I'm running a half marathon Sunday. Longest I've run at this point is 10 miles, but I'm confident in getting through it with a comparable time to my other long runs. That's not really my worry.

However, my training plan has a 6 mile run scheduled for Saturday. Is it common to have a run like that the day before a race?

No. And I'm comfortable saying don't do that. A 2 or 3-mile shakeout would be appropriate, depending on how frequently you normally run and what Thursday and Friday look like.

ptothemo said:

---

No. And I'm comfortable saying don't do that. A 2 or 3-mile shakeout would be appropriate, depending on how frequently you normally run and what Thursday and Friday look like.

---

I always run Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is always my long run. Tuesday has been a slower recovery run, Thursday I try to push the pace to work on my breathing higher effort(not actual speed work like intervals or threshold runs), and Saturday is an easy run. I cross train on Fridays, which has just turned into walks. I need to change it to something to work on cardio more, though.

Misplaced Aggie said:

---

tandy miller said:

---

How do I train for a half? Planning on running 3x/week… simultaneously prepping for a January mule deer hunt.

Initial thought is 1 easy day, one long day, and one "speed/interval" day. Also have no idea about fueling (when/what to eat). I've never even taken water

---

This is very late.

So I would bump it up to 4 days of running.
2 easy, 1 sprint, and 1 long run day. The biggest thing that people dont realize is that you cant ramp up miles or you are going to hurt yourself. This is due to how low tendons and joints take to adapted.


Your sprints should include hill sprints, internals, ect. Dont stick to one type of workout.

I would base your easy runs and sprints off of time and your long run based on mileage.

Now for fueling. You should fuel every 20 minutes with a gel. Please stay away from GU. Water should be taken with the gel and you should drink when you need to do.

---

Thanks. Made the mistake of trying a gu on my long run this past weekend. It was absolutely horrendous

I have a tentative plan mapped output in a google sheet. If you want to see it shoot me an email at tandymiller8@gmail.com and I'll share it with you… I made it with chat gipiti

Then yeah, a short shakeout on Saturday makes sense. It keeps you on schedule for frequency and makes sure your legs don't go dead between Thursday and Sunday.

6 miles is too much and would put you at risk of not being fresh and ready to roll Sunday morning.

I'm really curious about the plan that would suggest 6 the day before a half. I could see it as part of a run 7 days per week plan that is building toward a marathon and the half is fitness test, but that's about the only scenario where it would be appropriate.

tandy miller said:

---

Thanks. Made the mistake of trying a gu on my long run this past weekend. It was absolutely horrendous

---

Be sure to try out a similar fueling plan to whatever you intend to do during the race, before the race. In the middle of the half marathon is not an ideal time to find out that your fueling strategy causes abdominal cramps/vomiting/explosive diarrhea.

Gu is ass. All the flavors have the consistency of snot and taste like vomit: chocolate vomit, strawberry banana vomit, salted caramel vomit, etc. I do well with Maurten gels--kind of a weird consistency (less liquid than Gu) and taste like nothing other than sugar. They are $$$$ for regular use. Some people do fine with significantly cheaper options (e.g., maple syrup, homemade concoctions), but everyone is different.

YokelRidesAgain said:

---

tandy miller said:

---

Thanks. Made the mistake of trying a gu on my long run this past weekend. It was absolutely horrendous

---

Be sure to try out a similar fueling plan to whatever you intend to do during the race, before the race. In the middle of the half marathon is not an ideal time to find out that your fueling strategy causes abdominal cramps/vomiting/explosive diarrhea.

Gu is ass. All the flavors have the consistency of snot and taste like vomit: chocolate vomit, strawberry banana vomit, salted caramel vomit, etc. I do well with Maurten gels--kind of a weird consistency (less liquid than Gu) and taste like nothing other than sugar. They are $$$$ for regular use. Some people do fine with significantly cheaper options (e.g., maple syrup, homemade concoctions), but everyone is different.

---

I am. I ordered a sample pack of gels from the feed that is a couple from like 8 brands…. Have been experimenting with candy as well. I've also started running in a vest… don't really NEED it yet, but frankly it makes me feel more legit and I've been starting to practice hydrating during runs. Went with a Salomon active skin 4. Really like it so far.

Also went to my first run group here in San Antonio Saturday… the downtown run group. There were a ton of people that showed up at 7am on a Saturday. I figure it may help me meet some people here, and also get me used to keeping my own pace when running with a bunch of other people.

Pretty cool route, started in the pearl area and ran downtown.

ptothemo said:

---

Then yeah, a short shakeout on Saturday makes sense. It keeps you on schedule for frequency and makes sure your legs don't go dead between Thursday and Sunday.

6 miles is too much and would put you at risk of not being fresh and ready to roll Sunday morning.

