HUHM Race Report

[SkiMonday]

My preparation for this was rubbish! I was really disorganised and, being tired first thing, I took some extra time in bed. Added to that, I was delayed before I could head out the door and we’d arranged to meet some friends in the pub for lunch so it was a rush and I wasn’t sure if I’d enough time left.

Anyhow, headed out the door with probably about enough time. Did my usual warm up walk & dynamic stretches then I was off! Started off at a “comfortable” pace. I think that trying for an “easy” pace would have been better because, even allowing for the initial downhill, my pace was too fast for me to maintain. Basically, my pace slowly dwindled through the race. I think the only bit that I did well was the final km where I managed to pick up my pace making it my quickest one.

I’ve noticed that, these days, if I want to speed up, I generally don’t think about speed. Instead, I either focus on increasing my cadence or (like today) on increasing the effort that I’m putting in.

Comparing my time with the spring HUHM, I was about three minutes quicker on this run. Both routes had about the same amount of climbing but the spring one has most of the climbing in two steep sections. Today’s route had long gentle climbs instead; maybe that helps? Finish time was just under 2:07. Think I’m going to have to be better prepared if I’m going to achieve that elusive sub-2 hour HM!

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

You are standards are really high if you can sound disappointed with a 2:07 HM. As a mere mortal allow me to say really well done🙂👏👏👏👏👏🥇

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thank Beachcomber.

I think it’s more a case of noticing what didn’t go so well and, hopefully, improving. I’d say that I’m “happy” with the result rather than “disappointed”. Still looking for a sub 2 hour though; I guess it’s much the same as aiming for a 5k in under 30 minutes.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

I think that you running is amazing and I am sure that you will crack 2 hours. 10 miles in 2 hours has to be enough for me 🙂

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thanks Beachcomber. As long as you’re enjoying it and getting some regular exercise, that’s what counts.

[GTFC Marathon]

I really enjoyed reading this. You run tremendous times and to go under 2 for a HM would be a quite brilliant achievement. It's the one time I'd personally like to get in the future. With what you could do on the day you ran it excellently 😃

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to GTFC]

Thanks GTFC. The 2 hour HM is edging ever closer! I’m thinking of trying some Nike Run Club speed training to see if I can achieve it that way.

[Cmoi Marathon]

Sounds like a result to me, and congratulations on doing the double too SkiMonday ! I can't even dream of getting anywhere near a sub 2-hr HM; I'd have to hack off the best part of half an hour, and there's no way I'm putting in the effort to do that, I'm much too lazy.

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Cmoi]

Cheers Cmoi. Congrats on your double too! I know it’s an alien concept for you, but, if you wanted to go for a sub 2-hr HM, I think that running on the flat would make a big difference. OK, the scenery might not be as good and it might take a little getting used to but I’m sure that would boost your speed.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

I'm wildly flattered that you think I could ever get anywhere near a sub-2 hr HM SkiMonday . You absolutely can do it, but I think you're forgetting that I'm female, and even the female world record is just over five minutes slower than the male one!

More seriously, I can already run faster on the flat if I choose to. I'll occasionally add a short burst of speed for the hell of it, just to see what pace I can do, but I don't generally enjoy it. Last winter I did the speed challenge and only did one run, as I couldn't face going out hammering along like a crazy thing again.

To cover any distance on the relatively flat I'd either have to drive 5k down the road and run along the valley roads, where there's no lighting, no pavement, and the speed limit (generally ignored) is 50mph. Or run down to the same area, but then there's 5k uphill (about 150m elevation) to get home.

Plus I'm terrible at training. I only managed to get through the marathon plan because I really wanted to complete my chosen event and I was terrified that if I didn't train properly, I wouldn't manage it. But the thought of making myself miserable for weeks for something that I'm not really bothered about in the first place, nah. Like I said, I'm too lazy!

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Cmoi]

Hi Cmoi

I wasn't suggesting that you should start running on the flat! Rather that all those hills make you a really strong runner so you have more speed "in the tank" so to speak.

I do think you're being unfair calling yourself lazy! One definition of the word is "to avoid exercise" which hardly applies in your case! I'd say that you're easily doing enough exercise to stay healthy and you're enjoying it which is important for staying motivated and for general wellbeing.

Happy running!

[RunWillie Marathon]

Well done SkiMonday 👍🏻 you will run a sub 2 hour HM. Hope you enjoyed your post run pub lunch with friends. Well deserved!

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks RW. Enjoyed the lunch thanks. I was pretty hungry by then.

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Well done Ski! No worries, you will snag that sub 2 soon enough! Think about how much you’ve accomplished this year!

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Decker]

Thanks Decker. Yes, it’s been an eventful running year for me, mind you; completing your first ultra is a serious achievement!

[MrsRDj Half Marathon]

Great run - congratulations 😀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Whoa SM. Rubbish preparation, 3 minutes quicker? I’d say you didn’t do badly at all there. 👊🏃‍♂️😀

And sub-2 hours? I’d say that is definitely in your future! We’ll watch with interest - you’re an epic runner. 👏👏👏👏👏

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thanks Cheeky! Yes, rubbish preparation leading up to this one but I think my training over the last year or so has generally gone pretty well.

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Hi SM. I enjoyed your report. Well done on doing the “HU double”. I think you should be proud of that and not worry about the times.

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Thanks Stephen.

That reminds me of a post a while ago on “Why Do You Enjoy Running?”

I think it’s a mixture of things in my case. I enjoy taking it easy on some runs; it’s also good to do a ParkRun at a nice easy pace. However, chasing targets helps keep me motivated and it’s a great sense of achievement to reach a target. Besides, working on pace helps make the easy runs easier!

So, whilst my primary reason for running is health, I still want to nail that 2-hr HM.

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Hi SM. That all makes sense. And I’m just the same. I also dwell on my times a lot, even though I don’t think it’s good for me. But it is a motivating force, as you say.

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Can be tricky, but I think it’s important to go for motivational rather than obsessive. In my case, I’ve had the sub-2hr HM at the back of my mind for over a year now. Generally, I tend to think “it’ll happen when it happens” although I am tempted to give it a nudge with a few speed training runs.

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

It’ll happen.

[Frenc Half Marathon]

Brilliant! Well done SkiMonday, that’s a great time. Hope the lunch was good 👍.

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to Frenc]

Enjoyed the lunch thanks Frenc.

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

Good result! You got it done and kept your social commitments! 👍🏻😁

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I guess that getting to the pub on time was an achievement. Time management isn’t generally one of my strong points.

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Well there you go! Any win is still a win! 🏆 👍🏻😁

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Great run, great time management! That sub 2 hour will be yours when you're hungry enough for it 😀

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

Although it’s getting tantalisingly close!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Your time is amazing given your preparation was rubbish! I have no doubt you’ll get under the two hours with the “right” preparation 👍 Well done SM!