Finding Time for Midweek Workouts

QUESTION: I am about to do my third half marathon; after that, I'd like to take a stab at a marathon. I believe my schedule may finally allow me to properly train for that distance, but my biggest concern is working in the midweek workouts that peak at 8-10 miles toward the end of the programs. Do I have to do all 8 miles at the same time, or can I split the distance between morning and evening? I can work two 4-mile runs into a day’s schedule, whereas a single 8-mile run on a Wednesday would be very difficult.

HAL'S ANSWER: Unfortunately, there is no easy out. When you signed up to run a marathon, you probably knew there would be some workouts that would be difficult to do toward the end of the program. Obviously, the long runs on the weekends because of the distance, but also those pesky, but oh-so necessary, sorta-long runs midweek. The problem with the Wednesday runs is not so much covering the distance, but finding the time to do just that. For people who have 9-to-5 jobs, finding several hours on a Wednesday is much more difficult than finding twice that length of time on a weekend. In the instructions on the interactive versions of my training programs, I even suggest that people consider taking a full or half day’s vacation to do the last few sorta-long runs.

Unfortunately, splitting workouts is not quite the same. Part of the value of the sorta-long runs is the continuous running it forces you to do. In this case, 1 + 1 in this does not equal 2. If race organizers allow runners to do the first 13 in the morning and come back and do the second 13 in the afternoon, then I will allow them to split their workouts. Until then there is no easy way to modify the sorta-long workouts on Wednesdays and get the same training benefits.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. 

Too Fast for a First Race?

QUESTION: I am currently training for my first half marathon and am into Week 9 on The Hal Higdon Intermediate Program. I run my once-a-week long run at 8:30 minutes-per-mile pace, which feels comfortable. Can you give me a better idea for a target pace? I want to be competitive, but not kill myself in the process. Does this pace seem reasonable? My Dad’s first half marathon time of 1:34 is looming over my head.

HAL’S ANSWER: It really shouldn't. Don’t worry how fast your Dad ran, at least not for a "first race.” Your main goal for a first race should be to get through it without falling into the trap of trying to match a specific time. Once you finish that first race (whether half marathon or whatever), then you can assess your performance. Was it comfortable? Was it fun? Am I going to do another running race, or is it back to surfing or bowling? But other than saying that, given your description of your long runs feeling “comfortable,” I suspect you're already on course. At Week 9 in a 12-week program, you're only 4 weeks out from the race, it is too late to make any radical changes in your training program. Just trust yourself, and we’ll talk in the finishing chute.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. 

Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge Training Plan

QUESTION: Any advice or suggestions on what training schedule I should follow to run Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge this year? I ran the Disney World Marathon for my first and only marathon in January 2012, but would like to train to compete in both the half and full marathons in January 2013. My assumption is that I would have to train two long and longer runs on back-to-back days.

HAL’S ANSWER: Your assumption is correct. Excuse me for pounding my own drum, but the perfect training plan for Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge is my Intermediate 2 marathon training plan. Or for more seasoned runners (i.e., those used to speedwork) Advanced 1 or Advanced 2 marathon training plans. In fact, even though I designed those three programs before there was a Goofy (combining a half marathon on Saturday with a full marathon on Sunday), it almost seems as though I had Goofy in mind. This is because of the two-day progression in my top-line training plans featuring a pace run on Saturday and a long run on Sunday. The programs peak in Week 15 with a 10-mile pace run and a 20-mile long run, like you said on back-to-back days. Voila! It's an easy jump from 10-20 to 13-26. Here is a link that will take you to my Intermediate 2 program.

But you won't be starting Goofy training until the fall. Consider for the interim one of my half marathon programs, 12 weeks long, aimed at a race that distance this spring or summer. Good luck with your training, and maybe I will see you at Disney next year.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. Archived Q&A's from Hal can be found here.

Tapering for a Half

QUESTION: I'm using your intermediate program to train for a half marathon and was wondering why you have us increasing mileage up to the week before the race instead of tapering the last few weeks, like you often hear people advise?

HAL’S ANSWER: I’m not sure who those people might be. In my marathon programs, I taper runners three weeks before the race, the longest mileage coming in Week 15 of the 18-week program. But you’re right. In my 12-week half marathon programs, peak mileage comes in Week 11, allowing only one week to taper. This is because the half marathon is nowhere near as stressful as the full marathon. If you are a talented enough, or experienced enough, runner to sign up for an intermediate program, a single week should be enough. Following the half, it should take you much less time to recover and be back in full training stride. Lately, the half marathon has become America’s most popular racing distance, three times as many runners having run half marathons last year vs. full marathons. We haven’t abandoned 26.2-mile races, but we love going 13.1 and not having it interfere with our regular running routine.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. Archived Q&A's from Hal can be found here.

Pace for Half Marathon

QUESTION: I am following your Advanced 2 marathon training plan. There is a half marathon scheduled for Week 9. Should I run this at the pace planned for my marathon, or go as fast as I can?

HAL’S ANSWER: You have two options. You can run the half marathon at a controlled pace, the same pace you plan (or hope) to run in the marathon. Or you can race the half marathon at full speed. I usually leave this option open for the runner to decide. But looking into the mind of a runner talented enough to accept Advanced 2, I suspect you might be happiest nailing a fast time that you can use to more accurately predict your marathon pace. Addressing another question that runners frequently ask, it doesn’t matter if you do your half in Week 9 or 8 or 7. Pick a half marathon convenient to your local area, or one you want to run.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. Archived Q&A's from Hal can be found here.