OldNoobJohn Member

I would guess that this was your main issue, "- The training plan called for a pace of 9:30/mi but I was at a pace of 8:30/mi." As an old noob, I continue to battle myself to run slowly when called for. The long run in a training plan should be run slowly.

That all sounds normal to me. I'm a good sleeper so that doesn't add to my nervousness but I think pre-race jitters probably help get your body into fight or flight mode. Time to fly! :smile: I haven't tried the mantra thing but one way I find to keep going when some part of my brain is screaming to stop is to carefully…

I used a mixture of feel, HR monitor, and forcing myself to run my long runs slower than my previous 1/2 marathon pace. No intervals. My thinking is I don't really run fast enough to benefit from that yet. I've read various thoughts on breathing, but for me breathing is a good gauge of effort and heart rate. I breath…

Not sure how to edit a post on here... I will plug the 10k result into the usual calculators and use that as a target pace for the 1/2 marathon. I'm not trying to argue against the conventional negative split race philosophy, I just felt like I didn't have enough information to approach the 10k with any real pace plan.

Hey.... I am starting to think this slow running stuff works. Since my 1/2 marathon last fall (1:53:58), I have been running slowly almost exclusively. And by slow I mean 9:30+ on the long runs. I signed up for a 10k as a speed check for an upcoming 1/2 marathon in April. A did a one mile speed test in the middle of a slow…

This page has a calculator that will let you put in your Max HR (by adjusting age) and resting heart rate. After saying I'm not a numbers guy in my previous post I do like to be as accurate as possible if I'm going to look at the numbers. Yes, I am an engineer. http://www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm

Any age based formula for determining maximum heart rate is almost worthless for HR based training. The spread of maximum heart rates is just too large. If you google, you'll find various studies with distributions like this one - http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/122/2/130/F1.large.jpg If you're interested in using a…

Wow... That's bizarre! Granola bars? It seems so petty.

I'm working "hard" at the whole running "easy" thing myself. My long run training pace (8:45) was about equal to my first/only HM pace (8:41) In preparing for HM #2, I'm trying to slow down my long runs to a 9:30 pace. Still trying to calibrate my perceived effort meter. I always thought 8:45 was fairly "easy" but it…

I like your attitude! Rock on!

The spreadsheet on that page (http://www.electricblues.com/html/runpro.html) is like porn to an engineer. :smile: For some reason, I don't like to get that quantitative about my running but it is very interesting! Thanks for the link. I need to lose more weight and run slower on my long runs. Hoping to improve for my next…

That's a critical bit of advice! I looked like something from The Walking Dead crossing the finish line. I was staring up at the big clock and then at my watch. I should have been putting on a happy face for the camera man. :smiley:

There's something about the half century mark that spurs folks into action. I'm hoping to complete my marathon next fall at the age of 48, about one month shy of 49. This gives me a year of slop in the schedule to get it done before I turn 50. A marathon has always been on my list of things to do, I'm finally getting…

Inspirational. It's nice to follow your story here from pre-race jitters to success.

Awesome report! I've done a good bit of sailing and the wind often seems on the nose in that as well. Way to persevere!

Setting a goal. So I bounced my question off an experienced runner down at "run club" last night. shhhhh don't talk about run club shhhh He said if I did 8:41/mile with no speed work I could probably train (with speed work) and do an 8:00 pace 1/2 marathon by April. hmmmmm This is what I mean by target setting. That…

I'm new to running but I find I settle into a long run rhythm where I feel I could go on indefinitely. For me, that's 3 steps breathing in, 3 steps breathing out. Of course, being a noob, that feeling is fleeting. I can be feeling great and 15 minutes later be gasping due to a sequence of hills or just the passage of time…

Electrical. Not that I use that these days. I write embedded firmware.

BTW... I like the 2*1/2 marathon time + 20 formula. I'm an engineer. I like formulas.

Thanks for the advice, folks. I have no intention of making my own plan. Just need to pick the right one. The one that will achieve my yet-to-be-defined goal without causing bodily damage. Tricky, eh?

That is very cool! I had resigned myself to being a run/walker for the past few years but this year finally saw the light and SLOWED DOWN and ran continuously. I've been improving ever since. I was also afraid of some sort of knee or body breakdown. There have been occasional aches and pains but they have passed. Seems…

THANKS! found it.