Half Marathon Trainers

Half marathon trainers - November 2009 (Read 845 times)


Prince of Fatness

    Heh.  You're a brave girl venturing into the swamp.  For everyone else, my report is in the swamp (2000 mile user group).  It gets a little colorful in there, which is why I did not link to the report.  I didn't want anyone to be offended (although it's really not that bad).

     

    But your wish is my command, Teresa.  Mrs. PH snapped the picture.  Lance (L Train) is on the left and I am on the right.  We are sharing a beer after the race.  I requested that we show our finishing order in the pic, heh.

     

    Not at it at all. 

    Teresadfp


    One day at a time

      I enjoy lurking in the swamp, but I learned quickly that posting is not for the faint of heart!  I think I did that only once or twice and got blown away by somebody (a certain young lady...).

       

        Bob, I responded in the main forums.  Nice job.

         

        As for me, I ran a nice PR yesterday.  1:36:09 at Seacoast.  I'm pumped. 

         

        Fantastic job and a great time as well.  Thanks for sharing with us.  Now on to the next one right?

         

        Larry

        LPH

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

          Has this happened to any of you?  I have REALLY struggled for the past month, after my HM on October 4.  I get out there and am lucky to make it two miles without having to walk.  And beyond that distance, I have to walk every half mile or so.  Is it mental or what??  Nothing hurts, and my breathing is not any more labored than usual.  I can't figure it out!  I'm getting kind of discouraged.  My mileage has fallen off - maybe if I just get out there and do SOMETHING more days of the week, it would help?

           

          Yes Teresa, it's happened to me and others and usually I can push through it and keep going.  I went out to do a 3.5M from home yesterday, some small rolly hills etc.  Felt really tired and thought about just running around the circle and going back home, but pushed on.  Finished the 3.5. Stopped for a minute to have some water and said, hell let's do it again and went out and did another loop.  Tonight as I was entering my times, I was thinking that my first loop was pretty fast, but I hadn't run it in awhile so I couldn't exactly remember my times.  So I went back and looked and it was my second best time ever running this loop. 

           

          Sometimes, you need to reach down and gut it out and get over the wall and you'll be fine.  Sometimes you just need a break.  You've got a lot going on right now, DS is keeping you very busy etc, so maybe all of this stress is just beating you down, maybe you've temporarily lost you MoJo.  Only you can really answer that, but yes most of us have the same issues from time to time.  So hang in there and keep going.  Take a short break if you really need to, but make it short.

           

          Larry

          LPH

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

            Great time, MrPH!  I just bet you are thinking about getting under 1:35 in the spring-it's so close.

             

            It seems odd to see you are tall and slim, somehow I had pictured you as small and round, how ridiculous!

             

            Teresa, I am trying to do some cross training now, and I am finding I get stiffness in muscles that don't get stiff just from running. I am not running much, but seem to have good runs every time, and plan to build back up to 4 days a week.

            Just gives you a mental break, and a physical change of routine, might help, give it a try.

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

                                                10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.

             

            Ringmaster


              Ha! MrPH doesn't look at all like a potato! But you do look like you could derail a train . . . Thanks for posting the picture--it's so nice to have a face to go with the training help!


              Okay, HMers--it's my turn to ask for help. As you probably remember, my half is this weekend. My PR is 1:50 and I've known for a while I'm unlikely to break it. That PR came on a fantastic day--woke up to cool 50s, unheard of in Florida, and they pushed me to a glorious run--I could have done another 5 miles at that speed that day. My goal pace was 9-minute miles and instead my PR is 8:25. So instead of working at a goal pace of 8:50 or 8:45 this year, I've been killing myself trying to break an 8:25 pace. Tough!


              And I've just had a tough training season--first kid going to kindergarten, taking on some new responsibilities, just hasn't come together. So I went out today for my last tempo run and meant to hit my goal pace for the middle 4 miles. I figured it would tell me what I could target for my race. I'll tell you, trying to hit 8:30 by Garmin-hawking felt impossibly difficult. So I threw that out the window after one mile and decided to just run "comfortably hard." Well, wouldn't you know it, that fell right into an 8:40 pace. Unfortunately, that got to feeling pretty darn UNcomfortably hard by the end of the run--the idea of running a half at that pace is . . . well.


