The road to a 1:2X Half Mara.....

shels4ever

Ok the title is OTT the main aim is to run as fast as possible for the distance and actually race a half rather then "just getting around" I'm not sure that a sub 1:30 would be anyway possible but targets will change during the plan. No harm to aim high right?

Well after weeks and weeks and weeks of stupid smaill injuries i'm back in action now and just ticking over at the moment. The plan for the next 3 week is to keep with the base building until I start my new training plan.

I've decided that I would take the whole training plan out of my hands so will be working with a custom plan thats been provided.

Target race is going to be the national half marathon in September and I hope to go as fast as possible in this. My current Pb stands at 1:59 but I could break that if I races in a couple of week and feel that I should be well capable of going sub 1:40... how much fast I'm not so sure.

So from the 17th May I'll be starting a 20 week half marathon plan, This is almost as long as most marathon plans but the whole reason is to run a really fast half marathon at this time. You never know if all goes well it could be a 1:2x ......

So between not and the start of the plan its lots of easy miles, strides and some 1k reps but miles , miles miles are the key.

smmoore79

shels4ever wrote: »

Ok the title is OTT the main aim is to run as fast as possible for the distance and actually race a half rather then "just getting around" I'm not sure that a sub 1:30 would be anyway possible but targets will change during the plan. No harm to aim high right?

Well after weeks and weeks and weeks of stupid smaill injuries i'm back in action now and just ticking over at the moment. The plan for the next 3 week is to keep with the base building until I start my new training plan.

I've decided that I would take the whole training plan out of my hands so will be working with a custom plan thats been provided.

Target race is going to be the national half marathon in September and I hope to go as fast as possible in this. My current Pb stands at 1:59 but I could break that if I races in a couple of week and feel that I should be well capable of going sub 1:40... how much fast I'm not so sure.

So from the 17th May I'll be starting a 20 week half marathon plan, This is almost as long as most marathon plans but the whole reason is to run a really fast half marathon at this time. You never know if all goes well it could be a 1:2x ......

So between not and the start of the plan its lots of easy miles, strides and some 1k reps but miles , miles miles are the key.

Best of luck. With a bit of hard work and some luck you'll deffo go sub 1 hr 30!!

metamorphosis

Best of luck with the new training and goals.

shels4ever

smmoore79 wrote: »

Best of luck. With a bit of hard work and some luck you'll deffo go sub 1 hr 30!!

deffo is a bit of a strong word but going to give it a good lash.:)

Woddle

Good stuff Shels and best of luck with it, the national 1/2 is on my hit list also. have you any info on it other than the date?

RacoonQueen

Sub 90 half is my goal for after edinburgh too so I'll keep an eye on this thread. Good luck with it!

ronanmac

Fantastic title, nothing like laying down some ambition from the start! Best of luck with the training and the racing, a sub 1:30 half would be some achievement.

shels4ever

Woddle wrote: »

Good stuff Shels and best of luck with it, the national 1/2 is on my hit list also. have you any info on it other than the date?

Only have the date myself at the moment so hope to get more info once its decided.

shels4ever

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Sub 90 half is my goal for after edinburgh too so I'll keep an eye on this thread. Good luck with it!

I'm a long way from that shape at the moment but who knows what can happen over the next few months.

kennyb3

Shels the way i see it if you can run 20 weeks - 30 or more miles a week, stay injury free and still get enough speed work in and keep the diet good, you ll have a great chance.

Think the key for you is not to have any injury set backs. best of luck with it

BeepBeep67

Good luck with the training - I'm looking forward to picking up a few tips.
Only advice I'll give for the HM is tempo, tempo, tempo.

shels4ever

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Good luck with the training - I'm looking forward to picking up a few tips.
Only advice I'll give for the HM is tempo, tempo, tempo.

Yep. Early in the program i will be using tempo, but mid way i'll switch to fast finish long runs.

shels4ever

5 miles easy in the park was great to get out today after been sick for the last few days.

Folowed up with a light core session.

shels4ever

Thursday 13th May.

4 miles very easy. @ 8:55 pace.

nobody in the park tonight was super.

shels4ever

Friday 14th
30 min cycle + core work .

Sat 15th
7 miles easy with last 2 miles faster.

Felt great today mainly due to a very slow pace for the first 5 miles, last2 miles were nice just to hurt a little.

shels4ever

Sunday 16th

30 mins easy run with 4 X 80m strides .

Very easy day today felt like doing an extra 20 mins but going to take it really easy for the next couple of week to stay injury free.

tempo

good luck with the training,seems like alot of time to take of your pb.
what have you run for 10k?

shels4ever

tempo wrote: »

good luck with the training,seems like alot of time to take of your pb.
what have you run for 10k?

Yep its a huge chunk, But I feel I would have ran 1:43-4 last summer. Also there is no time on this so It might take me 12 months to do(if ever), Main aim is to run as fast as I can and stay injury free.

