finishing strong for half marathon

oilphins

Hey everyone, was wondering if I could get some tips from experienced runners on finishing strong for a half marathon I'm running in two weeks. This will be my 6th half marathon I'm running. Been training for the last 14 weeks and feel good about this one. My goal or pb is to finish at or just under 1:30:00. Two years ago I finished at 1:33:20 which was my best run. Heading into the last mile I was at 1:24:00 and ran out of gas until the last 400 metres which I sprinted. So almost a 10 minute mile which was very disappointing. I was told by some runners I should have actually stopped and walked for 30 seconds in that last mile and might have had enough energy to finish strong but never really thought about stopping because I heard I could possibly cramp up, also to use the gel packs for energy which I heard were kind of gummy and don't work well but never have tried them. Any suggestion would really help me if I'm in the same situation this year going into the last mile. Thanks everyone.

jrline

A run walk is a great way to finish. I like the jelly belly energy beans. Good Luck

scottb81

I've run a 1:35 a couple of years ago and at those paces I don't think there are any real secret tricks except first to be in shape to run the pace you want and second not to start off too fast and burn out at the end. You need a 6:52 pace so run that right from the start and don't sprint out with all the boneheads that fall off their pace after half a mile.

Gels may help although they aren't really needed for a 90 minute run. If you do decide to try them do it on a fast training run first to see how it works.

And . . . Good Luck :-)

glevinso

How long are your longest long runs? (That question sounds funny, but it is real). When I am training for a fast half my longest runs get to the 16 mile range. Long runs also include some pace work. For example, I will warm up easy for 2 miles, run 13 at at fairly good clip, then run the last mile easy. That middle 13 will be at maybe 20s/mile slower than desired race pace. So if you are looking for a 6:52/mi average race, aim for a 7:15-7:20 avg for the middle 13.

Also a helpful workout to throw in there in the middle of the week is a good 40 minute tempo at desired half-marathon race pace. Or a "cruise interval" session where you do 3x2mi or 2x3mi at race pace with only a 1 minute break between. Finally in either that tempo or cruise interval session, throw in a very fast closing half mile at about 1:00/mi faster than race pace. The idea is to throw down a hard and fast race closure when you are already tired from a good high quality tempo effort. This is the sort of thing that will help prevent that last mile slowdown. You want to be able to crush a massive pace at the very end so training your legs to throw down a big effort at the end of an already big effort is what you need here.

My HM PR is 1:35, which I ran entirely by accident, untapered and very tired from a full training load. I am looking to bring that down to the 1:30 mark this year as well.

glevinso

scottb81 wrote: »

I've run a 1:35 a couple of years ago and at those paces I don't think there are any real secret tricks except first to be in shape to run the pace you want and second not to start off too fast and burn out at the end. You need a 6:52 pace so run that right from the start and don't sprint out with all the boneheads that fall off their pace after half a mile.

Gels may help although they aren't really needed for a 90 minute run. If you do decide to try them do it on a fast training run first to see how it works.

And . . . Good Luck :-)

I prefer a strategy of cutting the pace down. Start off almost "slow" at a 7:30/mi pace for the first 2 miles, then bring it down from there. The last 6 miles will be pretty quick, and you should be chugging along at a really fast pace for the last 5k - like close the race with a 19:00 5k.

oilphins

Thanks for the quick responses everyone. Glevinso, my longest runs are on Saturdays and usually do between 15 and 20 k. I never even thought of actually doing more than a half marathon distance for my training. I also box/cross train two days a week as well. I have two weeks to go and I will maybe try doing a real long run this Saturday and see how it goes. I will also try the cruise intervels to get an idea of how I will feel after. Sounds to me like your a triathlete? You seem to have a lot of knowledge about this. Thanks for the advice.

ThickMcRunFast

Good question. It depends a bit on what kind of runner you are - some prefer to run conservative at first and do negative splits- which can be good because glycogen doesn't get depleted early. Though for 90 minutes, that shouldn't really matter. If I were running, I would base my even-or-negative decision on the course itself. Hilly in the first half? Negative splits. A flat course I might consider either.

But being that gassed in the last mile points to something being off in training. What are your weekly mileages? What is your speedwork breakdown? To get under 90, a 4-6 mile threshold run every week will serve you well, as well as maybe some progressive mile workouts to get you used to running your pace while tired.

glevinso

oilphins wrote: »

Thanks for the quick responses everyone. Glevinso, my longest runs are on Saturdays and usually do between 15 and 20 k. I never even thought of actually doing more than a half marathon distance for my training. I also box/cross train two days a week as well. I have two weeks to go and I will maybe try doing a real long run this Saturday and see how it goes. I will also try the cruise intervels to get an idea of how I will feel after. Sounds to me like your a triathlete? You seem to have a lot of knowledge about this. Thanks for the advice.

