half-mary PR question

leadoff

I just recently posted this in the group message boards, but I am reposting here for some additional advice.....


My PR for the half is 2:13:48. (This was my first and only half.) I am working to get under the 2:00 mark. I have been incorporating some interval training into my workouts, and I love how the intervals give me the feeling of a "rest" period during my run.

My question is this...I am considering incorporating the same "interval" mentality into a race (i.e. 2 miles at a set pace, 9 miles with 1/4 mile intervals thrown in each mile, 2 miles at a set pace). Is this a viable strategy or should I stick to a steady pace throughout?

Here are my splits for the half, which was a fairly flat course with one vicious hill around the 10 mile mark....

1 10:02.5 1.00 10:03
2 9:54.6 1.00 9:55
3 9:50.1 1.00 9:50
4 10:08.2 1.00 10:08
5 10:07.4 1.00 10:07
6 10:01.0 1.00 10:01
7 10:01.7 1.00 10:02
8 10:05.1 1.00 10:05
9 10:05.0 1.00 10:05
10 10:25.9 1.00 10:26
11 10:44.1 1.00 10:44
12 10:37.7 1.00 10:38
13 10:23.4 1.00 10:23
14 1:20.9 0.17 7:58

Cheval13

This seems like a viable plan. It's actually better to switch it up because you will inevitably vary throughout the race... a lot of times just because you want to pass someone or there's a crowd that you don't want to look dead in front of. I do think, however, that a better plan is to start off a little slower than your goal pace, be comfortable, and then build up towards a little faster near the end. You conserve energy and pysche yourself up!

goodfido

I've always run my 1/2's in some sort of interval. My first 1/2 was so I didn't over do it so I did a run/walk interval. Since then I still do run/walk intervals but I increase the time in between as well as a little speed work. I'm not a fast runner so speed drills typically don't work for me and I'm OK with that. But I do know others that have been very successful with their speed training and have incorportated that into their 1/2 on race day.

brandyk77

No, do the race as a race. Intervals are for training. Keep an even pace through the first 8 or so and then speed up at the end if you can. Allow for some congestion at the start.