Help! How to Train for a Half Marathon

[joanlinda]

Hi, after rowing for a couple of years, and just finishing my second million meters, I think I am ready to give a half marathon a shot. I have been searching the site and forum and am having trouble finding information on how to get ready for the half. I would appreciate any suggestions/schedules you can suggest. Thanks!!!

[chrisgray40]

Putting in as many meters as you have been, a half marathon shouldn't be all that drastic of a leap. I'm not sure how long your workouts typically last, but I would recommend doing 20 minute intervals- starting with 2 or 3 and working your way up to 4. Depending on your fitness, the Half should take somewhere between 80-110 minutes to complete, so the 4x20 should be a pretty good indicator about whether or not you should attempt the half.

There's no real way to know in advance what kind of split you'll be able to maintain for your first half marathon, but I'd say that, if you can reasonably maintain a split for 4x20', then your range for the half marathon should be between that split and 5 seconds above.

[joanlinda]

Thanks for your imput! I'll try the intervals and see how it goes.

[gregsmith01748]

Hi,

I should have piped up before, but I think you might want to take a look at the training guide on the concept2 UK site. There is a section on Marathon training which would provide some very good background and plans for an effort to do a half marathon.

When I was working up my the first HM, I split my sessions into a couple of categories. One was gradually longer sessions, working my way up from 10K to an hour, then increasing by 5' or so weekly. These sessions I did at a pretty easy pace and a lower rate (r18 or r20). The other were long intervals, with short rests, like 4x5K with a 2 minute rest. This let me row a bit harder and also get a quick drink and stretch out.

The two things that you are trying to do is acclimatize to spending 90 minutes or more on the seat and building the aerobic base to sustain the effort at a constant pace (and increasing HR) during the actual HM row.

[Cyclingman1]

I think that rowing is more forgiving in terms of being able to row distances substantially longer than one is used to.

I decided on a whim to do a HM last weekend. I had done a couple of 10K rows a few weeks before, averaging around 20K per week this year. And this is essentially my first yr of rowing.

I did get tired - I still feel the effects. I stopped briefly twice to drink and get off the rower and walk a few steps. I actually had a reasonably decent time: 1:20:25. That puts me 13th among all US male rowers (329) this yr. Not bad for age 66? Course, that is mostly because most don't do HMs or do not post times.

My orig pt though is that if a runner tried to do a HM from a couple of 10Ks, he or she would probably by lying on the side of the road about mile 10.

I may try a full marathon down the road, but only when I want to take about a ten day break, because I'm sure it will be exhausting given my minimal rowing miles.

[Robert Wildes]

Cyclingman1 your times never cease to amaze me.

You stated that you probably averaged 20K per week since you started. You must be cross training with cycling or
something else. If not, I suspect we will be hearing from you in the crash-B or at least some top five rows in the
self reported ranking lists.

[Cyclingman1]

Actually, Robert, I've been sick this yr. I had one heck of a respiratory issue. My cycling has slipped quite a bit in both distance and speed.

My times in 60-69 rankings are slower than last yr. I'm trying to ramp it up, but progrerss had been slow. I think at this pt I have three 3's and one 4 in the 60-69 rankings. I hesitated ranking any of them because I am not really happy with them.

I doubt if I will try to fight going to Boston for Crash-B: airlines, cold weather, etc. I'll try to row at a couple of Southeastern regattas.