Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2020 (Read 618 times)

watsonc123


    Rotorua Half Marathon RR

     

    1:36:37

    14th out of 360

     

    https://www.strava.com/activities/4111970723

     

    The Rotorua marathon is New Zealand's most iconic event as:

    - It's been going a very long time.

    - The full marathon goes around Lake Rotorua

    - It's often a strong field

     

    This year, the field was much smaller for all events due to:

    - It being rescheduled from early May, because NZ was in lock down.

    - Aucklanders were not allowed to compete due to Covid-19 rules in NZ.

    - The race was only confirmed the week before, as the rest of NZ's Covid-19 rules were dropped down to "Level 1"

     

    My wife and I flew up the day before.  Our kids went to their grandparents, so it was just us.

     

    The day before we ended up walking too much.  Somehow we ended up walking 10.5km which was not ideal.

     

    The race is also 7 days post my 10k (PR) race, so I'm not sure whether I've recovered from that too.

     

    The half marathon used to be quick (Piwi's PR), but it's not now.  The course is primarily off road through the Redwoods forest.

     

    We walked down to the start in the morning.  Although the numbers were relatively small, it still had an event feel with the MC, music etc.

     

    The full started at 8:00am, the half starts at 8:15am.  Around this time I did a very short 2 minute warmup, my pace was easy but  worryingly slow for easy pre a race, at 5:55 per km or 9:30 per mile.  Normally my easy pre race is much quicker.

     

    I'm wearing my NZ Zante Pursuits for the race.  I had decided I didn't want to risk damaging my Asics Meta Racers off road, to my surprise one of the guys was wearing them (I think he came second).  I also didn't run in my trail shoes as they are not the greatest fit on me, and I was pretty sure road shoes would be fine.

     

    I put myself near the front before the starting line.  Around 25th.

     

    My plan was to run 4:30 per km pace on the flat at the start.  Run by feel through the trails.  And have a quick finish at 4:15 per km pace.  So that became and aim time of 1:35:45.

     

    I also disabled auto lap on my watch.  Worring about km splits on this course would be pointless.

     

    We start off, "keep it slow, keep it slow".  I manage to run the right pace early on, very early on quite a few overtake me, but most are going too quick.

     

    I end up averaging about 4:27 per km pace on the mainly road part for the first three km.

     

    We then go under the motorway via a pedestrian tunnel.  We then go onto trail, with the first part quite packed and quick.

     

    The official results had me 18th at this point as we go over a timing mat.

     

    There are three good hills, plus a heap of rolling up/down and twisting on the course.  I have writing on my arm where the hills are, and what I expect my splits to be.

     

    At the 4.5km we hit the first good hill.  It's about 0.8km and a 70 metre climb.

     

    I overtake a few on the uphill.

     

    I get to the top of the hill, and am glad to be at the top.

     

    I'm by myself now, although I am slowly catching a woman (Kristine).

     

    We then go off the 4wd roads and through the walking tracks through the fores.  I'm slowly catching Kristine.

     

    At some point here, I do end up going past her, maybe at 10km?

     

    There's downhill for a while, and we are then in a grass park which is flat, the course loops roughly a circle.  There's also an aid station.  I take a water and drink some, and pour some on my head.

     

    The 13th km was slow for some reason at 5:01 despite most of it being flat.  I may have eased off in the knowledge that the hard running was still to come.

     

    I'm catching another woman now, although Kristine is maybe 10s behind me.

     

    Fairy soon, the three of us end up running together. I had noticed that Hannah would often walk some of the uphills as I caught up to her, she definitely started the race too quick and faded.

     

    I don't know either of the woman (I've just got their names from the result).

     

    We all get to the last decent hill and run up it.

     

    There's then some downhill.

     

    And then, disappointly another very small up hill.  Only 5-10 metres elevation, but at that stage it felt hard.

     

    A guy standing by the side with a bike said something about 30s, I thought he meant 30s to downhill.  But what he meant was that first place woman was 30s ahead.

     

    We run down the last hill, and I've done 17km.  That's around 1:18:30.

     

    Some quick math makes me realise that IF I can hit 4:15 per km pace, I'll be very close to my aim.

