I've looked at several training plans, but they are all on a shorter time frame than what I am working with. I normally run about 3 miles, 4 days per week. I thought I would either: keep that the same and add one more day for a long run, or make one of those 4 days my long run. Which would be better? 1. Honestly, either approach would work for your goal of finishing a 1/2 marathon. It really depends on how much time effort you can and want to give. If you enjoy running, don't have any lingering injuries and want to do it 5 days a week instead of 4 that would probably yield better results. Also, once you've gotten your long run up to ~10 miles or so (the very minimum long run for completing a 1/2 marathon IMO) you might want to increase one of your mid-week runs to about 5-6 miles. This medium long run re-enforces the benifits of the long run without taking as much out you. Is there anything else I should be focusing on? I'm really not too worried about my time for this first one. I just want to run it and finish. I am planning to run a 5k or two along the way, so the half won't be my first race. 2. Since you aren't worried about time you don't need to worry about speedwork, intervals, tempo runs etc. You'll get faster just from increasing mileage anyway. I would suggest running a 10K as well as a few 5K's though, just to give you a better idea of running in a longer race. Also, I haven't run outside all winter--just been on the treadmills. As I start making one day a long run, should I do that one outside? 3. Treadmill running is not the same as outside running over the ground. It is like the difference between humans and chimps we share 98% of our DNA, but it is that last 2% that makes all the difference. Since you are used to running on the treadmill you'll probably find running outside uncomfortable of even painful at first (sort of how I feel when I run on a treadmill) so transition carefully, do every other run outside for the next month or so then make the treadmill a once in a while thing (like when there is snow/ice etc.) Even if you have to run most your distance on the treadmill for some reason you do need to do at least some running over ground if for no other reason than to know what it is like come race time. If that is the case I would do the easy/shorter runs outside and not the long runs for the pain/discomfort reasons I mentioned earlier.

Thanks so much!

Mom, I'm running my first HM in September, also, in York, Maine. I'm finding that 5 days a week is MUCH better for me. Right now, I'm doing two runs that are just over 3 miles, two runs that are just over 5, and then my long run, which was 7.1 miles last week. Since I have so much time, I'm going up half a mile every two weeks. Now I'm surprised at how "easy" the 5-mile run is! I did 5.2 yesterday and 5.2 today, a first for me. I had to fit them in early in the week, because our family is going skiing in Vermont Wednesday through Saturday, and I'm thinking it will be hard to get more than 3 miles in at a time. Keep us posted! It sounds as if you and I are at about the same level, so we should encourage each other! Teresa