Forums >Racing>The Waltons aka Advanced Half Marathon Training Thread - 2022 edition
Fred - NZ has gone from Orange to Red. In Orange, there are quite a few restrictions incl. mask wearing in public shops. But if you're vaccinated, there are significant advantages such as mass gatherings (e.g. large running events). So at Orange, there was quite a "carrot" to get vaccinated. Now we're at Red, vaccinated gatherings are limited to 100, so no large running events, plus other significant restrictions such as masks in schools for year 4 up (~8 years old and up) which will effect learning. There was as Steve mentioned, a "two shots for summer" which basically said if you're vaccinated then you get to get to big events this summer - it's summer right now, and the big events are cancelled.
Below is the definition of what Red is - of which we're nowhere near having unsustainable level of hospitalisation.
Action needed to protect health system – system facing unsustainable number of hospitalisations. Action needed to protectat-risk populations.
Steve & Piwi - nice weeks.
My week was fairly light. I'm not doing a long run today as I'm busy on yard work (building a garden bed) which will take all day.
Also, Wellington Round the Bays has been cancelled. They decided not to try for the April backup date, as we'll still be Red by then.
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
Watson nice week and kudos on the yard work 👏
Steve/Mark you guys are on another training level, great job.
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 "
RIP Milkman
Crazy what you guys are dealing with in NZ. We were all jealous of you in 2020. It worked very well. But the government seems unable to adapt to a new world. They are still acting like COVID is going way (it's not, perhaps ever) and that we don't have vaccines. Steve, I say this mainly as condolences for another potential ruined marathon. You have more resolve than I ever would.
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
Mark - That’s still a pretty big week for someone not training for a full! I’ve never hit 90km in a half training block.
Watson and Piwi - good weeks. Do you have any target races? As hard as that is right now.
JMac - Thanks. 2020 was down to good luck and our isolation, rather than good management. I actually think it would take more resolve to come back from injury, especially one like you experienced so close to a race you were looking like absolutely smashing. It will be tough if my race gets moved back to September. On the plus side, I’m still 10 weeks out so won’t go through the peak of training only to miss out this time. Having said that, I’m hitting way higher mileage than I was at this stage of my first cycle. My coach is definitely pushing it harder this time since I’ve done it once. And I’ve basically gotten through January which is the second hottest month of the year (after February) although to be fair, not too many very hot days yet.
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 1:27:34
Selwyn Marathon June 2, 2024
Dunedin Half Marathon September 15, 2024
Watson - that yard work can be way harder going than running... nice job. I'd say Auckland Round the Bays in early March is probably a goner as well.
To your point on hospitalisation... 8 people in hospital with Covid in the entire country. I think that was up around 60-70 at the peak of the Delta outbreak. One thing to be making the framework up as you go along... another to just completely ignore it.
JMac - yeah, unable to adapt is exactly the way to sum it up. I was actually glad when Omicron arrived here because it was always going to anyway - and the sooner it did, the sooner it'd force a change in mindset. Our government has already shown they will generally waste whatever chance they're given to prepare, so that didn't factor into it either way. TBH I'm quite looking forward to seeing my brother who I haven't seen in over 3 years now and hoping he can make it home for Dad's 70th in June.
Steve - I checked, and it was actually my biggest week since early November. Races 2 and 3 of the North Shore 10k series are on Feb 7th and Feb 20th so I wanted to put in a solid week before two slightly race-impacted weeks. The body is feeling really good right now and things are ticking over well despite summer heat. I may have a different view this time next week - looks like a pretty rough week of humid garbage coming up!
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"
Intl. correspondent
Mikkey - you get extra points for trying to start a flame war with Mark!
PS: I agree with what you said.
Mark - You’ve somehow deflected that with a reference to a rock band. That was masterful. Top points for you as well.
Any symptoms for “feeling average” after the booster? Was it fever, tiredness or just feeling bleh ?
Kiwis - I wonder if that border thing has more to do with stopping migration than with Covid.
