My exercise regime was speed walking then I started running last October and have done a few 5K's. I checked on line about training for a half marathon and have a few questions.
Is it too late to train for a half marathon in March 2009?
Once I go on the weekly training plan do I follow the last week for the rest of the weeks until I taper for the date or do I wait until closer to the race date then follow the weekly training plan?
Do I change my pace of 5K or even my daily workout and how do I do that?
I just want to finish.
Forums » General Training » Running
Help!-training plan for half marathon for a rookie
(19 posts)-
Posted 5 months ago #
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Hi Lassie!
Congrats on stepping up your cardio regime! I'm a rookie too, and training for a half marathon. I'll tell you what has worked for me, and you can see what fits your goals and fitness level.
I've been using the training regimen on this very web site. Do a search on "half marathon beginner" and there is a program all spelled out. I'm nearing the end of the program (my race is on the 12th) and have found it more or less doable. I don't know if it's better to wait until later to follow the plan or not. As far as your pace, my reading has suggested that runners should set the pace for a long run as much as a full mph slower than a 5k pace. I found that I cut my distance run pace by about 1/2 mph, but kicked up my 5k pace at the same time. Us beginners are still kind of feeling out what our paces are, so that answer to the pace question is kind of vague.
It is possible to train for a half marathon in the time frame you are describing, with room to spare! I think the one on this web site is a couple months. I should mention that I've seen other training regimes, and they are pretty similar. One perk to the one here is that it's not complicated at all.
Again, I'm just a rookie myself, and have little expertise of my own, this is just what I've read and done. If you're at all not sure of something, you know....see a pro! Hope this helps!
NewbiePosted 5 months ago # -
Thanks newbie. The plan on this site seems OK and I can do the 3 miles and 4 miles so I think I will try it. when I get to the longer ones may be daunting. I'll give it my best though. Good luck in your upcoming race. Please let me know how your race was, and be honest.
I am going to sign up today for the half marathon. By March I will know how better or worse I am and then decide to go or not. They say they will pick you up if you go slower than 16 minutes per mile!Posted 5 months ago # -
Hi there,
Please go to Hal Higdon's website. The farthest I had ever run before my first 1/2 marathon was a 5k......I followed his program (gotta love a free online rgoram) and I finished, and finished pretty well, if I do say so myself. You can do this,....just be stringent/rigid with your training. Try his site out!
Rock
Posted 5 months ago # -
Rock, I checked the site and printed the schedule out. It seems like I could follow it. Even Hal said on his site that I can walk some too just to finish so I don't feel so bad at trying.
Thank you.
Lassie.Posted 5 months ago # -
I am training for my first Half also. I was encouraged by Jeff Galloway's article recommending that the Long Slow Distance run should be a run/walk combo of 4min/1min. I have applied this to my training regimen. Increasing the mileage has been pretty easy with this method.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/the-long-run-is-your-mara.shtml
Enjoy your training!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Rugman,
Mmm, not sure I could keep track of the 4/1 time. I map out a route near my house and run for a certain distance and I use a watch to get my end time. I can't do the treadmill either because watching the time or miles ticking away makes me feel like stopping and giving up.
Thanks anyway and good luck to you in your quest.Posted 5 months ago # -
I have just decided to train for a half marathon in October. I completed my first 5k in June. I have quite a task ahead but I am thrilled about the challenge. Best of luck!
Posted 4 months ago # -
Hi, I am brand new to running also. I am training for the Disneyland half. I am using Hal Higdon's training guide on his website. I'm in my fifth week and so far it has been very doable. As the miles increase I find that so does my strength and stamina. My goal is just to finish the race, I am not worried about time.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I also ran my first half, back in April, using Hal Higdon training plan. I was new to running as well. It worked well. I finished, but made some rookie mistakes along the way, which made the finish a struggle for me. But I think overall, this plan works if you stick to it.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Hi it me again, I just finished my race this past weekend, it was great. I used Hal Higdons training guide. My stategy for the race was to run the whole way but starting with the 2nd water station I walked through them (10-15 seconds)I also took a cliff bar with me and every other water station I would take one bite. I never had an upset stomach from doing this and it really helped to keep my energy up. Good luck on your race, you CAN do this.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Gymmomom411, glad to hear your strategy. Like you I just want to finish. I'm new to running, what is a cliff bar?
