I first started running races because I have a lot of runner friends around me, I wanted to pick up new hobby, and I really wanted to make wall arts with finisher medals. So the credits of motivation would be from my friends and pinterest. Going to a first half marathon without proper training would be intimidating for new runners. On top of that, a lot of training programs come either expensive, time-consuming, or just too much information for someone who doesn't know much about running. I didn't know much about running other than it can help me loose weight, but heck, that's only half true. There are some simple important points that can help you plan out your training schedule:
Weekend long runs are my focus when I was training for my first half. I was lucky to have a 10mile race two weeks before my first half marathon, so I spent a total of two month of training for the first half marathon. This is what I did:
Weekend 1: 2 miles
Weekend 2: 5 miles
Weekend 3: 5 miles
Weekend 4: 7 miles
Weekend 5: 7miles
Weekend 6: 10miles (Race Day)
Weekend 7: 7 miles
Weekend 8: 13.1 miles (Race Day)
The longest I have ran before training was 3 miles. That was done two years ago. I remember I was dying afterwards. I wasn't even a runner of any sort before I started training. So you can do it too!
Weekday trainings are hectic especially for someone with a 9-5 job, so I ddi not train much on weekdays. But it's important to make sure to take care of your body on weekdays since those weekend long runs can make your body very, very stiff. As a result, you have to build up strength and flexibility. This is what I did:
Tuesday: Yoga (1 hour long session)
Thursday: Free weights (30min, 20lbs)
If you have absolutely no time for weekday trainings, take at least 10 minutes twice per week to build up strength in your core area.
Other things that you need to keep in mind:
- Don't injure yourself. You don't want to be the person that injured yourself and end up people watch during race day. Pay attend to how your body heals after a long run. If it takes more than a day to recover from a weekend long run, decrease your speed or mileage the next weekend.
- Stretch before and after your run. But if you are lazy and had to pick one, stretch after your run, it helps your body recover.
- If you are stock up on carbs a couple of days before the race, the race will go much easier.
- Make sure you go to the bathroom before you run. Bodily waste can drag you down.
- Make sure you dress adequately for running. If you are not sure how much layer to put on, dress less. It's less likely that you will be cold when running than burning up.
- Most importantly, try to enjoy the race. If you hate people, pick a small race. If you hate running, then run at a comfortable pace.