Steve - Even if your last marathon block didn’t end as you’d prefer, it seems your weekly averages have raised to around 90km per week which is nice and should provide some nice long term gains.
Watson - these yard works you do seem like a nice way to recharge the mind and relax.
Jmac - Thanks for popping by. I’m so happy to see you back to daily 10 milers.
Me - Not much running this week. I had some back pain and a sore throat.
I did get a Strava segment crown on Thursday, this time successfully LOL
I also lost a crown yesterday on another segment nearby, so I have something to focus on in the near future. It's a 430m segment with 21m ascent, a 3.9% grade.
Then on Friday I had a double MRI scheduled for my cervical and lower back, but when I got there it seems the machine was not working so it will be rescheduled.
So I didn’t run that day
Then for Saturday my cousin invited us to go hiking a 10k trail, so I did a Piwi and to hell with running and went hiking instead and it was really cool. Not as much elevation, but super cool scenery with some old water mills along the way.
I grew up in the country side so I’m quite at my element walking trails, really quite at peace, it was a super nice break from my anxiety.
Then today I was a bit tired from the hiking yesterday, so didn’t run either.
I think I might change my structure so I have the long run during the week or on Saturday as well to free up more time in the weekends for traveling and hiking and doing other fun activities.
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
Mother of Cats
Piwi- missing a run to go Kayakfishing sounds like a reasonable trade-off.
Steve - nice week and I'm sorry about the racing limbo
Marky_Mark - we had similar experiences with water fountains. And also with public bathrooms being closed for public health reasons, which I thought was even worse.
Watson- good luck on the garden bed.
Flavio - so frustrating about the MRI cancellation. I hope you can get it rescheduled quickly. Here in the US it's been hard to get in for an MRI - there's a lot of pent up demand from the past 18 months that is overwhelming them now.
I think doing a long run on Saturday to free up Sunday has a lot of appeal. I've done that sometimes, and it's lovely to sleep in on Sunday. OTOH, it is hard to go out for a long run on Saturday morning after a long week at work.
***
My week:
60 miles running, 3 hours pool-running, and ~1500 yards swimming.
M: 90 minutes of pool-running and yogaT: 11 miles, including a track workout of 2000, 1200, 2x800, 400 in 8:48, 5:00, 3:16, 3:11, 91 - one lap recovery after each that got way too long in some cases (between 3 and 4 minutes). Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming. Dry needling of legs in afternoon.W: 9 miles very easy on treadmill (9:44), streaming yoga and 3 miles very easy outside (9:31) plus drills/strides. Th: 90 minutes pool-running and epidural injection at L5. ART appointment in afternoon.F: 12 miles, including a 4 mile tempo on the roads in 27:27 (6:54/6:57/6:49/6:47), followed by 10 minutes jogging and then 6x200 in 46, 46, 45, 45, 45, and 52 (the last one was long). Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.Sa: 9.5 miles easy on treadmill (9:44), upper body weights/core and then 3 miles very easy outside (9:06) plus drills+strides.Su: 12.5 miles on the treadmill, including a workout of eight repeats of 2 minutes strong at a 3.0 incline, 90 second jog, 30 second stride, and 60 second jog. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.
Got an epidural injection of a corticosteroid in my back on each side of the L5 vertebra on Thursday with the goal of trying to locate the source of my issues. An MRI of my lumbar spine and pelvis doesn't show much of concern, just some slight narrowing/bulging, but MRIs are not always accurate. So we tried the shot - if I noticed a big difference, then it would confirm that my issue was with the nerves in L5 or lower.
And...I noticed a big difference within 24 hours. I just have much better balance, not just when running but when walking. I was surprised at how easy it was to walk on a wet tile floor at the pool today - in so many ways my balance and coordination is just so much better.
So that's an answer, and I'm going to enjoy the next few weeks before the shot wears off. I see the doctor again in mid-February to figure out next steps.
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
Darkwave thats great news. You must be relieved.
Flavio I love your analysis of the Mikkey/Mark dynamic.
