1. Introduction
2. Getting Started
3. Training
4. Key Sessions
5. Nutrition and Hydration
6. Training Plans
7. Race Preparation
8. FAQ's
9. Conclusion
10. Disclaimer

INTRODUCTION

Running and jogging are great, energising and fun activities. Whether a beginner of a more advanced runner' it is a form of exercise that will greatly help with living a healthy active lifestyle.

A half marathon event is a good test of your fitness and your commitment to training and other elements of your fitness regime. It is often the intermediate goal for those runners looking at doing their first marathon. It is also the longest distance running event that experienced runners can do without interrupting their regular racing and training program. For these reasons the half marathon is a very popular event. However, the half marathon is often overlooked as an important part of the build-up to doing a full marathon.

Whilst the half marathon requires a significant amount of strength and endurance it also has a large speed component. The combination of strength, endurance and speed makes for enjoyable training that can be of benefit to those whose longer term goal is a full marathon or better 10km time.

Running or jogging 13.1 miles during and event is a fantastic achievement, and not just for the day but for all the hard work that has gone in beforehand.

Yo will find in this comprehensive training plan help if you are entering your first half marathon. Or you have possibly completed a 5k or 10k event and are looking to move up in distance.

The plan focuses on everything you need to help you complete your event. It will include advice on:

• Training: how to get started
• Choose a running shoe
• Which kit
• Tips on nutrition and hydration
• Week by week plans

If you've never watched or entered an event before, at first sight it appears to be chaotic, with hundreds or even thousands of competitors arriving, warming up and generally preparing. The usual pattern of a race is as follows:

Arrival
Entrants arrive "early" at the race venue.

Pre-run Preparation
Participants will be making final adjustments to their kit, visiting the toilet and warming-up – so that they are fully prepared for their race.

At the start line
Everyone lines ... the faster runners should be at the front the slower ones should be further back in the field.

The start of the run
The run is started ... normally with a hooter or a starters gun. If you are not in the front and it is a mass participation event it will take time to cross the finish line. DON'T FORGET to start you stopwatch as you cross the line. Remember to stick to your planned pace especially in the early stages of the run

Main race
Your pace can be judged by the splits at the mile signs that should be out on the course and or if you are wearing a GPS device you could use this to help stay to plan. "DON'T FORGET to take regular drinks at the drinks stations or from what you may be carrying

Finish line
The finish will be clearly marked ... if you can lift yourself towards the line ... it is a great feeling. Normally there are photographers waiting to take your picture. Event after 13.1 miles try to give a smile and raise your arms in salute to your success. The photo will be a splendid memento of your achievement

Post finish
Travel through the finish funnel to collect your event memento. As soon as possible drink some water and eat something to put energy back into your body. If you cannot resist the temptation even a burger will do ... you will deserve it! Also look out for a free post event massage.

At the start of the journey to train towards a half marathon, take time to consider safety beforehand. It is vitally important to ensure that it is safe for you to begin an exercise programme.

Some relevant general health questions you could ask yourself are ...
1 - Are you aged over 30 and/or have not exercised for some time?
2 - Do you suffer from any medical conditions?
3 - Are you a smoker or have recently given up smoking?
4 - Have you undergone any surgery in the past two years?
5 - Are you suffering from any injuries?
6 - Are you currently on any prescribed medication?
7 - Are you unsure about beginning an exercise programme?

It there any yes answers ... to the above then please look for some further advice from your GP

Once you have the all-clear from your doctor then you’re ready to step out on the road to half marathon and running fitness.

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GETTING STARTED 

WHAT GEAR DO I NEED ... ?
Running and jogging (walking also) are some of the best cost effective methods of exercising available ... the kit you will need is relatively minimal and non-specialist.
you need minimal equipment. Running is a very simple sport and requires very little specialist kit.

Most importantly are choosing the right shoe for comfort (cushioning), support and not forgetting their suitability. There are many manufactures of running shoe ... Adidas, Nike, Asics, New Balance and Mizuno to name but a few. Later there will be an in-depth article on how to choose the correct running shoe to suit you ...

