90 minute 1/2M - can I pull it off?

Any male below 55 years of age should be able to run 90 min half marathon, so yes, you can probably do it. I ran 1:27 off of 20 mpw for 4 months and change.

What are you basing that on? The last half I ran had 23,000 racers and only 100 ran faster than 90 minutes and the winner of the 55-59 division ran 1:29 with 2nd place over 8 minutes behind. The average 55 yo male cant run 13.1 miles under any circumstances and probably not even 400 meters at that pace. I think the dude needs to tweak his mental game and just go for it.

Guilherme wrote:

Last Fall I ran a 1:33 on a hilly course off 15 miles per week.

Sorry, something doesn't line up here. You ran 1:33 off 15mpw, now had great training and you're not confident enough that you can pull off a sub1h30 hm?

It seems like the increase in volume (albeit still not voluminous training) and the flat course would shave 3 minutes off. Maybe I'll even break 1:29. Who knows? Not really lack of confidence, just wondering if there's something I can do to increase the likelihood of success. I am 39 after all. 8 days until race day.

why only 8 days out? you shouldstill run it but just use it as a training run. try to get back to training at least 40mpw or whatever you can handle without getting injured. then i know you'll get it

Guilherme wrote:

Started running 3 years ago, ran first race of my life after about 6 months of training (it was a half marathon) and ended up with 1:36. Always wanted to run 1:30 but considered it impossible. Last Fall I ran a 1:33 on a hilly course off 15 miles per week. Next weekend I will run a new race with a totally flat course and my training partner who is a former 4:17 miler and 2:45 marathoner wants be the rabbit. My mileage has nearly doubled and I can tell I am faster (set PR's at other distances recently). I always do better by easing into the pace. I was thinking of running 7:15, 7:05 and 6:55 for the first 3 miles respectively and then attempting to hold steady 6:48 pace for the remainder. Any tips?

Yes I think you can based on other things you've said (1:33 on a HILLY course?) If you did that, AND you are fitter now AND this course is not hilly, you should be able to do it easily. The only thing that I can see that prevents you is being so structured about it. You need to average 6:51 to break 1:30. Starting off in a bit of a hole the first three miles could hurt you. Do you really need to ease into it for 3 miles? Also, it should more be the effort rather than certain times. What if the first three miles are downhill? Are they? What if mile 6 is downhill? You going to try to hit 6:48 on a downhill mile? Also, what if you get to mile 9 or 10 and feel great? Why hold back at just 6:48 miles the rest of the way?

Did you plan to the second your other half marathons? Are you planning to RACE anyone in this half marathon at all? What if someone is pushing the pace at mile 10 and starts to go by you and you feel great? You going to let him go, or try to go with him and perhaps be pulled to something even better than just under 1:30?

Just things to think about. Good luck.

I run close to your pace and like to ease into it.

Find I run quicker through the first 2-3 miles if I have a good warmup and a few strides.

Looks like a good strategy to me.

Try to tailgate if there are any headwind sections.

As silly as this advice seems don't forget to cut the corners.

Goodluck.

I'll assume everything you said is true, though it sounds odd like another poster mentioned. I've been running about as long as you but you seemed to have started off a bit faster (I ran 1:45 2 yrs ago in my first half off 30mpw), and I'm a little older. Last fall I ran just a shade over 1:30 in a half where my goal was 1:33ish. I did it on a hilly course and I did it by easing into the run as you mentioned, I think I went something like 7:04 (downhill), 7:09, 7:07 then 6:58 (uphill), from there I did what you mentioned and dropped the pace. If there weren't so many hills I probably would have popped 1:30.

If you're someone who likes to go out a little easy for 2 or 3 miles I say do that, but stay cognizant of what you need for your goal.

On a side note, Flagpole during that same race during mile 12 2 dudes ran by me, they were the first to pass me since mile 3, I checked my watch and I was running at 6:38 (fast for me) I made the instant decision to try to hang with them. I knew I'd pay on an uphill mile 13, but wtf! I ran that mile in 6:27, my fastest of the race.

My understanding is that that the course is virtually totally flat the whole time. I have tried not easing into race pace and have found that it doesnt work for me. Maybe my warmup isnt right. I really havnt decided on anything yet. I will surely play some of it by ear but I will likely stick to the plan for the first 10 miles and then see how I feel. I am definitely in better shape than ever and have been running more miles so I would think it's possible to reach the goal.

As for racing people around me, I generally am pretty cognizant of the people around me and will surely get motivated to keep up unless theyre just spanking me. I remember one guy I was trying to keep up with a few years ago that was having a casual conversation around mile 10 as I was tanking into the high 7 minute pace. I've never been able to maintain pace after mile 10 but all of the half's I've run were uphill for the last 5k.

Any thoughts on fluids/gel? I was thinking of drinking Gatorade earlier than usual and taking a gel around mile 7 or 8. thanks

I'm shooting for a similar race in a few weeks. What kinds of times have you hit during training that point to a sub 1:30?

i've done tempos ranging from 4-8 miles and i can't hit close to 6:52 pace i.e. 7:00-7:10 depending on fatigue.i haven't raced a 1/2 in like 13 years but off of lower milage and less speed, i've recently run 10 milers at 6:57 pace. but i never hit 6:57 pace in training either!

