Sub 85 min Half Marathon Support Thread

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Westley Nov 2011 4:01pm, 23 Nov 2011 1,090 posts	0 Westley Postieboy, last year both my 10K and HM times were slower than your times but I managed a sub 3. My conversion is good but I wonder what your aerobic base is like? How slow do you do your steady state or recovery runs? Your total mileage seems a little low to build a good aerobic base, but then again there are people on fetch who don't do a whole lot more mileage than you and have excellent aerobic engines.
RFJ Nov 2011 4:10pm, 23 Nov 2011 2,882 posts	0 RFJ Postie, I may the te same as you, as when I did 3:13 2 years ago, had a 37:32 10K 62:46 10m and a 1:26:09 Half.. my conversion has always been poor... why? Dont realy know yet... but when I did get 3:13 it was a 20 min PB of specific training from a Coach....
B Rubble Nov 2011 4:11pm, 23 Nov 2011 1,459 posts	0 B Rubble I think I would need to qualify that (IMHO) a sub 85 half equates to a sub 3hr marathon, based on marathon training. I'm sure that most sub 3 marathoners would do 82-84 if they trained specifically for a half.
B Rubble Nov 2011 4:18pm, 23 Nov 2011 1,460 posts	0 B Rubble Sorry, X-post RFJ, but it reinforces the specific training argument. My recent 10k and half times are pretty poor due to not being able to do much fast running after injury, but I still managed an (almost) satisfactory marathon. So we need to talk about specific half marathon training. Tempos, intervals, LT runs etc. And what sort of mileage should we do if we're targeting a half. More is not necessarily better.
postieboy Nov 2011 4:23pm, 23 Nov 2011 838 posts	0 postieboy I started running from scratch under four years ago so my aerobic base is still developing. As for my mileage, I'm in the wrong job for doing lots. I walk 4 miles a day, 6 days a week before doing any running! My pacing for slower runs is improving (i.e. getting slower) since I started wearing a HRM back in April. In a way it feels like I've come a long way too quickly and 26.2 miles has really found me out so far.
postieboy Nov 2011 4:29pm, 23 Nov 2011 839 posts	0 postieboy BR - when targetting a half, I'd still put in 75% of the miles you'd do if marathon training. As I've mentioned before, a few race pace tempo runs of 5-6 miles and a couple of lsr's in the 14 mile range I think is essential.
Smout Nov 2011 5:20pm, 23 Nov 2011 3,104 posts	0 Smout Not in the 85 camp yet but defo on a bit of the even pace camp. I ran PBs for 10k (from just as I fell pregnant allots exactly 2 years earlier) and 10 mile (only set the weekend before but on a tough course) on the way to my half. Totally wasn't sure I'd have a sub 90 in me (I was sure 1:31 / 32 was possible) but decided a few days before I'd appreciate a London Champ start way more than a 3:30 marathon an decided if it felt 'on' when I started running then go for it. 6:46 1st mile felt ok so it was on. What little inclines there were I made sure I didn't work any harder so likely slowed but relaxed over the crest then pushed on the few downs. Finished with Garmin 6:49 avg pace and 88:57. The last 5k were definitely the key after convincing myself that getting to 10 miles in a PB would be a good day out an just see what I had leftâ€¦â€¦ I went through a minute faster then the work really started and quite suddenly. I actually felt like I had done in recent 5ks - like my lungs were going to burst and the last few hundred metres building up to a sprint were painful. Garmin had last 3.12 at 21:05 so at the time exactly 1 minute slower than the 5k PB I'd set a couple of weeks before but sheesh it felt like I was running just as fast! Dunno what all that says really LOL
Smout Nov 2011 5:21pm, 23 Nov 2011 3,105 posts	0 Smout Ooops that was long! Didn;t even go near my failure to convert and major low mileage being a big part the reason
HappyTimes Nov 2011 6:21pm, 23 Nov 2011 1,222 posts	0 HappyTimes postieboy, not having looked at your training and not saying it is the case with yourself but it just might be that your best distance is the marathon. I am often puzzeled why on Fetch it is not grasped that everyone is not cut out to race as well at a particular distance. Some will race well over large range of distances others wont and no matter what training is done we cant alter genetics and what our body is cut out to excel at. Simialr to Smout post re: pacing and feel strongly that this too is pretty clear that baring "outside" factors e.g. winds/hills etc that even pacing (or slight negative split) is the way to achieve best results over any of the distances we are likely to be running/racing. Not the best analogy maybe but think on car fuel consumption! Do same journey in same conditions but first head off at 100mph then slow towards end to give average speed of say 60mph for journey then do whole journey at 61mph you will use less fuel and get there in better shape and SOONER!
postieboy Nov 2011 7:02pm, 23 Nov 2011 840 posts	0 postieboy I know my best distance is the half marathon HT (I assume that's what you really meant!). I feel both comfortable and confident at this distance and know what works for me in terms of training and race strategy. If I never run a really good marathon so be it, but it won't be for the want of trying my hardest every single time. I have a string of excellent HM's and to a slightly lesser extent 10k's to my name which I can be proud of. From couch potato to a decent runner in short space of time isn't bad!