I read somewhere that a week before the race go out and run for an hour and take my average heart rate for that run. Then race at 10 bpm less than my average heart rate? Is this the best way to run or do people run it different?

Welcome to RF JC.
Never read that myself...

I don't worry about heartrate for any race or training run. Is there a reason for you to have to rely on heartrate?

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One small step for man.....

Welcome John

Forwards was my first thought, but then I read the heart rate thing. If you search the threads you will find some people struggle to run at a certain heart rate. Seems a funny way to run a long distance

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Start weight: 18 st 4.. Current weight: 14 st 11.. Current Goal: Duchy Marathon, 8th March 2009

Personally as long as I can manage a conversation I know I'm running within myself, a little out of breath between sentances and I'm stretching myself (this is what I try to aim for).

Good luck

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No reason for running with the heart rate monitor. I just don't want to burn myself out too soon.

In that case in the race itself just don't go off too fast...start nearer the back of the field than the front and start easily and pick up pace if you can as the race goes on.

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One small step for man.....

Cheers Steve. It'll be hard not racing off at the start with the adrenelin pumping. Its hard to judge a good race pace never having run that far as yet. It's a pity you can't buy expierence.

Well that's true...experience comes with races.
What 1/2m are you doing?

Racing off at teh start is so easy to do..and you'd feel fine for a mile or two but then....better to hold back and take it steady so you can pick runners off in the latter stages of the race. You'll enjoy the race a lot more and should be able to finish with a sprint to the line!

BTW I went to school with a good footballer named John Carroll and then later co-managed a boys football team with another John Carroll !!

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One small step for man.....

Sounds like i just have to keep my head as i can get quite competitive.

I'm doing the Robin Hood half marathon on the 14th Sept. Have you ever ran it?

Sounds like all John Carroll's love football.

You could always run it by HR to be sure you don't 'blow-up' and run out of energy by setting off too fast, but you'd be unlikely to run your optimum time though I'd have thought...

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See thats the problem. Although it's only my first 1/2 marathon i still want to get my best possible time. I might be trying to punch above my weight but i want to try and get around the 1hr 45min mark. With a distance like that you have to run it with your head as well as your heart.

Although it's my first 1/2 marathon i do want to run my optimum time. I'm hoping to get around the 1 hr 45 min (maybe punching slightly above my weight). Looks like i'm going to ditch the Heart rate monitor advice nad try and run with a level head.

You 10k time suggests you should be able to get close to 1hr 45mins...if you don't charge off at the start.

That's one race I've still to do...next year maybe.

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One small step for man.....

I read on t'internet recently that your heart rate for a half marathon should be around 89% of your max HR (can't find the link now though)