7 Training Tips for Your First Half Marathon

So, you've run a 5K, maybe even a 10K, and now you’re ready for something more challenging like a half marathon. Good for you! The half marathon is a great distance. It’s long enough to feel challenged, but not so long that training for it completely consumes your life.

Below are a 7 good training tips for your first half marathon. 

1.  Build a base. One mistake new runners often make when paring for a half-marathon is thinking that the 12- or 14-week plan takes you from the couch to the finish line. All half-marathon training plans that range in length from 10, 14 or 16 weeks assume that you’ve already built a weekly mileage base of at least 15-20 miles. Your longest run should also be at least 5 miles. Anything less than this weekly mileage or longest run mileage will overwhelm your body’s ability to acclimate. If you have a solid base under your feet, then when you start your training, you’ll only be acclimating to the demands of the training workouts. If you have a weak base coming into the training, then you’ll actually be asking your body to build that base while at the same time as acclimating to the new training demands. That’s overtraining or an injury just waiting to happen. 

2.  Pick a plan. Twelve weeks is a common length of many half-marathon training plans, however do a Google search and you’ll find plans that range from 10 to 16 weeks. I prefer to use a longer plan (14 weeks) with my runners. The extra weeks allow for a little wiggle room if a runner gets sick or has slight set back or injury.  If this is your first half-marathon, I strongly recommend a plan longer than 10 weeks. This will give you more time to acclimate to the training demands.

Not only do the plans vary in length, they also vary in content (the types of workouts, weekly mileage, and the number of times you run each week). Study the various plans carefully before picking one. First, find one that meshes well with your work and family schedule. If the plan has you running every day and you know that’s not going to happen, then that plan is not for you. Second, find a plan that matches your running fitness level. If the first long run in the plan is 8 miles and your current longest run is 4, select a different plan. Often plans are labeled for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced or Experienced, but even then, read through the plan carefully and make sure it fits your current running fitness level. 

3.  Think quality over quantity. Running lots of miles each week is one way to prepare for a half-marathon, but lots of miles can increase our chance of injury. I have my new half-marathon runners run four times a week. Two of these runs are what I call quality runs and two are base maintenance runs. The quality runs consist of a mid-week tempo run and a weekend long run.

The types of tempo runs vary, but basically they begin and end with a 1-mile warm-up /cool-down and the in between miles are run at a pace about 30 seconds slower than 5K pace. The Tempo portion is an uncomfortable pace. This helps your body increase VO2Max (your body’s ability to take in and utilize oxygen at the muscle layer to make energy) as well as push out your lactate threshold (that point at which you feel that burning sensation in your legs). Increasing VO2Max and pushing out your lactate threshold helps make you a more efficient runner as well as help fight off fatigue longer. A tempo run can range from 4 to 8 miles, and the types of tempos can vary.

Three good tempo workouts include: the traditional tempo (described earlier), race-pace tempo and tempo intervals. Race pace tempos are very similar to the traditional tempo, but instead of running 30 seconds slower than your 5K pace, you pull it down a notch to your half-marathon race pace.  This is a great workout for giving your body a chance to experience what it feels like to run at race pace. Saving your race-pace tempos for the longer 6, 7, or 8-mile tempo runs works well.  Tempo intervals begin and end with the 1-mile warm-up/cool-down, but the in between miles are broken into 5-mintue fast/5-minute slow intervals. The fast interval (fartlek) is run about 20 seconds slower than 5K race pace and the slow interval is run at your slow easy long-run pace. This teaches your body to learn how to speed up and/or slow down when needed during the race. Here are more specifics on these tempo workouts.

The long run is just that…long. This run should be run at a pace that’s about 1-minute slower than race pace. That’s hard to do sometimes, but by pulling back, you help your body build endurance without wearing it down. To help curb the urge to run faster as well as teach your body that you can pull out some speed at the end of the race, I have my runners up the last 1 to 2 miles of the long run to race pace or slightly faster. Most half-marathon training plans will take the runner up to 12 or 13 miles. There’s no need to do a run longer than 13 for a half.

