Ask the Experts: Half-Marathon Training Q+A with Bud Baldaro

Hi everyone,

Running coach and ASICS PRO Team member Bud Baldaro will be online between 12.15pm and 1.15pm today to answer your queries about half-marathon training. Whether you’re taking on your first or fastest half-marathon yet, get the answers to all your posers.

Bud Baldaro is one of the country’s leading middle and long distance running coaches. He has more than 20 years of coaching experience and he has worked with Olympians, World and European Champions. A former national marathon coach, he now works as a mentor for England Athletics, so he’ll be ready for all your half-marathon training questions.

Bud is joining us to mark the start of our Half-Marathon Newsletter, powered by ASICS. Our weekly half-marathon newsletter will provide schedules and training advice to get you race ready for the Bupa Great North Run – or your autumn half-marathon of choice.

We're opening the discussion now so Bud will be able to get stuck in straight away at 12.15pm - so get posting!

Can you give advice on wearing compression socks for my first half marathon, please

Hi Bud. What are the best interval sessions i can do to improve on my recent 76 mins for half marathon. My pb is 73.46 so it would be great if i could get back to that. Any help would be much appreciated thanks 

Hey Bud,

In October im attempting 2 half marathons, the Royal Parks Half and Run to the Beat. The runs are spaced 3 weeks apart on the 7th and 28th. I've trained for halfs before with a PB of 1.37 and Im looking to beat my PB in at least one of the races. I was wondering if you had any advice on training for this. Should I include more cross training or strength classes to improve my core strength and recovery or should I focus more on just the running.

any advice will be great!

thanks

Matt

Hello Bud,

I can hold 6.36 min pace for 11/12 miles of the half but recently after that my calves have cramped causing me to slow. I can't seem to solve this problem, it doesn't happen running long at slower speed so I'm thinking it's somehow related to pushing the pace? I do wear compression socks to run and cool down in.

Thanks,

Kate

Hi Bud.

Running the Windsor Half in October. I'm trying to get from a 2hr pb (Reading in March) down to 1:50. Doing lots, pace is increasing gradually, but feel I need more focus to make it. Any advice on what I should focus on between now and the race would be greatly appreciaated.

Thanks, Mark.

Hi Bud,

I have made a gradual return to running, having had a stress fracture of the medial malleolus earlier this year (from over-training for my 3rd marathon).  I am doing my 3rd half marathon on 28th October and  am keen to get a sub 2hr time (my PB is 2:03:57).  Any advice on training plans and what to focus on during my training to ensure I don’t overdo it again?

Many thanks,

Shahla

Planning on running the Blenheim Palace 1/2 in October, but have been dogged by injury. I am recovering from Achilles Tendinitis, which has meant that I am only just getting back into training (for about a month) after 2 months of no running at all. My achilles is still not 100% but is improving well.

Have you any tips on training techniques whilst recovering from such an injury?

Hi Bud, I'm a 1.50 half marathon runner but obviously I'd like to be faster. Everyone tells me the next step is hill training but I'm not clear on how big, steep, long the hill needs to be. Also what reps and frequency am I looking at. Cheers Brian

Hi there Bud

I have signed up for the Blenhiem half in October too.  I am very overweight though - 15 st at the moment athough I have lost 2 1/2 stone since this time last year.  I run 5k 3 times a week at a very slow pb of 41 mins (10m mins better than in February)...I am trying to do one longer run at the weekend aswell and am up to 8 miles although that took me 2 hrs to do.  My question is do you think I am too heavy to complete a half marathon?  My mum really doesn't want me to do it (my dad died of a heart attack last June) I am still loosing weight gradually (with slimming world) but I am just SO slow.  I have no injuries and enjoy running a great deal.

Thank you for your time.

Rosemary

Hi Bud. I'm aiming for a sub 90 HM this autumn. What should my weekly tempo session look like? I can do a weekly 4 mile tempo at 6:45-6:50 at the moment, but wasn't sure if this was fast enough or long enough. Thanks.

