Forums >Running 101>My first Half Marathon - Looking for Advice
I started running on August 7. Prior to that I hadn't had any exercise in almost 5 years. I am planning on doing my first half marathon in a month's time on November 11. Last night I completed my further run yet at 8.5 miles in 1 hr 29 min. Not a great pace (10:30/mile). My shorter runs during the week are 4 miles, with my long runs on the weekends (or late Friday nights). My weekly mileage is averaging around 15 miles a week. I completed my first 10K three weeks ago in 1 hr and 1 min. I haven't incorporated any interval training into my runs yet, but planning to start interval training after the half marathon.
All my running friends are telling me to forget the half marathon this year and that its too soon, (and no one can prepare for a half marathon in 3 months from nothing).
Will I be ready for the half marathon on Nov. 11, and what approach to my training should I take the next 4 week. Thanks very much for your help.
Queen of 3rd Place
With so little information (you might want to make your log public here at RA), I'll have to back up your friends and advise you to wait. Consider this: right now it's taking you almost an entire week to run a half marathon.
You would be much better off if you could roughly double your weekly mileage and get to the point where a 10 mi long run is no big deal. In addition to your regular 4 mile runs, try to get in one that's a little longer, you could increase one of your 4 mi runs to 5 or 6 for starters. You should be able to do that over the course of 4 - 6 months.
That being said, I'm sure you complete a HM, but it probably won't be any fun. If you do it and you're miserable, please don't give up on running. It gets a LOT more fun after you have many more months and even years under your belt.
If and when you start doing "interval training", please proceed cautiously. Lurk around here, read and learn.
Ex runner
Thanks. Can you recommend a good weekly running schedule? Right now I am running every other day. So depending on the week its either 3 or 4 runs. To get to 30 miles a week, guess I need to increase the number of times I run to 5 or 6? How do I make my training log public?
an amazing likeness
How do I make my training log public?
Training Log -> Settings -> My Log Preferences -> "Allow everyone to see my log"
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
A Saucy Wench
Try Hal Higdon. He has a lot of decent, free training plans for any distance from 5K to Marathon for Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, etc.
You could start by looking at the novice 10K and see how that feels considering where you are. If that seems too easy you could try the Intermediate 10K which will introduce you to different types of speedwork without greatly increasing your volume (whether or not you actually race at the end is irrelevant). Then you could try the novice 1 HM program which will increase your volume with moderate to no speedwork.
The reason I am suggesting that order is I suspect you are itching to try speeding up and you are better off increasing speedwork OR volume (with a nod to volume being better but if you are going to want to speed up anyway....) not both at the same time.
If you have the patience to not do too much speedwork for awhile you could start in on the novice HM program which will ramp up your volume. Listen to your body and back off or repeat a week as necessary again, it isnt necessary to have an actual race scheduled.
As to whether you should do the HM in 1 month, it depends on whether you are willing to do a walk/run and not RACE the HM, just finish. If you really just want to check that off your list I would look at the novice 1 HM program, count back the # of weeks and go for it
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
One nice thing about the novice HM program from Higdon is that racing is included, so you could get a taste of doing some faster running in a fun setting.
Completed my First Half Marathon today. Weather was spectacular for November. Official time 2:13. Had trouble the last 2 miles. Not sure why my knees were hurting so much. Think my taper was too long. Didn't run enough the last two weeks.
thats great, good work!
Congratulations. Think you'll stick with it? Got any plans for another race?
Feeling the growl again
First of all, great job, 2:13 is a great time for a first HM for someone as new to running as you. You should be proud.
As for why your knees hurt....you have been running about 20mpw, with little lifetime mileage in the bank, and it looks like a single run ever over 10 miles (at least the month showing on your log graphic). It's new, it's stretching your body somewhat, so stuff is going to hurt somewhere; it's normal. And you did pretty well if you only struggled the last 2 miles.
Now, do yourself a favor. Read through a few training plans, look at some 5Ks and 10Ks. Maybe next spring when you have some more miles in your legs, another HM. Give yourself another year or two before you let the draw of the marathon get you....it's not that special, and you're better off waiting until you get some more running in you. There is plenty of fun and improvement to be had at shorter distances before you go there.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Thanks. Definitely will continue running. Just have to give my legs a few days before I start at it again. Hope to be running again by the end of the week. Thanks for the advice regading the marathon. I want to do a marathon next, but haven't set any timetable yet. Just going to focus on my training and building my weekly mileage for now. I live in Canada, so will have to see how the winter months go. If I find I can't take running in the cold anymore, I found a local indoor track I can use. But its in a hockey arena, so not much warmer. At least no snow or ice.
That's awesome. My first half marathon (2011 Oakland Running Festival) was 2:18. My knees were killing me for 2 weeks after myself as I only trained for about 3 months prior and didn't know what the heck I was doing. LOL! Again, great job on your first half!