One Half So Far
If I may, I just did my first one last week. I missed 10 days of running in the three weeks before because I was babying a tweaked calf. I was worried exactly like you are...that my training was ruined, I could never finish, etc....
After 3-4 sleepless-ish nights, I went ahead and lined up hoping I could just finish.
It went fine.
And I didn't have the benefit of a 10-mile practice race like you did.
It'll go great.
~Jeff~
PR: 5K 26:34 (Would have been faster if I hadn't had to tie my shoe), 5M: 43:10, 10K: 54:51. First HM 4/14/13 2:03:23
6/1: Moonlight 5M, Springfield 43:10
7/4 Butte to Butte 10K, Eugene
7/21 Run in the Country HM, Coburg
Another HM sometime in October or November. Several to choose from.
Just go, run and have fun! This is your first HM, enjoy the experience.
Former Bad Ass
You finished a 10 mile race and you can finish the HM. Maybe you won't be as prepared as you wanted to be but you're prepared. Stop worrying about it and taper without going too crazy. Good luck! You'll do fine!
Damaris
Anomalous
Pfffft! You've got this!!
Half Fanatic #3091 ~ Marathon debut: 11/16/13 Anthem Richmond Marathon
"Run from what’s comfortable. Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious." - Rumi
hop, hop, hop...
You'll do fine! Which race are you doing?
MM #8764 / HF #6535 / Double Agent #668
PRs: 5K - 27:43, 10K - 57:14, HM - 2:06:18, FM - 5:22:42
~How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were supposed to be?~
More cowbell!
You'll do just fine. You've put in the training, and as they say...the hay is in the barn. 2 weeks out, there's not a lot of cramming that can be done. If you rocked a 10 miler, just tell yourself that there's only a measly 5K to go...and that you can do anything for 1/2 hour! By the time that 1/2 hour is up, the finish line will be in sight!
STILL HAVING FUN!!!
Or don't. If injuries/illness have sidetracked your training and you're really feeling under-prepared, or if you feel that you just won't be able to have the kind of first half-marathon result that you were hoping for and fear that the experience will be miserable, just skip the race. There's absolutely no shame in sitting out a race you feel unprepared for/not ready to run/too injured or sick to run, etc... And if there's an option to drop down to a 10k, or a 5k, or whatever shorter distance, you could always do that, too. ETA: I should add that I am signed up to run a marathon this Saturday, but have dropped down to an 8k race instead (due to injuries during training, etc...).
Or don't.
If injuries/illness have sidetracked your training and you're really feeling under-prepared, or if you feel that you just won't be able to have the kind of first half-marathon result that you were hoping for and fear that the experience will be miserable, just skip the race. There's absolutely no shame in sitting out a race you feel unprepared for/not ready to run/too injured or sick to run, etc...
And if there's an option to drop down to a 10k, or a 5k, or whatever shorter distance, you could always do that, too.
ETA: I should add that I am signed up to run a marathon this Saturday, but have dropped down to an 8k race instead (due to injuries during training, etc...).
Agreed. DNS is a viable option if you are worried about getting hurt. My two experiences.
I hurt my right Achilles tendon in July, 2011 and was out for six weeks. My fourth run back was a 15 mile race. In retrospect, running that race was one of the dumber things I've ever done when it comes to running. My performance was atrocious and I barely made it to the finish in a time that was slower than it would have taken me on an easy run if I had been in good shape. Two months later, there was a marathon I had originally intended to use as my BQ attempt. Instead, I backed out of the marathon and did the half with Proofreader. That was one of the smarter decisions I ever made. I ran my BQ in March, 2012 and beat my BQ time by over 20 minutes in weather that was far from ideal. In other words, I was in good shape by then and wouldn't have been in good shape in November.
I suppose it all depends on your goals. If your main goal is just getting across the finish line, then do some kind of run/walk thing and you'll be fine. Shoot, thousands of couch potatoes manage to stumble through the Indy Mini every year. If your goal prior to all of this was some specific time, then a DNS is in order because no amount of motivation or race day magic can make up for a lack of training. It just doesn't work that way. If you are really worried about exacerbating an injury, then racing it would be a very bad idea indeed.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Feeling a little like this guy are ya?