              So, even though the PR is out the window, how do I set myself up to do my best on Sunday? My legs just felt so TIRED today. Do I do another couple short 4-milers as I planned, or do I do NOTHING for the next few days? I have no bike, so that's not an option, but I guess I could walk.


              Your advice much appreciated. I'm already penciling in my next attempt. 

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

                So, even though the PR is out the window, how do I set myself up to do my best on Sunday? My legs just felt so TIRED today. Do I do another couple short 4-milers as I planned, or do I do NOTHING for the next few days? I have no bike, so that's not an option, but I guess I could walk.


                Your advice much appreciated. I'm already penciling in my next attempt. 

                 

                Well normally, I like to do some speed work one of the days, then 4 or 5 miles the other.   I typically take the night off two days before a race, but like to get out the day before for a short run to get the legs stretched but not tired.  However looking at your log, your normal process is to take the day before the race off, so my advice is to stick to that.  You might want to try some speed work tonight and then 4 or 5 tomorrow night. 

                 

                What you dont want to do is make drastic changes to your routine now.  If you really think your legs are tired, then take tonight off, run tomorrow, then off on Saturady. 

                 

                Your training for the race is done, all you can do now is keep loose and get yourself mentally prepared and nourished.

                 

                We're always so focused on PRs (ME Too) sometimes they just aren't meant to be.  If 8:40 is your comfortable pace right now, then start off with that and then see how you feel during the race.  Don't try to go out at 8:25 and burn yourself out.  You'll know in the first mile or two how you feel and then adjust. 

                 

                Remember racing is so different than just running.  There is so much more going on, the excitement, the anticipation, the adrenelin, getting caught up with others.  We also get nervous, but at the same time we usually don't carry as much stress with us on race day.  We typically eat better the day/s before and the day of the race. 

                 

                One more suggestion for the tired legs, is to take a nice hot bath with Epsom Salts or bath beads with epsom salts and help relax those legs. 

                 

                Hope I've helped a little bit, let's see what some of the more experienced runners say?

                 

                Let's hope the FL weather treats you nicely on Sunday.

                 

                Larry

                LPH

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


                Prince of Fatness

                  Vixi,

                   

                  I'd try to get some easy running in before the race.  As for pacing, why not go out conservatively and see how you feel after a few miles, then adjust accordingly?

                   

                  One other thing, believe that you can succeed, or at least can run a good race.  It may not happen but if you keep telling yourself it won't, well then it definitely won't.

                   

                  Good luck.

                  Not at it at all. 

                  redleaf


                    No real advice to add Dixi just wanted to wish you well!

                    First or last...it's the same finish line

                    HF #4362

                    Ringmaster


                      Thanks for the advice, guys. You're right. Nothing for setting yourself up for failure like negative self-talk.


                      I took today off. I'm planning to go out for a few easy miles tomorrow; I'll let my legs determine how far I go. On Sunday, I'll warm up just a little and then run the best race I have on that day. If I don't get that PR, at least I'll leave my best on that course. As you said, weather's going to play a big part, and that's out of my hands, so I'm done worrying about that. 


                      Thank you so much for your help!

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

                        Thanks for the advice, guys. You're right. Nothing for setting yourself up for failure like negative self-talk.


                        I took today off. I'm planning to go out for a few easy miles tomorrow; I'll let my legs determine how far I go. On Sunday, I'll warm up just a little and then run the best race I have on that day. If I don't get that PR, at least I'll leave my best on that course. As you said, weather's going to play a big part, and that's out of my hands, so I'm done worrying about that. 


                        Thank you so much for your help!

                         

                        That's the attitude and spirit we love to hear!

                         

                        Good Luck and run like the wind.

