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Half marathon training for
beginners should be totally different to the approach used by an
experienced half marathon runner for a number of reasons. Whilst a beginner will be
starting with a very low level of fitness or none at all, experienced or intermediate runners
will have progressed way beyond the basics and should have at least some running under their
belts.
The following points should be a consideration
before starting any beginner’s half marathon training program: -
#1 Get Your Body Checked
Out
First things first. Go to your doctor or
physiotherapist to get any old injuries or niggles sorted out first. Check your health and joints
for any problems. If you are in good health and have no injury or illness problems then you can
safely begin your training.
#2 Invest A Little
Money
As a minimum requirement, you’ll need to get
yourself a good, well fitting pair of running shoes. If
you can get to a store that specialize in running gear then you’ll be able to get them check
your running gait so they’re a perfect fit.
You will also need to educate yourself fully as
to how your body changes during your training, injury prevention and the right type of nutrition
for your sport. Going in to this blind will make your job very much harder and you really do risk
injury and over training if you don’t get it right.
Finally it’s a really good idea to get some
appropriate clothing such as waterproofs, thermal underwear, a hat and gloves and a couple of pairs
of running socks.
#3 Build A Solid
Foundation
Start off slowly, increase your distances
slowly but regularly and allow yourself some recovery time between runs. As a general rule at least
24 – 48 hours and more if you’ve pushed yourself quite a bit and don’t worry if you need longer at
the beginning.
If you’re unable to run at first then just try
to power walk and build up to jogging from there, then you may be able to progress a little faster.
Running 3 times a week should be enough to start seeing noticeable improvements.
It's far better to start off slowly and then keep
progressing than to have to cut your half marathon training short and give the whole idea up
just because you overdid it at the start.
Many people make this mistake. They decide
they’re going to run a half marathon, get excited about running one. They’re motivated at the
thought of doing it but unfortunately their enthusiasm turns out to be their
downfall.
You need to be strict with the amount of
training you do, neither too much nor too little.
If you want to know more about
training for a half marathon, then my new half marathon running guide ‘Half Marathon Training For
Beginners' is an excellent choice...
You’ll find it a great resource to help you
plan your training but also it's a fantastic reference guide for the times when you
need inspiration and new ideas to make your workouts more interesting.
Don't you think you’d be a better runner
if you knew...
-
What to eat and
when
-
How, why and
when to train so you get fitter, stronger and more confident
-
What to do
to avoid picking up niggling injuries
-
How to build up to
race day distance in the shortest amount of time
Then why
not grab a copy of 'Half Marathon Training for Beginners’ – A half marathon training
schedule which gets you results – FAST.
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