First Half Marathon

I have completed 2. This is what I have learned. First get yourself a really good pair of shoes, and don't just pick the cute ones, have the people in the store help you and try on more than one brand. 2. You will need to carb load because you are going to be burning a ton of calories and need to keep you energy up. 3. hit up your local running store and talk to them about running gels or gu or what ever to eat while you run. And also dont get sucked into the excitment at the starting line pace yourself and save that excitment for the finish line. See if your city or one close by has a running group that you can get involved with, they will have tons of helpful info for you and its always easier to run with a group than on your own. Good luck you will have a blast! (the one thing I learned about it its not about how fast I ran, it was about proving to myself that I could finish 13.1 miles)

I signed up for my 1st half marathon in April too...I'm excited for it. Feel free to add me & we can support each other in training! GOOD LUCK!

I found it was important for me to decide what my goal really was... For my first half, my goal was to simply finish. I didn't set a goal time or anything, I just wanted to say that I finished! I met several inspirational people along the way through a training program I joined & that made it so much easier to get out there on a Saturday morning & run in the the cold, snow, rain, whatever! For my second half, I decided that my goal was to finish 5 minutes faster than my first.

When training for my first half, each run gave me a new challenge (as I had never run more than a 5K before). For instance, one day my goal for that run was to be able to chit-chat with my running partner. When I finished those miles, and realized I had been able to carry on a conversation WHILE running, I was so proud!

Also, keep in mind that you are running for YOU, not for anyone else. And however fast or slow you go... you're still out there doing it! I run 4:1 intervals and I'm proud of it! However, when I started running, I felt that taking a 1 minute walk break was a failure. Then one day I realized that when I run intervals, my overall pace improves drastically So I do what works for me!

Good luck in your training! I'm about to start my training for my 3rd half & can't wait!!!

Good luck on yours. My first half marathon is on May 6th. I'm doing Hal Higdons Novice program. Seems like this gets a lot of recommendations all over the place.

I have completed 2. This is what I have learned. First get yourself a really good pair of shoes, and don't just pick the cute ones, have the people in the store help you and try on more than one brand. 2. You will need to carb load because you are going to be burning a ton of calories and need to keep you energy up. 3. hit up your local running store and talk to them about running gels or gu or what ever to eat while you run. And also dont get sucked into the excitment at the starting line pace yourself and save that excitment for the finish line. See if your city or one close by has a running group that you can get involved with, they will have tons of helpful info for you and its always easier to run with a group than on your own. Good luck you will have a blast! (the one thing I learned about it its not about how fast I ran, it was about proving to myself that I could finish 13.1 miles)

This. I have done 4. The most important part is your goal should be to FINISH... do not put pressure on yourself to finish in a certain time.... save that for your next half.

Congratulations! What an exciting goal! Everyone has left some wonderful advice and suggestions. I may be repeating a few things, but this is what I have learned so far...

Yes, shoes are important! Get a good, quality pair that specifically addresses your gait -- get evaluated to see if you are a neutral runner, overpronater, or underpronater. And get good socks! All synthetic or 100% wool. You don't want blisters! I personally like Injinji performance toe socks -- they look a little funky, but they keep my foot temperature well regulated, and my feet don't cramp up like they used to.

Hal Higdon's training program for Novice 1 is a great program. Your goal should be to enjoy the experience itself, soak up the atmosphere, and simply finish. This is going to be a huge accomplishment, so don't put pressure on yourself for splits or a particular finish time!

Read up articles on proper nutrition and fueling. Active.com and CoolRunning.com are great resources for articles on everything from nutrition to gear to training and injuries. Their editorial staff really knows what they're talking about -- they are all pretty much elite athletes!

On those longer runs, you will need calories (GU/gels or gummies). Experiment specifically to see what works for you. Some gels can cause stomach upset or dizziness. You might find out what kind of sport drink & gels they will provide the day of the race -- try them to see if they work for you. If you don't like them, find something you do like and then take some with you the day of the race. Which brings me to another point... You will need to invest in a good hydration system if you're not running somewhere like a park with water fountains. There are backpack styles and belt systems and handheld water bottle systems. Find something that will work for you and keep hydrated on the run! They also have storage pockets in pretty much all 3 of the styles available, so you can store your gels and take whatever sport drink works for you in case your stomach doesn't agree with what the race is providing.

Don't ignore chronic pain! If you're getting intense foot pain like plantar fasciitis or have knee pain that gets worse as you run, see a doctor. You don't want something seemingly small to wind up being a major injury that sidelines you. Don't try to self-treat at this "novice" stage. Seek an expert out. Also (and it kind of sucks) get used to ice. To avoid really sore muscles after your long runs, do treat your legs to a cold treatment. Use an ice bath if you can stand it, or just ice packs, or do an ice massage (freeze ice in paper cups and then peel the cup away to reveal the ice & then massage muscles with it). You will save yourself a lot of pain in the long run by temporarily "suffering" the pain of ice.

Congratulations, again, and have a great time! It will be hard work, but the rush of victory feels so great when you complete your first half marathon on race day!