Are you looking for a complete training program for a half marathon? This article provides you with all the information you need and links that will take you to where you will take these pieces of training as soon as possible.
The excitement of a half marathon is usually the same as a marathon-except that you have to go home early. In addition, you can use the half marathon as part of the post-marathon training. Knowing how long you are in the middle of the race can give you a good idea of what happens when you run the full marathon.
This is why the number of people running half marathons now is more than four times that of the full marathons.
To plan your half marathon training program, click one of the corresponding links accompanying each training level and start your training as soon as possible. For more detailed instructions and additional courses and training suggestions and techniques, please consider registering for one of the training programs, available via the links that have been provided after the introduction of each level training program for half marathon in this article.
For twelve weeks, I will send you daily emails telling you how to train. Consider also acquiring a copy of my latest book, Hal Higdon’s Half Marathon Training, available from Human Kinetics.
So lace up your running shoes. It’s time to start training for your half marathon race.
When you follow the link under any of the levels of the training program for a half marathon you will be required to take some actions and when you do, you will receive a daily email that will guide you on what to do.
Why should one follow a training program for a half marathon?
Sean Tait is a running coach; he explained that the right training program for a half marathon plan will help you train all the personal aspects that will be put together on the day of the race. A well-designed schedule is a good way to complete different types of training within a week, without putting your body at risk of injury or overtraining.
Remember, there is no achievement in one day, but continuous achievement over time. The entire training course is taken into consideration when setting the schedule, not just what you should do that day. For example, if you don’t run easily enough in an easy run, your body will not have time to recover from the high-quality training you performed before, which will increase your risk of injury.
How to deal with an injury during a half marathon training program
“Never run when you’re hurt or with an injury”, running coach Paddy McGrath explained-“It is better to end your training plan healthily after missing a week or two than to complete all training but be unhealthy during the game.” According to the time of injury. , Cross-training may not put pressure on the affected area (such as swimming, water running, or cycling). In this way, you can stay healthy even if you are not running.
- If you can’t run for one week: Skip that week, then simply pick up the schedule for the next week
- If you can’t run for two weeks: Repeat the training of the previous week and continue from there-remember that you may not be able to reach the same level as someone who follows the plan uninterruptedly.
- If you can’t run for three weeks: Jump back to two weeks, maybe even three weeks, because you will have lost your health.
- If you can’t run for four weeks or more: It may be wise to adjust your goals by aiming for a slower time.
What beginners should do
Beginners who want to put themselves through a half marathon have a lot to deal with.
They must develop the stamina to run 13.1 miles (without excessive exercise and injury), handle the new race day logistics, and learn how to fuel long hours of effort—while trying to bear in mind that the whole thing should be for fun.
With these requirements in mind, most rookies walked far away with healthy respect that is almost anxious-this is to their advantage. “They are nervous because a lot of them have never run 13.1 in training and competitions,” said Jenny Hadfield, co-author of “Run for Mortals.”
Fortunately, the rewards outweigh the challenges. She said: “Many beginners find that running halfway will change their lives.” “They never thought they could go so far.”
Begin now!
Janet Hamilton, a running coach and exercise physiologist (runningstrong.com) said: “This is a test you can’t cram for.” “For this kind of distance, you have to put in the necessary work.”
Work slowly
You want to complete most runs at a comfortable, conversational pace and feel energetic and eager to run another mile at the end of each run. The biggest mistake a beginner makes is running too far, too fast – this is the secret of injury, loss of motivation and burnout. Hamilton said: “If you are out of breath or feel pain at the end of the run, it means you are running too fast.”
Hit the hills
Working in the mountains can exercise your legs and lung capacity. Hamilton said the first step is to merge the hills that take 60 seconds to climb. As you train, those 60-second hills become easier, challenging steeper and/or longer hills.
In the training program for the half marathon below, when it comes to mountain training, try to plan a hilly route that can include climbing instead of running up and down miles on a hillside!
Pay attention to your body
Exercise physiologist Adam St Pierre said that when pushing the body farther or faster, there will be a little muscle soreness, especially in the calf, quadriceps and hamstrings. It is estimated that it will take two days to recover from the arduous exercise. If you feel pain on the third day, please rest again. Soreness that exceeds four or five days should be checked by a doctor.
Plan early for race day
Worry is not uncommon. You can calm down your stomach by focusing on the logistics of the matchday: follow your nutrition and hydration plan carefully, arrive at the venue on time with the appropriate equipment, and meet with friends.
When the gun to start off the race is shot, Hadfield advised the new racer to control the urge to run fast from the beginning and start relatively slowly, aiming for a negative split-running slower in the first half than in the second half. This conservative rhythm will make you feel completely in control.
List of All Half Marathon Training Programs
Now we have come to the most important part of this article which is to list, discuss and provide link access to all the training programs for a half marathon.
These pieces of training have been comprehensively listed according to levels, this is in a bid to make it easier for you to choose a training program that will suit you with respect to your level.
