Goal of sub 1:40 half. (Read 3802 times)

 

There will be about 1200 runners so the 7:30 pacer shouldn't have too many obstacles. I do realize the pacer could go 7:35, 7:30, 7:25 for the 1st three miles....I am pretty sure they won't go 7:45, 7:15 because they have to be smarter than that. But I will have backup plans if the pacer goes out at 8 minute mile pace...I am going to know where the half mile mark is in the race and possibly 1/.4 mile to check our splits.

 

What is the race.  If the race is hilly, most pacers will not do clock-even splits.  And, yes, some pacers will indeed go out a little slow. 

Ok, Lansing.  Alas I don't know about that race, so I will shut up about specifics.

Good luck.

 

The race is about as flat as they come. Since you are running these things all the time (95 and 96 minute efforts i the recent past - congrats by the way!)....what is your strategy? How do you attack the distance? Is it just an effort run or do you divide the race into segments? Please let me know how it might feel at certain points. Should I take water/ gatoraid from the volunteers? If so how much? Do they give you cups to drink or bottles? I would hope for a bottle that I could take with me for a half mile or more with a top. Can I bring my own bottle from the start? So many questions.

Each race is different for me, depending on course specifics... where the hills are, for example.  Also, if it is an out-and-back, it gives me a natural way to split the race up.

For me, I'm going to warm up by jogging a couple miles before the race, ensuring that I speed up a tad as I go.  When the race starts, I'm going to run the first mile a little slow (yes, perhaps 7:45 versus 7:10-7:20 later).  Hills and first mile aside, I will try to run the race basically evenly, just like a marathon.  Even splits for a flat course, even effort through hills.  I'd like to say that I split the race into two parts: a 10 miler and a 5k, but my good races haven't really worked like that.  They've felt more like a 10k where I've held back SLIGHTLY (certainly not as much as I feel like I'm holding back in a marathon)... then after 10k, it becomes a "try and hold on" kind of deal.  I'm not saying this is good strategy, I'm just saying this is how it went for me.

The first 10k feels like a typical "comfortably hard" run.  I'm talking to people, perhaps.  By M9, I'm running the same pace but I'm not talking anymore.  By M11, my breathing is quite a bit harder. 

Mind you, I'm still trying to figure out the "right" pace for me in a half.  In both my 1:36 and 1:35, I finished KNOWING that I had more in me.  (I'm pretty sure now that I have a 1:33-1:34 in me) I should have run slightly harder, but I didn't know until I was done that I would/wouldn't spontaneously combust.  HOWEVER, I do know based on my breathing at M11 that I was clearly going faster than marathon pace.  Which, considering other goals I have, is important.

As for fluids, if you are thirsty, drink.  If you aren't, don't.  This means that you will take fluids sometimes... but it is OK to skip a stop if you aren't thirsty, assuming the next stop is 1-3 miles later.  In a half run in normal weather, I may drink at 3 aid stations.  As for whether you should drink water or sportsdrink, I can't really answer that.  I'd say sportsdrink... but if you haven't tried what they are offering, it may or may not agree with you during the race.

Edited to add: your race will have cups.  Hopefully paper and not plastic.  Squeeze the top of the cup together to keep splashing to a minimum.  I have run a couple races that offered bottles (most recently, the Illinois Marathon in April).  Bottles are bad.  Lots of water gets wasted and the bottles become weapons when pitched to the curb.

You do not need to carbo load for a half.  This is just gonna make you feel bloated.

You do not need Gu for a half, though some people swear it helps them.  My 1:36 was gu-free.  My 1:35 included two Gu.  And, no, I don't think this is what made me finish 30 seconds faster.  I ate them because it sounded good at the time.

Good luck.

MichiganFlyer,

I ran the same half as Robert (srlopez) on Sunday (only not as fast as him - 1:43) and I like running halfs with a 20 oz UD bottle with plain water.  I didn't stop, and usually don't, at a single water stop - though it was tempting to grab a cup to dump on my head a couple of times.  I've also been running ultras the past several years though, so using a handheld is no big deal for me.  At this period in time, if you haven't trained with it, then I'm not sure you want to try it now.  A 20 oz bottle is pretty much all I need and, usually, I still have some left depending on conditions. 

I took one GU just past the turnaround but this, in part, is due to the fact that I don't eat prior to races.  If you fuel properly in the few days leading up to the race, your muscles and liver store enough glycogen to pretty much get you through a half.  Keeping calorie intake and blood glucose levels up though will help with post-race recovery, so best not to bottom out if you don't have to.  Prudent to carry something small with you - a gel or two, Shot Bloks, etc. or take from the aid stops if they are providing something.

Your training to this point should provide you with the information you need re: water or a sports drink.  I couldn't find what they are serving, or how many/where the aid stations are for that matter, from the website.  In light of this it may be wise to bring a small 12 or 16 oz disposable bottle with you, especially if it turns out to be a warm morning.  Sometimes drinking a sport drink offered by a race can be fraught with stomach issues, especially if it is something you haven't used before or if you are used to plain water. 

