Forums  > Running 101  > New runner, training for 1/2 Marathon


New runner, training for 1/2 Marathon (Read 1679 times)
posted: 12/11/2008 at 9:54 PM
I started running in July 08, with the C25K program. I am 41, and had absolutely NO running experience prior to this. (This is my mid life crisis ha ha) I now have 3 weeks left of the One Hour Running program. My plan is to start training for a 1/2 Marathon (May 17, 09) - which gives me about 5 months to train. My RA log is not up to date, but here is where I am now.

I run 3 days a week on the OHR program as follows:

Run 1 (Tuesday) is just a 30 minute medium paced run

Run 2 (Thursday) is a fartlek type run (basically 1, 2, or 3 minute fast strides followed by equal time of walking or slow run interval) for about 35 minutes or so

Run 3 (Weekend) is the increasing long run, my last long run was 45 minutes and I ran the whole time - no walk breaks.


My first 5K was at the end of October, I ran it in 36 minutes.

I am still a pretty SLOW runner, (former smoker) and don't cover much distance in my runs . I am ok with taking walk breaks in the half marathon if needed.

I haven't decided what training plan to follow yet, but I do know that most plans work on distance rather than time.

Any reccomendations for a good plan for new runners? Also, am I on the right track with my training or should I be kicking it up a notch (adding another day maybe?) I needed to recover two days after my 45 minute run this week - so I want to be careful here and not get over zealous!

I have about 10 more pounds to lose, having dropped about 17 since I started running. Hoping a little less weight will make me 'faster' - although I'm more in to the distance than I am the speed....

Any suggestions or smacks in the head (what are you thinking!?) would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Cyndi
Cyndi
One Hour Running, Finishing by Jan 3rd!
www.brokenscale.blogspot.com



Wannabe Yogi

posted: 12/11/2008 at 10:06 PM
IMHO you need to be running atleast 12-15 MPW for a couple of months before attempting a Half Marathon program, if you want to have a good experience with the race.

If however you want to run this anyway, and can get to 15 MPW by february, Hal Higdon novice program http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm should get you to the finish line.


Samwise the Slow

posted: 12/11/2008 at 10:20 PM
I am looking forward to the comments here. I am likewise a new runner since August 08, 40 years old and run about 33 mpw, running 5 days a week. My plan was to get a base of 3 or 4 months of weekly running before starting the official training. My half is early May. I would like to push myself during the race, but I am scared of speed work. From reading the advise here, I am considering skipping speed and just running as many miles as I can at an easy rate. What programs are recommended?
posted: 12/11/2008 at 10:50 PM
Hey Cyndi - welcome to RA and to your mid-life crisis Clowning around

You and I have a similar story, I started running at 44 with the goal of a HM. I used Hal Higdon's novice program, which is as good or bad as any other"one size fits all" program http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm It starts about where you are and with 3 - 4 days a week of running. It will get you there. I think I had all of 6 months under my belt on half marathon day and was fine.

Since then, I've learned a lot, but the #1 best-ever, can't be said too many times, thing I can tell you right now is that slow is good - you want the vast majority, if not all, of your training to be slow and easy. I've been told that beginners should wait months before starting with speed workouts.

The #2 thing I can advise is that you post here often, ask questions as you proceed with your training - you'll get very worthwhile advice and excellent support! Even if we just tell you to HTFU! Evil grin

Arla
Join fellow "40s on the run" in the Masters Group forum


Information-U Want Info?

posted: 12/11/2008 at 11:26 PM
I'm no coach, so this is only worth .02, but I'd suggest that if you've not run 10+ miles yet, you focus on slowly building up your long run to that. Slow means safe & comfortable -- because it's better to avoid injury Smile

Some web pages advise no more than 10% increase in long run distance per week, and the same limit for total mileage increase per week.

Some running stuff (& a lot of triathlon stuff) advises taking recovery weeks every 3 or 4 weeks, where you reduce the overall mileage just for one week to give your body a break.

Anyway, congratulations on your bravery in both picking a long distance race as your next goal, and in publicly announcing it.
2009 Goals: 1. Run a lot of races, preferably of different distances 2. Do some biking before the triathlons (maybe swimming too)


thumbs up!

posted: 12/12/2008 at 12:04 AM
I'm mid 40's, newish runner, and also plan to run my first half at the end of May.

