Forums >Racing>The Waltons aka Advanced Half Marathon Training Thread - 2022 edition
Fred - Hang in there, I think it's normal to have a lull after a big high. While last week was the most down I've ever felt after a race, I've also felt a bit of a lull after a great result. You build up for so long, and after a few days there's a bit of "now what?" and "do I have to go again?" I also find when I'm looking forward to seeing a band for months that the next day I feel a bit down that something I wanted for so long is over. Always good to plan another race or book another gig or holiday so you have something to look forward to. The exception is when it's like it was for me last week. Definitely too soon to plan a new one. I know next Tuesday I'm going to be feeling the down side of a big event - all our gig cancellations and postponements that were rescheduled are catching up. Next weekend I've got Blindspott on Saturday night then Kings of Leon on Sunday and Monday. It's going to be absolutely epic!
Fred - Hang in there, I think it's normal to have a lull after a big high. While last week was the most down I've ever felt after a race, I've also felt a bit of a lull after a great result. You build up for so long, and after a few days there's a bit of "now what?" and "do I have to go again?" I also find when I'm looking forward to seeing a band for months that the next day I feel a bit down that something I wanted for so long is over. Always good to plan another race or book another gig or holiday so you have something to look forward to. The exception is when it's like it was for me last week. Definitely too soon to plan a new one.
I know next Tuesday I'm going to be feeling the down side of a big event - all our gig cancellations and postponements that were rescheduled are catching up. Next weekend I've got Blindspott on Saturday night then Kings of Leon on Sunday and Monday. It's going to be absolutely epic!
I always have more races planned. Right now, I have 6 races on the calendar through April, ranging from 5k to halves, and I'm very close to registering for a 10k next Sunday. Plus, of course, the NY marathon 13 months from now.
Enjoy the shows.
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:57 (11/22); 10k 49:24 (10/22); Half 1:48:32 (10/22)Upcoming race(s): Federal Twist 10k, 6/3; NYC Marathon, 11/6/23
Thanks, James, and good idea about the joint races. In the meantime, it's not so much that I have no enthusiasm for runs as it is the runs I do fall short of what I want them to be. I think you may be on to something with the trail run. I may try that this weekend.
I agree with Steve. After my bigger races I've often been pretty smashed for a week or two after. I remember after that infamous Omaha half back in March (the one with the sprint finish where I REALLY emptied the tank), I was pretty wrecked for a week after that. Don't pressure yourself and just give the body some time to recover. A trail run is a great idea.
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: Xterra Waitawa, 21 May, didn't die
Up next: Xterra Hunua, 11 June, also aiming to not die
"CONSISTENCY IS KING"
Intl. correspondent
James - she needs to create a custom workout see https://www.imore.com/how-create-custom-workout-your-apple-watch
PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021
Up next: Base building till August
Oct 1st - World Half Marathon Champs in Riga - Latvia - sub 1:21:59 PR
Dec 3rd - Valencia Marathon - sub 2:59
April 2024 - Porto Eco Trail - Finish the damn thing.
Tool to generate Strava weekly
JamesD
Thanks, Flavio. Unfortunately, her watch apparently uses an OS older than watchOS9, which is when the article says the custom workout feature was included. Still looking. Maybe we can find a non-Apple app online.
Post-1987 PRs: Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)
'23 Goals: health; consistency; age-graded PRs; half < 1:30
This is when you come in and gift her a brand new apple watch 😁
I supposed there might be a paid app for that, I know there are a couple for Wear OS.
I found it bizarre that there was no free custom workouts app for wear OS, I even briefly considered writing my own app.
These watches definitely don't target the serious runner
This is when you come in and gift her a brand new apple watch 😁 I supposed there might be a paid app for that, I know there are a couple for Wear OS. I found it bizarre that there was no free custom workouts app for wear OS, I even briefly considered writing my own app. These watches definitely don't target the serious runner
She's still learning the capabilities of her current watch, so she'd probably consider a new one more of a hassle than a benefit. Neither of us tend to want the latest & greatest stuff. My laptop is 8+ years old, I use a flip phone, and my car is older than our university-age son; she's not quite as Amish but is similar. I found a few free apps online that seemed like they would work. Downloaded the simplest one, and we just need to make sure it works away from her phone. Some of them look like they would be good for serious runners too, but they use lots more memory than the simple one.
I seem to have recovered a little better from my 5K two weeks ago than I did after my late-August one, though it still has taken longer than I’d like. Lengthened my longer runs a bit. I have a ways to go if I want to do a half in five weeks; haven't run 13 since April. Looking forward to supporting DW at a 5K next Saturday.
