Ran my first half marathon. Next up... (Read 439 times)

Hi guys, I ran my first half marathon last weekend,the OUC Half in downtown Orlando, FL. It was pretty tough. I want to run another... most likely the Disney Princess Half Marathon on March 8th, and probably the Gasparilla 15K the weekend before. (Would it be stupid to do the Gasparilla Half? Two weekends in a row?) Anyway, my busy schedule and quick decision to run a half marathon led to not the greatest training leading up to this race. I finished slow. 2:28ish. But I finished. I feel like if I train properly, eat better, and allow myself more time, I can do a lot better. I play in professional group and we had a concert the night before the race, two the day of, and one the morning after... with really enjoyable receptions to follow. Could have planned my first race a little better. When I was building mileage (really quickly), my shins were killing me. Really screwed up a lot of my planned runs. Towards the end, they were finally feeling strong, however. During the race, my legs didn't bother me at all. Not once. I think I was playing so many head games with myself and my stomach was so on the fritz going into it, that my legs were not a concern at all. Anyway, I want to properly train for the next half. Should I cut back to where I was to begin with and start building again? Or cut back to a certain point? Should I do a few weeks where my longest run is only 8 or 9 miles, to re-condition my body? Both to not over strain my muscles - again - and to get into shape... not that I'm in bad shape, but I'm sure a few less pounds could be a good thing... especially since post-race/post-university exam week/Festivus week has been filled with eggnog, pastries, margaritas, and Heineken. Filled... What kind of training would you suggest? I have time to get myself into good shape for the half, and I will know what to expect now. I don't want to hurt myself, as I came so close to doing this time. Thanks in advance!