Half Marathon Trainers

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Half marathon trainers-September! (Read 683 times)


Prince of Fatness

    MrPHinNJ and BuckeyeChamp, how did your races go?

     

    Thanks for asking.  I did as well as can be expected considering the circumstances.  Report is here.

     

    Teresa, you may want to try a few (just a few) strides for the hamstrings.  Massage with a tennis ball is good too.  If you stretch make sure you warm up first.  Stretching a cold hammy is no good.

     

    I've been busy on several fronts as of late so I haven't checked in in a while.  Hope everyone is well.  I have a half scheduled in NH on November 8, so I'll try to check in here a little more often.

    Not at it at all. 

    Lu481


      MrPHinNJ you ran an awesome race considering the circumstances.  Sorry about your loss...

       

       

      BuckeyeChamp congrats on the PR.  That's excellent.  If you can improve your half marathon time by that much in a year, there is still hope for me...  *smile*

       

      Way to go guys!!!

       

      Lu

      Lu481


        I had a "not so good" run today...  I'm not sure if it was because of the heat or if I've possibly over trained... 

         

        I planned on doing a 6 mile run with 4 miles at tempo pace of about 9:15/mi...  It was very hot outside 27C so I took a bottle of watered down gatoraid with me.  After the 3rd tempo mile I realized my HR was up at max.  I was having a hard time holding the pace and because of this and the heat (don't want to risk heat stroke) I slowed down by well over a minute for mile 5 and my HR still didn't drop...   I slowed down more for mile 6.  My HR still didn't slow much so I walked the steep hill closer to my house. My gatoraid was also very warm by mile 4.

         

        The last few runs I've done have also seemed a lot harder than they probably should be...  Which is why I'm wondering if I'm overtraining...  Or maybe it's undertraining since I haven't really been running as much as I would like to...

         

        My 22k race is next week on the 26th, and I was going to aim for 9:30/mi which would give me a finish of around 2:10...  I should be able to hold that pace no problem, but with my last few runs I'm not so sure...  If I can't hold a pace slightly faster for more than 3 miles, how am I going to hold that pace for over 13 miles.

         

        Just wondering how I should proceed with my training for the next week until my race on the 26th...  Should I take a few days off (if I'm overtraining), or work harder (if I'm undertraining)...  Or is it just the heat...  Anyone have any ideas or advice?

         

        Another question?  Is it possible to go above your maximum HR...  I estimated my Max a while back on a previous workout to be around 187...  (And also because I've gotten it up that high a few times but never above)...  Today I was up to 191...

         

        Thanks,

         

        Lu

        Teresadfp


        One day at a time

          Lu, it just seems as if your "estimate" wasn't accurate enough.  The definition of "maximum" is as high as it will go, so you can't go above max.

            My 22k race is next week on the 26th, and I was going to aim for 9:30/mi which would give me a finish of around 2:10...  I should be able to hold that pace no problem, but with my last few runs I'm not so sure...  If I can't hold a pace slightly faster for more than 3 miles, how am I going to hold that pace for over 13 miles.

             

            Lu,

             

            Trust me I know it sounds weird but .... you can train a lot of miles much slower than what you race.   Case in point ... I ran about 8:47 pace for 13.1 in spring PR and I do not think out side of shorter races (5k,5M, 10k, 10M) the poast 5 months I do not believe I have run more than 5% (probbaly lower) of my miles < 8:30 pace, but low and behold just ran a Half in 8:08 pace.  And not to be in denial of my abilities, but should have been lower pace as was able to rn 9.5 miles aftedr the race so I am sure I left some on the course of the Half.

             

            so in 5 months I cut almost 40 seconds without running below that pace almost ever.

             

            Thats why we train to train ... and race to race!

             

            MTA -- OK I answered before reading your log... Problem is not being to run X pace for Y miles, rather you are not running enough miles.  10 miles per week does not cut it for a 13 mile race.  Increase volume and do not worry about pace.

            "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it Great!

            Lu481


              Thanks Buckeye,

               

              I guess I've actually in a way been under training then. And working too hard when I have been running.

               

              Since most days have been too hot, and I've neglected getting out of bed early enough to run before work, I've been doing less runs but trying to make most of them faster or more quality runs.  At the time this seemed like a good plan.  I guess I forgot how important building your mileage was as well as how important the slow runs were.

               

              I think next weekend I'll start my race out at a 10min/mi pace and increase it as I feel comfortable.  I'll see where this gets me and I won't worry too much about the finish time...

               

              After that I'm going to take it easy for the following week, and start building my mileage again in October with the slow easy runs.  I'm also going to try harder to force myself out of bed when I should be running in the morning. 

              Ringmaster


                MrPH, I'm way late to this, but I'm sorry for the loss of your dad. I'm glad you went and raced anyway--I think, I hope, it was the right thing for you to do. Though your finish wasn't quite what you would have hoped, you did what runners do--you ran the best race you had in you on that day. As Paul said, "Run with endurance the race set before you . . . " You've had a tough race in front of you, and you've run it to the best of your ability. Hey, a 3:40 is some marathon, and your ability to run it the reason I listen to your advice. I'll be praying for you and your family (and your daughter!) over the coming weeks.

                 

                Lu, I agree with Buckeye. I'm pretty new to this, but some of the best advice I've heard is still echoed around here pretty often: "Run lots. Mostly easy. SOMETIMES fast." Fast miles alone don't replace the easy miles, and in the heat, any run is going to be especially taxing. I need to remind myself of this--I ran my half PR on a weekly average of 40-45 mpw, with one tempo run a week of about 6-8 miles, and one long run on Saturday. Like Buckeye, I ended up running my race way faster than I had trained: about 30 seconds under my goal pace, just because on race day everything came together.

