Half Marathon Trainers

123

It's official... I'm running my first HM on April 22nd! (Read 710 times)

    It's official.  My husband and I are running our first HM on April 22!  We just signed up with a local running shop for an 18 week training program that starts in Dec and ends with the HM on April 22.  We actually will be working with a coach 2x a week for the 18 weeks.  This is just what we needed.  It will keep us motivated through the winter and since neither of us have ever been runners, it will also give us the coaching we desperatly need.  They also will be including a nutrition class and an injury prevention class.  Can't wait for it to start.

     

    But this means running outside a lot in the winter in Northern Ohio = cold.  What do you wear to run in the winter?  It was about 35 when I went out yesterday.  Ran in a long sleeve cotten shirt and cotton sweatshirt.= wet and cold!  Need to find out what to wear.  Help?

     

    Side note, I just ran almost 8 miles yesterday!  I have had to cut my miles way back because of a knee injury.  It felt great!  Today a little sore, but not as bad as I expected.

      Training together should help both of you reach your goal, so this sounds like a great idea.

       

      Training through the winter is tough- I am in Canada and we probably have similar weather. A few suggestions:

       

      1) Be flexible- if the weather is ridiculous stay inside that day. If your kids have flu skip your run that day, you are not professional athletes whose living depends on your finishing time.

       

      2) Get balaclavas for cold and windy days, and sunglasses that wrap around to keep blowing snow and ice crystals out of your eyes.

       

      3) Buy Trax or similar grippers or put screws in one pair of shoes so you don't slip on ice. After a deep snow wait till the plows go by before running, anything over an inch or so makes running tough.

       

      4) Wear thin gloves inside mitts or nylon wind mitts over warm gloves.

       

      5) Use vaseline or similar on lips and nose.

       

      Good luck!

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

                                          10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.

       

        Hi Kathy!

         

        Simon is much better placed to advise you on running in the cold. Apart from last winter in VA... I have run most of my winters in TX... cold doesn't have the same meaning down here! Smile

         

        I found out I was OK in the cold (down to about 10F) in shorts, long sleeved top, running jacket, gloves, mittens and hat.... but if there was any wind... you would find me on the treadmill!

         

        Good luck with your training... keep telling us all about it as we all love to hear how folks are getting along.

         

        Good luck in the frozen north!

         

        Cheers MattJ

        2017 Goals
        1) Run more than 231 miles
        2) Be ready for  HM in the spring


        an amazing likeness

          Kathy,

           

          You've got a lot of time between now and April -- which is a gift. You've got a coach....another gift.  You've got the desire and excitement to tackle this...another, well you get the idea.

           

          Living in Maine with our cold and snow, I still find winter running is easier to deal with than the heat of summer.  Winter is all about layers of clothes and I can almost always get comfortable.  If you have some budget for winter gear, one company that makes really versatile and well made stuff is Sporthill  -- they have outerwear for all temps and activities.  I'm a big fan.  Anyway, winter is about adjusting layers and adding the final, outer layer for the weather.  I don't change footwear, same shoes year round.  I do move to warmer, Smartwool socks.

           

          I will head for the treadmill on days with ice or heavy snowfall.

           

          Were I in your shoes, between now and Feb I would focus on running consistently -- getting in volume of steady runs, and when possible a longer run on the weekends -- all aimed at building base.  A steady diet of running most days.

           

          Congrats on picking the half marathon target -- it is a great distance. It takes endurance, focus and training but you can out train and out last those who can run faster, and unlike its big brothers, you can try again and again to improve without life altering attention to training plans.

          Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

            THanks for the tips on what to wear.  Went out and bought a three long sleeve dry wicking shirts in various thicknesses and two jackets.  Ran today in 35 degrees and was fine.  Now I need to invest in some running pants.

              Now I need to invest in some running pants.

               

              I love my Underarmour running pants for the coldest of days. I'll be getting another couple of pairs for this winter. Winter running is fine, and I also prefer it to the wicked heat of summer.

                Well,  we have officially started the HM training!  We started Christmas Eve of all days.  They broke us up into groups, I am in the slowest group but that's ok.  I just want to finish the HM I don't care about my time.  Not yet.  When I run this in April, I will have only been running for one year!  The thought that I could go from obese and not active at all to running a HM in a year still shocks me!  The first long run ( only 3.5 miles - they are starting us slow and building miles) was pretty good.  It was at a pace slightly faster than I normally run but I was able to not only keep up but be in the lead pack.  That felt pretty good.  Tomorrow is our first speed work out with the coaches.  I'm a little nervouse about that one.  I have never done a speed work out.  Looks like it will be tough. 

