undertrained for a half marathon- help!
Eskimopie
Posts: 235 Member
So I'm running a half marathon a week from Sunday (GULP) and I just haven't trained enough. My long runs have topped out at 9 miles (and that was only once) and I've only run about 3 times a week, my short weekday runs being all under 5 miles.
I'm kind of freaking out about completing the half, but I paid A LOT to do it, I have several out of town friends coming into town to run with me, and half my coworkers are running too. So there is really no way out.
Any tips or suggestions for completing this? I'm not worried about time, I know in fact I'll be very very slow. I just don't want to hurt myself!
I'm kind of freaking out about completing the half, but I paid A LOT to do it, I have several out of town friends coming into town to run with me, and half my coworkers are running too. So there is really no way out.
Any tips or suggestions for completing this? I'm not worried about time, I know in fact I'll be very very slow. I just don't want to hurt myself!
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Replies
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9 miles isn't so bad for your longest run. I'd recommend trying Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. Basically, you figure out what pace you want for the race, say 12min/mile. That would equate to 2min running / 1min walking. You stick to this ratio for the entire race. There' s more info on this on his website.0
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I am doing my first half marathon as well on Oct 13. I got talked into it by my coworker and now I don't know what's going to happen. I do not have any training under my belt other than the fitness classes/walks I usually do several days a week. My goal is to finish. My time will suck, but I will finish. I would be thrilled to run 9 miles. I doubt I can even run 1 mile.
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I am doing my first half marathon as well on Oct 13. I got talked into it by my coworker and now I don't know what's going to happen. I do not have any training under my belt other than the fitness classes/walks I usually do several days a week. My goal is to finish. My time will suck, but I will finish. I would be thrilled to run 9 miles. I doubt I can even run 1 mile.
I don't supposed your doing Nike Women's Marathon are you?0 -
I agree with using the Galloway method for this one. You have done enough training to finish it as long as you don't start the race at too fast a pace.0
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I am doing my first half marathon as well on Oct 13. I got talked into it by my coworker and now I don't know what's going to happen. I do not have any training under my belt other than the fitness classes/walks I usually do several days a week. My goal is to finish. My time will suck, but I will finish. I would be thrilled to run 9 miles. I doubt I can even run 1 mile.
I don't supposed your doing Nike Women's Marathon are you?
Nope. I am doing the monument marathon in Nebraska.0 -
9 miles isn't so bad for your longest run. I'd recommend trying Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. Basically, you figure out what pace you want for the race, say 12min/mile. That would equate to 2min running / 1min walking. You stick to this ratio for the entire race. There' s more info on this on his website.
I'll check him out, thanks! If I finished 12 min a mile I'd be stoked. I usually can run most of it, but since I've never hit the distances I should, maybe I should do run walk. Have you done it? If so, is it annoying to time it?0 -
I am doing my first half marathon as well on Oct 13. I got talked into it by my coworker and now I don't know what's going to happen. I do not have any training under my belt other than the fitness classes/walks I usually do several days a week. My goal is to finish. My time will suck, but I will finish. I would be thrilled to run 9 miles. I doubt I can even run 1 mile.
I don't supposed your doing Nike Women's Marathon are you?
Nope. I am doing the monument marathon in Nebraska.
Haha okay just thought I'd check see if it was a funny coincidence or not! 0 -
I am doing my first half marathon as well on Oct 13. I got talked into it by my coworker and now I don't know what's going to happen. I do not have any training under my belt other than the fitness classes/walks I usually do several days a week. My goal is to finish. My time will suck, but I will finish. I would be thrilled to run 9 miles. I doubt I can even run 1 mile.
I don't supposed your doing Nike Women's Marathon are you?
Nope. I am doing the monument marathon in Nebraska.
Haha okay just thought I'd check see if it was a funny coincidence or not!
haha. Well, best of luck to you. Sounds like you will do much better than me!0 -
I'll bet with adreneline and proper rest you can do it. Don't carb load night before the race, and eat sparingly day of the race (I'd eat maybe a piece of fruit and coffee or something). If worse comes to worse you can walk some of it, no biggie.0
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I'll bet with adreneline and proper rest you can do it. Don't carb load night before the race, and eat sparingly day of the race (I'd eat maybe a piece of fruit and coffee or something). If worse comes to worse you can walk some of it, no biggie.
Don't carbo load? Why not?0 -
You should be fine - as I understand the heuristic (rule of thumb) is that if you can complete half the distance +~10% you should be able to finish the event. So, for a half-marathon doing ~6.5 miles in training should mean that you can complete the half. Best of luck on the run.0
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I did a marathon last year using Galloway's run walk and finished in 3:50. So using it doesn't mean that you have to be going extremely slowly. It's not annoying to time it if you have an automatic timer. Google gymboss timer.9 miles isn't so bad for your longest run. I'd recommend trying Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. Basically, you figure out what pace you want for the race, say 12min/mile. That would equate to 2min running / 1min walking. You stick to this ratio for the entire race. There' s more info on this on his website.
