{"id":20642,"date":"2011-07-28T08:00:43","date_gmt":"2011-07-28T15:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/?p=20642"},"modified":"2011-07-21T15:51:46","modified_gmt":"2011-07-21T22:51:46","slug":"how-not-to-train-for-a-half-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/?p=20642","title":{"rendered":"How (Not) to Train for a Half Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"

How (Not) to Train for a Half Marathon<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Guest Post by Becky from Bringin’ Becky Back<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

I recently completed my first half marathon. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world crossing that finish line; it was also the worst<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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You see, I hadn\u2019t listened to the advice I had received regarding training for a big race, and I ended up injured the week before the big race and stubbornly ran it with an injured knee.\u00a0 Crossing that finish line was humbling in more than one way.\u00a0 From mile seven on I had been in excruciating pain with no choice but to finish the course.\u00a0 I could barely walk once the race was over.\u00a0 I had to take over six weeks off from running to let my body heal itself.\u00a0 It was an ending so very different from what I had dreamed of.\u00a0 I was proud of my accomplishment, but so disappointed in the outcome because I knew it should have been different.<\/p>\n

So what did I do wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First, I didn\u2019t follow my training<\/strong><\/span> like a good girl should.\u00a0 I was about 80% invested in the schedule, when I should\u2019ve been as dedicated as possible.\u00a0 Half marathons aren\u2019t a small undertaking, and they require a certain level of dedication that I did not give.\u00a0 Long runs on the weekend are critical to improving your body\u2019s ability to heal and develop.\u00a0 I missed a few big mileage runs and ended up having to make up the distance right at the end of the training program.\u00a0 The sudden increase in mileage resulted in the classic overuse injury\u2014the dreaded IT band flare-up.<\/p>\n

Second, I did not cross train.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span> Not one ounce.\u00a0 The only workouts I did were runs.\u00a0 I never biked, swam, or lifted weights.\u00a0 I was working the same muscles over and over again.\u00a0 The ones that didn\u2019t get used during running became weak, while my other muscles became strong.\u00a0 I developed a muscle imbalance that made me even more prone to injuries.\u00a0 Not only was I overusing some of my muscles, I was also letting some get drastically underdeveloped.<\/p>\n

Third, I did not strengthen my core.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span>Apparently, it is really important to have a strong core when you are a runner.\u00a0 Who knew?\u00a0 I certainly did not know this until my physical therapist pointed it out to me.\u00a0 It makes sense\u2014the core keeps your muscles aligned, keeps everything in balance, and supports the rest of your muscles as they work together to keep your running fast and strong.<\/p>\n

Those are the three main areas where I went wrong.\u00a0 The lack of all three lead to a spectacular injury that sidelined me for more than I care to think about, and resulted in some expensive doctor\u2019s visits.\u00a0 Not only that, it was incredibly discouraging.\u00a0 It is not something I\u2019d wish on anyone who is getting into running.\u00a0 I know Lisa has suffered from the same injury, and she can attest that it is a hard one to come back from.<\/p>\n

The good news is that I am back.\u00a0 And I\u2019m running another half marathon in two weeks and training for a full marathon in a couple of months.\u00a0 And this time, I\u2019m doing it right.\u00a0 Here\u2019s what I learned the hard way, so that you don\u2019t have to!<\/p>\n

Pick a training program based on experts\u2019 advice and follow it:<\/strong>\u00a0 There are many training programs online that you can review to get an idea of what to expect when training for a big race.\u00a0 I really liked Hal Higdon\u2019s novice half marathon training program, but there are many others out there that provide excellent schedules.\u00a0 Find one that you know you can stick with.\u00a0\u00a0 Find one that appeals to you so that you don\u2019t get sick of it within the first few weeks.\u00a0 Make sure it\u2019s a program that you can actually commit to.\u00a0 Make sure that you have the time each day to complete the workouts.\u00a0 And make sure you don\u2019t increase your mileage too quickly; that\u2019s the quickest way to get injured.<\/p>\n

Listen to your body:<\/strong>\u00a0 Speaking of getting injured, don\u2019t be stubborn like me and run through your injuries.\u00a0 If something hurts, back off of your training and take care of it.\u00a0 If it is severe, don\u2019t even hesitate\u2014get your butt to the doctor.\u00a0 Unfortunately, running is somewhat of a high injury sport.\u00a0 Make sure you are paying attention to your body.\u00a0 The worst thing you can do is run when you already have an aggravated body part.\u00a0 Remember to think long term.\u00a0 Sure, you might miss a race but you can always make it up.\u00a0 You can\u2019t make up a permanently destroyed limb.\u00a0 I ended up missing THREE races because I chose to run my half.<\/p>\n

Cross train:<\/strong>\u00a0 I bet you knew this one was coming!\u00a0 For my current training schedule, I bike twice weekly.\u00a0 Biking helps work out the other muscles in your legs that running doesn\u2019t quite get to.\u00a0 I\u2019ve found that my legs actually feel more refreshed when running the day after a hard bike ride than they do the day after a short run.\u00a0 More importantly, it helps keep my body balanced and ready for a long endurance run.<\/p>\n

