Best Programs for Half Marathon Prep
January 5, 2025 12:34 PM Subscribe
I am thinking of signing up for runDisney's half marathon. This would be a huge accomplishment for me as I've only ever done 5k races. I have 9 months to prep. What are some of your favorite training programs for this kind of thing? I do not think I can finish under 2hrs 30 min so that won't be my goal.
It sounds like you’re currently in “5k shape”?
Depending on where you’re currently I found B210K (Bridge to 10k) after I’d completed C25K - and liked it even better (because I had way less resistance to running at that point). I have always been a very slow runner, but I managed to finish a 10k in a little over an hour after studiously following the B210K. For me, this was almost unfathomable running endurance!
I don’t have any specific advice for the half marathon length, but just putting a plug in for B210K as one way to “bust through” the 5k ceiling.
posted by seemoorglass at 12:58 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]
Depending on where you’re currently I found B210K (Bridge to 10k) after I’d completed C25K - and liked it even better (because I had way less resistance to running at that point). I have always been a very slow runner, but I managed to finish a 10k in a little over an hour after studiously following the B210K. For me, this was almost unfathomable running endurance!
I don’t have any specific advice for the half marathon length, but just putting a plug in for B210K as one way to “bust through” the 5k ceiling.
posted by seemoorglass at 12:58 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]
What does your current lifestyle and running volume look like? Like, how long have you been running, how many MPW do you currently run, and are you coming over from another sport to running, or is running your main form of cardio?
posted by moosetracks at 1:54 PM on January 5
posted by moosetracks at 1:54 PM on January 5
2nd vote for the basic Hal Higdon plans.
I'd add a few other things I've learned (usually the hard way):
1) Sick? Don't try and do a long run if you feel like crap. If I'm on the border, I'll often start a run and then pull the plug after 10 minutes if things are just not clicking.
2) Don't try and make up for a missed run. If you miss a bunch due to life, roll back a week or two and just keep going.
3) If this was my first time and I had a good bit of time until my race (sounds like you do), I'd pad the end of the training plan by repeating the last few runs. For example, if I had 16+ weeks, I'd take a 12 week plan and go 1-2-3-4-5-6-6-7-8-9-9-10-10-11-11-12- or something like that. This way if something happens I'm not suddenly behind schedule.
4) Form matters. A lot. Good form uses less energy, reduces the impacts that lead to injury, and make going faster easier. Watch faster runners and you will start to see that they keep their heads up, the torso does not rotate very much (if at all), their foot lands with a slightly bent knee, and the trailing foot tends to go way behind them. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJWPwVF30yo for a great (a bit dry, but it is an old school youtube video before the polished clickbait stuff of today) breakdown of two forms ("Gazelle" and "Glider") and see what works for you.
5) Have fun and enjoy the process (it may be "type 2 fun" but it should still be fun).
posted by SegFaultCoreDump at 2:05 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
I'd add a few other things I've learned (usually the hard way):
1) Sick? Don't try and do a long run if you feel like crap. If I'm on the border, I'll often start a run and then pull the plug after 10 minutes if things are just not clicking.
2) Don't try and make up for a missed run. If you miss a bunch due to life, roll back a week or two and just keep going.
3) If this was my first time and I had a good bit of time until my race (sounds like you do), I'd pad the end of the training plan by repeating the last few runs. For example, if I had 16+ weeks, I'd take a 12 week plan and go 1-2-3-4-5-6-6-7-8-9-9-10-10-11-11-12-
4) Form matters. A lot. Good form uses less energy, reduces the impacts that lead to injury, and make going faster easier. Watch faster runners and you will start to see that they keep their heads up, the torso does not rotate very much (if at all), their foot lands with a slightly bent knee, and the trailing foot tends to go way behind them. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJWPwVF30yo for a great (a bit dry, but it is an old school youtube video before the polished clickbait stuff of today) breakdown of two forms ("Gazelle" and "Glider") and see what works for you.
5) Have fun and enjoy the process (it may be "type 2 fun" but it should still be fun).
posted by SegFaultCoreDump at 2:05 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
Another vote for Higdon! He got me through my first 1/2, and then my second many years later. His Novice 1 will get you across the line if that’s your only goal, but I’d caution that if you do care much about achieving a particular time it’s a program that does not incorporate much speed work in any way. It’s pretty much going to build you a base that will get you over the line and not much more. (And no shame in that—it was all I wanted and is still a remarkable achievement.)
posted by synecdoche at 2:18 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]
posted by synecdoche at 2:18 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]
The above recommendations are good! I’ll just chip in with a recommendation to incorporate cross training into your plan, if you can. Swimming, cycling, yoga, weight training are all helpful to avoid injury, as well as stave off boredom if you end up running the same routes a lot.
