Beginner to half marathon...any advice?

allyouwannado · May 2015

Hi all! This is my first post. I'm planning on doing a half marathon in 12 weeks, and I've started following the Active 13.one app training program. I'm generally a very athletic person but I've slacked off the past couple of months so right now a mile feels tough. Does anyone here have any experience going from beginner to 13.1 in 12 weeks? Thanks!

lialiali · May 2015

Doing the same thing as you.. My race is June 28th ( and am basically doing 3-13 in 8 weeks)! you have to run frequently and vary your workout to see the fast difference. I run 4-5 times a week; make sure to up your nutrition game to allow for all the training.. I save my long run for Sunday and rest Saturday and Monday. I vary the intensity within my run. for example, sprint for 30 seconds and the beginning of each mile. there is a ton of advice out there, but the most important thing for someone who is a beginner, is to train consistently 4-5X week to build your running fitness. Don't compare yourself to advanced runners who have been running long distances for years! Good luck!

allyouwannado · May 2015

Thank you so much! Good luck on your race...let me know how it goes!

cheshirecatastrophe · May 2015

I'm not familiar with that app, but I will say this: do NOT run every day if you haven't been (especially if you haven't been running at all). That is a superfast trip to all sorts of overuse injuries that will take you out of the half marathon.

Don't rule out a run/walk strategy, either.

allyouwannado · May 2015

The app seems pretty good on that...I run 4 days a week with 2 rest days and one cross train day. So far this week I've only had to walk a mile, run a half and walk 1.5, run a half. It builds very gradually

alpine1994 · May 2015

I did my first half marathon last fall. I was starting from a 5K level and I kind of made my own 16 week program by combining a few other programs that are out there. I printed out a calendar template for each month in the program and wrote my workouts into the days (with a pencil!). I found early on that I couldn't always do my workouts as scheduled due to weather, illness, feeling like I needed to rest, other plans coming up, etc. So it's important to be flexible but also make sure that you get all/most of your workouts in each week. I only ran 3 times per week (1 long one, 2 short ones) with 2 cross training days so that's why I stretched it out to 16 weeks. Also sometimes for the long runs I had to repeat distances that I had a tough time with but I ran 13 miles two weeks before race day so at least I knew I could finish. I did, and it was freaking awesome. I'm signed up for my second half this fall and I will follow a similar plan. Good luck!

WhatMeRunning · May 2015

My experience can't compare to yours as I was not very athletic at all when I started, but I went from no running to running a half in a roughly similar timeframe.

I followed a program similar to the Hal Higdon Novice program. I had to tone it down a bit as it was just too hard at first, but I kept up with the long run distances each weekend. You can probably handle it and get a half in within 12 weeks.

Get some good shoes.

JodiMMitchell · May 2015

I ran my first half last September. I started training the beginning of June. I basically ran 3 miles on Tuesday and Thursday's. 4-5 miles on Wednesday. This was the day I included hills as well. Then on the weekend I gradually increased my mileage.
I ran another half in April.
You have plenty of time. Even if you have to walk some you'll be fine.

TavistockToad · May 2015

What's the farthest you have run so far?

andysport1 · May 2015

allyouwannado wrote: »

The app seems pretty good on that...I run 4 days a week with 2 rest days and one cross train day. So far this week I've only had to walk a mile, run a half and walk 1.5, run a half. It builds very gradually

The days seem pretty good the only change I would make there is your 2 rest days I would suggest a 5 mile walk, it will help in the long term.
The walk to run may be better if you were doing say 2 mins run 1 min walk, then repeat for say 30 minutes gradually increase the 30 mins whilst gradually reducing the 1 min walk.

Good luck

allyouwannado · May 2015

I did 5 miles with some walking breaks in between about 2 weeks ago. The past couple of weeks I've been following a couch to 5k program, and just started the 12 week 13.1 program on sunday.

mwyvr · May 2015

For most of your runs you will not be focussing on speed.

If you currently find it difficult to complete 1 mile right now this is an indication that your major challenge at present is building aerobic capability and endurance. That's completely normal by the way and is not something to fear.

The best way to build aerobic capability and endurance is to run slower, but run longer. Yes, it sounds counter intuitive, but run slower.

You should be able to carry on a conversation while doing your endurance training runs. It might be a bit stilted at times, but a real back and forth conversation. If you find that's a stretch to manage, you are running too fast.

ErikaWasTaken · May 2015

WhatMeRunning wrote: »

My experience can't compare to yours as I was not very athletic at all when I started, but I went from no running to running a half in a roughly similar timeframe.

I followed a program similar to the Hal Higdon Novice program. I had to tone it down a bit as it was just too hard at first, but I kept up with the long run distances each weekend. You can probably handle it and get a half in within 12 weeks.