Other kit will be socks, shorts and tights, various tops ... including a lightweight running jacket, gloves and a hat for training in more cold climate conditions and for the female runners a good sports bra. Additionally for safety reasons, reflective bibs, arm bands etc might be necessary. Again there will be a complete article on running kit "and gear" in a future HBA article.

MORE HELP TO GET YOU STARTED ...
The Human Being Active website will help with all the information and advice you need and have classes and camps you can attend ... (further information on this will appear soon). Additionally HBA has a comprehensive database of running clubs in your area where you can go to supported towards your goals.

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TRAINING

WHERE AND WHERE TO TRAIN ...You can train almost anywhere fort running ... outdoors almost nowhere is out of bounds and indoors there are gyms with treadmills etc; watch the cost on this latter option.
Some people never venture from the roads whilst others train almost

From road to beaches, from trail to parks and open grassland training can be made flexible to suit the terrain.

Regular routes allow you to make assessments as to your progress based on time and how you are feeling during your training session. Remember that the time of day plays a part in your plan. For example, ..... morning training will help you burn extra calories by boosting you metabolic rate during the run and for several hours immediately after.

One of the best assets to your needs will be to keep a log of all your exercise activities and nutritional intake. This can be done online on the Human Being Active website or you can use a log-book. Whichever method you use does not matter so long as you are able to record an monitor your progress.

PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING .....
The body adapts for physical exertion in the form of exercise. Your body breaks down during times when it is active. The level of the break-down depends on the intensity of the activity or motion performed by your body. Your body then when rested repairs to a level higher than before the exertion period.

This has to be managed with reasonable care. Too much exercise or over training and your body will have insufficient time to recover before the next training period. This will lead to injury, too much stress and total exhaustion. Therefore you will need to train to suit the level of your body and MOST IMPORTANTLY to ensure you have good rest. Sleeping is the one form of rest no Human can do without so this is a big part in you overall training plan.

STRUCTURE .....
All forms of exercise should be structured to give you the best possible chance on maximising the desired results; for running the structure of the session should be ...

• A warm up - to include several minutes of gentle to brisk walking
• Stretching and flexibility - for the gentle loosening of the main and sub group of muscles used in the activity
• Core training - the planned run
• Cool down - gradual slow down the body tempo with some gentle stretching, walking and finally breathing exercises

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KEY SESSIONS

It is best if these runs can be done over slightly undulating terrain as these rolling hills will provide maximum strength gains. If possible it is preferable to run on softer surfaces such as grass, dirt trails or sand. Softer surfaces will minimise the risk of injury, reduce muscular damage and allow you to better recover in time for your next training session.

The intensity of these runs should be moderate, as the objective is to improving your aerobic capacity. As a guide, your pace should be 20-25% slower than your half marathon pace. For those of you looking at a time over 100 minutes then the goal is to develop the strength and endurance to go the distance, therefore long run training pace can be as fast as half marathon goal pace.

For more information on how to prepare for your long run ... click here

TEMPO INTERVALS
Tempo sessions are an important part of the training program for half marathons. These sessions should be run at about anaerobic threshold intensity, which is equivalent to about one hour race pace (ie: the intensity you could hold for 60 minutes).

From these sessions some of the key changes you’ll be working towards are; boosting your anaerobic threshold, improving running economy and mentally conditioning yourself to maintain solid intensities for extended periods.

TEMPO - STRENGTH SESSIONS
The tempo/strength session is an extension of the straight tempo session, with a greather emphasis on strength endurance development. This session begins with a tempo period, as described above, followed immediately by some short hill efforts.

The first hill effort should begin right at the end of the tempo period with no recovery in between. The intensity of the hill efforts should be about the same as 10km race intensity. These efforts should be done on a hill of moderate grade only (5-6%) with your stride length slightly longer than normal when hill running. These slightly longer strides will cause more force to be generated in the active muscles and superior strength endurance gains will result.

Between each hill effort jog slowly back down the hill as recovery before immediately starting the next effort.

For more information on strength training ... click here

SPEED
Speed sessions are very important and often overlooked in the construction of a training program for half marathons. They provide neuromuscular adaptations that help to improve efficiency and technique. These sessions are often also used as a gentle introduction to intense intervals.