Similarly, you might want to look into a local running group, if you’re a social sort. Half training can take a *lot* of running time, and there’s no rule that you have to spend it alone if you don’t want to. If you crave solitude and alone time, that’s totally valid, too - long slow runs can be really psychologically therapeutic and almost medative.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:23 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]
Similarly, you might want to look into a local running group, if you’re a social sort. Half training can take a *lot* of running time, and there’s no rule that you have to spend it alone if you don’t want to. If you crave solitude and alone time, that’s totally valid, too - long slow runs can be really psychologically therapeutic and almost medative.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:23 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]
Another for Hal Higdon's mileage but I also wanted to add that you could look into the Galloway method for the actual runs.
In a nutshell, with the Galloway method, you run and walk at set ratios, and as you get better at running, you run for more than you walk. There's no rule in long distance running that says the only legit finish is one where you run the entire time!
So how this works is you'd do the Hal Higdon distance and then decide on what your run:walk ratio for that distance will be. If you have a 2:1 ratio, then you'd run for something like 2 minutes and then walking for 1 minute. Rinse and repeat until you finish the distance. And if running for 2 minutes is too much, then you run for 1:30 and then walk for 45 seconds. I like these ratios because it lets me finish all my distances while also taking into account how I'm feeling that day. I set my Garmin on the interval time and every time it vibrated, I'd switch.
I ran my first half marathon around with an over 12 minute mile average (I did great in the first half and then ran out of gas in the second half) and wanted to die at the end of that. I switched over to the run-walk method for my full marathon and ended up doing double the distance at a better pace than my half. And then I pushed myself to do a more challenging run:walk ratio for my 2nd half last summer and ended up a few minutes shy of a 2 hour and 30 minute half!
posted by astapasta24 at 4:01 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
In a nutshell, with the Galloway method, you run and walk at set ratios, and as you get better at running, you run for more than you walk. There's no rule in long distance running that says the only legit finish is one where you run the entire time!
So how this works is you'd do the Hal Higdon distance and then decide on what your run:walk ratio for that distance will be. If you have a 2:1 ratio, then you'd run for something like 2 minutes and then walking for 1 minute. Rinse and repeat until you finish the distance. And if running for 2 minutes is too much, then you run for 1:30 and then walk for 45 seconds. I like these ratios because it lets me finish all my distances while also taking into account how I'm feeling that day. I set my Garmin on the interval time and every time it vibrated, I'd switch.
I ran my first half marathon around with an over 12 minute mile average (I did great in the first half and then ran out of gas in the second half) and wanted to die at the end of that. I switched over to the run-walk method for my full marathon and ended up doing double the distance at a better pace than my half. And then I pushed myself to do a more challenging run:walk ratio for my 2nd half last summer and ended up a few minutes shy of a 2 hour and 30 minute half!
posted by astapasta24 at 4:01 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
All good advice above but I also want to mention the benefits of some targeted strength training, particularly to help with injury prevention. Running is by definition a repetitive strain activity and as soon as I hit 40, I seemed to get frequent calf and knee injuries when running, which can upset even the best training plan. I now do calf raises and squats (with weights) 2-3 times a week and it is helping. You may be prone to different injuries so listen to your body. You also want to make sure you don’t break the 10% rule which states you shouldn’t increase your weekly mileage by more than about 10% each week. Good luck!!!
posted by piyushnz at 5:37 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
posted by piyushnz at 5:37 PM on January 5 [3 favorites]
9 months is plenty of time to work up to that distance. It's good that you don't have a time goal - aiming to finish comfortably should be your plan.
I think that SegFaultCoreDump pretty much has it, although I'd disagree about how they pad out a longer program. I'd take more time building up rather than do longer/repeating runs at the end. IMHO, if you can run 10 miles, you can almost certainly run 13. If you can run 11, you can definitely run 13. I wouldn't bother going further than that in training.
I'd also say that the most important part of your training is the long run. Runs during the week keep you in shape and can help with your speed, but the long runs build the endurance. Miss the short runs if you must, but do everything you can to avoid missing the long ones.
If you need to walk during your runs, do so. Walking for one minute every mile or half mile or every five minutes or whatever is TOTALLY FINE. It's not cheating. Make it part of your routine if you like.
When you get to race day, stick to your pace (you'll know what it is). The excitement of the race may have you going out too fast. Resist the temptation. A GPS watch is a godsend here.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 9:13 PM on January 5
I think that SegFaultCoreDump pretty much has it, although I'd disagree about how they pad out a longer program. I'd take more time building up rather than do longer/repeating runs at the end. IMHO, if you can run 10 miles, you can almost certainly run 13. If you can run 11, you can definitely run 13. I wouldn't bother going further than that in training.
I'd also say that the most important part of your training is the long run. Runs during the week keep you in shape and can help with your speed, but the long runs build the endurance. Miss the short runs if you must, but do everything you can to avoid missing the long ones.
If you need to walk during your runs, do so. Walking for one minute every mile or half mile or every five minutes or whatever is TOTALLY FINE. It's not cheating. Make it part of your routine if you like.
