before the half

poke987

I have my first half on the books for May 9th. I started running in Feb '14 with weight loss as my major motivator. Free, easy/any time exercise. Didn't think too much about it as sport... mainly calorie burning. Just did what I could, increased my miles when I felt like I could... just kept one foot in front of the other. Now, in 2015, happy with my weight, I look towards some fitness goals, to some more structured runs. I've done 2 local 5ks, but the half will be my first big race. Picked the date mostly weather in mind, living in Maine, I was worried to choose something earlier in the year (and honestly, there wasn't much in the area) Think as I haven't done much by the books, Id better follow a plan. I'm looking at Higdon's novice 2 program, but I'm not so sure how to go about it. I currently run the week 5 (or there about) every week. Pretty consistently 2 or 3 3-5 mile runs with a longer run on the weekend 6-8 or so miles, cross train on the elliptical once a week or so, more if the weather is too bad (I hate the treadmill, and have decided 15F is my cut off). and lift twice a week if I can manage the time at the gym. I live in a very hilly area... either way out my driveway is hill, so I'm not super fast... 9-10 min miles... what do you all think I should do between now and the May 9th date? Keep increasing my distance? Work on speed? Keep doing what I'm doing with no change? And, when I get 12 weeks out, follow the program to a t, even though it will mean a decrease in weekly mileage?

SteveTries

Congratulations on your running and weight loss success! You've made a great choice with the half - it's an awesome distance. Long enough to be a real challenge, short enought that training for it doesn't take over your life.

That programme you've chosen, and pretty much every programme is designed to get you to peak fitness right on time for your event, so you are correct in putting it aside until 12 weeks out. By contrast I've seen other people who want to go through the plan early and then hold at say week 9, repeating that until the calendar catches up. This isn't optimal in my opinion as plans take you through different phases, building up different aspects of your strength and fitness and holding at one position, I think you'd lose some of those gains.

Instead, it makes much more sense to me to work on building your base, then switch over to your programme at the appropriate time. With base training you are looking to add enough intensity to boost your fitness, but without burning out or reaching your maximum too quickly.

If I were you, I'd be looking to do at least one session per week of hills, tempo or fartleks alongside your current easy pace runs (I assume that's what you are currently doing).

Have a search for base training and you'll soon find something that appeals. It'll set you up well for your 'formal' plan.

Good luck!!!! Hope it goes well.

poke987

Thanks do much for the response. I was looking at the program today. I'm 15 weeks out, and can easily easily run the 3-6 week schedule... so i wondered about waiting a few more weeks, then starting up at about the 3 week point, and maybe adding a week at the end where I run 13 instead of the taper after 12 that the program has.

I think my every day runs after are hills! I don't know quite how to add images, but my map my run info for my "easy" 4.25 mile run has a gain of 209 max 609, min 473 and my usual Saturday long run of 6.25miles is a gain of 453 max 659 min 275... I'm not sure how these compare. But we live on a hill, either way I go I go up and down the while way! My hope, is that once on the flat my time will just naturally be faster. I can start driving to places to run, it just defeats some of the point for me... drive to run?!

I tried to go faster on my long run this week, and was under 9 min miles for 2 of my splits, so I was happy with that...

Thanks again for the insight. Think I'll be ok just doing my thing a few more weeks, then following the plan minus the first few weeks and adding a last long week in before I taper?

SteveTries

If that elevation gain is in metres then I consider myself no longer qualified to offer an opinion!!! ;-) I'm kidding, but even in feet that is a hilly route you have there and no doubt it's great for your strength.

I personally would not be running faster on the long run (also known as Long Slow Distance). This is typically your slowest pace run of the week, here you are teaching your body to run efficiently, as well as a myriad of other improvements to the cardiovascular system, the way the body burns fat as energy etc etc. A lot runners seem to like kicking up the pace for the last 10% or 20% of the LSD run, to near race pace. It certainly makes you feel alive and gives you a sense for what it's like to run at that speed when you are tired.

What you suggest about maintaining where you are and entering the plan at the week 6 stage make sense given your current ability. I'm not sure about the 13 mile run 1 week before the half, the body takes a couple weeks to fully adapt to the stresses you place on it so you won't gain anything physically. I would suggest you do an 8 miler instead (slow). Full disclosure - I did exactly what I've just said you shouldn't do (run a 13 the week before) in training for my first half - I wanted the confidence that I could do the distance. If that is your motivation then just do it a week earlier. Let yourself fully rest so you can be on top form on race day.

The Higdon plans are very popular. Many people rate them. I prefer a the ones from Running For Fitness.org personally but there's not much between them. With this particular Higdon plan it seems like a 'get you around' plan. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I can't help but think that as you are already able to run a good distance, you could (if you so wished) do more than just reaching the finish line. Have you looked at the Intermediate Higdon plan? I don't think that would be outside of your capability.

