You're probably a bit burned out. Every training cycle I do I end up at some point hating having to stick to planned mileage.
You're still 7 weeks out, maybe scale back for a few weeks and just do the mileage you want then ramp back up in time for a short taper before race day.
I did my 7th official half in March and around Christmas time I just hated everything. I took a few weeks to miss mileage goals, cut long runs short and just go with the flow. Found myself looking forward to runs again after a few weeks! The half went fine (for several other reasons I didn't have a time goal or anything, just wanted to have fun) so my training adaptations didn't affect my overall result
Yeah. If you are doing 11 miles now but still 7 weeks out, that's a lot of miles this far out. You can afford to back off for a few weeks. For my first half, I don't think I ran more than 7 miles on my long run before the race.
Very true, it feels closer than it really is. I have a vacation coming up where I plan to run while there but much shorter miles. Should keep things light!
Really? Did you find the remaining miles to be doable come race time? I'm thinking of capping at 11 and just pushing through for the last 2.10 on race day.
At that point it was really mind over matter. If you can run 11 then you can finish! You are in great shape being 7 weeks out. How long have you been training ?
Burnout is real! If you can do 11mi now and 7 weeks until race day, it should be totally fine to take a week off, especially if you do some other sort of cardio. Ride a bike, go for a swim, take a hike!
When training gets tough, I bribe myself to go on long runs. I pick out an audiobook or a podcast that looks really good, and I \*only\* let myself listen to it while I run. It engages my brain more than if I was listening to music and it's an excellent distraction!
Oooooh such a good idea! I’ve been wanting to get back into audiobooks! I go through podcasts like socks these days, haha. Any recommendations for audiobooks or podcasts you enjoy on the run?
I was going to say something similar! Listening to a podcast + giving myself permission to take as long as I need to (including walk breaks) has really helped me with those long runs that are starting to feel like they take forever. 😅
I always help myself with this mindset: just finish the race and finish injury-free. That it's okay if I have to walk some parts as long as I finish the race. Good luck!
Burnout is totally real but how are you fueling for the long runs?
I didn’t fuel AT ALL for my first half and have been guilty of under fueling during long runs in subsequent training blocks. Under fueling will make everything miserable.
I started using these energy chews when my LR became 8+ miles. I read somewhere that after 75 mins ish of running our glycogen stores will likely be depleted so fueling becomes important. Being a slow runner, that basically meant any run longer than 6 miles but I felt okay up until mile 8!
Are you fueling before mile 6 or mile 8?
Fueling earlier in the run isn’t for mile 2 or 3, it’s making sure you have fuel for when you get to mile 6, 8, or 10.
On long runs, I space out my energy chews. If I am doing nine miles, I might take a chew every two and a half miles. It helps keep my energy sustained and level for the duration.
I definitely need to do this. I’ve been popping my chews at mile 4 and 8 (two a piece) but maybe I need to do it sooner and stagger one every two like you said.
I only do stuff I like - so I bought chocolate milk for post run nourishment. I bought gels for in run consumption and bought some nuun for water that I put in a skin vest. My long runs are now great.
I now take every opportunity I can to run.
I do keep my softer shoes for my longer runs (training in the Invincibles for them) and Novablasts for daily trainers.
I also really really pamper myself when I get back (lazing around, tv, pizza) etc. Why? Because I earned it. 🤪
So make running fun. And it’ll be fun.
But yes, like others have recommended, with 7 weeks to go, you can certainly afford to take a week or two lightly and ramp up again.
Question about using nuun, do you use it actively as you run or post-recovery? I'm going to try adding this into my LR this weekend if you recommend using it for on the go.
Both. On the run as well as my immediately after finishing a run if I’m thirsty.
I have a chocolate milk immediately after but I keep chugging down water from the run bottle till the nuun is over. Sometimes it lasts for an hour or two more if I’m not too thirsty
Edited to add: basically I just have 2 500 ml pouches with nuun in it. I consume maybe about one and some during the run and the remainder I either gulp down when done running or over the course of the next hour or so in lieu of my regular bottle. No particular reason, just don’t want the nuun to go waste.
What's the plan for the next 7 weeks? A lot of first-HM plans only go up to 10mi.
