Running 1/2 Marathon

Elby0030

Hi all, im considering running a 1/2 Marathon in August and was wondering if anyone had experience training for this type of event. I have been on MFP for about 2 months, and for the same amount of time i have been going to a PT (3 days / week) with the goal of losing weight and increasing fitness, which has been going really well. On my 3 of my non-PT days, i vary between cycling, running and occasionally swimming, however i have been considering setting a 1/2 marathon run as a goal to work towards. Currently im up to running about 5 km (3 Mile) without too much problem, although in that distance i would take 2 or 3 short walking breaks as my calf muscles get sore. My pace is pretty slow, about 7.30 min per kilometer but i think this will improve as i run more and (hopefully) weigh less. Is a 1/2 marathon a realistic goal (about 7 - 8 months away) and does anyone have advice / experience / training program to help achieve this?

advice and thoughts appreciated

ValerieMomof2

This is a program I have heard nothing but good things about:
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

xachooo

i started running about 2 years ago, and it took a long time to really get my body used to it---not getting shin splints, knees not going weird after a few miles. SOme of it was technique, some finding the right shoes, and some of it really was just getting into shape. Half marathon is an awesome goal---but if you just started running you have to think about your long term goals. Do you want to be running in 5 or 10 years? If you go out hard for a one time goal, you risk damaging yourself for the future. So if I were you, I would sign up for a 5K in the next month or two and get a baseline time. Then sign up for another 5k and see your improvement. Don't knock short races; they really really can be a great deal of fun and go a long way to building up confidence, whilst keeping your body from complaining too much. It gives you goal and still allows for you body to adjust to running. The perhaps come August or Sept go out and run a 10K. Once you have got to being able to run 10K race, then start thinking half marathon for sometime in calendar year 2014. Running is wonderful, but injuries can really really be disappointing and derail you.
NOW, if you just have 1/2 marathon on your 'bucket list' as it were, and you really are not that keen on continuing to run into the future, I am sure you have plenty of time to train enough to survive a half marathon. Just my 2 cents. Good luck and congrats are getting into a running regimen!

xachooo

Hal Higdon training plans are good---i agree with above poster. In fact I will be starting the intermediate plan at the end of the month.

gfedex

Yeah, I've ran several HMs. During the years I was training for them I considered myself a competitive runner (not an elite level runner, mind you, but I entered lots of races and have the medals to prove it, ha!)

It's a heavy time commitment. I ran three or four days per week and cross-trained on two or three. Generally my runs consisted of a speed or hill workout, a tempo run and a long distance run. Every week I'd add a kilometre on my distance run. Two weeks before the race I'd do a 21k trial run. My tempo runs were 8 miles in an hour, and my speed runs were usually something like the 200s or hill repeats.

Motivation was always a struggle towards the end of the season- knowing that I'd have an 18km training run when I was supposed to be relaxing on the weekend- but I'm glad I've done it. It's a very doable distance, provided you've done the training. For the first season I raced, I took myself from out of shape to running my first HM in 10 months, so I think 7-8 is a reasonable time frame, especially if you're already running 5ks. There are plenty of guides online to help plan a training schedule.

twinmom_112002

Having just competed my first....its an amazing goal.

That said, I agree with everything xachoo stated. I ran for 3 years before I attempted the half. In those 3 years I ran a variety of 5Ks and 2 10K's. A 10K is a great measure of whether you want to run long distances or not.

My mistakes you don't want to repeat by the way were poor nutrition (trained for a half on 1200 calories a day...WTH was I thinking?) and only ran 3 days a week. Both led to me bonking at 11 miles and missing my goal time by 6 minutes.

MoreBean13

Yeah you can totally go from a 5k to a half marathon in 7-8 months. Here's a few tips though:

1) Don't expect to lose a ton of weight while training. To train properly and not risk injury by upping your mileage that much, you will only be able to afford a small deficit. It's kind of a crushing blow to most new runners- everyone thinks it's a great way to lose weight and it isn't really.

2) Pick a novice training schedule like the Runners World or Hal Higdon's ones, and stick to it like GLUE. DO what they tell you to do. Don't try to add much more- though you probably can add strength training if you're smart about it. There's no advantage to trying t o double up and do the training AND some other program at the same time though.

3) No matter what happens, prioritize your long run every week. It's way more important than all the other training. If you get busy and have to adjust your schedule, always find a way to do the long run.

