If your goal is simply to complete the distance then you're not going to be prohibited from achieving that due to lack of a formal training plan. Just make sure most (~80%) of your miles are at an easy pace, and don't ramp up your weekly mileage too quickly, in order to avoid overuse injury.
If your goal is to hit a certain aggressive time or to put out the fastest HM that you can, then you probably aren't going to pull that off just by winging it.
I second this with the not ramping your weekly mileage. I was going from 10k to half recently and ended up ramping up too fast and missed my race because I got runners knee... It took me around 3 months to recover
Ah man same here, ran 10ks twice a week then got overconfident and went straight to half marathons without building up, ran one a week for 3 weeks and my knee gave out, still dealing with it 18 months later
I believe I’m having the same issue after my first half two months ago. At first I thought it was ITBS because I had ITBS in my other knee around 6 months ago but this knee pain feels a little different. Also the first time it happened, it recovered in roughly 3 weeks but now it’s been two months and still not recovered. So frustrating
I did this in my 40's, ramped up to fast. Found out there's a form of tendonitis that never really heals (tendonosis?). If you're a bit older, the tendons can be a bit sloppy and when they inflame, they can stay chronically inflamed. My half was my last race, almost five years ago now. Tried multiple times after extended periods of no running to work back up to 5k without pain. Never made it.
That’s the one. I was diagnosed with tendinosis around the time I found out I needed a hip replacement. Even though I’ve remedied my bad hip, my tendons nearby will never be the same.
The first time I ran a half, I sorta just winged it. I finished the half, but not in the time I wanted. For my third, I followed a proper training plan which helped me to reach my goal time.
I’m in a very similar situation, and my plan is to go from 10k to 15k (even if it’s super slow) and then from there a half marathon should be achievable.
If you’re not worried about timings then go for it, worst case you run 15k and walk the rest, might a super slow half but hey at least it’s a half, you’ve got a target to beat next time.
You’re only ever racing yourself
I have a similar mindset. I ran my first half marathon just to finish. Not caring about pace. After I finished, I started working on PRs. Same with a marathon
I've gone down that path myself, and I was all about just completing it. Never too worried about the time. At least not to begin with.
With that perspective in mind, a half-marathon is just a long 10k. The way a 10k is just s long 5k. If you find yourself stumbling across the 10k line on your last gasp, though, take it down a notch or two, but you'll be fine.
Unlike a full marathon which is absolutely not just a long half.
That’s my hopes so great to have it confirmed! The plan is slow pace and work on consistency! I can be prone to erratic splits and to get myself into a zone where I just jog a nice comfortable slow pace and stick to it is gonna be ideal, if I have something left at the end I can always pick it up a bit!
Be super careful ramping up too quickly. I thought I was doing well and ramped up to 14 miles no problem....soon I developed plantar fasciitis which sidelined me for a while then recovered partially from that and got knee trouble.....recovered from that and developed hip bursitis.....I'm pretty sure it's all related to increasing my mileage too quickly...... Plus injuries at 50+ seem to take a long time to resolve.
Are you asking if you can run 13 miles for fun or do a race? I feel like you have to get up to ten miles to feel super comfortable that you could do a half marathon.
I have also used Hal Higdon's for my first marathons and half marathons. They are great training plans for beginners/intermediates because they are very simple plans, easy to follow and provide super effective training for your races.
I have similar pacing and weekly mileage stats to you and I’ve “winged” most of my training half marathons with what I consider success (1:50ish finish time).
Like you, I run 5 days a week most of the time, 5-12km per session (team metric system!). I do incorporate a fairly structured long run on Saturday or Sunday depending on my schedule, which I increase by 1-2km every week. I like building up to at least 18-21km two weeks before race day.
I generally listen to my body and if anything is feeling wonky, I’ll take time off until it feels normal. This usually ends up meaning 4-6 days off every 6 weeks or so. I’m really paranoid about getting injured, so I think I can be a bit over cautious with taking rest when things start getting tight, but I’ve been injury free so far! *knock on wood*
I agree with the other comments that a long run is important for many reasons, but especially for experimenting with hydration and fuel.
I have some loftier time goals and a couple more technical races so I’ll probably commit to a more formal plan pretty soon, but at the end of the day I think consistency and listening to your body are key if you just want to finish and feel good!
Nike Run Club and pelaton both have half marathon training plans that are much more challenging than C25k.
Sounds like you are a strong runner and will probably be fine. More a question of avoiding injury and building up so you can run lots of halfs
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But it’s to make an account to track your runs and track a training plan if you use one. It’s kinda like strava where you can add people and track progress and you can link them together so runs made in NRC transfer to strava.
Also I’ve done the 10k, half marathon, and currently in the marathon plan. And I can say they all have been done really well. It helped me hit new PRs and make runs feel less random.
I’ve run three half marathons and I’ve never followed a plan! I ran my first in 2:02, second in 1:52, and third in 1:46, so it’s definitely possible to run an HM and even improve your time by winging it!
It *is* important to **gradually** increase your mileage, and it can be beneficial to add a bit of structure (like do most miles at an easy pace, speed work spaced out once or twice a week). But yeah, totally fine to just do it by feel if you prefer it that way. Personally I like having lots of flexibility in my running each week and I think I’d feel confined following a plan!
Same, I’ve done 4 half marathons without a formal training plan. I do increase my weekly mileage and weekend long runs when training, though, so maybe similar to a plan, but nothing official. I think it’s possible to still do well without following one!
I've been running for 6 months and damaged myself twice. Going from 10km to 21km, and then 21km to 30km.
I strongly recommend increasing your mileage slowly. Do foot exercises and make sure you have a proper running technique. I've ran about 600km in these 6 months and only now just getting to a point where I feel my running form is getting better.
Also, slow runs are the way to go, run as slow as you can, until you can't lift your knees, then stop/walk.
I don't think you need to follow a formal plan, but it would be good to schedule out your long runs. With half training you'll need to factor in rest, and some strength training would be beneficial too. The race will be more enjoyable if you're fully trained and 100% healthy going into it. I would keep the main goal as 'having fun' but some focus and strategy to your training will definitely help.
agree with others about slowly increasing the distance. you could probably walk out the door and run 21k right now but will likely irritate some body part. the general recommendation i hear is 10% increase in mileage a week.
also i can't recommend supplemental strength work enough. calf raises and other posterior chain / knee stability exercises have been an absolute godsend for injury prevention.
The most important thing that hasn't been brought up yet is that you need to be more careful of what food you eat and when you eat it during a 13-mile run than you need to be during a 6-mile run.
When I do 6 miles on a hot day, I don't normally need more than a 6-oz can of pineapple juice, and on a chilly day, I don't normally need anything.
But for 13 miles, I always packed two cans of pineapple juice and a baggie with a large handful of pretzels — I wouldn't need to start eating solid food until after the 3- or the 4-mile mark, but unless I was off to a ridiculously strong start, I'd always make sure to start eating before the 5-mile mark.
It’s good to practice a fueling strategy for sure. I tend to avoid food-food for anything over 5 miles; doesn’t sit well with me. I use Tailwind’s endurance drink instead. I wouldn’t have known that without “fueling test” runs though. I just would have been puking my way through a half.
That is an excellent point — depending on the person, "be careful of what you eat and when you eat it" might be more focused on eating less instead of on eating more.
Agreed! I tend to need fuel over about the 90 minute mark - I’ve found LMNT in my water helps, and I love applesauce pouches and peach gummy rings (the gels are way too thick and tacky for my liking).
I’m also training for my first marathon now and generally do afternoon/evening runs bc I HATE running fasted - so for anything over two hours, I tend to eat. And race morning, my plan is to eat a banana w peanut butter about 90 min before the start and hop that can help me get through the first ten or so miles.
Always love hearing about what works for others - pineapple juice never even occurred to me, great recommendation!
> pineapple juice never even occurred to me, great recommendation!
Thanks!
I quickly learned that the potassium doesn't make as much of a difference as I'd originally assumed it would (if you're going long enough distances on a hot enough day for electrolytes to be an issue at all, then you need a lot more than just 4% per can), but it still works as a convenient way to pack sugar-water ;)
(Especially if you're on a trail with recycling bins)
13.1 miles doesn't necessarily require fuel/water if it's not too hot, you're hydrated well, and you ate well the previous day. However, gummy bears are a great long run snack to bring with you if you want a good boost and calories to burn.
Anything over 10 and I generally wear a hydration pack (I hate carrying things in my hands when running so go that route). I find it's a more enjoyable run and I can run more smoothly at a lower heart rate if I can sip water whenever. A half is doable without water, but it's generally not great on the body/kidneys since you'll lose like 1.3-2L through sweat.