Here's the one I used for my first:

http://www.runningforfitness.org/book/chapter-11-races/racing-a-half-marathon/hm-training-programme-beginner

poke987

Thanks for the help. I guess I'm torn, there is something to be said for if you are going to be following a plan, follow it! Is it fair to the program to jump in... i think I'm pretty confident that I'll be ok, since I know I do the miles already. As for pace, I think I'm understanding that in the weeks before the program begins, this needs to be my focus. Like I said, I run hills every which way, and I honestly decide a route based loosly on what I've done in the days before, but mostly on what family commitments I have, and how far I think I can get it. So, in that sense I have an idea of my paxe, but beyond that I don't pay any attention. I go out the door, and run until I get back. I know some days I feel better than others, and I do map my runs so I look at my splits, but while running I just run. It seems like it's time to add some speed/slower sections. The next plan up, had pace work... that's why I didn't pick it, honestly. I know I'm not there yet. I just plug away. I will look at the plan you've linked as well, thanks for that!

Yesterday I did my shortest route, an out and back that's just over 3 miles, since that will likely be a backbone as I do the program I tried to keep pace in mind, and ran all spits between 9:30 and 9:40. I know this is the fastest I've done, I didn't look back, to see how much quicker, but with the hills I know I'd remember if I didn't have a 10 min mile in there... so, think I'm ready to play the pace game, just need to pay attention and see what I can do.

I'm the sort, if I start a run, I finish it. Knock wood, but I've never hit a wall I couldn't work thru... I'm pretty confident that baring some major injury I'll finish the 13... my running partner. Now, she is maybe going to need the mental aspect of having done the distance. And, she does factor some in my planning. She borrows motivation a lot, and I'd love to help her to be successful. But, given what you've said about the time it takes to make a difference, not sure it's smart beyond her confidence. We shall see. Goal, is of course to finish. The entry had a place for estimated finish, for a wave start. I put 215-230, and secretly I'm hopeful for close to 2... so i guess in that respect I'll be racing, running toward the finish line with a slightly faster finish than my family expects...

poke987

Another request for insight: coming off a yearish time of a functional caloric deficit, I'm wondering about fuel. To be honest, my maintaining is sort of lower calorie during the day, then eat dinner and dessert without much restrictions. I'm not so sure I'm doing myself any favors in this regard. I'm not gaining, and I certainly can run. But I suspect I could do better by myself if I had any better calorie spread... but, i like icecream. And, if I'm really honest, I started to run so I could eat icecream...go farther, go longer... more calories to eat! I typically run in the late afternoon or early evening, and try to have a snack half hour before I go out... but, there is still part of me that wonders about better fuel. But, then again, if I can run... consider it good? I don't carry anything, no food or water when I'm out. My gut says at this distance, I'm ok without. Thoughts? Try to add some water/power drink in as I get closer to the top end of my long runs? Say 8+ miles? Would you use a fuel source of any kind?

SteveTries

Very interesting questions! Now I am an intermediate runner myself, with just 3 years of experience so I'm a long way from expert here, but I can share my thoughts based on that experience and the reading I have done......

So what is your goal? I infer from your posts here that you aren't looking to just hit the finish line, you are setting yourself the challenge of finishing in as fast a time as you can achieve. You're racing. Correct? I think that's great. I am not a quick runner but I aim to finish every race I do without a drop of energy left and securing the best time I can on the day.

FUELING
Are you still in calorie deficit? Are you still trying to lose weight? If so then your race day performance is going to be a compromise. There's no way to extract the most out of training whilst on a deficit. That's not to say you won't benefit. I just did a marathon and was on deficit throughout the training, you definitely advance, but not as much as you could. The ideal thing is to get to racing weight in advance of stepping up your training and THEN eat enough to maintain yourself and fuel your runs.

If you aren't on a deficit then you don't need gels or anything on your runs. Not until you're going above a couple hours. The body stores enough to get you through. If you are at a deficit, it can be a different story. If you've been dieting and training all week then you launch into a 2 hour run on Sunday, then in my experience I start to struggle before the two hour mark so I will fuel my long run. A gel at 40 mins and another 30 minutes later works for me. I might take a handful of jelly babies too if I'm going 2.5hrs+

FOLLOWING A PLAN
I know where you are coming from, but all generic plans are written without any prior knowledge of the person who is going to use them. You are well advanced of the average person who picks up a half mara plan so it's perfectly correct to adapt it to where you are.
Where it's not right to jump into a plan mid way is where you dont have the base. The early stages of a typical plan might be building the base, then it'll progress onto strength, then onto pace, then sharpening then taper. Someone without the base and strength components who jumps into week 8 because they don't have time to do it all is not going to extract the most from the plan and may get injured.

I'm rambling I think :-) feel free to add me as a friend, I have some great running friends who I can point your way too.