Possible first half training question

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astralweeks82
astralweeks82 Posts: 230 Member
Hello all, quick question for you. I MIGHT sign up for my first half, the Philadelphia Half Marathon taking place November 23rd (only "might" due to financial restraints, otherwise I would have already). I have been training, however, for my first 10K that's set to take place the first week of September. So, like I said I am not actually signed up for the half, and if I am able to do so it wouldn't be until maybe a month before. But the 10K is definite. I am already running 10K distances on my long runs at this point. How would you proceed with training? Would you continue onto a 1/2 training plan? Wait until after the 10K to progress? Forgive me if this is all fairly common knowledge stuff, as you can probably tell I am still fairly new to running.

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  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    You can absolutely do this. My advice would be to find a 1/2 training plan that suits your current level of ability and back calculate the weeks from your scheduled half to see where you are. Chances are it will be a 16 or 18 week plan, so it's probably already a few weeks in, but given that you are running 6+ miles now, you should not be behind. If you are currently doing more mileage than the plan calls for at this point, I would stick with what you are doing and progress with the plan as it "catches up" to you. Hope this makes sense. Good luck and I hope you can swing it financially. It will be worth it!
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
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    A lot of the half training programs are 12 weeks, so depending on when in November the half is you should probably start training soon. Even if you don't end up running the half, the mileage will be good for your 10K race.

    I did a modified version of Hal Higdon's novice half training program, which has you running a 10K race in week 9. Yours would just be faster than that.

    I modified Higdon's plan because that was the one that worked best with my workout schedule (I only run 3 times a week but I also strength train 3 times a week and do cross-training a couple times a week) but I was already up to 10 miles for my long runs so I didn't want to backtrack to where his started. I built up to 14 miles about a month before my race then tapered my runs back down again
  • astralweeks82
    astralweeks82 Posts: 230 Member
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    Oh, forgive me, and I will edit the post to reflect it, but it's actually the END of November. It's the Philadelphia Marathon's Half, and it's on November 23rd.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    A lot of the half training programs are 12 weeks, so depending on when in November the half is you should probably start training soon. Even if you don't end up running the half, the mileage will be good for your 10K race.

    I'm at the end of Week 2 of a 12 week Hal program. My half is at the end of October and I'm still gonna finish like 3 weeks before my half. So her half isnt til the END of November, so she doesn't have to start training til after Labor day really
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    I am already running 10K distances on my long runs at this point. How would you proceed with training? Would you continue onto a 1/2 training plan? Wait until after the 10K to progress?
    I would get started on the half training plan. You already know you can run the 10k and the half training plan is going to help your 10k time as well. You'll just need to ease up a tad a couple days before your 10k just to make sure you're not too sore.
  • astralweeks82
    astralweeks82 Posts: 230 Member
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    This is all fantastic advice, thanks everyone. I'll go ahead and morph my 10k training into a half plan. I feel pretty good about being able to actually do it! Now, can anyone make it NOT cost over a hundred bucks? ;)
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    Mine was 5$.
    And I also had to fundraise 70$ for it (75$ fund raiser actually, registration fee went towards the goal. it's 75$ regardless of the reg price tho)
    Tonight the fee raises to 20$...
    Benefits a children's hospital
  • Garthamatic
    Garthamatic Posts: 84 Member
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    Yes.

    Last year I started the C25K program in March and ran my first Half Marathon (ever) that November.

    Completely do-able.
  • saskie78
    saskie78 Posts: 237 Member
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    Your first half! Yay!
  • SecretAgent27
    SecretAgent27 Posts: 57 Member
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    If you were to use something like the Hal Higdon plans, there's overlap from the end of the Novice 10K plan to the Novice 1 HM plan. Or Intermediate 10K to Int. HM. It's a little different, but not that much. With a little planning, you can seamlessly transition from a 10K plan to a HM plan where it all feels like one big plan.

    And if I counted right, there should be about 11 weeks between your 10K and possible HM. And that's how long most HM plans are. So you could easily just finish out your current 10K plan and transition right into the HM plan immediately afterwards, maybe starting at week 2.

    My first 10K was only 6 weeks after my first 5K, but because there was overlap between the plans I was following, I was immediately able to jump to the last 6 weeks of the 10K plan.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
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    My first 10K and Half worked like your schedule. I ran my first 10K in early Sept. last year and my first half in late November. I took up running in January of 2013, so this was all within my first year of running. I'm only in my second year now, so very much a newbie.

    I'd found a beginner 12-week half training plan and modified it. I did 10 weeks of official training for the half, starting after my 10K race. But, before the 10K race, I'd already run 9 miles and over 7 miles a few times. I felt my base was okay for 10 weeks of training, especially since I already ran 15-20 miles weekly before starting the official training.

    You can definitely do it. Keep training for your 10K, and maybe start the first couple weeks of half training. I'd say that will help your 10K since it sounds like you're ready to go for that.

    How many miles a week do you run now? That might give you a sense of where you are to start the half training.

    Good luck!
  • astralweeks82
    astralweeks82 Posts: 230 Member
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    How many miles a week do you run now? That might give you a sense of where you are to start the half training.
    Good luck!

    At this point, my long run for the last two weeks was 6 miles. I am thinking, since I've been bumping it up a mile every 2 weeks, I will do a recovery long run at just 5 miles, and then next week 7 miles for the long. I am reluctant to do the recovery week because I've never done it before but I know I "should", as it it's built into my 10K plan and I see it's in the half plans as well. Better get used to it!

    That said, my other two runs during the week are 3-4 miles, so for example, last week I ran a total of 13.5 miles, plus cross training days.
  • schmenge55
    schmenge55 Posts: 745 Member
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    Training benefits don't come when you are running they come when you are recovering :)
    How many miles a week do you run now? That might give you a sense of where you are to start the half training.
    Good luck!

    At this point, my long run for the last two weeks was 6 miles. I am thinking, since I've been bumping it up a mile every 2 weeks, I will do a recovery long run at just 5 miles, and then next week 7 miles for the long. I am reluctant to do the recovery week because I've never done it before but I know I "should", as it it's built into my 10K plan and I see it's in the half plans as well. Better get used to it!

    That said, my other two runs during the week are 3-4 miles, so for example, last week I ran a total of 13.5 miles, plus cross training days.
  • pmur
    pmur Posts: 223 Member
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    I am training for my first half end of Sept. I did my first ever 10k on June 8th. After the 10K, I tapered down a little(Hal Higdon's novice 1 HM plan). It actually helps to follow the plan from the first or second week and build back up again. I'm on week 9 and have ample time for the HM. The cut backs have helped me a lot. This week is cut back week and we are supposed to do a 10k instead of the long run this weekend and we are looking forward to that. The week after cutback we are super ready for the longer long runs!

    Good luck to You!