The two weekly base maintenance runs are short runs (4 to 5 miles). These are designed to keep the weekly base miles going and to help keep the runner limber between the quality workouts. These runs are also run at a slower pace (45 seconds to 1-minute slower than race pace).

To read the rest of my tips (4-7) go to Active.com.

7 Training Tips for Your First Half Marathon

So, you've run a 5K, maybe even a 10K, and now you’re ready for something more challenging like a half marathon. Good for you! The half marathon is a great distance. It’s long enough to feel challenged, but not so long that training for it completely consumes your life.

Below are a few good training tips for your first half marathon.

1. Build a base. One mistake new runners often make when paring for a half-marathon is thinking that the 12- or 14-week plan takes you from the couch to the finish line. All half-marathon training plans that range in length from 10, 14 or 16 weeks assume that you’ve already built a weekly mileage base of at least 15-20 miles. Your longest run should also be at least 5 miles. Anything less than this weekly mileage or longest run mileage will overwhelm your body’s ability to acclimate. If you have a solid base under your feet, then when you start your training, you’ll only be acclimating to the demands of the training workouts. If you have a weak base coming into the training, then you’ll actually be asking your body to build that base while at the same time as acclimating to the new training demands. That’s overtraining or an injury just waiting to happen.

2. Pick a plan. Twelve weeks is a common length of many half-marathon training plans, however do a Google search and you’ll find plans that range from 10 to 16 weeks. I prefer to use a longer plan (14 weeks) with my runners. The extra weeks allow for a little wiggle room if a runner gets sick or has a  slight set back or injury. If this is your first half-marathon, I strongly recommend a plan longer than 10 weeks. This will give you more time to acclimate to the training demands.

Not only do the plans vary in length, they also vary in content (the types of workouts, weekly mileage, and the number of times you run each week). Study the various plans carefully before picking one. First, find one that meshes well with your work and family schedule. If the plan has you running every day and you know that’s not going to happen, then that plan is not for you. Second, find a plan that matches your running fitness level. If the first long run in the plan is 8 miles and your current longest run is 4, select a different plan. Often plans are labeled for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced or Experienced, but even then, read through the plan carefully and make sure it fits your current running fitness level.

3. Think quality over quantity. Running lots of miles each week is one way to prepare for a half-marathon, but lots of miles can increase your chance of injury. I have my new half-marathon runners run four times a week. Two of these runs are what I call quality runs and two are base maintenance runs. The quality runs consist of a mid-week tempo run and a weekend long run.

The types of tempo runs vary, but basically they begin and end with a 1-mile warm-up /cool-down and the in between miles are run at a pace about 30 seconds slower than 5K pace. The Tempo portion is an uncomfortable pace. This helps your body increase VO2Max (your body’s ability to take in and utilize oxygen at the muscle layer to make energy) as well as push out your lactate threshold (that point at which you feel that burning sensation in your legs). Increasing VO2Max and pushing out your lactate threshold helps make you a more efficient runner as well as help fight off fatigue longer. A tempo run can range from 4 to 8 miles, and the types of tempos can vary.

Three good tempo workouts include: the traditional tempo (described earlier), race-pace tempo and tempo intervals. Race pace tempos are very similar to the traditional tempo, but instead of running 30 seconds slower than your 5K pace, you pull it down a notch to your half-marathon race pace. This is a great workout for giving your body a chance to experience what it feels like to run at race pace. Saving your race-pace tempos for the longer 6, 7, or 8-mile tempo runs works well. Tempo intervals begin and end with the 1-mile warm-up/cool-down, but the in between miles are broken into 5-mintue fast/5-minute slow intervals. The fast interval (fartlek) is run about 20 seconds slower than 5K race pace and the slow interval is run at your slow easy long-run pace. This teaches your body to learn how to speed up and/or slow down when needed during the race. For more specifics on these tempo workouts, click here.

