Are we there, yet?
Results of having wung a 10 mile race. Anticipated goal time 1:17:30 (7:45 pace).
Actual splits: (7:21, 7:26, 7:22, 7:26, 7:21, 7:23, 7:16, 7:19, 7:17, 7:11)
First mile felt slow and comfortable, checked my watch, decided I could hold that pace and effort, and continued on my way. Still felt good at mile 6 so I started to push the pace. final time 1:13:21, 4:09 better than my goal. That's 25 seconds per mile.
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.
Mmmmm...beer
I went into my recent half with a plan, but I also had an idea of a pace to shoot for based off of my 20k tuneup race from last month. But I think I still set a conservative goal because I was afraid of blowing up. I have another half coming up in a couple of weeks, going to set a much more aggressive goal, and if I'm not falling apart at the halfway point, I'm going to push even harder.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
Go figure
I don't like much negative splits. Pfitz says they indicate (for recreational runners such as ourselves) that we didn't push ourselves enough. Better to try going for even splits. But because I hydrate only in my second halves, I always finish with a positive split. I do plan my positive split in advance and my best races were definitely the ones where I followed my plan. Those where I just wung (or winged?) it, I ended up miserable...
Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn
I have raced two half marathons that I felt like I couldn't have run a second faster. Here is how it felt.
First, I got in a good warm up for both. A good warm up meant a mile of easy jogging followed by 2 minutes at race pace + 2 minutes jogging + 2 minutes at race pace + 2 minutes jogging followed by 4 strides.
Mile 1 - Damn. This feels almost like a tempo run already. Am I sure I can run like this for 13.1 miles? Nope, but I think I can hang in there for 10.
Miles 2-5 - Settle in and try to relax but don't relax too much. This is still a race. Don't make it feel like a tempo run but don't slip to marathon effort either. Keep pushing but don't push hard.
Miles 5-7 - Around the start of this phase, notice that I am starting to feel how fast I am running. By the start of Mile 7, I start getting the first twinges of discomfort. The thought passes through my mind that I have 6 miles left and I'm fairly sure I can't keep this up for another 6 miles.
Miles 8-9 - The discomfort becomes fairly noticeable and uncomfortable here. Now I'm starting to hurt and I know I can't keep going until the end. That's OK. Just keep going until the next block and then I can relax. OK. Keep going until the water point. OK. Focus on that turn and try to run a good tangent. Fartlek a little with some pick ups and slow downs.
Miles 10-12 - Oh Gawd make it end.
Miles 12-13.1 - Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up, don't give up, don't give up. Your legs aren't really going to fall off although you'd feel much better if they did.
After my last one, there was a turn at the end and I couldn't make the turn. I collapsed and laid there for a couple of minutes before I felt like I could walk again.
Splits:
1 mile - 6:38 2 miles - 6:37 3 miles - 6:31 4 miles - 6:22 5 miles - 6:26 6 miles - 6:37 7 miles - 6:31 8 miles - 6:38 9 miles - 6:34 10 miles - 6:33 11 miles - 6:32 12 miles - 6:37 13.1 miles - 7:15 (6:32 pace) (This was an all out sprint with everything I had in me)
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Chief Unicorn Officer
In every race (except for the few marathons I did, which were with a friend) I have a plan and I execute, execute, execute. Being able to do this successfully, though, means that you know yourself and your abilities very well and can plan for something that is challenging, yet achievable.
In my last half, I take the first mile a little bit conservative and then get ready to get down to business (the first mile is usually slow anyway with congestion). Despite a half being a somewhat long race, if you are too conservative for too long, you won't be able to make up all that you lose. I am in the "even splits" camp.
My own splits for my last half:
1:36:54
7:40
7:19
7:15
7:18
7:20
7:13
7:14
7:23
7:25
7:11
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
Return To Racing
since I'm assured of a PR for my first HM, I will wing it at 10:30 when not climbing hills or making pit stops.
Smaller By The Day
I may be picking nits, but that sounds like a plan Actually, everybody so far that has said that they wung it, or winged it, seems to have had some level of a plan going into it. Maybe we just define plan differently.
Improvements
Weight 100 pounds lost
5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)
10K 48:59 April 2013
HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013
MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013
That sounds a lot more like a plan, than winging it. Time down to the second, and a specific pace. Sure you adjusted, but winging it to me would be leave the watch at home, no goal, no plan, just run.
Results of having wung a 10 mile race. Anticipated goal time 1:17:30 (7:45 pace). Actual splits: (7:21, 7:26, 7:22, 7:26, 7:21, 7:23, 7:16, 7:19, 7:17, 7:11) First mile felt slow and comfortable, checked my watch, decided I could hold that pace and effort, and continued on my way. Still felt good at mile 6 so I started to push the pace. final time 1:13:21, 4:09 better than my goal. That's 25 seconds per mile.
Runs4Sanity
I am still learning my body and it's ability, so I don't quite feel comfortable sticking to a plan out of fear of failing but I like the idea of kind of having a plan there. Tonight's 7 miler went well with no pain, though being an easy run it should have been a lot slower, but my body for some reason is preferring an average pace between 9:40 - 10:25 min/mile, and I think I could have kept it up for another 6.1 miles.... basically I ran the 7 miles in 1:08:54 with an average of 9:51 min/mile pace. Looking from my past runs (from February) I know could easily hold a 10:30 - 10:45 min/mile pace for the first 5-6 miles, and then gradually and steadily pick up the pace, increasing my speed each mile. I feel confident in my training, the only issue that kind of still worries me is whether my foot is fully okay by then.
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
That was merely an expectation of what race effort would produce on race day. I made no effort to hit that particular pace. I ran the first mile comfortably at an effort that felt right, checked my watch, and decided this must be my day; I'm not slowing down because the watch says I'm faster than anticipated.
Hmm.... I guess we'll just see how things go from start to finish... for the first time since 2010 I am not injured, I am not pregnant, I am healthy and I have trained very well for this and I feel ready to kick ass
..... anybody know of something that will "empty" your bowels a couple of nights before the race?
I am in minority that prefers negative splits (don't kill me lily!) but only because of the asthma. No matter how many miles I do as warm ups, if I attempt an even split, I am coughing and risking an attack halfway. But I admit I am a strange case, or maybe just strange. Haha.
For races longer than a 10K, I would have a plan but would wing it depending on how it goes. The plan might be too conservative or too aggressive, so you'll never know.
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
I am in minority that prefers negative splits (don't kill me lily!) but only because of the asthma. No matter how many miles I do as warm ups, if I attempt an even split, I am coughing and risking an attack halfway. But I admit I am a strange case, or maybe just strange. Haha. For races longer than a 10K, I would have a plan but would wing it depending on how it goes. The plan might be too conservative or too aggressive, so you'll never know.
D., negative splits are greatly logical for you. You definitely have the right way to handle your asthma.
P.S., Have you booked a hotel for Chicago yet?
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
No. As usual, I am late. Now that the husband began his new position, I will start looking for that and for the other marathons I have.
D., negative splits are greatly logical for you. You definitely have the right way to handle your asthma. P.S., Have you booked a hotel for Chicago yet?
I'm trying to get in through a travel agency. I'll let you know if it works out. Wish me luck!