A quest for a quicker Half Marathon:
2020: I was scheduled for Ironman Hawaii 70.3 in May, Santa Cruz 70.3 in September and Chicago 26.2 in October....but the Bats and the Pangolins had other ideas.
All races have been postponed or cancelled. All swimming pools closed. We (Team Asha Triathlon) decided against biking outdoors during the height of COVID-19, primarily to reduce the likelihood of having to make a hospital visit in case of an accident. Given that our season has been shifted to a virtual environment I decided to work on my running. The goal is to get (safely) to a 1:40:00 (One Hour: Forty min) Half Marathon (13.1 miles) by July 31st. My previous best was a 1:41:& change - fifteen years ago (2005) and I wanted to see if I could roll back the years. So far, so good. April (95 miles) and May (84 miles as on the 19th) have been loading up months with 4 runs a week. My routine is:
Monday: 6-8 miler 8:00 to 8:20 min/mile pace. (Midday/Noon run.)
Tuesday: 4-6 miles 5K pace (7:30 to 7:45 min/mil).(Midday/Noon run.)
Wednesday: 30 min Spin session and 20-25 min strength and core workout.
Thursday: 5-7 miles mild elevation and step climbing @ landfill heap. (Midday/Noon run.)
Friday: Rest with a 20-25 mins strength and core session.
Saturday: Long run 10 to 20 miles at 8:15-8:30 min/mile. (Late morning run.)
Sunday: 60 min Spin session.
The midday runs are - well - because I prefer the heat and I am not a morning person (hence a late riser). Running in the afternoon helps me acclimatize faster to our summer temperatures and forces me to pay attention to my hydration. Plus, with the social distancing guidelines the roads and trails are empty at noon - so no need for SCUBA gear as extra protection during my runs.
Strength & Core: The deal is to keep a moderate core and strength training routine going (nothing excessive). I have a routine that I put together for the triathlon program about a year ago that is a quick 20 to 30 min session (2 sets). I do that 2 to 3 times a week. Strength & core training is absolutely essential for balance, good posture and general well being.
Spin & Biking: The spin sessions or riding outside is also essential for runners as it helps in toning and strengthening the quads and is a great non-impact form of active recovery.
Swimming: Once the pools open - I'll be adding swim sessions as well. Great workout for the upper body and also a great non-impact active recovery specially when you are concentrating on your runs. And swimming is my version of meditation.
So far in May - I have managed to run three half marathons - keeping my Heart Rate (HR) under 160bmp, maintaining a regular cadence (174-180 spm) and gently increasing my pace after the 6 mile mark. The idea is to slowly build into a sustained sub 8:00 min/mile by mid June and then push for a quicker Tuesday speed workout.
The three 13 milers this month were on
May 2nd: 10:00AM - 61F - 75% humidity (that humidity messed with my long luscious hair).
May 9th: 9:10AM - 60F - 60% humidity.
May 16th: 10:40AM - 65F - 56% humidity.
I've put together a sheet with the details of my three 13 milers (a photograph below). All details from Strava and my Coros watch. I'll add to this as my quest unfolds.
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| Analyzing my three 13 milers in May (Strava details). ----------------------------- Update on June 16th 2020: On May 28th I pulled my hamstring - so this quest, like my hamstring, has been iced! :) |
