Newbie with question :)

fat2fitshley

Hello! I'm new to the group, but not new to running. I've been running more off than on since graduating high school where I ran track. Currently I can run 2 miles without dying, but I would like to get back into running more and accomplish my goal of running a half marathon. I regularly do cardio (elliptical) and some strength training.

There is a HM coming up in April 2018 that I'm interested in running. Do you think it's realistic to train and successfully complete a HM with 8 1/2 months to prepare? Would you recommend I run a 10/15k first?

Thanks in advance!

dewd2

You have more than enough time to prepare. Your actual training plan won't even start until sometime next January or February. Until then you should keep running and slowly build your base. Slowly increase your mileage each week and perhaps it would be fun to run some other races as well. Maybe try a beginning 5k plan and then move to a 10k plan and run a race or 2.

Good luck.

Scott6255

That is a great goal, and definitely achievable. The key is slow progression, in both pace and mileage. If you are running 2 miles consistently now, then you can work up to a 5K without much of a problem. Just add about 10% each week, and I would recommend running a couple days during the week, and a 'long' run on the weekend. You can use the walk/run method to increase the time on your feet if running more than 2 miles is too much for you. Just take a break and walk when you need it, then start back up running (slowly).
Just keep progressing like that, and you will be at 13.2 before too long. 8 1/2 months should give you plenty of time to feel comfortable. And yes, doing a 10/15k race about halfway through your training would give you a good idea where you are at in your training.

Good luck!

polskagirl01

8 1/2 months to go from 2 miles to 13 sounds realistic to me. Of course you can fit in shorter races along the way if you like. I'd look for a plan, or several plans -5k then 10k then HM, for example- that gets you there gradually from where you are (I tend to gravitate towards Hal Higdon's free plans, but that's just me). Personally I started at ZERO, got to a 10k in about 6 months, and was running HM distance in about 9 months, without rushing or injuring myself. I followed beginner plans the whole way to make sure I wasn't going too far too fast.

fat2fitshley

Thank you all so much for feedback! I'm glad to know I don't sound completely crazy. I'm definitely going to increase slowly, I don't want to risk injury and plan to continue/up my strength training efforts also to help.

MNLittleFinn

You have plenty of time. I started "for real" in February of 2016 and ran my first HM in July. I had been doing a lot of other cardio before, but not really running. If you keep adding mileage at a slow but steady rate (with some cutback weeks) you'll be fine.

Start looking at training plans now, and then, sometime around January, you can start formal "training" use the time in between to build mileage and be ready for training. Ideally, when you start your training plan, the first couple weeks could be lower mileage than what you had already been running, so you get a little recovery as you "train for real"

yirara

Lots of time! Just start slowly so your muscles, bones and other things that keep you together get used to it. I often read that one should not increase distance for more than 10% per week.