# I'm running my first half-marathon today. Got any advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 10, 2007, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442 "2007-06-10T07:45:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/1 "2007-06-10T07:45:28Z")
In about 30 minutes I will be lining with about 2000 up to start my first ever half-marathon. Prior to this the longest I’ve ever run was 11 miles. Have you got any tips, advice, or anecdotes about your own running experiences? ---
**Author:** ![lilflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@lilflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilflower)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/2 "2007-06-11T02:33:53Z")
Sorry I didn’t see this earlier. I love running half marathons! I always start in the way back so that I can pass people for about the first half of the race - it makes me feel like I’m running really fast when I’m really just passing walkers and 14-minute milers! So how did you do? ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/3 "2007-06-11T06:44:00Z")
I did OK. My time was 2:47, but take off 10 minutes because I had to stop twice to take a leak. I was just looking to finish yesterday and I didn’t have a time in mind. I’m in absolute agony today. My legs are fine but I’ve got the worst sunburn ever! ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/4 "2007-06-11T07:34:50Z")
Just saw this now. Congratulations! you did it! ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/5 "2007-06-11T07:44:44Z")
Congratulations! I like the half marathon distance. Not nearly as intensive to train for as a marathon. Maybe we’ll meet in a race some day. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/6 "2007-06-11T15:11:43Z")
Congratulations on finishing, but I was thinking that next time you might want to ask for advice a little more than 30 minutes prior to starting. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/7 "2007-06-11T16:12:20Z")
I wish I had seen this in time to send you good luck, but you seem to have done just fine without me. 😛 I love the HM distance as well. My advice is for what comes next—ease back into it, but don’t totally drop your running if you want this to be more than a one-time thing. I find that it’s important to me to always have something in mind that I’m training for, even if it’s far in the future. (Although right now, the only thing in front of me is to heal from my stress fracture. 2nd piece of advice is: take injuries seriously.) ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/8 "2007-06-11T19:37:23Z")
Oh **lorene** , you are so right on BOTH counts. I always liked to have some sort of race in mind. That way, I was always “training” for something, and was less likely to blow off workouts. Even if what I was training for was a 10K, just knowing there was a timed event in my future was enough. And I haven’t been running regularly since October, because I have an inflamed nerve in the bottom of my foot (like a neuroma, but apparently not). I really miss the long distance running. I’ve been hitting the gym like crazy, but it just isn’t the same “going all out giving it your all” like say running a half marathon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/9 "2007-06-11T20:07:56Z")
[QUOTE=scout1222] I’ve been hitting the gym like crazy, but it just isn’t the same “going all out giving it your all” like say running a half marathon. ☹ [/QUOTE] We should have a injury recovery support group. I’m allowed to do elliptical and Spin, but that’s it for cardio. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/10 "2007-06-11T22:39:28Z")
Hi guys. I’ve got a couple of slightly embarrassing confessions to make (seasoned runners look away now). In order of egregious inappropriateness they are: 1. I’d been running for a grand total of 3 weeks before this race. 2. I’m a heavy smoker. 3. I went out drinking the night before the race. 4. This was because I didn’t know I was going to be running a race the next day. 5. On the morning of the race I got a call from my running mate who bet me 50 quid (about $75.00 give or take) that I wouldn’t make it to the finish line. See, I’m one of those people who’ll do anything for a bet and while I’d been planning to run a half marathon scheduled in about 4 months I originally had no intention of running this one. I’m sure glad I did, though. In fact, (and this is _so_ lame) I’ve been wearing my finishers medal since I got in from work 🙂 I’m going to be following a pretty regimented plan for the next four months to prepare for the next half marathon. I want to get my time down to as close to 2 hours as possible. I’ve got all the right gear and my running mate is actually an Ironman finisher (he’s got the tattoo and everything), so I’m in good hands. Like you guys I feel a real affinity for the half marathon distance. It’s very challenging, but at the same time it’s not daunting like a full marathon is. I’m definitely looking forward to my next one. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/11 "2007-06-12T02:44:25Z")
[QUOTE=George Kaplin] 1. I’d been running for a grand total of 3 weeks before this race. 2. I’m a heavy smoker. 3. I went out drinking the night before the race. 4. This was because I didn’t know I was going to be running a race the next day. 5. On the morning of the race I got a call from my running mate who bet me 50 quid (about $75.00 give or take) that I wouldn’t make it to the finish line. [/quote] That’s more impressive. Especially in combination. I’ve done “drink and smoke (cigars) the night before a race” and paid for it dearly. I’ve done “begin training four weeks before a race because stupid friend promises she’ll do it too and wants moral support and then three days before the race says ‘oh, I don’t feel like it.’” I’ve done “wake up one morning and decide, hmm…maybe I’ll do that race after all.” but only while training for another race, so I was at least half prepared. But never all at once. I highly doubt I could pull that off for any race longer than a 5k. My hat’s off to you. > [@](#): > > In fact, (and this is _so_ lame) I’ve been wearing my finishers medal since I got in from work 🙂 That’s what they’re for, aren’t they? I also really like half marathons, they don’t take up SO much time (either training or racing) that you can’t have a normal life around them. They push you, but not too hard, and even a bad one is over shortly. It’s a good distance. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-running-my-first-half-marathon-today-got-any-advice/407442/12 "2007-06-12T12:18:44Z")
That is impressive, and think of what you could do if you really train! I do feel compelled to issue a standard “don’t be stupid” warning about increasing too much, etc, but you’ve kind of proven me wrong. Still, as someone with a serious-enough injury that I can’t run for at least 3 weeks, I want to say be careful.