Half Marathon Training

yes...be prepared to walk when your body needs rest..and run when you can. i did my first 1/2...and i finished in 3:27...not a great time..but awesome for me...I say do it..!

I think it's possible, but not advisable. The more you up your mileage without a sound base (several months of consistently running 3 or more miles a day, 3 or 4 times a week), the more likely you are to injure yourself when running. That said, if you are really interested in it and think your fitness level is good enough, there are several run-walk programs out there designed to help you achieve your goal of running a half. Hal Higgdon and Jeff Galloway are to names that come to mind. You would probably want to start them sooner rather than at the end of the 5K to 10K bridge program.

As long as you okay with a good bit of walking and not worrying about time or running the whole way, you could do it. But if you want to run your first half marathon, six weeks is too fast to comfortably go from 6.2 miles to 13.1 miles.

I'll third the Hal Higdon plan. It's what I've used for both of my half marathons as well as using his training plan outlines for shorter distance races as well.

But most half marathon plans are around 12 weeks long so trying to cram it into six weeks would be asking for injury.

6 wks to better than double the distance?

Considering the last week will mainly be taper with little useful training, and first week may still be recovery from 10K, that leaves 5 weeks.

Very carefully it can be done, I've done it and trained others too.
Last week you need to scrap the diet and eat at maintenance, you'll require the extra carbs loaded up, sadly they store with water, thankfully that increases LBM and metabolism and endurance, so all good.
You'll also need to cross train, because that kind of increase in just running will likely cause injury, and there won't be time to recover.
And lifting won't fit in the schedule barely, except upper body.
And eat correctly for level of exercise.

Need to get endurance increased fast.
Studies on Short Interval Training (SIT) have shown a 100% increase in endurance in just 2 weeks, 3 sessions a week, 4-7 bouts per session.
Forget the page link name (you don't want HIIT right now), it's really about SIT - http://www.exrx.net/ExInfo/HIIT.html

So first 2 weeks after 10K is finished, 3 days spread out each week. Like Mo - We - Fr
10 min warm-up walk/jog.
30 sec all out sprint, followed by first walk and then slow jog for 4 min total. Repeat 4 times first day, then the rest 7 times.
10 min cool-down jog/walk.
For those 2 weeks, Tu & Th are easy spin class or bicycle day. You need recovery from those sprints to truly benefit. Can do upper body lifting on these days too.
Sat is rest day.
Sun is 6 mile jog, Aerobic HR zone. You'll need energy leftover for Mon SIT session.

3rd week. Switch to HIIT to develop anaerobic zone, but balanced with training fat-burning zone, which you'll require to make it.
Mon - 7 mile jog Aerobic HR zone. There, you just did 13 miles in 2 days - now you know you can finish the race.
Tue - walk or slow bicycle to help legs recover. Upper lifting if done.
Wed - 60 min slow run in Recovery HR zone (badly called fat-burning zone now), because still recovering probably.
Thu - HIIT
10 min warm-up walk.
30 sec all out sprint, followed by 90 sec of walking. Repeat 8 times.
10 min cool-down walk.
Fri - 60 min Slow cycle in Recovery HR zone. Upper lifting if done.
Sat - rest day.
Sun - 7 mile jog, Aerobic HR zone.

4th week. Same as last, but no long run on Monday.
Mon - 30 min jog, whatever HR zone you can manage, try to make it race pace, but only 30 min, plus warm-up/cool-down walking and stretching.
Tue - Sat - the same as last week.
Sun - Foot-time training. Estimate how long the Half will take you worse case scenario but realistic. Divide by 3. Wear the race clothes you plan on wearing. Do it early morning, eat dinner and breakfast as you plan to on race day. This will test everything out.
Walk 1/3 the time.
Jog 1/3 the time at race pace.
Walk 1/3 the time.
There, just spent on your feet the same amount of time you plan on running. And you've tested out diet and clothes and hydration, ect. And you didn't kill your joints requiring many days of recovery as after race.
Now you've done the distance in 24 hrs, and done the time all at once - you are ready.

5th week, same as last basically.
Mon - Sat the same.
Sun - 9 mile jog, Aerobic HR zone.

6th week, taper week. Eat at maintenance.
Mon - Wed the same.
Thu - 30 min Aerobic HR zone and cycle 30 min.
Fri - Cycle 30 min easy and walk 30 min.
Sat - walk 30 or rest.
Sun - Half Marathon!

I get wanting to do it with your friends. Otherwise, I'd say why rush it. Instead train so you can actually do the distance rather than just survive the experience. But again, I get wanting to do it with your friends.

If they are better trained for the 1/2, don't get caught up in trying to stay with them. Be prepared to walk a lot, and plan for it from the beginning. Feel free to try heybales approach, but don't expect it to be an easy task.

Do it because your friends are also, don't worry about time, walk often. Have fun and be proud of finishing.

Then I'd recommend take a step back and actually learn how to run the shorter distances. Ideally, you should get better at running 5ks and 10ks before tackling a half. That results in you having a better base, which translates into lower injury risk during training and a body better prepared to run the half distance.

Hey,

I also completed my very first half this year in May, and did it in 2:13..... I trained for 4 months ....started at 2.5k, increased to 4, then 5k....I ran on my treadmill at home , every other day 5 k....and did longer runs once a week....I never followed a real training schedule, but listened to my body. I also cross training, (weights, etc)...people forget that cross-training is also essential.....most marathoners forget that I find. Also, I am not a marathoner by any stretch, but I do recall ...people telling me to wean down on the long distance runs, 2 weeks before D day.....also , carb up the week before I think.

Good luck, it's an amazing feeling to get one under your belt.....You will do great!! Best of luck

just make sure you go at your own speed, don't try and keep up with your friends...

Bump. Training for my first half coming in September.