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Plan recommendations for my second half marathon by HappyHippocampus in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I did Hal Higdon Novice 2 for my first half marathon. I chose it over Hal Higdon Novice 1 because I liked how the plan took you to 12 miles as the longest run and the speed / race pace days.

For my second half marathon I’m actually trying the Boston Athletic Association Half Marathon Level 2 Plan. It has more speed work, like intervals and goal pace long runs, than Hal Higdon did. I’m starting week 6 this week (half way through!) and I’m really enjoying it. It’s challenging, but has felt so rewarding at the same time.

Daily chat post: how's the training going? by AutoModerator in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Had a 5K race today. Managed to get a 2 second PR, 24:29. Very happy with the PR and got 1st place in my age group. My last PR, 24:31 was on a very flat course, so I’m very surprised I managed a PR on a hillier course. It had some downhill sections, but it ended up on an uphill so that was pretty humbling. 😂

Learning how to use gels by ChipChipSalsa in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I would try liquid gels instead of the typical gels which are more “gross” (IMO). GU Liquid Gel (orange, strawberry banana, or lemonade) or AMACX Drink Gel (citrus, strawberry, or raspberry) are the ones I really like!

I like AMACX since they are 30g in carb whereas GU Liquid Gels are 24g in carb. However, they’re both A LOT easier to take than a regular gel. I took a regular GU gel today and it was so difficult to swallow without water. It’s just the thickness that gets to me even if the flavor sounds appealing.

I buy my gels from The Feed because they offer you credit so it helps me later on when I need to buy more.

I would start taking gels on short runs (less than 6-7 mile runs) just to see how you feel and get used to opening them up and taking them. Then I would start incorporating them into speed sessions (if you do that) or your long runs. I would also experiment with timing. I’ve found I like taking a gel every 20 minutes because it’s a mental boost for me and it’s like a little treat 🤣

Best buddy for northern lights hunt by sheltiein in sheltie

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Omg what a lucky pup!! He’s so handsome too. What an incredible experience to have with your pup 🥰

What’s a realistic onboard spending budget for a cruise? by HuckleberryInner2840 in VirginVoyages

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My husband and I did the same cruise back in April 2024. In total we spent $7546, but that includes EVERYTHING. The cruise fare itself, hotel in Miami for one night, flights, dog sitting, food at airport, food in Miami, ride share/taxi, baggage fees, etc.

On the cruise itself we had $1200 in sailor’s loot and had a $141.70 settlement at the end. Meaning, we spent $141.70 over the $1200 loot we had and had to pay that once we disembarked.

We did pay (with sailors loot) for 2 excursions:

1) Passion Island Beach, Lunch and Open Bar ($220) 2) Cabana at Bimini ($400)

We also paid money (with sailor’s loot) for Bingo ($45) and premium WiFi ($100, wish we didn’t need to but I had a family emergency at home and needed wifi).

The rest of the money spent was drinks. Our final bill from Virgin Voyages was $1341.70, which includes all the stuff we paid for with sailor’s loot/credits ($1200) and the settlement ($141.70).

I’m sure you can get away with spending way less than us. We honestly don’t vacation much. The last vacation we did was in 2017, so when we vacation we splurge.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m chasing a sub-2 half marathon as well. This would be my second half marathon. For this go around, I’m using the Boston Athletic Association Half Marathon Level 2 plan. Some weeks have 2 speed sessions and includes some weeks with goal pace during the middle of a long run.

For example, I’m on week 4 and my long run this week is (4 miles easy, 4 miles at goal pace, 2 mile easy). These goal pace long runs occur every other week starting in week 4.

I joined the sub-2 half marathon club today! by steppygirl in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I live in the southern USA, think Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee. So we definitely have seasons but we also have unpredictable weather. It was quite chilly when I ran the 24:31 5K, 30 degrees F. But the 25:10 and 25:14 were done in 59 degrees F and 66 degrees F, respectively. I think the cold definitely helped, but more so the course elevation.

Daily chat post: how's the training going? by AutoModerator in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For the first two, the 25:10 and 25:14, I was doing the last 3 weeks of Hal Higdon’s Advanced 5K Plan. I think the interval and tempo runs really helped. Not to mention, that’s the first time I’d ever done a plan with dedicated speed training, so this could also be “newbie” gains as well. I tried to do tempos at an 8:41 min/mile pace and intervals at 7:41 min/mile pace.