I'm really curious about the plan that would suggest 6 the day before a half. I could see it as part of a run 7 days per week plan that is building toward a marathon and the half is fitness test, but that's about the only scenario where it would be appropriate.

---

I'm using the Hal Higdon marathon plan via the app. It customizes the plan to an extent. The half marathon in the plan is technically supposed to be next week, but timing didn't align perfectly. Marathon is in January.

Average Joe said:

---

I'm using the Hal Higdon marathon plan via the app. It customizes the plan to an extent. The half marathon in the plan is technically supposed to be next week, but timing didn't align perfectly. Marathon is in January.

---

OK, there's your issue. Even the Higdon "Advanced" marathon plans advise two full days of rest before the "mid-point" half marathon.

6 miles is crazy before a half marathon if you have any intention of racing it--and if it's going to be your longest distance ever I would regard that as a race effort. Even the highest mileage Pfitz plan (peaking at 100 miles per week) advises no more than a 4 mile recovery run and some strides the day before.

The rest is much more important than getting in some random 6 mile run. "The hay is in the barn", so to speak--no workout the day before is going to boost your fitness more than it's going to hurt you in terms of increasing fatigue.

YokelRidesAgain said:

---

Average Joe said:

---

I'm using the Hal Higdon marathon plan via the app. It customizes the plan to an extent. The half marathon in the plan is technically supposed to be next week, but timing didn't align perfectly. Marathon is in January.

---

OK, there's your issue. Even the Higdon "Advanced" marathon plans advise two full days of rest before the "mid-point" half marathon.

6 miles is crazy before a half marathon if you have any intention of racing it--and if it's going to be your longest distance ever I would regard that as a race effort. Even the highest mileage Pfitz plan (peaking at 100 miles per week) advises no more than a 4 mile recovery run and some strides the day before.

The rest is much more important than getting in some random 6 mile run. "The hay is in the barn", so to speak--no workout the day before is going to boost your fitness more than it's going to hurt you in terms of increasing fatigue.

---

Awesome. That is what I was thinking, and why I asked. It seemed off. I'll definitely take y'all's advice.

It's weird for me to use the word "race", because I'm still just racing myself for now. After my marathon I'll probably start getting a little more serious about speed and setting time goals. I'm definitely enjoying the journey, so far.

Average Joe said:

---

It's weird for me to use the word "race", because I'm still just racing myself for now. After my marathon I'll probably start getting a little more serious about speed and setting time goals. I'm definitely enjoying the journey, so far.

---

Very few people in any road race are "racing" in terms of trying to win--whether you have a specific time goal/qualifier in mind or are just trying to do the best you can do, I would qualify that as "race effort".

If you've done a bunch of races and are deliberately running slower than you know you can because you are pacing others or deliberately treating the event as a "destination long run", then you can treat an event like "just another run". But if you're even remotely interested in doing well, you should back off to some degree before the event--how much depends on how much you care about that event versus others.

Or you can be like me and pay good money to run a 5K race three days after a marathon.

I am going to suck.

YokelRidesAgain said:

---

Or you can be like me and pay good money to run a 5K race three days after a marathon.

I am going to suck.

---

I mean, aren't most of us paying good money to do something that is free?

Average Joe said:

---

YokelRidesAgain said:

---

Or you can be like me and pay good money to run a 5K race three days after a marathon.

I am going to suck.

---

I mean, aren't most of us paying good money to do something that is free?

---

But thinks of the shiny bauble they gives us at the end, precious!

This is the plan chat gipiti made

Half Marathon Training Plan

Race: March 7, 2027
Goal pace: 10:00/mile
Schedule: Tuesday easy, Thursday quality, Saturday long run; Sunday recovery jogs begin after the January hunt.
Hunting break: January 110, 2027 no running.

October 2026

* Tue, Oct 6: 3 mi easy
* Thu, Oct 8: 4 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 6 1 min fast / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Oct 10: 4.5 mi long run, easy
* Tue, Oct 13: 4 mi easy
* Thu, Oct 15: 5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 2 min strong / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Oct 17: 5.5 mi long run, easy
* Tue, Oct 20: 4.5 mi easy
* Thu, Oct 22: 5.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 6 2 min strong / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Oct 24: 6 mi long run, easy
* Tue, Oct 27: 4.5 mi easy
* Thu, Oct 29: 5.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 3 min controlled hard / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Oct 31: 6.5 mi long run, easy

November 2026

* Tue, Nov 3: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Nov 5: 5.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 4 4 min controlled hard / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Nov 7: 7 mi long run, easy
* Tue, Nov 10: 5 mi easy recovery
* Thu, Nov 12: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 4 min controlled hard / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Nov 14: 7.5 mi long run; practice hydration
* Tue, Nov 17: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Nov 19: 5.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 2 8 min comfortably hard with 3 min easy between, then easy running
* Sat, Nov 21: 5.5 mi deload long run, very easy
* Tue, Nov 24: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Nov 26: 5.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 6 3 min controlled hard / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Nov 28: 6.5 mi long run, easy