I keep changing my mind about the idea of a half marathon, usually during the first mile of my workout! Then I finish a 4 miler and feel energized. I do different runs, 2, 3 and 4 mile during the work week. Most of my runs have been under an hour but this weekend I ran for an hour and ten minutes and it felt OK. I think the distance and time is all in my head and I need to "just keep going."
So many things run through my head. Here are my excuses.
1. I originally had planned to run with my daughter, I registered both of us (no refunds) Booked a hotel (no refunds) and now she found out she is pregnant and is due in March so she is out of the race.
2. I heard that at the Disney Princess half marathon they pick you up if you lag behind (16 minute/mile)so that is another thing to think about. I know I am not that slow even if I walk but the pressure is there.
3. Then it is the weekend in Spring when we change our clocks forward so how am I going to be awake, and what time, for them to pick me up at the hotel to take me to the 6.30am start!!!
4. Then my shoes(Mizunos) were about done this week so I just got new running shoes (mizunos) and after 4 miles they pinched my toes. Mizunos run small and these were my regular shoe size. I took them back and they didn't have Mizunos a half size bigger so got another pair, Pearl Izumi(same size as my regular shoe) and the same thing happened. Now after 3 times at this store, they finally decided to check in their other store for Mizunos, half size larger and got them over to their store. Hence another trip there. Now I am ready to run tomorrow and hopefully enjoy it.
After rereading this I think I am a procrastinator. Thanks for "listening."Posted 2 months ago # -
Hey Gymmom: CONGRATS on finishing your 1/2!!! yea!!
Hi Lassie!!: Please don't give up. I'm new to this site and just getting back into running. Like you, I've did a few 5k's and I do an annual 12k here in the bay area (SF) called "Bay to Breakers". I'm training for a 1/2 marathon on Oct 19th! I'm pretty excited yet each week is so frikkin intimidating 'cause I increase it 1 mile...I'm up to 10miles. I didn't think I could do it...I'm so proud of myself and the feeling is awesome. I know you could do this. I find myself REALLY watching my food intake, your body just "knows" what it wants and don't want. I originally wanted to do this alone but my husband and 15 y/o son wanted to join in as well. However, my hubby is just now getting back into working out (due to unexpected surgery) I just maybe doing this solo..I don't mind. I just want to finish and know I had the "chops"!!
Posted 2 months ago # -
After reading your posts, I have signed up with Sweat 365 and decided to get serious about my own training again. I have always been a very active person (that is, until a few years ago). In April, I decided to begin training for a half-marathon as a way to motivate me to get back in shape. I was doing a great job, feeling better about myself, having more energy, etc. Then, in late July, I had a boating accident that suddenly ended my running. I jumped out of the boat and into the lake to save our dog who fell out. I forgot to stop the boat before jumping in. The propeller cut my leg in two places requiring me to have my lateral muscle repaired and 60 stitches.
Gladly, I am on my way to recovery. Still sore, but I don't think I can do any damage by becoming active again. Until now, I have given many excuses as to why I cannot begin just yet. After reading the posts here, I have decided that all I am doing is postponing a healthy lifestyle. Thanks again for the motivation!
Posted 2 months ago # -
Hi
Training for a 1/2 in the spring (scotland) I ran my first 10k this weekend, which was great however this morning when I went to run 3 miles the first 2 seemed so hard that it was hard to imagine 13! I will do it, I have no doubt but does anyone struggle with the whole scary big picture thing. When will it feel like a walk in the park, or will it?Posted 2 months ago # -
Hey, Pauline I'm originally from Dundee but now live in Florida. We don't have 10k much here so we go from a 5K to 1/2 marathon. I am like you, the number 13.1 is scary.
