Training for a half marathon-anyone else?

what is rude is making up a whole story about how I'm "struggling to recover"

I wasn't basing that "struggling to recover" assertion on your most recent injury alone; it was your previous post about how you had spent more time recovering from injuries since you'd started running, than actually running.

This was why I tried to offer the advice about slowing down, particularly if you're planning on going into marathon training in the new year.
For marathon training you really need to have a decent base level of steady regular injury-free running; otherwise you're going to have a very tough time when you get into the long weeks of 3h+ runs. Essentially you'll just get injured again and either not making it to the start line, or starting with injuries. This happens a lot to first-time marathoners who get carried away with their cardiovascular fitness improving before the musculoskeletal adaptations have managed to catch up.

If I were you I would be focusing on slowing down, keeping moving regularly, working on strength and conditioning, and not even thinking about trying for 5k PBs or upping the mileage until fully back to fitness. I say that as a runner who went from struggling round a 10k in more than an hour to now running GFA marathon times - with a lot of setbacks along the way, and learning from bitter experience.

But honestly, do whatever you want to do.

@NoKnit there is a need for me to be so abrupt because you still didn't accept what you've done wrong.

I don't need your advice because none of it is relevant to my situation. I have no idea how you've taken a sentence saying "I haven't done a fast 5k for ages" and decided that means I do all my runs at half marathon pace - that's assuming you read the post at all. What I actually meant was that I haven't done a fast 5k for ages! I'm not starting my half marathon too fast, it's actually that my 5k time is too slow. But you know better and need to lecture me.

And no, @FeelinTwentySixPointTwo what is rude is making up a whole story about how I'm "struggling to recover" when actually I'm 5 weeks into an injury that will take 6-8 weeks to heal according to my physio. You've constantly told me how I'm doing everything wrong when you know nothing about the cause of my injury or the treatment I've been receiving for it. A few weeks ago you said that me not running at all was wrong, and now I'm apparently running too much.

I am having a hard time working the mile as only do km but yes the theory is definitely correct.

My 5k pace is 4.30/km but marathon 4.56/km so I'm not super duper speedy but maybe one day I'll get to a 3.30 marathon currently on 3.51

But I never run training runs at those paces.

Good grief sorry no need to be so abrupt.

I did read the other day about the lady who was pushed over at the half marathon but I got confused with all the names and didn't actually realise it was the same poster. Your post came after that why would I want to scroll back?

But honestly any seasoned club runner or experienced racer would say the same. You do actually need this advice if you want to run a decent time. But you do whatever you want

Yes I thought it was a bit tight especially as it’s hilly trails! I’ll ask runthrough as I don’t want my possessions to end up back at HQ wherever that might be!

3 hours is a bit tight for a half marathon cut off. Yes I’d take it as steady as you can - I’m not sure what happens if you miss it!

@OrlandointheWilderness Yes 3 hrs. I have decided to do mine v slowly on advice of a running coach. What happens if you miss the cut-off - do you just not get a medal but can still collect your bag etc as they clear up?

Well that's a bit rude!

I guess it's just a bit confusing that in your previous posts you were saying the race went really well and you finished 7 minutes within your target time. Then in the more recent post you said someone pushed past you and you landed heavily on one side, which caused a glute strain. It wasn't clear you'd actually been pushed over.

I'm sorry you were hurt and hope you recover soon.

If you bothered to read my recent posts @FeelinTwentySixPointTwo and @NoKnit you'd know exactly why I was injured - I was pushed over in my recent half marathon. So I really don't need your advice if you can't be bothered to scroll up 10 posts since it was last mentioned.

You've nailed it there @NoKnit. Agree this also explains the injury and struggle to recover.

My 5k PB pace is 20 seconds faster per km than what I run a half and probably 45 seconds faster than a marathon

I don't work in km so this made no sense to me - so I started from miles and went back to km. Results are even more stark than yours.
My 5k pace is 6:30 min mile. Half is 7:15; full is 7:55.
So for me my 5k pace is about 30 secs faster per km than I run a half. And almost a minute per km faster than my marathon pace.

As you said, anyone starting a half marathon at 5k pace is setting themselves up for injury (or blowing up halfway around the course, or both!)

Also absolutely agree about not training too fast. I know so many people who do their marathon training runs at target race pace and then are disappointed on the day when they blow up at 20 miles. The key is to train with long runs staying slow and speed sessions being fast, rather than doing lots of "sort of hard" runs at the same pace.

@Sunshineandpinkcloudsis there a time cut off for it?