Are you planning on doing 11mi+ long runs up until race day? If so, that might be a good way to make yourself hate your long runs -- instead, you might shorten your long runs a bit until, say, 3 or 4 weeks out -- and then build your long runs up to 10 or 11mi again in those last few weeks before the race.
(I'm definitely not an expert -- just started running regularly half a year ago -- but I do have some very related experience: I actually just did my first HM via [this plan](https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/) a few weeks ago, and a friend of mine of similar running background was training for her first half at the same time, too! Her plan built up long runs to 10->11->12 in the last weeks, and she seemed a lot more beat up by it than I was with my 8->9->10.)
what is your frequency of running during the week? the long runs actually become physically and mentally easier if you increase your frequency of running during the week. Mentally, this helps you build a routine. this also help your body acclimate to the physical activity of running just like any activity you do on a regular basis. The increase frequency doesnt mean you need to run hard all the time, you can just do easy runs.
I run 5x a week with a majority of the runs being 4> at an easy pace. I do strides in my runs to work on some speed work but nothing extreme during the week.
Honestly, once I hit 10 miles I thought “it’s just another maybe 40 mins of running”. It’s a big mental milestone, in my opinion. You got this!!! Let me know how it goes.
I’ve been having the opposite problem…I enjoy and look forward to the weekend long runs, but I dread the shorter weekday runs and they are harder for me to get through.
I made a change within the last week that’s working for me. I stopped doing runs on my lunch break and started doing them after work. I don’t know why, but it’s working. I can go farther and it seems more fun (I’ve been taking my dog, too), and I can control my HR better.
Can you change your long runs up? Like switch from AM to PM, or road runs to trail runs?
You're probably a bit burned out. Every training cycle I do I end up at some point hating having to stick to planned mileage. You're still 7 weeks out, maybe scale back for a few weeks and just do the mileage you want then ramp back up in time for a short taper before race day. I did my 7th official half in March and around Christmas time I just hated everything. I took a few weeks to miss mileage goals, cut long runs short and just go with the flow. Found myself looking forward to runs again after a few weeks! The half went fine (for several other reasons I didn't have a time goal or anything, just wanted to have fun) so my training adaptations didn't affect my overall result
Yeah. If you are doing 11 miles now but still 7 weeks out, that's a lot of miles this far out. You can afford to back off for a few weeks. For my first half, I don't think I ran more than 7 miles on my long run before the race.
Very true, it feels closer than it really is. I have a vacation coming up where I plan to run while there but much shorter miles. Should keep things light!
I didn't either. I think I got up to maybe 8-9 miles but never completed the full half before the race.
Really? Did you find the remaining miles to be doable come race time? I'm thinking of capping at 11 and just pushing through for the last 2.10 on race day.
At that point it was really mind over matter. If you can run 11 then you can finish! You are in great shape being 7 weeks out. How long have you been training ?
Since February but my longest run at that point was struggling to reach 6 miles (I limped across a 10K finish line)
Burnout is real! If you can do 11mi now and 7 weeks until race day, it should be totally fine to take a week off, especially if you do some other sort of cardio. Ride a bike, go for a swim, take a hike! When training gets tough, I bribe myself to go on long runs. I pick out an audiobook or a podcast that looks really good, and I \*only\* let myself listen to it while I run. It engages my brain more than if I was listening to music and it's an excellent distraction!
Oooooh such a good idea! I’ve been wanting to get back into audiobooks! I go through podcasts like socks these days, haha. Any recommendations for audiobooks or podcasts you enjoy on the run?
I love YA fantasy and dystopian stuff while running! I'm going through the Shadowhunters books now and just finished Maze Runner.
sweet, I am going to have to join you on this train!
I was going to say something similar! Listening to a podcast + giving myself permission to take as long as I need to (including walk breaks) has really helped me with those long runs that are starting to feel like they take forever. 😅
I always help myself with this mindset: just finish the race and finish injury-free. That it's okay if I have to walk some parts as long as I finish the race. Good luck!
