1/2 Marathon Training for Sub 1:06

NP,

I'm running Philly this year and looking to run under 1:07. Can you tell me anything about the course? The results were slower last year than in previous years, why was that? Thanks and good luck with your training!

philly 23rd wrote:

NP,

I'm running Philly this year and looking to run under 1:07. Can you tell me anything about the course? The results were slower last year than in previous years, why was that? Thanks and good luck with your training!

What is your mileage like, and what kind of workouts are you doing? would you mind sharing.

Thanks!

Bump

bump

The workout goes 1mi at 5k pace, 3mi at MP, 1mi at 5k-10k pace,3 at MP and 1mi at 5k-10k pace. The 1 miles rest is 3-4 minutes and the 3miles is 4-5 minutes.

Those rests seem pretty long to me. Anyone else?

Philly 23rd,

The course at Philly is lighting fast although there are some VERY minor inclines but thats it. The Philadelphia Half Marathon is probably one of the fastest halfs in the country. I took 28th last year in 1:07:06, was 50:54 through 10 miles but lost it a little bit in the closing miles. I run anywhere from 100-110 miles a week here in colorado springs, my long runs are not go-as-you-feel. This isnt always the case but many of the best marathoners run at a brisk pace for their long runs and at 2:19 Im surely not the best but to break 2:20 you have to make them not too hard but not too easy either. I'll be running the Philly Half as well. Id like to meet the 1:05:00 standard time but sub 1:06:00 will be a difficult enough task in and of itself. If I can go sub 1:06 I can surely see going sub 2:19:00 at Twin Cities. You have so many characters on this site, some train high miles, some lower, some run fast on their easy days and it works for them, others slower and they produce the same results.

Ive been training just as hard to keep my iron stores up as it is really easy for me to remain anemic so that has been just as much of training as training itself. For me personally, long runs of 20-22 miles at 5:40-6:00 pace shows me Im ready when I am fit, repeat 2 miles, 1-mile reps, and running EASY on easy days. Those you train with can run as fast as they want on their easy days to show you their fit but come race day, if you have done what works best for you, more than likely they will be behind you.

Good Luck.

NP

no, i think those rests sound right on.

if you're actually going to hit the paces on the 1 miles, i believe you shouldn't even be able to complete the workout without 3+ min rest. it's possible that keeping the post-3mile rest to the same 3-4 range is in order though.

btw marathon mind, i have seen you posting a lot recently. are you a fast marathoner, or simply someone who pays a lot of attention to training plans, etc... (not a smart-ass question if it sounds that way)

The results from Philly last year don't look that fast:

http://results.active.com/pages/searchform.jsp?rsID=50149

Did you run that time two years ago? Or a different race in

I ran the Philadelphia Distance Classic that was held in September of last year, 1:07:06.

NP is incorrectly referring to the Philadelphia Distance Run as the Philadelphia Half Marathon. The PDR is in September and is very competative. The PHM (and Philadelphia Marathon) is the weekend before Thanksgiving and is less competative. I will be running the one in November and hope to go sub-66. I hear the course is pretty fast.

I am not fast. Breaking 90 minutes for the half was one of my major accomplishments when I was running a lot. If I could do that now that I am way past 40 I'd be happy. Still trying to run a decent marathon though.

All of your guys running 90-110 mpw, a quick question:

How are you breaking your miles up? Mostly singles, lots of doubles, somewhere inbetween? Are your recovery days real easy, or do you just go your normal distance at an easier pace?

Unholy,

See above:) Good luck in your sub 66.

MarathonMind wrote:

I am not fast. Breaking 90 minutes for the half was one of my major accomplishments when I was running a lot. If I could do that now that I am way past 40 I'd be happy. Still trying to run a decent marathon though.

What kind of taper, if any, do you sub 1:10 guys use when the half is during marathon training?

I'm also an older guy, fifty in Dec., and in the last few years a half marathon has usually predicted my marathon pace 4 to 6 weeks later. Some halfs of the subsequent marathons have been faster than the half.

Disclosure: not a sub-1:10 runner, but a 2:50 something marathoner.

The taper before my sub 66 race was 2 days easy jogging; 5M two days prior and 6M the day before. Until then it was the usual 10M.

I was unaware of the use of tempo runs although many of my "easy" days amounted to tempo runs. They would start out easy but soon the pace would pick up, to finish 10M in 56' to 58'. That is how I like to run.

Track sessions were done with friends of similar ability.

The other thing I notice from my log is about one race (5k-21k) per month.

WiscoBoy, you might run 2h22 if all goes well. I did 2h26 off 50Mpw. Hit the wall at 20M!

The taper before my sub 66 race was 2 days easy jogging; 5M two days prior and 6M the day before. Until then it was the usual 10M.

I was unaware of the use of tempo runs although many of my "easy" days amounted to tempo runs. They would start out easy but soon the pace would pick up, to finish 10M in 56' to 58'. That is how I like to run.

Track sessions were done with friends of similar ability.

The other thing I notice from my log is about one race (5k-21k) per month.

WiscoBoy, you might run 2h22 if all goes well. I did 2h26 off 50Mpw. Hit the wall at 20M!

If you want to run sub 66 for a half marathon you can either get good enough to run a 30 minute 10k, or run a downhill half or something like the 3M half marathon which is notoriously short (I'd say a good 3 minutes).

Lets keep this thread Rolling, Sub 66-68 Guys, what are your Speed Workouts/Threshold Workouts? And what is your mileage Like? Can you give a Plan of a previous Week!

Thanks

blernm wrote:

All of your guys running 90-110 mpw, a quick question:

How are you breaking your miles up? Mostly singles, lots of doubles, somewhere inbetween? Are your recovery days real easy, or do you just go your normal distance at an easier pace?

I usually look at it this way for 100 mile week:

Monday - 10 mi recover from Sunday's long run

Tues/Wed - total 30 miles, one double, one single

Thurs/Fri - total 30 miles, one double, one single

Sat/Sun - total 30 miles, both singles (one is long run)

example:

Mon- 10mi easy

Tues - AM-12mi, PM-6mi

Wed - AM-12mi

Thurs - AM-14mi

Fri - AM-10mi, PM-6mi

Sat - 10mi

Sun - 20mi

For 110 I'd probably add a 5 mi PM run for Wed and Thurs, for 90 mi I'll (take off Monday) or (take away a 6mi PM run, run 10 mi for Wed, and run 18 on Sun)

With the above model (flexable of course), you ALWAYS get a long run and a mid-long run (Thursdays) and I usually do a tempo on Tuesday if I'm recovered from the previous Sunday's long run or on Friday.