- Okay, so you're done a 5k, a 10k, maybe you've already
done a half marathon.
Well now, it's time to do a fast half marathon.
- Well that's what GCN's Dan Lloyd is after.
Isn't that right, Dan?
- Yup.
(upbeat music)
Right, well Mark and Heather have roped me
into doing my first half marathon,
at quite short notice, I have to say.
It is my first one, but at the same time,
I want to do it as fast as I possibly can.
- Whoa, is your plan to go as fast as possible
straight from the start?
- Yeah, that's how you do it.
You start off fast, then you go a bit faster
in the middle, and then you sprint at the end.
That's my plan for the day.
- Ooh, I think we need to give you
a little bit of a hand, here.
So here's some tips on how to run a fast half marathon.
(rock music)
Before we even tackle race day, there's actually a lot
of prep and training that goes on in the months prior.
And one of those is setting a realistic target time or goal.
Have you got one in mind?
- Yeah, yeah, I've got on in the back of my head
that I want to achieve.
What's your target time, Heather?
- I'm hoping for around 1:30.
- Yeah, so the one I've got in my head is 1:29.48.
- (laughing) Oh.
- About 12 seconds quicker than Heather.
No, I'm joking of course, but 90 minutes
is what I've got in mind because that feels like
you know, a nice round number and a good goal to have.
- Yeah, so now that you've got that time in mind,
you can work out the pacing needed to make that time
and obviously tailor your training around that.
So you'd be looking at 4:16 per kilometre
or a 6:52 per mile.
- Right, that's a bit faster than I thought
it was, actually.
- Well there's no backing out now.
But now, let's look at how you implement that
into your training.
(upbeat music)
- [Heather] The type of training we do is really important
and so many runners fall into that trap
of running everything kind of hard
with no focus on a specific session.
For half marathon training, you really need
to focus on doing long runs and threshold.
Threshold runs will help your body
be able to adapt to the lactic acid
and long runs will help you improve your aerobic capacity.
- [Dan] So what about speed work?
Because Mark had me doing some speed work
for my fast 5k.
- [Heather] Well, don't worry Dan, it's not entirely wasted,
but if you've only got time for a few runs a week,
then you're better off focusing on tempo and longer runs.
But if you do have time to fit in a few extra
then it'll just help you improve that top end speed
and also make your running more economic.
- [Dan] So where then does my pacing, so that
4 minute 16 per kilometre fit into all this?
- [Heather] Well that's the threshold run and conveniently,
it's roughly at around your half marathon pace.
So a good starting, well you basically want
to be running continuously at threshold for
around 10 to 20 minutes and you can obviously build it up.
But a good starting point to be doing a session is
two lots of 15 minutes with a few minutes
of recovery in between.
And that leads us nicely onto you pacing for the race.
(thumping music)
- [Mike] So, running at this pace
during your threshold runs,
will really help you dial in for race day.
But if you're like me, it's quite easy
to get carried away on the day,
especially on the start.
- [Dan] Yeah, I'm not too worried about that because
I am a bit of a slave to numbers riding a bike
or when I'm running, and also, I know
that it should feel easy at the start.
I also know that I could really pay for it
if I do go to fast at the start.
- [Mike] Okay, well personally what I like to do is
know my pace per kilometre.
Then also know what time I need to go through 5k,
10k and so on.
I'll just double check that.
Also, for a lot of races, they do have pacers.
These are people that run a set time,
and you can just look out for them.
They normally have a flag.
- [Dan] Alright
- [Mike] Just make sure you're on track.
But, I have heard a lot of stories that they don't quite
run at the right pace.
- [Dan] Oh okay.
- [MikE] So do also check your own pace.
- [Dan] Yeah, well what I am slightly worried about
is the last 5ks, because that, for me, will be going into
unknown territory.
So, an easy 4:16 average, do I start dead on that,
and hope I can hold it or even raise it?
Or, do I start like 4:10 for 5k and give ourselves
a 30 second buffer.
- [Mike] Well, it's actually a really good point.
So, you know, you have adrenaline on race day,
and I usually say to utilise that.
So, like say run a 4:10 per kilometre to start off with,
but cap it and make sure you don't run it
for any longer than a k or two.
And then, after that, just make sure you settle
into your race pace.
If you have anything in the last few k,
you can up it and hopefully get that time you're after.
(music)
- Okay, let's start talking a little bit
about fueling strategy for a half marathon.
