 Races:

                Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55

                Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024

                Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024

                Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024

                watsonc123


                  That would be really hard pacing wise.  Each 3km block you'd need to very slightly speed up.  It would be easy to speed up too quick.

                   

                  Shoes arrived today.  Hopefully injury wise and Covid-19 lockdown restrictions don't go too long so I can race in them.

                   

                  This is also the most painful forum in terms of how to post a photo.

                   

                  Endorphin Pros

                  PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)

                   

                  40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)

                   

                  2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05

                   

                  2024 PRs: 5km 20:25

                  SteveChCh


                  Hot Weather Complainer

                    Nice. I’ve had Endorphin Pros I bought off Oska for 6 months, no race yet. Hopefully Wellington half is my chance. I won’t use them in Queenstown on trails so if not Wellington then Christchurch 2022 it will be

                    5km: 18:34 11/23 │ 10km: 39:10 8/23 │ HM: 1:26:48 9/23 │ M: 3:34:49 6/23

                     

                    2024 Races:

                    Motorway Half Marathon February 25, 2024 1:29:55

                    Christchurch Half-Marathon April 21, 2024

                    Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024

                    Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024

                    watsonc123


                      I know you have them too.  I bought them also off Front Runner, but online.

                       

                      I just modified to include the photo, which is rather hard to do on this forum.

                      PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)

                       

                      40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)

                       

                      2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05

                       

                      2024 PRs: 5km 20:25

                      flavio80


                      Intl. correspondent

                        Corey - thanks for that race report, you definitely left maybe 10 seconds in the tank.

                        Mile races are so fun. Have you considered going with a low flat racing shoe the next time?

                        It was so great that you could run with your son.

                         

                        Piwi - Actually it’s downhill at the start, and uphill at the end heh much worse.

                        So in my personal experience the thing with extroverts / introverts is more of where do you keep your focus most of the time. 

                        Extroverts keep their focus outwards and they get energised by socialising.

                        Introverts keep their focus on their internal thoughts, though socialising is fun, it drains energy cause you’re keeping your focus outwards for a little while, which feels unnatural. 

                        It’s not all black and white though, we’re all somewhere in a gray scale from Mr social butterfly on the one extreme and Mr I’m fine by myself on the other end.

                         

                        Darkwave - your week always has a great variety of workouts, always very interesting.

                         

                        Watson - So what happens is that I’d tense up the neck muscles up to the mandible, imagine straining face.

                        I reckon I was using that to cheat, using more neck muscles then pecs and lats.

                         

                        Nice shoes 👟

                         

                        Mark/Steve - No, I’ve been using a foam roller for a long time now.

                        It’s just that when we traveled to Brazil it didn’t fit in my backpack (I travel with just one small 30L backpack), so I threw it away cause it was near end of life anyway.

                        And now I’ve just bought a new one to replace that.

                         

                        Marathon beep test - That’s insanity

                        PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

                        Up next: no idea

                        Tool to generate Strava weekly

                        watsonc123


                          Woman's half world record has been broken again!

                           

                          https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/58374488

                          PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)

                           

                          40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)

                           

                          2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05

                           

                          2024 PRs: 5km 20:25

                          zebano


                            Watson ugg, sorry about the hamstring. Romanian deadlifts can be hard on those.  I love the color scheme of your endorphin's.

                             

                            Mark I'm curious if it's 25km or the 2 hour mark that is the sweet spot for you? Do you do any quality during your long runs? Also, seeing folk you know during a long run is a huge boost. That's the main reason that I travel a bit to go to my club runs at stupid-o'clock in the morning.

                             

                            Steve 6xKM on 90 sec is a hard workout. Nice job and I hope the race happens.

                             

                            Flavio That's great news and honestly totally not surprising that going downhill hurts your back. There are just so much larger impact forces when running downhill and most of us can't do it very smoothly.

                             

                            Corey Sounds like a fun race once you got passed the horde of kids. That's pretty consistent pacing but you killed that last 400. Are you going to go TT another mile with your son soon? I bet you can drop another 5 seconds just by being more aggressive early, but you also won't have anyone to chase in the final 400.

