Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2019
Wind is not my friend.
DP - we’ve all had those races that just fall apart. I’ve never done a 15K so I really don’t have any words of wisdom for that. Nice effort and definitely some good lessons learned this time out. I’m sure will be a much more satisfactory race report after the half!
"Current" PRs
5K - 18:00 (4/19) | HM - 1:19:28 (4/22)
Next Race: A 5K of some sort (Goal: Sub 17:30)
JamesD
JMac- Great job under those conditions! Always nice to take down a PR, and the conditions mean that you can look forward to taking it down again next time.
DP - If your race started at 8, waking up at 6:15 would have been too late for me. Even though I run in the morning, it takes me a while to get awake enough to race, and I usually like to get up 3 hours before the start. That might fit in with your plan for a bigger breakfast.
Another decent week for me, 40 miles with a 12-mile long run & a short tempo. Legs felt a little less tired than last week and had fewer niggles, mainly just soreness on the top of my left foot. Had the same problem once several years ago, & it went away after a while. Was a little surprised the second mile of my tempo was 5 seconds slower than the first, as the effort felt similar, but it’s probably not a big deal.
Sun - off
Mon - 12.4 miles easy @8:25
Tues - 6.2 easy very slow
Weds - 32 minutes swimming
Thurs - 7.2 including 2 @6:34
Fri - 6.2 easy
Sat - 8.1 easy
Total - 40.1 miles
12-week average - 32 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
5 months til Masters
James- You're right. I think eating 3 hours and normal meal size is where I'll end up.
Group- I'm open to race morning meal ideas. What do you do?
2023 Goals
Marathon Sub 2:37 (CIM) 2:41:18
10k Sub 35:00 (Victory 10k 34:19)
5k Sub 16:00 (Hot Dash 5k in March (16:48), Brian Kraft in May (16:20), Twilight 5000 in July and August (16:20/16:25 Both heat index 102-103F)
Sub 1:16 Half Marathon City of Lakes Half Marathon 1:15:47)
Sub 56:30 in 10 mile (Twin Cities 10 mile, Canceled due to weather, 56:35 as a workout)
2024 Goals
Sub 2:37 Marathon
Sub 1:15 Half
Sub 34 10k
Sub 16 5k
James - good week.
DP - you'll benefit from having raced, even if you were a few minutes slower than hoped.
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
Hot Weather Complainer
Sorry for my absence, but with not much to report except frustration and false starts I just can't face it! I may be close to returning to proper training but I just don't know - it seems fine some days then terrible other days even without having attempted a run.
JMac - great work on the PR, especially in warm conditions.
DP - I get up 3 hours before a race too, and will eat a reasonable breakfast but stop water and food intake about 2 hours out. I might have a banana in the last 30-45 mins.
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
Intl. correspondent
dps - Great race! I have different theories for the result.
I don't think you lacked energy due to lack of food. You simply ran too fast for your fitness in the beginning. You bonked.
As for the inner clock, do notice we can develop an inner clock for effort, not pace. In your race you had a varying terrain, most likely the ground was not completely smooth, I'm assuming you had to negotiate pot holes, small undulations on the ground etc. That takes away from your top speed, possibly the reason you spent a lot more energy than expected in the first half.
I hope you enjoyed your race, these different races are always fun especially if you can race for position rather than time.
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
RIP Milkman
I agree with Flavio on the 15K race. Sure, a full breakfast helps, but you can easily run a half marathon without anything in the system.
James - soreness on top of foot can sometimes be a stress fracture, but if you haven't ramped up mileage quickly, it's usually nothing. I've had those before and they go away as you said.
Kiwi - No that time was relatively recent, but you're right that I've been stuck at 17:50-18:00 for 3 years. Feels good to finally get that breakthrough.
Corey - good to see you back at it! I think you should follow my usual approach to returning from a big injury, which is to keep mileage steady for 3 weeks at a time before moving up 5MPW. I went on your Strava and saw that you really haven't run over 20 miles in a week in months at this point, so I would just stay at 20 MPW for August, then bump up to 25 MPW for September, etc. It can be frustratingly slow, but the most important thing is consistency, not getting back to 40+ quickly and then injuring yourself again.
Me - I will get to a race report this week at some point, as it's required given the PR for me. I'm not around this weekend, but the conditions look damn near perfect for a 5K. So annoyed I'm missing out, but I'll take one final crack at this sub 17 in 2 weeks. After that, it's 1.5 weeks off for a vacation before getting into marathon training. Not sure I'll get a chance to race a 5K during my cycle as I'd rather run a 10K and half marathon. If I end my running career without hitting sub 17, it's not the end of the world. I barely broke 19:00 in HS XC, so I'm very proud of how far I've come at 32, which is not young for the 5K distance! The top 5 at this race I just ran, besides me, were all in high school...
I was going to run a long run today, but woke up with my calves feeling crazy tight, so I didn't want to push it and decided to take the day off. I'll get back to 60+ this week. Going to go for a run at 8K feet (2.4KM) this weekend, should be fun!