Novice 1 Training Program for a Half Marathon
The Novice 1 training program for a half marathon is meant for beginners who want to prepare for the first 13.1-mile race. If you have run a few half or full marathons before, you may want to check out the Novice 2 program, which is prepared in a way it will suit more experienced runners.
If you are a first-time runner then this program is the training program for half marathon for you. When choosing a half marathon, invariably, you’re choosing the most popular race distance in the United States. According to statistics from the Running USA an American Running Association, 2 million runners participated in the half marathon last year.
This is four times the number of 500,000 people who took part in a full marathon. If your long-range running goal is 26.2 miles, then the 13.1-mile race is a good starting point. Or, if the 13.1 race mileage is enough and you don’t want to reach 26.2 (at least for now), then you have discovered one of the gentlest training programs for a half marathon. If you can complete the required 3 to 4 miles of running in week 1, the plan will prepare you for a 13.1 week of running before the end of 12 weeks.
Novice 2 Training Program for a Half Marathon
Half Marathon Novice 2 training program for a half marathon fills the gap between the novice 1 half marathon programs and the intermediate program. Novice 1 is a training meant for beginners. These are new runners who have just started training.
The Intermediate Program benefits the more experienced runners who have participated in several half marathons and/or full marathons. Review all three training programs for a half marathon before choosing to see which group you are best suited for.
This Novice 2 half marathon plan is very similar to the full marathon’s Novice 2 plan. The mode of training is almost the same. Friday and Monday are the rest days for weekend workouts: long-distance running on Saturday and cross-training on Sunday. The midweek exercises on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday follow the same path as the novice plan.
One major difference between Novice 1 and Novice 2 training programs for a half marathon is that the latter stipulates some running at race speed in the middle of the week. If you follow the link below and register for this program – on a daily basis you will receive an email to tell you what to run for that day and provide training tips. Half marathon training has never been easier.
Intermediate 1 Training Program for a Half Marathon
Intermediate 1 program training for a half marathon is characterized by steady, long and short runs. Intermediate 1 is a program based on endurance; Intermediate 2 is a program based on speed. These two intermediate projects exist in a parallel universe with the same difficulty, but the training methods are slightly different.
They are part of the logical progression of the half-marathon distance from beginner to intermediate to advanced. Before you start this training program for a half marathon, take a look at Intermediate 2 and then Novice 2. Make sure you choose the correct program for your ability level. If you have any questions, please choose the easy side.
Find the right training to get you to the finish line of the race with a big smile on your face.
Intermediate 2 Program
The notable difference between Intermediate 1 Half Marathon training and Intermediate 2 is that Intermediate 2 has one day of speed training.
Intermediates 1 and 2 training program for a half marathon exist parallel to each other at different levels in the universe, just like Earth 1 and Earth 2 in comic jargon. Monday is used for cross-training, starting at 30 minutes and reaching a peak of 1 hour in week 11, one week before the half marathon.
Tuesday and Thursday are the days that you do not really have to do much: 3-5 miles. Between Wednesdays, you do speed training, alternating runs that involve tempo and interval training on the track. Friday is a rest day. On Saturday, there will be some paces. On Sunday, there will be long-distance running, starting from 5 miles and reaching a peak of 12 miles a week before the day of the half marathon.
There is no doubt that Half Intermediate 2 is for experienced runners: those who have given up their novice roots and want to improve upon their regular performance.
Advanced Program
This advanced training program for a half marathon is suitable for experienced runners: individuals who regularly participate in 5K, 10K, half marathon or even marathon competitions and want to improve on their performance.
When you enrol in this course you will receive an email on a daily basis telling you what you are going to be running and providing tips about training for that particular.
About the Half Marathon 3 (HM3) Program
This is the Half Marathon 3 Training program or HM3. This is one of the newest training programs created by half marathon training. It was designed to match the Marathon 3 plan, which has 3 days of running per week and 2 days of cross-training.
It recognizes that not all runners can cope with 4, 5, 6 days a week, especially 7 days of running. We are all different and succeed in various ways. HM3 lasts for 12 weeks and is for the half marathon of your choice. When registering for HM3, be sure to set the correct end date so that all training is suitable for your target game.
HM3’s Monday is always a rest day, and you can recover from the hard training over the weekend. In this training program for a half marathon, Tuesday and Thursday are meant for easy running days; it is done mostly at a conversational pace level.
Between Wednesdays, you do cross-training. The most popular cross-training is aerobic exercises, like cycling, walking and swimming. Friday is another day off, long-distance running on Saturday and cross-training on Sunday, but for convenience, you can flip these training sessions.
Walkers Program
This is a training program for a half marathon designed for walkers to train for a half marathon (13.1 miles). If you plan to run a half marathon instead of walking, check out one of the other programs designed for this distance for runners. You will receive emails every day telling you how to train and provide tips about the training.