The mrs is upping her running this year and is going to do a couple of half marathons. Currently does approx 3 runs a week, those being a 10/11 k then 2x 6/7k. She’s started to increase the big run but is after some advice of distance/frequency to prep for the first half marathon in may. Thanks in advance.

I did my first half mara a couple of years ago having run no further than 10 miles in training. So she doesn’t need to do the full distance.

Just work out a steady progression from now to the race, which should help avoid the dreaded injuries.

Back off the miles in the week before the race and she’ll be good to go.

I hope you and the kids will be supporting on the day.

There are loads of plans available, I’ve used this interactive one from Runner’s World to train for a marathon – you enter the date, race distance etc and it works it out for you.

If she doesn’t want to follow a plan – although I’d recommend it – Mary Hinge’s advice is perfect: just build up slowly, and she doesn’t need to do a long run that’s more than 16-18km. I’d also add a rest week in every 4th week.

What is she looking to train? Ability to run the distance or ability to run the distance faster?

Jack Daniels said that specific stress leads to a specific result. If she runs all those runs at the same pace, she’ll only ever run at that pace.

She could increase the distance to prepare to run 13.1 miles by adding a km to each every couple of weeks.

Or she could keep the overall distance and add in bouts of shorter faster running, before building distance slowly on top.

I’m training for a half mara. Each week I’m doing one day of 1min reps, one day of mile tempos, one long day and fitting in whatever else I can at a steady pace. The McMillan running calculator is great for helping with working out appropriate paces for these.

Remember it’s supposed to be fun, too!

The runners world one is pretty good, ran my Marathon last year only 4secs adrift of its calculated pace.

Its also good to stop what Teaboy said, you need variety in the training, otherwise an injury is easier to find.

Just to run the distance really. She clocks 50/55 on a 10k now and manages the mileage easily. She’s just worried about more than doubling the mileage basically.

One long run two interval sessions.

She’s just worried about more than doubling the mileage basically.

The easiest way is just to add 10% to her long run every week. If she’s not particularly bothered about the time there’s not a great deal of point in doing intervals. She definitely doesn’t need to have run the full distance before the race itself, as long as she can manage 10 miles or so she’ll be fine on the day. (“Manage”: the next day she should be tired but not have problems walking).

Although you should have a look at the plan I mentioned further up, it ups the milage gradually to avoid overuse problems.

Whilst it is for marathons, I have used the FIRST Schedule, low mileage, 3 runs a week, but more intense than many.

ok. The distance isn’t usually the problem – she could walk the extra 10k in a couple of hours. It’s about teaching the body to run for that extra time.

Given a 50-55min 10k she could be aiming to crack 2 hours for the half. That’s ~9min miles.

I’d suggest weekly sessions of:
– 9min mile tempos, with 2min rest between them. Building up from, say, 4*1mile up to 4*2m over time. Teaches endurance at race pace and means that race pace feels ‘comfortable’
– 1 to 3min reps (with 1-2min rests. Do as many as possible without technique falling apart (maybe 8*1min or 3*3min at first)) to teach the body to get and use enough oxygen and work on running technique – it’s hard to run fast with poor technique
– a long, steady run building up to 90min – 2 hours. Distance doesn’t matter. Off-road is good.

this…

…and see if you have a running club nearby. if its anything like mine you will meet a lovely group of people, very supportive, and all the help you need. plus added motivation that its a club run/training night to get you out the door when its wet and cold and you are sore.

Whilst it is for marathons, I have used the FIRST Schedule, low mileage, 3 runs a week, but more intense than many

There’s a FIRST plan for halves as well (It’s the first Google hit for: first half marathon plan pdf). I used a variation of the FIRST marathon plan last year and it’s pretty tough going. It’s not a million miles from Molgrips suggestion, basically one interval session, one tempo run and a long run.

If she’s not particularly bothered about the time there’s not a great deal of point in doing intervals.

In my experience, intervals build strength far quicker than simply plodding along, and you can run at the same pace far more easily and hence go for longer.