I found the chart below somewhere online.

It's helping me increase my long runs in a slow, sane way.
It's not the total miles per week, just that of the longest run. I'm on week 6.

Maybe it will help you too.


2009 Goals
1. get to and maintain 20 MPW
2. sub 50 min Crazy Legs 8k -- April 09maybe next year
3. sub 30 min 5k
4. finish Mad City half marathon -- May 09


Time to Repeat in 2009

posted: 12/12/2008 at 12:40 AM
Quote from AmoresPerros on 12/11/2008 at 11:26 PM:
I'm no coach, so this is only worth .02, but I'd suggest that if you've not run 10+ miles yet, you focus on slowly building up your long run to that. Slow means safe & comfortable -- because it's better to avoid injury Smile

Some web pages advise no more than 10% increase in long run distance per week, and the same limit for total mileage increase per week.

Some running stuff (& a lot of triathlon stuff) advises taking recovery weeks every 3 or 4 weeks, where you reduce the overall mileage just for one week to give your body a break.

Anyway, congratulations on your bravery in both picking a long distance race as your next goal, and in publicly announcing it.


This is good advice for you (and no, I'm not a coach, either.) Just think, 48 more posts and our advice will be worth a buck...

Welcome to RA!
"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" - Steven Wright
posted: 12/12/2008 at 12:51 AM
Good on you for setting the goal. I'm sure you can do it. I did something similar this year and it was great. Make sure you get your long runs in and keep them slow!
posted: 12/12/2008 at 7:23 AM
modified: 12/12/2008 at 7:26 AM
Go for it. If you think you can finish a half marathon - then you can. Based on the running you are doing now you can definitely finish. Even better your web site shows that you are really committed - and are telling everyone about it. My top advice was going to be to find an event, pay your money and enter, then tell all your friends that you will be finishing a 1/2 marathon in May. But it looks like you've done that already! For me 80% of the effort is just to get on my gear and get out the door to start the run: telling everyone helps my motivation.

You will probably get lots of advice, some of it good, some of it bad, and most of it conflicting with some other advice, but here is my $0.02 (I live in New Zealand and our dollar is not doing too well so my advice is really only worth $0.011 Smile )

Some advice from me:
1. Don't base your schedule on how many miles you run. Base it on TIME running. If you base it on miles then you will subconsciously want to run faster to get it over quicker and this is NOT what you want to do. You should stay with slow and steady. Don't do fast (at least not yet - wait another year).

2. The most important part of the program will will be to SLOWLY build up your longest run by 5 or 10 minutes a week. Once you get to 100 minutes running you'll be ready to have a go at a half marathon.

3. You will need to commit to running a few more days a week to build up to a half marathon. Three days a week is probably not quite enough - you'll need to get out and running 5 or so days a week.

4. As its your first marathon I expect your main goal will be to finish. I think what you need is to just increase your miles. I would drop the fartlek runs and replace them with some more slow and steady runs. Any time you go fast you increase your risk of injury.

5. Some people (but not me) find it best to find a running mate. Having someone else relying on you to run with them can help to make sure you get up and going - rather than find another excuse: too hot, too cold, too wet, ....

6. A few years ago I took the step from the occasional weekend jogger to complete a half marathon and rigidly stuck to the 10 week half marathon program at http://www.aucklandmarathon.co.nz/preparation/HM-beginners-schedule.pdf It definitely worked for me.
2009 goals:
PR at Rotorua Marathon: 2-May-2009 -DONE
PR & sub 3hrs at Auckland Marathon 1-Nov-2009
1/2 Marathon PR date TBA
1/2 marathon length run every week - missed goal
3,200km (2,000mi)


Very Slightly Kneed Off!

posted: 12/12/2008 at 11:39 AM
Cyndi-Here's my 2 cents worth. I started running when I was 50 (2003). I weighed 295 lbs. I was like you in that I ran just to get the miles in. My little caption under my pic means Long Slow Distance. I didn't worry about speed. I think you're doing a better job with that than I did. I ran my first 1/2 about 2 years into my running experience. I would not run anything until I knew I could run the distance. I could have run one sooner. Now it's 5 years later. I have run seven 10-milers and five 1/2s. My best 10 mile time is 81 minutes. My best half is about 1 hour 50 minutes. I weigh 200 lbs now.

