Just under 11 weeks to 1st half-marathon

princesspurple

Hi There,
I signed up this past weekend for a half-marathon. I just started running last May, ran a race of 5.2 miles in June, was NOT ready for that. I ran my first mile in 8 minutes and that killed me for the next 4 miles. I ran on and off from then until December, I was sick, my son was sick.
I fell in love with running, but because of our seperate schedules at home, and the dark hours longer, I was unable to. So I joined the gym so I could run 3 miles at lunch. I started Hal's 12 week training progam last week. I ran 4 miles yesterday on mostly ice and going up hills. The weather was great and I did good time even w/ the bad under footing:)
My goal is 2 hours 32 minutes ultimately, though just finishing will be great. I know it is a hilly course.
I am wondering if anyone has advise, good or bad?

Chenoachem

Awesome goal.

I hope to do my first 1/2 marathon this year too. However, I have decided to take the training a little slower than last year so I can make my goal. I was using Runningworld.com Smartcoach progams but Hal's program looked good too.

I am back up to 7 miles as my longest workout and a few suggestions I have are:

Avoid doing a treadmil except maybe for easy run days if you have to.
Experminent with what to eat/not to eat while out for long runs and use this in the race.
Focus cross training on balancing out your muscels. I make sure to do some cycling and good core workouts.
Train to match your course. The one I am doing is mostly down hill so I am going to work on that so that I don't trash my legs.

Good Luck and have fun with it.

KatWood

I just did my first 1/2 marathon in Oct. I always hated running so this for me represented proving to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. It was a great experience. A great tip someone told me was to chew gum while running. I breathe mostly through my mouth and the gum helps keep my mouth moist and I feel like I look less like a fool. Otherwise I have found having great footwear, a water bottle with a belt and my music to be very helpful. I noticed when I did my 1/2 marathon that some people brought old sweaters that they would wear at the start of the race and then discard onto the sidewalk when they got too warm. Just make sure it is something you won't be upset if you don't get back. When I do this race again this year I plan to bring a cheap old sweater. It was really cold in the morning before the race started.

Good luck and have fun!

princesspurple

Chenoachem: What happened last year? I never liked the gym, but being in New England and not having day light hours to run-my husband works a lot more than I do so I can't get out when it is light out seeing he is already gone-the only chance I have to run during the week is at lunch, and with it being cold and snowy here, the gym works.
At home, I have been doing a lot of ab work and pushups to help my upper body and my posture. Good thought on the food, I have read things about gels and what not-I don't think I will like those. What do you snack on?

KatWood: Congrats on your 1st 1/2. Did you meet your goal? Good thought on the gum thing, I am not a good breather. I think too much about it I think.

Chenoachem

Chenoachem: What happened last year? I never liked the gym, but being in New England and not having day light hours to run-my husband works a lot more than I do so I can't get out when it is light out seeing he is already gone-the only chance I have to run during the week is at lunch, and with it being cold and snowy here, the gym works.
At home, I have been doing a lot of ab work and pushups to help my upper body and my posture. Good thought on the food, I have read things about gels and what not-I don't think I will like those. What do you snack on?

Last year I injured my hip in a 10K trail run at the base of the mountain in Albuquerque, NM. It was 2 months before my half marathon and had to take about a month off from running. This time I am ramping up to 10miles and staying there for a bit to get used to it before moving on.

I have to get out early in the morning to get my runs in. So I start with a headlamp at 4:30 in the morning. I typically end up wearing 2 pairs of running pants, a microfleece, long sleeve, and wind jacket. Also neck warmer, gloves and hat. I have a running belt with pockets and I put things it is as I get warm.

I found that I like sports beans for running. I don't like the consistancy of gels or gu's and I only like Clif Shot blocks with cycling. With my asthma, I perfer things with caffeine since it helps keep my airways clear. However, not everyone likes this.

In NH I used to find Cross Country skiing and snowshoeing great cross training for cold weather. I don't have to worry about it much in NM. I do deal with ice so I was thinking of getting Yaktrax. You can get them from EMS or REI.

