Runners! My first race is coming up in 6 weeks! Should I go for the 10k or half marathon?!
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blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
Then I say, you did not need anyone's advise, help, opinions or assistance with this.. You have your answer!
Go for the half marathon.. full throttle.. and carry on with the winning and true competitive spirit!
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blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
Then I say, you did not need anyone's advise, help, opinions or assistance with this.. You have your answer!
Go for the half marathon.. full throttle.. and carry on with the winning and true competitive spirit!
OP may have a competitive spirit, but she will not be a winner. She states that her projected 10k time would put her in bottom 10% of runners for this race. Yet she plans to forego the 10k and try the half without the proper training. If she can't run a fast 10k, then she certainly cant do better at more than twice the distance. No amount of willpower or mental strength can overcome lack of preparation. IMO, it's irresponsible to encourage her to run this far.2 -
blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
Then I say, you did not need anyone's advise, help, opinions or assistance with this.. You have your answer!
Go for the half marathon.. full throttle.. and carry on with the winning and true competitive spirit!
OP may have a competitive spirit, but she will not be a winner. She states that her projected 10k time would put her in bottom 10% of runners for this race. Yet she plans to forego the 10k and try the half without the proper training. If she can't run a fast 10k, then she certainly cant do better at more than twice the distance. No amount of willpower or mental strength can overcome lack of preparation. IMO, it's irresponsible to encourage her to run this far.
Missed the sarcastic font in that reply too...
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Oops, I did. Sorry... Well, at least I summarized the craziness of the plan.1
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blueeyez939 wrote: »Thank you! It is encouraging to know at least SOMEONE gets my way of thinking.... Lol I've always been a sort of black sheep in this world, so it's nothing new for me to kinda go against the grain of everyone else's way of thinking.... But nice to know I'm not alone out there :-P
@blueeyez939 - I'm pretty sure that @TavistockToad was being sarcastic.blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
While I get being competitive, if winning at everything you do is your ultimate goal for running you either need to be very, very fast or only plan to run in races with a small field of runners. Most runners understand that they aren't going to win races; instead, we compete with ourselves. Trying to be just a bit faster at the same distance or the same race year over year is what drives many of us to keep training and racing.
As I said earlier, it can certainly be done. If you want to run/walk the half marathon, go for it. Just be prepared to deal with the consequences afterward. Personally, my main training goal for every race is to actually get a chance to be at the starting line and then finish the race. The secondary goal is to beat my best time. Suddenly increasing mileage is the wrong way to go about that. I've read posts from many runners who have over-trained themselves into an injury and never even got to run the race they were training for; you don't want to be one of them. The people who have responded to you so far are just trying to caution you that your plan could very well cause you to regret it later.
It's your life, your training plan and your race. What you choose to do is completely up to you. I certainly hope you don't end up getting hurt by doing it.A half marathon is a different beast than a 10K.
However, if you are determined then at LEAST run at least 10 miles before the race.
The 10th mile is a killer.
Good luck.
Agreed! I try to fool myself after 10 miles that it's only another 5K....1 -
BrianSharpe wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
Running 2 months, haven't run farther than 5 miles, want to be competitive in a half-marathon in 6 weeks ...........what could possibly go wrong?
It's clear that you were hoping for a "rah, rah, you go girl" type of response rather than actual feedback from experienced runners. Good luck!
Yeah...LMFAO...0 -
blueeyez939 wrote: »Thank you! It is encouraging to know at least SOMEONE gets my way of thinking.... Lol I've always been a sort of black sheep in this world, so it's nothing new for me to kinda go against the grain of everyone else's way of thinking.... But nice to know I'm not alone out there :-P
@blueeyez939 - I'm pretty sure that @TavistockToad was being sarcastic.blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
While I get being competitive, if winning at everything you do is your ultimate goal for running you either need to be very, very fast or only plan to run in races with a small field of runners. Most runners understand that they aren't going to win races; instead, we compete with ourselves. Trying to be just a bit faster at the same distance or the same race year over year is what drives many of us to keep training and racing.
