Half marathon traininig

CLARiiON

Hi,
Question regarding half marathon training.
I've started to run in the last six months by myself, enjoying every minute! Within this time, I've taken part in three 10km races, bringing my time down from 59minutes to 43minutes.

My question is, should I continue to run 10km's until I can find my best/fastest speed and then move forward with distance gradually? ... Or, should I begin concentrating more on distance and assume I'll get the speed up eventually?

Is it a much of a muchness?

Bottom line is, I want to get a good time!!:)

Cheers..

Clearlier

Traditional thinking would have you maximise your speed at the lower distances first. I'm advising one guy who's heavily drawn towards the marathon. I think that he'd end up faster eventually if he spent a bit more time on shorter stuff but that's not what he's interested in. In the end you should do what you enjoy and certainly don't rush towards the marathon if you're young unless that's what you really want to do.

MisterDrak

Sessions are the key to reducing your race times and achieving new PB's. If your not a member of a club, then think strongly about joining one.
All clubs would have 1-2 specific session days per week, where typically you would be running faster that race pace. This improves running form, and builds confidence.

That coupled with an LSR (long slow run) per week should have you on the right track.

Also dont forget about Tempo's, Hill reps, and recoveries, basically a verity in running types.

ThePiedPiper

Clearlier, are you my coach in disguise?!

I'm one of those runners who is much more focussed on longer distance. I've done more marathons than 1/2s, 10ks and 5ks put together. I think that my marathon training has helped me get better at the shorter distances. But, my coach reckons that even one year without doing a marathon, and concentrating on shorter distances would see my level improve across the board.

The thing is, I actually know that he's probably got a good point, as does Clearlier. The key factor is motivation. I find it hard to motivate myself to run anything more than 30 miles a week unless there's a marathon on the horizon. If you can continue to keep motivation high, and have half-marathon type conditioning merged with 10k speed work, you'll find the best improvements.

Long runs of 10-15 miles would be an important element in training to maximise your performance at 10k distance. Therefore, you really could run a half marathon very easily off proper 10k training and vice versa. It really depends what your goals are.

TFBubendorfer

RunForestRun wrote: »

But, my coach reckons that even one year without doing a marathon, and concentrating on shorter distances would see my level improve across the board.

I've heard that too, on more than one occasion :rolleyes:

But it was running a very long ultra last year that brought my running to a new level and I've since set PBs from 5k all the way to the marathon.

pconn062

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I've heard that too, on more than one occasion :rolleyes:

But it was running a very long ultra last year that brought my running to a new level and I've since set PBs from 5k all the way to the marathon.

But Thomas, how do you know that focusing on 5-10k for a year wouldn't bring down your marathon (and longer event) times? You've never tried it (from reading your blog, correct me if I'm wrong). Now I know horses for courses and all and people should do the events they enjoy, but don't right it off before you try it.

ThePiedPiper

Goes the other way too though PConn. I'm sure that with the proper focus the likes of yourself has had on 5k-15k over the last couple of years could result in knocking at the very least 45 minutes off your previous marathon time.

At the end of the day, OP, there is very little difference between proper 10k and half marathon training, or even 5k and full marathon at the elite level in my opinion. All the speed work in the world won't be enough for a good 10k if you don't do endurance work. And likewise, my marathon times had sort of plataued until I started properly focussing on interval and tempo sessions.

In my opinion, the optimal 5k, 10k, half and full marathon training schedule should include:
Interval Work (between 400 metres and 1 mile)
Tempo (faster than planned race pace)
Plenty of miles at your goal race pace or the range of race paces for that matter.
Longer, slower runs to improve endurance.
Slower recovery miles.

The mistake most people make who are training for 10k, in my opinion, is not training long enough over distance. A 10 mile+ run should have a part in 10k training. My endurance from marathoning is the only reason why I have managed to keep the likes of PConn honest over the shorter distance races.

pconn062

RunForestRun wrote: »

Goes the other way too though PConn. I'm sure that with the proper focus the likes of yourself has had on 5k-15k over the last couple of years could result in knocking at the very least 45 minutes off your previous marathon time.

That's kind of my point though RFR, 5-10k training when done properly will help my marathon time when I choose to run another one (I have one booked for the fourth of never! :pac:).

ThePiedPiper

There ya go OP.. Proof if ever it was needed. Two completely different athletes, one that focuses on middle distance, the other on marathons, actually do a lot of the same sessions together and can agree on the benefits of the full range of sessions to the various distances between 1,500 and the marathon. Now if only I can get the finger out and start actually praciticing what I'm preaching!

TFBubendorfer

pconn062 wrote: »

But Thomas, how do you know that focusing on 5-10k for a year wouldn't bring down your marathon (and longer event) times? You've never tried it (from reading your blog, correct me if I'm wrong). Now I know horses for courses and all and people should do the events they enjoy, but don't right it off before you try it.

I never said that focusing on 5-10k for a year wouldn't bring down your marathon times. It may well do that.

BUT, last year I was constantly being told that running a 24 hrs race would destroy my pace for good (yes I know, what pace you ask), but in actual fact I started setting new PBs at all distances (5k, 4 miles, 5 miles, 10k, 10 miles, marathon, 30 miles, 50 miles) as soon as I had recovered from that effort.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, that's all I'm saying.

Itziger

Hope you don't mind if I hijack this thread. I have a question re Half M. training and I'd be interested in answers before tomorrow's session.

(All the experts are probably in the pub getting ready for Champs League final, we'll see)

So, 2 weeks to Half. Goal is 1.25, current pb is 1.26.25 on slightly easier course. Training's gone well enough. I'd like to ask people if they think the following is a good idea (or doable)

I was hoping to try a 5,4,3,2,1 k @ HM pace tomorrow.(There's a very similar session for the marathon in miles in Tergat's plan, that's where I lifted it from) That would be a total of 15k at the pace I hope to do race at. Two weeks ago I did 4,3,2,1 so this would be a fair jump. I could abort after the 5,4,3 if I think it's too much.

I'd appreciate advice if anyone is around.

Itziger

Well, no advice in time so changed plan to the following:

2k warmup, 5k @ pace, 1k rec (I know this is a bit generous....), 5k @pace, 1k rec, 4k @ pace - it was never going to be 5! - and 2k cool down.

Pace is 4min/km btw. Weather miserable so all in all happy enough. Kind of session that's so much tougher on your tod.