My first week of half-marathon training is complete! While I have been running half-marathons and long distances pretty consistently, I haven’t actually TRAINED for a half-marathon in years. I think the last time I officially trained for one was in 2012. (I sort of trained for another in 2013 but didn’t follow an official training plan). So I am excited to be back at it! Let’s take a look at Frederick Half-Marathon Training Week 1.
Frederick Half-Marathon Training Week 1
This was a good first week of training. My runs went better than expected and I moved some things around so they were all done outside. I may have woken up at 3:30am on Friday for my long run, but it was nice to get it done before the weekend started!
Weekly Run Down: Frederick Half-Marathon Training
Monday: Strength Training + Foam Rolling
Tuesday: Rest Day
Wednesday: 4.24 miles with 6 x 400 repeats + Core Work
Thursday: 20 minutes Spinning + Strength Training
Friday: 8 miles
Saturday: 3.75 Easy Miles
Sunday: 3 Stroller Miles
Speed Work
It’s been a few years since I ran 400 meter repeats. Most of my “speed work” these days are more in the form of fartlek runs and they’ve been time based rather than distance paced. What I found was that I was definitely willing to push myself more when I knew that the faster I ran, the faster I would be done. The only challenge was I did these on the roads so there was a slight incline. I still felt like I put in a good effort.
Long Run
So as I said I moved this run to Friday. I just got the urge to get it done. We had plans to go out to dinner on Friday night for Valentine’s Day and I didn’t want to feel like I had to limit my wine due to having a long run the next day. I also thought it would be nice to be able to do my shorter runs outside over the weekend when it was light out.
At 3:35 am I got up, made some coffee, pumped, got dressed, did a warm-up, and was out the door at 4:30. I stayed close by home and just got it done. When I got back I had time to take a quick picture and shower before Grayson was up and ready to start the day at 6.
Strength Training/Cross-Training
This was week 5 of the strength training plan that I put together on my own. I’ve been slowing increasing my weights and reps to get more of a challenge out of the exercises. I think the hardest but most effective move I do are the step-ups onto a bench. I’ve been holding 50 pounds of weight and doing 3 sets of 6 on each leg. I definitely feel the burn by the end!
I also got in 20 minutes of spinning and 12 minutes of yoga. 12 minutes is more than the 7 minutes I did last week so that’s a win! Honestly I just use it as a way to get in some stretching right now because most of the time I walk in from my run and don’t have time to do any sort of stretching.
Run Angel Ambassador
This week I shared on Instagram that I am a Run Angel Ambassador in 2020! Run Angel is a personal safety wearable that has a button to push as an alarm in case of an emergency while also sending a message to your identified contacts with the time and location of the activation. I’ve been wearing mine for 2 years and it makes me feel safer when I am out running!
How were your workouts last week?
What is the earliest time you will wake up to run?
Do you do speedwork on the roads or on a track? By time or distance?
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Full marks for getting up at 3.30am! Awesome!
12 minutes of yoga is nice! My yoga has disappeared completely over the last few weeks. I need to get that back on track. 😊
Thanks! I just have to remind myself 12 minutes is better than nothing with the yoga. I’ve just had a hard time committing to more than that lately!
I would love to figure out a way to get my long run done during the week sometime. The earliest I’ve ever gotten up is 5:20 so am I even a runner;-) Congrats on a solid week!
Haha there was a time was 5:20 was my earliest! It’s just gotten earlier and earlier over the years!
I don’t think I’ve ever ‘formally trained’ for a half! I usually just throw in some long runs to my normal running routine, lol. Kudos to getting up at 3:30 to do your long run. I’m sure I told you that I used to get up at 4 on a regular basis to get my runs in when the guys wre little. A running mom’s gotta do…
I think my 4am wake ups are going to continue for the foreseeable future. I just hope the 3:30 wake ups dont have to become a very regular thing.
Wow getting up at 3:30 is dedication! I did not run when my kids were young so thankfully I was never forced to do that. Did you make it through dinner without falling asleep? Nice week of training and thanks for linking up
I wake up at 4 every day so honestly 3:30 didnt feel all that bad!
It’s always the best feeling to get the long run done before the weekend. I like your reasoning too- a bit more wine 🙂 hehe!
Awesome week of training for you!
I had to remind myself that it would be worth it to be able to relax and have an extra drink! It was good motivation:)
Great first week of training! I’m always so impressed how parents get it done. Youth, I guess (comparatively).
I always train for mine. For me it just help prevent injury.
I usually do speed work by distance. I think 4 am is about the earliest I’ve gotten up for a run (not race, though).
Thank you! I agree there is something to be said for using a training plan to help prevent injury. I guess most of the time I was focusing on the marathon distance and it was just too complicated to add in another training plan for a shorter race.
Congratulations on your ambassadorship! Safety is so important and I love this concept.
I used to wake up at 4:15AM to go for runs. I had to be home by 6:15 at the latest to help get little man out the door for school (he starts super early) so that was my option.
You’re doing great.
Thanks! It’s always nice to get the runs done early, even if it means a super early wake up. I just remind myself that this schedule won’t last forever!
I haven’t “formally trained” for a half in a long time either but it IS appealing to push myself to see exactly what I can do. Your training is tough! I ran the Frederick (Maryland) half years ago. Good luck! I will be interested to follow your training. And kudos for the early, early morning wake-up!
I ran it in 2009 (I think?) I thought it was a pretty good course but a little boring at times. I chose it mostly because its not too far away and pretty flat!
Woohoo! Awesome job on your first week of half marathon training. I don’t think that I’ve properly trained for a half marathon in a few years – hence why my PR is from 2015 or 2016 – oops!
Congrats on your new ambassadorship!
Thank you! My half PR is from 2015 and I ran it while training for a full. So hopefully I can set a new one with some actual training!
Well done on that long run! I had a couple of very early (even for me LOL) runs on Friday mornings last fall when I was training for MCM. One of them, was an 18-miler (I think?)…I left the house around 4:30, did 6-7 miles on my own, then met Barb around 5:30ish for some more miles…then finished off on my own. It can be done!
And that’s why marathon training makes me nervous right now! I think I would need to start at 3am to get an 18 miler done if I had to do it during the week!
Great first week of training! And, huge props to you for getting up and out so early to get your long run done on Friday – that’s some serious dedication!
Thank you! It wasn’t too bad 🙂
girl, 3:30 is still the middle of the night 😉 I’m not a wake up early and run person but if it happens I try to do 5am wakeup and out the door before 5:30.
seriously though – great first week!! setting yourself up for success!!
Haha thank you! A 5:30 run is still pretty early too!
Great job waking up so early for your long run! I think the earliest I’ve been up is 4am during the summer. Got my run done before it got too hot.
Thanks! Yea, its nice to get those summer runs done early and beat the heat!
Great job on the first week of training! I do like to get my long runs done before the weekend rolls around, but it hasn’t fit in to my schedule lately. Pumping does add a bit of complexity/time to the morning routine I can imagine – way to get it all done!
Thanks! I try not to move things around too much, but when it works out its nice to get that long run done early!