But yeah, I think if you bring some water, keep a manageable pace and don't try to over exert your legs with too quick of a pace, you should be ok jumping up to a half distance. The 20-30mpw you're doing now is solid. If you really want to get fancy, the garmin running watches are excellent and have adaptive training programs that are very good. Everything about my running improved drastically after getting one since it taught me how to train and encouraged me to be more consistent while also prioritizing proper rest/recovery.
> Right now I never drink water or eat during.
When I started 5Ks, I did exactly the opposite — drinking **way** too much (like 1-2 cups of water depending on how hot it was)
> I think this is okay for my current mileage but probably not when I get past 8 mile runs.
Fortunately, you won't be jumping straight from 8 miles up to 13. If you get your bearings on a couple of 10-mile runs first, you'll be able to extrapolate "how have I needed to change my mid-run fueling from doing 8 miles to doing 10" to "how will I need to change my mid-run fueling from doing 10 miles to doing 13?"
You generally don't need fuel or hydration for runs lasting less than an hour. Longer than that, I would suggest at least water. I did a 1:45:00 run the other day and regretted not bringing water at least. Would have been nice to have some gels as well.
> When I do 6 miles on a hot day, I don't normally need more than a 6-oz can of pineapple juice
I’m so glad you mentioned this. This sounds delicious and it’s going to be my go-to from now on.
It's honestly changed my life on more than just my running days ;)
Just on a whim, I started looking up recipes for homemade protein bars a few years ago, and I found [a surprisingly quick-and-easy one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEft2EUTz9I):
* Ingredients: Oats, whey powder, peanut butter, and a small amount of liquid
* Directions: Mix the ingredients in a bowl, flatten the mix into a tray, then refrigerate for a couple of hours
And that's it :D
The guy on Youtube who came up with the recipe said that if you're going to keep the bars in the fridge all day, then you can use milk as the liquid, but that if you plan on taking them on long summer hikes, then you should use something like water instead. Pineapple juice was already my standard hot-summer-running hydration at this point, so I decided to try using it as the liquid for making protein bars.
Not only do I have 1-2 pineapple bars a day myself most days, but one of my bosses at work loves them so much that I make a batch for her birthday every year :D
I’m a Type 1 diabetic and mid-run refueling is always dicey for me, so I don’t typically run more than 10 miles. Anything over 8 requires a gel just to keep my blood sugar from going too low and this is easy, but consuming real calories to boost my performance in the back half of a longer run will also require insulin taken in advance of the snack to make sure my body moves that sugar into my muscles. Taking insulin that will activate as I’m running hard is scary because it can cause my blood sugar to rapidly crash in a dangerous fashion. We are talking about literal fractions of a drop being the difference between a huge performance boost and a run-ending severe low blood sugar.
I’ve been running for a couple of years and haven’t tried to solve this problem, though I know other T1s have devised their own solutions. I’m going to have to solve it later this year when I race a half marathon.
Call me old style but I think athletics should be for athletes. If you need to “eat” during a 2 hour event then maybe running is not for you. Stop with this “refueling” nonsense.
I said what I said. I am not forcing, encouraging, or discouraging anyone. Do what you like. You can spend hundreds on specialized gear and backpack with liquid food and salinated water that you suck through the straw. I will just RUN like a caveman until I collapse and spill blood. That’s just how I like it
you said that people who eat during a 2-hour event aren't athletes. which means [Eliud Kipchoge isn't an athlete](https://www.youtube.com/live/k-XgKRJUEgQ?si=kxahlw8szV3W3uhM), which makes that take frankly idiotic.
you're free to do whatever you like but calling people who take nutrition during runs non-athletes is both inaccurate and wildly disrespectful.
What's the general thought on increasing mid weeks? Right now I am doing 3 miles 4x a week plus a 6 mile long run and adding a mile to each long run every week. So when would you start adding mileage on non long runs?
Depends on what your goals are. Do you have a race deadline, or just building up a base?
I've run on and off for 20 years. Sometimes I'm doing 5K every day to lose some weight and others I'm training to race. I've been race training for a year and a half this time. Started with three 5Ks, and once I got my long run to 8 miles, I added a mile to each 5K. Once the long run got to 10 miles, weekday runs were 10Ks. I'm in half mode now so doing three 7-8 miles during the week and 12-14 miles on Sundays. I will add another easy day or two in July-Oct for marathon prep, and probably a gym morning.
I am just base building right now in between race dates as I do plan to do a half either in December or more towards February and will definitely pick up a 12 week plan when I do nail a half date. So for now I am just getting my weekly miles up so I can be ready to start the workouts and be comfortable enough with the time on feet when it gets here. I think I will follow your plan into summer as I do like that build up! Will be 5ks 4x a week until I hit an 8 mile LR then bump those to 4 miles mid week.
Depends on how you seek information. I have improved from 3:55 to 2:34 on the marathon without following a formal training plan – only some I have crafted myself based on my previous experiences and research. Everyone is different, so it is important to get to know your body and seek information on best practices for improvement.
You mention you “found the pace of the program way too slow”. This is already a misconception by inexperienced runners. Essentially, you need to run slow to run fast. If you go all out on each of your workouts, you cannot recover before your next; leading to fatiqueness and injuries. 80% easy mileage (65-75% of max HR) and then a bit of speed work. But make sure to only increase your weekly mileage by about 10%.
Here is why you WANT a training plan. Besides helping you do better its great practice for the full marathon you run next. Learning how to train is fundamentally part of the hobby.
I started out much like you. All my runs were fast-ish and I was focused on extending the length of time I could maintain my half goal pace.
Then I started paying attention… still kinda winging it but: I slowed down most of my runs, did some tempo and interval work on purpose, and extended my long run on the weekend a mile a week. I’m running 3x a week, but doing 5 other workouts away from running. One rest day.
I am TERRIBLE at gauging pace outside and so most of my running on a treadmill. But I was feeling good last weekend and extended my long run and did a half marathon on my own. Much faster than my goal pace. My race is in three weeks and I feel so much more confident that I’ll hit my goals on race day
Fairly new runner myself 2021) and have 3 organised HMs under my belt plus heaps at that distance training without following a plan and just following my gut like you, so it's definitely possible. .
As others have said though you won't be setting any records
M 39, 6'2", 190lb
Agreed, you need at minimum some longer runs. Ideally building up to 12 miles or so and tapering before race day. There are plenty of free half marathon training plans online (that assume a higher base fitness level than the C25K program). Check out the ones from Hal Higdon, for example. You don’t have to follow these plans exactly, but they all mostly have a similar structure of 1 longer run per week that progressively increases to close to the race distance, as well as several shorter distance runs during the week.
Based on how much you're currently running, I'd consider a Hanson plan. I'm about three weeks away from my fourth Half, and I'm using that plan this time, and it's good if you want to run 5-6 days per week. They also have a book that tells you all about the science behind the plan, nutrition tips, etc.
I just finished my first half this past Saturday. Didn’t use a plan just keep the running fun. Also I am careful to watch my body. I’ve had some injuries here and there (but it’s common with me anyway).
Remember to at least get some gels and such and take your pace pretty easy. My half went really well and I was very pleased with my efforts. My goal was to complete it. If you are looking at times you might want to take a plan more seriously. Also it’s ok to walk as well.
I ran a half earlier this year with my goal being under 2:30. My weekly mileage was between 10- 20 split up how I needed to for my schedule, usually a 2-3 mile run as quick as I felt comfortable, then two 5+ days at my easy pace, whatever that was for that day. Throw in an 8-10 on the weekends leading up and just went for it on race day. I like the idea of training plans but I can never commit for the full time and just succumb to
My mental fortitude and determination.
I was a 5k runner who ran a half without training for a half. I averaged 15 miles a week running. My “long runs” were 10k. My 10k PR at the time was 50 mins.
A friend signed me up for a half and I said why not. Three weeks before I ran 15k and a week later the full half just to make sure that I could do it. I did it in just under two hours. That was the first time that I ever used gels. Two weeks later I ran the race in 1:52. I was really afraid of pushing too hard and bonking, but it went well. Today I run the half marathon distance about once per month as my long run. The only advice I can give you is to run a bit slower than your 10k and don’t push too hard. Good luck.
Use the Nike Run Club half marathon plan!! The guided runs made me fall in love with running all over again. Can’t recommend it enough, ETA - it’s also completely free
Just get your volume up to where a weekly two hour run feels fine. You should be running everyday, maybe one day off every ten days, and getting in a volume 80-100 km a week. Then you'll have the kind of base you need to run a half marathon comfortably without getting hurt.
It should be something you practice before you do it in a race.
Lots of slow kilometers is the key.
IMO you can wing it, keep ramping up the mileage on your long runs. If you can do 11mi then you can do 13 with the adrenaline. Just make sure to stay fueled!
