The Waltons aka Advanced Half Marathon Training Thread - 2022 edition (Read 444 times)

I've been away just a few days and have a lot of catching up to do, so here goes.

Zebano - Have you tried imslp.org?  It's not great for new arrangements of older pieces, but has a lot of music that's out of copyright.  You sort of have to know what you're looking for rather than going there to browse.  I played Mars with an orchestra an the conductor, a student of music history, gave us an interesting tidbit - Holst chose the 5/4 meter not to sound dangerous or imposing, but to make people feel uneasy, since he wrote that movement when WWI had yet to happen, but people were getting worried about it.  What instrument(s) do you play?  Thanks for the congratulations.  Sorry to hear of your loss.  (ETA:  CustomChamberMusic.com has music you have to pay for, but they provide you with multiple versions/keys for each voice, so you can customize it to your ensemble and even switch around which instrument plays which voice.)

Flavio - Thanks.  It was definitely a tough course for me as I don't have that kind of terrain where I live.  However, given the first two males finished in under 68 minutes, I have to be careful about complaining it was too tough.  For me it wasn't the amount of elevation in the race - I've run races with more - so much as how steep some of it was.  Sorry to hear about your DOMS issues.  Nice costume.

Mark - Thank you.  Yes, running harder courses requires a different approach, and I think I'm finally at the point where I can do that consistently (I've run 37 halves, so I like to think I've learned at least a little bit).  Interesting review of your training block and good to see your positive outlook (and having already gotten permission for next year's race).

Steve - Congratulations on your race; nicely run.  As to whether you can count it as a PR, one part of the equation is whether allowing what you see as an easier course to be your PR will make it all that much harder to get your next PR.  Thanks for the kind words on my race and report.

Keen - Enjoy the desert running, just beware that dehydration comes quickly.

Ccoakley - Glad to hear your recovery is on track.  No, I don't have any plans yet for my next quest.  Due to so many races happening in late September and early October, it will be a few years yet before I can get them all done.  After that, maybe I'll just pick some of my favorites and focus on running them better.

Cfarr - Thank you.  Good luck with the HM if you choose to run it.

James - Thanks.  Sorry to hear you were still sore after your 5k.  Any better now?

Piwi - Thank you.

Hash - Nice week of running.

As usual, apologies if I've missed anyone.

After running 6 halves in the past 7 months, it feels a little weird not to be looking forward to one in the near future.  I won't even be into my "official" training cycle for more than a month.  But then, summer is not half marathon season for someone like me, who really wilts when running in the heat for long.

I'm not entirely sure if it contains Lycra, it feels like Polyester 😁

Does your outfit for the race qualify you as a MAMIL?

 

You're ahead of me!  I am on 33 (total, that is... not in the last 7 months).  But yes it is always good fun looking at the profile for a new course and trying to figure out the best tactics.  I was lucky enough to learn that on some challenging hilly courses near where I live.

 

We are into the winter lull here now too - very few races here over the next 3 months other than Wellington which Steve is doing.  It's a bit of a shame as winter is excellent for racing at least in the upper North Island.  I will probably throw the odd Parkrun in there just to keep the race sharpness up, as much as those 10k races over summer were hot, humid slogs at times, they definitely had me sharp by the time Omaha HM rolled around (and I needed to be too!).

This is probably why the half I've run most often (4 times) is the Fred Lebow half, which takes place in January, and the second most frequent (3) is the E. Murray Todd at the beginning of March.  The weather is usually good for halves and there aren't a lot of other choices.  What puzzles me is how many halves are offered in mid to late September, when it's often still quite warm (and humid) here.  I've run four September halves and the only one with what I consider a decent result was on an unseasonably cold day (and then there was the one where the temperature was 72º and the dew point was 70º - a lot of DNFs that day).  I tend to spend the summer on shorter races.

Fred, this is an excellent idea!  I also ran a half a few days after having some gastro bug.  I was fine until around 14km and then ran out of gas quite quickly.  And wow, mile 9 at Hunterdon... that's OUCH.

5 Races that didn't quite go as planned

Hawkes Bay Half Marathon (May 2016)

Having only had 6 weeks training after breaking my big toe (I dropped a weight on it at the gym... doh) I had unrealistically high expectations which quickly came crashing down on an unusually warm day.

Devonport Half Marathon (Oct 2018)

Thought I'd recovered from a stomach bug earlier in the week.  Nope... around two-thirds of the way through I ran out of gas having felt fine up until that point.  Managed to hold on to second but was about 500m away from getting run down.

Southern Lakes Half Marathon (May 2022)

Spent the last 6 weeks basically trying to dodge Covid.  Turns out a regular cold will mess your race up perfectly fine as well.  I am incredibly proud of my effort here the previous year but this time it was just about hanging on.

Maraetai Half Marathon (March 2019)

Hot, humid, and a slightly dodgy stomach resulted in my slowest HM time since the Devonport stomach bug episode.

Auckland 10k Road Race Champs (Aug 2018)

Think you are in the form to run a PB?  Bruce Pulman Park AKA the Bruce Pulman Wind Tunnel will have other ideas.  Exactly 1 second off a PB thanks to old mate Bruce's wind.

Hashiritai and Zebano - my 10km PR is on the same course as Hash.  It's a fast field which helps a lot.

I tried running yesterday, and the calf is no good.  So I'll be off for a while.

Hashiritai - I won't be racing tomorrow.  I might come and watch. What's your teams bib code?

Corey - good luck at the mountains to main Half tomorrow

Hashiritai and Zebano - my 10km PR is on the same course as Hash.  It's a fast field which helps a lot.

 

I tried running yesterday, and the calf is no good.  So I'll be off for a while.

 

Hashiritai - I won't be racing tomorrow.  I might come and watch. What's your teams bib code?

Watson - Yep, that 10km course is certainly a fast field! And with all the loops everyone stays close, which certainly a great motivation. I love the downhill fast finish.

Our team bib is W11. Think I'm running the 2nd leg, unless we change it up. Stink about your calf. Hope it heals up soon.