First Timer - Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon

bigbadcon

Hi folks,

I've decided to run my first half marathon on May 26 where im living in australia and am looking for some advice on how I should be training for the last 4 and a half weeks.

Up until a week or two ago I was running quite slowly around the 6:15 per km mark and I was aiming to just finish the half marathon distance as its part of an overall training plan to do a full marathon in august.

But now i'm starting to think that if i'm going to bother doing a half marathon I might as well try to get a decent time as I'm pretty sure actually completing the distance is not going to be too hard as i'm completing my long runs (up to 16k) and feel like I have a lot more in me.

So a few days ago I thought I'd try to see how I went doing my long run at a sub 2 hour pace (5:43 per km) and surprising enough I was able to complete the 16k at a pace of 5:39 per kilometer and wasn't to bad at the end of it at all.

So my question is if Im going to go for it and try to get a sub 2 hour half marathon what sort or training should I be doing in the last 4 weeks before the race?

I started training 12 weeks ago (from no running before that) and am currently doing 3 runs a week. 2 x 8k and then my long run which is currently at 16k and up until now has been getting 0.7km longer each week.

Should I keep upping the distance for a couple of weeks and try to get a bit closer to the race distance but at a slower pace than race pace??

I know I should cut back to rest a couple of weeks before hand..

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks a mill

Itziger

'Con, it sounds like you've got a bit of running talent. That said, don't push it too hard. Your base is very low in terms of time running and mileage. It's a bit late to be making big changes now but if you could stretch the Long Run towards 20k and take the first one of those real easy (I'd dial it back to 6 minute pace) then that'll leave you well set for the day. As the year goes on though you might look to add another day's running  - or two - and look at a couple of training plans. 
The real benefits though won't be seen for at least a year. Distance running is a slow burner in more ways than one.

Itziger

I hadn't much time for that response as I was heading out the door. A bit more: Yes, up the distance as I suggest above. Even getting to 18k would be better than 16 but 20 will leave you feeling super confident about the distance on the day. On one of the other runs you could play around with pace. Chuck in a couple of 5.30 kms to see how that feels. However, changes now ain't going to make a massive difference one way or another. Don't overdo the 'taper' before the race. You're not doing too much and it sounds like it's not taking much out of you.

I'd cut the long run the week before the Half to maybe 14 or 16k (if you're up to 20 by then) but otherwise just take the last week easy. Rest up and eat healthily. Most people get a boost on the day itself. Make sure that this doesn't translate into going off like a madman, or woman, for the first few kms though.

As for the marathon training. If you can get out a day or two more per week, that'll stand to you. And obviously up the distance little by little.

bigbadcon

Thanks a mill for the advice. Yeah I think I'll try to add a kilometer and a bit extra a week so I'll get up to 19/20k before the day.

I suppose the taper is probably more important for the full marathon so I'm glad you mentioned that as I might have missed out on some important runs otherwise.

I've been running with my Garmin forerunner 610 watch which is brilliant for keeping current pace and overall pace so I don't think I'll go too far off track on the day. I'll also run with the 2 hour pacer and do my best to not worry about people passing me out.

bigbadcon

So pace wise for the race day I was thinking of doing the first few kilometers at about a 5:55/km pace and then try to maintain 5:40 from then on up until the last 1 or 2 kilometres where I'll try to go as fast as I can until the finish.

Does this sound like a reasonable plan to attempt a sub 2 hour half?

ariana`

bigbadcon wrote: »

So pace wise for the race day I was thinking of doing the first few kilometers at about a 5:55/km pace and then try to maintain 5:40 from then on up until the last 1 or 2 kilometres where I'll try to go as fast as I can until the finish.

Does this sound like a reasonable plan to attempt a sub 2 hour half?

I'm hoping to go sub 2 soon too. If you have knowledge of the course it can help to plan pacing but assuming it's a reasonably fair course - no major difference in elevation between the first half and second half, then i might start a little bit conservative (if nothing else having this in your head will stop you going off like a race horse!), get settled in and pick it up to the target pace within the first couple of k, hopefully the target pace will feel ok and you can aim for even pacing throughout.

I ran a 10 mile race recently @ average pace 5:19min/km, my fastest km was 5:09 and slowest was 5:29 so you can see i like even pacing, I prefer not to leave too much to do in the second half except maintain the pace.

You will learn a lot from the race anyhow which you can take forward to future efforts.

bigbadcon

Thanks a mill. I think it's a pretty flat course so I'd say it's a good one to attempt a good time.

I suppose I've no real reason to believe I can run they extra 5k at the same pace as my test run but if I don't try I'll never know.

Best of luck with your attempt. I'll let you all know if I pull it off.

bigbadcon

Hi folks,
Just to give you an update... I did it in 1:55:44 so I was delighted with myself :-)
The course was really flat compared to what Im used to so I found it handy enough at a 5:30 pace.
Although I got a time better than I was hoping for the first half of the race was a disaster due to loads of rookie mistakes I made in the last 10 minutes before the race started (that I swore I wouldnt do)
I spent too long queuing for the toilets and by the time I got to the start line (2 minutes before the start) my garmin watch had decided that it wasnt in a rush to find the satelites so I ended up waiting 3 minutes after the actual start to start running.
At that stage my watch still hadnt connected and I just decided I better try to find the 2 hour pacer (who was already 3 minutes ahead of me at that stage). This meant that I ran the first half waaaay faster than I was planning and my watch only connected 4k into the race.
Luckily enough once I caught up with the pacer it felt like a very comfortable pace and I wasn't too tired to keep up and at about 15k I sped up and finished strong enough.

Im actually glad I made all of these mistakes now as I probably wouldnt have gotten the time I did if I just stuck with the 2 hour pacer from the start.
Also i'll know better on my first marathon in august and definitely wont be so unprepared in the half hour before the race.
So thanks a mill to Itziger and ariana for their advice.

Baby75

Well done and congratulations and good luck with the full in August

ariana`

bigbadcon wrote: »

Hi folks,
Just to give you an update... I did it in 1:55:44 so I was delighted with myself :-)
The course was really flat compared to what Im used to so I found it handy enough at a 5:30 pace.
Although I got a time better than I was hoping for the first half of the race was a disaster due to loads of rookie mistakes I made in the last 10 minutes before the race started (that I swore I wouldnt do)
I spent too long queuing for the toilets and by the time I got to the start line (2 minutes before the start) my garmin watch had decided that it wasnt in a rush to find the satelites so I ended up waiting 3 minutes after the actual start to start running.
At that stage my watch still hadnt connected and I just decided I better try to find the 2 hour pacer (who was already 3 minutes ahead of me at that stage). This meant that I ran the first half waaaay faster than I was planning and my watch only connected 4k into the race.
Luckily enough once I caught up with the pacer it felt like a very comfortable pace and I wasn't too tired to keep up and at about 15k I sped up and finished strong enough.

Im actually glad I made all of these mistakes now as I probably wouldnt have gotten the time I did if I just stuck with the 2 hour pacer from the start.
Also i'll know better on my first marathon in august and definitely wont be so unprepared in the half hour before the race.
So thanks a mill to Itziger and ariana for their advice.

Wohooo well done, congratulations on the PB. Funny coincidence you should post the update on the same day that i got sub 2 as well :pac:

bigbadcon

Brilliant, well done. Delighted for you.

Burkie1203

Got my half marathon training upto 15km tonight. 77m37s