1st Half Training Question

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OnionMomma
OnionMomma Posts: 938 Member
So, I am doing my first half on Oct 5th and have a question. I will also be doing a 5k the day before as it's a special challenge they have and I paid into. I'm excited.

Training has gone really well, aside from being a tad sore, I'm great, just extra hungry and extra tired. I've done the Hal Hidgon intermediate half plan. The only changes I made was to do my long run on Sundays and most of the speed work has been fartleks instead of what the plan calls for. I have not really change anything else and haven't really missed but a small amount of runs.

That said, this plan really doesn't have much of a taper and with doing a 5K the day prior to my half, I'm thinking I should do a little more than what the plan calls for. This is what I'm thinking of doing:

Saturday, Sept 20: 11 miles

Sept 21: 1 hour bike ride (this is what I've done each Sunday)

Sept 22: 5 miles

Sept 23: Fartleks (about 4 miles worth, many times it's 5 again)

Sept 24: 3 Miles

Sept 25: 3 miles

Sept 26: Rest

Saturday, Sept 27: 10 Miles *this is what I think might need to be changed, lower miles maybe*

Sept 28: 1 hour bike ride

Sept 29: 3 Miles

Sept 30: 2 miles

Oct 1: 1 mile

Oct 2: Rest

Oct 3: Rest

Saturday, Oct 4: 5K race

Oct 5: Half Marathon

ETA that my plan is just to finish. My Mom was having some "mental toughness" issues on her long runs, so I've slowed down, stayed with her, and am going to join her in a slower corral if they let me. (which I'm sure they will) My ultimate goal would be to push her across the finish line in under 3 hours.

I really think this is doable for her if the weather is cooler and it's trending that way this time of year already. Mornings have been great. We completed a 10 mile run with a 12 min pace average.

Replies

  • wombat94
    wombat94 Posts: 352 Member
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    Sounds like a good plan to me... the only possible tweak I would make would be to swap the 1 mile on October 1 with October 2. For me the important part of the taper is the overall amount of rest in the week - not necessarily a block of time off... I feel better when I'm at the peak of a training plan and getting ready to race if I DON'T take two days off back-to-back. (But this is just personal preference and I'm sure you'd be fine with what you have as well).

    The only other advice is that if this is your first Half, I would probably recommend NOT trying to race the 5K all out. Run it as a moderately hard training run if you want, but remember that you have to get up the next morning and put in a reasonable effort on the half.

    Good luck... sounds like a fun weekend!
  • OnionMomma
    OnionMomma Posts: 938 Member
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    Thanks! We are going to take the 5K really slow. Not trying to break any records.

    We did 11 this morning, the weather was perfect,the sky was overcast and we got out a tad earlier than normal. We held an 11:30ish pace. So, a great run.