Originally Posted by mkroyer:
Cakebatter--
I suppose the logic in that is that if you are conditioned enough to run 8 miles, you will have no problem finishing 13.....You prob could, but it might be the LONGEST 5 miles of your life!! I wouldnt train for a half and only run 8 as my longest run...not too smart.... Are you thinking about your own training and where you are right now when you ask this?? Is 8 miles your longest so far? If so, when is your half you are training for? Assuming its not his weekend, im sure you have plenty of time to tack on the milage you need....SO to go back to your question---YES< i think if you can run 8 miles NOW, you WILL be able to finish the full 13 in---3 weeks? 4 weeks? Longer?

LMAO! NO this definitely NOT my logic. LOL I was just curious as to what the meaning is/was I guess. My HM is in Sept and I am following Hal Higdons Training. Technically I am on Week 6 but I actually train a week ahead or so because I am little more conditioned than the "NOVICE" schedule but not enough for "Intermediate". I would imagine the last 5 would suck! I have a 7 mile run this weekend. Thank you for your response:D

29 minutes ran this morning (45 minutes total). I feel weird knocking a minute off my "normal" run, but that's what One Hour Runner calls for.

5k race on Saturday. Feeling good about it.

I think it depends on what you mean by "can run 8 miles" If 8 miles is the longest you've ever run and you've only done it once and the last couple miles of that 8 miler were work, then I would say no. That last 5 miles is gonna be brutal.

If you run 8 miles lots and maybe you are one of those people who isnt really training for anything and you run 4-5 days a week and you run 6-8 miles most of those days and your buddy calls you up and says "hey wanna run a half marathon this weekend?" Sure.

Did a very slow 5K today. I have been training some girls from my choir doing the C25K with the intention of doing this 5K race today. The race track was narrow and very busy and there were tons of walkers and I was going at the girls' speed so we ended up doing it in 39 minutes. Normally I can do 3 miles in about 26 minutes so not my best time! But the girls did it without stopping - they ran the whole way so they were very pleased with themselves. My OH said when we finished though that I hadn't even broken a sweat and they were puffing and panting!

Robsia - That is awesome for the girls and sure it was quite fun and rewarding all at the same time for you. I remember when I ran my first three miles I wanted to shout it to the world! Seriously!

Ennay- Yeah I have lots more more work to do....I run about 15-20 a week. I usually have two long runs say like a 5 and a 6 and throw some 3 and 4 milers in between. I have a 7 mile this weekend that i am pretty excited about.

I am going to try to squeeze in 4 miles before WW today.

I got in my 4 miles last nite .....in 44:50 might I add!!!!! I felt so good! Cross training tonight and then long run tomorrow

Way to go on your 4 miler Cakebatter!! Isnt it so exciting to constantly see yourself improve?! :) Thats one of the things i love most about running....performance wise, there is always room for improvement no omatter how good you are, and its such a great feeling to grow faster and stronger! YOull also find as you begin to lose weight, your times will keep getting faster (simply because you arent lugging around as much "dead" weight!)
As for me, ive had some pretty great runs lately (despite the fact that i am nursing a stress fracture in one of my sesamoid bones in my foot)...IN fact, ive been doing so well im going to register for a spur of the moment 10K in Colorado Springs next weekend, just so i cant test and gauge my own improvement! Its a very flat and fast course, and with the way ive been running lately, i really think i might have a shot at breaking 50 minutes! Its hard to tell though, because all of my training runs around my neighborhood involve extensive hills, so im really hoping that given a flat course ill be able to tear it up!! Anyway, thats my secret private wish, so dont tell anyone... ;) This weeknd i have my first 15 miler (for marathon training) so i guess its time i out on my big girl panties, so to speak..... Im very excited to complete it and have the opportunity to push myself farther than ive ever run.....I just hope my foot cooperates!!

Mkroyer - you are a very awesome chick! And yes you are right, when I finished my 8k on the 4th in 56 minutes I was so excited I couldn't contain myself. I am pretty amped up about tomorrows 7 miler too. Good luck with your foot on your 15 miles tomorrow. You will great as you are quite impressive! ANd I KNOW you are gonna tear up that 10k!

Did a quick 4 miler this morning......wasnt supposed to run at all, due to the fact i have a 15 miler tomorrow am (and a broken foot) however i woke up early and just felt so great i couldnt resist!! So i decided to take it nice and easy, and ended up having a FANTASTIC run....a new PR for me!! 4 miles- 30 min. 43 sec.....avg pace 7:45, best pace 5:11!!!! That sub 50 minute 10k next weekend is in the BAG!! Wahoos!!

Cake batter- how did your 7 miler go??

