Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Training for a half marathon

So, I've decided to train for a half marathon! I've run two before, one in 2009 and one in 2010. I wanted to  make it an annual event, but unfortunately I didn't get ready in time to run one in 2011. But I plan to do one this spring! There's one in my area scheduled for Earth Day in April. I don't have a time goal (I am way too slow of a runner for that). My goal is just to finish the race. Having the half marathon as a goal is a perfect way for me to make sure I keep up with running (or exercise of any kind).

not really how I look when I run
I wanted to share my training schedule, since I've used it before and found it easy to follow even with a busy work/life schedule. It only asks you to run three times a week, two half-hour runs during the week and one long run on the weekend. If you don't have time to do a long run on a weekend (or if it's too snowy outside -- like it was for me this weekend), just move it to Monday or Tuesday. 

When I first started training in 2009, I was a terrible, slow runner and really didn't think I could ever run 13 miles...in a row...But the training schedule (from Jeff Galloway) I used was just enough to ease me into running longer and longer distances. For those that haven't done much running at all, Jeff Galloway has a conditioning program to try for eight weeks before beginning half marathon training.

I'm currently in week six of the half marathon training schedule, which means that the reasonable-distance runs are out of the way (the longest one I have done so far is 6.5 miles). The next few weeks bring much longer ones. This is where really interesting podcasts come in handy... Anyway, without further ado, here is the schedule. Notice that it should be started 17 weeks before the race. For more information, see Jeff Galloway's site.


Half Marathon Training Schedule for Runners and Walkers
Week
Monday
Tuesday TT
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1
off
30 min run
off
25 min run
easy walk
off
3 miles
2
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
4 miles
3
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
5 miles
4
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
2.5 miles
5
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
6.5 miles
6
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
3 miles with MM
7
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
8 miles
8
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
3 miles with MM
9
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
9.5 miles
10
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
4 miles
11
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
11 miles
12
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
4 miles with MM
13
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
12.5 miles
14
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
4 miles with MM
15
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
14 miles
16
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
5 miles
17
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
Half Marathon Race
18
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
5 miles
19
off
30 min run
off
30 min run
easy walk
off
6-8 miles

2 comments:

  1. And it is on earth day! So if you can't finish, just jump on the moped.

    But seriously - good work. I'll bike next to you if you want.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've read good things about the Jeff Galloway training programs. Maybe I'll use this for my next half!

    ReplyDelete

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