You can do it! 1/2's are fun, if you're properly trained, it will be a BLAST! You can do it! :bigsmile:

xachooo

yeah, the long slow run (emphasis on slow) is really key to increasing your endurance and ability to log miles. NYRR also has some running plans posted on their site. between hal higdon, runners world and that, you should be able to find a training plan that sings to you. The rule that gets thrown around though is to not increase you distance by more than 10% or a mile or so a week, and to also be conservative at increasing your speed. All in the name of injury prevention.

wjniii

This is a great goal! I would strongly suggest working your way up to it slowly and with a plan to avoid injury and so you have a good time doing the half. Joining a running group (team in training or USA fit - both have wesites) really helped me to achieve my running goals. You get a proven program and have the fun of running with a diverse group of folks, many of whom have a lot of experience. I would certantly get a few 10K's under your belt before the half. When I'm training for a half I work to feel comfortable running fifteen miles. Good luck!

jon1289

Another good tip is to book your race * now * !! Apart from the fact that many races require early booking nothing is more motivation knowing that you are committed to doing it.

I am using Runkeeper to train for my first half marathon in March. Free app on Android or iPhone. Puts in a good schedule and you have plenty of time to train.

Good luck!

natalie412

Totally a doable goal. I started running using C25K last January - couldn't even run a half mile straight at that point, and ran my first HM in September. I did walk some (mostly because I had a terrible day - cramps, etc), but ran 13.1 again a week later with ease. For that half, I didn't follow a training plan, I just ran generally 3 days a week - 2 5 mile runs, and then a progressively longer run on Saturdays, up to 12 miles. I am training for another half right now, and am using the Runner's World Smart Coach, which is nice because you can customize it to your paces (based on a previous race time) and your current weekly mileage.

Being a newer runner, though, you probably shouldn't bother with speed workouts, and just keep working on your endurance with one long run per week. Don't overdo it. Your first half is an automatic PR!

mlondon8509

I have never done a 1/2 marathon (although I am training for one this year), but I did do a 10 mile race last year. It was only a few months after I had taken up running - and in that time I was able to build my conditioning to the point where I could do the whole thing without stopping. Make no mistake about it, they are both tough distances, but if you are dedicated to training and keep to a program (I have heard great things about the Halgden program some others of references), you should be able to get there in 6-7 months. My advice would be to focus on finishing and not get bent out of shape over your time - especially if it is your first race.

Elby0030

thanks for all the replies, i have just found a local 10km run in a few months so i will enter that and see how it goes. Thanks all !

MoreBean13

This is a great goal! I would strongly suggest working your way up to it slowly and with a plan to avoid injury and so you have a good time doing the half. Joining a running group (team in training or USA fit - both have wesites) really helped me to achieve my running goals. You get a proven program and have the fun of running with a diverse group of folks, many of whom have a lot of experience. I would certantly get a few 10K's under your belt before the half. When I'm training for a half I work to feel comfortable running fifteen miles. Good luck!

15 miles is actually really long- most novice plans set the longest long-run at 11 or 12 miles.

iWaffle

Being a newer runner, though, you probably shouldn't bother with speed workouts, and just keep working on your endurance with one long run per week. Don't overdo it. Your first half is an automatic PR!

That's what I'm talking about. PR baby!

I'm signed up for one in the first week of June. I really need to polish off those last 3 miles. I can do a 10 mile run at about a 9:20 pace right now but I honestly haven't tried doing longer. I'm doing a Sub 2:15 Half Marathon training plan by Jeff Gaudette. My actual goal is 2:00:00 for this.

It's going to be fun working on a structured training plan. Right now I just go out and run as I feel like and do a longer run on the weekend. I'll let you know how this works out. 2 hours. I'm pretty confident that I can do this in that time. Just need to keep working at it.

13suzie

Hey there! I've run three full marathons and about 6 half marathons. I never considered myself a natural runner. I am not tall and lanky but I have learned to love training. The book that changed my world is called "Making the Marathon Your Event" by Richard Benyo. I learned so many tips and the training programs were excellent. Took me from being a novice to a more serious runner. I get runner's highs all the time -- everytime my training exceeds an hour I am in the clouds! It's worth every effort. Another idea for you is signing up with Leukemia and Lymphoma Team and Training. It will be an opportunity to connect with coaches and fellow runners as you raise money for cancer research. The peer support is great and they pick up the expense of your trip.

