Half-Marathon?

Running2Fit
Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
edited October 2018 in Fitness and Exercise
I’m thinking about doing a half-marathon in 2019. I started running in September. Currently I can run 3 miles at a 12 minute pace. There is one May 4, 2019 I was considering doing, it’s fairly flat and considered an easier course so it seems ideal for a first race. But I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. My dad is an ultra-marathoner and I know he would help me plan out my training, I just don’t want to take on anything too crazy as I’m just a beginner.

Oh and I live in Utah so it will most likely be cold and possibly very snowy over the winter months, I don’t know if I could always train outside.

So anyone with experience - would it be crazy for me to sign up for a race in May?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    May is doable, if that's your goal.

    Hal higdon has some good novice plans, you just want to start building up your mileage this year and then start a plan in Feb for a may half.
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    You have time to train. Hal Higdon's (another fan here) Novice 1 HM plan is 12 weeks and assumes that you can run 3 miles. Its goal is to get you to the finish line with a smile on your face. Having an ultra runner in the family helps too.

    I might suggest, if possible, that you enter a shorter race before running the half-marathon. The atmosphere at races (especially if it's a bigger one) can be both exhilarating and intimidating for new runners. Getting a shorter race under your belt beforehand can help with the mental part of racing.

    In addition to the running try to fit some cross training/strength into your schedule too as it can help with injury resistance and keep boredom at bay (especially if you're stuck inside on a treadmill in winter)

    Good luck & have fun!

    Thanks for the advice :) I currently do weights 2x a week so I would definitely keep that up. I will look around for maybe a 10K to do.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,745 Member
    Also figure out what you'll do over the winter if it is cold and snowy. If you have access to a gym, get comfortable with the treadmill. Consistency is the most important aspect of training well for races. Make sure you have no excuses for not running. If you hate the TM, get winter gear. I found that it isn't as hard to run when it's cold as I thought because I warm up pretty quickly once I'm running.

    Build your base mileage carefully. Higdon has a winter training plan and some base building plans. Trying to do too much too soon will get you injured, so you want to gradually increase your weekly mileage.
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    @spiriteagle99 - My apartment building has a small gym with a couple treadmills so I definitely have somewhere to run even if I can’t run outside. I will need to get some winter running gear though cuz all my current stuff is pretty light
  • UltraRunnerGale
    UltraRunnerGale Posts: 346 Member
    It's totally doable. Intervals can be your best friend. Your father probably knows them intimately. Most of us ultra runners do!! LOL!! I'm sure your father can help, but there are lots of resources out there. Have fun and good luck!! :)
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    Slowly build up your weekly mileage (increasing about 10% a week) until about 12 weeks before the half and then follow a half marathon training plan of your choice.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,619 Member
    I'm looking at this plan for a half marathon in mid-January ... about 10.5 weeks away. I'm currently comfortably running anywhere from 5-7 km, so I figure I might have the first 3 weeks done, with 9 weeks of the program to go.

    I'm also a cyclist, walk quite a lot, and climb flights of stairs. Those things will be my "cross-training".

    https://storage.googleapis.com/live-better-wordpress-content/Training-Guide-Half-Marathon-Beginner-12week.pdf
  • Beeingthin
    Beeingthin Posts: 40 Member
    Absolutely, do it! I ran a 5k within months of beginning to run. Then a 10k then a half marathon then a full marathon, all within a year. Signing up for the smaller races leading up to the marathon (which was my goal) really helped me with mini goals. I had much more energy and motivation during the races with everyone else out there with me than I ever did during training. The most is ever ran in training before the marathon was 18 miles but I had no problem pushing myself that extra 7 miles. I am a slow steady runner. My advice is, since you’re a beginner, don’t go for speed and just try to be steady and go for distance. It took me 3 hours and 45 minutes to finish the full marathon but I did it and it’s become one of my greatest accomplishments.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Beeingthin wrote: »
    Absolutely, do it! I ran a 5k within months of beginning to run. Then a 10k then a half marathon then a full marathon, all within a year. Signing up for the smaller races leading up to the marathon (which was my goal) really helped me with mini goals. I had much more energy and motivation during the races with everyone else out there with me than I ever did during training. The most is ever ran in training before the marathon was 18 miles but I had no problem pushing myself that extra 7 miles. I am a slow steady runner. My advice is, since you’re a beginner, don’t go for speed and just try to be steady and go for distance. It took me 3 hours and 45 minutes to finish the full marathon but I did it and it’s become one of my greatest accomplishments.

    just FYI, 3:45:00 is not a slow marathon time...
  • Beeingthin
    Beeingthin Posts: 40 Member
    Oops! I pushed myself that extra EIGHT .6 miles. ;)
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    lizcarpenter146 wrote: »
    I’m thinking about doing a half-marathon in 2019. I started running in September. Currently I can run 3 miles at a 12 minute pace. There is one May 4, 2019 I was considering doing, it’s fairly flat and considered an easier course so it seems ideal for a first race. But I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. My dad is an ultra-marathoner and I know he would help me plan out my training, I just don’t want to take on anything too crazy as I’m just a beginner.

    Oh and I live in Utah so it will most likely be cold and possibly very snowy over the winter months, I don’t know if I could always train outside.

    So anyone with experience - would it be crazy for me to sign up for a race in May?

