Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2019 (Read 641 times)

    Now that the days are starting to get slightly longer here in Belfast (and I can see the sun starting to rise behind my house when I come back from my morning run) the cold is starting. This morning I went for a 8 mile run with some fartlek, but I ended up almost ice skating. Temperatures below zero and freezing mornings will now become my running routine for the next couple of months...

    I hope to get through consistently and keep my miles up ...

     

    Steve, I hear you... I hate moving house, so much that, when my landlord sold the house I was renting, I decided to buy it Smile I have been in this house for almost 7 years now... the longest I have been in a single house in my life !

    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:  

    ???

    flavio80


    Intl. correspondent

      I don’t mind moving at all.

      The last time we moved I brought everything with 6 Uber rides. Granted we only rent furnished apartments.

      I rent because the money at the bank generates an income higher than the rental cost.

       

      On the running front Tuesday’s workout left me well depleted and so did today’s. I guess it’s okay so long as I recover before the next workout. I'm honestly surprised I've been able to handle these workouts, though it's definitely early to say anything for sure.

      This block of 2 weeks already has a higher volume so I'll have to see how I handle the increased volume.

      The good thing is that my training plan has only 2 weeks so I only have to think about 2 weeks at a time.

       

      On the nutrition front, I have good news to report. I have delayed my lunch break from 11:30 to 12:30 and now I’m not as hungry in the afternoon, in fact yesterday I was not hungry at all.

       

      MJ - What does your nickname "Fil DC" mean? I'm assuming it's not DC as in Washington DC?

       

      Jmac/Piwi - We keep hearing Mark say "consistency is key", however he's indestructible, he could sprint at a wall and I bet the wall would yield. Christ his only injury was when he dropped a weight on his big toe.

      So the secret is we have to pretend he does not exist  Then we'll stop trying to run ourselves into the ground 

      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

      flavio80


      Intl. correspondent

        I forgot to mention, now every Thursday I'm doing some sort of Fartlek variation.

        These Fartleks are super fun.

        First of all they're all 1K based so I don't have to do manual laps.

        Also they're great to break monotony during the run.

        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

           

          Corey - that shutdown sure seems to be dragging on.  Sucks that it impacted your race (although it probably sucks more for the workers that aren't getting paid!).

          yeah it does seem to be dragging on and yes there is no question it sucks way worse for those who are not working and earning a paycheck or working with no pay.

          PR's

          1m  5:38 (2018)

          5k    19:59 (2019)

          HM  1:33:56 (2018)

          FM  3:23:07 (2018)

          CommanderKeen


          Cobra Commander Keen

            Strava splits - I thought you had to look at the website and have a paid membership in order to separate manual splits from the standard mile or km laps.

            I agree with Watson re: Steve's pre-move run. Perhaps it's just because I tend to only move in extreme weather conditions (above 100F/37.7C and humid, or well below 32F/0C and snowing), but I've always skipped runs the days I've moved.

             

            Flavio - I really like the "delayed meal" approach you mentioned, I do something similar - it just really fits with my running/work/family schedules.
            It's incredible to me that renting can work out better for you. Around here it's not uncommon for an (unfurnished, which is the norm) rental for even an apartment to be 1.5x what I pay for my mortgage and insurance. House rental can be 2x or more.
            Sounds like you're really doing the "hard days hard, easy days easy" thing. I'm certainly curious to see how well you do on this.


            Shutdown - Keeping all politics out of this, I view the furlough of some government employees the same as I do people who work the oil and gas industry around my home area (discounting the whole private vs taxpayer pay thing). In oil and gas there are booms and busts depending on markets, etc. Work and money can be really good at times, but when the industry slows down lots of those jobs can just evaporate overnight. They'll come back eventually, but in the mean time those workers have to find something else to do and they better have tucked some savings away to help. Same thing with the government jobs. They're really consistent most of the time, but there's always the chance that a budget won't be agreed upon and some of those jobs go away for a while.


            Hill sprints this morning! The roads pretty slippery thanks to mist blowing in, but it didn't seem to affect things much - I did just about roll my good ankle by nearly stepping into a pothole, though. Overall I think the workout felt pretty solid. Not stellar, not "bleh" like the strides yesterday, but solid.

            5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

             

            Upcoming Races:

             

             

            flavio80


            Intl. correspondent

              Keen - that's not a fair comparison. You need to compare money in a real estate investment (which is a high risk and low liquidity affair) versus money invested in something else, like a savings account. Mortgage monthly stipend alone is irrelevant without taking into consideration interest rates, how many years you are in for etc.

              A simple savings account here in Brazil profits 0.5% per month due to our very known high interest rates. That's higher than rent vs property value ration, so even if you invest in a savings account which is almost the lowest risk investment available it's still worth it.

              Also, a mortgage in Brazil will make you pay 3x the property price over 25 years which is the usual duration, and that 2x the property price that you paid in interest is going away just as much as rent.

              Financially speaking of course and using Brazil as a frame of reference.

              I understand the interest rate is way, way lower in the US so this concept might be alien to many of you.