                         

                        Larry

                        LPH

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


                        Hangin' with Hal!

                          Hey y'all,

                           

                          Just peeking my head in for a few.  Good luck this weekend, VixiDu, and I think Larry said it best...if you've got a pre-race routine and it's working, just stick with it!  Like my old pappy used to tell me, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

                           

                          Well, I'm back on the DL...went out for a run Saturday and re-aggravated my right hip injury.  I was fortunate enough this time around to get an X-ray and (after much begging and groveling) an MRI...both ruled out stress fracture in the neck of my femur.  Whew!  But at any rate, I'm not going to do any running before Thanksgiving.  3 weeks ought to be long enough to let whatever is strained heal up some.  I just want to be better before my HM in Dallas.  Y'all keep on plugging along!

                           

                          - Rob

                          JoeInTX


                            I ran my LSD today, 9 miles.  Wish I could say I had the rest of the day to relax but I think the yard needs one more weekend of mowing!  Supposed to get to 80F today!!  lol
                            It was 60F at 6:15 when I ran this morning.  Not bad, but it got rather hot at the end.

                            Going to try and watch the Pacquaio v Cotto fight tonight.


                            Joe

                              Good week for me this week: 33.5 miles. My longest ever!

                               

                              Similar morning run to Joe this morning 65F at 7am here in North TX. Rather hot at the end of 12 miles. 

                              Saw a zebra on my way round.... as you tend to do on the outskirts of the DFW metroplex! 

                               

                              MrPH - Wow, what a run, great report and a great result. My first exposure to the swamp, going in to read that... also wow!

                              Bobev - Great finish and I'll agree with the rest, my Garmin runs long too!

                              Teresa - I have been there. Did not run at all in Jan this year as a combination of injury (my excuse) and general crappiness. Hang on in there, keep running, you'll push through.

                              VixiDu - Looking forward to hearing about it. You can do it! Good luck,

                              Rob - sorry to hear about the hip. Yep, I am running the WR Half. Really looking forward to it. What time are you hoping to go round in? Will you be long gone form the beer tent (AAC) by the time I shuffle in?

                              2017 Goals
                              1) Run more than 231 miles
                              2) Be ready for  HM in the spring

                              Ringmaster


                                Well, look at that. I'm exhausted and sore--something hurts in the seat-cushion region--but I DID get a new personal best today. 1:48:56. A minute-forty off my previous personal best.


                                We woke to mid-60s, better than we expected. Had a short walk from our hotel, ambled about. Visited the porta-pottys once. With about forty minutes to go we decided to go again; the line was really long but we figured better now than on the course. As we were heading back toward the start my friend asked what time it was and I casually answered, "6:10." Then we looked at each other--gun time was 6:13. We ran to the start and joined a mass of people who were trying to jump the corral--we found an entrance near the 9-minute milers--and had just enough time to down a gu, dump our throw-away fleeces, and catch our breath before the gun went off.


                                I ran my race tough. I knew I was probably going out too fast--I'll be curious to see what my splits were--and at mile 4 my legs felt absolutely exhausted. Not a good feeling. But racing isn't training, and I pushed through it. The middle miles I just aimed to try to hold an 8- 8:20 pace (what happened to "comfortably hard" 8:40?) My friend had the same time goal, and though we'd agreed to run our own races, it was nice to have her there--I paced off her really well. At mile 10 or so I knew I could get my pr but only if my overall pace no longer dipped above 8-minute miles. I left my friend at about mile 11 and ran the last couple miles passing people so I could try to stay on pace, trying to remember that people are slowing down by that point and I MUST NOT stay with them.


                                At the end, I was so tired. I'm not sure I've ever finished a half feeling like I was going to throw up, but I ran under that clock not knowing how many seconds under my PR I was and wanting to make sure I had no regrets later.


                                Sorry my thoughts are so disjointed. I finished a little dehydrated, I think, and am still fighting a little migraine-feeling. My overwhelming gratitude for your advice and unwavering support as I got ready for this race, which I felt supremely unprepared for. 

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