     

    I start around that pace, although it's very slight down hill.  As soon as we hit the flat, I realize I'm not hitting my pace.

     

    Kristine managed to speed up, I did not.  Hannah drops off as she's slowing a lot.

     

    I run as hard as I can for the last 3km, which is 4:25-4:30 per km pace. It's also getting a little warm now, not too bad, but a tad warm.  Overall the weather was 9 out of 10, a little bit of wind at points in the forest plus slightly warm at the end, but overall very good.

     

    I hit the last turn, where we go under the arches which is about 500m to go.

     

    I run to the finish, I hear the announcer state the winning woman in the half has just finished.  It's then I realize what the guy on the bike was saying, so Kristine is the second woman, she finishs about half a minute ahead of me.

     

    And then I finish in 1:36:37.

     

    Take homes:

    - I paced well, my starting pace was right.

    - My course estimate was pretty good for pacing.

    - I need to walk less the day before as that might have cost me a little at the end.

    - It was nice to race a half where I didn't really have a strict time aim, due to the nature of the course.

    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

    JMac11


    RIP Milkman

      Watson - will read your RR shortly, not ignoring.

       

      Zebano - I'm in the same boat as you. However, Daniels does include long tempos. Every 3 weeks, he has you do 60 minutes at marathon pace, which according to his charts is right around T at 20 minutes. He also has some 2x2T and 3T work. This is all in the 5K/10K plan.

      5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

       

       

        Thanks for the report Watson. Always good to finish amongst the top ladies. Did your prize arrive ?

        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 "      

         

        JMac11


        RIP Milkman

          Thanks for the report Watson. Always good to finish amongst the top ladies. Did your prize arrive ?

           

          The true prize is the bag of sand heading to Mark

          5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

           

           

          watsonc123


            I don't think 2:3x marathon with a circa 20 minute PR is sand bagging.

             

            Prize has not arrived yet.

            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

              Hold on a sec, I'm the resident troll here 

               

               

              The true prize is the bag of sand heading to Mark

              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 "      

               

              zebano


                Watson,

                 

                Great pacing. If it were flat do you think 90 min was in the cards? Its strange that half the race is road and half is trails. Its a shame they couldn't go fully one way or the other.

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

                JamesD


                JamesD

                  Watson - Congrats.  Good race and good RR.  Sounds like it was fun.  Your warmup does seem to have been really short, but I guess it worked.  I expect walking down to the start helped you loosen up too.  Maybe the board should try each other’s warmup routines before non-goal races - have you try darkwave’s and her yours, for example.

                   

                  Me:  After my faster-than-planned HMP workout last Sunday, I took a down week because my legs had been tired for a couple of weeks.  It seemed to help some - my easy pace on Thursday and Friday was about 10 sec/mile faster for the same effort than on the corresponding runs earlier in the week.  Also got in two good swims.

                   

                  Sun - 8.7 track miles incl. 2x3 @ what was supposed to be HMGP, 1st 3 @6:37, 3:35 walk/jog rest, 2nd 3 @6:40, so several sec./mile faster than planned;

                  Mon - 4.8 recovery very slow

                  Tues - 6.3 very slow

                  Weds - 45 minutes swimming

                  Thurs - 6.3 miles not quite as slow

                  Fri - 4.8 easy

                  Sat - 44 minutes swimming

                   

                  Total - about 30.9 miles

                  12/26/52-week averages - 39/42/39 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

                  zebano


                    I just gotta say it's really weird that you weeks end on Saturday and not Sunday.

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

                    watsonc123


                      James - nice week.

                       

                      Zebano - I have another half in a week's time that is road, with some small hills.  It is one lap, Mark is running the full which is 2 laps.   I definitely want sub 90 for that.

                      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

                      JamesD


                      JamesD

                        I just gotta say it's really weird that your weeks end on Saturday and not Sunday.

                         

                        I guess the main reason they do is that I'm retired and often have family obligations on Saturday or Sunday, so I usually take off one of those days.  These days it's usually Saturday so I can do a workout Sunday on the high school track that's only open in the early morning during the week.  Whether I'm off Saturday or Sunday, the end of Saturday is a break between a set of two runs (first one long or fast, second one recovery) and a set of three (first one long or fast, second one recovery, third one medium).

