Half Marathon in a year?
RBXChas
Posts: 2,708 Member
Backstory: I did C25K back in August-October 2011 after my older son was born. Shortly thereafter I got into Spinning and would Spin 3-4 days/week and run 1-2 days/week. I could run a 9.5-10 minute mile for 3-5 miles. My runs were pretty much ruled by time constraints and boredom, meaning if I could mentally handle running the longer distances and had the time to, I'd do it.
In August/September of last year I got pregnant again but couldn't work out due to harmless bleeding issues. (Basically they wanted me to chill out so that if I had bleeding indicative of something bad, I/they wouldn't write it off as due to my other issue.) I gained a bunch of weight again, so I have to re-lose the vast majority of the weight I lost the first time around. My younger son will be 7 months old on Monday, and because I've been breastfeeding him, the weight won't come off. (For some women it makes them lose weight, and for others it makes them retain it. The latter is rarely heard about because a lot of women would probably not bother breastfeeding if it meant staying fat.)
Aaaaanyway, I decided to start C25K again and finally got back to it this week. I started on week 2 and did fine for the first two workouts, so I'm going to keep moving forward after W2D3 either tonight or tomorrow depending on my husband's schedule.
Last night my sister, who did C25K with me in 2011 and ran her second half marathon last Saturday, told me that if I register for that same half marathon next year by 12/31, the cost is $45. After 12/31, it's $90 until a month before the race, at which point it is $115.
My question is, do you all think it's possible to adequately train for a half marathon from the couch, basically, in a year? Right now that seems like a somewhat daunting feat. I couldn't run a mile right now if you paid me to, and I'm running at a 12 minute mile pace right now. (Keep in mind I've still got almost 50 lbs to go to my old low weight.) I plan on weaning my son in late May or whenever he self-weans, whichever is earlier, at which point other moms have told me I should be able to lose weight consistently well. Right now I'm eating 1800 calories/day to maintain my milk supply. Any less than that, and my supply tanks. After my initial postpartum loss, it's taken me 6 months to lose 20 lbs. I haven't lost in about a month, since my baby started sleeping through the night.
I think I'm going to sign up because, at worst, they allow you to defer your registration for a year free of charge in case something comes up (injury, etc).
Does this sound doable? Have any of you graduated to longer distances ? If so, how long did it take, and what was your training like? Advice? Suggestions (besides chill out and focus on the now)?
Thank you!
TL;DR version - with 50+ lbs to lose still (and breastfeeding keeping me from losing anything more than 2-4 lbs/month), is going from couch to half marathon in a year possible? Tips appreciated.
Edited for typo and to add TL;DR version
In August/September of last year I got pregnant again but couldn't work out due to harmless bleeding issues. (Basically they wanted me to chill out so that if I had bleeding indicative of something bad, I/they wouldn't write it off as due to my other issue.) I gained a bunch of weight again, so I have to re-lose the vast majority of the weight I lost the first time around. My younger son will be 7 months old on Monday, and because I've been breastfeeding him, the weight won't come off. (For some women it makes them lose weight, and for others it makes them retain it. The latter is rarely heard about because a lot of women would probably not bother breastfeeding if it meant staying fat.)
Aaaaanyway, I decided to start C25K again and finally got back to it this week. I started on week 2 and did fine for the first two workouts, so I'm going to keep moving forward after W2D3 either tonight or tomorrow depending on my husband's schedule.
Last night my sister, who did C25K with me in 2011 and ran her second half marathon last Saturday, told me that if I register for that same half marathon next year by 12/31, the cost is $45. After 12/31, it's $90 until a month before the race, at which point it is $115.
My question is, do you all think it's possible to adequately train for a half marathon from the couch, basically, in a year? Right now that seems like a somewhat daunting feat. I couldn't run a mile right now if you paid me to, and I'm running at a 12 minute mile pace right now. (Keep in mind I've still got almost 50 lbs to go to my old low weight.) I plan on weaning my son in late May or whenever he self-weans, whichever is earlier, at which point other moms have told me I should be able to lose weight consistently well. Right now I'm eating 1800 calories/day to maintain my milk supply. Any less than that, and my supply tanks. After my initial postpartum loss, it's taken me 6 months to lose 20 lbs. I haven't lost in about a month, since my baby started sleeping through the night.
I think I'm going to sign up because, at worst, they allow you to defer your registration for a year free of charge in case something comes up (injury, etc).
Does this sound doable? Have any of you graduated to longer distances ? If so, how long did it take, and what was your training like? Advice? Suggestions (besides chill out and focus on the now)?
Thank you!
TL;DR version - with 50+ lbs to lose still (and breastfeeding keeping me from losing anything more than 2-4 lbs/month), is going from couch to half marathon in a year possible? Tips appreciated.
Edited for typo and to add TL;DR version
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Replies
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You've already graduated from C25k, so you have some underlying running experience. You're already on week 2. You could probably train for a half easily within 6 months.
I graduated C25k in February, did a 10k in June and a half at the end of October.
http://www.jennyhadfield.com/training-plans/half-marathon/0 -
You've already graduated from C25k, so you have some underlying running experience. You're already on week 2. You could probably train for a half easily within 6 months.
I graduated C25k in February, did a 10k in June and a half at the end of October.
http://www.jennyhadfield.com/training-plans/half-marathon/
Glad to hear it, and congrats on your half! My only concern is the weight that will not leave (though is rather be fat and breastfeeding than wean for vanity purposes), but hopefully next May whatever's left will start disappearing quickly.
Thank you for the link! It feels like it's a lot to do in a year, but maybe it isn't. The beginner's running plan starts with 4 miles, which seems like it would pretty much link up almost seamlessly to the end of C25K.
Thanks again!
ETA that maybe a smarter route would be to train for a 10K, then do the half marathon training.0 -
I'm in week 5 in C25K, and I'm hoping to be to where I can run some 5K races in late winter/early spring. After that I hope to try to advance toward being in 10K races by mid spring. Once I get to that point, I may eventually to try to work towards a half marathon, but so far I'm just seeing how things go with C25K for a while.0
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You've already graduated from C25k, so you have some underlying running experience. You're already on week 2. You could probably train for a half easily within 6 months.
I graduated C25k in February, did a 10k in June and a half at the end of October.
http://www.jennyhadfield.com/training-plans/half-marathon/
Glad to hear it, and congrats on your half! My only concern is the weight that will not leave (though is rather be fat and breastfeeding than wean for vanity purposes), but hopefully next May whatever's left will start disappearing quickly.
Thank you for the link! It feels like it's a lot to do in a year, but maybe it isn't. The beginner's running plan starts with 4 miles, which seems like it would pretty much link up almost seamlessly to the end of C25K.
Thanks again!
ETA that maybe a smarter route would be to train for a 10K, then do the half marathon training.
I'm still breastfeeding too. A two year old, however. There were heavier people than you running faster than me in the half
. Try volunteering at a water station to see all the people who complete one. 0 -
I started C25K in January, did my first 5K in March and then ran my first HM in October. It is completely doable, as long as you stick to running and find good training programs. Keep adding mileage (safely) and pushing for that next goal. I was never able to get a 10K in (none feel into schedule with work and stuff) so I just found a mileage adding program and did that to work up to the recommended mileage per week that my HM training suggested (which was 15 miles a week).
It looks daunting right now, but it is doable if set the goal. Plus you get really awesome bling at the HMs lol.0 -
Plus you get really awesome bling at the HMs lol.
YES! I saw the stuff my sister got and thought, "I WANT THAT!" Of course I want to have earned it
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