I agree with Iansyd. You can do it if you think you can. Just remember to take it very easy at the start. I still always start as the last runner and run my pace. Don't get caught up in the sprint at the start. I'm often the last person through the first mile, but then I start passing people that went out too fast. Run slow and steady and you'll do fine.

I have a son that lives in Akron. I have run the Akron marathon course, but not during the race. I hope someday I can run in the Akron Marathon with you. Maybe Slaptear2 will come up too. Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!


self inflicted injury

posted: 12/12/2008 at 3:18 PM
modified: 12/12/2008 at 3:20 PM
Quote from Large Richard on 12/12/2008 at 11:39 AM:

I have a son that lives in Akron. I have run the Akron marathon course, but not during the race. I hope someday I can run in the Akron Marathon with you. Maybe Slaptear2 will come up too. Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!



The Union Hospital (New Philly)(April 2009) and the Akron HM is already on my 2009 schedule to run !!
this Sat 12/13= long run= 11 miles
Sat 12/20 = long run= 12 miles
Sat 12/27 = long run = 13.1 mile when my brother come home from Christmas( he does Ironman's Dead


Starting in Jan 1, 2009 I'm going to do an actually HM training program even though I will have run that distance on a long run on 12/27. My first goal is of course to finish and my second goal is to do it under 2 hrs. So the goal of the cookie cutter plan will not be only to build more endurance, but pick up the pace more.
2009 GOALS that I WILL ACHIEVE Goal:weight to healthy range 220>>171 now (160 goal in progress) 1st HM April 19, 2009 Union Hospital New Philadelphia, Ohio 2:08 Run more 5K's and 10k races and beat my slow PR's Run at least 25 MPW (1300 miles minimum)


Very Slightly Kneed Off!

posted: 12/12/2008 at 4:21 PM
Hey Slappy-----When's the Akron Half. I might come out.
posted: 12/12/2008 at 4:40 PM
Welcome Aboard Cyndiko

New here myself.

May 17 is plenty of time. Continue doing what you are doing. You should be looking at starting a formal plan soon. About 16 weeks 0ut....er say Mid to Late Jan. Make sure you follow a plan based on your fitness level.

Right now is the time to just concentrate on running and building your mileage. Nice slow steady runs. Get those legs ready to carry you through the upcoming training.

Great Goal and Best of Luck !

“All I want to do is drink beer and train like an animal.”
Rod Dixon


Man in Tights

posted: 12/13/2008 at 2:42 AM
The best plan for new runners is to develop running legs.
I'm glad you enjoy running so why rush into a marathon which beleive me is tough.
Get comfortable with running distances. Build endurance to the point you can run say a 5K in 30 minutes consistently. Then add distance. Your next goal should be running a 10 K in about an hour.
Running is a fabulous sport but can be cruel if you rush into it without adequate training. I would attempt the HM after a year or so of regular running and building up to 25 miles a week.

Cheers and all the best


self inflicted injury

posted: 12/13/2008 at 2:47 AM
modified: 12/13/2008 at 3:04 AM
Quote from Large Richard on 12/12/2008 at 4:21 PM:
Hey Slappy-----When's the Akron Half. I might come out.


I think its late September 2009. They run the full and HM at same time-everything I've read they say it's one of the best to do even if it's in lowly Akron, Ohio

MTA: http://www.akronmarathon.org/ Sept 26, 2009

MTA: MTA: cost=$45 before 2/01/09.....$60> 2/02/09-9/13/09

Triple MTA: dang- that means I need to commit soon. Wanted to wait to see how first HM goes before attempting 2nd one in Akron- Oh well- guess I have another CONCRETE GOAL now. Just hate to pay that far in advance.
2009 GOALS that I WILL ACHIEVE Goal:weight to healthy range 220>>171 now (160 goal in progress) 1st HM April 19, 2009 Union Hospital New Philadelphia, Ohio 2:08 Run more 5K's and 10k races and beat my slow PR's Run at least 25 MPW (1300 miles minimum)

Forums  > Running 101  > New runner, training for 1/2 Marathon