Half Marathon blues

[Pippa49]

I n 5 weeks I hopefully will have done my fifth half marathon. However I am getting the blues. I am struggling to find time to fit in long runs. I was planning to do 8 miles when I was away but it didn't go to plan. I have 3 weeks to get 8 and 10 miles done is this possible or can I get away with 10K? I know I can do 13.1miles.

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Try and get at least one 10K run Pippa, good luck with your fifth half marathon in five weeks time, early Sunday mornings are the favourite times for runners.

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks AlMprr. I am hope to run Bank Holiday Monday. I feel if I go out with the intention of just 10K and I do more then that will be a bonus.

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Pippa49]

👍

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Pippa49]

Hi Pip! That sounds like a good plan. I find it helps to tell myself I'll just do a shorter run - once I'm out of the door I tend to find I will run further than planned.

That said, no pressure but I think it would be helpful if you could manage to increase your weekly mileage a bit over the next 3 weeks. Maybe try two shorter runs on consecutive days if you're struggling to fit in longer sessions. Take a good three days of rest afterwards to make sure you recover xxx

[C3PO Marathon]

If you have a good foundation, it's amazing how little training you can get away with - the question is whether you want to be out running so long on race day. I got injured training for last year's London, so my training volume went severely down even before the marathon. I had an HM six weeks after London, and managed a 15 km run 3 weeks before the race. Otherwise my runs were generally 10 km or less. What helped me get through my HM was doing quite a lot of indoor cycling to keep my legs strong.

[Lordi Marathon]

The HM and marathon are as much in your head as your legs once you have a base level of fitness. Having done it before you will always finish again pretty much irrespective of the training you put in beforehand (bar an injury or sickness). The time you get is another matter. Get your head straight, and ask yourself "do you want to do it?" Then do as many longer runs as you can fit in (or can bothered to do), your finishing time will reflect the effort put in, but you will finish because at No 5 HM there's no mystery to how it's done. You just have to get on with it on the day and grind it out...For example, I ran a marathon in Sept 2018, my longest run since then is the HM distance but I know I could 100% set off and grind out a marathon tomorrow (not a very good or enjoyable one though) because I've got basic fitness, I've done it before and I know what to expect/do to get round. As a minimum long run distance I've always wanted to be within a Parkrun of the Finish for HM (i.e. 16km) or 2 Parkruns - 10km for the marathon (i.e. 32 km long run). With 4 weeks before your taper, just earmark a certain day each week as your long run day? I'd always aim for at least 1 x 16km run before a HM race.

[Pippa49 Half Marathon]

Thanks. I do want to do it. That is not the problem. The issue is by the time I get home from work I am too tired to go too far and if I do the long run on Saturday I can't do another one on Bank Holiday Monday as I will have had only one day off in between.