Di - I have a 15K race on Sunday that I know I am underprepared for, but I really want to do. I am looking at it as a practice run for my half in September, even though it won't really be anything like that HM (flat not hilly, cool not hot), and as a chance to get out and have fun with several hundred of my neighbors. I do stress about it, because I really don't want to be DFL, but it's better than DNS. If you feel like you might reinjure yourself, then I would skip the race, but if you are merely afraid that you won't run as fast as you'd like, I'd go for it.
I disagree with this. A DNS is the smart move if injury is an issue. I saw two runners in Boston that come to mind. One was an elite, Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, who was standing at the side of the road somewhere between Miles 4 and 5. The other was a guy who finished in just about the same pedestrian time I did. He was heading for the medical folks and said he thought he had a stress fracture. I have difficulty believing that the pain he was experiencing was something he only noticed after finishing (although I could be wrong). You tell me which one did the smart thing. Meb DNS'd Boston due to a calf injury.
Elite athletes are not the least bit afraid to DNS or DNF rather than make an injury worse. It seems that it's only recreational athletes who will knock themselves out for months just to do a race. Note that my 15 miler shows that I don't always do the smart thing myself.
Now, if what we're talking about is just entering a race a bit unprepared, well, you'll hurt a bit but you'll be fine. There is a big difference between racing when you are somewhat underprepared and racing when you are injured.
Are we there, yet?
LTH - did you miss this part of the post? I don't think Ginny disagrees with you, and I think she is more in tune with why Di is stressed.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K, 9:11:09 06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Nervous? You're not going to win, or finish in the top 5, so don't sweat it.
Antipodean
I like what George says.
Di - I'm going through similar thought processes as I keep increasing my long run for my fall ultra. With one exception when I really ran too much in the days leading up to it, somehow I've managed to finish each one, a couple actually feeling pretty good though stiff at the end. Like you I'll eventually be venturing into new territory and even now it's been almost 20 years since I've tried distances like these. We're a tough bunch despite outward appearances. You'll find what you need inside you to get to the finish.
And I also admire his humbleness in propelling himself into the Unknown. It gives me inspiriation that I can complete my first half later this year.
And so can you, Di.
Julie
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."
~ Sir Edmund Hillary
I disagree with this. A DNS is the smart move if injury is an issue. I saw two runners in Boston that come to mind. One was an elite, Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, who was standing at the side of the road somewhere between Miles 4 and 5. The other was a guy who finished in just about the same pedestrian time I did. He was heading for the medical folks and said he thought he had a stress fracture. I have difficulty believing that the pain he was experiencing was something he only noticed after finishing (although I could be wrong). You tell me which one did the smart thing. Meb DNS'd Boston due to a calf injury. Elite athletes are not the least bit afraid to DNS or DNF rather than make an injury worse. It seems that it's only recreational athletes who will knock themselves out for months just to do a race. Note that my 15 miler shows that I don't always do the smart thing myself. Now, if what we're talking about is just entering a race a bit unprepared, well, you'll hurt a bit but you'll be fine. There is a big difference between racing when you are somewhat underprepared and racing when you are injured.
I'll tell you which one. It was the elite. They run for a living. If they are hurt, they don't race and they don't get paid. Now, you can argue the person with the stress fracture probably should have stopped. But he wasn't risking his livelihood by continuing like an elite might.
Comparing those two runners? Come on. This might have been the ONE shot the recreational runner had at running Boston.
MTA: I probably need to add that I do not believe "racing" when you have been hurt and aren't recovered is a good idea. A DNS is often a better idea. If you just want to take it easy and finish that is different.
Don't call me Buttercup!
My only goal for this race was (is) to finish upright and smiling. I did sorta have a time goal in my head, but it was (is?) completely realistic.
I have the option to drop to a 5K, but I'm torn because I likely would not PR and that would just make me grumpy. I realize that not every race can be a PR, but my 5K PR is from October and I know I've gotten faster since then.
Bitch, bitch, bitch. I'll shut up now.
Slow and steady wins the.... wait a second! I've been lied to!