Like many have said in previous posts, don't overthink this.  It is your first so go enjoy it.  Run well, run hard; do what has worked for you in training.  You can think about it afterwards as you look for the next race to sign up for and prepare your race report.  Good luck.

tim

Like many have said in previous posts, don't overthink this.  

+1 on the advice but what makes you think MichiganFlyer over thinks races? 

It was, though maybe it doesn't sound like, my attempt to get him to relax a bit and feel prepared to run this race based on his training to date.  The questions he posed, in a flurry, to srlopez should really have been worked out by this point in time or, at least, addressed some time ago. 

If he is truly prepared to run the paces he is describing then, assuming he has properly fueled and hydrated in the few days leading up, he'll only be on the course for 90 to 100 minutes.  That's not very long and if weather is agreeable then you shouldn't need a whole lot of fluid or calories to do this thing.

It wasn't meant as a statement, in general, about all of his races, just this one in particular.  I, like the others, hope he is able to feel prepared to toe the line, run a good race, and enjoy his efforts going in and during as he reflects back afterwards. 

 

tim

 

You make very good points but there was a touch of sarcasm in my note   MichiganFlyer is a stats man and I like to give him a hard time about it as I think it can sometimes limit his performance.  Sometimes you just have to go for it.  He'll do fine. 

 

 

 

 

For me, I'm going to warm up by jogging a couple miles before the race, ensuring that I speed up a tad as I go. 

 

.  I'd like to say that I split the race into two parts: a 10 miler and a 5k, but my good races haven't really worked like that.  They've felt more like a 10k where I've held back SLIGHTLY (certainly not as much as I feel like I'm holding back in a marathon)... then after 10k, it becomes a "try and hold on" kind of deal.  I'm not saying this is good strategy, I'm just saying this is how it went for me.

 

As for fluids, if you are thirsty, drink.  If you aren't, don't.  This means that you will take fluids sometimes... but it is OK to skip a stop if you aren't thirsty, assuming the next stop is 1-3 miles later.  In a half run in normal weather, I may drink at 3 aid stations.  As for whether you should drink water or sportsdrink, I can't really answer that.  I'd say sportsdrink... but if you haven't tried what they are offering, it may or may not agree with you during the race.

 

Edited to add: your race will have cups.  Hopefully paper and not plastic.  Squeeze the top of the cup together to keep splashing to a minimum.  I have run a couple races that offered bottles (most recently, the Illinois Marathon in April).  Bottles are bad.  Lots of water gets wasted and the bottles become weapons when pitched to the curb.

 

You do not need to carbo load for a half.  This is just gonna make you feel bloated.

 

Thanks for thr reply.

I probably won't warm up very much for my half. I am thinking maybe half mile before.

I won't go out at what feels like 10k pace. I am too much a distance newvie to try that.

I know in my training I start to get tired after 6 or 7 miles so I will take the 1st half relatively easy.

I will not drink sports drinks...sometimes they have just god awful drinks at the end of races. Water only.

I will take some water at the stops....probably every 4 miles or so. I will eat a spaghetti meal the night before at least that is my plan for now.

 

How are things going?  Ready for Akron in 9 days! 

 

I will not be taking another stab at 1:40 or 1:45 for that matter, with Erie just last week and recouping legs and then Columbus 3 weeks after Akron, I will be running the Akron Half at more of a MP training run.

 

Good Luck and hope to see you at the finish ... You should be good and rested when I truck in probably around 1:53 - 55. 

 

will have to dig up the Skootermbg thread regarding Akron RAers  Think we have:

 

Buckeyechamp (H) Training run

Mr inertia (H) -- 1:40 or Bust

PoisonIvy (full) -- Training run

Skootermbg (H) -- sub 2:00

Roots -- May be pacing 3:30 group? 

Yep, pacing 3:30 this year. I don't expect to see Mr Inertia until the post race celebration after the deed is done!

For any other Akron Marathon folks, I'm working the expo at the Vertical Runner booth from 11-3 and the pace team booth from 3-6p. Stop by and say hello.

Roots (Lloyd)

Thanks for thr reply.

 

I probably won't warm up very much for my half. I am thinking maybe half mile before.

I won't go out at what feels like 10k pace. I am too much a distance newvie to try that.

I know in my training I start to get tired after 6 or 7 miles so I will take the 1st half relatively easy.

 

I will not drink sports drinks...sometimes they have just god awful drinks at the end of races. Water only.

I will take some water at the stops....probably every 4 miles or so. I will eat a spaghetti meal the night before at least that is my plan for now.

 

yeah, I wasn't really recommending going out at 10k pace.  That is better known as "going out too fast".  I just meant that I spend the first 10k of my good halves feeling like I was running a slightly slow 10k.

Don't overthink the fluids situation.  Carry a bottle if you are used to running fast with it. Or not.  I don't quite get why you are afraid that you'd take too big a sip from a cup.  But, either way... all of this is in your control.  Do what you want to do.

As for eating the night before, eat whatever you've been eating the night before long runs.  If that's spaghetti, great.  If you know how your body will deal with spaghetti before a long race, also great.  Otherwise?  There's nothing magic about pasta.

Just take it easy.  You'll be fine.