Would you do a race a week before a half?

[Susie]

I'm doing my first half marathon on Sunday 4/21. 

The weekend before that, 4/13-14, I have about a 10 mile long run scheduled.  (I will do 12 the week before that.) 

Also on Sun. 4/14, my town has a local 5 mile race, flat course.

I was planning to skip it, because I was afraid of being a klutz and doing something dumb in the race that could jeopardize my half.  But Calvin watched my 4 miler this weekend and thought I should run it.  He observed that there were a lot of stupid little things that I was not being smart about, like using other people as windbreaks/to draft, and basically that I need to practice racing (as long as I can do so and keep it controlled).

So now I'm thinking maybe doing the 5 miler after all, and then just doing the course one more time, easy, after I finish.

WWYD?

[shauni27]

I would do it!

[kams]

Yep, I would do it.

[katinthehat]

I think it would be really good race practice. Do the race at your HMP and then the last five easy.

[gt7301b]

I'd do it!! I race almost every weekend in April/May. I love racing.

[jchokie79]

I'm in the minority, I would not do it as to not chance any silly injuries from happening. That's me in everything though, I always play it safe.

I know the experience would be great and chances are if it's flat, nothing would happen. But I also know how hard training is and if you've trained all this time, I would hate to see something happening right before your Half.

[Deleted]

I'm pondering the same thing (though it's a 5k the weekend before my first sprint tri). I'm thinking that if I can recover intelligently over the week I will be OK and it might help.

[gumi]

sure, but I have never drafted during a running race before. In a 5 mile race, if there is someone in front of you, pass them!!!! Maybe in a marathon I would stay behind a large pack of men for awhile to block wind - and then pass them all at the end, bwhahahaha

[Susie]

Mar 18, 2013 10:27:41 GMT -5 jchokie79 said:

I'm in the minority, I would not do it as to not chance any silly injuries from happening. That's me in everything though, I always play it safe.

I know the experience would be great and chances are if it's flat, nothing would happen. But I also know how hard training is and if you've trained all this time, I would hate to see something happening right before your Half.

Right, that was my initial thought.

But then I'm thinking, well, I'm going to run 10 miles that weekend anyway.  Am I really that much more likely to hurt myself doing the 10 miles this way than 10 miles out on my own?  I would like to think not.

The biggest thing that weighed in favor of doing it was also my experience at my 4 miler this weekend, CLEARLY having no idea what I could actually do.  I was hoping to average no slower than 9:30/mile.  I averaged 8:48.  Not even close.  I feel like some practice "racing" is in order, to get a better handle on what I am able to do.

[Susie]

Mar 18, 2013 10:31:01 GMT -5 gumi said:

sure, but I have never drafted during a running race before. In a 5 mile race, if there is someone in front of you, pass them!!!! Maybe in a marathon I would stay behind a large pack of men for awhile to block wind - and then pass them all at the end, bwhahahaha

That is pretty much how I SWIM, but you better believe I need and will take any bit of help I can get on the road.

[Wines Not Whines]

I would do it!

[jchokie79]

Mar 18, 2013 10:32:22 GMT -5 Susie said:

Mar 18, 2013 10:27:41 GMT -5 jchokie79 said:

I'm in the minority, I would not do it as to not chance any silly injuries from happening. That's me in everything though, I always play it safe.

I know the experience would be great and chances are if it's flat, nothing would happen. But I also know how hard training is and if you've trained all this time, I would hate to see something happening right before your Half.

Right, that was my initial thought.

But then I'm thinking, well, I'm going to run 10 miles that weekend anyway.  Am I really that much more likely to hurt myself doing the 10 miles this way than 10 miles out on my own?  I would like to think not.

The biggest thing that weighed in favor of doing it was also my experience at my 4 miler this weekend, CLEARLY having no idea what I could actually do.  I was hoping to average no slower than 9:30/mile.  I averaged 8:48.  Not even close.  I feel like some practice "racing" is in order, to get a better handle on what I am able to do.

Very true on the fact that you have to run 10 miles regardless so might as well do it at a race to gain more experience.  Good luck!!!  And you're making great time!

[katandkevin]

I would do it.

[cinco]

Absolutely!

[gt7301b]

Mar 18, 2013 10:35:36 GMT -5 Susie said:

Mar 18, 2013 10:31:01 GMT -5 gumi said:

sure, but I have never drafted during a running race before. In a 5 mile race, if there is someone in front of you, pass them!!!! Maybe in a marathon I would stay behind a large pack of men for awhile to block wind - and then pass them all at the end, bwhahahaha

That is pretty much how I SWIM, but you better believe I need and will take any bit of help I can get on the road.

I've only wished I had drafted in a race once. It was a ten miler that was crazy windy. A group passed me around mile eight and all I could think was how are they running so fast into the wind. By the time I realized I should have stayed with them they were too far away to catch up to.