Well, I cant say any of my training workouts necessarily indicate a 1:30, I just know they are faster than the workouts prior to my 1:33, that the course is easier and that my mileage is higher. Nonetheless here are some of my best workouts leading up to the race:

2 x 2400 @ 6:30 pace w/1200 jog - 85% effort;

20:17 5k race on a really curvy course on a bad day;

6 x 600 @ 6:10 pace w/ 200m jog - 90% effort;

13 mile long run @ 7:43 pace - 70% effort;

4 x 800 @ 6:25 pace w/400m jog - 80% effort.

Guilherme wrote:

2 x 2400 @ 6:30 pace w/1200 jog - 85% effort;

20:17 5k race on a really curvy course on a bad day;

6 x 600 @ 6:10 pace w/ 200m jog - 90% effort;

13 mile long run @ 7:43 pace - 70% effort;

4 x 800 @ 6:25 pace w/400m jog - 80% effort.

I admit that I did a bit of trolling in my first post in this thread, however I'm what amounts to a 90 minute half marathoner. I've done 1:26:40, and I've done 1:33:04, and I was 35 for both.

That said, those do not seem to indicate sub 90 in my experience, especially if they are your best workouts.

For instance, for a sub 90, I really think the 4x800 should have been pretty easy. Running a straight 2 miles in ~13 should be relatively easy (and repeatable off of 2 min rest).

For the two races I mentioned above, my final workouts two weeks out were 5x1600 in 6:20, 3 min rest (a mega slow 400), and I did not exceed 90% MHR.

Tempo runs peaked at 8 miles @ ~7, with 2 mi w/u and 2 mi c/d.

I never did shorter workouts at the track (always 1600s, but starting at 2 and adding 1 per week to 5).

Finally, I would do "fast finish" long runs. Do 12 miles at normal pace long run pace, 7:40 or so, then for mile 13, drop a minute to 6:40, and mile 14, (try) to drop a minute to 5:40. I admit to never hitting 5:40 on mile 14, however I did manage 5:43 and 5:48. Those were the hardest, but they gave me confidence that when the going got tough, I should be able to speed up anyway.

Next time I train for a half, I will probably restructure training so that I do some shorter track work just for the sake of turnover, and on those fast finish runs, I think it's smarter to do something like 10 miles, then for the next for try to reduce by 20s or 30s each time instead of 60s.

troll it up, bitch! wrote:

What are you basing that on? The last half I ran had 23,000 racers and only 100 ran faster than 90 minutes and the winner of the 55-59 division ran 1:29 with 2nd place over 8 minutes behind. The average 55 yo male cant run 13.1 miles under any circumstances and probably not even 400 meters at that pace. I think the dude needs to tweak his mental game and just go for it.

I took it to mean that other person was saying that any male under 55 is capable, but not necessarily going put in the time and effort to do so. Your race anecdotes do nothing to refute the claim.

capability wrote:

I took it to mean that other person was saying that any male under 55 is capable, but not necessarily going put in the time and effort to do so. Your race anecdotes do nothing to refute the claim.

Though I was trolling a bit when I said it, I do believe it to be true. 1:30 really isn't all that special, and should be attainable by the majority if they run 5 days per week.

Yeah, the workouts dont suggest 1:30 for sure. I could in fact do the repeatable 2 mile workout you referenced. My thing is my recoveries are REALLY slow going so I pretty much never feel fresh unless I've taken a full week off, which I basically do every month. I will be pleased with a sub 7:00 pace and pretty pissed if I dont get that. But I think 1:30 under the circumstances is possible, not probable. Flat course with my buddy who has real talent dragging me home may make the difference. But I dont really see how any average Joe even with a lot of training can bust out 13 consecutive miles at that pace so I will consider it an accomplishment. Just out of curiosity, what can you run a 400 and one mile in? I think the mile is my strongest suit relative to other distances. I might crack 5:30 sometime soon and possible 65 in 400.

If anyone cares, I wound up with a 1:32:33 and that was soul scraping. The course was not flat. But I took a minute off my personal best and outkicked the teenager in front of me at the end. I swear every race I run there is some 13 year old that beats me at the end.

I ran 1:27 off of 20 mpw for 4 months and change.[/quote]

If you are such a smart arse why didn't you train properly?

Guilherme wrote:

If anyone cares, I wound up with a 1:32:33 and that was soul scraping. The course was not flat. But I took a minute off my personal best and outkicked the teenager in front of me at the end. I swear every race I run there is some 13 year old that beats me at the end.

I was actaully hoping you posted what you did. nice job with the PB.

i suspect i'm going to be more like in your range. my workouts were a bit more stregth oriented and my taper workouts/races have felt strong but i can't seem to hit a fast enough pace to think i can hit sub 1:30.

Nice job on the PB, in spite some pricks on this board you can get good info & support from many. Not all of us are 25 yrs old and/or weigh 140lbs. I'll be trying for sub 1:30 in the fall during marathon training...if I can just put down these chocolate bars!