The Half Marathon support Thread

Tec Diver · 02-11-2010 09:20AM

Back in Ireland as of last Thursday and did a 10k on Sat and a 7k and a good pace (in the rain) yesterday. At least there's no humidity!
I've signed up for the Waterford Half but don't think I got a confirmation email, did any of you get an email back after paying up online?

Eoin

RubyK · 02-11-2010 10:47AM

Tec Diver wrote: »

I've signed up for the Waterford Half but don't think I got a confirmation email, did any of you get an email back after paying up online?

I signed up yesterday, and got a confirmation e-mail back from the runirelandshop. HTH

elvis jones · 02-11-2010 04:27PM

If i can't do 7/8 miles this weekend i'm in serious poo !

Spinning class tonight so i'll be crawling back to the car:D

yungwan · 03-11-2010 11:56AM

Hey guys.

I started my winter treadmill training in the gym yesterday (yeah yeah, I know I am a wuss!)

Anyway, at €8 a pop I want to make the most of the equipment, and while my focus is and will be on getting in my planned miles on the treadmill, can anyone recommend anything else I could use also?

My Thursday session will be 3 miles + strength.

I am not really interested in weights, so is there anything I could use in the gym while I am there?

Cheers

Tec Diver · 03-11-2010 12:49PM

Try some core work, hip flexors, glutes and quads. Some stationary bike work, lunges, swimming, stair master etc.
I joined the local gym and will have my first assessment today. Hoping to not have to be using the dreadmill, but will depend on weather and health!

Eoin

bluestone · 05-11-2010 02:28PM

im up to 11.5 miles in trainin for the waterford 1/2 but find myself fairly wrecked after the long runs. i do these after work so dont kno if this adding to it. any other 1st timers finding this & any thing to do to counteract it. i dont take on any water during these runs so maybe that is a factor?

RayCun · 05-11-2010 02:32PM

bluestone wrote: »

im up to 11.5 miles in trainin for the waterford 1/2 but find myself fairly wrecked after the long runs.

You should run those more slowly than you plan to race on the day.

yungwan · 05-11-2010 04:31PM

bluestone wrote: »

im up to 11.5 miles in trainin for the waterford 1/2 but find myself fairly wrecked after the long runs. i do these after work so dont kno if this adding to it. any other 1st timers finding this & any thing to do to counteract it. i dont take on any water during these runs so maybe that is a factor?

I was feeling like this and realised I wasnt taking on enough calories. You need to be eating a little more (healthy and wholesome food) to make up for the extra energy you are burning. A 11.5 mile run could burn as much as 1000 calores, so you need to adjust accordingly.

Also yes hydration is important. I was noticing I was sapped of energy after a few miles during my LSRs. I have started bringing water with me I have noticed a difference. (I am doing a 10 mile LSR this weekend and I intend to bring 500mls with me and drop off another 500mls on the way) Also prehydrate well beforehand.

I am no expert, but just sharing what I have learned through trail and error.

bluestone · 05-11-2010 06:40PM

RayCun wrote: »

You should run those more slowly than you plan to race on the day.

i am though. yesterday was 9.30min miles. id be aimin for bout 9 min miles on the day based on previous 10 mile race

bluestone · 05-11-2010 06:44PM

yungwan wrote: »

I was feeling like this and realised I wasnt taking on enough calories. You need to be eating a little more (healthy and wholesome food) to make up for the extra energy you are burning. A 11.5 mile run could burn as much as 1000 calores, so you need to adjust accordingly.

Also yes hydration is important. I was noticing I was sapped of energy after a few miles during my LSRs. I have started bringing water with me I have noticed a difference. (I am doing a 10 mile LSR this weekend and I intend to bring 500mls with me and drop off another 500mls on the way) Also prehydrate well beforehand.

I am no expert, but just sharing what I have learned through trail and error.

thats more expertise than i have so far! 500ml sounds a bit awkward for carrying, a bottle of score sounds might do the job!

menoscemo · 05-11-2010 09:06PM

bluestone wrote: »

i am though. yesterday was 9.30min miles. id be aimin for bout 9 min miles on the day based on previous 10 mile race

Try running your LSR's at about 1min+ slower than your planned pace on the day.(the slower the better as the main point of LSR's is to get used to speniding a long time on your feet). If you are still feeling strong at the end of them, then up the pace for the last few miles. Much better to start out slow and speed up than the opposite.

