half marathon in 3 months

davisrl0
davisrl0 Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So Ive spent most of this year running several times a week, both inside and outside. I'd built up my endurance to running 6-7 miles at a time. (7.2 was the most Ive ever done, and most days when I ran it was a 5-6 mile run). It took a long time to build up to that. I took a few months off to do the Insanity program. I went out for a jog the other day and it was all I could do to make it to 2 miles. I was surprised since Insanity is very intense....but I guess you just use your muscles so differently when running.
Well my husband and I are wanting to do a half marathon in November. We've been talking about it for quite a while now and suddenly just came to the realization that November isnt all that far away.

Is it a realistic goal to expect I can build up *that* much mileage and endurance by then? I've got to go from now barely making it two miles, to 13.2 miles....

Replies

  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    You can absolutely do it. If you google hal higdon half marathon training you will find a 12 week program but it sounds like you are ahead of the game anyway. In most training programs, you don't train up to the distance of the race. This program on takes you to 10 miles. I did it for my first half last year, a somewhat modified version as I had an injury and then had to break from running for a bit but ultimately trainined in 8 weeks. I am currently training for my second half in September. Good luck!
  • MorganLeighRN
    MorganLeighRN Posts: 411 Member
    You can absolutely do it! I have one in a couple of weeks (the most I have done at once has been 8 miles). I have been running two days on and one day off. So far my schedule has been : 5 miles 6 miles day off. 6 miles, 7 miles day off. 7 miles 8 miles day off. You will have plenty of time to get to 13.1 miles. Keep at it and good luck!
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Yea you can (and should lol go for it). The golden rule I would give though is go slow - I'm sure you know the 10% rule but for me I would go even slower than this some weeks. There are plenty of programmes out there as well that can help you - try runners world on line, I'm sure I've seen one there - remember to keep stretching and having days off - my experience is that when I upped my miles my cardiovascular system got fitter faster than my tendons and I ended up hurting myself a bit - stretching and taking it easy seems the better way :-) Good luck and I hope you have a go as it is a great achievement to do.
  • micheleaudet
    micheleaudet Posts: 2 Member
    DEFINITELY CAN DO! You have over 13 weeks and you have run before and you sound fit. It's a different type of training. Pick a Program and stick to it as best as you can. Hal Highdon has one for busy people which includes less miles per week. You can also train on an ARC Traine or water walking in the pool to build your endurance and save your body., Which half marathon are you doing? Look at the course and visualize it and if there are hills it might be wise to do a few hills in your training. If you want to play a mind game - you've done 8 miles - REPEAT so that's 16 miles... way more than 13.1 ! It's a Want to do- You can do it!
    Good Luck
  • alli_baba
    alli_baba Posts: 232 Member
    You have plenty of time.

    I once trained for a half-marathon (after taking a year off running) by simply running 2-3 miles/day for 3 days a week plus a long run once a week (just tacking on a mile every week). I didn't even run 13 miles in my long run before the event (just made it to 10 miles). At that event, I achieved my best time (and I've run more than 20 half-marathons).

    So, don't think you have to go crazy building mileage. It sounds like you've had solid recent running foundation (which is a big plus), so take your time with your training.

    Good luck!
  • wombat94
    wombat94 Posts: 352 Member
    I'll add my voice to the chorus...

    You definitely have enough time to train for a november HM.

    I am a novice runner (started C25k at the end of January). I am just about half way through a Hal Higdon-based (with some modifications) Half Marathon plan... in preparation for a HM on September 8th. I had my longest run so far - 10 miles last Sunday.

    I feel that I COULD run the HM tomorrow if I had to.

    Your fitness and stamina for running will return pretty quickly and if you were previously running in the 7-ish mile range for your long run, you have plenty of time to bridge from there to the half marathon level.

    I say go for it!
  • davisrl0
    davisrl0 Posts: 93 Member
    Thanks guys, for all the encouragement. To answer a pp, its the Nashville Half Marathon. November 10th. I saw several mentions of a Hal Higdon...I'll check it out. Ive browsed marathon training programs, but there are lots of different ones out there, and I just dont know what to follow. I kind of trained myself for the 5k and 5 mile races we did this year....just by running consistently. There was no official training program that I did. But the HM is more than Ive ever run. And since my last run was so unexpectedly poor after only 8 weeks off, I just didnt know what to expect! I *really* want to do this, though. I NEED to do this! The fact that I can even say "Im a runner" is amazing to me because it's something I never t hought I could be.
    I just have a tricky schedule to try and work running in. (I work full time, and have two small children. My hubby works longer hours and it limits me to when I can get out of the house to run). I seem to make it work though. :)

    The good thing is that in my subdivision, there is NO WAY around the hills. And they are not easy hills. So I get some good conditioning and hill work just by going outside.

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