Completely OT - Half marathon help - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Completely OT - Half marathon help

anne

Veteran

I have decided to do my second 1/2 marathon in mid may. 2 years ago I went from doing a 5k in feb to a HM in may so I think I could do it again (Note: I concentrate more on swimming in summer, so have some fitness from that) I'd like to improve on my time of 2:27 and am looking around at programmes and getting overwhelmed.

Last time I followed one with 3 runs a week. But I do wonder if I need to get over my "mustn't run consecutive days" policy and do a bit more.

I know several of you have done HMs and I'd love to hear your thoughts and how you trained.

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from Janet

Mellllls

Veteran

I only do 3 runs a week but I'd do some cross training as well. Need to keep your muscles strong.

anne

Veteran

Thanks Mel. I forgot to mention, I do pump once a week, and have a programme with 2 extra weights sessions a week to do by myself. I am happy to swim once a week as cross training too.

Mellllls

Veteran

Okay, sound like you are covered!

Makrame

Veteran

I follow a training plan that calls for 4 days a week of running (it is from this book http://www.google.com/products......r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1408&bih=717&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=4774429210065467440&sa=X&ei=n9s5T4frMu3J0AHa8omUCw&ved=0CIkBEPMCMAY#ps-sellers ). However, because of back problems, I have occasionally had to cut back to 3 days a week to include cross-training and keep my mileage lower.

My times have ranged from 2.11 to 2.18. The best training schedule for me is to run 2 days over the work week and 2 days on the weekend. I have not done any real speed training because it feels like too much work to have to include that in my schedule.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I ran 3 days a week in my training and never consecutive days in a row. Might I suggest if you love to swim to think of a triathlon? Great fun!

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

I try to run 2-3x during the week if my schedule permits, plus cross training classes, then my long run on Saturday. I'm currently training for a half coming in mid-March.

anne

Veteran

Thanks for chiming in! Mo and Citygirl do you do speedwork?

Mo, triathalons have been suggested to me before but I am not that keen on the transition aspect or of riding a bike fast. I like bikes, and they were my main transportation method for some years of my life, but I like to just coast along ! Maybe I'll change.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm training for the same half as citygirldc, and I'm running pretty much every other day, which amounts to 3-4x a week including a long run each weekend.

I'll do consecutive days sometimes if I'm keeping my mileage low -- say, a 3-miler on Tuesday, then a 4 or 5 on Wednesday. But I really prefer giving my body a day in between runs. I try to go to a yoga class on my non-running days.

Last June was my first half marathon, and my time was not great (I think 2:46), but I'd only been running for less than four months, so I was mainly concerned with finishing and running as much of it as possible. This time I'd like to improve my time, but I'm not a fast runner. At all. I'd love to finish this upcoming half at an 11-min mile pace, but we'll see.

I've heard some people recommend speed drills for helping to improve pace. I have not done this yet, which may be why I'm so slow. It may be worth looking into. I do sometimes try to do some sprints while on my short runs, alternating with a brief walk break, just to mix things up a bit and work my muscles in a different way.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Anne, I didn't do any speed training but likely would if/when I train for my next. I run a little under 10 min/mi pace on average now, but think my half was 2:18?? I stopped for a potty break And I'm sure my pace has slowed since the big ankle sprain.
A sprint triathlon was my first big race and was SO much fun - I didn't stress about seamlessly transitioning or being the fastest. It only takes about an hour if you do the baby ones lol.

anne

Veteran

Mo, I needed a similar break too, despite taking immodium to try to avoid it! I think your current pace is about my 10K race pace.

An instructor at my gym this morning (who I have had a few personal training session with, but just for weights) said he had seen me running - this is a small town hazard! - and told me all this technical stuff I didn't really understand about which muscles I wasn't using.

The "take home" advice was to go out and do some faster intervals directly after my lower body weights workout.

I am working out how to fit everything in my week - and probably over researching training plans on the net!

When I was 25 I did my best race time ( 1:09 for a 12KM) I really felt fit and fast then and wish I could recapture that feeling. I trained 5 times a week for that. Of course there are other factors that can't be replicated from then: no kids, didn't have to cook; was younger and thinner; and had just come home from the northern hemisphere winter which meant that I had the only southern hemisphere winter ever without any colds, so no interruptions to training.

Has anyone run multiple HM's?

anne

Veteran

Just bumping this in case someone who hadn't seen it might have something to add!

Kim

Veteran

I am training for my first half marathon (in May) so take what I have to say in that spirit. I train 3x a week. Any more and I seriously hurt my leg and have the physio bills to prove it! LOL

I follow Jeff Galloway's plan, which includes run/walk/run and expect to have a 2:30 finish in my first half with NO injuries. That's the most important thing to me. Not the finish time (well, not as much! LOL) but how I feel at the end, and the next day.

I'm 50 and have only been running for 2 years, but that limits how much my body will tolerate with training until it starts to rebel! LOL

So with that in mind I train 3 days a week. Two 30 minute run days and one long run day. IF I did intervals, speedwork, etc, it would be on my two shorter days. I am actually going to join my local Goodlife gym so I can do BodyPump on my short run days. I plan on running to the gym, doing an hour of pumping iron, and then running home (for a total of 30 minutes). That way I can get my runs in on my strength days and that leaves me 48 hours of rest before the next strength/cardio session.

Galloway claims that 3x a week is all we need to train effectively. I'm taking him at his word, as his method seems to work for my needs and goals. I've been running injury free for over a year and a half now because of his method.

Might be worth a look for you too. You could do your shorter training speed work runs on your strength days and that leaves a few days a week where you can have a life too! (Also important to me with 3 kids and a hubby! LOL)

anne

Veteran

Kim, thankyou, and I am sorry for not responding earlier. Last night I was so exhausted I didn't write, and was prostrate on the lounge, leaving me piles of dishes to wash for this morning. But this experience (after only a 5km run that morning) has made me aware that I do need to watch how tired I get.

You are so right about the other priorities (I also have 3 kids and a DH).

So you have convinced me to go back to 3 days a week and to combine strength training with a run one day and not make it an extra one.I don't know that I would go completely down the Gallaway path, but I can say that I have used walking breaks and found them helpful in getting the distance up (and I had some walk breaks in my last HM)

Thanks again to everyone who responded

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Kim, your schedule and approach are very similar to mine -- I'm a Galloway fan too. I think since I only started this running thing at the age of 45, I'm not as concerned about being a speed demon as I am about completing events safely and injury free, so I can keep up my practice. That said, I do very much want to continue to improve my times.

If anyone checks out this thread who is curious about running a half but hasn't even begun to run yet, check out Team In Training -- they raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society while training people for endurance events. Lots of total novices join, so they are very good about realistic, safe training schedules.