With my first ever race (6th grade cross country 3k notwithstanding) still three months away, I've started talking to coworkers about what kind of goals they have and what the best training tips are. And so it seems I've already got 2 preliminary issues:
1. My ideal time (1h30) seems way over-ambitious
2. I'm not going to be able to train much, if at all, from Aug 15 to the end of September
The time issue:
Since I don't have any reference points, not having ever run a race, or even such a distance, before, I'd previously guesstimated what my time could be based on my performance during my usual runs. The typical Hyde Park loop I do is about 6.8k, and I generally finish under 30 mins. 3 times 6.8k is about one half-marathon, so 1h30 should be feasible, yeah? Sounds foolish, but that's pretty much the reasoning I had before I actually gave some thought to it. First of all I've never timed myself for longer runs, so who knows what my pace would be beyond those first 7k. Second I always cross the street when the sign is green, so if it isn't that means I can take a mini-break (happens 1-3 times during a typical outing). And though such pauses don't amount to a lot of time, they give me time to recover, while my timer is paused. In race conditions, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do too many of these if I wanted to do well.
The training issue:
Based on the feedback I've gotten from experienced runners at work, and multiple readings online, it seems most sensible training plans call for a gradual increase of distances over the 2-3 months prior to the race, to the tune of 10% per week or so. This is supposed to give the body some time to get used to the higher mileage, and avoid stress injuries so common in runners. With my race in mid-October, this means I should be doing regular but short runs right now (aka my usual Hyde Park loop), then increase it progressively in August and September, by which point I'd get to weekly 20k training runs. Only issue is I'll be away for 3 weeks from August 15, driving through Western Australia where I can pretty much bet a can of Pringles I won't be able to run at all. I'll be traveling in a van with my brother and cousin, and don't really foresee myself going off for even 20 minutes of jogging in the middle of the bush. An occasional run on the beach why not, but with a trip as awesome as this one, even that might be missing the point. And then I'll get back just in time for the busiest month of the year at work, with extended hours, pizza nights and weekend sessions sure to be part of the festivities.
So yeah, but the time Oct 1 rolls around, I'll probably be looking forward more to a few good nights' sleep than a return to pavement pounding.
Still, while these two aspects might pose a serious challenge to any record-breaking mindset, I should still aim for something that will motivate me to go running over the next few months, and beyond. 1h30 might sound like a perfect round number, as far as targets go, but in this case, I think I'll shoot for 1h37. Close to my initial goal, yet far enough to keep training, and improving, as I build on my pseudo-running habits of the past year. Which also means one thing: more donuts.
1. My ideal time (1h30) seems way over-ambitious
2. I'm not going to be able to train much, if at all, from Aug 15 to the end of September
The time issue:
Since I don't have any reference points, not having ever run a race, or even such a distance, before, I'd previously guesstimated what my time could be based on my performance during my usual runs. The typical Hyde Park loop I do is about 6.8k, and I generally finish under 30 mins. 3 times 6.8k is about one half-marathon, so 1h30 should be feasible, yeah? Sounds foolish, but that's pretty much the reasoning I had before I actually gave some thought to it. First of all I've never timed myself for longer runs, so who knows what my pace would be beyond those first 7k. Second I always cross the street when the sign is green, so if it isn't that means I can take a mini-break (happens 1-3 times during a typical outing). And though such pauses don't amount to a lot of time, they give me time to recover, while my timer is paused. In race conditions, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do too many of these if I wanted to do well.
The training issue:
Based on the feedback I've gotten from experienced runners at work, and multiple readings online, it seems most sensible training plans call for a gradual increase of distances over the 2-3 months prior to the race, to the tune of 10% per week or so. This is supposed to give the body some time to get used to the higher mileage, and avoid stress injuries so common in runners. With my race in mid-October, this means I should be doing regular but short runs right now (aka my usual Hyde Park loop), then increase it progressively in August and September, by which point I'd get to weekly 20k training runs. Only issue is I'll be away for 3 weeks from August 15, driving through Western Australia where I can pretty much bet a can of Pringles I won't be able to run at all. I'll be traveling in a van with my brother and cousin, and don't really foresee myself going off for even 20 minutes of jogging in the middle of the bush. An occasional run on the beach why not, but with a trip as awesome as this one, even that might be missing the point. And then I'll get back just in time for the busiest month of the year at work, with extended hours, pizza nights and weekend sessions sure to be part of the festivities.
So yeah, but the time Oct 1 rolls around, I'll probably be looking forward more to a few good nights' sleep than a return to pavement pounding.
Still, while these two aspects might pose a serious challenge to any record-breaking mindset, I should still aim for something that will motivate me to go running over the next few months, and beyond. 1h30 might sound like a perfect round number, as far as targets go, but in this case, I think I'll shoot for 1h37. Close to my initial goal, yet far enough to keep training, and improving, as I build on my pseudo-running habits of the past year. Which also means one thing: more donuts.
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