 Ideally these sessions should be done on a track or flat grass oval. The efforts should be run at about 1500m race pace, or a pace that is fast but controlled. If you feel that you cannot hold your speed or technique for the entire distance of the effort then you are running too hard.

As neuromuscular gains are the focus, you should aim at maintaining speed and technique throughout the session. All efforts should be completed in approximately the same time. In order to achieve this have a full recovery between each effort, which generally means 2 to 3 minutes of easy jogging.

Whilst the intensity of these efforts is quite high, their short duration with the long recovery between intervals makes them relatively low stress.

For more information on speedwork ... click here

VO2
These sessions are your key "top end" intensity sessions and will be the hardest sessions you will complete as far as running intensity goes.

The aim of these sessions is to improve your sustainable running speed, anaerobic threshold and VO2 max (a measure of the maximum (max) volume (V) of oxygen (O2) you can consume during physical activity. Generally, the higher your VO2 max, the higher your aerobic fitness and the greater your endurance potential).

Ideally these efforts should be done on a track or flat grass oval. Efforts should be done at 3km race pace for those aiming for a sub 100 minute half marathon and at 5km race pace for those aiming for over 100 minutes. Each effort should be of a consistent pace with no surging. The recovery between each effort is relatively short and is specified in the training program below. It should be noted that this recovery period does not allow for full recovery.

This is the session that many runners get carried away with and try to push too hard. If these efforts are pushed too hard then the appropriate adaptations will not occur. Instead the session’s focus will become lactate tolerance, resulting in much slower recovery afterwards. Not achieving the key adaptations at the desired intensities will result in an inferior half marathon performance, so be sure not to push these intervals too hard.

For more information on Vo2 Max ... click here

RECOVERY
If you are able to fit in extra runs during the week then they should be easy recovery runs. These runs are aimed at providing you with some additional aerobic benefits on top of your usual training load, but more importantly are used as active recovery between the key weekly sessions.

These runs should be of very low intensity – an intensity that is simply an easy jog. There should be no stress associated with these runs and you should generally finish the run feeling better than when you began.

TRAINING SPEEDS

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NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

Fuelling your training correctly and keeping well hydrated is extremely important and good nutrition will enhance your running experience. Nutrition and hydration are enormous subjects and further information will be supplied through the Human Being Active website

To summarise your nutritional plan there are golden rules .....

• Always eat breakfast
• Allow up to 2 ½ hours between your last meal and your training session to allow for digestion. Also do not eat a heavy meal for at least 2 hours before going to bed
• Stay hydrated by drinking water or other good fluids throughput the day. This is especially applicable after a training session and during periods of warm and or humid weather
• Put good energy back into your body soon after a workout. Non-refined slow release carbs, lean protein and essential fats are all part of the energy that your body will need
• Rest and Sleep - get plenty of it ... it will be the most important part of your plan

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TRAINING PLANS

12 WEEK TRAINING PLAN ... SUB 1 HOUR 40 MINUTE

Suggested Weekly Training Structure ... SUB 1 HOUR 40 MINUTE

12 WEEK TRAINING PLAN... OVER 1 HOUR 40 MINUTE

Suggested Weekly Training Structure ... OVER 1 HOUR 40 MINUTE

You now have your key training sessions for each week leading into the half marathon. Your next important step is structuring the program so that each week you can achieve your weekly goals by completing the scheduled sessions, but also allowing enough recovery at appropriate times to ensure you get the maximum adaptations from all key training sessions.

To make this a little easier some suggested weekly structures are outlined above, one for each training program. You will note that all intense sessions need to have a day off or an easy day prior to the interval training day. It also highlights the importance of allowing adequate recovery prior to and after your weekly long run.

Your minimum training frequency should allow for all key session to be fitted in. On top of this, other runs should be short and easy recovery runs, as described in the training session section. It is suggested that most runners have at least one day off per week, which should ideally be after the weekly long run.

It is important to plan your weekly training schedule so that it fits in with your other commitments, such as work, family and study. A  training program that is not structured around outside commitments will commonly get interrupted and sessions will end up being missed. Do not aim too high by trying to squeeze too much half marathon training into a busy lifestyle. The worst thing you can do is overtrain. Be realistic when setting your half marathon training goals and your weekly training structure.