                 

                BTW, thanks for the tips on what to wear in these OH winters.  I have a collection now of Tech shirts/ jackets and running tights/ pants that keep me warm.  So far the coldest I have run in is 16 degrees and I was comfortable.  Face was a little cold so I bought one of those "gator" things.  Have not tried that out yet. 

                 

                Wish me luck tomorrow, hope I don't die... lol

                  Good stuff Kathy - looking at your log you can see the progress. Keep it up.

                   

                  Stick with the training and you'll certainly be able to get round the course.

                  Sounds like you are well coached but remember to have fun and take it easy.

                   

                  Good luck tomorrow - come back (alive) and tell us how it went! Smile

                  2017 Goals
                  1) Run more than 231 miles
                  2) Be ready for  HM in the spring

                    OK - so I survived my first ever speed work out, but just barely.  It was just as hard if not harder than I thought it would be.  I was able to complete it but felt like death warmed over.  I'm sure I will be sore tomorrow so glad it's a rest day!  I can tell that the speed workouts are going to be the hardest part of this whole training program. 


                    an amazing likeness

                      OK - so I survived my first ever speed work out, but just barely.  It was just as hard if not harder than I thought it would be.  I was able to complete it but felt like death warmed over.  I'm sure I will be sore tomorrow so glad it's a rest day!  I can tell that the speed workouts are going to be the hardest part of this whole training program. 

                       

                      Kathy -- speed sessions will beat you up, so just expect that. Your body is getting more pounding as you're literally hitting the ground harder and pushing off harder, stressing muscles, ligaments and tendons. This is why lots of folks call 'speed' sessions 'strength' workouts.Don't let the soreness discourage you, it will always be there following a hard workout. Embrace it (soreness) as a badge of your effort rather than letting it introduce caution.  Remember that soreness is your body getting stronger. (versus pain, which is a signal which should be heeded)

                       

                      Consider heading out for walk on you rest day -- the walk will help you recover faster.  Seriously.

                      Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                      vegefrog


                        Great job! I find the speed workouts to be so much tougher mentally. It's great that you are part of a group, that will keep you motivated. Running by myself, sometimes I am a slacker on my speed days Blush

                          2nd speed workout in and worse than the first one!  I'm pretty sure these will be the death of me!  Glad I only have to do this once a week.  I can run for hours but these speed work outs kill me.

                            I actually really enjoyed the speed workouts when doing cross country - are you sure you're taking them at a pace that's good for you?  It was always surprising to me when I was able to maintain pace over a bunch of repetitions, but also a big confidence booster.  They're definitely harder than easy running but you learn to enjoy them for different reasons.

                            I ran. I ran until my muscles burned and my veins pumped battery acid. Then I ran some more.

                             

                             

                            Future Goals: 5:30 mile • 19:30 5k • 33:30 8k • 42:00 10k • 1:15:00 10-mile • 1:40:00 half-marathon • 1000 miles

                              So the training for my first HM is going well.  Today was a long slow run.  They had us run a 7 mile prediction run.  My pace has been a little all over the place lately so I wasn't sure what to use.  I decided that since this was suppose to be a long slow "EASY" run I would put down a 12:15 pace, pretty average for my slow long runs.  Naturally we were not allowed to wear watches so me and my running partner started out.  After what I suspect was about a mile or so, I was breathing pretty hard, so I told her we better slow down a bit, we did and continued on.  A couple of times, I felt we were speeding up so I kept reminding her this was suppose to be a slow and easy run, so we would slow down a bit.  We decided that at what we thought was the 1.5 miles to go mark we would slowly ramp our speed back up and finish strong.  We did this.  To our surprise we ran the 7 miles at a 11:08 pace and still have a little in the tank!  I was so shocked!  It appears the speed workouts that I HATE so much have helped tons.  I can't believe I just ran 7 miles at that pace.  If you look at my log you will see I have run that for shorter distance but not for 7 miles!  Pretty shocked!  We still have about 10 weeks until our HM so I am feeling very confident now!  I really don't care what my time is for the half, my goal is to just finish and run the whole thing.  Starting to look like that won't be a problem. 


                              an amazing likeness

                                Kathy,

                                 

                                Sounds great! You're reaping the benefits of your hard work training.  That's got to be uplifting, because it should. Hope you had a good moment or two smiling about it.

                                 

                                Your run today was a lesson.  A lesson that we all need to learn and re-learn. Effort is not pace. "Easy" is an effort, not a pace.  All the workout types (easy, hard, tempo) are the amount of effort and not a pace goal.

                                 

                                Just wait until your training takes you (and it will) to a 10 miler that happens just like today, that's right around the corner.

                                Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                                123