Hi, I am running the half marathon for my first time.  However, I am more of an intermediate runner.  I am not really going for speed/time this time around--I just want to be in good shape and have better endurance.  also, how many rest days should I have a week?
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I did my first half marathon after a season of cross country.  We never did a run longer than about 8 miles that season yet I felt great during the half marathon.  With the cross country team I ran an average of five days a week from anywhere between 4 and 8 miles.  Sometimes we'd have a race on Saturday or I'd run a 5k or 10k on the weekends on my own.  If you're not going for a speed or time, just have fun with your training and be sure to run 5-6 days a week.  It also helps to split up the race in your head as you're running.  A half marathon is 13.1 miles... that's approximately 2 10ks.  Get through the first 5k, then the next 5k and then you only have a 10k left!  I don't know if that helps... it works for me though.
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Depends on your age, base training, and overall health.  And what are your goals, marathons, body building, or good health?  If you have a specific goal or talent, a coach can surely help you develop that talent.  Myself, I used the gym to tone a little and to warm up to run.\n\nHere's a summation of all I have read about the subject and my experience.  I think the teachings are and have been for a long time that you should weight train no more than every other day.\n\nAbout the running - I ran almost every day for many years.  It is okay to run every day IF you take 1 day a week to rest, and avoid overuse.  Looking back at every illness and injury, I attribute to long periods of running without a day of rest.    Overuse occurs in any form from illness to injury.\n\nI don't think running inhibits your muscle recovery unless you do excessive quad and hamstring in the gym, in which case, you are doubling workouts on your legs that I would discourage.  In fact, running probably speeds up the flusihing out of lactic acid that builds up with weights.\n\nRemember that weight training shortens your muscles and running tends to lengthen your muscles.  \n\nBottom line is this.  eat right, take vitamins, listen to your body, get plenty of rest.  Never forget that a good day of rest is as good as a day of training.  GOOD LUCK.
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Runners World often has good training plans. I also really like Marathon Guide. If the 1/2 is still several months off would be the ideal situation. You need to be putting in one to two long runs a week until you build up to about 14 miles. Running 5-6 days a week is ideal. You should do one day a week of speed work to help your overall time. Sorry to be vague but without specifics like how far away, how much you are training, it is hard to advise.
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What's your current fitness level?\n\n\nSounds like you are pretty fit so a marathon shouldn’t be a problem! Congratulations on taking on the challenge!\n\nFirst off, The asthma shouldn’t be a problem, just be sure to keep it in check while training and during the race.  I have exercise induced asthma and run marathons, triathlons, and other forms of endurance events without a problem. Just keep your inhaler with you if you think you might need it.\n\nPick a marathon that’s at least three months away and start training!  Most of the major marathons have training plans that are easy to follow, but be careful to pick a plan aimed at your goals!  Don’t pick an advanced plan that has you running 80 mile per week!  Pick a modest plan that will have you running about 35-50 miles per week (on your big weeks)\n\nIf you pick one of the major marathons there are always training groups forming for the specific race, check out the running groups in your area and find out what’s going on, they are always eager to help people out, don’t be intimidated they are almost always great people! \n\nKeep up your strength training but only do it once or maybe twice per week, the strength will help you as you progress in your plan.\n\nSide effects will include, being tired, loosing weight and getting more toned!  You’ll probably have to change your diet a bit.  When you start hitting the 20mile training days you’ll need all the carbs you can get, don’t shy away from them!  \n\nWhen you loose your toe nails your shoes are usually a little small.  When you start hitting your big runs, your feet tend to swell and your toes hit the end of your shoe, they rub, turn black and fall out.  What fun!  Be sure to get big enough shoes and you won’t have the problem.\n\nGood luck!
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I went to college to answer this very question. My professor said the key is to simply run faster. Obviously it is more complex than that but the idea is correct. Work on increasing your speed in intervals once or twice a week test you race pace once a month or so... Recover well before these harder training sessions. Recovery is most important! Running longer distances than your race will not increase your speed but it will increase your endurance. best of luck!
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What are the distances? I used to run 2/10/2 (miles), so with the race only an hour the training would be much different than a longer one. The bike was never a problem, so i would just practice 10 mile rides and then sprint up hills for strength. For the run, I did interval training, where's I'd do sprint/jog/run/jog/sprint etc. You should practice bricks - run pretty hard for about 1/2 mile, then immediately bike hard for about 5 mins, run hard, etc. The distances aren't too important - you just want to make sure you are fatigued when you switch back and forth between run/bike. The biggest challenge for the duathlete is the beginning of that second run.\n\nJohn\n\nOK - I saw your distances. They are not much more than what I did so you can use the same. Which one are you weaker in? For me it was the bike, so I practices a lot on sprinting up hills so I wouldn't get so winded during the race. Oherwise the distance was easy. I'd still say to practice bricks. If you can easily run 3 miles and bike 16 then the 1st and 2nd legs won't bother you, but you will definitely feel that second run. Practice the bike/run transition, tagrtting no more than 1 minute reset (assume that would be your transition time). good luck - email me if you want to discuss.\n\nJohn
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Depends on how much running you have already done in preparation.  If you are in reasonably good shape then you should be able to do some 10 or 12 mile runs. The problem with marathoners is they over train and run way too many marathons. That is not healthy. The body needs time to recover from the extreme strain put on the body in one marathon. I would vary the training. I would run 12 miles one day, then the next dsy fartlek five miles. Then take a day off.  The 12  miles is both warm up and good pace. The fartlek is a variety of paces over five miles. For example: Run a warm up then increase pace pretty good one mile, then jog very slowly with arms dangling, catching your breath, then hit it again for half a mile hard, then slowly jog dangling your arms, catching your breath. Then hit it again. Vary the distances and slowly toward the end run some sprints during the hit it phase. Get plenty of sleep and eat a well balanced diet. Drink plenty of water. Eat fruit and veggies for the electrolytes. Now if you are in poor shape then you are going to have to take baby steps. You have to run a 1/4 mile before you can run a 1/2 mile and you have to run a 1/2 mile before you can run a mile. You get the picture. IF you are not ready for the marathon, then pass it until you are ready. No one holding a gun to your head to run it. Be sensible.
