Half-Marathon training
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Dedulaney
Posts: 31 Member
So I've been running 3x a week for just about a year now. I've been able to get my 5k time down to around 25min this past week. I'm giving focus back on doing 2 short runs (1 with sprints) and 1 long run. Now with my long run, I would usually just go for a goal distance (around 6 miles last time) and set my run/walk intervals based on how I was feeling but I'll admit it was kind of sporadic. Like, first run about 10 min, walk 2, then run 7 walk 2 for however long I can go and would end up at around a 10min pace. Based on what I've been reading, there's some pretty regular paces that people use for long runs (including half-marathons):
8 min/mi—run 4 min/walk 35 seconds)
9 min/mi— 4 min run-1 min walk
10 min/mi— 3-1
11 min/mi— 2:30-1
12 min/mi— 2- 1
13 min/mi— 1-1
Is this chart info fairly accurate with you fellow runners' experiences? And if so, are we talking just starting the long run at run 3min/walk 1min and doing that the entire distance?
8 min/mi—run 4 min/walk 35 seconds)
9 min/mi— 4 min run-1 min walk
10 min/mi— 3-1
11 min/mi— 2:30-1
12 min/mi— 2- 1
13 min/mi— 1-1
Is this chart info fairly accurate with you fellow runners' experiences? And if so, are we talking just starting the long run at run 3min/walk 1min and doing that the entire distance?
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Replies
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That's essentially the Galloway method and it seems quite popular.
My understanding is that you run a test mile as fast as possible, then use those walk/ run patterns to optimise, rather than those patterns giving that pace.
Personally I just run for a long time and vary the pace according to the terrain. I find structured walk breaks disruptive.0 -
Makes sense. It just seemed at first that if I were to start a run with the 3:1 run walk ratio, it'd be geared towards really long distances, otherwise starting that way could drastically affect my pace. I guess if anything I can just give it a try and see what happens with pace. Just always hate feeling like I wasted a perfectly good run day haha.0
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I tried the run-walk method but prefer to run the whole way, varying my pace. Also, for me to be able to run a half marathon distance means to start really slowly, in fact running a negative split.
Stef.0 -
So more like fartlek running? I have yet to figure out how to optimize that method.0
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i also find walk breaks to be annoying. if i'm on my long run, and i stop to walk, sucks to be me because i'm probably not running again, lol.
i really prefer to do a long run either for a specific milage, or a set amount of time.0 -
Add me to the 'don't like walking' group. I've done 5 HM's this year (one more in 3 weeks) having only started running last year (my first proper run with other people was a year ago today - 5k parkrun). My training is basically a couple of runs during the week that one will be 5 or 6 miles at a steady pace, the other is usually hills, speed, fartlek or a threshold run (varies week to week as to which I do), one easy run of around 5 miles and a long run that I slowly built the distance up - currently it varies between a minimum of 8 miles (if I've been out the night before!) and max of 14miles (am slowly upping this as planning on a spring marathon). Using this method I've gone from 2hrs 40mins in my 1st half in June to 2:06 last month. I still have about 25lbs to lose so that should drop further next year!0
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So really slowing down my pace enough will make it where I could run 7-8 miles without taking a walk interval. I guess I never realized how much that could affect it, it always felt like if I was slowing down the pace but still in a run/jog mode recovery isn't really occurring.0
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So really slowing down my pace enough will make it where I could run 7-8 miles without taking a walk interval. I guess I never realized how much that could affect it, it always felt like if I was slowing down the pace but still in a run/jog mode recovery isn't really occurring.
i don't understand this last part. are you trying to recover while you are running?0 -
Sorry, bad wording on my part. I was meaning that when I take the short walk interval, it was to have a small recovery. I felt like if I were to slow down my pace but not actually go into a walk that I wouldn't get the same recovery I needed in order to keep going forward with the longer distance.0
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Point is to ease your pace for the whole run, keeping a consistent pace throughout.0
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Sorry, bad wording on my part. I was meaning that when I take the short walk interval, it was to have a small recovery. I felt like if I were to slow down my pace but not actually go into a walk that I wouldn't get the same recovery I needed in order to keep going forward with the longer distance.
