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New Runner to Half Marathon (Read 899 times)


Rocket Turtle

    As the title says, I am a new runner, and I am trying to figure out what realistic expectations I should have. I started cycling & running for weight loss.....and I've dropped 40 lbs since the beginning of the year. Right now I stand around 5'9" and 190lbs, so I still have a ways to go until I reach my optimal 'healthy' weight. My workouts have been cycle-heavy, and I am now transitioning more and more into running. To keep my HR under 180bpm, my 2.5 mile run time is about 20 minutes (run 9:00 mile, then walk/run the rest). So with all of that out of the way, lately I have really had the desire to start racing. My wife is pretty athletic, and has a few more miles under her belt than I. She has never run a race, but was kicking around the idea of doing a half marathon sometime next summer. I would love to do it with her, so the question at hand is: do you think my goal is realistic?
    ~Jason
    zoom-zoom


    rectumdamnnearkilledem

      So with all of that out of the way, lately I have really had the desire to start racing. My wife is pretty athletic, and has a few more miles under her belt than I. She has never run a race, but was kicking around the idea of doing a half marathon sometime next summer. I would love to do it with her, so the question at hand is: do you think my goal is realistic?
      Definitely! I did my first HM almost a year ago, after only 6 months of regular running. You'll do great! Smile k

      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

           ~ Sarah Kay

        I agree with Zoomy. I ran my first half after only 2+ months of running. Just build up your mileage and you can do it.

        When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

          Another one for: yes! Yes
          2009: BQ?
            I just started running too, as a result of a solemn declaration over beers that my friends and I would run a half marathon in October next year...I bloody well hope you can do it, cause otherwise it's all over for me!


            #2867

              I just started running too, as a result of a solemn declaration over beers that my friends and I would run a half marathon in October next year...I bloody well hope you can do it, cause otherwise it's all over for me!
              Ha ha ha! You'll be fine.

              Run to Win
              25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

                A half marathon is a great distance to train for! You'll do well. Please keep us posted on what you decide. Smile

                Michelle



                  Absolutely go for it. You sound like you're doing pretty well, and once you send in your check and mark your calendar you'll find you have a new level of commitment. One of my favorite RA quotes is "the difference between a jogger and a runner is an application". It's a wild ride, and you'll love it.

                  E.J.
                  Greater Lowell Road Runners
                  Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

                  May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.


                  Imminent Catastrophe

                    Good luck in your goal! Just one thing jumped out at me, if your heart rate is up to 180 you're training way too fast. You are "basebuilding" and need to do almost, if not all, of your running at an aerobic pace. Running at 180HR is not only less beneficial, it increases your chance of injury and burns fat more efficiently. I recommend you join this group: http://www.runningahead.com/groups/LOWHRTR Or at least read the forums, lots of good info there. The consensus on heart rate training is about 75-80%MHR to get a good aerobic benefit. For a 25-yr old that would be 155 max. Yeah, I know, it will be frustratingly slow at first but stick with it and it will get faster. You can still do some harder running but it should be a small portion of your training. JMHO.

                    "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                     "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                    "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                     

                    √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                    Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                    Western States 100 June 2016


                    Lazy idiot

                      I started running regularly just this year, and I'll be running my first half in six days. You can do it!

                      Tick tock

                        i'm also fairly new to running (about a year, off and on) and just started training for my first half this week. i'm following this plan which a few other people have said worked well for them: http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm i will say that signing up for various 5ks around town has really helped my motivation - you should definitely do a race!


                        Rocket Turtle

                          Thanks to all for the encouragement and replies. Looks like I will definitely be setting my sights on a Half next summer! Perfesser, thanks for the link....I just recently discovered that group and started pouring over the information there. Sounds like something that I really need to look more into. My cycling workouts seem to be closer to that range...I generally ride 15-20 miles @ a 17mph pace, which keeps my HR under 160bpm (sometimes a bit higher though). I guess I really need to figure out how to use this heart rate thingy properly now. Smile I guess this raises another question: Should I focus more on cycling workouts at this point to build an aerobic base, since I can stay in the aerobic range MUCH longer cycling vs. running? Or do I just plod though the next few weeks/months with a lot of slow "running."
                          ~Jason
                          Ed4


                          Barefoot and happy

                            I guess this raises another question: Should I focus more on cycling workouts at this point to build an aerobic base, since I can stay in the aerobic range MUCH longer cycling vs. running? Or do I just plod though the next few weeks/months with a lot of slow "running."
                            Base training doesn't carry over completely from one sport to another. So to increase your running base, you need to run. Part of the point of base training is to condition your muscles to be more efficient, so you need to train the muscles you'll actually be using in your race.
                            Curious about running barefoot? Visit the new barefoot running group.
                              This is my first post, but thought I'd offer some encouragement! I started running about 10 months ago, having not done any exercise since my teens. My story started much like astrogirl's - a drunken bet that I couldn't run the Great North Run in a year's time. Anyway, a few hundred miles of training and a fair bit of lost weight later I completed the Great North Run (and my first ever half marathon) a few weekends ago. The time wasn't amazing, but the sense of achievement certainly was! I'd highly recommend signing up for a half marathon - it gives you a huge target to focus on and allows you to put together a meaningful training plan. I have to say, agreeing to do the Great North Run was probably one of the best things I've done in years...