Couch to half marathon in less than 6 months

Hi, I'm Shannon. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I post something new about travel, technology or daily life that hopefully will make you feel a little bit smarter. Please subscribe or follow me on Twitter to be notified when new information is posted. Thanks for visiting!

Until last year, I had only run a mile one time. It was in ninth grade and it was a requirement for gym class. I managed to meet the time I needed to and then struggle to breathe for three hours afterward. Asthma makes it hard to run. Despite my lack of ability to breathe well, I had often hoped to run long distances. Many people in my life have trained and completed half and full marathons and it felt like I was missing out on a big accomplishment. Finally, 18 years after running that mile in ninth grade, I did it.

One day at the gym, I surprised myself by running a mile. I had been working out by running for a minute and then walking for a few minutes. Eventually I realized I was able to string the minutes together and run a full mile. I thought if I could work up to a mile (a seemingly impossible task for this lifelong asthmatic), what else could I do?

Couch-to-5k Running Plan

I came across a running plan called Couch-to-5k which seemed a good fit for somebody like me who was starting from scratch. The structure of the plan is that you workout three days a week for nine weeks until you work up to 5k (around 3 miles). Since I had just run a mile for the first time in 18 years, it seemed like a HUGE task to run 3 miles but the weeks are broken into chunks that seemed achievable. I just focused on the first week because looking too far ahead would have seemed overwhelming.

Measuring Time and Distance

The first two weeks of C25K are based on timed runs/walks so a watch or clock is necessary. After that, you have a choice between going by time or by distance. I chose to go by distance because I wanted to make sure I ended up at three miles at the end of the running plan but for some people, the time makes more sense.

One of the challenges of going by distance is that you have to be able to measure it. For that reason, I started off C25K at a track so I could easily measure. After you work up your distance, running at the track will probably get boring as you run around and around and around in circles.

The transition from track to road running can be a big one. Not only is it more difficult to measure but the terrain is also varied and it can feel a little strange running amongst “real runners.” Some people have said they felt like shams pretending to be a runner on the road amongst people who were more experienced.

To help with keeping track of distance and time, here are some tools that are available.

• MapMyRun.com

Allows you to map your run to save it, see how long it was and share it with others. The site also has routes defined by other users so you can see where people in your area are running.

• Google Maps

To get Google Maps to measure your runs, go to the site and click on “My Maps” (login required) and then choose the Distance Measuring Tool. Once you’ve selected that, you can plot points on the map and it will tally up the total.


• Garmin GPS watches

And the high tech and oh-so-cool way of measuring your runs can be done using a watch with built-in GPS. You simply put the watch on and when you’re ready to run, touch the start button. When you’re done, hit the button to stop it. Depending on the model of watch you have, you can either transfer your data to your computer via USB or wirelessly. The Garmin 405 watch was my incentive to myself once I worked up to two miles. The freedom of having the watch and running wherever I wanted to was liberating and a total luxury. People have successfully completed running programs for many years without the use of GPS. It’s just a little more fun with it.

• Nike+

For a more affordable option that is still fun, consider Nike+ which is a $30 kit that allows you to combine your Nikes and your iPod Nano. The sensor that you put into your shoe tracks distance, pace and time and transmits the information to your iPod Nano. You sync your Nano online and the website produces nice charts to show you how you did. Fun!

• C25K podcasts (option 1 or option 2)

These are podcasts that are created according to the C25K weeks and will instruct you when to switch between walking and running and have music to entertain you in between.

Pacing

When you first start following the C25K program, you may find yourself wanting to take off fast during the running portions. After all, you just had a chance to walk so why not run as fast as you can? Resist the urge. Concentrate on pacing and breathing and just finishing the portion you are on. Even when I started running the longer runs, I spent the first few minutes just getting my breathing and pacing right so that I could complete the rest of the run. Don’t worry about the speed right now, just finish.

The Shoes

When you first start C25K, you may not need to run out and get a new pair of running shoes right away but after a little while of running, your body may tell you it is ready. Shin splints, pain in your feet, joint aches, etc., can all be aggravated by running without proper shoes. I highly recommend going to a running store and being fitted for shoes. They are experts and can advise you on the proper shoe (and size!) you should be wearing. My husband had doubts about paying a little extra for shoes at the running store but he says now that it was worth every penny. My excessively pronated arches made walking difficult after runs but after I got properly fitted, I didn’t have any pain in my arches.

Clothes

Although the running store where you buy your shoes will have lots of cute clothes to wear, you may find it a better use of your dollars to look at Target or Wal-Mart. I had a lot of good luck picking up clothes for not much money. Experiment a bit with what works because everybody likes a little something different. For instance, I didn’t like t-shirts on my longer runs but liked tanks made of quick drying material better. Some people love loose clothes and others love running skirts.

