Pacing a Half Marathon

Elaine,

Based on your 2 mile and 5 mile times, a 1:50 seems doable. That's somewhere around an 8:20ish pace or so. See how you feel at the turnaround and if you are really struggling, you can always dial it back for the last 5 or 10K.

--
Dave

That sounds like a good plan. You have the speed for 1:45 .. going out at 1:50 should feel pretty easy. I'd reevaluate my pace at the halfway mark after giving consideration to the course profile for the 2nd half.

I have a similar situation except my race is Saturday. I'd like to break 1:50 but I'd be running the risk of blowing up at the end. I ran 12 miles last weekend just under 1:45. I'd like to think my taper and race day excitement would get me an extra 20 secs per mile (needed to break 1:50) but I'm not sure. I'll let you know on Monday.

Good luck!

I would start on the conservative side and then see how it's going at about halfway; pick it up a bit if you feel good; if still good at 9-10, go for it. Where a lack of run-specific endurance will really come back to bite is in the last 3-4 miles of a HM if you have started a bit too ambitiously. I know this from lots of experience! I've run the same half several years in a row, but except for the year when I ran my best (over 40) time, I've always seriously faded and got passed by a bunch of people in the last 3-4 miles. The only thing I can find that was really different about my training was that for the fastest race, I was coming in with a little more mileage, and my long runs were a bit longer, so that seemed to give me the extra edge I needed to keep the pace. I don't recall ever fading at the end when I was younger and running 70+ mpw, probably because physically and mentally, 13.1 miles just wasn't that long a run compared to what I did every day. (Plus, of course, I was younger LOL.)

Edited by Hot Runner 2014-11-06 7:00 PM

McMillian predicts a 1:46, but your lack of long runs may mean that figure is a bit optimistic. I have no idea how those long rucks translate, but I would assume they have your endurance built up fine...but that you may lack running speed after the first hour.

I agree with above. Go out at 1:50 and re-evaluate at the halfway mark.

Good luck!

Decided to run without a watch and go by feel.

Went out with a 52:29 for the first 10k (would be a 1:50 half marathon).

Felt really good after (but not during!) a hill during mile 9. Stepped on the gas at mile 10... and that lasted until mile 11. Started really hurting, mostly hip flexors and other run-specific body parts :-P, and slowed it down just a little.

Finished in a 1:52:09. 

Can't complain

ETA: I am sore ALL OVER today. Legs, core, upper body. Sport-specific fitness is important!

Edited by ratherbeswimming 2014-11-24 2:42 PM