Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2019
Hot Weather Complainer
Great work and nice RR, Mark. Reading your description of the race, the course doesn't sound soft at all. Some fast sections, some tougher sections.
Nice work also, watson, that's a very solid time in less than ideal conditions.
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
5 months til Masters
Here is my week...I'll read other's posts shortly....
Day
Distance
Actual Distance
Total Time
Fast Slow Average
Notes
Mon
9
9.01
1:09:02
7:49-7:33 (7:40)
Woke up, threw up, went for run
4
4.03
29:07
7:28-6:58 (7:14)
Sick
Tues
11
11.10
1:17:56
7:25-6:31 (7:02)
3 WU ¼ @1:26 (1:26, 1:31, 1:27, 1:29, 1:25, 1:31, 1:33, 1:28, 1:25, 1:29) 1:28 average…3.1 CD, Sick and felt like crap
Wed
28:00
7:04-6:52 (6:56)
Nice outside, calm, sunny…still have cold
1:06:33
7:51-6:13 (7:23)
Super slow 7 mile with Collegeville, so I hammered the last 2 miles on my own cause I felt the need to just really move
Thur
11.12
1:22:13
7:44-7:07 (7:23)
On a windy, rainy, snowy, cold morning
Fri
11.14
1:18:24
7:06-6:47 (7:02)
Felt super easy. Last stages of cold
Sat
14
14.01
1:32:00
6:42-6:20 (6:34)
On my own, quick but under control
Sun
12
12.01
1:24:14
7:10-6:45 (7:01)
Felt sluggish after yesterday, was very surprised with my time
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
Nice race Mark. Good recap. Embracing the pain at the end is how it should be.
Watson- Frustrating when conditions jack up a race. Keep in on the training and mileage and the times will come. Things line up eventually and then you can crush it. Or run a course with a huge negative incline...(KIDDING MARK).
JamesD
It was windy and quite hot. It's a 9:00am start which is too late this time of year. It was 17-18 C at the start, about 20-21 C at the end.
Watson - ouch, I know the feeling, it's impossible to run well in those conditions ( I guess James would rejoice though haha). The one good thing I find about races in warm weather is that you recover a lot quicker.
Watson - ouch, I know the feeling, it's impossible to run well in those conditions ( I guess James would rejoice though haha).
The one good thing I find about races in warm weather is that you recover a lot quicker.
You laugh, Flavio, but you're right. At my best half, the temperature was 17 C at the start and 19 at the end. If the humidity hadn't been 93%, it would have felt perfect for me, and even with the humidity it wasn't bad.
I haven't noticed quicker recovery in warm weather, but it certainly is easier to warm up quickly, and to stay warmed up for a while without getting stiff. At my best 10K, the race started late, so I had a longer-than-usual gap after the end of my warmup, and I think the 23C temperature helped me stay loose.
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
Flavio - nice week, running 400 repeats in those temperatures is brave!
Steve - cheers, looking at how the race went and especially the first 7km and last 3km, I feel like I would've run a PB on a "legit" course regardless. No doubt Kerikeri is a very fast course but I was only 2 seconds/km behind PB average pace after the first 7km which are all uphill with around 100m of climbing.
Also, spare a thought for the race winner, he ran 1:10:01. That's gotta annoy you.
DPS - nice week, good that you're over whatever bug you had.
Flavio/Watson - yes agree on the faster recovery in warm weather, I've definitely noticed it with summer halves in the half marathon series.
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"
James- What are you doing to work on Hamstring tightness? I have been stretching and using a foam roller but still having tightness sitting in my chair all day. Any suggestions?
Intl. correspondent
James - yeah, so us normal warm blooded folk tend to run much slower in warm weather (anything above 15c really/59F). As a result the impact on the body is also not the same. For instance earlier this year I ran 2 5K races not that far from each other, first one 18:12 in 12C and the second one was a short course, but it'd be around 19 minutes, and it was 19C I believe. And I was way more tired and sore after the first one, even though I certainly suffered more on the warm one.
