Start getting ready for Cape Egmont Half Marathon

Welcome to week one of the 16-week programme for the Cape Egmont Half Marathon, writes Mark Turner, from World Multisport.

Over the next 16 weeks my goal through this programme is to help runners of all abilities complete the race on July 18. The Cape Egmont Half Marathon is in memory of Andrew Smith, who sadly lost his battle with a brain tumour on December 24, 2016.

Race organiser Nicky Smith was a close friend of Andrew and started the event to help raise funds for the Taranaki Cancer Society.

Every week there will be a beginner, intermediate and advanced programme to follow.

The beginner level programme is for someone new to running who can run for 20-30 minutes without stopping. The intermediate is for people who are running two to three times per week for up to one hour at a time.

The advanced is for people who have raced a lot and want to improve their times. They would be running four to five times per week currently.

Much of the training will be defined as easy.

What is easy? Running at a pace where you could hold a conversation with someone, but it would be laboured.

Or if running on your own, running with your mouth closed and breathing through your nose only. This is designed to develop your aerobic energy system which improves your endurance and the ability to run for long periods.

Cross-training is doing something other than running such as cycling, swimming or gym. This helps to reduce the risk of injury.

As the programme develops it will be designed to challenge you by introducing harder and longer runs.

Beginner

Monday: Rest; Tuesday: 30 minutes of a 1 min walk every 5 mins (six runs in total); Wednesday: Rest; Thursday: 30 minutes of a 1min walk every 5 mins; Friday: Rest; Saturday: 30 mins cross-training; Sunday: 30 minutes of a 1 min walk every 5 mins

Intermediate

Monday: rest; Tuesday: 25 mins easy; Wednesday: 40 mins easy; Thursday: 25 mins easy; Friday: Rest; Saturday: Crosstraining 30 mins; Sunday: 50 mins easy.

Advanced

Monday: Cross training 30 mins; Tuesday: 30 mins easy; Wednesday: 45 mins easy; Thursday: 30 mins easy; Friday: Rest; Saturday: 45 mins easy; Sunday: 1 hour easy.

By visiting our website you can subscribe to receive more weekly training tips plus our free 10km programme.

We will also follow the journey of some local athletes as they train for the event, which can be entered here online.

SIMON O’CONNOR/STUFF Triathlon coach Mark Turner trains in Pukekura Park with Cape Egmont Half Marathon organiser Nicky Smith. Turner will be providing a weekly programme event entrants can follow in the 16 weeks leading into the event, which is raising money for the Taranaki Cancer Society.