Hi, I've been training for my first HM in early Sept, and was doing well (11 miles in 1h 50m - I'm a newbie to running) but recently tore a muscle in my hip... i've seen the physio and she is confident I will be match ready, and I have corrective trainers for over-pron and insoles to put me back in alignment... but what's the best way to get back up to half marathon training when I've been out for 6 weeks without putting myself back on the bench?  I do cycling and swimming to keep the cardio and confident that my fitness is good, I just want to get back into running with confidence.  I'm going for a finish rather than a time, so do you have any tips?

Back to KK's Q. about calves. i have experienced similar.

I have really tight calf muscles. It doesn't really appear to effect me when I train, just race, esp on the road. They are not sore as in muscle soreness, just hurt when I do anything that requires me to use them stretched - like pushing wheelchairs up hill which I have to do - calf raises etc.

I tend to mid / forefoot strike - I presume as I used to skip a lot. I also run off road and on hilly terrain.

I do stretch but this makes no difference. It is running related as when I don't run it eases considerably.

As with all these issues Wendy  it is important  that you practise wearing compression socks on at least long run.

Seek advice from a specialist running store about best ones to buy.

Ensure  they support without being too tight.

good luck and enjoy

Hello Bud, I am training for the GNR this September. last year I did it in 2hr36min this year I would like (LOVE) to do it under 2.30. My schedule aiming for that target says my race pace needs to be 11.20 per mile. Anyway, today my speedwork run: Dist:5mi, inc Warm, 2x1600 @ 9.48 w/800 Jogs; Cool. I did it, but.. I hate speedwork & dislike Tempo runs, I really can't do them very well. Do I have to fit them into my plan to get the aimed for time ?

Thank you.

Dear Neil

 would recommend that you definitely integrate repetition/interval work into your training or even better a mix of tempo and interval work

eg 10 mins tempo  54-6 x 800 at  half PB speed off sho rt recovery  and then finish wiith another block of tempo.

Massively beneficial and good fun.

Hope it works for you but ensure you follow hard day with 2 easy days to allow body to adapt.

Best

 bud

An  interesting challenge Matt. Think you  need, having checked profiles of courses which one you to intend to target as your PB attempt.

If the second one you could perhaps practise PB speed for part of first one using first one as full dress rehearsal eg drinks/ pace judgement etc

Follow that with easy  few days then 10 day block of training then taper before the PB/. Core work is incaluable and you can always find time to do 5-10 mins per day watching TV etc. 

 Here's to a great PB

Bud B

Kittenkat 

is this a drinks/elecrolyre problem?

Are you fully hydrated?

 Hoow about tweaking some of your training  to face this issue

eg 8-10 miles very steady and then finish with 4-5 x mile at  6 25-30 pace to give you confidence that situration is surmontable.

Good luck

Dear Percx

lovely to read of your ambitions.

2 keys would look at.

1 long tempo runs-- ie controlled discomfort over 7 -10 miles or 2 x 3-4 miles if preferable to rehaerse good rhythm and SUSTAINED pace running

and

2 relevant and appropriate pace on long runs 

aim to run 1`5-16miles at  pace of 40 se  per mile outside target time. Ensure such a run  is controlled and manageable and enjoy confidence of going over distance at good pace.

Hope you hit your target

Hello Bud,

My question is about preparation. I did my first half marathon on 13 May. I was relatively well prepared -- I'd run 13 miles quite regularly, and had done a 15.5 mile run a week before the half. The race went well (I was happy with my time of 1:52, and I felt good the whole way around.) My problem now is that I have a half marathon this Sunday & I don't feel as well prepaped -- I was away for over two weeks and only did short runs on the holiday. In the last week and a half I've run 10.5 miles, 13.5 miles, and raced 2 miles, 5k & 5 miles. What is the best approach now for the next 3 days -- just rest and take the half easy and not worry too much about time? I am afraid I'm unprepapred & won't be able to finish ...