First Half Marathon in September

pondee629

So, so far, after my first two 5 K's (May 15 -29:09 & May 30 -28:28) I've entered another 5 K in July, a 4 Miler in August and a Half Marathon in September.

My training routine is (more or less) Monday 5 miles @ a 10:20 mile pace;
Tuesday, Cross training, a Fitness Blender routine focusing on lower body (35 to 45 minutes);
Wednesday, 5 miles @ 10:20;
Thursday, a Fitness Blender routine focusing on the upper body (35 to 45 minutes):
Friday, a round of Golf walking the course, pulling my clubs, and/or Cross training, Fitness Blender core exercises (35 to 45 minutes), and/or a 5K run approaching 9:00 miles; and
Saturday; long run at 11 minutes per mile, this past Saturday did 7.84 @ an 11:23 average mile pace. Saturday runs are scheduled to increase to 12 miles hoping to maintain/get to that 11 minute mile pace.

Never did a Half Marathon before, never trained for one before, want to be in well rounded shape during this endeavor.

How far off am I for being ready for September 25th and that Half?

WhatMeRunning

Yep. Looks good to me.

First, I'm not a coach or otherwise trained professional for running advice. I'm just a fellow runner seeking faster times and longer distances like you. I've run 13 halfs and 3 fulls if that matters for any relevance to any advice I proffer. Believe me, there are far more experienced people here, and some who are coaches.

You have plenty of time to up that weekend LR mileage. Take it slow increasing that mileage since you have time as there is no benefit to getting the mileage up all that quickly. Time on your feet at appropriate paces are the key. Do 3 or 4 weeks at a new longer distance (one...maybe two miles longer) and maintain that for that time before adding another one to two miles on that run and keep repeating that new distance for another 3 to 4 weeks...repeat as needed until you are running 10+ miles Once you are regularly doing 10+ miles on a long run there is absolutely no reason you can't do 13.1 on race day. You will feel a burning desire to do 12 miles though, and if you can get there without feeling too tired or like you are really pushing to get there then go for it. Don't get tempted to run 13.1 before your race though. All it does is lower the satisfaction you will feel on race day after completing 13.1 miles for the first time. You will have all that is needed to go 13.1 at that point so don't think there is some difference between 10-12 and 13.1 miles except your mind.

The only change I might make in your schedule would be to take either Monday or Wednesday and do slightly faster Intervals instead of 5 miles at 10:20 try three 1 mile intervals at around 10:00/mile with nice and easy cool down jogs for a quarter mile in between (start with a half mile warmup and a half mile cooldown). Do some shorter faster intervals on alternating weeks, from 400m (1/4 mile) to 800m (1/2 mile) and the mile intervals as above. You can probably get an 800m pace well below 5:00 once you feel comfortable at that speed, and 400m below 2:30 but be cognizant of how you feel as pushing too hard during speedwork for newer runners is a common way of getting injured. Adding these intervals at faster paces will work additional systems and muscle fibers than the 5 speedy miles at 10:20 and your long runs. All three types of running workouts combined will help you increase your pace to get closer to your goal of 11:00, but don't push it if that pace turns out to be too tough. But you should see improvement

pondee629

WhatMeRunning:

Thanks.

dewd2

My opinion would be to skip the intervals for now. Just focus on distance and constancy.

Also, don't increase your long runs every week. Add some shorter runs in between. For example, schedule a 7 mile run the week after you do your first 9 mile run. Then jump to 10 and schedule 7 or 8 the week after that. This gives your body time to adjust without pushing it every week.

The first time I ran a HM I did it this way. The only exception was the last 2 jumps went from 11 miles one week followed by 12 miles the week after. Then I tapered for 2 weeks.

I used roughly the same pattern for HM number 2. I did change up after that but I was going more for speed and my base miles were already built.

And of course I am not a coach but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express recently (U.S. folks may get that joke ).

5512bf

I agree with dewd2, Intervals at this point are really of little value since you lack the aerobic base. Going too fast too soon is a surefire recipe for injury, I know from experience. Build the base slowly as dewd2 said give yourself stepback weeks every 3rd week or so where you run about 20% less. Easy conversational pace running absolutely will get you running faster and leave you less fatigued over a period of 12 weeks. Even if you add .5 miles a week to your long run of nearly 8 miles you'll be more than ready for a Sept. Half. A lot of beginner half plans start the long run at 4-5 miles and build over 12-18 weeks.

pondee629

dewd2:Well, since you did stay at a Holliday Express ;-) your advise reigns supreme. So, I should keep the twice weekly five milers at a hoped for half marathon pace but increase the LSDs on Saturday, at a conversational pace, falling back on mileage, on alternate weeks?

I like the three weekly sessions with the weights and Fitness Blender.

Thanks, also, 5512bf.

Aine8046

I plan to run a half in September too! Here is a training plan I want to follow (kind of). One long run, one short run, and two medium runs per week. Started week 1 already!

pondee629

Aine8046:

Your plan doesn't show any cross training. Do you fit some in or do you just run? Isn't cross training, together with running important?

Aine8046

In addition to running I walk quite a lot, especially on weekends - I have a dog and walk him twice a day. I also do a core/strength class once a week. Maybe I should also add swimming. I'll think about it - thanks for the suggestion!
How much cross-training do you do? Or plan doing?

pondee629

Aine8046 wrote: »

In addition to running I walk quite a lot, especially on weekends - I have a dog and walk him twice a day. I also do a core/strength class once a week. Maybe I should also add swimming. I'll think about it - thanks for the suggestion!
How much cross-training do you do? Or plan doing?

My training routine is (more or less) Monday 5 miles @ a 10:20 mile pace;
Tuesday, Cross training, a Fitness Blender routine focusing on lower body (35 to 45 minutes);
Wednesday, 5 miles @ 10:20;
Thursday, a Fitness Blender routine focusing on the upper body (35 to 45 minutes):
Friday, a round of Golf walking the course, pulling my clubs, and/or Cross training, Fitness Blender core exercises (35 to 45 minutes), and/or a 5K run approaching 9:00 miles; and
Saturday; long run at 11 minutes per mile, this past Saturday did 7.84 @ an 11:23 average mile pace. Saturday runs are scheduled to increase to 12 miles hoping to maintain/get to that 11 minute mile pace.


I run three days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5 miles at a 10 minute/mile pace (or as close as I can get it) and Saturday, my long run hoping to get to an 11 minute mile pace.

Tuesdays and Thursdays I use Fitness Blender for an upper body and lower body work out with dumbbells and on Friday it is either, golf, walking the course, a Fitness Blender core workout or a shorter/faster run. Sundays are rest days.

Trying to increase endurance and speed on longer runs while increasing/maintaining muscle. In short trying to get into general all round good/better shape. To paraphrase Uncle Sam's Misguided Children; to be a lean mean fighting machine. Or as close as a 60+ year old can get.

STrooper

Keep in mind that you'll be training over the summer, so maintaining fast paces on those long runs could be counter-productive in the heat. The speed will come by itself (trust me, from a person who ran his first marathon at age 60 after not training/running sine 1985) if you view the long run as an endurance builder and not a speed builder.