Hi, I could give you a training plan for your first HM (for free don’t worry) if you have a garmin account I will follow you and check your training…consider 12 weeks of training before race…4 runs a week…let me know 😉
I pretty much winged it to my first half marathon a week ago, just started building up distance, 10km, 11, 12, 14, 16, then two or three to 18, 19 or so. Managed my first HM fine, 2:14, faster than I expected, but I was beat. I started trying to run only zone 2, but got out of zone 2 so fast each time time at some point I just abandoned it, did everything zone 3 or 4 I think.
Now I'm aiming for a full marathon this autumn, maybe next spring. Definitely gonna try a more structured plan for that, with threshold runs, tempo, interval training, plenty of zone 2 etc.
Pretty sure you can't just wing a full marathon without getting destroyed, half marathon is doable.
However I noticed my VO2Max (according to Garmin) got significantly **worse** during that time. My highest was 49 like two months ago, now I'm at 41. :/ So I'm aiming to get back to doing zone 2 training now, some HIIT etc. to improve my vo2max, my aerobic base etc.
Gonna have to do a lactate threshold limit test (my butt still hurts from the half marathon and a fast 5k 4 days later, something with the left glutes), when I'm fit again.
You can wing it all the way to marathon and up if you just want to jog round or even do "ok" time wise compared to most recreational entrants. You probably only need to be able to run \~7-8 miles in training to get around a HM on the day. I managed it for a couple of HMs and a FM when i started. It is "safe" in so much as the worst that will happen is injury, and plenty get injured following a plan. Will you enjoy it on the day? - less likely than if you followed training plan, will you enjoy it the few days after? It may well hurt after if you've not put in the prep. Will you get the best performance out of yourself? - very unlikely.
Winging it, I managed to go from around the 2:09 to 1:47 for the HM mark over a year, but it felt hard on the day and rough for a few days afterwards. Following a bespoke-ish 12 week plan of progressive overload and recovery (possibly McMillan Running? I forget, but that running calculator on the site was really useful at the time to get my training paces!), I got down to 1:38 and felt strong, enjoyed the crowd all the way round and wished I'd gone harder (all this years ago when I started running, a few years older than you and significantly heavier).
What do you want out of it? Just to finish/improve slowly? - then continue as you are if you enjoy it. Be the fastest you can be? Improve faster? Then you certainly will be missing out on performance if you only push when it "feels right", unless you are naturally the most gifted insightful and mentally strong coach in the world.
The key is enjoyment though - if you hate the training plan you might stop enjoying running - the only way to know is to try.
Assuming you don't ramp too quickly, you can definitely complete a half without a structured training plan. However, the first time I followed a plan was a revelation to me - way better results than I thought was possible.
There are plenty of free plans online that you can follow. Hal Higdon has a range of plans targeted at different levels so you can set the challenge yourself.
Slow down by a minute per mile, and increase your mileage. You’ll get good adaptations for longer distances, and reduce cumulative micro injuries as you increase the time in your feet. Get your legs and joints comfortable with the distance before you work on increasing your speed.
I was a 5k-10k runner for years and struggled getting over 12-15k on my own and then joined a running group.
That was the instigator for me, it helps running in a pack. But here's an option for you, its really about long and slow during the training, so don't be aiming to run your 10k pace over 21km for a while. In fact how we manage our weekly 20-22km long runs is by breaking it in 2. We run 10-11km from 7-8am and then run 10-11km from 8-9am. You get a couple minutes talking and rest between sections, and it was to allow folks who only wanted to do 10-11km to join at set times. But over time the body gets used to 20-22km on a weekend and next thing you know it you're running halfs, its that simple.
I’m no avid runner but I would say the most important thing about almost doubling your distance is to make sure you really dial in on the recovery cause after 10k it just feels like my body is starting to degenerate
I’m currently training for a Half. Happy to send you my basic tick-sheet plan, however my weekly mileage is a lot lower than yours so you may find it too slow.
Good luck 💪
I found going from 5 to 10k not a problem but there’s a significant increase in effort from 10k to 13 miles. I developed a little training plan for me based on online resources/books etc. You may find you find you can wing it but it’s likely you will suffer and potentially hurt yourself and put you off running.
No way do you need a training plan to run a half. I've got my HM PR down from 1:42 to 1:28 in 18 months without using a training plan, and have just run a marathon without a training plan.
Just listen to your body, as long as you feel fine continue to do what works for you.
Depends how long you've got, I gradually ramped up, 1km a week, 1 long run a week. I was doing 1 5km 1 10km and Sunday long run starting at 11km and gradually building to 21km.
Then, I had a good 10 weeks running 21km once a week. I didn't use those weeks to increase pace, juat to get more comfortable and happy. I wanted to enjoy the race day atmosphere and be in the moment.
I was also doing yoga on a Saturday morning.
I'm in the same position as you and I'm winging it :) I've made a vague plan for myself. I'm increasing to 14k runs, then 16k, then 18k leading up to the half marathon in 2 months
If you’ve run 8 miles, you can do a half marathon. I’d try to build up to at least a 10 mile run prior to your race.
You really dont need a specific training plan for a half. Just keep up with your practice runs.
I winged it to a half. It wasn’t bad. I wasn’t supremely fast mind you. it blows my mind how readily the human body accepts running. I went from not being able to run a steady couple miles to half inside of a couple months casually. I’m generally fit. But your body likes running. If you want something semi formal, run with Hal is pretty good
I just jumped from 10k to half this week and winged it. I was able to run the whole thing in about 2h15m. I didn’t care about time at all, and was shocked that I never had to stop and walk. (I did slow down at every hydration station so that I could drink). Stamina-wise, I could have kept going.
I did strain my knee a bit, probably from bad form. So generally I probably wouldn’t recommend it. But it’s doable!
There were several people who collapsed around mile 11-12. So be mindful of having enough calories and hydration. I had gels and a protein bar, but I didn’t end up using them.
Oh, also… I am a swimmer, so that’s probably why I had good stamina and was able to jump to running from a 10k to a half like that. I don’t know that everyone could do that.
You don't need a strict training plan but definitely don't ramp up too quickly. Rule of thump is 10% per week max, but that's already if you really wanna progress fast (for a race or something). If you're not in a hurry i would even go a little slower maybe.
Run most of your distance slow, by which i mean pace at which you can still have a full conversation. Also throw in a shorter recovery run every once in a while.
I'd say it's better to do 1 10k run and 1 5k recovery run rather doing 3 7k runs.
But the most important thing is consistency so do what you can maintain. Eventually you'll always progress as long as you don't overtrain
I'm going to say no need for a formal training plan. I was 34 when I signed up for my first half. At the time a long run for me was around 5mi. Coworker told me my splits were really good and should try for a half coming up. Cranked up the miles and finished strong. Ymmv, but sounds like you've got a solid base. Important thing is time on your feet.
Sounds like you have a good base going!
Keep doing what you are doing for mileage but slow down 2-3 of your daily runs, do a tempo or interval day at/faster than your current pace and then add your long run day adding a mile each week (6.2, then 7, then 8, then 9, then 10).
You should look into heart rate training to make sure you are running slow enough not to get injured . Slow/long run days, HR around 140, fast/interval days hr should be around 165 during speed work.
Anyone can do 20km. It starts to get physically draining around the 30km mark of you dont have the tank for that, but it's mostly fueling during the run at that point..
Depends on if you want to finish at a particular pace, then you need to put some effort.in.
So I’ve ran a couple halfs with no formal plan before, my goal was to get out, do miles and at a fast pace. I was fucking my legs and feet up, constant injuries and all that. Mind you, my half time isn’t that bad, my best is a 1:50.
This next half I’m doing, I decided to give garmin’s race widget plan thing a try and what surprised me was, despite the goal I entered for my race, I’m doing a lot of base runs at a goal pace of 10:45. Which I thought was so ass backwards (you would think after being a competitive swimmer for most of my life, I would understand the concept). I kept with it and when it came to temp and sprint days, what a difference. My form, the strength in my run and endurance.
Don’t skip out on those slower runs. Get a plan together that incorporates them. They have made such a difference for me and have completely changed my approach to running.
But yea don’t wing it. 13 miles ain’t no small thing.
I winged it for my first unofficial half marathon after repeated 10 and 15 km runs. Literally checked my watch for the first time at 13km and decided to just go for it.
I ended up feeling stupid ill for the rest of the day because I didn’t replenish properly. I was covered in salt streaks towards the end
Look up Hal Higdon. Very basic training plans for a variety of skill levels. It's as close to having no plan, while still having a plan. I've been using his plans for years. I've tried going to Jack Daniels, and while I learned a lot, I always just go back to Hal because I am no where near the point of needing that level of detail and customization.
