Beginners and Beyond

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Help me find a pace and race strategy for my SO's first HM, please. (Read 402 times)

happylily


    My SO has done a few 5ks in the last 2 or 3 years, 5 or 6, maybe... He usually trains for a few months before a race, about 15 miles a week, then he stops running after the race. So not a consistant runner. He has had finish times between 24:25 and 27:00 (with no running at all in the 4 months leading to his slowest race). Running is secondary in his exercise routine (he weightlifts) and he races only to accompany me in my race weekends. Lately, though, he's become more concerned with his finish times and would like to get to a 23:something 5k eventually. The last 10 weeks, he has been training more regularly, about 18-22 miles a week, with intervals and tempo runs and a once a week LR that has gone from 6 to 9 miles in the last few weeks (a few 8 milers and only one 9 miler last weekend). He ran the 9 miler at about 9:30 pace. He does his 800m intervals around 7:45 and his tempo runs (about 4 miles) around 8:15.

     

    In two weeks, we will be doing a 3 races/3 days challenge. First a 1 miler on a Friday night (I told him to just go all out and not bother with the garmin). Then a 10k the next morning which will have three big hills. It will be his first 10k and I'm not sure what to tell him for that... And on the third day, he will be doing a half-marathon. Again, I do not know what to suggest. He didn't want to sign up for it, but I sort of cajoled him into doing it, said it would be a wonderful way to see the island (Bermuda), it would make me so happy, blah, blah, blah (I feel a bit guilty now)... He said ok, but threatened to walk the whole way. I think he can do better than that, but I don't know what is the best way for him. He's 50 and is basically physically fit, but not running fit. What advice would you offer him? I feel helpless because I have never trained, or raced, that way myself...

    PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

            Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

    18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

    Chloey


    Run Like a Mother

      I think I would tell him to not worry about his time and to just have fun!  Maybe race the 10K and just run the half?  Or maybe just run both as he would probably be too tired and sore after racing a 10k to even run the half?

       

      BTW, this is totally how my DH runs.  Trans VERY little then goes out and runs a race, then doesn't run for a long time again.  Drives me bonkers only because I could never run those races on so little training!

        If he's running 22 miles a week tops, and is going to be racing 20+ miles in 48 hours, I would think he should race the 10k, have a good time with the mile and hope to finish the half upright. No?

        tom1961


        Old , Ugly and slow

          I think he should skip the half .

          first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007

           

          2019  goals   1000  miles  , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes

          FSocks


          KillJoyFuckStick

            You're over complicating it.  Just let him run it how he feels.

            You people have issues 

            Just B.S.


              Just tell him to go and have fun!

               

              The route for the 1/2 (full) is so beautiful that he will probably be busy just looking around. When you

              cut across the island and see the ocean view on the other side is it breathtaking. I almost started

              crying the first time (2 times around for the full).  Good thing  it comes after a major hill, it will take his

              mind off the pain he might be in.Big grin

               

              I wouldn't tell him to skip it. The experience is amazing and you wouldn't want him to miss it.

              After all when you are running in a place so beautiful so almost forget you are running.

               

              The first one is me second time around the 1/2 marathon route. The other photos are on the route

              but I went back in the days after the race and took those photos.

               

              happylily


                Yeah... I guess I'm looking at this through my own eyes, in my own competitive way. I shouldn't stress him with "strategies" and paces. He should just go out and run (or walk) the way he feels, since he didn't really want to do this in the first place and he hasn't trained long enough anyway. I'm a controlling spouse. I'd hate to be married to me. Undecided I just thought he had been doing well lately and maybe he had a chance at racing those things. But I see how maybe now is not the right time for it. Maybe in the spring... I'll tell him to walk, if he wants, the half-marathon. Maybe we'll cross the finish line together! (he in the half and me in the full Big grin)

                 

                Thanks for the reality check, guys.

                PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                        Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                happylily


                  Thank you, Beth! Your pictures are breathtakingly beautiful! I can't wait to see it for myself! I even googled your RR from last year to get an idea of what temps to expect. Great stuff you wrote!

                  PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                          Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                  18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                  Just B.S.


                    Thank you, Beth! Your pictures are breathingly beautiful! I can't wait to see it for myself! I even googled your RR from last year to get an idea of what temps to expect. Great stuff you wrote!

                    I might have to google that myself and remind myself!LOL I can't believe it's been almost a year!

                     

                    On Monday after the race weekend we went sightseeing with friends and almost froze to death.

                    The weather can change drastically in January, from hot and humid to downright cold. Make

                    sure to bring something cosy just in case!

