Half Marathon Training Spring 2024

[xsquared]

The other thread got full, so I'm starting a new one to keep us motivated.

How is everyone doing?

Went out earlier today for a 8 mile run, when it was a little drizzly, but then got completely soaked as Storm Babette did their stuff! I'm still glad to have got out though.

Since completing GNR 2023, I've been training for a 10 mile race next month with Hal Higdon, as well as running 2 of the XC fixtures for my club.

I found out earlier this week that I got a place at a HM race in January 2024 through the new ballot system, so I will start training for that soon.

Congrats @gm2023 . Running in the heat is really hard!

I've had to cancel my planned race in two weeks' time due to life events which is annoying, but I've decided to target a half marathon in autumn instead.

I also switched training plans now I have more time. I enjoyed my time-based plan but over time, not sure I was making quite the right progress. One week into the new plan and I did my fastest ever 5k this morning, without actually trying, so I'm pleased with that.

I did a perfect week of training plan 😁
Garmin has rewarded me by telling me I'm overreaching 😂
Being half term, and a busy week planned, I'm not sure of the logistics of fitting runs in next week...

No running managed last week!
Back on plan now. My body has not thanked me for the rest though. Ungrateful sod 😂

Ill again with a filthy lingering cold so all plans on hold for me, ugh. Annoying.

Has your watch been kinder for the weeks rest @BogRollBOGOF?

How frustrating @CatherineMaitland after that fast 5k. I sympathise, I'm at the tail end (I hope) of a cold that has gone on and on.

Just off for a morning trot in London - my VO2 max is continuing to decline but I am feeling the urge to run, so I'm going to get out there. I went to see my GP this week about my BP so will see where that leads.

I can’t get my VO2 Max to show higher than 29.6 on my Apple Watch. I run three times a week and ran over 90km last month but it doesn’t really seem to alter. In fact, sometimes the more I run the lower it goes. It doesn’t make huge amounts of sense to me as I assumed it would increase the more I got into running (or at least not go down). Oh, well.

Monday was day 1 of my half marathon plan. I’m opting for Jeff Galloway’s RunDisney one so it’s quite straightforward: 2 x 30 minute runs a week (I’m replacing these with sessions at my running club; they’re usually 5-8km) and then a longer run at the weekend!

I briefly passed through productive back to maintaining.
It's now moaning about a lack of low aerobic as it counted my annoyingly slow two hours of running as high aerobic.

"Low aerobic" is really hard to hit and seems to specifically need a brisk walk up hill to hit that zone. My strength classes barely blip as exercise on heart rate. I seem to jump that zone easily and either be too low or too high.

I don't know if my heart rate range is a factor. My resting heart rate is 45-47 and max 186 which is probably greater than average (220-age would put me in high 170s).

When DS had surgery at the start of the year, a few HCPs asked about if he does sport after checking his vitals. I reassured them that he can run 5k in 22:30 😂 I presume he has an athletes low heart rate!

My resting heart rate has averaged at 56 for the past six months. It’s probably a little lower than that but I’ve had a few colds which pushed it up to the 70s for a few days at a time. I’m 35 and the highest HR my watch has recorded is about 196 so I’ve made up my own HR zones on the app now, which seem about right for me. I did Google what to do and it was a method I can’t remember the name of that involved using your resting HR and max HR to work out bands for you. It means my watch no longer tells me I do all my runs in zone 5 so that feels loads better for me to see!

It does sound like that range is going to make low aerobic a challenge @BogRollBOGOF. Mine usually tells me I'm doing too much low aerobic!

My resting HR is high 50s and my watch suggested top is 186 today but I have no idea what it based that on today. Couldn't manage 12 min miles and my HR was solidly in zone 3. I'm hoping the most recent dip in VO2 is the cold I've had but it's a solid downward trend

My VO2 max is down but I had a nasty throaty/ cough bug in May so missed a week off from that and have had to be a bit more gentle for a while. I've done most easy runs on the plan, but speedwork took a hit. I'm generally phlegmy/ snotty on runs at this time of year with all the pollen in the hedgerows and think I'm back in that mode.
The VO2 max will go back up anyway.

I generally like the plans, but I started the current one while I had a previous race in progress. It wasn't too far out for being suitable for tapering, but it doesn't take into account flogging yourself on an off-plan race. Or parkrun 😂

Oh I wish they'd factor parkrun into training plans @BogRollBOGOF, every time I look at one I'm trying to figure out how to adjust it for parkrun

Absolutely @BogRollBOGOF and @chutneypig My current plan has me running 7 miles on Saturdays, so I do a mile warm up followed by a double parkrun. The first parkrun is usually notably faster as I’m running with others even if not racing against them.

