Just joined this group, but see lots of familiar faces. I read through some of the other threads and I'm looking forward to participating. I'm signing up for the US Half Marathon in San Francisco on 11/2. It's not my first HM, but it's my first since 1992. So it might as well be my first!! The race goes over the Golden Gate Bridge -- which sounds cool, until you realize that it also means that you have to run up to get on the Bridge. The price of a good view. So I'm about 15 weeks out now. I've been spending the summer in base-building mode, and I'm happy with where I am (20 miles/week). As I enter this window before the race, I started looking at some online HM training programs . . . and, actually, they didn't help me much. I think I'm going to more or less keep doing what I'm doing, but I'd love some advice. Here's what I do now: M -- easy 4 miles T -- weight training W -- mid-long. About 6 now. Often has some pretty big hills in it. R -- weight training F -- easy 4 miles Sa -- off Su -- long. Now that's 7-8. Alternating weekends I do it as a trail run, and those always involve substantial hills. I'm thinking I might switch Saturday and Sunday, so that I get a true rest day after the long run. Or, it would also give some flexibility to add a fifth running day if I wanted to (although that would be tough to schedule). The plans I saw all had speedwork. I don't do speedwork now -- basically all my runs are easy runs, with the variable being hills or not. I am worried about adding speedwork while also adding mileage. I'm no spring chicken, and speedwork was, I think, a significant source of my running inuries in my Running Life 1.0. I'm thinking rather than intervals, maybe I'll just try to do some of the midweek or Friday run as a tempo, at a 5k or 10k race pace. Thoughts? (although, actually, the plans I saw wouldn't have me adding speedwork and mileage, because few of them went over 25 miles/week, which I found really surprising) Also, any thoughts on those weight training days? I'm trying to run smarter this time around, and do all those strengthening exercises that were recommended for me 16 years ago. Could I also run on those days at all? My time to do so would be very limited, though. (I do my weighttraining on my lunch hour; I do my runs in the early am. My lunch hour needs to stay close to an hour, and my morning schedule needs to accomodate the fact that I have get-the-kids-breakfast responsibilities some mornings) Or maybe I could try dropping weight training? For the long runs, I don't think I'll have any trouble getting that up to 12 over the next months -- as long as I stay injury free. I probably won't be able to do the midweek mid-long any longer than 6, though, just as a scheduling matter. Actually, I guess as long as I don't add a fifth day, I really won't be going much over 25/week either -- at least for the most part. Why am I thinking that adding mileage is so important then? Is it just a question of goals? Do I want to "just finish" or am I hoping for more? Honestly, I'm not sure now that I know the answer to that myself!

I'm thinking rather than intervals, maybe I'll just try to do some of the midweek or Friday run as a tempo, at a 5k or 10k race pace. Thoughts? (although, actually, the plans I saw wouldn't have me adding speedwork and mileage, because few of them went over 25 miles/week, which I found really surprising)

Cheffy is spot on, no sense repeating all of that. Regarding tempos, between 5K and 10K is too fast I believe. I was running them between 10K and HM pace. But then again I was running 5 or 6 miles at tempo, which for me was up to 45 minutes. Tempos are great for a HM. Any speed work you do make sure you include warm up and cool down (10 - 15 mins). Since you are just getting back into higher mileage races, I think the best bang for your buck is more miles at an easy pace. Don't worry about doing much high intensity stuff. You'll feel less beat up, and a better race experience. Good luck.

Welcome Anne, You came to the rightplace for half marathon training ideas & thoughts. Yes Cheffy knows all the ingredients but the key is the proper amount of those ingredients that is the hard part because everyone is different. I would advise doing any weights with the legs immediately after a easy run, and have 2 days of rest for your legs during the week. Upper body weights are great. You will burn about 15% of your running calories from protein if you don't take in enough protein your body will eat your least used muscle. You may have noticed many runners have very little muscle in the back & shoulders. So workout your whole body & eat enough protein. Just my 2 cents.