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 :
 

 
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!