Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon 2021 Edition
My first marathon experience was brutal, I did it on a "whim" with virtually no training. started very slow through 6 miles while running with a friend then picked it up through mile 19 running much faster than I should have been going (which wasn't fast), I then hit the wall and battled the last 7 miles walking and running against an "old guy" wearing a cowboy hat. I lost the battle... and ended up in the medical tent dehydrated and puking.
I got my first Covid vaccine shot yesterday next one schedule for the end of the month.
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)
Sounds brutal Corey !
Let us know how the vaccine goes.
Congratulations to Keen and Darkwave on their 15k and half races today. Look forward to the race reports.
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 "
JamesD
Glad most everyone is back to racing, or at least TTing. I’m still having occasional groin soreness & tightness on nearly all of my runs. These days the discomfort seems to last longer but is less severe than a few weeks ago, and I haven’t had to stop early in the last month. Otherwise, base building is going well. My March runs in the park averaged a mile longer and a couple of seconds/mile faster at the same effort than my February runs, which in turn were a couple of seconds/mile faster than my January runs. Borrowed my son's Apple Watch for my long run Monday. It had me averaging 149 beats/minute and 172 steps/minute, both of which seemed plausible. However, it showed my HR range from 105 (maybe at the start) to 200 (no way).
Sun - off
Mon - 12.4 miles easy/moderate in park @8:35
Tues - 9-11 miles (1:39) easy on treadmill
Weds - 9.4 easy/moderate in park @8:38
Thurs - off
Fri - 10.1-11 (1:39) progression on TM
Sat - 9.1-11 (1:39) easy on TM
Total - 50-54.8 miles worth of time/effort, 8 hours 4 minutes
YTD average - probably high 40s/low 50s 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
Keen and Darkwave - well done on the races, look forward to the reports.
James - that HR range does sound a bit questionable! Nice week.
Me - weather was pretty tough going Tues/Wed/Thurs with very humid and windy conditions, started to improve by the weekend though. Did a group long run today with a bunch of Takapuna clubmates which was fun, rolling hills out to Devonport and back. Legs were a bit tired after 3 solid workouts during the week but nice to have some company for a bit. Probably two more big weeks before dialling it back a bit as the race approaches.
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"
Mark nice mileage!
James I've noticed Apple watches on strava give some dodgy readings. The GPS tracks can be all over the place.
My week
Yeah, this one gave me credit for 13+ miles when I know it was 12.4. I've been running in the park since 1977, so I have a pretty good idea of the distances regardless of what a watch says.
Intl. correspondent
Great weeklies all around!
I'm having a wild time...
5k PR on Tuesday
Didn't rest enough, did some deadlifts with poor form on Wednesday
That caused back aches
Started the running challenge on Thursday
Ran too much on the second day
All my back seized up, from neck to the tail Bone
Kinetic tape on the spine erector muscles in the upper back and some NSAIDS (1 every 6h), and some phisiotherapy cream applied to the lower back and managed a couple of short runs today.
Hopeful the back pains are gone and I can get back to the challenge.
I said maybe one of the leaders would crash and burn and I was the first to do so LOL
So far I'm at 42km for 4 days, leaders are a little over 56km averaging 14km per day.
I've already noticed some proper runners in the group, competition will be fierce.
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
Mother of Cats
Dropping by with yesterday's race report (87:52 official). Will stop by later for my week+shoutouts.
Well, I'm TRYING to run...: Race Report: Salisbury Half-Marathon, April 3, 2021
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.
DW - just dropping by to say great race and it was awesome that you got to meet your parents!
Thanks Flavio, Marky_Mark, and Piwi - it was a good day for racing, and just a good day in general.
Got my second jab this morning, so now I'm waiting to see if anything hits. About 5 hours post-shot the arm is a little sore, but nothing else. I'm trying to catch up on household chores before I get knocked out.
James - I agree with Piwi - Apple watches seem to be remarkably inaccurate - well outside the range of variation that you see between Garmins or Polar watches.
Marky_mark - there was a man jogging in the rain in tight jeans? Bwaah?
Piwi - good solid week for you.
Flavio - Ugh, I'm sorry. At least you got the 5K and HM PRs done first. I'm guessing those two mattered more to you than the work challenge. I hope you feel better soon.