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Take your time gaining your distance and endurance.  Every week add 10% of the distance you ran the week prior.  \nHere are some tips I found on a website.\n\nLong Running/Endurance Training\n\n\nWhat constitutes a long run? A long run varies based upon your goals and what level of running you have obtained. If you are a marathoner, 20 miles may be your long run but if you are getting ready for a 5K, 5 to 6 miles may be your max. A couple of good rules of thumb regarding long running are:\n\n\n\nRun long 2 out of every 3 weeks. Long run training will boost your endurance while the week off allows you to recover both physically and mentally.\nYour long run should be approximately 150% of your longest normal weekly run whether you measure that by distance or time.\n\nThe major benefits of doing long runs are:\n\n\n\nMuscles develop the ability to store more glycogen. The result of increased glycogen stores delays the onset of fatigue while running.\nPsychologically, helps make your normal runs seem easier.\nBurns more calories both during the long run and at an accelerated rate after the run. Long running is great for losing weight.\nIncreases the muscles' ability to extract oxygen from the blood.\nEnhances the muscles' ability to store carbohydrate and rely on fat as fuel. \n\nTwo final long running/endurance tips:\n\n\n\nRun at your normal training pace or even a little slower. Your long run training goal is distance, not speed.\nGradually increase your mileage. Implement the 10-Percent Rule.\n\nSpeed Work\n\nSpeed work consists of several runs of a mile or less at race pace or faster with slow recovery jogging between hard runs. Specific speed work training runs include intervals, fartleks, and tempo runs.\n\n\nSpeed work is an important component of any advanced training program. The benefits include: \n\n\n\nTraining the physiological system to adapt to the additional stresses placed on it. The legs learn to turnover faster, the heart learns to work harder for a sustained period, the lungs learn to process more oxygen andthe mind learns how to handle discomfort.\nRegenerating the body to run faster for a longer period after completing speed work.\nMaintaining a faster race pace.\n\nSome final points regarding speed work:\n\n\n\nComplete one speed workout per week while building up for a race.\nTo maintain motivation, focus on your race/personal goal while training.\nDo speed workouts with a group. Accountability and companionship do wonders for continued motivation.\n\nNow that we've looked at speed work basics, lets take a look a some specific speed workouts.\n\n\nIntervals\n\nInterval workouts are made up of a set of short, faster paced runs over fixed distances from 220 yards to one mile, interceded with periods of light recovery jogging. Although there are many variations of intervals, the three basic types are:\n\n\n\nRepeats - the distance of the repeating running segment does not change (ex: four 440 yard repeats with a 220 yard recovery jog in between each)\nPyramids - the distance of the repeating running segments peaks and then returns to the beginning distance (ex: repeats of 220 yards, 440 yards, and up to 1 mile before returning to 440 yards and then 220 yards)\nLadders - the distance of the repeating running segments either steadily increases or decreases (ex: 220 yards, 440, 880, up to 1760 yards or run in the reverse order of 1760 yards down to 220 yards)\n\nLooking to improve your speed in a certain distance? The table below should help you pick the interval you need to run.\n\n\nDistance  Interval \n5K  220s Or 440s \n10K and Under  880s \n10K to Marathon  One Mile \n\n\n\nRegardless of the type of interval training workout you do, the long term goal is to improve speed on distances ranging from one mile up to a marathon.\n\n\nSome final interval training tips:\n\n\n\nInterval workouts are typically run on a track due to the ease of running predefined distances.\nPacing for interval training sh
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start out by knowing your baseline-distance. Go for a run and see how far you can go. Use that distance as your starting point.\n\nFor weeks 1-8 you should run no less than 4 days per week.\n\nUsing 1 mile as a baseline example, increase your mileage by 1 mile per week for the first 7 weeks.\n\nOn week 8 drop back to 5 miles per run\n\nStarting on week 9 drop back to 3 days per week\n\nOn week 9 skip 8 miles, and do 10 miles per run\n\nweeks 10-13 continue with 10-12 miles per run (only 3 days per week)\n\nI think that after 13 weeks you'll feel comfortable enough to run 15 miles with some effor, but it will be possible.\n\ntry not to get discouraged and if it's possible find a running/work-out partner.\n\nin the first 8 weeks you should work on distance and not speed. This will help you to avoid injuries as your body gets used to the extra exertion.\n\nRemember to have fun and keep pushing yourself!
