So...I got suckered into a half marathon this weekend..guess my time!

[Mursilis]

Well race completed. Ran a 1:47:11.

Felt pretty good. First mile was crappy just because of the wall of people I had to try and carve through. There were no gates or flights. Just a massive line of people that had no right being that far up in line. 😛

Here's the vital info:
https://onedrive.live.com/?id=E46BB...2A&group=0&parId=E46BB480E134A82A!128&o=OneUp

Here's my per mile break down and elevation chart:
https://onedrive.live.com/?id=E46BB...2A&group=0&parId=E46BB480E134A82A!128&o=OneUp

I don't think I got passed by a single person after mile 7. I crushed the hills and just kept chewing up distances between groups after that.

My wife ran a 1:43 and was 4th in her age group. She had about 4 more weeks of training under her and was running with a co-worker of hers that had done a few halfs. They stayed together. I didn't think I'd be anywhere close to them but I surprised her at the turn around at mile 10. I made a huge push in spacing between 6 & 10.

In all...not bad at all for my first half and especially not bad with about 10 real good weeks of training. 😛

Awesome job, especially on your low training volume! :thumbsup: If you ever decide to get up around 40+mpw, you're going to be really quick! And yeah, I hate when it's a huge crowd and there's not a wave start. Far too many people have no respect for their fellow racers and crowd the front of the course when they'll be finishing near the back. Drives me nuts.

 

[vi edit]

I'm used to "racing" but that's with cross country runners where I was a "heavyweight" at 160+ pounds 😛. I could bully my way through easily. And the races weren't any where as packed and you had a whole course to spread out on at the start.

I'm not used to 2,000+ people jammed into a block and having to work my way around hoards of women waddling around with an ass 3x the size of mine. Next race we're doing looks to have clear "flights" that you line up into to help and space people out. Should help and give a bit more breathing room from the 2+ hour peeps.

Got 6 months to build up a foundation. Looking to be hitting into that 35'ish mile a week load towards the end.

 

[vi edit]

The other struggle I have is that I don't consider myself "good". But when I place in the top 180 of an 1800 person race...I have to respect my own abilities and get lined up appropriately. I'm just lazy when it comes to fighting for starting space.

 

[Mursilis]

I'm used to "racing" but that's with cross country runners where I was a "heavyweight" at 160+ pounds 😛. I could bully my way through easily. And the races weren't any where as packed and you had a whole course to spread out on at the start.

I'm not used to 2,000+ people jammed into a block and having to work my way around hoards of women waddling around with an ass 3x the size of mine. Next race we're doing looks to have clear "flights" that you line up into to help and space people out. Should help and give a bit more breathing room from the 2+ hour peeps.

Got 6 months to build up a foundation. Looking to be hitting into that 35'ish mile a week load towards the end.

You need to listen to your body and do what works for you, but I'd think you'd be able to transition up to 35mpw within ~6 weeks or so. The usual 'rule of thumb' is to add no more than 10% more mileage per week, but I think that's far too conservative, at least for me. The key is just to keep the added mileage easy.

The other struggle I have is that I don't consider myself "good". But when I place in the top 180 of an 1800 person race...I have to respect my own abilities and get lined up appropriately. I'm just lazy when it comes to fighting for starting space.

There are a lot of recreational runners, but there aren't a lot of serious ones. I never hesitate to go right to the front at a race. I hate being caught behind slower runners.

 

[RagingBITCH]

You need to listen to your body and do what works for you, but I'd think you'd be able to transition up to 35mpw within ~6 weeks or so. The usual 'rule of thumb' is to add no more than 10% more mileage per week, but I think that's far too conservative, at least for me. The key is just to keep the added mileage easy.


There are a lot of recreational runners, but there aren't a lot of serious ones. I never hesitate to go right to the front at a race. I hate being caught behind slower runners.

