Showing posts with label Half Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Half Marathon. Show all posts

Top 25 Best Half Marathons

RunTri's picks: the best Half Marathons in the US. In Alphabetical order:

For those who also run marathons:

We've competed in many of the best marathons in the world since 1994. We know great races, and these are our Top 50:


Also see our Top 25 Toughest Marathons, Marathon Training and Racing section, and our complete coverage of Chicago, Boston and New York City marathons.

Among the most popular marathons, which ones are Hardest/Toughest? Which ones are Fastest/Easiest?

New for the 2011-2012 marathon season: we've analyzed 75 of the top marathons in North America -- with 330,000 finishers and 50,000 Boston Qualifiers --  to determine which ones are the biggest, toughest, fastest, and more.

Beyond the numbers, we've got personal experience, having competed in many of the marathons listed here, a total of 85 marathons overall, to add credibility to the rankings.

Toughest: Boston is toughest of our top 25, but with a deceptively fastest overall time, being exclusive to the qualified marathoners. Among marathons open to all runners, Los Angeles, Disney World, Portland (Oregon), RnR San Diego and Marine Corps are most challenging, based on average finish times.

Noteworthy: Chicago's 4:43 in 2010 ranked it 6th toughest overall. For more, see our detailed analysis of Chicago Finish Times by Age Group.  


Easiest: There is no such thing as an easy marathon. 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles, and competing in one is an awesome undertaking and an extraordinary achievement. But when it comes to faster marathon courses, Hamilton, Bay State, Pocono Mountain, Sugarloaf and Hudson River top the list.


And yes, we know very well that there are many, many smaller marathons not on this list that are wicked hard. We limited the analysis to these races, representing hundreds of thousands of finishers. For more see our Complete Marathon Coverage, and more detailed analysis, below.

Top 50 Best Marathons to Qualify for Boston


Race Pace Examples: How to Qualify for Boston at Chicago Marathon




Predicting your full marathon time based on your best half marathon: Marine Corps Marathon example.


Average finish times by Age Group: New York Marathon example.



Average finish time by Age, year-by-year: PF Chang's Arizona Marathon example.


Impact of Weather on Average Race Results: Boston Marathon Example.


And more . . .


What's the Best Running Pace? Google Trends Reveal Most Popular Searches

Analysis by Raymond Britt

What's your best running pace? For Training? For Racing? For Racing different distances? Our research using three years of google search data suggests that, based on the volume of searches, a large number of runners aren't sure they've got it figured out.



We've summarized our analysis of google search trends for the terms 'running pace', '5k pace'. '10k pace', 'half marathon pace', and 'race pace', and the results are presented below. These are the most common search terms used to learn about race pace.

[We have, through extensive analysis, compiled age group race pace charts for Chicago Marathon, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon.]








Marathon and Triathlon Training Time: Overview

By Raymond Britt --  What's the right amount of time/hours per week to train for a marathon, triathlon or Ironman Triathlon?



The answer is: less than you think. Perhaps a lot less than you think. And that’s good news, because triathlon is really just a hobby, the kind of activity that should fit around the most important things in your life: family, friends and work.

I’ve tracked every minute of my training since starting endurance events in 1994. And looking back over the years, here are my benchmarks:

• First Real Triathlon season: 5 to 6 hours training hours per week
• Seasons as a top 25% or better finisher: 6 to 7 hours per week
• Seasons as a top 10% or better finisher: 7 to 8 hours per week

Simple math translates these numbers to about an hour or so of training per day. That’s nothing.

Of course, my training hours per week can be more during race season and less in the off-season, but not substantially, on the whole. For examples, look at my Training Plans. All my training detail for the last several years is there to help bring the examples in this column to life.

Your Mileage May Vary

These numbers may seem shocking compared to what you may read in books or magazines. For example, the Ironman website notes: “The average hours per week devoted to training for the World Championship generally fall between 18 and 22.”

My reaction: impossible for mere mortals like you and me Yet I’ve earned a spot at the triathlon World Championships three times while training less than half the ‘prescribed’ time time. Maybe that’s not right for everyone, but my point is you don’t need to dedicate insane amounts of training time to meet your goals.

Getting Started: First Real Triathlon Season

I entered my first real triathlon season as primarily a runner, with all of 18 months experience and a couple of slow marathons under my belt. My goal was to finish the Chicago Triathlon Olympic Distance event with a reasonable time and a smile on my face. To do that, I needed to improve my swim and cycling skills.

