Kgb, I followed Hal Higdon's training plan for my first half marathon.  His novice plan has four days of running per week.  Week one is two 3 mile runs, a 2 mile run, and 4 miles for your weekend long run.  It sounds like you are definitely ready for that!  The mileage increases slowly so that by week 11 you peak at two 5 mile runs, one 3 mile and a 10 mile long run - looks sort of scary now but you'll be ready for it.  I have mild asthma myself and made it through all twelve weeks with only a plant-related injury to slow me down. 

For your first half I would definitely work on distance rather than speed.  Once you're comfortable with the 13.1 mile distance, you can start adding speed work.  I tried to run on a hilly route once or twice per week when I was training for my first half, because the Madison course finishes on a pretty brutal slope.  You might be able to track down a course map and elevation profile for you goal race to help you decide how much time you need to spend on hills.

So that's my two cents - however, I've only run 2 half marathons and I haven't been running for quite a year, so probably we can find a more experienced penguin around here to give you better advice. 

Thanks Soulsong.  Is he the trainer that teaches a walk/run process?  do you do that?

Good day all;

Managed a PR this weekend at MCM 10K - about a min ahead of my run last year.  weather was nice considering we got early snowfall this year.  Not as much in DC  as out my way further west.  Nothing like they got north of us...

I've definitely managed to speed up a little and even managed roughly 10min/miles for the first 2+ - Including needing to slow up on the bridge over the river as it was quite icy when I crossed.  I also moved up to finish inside the first 5000 - I was number 4861 - next year I am shooting for finishing in first 4500....for comparison, i was number 5245 last year.  I keep up the progression I should be in the first 1000 in about 10 yrs...

Hope everyone had good weekend

That's my kind of pacing in goal setting! 

Ogr44 wrote:

 

"I keep up the progression I should be in the first 1000 in about 10 yrs..."

 

Hope everyone had good weekend

Who knew there were so many of us? I just discovered this thread. There are many responses -- more than I could read -- so forgive me if I repeat:

First, I love the Hal Higdon plans and have admired him since my teens, when I went to school with his kids. I was not a runner then.

Second, I also lost about 30 pounds slowly over the course of a few years through running/walking. I found that my running got faster and better every time I broke a plateau and lost another 5 pounds. To lose weight, the South Beach Diet was what I had the most success on, and the lean protein in it helped me to build muscle. I still tend to walk about 1/4 of the time in my normal 3-mile runs, with a little less walking if I'm in a race.

Third, I highly recommend racing, and if you can do a 5K, you can try an 8K next, such as the one in Hal's and my hometown of Michigan City, Ind. It's called the Tower Run. But beware -- most of it is on beach sand and it will take you a while. But it's fun and interesting.

Fourth -- I just did my first marathon team relay in the Baltimore Marathon, which was exhilarating. My part was 6.1 miles, which was no harder than the 8K (5 miles) I did in Michigan City on sand. There was something so emotionally gratifying about being part of a team, being relied upon by the team, and getting encouragement along the way from the city residents whose neighborhoods we ran through. It was the longest I had ever run. I did walk some of it now and then, but my team was fine with that.

Hope everyone is doing well - I've been on and off recently and find it hard to keep up sometimes.

I am shooting to break 9 min/mile this weekend for my race - of course its only a one mile race!

Good for you!  I started running when my son decided to run XC in high school.  That was 4+ years ago.  I'm still slow but  I am still out there.  hopefully your first will not be your last!

sorry its been so long. so much going on, but still running.  today i was actually able to run 5 miles.  what's even better is the middle three miles were ran at a 15 minute mile pace.  i am so excited.  i am still in week 8 of couch to 5k, and i am running 5 miles...that's cool to me.  when i started I couldn't run 60 seconds and as I got better I was running 20 minute miles.  I can't believe I have knocked 5 minutes off my mile.  pretty cool.

angi