              We're also not talking about the comfort of having your own place and making things your own way (custom fit furniture and the like).

              In my case, I've kept my career earnings over the last 2 years in USD because I trust Trump blindly as compared to how much I trust our own president 

              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

              CommanderKeen


              Cobra Commander Keen

                Flavio - Fair point regarding interest rates (and the low ones in savings accounts here). 30 year mortgages are more the norm here. When I did mine interest rates were low enough that it doesn't make sense for me to pay extra against the loan principal to shorten the duration since that money will bring higher returns elsewhere.
                And what a coincidence, I've kept all my earnings in USD as well! Now if only the spot price on silver would drop to $10USD/oz or below...

                5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

                 

                Upcoming Races:

                 

                 

                watsonc123


                  In NZ, interest rates are quite low (4-6%) with high house prices.  For a lot of people it is almost impossible to buy.

                  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

                  SteveChCh


                  Hot Weather Complainer

                    It's been a long road for me to buy but so happy I've finally done it, and love the new house.

                     

                    A lot of people seem to think their first house should be their dream house.  When I hear about the struggles my parents and grandparents went through it seems ridiculous what people expect now.  Mum was telling me interest rates were 18% when they had their first mortgage!  And they spent so much on building that they sat on beer crates for a year.

                    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

                    Marky_Mark_17


                       

                      Jmac/Piwi - We keep hearing Mark say "consistency is key", however he's indestructible, he could sprint at a wall and I bet the wall would yield. Christ his only injury was when he dropped a weight on his big toe.

                      So the secret is we have to pretend he does not exist  Then we'll stop trying to run ourselves into the ground 

                       

                      Not quite true... I did have some pretty painful ITB issues a year or so ago.  I honestly thought that was going to need some time off but luckily it sorted itself out.

                       

                      Steve - congrats, I didn't realise it was your first house purchase!!  Definitely not easy with house prices as they are in NZ at the moment. You are dead right that we have it pretty lucky compared to how our parents had it.  I can remember most of our summers when I was little, Dad was building or fixing something around the house.

                      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"

                      JMac11


                      RIP Milkman

                        Yes, now we're moving from Black Scholes to mortgage math and commodities! All aboard the nerd express!

                         

                        Mark - What's the longest time you've lost to a running injury? Oh what's that, 1-2 days? Okay, case closed. You are a robot.

                         

                        Steve - We have our mortgage at 3.5%. I can't believe people paid 15%+, no wonder homes have gone up so much in value!

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

                         

                         

                        SteveChCh


                        Hot Weather Complainer

                          3.5%!  That's great.  Ours is 4% which is still very good.

                           

                          Speaking on injuries, I was doing weights this morning and one of them fell off the chair and landed about a foot from my foot...clearly trying to emulate the fallen dictator of the thread.

                          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

                          CommanderKeen


                          Cobra Commander Keen

                            Steve - Glad you love the house! And glad the weight didn't get your foot. 
                            18% on a mortgage?? WOW!
                            I don't know anyone who could make their first house their dream house. Lots of people I know have champagne taste and a beer budget regarding that (and many other things).
                            My first one certainly wasn't a dream home, but it was the house we needed. Long story short: DW and I were looking at one house in a neighborhood the morning one down the street went up for sale. Didn't love the one we looked at, so we checked out the new one on a whim. Liked the layout, but literally nothing had been changed in the house in the 30+ years it had been there. The only plus was that the woman selling it just wanted it gone (husband had just passed and she was moving out) so she priced it well under market value. We snatched it up, made some updates, and profit when we sold really helped move us to where we are now. Still not in a dream home, but the schools are better here.

                            5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22

                             

                            Upcoming Races:

                             

                             

                              Whoops Im in the Real Estate forum..........

                               

                              Nothing better than owning your own home but so expensive here now I worry for my kids. We are in our 2nd home which we built 20 years ago. I vowed never to move my kids around too much which my parents did every 2 to 3 years and I was always starting new schools, never mind a new country too.

                              Our 1st home was 2 bedroom and tiny and in a rough neighbourhood. We made just enough on it in 2 years to sell and move up a level.

                              Im not rich but have done it all on my income so my wife can be a stay at home Mum. Our home has increased in value by over 400% in that time.

                               

                              Ok back to running....

                              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


                                 

                                Speaking on injuries, I was doing weights this morning and one of them fell off the chair and landed about a foot from my foot...clearly trying to emulate the fallen dictator of the thread.

                                 

                                That was actually exactly how it happened.  I left a weight on a bench and took my eyes off it and it rolled off and on to my big toe.  At first I was like 'eh, it's not sore, it can't be that bad'.  Then I touched the top of my shoe and there was a whole lot of blood and I was like 'uh, that ain't good'.

                                 

                                Funnily enough it was my first day back from holiday and I went straight from the gym to the A&E, so I didn't end up back at work for another week.

                                 

                                I might not have had a lot of injuries but I reckon that one just about takes the cake for stupidity!

                                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"