Do you think its possible for me to run and complete a half marathon with only 4 months to train?

Question

I am 190lbs. and only 5 feet tall. I realise I need to get into shape but everytime i approach weight loss head on i always stray and fail. I had an idea, I thought setting a goal to complete a half marathon (13.1miles) by september 23 this year I would accomplish a goal and lose weight in the process. Kind of psyching myself out i guess you would say. I just want to know if there are any runners out there that think that this is realistic. You know for a girl almost 200lbs to train for 4 months and be in good enough shape to run that long distance. please let me know....is my goal unrealistic?

Answer 1

I think it is possible, but if you end up walking some of the race that would be OK too. In fact you might want to plan on running for 5 minutes and walking for one the whole race--you are much less likely to get injured this way. Don't go out and run really hard, get injured, and then stop. Even in your training--start SLOWLY.

Answer 2

I think you should make smaller, more attainable goals, and string them together.

You don't say how old you are. I'm 41. In september I had my gallbladder out. I was 175 at the time. At thanksgiving I got a treadmill and started walking. (you could go to the biggest mall around, and walk from one end to the other and back, if you don't have access to a treadmill). When it got warm I started jogging around my neighborhood. I 'm getting ready for a 5k in three weeks and i'm still not really running the full distance. (it's a little over 3 miles). My goal is to start the race, run some, walk some, and finish in about an hour.

I have not lost a whole lot of weight - because muscle weighs more. So I am skinnier and my clothes are starting to fit again. But don't base "success" on the number. Go by how you feel, and each time you go a little farther, consider that excellent progress.

Four months isn't very long and I'd hate to see you suffer an injury from pushing yourself too hard. (Please talk to your doctor and let him/her check your heart, etc, and help you with resources such as clubs or trainers in the area!!)

I vote, start with walking. Many big races also have a walking event on the same course. You can find one of those and enter in that and you will still feel proud of what you have accomplished. There is always next year to run that half marathon (or maybe a 5 k, and the year after THAT you run the half... see?)

Good luck. I hope you don't give up based on my reply. I just think if you're trying to do a half marathon all on your own as your first event, you'll get discouraged.

Running is something you can do your whole life. You might really like it. Just take your time and learn as much as you can about stretching, healthy workouts, hydrating your body, good food fuel, etc.

Answer 3

No, it is not unrealistic. You will need to work hard on a treadmill or by walking or running outside until then. I would also suggest that your goal is just to finish the distance you set for yourself, not to finish first or in any particular time, and not to feel bad if you have to walk for part of it. So, set realistic goals, and work up to being able to complete 13 miles by adding a little distance every day when you practice. Do a full run through before the actual marathon to see if you can manage the distance. Good luck, I find that if I start to work out hard, it becomes almost obsessive, and a lot can be accomplished. Have some fun with it too, and listen to some good music while training, it helps a lot.

Answer 4

This is a VERY bad idea. Try for a shorter goal race, such as a 5K or 10K. The half-marathon is long enough that you'll need to run 20-30 miles a week to get in adequate training to finish the race, and with no previous training, you're setting yourself up for overtraining injuries. I'd suggest you start walking and jogging, and attempt a 5K in a month or two.

Plus, to be realistic, 200 lb is fairly heavy to start running, and this could lead to serious damage to your knees and joints if you're going from completely sedentary to jogging. Try walking or cycling combined with diet to lose 10 or so pounds before you begin running to prevent doing permanent injury, and see your doctor before you begin a fitness regimen. If you need motivation, check out www.runnersworld.com.

Good luck!

Answer 5

no, I don't think that it's unrealistic to want to run that far. But my advice is to start off slow and don't worry about the time you come in, or even the place. I'd begin with some shorter runs to get you used to taxing your body like that, and don't get discouraged if you end up walking for a bit or come in last place, remember that beating your personal time is a better feeling. I think that once you start competing and maybe finish before a few people, that will put you in a better mood and you'll want to go more! And if you're afraid to run alone, find a spot near your house and get a friend to come with. I've used the site below to find a route to train on. Good luck!!

Answer 6

I am a Girl in Track so I'm a runner.I think if you are very in to this and you set this goal you can do it if,you really really want it .......Every time you think you are going to quit or grab a fatting food think........I can do this and think of your heath.I am not going to quit now!So belive in or not I think you can do it.

Answer 7

if you are doing hard training within 4 monts then you can try some.