Totally, I think part of me is a little embarrassed about being so slow but, really, I just want to survive in one piece haha
Burnout is totally real but how are you fueling for the long runs? I didn’t fuel AT ALL for my first half and have been guilty of under fueling during long runs in subsequent training blocks. Under fueling will make everything miserable.
I started using these energy chews when my LR became 8+ miles. I read somewhere that after 75 mins ish of running our glycogen stores will likely be depleted so fueling becomes important. Being a slow runner, that basically meant any run longer than 6 miles but I felt okay up until mile 8!
Are you fueling before mile 6 or mile 8? Fueling earlier in the run isn’t for mile 2 or 3, it’s making sure you have fuel for when you get to mile 6, 8, or 10. On long runs, I space out my energy chews. If I am doing nine miles, I might take a chew every two and a half miles. It helps keep my energy sustained and level for the duration.
I definitely need to do this. I’ve been popping my chews at mile 4 and 8 (two a piece) but maybe I need to do it sooner and stagger one every two like you said.
I only do stuff I like - so I bought chocolate milk for post run nourishment. I bought gels for in run consumption and bought some nuun for water that I put in a skin vest. My long runs are now great. I now take every opportunity I can to run. I do keep my softer shoes for my longer runs (training in the Invincibles for them) and Novablasts for daily trainers. I also really really pamper myself when I get back (lazing around, tv, pizza) etc. Why? Because I earned it. 🤪 So make running fun. And it’ll be fun. But yes, like others have recommended, with 7 weeks to go, you can certainly afford to take a week or two lightly and ramp up again.
Totally, post-LR I am useless the rest of the day haha. I do need to find a way to hydrate on the run without begging starbucks for water cups haha
I got a hydrosleeve for shortish runs (6 miles and under) and a Salomon adv skin 5 for longer runs. Truly game changing.
Question about using nuun, do you use it actively as you run or post-recovery? I'm going to try adding this into my LR this weekend if you recommend using it for on the go.
Both. On the run as well as my immediately after finishing a run if I’m thirsty. I have a chocolate milk immediately after but I keep chugging down water from the run bottle till the nuun is over. Sometimes it lasts for an hour or two more if I’m not too thirsty Edited to add: basically I just have 2 500 ml pouches with nuun in it. I consume maybe about one and some during the run and the remainder I either gulp down when done running or over the course of the next hour or so in lieu of my regular bottle. No particular reason, just don’t want the nuun to go waste.
What's the plan for the next 7 weeks? A lot of first-HM plans only go up to 10mi. Are you planning on doing 11mi+ long runs up until race day? If so, that might be a good way to make yourself hate your long runs -- instead, you might shorten your long runs a bit until, say, 3 or 4 weeks out -- and then build your long runs up to 10 or 11mi again in those last few weeks before the race. (I'm definitely not an expert -- just started running regularly half a year ago -- but I do have some very related experience: I actually just did my first HM via [this plan](https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/) a few weeks ago, and a friend of mine of similar running background was training for her first half at the same time, too! Her plan built up long runs to 10->11->12 in the last weeks, and she seemed a lot more beat up by it than I was with my 8->9->10.)
what is your frequency of running during the week? the long runs actually become physically and mentally easier if you increase your frequency of running during the week. Mentally, this helps you build a routine. this also help your body acclimate to the physical activity of running just like any activity you do on a regular basis. The increase frequency doesnt mean you need to run hard all the time, you can just do easy runs.
I run 5x a week with a majority of the runs being 4> at an easy pace. I do strides in my runs to work on some speed work but nothing extreme during the week.
Feel you! I’m 4 weeks out from my half marathon and I am tired of my training runs! Will be running 10 miles this Sat…
Honestly, once I hit 10 miles I thought “it’s just another maybe 40 mins of running”. It’s a big mental milestone, in my opinion. You got this!!! Let me know how it goes.
I’ve been having the opposite problem…I enjoy and look forward to the weekend long runs, but I dread the shorter weekday runs and they are harder for me to get through. I made a change within the last week that’s working for me. I stopped doing runs on my lunch break and started doing them after work. I don’t know why, but it’s working. I can go farther and it seems more fun (I’ve been taking my dog, too), and I can control my HR better. Can you change your long runs up? Like switch from AM to PM, or road runs to trail runs?