Let's begin with breakfast.
I presume that's not dissimilar to when I was racing
a bike and that you'd have it two to three hours
before you start competing.
- Yeah, I mean you're pretty spot on with that,
and obviously it just need to be something
that your stomach can handle, so practise that before hand.
But the fueling comes a few days earlier really
when you start to up the carbs, but nothing too crazy.
You're not going to start eating bowls and bowls of pasta,
and just be bloated.
It's making sure you have a decent meal the night before,
and you're well hydrated before the race.
- Yeah.
And then in terms of during the half marathon,
I mean all my runs so far have been about an hour or less.
So, I've never even taken water out let alone
anything to eat or a gel or anything.
Since it's going to be longer, 90 minutes, is that
something I should consider on the day?
- Definitely, I mean your energy will get depleted
over that length of time.
So, again, you need to practise this in training,
but take with you a gel or some other carb source,
and have your own with you so that you're used to that.
Then, take it at around halfway.
I personally take it at about 10 miles,
because I like that incentive.
You got at 10 miles, and I have my gel,
and then it's only three miles to the finish.
So, it's just whatever works for you.
- Yeah, and then the fluids, so I'm not really carrying
a bottle with me the whole way around.
There are fueling stations around.
How much do you--
- Yeah, there will be energy drinks and water,
so normally like the Lucozade or something,
or water.
If you've got gel, you probably only need the water.
But don't take the bottle and think like,
oh I've got this bottle and I've got to finish it.
Take a few sips and run with it for a bit,
if you feel comfortable, and then throw it away.
Make sure it's in the bin area or just take a sip
and wait until the next station.
- I think it's definitely something I'm going to practise,
because eat on the bike, when it's a bit easier in a race,
is quite easy, but I'm starting to think how I'm going
to do drinking and eating.
- The drinking can get a bit messy, and your trying--
- Yeah, because you're going hard and you're kind of
jogging up and down, but yeah,
I'm going to practise that before the day.
- Good idea.
- Before we finish this video about half marathons,
I've got one last question that's on my mind.
That is about warmups, which I know are really important
from my days time trialling, etc.
My worry is, I've only got a certain amount of energy
and I don't want to use too much of that in the warmup.
- Well, yeah, it's actually really commonly neglected,
which is crazy really because considering how much
hard work and training you've put into the half marathon.
Then just to kind of ruin it or potentially ruin it all
at the final hurdle.
Actually, a lot of racers kind of make it
quite hard for you, because it's not like you can
just run anywhere.
You actually get penned in quite often from a certain time
before the race.
- Like my early days as a mountain biker,
so you'd warm up, and then you'd freeze
in the last 15 minutes before the start.
- Exactly, so I normally suggest trying to go
for a 10 to 20 minute jog just before you do get penned in.
It doesn't have to be hard, just nice and easy,
and then just finish with a few strides.
So, just accelerations where you're kind of
opening up the legs and getting ready for the race.
Then, when you do get penned in, it does depend
on the conditions you're gonna be racing in,
or the start line, the temperatures and everything.
You can wear an extra bit of clothing,
and perhaps, give that to a spectator or a friend.
Or maybe even just wear like a bin bag
with some armholes cut in.
Then just chuck that in a bin.
- I'm not giving my (mumbles) to spectators (mumbles).
(music)
- Thank you to both Mark, and to you Heather,
for those tips.
I kind of feel ready for it now, and actually,
I was just thinking, this is the first time,
since I retired from cycling that I've given myself
a sporting target, and I already feel motivated for it.
- Well, that's great, it's great you feel ready,
because it's just over a week away for us.
- Yeah, so it's all about the taper now isn't it?
- It is, well we look forward to bringing you the results
from the half marathon.
- I don't think that they're going to be that bold
about where we place.
I think they're gonna be bold about who beats who.
I mean, Mark is gonna be about one minute per kilometre
quicker than us.
- We'll forget about him.
- But we could be, I think it could be neck and neck,
couldn't it?
Sprinting for the line.
- Could get competitive here.
- Yeah.
- Well, it's getting to that time of year where
there quite a lot of half marathons.
So, if you're entering any, do let us know
how you get on, and any other tips that you might have,
that you've learned along the way.
And if you haven't done this already,
subscribe to GTN by clicking on the globe.
If you want to watch a video with Dan and Mark
running a fast 5k,
click over here.