The long run is just that…long. This run should be run at a pace that’s about 1-minute slower than race pace. That’s hard to do sometimes, but by pulling back, you help your body build endurance without wearing it down. To help curb the urge to run faster as well as teach your body that you can pull out some speed at the end of the race, I have my runners up the last 1 to 2 miles of the long run to race pace or slightly faster. Most half-marathon training plans will take the runner up to 12 or 13 miles. There’s no need to do a run longer than 13 for a half.

The two weekly base maintenance runs are short runs (4 to 5 miles). These are designed to keep the weekly base miles going and to help keep the runner limber between the quality workouts. These runs are also run at a slower pace (45 seconds to 1-minute slower than race pace).

To read the 4 remaining tips, go to Active.com.

Win a Free Entry to the 13.1® - Los Angeles Half-Marathon!

Looking for a great winter half-marathon to run on the west coast? Well RunnerDude has a great contest for you! Enter now for a chance at a free entry to the 13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles taking place on January 16, 2011.

The 13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles will begin on the Venice Boardwalk  and end at the historic Windward  Circle in Venice for and unforgettable race experience. Amidst ocean views participants will enjoy a Hollywood themed half marathon celebrating the best of Los Angeles.


Both first-timer friendly and perfect for marathoners in training, 13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles will offer a scenic and festive run along a closed course with fully supported aid stations, live entertainment, and medals for all finishers. Participants and spectators are encouraged to wear costumes and enjoy a race “Where the Party Meets the Pavement”. 

13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles will take place on Sunday, January 16, 2001 beginning at 7:13AM on the Venice Boardwalk at Rose Avenue. The walker-friendly course will remail open for 3 hours and 30 minutes, a 16 minute/mile pace. For more information on 13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles visit www.131losangeles.com.

Racers are invited to join the official benefiting charity, Team World Vision to raise funds for clean water projects in Kenya and Malawi while training with local team groups. There is no fundraising minimum and team members will enjoy a Pre-Race Team Dinner, Pep Rally on race morning, and Post-Race Celebration Cookout. For more information on Team World Vision please visit www.worldvision.org.

The race is organized by the US Road Sports & Entertainment Group, a health and wellness company dedicated to the production of world-class endurance events. The mission of US Road Sports is to offer an unparalleled participant sports experience that showcases host communities and endures as a deeply valued local asset through events that are a part of the city’s culture, identity and brand. For each participant, US Road Sports strives to offer events that allow participants of all skill levels the opportunity to improve their physical and mental health and accomplish life-altering goals while having fun. US Road Sports provides sponsors and municipalities highly effective exposure to help maximize their presence and message in the community.

How to Enter:
To enter for a chance to win a free entry to the 13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles taking place on January 16, 2011, email RunnerDude at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com. Be sure to put "13.1 Marathon® - Los Angeles" in the subject line and include your full name in the subject of the email. You have until midnight on Halloween (October 31st )to enter! Each email will be assigned a number in the order of which it was received. Then, the True Random Number Generator will be used to select the winning number. The winner will be announced on the blog on November 1st.

The contest is now closed and the winner is Julie Reyes! Congrats, Julie!

Trust and Believe

This morning I heard one of the best comments I could ever hear as a running coach from three of my half-marathon runners just before the start of their race.
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"I'm not even nervous. I'm excited, but not nervous."
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As a coach, it's great to hear that because you know the runners feel ready physically and mentally for the race. They're confident in their athletic abilities.

These runners have worked hard the past 12 weeks. For two of the runners, it was their very first half-marathon and the third was shooting to break a previous time and PR. During the training, they'd every once in a while express a little doubt about achieving their goals, but I kept reminding them to trust in their training. And they did. The two half-marathon newbies both blew away their projected finish times and the PR-hopeful, did in fact break his previous half-marathon time and not by just a few seconds, but by several minutes!

