Forums >Running 101>half marathon distance still intimidating
5 weeks to go till my first half marathon race and training is going fairly well. (My log is available for those interested). BUT! the distance of 13.1 miles is still mentally intimidating and challenging to me.
In the past few months I have done 2 long runs of 13.1 and several long runs in the 11-12+ mile range. These days I am finding the distance of 10 miles to be non-intimidating, whereas before I started training for the half I used to think 10 miles was impossibly long when my "long" runs were just 7 miles. Does the mental challenge of 13.1 become easier the more you do it or do I need to do even higher mileage long runs to make 13.1 seem less intimidating? With five weeks to go, I am planning two of my long runs be in the 14 mile range and one in the 13 mile range. Should I bump up one of those 14 miles to 15 miles? Or is that asking for trouble at this point? My long runs are looking like this over the next five weeks:
10 (cut back week)
13
14
12
race
And does anyone use any kind of mental tricks on race day to make the half marathon distance less intimidating?. Do you break it down into more mentally manageable chunks like:
3 x 4 miles + 1.1
4 x 3 miles + 1.1
2 x 5 miles + 5k
or even
2 x 6 miles + 1.1?
or do you just run one mile at a time?
Thanks!
Bacon Party!
The distance itself will become less intimidating. Then, you'll start worrying about how you're going to go FAST for the duration.
Looking at your log, I think you're doing great ... Becoming consistent with 5 days / week, including a 60+min mid-week run, your weekend long run and some slightly uptempo work.
At this point, I'd stick with your planned long runs - you have five more opportunities to make friends with the distance. (And, yes, 10 miles is close enough to call it good half marathon prep.)
No need to go looking for trouble.
13.1 will fly by on race day. Seriously, it will go by faster than you can imagine.
As for breaking up the distance in the race, sometimes I think of it this way:
The first 5 miles are about staying controlled, not getting too caught up in the race excitement and hoopla.
The next 5 miles are a nice steady push, trying not to slack off.
Then, it's just 5K left. Anyone can run a 5K! Go! Go! Go!
Liz
pace sera, sera
Dude, you are thinking way too much. My advice is to stop thinking so much. I probably sound like I'm making fun of you, but I promise I'm not.
but also, I wouldn't think increasing your long run would help much at this point. You are super well prepared on the long run front. I'd do a couple of 1:30-1:45 long runs with a little "quality" thrown in (dumb term, but that's what it's called) - e.g. 10 miles with 20-30 minutes at your goal hm pace. Maybe also a tune-up 10k, if you can find one in the next few weeks...
Finally, regarding race day: race day magic is a real thing. If you must break it down, 5 miles + 5 miles + 5k always works for me, or even 4*5k + 1.095k
mta: buzzie posted while I was writing. Otherwise I would have just +1-ed her post...especially the bit about how you are already well prepared. Better, I would think, than many many others who will be running the same race.
I think your log and your plan look pretty solid. I see no reason to increase your long runs beyond what you have planned.
The fact that you are up to 10 miles being non-intimidating is great at this point. Just keep working at it and on race day you will be fine.
Racing a distance you have not raced before is supposed to be intimidating. That is what makes us train for it. If it was easy what would be the point of putting in all those hours of hard work?
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.
+1 to what the others have already said. In looking at your log you have the mileage already.
As for the "intimidation" piece - that is normal for your first one. As long as you follow the advice of what the others have posted you will be just fine. By that, you want to make sure and run those first five miles at a consistent, comfortable pace. If those first five miles feel the least bit fast, you are probably starting too fast.
Like most new distance runners, you are also placing far too much emphasis on your "long" run. Consistent higher weekly mileage ends up being far more important that the long run itself. Now, it's hard to really get your mileage up without having a fairly long, long run, however, going longer than 13.1 on your long runs won't help you as much as just putting in consistent weeks that have overall higher mileage if that longer run is tiring you out too much, and forcing you to run less throughout the week.
As others have said, you will be just fine. Not to mention, the best thing about your first one is that it Is an automatic PR. After you finish it, you'll learn some things and then you can start thinking about what you will do different in your next half, or if you want to start thinking about tackling 26.2! Good luck!
Haven't raced in a couple of years, but have run a few Half marathons and is my favorite distance. For me the first 6 miles are kind of mentally hard, feels like I am running hard and not sure if I can run the distance without completely falling apart. Miles 6-10 I am on autopilot, and the miles just go by without me noticing. The last 5k is physically demanding, and only focus on not letting too many people run by me, run to the next landmark and then pick out next mini goal etc.