                             

                            DWave Progress is great. Congrats. Hopefully you get some of the beautiful mornings we've just started enjoying in the midwest and can speed up a little more.

                             

                            1:03:43 is insane for a half. Congrats to Yehulaw

                            1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)

                            zebano


                              I had a really great week. It's kind of strange because I'm actually backing off the strength and cross training and everything is going well. That said I'm doing a ton of general body-weight strength and mobility stuff after most runs (lunges, step ups, push ups, hurdler drills, carioca etc) and I think those are doing enough. I also focused on slowing down my easy runs with moderate success.

                               

                              M easy hour. 6.9 miles.

                              T off

                              easy hour + strides 7.4 miles

                              Th 12.3 miles w/ a 3 mile tempo that I'm satisfied with. It's on crushed gravel so there's some time loss there but the footing is really excellent overall (7:15, 7:06, 6:52). Tried to race the singletrac over the last 2.5 miles but found that my headlamp and the angle of the rising sun was insufficient and after stumbling 3 times I just backed off to a steady effort.

                              7.3 mi .... not easy due to 90F and 77% humidity. Weather app said feels like 108 and I also didn't have any shade. Pretty sure I was suffering from the beginnings of heat stroke by the end of this.

                              S 7.7 miles w/ strides over 1h13m. Chillin with a buddy.

                              9.5 with a strange workout mixing longer intervals followed by 200 jog, 200@ mile (all in 41.x) and 4 min rest. 1200@10k (4:53), 1000@10k (4:00), 800@5k (2:59!!!), 400 all out (:72).

                               

                              51 miles.

                               

                              This next week is gonna be great. It involves both a time trial and a race.

                               

                              Keen If you don't mind add Sept 6 Newbo 10k to the front page. Goal is to PR even though I'm not tapering for it.

                              1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)

                              CommanderKeen


                              Cobra Commander Keen

                                Piwi - Great week, especially that alternating KM workout.


                                Watson - Bummer about the less-than-stellar week. How's the hamstring doing now?
                                Also, Endorphin Pro v2? Or is that a v1?


                                Mark - Good week, but I hate the effects the lockdown is having on you.


                                Steve - Nice week as well. Here's hoping for no more cancellations.


                                Flavio - Glad things are looking up all around.


                                Cfarr - Thanks for the RR!


                                DWave - Great week, and I'm glad you're feeling better.


                                James - You seem to be about as much of an outlier on the "introvert/extrovert" scale as I am.
                                Both my PR half and slowest-ever marathon were run in Dallas, and I've done a few other races in Texas as well. I'm not familiar with yours, though.
                                From my experience the only time traffic in and around Dallas doesn't absolutely suck is really early weekend mornings, so that shouldn't be an issue for you pre-race.


                                Zebano - Nice week, and I've added that race.


                                Something of an unexpected down week for me. I picked up a bug of some sort (some nasal congestion and general fatigue) that started Monday and seemed to have resolved itself by Thursday. I did have a 5k planned instead of the LR, but decided to ditch it after I was still feeling off on Tuesday.

                                Might be running a 10k or 15k on the 11th, but am still undecided.

                                 

                                Weekly for period: From: 08/23/2021 To 08/29/2021

                                Date Name mi km Duration Avg/mi Avg/km Elevation Gain
                                in ft
                                08/23 1 deer (1 stride) 14.01 22.54 01:54:53 08:12 05:06 528
                                08/24 1 unknown winged critter flying into my head 6.25 10.06 00:57:28 09:12 05:43 256
                                08/25 1 blue heron 6.25 10.06 00:55:40 08:54 05:32 282
                                08/26 2 hawks & 2 rabbits 6.25 10.06 00:52:51 08:27 05:15 295
                                08/27 1 owl & 1 more unidentified critter escaping in to the tall grass 10.05 16.17 01:22:07 08:10 05:05 420
                                08/28 3 unknown critters, 2 owls, & 2 shooting stars 19.11 30.74 02:38:47 08:19 05:10 814
                                08/29 1 red-shouldered hawk 6.15 9.90 00:54:04 08:47 05:28 272

                                Total distance: 68.07mi

                                5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

                                 

                                Upcoming Races: