Hope To Run Again Before End Of The Year

Looks like a great easy run. Good luck in the HM. When is it coming? Are you taparing already or still have a few more weeks to go?

My half is this weekend. I am getting a little nervous as it approaches. I want to give it my all, but that is an unknown area for me in this distance. I do not want to be on my 11th mile thinking I had a lot left in the tank to give. And I do not want to be walking by mile 7 either. Hard to know what I am and am not capable of for 13 miles. I have only run this distance about 4 or 5 times in my life, and they were training runs.

I think it's better to get to the 10-11 mile with lot left than hitting the wall on the 10-11th mile. If you happen to feel too good on my 10 then just kick it on the last 5K. Passing lots of people toward the end gives you a huge boost. In my last HM my pace in the last 2 miles dropped to about 9 minutes per mile and it wasn't fun. Lots of people passed me in those 2 miles and I felt really bad. Seems like you can maintain at least a 7:50-7:55 pace for the whole 13.1 miles if you had to run at a constant pace. Maybe start at that pace and play it by the ear. If at mile 6 you feel too good increase the pace a bit. If at mile 10 you still feel too good just kick it in the last 5K. It's easier said than done but at least think about doing it all at a 7:50-7:55 constant pace as your safety net (it will amount to about 1:43:XX which is a great time).

Good luck in the race and I'm looking forward to read about it.

Arie,

I believe your strategy is a good one. I was thinking similar thoughts. Almost naturally I do this on my workouts. Start easy, with each mile getting a tad faster. And you are exactly right on the mental boost of catching and passing people, versus the other way around.

My "PR" is a 1:42:50 from a training run a few weeks ago. It was a tough run. I was really hurting towards the end. It was hot and humid that evening. And my shoes had some high mileage which led to some aching legs. I would like to think with newer shoes, people around, and a racing attitude I can eclipse that mark. By how much is the real question.