***
My week:
36 miles running, 500 yards swimming, and 2:50 hours pool-running
M: 50 minutes pool-running and upper body weights/core.T: 10 miles, including a track workout of 4x800 in 3:03, 3:03, 3:02, 3:00 with 400m recovery in between 2:23 and 2:32 after each. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.W: 7 miles very easy (8:56), and light streaming yoga.Th: 50 minutes pool-running, and light upper body weights/core.F: 2 miles very easy (9:09)Sa: 3 mile warm-up, half marathon in 87:52; 1 mile cooldown.Su: 70 minutes pool-running and second Moderna jab.
Flavio take it easy on that back ! Hopefully you can keep the mileage up for the challenge.
Darkwave thanks for your race report which are always well written. 1.27 is very solid. My eye sight is deteriorating making it hard to see my GPS data even with only 2 data fields showing. I guess your vision is ok up close but not at distance ?
Darkwave - nice RR. Amazing how many running shoes you have. The women's half marathon was set in the Adios Pro, so they clearly work for some people.
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
Anyhow, my week was poor. Like a worse version of Flavio. Missed Tuesday due to PF. Missed Sunday run due to sore legs from weights on Saturday. I've been lifting twice per week, I'm dropping that back to once a week now as I'm finding leg recovery hard, especially given my tiny volume over the last five months.
Nice Weeks by everyone
DW congrats on the Race and the 2nd shot. I got my first shot on Friday no side effects other than a sore arm which lasted until Sunday am. hopefully no issues for you with the second one.
James hope your groin issues get better soon
Flavio hope your back is nothing serious hope you are back soon with no issues good luck on the challenge.
I'm trying to stick to my plan 25-30 per week for the next few weeks. I came in right at 27.5 mostly slow and steady miles.
I had a good run yesterday, which was a little faster than normal thanks to 1 mile I picked it up, and some strides I put in down the stretch.
I hope everyone has a good week.
CFarr, losing to a guy in a cowboy hat ?? Was he also wearing Jorts??
James If I didn't know about the groin issues I'd say that's a solid week, lots of pretty long runs and a Progression
Mark Typical solid week for you. Why do you do the fartlek on the track? Just to maintain consistent paces?
Piwi That's roughly the week I've come to expect from you. 80km and almost nothing slower than 5/KM. Is your son running enough to challenge you in a 5k yet?
Flavio I know it's not always practical to get one but have you tried a hex bar for deadlifts? I first heard about them from a Meb interview and they seem to take a lot of pressure of the low back.
DW I saw the (significantly) sub 90 race on Strava. Well done. I'll read the report in a minute.
Watson - Rough week. I always found balancing squat/deadlift with running really hard and I'm happy that covid gives me an excuse such that I don't have to.
CFarr - did you go with the Cajun Fries?? I used to love those, but lately I've found them too salty or too heavily spiced.
DW Looks like you had the same conclusion I did that you started just a touch too hot but you adjusted mid race really well. I've been wearing buffs for most races lately and ... I hate them. I've started just taking them off and double wrapping them around my wrist, which is so much nicer than having fabric around my neck. My final note is that 28F is indeed really cold in the corral but when it warms up to low 30s is basically the weather that has given me 3 of my best races ever (my that's an awkward sentence) so I'm always happy too see weather forecasts around there, just a few degrees colder however and it gets really hard to get the legs moving full speed. Anyways great race and I'm glad your fitness is moving in the right direction.
Happy Easter everyone! We had 70F and minimal breeze all weekend so we had a barbeque with the in-laws and played a bunch of games. Just a great time.
Mon 45 min EZ + 20 minutes cycling + strength work
Tue 50 min EZ (opted out of my workout) + 45 min ride + mobility stuff and barefoot strides!!
Wed 50 min w/ 8x:20 just to inject some leg speed
Thur Thorsday course PR 1:37:09 (about a :40 drop) just by running at long tempo effort and kicking the last .4 mile + 1250 yd easy swim
Fri 40 min easy run + strides / strength & mobility, 1300yd swim
Sat Stupidly hilly run with a buddy (7.8 miles, 1280 feet gain). Intentionally ran with a friend who is less fit so this wouldn't be a huge workout... it was enough to anger my right achilles however so that backfired. + 30 min bike ride, mostly offroad at the same park
Sun 40 min EZ run
running 6h 47 min / 46 mi
Swim 1h 1m / 2500yd
Bike 1h 43m / 21 mi
Weights / Drills / Mobility etc. : 42min
=10h 13 min
With regards to running that makes this a down-week but overall it's a slight tick upward. I'm going to try and get two big workouts in T/Th this week and then taper toward my race on the 17th. It wasn't a goal race, but I'm feeling good about it right now.
1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)