Training for a First Half Marathon
A Guide to Programs for Road Runners Wanting to Run the Distance
You have run a number of road races and want to test yourself by moving up to a longer distance. Entering a half marathon is a good challenging road race.
Running a Half Marathon
After running several road races, many runners want increasingly challenging races. A half marathon is long enough to provide a significant challenge to most runners. It does not however require the extensive training of a full marathon.
Training Schedules for Half Marathons
You need to be properly trained to finish a half marathon. With proper training you will finish the race and have fun. Otherwise it will be a very difficult unpleasant experience.
For runners who like structure and schedules, there are many half marathon training programs with detailed training schedules. Those who don't like schedules may want to try an unstructured training program. The half marathon training programs can also be used to train for 10 mile, 20K, and other similar distance races.
Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training Program
Hal Higdon has been running, racing, and writing about both for about a half century. So he has accumulated quite a bit of experience on the topic.
His novice half marathon training program starts with a runner who is able to run 3 mile training runs several times per week. Higdon also has more advanced half marathon training programs.
Higdon's novice half marathon training program has a 12 week schedule. The schedule includes weekly long runs beginning at 3 miles and building up to 10 miles one week before the half marathon. In addition to weekly long runs, Higdon's schedule includes 4 days of shorter runs, a day of stretch and strength training, and a rest day. Higdon's schedule includes a week of tapering and two rest days before the marathon. He advocates running at a pace that allows comfortable conversation.
Jeff Galloway's Half Marathon Training Program
Jeff Galloway is one of the current biggest advocates of taking regular scheduled walking breaks to allow runners to go longer distances. He also advocates running at a pace that allows comfortable conversation. Galloway gives formulas to determine the running pace, the ratio of running to walking, and the amount to slow down on hot weather days.
He has a detailed 17 week training program for the half marathon. The schedule includes two easy days of running and one day for a long run. The long runs start at 3 miles and work up to 14 miles. The 14 mile run is two weeks before the half marathon to allow two weeks of tapering. The other days are for walking, cross training, or resting.
Joe Henderson's Training Program
Joe Henderson has also been running, racing, and writing about both for about a half century. His latest book, Run Right Now (Barnes & Noble 2004), has a 13 week training schedule for the half marathon. Henderson's schedule is less structured than the others. It includes long days, limited fast days, easy days, and rest days. It does not however specify which day of the week for each type of run. Hence individual runners have more flexibility to work around their personal schedules.
In Henderson's program the long runs start at 6 to 7miles and work up to 11 to 12 miles. It allows two weeks for tapering. It is designed for runners who can already run about 6 miles or have done 10K races.
If you want to run a half marathon race, pick one of these training schedules or an unstructured training program and start training.
