Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2020
We actually have no current active cases of covid in NZ and have moved to level 1.
I'm going to celebrate by entering Rotorua Marathon!
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"
That's your full marathon that you will do?
I might do the half at Rotorua.
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
That's your full marathon that you will do? I might do the half at Rotorua.
Yup. It was that or Auckland, and I have already done Auckland once. Rotorua is basically *the* marathon in NZ, plus it's also NZ marathon champs this year, and if ever there was a year to tick off a bucket list race, this is it.
I think the half has quite a large chunk of trail through the redwoods - it's a lot more offroad than it used to be. Probably a really nice course but might not be the quickest.
RIP Milkman
Amazing news for the Kiwis! Even more jealous now.
Question for the forum. I'm considering a TT this weekend as the weather is going to be better than it has been (still too warm for my linking at TDP of 130 but good for the summer). Anyway, I'm trying to decide between a 5K and 10K. On one hand, my threshold workouts have been going MUCH better than my V02 max workouts, which would tell me to go for the 10K. On the other hand, based upon my most recent half TT, my 5K is a touch "softer" than my 10K time (24 vs 40 seconds). Granted, that time difference is so tiny, but it's something. Additionally, my mileage has been much lower than I'd like, which would push me to a 5K as well.
Anyway, I'm leaning towards a 10K just because the difference in workouts has been vast between threshold and V02 max, but wanted to get the group's thoughts here.
Thanks.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
I would go 5k as:
- The warmth effect will be greater on a 10k. 130 TDP is still quite warm.
- Your 5k PR is slightly softer, and hence you have a PR chance.
I think a lot will need to go your way for a PR. So make sure you pace well.
Jmac I say go for the 5k or 10k hope that helps
Mark/Watson I've done the half at Rotorua 3 times. This is the 3rd course change in that time.
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 "
Hot Weather Complainer
There are some advantages to living on small islands in the middle of the ocean!
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 1:27:34
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Mark time trialing a 10k sounds extra painful, especially if it's hot. I'd lean toward the 5k just because it will be over sooner.
1600 - 5:23 (2018), 5k - 19:33 (2018), 10k - 41:20 (2021), half - 1:38:57 (2018), Marathon - 3:37:17 (2018)
It was JMac, not Mark re time trial.
Everything that mentions JMac in races, always involves some kind of pain - both, mental and physical . Though I know a guy from older RWOL times whose race reports are always about huge pains and survival... I think he just enjoys it.
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
You know Cal, these past 3 weeks have shown me the importance of mental prep in races. I've always known it, but this hammered it home. About 3 weeks ago, I started having trouble in my V02 max workouts, and started bailing early on them. Now I'm bailing on almost every one. Could it all be physical? Maybe. But the more you quit workouts, the easier it is to just quit your next one.
So I find that talking about what mental pain you had to go through an important part of any race report because I think it helps you in prepping: I know that from all my past race reports, I hit my "uh oh, this is too painful to continue" moment at about 2/3 through the race. That seems earlier than most other folks I've spoken to, but it's a great barometer for me because it reminds me that I've hit that level of pain many times before and gotten through it, so don't bail out in this TT if the pain is that bad at mile 4 of a 10K.
The only real physical pain I ever have to deal with is stitches. I've been lucky in that camp: never gotten cramps or anything bad during a race.
Regarding 5K/10K pain, I have always down better at longer pain than shorter pain. 5Ks are the devil to me, while marathon pain is something I like grinding through (except when severely dehydrated, then it's worse than all your 5Ks you've ever run combined).
ETA: weather forecast has improved. Looking at TDP of only 115 right now, which is great for summer! Plus partly cloudy and mild winds. Much better for a 10K, can take a crack at a 5K when it's hotter this summer.
Mother of Cats
I think some of this may be semantics.
To me, there's a distinction between "suffering" and "pain" - they are both discomfort, but different. Injuries are about pain; while racing is about suffering. And in suffering, mental and physical blend and overlap and can sometimes be indistinguishable.
Like Jmac, my moment of truth in races generally comes 2/3rds in. I know it when it hits, and both dread it and delight in it, if that makes sense.
I do also have pain in races sometimes as well - my lungs may really start burning, or something physical that I have been nursing may act up. But that doesn't always happen, while the suffering always does.
Edited to add: I do think that the more lip service one gives to suffering, the more control one concedes to it, if that makes any sense.
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.
JMac - I was just teasing you
Ha I know! I've made fun of myself constantly for talking about pain in race reports. It's like Mark and his "Name that Kiwi" game he plays in his. We all have our quirks.
DW - well said. I know there was a whole brouhaha about people being "mentally weak" over in the marathon thread early this year, but I'm a firm believer in it now seeing how much quitting workouts has made it a lot easier for me to quit future workouts. If I get anywhere near high pain levels, I've been bailing. It's been eye opening for me and something I need to train at: getting back to that mental toughness to grind through workouts, understanding that you can't complete 100% of them, but still finding a way to dig deep in most of them.
I guess this is where we disagree a bit - I don't think that one should be digging too deep in most workouts. Yes, you want to be working, but not too hard - it's races where you dig deep. (which is also in normal times why I prefer to race regularly, to get that callousing effect).
I guess if you can recover quickly from a dig deep effort, then there's no harm going there from time to time. Heck - that's how high school track kids and swimmers train (in both cases, that's because they have quicker recovery due either to youth or to working in water).
I know that for myself, I can go into a hole very easily. If I'm mentally just not there for a workout, then yes, I finish it anyway. But any time in a workout I find myself struggling physically or simply working too hard I back off on the effort. If I can't get the workout under control, then I pull the plug rather than run myself into the ground.