It's normal to have some doubts during your training. One bad run, and that little pesky voice of doubt can slip in and begin it's taunting—"Am I going to be able to do this?" "If I can't even do this short run, how in the world am I going to make 13.1 or 26.2 miles?" 

Training for an endurance event is kind of like the stock market. If you're looking for a big return in the short-run, then you'll probably be disappointed. You may even lose some money. But, if you hang in there and let some time pass, your stocks will probably begin to give you some good returns. The same thing applies to running. In-the short-term, you may not see a lot of growth. You may even experience what seems like a set-back as your body acclimates to new training intensities and/or mileage. But give it some time. Trust and Believe. Your reward will be at the end of your training on race day.

I'm not sure who said it first, but "running is about 90% mental and 10% physical." Whether that's scientific or not, I don't know, but there's a lot of truth in that statement. Trusting your training and believing in yourself as an athlete will help ensure that all the hard work you've put in over the past several months will shine through.

"Trust and Believe" actually makes a great mantra. When you're running and you're climbing a tough hill or you're beginning to fatigue, say to yourself over and over, "Trust and Believe." If that pesky little voice of doubt begins to creep in, kick it to the curb! Even say it out loud. "Go Away!" Of course the runner beside you may think you're a crazy nutcase, but hey, whatever works, right?!

There are always factors out of your control that may affect race day (crazy weather, extreme temperatures [hot or cold], illness, injury, etc.). When that happens, it's frustrating, but you just have to roll with the punches. Don't let it discourage you though. As soon as you can, set a new training/racing goal.

RunnerDude's Runner of the Week: Philip

This week's runner of the week—Philip Ciccarello—has been a twitter friend for a while now. I stumbled upon his blog when I was researching how other runners felt about ice baths. A picture of him in another post is perfect for depicting how good, but how bad an ice bath feels when you're having one. He's submersed waist deep in a tub of ice water, his running shorts one, a sweat shirt on, and a toboggan atop his head. Upon seeing this picture and reading the post that went along with it, I knew I'd like this runner. Been following his blog and twitter posts ever since. He also lives in the same great state that I do—North Carolina—although he's a little further west, in Charlotte.

Read on to learn more about this pretty cool running dude.

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RD: I see you’re in Charlotte, NC. Are you originally from there? Where did you grow up?
Philip: I was born and raised on an apple orchard in Amherst County Virginia— small town that borders the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a kid there was always something to do—hiking, bike rides, swimming, sports. I did it all and loved every minute of it. After going to college in Lynchburg (neighboring city), I met my wife @aciccarello and we began to look for a bigger city to locate. We heard awesome things about Charlotte, and after visiting one weekend we were sold.

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RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? Hobbies?
Philip: My 8-5 job revolves around technology/Internet/social media, as I am the Director of Technology for the Charlotte Regional Partnership- a 16 county economic development organization. When not sitting in front of a computer, I enjoy running (obviously), working out, biking, live music, cooking, red wines, and networking.

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RD: How long has running been a part of your life? Did you grow up in a sports oriented family?
Philip: Thinking back, I really got started with running while playing soccer at the age of 7. Soccer progressed into cross country and the rest is history.

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RD: What got you into running?
Philip: Most of my inspiration to be an athlete/runner came from my dad. My dad was not a runner, yet for an endurance test he decided to run the Virginia 10 Miller (I was 11 years old). The next year I ran the race with him and finished. From that point forward I was hooked.
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RD: What do you enjoy most about running? Is it the mental? Physical? Both?
Philip: For me, what I enjoy most is the physical rewards of running. The only other cardio that I am involved in is biking and light swimming. After a run, depending on how hard you pushed yourself, your body should feel drained to the core, and I love it.
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RD: I hear you like to cook. What’s your favorite dish to make…sinful or healthy?
Philip: Cooking is something I enjoy thoroughly. People always ask me, “What’s your favorite restaurant”, to which I reply, “My kitchen”. Everything I cook is healthy, mostly chicken breasts, seafood, over the top salads, and vegetables. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a good steak or burger once a month.
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RD: Do you have a favorite training food recipe you’ve created? What other favorite foods do you include in your training?
Philip: The night before races I eat homemade pancakes with real maple syrup. They digest well and I have never had stomach cramps the day of the race. In the morning I normally do coffee with sugar, either a piece of toast or bagel with half a banana.

