Training for half marathon

fbmfor · 12-Jan-07, 04:45 PM

Hi!

My name is Ferran and I'm training for my first half marathon. I hope to get some advice in this forum and also help others if I can.

CF-OC_gal · 12-Jan-07, 09:20 PM

We have a few runners here like SarahPT, sooner_ed, minime and pierini. Hopefully one of them will comeby and answer your post.

In the meantime, welcome to Discuss Fitness. I hope you decide to join us in the long run. We certainly would enjoy the help of another fitness fan, anything you wish to contribute is welcomed.

SarahPT · 13-Jan-07, 10:42 AM

Hi there,

what are you doing now for training? You may want to consider having one long run per week to work on your distance, 1-2 speed runs per week to increase your speed, and 1-2 moderate runs, where you just go out and run. For me, on my long runs I tend to increase by one mile every 2 weeks when building toward a race. For speed runs I may do intervals of one mile fast/1/2 mile slow. My moderate runs I pushed myself, but didn't even time myself, so I could just enjoy it.

I also take break weeks where I just do a few easy runs and not push myself.

Hope that helps.

Sarah

fbmfor · 13-Jan-07, 12:50 PM

Hi Sarah,

I'm new to running. Last year I did some running irregularly until September. Then, after reading some books and magazines and trying some plans and seeing that I was headed in the wrong direction I followed a simple advice: get your body habituated to running by doing 30Km per week, and increase that distance regularly. I'm still following this plan, and now I'm doing about 50Km per week. I know this is not a plan for a half marathon, but it's just a coincidence that there's a half marathon in my home town the 21st of January and I decided to go for it, at least finish it. For the next one I'll follow a plan like the one you've explained and try to improve my time.

Thanks for the advice,

Ferran.

13-Jan-07, 02:14 PM

Hi Ferran and welcome to Discuss Fitness.

I have found and used some great running training plans at RUNNER'S WORLD MAGAZINE. If you haven't been there yet, check it out.

I ran a half marathon once, many moons ago. Now I run shorter distances, nothing further than a 10k. I am prefering even shorter distances like the 2-mile fun run I participated in on New Year's Eve. I also did some track distances during the summer, from 100 meters all the way up to 3,200 meters.

I'm not sure how the running fits into the bigger picture of your fitness goals. For me, I have found that shorter distances run pedal to the metal have contributed more to my fitness growth than when I was focusing on the longer distances.

Have a great day!

fbmfor · 13-Jan-07, 06:15 PM

pierini,

Thanks for the reference to RW. In fact, RW is my favorite running magazine, online and on paper.

I want to focus on long distance running and/or walking, especially trail running. I love the mountains (I'm also a mountain bike cycler) and I find more interesting and fulfilling to run/walk on trails than on roads.

Ferran.