Get some good shoes.

Such a *huge* fan of the Hal Higdon program. It's what got me to first half and a significantly improved time on my second

I also wanted to second the get some good shoes! You'll probably run 200 miles training for your half!

jtarmom · May 2015

I built from 5 miles to half marathon in 10 weeks. I followed a training plan with 1 day/week of tempo runs or hills, 1 day per week long run (increasing ~1 mile per week for 2 weeks, then backing off for a week), and 2 shorter runs of 3-4 miles per week.

Word of caution not to push yourself too hard - listen to your body and if you need walk breaks take them! I'm currently nursing a hip injury from pushing too hard and can't run for at least 2 weeks now.

You can do it - I love the half marathon distance and am hoping to do another one once I'm healed up. Good luck!

Angimom · May 2015

This is all great advice, I am also getting ready to start training for a half.

allyouwannado · May 2015

Yes, I'm planning on buying some good Asics soon!

Stamina has always been an issue for me. With sports and dance I'm used to doing VERY intense cardio for 2 minutes tops and then resting for a couple minutes. It's been a conscious effort telling myself not to go all out, but I think I'm getting used to it!

Does anyone have any advice to pushing through those moments when you want to stop running? I've been telling myself that my body is able to keep going, it's just my head telling me to stop, and that works well for now. And of course I'll stop if I REALLY need to

I'm quite wary of injuries

This community is great! Thank you so much for your responses so far

TavistockToad · May 2015

allyouwannado wrote: »

Yes, I'm planning on buying some good Asics soon!

Stamina has always been an issue for me. With sports and dance I'm used to doing VERY intense cardio for 2 minutes tops and then resting for a couple minutes. It's been a conscious effort telling myself not to go all out, but I think I'm getting used to it!

Does anyone have any advice to pushing through those moments when you want to stop running? I've been telling myself that my body is able to keep going, it's just my head telling me to stop, and that works well for now. And of course I'll stop if I REALLY need to I'm quite wary of injuries

This community is great! Thank you so much for your responses so far

I usually say when I get to the next lamp post I'll stop, or when I finish the mile of whatever, then half the time I don't actually need to stop... Plus I try to get out of my head, sing a song, think about my next beach holiday or what I'm going to eat when I'm finished running...

mwyvr · May 2015

allyouwannado wrote: »

Stamina has always been an issue for me. With sports and dance I'm used to doing VERY intense cardio for 2 minutes tops and then resting for a couple minutes. It's been a conscious effort telling myself not to go all out, but I think I'm getting used to it!

Just tell yourself that running 13.1 miles / 21.1 kilometers over two hours or more isn't like doing intense cardio for 2 minutes. That should help you set your pace.

Running slower with shorter strides will tend to help improve your running form almost automatically, and that in turn will tend to help you avoid injury.

You might want to check into running groups in your area; often in advance of a local marathon event there are learn-to-run the half / marathon groups. Not only does the company while training make it more fun, they are great sources of advice.

It's good to push yourself a little so if you want, reach for that next light pole or bend in the trail, but remember the run-walk programs are designed that way for a reason. Walking is not failure, it's just part of the program on the path to improvement.

Follow a program, you will see progress, and you'll find your intense cardio in other activities will become easier and longer too. Really!

SprintingYogini · May 2015

I started running over three years ago and did a half marathon about 4 months into it by running 3 days per week. I ran by time rather than distance at first, so 30 min two days per week and an hour on weekend. This progressed to 2 one hour runs and a two hour.

I have a few mental tricks I do during races (half and full). The first is I pick out my competition and race them (because this entertains my mind). I try to smoke anyone wearing a costume, a skirt or not dressed for the weather. And at the end, I "count ponies," meaning pony tails. How many other women can I pass in the last mile without passing out and choking on my own vomit? It's a fun game: one pony, two pony... Also, number one advice for long race, walk the water stops! Then the race becomes a bunch of little two mile runs. Easy peasy. Since I normally have someone I'm trying to chase, I let them pass while I have a drink and catch up. Walking the stops has really improved my time and feeling. That few seconds of recovery can provide you with a good boost to carry on.

Have fun and enjoy the run!

Mich4871 · May 2015

I ran my first half this past fall and used the Jeff Galloway training app. I was already a runner so I modified his run/walk approach. But thought it was a great training program. My only goal was to finish, did not put any time goals on myself and I actually finished doing my best time. I am not a fast runner, average pace about 10-10:30 min mile. But finished at a 9:40 pace. I allowed myself to walk the water stations. That gave me enough time to give myself the next boost I needed. I found the half to be more of a mental challenge for myself rather than a physical one. I am not athletic at all!

Beginner to half marathon...any advice?

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