Half Marathon Training Plan!!!HELP

LOVEsummer
LOVEsummer Posts: 304 Member
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
So I am signed up for my first half marathon on Aug16... Since January I have been training, running, building base runs, gym work outs etc. However when it came time to buckle down and start my 10 week training program that I found online. (marathonrookie.com) I fell apart. I lost my motivation and stamina. The first 3 weeks of my schedule I have still worked out, just not by following my plan of running. SO, I was hoping I could get some advice. Should I pick up my 10 week plan on week 3 and just do the last 7 weeks? What other plans are there? Any diet tips or tips about what to do come race day? So far the furthest I have run consecutively was 8mi, I have seen other plans online that look SOOO complicated. I have about 2 hours to dedicate to working out every morning and once a week I can make more time for a long run to build endurance but I am a total newbie at this so I am sort of nervous!!

Thanks for any help you guys can give!!!

Replies

  • leann_m_olson
    leann_m_olson Posts: 363 Member
    Run! Run! Run!! Good for you for siging up!! I have never run a half marathon, i stick to the 5k and 5milers for right now and tri's. Not sure if you saw this 9 week training schedule.

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6851-2-2X5X8-4,00.html

    Good Luck, you can do it!!! :flowerforyou:
  • banfathi99
    banfathi99 Posts: 23 Member
    I think you may have made a newby mistake starting to train to early with too much effort. I did the same thing but ended up injured. My Half marathon is in October and I was going to do a 16 week plan, but had to take most of this week off. Next week i am hoping to get back on track.

    Most plans are designed that you can miss approximately 10% of the workouts and still be able to build your base to be able to run the final race. If you have been building your base since January, I think you probably can start at week seven and still be able to finish. You can also go to runnersworld.com and they have a section where they will give you a half marathon plan based on the number of weeks you have available, the current amount you run and time from the target race.
  • Chenoachem
    Chenoachem Posts: 1,758 Member
    These are the plans I had found. It is important to find one that works with the way you train.

    http://running.about.com/od/racetraining/a/basichalf.htm

    http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

    and the runners world personallized training program. I decided to go with the runners world also but there was something appealing about the Hal Higdon methods too.

    Good Luck and happy training.
  • dcbstick
    dcbstick Posts: 2
    Dont give up....
    I would try to do combination walking and running sessions. Have you went to the Chi running website?
    Any ways, You will at some point have to taper down before the race....
    Just finishing your first one is awesome. The time period you have is not very much time.
    The treadmill is a great place to get strong fast.
    spend as much time as you can just walking and running...

    Let me know how you do...
    I have some other ideas also....
  • LOVEsummer
    LOVEsummer Posts: 304 Member
    Thank you guys sooo much :) I feel so motivated now :) woohoo!!
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    Thank you guys sooo much :) I feel so motivated now :) woohoo!!

    I ran my first half marathon 4 yrs ago. I had never run over 5 miles when I started training. I worked my way up to 10 miles, and that was the furthest that I ran before the actual half marathon. So don't sweat it. It's your first, so just go for finishing, don't worry about the time it takes you. Enjoy it!!

    Now I use the FIRST training plan which is more involved but is just 3 days a week of running.

    Keep at it, and good luck!

    Jess
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I would place your running emphasis on longer runs. If you are at 8 miles, you should be able to increase to 10 or 12 by August. I would center your program around one long run (10-13 miles) and two medium runs (7-8 miles) per week. If you have more time or motivation, add some shorter runs, hills, etc on the other days--or maybe even do complimentary exercise activities.

    My concern with resuming a full-scale running training program at this late date would be overtraining--trying to do too much. You can "run yourself into the ground" accumulating what I call "slop miles" just to fill up a running log. 3 longer runs per week should put enough miles in your legs so that you can run the distance reasonably comfortably.
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