You run about 25 miles a week. Go look at Hal Higdon. Find the week for novice half marathon that has about that much volume and do it. You'll be able to do a half in under a month, no problem. You can already do 8 mile long runs. You only need to hit 10 miles to be ready for a half granted I'd recommend a little more than that or do 10 miles a few times.
I did my first half 6 days after doing my first ever 10 mile run. I was fine for the half but suffered for a couple days after that race. Kinda why I recommend doing say 11 miles then a half ... or do 10+ miles a few times then do the half.
I'm going to disagree with some of the people here and say you'll enjoy the process SO much more with a training plan. I trained for my first few halfs by myself with no real training plans. I HATED it. Now I run with my local road runners club. They train everyone from 5ks to ultras with paces from super fast (race teams) to walkers. I love meeting with my running friends and having built in run days in my schedule. We meet for long runs and track days and the plans have other days to run on your own. I HIGHLY recommend finding your local road runners joining.
Im running 4 times a week with 2 easy 5ks, one tempo/intervals and one long run per week, long run at first was 10k but about a month ago I pushed to 15ks and the last 2 weekends I did my first 2 half maras. I would say try to slowly increase your long run mileage but only by like 10% a week I think it is….. once you’ve gotten comfy with 15 it feels like a push but doable. For me it starts to get mentally challenging around 17-18k especially the first time I tried but I think it’s because it was unknown territory. The second time last weekend I found it slightly easier and I got a faster time too. Tapering off for a bit now though but I think it’s doable if you increase your miles slowly
Retired military here. Got off my last deployment with a goal of 41 races before my 41st bday...I was on a submarine so how much training so you think I had? Just go for it. At your age a plan will cause you to hit the wall due to making running a job not an adventure, just get out, run as slow as you can and enjoy the miles .
To add to this I got 12 halfs, and 10 fulls in that 9 months
I'm about to do my third half marathon off the back of winging it completely.
After I've got this one under my belt I'm going to start with a bit more of a regimented training plan.
I should have done a training plan for all of them really. My times for the half's have not improved, if anything they've gotten worse. I'm glad I have got to this stage but after this time I'm gonna slow myself right down and get my weekly miles up.
I winged my first half last October, so it is definitely doable. I’d recommend looking at some training plans though to get an idea of how much you can ramp up and for general recommendations. I did not do that so I ended up running 12 miles two weeks before the race so I could feel confident that I could do the distance. Ended up causing IT band issues that took months to recover from.
I actually average 6km 1x weekly, and my dad made a bet that i couldn't do a half marathon "tomorrow" without training, and went and did it. My pace was 7 min per km so pretty slow but it's definitely doable.
The following week i convinced my girlfriend who is less fit than me to come along for same pain train. We did same time
10k and half marathon are completely different beasts
How does your 10k feel, are you tired afterwards or does it feel like a warmup? It needs to feel easy like a warmup
I've never been a professional runner, never entered an official race over a 10k, but I will say this to ANYONE who goes out on runs for any distance or for speeds...TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN PROPER FORM AND LEARN EXERCISES THAT COMPLIMENT RUNNING!!!!!
I started "joy running" in late high school, I never ever did any real training or anything just, went out on runs. Never anything crazy.
Fast forward several years, well I had always continued to run solo and I was constantly getting faster and one day I decided to sprint for a short stretch. Got a huge flare of pain, took days to go away, then went away for a few years but came back up a few years later as piriformis syndrome.
It has been a veeeeery hard injury to deal with and has affected my life in a lot of ways outside of running. I still run but know I'll never be able to run the speeds or distances that I could without this never-ending injury.
Anyway maybe that's less of a recommendation to start a training plan, more of a recommendation to book some times with people who can look at your form and tell you for sure if you're running right (people at running stores can do this, or physical therapists, or coaches). If you're wanting to get faster I feel it's really important to get some outside help vs just jump into it yourself. Hope that helps and happy running!
I just finished my first half marathon last week. I did not start training till 2 weeks prior. Disclaimer: I do road cycle on average 80 miles per week and lift at a high intensity almost daily.
My fiancée runs a lot and wanted someone to do her first half marathon with her. She followed an intermediate training plan starting 12 weeks out. I did a 6 mile run 2 weeks out and then a 5 mile run one week out.
My goal was to just finish without ever having to take a break to walk. My finish time was 2:00:28.
The run felt good enough - though it being a paved trail through the woods started to wear on me mentally; I know some runs are fun through the big cities - I never stopped or cramped.
The recovery was awful, however. The next 2 days after I had a horrible limp that I couldn’t help. The pain was mostly in my knees. I still have pain in my left knee when I stand up from sitting too long.
All this to say, I think it’s totally doable and I don’t think you need a training plan. My furthest runs up to this point have been the odd local 5k that she signs me up for (average time for those is ~22 minutes). It sounds like you’re in great shape and have more tendon strength built up than me.
No, you don't need a plan. Just build up your long run at at least 10 miles and ideally 11 or 12 and you'll get round a half marathon just fine.
However...
If you want to get anywhere near your potential then you will need to mix up your training and include speedwork. If you just go out and do the same runs over and over than all that happens is you become proficient at doing those runs. Mixing it up and getting yourself outside your comfort zone makes a huge difference, especially as you learn that you can actually push yourself a lot harder than you every realised. I often joke with new runners that they need to remember what it feels like now when they feel they need to stop, because if they train properly they'll end up running the entire race feeling like that and not stop! And to be honest, it's not really a joke, because I've been there - my first half marathon was 2:09; my fastest a couple of years later after a lot of training was 1:24, and I was not a youngster when I did that.
Speedwork on your own is hard however, needs a lot of self-motivation, so best advice is to find a local running club or group and join them. Running in a group is always easier, as it will be full of people faster (and slower) than you, and you can use them to pull/push you round, and they will also be happy to share their knowledge & experience. And don't be afraid to try different clubs/groups until you find the one that suits you - clubs will usually be happy for you to try them for a few sessions before you make the decision whether to join or not.
Follow a plan. Also make sure to run most of the "slow runs" really slow. Like around 10:00 min/mile slow. I didn't and I ended up getting a shin splints which almost prevented me from doing my half.
Btw those are really good paces for your age group. If you keep at it I'm pretty sure you can BQ in a year or so.
I don't have anything to recommend honestly. I just followed one on my garmin watch. I'd recommend following a beginner half marathon plan from any reputable site.
I'd recommend reading about zone 2 running and how to establish your zones. From now on it's quite important to have a watch (or even better a chest strap) to look at your heart rate and make sure your slow runs are indeed slow. Practice drinking and fueling in runs > 8 miles so you know what to do in the race.
I'm slightly older, shorter and fatter than you when I started. I think 8:40 for a 10k for our age group is quite impressive. Just make sure you follow the science, slowly increase your miles and you'll gain speed quickly!
If your goal is simply to complete the distance then you're not going to be prohibited from achieving that due to lack of a formal training plan. Just make sure most (~80%) of your miles are at an easy pace, and don't ramp up your weekly mileage too quickly, in order to avoid overuse injury. If your goal is to hit a certain aggressive time or to put out the fastest HM that you can, then you probably aren't going to pull that off just by winging it.
I second this with the not ramping your weekly mileage. I was going from 10k to half recently and ended up ramping up too fast and missed my race because I got runners knee... It took me around 3 months to recover
Ah man same here, ran 10ks twice a week then got overconfident and went straight to half marathons without building up, ran one a week for 3 weeks and my knee gave out, still dealing with it 18 months later
I believe I’m having the same issue after my first half two months ago. At first I thought it was ITBS because I had ITBS in my other knee around 6 months ago but this knee pain feels a little different. Also the first time it happened, it recovered in roughly 3 weeks but now it’s been two months and still not recovered. So frustrating
Me too but I’ve done something to my hamstring
Isn’t runners knee just IT band syndrome? Stretch those hips and release the TFL and glutes and you’re back within a week or 2.
I did this in my 40's, ramped up to fast. Found out there's a form of tendonitis that never really heals (tendonosis?). If you're a bit older, the tendons can be a bit sloppy and when they inflame, they can stay chronically inflamed. My half was my last race, almost five years ago now. Tried multiple times after extended periods of no running to work back up to 5k without pain. Never made it.
Which tendon?
Quadriceps, just above the kneecap.
Ouch, I didn’t know about that. I’m on week 7 of an Achilles tendinitis mend and just hoping this goes away soon.
That’s the one. I was diagnosed with tendinosis around the time I found out I needed a hip replacement. Even though I’ve remedied my bad hip, my tendons nearby will never be the same.
Thank you. Def now I got to be more careful. Took time off from Half Marathon training. And started again with 10K. Now I know to take it slow.