Practise running at your race pace in your shorter midweek runs.

This gives you a combination of speed and endurance which is what you will need to finish your goal HM in a fast time.

thetonynator · 06-11-2010 08:18PM

Ran a half marathon in training today just to see if i could before waterford! Wasn't going particularly hard, and it was a hilly course and was raining but did it in 1.45. I reckon with a good bit more training, a flatter course and better conditions and i might do 90mins . . .

Tec Diver · 07-11-2010 04:44PM

I was planning a LSR today in Pheonix Park, as it was a great day for it, albeit cold. I got to 10k and started getting stomach cramps so called it. Got back to the car at just over 11k and realised I'd done it in just under an hour, and that's at my LSR pace...sweet!

Eoin

deniseve · 08-11-2010 03:58PM

I ran my first marathon in Dublin on the October bank holiday Monday and completed the course in 3h 43m, which I was very happy about. I sustained a shin splint injury after the marathon and I'm only really recovered now. I went for a cycle yesterday and I feel fine. I'm looking to do the Waterford Half-Marathon on the 11th of Dec. I'm just wondering what kind of training I should be doing between now and the 11th of Dec? I ran the half-marathon in the Phoenix Park in 1h 42m and I think that I'm capable of beating that time in Waterford.

maria74 · 09-11-2010 12:13AM

Ive signed up for half in Connemara in April. Only running few months and am doing aware 10K in Dec. Just looking for some advice, I am doing 3 runs per week and LSR this week was 13K.
Wondering should I keep going up in distance each week from now or stick with the 13-15K perhaps til Jan maybe and try instead to increase number of runs per week? I am doing 2 runs at present about 5-7K along with LSR. (Altho all slooow really!)

Dow99 · 09-11-2010 10:32AM

maria74 wrote: »

Ive signed up for half in Connemara in April. Only running few months and am doing aware 10K in Dec. Just looking for some advice, I am doing 3 runs per week and LSR this week was 13K.
Wondering should I keep going up in distance each week from now or stick with the 13-15K perhaps til Jan maybe and try instead to increase number of runs per week? I am doing 2 runs at present about 5-7K along with LSR. (Altho all slooow really!)

I followed roughly the hal higdon half marathon training novice for my first HM. The longest distance you will do in the training is 16km. I got a couple of these under my belt in about 6 weeks before the HM and I was fine getting around the course. Obviously the better prepared you are the more comfortable you will be on the day, but be careful not to over do it.
It looks like you are doing quite well already. In the couple of months before the HM, do a couple of 5km -8km's during the week and an LSR of 10-12km and if you can feel good push yourself to a 16km and you wont have a problem. But at the moment you are well on track!!

Tec Diver · 09-11-2010 11:19AM

Good on you Deniseve! They are great times for the full and the half.
There's a few people on here following the Hal Higdon training plans and getting good results from it.
I'm doing my own thing (results ok so far), but have recently added in some leg work in the gym to compliment the runs.

Tec Diver · 09-11-2010 11:23AM

maria74 wrote: »

Ive signed up for half in Connemara in April. Only running few months and am doing aware 10K in Dec. Just looking for some advice, I am doing 3 runs per week and LSR this week was 13K.
Wondering should I keep going up in distance each week from now or stick with the 13-15K perhaps til Jan maybe and try instead to increase number of runs per week? I am doing 2 runs at present about 5-7K along with LSR. (Altho all slooow really!)

I've been doing 4-5 runs a week, with a LSR at the weekend. % a week is pushing it, but 4 is recommended if you really want to see improvements.
Are you doing any speed or interval work?

menoscemo · 09-11-2010 02:03PM

maria74 wrote: »

Ive signed up for half in Connemara in April. Only running few months and am doing aware 10K in Dec. Just looking for some advice, I am doing 3 runs per week and LSR this week was 13K.
Wondering should I keep going up in distance each week from now or stick with the 13-15K perhaps til Jan maybe and try instead to increase number of runs per week? I am doing 2 runs at present about 5-7K along with LSR. (Altho all slooow really!)

The longer the runs you can do in prep the better. Ideally on race day distance is not an issue (by this I mean you will have covered the full distance and more in training if possible), the issue will be running as fast as possible.