                     

                    Here is a photo of the entire gang and spouses. I think there were 28 in total that all went down

                    together. A bunch of the same group are travelling with us to the Hartford Marathon in October.

                    And myself and the girl to the right of me in the photo are travelling to the Disney Princess in Feb.

                     

                    We like to have fun!LOL

                    happylily


                      What a great looking group of runners/friends! You will have fun at Disney, can't wait for your RR!

                       

                      Do you remember if there is a baggage check near the start line of the half/full? We will be taking a taxi from across the harbour and I will have a bag with clean clothes and a jacket. Usually, SO holds it while I run, but not this time!

                      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                      Just B.S.


                        What a great looking group of runners/friends! You will have fun at Disney, can't wait for your RR!

                         

                        Do you remember if there is a baggage check near the start line of the half/full? We will be taking a taxi from across the harbour and I will have a bag with clean clothes and a jacket. Usually, SO holds it while I run, but not this time!

                         

                        SorrySad I didn't notice because we stayed at the Fairmont and walked the 2 blocks to the start/finish so we

                        didn't bring anything with us.

                         

                        I would ask at the expo when you pick up your bibs and t-shirts (they will give you all 4 t-shirts at once, you

                        use the same bib for all races, so don't throw it away!)

                        So_Im_a_Runner


                        Go figure

                          It does seem like you set him up a bit.  He's not going to handle the consecutive running in the same way that you're used to being able to do it.  Still, I think he can get through it, and even have a good time if he keeps the right mind set.

                           

                          I'd actually advise him not to do an all out mile.  I think that would make him pretty sore, which is a bad way to start the next couple days.  Even if he's been doing some training, I doubt that his intervals and true tempos reach a mile in length.  As for the 10k, I think that 9:30 pace that he was using for his long runs would be pretty smart.  Then, for the half marathon, my thought would be to go out slowly (10mm range) and reassess at a couple points throughout the race.

                           

                          I don't know if he's willing to be that patient or not, but I think a similar strategy would get him through it.  But, like someone else said, he could just run it and be fine with whatever happens.  You, or any of us for that matter, would come at this with our training dominated mindset.  For him, there may be no need to do that much planning and it might actually make it more enjoyable not to.

                          Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn

                          happylily


                            It does seem like you set him up a bit.  He's not going to handle the consecutive running in the same way that you're used to being able to do it.  Still, I think he can get through it, and even have a good time if he keeps the right mind set.

                             

                            I'd actually advise him not to do an all out mile.  I think that would make him pretty sore, which is a bad way to start the next couple days.  Even if he's been doing some training, I doubt that his intervals and true tempos reach a mile in length.  As for the 10k, I think that 9:30 pace that he was using for his long runs would be pretty smart.  Then, for the half marathon, my thought would be to go out slowly (10mm range) and reassess at a couple points throughout the race.

                             

                            I don't know if he's willing to be that patient or not, but I think a similar strategy would get him through it.  But, like someone else said, he could just run it and be fine with whatever happens.  You, or any of us for that matter, would come at this with our training dominated mindset.  For him, there may be no need to do that much planning and it might actually make it more enjoyable not to.

                             

                            Taylor, great advice, thanks a lot! I read it to my SO. He would like to try racing the mile, as he feels it's the only distance he can finish without risking having to walk. :-) For the 10k, the 9:30 pace advice sounds very smart to him. And for the HM, he's still unsure. It will be like you say, a 10:00 pace for as long as he can, or a disorganised pacing strategy just like his running partner excels at. Big grin But all he wants for that last race is to have fun. No pressure. So I won't annoy him anymore with my "help". :-)

                             

                            Beth, thanks, I will ask at the expo, on Friday.

                            PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                                    Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                            18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                            wcrunner2


                            Are we there, yet?

                              Racing the mile all-out will have a significant slowing impact on the other two races. If he's going to do that, and I think it might spur him on to train more if he does well, he should plan on a slower time in the 10k, possibly needing to walk some of the hills, and definitely plan on walking parts of the HM. Remind him after the mile that you're on vacation and should enjoy the scenery so he shouldn't exhaust himself in the 10K and HM. If he wants to try one of those distances for time later, it should be his only race that weekend. Ottawa maybe?

                               2024 Races:

                                    03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                    05/11 - D3 50K
                                    05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                    06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                               

                               

                                   

                              MrNamtor


                                Julie, I know those three days won't be an issue for you, but let's face it, for mere mortals it might pose a problem. Even though your SO sounds like an amazing specimen to run the way he does without much training, and despite the fact that he's generally fit, it still sounds like a tall order.

                                 

                                So I guess I'd say what some others have said and just let him run (or walk) the way he feels like.

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