Current Events > Runners of CE, HALP! Training for my first half marathon

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Looking for some long distance running advice. I started running back in January, and pretty quickly worked up to a 5k. Focused a lot on bringing time down(got it from 40 minutes to 33).

Now Ive been trying to focus more on endurance than speed, and running slower mile times. Worked up to 4 miles the last few weeks, and got up to 6.5-7 this week.

My half marathon is on Halloween tho and it seems Ive slowed down with being able to add distance.

Im trying to keep a slow pace so my heart rate is under 160, but once I hit about mile 5 Im struggling, cardio wise. My legs havent given out, but I just get so damn winded.

How the hell do I push up to 13 miles? Just keep chipping away?

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Dont add more than 10% to your total weekly distance a week or you will get injured, especially as the distance gets higher.

As in, if you run 40 total miles one week, dont go above 44 total miles the next week, etc. This is also easier to maintain slow improvement over a longer time; as you said, 4 miles was easy, but getting to 6.5-7 is where you can hit a wall. If you go 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, etcyou will surely hit 13 by Halloween. You dont need to be at 13 long before then, either.

Dont neglect core and leg training (especially the laterals in your legs, which are often neglected). Crucial for maintaining good form and avoiding injury when you get fatigued and your body will want to work less.

Otherwise, it really is just a matter of chipping away. Your running abilities are 95% mental; you certainly could go further, its just a matter of constantly telling yourself youre going to go a little further. And a matter of keeping good form as you go higher and your body hurts more.

It can seem like going so slow is wasting time or inefficient, but rest days in between are important.

Also, a HUGE factor: try to maintain a low heart rate for as long as possible. Your cardio system improves for endurance the best in two heart rate zones: 2 and 5 (with 1 being lowest and 5 being highest). The longer you can stay in one of those, the more youll adapt for endurance.

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Core work will help. Grossly underestimated for long distance work.

Bananana posted...

Dont add more than 10% to your total weekly distance a week or you will get injured, especially as the distance gets higher.

As in, if you run 40 total miles one week, dont go above 44 total miles the next week, etc.

Dont neglect core and leg training (especially the laterals in your legs, which are often neglected). Crucial for maintaining good form and avoiding injury when you get fatigued and your body will want to work less.

Otherwise, it really is just a matter of chipping away. Your running abilities are 95% mental; you certainly could go further, its just a matter of constantly telling yourself youre going to go a little further. And a matter of keeping good form as you go higher and your body hurts more

Ok great, thats super helpful info! I guess I havent been looking at it as week to week miles. Thats definitely a smarter way to track progress.

daynlokki posted...

Core work will help. Grossly underestimated for long distance work.

Yeah for sure. After every run I do a fair number of sit-ups and planks.

Been running probably 3-4 times a week, and going to the climbing gym one or two times a week. Climbing has kicked my legs ass far more than running has, actually.

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