Advice after 1st HM

angelac

I started running about 9 months ago, doing C25K.  While in the middle of that, I was talked into signing up for a HM, which is May 5th.  I completed the C25k and kind of ended up taking a short break from running due to a busy life and the cold Wisconsin winter weather (I only run outside).  I started back up and have been following a HM training schedule and am on week 8.  I ran 9 miles today, my longest run yet!  When doing the C25K, I was able to run the entire 3 miles without walking by the end of it.  however, now when I do my runs, I'm usually doing a combination of run/ walk ( somewhere between 3-6 mins of running with 1 min of walking).  My pace is about 11:25 doing this.  I figured for this first HM I will just do what I have been doing during training....my goal is just to finish it.  However, I am wondering what to do when this race is over.  My ultimate goal would be to be able to run the entire 13.1 miles, without walking.  Any advice?

runforcookies

I did the same thing, and finished my half marathon the end of February. Right now, I am doing Hal Higdon 5k Intermediate training. It's 5 days of running, but I usually do 4. I do the weekly runs with no walking, and the speedwork I walk 3/4 of the rest and jog slowly the other 1/4. The long runs on the weekends range from 5-7 miles. My pace was the same as yours before, maybe a little slower for longer runs. I have been stretching out my run times, so for the past few weeks I do 9 min run/ 1 minute walk, and sometimes even cut it short and do 45 seconds. I have improved my pace by almost a full minute, and don't feel as fatigued so I think just building a stronger running foundation is helping me. I hope to be able to run a HM in October with no walking. PS I think it's pretty bada$$ that after 9 months of running you are doing a half!!

shauni27

runforcookies:

I did the same thing, and finished my half marathon the end of February. Right now, I am doing Hal Higdon 5k Intermediate training. It's 5 days of running, but I usually do 4. I do the weekly runs with no walking, and the speedwork I walk 3/4 of the rest and jog slowly the other 1/4. The long runs on the weekends range from 5-7 miles. My pace was the same as yours before, maybe a little slower for longer runs. I have been stretching out my run times, so for the past few weeks I do 9 min run/ 1 minute walk, and sometimes even cut it short and do 45 seconds. I have improved my pace by almost a full minute, and don't feel as fatigued so I think just building a stronger running foundation is helping me. I hope to be able to run a HM in October with no walking. PS I think it's pretty bada$$ that after 9 months of running you are doing a half!!

I did this as well--after my first half which I walked a couple of times, and through water stations--I did the 5K intermediate plan and now I am in training for my second half.  There are sometimes that I need to walk while I am training (for about 30 seconds, once or twice during a 9-10 mile run--I pretend it is when I am walking through water stations...) but other than that I run and I have seen a huge improvement in my pace and my overall fitness level.  Yesterday I ran 11 miles and I feel fantastic.  Last year when I ran 11 miles I was limping for a couple of days with blisters ALL over. 

IndyGirl02

When I first got serious about running (3 years ago now), I used a run/walk method to train for and complete a half marathon (in 2:13!). After that, I took a bit of a break -- I didn't stop running but I didn't follow a training plan -- and then I started training for another half marathon that was 6 months after the first. I used a novice plan and started from the beginning, but this time it was all running. I ran the next one. And from there I haven't looked back.

Mrs.Handy

Walking is nothing to worry about. Even fast runners walk. I ran my first HM a few weeks ago and walked a few times. I finished at 1:53:36 which I was thrilled with.

 But I agree with previous posters try some speed work and if you keep at it you'll make it with few to none walk breaks.