I'll be running my first half in October too. I wish I knew how to avoid injuries because I seem to keep getting them! Best thing I ever did for running in general is join a local running group. You can learn a lot from more experienced runners and it's very motivating as opposed to just running alone.

Regarding compression socks - I find them helpful for my long runs. When I started running I wore them all the time due to calf tightness/soreness but now I no longer need them for shorter runs (6 or less miles). I would not attempt this in Vibrams. Give yourself a long time to slowly transition to Vibrams if that is your goal. I read somewhere that for every 3mm you reduce the "drop" of your shoe, you need 16 weeks to adjust.

Yay!!! I'm excited for you!!

Since your race is less than 3 months out, I would say don't make a major change like going to VFF or minimalist shoes if you don't have the time to SLOWLY adjust to them. That would = a very quick injury with how many miles you'll be adding into your training, IMO.

A fuel belt is one of the best investments you can make, though. Read some reviews. Some swear by Nathan products. I love my Amphipod RunLite AirStretch belt -- you can have 1-4 bottles on there, can add a gel bottle or food pouch. I'm not sold on compression socks for races or actual running. The benefits are mostly seen after your running/race for recovery.

Also, I agree to increase your mileage slowly. Your weekend long runs should be at a slow pace -- you should be able to easily carry on a conversation. You're getting your ligaments, tendons, and muscles used to more distance and impact so never do a long run at your normal 10k pace or at your goal race pace. (BTW, I suggest that you don't have a goal pace for your first 1/2 marathon -- just go to finish it and enjoy it. It'll be a whole new experience and may or may not be tougher than you expect. Play it by ear and just go to take it all in!)

If you don't have a running plan, I'd suggest finding one from someone reputable instead of just winging it. It will help you to have enough weekly short run miles + long run miles to be very well prepared. I have been pretty happy with Hal Higdon's plans. I usually use his. I have used his novice 1, novice 2, intermediate 1, and intermediate 2 plans for the 1/2 marathon distance and I have always felt well trained and like the plans have helped me to improve my times over several training cycles. However, my very first 1/2 I used a plan from MarathonRookie.com LOL. It still worked pretty well.

I would say that the biggest and most important factor for training to avoid injury would be to INSPECT YOUR SHOES. You will be logging a lot more miles than usual to train for a 1/2. Do not run past the life of your shoes. If they are getting old now, buy a new pair now and be ready to break them in and swap them out somewhere in the middle of your training. If they are toast now, ditch them and get new kicks. That is a huge rookie mistake that anyone can make -- one that I made recently (even with having a lot of distance running experience under my belt, much to my chagrin) and which led to an achilles tendon injury on race day when I was headed for a 15 minute PR. You can run as slow as you want or as carefully as you want, wear compression, take ice baths, eat chia seed crusted bananas with wheat germ and tart cherries with sweet potato extract....... But the biggest injury preventative measure you can take is to wear the right shoes for your running form/foot and to make sure that your shoes are still good.

I think it's great that you're signed up and are taking on a new challenge! It's good that you're asking questions and it might be a good thing to check out that local running group. However, as with on here, be careful as not all advice is good advice. Just because something works for one person does not mean that it will work for another. There are generally agreed upon things such as building mileage slowly, but some advice is runner-specific or sometimes just bad advice. If it's advice about something big, though, like an injury (plantar fasciitis or IT band or runner's knee problems surface a lot for runners doing their first 1/2 marathon) I would be especially cautious about advice. One thing you cannot be afraid to do when you're training is to rest an injury (especially in the beginning phases of it) so that it can heal. Don't try to run past an injury if the pain won't go away after 3-5 days. Better to rest when it happens than to injure yourself so badly that you cannot race or so that it sidelines you from running altogether.

I have a ton more in my brain and I'm happy to share if you want to ask any questions. For example, if you plan on using in-run fuel, practice practice practice before the day of the race and take the things you're used to with you on race day! Have a great training and good luck to you! I can't wait to hear all about it!

For me, running-specific resistance training has been the best way to avoid injuries and / or help prevent small nagging injuries from becoming major problems. I've been doing squats, split squats, planks, hip thrusts, and a variety of upper body / core exercises for the past several months and it has helped tremendously. Also, foam rolling and the stick have helped, but I think the resistance training has been the real key.

Thank you for posting this.

I too am running my first 1/2 on October 19th, and will also be my first ever road race. (I just did a mud run last week-end).

I had been running with a local running club, before the summer became busy wtih camping and cottage life. I've still been running, but doing my own schedule as opposed to theirs. So far, my furthest distance ever has been right around 16 KM, so, another 5K and I would be there. I know that personally I struggle with pace, I want to try to run my long distances with the same intensity and pace that I run my 5 and 10K distances. I have to work hard to make sure to keep my pace even, possibly a bit slower in the start so that I have a bit of a reserve to push it to the finish line.

I do agree wtih another poster about strength training. Early into learning how to run last year, I did too much too fast, and suffered a knee injury. My PT had me build up and balance my strength between my quads and hamstrings with squats, split squats etc. I started to focus more on my strength training during the really cold winter months here, and when I went back to running in the spring, I was much stronger, had better endurance, and my running form was much better thanks to my strength gains.

I am setting a couple of mini-goals within my first 1/2; #1 is to finish with a smile and joy that I completed the course. #2 is to not be hard on myself if I need to walk at all.

Best wishes on your training and a successful first 1/2!

Thanks for the responses!

I've gotten some new running shoes. Mizuno, and ordered a fuel belt online. I'm glad I went in and got sized for the shoes because I thought I was 10.5 wide, but I'm 11 regular. Actually 10.75, but not wide width anymore. I think since I've lost 50 pounds, my feet have slimmed down. So, if you've gained or lost weight, consider getting your feet sized again!

Interesting article today: http://www.fitocracy.com/knowledge/what-you-need-to-start-running/

I have two fuel belts and love 'em. Both Nathan belts - one is for tris to hold a bib and a couple of gels (nothing to it), and the other is has two bottles and a small pouch for long training runs when I don't have aid stations.