[Closed] Is it possible to train and do well in a half marathon in 8 weeks?

If you increase your run by a mile a week you'll reach the 13 easily. But 9 min miles is 2hour pace, you need to increase your speed and endurance simultaneously which might be hard in this short timescale (1:40 = 7min 40s per mile)

Personally I'd say you won't be able to get under 1.40 in 8 weeks. you need to be running 7.50 miles or thereabouts. so you need to lose a minute a mile and nearly triple the distance, prove me wrong, but I'd say no way.

Also you don't want to be doing any big runs in the week beforehand IMO, so that gives you 7 weeks really.

enter and enjoy it

Have you tried running yet ? I tried it a few years ago with pins in my hand from spiral fracture. Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow etc. Had another go three weeks later when the pins were out. Not as bad, but still sore, more throbbing than agonising.

Go for a 10 minute bimble before you write your training plan I reckon.

I could sit on a turbo and if I kept the hand high it didn't hurt too much, except when I fell off.

It all depends on how fit you are to start with and how you're body reacts to training. 1:40 sounds a bit optimistic if you're regularly going at 9 minute mile pace in training. Also, there is a huge difference between running 13.1 miles and running 5.68 miles.

Get out and do a 10mile plus run as soon as you can and that will give you a good pointer as to what to expect in the half marathon.

I'm with hels on this. Just because you're not running on your hand doesn't mean running isn't going to make it hurt like hell. Give it a test run.

P.S I should add that I fell off the turbo as I couldn't tighten the bolts properly with one hand so the bike fell out. Had to wait for a visitor !

And it took me longer to get my running bra on than the run I had planned, but thats another story and I prolly not an issue for you !

Be honest with yourself. Are you relatively fit anyway? If so I suspect you'll suprise yourself. I've done a few halfs now but the first one I did without any specific running training and it went fine. I did a 1hr 45mins on a hilly course.

I was racing a lot of 100km mountain bike marathons, etc at that stage so already a good base level of fitness and more importantly, I had experienced that hitting the wall feeling a load of times.

Damn, was hoping it would be easy! When doing the 9 min miles I was taking it easy and keeping HR down to compliment my base training on the bike.

Good advice about trying short run 1st, even though you don't 'use' your hands to run I suppose they in use.

Oh and I forgot to say, I was dressed in a giant foam crab outfit!

As hels said, I take it you have a cast on? I tried to keep up my running after breaking my wrist last year and the pain when I ran was just too much tbh

How fit am I? Difficult to quantify on here I suppose but to give an idea I ride at least 3-4 times a week usually including a 2-3 hour mtb ride and long road ride, length depending on time year.

I know 10k is prob a lot different but did 47 mins a few years ago without any specifc training, never really ran for more than 30 mins leading up to it. This is where I got 1:40 from.

Hels - no, won't have that problem but happy for you to share the details 😆

Just a splint and in a sling for the moment.

how old are you?

how long ago was the 10k? and you think you have got quicker?

I think you can definitely run a half but your 1:40 might be a bit optimistic given the timescale to train. There are a few unknowns about your current ability so I'd want to run a 10k fairly soon and see how fast that goes, then base your training and race time on that. RW and plenty of other sites have convertors to tell you what speed you might run x distance based on your time over y distance.

There's only one way to build to a distance, and that's to train up to that distance with the long Sunday runs (except for full marathons where you rarely train beyond 22M), and there's only one way to get faster, which is to get your hill and speed sessions done. Do these and you should get through the half and in good time.

Good luck with your training and the race. I hope you enjoy it. Maybe look at some off road duathlons when you're done?

Ian

37 years old. 10k was 3 years ago.

Like the idea of doing shorter events leading up to it.

*hijack*

I've been running 15ish miles a week at average of 8:19 minutes a mile (usually around 80% HR max)

I'm thinking of the Edinburgh marathon on 22 May (18.5 weeks away) and have found a programme which involves 3 runs a week.

Any chance I'd get sub 3 hr?

Went for a 30 min run and hand felt fine, although couldn't wear right glove properly with 2 fingers strapped together!

Hard work though, 8 days of doing nothing has affected fitness.

cynic-al - Member

I've been running 15ish miles a week at average of 8:19 minutes a mile

I'm thinking of the Edinburgh marathon on 22 May (18.5 weeks away) and have found a programme which involves 3 runs a week.

Any chance I'd get sub 3 hr?

Troll?

No, not on 3 runs a week unless you're really fit and just farting around at the moment as you'll need to be doing better than 7 min miles for ALL 26 MILES. Tssk. 🙂

I would say you will do much better after 8 weeks of training than if you do no training at all (which is what I did)

[i]Any chance I'd get sub 3 hr?[/i]
No probs. Just put some fast music on your mp3 and you'll be fine 🙂

I fancy the Marathon Des Sable, it starts 31/3.

I'm currently doing half an hour a week at spinning class and can walk/jog 1 mile in 12mins. Do you think I'll finish in the top 10? 🙂

i fancy climbing Everest at the end of February.

I had a go at a bouldering centre last week. If I carry on with this every week will I able to do it in 1 day?

I've started running to shift some bulk, but at 4st over my ideal I'm carting a fair bit of weight around to start with, & it shows. But I've got to start somewhere. 😉
Three runs in now. First time out did 1k. Started too fast & soon showed. Second I did 1.5x the first distance & after much slower start did ok. This morning did 1.5x the second distance & actually really enjoyed it. Tempted to go further but decided to go up 1.5x the previous distance for a run ro two, till I'm up to about 7.5 - 10k, then focus on pace. Did a lot of running in my twenties, & could do 10k in around 36min. Odd thing is, on a bike I can generally stay with the fitter chaps unless its too steep/long. Wrong side of 40 now, with 4st to shift, but really enjoying the running.
Good luck!!!

