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Training for and racing a half marathon requires commitment, courage and self-belief, especially when you’re chasing a big-time goal such as breaking two hours or tackling a hilly course. In short, it’s tough, but with some expert advice and these sure-fi

Run your best half marathon with these complete plans

RUNNING 13.1 MILES is possible for most runners – if you can do a 10K, you can do a half. ‘It’s an achievable challenge, as it’s easier to fit the training into a busy life than it is for a marathon,’ says British elite and RW contributing editor Jo Pavey. But it’s still a big step up for those new to the distance, and will require a higher weekly mileage, longer long runs and a greater variety of sessions to develop the endurance and speed you’ll need. To help you do that, here you’ll find training plans if you’re aiming for a sub-two-hour finish or preparing for a hilly half. You’ll also find tips from RW experts on meeting your goals for any half you choose.

TRAINING Why is it important to follow a schedule?

You’re trying to train the individual aspects that will be put together on race day, explains running coach Sean Tait (offthemarktraining.com). Provided your sessions aren’t clustered together too much, a good schedule (such as those on the following pages) is a good way of getting through different types of session in a week without putting your body at risk of becoming injured or overtrained.

Remember that nothing is achieved in one day; rather, it’s achieved consistently over time. Each day’s schedule is written with the next few weeks in mind, and not just what you’re capable of doing on that one particular day. For example, if you don’t run easy enough during an easy run, you won’t allow your body time to heal from the quality training you’ve been doing prior to that, which will increase your risk of injury.

What happens if I get injured?

‘Never run through an injury,’ says running coach Paddy Mcgrath. ‘It’s better to get to the end of your plan healthy, having missed a week or two, than to have hit all your sessions but be in no fit state to race.’ Depending on where the injury is, it’s possible to cross-train in a way that doesn’t put stress or weight on the affected area – eg swimming, aqua-running or cycling. That way, you’ll retain fitness even without running. If you can’t run for: ONE WEEK Skip that week and simply pick up the schedule the following week. TWO WEEKS Repeat the previous week’s training and continue from there – bearing in mind you may not get to the same point as someone who has been following the programme without interruption. THREE WEEKS Jump back two weeks, potentially even three, because you’ll have lost fitness. FOUR WEEKS OR MORE It’s probably wise to adjust your goal by aiming for a slower time.

I don’t feel like I’m improving. what should I do?

Don't despair – it takes time to improve as a runner. You may not feel like it, but rest assured that you are getting better every day, as each run slowly builds your strength and fitness. Still, it can be easier to take heart if you set small, manageable steps toward your bigger goals, says sports psychologist and running coach Dr John Gorvin.

Why do I need to taper?

Your body doesn’t just benefit from training; it also benefits from recovery. Reduce your long-run mileage in the final two to three weeks before race day, and do a couple of short race-pace efforts in the final week to keep yourself ticking over nicely.

RACEDAY Plan early

You can quieten the butterflies in your stomach by focusing on raceday logistics: carefully following your nutrition and hydration plans, making it on time and properly equipped to the starting area, and meeting up with friends.

Warm up properly

Warming up prepares body and mind for the task at hand. It increases your heart rate, body temperature and blood flow. Blood transports oxygen to working muscles more efficiently when it is warm, and a warm body can break down and utilise glucose better than one at rest. Plus, some fast running can burn off nervous energy and help you focus. Half marathon warm-up: do some light jogging for 10-15 minutes, then do two to four 200m strides, accelerating slowly until you reach your planned half-marathon race pace. Because the half marathon is fairly long, you won't need to shoot off the line – ease into your goal pace over the first mile or two.

How should I pace it?

In general, the best pace strategy is to run even mile or kilometre splits throughout the race. Break the race down into manageable chunks. This is particularly useful if you’re a runner who tends to lose focus in the middle miles. ‘Mental lapses are common in the middle of races such as the half marathon,’ says Scott Douglas, author of The Little

Red Book of Running (Skyhorse). ‘If you’re really racing the distance – a minute or more per mile than your normal training pace – you’ll have to concentrate to keep the proper effort going. Otherwise, it’s common for your mile splits to start being 10 or 15 seconds slower. The benefit of the tempo run – of learning how to keep that concentration going – can’t be overstated.’

If I’m feeling good, is it OK to go for it?

If you’re feeling comfortable, persist with the same pace, but don’t get too excited yet. If you reach the halfway mark in the race and you still feel you’re not being stretched, gradually pick up the pace and run by feel.

I’m not feeling great – what should I do?