That right there can explain your "out of gas" feeling at the 12 mile mark. A half marathon is really a "short" race when you are talking a 90 minute event. Training longer than the event distance is not going to destroy you badly unlike, for example, a full marathon. Since you have the leg speed to be tickling that 90-minute mark, you definitely have run talent. You are well past the newbie level of training, so some hard and long sessions are where you need to go now

Yes, triathlon is my primary "sport" but I also do standalone run races and the occasional standalone bike race. Been at it for a number of years and will be doing my third full Ironman 3 weeks from now.

oilphins

Thickmcrunfast, My training is Monday,Wednesday, Thursday, 10-12k. Tuesday, Sunday, boxing/cross training which involves a lot of core work, Saturday is my longer run, usually 15 to 20k and Friday is my rest day. So about 45 to 50 k a week. When I did my 1:33:20 two years ago I was sort of doing the same type of training but only one day of boxing, and also only trained for 12 weeks instead of 16 this time. Plus didn't do a real long run like Glevinso has suggested. I will do some of the intervel training over the next week and a half to see how it is. I use to do some wind sprints as well in the past but don't really know how much that helped if at all. Might have to add all of this in for next year and see how it goes.

glevinso

Well I wouldn't say you didn't do a "real" long run. You certainly did quality long runs, but only going to 20k is something you find in beginner plans because those take so long there is a risk of injury for newer runners. For someone running at your pace you can "afford" to run longer and harder for longer.

Wind Sprints aren't really terribly useful at building sustainable speed. They are useful for training the legs to move quickly, but they aren't really a "core" running workout for longer distances. Half-mile, one-mile, two-mile and three-mile repeats with a progressive cut-down in pace are more appropriate once the initial leg speed has been developed. Sustained tempo runs are also valuable.

Essentially you are getting into really training to run with times like that. Time to toss away the beginner-type run plans are really step up your game

glevinso

oilphins wrote: »

Thickmcrunfast, My training is Monday,Wednesday, Thursday, 10-12k. Tuesday, Sunday, boxing/cross training which involves a lot of core work, Saturday is my longer run, usually 15 to 20k and Friday is my rest day. So about 45 to 50 k a week. When I did my 1:33:20 two years ago I was sort of doing the same type of training but only one day of boxing, and also only trained for 12 weeks instead of 16 this time. Plus didn't do a real long run like Glevinso has suggested. I will do some of the intervel training over the next week and a half to see how it is. I use to do some wind sprints as well in the past but don't really know how much that helped if at all. Might have to add all of this in for next year and see how it goes.

Be careful here. Two weeks out from the race is NOT the time to start doing this sort of thing. You should be thinking taper at this point, putting in a bunch of training stress at this point will not yield results on race day.

ThickMcRunFast

glevinso wrote: »

oilphins wrote: »

Thickmcrunfast, My training is Monday,Wednesday, Thursday, 10-12k. Tuesday, Sunday, boxing/cross training which involves a lot of core work, Saturday is my longer run, usually 15 to 20k and Friday is my rest day. So about 45 to 50 k a week. When I did my 1:33:20 two years ago I was sort of doing the same type of training but only one day of boxing, and also only trained for 12 weeks instead of 16 this time. Plus didn't do a real long run like Glevinso has suggested. I will do some of the intervel training over the next week and a half to see how it is. I use to do some wind sprints as well in the past but don't really know how much that helped if at all. Might have to add all of this in for next year and see how it goes.

Be careful here. Two weeks out from the race is NOT the time to start doing this sort of thing. You should be thinking taper at this point, putting in a bunch of training stress at this point will not yield results on race day.

This.

And I think @glevinso nailed it with the long run issue. At these times, you'll want longer long runs, a bit more variety in your speed work (intervals and tempo runs), but it is a tad too close to race day to start changing things now. One thing you can do is add some strides to your easy runs to help you with a 'kick' at the end, but I wouldn't overhaul the schedule at this point.

sinister2014

oilphins wrote: »

I was told by some runners I should have actually stopped and walked for 30 seconds in that last mile and might have had enough energy to finish strong

for someone attempting to finish a 1:30:00 half marathon this has to be the most ridiculous advice i've ever heard.

oilphins

Thanks again everyone for some useful advice. And sinister, I don't think I would have stopped anyway and have never attempted that but it was just something a few people had said. I also heard you could cramp up if you stop, then start again. And I also think your all right about trying something different this close to race day. I won't change too much over the next week and a half.

glevinso

oilphins wrote: »

Thanks again everyone for some useful advice. And sinister, I don't think I would have stopped anyway and have never attempted that but it was just something a few people had said. I also heard you could cramp up if you stop, then start again. And I also think your all right about trying something different this close to race day. I won't change too much over the next week and a half.

Yea - if you *had* stopped to walk for a few seconds the probability of you actually getting going again at the pace you were running is pretty slim. I personally wouldn't be capable of restarting. I know how bad I hurt at the end of a half, after crossing the finish line, and limp my way through the finish chute. No way could I "stop running" at mile 12 then restart.

gdyment

Pacing is everything. If you are shooting for 1:30, you cannot run the first 10K on pace for a 1:28, no matter how good you feel or you'll just fade. A dead even split is optimal but I always aim for slight negative split, by 1 minute or so. Every race, I have dudes beside me gasping and panting away in the first half - no, should be relaxed breathing even. Those guys always drop.

I watch my watch a lot, and it's as much to say "woah, slow down" than "speed up slacker". In minutes/km my margin window is 10 seconds. (so example 3:55 to 4:05) - that's pretty tight. But so is the difference between 10k and Half-marathon pace. Being off by 5 seconds/km can screw you.