Half marathon training

[Meanmommab]

My local 1/2marathon is coming up on 7th May and I 'ran' 10 miles yesterday. The course is hilly (to say the least!) And I am wondering if I would be silly to think I could enter. Any advice would be welcome.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon]

From 10 miles to 13 isn't such a big jump, how about if you plan to walk some of it if you need to? If you wouldn't be disappointed not to run the whole distance, I say go for it.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Well done on the 10 miles! It’s a great distance to tick off and gives you lots of confidence.

Most HM plans take you to a maximum of 10 miles in training and then with the atmosphere and added adrenaline on race day, the remaining 3 miles is achievable.

Have you followed a plan or just done your own thing? Regardless, you have plenty of time to tick over now and don’t forget your taper in the final week.

You can walk up the hills if needed but I would say go for it.

Keep an eye out for the May Events post where you can ask for a pompom cheer from your VRBs for race day 🥳

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

Can you explain taper please as this would be my first race so have no previous experience.?

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

Jumping in Meanmommab (sorry Irishprincess ) - taper means reducing your mileage over the last week or two before the event. It gives your muscles chance to recover. If you google 'half marathon taper" you'll find lots more detailed information.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

As Cmoi has answered your question beautifully I’ll just add that in terms of distance for the taper week then I usually do 2 x 5K’s and that’s it.

You want a rest from your usual weekly mileage so you don’t get to the start line already tired but at the same time a couple of gentle, short runs will keep the legs moving. Carry on with your usual routine but eat well, sleep well and stay hydrated.

It’s all very exciting! Will there be bling?

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks for your advice and encouragement. There will definitely be bling if I finish - a lovely medal and a coronation mug.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

I’ve just realised that you haven’t got your 10 mile badge yet! Here you go.

Congratulations and well done again 👍👏

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

Wow! Thanks!😁

[Cmoi Marathon]

How hilly is hilly Meanmommab ? I.e. how many metres elevation gain over the distance, and what are the gradients like? Is all that reasonably similar to what you're currently doing? If yes, I'd definitely say go for it. As already suggested, you can walk hills - in fact imo you should walk hills once it's more energy-efficient, faster, or less risky.

One caveat - I would be more cautious if you'd be extending distance and significantly increasing vertical and/or changing terrain too.

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Cmoi]

Very hilly but I am running (and 'jeffing' the course.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

So sorry to labour the point Meanmommab but I genuinely don't know what you mean by very hilly. I live in the Massif Central in France, and prefer to run trails, so for me a "very hilly" half-marathon would be off-road and would involve 800m or more elevation gain.

I don't jeff, but I do walk when it's physically impossible for me to run. That applies to both uphill and downhill, and it could be because of gradient, running surface, or just how I feel.

As I already said I think you should go for it, unless there is a significant difference in terrain.

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Cmoi]

I don't know the elevation gain but have been told it is one of the worst in England! I am running the course in segments so am familiar with the terrain and would hope to run more as I go on but will have to walk the hills no doubt. Thanks for your encouragement.😁

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

i find it really odd how so many race organisers in the UK go on about how flat or hilly their events are, without putting a number on it. I find it far more helpful to have the numbers - if the course is properly measured they should at least give some degree of objectivity.

It wouldn't be Saltash HM would it?

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Cmoi]

Yes it would!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

So here are the numbers I've found Meanmommab : according to Plotaroute and Strava, you're looking at between 410m and 430 m elevation gain over the HM course. Looks like it's all on roads, up to 12% gradient, and longest uphill of 1km.

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Cmoi]

Wow! Thank you for all the effort you have put into answering my question! I really appreciate it. How did you realise it was the Saltash 1/2? Do you need to subscribe to Plotaroute/Strava to find out this information?

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

No worries! I'm nosy so googled, searching on "half marathon 7th May medal coronation mug" and there it was. Then just google "saltash half marathon elevation gain" and that gives you plotaroute.com/route/808661 and strava.com/routes/4845553, amongst other results. You don't need to subscribe.

[misswobble Marathon]

Silly! Never! It’s a great idea 😁

Putting my sensible hat on for a minute. You’ve done ten miles in training. If you keep steadily training for the big day, eating, hydrating and sleeping well you should be good to go

Lots of runners walk the hills on race day . It’s to preserve energy, and is a proper strategy, so don’t worry about it. You can walk as you need to, eg while taking a drink or eating a snack, or when you feel you need to. We aim to get round the course and finish in one piece, and have FUN! 😀

Good luck with your training 💪🙂👍

PS. If medals are involved there’s no decision to make 😎 😉

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

What Miss W said 😍

The distance will be fine - many plans only go up to 10 miles before the race anyway. So all you need is a strategy for these hills. If they're steep, walk them. If your legs are suffering unduly, walk them. You will end up passing some of the people who tried to run up!

