RunningAHEAD - Topic: Should I use a marathon training plan for a half marathon?

bjoiner

posted: 4/13/2009 at 3:57 PM

I've done a number of half marathons before, using a number of different online training plans. Most of them always had a longest run of around 13 miles and only once or twice in the schedule before the race. It was always a struggle towards the end of the race to push through the last 2-3 miles. Last year I was training for a full marathon, but because of some logistical reasons wasn't able to do it. I had gotten up to about 18 miles in my training with a 11 or 12 mile run about twice a week. The plan I was using (Pfitzinger) was definitely a more difficult plan than the half marathon ones, but I felt much stronger than I ever have and I think I could have run a half marathon faster than my previous records. So I'm training for another half marathon now but am thinking about using the full marathon plan anyway. Any ideas of how I should modify it for a half marathon, or should I just use it as is? Thanks, Ben

norrin_radd

posted: 4/13/2009 at 4:05 PM

If you are just training for the half and don't have a full in sight I'd make a few changes to any marathon program: I'd limit the long run to 16-18miles or whatever leads it to not be a big deal so that you can recover quickly from it and have two other quality sessions in the week. I think getting longer than that will have diminishing returns for the half. I'd make sure to keep, or include, a midweek medium long run of about the length (in time) of your half marathon goal. That's probably already in your Pfitz plan. I'd alter some of the tempo runs so they are run at your goal pace for the half (eg using Daniels adjusted tempo paces). Good luck, John

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RickStraughen

posted: 4/13/2009 at 4:27 PM

You might want to check out www.coolrunning.com They have some half marathon training programs that work up to a 16 mile long run.

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A Saucy Wench

posted: 4/13/2009 at 4:29 PM

I think a full training plan up to about 16-18 miles is a great idea. Since you are not a novice HM'r look at intermediate to advanced marathon plans. You can probably handle the extra mileage and pacework. The only caveat I would have is a lot will have tempo runs - which is probably close to HM pace and "race pace" runs which are marathon paced. You may want to spend a little thought as to where you are and what your goals are and what the purpose of each run is for YOU and adjust accordingly. Maybe the tempo runs are shortened and run on the 10K pace ish side of the scale. Maybe you merge the two workouts and do something else on the other quality day like hills. There are lots of ways you could go, just remember purpose and not blind slavery to a schedule.

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"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

JimR

posted: 4/13/2009 at 4:32 PM

Absolutely! I did this in '04, was training for Ottawa, decided instead to run a local half (Mississauga). LR's peaked at 19 miles, never quite made it into 20 territory.

SimonR

posted: 4/14/2009 at 11:18 AM

That's what I plan to do for my fall half. I have done runs up to 20 miles training for a half exactly for the reason that I wanted a strong finish, and this seemed to make me faster. Having never done a marathon I also want to see if I can handle the training, with a view to maybe moving up next year. I guess I am the cautious type, or the Boy Scout "be prepared" type!

PBs since age 60: 5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.

10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.

Phidippides

posted: 4/14/2009 at 11:26 AM

It seems like a good idea to me. I have only run one HALF a months ago and its been over 20 years since I ran a Marathon.........back to running after a few years off (been running again for a year). My HALF marathon (a month ago) I didn't really train for, rather I just decided my mileage was good enough so I ran long for a month or so and did it -- with reasonable results.... NEXT - I have two HALF's planned in October and am going to train as if I were training for a marathon, pretty much for the same reasons that SimonR stated. I want to get get my Oct HALF Marathons below 1:59:59 (which I see as a minimum time before I think about a marathon)....and because I expect to run a marathon in 2010 so this gives me a chance to experience marathon training and training towards a significant running goal.. Again, I'm no expert -- but it seems like a good idea....

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Should I use a marathon training plan for a half marathon? (Read 566 times)