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Sub 1:50 Half Marathon.
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eh up; this could be my thread! I started my 1/2 life as a teenager with a 1:49 and other than a peek at 1:46 a couple of years later, while still at uni, I didn't get back to sub 1:50 until last year - aged 36! did it again last week though, so happy and hoping vaguely to have a pop at that 1:46 figure again in the Scunthorpe half at the end of April.
Now just looking for suggestions for how to mix up my training (approx, 35 miles per week incl hills, speedwork, LSRs and a few junk miles!)
I ran Bath Half yesterday - originally I'd been hoping for sub 1:50 but then did what I considered to be far too little training for this to be remotely achieveable. I started slowly and then got into the swing of things and to my surprise was comfortably running 8:20 for the majority of it. Could have kicked myself for the slow start and loo stop as I clocked 1:50:39! Should have had a bit more faith....
I think for me it helped having done a full marathon in the autumn - the half is still psychologically way easier as a result. As is the training. But, since January 1st, I have run a total of around 85 miles (i.e averaging only 10 miles per week). That is in part due to the snow, and I have done some cross training, including some hour long games of squash! As far as I can tell, what has helped most has been that I do every run at the fastest possible pace I can sustain for the distance. I have done quite a lot of 5 - 7 mile runs around 8:30 pace, and quite a lot of 1 mile intervals - running each mile in 7:30, with approx 2 minutes rest after each. I've found that really tough but useful to increase my pace.
Have you looked at Furman's FIRST schedules - I based my marathon training on them and continue to base my training loosely on them - they advocate 3 runs per week.
As for me, I'll be hoping to get closer to 1:45ish in the autumn but it sounds a bit unachiveable in my head at the moment... we'll see!
Hi Tim, I have the same goal as you. 45 and have run 2 HM's last year at Edinburgh 1:59:45 and Great North Run 1:58:36. I always work in KM times rather than miles. So, my PB was run at 5:37 per KM, and a sub 1:50 HM target is 5:12 per KM.
The mental block I have is that my fastest 10k was run at 4:59 per KM meaning I pretty much have to run at just over 10K pace for twice the distance.
I have been running around 25km per week since Jan 1st, split roughly 12-15k long run with the balance spread over 2 or 3 5k-ish runs. Some hills mixed in but no real interval speed work.
Things are looking up as I ran a (very hilly) 10 miles in Midlothian yesterday at an average 5:21/km. So, on a flat course I feel that 5:12/km or sub 1:50 is possible.
Nah, it'll spur him on to run faster if he doesn't know what time he has to beat. Then he'll have earnt the right to gloat if he manages it.
well, I'm pretty sure it was in the top half of the field.
Welcome Iccle Jim, Justanotherrunner and Chris 155.
Managed to chuck in my first 'extra' run last night. Struggled a bit, I'm still tired from my Half last week. Just went for a 3.5mile 8min/mile. Can definitely go quicker than that my HR was 161 wheras during a half race it's right up at 175.
I think I'm going to alter my runs to include a 3.5mile at 175HR rather than aiming for a particular pace and change my 4.5 mile to an interval/fertlek type run which with the hills it kind of is already, will just try to make it more so.
TimR, don't forget to leave yourself enough time for recovery. Also, well done on the extra run, but if you're planning to run at race pace, it might be worth adding a slower mile of warm-up/cool down on either side. Or start off slower for a couple of miles and gradually speed up to your fast pace for the 3.5 miles. That way you'd be getting some extra miles in, but they wouldn't feel like loads more effort and the fast part will probably feel like less effort too.
I've done about 15 halfs now and still learning/improving.
TimR -I'm 44 too and I did my first half in 2.04, then went down to 1.53 ish on a few occasions with mediocre training. Last year I decided to make a proper effort to get under 1.50. So I followed a training plan (RW sub 1.45) - I tweaked it slightly as I don't like to run more than 4 times a week. My key sessions each week were a LSR, a tempo session of around 6 miles at 8.15mm and mile repeat sessions at around 7.50mm. I'm convinced it was the mile repeats & tempo sessions that improved my speed as I already had the endurance under my belt. I managed a 1.47.22 and felt there was still something left in the tank at the end....sub 1.45 next time, maybe?!
Good luck
my biggest change for this year is mileage - averaging 5 miles a day (35 per week) for 2013 and it's helping immensely! just lots of longish runs (on running days I average 8 miles!). Regarding quality rather than just quantity, my runs span as LSR, efforts and tempo with the club, and I try to do 1 or two runs on my own which are usually 5-8 miles steady.
