Assuming that I am in good enough shape to run a 10K in just under an hour, how much and what kind of training would I have to do to run a half mary at the end of October? I have never attempted to run this far before.
Plan on walking what you have to and go for it. My wife did her first half last year. Ran maybe 5% of it, fast walked the rest. Under 3 hours. Bet a number of folks “running”.
You can do it!!
Dave
How long are your “long” runs now?
Assuming that your looking for the same type of results as your 10k (somewhere in the neighborhood of lets say, 2 hours for the half-mary), if you get in a couple of 10 milers between now and then, you’ll do fine. This is in addition, of course to the runs you’re doing now.
I train with mostly 5K’s and a few 10K’s. Running is my weakest link and I am trying to improve so that I can take some AG top 3’s and run a half IM next year.
Get out a calendar…look at your race date…and count backwards.
Try to build your long run distances over the remaining weeks so that you slowly increase from 6 miles (10K) upwards to around 10 miles. One ten mile run, 1-2 weeks prior to your race would probably be enough to give you the confidence you need. Honestly, confidence is probably the only thing you’re lacking to at least complete the half-marathon distance. You can work on your pace for the next one!
Take my advice lightly though…I’m far from a running expert. I comment only because I am a definite expert in competing way over my head, with much, much too little training…
Good luck!!
Plan on walking what you have to and go for it. My wife did her first half last year. Ran maybe 5% of it, fast walked the rest. Under 3 hours. Bet a number of folks “running”.
I’ll say it before LC has a chance: Anyone finishing near 3 hours in a 1/2 marathon isn’t running. 
A 1 hr. 10K is a 9:41/mi pace. Is that pushing or just moving along at a comfortable pace?
If you push to do a 10K in an hour, then moving up to the half mary in a short time you should throttle down, do a few runs (depending on how much time before the race) in the 1:30/2:00 hour range at a much slower pace that your 10K time…get your body used to going longer…
If that 9:41/mi 10K pace is “easy”, then ramp up the distance/time you are running at that pace to get you to several 10+ mile runs at that pace.
Don’t worry about speed or anything
Plan on getting that run split time dramatically down if you want to be a top 3 ager at any distance in anything but the very old (but impressive) age groups.
My sister had never done more than a few 10-Ks and only did a series of 30 minute runs leading up to her first half-marathon. She did it in two-hours. She could barely walk later that day and the next day and walked a little during the race but she had no problem finishing. Granted she’s got a runner’s build, perfect running form and would make a great runner but she doesn’t like to put in the time. Anyway, the point is, it’s completely do-able.
i am in the same boat as you, my 1st half mary is at the beginning of october and i have not run long distances before. 10k was my longest until a month ago.
What i am doing is a long slowish run on the weekend.
Last week was about 25k, the week before around 17k and a shorter run midweek. The long runs make my legs sore for quite a while and hard to recover from so i dont run often, but when i do i try for a long duration. I will continue this and run about 17k again a week before the race and basically rest the week of the race with maybe a 30 min easy treadmill session in there.
I am usually the one getting advice here not giving… running background, still learning the bike and swim stuff. A chance to help out…
Much of the advice you are getting here is very good. I will try to get you some specifics.
Don’t up your total weekly mileage (or weekly running minutes if you track time over distance) more than 10% per week.
Taper for two weeks before the race
So, you have four weeks to train specifically for the 1/2 mar.
There are three kinds of runs that will help you out in the 1/2… long slow, tempo, and recovery
Plan to run at least three times a week, more if you can squeeze in the miles without violating the 10% rule.