As I said earlier, it can certainly be done. If you want to run/walk the half marathon, go for it. Just be prepared to deal with the consequences afterward. Personally, my main training goal for every race is to actually get a chance to be at the starting line and then finish the race. The secondary goal is to beat my best time. Suddenly increasing mileage is the wrong way to go about that. I've read posts from many runners who have over-trained themselves into an injury and never even got to run the race they were training for; you don't want to be one of them. The people who have responded to you so far are just trying to caution you that your plan could very well cause you to regret it later.
It's your life, your training plan and your race. What you choose to do is completely up to you. I certainly hope you don't end up getting hurt by doing it.A half marathon is a different beast than a 10K.
However, if you are determined then at LEAST run at least 10 miles before the race.
The 10th mile is a killer.
Good luck.
Agreed! I try to fool myself after 10 miles that it's only another 5K....
Someone should really warn you that the last 5K of a half is actually 10K before your first one.
My first half was on ice-and-frozen-slush-covered roads with a bit of a red wine hangover, though, so I think the last 5K were actually 15 in that case.3 -
A mantra of mine when I was a regular distance runner was "Respect the Distance".
I think it is somewhat disrespectful to others to insinuate that you could participate in a half and get anywhere near even a slow time without training and preparation - what do you think that the people that spend months training for these events do at 6am on a wet and windy morning? Do you think that they are less determined than you, have less drive than you and therefore need to train more that you?
Passion and will power, sure they are requirements in distance running, but they are manifest in the hours or tedious training - not "on-the-day" heroics.
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blueeyez939 wrote: »... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with?...
one day you'll grow up and realize the only person you ever truly competed against was you.
And when you realize that- you'll be a whole new person.
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The reason the half marathon times are slower is because it's 13 miles instead of 6. Running at a fast race pace for close to 2 hours straight (HM) instead of 45 minutes to an hour (10K) means people are going to run slower so they can last the distance. Typically, people start with a 5K or a 10K for their 1st race. If you run too many miles too fast, you risk getting injured, and then you won't be competing at all. I understand the competitiveness of it, and I've won my fair share of bling so far even though I'm new to running, but my 1st 5K was in April, and my 1st Half Marathon will be October 1st. Even though my resting heart rate is also in the 30's, I took my time to build up to the longer mileage. In my opinion, you'll put yourself in a better position to be more competitive for your 1st half if you take it slower in increasing your mileage.
If you haven't run more than 5 miles at a time, I would honestly start with a 5K, then do a 10K, then a 15K, then a half, etc... You have enough time to add a 5K race before your race in 6 weeks (hopefully you choose the 10K option). Then, you'll know a little more about what to expect in your upcoming 10K...just double the distance. You'll also have had a chance to see what worked/what didn't if you want to be competitive in the 10K.
I'm not sure if you have a training plan for doing a 10K or a HM on your race day, but you should put one together. I really like the Hal Higdon training plans. There are others out there as well. Anyway, if you want to be sucessfull and competitive in running, it will help to create running plans for your training that incorporate gradual increases in distance runs along with speed work. Strength training is beneficial as well.
Good luck, and I think the previous posters recommending a 10K in 6 weeks is really in your best interest.0 -
Personally I would start with a 5K but with proper training you could do a 10k. You won't likely place very close to the top but that's ok. Trying a half marathon is a terrible idea at your skill level. You're likely to injure yourself, which could stop your training for a long time. Build up your training gradually.0
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I ran a 5K PR last week which is exciting seeing as it's still pretty warm and I haven't really started this year's race training in earnest. My lifting partner says "I'm crediting that to talking you into doing squats again. I'm going to ignore the fact that you've gotten up every other morning this summer at dawn to run when it's already 80°F and that you've been training harder than I've ever seen you at this time of year."StealthHealth wrote: »A mantra of mine when I was a regular distance runner was "Respect the Distance".
