Goal Race Time

This weekend marks my first goal race for the year as i compete in a half marathon on Sunday. It’s the time when my training from the last few months gets put to the test and I see where I am at as a runner against my goals and hopes.

My training has been going well, I am injury free and haven’t had any major setbacks over the past few months so i am confident that the training has worked and i will run well on Sunday. I have gotten through my long runs with the longest being a week ago at 30km, I am still building my long run for monger races later in the year but trying to peak for each of my goal races along the way. I have been doing 1-2 interval sessions per week and have enjoyed running with speed. I have regularly been competing in my local parkrun which I find is great to keep me motivated and also to test my short course speed on a weekly basis if I choose.

I am hoping to run this half marathon at 3:55 min/km pace which gives me a time of around 1:22. I ran this half marathon two years ago and ran 1:24 and feel i will be able to push harder if I race smart with my current fitness. My plan is to go out conservatively over the first kilometre at 4 min pace or just slower and then work into my rhythm over the first 1-2 kilometres. From there I plan to hold a consistent pace around 3:50-3:55 min/km for the next 15km and if there is something in the tank for the final 3-4km I will give it everything I have and hope to make up a few places.

Races don’t always go to plan and I have been guilty in the past of letting racing get in the way of my own race plan. I really want to run my own race on Sunday and give myself every opportunity of running a fast race. There is no point trying to take on someone who can run 1:15 or lower for a half in the opening stages as it will hurt me later in the race.

So the keys for my race on Sunday are run my own race and stick to my pacing strategy. If I do this then the training will take care of the rest.