Half marathon- how to run your fastest, even splits or hang on!

i wouldnt go out hard in a half marathon, i dont kno about you but thats just me.

2 important things to think about:

1) Every current men's WR for distances from the half marathon to the marathon have been run on either even paced splits or slightly negative splits.

2) A half marathon is run at or near lactate threshold pace, that is the fastest pace your body can handle and still maintain a elevated but steady state blood lactate level. Faster than this pace and your body's lactate level increases. If you start out too fast then slow to lactate threshold level your body will spike its lactate level from the faster early pace and then never be able to reduce it because LT pace (by definition) does allow for lower the lactate levels (just keeping it steady). So a fast early pace sabatoges your efforts in a half marathon becuase you run it with higher lactate levels the whole way than you would with an even paced race.

Agree with above - it's basically to far a distance to go for it from the gun

Its early morning here.

My post should say:

- above the "half mile" not half marathon

- LT paced does NOT allow for reducing blood lactate levels

Sub 70 Half- wrote:

I was wondering whats the best way to race a half marathon, to go fom the gun and hang on, or else to run even splits all the way ant the time you would like to run?

I'm doing one tomorrow and would love to break 70.

I just want to get the most out of myself and run the fastest I can. I am wondering what is the most likely way to ensure this happens?

I'd go for even splits. I often get the temptation to start really hammering when I'm 4-5 miles into a half, and if I give in to that temptation the wheels usually fall off in the last couple miles. The half is a hard pace but you shouldn't be struggling to hold the pace early on.

If you run even splits for 70 and feel great around 8-9 miles in, then by all means start a long drive for home.

How'd it go champ? did ya get in under 70?

Thanks for the advice, i ran 71:34, it was an undulating course though. I ran even splits, it just happened naturally. It was the irish national half marathon championships.ive been having problems with my hamstring for a while now, it tightens up due to weak glutes. Once i get it sorted i'll be able to get more out of myself. Happy enough with my run. Thanks again for the advice.

Thinking of doing london in 2009, hoping to break 2;30

Sub 70 Half- wrote:

Thanks for the advice, i ran 71:34, it was an undulating course though. I ran even splits, it just happened naturally. It was the irish national half marathon championships.ive been having problems with my hamstring for a while now, it tightens up due to weak glutes. Once i get it sorted i'll be able to get more out of myself. Happy enough with my run. Thanks again for the advice.

Thinking of doing london in 2009, hoping to break 2;30

Congrats. It's still a good run.

Maybe it's just me, but I've found that rolling terrain destroys me in long races much more than in short ones. Even if it doesn't feel like it's slowing you down, it can really come back to bite you around mile 10, making it hard to hammer it in.

Yeah my hamstring felt very uncomfortable due to camber on the road, aerobically i felt good but my problem was just leg strength. I need to strengthen my glutes and hamstrings alot more so i can run alot smoother. I find that with longer races such as the half and even ten milers, my problems are all due tendons and ligaments getting tired, which mean i can't maximize my fitness.

Anyone else have this problem.