half marathon as part of marathon training (Read 1100 times)

My question is if running a half marathon on March 2nd would be ok when training for the cleveland marathon on May 18? I agreed to run it with a guy I run with twice a week. The half marathon course is tough! It is really hilly. This is my first marathon I am training for. Advice? Should I run it like an easy run and just enjoy the well spaced water and gatoraide stops? or Should I run it at marathon pace as practice? or Should I bust it like a real race and use it as a guage of my current fitness level? ok my background. I have been running since June of 2006 regularly. 2006 - 4 days a week 15 - 25 miles per week. 2006 races. 5k, 15k, half marathon. 2007 4 days a week usually right about 20 miles. In Dec I added a 5th day. and have been running longer on non-long runs. and am up in the 30-35 range now for the last 3 weeks. 2007 races two half marathons, a 15k, and a 5 miler.

Go for it and run it as a race to gauge your current fitness. This should help to give you an idea on what kind of pace you can reasonably accomlish for your (first?) marathon. Also, you'll be a couple of months out so you have ample time for recovery and it would probably help to break up the marathon training.

Race it. 6 weeks between a tune-up half and a full are darn near ideal. It'll give you a great indication as to what you can expect for performance in Cleveland. Are you in the Cleveland area?

Hopefully you're thinking about my race ( director) down here in Youngstown Yes we tough in Y-town I'm training with several guys going to Cleveland also that will do Mill Creek. I'm going Flying Pig

Wow, I would think the better question is will you be ready for the marathon on only 30-35 mpw? The half will be no problem. The marathon is going to hurt.

30-35 mpw is his current mileage. You definitely have lots of time to add 10 to 15 mpw by then. Regarding the HM, definitely go for it. It's good training and will give you confidence. If you have at least a couple of 15+ mile long runs before, race it.

And you know what's funny? People are topping out at 30-40 mpw and then tapering! Amazing.

You find new runners making training mistakes funny?

I don't think 2 months is nearly enough to bring that base up to where it needs to be. As I read it you have 2 months until the half and 4 months until the full and are at a 30-35 mile base. Is that right? I think you have plenty of time to get to 50 mile weeks before a taper. Race it if you want but realize you will continue to improve so I wouldn't predict my full time off the results. Racing one 3-4 weeks out is a much better predictor of optimum marathon results. Read optimum.

Alot of good advice. Some folks think I should race it as there is plent of time to recover. Other folks think I am not ready to run a marathon. There seams to be a suggestion of having a base of at least 50 miles per week ? On top of the requirement to get in some number of 20 mile runs. If my priority should be to get my base up to 50 before my taper then that would tell me not to race it but either treat it as a long run or run a portion of it at marthon pace. Either way I should continue to build my base? The other option is not running the cleveland marathon at all. I am open to that suggestion as well however I would like to give it a try. Then do another training cycle and run a late fall marathon as well.