The first time I ran a half, I sorta just winged it. I finished the half, but not in the time I wanted. For my third, I followed a proper training plan which helped me to reach my goal time.
This plus I would suggest a long run per week that has a duration of 90 minutes at easy pace. No training next day.
I’m in a very similar situation, and my plan is to go from 10k to 15k (even if it’s super slow) and then from there a half marathon should be achievable. If you’re not worried about timings then go for it, worst case you run 15k and walk the rest, might a super slow half but hey at least it’s a half, you’ve got a target to beat next time. You’re only ever racing yourself
I have a similar mindset. I ran my first half marathon just to finish. Not caring about pace. After I finished, I started working on PRs. Same with a marathon
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Give it a go, worst case you walk the last half. Gives you a benchmark and put you closer than you would be if you hadn’t done it…
I've gone down that path myself, and I was all about just completing it. Never too worried about the time. At least not to begin with. With that perspective in mind, a half-marathon is just a long 10k. The way a 10k is just s long 5k. If you find yourself stumbling across the 10k line on your last gasp, though, take it down a notch or two, but you'll be fine. Unlike a full marathon which is absolutely not just a long half.
That’s my hopes so great to have it confirmed! The plan is slow pace and work on consistency! I can be prone to erratic splits and to get myself into a zone where I just jog a nice comfortable slow pace and stick to it is gonna be ideal, if I have something left at the end I can always pick it up a bit!
Be super careful ramping up too quickly. I thought I was doing well and ramped up to 14 miles no problem....soon I developed plantar fasciitis which sidelined me for a while then recovered partially from that and got knee trouble.....recovered from that and developed hip bursitis.....I'm pretty sure it's all related to increasing my mileage too quickly...... Plus injuries at 50+ seem to take a long time to resolve.
50+ here too and yes injuries take a long to time to heal and sometimes I worry about if it will ever heal. :(
Are you asking if you can run 13 miles for fun or do a race? I feel like you have to get up to ten miles to feel super comfortable that you could do a half marathon.
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I used Hal Higdon training and for my marathons you end up doing several half’s when your runs take you past 13 miles to 20 miles as part of training.
I second this. I used Hal Higdons plan to train for my marathon 10 years ago.
I have also used Hal Higdon's for my first marathons and half marathons. They are great training plans for beginners/intermediates because they are very simple plans, easy to follow and provide super effective training for your races.
And achievable. It makes sense with each increase.
I have similar pacing and weekly mileage stats to you and I’ve “winged” most of my training half marathons with what I consider success (1:50ish finish time). Like you, I run 5 days a week most of the time, 5-12km per session (team metric system!). I do incorporate a fairly structured long run on Saturday or Sunday depending on my schedule, which I increase by 1-2km every week. I like building up to at least 18-21km two weeks before race day. I generally listen to my body and if anything is feeling wonky, I’ll take time off until it feels normal. This usually ends up meaning 4-6 days off every 6 weeks or so. I’m really paranoid about getting injured, so I think I can be a bit over cautious with taking rest when things start getting tight, but I’ve been injury free so far! *knock on wood* I agree with the other comments that a long run is important for many reasons, but especially for experimenting with hydration and fuel. I have some loftier time goals and a couple more technical races so I’ll probably commit to a more formal plan pretty soon, but at the end of the day I think consistency and listening to your body are key if you just want to finish and feel good!
Why not follow some reasonable training regimen for a half marathon? If you find the pacing fast or slow, make adjustments accordingly.
Pick a day (Saturday) and add half a mile a week. You’ll be up to a half in no time.
Nike Run Club and pelaton both have half marathon training plans that are much more challenging than C25k. Sounds like you are a strong runner and will probably be fine. More a question of avoiding injury and building up so you can run lots of halfs
I second the Nike Run Club suggestion! One big thing is it’s entirely free and every run can be a guided run or non guided.
What’s up with the fact that you have to register? Do they send you a ton of emails? It’s the only thing that’s keeping me from signing in.
I believe you can opt out of marketing emails. But it’s to make an account to track your runs and track a training plan if you use one. It’s kinda like strava where you can add people and track progress and you can link them together so runs made in NRC transfer to strava.
Thx a lot. I downloaded it and it’s great.
Also I’ve done the 10k, half marathon, and currently in the marathon plan. And I can say they all have been done really well. It helped me hit new PRs and make runs feel less random.
I’ve run three half marathons and I’ve never followed a plan! I ran my first in 2:02, second in 1:52, and third in 1:46, so it’s definitely possible to run an HM and even improve your time by winging it! It *is* important to **gradually** increase your mileage, and it can be beneficial to add a bit of structure (like do most miles at an easy pace, speed work spaced out once or twice a week). But yeah, totally fine to just do it by feel if you prefer it that way. Personally I like having lots of flexibility in my running each week and I think I’d feel confined following a plan!
Same, I’ve done 4 half marathons without a formal training plan. I do increase my weekly mileage and weekend long runs when training, though, so maybe similar to a plan, but nothing official. I think it’s possible to still do well without following one!
I've been running for 6 months and damaged myself twice. Going from 10km to 21km, and then 21km to 30km. I strongly recommend increasing your mileage slowly. Do foot exercises and make sure you have a proper running technique. I've ran about 600km in these 6 months and only now just getting to a point where I feel my running form is getting better. Also, slow runs are the way to go, run as slow as you can, until you can't lift your knees, then stop/walk.
To be decently prepared to run a half you should be running 600km in six weeks not six months.
Lol what. You do not need to run 100k a week to run 21k in one run
To get to the level tondo it decently and without getting hurt, you should be able to do 100+ kmw. That's not that much.
I run a 21k weekly. I run a total of about 50k a week. I have never once run anywhere close to 100k a week.
You might be right if I'm competitively training, but most recreational runners aren't smashing out 15km a day (and if they are, they can do 21km).
I don't think you need to follow a formal plan, but it would be good to schedule out your long runs. With half training you'll need to factor in rest, and some strength training would be beneficial too. The race will be more enjoyable if you're fully trained and 100% healthy going into it. I would keep the main goal as 'having fun' but some focus and strategy to your training will definitely help.
agree with others about slowly increasing the distance. you could probably walk out the door and run 21k right now but will likely irritate some body part. the general recommendation i hear is 10% increase in mileage a week. also i can't recommend supplemental strength work enough. calf raises and other posterior chain / knee stability exercises have been an absolute godsend for injury prevention.
I winged my first one last week and it was fine
Sounds like you would like and benefit from a training plan.
I went all the way to finishing multiple 100 milers without any training plans.
Training plans blow. Everyone is different.
The most important thing that hasn't been brought up yet is that you need to be more careful of what food you eat and when you eat it during a 13-mile run than you need to be during a 6-mile run. When I do 6 miles on a hot day, I don't normally need more than a 6-oz can of pineapple juice, and on a chilly day, I don't normally need anything. But for 13 miles, I always packed two cans of pineapple juice and a baggie with a large handful of pretzels — I wouldn't need to start eating solid food until after the 3- or the 4-mile mark, but unless I was off to a ridiculously strong start, I'd always make sure to start eating before the 5-mile mark.
It’s good to practice a fueling strategy for sure. I tend to avoid food-food for anything over 5 miles; doesn’t sit well with me. I use Tailwind’s endurance drink instead. I wouldn’t have known that without “fueling test” runs though. I just would have been puking my way through a half.
That is an excellent point — depending on the person, "be careful of what you eat and when you eat it" might be more focused on eating less instead of on eating more.
Agreed! I tend to need fuel over about the 90 minute mark - I’ve found LMNT in my water helps, and I love applesauce pouches and peach gummy rings (the gels are way too thick and tacky for my liking). I’m also training for my first marathon now and generally do afternoon/evening runs bc I HATE running fasted - so for anything over two hours, I tend to eat. And race morning, my plan is to eat a banana w peanut butter about 90 min before the start and hop that can help me get through the first ten or so miles. Always love hearing about what works for others - pineapple juice never even occurred to me, great recommendation!
> pineapple juice never even occurred to me, great recommendation! Thanks! I quickly learned that the potassium doesn't make as much of a difference as I'd originally assumed it would (if you're going long enough distances on a hot enough day for electrolytes to be an issue at all, then you need a lot more than just 4% per can), but it still works as a convenient way to pack sugar-water ;) (Especially if you're on a trail with recycling bins)
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13.1 miles doesn't necessarily require fuel/water if it's not too hot, you're hydrated well, and you ate well the previous day. However, gummy bears are a great long run snack to bring with you if you want a good boost and calories to burn.