Interval training is by far the most effective form of training for time invested. If you only do one session make it intervals.

If you have more time do a tempo (or another interval session) then add a hill session then maybe add a long reasonably paced run.

My mate’s gf does the London Marathon each year. She got something like 3’27 then trained like mad, ran 20 miles a week all year and got 3’23. She didn’t do any intervals 🙂

Whats your point caller?

Point? I think he’s arguing with himself isn’t he? 3h23 is pretty good off a fairly modest mileage. Sample of one and all that.

I know a lot of runners who would love to do 3:23 off 20 mpw.

Many runners will be close to treble that mileage to get the same time.

Matt

3:12 here off less than that, been running 3 years, bike-fit prior to that.

I did 3:30 off racing 11 miles once a week.

I was 16 at the time.

I think you’ve already had plenty of good advice, but my wife was in a similar position last year, and found that gradually upping the weekly long run worked well. Just building up to another half marathon as it happens, latest long run was just over 2h which means she is basically up to distance again.

Wrighty – You’re Belps based arent you ? – If so I would encourage her to join the Harriers. They’re all a really friendly bunch and usually train in 3 or 4 different groups, so she’ll find a group for the level she wants to run at. Plenty of people at the club will be ‘training’ for 10k’s halves, full and ultra marathons so she have people to join her for a run whatever mileage she wants outside of ‘club nights’. At this time of year I would argue that keeping the motivation going with a bit of good company is better than getting too bogged down with the technical side of training. The pace and distance will come naturally and can be ‘developed’ later in the year.

In my experience, intervals build strength far quicker than simply plodding along, and you can run at the same pace far more easily and hence go for longer.

Intervals are great, if you want to go for a PB they’re pretty much essential – or at least you need to force the pace in training, get out of your plodding comfort zone.

But if the OP’s wife just wants to finish without dying halfway round they’re not necessary, the critical thing is the long (usually weekend) run.

But if the OP’s wife just wants to finish without dying halfway round they’re not necessary, the critical thing is the long (usually weekend) run.

Thats not true. Intervals stress the body significantly and that translates into faster performances over longer distances as well as short.
Long runs are overrated as they are often done too slowly IMO. I ran a marathon a few years ago when I was only doing lowish mileage but it was intensive and included 2 interval sessions a week. I had 3 days notice and ran it with a couple of mates up to 15 miles. I then ran the last 10 in under an hour despite my longest run being no more than 12 miles (admittedly I was doing them 3 times a week at around 70 minutes!)

Read Zatopek. Zatopek.. Zatopek for an example (albeit extreme) of the power of only interval training!

Thanks for all the replies. Lots for her to digest and decide on training wise. And as I’ve just told her ” you see, stw does have its uses” 8)

Thats not true. Intervals stress the body significantly and that translates into faster performances over longer distances as well as short.

I’m not saying they don’t – if you want a PB you need to do speed work. But if all you want to do is finish the critical thing is the long run.

But if all you want to do is finish the critical thing is the long run.

Nope

Whats your point caller?

The point is a hell of a lot of mileage and effort resulted in a pretty modest increase. Personally I’d be gutted to have put that much work in and only shaved off a few minutes.

But if all you want to do is finish the critical thing is the long run.

As a crap runner, I reckon a novice will need to do some long efforts simply to prepare mentally and I suppose neurologically for that kind of distance. However I have made huge improvements to my comfort and capability over longer runs by doing short intervals. So I think Surfer is right.

I did my first half having only 1 eight mile run but lots fast 4 mile runs that was a long time ago. so if shes fit shes probably not that far away she already running nearly 7 miles. I’m training for the wilmslow half in march and a marathon in May. I did a 10 mile run this week and if didn’t have the marathon I probably wouldn’t run any further and focus on going faster. If it was me id up the long run gradually to 10 – 11 mile to give her the confidence she’ll get round then work on doing those other runs faster. If she enjoys her first race she can get a good training book, a heart rate monitor, run up hills and interval train but dont over complicate it for most recreational runners the first race is about getting round and getting a feel what its all about. The next ones about going faster.