December 2026

* Tue, Dec 1: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Dec 3: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 2 10 min comfortably hard with 3 min easy between, then easy running
* Sat, Dec 5: 7 mi long run, easy
* Tue, Dec 8: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Dec 10: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 4 min controlled hard / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Dec 12: 7.5 mi long run; aim to make it easier than previous attempts
* Tue, Dec 15: 5 mi easy recovery
* Thu, Dec 17: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 2 12 min controlled threshold effort with 3 min easy between, then easy running
* Sat, Dec 19: 8 mi long run; practice fueling and hydration
* Tue, Dec 22: 4.5 mi easy
* Thu, Dec 24: 5.5 mi easy + 6 20-second relaxed strides
* Sat, Dec 26: 6.5 mi easy
* Tue, Dec 29: 4 mi very easy
* Thu, Dec 31: 4 mi easy; finish fresh for the hunt

January 2027

Hunt: January 110 no running

* Sat, Jan 2: No run hunt
* Tue, Jan 5: No run hunt
* Thu, Jan 7: No run hunt
* Sat, Jan 9: No run hunt
* Tue, Jan 12: 4 mi very easy; first run back
* Thu, Jan 14: 4.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 2 min strong / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Jan 16: 6 mi long run; assess legs after the hunt
* Sun, Jan 17: 2 mi very easy recovery jog
* Tue, Jan 19: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Jan 21: 5.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 2 10 min controlled threshold effort with 3 min easy between, then easy running
* Sat, Jan 23: 7 mi long run, easy
* Sun, Jan 24: 2 mi very easy recovery jog
* Tue, Jan 26: 5 mi easy
* Thu, Jan 28: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 4 min controlled hard / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Jan 30: 8 mi long run; practice fueling
* Sun, Jan 31: 2.5 mi very easy recovery jog

February 2027

* Tue, Feb 2: 5.5 mi easy
* Thu, Feb 4: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 3 8 min at controlled half-marathon effort with 3 min easy between, then easy running
* Sat, Feb 6: 9 mi long run, easy; final 2 mi moderately strong if feeling good
* Sun, Feb 7: 2.5 mi very easy recovery jog
* Tue, Feb 9: 5.5 mi easy recovery
* Thu, Feb 11: 6 mi total with 2025 min at controlled half-marathon effort
* Sat, Feb 13: 10 mi long run, easy; practice race fueling
* Sun, Feb 14: 3 mi very easy recovery jog
* Tue, Feb 16: 5.5 mi easy
* Thu, Feb 18: 6 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 2 15 min at controlled half-marathon effort with 4 min easy between, then easy running
* Sat, Feb 20: 8 mi long run, easy; final major endurance run
* Sun, Feb 21: 3 mi very easy recovery jog
* Tue, Feb 23: 4.5 mi easy
* Thu, Feb 25: 4.5 mi total 0.75 mi warm-up, 5 2 min controlled fast / 2 min easy, then easy running
* Sat, Feb 27: 8 mi long run, easy

Race Week

* Tue, Mar 2: 4 mi easy
* Thu, Mar 4: 4 mi very easy
* Sat, Mar 6: 2 mi very easy + 4 15-second relaxed strides
* Sun, Mar 7: RACE DAY Half Marathon (13.1 mi)

Training Notes

* Keep easy and long runs conversational, especially in South Texas heat and humidity.
* Fast intervals should be controlled and repeatable, not all-out sprints.
* Practice hydration and fueling during longer runs.
* Sunday recovery jogs are easy and optional; skip them if fatigue or soreness builds.
* Adjust pace based on effort, weather, and recovery rather than forcing a pace on every run.

Why not use an actual half marathon training plan?

Goldie Wilson said:

---

Why not use an actual half marathon training plan?

---

I'll have to take almost 2 weeks of in Jan, regular plans don't account for that and I didn't know how to. Also I'd imagine a LLM is pulling from established plans that are out there. Also bc I didn't want to pay for a running plan. Is the one I'm using bad?

tandy miller said:

---

Goldie Wilson said:

---

Why not use an actual half marathon training plan?

---

I'll have to take almost 2 weeks of in Jan, regular plans don't account for that and I didn't know how to. Also I'd imagine a LLM is pulling from established plans that are out there. Also bc I didn't want to pay for a running plan. Is the one I'm using bad?

---

I did my first half running 3x a week. It's very doable. I had been running 5-7x a week and went with a conservative plan with Coach Amy (delivered Garmin plan) that set me back to 3x week. It felt like a setback, but also very focused and targeted. And after not running for over 20 years, I was frankly a little concerned about hurting something as my mileage got up.

