Under-trained Half Marathon Strategy

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RunningRonnie Mar 2015 9:16am, 2 Mar 2015 1,366 posts	0 RunningRonnie I wonder if anyone can help with a strategy for Sunday's HM for me. Although I have done a lot of half marathons, lately I have done very little training or cross training. I can still manage a 1 hour spin class, so there is still some sort of fitness there. Training lately has been an average of maybe 2 spin classes per week and
Gogsy! Mar 2015 9:23am, 2 Mar 2015 486 posts	0 Gogsy! If you're set on doing it - you probably want to set out a jog-walk interval plan to get around. (Maybe 10 minute run & 3 minute walk?) Oh! & book a day's holiday from work on Monday
Old Croc Mar 2015 9:26am, 2 Mar 2015 25,472 posts	0 Old Croc you got a couple of other races coming up - treat it as a training run for those see you Sunday
JantasticDistracted (JD) Mar 2015 10:02am, 2 Mar 2015 1,089 posts	0 JantasticDistracted (JD) Saturday! eek. Background - I've done a HM about every 6 months over the last 2-3 years plus other distances, and bike sportives, and a couple of tris. Foot injury September but bikes and swam, getting back into it late Dec -Jan, horrible cold most of February. Generally reasonably fit but a bit overweight. my HM in 3 weeks, longest run was under 8 mils in Jan. Yesterday I did 11 miles a little slower than HM pace (I was going to go slower but found someone to talk to ;)) It went ok, but afterwards and today I have tight calves and can really feel I hadn't trained enough. I don't doubt I can get round the HM, and will be doing another long run next weekend even though most of my running buddies are ramping down! so - I'd take the pace down, not have any expectations of racing hard, and enjoy it. And expect a few aches and pains! Good luck
JantasticDistracted (JD) Mar 2015 10:02am, 2 Mar 2015 1,090 posts	0 JantasticDistracted (JD) Sunday...
skookie Mar 2015 10:36am, 2 Mar 2015 7 posts	0 skookie I have never really 'trained' for doing half marathons just tried to maintain a decent level of fitness, set myself a reasonable finishing time/pace and just go I know I aint going to break any record etc but I enjoy the longer runs rather than 5/10km , you don't get many races 10km+ next real step is a half
RunningRonnie Mar 2015 11:10am, 2 Mar 2015 1,367 posts	0 RunningRonnie Thanks everyone. I am sure I will get round fine. I've done plenty of them before and I do still have a base fitness. I just wondered though if a run-walk strategy from the beginning would benefit me in the final few miles and leave me feeling fresher and also what the ratio should be.
Old Croc Mar 2015 11:22am, 2 Mar 2015 25,473 posts	0 Old Croc take it easy from word go. You should be able to hang on until the end - last section is easier - relatively.
Oysterboy Mar 2015 11:27am, 2 Mar 2015 10,398 posts	0 Oysterboy I was underprepared for my half yesterday, plenty of runs but longest only 8 miles. I took it super slow for 5 miles then picked up the pace a bit for the final 8. For the first 5 I just jogged along, waved at the crowd, high-fived the kids and just generally tried to enjoy it as an event rather than racing it. I felt fine after and really could have pushed a bit more.
tonyp2604 Mar 2015 11:29am, 2 Mar 2015 137 posts	0 tonyp2604 I had a similar experience last year. I injured myself in August and had a HM in early November (postponed from March due to flooding) so I wasn't exactly engaging with running as much as liked to - effectively no training for the HM. I just went along to enjoy it as a long Sunday run not concerned about my time. Enjoyed the course and met a few faces from my local parkrun. I still managed it in under 2 hrs. I would say, just take in the scenery and enjoy it - you will be fine.