Hope everyone is doing well, I’m still chugging along with my training. 6 weeks to go.

Hi everyone :)
Slow running month for me after my half 1 month ago. Been out a few times each week but only for short runs. Now time to get back on it. I decided to postpone marathon until 2025 and my aim is now for a sub 2h half in October. My social media is filled with ads for Runna and I am tempted to give it a go.
Any feedback from you lovely runners?

The Running Channel on youtube has used Runna several times. Worth looking up.

I gather that like Garmin, it gives live instructions and monitoring while running and is a good way to vary running workouts. I'd be tempted if I didn't already have free access to plans on my wrist.

I've been using the Garmin plans over the course of a year now and it has been a gear change for me. I've blown dust off 5k and 10k pbs.

I’ve tried the trial but I think it’s more than I need right now in my beginner running journey. I am mostly a club runner (2 x a week) and I just need a bit of guidance as to the distances I should be doing at the weekend by way of a long run (or what would be a reasonable additional session if I want to run 4 times a week). I got on well with a Hal Higdon plan for my 10K and I don’t think, at this stage of my running journey, I need to pay for anything. But if you’re really keen to hit a particular race time then it might be a good way of doing that. (I’m aiming for a 2:45-3:00 half so I am in quite different circumstances. I did Couch to 5K followed by another version of it with a club, and I’m only about 12 or 13 weeks into since!)

Sensible. The early days are about time on feet more than anything else, and there's lots of satisfying newbie gains to be had without the pressure (and injury risk) of pushing more structured sessions.

The downside is that a very structured plan doesn't lend itself to running to mood so much.

I think that when I finish this plan, I'll set up a "bingo" sheet of different runs and things to spot to mix it up for a little while. I like alternating my focus around.

Last year I did marathon training as a gentle build up of time on feet. Had an active rest for 6 weeks, did my summer HM gently on marathon gains then picked up a structured 5k plan as a different type of focus. Also it was the first summer holidays where I was happy to leave the DCs at home while I ran so 5k worked well. I then switched to trail HM, then over the winter did a 10k improvers for base fitness. Gently built up to bimbling a spring trail half, now on a structured half for a road race.

It's been a satisfying year of different focuses.

That all sounds really good! My club sessions are quite varied (sometimes focusing on hills, speed, etc) so I think I’m going to get the variety I need at this point (when my main aim is to finish a race) just by showing up every week. Some of the members have run 50+ half marathons so I’m sure someone will be along to tell me if I need to do more than that! 😂

Hi all, haven't posted for a while, lost mojo again!

@BogRollBOGOF my heart rate zones sound similar you yours, my RHR is 47 and Max similar to yours. Almost every run I do comes out as "threshold" and I struggle to get low aerobic, or V02 max runs according to Garmin. Although it kindly gives me an "excellent" V02 max but I'm sceptical as it never shifts much up or down.

I sacked off my Garmin plan mid May, had a week off running at half term, and decided not to do the 10k race next week earlier this week.
I followed that Garmin plan for 12 weeks and it just got so repetitive, I didn't feel I was improving and just started to hate going through the motions. Garmin stayed firmly in "maintaining" the whole time and the confidence level the coach had of me hitting my time went down and down.
This week, just running where and when I fancy. Loving the runs again, done a couple of 30 min easy runs and a trail 7 miles today, a lot of walking due to knee high grass, frisky cows. Garmin has now gone productive?! It makes no sense at all!

In terms of plans I've done better either putting an event and target time into the Garmin calendar and doing the daily suggestions, or just the daily suggestions. It will offer a variety of runs and will adapt to other runs you've done (so those parkruns) and how well rested you are. If the daily suggestion doesn't suit you can scroll through a week's suggestions and choose another.

Trying to catch up on the thread as haven't been on for ages.

After my road HM on 13 April, I gave myself two weeks off running and then looked at a lot of training plans and ended up following the same Runtastic beginners HM plan and trying to do a lot more of my runs on the trails (although the constant rain isn't helping with that plan). I have two weeks "extra" in the plan, so unless I need extra rest, I'll repeat a couple of the weeks four weeks out from my trail HM in August.

