A Back-of-the-Envelope Half-Marathon Training Program
by Marty Mazur
[I
was recently asked if I could publish a training program for the
half-marathon distance in the Nittany Vallley Running Club Newsletter
in time for our December Nittany Valley Half-Marathon.
The problem was that the next issue of the Newsletter would come out in
mid-November, leaving only three weeks to train. I responded with a
quick-and-dirty program via email in time to give my correspondent at
least 6 weeks to work with. What follows is a somewhat expanded
version.]
So you want to run a Half-Marathon. Did you get hooked on running races
after doing your first 5K? Great! There's a whole spectrum of races out
there! If you are still a relative beginner (say, you've only run 5K
races or less), then you should take a longer approach to Half Marathon
training, and maybe try a 10K first. A 10K is less than half the length
of a half-marathon, but it's twice the length of a 5K and starts giving
your body some of the challenges you might experience in the half. If
you're ready to give the half a go, here is an outline of a program to
do it.
First, you need to have a good mileage base. One thing you should never do is
ramp up your training too quickly. The rule of thumb is a 10% per week
increase in miles, max. To be ready for the Half, you should be
running at least 20 miles a week by about two months before the race,
otherwise consider putting it off until a future half. A training
program for a half entails 25-35 miles of running per week for the 6 weeks or so before the
race.
Second, do some
long runs. For most recreational runners, the long run of the week is 5
or 6 miles. You will need to go considerably longer. Once a week,
between two months and 2 weeks before the
race, do a run of 7 or more miles at a slower-than-race pace. If you can
run 8-10 miles, you can probably finish a half-marathon, but it's best
if you do some training runs a bit closer to the actual distance. It'll
make the experience more pleasant. At least 3 of your long runs should
be 10+ miles, and at least one of those should be 12-14 miles. The
longest one should probably be two weeks before the race. The NVRC Weekend Group Runs (http://www.nvrun.com/groupruns.html)
are ideal for this, and we usually tour the NV Half course itself
some time in November. Scale back starting on the last weekend before
the race. Maybe do 7 miles for your long run the weekend before, and
don't run from Thursday on (or just do a couple of light jogs to stay
lactic acid free). A good plan for
your weekly long runs for the last 8 weeks before the race would be
runs of 7, 8, 10, 8, 11, 9, 14, and 7 miles.
Third. if you want to do more than just finish with a smile on your face, you
can do some pace work and speed work. Work some fartlek (Swedish for
"speed play") into your medium-length runs and even into some of your
longer runs. Fartlek training builds endurance, and is more fully
explained on the Old Fartleks
web page. You can also go to the track and do some medium distance pace
work. Repeated 800 meter and 1600 meter runs at a target pace will help
you increase your racing speed and endurance. Do about 3200-4800 meters
worth at an elevated pace with a few minutes rest between each
repetition. Try to maintain the same pace for each repetition. When you
can do this, increase the pace at your next workout. You can also come
to a Thursday Track Crew
workout at the Penn State track any Thursday at noon. You'll probably
find someone in the group who can run at your speed or who can
challenge you to run a little faster.
Fourth, for race
day, follow this strategy: Carbo-load. Maybe have some bread and pasta
the night before. Eat your fill, but don't overindulge. On the day of
the race, warm up well. Jog a mile or two slowly, then stretch, then do a bit more jogging about 10-15 minutes before the gun goes off. Make
sure you hydrate pretty well and drink at the water stops. Even on a
cold day, you can dehydrate running for 2 hours or whatever. Don't take just a
sip. Actually stop and have a whole cup of water. It
won't kill your time, and you might even feel revitalized. Bring some
energy food like a "Gu" packet (or whatever light, high energy food you
can eat that won't give you a stomach ache). Eat that at around 9
miles. Take water with it, or you'll risk a stomach cramp.
As for running the race, what follows might sound a little discouraging. That's because the NVHM is a tough course. Some people look on it as a quasi-religious experience (see comments on Half page, http://www.nvrun.com/half.html).
It's not horrible, however, if you've trained enough. The first two
times I ran it, I didn't train quite enough. I felt like hell near the
end of the race. The third time, I trained in the manner described
above. I took 5 minutes off my best time and felt great even on the
long hill near the end of the race.
If you have
never run a long race, whatever you do, don't go out fast (like your 5K
pace). You will definitely pay for it. On the NV Half course (see http://www.nvrun.com/nvhm.html),
the first 3+ miles are mostly downhill, so it's easy to get a false
sense of security. Miles 4 through 6 are uphill or rolling, and take
their toll. The downhill on Rock Rd (miles 8 and 9) is very steep.
You want to flow with this one. Don't tighten your quads (upper front
leg muscles) too much to try to brake, otherwise you'll feel brutalized
toward the end of the race. After Rock Rd, there are a few short,
steep, and dispiriting little hills until you get through Houserville.
On Puddingtown Rd (mile 11), you can see the stadium and hospital on
the hill. (Depending on how you've done, you might feel like taking a
short cut directly to the hospital!) The race is flat for about a mile
here before you tackle the last long hill.
Orchard Rd starts shallow, and just keeps getting steeper. The steepest
part is just before you turn onto Park. Then, you think you're done,
but Park is uphill for a quarter until you turn onto Porter. As you
turn onto Porter, you think you're done, but Porter is
uphill for a block. Then you turn onto Curtin and the finish line is
just a couple of hundred yards away. To get through this series of hills, the
best thing to do is to relax and just put one foot in front of the
other. And don't be afraid to say a word or two of encouragement to
runners you pass (or who pass you). It'll help make you feel better, too!
It's always good to get a spectrum of opinions on training programs.
Here are a few links to other Half-Marathon training programs:
Finally, a few years ago, I wrote a review of the 2001 Half that had some helpful race day hints for middle-of-the-pack runners. Take a look!
Created 10/21/04
Updated 10/16/06
Back to the Nittany Valley Half-Marathon Page
Back to NVRC Coaching Page
Back
to NVRC Home Page