Good luck!

danibu98

I have run 3 half marathons and I would definitely echo what MoreBean said

-Hal Higdon is da BOMB.
-My weight loss slowed to a crawl once my long run got over 6 miles. I found it really hard to balance the needs of my body + my desire to lose + desire to eat a pound of bacon after running 10 miles

tennyllia4

I started running about a yr ago(roughly) to lose weight. I now can RUN a 10k-but nothing more. The 10k is new for me, running maybe 3-4 times a month, but sticking mostly with 5k's which I run regularly. Well lets see here-LEG PAINS (OMG) I had the worst leg pain that just didnt want to go away FOREVER!!! No matter what I did they only seemed to get worst, to the point I could verly even walk. I would take Ibuprofen before running but didnt help much, some days I would have to walk back to my destination. Well anyways I started an Intense workout (INSANITY) and all my leg problems are now gone as long as I cont with addition leg workouts. BUT LONG STORY SHORT.... As long as you keep at it and stay focused on what you wanna do "YOU CAN DO IT" I never thought in a million yrs I would be running a 10k....It can be DONE!! Maybe not in the time your requesting but it can be done. Build Endurace/LUNG CAPACITY # 1..GOOD LUCK

dvisser1

Last year I did pretty much what you're talking about doing. I started working out in January but could not run. By mid to late March I had my legs strong enough that my knees would not buckle from the impact of running. I read up on the Hal Higdon and Couch to 5k training programs, but then did my own thing. I ran my first 5k at the end of June and the first of two half marathons at the end of October.

Keep training regularly. Don't try to suddenly increase your mileage or speed, work at it slowly. Be ok that some days that 4-5 mile run will feel harder than the 6 mile run you did the run before. Long Slow Distance days (slow your pace a bit but push the distance) will help build endurance. Once you have the mental and physical endurance to do a long run, then you can work on speed. Mental endurance - you might be running for 2 hours to do a half marathon and need to stay focused enough but also relaxed enough to do the run.

Shoes, be prepared to replace them every 3-4 months if you're running regularly (3-4x per week). The padding will wear out before the tread is worn down and you'll feel the harder shoe in your knees and ankles.

Strength train. Don't just run. The stronger your feet, legs, hips and core (abs & back) are the smoother and more relaxed your stride will be. The smoother and more natural your stride, the better your endurance the lower the chance of injury.

jjlibunao

This is a program I have heard nothing but good things about:
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

Love the Hal Higdon program. I had used in all the 5 half marathons I have done. Really lets you gradually build your distance over three months. The only thing I do different from his training schedule is he suggests running 10 miles the week before the race. I up the distance and run 12 miles the week before every race I did. So, psychologically I KNOW I'm close to doing a 13 mile run. My pace has varied from 9:36 to 12:00, depending on the race and how I felt. Don't worry about time the first race, just finish at what's comfortable for you.

Keep us posted about your first half - totally exciting!

MoreBean13

To my previous list, I want to add to start stretching your IT (iliotibial) bands now, preventatively. If you don't know how, look it up on google, it's easy and will save you a TON of trouble down the road. (pun intended)

A foam roller would be a great investment at this point too. I wish I had done these things before starting training for my first one.

TastesLikeChicken

I took up running again when I turned 40 after a 20 yr hiatus. Being a bit OCD I set a goal to run a marathon in my first year of running which everything I read advised against it. I made it to 17 miles in my long runs before an overuse injury dashed my chances of making my goal. I did make it in my 2nd year running. I think training to a half in 9 mos is totally possible. Lots of good advice. You don't need to run a ton of miles to get there. I am now 57 and run every other day and do a long run on the weekends. I finished a 1/2 in October and am training for another in April and already signed up for the Rock N Roll St Louis in October again. Stretching, proper rest and good shoes are paramount. You can do it if you want it bad enough. Good luck.

Elby0030

I just had a read about stretching IT bands, but i'm not sure about the foam roller? how do you make use of the foam roller? Is it for stretching?

ValerieMomof2

Here's a quick example
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9aJtO0VCqw

jon1289

thanks for all the replies, i have just found a local 10km run in a few months so i will enter that and see how it goes. Thanks all !

Brilliant! Well done! and Good Luck