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Anyone know of a good training plan for a half marathon?
Group of us at work are doing one and wanted to give them some info to get started. Group is of mixed abilities.
Sites like runnersworld.com have training plans, or the mags usually publish them a few times a year. For beginners, best to work up to 10k slowly first though, you don't want to add too much too quickly.
Second runnersworld - you should be able to find a suitable plan for each level of ability in your group.
The 'cute' answer is that if you can run 6 miles or so, you don't "need" to train very much - you should be able to finish a half marathon without too much difficulty. Obviously any training you can do will help your time though, and also make you less likely to do yourself an injury.
The Guardian website has a decent looking 8 week one. Not sure how targetted it is but not bad for a start I guess:
[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/half-marathon-training-schedule-programme ]Blurb[/url]
[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/table/2009/jan/10/half-marathon-programme ]Training timetable[/url]
"The 'cute' answer is that if you can run 6 miles or so, you don't "need" to train very much "
It's a cute answer, but it's not true...
Runnersworld is excellent for training plans - as is Google!! 🙂
Get some miles in, try and run the course a couple of weeks beforehand or at least run the full distance so you know what to expect. Set a realistic goal, don't go out too fast and do lots of stretching so you don't injure yourself.
13 miles is not far on a bike, but it's a blummin long way to run!
I did my first half marathon in April and have been doing regular 10ks.
Mavis - have to disagree with you there. I myself did a half marathon with one training session of 4 miles*, in a not bad time of 2 hours and a bit. Honestly, if there's a big crowd out and some spectators, you'd be amazed at how far you can go, especially if you take it slightly slower than you expect.
* I meant to train more, but it was one of those 'rabbit in the headlights' things - every week I'd just get petrified and go and have a burger or watch TV...
Easy
Run till your eye balls pop every day!
Coolrunning also has some schedules for different abilities.
Personally the first time I did a half marathon the longest run I did before hand was 10miles I managed 1:58 or something.
However I think if I had nt done that 10 mile run it would have been a lot less enjoyable.
The last time I managed to fit in three 9 mile runs before hand and got 1:45.