T25 and Half Training Question

[jchokie79]

A quick background.  I will be running the Pgh Half on May 4th (only five weeks away!).  This will be my second Half.  I ran my first last Sept. in 2:34.  My goal is 2:30 (slow, I know)

My takeaway from my first Half was that I needed to incorporate more cross training.  I started my Half training plan in January and have been running 3x a week and CT 2x a week.  My CT however only consist of doing various workout DVDs. 

I had a 10 mile long run schedule for Sat. while we were on vacation and I ran 8 and couldn't finish.  It may have just been a bad run but I am really discouraged.  I thought for sure I would be in better shape by now to be able to carry out 10 miles.  I'm also very afraid of the hills and bridges in downtown Pgh.  My long training runs are usually on a trail that has a steady incline and I do an out and back.  I'm already planning on hill training in my neighborhood for my short runs during the week.

I have a friend that's training for the Half that just finished 10 weeks of T25 and she loved it.  My question is if I only have 5 weeks left to train, what can I do differently starting now?  Is it too late to try to incorporate T25?  If I do, should I run 3x a week and do T25 3x a week as well?  I'm so confused.  Please help or tell me if I'm overreacting. 

[sassystace]

Hi fellow PGh halfer!! Try not to panic!! Long runs on vacation have never worked out great for me either so I'd just move on to your next long run. Was it hotter than your used to, did you fuel properly, were you running in an unfamilar place? All these things make a long run tougher.

For your next long run, rest up before hand, hydrate, eat well, go slow and don't pysch yourself out. Once you have a good long run under your belt, you will feel more confident. I would also focus on some shorter runs that incorporate hills just to get used to them and give yourself mental strength to handle hills (I chant little sayings to myself (like, "hill? what hill?")or practice running up them with short steps and then practice using the downhill to gain back more speed, etc.).

Plus the PGH half hills are fun bridges with lots of people lining them and cheering for you--so those are not as bad as your average hill!

As far as T25, if you want to do that for CT, then go for it. I don't know much about it. Not sure that it will help your half goals (or confidence) but as long as it doesn't make you too tired/too sore to do your runs, it will help make you stronger and give you more endurance.

[Deleted]

YAY PGH HALFERS!

Honestly, for better or worse, I'm carb loading on Saturdays for my long run on Sundays, and fueling as if I'm racing (2-3 gu's). I've made it through all of them OK but when I don't fuel, I notice. Also, focus on hydration friday/saturday if you long run sunday (and adjust accordingly if you don't).

My goal for the half is also 2:30! I'm a lousy running partner because I need my tunes up nice and loud, but maybe we'll run into each other! I'll post a pic of my outfit, plus I'll have a ZB bib on my back.