Lifting AND A Half Marathon..Can I do both?

I haven't done this so I can't speak from experience but I can't imagine have sufficient energy and recovery to be able to do both justice.

I lifted and trained for a couple of ten-mile races. I think they actually go hand in hand. What I did was make my weekly schedule and make sure I had a day off after my hardest day (for me, my long runs). I actually ran a LOT better when I lifted, and had fewer aches/injuries. I actually wouldn't get back into running long distances unless I was lifting, too.

For example:

Monday - upper body, run 3 miles
tuesday - lower body, balance exercises
wednesday - run 4 miles
thursday - upper/lower combo (whatever i didn't get in earlier in the week), run 2-3 miles (or cross train)
friday - rest
saturday - long run - 7-10 miles
sunday - rest

(also, when i started training for the ten miler, i had never run a single mile...so I was s tarting from scratch, and was able to run the ten mile race within a few months)

absolutely! the strength training will get your core strong. Core strength is vital to long distance running. I carry a camelback system for hydration (70 oz, lasts me the whole half marathon), and wish I had kept up with my pec/delt flies. They would have been a real help on my last half marathon.

oh and don't do long runs every weekend. Trade off. Give your body time to recover. Do 3-5 mi during the week, and 6 one weekend, then do a short run the next, the following do 8 mi. Build up slowly. You'll thank yourself.

Look into the Jeff Galloway program. It has helped me tremendously (and made me faster)

I've done both for all of my running events. It's very helpful to lift when training for runs. Good luck!

Based on what Ive read, you'd want to definitely carb up like crazy before any long distance running. That way your body doesn't start to burn your hard earned muscle. I hear to avoid burning muscle while running is to do a low intensity cardio, something like a brisk walk. So your body will be using mostly fat for energy. You can lose weight without even doing any cardio at all. Its all about calories. But running is good for you and your heart and so many people love it. So basically if you are going to run and really want to, make sure you have plenty of protein/carbs before/after. Hope I helped a bit?

I couldn't do both but that's because I ached too much from running to lift properly and vice-versa. I couldn't do both to the best of my ability, so ended up cutting back my resistance training to injury prevention - leg stability and core.

Coming from an endurance sport background (Ironman Triathlon) I'd say you can certainly do both, but unless you're running 60-70 miles per week, the benefit of an extra run will be greater than a strength workout. Having said this, stability exercises, especially around your hips are almost essential, most running injuries (that aren't overuse injuries) are due to weak glutes. Upper body exercises will have no benefit.

Of course it really depends on your goals, if you want to run the half marathon as quickly as possible, replace any lifting with running and only do running and core stability exercises. If you wan't to be generally heathy and just want to do the half as a fun thing to train for then keep lifting.

I hope so, because I am!

bump

I do both, but my weight training is all upper body, no legs, while I'm training for a race.

I'm training for a half right now also and I'm following the Hal Higdon half marathon training which incorporates strength two days a week. As long as you take your rest day you should be fine. Good luck!!!

I do both, but my weight training is all upper body, no legs, while I'm training for a race.

That's interesting - If I ran without doing lower body, my knees really started to hurt. At a minimum, I had to do squats to keep everything strong. But then again, even when i was running a lot, I was on the heavier side (around 200 lbs) so maybe I was putting more pressure on my knees than other people.

bump for later!