We have different weather to go running and although you might think it sounds great it isn't when you have to get up at 5.30am to catch the cooler weather (79 degrees!)I will be in Scotland over Christmas and into the 1/2 marathon training program so it will maybe motivate me because it is different scenery and cooler.
I'm the one who is not sure if a half marathon is for me. I signed up for one in March but get cold feet every time I think about it. I am like you it takes me to get to 2 miles before I get comfortable and get into stride. Those first 2 miles is what defeats me and I talk myself out of going on. As long as I get past that I can go on to do 4-6 miles!!!!
Now I have a back strain(my yearly chore-washing windows) and it put me off exercise for a week. It hurt more sitting than walking so I tried running again today but my back has started to hurt again. I have a 5 miler on Sunday so I think I will take it easy these next few days so that I will be OK for Sunday. I do swimming as another exercise so will do a lot of nice easy stretching strokes to ease my muscles.
Good luck in your quest. Keep me updated. This site give me a lot of support and I am glad I found it.Posted 2 months ago # -
Hi
Thanks for your note - I should have known by your name that you were an Irn Bru drinker :) . I'm in Scotland every summer (falkirk) visiting all of my family but this March is the Edinburgh 1/2 ahhh!!
Let me know how it goes in December! I'm sure it must be hard to run in Florida - I'm in Chicago now so I just dread the winter run. I did join a running group this week and that was encouraging - forced to run outside in the weather.
Sorry to hear about your back, I too suffer from time to time - terrible, good luck, let me know how it's going
PaulinePosted 1 month ago # -
Pauline,
Thought I would chime in on training for a half marathon. I have worked hard all summer for my first half (Sun. Oct 12th - Tomorrow). This is my third attempt to get to the finish line. I have tried all the training programs mentioned above. Unfortunately, I found that they rushed me and I ended up injured. I'm by no means an expert but I believe that a good 18 - 24 week program with a solid base mile program (somewhere between 300 - 400 miles) before you start training for the half is a good start. I used a simple program I found on BuckeyeOutdoors.com (free service that helps you track your miles and fitness) called base miles. It got me running long runs from 4 miles to 8 miles in 16 weeks. Then I used modified Hansen Brothers Half Marathon program. Ran 5 days a week, 25 to 40 miles with long runs on Mondays from 8 to 14 miles with a last week tapper of 18 miles. It is an intense training program. Lots of miles strategically organized so to put your legs and cardio in a good position for the final push.I believe the best way to proceed is to find a program that does not push you to hard (10% increase each week) and end up with you hurt. I feel as good as I have ever felt. As I type this, I have less than 8 hours til the start of my race here in Spokane (www.SpokaneMarathon.US). No ITB, minimal knee pain, legs a little sore but very manageable. I am ready.
I have to tell myself that I am not here to win. My last race (a 15k in Bellingham, WA) took me 2:02:40. Very slow but I finished. I'm not a fast runner so my objective for now, just get across the line. I can work on improvement after the race.
So my goal for now is to finish. Hoping that I don't take longer than 3 hours but, if I do, that is okay. I have achieved the very thing I thought I would not be able to do. Somehow I have become a runner, not just any runner, I have become a half marathon runner! Not a lot of people can say that.
Something else happened along the way... I'm not intimidated by the miles ahead of me. I have come to trust the training and myself. I remember when 5 miles was a big deal and 7 miles a dream and anything more than that, impossible. Now, I can run 10 miles without any thought about the fact that I am running 10 miles. It does not matter. The only thing that matters is that I am doing it and having a blast.
Keep the faith my friend. The road ahead is well worth the effort you put into it. You will do great!
Bryan
Posted 1 month ago # -
WOW! Brian you sound so positive. Good luck in finishing. Actually you may be finished as I type this!. I just want to finish too. My mind can’t get over the fact I will be running 13.1 miles or more than 2 hours. It seems like too long after my 4 miles right now. I started to pay more attention to time than miles and have run for an hour then gone back to http://www.mapmyrun.com to find the distance. So far it is working for me. You have given me inspiration. Thank you.
Posted 1 month ago #
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