In the middle of my plan I paused it and went on a 10 day vacation to Utah. Did a lot of hiking, but didn't run a bit. And it was just fine.

As for frequency, if 3x works better for your schedule, and you can work in an extra run or two that's just fine! And if your plan is to run 4x per week and you have to skip a run, that's fine too. Just don't skip your long run. Whatever you can maintain and balance is better than agonizing over 3x or 4x or 5x.

For the thoughts on running 3 to 6 miles in a shakeout before a half - I don't see the point. Especially as a new runner. I did a taper and just walked a bit the day before. If I'd run three miles, I'd have some small amount of leftover fatigue when I lined up to run my 13 the next morning. If you've gotten long runs up to 10 or 11 miles and kept running up until about a week before, you're ready. And one more run the day before will add a zero amount of fitness and could only hurt. Do some stretches, walk the course, and trust your training.

tandy miller said:

---

YokelRidesAgain said:

---

tandy miller said:

---

Thanks. Made the mistake of trying a gu on my long run this past weekend. It was absolutely horrendous

---

Be sure to try out a similar fueling plan to whatever you intend to do during the race, before the race. In the middle of the half marathon is not an ideal time to find out that your fueling strategy causes abdominal cramps/vomiting/explosive diarrhea.

Gu is ass. All the flavors have the consistency of snot and taste like vomit: chocolate vomit, strawberry banana vomit, salted caramel vomit, etc. I do well with Maurten gels--kind of a weird consistency (less liquid than Gu) and taste like nothing other than sugar. They are $$$$ for regular use. Some people do fine with significantly cheaper options (e.g., maple syrup, homemade concoctions), but everyone is different.

---

I am. I ordered a sample pack of gels from the feed that is a couple from like 8 brands…. Have been experimenting with candy as well. I've also started running in a vest… don't really NEED it yet, but frankly it makes me feel more legit and I've been starting to practice hydrating during runs. Went with a Salomon active skin 4. Really like it so far.

---

I loathe gels. I fueled training through my race with nothing but rice krispie treats and stinger waffles, supplemented by a mixture of Skratch Labs and Relyte (I'm a very heavy/salty sweater). You'll find your own body's needs, but you need to be fueling before your muscles run out of glycogen.

Plan is to increase to 4x after I get back from Az. Only reason im not starting woth 4x is time and schedule. Im weight training 3x/week and doing other things to prep for hunt. Once i get back from my mule deer hunt the training will be 100% running focused

Ark03 said:

---

tandy miller said:

---

YokelRidesAgain said:

---

tandy miller said:

---

Thanks. Made the mistake of trying a gu on my long run this past weekend. It was absolutely horrendous

---

Be sure to try out a similar fueling plan to whatever you intend to do during the race, before the race. In the middle of the half marathon is not an ideal time to find out that your fueling strategy causes abdominal cramps/vomiting/explosive diarrhea.

Gu is ass. All the flavors have the consistency of snot and taste like vomit: chocolate vomit, strawberry banana vomit, salted caramel vomit, etc. I do well with Maurten gels--kind of a weird consistency (less liquid than Gu) and taste like nothing other than sugar. They are $$$$ for regular use. Some people do fine with significantly cheaper options (e.g., maple syrup, homemade concoctions), but everyone is different.

---

I am. I ordered a sample pack of gels from the feed that is a couple from like 8 brands…. Have been experimenting with candy as well. I've also started running in a vest… don't really NEED it yet, but frankly it makes me feel more legit and I've been starting to practice hydrating during runs. Went with a Salomon active skin 4. Really like it so far.

---

I loathe gels. I fueled training through my race with nothing but rice krispie treats and stinger waffles, supplemented by a mixture of Skratch Labs and Relyte (I'm a very heavy/salty sweater). You'll find your own body's needs, but you need to be fueling before your muscles run out of glycogen.

---

This. I find that I hate using gels once I get into the flow of running and will be using liquids to fuels. I've seen some people eat mashed potatoes.

I also do not like gels although I have found baby food to work very well. Sounds weird but works

I have a big pack of gels I'm going to work through and see if they continue to work for me. I would prefer something liquid, though, but need to get a way to carry them, first.

JimShorts said:

---

I also do not like gels although I have found baby food to work very well. Sounds weird but works

---

The amount of weird stuff people eat for runs gets up there especially during ultras.

Any of these worth a *****

SIS is my go to. It's easier on my stomach and you don't necessarily need water with it

tandy miller said:

---

Any of these worth a *****

---

They all look good expect the GU. Now its time to test which one you like the best.

Is my 6 mile long run sat long enough to test? If so when should I take?

Last I looked/researched marten was one of the tops but expensive