Training for a half-marathon

Aug 5, 2012

So I set myself a goal - run a half-marathon. On Dec 9 is the Tucson Marathon. I set myself a goal of running the half-marathon. At first my goal was simply to finish in the alotted time, whatever that is. So I started running more than I had been, no problem with that. As I increased my running I also started to increase the time and distance. Just a little each time out. Maybe another half mile or so each session. I wrote myself a training schedule that would get me to 13.1 miles in mid-November, which would be right on the money for the race.

As I continued my training, adding a bit more each session, my distances were increasing at a quicker pace than I had anticiapated. Here it is at the beginning of August and I am running 11 miles in about 1 hour 40 minutes. That means that I will be able to do the 13.1 in about 2 hours.

Using a racing time calculator I came up with these numbers -

My most recent actual 11 mile run time was 1h 35m 50s, which works out to a 8:42 per mile pace. At that pace I should be able to finish the half-marathon in 1:55:25.

I don't see that being a problem based on how I feel at the end of the 11 mile run. So I have changed my goal - instead of finishing in the alotted time, I am shooting for a sub-2 hour time. I believe this to be a realistic goal given my current running times and the amount of time I have before the actual race - 4 months. Four more months to train! And I'm already this far ahead of schedule. So I'm adding some more training variety to my weeks - an intervals day (either 1 mile intervals on the road or 1 lap intervals on a track) and some hills running. I also do an off day run of 4 - 5 miles jogging and a medium length day of 7 - 8 miles just to keep from over training. As well as mixing up the running course. Sometimes I run along the Nogales Highway, sometimes I take a big neighborhood loop of 5.5 miles per loop. Sometimes I run on a dirt trail along the railroad tracks, sometimes on the roadside. This all keeps it interesting so it doesn't get boring.

I would be nice to have a running partner though, but she/he would have to be at the same level I am of course.