The 10% rule is pretty old...also preached by the same people that say your long run should be no longer than 1/3 of your total weekly mileage. Just old stuff that keeps being proliferated by RRCA. 20% is for the most part a safe increase per week.

Totally agreed on heading to the front unless it's a tiered wave start by time.

 

[Mursilis]

The 10% rule is pretty old...also preached by the same people that say your long run should be no longer than 1/3 of your total weekly mileage. Just old stuff that keeps being proliferated by RRCA. 20% is for the most part a safe increase per week.

Totally agreed on heading to the front unless it's a tiered wave start by time.

Having followed Hansons plans, or something based on that philosophy, for my last couple marathons, there's something to the 'long run rule', but not necessarily for the reasons the rule was invented. I've become a big believer in the idea that overall weekly mileage matters a whole lot more for building endurance than just one weekly long run. I almost never run more than 16 miles at a time, but I also usually do several 'medium' runs (10+ miles) during the week as well, and I have no problems finishing marathons with even splits. In that sense, your long run probably shouldn't be more than 1/3 or so of your weekly miles, but you also should probably have more weekly miles! 😉

 

[Capt Caveman]

I'm used to "racing" but that's with cross country runners where I was a "heavyweight" at 160+ pounds 😛. I could bully my way through easily. And the races weren't any where as packed and you had a whole course to spread out on at the start.

I'm not used to 2,000+ people jammed into a block and having to work my way around hoards of women waddling around with an ass 3x the size of mine. Next race we're doing looks to have clear "flights" that you line up into to help and space people out. Should help and give a bit more breathing room from the 2+ hour peeps.

Got 6 months to build up a foundation. Looking to be hitting into that 35'ish mile a week load towards the end.

Great job! And if not for that first mile with the slower runners getting in your way, you could have taken another minute off your time.

Races will vary based on size and course, the NYC Half(20,000) and BAA Half(8,500 which I ran on Sunday) will have corrals and pulse starting to reduce the cluster f**k at the Start but with smaller races where there isn't prize money and more recreational runners, definitely get up as close to the starting line as you can.

I finished a little over 1:45 but running 21 miles the Sunday before made running 13.1 miles pretty easy.

In regards to recovery afterwards, I think it varies greatly on the runner and I don't follow the one day per mile recovery thought. I will take an easy run the next day or two days after to keep things loose.

 

[vi edit]

Thanks for the support and advice guys. I did a yoga workout last and feel at about 80% today. That remaining 20% is just general quad tightness that'd I'd have after a hard workout with hills. Will do a good core strengthening workout tonight and assess things tomorrow morning to see if I feel like running.

I'm also rapidly turning into the believer of "it's all about the miles" rather than the intensity. My last several weeks had 75% or more of miles at 9+ minute pace. Will still throw in some tempo runs and 3/1 runs on my long days to keep a feel for race pace, but just focus overall on getting my weekly miles up.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Thanks for the support and advice guys. I did a yoga workout last and feel at about 80% today. That remaining 20% is just general quad tightness that'd I'd have after a hard workout with hills. Will do a good core strengthening workout tonight and assess things tomorrow morning to see if I feel like running.

I'm also rapidly turning into the believer of "it's all about the miles" rather than the intensity. My last several weeks had 75% or more of miles at 9+ minute pace. Will still throw in some tempo runs and 3/1 runs on my long days to keep a feel for race pace, but just focus overall on getting my weekly miles up.

Do you have a foam roller? It does wonders for muscle soreness.

 

[Mursilis]

Thanks for the support and advice guys. I did a yoga workout last and feel at about 80% today. That remaining 20% is just general quad tightness that'd I'd have after a hard workout with hills. Will do a good core strengthening workout tonight and assess things tomorrow morning to see if I feel like running.

I'm also rapidly turning into the believer of "it's all about the miles" rather than the intensity. My last several weeks had 75% or more of miles at 9+ minute pace. Will still throw in some tempo runs and 3/1 runs on my long days to keep a feel for race pace, but just focus overall on getting my weekly miles up.