I think it is somewhat disrespectful to others to insinuate that you could participate in a half and get anywhere near even a slow time without training and preparation - what do you think that the people that spend months training for these events do at 6am on a wet and windy morning? Do you think that they are less determined than you, have less drive than you and therefore need to train more that you?
Passion and will power, sure they are requirements in distance running, but they are manifest in the hours or tedious training - not "on-the-day" heroics.
Funny man! 2 -
blueeyez939 wrote: »but when I look at the times of women who ran the same race the last couple years, it seams like the half marathon has a lot more participants and a lot more times that are in the range of my goals where the 10k seemed to be a smaller group and even the slowest times would be pretty tough for me to keep up with..[/b
Some races encourage and have a large number of walkers (people who have no intention of running one step of the event). These people are included in the results.
As others have said, given your training background, you have no business running a 1/2.0 -
blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.7 -
blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
While I can appreciate the feeling of not wanting to be 'last' at something I think, perhaps, running is the wrong sport for you. Runners are a community of people who support each other, whether you run a 4 minute KM or a 12 minute KM . . . we all support each other and there are not any winners or losers in this sport, just those who did and did not do it. I personally run an 8 minute KM . . . I am not fast. But 18 months ago I couldn't even run a KM. However, at every single race I've done those who finished twice as fast as me circle back and are cheering the rest of us through the finishing chute. This is a sport of support and it gives us a sense of community - like when I'm running through the trails in the park in the my city, all other runners smile or wave at me. I'm not running as fast as they are but they all cheer me on, they all say hi to me and they all see that I'm out there doing something to better myself. The only sense of competitiveness we usually get is with ourselves, to better our PB and not to say you were faster than everyone else. That isn't really what running is about, at least in my experience, and I think maybe a different sport would suit your competitiveness a little more.
Don't get me wrong, I am also competitive but I don't know anyone else's running story, how they got here, why their time is faster than mine and so on. I can only compete against my personal bests, and that's all we really have.7 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
lol
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I'm a distance runner and get the whole challenge aspect but I suggest you respect the distance. A half marathon isn't half of anything and 13.1 miles is nothing to sneeze at. You have no idea how you'd perform at long distance and just doubling your 5 mile time to estimate a finish is not how it goes. Your body needs to adapt to 13 miles of pounding, muscles need to develop to support the impact, you need to learn to fuel or have your body adapt to using fuel efficiently, etc. Could you do it, sure. Would any experienced distance athlete think its a good idea? No way. Best of luck with your decision.2
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@blueeyez939 Well, it looks like you're going to do the half-marathon regardless of what anyone (even those of us that have been running and racing for a decade or more) is telling you.
I'm dismayed by your decision, but since you're going to do it anyway, at least take a few words of advice from an experienced long distance runner:
- Make a plan for how you will stay hydrated during the race. During a 10k or less, you don't need to hit aid stations along the route unless you want to. During a half-marathon, you should have a plan for taking in fluids periodically throughout the race. I typically also have a game plan for supplemental gels - usually one about 45 minutes before the race, and then one around mile 7-8. Be sure you have water to drink with the gels. For you, I suggest being cautious about using gels if you haven't already tried them during workouts. Some people get upset stomachs after taking them...and you don't want to end up like this unfortunate fellow:
- Pick up some Body Glide. The morning of the race, apply it LIBERALLY to your inner thighs and the crevice where your legs meet your torso (basically the place where the elastic of your underwear sits...there's probably some funny name for that space on our bodies but I don't know what it is lol). It will be easy to identify the critical places you missed applying Body Glide after the race when you take your shower
- Be sure to smile for the cameras as you pass by them!
- Walk a few miles easy pace the day before your race, and plan to walk a few miles the day after. This always helps me feel loose for the race and recover afterwards. Plan ahead to take a few days to a week off from running afterwards.
