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| First Half Marathon -- Advice? (Read 582 times) |
| view log |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 2:34 AM
modified: 7/8/2007 at 2:35 AM |
Let me preface this by saying I DEFINITELY consider myself a beginner...and a rambler, hence the length of this post.
I'm running the Rock and Roll Half in Virginia Beach in September, and I started a training plan in the middle of May. I found it somewhere online and modified it (and am continuing to modify it as I go). At first I was running five times a week, but now that my long and semi-long runs are getting longer, I've dropped it to four times a week in fear of injury. I do crosstrain on two of the other days and take one rest day where I do nothing.
My training schedule looks like this:
Sun - Easy run (4 or 5 miles)
Mon - Speedwork (3 miles) -- I use the term "speed" loosely
Tues - Semi-long run
Wed - crosstrain
Thurs - rest
Fri - Long run
Sat - crosstrain
The long run is up to 11 miles for this week, and the semi-long is 8. I'm raising each of those one mile a week. I've been ok with it so far, though my 10-mile run on Friday kind of wiped me out a bit. I was still able to do the elliptical for an hour today, though, so I must be ok, right?
My goal for the 1/2 is just to run the whole thing, only walking at the water stops. I don't care what my time is, because I'll always be slow and that's ok with me. For me, it's about finishing. Here's my question: am I running too much? too little? Remember that a year ago, I couldn't run two feet, and I weighed 102 pounds MORE than I do right now. My body has completely changed. I've only run one 10k and one 5k (I did another 5k but I was sick and walked most of it, so it doesn't really count). I astonished myself when I ran the whole 10k because I've never done anything like that before (even though I did train for it), but a 1/2 is quite a bit longer!
Any advice, encouragement, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! |
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posted: 7/8/2007 at 3:09 AM |
Looks like you are doing great! Keep working hard and having fun. Don't push so hard that you get hurt but keep up the good work. Make sure you get enough rest and feel good before your run. Good luck.
DB |
Dumber than most, tougher than the rest.
"You can not count the miles until you feel them" TVZ |
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| view log Jazz, happy dog |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 12:32 PM |
| Congratulations on your progress, it looks like you are ahead of the curve, you should do great! Keep us informed. |
| Just 'cause you can, doesn't mean you should
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posted: 7/8/2007 at 6:38 PM |
| I agree with DB and Perfesser. You are doing great! Keep up the good work and you will do fantastic at your half. |
Your monkey gives me the creeps. - andahuff
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smc3720 view log |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 9:17 PM
modified: 7/8/2007 at 9:19 PM |
| I was where you were in May, when I ran my first half marathon. Two years ago, I was 50 pounds heavier and cound not run 10 minutes. I was able to break two hours, which was my goal, and my program was similiar to yours, so just keep it up. Be carefull of injuries, and perhaps running too hard in the race, I did end up with a bad blister on my foot. I am know working on getting ready for a full marathon, my goal, just to finish this time. |
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| view log Member Since 2008 |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 9:30 PM |
First off let me commend you for all of the hard work. Looking at your running log, it seems you are on the right track. I would not exceed 30 miles per week, nor go below 23 or 24 for miles. Drop the speed day and add 1 or two easy miles. At the speed you are currently at, the extra couple of miles will benefit you more in the long run.
Finally, take it easey the week before your race, and enjoy! Good Job! |
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| view log |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 9:47 PM |
| Quote from Go PRE on 7/8/2007 at 9:30 PM: Drop the speed day and add 1 or two easy miles. At the speed you are currently at, the extra couple of miles will benefit you more in the long run.
I think I believed I should have a speed day to increase my speed in general, not just for training for the 1/2. I'm ok with being slow, but I don't want to be this slow forever! Should I forget about it, then, while I'm getting ready for the half? And when you say add one or two easy miles, do you mean to add them instead of the 3 miles I do on the speed day? Or add them to the 3 and make that whole run easy?
Thanks for all the comments, by the way, everyone!
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| view log Member Since 2008 |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 10:07 PM |
What I meant was change the 3 mile speed day to a 4 or 5 mile easy day. I would not worry about speed at this point. It will eventually come in time. once you have a good running base built (and that comes through distance) you can add tempo runs to test yourself.
This is your first race and you are just concerned with finishing the race, then speed is not a concern. If you had a time goal in mind, then it might me another story.
Your first race should not be about time, it is just a good way to check where your at and you can build from there. |
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| view log esq. |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 11:04 PM |
Lots of good advice, of course, so I'll just say ENJOY IT! and HAVE FUN!  |
| 2009: BQ? |
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| view log esq. |
posted: 7/8/2007 at 11:04 PM |
oh, and go out to lunch afterward and wear your medal and show it off  |
| 2009: BQ? |
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| view log Was it all a dream? |
posted: 7/9/2007 at 8:04 PM |
| I would suggest rearranging your week so that you have an easy day (or cross training day) in between your speed work and medium long days. What do you do for speed work? I would suggest a tempo run rather than intervals since you are preparing for a half. |
This is family business
And this is for the family that can't be with us |
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posted: 7/15/2007 at 12:57 PM |
| Quote from schneidr on 7/9/2007 at 8:04 PM: I would suggest rearranging your week so that you have an easy day (or cross training day) in between your speed work and medium long days. What do you do for speed work? I would suggest a tempo run rather than intervals since you are preparing for a half.
Thanks for the advice. I rearranged my schedule so that I'm just doing some crosstraining before the medium long run on Wednesday now. I'm also planning to try a tempo run tomorrow instead of intervals, but I'm not entirely sure how it works. I've been googling and asking my husband but I'm still not 100% clear. I'll figure it out.
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