Sub 2.30 half marathon? - Training

Anne Rogers

20/10/2009 at 12:34

I recently finished the Cricklade 10k in 1 hr 7mins & am thinking of running a half marathon in April next year. The event in question (White Horse Half, which is about 10minutes drive from home) has a 2 1/2 hour cutoff, and my current speed(!) means that if I maintain my normal plod for the entire race I'll only just finish inside. I'm not sure I'll be able to do that over 13+ miles. What do you folk think? My fastest 10mile average is just under 11min miles in the Great South a couple of years ago.

I am concerned about plodding home after 2h45m when everyone has packed up & gone to the pub! Maybe I should look at the Bath Half in March, which has a longer cutoff of 3hrs? Or maybe, as my friend suggested, I should do some 10ks over the winter, & do a 1/2 later in the year.

Dundee.Runner

20/10/2009 at 14:28

Anne, you have plenty of time to train for a half in April. There are a number of training plans around on the web, and on this site, which would help you prepare. Some longer runs over the winter to build your endurance, and some speed work to help increase your basic speed and you should manage it.

Griffsters

20/10/2009 at 20:38

I was very similar to you Anne, did a 10 k in 1hr 7 mins last May and got the running bug. I completed the English Half Marathon in 2hr 20m 59s doing my best plodding impression. As long as you work up the distance to get the endurance in you'll be fine... i had exactly the same concerns as you!

henmuffin

25/10/2009 at 19:16

Have you looked at previous results?

I think sometimes they have a cut off time but some people do finish after.

I was worried about that when I did my first HM in March and I finished just ahead of the cut off but there was loads behind me

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