Half marathon with no training

[sunallsummer]

Probably a stupid question sorry but I’m not a runner so have no idea!

DH impulsively signed up to do a half marathon in 2 weeks and has done zero training for it. He’s slim and has normal fitness I would say but definitely not a runner and previously did a 5km and completed it but struggled

I know it’s his choice and he’s an adult to it’s up to him, but I’m just a bit worried about the idea of him running 21km with little to no training. I’m just not sure if I’m just being overly anxious but it seems so far to my non runner brain! Having said that, I know people do 10km without any real training and it’s fine, has anyone ever done a half marathon without any training and did it go ok?!

My concern is when he puts his mind to something he can be very stubborn and competitive so I think when the run starts he’ll actually go much faster than he should and it’s not like he’ll accept he’s not trained and take it at a slower pace. His plan was to drink a few coffee and get some pre workout for it and frankly I’m worried he ends up unwell after it

If anyone who knows anything about running can put my mind at rest and reassure me that I’m being silly and dramatic and he’ll be fine (other than a normal amount of tiredness afterwards) I’d really appreciate it!

Top tip - my DH runs marathons but never runs on a coffee (I think it comes back up !) . Your DH is a muppet but he ll live.

Ha, if he can barely run 5k how on earth does he think he’ll run 21? What a tool.

I’ve only recently started running, doing couch to 5k for weeks now… I thought myself reasonably fit before but have really needed t build up my stamina, cardio, lung capacity/breathing and muscles. There are various muscles that I never really knew existed causing knee and hip pain that I have had to work on gradually strengthen, ensure my gait, pace and how my foot hits the ground is right (I’m sure there are all technical words for this but I’m still a newbie).

I would be very worried about the damage he will inflict on his body if he attempts to run it all, ‘pushing through’ to get a competitive time. Chances are he physically won’t be able to and will end up walking most of it and be bitterly disappointed with himself..

I would feel the same as you op. You say he struggled to complete the 5k, so this is daft. I don’t think it’s unusual to be concerned about someone you love putting their body under so much strain and not sure why some people here are giving you a hard time about it.
a quick google says there’s a real risk of injury. Hope he realises how hard it is and walks most of it.

If he can easily walk the distance then at least he will be able to complete it although the time will be slow. But if he struggled with a 5k at a normal pace then I’m not sure 2 weeks is long enough to do 20+ at a run. I also wouldn’t recommend lots of coffee, running itself can make people need to poo, so add coffee plus lack of training and I’d be worried about shitting myself

Also are you in the UK? A half marathon at the end of July does not sound wise. There is a reason why most mass participation distance races take place in spring and autumn here. Running in the heat with no experience is a recipe for disaster.

Mr Monkey ran a half in mid September a couple of years ago. There was an unseasonal heatwave - 30 degrees). He got round ok as he is experienced in running in the heat but he said people were dropping like flies on tne course.

I run regularly and think its a silly idea!
A few months ago I did a half that I had trained for (i do a 10+ mile run most weekends and 3 sessions during the week) I set off too fast and ran out of steam half way and the second half was fairly unenjoyable and involved lots of walking! I did finish under 2 hours but it wasnt the time I was aiming for!

....But i generally enjoy half marathons when I pace them well, if he wants to have a decent try, aim for an autumn one, the weather will be cooler and hell get more time to train

Oh please come back and let us know how he got on!

sub 2 hours is hilarious!

How old is he?
My brothers used to run marathons in their 20s and 30s. They played a bit of squash and football sometimes so fit ish but not runners. They managed just fine. Young bodies, strong impulsive heads. He will be fine if he is determined 💪

@Pearl69 yes lots of coffee is a bad idea before running. It doesn't come back up so much as go down too quickly! Also running on its own can speed up bowel movements. So lots of coffee plus running - a recipe for toilet disaster

Good point - I just know from endless running updates and commentary that coffee is a no . I am not a runner 😂

To be fair, squash and football both need good stamina to get through a match
despite the running being lots of anaerobic bursts rather than continuous. Doing that regulary through the week is a decent volume of appropriate base fitness even though it's not optimal training.

But op said her husband struggled to finish a 5k

Runner here with 3 marathons and 20 halfs under my belt. Yes, you are right to be worried OP.
You need to respect the distance, 13 miles in hot weather is a challenge and if he struggles with 5k he won’t do it. Better to drop out, train properly and enter a new event.
If he does a lot of other sport (swimming, cycling, football- not just weights) and is under 40 he might be ok.

I have ran plenty of half marathons over the years, but this year life has got in the way and I’ve not been able to run as much as I’d like. I’m trying to do 5k a couple of times a week at the moment, and there is no way I’d attempt a half in 2 weeks!

Its not just that he’d struggle with fitness, or pull a muscle. There is a genuine risk of a medical emergency, especially during the summer with the warmer weather. I’ve seen friends who have been experienced runners get into difficulties. It doesn’t even need to be heatwave conditions. The summer sun shining on you whilst running can make you overheat quickly!

Of course it’s not guaranteed that he will injure himself, but the risk is higher. If he does insist on running it, for the love of god don’t let him drink coffee in the morning before, eat spicy food the day before, or take any of those energy gels during the race! Best thing he can have in my experience is banana on toast, jelly babies and water.

Huh? I do all my morning runs on coffee alone, and I always drink it before races (half&full distance)

He sounds like an idiot. Tell him not to expect any sympathy from you when he’s incapacitated afterwards.

Can you suggest he does a couple of runs before hand. Maybe an 8 mile this week and a 10 mile next week. It would certainly help him to work out what pace he can sustain and whether he can keep going for that sort of distance.

What's normal fitness? Does he do any sport? How old is he?

I don't know anyone who has managed to run, ie. not included walking a half marathon without some running training. I managed to go from 10k to 15k to 21k quite quickly, but 5k to 21k, no chance.

Unless he is under 30 and involved in a regular sporting activity, I'm not sure how he expects to do it under 2 hours.

I’m thinking he’ll probably just end up walking most of it.

Are you sure? Not many excellent club runners achieve that.

right, it was like midnight when I posted and I was half asleep. I forgot to add the sub 2hr bit to the OP but I had mentioned in it that he planned to take lots of caffeine and that he was planning on running really fast, so it’s not as much as a drip feed as you’re making out and you can take your snide comment elsewhere thanks 👍🏼

Thanks so much for all the advice! I’ll let him know about the carbs beforehand etc 👍🏼

Thank you so much!

some of the comments have been strange haha. Totally fine with being told I’m worrying about nothing or being dramatic but from some of the comments you’d think I was a bad person for it😂

anyway, it’s up to him to do it if he wants. I’ll be there at the end either way (and will resist the urge to say I told you so😂)

im sure he’ll be absolutely fine if he walks part of it and is sensible and from the comments im hoping he doesn’t decide to run too fast at the start as it sounds like that would be bad

thanks again everyone for the advice xx

People like this are always fine. It’s really annoying.

He’s given me the right ick though.