Health & Fitness
sept04brideinMD
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
First 1/2 suggestions?
So, I am not completely "new" to training for a 1/2, but I am still looking for suggestions. I made it through about 8 weeks or so training in the fall, then I fell off my treadmill, skinning my knees (as you would see on America's Funniest Home Videos), elbows, and legs. This was right before the 1/2 - so I defered, as I couldn't even walk, let alone run because of the horrible scabs.
Anyway, I am now hoping to complete a 1/2 in June - and looking for pointers, suggestions, etc. I recently bought new shoes - hoping to break them in tonight since my old shoes were giving me shin splints 
Anything you HAVE to have to run with, especially the LONG runs? Do you run the full race distance before actually running the race?
Re: First 1/2 suggestions?
For long runs I usually wear my camelbak or carry a handheld water bottle, especially when it is hot outside. I need my water!!
In training for my first half I only went up to 10 miles and I felt like the additional 3.1 miles was not a big deal. I do know some people like to run the full distance before the race but I found that all the race day excitement and the adrenaline helped push me through
Good luck!!
For my first few HMs, I carried a handheld water bottle and a few Shot Bloks for any run over 6 miles (or less than that if it was warm). In between HM #3 and #4, I joined a local training group that has water and gatorade set out for us along the route so I don't carry anything during my long runs but will take strawberry or tropical punch Shot Bloks on race day b/c I know they won't bug my stomach and I don't have time to water down my Gatorade during a race (and I don't like carrying stuff in my hand if I can help it).
Re: distance-pre running group, my longest run was 10 miles, two weeks before my goal race. I used the Hal Higdon novice HM training program for my first half, and Runnersworld.com's SmartCoach programs for #2 and 3...and had no problems going the full 13.1 on race day. The training plans developed for the members of my running group have us topping out at 12 miles two weeks before race day, but sometimes I run more like 13 for the hell of it (my 7th HM is next month, so at this point I'm used to the long run mileage).
I've ran 8 halves (my 9th is this Saturday!) and for every single one of them the longest run beforehand was between 10 and 11 miles. It works for me, but it's really a personal preference, some people do like to know beforehand that they can do the distance, but I don't think it's really necessary.
For my halves I always wear my fuel belt, which holds two bottles and has a little pouch that I can put my phone, chapstick and car key in. I fill one of the bottles with Gatorade, one with water. I also use a Gu or 2 during a half, but some people don't fuel at all for a half. Once again, it's a personal preference and you just need to experiment during your training to find out what works best for you. I listen to music on my training runs, but not during actual races.
I got a Camelbak a little more than a month ago and it has made my long runs so much more enjoyable. I am planning on wearing that and my SPI belt, carrying two packs of Honey Stinger Energy Chews, just in case, for my first half.
As far as training, I had intended to do a 12 mile run two weeks before, but I opted to spend time with a family member who was recently diagnosed with cancer instead. The farthest I have run so far is 11 miles, but I did a 10 mile run this past weekend before starting to taper, and I felt like I could have kept going, no problem.
A friend suggested to me not to run the full distance before the race because part of the excitement of crossing the finish line is achieving a new distance. I don't know if that matters to you or not, but it'll really get my adrenaline going.