From Non-Runner to Half Marathon in Four Months

bjshields
bjshields Posts: 677 Member
edited September 22 in Motivation and Support
Okay, campers. So sometime between Christmas and today, I've lost my happy mind (as my mother would say) and decided to do a half marathon in the hills of Maryland on May 15th. I can run a grand total of 10 minutes right now, so I've got a really good, long ways to go. The half marathon (here anyway) is 12.79 miles. I think most places, it's 13.2 miles.

Is anybody else interested in virtually training together & checking in weekly as to time/distance run? I could use a little support here, it's going to be challenging for me. I'm also not quite over my Christmas illness yet, so today won't be a great running day. I'll probably walk more than run.

Anybody else in?

Replies

  • Dlibo1013
    Dlibo1013 Posts: 883 Member
    I am with you. I can do like three miles now but want to ultimetly run a marathon
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Im running my first half marathon in about 30 days (january 30th) and I am here to say that you can do it!
    I would strongly advise you to check out any book by Jeff Galloway about running.
    Start out slow, with one long run on the weekends (starting at 3 miles and increasing slowly). Do not increase your distance more than 10% per week or every 2 weeks depending on how you feel. Instead of trying to run the whole thing, start out with run/walk intervals.

    Good luck!
  • vandy29
    vandy29 Posts: 39 Member
    I am planning on doing a triathlon in June (1/4 mile swim, 10-15 miles bike, and 3.1 run). I am planning on working on the running first, adding the bike in late February or early March, then the swimming in late April early May.....so I have lost my mind too.....I want to run the Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville Fl February 2012 and maybe some 5Ks and 10Ks in between....
  • Scorpiomom222
    Scorpiomom222 Posts: 1,462 Member
    I'm WITH ya! I can run 4 miles right now, but I'm trying to lengthen that so I can reach my goal of half marathon for a race in June. Can I friend you?
  • Becky011
    Becky011 Posts: 384
    I like this idea too! I always seem to do better with a real goal beyond just "I want to look better" . I will check out those Jeff Galloway books, sounds like some solid advice to stick with it and avoid injury.
  • YogaRunner
    YogaRunner Posts: 652 Member
    I'm here for you for sure. I live in MD too! Four months is plenty of time. I trained for my first half marathon in 3 months and I was not a runner before hand. Now, I've completed 2 full marathons and 4 half marathons!
    Risa
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
    YES YES YES! I am just like you, lost my mind and plan on doing a 1/2 marathon (one of the 13.2 milers) May 1st with my brother in law. Who is a veteran runner and in amazing shape. And I am very slow and can do about 1.5 miles right now without feeling like dying. LOL! I would love to have some training buddies!
  • FemininGuns
    FemininGuns Posts: 605 Member
    Hi there - great goal to have!

    I will be running my 6th 1/2 marathon in February 2011.

    A few words of caution... Please LISTEN to your body! The worse thing is setting a goal and then getting an injury.

    Set your goals as follows for your first half: 1) FINISH upright and smiling!; 2) everything else is just gravy!!!

    I am currently training a few first timers for February... I can already pick out the people who will be getting injuries: the ones that AREN'T Stretching after runs, and everyday in between. So stretch, stretch and when you think you've stretched enough, stretch some more!

    I would also encourage you to visit a sports physio who can give you some exercises with a rubber band to help strengthen the small muscles in your glutes, hips and hamstrings (that is if you aren't doing strength training already). We use our quads most when running and everything else then just relies on them. We need to compliment the muscles.

    Hope your training goes well and yes please listen to poster above - read up on the training and also read up on nutrition for runners :)

    GOOD LUCK!
  • Scorpiomom222
    Scorpiomom222 Posts: 1,462 Member
    I am planning on doing a triathlon in June (1/4 mile swim, 10-15 miles bike, and 3.1 run). I am planning on working on the running first, adding the bike in late February or early March, then the swimming in late April early May.....so I have lost my mind too.....I want to run the Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville Fl February 2012 and maybe some 5Ks and 10Ks in between....

    Good for you!!!! I'm doing a 7K in Denver, CO. It should be a blast!!!
  • Dcnorfolk
    Dcnorfolk Posts: 6
    What race are you doing in the "hills of Maryland."
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    absolutely, yes, friend me.
  • MaryChaCha
    MaryChaCha Posts: 20 Member
    YOU can do it!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    I am doing the Maryland Half Marathon in Fulton, MD May 15th. Here's the link for anybody who wants to register.

    http://www.active.com/running/fulton-md/maryland-half-marathon-2011.

    I don't know how to make links in MFP, but copy it to your browser and it will bring you there.

    I'm also doing Iron Girl 2011 in August in Columbia, MD. That is an amazing first-time triathlon for women only, but it's totally full now. I would recommend any of the Aflac Iron Girl series of events in the country. They're well-run and organized to the hilt and an extremely positive experience.

    Thanks for the posts, I'll be back here, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel, to check in next Tuesday. Hope everybody who's training will log their miles then. :smile:
  • amelia_atlantic
    amelia_atlantic Posts: 926 Member
    Good luck! I'm trying to REALLY get back into running myself.

    (Anyone!) Feel free to join my miles challenge: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/142912-january-miles-challenge
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
    I am planning on doing a triathlon in June (1/4 mile swim, 10-15 miles bike, and 3.1 run). I am planning on working on the running first, adding the bike in late February or early March, then the swimming in late April early May.....so I have lost my mind too.....I want to run the Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville Fl February 2012 and maybe some 5Ks and 10Ks in between....

    Good for you!!!! I'm doing a 7K in Denver, CO. It should be a blast!!!

    Oooh, what 7K in Denver? I live in Brighton and would love to give it a shot!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I'd like to keep up with this thread... I got into running last summer doing the C25K - I did 2 5k's last year and then fell off the running wagon. Really excited to be getting back into it. I've signed myself up for a 10k on May 1st near Denver, CO (The Colorado Marathon - they have a 5k, 10k, half and full marathon). I'm planning on doing a half-marathon in October, the Denver Rock and Roll Marathon.

    I've setup a training schedule for myself for now through May - one rest day a week, plus 1 short distance day + crosstraining/weights, 2 mid-distance days and one long-distance day on the weekend. Also doing one day of only stretching/strength and one day of only cross training (rowing, elliptical, stairs, etc.) Right now my "long" distance is only 3 miles, but will be increasing that gradually so that I'm doing 7 miles before the 10k in May.

    I saw a few other Colorado folk on this thread - I'll give you links to the events I've mentioned if you want.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    i am supposed to be traing for a 15k in new york city in march and i haven't done ANYTHING for the last 7-8 weeks. seeing this was the motivation i needed to get started again! thanks!
  • Fliegenschwein
    Fliegenschwein Posts: 232 Member
    I'm very interested to see how you get on with this. Our local half marathon is in June and I was wondering if I would have enough time to have a go at it.

    Have sent a friend request :bigsmile: Good luck!!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    Thanks everybody, hope this gets us all on track! I am sick (since Christmas), so I'll be WALKING today on my treadmill, but hope to get back to running next week. In the meantime, I'm going to check out some of these books suggested and will post a weekly suggested running schedule for non-runners like me. From everything I've read before on this subject, it looks like you need to be up to 30 minutes of solid running (or jogging) before you can get on a schedule, but don't quote me on it. The most I've run is 15 minutes, which is sad but true.

    Cheers!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    Yes, absolutely, I need all the friends I can get!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    FYI, I've posted Week 1 of training for anybody else who'd like to follow the 12-week plan recommended for non-runners from about.com
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