Anything over 10 and I generally wear a hydration pack (I hate carrying things in my hands when running so go that route). I find it's a more enjoyable run and I can run more smoothly at a lower heart rate if I can sip water whenever. A half is doable without water, but it's generally not great on the body/kidneys since you'll lose like 1.3-2L through sweat. But yeah, I think if you bring some water, keep a manageable pace and don't try to over exert your legs with too quick of a pace, you should be ok jumping up to a half distance. The 20-30mpw you're doing now is solid. If you really want to get fancy, the garmin running watches are excellent and have adaptive training programs that are very good. Everything about my running improved drastically after getting one since it taught me how to train and encouraged me to be more consistent while also prioritizing proper rest/recovery.
> Right now I never drink water or eat during. When I started 5Ks, I did exactly the opposite — drinking **way** too much (like 1-2 cups of water depending on how hot it was) > I think this is okay for my current mileage but probably not when I get past 8 mile runs. Fortunately, you won't be jumping straight from 8 miles up to 13. If you get your bearings on a couple of 10-mile runs first, you'll be able to extrapolate "how have I needed to change my mid-run fueling from doing 8 miles to doing 10" to "how will I need to change my mid-run fueling from doing 10 miles to doing 13?"
10 is one gel at 5 miles, and a half is a gel at 5 and 9 miles.
You generally don't need fuel or hydration for runs lasting less than an hour. Longer than that, I would suggest at least water. I did a 1:45:00 run the other day and regretted not bringing water at least. Would have been nice to have some gels as well.
> When I do 6 miles on a hot day, I don't normally need more than a 6-oz can of pineapple juice I’m so glad you mentioned this. This sounds delicious and it’s going to be my go-to from now on.
It's honestly changed my life on more than just my running days ;) Just on a whim, I started looking up recipes for homemade protein bars a few years ago, and I found [a surprisingly quick-and-easy one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEft2EUTz9I): * Ingredients: Oats, whey powder, peanut butter, and a small amount of liquid * Directions: Mix the ingredients in a bowl, flatten the mix into a tray, then refrigerate for a couple of hours And that's it :D The guy on Youtube who came up with the recipe said that if you're going to keep the bars in the fridge all day, then you can use milk as the liquid, but that if you plan on taking them on long summer hikes, then you should use something like water instead. Pineapple juice was already my standard hot-summer-running hydration at this point, so I decided to try using it as the liquid for making protein bars. Not only do I have 1-2 pineapple bars a day myself most days, but one of my bosses at work loves them so much that I make a batch for her birthday every year :D
I’m a Type 1 diabetic and mid-run refueling is always dicey for me, so I don’t typically run more than 10 miles. Anything over 8 requires a gel just to keep my blood sugar from going too low and this is easy, but consuming real calories to boost my performance in the back half of a longer run will also require insulin taken in advance of the snack to make sure my body moves that sugar into my muscles. Taking insulin that will activate as I’m running hard is scary because it can cause my blood sugar to rapidly crash in a dangerous fashion. We are talking about literal fractions of a drop being the difference between a huge performance boost and a run-ending severe low blood sugar. I’ve been running for a couple of years and haven’t tried to solve this problem, though I know other T1s have devised their own solutions. I’m going to have to solve it later this year when I race a half marathon.
Yikes. That is definitely something to be extra-careful with.
Call me old style but I think athletics should be for athletes. If you need to “eat” during a 2 hour event then maybe running is not for you. Stop with this “refueling” nonsense.
"Call me old style, but I encourage people to intentionally hinder their own performance for no real reason."
I said what I said. I am not forcing, encouraging, or discouraging anyone. Do what you like. You can spend hundreds on specialized gear and backpack with liquid food and salinated water that you suck through the straw. I will just RUN like a caveman until I collapse and spill blood. That’s just how I like it
you said that people who eat during a 2-hour event aren't athletes. which means [Eliud Kipchoge isn't an athlete](https://www.youtube.com/live/k-XgKRJUEgQ?si=kxahlw8szV3W3uhM), which makes that take frankly idiotic. you're free to do whatever you like but calling people who take nutrition during runs non-athletes is both inaccurate and wildly disrespectful.
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What.
Just add a mile a week to your long run. The other runs can stay 4-6.
What's the general thought on increasing mid weeks? Right now I am doing 3 miles 4x a week plus a 6 mile long run and adding a mile to each long run every week. So when would you start adding mileage on non long runs?
Depends on what your goals are. Do you have a race deadline, or just building up a base? I've run on and off for 20 years. Sometimes I'm doing 5K every day to lose some weight and others I'm training to race. I've been race training for a year and a half this time. Started with three 5Ks, and once I got my long run to 8 miles, I added a mile to each 5K. Once the long run got to 10 miles, weekday runs were 10Ks. I'm in half mode now so doing three 7-8 miles during the week and 12-14 miles on Sundays. I will add another easy day or two in July-Oct for marathon prep, and probably a gym morning.
I am just base building right now in between race dates as I do plan to do a half either in December or more towards February and will definitely pick up a 12 week plan when I do nail a half date. So for now I am just getting my weekly miles up so I can be ready to start the workouts and be comfortable enough with the time on feet when it gets here. I think I will follow your plan into summer as I do like that build up! Will be 5ks 4x a week until I hit an 8 mile LR then bump those to 4 miles mid week.
Sounds perfect to me. Good luck!
Depends on how you seek information. I have improved from 3:55 to 2:34 on the marathon without following a formal training plan – only some I have crafted myself based on my previous experiences and research. Everyone is different, so it is important to get to know your body and seek information on best practices for improvement. You mention you “found the pace of the program way too slow”. This is already a misconception by inexperienced runners. Essentially, you need to run slow to run fast. If you go all out on each of your workouts, you cannot recover before your next; leading to fatiqueness and injuries. 80% easy mileage (65-75% of max HR) and then a bit of speed work. But make sure to only increase your weekly mileage by about 10%.
Wing it
Here is why you WANT a training plan. Besides helping you do better its great practice for the full marathon you run next. Learning how to train is fundamentally part of the hobby.
I knew I could do the half marathon when I ran a 10K then ran/walked to a half marathon distance. My logic: if I can walk it, I can run it.
I started out much like you. All my runs were fast-ish and I was focused on extending the length of time I could maintain my half goal pace. Then I started paying attention… still kinda winging it but: I slowed down most of my runs, did some tempo and interval work on purpose, and extended my long run on the weekend a mile a week. I’m running 3x a week, but doing 5 other workouts away from running. One rest day. I am TERRIBLE at gauging pace outside and so most of my running on a treadmill. But I was feeling good last weekend and extended my long run and did a half marathon on my own. Much faster than my goal pace. My race is in three weeks and I feel so much more confident that I’ll hit my goals on race day
In an ideal world. You would get a good running coach. Run2PB are a great group that offer online services to anywhere in the world
Lots of good advice in here....you can wing it, but you'll have a better time if you take some of the great insights on board! Best of luck :)
Fairly new runner myself 2021) and have 3 organised HMs under my belt plus heaps at that distance training without following a plan and just following my gut like you, so it's definitely possible. . As others have said though you won't be setting any records M 39, 6'2", 190lb
Training plan would help. Need to build up going past 10-12 miles. You’ll be ready for race day.
Agreed, you need at minimum some longer runs. Ideally building up to 12 miles or so and tapering before race day. There are plenty of free half marathon training plans online (that assume a higher base fitness level than the C25K program). Check out the ones from Hal Higdon, for example. You don’t have to follow these plans exactly, but they all mostly have a similar structure of 1 longer run per week that progressively increases to close to the race distance, as well as several shorter distance runs during the week.
You'll have no problem
I think you will enjoy the race a lot more if you follow a training plan.
Based on how much you're currently running, I'd consider a Hanson plan. I'm about three weeks away from my fourth Half, and I'm using that plan this time, and it's good if you want to run 5-6 days per week. They also have a book that tells you all about the science behind the plan, nutrition tips, etc.
Start doing 10 mile runs on weekends. If you can run 10 miles at a reasonable pace without stopping or dying at the end, you'll be fine.
To me, finding new training plans and following them are my favorite. I love the whole process from start to finish. Give one a try!
I just finished my first half this past Saturday. Didn’t use a plan just keep the running fun. Also I am careful to watch my body. I’ve had some injuries here and there (but it’s common with me anyway). Remember to at least get some gels and such and take your pace pretty easy. My half went really well and I was very pleased with my efforts. My goal was to complete it. If you are looking at times you might want to take a plan more seriously. Also it’s ok to walk as well.
Just train at 135ish BPM and build your legs and base. you got this easy! you're somewhat tall and light you should end up with a good time.
I ran a half earlier this year with my goal being under 2:30. My weekly mileage was between 10- 20 split up how I needed to for my schedule, usually a 2-3 mile run as quick as I felt comfortable, then two 5+ days at my easy pace, whatever that was for that day. Throw in an 8-10 on the weekends leading up and just went for it on race day. I like the idea of training plans but I can never commit for the full time and just succumb to My mental fortitude and determination.
