Half-Marathon Strategy

Billy Boone said:

Doing a half-marathon this weekend - goal is to break 90 minutes (this is my
5th race ever - ran my first race in 2001). I've run this course 2 times
before (2002 - 96 minutes, 2004, 92:30). The first half of the course has
hills - the 2nd half is flat to downhill. In the 2 prior races, I went out
fast and then held on. Should I instead be conservative thru the hills
shooting for a negative split?

If I were doign this, and had a particular goal time, I would aim to pace
myself right on goal pace for the first half, then try to run faster through
the second half.

But if some other strategy works for you, use that instead. Note that starting
out on goal pace is still going out pretty hard on that course.

Quoted message said:

One other question - the race gets like 6,000 runners - typically I like to
warm up right before the start (run 2 - 3 minutes easy) - to do this means

You're not going to accomplish very much in 2-3 minutes.

Quoted message said:

typically I start towards the back - means tons of traffic. Does this slow
me down? What do others do (to get sufficiently warmed up - but in good
position)?

If you're around the 90 minute mark, you should be starting towards the front.
Not in the front row, but close -- maybe 5 yards back or so.

Skip the warm up -- the first half of the race should get you nice and warm.
You shouldn't be running very hard before the half way mark.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Donovan Rebbechi said:

Skip the warm up -- the first half of the race should get you nice and warm.
You shouldn't be running very hard before the half way mark.

I'm not pushing the original poster to do other than he's used to, but I do
at least 20' (preferably 30'😉 slow jogging and some drills and lines before
a half-marathon. Maybe my old carcass needs the extra running in :-)

I'm with Steve on this one. I do a 20 min very easy warmup followed by
some strides a few minutes before. I'm a little faster than you, but I
like to start near the front - especially if there are no timing
chips...I sometimes finish my strides a couple of minutes before the
gun and get into the start line from in front of the start.

The other question - if you think you're in shape for sub-90 mins and
with the course as you describe it I would aim for negative splits.
I would probably start off with 7 minute miles, and then gradually
increase the pace.

Good luck!

Anthony.

Thanks for the info. I like your idea - kind of my thinking.

You guys are crazy - 20 - 30 minute warm up - wow.

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Quoted message said:

The other question - if you think you're in shape for sub-90 mins and
with the course as you describe it I would aim for negative splits.
I would probably start off with 7 minute miles, and then gradually
increase the pace.

Good luck!

Anthony.

no need to be impressed with their warm ups for a half-marathon.
they're defeating themeselves. they should do a very slow 1/2 mile
or so....stretch again, then do another 1/2 mile or so close to
anticipated race pace. overtraining is very common and we all tend to
do it at times and in ways.

<[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

no need to be impressed with their warm ups for a half-marathon.
they're defeating themeselves. they should do a very slow 1/2 mile
or so....stretch again, then do another 1/2 mile or so close to
anticipated race pace. overtraining is very common and we all tend to
do it at times and in ways.

I'm with you on the half marathon warmup--maybe 10-12 minutes.
But I've always warmed up for 20 minutes for 10k and shorter.
For my marathons, I jogged 5-10 minutes, with some pickups.
For a 50k trail race, it's 5 minutes.
For a 50 miler, it's 3 minutes, just before the gun goes off.

Note that Derek Clayton, when he set the 2:08:33 marathon world record that
stood for many years, ran 5 miles the morning of that afternoon race!

-- Dan

Billy Boone said:

You guys are crazy - 20 - 30 minute warm up - wow.

Maybe an age related thing (I'm 46)

No way can I set out at HM race pace (at my best that's a 1:22) without a
real warm up. Nothing in my muscles will get much above resting state in
less than 10 minutes.

For 10k races (best time 36'40) I warm up practically as long as the race
itself. I like to hit the start line with perspiration just starting.

Note that all these times include mostly very slow jogging, stretching,
dynamics (drills) and few pickups over 50 yards or so.

This has nothing to do with training and doesn't use enough energy to be of
any harm whatever over such short distances (HM and less). The point is to
get my body as near to racing state as possible before the start for the
more "violent" efforts.

Dan Stumpus said:

Quoted message said:

they should do a very slow 1/2 mile
or so....stretch again, then do another 1/2 mile or so close to
anticipated race pace. overtraining is very common and we all tend to
do it at times and in ways.

I'm with you on the half marathon warmup--maybe 10-12 minutes.

If the runner is taking 12 minutes to do 2 x 1/2 mile then sure, lance's 1
mile "warmup" is plenty. 10 - 12 minutes' jogging may be enough for most.

The OP just seemed to be underdoing it given his speed and everything I've
ever read about pre-race preparation. I mean I'm slow at jogging paces
(9'/miles or less) so my 20 minutes gets me 2 miles or so. It takes me at
least half that already to get up to 65%HR and any less is not warmed up at
all, so there'd be no point even bothering.

<troll>
Unless of course lance's take on a warm up is that it's mostly an
opportunity to show off his quarter-back silhouette and ultralight racing
flats, to try scare the slower runners into staying outa his road >->

Quoted message said:

no need to be impressed with their warm ups for a half-marathon.
they're defeating themselves. they should do a very slow 1/2 mile
or so....stretch again, then do another 1/2 mile or so close to
anticipated race pace.

You cannot be the old codger you sometimes complain of being, if you
really find this kind of warm up sufficient:-)

BTW don´t you do more than a 1/2 mile of jogging before fast (read: HM
pace or faster) running when you train?

Anders

I'm 32. I suspect each person is different - I sweat a lot ... and
typically am sweating 1/2 mile into a training run.

I warmed up for 2 - 3 minutes before my last 10K ... and my first mile was
very good 6:15.

The first mile on this course is downhill - so that should help.

I appreciate all of the input.

"steve common" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Billy Boone said:

You guys are crazy - 20 - 30 minute warm up - wow.

Maybe an age related thing (I'm 46)

No way can I set out at HM race pace (at my best that's a 1:22) without a
real warm up. Nothing in my muscles will get much above resting state in
less than 10 minutes.

For 10k races (best time 36'40) I warm up practically as long as the race
itself. I like to hit the start line with perspiration just starting.

Note that all these times include mostly very slow jogging, stretching,
dynamics (drills) and few pickups over 50 yards or so.

This has nothing to do with training and doesn't use enough energy to be

of

Quoted message said:

any harm whatever over such short distances (HM and less). The point is to
get my body as near to racing state as possible before the start for the
more "violent" efforts.