Half Marathon Training

The Half Marathon is probably my favorite distance for a race - 13.1 miles. If you have already conquered the 5k distance or the 10k distance, this is a great distance if you are looking for a little more of a challenge, but don't have or don't want to give several hours every Saturday to training. The below are pictures from my first half marathon.

I ran my first half marathon in 2018 as a practice run ahead of the Dopey Challenge (a four-day 48.6 mile race through Disney World). It was Raleigh's 13.1 Race through North Hills - let's just say that the word "hills" isn't in the name for no reason. I didn't know the course, had not really practiced hills, but I went out with a lot of heart and some hurt feet as the signs say above. I finished the race in 2 hours, 36 minutes and 53 seconds. 11:40 pace. It wasn't fast but guess what, I still finished!

I have since completed several half marathons, my fastest being the City of Oaks in 2021, with a pace of 10:32, finishing in 2 hours and 18 minutes.

Whether you run your half marathon at a twelve minute pace or an eight minute pace, doesn't matter. One of my favorite quotes (which I cannot find who said it first) is "A 6 minute mile is just as far as a 12 minute mile." Just keep moving forward.

You can read all about the gear I like to have and the fuel I use on long runs. This page is really dedicated to planning and training.

My number one piece of advice on any type of planning - running or otherwise - is start with the end in mind. Are you running a race? Are you working up to the mileage? Is your goal to cross the finish line strong? Are you trying to meet a certain pace? Whatever your goal is, think about what you want to achieve and how you want to feel at the end.

My goal is always to finish strong, regardless of my pace. That means that I want to go into race day knowing that I did everything I could for success. We can only control what we can control, which means getting the training runs in, practicing with our gear and our fueling, figuring out what works for us, and putting our support system in place. That does not mean everything in training goes well or right. I have had lots of bad training runs (more about that will be in articles). But I do want to make sure that I go into race day with no regrets about my preparedness (shocker, I treat my jobs as CEO and elected official the same way).

Are you brand new to running and want to run a half marathon? Awesome! Consider starting with some shorter distance goals and build up to 13.1. Starting with too much too soon can lead to injury which can really disrupt longer term goals (not to mention leave you in a lot of pain).

The other part of being realistic is giving real thought to what works with your schedule. Maybe you are somebody who can just wake up and decide to run 13 miles. I cannot, which means I needed to build endurance. It takes the body and mind time and you need to be able to realistically carve out time in your schedule. Can you find three days per week to run? Find a schedule that works for you that you can stick to. Just like a lot things in our lives, if you cannot sustain it, you run the risk of not being successful.

If it helps, find a running group or a running friend to help with accountability. At minimum, our friends that we can text for motivation are really helpful, too. Make sure your inner circle knows your goals and will help support you. Running any distance is no joke!

Something I wish I would have known in my earlier running days was how to enjoy the journey. You will have bad runs. It will feel hard. And those hard days is where the magic lives. I have learned so much more when things are tough and have grown because of it.

It isn't important how fast you go or how far you have run. What is important is that you are out there doing it. And it really is okay if you miss a training run here and there. Things will come up, your body will tell you it's more important to sleep, you may not be feeling well. That's all okay. Rest days are important and you can miss a few days in a training plan.

Start with the End in Mind

Determine What is Realistic for You

Be Married to the Journey, Not the Destination

The Plan!

I have tried many different half marathon training plans and finally created my own. I really like writing down my training plan and for big races usually put together a handmade training schedule (like the one pictured here).

Below is a schedule that I have used that consists of 3 days per week. I have found this plan to be pretty manageable. It is easier to find 35-45 minutes two times per week in my schedule and then do my longer runs on the weekend. If you are doing a hilly run or working towards a specific goal, you may want to add some speed work or hill repeats as an extra mid-week run.

About the plan:

Every run starts with a 5 minute warm-up and ends with a 5 minute cool-down. This prevents injury.
Rest days are really important in training to help your body recover.
Cross Training should be easy - walking, swimming, cycling are all good options.
If you want to incorporate strength training, I recommend keeping it light (focused on core and legs) and adding it to your two mid-day week runs. This way your rest days stay true rest days.