Running a 10K this weekend made me realize I kind of love the half marathon distance, who woulda thunk? It’s a great and pretty attainable goal for runners to work up to since it won’t completely monopolize your life. I like to think of it as a challenging but doable distance with the proper training.
So ready to start training for a half marathon? Here are my tips:
– Build up your distance. If you don’t have a solid base of being able to run 3 miles I highly recommend starting off with couch to 5k to get you up and running. From there you can work your way up to a half marathon training plan without feeling like you bit off more than you can swallow.
— Be realistic about the time it will take to train. A typical training plan is 10-12 weeks for someone who already is already comfortable running 3 miles. Leave yourself enough time to put in the proper amount of training.
— Get fitted for running shoes. When it comes to running, any old shoe won’t do. You want to head to a store that specifically fits for running shoes (in NYC the popular ones are Jack Rabbit, City Sports and Paragon) to analyze your specific gait while running. You could also try online stores including Belfast Running Shop. The right shoe can help steer you away from injury and will also make running a whole lot more enjoyable.
I personally don’t like to wear my running shoes for anything except running or very running-heavy bootcamp classes. What if they get torn or become dirty and I am unable to use them on the day they are most needed? Well I know, I can get them cleaned professionally through Trainer cleaning services to keep them in tip-top condition. I still, however, refrain from using them for anything other than what they are actually made for.
— Pick a race and research it out. Google search blog recaps-is the course hilly? Good for first timers? Is there a special theme or something unique about it? I chose The Diva Half Marathon as my first for a few reason. One, my good friend was running it and already booked a hotel room, it was easy to get to from the city, the course was pretty flat, and you got a tiara and boa at mile 11. SOLD.
There’s a lot of factors that go into choosing a race so research your options to find the best one for you. Find one that gets you excited to run whether it’s because you’ll be with friends, you’ll get to travel somewhere unique, or you’ll get to run your own city in an epic race.
— Cross train, cross train, cross train. Yes it’s important to run while training for a running race, but it’s also important to work out the muscles you don’t hit while running to not only keep you injury free but also make you better, faster, stronger. I’m not a running pro but I usually aim for 2 days of strength training and 1 day of cycling while training for a race. Pilates, barre and yoga classes are also great low impact ways to cross train since they are low impact and running is a lot of pounding the pavement.
— Enjoy it. One of the most amazing things about training for your first half is hitting little bench marks like the first time you run 5 miles without stopping or that moment when you say holy moly I conquered my first double digit run. All those little things are pretty awesome and of course so is crossing that finish line!
Ever run a half marathon– what advice would you give to someone who wants to to training for a half?
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