First 15 mile Race Report and thoughts on Potential
 

WARNING--This is a long post!! ( I suppose this is why some people have blogs!!) :)
Hey all,
so, yesterday i completed my first ever 15 mile run, which also happend to be my first ever 15 mile race...... The run was put on by the local road runners association, designed as part of their "fall marathon" training program. There wasnt a "huge" turnout, definitely less than 100 people. The race starts and i go out fast and hard---prob faster than i have any business going :) right off the bat i am running sub 8 minute miles, which eventually work themselves down to 7:00- 7:30 minute miles (i am not usually this fast)... I fall in with this lady who is NOT running the race, just out on her own, who qualified for Boston, and we run together for a couple miles before she splits off in another direction...anyway, i get to the half way point turn-around, at mile 7.5, and the race organizer is there at the water/aid station, and she yells at me "way to go!! your doing great!! Youre the 3rd place female! " WHAT THE***?!?!?! ME?!!? I think last year at this race (which was only a 10 mile race last year, i placed like 50th, or some such number). Anyway, in retrospect, i REALLY wish she hadnt said anything, because instead of it providing me with motivation and drive and excitement, it was more like a psychological b***h slap to my face :) I immediately started freaking out, convincing myself i went out way to fast (which i did, even though id been able to keep that pace for over 7.5 miles) that it was completely unsustainable, that i couldnt keep it up, that i wouldnt be able to finish...you get the drift...from that point on, my running went DOWN DOWN DOWN--FAST!! By mile 8 i was in fourth, by mile 10 i was like 8th...by the time i passed the half marathon point at 13 miles, it took every ounce of my being to maintain 9:00 to 9:30's, and then even slower, and i started having to take frequent walking breaks. I ended up finishing 10th (which is VERY Respectable, in my opinion:D) at a completely unremarkable time of 2hrs 17 minutes and change. I DID however, PR my 10K time, and my half marathon time, and for that matter, my 15 mile time (only because this was my FIRST time running 15!):D
Other than the vary valuable training experience i gained from the race, I have been left with a very loud and nagging thought since i finished it yesterday... How GOOD COULD i be?!? I mean to say, if i fully committed myself to training to be a "good" runner, how good could i be??
This time last year, i was lucky to be running 10 minute miles (of course, i was 15 pounds heavier) Now, i am able to maintain 7:30's over the course of at "least" 7.5 miles.... If i were to focus on speed, and say, excelling at the 10K distance, how GOOD COULD I BE?? At this point in my life, i am entirely consumed only with FINISHING my first marathon, i dont care if it takes me 8 hrs to do it! This is a goal i am 100% fully commited to. Everyday, day in day out, my alarm goes off at 3:30 in the morning, and everyday, NO MATTER WHAT i do my run.... "im too tired"- i do it! " my traininer made my butt so sore i cant even get off the toilet, let alone run 6 miles"- i DO IT! "My foot is broken"-- i DO IT... If i were to channel the same determination into running fast at shorter distances, could i be good? Could i break 40 minutes for the 10k?? could i break 36?? I dont know.........prob not, but maybe?!?! This has given me something to really really think about, as far as how i train for NEXT summers races.....I will see how my marathon goes, but honestly, i dont ever see myself even being respectable as a distance runner, only a finisher (which is definitely respectable in its own right!!)

Hi runners! I haven't posted here in a little while so I thought I'd drop by and check in. After you all inspired me and encouraged me to try running outside, I've been kicking butt and LOVING it. I'm up to 4.2 miles now and have signed up for my first 10K in October! I have a question for you all - my cousin wants me to do a half marathon with her in February, but is 4 months enough to go from 10K to the half? I started running in April so I'm definitely a beginner and I only run 3x/week to prevent injury, so is 4 months too fast for a 6mile - 13mile jump?

Also, if I'm only running 3x/week, should I have days where I run "easy" or 3 miles instead of 4-5, or is that not really necessary since I'm not doing much mileage?

Mkroyer - Wow, talk about inspirational! Way to go!

Thanks for the help everyone!

Hi girls I'm hoping you can help... I posted this on a tri board but I didn't get any answers/suggestions.

"Hi all... Looking for some advice on how to work my 15k plan into my workout schedule. I'm looking at following the Hal Higdon Novice 15k plan which is 10 weeks long. My 15k race is 8 weeks after my Oly race. (The 15k is in 15 weeks)

How should I handle the first 2 weeks of the 15k plan since it overlaps my oly training? Do I just ignore them and start from week 3 since I'm running anyway with my oly training? should I cut out the 2 shorter taper weeks? Or should I start working the first 2 weeks in 3 weeks before my Oly skipping one week for the oly taper (and try and blend it with whatever my tri group coach has us doing)?

Right now I can run for about 45mins I haven't tried longer ones because it hasn't been on the training schedule. Last summer I could do an hour and a half or about 7 miles, and I hope to be nearing that level again by the end of Aug.

Any Advice?

Idealmuse. I am assuming that you have the tri as a goal event. In that case I would just skip the first 2 weeks. DO NOT cut your taper (although I think 2 weeks is a bit long for a taper but stuff like that you can only figure out what works for you with trial and error and always start with the plan). I actually would probably take the week AFTER the oly at reduced volume and pace and let yourself recover and pick it up in week 4 of the plan.

What distance does your tri-training have you running? does it ever take you past the 10K distance?

Anyway, 8 weeks is plenty to ramp from 10K to 15K

mk - the truth is that marathon training is giving you the base you need. Even if you were to focus on something like the 10K, you need the miles of the marathon training to back it up. After your marathon if you wanted to focus on something shorter, keep the miles high, maybe shorten the long run to a max of 12-14 miles and put in more speedwork.

And I disagree. I think if at this point in your first marathon training program you are seeing this kind of time improvement then with time and miles you can see huge improvements in your marathon time as well. If you want it.

I've had the exact same thoughts. My first sub-2 HM i had one mile that was super fast,b ut it was mile 9 or 10 or something and I thought Hmmm...if I can do that for 1 mile? And things started happening.

Racing lots of 10K's is a great way to get faster for the marathon.