AIBU to think I can train for a half marathon in 5 months?

[tobermory29]

I have done a bit of running previously, never entered anything official, but I have not ran for 2 years and I am 2 stone overweight. Can I go from this to a half marathon in 5 months, or is it unreasonable to even consider?

Seems tight but doable if you really put your mind to it but also take it carefully as you can easily hurt yourself.

Spend a month doing couch-to-5k and see where you are by then. A half-marathon is 21km, which is a lot more.

I know it's possible to do 10km when you're ok with 5km, I did that but it knocked me off running for two weeks. I wouldn't dare take on 21km. But you're not me :)

Yes you can - try to do some strength training as well as running, you'll be fine.

I have no idea. Watching with interest

Absolutely!! There are some great programs online too.

Definitely, I did. Spend a couple of months gradually getting used to running three times a week, then find a training plan to follow on the internet. They're usually 14 - 16 weeks, even for beginners' plans, so you'll be fine!

Definitely. I gave myself 5 months after a decade of hardly any running.

Ended up having an operation 3 weeks later and couldn't run for ages. In the end I had 4 weeks to train for it and managed.

I could cycle a month after the operation which helped a lot.

If you take it seriously than yes absolutely 13 miles is achievable, if you run once a month for 15 mins then No

Easy. I did It in 9 weeks. I went from never running, EVER, 18 stone and decided to do the great north run. I trained in 9 weeks, lost 2 stone and ran it in 2hrs 47 mins. Crap of course but I was proud of myself.

I do NOT recommend doing it like me - it was far more luck than anything else that I didn't pick up a serious injury. But 5 months is more than doable.

oh I did raise £900 for breast cancer research though!

Yes you can. Most training programs are 12-16 weeks. So you have more time. I work well if I have a plan to follow. I have followed the Hal Higden beginner half marathon program and it worked really well for me.

You could train for a half in 3.5 months if necessary, so you've got a decent bit of latitude. I agree with the PP who said that cross training is important - try to get one weights session a week done too. You'll be absolutely fine. Good luck.

You can, but it depends on your age, level of fitness & how injury prone you are!

I wouldn't do it as I have had several months off running with an injury & am only just easing myself back into it. I am also overweight. For me to jump straight into training for a half would be lining me up for another injury. But you are not me, so it could work out OK for you!

I have done a few half marathons & always followed a 16 week plan. The long runs started at 7km so it depends how long it would take you to get 7km fit I suppose.

You can definitely do it. But you need to run consistently and follow whatever program you pick and run even if you don't feel like it. That is the hard part. If you've got 5 months, pick a 16 week plan and then you've got some latitude for illness etc. Good luck!

Should be fine with a beginner plan if you can commit to 3 runs a week. Dubious on 1 run a week. Major issue for me was that long runs, slower than target pace took forever at my speed so am sticking to 10k until I'm a lot faster!

There are plenty of half marathon training plans out there and if you follow one rather than going for random ambles at the weekend then yes you could easily do a half in 5 months time.
Most plans will look for you to do 3-4 runs each week so make sure you can fit them in.
A tip from experience though is please, please make sure you do proper stretches when you finish each run rather than flopping on the sofa or jumping in the shower as it hurts like hell the next day if you don't!

Definitely doable! Search online for training programmes, there are loads.

You're only supposed to increase your running distance by 10% a week.

Just be careful, being female and overweight you've got two risk factors for a serious injury. I'm currently in a plaster cast as my fibula has disintegrated due to a stress fracture caused by running. I was only running 7k twice a week.

If you can run at least 3 times a week then yes

Interested in this. Having been very up and down with running this year due to my health I want to get something booked for later this year, but I'll probably go for 10k this year and 21k next.

The other thing I would recommend is having your legs and lower back massaged if you can, even if it's once every two months. It makes a huge difference to me.

Yes, it’s fine. Start on C25K, and then have a look at the lukozade training plan for half marathons

I did a 20 week half marathon training plan and that was stacks of time to train, so yes, 5 months is ample!
Good luck!

Yes. I'm 4 stones overweight, started on January and aiming at the Manchester one on 19 May (in 3 hours, of course ). Yesterday I did 13km in 1h 43'. I'm slower than a turtle but I get there.

Oh, easily. Run a mile at the end of the first week (with various run/walks to build you up to that), then do similar for week 2 except that you run 2 miles at the end of it. Repeat in kind until you hit 13

There are loads of training plans out there too!

I like the CRUK training plans, tiered by intensity and using time on your feet rather than mileage.

If however you find that you are getting constant niggles , or are just really tired, then you may need to abandon the plan. A Half is a distance to be respected and even though fast build up is possible, it is not necessarily the best or a particularly healthy way.

If it is too much, you can still do your event, just plan to both walk and run. You can still achieve, but the bodily stress will be much lower

Forgot to link the plans - here they are!

www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/find-an-event/training-for-an-event/half-marathon-training