‘Try to distinguish between mental and physical fatigue,’ says Tait. ‘If it’s physical, you’ll be cramping or have no power left in your body to keep pushing. If it’s mental, your body will feel tired and you’ll be looking for a way out.’ Focus on short-term goals: if it happens at halfway, tell yourself to continue to the eight-mile point and that if you’re still feeling bad by then, you can pull out. Feeling better then? Carry on to 10 miles, and so on.

What if it’s really windy or hot on race day?

Both will cause you to run more slowly. You’ll be more hindered by the slowing-down effect of a headwind than you’ll be helped by a tailwind. Even a crosswind will sap your energy. In this case, forget your pace plan and run by feel instead. Heat will definitely slow you, because your body will have to work harder to cool you down. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking to thirst before and during the race.

YOUR GOAL: A SUB-2 HALF How fit do I need to be?

Ideally, you should be able to run 5K in 25-26 minutes and a 10K in less than 54 minutes. If you have prior experience and are returning to running after a layoff, chances are you’ll progress more quickly than a beginner, thanks to muscle memory. ‘Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or an experienced runner, you need to condition yourself to feel comfortable running for two hours,’ says Tait. ‘You need to feel that in running for two hours

at a slower pace than you will on race day, you’re not left “broken”.’

The average person might be able to run for 5K comfortably, but the effort starts to take its toll after that. That’s because neuromuscular adaptations need to take place for your body to be in the condition to operate at the intensity it takes to run at a certain pace; for a sub-2:00, that’s 9:09 per mile or 5:40 per kilometre. There’s also the mental side: you need to be confident your body can keep going for two hours.

Do I need to take on fuel?

You’ll need to eat and drink on the road, says nutritionist Pamela Nisevich Bede (swimbikeruneat. com). ‘Some runners think they can get through a half marathon without sports drinks or gels, but that can make for painful and slow final miles,’ she says. Aim for 45- 60g of carbs each hour you’re running and practise fuelling on long runs so there are no surprises on race day.

I’m tired. How do I know when to back off?

If you are pushing the pace to get faster or adding distance to go further, your body will talk back to you. During training, learn to distinguish ‘good pain’ (discomfort from leaving your comfort zone) from ‘bad pain’ (something verging on injury). ‘There is a difference between muscles that burn at the end of a workout and something that hurts every time you take a step,’ says sports psychologist Jim Taylor. ‘Part of training is learning body awareness. You also need to experience some discomfort so when it occurs in a race, you know you can push through it.’

YOUR GOAL: CONQUER A HILLY HALF Hit the hills

The best way to do well in a race with a lot of ups and downs is to climb and descend regularly during your training. ‘Instead of doing a speed-focused training schedule, it makes a whole lot more sense to focus on hills,’ says running coach Janet Hamilton (runningstrong.com). If you almost never run hills during a normal training week, seek them out once per week: find a hill that will allow you to climb for about 60 seconds, and run it a few times during a midweek run that's longer than your shortest recovery runs. Once you're comfortable with that, you can progress to a route with longer and/or steeper climbs, says Hamilton. Then, you can start adding some hills to your long runs – warm up with a few flat miles, run a few miles on rolling hills and cool down with several more flat miles.

Run them right

‘A lot of people don't really grasp how to run hills,’ says Hamilton. ‘They go into attack-the-hill mode.’ This will leave you fatigued and breathless at the top, and will waste energy you’ll need later in your run. Instead, work on maintaining an even effort going uphill – as you do

on level ground – even if your pace slows. Tune in to how you are breathing at a comfortable pace on the flat stretch leading up to the hill, and try to maintain that rhythmic breathing as you climb. Keep the same cadence and upright posture: ‘You just push off with a little less emphasis,’ says Hamilton. Then, if you decide to do race-pace work on hills – which is a good idea if you have a time goal in mind – you can practise averaging an even pace despite climbs and descents by maintaining the comfortably hard effort level you associate with half-marathon race pace.

Run down

Maintain the same effort when you tackle the downhills – land lightly and increase your leg speed a bit to allow gravity to carry you to a faster pace than you’d run on the flats. Don’t let your feet slap the pavement or try to brake with your quads. ‘Think about not riding the brakes,’ says Hamilton.

A study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research showed that when runners trained on ascents and descents, they improved speed and foot turnover more than when running up hills or on flat surfaces alone. Running downhill requires the muscles to lengthen, or make eccentric muscle contractions, which can generate more force than when you’re running uphill or on flat ground.