try to build your endurance so that you don't need to walk to recover in the middle of your long run.
try adding either a mile or 10 minutes to your long run every week, depending on if you train based on time or mileage. learn to pace a little slower to be able to make it back home, if you're like me and you do a long run out and back. you should be in zone 2, or RPE of like 5 (racing would be close to a 10). basically, run at a speed so you have plenty of energy.0 -
I just started training for my first half marathon in March. I realized I really enjoyed my 'long runs' on Sunday. I'm using the training program on Endomondo. It seems similar to the methods people are talking about on here. It's has me changing my pace within shorter runs mixed in with easy long runs. Usually it's a slower 'warm up/cool down' recovery pace mixed in with intervals of faster running to build up stamina and speed.
Mixing in walking and running is hard for me to do. If I dial down to a walk, it's really hard to crank back up again.0 -
Why not just slow your overall pace and do the half without walking? Add another day, and another, all run with easy miles. It will do more for you than trying to nail down paces with this run/walk stuff.0
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Well that answers that! I just decided to give it a whirl and ran my long run today doing the intervals at 3:1 with a brisk but not too hard pace for the 3 minutes and a slower pace for the 1 min with no walk intervals. Was able to do 7.5 miles (my longest distance for a long run yet!) at a pace of 8:50 min/mile. Didn't walk once! And I don't feel like death, actually feel pretty great!
Thanks everyone, you really helped me advance my training!0 -
Well that answers that! I just decided to give it a whirl and ran my long run today doing the intervals at 3:1 with a brisk but not too hard pace for the 3 minutes and a slower pace for the 1 min with no walk intervals. Was able to do 7.5 miles (my longest distance for a long run yet!) at a pace of 8:50 min/mile. Didn't walk once! And I don't feel like death, actually feel pretty great!
Thanks everyone, you really helped me advance my training!
Here's the thing... McMillan projects a HM finish of 1:55 based on your 25min 5k. That is an 8:50min/mi HM. You are running your long runs too fast - they are not intended to be "trial runs" at full-on HM effort. Your long should be 00:30-1:30 slower than your goal HM pace, closer to 1:30. If anything, do the last 25% of the long run at HM pace as a "fast finish" run to simulate the fatigued final push you intend to deliver on race day.
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Yeah I had actually figured that it was too fast, especially since this is just near half the distance for the race in February. I know I'm going to add to my mileage with time but I wanted to see how it felt if I didn't take any walk intervals at all (since my long runs in the past all included walk intervals) but instead focused on slowing my pace and keeping it consistent. This was more a trial run at not walking haha. But you're definitely right and thanks for showing me that projection and what the pace should be. That will really help me gauge what to do next run.0
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Yeah I had actually figured that it was too fast, especially since this is just near half the distance for the race in February. I know I'm going to add to my mileage with time but I wanted to see how it felt if I didn't take any walk intervals at all (since my long runs in the past all included walk intervals) but instead focused on slowing my pace and keeping it consistent. This was more a trial run at not walking haha. But you're definitely right and thanks for showing me that projection and what the pace should be. That will really help me gauge what to do next run.
What plan are you following? I suspect none, and would highly recommend finding one to at least give you a rough outline of a training schedule.
A good start: www.halhigdon.com
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Kinda my own developed plan right now based on a lot of what I've read actually. I run 3x a week based on my schedule so that I can also do strength training on the days I don't run. Currently it's 1 day with sprints for about 2-3 miles, 1 day steady pace with no intervals for 3-4 miles, 1 day long run. Over the weeks I increase number of sprints or length of each sprint, the amount of time for my steady pace, and total distance for the long run day.0
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Kinda my own developed plan right now based on a lot of what I've read actually. I run 3x a week based on my schedule so that I can also do strength training on the days I don't run. Currently it's 1 day with sprints for about 2-3 miles, 1 day steady pace with no intervals for 3-4 miles, 1 day long run. Over the weeks I increase number of sprints or length of each sprint, the amount of time for my steady pace, and total distance for the long run day.
Trust me, get a plan. Best of luck.0 -
Will do, thank you.0
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