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Registering For a Half-Marathon This Year?

Are you thinking of registering for a half-marathon this year? Wondering what the key elements to a solid half-marathon training program are? Here’s Totum team member & running specialists, Victoria Lavinska’s two cents…
Long Runs

  • Goal: endurance – the longer these runs, the more you will work on your endurance, helping you prepare for race day
  • Pace: these should be performed at a slower pace, i.e. this should be a long, but “easy” run
  • These runs will build up throughout your program
  • For a half-marathon (21.1km), you can work up to 18-19km in your long runs – the idea is to run for a similar amount of TIME as race day, so, given the slower pace, your 18-19km run time should approach your race time

Speed Work

  • Goal: increase your speed, improve your cardiovascular performance (get your heart stronger!)
  • Pace: 5-10km pace, i.e. fast, but not so fast that you’re gassed out and can’t continue
  • Start with an easy pace 1km
  • 2 ways to work on speed:
    • Speed intervals – either by distance or time (e.g. 5X400m or 5X2min), separated by either walking/light jogging intervals
    • Tempo runs – continuous run with a gradual build-up to a 10km pace in the middle (holding that for 1-2 min) and then gradually slowing back down

Hills

  • Goal: improve your hill running technique (as this is different than running on a flat surface), improve your cardiovascular performance (get your heart stronger!)
  • Pace: try to maintain pace while going uphill, increase pace while going downhill (you want to use the advantage of the decline to get some quick mileage in)
  • Start with an easy pace 1km (flat)
  • 2 ways to work on hills
    • Hill intervals: intervals of short (steep-ish) hills (running up and down), separated by running flats
    • Hill endurance: longer intervals of small-incline hills, separated by running flats

Technique

  • Goal: improve running efficiency (improve performance, decrease risk of injury)
  • Use a run/walk program to work on technique – this will give your body a chance to get used to the new technique with a decreased risk of injury
  • Examples:
    • Increased cadence (170-190 bpm), i.e. smaller steps
    • Decreased noise, i.e. being “light on your feet”
    • Running barefoot (on a treadmill)

Cross-training

  • Goal: get your body working different muscle groups to allow an “active” recovery from running, helping muscles be more adaptable
  • Ideally another cardiovascular activity (e.g. cycling, swimming, etc)
  • Yoga and Pilates are also good complements to running as these activities focus on core strengthening and stretching

Rest Days

  • Goal: allow your body to recover from your week’s workouts
  • You could also do an easy yoga class on rest days

Here’s an example of a balanced and gradual half-marathon program :

Week/DayDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
RestSpeedX-trainHillsX-trainTechniqueLong
Week 1Rest5X400mX-train1X100mX-train30min 1R/1W8km
Week 2Rest30 min tempoX-train2X100mX-train30min 2R/1W10km
Week 3Rest6X400mX-train3X100mX-train30min 3R/1W5km race
Week 4Rest35 min tempoX-train4X100mX-train30min 4R/1W11km
Week 5Rest7X400mX-train5X100mX-train30min 5R/1W13km
Week 6Rest40 min tempoX-train6X100mX-train30min 6R/1W10km race
Week 7Rest8X400mX-train7X100mX-train30min 7R/1W14km
Week 8Rest45 min tempoX-train8X100mX-train30min 8R/1W16km
Week 9Rest9X400mX-train9X100mX-train30min 9R/1W15km race
Week 10Rest50 min tempoX-train10X100mX-train30min 14R/1W18km
Week 11Rest10X400mX-train10X100mX-train30min continuous19km
Week 12Rest30 min tempoX-train3X100mX-train30min 1R/1W21.1km race

Want a half-marathon program that is tailored to your specific needs/level of experience? Come see one of Totum’s running specialists to get a detailed running assessment and step-by-step plan to help you reach your running goals!