Half marathon-last 7 weeks

jb290978
jb290978 Posts: 30 Member
edited November 17 in Fitness and Exercise
Been following a plan which has now come to an end but the run is 7 weeks away. I have run two 10 mile runs as my long ones.

Should I continue to run 10 miles long run each week before tapering to or go back to a plan repeating the last few weeks again therefore taking my long runs back to 7 or so miles.

Replies

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    So why did you follow a plan that stopped 7 weeks before the race?
    I would continue increasing your long run distance beyond 10 miles to at least 13, 15 would be good too.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    So why did you follow a plan that stopped 7 weeks before the race?
    I would continue increasing your long run distance beyond 10 miles to at least 13, 15 would be good too.

    I second this. If you are actually in half marathon shape NOW for a race 7 weeks away, you have the opportunity to make a big improvement on your speed. Take a "down week", then build your long runs even farther, perhaps out to 15 or 16 miles (you are at 10 now, do 11 the next week, 12 the week after, 14 after that, then 15 or 16). Get some mid-week tempo work in there. Run a bunch of short easy runs as well.

    You have the opportunity to really surprise yourself with your time.
  • amytag
    amytag Posts: 206 Member
    My half plan stopped at 10 miles and I will never stop at 10 again. I would suggest going up to 14 or 15 since you have time, that way on race day it will feel like "only 13" instead of "OMG another 5k" to finish. Build in some hill repeats and speedwork.
  • stutba
    stutba Posts: 152 Member
    Ok, my opinion differs slightly, I would run a 11 and 13, then I would cut back again and start at 9, 10, 11 then follow last two weeks of your plan to make sure you cut back allowing enough time for rest and recovery for your half.
    I think you said you had 7 weeks left. Make sure you have enough cut back so your not fatigued.

    I did a 13 week plan (had 15 weeks). I just repeated a couple 11's. I did run 12+ miles in the plan. I think the 10 mile long run is to short and closer to 13 would be better, you will know what to expect and be prepared.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    I guess I am somewhat of the opinion that if you have properly trained for the race, then "finishing" is not going to be your main goal. It might have been when you started training, but if the training was of sufficient quality you are going to be in much better shape than "just finish". With 7 extra weeks to train (well, lets say 5 realistically to put a taper in there) you have time to not only push the distance, but also do a little pace work. Or if you don't want to push the distance, you can start adding a little bit of tempo and goal pace running in the middle of the long runs.

    Don't just waste those extra training weeks by doing more slow running, but use them to improve your ability so that not only are you going to finish, you will do so strong. As it is I recommend topping out at 15 miles for a half marathon if the fitness is there. Those last couple of long runs will include a few miles at race pace in the middle.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    Is this your first? And does it matter to you, if it is your first, that race day could potentially not be your "first" half marathon?

    When training for my first, my plan also stopped at 10 miles and I felt it was enough. The last 3.1 were "a lot" to add at the end, but there was no way I wasn't going to finish at that point. I know, personally, it would have bothered me to go further than 13.1 miles in training for my first, but if that doesn't matter to you, a little more distance since you have the time probably wouldn't hurt.
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