Take the LSRs at the weekend slow (slower than race pace), ideally speeding up at the end of them if possible. Use your midweek runs for some speed work and race pace training. I find it effective to pick a time you would like to finish in and train for that time. e.g. If your goal is 2 hours then start of doing a mile or two in midweek at this pace, ideally building it up to 6-7 miles a few weeks before the race.

BrokenMan · 09-11-2010 04:30PM

deniseve wrote: »

I ran my first marathon in Dublin on the October bank holiday Monday and completed the course in 3h 43m, which I was very happy about. I sustained a shin splint injury after the marathon and I'm only really recovered now. I went for a cycle yesterday and I feel fine. I'm looking to do the Waterford Half-Marathon on the 11th of Dec. I'm just wondering what kind of training I should be doing between now and the 11th of Dec? I ran the half-marathon in the Phoenix Park in 1h 42m and I think that I'm capable of beating that time in Waterford.

I'm in a similar situation as you, time wise as well 3:43 in DCM and half PB 0f 1:41

My plan for waterford is

Starting This week

Rest/4/5 tempo/3/Rest/5/10
Rest/5/6 Tempo/4/Rest/6/12
Rest/6/6 Tempo/4/Rest/6/15
Rest/4/5 Tempo/4/Rest/5/10
Rest/4/3/Rest/Rest/Race

Just goijng to stick with standard Tempo runs midweek instead of the higher intensity intervals to aid in recovery a little.

Not saying its the best possible but hopefully it will get me around in something reasonable.

dolliemix · 09-11-2010 06:22PM

I'm not working on speed at all. My achievement will be to complete the Half Marathon for the first time.

I did 9 miles on Sunday in 1.32 mins. So I'll be aiming for 2.15ish at Waterford

maria74 · 09-11-2010 07:14PM

I think I will be doing the same...trying to finish it! Time is not really a factor for me, its just being able to do the distance!

menoscemo · 09-11-2010 08:56PM

maria74 wrote: »

I think I will be doing the same...trying to finish it! Time is not really a factor for me, its just being able to do the distance!

Well if you are up to 13km at the moment with the conn half 5 months away, Covering 21km really will not be a problem. When you say 'do the distance' I assume you mean 'run the distance'? If so I don't think it will be the 21k's that will be the problem, rather the hills. Therefore the best advice to you would be to practse running up hills.

maria74 · 09-11-2010 10:03PM

Hills...YUK! Hate them.

But I have noticed that the small hills I run on short runs dont cause me to feel I am having a heartattack (as much) anymore!! So some progress!

Am stil kind of in shock that I have done 8 miles..keep checking the conversion etc because this is something I never thought I could/would do...in May I could barely run for 30 secs. Now just back from a 5K in the rain here I am .......:D

Tec Diver · 10-11-2010 11:00AM

Personally I think that going the full 21k is more of a mental battle than physical. Before my first half in May I had only ever done 8.5k in training. I was amazed that I was able to beat the 11k cutoff time and just kept going. I think my legs just get into a rhythm and it feels easier to keep going than to stop...could just be me though!

Eoin

yungwan · 12-11-2010 04:54PM

Super afternoon for a run!

Jealous of anyone who manages to get out before the darkness descends.

Gym this evening though - quick question - cross trainer, before or after my tread run? I always wonder which order I should do these things!?

Thanks!

maria74 · 12-11-2010 05:26PM

I'd go for after....no science just my preferance!:)

fungirl1 · 27-11-2010 09:21PM

hi all bene missing for a while...still running a bit (2 a week if lucky) but not as much as i woudl like. Not going to the Waterford, but planning to sign up for Bally cotten 10 and hopefully do another half pretty soon after that..and then who knows...
hope training is going well for everyone doing Waterford..posting has obviously been not so great (too busy running I reckon...) I had to search for this thread

Cabaal · 28-11-2010 01:53AM

No 11mile run today due to lack of a place to run due to the snow

Tec Diver · 28-11-2010 10:27AM

We have a good bit of snow here too and I'm due a LSR today. I'm going to head out and do it anyway. Not sure how far I'll get before I fall on my ass too many times, but I'll bring a camera to take some pics of the area.
Hope snow is gone before the Waterford half!

Eoin

The Half Marathon support Thread

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