When to run a Half Marathon as part of Marathon training

3 watchers

HermanBloom Jul 2013 11:22am, 11 Jul 2013 3,580 posts	0 HermanBloom Just a quickie Say you were running a fairly well-known marathon in the middle of April next year and it was your first at that distance. Would 9th March be a pretty good time to run a Half? Too early, too late, just right? What would YOU do?
Jon_T Jul 2013 11:24am, 11 Jul 2013 2,874 posts	0 Jon_T That would be about right HB, about 6 weeks if you are going for race tuning, if its just a get round you could do one a couple of weeks before
Nelly Jul 2013 11:53am, 11 Jul 2013 1,073 posts	0 Nelly HB, I'd suggest it depends what you want to achieve from both the marathon and half? For example, given it is only 5 weeks until marathon day (VLM is a week earlier than normal this year), I don't think you can afford time out from your marathon schedule to have a full easy week before (mini taper) and after (recovery) for a full on HM PB attempt. However, if you wanted to run the HM hard, maybe after 1-2 days rest, then have 3-4 easier days recovery then it still gives you a week to get you last LSR in 3 weeks before the marathon.
HermanBloom Jul 2013 11:56am, 11 Jul 2013 3,583 posts	0 HermanBloom Thanks guys. I wouldn't be going to a Half PB. I have one of those lined up for end of September. This is purely a "you are weeks away from a Full and how good/bad are your legs/lungs/head" thing.
Wirral Dave Jul 2013 12:05pm, 11 Jul 2013 23 posts	0 Wirral Dave That is around the time of 'Half Marathon Sunday', a day when there are large half-marathons in every region of the UK, chiefly because it's around the perfect time for a half marathon prior to London (and other marathons around that time). The aim of the Half Marathon shouldn't really be to get a Half PB - you might well do that due to the marathon training, but you don't want to push too hard to get the most impressive time and risk injuries/niggles/tired legs ruining your subsequent training. Remember that after the marathon training your legs will be fresher and a good half will be possible a couple of months later. See the half marathon as a chance to prove you can get to 13.1 miles at the desired pace without too much hardship and still feeling fresh. It should be a long slow run, but not quite as long and not quite as short as you'll be used to. Worry about the half PB from June.
DuncanG Jul 2013 1:26pm, 11 Jul 2013 706 posts	0 DuncanG If you are not bothered about a PB or any gauge as to where you are, then any Sunday when your training plan has you down for 12/14 miles would be a good enough reason, as long as you do it slowly. Personally, I feel if you are busting your balls with marathon training, then find a half about five weeks out, preferably a flat one, and go for your PB. You might be surprised at how well you do. Your traning in the following week should not really suffer if it's all done slowly enough, especially if you ditch any quicker sessions. In the week leading up to the half, don't taper as such, but try and front-load your training to the earlier part of the week so you are not doing big miles on Friday and Saturday.
Too Much Water Jul 2013 1:52pm, 11 Jul 2013 3,519 posts	0 Too Much Water I would see more value in bashing out a 20 miler on a March weekend, aim for an Autumn half, target it as a PB and use that to define marathon target.
monsenb1 Jul 2013 2:14pm, 11 Jul 2013 1,022 posts	0 monsenb1 would agree with Nelly.. run it hard...good indicator of fitness levels..
HermanBloom Jul 2013 2:31pm, 11 Jul 2013 3,588 posts	0 HermanBloom Thanks for the advice guys. It's a new local race so I wanted to support it, just wasn't sure if timing was bad. I won't "race" it, but would think I'd be going faster than my normal LSR pace.
mblnFERCr Jul 2013 2:47pm, 11 Jul 2013 517 posts	0 mblnFERCr The infamous 'Surrey Half' by any chance HB? Well worth looking at the Cranleigh 21 too as a long progressive run - assuming they aren't too close together. It's excellent value