# How should I train for a Half-Marathon?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 23, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751 "2006-02-23T05:01:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/1 "2006-02-23T05:01:48Z")
First of all let me pat myself on the back. Last May I was 50 pounds overweight, and I was fed up with it. I decided to eat better and begin running. I thought that running would be the last thing I would enjoy doing, but lo and behold I loved it!When I started I could barely run a kilometer. Fast forward to the present day and now I have lost 35 pounds and am dissapointed if I don’t run at least six kilometers a day. Some days I run up to 10km! Hooray! I love being fit! 😃
Now for the real question. I’ve decided to run a half marathon which is roughly 22km. The marathon is in 12 weeks. I figure I should be able to do it if I work hard enough. Does anyone have advice on how to train for a half-marathon? Any reccomended training plans? As well how should I eat? I’d still like to lose these 15 pounds so I don’t want to eat a lot of food. Right now I’m on a 2000 calorie a day plan, with average amounts of carbs and protein.
Oh and I’m 23 years old. Also any experiences anyone would like to share are welcome!
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/2 "2006-02-23T05:27:57Z")
Be sure to eat a half a good breakfast every day, stretch out half the muscles in your body before and after any exercise you do, and keep halfway believing in yourself.
Sorry.
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### Author:  [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/3 "2006-02-23T06:56:46Z")
The trick is to train slowly but steadily. Some people get all gung-ho and they end up getting injured and not being able to do the race. I did a half-marathon and then a full-marathon through [Team in Training](http://www.teamintraining.org/hm_tnt) . They offer a great training program for a very good cause (but you have to raise money as part of your training.)
Hal Higdon’s site offers a pretty similar program, for free. [Here’s his half-marathon page.](http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/index.htm) Good luck! It’s a great thing to accomplish.
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### Author:  [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/4 "2006-02-23T07:18:17Z")
> [@TJdude825](#):
>
> Be sure to eat a half a good breakfast every day, stretch out half the muscles in your body before and after any exercise you do, and keep halfway believing in yourself.
>
> Sorry.
and of course you do everything half-asrsed
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### Author:  [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/5 "2006-02-23T08:45:38Z")
From the thread [I want to run a half marathon, advice please!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=181711):
The main thing that you need for a starter is some running mileage. You can start easy, running just a mile at a time, or even less. You can them ramp up the mileage per run, but slowly: if you are starting off with 1-mile runs, then you should get comfortable at that distance for at least a couple weeks before you move up to 1.5 or 2 miles per run. And you don’t need a run every day: every other day is plenty, and even just two or three runs a week is good enough if your goal is finishing (as opposed to speed, which requires a little more work).
When your mileage per run reaches about 4 miles, then you can differentiate your runs between long runs and short runs. You need a good long run, at your top mileage, about once a week (although taking a week off from a long run now and then is not only okay, it is a good idea). Your other runs can cover a shorter distance. For example, you can run a 3-mile run two or three days a week, and a long run–whose distance you gradually increase over time–on the weekend.
You should also start running in some fun runs and road races, just in order to get a feel for running a race as opposed to a training run. When your long runs are about 2 miles, you can probably finish a 5K (3.1 mile) fun run. When your long runs are about 4 miles, you can probably finish a 10K (6.2 mile) road race. You need not run a road race as an actual “race”: think of it as just another training run, with a crowd training with you and organized aid stations along the route. But before you run the half-marathon, you should get a little experience with road racing so that you can develop some good racing habits like running in a crowd, pacing yourself properly (since running in a crowd can easily inspire an overly enthusiastic starting pace, which you quickly regret after the first couple miles), and taking advantage of aid stations. And crossing the finish line in front of a cheering crowd, no matter how fast you finish, is a great inspiration.
Speaking of running in a crowd, I highly recommend training regularly–not necessarily all the time, but at least on your long runs–with friends or an organized group. Your running buddies will motivate you to get out there and run on days when, alone, you might not. They will make the experience more enjoyable and make the miles pass more quickly. And you can learn from each other about running strategy and technique as you each develop your own style, experience, and knowledge base.
A healthy diet is as important for running as it is for life, but a particular diet for running is not critical until the few days leading up to the half-marathon, when loading carbohydrates is the traditional approach (which is why most marathoners eat a pasta dinner on the night before the race). There are many theories about what foods are most conducive to good running and good racing, so I won’t go into them here. Any good running guide or magazine will cover this topic.
Good shoes are also critical. Again, any good running guide will cover this topic and tell you in general what you should be looking for, and _Runner’s World_ magazine publishes two or three annual shoe issues that cover and rate the current market. I recommend visiting a local running store–_not_ just a general shoe store or sporting-goods shop–for advice from the resident specialist about running shoes.
Finally, I highly recommend investing in some literature that will educate you and guide your training. There are many good books about beginning a distance-running program, including–[ul][li][_The Courage to Start: A Guide to Running for Your Life_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684854554/ref=pd_sim_books_3/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by John “The Penguin” Bingham[/li][li][_Marathoning for Mortals_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1579547826/ref=pd_sbs_b_1/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by John Bingham[/li][li][_No Need for Speed: A Beginner’s Guide to the Joy of Running_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1579544290/ref=pd_sim_books_4/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by John Bingham[/li][li][_Marathoning 101- How To Finish Your First Marathon_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0966551214/qid=1052059295/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by Scott Demaree and Eric Steele[/li][li][_How to Run Your First Marathon_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0671442066/qid=1052059295/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by Andy Friedberg[/li][li][_Marathon: You Can Do It!_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0936070250/ref=pd_sim_books_5/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by Jeff Galloway[/li][li][_First Marathons_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1891369113/qid=1052058919/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by Gail Waesche Kislevitz[/li][li][_The Spirit of the Marathon: What to Expect in Your First Marathon, and How to Run Them for the Rest of Your Life_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1891369369/qid=1052059295/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by Gail Waesche Kislevitz[/li][li][_The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1570281823/ref=pd_sim_books_2/002-8266554-1764045?v=glance&s=books) by David A. Whitsett, Tanjala Mabon Kole, and Forrest A. Dolgener [/li][/ul]Don’t worry that these books are sometimes about marathoning as opposed to half-marathoning: the same principles apply. I especially recommend the books by John “The Penguin” Bingham, which emphasize running as an exercise in enjoyment and health, rather than as a competitive sport. I also recommend a subscription to [_Runner’s World_](http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,,00.html?site=RunnersWorld), a monthly periodical that contains invaluable advice about diet, shoes and other running apparel, running in cold and hot weather, and upcoming races in your area.
