Runners - How Much?

dsjohndrow

I am not new to running, but I am still growing into longer distances. Last year was the year for 5K and 10K races. This year I have already scheduled my first 1/2 marathon for the end of the month. I am confident I will finish. I train 6 days a week::
M - 2 miles/weights
T - 4 miles
W - 2 miles/weights
TR - 6+ Miles
F - Rest
S - Long Run 10+
SN - Cross-train

My question is this. Can I run a 1/2 marathon about every 12-14 weeks? (Keeping in mind that I am 55 and have had some issues)

katrwal

Bump - i want to see the answer too...

btw - Dave - thanks for posting your training plan. i'm totally copying you (again). except i'm going to wait to run my 1/2 until the snow melts (you know, June). :happy:

scottb81

The answer depends in part on your individual fitness level but three months is plenty of time to recover, and continue training, between half marathons.

CarsonRuns

I'll answer you question with a question.

Why would you want to?

Yes, it's physically possible to do so, but I think it's unlikely that you would perform your best at each one. With proper training cycles, I don't feel like I can perform optimally at that distance more than twice per year. Maybe 3 times. And one of those will be during the marathon cycle. If you are going to do such a thing, maybe you can pick two as goal races and train through the others.

jeffrodgers1

The answer to that is largely dependent on you...

Running is about adaptation. If you spend the time and develop into it, yes you can run a Half Marathon with greater frequency. I heard recently that for us mere mortals, we can expect about a 1% increase in pace per month of proper training. I'm not sure how accurately that holds out.

I currently do a long slow run 12-13 miles every weekend. Nothing blazing fast (purposefully)... But with maintaining a regular training schedule I could translate that to a half marathon every weekend. Before I broke my leg last year, I was running a LSR every weekend of about 18 miles. Its been a struggle to get back to that... but it was also self inflicted as I forgot the flip side of training... Rest. Rest is the period where muscle building and repair occurs. Its essential.

Bottom line is Adapt slowly, be consistent, follow a plan and don't forget to include rest... it may be 4 letters but its not a dirty word.







.

1holegrouper

As long as you remain fairly injury free and know how to manage and recover when you get an injury I would say do it if you desire it. Just don't get in a state of denial of something blows out. This is very easy to do. All runners can relate.

RiannonC

I don't see why not, but I'm 30 so it might be different.

I don't like to run much during the week because I go to a lot of fun classes at the gym that I really enjoy, and many weeks the only run I do is my long run on the weekend, which will end up being 10-13 miles. I like to maintain that distance so I feel comfortable running a half marathon without training any time one comes up.

As someone else said this is probably not the way to get your optimal speed, but I don't push speed all the time. Maybe a couple of times a year I try to run a fast one and the rest of the time I simply enjoy the distance. So it's all about what suits you.

arc918

You can run 13.1 miles at a training pace every weekend.

So the question is are you looking to race to your maximum potential or just cover the distance at your usual training pace?

dsjohndrow

I'll answer you question with a question.

Why would you want to?

Yes, it's physically possible to do so, but I think it's unlikely that you would perform your best at each one. With proper training cycles, I don't feel like I can perform optimally at that distance more than twice per year. Maybe 3 times. And one of those will be during the marathon cycle. If you are going to do such a thing, maybe you can pick two as goal races and train through the others.

OK, so I have one the end of February. That one I just want to finish and it will probably be at 10 minute pace. I also was thinking of running one in May and switching to a more aggressive training plan and getting to my 10K pace of 9:30 per mile. The other one is in September and I am hoping to get to a 9 minute pace. So I think you are right, May and Sept. are to goals. The others are more of a training run. I would like to be ready for a marathon after that.

dsjohndrow

The answer to that is largely dependent on you...

Running is about adaptation. If you spend the time and develop into it, yes you can run a Half Marathon with greater frequency. I heard recently that for us mere mortals, we can expect about a 1% increase in pace per month of proper training. I'm not sure how accurately that holds out.

I currently do a long slow run 12-13 miles every weekend. Nothing blazing fast (purposefully)... But with maintaining a regular training schedule I could translate that to a half marathon every weekend. Before I broke my leg last year, I was running a LSR every weekend of about 18 miles. Its been a struggle to get back to that... but it was also self inflicted as I forgot the flip side of training... Rest. Rest is the period where muscle building and repair occurs. Its essential.

Bottom line is Adapt slowly, be consistent, follow a plan and don't forget to include rest... it may be 4 letters but its not a dirty word.

So if you were going to run in May, and September, what would your plan look like? I am running at a 10 minute mile for the long runs. My 5K pace is 8, the 10K is 9:30 so far.

dsjohndrow

You can run 13.1 miles at a training pace every weekend.

So the question is are you looking to race to your maximum potential or just cover the distance at your usual training pace?

So if you were going to run in May, and September, what would your plan look like? I am running at a 10 minute mile for the long runs. My 5K pace is 8, the 10K is 9:30 so far.

baldzach

As an experienced runner, I'll say your training schedule looks pretty good! And there's no reason you couldn't do a half as often as you want with that kind of load.

