Half Marathon Advice

7 watchers

NLR0240 Feb 2020 4:15pm, 12 Feb 2020 First-time poster!!	0 NLR0240 Hi Everyone, I have entered a half marathon for March 29th, I am 6 weeks into training and am now worried I jumped the gun a bit, I am running at around 10 minute miles for my HM pace, anyone have any advice for first timers in HM. I have done 5 5KM's anyway with a pb of 32 minutes! Thanks
James74 Feb 2020 4:18pm, 12 Feb 2020 2,308 posts	0 James74 Keep Training, stick to a plan and trust the process. Enjoy the day, be worth it.
Velociraptor Feb 2020 4:18pm, 12 Feb 2020 45,241 posts	0 Velociraptor Welcome to Fetch! Tell us a little bit more about you and I'm sure people will be able to advise From the information you've given, it looks as if you're training for your half marathon at a pace a little faster than your 5k race pace. What distance are you up to in your training runs?
NLR0240 Feb 2020 4:24pm, 12 Feb 2020 2 posts	0 NLR0240 In my training runs I am up to 6 Miles now, I am a 20 year old male and feel I am underperforming for my age bracket! I was hoping to be able to get to 9 minute miles but I tried that and only managed 2 at that speed before clonking out
Dvorak Feb 2020 4:25pm, 12 Feb 2020 18,944 posts	0 Dvorak Welcome to Fetch Slow your training runs down, and don't get injured. There's more, but that's a start
oumaumau Feb 2020 4:28pm, 12 Feb 2020 1,517 posts	0 oumaumau Welcome to fetch NLR0240. Don't worry about underperforming for your age, make sure you perform to your ability. You need to let the training sink in and take effect to improve. Try not to think about what you think you should be able to do, and work on what you can do, preferably without causing injury.
HappyG(rrr) Feb 2020 4:35pm, 12 Feb 2020 34,154 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Welcome to Fetch NLR. Great place for advice and other nonsense! I'd agree with all above - 10 min per mile is totally fine. 32 mins for a 5km is also fine. Enjoy your running, gradually build up your miles, don't worry about pace and remember to REST and RECOVER to avoid injury and fatigue. Just keep it going and enjoy. You'll have a fab half marathon. G
Fragile Do Not Bend Feb 2020 4:43pm, 12 Feb 2020 5,414 posts	0 Fragile Do Not Bend You don’t want to do your first HM too fast, otherwise it will be harder to beat that time when you do your second HM Putting your 5k time in here fetcheveryone.com/training-calculators-racetimes.php Predicts a HM pace 11:14 minute miles, so you really ought to be doing your long runs a little slower than that pace.
HowFar? Feb 2020 4:45pm, 12 Feb 2020 13,644 posts	0 HowFar? Welcome to Fetch. Do you know anyone else who is doing the half marathon? Some people find round with someone else can be helpful - both in the race and in training. I hope the training goes well and you enjoy the race day itself. When you finish, remember to celebrate the fact that you have run 13 and a bit miles. That’s a fantastic achievement. Just look at people’s faces when you tell them that you ran for over 13 miles at the weekend. They will be mightily impressed - or they should be.
Turtlemama Feb 2020 7:20pm, 13 Feb 2020 620 posts	0 Turtlemama Hi and welcome. I was in your shoes this time last yr. Training for a first half with a few 5k parkruns done before. I fully echo everyone else... Slow down!! You need a pace you can maintain for 13.1miles. Guaranteed. Most of my training runs were about 10.20-10.30min miles. So I set a target of 11mins as my race day pace. Yes I beat that by a lot, but consistently, and if any mile had been 11min I wouldn't have been stressed. Also, unless you are track running, terrain is not consistent so why does your pace have to be? I regularly walk up hills and in my next HM will be walking too. Yet I expect my overall pace to be under 10min miles. If you don't overreach on your heart rate and breathing, you'll find the time naturally makes itself up on the flats/downhills. For a First race, just have fun. Apart from the elite end, no runners are racing anyone in any race other than themselves. And since this is your first race then you'll automatically win 😊