Good luck!
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### Author:  [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/6 "2006-02-23T14:51:40Z")
I’ve run three so far. If you can run a 10K, you can run a HM: just a good bit more slowly.
Run shorter distances during the week: 3-4 milers, but not more than three of them. On the weekend, do a longer run:
Week#1 Long Run @ 4 miles
Week#2 Long Run @ 5 miles
Week#3 Long Run @ 6 miles
Week#4 Long Run @ 7 miles
Week#5 Long Run @ 8 miles
Week#6 Long Run @ 9 miles
Week#7 Long Run @ 10 miles
Week#8 Long Run @ 11 miles
Week#9 Long Run @ 12 miles
Week#10 Long Run @ 13 miles
Week#11 Long Run @ 10 miles
Week#12 Long Run @ event/break/rest miles
If you’re 10K compliant, the next big barrier is the 10 mile mark. Miles 11,12,13 and the .1 mile finish are doable.
or something like that…the key is to work on completing the race, screw speed.
The neat thing is that in good HM’s, finshers get medals.
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### Author:  [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/7 "2006-02-23T15:01:10Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#):
>
> How should I train for a Half-Marathon?
Train for a Centi-Marathon. Then repeat fifty times.
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### Author:  [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/8 "2006-02-23T16:28:19Z")
First, congrats on your progress!
Second, one thing I forget to keep asking in threads like this is how long have you been able to do X? X = your best regular mileage. This is to give us an idea of how long you have been running and at what intensity. I know runners who never go over 3 miles, but ran up to 3 miles for years. Going to 10k, 13 mi, or more, will be, on average, just as hard for them as someone who has had good running experience, but hasn’t run in a long time.
Also, from what I can tell, 12 weeks might be a bit too aggressive, especially with **cerberus’s** plan (no offense). Then again, it depends on how you want to race. If you want to merely complete it, then you can probably do it in 12 weeks, but it will be slow, and you’ll have to peak at week 12. If you want to make a good, college try out of it, I would suggest at least 6 months (I use to train 1 year for my marathons). However, in either case, I think 12 weeks might be pushing it. Anyway, **cerberus’s** has the right idea, make one run a long run, and increase that run every week. If you don’t have a lot of training experience, I can guarantee that weeks 7-10 are going to be mind-numbingly excrutiating. It’s not only the pain you have to deal with, but with the mental capacity to keep going, especially if you’re running by yourself. I find that I can keep myself occupied for about 90 mins of running (almost a half-marathon for me), after that, I get super-bored. It took me two years to build that up.
Also, don’t forget to rest, try to incorporate at least 2 rest days in your schedule. I break up my day like this:
Monday: medium run, but slow to recover from Saturday’s long run
Tuesday: speed day, two hundreds (Fartlek runs)
Wednesday: short run (but faster than Monday)
Thursday: speed day (hills)
Friday: rest
Saturday: long run (I try to increase my mileage not more than 10% from week to week, but for an aggressive schedule, I would pile all my additional miles into this day)
Sunday: rest
If you want more rest, take out one of the speed days (but not the same two week to week). Also, depending on how you feel, switch Monday and Wednesday around.
Lastly, I used Hal’s site to base my training program.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/9 "2006-02-23T17:17:38Z")
I have a friend who “trained” for the Dublin marathon by eating magic mushrooms the night before, doing a few knee bends, and smoking a joint.
Surprisingly, he actually completed it!
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/10 "2006-02-23T17:20:05Z")
Hit submit too soon.
I meant to say that I in no way endorse his behaviour and recommend you stop by your local gym to talk to someone about starting a prop exercise programme tailored to your need!
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/11 "2006-02-23T18:23:15Z")
> [@irishgirl](#):
>
> Hit submit too soon.
> I meant to say that I in no way endorse his behaviour and recommend you stop by your local gym to talk to someone about starting a prop exercise programme tailored to your need!
Which gym did your friend go to, and do they have any openings?
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### Author:  [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/12 "2006-02-24T15:12:19Z")
I would highly recommend the book Daniel’s Running Formula by Jack Daniels (no, not the Tennessee whisky guy). I have been using the training programs in this book for my marathons, and have improved at all my race distances. He has programs for racing 5km thru marathons.
It’s kind of a technical book, somewhat directed towards coaching. The thing that’s really great are his “VDOT” tables, that enable you to judge your performance at one distance, and set a realistic goal for other distances. He also gives very specific training advice about intensity and duration, taylored to your own recent performance.
Personally, when I train up for a half-marathon, I try to get in about 30 miles per week for about 4 weeks before the race, tapering off in the last week. I try to get my longest run up to 15 miles at a comfortable pace.
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-train-for-a-half-marathon/345751/13 "2006-02-24T18:28:11Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#):
>
> Train for a Centi-Marathon. Then repeat fifty times.
Hop. You should only be using one leg.
Ah, this is fun.