Half marathon training setback after missed runs: adjust target or push on?

[TealReader]

I’m due to do my first half marathon in 2.5 weeks. I’ve been terrified to race or parkrun even because I’m so slow but this one is open to walkers and the cut off is >4 hours so I signed up. I was doing really well until about a month ago, training with Runna. My easy pace had come down to 6:45/km and my 5k time dropped to just over 30mins. Was running 4/week- 2 x easy, 1 tempo/intervals/hills and 1 long run, about half of which had pace targets. I was hoping to finish it in 2:15-2:20.

A month ago there was a family bereavement, a family holiday and a very busy few weeks at work with very busy weekends. I missed one long run, and a few easy runs/tempo sesssions but still managed 3 runs a week. My last few long runs have felt awful- I’ve got up to 18k but the paces were awful (less than 7:30 in some cases) and my legs have felt like lead. I did manage an interval session today where my 200 and 400m paces were brilliant but can’t seem to sustain a pace for any length of time anymore.

I know missing runs will have prevented my improvement but I thought I’d at least have maintained my fitness. Instead I feel I’ve lost all I worked so hard to build.

Apologies for the essay- is there anything I can do to get back to where I was or should I just accept that I’ll not be hitting my targets this time?

Running is all in your head. My guess is that the bereavement has had big effect on you. You’re trying to maintain a pace that is hard for your body and need to ease off.

I’ve done a few half marathons, one I practically walked, there will be loads of finishers around the 3 hour mark.

the next couple of weeks are all about the taper, go for a run, forget pace, just enjoy it and let your body recover for the half. Hopefully, it’s a trail so they’ll be lots of lovely scenery

Your easy pace is too fast.

My current fitness has me running a HM in about 2:05 and my easy pace is 7:00-8:00/km depending on hills.

Your body doesn't feel training stress any differently to life stress. It's all stress. What's been going on in your life has meant your stress levels are in the red and you're adding more training on top of that.

The weight loss is also an indicator of underfuelling. It sounds to me like you're possibly running yourself into a hole energy wise. Please be careful & consider doing a proper taper to get your body fuelled up for the race.

It’s not a trail but it’s fairly hilly with nice scenery. A lot of my colleagues are running it so I’m feeling more pressure about the pace knowing they’ll be seeing it. I have possibly been under fuelling and have consciously increased my portions the last few days despite having a poor appetite. Hopefully that might help. I can run even slower if it would help, I don’t mind the easy runs being slow- it’s more that what felt easy 6 weeks ago doesn’t feel so easy now.

It makes total sense that it doesn't feel ease though. Your body isn't stupid - you've trained a bit less, you're losing weight which means you have less energy available than you need to maintain the status quo, and you're very very stressed. If off the back of that you were running better it would be incredibly weird! Your body is conserving energy because it basically feels under threat, and that means runs feel harder. Accept that, and work with it a bit. Prioritise sleep, don't run fasted, and for dead leg runs I'd add in some 10 metre sprints. Literally sprint from one lamp post to the next then slow jog for the next five. Then repeat. Do about six - eight times and it will help liven up your legs a bit. But ultimately, cut yourself some slack. I think your colleagues will just be impressed you've turned up at all given what you're going through.

(also which half, it sounds lovely!)

If you can run 18km, you can run 21km.
And if you have 4 hours, you can slow right down to 11 mins/km and still complete in time. At that pace, it is a briskish walk, not even really a run. And there is no shame in run/walking it, that is still more than most can manage.
Your aim should be to complete it and enjoy the experience, not worry about the pace.

Sorry for your loss.

Jelly it’s on a greenway in south east Ireland. Lou I know academically that I can finish but I’ve been really hoping to complete it sub 2:20 and that’s just not going to happen now. I seemed to be on track up to a few weeks ago but it’s all just so hard now.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope things are getting a little easier with each day that passes.

I did my first, and last, half marathon last year.

I was super proud I finished it. My friend's advice from years ago of " you're doing better with your running than most people, as you're out there doing it" has always stuck in my head. It got me through the final few kilometres.

