Question:I am starting the Hal Higdon training plan to run my first
marathon in April. I would like to run a couple of half
marathon races during that time but I do not see how could
I fit them in the schedule.
I do not know if it is a mistake to run races at all or
whether I should run in the easy weeks of the training (the
ones when the long run mileage decreases) although this
does not seem to make sense.
Replacing long runs with races does not seem very logical
either, even if the length is right, because long runs are
supposed to be run at an easy pace...
Any idea of how to accomplish this or should I just give up
racing any distance for four months?
Answer:
If you want the race experience and want to do some long runs at the
same time, you can run 5 miles before the race, do a 10 K and then
finish up with another 5. That way you get the good warm up, a good
race, probably playing with a race pace for the marathon, and then a
warm down.
When I first started training for a marathon back in the mid 70's, the
idea was from the first week out, to be on my feet for 4 hours. At
first it was mainly walking and the running increased as time went on.
What it did give us was a sense that four hours is really a short
period of time that can gradually help one cover a good deal of ground
as the running increased and the walking decreased.
Also there was a mind set from the beginning that it was just a four
hour visit with some friends. The fact that we were walking or running
was secondary to the great times we had visiting.