And today's run was brought to you by the nunbers -3 and "feels like -8". Lurvely!
Sorry to butt in with what may seem like a daft question, but are you comparing your times over the same HM or different ones? I was absolutely thrilled to get a PB last November of 1:52 (making a sub 1:50 my natural goal, so all tips welcome) but it was a flat course compared to the hilly one I'd previously PB'd in. Strangely enough I did Conwy a fortnight later and came in at 1:54, but it had three miles of steep climbing up the Orme, so I felt that it was probably more of an achievement for being tougher.
No worries Auntie. Every half I do is different. Flat road, hilly, trail, mixed, I don't care. My aim is to consistently run under 1:50. If this means a sub 1:45 on flat road and a 1:49 on hilly trail then that's my aim.
So an update on my progress after seeing David struggled yesterday to get under 1:55.
Training run of 13miles. Supposed to be an LSR. I've been feeling lately that it's been far too slow. 10:00/mile. Added in some 8:30/mile miles and was determined to keep my HR up at 161. Came in at 9:20/mile and felt comfortable although tired, wet and cold towards the end.
Have kept up the 4mile 7:45-8:00/mile runs and pushed harder on the 10 mile with 8:00/mile sections for longer.
Maybe it's working...
Didn't manage to break the 1:50 barrier at Wilmslow (1:54), but took 5 minutes off last year's time so at least it was a step (or several steps) in the right direction. The weather was awful, and we were running into a headwind for what seemed like most of the course (funny how it's never behind you, isn't it) so all in all I was happy. Cold but happy.
I've dropped 5mins off my 10mile run now by sticking to 9:00-9:30/mile with a couple of sections of 8:00/mile for 2miles.
Still doing the 7:45-8:00 for 4miles on Mon and Fri.
8:20s are fairly comfortable now.
Next half is Sunday 5th May. Hilly trail. Of course
I'm hoping it's my marathon training starting to kick in, although that's been predominantly long slow runs so won't account for an increase in speed. I also PB'd by 3 minutes in a 10 miler the week before, so maybe I'm just hanging on that bit longer at my faster pace. Having said that I can't PB over my local parkrun at all! Maybe after the marathon I'll try to concentrate on some speed work and have a serious attempt at a sub 1:50 HM in the autumn - although the only one I've got lined up so far is a hilly one...drat!
Sunday I ran 17miles at 9:30 and my heart rate averaged 150.
I've a feeling I'm just not pushing hard enough in a race.
Need to book some more up.
I'm 47 and run about 25 to 30 miles pw pretty consistently. My parkrun time is 24:37 and 10 km is 50:xx Have to say I don't think I have any natural flair whatsoever (!) as anyone else I know who runs the same kind of mileage has much better times but I really enjoy running so it's good to have a target to aim for.
Racquel - we sound very similar even though I'd love to be 47 again... Friends tell me I'm a strong runner but I look at everyone else and never feel as good in comparison. Then I look at their ages and realise that for 50 I'm not doing too badly. OK I'll never be an elite, even in an advanced age group, but if I can stay in the 60%'s in the age grading I'm happy to be "above average". I still feel I've a good few years running in me, so why not try to improve? I'm better now than I was five years ago, so who knows what dizzy heights I might reach by the time I'm 60! Hopefully a sub 1:50 HM will feature in there somewhere! Just get out there and enjoy yourself!
Interesting result on Sunday. Hilly trail. Comparing last years race with Sunday's.
Last year 1:59:24, yesterday 1:55:05.
Last year Avg HR 172, Sunday 165.
So I think maybe I wasn't pushing hard enough yesterday, maybe I've forgotten how hard I can push?
Still 4mins off last years time in much hotter conditions. So I'm reasonably happy.
Next two races are St Albans and The Surrey Badger. Neither of which I will run as 'Races' as I'm going to accompany some novices. Think I'll see if there's something else local soon.
This is a great thread, lots of good advice, I managed a 1.52 at my first half on Sunday and hope to get a 1.45 for a race in October, any suggestions for gps watches people are using? I haven't used one and seems like this could really help me go sub 1.50 at the very least. Not wanting to break the bank, something functional and doesn't look like a brick! Read a lot of reviews but just so many out there! Thanks.