Runnin a Half June23rd

sakamanojr

Hello Gang,

I just was thinking that I would write a post about my mental state before running a Half tomorrow.
I am 52 years old and have been training fairly consistently for the 1st 6 months of 2012 and now one of my target races is less than 24 hours away.

I have run quite a few races against the clock to see if I was improving and getting faster. I would calculate the mile splits needed to make sure that I followed a smart pacing plan. That was back in the last 90's.

I returned to running back in mid 2009 and found myself to be 4 minutes a mile slower

I now have reclaimed about 2 of those slower minutes
The training this year was focused on getting faster and that is happening BUT all other areas in my life are stressing the #$%#%#$% out of me.
I have decided to change my GOAL from trying to run for a target time to letting my body tell me how it feels when the race gets underway. If I don't feel that strong then to avoid pushing my body. I have raced many times when stress swirled around my world and still pushed myself hard with fairly good results. This time it feels different about pushing myself tomorrow. I sense that if I really try to push that I may have a MELTDOWN.

I am also writing this post to ask for your opinion on whether you think I am doing the right thing. I would like to hear your opinions as you have all toed the line for a Half Marathon in various physical and mental conditions.

To give you some background on my training, I would say that I have been pretty consistent running between 18-25 miles a week. My long run has been 10 miles on 2 occasions and during the week I typically take a day for each of a HILL repeat, 1/4 mile SPEED and a TEMPO run for 30 minutes.

Saka
MAY THE WIND ALWAYS BE AT OUR BACKs

Thank you for your time.

416runner

decided to change my GOAL from trying to run for a target time to letting my body tell me how it feels when the race gets underway. If I don't feel that strong then to avoid pushing my body. I have raced many times when stress swirled around my world and still pushed myself hard with fairly good results. This time it feels different about pushing myself tomorrow. I sense that if I really try to push that I may have a MELTDOWN.

I really think listening to your instincts is the right thing to do here. If your gut is telling you not to push it, then maybe tomorrow just isn't the day. But like you said, you might feel differently tomorrow morning, or midway through the race and if so, you can always change it up! I hit a pretty bad stretch at the Scotia Half last year - my legs and my mental state were both ready to give out at about 17k. I really had to fight to just keep my legs moving - I know that if I stopped to walk, I wouldn't start again. I had that line from Finding Nemo running through my head "Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!"

Good luck this weekend!

SueInAz

I think you're right on with letting your body tell you how to run the race tomorrow. Honestly, do you need to push for a time? There are times in our lives when just running the half is an accomplishment in itself. While I get your desire to increase your speed back to what it was when you were younger, the fact that you are still running at all in your 50s in a huge accomplishment, IMHO.

I've now run three half marathons this year. The first was in late January, the second in late March and the third was on June 3rd. I had never really run before starting last April, so I didn't have anything to compare it with and no goal to shoot for other than simply being out there running for the first time in my life. I run slow, but I run. I finished my first half in 2:42, 3 minutes faster than my goal. I ran the second in 2:39 (on three hours sleep and fighting a hangover!) and I had high hopes for finishing the one in June in under 2:30. In mid-April I got the flu which sidelined me for two weeks. The night I decided I would attempt running the next morning, I injured my back, pinching a nerve. That sidelined me for another two weeks. By the time I was able to start running pain-free, I was out of condition. At that point, I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to run in June, I might ending walking most of it, if I was even up for that much. Long story short, I ran that race. It was hilly and it was very humid and I pulled off a time of 2:47. And I couldn't have been more proud of myself.

Don't let running be one more stressor in your life. We already have enough of those. I think that you, like me, run because some crazy part of us enjoys it. If you let it become another source of stress, you're likely to give it up and that would be just wrong. Run the race just to run it and enjoy the experience.

l3ugjuice

Personally, I run for fitness moreso than competitiveness. I'm running half marathons lately to give myself some sort of goal to work towards, as if I dont have some kind of a goal I'm incapable of accomplishing anything. I dont have to plot it all out obsessively, but I have to have a vague idea.

So for my .02, do what your body tells you to do. Sometimes I run faster than others, but its solely based upon how I feel as I run. I generally have a plan in my head for pace before the race starts, whether it's a 5k or HM, that I generally throw out the door within the first mile and a half.

That and I know of two people from my area, who were approximately my age and probably much more capable runners than myself, that have dropped dead during a half marathon in the last year. That really changed my perspective on how I pace myself now.

mlb929

My friend I have watched your training and your attitude. Above all, I know that you will run the race and feel good about it. You are always an inspiration to those of us new to running and so helpful in your daily assistance and encouragement. You WILL do this incredibly.

I always thank the law enforcement that protects the runners, wave at the kids on the route waiting for their parents, cheer when I see signs, sign with the bands. Just have fun with it.