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QUALIFICATIONS FOR ANSWERING: Completed 5 marathons,1 35 mile race, 4 half marathons, more 5k's than you are old.\n\nIf you are training for anything longer than 10k's you should probably go for the endurance run. But if you are training for  shorter races, you really won;t lose anything by splitting it up. I have had to do that many times while marathon training to accommodate working full time and getting the mileage in.\n\nJust remember for 3 weeks of increasing your mileage, you need to do a back up week to allow your body catch up time to heal. If you are really honest with yourself, stress fractures do not happen instantaneously. It is repeated punishment that is ignored or Advil-led away under the body finally breaks down.\n\nIf you split up the runs, do not expect the later one to be a high quality intense workout. it was always a more relaxed pace for me....good luck this season!!
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You might be better off varying your distances. One well known book on distance running suggests that you break down your workout week like this:\nday 1 15%\nday 2 10%\nday 3 20%\nday 4 5%\nday 5 15%\nday 6 30%\nday 7 5%\n\nBased on roughly 60 miles a week that you plan to run, that would give you runs of 9, 6, 12, 3, 9, 18, and 3. \n\nI would make one of the 9 mile days a track workout with a couple of miles of warm-up, a couple of miles of warm-down and hard interval work in between -- repeat, 400s, 800s, 1000s or miles.\n\nI think that 1 good workout per day is better than 2 half-effort ones. If you want to run a second workout, I would only do an extended warm-up and stretch to get the kinks out from the night before.\n\nTo run 16:30, you have to average 5:18. You probably need to get your mile time down under 5:00, in order to able to run 5:18s for 3+ miles.
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good for you! \n\nI would try each week to either add a little time to your runs (maybe 5 min more each week up to 45 min a run) or to increase the distance you cover in that 20 mins\n\nProvided you are watching your diet - lots of fruit, veges and water , cutting back on the sugars and fats you should start to see good results in about 6-8 weeks - good luck!
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Cool! hey relax, as a swimmer, your cardio ability is probably better than most other beginners and you like it already so this will be a great summer, but here's an idea of a sample week for you.\nMonday off(or bike or swim), Tues 3 miles easy,Wednesday 5 miles with 10 minute run, 1 min walk breaks, Thursday 4 miles maybe pushing the pace for 1 minute at a time 4 or 5 times, Friday off(or swim or bike) Saturday 8 miles SLOW, conversational pace. Sunday-3 miles easy\n\nNow listen, if you are tired or sore after this, TAKE THE REST DAYS OFF ENTIRELY. For three weeks, increase your mileage by 10%. NO MORE. That 4th week decrease over weekly mileage 25% to give your body time to catch up. You will feel great during this week and want to blow it off, do not, you will be glad you had the rest week in the following weeks.  This should get you through the summer. You want to be ready for the school year, not injured or burned out, so this will get you there. Please decrease the beginning week mileage as you need to. remember to sleep enough and eat right, that is a MAJOR factor as a successful runner.\n\nSince you are a young person, that is why I put the rest days in as sort of optional, but I really want you to take some days completely off. Sometimes the most important training day is a day off. Don;t forget that, okay?\n\nExperience_ 5 time marathon finisher, 1 time ultramarathon finisher(35 miles), 4 time half marathoner, more 5ks than you are old.
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Like any other muscle, your heart & lungs can use a break every now and then too.  I'd keep any HEAVY running to a maximum of 5 times a week.  Light jogging can be done daily however.
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I'm doing the same thing!!! Training for the very first time to run a marathon.\nA few of my friends have run marathons the last couple of years and all of them trained with this book (the one I'm using too) "The non-runner's marathon trainer" David A. Whitsett, Forrest A. Dolgener, Tanjala Mabon Kole.\nThis book is based on the marathon class offered by the University of Northern Iowa and all but one student finished the marathon (aprox. 200 people). People of all ages have followed this program.\nI started the pre-training and will be done with it by the end of April. You have to be able to run for 30 min. to start the marathon training which is 16 weeks long.\nGood Luck!!!
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What's your long run like?  If your long run is round 10 miles you'll probably be fine.  What's your goal,  just to finish or do you have a PR in mind?\n\nIf you have other forms of exercise and are in good shape, you'll be fine. Other wise I would bump up my mileage over the next few weeks, and then taper for the race.  Try and do at least one 13 mile run a few weeks before you half.
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My friend trained for a half marathon and somehow injured his knee. He had trouble running short distances after that. I guess he trained too hard, and didn't include enough time for recuperation. My advice is: Stay motivated and follow your training regimen, but at the same time make sure to put in extra r&r if you sense your body needs it.\n\nMy longest run was a 10K @ 7.48/mi. I actually prepared for the race by just doing the regular 3 miles. He trained by doing 10Ks but i still beat em by a few seconds.. hehe. maybe that's what motivated him to push the envelope :)