                 

                I think your revised goal of taking it easy for now is the right thing to do--you won't beat yourself up, mentally or physically.

                Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Heb. 12:1b)
                Mile by Mile

                  Hi gang, I'm back from my business trip. 

                   

                  MR PH, I'm sorry to hear about your dad.  I hope everyone is doing okay, certainly a stressfull time and despite it, you managed to run a 3:40.  I'm sure he'd be proud of you.  And kudles to your family in supporting you and urging you to go ahead and run the race. 

                   

                  I got some great running in all 4 days of my trip.  At check in I inquired at the front desk about parks or runing paths and she said "As a mattter of fact (as she pulled a map out from under the counter) you can run straight down this road for about 3/4s of a mile and when it meets Perryvale, cross over and you'll pick up the running path and this map shows you the choices of the paths from there. 

                   

                  So it was great running, I choose three of the days to take the loop that took me through a Park and looped back around and one day for a 8+M, chose to just follow the road.  All 4 days, I did something a little different, then ran back to the hotel, did my cool down walk, stretched, jumped in the indoor pool and swam some easy back strokes, hopped out and into the hot tub for 15 minutes or so, then repeated the pool and back to the hot tub. 

                   

                  Wow, did my legs feel fantastic. 

                   

                  So the schedule I'm following for my taper for this Sunday's race has me running six days both weeks and I decided that was too much so I took Sat off and just did my stationary bike at home.  Went out yesterday and ran 8.5 (schedule said 8) which is my loop up and around the river.  I felt great and didn't think I was pushing it at all and it looks like it is the best time I've ever run on this section.  I'll have to do some reviews, because I have longer runs that incorporate the same section and would have to do some math to verify it, but I'm feeling really great right now. 

                   

                  So as pointed out in previous messages, it'll now come down to conditions and my mental and physical fitness on race day.  I'm shooting for that 1:42:30 which I missed May 31st, and if I run smart, it should be easily attainable and more. 

                   

                  Larry

                   

                  LPH

                  "Today I broke my record for most consecutive days lived!"

                  Teresadfp


                  One day at a time

                    Larry, I'm glad you found such a great place to run!  Sounds like you will be in great shape for your race.

                     

                    This morning my RP and I drove down to NH to check out the HM course.  Wow, it's wonderful!  We ran 4 miles north from the starting line and back again (the course is a loop, but I knew my friend wouldn't want to run all 13.1 miles!).  The part of the course we were on was all on a sidewalk right next to the water. Flat as a pancake!  Nice breeze.  I could see how the wind and/or sun could be an issue, though, because there's no shade or protection along this stretch.

                     

                    After our run, we drove the entire course.  I was SO glad we didn't run it, because one street sign was missing and we would have gotten lost!  Once the course veers off from the ocean, it goes through neighborhoods that get fancier and fancier, until we were driving by huge mansions with huge, manicured lawns.  Quite something!  It will be fun to run by them to get a closer look.

                     

                    We did all 8 miles at 11:02 pace, which is pretty fast for us.  I can see that I will have to guard against starting out too fast on the very flat portion.  I think I will decrease the walking portions from my original plan, because the course really is not hilly.  I saw only one real hill, a little after mile 8.

                     

                      Larry, I'm glad you found such a great place to run!  Sounds like you will be in great shape for your race.

                       

                      This morning my RP and I drove down to NH to check out the HM course. 

                       

                       

                      It was a pretty good place to run especially considering the convenience.  I found out from people at the company I was auditing, that there were some other trails that followed a river, but they would have been a 15-20 minute drive, so I didn't bother.

                       

                      "Drive down to NH"  Don't hear too many people say that and it struck me funny until I thought about it and where you were from.  For me, Friday afternoon, we'll be driving "UP" to NH for a wedding.

                       

                      Sounds like a pretty good course you're going to run on, make sure you smile and wave to all of the people in their fancy houses. 

                       

                      If the Applefest hadn't closed out, I'd be running in NH on Sat.

                       

                      The course I'm running in CT on Sunday starts in Rocky Neck State Park, crosses over to Great Neck State Park loops back and then out and back again.  Portions of it run along the ocean so it should be a pretty decent view.  Sounds like it's pretty flat except for one hill which is repeated.  I actually prefer some rolling little hills over flat terrain, I seem to get very bored on flats and little hills force me to change strides going up and stretch out and pick-up on the down side.

                       

                      Larry

                      LPH

                      "Today I broke my record for most consecutive days lived!"

                        MrPH, my condolences on your loss.

                         

                        Tough to take on a marathon when your mind is really on other matters-I think you did very well considering your emotional circumstances.

                        Larry, sounds like you are close to full strength again, and well prepared.

                        Go Teresa! Have a great time at your race, I am sure you will do better than you expect.

                         

                        Lu, my guess is that the temperature you mentioned is a bigger factor than you realise, it makes an enormous difference. The early morning is the coolest time to run, if you can, I hate getting up early!

                        get out there and get sweaty! Simon.

                        PBs since age 60:  5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.

                                                            10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.

                         


                        Prince of Fatness

                          Thanks for the kind words everyone.

                          Not at it at all. 

                          Teresadfp


                          One day at a time

                            And MrPH, I hope you know that my comments about the swamp not being classy do not apply to you!  Just certain people, lol.


                            Prince of Fatness

                              Of course.

                              Not at it at all. 

                              Teresadfp


                              One day at a time

                                I'm getting excited!  My 8-mile run this morning was in 55-degree, windy conditions, and my RP and I did a fairly hilly route.  And it felt great!  We would run a mile, and then walk a minute.  That strategy seems to work really well for me.  Just enough rest to keep me going.  I may stick with this strategy for the race.

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