I need your honest opinions here

[RockyBalboa]

There's a half marathon on April 19th here in Salt Lake City.

I've never been much of a runner.

Is it realistic if a person started training for it on 2 months notice...this weekend for it to be done?

If so...how do you train for one? I know nothing of how to approach it both workout schedule and diet wise.

Honest opinions and tips among the runners and health wise individuals here would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[ewth8tr]

There's a half marathon on April 19th here in Salt Lake City.

I've never been much of a runner.

Is it realistic if a person started training for it on 2 months notice...this weekend for it to be done?

If so...how do you train for one? I know nothing of how to approach it both workout schedule and diet wise.

Honest opinions and tips among the runners and health wise individuals here would be appreciated.

Thanks!
I was going to run the full marathon then, but now am planning on the half marathon after losing some time to injury, then will go for a full marathon later in the year (possibly Denver). Here are a bunch of articles about half marathon training. I ran 2 of them last year after never running before.
http://www.runnersworld.com/subtopic/0,7123,s6-238-244-258-0,00.html

Here is a training calculator as well
http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator/0,7169,s6-238-277-279-0-0-0-0-0,00.html

[Solon]

I was going to run the full marathon then, but now am planning on the half marathon after losing some time to injury, then will go for a full marathon later in the year (possibly Denver). Here are a bunch of articles about half marathon training. I ran 2 of them last year after never running before.
http://www.runnersworld.com/subtopic/0,7123,s6-238-244-258-0,00.html

Here is a training calculator as well
http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator/0,7169,s6-238-277-279-0-0-0-0-0,00.html

Easy . . . 13 miles is totally doable. I think you should gun for the full marathon.

1. Buy new shoes.
2. Start putting in miles.

I'm a fan of Galloway's run-walk method, but there are a lot of critics too. Basically, you run for awhile (timed) then walk for a few seconds to "reset" your body. It works well for quick recovery.

[Coach McGuirk]

Totally doable. I did my first in 2005. I did not run a lick before 2 months before that race. I used Hal Higdon's training. I had to shorten it because I did not have the whole 12 weeks so I just cut a few runs out and would replace with the next farthest distance.

Good luck!

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

I ran in 2:28 which is horrible but not so horrible.

[Archaea]

If goal is to finish, then certainly.

The main thing, which I don't know, is you should have a physical check up with physician to consult with him about your personal physique to determine if you have any structural issues which may affect your training.

Basically wratcheting up the miles at a rate of ten percent per week can get you there. Thirteen miles is no big deal. Racing them is another matter.

Most people can work up to thirty miles, but it's the speed at which you run that matters, and potential injuries which you should seek to avoid.

You can do it by running on a three to four day a week training schedule.

[MikeWaters]

Everyone that has said "go for it" wants to see in a wheelchair or with knee replacements.

[Archaea]

Everyone that has said "go for it" wants to see in a wheelchair or with knee replacements.

Mike, most of us could run 13 seven times a week, if finishing is the only goal. Even hobbled, 13 takes a couple of hours at most. You can walk it under 3 hours.

[MikeWaters]

I think Rocky should go for it.

[creekster]

Go for it!

[Venkman]

2 months is pushin' it if your not in good shape. I trained 4 months for a full marathon, I started off pretty out of shape. For first two months were really punishing for my back, legs, knees, etc while my body was just trying to get used to running.

I'd run the Ogden half-marathon in May - it's all downhill and you'll have another month to train.

[Runner Coug]

You can totally do it. I have a few pieces of advice: go to a specialty running store (Wasatch Running Co. on 90th and State is great) and have your gait analyzed, so you get put in the right shoe. Don't skimp on shoes.

Start slowly. If you think you're going to go from no running to winning your age group in two months, you're wrong. Be smart about the training. I would echo the advice to use Hal Higdon. He is a great coach. He also hosts a message board with several very knowledgeable runners posting there. They will give you excellent advice. Hal himself chimes in from time to time.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/halforumslogin.asp

Most of all, since it's your first race and you don't have a lot of time to train, make finishing the race your ONLY goal this time. Don't worry about time, pace, or anything, just finish the thing. You'll be proud as hell when you're done, and you're more likely to get through it without injury. It's hard on the ego to see old men, women and even some kids passing you during the race, but trust me, you'll at least live to fight another day. Don't be stupid and try to run too fast.

I'm running the full that day. I ran the 1/2 last year, and the big gripe I heard was lack of mile markers. I ran with a Garmin so I didn't even notice. But the main complaint you always hear about Devine Racing is that they treat their half marys as an afterthought. But for a first time race, I think it would be great. I say go for it.

[RockyBalboa]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm definetly not doing it to race...that would be asninine my first time out.

I'm just wanting to finish and see if I can even do it.

[bigpiney]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm definetly not doing it to race...that would be asninine my first time out.

I'm just wanting to finish and see if I can even do it.

When I did my first and only half marathon. I decided about 2 months before that I was going to it. I had never really run before in my life. You can definatly do it. I went too hard and it hurt alot, but I made it. with some training you should be fine. Just don't have unrealistic goals like I always do.

[fuegote]

I started really running in December and I did a treadmill half marathon 5 weeks later. Totally doable. I think I may to the SLC half as well.

[UteStar]

I started really running in December and I did a treadmill half marathon 5 weeks later. Totally doable. I think I may to the SLC half as well.

Man fuegote, I can think of nothing worse than a treadmill half marathon. I love my treadmill, and I will happily do 4-5 miles on it with the tv on and the ipod on, but a freakin' half marathon on it may just lead me to commit suicide.

[Archaea]

Man fuegote, I can think of nothing worse than a treadmill half marathon. I love my treadmill, and I will happily do 4-5 miles on it with the tv on and the ipod on, but a freakin' half marathon on it may just lead me to commit suicide.


Go for it. No more freaky avatars.

[creekster]

Go for it, Utestar!

[bluegoose]

Rocky, I agree that it is totally doable in 2 months. Just be smart about it, especially the first 2-3 weeks if you basically haven't run at all in a long time. Increasing mileage too quickly is a good way to end up with plantar fasciitis or shin splints.

Once you have a decent base, and I use the term very loosely because running for 3 weeks is hardly a good base, your longer run on the weekends should gradually increase to the point where you are able to do 8-10 miles. My experience has been that if you are able to put in 8 or 9 miles, its not that much of stretch to reach 13 miles. A couple of months ago, SteelBlue and I had been doing 6 miles 3 times weekly. One Saturday we decided to do 10 miles, and the next weekend we did 13 miles. And it was really not a big deal.

Dirt or crushed gravel/cinder trails are a plus for getting miles in.

Oh, and like Arch says, don't skimp on the shoes.

[SteelBlue]

Hey, you said you wanted honest so here goes. Can you do it? Yes. Should you do it? Probably not. If you have been doing absolutely nothing as far as running goes then you are very likely looking at some injuries. As I've learned the hard way many times, the heart and lungs are ready to be pushed much sooner than the ol' tendons. If you do this thing make sure you take bluegoose's advice and run on dirt or cinder trails. The tough part for you is going to be getting in enough base miles to not get injured on your longer runs. And make sure to buy good shoes.