How To Rock Your First Half-Marathon
As our sport welcomes an inf lux of enthusiastic newbies, many are considering their first endurance race. While the race experience has changed in recent months, the training has not – and the 21.1k distance is ideal: short enough to be manageable but long enough to offer a genuine challenge. Here’s what you need to know for a successful and satisfying half-marathon.
We’re in the midst of a mini running boom, and, as the world tries to get its head around the concept of socially-distanced racing, many new runners are excited to lace up for their first half-marathon. Here’s everything you need to know to kick off your training and rock your results
There’s nothing “half ’ about a half-marathon. In fact, there’s a growing movement to give the event a new name more fitting of the accomplishment. Just as the 5k isn’t just half a 10k, the half-marathon is its own challenge, and whether you’re an elite middle-distance runner looking to take the next step or a recreational runner in search of a new challenge, the half-marathon might be ideal. There are as many reasons to run a half-marathon as there are half-marathon runners – and there are a lot of those. According to the State of Running report from RunRepeat, the half-marathon is the second most popular road-running event worldwide, with more than two million finishers in 2018. Only the 5k is more popular.
So what’s driving these runners to challenge themselves for up to two hours (or more) on the road? We enlisted two coaches with different focuses to help us navigate the world of half-marathon training:
Seanna Robinson
coaches a small group of athletes through her Lower East Siders group in Toronto and owns RunningWell, a workplace wellness practice that trains employees to achieve new fitness goals.
Lee McCarron
is the founder and head coach of the Halifax Road Hammers. A former CIS (Canadian Intercollegiate Sports, now U Sports) athlete and coach, he trains performance and development athletes at all distances.
Getting motivated
If it seems like everyone you know is running a halfmarathon, you might be right. According to the State of Running report, half-marathoners currently account for almost a third of all runners in races.
So, why the half-marathon? It’s accessible: there are a lot of half-marathon races locally, and there’s usually one attached to larger running events like the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend. It’s also an accomplishment: the half-marathon can be considered the entry point to endurance running, where just finishing is an accomplishment.
“If you’re just challenging yourself to run farther than you’ve ever run versus a time goal, a half-marathon seems to be the perfect challenge for many people,” Robinson says.
Preparation
It’s not impossible to throw on your shoes, run out the door, and run for 21 km – but it’s not the ideal way to go about it. If you want to race a half-marathon, you likely have some type of goal, whether it’s a time target, or just a desire to feel strong and consistent throughout the race.
“Running a half requires a fair amount of training to ensure the individual is set up for success, so having a proper plan and schedule is critical,” says McCarron.
The plan can take many shapes. If you’re the type who likes to have a structured plan and daily responsibilities, having a coach helps. And some coaches offer onlineonly as well as in-person training. There are a multitude of online plans if you’re looking for some self-guided structure. Just don’t go in blindly.
Using a plan
There are plenty of half-marathon training plans online, but be careful – when it comes to endurance running, one size definitely does not fit all. When you’re choosing a plan, there are a few things to consider:
How well do you know your own limits?
Your training plan should ref lect your objectives. If you set your goals too high or too low, your training could be too easy – or worse, too hard, which could lead to injuries.
How much time do you have available to dedicate to training?
Some plans allow you to train in as few as three days a week, while others balance out your schedule over five days or more. How do you intend to fit training into your life?
Is there anything specific about your goal race that you need to remember?
If it’s a trail race or a hilly course, for example, your training plan needs to incorporate some trail running or hill training. (Hill training is beneficial regardless, and a useful part of any training plan.)
Finding a group
Many runners enjoy the social aspect of running with a group and form close bonds with their fellow runners. Also, having others to share your training with makes it more likely that you’ll get to the finish line. Others enjoy running, and even training for big races, in solitude. All you really need to get started is a plan. You can get yourself to the finish line on your own, with the right program.
If running solo isn’t your thing, you have options:
Get to know your local running store
They can introduce you to the leaders in your local running community, and may even organize group runs or training programs.
Join a training group
There’s a competitive aspect to meeting up every week that will drive you to improve and stay focused during your solo runs.
Join an online group
Just knowing that others are doing the same workouts and sharing their experiences can help you get through the training cycle.
“If the stumbling block is motivation, find a crew to train with,” Robinson says. “Other people in the running community are such a great resource for pulling you through tougher times.”
“If the stumbling block is motivation, find a crew to train with,” Robinson says. “Other people in the running community are such a great resource for pulling you through tougher times.”
“Sleeping in your own bed and knowing the route will help to make race day go as smoothly as possible,” says McCarron
Setting your goals
While participation in the half-marathon is high, so is achievement. RunRepeat’s study found that the average pace for half-marathon finishers was between 5:40 and 6:22 per kilometre (which translates to finishing times of between 1:59 and 2:14). Not only was that faster than the average marathoner, it was faster than the average 5k or 10k result.