You may have a similar situation. You do not need to overdo it, however. In that first triathlon year, I trained for an average of 5 hours and 30 minutes per week. That’s less than an hour per day. My average swim that year was about 30 minutes long, and my average bike ride lasted a little over one hour. Completely manageable.

Very simple: all you need to do is find that hour or less, early morning, on a lunch break, or after work, get a good workout, and return to your regularly scheduled life. And you’ll do just fine in your first triathlon.

Getting Serious

For those who have some triathlon experience, maybe you’re considering a longer distance, say a Half Ironman or a full Ironman. Many people balk at the thought, thinking they need to significantly increase their training time to compete at that level. I’m here to tell you, it’s not necessarily true.

The year after meeting that first real triathlon goal – finish with a reasonable time and a smile – I decided to go for it all. Full Ironman triathlon, in Canada. I was excited but also more than aware of the realities of Real Life: I had a very interesting job with extensive travel, and young children at home, both of which took priority.

I had to make the most of the opportunities I had. My average swim workout increased to 45 minutes, and my average rides ranged from one to two hours, but overall the total time commitment didn’t vary much. When the final tally was done, I finished not one, but two Ironman triathlons that year, averaging only 6 hours of training per week.

And when I decided to get really serious, my training bumped up to average 10 hours per week in peak season (and 6 hours otherwise), but 5am sunrises helped me train before the kids woke up and my work day began.

My running continued to be solid, so the increases came in swim time (up to one hour per session) and cycling (three hours or more early Saturday morning before breakfast). And the extra two hours (only!) per week led me to the Ironman World Championships three consecutive years.

The Key

Again, on average it all worked out to about an hour per day for a great triathlon season. You can do that. I know you can.

With less training time you need to make those workouts count. Less time and higher quality beats more time any day. You can accomplish more than you ever thought possible while maintaining the balance you want in life.

Continued: Marathon and Triathlon Training Time: Details

Or return to RunTri.com

Half Marathon Training And Racing Advice

Crossing that finish line, getting the half marathon finisher's medal. The medal is everything; you'll know what I mean when you get there. The pain and suffering, the challenges, the cursing . . . all is forgotten, temporarily, when they put that medal around your neck.

Know this: every single runner -- from elite to complete amateur -- at one point in their lives considered running a half marathon completely and utterly impossible; even ridiculous. 13.1 miles. Who can do that? You. Join the Club. Be Epic. Start here.


Half Marathons
Training

Next Step: Marathon
Racing






Top 25 Best Marathon and Triathlon Articles: RunTri's Most Popular Posts

Do you want to compete in a half marathon, a marathon or a triathlon in 2013? We're here to help.

These 25 most popular RunTri.com articles and Site Categories are a good place to start.  (for everything else, go here):

The Top 20 Most Popular RunTri.com Articles
  1. Hardest Ironman Course? Easiest? RunTri's 25 Toughest Ironman Races
  2. Qualify for Ironman Kona Hawaii: Qualifying Times, Slots, Races, Analysis, Motivation, and Advice
  3. Qualify for Boston Marathon 2013: Qualifying Times, Best Races to Qualify, Analysis and Advice
  4. Ironman Kona Qualifying Times: Comparing 25 Ironman Races
  5. Top 25 Best Half Marathons
  6. Easiest Half Ironman 70.3? Hardest? RunTri's Ranking of Best Half Ironman Races
  7. How Much Time Does it Take to Finish an Ironman Triathlon? Average Ironman Finish Times
  8. Lance Armstrong Ironman Results Analysis
  9. How Much Time Does it Take to Finish a Half Ironman 70.3? Average Half Ironman Finish Times
  10. The World's Top 25 Best Triathlons: Finding Your Perfect Race
  11. Ironman Races and Estimated Kona Qualifying Slots by Race
  12. Ironman Kona Hawaii 2013: Analysis, Advice, Qualifiers, More
  13. Toughest/Easiest Marathon? RunTri's Top 25 Marathon Rankings
  14. Ironman Kona 2012 Results Analysis
  15. Boston Marathon 2013: Everything You Need to Know
  16. Training Plans for Marathon and Ironman Triathlon
  17. Average Splits and Finish Times by Age Group by Ironman Triathlon Event
  18. Top 50 Best Marathons
  19. Ironman Kona 2012 Photos
  20. Ironman Kona by the Numbers: Historical Statistics
Top Most Popular Site Categories

Marathon FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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