Hi Lovelies. Happy Monday and today we are talking about half marathon training. I am going to be joining another race over the fall months and start training now. I have started writing out my training agenda and thought I would share my half marathon training tips.
Gradual Increase
Give yourself time. I always give myself three months to train for a half and build one mile at a time. My starting run is six miles and then building up to 12 by adding one mile every week. I pause at 10 miles for two weeks and then stay at 12 miles for two weeks. Two weeks before I decrease back down to 7-8 miles. I have included my half marathon training tips schedule below.
Try Intervals
Mix in interval training. It’s not all about distance and time. Interval training is a great way to prepare your body for the long distance. I do 1 minute sprint intervals in-between my long distance training for 3 miles. I will sprint for 1 minute and keep a steady pace for 5 minutes.
Rest
Be sure to rest and recover. After your long run, take a rest day. This can include light stretching and walking. Just don’t do anything to strenuous. You want your body to be able to rebuild and repair the muscles from the long distance run.
Hydrate
Water intake is key to training for a race. You don’t want to dehydrate. This can cause muscle cramps, and just an overall yucky feeling. Make sure you drink plenty of water while you are training. You should be intaking water every 15 minutes if you are doing a longer run. Another tip, is to use some sort of electrolyte replacement for longer runs. Try to consume something every 30-45 minutes.
Shoes
I like to get my shoes when I start training. Break them in and wear those for my race. Once the race is done, if they are worn out I will replace them. This has always worked for me and kept my body well. I know when my shoes need to be replaced because my knees will start to hurt. Always be sure to replace your running shoes every six months to a year depending on how much running you are doing. This could be sooner if you are very active runner.
Training Guide
This is so helpful! I was thinking about training for the Disney half in January!
One of the best races. I did Disney last year it was amazing. Good luck. xo ~ Megan
You are seriously amazing! I have always wanted to start training and then life kept getting in the way and I gave up. UGH. This is extremely inspiring!!
Oh I hear ya. Life definitely gets in the way, but you just have to do it. I struggle all the time, but I am looking forward to my races next year. xo ~ Megan
I’m not a runner so I’m impressed with anyone who participates in marathons and runs. I like how you break it down weekly and intersperse training with other activities such as yoga and weights. This is awesome!
Thanks Amanda! Maybe I can convince you to run a 5k one day. 🙂 xo~ Megan
Ooh my husband is running a half this fall! I will have to pass along the tips. Thanks for sharing!
xx Rebecca // The Crystal Press
Tell him good luck. It’s the best feeling crossing the finish line. xo ~ Megan
These are such great tips! I will be saving this for later use!
Thanks Belle! xo ~ Megan
This is so inspiring!! I can’t even run a 5k but am so proud and envious of those that can run long distances like this!
-Morgan
How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
Everyone has the workouts that work for their bodies. I definitely think I am built to run. It’s in my blood and what makes me happy! xo ~ Megan
Great tips! I wanna run a half marathon one day!
You have to give it a shot just be sure you give yourself enough time to train. xo ~ Megan
Great tips! I want to run a half marathon one day!
You must try at least once. Such a great accomplishment. xo ~ Megan
These are such great tips! I’ve run about 15 half marathons and one full marathon over the last 5 yers. I think the most important thing is HIIT / intervals! They literally changed my body and my endurance!
xx Mollie
Oh for sure HIIT workouts are another great way to increase endurance!! Congrats on all of the race accomplishments! xo ~ Megan
I have been contemplating getting into running. Thank you for all your tips and the chart. I am going to have to look at this post when I get started!
You have to try it. There is nothing like the runners high. At about 3-4 miles you just feel amazing. xo ~ Megan
I’ve always wanted to run a half marathon. Thanks for all these tips and tricks!
you are amazing mama! i have been thinking about doing a 5k next year and these tips are amazing! xo