Forums >Racing>Sub 1:30 Half Marathon in 2019
Intl. correspondent
Jmac - 6:12 to 5:55 is quite the jump, maybe 5:55 was too aggressive for your current fitness.
On completely unrelated news, the Brazilian president tweeted last night asking what is a "Golden shower" (a few hours after posting a video depicting one guy peeing on another dude's head)
PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021
Up next: some 800m race (or time trials) / Also place in the top 20% in a trail race
Tool to generate Strava weekly
RIP Milkman
Ugh, after a post like that, I miss Piwi even more
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Hot Weather Complainer
The Brazilian President sounds awesome.
JMac - Maybe I'm overstating it when I say comfortable. I don't feel like dying and can hold it for 10 mins at a time. The tempo pace I've been running at has been slightly quicker than what I consider HMP - generally 4:05 - 4:10 rather than 4:10 - 4:15. I still have a lot of work to do before I can hold it for 90 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
Steve - 30 mins at HMP is pretty solid in the middle of training especially if it's slightly quicker than your goal HMP. Something like 3x10 minutes with rests is a good way to run it, occasionally my coach has tried 3x15 but I've only ever once successfully finished all 3 reps (even then, the last rep was a little slower). You should find that you've got to work to hit the target pace, but it's not complete misery - although by the end of the last rep you'll be pretty tired - which sound like pretty much where you're at. It's amazing how much a decent taper and race day atmosphere does for your ability to sustain that for the full race.
JMac - maybe you were just having a bit of an off day with that workout? Honestly I've done the same workout a week apart sometimes, had one day where it was just complete suckage, and one where it felt like an absolute cruise.
Flavio - tbh your president probably should've just asked Donald Trump (or maybe they don't get along)
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"
Jmac - Like Mark said, it could also be an off day, or perhaps DOMS from a previous workout. That happened to me a few weeks ago when a very achievable tempo became impossible due to nasty intervals 2 days before.
Steve - I too found it hilarious, it's like those uncles who don't know how to google.
Mark - He's buddy buddy with The Donald
me - the functional training gym is closed this week due to the Carnival holidays and I can't say that I'm missing it. It's nice to have a few extra days to rest.
And that's why I don't usually have rest days cause I know I'll like them too much.
Jmac - I've found in my running career there are just days like that. I don't think it's even just fast paces. Some days, 7:30 pace feels really hard to me and some days, it feels absolutely easy.
flavio - That sounds very presidential coming from our current political climate.
Mark - 30 minutes at HMP is a tough, tough workout. I find during races, the first few miles feels not to bad. Miles like 4-9 are rough. If I'm on a good pace, I can push for the last 4 miles pretty hard as long as I'm within reach of a time goal that's really motivating me.
Me - Been an okay week so far but it's been difficult to get in runs. Missed my workout today because of a work meeting. Maybe I'll get it in tonight otherwise I'll have to bump it to tomorrow. Hoping to average 50 mpw during March which is a pretty busy month for me.
Mark - Good point. Sometimes mid HMP workout I get the usual negative thoughts that I can't hold this for a race. In races I always get to 10km and barely feel it...but that's when the race really starts.
JMac - You're going to get bad workouts now and then when going for it like you are, I wouldn't worry too much. Might just be a sign to have an easy day or 2.
Cobra Commander Keen
CFarr & Mark - Way jealous of that consistency!
JMac - Regarding your nutrition in the sub-3 thread: Have you tried different gels? Maybe SIS or Maurten, which are supposed to be easier on the GI system?Any thoughts/feelings as to why the tempo work isn't working for you this go-round? << Showing my country upbringing with that one.
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
OKC Memorial 5k - April 27
Bun Run 5k - May 4
CK - I have not, and I probably won't for this cycle but will try for CIM. Have you used either? Mark I know you're big on gels too, what have you tried?
Regarding tempos, my guess is that I just haven't done enough work at that pace. With all of my injuries, I've been doing a ton of easy mileage and just skipping LT work. Last cycle, I was doing LT work ALL the time. But I have failed multiple LT work now. It's too late for this cycle, but I think the fact that I'm killing it at MP, getting some LT work but not the right amount, and absolutely bombing anything resembling VO2 max demonstrates I should build my speed base back up this summer. Gonna work on 200/400 reps for a few weeks, then really work on V02 max stuff with LT sprinkled in. I won't even touch MP from mid April until early September.
That's interesting JMac - sounds similar to me for the last few months until recently I seem to have gotten over the hump and can handle tempo and VO2 Max. No idea what changed, except slightly cooler temps one day. Just kept banging my head against the wall until finally I had a good session.
JamesD
JMac- I had success with caffeinated SIS gels at last Saturday's half. I had previously always used caffeinated jelly beans, but I had bad (and early) side stitches in my 15K and my half in 2017, so I followed Mark's lead & got some on Amazon. On Saturday, there were some times I started to feel something in the side stitch area, but it never developed. Drinking more water and less Gatorade beforehand may have helped too, as well as exhaling hard on every 2nd left foot strike whenever I started to feel anything.
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
JMac- I have only used Horleys (cheap local brand I think), Endura and SIS gels. I switched to SIS because they don't need to be taken with water (I believe Maurten are the same) so they were just easier to take with me on long runs and more functional in races too since you don't need to plan fuelling around water stops. Never had any issues with them, aside from the fact they are a little bulkier than some other gels. I haven't tried the caffeinated ones that James has used but I can't imagine they are that different from the regular ones aside from the extra caffeine.
Brent - well I've got 40 minutes of HMP (4x10 mins) coming up on Sunday so we'll see how I handle that! Been a pretty light week so it should be a good tester. And yeah I agree those middle miles are the real slog in a half, you've lost the freshness from the start but it's still too early to figure out where things might end up so you've got to just dig it in and get through the work. I find that 2nd/3rd quarter of a half to be the time where it's best to be running with others as it can provide a good distraction.
Mark - My favorite workout for marathon training was always 60 minutes easy plus 4x12 minutes at LT (pretty close to HMP for you). If you could get through 2 of those workouts in a cycle, you were set. But man did those hurt. Good luck.
JMac - I tried Maurten gels for my last marathon and loved them - I won't be going back to Gu, despite a bit of a cost increase. I figure I can get around that pretty easily by buying when they have a sale (check!) and only using them during races and when specifically practicing race nutrition. Which is basically my approach to other gels, come to think of it.
They don't have an actual flavor - just a bit of a sweet taste. Texture wise, they're a bit like jello that you've "strained" through your teeth - if that makes any sense. For at least the first half of that marathon temps were below freezing, but they didn't solidify like the Gu the guy I was running with was using, which was really nice. Quite easy on the stomach, even when taking them without water. One possible downside is that they don't have any electrolytes in them. I think Flavio may have more experience with the SIS gels.
If you really think you've lost your top-end speed, perhaps it's time for you to make the jump to ultras! Let me know if you need a pacer...
Sorry for being AWOL.
JMac - 12 miles at 6:12 is 1:21 pace. You're going to PR the half. The taper will give you 1:18-1:19. You have nothing to worry about one workout that you did SLIGHTLY worse than expected.
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