Half Marathon Training...?

Question

I need a goal at the gym otherwise I will get nowhere, so I figured as good a goal as any is running a marathon...or more likely a half marathon!

I'm 6'2" and 87kg rugby build so not exactly marathon running material but I figure why not give it a go! I've just been to the gym and I ran 3.5km in 20mins and was relatively beat, sweating a LOT but I think I could have run for another 20mins at the same pace.

I eat healthilly..to an extent.. I go to the gym 5 times a week but I also like to build muscle doing weights and I don't plan on stopping this.

My questions are:

1) How long will it take me to be able to run 21km (1/2 marathon)?

2) When I get more comfortable with a distance on treadmill do I up the speed or up the distance? The number I plucked from my head for the 1/2 marathon is <2hrs

and 3) Ummm, Don't you just LOVE the smell of freshly cut grass?

Answer 1

There is no reason you can&#039;t do a half-marathon.

I wouldn&#039;t recommend doing all your training on the treadmill.

I recommend beginners run for time rather than distance.  You want to be able to comfortably run for 40 minutes.

There are lots of training programs out there both on line and in books.  Basically they all will have you gradually increase the time/distance you run.  You will alternate hard/easy days.  Hard days are those where you run longer and/or faster.  One type is the &quot;tempo&quot; run where you warm up easy (say 10 minutes), run hard (say 20 minutes), and finish easy (10 minutes).

Since you set your goal for two hours you should gradually build your runner over several weeks until you can do a two hour run.

When you reach that goal see where you are in distance.

A two hour half-marathon translates to 9 minute miles.  Ambitious but doable.   For a first timer a 2:30 may be more realistic.

I think 6 to 8 months of training will get you to the half-marathon level.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I started training for the marathon and got up to 12 miles in about three months.I trained three times a week.I had problems with my knees (running on concrete mostly!) I was around 70kg at time so it may be tougher for you especially on your joints.Just keep it up and you&#039;ll get there! It really hurts next day by the way!!

I was out running for over two hours by the way for that 12 miles.

Answer 3

no i hate the smell of freshly cut grass