KatWood

KatWood: Congrats on your 1st 1/2. Did you meet your goal? Good thought on the gum thing, I am not a good breather. I think too much about it I think.

My goal was to complete it in less than 3hrs. I ended up doing it in 2hrs 24mins. The feeling when you cross the finish line is amazing. You will love it.

A few more things I forgot to mention earlier about training:
1) Train on routes more difficult than the one you will be doing. I live on a big hill so when my hubby plots my routes they always have at least 1 really big hill and he usually adds a few extras. It definitely made a difference on race day. The race route seemed way easier than what I was use to.
2) Train up to a distance past 21kms. In hindsight I wish I had done this. I hit a wall at 19kms and had a hard time pushing myself to the end. I have found that in my experience I always hit a wall 2-3 kms before the end of a really long run. This year I plan to train up to 25kms that was that wall should be at 22kms (the end of the race!).

princesspurple

KatWood;That is amazing time! Good for you! Thanks for the advise. I am taking it all in and working with it! I have a lot of hills ahead of me, and a route that is partial gravel...I haven't run on any gravel yet....I need to do that! Could I ask you what do you eat during your long runs?
Chenoachem:Do you carry a pepper spray or something like that when running at that time? I am afraid of animals-more than people:)

tammychambers

I am also doing my first 1/2 marathon this year (April, in Nashville TN). I am really excited about it but I'm not stressing out about my time. My goal is to finish and I keep saying that I just want to finish in less than 3 hours. I am also doing Hal's training schedule. Love it so far. I'm in the 4th week. I am doing a run/walk approach so that I don't use all of my energy in the first few miles. Right now in my training I'm running a half mile and walking a half mile. I could probably run more but concerned about keeping the pace for 13 miles. After a couple more weeks of training I think you will probably find a strategy that works for you.

Best of luck to you!!

Chenoachem

Chenoachem:Do you carry a pepper spray or something like that when running at that time? I am afraid of animals-more than people:)

I don't, but I could. However, I think in NH if you have one you must get a permit for it. I do carry my cell phone and let my husband know when I leave. I live in inner city Albuquerque now and in Nashua, NH before that. I am typically more worried about crazies than animals. However, at 4:30 in the morning most of the crazies have gone to bed. I mostly stick to where there are a lot of houses if I run in the morning. I only do trail runs in the mountains after work in the afternoon. Then I also carry a cell phone.

KatWood

KatWood;That is amazing time! Good for you! Thanks for the advise. I am taking it all in and working with it! I have a lot of hills ahead of me, and a route that is partial gravel...I haven't run on any gravel yet....I need to do that! Could I ask you what do you eat during your long runs?
Chenoachem:Do you carry a pepper spray or something like that when running at that time? I am afraid of animals-more than people:)

Gravel or grass in one sense is easier to run on. It is easier on the knees because it is softer. However, it is also harder because you have to use more muscles to stabilize yourself.

I have tried a few products for long runs and I can't stand the gels. I like the gummy chews instead.

princesspurple

tammychambers .....good for you! I know, I am trying not to stress about the time, just finishing is a goal in itself! good luck to you-keep me posted on your progress please!

Chenoachem....i am still afraid of animals, i should go to the local police to see about that. you never know, even a dog can come out and try to bite, i have a fear of it, a dog tried to bite me when i was 13! i ran into a fox in broad day light a few months back and i am all set w/ a rabid animal attacking me:) my cell doesn't get much service where i am either:(

KatWood....what are gummy chews?...makes sense about the gravel..I am working my core m-f so hopefully that helps!

lt_mrcook

Try to find out if a local running club/store/etc is having pace groups for the race. There may even be pace groups that you can sign up for at the expo. This will give you a group to run with, and someone else to spend the mental energy to track your pace if you are really intent on your goal time. 2:30:00 isn't an easy time, but if you have a good base and are following a solid plan you should feel confident that you can do it.

Make sure you have 2-3 long runs that are longer than race distance (14-16mi) so that your body is ready to go past 13.1!
If your plan doesn't have any, you will want to add a little speed work. I'd suggest finding a coach if you can, as they can adjust your plan to how your training is progressing and not just be something set on the computer.