Mark - actually they were 800 repeats, 400 were the jogs. That was certainly more manageable than a full tempo, which I'll certainly have down the line. Hopefully my fitness will have improved by then.
You were redlining the last 2k, that's perfect execution (I'm looking at you Keen )
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
Wow, Mark. Race sounds awesome! Good for you. I agree with Steve that despite the downhill, it doesn't seem like it was a cake walk. Well deserved PR! It was funny reading all the banter about PRs; I've never thought too hard about whether it was legit or not. If I ran a good time, I accepted it! Except for the time I ran a 17:58 5K; I didn't have a Garmin at the time, but I am damn sure that the course had to be short. I've never claimed that time as a PR even though some people told me I should.
I had a solid week. After reading the new Daniels book and thinking about some of the advice from here, in addition to seeing all the great running you guys produce, I've just been trying to log some easy miles. I managed to hit 34 miles this week, and none of my niggles are acting up - yay! I didn't do any specific work-out this week, with the club or otherwise, and don't plan to start doing work-outs until 18 weeks out from goal HM. That will bring me to mid January. So, I'm hoping that I build a really strong base. By mid January I'll have about 3 months of base.
Though I didn't do any specific work-outs, on one of my runs this week I felt good so I did a bit of a progression, getting down to 7 minute pace on my last mile. And I wasn't straining at all. My main objective was to keep my breathing totally under control and to slow my legs if necessary in order to keep my breathing in check. It felt really good. Hopefully that's a sign of base starting to kick in. I also added about 5 strides after 2 of my runs this week.
800m: 2:20.3 (2015) | 1 Mile: 5:13 (2016) | 5K: 18:32 (2010) | 10km: 39:55 (2012) | HM: 1:28 (2013)
Mark - Great report. I love reading about competitive aspects.
DPS- Nice week
Me - Decent week. 47 miles in 6 runs.
Monday. - 6 miles easy roads
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 8.4 miles with some tempo, roads. Tempo miles were about 6:15-6:20. Thursday - 5.6 miles easy roads
Friday - 5.5 miles easy TM
Saturday- 13.1 miles easy roads with 10x 40-45 seconds hard on the miles
Sunday - 8.5 miles trails. Lots of climbing
dps - I may not be the best source of advice, as my hamstring problems have lingered for 18 months now and seem to flare up after hill workouts and longer races. On the other hand, they've pretty much been stable for the last 14 months and have only cost me one or two runs over that time. I'm not sure if tightness is my issue, or my only one anyway, as a lot of the time mine feel sore but not particularly tight - that is, the pain is more generalized and my running motion isn't limited. Sometimes the soreness moves from my hamstring up into my glute and back during a run, and when I stretch, range of motion is definitely limited. All that said, I foam roll before & after runs and always run my first mile slower than average. I don't stretch much, only gently right after a run. I had them dry needled once during my layoff last year, but that didn't seem to help. Flavio recommended some exercises several months ago that I've been remiss about doing; will try to find the link.
Mark - I read a few years back that because uphills hurt more than downhills help, a good way to get a handle on how much a course's elevation profile helps or hurts is to double the total ascents and subtract the descents. Sounds like your course wouldn't seem quite as favorable using that method, with the significant uphills at the start.
another good week for me coming just under 40 miles at 39.4 for the week my avg. for the last 4 weeks has me at 36.7 per week
Mon 4.4
Tue off
Wed 5.2
Thur 6.2
Fri off
Sat 8.5
Sun 15
Continuing to build my base I worked in a few strides and a 1 tempo mile within my 15 mile run yesterday.
Mark Nice Race report nice way to cap off a successful year
Watson tough conditions can't believe the race started at 9am thats a bit late.
James, DPS nice week
Flavio another nice week by you. Nice work on the buffet too!