Sun - 6.2 miles very slow treadmill (72 minutes) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 mins
Mon - 10.1 miles in park @ 8:36
Tues - 34 minutes swimming
Weds - 11.2 rainy miles in park @ 8:45
Thurs - 6.2 miles very slow treadmill (72 minutes) + 0:40 walk breaks/6 mins
Fri - 8.3 in park @ 8:32
Sat - 42 minutes swimming
Total - 42.0 miles
YTD Average - 35.1 mpw
Three weeks to go until Nelson HM and this week was a big confidence builder. Managed a big tempo workout on Wed (20 min, 2 x 3k) at HM effort - coach put the workout up saying "aim for around 3:30/km or a bit quicker" and I thought she was nuts. Anyways I tried to hit a reasonable HM effort thinking it might be around 3:35-3:40/km and the pace came out surprisingly quick - around 3:30/km. I guess coach knows a thing or two, about a thing or two. It was a massive improvement after absolutely struggling through a much shorter and slower tempo workout the previous week. I'm not expecting miracles at Nelson given the limited training window but at least now I feel like I should be able to put in a reasonable effort.
Mark nice job on the tempo, looks like you have bounced back nicely.
James I've noticed older apple watches give a terrible gps track when I've checked others on strava.
Nice week.
Fred it could be that now your fitness is at a level where your half marathon is run near lactic threshold so you require a bit more recovery.
Most of us have a pretty blah week after a half. I usually have DOMS for a few days after.
Bike rides for me this week all at an honest effort. They've left me with a sore ankle and hips as my body isn't used to it.
My pelvic pain is completely gone and even if I push on the area I feel nothing.
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 "
James I've noticed older apple watches give a terrible gps track when I've checked others on strava. Nice week.
This won't be an issue for DW, as she doesn't care about exact distance. All she wants is for the watch to tell her when every 5 minutes and then 1 minute have passed so she and her friend can change from running to walking & back. The goal is just for her friend to finish, and if that takes over 40 minutes, that's fine. My main concern is for myself, as I'm cheering them on and the forecast is for temperatures not far above freezing, At least they'll be moving. The race starts & ends at our nearby Y, and we're members, so maybe I'll spend the middle 30 minutes in there.
A slow week for me with less than 20 miles for the first time in a while. Thanks for the encouragement and understanding. I think I'm finally shaking myself out of it. I ran the last mile of today's run a bit harder and it felt decent. I'm leaning very much towards racing a 10k next weekend to see if I can run the distance in under 50 minutes (which the calculators suggest I can do based on my recent half). Sorry for not getting to shout-outs. I'm still dragging a bit after 4 late nights in the past 5 days (including the culmination last night when I got to play my contrabassoon in a community orchestra performing Brahms' Symphony #1, one of my favorite works).
A slow week for me with less than 20 miles for the first time in a while. Thanks for the encouragement and understanding. I think I'm finally shaking myself out of it. I ran the last mile of today's run a bit harder and it felt decent. I'm leaning very much towards racing a 10k next weekend to see if I can run the distance in under 50 minutes (which the calculators suggest I can do based on my recent half).
So you're thinking of going for a 10K PR only two weeks after your half PR, then another half a week after that? I know each of us is different, but that seems like it would aggravate the risk of burnout. You might want to consider doing the 10K (since it's a new goal and would allow you to use your fitness from the half PR) but then skipping the next weekend's half.
Or you could try to do the half in a different way to break up the routine - maybe make it a progression run with the first 3 miles slow and each 3 miles faster than the previous ones, or alternate between fast and slow miles, or something like that. Something that would give you a training benefit but wouldn't have the emotional drain of yet another PR attempt. Others may have ideas.
The half in two weeks serves two purposes - 1) my fall "backup" race in case the first one didn't go well and 2) checking off another race in my quest to run all the halves in NJ. With #1 not needed, I don't have to run it all out.
Interesting proposition, though. As I've become more adept at running halves, and my training allows me to go faster and harder, perhaps I can not longer manage the kind of turnaround I've been able to do in the past?
Hot Weather Complainer
Fred - I agree with James. I think you're going too close to the sun with these plans, given you're running at paces you've never run before. If it was me I wouldn't do the half or the 10km so soon after a half PR, but if the half is a race you're keen on, just do it as a workout of some type. Save the 10km for when you're a bit more rested - you can definitely get that sub 50. I understand your thinking of wanting to cash in though.
5km: 18:53 12/22 │ 10km: 40:49 2/22 │ HM: 1:27:32* 5/22 │ M: 3:35:02 10/22
*Net Downhill. Flat course PR: 1:29:25 6/16
Upcoming Races:
Selwyn Marathon June 4, 2023
Hagley Park Run July 1 and August 12, 2023 (threshold Check ins)
Canterbury Road Running Champs 10km August 26, 2023
Run Prix Half Marathon (Melbourne) September 24, 2023
Fred - I'm the last person to be giving advice on racing too much - as that's exactly what I did this year! However, it is fun to enter races, and I think a lot of us and making up for a long period of non-racing. Good luck with whatever path you choose!
Seems I've made a decision to run the Christchurch marathon in April next year. Looks like there's a big crew from my hometown of Wellington going down to run it, so that'll make it an experience (as if my first marathon isn't an experience enough on its own!)
50+ age-group PBs: Half Perish 1:28:11 (Sept '22 Off-Road Half) - 10km 37:52 (2022 Local Road Champs); - Track 5km 18:49 (Aug '22); Track Mile 5:32 (2021) - Perish Run 3:17:42
2023 Goals: Perish Run Sub 3:15 - Half Perish Sub 1:25 - Road/Track 10km Sub 37:30 - 5km Sub 18:20