New member here with a question about getting back to fitness for your 2nd half marathon. So after a failed attempt at completing a half marathon back in 2015 and blowing out my hamstring due to over-training followed by close to 2 years off to recover. I completed my first half marathon in Essex, CT back on Oct 28, 2017. My time was 2 hours 1 minute 40 seconds. My training plan consisted of the following: Monday Rest, Tuesday 4-6 miles at 9-10 minute mile pace, Wednesday 1-Hour High-Intensity Indoor Soccer Game, Thursday Rest, Friday Rest, Saturday Long Run (adding one mile per week) at 9-10 minute mile pace, Sunday 10 miles on the stationary bike at 15 mph average. I also did PT instructed hamstring stretches 2-3 times daily, and PT instructed hamstring strength building exercises 3-4 times a week (on days I don't run or play soccer).

I continued the hamstring stretching and exercises with a Saturday 4 mile run at 8 minute mile pace for the 3 weeks after the race in order to obtain at new PR on the Turkey Day 5K race of 24 minutes 53 seconds. Since then I decided to take a few months off for the winter and only continue the soccer games and Sundays on the stationary bike.

For this year I hoped to shoot for breaking the 2 hour barrier on my 2nd half marathon with a similar training plan, however, due to other commitments the races on my radar aren't going to work out. One that does work for me is on May 20th. The problem is in order to go through the same training plan that was 20 weeks long I would have to start now, and I am really feeling pretty burnt out and had hoped for a longer rest. Essentially my question is what are your thoughts that I could get away with a shorter 12 week training plan for my 2nd half marathon starting at the end of February to give myself a bit more of a break?

Basically I would have to start with 4 mile runs right from the beginning instead of working up slowly. Do you think 3 months out is long enough to have to start from scratch? I still continue with soccer and the stationary bike. I feel in pretty good shape and I hope to get in at least a couple of 2-4 mile Saturday runs before the end of February if the weather cooperates, or am I just setting myself up to get injured again without starting the training plan from the beginning? I can provide more information if anyone is interested or if I am unclear. Thanks in advance for any advice.