Couch to Half Marathon (13.1 miles i.e. 21.1km) in 4 months - possible?!

is there any reason why your Not using the BUPA training programme already suggested above? Im using it for the 10k and its going well so far. I have shin splints, so it seems to be working as I can train 3 times a week, usually I would have to rest my legs for a week if I ran two times the week before.

I have almost the same stats as you, but im 6ft, when I started by training for a 5k. When I started I couldn't run for 2 mins lol, now my time is around 29 mins in unfavourable conditions, I have never ran on a nice Sunny day. I ran at nite when its cold, windy or raining. Im training for triathlons so my goals are different from yours. But its seems like youre doing too much and not enough. I would cut out doing any type of HIIT that uses your legs, you need to give them time to recover as running is a high impact activity. I made the mistake of doing hiit and 5k training now I have the injury to show for it.

I also suggest you look into triathlon training. You'll have a great body if you put serious effort into it. I speak from experience. I when I look at my arms and legs, im like damnnnnnn. And I've never step foot inside a gym. Not bad for someone who was obese 7mnts ago. Haha

well you could just do distance. but you will improve faster with these sort of workouts. You really need to be running at least twice a week, and two distance sessions will put a lot of pressure on your joints, especially if you are new to running.

also, you would probably find your program would cause you to plateau. the first half of the runs are unlikely to push you. your HM pace for like 5/6/7/8/9/10k should be a very easy run. In a HM you shouldnt feel like you are pushing yourself in the first half, typically a steady first half followed by pushing the second is a good tactic. This means your training isnt pushing you for most of the program, and if you want to improve, you need to push yourself hard.

That means until you start getting close to your full distance, your training has only really been half effective.
of course you can adopt that approach and no doubt finish, but nobody prefers to limp across the line in 2:30, to finishing feeling good in sub 2.

what you are saying about another discpline as a HIIT session is called cross training. It still faces some controversy amongst runners. As somebody who recently moved into triathlon, obviously I cross train as a matter of neccesity. After a year out from all cardio, swimming,cycling and running took me from nothing to a 40 min 10k in a months and a half. However, a lifetime of exercise and a history of cross country no doubt means I have a lot in the tank when it comes to running.

Typically though, the general wisdom is: 'if you want to get better at running, go running'.

If you genuinely enjoy these alternative session more than a running session, have a particular reason to do it or feel like running is putting too much strain on your legs, do it. If you want what is most effective, go running.
Also, treadmills arent great imo, but if you dont really have a choice, they suffice. nothing replicates real running in my opinion.

At the end of the day though, you have to keep it enjoyable. Take on board what i suggested, and change little bits here and there to suit you. If you dont get satisfaction out of it, you wont keep it up.

Hello all, let me firstly just say, i'm not completely a couch potato. I can jog/run 5km (3.1 miles), but not in a very quick or competitive time - say 27 minutes i.e. 9 minutes a mile jog at marathon pace, not normal pace, or quicker if I ran but no way I could keep up a run for 13.1 miles, so a jog all the way it is. I'm 20 years of age, about 84-85kg (and slowly on the decline with regular gyming and now running); 5 foot 11.5, fairly muscular, so not overweight/obese, but not an athlete either.

My aim, should I enter is to - very slowly jog and just complete the Half Marathon, not win it. It's a personal goal of just jogging the entire distance without stopping (something I thought I could never do) - in 2 hours would be great, but time is irrelevant.

But is it realistic, or even possible? I ask the latter because apart from a 5k, which doesn't really count, this would be my first official run - perhaps it is recommended to start with a 10k? The HM will be about early to mid-October, so I have roughly 4 months, or 16 weeks.

Lets say I can run 5k now. If I eat the right things, prepare well, and mix up my exercise being consistent with diet and training, could I cover the entire distance in say 2 hours? I don't mind even if it's just over, 2:15, or even 2:30, but I really just want to able to finish it.

My training plan would be something like (all twice a week) increasing only 1k a week, which seems quite realistic:

Week 1: 5km marathon-pace jog

Week 2: 6km m-p jog

Week 3: 7km m-p jog

Week 4: 8km m-p jog

and so on, until...

Week 16 (i.e. week before Marathon): 21.1km jog

I would be working out 4-5 times a week, the other 2-3 times would involve conditioning training, boxing, cycling, HIIT, rowing, etc, just to increase general fitness, increase strength/endurance, lower BF% and help me slowly increase the distance I can jog until I reach my goal.

One month earlier there is also a 10km. My main question is, shall I push myself and go for the half-marathon 21lm, or play it safe, go for the 10km, and then when i'm slightly fitter, more experienced in running, go for the HM?

Advice from fitness-gurus and previous/current runners would be greatly appreciated!