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RACE WEEK PREPARATION

The focus for your final week before your event should be relaxing and doing easier sessions as you gather your energy for your race. Competing in a race requires some planning and organisation so that you can produce your best performance, rather than get caught up in traffic jams or missing key items of kit.

Use your extra free time in the final week to plan and prepare for your big day. To make sure that your race goes without a hitch, follow our top race tips below:

• Assemble and check all your kit early on in the final week
• Don’t experiment with new kit items on race day
• Eat your usual meals on race day, just as if it was a normal training run. Now is not the time to experiment!
• Take some ‘emergency items’ such as spare laces and a couple of old t-shirts in case the weather is poor whilst you are warming-up.
• Check over the race organiser’s instructions and route descriptions so that you are familiar with all arrangements
• Arrive at the race venue early. By arriving early, you can settle in and check out the start and finish, which will give you the best chance of enjoying your race experience.

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FAQ's

• How long should my recovery be after the half marathon?

• How long after completing my first half marathon can I move up to the marathon?

• How can I use the speed work I did for my half marathon to run a new PB for 10km?

How long should my recovery be after the half marathon?
Every runner recovers at different rates. This is largely dependent on training background and training volume. If you are a runner who has been running for less than three years, or you have not done a lot of training leading into the half marathon, then it would be best to allow for two weeks of recovery. This recovery period should initially involve some days off and light walking, swimming or cycling. This activity will enhance your recovery. Towards the end of this period you may start doing some very low intensity short jogs. It is very important to use your judgement, based on how you feel, to determine when to fully restart run training.

If the half marathon was a major goal that you worked towards, then it is generally a good rule to have two weeks off (may include some cross training) after the event to allow for both physical and mental recovery

How long after completing my first half marathon can I move up to the marathon?
If you are using your half marathon as a stepping stone to the full marathon it will be very important to have a mental and physical break after the half marathon. So take two weeks off running and just complete some light aerobic cross training if you wish to do any training at all.

If you completed the half marathon quite comfortably and did your two-hour runs prior to the event, finishing in good shape, then the full marathon is an option. If these runs were a struggle then it may be worth getting another half marathon and the associated training under your belt before you look at the full marathon.

Assuming your goal is after the half marathon is to move up to the full distance, then a preparation period of 4-5 months would be required for those runners attempting their first marathon. A good general rule is that you will need to be capable of completing two hour long runs about three months out from your target marathon.

How can I use the speed work I did for my half marathon to run a new PB for 10km?
During the half marathon preparation you will have developed a good level of strength and endurance – both good characteristics when targeting a 10km. The advantage of half marathon training is that you will not have lost much speed in your preparation and therefore you should be in quite good condition for a 10km.

After the half marathon it will be important to allow adequate recovery (see above) before starting to touch up your speed for the 10km. If you recover quite quickly then it is feasible to compete in a 10km about 4-6 weeks after the half marathon with the aim of running a good time.

You will have the endurance so just continue to touch this up with weekly long runs of moderate duration. Your focus however should be on interval work and more specifically VO2 sessions to start getting you on track to maintaining a consistent speed throughout the 10km.

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CONCLUSION

WELL DONE!
You have come to the end of the schedule, and your fitness has improved dramatically as you’ve increased your training towards race day. Along the way, you have made significant health and fitness gains, and equally importantly, you have progressed safely. By maintaining your training, you will be making a major contribution to your long-term health and fitness and this schedule can alsoserve as a foundation and springboard to increase your fitness levels further. Now you’ve completed your race, you may be thinking about improving your time or you might be tempted to step up in distance, perhaps to a full marathon.

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DISCLAIMER

Neither Human Being Active or its associated companies can accept any responsibility for death or injuries caused by any information contained within. All information is provided in good faith. You should consult your doctor before embarking on any programme of physical activity.

By using this information you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold us harmless from and against any claims, actions, demands or other proceedings brought against us by a third party, to the extent that such claim, suit, action or other proceeding brought against us is based on or arises in connection with your use of the pack, any breach by you of these terms and conditions or a claim that your use of the pack infringes any intellectual property rights of any third party or is libellous or defamatory, or otherwise results in injury or damage to any third party.

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