Half marathon- training tips

If you run only about 10 mpw right now, and only have 8 weeks until your race, you'll probably need to follow a novice plan. You can finish a half on minimal miles, but you will probably end up doing a lot of walking at the end. Higdon's plans are good, especially once you get up into the intermediate levels which include some race pace runs and more miles. A lot of first time racers use his novice plans. Next time if you train with a higher mileage base you'll see a big difference in the result. FWIW, my first HM was on 25 mpw, my second on 35 mpw. I cut off 8 minutes and was able to run the whole thing on my second attempt. It was also a lot more fun.

Hal Higdon's novice programs are great. I've had a lot of success with them.

Since you are trying to increase your distance so drastically make sure you're getting enough recovery (that includes sleep). Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're struggling mentally or if you really do need some rest, and people who push themselves too much too soon often end up injured. It's great to check off those training days and push yourself, but make sure you know your limits as well.

Also, make sure you get in that final cutback week before the race. Take it from someone who knows, the last week is not the time to try to cram in distance. It's much better to be slightly undertrained than injured on race day.

if not hal higdon - then I recommend Jeff Galloway (run/walk intervals) - he has a half marathon training plan on his website (IIRC) - that method has gotten me through multiple half marathons, a full one and many long triathlons

Check the novice plans listed above. Get a long run in once per week - slow, and take walking breaks if needed. (Consider it a great success if you average a S~l~o~w jog since it is your first half..you can improve your time on later ones).

Just pace yourself. 8 weeks is plenty of time. You have the basics down it sounds like. Personally I would increase your weekly mileage for the next four weeks then do a 13 mile training run in four weeks. Then spend you last 4 weeks fine tuning what your body told you on your 13 mile run. You'll find out the spectators are very motivating, and just being there will motivate you. Once you hit the 10 mile mark you'll get motivated knowing you have only a few miles left. Just slow down your pace during the event. It's your first one, so enjoy it.

I don't know anything about Hal Higdon or any of those other plans (I'm ignorant) but it sounds like people have had success with it, so check those out and see if it looks like something you could use. I just have my own little advice below. But if it's a TL;DR situation, just skip right to the Hal Higdon plan and ignore my long essay below. LOL.

IMO, if you have been able to do a 10k in the recent past, you have enough background to be able to build to a half marathon within a couple of months. You'll just have to push yourself a little harder on race day. It might not be your best pace ever, but you should be able to finish. You aren't trying to win it, right?

See if you can get 10 miles in on one training run 6 or 7 weeks from now. If you can do that, sheer mental will carry you the rest of the way on race day. And don't overtrain to try and make up for lost time. I personally only run 2-3 days a week so I have plenty of recovery time in between. You are already starting with an aggressive goal. I'd say it's better to run less and save it for the race than to overtrain and injure yourself. (I've done that before.) And I don't think you need to do the full 13 miles until race day, either. I've never done the full length of any race except on race day. (I like to think of the race as pushing myself that extra little bit beyond my training.) And don't do your long training run 4 weeks in unless you are really feeling it. I'd take those couple extra weeks to build up a little more first. Going from 3 miles to 13 in just 4 weeks would work for me, but it might not be the best idea for everyone. Don't want you to get hurt...Try 3 miles to 10 in 6-7 weeks instead.

I think you've got this! Well, then again, maybe that's just me. I speak for myself. I recently took a couple of months off of my normal running routine (which was about 5 miles once or twice a week plus long hikes) because I was busy with work. I did almost no running during that time period, and when I started up again I did 11.5 miles the first time out, no problem. I was much slower than usual, but I got it done without injury or stress. Just a little sore the next day. I definitely could have gone 13 if I had to. That's kind of my M.O. when it comes to running. I am a big slacker for extended periods, but when I set a goal and come back at it I seem to do OK. I think you'll do OK, too!

(I'm the idiot who didn't prep properly for my first marathon a million years ago. The longest training run I did was 16 miles because I was lazy as hell. I managed to pull it off, but was I ever sorry on race day. I struggled hard during the last half and I felt broken for a week afterwards! So I wouldn't recommend doing that! It won't be as grueling with a half, though...)

Good luck!