Training for the half in September and after that will focus on the cross country season. Only 10k i've ever races was 54 mins but thats now an easy training run.

I know I can run a 1:3X half mara if I put the work in and stay injury free but i'd rather fail at hard target then set an easy one

tempo

you will have to take atleast 10minutes of your 10k to achieve your goal time for the half........
what are your short term goals ie when will you start your race phase period?what distances will you race in the lead up to the half marathon?

have you any small goals ie weight,flexibity,core work,gym ect

shels4ever

Yep I would expect to need to be in sub 40 shape to run that time. But that will come with time.

Well the training plan kicks off tomorrow and I'll now focus on stamina building and increasing my mileage slowly and staying injury free. The initial plan was for a 6 week Stamina phase followed by a 6 week speed phase then a peak phase. But I will extend the stamina phase out by a furhter 2-3 week as I feel its where I will see most improvment.

I am planning on racing a number of races during the summer roughly 1 per month some will only be as time trials but others will be races . Everything going well I'll look for a 5k late july and a 10k early August to target . The Adidas 10 mile is a week too last for me as its only 2 weeks prior to the race so may only do this as a tempo run, But will play that by ear.

The main goals are
1. Run alot ( lots of easy runs) . Lots of easy mile will be the main focus for the next few week, I'm not worried about time at all.
2. Stay injury free. Regual sports massage from now on, will be booking in next week again and plan to keep this up.
3. Lose weight. This is an area that i've improved on over the last 2 week, diet is very good now.
4. Keep up my core work. Started on a corse session last week and hope to keep this up, and a few other areas to add to this but will introduce them slow. Just want to build that habbit.

shels4ever

Monday 17th
40 mins easy running. Legs are starting to feel like i'm running again now. Followed up with some core work and working my calf on the foam roller.

shels4ever

Tuesday 18th
Planned rest day today as I was planning on 3 days on 1 day off. But feeling great today so might do a 3 mile jog/walk at lunch time later in work, better then sitting in the office I guess.

Core session this morning, Starting to really enjoy my training first time in months with out any pain.

shels4ever

Wed 19th

A shade under 6 miles today in the park with 5 X 80 strides (uphill)

Did an extra mile today as I met one of the lads from work while out in the park so joined him for a bit. Nice and warm out today..

shels4ever

Thursday 20th
Easy 4 mile recovery run, very very slow run today. what a super day first day i've trained in a singlet this year and was still hot...

Core work and foam roller session after the run.

shels4ever

Friday 21st

4 miles @ 9m/m today in the park really wanted to do more today, But I'll be doing a longish run tomorrow so kept to the plan.
Very strange run today passed 3 people with dog all put their dog on leads when I was getting close. Went out of my way to say thanks.. Not to other dog owners...
What a day for running somethign about hot weather makes you want to run fast(ish)

shels4ever

Well plan to run the intel 10k tomororw as we have a team from work running. Won't be racing this just getting around the course If i'm close to 50 mins i'd bevery happy. Hope its nice and hot tomorrow i love this warm weather

shels4ever

Well the plan today went out the window and I was happy jsut to get around the course, Started out with a very relaxed couple of k @4:55 pace but got to 5 k and died, legsfeltok but justno enegry.

Was never planning on racing this would have just stopped if I wasnt part of a team so kept going (just about) .Total miles today 7 felt terrible but enjoyed it also.

On the plus side its been my best weeks running in about 5 months and zero pain in my shin/calf . Will race the 5k in lucan to see where I am in a few week time. Tomorrows run is going to be an early one...

BeepBeep67

Not to worry - that heat today was exceptional - there'll be better days ahead.

shels4ever

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Not to worry - that heat today was exceptional - there'll be better days ahead.

Its funny i'm strangly happy with a really bad run , I know ineed lot and lots of miles and it will come in time.

Woddle

Unlucky shels but man that was hot, I missed my run due to a hangover and then refusing to run in that heat so at least you got out, anyway the upcoming 5k will have some better answers no doubt

shels4ever

Woddle wrote: »

Unlucky shels but man that was hot, I missed my run due to a hangover and then refusing to run in that heat so at least you got out, anyway the upcoming 5k will have some better answers no doubt

Thakns not really down to luck more the lack of quality training. Its good to get a kick in the ass ever now and then, and i'd say come lucan i'll run a lot better.
Yep very hot today and have a nice farmers tan now ...

shels4ever

Sunday 23'rd
7 miles very easy today in amazing weather, Think there is zero wind out there at the moment and parts of the park were so so warm.

35 miles for the week which has been really easy, So 6-8 week of this type of mileage should have me good shape...

shels4ever

This week has been a bit crap for running really, work was up the walls and had a funeral another day but the week so far has been .

3 X 5 mile easy runs...
1 x 6 mile AM run (i dont like running at 6 am).

shels4ever

Monday 31st

5 miles nice and easy, legs a little tired today. Last weeks miles were just under 35 again which seems to be very easy base miles...Willbe getting the longrunup over the next few week.