I'll check him out, thanks! If I finished 12 min a mile I'd be stoked. I usually can run most of it, but since I've never hit the distances I should, maybe I should do run walk. Have you done it? If so, is it annoying to time it?0 -
I did a marathon last year using Galloway's run walk and finished in 3:50. So using it doesn't mean that you have to be going extremely slowly. It's not annoying to time it if you have an automatic timer. Google gymboss timer.9 miles isn't so bad for your longest run. I'd recommend trying Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. Basically, you figure out what pace you want for the race, say 12min/mile. That would equate to 2min running / 1min walking. You stick to this ratio for the entire race. There' s more info on this on his website.
I'll check him out, thanks! If I finished 12 min a mile I'd be stoked. I usually can run most of it, but since I've never hit the distances I should, maybe I should do run walk. Have you done it? If so, is it annoying to time it?
Wow, good to know. I'll check it out, thank you for the help.0 -
You should be fine - as I understand the heuristic (rule of thumb) is that if you can complete half the distance +~10% you should be able to finish the event. So, for a half-marathon doing ~6.5 miles in training should mean that you can complete the half. Best of luck on the run.
Makes me feel better Thanks. 0 -
I'll bet with adreneline and proper rest you can do it. Don't carb load night before the race, and eat sparingly day of the race (I'd eat maybe a piece of fruit and coffee or something). If worse comes to worse you can walk some of it, no biggie.
Don't carbo load? Why not?
In my experience, you cramp up. Not to say don't eat carbs, just don't go crazy with a giant plate of spaghetti or something. Give yourself good fuel to feel good in the morning.0 -
My first HM I only got up to 10 miles in my training. Day of race, that last mile hurt, but it was managable. I went in with the plan to run the whole thing, but walk a few minutes at every water stop.
You probably have enough training to finish it, though maybe not as well as you would have liked.0 -
I'll bet with adreneline and proper rest you can do it. Don't carb load night before the race, and eat sparingly day of the race (I'd eat maybe a piece of fruit and coffee or something). If worse comes to worse you can walk some of it, no biggie.
Don't carbo load? Why not?
Cos your stomach will feel super heavy. I would have for dinner the night before a good steak and a salad. In the morning I'd have one or maybe even two bananas for breakfast and leave it at that.0 -
You will do it!!! You've had decent long runs ---- no doubt you will finish the last few!!! Soak up all the racer's energy and have a beautiful day. Slow and steady will get you there!!0
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I'll bet with adreneline and proper rest you can do it. Don't carb load night before the race, and eat sparingly day of the race (I'd eat maybe a piece of fruit and coffee or something). If worse comes to worse you can walk some of it, no biggie.
Don't carbo load? Why not?
In my experience, you cramp up. Not to say don't eat carbs, just don't go crazy with a giant plate of spaghetti or something. Give yourself good fuel to feel good in the morning.
Haha okay good to know. With my pace I probably don't need a ton of extra calories anyway!0 -
So I'm running a half marathon a week from Sunday (GULP) and I just haven't trained enough. My long runs have topped out at 9 miles (and that was only once) and I've only run about 3 times a week, my short weekday runs being all under 5 miles.
I'm kind of freaking out about completing the half, but I paid A LOT to do it, I have several out of town friends coming into town to run with me, and half my coworkers are running too. So there is really no way out.
Any tips or suggestions for completing this? I'm not worried about time, I know in fact I'll be very very slow. I just don't want to hurt myself!
You'll finish, perhaps slower.
This Sat or Sun do a foot-time run to work out any kinks to be correct.
Figure out how long (with reduced pace) it is likely to take you.
Plan a long run for that time, with a lot more walking.
Like 2.5 hrs.
20 min walk
5 mile run - 45 min?
20 min walk
5 mile run - 45 min?
20 min walk
Pay attention to confirm clothing works well, no bad rubbing, shoes fine, breakfast worked, ect.
No spicy Tai the night before.
Now you know you can finish, same amount of time on your feet, and just did 10 miles. only need to add a little-bity 5K to it.
Have fun. be willing to Jog / Walk interval it if needed as others have mentioned.
2 days to recover from this with a walk 2nd day out. Slow 5 mile jog mid-week, walking after that only.
Don't eat at deficit last week.0 -
So I'm running a half marathon a week from Sunday (GULP) and I just haven't trained enough. My long runs have topped out at 9 miles (and that was only once) and I've only run about 3 times a week, my short weekday runs being all under 5 miles.
