1 reply to this topic

[Eckyb]

Hi

I did my first half marathon last year and have started training for one in March this year (3 months almost exactly).

Last year I increased my distance/time too quickly (went from running 5km max to 21km in about 2 months) and ended up with shin splints which is something I have been dealing since then. I stretch, ice, strengthen, have an orthodic, do all the right things but find I can run a mex of 5 times a fortnight before it flares up again (3 runs one week, 2 runs the next) so my training for this half marathon looks something like this:

Mid week: either 1x 6-5km run, or 2x 4-6km runs, alternating each week.
Weekend: one long run, gradually building up from 10km this weekend, to 18 the two weeks before the race.

Will this be enough? The program I followed last year had 4 runs a week, 2 mid length during the week, one reasonably long on Sat and one really long on Sunday.

ETA: I also ride and swim during the week and one of the mid week runs is a coached session at the local oval doing sprints of different distances/speeds etc

Edited by Eckyb, 12 December 2008 - 09:32 AM.

[Hulbs]

Hi Eckyb,

Is that the Western Creek HM your running on 8 March 09?

I'm training for the same HM if it is. Although I noticed that the Sri Chinmoy 10km is on Canberra Day being the next day so I may have to choose which one I'll do.

Re. your shin splints I presume you are using shoes that have enough cushioning in them? and are you renewing your shoes regularly enough? Not sure if it's possible (you may already do this) but if so do you do your longer runs on softer surfaces such as fire trails, grass etc instead of concrete or asphalt? This makes a big difference to the stress loads through your lower legs. The only other thing I can think of is that you may be running at too fast a pace for your runs which also increases the stress on legs.

I ran into stress fracture problems from a combination of not replacing shoes enough and over training but I was running 6/7 times a week.

I'm no expert but IMHO with so few funs per week for HM training I wouldn't be using one of them as a sprint repeat session when your race distance will be HM. I reckon you'd be better off replacing it with a tempo run instead. That way you get to increase your LT and leg strength and get used to sustaining pace faster than HM pace.

Or if you do keep the intervals change the distances from sprint intervals (i.e. 200m/400m repeats etc) to longer sustained intervals at slower pace (i.e. 800m-2000m intervals)

I'd say aerobically you should be fine given that you are swimming and cycling as well as running it's justs a case of getting enough time in the legs so you are strong enough for the HM but balancing that against risk of overuse training injury.

Jase

Edited by Hulbs, 15 December 2008 - 08:09 PM.