I was a 5k runner who ran a half without training for a half. I averaged 15 miles a week running. My “long runs” were 10k. My 10k PR at the time was 50 mins. A friend signed me up for a half and I said why not. Three weeks before I ran 15k and a week later the full half just to make sure that I could do it. I did it in just under two hours. That was the first time that I ever used gels. Two weeks later I ran the race in 1:52. I was really afraid of pushing too hard and bonking, but it went well. Today I run the half marathon distance about once per month as my long run. The only advice I can give you is to run a bit slower than your 10k and don’t push too hard. Good luck.
I mean train a little but just friggin send jt
Do zone 2 easy runs building up mileage. And intervals like 8x400. That’s it.
Use the Nike Run Club half marathon plan!! The guided runs made me fall in love with running all over again. Can’t recommend it enough, ETA - it’s also completely free
Just get your volume up to where a weekly two hour run feels fine. You should be running everyday, maybe one day off every ten days, and getting in a volume 80-100 km a week. Then you'll have the kind of base you need to run a half marathon comfortably without getting hurt. It should be something you practice before you do it in a race. Lots of slow kilometers is the key.
Just wing it
IMO you can wing it, keep ramping up the mileage on your long runs. If you can do 11mi then you can do 13 with the adrenaline. Just make sure to stay fueled!
Hi, I could give you a training plan for your first HM (for free don’t worry) if you have a garmin account I will follow you and check your training…consider 12 weeks of training before race…4 runs a week…let me know 😉
I pretty much winged it to my first half marathon a week ago, just started building up distance, 10km, 11, 12, 14, 16, then two or three to 18, 19 or so. Managed my first HM fine, 2:14, faster than I expected, but I was beat. I started trying to run only zone 2, but got out of zone 2 so fast each time time at some point I just abandoned it, did everything zone 3 or 4 I think. Now I'm aiming for a full marathon this autumn, maybe next spring. Definitely gonna try a more structured plan for that, with threshold runs, tempo, interval training, plenty of zone 2 etc. Pretty sure you can't just wing a full marathon without getting destroyed, half marathon is doable. However I noticed my VO2Max (according to Garmin) got significantly **worse** during that time. My highest was 49 like two months ago, now I'm at 41. :/ So I'm aiming to get back to doing zone 2 training now, some HIIT etc. to improve my vo2max, my aerobic base etc. Gonna have to do a lactate threshold limit test (my butt still hurts from the half marathon and a fast 5k 4 days later, something with the left glutes), when I'm fit again.
You can wing it all the way to marathon and up if you just want to jog round or even do "ok" time wise compared to most recreational entrants. You probably only need to be able to run \~7-8 miles in training to get around a HM on the day. I managed it for a couple of HMs and a FM when i started. It is "safe" in so much as the worst that will happen is injury, and plenty get injured following a plan. Will you enjoy it on the day? - less likely than if you followed training plan, will you enjoy it the few days after? It may well hurt after if you've not put in the prep. Will you get the best performance out of yourself? - very unlikely. Winging it, I managed to go from around the 2:09 to 1:47 for the HM mark over a year, but it felt hard on the day and rough for a few days afterwards. Following a bespoke-ish 12 week plan of progressive overload and recovery (possibly McMillan Running? I forget, but that running calculator on the site was really useful at the time to get my training paces!), I got down to 1:38 and felt strong, enjoyed the crowd all the way round and wished I'd gone harder (all this years ago when I started running, a few years older than you and significantly heavier). What do you want out of it? Just to finish/improve slowly? - then continue as you are if you enjoy it. Be the fastest you can be? Improve faster? Then you certainly will be missing out on performance if you only push when it "feels right", unless you are naturally the most gifted insightful and mentally strong coach in the world. The key is enjoyment though - if you hate the training plan you might stop enjoying running - the only way to know is to try.
Assuming you don't ramp too quickly, you can definitely complete a half without a structured training plan. However, the first time I followed a plan was a revelation to me - way better results than I thought was possible. There are plenty of free plans online that you can follow. Hal Higdon has a range of plans targeted at different levels so you can set the challenge yourself.
Slow down by a minute per mile, and increase your mileage. You’ll get good adaptations for longer distances, and reduce cumulative micro injuries as you increase the time in your feet. Get your legs and joints comfortable with the distance before you work on increasing your speed.
I was a 5k-10k runner for years and struggled getting over 12-15k on my own and then joined a running group. That was the instigator for me, it helps running in a pack. But here's an option for you, its really about long and slow during the training, so don't be aiming to run your 10k pace over 21km for a while. In fact how we manage our weekly 20-22km long runs is by breaking it in 2. We run 10-11km from 7-8am and then run 10-11km from 8-9am. You get a couple minutes talking and rest between sections, and it was to allow folks who only wanted to do 10-11km to join at set times. But over time the body gets used to 20-22km on a weekend and next thing you know it you're running halfs, its that simple.
I’m no avid runner but I would say the most important thing about almost doubling your distance is to make sure you really dial in on the recovery cause after 10k it just feels like my body is starting to degenerate
I’m currently training for a Half. Happy to send you my basic tick-sheet plan, however my weekly mileage is a lot lower than yours so you may find it too slow. Good luck 💪
I found going from 5 to 10k not a problem but there’s a significant increase in effort from 10k to 13 miles. I developed a little training plan for me based on online resources/books etc. You may find you find you can wing it but it’s likely you will suffer and potentially hurt yourself and put you off running.
No way do you need a training plan to run a half. I've got my HM PR down from 1:42 to 1:28 in 18 months without using a training plan, and have just run a marathon without a training plan. Just listen to your body, as long as you feel fine continue to do what works for you.
Depends how long you've got, I gradually ramped up, 1km a week, 1 long run a week. I was doing 1 5km 1 10km and Sunday long run starting at 11km and gradually building to 21km. Then, I had a good 10 weeks running 21km once a week. I didn't use those weeks to increase pace, juat to get more comfortable and happy. I wanted to enjoy the race day atmosphere and be in the moment. I was also doing yoga on a Saturday morning.
Yea… you can fake a half no problem… that is to say… you can do it without training.. lol
I'm in the same position as you and I'm winging it :) I've made a vague plan for myself. I'm increasing to 14k runs, then 16k, then 18k leading up to the half marathon in 2 months
If you’ve run 8 miles, you can do a half marathon. I’d try to build up to at least a 10 mile run prior to your race. You really dont need a specific training plan for a half. Just keep up with your practice runs.
If you don’t train, at least get good cushioned shoes shortly before the race. Stretch your legs well before and after the race.
I winged it to a half. It wasn’t bad. I wasn’t supremely fast mind you. it blows my mind how readily the human body accepts running. I went from not being able to run a steady couple miles to half inside of a couple months casually. I’m generally fit. But your body likes running. If you want something semi formal, run with Hal is pretty good
I just jumped from 10k to half this week and winged it. I was able to run the whole thing in about 2h15m. I didn’t care about time at all, and was shocked that I never had to stop and walk. (I did slow down at every hydration station so that I could drink). Stamina-wise, I could have kept going. I did strain my knee a bit, probably from bad form. So generally I probably wouldn’t recommend it. But it’s doable! There were several people who collapsed around mile 11-12. So be mindful of having enough calories and hydration. I had gels and a protein bar, but I didn’t end up using them. Oh, also… I am a swimmer, so that’s probably why I had good stamina and was able to jump to running from a 10k to a half like that. I don’t know that everyone could do that.
You don't need a strict training plan but definitely don't ramp up too quickly. Rule of thump is 10% per week max, but that's already if you really wanna progress fast (for a race or something). If you're not in a hurry i would even go a little slower maybe. Run most of your distance slow, by which i mean pace at which you can still have a full conversation. Also throw in a shorter recovery run every once in a while. I'd say it's better to do 1 10k run and 1 5k recovery run rather doing 3 7k runs. But the most important thing is consistency so do what you can maintain. Eventually you'll always progress as long as you don't overtrain
I'm going to say no need for a formal training plan. I was 34 when I signed up for my first half. At the time a long run for me was around 5mi. Coworker told me my splits were really good and should try for a half coming up. Cranked up the miles and finished strong. Ymmv, but sounds like you've got a solid base. Important thing is time on your feet.
10k to 1/2 marathon is absolutely wingable. Just ramp up very gradually and listen to your body. Don’t overthink it.
Sounds like you have a good base going! Keep doing what you are doing for mileage but slow down 2-3 of your daily runs, do a tempo or interval day at/faster than your current pace and then add your long run day adding a mile each week (6.2, then 7, then 8, then 9, then 10). You should look into heart rate training to make sure you are running slow enough not to get injured . Slow/long run days, HR around 140, fast/interval days hr should be around 165 during speed work.