Work those abs:<\/strong>\u00a0 Time for core work!\u00a0 My physical therapist recommended some quick exercises to keep my abs strong and secure.\u00a0 Two quick ones that I\u2019ve loved\/hated are the plank and the bird-dog pose.<\/p>\n

Bird-Dog Pose:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Start with your hands and knees on the ground and bring your right arm and left leg up to the position shown above.\u00a0 Hold that position for five seconds, and then repeat with the other side.\u00a0 Repeat this move ten times.<\/p>\n

The Plank:<\/strong><\/p>\n

You are probably familiar with the plank.\u00a0 It has made quite the name for itself!\u00a0 There\u2019s a good reason for that\u2014it is a great way to quickly work all the core muscles, including those in your back.\u00a0 I do side planks and standard planks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Side Plank<\/p><\/div>\n

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Standard Plank<\/p><\/div>\n

I do 20 seconds on each side for the side planks, and then I do three sets of the standard plank at 20 seconds each with a short rest in between.\u00a0 I\u2019m working my way up to a minute!\u00a0 It\u2019s a great burn and I\u2019m learning to love this particular exercise.<\/p>\n

In addition to the three changes above, I\u2019m also watching my nutrition and making sure that the food I put in my body is the fuel I need to keep running long distances.\u00a0 I\u2019m a newbie runner; I\u2019ve been running for less than a year now.\u00a0 I started from being able to only run for 30 seconds at a time, and I am now able to run for more than two hours straight.\u00a0 During this year, I\u2019ve learned how important it is to eat the right nutrients and give your body what it wants (not necessarily what I<\/em> want!).\u00a0 Make sure you are eating right!\u00a0 During the runs themselves, I use Gu Gels to keep my electrolytes up and keep myself hydrated.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t like the Gu Gels, there are products like Cliff Shot Bloxs which also work well.\u00a0 There are a lot of options out there for fueling before, during, and after runs.\u00a0 Do not underestimate the value of fuel and hydration during runs.\u00a0 It will keep your body working well!<\/p>\n

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\nAs most of us have in common, I\u2019m also running to lose weight.\u00a0 Admittedly, it is hard to find a balance between fueling properly for training while still having a deficit in calories.\u00a0 You don\u2019t know hunger until you\u2019ve ran 10 miles!\u00a0 I find that after a big run, I feel more justified in eating a big fat cheeseburger because I\u2019ve \u201cearned it.\u201d\u00a0 Obviously, this isn\u2019t the right mentality if I am trying to drop the remaining stubborn pounds.\u00a0 It is important to keep an eye on your intake and make sure that you aren\u2019t eating back all the calories (and more) you just worked so hard to burn off!<\/p>\n

The most important thing I learned while training for my first half marathon is how much we truly can accomplish when we set our minds to something.\u00a0 Last year I would have laughed at you if you told me that one day I would be able to run farther than 5 miles.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t have run 5 miles at that time if my life depended on it.\u00a0 But, with determination (and a little bit of craziness) I was able to cross that finish line after completing 13.1 miles.\u00a0 I finished in 2 hours and 46 minutes, and I\u2019ve never been more proud of myself.\u00a0 I accomplished the goal I set out to do, and was rewarded with more than just a medal.\u00a0 That is a memory that won\u2019t ever fade away, and I can\u2019t wait to cross the finish line at my next half marathon and know that I did all I could to make that race the best it could be for me.\u00a0 Our bodies are capable of amazing things if we are willing to believe in ourselves and our capabilities.\u00a0 Don\u2019t ever let doubt get in your way; you can do anything you want to if you put in the time and effort.<\/p>\n

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\nBio<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/strong> Starting at around 180 lbs., I realized that my life was headed in a direction that I didn\u2019t want to continue on so I made the change.\u00a0 One step at a time, I changed my destiny.\u00a0 I have been running for almost a year now.\u00a0 I started with a goal of running a 5k, which then progressed into a 10k, a half marathon, and now I am training for a full marathon in September.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve also ran a couple of big relay races in Florida Keys and Utah.<\/p>\n

Lisa’s Note:<\/strong> Thanks so much Becky for sharing your story and tips you learned the hard way! I could relate to this as I went through something similar. I thought<\/strong> I was trained enough for Hood to Coast and I wasn’t. I ended up injuring myself–the IT Band just like Becky–and it was a huge learning experience for me. I realize how much I was running and NOT cross training (like doing weights).<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

QUESTION: Are you currently training for a Half Marathon? How did you plan your training plan? Are you cross training?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How (Not) to Train for a Half Marathon Guest Post by Becky from Bringin’ Becky Back I recently completed my first half marathon. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world crossing that finish line; it was also the worst. You see, I hadn\u2019t listened to the advice I had received regarding training for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1424,43,1901,460,1702,101,1902,2250,1425,138,715,148,1335,204,205,3588,2625,224,1468,250,260,276],"tags":[3901,3900,1714,643,3902,3897,1540,8707,8810,3898,3899],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/BECKYRUN.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20642"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20642"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20703,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20642\/revisions\/20703"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}