need half marathon training help

luckii00

I started training for a half that's at the end of February.  I've done 2 other half marathons before, but I've never included strength training.

I'm running 3 days a week, and would like to strength train (upper & lower body) twice a week. 

Here's my problem--if you're supposed to let your lower body recover for 1 day after a run, when do you do the lower body strength work?

carlab44

I don't do a recovery day after every run. In general I follow Hal Higdon's intermediate half training program (http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51132/Half-Marathon-Intermediate-Training-Program) which is:

Monday: Strength & Stretch
Tuesday: Run
Wednesday: Speed Work
Thursday: Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run
Sunday: Long Run

Although I substitute cross training (with some strength training) for the "strength & stretch" day and one of the days of running.

What do you normally do the other 4 days you aren't running? I think you're fine either doing strength on 2 of those days, or doing running + strength on one of your run days and doing strength on a rest day, etc.

jillybean222

It doesn't sound like you are doing crazy mileage so you shouldn't have to rest after every run.  Make sure you have an easy run built into your weekly routine (a day where pace is not factored in) and take it nice and slow and easy.  That should be enough recovery.  The other running days should be tempo (race pace or even a tad faster) and a long run (close to race pace since you are only running 3 days...if you increase to 4 running days, slow down to 1 min/mile slower than goal race pace for your long run).  GL!