I started couch to 5k 11 years ago. I run 5k at least twice a week. I've never run a 5k under 30mins and I don't care.

Because I'm doing 5k.

You will finish this half marathon at your pace because you've set your mind to do so, I'm sure.

Good luck with it. Let us know how you get on.

You have had a difficult tine, dont be so hard on yourself. Just go along with tge aim if getting round.

P s. Just did my "easy run" 5k at 8.49/km

I do accept I’ll get around but I had a goal in my head and I can’t help be disappointed that I’ll be so far off it I suppose.

I know running isn’t all about speed but I would love to get a bit faster. I would love to do a marathon some day and the training time is massively daunting at my pace. And I’d love to be able to join the local running club.

I don’t mind the easy runs being slow- it’s more that what felt easy 6 weeks ago doesn’t feel so easy now

Honestly, this is normal. The cumulative fatigue makes training really hard in the run up to a goal race. This is why we taper, so your body can consolidate all the training and get stronger in a period of relative rest.

Prioritise sleep and food, do less running rather than more this week, get yourself back on an even keel. I don't know if you're following a plan but your long run next week should be no more than an hour.

Oh and don't worry about the training time needed for a marathon.

You don't have to run long long runs for hours and hours at a time. A good plan will use the power of cumulative fatigue to stack efforts together.

I ran 4:15 off a longest run of 3 hours/17 miles. Some goal pace efforts in those long runs but the majority of it were at 7:30 pace. You'll be fine to train for a marathon off your paces.

What matters more to you OP? Completing the half, or your time?
I absolutely get wanting to achieve a certain time, not least because it can feel pretty miserable taking a long time out there running.

If you’d just like to complete one, then don’t worry - you absolutely will. I would just focus on rest, recovery & fuelling now, and on the day, build in some walking, as well
a comfortable running pace. Adrenalin on the day will help.

If you really care about the time, maybe skip this one & look to reset & complete another. I‘m in Ireland too, there are lots of races coming up eg there’s still places for the Frank Duffy 10 (ie 16km), I believe, that’s in August. Also look to find a more supportive running club & join a gym (look at ones attached to GAA clubs) for strength training. It makes all the difference.

I am in a gym, small one but have the equipment. Strength training hampered by a bad hand injury a few months ago but planning to get back on that after the race (don’t want to risk a new injury so close to the race). I live fairly rurally and work full time so it a club isn’t close to either home or work it’s not really going to work but I’ll take a look. I might sign up for the Kilkenny medieval half in September to work on my time. But my main reason for doing this one is to get over my terrible fear of running with other people. I would also like to feel I’ve achieved something for all the work I’ve put into training hence the focus on time.

Oh I was actually looking at that the other day, looks stunning!

What I would say though is booking and paying for a race always guarantees I have a cold or an injury that absolutely scuppers my target times. I get round it by running the event as best I can, and then re-running the same route a few weeks later when I'm feeling better (just by myself) to get the time I want. Might take the pressure off if you treat it as a practice of running by (not with) people and you can reattempt when you're feeling better?

Doing a half marathon at all is a massive achievement! And you have absolutely got something out of the training you've put in - you have got to the point where you can go and do that run! I think you're in your own head over this, and it's not a surprise at all because you've had a really rocky few weeks. I think you need to reframe it in your head as "I have had a rough few weeks and I'm really proud of myself that I'm going to go ahead and run." You don't have to believe it, you just have to say "Those thoughts are unhelpful to me." And then repeat the above mantra to yourself.

Thanks everyone. I did 16k this morning and while it was 2hours my HR was under 140 (max for me 200) and it felt good. I’ve accepted I’ll be very slow and have signed up to another half in September to work on speed a bit.

Running is horrible. Have a doughnut instead. 😜

I’d just go along and do what you can. Hopefully enjoy it. I’ve done a few halves where I’ve been aiming for a certain time and it’s felt like torture and other than once I didn’t mange it.

others I’ve gone with no time in mind and done better than I expected and crucially enjoyed it.

you will always go slightly faster on race day. Go get that medal!