I’m heading to my next half on the 30th. It’s been a frustrating month as the blister I picked up at Hadrians wall half just wouldn’t bloody heal (I’m going to pretend that’s not because I insisted on running on it..!). I’ve changed shoes to Hoka speedgoats and they are fab.

This also probably explains the injury I think

Something doesn't add up there though, regardless of injury. I think if you're running a half at your 5k PB time then you are starting way way way too fast for a half.

My 5k PB pace is 20 seconds faster per km than what I run a half and probably 45 seconds faster than a marathon.

Are you doing lots of long slow runs? Or do you train to race pace? Because if you do I think that's the error. Even my Tempo runs I don't do at half or marathon race pace. I do weekly intervals to keep my speed up then pelt it once a week at parkrun and the rest steady and slow. Some on my strava were gobsmacked at my last marathon time and there is one woman who always always trains to my marathon pace or faster and I beat her at almost every 5k, 10k, half that we do together. Every single time. She trains too fast. She will probably never get it. Wanna keep fast? Gotta stay slow

@DuckWithOneWing Wow that sounds fun, where is that one?

Oh no @FeelinTwentySixPointTwo I only mentioned I didn't get my PB because my original plan (before I got injured) was to work on speed and get one. And theoretically it should be easy because I haven't done a fast 5k for ages, so my PB is only a tiny bit faster than I ran the first 5k of my half marathon.
I did a mix of running and walking in the parkrun.

@Sunshineandpinkclouds I'm doing a marathon in April too, although mine isn't London. But it does involve a steam train.

@FeelinTwentySixPointTwo I’m 2 1/2 hrs at peak fitness so this would be longer. It’s my first London marathon so yes you’re right I need to start fully fit. Thanks, not the advice I wanted to hear but very good advice that makes sense- I’ll forgo the half and start building my base up again when I can.

I think realistically, @sunshine, you don't have the base to be able to run the half without risking injury. The musculoskeletal adaptations just won't be there and the repetitive impact over what is likely to be more than two hours of activity (apologies if you are quicker than that but I was presuming not given the lack of training) will exacerbate the shin splints.

Also, which marathon are you aiming for? If a spring one - and if that is the A goal - then you need to really consider that injuring yourself in a half in November will mean you can't start proper training in December for it.

I would have a real think about what the main goals are and accept that skipping the half might be the best option if the marathon is the priority.

@FeelinTwentySixPointTwoI did a half in 2018. Built up a base to 9 miles then I think the long gap between gave me shin splints.

Mentally I would like to do it even with walking as I start marathon training end of Dec. However yes I don’t want them to get worse.

Hmmm @sunshineandpinkclouds - this really depends on what your base was like before your time off.

Are you saying you've never run a half marathon before and you've only done one 10 mile run in training - which left you with shin splints (probably as you hadn't built the base up)?! If so then you might be able to get round the half but there will be a lot of walking and you won't do the shin splints much good either.

By contrast, if you have several halves under your belt before this dip in training, then you should be fine to mentally cross off the last few weeks as an unexpected obstacle. You could crack on and probably be fine as your body would be far more used to it.

I have a half marathon in 2 weeks, training has been rubbish due to taking a break on hols them coming back with food poisoning which wiped me out so it means I have only done one 10 mile a week ago - then I got shin splints on Sunday. I'm not running this week but not sure what to do re training this Sunday and whether I can do my half or not? It's on a common so not hard pavement.

Anyone had experience of shin splints - they seem slightly better today but I can still feel them.

You surely wouldn't have expected a PB though @DuckWithOneWing , given you've been injured? PBs are very rare things at the best of times!
And if you were running all-out at PB pace it's really not a surprise you've exacerbated the injury. When coming back from being injured you really need to ease back in and take things steady.

I decided to do the parkrun yesterday, and it was a disaster. I didn't get a PB and I was in a lot of pain afterwards. I have my next physio appointment on Wednesday so maybe I'll be better by then.

I've seen the physio twice now, and when I saw him last week he said no running for a week - which is up tomorrow. But it still hurts a lot so I'm not sure running would be a good idea, especially because I was hoping to work on speed so it's not just a gentle jog! I do have physio exercises to do, and I'm doing them, but I feel like I'm not getting anywhere. It has only been 3 weeks though.

What's actually wrong with the hip, Duck? Have you been told you can't run at all? As that seems a bit drastic for a glute strain. I'd have thought some rehab exercises and steady run/walking would be a good way of getting it back on track.