Your training looks good, I'd only suggest maybe slow down on a couple of easier runs, run last couple of miles of your long run hard (at or faster than HM pace, which for you could be around 8:00- 8:15/mile based on 7:33 5k pace), and then the next run could be a recovery pace at 1-2 min slower per mile than your easy run pace. It could be tough to run that slow, but for recovery runs, maybe take a few walk breaks if running so slowly feels awkward.
Thanks all for your replies! I appreciate the fact that the advice/feedback is coming from very experienced runners--you guys and gals really rock the weekly mileage and those long runs! I think I would have felt totally defeated if anyone had said I should be more than comfortable with the 13.1 distance by now with just 5 weeks out...so thanks for the encouragement!!
Yeah, I'm a little worried about going out too fast. I thought about using a pacing group on race day but still not sure about that.
Just go and enjoy yourself!
My 0.02: Forget about joining the pace group blockade - run like you know how ('cuz you do), enjoy the course, and see what the race & distance have to teach you.
Keep Going
Looks to me like you are just fine and set up to really do well. 13 miles is a long way but your doing long runs further then you goal race which you won't be doing if you step up to marathon and beyond. Your body and mind already know what 13 miles is and how it feels. And like other's already mentioned just go out and trust your training and not overthink it.
Being intimidated is a good thing. You should feel that way. It will make you not take it lightly and actually makes you focus and perform better when you toe the line on race day.
Have fun and race well!
100 milers are my favorite
Just echoing the others; your log looks great!! Before my first half, the longest I ran was I think 12.5 miles (and only one time), and I did fine! I think you're better off avoiding a possible injury that could come with pushing into 13+ at this point.
I have never formally broken down the mileage in my head for a half, but the mantra that I like is "detach". Sounds kind of funny, but I want to remind myself to be loose, chilled out, breathing deeply, relaxed, as opposed to having my mind darting around all over the place and looking at my watch every two seconds and constantly calculating this or that, ya know?
PRs:
5k - 22:53 (May 2015)
10k - 50:00 (unofficial; part of 20k race, March 2015); 50:33 (official; July 2016)
HM - 1:48:40 (Apr. 2015)
You need to chill.... ... You're doing about as well as you can at this point and you're at that place where you can't fix much by changing things, but you can screw things up big time if you do something stupid. Run your race and then re-assess. IMHO you only need to run 10 mile long runs ahead of a Half Marathon.
Many will say to keep your long run no more than 30% of your total mileage. If you use that guideline, on a 35 mile running week, your long run should be 10.5 miles. So you are a little above a 'rule of thumb'.
If I were pushing out a training plan for you the longs runs will look more like;
8 (cut back)
9 go extra easy
8 go extra easy
race.
You're going to have a good race and a good time. Half Marathons are a little intimidating but they are also a lot of fun....
Champions are made when no one is watching
You have gotten some good advice in this thread but what I copied is particularly good advice. And he is right, there is WAY too much emphasis on the long run...
SMART Approach
I break a half marathon down like this. I use the first 2 miles as a graduated warm up. Now, I say that not meaning go slow but don't put pressure on yourself early on. It will be of more benefit to you to ease into your pace so no pressure first 2 miles. This is important for a newbie half marathoner. For me, I am usually only 10 sec off my goal pace after mile 1, but it helps me start a tad slower or ease back a bit knowing the adrenaline is flowing. Way too many newbies and intermediate runners start way to fast in a half or overestimate their fitness.
After mile 2 I try to get into a pace that is comfortably hard and one that you feel you can hold for a while. After mle 10, you are doing a 5K race. At this point if you feel like you have a decent amount in the tank, you can pick it up a tad to make up some ground. It is all guts from here on out. Finish strong leaving nothing left on the course.
BTW, I have never even run 12 miles in prep for a half. Early on I would do about four 9 mile long runs as training for a half and never had an issue with the 13.1 miles. The key is proper pacing and not hammering the early miles. Good luck
Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery
Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training
Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique
www.smartapproachtraining.com
I agree with everyone who has said that your long runs are plenty long. Figure it this way: you will probably be running for a shorter period of time during your race than it takes to run a long run of 10-12 miles at a slower pace.
Thanks all for your replies!
The preparation over the past several months has taught me quite a bit, and I realize I have barely even scratched the surface! This site has been an invaluable resource to me and I enjoy reading all of your posts here. Thank-you all.