Signing up for a half marathon is the easy part. It takes about four minutes online and a brief burst of misplaced confidence. The hard bit arrives on a damp Sunday in week six, when the plan says twelve miles and the sofa says otherwise. If you’ve entered one this year, you’ve joined a very large and very cheerful club.
The good news is that 13.1 miles is well within reach for most people who train sensibly. Here’s what tends to work.
Build up gradually
Most training plans run for around ten to twelve weeks, with three or four runs a week. Keep most of them easy, at a pace where you could chat without gasping. Add one longer run each week and increase it steadily. A rule of thumb many runners follow is to raise weekly distance by no more than around 10 per cent at a time, with a lighter week every few weeks. It’s not perfect for everyone, but it’s a sensible starting point and it keeps you out of the physio’s waiting room.
Mix in some cross training too. A swim, a bike ride or a yoga class gives your legs a break while keeping your fitness ticking over, and it makes the whole thing feel less like a chore.
Fuel the long runs properly
Somewhere beyond the hour mark, willpower stops being enough. Most training plans suggest taking on carbohydrate during runs lasting longer than about 75 to 90 minutes, and sports gels are a simple way to do it. They’re light enough to carry in a waistband or shorts pocket, and you can take one on the move without breaking stride. Plenty of runners start with one around the 45 minute mark and top up every 30 to 40 minutes after that, though it’s worth experimenting.
Practise in training, not on race day. That’s the golden rule. Try a gel on your longer runs, see how your stomach reacts and work out whether you like a few sips of water alongside it. Some runners prefer to take one just before a water stop, others find it easier to have it with a mouthful at the next opportunity. There’s no right answer, only what works for you.
Try a couple of different flavours too. What seems pleasant in the kitchen can be distinctly less so at mile nine on a wet morning.
Get your shoes right
Before you do anything else, get properly fitted at a decent running shop. Your shoes are the one piece of kit that really matters, and a pair that’s wrong for your feet can turn a good training block into a sore one. Most shoes last somewhere between 300 and 500 miles, so keep an eye on the wear and replace them before they give out. Rotating between two pairs can help too.
Don’t skip the boring bits
Everyone loves a long run, but recovery is where the improvement happens. Eat something with carbohydrate and protein within an hour or two of finishing, drink plenty of water and keep a day or two of easy running or rest in your week. Sleep does more for your pace than any piece of kit.
Listen to your body when something niggles. A tight calf or a twinge in the knee is easier to fix in week four than in week twelve, so take an extra rest day rather than pushing through. Nobody ever regretted a day off in the middle of a training block.
Dress for the weather
Training through autumn and winter means plenty of dark, damp mornings. Wear something reflective, carry a small head torch if you’re out before sunrise or after sunset, and layer up so you can peel something off when you warm up. Take extra care on leaf-covered paths and anywhere near water, because wet leaves are surprisingly slippery.
Find your people
One of the nicest things about running is how social it can be. Most areas have a parkrun or a club session within reach, and there’s usually a group of cheerful regulars who’ll welcome a nervous newcomer. Running with others makes long distances feel shorter, and the coffee afterwards is as important as the run itself.
If group runs feel daunting, start with a friend. Agree a pace, agree a route and agree that whoever’s slowest gets to choose the café.
Race week
In the final week, resist the urge to cram. Keep your usual routine, eat familiar foods and lay out your kit the night before. Work out how you’re getting to the start, because race morning has a habit of testing everyone’s nerves. Pack your gels, your pins, a bin bag for the cold wait at the start line and a sense of humour.
Eat a familiar breakfast two to three hours before the start, usually something simple like porridge or toast and banana. Race morning is not the time to try the new granola, however good the packet makes it look.
A half marathon is as much about patience as fitness. Start steady, fuel early and enjoy the crowds on the way round. You’ll have earned that flat white.
