Harrisburg half marathon

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krislshoe
krislshoe Posts: 459 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so is anyone else running the Harrisburg half marathong on Sept. 11th????? I have never done a half before only a 5k and I will be honest it make me nervous but I really want to do it. Also what do you think of this training schedule?


12-Week Training Schedule

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Week 1 off 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles off 3 miles 4 miles

Week 2 off 3 miles 4 miles 3 miles off 3 miles 4 miles

Week 3 off 3 miles 4 miles 3 miles off 3 miles 5 miles

Week 4 off 3 miles 5 miles 3 miles off 4 miles 6 miles

Week 5 off 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles off 3 miles 7 miles

Week 6 off 4 miles 4 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 8 miles

Week 7 off 4 miles 6 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 9 miles

Week 8 off 4 miles 6 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 10 miles

Week 9 off 4 miles 6 miles 4 miles off 3 miles 11 miles

Week 10 off 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 12 miles

Week 11 off 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles off 3 miles 6 miles

Week 12 off 3 miles 5 miles 3 miles off 2 miles 13.1 miles!

Replies

  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
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    Seems pretty reasonable to me, though if you've only done a 5k before - realize your weekly miles may be a bit high (starting week 1 with 16 miles!). Be very careful. I'd also make sure you "mix it up" and do some interval training, and make sure some of the runs are 80% race pace or above... and the long ones - take it easy and just do the distance, don't worry about time.

    Good luck!

    **EDIT - PS: I am not doing the Harrisburg half - sorry.
  • Meg28
    Meg28 Posts: 59
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    Looks like a very typical standard plan. You'll do great! Those long runs are key once a week. If life gets in the way and you need to adjust your schedule, try to make sure you get in at least one solid long run a week. If you start feeling good or want to mix it up some take one of those 4 or 5 milers and do a little tempo training. Try going faster for say two minutes and then easy for three until you finish -- or something like that. It isn't necessary to complete your first half, but it helps with speed and I think helps boredom on a run as well.
  • krislshoe
    krislshoe Posts: 459 Member
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    Right now I run 3 to 4 miles about 3 times a week so I think when I start training in June I will be ok with that schedule.....I meant the only race I have run so far is a 5k...thanks for the advice:)
  • njrower
    njrower Posts: 22 Member
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    I am not doing the Harrisburg race, but am running the Philly Rock n Roll Half the following weekend so we will pretty much be on the same training schedule.

    I have run a bunch of Half Marathons. The training schedule you have is pretty standard and I think i sthe first one I had used when I ran my first race.

    Good luck!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    I think your longest long run should be longer, around 15 miles. I would recommend a progression something like this for the long runs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 6, 9, 11, 6, 13, 15, 6, 13.1

    Cut is back every three weeks or so to ensure your body recovers. I think this works better than continually ramping miles. Sometimes that simply digs you into a big fatigue hole and fitness does not improve as high as it would otherwise.
  • knelson422
    knelson422 Posts: 308
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    That is an awesome goal. I have run a marathon and 2 1/2 marathons and used a program called "the non-runners marathon guide". Your training out line looks good, you may want to only run 4 times a week instead of 5. That is what this program suggested. The ideal week was short run, medium run, short run, long run- having off days before and after your long run. I would change week 6, and do a medium run that week too. That is really a great goal and you will feel so amazing when you are done. Don't have a goal for a time or to not walk, just have the goal be to finish it for your first race. I just did the 1/2 marathon in New Holland, PA last month and it was really a great run. I will have to look at the Harrisburg one in a couple of years. Good luck, you can do it. 90% mental. Also, make sure the check if they allow mp3 players,etc. My race didn't, so I trained without one (which made those long runs kind of boring, but a good time to clear my head and think). YOU CAN DO IT!!! If you can run 3 miles, in 12 weeks you really can run 13.1!!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I think your longest long run should be longer, around 15 miles. I would recommend a progression something like this for the long runs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 6, 9, 11, 6, 13, 15, 6, 13.1

    Cut is back every three weeks or so to ensure your body recovers. I think this works better than continually ramping miles. Sometimes that simply digs you into a big fatigue hole and fitness does not improve as high as it would otherwise.

    Since you have plenty of time before the race and already have somewhat of a training base, I like the above advice. Looking back at the training i did for my first half, it would have been a MUCH easier race had I took the long runs up to 14-15 miles. If that seems too much you can only run 4x a week to counter balance the longer long runs.

    My brother lives down the road from Harrisburg, maybe I'll think about making a trip to visit & run.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
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    I think your longest long run should be longer, around 15 miles. I would recommend a progression something like this for the long runs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 6, 9, 11, 6, 13, 15, 6, 13.1

    Cut is back every three weeks or so to ensure your body recovers. I think this works better than continually ramping miles. Sometimes that simply digs you into a big fatigue hole and fitness does not improve as high as it would otherwise.

    I totally agree... Recovery weeks are critical to building distance. Make sure you have adequate fallback weeks to ensure your success. Also if you ramp up to 15, you ensure you'll fade less in the last part of the race. Scott's advice is golden!
  • mt2008
    mt2008 Posts: 46 Member
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    I have no advice, as I'm not a runner (am eyeing the couch to 5K program though), but I wanted to say good luck to everyone who is running or plans to run in the half marathon! I live across the river (West Shore) from Harrisburg, right across the bridge from City Island where it starts. :-)
  • krislshoe
    krislshoe Posts: 459 Member
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    I think your longest long run should be longer, around 15 miles. I would recommend a progression something like this for the long runs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 6, 9, 11, 6, 13, 15, 6, 13.1

    Cut is back every three weeks or so to ensure your body recovers. I think this works better than continually ramping miles. Sometimes that simply digs you into a big fatigue hole and fitness does not improve as high as it would otherwise.

    I agree......I think I would be less nervous if I ran 15 before the race so i KNOW i can run 13.1...Thanks for the great advice everyone.
  • krislshoe
    krislshoe Posts: 459 Member
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    I have no advice, as I'm not a runner (am eyeing the couch to 5K program though), but I wanted to say good luck to everyone who is running or plans to run in the half marathon! I live across the river (West Shore) from Harrisburg, right across the bridge from City Island where it starts. :-)

    I live in Lewistown which is about 60 miles north of Harrisburg:)
  • mt2008
    mt2008 Posts: 46 Member
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    I live in Lewistown which is about 60 miles north of Harrisburg:)

    Howdy neighbor! :-)

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