Between now and the event, can you get a bit of hill training in? One of your shorter runs each week between now and then would help.

Exciting! Not silly at all!

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to linda9389]

Thank you! Just need to hope the day isn't too hot and I have the confidence to run my first real race!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Meanmommab]

We will all be cheering you on!

[Cowladyrunning Marathon]

I think you should go for it! I generally walk the hills where I need to! Good luck and well done for those 10 miles!

[Freecloud Marathon]

I ran in about 5 events over the past 12 months where I deliberately walked up the hills. I used to feel like I was cheating at first. My times weren't impacted that much as I was able to pass most of those who passed me going up the hills afterwards 🤣. I did this 5 times on a HM in February and finished with a good time.Just have fun enjoy the experience and the bling. Best of luck.

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Freecloud]

Thank you. Can't seem to do hills but was worried I would be running before I could walk!🤦‍♀️

[Teresa1632 Marathon]

That HM is definitely achievable - go for it! It really doesn't matter if you walk segments. Its your first half - just enjoy it, talk to everyone, wave at crowds, imagine that bling at the finish line. And don't worry about walking - plenty do (including me, and I run a half marathon race every month). Remember this is your first HM, therefore, its a PB! 🥳🎊

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Teresa1632]

Thanks! The PB bit really puts things into perspective as I hadn't thought of that - just that I didn't want to be last and really far behind everyone else!

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

I’ve never done a HM @Meanmonmab, so won’t advise on that but running in a shorter race might be useful beforehand. You can then experience all those first time nerves and excitement etc before the big day. I started with parkrun, then worked my way through 5k and 10k races before doing 10 mile races. You haven’t got time for that but it might help to do one of those, especially if you don’t often run with others.

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Dexy5]

I have been thinking about the nerves! I do run with a small group on a regular basis and have done a Santa run but realise this is on a different scale! Will give it some thought and see how I feel in the interim. Thanks.😁

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Meanmommab]

Think of it as excitement 🦋🦋🦋🦋

[Comte]

A lengthening of 10 miles to 13 miles is a 30% increase. I am certainly not a half marathon runner and my maximum distance so far of continuous running is 5km and with 30% increase of this I know that I would have leg aches and pains for at least a day and maybe several days and this has happended to me before with a comparable increase in distance.

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to Comte]

Will bear that in mind.

[Irish-John Marathon]

My first HM was hillier than I reckoned on. Floods meant they changed the route the night before.It was a miserable experience in many ways - rotten hills, rotten potholed and uneven streets, rottin part of the city it was in, rotten westher, rotten facilities at the finish etc.

I had to walk a bit of it, which felt rotten. I had run the distance a week before and had felt confident I wouldn't be walking any part of it.

Coming up to the Finish Line, I swore that never again would I run more than Ten Milers

Half an hour after finishing, I was committing to another HM with my buddies

It was still a "Run" I realised when I cooled down physically and mentally - maybe not a "13.1" run but still a looong run. I had learned a lot from it about pace, adapting, focus on running rather than corcumstances, got some nice Bling, was enjoying being with other Runners etc etc

Definitely went from "This run sucks, I suck as a runner, HMs mega-suck!" to "Glad I had the experience, rotten as part of it was"

Give yours a go, enjoy it however it goes

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon]

when I did my first 10 miles last year I always thought a HM was out of my sights, but everyone kept telling me with the right training, its only a Parkrun on top of the 10 miles 😀.

I did follow a plan and built up slowly and sunday just gone I did my first HM and got a sub 2hr, which never ever did I ever imagine I could. There's some really good advice on here that many much more experienced than me have given you, but it sounds to me that you should go for it, follow a training plan and just enjoy the experience!!

[misswobble Marathon]

Hills prepare you well for races. Free strength training 💪🏃‍♀️👍

I’d give it a whirl. You can walk through the drinks stations or stop when you like. Walk etc. it’s just fine 🙂

[Meanmommab 10 Miles in reply to misswobble]

Thank you. I have bitten the bullet and registered and will just keep my fingers crossed that the weather isn't too hot!