    Training is a lot harder in the winter for me personally - High wind + cold air makes breathing much more difficult. My endurance and speed tanks. If you haven't done a 5 mile race yet, I'd lean more towards suggesting one of those for spring and a Fall half. (Ignore this advice if it is ridiculously hot in Utah in the summer. I'm in Buffalo).
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    edited November 2018
    If you are lucky, you have larger feet than me and can buy some decent traction devices for running on the ice. (d*mn you Kahtoola/Yaktrax). (Kahtoola even discontinued the youth sized microspikes and now I have to use full-fledged crampons in the winter when hiking if XC spiked shoes won't do- grr).
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    edited November 2018
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I'm looking at this plan for a half marathon in mid-January ... about 10.5 weeks away. I'm currently comfortably running anywhere from 5-7 km, so I figure I might have the first 3 weeks done, with 9 weeks of the program to go.

    I'm also a cyclist, walk quite a lot, and climb flights of stairs. Those things will be my "cross-training".

    https://storage.googleapis.com/live-better-wordpress-content/Training-Guide-Half-Marathon-Beginner-12week.pdf

    I'm a cyclist as well. This one appealed to me for the opportunities to stay on the bike while running.
    https://halhigdon.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/half-marathon-3/

    Edit: Not implying anything about your plan - just throwing this out there for others as a choice/option.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Beeingthin wrote: »
    Absolutely, do it! I ran a 5k within months of beginning to run. Then a 10k then a half marathon then a full marathon, all within a year. Signing up for the smaller races leading up to the marathon (which was my goal) really helped me with mini goals. I had much more energy and motivation during the races with everyone else out there with me than I ever did during training. The most is ever ran in training before the marathon was 18 miles but I had no problem pushing myself that extra 7 miles. I am a slow steady runner. My advice is, since you’re a beginner, don’t go for speed and just try to be steady and go for distance. It took me 3 hours and 45 minutes to finish the full marathon but I did it and it’s become one of my greatest accomplishments.

    just FYI, 3:45:00 is not a slow marathon time...

    truth! 3:45 is for a female nearly a boston marathon qualifier time, for a man, off by about 30min...that is nowhere near slow
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    @BrianSharpe - Haha, that is 100% my dad. He will run in any weather! He does a lot of work in Alaska and still trains outside.

    @ritzvin - Looking for a race in fall what I’m debating. The only issue is that a lot of them are in Southern Utah which is crazy hot! My dad did a race down there and so many people dropped out part why through because of heat exhaustion and dehydration. If I could find one more up North that would be better.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    I'm working on a half marathon training plan right now for a race on 4/28. I did some research and found that my local college allows use of their indoor track for only $50 a year. I live in Maine so I needed an option for indoor running. I know I can run on ice and snow but prefer not to if I can avoid it, rain yes, ice no.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    collectingblues wrote: »
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    lizcarpenter146 wrote: »
    @spiriteagle99 - My apartment building has a small gym with a couple treadmills so I definitely have somewhere to run even if I can’t run outside. I will need to get some winter running gear though cuz all my current stuff is pretty light

    Some of us are crazy enough to run all year 'round and winters here are cold...

    6iqkr8uw60n8.jpg



    And I will *totally* take winter running over "OMG how is it 90 degrees + 80 percent humidity" running.

    Agreed 100%, you can always put on another layer. There's only so much you can take off without getting arrested.
    lizcarpenter146 wrote: »
    @BrianSharpe - Haha, that is 100% my dad. He will run in any weather! He does a lot of work in Alaska and still trains outside.

    He's much more hardcore than me.....the average winter temperature in Ottawa is cold but nowhere as cold as Alaska.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    collectingblues wrote: »
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    lizcarpenter146 wrote: »
    @spiriteagle99 - My apartment building has a small gym with a couple treadmills so I definitely have somewhere to run even if I can’t run outside. I will need to get some winter running gear though cuz all my current stuff is pretty light

    Some of us are crazy enough to run all year 'round and winters here are cold...

    6iqkr8uw60n8.jpg



    And I will *totally* take winter running over "OMG how is it 90 degrees + 80 percent humidity" running.

    Agreed 100%, you can always put on another layer. There's only so much you can take off without getting arrested.
    lizcarpenter146 wrote: »
    @BrianSharpe - Haha, that is 100% my dad. He will run in any weather! He does a lot of work in Alaska and still trains outside.

    He's much more hardcore than me.....the average winter temperature in Ottawa is cold but nowhere as cold as Alaska.

    Lived in Ottawa as a kid. Gotta be tough to run through 6 feet of snow regardless of the temperature.
  • brightresolve
    brightresolve Posts: 1,024 Member
    lizcarpenter146 wrote: »
    My apartment building has a small gym with a couple treadmills so I definitely have somewhere to run even if I can’t run outside. I will need to get some winter running gear though cuz all my current stuff is pretty light

    I agree with those above, you have enough time. AND YOU ARE INSPIRING!

    About treadmills, in my experience they are not all created equal. I did my second long runs for marathon training on treadmills at a club, 12-14 miles, and also tempo runs, and it was great. I have also seen "treadmills" at hotels and even at lifting gyms that are so cheap, thrashed, and/or badly calibrated for pace that I wasn't at all happy running on them. Just be aware that if you hate the treadmill experience, it might be the treadmill :)
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    ritzvin wrote: »

    Training is a lot harder in the winter for me personally - High wind + cold air makes breathing much more difficult. My endurance and speed tanks. If you haven't done a 5 mile race yet, I'd lean more towards suggesting one of those for spring and a Fall half. (Ignore this advice if it is ridiculously hot in Utah in the summer. I'm in Buffalo).

    Oh my god, I just did my first run outside on a colder day and my lungs hurt! I’m not definitely rethinking May because today’s run was rough with that cold air!

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