Karen2 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
:flowerforyou:0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
We are getting a little cruel? It is entirely possible that blueeyez939 really has no clue about the subject and truly feels that she can "gut out" a Half Marathon extrapolating her 5/6 mile times . She has been advised, in no uncertain terms, that this is, if not impossible, highly unlikely. She came here asking for advise, naively believing that running a Half Marathon is no more difficult than running 5 or 6 miles only longer. She should have been dissuaded of that belief by now. If she came here looking for encouragement, she found out that that was misplaced. A Half Marathon is a very long way to run.
I don't think that blueeyez939 is disrespecting us, the race or the distance. I have a feeling that she truly does not know how far it really is and what effort is needed to complete it, much less have a winning/competing time.
blueeyez939, go out and run ten miles, Report back on how it went. Don't kill yourself in the effort, walk if necessary. Bring water and perhaps a gel packet or two. Take your cell phone to cell for a ride if needed. Don't go out alone without telling someone your route. Stick to that route. Start you first mile slowly, then pick up your pace to the rate you think will satisfy your need to beat someone else. In my first Half Marathon the women's division was won with a 6:52 minute mile pace (1:30:03) This is a good place to start, as a test run. ;-) Hang on to the pace for as long as possible. Let us know how far you went. Remember 10K is less than half way home on a Half Marathon. After 10 miles you still have 5K to go.
Come back and tell us how that 10 mile run went.
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acorsaut89 wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
While I can appreciate the feeling of not wanting to be 'last' at something I think, perhaps, running is the wrong sport for you. Runners are a community of people who support each other, whether you run a 4 minute KM or a 12 minute KM . . . we all support each other and there are not any winners or losers in this sport, just those who did and did not do it. I personally run an 8 minute KM . . . I am not fast. But 18 months ago I couldn't even run a KM. However, at every single race I've done those who finished twice as fast as me circle back and are cheering the rest of us through the finishing chute. This is a sport of support and it gives us a sense of community - like when I'm running through the trails in the park in the my city, all other runners smile or wave at me. I'm not running as fast as they are but they all cheer me on, they all say hi to me and they all see that I'm out there doing something to better myself. The only sense of competitiveness we usually get is with ourselves, to better our PB and not to say you were faster than everyone else. That isn't really what running is about, at least in my experience, and I think maybe a different sport would suit your competitiveness a little more.
Don't get me wrong, I am also competitive but I don't know anyone else's running story, how they got here, why their time is faster than mine and so on. I can only compete against my personal bests, and that's all we really have.
I started to say something like this in an earlier post and stopped myself. I'm glad someone else did.
People who win races, especially big races, are those gifted with the genetics to run fast who also train very, very hard for many years. They are few and far between. Many of these men and women have expressed their admiration for those people who run and aren't built for running but do it anyway. I heard one man at a race expo who said that if it took him 4 or 5 hours to run a marathon or 2 to 3 hours for a half marathon that he wouldn't even bother running at all. I've read a couple of articles by other runners who said the same. They recognize that there are people who train even harder than they do, and for more hours because they run more slowly, to simply to finish a race at all or to beat a personal best.
There is absolutely no shame at not being "the best" at something you love to do. There is always going to be someone out there who is better than you. And even if you are an elite athlete, there is someone who will be better than you on any given day, at any given race; you simply have to watch the Olympics to see examples of that.1 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
Make sure you do not have to pee.. stopping for that..is a time killer.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
We are getting a little cruel? It is entirely possible that blueeyez939 really has no clue about the subject and truly feels that she can "gut out" a Half Marathon extrapolating her 5/6 mile times . She has been advised, in no uncertain terms, that this is, if not impossible, highly unlikely. She came here asking for advise, naively believing that running a Half Marathon is no more difficult than running 5 or 6 miles only longer. She should have been dissuaded of that belief by now. If she came here looking for encouragement, she found out that that was misplaced. A Half Marathon is a very long way to run.