Good work.

Think I'll just carry on with the running until I can get back on bike and see where I'm at a bit closer to the event.

Not trolling, but have looked into it a bit more now.

Am happy to half provided some folk with an opportunity km mock someone who clearly didn't know what they were talking about 🙄

takisawa mate - running is a good way to lose weight if you are normal size and want to be svelte. Not good for those carrying more due to impact involved. You will inevitable stuff your joints. Lots of long walks first !! With 5 mins running here and there during the walks, building up slowly.

There is some merit in "crash training" so they say, I have seen people do it, but I think you have to have a reasonable base.

I did 1:29 last year with an 8 week programme, I had base fitness and was running 20-30 miles a week before hand. During training I went to over 40 miles a week. It will be hard without some base running fittness I think but not Insurmountable.

Also bear in mind you can probably pull 5% out of the bag on race day that you didn't know you had.

Of no help I suppose, but I did a half marathon a few years ago thinking how hard could it be having not actually trained (ie I'd run a couple of time in the previous few months). Bloody hell never again, the answer was "a lot", couldn't walk for a week. Nowhere near 1.40!!

hels...cheers. Never suffered with joints, but paying a lot of attention & very gentle pace at the moment TBH, & will be till half the weight has come off.
Had gait measured before buying shoes etc.
Cheers for the words mate.

cynic-al - Member
Not trolling, but have looked into it a bit more now

In that case, you have my appologies. The question was a bit like 'I go out for half an hour on the bikes with the kids on a Sunday, can I expect to do LeJog in less than 8 days?'.

Having written that, you may be one of those hateful fit running gets who doesn't need to train to be good.

So if you're serious, I'd forget the time for now and get yourself built up to 30-40 miles per week at 7.5/8min miles and go from there, don't overdo it at the start. You should be aiming for 3-4 8-10 mile runs plus a 15-20 mile long one and some rest per week.

If you're serious, you'll need to apply yourself more than 3 sessions per week if you're really currently doing 15 miles @8:20's.

thanks boblo, I'm quite keen on the 3 weekly session programme, more than 4 would prob sap my limited motivation, I was hoping I could do a ride per week too.

I'll have a think about it all.

i haven't read the whole post,
but I say yes,
I know it's different for everyone,
but personally 8 weeks is the perfect training period leading up for a half marathon for me, its a good amount of time to focus, looking forward to the goal of the half marathon.

Jase, knowing your road fitness, your background and weight etc I'm surprised your only banging out 9 minute miles.
Barring any issues, I reckon if you can do 8 miles comfortably then the 1/2s well within reach.
I'd have a look at extending your stride, a bit like a swimmer trying to maximize stroke.
I do assume you are talking road times there.

Check out crossfitendurance.com and also a book called "the four hour body". There's alot being written now on high intensity versus high volume e.g 400 metre repeats, tabata etc. Also google Brian Mackenzie at Unscared, he runs 100 mile races on 6 hours a week training and knows his stuff

OK, given up on trying to train for the HM.

Instead going to do a 10k on 27th Feb as already have the distance in my legs so can concentrate on trying to increase my pace.

it took me longer to get my running bra on than the run I had planned

I awould have assumed that you are female, but since watching JLC in Japan last week that assumption may not be true.

I have a 1/2 marathon on Sunday (Gt Bentley) and havent run much since I broke my collarbone in October. Training has been 8 miles today, 7 miles this tuesday, 5 miles last friday, saturday and sunday, and 3, 3, and 5 miles the previous friday/saturday/sunday.

Just lean your head forward and left gravity take you round...

That is my plan.

You'll be fine. Finishing it shouldn't be a problem if your relatively fit and run once or twice a week already.

I wouldn't obsess to much about your time if its your first half though, do this one just to get experience at the distance.

you'll be surprised at how many people with running club t-shirts on that you pass...

Just lean your head forward and left gravity take you round...

honestly one of the worst things you can do,leads to poor posture and strike. I read a great piece of advice. "Imagine two pieces of string, one attached to the top of your head pulling it up straight, another attched to the centre of your chest, pulling you along" thats how you should run, slighty lean into hills though

Did the 10k yesterday.

Hurt like hell from the gun (actually a whistle). Started off too fast.

Ended up 78th out of 238. Time was 46.22.

Hand is now healed sufficiently that I can get back on the bike but may continue the running and enter a few more 10k's throughout the year as it shouldn't impact the biking too much.

Thanks everyone.

Did the 10k yesterday.

Hurt like hell from the gun (actually a whistle). Started off too fast.

Ended up 78th out of 238. Time was 46.22.

Hand is now healed sufficiently that I can get back on the bike but may continue the running and enter a few more 10k's throughout the year as it shouldn't impact the biking too much.

Thanks everyone.

Nice one, but why did it hurt so much ?
Have my first 10k in 2 weeks. Did a few back in my twenties, but older/fatter/unfitter these days. Been running since early Jan. Hoping to do it in around 50mins. Its a flat course, & the record is 29mins!!!
Started running to lose a bit of weight, has worked & actually feel better on the bike also.
Signing up for one every few months probably a good way of staying motivated. 46mins is a pretty decent rsult, you should be pleased with that.