How do I decide on a pace for half marathon?

[Lisaloopy9]

Hi all, I completed C25k last sept and am now running most days 5-8k then a longer run at wknd, the most I’ve managed is 12.3k. I’m hoping to run a half marathon later this year.

How do I decide on a pace? I just want to finish, hopefully with no walking!! I can work on a PB later. What’s an acceptable time to complete one in?

I’ve been really brave & joined my local running club! Which is just great! I’m 45 and was very overweight but now I’m at a healthy weight & really love to run I just need some expert advice I think! I google everything but the advice is just so much and contradictory!

So I’m coming to you lovey people!

Thanks in advance.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Welcome, Lisa!

Wow, what a wonderful success story - jolly well done! You are getting a lot of Kms on your legs, and joining a club is highly beneficial, so I reckon you should have no problems completing a half marathon. If anything I would suggest maybe take one run less per week, and work on increasing that long run.

But to your question! Really, you hit the nail on the head - just think about finishing your first half marathon, don't worry about time. Run comfortably, if you feel good at the end have a sprint finish!

If you really must have a goal time in mind, the only way to determine it is to look at your own current running speeds and figure out where you want to go from there. There are online tools available that can estimate your half marathon time from your 5k time (for example). However do be careful, as this sort of thinking can lead to disappointment. It is far better, I think, just to enjoy, and learn from, the experience of the first HM!

Anyway, good luck and have fun!

[Lisaloopy9 in reply to roseabi]

Thanks roseabi!

I’d be worried like you say to go too much on my 5k time because I can run that fastish!? Knowing it’s short! So think a half Marathon pace would need to be slower but I’m worried about the race closing before I finish!!! Oh the shame of it...!!! Lol

Could I take average of a 10k and add a bit?! 🏃‍♀️💪🏻😁

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Lisaloopy9]

This is factored into the calculation - nobody can run a half marathon at the speed they run their best 5k. If you want to be conservative about it, use an average, or more relaxed, 5k (or 10k) pace.

I sincerely think you will finish long before the cut-off time

Try a calculator here: runnersworld.com/tools/race...

[AnnieW55 in reply to roseabi]

Ha, ha - I just used it to see if it agreed with the My Asics Marathon I'm training to at the moment. When I saw 2:52 @ 4:06 I nearly choked! Turns out I'd mis-typed my HM times by an hour 😚

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to AnnieW55]

Lol

I think MyAsics use the same formula in fact. And Lisaloopy9 it would be worth checking out a MyAsics training plan at some point

[Gabby08 Half Marathon]

I used the calculator posted by roseabi and put in my best parkrun time. At the time, I thought it was insanely quick - and the calculator does come with the proviso that it might be too fast if it’s your first time covering a new distance - but it proved surprisingly accurate. In the end, I beat it by about 2 minutes. I was amazed that a calculator seemed to know so much more about my running capabilities than I did! 😂

[Lordi Marathon]

I too had no idea about a HM time until I super-slow jogged the whole 21.1 km one day just to find out "how far" it really is/feels. I only planned an 8k run but felt good and just carried on going. It has now acted as a marker for me now so that I know I can at least finish the whole distance and anything better than my slow-jog HM time would be a bonus on race day.

I have to say that my Garmin watch race preditor times for a HM seen like complete fiction to me at the moment as I can't imagine running a HM at my 5k pace at current fitness. The on-line race predictors seem more realistic based on my best 10k time so I am going to use those as a guide. Not planning to stress about a target time on race day though - I want to enjoy it more than post a specific time etc.

[misswobble Marathon]

There is a race time predictor in The Guardian running section today so I crunched my numbers based on my best HM time and it came out same as myasics at 4 hours just over

However, reality is very different, and my actual marathon took me nearer 6 hours to finish. There are so many variables on the day

You do need a proper training plan Lisa to prevent over-running ! Myasics plans are properly structured in phases from start to finish so you do things properly. Once you have the correct bare bones of a plan you can tweak it. I’m fact, myasics do the tweaks for you based on how you’re performing 🙂You punch in your training run times when you get back home, or you can sync your run into the plan while you’re out in the field using your phone 👍

[C3PO Marathon]

I think you're very brave to be thinking about what pace you want for your first HM. I don't have many paces to choose between, so I just focused on finishing my first one, and have tried to improve on the next few ones ever so slightly. Any time is a respectable time.

[Lisaloopy9]

I don’t really know what I’m talking about! Lol

Just if I run 5k I can go faster than 10k but if I go over 10k it’s different again.

I just don’t know what my race pace is?!

Just signed up for 10k race for experience and with confidence knowing I can do it.

Thanks for your reply