One run, do your 10k pace for 2-3 miles with at least a mile warmup and cooldown at a really easy pace, that’s tempo
At least once a week (more if you can as I said) run a really easy pace (11 minute miles I would guess for you) for 3-6 miles to recover
Once a week, run the longest you have run recently plus 1-2 miles at a really easy, have a full conversation with a friend kind of pace. Eat and drink lots during. Increase distance 1-2 miles each week until your longest run two weeks out. Your longest run should be at least 10 miles… the longer the better (following the 1-2 mile increase and 10% rule) up to about 15 miles max… remember 10 is plenty, but if you can get to longer it will help.
good luck
The one hour 10K is at a very leisurely pace. I generally run closer to a 7:30 to 8:00 training bmile over 5K. i do the 5K’s at least three times a week with one 10K and two or three bike days @ 20+ miles at a 20 mph pace.
Now if I have this right, I should focus on going longer distances and not worry about the pace. Also about the 10% rule, how woudl that work, is that over the week or over individual runs?
Who cares, they completed the race!!
Dave
The one hour 10K is at a very leisurely pace. I generally run closer to a 7:30 to 8:00 training bmile over 5K. i do the 5K’s at least three times a week with one 10K and two or three bike days @ 20+ miles at a 20 mph pace.
Now if I have this right, I should focus on going longer distances and not worry about the pace. Also about the 10% rule, how woudl that work, is that over the week or over individual runs?
The 10% rule applies to both individual run length and total mileage for the week.
Based on what you are saying, I would do the following (time permitting)
2 x week at your 8 - 8 1/2ish pace starting at 3 mi and building to 5 - 6 miles. make one of those runs somewhat easier than the other. maybe have one with hills, the other flat.
1 x long, slow and easy (probably 10ish - 11ish per mile for you), building to 10 miles +, try to get at least 2, and preferable 3, 10 mile runs in before the race, but don’t go that far within a week of the race.
1 easy recovery run – 3 - 4 miles at a nice easy pace, probably at your 9:41/ish easy 10K pace.
I would not do any speed work…maybe pick up the pace a little (10 - 15 secs mile) in the middle of the long run, but back down at the end the workout.
Make sure you warm up and warm down in every run
If you only care about the run right now, you might want to take one of those rides out and replace it with an easy longish run…otherwise, the rides are helping as well…
Stretch after every run for 15+ minutes…it will serve you well.
Plan on dooing the half mary in that 9 - 9:30 range that you do the 10K in, unless you develop some Impala like legs in four weeks…
If that 10K at that pace is “easy”, going that pace for 13.1 should be in your capabilities as long as you train your legs to run longer at a steady pace…
On race day, find a pace that you can hold for the whole race and stick with it…if you go out to fast, you’ll find youself in trouble around mile 9 - 10…
Enjoy…
Talk to me about warm up and warm down. I generally leave the house and run. If I am doing 5K I get out of the gate quick and build the pace after about mile one trying to hit the point where i feel I need to breath hard. 10K I just start at a nice easy pace and stay there.
I do try to strech after the run but not 15 min worth, more like 7 min. I spend more time pre run streching than after.
Talk to me about warm up and warm down. I generally leave the house and run. If I am doing 5K I get out of the gate quick and build the pace after about mile one trying to hit the point where i feel I need to breath hard. 10K I just start at a nice easy pace and stay there.
I do try to strech after the run but not 15 min worth, more like 7 min. I spend more time pre run streching than after.
Don’t start a 5K run out of the box fast…you are asking to get hurt. At 5K races, I probably run 2 miles warming up before the race…
Warm up can be an easy “jog” for a short time before you start to run, or just a fast paced walk for a few minutes. Cool down is slowly winding down your pace to an easy rhythym.
Typically, I walk for 1 - 2 minutes before I start any workout, longer and building into a easy jog if it is going to be a hard effort…cool down is just going easy after you finsihed what you plan.
Warm-up and cool down will add a small amount of distance to the overall workout, but nothing that will impact overall stress on your body.
Stretching by time isn’t necessary, I just use the 15 minute rule to make sure I do enough, and do it slowly and not in a hurry…
Stretching without a warm-up can be bad, possibly pull something. so you may want to walk/jog for a few minutes before w/o…then stretch a few minutes, then do you planned run…