Nice foram roller and stretching session tonight..need to do this every day.

shels4ever

1st June

5 easy miles again, good thing is the easy miles are actually starting to feel easy. Really wanted to do more today it was one of those runs that you feel like going on and on..

shels4ever

2nd June
Todays plan was for a asy tempo session, all my running has been easy and will be untill i can get around 12 +mile training runs. But felt like something a little harder .

Plan was 1 mile warm up 2 miles faster 1 mile warm down.

was luck to meet up with a few heads from work at the start of the faster stuff so was able to chat away (pace was about 8:05 pace) could have kept going for another couple of miles but stuck to plan.

Very happy with todays run really unfit at the moment and running crap but havent enjoy a period of training like this in a long time.. running rocks..


PM.
Core work and foam roller sessin calf/Hamstrings.

shels4ever

Thurday 3rd June.
Rest day today but going up the walls now but not going to run. Spent most of the morning in Santy @ the Dublin primary schools meet. Really well run event and could have a spinter in family now...

shels4ever

Friday 4th June.

5 miles very easy today. Took this realy handy long(ish) run due tomorrow will see how that goes.

shels4ever

Sat 5th June
9 miles easy today, could have gone on for 10,11,12 miles but kept it at nine. Pace was very slow for the first 3 miles then felt great after that.

shels4ever

Didnt get out to run today a few things came up so only got 45 mins on the bike done. 30 miles for the week but happy enough with that. Starting to feel good again and zero pain now from the leg but still using the roller each night.

shels4ever

Monday 8th June

6 miles easy today in the rain, only 3-4 other runners in the park this evening was actually really nice in the rain. Pace was ok had a bit of a blip in the mid section and pace got a bit too fast but slowed back down. Legs are starting to feel good, its nice when 6 mile runs become easy again.

shels4ever

Tuesday 8th June
Rest day. On 2 rest days this week as its an easy week. Working with 2:1 at the moment and not 3:1 to see how the body find it.

shels4ever

Wed 9th June
5 miles easy, was a bit of a mental run, ran with a lad from work and went on a new route. Just happend there were a couple of walls to be jumped enroute. Won't be running this route again.

shels4ever

Thursday 10 th June

5 miles . 4 miles very easy and 1 mile paced run plan was to hit 7:50 pace, finished with 7:52 so happy enough.
Legs felt a little tired today to start but really enjoyed this run. Things are starting to look up....

Not too sure what to do tomorrow there is a 5k race/run in work so expected to run that but planning on an easy 5 miles before my long runs on Sat. Might just have to find a way or doing the run and not racing but i'm not surei like the idea of letting people beat me...

shels4ever

Friday 11th June

5.2 miles .. race sort of.

Well got talked into doing a small 5k with work, Was planning on running int he park at the same time so would have lookedbad ifi didnt run. so paln was to justjog around as I didnt think my legs would hold up to it. Race started and tookit very easy for first 100 m but noticed that the pace was slow at the font, started to move throug the field a little toofast and was moving fairly well , went through mile 1 in 6:30 pace way way too fast but felt ok, calf started to feel a bit tight ( not the injured calf)around the 2 mile mark in jsut over 14 mins so called it a day then as i dont want to end up injured. Finished in around 23 mins and addedan extra2 miles on at the end.

Shouldnt have done this today and happy to beinjury free after, Think I maybe a little fitter then Ithough ,so head down for the next few week and will not race until the mid summer 5k.

shels4ever

Sat 12th June
3 miles easy. Legs felt very very tired today so kepts it really easy,Thouhg about taking the day off but better doing an easy 3 then just sitting at home.

shels4ever

Monday 14th June

6.5 miles easy in the park. Nice day for it today.

shels4ever

Tue 15th June
Super easy 5 miles today. Legs have been a little tired the last 2 days so just got around 5 milles really slow.

shels4ever

Just looking back over my logs evening and the last 4 week has been my best period of running in close to 7-8 months. Im really thinking of justkeeping easy running going for as long as possible,i'd rather run slow for 12 months of the year then set pb's for 3 months and get injured.

Once I get regular 15 mile runs in the bank I may change my thinking.....But starting to think about the XC season now after the half mara.

But knowing my luck I'll prob post tomorrow that I've picked up an injury again...

shels4ever

Wed 16th June.
Rest day today, had the gear in the car but managed to make it home without going for a run . Showers are back in action so the lunch time runs get easier, have been sneeking into a camp graound the last few weeks.

shels4ever

Thursday 17th June
5 miles total.

1 mile easy
1 mile hard (7:30 )
1 mile easy
1 mile hard (7:37)
1 mile easy.

Really enjoyed today run, body felt a bit strange on the first of the faster miles but grew into the run, second faster mile was mostly up hill but felt very good. Will build this session up slowly over the next few weeks.