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Jul 2013
11:22am, 11 Jul 2013
3,580 posts
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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?
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Jul 2013
11:24am, 11 Jul 2013
2,874 posts
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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
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Jul 2013
11:53am, 11 Jul 2013
1,073 posts
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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.
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Jul 2013
11:56am, 11 Jul 2013
3,583 posts
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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.
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Jul 2013
12:05pm, 11 Jul 2013
23 posts
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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.
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Jul 2013
1:26pm, 11 Jul 2013
706 posts
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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.
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Jul 2013
1:52pm, 11 Jul 2013
3,519 posts
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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.
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Jul 2013
2:14pm, 11 Jul 2013
1,022 posts
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monsenb1
would agree with Nelly.. run it hard...good indicator of fitness levels..
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Jul 2013
2:31pm, 11 Jul 2013
3,588 posts
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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.
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Jul 2013
2:47pm, 11 Jul 2013
517 posts
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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
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