When you’re starting out, you might think your goal should be to just finish. But if you’re following the right kind of training plan, you’ll likely find yourself reaching for something more. A good way to reset your goals is to enter a shorter-distance race. You might find that a pace you thought was impossible is actually relaxing, and there’s nothing like the pressure of performing in a race to find out what you’re actually capable of.
“It’s nice to have low-pressure races to practise,” Robinson says. “They can also be good gauges of fitness for you and your coach, so you can fine-tune your training and race goals.”
McCarron agrees with building up through the 5k and 10k race distances – it allows runners to get critical race and training experience, which he says is extremely valuable for the longer distances. “Running shorter distances allows for runners to build their confidence and be excited for training and racing,” he says.
Building up
You’ve set your goals, found a group, and started training. It’s smooth sailing all the way to that medal and free banana, right?
Not so fast. You have many miles to go before you race, and the buildup is the most important element of your training.
“I think the biggest risk for this group is injuries,” Robinson says. “They are pushing their bodies to new levels with the stresses that come with more mileage.”
McCarron agrees. The biggest mistake he sees is runners who start increasing their mileage too quickly, without doing the related speed and form workouts that will allow the body to withstand a full training cycle.
The rule of thumb for any endurance training is to build mileage by 10 to 15 per cent each week. It doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up over the course of a training cycle. “There needs to be a gradual increase in both volume and intensity to ensure that athletes are race-ready,” says McCarron. “It’s critical to be patient and trust the process.”
First-timers also have a tendency to try to get ahead of their training by running long runs outside of their comfort zone. It’s a good way to get hurt, Robinson says, and it isn’t the most efficient way to increase fitness and running economy. Her advice:
Consistent mileage
“Not fast, not long. Just getting out the door for 30 to 45 minutes. It all adds up.”
De-emphasize the long run
“It’s not ideal to train for a half-marathon with just a steadily increasing weekend long run. You need the base and weekly mileage to support it.”
Picking a race
In large part, the season you’re most comfortable with will dictate when your race happens. If you’re comfortable training through the winter, find a spring race. If you hate snow and love sweating, look for a mid-summer or early fall race.
In addition to the seasons, you’ll usually have two additional choices for timing your race. If you prefer to run in the middle of the season, there are half-marathons in February and March that also serve as tune-up races for marathoners aiming at an April or May event. These races, like Vancouver’s First Half or the Chilly Half in Burlington, Ont. draw competitive crowds and have the feeling of a big race. Similarly, mid-summer races like the Beaches Jazz Half in Toronto or the Lachine Bonneville Half-Marathon in Quebec allow for a midsummer test of your fitness and leave you plenty of time to recover at the cottage or cabin. (Of course, this is assuming that as the pandemic and social-distancing requirements ease, those races return to the schedule.)
Many Canadian runners like to stay at home for their first race, and travel for their second. It’s a strategy McCarron endorses, since there’s enough happening on race day without having to deal with travel logistics. “Picking a local option where you live is a great way to test the waters,” he says. “Sleeping in your own bed and knowing the route will help to make race day go as smoothly as possible.”
The other option is to sign up for a race that’s part of a larger running weekend. The half-marathon at Ottawa Race Weekend, for example, is one of the greatest spectacles in Canadian running, with thousands of friends and family crowding Colonel By Drive to cheer the runners home. For these events, you’ll get the benefit of the marathon infrastructure, including a larger expo, advice from elite runners, and a multi-day experience. You’re also more likely to get crowd support from other runners who have come to town to run a different race.
“Smaller local races can be convenient, but over the distance of a half-marathon they can get very spread out with participants,” Robinson says. “For a really fun event, choose a bigger one with lots of crowd support and fanfare when you finish.”
Trust the training
You’ve made it through the training season uninjured, you’ve done your workouts, and you’re lined up at the start line, full of nerves and anticipation – and then those nagging second thoughts set in: “It’s so far!” “I can’t do this!” “I’d rather go get a coffee and watch everyone else.”
It’s time to shake off those thoughts, and trust that you’ve prepared yourself to succeed. “You can accomplish more than you think on race day,” Robinson says. “As long as you’ve had consistent training leading up to it, if your goal for your first half-marathon is to complete the distance, then trust your training and get excited for something big on race day!”
Andrew McKay is a proud member of the Beaches Runners Club, Lower East Siders and Ajax Wannabes. He worked on four Olympic Games with Yahoo Sports, and will be attempting to break 3:00 in the marathon whenever races resume.
If you’re comfortable training through the winter, find a spring race. If you hate snow and love sweating, look for a mid-summer or early fall race.