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)
James and DPS - sometimes the hamstring "tightness" is not really tightness at all. Sometimes the sensation of tightness is due to constant pulling of the hamstring on it's attachment at the ischial tuberosity (the "Sit bone"). This can happen due to tightness and/or weakness of the anterior muscles - tight hip flexors pull the pelvis forward, weak core can't compensate, weak glutes can't compensate; the unchecked forward tilt of the pelvis due to weakness and tightness of various muscles puts excessive strain on the hamstrings. Overtime, this constant pulling can contribute to the development of high hamstring tendinopathy -- long term damage of the tendon that attaches the hamstring to the ischial tuberosity. This link explains it nicely: https://www.velopress.com/quad-heavy-glute-lite-runners-overstride-heres-stop/
So in addition to the suggestions in the link above for strengthening/isolating glutes, runners should make sure they are correctly stretching their quads. And eccentric work should be done on the hamstring to help with elongation of the tendon.
RIP Milkman
Paul - I saw your run on Strava, that was some unbelievable climbing! I cannot imagine climbing a hill like that. I would just collapse at the top and roll on down on the way back.
Corey - I think you're good to start doing workouts soon, you've been base building for a long time and it looks very successful.
Kimba - base building will serve you well. People are too obsessed with getting speed work in, but coming back from injury, you are going to do very well with just easy running. Work in strides 3 days a week. If you're bored, hop into a 5K just to mix things up. If you get that good base in, Daniels will get you into HM shape quickly.
DPS - you need to add a weekly total, asking us to do arithmetic is too much
Flavio - "Way to go Mark, you're on a roll!!!" --> I see what you did there
Keen - looked like a tough day at the office this morning. It's hard sometimes to tell with the hills you run on, but it looked like the pace suffered at the end of those T sections.
Me - week 1 of taper, although this isn't a real taper just yet. I'm more of an exponential taper guy. Anyway, T pace has been great lately, even though my legs feel like complete trash, as well as Easy pace being about 30 seconds faster than it was when I was in the middle of the buildup, so that's an excellent sign that it's time to go get 2:3X.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Cobra Commander Keen
DPS - 5 miler in the middle of a 90 mile week? How's that work?I was excited to get to run a 5k Thursday but it looks like it's not going to happen with the travel schedule.
Mark - Crushed it!! Congrats, man. Looking forward to getting through the RR.
Watson - Nice result with the heat and lack of solid training. I don't do well in the heat either.
Flavio - Nice week. That's a big step up in intensity with those temperature differences. You have "pay be weight" buffets? Here in America they're almost all "all you can eat"! Oh, and I'll execute better on the next half!
Kimba - I like your plan of base-building with the easy miles with some strides every so often and maybe even the odd informal workout when you're feeling it.
JMac - Nice week. The workout was a bit off what I would have wanted given good conditions, but I've missed so much sleep since Thursday night (sick kiddo in bed with me) that I'm pretty darn tired all the time and so am happy with the workout considering that.
Me: I miss the RWOL import tool...M: 16 (20 min T, 15 min T, 4.5E, 10 min T), 3.15 easy doubleT: 11 easy plus 3.15 easy doubleW: 11 easy plus 3.15 easy doubleTh: 12.5 easy plus 3.15 easy doubleFr 4 easySa: 20.5Su: 2.5 easy90.45 total
EVERYONE in my house is getting sick - except me, so far. DD1 & 2 were sick the previous weekend and missed a couple days of school, then DD2 woke up with an ear infection Thursday night and DD3 woke up with Croup. Missed a planned workout Friday because of this and took off work to take DD 2 & 3 to the doctor. DD2 is better, DD3 is still fighting it, and DW woke up with a really scratchy/weak sounding voice this morning. I hate that all my girls are getting sick and thankful that I'm not, but if it's going to happen please let it happen before Dallas!
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
Kimba- thanks. Looking into your suggestions.
Jmac- 85-86 miles last week
Keen- yea....I likely won't break 30 min...I am going to race it and see how it goes, but realistically if I am at mile 3 and 20 min, I will just use it as a tempo and go gorge myself on food.