Is 2:45 expected finish for the half marathon a big deal?

[johde]

I'm planning on running the Disneyland half in October. My next race is a half marathon in a month. Based on my training, I think a 2:50-2:55 is a realistic goal time for the race. Does a 2:45 expected finish with proof of time give you a better corral over a 2:46 or 2:50 expected finish with no proof of time? or would a May 2:50 half marathon be proof of time be sufficient for a 2:45 expected finish time for a fall half? I'm trying to decide if it's worth really pushing or just running comfortably hard. I know I can keep improving and submit a time later but I don't race often, and finding a good PR type course of 10K or longer may be a challenge.

 

[FireDancer]

I really have no clue where the corrals switch over so I'm not sure if there will be a corral difference between a 2:45 and 2:50. I can tell you though that you don't have to have a 2:45 proof of time necessarily to be placed in the 2:45 corral. When I am shooting for a PR I've submitted my current PR as proof of time but still put my anticipated finishing time as what I was aiming for. I was always withing about 2 or 3 minutes but what they are looking for, at least in my experience, is proof that what you are shooting for is obtainable. If your PR is 2:50 running a 2:45 is doable. If it is 3:25, perhaps aiming for a 2:45 is a little too ambitious.

I think the best way to go at it is to start out at a 2:50 pace and see how your legs feel 4 miles in. If you can up the pace a bit you can start to inch that time down and if you don't feel it's in your legs you can stick at the 2:50 pace, submit the time, and probably still get in your corral.

Good luck either way.

 

[johde]

Thanks Frank for your insight. It looks like I'm may need to register for Disneyland before I run Xenia in April. Disneyland is 80% full. If I register before Xenia, I'll put 2:46 down initially then update with the results from Xenia. Although with the winter we've had I almost wish I was running Cleveland again.

 

[cewait]

If you stop to think about it you will realize that as a 2:46 expected time runner you are in the corral just behind the last 2:45 runner. Enter now with a 2:46 and go to enjoy DL. If you find that you finish your spring race in a better than expected time then email a new expected me with your proof. The one thing you do not want to do is put 2:45 down and not provide proof as that will so back to the last corral.

I was looking at the 2011 DL course and see that they have taken about half of the park miles out of the course since 06. While a rip from a casual runner perspective it will speed up the race and clear out the crowds faster.

 

[johde]

Thanks Coach for your insight. You're right I'll probably start out with a 2:46 expected finish time on my registration then submit a time later after the race. I might be wrong but being in the back of a corral full of people as fast or faster than me is preferable to being in the middle of a pack full of people who are slower. I'm not out to PR Disneyland but given the course map the last couple of years, it looks like a course you can have fun (the first 4 miles) then put up a decent time through Anaheim using the fun through property to keep me from starting out too fast.