Fun fact , I am the only person in the world to have run with both of them
I find it important to have something else to do other than running. Hiking is still good fitness too.
Good luck with the MRI.
Steve no racing plans for me. I may come early Friday and do 5k prior to our run.
Mark did you watch the mile race that Julian Oakley won ?
I wondered why Sam Tanner wasn't in it but perhaps he is overseas. He got married here a few weeks ago and is Puma sponsored now.
Flavio - Nice job on getting the Strava crown...I seem to be going head to head with another guy for all the local legend crowns around where I live. Hope you get the MRI soon.
darkwave - Great news that you're seeing some results at last and very nice week.
piwi - I'll try and be ready a bit before 8am on Friday and will provide a post-run coffee if you have time. If you do 5km beforehand you could head up the motorway bike path, if you can negotiate your way across Springs Road which can be bumper to bumper at that time, although I'm definitely seeing a lot less traffic around under the red light.
January 2022 has been my second highest mileage month ever with 417km, falling 3km short of May 2021 which was the peak of training for the Wellington Marathon. I think that shows this marathon cycle is looking a bit bigger than the first, although with an upcoming down week, February won't be as big, assuming the marathon cycle continues. At this rate I'm on track for a 5004km year! That's obviously not going to happen, but hopefully I can stay consistent.
Waltons ThreadLord
Reminds me of the early days of the pandemic around here when public bathrooms were closed because people were stealing all the toilet paper since the stores were running out. I'm glad we're past that at least.
I ran 41.2 miles for the week, which is well off what I'd planned/hoped for. The weather isn't cooperating, but some of it is me too. I ran 9¾ today, about 90% of it on clear streets and the other 10% mostly on packed snow. Odds are I'll have to move my upcoming track work onto the streets as I suspect the tracks will still be snow covered.
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27; Spring Distance Classic 5k, 4/28
Flavio - bummer on the MRI cancellation, hope you can get that checked out soon. Sounds like the hiking was fun though.
The border restrictions in NZ are definitely a Covid thing. The lack of migration is really hurting many sectors of the economy which are reliant on seasonal labour or skills that are not in good supply domestically. Plus tourism which was the biggest sector of the economy prior to 2020.
Piwi - missed it unfortunately. Did you see also Nick Willis (JUST!) hit a sub-4 minute mile for the 20th season in a row, which no-one has ever done before. And Geordie Beamish smashed the NZ indoor 3000m record. Big weekend!
Steve - big start to the year! I haven't had a month over 400km since I was in marathon training.
Fred - stealing toilet rolls from public bathrooms?! That's next level. The supermarkets got hit hard here early on (and every time our little hermit kingdom bubble was in danger of being burst) but I don't remember public bathrooms copping it!
Darkwave - hope that improvement continues. It would be good if things stayed as they are now even once the injection wears off, although logically that shouldn't happen!
Ours was the first region to get hit really hard - NYC was the national epicenter in March of 2020 - and with everyone working from home all of a sudden, there was a period of a few weeks when it got very difficult to find toilet paper. Even port-o-potties were being looted. I'm not sure what we would have done had my wife not, quite fortuitously, bought a large package about 4 days before everything shut down - we even had to share some of our supply with my parents. At least that was the only real shortage of household essentials we faced. Ah, the stories I'll be able to tell my grandchildren....
Mark thanks for the heads up just watched both races. Beamish is on fire 🔥 Willis amazing even if 9 secs behind 1st.
Steve coffee sounds great. Nice job on January mileage.
Mmmm Bop
There was as Steve mentioned, a "two shots for summer" which basically said if you're vaccinated then you get to get to big events this summer - it's summer right now, and the big events are cancelled.
Duh! Wakey wakey.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
LOL Piwi that's about what it's like..
Corey nice job on the swimming. Maybe you need to ease into it similar to run/walk. You could do sink/swim
PR's
1m 5:38 (2018)
5k 19:59 (2019)
HM 1:33:56 (2018)
FM 3:23:07 (2018)