When you get to race day, stick to your pace (you'll know what it is). The excitement of the race may have you going out too fast. Resist the temptation. A GPS watch is a godsend here.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 9:13 PM on January 5
Response by poster: Unfortunately I'm coming off a year of being pretty ill and sedentary. I'm also on Zepbound and should be at my goal weight of 150lbs or so by September. The advice regarding strength training is sound and I will take it as that's something I need to work up to anyway as part of being on Zepbound.
When I was well, I was able to run/walk two runDisney 5k events in about 45 min on very cold January mornings without prep a few years ago.
The half marathon will be a Sunday morning in early September, though. September is still summer in California so it will be hot, even in the wee hours of the morning. I am concerned about the weather because I hate being hot. However, over the last year or so I've been able to power-walk a 5k in about an hour when it's steamy, so I know what my weaknesses are in that kind of environment and will be on the lookout for ways to address them as I train.
Does any of this info change opinions on what I'll be capable of? I already paid for my registration as it's my birthday today and I'm determined to make this year around the sun different than the last so, uh, here goes nothing
posted by The Adventure Begins at 11:09 PM on January 5
When I was well, I was able to run/walk two runDisney 5k events in about 45 min on very cold January mornings without prep a few years ago.
The half marathon will be a Sunday morning in early September, though. September is still summer in California so it will be hot, even in the wee hours of the morning. I am concerned about the weather because I hate being hot. However, over the last year or so I've been able to power-walk a 5k in about an hour when it's steamy, so I know what my weaknesses are in that kind of environment and will be on the lookout for ways to address them as I train.
Does any of this info change opinions on what I'll be capable of? I already paid for my registration as it's my birthday today and I'm determined to make this year around the sun different than the last so, uh, here goes nothing
posted by The Adventure Begins at 11:09 PM on January 5
Hi! I've done a half, starting by following a couch to 5k app, then a 5k to 10k, then... I don't remember exactly; it was several years ago. My long runs weren't quite where I wanted them to be when the half rolled around, so I decided that I would walk for a few minutes at every water stop whether I felt I needed to or not. This was a really social half marathon and some people walk the whole thing, so there were water stops every few kilometres.
It worked out great, highly recommend! I'm quite a slow runner, and it was very satisfying anyway.
You definitely want to get used to doing some light snacking and hydration during your longer runs as you train. I did the occasional handful of gorp, but there's all sorts of performance gels and suchlike if your stomach doesn't like solids while you're running.
I'm not an expert and am only extrapolating from my own experience, but I believe you're capable of this!
posted by inexorably_forward at 2:07 AM on January 6
It worked out great, highly recommend! I'm quite a slow runner, and it was very satisfying anyway.
You definitely want to get used to doing some light snacking and hydration during your longer runs as you train. I did the occasional handful of gorp, but there's all sorts of performance gels and suchlike if your stomach doesn't like solids while you're running.
I'm not an expert and am only extrapolating from my own experience, but I believe you're capable of this!
posted by inexorably_forward at 2:07 AM on January 6
The half marathon will be a Sunday morning in early September, though. September is still summer in California so it will be hot, even in the wee hours of the morning. I am concerned about the weather because I hate being hot.
I wouldn't be too concerned, but make sure to wear a very good hat and sunscreen up, and do not skip an aid station - it's fine to even stop at them to make sure you get all the fluids down. When I'm in a hot race, I will drink a cup of Gatorade first and then splash a cup of water into my hat and put it back on my head to cool off, it feels great and the hat stays wet and cool for a while.
From your additional details, I second the suggestion to try the Galloway run/walk method in training and even in the race if you think it's necessary. Again, best of luck. I promise you the medal at the end will make you feel incredible.
posted by fortitude25 at 4:35 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't be too concerned, but make sure to wear a very good hat and sunscreen up, and do not skip an aid station - it's fine to even stop at them to make sure you get all the fluids down. When I'm in a hot race, I will drink a cup of Gatorade first and then splash a cup of water into my hat and put it back on my head to cool off, it feels great and the hat stays wet and cool for a while.
From your additional details, I second the suggestion to try the Galloway run/walk method in training and even in the race if you think it's necessary. Again, best of luck. I promise you the medal at the end will make you feel incredible.
posted by fortitude25 at 4:35 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
You might see if there's a running club in your area that offers training programs. I did a 5k training program through my local running club and found the members and coaches incredibly welcoming and supportive.
posted by amarynth at 8:05 AM on January 6
posted by amarynth at 8:05 AM on January 6
« Older What to expect after finger surgery | Why won’t this lens work with my Fujifilm x-pro1... Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
Hal Higdon is a very popular source for many people running their first half. His programs are pretty beginner friendly and I think you'd find either the Novice One or Two program to be suitable for you. The app syncs with your running watch so you can record your progress, although that's not necessary to do. The programs are designed to build your mileage up without risking overtraining or injury. Most importantly, you run enough during the week for the long runs on Sunday (a critical part of building endurance) to not be a massive component of your weekly mileage. A very common mistake bad plans make is making you run very short distances during the week, and then pile all your mileage into your long run, which leaves you too tired to be in peak shape for the race.
Best of luck!
posted by fortitude25 at 12:50 PM on January 5 [4 favorites]