Breakthrough

At some point in working through the C25K program, you will likely experience a breakthrough where you find you aren’t struggling as much. Running will actually get comfortable. Maybe it will happen at 2 miles, maybe at 3, maybe beyond but you will hit a breakthrough. And you will feel like you can go much further. You made it this far, what’s another 3 10 miles?

Half Marathon Training

Once you finish the C25K program and you want to start training for the half marathon, you will need to choose a training program. There are a few options that are often used:

• Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice Program
• Jeff Galloway’s Half Marathon Training for all levels
• Cool Running Beginner Half Marathon Program

Each program varies in how it is run and some have terms that you’ll need to familiarize yourself with (like Magic Miles or fartleks). Choose the one that feels best for you. I chose Hal Higdon’s program because it seemed to fit what I was looking for.

Half Marathon Gear

In C25K, we talked about getting running clothes and shoes and maybe even a GPS watch. There may be a couple more things you will need for training for the half.

• Socks. Socks are a new item worth investing in. Running socks can be expensive so try out a couple of pair and see what you like. Buy a few pair that work for you. Blisters will be less likely to form and your feet will feel much better.
• Hydration method. On any runs over an hour (mostly your weekly long runs), you should have a way of keeping yourself hydrated. Hydration belts and CamelBak hydration packs are popular options.
• Music. You may have used an iPod or some other device on the C25K plan but it gets even more important the longer your runs get. Running for two hours with no music can be very hard. Of course this is optional but can really help keep you motivated and occupied.
• Running food. As you start to run longer and longer distances, you will need to make sure you are properly nourished. Everybody has different routines so you’ll need to figure out what works for you. For instance, I learned that I couldn’t have caffeine or dairy products the day before a long run. I also learned that I had to have sugar every 20 minutes or so during long runs and that a carb breakfast before a long run was necessary. Many people use running beans or carb load the night before.

Support, Support, SUPPORT

There may be nothing more important during training for your first long distance run than support. It is hard, the runs get long, there are a lot of challenges. Sometimes the only thing to get you through are the people or groups that support you.

• Running partners. Having somebody to run with will help keep you accountable and help you wake up when you really want to sleep in. I was lucky to have my husband running many of my runs with me and a friend with a Garmin 405 running watch who lived in another city. We would share our run data and compare notes a few times a week. When I thought about skipping, I’d remember she was up and doing the run and would be emailing me her run and I’d feel terrible if I didn’t have my run complete.
• Experienced runners. People who have done it and know what you are going through can help navigate you through the process and help you keep going when all you want to do is quit. I am fortunate to know a few experienced long distance runners including my best friend who helped me the whole six months.
• Running clubs. Running with a group can help keep you motivated and maybe even make you run a little faster. You can sign up at your local YMCA/gym or join a group like Team In Training if they have groups in your area. Often, the groups meet on the weekend for the long runs where you run as a group together and then you complete the shorter runs during the week on your own.
• Online support groups.There is a community online for everything (how about Insane Clown Posse fans who love Jesus?) including novice runners. Sharing your experience, getting advice and keeping each other accountable are huge benefits. If you are a part of a large online community, sometimes there’s even a sub-section focused just on fitness that you can participate in. Consider the Runner’s World forums, RuncastTV video community, the dailymile community, and blogs tagged about half marathons.

Run Some Races

While you are training for the half marathon, it can feel like a long process. Break up the training by signing up for a couple of races. Locate a 5K or 10K race you’d like to run and sign up for it. Make that your mini-goal while training for the half. Not only will it help you breakup the training but you will get comfortable with the whole race day process including working through the jitters, putting on your number and seeing how you perform on race day.

The Final Stretch

For me (and for many people), the last few weeks before the half are HARD. The long distance runs are tough on your body, it’s exhausting and you’ve been training for months. This is where the support becomes absolutely essential.

Finally, you reach your half marathon race day. You’ve trained for months, you know your running routines, you’ve run a shorter race or two. You will need to decide if you want to stick with your long run routines or change it on race day (iPod or no iPod? Hydration belt or water stations at the race?) Don’t try to focus on finishing fast, just finish. If you want to run another half marathon, you can focus more on time and improving your performance but for this race, just finish.

Just six months ago, you were on the couch and now you’re running a half marathon. If you can do *that*, what can you do in the next six months?!

Related posts:

1. 10 things I learned in this blog’s 1st month

Tagged as: c25k, couch to 5k, half marathon, novice runner, running, training