Two weeks until my first half marathon, and I need advice!

missxlaur
missxlaur Posts: 286
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I've been training for my first half marathon for the last few months and the training has been going great. This upcoming weekend will be my last run (12 miles) before the half. These last 3 weeks, I did one 10-mile run and two 11-milers. That being said, I have bursitis in both my hips. What happens around mile 8 is I start to feel like the tin man - hips tight, feeling like the joints are stuck, like trying to move a square peg in a circle hole. The pain is awful. If I walk during the run, I can barely get my legs to move enough to start jogging again.

I know that I have enough in me to do the half - that's not the issue. My question is if I should do my last run (12 miles) before the half, or maybe do one or two shorter runs this weekend? Do you think I will see a significant increase in my half time if I do the 12 miles? A significant decrease in my half time if I dont?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Replies

  • missxlaur
    missxlaur Posts: 286
    I'm hoping some experienced runners can help me out here!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    One training run isn't going to make any significant difference in your race time. The significant gains come from the cumulative effects of consistent training over time.

    If you need to adjust the training due to an injury then its better to do that than to put yourself through a lot of pain. I would recommend just running 8, if thats what you can do before problems show up, and then make sure you are rested going into the race.

    An alternative, if the bursitis allows it, is to break that 12 miles up into two runs on that day with something like 4 miles then 8 miles with 4 or more hours in between. That's not quite as good as 12 miles straight but is still a very good training stimulus
  • derekj222
    derekj222 Posts: 370 Member
    Everyone thinks you need to run as far as you can that last run, and I thought this too, wrong. There are some great articles out there on active.com for prepping for half/full marathons. The last run before the marathon should not be 10+ miles, it should only be little runs up to about 3 days before the race. Your body takes a lot time to recover from a long run, and 1 week is not enough to recover form 12 miles.
  • derekj222
    derekj222 Posts: 370 Member
    I also walked my last 5 miles, I wasn't as prepared as I could of been for my Half that I ran in May, but will be running the full marathon this May, ready to go!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    One training run isn't going to make any significant difference in your race time. The significant gains come from the cumulative effects of consistent training over time.

    If you need to adjust the training due to an injury then its better to do that than to put yourself through a lot of pain. I would recommend just running 8, if thats what you can do before problems show up, and then make sure you are rested going into the race.

    An alternative, if the bursitis allows it, is to break that 12 miles up into two runs on that day with something like 4 miles then 8 miles with 4 or more hours in between. That's not quite as good as 12 miles straight but is still a very good training stimulus

    ^^ This.

    Many training plans call for 10 miles as your longest training run, as Scott said - one run isn't going to make a difference at this point.
  • ATclassof2021
    ATclassof2021 Posts: 232 Member
    Just ran my 4th Full Marathon this past weekend (Marine Corps Marathon). If you are only a couple weeks out, you should be on a taper not moving up in miles. This is the milage I ran the last two weeks.....notice I am running shorter to allow my body to recover from all the trng I have done (614 miles total to include the marathon).

    Week prior to Marathon: Monday 4 miles, Tuesday 6 miles, Wednesday 6 miles, Thursday Off-Day, Friday 7 miles, Saturday 8 miles, Sunday Off-Day

    Week of Marathon: Monday Off-Day, Tuesday 7 miles, Wednesday 5 miles, Thursday 3 miles, Friday Off-Day, Saturday 2 miles, Marathon Day (Sunday) 26.2 miles

    Now I am not sure what your trng has looked liked, but this is for a full.....I would expect you to be lower than this.

    Hope this helps!!!

    Dave
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    I just did a half last week. My plan called for one 10 miler a week before, then a 4 mile on Tuesday, and a 2 mile on Thursday, race on Sunday. Sounds like you have way too much mileage for a taper week.
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    I have a half on Nov 10th in Disneyworld - I am doing 12 miles this Saturday, but ONLY b/c I am also training for a full in 2.5 months, and it plus my half (plus one more half in December) ARE training runs for me. It sounds like you have been training and training well and are happy with your training, so a 2 week taper is not abnormal for a half. Run short runs this week to avoid injury, let your hips rest, and then walk next week to keep muscles loose. A long run this coming weekend won't really help you in any way, and it sounds like it has the potential to hurt you! I would take it easy and avoid injury.

    What are you doing for the bursitis? Do you have a stretching or icing program that you are using? I would do something like that if you can to do anything possible to help it get better before the race. Good luck!!! Feel free to add me if you are looking for running friends, I run all the time :)
  • tracypk
    tracypk Posts: 233 Member
    I agree with what has been said. I have run 4 halfs and I always run 10 the week before no more. Then 2 more short runs just to keep my body conditioned.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
    One training run isn't going to make any significant difference in your race time. The significant gains come from the cumulative effects of consistent training over time.

    If you need to adjust the training due to an injury then its better to do that than to put yourself through a lot of pain. I would recommend just running 8, if thats what you can do before problems show up, and then make sure you are rested going into the race.

    An alternative, if the bursitis allows it, is to break that 12 miles up into two runs on that day with something like 4 miles then 8 miles with 4 or more hours in between. That's not quite as good as 12 miles straight but is still a very good training stimulus

    ^^ This.

    Many training plans call for 10 miles as your longest training run, as Scott said - one run isn't going to make a difference at this point.

    This!
    With my first half, the weekend before I just ran 8 miles (not the recommended 12) and I think I ran better in my half because I didn't overtax my legs or my body before the race. Like you said, you know you can run the race, so don't worry about if you do 12 or 10 or 8 miles the weekend before. Running those extra few miles at this stage of the game is not going to make a difference. Resting your legs will - its most important now.
    And don't forget to enjoy it! And good luck!!
  • DG_Allen
    DG_Allen Posts: 219 Member
    I say take it easy. ScottB has good advice. I just ran my first half on Sunday and I had been injured and had not done a long run since early September. I was under-trained but I ran the whole thing and finished in 2:03:07. I had been training for four months prior to my injury and I knew I could run the distance.

    You have enough training. Resting up to let your hips get better won't hurt you.
  • helpmeherman
    helpmeherman Posts: 21 Member
    I never ever do 12 miles before a half. I run up to 10 miles, once or twice, and then I run the half. I have had bursitis in the hip as well, and the doc told me to take ibuprofen and stretch. I wouldn't worry about a long run this weekend. If you are already at 10/11 miles, then you will be fine for the half.

    I just finished my 12th half a week and a half ago, and I'm running my 13th half this Saturday.
  • missxlaur
    missxlaur Posts: 286
    Thank you so much everyone! I am relieved with all of your responses! I'm going to continue with my training this week (3 miles today, 3 miles tomorrow, 3 miles Thurs) - then I'll do maybe 8 miles on Saturday - then the week of the race do 3 sets of 2 miles (Tues-Thurs) and run the half on Sunday!

    THANK YOU!

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