Question from a beginner

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  • I more 'statto' update as August is now over - it was a record month for me in just about every way...main geek stats...

     

    Distance   122.5miles

    Duration    20:50:45 (c.10:15per mile)

    Elevation    6,648ft

  • The lack of update from the last week predictably is due to the fact that I didn't run at all during the week! However, I did do Wolverhampton half marathon yesterday...

    My intention had always been that this would be run relatively easily as it was in no way my target - that's Brum in 6 weeks time. In my head, Brum was going to be around 1hr50 and therefore Wolv would be run comfortably in order to slide under 2hrs with a 1:59 or so and not pushing myself too hard. My only issue with this was likely to be pacing which I am rubbish at however, by my reckoning, 9m/m would mean 1:58 so nice and simple - just run at 9m/m and stick to within 10seconds or so of this the entire way around...simples!

    So, with that in mind, I set off and proceeded to do mile1 in 8:34 and mile2 in 8:29...genius! I slowed slightly, going through 6miles in 52:40 (8:47m/m). Sadly that's roughly where a combination of having gone off slightly too fast and being massively over optimistic in my level of fitness/ability started to hit. Miles 7-11 took 49:35 (9:53m/m average) - effectively making sub 2hrs impossible.

    I got it into my head somewhere around mile8 that clearly I was struggling, therefore I would just keep going until I saw the 11mile marker at which point I would go for it. My rational was that a) I needed to finish...pushing too hard with 5 miles to go would mean completely blowing up before the end and b) with just 2 miles left, even if I did blow up, I'd be nearly there anyway so could just shuffle my way over the line.

    As it turned out, miles 12 and 13 were done in 9:08 and 8:41 so I guess I did have something left. In hindsight, I could have pushed from a bit earlier and even a 9minute mile 11 would have scrapped me under 2hrs. As it was, I finished with 2:01:22.

    In many ways I was disappointed as I had fully expected to go under 2hrs quite easily. However in reality, it seems that was very optimistic and just not possible at the moment. On the positive side, as can be seen from this thread/diary, my training has been sporadic/inconsistent and I did get a PB - 1minute 38seconds faster than Warwick 6months ago so really I have to be pleased.

     

    My target for Brum needs seriously re-assessed, I can't possibly do 1:50 in just 6 weeks. Plan for now is to try and be a bit more consistent with training between now and then. Once the day comes, I will decide what to try to do but I think sub2hrs will be the primary goal, anything else would just be a bonus

     

     

  • I couldn't stop my inner geek from doing this! Mile splits from Warwick (March) compared to Wolverhampton yesterday...

    1     8:56     8:34

    2     8:38     8:29

    3     8:54     9:07

    4     9:03     8:42

    5     8:59     8:53

    6     8:52     8:57

    7     9:23     9:21

    8     10:02   9:51

    9     10:24   10:01

    10   10:02   10:01

    11   10:00   10:21

    12   8:43     9:08

    13   8:55     8:41

     

    It seems a pattern is emerging... set off too fast, have to slow at 6.5miles, plod on until 11 then go for it in the last 2! I'm sure there must be a better way!

     

  • Interesting, caught up in the buzz at the beginning, half a flag and then go for it again, do you eat in advance? Might be worth considering a gel at the start, this way when you are starting to flag it kicks in.

    may e your fast runs need to be a mile or two longer so that you find 9:30 easier and more comfortable,  the one noticeable thingies that your times seem to be consistent in batches of 2 miles so around 3km except 8-11 when you were struggling,  Maybe go  further at a consistent 9:30 so you almost grind in that as your slow pace image 

  • Sorry for waffling on image also forgot what is the course profile like reasonably flat, or are you slow laps actually combined as well with hills? 

  • Good time in the HM image Sub2 is definitely on the cards with better pacing in your target race.

    I can't speak much from experience re pacing, but I would have thought you just need to really consciously slow yourself down on the first half of the race (except maybe for a sharpish first 500m or so just to get yourself out of the traffic at the start of the race?) and then gradually crank it up later on before a final push?

  • Sorry for the delay in replying, as is becoming the norm, one big run has been followed by 5 days of complete inactivity - I'm really struggling for the motivation to run at the moment.

    Going back to the HM issues, I've never really taken gels at all. I tried a couple of times but just didn't feel they did anything for me. Maybe I'm being naïve but I wouldn't have thought they'd make much difference over a 2hr run for someone at my level would they?

    The course in Wolv was reasonably flat - only 500ft elevation in total. Admittedly the biggest net gain was mile 11 (my slowest) but it was nothing astonishing - just 3-4mins of average gradient. Warwick was slightly hillier, but still only 700ft. Having just had a quick look back, it was actually pretty much uphill for the first half and downhill for the second half so not directly related to my speed anyway.

    I figure my target next time has to be to break 2hrs. The only way I can realistically hope to do that is to keep slow for at least the first half, then hopefully have plenty left for a big finish. I'm thinking I should make sure I'm over 9mins per mile for the first 7 or 8, then ideally 8:30ish for the last 5. Even 8 x 9:30 and 5.1 x 8:30 should do it however I guess that's very much leaving it all until the end with little room for manoeuvre over the last few miles.

    My understanding is that brum normally has about 20k runners so pretty much 10 times the size of anything I've experienced before. I guess a steady start is probably even more sensible given that...

     

    Anyway, time to get on... must get at least one run in over the weekend... 

     

     

  • I think the best way to break 2 hours will be to aim for exactly even splits throughout.

    Also, I am thinking (races are different, obviously) that the reason you lose motivation might be because you do these big runs and then are tired afterwards. Perhaps you're not yet quite at the stage where running is just a natural, regular habit, and making sure you get out for half an hour on most days would help?

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