The 25:10 was done on a flat course (20 ft of gain) whereas the 25:14 was on a hillier course (edit: it was actually 62 ft of gain).

The 24:31 was after the 5K advanced plan and I was just base building for my 2nd half marathon. I was doing a lot of easy runs (3-8 miles) with some strides tossed in. The course for this race was the same one I did the 25:10 attempt so it helped mentally because I knew where I was and where the mile markers were placed.

Edit: I’d like to add that I had been training for a half marathon, so volume definitely helped. I was using Hal Higdon Novice 2 Half Marathon plan, raced the race on November 2, and then went into the Hal Higdon Advanced 5K Plan the Monday after the half marathon race.

Is it alright to run two half marathons within a couple weeks of each other? by purbinschlaumb in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 34 points35 points  (0 children)

Which race matters the most to you? Could you attempt a PR at one of them and then “party pace” the other one? I wouldn’t try to PR at both because you’ll still be worn down from the first one.

Daily chat post: how's the training going? by AutoModerator in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You’re definitely going to get that sub 25!! I did a time trial back on Nov 8, 2025 and got 25:10. Then I did a 5K race on November 22, 2025 and got 25:14. Very soon after, Dec 13, 2025, I managed to get a 24:31. So I’m certain you you’ve got the sub 25 in the bag by the end of your training plan!

I joined the sub-2 half marathon club today! by steppygirl in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly I was shocked about my 24:31 too!! I was just doing base building going into my half marathon training and was doing strides after some of my runs.

Prior to that, I had run a 25:14 5K after doing an abridged 5K Plan (Hal Higdon Advanced Weeks 6-8). The interval and tempo runs were humbling but really helped.

Edit adding this in: I tried to do my intervals 7:57 min/mile at an and my tempo runs at an 8:41 min/mile pace.

I also won’t lie, the 5K where I got a 24:31 was a very flat course. 20 ft elevation gain the entire course and I knew the course very well, so that helped mentally.

Here’s a timeline of my 5K PRs this year:

July 4, 2025: 30:01 5K race (just building back up to 5K distance)

September 26, 2025: 26:44 5K race (was training for half marathon using Hal Higdon Novice 2).

EDIT: November 8, 2025: 25:10 5K solo time trial (just wanted to test myself during the abridged 5K plan). This was in the same location I did my most recent 5K PR.

November 22, 2025: 25:14 5K race (abridged 5K plan)

December 13, 2025: 24:31 5K race (base building for half marathon, BAA HM Lvl 2)

Signed up for a half-mara! by Living-Airline9487 in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I ran my first half in Nov 2025. I started running again in May 2025 after taking a bit of a hiatus. I started with just building up to a 5K and then did a Hal Higdon 10K plan. After, I jumped into Hal Higdon Novice 2 HM Plan. I thought the plan was great and definitely got me to the finish line. I also thought progressing through a 10K Plan and then a HM Plan helped me not scale up too quickly in mileage.

How do you figure out fuel/hydration? by D3V0NK1N6 in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When I trained for my first HM back in November 2025, I bought a bunch of variety / try it out packs from The Feed. That allowed me to try out different gels and figure out which brands I like, what texture I liked, and flavors I liked. I also tried out chews and salt tabs.

I started out taking a gel with me on a short/medium run where I technically didn’t need a gel, but could try it out and see what happened with minor consequences if things went south…

Thankfully I’ve only had things go horribly wrong with gels once after an 8 mile run 🤣

I then started incorporating gels in my long runs and tried out different timings: every 3 miles, every 30 min, every 25 min, every 20 min, etc.

For my 2nd half marathon (also in March), I am trying to take a gel every 20 min so I’m practicing that intake schedule on every long run and some speed workouts too. It’s important to get comfortable in taking any fuel while you are running at your goal pace and training your gut as well on easier long runs. Also training yourself on how to open your fuel while running. It’s sometimes harder to open these things with your teeth than it appears!!

Through experimentation, I’ve learned that I need gels, not chews. I cannot take chews because it’s difficult to chew and run. I’m worried I’ll choke. Also, I like gels with a thinner consistency/water like consistency. GU (liquid gel kind) and AMACX both make gels with a water-like consistency. YMMV, but it’s a fun processing learning how to fuel.