I don't think that blueeyez939 is disrespecting us, the race or the distance. I have a feeling that she truly does not know how far it really is and what effort is needed to complete it, much less have a winning/competing time.
blueeyez939, go out and run ten miles, Report back on how it went. Don't kill yourself in the effort, walk if necessary. Bring water and perhaps a gel packet or two. Take your cell phone to cell for a ride if needed. Don't go out alone without telling someone your route. Stick to that route. Start you first mile slowly, then pick up your pace to the rate you think will satisfy your need to beat someone else. In my first Half Marathon the women's division was won with a 6:52 minute mile pace (1:30:03) This is a good place to start, as a test run. ;-) Hang on to the pace for as long as possible. Let us know how far you went. Remember 10K is less than half way home on a Half Marathon. After 10 miles you still have 5K to go.
Come back and tell us how that 10 mile run went.
Everyone else is getting cruel so you suggest OP tries 10 miles at 6:52 pace.... :laugh:
TBH her second post doesn't show she has taken any notice of the advice of the seasoned runners here on MFP so kitteh gifs aren't going to be far away when people refuse point blank to listen to advice...1 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
Make sure you do not have to pee.. stopping for that..is a time killer.
I had to pee for the last 5 miles of my first HM.... but all the toilet stops had MASSIVE queues so I wasn't having that!2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
We are getting a little cruel? It is entirely possible that blueeyez939 really has no clue about the subject and truly feels that she can "gut out" a Half Marathon extrapolating her 5/6 mile times . She has been advised, in no uncertain terms, that this is, if not impossible, highly unlikely. She came here asking for advise, naively believing that running a Half Marathon is no more difficult than running 5 or 6 miles only longer. She should have been dissuaded of that belief by now. If she came here looking for encouragement, she found out that that was misplaced. A Half Marathon is a very long way to run.
I don't think that blueeyez939 is disrespecting us, the race or the distance. I have a feeling that she truly does not know how far it really is and what effort is needed to complete it, much less have a winning/competing time.
blueeyez939, go out and run ten miles, Report back on how it went. Don't kill yourself in the effort, walk if necessary. Bring water and perhaps a gel packet or two. Take your cell phone to cell for a ride if needed. Don't go out alone without telling someone your route. Stick to that route. Start you first mile slowly, then pick up your pace to the rate you think will satisfy your need to beat someone else. In my first Half Marathon the women's division was won with a 6:52 minute mile pace (1:30:03) This is a good place to start, as a test run. ;-) Hang on to the pace for as long as possible. Let us know how far you went. Remember 10K is less than half way home on a Half Marathon. After 10 miles you still have 5K to go.
Come back and tell us how that 10 mile run went.
Everyone else is getting cruel so you suggest OP tries 10 miles at 6:52 pace.... :laugh:
TBH her second post doesn't show she has taken any notice of the advice of the seasoned runners here on MFP so kitteh gifs aren't going to be far away when people refuse point blank to listen to advice...
Yeah, she said she wants to win. Figured she'd get to the first two or three miles and have an epiphany. Better on a training run. I told her to let others know her route and to bring her cell phone. ;-)2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
Make sure you do not have to pee.. stopping for that..is a time killer.
I had to pee for the last 5 miles of my first HM.... but all the toilet stops had MASSIVE queues so I wasn't having that!
I did too at mile 7.. can't believe it, I thought I was running on empty, so I thought..
The toilets were nasty and I was still trying to run while going.. it was a terrible experience.
0 -
Endurance wise, you could probably be fine and are conditioned enough to do it. It's more if your body can handle that big of a jump in increased distance without properly preparing. Trying to increase speed, distance, and/or duration should be done over a period of time, and especially not all at once.
You're talking to the girl who was out of commission with a stress fracture last summer because she was so uber competitive and decided her heart was just so conditioned that she could run faster and further and longer in about a day. I wouldn't advise!1 -
I'm very late to the thread, but PLEASE run the half! I am dying to hear how that goes.1
-
TavistockToad wrote: »MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
Make sure you do not have to pee.. stopping for that..is a time killer.
