Half Marathon

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brianzerfas
brianzerfas Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So my friend an I decided this Fall we would run a half marathon. I have run a 5k race a few times and the most I personally have ran alone was 6 maybe 7 miles a few years ago. Currently I am trying to get back into running, I am lucky for 2 miles at a time. So running 13.1 miles seems insane. Please give me any real advice. The prospect of running a half marathon is exciting yet frightening.

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  • Starbuck2020
    Starbuck2020 Posts: 173 Member
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    I am only doing 2 miles right now so not much experience based advice, but would like to run a half later this year as well. There are all kinds of training programs on runners world that look pretty good.
  • 515TeachNRun
    515TeachNRun Posts: 6,408 Member
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    You can absolutely do it! I think the half marathon distance is my favorite! I agree with the previous poster about Runner's World training programs, although there are many other great training programs out there too. I believe that is the key. Find a schedule that fits your life. Commit. Follow through. And enjoy crossing that finish line!

    I had never been a runner. I started running a couple of months shy of my 37th birthday. I turned 43 in December and I've since run several 5Ks, a half, a 20K (12.4 miles) five times, and this last October my first full marathon. Each time I found a training schedule and followed it as closely as I could. My times may not be stellar but I finish :wink:

    Good luck!
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
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    Gradually build up a base of 10 to 15 miles per week with a few three or four mile runs. Don't increase your current mileage by more than 10% per week. Use Hal Higdons half marathon training program beginning 12 weeks before the race. That's what worked for me.
  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
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    It'll be a lot easier than you think. You just have to fuel properly and at minimum make sure you run 10 miles straight one week before the race. My first half marathon I barely trained, but at least ran 1 10 mile run 1 week before the half. I finished the half but died at mile 9 and had to walk the rest. That was because I didn't fuel properly. I had went 6 hours without eating BEFORE the race. Not including the 3 hours it took me to run the race.

    Just keep going! You'll do great and afterwards you will laugh at how easy it is.

    The second time around, I trained a tad more, but was still too busy with work to train properly. I took a couple of snacks to fuel better and ran the whole half and gained 30 minutes on my time. It was a big difference. But I think as long as you can run "some" you can do the whole thing no problem!

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