I'm kind of freaking out about completing the half, but I paid A LOT to do it, I have several out of town friends coming into town to run with me, and half my coworkers are running too. So there is really no way out.
Any tips or suggestions for completing this? I'm not worried about time, I know in fact I'll be very very slow. I just don't want to hurt myself!
You'll finish, perhaps slower.
This Sat or Sun do a foot-time run to work out any kinks to be correct.
Figure out how long (with reduced pace) it is likely to take you.
Plan a long run for that time, with a lot more walking.
Like 2.5 hrs.
20 min walk
5 mile run - 45 min?
20 min walk
5 mile run - 45 min?
20 min walk
Pay attention to confirm clothing works well, no bad rubbing, shoes fine, breakfast worked, ect.
No spicy Tai the night before.
Now you know you can finish, same amount of time on your feet, and just did 10 miles. only need to add a little-bity 5K to it.
Have fun. be willing to Jog / Walk interval it if needed as others have mentioned.
2 days to recover from this with a walk 2nd day out. Slow 5 mile jog mid-week, walking after that only.
Don't eat at deficit last week.
^^ Listen to heybales!
And yeah, eat. Eat at maintenance for the week beforehand. It will help you to have to energy in those last 4 miles... promise.0 -
So I'm running a half marathon a week from Sunday (GULP) and I just haven't trained enough. My long runs have topped out at 9 miles (and that was only once) and I've only run about 3 times a week, my short weekday runs being all under 5 miles.
I'm kind of freaking out about completing the half, but I paid A LOT to do it, I have several out of town friends coming into town to run with me, and half my coworkers are running too. So there is really no way out.
Any tips or suggestions for completing this? I'm not worried about time, I know in fact I'll be very very slow. I just don't want to hurt myself!
You'll finish, perhaps slower.
This Sat or Sun do a foot-time run to work out any kinks to be correct.
Figure out how long (with reduced pace) it is likely to take you.
Plan a long run for that time, with a lot more walking.
Like 2.5 hrs.
20 min walk
5 mile run - 45 min?
20 min walk
5 mile run - 45 min?
20 min walk
Pay attention to confirm clothing works well, no bad rubbing, shoes fine, breakfast worked, ect.
No spicy Tai the night before.
Now you know you can finish, same amount of time on your feet, and just did 10 miles. only need to add a little-bity 5K to it.
Have fun. be willing to Jog / Walk interval it if needed as others have mentioned.
2 days to recover from this with a walk 2nd day out. Slow 5 mile jog mid-week, walking after that only.
Don't eat at deficit last week.
Thanks for the training plan 0 -
I'm doing my first half marathon Nov. 11 and I'm planning on running/walking alternating miles, doing this my pace has averaged out to be 13/mi. I am following Hal Hingdon's training schedule so I did 7 miles today.
Lots of good info here, thanks!0 -
If you can go 9 miles, you can finish a half, don't even worry about it! Based on what you mentioned about your running to date, you're only "undertrained" if you have some specific time that you're intent on meeting - if you go in knowing that you'll be happy just to make it to the end, you won't have a problem. My best advice: you (and everybody else out there) will be really pepped up and excited at the start, and you'll probably start off like a racehorse. Resist that urge. Take it really slow (SLOW!) and steady from the start, so you don't wear yourself out in the first few miles. If you start out nice and slow you may even find that you can pick up your pace toward the end, rather than being exhausted. Let us know how it goes!0
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9 miles isn't so bad for your longest run. I'd recommend trying Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. Basically, you figure out what pace you want for the race, say 12min/mile. That would equate to 2min running / 1min walking. You stick to this ratio for the entire race. There' s more info on this on his website.
This.
I undertrained for my last half and also got a cold the day before...so I just did a lot more walking than normal.
Usually if you train to 9 or 10 miles for your longest run, you'll be just fine for a half.0 -
I did a marathon last year using Galloway's run walk and finished in 3:50. So using it doesn't mean that you have to be going extremely slowly. It's not annoying to time it if you have an automatic timer. Google gymboss timer.9 miles isn't so bad for your longest run. I'd recommend trying Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. Basically, you figure out what pace you want for the race, say 12min/mile. That would equate to 2min running / 1min walking. You stick to this ratio for the entire race. There' s more info on this on his website.
I'll check him out, thanks! If I finished 12 min a mile I'd be stoked. I usually can run most of it, but since I've never hit the distances I should, maybe I should do run walk. Have you done it? If so, is it annoying to time it?
Wow, good to know. I'll check it out, thank you for the help.
You also don't have to use exact measurements, especially if you haven't been training using exact intervals. I don't have a watch, a smartphone, or anything like that. I usually just walk through every mile marker and water/aid station for a minute or two, or I will walk for a whole song on my iPod if I really need a break.0
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