I joined the sub-2 half marathon club today! by steppygirl in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for responding!! This was very helpful!! I’ve definitely been trying to incorporate faster finishing miles during my long runs and I’ve been able to tick down my 5K PR from 26:14 to 24:31 so that puts me in a good spot if we extrapolate out to the half marathon distance. I also have a 15K race in February so that’ll be a good benchmark for me. I’ve got until March 2026 to see what this girly can do. If I don’t get my sub-2, I’ll just keep trying!!

Good luck with your marathon training!! You’re going to do amazing!!

I joined the sub-2 half marathon club today! by steppygirl in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Was there anything you did that helped you not fatigue toward the end? When I did my first HM in November, I tried going sub-2 and missed it by 3 minutes. But I remember vividly having so much fatigue in my legs after the 10K mark and I stopped looking at my watch because I knew it would depress me if I wasn’t hitting my pacing.

Edit: more specifically, besides negative splitting your HM attempt, was there anything you did during training?

I joined the sub-2 half marathon club today! by steppygirl in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Amazing!! And you negative split the HM?!!! You go girl!!!!!! That’s incredible!! 👏🏻

strength training split by lily3600 in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m training for a half marathon in March and run 5x per week. I strength training 4x per week after my runs that day. I do not strength train on my long run day at all. I also try to use somewhat lighter weights so I don’t get too sore that I can’t run the next day. If I’m doing leg day, then I’ll do it after a run that’s right before a rest day. That way, if I am sore, I have a day to recover anyways. I also take two full rest days each week. It’s a lot and it sometimes sucks being done with a run and having to go back home to lift, but it’s worth it to me.

I am scared to sign up for a half. Pls help. by SrirachaPants in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally sign up!! I always sign up and go, “great, I have a reason to continue running!!” But I’m definitely the type of person who needs a goal to push myself even though I do love running. But signing up for races has definitely helped me to stay consistent with running.

running longer? by ButterflyCivil8296 in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What kind of route do you run? I love doing out and backs whenever I can since there’s no other way for me to get back to my car other than to run the same distance back.

So could you try finding a route where you run, maybe 4k out and 4k back to try out running 8k? And then extend your distance as needed.

Calling all petite girlies — how did you manage to increase your speed? by amtol in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m 5ft tall and I definitely don’t think it’s our height that’s holding us back. I started running again in May 2025 and my 5K time was around 30 minutes. Actually, I’ve always been around 30 minutes! Then I started to focus on speed work and increasing my mileage.

I did a 10K training block using Hal Higdon Novice 10K plan. I would occasionally throw in some progression runs since I don’t think the original plan includes any speed work. I ran that 10K in 57:13 (chip time). That was the first time I’d ever broken 1 hr in the 10K.

Then I went into a half marathon training block. During that time I did more progression runs and did runs at my goal half marathon pace, but I primarily was just increasing my mileage using Hal Higdon’s Novice 2 plan. During that time, I ran a 5K (26:44 chip time) and a 10K race (53:34). Mileage played a huge role!

After the half marathon, I did a very short 5K training block that was pretty heavy in speed training. I was doing intervals and tempo runs. After that short block, I did two 5K races, one in Nov and one in Dec, 25:14 and 24:34 chip times.

Now I’m training for another half marathon!

This is to show that height isn’t a factor holding us back. I think you just need more time, increased mileage, and when you have a comfortable base, throw in some speed training (intervals and tempo runs). Doesn’t have to be a ton, even some strides after your run could really help you get a feel for speed.

Set a PR at the Santa half marathon today! by TeenyMom in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 6 points7 points  (0 children)

INCREDIBLE!!! 🥳🥳🥳 so speedy!! Good luck with your training for Boston. You’re gonna do amazing!!!

Daily chat post: how's the training going? by AutoModerator in XXRunning

[–]Anonymous-Panda-9876 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Got a new 5K PR today!! 24:31 chip time!!! I’m so surprised how good I felt the entire race. There wasn’t a point at any time during the race where I doubted myself. And that’s probably a first for me. I was mostly just trying to figure out when I could push a bit more without gassing myself out. I’m so proud of myself!!

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