Normally I run in the mornings…if the mileage is going to be less than 10, I go on an empty stomach to promote fat burning. Post run/workout I enjoy a bowl of oatmeal (whole oats) with peanut butter.
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RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with some buddies? What do you like about each?
Philip: 90% of my runs are solo—without any music. Running is almost a meditation/relaxation for me. When I am out there my mind can roam free and there are not too many distractions that break my thoughts.

When I do run with others it’s a very pleasurable experience. What I have noticed, is when you run with a partner, the time goes by so much quicker, maybe it’s the conversation.
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RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?
Philip: A couple of months ago something attacked my head from the air. At first when I blogged about it, I thought it was a bat…but after talking to a few people they suggested it could have been an owl.

RD: Oddly enough, a running friend of mine was visiting her daughter in Charlotte and while there, went out for an early-morning run. On that run an owl swooped down and grabbed at the hair on top of her head. Maybe it's the same owl!!

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RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?
Philip: My biggest running accomplishment had to be when I finished my first official race (Virginia 10 miler) with my dad at the age of 12. The crowd throughout the race was so supportive, I wanted to give up so bad…that race taught me there will be serious pains involved with running—yet you must stay focused and take one step at a time.
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RD: Do you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?
Philip: My feet are flat, really flat. Over the years I have tried all types of running shoes. Back in 2006 I fell in love with the Asics Gel Nimbus brand. They are very supportive and cushiony. Usually every 350 miles I spring for a new pair.

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RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s)? Do you have a favorite race you run each year?
Philip: I love all distances, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be the half-marathon. The half is a good distance and usually will not beat you up as bad as training for a full marathon. There is one race that I return to each year—The Virginia 10-Miler. This race has so many memories, and my entire family gets together to run the full 10 miles or 4-miler.

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RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?
Philip: Running is a lifestyle…it does not develop overnight. Diet, exercise, and a mental commitment are the keys to success. Running is not about how fast you are, but more about finishing. Always remember one step at a time.

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RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.

Philip: Be serious about injuries. Luckily enough, after years of running, I have only had just a few minor injuries. If you are injured, stop running and let it heal. If you keep pushing you will only make it worse, listen to your body.

There is a really cool website called Athlinks that aggregates all of your race results onto one page- a must if you are into tracking your results.

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Thanks Philip for sharing a little about your life and running! One day I hope to get down to Charlotte and get a run in with you.

How Running Changed My Life: Kathleen's Story

Kathleen from Albany, NY has a great outlook on her running as well as life. Check it out in her own words:

"I Could Never."

As a vegetarian and long distance runner, I have heard those three words over and over for more than a decade. “I could never give up meat.” “I could never run that far.”

“I could never” a self-limiting excuse masked as praise. “I’m not able to do that yet” or “I don’t have the passion to commit to that” is what many people mean to say. By saying “I could never," they subconsciously shut down their potential by telling themselves they're not capable of achieving anything they put their minds to.

When I finished my half marathon I officially crossed “I could never”off of the list of things I say. I can choose a goal, and I can commit the time to achieving it. If I am passionate about my goal, I have the motivation to succeed.

For me, running a half marathon means “I could never” limit myself again.—Kathleen • Albany, NY

Kathleen, your story reminds me of a saying I used to hear as a kid, "Can't never could." You're exactly right. A person definitely puts himself/herself at a disadvantage when he/she says, "I could never." Sometimes when you set a goal, you don't make it, but that's a part of the learning process. If you never try, your never learn and you miss out on a whole lot of run along the way! You just proved my theory! I'm thinking we should change the old saying from "Can't never could." to "Can't always should." Thanks Kathleen!