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MyFitnessPal Community

1st time half marathon

teamstanish

I just started training for my first half marathon! I'm nervous and excited. Is anyone else training for their first half? I'm looking for friends to help keep me motivated.

If you've already finished a half advice is always appreciated!

Replies

txbandman

Training for my first half - Jalapeno Half Marathon in Ft Worth TX on June 29th. Nervous and excited says it pretty well. I have five 10K races behind me and have made training runs as long as 10.25 miles, but getting close to 1 month now, and a lot of the time I don't know if I'm doing the right things in my training or not.
When is your half?
Feel free to add me if you would like to compare notes on the training and the races once they get here!

Coyoteldy

GO FOR IT don't know which one you are training for but I started a couple of years ago and have run six since...train well
(Marathoning for Mortals is a great training book) and have a blast.. hope you get great bling for finishing.. You CAN do this.... one step at a time...I have three coming up this summer.. Superhero costume run.. Disney and Tinkerbell...I am a walk/runner due to bad ( really bad) knees... but I go and have a blast...run your first one and just enjoy the whole thing.. don't worry about how fast you are.. enjoy it...they really are fun to do and a great way to challenge yourself!!!

thenoxus1

I am also training for my first half. I'll switch to half marathon training after my 5K next weekend. Mine is in October, feel free to add me!

teamstanish

I haven't sign up for one yet, plan to do one in the fall. I'm following a 12 week training plan!

lcgr13

You can do it! I ran my first half marathon to celebrate my 40th birthday last year. Just add distance gradually over 12 weeks, as you plan. I plan to run another half marathon in early November. I can be a virtual training buddy if you want one!

Cheers,
Laura

derekj222

I've done a half and full....find a training plan online like Hal Higdon's. You don't have to follow it strictly, but it helps. Watch "Spirit of the Marathon" on Netflix, great marathon movie!

LuLuRunner1

I ran my first half in January. When I realized that I was running 8 miles on a consecutive basis, I started thinking about doing a half. At first I thought that I'd skip an organized 1/2 and just run it by myself, but a friend of mine that has run multiple marathons told me that for the first one, to make it a good one; he thought I needed to a reward at the end. So, I started looking for one in the area that would either have cool medals or shirts. I found the Rain Run (live in the Seattle area) and decided it would be a great first time marathon and it was! I was glad that my friend talked me into competing in an event and not just running on my own.

I'm now signed up for a second half marathon in August, but I'm beginning to train for a full marathon. My goal is to be able to contact the race coordinators and switch over to the full marathon. I can officially say I am now addicted.

The best piece of advice I was given was to just go out there and have fun.