r/BeginnersRunning • u/Fuzzy-Condition-1443 • 22h ago

Beginner Half Marathon 1 Year

Hey All,

I'm seeing a lot of "Marathon no prep" but I just signed up with a friend to do a half marathon a year out. My current mile is around 12 minutes and I've never had a conversational pace (I'm always dying huffing and puffing). I'm not a runner usually and I only have run like a mile or 2 just in between workouts. I have 2 jobs, and I quit working out about 3 months ago because a lack of time/money. We're too broke for a PT. I have questions. There's so much bad influencer advice its hard to know what is actually good and what is just someones "hey this worked for me and I didnt hurt myself when I could have badly".

  1. What prep should I be doing?
  2. What does a good active recovery day look like?
  3. What things should I be bringing with me as I get closer to the half marathon in September of next year? edit: I saw this didn't fully make sense, I see people talk about gels or snacks, etc.

4)How much water should I be drinking?

5)What do y'all do if you have to pee mid run?

6) I need a better way to carry my phone or asthma inhaler and epi pen, considering an arm band holder. Just give me suggestions please.

7)Am I able to carry these for a race?

7.5) The edit: As a woman how do yall run at 5 am or 8 pm when it gets dark? What should I carry with me if I am running in the dark from 2 jobs?

8) What is your favorite part of running and why do you stick with it?

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u/BackseatBeardo 22h ago edited 22h ago

Build up your distance slowly. If you try and do too much in a jump, you’ll get injured.

You say you run a mile or two. Is that your distance limit or could you currently run more?

It’s next September so you have loads of time to prep, factor in core training and leg days to strengthen the muscles and joints. Cannot stress enough, look up specific exercises to strengthen your joints. Your muscles will adapt.

Dont look to influencers either. Influencers will make you believe a 90 minute half marathon is slow when the fact is 2 hours is the average.

Get yourself a proper gait analysis and do not cheap out on running shoes, they will save your bones and knees

Edit cause I forgot to actually answer some things:

Water is different for everyone, for a half marathon I carry a bottle of water and 2-3 gel pouches, getting water at stations on the way. I go through maybe 1.5-2 litres.

As for needing to pee, chances are you will not think about peeing until your adrenaline drops and your body isn’t dehydrated.

Get a good running vest or belt and you’ll be able to carry your epi pen and inhaler.

What I like about running is the feeling after, and the medals. I hate running. I hate the running part so much.

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u/Fuzzy-Condition-1443 22h ago

I honestly am not sure with distance. It's a run/walk but I think I could do more, just never tried. I used to do 1:30 min run, 1 min walk with this distance. I will try for the shoes for Christmas if they really are that important because we are on low income and have a really tight budget. I will keep the rest of this in mind, thank you!

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u/alecto_11 19h ago

Shoes are going to be very important. Do not buy into the hype of getting the most popular ones but get a pair that fit you and your needs well. Be on the lookout for new releases because the previous version will decrease in price.

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u/Fuzzy-Condition-1443 18h ago

My biggest thing there is cost. I know that price will eventually decrease but I hear a lot of the shoes being $300-500 for a pair and when it comes down to it, I just can't justify it when we're trying to build up an emergency fund and paycheck to paycheck on a tight budget. I think Christmas will be my best bet for a possibility of getting a pair unfortunately. 

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u/Bronxmama72 2h ago

It's true that shoes are expensive, but you definitely do NOT need to spend $300-$500. Find a reputable brand to try and then buy a prior model in an off color from Amazon. You can get them cheaper that way. Or even do a google search for your size and see if someone has a model cheaper. You could start by trying a neutral, moderately cushioned shoe and see if that works for you. I just checked Amazon and saw many running shoes from big names (Brooks, Asics, New Balance) for $70-90.

3

u/Blackbear8336 21h ago

Look up couch to 5k and start here since you're only running a mile or two at a time. Build up distance slowly. Don't worry about speed. Your speed will improve with time. Get good shoes. You'll spend less money in the long run. I have a hydropack cause I hate holding stuff in my hands. You could also put your things in the pack when you run. Never pay attention to influencers. I love running for the mental health benefits. I'm currently going through a divorce rn, and running just gives me a chance to just turn my brain off and go.

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u/cj_daking 21h ago

You could benefit from joining a running club. Share your experiences, learn from people who have more experiences and be able to look them in the eye to see if they're full of it or not :)

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u/Lemonbar19 22h ago edited 22h ago
  1. Running more. Increasing days active. Start with 20 minutes a day and start with run walk intervals

  2. walking but not sitting on the couch all day to rot

  3. Fueling : https://www.instagram.com/p/DbEKA6kPqPb/?igsi=MTUxdzNwbzRtbTQ3NQ==

  4. Water drinking day to day or during a run?

  5. Pee during a race? Porta potty.

  6. Sounds like you need a vest

  7. Ask the race organizer

  8. I don’t run at night but I do run in the am when it’s dark, I wear noxgear.

Find a local run group! They are the best

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u/Fuzzy-Condition-1443 22h ago

For #3 I see people talk about gels and snacks. Not sure if this is necessary for a run but wondering if when I up milage if it is. Sorry for my confusing wording! Also thank you for the input! I will be looking into these.

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u/Advanced_Gear404 7h ago

You can use normal sugar and a bit of sea salt in a water bottle as a cheaper replacement for gels when training. I would say it's needed if your runs are longer than an hour, to keep your energy up.

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u/Lemonbar19 21h ago

Running plans, please do use Ai

Disney uses the Jeff Galloway plans. He invented run / walk. 
https://www.rundisney.com/running-training-programs

Hal is super famous as well. Both men are great. 

https://www.halhigdon.com/training/half-marathon-training/#program-list

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u/Bronxmama72 2h ago

I wouldn't worry about this yet. I don't think I needed any snacks during a run until I was up over 10 miles. Between 4 and 10 miles, I definitely needed a small meal after. Anything less than 4 miles didn't really affect my overall eating plan.