I had to pee for the last 5 miles of my first HM.... but all the toilet stops had MASSIVE queues so I wasn't having that!
I did too at mile 7.. can't believe it, I thought I was running on empty, so I thought..
The toilets were nasty and I was still trying to run while going.. it was a terrible experience.
Have to say that's one of the best things about trail races. Find a convenient tree...1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »MeanderingMammal wrote: »blueeyez939 wrote: »Scared off, to say the least..... Lol I understand that many of you don't understand my logic, think that I have no common sense, and think I'm racing for the wrong reasons, and that's fine..... I am racing for my own set of reasons, one of which is the satisfaction of being better than someone else at something. Is that not the heart of just about all true competitors to begin with? I understand a passion for what you do is the first key, but passion alone won't get you first place, passion plus will power does though. I don't know, I'm certainly not here to get anyone fired up or on a rant. But I'm a competitive person, when I am participating is something where there is a winner and a looser, I prefer to be the winner lol I don't see anything wrong with that. Not saying there is "something wrong" with being last either, it's just not for me, I refuse to be last at anything that is a reflection of my effort. Maybe I have never ran a race before, but I have participated is sports for years and I know the satisfaction of winning and the discouragement of getting your butt whooped... It's all part of the game, no matter what your game. And I agree, even in defeat you have to come out ready to do better next time. But, Im very strong willed and enjoy pushing myself, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to think I would be better off walk/running the whole half marathon and likely still end up getting a better position then exhausting myself to be lucky if I'm in the last 10% of the 10k. But, everyone sees things differently and I appreciate everyone telling me your honest thoughts
So your best bet then is to get to the front of the pack at the start line. You want to make sure you clear the crowding as quickly as possible. Most HMs are best handled on a slight negative split, so aim for an eight minute mile initially, and pick up the pace after the seven mile point.
It's easy to get caught up in slower movers at aid stations, so avoid stopping and don't take on any water or fuel. Slowing down to eat or drink disrupts your pace.
Have fun.
We are getting a little cruel? It is entirely possible that blueeyez939 really has no clue about the subject and truly feels that she can "gut out" a Half Marathon extrapolating her 5/6 mile times . She has been advised, in no uncertain terms, that this is, if not impossible, highly unlikely. She came here asking for advise, naively believing that running a Half Marathon is no more difficult than running 5 or 6 miles only longer. She should have been dissuaded of that belief by now. If she came here looking for encouragement, she found out that that was misplaced. A Half Marathon is a very long way to run.
I don't think that blueeyez939 is disrespecting us, the race or the distance. I have a feeling that she truly does not know how far it really is and what effort is needed to complete it, much less have a winning/competing time.
blueeyez939, go out and run ten miles, Report back on how it went. Don't kill yourself in the effort, walk if necessary. Bring water and perhaps a gel packet or two. Take your cell phone to cell for a ride if needed. Don't go out alone without telling someone your route. Stick to that route. Start you first mile slowly, then pick up your pace to the rate you think will satisfy your need to beat someone else. In my first Half Marathon the women's division was won with a 6:52 minute mile pace (1:30:03) This is a good place to start, as a test run. ;-) Hang on to the pace for as long as possible. Let us know how far you went. Remember 10K is less than half way home on a Half Marathon. After 10 miles you still have 5K to go.
Come back and tell us how that 10 mile run went.
Everyone else is getting cruel so you suggest OP tries 10 miles at 6:52 pace.... :laugh:
TBH her second post doesn't show she has taken any notice of the advice of the seasoned runners here on MFP so kitteh gifs aren't going to be far away when people refuse point blank to listen to advice...
Yeah, she said she wants to win. Figured she'd get to the first two or three miles and have an epiphany. Better on a training run. I told her to let others know her route and to bring her cell phone. ;-)
Our marathon in March is a duel whole (Boston Qualifier) and a half. If you want to divert from the whole to the half they would still time and place you..
Wonder if the half has a divert to 5K? Dunno...0
This discussion has been closed.
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