New runner training quesiton

Usually for a half, I like to get runners up to a 15 miler.
Once a good base is established, I add some fartlek runs.
These are unstructured, faster paced efforts. Warm up, run
to some point up the road (or trail) at a faster than normal
pace, slow down back to normal and repeat when you feel like
it. How many you do is up to you.

Then I add some efforts that are around 10K pace. These are
10-20 minute efforts in a session starting out short and
maybe only 1. This is what gives you more speed.

Polish off the program with some shorter, much higher
intensity runs like 3-5 min at 3K pace with equal time
recoveries.

Throw in some strides along the way.

"JR" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Please bear in mind that I'm very new to running.

My question is this.

Am I training too hard (or too soft)?

I started running in November. Less than 10 miles a week,
at a nice slow, 10:00 pace. Longest run back then was 2.5
or 3 miles.

During December, January, and February, I didn't increase
much. My "long" run was up to about 4 miles, and my total
weekly miles was maybe up to 12 or so.

Started running more frequently and longer in March
(turned 45, by the way).

Well, I've gotten bitten by a racing bug, and I've signed
up for a ½ marathon in September.

I'm up to almost 30 miles a week now, and have been
increasing my long runs by about a mile a week.

I turned in 10 miles for my long run today. The only ill
effects I have are some sore calves because I did some
pretty difficult hills the other day. If I take off the
weekend, they'll quiet down.

Granted, I'm running these long runs slow. At a 8:50-
9:00 pace, but I'm not really in any pain, and not that
tired. If I did a ½ marathon and came in under 2 hours,
I'd be happy.

My shorter distances, by the way, aren't that much faster,
which is a little disappointing to me. I can run 4 miles
at an 8:10 pace, and I'd like to turn in a 5K a LOT faster
than that. I can wait, though, if the speed will, indeed,
come with experience.

Where should I stop increasing my distance? Meaning,
where's a decent place to stop, and still "train" for a ½
marathon, BEFORE I hurt myself?

Thanks for your advice.

Jeff.

Good post, good reply, economy of words, a wealth of
knowledge.

Sam said:

Usually for a half, I like to get runners up to a 15
miler. Once a good base is established, I add some fartlek
runs. These are unstructured, faster paced efforts. Warm
up, run to some point up the road (or trail) at a faster
than normal pace, slow down back to normal and repeat when
you feel like it. How many you do is up to you.

Then I add some efforts that are around 10K pace. These
are 10-20 minute efforts in a session starting out short
and maybe only 1. This is what gives you more speed.

Polish off the program with some shorter, much higher
intensity runs like 3-5 min at 3K pace with equal time
recoveries.

Throw in some strides along the way.

"JR" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Please bear in mind that I'm very new to running.

My question is this.

Am I training too hard (or too soft)?

I started running in November. Less than 10 miles a week,
at a nice slow, 10:00 pace. Longest run back then was 2.5
or 3 miles.

During December, January, and February, I didn't increase
much. My "long" run was up to about 4 miles, and my total
weekly miles was maybe up to 12 or so.

Started running more frequently and longer in March
(turned 45, by the way).

Well, I've gotten bitten by a racing bug, and I've signed
up for a ½ marathon in September.

I'm up to almost 30 miles a week now, and have been
increasing my long runs by about a mile a week.

I turned in 10 miles for my long run today. The only ill
effects I have are some sore calves because I did some
pretty difficult hills the other day. If I take off the
weekend, they'll quiet down.

Granted, I'm running these long runs slow. At a 8:50-
9:00 pace, but I'm not really in any pain, and not that
tired. If I did a ½ marathon and came in under 2 hours,
I'd be happy.

My shorter distances, by the way, aren't that much faster,
which is a little disappointing to me. I can run 4 miles
at an 8:10 pace, and I'd like to turn in a 5K a LOT faster
than that. I can wait, though, if the speed will, indeed,
come with experience.

Where should I stop increasing my distance? Meaning,
where's a decent place to stop, and still "train" for a ½
marathon, BEFORE I hurt myself?

Thanks for your advice.

Jeff.

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