I would add, though, be sure as you're adding mileage to take cut back weeks every 3rd or 4th week to give your body a bit of a rest and allow the training adaptations to take place. It also helps to avoid injury. Just like rest days during the week do.

ejwme

I know fulls are different from halfs, but I found this helpful when trying to balance my training plan for the next year: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51153/Marathon-Multiple-Marathons-Training-Program

I think three halfs a year is perfectly reasonable. If your pace to "simply finish" is 10 min/mile, 9:30 should also be perfectly reasonable goal to work to, especially if that's your pace for other distance races... there's a theory I'm quite taken with about race pace consistency over distance, a long and super article on it is here: http://www.angio.net/personal/run/hadd.pdf

But getting down to 9 might be a lot, especially if you've never met that in a shorter distance. You'll be able to gauge during your training (do some prep races at shorter distances) if it's feasible.

blues4miles

But getting down to 9 might be a lot, especially if you've never met that in a shorter distance. You'll be able to gauge during your training (do some prep races at shorter distances) if it's feasible.

This. I think if you're okay with running half marathons that aren't a whole lot faster than your training paces you'll be just fine with this plan (barring injury). And I could see improving your half marathon time to be closer to your 10k time. But then to take another 30 seconds per mile off that? Might be a bit ambitious. I have improved by about 30s to 1 minute per mile for my training pace over the course of a little more than a year. And that was with no races, just training, and in fact cutting back a bit on my long runs so I could get more and shorter runs in during the week. Also I am a completely slow newbie who lost weight in the same time so speed gains at my speed are going to be a lot easier. So just remember to not push your body past what it can't do yet and you'll be fine.

jjlibunao

As long as you remain fairly injury free and know how to manage and recover when you get an injury I would say do it if you desire it. Just don't get in a state of denial of something blows out. This is very easy to do. All runners can relate.

I have run 5 half marathons in the past 5 years and in the first year, I did two. I just don't think I would do it again, unless I decide to train for a full. I remember I was super excited to do one half right after the other. But I remember being burned out after the second race. Just because any training schedule is pretty rigid and I had to literally force myself to make sure I got those long runs knocked out before the race. Now, I just do one a year.

Trust me - I know the whole running process gets addicting. The running shoes. Running longer distances. Looking for races online - scouting out the ones that are in the area, that look fun. But I agree that if you can do it (without any injuries) AND you don't get burned out, then sure - why not. But I would definitely allow some down time between races.

jeffrodgers1

The answer to that is largely dependent on you...

Running is about adaptation. If you spend the time and develop into it, yes you can run a Half Marathon with greater frequency. I heard recently that for us mere mortals, we can expect about a 1% increase in pace per month of proper training. I'm not sure how accurately that holds out.

I currently do a long slow run 12-13 miles every weekend. Nothing blazing fast (purposefully)... But with maintaining a regular training schedule I could translate that to a half marathon every weekend. Before I broke my leg last year, I was running a LSR every weekend of about 18 miles. Its been a struggle to get back to that... but it was also self inflicted as I forgot the flip side of training... Rest. Rest is the period where muscle building and repair occurs. Its essential.

Bottom line is Adapt slowly, be consistent, follow a plan and don't forget to include rest... it may be 4 letters but its not a dirty word.

So if you were going to run in May, and September, what would your plan look like? I am running at a 10 minute mile for the long runs. My 5K pace is 8, the 10K is 9:30 so far.

I have 4 Half marathons on the books right now. HypoThermic Half (February), Fargo Half (May), Diabetes Half (Labor day), Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic (October).... Looking for one of two others (Maybe Minneapolis or Toronto)

My normal weekly training plan looks like this and is adapted based on weather conditions (blizzard or extreme cold... say -40 F)

Mon - Rest
Tues - 6 miles (Tempo - 10 minute miles)
Weds - 90 mins Xtraining (weights\circuit training)
Thurs - Hill training 6 x 400 metres
Fri - Rest
Saturday - LSR 12-13 miles at 11:00 - 11:30/mile
Sunday - 3 miles (recovery) + Xtraining

For me, balanced exercise is more important than just running. Its kind of a holistic approach as I work the core, legs, and upper body as well.

The Hypothermic Half will also mark my first Half marathon since I broke my leg in June. It's my comeback run and I'll be more concerned with the weather and finishing than any time. Last years weather was a blizzard with -30 Celsius weather.

arc918

You can run 13.1 miles at a training pace every weekend.

So the question is are you looking to race to your maximum potential or just cover the distance at your usual training pace?

So if you were going to run in May, and September, what would your plan look like? I am running at a 10 minute mile for the long runs. My 5K pace is 8, the 10K is 9:30 so far.

I personally like to keep myself in what I call "half shape" all year long. I try to keep my long run ~ 14 -16, that way I'm ready to race a half most any time and I can ramp up for a marathon in a couple months. But that's what works for me, as a fairly experienced adult on-set runner.

It also depends on how well you recover. I'd just try to keep your long run up at least 10 -11 between races. A couple longer ones here and there and you'll be ready to race.

Never forget, when it comes to running & training, we are each an experiment with a sample size of one. We just each need to figure out what works best for each of us.

Good luck and happy running!