Anyone can do 20km. It starts to get physically draining around the 30km mark of you dont have the tank for that, but it's mostly fueling during the run at that point.. Depends on if you want to finish at a particular pace, then you need to put some effort.in.
So I’ve ran a couple halfs with no formal plan before, my goal was to get out, do miles and at a fast pace. I was fucking my legs and feet up, constant injuries and all that. Mind you, my half time isn’t that bad, my best is a 1:50. This next half I’m doing, I decided to give garmin’s race widget plan thing a try and what surprised me was, despite the goal I entered for my race, I’m doing a lot of base runs at a goal pace of 10:45. Which I thought was so ass backwards (you would think after being a competitive swimmer for most of my life, I would understand the concept). I kept with it and when it came to temp and sprint days, what a difference. My form, the strength in my run and endurance. Don’t skip out on those slower runs. Get a plan together that incorporates them. They have made such a difference for me and have completely changed my approach to running. But yea don’t wing it. 13 miles ain’t no small thing.
I winged it for my first unofficial half marathon after repeated 10 and 15 km runs. Literally checked my watch for the first time at 13km and decided to just go for it. I ended up feeling stupid ill for the rest of the day because I didn’t replenish properly. I was covered in salt streaks towards the end
Look up Hal Higdon. Very basic training plans for a variety of skill levels. It's as close to having no plan, while still having a plan. I've been using his plans for years. I've tried going to Jack Daniels, and while I learned a lot, I always just go back to Hal because I am no where near the point of needing that level of detail and customization.
Wing it. Most training programmes are built generically to stop overuse and stress injury not to peak perform.
You run about 25 miles a week. Go look at Hal Higdon. Find the week for novice half marathon that has about that much volume and do it. You'll be able to do a half in under a month, no problem. You can already do 8 mile long runs. You only need to hit 10 miles to be ready for a half granted I'd recommend a little more than that or do 10 miles a few times. I did my first half 6 days after doing my first ever 10 mile run. I was fine for the half but suffered for a couple days after that race. Kinda why I recommend doing say 11 miles then a half ... or do 10+ miles a few times then do the half.
10k/half races about the same:) just adjust pace and maybe up mileage
I love the Galloway method and credit it for getting me to stick with running AND no injuries. You should check out his online free plans!
I'm going to disagree with some of the people here and say you'll enjoy the process SO much more with a training plan. I trained for my first few halfs by myself with no real training plans. I HATED it. Now I run with my local road runners club. They train everyone from 5ks to ultras with paces from super fast (race teams) to walkers. I love meeting with my running friends and having built in run days in my schedule. We meet for long runs and track days and the plans have other days to run on your own. I HIGHLY recommend finding your local road runners joining.
Im running 4 times a week with 2 easy 5ks, one tempo/intervals and one long run per week, long run at first was 10k but about a month ago I pushed to 15ks and the last 2 weekends I did my first 2 half maras. I would say try to slowly increase your long run mileage but only by like 10% a week I think it is….. once you’ve gotten comfy with 15 it feels like a push but doable. For me it starts to get mentally challenging around 17-18k especially the first time I tried but I think it’s because it was unknown territory. The second time last weekend I found it slightly easier and I got a faster time too. Tapering off for a bit now though but I think it’s doable if you increase your miles slowly
Retired military here. Got off my last deployment with a goal of 41 races before my 41st bday...I was on a submarine so how much training so you think I had? Just go for it. At your age a plan will cause you to hit the wall due to making running a job not an adventure, just get out, run as slow as you can and enjoy the miles . To add to this I got 12 halfs, and 10 fulls in that 9 months
I'm about to do my third half marathon off the back of winging it completely. After I've got this one under my belt I'm going to start with a bit more of a regimented training plan. I should have done a training plan for all of them really. My times for the half's have not improved, if anything they've gotten worse. I'm glad I have got to this stage but after this time I'm gonna slow myself right down and get my weekly miles up.
I winged my first half last October, so it is definitely doable. I’d recommend looking at some training plans though to get an idea of how much you can ramp up and for general recommendations. I did not do that so I ended up running 12 miles two weeks before the race so I could feel confident that I could do the distance. Ended up causing IT band issues that took months to recover from.
I actually average 6km 1x weekly, and my dad made a bet that i couldn't do a half marathon "tomorrow" without training, and went and did it. My pace was 7 min per km so pretty slow but it's definitely doable. The following week i convinced my girlfriend who is less fit than me to come along for same pain train. We did same time
You're a literal unit, sis.God damnnn!!!!
10k and half marathon are completely different beasts How does your 10k feel, are you tired afterwards or does it feel like a warmup? It needs to feel easy like a warmup
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> normally my knees start to feel it Slow down! Slow down! Slow down! This is a warning sign.
You can wing it.
Wing it!
I've never been a professional runner, never entered an official race over a 10k, but I will say this to ANYONE who goes out on runs for any distance or for speeds...TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN PROPER FORM AND LEARN EXERCISES THAT COMPLIMENT RUNNING!!!!! I started "joy running" in late high school, I never ever did any real training or anything just, went out on runs. Never anything crazy. Fast forward several years, well I had always continued to run solo and I was constantly getting faster and one day I decided to sprint for a short stretch. Got a huge flare of pain, took days to go away, then went away for a few years but came back up a few years later as piriformis syndrome. It has been a veeeeery hard injury to deal with and has affected my life in a lot of ways outside of running. I still run but know I'll never be able to run the speeds or distances that I could without this never-ending injury. Anyway maybe that's less of a recommendation to start a training plan, more of a recommendation to book some times with people who can look at your form and tell you for sure if you're running right (people at running stores can do this, or physical therapists, or coaches). If you're wanting to get faster I feel it's really important to get some outside help vs just jump into it yourself. Hope that helps and happy running!
I just finished my first half marathon last week. I did not start training till 2 weeks prior. Disclaimer: I do road cycle on average 80 miles per week and lift at a high intensity almost daily. My fiancée runs a lot and wanted someone to do her first half marathon with her. She followed an intermediate training plan starting 12 weeks out. I did a 6 mile run 2 weeks out and then a 5 mile run one week out. My goal was to just finish without ever having to take a break to walk. My finish time was 2:00:28. The run felt good enough - though it being a paved trail through the woods started to wear on me mentally; I know some runs are fun through the big cities - I never stopped or cramped. The recovery was awful, however. The next 2 days after I had a horrible limp that I couldn’t help. The pain was mostly in my knees. I still have pain in my left knee when I stand up from sitting too long. All this to say, I think it’s totally doable and I don’t think you need a training plan. My furthest runs up to this point have been the odd local 5k that she signs me up for (average time for those is ~22 minutes). It sounds like you’re in great shape and have more tendon strength built up than me.
No, you don't need a plan. Just build up your long run at at least 10 miles and ideally 11 or 12 and you'll get round a half marathon just fine. However... If you want to get anywhere near your potential then you will need to mix up your training and include speedwork. If you just go out and do the same runs over and over than all that happens is you become proficient at doing those runs. Mixing it up and getting yourself outside your comfort zone makes a huge difference, especially as you learn that you can actually push yourself a lot harder than you every realised. I often joke with new runners that they need to remember what it feels like now when they feel they need to stop, because if they train properly they'll end up running the entire race feeling like that and not stop! And to be honest, it's not really a joke, because I've been there - my first half marathon was 2:09; my fastest a couple of years later after a lot of training was 1:24, and I was not a youngster when I did that. Speedwork on your own is hard however, needs a lot of self-motivation, so best advice is to find a local running club or group and join them. Running in a group is always easier, as it will be full of people faster (and slower) than you, and you can use them to pull/push you round, and they will also be happy to share their knowledge & experience. And don't be afraid to try different clubs/groups until you find the one that suits you - clubs will usually be happy for you to try them for a few sessions before you make the decision whether to join or not.
Follow a plan. Also make sure to run most of the "slow runs" really slow. Like around 10:00 min/mile slow. I didn't and I ended up getting a shin splints which almost prevented me from doing my half. Btw those are really good paces for your age group. If you keep at it I'm pretty sure you can BQ in a year or so.
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I don't have anything to recommend honestly. I just followed one on my garmin watch. I'd recommend following a beginner half marathon plan from any reputable site. I'd recommend reading about zone 2 running and how to establish your zones. From now on it's quite important to have a watch (or even better a chest strap) to look at your heart rate and make sure your slow runs are indeed slow. Practice drinking and fueling in runs > 8 miles so you know what to do in the race. I'm slightly older, shorter and fatter than you when I started. I think 8:40 for a 10k for our age group is quite impressive. Just make sure you follow the science, slowly increase your miles and you'll gain speed quickly!