I've started my taper in order to prepare for the Columbus Half Marathon, which is now less than two weeks away. I've set my goals:
Goal #1 - Run the entire half marathon with no walking breaks. In a couple of my training runs to prepare I very much felt like walking. However, I was able to work through that, which will hopefully give me a little preparation to work through those rough times and continue running in the middle of Columbus Half.
Goal #2 - Finish with a better time than the half marathon that I ran in August. I ran that half marathon in a little over 2:28, averaging about 11:15 per mile. Most of my training runs since that time have seen my per mile speed decrease, and if I accomplish goal #1, then accomplishing goal #2 should follow suit.
Goal #3 - My current personal best time for a half marathon is 2:19:20. In order to beat that time I would have to run better than a 10:36 per mile pace for the entire half marathon. My last long training run was a 10 mile run on Sept. 22. For that 10 miles I averaged 10:29 per mile. If I can maintain that for an additional 3.1 miles then I will achieve Goal #3.
Another thing that should help in this regard is that I have lost a little more weight since running my last half marathon. In May I ran the Cap City Half Marathon at about 315-320 pounds. In August I weighed in at 273 pounds the week prior to that run. As of last Sunday I'm down to 260 pounds. Obviously carrying around less weight, combined with the fact that I've been training continuously since February, has helped my times get faster.
After completing the Columbus Half Marathon, I will start my training for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. I am scheduled for another half marathon prior to that, but will use that as my long training run for that week. My long run that week is supposed to be 12 miles...I'll, of course, but running a little over 13 that weekend.
I wasn't sure if I would ever try to run a full marathon again, but wanted that challenge, at least one more time. I'm doing something a little different with the full marathon also, not training to handle it as a run/walk like I did my last two marathons. I will be training to run the full marathon. Not sure I'll be able to accomplish that, but will start off training that way. After that marathon I'll evaluate if I want to run another marathon, or stick to half marathons as my long runs.
Goal #1 - Run the entire half marathon with no walking breaks. In a couple of my training runs to prepare I very much felt like walking. However, I was able to work through that, which will hopefully give me a little preparation to work through those rough times and continue running in the middle of Columbus Half.
Goal #2 - Finish with a better time than the half marathon that I ran in August. I ran that half marathon in a little over 2:28, averaging about 11:15 per mile. Most of my training runs since that time have seen my per mile speed decrease, and if I accomplish goal #1, then accomplishing goal #2 should follow suit.
Goal #3 - My current personal best time for a half marathon is 2:19:20. In order to beat that time I would have to run better than a 10:36 per mile pace for the entire half marathon. My last long training run was a 10 mile run on Sept. 22. For that 10 miles I averaged 10:29 per mile. If I can maintain that for an additional 3.1 miles then I will achieve Goal #3.
Another thing that should help in this regard is that I have lost a little more weight since running my last half marathon. In May I ran the Cap City Half Marathon at about 315-320 pounds. In August I weighed in at 273 pounds the week prior to that run. As of last Sunday I'm down to 260 pounds. Obviously carrying around less weight, combined with the fact that I've been training continuously since February, has helped my times get faster.
After completing the Columbus Half Marathon, I will start my training for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. I am scheduled for another half marathon prior to that, but will use that as my long training run for that week. My long run that week is supposed to be 12 miles...I'll, of course, but running a little over 13 that weekend.
I wasn't sure if I would ever try to run a full marathon again, but wanted that challenge, at least one more time. I'm doing something a little different with the full marathon also, not training to handle it as a run/walk like I did my last two marathons. I will be training to run the full marathon. Not sure I'll be able to accomplish that, but will start off training that way. After that marathon I'll evaluate if I want to run another marathon, or stick to half marathons as my long runs.
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