Half marathon training and weight loss?

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Amy_Andrews
Amy_Andrews Posts: 106
in Fitness and Exercise
I've recently fallen in love with running after a LONG hatred of it. So I've decided that before I turn 35 (just over a year) I want to complete a half marathon.

I'm a super slow runner. I completed the C25K program last fall and then took the winter off (mostly out of laziness) and gained back the 10+ pounds I lost while doing that program. I am finally catching the running bug again and love the challenge of training for a half. I plan to do it very slowly and incorporate more cross training and strength training than a traditional half marathon program.

My question is, should I try to drop some of the 20+ pounds I'm hopping to lose BEFORE I start the training, or can I lose the weight while training? I am very easily derailed and have already encountered a zero weight loss week after just 4 weeks of being back on the wagon.

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  • lrslac
    lrslac Posts: 1
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    You might be interested in the Jeff Galloway method of distance running, which uses the run-walk-run method. (www.jeffgalloway.com) It's easily adaptable for anyone. I've used it for three half-marathons so far. In addition to a lot of free info on his website, he's got a few easy to read books.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
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    I don't have trouble losing weight while training, as long as I keep my daily deficit small and eat back the calories I burn so I can properly fuel my runs. When I had 30-40 pounds to lose, I was comfortable trying to lose a pound a week; once I got to 10-20 pounds from goal I switched to a half a pound a week.

    As your runs get longer, you'll definitely be able to tell whether you're getting enough fuel or not--for me, if I flag badly in the last two miles of a 6-10 mile run, chances are I didn't get enough to eat that day and/or the day before. You can help that during runs by bringing along gels, chomps, or sport jelly beans (or other snack--some people swear by Fig Newtons, nuts, or dried fruit)--if you're going to do this, make sure you practice during long runs, as you don't want to try anything for the first time on the day of your race. But I do find that the better fueled I am beforehand, the more energy I have during the race or long run, and the less I need gels (or whatever) during.
  • fabfindz05
    fabfindz05 Posts: 92 Member
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    I run with people of all shapes and sizes. IMO, there is no need to lose weight before hand.

    Like someone else mentioned, experiment with different fueling methods on your training runs. That way you'll have a good systems down by the time your race rolls around.

    My blood sugar tends to drop after 10 miles. I had to switch my schedule and fuel earlier to get ahead of the drop. Once it happens, it's difficult (for me at least) to recover.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Do both.

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