I only want to run three times a week - I have Ehlers Danlos and consider myself lucky to be able to do that and anytime I've pushed up to four runs I've got injured. Another plus is that there's one workout type run a week, so it changes up between fartlek, tempo, hill etc. So no getting bored.

I think I'd either push myself too hard with a Garmin or get discourage - my Suunto does measure my fitness level but I only really see it if I go on the app.

I have a 10k trail race with a friend on Saturday - just going to treat it as a fun training run.

Wednesday was one of the only hot days we've had so far, but I had an 8k run with 5k tempo section. The only time I could do it was lunchtime ... so I decided to have a crack at a 5k PB - not the best idea but managed 30'16 which is a PB so I'll take it!

Thanks @BogRollBOGOF , will have a look at that channel. @gm2023, I’m having a go at the trial at the moment. I like that I can build in other workouts and that the plan is a bit more mixed than the garmin ones. I did coach Jeff for the half and it definitely helped but got a bit repetitive and I couldn’t fit in the long runs (went up to 32k).

@Jumbojem I will also have a look at the suggested workouts on Garmin, haven’t used that before (not sure if I have it, I only have the basic one).

I you @Trickedbyadoughnut about the constant rain. When will it end?! Runtastic sounds good. I like 3 runs too. I also need to fit in the strength training and cross training and life is too busy to do much more.

Anyway, Runna has me down for 12k hilly today but I really should have been out on it at least an hour ago but after a late night, I can’t find the energy!

I like 3 runs a week too. My marathon training went really well on a modest alternating long/ mid-length run each week so plenty of recovery time between very long sessions, a weekly parkrun done at a steady pace and a mid-week couple of miles to feel, plus a couple of strength sessions.

I'm currently on 4 runs per week because of the plan and I find I'm not fitting in other things like swimming because of it. OK so rain is a factor too.

I'm looking forwards to tapering releasing some time then going off piste.

The trouble with a summer HM is that there's no point getting too optomistic about speed and potential pbs as the weather can blow all that out of the water at the last minute.

@Lamontaine I hope you managed your hilly 12k before the torrential rain and storms!

@gm2023 that's it - I can't fit everything with 4 runs

Did my "10k" trail race with 290m of altitude gain yesterday - they had to change the route at the last minute and we all had 12k on our watches and 450+. I was not really counting on 20 per cent extra and I was a bit undertrained for the trails (also possibly setting a 5k PB in boiling heat wasn't great prep either). Still had lots of fun, and it's definitely given me a heads up that I need to belt up and get out on the trails even if the rains persists, because my trail half in August is going to be a sufferfest if I don't get more climbing and descending in!

Feeling it today!

Well done on the race! I’m pleased to be back into the swing of things after a week off for half term. I did 20km in total last week over three runs. My RunDisney plan doesn’t really get going until next month - when I’ll have to run 6.5 and 8 miles - so I’m just using it as a benchmark for now to make sure I’ve done the minimum distance at the weekend (this month it’s only 2-4 miles). But week 1 of half marathon training is complete! Really happy with this plan so far, as it alternates long runs with a 3 mile run and I feel confident about sticking to it (and about being able to swap weeks around if something comes up).

My aerobic fitness is still really low but I’m planning to start cross-training once a week. I am trying to decide between doing an hour on the elliptical once a week or doing an exercise class. I want something that’s going to give my cardio fitness a boost. I don’t want to add any strength training into my plan at the moment as I’m afraid of DOMS impacting my running sessions - and I’m hoping to focus on strength/5k speed between October and January.

Well done on the race! Trail is definitely a different beast.
I did a 14.8mi trail "HM" last year. At least I knew it was a "bit long" I did a gently paced hilly HM in training and a hilly day each week but it was still a calf-buster! In a way, I trained some hills too steep and some of my local hills were realistic preparation. I really enjoyed the change of scenery in training though!

This week's longest run done- 85 min progression run 😖
The faster running was actually easier. To keep my pace down to the easy pace shortens my stride and I think I land more flat footed and my calves don't appreciate. It was better when I hit the goal pace and faster sections.

That's some elevation @Trickedbyadoughnut  well done you.

I like the sound of those alternating 3 miles @gm2023, very practical, especially over the summer. I've come a cropper several years when there's not been much wiggle room and I've been away at the wrong time.

How did they structure the progressions @BogRollBOGOF?

I managed a slightly improved parkrun and a slow but constant 30 minutes at the weekend. Im going to (try!) ignore pace and VO2 max etc and just focus on extending time on feet. It did feel like I was in the zone so that'll do me over recent efforts.