I signed up for a half marathon and suddenly it's 3 months away!

[m0therofdragons]

I've been park running most weeks and a weekly 10k just under an hour but have only done 2 5ks over the last three weeks until today when I did an 8.5 mile run. I had 3 points when I walked and I hurt. I'm now freaking out that I'm not up to a half marathon. Any advice? Please?

If you've got until early April, you're fine. All you have to do is get in 3 runs a week, with a long run covering 10 miles by early Feb, and 12 miles by early March. Then a bit of a taper, 13.1 in early April - easy peasy!

Have you done halves before? The transition from a 10k to a half is far easier than the jump from 5k to 10k, IME.

I had never run until last Feb. In September I did 9.7 miles and felt like I could have carried on but had to collect dc. That was when I enthusiastically signed up. Half is in 13 weeks so March. I thought it would encourage me but I'm really nervous already. I'm not really a runner and get bored when I'm on my own.

If you look at a running website you can download a training plan for the next 12 weeks and that will help you focus: www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/half-marathon/a775102/12-week-beginner-half-marathon-training-plan/

You'll be totally fine.
Key is to increase distance by 10% or by a mile if you can manage and make that long run much slower so if your pace is 10 min mile, run 12 min miles for your long run.

Try and run 2 or 3 x a week and you'll be at distance in a couple of months!

You will be absolutely fine! Just don’t increase speed and distance at the same time. Enjoy (I’m envious as I am injured and haven’t run for months )

Thank you. I'm hoping I'll feel more confident at the end of January. My running buddy has pulled out so I feel like I'm winging it as she knew her stuff and really helped me. I'm sure I'll be back here soon xx

A 10k base to HM is relatively easy and you've got more than enough time to build up gently. Plenty of beginners plans go from 5k in a similar timescale.

I've got a trail HM at the end of Feb... Did a HM in late October and 10 miler in late Nov and not much since then... I'm hoping RED January makes a difference... (I've done it a couple of times and plenty of HMs so I'm on familiar territory)

You’ll be fine! Is it Bath Half you’re doing?

The way I train for half-marathons is to do a couple of short runs each week plus one longer one which increases by 1km. So in your shoes I’d do 2-3 runs of 5-7km plus one 10km. Then the next week I’d do the same but make the long one 11km, then 12km etc etc.

However, when you say you hurt after your run do you mean your muscles ached or you have an injury?

Check the Runner's World plans or BUPA plans - if you're already at 10k weekly, you're well on the way. Some of the beginner plans only have you run a 16k as your longest run for a half marathon. I've done that and it was fine, although I prefer to have run 18-20k as prep if possible.

You'll be fine, but I also strongly recommend a proper training plan with some intervals and tempo runs, not just long ones. I think my longest run before my 1st half was also just 16K or thereabouts, you don't need to run the full distance before.

@Sammysquiz my muscles were stiff from up hills harder the 8.5 mile run. It's not Bath but is West Country - Yeovil.