I need help tweaking my training plan

Linli_Anne

I've just registered for a 1/2 marathon on May 4th, and will be doing a full marathon on June 15, 2014.

I plan on using the Hal Higdon Novice 2 Training Program, but, I'm not sure how to adjust the mileage because I only have 5 weeks between the day of the 1/2 and the full.

This is the recommended long run schedule (for the whole 18 weeks)

8
9
6
11
12
9
14
15
Half Marathon
17
18
13
19
12
20
12
8
2
Marathon



I have already run a 1/2 before, but this will be my first full. Please let me know if you need any more details.

sjohnny

Is the half on the week you're scheduled for a 12 mile long run?

If that's the case you probably don't need to do any adjustment.

schmenge55

I think you might be OK as is. It looks like you would normally be at 16 the week of your half? A half at race pace or even near race pace, is certainly equivalent to 16 easy long miles. I would just stay the course, no pun intended

Linli_Anne

Is the half on the week you're scheduled for a 12 mile long run?

If that's the case you probably don't need to do any adjustment.

Yes, that would be the case. In the early Monday morning brain fog I didn't even think to just move the date of the half to where it would fall and run as per the schedule.

Thanks.

CarsonRuns

Maybe something like this...


8
9
6
11
12
13
9
14
16
17
12
18
20
HM
18
12
8
2
Marathon

arc918

I there a typo on your weeks? That last 2 between marathon & 8 seems out of whack (makes for an extra taper week). Two miles the week before your marathon doesn't make sense, while the pretty standard.

FWIW - I would try to be upping those long runs by a couple miles, IMHO one 20+ miler is not enough, three or four is more like it.

CarsonRuns

I there a typo on your weeks? That last 2 between marathon & 8 seems out of whack (makes for an extra taper week). Two miles the week before your marathon doesn't make sense, while the pretty standard.

FWIW - I would try to be upping those long runs by a couple miles, IMHO one 20+ miler is not enough, three or four is more like it.

I've seen that before on plans that have the LSD on Saturday and the marathon is on Sunday. That's what I assumed.

arc918

I there a typo on your weeks? That last 2 between marathon & 8 seems out of whack (makes for an extra taper week). Two miles the week before your marathon doesn't make sense, while the pretty standard.

FWIW - I would try to be upping those long runs by a couple miles, IMHO one 20+ miler is not enough, three or four is more like it.

I've seen that before on plans that have the LSD on Saturday and the marathon is on Sunday. That's what I assumed.

Indeed, that would make more sense.

Linli_Anne

Yes, this plan has long runs on Saturday and the races on Sundays.

Thanks for everyone's input, I definitely feel more confident about how to balance the training runs around the half and the actual marathon.

davemunger

I agree that this should not be a problem -- the half does not take long to recover from so you should be okay. I would not recommend that a novice go "all out" in the half so close to the marathon though. Maybe consider running the half at your projected marathon pace.

I'm a little confused about your last four weeks though:

20
12
8
2
Marathon

Is the 20-miler really 4 weeks out from the race? And your last "long" run is only 2 miles? Or is that 2-miler actually just the day before the race, with the 20-miler 3 weeks out. That would make more sense to me. Otherwise, you're going to end up losing some of your conditioning with such a long taper.