Whatever you get used to using on your long runs, will be what your body expects during the race. Find out what sports drink the race will use, and start switching to it now. For 13.1 you should only really need the energy boost (gel, gummies, etc) at about the 8-10 mile range.

Make sure you're ready for the race a week in advance...toenails trimmed, shoe nicely broken in but not worn out, drinks/gels/candy ready, and have a set of running clothes that you regularly use washed for the last time. Place everything into a gym bag and then make sure you check it a couple days before. Then the night before you can relax with some pasta, get a good relaxed nights sleep (no worries when you're ready), and race morning you will not have to run and search for anything as it will al be waiting for you. The less hetic and stressful race morning is, the more confident you will feel at the line.

If you get to the line trained, relaxed, and confident your only obsticle left between you and your goal is starting to fast, and that comes back to a pace team.

13.1 is a great distance and can be a lot of fun. It's easy enough that my 7 month pregnant wife walked the Rock-N-Roll 1/2 in Va Beach before our second daughter was born, but tough enough that if you want to do well you have got to committ 100%. Train hard, have fun, and when you cross the line know that you won when you started because you had the steel to put in the hours to get there. Good luck and Godspeed!

Chenoachem

Chenoachem....i am still afraid of animals, i should go to the local police to see about that. you never know, even a dog can come out and try to bite, i have a fear of it, a dog tried to bite me when i was 13! i ran into a fox in broad day light a few months back and i am all set w/ a rabid animal attacking me:) my cell doesn't get much service where i am either:(

Oh Yes. They uncertainty of cell phones in NH. I know what that is like. Sorry you are afraid of the animals. I grew on a farm in Wentworth, NH. I just never gained a fear for them. However, we always had guns around so it wasn't really a worry either.

Hey, do they still run the Goffstown Gallop. I had done it once and remember is was a good race. 5 miler if I remember it correctly. I would also highly recommend the Tufts 10K for women in Boston. It was the most exciting race I ever have run. It was fun, pretty and energized.

KatWood

There are a few different brands (I can't think of specific brands off hand I have tried a few different ones ) but basically they are for energy during a long workout and taste kinda like a gummy bear but denser. I hate the consistency of the gels. I find the chews to be much better and less messy. You can get them with or without caffiene. You can also get ones that are jelly beans.

Chenoachem

There are a few different brands (I can't think of specific brands off hand I have tried a few different ones ) but basically they are for energy during a long workout and taste kinda like a gummy bear but denser. I hate the consistency of the gels. I find the chews to be much better and less messy. You can get them with or without caffiene. You can also get ones that are jelly beans.

Cliff Bar have ones called Shot Blocks
Power Bar has ones called Gell Blast Chews
Luna has Luna Sport Chews
Jelly Belly Sport Beans

I like the sport beans and I also like putting some propel vitamin packet in my water. Maybe only 1/4 packet in my water bottle.

princesspurple

lt_mrcook ..........you gave me a lot to think about! I am getting excited now. That is amazing that your wife walked it at 7 months pregnant! After reading this, I am going to play w/ the longer runs that is on Hal's 12 week progam...it has me doing on Sundays
4m, 4m, 5m, 5m, 6m, 5-k, 7m,8m, 10-k, 9m, 10 m, then half marathon....I am going to push it a bit more so I end up doing 14 miles prior to the half, or try to anyway!

Chenoachem....they still do the Goffstown Gallop, that is the run I did this past year, I have a real goal for that this year!

Has anybody out there had a simple mini snickers bar during the longer runs? I have read recently that they are high energy and not as artificial as some of the gels.

Chenoachem

Has anybody out there had a simple mini snickers bar during the longer runs? I have read recently that they are high energy and not as artificial as some of the gels.

I have tried similar things but I find the chocolate raises my blood sugar too fast and I drop after about 3 miles. I eat the PowerBar Nut Naturals- Mixed nut bars. It seems to be the only thing that sustains my energy levels. I had to play around with a bunch of different things before I found what worked for my body, since I have problems with low blood sugar. I do always have chocolate milk as a recovery drink after a run though.