Half Marathon Traning and ???'s

I am using the Jeff Galloway Half training for beginner runners. (www.jeffgalloway.com/training/half_marathon.html)
I love his methods and techniques. I dont follow his schedule to a T but I make sure I have 2 runs during the week (I run until I hit 4 miles - then cool down walk), one long run on Saturday or Sunday (usually the nicest day and Galloway's suggested mileage) and the other days I walk or elliptical. My average pace is about 12:40 per mile. I am not fast at all. A casual speed and I listen to my body when I need to take walk breaks.

My goal time is 2:45:00 but if I can finish under 3 hours, I will be one happy girl!

I don't know anything about the compression stuff but I get everything i need from www.roadrunnersports.com - they are the lowest price, free shipping for VIP members (1.99 to join) and they always have coupon codes out there! Were you fitted for correct running shoes? If not, I suggest going to a running company store and being fitted! It may help with your pain.

I trained through a training team. We had long runs every Sat. and ran at least 3 miles 3 times a week with 2 rest days and 1 cardio day. Hope that makes since. depending how far away the race is. you should at least start with 4 miles for your long run. You also want to run at least a 12 mile run before the race so you know youre ready. Hope this helps some! Good Luck and congrats!

Whats your current mileage? 3months is not enough time for 2:30 from 2:57. With that said, good luck. Its my dream too, to run a half marathon. Im hoping i will be ready by August. Go to www.Runnersworld.Com for training plans.

http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

hal higdon novice 1 training program

that's the one i used, and i was a brand spankin new runner, and i did the program in about 16 weeks (i kept running over 10 miles for 4 weeks before my race) and i finished in 2:08 and had no problems doing that. i would highly recommend this program.

I did Hal Higdon half marathon novice training in a 12 week program and ran a 2:23. Pain free and my recovery took less than 24 hours. I highly recommend his program.


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Do you have any recommendations for a training schedule for a Half? This will be my 2nd and is in 3 months so plenty of time to train. My first I did not train at all and that was a very bad decision. Adrenaline carried to mile 9.5 but after that I swore every word there was :grumble: and even cried a couple times :sad: ! I was in so much pain afterwards and STILL have a black toenail:sick: . Anyways I did finish before my goal of 3 hours in 2 hours and 57 minutes At the end my calves were cramping so bad. So questions:

1.) Half Marathon training schedule you like?
2.) What would be a good time to aim for (knowing I did last in 2:57? Is 2 hours 30 minutes too much?
3.) Do you recommend compression sleeves for my calves? (I still have issues with them getting so tight even at 3m runs)

Any other tips let me know please!

Compression sleeves are nice, but a better idea is to really focus on loosening calves through stretching work before and after runs. Try getting a "Stick" calf / IT Band massaging device - or a rolling pin - to help loosen the muscles even further.

The training plans offered by Hal Higdon (I use this one) and Jeff Galloway are both good. You want to consistently work at building up your miles and endurance.

Whats your current mileage? 3months is not enough time for 2:30 from 2:57. With that said, good luck. Its my dream too, to run a half marathon. Im hoping i will be ready by August. Go to www.Runnersworld.Com for training plans.

Respectfully, I disagree. I did it. I ran a half in Maine the first week in October and my time was right around 2:55. I just did one in FL Saturday and my time was 2:30ish ... I don't remember the exact time, but it was less than 2:31.

Many things should be taken into consideration for your finish time. What's the weather? Is the course hilly? Etc. If all things are pretty much equal with your first half and the one you have planned, I see no reason why you can't reach your goal of 2:30.

I, too, follow Hal Higdon. Here's what you can't do (IMO) if you want to have a "more fun, less pain experience," you can't fudge on your long run. Make sure you get the long runs done. If you can't do it on the day you're supposed to, adjust your days, but for sure ... get them in. Again, IMO, you can fudge a little on your short runs - if it's 4 mile day and somethings not right - you can slide by with a 3 mile run. But I wouldn't make it a habit.

You're entering a running test. The best way to get ready for a test is to prepare in the method you'll be tested ... therefore, run.

I am using the smartcoach plan from www.runnersworld.com

I think it's awesome. I'll be running my first 1/2 in March. The plan is working wonders on my endurance and my pace. I'm very happy with it and when I'm done this one, I'll be using it again to train for a marathon.

Me too First half in march.. Not the Quincy one is it?:)

bump

http://beginners.runnersworld.com/2008/06/how-do-i-calculate-a-realistic-goal-for-my-next-half-marathon.html

Can't go wrong with Galloway or Higdon. Pick a plan and stick to it is really the key.

I started Jeff Galloways plan. I would highly recommend AGAINST the person who wrote about training 6 days a week for an hour or more each day. That is just going to increase your risk of overuse injuries, especially if you are a recreational runner and not used to all of that pounding on your joints and bones.

Agreed x's 2.

I ran my first half about four years ago (or so) and a friend of mine made my training schedule. In all honesty I find Hal HIgdon's program has a lot more running than what is necessary. The reason I say that is because My program consisted of me running: Monday; Wednesday; Thursday and Sunday and that was plenty of runs and truth be told I was tired of running that many days and it wasn't even that much. Hal's program has you running every single day and as an avid runner I would get tired and discouraged if I was forced to run that often iin my training scheudle. My schedule was: Monday was a pace run, Wednesdays alternated between tempo and speed work; Thursday was my recovery run and Sunday was my long run. It worked out very well. I started out thinking a 9:30 was hard and within a few weeks a 9 minute mile felt like a 10 minute mile. I also did weight training during the weeks too.

As far as the time goes, do what you feel is comfortable. You run your first and race your second. If you think that you can finish in 2:30 then do your training so that you do.

Also, during the half that I ran I did a gu pack before the race and had to do another one about haf way through and it most definitely heaped with the energy. Make sure you carb up the night before and have a good breakfast the day of, just not too close tot he start and water water WATER!

My first 1/2 is Nashville also. Like many others are using, I am doing the Hal Higdon's schedule

1.) Half Marathon training schedule you like?
Nike plus has some you can follow. but you should be runnning at least at a bare minimum 25 miles a week in my opinion...

2.) What would be a good time to aim for (knowing I did last in 2:57? Is 2 hours 30 minutes too much?
to be honest, i don't know... it seems like you didn't really know what you were doing going into the first one, and that is kinda risky. I've never heard of anyone saying they were crying during a race because they were in so much pain just finishing it. I would really try to be smarter about preparing yourself because injuries can and will happen if you are not prepared....

This would depend on your long run pace or just any running pace. Based on your 3 hour finish time you were running like 13.5 min miles... If that is your normal pace, then go for a closer time like 2:55 or something. If you usually run 6 mines in an hour, then I would aim at about 2 hour 15 min. Just based on the speed you normally run, you should aim for.


3.) Do you recommend compression sleeves for my calves? (I still have issues with them getting so tight even at 3m runs)

If your calfs are getting tight, stop and stretch them. Don't run so fast. or just keep going. If your calfs are sore after, then there is a problem, but if they are only hurting during, that is kinda normal.