Training for 10k and half marathon

[bostonmichelle]

I am considering running a 10k and a half marathon this year. I'm working on improving my distance right now at the 5k level and am up to a full 1.25 mile straight with no walking breaks. I was going to start training for a 10k that will be in June and am now thinking of pushing myself to running a half in October.  Specifically, these are the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) races and I'm considering signing up for the medley which is the 5k, 10k, and half marathon. Is this absolutely crazy for me to do? I'm worried mostly that I will injury myself.

I started "running" late last year and completed 4 5k's with only completing part of c25k and am now using a different 12 week plan I found that seems to fit me much better. I'm 4 weeks into this plan and seem to be doing much better and greatly improved my distance, pace, and confidence in those 4 short weeks.

[pag41989]

I started training for a half and the 10K actually fit perfectly into my half marathon training plan, I was right at 9 mile runs when I did the turkey trot 10K last year. I have followed a beginner's plan because I had only ever done a 5K before and I have not injured myself (knock on wood). I could only run 2 miles straight when I started training for the half and now I can run up to 11 miles. As long as you stay dedicated to the training plan I believe you can do it.

[gt7301b]

I think a 10K is great training for a half marathon and a lot of plans call for at least one race mid half training. If you add miles gradually you lessen the chances of getting injured. The only advice I want to add is make sure you are fully committed to running the half before signing up. If it is possible I'd wait till after the 10k to sign up for the half.

[bostonmichelle]

Also this is probably really stupid but what does official timing concludes mean? If I come in after that I don't get an official time? The half closes after 2.5 hours.

It looks like I can't even sign up for the half until after the 10k so I think I'll wait and see on the half.

[gt7301b]

Jan 15, 2014 11:33:26 GMT -5 bostonmichelle said:

Also this is probably really stupid but what does official timing concludes mean? If I come in after that I don't get an official time? The half closes after 2.5 hours.

It looks like I can't even sign up for the half until after the 10k so I think I'll wait and see on the half.

They will give you a timing device that records your start and end times and calculates your race time.

[libbygrl109]

Jan 15, 2014 11:33:26 GMT -5 bostonmichelle said:

Also this is probably really stupid but what does official timing concludes mean? If I come in after that I don't get an official time? The half closes after 2.5 hours.

It looks like I can't even sign up for the half until after the 10k so I think I'll wait and see on the half.

Only 2.5 hrs. to do the half? That seems like such a short amount of time. I'm slow, so I guess I'd still be out there a bit longer than that. Some races will actually pull people off the road if they are not at a certain point in the race before the cutoff. Maybe there's a section on the race's website that explains this a bit more?

Good luck on whatever you decide!

[runaways]

Take this with a grain of salt, because only you really know what you are capable of. But I don't think that I'd sign up for a half marathon just yet - that's a really big leap in distance, especially if you are hoping to be able to run a good part of it. At the very least, I'd do the 10k first and see how things are going in a few months to get a better idea of whether you are up for it in October.

Also, 2.5 hours seems like a really tight cutoff for a half.

[pag41989]

Jan 15, 2014 11:33:26 GMT -5 bostonmichelle said:

Also this is probably really stupid but what does official timing concludes mean? If I come in after that I don't get an official time? The half closes after 2.5 hours.

It looks like I can't even sign up for the half until after the 10k so I think I'll wait and see on the half.

Only a 2.5 hour cutoff?! I didn't realize that with my original post. My pace is slow so there is probably no way I would finish before that cutoff. I think for my first half marathon I would sign up for something that isn't so time restrictive.

[bostonmichelle]

Alright I was thinking 2.5 hours was really fast as well for a first half. This is the schedule that is posted. Maybe its wrong. I might end up looking for a different half marathon if it is accurate.

RACE DAY SCHEDULE - Sunday, October 12

Shuttle service and warm-up: 6:30 - 7:45 a.m.
Roads close within Franklin Park: 7:45 a.m.
START OF B.A.A. HALF MARATHON: 8:30 a.m.
Post-race refreshments & entertainment: 10:15 a.m.
Return shuttle service commence: 10:30 a.m.
Awards Ceremony: 10:30 a.m.
Official Timing Concludes: 11:00 a.m.
Finish area and facilities close: 12:00 p.m.
Return shuttle service ends: 12:30 p.m.

[runaways]

Jan 16, 2014 12:47:28 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

Jan 16, 2014 11:09:37 GMT -5 bostonmichelle said:

Alright I was thinking 2.5 hours was really fast as well for a first half. This is the schedule that is posted. Maybe its wrong. I might end up looking for a different half marathon if it is accurate.

RACE DAY SCHEDULE - Sunday, October 12

Shuttle service and warm-up: 6:30 - 7:45 a.m.
Roads close within Franklin Park: 7:45 a.m.
START OF B.A.A. HALF MARATHON: 8:30 a.m.
Post-race refreshments & entertainment: 10:15 a.m.
Return shuttle service commence: 10:30 a.m.
Awards Ceremony: 10:30 a.m.
Official Timing Concludes: 11:00 a.m.
Finish area and facilities close: 12:00 p.m.
Return shuttle service ends: 12:30 p.m.

It looks like you have 3.5 hours then. I think I'm going to sign up for this one (it'll be my first half too!)

This looks like 2.5 to me...

[patches31709]

Hmm, my friend ran that race last year and has a time posted at over 2 and a half hours so I don't know what they mean. I checked the results from 2013, someone has a time of 3:32 with a gun time of 3:44 so that's really strange.


That said, I agree with the pp who said she would hold off on the half, especially if you're wanting to run the entire thing. Once your mileage increases, you may find that you really hate running that far. My husband loves to run, but very rarely do his runs exceed 4 miles because he doesn't enjoy longer distances.

[jchokie79]

I think we share a similar running background. I ran my first 5k in the Fall of 2012.

In 2013, I started training for a 5k, then a 10k in April and a Half (my first) in Sept. The training schedules were easy to blend but I will be honest and say that I was really burnt out toward the end. I ended up not running for all of Nov. & Dec. I just started a Half training again for this May.

Anyway, long story short, it's definitely doable but maybe incorporate other workouts/sports that you enjoy so you don't get burnt out.

2.5 hrs also seems really tight and I know I would not want to have that pressure for my first Half. I ran mine in just under 2:35 but I am also on the slower end.

[bostonmichelle]

Jan 16, 2014 12:54:11 GMT -5 patches31709 said:

Hmm, my friend ran that race last year and has a time posted at over 2 and a half hours so I don't know what they mean. I checked the results from 2013, someone has a time of 3:32 with a gun time of 3:44 so that's really strange.


That said, I agree with the pp who said she would hold off on the half, especially if you're wanting to run the entire thing. Once your mileage increases, you may find that you really hate running that far. My husband loves to run, but very rarely do his runs exceed 4 miles because he doesn't enjoy longer distances.

Hmm maybe I'll call, maybe its a typo on their part.

I definitely know I won't be able to run the whole thing. I'm still doing intervals at the 5k level. The running portion of the interval is getting longer and my walking is getting shorter . I have a feeling the half will be a one or two time life event for me. I'd love to one day complete a full marathon as well but that's a ways off.

I am also going to start TTCing in September/October so I am also thinking this will be the only time in the next couple years I could actually train for a half.

scm1011 are you going to run the 5k and 10k as well?