Weekly SummaryMonday, Jul 29, 2019 thru Sunday, Aug 04, 2019
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
JMac - good call to take Sunday off. I often find after a race, I feel good and could go a double. But then at night and the next day, get knocked around.
DP - When I'm racing, I wake up 3 hours before start time and immediately eat a bagel with peanut butter and half a banana and drink a shot of concentrated beet juice plus a cup or so of water. I also swallow one or two caffeinated SIS gels an hour before start time.
Steve - In case it encourages you, I was out for 3 months last year with upper hamstring trouble (swam and pool-ran 3x/week), and set a half PR 6-1/2 months after starting back again. I took two months to work my way gradually back to 35 mpw, all easy, and then stayed around 33-40 mpw and added some short tempos and 1200s. I still had some hamstring soreness/pain when I started back (and still do a year later if I push too hard or try to run hills), but it gradually diminished. Being gradual/cautious both over time and within each run was the key, and I've noticed that since the injury, it seems to help if I start runs slowly and take two or three miles to get up to speed.
Piwi - nice week
Watson - nice week. Where are the Wellington Road Champs? Last year's course threw up some really fast times. Or maybe that's just because Welly has a lot of very quick runners.
JMac / Watson - certified course trumps GPS!
Flavio - I saw those 300's and thought they looked pretty sharp!
Corey - good to see you are back in action!
DPS- yeah the change of time can be a real factor if you're used to running at a totally different time of day. 15k is kind of a tough distance too, I'd imagine it's a tough one to pace. The humidity really sucks for any distance but particularly anything longer than 10k.
James - nice week
Steve - bugger. I've seen the odd run on Strava and hoped things might be improving.
Me - down in Wanaka on holiday for the next few days. It was flippin' cold this morning even with long sleeves and gloves, but catching the sunrise over the lake and fresh snow on the mountains was pretty awesome. I love it down here but we haven't been down here for 3 years.
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"
Cfarr good to see you back running and taking it carefully.
Flavio nice middle distance training week
Jmac if its any consolation my lifetime goal is to get back into the 17s . You are a 16 min runner though and in another class. I get tight calves after 5k pace too.
DP I agree with Flavs and Jmacca, fuelling for a 15k isnt crucial. The day before is probably more important to get hydrated and fed. The morning before I go with 2 pieces of toast and honey or jam and a coffee or 2.
5 weeks at 70 mpw is great but still shy of enough base for endurance. You are fast but still need a few more months of base. And humidity will hurt no doubt. Dont get down about it and onwards to the next one
Mark nice cold snap for your winter escape. Its even only 9c here today. I see you getting on the top 10 on some segments even without trying !
Steve hang in there. Mine still gives the odd ache after tempo or hills so I know Im not totally clear yet.
Watson go watchless. I reckon it will be a good experiment.
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 "
Yeah I'm thinking of going watch-less. Champs are in Wanuiomata.
It was cold here this morning. There was trace of snow on the ground at home (not in Wellington city though as that was several degrees warmer).
great week for many!
JMac- Great job on your PR under those conditions! Sure you have more to come!!
DP - well done on your race! thanks for the report , great learning points
Flavio - you are really doing great! Those 300 were impressive! Mid distance PR are on the horizon for you
I am struggling with a lot of stuff to do for work, and some time I need to dedicate to my family, I cannot always find the time and motivation to run hard or enough. I am not loosing too much yet so I am hoping to get a break from work and get things right for my HM at the end of September.
I went 1 week in North Carolina for work two weeks and missed the long run, so only 28 miles for me... On a positive note from that week, I did a great 7 miles with 4 miles fartlek. I really enjoyed it.
Then last week I got 41 miles with a couple of good days and an interval session with 5X800 at 3'/3'05'', with 200 mt. jog in between.
Now I have a week in which I will find it difficult to go running. Let's see how it will go
hope you have a great Week !
Marco
PRs since re-started in 2013:
5km: 19:43 (Belfast park run Sep-16) | 10km: 40:16 (Belfast Lagan side 10K Sep-18)
HM: 1:30:09 (Belfast city Half Marathon, September-18) | FM: 3:25:05 (official chip time Belfast city Marathon, May-19, marathon was 0.3/4 longer, original time 3:27:20 for 26.5/6...)
Upcoming races:
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Steve - don't fight it. The best you can do right now is to find a gym and do a lot of strength training. That will keep you busy, give you something to strive for, and it will net you enormous benefit once you're ready to re-start running, especially core strength.
Though make sure there's a coach helping you out, so that you can progress quicker.
Steve - don't fight it. The best you can do right now is to find a gym and do a lot of strength training. That will keep you busy, give you something to strive for, and it will net you enormous benefit once you're ready to re-start running, especially core strength. Though make sure there's a coach helping you out, so that you can progress quicker.
Steve - follow this man's advice. When we are running full time, we don't find enough time to do strength training. When you're injured, it gives you all the time in the world to do that. Plus, it's the best prevention in my experience for future injury. Also, see my advice to Corey above for when you do return.