am I in 1:25 HM shape?

Yes, easily.

aspiringwannabe wrote:

Running one on Sunday, just want to see what people think. Have been improving fairly rapidly.

PRs: 5:00, 10:57, 1:38(HM)

All from last year's outdoor and winter so they don't mean much.

Recent runs/workouts:

4 mile tempo @ 5:55(month+ ago)

10 mile long run @ 6:42(3 weeks ago)

4x1200 @ 3:57(1 week ago)

2 mile tempo @ 5:29(1 week ago)

Averaging 40+ miles a week, max was 51.

Plan was to take it out @ 6:20 and try and hold on...this is my first half marathon that I'm taking seriously so not sure how to pace it exactly.

I ran 1:26 and couldn't race as fast as your tempo 2 and 4 milers. I averaged 35 mpw.

To pace the half correctly, you want to run 5 to 10 seconds slower than goal pace. While your goal is 1:25, your workouts suggest faster. I would run the first couple miles at 6:30 pace and then work down to 6:20 pace and see how that goes. Consider 8 miles as the half way point in a half marathon. Once you get to 8 miles, then you can race the last 5. If you are able to finish strong, you could get in the 1:22 range.

I have run 1:19 and couldn't do any of the workouts you describe which seem all way too hard for you to be doing

I am a sub 4:50 miler though

aspiringwannabe wrote:

Running one on Sunday, just want to see what people think. Have been improving fairly rapidly.

PRs: 5:00, 10:57, 1:38(HM)

All from last year's outdoor and winter so they don't mean much.

Recent runs/workouts:

4 mile tempo @ 5:55(month+ ago)

10 mile long run @ 6:42(3 weeks ago)

4x1200 @ 3:57(1 week ago)

2 mile tempo @ 5:29(1 week ago)

Averaging 40+ miles a week, max was 51.

Plan was to take it out @ 6:20 and try and hold on...this is my first half marathon that I'm taking seriously so not sure how to pace it exactly.

Looks like you're in 1:18:HI - 1:20:LO shape

Yes, you are probably in 1:20 shape. Best to not listen to the guys telling you to go out at 6:30 pace

What? The 4-miler you did is way faster than mine, and I ran 1:19 HM.

Either he is trolling, or he is gonna break 1:20.

aspiringwannabe wrote:

Running one on Sunday, just want to see what people think. Have been improving fairly rapidly.

PRs: 5:00, 10:57, 1:38(HM)

All from last year's outdoor and winter so they don't mean much.

Recent runs/workouts:

4 mile tempo @ 5:55(month+ ago)

10 mile long run @ 6:42(3 weeks ago)

4x1200 @ 3:57(1 week ago)

2 mile tempo @ 5:29(1 week ago)

Averaging 40+ miles a week, max was 51.

Plan was to take it out @ 6:20 and try and hold on...this is my first half marathon that I'm taking seriously so not sure how to pace it exactly.

Like the others have said, easily. I ran 1:26 low with about 40mpw average and I couldn't have gotten close to the 2 mile or 4 mile tempo you did. And my ten mile "fast" runs were around 6:55 pace.

Easily. I ran similar workouts before running an 80 minute half marathon. You'd probably be safe taking it out in 6:10 pace.

I probably was running too fast in the tempos, but I never went all-out. Anyway, will update after the race tomorrow.

Your a Newbie, dont focus on time at the beginning, run at a pace you feel comfortable and then after 10 miles, run the last 5K hard. You can run any where from 1:18-1:25 depending on what type of runner you are and or execution. You can make up for going out slow in a HM, but will pay the price dearly if you go out to hard. I think if you go out in 6:20 you will be able to run the last 5k in 18:30 and will run under 1:22 and you should have an idea of how fast you can run the next one. I have 2 kids on my team who can run 4:40 for the 1600 but the one gets stronger as the distance gets longer and the other gets weaker. Next time race a 10K. Its a great way to judge your HM fitness. Good Luck!

Shoot for 1:22-1:23, if you think you lack endurance.

1:25 is too conservative for someone with your ability.

3.2 K wrote:

Your a Newbie, dont focus on time at the beginning, run at a pace you feel comfortable and then after 10 miles, run the last 5K hard. You can run any where from 1:18-1:25 depending on what type of runner you are and or execution. You can make up for going out slow in a HM, but will pay the price dearly if you go out to hard. I think if you go out in 6:20 you will be able to run the last 5k in 18:30 and will run under 1:22 and you should have an idea of how fast you can run the next one. I have 2 kids on my team who can run 4:40 for the 1600 but the one gets stronger as the distance gets longer and the other gets weaker. Next time race a 10K. Its a great way to judge your HM fitness. Good Luck!

This is not really true. You don't die like that in a half, nor can people generally kick it in like that either.

I'd have done a slower but longer long run. I like to go over distance for half marathons. My tempo's are about the same and I have a PB of 1h 21m 05 however I live in a hilly area and have yet to do a really fast half marathon.

Yeah dude go for it! I had never done anything faster than 5:45 pace for a 4 mile tempo and my long runs usually werent as fast as that one you did, and I ran a 10 mile race in 58:50 which makes me think I could run a sub 1:20 half for sure and you sound like youre in about the same shape as me. good luck!

race harder than you train wrote:

Yes, you are probably in 1:20 shape. Best to not listen to the guys telling you to go out at 6:30 pace

You did happen to see his 138 half when he could run a mile in 5 minutes , right?

His workouts would suggest under 120 if he was doing them week after week but he probably ran them between race pace and tempo pace. That puts him around 122. Two 630 miles will have little affect on a 122. Going out at 6 minute pace is asking for a blow up. Trust me, those 2 630s can easily be made up with a couple 610s the last 2 miles. You start hurting at 8 or 9 miles and you will give up a massive amount of time those last few miles. Better to run a little conservative and if he thinks he has a lot more in him after he is finished, he can run another in a couple months and push a little harder in the beginning.

Not a factor.

He was probably taking even worse advice than you're giving.

You gotta go for it in a half.

I ran my second fastest time ever by going out at 1:15 pace when my best was 1:18.

You just don't die bad in a half.

Sorry, probably should've explained that as it was a little misleading.

The 1:38 was early Febuary, after coming off of a flat 2-mile PR of 12:10 in XC. I'm guessing I was running about 4-5 runs/week, and maybe 25 mpw. It was my first race longer than a 5k, and my pacing was probably not the best(don't remember.) I'm not sure how I improved so much from a 12:10 XC to a 5:0x/11:0x in track, but that improvement could've happened after the HM.

race harder than you train wrote:

You just don't die bad in a half.

You're joking, right?