At least for a beginner, just adding miles, mostly at an easy pace, will do wonders. You'll see huge gains just from that. Later on, you'll want to add quality workouts, but don't rush into it just yet. Keep us updated on your gains - I'm thinking you've got huge potential if you stick with it.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Having followed Hansons plans, or something based on that philosophy, for my last couple marathons, there's something to the 'long run rule', but not necessarily for the reasons the rule was invented. I've become a big believer in the idea that overall weekly mileage matters a whole lot more for building endurance than just one weekly long run. I almost never run more than 16 miles at a time, but I also usually do several 'medium' runs (10+ miles) during the week as well, and I have no problems finishing marathons with even splits. In that sense, your long run probably shouldn't be more than 1/3 or so of your weekly miles, but you also should probably have more weekly miles! 😉

I meant with regards to total weekly mileage. IE, if no more than /3, a 16M LR means you'd have to run at least 32M not including the LR for your body to be "safe". For you and me, sure, no issue, but for the avg runner who may do 3 runs during the week, that's a little over 10M for each run. (If you did 4, that's still about 8M per run)

 

[Mursilis]

I meant with regards to total weekly mileage. IE, if no more than /3, a 16M LR means you'd have to run at least 32M not including the LR for your body to be "safe". For you and me, sure, no issue, but for the avg runner who may do 3 runs during the week, that's a little over 10M for each run. (If you did 4, that's still about 8M per run)

I know - hence the 😉. I'm sure neither one of us a proponent of those "run a marathon on 3 days/week training" plans either.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I know - hence the 😉. I'm sure neither one of us a proponent of those "run a marathon on 3 days/week training" plans either.

Due to injuries, that's how I've been training for Marine Corps Marathon. I won't PR but I will hopefully finish under 4 hrs.

 

[Nebor]

Getting old sucks here I guess.

I miss the days I could do a 10 mile run in combat boots, in sand on a beach, wearing a flack jacket and a web belt with a couple full canteens, and barely breath hard.

Nice work 🙂

Because those days didn't exist. 😛 that'd smoke anybody.

Saw a couple of hard chargers climbing koko head last weekend with hefty rucks and pro-masks. Made me nauseous just thinking about it.

 

[Mursilis]

Due to injuries, that's how I've been training for Marine Corps Marathon. I won't PR but I will hopefully finish under 4 hrs.

You're an experienced runner though, and you've got injury issues right now, as you stated. I know a few runners who've dropped their mileage as they've gotten older, but still finish halfs and fulls with decent times. Many of them cross-train quite a bit though - lots of biking and/or swimming. Good luck at MCM!! That race is on my list one of this years, and I may go cheer on some friends if I'm free that day.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Due to injuries, that's how I've been training for Marine Corps Marathon. I won't PR but I will hopefully finish under 4 hrs.

As Murs already said, you can still do decent. For the experienced, while volume is a key component, quality runs def make a diff.

 

[vi edit]

Went back and added it up...I had 175 miles of training going into that half. Just under 190 if you count the half itself. 😛

 

[Mursilis]

Went back and added it up...I had 175 miles of training going into that half. Just under 190 if you count the half itself. 😛

Outside of a time period context, it's hard to draw much from those mileage figures. It's kind of like when running buddies say they didn't train "at all" for a marathon, when what they really mean is, they didn't add any additional mileage to their weekly 50mpw base.

Either way, I think you've got huge gains in your future, should you choose to pursue more training. My first half was a 1:50 in 2012, and I'm hoping to break 1:30 this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

 

[vi edit]

First logged mile was July 20th.

25 miles in July
49 in August
75 Sept
26 in October

🙂

 

[vi edit]

Oh and kick some ass this weekend! Sub 1:30 is the long game plan for me. I'd love to hit that accomplishment.