Half-Marathon questions - sorry if not posting in the right place!

lucycat

Hi all, I was hoping that some of you experts could answer some questions for me about attempting a half marathon in 21 weeks time.
I have a pretty ok level of fitness (I go to a personal trainer twice a week for strength and resistance and do cardio on the weekends, usually a two hour session) but I have never been a runner as such and I have signed up with my colleagues to do the Luxembourg half-marathon.
My brother (big runner) told me to look at the Hal Higson programme for novices, but my question is this - do you think I can go from not being a runner to completing a half-marathon in 21 weeks time if I follow the programme and put in the work?

I honestly dont care if I have to crawl across the finish line, I just want to finish it.

I was pretty confident about it earlier, but I have to say I feel almost nauseous with terror after reading some threads in here

Can anyone give me any advice on this? Thanks in advance

pconn062

I think you can do it, but it's not ideal. The Hal Higdon plans are good for beginners and they are usually twelve weeks long. You have 9 weeks until you have to start the programme so between now and then you should concentrate on getting out for short runs as often as you can, 4/5 a week. Just short 3/4 miles jogs. If this is too hard, then the half marathon is not really going to happen, I'm just recommending this because you say you have a decent level of fitness so it should be OK. The key is: don't push it too much early on, it's just about time on your feet and getting use to running regularly and then launch into the plan. Good Luck.

BeepBeep67

Can you commit to 4-5 days running training per week?
Are you prepared to build your weekend run up to 90mins+?
If you answer yes to both of these, then congratulations you can.
There are many on here that have done it with less preparation, you sound active and have a reasonable level of fitness, so it's a case of motivation and belief - these 2 I sense need a bit of work.

Best of luck - you should start a training log and the folks here will chip in with advice, encouragement and share their own experiences.

RoyMcC

Pretty much agree with pconn062. If you are generally fit, as you suggest. Why not try Higdon's 10k programme (8 weeks) followed by the Half programme (12 weeks)?

Although the 10k programme pre-supposes some prior running experience maybe you can dispense with this as you exercise regularly. The mileage isn't too scary at all.

Good luck

lucycat

Thanks a million pconn062 I'll do that alright, I reckon I should be able to do 3-4 miles alright - to be honest, I'd say it will be a mixture of walking/running until I get accustomed to running properly but I am determined to put in the work so that I can complete the half marathon.

The course is fairly horrific, up and down long, gradual inclines if you get me and the last 5k is up one helluva hill so I am fully expecting to walk some of it.

Thanks for the encouragement though, am going to break the news to my PT tonight and see if we can start doing some specific strength and resistance stuff to help the running side of it out

lucycat

Thanks RoyMcC and BeepBeep67 for your advice.

I am determined to put the time in 4-5 days a week, the only scary thing is going to be building up to the 90 minute runs but I reckon I can manage if I put my mind to it. My main worry is that I won't have the training done that I need and will be put off running for life if you know what I mean.

There are really good forest trails near my house, so once the weather gets a bit better I will do my runs there but for now I will use a treadmill for my weekday runs and will try to get out on a Sunday for the big run.

I'll have a look at the training log pages in a wee while and see what the story is there.

Thanks guys though, ye have all been very knowledgable and welcoming (kinda thought I'd get laughed out of it!)

huskerdu

lucycat wrote: »

the only scary thing is going to be building up to the 90 minute runs

Dont even think about 90 minute runs at the moment. That could kill off your motivation completely at this early stage.

Loads of us started running thinking the idea of running 21km was far-fetched but got there, by a slow build up.

21 weeks is loads of time once you use it properly. Break it into managable chunks with targets every 4 weeks.

Your first target is to build up a base of going for a run 4/5 times a week, running 3/4 miles slowly. That is currently your only target. After that, move on to the target of increasing your mileage.

I would agree with starting with a 10k program, but start with just getting used to time on your feet.

Be careful, you might catch the bug.....

fungirl1

Lucycat

Of course you are worried you cant do it and that a 90 minute run seems impossible - it is when you havent trainined for it...I was wher you are 2 years ago and used Hal Higdon to do the Dublin race series HM...and it worked...I finished and ran (slowly!) all the way.

GO fo rit - if you put in the training set out in the HH program you will be fine - agree the 10km forllowed by HM would be a good idea.

Best of Luck with it!!

nellocono

As already advised the best thing is to just get out there and start running. Nice and easy miles, ran at a pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation. If you cant do that then your going to fast. You will improve if your consistent.

Anyway, my advice is that once your comfortable running 5k or 5miles, enter a road race that you can find going on near you. Trust me it will be great for your confidence (even if you come last!). I am still amazed at men and women who must be drawing a pension who leave me for dust in some races! Nex thing you now you'll catch the bug. You will have no trouble running the half!

Clearlier

You can definitely do it. I suspect that you could probably run/walk a half marathon right now.

In respect of the long run just find a place that you can run and pick a time that you can run at every week, for the first week just run until you're tired but not exhausted and not getting any niggles, the next week add 5 minutes. For the following weeks just keep building the length of the run. You'll be at 90 minutes before you know it and thinking about running marathons.

For you right now, the long run is not about straining, it's about getting used to running for a longer period of time. There'll come a time when you'll want to up the intensity rather than the duration but it shouldn't be before your target race.

What you do with the rest of your time depends upon what you want to get out of the race. You should be running at least 2 other times a week.

I'd advise incorporating a faster section into one of those runs. It doesn't need to be very fast, just a bit faster than the other runs you're doing. Structure it so you do something like 10 mins warm up, fast section, 5 mins warm down, increase the length of the fast section by 2-3 mins per week until you get to about 30 mins. The first few times you do it don't worry about the effort level too much other than to ensure that you're going faster but do gradually increase the effort so that several weeks in you're running the fast section at a pace where you could say a few words but wouldn't be comfortable having a conversation.

The other run should be an easy run with a few strides at the end of it. Build the easy part of the run up by a few minutes a week. Once you've hit about 30 mins I'd recommend introducing another run before making this one longer.

Strides are where you run fast for a very short distance focusing on one aspect of your running form. I usually do them on grass but the important thing is to find a flat area with a good surface. Make sure that the wind is behind you and run for about 15 seconds or 70 - 100m. Spend the first half gradually accelerating and maintain speed for the second half. It should be comfortable and controlled and you should not be out of breath at the end. Walk slowly back and repeat. Start off with 4 and get up to 8 - 10 over time. If you have a HR monitor pick a number that shows you have recovered and don't start a stride until you're at that number.

Take an easy week every 4 - 6 weeks. This is where you drop the length of your runs by maybe 20 - 25%. Listen carefully to your body and it will tell you when you're going too long without an easy week. Pick it up the following week so that you're increasing your training based on the week before the easy week.

Tell your personal trainer what you're doing. Hopefully they can tweak what they're doing with you to support your running.

Good luck!

RoyMcC

Excellent post Clearlier. Especially concerning the proper way to approach strides. Couldn't agree more on the benefits of doing these, plus the way you explain them. I'd only add that strides out to be done running 'tall' with an emphasis on high hips, to get the most out of them.

jester1980

Hey Lucy, i started running last April and was never a runner, just started out a few 5 k's a week, then within 12 weeks of dublin half marathon i started the HH plan and thought it was great, stuck to the plan like glue and added in swimming and Cycling and Finished in 1,44,mins, before April i was only playing squash twice a week so i say my fitness wasn't near your level. Good luck anyway.