Half Marathon during Marathon training question!

I would use the HM as your long run and ad-lib a short recovery run on Sunday.

Hi Kim,

Do you plan on racing or just running? That will make a difference in how you decide to handle the runs before and after the HM.

Because I am usually worried about getting hurt before my marathons, I treat them more as a long tempo run and don't race all out. If you plan on running hard, taper a bit before and run easy afterwards. Figure the HM will substitute for your 18 miler, swap the rest days so you get one on the 10th and 12th. Personally I wouldn't do the HM and 18-miler back-to back. You should be able to fit in the 10 and 7 miler while on the road, and do the miler Monday. At least you'll have nice weather to run outdoors!

Definitely get in what you can during the week.  I've actually run on the strip in Vegas and it's not bad, particularly in the morning or early afternoon.

As for the long run, as mentioned, it depends on what your goal for the HM is.  If you want to race it, do so and be done for the week.  If you just want to finish the HM, you can consider incorporating it into a longer run.  I did that a few years ago.  I was part of a distance challenge series of races that included a HM.  On that same day, though, I was supposed to do 19 miles, picking up the pace over the last third of the run.  So, I got out the door early, timed it as closely as possible, and did 6 miles BEFORE the HM started.  I got to the start about 2 minutes before the gun went off, so I jogged a small loop until it did.  I kept my pace slow and easy until the halfway point of the race, and then picked it up from there, just as my training plan called for.

Are you racing the half or just running it?

I was wondering about moving days around like that.  I really didn't want to miss that 18 miler...moving it might be a good idea.  Ok, you've given me some good ideas here...thanks a bunch.  And I do hope I crush that HM...if the boredom of running in circles doesn't crush me first!

I think that doing a half marathon about 6-8 weeks out from the marathon is a great test of fitness, and, if raced properly, can give you some great information for the marathon. I'm doing a marathon in mid April, and at the end of February I'm doing a half marathon. I plan to race the half marathon and then use how my pacing went to dial in my marathon pacing.

As for substituting it for your 18 mile run, with a proper warm-up and a little bit of a cool down you should be around 15 miles. With the tempo pace, that should supplant an 18 miler without any hindrance to your training. I won't be doing any sort of taper for the half that I'm running, although Friday and Saturday in my marathon training plan aren't too rigorous.