                        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

                          James good work.

                           

                          My week below. I was a little sore and sluggish early in the week probably from the strain of the last couple of kms of my 5k Parkrun.

                          Weekly for period: From: 28/09/2020 To 04/10/2020

                          Date Name Distance
                          in km
                          Duration Avg Pace
                          per km
                          Elevation Gain
                          in m
                          28/09/2020 Recovery 10.01 00:53:45 05:22 7
                          29/09/2020 Morning Run 12.03 01:01:01 05:04 8
                          30/09/2020 Morning Run with sluggish tempo 12.01 00:54:03 04:30 9
                          01/10/2020 Morning Run 10.12 00:54:06 05:21 12
                          02/10/2020 Morning Run 12.01 00:54:38 04:33 13
                          04/10/2020 Morning Run 24.55 02:00:01 04:53 70

                          Total distance: 80.74km

                          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 "      

                           

                          Marky_Mark_17


                            JMac / Watson - I'm still not getting ahead of myself.  I've got a goal, I've trained to that goal, and... that's all.

                             

                            Watson - nice RR.  That first hill looked like an absolute beast on the course map, especially on a trail surface.  The numbers looked pretty thin from some of the footage that they posted on Facebook.  Good call on the shoes - on a slowish course with a lot of trail it's just not worth shredding good racing shoes.  You will probably find Wairarapa will feel a lot easier given it's on-road and much flatter, so it was probably great preparation/strength building.

                             

                            James - I like your idea of trying different warm-ups ahead of non-goal races.  Those down weeks can definitely make a big difference for how you feel - I really noticed that this week too.

                             

                            Piwi - another good week, 50 more miles in the can!

                             

                            Me - what a lazy guy, I ran my lightest week of the year so far.  And it was great.  I enjoyed every single run, as opposed to the previous few weeks where it had started to feel like an absolute grind.  A week out from the marathon and it's nice to rediscover that running can be fun and not just a mileage grind.  Even when I had to battle winds so strong they closed the Harbour Bridge on part of Tuesday's run.  I'm thinking I've timed this taper right... the legs are feeling much fresher than last week - not quite there yet, but still a week to go.

                             

                            Race week, here we come!

                             

                            Weekly for period: From: 28/09/2020 To 04/10/2020

                            Date Name Distance
                            in km
                            Duration Avg Pace
                            per km
                            Elevation Gain
                            in m
                            28/09/2020 Easy rollin’ 9.36 00:45:03 04:49 36
                            29/09/2020 Squally 8.15 00:33:05 04:04 36
                            30/09/2020 Fun cruise 7.34 00:34:42 04:44 59
                            01/10/2020 10x1 min on/1 min off 10.71 00:45:03 04:12 23
                            03/10/2020 The only club runner not in Feilding 10.31 00:40:47 03:57 64
                            04/10/2020 1 week to go! 14.31 01:04:33 04:31 164

                            Total distance: 60.17km

                            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"

                            watsonc123


                              Mark - yes, numbers were much lower than the tear before.  I would not wear expensive race shoes for off road as almost all of them have a substantial amount of exposed foam.

                              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

                              darkwave


                              Mother of Cats

                                Good report, Watson.  I was quite amused by how you spoke about the female leaders as if they were acquaintances, and then corrected that you didn't know them at all....

                                 

                                  Maybe the board should try each other’s warmup routines before non-goal races - have you try darkwave’s and her yours, for example.

                                 

                                 

                                Heh - I've tried that.  It's called "showing up late for a race/workout."  And yup, doesn't work for me.

                                 

                                Good call on the pull back week!

                                 

                                Zebano - the second edition of the JD Running Formula has a chart for how to adjust tempo pace for 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, etc.  I can't believe he left that out of the third edition - that chart is tremendously valuable, IMHO.

                                 

                                Piwi - solid week for you!

                                 

                                Marky_Mark - such a great feeling when the taper starts working.  It's like opening up a gift box and realizing there's something nice in it.

                                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.